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Ra.One
File:RaOneposter3.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAnubhav Sinha
Written byAnubhav Sinha
Screenplay byAnubhav Sinha
Kanika Dhillon
Mushtaq Sheikh
David Benullo
Story byAnubhav Sinha
Produced byGauri Khan
StarringShahrukh Khan
Kareena Kapoor
Arjun Rampal
Armaan Verma
Shahana Goswami
Tom Wu
CinematographyNicola Pecorini
V. Manikandan
Edited bySanjay Sharma
Martin Walsh
Music byVishal-Shekhar
Distributed byEros International Ltd.
Red Chillies Entertainment
Release dates
  • October 24, 2011 (2011-10-24) (Dubai premiere)
  • October 25, 2011 (2011-10-25) (London premiere)
  • October 26, 2011 (2011-10-26) (Toronto premiere and worldwide release)
Running time
156 minutes
CountryTemplate:Film India
LanguageHindi
Budget₹175 crore (US$21 million)[1]
Box office₹62.50 crore (US$7.5 million)

Ra.One (Template:Lang-hi; full: Random Access–Version 1.0) is a 2011 Indian science fiction superhero film, written and directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film, which features Shahrukh Khan in dual roles, as a game developer and his superhero look-alike G.One, also stars Kareena Kapoor, Armaan Verma and Arjun Rampal as the titular game villain Ra.One. Shahana Goswami, Dalip Tahil and Chinese-American actor Tom Wu appear in supporting roles, along with Rajinikanth, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra making guest appearances. It is jointly produced by Eros International and Khan's production company, Red Chillies Entertainment,[2] and was originally scheduled to release on 3 June 2011. However, due to extensive post-production work involving special effects and 3D conversion, its release was postponed to 26 October 2011.

Development of the project commenced in 2004 when Sinha wrote a three-page short story based on a commercial he had seen. Upon finalizing the story, pre-production work began after the release of Khan's Om Shanti Om in 2007,[3] with principal photography commencing in March 2009.[4] In July 2011, it was announced that the entire film would be converted into 3D.[5] With an estimated budget of around ₹175 crore (US$21 million),[1] Ra.One overtook Enthiran (2010) to become India's most expensive film to date.[6] Prior to its international release of 26 October 2011, the film had multiple premieres in Dubai, London and Toronto during the period of October 24 - 26.[7] The film released across 5,000 screens worldwide in 2D and around 600 screens in 3D,[8][9] along with its dubbed versions in Tamil, Telugu and German,[10] making it the largest Indian cinematic release in the world. Upon release, the film garnered overall mixed to positive reviews from critics worldwide.

Plot

The film begins with Jenny Nayar (Goswami) of "Barron Industries" introducing a new technological product to an audience. The technology, dealing with transfer of data through different types of rays and blending of real and virtual words, evokes a very excited response from all the people present. The plot then moves to a dream sequence in which Lucifer (Verma) battles the Khalnayak (Dutt), a game character who has taken the Desi Girl hostage (Chopra). Lucifer rescues the Girl, but suddenly wakes in class to the chagrin of the teacher.

The film then introduces Prateek Subramanium (Verma), whose gaming Id is Lucifer. Prateek is a "cool dude", who rocks in the band, skateboards and is a techno freak who loves playing video games. However, he dislikes his father Shekhar (Khan), a bumbling and naive Tamilian who works in "Barron Industries" under the gaming department. While Shekhar tries to woo his son with various antics, he ends up embarrassing himself and Prateek. His wife, Sonia (Kapoor), is writing a thesis on swear words and wants to change the world's way of swearing by converting the targets from females to males. While the family is generally close-knit, Shekhar's habit of quoting famous personalities often irritates others around him.

The next day, the gaming department acquires a major contract to produce a game to be released in India, and the job of creating the game is given to the gaming department with warnings regarding the poor response to the two previous games produced by the company. When Shekhar announces the news to Prateek, the latter disagrees with his father regarding the heroes and villains in games. While Shekhar is traditional and feels that the hero, representing good, should always win, Prateek feels that villains are the coolest and the heroes are boring. In spite of differences, Shekhar decides to make the game in such a way that the villain will be near invincible, as a way to please his son. The film then introduces the entire gaming department which includes Shekhar, Jenny, Akashi and others. They set about designing and creating the game, its controls, movements and techniques. To up the difficulty quotient, Shekhar installs artificial intelligence technology into the villain, allowing him to learn new moves and strategies as the game passes. The villain is named RA ONE (Rampal), and the hero is named G ONE (Khan). The game is basically composed of three levels. Both G.One and Ra.One have H.A.R.Ts, electronic devices that power them and give them their ability to play. However, the HARTs are also a liability in the sense that without the HART, one cannot die in the game. Death will occur only in Level 3, and only when both the HART and the hero/villain are together. The game is played using motion-sensor body suits to be worn by the player in real life.

