INDIA: A Gujarati actor, Maulik Chauhan, who had two releases this year, Maunam and S2G2, joined us for a candid conversation about his journey in the Gujarati film industry, how movies can be marketed better, and the importance of perseverance for actors. “An artiste’s journey may be slow but if it is a steady one, it’s worth the experience,” says Maulik Chauhan, who has been in showbiz for over a decade.
The Bushirt T-Shirt actor adds, “Every artiste has their own journey. Some are successful in their first attempt, while others need to wait longer. One must keep working hard and improving their craft. I feel it’s my time now as an artiste. I am grateful that I am being offered exciting roles.”
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Maulik, who began his career by playing smaller roles in films like Wrong Side Raju and Thai Jashe!, emphasizes, “When I stepped into the industry, I had no qualms about doing small roles. I took every opportunity as a learning process and focused on bringing the character to life. I always sit with the writer and director to understand their vision.” He notes the increasing number of platforms giving artistes more opportunities and acknowledges the rise in brilliant content within the industry.
Discussing the marketing of films, Maulik states, “In the era of content going viral, a movie should attract the audience through its trailer, music, and dialogues. It needs to be talked about before it is released to pull audiences to the theatres.”
He advocates for a balanced approach, combining social media and traditional marketing strategies such as hoardings, posters, and promotional events. “Even today, hoardings, posters, word-of-mouth publicity, and promotional events play a big role. Some films don’t perform well at the box office because they are not marketed well or are released at the wrong time. We need a better marketing strategy.”
Maulik Chauhan’s Vision
Maulik, who will next be seen in Marutinandan, reflects on the lessons from past projects. “I have done good films that didn’t work at the box office. I immediately start analyzing what went wrong and how I can improve.”
He expresses his love for the filmmaking process, mentioning his experience as an assistant director and his aspirations to become a producer. He is also keen on exploring commercial films with action and dance sequences, a genre not widely seen in Gujarati cinema. “A movie that has romance, comedy, action, and suspense has everything.The film industry thrives on producing content that resonates deeply with audiences, allowing them to take pride in the stories they watch. However, creating such impactful content goes hand-in-hand with effective marketing strategies. Good content requires good marketing to reach its full potential, and in turn, good marketing demands high-quality content to promote. To achieve this synergy, there is a need to focus on refining scripts, enhancing overall production quality, and ensuring compelling presentation.By investing in these aspects, the industry can create films that are not only artistically significant but also widely appreciated and celebrated by audiences,” he says, hoping to bring a new dimension to regional cinema.
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