The Kannada Cinema Box-Office Crisis: Have 'Su From So' and 'Ekka' Temporarily Stalled The Industry's Troubles?

Three weeks ago, the Kannada film industry was floundering, with even films that looked good on paper, falling by the wayside.

And then, the tide began turning on July 18 when Ekka released. The sophomore film of actor Yuva Rajkumar, directed by Rohit Padaki and backed by three production companies — PRK Productions, Jayanna Films and KRG Studios — boasted some great music, and had organic pre-release buzz. It translated into numbers. Barely a week later, came an unexpected film with a quirky name — Su From So, backed by writer, director and actor Raj B Shetty, and written and directed by newcomer JP Thuminad. The rural horror-comedy-drama raced from the word go, with its paid premieres in different cities drawing full houses. The film has exceeded even the team’s expectations by many times — it has earned about three times its budget within 10 days. The Malayalam version released on August 1, and is doing well, and the Telugu version releases on August 8.

But, even as recent as June 13, things were not so hunky dory. Director Samarth Kadkol’s Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana (now streaming on Prime Video) had released. Janani Pictures — which made a mark in 2024 with Srinidhi Bengaluru’s time travel film Blink — was backing the project, the trailer was popular, and the marketing on point. The footfalls did not reflect this, though.

“We applied the learnings from Blink, and expected at least 15,000 people on the opening weekend. We had a footfall of 9,456 across 330 shows,” said a perplexed Ravichandra AJ of Janani Pictures. He and Kadkol upped their social media engagement for Edagaiye… as did the film’s actor Diganth Manchale. It partly helped. They retained just 16 shows for the second week, but had a weekend footfall of 3,500 people. “We are very lucky our film got time to breathe and land on its feet,” said Ravichandra.

Even four or five years ago, mid-range films made on a budget of ₹3 crore to ₹5 crore would have seen a small profit. Post-pandemic, they have been struggling to draw in  audiences despite good reviews and word-of-mouth publicity. Producers are wondering what else they can do to get their films across, and creators are dejected because their labour goes unseen and unpicked by OTT players. And, this state, after just one production house, Hombale Films, delivered two blockbusters in 2022 — K.G.F: Chapter 2 and Kantara — which raked in more than ₹1,000 crore.

Across the board, producers feel the audience is fixated on watching only tentpole films in theatres. They are willing to watch experimental, innovative films, but at home, “the audience can be encouraging or merciless,” said Ravichandra.

Producer Karthik Gowda of KRG Studios, which backed Ekka, says the song ‘Bangle Bangari’ changed the game for them. “It still gets about one million views a day. People came for that, but when they realised the film was giving them something interesting, they stayed. Trust comes when you deliver at last something of what you’ve promised.” Ekka has sustained despite Su From Su’s performance. In its third week, it was playing in 100 theatres. “Even now, we get about 25 house full shows in Bengaluru multiplexes. The family audience has received it well.”

In Karnataka, local films do not just compete with each other, they have to deal with films in other languages, both in their direct and dubbed versions. Particularly in Bengaluru and Mangaluru, which are home to students and professionals from all over the country. Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and English films aspire for a share of the pie. In the case of Mangaluru, add to the bouquet Tulu films and the odd Konkani creation that cater to the native populace.

Bala Shetty, director of Bharath Cinemas that has 28 screens across Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Udupi districts, says films should create such a buzz that audiences await them. “When this combines with a good product, word-of-mouth publicity enters the picture, and by the last show on the day of release, it might see a tenfold increase in ticket sales compared to the first show,” he says.

However, Bala does concede there’s another peculiar issue in Karnataka — stars have their strong zones, and some films might work well only in those — Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Shivamogga or Dakshina Kannada. Su From So has defied this.

Some producers hold a common theory — as the number of big films has declined, the audience has gotten out of touch with going to theatres. Ravichandra agrees. “When a big film does well, the small ones too will survive. People miss good movies arriving every other month.”

