SHAHRUKH KHAN: MONOPOLY OR MERIT

OK so...what is the Economics of Shah Rukh Khan’s Maths??

Shah Rukh Khan is an Economics graduate from Delhi University. In Economics, MONOPOLY is an interesting strategy that helps you sell your product at a higher price and earn enormous profit. With monopoly, the seller dominates. And buyers follow. Another funda is – if a particular product has been missing from the market for a long time, it will certainly kickstart with a positive response, owing to the initial unavailability.

So here are myths and maths of the curious case of Chennai Express' fastest entry in 100 crore club.

Every second Bollywood film aaj kal is conveniently tucking in Rs. 100 crores, making it the latest tagline for films in place of the good old ‘Running  successfully all over.’ SRK’s Chennai Express broke all BO records by grossing Rs. 100 crores in the opening weekend itself.  Some myths and the maths:

The Maths:

On August 9, Chennai Express released in 3,500 screens in India and 700 screens internationally (including 195 screens in the United States, 175 in the United Kingdom, 55 in the Middle East and 30 in Australia), making it the WIDEST Bollywood release of all times.

Chennai Express is currently running in as many as 116 theatres in Mumbai  – with 1400 shows per day. 1400 x 3 = 4200 shows per day of a single film!

¬In Delhi, the movie is running in around 55 theatres, with 520 shows per day

520 x 3 = 1560 shows per day of Chennai Express.

Almost all theatres are currently running one show of this film per hour. Which means around 90% of the shows running in each theatre belonged to SRK's film. Reveals a trade analyst, "SRK has occupied the maximum number of theatres and single screens for a big, wide presence in all the single screens and multiplexes. With no big releases around the movie, people had no other choice than Chennai Express to buy the ticket for."

How many screens will the rest of the films occupy?

Ekta Kapoor's film, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, which is releasing on August 15, this Friday, is not going to have as wide and big a release and presence at the film theatres. A trade analyst has revealed, "Right now, a lot of issues are being fought amongst Ekta and multiplexes." This might lead to Ekta's film release not getting enough shows in the same.

The myths:

With the movie climbing the Rs. 150 crore ladder at a rapid speed within the first 5 days of release, it must be a much appreciated movie. "Critics are well aware of how big these films open. They can't tweak their reviews to suit box office numbers. A bad film is a bad film even if it breaks a million records," film critic Pratim has been quoted as saying to news websites.  

With more screens being available, increasing ticket prices and more spending power of people, these records will be broken everytime a big movie is released? "Yes, records will continue to break under such circumstances," Rajeev Masand has been quoted as saying, regarding Chennai Express' Box Office records.

Do we get the real figures of the film's collection?

"Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way of determining real Box Office numbers. With multiplexes, there is more transparency because ticket booking systems in multiplexes are computerized. But in the heart of the country, where single screens still form the bulk of the theatrical cinema experience, it is hard to calculate accurate figures because the system is not computerised," Rajeev Masand has  been quoted as saying by news portals.

Shah Rukh Khan's marketing strategy

STRATEGY 1: Marketing - A structured plan to meet the targets

"I learnt immensely from all the mistakes I made at the time of Ra.One. This time, I had about 10-15 meetings solely on the film's marketing strategy. We decided amongst ourselves that the film has to target the first three days of the release -- and we have to sort of finish the game within the first 72 hours, come what may," explained SRK while explaining his film marketing strategies, "The film was strategised, structured and planned according to this plan. We planned to tuck in Rs. 100 crores within this time, and we did it."

STRATEGY 2: Promotions - The easy installments funda

What does the aam junta relate to the most? The easy installments mode. SRK followed their mantra so that they follow his. Give them bits of the film slowly, in small installments so that by the end of it, he's etched in their memory. So, initially, the film's first look was revealed via posters. After a break of about a month, a music launch took place. After a few days, the first trailer was launched online. After two weeks, the first song was released online. After which, Khan began a few public appearances. A short break followed. Again, after a few days, Khan attends promotions, meets the press for some interactions. He returns to his shell soon after. Again, after two weeks, he begins to knock their TV screens - breaking in the middle of their daily soaps, promoting his film. Then IIFA awards begin - a golden chance to up the film's popularity. After another break, SRK throws himself out in the open again, this time for many more interviews for Chennai Express. Trailers on TV and internet, meanwhile, continue to play. He meets people in Mumbai, Bhopal, Pune and the Indian residents in London and Dubai, and ups the number of public appearances as the release comes closer.


STRATEGY 3: Post release, remind them 'Picture abhi baaki hai'

The promotions and strategies have to continue, especially on the day the movie's numbers dip. The moment people bid goodbye to the weekend and consequently the movie theatres, Khan will knock at our TV screens, fly to our city, just to spread the message across, singing the lyrics of his film's song, 'Ticket khareed ke, baith ja seat pe, nikal na jaaye kahin Chennai Express.' Public memory is short, you ought to keep yourself 'alive' in their memory to keep the train moving.

Ek Tha Tiger (Salman Khan): Entered the Rs. 100 crore club in just 6 days - record breaking

Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (Ranbir Kapoor): Rs. 179 crores total

Dabangg 2 (Salman Khan): Rs. 160 crore total

Rowdy Rathore (Akshay Kumar): Rs. 133 crores total

Agneepath (Hrithik Roshan): Rs. 121 crores

Looks like it's going to be a 'Happy New Year' for the ECONOMIST KHAN knows DAMN WELL that it is all about the numbers !!

