In my last blog “Making of Brand Amitabh Bachchan”, I shared what marketers could learn from the process of building the brand Amitabh Bachchan. There were vital learnings in terms of how the brand was created using crowd sourcing of ideas.
Further to this blog, there is more on how the brand Amitabh Bachchan was built using a good understanding of people’s sentiments. In some of the most popular movies, Amitabh Bachchan played the character whose name was Vijay. Notable amongst them were Deewar, Zanjeer, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Hera Pheri, Don, The Great Gambler, Shaan, Shakthi, Shehensha and Agnipath amongst others.
In all these movies the plots were similar. The setting was similar. The drama around a family which came from a poor or even lower middle class background. There was unemployment and corruption all around. There was an active connivance of the corrupt politicians, self-seeking industrialists, bribe thirsty- police and the local mafia. The rest of the story is all about how the hero in the film, the character played by Amitabh Bachchan, Vijay (meaning victory), fights the ‘system’ meaning the unhealthy evil group of the above. In order to beat the system, Vijay has had to often resort to illegal methods like being a dacoit, smuggling and violence. But he is the quintessential Robin Hood – looting from the rich only to give it to the poor who have been wronged by the ‘system’. Vijay has to break the law, as the law cannot protect the poor in a corrupt land. Vijay is larger than life. A tall, strong and angry man, Vijay can battle ten people at the same time. He breaks into their den boldly and thrashes the bad boys and gets them booked.
These stories are remarkably similar to the economic-political situation prevailing at that time. In India, in the 1970’s – there was increased inflation with peaks like 25.4% (1974), 17.1% (1979) and 18.2% (1980). Unemployment was at all-time high. There was a general strike across many public sector companies and the Indian Railways, the world’s largest employer, creating unrest and uncertainty. In 1975, the government of the day imposed a state of Emergency suspending all media rights and arresting all leaders of opposition to cut-off any rebellion.
In this situation, the man on street was all but helpless. Vijay came as a silver lining in the cloud and helped them overcome all their trouble (atleast in the movies). Vijay a.k.a Amitabh Bachchan was born.
The movies were a runaway hits because they reflected the reality of the situation on the ground. But in addition to this reflection also helped them overcome this troubled situation, atleast for some time and in myth if not in reality. Again good illustrations of a product which ‘solved’ people’s problems!
