Kochi, the heartland of Mollywood

Kochi has sealed its position as the capital of Mollywood over the past 25 years. From big production houses, state-of-the-art pre- and post-production studios to modern screening facilities, the bustling city has transitioned into the most sought-after destination for the tinsel town.

Till the mid-1990s, Kodambakkam was the famed hub for Malayalam cinema. It was home to the who’s who of the industry for long. ‘K’ became Kochi instead of Kodambakkam gradually. As noted filmmaker Sibi Malayail recalls, the early signs of a shift in activities related to filmmaking from Madras to Kochi had emerged after 1995.

“I had moved to Kochi from Chennai in 2001. Before, we had to depend on big studios in Chennai, especially for live orchestra recording with 60 to 100 musicians. With cinema shifting fully into the digital mode, the dependence on Chennai has almost come to a nil for the last two-and-a-half decades,” he says.

Senior actor-producer Lal was among the early birds to tap into the possibilities opened by a city waiting for the big leap. He launched his studio, Lal Media, in 2001 at a rented building in Kaloor. The surge in demand encouraged him to set up a permanent space at Padivattom near Palarivattom in 2005, followed by a digital theatre system (DTS) for sound mixing in 2008.

“The capacity building helped in completely shifting post-production work in Malayalam cinema from Chennai to Kochi. The city was the chosen destination in view of its improved connectivity factor. The city offered everything that a filmmaker required from its port, airport, to scenic backwaters and more,” says Lal.

The inauguration of Cochin International Airport Limited in 1999 fuelled Kochi’s aspirations to become the one-stop destination for Malayalam film industry. Big-ticket investments in tourism and realty sectors after 2010 had encouraged the industry to make significant investments, especially in building film-related infrastructure. A melting pot of cultures, the city and its heritage and influences became the backdrop for several movies.

Sabu Cherian, vice president of the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, says that Kochi turned the preferred choice for stakeholders in the industry in view of its easy access from various parts of the State and outside. “The city has several shooting floors, studios, and an expanding list of locations to choose from. It was but natural that several actors, who were staying in Chennai for long, decided to settle in the city as it almost ticked all the checkboxes,” he says.

Better movie-watching experience

The past two-and-a-half decades also saw Kochi adapting to the growing demand for an enhanced movie-watching experience, though it came at a cost. Single screens gave way to multiplexes as the audiences lapped up movies with immersive audio experience. The multiplex screens at Oberon Mall inaugurated in 2009 altered the traditional movie-watching experience. It was enhanced further after the launch of LuLu Mall in 2013.

“Almost 50% of single screens across the State had to be closed down as it became financially unviable. The change was reflected in Kochi too as multiplex screens replaced many single screen units in Kochi over the past two decades,” says Suresh Shenoy, managing partner of Shenoy’s Group.

“With technological advances helping film production assume greater heights, there was no other option but to elevate the screening facilities in tune with the changing times. For screening the Hollywood movie Speed released in 1994, we introduced the Dolby system at Sridar theatre and followed it up with regular upgrade in our cinemas. The renovated Shenoy’s theatre now has five screens, with 4K projection facility,” he says.

The city’s filmmaking landscape can now match international standards, going by the story of 35-year-old sound designer Nikhil Varma. Some of the subtle sound effects of the Academy Award-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers were created at his studio ‘Moleculz’ in Pettah, Thripunithura. He was the supervising foley editor of the documentary that captured the lives of Bomman and Bellie, two indigenous people entrusted with the care of two orphaned baby elephants, Raghu and Ammu.

“In terms of sound, I can vouch that Kochi owns the best of talent and facilities. The city has studios that can undertake the entire work related to the sound department of a movie,” says the sound designer who did his higher studies in sound design at Middlesex University.

With its expanding boundaries, Kochi continues to hold on to its tag of being the epicentre of Malayalam cinema. It remains a city of dreams for many who want to make a mark in the world of entertainment.