The first trials of the game show very positive results. However, Akashi (Tom Wu), who tests the game using the suits, faces unnatural behavior while playing as his hands go out of control. On the day of the game launch, Akashi demonstrates the game to the public but feels that something is wrong, as the fights in the game seem to be affecting the real life as well. The game receives a standing ovation from one and all. Prateek, dazzled by the game, insists on playing it first. As the others have a good time partying, Prateek logs on as Lucifer and plays the game. His skills are such that Lucifer reaches Level 2, and almost completes it, a feat not achieved even by the creators. As Akashi attempts to quit the game, he hears Ra.One say "Lucifer shall die" and all the computers fuzzing out of focus. Fearful of the situation, Akashi calls a somewhat drunk Shekhar and asks him to check the programs related to the game. When he checks the program, he finds something very wrong with them. As he moves to a different area to search for the problem, Ra.One utilizes the technology introduced in the beginning of the game to come to real life. Being free, he assumes the form of Akashi and tracks down the real Akashi, demanding to know who Lucifer is. Akashi, not being Lucifer, is killed by Ra.One. He then sets his sight on others in the area.

Cast

Production

Origins and development

According to director Anubhav Sinha, the idea of making Ra.One originated while he was watching a commercial on television six years ago. Sinha said, "The commercial dealt with two kids controlling a human with a remote. It was fascinating, and the visual stayed with me for some time." Sinha wrote a three-page short story based on the commercial, which he felt was good enough to be made into a film.[4] Upon finalizing the story, he approached Shahrukh Khan with the film in August 2005, and Khan instantly agreed to produce and star in it.[4] Red Chillies Entertainment's Keitan Yadav revealed that during the release of Main Hoon Na (2004), Khan was keen on making a VFX-loaded film that was larger than life.[12] His production company continued working on other projects and seeking for the right film until they finally decided on Ra.One.[12] Prior to starting the film, Khan approached several directors to helm the project but they all refused due to various concerns.[13]

"Ra.One is the modern, new age technology version of our mythological "Raavan", who was a mixture of ten different evil characters. I am essaying the role of G.One or better say "Jeevan", a superhero who saves the mankind from Ra.One's torment. Through this film, I want to prove that Indian superheroes can also be as cool as the international ones."[14]

—Shahrukh Khan on Ra.One

Pre-production work for the film began in November 2007 after the release of Khan's Om Shanti Om (2007). Sinha spent several months going through video clips, digital art portals and comic books; he later explained that this process helped him in creating a novel character.[3] Khan stated that "When we started this film, the idea was can we make a simple film, about a husband, wife and child and then suddenly blow everyone's mind when they start fighting [...] So there were two films in one: the people who like the action...and those who like a family film."[15] To prepare for the film's premises and characterization, Sinha and Khan watched as many as 200 superhero films in multiple languages from all over the world, including Spider-Man (2002), Batman (1989) and Krrish (2006).[16]

Since the start of principal photography, Ra.One has faced multiple allegations of plagiarism and similarities with other film projects, including the 2010 Tamil science fiction film Enthiran. When asked about this, Khan noted: "I got inspired from a lot of superhero movies but the movie is original. In fact, Ra.One will be the first superhero-based movie in the world in which the superhero lives in a family."[17] Commenting on Enthiran, he remarked, "they [both] are different films. I will not like to talk about anyone else's film but Rajni sir is respectable to all of us."[18]

Casting and filming

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, along with Yash Chopra, Khan and Kapoor (l-r) on the sets of the film.

Principal photography for the film began in March 2009, one-and-a-half year after pre-production work began.[4] As a way to make his character more believable, Khan decided that he would perform his own stunts in the film.[19] Sinha approached his friend Arjun Rampal to take up the title role of a villain in the film, to which he readily agreed, and Kareena Kapoor was later signed on to play the female lead.[4] Child actor Armaan Verma was required to go through several audition processes until he was finally selected to play the role of Prateek.[20] During an appearance on the chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Khan stated that Jackie Chan was "approached for a role in the film". Khan had reportedly sent Chan the detailed script of the film, along with the action sequences and a brief synopsis of his character;[21] it was later confirmed that Chan would not be part of the project.[22] In July 2010, it was announced that Chinese-American actor Tom Wu would be part of the film.[23]

File:RaOne 23 cam.jpg
A record of 23 cameras were used to film a single action sequence, taking place on the Mumbai local trains.

