Is a snazzy trailer half the battle won when it comes to a movie’s fate? Many would believe so, at least given the present scenario. When the first theatrical trailer of Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet released (6.2 lakh views and counting), social media wasn’t too kind, with some even calling it “boring”. And when the film hit the screens, it tanked. On the other hand, trailers of recent hits like Piku and Tanu Weds Manu Returns (TWMR) had people going gaga over them. Piku has been viewed over 52 lakh times, while TWMR has got over 65 lakh hits till now, leading to great footfalls and the cash registers haven’t stopped ringing.
So do trailers form an important part of a film? Film critic Anupama Chopra says, “Trailers have become so important that (actor) Irrfan was joking with some filmmaker that why don’t you make four-five trailers and make a film on whichever one is a hit. But can they predict the fate of a film? I don’t think so. Just because the trailer is not-so-exciting, it doesn’t mean that the film won’t do well.”
The first look of a film does tend to set the tone and its marketing strategy. However, director Rajkumar Gupta feels that a film can’t be judged based on its promo. “Some films work based on the strength of word of mouth,” Rajkumar says. Zoya Akhtar’s next, Dil Dhadakne Do, with a stellar star cast, is a casting coup. Though the film’s trailer created an instant frenzy on social media, the songs have been a dampener. Exhibitor Akshay Rathi says, “Traditionally, Excel Entertainment is not known for their music. It’s always been the content that has driven them and the music has fit in, rather than stood out. They have been loyalists of Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy, and with due respect to them, the trio has not been in good form lately. But Zoya Akhtar’s films are fabulous as far as the story is concerned.”
However, trade expert Atul Mohan feels that we should respect social media response and use it effectively to judge a film’s success or failure and adopt the next strategy accordingly.
Eros producer Krishika Lulla has the last word. “The trailer tells you a lot whether the audience wants to watch the film or not. First impact is the last impact.”
