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Tamil cinema is set for a relatively quiet Diwali this year, with no major star releases. However, the younger generation is stepping up to fill the void, as Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dude, Dhruv Vikram’s Bison, and Harish Kalyan’s Diesel gear up to hit theatres this festive season. Trade analysts Sreedhar Pillai and Ramesh Bala weighed in on how each film is tracking ahead of release and what to expect from the festive weekend.
Industry analyst Sreedhar Pillai shared that the absence of major star-led films will impact box office collections, but expressed confidence that younger actors will step up and shine. “Since there are no big star movies this Diwali, it will be an opportunity for the young guns to show what they are made of.”
Sreedhar noted that Pradeep Ranganathan’s success with Love Today and Dragon positions his upcoming film Dude as the biggest draw this Diwali. He said, “Pradeep has a proven track record with Love Today and blockbuster Dragon. He is the biggest of the three stars. His film would open the best. Bison, being a Mari Selvaraj film, will also have recognition among viewers. Mari Selvaraj has a track record of not having any failures till now. The trailer looks good and has received a positive response from viewers. “
Industry tracker Ramesh Bala also echoed similar sentiments about the Diwali clash. Ramesh said, “As you know, since the blockbuster success of Dragon, the buzz is really high for Dude. In the case of Bison, Mari Selvaraj is an established director who has made good content-oriented movies that have done well commercially. Karnan, with Dhanush, and Pariyerum Perumal have all done well at the box office. Further, for Bison, the fans of Dhurv Vikram are sure to come as his name is there.”
He added, “Harish Kalyan’s Diesel also looks good. The team is confident with the Diwali release date, and the trailer promises a proper action movie. As of now, Dude is clearly leading the pack and is creating maximum buzz.”
Ramesh Bala estimated that Dude could earn between Rs 8 crore and Rs 10 crore on its opening day, based on current booking trends. He added that both Bison and Diesel are expected to open at a more modest Rs 3–4 crore each. “Based on its booking, Dude seems to be in a position to take in 8 Crore to 10 crore on its release. Bison and Diesel stand at Rs 3-4 crores each. Only Dude seems to be having a Telugu release. I think Bison will be releasing the dubbed version by next week. Diesel does not have dubbed versions as of now. USA, Singapore, and Malaysia seem to be the strong zones for the Telugu dubbed versions. Bison will have a slight advantage there with the director plus actor brand. “
Ramesh concluded by reflecting on the absence of star faces this Diwali and how it could affect audiences’ enthusiasm to visit theatres during the festive season. He said, “That will definitely factor in this time. I am seeing a drop of atleast 30 % revenue due to the absence of star vehicles this Diwali. Audiences might not be aware of the films coming out also as opposed to the big titles. So that is there. But during the holidays, people will go based on word-of-mouth reviews.”
Watch | Bison trailer: Dhruv Vikram and Mari Selvaraj promise a politically charged sports drama
Dude, Bison and Diesel will hit screens on October 17.
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