The movie marketing mania – The Hindu

Actor Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam throughout a press convention for his or her upcoming movie ‘Thug Life’, in Chennai.
| Photo Credit: ANI

I met Kamal Haasan for an interview final Friday in Chennai for his a lot-awaited movie, Thug Life. The subsequent day, he was at Sri Sai Ram College together with your complete crew for the movie’s audio launch. On Sunday, he was current on the finals of a well-liked musical actuality contest, Vijay’s Super Singer Junior 10. In between these two massive music occasions, I made a decision to look at an IPL match. Sure sufficient, Mr. Haasan was there on TV too, at a particular programme hosted by Star Sports Tamil that includes the Thug Life crew.

“I enjoy talking. It’s a learning experience for me, because only when I talk, people get an opportunity to correct me,” he advised me, after I identified his hectic journey schedule for the movie’s promotions.

It is difficult to flee the movie and its crew, as Thug Life’s PR recreation has been on an overdrive in the previous few weeks. I’m certain even die-exhausting followers of Mani Ratnam and Mr. Haasan are bored with it. At the identical time, it is usually heartening to look at a 70-12 months-outdated Haasan croon outdated melodies with a little bit woman, or shake a leg to a quick-paced quantity on stage.

The world has modified lots during the last 20 years after I started as a rookie reporter. I bear in mind attending the launch of Mr. Haasan’s Mumbai Xpress. The invite to the occasion was quirky: it was printed on a faux ₹500 foreign money be aware. The title learn ‘Raajkamal Bank of India’ — a reference to each the Reserve Bank of India and his manufacturing home, Raajkamal Productions. The line under mentioned: ‘I promise entertainment for the entire family’.

Before the age of cell phones and social media, details about a movie or album was scarce, so movie-makers went all out to market their movies in individual. Some adopted conventional methods of selling their movies, resembling by way of newspaper ads, whereas some have been others have been extra revolutionary.

Promotional materials was once a collector’s delight. Cassettes within the Nineteen Nineties gave us a fast peek into what to anticipate: the audio cassette of Shankar’s Jeans, with music by A.R. Rahman, was packed in denim in 1998. I bear in mind strolling right into a neighbourhood store to purchase a particular version audio cassette of Laysa Laysa in 2003. Priced at ₹10 at a time when cassettes price round ₹50, it had simply two variations of the title track in its Side A and Side B, serving as a curtain-raiser for the album composed by Harris Jayaraj. In distinction, right this moment’s audio invitations arrive as WhatsApp notifications.

Over time, promotions grew to become increasingly geared in direction of grabbing eyeballs. I bear in mind the thrill surrounding the launch of Madraspattinam in 2010 — the invite featured outdated maps of Madras and outdated foreign money, and the venue of the occasion, Chennai Trade Centre, was remodeled into the Madras of the Nineteen Forties, replete with troopers and other people marching alongside shouting slogans.

Actors too have numerous promotion kinds. While Rajinikanth didn’t personally promote Kabali, the 2016 movie was an enormous hit when it comes to promotions. Mr. Rajinikanth’s face was all over the place, from billboards to plane. Parthiban has at all times been probably the most wacky. Attendees to his Iravin Nizhal audio launch in 2022 have been greeted with a mouth organ, whereas the invite to Teenz (2024) got here with a big ruler and pen. On the opposite hand, actors resembling Ajith and Nayanthara keep away from promotions.

Today’s launches are aimed toward digital audiences. ‘Singles’ and ‘hook steps’ rule the roost. Unlike earlier, folks sadly seldom watch for a whole album with songs in numerous genres to drop. Songs themselves are chopped up in movies given our dwindling consideration spans. The aim appears to be to provide you with a catchy line and a particular dance that can go ‘viral’ on Instagram. So a lot in order that the crew of Thug Life had a ‘Thugfluencers’ occasion in Chennai just lately, and reels of Mr. Haasan flooded Instagram feeds. Is there anyplace the place Kamal Haasan, aka Vinveli Nayagan (Space Hero), just isn’t current?

srinivasa.r@thehindu.co.in