Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana picks up pace in third week after employing intelligence platform for its promotions
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; December 1, 2017)

"Would you and I ever be able to decipher that there's a strong correlation between fans of Rajkummar Rao and those of [American rapper] Jaden Smith," questions Akash Bhatia, in what appears to be an obvious negation. The man behind artificial intelligence platform Infinite Analytics is responsible for the notable success that Rao-starrer Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana has garnered in its third week of release, with the makers celebrating the recent request for 100 additional screens across India.

MIT tech wizard Bhatia is among the first to use the AI technology for Bollywood. Using a series of personality traits as reference to figure if the audience member will display an interest in watching the film, the platform enabled the makers to ensure that the trailer reached the right eyes. Director Ratnaa Sinha is only happy with the results.

"Receiving a request for hundred additional screenings in the third week is unheard of. In the first week, we were unable to bag any prime time shows, which affected the collections. While in the second week the competition stiffened due to other releases, the positive word of mouth increased interest. As a result, the third week was even better," she says. After having struggled to procure screenings during the coveted late-night hours, Sinha says most of her shows have now been slotted for those durations. The accomplishment, she is certain, can be credited to the use of the AI platform, owing to which the film's trailer hit five million views on Facebook. "Users saw the trailer, watched the film and spoke well about it. That made us realise that the film was indeed reaching the right audience through to AI."

Highlighting how the system works, Bhatia points towards a platform that analyses multiple facets of human behaviour. "We were shown the film during the editing, and made notes of the elements that might pique interest — like the anti-dowry plot or the use of fabric," he says, as Sinha adds, "The team even analysed how many people like the colour pink, since, in my film, the female actor wears the shade often at her lover's behest." That the film has an appreciable IMDB score of 8.4, placing it alongside Aamir Khan's Secret Superstar, is testimony that the trailer reached people who later showcased interest, Bhatia says.