WHEN THE KAT’S AWAY

The cat is away and the mice will play. With girlfriend Katrina Kaif busy with her sister’s shaadi in London, who is this mystery date Ranbir Kapoor has stacked up in Mumbai's posh Santa Cruz building apartment? The occupants of the building swear to Ranbir’s nocturnal visits in his swanky new car at odd hours. But arrey…. just by the way…. is it a coincidence that Papa Rishi Kapoor has in the meanwhile issued a strict dictat to him to tone down the ‘besharmi’ in the house? Apparently the dating shating has been curtailed at their Krishna Raj residence, and we assume its ok that the kapoor chirag conducts his business outside the house. Though we are confused as to is papa really angry with ranbir over his numerous casual dalliances?

Rishi Kapoor says in an interview that

‘’There are x y z girls in the house all the time and…’ wink wink ‘…I don’t think ‘x’ knows about ‘y’ or ‘y’ knows about ‘z’.’

Followed by a ‘’aakhir abhi nahin karega tau kab karega’’

If this is what constitutes a scolding then Rishi Kapoor might as well have handed Ranbir a badge of honour for his accomplishments with the ladies ??

So when papa has for all purposes blessed ‘rangeela’ Ranbir fir kya problem hai ?  He just needs to take care that ‘x’ apartment-waali should NOT know about ‘y’ apartment-waali….or the ….yup you get it.

AN OPEN LETTER TO KATRINA KAIF

This is what a prominent entertainment journalist had to say in response to Katrina Kaif's open letter to the media

Dear Katrina

Ok so if I read this right what are you really angry about? You and Ranbir looked great in those pictures. You were adequately dressed for the beach minus the red and white combination of course. Wearing a bikini on the beach is definitely better than wearing one on the cover of cosmopolitan. Also you can’t be dating Bollywood’s new age superstar and behave like you did when you were dating one 18 years your senior.

The two of you are now the biggest stars in Bollywood and if you belong to a generation that says have a great body — will flaunt — then why these double standards? Was it a private beach? No. Was it a beach where people would recognize you? Of Course… you are a superstar remember? Public figure plus public beach usually results in public display of the pictures clicked… Period.

Now the part where you say the pictures were clicked for commercial gain…Fair point, but what about those bikini pictures that have made their way to glamorous magazine covers and the world wide web? Surely not all of them were morphed and definitely resulted in commercial gain for the magazine concerned so what’s the problem?

If memory serves us right it’s been several decades and film magazines in India have been a mixture of interviews, photoshoots and gossip. It’s no secret how these magazines that said interviews, photoshoots and gossip have been mutually beneficial. There’s a reason why they say there’s no business like ‘show’ business.

But having said, if you’re THIS distressed, then here’s what the media should do. We shouldn’t publish any of your promotional pictures. We shouldn’t interview you closer to your film’s release or when you endorse a product. THEN, you can hold us responsible if we get into your house and click pictures. Isn’t that what invasive means in the first place?
Also when we have the crazy chemistry that Deepika and Ranbir share on the big screen to talk about why bother with what’s happening in his personal life unless suddenly… one day… after the super success of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani… a source close to you starts discussing your holiday plans in front of us.

Also, if you’re looking how “manage” incidents like this, allow us to point you in the direction of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. They came out in the open about their relationship on the red carpet of a fashion week… that was more than five years ago. They have been on countless holidays since and we are sure more than one of them involved sporting the bikini. Not that we’ve seen the pictures.

Yours Truly
Invasive Media Person

WHY IS KATRINA MIFFED

Apart from the fact that they are Bollywood superstars, if you look at the picture.. there is nothing really scandalous about them. A pretty girl in the beach with her boyfriend. They are not indulging in any indecent act. It’s a simple innocuous picture. So the question is why does Katrina Kaif feel miffed and betrayed by the media? According to a letter purportedly written by her Miss Kaif has accused media of yellow journalism. If this is true its an idiotic attempt to shoot the messenger who merely pointed out, in a manner of speaking that the emperor has no clothes!! In the letter Katrina Kaif accuses the Indian media of invading her personal space by printing photographs of Ranbir Kapoor and her, on vacation on a beach in Ibiza, Spain.

‘I am writing this to say that I feel most upset, distressed and invaded at my pictures published in a film magazine (and which were carried by other media). The pictures were taken while I was on holiday by someone who, in an act of cowardice, has shot without permission and then used the pictures for commercial gain. There is a breed of journalism that preys on celebrities in the worst possible manner crossing all lines of privacy and decency. Running these pictures shows support for this school of journalism. I request that all media running these pictures please refrain from doing so. I have a wonderful relationship with the media and have been accessible to the media at all times. There is no reason for this furtive and invasive behavior.’

Surprisingly Katrina Kaif should be complaining about paparazzi invasion considering she stays in London which has the virulent encroachment of the celebrity ‘privacy.’ Even the naked Duchess of Cambridge was not spared so what the hell is she talking about ! Truth is the pictures cannot be denied.