Rajkumar Hirani thinks he can change the world by making a movie. Just like John Sculley thought he would change the world by selling PCs. (Well, Sculley changed somewhat). What are we talking about? A movie called Lage Raho Munnabhai.
Which brings us to the latest trend in movie-marketing. The 'cause' movie. Aamir Khan did it to fantastic effect with RDB. The movie as a cause. Sounds wonderfully novel. Big-hearted. Inspirational, really. But tell me really, do you think in these days of cross-promotional marketing, media partnerships and brand integration, is it believeable?
And when the hype is over and the DVD has been launched, the 'cause' is notch on the bed-post of these cause-pimps. In the mid-90s, a popular way to ensure repeat viewing was to add a song and then re-release the movie 6 months after the initial hoopla is over. I guess 'causes' are the new additional songs.
You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things. It's just another way of selling tickets, dammit. And you fell for it.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Shundi
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6 comments:
I think a post can be extremely interesting owing to its content. And the above post comfortably qualifies on that count. On the other hand, a post be interesting simply 'coz of it's very being. That's the greater reason for my liking this post. It's Shundi's first guest post in almost a year!
Welcome back to Shundi, Mighty Man. Shundi-r ogunito (actually khub easily gona jaye!) dorshokmondoli tomake janaaye suswagatam! (Ravi Shankar's much-abused Suswagatam composition plays in the background)
It's a film, not an Art of Living course. It's MEANT to be enjoyable. Get a life!
everything is meant for earning money today. But look at thepoint it made. Atleast it is honest in returning worth of your money and time u put for movie whch other fail.
Hi,
Agreed with you, like item numbers, "causes" and "remakes" are becoming new trend.
Lage raho was such crap - it lacked even the humour MBBS had !!
@AQC
I don't have any problems with LRM or its film-makers, as long as they think it's just a film.
But I have a problem with their deluded desire to make Gandhian values 'cool', in the guise of making it 'relevant'.
I have a problem with the timing of the film's release.
I have a problem with its actors queuing up to sprinkle flowers on the neighbourhood Gandhi statue this year. And I will be keenly ineterested in what they do on October 2, 2007.
Once again I don't have a problem with the film. And neither do I have a problem with the way it's promoted (Everything needs to be 'sold' these days, right?). I am only pointing out the truth behind this new-found love of Gandhi.
As long as that is kept in perspective, I am ok with any form of Gandhigiri!
@Vishal
You have proved my point. And as far as LRM is concerned, it is trying to 'sell' tickets, not 'propagate' a version of pop Gandhi which we should emulate in real life.
@Malini
Thanks. Using a 'cause' is not a new trend. It's something Hollywood has been using for years. For a latest example visit, http://blooddiamondmovie.warnerbros.com/
It's a movie on the scourge of conflict diamonds...diamonds that finance genocide, civil war and human rights violations. It has big stars...Leo Di Caprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly. On the home page, don't miss the links to Amnesty International. And you will see another example of a potential Hollywood blockbuster seeking the respectability of a 'cause' to sell tickets.
Have seen Munnabhai MBBS in bits and pieces, so not really in a position to comment on it. As for the bits I have seen, Munnabhai MBBS looks like a rip-off of Patch Adams, which was a pretty bad movie to be 'inspired' by in the first place!
This is too old by now -- yet Shoumik - u say you left the theatre with a smile on ur face after MBLR - but did it leave you with any thoughts or introspection? Or were you already thinking of adopting the neo gandhigiri?
Rahul: I did check the site.Thx
Malini
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