Actor Darshan's arrest deals another blow to struggling Kannada film industry

Kannada film industry is facing flak due to actor Darshan's arrest.

Actor Darshan Thogudeepa's arrest on charges of murder has not only put a question mark on his upcoming movies with crores riding on them but will have a ricochet effect on the Kannada film industry (called Sandalwood), which was already reeling under the impact of declining box office business due to various factors, including repetitive content.

Despite being one of the biggest producers of films in India, Kannada film industry's box office is driven by a few films that clicks with the audience. One such anticipated movie is Darshan-starrer Devil which was expected to hit the screens in December but now has come to a standstill after his arrest.

A setback

Actor Darshan was arrested on June 11 on charges of murdering his fan, Renuka Swamy, for allegedly making derogatory comments against his close friend Pavitra Gowda on social media.

"It is a setback for the producers making his upcoming movies but I do not know the fate of his projects because the enquiry (of Renuka Swamy murder) is ongoing. But it is a black spot on the industry as everyone in the industry is being seen in the same light. That stigma would be there," said film producer Ganesh Papanna, who has produced Kannada movies like Bhinna, Lineman, among others.

There have been calls for banning Darshan's movie releases. Last week, former MLA and BJP leader A T Ramaswamy demanded a ban on the actor's films. However, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has not yet taken a decision on banning as it awaits conclusion of the police probe.

A producer of an untitled film starring Darshan, in an interview to Deccan Herald, said that they invested money in Darshan's new project because they knew him since childhood. The producer, who is hoping the issue to resolve soon, has one more film signed with the actor.

Another producer, who is in a tight spot, had signed Darshan for a big-budget film as they were friends. The producer said that Darshan cannot be replaced as the script was written keeping the actor in mind.

The producers are hoping that Darshan is released from police custody before they start shooting the movies. On the other hand, it looks like the actor's upcoming films are stalled indefinitely.

The industry facing backlash especially on social media in another blow to Kannada films, which is already at its lowest in terms of box office business.

Film critic Vivek MV pointed out that while there is a strong content lineup in the second half of 2024, movie promotions are a challenge because of flooding of content related to the murder case.

The controversy and the backlash comes at a time when there have been fewer successes in the Kannada film industry. On the other hand, Tamil and Telugu industries are having a strong run and Malayalam cinema has been stealing the show in 2024.

Tamil films have increased their share in May 2024 compared to the previous month, aided by the collections of the films like Aranmanai 4, Garudan and Star. The Malayalam film industry continues its strong run at the box office, maintaining its share of 19 percent in the total India box office, due to the steady collections of films like Guruvayoorambala Nadayil and Turbo, according to data by Ormax.

Last year, Telugu film industry's total earnings increased six percent to Rs 2,265 crore while Tamil industry's box office stood at Rs 1,961 crore, up 14 percent from 2022. Although Malayalam films' total collections fell 10 percent to Rs 572 crore, the industry has bounced back this year with a box office of Rs 1,000 crore in the first half of 2024.

The last biggest successful venture from Sandalwood was Darshan's Kaatera, released in December 2023, that ran in theatres for 100 days with an estimated box office collection of Rs 67 crore.

Darshan, who is hailed as the Salman Khan of Sandalwood as well as the 'Challenging Star' and sometimes referred to as 'D Boss', has an army of loyal fans who have not deserted him despite the actor's history of violence in the past. One instance of his fans' unswerving support was seen during Sarathi's release in 2011, when Darshan was arrested for assaulting his wife Vijayalakshmi. The film that had released on September 30, a few days after his arrest, had become a massive blockbuster with collections to the tune of Rs 25 crore.

A decline

In recent times, the Kannada film industry acquired fame when the movie KGF- Chapter 1 released in 2018 and became the first Kannada language film to cross the Rs 100 crore mark with an estimated worldwide box office collection of Rs 250 crore. Its sequel KGF- Chapter 2 released in 2022 surpassed its predecessor's business with worldwide collections to the tune of around Rs 1,200 crore. In the same year, Sandalwood delivered another big hit with Kantara earning Rs 400 crore at the worldwide box office.

Since then, it has been a downhill for the Kannada film industry which saw its share in total India box office falling from eight percent in 2022 to two percent in 2023, according to a report by media consulting firm Ormax. Its contribution was lowest last year since 2015 when the industry had a share of four percent.

"Kannada film industry is bleeding. The world sees KGF, Kantara but the other movies coming are not quality content. Number of movies that we (Kannada film industry) make 250-260 per year has gone up to 370-380 in 2023 now. The theatre watching audience has come down by 90 percent. There are not many takers for Kannada films. So, there is too much content from the state but films goers in Karnataka are limited. The demand-supply gap is high," said Papanna.

Kannada film industry's record year in terms of box office collection was in 2022 when the industry made Rs 810 crore which came down to around Rs 312 crore in 2023, lowest in the last eight years.

In 2024, its box office has seen a sluggish start, with collections from January to May reaching only Rs 54 crore, a 44 percent decline compared to the same period in 2023, according to Ormax data.

Footfalls for Kannada films were also at a low last year at three crore, down from eight crore in 2022.

While Darshan's arrest spoils the party for producers who have invested in him, Papanna doesn't expect a negative impact on the box office.

Recently popular Kannada actor Sudeep said that the industry must be spared of the flak it’s receiving as it is not made up of one person.

"It (Darshan's arrest) won't affect the box office of the Kannada film industry as it is not composed of one single hero. There are more than a dozen actors who are doing good," Papanna said.