Talking Numbers

“This number obsession is essentially the result of successful film marketing. From the trade talk,it has moved into the domain of consumer conversation,making it a broader idea. When films promote Rs 100 crore or any other number,it’s basically communicating success in numbers in the public consciousness to attract attention,” says Ajit Andhare,COO,Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

There was a time when gossip about stars’ lives dominated the public mind. But with the explosion of TV and social media,stars have descended their ivory towers and have landed up on TV screens and Twitter timelines. There is no possibility of a Greta Garbo happening. So when everything is out in the open,there is a void for a topic to talk about. And since as a nation we are obsessed with films,weekend collections and Rs 100 crore have taken over as topic of great interest,to post and to tweet.

“It’s like cricket. Which cricketer has scored how much and consequently who wins only matters. When we were in Dubai promoting Raaz 3,our chauffeur told Emraan (Hashmi) that the opening would be nothing less than Rs 10 crore. He was from Pakistan. Everybody is aware of box-office numbers. The market is going to have the last say,that’s the blunt truth,” says producer-director Mahesh Bhatt.

There are obvious conclusions and questions to derive from this number talk. Does it really increase footfalls? “May be very marginal,but it doesn’t actually increase footfalls. At the end of it,when you are spending money,you care about real word of mouth,which comes from your family or your friends,” adds trade analyst Komal Nahta. Manoj Desai,executive director,Gaiety-Galaxy multiplex in Mumbai,echoes the sentiment. “It doesn’t necessarily pull in extra audiences; it’s the content that people care about,” he says.

Then,why this increasing tendency among filmmakers to publicise the big numbers? “It’s all a race to attract investments. It’s like showing the content quantitatively. It’s generally good for the business to be spoken about on digital network,where there are so many opinion makers whom people believe in. It’s healthy for the market,” says industry expert Timmy Kandhari,MD,Sapphire Professional Services.

The studios,in general,are happy with the buzz of numbers in the air. In the crowd of multiple releases,nothing smells better than success. Shikha Kapur,Executive Director,Marketing,Studios,Disney UTV,says,“Numbers are an indicator of good content and entertainment. The availability of numbers in a public forum helps audiences to make a choice in a cluttered market.”

Hollywood director Martin Scorsese wrote in a recent essay: “There was a time when the average person wasn’t even aware of box-office grosses. But since the ’80s,it’s become a kind of sport — and really,a form of judgment. It culturally trivialises the film.”

Will this number mania affect the quality of Hindi cinema? “The quest for finer attributes in filmmaking is undeniably important. But when as an audience,you endorse only a certain kind of cinema; you create a kind of schizophrenia,” adds Bhatt.

The stars too are feeling the pressure of playing the numbers game. In a recent interview to a TV channel,Akshay Kumar admitted,“Yeh jo media ka Rs 100 crore ka sawaal hai,yeh hum sab pe bojh ban gaya hai.”