Beyond nostalgia: Can TV stars deliver big-screen success?

Popular TV show Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hain, for instance, is preparing for a theatrical outing, while streaming series Mirzapur, too, is being adapted into a film. The motive behind such spin-offs, entertainment industry experts say, is to play safe and bring familiar characters to the cinemas at a time when few films are working. While most movies have failed to set the box office on fire in recent times, producers are betting on established IPs (intellectual properties) to bring audiences back to the theatres.

The strategy, though, comes with its own risks. Taking every hit TV show to the big screen can potentially dilute brand value, especially if the films fail to take an interesting narrative detour, different from the original.

“At this point, it is wiser to rely on established ideas than come up with entirely original ones, because there is already awareness around these brands, so marketing spends are lower," said Vihaan Kohli, head of content at Edit II Productions, producers of Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hain.

There aren’t many examples of Indian TV shows making a successful transition to the silver screen, but the West has seen several such shows cross over to the big screen, the more popular ones being The Simpsons, Entourage or even Mission: Impossible, Kohli added.

Franchise adaptations

The first obvious outcome of cross-format migration is the extension of the life cycle of an established IP wherein viewers get to witness a familiar world, but in a new narrative form and setting, according to Simrean Bajwa, intellectual property lawyer and global partnerships lead at BITS Law School, Mumbai. “Building on accumulated fan loyalty, it allows the franchise an opportunity of not only potential merchandising but cross-platform marketing as well. Some of the challenges include narrative compression, as in, condensing long-form storytelling into a two-hour film, and franchise fatigue or overexposure, to name a few. When the viewers can make such transitions from one format to another, the experience can unfold in two distinct ways, either deepening their immersion in the story world or diluting the authenticity of beloved characters. In crux, the balance ultimately rests on narrative coherence and the quality of adaptation," Bajwa added.

To be sure, entertainment industry experts point out IP ownership usually depends on who created the original concept. Broadcasters often own the foundational rights, while streaming channels tend to safeguard the ecosystem and prefer direct involvement in spin-offs. Independent creators negotiate rights separately. In reality, it becomes a three-way negotiation between the producer, the platform and the broadcaster and the studio backing the film.

That said, there isn’t a huge tradition in India of shows making the leap to film. Anuja Bharadwaj, associate creative director at digital marketing agency BC Web Wise, said the first real pioneer was Khichdi: The Movie in 2010 that took a familiar TV world that people loved and turned it into a cinema event. That clearly worked and proved that a TV- born IP could survive outside of television.

However, with Chala Mussaddi… Office Office, based on the television series Office Office, the love on TV didn’t translate at the cinemas. “That reinforced a very important truth: nostalgia is not enough if the film version does not feel bigger or different," Bharadwaj pointed out.

Jitendra Hirawat, director at digital agency SoCheers, said that the biggest strength (of such spin-offs) is familiarity. “Audiences already know the characters, so the film begins with an emotional head start. The challenge is sameness. A film needs a narrative jump - something that the show could not take. If the film feels like an extended episode, it most definitely falls flat. But, when it raises the stakes and scale, the transition feels inevitable," he added.