Ra.one movie

Ra.One is a 2011 Indian science fiction superhero filmdirected by Anubhav Sinha, written by Sinha and Kanika Dhillon, featuring Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor,Armaan Verma and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles andShahana Goswami, Dalip Tahil and Chinese-American actor Tom Wu in supporting roles. Rajinikanth, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra appear in cameo roles. The film follows Shekhar Subramanium (Khan), a game designer in London living with his wife (Kapoor) and son (Verma). He designs a motion sensor-based game in which the villain is more powerful than the hero. The villain escapes from the game and begins to track down Lucifer (Verma), the only player to have defeated him.Ra.One was co-produced by Eros International and Red Chillies Entertainment, and was expected to release on June 3, 2011. However, the release was delayed to theDiwali weekend of October 26, 2011 due to extensivepost-production work.

Development of the project commenced in 2004. Pre-production began in 2007, and principal photography began on March 2009. In July 2011, it was announced that the film would be converted to 3D. Red Chillies VFX incorporated the visual effects under the supervision ofHollywood effects technician Jeffrey Kleiser. Ra.Onecost an estimated 125 crore (US$24.94 million), making it Bollywood's most expensive film at that time, and India's second-most expensive film after Enthiran. A record amount of 52 crore (US$10.37 million) was spent on marketing. The marketing included a nine-month publicity campaign, brand tie-ups, merchandise, theme-based video games and extensive viral marketing. However, several problems including censorship, soundtrack leaks and copyright issues caused concerns that the film would not be ready for release.

Ra.One premiered in Dubai, London and Torontobetween October 24 and 26, 2011. The film was released in 2D and 3D in 3,100 screens in India and in 904 prints overseas, making it the largest Indian cinematic release worldwide. It was also dubbed into Tamil and Telugu. Upon release, critical reception was mixed in India but was generally positive overseas. Ra.One received widespread praise for its visual effects and action, though it received criticism for its script and direction. Upon release, the film broke several box-office records.Box Office India declared the film a hit in India one week after its release; in its second week, it was declared a "super hit" overseas. However, trade analysts termed the box office performance "average". According to distributors, Ra.One was the second highest-grossing Bollywood film worldwide at that time, earning 240 crore (US$47.88 million) from all versions during the first phase of release. Ra.One won major technical awards at award ceremonies, including a National Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Special Effects. {| class="toc" id="toc" style="font-size: 12px; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px; "

Contents
[hide] *1 Plot
 * 2 Cast
 * 3 Production
 * 3.1 Origins and development
 * 3.2 Filming
 * 3.3 Post-production
 * 3.4 Visual effects
 * 3.5 Suits
 * 3.6 Soundtrack
 * 4 Marketing
 * 4.1 Pre-release revenue
 * 4.2 Promotions
 * 4.3 Video games
 * 4.4 Merchandise and comics
 * 5 Release
 * 5.1 Censor ratings
 * 5.2 Controversies
 * 6 Critical reception
 * 6.1 India
 * 6.2 Overseas
 * 7 Box office
 * 7.1 India
 * 7.2 Overseas
 * 8 Commercial analysis
 * 9 Accolades
 * 10 See also
 * 11 Notes
 * 12 References
 * 13 External links
 * }

Plot
Jenny Nayar (Shahana Goswami), an employee of UK-based company Barron Industries, introduces a new technology that allows objects from the digital world to enter the real world using the wireless transmissions from multiple devices. Shekhar Subramanium (Shahrukh Khan), who also works for the company, is given a final chance to devise with a video game with a difference. In order to impress his skeptical son Prateek (Armaan Verma), and upon the request of his wife Sonia (Kareena Kapoor), Subramanium uses his son’s idea that the villain be more powerful than the hero.