Actors Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra were confirmed to make guest appearances whilst actor Rajinikanth was slated to perform in a special scene where he would be reprising his role of Chitti from Enthiran (2010), the background score for which[a single scene featuring Khan and Rajinikanth] was scored by A. R. Rahman.[24][11] The actor shot for the film on 2 October 2011 at Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods Studios in Mumbai with his daughter Soundarya despite some health problems. To minimize strain on the actor, the shoot was finished in a few hours and the scenes were digitally transferred into the necessary backgrouds later on.[25] Several days later, it was announced that Amitabh Bachchan would be doing a voice-over for an important scene in the film.[11]

Ra.One's shooting was originally supposed to begin in Miami, USA, but due to budget concerns this was scrapped.[26] The first phase of filming began in India in March 2010 and continued until May in Mumbai's Film City and Goa.[27] While filming, Khan admitted to finding difficulties with the rubber-made costume that was specially designed for his character, later commenting: "The costume was designed in a way that I had to take the help of girls to get into it and vice-versa. I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink much in between the shoots [...] By the time, the shooting of the film was wrapped up; I ended up losing ten kilos."[14] Verma, who plays Khan's son in the film, had to learn the Brazilian martial arts dance Capoeira in preparation for his role.[20] A chase scene along a Mumbai suburban train, in which Khan jumped from one compartment to another while Kapoor operated the train, received objections from the city government as they feared that the scene would entice teenagers to emulate the stunts. Subsequently, a disclaimer was added to the movie warning youngsters to refrain from performing any dangerous stunts shown in the film.[28]

Production of the film's second and third phase occurred with the entire cast in London, which included a song sequence being shot in a restaurant from where the London Bridge was visible[29] and a heavy duty action scene involving Khan and Kapoor.[30] During this period, a picture of Kapoor's character was also revealed to the media.[31] The film's final phase commenced at Filmistan Studio in December 2010 and was shot over seven days.[32] The remaining portions were shot in Mumbai and completed in July 2011. While shooting for the film in Mumbai, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Yash Raj Studios, to watch Khan at work.[33] In order to celebrate the film's completion, a wrap-up party was held at the end of the month in Mumbai.[34] A music video for the song "Raftaarein", choreographed by Feroz Khan and picturised on Khan, was shot one week before release. Talking about the decision to make the last minute addition to the film, Sinha said: ""Raftaarein" was initially just a melody playing in a background sequence. But [the song] has got unanimously great reviews and has amazing energy. I thought why not shoot a music video and put it in the film."[35]

Post-production

File:SRK Arjun Ra One.jpg
The characters of G.One and Ra.One as featured in the film.

The film's crew consisted of more than 5,000 members from India, Italy and the US, and was pieced together by more than 1,000 people, working in shifts, in around 15 studios across the world.[3] Nicola Pecorini was roped in as the director of photography, with V. Manikandan providing extra assistance, and Martin Walsh was responsible to edit the film.[3] Sound designer Resul Pookutty was assigned the duty of enhancing the sound effects with the use of the Dolby Surround 7.1 system. In an interview, he explained, "Ra.One is not just a movie experience [...] It requires a very unconventional sound and visual quality for which we are installing the required equipment."[3] In October 2011, post-production work on Ra.One faced a minor setback when Pookutty's studio-space in Andheri, Mumbai got flooded, and eventually damaged some of the film's footage.[36]

Due to the revived interest in 3D technology in India, the makers of the film announced that they were contemplating on turning portions of the movie into 3D. Khan revealed that parts of the film may be converted to 3D, provided tests and screen-shots of some scenes of the film were deemed satisfactory by the technical crew. However, there was a good deal of skepticism regarding such conversions, especially since 3D shooting required completely different types of cameras.[5] In July 2011, it was announced that the entire film would be converted into 3D, a process that required the collaboration of around 1,000 individuals.[37] Prime Focus, which had gained considerable experience from performing 3D conversions of major Hollywood productions The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), were tasked with the 3D conversion of Ra.One.[5] A separate conversion facility was created solely for the purpose of the 3D conversion of the film.[5]

Initially, the prints of Ra.One were expected to be ready a month prior to its release.[38] However, the post-production work took up a considerably longer time to complete than was initially expected, triggering fears that the film may not be able to reach its Diwali deadline. Three studios worked around-the-clock to get the film ready before its scheduled release date. Pookutty stated in a report: "[The crew] working on the post-production of Ra.One are in a high-energy zone. We are racing against time [and over] the next two weeks there are going to be number of sleepless nights to make sure [the film] gets into theatres on time."[36] Ten days before the film's release, Khan reportedly became upset over the post-production crew for severe delays in the process of digital inter-mediation in the film. Sinha however commented that "there are a lot of things happening in the post-production activities. We all are working hard towards it. But everything is fine."[39] As the film approached its release, Khan personally verified the progress on a day-to-day basis, with complete reports regarding the status of completion. Increased workload was also attributed to "multiplied work" due to the various versions (3D, Tamil, Telugu, etc.) of the film. It was also confirmed that all studios working on the film's visual effects had been released, as "not much of the work on visual effects is left [...] There are very few details left that are being worked upon. Once that is done, we will go to print."[38] On October 21, Sinha tweeted that the film had been completed.

