Ra.One

Ra.One
Teaser poster
Directed by	Anubhav Sinha
Written by	Anubhav Sinha Kanika Dhillon
Screenplay by	Anubhav Sinha Kanika Dhillon Mushtaq Sheikh David Benullo
Story by	Anubhav Sinha
Produced by	Gauri Khan
Starring	Shahrukh Khan Kareena Kapoor Armaan Verma Arjun Rampal
Cinematography	Nicola Pecorini V. Manikandan
Edited by	Sanjay Sharma Martin Walsh
Music by	Vishal-Shekhar
Production company	Red Chillies Entertainment
Distributed by	Eros International Ltd. Red Chillies Entertainment
Release dates	October 24, 2011 (2011-10-24) (Dubai) October 25, 2011 (2011-10-25) (London) October 26, 2011 (2011-10-26) (Toronto and worldwide)
Running time	156 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Ra.One is a 2011 Indian science fiction superhero film directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Armaan Verma, Arjun Rampal, Shahana Goswami and Tom Wu in pivotal roles. The story follows Shekhar Subramanium (Khan), a game designer who creates a motion sensor-based game in which the antagonist (Ra.One) is more powerful than the protagonist (G.One). The former escapes from the game's virtual world and enters the real world; his aim is to kill Lucifer, the game ID of Shekhar's son and the only player to have challenged Ra.One's power.

Ra.One originated as an idea Sinha got while watching a television commercial. He expanded it into a script, and approached an interested Khan with the story. Principal photography began in March 2010 and took place in India and the United Kingdom. The post-production involved 3-D conversion and the application of visual effects, the latter being recognised as a technological breakthrough among Indian films. With a budget of at least ₹125 crore (US$15 million), Ra.One was one of the most expensive Indian films at the time of release. A further ₹52 crore (US$6.2 million) was spent on the marketing, which included a nine-month publicity campaign, brand tie-ups, merchandise, video games and viral marketing.

The film, initially scheduled to release on June 3, 2011, was delayed by the extensive post-production. It also faced controversies involving plagiarism, content leaks and copyright challenges. Consequently, Ra.One was released on October 26, 2011, the beginning of the five-day Diwali weekend, in 2D, 3D and dubbed versions. Premieres were held in Dubai, London and Toronto between October 24 and 26. The film witnessed the largest international theatrical release for an Indian film as of 2011, and was preceded by high audience and commercial expectations.

Upon release, critics endorsed mixed opinions of the film, with general praise for the visuals and music, and criticism of the script and direction. Commercially, the film became the third highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2011 and broke a number of box office opening records. Box office website Box Office India deemed Ra.One a domestic "hit" and overseas "super hit".According to Komal Nahta,Ra.one is neither a hit nor a flop in India.Ra.One is a successful film but not big enough to be referred to as a hit because some distributors lost money. The film won numerous awards for technical aspects, notably one National Film Award, one Filmfare Award and four International Indian Film Academy Awards.

Plot

Shekhar Subramanium (Shahrukh Khan), a game designer who works for the London-based Barron Industries, has delivered a number of commercial failures; an irate Barron (Tahil) gives him his last chance to develop a truly successful game. In order to impress his sceptical son Prateek (Verma), and upon the request of his wife Sonia (Kapoor), Shekhar uses his son's idea that the antagonist should be more powerful than the protagonist. Shekhar's colleague, computer programmer Jenny (Goswami), uses his face as a model for that of the game's protagonist G.One (Good One), while the antagonist Ra.One (Random Access Version One) is made faceless. Another colleague, Akashi (Wu), implements the characters' movements. The game, named Ra.One, contains three levels, the final level being the only one in which either character can be killed. Each character possesses a special device H.A.R.T (Hertz Amplifying Resonance Transmitter) which gives them their powers. Upon reaching the last level, the characters gain a gun with one bullet; the other character can be killed by this bullet but only if his H.A.R.T is attached.

When Ra.One undergoes final tests, Akashi notices peculiarities but chooses to ignore them. When the game is officially launched, it receives a standing ovation from the audience; an enamoured Prateek insists on playing it immediately. He logs in under the ID Lucifer and proceeds to the second level, but is interrupted by Akashi. Ra.One, unable to end his turn with Lucifer and angry that a player has proceeded so far, becomes determined that Lucifer will die. He uses a wireless technology (which Jenny had demonstrated about in a conference) to enter the real world, a process which causes the mainframe to malfunction. Akashi informs Shekhar, who partially understands the situation and rushes home, fearing for his son's life. Meanwhile, Ra.One kills Akashi and assumes his form; he goes to find Lucifer, and meets Shekhar in the process. In an attempt to save his son, Shekhar claims that he is Lucifer, but his lie is exposed when Ra.One scans his identity card. Consequently, Ra.One kills Shekhar and makes it look like a car accident.

