Bollywood’s obsession with VFX decoded: What's the way forward for 'Adipurush'?

Prabhas starrer ‘Adipurush’ has been facing massive backlash on social media ever since its teaser released. The magnum opus is being called out for its poor visual effects and shoddy character design. Following the heavy ridicule, the makers tried to gain control over the situation by organising a special 3D screening of its teaser in Mumbai, which was viewed by select media. Even though it received a positive response, the audience who was unable to watch it, continued to share its critical opinion on the internet, not only for its questionable VFX but also for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

After the release Ayan Mukerji’s ‘Brahmastra’ and the teaser of ‘Adipurush’, we are left wondering if being high on VFX and CGI means comprising other aspects of films.

There are several other projects using high-level visual effects, such as ‘Ram Setu’, and ‘Krrish 4’, which will release in theatres soon.

Let’s take a look at what industry experts have to say about VFX heavy films being under scrutiny and immediate comparisons with global films. According to Hindustan Times report, trade expert Joginder Tuteja says that filmmakers are focusing on VFX nowdays as they wish to do something out-of-the-box to pull audiences to theatres. However, he feels that the audience as well filmmakers go overboard when they discuss film’s elements and budget, which in turn creates a pressure on the stakeholders.

‘Instead, go ahead, make a movie and release it. Do not talk much about the number of days you spent on VFX or money invested in the film. When you keep the expectations in check, the kind of response that will come will also not be as polarised as you see nowadays. You talk so much about it and people start expecting the moon, and when the results are not on the same line, disappointment follows,’ Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

Trade analyst Atul Mohan also weighed in on VFX being used as a marketing tool to promote films. He believes ‘content is king, marketing is queen.’ Citing Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer ‘Brahmastra’ as a great example, he said they were the first ones to make a movie that was ‘high on VFX and never had been attempted before in India’. ‘There is no harm in using that for marketing. You have seen several movies featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, but VFX was the film’s USP,’ Atul Mohan was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.

Komal Nahta, film critic and trade analyst, feels that debates about VFX is ‘meaningless’ and there is no harm in promoting a film ahead of its release. He also added that it has become fashionable to criticize and ‘fringe elements create controversies around any and every film’. He said ‘social media is full of frustrated people whose full-time work is to run down efforts and money spent’.

Talking about the criticism Om Raut’s ‘Adipurush’ has received, Komal Nahta said that ‘if somebody feels the character does not look like Raavan, he/she needs to understand that it’s the director’s interpretation. He added, ‘You applauded this man (Om Raut) for Tanhaji, and now you are taking the same man to the gallows.’ So, what’s the way forward for ‘Adipurush’, starring Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon?

An insider working on the film told indianexpress.com that seven-eighth studios are involved in developing the VFX for ‘Adipurush’, and the film falls in the ‘conventional bracket of a live action film’

Explaining the difference between the two ways to shoot a film, the VFX professional shared, ‘When you are trying to make photoreal creatures, which are done in 3D, the first thing we try to replicate are the movements. How we move in reality is a live action film. Now, if I want to transfer my movement to a 3D creature, that’s done by motion capturing. But that’s just the animation. Through motion capturing, we cannot replicate the look and feel, the lighting, the texture, the hair and fur of the creature. All these things combined make a believable creature. So, everything has to be spot on.’

Indianexpress.com spoke with many film marketing experts within the industry and according to them the trailer of the film is the key. The makers need to focus on a new campaign which relies more on some of its best visual frames.

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