Visual effects

File:RA One VFX before after.jpg
Ra.One incorporated visual effects and stunts previously unseen in Indian films. Shown here is an action scene on location (top), and the final cut.

March 2010 saw the inclusion of several visual effects techniques being incorporated in the production of Ra.One.[40] In an interview, Harry Hingorani (production director of Red Chillies VFX) stated that "[the company] was set up in 2006 [...] Khan wanted to make something big involving VFX and that was the intension behind starting [it]."[40] Extensive research was carried out by the crew, and no other films were accepted by the studio post My Name Is Khan (2010), with special focus on setting up proper software and creating "the right team" during pre-production itself.[40] To minimize the risk of future delays, the task of adding special effects was outsourced to multiple specialty studios around the globe, including in the United States, London, Paris and Bangkok.[41] In addition, Prime Focus also provided digital and visual effects services to Red Chillies VFX for the film.[5]

Impressed by the work he had seen in the 1994 Hollywood release Stargate, Jeff Kleiser was hired by Khan as the supervisor of visual effects in May 2010.[42] A team of 750 technicians under Kleiser carried out the addition of special effects into the film.[43] Special effects creator Robert Kurtzman was assigned to design the suits of Khan and Rampal's characters. The suits were made by a team of specialists based in Los Angeles, California.[44] While both the actors shot the film wearing a simple suit, a good deal of sparkle and polishing was later added to enhance its look.[12]

The film is reported to have close to 3,500 VFX shots (occupying about 135 minutes of footage), with 800 of them being solely dedicated to G.One's suit alone, thus exceeding the total amount of shots that was used in the 2009 Hollywood film Avatar.[12] Khan later singled out one process, explaining that it took nearly six days (137 hours) to create a single frame shot of glass flying on his character.[45] Keitan Yadav notes: "There is no software or technique in the industry that we have not used for this film. For 3D, we have used software like Maya, Houdini and Macs. For composites, we have used Nuke and Shake. We have even written our own programmes. We programmed certain things rather than doing them manually."[12]

The film's visual effects have generated massive curiosity among moviegoers, film distributors and critics, and have been labelled as "the best India has ever seen [and] on par with Hollywood".[6][46] Hingorani stated that "60% of the film is visual effects. There are 37 sequences in all, and they were considerably difficult and time-consuming."[40] Jeff Kleiser commented that the most challenging part of Ra.One was creating the cubic transformations for the lead characters.[40] It was later found out that the incorporation of visual effects was the main reason behind the increased time for post-production.[36] The final batch of visual effects were delivered a week before the scheduled release. As a result, the crew had only two days to complete the film and send it for printing, further increasing anxiety regarding the film's release.[47]

Soundtrack

Main article: Ra.One (soundtrack)

The soundtrack of Ra.One, release by T-Series on 12 September 2011, was composed by Vishal-Shekhar with lyrics penned by Atahar Panchi, Vishal Dadlani and Kumaar.[48] Director Anubhav Sinha announced that R&B singer Akon would be recording two songs for the film whilst the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra would also be making a contribution.[48] The makers of the film have complied with international copyright laws and have obtained the license to use Ben E. King's "Stand By Me", on which they have based the song "Dildaara".[48] The album features fifteen tracks, including seven original songs, four remixes, three instrumentals and an international version of "Chammak Challo".[48] Subsequently, the Tamil and Telugu versions of the film's soundtrack were released on 10 October 2011 featuring six tracks each.[49]

Marketing

Pre-release revenue

In March 2011, it was announced that the television broadcasting rights for Ra.One had been sold to Star India for a then-record sum of ₹40 crore (US$4.8 million), surpassing the previous record set by 3 Idiots (2009) for ₹33 crore (US$4.0 million).[10] The film's music rights were bought by T-Series for ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million) whilst the distribution rights were acquired by Eros Entertainment for ₹77 crore (US$9.2 million).[3] The distribution rights for the film in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were bagged by Abirami Ramanathan for a reportedly record, but undisclosed price.[50] Ra.One set a new record for total pre-release revenue earned, netting ₹132 crore (US$16 million) and surpassed the previous record held by 3 Idiots, which had netted ₹85 crore (US$10 million).[51]

Promotions

File:Khan promoting Ra.One film in association with MacDonalds.jpg
Khan promoting the Ra.One Happy Meal from McDonald's.