Sonia, devastated after Shekhar's death, tells Prateek that the family will return to India after Shekhar's funeral. A suspicious Prateek notices digital patterns on the fateful road and realises that Ra.One has come to life. He convinces Jenny when they see the destroyed game lab, and the latter tries to bring G.One into the real world. Ra.One chases the family on their way to the airport, but G.One enters the real world and causes a gas explosion which temporarily destroys Ra.One. G.One takes Ra.One's H.A.R.T. and accompanies the family to Mumbai after Sonia realises that she needs him. Subsequently, Ra.One returns to life, takes the form of a billboard model (Rampal), and tracks down G.One to Prateek's birthday party. He reaches the party, hypnotises Sonia and assumes her form to kidnap Prateek. Ra.One then instructs G.One to give him his H.A.R.T. back, and sends the real Sonia in a Mumbai Suburban Railway train. It crashes into the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, but G.One saves Sonia in time. He then returns to the virtual world to save Prateek. After a series of fights, both G.One and Ra.One reach the third level, the former left with little power. G.One tricks Ra.One into shooting him without his H.A.R.T. attached, leaving Ra.One helpless; furious, he creates ten copies of himself. Prateek, unable to differentiate the real Ra.One, asks G.One to quote Shekhar: "If you join the forces of evil, its shadows shall always follow you". The pair realise that only one of the ten Ra.Ones has a shadow: the original one. G.One shoots and destroys him, absorbs Ra.One's remains and disappears. Six months later, Prateek and Sonia return to London, where the former manages to restore G.One to the real world.

Cast

Main article: Cast of Ra.One

The major characters of Ra.One were essayed by protagonists Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor, and primary antagonist Arjun Rampal. Supporting roles were played by Tom Wu, Shahana Goswami and child artist Armaan Verma. The film featured cameo appearances by Rajnikanth, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra, the latter two being characters in a dream sequence. Additional minor roles were essayed by Dalip Tahil and Satish Shah, and an important voice-over was provided by Amitabh Bachchan. Khan performed both as the bumbling game designer Shekhar and the game's superhero G.One. The titular character Ra.One was enacted by three actors – Rampal, Wu and Kapoor, signifying the character's shape-shifting ability.

Khan was the first actor to be cast in the film, having been approached by Sinha. Three actors had initially been considered for the lead female role; Kapoor was chosen because she insisted on playing the part. Rampal accepted the primary negative role after Sinha expressed a strong desire for casting him in the film. Wu was contracted to the film in July 2010, and Goswami was cast one month later. Dutt was cast due to the requirement of portraying a specific character, and Bachchan agreed to be a part of the film after being requested by Khan and Sinha. Several cast members underwent physical preparation for their roles; Rampal and Kapoor lost weight for the film following special diets, and Verma learnt capoeira. Khan and Verma performed their own stunts, and Kapoor subsequently did so as well despite initial reluctance.

However, the cast and casting process did encounter problems during production. Khan faced difficulties with his superhero suit and prosthetic makeup, and injured his left knee. Rampal's casting choice was met with skepticism due to reportedly "questionable acting abilities," a statement Sinha refuted. In addition, Rampal encountered back problems, prompting speculation of a possible replacement by Vivek Oberoi, but he recuperated with medical treatment. Jackie Chan had been the initial choice for the role of Akashi, but he declined the offer. Rajnikanth suffered from health problems which caused a delay in the filming of his appearance, and Goswami faced difficulty in a song sequence due to her dress and dance steps. Dutt faced a scheduling conflict with Agneepath (2012), which was resolved.

Production

Development

"Ra.One is the modern, new age technology version of our mythological "Raavan," who was a mixture of ten different evil characters. I am essaying the role of G.One or better say "Jeevan," a superhero who saves the mankind from Ra.One's torment. Through this film, I want to prove that Indian superheroes can also be as cool as the international ones."

—Shahrukh Khan on Ra.One

According to director Anubhav Sinha, the idea of Ra.One originated while watching an advertisement on television which showed children controlling a human with a remote. He was attracted to the concept and started writing a script based on it. After finalising the story, Sinha approached Khan with the script. Liking it, Khan decided to act in the film and simultaneously serve as its producer. Sinha was apprehensive of retaining Khan's support for the film, as his prior directorial venture Cash (2007) became a commercial failure. However, he stated that Khan had been the "only person who had remained unchanged" after the dismal commercial performance of Cash. Sinha subsequently declared that he would not have approached anybody other than Khan with the film's script.

Khan said that the major reason for making Ra.One was to "make a film that gives me the right to deserve the iconic status that I’ve got for 20 years." He said that it had been his "childhood dream" to be a superhero and to fly. He also said that he wanted to make a film dedicated to the father-son relationship, as he felt that fathers were "neglected" in Bollywood. Sinha described Ra.One as less of a film and more of an "audacious dream." Both Khan and Sinha credited their children for providing encouragement and regular "approval" of the film's execution. Khan's home production house Red Chillies Entertainment continued to work on other projects before finalising the production aspects of Ra.One. After the release of My Name Is Khan (2010), the studio focused solely on Ra.One and did not take up any other films. Khan initially approached a number of directors to helm the film, including Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar, but they refused; eventually, Sinha was made the film's director.

