Tanhaji and the "other" film
Following article is my answer on Quora to respond to the question -
I don't really understand why the fuss. Tanhaji and Chhapaak are two different genres. Tanhaji is designed to be an entertainer. 3D format, large sets, based on the history which is already a celebrated pride in Maharashtra.
Being a Marathi I was eager to watch Tanhaji the point Ajay Devgan released its poster a couple of years ago. It was bound to be a success unless the creators absolutely wanted to screw it. I am not undermining the PR campaigns that created the buzz for the movie right before its release. Larger than life trailers, interviews of leads on all the correct mediums, emotional call to the Marathi audience.. they just checked all the right boxes. Once the film was released and people knew that it's a good movie, it was just a waiting game if it will cross 200CR or 300CR.
Surprisingly, it got hit in the Non-Marathi belt as well. I would regard this to the fandom of Ajay Devgan and the 3D experience the film has brought to them. I am happy that it brought the story of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Swarajya which was deliberately hidden from Indians by the British to avoid the likes of the revolt of 1857. Those textbooks didn't get revised even after so many years since Independence. Well there is more to it but it's not the point of this answer.
I am little cautious to buy into the narrative of the left that it was a hit because of the pro right winds in the country. Proof - 'Panipat'.
Being a Marathi I was eager to watch Tanhaji the point Ajay Devgan released its poster a couple of years ago. It was bound to be a success unless the creators absolutely wanted to screw it. I am not undermining the PR campaigns that created the buzz for the movie right before its release. Larger than life trailers, interviews of leads on all the correct mediums, emotional call to the Marathi audience.. they just checked all the right boxes. Once the film was released and people knew that it's a good movie, it was just a waiting game if it will cross 200CR or 300CR.
Surprisingly, it got hit in the Non-Marathi belt as well. I would regard this to the fandom of Ajay Devgan and the 3D experience the film has brought to them. I am happy that it brought the story of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Swarajya which was deliberately hidden from Indians by the British to avoid the likes of the revolt of 1857. Those textbooks didn't get revised even after so many years since Independence. Well there is more to it but it's not the point of this answer.
I am little cautious to buy into the narrative of the left that it was a hit because of the pro right winds in the country. Proof - 'Panipat'.
Panipat, the movie by Ashutosh Gowariker released just a few weeks before Tanjahi bombed on box office. Anyone who has seen the movie will know that it has similar content. Maratha pride, nationalism, foreign invaders. But it certainty lacked many things such as star power, acceptable CGI and it certainly didn't get any help by their lackluster publicity events. I am not going to pretend that I exactly understand how the movies appeal to Indian audience, but the point is that it isn't really "only" right wing sentiments that made Tanhaji a hit.
Now coming back to Chhapaak. Why is it even in the race with Tanhaji? It's a social film. How often these kind of films get masses lineup at the ticket window? It could have just did "well enough”; it wasn't going to be a superhit by any stretch of imagination even if "Deepika visiting JNU gaffe" hadn't happened. To understand it just imagine this - what if Deepika had posted her photo with a saffron flag quoting Jai Shriram? Do you think her film had come anywhere close to where Tanhaji is in the terms of numbers? I think the chances are so small that nobody should be even talking about it.
I certainly believe that the film hurt its chances to do decent on the box office because of Deepika's PR were a bunch of morons, Or geniuses who thought that lets grab some loyal leftists if the film is anyway not going to be seen by the masses.
Well, to be clear, I have seen Tanhaji, Panipat, but I have not seen Chhapaak. I am sure that the film was good. I am also not denying that I may have seen it if Deepika had not thrown herself into the controversy. Well, on a second thought, I think I wasn't going to see that film in theater anyway. I see only visually spectacular films in theatre. Chhapaak was not a contender for the number one spot. It just got lucky to be in the limelight when people thoughtlessly started this numbers comparison on Twitter. That was all to it. Here, I may as well make it clear that if Deepika runs a support campaign for acid attack victims, I will support it by any means possible. I think huge number of sensible Indians irrespective of their political ideologies will do it.
Tanhaji's success means that more such films will be made. It means that the radical leftists will have to sulk over it repeatedly. As a classic leftist narrative, they started blaming others if something doesn't go their way. Their claim of ”only” Hindutva was behind Tanhaji's success can only be dealt with slapping Panipat's poster to their face. Chhapak's failure is due to nationalistic sentiments as well? This kind of logic can only be conjured up only by those who haven't left the JNU group or the campus for that matter in their life.
Now coming back to Chhapaak. Why is it even in the race with Tanhaji? It's a social film. How often these kind of films get masses lineup at the ticket window? It could have just did "well enough”; it wasn't going to be a superhit by any stretch of imagination even if "Deepika visiting JNU gaffe" hadn't happened. To understand it just imagine this - what if Deepika had posted her photo with a saffron flag quoting Jai Shriram? Do you think her film had come anywhere close to where Tanhaji is in the terms of numbers? I think the chances are so small that nobody should be even talking about it.
I certainly believe that the film hurt its chances to do decent on the box office because of Deepika's PR were a bunch of morons, Or geniuses who thought that lets grab some loyal leftists if the film is anyway not going to be seen by the masses.
Well, to be clear, I have seen Tanhaji, Panipat, but I have not seen Chhapaak. I am sure that the film was good. I am also not denying that I may have seen it if Deepika had not thrown herself into the controversy. Well, on a second thought, I think I wasn't going to see that film in theater anyway. I see only visually spectacular films in theatre. Chhapaak was not a contender for the number one spot. It just got lucky to be in the limelight when people thoughtlessly started this numbers comparison on Twitter. That was all to it. Here, I may as well make it clear that if Deepika runs a support campaign for acid attack victims, I will support it by any means possible. I think huge number of sensible Indians irrespective of their political ideologies will do it.
Tanhaji's success means that more such films will be made. It means that the radical leftists will have to sulk over it repeatedly. As a classic leftist narrative, they started blaming others if something doesn't go their way. Their claim of ”only” Hindutva was behind Tanhaji's success can only be dealt with slapping Panipat's poster to their face. Chhapak's failure is due to nationalistic sentiments as well? This kind of logic can only be conjured up only by those who haven't left the JNU group or the campus for that matter in their life.
_*_
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