Onam for Malayalam film viewers is sans theaters this time. You have films releasing on TV straightaway and on OTT. The days when you visited a theater as part of Onam festivities is going to be a thing of the past ? The Central Govt has still put theaters on the restricted list till September end. The news that many films of actors like Fahad Fazil and Tovino are coming straight to TV and OTT and many more to follow looks like that this might be the norm for some time.
Even Tamil films like that of Jyotika and Keerthy Suresh are coming to TV first. A Onam fest meant for people in the capital to take a look at the lit up Govt buildings and a visit to theater. Slowly this `lights’ as said by public became very much a low key and then it was lights off. Remaining was the `float’ and that too has gone for a toss. In short ,ia Onam that is more on the TV screen than in homes or roads.
I remember that theater owners had a tough time in controlling drunks in the night shows. The elite of the capital booked tickets in balconies and came with families. This trend vanished after drunks took over the balconies and toilets were jammed with vomit as liquor + payasam combo did not jell.
People from neighbouring districts came to the capital to see lights and movies. There was a system that new releases came first to A class center. This too crumbled along the way. Now this Onam, you sit at home and see the premiere release on TV or on OTT platform and the drunks can empty the gut in the own toilet or on the roads. Hear lalettan to Ponnamma Babu talk about Onam in Covid times.
There is no argument about who was king of Onam box office. Like shops reported bleak sales due to Covid scare, probably theaters too would have no takers in a big way. The Puli Attam guys have lost their yearly time to make big cash. Somebody has spread the word that flowers are carriers of the virus. To old timers like me who have enjoyed Onam with friends get together and the movie viewing and seeing women folk getting up to do the atthatha poo and along with children taking rides on swings tied on trees in the backyard, I used to say almost a decade back that Onam fervor is only on TV screens.
When Hotels offered Onam sadhya as home delivery and within the premises. Tables were booked earlier for such lunches and reported even waiting list , I knew that Onam and Maveli are kept alive by TV channels to make a killing. What happened to the bulky Onam pathipu ( special issues) that at one time had to be booked by paying upfront to the vendor ?No woman woke up at 3 AM to start cutting veggies for the feast. It was a must that everybody ate the Onam sadhya together and non veg was taboo. All that has changed. Atleast till recently Maveli could witness unruly crowds outside theaters and this time he has a very sober Kerala waiting. Only home cooked food and no drunks staggering out of bars to rush home for keeping the attendance. No traffic diversions due to people walking from East Fort to Kawdiar to see lights.
Happy Onam for TV channels and OTT platforms. A melancholic Onam for all those missing the Onam josh. We will have to see this time Kerala gives the expected news that previous Onam record sales at BEVCO outlets and the areas with figures that keep Gods Own Country ahead of all lovers of Bacchus
Last Para has an update :From today included three days are dry days in Kerala. So only yesterday sales figures will be officially available. Bars will make a killing but good news is that Central Govt has permitted bars to open from Sept 1.
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