In the realm of cinema, the notion that great products sell themselves has always held true, transcending geographical boundaries. However, when it comes to Indian cinema, especially Bollywood, this maxim seems to have been tossed aside in favor of a more desperate approach. Corporate bookings, once a common practice in the film industry, have taken an alarming turn for the worse since 2022, and Bollywood’s reliance on this trend is becoming a death sentence for its future.
The perils of Corporate Bookings
The trend of corporate bookings has come to the fore once again with over 50000 tickets being purchased for “Rocky aur Rani ki Prem Kahaani”. Yes, this is what uncle Karan Johar has come to! From once unquestionably ruling the box office, to relying on a crutch that will crack any moment, the fall of Karan Johar is quite steep!
But what in God’s name is corporate bookings? Corporate bookings involve multiple tickets purchased in bulk by various organizations for their own interests. While this practice is not entirely new to Indian cinema, the year 2022 saw a significant shift in how it was employed, primarily due to a string of back-to-back box office disasters like Laal Singh Chaddha, Raksha Bandhan, and Liger. Faced with a slump in movie attendance and a lack of interest from audiences, Bollywood decided to resort to desperate measures.
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The trend reached its peak with Karan Johar’s much-anticipated production “Brahmastra.” The makers left no stone unturned to ensure that the film dominated discussions leading up to its release. Corporate bookings were extensively employed to create a false perception of success, but the strategy backfired tremendously. Instead of garnering praise and excitement, the film became a subject of mockery and disappointment for the audience.
Similar tactics were observed in subsequent Bollywood releases like Adipurush and Shehzada. In the case of Adipurush, celebrities like Ranbir Kapoor bought 10,000 tickets each, while Shehzada employed a “buy one, get one” offer for tickets. Even a novice knows how “Pathaan” ‘emerged’ as a box office success, when the content proved otherwise.
The power of authentic content
Meanwhile, Hollywood releases like Oppenheimer and Barbie, despite higher average ticket prices, performed exceptionally well. This demonstrated that the audience was ready to flock to theaters if the content was exciting and engaging. Even relatively smaller budget films like “The Kerala Story” and “Satyaprem ki Katha” managed to earn respectable revenues, proving that quality content could still attract audiences.
Instead of focusing on making good and entertaining films, Bollywood is now resorting to self-buying tickets or offering them for cheap, and in some cases, even for free. These self-made practices, driven by a desperation to create an illusion of success, are becoming increasingly detrimental to the economics of the Bollywood industry. The case of Adipurush serves as a stark reminder that no amount of promotion can salvage a bad product.
Wake up Bollywood!
The fraudulent use of corporate bookings to manipulate perceptions of a film’s success is not only unethical but also potentially suicidal for the industry. When the buying audience is disinterested, no amount of artificial promotion can lure them into theaters. These tactics risk alienating the very audience Bollywood seeks to attract and threaten the industry’s long-term viability. Wake up Bollywood, stop living in a la la land that doesn’t exist!
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Ultimately, Bollywood must recognize that the key to success lies in crafting compelling narratives and delivering quality entertainment. Corporate bookings might create temporary buzz, but true success can only be achieved through content that resonates with the audience. The industry must steer away from this dangerous path and return to its roots of storytelling prowess to ensure its survival in the ever-evolving world of cinema. Otherwise, Bollywood’s current desperate gamble with corporate bookings could prove to be its undoing, sealing its fate with a self-inflicted death sentence.
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