Tamil film industry is in a tight spot. It can’t make out whether the path it’s treading is the right one. There were days when people rued there isn’t enough films and theatres were turning shopping malls and wedding halls. Now the problem is too many films and not enough theaters.

This reversal of trends is taking a toll in the minds and business of producers. When there is a flurry of releases the main agony of the producers is getting enough theatres for their films.

This Friday May 21 was no festival day. But we saw six films releasing on that single day. This kind of mass release usually happens on a Pongal or Diwali day until recently. But in the name of summer everybody rushed in. In the first three Fridays of May there were 12 films released.

For the next Friday May 28 eight films are lined up – Singam, Kadhalagi, Aaravathu Vanam, Vaada, Pen Singam, Pa.Ra.Palanichami, Deva Leelai, Karttradhu Kalavu, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Dub), Prince of Persia (Dub) and , Basic Instinct-4 (Dub).

We will know only on that day how many have dared to take on ‘Singam’. This fear of a big film happened even when ‘Paiyaa’ and ‘Sura’ was released. These two films were the only solo releases in their week in April and ‘Aasal’ and ‘Vinnaithandi Varuvaya’ in February. In fact in the months of March, April and May we have seen an average of four films releasing every Friday.

When there are too many films on a single day and there are either no theatres for the films in waiting or the run time of a film is reduced. A leading producer complains that releases and theatre management to day is possible only for films backed by influential people in the industry. Looking at the way films are treated like a pack of cards you tend to believe in the producers words. So before you realize a film is good it is out of the theatres. More over it may be a pure coincidence that the successful films of the year so far were backed by some big names.

It may be recalled that the Tamil Film Producers’ Council had issued an order some months ago that except for the festival days only two films can be released in a week. But as usual nobody listened to their own body. The effect, unprecedented flops. Of the over forty releases in five months only three films are unanimously considered real hits.

So the total chaos or mass suicide whatever you may call it must end in the interest of the industry. Even multiplexes in the cities are finding it difficult to accommodate all the films releasing every week. So multiplexes squeezes in shows and forced to randomly change the show timings.

Think of the ordinary film buffs. How can one see all the six releases in week? In cities like Chennai or Coimbatore you have multi screens to catch up with all the releases if one so desires. But in small town where single screens are still the order it is possible to miss too many films.

When there are other big films in Hindi or English also releasing in the same week then city theatres find it even more difficult to have scope for Tamil release. Last week Hindi film ‘Kites’ and ‘Iron Man-2’ in English and Tamil also jostled for theatre space.

Distributors and Theatre owners are definitely not for too many films in week. When there are too many flops they are the only two affected most. The audiences also care for a few good films and not a rush of ordinary films.

When local films lose their charm then everyone is affected. Closing of theaters in the last two decades is mainly because there weren’t enough good Tamil films and at one stage exhibitors preferred other language films for various reasons. There were some theatres which screened other language films all through the year. Then the government passed an order wanting every theatre in the state must screen Tamil films for a certain number of days in a year to retain their license. In due course that order was thrown to the wind.

It’s time to sit, think and develop solution to this madness. Today cinema theatre owners are holding an emergency meeting to discuss the ways of coming out of the huge losses they have incurred in this year. They particularly accuse one star for suffering major loses. But the issue doesn’t end there.

Success today is not he privilege for big stars and big banners alone. Films like Thamizh Padam and Angadi Theru have proved that. Big banners with a string of big star flops have been revived by small star films. A news just coming in says Hrithik Roshan’s ‘Kites’ released in seven screens has taken a bigger opening than any of the six new Tamil films released on the same day May 21.

Coming Friday May 28 also appears over crowed when Suriya’s silver jubilee film ‘Singam’ will roar to scare other films. Let there be judicious handling of releases. Bring a method to the madness. Let all the concerned wake up before it’s too late.

We all wish to see the hundred days and silver jubilee posters we used to see until a few years ago. Please bring back those golden period.