Khan's idea was to make a simple family drama which expanded into an action film. He declined to make the film in English as he felt that "cracking Hollywood on their terms" was unnecessary. Subsequently, Kanika Dhillon, one of the film's screenwriters, scripted the defining dialogue of G.One: "Some superheroes wear a mask, this one wears a heart."

To prepare the film's premises and characterisation, Sinha spent several months viewing video clips, digital art portals and comic books. Additionally, Sinha and Khan watched around 200 superhero films from all over the world. The film's storyboarding was done by both Khan and storyboard artist Atul Chouthmal, who had been contracted to the film after he met Khan at Yash Raj Studios by chance. While he began work on the storyboards, the producers hired a storyboard artist from Hollywood. Chouthmal revealed that Khan and the other artist differed on their visions of the film, and so he was brought back. Prior to filming, Khan reportedly took tips from actor Kamal Hassan about the production of large-scale films, having been impressed by Hassan's Dasavathaaram (2008).

"I have always felt this – and even Alfred Hitchcock said that in a movie, which has a larger than life hero, the villain's role should be very strong. So, I [also] felt [that] if the villain looks good, the superhero will also look good."

—Shahrukh Khan, on the title of the film

The title of the film received significant media attention due to it being the name of the antagonist rather than the protagonist. The move was considered innovative, and noted as a sign of the "rising importance of the villain in Bollywood." However, there had been no plan regarding the title, and the film was ultimately named Ra.One because it "sounded cooler" than G.One. Khan was advised to name the film after his own character; he declined to do so, citing the relationship and inter-dependence between good and evil. He also called Alfred Hitchcock as his inspiration, and pointed out that the antagonists in films like Sholay, Mr. India and Sadak were better remembered than the protagonists.

Principal photography

Main article: Principal photography of Ra.One

The film's train terminus destruction sequence was compared to the railway accident at the Gare Montparnasse in 1895.

The principal photography of Ra.One was carried out by a crew comprising both Indian and overseas personnel. Nicola Pecorini was engaged as the director of photography, with V. Manikandan providing assistance. Andy Gill and Spiro Razatos were hired as the stunt supervisors, and Nino Pansini was hired as the stunt cinematographer. Sabu Cyril and Marcus Wookey were responsible for the film's production design. The film's producer was Bobby Chawla, but Gauri Khan later stepped in after the former suffered a brain haemorrhage. Production took place at a number of studios, notably Filmistan Studios, Film City and Yash Raj Studios in India and the Black Hangar Studios in the UK.

Filming was to begin in Miami, but the idea was abandoned due to budget constraints. The first filming schedule began in Goa on March 21, 2010 and continued until May. Production of the film's second and third phase took place in London with the entire cast, beginning in July 2010 and ending in August. The film's next production phase was split into two schedules; the first schedule commenced at Filmistan Studios in the first week of September 2010, while the second schedule began in December 2010 and took place over a seven-day period. The remaining portions were filmed in a schedule and completed in July 2011 at Film City. Filming continued until a few weeks prior to release, with a cameo appearance being filmed at Whistling Woods Studios in Mumbai. A music video was also filmed one week prior to release.

The film's principal photography involved a number of action sequences, which were filmed in real locations and in sets. In total, there were two car-based and one train-based action sequences, filmed in London and Mumbai. The film's cinematography borrowed ideas from video gaming, such as rapid transitions between first-person and third-person perspectives. A number of procedures including bullet time were incorporated in the film. Filming was noted for the large number of cameras used, ranging from nine cameras to as many as 36 cameras for a single sequence. The film's production design was closely associated with the lighting and cinematography so as to facilitate smooth filming. However, filming faced a number of difficulties including increasing costs, delays and safety constraints. In addition, differences between Khan and Sinha caused tensions on the sets.

Post-production

Main article: Post-production of Ra.One

The post-production of Ra.One involved a number of aspects such as stereoscopy, sound design, editing and visual effects. As with the filming crew, the post-production crew of the film included both Indian and overseas personnel. Sound designer Resul Pookutty was responsible for the film's sound design, with A. R. Rahman providing the background score for a single sequence. Prime Focus was responsible for the film's stereoscopic conversion, with London-based colorist Richard Fearon responsible for the color grading. Red Chillies VFX undertook the incorporation of the film's visual effects under the supervision of Jeffrey Kleiser, and partnered with a number of visual effects studios around the world to do so. Nvidia provided the information technology–based software utilised for the effects, while Edwark Quirk supervised over the Computer-generated imagery used in the film.

Kleiser (right) and Khan on the sets of Ra.One

The idea for the film's stereoscopic conversion was put forth during filming, and was implemented in July 2011 due to a revived interest in 3D films. The process required 2,600 artists to convert 4,400 shots of the film. The film's sound design involved bridging reality and the virtual world, and the required sound enhancements were achieved by using the Dolby Surround 7.1 system. The incorporation of the visual effects began in April 2010, and was preceded by extensive research. The film's special effects shots were incorporated by 1,200 artists who worked for 2½ years. A number of complex effects were executed, including cubical transformations and the design of the faceless form of Ra.One.

