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Mcdonalds, Pizza Hut, Dominoes,Barista, Subway,Cafe Coffe Day–When these brands looked for franchise partners in India what was their main criteria for selection? Not the financial muscle,relevant experience,related expertise–nothing of that sort. In hospitality and leisure industry when five star or even budget properties are planned what is foremost on planners mind?And now when the retail chains like Walmart and homegrown ones like Pantaloon and Reliance are on the threshold of establishing and expanding their identity what are they actually looking for?

Giving due weightage to various financial,political,environmental and other risk parameters(that are generally taken care of ), all of them basically have three major conditions to set up their bases.. location,location and location. In ‘Where The Stars Shine Down’, Sidney Sheldon has woven a triangle love story against the backdrop of real estate business, and he talks of the most important part of any real estate investment and development and that is–location.

On the last weekend of June month three hindi films were released and coincidentally all three start with alphabet A. Apne,Awarapan and Aap Ka Suroor(AKS). The verdict on all three is almost out. Aap Ka Suroor leads the pack. According to Trade journals of film industry, Aap Ka Suroor had the best opening of all three. And the news reports say that at certain centres the combined collection of Apne and Awarapan on the opening day has been less than Aap Ka Suroor! So much for stars,known directors and established banners! Deols and Bhatts could not create a magic that a debutante like Himesh Reshmaiyya(HR) has been able to weave!

All three films are open for analysis, dissection and criticism. What went in favor or against these films is for each one of us to evaluate as per our own sensibilities. But going by box office, the verdict is in favour of Aap Ka Suroor–it has got the highest initital in year 2007 so far.It has taken an explosive start.In other words it reflects the sensibilities of the masses or lowest common denominator(though I don’t endorse such a term for the masses).Mass has a class of its own.

And this brings me to the crux of the debate. The 5 C’s of Cinematography or Moviemakers Masters’ Class and all that gyan on films and screenwriting is fine but one crucial question we often forget to ask: this craft, this knowledge, technique,artistry and creative vision is after all for whom? Who is going to benefit ultimately? Producers!Distributors!Stars!Directors! In my opinion–all of them are going to gain if the viewer gains. If the masses get value for their money. Watching these three movies it came back to me again, hard and clear ,that there are three most important ingredients in whole of filmmaking process: audience,audience and audience.

It is being said that AKS scored because of massive media blitz. I think media hype on Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (JBJ) was no less. What is being overlooked is a fact that HR somehow,somewhere connected with the audiences. He already has made a place for himself as a singer,composer,rock-star and a judge of a singing talent-hunt reality show. Audiences already related to him and now they wanted to see their hero show his versatility as an actor too-maybe out of curiosity or just plain adoration!Who knows?

Similar is the case with Sivaji-The Boss. Audiences are not bothered about the story or technical finesse(technical values are excellent is a bonus though in this film). They want to see Rajnikanth. What he does,how he does- that is important.Period. Here audience is given what it wants.

Such is not the case with Apne and Awarapan. It was neither with JBJ or Ta Ra Rum Pum (TRRP). These films have been made with sincerety, good faith and commitment. Lets grant their makers these intentions.But the main issue is ,do they really give the audience what it really wants? Now this is a most sensitive issue of whole discussion. What does audience really want?Does it want only entertainment? An escape? A meaningful story told entertainingly?A thrill? Action? Drama? or all rolled into one? What does the audience want?

In ad-world they have demographic and psychological profiles,consumer-surveys,content analysis, behaviour-research and so much more to know what exactly the consumer wants?

Based on this research, ideas are generated whether laterally or rationally. And then those ideas are vetted to create concepts that have a perfect fit between the brand and the audience.

In Hollywood they have regular script-evaluations by the sample audience to get their feedback as to its viability. In fact the whole system of developing intellectual properties by way of scripts(either through original ideas,adaptation of novels, short stories,newspaper reports, folk tales) is in place there. All this has two fold purpose of mitigating the risks and understanding the target audience.

In case of adapting novels or published works to screen the risks are lot less.(As the audience acceptance is already proved, it is just a game of gauging the audience reaction in a different form and format).

Now sample what is happening in Hindi Film Industry. With all its surface appellations of corporate culture intact, first there is no such thing as development of intellectual property taking place.Then there is no scientific base of audience research to know the target audience for a film. In the highly segmented world where differentiation is the name of the game, the production houses and independent producers still look for a formula that will appeal to all–whether that formula packs in family values,relationship conflicts,silly slapstick or plain stickup/heist scenario.

Most of the producers,especially big production houses are just looking for a block-buster whereas money lies in niche.Money lies in stories that reflect some aspect of viewers’ life–Whether it is Khosla Ka Ghosla or Life in a Metro. Or it gives some fresh viewpoint to the ordinary or not so ordinary–like Cheeni Kum or Bheja Fry. Even the mushroom growth of multiplexes reinforce and indicate such a trend towards niche audience.

