Adipurush campaign might just go down as the biggest perception turned around in Bollywood history

Any feature film portrays the journey of a protagonist or a group of characters from one point in the story to another. But filmmaker Om Raut’s ambitious project Adipurush has had quite a journey right from its making to the release of its trailer. But it now looks like there won’t be any further twists and the film will see a smooth release.

We spoke to various industry experts on the promotional campaign of Adipurush and they all had to say that it started on a good note with the release of the grand and attractive posters. But then came the teaser last year and that didn’t work in the favour of the film.

Veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh didn’t mince his words while sharing his views on the teaser of Adipurush. “To be very honest, I did not like the teaser at all and I was very vocal about it,” he told us. “In between I had given interviews and spoken at length also as to why I didn’t like it. It just didn’t work for me. When I met Prabhas at the trailer launch, I told him that I didn’t like the teaser at all. I told this to Om Raut also.”

Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi said that the promotional material till the teaser made him wonder what exactly the vision of the film was, but he still had faith in Om Raut. “The teaser, kind of, vindicated those doubts that people had about the look and feel of the film. At least, one thing that I and a lot of others have is faith in Om Raut’s ability as a cinematic storyteller. Even in the teaser, despite the somewhat lacklustre VFX and strange look and feel, there was at least a vision of the grandest background,” he said.

The trailer of Adipurush, however, has turned out to be a pleasant surprise and the experts also felt the same. Taran Adarsh said, “Thankfully, I liked the trailer. I had liked those posters. I am not denying that. But after the teaser, everything felt flat for me. I don’t remember anything about those posters. But later Hanuman ji’s poster and the chant, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ (lyrical video) really worked for me. And now I really liked the trailer. I saw it in 3D and then in 2D also and I really liked it.” When asked to point out the difference between the teaser and the trailer, he said, “Zameen aasman ka fark hai. It’s like the North pole and the South pole.”

Echoing the same sentiments, Rathi said, “After all the work that has gone in over the last few months and going by the new set of posters and the trailer that came in, it seems that they have got their act right. Now it seems like it’s a much more palatable version of the story in terms of the look and feel of the storytelling style.”

Adipurush was earlier supposed to release in January. But the makers delayed the film for six months in order to work more on the VFX and the visual quality of the film and this seems to have worked. Senior trade analyst Atul Mohan believes that the makers should be applauded for this decision after accepting the response to the teaser.

“When the public doesn’t like something, you admit and rectify it as per the expectations of the public,” said Atul Mohan. “It needs the courage to add more money to your project when you have already added a lot. People also appreciate when the makers admit and rectify it. One doesn’t become small by admitting that they haven’t been able to meet people’s expectations and they are ready to delay the project. Delaying a film is a big thing. The interest rises every day. So, the makers showed positivity by working on it for six months.”

Sharing what worked for him in the trailer, he added, “They have given glimpses of the action. One can see the grandeur and the high scale on which it is shot, especially the Shiv Ling. Ramayan is an integral part of our life. On TV, we had to compromise in terms of the making, costumes, and crowds. But this is for the big screen, so everything is spent generously. So, it looks lavish.”

Producer and film business expert, Girish Johar shared his view on the trailer, saying, “With the teaser, everyone got confused. They felt it’s more of a caricature-ish kind of a film. Obviously, there is a sea world change in the first leg they started and now. Now it is more exciting. I am happy that the makers took the feedback of the audiences and they are coming back with more zing and flair, which will definitely show at the box office. What happens is that once you see the trailer, you are open to more material of the film. You try to understand what actually they wanted. They build up intrigue, and get the awareness done that a film of this stature is coming. Liking or not liking is completely subjective. They got feedback that they should change and be ahead of the time. I think that’s what the makers took that feedback to their advantage.”

Akshaye Rathi is of the view that the teaser came as a “blessing in disguise” for the makers. “There were reactions, and it took the filmmakers to work towards a better version of the film. I truly hope that even if there is a delay of about six months, it’s perfectly fine as long as the product they are coming out with is great. If you are from the entertainment business and you have worked in it, you could recognize that the elements are there in the teaser, but they aren’t coming together seamlessly. But in the trailer, all of that seems to have been coming into play,” he said.

He added, “It’s not like we don’t know what the story of the Ramayan is. What really appeals to the people is the style in which it is told. This seems to be the most unique and cinematically spectacular large-scale version of the Ramayan that we have seen ever in our lifetime possibly, especially if the storytelling is along the lines of Om Raut’s last two films.”

For every big-scale film with big stars and such a grand canvas, box office matters tremendously. Predicting the opening of Adipurush, Taran Adarsh said, “I think the opening can be grand. There is Ramayan, which is the main attraction. And Prabhas being a big star. I think more than the trailer, teaser, or anything the emotion of Ramayan catches on. There is no stopping this one. Everything else is secondary, including the starcast and promotions. Of course, they matter; I am not denying that. But more important is Ramayan for me.”

Sharing his views on the opening, Rathi added, “Depending on the marketing and how the communication around the film plays out from here, I won’t be surprised if the day one earns Rs. 35 to 40 crores all languages combined. In the Telugu-speaking stages of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana you have Prabhas’ star power at play. And in the rest of the country, you have one of the greatest stories ever told in India being retold in the most cinematically spectacular way possible. If they play their cards right from here, it could become one of the grandest openings this year.”

Girish Johar is of the view that Adipurush has advantage of it being a family film. “The story lends itself to family viewing, which everyone would do with a big scale and budget. Everyone would want to watch a big spectacle and relive the classic,” he said.

Produced by T-Series and Retrophiles, Adipurush stars Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, Saif Ali Khan, Sunny Singh, and Devdatte Nage in the roles of Lord Ram, Sita, Raavan, Lakshman and Hanuman respectively. The film will be released in theatres on June 16.

Also Read: Om Raut says getting “five-six months extra was very important” for Adipurush; says, “We gave that time to our visual effects studios”

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