Does the success of Munjya underline the theory that pre-release promotion is not so important after all? We all know that the producers of Munjya did not spend too much on the film’s publicity and promotion.
– No, it doesn’t prove that. What it does prove is that content matters more than anything and everything else. If the content is compelling, less promotion can work. But more often than not, a producer cannot be sure about how good or impactful his film is, before its release. It is only after the public gives a film its thumbs up does the producer realise that his content has worked. Also, like content has its own significance, promotion of a film has its own importance. MUNJYA becoming a runaway hit despite low promotion is an exception rather than the rule. Make no mistake about that!Â
How did the Hindi dubbed version of Kalki 2898 AD take a good opening yesterday (June 27)? I ask this question because the murmurs in the trade were that the film would not open well because of low awareness.
– The promotion of the Hindi version may not have been as impactful as one would’ve wanted it to be. But the star cast did its magic. Prabhas has a huge fan following. Moreover, people like to watch him in action roles — and that’s what he is playing in KALKI 2898 AD. Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Deepika Padukone are also big names, which attracted the crowds. One more thing: the stunning visual effects were widely discussed once the trailer was out. As for the murmurs in trade circles, they gained ground because the advance booking for the film was not up to the mark. Tickets sold far more briskly in current booking.
With major films flopping left, right and centre, is it time for the industry to ring the alarm bell?
– Not really! It would be time to ring the alarm bell when good content repeatedly starts failing. The current scenario is not that. Bad films are flopping, so that shouldn’t be a cause for concern. By the way, KALKI 2898 AD, released yesterday, seems poised to be a major hit.