Do Paid Premiere Shows Guarantee Film Success? - Here's What Elumale Producer And Su From So Director Said

- Report: Ravikumar MK

In recent months, Kannada cinema has seen several successes, including Ekka, Junior, and Su From So. With star-driven films lined up for release, a growing trend has taken centre stage: paid premiere shows.

Far from being a mere promotional gimmick, these early screenings, where audiences buy tickets to watch films a day before release, are proving to be crucial in building buzz.

The Trend That Began With Kantara

The phenomenon gained traction with Kantara, which was released on September 30, 2022. Even before its theatrical debut, more than 50 premiere shows were held across Karnataka and in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Pune. This early exposure created a surge of word-of-mouth publicity that propelled the film to pan-India success.

Daredevil Musthafa's Unique Approach

Daredevil Musthafa, too, benefited from paid premieres. Special Re.1 shows were organised in Bengaluru's Orion Mall PVR, Mysuru's DRC Cinemas, and Shivamogga's Bharat Cinemas. One special screening in Bengaluru was attended by over 100 teachers. The film received positive feedback, boosting its visibility.

Paid Premieres In Single-Screen Theatres

Though paid premieres are mostly a multiplex phenomenon, Head Bush, produced and acted in by Dhananjay, carried it to single-screen theatres too. Screenings were arranged not only in multiplexes but also in Veeresh and Prasanna theatres of Bengaluru, and Ashoka theatre of Davangere, reaching out to an even greater audience base.

"Paid Premiere Shows Boosted Su From So's Success"

The makers of Su From So credit the film's blockbuster run to this strategy.

Director JP Tuminadu said, "Paid premiere shows played a vital role in the huge success of Su From So. The main reason behind this was our actor and producer, Raj B Shetty. His idea was that it shouldn't be us promoting the film, but rather the audience. Accordingly, we held paid premieres in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, and Mangaluru. The shows got positive responses, word-of-mouth grew, and those who watched it told many others. From the second day, the audience numbers increased, screenings expanded, and the entire direction of the film changed."

Rippan Swamy Follows The Trend

Starring Vijay Raghavendra, Rippan Swamy followed the same strategy. Prior to its statewide release on August 29, seven premiere shows were organised, attracting over 2,000 people. Director Kishore Moodbidri explained that this visibility guaranteed people attended the film after its release.

Elumale Creates Stir Through Paid Premieres

The recently launched Elumale, directed by Puneeth Rangaswamy and produced by Tharun Sudhir and Atlanta Nagendra, also used the format. The film, with Raana and Priyanka Achar, had paid premieres in Bengaluru and Mysuru, and initial viewers appreciated its love story and content-based screenplay.

Producer Tharun Sudhir expressed satisfaction, saying, "We received a great response from the paid premieres. Many appreciated the use of the Chamarajanagar dialect in the film, which made us happy. Word-of-mouth will surely be a plus point for the movie.”

He elaborated further: "Since the cast is mostly newcomers, audiences usually have small doubts about such films. But if you hold premiere shows a day before release, genuine reviews come out. Celebrity premieres are different - audiences think the stars were invited, so they may give leniency. But in a paid premiere, people spend their own money, so their feedback is honest. If they like it, they say so; if not, they're blunt. Such reviews work really well. Paid premieres open doors to all kinds of audiences, so the feedback is varied and authentic. As a producer, it feels good when people willingly pay and watch the film before release."

Industry Voices: Content Still Matters

Despite the growing popularity of paid premieres, industry veterans caution against over-reliance on them.

KV Chandrashekhar, President of the Film Exhibitors' Association and owner of Veeresh Theatre, said: "Just because you hold a paid premiere show and people come to watch doesn't mean the film will succeed. A movie must be good. Only when it is genuinely engaging will audiences spread the word. Otherwise, they won't talk about it. So, paid premieres alone won't do - the film itself has to be strong."