Horror grips Sandalwood

Sandalwood film makers have taken a fancy to horror films. Insiders say that one-fourth of all new films that are getting on the floors are of this genre. A cursory look at the list of films that are coming up for release makes it clear.Alone, Last Bus, Nani, Rakshashi, Dhigbhayam, Danger Zone, Jwalantam, Ugraksha, Kanchana, Tammisra, 666, Shiradi Ghat, I Dash You, Leela and Ba Naale Baa are all horror films that are ready to storm the theatres.There are many others which are in various stages of making. But like all other Kannada films, horror films too are facing severe crunch of single screen theatres. The recent films in horror genre that made good at the box office include 6-5=2, Kalpana, Chandralekha, Rangitaranga and Aatagara.But it is not easy to pinpoint where the current trend of horror films started. Film publicist Sudheendra Venkatesh said, “There are regular trickle of horror films over the years. But very few stood the test of mass appeal.In the last two years however a few horror films became very big hits. Film makers have a dual advantage with this genre. Firstly, horror films have a comparatively smaller budget and you can pack the film with new actors. These advantages along with the knowledge that mass audience are flocking to the good horror films has resulted in this flood.“
Making a horror film comes with a little inconvenience as well. If the film gets an `A' certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it will become ineligible for screening on television. The film makers then get the film recertified by removing all the scenes and shots which got it the `A' certificate in the first place. But this is an inconvenience everyone seems to be ready to bear.
But along with other films, horror films are also facing a severe theatre crunch. So far, 85 Kannada films have released this year.
For the first time in years, all the 12 single-screen theatres in the Kempe Gowda Road and surroundings, which is the hub of Sandalwood, are showing Kannada films. This trend too is set to continue.
Producer and distributor N Kumar said filmmakers are coming out of the mentality of waiting for some particular theatres. He said, “We tried hard for years to convince filmmakers not to worry about releasing films in a particular theatre. In recent months some films are doing exceptionally well and have occupied the preferred theatres. There are a very large number of films waiting to release. That is the reason we find Kannada films occupying all the so-called non-Kannada theatres. I released the horror film Chandrika in Abhinay off Kempe Gowda Road. No Kannada film maker was willing to release films in this theatre. But Chandrika is doing exceptionally well here. If a film is good no one can stop it at the box office.“ Kumar says the huge number of horror films could only be a passing trend and may not continue for long.