It’s been 230 days since the release of Alphonse Putharen’s Malayalam coming-of-age drama Premam, and it’s still running at one screen at the Escape multiplex in Chennai. On Thursday, the film’s lead actor Nivin Pauly visited the theatre to watch the film, sending everybody present in the hall into a state of excitement.
“Nivin was in the city to shoot for a music video, which was being made as a tribute to the volunteers of Chennai flood relief work. After he wrapped up the shoot work, he hung out with the crew till the evening and then decided to go watch the film. Arrangements were made at the theatre for Nivin, who thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the film with the audience,” a theatre representative said.
He further added that throughout its run in the theatre, the film enjoyed a minimum of 50-60 percent occupancy on any given day.Youngsters, particularly girls, queued up outside the cinema hall to catch a glimpse of Nivin, who has become a heartthrob in Tamil Nadu since the release of the film.
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After leaving the movie hall, Nivin made a pit-stop at a roadside tea stall and is said to have gorged on some local food. Premam was one of the most successful films last year in Malayalam. On a meagre investment, it reportedly minted over Rs 75 crore worldwide. The film, a love story, spans through three different stages in the life of its protagonist.
(Karthik Kumar is an independent film critic and journalist. He actively follows and writes on popular South Indian cinema and covers independent films too.)
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