Box Office: Can Mammootty's Bazooka brave L2 Empuraan storm in Kerala?

The stage is set for another big Malayalam film showdown, but this time, it’s not a head-to-head battle. Already, Superstar Mohanlal's L2: Empuraan stormed the Kerala box office on March 27th and has already crossed ₹71 crore in the state. Now, Bazooka, starring another senior superstar Mammootty, is gearing up for a gigantic release on April 10th with thrilling content. The big question is, can it sustain itself in the wake of Empuraan’s dominance?

Hitting the marquee just two weeks after a juggernaut like L2: Empuraan is both an opportunity and a challenge. Already the Prithviraj Sukumaran directorial has amassed crores of rupees from the Box Office but refuses to slow down. If audiences are still immersed in that film's fever, Mammotty's Bazooka may struggle to gain traction. That's the big challenge. However, Kerala's audience are known for embracing strong content-driven films rather than an action-bonanza like Empuraan. If Bazooka brings a fresh cinematic experience, it could create its own success story despite Empuraan’s hold, and that's the big opportunity in front of Mammootty now. 

The biggest advantage Bazooka has is its genre. While Empuraan is a continuation of the Lucifer saga with political and action elements, Bazooka is a neo-noir action thriller—something rare in Malayalam cinema. Mammootty’s recent hits (Kannur Squad, Bramayugam) prove that if the content is gripping, audiences will show up.

Directed by Deeno Dennis, Bazooka revolves around a high-stakes mind game, which follows a cop and a businessman who join forces to capture a serial killer using elaborate games. This intriguing premise could be Bazooka's trump card in drawing viewers. Both Mammootty as the businessman and Gowtham Vasudev Menon as the menacing cop brought freshness to the story if the trailer is anything to go by. 

Since Empuraan is still performing well, Bazooka might face challenges in securing prime screens. Theatre allocations and word-of-mouth will play a crucial role in determining whether Bazooka gets a strong start or struggles to find its footing. But the film gets stunning word-of-mouth, surely more theatres will be allocated for the Mammootty starrer. 

To conclude, Mammootty’s star power guarantees an initial buzz, but for Bazooka to thrive, it must offer a unique cinematic experience that draws audiences back to theatres once again after Empuraan. If it delivers, Bazooka could be the perfect film to sustain Kerala’s box office momentum into mid-April.

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