How Indian superstars' dubbing boosts Hollywood films' box office chances
The practice of using Indian superstars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Mahesh Babu to dub Hollywood films has been known to greatly enhance their market and box office potential in India. Trade experts say that such celebrity involvement can enhance the box office performance of Hollywood films by almost 40% in the Indian market. This is the strategy being used for Walt Disney's latest release, Mufasa: The Lion King.
Celebrity dubbing seen as part of marketing strategy
Rahul Puri, Managing Director of Mukta Arts and Mukta A2 Cinemas, told Mint that while celebrity dubbing may increase the overall costs of a Hollywood film by a few crores, it's often part of the marketing budget. "Having Khan on board also brings in the added advantage of him participating in marketing, doing media interactions and reaching out to a wider audience to enhance the potential and value of the film," he said.
'Names like him and Mahesh Babu help generate additional content'
Puri further elaborated that in a father-son story like Mufasa, the strategy of having Khan and his sons Aryan and AbRam could forge a connection with audiences during publicity. "Names like him and Mahesh Babu help generate additional content for print, digital and television media across the country and, hence, occupy greater mindshare than a regular Hollywood film," he added.
Celebrity dubbing has proven successful in the past
The last installment of The Lion King, released in 2019, also had Khan's voice and grossed over ₹150 crore at the Indian box office. Other animated titles like The Jungle Book, which earned ₹188 crore in 2016, have also reaped the benefits of celebrity dubs. "There is clearly an audience that is up for such strategies and can relate to the star power, even if it comes just via a voice," film producer Girish Johar said.
Celebrity dubbing: A win-win for both parties
Trade experts emphasize that although leading Indian film stars can demand ₹5-10 crore for dubbing assignments, the returns are generally good for the Hollywood studio seeking to localize its offerings. It's a win-win as actors also get to be associated with an international project and have a chance to remain relevant between their own local language releases. This strategy has worked well in Hollywood with names like Mike Myers being associated with Shrek.
