Subhash K Jha (DNA; March 11, 2016)

It’s a first for Karan Johar. Never before has he showed such confidence in his cinema as he’s now showing for Kapoor & Sons.

For the first time in the history of Johar’s Dharma Productions, their film will have its first trial show for family and crew on Sunday, five days ahead of release. Not only that, Karan has planned to promote the film through his Kapoor buddies in the film industry by holding trials for them throughout the week leading up to the release on Friday.

Says a source from the film’s core team, “The industry is filled with Kapoors and Khans. And since Kapoor & Sons is a film about a family of Kapoors, Karan will show it to the entire Kapoor clan (descendants of Raj and Krishna Kapoor) in one show. Similarly, he will host one for his pal Ekta Kapoor’s parents Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor, their family and other relatives. A third screening will be held for Boney and Anil Kapoor and their families. Then there are the other lesser known Kapoors in Bollywood who will also be invited.”

It remains to be seen if this unique marketing strategy of using the surname that runs through a film, will pay off.