Nani’s Strategy: Smart Damage Control or Risky Gamble?

The Paradise awaits its trailer

The Paradise is entering the final stretch without one of the biggest weapons in big-film promotion: a trailer. At first, this may look like a promotional problem. But the makers may actually be protecting the film from a bad trailer.

A trailer can create hype, but it can also destroy it in a matter of minutes. A rushed cut can make a big film turn into troll material, while the wrong choice of scenes can reveal too much. The Raja Saab is a recent example where the trailer brought down the hype, forcing the makers to cut another release trailer. So, if the Paradise team did not have enough time to create a strong trailer, skipping it may be better than releasing a half-baked one.

The Paradise team already faltered with the teaser, which brought down some of the hype. In such a case, a bad trailer could create even more problems.

But there is one problem. Many feel The Paradise already has enough buzz to get a big opening. Still, audiences should never be taken for granted. A trailer could have generated more hype and shown viewers what kind of film they should actually expect.

However, the makers are reportedly keeping several surprises for the theatre experience. That could work in their favour. A trailer is mainly important for the first few shows. After that, word of mouth takes over, and nobody will remember the trailer if the film delivers.

This also puts more responsibility on Nani. Instead of depending on a trailer to sell the film, he now needs to plan a more aggressive and unusual promotional campaign.

So, no trailer means no chance of a weak trailer killing the film’s buzz, but it also means no opportunity to shape audience expectations. Ultimately, the film itself will have to be stronger than any promotional asset. If the content clicks, nobody will care whether a trailer was released or not.