Kochi: The emergence of OTT platforms has lured audiences away from theatres, leading to massive losses incurred by Malayalam films at the box office. 

In the past four months, Malayalam films have suffered a loss of Rs 200 crores. Out of 75 films released in the past few months, only one movie saw a massive turnout at the box office. Due to the unprecedented crisis,  theatres wind down shows or opt for other movies. 

Despite the ongoing crisis, the filming and post-production works of around 30 Malayalam movies are ongoing in the state. Additionally, 38 films are waiting to commence filming.

If Rs 4 crore is the estimated budget per movie, the total investment for movies to come out in the coming days would be around Rs 272 crore. In the current situation, the cumulative loss at the end of the year may be more than 500 crores.

It is often argued that filmmakers will be left with a limited budget once a large chunk of the money is set aside to rope-in leading actors. As a result, the producers often had to take loans to cover the cost of production. The new producers would often fall into a debt trap if the film did not fair well at the box office. 

Meanwhile, many filmmakers claim that the audience has refrained from attending theatres due to the release of multiple movies in a short span of time. As a result, many good movies fail to receive the recognition it deserves at the box office.