ARRAMBAM – A SWOT ANALYSIS

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We are just 8 days away from the biggest movie event of the year – Arrambam. The buzz in the air is palpable and Ajith fans are making all possible arrangements to make the release of the movie, a huge spectacle in itself. Arrambam’s PR machinery is doing a very good job in revealing constant news updates, new stills and other titbits, interviews about the movie. As a result, the social media space is replete with all manner of Arrambam posts and updates. Countless likes, shares, comments and re-tweets are the order of the day.
To keep this fever running and at the same time take a more insightful look at Arrambam, let’s do a little SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and analyze the movie from various angles.

Strengths

• Obviously, the star power of Ajith and his action-packed avatar count as the biggest USP of Arrambam. The star is in top form on the evidence of the trailers, and his risky stunts (supervised by Hollywood masters) and salt ’n’ pepper demeanour are bound to be treats to his loyal followers.
   
• The return of the Billa team - Ajith, Vishnu and Yuvan has spelt good fortune for the movie from a business perspective and also in generating big buzz.
   
• Yuvan’s prowess at BGM scores is well-known and his work for the trailer was pulsating. Much more is expected from the movie’s BGM score.
   
• The movie has been shot extensively in Mumbai and Dubai and Om Prakash’s work behind the camera is expected to give the viewers an engaging experience, to say the least.
   
• Veteran producer A.M.Rathnam is back and his body of work is in itself, ample proof of his calibre and choice of projects. Arrambam may be another illustrious addition to this visionary producer’s CV which comprises much-loved movies such as Indian, Ghilli, 7G and Dhool to name a few.
   
• The star power in Arrambam packs a lot of muscle and not every release has the likes of Ajith (the king of opening), Nayanthara (the queen of opening), Arya (slowly but strongly becoming a bankable star at the box office), Taapsee and Rana. So many stars for the price of one ticket!
   
• The support cast is also equally heavyweight – Atul Kulkarni, Mahesh Manjrekar and Kishore. These actors would have surely invested all their might to make their roles memorable.
   
• The movie’s U certificate has opened it up to all sections of the audience and also the all-important entertainment tax exemption. Not to forget, unhindered telecasts on television.
   
• Arrambam is rumoured to be based on the 2008 Mumbai blasts and with Ajith’s character name Ashok, reminding us of the late Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Ashok Kamte, various theories about the movie’s plot are being discussed vigorously in the online space. The expectation meter is shooting up indeed.
   

Weaknesses

• The big prevailing hype may work against the movie and if the movie’s content doesn’t live up to its billing, like what happened with the hugely hyped Billa 2, the prospects of a lot of people in the trade would be affected.
   
• Like how Arya says in the trailer, the extensive presence of guns and action sequences, might not appeal to the family audiences. But, the U certificate is reassuring to an extent, that families would also enjoy the movie.
   
• Slick action thrillers such as Arrambam are generally not accepted with wide open arms beyond the urban centres. But Ajith’s mass following can help the movie seep into the interiors too.
   

Opportunities

• Ajith can establish himself in the Andhra market with the movie’s Telugu dubbed version, Aata Arambham. With the presence of a popular Telugu star such as Rana and also the universally popular Nayanthara, the Telugu version is also expected to take a decent opening. A.M.Rathnam knows the Andhra market inside-out and Ajith would be hoping for his first clean hit in Andhra, this time.
   
• The box-office in Tamil Nadu would be seeing Arrambam as their cash-cow this season.
   
• With record releases in overseas markets such as US, France and other nations, Ajith has the opportunity to wave his flag high beyond Indian shores too, provided the movie receives good appreciation from the audience.
   

Threats

• The monsoons in TN may play spoilsport for the movie’s box-office prospects in the state
   
• The other Diwali releases such as Azhaguraja, Krrish 3 and Pandianadu are expected to pose stiff competition to Arrambam. Whether Arrambam’s collections will reach the levels that are possible for a solo Ajith blockbuster such as Mankatha or Billa, has to be seen
   

Let’s end this one by saying Tick Tock Tick Tock in Thala style. The countdown is ON.