The producers of Ra.One set a record marketing budget of around ₹52 crore (US$6.2 million), of which ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million) was used for online promotion, making it the highest ever for a Bollywood film.[52][53] Often described as the "longest promotion in Bollywood history", as well as "the most comprehensive and all-pervasive among people's lives",[46] the term "promotional blitzkrieg" has often been used in connotation with the project's extensive marketing campaign.[54]

Promotion of the film officially began as early as December 2010 when the first poster was published in all leading news papers across the country.[15] The film's first look was later unveiled by Khan on his Twitter page on January 1, 2011.[46] Several months later, director Anubhav Sinha announced that he would be launching two teaser trailers of the film during the 2011 Cricket World Cup, a prior nine months before the film's actual release date.[55] Asked about why he was launching the film's trailer so early, Sinha commented, "Ra.One is not a Bollywood film that [the audiences] have seen before. The kind of size and magnitude that the film has requires it to be slowly introduced to the audience and that is the very purpose why we are starting the whole communication so early."[55] The film's first theatrical trailer was released three months later to the public. As a way to promote the theatrical trailer, Khan was accompanied by the director on a five city tour, which included such places like Delhi, Chandigarh, Indore and Ahmedabad.[46] During the same event, a 3600 ft long fan mail collecting audience wishes and messages for the film was also launched.[46]

On 3 June 2011, the official website of the film was hacked by suspected Pakistani cyber criminals who stated that the act was a form of revenge to a similar attack on a Karachi press club website, three days after the launch of the page. They also left a note threatening the Indian Press Club, defacing the homepage.[56] In early September, Red Chillies Entertainment (RCE) launched a sizeable viral marketing campaign for promoting the film more effectively in the online arena.[57] The company launched the official customized Ra.One channel of the film on YouTube (a first for an Indian film) where several song and theatrical promos were released to the public, along with videos of the film's making, events and uncut footage.[46] The channel also hosts games, including the first social game from India, and contests where participants can create promos from clips, music and dialogues of the film.[58]

"My last strategy was that I do not want any one to know what the bad guy looks like. You see it in the film. The film is called Ra.One but no one knows what [he] looks like. Last week before the film releases, we will let everyone know what he looks like. It is not going to shake the earth, but all the facets are being revealed as a picture puzzle being peeled off."[15]

—Khan talking about the promotional strategy regarding the look of the villain, "Ra.One"

In addition to YouTube, Khan announced that the film would also subsidize through major brand ties-up worth over ₹52 crore (US$6.2 million),[53][46] some of which included the Formula One races, Nokia, Godrej Consumer Products, Coca-Cola, HCL,[59] Horlicks, HomeShop18[60] and multiple live chats conducted on Google Plus for which Khan became the first Indian film personality to utilize.[61] Three weeks before the film's release, a mass media campaign was launched by Western Union for international promotions. Encompassing platforms such as the radio, television, print media and outdoor advertising, it was launched in the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific as a way to connect with the millions of non-resident Indians across the world.[46] Co-producers and distributors of the film, Eros International, released an official statement stating that along with RCE, they have recovered a major portion of their investments through in-film branding, media endorsements, and other music and satellite rights.[53]

The look of the film's titular character, Ra.One, portrayed by Rampal, was heavily guarded and kept under strict wraps, with the entire filming unit required to keep mobile phones away from shooting locations, and signing non-disclosure agreements.[62] The first look of the character was initially scheduled to be revealed on the eve of Dussehra. According to the producers, the time was chosen to show the symbolism between Ra.One and the mythological villain Ravana (of the Ramayana), both of whom are supposedly "equally bad".[63] Due to certain technical glitches, it was later revealed in the film's final theatrical trailer to a positive response.[64] Commenting on the response to his look in the film, Rampal noted: "The response has been phenomenal. People have liked my look. I am glad I have not disappointed anyone as there was so much anticipation for the film. I was petrified initially, wondering if my look would be appreciated and accepted. But it has been worth the wait."[65]

Video games

Shahrukh Khan launches 'G.One' - Nvidia GEFORCE GTX 560Ti graphic card.

In July, Red Chillies Entertainment declared a tie-up with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to build a full cycle game of the film on PlayStation.[66] Released on October 5 at an event in Mumbai, "Ra.One - The Game" offers more than 20 game environments, features original voice-overs from the actors and is available on PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3; the former being available for the Indian market and the latter for the international market. Khan volunteered to write the game script, dub for the game, and even oversaw the entire technical development. The project boasts of a series of firsts: a first full cycle PlayStation 3 blu-ray disc game developed with an Indian developer; first console game to be dubbed by a leading Bollywood actor and also the first Bollywood title to appear in a full cycle video game.[67]

