Let's come to the point pronto. Why has RAAVAN failed? What went wrong? In my individualistic opinion, RAAVAN has emerged a failure on two counts: Content and economics.
RAAVAN has faced rejection, that's the bitter truth. The content has come in for widespread criticism and if the writing is flawed, it gets difficult for any film to stand on its feet after the initial curiosity subsides. The exorbitant price is another factor that spelt doom for this keenly-anticipated film.
First KITES and now RAAVAN have made a big hole in the pocket of its investors. The business of RAAVAN has been falling fast and furiously since Monday and at several plexes/stations, the film is not expected to last more than 1 or 2 weeks, which is very, very sad for a film that carries the burden of a heavy price.
The debacle of RAAVAN will hit Mani Ratnan... not financially, though. Like Rakesh Roshan, Mani Ratnam has sold the film and recovered his investment, but the reputation takes a beating when a biggie falls flat on its face. But I'd like to add that Mani Ratnam continues to enjoy the reputation of being the dream director. And I'm more than confident that distributors would be more than enthusiastic to acquire the rights of his next film, the moment he announces it. He's a genius, no two opinions on that!
The failure of RAAVAN will harm Abhishek Bachchan the most. His solo attempts, after GURU, haven't worked at the ticket window [DELHI 6, DRONA and now RAAVAN] and if Abhishek wants to emerge a strong player in an industry that forgives but doesn't forget easily, he will have to prove his mettle in his forthcoming movies. Especially in solo hero projects.
