Kadal – An interesting Strategy by Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam is one name synonymous with the Tamil Cinema for ‘Special’. He knows how to sell his movies well. Up comes ‘Kadal’. When we see his marketing strategies, I couldn’t stop wondering the Business Mind of Mani Ratnam. Just see the incompetent business tactics & strategies.
Nov 3, 2012: It all started with the ‘One Song’ fashion as like many done with in Tamil Cinema in recent times. But the difference is it was M TV Unplugged. You have released a song, made it to National Viewers at the advertisement cost of M TV and making the song the headlines for the next 2 – 3 days. Then came the announcement of the Audio release and keeping the dates guessing. The Master stroke was selling the Audio Rights to Sony Music.
Dec 4, 2012: Kadal – Facebook Page is created and the first poster is released with the male lead but his face identity is still hidden
Dec 5, 2012: Another still Gautham Karthik emerges with his face visible and official ‘Nenjukkule’ song was released.
Dec 6, 2012: Name of the tracks put up
Dec 7, 2012: ‘Elay Keechan’ announced for Dec 10th and the Music release date to be Dec 17th
Dec 8, 2012: The ‘Elay Keechan’ teaser in YouTube. Surprise is Madras Talkies buckled up for the new era with it starting its own YouTube Channel
Dec 10, 2012: ‘Elay Keechan’ – the second official track released with lyrics in YouTube and iTunes.
Dec 11, 2012: Thulasi Nair is revealed.
Dec 14, 2012: Another surprise was the release of Audio one day prior to the fixed date and that too over YouTube. This must be the strategy of Sony Music but we have to accept that man like Mani Ratnam should have real courage to adopt new media like YouTube. Without two great legends’ consensus (Mani & ARR), Sony Music wouldn’t have got to release it in You Tube
Upon the release of the songs in YouTube, the comment section of the songs had become like Chat Room for the fans. Just go and see over there, you would be amazed. Many created the YouTube Playlist for the first time just to listen these songs in there repeatedly.
The Songs in themselves made many wonder how this ultra-modern music would be fitting the rural of Manapad, a small town near Tuticorin, South TN. Rahman have rendered us many blues genre song but ‘Adiyae’ was pure of that genre.
Also Madras Talkies released the songs with the lyrics, thus making the audience enjoy the songs with the lyrics as they were really wonderful
In the upcoming days, the looks of Aravind Samy, Arjun and some more stills of the lead pair is posted in the dailies just keeping up the hype after the release of the songs
Jan 2, 2012: The real teaser of ‘Elay Keechan’ comes up to increase the ‘Kadal’ fever once again
Jan 12, 2012: The Trailer arrives.
Questions of the ultra-modern suiting the movie is thrashed to pieces. The Characters of Arjun and Aravind Samy as Burgmans and Sam, dominated the trailer.
Gautham is lanky, amazing with the looks, style, expressions and the athletics & stunts. Sure Thulasi is going for places than her elder sister Kathika, or is it just the magic of Rajiv Menon? No matter what, the recent time I saw someone damn beautiful in Mani’s movie was Shalini in Alaipayuthey and to some extent Trisha in Aaytha Ezhuthu.
Can really see the trailer is giving us the idea that Mani is packing some meaty stuff to deliver us. ‘Raavanan’ was astonishing but it was subsided by the bad name of ‘Raavan’ just because of the lacklustre performance of Abhishek. And also the nativity was purely missing in it. But ‘Kadal’ is entirely different. I can see the director has brought the nativity in his ever gripping screenplay. And already the songs are driving many crazy despite some good albums like David, Ethir Neechal and Moondru Paer Moondru Kaadhal.
Just when mindless movies like Alex Pandian are killing the Audiences, Kadal promises many more to the audience along with ‘Viswaroopam’. It is very clear that Mr. Mani Ratnam is a guy who knows how to get the golden egg without killing the Goose. He is not releasing all his cards on the go. He is releasing all his aces when it seems the ‘Kadal’ fever is dying just to re-gain the fever. The Luck he has is so far all his cards that came down were Aces and we hope the same with the upcoming cards
Trivia:
- Out of almost 3 min trailer, the lead actor Gautham in the character of Thomas is not speaking anywhere
- Thulasi comes in very few scenes and in only white dresses
- Rajiv Menon, director of critically acclaimed Minsara Kanavu and Kandukondaen Kandekondaen, is the cinematographer. Remember Bombay and Guru? He was the DOP in those both
- Mani took personal care and asked the parents of both the lead actors not to be got photographed until they are launched
- All the songs in the movie featured in the top 10 list of iTunes and thus making ‘Kadal’ No.1 Album of Dec 2012
- ‘Kadal’ becomes the 11th film involving the trio of Rahman – Mani Ratnam and Vairamuthu with Uyirae and Guru added to the account
- Many wouldn’t be knowing actually it was Mani Ratnam who wrote the song ‘Veera’ in Raavanan
- Mani Ratnam has never went to any foreign locations except for his movie ‘Guru’ where it was necessary as the story takes place in Istanbul, Turkey
*Disclaimer: All the images are taken from the Internet. No infringement intended.
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so far. But, what about the conclusion? Are you
sure about the source?
The info and stats shared here are 100% true and more over regarding the conclusion part I can say Mani would be eyeing Feb 1st or 2nd week, where the Valentine Day falls, to screen the movie esplly if we fee 2 yrs back we saw the most romantic movie of the recent times in tamil and also the hypes created would be suited so.
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I’m also very curious to see how Mani sir has handled this movie. So far the only competition he has is himself
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