Despite precautions, post-production faced significant delays owing to the digital inter-mediation, increased work-load due to the 3D and dubbed versions of the film, and delays in the delivery of the visual effects. The post-production also faced budget constraints and witnessed an overuse of CGI according to the film's cinematographer. Only two days were available to finish the film and send it for printing, generating significant anxiety over a possible delay in the release. Khan subsequently kept strict tabs on the progress of work, and postponed his knee surgery so as to complete the film on time.

Costumes

G.One's costume prior to the addition of visual effects

The body suits worn by Khan and Rampal were designed by special effects experts Robert Kurtzman and Tim Flattery, and made by a team of specialists based in Los Angeles. Sinha spent around three months conceptualising the costumes, watching various superhero films so as to design a costume not created already. He then wrote a 23-page document with his sketches and details of what he wanted, and gave it to the designers to work upon. To create the mould of the suit, Khan was required to enter into a small chamber where a warm latex-like liquid was released up to his neck and allowed to solidify, forming the mould which was then peeled off his body. The suit was joined by a concealed zipper and subsequently modified. Computer-generated embellishments such as light beams and electricity were added to the suits after Khan expressed dissatisfaction with the rushes of the film.

Each suit reportedly cost ₹1 crore (US$120,000). Khan's suit was made of reinforced latex, coloured steel-blue and fitted with micro-computer circuitry. Rampal's suit was made of three-inch thick solid rubber, and was red in color. Both actors were required to wear additional suits inside their body suits so as to prevent skin contact. A total of 21 costumes were made for use in the film. Wearing the suits created a number of difficulties for the actors. It took 20 minutes to put on the suits and 40 minutes to remove them. In addition, the non-porous nature of the suits created intense heat inside, causing excessive perspiration despite the presence of special air conditioning ducts. Khan later felt that the suits' conception had been a mistake since filming occurred during the day; digital re-adjustments to the suits brought "all the efforts to naught."

Manish Malhotra designed the look and the costume of Kareena Kapoor for the song "Chammak Challo," which received widespread coverage in the media. Kapoor wore a red sari draped in the style of a dhoti. Since the release of the song, the costume gained widespread popularity, being termed a "fashion rage," so much so that the sari color became colloquially termed as "the Kareena wala red." The costume became popular even in overseas countries such as Mauritius. Fashion experts also applauded the costume and Kapoor's ability to carry it off "stunningly," though certain experts dismissed the naming of the sari color.

Soundtrack

Main article: Ra.One (soundtrack)

The soundtrack of Ra.One was composed by Vishal-Shekhar, with the lyrics being written by Atahar Panchi, Vishal Dadlani and Kumaar. Sinha announced that R&B singer Akon would record two songs for the film, and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra would also perform on the soundtrack; the former lent his vocals for "Chammak Challo" and "Criminal," while the latter performed in "Bhare Naina." The composers obtained the official license to use Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," on which they based the song "Dildaara." The film's music rights were bought by T-Series for ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million). The album features fifteen tracks, including seven original songs, four remixes, three instrumentals and an international version of "Chammak Challo." The Hindi album was released by T-Series on September 12, 2011 and the Tamil and Telugu albums were released on October 10, 2011 featuring six tracks each.

Marketing

Main article: Marketing of Ra.One

The producers of Ra.One spent ₹52 crore (US$6.2 million) for the promotional aspects of the film, of which ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million) was utilised for online promotions alone. Khan announced that the film would be subsidised through major brand tie-ups. The marketing of the film began in December 2010 with the release of the first theatrical poster, which was followed by the release of two teaser trailers during the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The film's first theatrical trailer was released three months later. Khan and Sinha embarked on a multi-city tour during which they unveiled a 3,600 feet-long fan mail to collect audience messages. The film's official website was launched on May 31, 2011, and an official YouTube channel for the film was subsequently unveiled. On October 20, 2011, Khan held a live chat with fans on Google Plus, the first time an Indian film personality had done so. Rampal's look in the film, which had been kept under strict secrecy, was revealed in late October 2011.

The film's marketing utilised the concepts of merchandising and gaming so as to facilitate the creation of a franchise. Red Chillies Entertainment partnered with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to create "Ra.One – The Game," a game for PlayStations which was released on October 5, 2011. On October 14, 2011, a gaming tournament featuring games like Call of Duty was conducted in Mumbai and telecast live on YouTube. The producers also collaborated with UTV Indiagames to design a social game titled Ra.One Genesis, with an independent storyline based on G.One. Khan partnered with Seventymm to market merchandise related to the film, which was also sold on the film's official website. Merchandise sold included toys, tablets and apparel. UTV Indiagames also designed digital comics based on the film's characters.

