Made on ₹150cr, 'Barroz' might be Malayalam cinema's costliest flop
What's the story
Mohanlal's directorial debut, Barroz, has been termed a "below-average grosser" at the box office. The 3D fantasy film hit theaters last Wednesday (December 25), but didn't manage to impress audiences and critics alike. In a recent interview, the film's marketing head Dr. Sharon Thomas revealed that Barroz was made on a whopping budget of ₹150 crore, making it Malayalam cinema's most expensive project.
Box office flop
'Barroz' box office performance: A commercial disaster
Despite its grand opening, Barroz has been declared a massive commercial failure. Industry tracker Sacknilk predicts the film's lifetime run at theaters will fetch less than ₹25 crore. If this prediction comes true, Barroz could very well be Malayalam cinema's biggest box office disaster. The film opened at ₹3.45 crore and has earned only ₹9 crore (India net) in six days, according to Sacnilk.
Reactions
'This is not for the number or the money': Mohanlal
Recently, in an interview with India Today, Mohanlal addressed the film's disappointing commercial performance. He stated, "We have released only 3D prints, and that was the best decision. People ask, 'Why didn't you also have a 2D [version]?' But why should we? People should enjoy this experience first, and if it's necessary, we have 2D prints available as well. So, this is not for the number or the money...This is a gift for them."
Production details
'Barroz': A star-studded cast and high production value
In Barroz, Mohanlal plays the titular character, a guardian of D'Gama's treasure. The film has an ensemble cast including Maya Rao West, Cesar Lorente Raton, Ignacio Mateos, Kallirroi Tziafeta, June Fig, Tuhin Menon, Guru Somasundaram, Komal Sharma, Viviya Shanth, and Pedro Figueiredo. Santhosh Sivan was the director of photography while Lydian Nadhaswaram composed the songs and Mark Kilian the background score. The film was produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the Aashirvad Cinemas banner.