The Bollywood movies of 2023 have showcased the potential where numbers are merely a game, reaching Rs 500 crore, Rs 1000 crore, or beyond. Despite these seemingly impressive figures that captivate audiences, the authenticity of these box office collections has become dubious to general public.
Enormous amounts amassed by films like ‘Jawan,’ ‘Pathaan,’ ‘Rocky Aur Rani,’ and several others have become hard to digest. There’s a high probability that these box office numbers are tampered, often presented to the public by major production houses.
Karan Johar, one of India’s prominent filmmakers, confessed this in a recent interview. He openly acknowledged the practice of paid PR and leveraging critics’ opinions to propel a film’s success.
He mentioned to Galatta Plus, “If you notice, those people who do those vox pops outside cinemas, the ones who are walking up to talk are all wanting to say the most sensational things. The real audience has slipped out and gone away. But some people are giving loud reactions because they want to go viral. Now, to go viral, they’re f**king us. But sometimes, we also as PR send our own people to praise the film, that also happens.” This left all the other guests on the roundtable in disbelief as Karan continued, “See, sometimes you’re also struggling to make a mark. As a producer, you will make every last-ditch attempt to make your film be heard. So, while I may critique criticism, I’m also riding on their backs when they praise a film… I change with every film. Some films work on their own, so I can take the high ground and stay quiet. Some films are average, so we need to give the impression that they’re doing better than they actually are.”
Karan’s revelations cast doubt on the legitimacy of Bollywood’s box office figures, suggesting manipulation by production houses. For instance, during Shah Rukh Khan’s movie releases like ‘Jawan’ and ‘Pathaan,’ fan clubs often claimed entire theater bookings for themselves. However, these bookings orchestrated by production houses aimed to depict packed cinemas, while in reality, they were mostly occupied by fan clubs and associates.
This scenario isn’t limited to one theater; numerous fan clubs across various cities orchestrate similar scenarios, showcasing ‘houseful’ boards outside cinemas. These strategies are employed to lure genuine audiences into believing a film is a blockbuster.
So, thinking that Shah Rukh Khan’s movies ‘Jawan’ and ‘Pathaan’ made more than Rs 1000 crore worldwide might need a second look.
Even, actress Kangana Ranaut has openly criticized Karan Johar’s alleged paid promotions to sabotage other films. In an Instagram post, she stated, “Mr Johar this was not the purpose of critics rating, it was supposed to establish the authentic worth of a product so people can decide whether or not to invest in it… it is not for you to put a price tag on and buy every single star that is there..And please know everyone don’t have this privilege of having the sheet of stars even before the film releases…People like us struggle to get unbiased reviews because media fears that you will ban them…” She further added, “You have been gifted an empire by your father people like us start from scratch put our own houses on mortgage even to direct a moderate budget film even after giving blockbuster as previous directorial…So please understand this kind of shameless flashing of your privileges and wrong doings makes you look bad…”
Apart from this, there was a trend on X (formerly Twitter) suggested that SRK’s Red Chillies production house paid individuals Rs 1000 to delete negative reviews of ‘Jawan.’ In this environment, films like ‘Gadar 2’ could boast legitimate numbers as their tight budget may not accommodate extensive promotional expenses.
Similarly, Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’ might genuinely reflect box office success, as it is genuinely acclaimed by fans as one of the year’s best films.