Shekhar's colleague Kaashi (Tom Wu) provides the moves of the game's characters, and Kaashi's girlfriend Jenny does the programming and Shekhar gives his face to the game's protagonist G.One, whilst the antagonist Ra.One is faceless and has substantially greater powers than those granted to G.One. The game has three levels, and either of the players can only be killed in the third level using a special gun that holds a single bullet. While designing the game, Kaashi notices some malfunctions but ignores them. When the game is finally launched, it receives a standing ovation and Prateek loves it so much that he insists on playing it instantly. He logs in under the alias 'Lucifer' and proceeds to the second level, but is interrupted by Kaashi. Ra.One, being unable to end his turn with Lucifer, becomes determined that Lucifer shall die.

When the mainframe fails to shut down, Kaashi calls Shekhar, who notices a problem with the game. Ra.One uses the new technology to enter the real world, murders an innocent Kaashi mercilessly and goes to find Lucifer. Shekhar rushes home but is blocked by Ra.One on the way. In an attempt to save his son, Shekhar claims that he is Lucifer. However, Ra.One scans Shekhar's I.D. and kills him for lying. Prateek notices the strange circumstances of his father’s death and realises that Ra.One has come to life. He and Jenny attempt to bring G.One to life. Meanwhile, Sonia tells Prateek that the family will return to India. Having taken the form of Akashi, Ra.One chases them, but G.One enters the real world through Jenny's computer and causes a gas explosion which saves them and destroys Ra.One. G.One takes Ra.One's H.A.R.T., without which Ra.One is not powerful. Sonia finds she cannot leave G.One and takes him along with them to India through Shekhar’s passport. G.One promises Sonia that he will protect Prateek from any harm. Ra.One returns to life, takes the form of a billboard model (Arjun Rampal), and goes after G.One and Prateek.

During Prateek's birthday party, Ra.One hypnotises Sonia, assumes her form and kidnaps Prateek. Ra.One then instructs G.One to give him his H.A.R.T. back, and sends the real Sonia in an uncontrollableMumbai Suburban Railway train. G.One saves Sonia just in the nick of time (though the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus is destroyed) and returns to save Prateek. The game resumes, with Prateek controlling G.One's moves. Following a lengthy fight, both of the characters reach the third level. With little power left, G.One and Prateek trick Ra.One into shooting G.One without his H.A.R.T. attached, which leaves Ra.One helpless. Furious, Ra.One creates ten copies of himself. Prateek, unable to differentiate the real Ra.One, asks G.One to quote one of Shekhar’s sayings: "बुराई संग जो मेल रचाया, फिर कभी न छूटे उसका साया" ("If you join the forces of evil, its shadows shall always follow you"). The pair then realise that only one of the ten Ra.Ones has a shadow: the original one. G.One shoots and destroys him, and after absorbing Ra.One's remains, transports himself back into the digital world. Several months later, Prateek and Sonia return to the UK, where Prateek finally manages to restore G.One to the real world, much to his and his mother's joy.

Cast

 * Shahrukh Khan as Shekhar Subramaniam and G.One.
 * Khan was the first actor to be approached by Sinha, despite the fact that Sinha had never worked with him. To make his character more believable, Khan decided that he would perform his own stunts in the film.[3] Khan faced considerable difficulty while filming. His character required him to apply prosthetic makeup for over eight hours a day, depriving him of food and water.[4] Besides this, he also suffered severe discomfort with his superhero suit.[5] Subsequently, he lost ten kilos of weight at the end of filming.[6] Khan also injured his left knee during filming, causing considerable pain to him. Despite this, Khan postponed his knee surgery till after the release of the film.[7]


 * Kareena Kapoor as Sonia Subramaniam, a Punjabi woman and wife of Shekhar.
 * Initially there were three choices for the female lead - Priyanka Chopra, Asin Thottumkal and Kapoor; however, Kapoor herself approached Khan when the casting was being finalized, and hence she was chosen. Kapoor reportedly refused to do any action scenes due to her dislike for stunts and wire work.[8] For the film, she lost five kilos of weight and followed multiple special diets drawn up by her dietitian Rujuta Diwekar.[9]


