In a surprising box-office development, Ramayana is trending ahead of Suriya’s Scene in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, two markets where pan-India mythological and devotional films have traditionally struggled to attract audiences. Such films usually perform better in the Telugu states, Karnataka and the Hindi-speaking markets, making the response in these southern territories particularly noteworthy. Expectations for Ramayana in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were relatively modest before release, but the latest advance-booking trends suggest that the film is finding a considerably wider audience than anticipated.
Kerala: Ramayana Takes an Unexpected Lead
The biggest surprise has come from Kerala, where Ramayana is reportedly trending ahead of Scene despite having fewer screens. This is particularly significant because Scene was expected to dominate the state. Directed by Jithu Madhavan, the filmmaker behind Romancham and Aavesham, the film features Malayalam actors Naslen and Nazriya Nazim and has a quirky style that appeals to local audiences. Nevertheless, Ramayana appears to have gained the upper hand, with expectations of finishing ahead of Scene in Kerala.
Tamil Nadu: Another Surprise for Ramayana
In Tamil Nadu, Ramayana has reportedly moved slightly ahead of Scene in advance bookings for the following day. Although the lead is narrow, the trend suggests that the mythological epic could finish ahead of Suriya’s film in the state. This does not take away from Scene‘s impressive performance, as it has already delivered Suriya’s career-best opening weekend with ₹124 crore gross worldwide and continues to hold well. Whether Ramayana can surpass its overall Tamil Nadu collections remains to be seen. For now, both films are giving audiences an exciting Diwali at the movies.