Release

Release statistics

Ra.One set records for the extent of a theatrical release of an Indian film. In India, the film broke the record of the widest release previously held by Bodyguard (2011). Overseas, the film was expected to be released in around 1,500 screens among 904 prints. A partnership deal was being finalised by distributors in early October 2011 to allow the film to be released in China. The 3D version was released in 550 selected screens around the world. A week prior to release, multiplex owners throughout India decided to allot 95% of the total available screen space to the film. The film's release has been noted for its wide use of digital prints to lower distribution costs, release the film to a wider audience and reduce piracy. However, despite the measures taken, pirated versions of Ra.One were available on the Internet within hours of the film's release.

Screenings

Two men and a woman smiling and staring towards cameras

Khan, Kapoor and Rampal (l–r) at Ra.One's premiere in London

In May 2011, the first rushes of Ra.One were shown to the cast of Khan's other home production Always Kabhi Kabhi (2011). Actor Hrithik Roshan had also seen the film's rushes, and was reportedly impressed with them. A few days prior to release, Khan arranged for a special screening of the film's final cut in Yash Raj Studios, where he invited close friends, his family and the film's crew.

Between October 24 and 26, 2011, Ra.One had international premieres in Dubai, London and Toronto, all of which were chosen due to their international significance and significant South Asian populations. The first international premiere was held in Dubai on October 24, 2011 at the Grand Cinemas, Wafi. A high-profile dinner and charity auction were held, where Khan raised AED30,000 (approximately US$8,200) to build a workshop for children with special needs. The premiere included three simultaneous screenings of the film, for which tickets were placed on sale for the public. The London premiere of the film took place at the O₂ Cineworld the following day and the Toronto premiere took place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on October 26, 2011.

Classification

On October 14, 2011, Ra.One was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification to receive an official rating. Upon submitting the script, the Board raised strong objections to the film's action scenes; it was concerned that the film would influence young children, who might emulate the stunts. The Indian Railways security force and the police had made similar objections to the train-based stunts in the film, claiming that youngsters would "blindly imitate them" and hence put their lives at risk. After considerable deliberation, the film was passed with a 'U' certificate without cuts, but under the condition that prominent disclaimers were shown, stating that the stunts were computer-generated and should not be imitated. In March 2012, allegations of a favoured classification surfaced after it was pointed out that the film's producers had met the Board officials during the screening, which was a violation of the rules.The British Board of Film Classification rated the film 12A for "moderate fantasy violence".

Television and home media

The television broadcasting rights for Ra.One were bought by Star India for a then-record sum of ₹35 crore (US$4.2 million), surpassing the previous record set by 3 Idiots. The Indian television premiere of Ra.One took place on January 21, 2012 on STAR Gold. The film garnered an audience rating of 6.7 and a market share of 28% for the channel. Discovery Channel tied up with RCE to air a special program titled "Revealed: The Making of Ra.One," a one-hour program which appeared on the channel on March 30, 2012. The program discussed the making of the film in detail, including the visual effects and the challenges faced while filming. In May 2012, International Media Distribution announced that Ra.One would be televised on Comcast and Cox free of cost, as a part of the celebrations of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Star India subsequently syndicated the television screening rights of the film to Disney XD, where it premiered on June 2, 2012.

Eros International released the DVD of Ra.One on December 13, 2011 across all regions in one-disc and two-disc packs complying with the NTSC format. The DVD of the film contained alternate endings. Initially, Khan had wanted to add alternate endings in the theatrical release itself, but later deemed it risky. The DVD version was made interactive as well. VCD and Blu-Ray versions of the film were also released.

Controversies

After the beginning of principal photography, Ra.One faced allegations of plagiarism and similarities with other films. When questioned, Khan said, "I got inspired from a lot of superhero movies but the movie is original. In fact, Ra.One will be the first superhero-based movie in the world in which the superhero lives in a family." Commenting on Enthiran, he said, "they [both] are different films." Subsequently, Ra.One faced a number of similar allegations of plagiarism, with special emphasis on the similarities with Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), the Batman series, Iron Man (2008), The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) and Tron: Legacy (2010).

Ra.One also faced technical controversies. On June 3, 2011, three days after its launch, the official website of the film was hacked by suspected Pakistani cyber criminals who stated that the act was in revenge for a similar attack on a Karachi press club website. The hackers defaced the homepage and left a note threatening the Indian Press Club. Despite precautions, the film's song "Chammak Challo" was leaked several months prior to the official soundtrack release, greatly upsetting the crew. Khan clarified that the leaked version was a "rough version" of the actual song, and that the person responsible for the leak was being looked for. He subsequently refuted claims that the leak had been engineered as a publicity stunt.

A few days before release, screenwriter Yash Patnaik claimed that Ra.One resembled a concept that he had developed several years back. Patnaik appealed to the Bombay High Court for a delay in the film's release, until he was given due credit or 10% of the film's overall profit. The court, observing prima facie evidence that there had been copyright violations, asked the filmmakers to deposit ₹1 crore (US$120,000) on October 21, 2011 with the court before releasing the film. However, Patnaik challenged the court decision and demanded that the producers give him credit and not cash. Sinha later claimed that he alone had developed the film's story.