This year, Tamil film Tourist Family — Abishan Jeevinth’s directorial debut — collected about ₹5.87 crore in Karnataka, more than what Kannada films could dream of. “I had expected only about a crore-and-a-half,” says the movie’s producer Yuvaraj Ganesan of Million Dollar Studios. This, say emerging Kannada directors, is also a case of Kannada cinema losing audience faith. When a Malayalam or Tamil film releases, people want to give it a chance. They are unwilling to do so for Kannada.

When the System Stops Working

The Kannada industry has also seen directors and actors double up as producers and presenters —  Rakshit Shetty, Hemanth M Rao, Rishab Shetty, ‘Daali’ Dhananjaya and Raj B Shetty.

The slow-burn thriller Agnyathavasi (2025), produced by Rao, received good reviews but not audience support. The same day, Dhananjaya’s Vidyapati, which subverted several tropes, floundered. Dhananjaya says the issues plaguing the industry are manifold: “We don’t have a dedicated film-going culture. We are looking at the metros, but how will family audiences in smaller towns go to rundown theatres? My parents can’t go out to watch my film in my hometown of Arsikere. Everyone waits for OTT or TV. We have seen a gradual breakdown of systems that worked. The tent system is gone. The rural population wants entertainment, but there are no avenues. It’s the chicken-egg conundrum — people don’t come to theatres because there’s no infrastructure, and theatre owners are afraid to invest, because of low footfalls. Making cinema calls for a different kind of passion. If you’re looking for quick money, this is not the place. That said, when you fail, you wonder if you should stick to acting.”

But hope still floats, believes Raj, who made a breakout debut in Ondu Motteya Kathe (2017), and followed it up with the glorious Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021). “Our existing stars have settled into their roles, and no one is investing in a new kind of cinema. Only the big films are able to sustain due to star power, but we need more small films. I feel this is the worst phase the industry has been in, and we have no other space to go but upwards. I think the second half of this year will see a change,” says Raj. He was prophetic!

Some years ago, there were films that were deemed ‘okay for a one-time watch’. These were the sleeper hits that made tidy profits, and helped bankroll other films. “Now, these have become the films that people want to watch only on OTT. The audience is applying a giant filter before heading to the theatre,” adds Raj.

Raj says what he’s learnt from the Su From So experience is that when people watch a film collectively as a community watch, the effect is enhanced, and they seek more of it. “Because of OTT, even people who normally don’t watch cinema are accustomed to it. When there’s word of mouth recommendation, they take their families to watch."

Among the films being looked forward to is Rishab Shetty’s prequel to Kantara. Chaluve Gowda, co-founder of Hombale Films, admits this is a dull period for Kannada cinema, but the reason he cites is different. “We need more heroes. We hardly have four to five stars with a proven track record. People are coming to the theatre only for two kinds of movies — franchises or big budget films, or with strong word-of-mouth.” Hombale is sticking to its plan of making one big movie a year and one or two mid-budget ones.

“Established stars have to work hard to retain and grow their base. We have not had a breakout star after Dhruva Sarja in 2012 with Addhuri,” added Chaluve.

The top 20 of the biggest hits in Karnataka in the recent past have not been Kannada films. “It sure feels like doomsday,” says Rao.

However, as a creator, he says the time is perfect to seize opportunities. “I am optimistic as a director and writer. First-time directors should be so clued into their work that they are not affected by the darkness around. They are not aware of the industry, and that’s a shield too,” adds Rao.

The Audience Disconnect

One aspect Rao points out is the collective dissonance as to what the audience really wants. “Other industries seem to better represent their youth. They are clear who the film is for. Here, in Kannada, our filmmakers are in an exploratory phase. There is a huge gap between what the audience wants and what is being made.”

Even after Su From So’s success, Rao maintains the audience will be selective. “If a film takes their time and sensibility for granted, the audience will not show up. To replicate this, another team has to work on it and do all things right. Su From So is a great case study on how to mount a film, but the same metric cannot apply to all. Eventually, everyone must only serve the script. I’d like to also believe the film did well, because the universe came together for JP Thuminad, who’s a wonderful person. It’s nice to know good guys can finish on top.”

