As production costs escalate, the Indian film industry is reeling under the impact of an unprecedented recession. The question being asked is, does the end-product actually justify a staggering budget? This question acquires an augmented relevance after the stunning impact of Mirai whose special effects, comparable with anything in the super-hero universe in Hollywood, are achieved at a mere fraction of what the visuals in exorbitantly budgeted films like Pushpa 2 and Kalki cost.
Mirai Mirai on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
Ram Gopal Varma is very impressed by the spectacle and vision of Mirai. “Do you know the budget of Pushpa 2? It was around 580 crores!! Do you know the budget of Mirai? It is 60 crores, plus 20 more for marketing and promotion. If as you say the special-effects in Mirai are better than Pushpa 2 and Kalki, then something is seriously wrong with the budgeting of these big-budget films.”
So what is the solution?
Says Ramu, “The budget problems in these VFX-driven big-screen spectacles stems from the ignorance of filmmakers on the technique applied to such films. By and large filmmakers go to expensive computer graphics companies and blindly give them the money they ask for. The other day I was talking to a filmmaker who needed a big CG sequence for his film. One digital company asked him for Rs 18 crores for the CG sequence, another asked him for 22 crores for the same. He went with the more expensive option in the belief that the one charging more will deliver better-quality visual effects. This need not be the case.”
Ramu attributes the shockingly low budget of Mirai to the director’s familiarity with the VFX language. “Karthik Gattamneni is familiar with the VFX technique. He knew exactly what to do. If other directors also go into graphics with an understanding of the technique, a lot of money can be saved. Yes, Kalki and Pushpa can be made at the same budget as Mirai.”
Trade expert Taran Adarsh explains why Mirai has worked so well. “Mirai operates in a very different league compared to mega-budget spectacles like Empuran and Kalki. Yet, its impressive boxoffice numbers can be attributed to a few key factors. The content struck a strong chord. Barring the comic portions – which could’ve been done away with – the interval block, select dramatic moments in the second half, and the finale worked big time. Looking at the release strategy, Mirai didn’t get the widest showcasing since multiple films released alongside, but the excellent word of mouth ensured that the numbers grew with each passing day. Importantly, the positive chatter – both online and offline – has been the biggest driver of footfalls for Mirai.”
According to insiders the budget of Karan Johar’s Brahmastra 2 is being “seriously revised” after the visual impact of Mirai (which Johar’s Dharma Production has distributed in the Hindi belt). While the first part of Brahmastra was budgeted at around Rs300 crores, Part 2 will be budgeted at Rs 200-250 crores.
