It looks like it is boom time in Kollywood as a record 131 films were released in 2009. This is the highest number of films released in a year for nearly two decades.

Out of the 131 only 18 films got back their investment or were break even. Hit ratio has come down to 14 percent against 18 percent of 2008 and a peak of 24 percent in 2006.

Suriya’s Ayan the lone blockbuster is 2009’s biggest hit. The film was a universal hit in all areas and also topped audio sales. Superstar movies dominated the year with only Nadodigal emerging as a super hit among small and medium budget movies.

Here is the complete list of 18 films and their classification- Blockbuster, Super Hit, Hit, Above Average or Average. The list has been compiled from statistics provided by distributors, theatre owners and trade consultants.

The overall impact of a film across theatres in A, B, C stations in Tamil Nadu, domestic (Kerala, Karnataka and Telugu dubbing in some cases), Overseas, and revenues from Television, DVD, Audio rights. The hit factor has been determined by ROI (Return on Investment) for the trade.

Ayan - Blockbuster
Nadodigal- Super Hit
Padikathavan- Super Hit
Kanthaswamy- Hit
Aadhavan- Hit
Vettaikaran- Hit
Unnaipol Oruvan- Hit
Peranmai- Hit
Kanden Kadhalai- Hit
Yavarum Nalam- Hit
Pasanga- Above Average
Siva Manasulla Sakthi- Above Average
Masilamani- Above Average
Venila Kabadi Kuzhu- Average
Malai Malai- Average
Mayandi Kudumbathar- Average
Eeram- Average
Renigunta- Average


Biggest disappointments of 2009

It was a year of big-budget disasters for Kollywood as a total of over Rs 150 crore sank at the box office.

There was this eagerly awaited Vijay’s Prabhu Deva directed Villu, Bala’s epic disaster Naan Kadavul, Vishals’s Thoranai, Gandhi Krishna’s Ananthathandavam, a movie you probably wished you hadn't seen, Vishnuvardhan’s Sarvvam which made you feel that the hugely talented director can also go wrong, Cheran’s Rs 10 Crore mothball Pokkisham, Jaganmohini which ended up as a tacky C grade special effects film, Sarath’s 1977, Vijaykanth’s great white hope Mariyadai and Ameer’s heavily hyped Yogi.

We now round up these culprits for this year-ender special.

Villu
Naan Kadavul
Sarvvam
Thoranai
Yogi
Pokkisham
Jaganmohini
1977
Ananthathandavam
Mariyadhai