Star power, big banners, youthful scripts, fresh faces, chartbuster music, unseen stunts, out-of--box creativity, innovative marketing strategies, reality checks are the be-all and end-all for a blockbuster. All these elements make a winning combination, making the cash registers sing like a canary.
With intense competition at hand every Friday when several movies are released, the film that has an extra edge promises to be a box-office success. Controversy helps the pre-release publicity, and is a recurring feature of each and every film.
So, what’s the most important ingredient to make a blockbuster?
Create ingenious controversies to sail through at the box-office. Today, Bollywood and controversy have an inextricable link, and the relationship seems to be for keeps. Marketing and production crew adopt this effortless and facile strategic formula at the films’ pre-release. Seldom controversies have a life of their own, and that eventually goes in favour of the movie. Such rows have a compelling pull for the views to make a beeline for the turnstile.
In early days when digital medium were at its nascent stage, artists used their magical brush to paint film posters. Posters and banners were the only ways to promote the movie. Later, TV, radio and loudspeakers took up the publicity mantle.
Nowadays, the producers have started a novel way of promotion, where leading stars participate in reality shows on TV. And in a similar way, TV channels also hope to boost their TRPs. News channels are in the same race. They invite a leading actor or a director on primetime to chat and promote a film.
While some of the rows may have a basis, many still pander to titillation and cheap popularity stunts. Recently, the release of Shahid Kapoor-starrer Mausam was delayed by a week because the Indian Air Force objected to a few film sequences. Last month, when Prakash Jha’s Aarakshan was released; several state governments like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab banned the movie as it delved into quota raaj in Indian education system, a taboo topic.
Prior to that, Ragini MMS and the first trailers of Delhi Belly were controversial for varying reasons. Real-life Ragini threatened to sue Ektaa Kapoor, producer ofRagini MMS, for basing the film on her life story.
Delhi Belly courted trouble for its lyrics, dialogues and overall look and feel.
Aamir Khan, the producer and ace marketing brain behind Delhi Belly, planned negative promos to hog the limelight. Khan’s other recent films like Fanna, Peepli Live and Dhobi Ghat thrived on controversy-fuelled publicity. And, his shrewd marketing acumen left his detractors awe struck.
Dancing diva Madhuri Dixit's comeback vehicle Aaja Nachle had hit a roadblock in Uttar Pradesh because of one of the songs’ lyrics had used the word mochi that evoked outrage from people belonging to that community. A similar problem was faced by Kaminey director Vishal Bhardhwaj, who had to chop teli from one of his super-hit tracks. Filmmakers of Dhobi Ghat and Billu Barber also faced problems while releasing their movies.
Plagiarism is another stick to beat with. For instance, music composer Ram Sampath dragged director Rakesh Roshan and his brother Rajesh Roshan to court, alleging that they duo had “directly lifted” his music for the Krazzy4album.
Jo Bole So Nihal earned Sikh religious leaders’ ire for denigrating their faith. Similarly, Sing is King was decried by the Sikhs community.
Deepa Mehta’s Fire incurred the wrath of Hindu zealots because the film portrayed a lesbian relationship between two rejected wives, essayed by Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi.
The screening of Bombay and Black Friday based on 1993 Mumbai serial blasts was withdrawn from cinema halls, fearing widespread protests and violence.
Besides several movies have been banned like Parzania, Sins, Ek choti si love story, Gangajal, Bandit Queen, Girlfriend, My Name is Khan. Each of them either touched some sensitive issues or crushed sentiments of a few communities.
Controversy may be the best way for successful promotion of a film, but it doesn’t guarantee box-office success.
