Big B Promotion For PINK

Dear Amitji,

“Promotional activity for PINK .. hugely desired by marketing and PR agencies .. for what .. to get that return for those 3 vital days … the Friday, Saturday and the Sunday of the release .. !!”

(DAY - 3081)

Sir, a self proclaimed Bollywood buff, belonging to the bygone era, who has grown up watching movies made by the pioneering icons such as V. Shantaram, Mehboob Khan, Sohrab Modi and Vijay Bhatt, it is, indeed, extremely difficult for me to reconcile to the reality of the day, that all the hard work done by stars, millions of interviews and all the novel ways they have to undertake to promote their movie is just ‘to get that return for those 3 vital days… the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the release’. The new millennium seems to have started the new way of measuring success of a film, which is based on its first weekend box-office collection, though the verdict in most cases is announced via internet on the first day collections. A film is declared hit or flop even before the last show of the first day is over, thanks to quick calculations made on the computer, and instantly available to the interested parties, producer and the public, on the internet. A purely material way to look at the entire process of movie making, focussed only on making fast money, a sea change from the past tradition when creativity was the hallmark of producers and their team. A good movie would get promoted by word of mouth of the early audience and keep getting more popular from week to week till the25th week when it celebrates Silver Jubilee, and some settle down looking forward to Golden Jubilee and eventually Diamond Jubilee for exceptionally few great movies. Here are the top ten hit films from that era when number of weeks a movie ran was really the measure of its success:

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) - over 1000 weeks

A young man and woman - both of Indian descent but born and raised in Britain - fall in love during a trip to Switzerland. However, the girl's traditional father takes her back to India to fulfill a betrothal promise.

Director: Aditya Chopra

Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher, Farida Jalal and Satish Shah.

Sholay (1975) - 286 weeks

After his family is murdered by a notorious and ruthless bandit, a former police officer enlists the services of two outlaws to capture him.

Director: Romesh Sippy

Stars: Sanjeev Kumar, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan

Kismat (1943) - 150 weeks

Kismet changed the image of the 'ideal son' hero drastically, with Ashok Kumar as the smooth talking, chainsmoking 'criminal' hero who conducted his affairs, including those of the heart, on his own terms.

Mughal-E-Azam (1960) - 150 weeks

Inspired by true events, a 16th century prince falls in love with a court dancer and battles with his emperor father.

Director: K. Asif

Stars: Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala

Barsaat (1949) - 100 weeks

Pran and Gopal are traveling in a convertible in the Indian countryside but the car breaks down. Near... (171 mins.)

Director: Raj Kapoor

Stars: Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Prem Nath, K.N. Singh

Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) - 50 weeks

Kishen Kumar Chaudhary and Karan are family like friends, when Kishen's wife Mrs. Kaushalya gives birth to a baby boy Prem...

Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya

Stars: Salman Khan, Bhagyashree, Alok Nath, Rajeev Verma

Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) - 50 weeks

Rich girl loves poor singer and vice versa. But fate has two surprises in store.

Director: Rakesh Roshan

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, Ameesha Patel, Anupam Kher, Dalip Tahil

Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! (1994) - 50 weeks

Prem, a top student, is learning the ropes of business under his elder brother Rajesh and his uncle Kailashnath...

Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya

Stars: Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan, Mohnish Bahl, Renuka Shahane

Mohabbatein (2000) - 50 weeks

At a prestigious university, three lovelorn pupils defy their strict principal with the help of their new music teacher.

Director: Aditya Chopra

Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Uday Chopra,

With so much quality effort put in by you to promote PINK, we have every hope the movie will have one of the biggest opening weekends. Wishing you and the team, all the best for PINK.

With regards

Tilak Rishi