Three days after the theatrical release of his action drama Pathaan, actor Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session, his fifth that month. Riding on the euphoria of his biggest box-office success after a spate of setbacks over the past few years, Khan, 57, took on a bunch of questions on his blockbuster film, his ripped body, the gravity-defying stunts, the cameo by Salman Khan and more.
But, one answer stood out. A user with a Twitter handle that incorporated SRK (the actor's initials), wondered how Pathaan had been "roaring at the box office despite no marketing, promotions or pre-release media interactions". Tongue firmly in cheek, Khan replied: "Maine socha sher interview nahi karte toh iss baar main bhi nahi karunga! Bas jungle mein aakar dekh lo (I thought lions don't give interviews. So, I won't either this time. Just come and watch the film in the jungle)".
The reply was savage, witty and trademark Khan, and as brazenly truthful as it could be.
Pathaan, which had netted over ₹507 crore at last count, is now the highest grossing original Hindi film of all time, likely to beat the record held by the Hindi version of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. It's also the fifth Indian movie to surpass the ₹1,000-crore mark across the globe. So how did the movie achieve the feat without any highdecibel marketing blitz that is so typical of big-banner movies?
It all points to a wise, low-key, targeted marketing strategy that capitalized on Brand Khan, his enormous fan base, social media buzz, well-timed teasers and songs plus some smart publicity gimmicks that were less splashy but kept the excitement bubbling till the release. And yes, almost zero media interactions, too. In short, it was a gamble that fully paid off.
THE FOMO EFFECT
This story is from the February 28, 2023 edition of Mint Mumbai.
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This story is from the February 28, 2023 edition of Mint Mumbai.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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