Box Office: 5 lessons to learn from Ram Charan and S Shankar's Rs 178 crore global shocker Game Changer

Here's taking a look at 5 big lessons one must learn from the failure of Ram Charan - Shankar's epic disaster, Game Changer.

Written by Mohit Dixit , Journalist

Published on Feb 04, 2025 | 09:29 PM IST | 8.7K

Credits: Sri Venkateswara Creations

Ram Charan and Kiara Advani starrer Game Changer, directed by Shankar Shanmughan, turned into one of the biggest box office disasters of all time. The political action drama, mounted on a lavish budget, managed to collect only Rs. 178 crore gross at the worldwide box office, making it one of the major box office disappointments in recent times.

Here are 5 lessons to learn from its underwhelming performance:

1. Allocate Budget Wisely

Proper budget allocation is crucial. It should be distributed evenly across all departments, ensuring production costs are kept in check to make a profitable venture in today’s competitive market.

Producer Dil Raju reportedly spent exorbitantly on Game Changer. Reports suggest over Rs. 75 crore was spent on the music album alone, which ultimately turned out to be a major misfire.

2. Don’t Rely Solely on Star Combinations

Audiences may initially get excited when two big names collaborate on a project. While the combination of Ram Charan and Shankar sounded promising, it’s ultimately the content that needs to engage and entertain viewers.

Producers often market such combinations as the biggest USP of a film, which is a flawed approach. Instead, they should focus on creating a solid entertainer to captivate the audience.

3. Shoot Films on Time

Game Changer was in production since 2021, taking four years to finally hit theaters during Sankranti 2025. Such prolonged production not only drains resources but also diminishes audience anticipation and hype.

Moreover, subjects can feel outdated by the time they release, which was the case with Game Changer.

4. Have Conviction in the Vision

Filmmakers must have conviction in their vision and execute the project with confidence. They shouldn’t second-guess what the audience might prefer. Instead, they should present their narrative authentically and with a clear point of view.

Reports suggest that Shankar locked a racy, fast-paced cut for Game Changer, assuming that today’s audience—accustomed to short-form content like reels and shorts—might not appreciate subtle storytelling. This decision backfired, highlighting the importance of staying true to one’s creative instincts.

5. Focus on One Movie at a Time

Shankar juggled the shooting of Game Changer, Indian 2, and even portions of Indian 3 simultaneously. This multitasking apparently affected the quality of all the projects.

The failure of both Game Changer and Indian 2 at the box office underscores the need for filmmakers to focus on a single project at a time. Divided attention can compromise the final product.

These are the 5 major lessons to be learned from the failure of Game Changer. What are your thoughts? Share your views in the comments section, and stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates!