Talk about building freaking hype for a film that everyone is looking forward to. I remember sitting in an obscure theatre in Mumbai in December of 2018 as one of my cousins had recommended me to watch KGF. Slated as the Kannada cinema's biggest film in its history and backed by the pan-India vision of Excel entertainment, which has visionary producers like Riteish Siddhwani and Farhan Akhtar at the helm of affairs, this film was destined for success. This movie has been successful in introducing a movie star like Yash and an exemplary creator like Prashant Neel.
The reason why I mentioned where I went for the movie is that the people in the theatre didn't have a single clue as to what to expect. The fact that a film produced from Karnataka could develop cheering, gasps of shock, and conclude with applause is a testament to the film's ability to communicate to the audience beyond the language barrier and the beyond the state's borders.
A film spanning over three decades, on one hand, showcasing the birth of a child, symbolized in a way to be the chosen one and on the other hand, the inner workings of a gold empire, which constantly changes due to the egos, the hunger for power and control along with backstabbing and deceit. We follow the journey of Rocky, played by Yash. A man who has many flaws but has the aspiration of becoming more and more powerful. KGF: Chapter 1 really stayed with me. The moments created between the laborers and the oppressive guards in the goldfields created a cinematic treat. These sequences of the film reminded me heavily of the scenes from the Gladiator. The atmosphere of eeriness, fear, and just sheer anticipation of what’s going to happen next was extremely well crafted. Savages wanting an excuse to execute the weakling from the workforce. Everyone being subservient until there is a moment of hope. Yash, as the troubled yet stoic Rocky; the bloody nature and ruthlessness of the brawls, which show you the gaur of hammers being flung or necks getting chopped off and of course, Ramachandra Raju, who plays the role of the menacing Garuda. The perfect antagonist to combat a hero like Rocky.
KGF: Chapter 1 became the 4th highest-grossing pan-India release after the Bahubali franchise and 2.0. The film grossed over 250 crores in revenue. KGF and its marketing team are a perfect example of how to build hype for a franchise. I’ve come to the conclusion that most of the properties owned by Excel entertainment, really know how to keep the audience engaged even after months of the film's release. A brilliant example of this is the engagement they generated for Mirzapur, which used a similar model of marketing.