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Penning box office fortunes
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Audience apart, film critics are increasingly deciding the fate of a film, writes Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY
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LET'S REVIEW movie reviews. Millions read them but how much influence do reviews have on a movie's fate? The answer is: virtually none, cases in point being action flicks and lowbrow comedies, which pack in huge crowds despite bad reviews. Family audiences, especially in Hyderabad, turn out to see practically anything.As Nagarjuna says, "A film review doesn't affect me. I don't make films for critics. We have enough intelligence, so even if I were to make a mindless movie, I would do it if people find it entertaining. Film reviews are for people who read them and make a difference only for English films."
According to director E.V.V. Satyanarayana, the audience get influenced by media reports only to a certain extent. He says, "Even among the media, there are those who'll write any nonsense to please a star or a director. It is such journalists who, in a way, prompt filmmakers to indulge in media-bashing because they've got filmmakers in the habit of reading only good things written about them." These days people get enough info on television which they trust more than print,"he adds.
Taking his comments further, Nagarjuna observes, "A film is watched by 100 people. How then can one person pass a judgement? I do welcome reviews but I feel that only qualified people and those who are knowledgeable about films and film-making should review them." Recalling the film Annamayya, in which he played the title role, the hero says, "The media commented on my long moustache, ponytail and other things but never went to the depth of the film. It was only after the first 10 days, after a lot of dissection, that the film gained momentum. They said Nenunnanu was a bad film but it did extremely well. Ironically, every time the critics rip my film apart, it fares really well. Ninety per cent of a film's success doesn't depend on publicity. Ultimately it works only through word of mouth."
Producer Atchi Reddy feels that 90 per cent of the readers are not influenced by reviews. "If a particular trade paper continues to write unfavourable reviews for a producer or a director, or for that matter any film, people will not only stop reading the reviews but also the paper itself. Some reviews have really helped, like in the case of Sankarabharanam. The film had virtually no openings and there was little public opinion but with the help of reviews, the press brought the film international acclaim. There have also been flops arising out of bad press coverage. The press should maintain standards and should reflect the opinion of the people who watch the film and react at the theatre."
EVV adds, "There is another side to the story. Recently, a trade magazine gave an average rating to MS Raju's film, which is getting a repeat crowd and a `hit' rating to a disaster like Na Alludu. Most of these trade magazines have business interests, so it makes us wonder if they are really qualified to rate films. There are also a few scribes with an affinity towards filmmakers of a particular caste and their `good' opinion reflects in the reviews. A correct review helps us to think and rethink. It helps us rectify our work. " When it comes to small-budget films, this is one area where reviews have a telling effect, making or marring box office prospects. This time of the year, the awards prospects and commercial fortunes of many small films rest with reviewers, whose praise can help them gain a toehold in holiday box-office. But producer K.L. Narayana thinks otherwise.
"A film does not become a hit or a flop solely on the basis of reviews. A film is a hit only when a distributor makes money. A film may be a work of art and may get critical acclaim but if it is a commercial failure then it is definitely a bad film. Every person pays money to get entertained and they have every right to form an opinion. But what needs to be seen is how many of them take reviews seriously. Yes, sometimes when a film is running well and there is a bad review in the papers, it does desist some people from watching it. As far as I am concerned, I make a good film and I leave it to the public to decide its fate."
Graphics: K. Ramesh Babu
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