Karthik also speaks of the Shetty reputation/factor. “They (Raj, Rishab, Rakshit) have earned a name for good cinema over the years, and word of mouth multiplies for them faster than it does for others, across the State.”

Veteran producer Rockline Venkatesh, who is well aware of the film industries in the South, accepts that the past two-three years have been bad for Kannada cinema. “Business has crashed. We are in a critical position. Nowhere in the world will you find an audience like in Karnataka — they wholeheartedly watch movies in every language. So, when superhits from other languages release here and spend on promotions, the audience is spoilt for choice, and splits. We cannot possibly compete with that kind of marketing spend. I foresee the number of films made a year will halve from the current 250 or so. “The plight of newer producers is critical. They have no way to break even because every revenue stream is drying up. I recently met with some film associations and said that we have to collectively work on reducing budgets because only then can films sustain. Big films might provide a feast for workers every now and then, but everyday food comes from the small and medium budget films.”

This is why Venkatesh is delighted about the success of Ekka and Su From So. “The family crowds are back. It’s such a relief,” he says, adding he’s waiting to see the effect of the cap on ticket prices of regional movies even in multiplexes to Rs 200, as initiated by the State Government, through an amendment to the Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) Rules, 2014. Change will happen, he insists. However, he does not want a situation where every other production house attempts to make films that might taste similar victory.

Karthik also feels the industry suffers from a lack of production houses, which should act as the guiding light. “We need at least seven to eight production houses that will work across genres and with all heroes and directors. When that happens, there will be a happy mix at the box office — you’ll get more genres, you’ll have tentpole as well as mid-budget films. More importantly, we will create a new pool of directors and stars.”

Karthik, who has seen the kind of popularity and profits an organic pan-India film earns, says people should also look at the work that goes behind them. “Why is everyone trying to cater to a non-Kannada audience when your content does not demand it? As an industry, we have flaws that need to be corrected, but making films that are not for a local audience is not a measure that will help.

We need creative producers. They will step in and be the bridge between money and creativity. That will tighten budgets, bring in some kind of accountability.”

He thinks a streak of five good films that work at the box-office will rejuvenate the industry. Two have done it, and there’s a wait for the other three.

The Producer’s Predicament

Bala Shetty also speaks of why films need to tempt the audience to come to the theatre. “When you communicate through various means that this film will be on this OTT platform, they won’t come unless your film is compelling. A 65-inch TV offers superb clarity.” Su from So’s opening premiere in Mangaluru was at his complex, and it was beyond expectation. On August 5, at 8 am, 13 days after the film’s release, three shows were fast filling for the day on BookMyShow.

Dhananjaya has two films in post-production. “If we don’t give space to new talent, the industry will fail. New stars, writers and directors have to be born. And so, I’ll wait to see how they perform.”

He has another plan — to build a quality screen in a small town. “The family crowd should get back to theatres. There’s nothing for them now, and we are nothing without them.” 

What Went Wrong With Kannada Cinema?

Pan-India craze: Stories did not generate interest; every film looked the same.

Lack of stars: No breakout stars since 2012. No second-rung heroes to take over when the current stars retire.

Lack of audience interest: Tentpole films are in, others don’t stand a chance.

Infrastructure worries: No good accessible avenues for family crowds in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Hence, they wait for TV.

Lack of producers: The industry currently needs at least seven to eight producers who can work across genres with actors to revive the industry.

The Outlier

Abhilash Shetty, whose films include Koli Taal (2021) and Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa (2025). He makes films that appeal to him, spending only as much as is needed for the script. The idea is to recover costs and fund the next project. 

Koli Taal had cost less than ₹30 lakh, but earned profits through various means.

Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa, about a schoolgirl pining to eat chicken curry on Gandhi Jayanti, cost almost the same. It was screened at the New York Indian Film Festival; nominated for best screenplay. 

If selected for film festivals, he saves on publicity costs. Screening fees and festival wins also bring revenue. Theatrical, OTT, TV, airborne (flights) and seaborne (cruises) rights help too. Shetty earns an average of $300 every month from DVD sales of Koli Taal.