It’s a strange world. We don’t lose time in writing obituaries of people who are alive. One wrong move and we want to pronounce him ‘dead’. One flop and we want to declare that he is finished.
You must’ve understood that the ‘we’ refers to journalists. Why is the media always in such a hurry? Is it because there is a surfeit of journalists and, therefore, one has a chance of being read or heard only and only if s/he breaks news? Has the content of our stories no relevance, no meaning?
One is appalled at the way the media has been bashing Rohit Shetty after his first flop in so many years. Cirkus has failed to live up to expectations but that in no way means that Shetty can’t bounce back. For a filmmaker who has been delivering hits, super-hits and blockbusters one after the other, is making a debacle such a big crime that he should be crucified? The film industry is one of the most speculative and most fickle industries in the world. Yet, if a man can make four hit films — Golmaal: Fun Unlimited, Golmaal Returns, Golmaal 3 and Golmaal Again — in the Golmaal series, there must be something about his acumen and filmmaking style for him to have stayed relevant for more than two decades. Singham and Singham Returns were two hits in his popular Singham series. He carried forward the cop universe with Simmba and then Sooryavanshi, both money-spinners. His other hits include All The Best, Bol Bachchan and Chennai Express. Except for Zameen, Sunday and Dilwale, his record was unblemished till his latest film, Cirkus, released and flopped. But look at his ratio of hits in the last two decades: 11 successful films (including hits, super-hits and blockbusters) as against four unsuccessful ones. Even among the unsuccessful films, one or two made money for his producers although they didn’t fare too well at the ticket windows. He is, perhaps, the filmmaker with the maximum number of films in the Rs. 100-crore club.
Yet, if a man can make four hit films in the GOLMAAL series, there must be something about his acumen and filmmaking style for him to have stayed relevant for more than two decades.
Like many among the media persons don’t even think before writing damaging articles, they are in an equally tearing hurry to put out their glowing reviews of films released every week. In an age when many reviewers, film trade analysts and critics don’t mind increasing the stars they dole out to films just so that their star rating (with their name, of course) are on top of the list in advertisements of the ‘fantastic reviews’ the film has garnered, journalists are in a mad hurry to come out with their reviews of the latest releases. Perhaps, they have no faith in their reviews and feel, they will be read, viewed or heard only if they are among the first few reviews to be out. Shallow thinking? You bet! You would be surprised to know that there are reviewers who give their one-line reviews (for the express purpose of the full-page and half-page advertisements issued by the producers in the first week, in newspapers or on social media) without even watching the film under question, just so that their name adorns the advertisements. As if this is not blood-curdling enough, there are public relations agencies in the film industry which are encouraging this trend by… you guessed it right, paying money for such ‘reviews’. Yes, short reviews are on sale now. Paid previews… and now paid reviews, too.
You would be surprised to know that there are reviewers who give their one-line reviews without even watching the film under question, just so that their name adorns the advertisements.
Writing off a film director or star after his film bombs at the box-office is just an offshoot of this trend of trying to win the race which, in the first place, doesn’t even exist. One journalist, in a bid to prove that he had uncovered a sensational story, recently broke news that Rohit Shetty’s CEO, George Cameron, had quit the company after the flopping of Cirkus. Of course, as any sane reader would understand, the failure of the film had nothing to do with the CEO’s resignation because he had decided to turn an independent producer months back! But sensationalising such a simple fact was the brainchild of the journalist who is, probably, clueless about the fact that decisions to leave a company or turn independent producer are not taken overnight. His article made it appear that the man had quit his job because the film had bombed. A very prestigious national newspaper carried a similar story with the heading ‘Cirkus side-effects’!! What kind of journalism is this?
Of course, the failure of the film had nothing to do with the CEO’s resignation because he had decided to turn an independent producer months back!
Coming back to using harsh phrases as ‘Rohit Shetty is finished’ or alluding that it is the end of the road for Shetty. Do the journalists, who write such stories, themselves believe in them? This also happens because there is no entry barrier for film journalists. Today, just about anybody can start his YouTube channel and upload videos of film reviews and film business and call himself a film journalist. This democratic process has not come without its share of dangers. It has made film journalists out of people who may not even be able to pronounce ‘film’ (for them, they are ‘FLIMS’). Do such self-styled journalists and trade analysts know that it was the same Rohit Shetty who waited for 18 months to release his Sooryavanshi in the cinemas rather than bow down to pressure and premiere it on OTT during the COVID-19 lockdown? Have they forgotten that Sooryavanshi was the first film to release in cinemas after the lockdown was finally lifted? Do they know that Rohit Shetty’s films never proclaim that they are directed by him but rather announce that they are directed by Rohit Shetty and his team? Are they even aware that in the last two decades, Shetty’s films have contributed more than Rs. 1,300 crore to the Indian box-office alone? I am not even getting into the huge revenues which his films have fetched from sale of satellite, digital and audio rights. They must be oblivious to the fact that Shetty donates generously for the welfare of the police force, that he did a lot for cine workers during the 18-month pandemic lockdown in 2020 and 2021, that he is a philanthropist at heart.
Are they even aware that in the last two decades, Shetty’s films have contributed more than Rs. 1,300 crore to the Indian box-office alone?
You might argue that all these qualities of the prolific filmmaker have nothing to do with his films and their box-office fate. That’s true but Hindus believe that blessings of people can pull one out of the worst circumstances. And Rohit Shetty has the duas of thousands of people whose lives he has touched in different ways. Besides, a film’s failure is hardly the worst circumstance one can be in. The man will bounce back and how! Don’t be surprised if he soon delivers his career’s biggest blockbuster. As they say, picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost!