Top Story: More Controversy, More Publicity For Films!

Telugu film industry has started to lead Indian cinema when it comes to filmmaking and the box office prospect. And now an interesting new trend is emerging as the volume of the controversy generated by the film is directly resulting in enhanced publicity.

In today’s film industry, making a movie is no longer the toughest part. Taking it to the audience and grabbing their attention has become a bigger challenge.With so much content available everywhere, filmmakers are struggling to stay visible. As a result, production houses are spending huge amounts on promotions. But a few smart directors have found a shortcut. Controversy.

Instead of spending crores on publicity, they create situations that spark debates. A single poster, a teaser shot, or a bold scene is enough to trigger outrage on social media. What starts as criticism soon turns into massive online buzz. Even if the issue reaches police stations or women’s commissions, the film ends up getting free nationwide attention.

Directors like Ram Gopal Varma and Sandeep Reddy Vanga have mastered this approach. From Arjun Reddy to Animal, his films faced severe backlash for their content. Feminist groups, critics, and social media users attacked the films, but the discussions only made them more popular. Vanga never reacted much, believing that the more the controversy, the bigger the reach.The same strategy worked for Aditya Dhar’s Dhoorandhar. Political and nationalistic debates around the film only increased curiosity.

Recently, Spirit’s first look and Toxic’s teaser followed the same path. Criticism is no longer feared. It is being used as a marketing tool. This growing trend has surprised many and clearly shows how controversy has become the new publicity formula in cinema.