 * Arjun Rampal as Ra.One.
 * Rampal, being close to both Khan and Sinha, was approached for the title (negative) role which he accepted, making it his third role in a film with Khan after Om Shanti Om and Don: The Chase Begins Again. However, he had to back out later due to persisting back problems, and was subsequently replaced by Vivek Oberoi who had also been auditioning for the role. Later, it was reported that Rampal recovered well and was re-instated into the film.[10] For his role, Rampal followed a special high-protein diet with regulated intake of water, trained at the gym daily for a year and shaved his head almost completely. Due to his training and difficulties with his super-villain suit, Rampal lost six kilos of weight at the end of filming.[11]


 * Shahana Goswami as Jenny Nayar, a graphics designer, Shekhar's work colleague and close family friend. She designs the look of G.One in the film. Goswami faced some difficulty performing a dance sequence for the song "Criminal".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[12]
 * Armaan Verma as Prateek Subramaniam alias Lucifer, Shekhar's and Sonia's son.
 * Verma's mother contacted the casting director of the film through Verma's school's founder-director. He was required to go through several audition rounds involving action and dance until he was selected to play the role.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Lucifer_12-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[13] To prepare for his role, Verma learnt capoeira and also did his own stunts. He was part of filming for 1½ years, and his presence in the film was kept secret till a major part of the production was complete.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[14]


 * Tom Wu as Akashi and Ra.One.
 * Wu was contracted to the film in July 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[15] Initially, Khan had wanted Jackie Chan to portray Akashi. He had reportedly sent Chan the detailed script of the film, the action sequences and a brief synopsis of his character;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[16] it was later confirmed that Chan would not be part of the project.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[17]


 * Dalip Tahil as Barron
 * Satish Shah as Iyer
 * Rajinikanth as Chitti (Guest appearance)
 * Sanjay Dutt as Khalnayak (Guest appearance)
 * Priyanka Chopra as The Desi Girl (Guest appearance)
 * Amitabh Bachchan in a voice-over

Origins and development
<p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">"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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bhaskar_5-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6] —Shahrukh Khan on Ra.One<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">According to director Anubhav Sinha, the idea of Ra.Oneoriginated while he was watching a commercial on television dealing with kids controlling a human with a remote. He had got attracted to it and wrote a three-page short story based on the commercial, which he felt was good enough to be made into a film. On a parallel basis, Shahrukh Khan decided to make a film which involved heavy usage of VFX, during the release of Main Hoon Na. After finalizing the story, Sinha approached Khan, who agreed to produce and star in it.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Sinha_17-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[18] Red Chillies Entertainment continued working on other projects before finalizing Ra.One.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX_18-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[19] No other films were accepted by the company afterMy Name Is Khan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX2_19-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[20] Before starting the film, Khan approached several directors to lead the project, including Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar, but they all refused.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[21]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Pre-production work began in November 2007 after the release of Khan's Om Shanti Om. Kanika Dhillon began the script-writing process by taking notes and having discussions at Mannat (Khan's residence), over a year prior to the start of principal photography. Dhillon noted the descriptive and visual nature of the script, commenting "With each scene, we were discovering the beauty and horror of the superpowers they were equipped with. In a way, the script defined the characters and the extent of their larger-than-life appeal." Khan, not wishing to alienate audiences, wanted a superhero that people would identify with.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22] Sinha spent several months viewing video clips, digital art portals and comic books; he later explained that this process helped him to create a novel character.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Production_22-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[23] Khan 's idea was to make a simple family drama which expanded into an action film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Reuters_23-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[24] To prepare the film's premises and characterisation, Sinha and Khan watched around 200 superhero films from all over the world, including Spider-Man, Batman andKrrish.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[25]

