Hello! Welcome to the fourth blog post in my series, ‘Weekly Best in Movie Marketing‘. In this series, I highlight my favourite movie marketing initiatives from the week in my book. I also explain why they stand out to me.
In this article, I will discuss the online promotions for the Irish black comedy television series, ‘Bad Sisters‘ by ‘Apple TV’ and the upcoming Tamil-language movie, ‘Thug Life‘ by ‘Raaj Kamal Films International‘ (RKFI), as well as the on-the-ground on-brand activations for the American television series ‘Daredevil: Born Again‘ by ‘Disney+‘ and for the upcoming Tamil-language sports drama film, ‘Test‘ by ‘Netflix‘.
Promotion for the ‘greenest show on TV’ Online:
On St. Patrick’s Day i.e., March 17, 2025, Apple TV‘s social media channels shared a promotional video for the Irish series ‘Bad Sisters‘, dubbing it as ‘The greenest show on TV‘. Each frame of the video prominently features a bright green colour, honouring Ireland’s nickname, ‘Emerald Isle‘. I love the brilliance behind the idea and the effort put into executing it.
Watch the video below on the ‘X‘ channel of ‘Apple TV‘…
Impressive mural for the ‘Disney+‘ series, ‘Daredevil: Born Again‘:
‘Daredevil: Born Again‘ is the 13th television series in the ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe‘ (MCU), which premiered on Disney+ on March 4, 2025, with the release of its first two episodes. To promote the series, the streamer collaborated with the street artist, ‘Insane51’, creating a huge mural in Manchester city. This artwork showcases the series’ main characters, ‘Daredevil‘ and ‘Kingpin‘, in a unique ‘double exposure’ style, layering two images over one another. Daredevil’s image appears in red, while Kingpin’s photo shows up in blue. These primary colours, which are placed far apart on the colour wheel, symbolize the stark opposition between the two characters. Viewers can see the mural with the naked eye and through red and blue lenses, enabling them to experience three different perspectives.
The mural not only conveys a hidden meaning, but it also includes a tactile feature to allow people with visual impairments to engage with the art through touch. Visitors can experience the mural through sound by scanning a NaviLens code with their smartphones to access an audio description. This interactive experience was created in collaboration with the British charity, ‘Royal National Institute of Blind People‘ (RNIB).
On March 17, 2025, influencer KittysBlind from Manchester unveiled the mural. She has 550,000 followers on TikTok alone and was among the first to experience the tactile version of the mural.
Influencer ‘KittysBlind‘ while unveiling the mural (Pic Source)
I love two this activation for two aspects. One… I view the effort as a way to promote inclusivity. Two… The protagonist, Daredevil, is a blind lawyer. He possesses heightened senses, which align with one of the series’ core elements.
Imaginative billboard for the upcoming Netflix movie, ‘Test‘:
Netflix will premiere its Tamil-language sports drama ‘Test‘ on its streaming platform on April 4, 2025. To promote the film, the streamer has installed a creative billboard at Marina Beach in Chennai. I’ve always been a fan of Netflix’s imaginative billboards, such as the TARS-inspired billboard for ‘Interstellar‘. Another one I enjoyed was the ‘One Piece of Advice: Reach For Your Dreams‘ billboard for the series ‘One Piece‘. I’m excited more this time because an imaginative billboard has been installed in my neighbourhood for ‘Test‘.
The text on the billboard is particularly interesting; when viewed diagonally from the right, it reads ‘Herona Nallavara?‘ and when viewed diagonally from the left, it says ‘Kettavarna Villain-a‘. In ‘Google‘ search results, the meta description for the movie’s Netflix page shows: ‘The worlds of three ordinary people converge during a historic cricket match, ultimately forcing them to make life-altering decisions‘. Now, it’s quite evident that the clever advertising aligns perfectly with the movie’s theme. This makes me even more intrigued.
Watch the video from ‘Netflix India South‘ on the installation below…
Chennai, game time is almost here! Head over to Marina Beach with your friends and family to experience TEST today!
‘Raaj Kamal Films International‘ skilfully rides the wave of high-profile events for its upcoming movie, ‘Thug Life‘:
I have observed that ‘Raaj Kamal Films International’ (RKFI) excels in positioning and marketing films. I’ve blogged about RKFI‘s marketing efforts for ‘Vikram‘ and ‘Amaran‘. So, I can say that it’s uncommon for them to ride the wave of high-profile events in the process of promoting their movies. I also mean that they’ve done in the past. But the reason for the same was so convincingly intertwined with the related movie. When Vijay‘s film ‘The Greatest of All Time‘ was released in theatres last year, RKFI shared the below post on its social media channels.
Sivakarthikeyan made a cameo in ‘The GOAT‘, and at that time, the RKFI team was producing the venture ‘Amaran‘. RKFI seized this marketing opportunity for ‘Amaran‘ by showing its teaser alongside ‘The GOAT‘ in cinemas.
Now, with its upcoming theatrical release, ‘Thug Life‘ scheduled for theatrical release on June 5, 2025, RKFI has rode the wave with a couple of videos this week to promote the film. The events on which the videos are based are high-profile but entirely unrelated to the movie. However, RKFI skillfully connected the events to the film’s aspects.
The first video is unveiled as a congratulatory message to Sunita Williams on her successful return from space. Watch the video below to know how deftly RKFI has intertwined its message for ‘Thug Life‘…
The second video rides the wave of popularity of the Indian Premier League franchise, the ‘Chennai Super Kings‘, by drawing a parallel between Kamal Haasan and STR with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad. The cherry on top of the effort is that the video releases on the same day as the highly anticipated match between the two most successful teams in IPL history: the ‘Chennai Super Kings‘ and the ‘Mumbai Indians’.
Watch the video below…
Inside ‘Amaran’s’ Marketing: How Audiences Embranced the Movie
I watched ‘Amaran’ at PVR Sathyam in Royapettah during its second weekend after release, and the theatre was completely packed. When the movie’s title sequence began, there was heartfelt applause upon seeing Major Mukund Varadarajan’s photo displayed alongside some text. At that moment, I felt that the audience’s reaction reflected all the buzz and positive reviews the film had been receiving since its release. Upon deliberating about the buzz and response later, I also felt that the marketing strategy for the movie by Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI), Sony Pictures Films India and Turmeric Media had a big hand in generating such an enthusiastic response.
You know, Tamil Cinema doesn’t serve up biopics often. And when we do get one, the marketing usually focuses on all the behind-the-scenes stuff instead of the actual story being told. Take ‘Soorarai Pottru’ for example. It’s about Captain GR Gopinath, the person who started Air Deccan, a budget airline aimed at appealing to middle-class travellers. The movie is an inspirational and emotional drama, but I don’t remember its pre-release marketing materials emphasizing it enough. A couple of strategies were touching it upon albeit in a way the core idea being diluted. One was when 100 underprivileged kids were taken along with Suriya aboard a Spicejet Boeing 737 aircraft to launch the movie’s song, ‘Veyyon Silli’. Another strategy was a guerrilla marketing stunt, wherein a board featuring the autographs of thousands of Suriya’s fans for ‘Soorarai Pottru’ was fastened to an unmanned high-altitude balloon that seemed to have flown 35 km above the earth. Both attracted attention but did not emotionally make one connect with the movie’s core idea. I consider these strategies to have diluted the movie’s core idea because they put the movie’s lead star at the front instead of emphasizing the experience / the emotion that the movie will offer.
Now, coming back to Amaran. Tamil audiences embraced the movie like never before in recent memory. The emotional bonding started, grew well, and was firmly established mainly because of how the movie was positioned and marketed.
Setting expectations for the film featuring Sivakarthikeyan in the lead role:
When a Sivakarthikeyan movie is announced, audiences typically expect a blend of drama with plenty of fun and entertainment. The producers of ‘Amaran’ had made their intentions clear regarding the type of film they were creating with Sivakarthikeyan. This clarity has been evident in their marketing campaign so far.
The marketing campaign for the movie officially began with the announcement of ‘Netflix Pandigai 2024’. On January 17, during the Pongal 2024 celebrations, Netflix India revealed its line-up of nine films that will be part of the streaming platform’s licensed content for the year. Among these films is Amaran’, which was initially announced under the working title ‘SK21’.
The above post’s copy used words like “battle”, which captures the movie’s essence. This approach of selecting precise language to reflect what the movie offers has been consistent throughout all marketing content so far.
