Making family genre movie is evergreen opportunity for filmmakers

Earlier, family genre movies dominated Tamil cinema with films from filmmakers like A Bhimsingh, CV Sridhar, KS Gopalakrishnan, K Balachander, Visu, V Sekhar, KS Ravikumar, P Vasu, Vikraman and Cheran. The genre is now kept alive thanks to filmmakers like Ezhil, Sasi, ‘Siruthai’ Siva, ‘Kuttipuli’ Muthiah and Pandiraj, whose films bring in hundreds of families to theatres.

Unlike other genres like action, thriller, romance, realistic, neo-noir attracting youth, family and comedy genres bring the entire family to theatres. The audience in B and C centres (small towns and villages) are primarily from joint families and hence a family film attracts their attention.

The average ticket count is more than five per cent during this period for such films. Most theatres in these centres talk about the importance of family films to keep their theatres alive with high revenue gains through multiple ticket sale, food and beverages sale etc which is otherwise limited in other genre films.

Family genre films talk about human relations in all dimensions, which attract huge audience. Films on various human relations came in Tamil cinema and each had its own appeal. A few to list are: Grandfather and Grandson (Manjapai), Grandmother and Grand-daughter (Poove Poochudavaa), Father and Son (Thavamai Thavamirundhu), Father and Daughter (Viswasam), Mother and Son (Pichaikkaran), Mother and Daughter (Amma Kanakku), Relationship among brothers (Anandam, Vaanathai Pola), Between twin brothers (Maatran and Thadam), Relationship among sisters (Kalyana Parisu), Between brother and younger sister (Pasamalar, Kizhakku Cheemayile and the recent Namma Vettu Pillai), Between brother and elder sister (Kadaikutti Singam, Devarattam), Between mother-in-law and son-in-law (Panama Pasama, Mappillai), mother-in-law and daughter-in-law (Penmani Aval Kanmani), Between father-in-law and son-in-law (Komban) Between father-in-law and daughter-in-law (Sindhu Samaveli) and the latest is the relationship between brothers-in-law (Sivappu Manjal Pachai).

Along with these the husband and wife relationship is something which has been explored time and again and has succeeded with audience.

Though various relationships have been depicted in Tamil cinema, there are some beautiful relationships between mother-in-law and son-in-law as well as with daughter-in-law which has not been explored well and in which most films have only shown conflicts between them.

However, they exist in harmony and a beautiful bonding is present in several families, which can be depicted well in cinema.

Family genre movies connect easily with audience bringing nostalgia moments and a feel-good factor among them as most are not able to live a life like that in this most demanding world. Living a secluded life out of work necessities, such films help audience relive that desired life at least in theatres or celebrate the life if they are living like that now.

Hence, there is great attraction for family films among audience. This is the reason, in which, even if most of the recent family genre films (Kadaikutti Singam, Viswasam, Devarattam, Namma Veettu Pillai) did not get much appreciation from critics, the audience did not mind and went in large numbers to watch and celebrate these films.

Clearly, the cinematic language and making expected by critics from these films is not important for family audiences. All they want is to watch films that they can easily relate to, relive the moments that they are missing in their personal life and celebrate it by watching the film again and again.

Further, family genre films offer wholesome entertainment, addressing the navarasas of life unlike other genre films, which are usually one-dimensional in presentation. Many filmmakers continue to focus on action, life of gangsters, thrillers and romance, while there is a huge opportunity before them to explore human relationships which are hitherto unexplored.

Every relationship which can connect with audience should be explored, as audience love such attempts and celebrate them which thereby brings in huge box office success. Like Ajith Kumar did with Viswasam, top actors like Rajinikanth, Vijay and Suriya must focus on family genre to expand this genre’s appeal. One will never go wrong in satisfying the audience, if family genre is explored in a new dimension.