Filming
<p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">Filming locations Battersea Power StationChhatrapati Shivaji Terminus<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Principal photography for the film began in March 2009, one-and-a-half years after the start of pre-production work.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Sinha_17-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[18] Nicola Pecoriniwas engaged as the director of photography at the last moment after a Swiss filmmaker opted out of the film;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22] V. Manikandanprovided extra assistance.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Production_22-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[23] Pecorini said that he had been "cheated" into working on the film when he was told that it was in English. Andy Gill, who had prior Bollywood experience withToonpur Ka Super Hero, was hired as the stunts supervisor; Nino Pansini was the stunt cinematographer. Despite his experience, Gill admitted that he was inexperienced with films of the scale ofRa.One. Sinha's assistant director was Terry Bamber.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26] Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the sets ofRa.One<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Filming for Ra.One was due to begin in Miami but this was scrapped because of budget concerns.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[27] The first phase of filming began in India on March 24, 2010 on the eve of Ram Navami<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[28] in Goa, and continued until May.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-filmfare_28-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[29] Production of the film's second and third phase began in July 2010 in London with the entire cast;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[30] the schedule included a song sequence in a restaurant<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[31] and a heavy duty action scene involving Khan and Kapoor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[32] During this period, a picture of Kapoor's character was revealed to the media.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[33]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The film's final production phase commenced at Filmistan Studios in December 2010 over a seven-day period.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[34] Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, visited Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai to watch Khan at work.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[35] The remaining portions were filmed in Mumbai and completed in July 2011. The schedule included the filming of the cameos of Chopra and Dutt, and was done at Film City.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[36]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The train action scene was filmed partially indoors, but the other parts had to be filmed on real running trains. The indoor portions were filmed on two replicas of a train coach which were built in a record five days, a process Gill initially thought would take three weeks. The outdoor filming of the scene encountered problems. The trains were electric instead of diesel, forcing an on-the-spot change of the action sequence. In addition, the train and track length ended up being the same, making any movement impossible; a six-car train had to be arranged and the sequence was filmed despite other trains running nearby.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Pecorini reportedly faced considerable difficulty on the film sets, which was further aggravated by his lack of experience on Bollywood films. He called the experience "like nothing he had ever imagined before", and called Ra.One a "soup with too many ingredients". Pecorini faced much difficulty due to the lack of story-boarding, prop masters and call sheets; additionally, he was surprised at the low proportion of sequences with respect to the film's running time. Pecorini also commented on the phenomenon of over staffing; nine cameras were handled by 79 crew members, many of whom were unaware of the working of the other cameras. This resulted in communication with multiple crew members, making the cinematography take six times the usual time of filming.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Filming for certain scenes continued right until a few weeks before release. Rajnikanth, accompanied by daughter Soundarya, filmed his scene with Khan and Kapoor on October 2, 2011 at Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods Studios in Mumbai despite health problems. To minimise the strain on the actor, the shoot was finished in a few hours and the scenes were digitally transferred into the background later.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[37] A music video for the song "Raftaarein", choreographed by Feroz Khan, was filmed one week before the release due to an excellent critical response.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[38]

Post-production
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The post-production of Ra.One involved over 5,000 personnel from India, Italy, UK and the US; 400 of these personnel were from Red Chillies Entertainment.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ref.25_38-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[39] The film was pieced together by more than 1,000 people, working in shifts, in around 15 studios across the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Production_22-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[23] The film's post-production received widespread media coverage, specifically regarding multiple delays it faced prior to release.

