Creating a successful cultural product: interview with Raju Hirani

Abstract

The discipline of Management seeks to distinguish successes from failures, and then investigate the causes behind such successes and failures so that managers can make informed choices. However, making such distinctions in the case of cultural goods, such as movies, which are non-material, serve an aesthetic rather than utilitarian purpose and derive value from the subjective perceptions of consumers, is challenging. In this context, J Ramachandran and Sourav Mukherji spoke to Raju Hirani, who has directed three ‘super-hit’ Hindi films, to try and understand the reasons for his success in a highly unpredictable industry.

Since creative works, unlike scientific endeavours, are often inseparable from their creators, and are embedded in the creator's philosophy and perspective of life, the interview begins with Hirani's personal journey—his rejection of the stock ‘engineering’ option, his formal training in film making in the Film Institute, his formative days as an editor, his entry into direction as an ad-film maker and the eventual success of his films Munnabhai, its sequel Lageraho Munnabhai, and lately, 3 Idiots. In an industry where much depends on the successful balancing of the creative, marketing and organisational dimensions, and the leadership role is akin to that of a conductor of an orchestra, the interview explores how Hirani co-ordinates between his motley crew of ‘stars’ and technicians, and manages the vital relationship with his producers. We learn how star power influences distribution and that with corporatisation, the industry has departed from its earlier informal ways, and the business of film-making has become professional and streamlined.