Suriya confirms S3 release will be delayed; says 'external factors beyond control' to blame

Suriya’s S3 (Singam 3) — pegged as the big Christmas release for Kollywood — has been postponed at the last minute. The action sequel featuring Suriya, Anushka Shetty and Shruti Haasan and directed by hit maker Hari was meant to be in theatres on 23 December in Tamil, along with its dubbed Telugu version. However, the release will not not be going ahead as planned.

Suriya himself shared the news on Twitter: “Dear all, S3 stands postponed due to several external factors not under our control. (I) Believe it’s for the larger good. Need all your support!”

Fans of the actor and the franchise were feeling none-too-pleased as this is the second time the film has been postponed after producers Studio Green announced a release date. A lot was riding on S3, as Suriya’s last two releases have not done well at the box-office.

Demonetisation has hit Kollywood hard: Why the Tamil film industry is struggling to cope

When Suriya referred to the “several external factors not under (his) control” as the reason for S3’s delay, he may have been talking about the three major blows the Tamil film industry has taken in the recent past. First, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation drive hit Kollywod particularly hard, as it basically operates on cash. Then, TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa — who ruled the Tamil film industry with an iron hand — passed away, creating a void. And to top it all, Cyclone Vardah, in its fury, swept away the box-office.

S3 is targeted at Tamil Nadu’s B and C markets — and it is these segments in particular that are facing the worst of the demonetisation crisis. Here it must be noted that 90 percent of the 1200-odd screens in Tamil Nadu, mainly in B and C markets, do not have online booking. And S3 director Hari is a B and C specialist with Singam and Singam 2 collecting more in rural Tamil Nadu than cities.

Cyclone Vardah hits Kollywood: After demonetisation, Jayalalithaa death, industry hit by new storm

The trade is unhappy that the film has been pushed, as they feel despite demonetisation the show must go on. And this Christmas, the film would have virtually got a solo big release. The Jayam Ravi-Arvind Swamy action thriller Bogan, which was earlier scheduled for Christmas, was pushed back as they didn’t want to clash with S3. The next big festive/holiday release window in Kollywood is Pongal (mid-January) and that has already been booked by Vijay’s Bairavaa.

Meanwhile, the trade buzz is that S3 will now release only on the Republic Day weekend (26 January), and will face stiff competition from other big releases.