Stars banking on emotions rather than promotions. It's widely acknowledged that in the world of filmmaking, the task of promoting a movie and building anticipation among the audience is often just as critical, if not more so, than the actual process of shooting and completing the project successfully. After all, it's when the public becomes aware of a film, their curiosity is piqued, and they are enticed to visit the theaters that the film can truly flourish and potentially achieve breakeven or even turn a profit.
Until not too long ago, the cast and crew of films used to dedicate significant effort to earnestly promoting their projects. However, in recent years, it appears that some stars have shifted their focus from traditional promotions to emotionally engaging with the audience during interactions.
This trend has left many observers pondering whether these stars are relying more on evoking emotions than on the traditional methods of film promotion. For instance, Samantha, instead of solely promoting her films, has chosen to openly discuss personal matters such as her struggles with auto-immune disease, divorce, and other personal challenges, occasionally shedding tears during these discussions. This approach was evident in her recent projects like "Yashoda," "Shaakuntalam," and "Kushi."
Similarly, Vijay Devarakonda has been candid about his anger issues, attitude, and both his on-screen and off-screen behavior during the promotional campaigns for his films. Kiran Abbavaram, on the other hand, has urged reviewers not to post early reviews of his films and has focused on this aspect rather than traditional promotional tactics.
Sudheer Babu has taken a unique route by addressing instances where he felt insulted by journalists rather than delving into the details of his film and its content. This trend is not confined to the South Indian film industry; it has also found its place in Bollywood, where actresses have sometimes chosen to discuss personal experiences, including #MeToo encounters or relationships with co-stars or former partners, instead of conventional film promotion.
Furthermore, a new trend has emerged, where filmmakers invite YouTube influencers and journalists to press meetings, encouraging them to ask unconventional and even nonsensical questions. The filmmakers then capitalize on the reactions to these questions as part of their promotional strategy. One notable example was the journalist who asked DJ Tillu Heroine Neha Shetty a rather unconventional question during the "DJ Tillu" promotions. In some cases, it becomes evident that these so-called journalists may have been planted by the filmmakers to ask these offbeat questions, often accompanied by a sarcastic or sadistic laugh, with the intent of stirring emotions rather than strictly promoting the film.
In an evolving media landscape, where personal connections and emotional engagement often take center stage, it's intriguing to observe how stars and filmmakers adapt their promotional strategies to capture the attention and emotions of their audiences.