What/Who Makes a Block Buster Movie?

 When a Bollywood flick releases the most heard statements around us would be “What is the star cast?”, “Who is the director?”, “What is the production house?”, “How is the music?”, “How are the special effects?” and many more such questions just flow in and out the minds of the audiences who try to gauge a movie even before its release. The apprehensions are numerous about whether to go for it or not to go for it. Now-a-days movies do not cater to the needs and tastes of the audiences, as a result of which they harbor their expectations on the other factors that contribute in the making of the film. They try to pick one of those factors and continue to appreciate the movie even if the story don’t appeal them. The reason which makes a film a blockbuster used to be a crisp storyline in olden times, however in today’s times this is not the only reason why viewers would flock for a movie in the theatre. They have their own reasons to watch a movie and it may vary from person to person and also from geography to geography. The thump rule for making a block buster is not yet established, but filmmakers usually target the masses when they make a film. The mass appeal lies in a hero who would have a larger than life image, his struggles and his journey to overcome these challenges along with his lady love who is supposed to be an ideal woman of the lot, and if not she will become one eventually garnished with some good songs and dances creates a formula that would hardly fail. The exaggeration of situations and all unrelated events being happening under one roof creates a fairytale for the audience, who would usually want to get lost in some other world when they enter the theatre and just want to get lost in a wonderland where there is no encounter with reality. The psyche to find the unusual through a movie has made them to yearn for more superficial situations and happenings. The special effects adds to their world of fantasies, when a hero would grip the villain and throw him miles away by those gyrating phenomenon of physics. 

There is a section of audience who would still savor the bouts of realistic situations and characters in a movie. They are known as classes, and movie that cater to this class of people are usually rich in content and have meticulous performances by the actors, who would get into the character and act rather than adorn the movie by their presence. In such movies the story rules the minds of the audience, not the actors or the budget of it.

The various aspects of filmmaking yields various products, rather than all in one movie. At times it is the star studded flick with opulent sets and backdrop and melodious numbers that makes a film a hit. Sometimes, it is the performances and the story that wins the heart of the audience. There is not definite formula by which a block buster can be produced, as not every movie is meant for every viewer. Perceptions and choices of the audience always are a defining factor for the success of a movie.  

Star power and big production houses can gather audience as well and create the hundred crore club movies merely by their presence. The unpredictability of the audience is so high that an item number can pull the audience to the theatre. 

Success of a film is relative at times, with the other films releasing at the same time and may not do well at the box office can make this film a hit. The psyche of the audience to compare the two or more films and evaluate which can give them the best entertainment is another determinant of making it a hit. 

Whatever are the reasons to make a movie a success, the bottom line is the one word which rules the audience’s minds is entertainment. Anything served to them in the name of entertainment appeals them and they always take away something out of it when they leave the theatre, and this is what makes a movie a block buster.