By: Amit kumaR Agarwal
What does the no show of films like Devara, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, Jigra mean for the Indian film industry?
Post the record-breaking success of Stree 2, and the tremendous frenzy the trailer of Singham Again generated, the industry was very optimistic about films like Devara and Vicky-Vidya; yet the hopes were all shattered - why?
The writer feels that the hopes were misplaced. Take Devara for example - Jr. NTR worked in RRR not because of his brand but the brand of S.S. Rajamouli and his previous films, Baahubali franchise. Baahubali is the first pan-Indian film from south - all the other films touted as pan-Indian films from south didn't work, barring KGF franchise, Salaar and Pushpa.
The whole hullabaloo about south-Indian films finding huge acceptance in Indian cinemas is misplaced. They mostly work in South India and in about a decade four films worked pan-India - Baahubali franchise, KGF franchise, Salaar and Pushpa.
Jr. NTR's next War 2 will again work but it has a major Hindi Films superstar and icon, Hrithik Roshan to drive the film forward.
Again, expectations from Vicky-Vidya were unfounded. Why; because Rajkumar Rao wasn't the sole factor for Stree 2 to become an all time blockbuster; there was a huge goodwill the film carried, had the right cameos and an imperfect mix of comedy and horror that the audiences just lapped.
Vicky-Vidya will find it tough to do even 10% of the business of Stree 2 and that is the fact of the matter.
The writer feels that mammoth expectations from films is the reason for films, not working at the box-office. Another aspect is the ticket-rates, which, are making people vary about going to cinemas - a family of four end up shelling out close to Rs. 3000/- for a movie.
Unless. the audiences are assured by the look of the film that it will give them a cinematic experience - this bottle-neck of films and audiences will continue.