The Kannada version of the Spiderman - Homecoming’s trailer received a massive response with YouTube clocking one lakh views in two days and drawing appreciation and also criticism for the “bookish language”.
The trailers were released in 10 languages — Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Malayalam, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Marathi and Bengali — a marketing strategy that seemed to have worked considering the response, including the criticism.
Many welcomed the trailer with excitement. Vishal K commented on YouTube, “Many people from Karnataka don’t know English, specially rural people. Really its gud to see English movie in Kannada version (sic).” Girish Kargadde posted on twitter: “Hi Sony Pictures - showed #Kannada trailer to daughter (3.5 yrs old) she loved it. Thanks a lot. Please release full movie in #Kannada.”
However, a majority of the people lambasted Sony Pictures for the poor language. Sharath Chandra wrote: “(Characters) are reading some script instead of acting. Same as cartoons in Chintu TV. If this will be the future (of dubbing), I'm sure no one gonna watch the film like this (sic).” Some suggested that producers use talented mainstream dubbing artistes for the movie. Similar reactions were seen in other languages, including Hindi and Tamil, where dubbing is not new.
According to Sony Pictures, Spiderman has enjoyed huge following in India compared to other comic heroes. “We wanted to give Spiderman a hero’s welcome...What better way than people of India welcoming him to their homes in their own language,” Sony Pictures India MD Vivek Krishnani was quoted as saying by agencies.
It is unclear whether the film will be dubbed in Kannada with the trailer listing only Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. However, the statement by Sony Pictures India MD suggests that the movies in seven other languages will hit TVs rather than the silver screen.
Anti-dubbing activists, who held intense protests against the release of another dubbed movie, Satyadev IPS, said there is no exception for Spiderman. Kannada Okkoota president Vatal Nagaraj said, “Our principle is the same. Dubbing as such is inherently detrimental to the interests of Kannada films and thousands of actors and workers of Sandalwood. Besides, the language they have used in the trailer is poor. It doesn’t match the character’s body language,” he said.
The latest reboot of Spiderman is the 16th film in the Marvel cinematic universe, integrating the character into the circle of other heroes, including Captain America, Ironman and Hulk.
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