Indians love cinema. A big star, a well-known producer and an accomplished director add up to a spicy treat of entertainment. Today, even as many directors struggle to portray subjects of relevance through realistic scripts and relatable characters, the big scale marketing of mega budget films eats up their scope of success.
Director Shekhar Kapur was recently quoted saying, “More money is now going into marketing than ever. Films are treated as product not creative work.”
We ask people from the industry if marketability being the benchmark for a film’s commercial success makes the going tough for young talented directors with great ideas but small budgets.
“If I would have made Parzania today, I would have been bankrupt. Times have really changed and those suffering at the hands of this elaborate scale of marketing are independent producers,” says filmmaker Rahul Dholakia. Having said that, the expert also feels that many young directors benefit from this trend. And how. “Marketing techniques today have a way of reaching the masses. Even if you make a really small budget film, with amateur actors but a good concept, there are many chances people will go and watch it, depending on how well it’s marketed. So you needn’t compromise on creativity at all. Bheja Fry, Sahib Biwi aur Gangster and Shaitaan were not big hits but definitely did well,” he adds.
Some feel that these are changing times where technology has given a whole new meaning to marketing, “if only directors use it wisely,” shares director Madhureeta Anand. She says that the Internet gives one a million choices that can save one the cost of marketing. “A latest example is Kolaveri Di. The song is smartly shot in just a studio, but it’s a rage online. You have to first know who you’re selling your film to. Today everyone wants to make something for all kinds of audience. You have to focus on your niche audience and then find the best possible technique to sell your movie to them. There are more number of downloads on the web than ever before,” says Madhureeta, disagreeing with Shekhar’s comment.
Parvin Dabbas, who has recently ventured into production, feels marketing should not be thought of as a dirty word. Having said that, he says we need a balance too. “Small budget movies definitely suffer at the hands of big ones with a great marketing agenda. It’s true that people today are trying to sell an aspect of their movie than a concept. Actually marketing begins at the scripting stage of a film, rather than when the film is actually complete. So it majorly rests on many aspects like actors, songs, etc. This kills creativity,” concludes Parvin.
Youngsters feel that much-hyped films make most of the money by ruling the so-called “charts” and taking up all the space in multiplexes. “You won’t see a Ra.One or Rockstar coming down for weeks. After a while you have no shows for those small-budget interesting films. But they do have an audience online and Internet definitely plays the saviour for them,” says Monica, a student.