SCEE has invested around ₹4.5 crore (US$540,000) to license the Ra.One IP and an additional ₹3 crore (US$360,000) in the marketing and promotions of the game, which includes offline promotions and television advertisements of nearly 250 ad spots.[68] At the time of its launch, 21,000 game consoles were sold and 100,000 units are expected to be sold across India alone.[68] On October 14, a gaming tournament titled "The Ra.One Nvidia GeForce lan" was held in Mumbai. The event, which hosted over 1000 gamers competing against each other, featured several popular games such as FIFA, Counter-Strike and Call of Duty, and was telecast live on YouTube, showcasing digital innovation by means of live interactive contests, puzzles etc.[69]

In addition to launching the video game, Red Chillies also collaborated with UTV Indiagames to design a social game based on the film named the Ra.One Genesis.[70] The game reached the No. 1 position on the iTunes store within 24 hours of its launch, becoming the first ever Bollywood movie app to be top-featured on iPhone and iPad.[71] It also became the most downloaded game in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Malaysia within 24 hours of being launched.[72] An investment of around ₹4.5 crore (US$540,000), the storyline of the game is not borrowed from or similar to that of the movie though it is based on the character of G.One. The game was launched across platforms like mobiles, tablet PCs, the direct-to-home platform and social networking sites like Facebook.[70] According to the company's digital and new media head Shailja Gupta, the idea behind the digital marketing is to create a franchisee for Ra.One. She explained, "Social gaming is just one part of the digit marketing strategy. The unique part of the social game is the integration of merchandise and gaming."[70]

Merchandise and comics

As a way to promote the film and increase its franchising business, Shahrukh Khan tied up with Seventymm to market a variety of merchandises related to the film.[73] Products included original G.One tee shirts, coffee mugs, wrist bands, watches, mobile pouches, video cameras, as well as many other things. Similar products were also available for purchase on the official G.One online store, which was launched alongside the film's official website.[74] 90% of the 400,000 stationery items and toys were sold in 15 days and an additional 100,000 were ordered. The makers spent ₹1.5 crore (US$180,000) on the mold for the G.One action figure.[72] In addition to this, a jewelery line inspired by the symbol of "Ra.One",[52] as well as a series of HCL laptops with customized integrated Ra.One skin[59] were also made available to the public. Moreover, Red Chillies Entertainment collaborated with UTV Indiagames to develop digital comics based on the film's characters. Written by Khan, the comic featured weekly episodes and served as a prequel to the events happening in the movie.[6]

Release

During the period of October 24 - 26, Ra.One had its international premieres in three cities: Dubai, London and Toronto, all of which were chosen keeping in mind their large international significance, as well as the presence of large South Asian populations.[75]

The film's first international premiere was held in Dubai on 24 October 2011 at the Grand Cinemas, Wafi, along with co-stars Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal, followed by a high-profile dinner and charity auction, where Khan had raised K.D 30,000 for building a workshop for children with special needs.[7][76] The premiere is notably first Indian film to sell tickets for its shows, as well as to have three simultaneous screenings for the event. The London premiere of the film took place at the O2 Cineworld the following day, while the Toronto premiere took place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on 26 October.[77] Due to a conflict with Kapoor's scheduled appearance at Madame Tussauds, it was later announced that the actress would not be attending the film's premiere in Toronto.[78]

Following up to its release, Ra.One surpassed several records among Indian films for the volume of theatrical release in India and worldwide. Nationally, the film released in 3,500 screens, breaking the record of Bodyguard (2011), which released in 2,700 screens.[8] Overseas, it is currently expected to release in around 1,500 screens in 904 prints, with 600 screens in Germany, 300 screens in South Korea, 25 prints in Taiwan and New Zealand, 75 prints in Russia,[8][79] 79 prints in the Middle East,[7] 344 prints in USA, 51 prints in Australia, 202 prints in the UK and 49 prints in Canada.[80] In case the partnership deal is successful, the film will also release in China with 1,000 prints.[81] Moreover, Ra.One 3D version released in 550 selected screens around the world.[8] The dubbed versions have released in 250 screens across south India.[82] The film's release has also been noted for its wide use of digital prints, as an effort to bring down distribution costs, release the film to a wider audience and also reduce piracy.[81] A week prior to its release, multiplex owners across India decided to allot the project with 95% of the total available screen space.[83] The film also faced some uncertainty concerning the release of 3D version on time. However, Khan clarified that 3D version will be released on the set date, in the microblogging site Twitter.[84]

Censorship ratings

On 14 October, Ra.One was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification to receive an official rating. Upon submitting the script, the Board showed strong objections to the film's action scenes as they felt that it would influence young children into emulating them. After much deliberation, the film was passed with a 'U' certificate without any cuts, but only under the condition that it would display prominent disclaimers stating that the stunts should not be imitated and were computer-generated.[85]

