Why Tanu & Manu came-a-calling

Until very recently,actors would come down to Pune as a part of their pre-release tours. But is this new post-release promotion a better marketing strategy? Pranay Malgaonkar,event manager,Infinity Exhibitzz,nods and says,“See,with films,it all boils down to the commercial viability. This new strategy is aimed at audience interaction with the stars. Those who may have already watched the film look forward to meeting the actors,and those who haven’t are drawn towards the film after meeting or seeing the stars in person,irrespective of reviews and BO verdicts.” Well-known director Basu Chatterjee (Choti Si Baat,Rajnigandha,Chameli Ki Shaadi,Baaton Baaton Mein) further explains,“Film-making has become a complex business today. Everything centers around the commercial value of films and this is why new marketing trends are being resorted to.”

Malgaonkar terms this trend as ‘breaking the ice’. “Earlier,we would only get stars coming here for press conferences or 10-minute appearances at the screens. This was gradually viewed as a selfish strategy. The motive remains the same now,just the approach has changed.”

The multiplex executives harp on the star power. Even if word-of-mouth reviews deter someone from spending a couple of hundred rupees on a ticket,the presence of a star overrides the hesitation. Siddharth Manohar,unit head,Inox Leisure Ltd,Pune,says,“We regularly host star visits,film festivals,contests and promotions. These are ways of making the movie-going experience more interesting for patrons.” Manohar feels the effect is equal whether a star comes before or after the release of a film. “Actors add that extra edge and attract people to the theatres,irrespective of when they come,” he says.

Suraj Sharma,manager operations,E-Square multiplex,feels that this new marketing strategy can only work for A-list stars and films that have received a rating of three stars and above in their first week. “Like,when Sunny Deol and Dharmendra visited Pune,the multiplexes were thronged by eager fans. It ultimately generated a good response towards the film. However,if stars of low budget films or below average films try to follow this trend,it won’t work in their favour. It will hardly draw people to the screens,” he opines.