Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has shared his insights on the changing world of film marketing. He believes that promotional music videos are now becoming obsolete. In a recent tweet on September 20, 2025, Gupta, who pioneered special music videos for film promotions, reflected on the past and present of marketing strategies.
In his first tweet, he mentioned, “I was likely one of the first to create special music videos for my films. But times have changed. Back then, we relied on film and music channels for promotion. Now, flashy videos simply don’t impress audiences like they used to.”
He reiterated his point in a follow-up tweet, stating that a film’s success doesn’t hinge on music videos, no matter how appealing they might be. “Just like visits to malls don’t influence a film’s opening, fancy music videos won’t draw viewers to theaters. It’s all about the uniqueness of your trailer and its emotional connection,” he wrote.
Gupta has consistently highlighted that the true elements pulling audiences in are the movie’s story, trailer, and overall appeal, rather than extravagant promotion tactics.
After the release of his film Saiyaara, he commended the choice to limit the lead actors’ appearances in pre-release promotions. “Whoever decided to keep the lead pair from pre-release interviews at YRF is brilliant. They kept the excitement alive for the big screen. And it worked beautifully,” he posted on his X account.
He also expressed concern over the increasing corporatization of film marketing, noting that it disrupted the traditional film business. “The film industry was thriving until corporates tried to change the game, making mistakes along the way,” he commented, pointing out the negative impact of their approach to print and advertising costs.
Gupta praised the South Indian film industry for avoiding the pitfalls of heavy marketing, citing successful films like 12th Fail and Saiyaara, which had minimal promotional fuss but achieved great success straight to theaters. “Their approach has worked well – can we learn something from it?” he questioned.
