Veteran actor Jaaved Jaaferi, who is eagerly anticipating the release of his upcoming web show “Oops Ab Kya,” recently shared his views on the importance of social media presence in the film industry. During an interview with Humans Of Bombay, Jaaferi emphasized that it is the trailer of a film that pulls the audience to the cinema halls, not the number of social media followers an actor has.
Jaaferi expressed his disagreement with the notion that social media followers make an individual a star. He argued that while social media presence can provide an initial boost, it does not necessarily translate to ticket sales. He cited the example of actress Urvashi Rautela, who has 70 million followers, but questioned whether those followers actually contribute to box office success.
“It doesn’t. Urvashi Rautela has 70 million followers, but do her followers translate to a ticket-buying audience? Let’s take 10 million of her followers, which is 1 crore people. If those 1 crore people had bought Rs 250 film tickets, the film would have made Rs 100 crore. It doesn’t work like that,” Jaaferi said.
He went on to stress that a film’s promotion does not guarantee its success. According to Jaaferi, it is always the trailer that attracts the audience to the cinema halls. He explained that if viewers like the trailer, they will watch the film regardless of the actor’s promotional appearances on TV or dance shows.
To illustrate his point, Jaaferi cited the example of South Indian superstar Rajinikanth, who does not indulge in extensive promotions. He remarked that if a film is good, it will succeed at the box office, regardless of promotions. He also pointed out that even big stars sometimes do not achieve great openings.
“A Salman Khan film can get a Rs 10-5 crore opening and can also get a Rs 50 crore opening. It’s what the people sense with the trailer. All Salman Khan films aren’t getting Rs 50 crore openings. It’s all about the trailer,” he said.
Jaaferi’s comments highlight the evolving dynamics of the film industry, where content and audience perception play a crucial role in determining a film’s success, rather than just social media metrics or promotional activities.