Still the question remains unanswered how these movies got clicking ?Whether these were consciously researched or just travelled along with ‘conviction-caravan’. Because out here in Bollywood majority of the scripts are just made out of sheer individual predilections,idiosyncracies or project requirements.(I am not including the movies rehashed from DVDs). Now every mother likes the looks of her baby. So everyone has very good opinion of his/her script. No harm in that. Each one is entitled to have positive vibes and views -at least about their own creations.

Question is :are these stories somehow pre-tested with the sample target audience? Do these stories have target audience to begin with? Do they create any connect with it? How to know ? At present it is all on the gut level. If you have a gut feeling that you got a brilliant script than so be it. And the dominant school of thought is that if you have conviction for your subject then go ahead and make it. Honestly speaking, I subscribe to this school.

But when we test this tenet on the anvil of reality it comes as a shocker that though everyone has great conviction for their product,script,subject(call what you may) still their conviction most of the times is not translated into business i.e.the box office earnings (that still remain a kind of a convention to measure the success or failure of a film regardless of opening of other streams of revenue generation).

Movies like Salam-e-ishq,TRRP,JBJ and even Apne and Awarapan in recent months have been at best cocoons of values, ideologies, life stlyles and at worst– travelogues of distant countries and country cousins. They are given thumbs down by majority of the audience because it could not connect with these alien products –what with its ever-changing and in-flux tastes, aspirations, lifestyles and value systems.

At times it happens that one’s conviction hits the bulls eye. Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai are two such movies that had a complete connect and perfect fit with the audiences. I doubt whether any research went into what audiences wanted when these movies were scripted(though Lage Raho Munnabhai title is said to have come out of an audience poll). In this case something unusual happened.The gut gelled with the ground reality.Raj Kumar Hirani’s vision somehow reflected the mood of the audiences in fast changing and volatile social environment.

Similar was the case with Rang De Basanti that captured the yearnings of India’s youth and gave it a direction by intelligent mix of deeds of past heroes with aspirations of present wannabes.In the past Salim-Javed duo could sense that pulse of the people. Mind you there was no conscious research undertaken by them to evaluate their own story lines.Their USP was that rare quality of perception and acute observation that made them judge the angst of audiences against the corrupt establishment and– an Angry Young Man was born. Rest as they say is history.

Salim-Javed could feel that audiences were no more willing to connect with that romantic,choclaty,song-and-dance routine.Their tastes were changing. And a new expression was required. So there went Rajesh Khanna like humpty dumpty and Amitabh Bachchan came riding as a knight in shining armor.

Most of the time our writers are subconciously connected to audience tastes and changing social scenario. They dont have any scientific tools but sheer conviction. Same thing happens generally with first time director who is somehow so passionate with his first script that he just believes it will relate with the audience. And frequently it happens that it does connect! Reason is that somehow, somewhere audience identifies its own dreams,fears,aspirations and quirks in the storyline.

At times directors repertoire of emotions and experiences is so vast and deep that he can churn out movies showcasing vignettes of his life which have an echo in the lives of viewers also. Mahesh Bhatt is one amongst few in this category.

The major irony of the whole conviction vs calculated risk spectrum, is that when a movie made with conviction clicks it spawns dozens of clones..A movie that breaks the formula and gives something different to the audience, itself becomes a formula for success. A comedy film suddenly clicking leads to a gold rush of comedy movies. An action flick’s success spins off scores of also rans. And suddenly producers and directors start wondering why audience is not with them!

How to tell their tunnel vision that audience taste is not a rock of Gibraltar.It is flow of Ganges.It keeps change and one has to be constantly on toes to gauge its course. And keep asking what works best–conviction or cravings of the audience(masses and classes both)? Who is the star ultimately–artiste,director,script or the audience?

With more than sixty percent of Indian population less than thirty five years of age, Bollywood has to reinvent itself by focusing on what audiences want and not pander to what some megalomaniac,egotist,romantic-stuck-in-a-time-warp or moneybag desires.

Till audience is given a proper audience number of hits is going to be despicable 2 to 3 percent of the total output of Hindi films in a year whereas the overall economy is gallopping at around 9 percent per year. Not only the hits even the good,critically acclaimed movies are going to stagnate in yearly scores, if emphasis is not laid on knowing,consciously or otherwise what audience aspires for.

Though it is a popular saying in Hollywood ‘No one knows anything out here’, and it means no one can tell what will click and what will lick, still it has some parameters in place to know of consumer preferences and manage the risks.Do we need such a system here in Bollywood? Because we cannot forget that consumer is the king.As DavidOgilvy remarked somewhat:’Consumer is not a moron. She happens to be your wife.’

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