In a rather unexpected turn of events, two South Indian films, Thudarum and Tourist Family, have managed to do well at the box office, leading to the makers announcing that the release period has been extended. Both films were to have started streaming on OTT platforms four weeks after release. However, now, because of the great demands of their audience, their digital release dates have been postponed until early June.
OTT Debuts Paused for Box Office Breakthroughs
Thudarum, which features Mohanlal in the titular role, was originally slated to start streaming on May 21, but will now premiere a week earlier. A Tamil family drama, Tourist Family (May 1), was also scheduled to make its way to OTT platforms by May 28. Playing to full houses and with continued interest, both films have also just added days to their runs in theaters, a rare victory in a landscape where most features end their theatrical lives after a few weeks.
A More Than Welcome Resurgence for Mohanlal
Thudarum's win is a major victory for Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who did not receive the best reception for the sequel to Empuraan. The great buzz around Thudarum has not only pulled the audience to the theaters, but has also revived interest in the actor's recent work.
A Sleeper Hit From a Little Movie
Tourist Family From a Caesarean-Tamil-film-with-small-budget makes a big showing on the big screen. The film has gained traction thanks to word of mouth and an easily relatable story with strong performances.
Both of the movies are now scheduled to launch on the streaming platform in the first week of June. Theater success has driven anticipation, and it can be expected that the movies will clock significant viewership when they do land on digital platforms.
In an era where quick OTT turnarounds are increasingly common, a delay in digital releases is a rare and welcome victory for traditional theatrical success.
