Splash, dash and lotsa cash
SANGEETHA DEVI. K
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Some of this year's biggest hits have earned Rs. 75-100 crore each in India. Much of the success is thanks to clever marketing.
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UP NEXT Abhishek in `Guru'.
Hrithik Roshan is Mr. A or Aryan, a smooth operator with abs to match who hoodwinks the best of cops in Dhoom 2. It's a tale of the stylish conman at work in Namibia, Mumbai, Goa and Brazil. A lone train carrying the royal family and crown jewels through the Namib desert is his target. Of course Mr. A succeeds.
Bikini tales
Much before the release of Dhoom 2 (with 1,200 prints worldwide), the marketing blitzkrieg began. Yash Raj Films, who've taught their competitors a thing or two about marketing, began releasing nuggets about the film to build curiosity. We lapped up the buzz around Aishwarya Rai getting a toned, new look thanks to power yoga guru Deepika Mehta, Ash and Bipasha slipping into bikinis and the daredevil stunts by the lead actors. Predictably, the film will open to houseful cinema halls in India and overseas on Friday.
Making a film is a job half done. Marketing can make or mar the product. Ad agencies and publicists are hired and hours are spent brainstorming on innovative marketing methods. So we saw Hum Tum cartoons splashed in a leading newspaper, Bunty and Babli anchoring news for a television channel, the reclusive Aamir and Kajol promoting Fanaa in Europe, and silhouettes of Shah Rukh Khan as Don on popcorn packets in Malaysia. Does it pay off? It does, if the film is backed by a big banner, has bankable stars and lives up to at least part of its hype.
Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehna or KANK was a gamble for Karan Johar. Endless debates on marriage and infidelity didn't stop it from collecting over Rs. 55 crore in India and Rs. 25 crore overseas. The bigger hits - Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Krrish, Rang De Basanti (RDB) and Fanaa - collected Rs. 75 to 100 crore in India and Rs. 25 to 30 crore abroad.
The biggest of em' all, Don, garnered Rs. 75 crore in India in the first month. Released with 1500 prints worldwide, the highest for any Indian film, it's a hit overseas too.
Hrithik and Aishwarya in `Dhoom 2'.
"Marketing is good but not publicity overdrive," believes film-maker Sanjay Gadhvi. "There was hardly any hype for Dhoom, but it was a smashing hit. But for Dhoom 2, expectations are high and so is the hype. But any film will fall flat if the marketing isn't backed by content," he adds.
Siddharth Roy Kapoor, vice president, marketing and communications, UTV, seconds that. The company distributed RDB, Taxi no.9211 and Don overseas. "The marketing plan begins from a film's inception. A film like RDB with a strong social message calls for a different kind of marketing. A film needs to have a unique position to cut through the clutter. Don had a marketing budget of $1.75 million. It's a massive hit in the US, UK, Australia and UAE with an overseas box office revenue of $7.5 million."
Word of mouth publicity works for smaller films like Khosla ka Ghosla but bigger banners rely on marketing. "The response in the opening week counts. The collections in the first four weeks decides how big a hit it is," says Riaz Hyder, a distributor with K Sera Sera.
Amitabh Bachchan and Rani in `Baabul'.
The joyride isn't over. There's a fair chance that big budget releases like Baabul, Bagham Bagh and Kabul Express (releasing in December) and Guru (in January) will be added to the list of hits.
Baabul targets the family audiences with Amitabh Bachchan trying his best to get daughter-in-law Rani Mukherji wed again after his son's death and Guru is Mani Ratnam's most ambitious film, with the story loosely based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani. All the news about Rani Mukherji being the bone of contention between designers Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi Mukherji has shifted the focus to Rani's new look in Baabul. Likewise, all rumours of Ash and Abhishek planning to tie the knot in 2007 keeps the buzz alive for Guru.
All for a hit
Don was ?rst promoted in Malaysia.
The Krrish team joined hands with Singapore tourism. The country even had a Krrish tour in Singapore.
Vivah was available for legal downloads.
The Dhoom 2 range of clothing is up for grabs.
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