🎥 How Malayalam Cinema Is Changing the Game with Next-Gen Marketing

So I came across this reel on Instagram recently about the upcoming Malayalam movie Patriot, and guess what? The movie hasn’t even finished shooting yet! But the buzz is already out there by just dropping a teaser. 

And that’s when it hit me: films these days aren’t waiting till the final edit to start promoting. They’re marketing the movie while creating it. They’re giving audiences tiny glimpses, teasing moods, and slowly building curiosity.

Take Chatha Pacha, for example, starring Roshan Mathew, Vishak Nair, Shan Shoukath, and Arjun Ashokan. The film crew started the film promotions from day one, not
with posters or trailers, but with people. They dropped BTS clips, ran interactive challenges like the Chatha Pacha Challenge, and even promised that the best reels would get featured in the movie. I’ve been following them since the start, and honestly, whoever planned this deserves a slow clap. That’s long-term vision.

Then there’s Basil Joseph, who just dropped the teaser for his first production, Athiradi, and fans are already hyped. The craziest part? The shoot hasn’t even begun!

What’s really working here is how smartly they’re targeting their audience. People are already hooked. They’re curious. They’re emotionally invested before even knowing the plot. And because of that, producers don’t have to stress too much about ticket sales; the hype is already doing half the work.

From Jimikki Kammal to Chatha Pacha: How Movie Marketing Has Evolved

Before the pandemic, movie promotions in Malayalam cinema looked very different. It was mostly about poster launches, teaser drops, interviews, and songs, all done a few weeks before release.

But sometimes, virality happens by accident, like with the iconic Jimikki Kammal from Velipadinte Pusthakam. When that song came out, it became an internet sensation. Everyone, from schools to colleges, danced to it, and YouTubers (before “influencers” were even a thing) jumped on the trend.

And here’s the smart part: the production house saw this organic buzz and joined the wave. They took some of the best user-generated videos and even made an official version with Mohanlal himself! All this happened after the movie’s release, yet it gave the film massive visibility.

Now, fast forward to now, and the way things are done has flipped completely. Promotions don’t wait for the release anymore; they start even before the camera starts rolling. The excitement builds months in advance, and by the time the film hits theatres, the audience already feels like they’ve been part of the journey.

 The Business Behind the Buzz

Marketing budgets have always existed in cinema, but what’s changed is how that money is being spent. Earlier, most of it went into hoardings, print ads, or TV promotions. Now, that same money is being used to create experiences, influencer collaborations, social media teasers, short-form content, and interactive campaigns that keep the audience engaged for months.

What’s interesting is that not every campaign needs a massive spend. A clever, well-timed idea on social media can do what a 10 lakh poster campaign once did. Chatha Pacha’s reel challenge is a perfect example; it’s inexpensive but high on engagement. Social media has balanced the field, allowing even smaller productions to compete with the big players by simply being creative.

The Core Idea

At the end of the day, whether it’s a blockbuster film, a startup, or a small brand, the purpose of marketing is the same: to make people notice, care, and show up. Malayalam cinema has mastered that shift. From Jimikki Kammal’s accidental fame to Chatha Pacha’s audience-driven promos and Patriot’s pre-shoot buzz, the marketing playbook has evolved, but the heart of it hasn’t changed. It’s still about connection, curiosity, and community.

So yeah, Malayalam cinema’s marketing game has officially levelled up, and I can't wait to see what the next strategies are!

Written by Tessa Martin
Digital Marketer | SMM & Content Marketing