Arbaaz Khan analyses why star power works in theatrical films, says there’s safety for makers and viewers | Exclusive

When it comes to theatrical releases, one can notice that a Shah Rukh Khan movie like Jawan and in more recent times, Ajay Devgn-R. Madhavan’s Shaitaan does well at the Box Office. Being known faces in the industry, their movies get recognized while others tend to get ignored. That is not the case on OTT, where Sushmita Sen’s Aarya and Manoj Bajpayee-led The Family Man work brilliantly. When we caught up with Arbaaz Khan for promotions of his production film Patna Shuklla, he analyzed the reason behind this.

Arbaaz says it is the safety that people look for. He mentioned, “Today in theatres, the prices have become very high. You know, theatres have got great facilities, they've got reclining seats, they've got great Atmos sounds and great facilities. So, the pricing of seeing a movie or the experience of seeing a movie has become very, you know, the ticket rates are very high. So, there is a certain amount of safety in the fact that if a big star has done a movie, then he must have thought before doing a movie he is a big director. So, if we go here and spend our time then we know a little bit that you know, their stakes are very high.”

He then pointed out how star power attracts audiences from the first day while content brings audiences from the fourth day, when the Box Office collection is already decided. Arbaaz said, “So, the money that we have invested, we are sure that maybe be worthy maybe worthy not 100% but if we back on an unknown thing then we are not sure, so there is a little bit of safety. Until we don’t listen to word of mouth that the picture is good, someone has seen it, then only it gets attention. Now, with big films what happens is that the biggest response pehle 3 din mein aata hai, jab ki kisi nahi film dekhi nahi hai. Aur jo alag filmein hoti hai unka sabse acha response 4th day aata hai. Yahaan pehle kisi ne nahi dekhi hai aur baad mein logon ne dekhi hai. So, yeh difference hai. So, the difference is that when you make a film with a big production house, with a big cast, with a big director, doesn't matter what the content of the film is.”

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