After Modi, meet ‘ghostly’ Anushka
This weekend, patrons at select multiplexes in Delhi and Mumbai could bump into the apparition of Shashi, the friendly ghost from Phillauri, Fox Star Studios’ next Bollywood offering. The studio will be using 3D holographic projection to engage with audiences and promote the film.
Phillauri, which releases in March 24, is co-produced by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Productions and Fox Star. Sharma is also the film’s lead actress.
Patrons at select cinemas will be able to interact with a 3D holographic projection of Sharma as her character, Shashi the friendly ghost. This is the first time a movie is using 3D hologram technology for promotions (not at press conferences) in India. In fact, the only other notable instance of the use of this technology was by Narendra Modi during the election campaign in 2014.
The prime minister, then a prime ministerial candidate, had created history by addressing multiple venues at the same time using 3D holographic projection. By the end of the campaign, he had addressed more than 800 venues in this fashion, and reached an estimated 14 million extra voters.
Shikha Kapoor, chief marketing officer, Fox Star, said, “We have a two-tiered strategy for promoting the film. First there’s the pairing of Anushka and Diljit (Dosanjh, who debuted in Bollywood with Udta Punjab last year), and then there is the aspect of the friendly ghost. The first part is fairly straightforward. For the second bit, we want to go beyond the traditional methods like promos and contests. We wanted to make it experience led and the holograph projection lends itself so seamlessly to this purpose.”