# Release ≈ 140/year
# Mega hits ≈ 8/ year
# Marginal hits ≈ 18/year
Hit Ratio = (8+18)/150 = 18.5%
A risky proposition…
Understanding the causes
Amidst such a scenario we need to understand what causes such a low strike rate that too in a country with a very broad audience base (in terms of Hindi speaking population and cinema as a prime entertainment source). Is it that filmmakers and associated people failed to understand the pulse of the consumers or is it that with every film consumers expectations and taste changes. Well, if we look at the past 2 decades audience tastes have changed for sure but definitely not with each and every film. There are still banners like Yahsraj and Johar consistently giving hits in the same format of extravagant love sagas like DDLJ, K3G, KKHH, DTPH, VeerZaara, etc. Then there is Priyadarshan who has found a successful mantra of remaking his Tamil comedies like Hera Pheri, Hungama, hulchul, Malamal weekly etc. So, we can say that there are certain types that audience doesn’t mind being repeated. However at the same time with the evolution of multiplex culture and advancement of technological aspects there is enough space for unconventional, small budget meaningful cinemas as well to taste success.
So it would not be exaggeration to say that genres of movies are evergreen and a good script and effective presentation will fetch the success more often than not and spectrum of genres is continuously evolving. It is like just any other product and will be successful if it can strike chords with one or the other emotion at a mass level. Still such a high failure rate!!
Following are some top of the mind reasons one can associate it with:
· Lesser known cast: A lesser known cast may not be able to generate the kind of opening that a mega star film may do, but in current scenario audience has been accepting new/ unknown casts if the movie is good. Examples being Johny Gaddar, Khosla ka Ghosla, Bheja Fry, etc which inspite of not getting bumper opening picked up in later weeks and did a pretty good business and can be classified as ‘Hit’. On the other hand there are mega starrers like Tara ram pam, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Sawariya, Lovestory 2050, etc which are ‘Flops’ inspite of intial star pull created. So, it’s not a prime cause.
· Poor Performance & Direction: These are essential elements of the core of cinema and if they fail it does have a significant impact on the business. 1st prime cause is here!!
· Poor Script/ Storyline: These are yet other crucial elements of the core and audience has become very receptive to good and unique story line and new niches are being created regularly. Power of story board vis-a-vis power of star value and excessive promos is illustrated by the contrast of Johny Gaddar, Bheja Fry being ‘Hit’ and KANK, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom being ‘Flop’. Another one!!
· Poor Presentation: Good storyline is necessary but not a sufficient condition to device a ‘Hit’ formula. As packaging has lot to do with success of a quality product, same holds true for the presentation of a good storyline. This is evident by the huge list of failures of films build on story line of a ‘Hit’. Comparing contrasting results of ‘Chak De!’ and ‘Goal’ will make it clear.
· Timing: Releasing a film alongside any mega release may result in audience split. There are exceptions like ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Gaddar’, both of which were mega hits inspite of having same release date. This may probably be because they were totally different product offering. Moreover as cinema is a prime entertainment source and hence competes with other sources for time share it need to be adjusted according to other mega events planned in the year like IPL, WC, Olympics etc.
· Pre Release Promotions: Like a pre-launch exercise, aggressive advertising and promotions creates buzz and enhances awareness, thereby working as a Push or Hard Sell. Lack or absence of this could affect early adaption and initial business.
Measures to enhance strike rate
Having discussed these causes/ parameters we should try and understand some measures that could help improving the hit ratio. This is here where I would like to bring in the importance of some of the marketing principle.
· 
Consumer Insight: A filmmaker who understands the pulse of his audience is more likely to succeed. The insight here is in terms of the acceptance of genre, liking towards a particular story board. This implies audience audits; concept testing (pre production) can play a significant role. In eliminating poor storyline, script as a cause.
· Presentation: It is nothing but the packaging of a product and should be such that it creates a favorable imagery in target audience. DCH and Rock On both have the similar story board but different treatment with former being high on ‘masti’ quotient and later being high on ‘senti’ quotient. Both worked because both created an imagery of youthfulness with promos, songs and dealt with friendship at youth stage. Thus a quality offering is backed by relevant and appealing packaging. Here also mapping of audience psyche is critical. It is all about coming up with acceptable level of various ingredients.
· Managing Promotions: This is the buzz word in contemporary times with various activities of the likes of Krish Games to Bunt aur Bubli as news reader on Aaj Tak. This is to create a buzz regarding the offering and pushing the product for trial. This also helps in communicating the idea across and act as brand (of a movie) establishing tool. However one needs to guard against raising expectations too high. Small budget movies can keep themselves in line with minimal promotion with some powerful promo design and can rely on the BO collection to pick based on word of mouth.
· Timing the releases: (Film makers already use these measures effectively)
§ Avoid clash with other mega release and mega events
§ Use release time as promotion tactics like ‘Diwali Dhamaka’, ‘New Year Bonanza’ etc.
Thus there is ample scope of MR, PR, Ad & Promo planning in this space.
Concluding Remarks
Having said all these we must not forget movie making is an art and technicalities, direction, performances are key and can’t be compensated by any amount of audience insight, promos etc.
Moreover, some may argue that too much reliance on audience audit, concept testing, surveys etc may kill the inherent creativity of an artiste and may take away the ‘off-beat’ and ‘something different’ factor from the industry. However, we must understand that these ‘Zara hat ke!’ and experimental products that too in domain of art are driven by faith and stubbornness of the ariste (film maker) and there would continue to be a breed of such makers. However chance of increased success through commercial cinema could boost the surplus and thus the attitude towards risk and we might just step in to a whole new world of experimental cinema by so called commercial makers. To conclude, I would just say, it is the commercial success that makes it possible to plow back the money as an investment in projects like ‘Peheli’ by an otherwise commercial star.
Original article was written some 7-8 months back.
