Celebrity publicist Dale Bhagwagar answers your queries from a PR point of view. Send in your questions with your name and city to askdale@indiafm.com. SHEFALI TALUKDAR, MUMBAI: Om Shanti Om' and 'Saawariya' are heading for a much-hyped clash. Will their box-office collections match up to the magnanimity of their publicity campaigns? Or are we going to see a repeat of last years' 'Don' v/s 'Jaaneman' scenario? DALE: Very good question. Let's analyze from the track-record point of view first. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has given us 'Khamoshi - The Musical', 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', 'Devdas' and 'Black' in the past… all films with superstars in the leading cast. This is the first time he has taken on the mantle of launching new faces. In that sense, 'Saawariya' is a true challenge for the maker. Coming to Farah Khan, she has the success of 'Main Hoon Na' behind her. But the main driving force of 'Om Shanti Om' is Shah Rukh Khan; that too, in a new improved avataar. He has a history of carrying films on his shoulders and that cannot be ignored. The media hype for both the films has been tremendous. But I feel, it is a mistake on the part of the makers of 'Saawariya' to knowingly pit their film opposite an SRK starrer. Competition between a debutante and a megastar is not justified. When two big films clash, they mostly eat into each other's business. Yes, there have been exceptions, but come to think of it, it doesn't make great business sense. I doubt if 'Saawariya' can give competition to 'Om Shanti Om' and hope it's not a case of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's over confidence v/s Shah Rukh Khan's star power. Because such a game, if lost, can give a jolt to the industry. |
| REEMA SINHA, BANGALORE: While Kareena Kapoor has royally ditched Shahid Kapur, he is being nice and diplomatic regarding her in the media? Do you think he's doing this to attract sympathy or has he really moved on? DALE: Let us first examine his choices. He can either be a cry-baby and portray himself as a bechara or he can say that it doesn't bother him if Kareena left him. But Shahid is toeing a better line. He is saying that he is moving on in life. Even if he is being diplomatic in the way he is handling the Press, there's no denying that given the situation, it's the best path he can take at the moment. |
| PINKY SINGH, DELHI: Will Faisal Khan's recent outbursts about his brother Aamir tormenting him by putting him under house arrest in the name of medical treatment, taint Aamir's image? DALE: No. Aamir's clean image has been very strong. He is known as a person who stands by righteousness. Whether Faisal is right or wrong in his claims, from the PR point of view, Aamir will get away with it. |
| PRIYA KASHYAP, MUMBAI: After public disappointment that the “Hare Krishna Hare Ram” song comes right at the end in 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', the makers have now decided to add it in between the narrative. Is this decision coming too late? DALE: Like they say, better late than never. Initially, the film did suffer from an identity crisis as it was incorrectly branded as a comedy. To top it, the audience got disappointed with its most popular song coming at the fag end. The decision to include it in the narrative, will at least decrease that disappointing feeling. The film has already been appreciated on other counts and done decent business. This corrective move can only help it further. Though, I wonder, why our makers realize these things so late. In the West, makers have pre-release screenings for select audiences from different walks of life, seeking their opinion to avoid such occurrences and disappointments post-release. If we follow the same practice here, it would do us so much good. |
| GLENNA SCOTT, AUSTIN, USA: Do you see a way for Bollywood films to break into the American non-NRI market? If they are well-publicized, could a Bollywood film reach the level of a 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon'? DALE: Why not? Moving away from the tried-and-tested formulas, we have finally started making all kinds of films. We do lack in the aspect of imaging and PR abroad but with better understanding of specific markets, it is achievable. |
| MISS. CHAMELI, LONDON, UK: Why don't Bollywood publicists represent or manage transvestite actors? Being glamourous and well-spoken, I still fail to find a publicist in Bombay because of lack of awareness or interest in drag queens. DALE: I agree that Bollywood has still not opened to sexual preferences the way the West has. Except for a Bobby Darling, who has branded himself well, we don't have many who are as media-savvy. |
| HOOSNA, LONDON, UK: Shilpa Shetty has been the most controversial film actress this year. She has even received a lot of negative press? Is slander actually good to be in the public eye? Where does one draw the line? DALE: Ever since 'Celebrity Big Brother' happened to her, Shilpa Shetty has been falling into some controversy or the other. And though she has tried her best to evade them, they seem to have a choli daaman ka saath in her case. Luckily, most of the controversies have been clarified and negative press hasn't harmed her at all. I guess, as long as one is not creating controversies as part of media hype, its fine. But inadvertently, when one falls into it, the best way is to let your PR machinery handle it, give it the right turn and end it your way. And as her publicist, that's exactly what I have been doing for her. |
| HAMZA FAZLI, LAHORE, PAKISTAN: What do you think of the way Kangana Ranaut has handled her PR in Bollywood? Where has all the hype around her vanished after her first two releases? DALE: Let us not forget that Kangana entered the industry with a hit film like 'Gangster'. She impressed even in her next film 'Woh Lamhe'. But then the graph fell with 'Shakalaka Boom Boom', till 'Metro' gave her a fresh lease of life. As far as PR is concerned, she's been spirited in the way she has handled herself. What she probably needs at this point of time, is a strong film to back up her PR exercises. What she could avoid is in-your-face type of PR. There are instances, when she goes a little overboard, giving people a feeling that she is mixing her real life with her reel life character of 'Woh Lamhe'… that of a child-like-woman. |
| RAJAN SHARMA, MUMBAI: Nikhil Dwivedi, who is making his debut in E.Niwas's 'My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves' looks a little like Shah Rukh Khan and a little like Shahid Kapur. Do you think this similarity will help him catch attention? DALE: It might get him a few more media mentions than normal. But any newcomer finally makes an impression through his talent and not through facial or physical similarities, or by being star sons. Such things can initially draw some attention and increase a little interest, but ultimately, it's the work, the media imaging and the quality of the film that speaks. |
| MANGESH SARPOTDAR, DELHI: Do you think Ranbir Kapoor is over-hyped? Can this kind of imaging raise expectations and backfire on the newcomer? DALE: Yes, it can. The hype has put a lot of pressure on the debutante to deliver cent percent. It's a bad PR strategy to recklessly hype him this way, because after such hoopla, if he turns out to be anything less than brilliant, the audiences might be disappointed. Remember Zayed Khan? |
| SUMITA BANNERJEE, KOLKATA: I heard that Salman Khan will play Tarzan in a new Anees Bazmee film? Could he be doing this role to find just another reason to remove his shirt? DALE: Tarzan never wore a shirt in the first place, so for a change, Salman won't need to remove one. As long as the audience loves them, Salman is enjoying his bare-chested antics. I think, he does them more and more to please his fans. I look at it as a hardcore PR move on his part. |
| About Dale He's one of the most talked-about and quoted publicists from Bollywood. A self-confessed master manipulator, Dale Bhagwagar has looked after the imaging of some 30 feature films, more than 15 film companies and the personal PR of actors like Hrithik Roshan, Shilpa Shetty, Shiney Ahuja and Priyanka Chopra. Ask him, probe him, grill him, and then simply sit back and enjoy his frank and witty replies. |