New-age viewers shun movies of 50-plus directors

With the recent release ‘Circle’ also failing to draw openings, it looks like new-age Telugu audiences are unwilling to bet their money on 50-plus directors and their movies are falling like nine pins.

Films like ‘Shakuntalam’ ‘Rangamarthanda’, ‘Ahimsa’ and ‘Malli Pelli’, crashed at the box office, raising doubts about seasoned directors’ Midas touch.

Actually, 50-plus dream merchants like Gunasekhar, Krishna Vamsi, Puri Jagannath, RGV, Srinu Vaitla, and M S Raju are unable to connect with new-age viewers, unlike in the past. “It is a fact that young audiences are unwilling to spend money on 50-plus directors and a few of them have delivered inferior movies too,” says producer C Kalyan and adds, “New age viewers' tastes are changing and they are demanding some novelty. If some directors recycle their old ideas, audiences have no time to waste. On the other hand, the audience who patronized these directors in the past aren’t turning up in theatres now, as they could have turned 40 or 45 years,” he reasons.

Producer C Kalyan further says new directors are keeping cash registers ringing by dishing out varied movies like ’Bimbisara’, “Virupaksha’, ‘Balagam’, and ‘Dasara’, to revive the fortunes of sinking Telugu cinema.

“Tollywood is in dire straits with 70% of films tanking without a trace. However, new directors are trying to breathe life into it with their experimental movies and drawing in audiences. Unfortunately, even young directors need big stars to showcase their talent these days. Until Telugu audience starts patronizing thematic and non-star movies like in Malayalam and Tamil industries, Telugu movies will be in mess,” he informs.

Rubbishing the generational gap argument, director Neelakanta cites the examples of Martin Scorsese and Yash Chopra who delivered hits even after crossing 60 years of age.

“Honestly, age has nothing to do with a director delivering a hit film or flop. It is just that the particular content didn’t click with the viewers and nothing more to it. People have this tendency to bring in age and other factors like generational gap, but it is just a myth since world over filmmakers have dished out blockbusters even at 60 and 70’s so this argument doesn’t hold water,” he concludes.