The more the merrier! This is the mantra Indian filmmakers are going with when it comes to casting for their films.Recent releases like Welcome To The Jungle and Dhamaal 4 have made way for more ensemble cast films, where filmmakers are bringing more star power to the screen.
Is this the latest success mantra for the filmmakers? Film producer Ramesh Taurani feels that actors have also understood the importance of doing multiple star cast films.
He tells us, “Multi starrer films humesha chali hai aur public ko excitement bhi zyada rehta hai. Ab dubara ye isiliye bhi ho hai kyunki actors bhi realise kar rahe hai ki agar theatre mein logo ko lana hai to multi starrer karna padega. Pichle kuch saalo mein theatre mein public kam aane lagi thi to usko badalne ki liye multi starrers ek achi approach hai.”
Be it Daler Mehendi in recently released Welcome To The Jungle or Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana, even the supporting roles in multi starrers are being taken up by already established names in the industry. Can this affect the entry of aspiring actors, who build their profile with smaller roles first?
Does it eat into opportunities for aspiring actors?
{{/usCountry}}Be it Daler Mehendi in recently released Welcome To The Jungle or Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana, even the supporting roles in multi starrers are being taken up by already established names in the industry. Can this affect the entry of aspiring actors, who build their profile with smaller roles first?
Does it eat into opportunities for aspiring actors?
{{/usCountry}}Filmmaker Anil Sharma, who has directed multi starrers like Tahalka and Apne, doesn’t believe in this. He feels that boom of other platforms has made it easier for newcomers to enter cinema and they don’t need to be dependent on big budget films.
“What happens with multi starrers is that audience gets many characters and double the entertainment with one ticket.Although its very tough to manage so many actors in one film and gets challenging for the director, it is still a good bet to make but to say that newcomers won’t get enough chances is not right.”
He explains further, “Newcomers are getting plenty of chances on OTT, satellite, YouTube and other verticals. There has never been a better time for new actors. Theatre ke stakes bohot high hai. Public nahi ghusti cinema mein jab tak unhe bharpoor entertainment nahi milega. Paise bohot lag rahe hai to risk kaun lega? That’s why known names are being preferred right now.”
Usse dusra kya hota hai ki ek audience ka interest bhi alag ho jata hai and many characters in one film, one ticket gives audience a lot of entertainment.
From the point of view of trade, ensemble casts have always been a win-win for the producer but with arrival of multi starrers in a row can just be a coincidence, feels trade analyst Atul Mohan.
“Multi starrers are a safe bet because the packaging and excitement is different. All these projects are coming now, but I don’t think producers stood across a table and decide that ye multi starrers banayege. Some films coming now have taken 2 years to make and others less time. But it is a huge gamble because casting so many big names makes the production value much higher. Unlike other times, not every actor thinks about the filmmaker. Everyone is bothered about their own remuneration regardless of the success or failure. So the pressure on a producer is higher than ever right now.”
Does star power gurantee big numbers at box office?
But what happens when a ensemble cast film with high P&A doesn't break box office records? Exhibitor Akkshay Rathie shares this thoughts.
He says, "Ultimately, a film has to connect with its audience. There are films that find attraction with audience and some don't. That said, some films such as Dhamaal 4 delivered a significant box-office performance. It’s important to assess a film not just by comparing its numbers with previous films, but by looking at those numbers in the context of its budget. At the end of the day, if a film is able to deliver a positive return on investment, that’s what truly matters.”