Critical reception

Upon release, Ra.One received mixed reviews from critics in India. Some critics thought that the film had brought the level of Indian films to a par with Hollywood films, while others complained about the numerous flaws regarding its script, direction and production aspects. Overseas, the film received generally positive reviews. Review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 77% of 13 reviewers gave Ra.One a positive review, granting the film a "Fresh" rating. Among Rotten Tomatoes' top critics, comprising of notable reviewers from newspapers, magazines and television, Ra.One holds an approval rating of 83% based on six reviews. On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean from film reviews, Ra.One holds a rating of 60% based on eight reviews, signifying "mixed or average reviews."

India

The ratings for the film provided by the reviewers have been tabulated. Below the table lies a collection of excerpts from the reviews, which can be matched to the respective rating as given in the table by seeing the source.

Review Scores
Source	Rating	Reference	Source	Rating	Reference
Bollywood Hungama			Deccan Chronicle
Filmfare			The Times of India
Subhash K. Jha			Stardust
Koimoi			Indo-Asian News Service
India Today			Daily News and Analysis †
Daily Bhaskar			NDTV
The Economic Times			Mid-Day
CNN-IBN			Sify
Rediff †			Hindustan Times
Zee News			The Mumbai Mirror
Mint			The Indian Express
Yahoo!	<1		No exact review score available for Yahoo!
The presence of the † symbol signifies that the given score is an average of the scores provided by the multiple reviews from that source

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama rated the film very highly, describing it as "the most ambitious, most expensive and the most technologically complex Hindi film ever made, [yet] very Indian at heart," a view mirrored by Khalid Mohamed from Deccan Chronicle who called the film "a technical accomplishment with as much heart as hardware." However, Adarsh's review attracted criticism and he was accused of "over-rating" the film. Among other positive reviews, Subhash K Jha called the film "a saucy, sassy, scintillating super-hero film," while Filmfare described it as "an enjoyable sci-fi and CGI fiesta that will transport you to a world of kooky fantasy and video game heroes." The film's gaming concept received mixed reactions; Daily Bhaskar commented that the film was "a joyful cinematic experience for game enthusiasts," but The Economic Times found the concept "too far-fetched." A number of critics commented on the film's entertainment value. Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India wrote that the film was "sure to give the audience paisa vasool entertainment," while Sanchari Bhattacharya of Rediff similarly described the film as "escapist entertainment." However, in a negative review, Zee News stated, "Some of the scenes are surely entertaining but when one goes to watch a SRK film, one hopes to be entertained throughout, and sadly Ra.One fails to do so."

A major aspect of praise was regarding the film's visuals. Stardust and the Indo-Asian News Network expressed similar feelings, the former commenting that the film was "a visual treat with top notch computer graphics and other use of high-tech gadgetry," while the latter describing it as "one of the classiest movies seen in the Hindi film industry." Soumyadipta Banerjee of Daily News and Analysis echoed the praise for the effects, saying, "The real story is the way the film is carried forward and the special effects. It's worth a worth, but might not be a good idea to watch it for the second time around." Kaveri Bamzai of India Today wrote similarly about the film's scale and visuals by calling the film "a gigantic open house. This is film-making not so much as noble passion but as grand indulgence, not so much as a marathon magic show but as an event to be managed." In a mixed review, Aniruddha Guha of Daily News and Analysis said that Ra.One was "beautiful in appearance, but empty within." A similarly mixed review from Sify called the film a "visual extravaganza," but went on to say that "the only reason one stops short of recommending Ra.One is the sporadic adult content that has no business being in a film for kids." Conversely, Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN argued that, "while this superhero film has plenty sound and fury, it's sorely lacking slickness," though he praised Khan's performance. In a negative review, Mayank Shekhar of Hindustan Times criticised the visuals, saying, "Everything appears so visibly constructed and all over the place that you can look through the wires, rather than blend in with the experience."

The film also received a significant number of less positive reviews. While The Economic Times praised the direction, commenting that Sinha was able to "pull it [the film] off with visual dazzlery and fast-paced storytelling that the genre demands," Mid-Day criticised the direction which "happily killed a good enough germ of an idea, by interspersing it with below-the-belt humour and Bollywoodisation." The latter view was also eschewed by Mint, which described the film as "a spectacular disappointment." NDTV pointed out the film's lack of originality, writing that, "Ra.One is far too derivative to take anybody except the most gullible of moviegoers by genuine surprise." Several reviewers from Rediff panned a number of the film's production aspects. Sukanya Verma criticised the film's lack of character development, while Aseem Chhabra criticised the muddled script and the film's "forgettable quality." The Mumbai Mirror also criticised the script (while simultaneously praising the action sequences), while Komal Nahta of Koimoi commented that the story would be difficult for the older generation to comprehend. Abhishek Mande called the film "SRK's most expensive midlife crisis" and wrote that it "could have been great fun but didn't live up." Saisuresh Sivaswamy said, "Shahrukh Khan's latest film offers no emotional connect with the audience even as its story flops in the telling." Raja Sen questioned the film's ambitions, saying, "It becomes tragically evident that Ra.One is a project born more out of vanity than passion." Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express said that, "Ra.One is a super-starry slurry sludge, with just the occasional consolatory sparkle." Kunal Guha of Yahoo! panned the film and wrote that, "It's convenient to say that if you have no expectations from the film, you wouldn't be disappointed." Arthur J. Pais similarly panned the film, describing it as "a glorious mess."

