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In focus
In today’s hyperconnected film culture, the movie often exists long before it ever hits the screen. Weeks, even months ahead of release, online theories and fan-made narratives begin shaping the public’s perception of a film, often creating expectations no filmmaker can realistically satisfy. Social media has turned cinema into a constant guessing game, where every teaser frame, poster detail, and offhand quote becomes raw material for elaborate speculation. But when these carefully constructed fantasies collide with the reality of the final product, the backlash is swift, loud, and unforgiving. Few recent films illustrate this growing chasm between what audiences expect and what filmmakers deliver better than Empuraan and Coolie, two tentpole releases whose pre-release hype became both their greatest weapon and their biggest liability.
Over the years, Lucifer had built a steadily burgeoning fanbase, and Empuraan, its long-awaited sequel, sparked a dedicated wave of buzz. Fans eagerly speculated about potential new additions to the cast, fresh story developments, and possible franchise connections leading into the already promised third installment. This heightened anticipation reflects a “Reddit-pilled” film generation, one that has grown up immersed in a swirl of misinformation, exaggerated hype, and endless behind-the-scenes speculation. With daily doses of casting “scoops” and production updates from so-called film journalists, often unreliable and misleading, audience expectations were inflated to unmatchable levels. In the case of Empuraan, this became especially apparent when the team released a deliberately low-key, tactful poster featuring the main villain with his back turned and face concealed. Within hours, the internet erupted into a guessing frenzy, with names like Aamir Khan, Fahadh Faasil, Basil Joseph, and many others being thrown into the mix as the possible “mystery casting.”
There were also numerous speculative story ideas and sequences circulating online, many of which carried misguided assumptions about Empraan’s budget and actual content. The overactive imagination of hypersensitive viewers, deeply invested in the “cinematic universe” possibilities of the franchise, ultimately backfired. Instead of the sprawling crossover event many expected, the resulting film delivered a straightforward continuation of the original’s core story beats, albeit presented on a much grander, global scale.
As the months leading up to the release unfolded, rumors fueled unrealistic expectations that Empuraan could never hope to meet on its own terms, leaving a lingering sense of disappointment for some viewers. Consequently, discussions around the movie became dominated less by its production quality, ambitious scale, and world-building and more by endless debates about “what could have been if my favorite fan prediction had come true.” This discourse continued to overshadow the film long after its release—and, in some circles, it still does.
Similarly, with Coolie, the makers faced an endless barrage of online theories about the film’s plot from the moment the teaser dropped. With every new update from the team, speculation intensified, as anticipation for the film to be part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) kept growing. Fans eagerly discussed potential star cameos, drawing elaborate charts, mapping character connections, and predicting hidden Easter eggs. Iconic characters from Lokesh Kanagaraj’s previous films—Vikram, Leo, Rolex, and Dhilli—were all expected to make appearances in the Rajinikanth starrer. Even before the trailer was released, audiences were determined to connect the dots and place the film firmly under the umbrella of the larger LCU world. Every fleeting line of dialogue, blink-and-miss frame, and micro-cut from the teaser and trailer was scrutinized in obsessive detail, spawning countless YouTube breakdowns, fan theories, and podcast analyses. Complex narratives involving time travel, alternate timelines, and sci-fi twists were expounded endlessly—long before the film ever saw the light of day.
This heightened level of audience investment in blockbuster cinema has made it increasingly difficult for filmmakers to trust their creative instincts. Instead, they find themselves constantly second-guessing their choices, looking over their shoulders to ensure that the carefully cultivated momentum of pre-release campaigns isn’t derailed by angry viewers with rigid, preconceived notions of what the film should be and how the story must unfold. Audiences today often attempt to “do the work” of filmmakers even before a film’s release—crafting elaborate theories, charting imagined plotlines, and setting sky-high expectations. When the final product inevitably fails to align with these personal narratives, the backlash is swift and unforgiving, manifesting as merciless trolling, online outrage, and prolonged rants. The simple joy of experiencing a film on its own terms is slowly being eroded by an impatient, attention-deficit-driven generation of viewers who engage less with the story being told and more with the story they wanted to see. For many, any deviation from their imagined version isn’t just disappointing—it’s intolerable.
Criticisms of Coolie for not meeting the standards of the LCU or falling short as a Rajinikanth-led star vehicle are entirely valid. However, when negative reactions are driven primarily by the absence of expected cameos, predetermined storylines, cinematic crossovers, or direct connections to a director’s previous work, that speaks less to the film’s quality and more to the influence of an overwrought, hyper-online film culture.
Similarly, Empuraan was almost destined to disappoint a section of viewers who failed to engage with its tonal experimentation, bold narrative swings, and deliberate deviation from the easy pleasures of its predecessor. Instead of appreciating its risks, many were consumed by pearl-clutching discourse and inflated expectations that left little room to experience the film on its own terms.
The greater danger lies beyond these individual films. When studios and directors internalize such backlash, they may be tempted to appease online theories and unrealistic fan expectations, leading to compromised storytelling, safe reiterations of familiar tropes and recycled ideas that ultimately benefit no one, neither the creators nor the audience.
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