Bollywood needs to work on marketing strategies: Irrfan

Actor Irrfan, who has had the opportunity to work in both Hollywood and Bollywood films, feels that the Indian film industry needs to work on the way they market their films.

"There are few areas we still need to work on, like the release of the film. The way it is planned in America, we still need to find that system. They find the right audience for the film. They really work on what kind of audience is going to watch this film and they release accordingly," he said.

"We find a formula and we apply that formula to every film. We have similar ticket rates, we have similar way of promoting it; we have similar way of releasing it. The ticket rates for a Rs.100 crore budget film and Rs.5 crore budget film are the same. We really need to work on this system," he added.

Irrfan became a prominent face in international cinema after acting in films like "Warrior", "A Mighty Heart", "New York, I Love You" and Danny Boyle's multiple Oscar winning film "Slumdog Millionaire". His most recent release is Ang Lee's "Life Of Pi".

The 45-year-old star feels Hollywood films always have a hidden meaning in them.
"When we make a film, whatever is there on the surface is still there on the surface and there is no layering beneath it, but if you take big Hollywood films there are things that are hidden beneath it. There is something they are trying to suggest to the audience," he said.

"For example Shakespeare, whatever he is trying to say is hidden, though it's a drama but the message he is trying to give is all hidden. When an intellectual person watches 'Slumdog Millionaire', he relates to it in a completely different manner, when a child will watch 'Life Of Pi', he will take it differently. That's what we need to strive and that's what our next generation is going to do," he added.