As a follow-up, a month later, on the eve of Sivakarthikeyan’s birthday, February 17th, the movie was titled ‘Amaran’, and its first look, showcasing Sivakarthikeyan’s muscular appearance, was released.
The beefed-up look was captivating at the time, as Sivakarthikeyan had never appeared in such a way before. Until then, unofficial content showcasing his unprecedented demeanour had been circulating online.
On the same date, Sivakarthikeyan announced on social media that he would be portraying the character Major Mukund Varadarajan in the film ‘Amaran’. This marked the first official announcement regarding his role in the movie.
I'm honored to have portrayed #MajorMukundVaradarajan. Get ready for the journey of courage and valour.
In this way, RKFI utilized the early stages of the pre-release marketing phase of ‘Amaran’ to communicate to the audience what type of Sivakarthikeyan film this would be.
On the occasion of Major Mukund Varadarajan’s 10th year of remembrance…
On the 10th anniversary of Major Mukund’s remembrance, which falls on April 25th, RKFI released a video titled ‘Saluting Major Mukund’. This video would have introduced him to new audiences while also helping others remember his legacy. It was a clever move by the team to incorporate the Indian cricket team’s 1983 World Cup victory as part of the video’s narrative.
Many prominent actors in Tamil cinema, who have substantial fan followings, often overlook the importance of announcing theatrical release dates well in advance. Even when they do announce these dates, they frequently fail to adhere to them. In contrast, RKFI demonstrated promptness with its planning for Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Amaran’.
On July 17, 2024, RKFI announced that the theatrical release date of ‘Amaran’ is October 31, 2024, which coincides with Deepavali.
He LOVED his COUNTRY He LIVED for his COUNTRY He FOUGHT for his COUNTRY _ JAI HIND 🇮🇳
— Raaj Kamal Films International (@RKFI) July 18, 2024
Content to market the fantastic and immersive action set pieces:
‘Amaran’ features fantastic and immersive action set pieces. After watching the movie, I understand why the creators released intriguing content for it. I find that the content serves as glimpses into the action sequences.
Here’s one such video…
After you watch the video, you can get to know Vishwaroopam’s soundtrack, ‘Anu Vidhaitha Boomiyile’ being used, and the context for its usage. ‘Vishwaroopam’ was also produced by RKFI. So, you understand the liberty in the song’s usage.
The video was re-shared on Independence Day i.e., August 15 along with a brand-new poster. Below is the post…
A post from RKFI on 11th September showcased Sivakarthikeyan dubbing for a key segment of the movie that precedes an adrenaline-pumping sequence leading to the interval.
A promotional piece that provides a glimpse into the heart of ‘Amaran’:
On 27th September, an important piece of marketing content was released by the filmmakers—a video titled ‘Heart of Amaran’. This marked a significant turning point in the movie’s pre-release marketing phase, generating much more interest in the film. The video introduces the character ‘Indhu Rebecca Verghese’, played by Sai Pallavi in ‘Amaran’. I can’t recall the last time I encountered such a soothing promotional clip. It carried the promise of a much higher quality product within Sivakarthikeyan’s filmography. Sai Pallavi’s screen presence was captivating, and I hoped her role would be substantial. Having watched the movie now, I can say I am not disappointed.
The score was an instant hit and was released on Spotify on 30th September 2024.
It has been a while since Tamil Cinema has seen spectacular events beyond the usual audio launches, meet-and-greet sessions, and success celebrations. The film ‘Amaran’ also held an audio launch, but its marketing campaign also featured an additional event titled ‘Amaran – An Introduction’. The team covered the event by producing bite-sized and succinct videos. They initially released each episode regularly by uploading them to the RKFI’s YouTube channel and sharing them on other social media platforms. Once they rolled out all the parts, they uploaded the complete episode to the channel.
This event marked one of the few marketing occasions for the movie in which Kamal Haasan participated. Additionally, it was the event where Indhu Rebecca Verghese officially joined the pre-release marketing phase of the film. Inviting her to participate in the event and involving her in the interactions was a brilliant move by RKFI. She was also a featured guest in the eight-part video series titled ‘Evolution of Amaran’, as well as at the star-studded audio launch held at Sairam Engineering College on 18th October 2024. The RKFI YouTube channel regularly uploaded the episodes of ‘Evolution of Amaran’, just like the videos from ‘Amaran – An Introduction’, and shared them on social media.
