Why 'Less is More' in Film Marketing: The Secret Strategy Behind Dhurandhar 2's Hype

The Art of Underplaying a Blockbuster

In the world of Bollywood, where flashy promotions and star-studded events are the norm, Dhurandhar 2 is taking a different path. The sequel to the massively successful Dhurandhar: The Revenge has fans eagerly awaiting its release, but the marketing team is deliberately holding back. In an exclusive interview, film marketer Varun Gupta of Max Marketing defends this 'less is more' approach, arguing that for a highly anticipated film, sometimes the best strategy is to let the audience crave more.

Why Dhurandhar Needed a Different Approach

Varun Gupta's firm has handled marketing for blockbusters like Baahubali, RRR, Kalki 2898 AD, Jawan, and Animal. He explains that each film requires a unique strategy. For Dhurandhar, the plan was always to underplay it. "Even before the release of the film, we didn't go overboard with anything," he says. "We were underplaying. There were conversations about 'why are the promotions not going at the scale and level they are supposed to'."

He challenges the modern perception that 'boots on the ground' is the default mode for film marketing. "If the actors are not seen on the ground, people feel marketing is not happening. Sometimes, it is required; sometimes it is not. There is no thumb rule," Varun notes. For example, with RRR, they covered 6 cities in 3 days post-pandemic to bring audiences back to theaters. But for Dhurandhar, they opted for a content-first campaign focused on dignity and avoiding gimmicks.

Don't Kill the Excitement by Over-Delivering

As promotions for Dhurandhar 2 begin, similar questions about understated marketing are arising. Varun isn't concerned. "Sometimes the best strategy is not to come in the way of something that is very organic," he argues. "When something is already anticipated, don't kill the excitement by over-delivering or satisfying the viewer."

He uses a powerful analogy: "If you are hungry, I will only give you a starter and let you crave for the main course. If your stomach is filled and you are full till the neck, would you still buy the ticket on the first day? No!"

Building on Past Success Without Overconfidence

Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, grossed ₹1300 crore worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing Hindi film ever. It benefited from viral moments and chartbuster songs. Varun believes this goodwill will help Part 2, so marketing shouldn't go overboard. "Now, there is all the more reason we should not be going crazy. The first time we did it was a risk. Now it will obviously be a strategy," he says.

He emphasizes confidence over desperation: "We didn't try to be desperate then; we won't try to be desperate now. It's coming from the space of being confident of what you have, rather than being overconfident after the first one's success."

Dhurandhar 2, featuring R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and Akshaye Khanna in a cameo, is set to release in theaters on March 19.