From ‘Bajirao Mastani’, ‘Padmaavat’, and ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ to his latest film, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has always made sure that his audience feels his magic through his work. Not just that, he ensures that his films get the audiences riled up to watch them on the big screens.
Such was the case with Alia Bhatt starrer ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, which proved to be on the list of the few hit films at a time when Bollywood faced box office challenges. Despite the problems faced by filmmakers and productions, the film brought the audience to the theatres after amping up their excitement ever since the launch of the poster and the trailer.
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Prerna Singh, CEO of Bhansali Production Private Limited, in a conversation with Outlook India revealed that what worked in SLB’s favour is that he always shoots for the big screen experience. “One of the critical factors for the film's broader reach and box office success was that SLB’S films are made for theatres. The audiences wanted to consume the film on the big screen and the music and drama that SLB brings to life. Audiences were also very curious to watch Alia Bhatt act in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film,” she said.
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Singh added that the production house too took that leap of faith to release the film in the theatres amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “When the world started opening, we thought, why not release the film? It was well-planned because we got it to premiere in Berlin. The film had an exceedingly great response. It was a testament to the various lines that must be crossed to end oppressive regimes and gather power to protect one's community. Real faces and authentic characters are appealing to today's audiences.”
To everyone’s amazement, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ was the first Indian film to lead the streamer’s Global Top 10 (Non-English) chart when it hit Netflix.
“Every film has a different release journey and cycle, depending on whether it is theatrical or OTT. If the makers are reasonable with the story and its canvas, the film can do exceptionally well across platforms. It is platform-agnostic! ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ was released theatrically when multiplexes had just resumed operations. So, when we released it on Netflix after its theatrical cycle, it reigned across countries for over six weeks and opened up new markets, including the USA, UK, Korea, and Thailand.”
Clearly, the Sanjay Leela Bhansali spectacle with its association with Netflix took the film to untapped global territories.
Moving ahead, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production house is now looking to bring the best cinematic experience to the audiences. “We want to keep creating quality films for global audiences. You will have to keep watching this space for more,” Singh signed off.
