Sandeep Hattangadi assesses the reason behind the endless trend of limitless sequence and franchise
Have you ever wondered why sequels and franchise films like Baahubali, Krrish, Dabaang, Golmaal, Judwaa, Masti, Dhamaal, Singham, Kahaani, Commando, Rocky, Housefull, Baaghi, Raaz, Hate Story, Jolly LLB, Gangs Of Wasseypur, Murder have been successful at the box office? These sequels and franchises have made very good money at the turnstiles and most of them have entered the Rs 100+ crore club easily. What is that about these sequels and franchises that makes the audiences go bonkers? Trade experts attempt to analyse the reason behind this trend…
Anjum Rizvi — Producer, A Wednesday, Charas, Fast Forward
I believe it’s a good trend because the audiences love a sequel or a franchise because it has a brand value. People as audiences are connected with such films and that brings in the audiences like Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal franchise or Singham series which have broken all kinds of records at the box office windows. Given a choice I too would like to make a sequel or take up a franchise. Personally, I feel such a trend is here to stay.
Farhad-Sajid — Writer-director duo, Housefull, Singham, Golmaal, Judwaa, Himmatwala franchise
We think that sequels and franchises create a lot of buzz among the audiences before its release and people are talking about the film well in advance. This is an advantage over independent films and the initial weekend draw is guaranteed. If the audience likes the film then it’s definitely a big grosser at the box office. At the same time, there is an additional pressure on the writer and director to maintain the standards of the earlier sequels or franchises like we are now facing with Housefull 4 which is now almost complete.
Sandeep Kulkarni — Producer- director, Dombivli Fast, Dombivli Returns
I think that once a film gets popular it becomes a brand and people love to be associated with a brand. It helps the film at the box office. However, films and sequels like Kahaani 1 and 2 had different story-lines and characters and yet they were appreciated so sequels and franchises need not have the same characters or milieu. Films like Golmaal and other comedies are successful but content wise I feel they can be much better like Marathi films which are rich in content. Franchise films like Mumbai Pune Mumbai have become very popular but the sequel trend and franchise film concept can’t be considered as successful in Marathi cinema. Even in Hollywood cinema franchises like Mission Impossible have the same characters but have different stories and that is why this trend of sequels and franchise is here to stay.
Atul Mohan — Trade expert and editor Complete Cinema
Sequels and franchises are a safe bet at the box office because they become niche brands which the mass audience identifies with and hence they are assured of an initial draw. However, if the film is bad nothing can save the film at the box-office. Nowadays, producers immediately start filming for their sequels and franchises because they want to cash in on the success of their hit films. I feel this trend is here to stay because of the awareness the audiences have for such films.
Girish Johar — Trade analyst and film producer
These franchises and sequels have immense entertainment value and the audiences always want more on their plate for such films. The brand value and the mass identity factor is something which helps these films to click at the box office and I think this trend is here to stay.
Now all eyes will be on Singham 3, Dabangg 3, Golmaal 5, Housefull 4, and other such sequels and franchises which are certain to make a killing at the box office. The trade too thinks that this trend is here to stay. Eventually, the final collections and the audience reaction will determine the strength of this trend.