Controversy

Days before its release, Ra.One attracted media attention when script-writer Yash Patnaik claimed that the film resembled a concept that he had developed several years back. Patnaik subsequently moved his appeal to the Bombay High Court, pleading for a stay in the film's release until he was given due credit or 10% of the film's overall profit.[1] The court, observing the prima facie evidence that there had been copyright violations, asked the filmmakers to deposit ₹1 crore (US$120,000) on 21 October with the court before releasing the film.[86] However, challenging the court decision, Patnaik lately had demanded the producers to give him credit and not cash.[86] Sinha, on the other hand, claimed that he had developed the film's story.[87]

Reception

Critical reception

Upon release, Ra.One received mixed to positive reviews from critics,[88] with film reviewers separated into two factions. Some reviewers were of the opinion that the film had brought the level of Indian films at par with Hollywood films, while others complained about the flawed script.[89][90] According to review aggregator Review Gang, professional critics have given the film an average rating of 5.5 out of 10.[91] Rotten Tomatoes, a website specializing in consolidating review data, gave the film an 88% rating, certified fresh.[92]

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film a score of 4.5 out of 5 and said, "Ra.One is the most ambitious, most expensive and the most technologically complex Hindi film ever made. It pushes the envelope further ... It is a film that will rewrite the textbook of computer graphics in Hindi cinema. At the same time, it is very Indian at heart."[93] Khalid Mohamed from Deccan Chronicle gave it 4 out of 5 stars, concluding, "Here’s a technical accomplishment with as much heart as hardware".[94] Manjari Saxena of Gulf News also gave the film a positive review, awarding it 4 stars out of 5 and writing that it is "a fun movie to catch and will definitely run full house during the Diwali weekend."[95] International Business Times particularly praised the performance of Shahrukh Khan and stated that the chemistry between him and his son, played by Armaan Verma, dazzles throughout the film: "He [Khan] is wonderful as always. He fits into the role superbly .... His chemistry with his son Prateek in the film is wonderful ... Ra.One is an excellent superhero film; a complete entertainer."[96] Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5, mentioning that the film is " Ra-One is sure to usher in a crackling Diwali at the box office and give the audience paisa vasool entertainment, with fine performances by both Shah Rukh and Kareena. Even young Armaan is efficient. Go have a blast. ".[97] Rachit Gupta of Filmfare gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, saying "Ra.One is an enjoyable sci-fi and CGI fiesta that will transport you to a world of kooky fantasy and video game heroes."[98] K.K. Rai of Stardust gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars as well, commenting that, "Ra.One is a visual treat with top notch computer graphics and other use of high-tech gadgetry. It is certainly better than anything Bollywood has offered so far, and is more in consonance with standards of Hollywood. Anubhav’s execution of the screenplay is perfect, and pacing most suitable to the genre of the flick."[99] Komal Nahta of Koimoi.com also gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising the performances by the lead actors but adding that the story (based on gaming and technology) would be difficult for the older generation to comprehend.[100] The Indo-Asian News Network also gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars stating that, "It is still probably one of the classiest movies seen in the Hindi film industry and a feather in Anubhav's hat."[101] Daily Bhaskar gave it 3 out of 5 stars, pointing out that "Ra.One is surely crafted as a kids’ entertainer, The movie is a joyful cinematic experience for game enthusiasts."[102] Kaveri Bamzai of India Today gave the film 3.5 stars out of 5, noting, "Welcome to a movie as a gigantic open house.This is film-making not so much as noble passion but as grand indulgence, not so much as a marathon magic show but as an event to be managed."[103] Soumyadipta Banerjee of DNA India gave the film 3.5 stars, saying "The real story is the way the film is carried forward and the special effects. It’s worth a worth. It might be not be a good idea to watch it for the second time around though."[104] Aniruddha Guha of DNA India gave it 3 stars and said "RaOne is beautiful in appearance, but empty within. Which is a pity. Anubhav could have really made a mark with this one."[105] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, saying "RA.One packs in just about everything under the sun and the moon so that the paying public goes home feeling they haven’t been shortchanged. It trundles along all right but never quite hits the high roads."[106] Gaurav Malani from The Economic Times gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, remarking "Though the sci-fi concept seems too far-fetched, the director is able to pull it off with visual dazzlery and fast-paced storytelling that the genre demands. The action sequences are thrillingly and credibly choreographed."[107] Oneindia.in gave the film a positive review as well, saying "The movie surely goes beyond everyone's imagination. Besides raising the bar for Hindi films, the flick also appeals to the universal audience [...] Shahrukh Khan's stellar performance is the major attraction of the film".[108]