Overseas

New York Daily News gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Ra.One has a witty sense of punky, gaming-style aesthetics that American blockbusters try for but can't quite achieve." Kevin Thomas of Los Angeles Times said, "The razzle-dazzle special effects and action stunts never overwhelm the story of enduring love that unfolds amid an intricate and inspired sci-fi odyssey." The New York Times gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, commenting, "Ra.One is a kind of entertainment machine set to dazzle, Hindi cinema with a crush on high-tech." The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "India's first attempt at a superhero movie is both vigorous and emotionally fulfilling within the context of Bollywood traditions." Salon stated, "From dazzling dance numbers to post-Matrix action, Ra. One showcases Bollywood's confidence." International Business Times praised Khan's performance and stated, "Ra.One is an excellent superhero film; a complete entertainer." The First Post praised the film and stated that "Anubhav Sinha, the director of the film, has done a marvelous job in the action sequences ... The emotional scenes, too are very engaging – despite all the digital wizardry going on in the film." Gulf News called the film "a fun movie to catch."

Variety gave the film a mixed review, and stated, "Along with Khan's presence, it's the effects that sell Ra.One, and they arrive more or less nonstop." The Globe and Mail gave the film a star out of 4 and panned the movie as a whole. Slant also gave it one out of four stars and wrote: "Ra.One champions an incoherently hackneyed kind of morality where filial piety matters more than treating your fellow man well." Bloomberg rated the film with one out of four stars, and wrote, "Sadly, Khan and director Anubhav Sinha fail to understand the idiom of superhero cinema." Shilpa Jamkhandikar of Reuters gave the film a negative review for being "less of a movie and more of a product that is tailor-made to audiences looking for a Diwali movie."

Economics

Main article: Economics of Ra.One

Pre-release

Prior to the film's release, a good deal of speculation was generated regarding the film's budget. A number of estimates placed the budget between ₹140 crore (US$17 million) and ₹200 crore (US$24 million). Despite the estimations, it was universally accepted that Ra.One was the most expensive Bollywood film of all time, with certain sources stating that the film was the most expensive Indian film ever. Khan revealed the film's budget to be ₹125 crore (US$15 million), with reductions being obtained due to tax rebates. Khan stated that he had "worked very hard" to finance Ra.One without borrowing money, and reportedly hosted a television show just to finance the film. Prior to the release, the film earned ₹132 crore (US$16 million) as pre-release revenue, setting a new record for the level of revenue earned by a Bollywood film prior to release.

The film's extensive marketing subsequently increased audience expectations of the film; Ra.One set records for the level of pre-release buzz for a Bollywood film, and also topped a number of polls gauging the most awaited Bollywood films of the year. Anticipation for the film was equally high among the trade analysts, with some commenting that the film would pass ₹100 crore (US$12 million) in one week and ₹300 crore (US$36 million) in a little over three weeks. The film's advance bookings commenced on October 20, 2011 in a limited scale, and expanded later. While advance bookings began slowly, they picked up considerably as the release approached; a few days prior to the release, the advance booking was described as "phenomenal," with an overall advance booking rate of 20–25% across the country. A number of advantages of the film's release slot were pointed out, such as festivities and 3D, though the 3D version's release had been doubtful just prior to the release date.

Box office

The overall box office collections have been tabulated. Detailed figures can be accessed in the main article

Territory	Collections	Rank*	Reference
India	₹114.78 crore (US$14 million)**	#3
	Distributor share: ₹63.61 crore (US$7.6 million)**
Overseas (Outside India)	$9.2 million	#2
	$2,511,689 (United States–Canada)
Worldwide	₹202 crore (US$24 million)**	#3
	With dubbed versions: ₹240 crore (US$29 million)%
Symbols
* For 2011 Bollywood releases only; ** Hindi version only; % Estimate

In India, Ra.One debuted at the beginning of the five-day Diwali weekend, and subsequently broke the Diwali opening day records.. The film then set the records for the biggest single-day net revenue and the biggest three-day opening weekend earned by a Bollywood film, breaking the previous records held by Bodyguard.

Subsequently, the film began to suffer significant drops in its collections, with its five-day extended weekend and nine-day extended week coming second to the records of Bodyguard The film faced an 84 percent drop in collections in its second week and fell a further 90 percent in its third week, the latter primarily due to the release of Rockstar. The dubbed versions showed similar trends.

