The GCC market (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.) is a massive factor behind the post-pandemic box-office explosion of Malayalam films like Premalu, Manjummel Boys, Aavesham, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, and now Vaazha 2. Today, producer Sahu Garapati told the Hyderabad media that half of Vaazha 2's collections have come from the GCC market. Sahu Garapati of Shine Screens is one of the five producers behind Vaazha 2, a coming-of-age teen comedy.
As per a trade report, Vaazha 2 has comfortably crossed the Rs 200 cr mark (around Rs 215 cr+ as of Day 22, with India gross at about Rs 131-134 cr and overseas at Rs 83-84 cr). It’s the 5th Malayalam film ever to hit this club.
Telugu movies' revenue from GCC has not been strong because of the relatively weaker presence of the Telugu diaspora there. For Mollywood movies, though, the GCC market is often the second-largest territory after Kerala itself for content-driven films. There are 3-4 million Keralites in the GCC. They treat Malayalam films like home entertainment. GCC theatres often charge premium rates and run 5-7 shows a day for Malayalam films.
