Thangalaan, Vaazhai, Kottukkaali: No demand for caste-themed movies in Tamil, claims Tirupur Subramanian

Veteran Tamil film exhibitor Tirupur Subramaniam has made controversial remarks about the current state of Tamil cinema, particularly films that address caste issues. According to Subramaniam, films that focus on caste oppression no longer resonate with audiences, a stark contrast to the past when such themes often propelled movies to box office success.

"After the interval, they start telling stories from a caste perspective. And people are not liking it," Subramaniam told Galatta Tamil. He claimed that the public’s interest in caste-based narratives has waned. He questioned the relevance of these films in today's society, adding, "We are all educated. We are not uneducated fools. You have been interviewing for a long time now, have I ever enquired about your caste? Only mad people will ask such questions. We are living in such times."

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Subramaniam's comments come in the wake of the releases of films like Pa Ranjith's Thangalaan, Mari Selvaraj's Vaazhai, and PS Vinothraj's Kottukkaali, all of which have been praised for their nuanced exploration of social and political oppression. Despite the critical acclaim, Subramaniam argued that these films did not perform satisfactorily at the box office. "Vaazhai's opening exceeded expectations because of good reviews. Even Kottukkaali had a good opening. But after the first few shows, there was a significant reduction in occupancy for both films," he noted.

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Subramaniam also dismissed the existence of caste prejudice in society, claiming, "Certain people identify themselves as an oppressed community. Why do you label yourself as such? Those who claim to represent the backward class travel in Benz cars. If you have money, you belong to the progressive class; if not, you belong to the oppressed class. That's all."

On the contrary, the producers of Thangalaan have declared the film, starring Chiyaan Vikram, a big hit. Recently, Vikram hosted the crew members of the movie for a lavish lunch to celebrate its success. Vaazhai was also touted as a huge box office success, generating significant profits for its producers.

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