In overseas markets, the film debuted to the highest three-day and five-day opening weekends among the Bollywood releases of 2011; by its second weekend, the film had become the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2011 in overseas markets, but the collections suffered drops throughout. In general, families and children comprised the major portion of the film's audience, and the 3D version is widely regarded a success.

Post-release

Reactions

The audience response towards Ra.One was lukewarm and polarised, mirroring the film's critical reception. It was reported that traditional movie-goers described the film as an "amalgamation of several foreign films." CNN-IBN reporter Rohit Vats vocalised similar opinions, further saying, "The focus on technical fineness has made Ra.One an experience worth watching but mixed reviews have actually brought down the fever a bit." Vanita Kohli-Khandekar cited the film's excessive and misdirected marketing campaign as the reason for "giving fodder" to negative reactions: "Ra.One [...] would have done well on its own. But by hyping it up ad nauseam the marketing machinery created expectations that were unrealistic. So when the film turned out to be a regular entertainer, word-of-mouth on social media and elsewhere slammed it." Industry members also pointed out major problems in the film, and director Shirish Kunder publicly derided the film on Twitter.

After release, negativity surrounding the film spread, to the extent that a crew member described the effect as "nasty." A number of jokes and photographs mocking the film were circulated around the Internet. Khan was upset with the negative word-of-mouth surrounding the film, feeling that it was "a clever marketing strategy to undercut the film when it was going on at full-steam in the theatres." Prominent multiplexes in Mumbai reported organised attempts at spreading negative publicity and causing dissent among movie-goers; other reports also showed negative speculation regarding the authenticity of the film's box office collections. In addition, Deccan Chronicle noted the film's negative impact since it showed the increasing acceptance of violent video games among children. Khan eventually admitted to the film's flaws, and "wished he had made it better."

Accolades

Main article: List of accolades received by Ra.One

Ra.One received numerous nominations and awards in India and abroad. Most of them were for the technical aspects of the film, such as visual effects, cinematography, sound design and action sequences. The film won the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Special Effects, four technical awards under the International Indian Film Academy Awards, three Star Screen Awards and six Zee Cine Awards. Ra.One also received several marketing and business awards for its promotions, distribution and music. On the other hand, the film received negative ("dishonorable") awards as well, primarily for the film itself. Ra.One won the titles of Worst Film and Worst Director at the Golden Kela Awards, and also won the Worst Film title at the Ghanta Awards. Despite a generally mixed reception, the visual effects of Ra.One received widespread praise from a number of industry people both in India and overseas, and also received universal audience acclaim.

Possible sequel

Prior to the release of Ra.One, reports surfaced that a sequel to the film was being planned. Sinha said in an interview, "Yes. Such films are inherently meant to be a franchise." Khan commented, "There should be a sequel; that's the tendency of all superhero films." Khan did admit that it was "presumptuous" to start the sequel before the first film's release, but he stated that he would do the sequel "faster, bigger and better" than Ra.One. However, several days after release, the rumours were refuted by Khan who said that a sequel was "unlikely" due to a busy schedule with other film projects. Subsequently, after Ra.One won a National Award, Khan was reported to have been overjoyed and stated that the film's world could be explored more. He stated that the sequel, if made, would be titled G.One and not Ra.Two. Khan was reported to be looking for a script to take the film forward, with no fixed deadline given due to the long film-making process. Khan commented, "A film like this requires a year-and-a-half of pre-production, so it's impossible for me to give you a time frame. I'm unsure if it'll even get made or if I'll use the technology in some other genre [...] I know it is going to be expensive, but perhaps the next film would be cheaper since I now have the technology." Mushtaq Sheikh, a close friend of Khan, confirmed the sequel and said that work on the film involving basic pre-production had begun. Multiple reports stated that Kapoor would not be a part of the sequel due to a variety of reasons.

Despite Khan's enthusiasm for the idea of a sequel, people from the film industry reacted in a lukewarm manner to the news. Filmmaker Rajkumar Gupta was sceptical of the sequel, commenting: "It’d be challenging to take forward a story that has not worked earlier." Noted film producer Ramesh Taurani also responded negatively to the idea, saying: "It is important for the film to be appreciated so that a sequel can be made." Trade analyst Atul Mohan called the sequel "a bad idea." Conversely, certain industry people were supportive of the sequel. Producer Goldie Behl brushed aside arguments about the success of the first film, saying: "if the people think that they can earn some more, then it doesn’t matter how big or small the hit was." Filmmaker Kunal Kohli also reacted positively, saying: "Certain ideas naturally lend themselves to sequels. So why not use that investment of your time and effort to make a sequel that will take the brand further?"

References

Cast

Development and Title

Filming

Post-production

Costumes and Soundtrack

Marketing

Release statistics and Screenings

Television and home media, Censor ratings and Controversies

Critical reception – India

Critical reception – Overseas

Economics – Pre-release and Reactions

Economics – Box office

Accolades and Sequel

External links

• Official website
• Ra.One at IMDb
• Ra.One at Bollywood Hungama
• Ra.One at AllMovie