Does SRK need a change of strategy? article - Page 3

Originally posted by: koiza.k

Formula Failure?

The main reason for this could be making films with an eye on the overseas market. After DDLJ, a trend to please NRI audiences started. Therefore the stories were related to people living in foreign countries or returning from these countries. Sometimes, the drama happened in India as well as some foreign country while at times the story was entirely set in the foreign country. Most of the shoot was carried out on foreign locales. This not only changed the look of the film but also the substance of the film. After a while, not only Indians living abroad but even the foreign audience started reacting very positively to these films as they looked like their own films but had all the Bollywood ingredients of song & dance, emotion & drama and colorful spectacles. The formula worked big time. It brought in collections in foreign currency and also gave Shah Rukh some recognition in these countries.


MNIK, Ra.One and Don2 all were clearly aimed at capitalizing on this and taking a further leap as far as international recognition is concerned. It was evident in the story and treatment of MNIK that it was aimed at making a splash internationally. Ra.One also seemed to have been made with a dream of making it a popular franchise like Superman and Spiderman. Don 2 was a Hollywood style action-thriller totally devoid of emotions that Indian audience cannot do without.

The reason for Indian audience's rejecting these films was plain and simple ' they were not made for them.
What could be the strategy change?
Make films with Indian audience in mind

So, the first strategy change for Shah Rukh would be to start making films for the Indian audience but make it of such a quality that it would also appeal to the international audience.
Change of tracks

Just a fleeting look through Shah Rukh's career and three things stand out. ONE- that he has been most successful in romantic or emotional dramas, TWO,- almost all of his huge successes have come from Yash Chopra or Karan Johar and THREE whenever he has tried to experiment, he has failed.

Stories high on emotion and romance, high production values turning the film into a grand spectacle, super hit music, first rate technicians, popular co-stars seems to be the formula.

The strangest thing about his latest film is that it is made by Yash Chopra, it is a romantic and emotional drama and he is playing the kind of role he is most liked in and yet the formula seems to have failed this time.

Today, the main problem with him doing romantic films is his age. These roles don't suit him anymore as age has started showing on his face. Floppy hair notwithstanding, he doesn't look 25 or 30 anymore. And Indian audience is definitely not ready for mature love stories. So, he needs to look for a total change of track.


Shah Rukh Khan

So, the strategy change for him would be to go beyond romance and give a try to a totally new genre. He has a good sense of comedy and has a good comic timing. Comedy is a genre that is always in demand. So, he should give it a try. Also family dramas high on emotions would work well for him. He can also look to play strong characters in interesting stories that do not necessarily fit into any genre.
No Action films

Shah Rukh should stop being too competitive and doing everything that others are doing. He has his strengths and weaknesses. He should play to his strengths. He should avoid doing action films just because others are doing it. Action is the genre that doesn't suit him no matter how hard he tries. So, an out and out action film should be avoided.
Being Adventurous

Shahrukh should stop believing in the 'king' humbug and should start taking risks in the sense he shouldn't look to make films only for potential record collections and accolades. He did negative roles in the beginning of his career but that wasn't taking risks. He was a newcomer. He had no set image and he had nothing to lose. He should get into that mode once again. For the past few years he has been looking to do films that are grand enough for his carefully crafted 'king' image and has ended up doing dazzling but soulless productions.

The other two Khans of the Khan trio don't take their superstardom too seriously. All through their respective careers, they have taken risks of working with newcomers or unknown or failed people. They also go for scripts that don't look like winners right away. Shah Rukh should also look to work for the fun and excitement of it rather than doing films to impress or clinging on to an image and trying to prove that he is No.1.
Work over Image Building

That brings us to the huge image building exercise that is relentlessly being carried on for and by Shah Rukh. It may be necessary but it has been proved that it doesn't work beyond a point. So, next strategy change would be, to concentrate more on work rather than on image building. After all he is a film star. People connect with him through his films. If films fail to connect, all other image building exercises are not going to make much difference. So, he should just relax, try to have fun, make good films and let the image building take a back seat.

These are the broad and immediate strategy changes for Shah Rukh that one can think of. It's not that Shah Rukh is waiting for tips and advice from people but he can surely do with some feedback from his fans and also from 'non-fans'. And no matter whether he takes note of this or not, we will surely have fun discussing it. So, what do you think?