Filmmaker Karan Johar admitted that he is not above 'paying people' to say good things about his films to alter perceptions about them.
Appearing on the Galatta Plus roundtable, KJo said, "When a film is doing well at the Box office, you can sit back and turn down interviews because it doesn’t need any more publicity", adding, "It’s the middle order film that you have to fight for, that you have to create an aura and energy around… It’s a very interesting exercise."
The Kuch Kuch Hota Hai director noted that a lot of negative reactions to film releases stem from 'people's hunger to go viral' after giving an attention-grabbing byte, or warring fan clubs.
“If you notice, those people who do those vox pops outside cinemas, the ones who are walking up to talk are all wanting to say the most sensational things. The real audience has slipped out and gone away. But some people are giving loud reactions because they want to go viral. Now, to go viral, they’re f*****g us”, he said.
During the roundtable, KJo went on to say, "Sometimes you’re also struggling to make a mark. As a producer, you will make every last-ditch attempt to make your film be heard. So, while I may critique criticism, I’m also riding on their backs when they praise a film… I change with every film. Some films work on their own, so I can take the high ground and stay quiet. Some films are average, so we need to give the impression that they’re doing better than they actually are.”
The 51-year-old industry veteran experienced major success in 2023, with his film, Rocky And Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, grossing over Rs 350 crore worldwide.
Published 03 January 2024, 07:19 IST