There was also a video that offered a glimpse into the lives of soldiers stationed at the border.
The Officers Training Academy proudly honours @Siva_Kartikeyan for his stellar portrayal of Major Mukund Varadarajan, a revered OTA alumnus, in the acclaimed #Amaran. The film’s special screening at OTA received massive applause from officers and cadets… pic.twitter.com/rEh9ogGoea
The core theme of ‘Amaran’ resonates deeply across India, and its execution stays true to this theme. So, politicians from various parties in Tamil Nadu took time to watch and appreciate the film.
It all began when the movie was watched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on the day before its theatrical release, 30th October 2024.
The list of politicians who also had watched and appreciated the team in person include, K. Selvaperunthagai (MLA and President of Tamil Nadu Congress party) and Seeman (Politician, actor, and former filmmaker).
RKFI was proud to announce that the people from army families from in and around Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhanagar district and Ranuvapettai, a village from Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district renowned for inspiring young recruits to join the Indian Army, watched the movie in theatres.
Celebrating Amaran in Rajapalayam!
The love for the nation lit up the big screen as #Amaran is celebrated in Rajapalayam!
Army families from in and around Rajapalayam have come together to watch this powerful story, finding a connection to their own loved ones who serve.… pic.twitter.com/zXKgnmCzGb
Team #Amaran Salutes Rannuvapettai#Rannuvapettai, a village renowned for inspiring young recruits to join the Indian Army, celebrated Amaran as one of their own.
K R M public school from Perambur, Chennai and Velammal Nexus school from Mogappair East, Chennai screened ‘Amaran’ as an educational movie for their students and NCC Cadets.
Hats off to #krmpublicschool for their remarkable gesture in supporting the Indian Army and screening #Amaran as an educational movie for their students and NCC cadets.
An initiative that truly inspires, educates, and spreads awareness.
Heartfelt salute to @VelammalNexus for their incredible support of the Indian Army and for organizing a special screening of Amaran as an educational movie to their students and especially for the NCC cadets!
Members of the film fraternity watched the movie and extended their wishes to the team. This included notable figures such as Rajinikanth, Sivakumar, Suriya, Prabhu, Jyothika, and Vikram Prabhu. The film was screened exclusively for the Tamil Nadu Film Directors Association. Celebrities like STR, Anirudh, Venkat Prabhu, Kalaippuli S. Thanu, K.E. Gnanavelraja of Studio Green, Archana Kalpathi, and Atlee took the time to share their congratulations on social media after watching the movie. RKFI was quick to capitalize on these timely opportunities to promote the film through their social media platforms.
Other notable marketing endeavours from the ‘Amaran’ team…
RKFI has made significant promotional efforts for their movie, including having Sivakarthikeyan appear on an episode of Bigg Boss Tamil. Additionally, Sivakarthikeyan, Sai Pallavi, and Director Rajkumar Periyasamy shared the stage with Nagarjuna in a Bigg Boss Telugu episode. The team participated in promotional events across India, including Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Cochin, and Hyderabad, as well as internationally in Dubai and Malaysia.
One of the key advantages of these events is that the movie team focuses on sharing information directly related to what the film intends to showcase.
‘Amaran’ is a film that does not feature any peppy dance numbers but instead boasts soulful songs, which is one of its greatest strengths. The Telugu version of the song ‘Hey Minnale’, titled ‘Hey Rangule’ was released by the Telugu actor Nithin.
‘Ananda Vikatan,’ a leading Tamil weekly magazine, released a special issue titled ‘Amaran Special’ on November 6th. This issue helped spread awareness about the movie beyond the confines of social media.
Digital billboards promoting ‘Amaran’ were installed at railway stations, bus stops, and airports in various Indian cities. Together, these ads garnered 1.7 billion views per day.
To add to the excitement, there was the trailer. Often, trailers set expectations that the movie fails to meet, but in the case of ‘Amaran,’ the film delivered on what the trailer promised. The trailer was released in five languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. RKFI enlisted big names such as Kamal Haasan, Aamir Khan, Shiva Rajkumar, Nani, and Tovino Thomas to launch the versions of the trailers in their respective languages.
In conclusion, ‘Amaran’ from RKFI, Sony Pictures Films India, and Turmeric India (Marketing) serve as an exemplary case study for the positioning and marketing of biopics.
