Diwali is one of the biggest festivals celebrated across India and a highly anticipated one as well for big star film releases in south India. Stars and producers also bank on this occasion because of the massive box office returns thanks to a typically week-long break and celebrations.
In fact, the box office returns during this festive period are a major contributor to the film trade each year which keeps the well-oiled machine smoothly functioning. And with the scores of fans that each major star has in south India, Diwali is a time when they just not celebrate life but the stars too. However, with no major star releases, a pan-India or tentpole film releasing in south India for Diwali, 2025 is seeing a 'dry Diwali' say film trade experts.
If you take Tamil Nadu, Diwali is always a banger for the film industry and the film crazy audience who can't wait to see their favourite stars like Vijay, Ajith or Rajinikanth on screen. This year though sees just three small films releasing ahead of Diwali tomorrow, namely Dhruv Vikram's Bison: Kaalamaadan, Pradeep Ranganathan's Dude and Harish Kalyan's Diesel.
These are not comparable to the big budget top star films but can they still set the box office on fire? Producer and distributor G Dhananjayan explains, "It just happened that big star films got delayed and/or not yet ready for release and thus, they missed the Diwali date. For instance, had Suriya's Karuppu and Karthi's Sardar 2 been ready, they would have certainly released this Diwali. However, Pradeep Ranganathan is becoming popular thanks to two of his previous films (Love Today and Dragon) becoming big hits.
"Hence, his film Dude may bring in big collections and Bison with Mari Selvaraj also carries a good buzz. So along with Diesel, both the films may compensate for the lack of big films. Usually, Diwali releases bring in Rs 125 to Rs 150 crore in Tamil Nadu alone at box office during the month and it is quite possible these three films together bring in that box office collection if the family audience like these films".
Girish Johar, producer and film trade analyst, adds, "I think the south filmmakers just missed the Diwali festival because of timing - some films got delayed and there were also some strikes that halted production. Even in Hindi, Thamma is not as big as everyone would expect but that's creating a lot of buzz. For the Hindi and the southern audience, it's not a gung-ho Diwali as what we have been used to in the past but we are hoping that the films that are releasing will perform well at the box office".
Whether Bollywood or south cinema, festival releases today mean major spends on marketing and PR and getting the right theatres (and number) for the film's release. Pankaj Jaysinh, CEO Film Distribution, UFO Moviez India, explains, "Production houses are now more conservative with green lighting films, especially for festival slots that come with high marketing and distribution expectations. Big releases mean big stakes. If the content isn't strong, the festival timing doesn't guarantee success. This has led to fewer clashes and more strategic spacing between releases".
As we know, the pandemic and the way entertainment is consumed has changed among the audience. Theatrical releases though, say trade analysts, reign supreme and pan-Indian films and tentpole films have proved that good content can bring the audience to theatres in droves.
Seeing that we have a dry Diwali, have OTT platforms in any way changed the concept of festival releases? Dhananjayan dismisses this stating, "Not at all. OTT has nothing to do with festival releases except their release schedule or buying pattern which may delay the acquisition of their films. Just as they have confirmed the Pongal releases (January 2026) in advance, the Diwali releases (Dude and Bison) were also confirmed earlier. OTT has no role in this".
Trade expert Ramesh Bala points out that 2025 has already seen the release of Ajith Kumar's Good Bad Ugly and Vidaamuyarchi, Rajinikanth's Coolie and Kamal Haasan's Thug Life, Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1, Mohanlal's L2: Empuraan, Thudarum and Hridayapoorvam, Pawan Kalyan's OG, Ram Charan's Game Changer and Nandamuri Balakrishna's Daaku Maharaj.
"Many of these big films are released between March and September. Only Suriya's Karuppu and Karthi's Sardar 2 had been planned for Diwali and they also got pushed. In the south, OTT platforms want to showcase films four weeks after their theatrical release. This affects the release date and some movie releases get pushed if they are not able to sell the OTT rights on time," he emphasises.
Girish Johar has the last word when he says the major advantage with the southern film market is that the audience has staunch loyalty to its heroes and theatrical releases still play a major role over OTT.
"In the southern market the people are good loyalists; stars have a very strong fan base and there is a kind of fanaticism for theatrical releases. This is key for the success of their star films, be it during a festival or otherwise," he opines.
So, even though Diwali 2025 may not see big films release in south India, fans here are ready to celebrate and set the box office ablaze whenever their hero's film releases.
Also Read | Interview: Why Director Mari Selvaraj Decided To Cast Chiyaan Vikram's Son Dhruv In Bison
