Sun Apr 27 13:09:24 UTC 2025: ## Malayalam Film Industry Reels as Most March Releases Flop, Except for “Empuraan”
**Thiruvananthapuram, April 27, 2025** – The Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) reported a dismal March for the Malayalam film industry, with the majority of releases failing to make a profit at the box office. The only exception was the Mohanlal-starrer “Empuraan,” which raked in ₹24.65 crore in Kerala theatres within its first five days.
While the producers of “Empuraan” claim worldwide earnings of ₹325 crore, including OTT sales, the KFPA’s figures, which only reflect producers’ shares from Kerala theaters, list its production cost at ₹175.66 crore, making it the most expensive Malayalam film to date.
Several smaller films significantly underperformed. For instance, “Maruvasham” (budget: ₹78 lakh) collected only ₹60,000, while “Pralayashesham Oru Jalakanyaka” (budget: ₹1.5 crore) earned ₹64 lakh. Other films like “Aranyam,” “Leech,” “Kaadakam,” “Rakshasy The Lady Killer,” and “Dasettante Cycle” also experienced substantial losses compared to their production budgets. Even some films still running in theaters, such as “Ouseppinte Osiyath,” “Pariwar,” “Vadakkan,” and “Abhilasham,” showed only partial recovery of their production costs based on the KFPA’s figures.
The KFPA’s reporting methodology, which excludes overseas and OTT revenue and only considers the producers’ share from Kerala, has reportedly caused dissatisfaction within the industry, as it can make even successful films appear to have failed.
First Piper 