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OPINION: Cinema and Box Office; How and why has its meaning changed over the years?
Cinema and box office are interconnected but what's the debate trying to challenge its co-existence. Let's analyze.
Cinema and box office are two important aspects of any film industry in the world. The cinema is there to entertain the audience and the box office income is what helps the industry sustain and produce bigger and better films in the future. Apart from that, the box office also helps filmmakers understand how their films have worked with the target audience.
Over the years, trade analysts who track and analyze box office numbers have helped the industry make better financial decisions regarding films thus maximizing profit and boosting the growth of the industry. But in the age of social media, box office discussions have involved fans too leading to chaos and fan wars. So where to draw the line?
What's the debate about cinema and box office?
If cinema and box office are interconnected to each other, what's the problem? 10-15 years back when people were not aware of the box office numbers of the films movie verdicts were thrown based on the perception. If someone with high influence didn't like the film and calls it a Flop, it was a Flop for everyone who's under their circle of influence. If they loved the film, it was a Hit for everyone under their influence by default. Since access to box office numbers was limited, most of the time movie verdicts given by the media were based on subjective opinions. They didn't have anything to do with objectivity and how the market responded to the film in real.
So when the access to box office numbers got better and film business discussions took over social media, a vast section of the audience started understanding the concept of verdicts. People were not calling a film good or bad based on their opinion, but they were using the numbers and trends of the films while giving their argument.
It was 2010 and with films like Dabangg and Tees Maar Khan, the box office numbers started getting aggressively covered by mainstream media. Then with the release of more record grossers like Bodyguard, Ready, Ra. One, Ek Tha Tiger, Chennai Express, Kick, etc the interest in the box office shot up. It has only peaked in the past few years with the release of films like Krrish 3, Dhoom 3, PK, Dangal, Baahubali, KGF, Pathaan, Jawan, and Animal.
But the biggest truth about the truth is that not everyone can digest it. Even if you have a sea of numbers available in front of you, when you are a fan of a star you'll ignore it with an excuse. Every star has to deal with successes and failures depending on various factors that affect the box office. But fans tend to conceal the truth when it's uncomfortable for their ego. Often they also use box office number manipulations to push their agenda on social media which often leads to fan wars.
This practice has been often used by filmmakers as well in the past many years. It all started with the manipulation and inflation of numbers by the producers and has reached a point where they have also started buying their film's tickets on their own to create a positive buzz around the film. Known as corporate booking, the practice has been followed on a small scale for some films and on a much bigger scale for others. Further, social media influencers are paid to support the manipulation. And when nothing works they start Buy one Get one offers.
You see, a tool that was supposed to help the industry is now destroying it. And who is behind it? Those filmmakers who have no money to spend on good scripts, music, and VFX and have everything in the world to please high-paid stars, social media influencers, and marketing teams. In fact, these days producers pay for the expenses of the teams of stars as well.
Now this game may not have any tangible benefit, but it helps big filmmakers and stars massage their egos and be in their bubble. Small filmmakers who don't have money to play this game feel FOMO and start questioning the box office only.
You'll see several filmmakers whose films hardly ever cater to the paying public speak volumes against the access of box office numbers. They think that box office numbers, trends, daily analysis, and advance booking numbers shouldn't be given attention because the trade discussions take away the focus from the quality of cinema. Ideally, the audience should watch the film first and then build an opinion around it. However, according to a group of filmmakers, people have now started building perceptions about films based on BO numbers which is against the spirit of cinema watching experience.
Well, that's partly right and partly wrong. Big film producers have indeed manipulated the box office game so much that it has confused the audience. Even if that's not the case, a major section of people have forgotten what to expect from a film while watching it. Instead of finding joy from cinema, they seek joy from how much their favorite star and producers of the film earned. Which is wrong! But just because your films don't attract the audience to cinemas doesn't mean box office numbers don't carry importance.
The box office outcome of a film indeed depends on many factors but you can't keep on giving back-to-back disasters and expect the trade to applaud you. Yes, a few critics and a small section of the audience can relate to your style of filmmaking and that's their choice. But you should not seek validation from people outside that group. If you are making films for a small section of the audience, you shouldn't demand appreciation from people who don't fall in that section.
The solution
This is the most difficult and least enjoyable part. The solution to this debate and in fact the whole problem is that big filmmakers should come out of their bubble. If you are going wrong with production-related decisions, work on them, and be around people who give you constructive criticism and help you grow. Don't create monsters that will eat you once they get too big to be satisfied by your fodder.
Look for better writers, work on the stories masses will relate and tell them unabashedly. Don't get scared of woke critics because they have no idea about the real world. Don't overspend on your films. Analyze the target audience of your film and see how much it can earn realistically and spend accordingly.
Small filmmakers can make the films they want to. But instead of criticizing box office analysts for calling your film a flop, make movies on a restricted budget. If your film's target audience can't get you Rs 10 crore at the box office, then make sure your budget doesn't beyond that. In some cases, you can just create films for OTT because it will help you overcome the box office barrier and get better reach among your target audience.
To the audience, try to not lose out on your opinion. A film you love might be a flop because others don't like it. That should not mean that you stop standing by it just because it's a flop. Stick to your opinion. But don't force it on others. At the same don't let others force their opinion on you. If a large section of people rejected the film that doesn't mean it's a bad film for you as well. Watch it and make your own choice.
If the trailer of the film excites you, give it a chance, and catch it in theaters. And if you are confused wait for its OTT release. You'll notice that most of the time not believing the air around a film proves to be beneficial.
Similarly, don't watch a Blockbuster film thinking that it'll work for you as well. Watch it for what you expect from it as a cinema lover. Most of the time we get carried away with the gigantic expectations people have from a film and end up feeling underwhelmed. Protect yourselves from the fake buzz around films.
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