Overseas, the film received positive reviews. Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a favorable review, adding: "India’s first attempt at a superhero movie is both vigorous and emotionally fulfilling within the context of Bollywood traditions." [109] Rubina A. Khan from The First Post praised the film as a whole, stating that "Anubhav Sinha, the director of the film, has done a marvelous job in the action sequences [...] The emotional scenes, too are very engaging — despite all the digital wizardry going on in the film."[110] J Hurtado of Twitch gave the film a positive review, saying "Ra.One is a stunning action film, with stunts that would hold up with the best of any Hollywood action film. [...] All of the emotion that the film delivers serves the story both in terms of plot development and theme, and it is very seldom gratuitous. [It is] a supremely entertaining action adventure that should be able to cross language lines and find fans in any community."[111] The New York Times featured a news article about the film on the New York edition on next day of it's release, highlighting "Ra.One is a kind of entertainment machine set to dazzle, Hindi cinema with a crush on high-tech."[112] Kevin Thomas of Los Angeles Times said, "Ra.One is Bollywood at its best. It has energy, spectacle and humor, song and dance, but razzle-dazzle special effects and action stunts never overwhelm its story of enduring love that unfolds amid an intricate and inspired sci-fi odyssey".[113] Joe Neumaier from New York Daily News gave the film 4 stars, describing it as "widely entertaining"[114] Andrew O'Hehir from Salon wrote, "From dazzling dance numbers to post-"Matrix" action, "RA. One" showcases Bollywood's confidence."[115]

The film did receive some negative reviews as well. Mayank Shekhar from Hindustan Times gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, wrote, "Neither here nor there, everything appears so visibly constructed and all over the place that you can look through the wires, rather than blend in with the experience."[116] Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, praising Khan's performance but arguing that, "while this superhero film has plenty sound and fury, it's sorely lacking slickness."[117] Aseem Chhabra of Rediff.com criticised the film for its "muddled script" and gave it 2 out of 5 stars, stating "There are video games that kids play, but then they shut them off, after they win or lose. Finally, Ra.One has a similar forgettable quality."[118] Rediff reviewers Raja Sen and Abhishek Mande gave the film 1.5 and 2 stars out of 5 respectively, while Sukanya Verma argued that "The 3D version of Ra.One has nothing extra to offer."[119][120] Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Reuters gave the film a negative review for being "less of a movie and more of a product that is tailor-made to audiences looking for a Diwali movie."[121] Kunal Guha of Yahoo! Movies panned the film, saying that "Ra.One does what no other sci-fi movie has done before: it mocks itself. It's convenient to say that if you have no expectations from the film, you wouldn't be disappointed."[122] Shubha Shetty-Shah of Mid-Day gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, saying "Ra.One manages to stumble and falter, in spite of all the crutches that it has been provided with. [Its] a revolting khichdi of sorts. The extra half star is for the visual effects and for that intention to make it king size."[123] Zee News said that "The film has its moments but they are far and few in between. Some of the scenes are surely entertaining but when one goes to watch a SRK film, one hopes to be entertained throughout, and sadly RA.One fails to do so."[124] Sanjukta Sharma of Mint argued that the film is a "haphazard medley of Iron Man, The Matrix, Superman, Terminator 2 and age-old disappearing and levitating acts we’ve seen over and over again in no-brainer Rajnikanth blockbusters ... Anubhav Sinha’s Ra.One is a spectacular disappointment."[125] The Mumbai Mirror rated the film 2 out of a 5 stars, appraising the action sequences but criticizing the writing.[126] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2 stars and said that "Ra.One is a superstarry slurry sludge, with just the occasional consolatory sparkle."[127] The Wall Street Journal wrote that "Ra.One diasappoints [...] there is probably a good chance that you, too, will either have seen this movie already or will see it in the coming days. But at least you’ve been warned".[128]

Box office

Ra.One saw a record 70-100% occupancy levels all over India, with full houses in many multiplexes. The lesser-than-expected occupancy level was mainly due to the effect of Diwali festivities, which took a toll on the evening shows. The morning opening was described "historic" by several trade analysts.[129][130] Generally, the 3D version of the film saw better occupancy levels than the 2D version.[131] Families and children comprised the major demographics of Ra.One's audience.

On the first day, Ra.One collected ₹14.63 crore (US$1.8 million) from the Hindi version[132] and an estimated ₹2 crore (US$240,000) from the Tamil and Telugu versions,[133] taking its all-India total to ₹16.63 crore (US$2.0 million). It set records for the biggest Diwali opening day ever by beating Golmaal 3 (₹8.72 crore),[134] The lesser total was attributed to a fall in evening collections, caused due to festive celebrations and pujas. However, on the second day, Ra.One set records throughout the nation by collecting ₹22.8 crore (US$2.7 million) in the Hindi version and hence surpassing the biggest single-day record in India held by Bodyguard.[135]

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