The year 2024 has been quite a roller-coaster ride for Bollywood and moviegoers. Lately, we have seen some remarkable content-driven films getting their due while some promising big ventures, despite amped-up marketing strategies with big faces, fall flat at the box office. So, how much does marketing actually impact films’ revenue? 

With changing times, there has been a lot of stress, and focus is diverted towards movie promotions. Trends like method dressing, leaked BTS footage, conversational clips, and influencer marketing on social media were not much in vogue; however, it is interesting to see how, lately, a special team has been dedicated to the film business in this section.

Rightly, marketing a product is undoubtedly equally important for it to reach a wider range of audiences. For example, Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar‘s The Lady Killer couldn’t reach the audience due to a lack of promotions and ended up failing at the box office. A lot of hard work is put in during the process of filmmaking, and no one heads into the market to incur losses.

Thus, as much as marketing is important, strong content is even more crucial. In my opinion, promotional assets like teasers, trailers, and music that give a wider peek into the world of the movie and its characters are what the best marketing is. These assets help the film reach out to a wider audience, but if the content can’t click with the audience, it won’t reap benefits in the later stage.

Now, many of you might as well say that makers cleverly cut an entertaining trailer that, in several instances, obscures the exact picture of a movie. Again, these movies might pull footfall on the first day, but eventually, it will be the qualitative content that will help the film survive at the box office in its subsequent days.

Of course, being a movie-lover, I firmly believe that powerful content is then followed by positive word of mouth. There can be nothing more authentic and reliable than these two dimensions. At times, unfortunately, some of the movies may get their due late, but it will pay off for sure. Vikrant Massey’s 12th Fail and Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies are the finest examples of that, and I can’t be happier to see deserving talent getting immense recognition. 

What are your views?

Nearly 22 years after the release of Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, filmmaker Anil Sharma came up with its sequel, Gadar 2 in 2023. The Sunny Deol-led film became a major blockbuster, breaking several records at the box office. Earlier this year, the director exclusively spoke to us and gave an update on Gadar 3. Now, he has opened up on Nana Patekar making an appearance in the actioner. 

Anil Sharma was in a chat with Lallantop Cinema, talking about his upcoming movie Vanvaas with Nana Patekar. During the conversation, the filmmaker was asked if he would be thinking of adding a character in Gadar 3, keeping in mind the senior star. Responding to it, Sharma stated that he has spoken to Nana about it multiple times. “Meri baat hui hai 1-2 dafe. Humari baatein hoti hai,” he stated, adding that he The Vaccine War actor that he will think about it.

The Singh Saab the Great director further added that Gadar 3 is currently in the stage where nothing can be done right now. “Lekin aese kuch ho paae ke Nana sir aa paae Gadar 3 me aur aesa kuch character bann jae toh boht he achi baat ho. (But if something could happen and Nana sir could join the Gadar 3 team then it would be a good thing.)”

Earlier this year, Anil exclusively told Pinkvilla, “Gadar 3 ki abhi tayariyan chal rahi hain, kahaani chal rahi hai (The preparations are in full swing, and we’re working on the script).” At the coveted Pinkvilla Screen & Style Icons Awards, Sharma announced that Gadar 3 will come in 2026. He said, “Aaegi part 3 bhi aaegi 2026 me bol k jaa raha hu.”