Promotion is one of the four components of the marketing mix. And publicity in turn is one of the elements of promotion. Publicity is a form of marketing communication where the message appears to come from the medium itself and not from the marketer of the product or service. Marketers would normally try to elicit positive publicity in order to build goodwill among the target segments. However, several recent instances suggest that negative publicity related to controversies associated with some Bollywood films have worked strongly in their favor. The timing, context and content of the controversies also make one wonder whether controversies are being engineered as an indirect tool for promoting the films.

These days, controversies surrounding Bollywood movies have become fairly common. Controversies seem to hit several Hindi films just before their release, where initial collections play a crucial role in deciding their fate. Examples of prominent controversies are those relating to movies like Fanaa, 3 Idiots, My Name Is Khan and the recently released Rajneeti, which attracted widespread attention among the public and thus served as a strong platform to generate publicity for the films. The regularity of such events and the net benefit that accrues to the films therefrom, gives room for wondering whether film producers and directors actively seek controversies as a medium for increasing visibility for and interest in their films. And those who create controversies perhaps do so more to have their own 15 minutes of fame.

Pre-release controversies related to movies are not new, but they have become more pronounced in recent times. No one knows whether these are stage-managed or mere coincidences or genuine points of contention. The various media – print, television news channels and the internet – which are ever hungry to thrive on such controversies go gaga over them and the concerned film producers laugh all the way to the box office. "Controversies create awareness, but there is no guarantee," said Mahesh Bhatt, a couple of whose films were allegedly related to his link-up with an actress.

Marketing Mastermind Magazine, Bollywood Films, Marketing Communication, Hindi Film Industry, Political Controversies, Bollywood Stars, Buzz Marketing, Political Parties, Hindu Organization, International Film Festivals, Bharatiya Janata Party.