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It’s pretty much a known fact that the best way to promote a product or service is to get it endorsed by celebrities. So whether it’s Paris Hilton endorsing an anti-alcohol campaign or Robert Downey Jr. on a “Just-say-NO!” campaign, brand-power will rule! However, and thankfully, we’re talking a little closer to home. And of course, at home nothing is bigger, badder and bling’ier than Bollywood.
After the failed attempts of Yuvraj Singh and Akshay Kumar to make the Xbox 360 a household name (yes – most people still think that the PS2 is the latest gaming console), the Xbox 360 is now a prominent feature in some of the latest Bollywood movies! I recently had the opportunity to see this in 2 movies to smack audiences in the face, in recent times – the abysmal turd called LoveStory 2050 and then Bachna Ae Haseeno, both clearly featuring the Xbox 360 console and games (although the concept of gaming in 2050 was as boring and uninspired as the movie itself).
While watching a gaming console in a Bollywood flick has a certain excitement borne from familiarity (I remember this movie where Amrish Puri’s playing on his NES), it also really highlights a few important issues that scream to the world of our ignorance about gaming.
Case in point - 2050 (puke!) has this annoying scene where Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja are playing a match of (hold your breath) Mortal “C”-ombat! Over the shitty effects and the lovely Miss Chopra’s annoying screeching, it’s easy to miss the finer details. However, true believers will notice the rack of 360’s hooked up to produce the awesome power required to render the horse shit passed off as a virtual reality simulation. Kinda leaves a gaping hole… A hole that quite simply says: the Xbox 360 is the future. However, NO further console developments will be made because it will take a few dozen 360’s to be linked up to keep up with the need to immerse. Oh – and also that the PS3 is officially extinct! Subliminal imagery or plain old stupidity – go figure!
Bachna ae Hasseeno was much better anyways, compared to that shit. But it had its share of ignorant and brazen Xbox 360 flaunting. Our dude was the lead developer or whatever for Halo 3 and even exclaims that the Flamethrower is the best weapon ever! Even the charming Deepika can’t stop talking about how Xbox Live is Jesus and how it can change the world. However, what got me a little bummed was the place where Ranbir shows off his game collection of BioShock, Project Gotham Racing 4 and Halo 3 to the little kid (who’s apparently no older than 7 or 8!).
What I’m getting to here (without trying to give away the plot), is that there’s a few things that obviously haven’t been thought through the rush to increase revenue and skinny dip in sponsorship:
- - BioShock and Halo 3 for a 7 year old! Really? Hasn’t anyone heard of something called the ESRB or PEGI? He’s a fucking developer for crying out loud!
- Talks about how great Xbox Live is at the Halo 3 launch party! In Oz? Please! The movie was set in 2007 and Oz got Live in 2003! So again – why is everyone getting all “oohh” and “Aah” again?
- If the scene was to show a Halo 3 launch party, how come there was nothing Halo 3-ish about it? I mean – VJ’s been to a Halo 3 launch event here and it was a HELL of a lot better than this!
Anyways, the point behind the rant is not to be caustic or even a bitch. It’s quite simply this – if we do decide to promote gaming via Bollywood, it has to be done in a smarter way. Not in a way that shows gaming as a retarded way to kill time or distract your ex’s kids while you feel her up.
The promotions and messages within them need to be thought out and be more responsible. Games are rated for a reason. That rating is to ensure that Jack Thompson wannabes do not get paid or fed anything for years. It’s therefore no surprise when you see that the long line to pick up Grand Theft Auto IV is a whole bunch of 12 year olds who want to be the first in their class to have banged a hooker! If you’re promoting your product, you may as well do it responsibly.
The promotion has to be more community driven or in print/TV. No one watching a movie will really care if you’re playing Super Mario Bros on your GameBoy or Wii! The promotion needs to work well with the plot. And it needs to have a purpose. Right now, it’s pretty much in ‘filler’ mode and clearly, doesn’t get much else done – except show how desperate the creative teams are!
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September 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 am
Pretty lowkey article in all honesty.
Promotion of a games console in any form of cinema should be done correctly.Now that I think about it, i should have asked my friend to ask imraan Khan what games console he uses… damn!!!
September 24th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Bachna Ae Hassena was nothing more then a mockery of Indian Gaming Community… the Protagonist did only ridicule the whole gaming thingie…..
September 24th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
lol that’s for sure.
I mean some of the point in the article make sense, especially giving the kid those games when he si not even old enough to be playing them.
Regardless, both Bachna and Love Story were terrible films…
arg
September 24th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Well, it is a rant after all, and when you’re foaming at the mouth, there isnt usually much of a chance to make the plot tight