Weather God kind to atheist Kamal Haasan

Chennai: The weather cleared in Tamil Nadu just in time for the Deepavali festival and the release of the Deepavali special movies Thoongaavanam and Vedhalam, released on November 10. The Weather God seems to be kind to atheist Kamal Haasan!

The films released over 900 screens in the State had a huge advance booking up to the week-end, thereby ensuring good collection over the first six days. Producers, distributors and theatre owners still have their fingers crossed, and hope that the rains would cease by November 11, ensuring their box-office returns up to Sunday.

The film industry was worried when weathermen predicted a deep depression could intensify into a cyclone and cross the coast between Pudcherry and Chennai. However, the industry was relieved when this did not happen, and the depression crossed the coast near Cuddalore. Normal rains are not such a worry for the film industry, as some rains are anyway expected in the month of November every year.

The light rains now do not appear to be a dampener as tickets have been booked for five to six days, and die-hard fans of Kamal Haasan and Ajith will make it to the theatres any way, said a theatre owner in Chennai.

However, in small towns and suburbs, film-goers tend to reach the theatres just before show time, and this is where heavy rainfall could prove to be a deterrent. However, with weathermen predicting gradual decline in rainfall from November 11 onwards, theatre owners have heaved a sigh of relief.

Fans of Kamal Haasan and Ajith too hope that the weather would clear and that they would have a free run at least till Sunday.
With a mid-week release, the producers and distributors hope to make a kill by Sunday, giving them six days of holiday collections. November 14 will be a bank holiday as well (second Saturday of the month) giving a further boost to week-end collections, a distributor said. A week’s bumper collections would normally ensure a ‘Paisa Vasool’ situation in the film industry.

Whatever comes in later, would enhance the profits – that is how the industry economy works. Overseas collections too could be good, judging by bookings already made for the two films.