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Due to the revived interest in 3D film technology in India, the makers of the film debated converting portions of the film into 3D. Khan said that parts of the film may be converted to 3D, provided the tests and screen-shots of the scenes were deemed satisfactory by the technical crew. However, there was a good deal of scepticism regarding such conversions, especially since 3D shooting required completely different types of cameras.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3D_39-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[40] In July 2011, it was announced that the entire film would be converted into 3D, a process that required the collaboration of approximately 1,000 people.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[41] The 3D conversion was assigned to Prime Focus, which had considerable experience in 3D conversion due to their work on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. A separate conversion facility was created for the conversion work on Ra.One.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3D_39-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[40] The conversion process was reported to be a key reason for the increase in the film's production budget.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Production_22-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[23] The default form of Ra.One<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Martin Walsh was assigned as the film's editor. Walsh was present with the crew for over four weeks, responsible for editing all the chase and action sequences. He initially faced an "incredulous response" when he suggested that musical numbers be integrated into the story flow, but later expressed great satisfaction with his experience on the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22] Sound designer Resul Pookutty was assigned the duty of enhancing the sound effects using the Dolby Surround 7.1 system. In an interview, he said, "Ra.One is not just a movie experience [...] It requires a very unconventional sound and visual quality for which we are installing the required equipment."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Production_22-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[23] The addition of sound effects was done in Los Angeles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[42] The film's background score was recorded at three studios in Mumbai;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-suituse_42-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[43] the score for the scene involving Rajnikanth was provided byA. R. Rahman.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[44] In October 2011, the film's post-production work faced a minor setback when Pookutty's studio-space in Andheri, Mumbai, was flooded, and some of the film's footage was damaged.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Crash_44-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[45]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Initially, the prints of Ra.One were expected to be ready a month prior to its release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HT_45-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[46] However, the post-production work took considerably longer than was initially expected, triggering fears that the film would not be ready for release by its Diwali deadline. Khan had to postpone his knee surgery, initially planned on July 25, 2011,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[47] due to extensive post-production work.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[48] Three studios worked around-the-clock to meet the deadline.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Crash_44-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[45] Both Pookutty and Sinha stated that the pace of work had been increased, and reassured the media about the film's release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Crash_44-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[45]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The process of digital inter-mediation (DI) of the film was completed in Prime Focus Studios.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[49] Ten days before the film's release, the DI process encountered severe delays. The film was monitored in Croma by the team during that period.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[50] Delays were attributed to increased work due to the multiple versions (3D and dubbed) of the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HT_45-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[46] The incorporation of visual effects was another key factor behind the increased time for post-production;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Crash_44-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[45] the final batch of visual effects was delivered a week before the scheduled release. As a result, the crew had only two days to complete the film and send it for printing, further increasing anxiety regarding the film's release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[51] As the film approached its release, Khan kept a strict tab on the progress of the film's post-production work, keeping daily reports to verify the progress. On October 20, 2011, Sinha tweeted that the film's post-production had been completed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[52]

Visual effects
View of an action scene before (top)and after addition of visual effects<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Red Chillies VFX, a sub-company of Red Chillies Entertainment, was responsible for creating the visual effects of the film. One-third of the film's production budget was utilised for its visual effects.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Buzz_52-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[53] Extensive research was carried out by the crew and it focussed on setting up proper software and creating "the right team" during pre-production.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX2_19-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[20] 1,200 artists from 16 studios, working in three shifts, incorporated the film's visual effects.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-5" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Impressed by the work he had seen in Stargate, Khan hired Jeffrey Kleiser and his company Synthespian Studios as the supervisor of visual effects in January 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26] A team of 750 technicians working at ten facilities around the world carried out the addition of special effects into the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[54] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26] Prime Focus also worked on the visual effects for the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3D_39-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[40] Edwark Quirk supervised over the CGI work in the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26] Ra.One was reported to have 3,500 special effects shots, with a total run-time of 135 minutes, thus exceeding the quantity of shots that were used in Avatar;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX_18-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[19] most of the shots were produced in India by Red Chillies VFX and later worked upon in specialty studios in the United States, the UK, France and Thailand so as to minimize delays.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-54" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[55] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Incorporation of the visual effects into Ra.One began in March 2010, during the film's production. Hingorani stated that 60% of the film was comprised of visual effects, incorporated in 37 sequences.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX2_19-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[20] Keitan Yadav wrote: "There is no software or technique in the industry that we have not used for this film. For 3D, we have used software like Maya, Houdini and Macs. For composites, we have used Nuke and Shake. We have even written our own programmes. We programmed certain things rather than doing them manually." 800 visual effects shots were solely dedicated to G.One's suit in the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX_18-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[19] Synthespian Studios carried out 120 visual effects shots involving the digital cubic transformations of the characters, a process Kleiser noted as "the most challenging part of the film".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-VFX2_19-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[20] Graphic designers created customized software which mimicked artificial intelligence, allowing individual digital cubes to dynamically collaborate with each other so as to break apart and re-form into objects and characters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-5" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The visual effects also involved location replication, as several environments had to be recreated in studio. The team spent several hours taking photographs of locations which would be used later; for the action scene at Battersea Power Station, the crew took 3,000 photographs so as to recreate it using CGI. To recreate a 150-foot tall building which Khan climbs during the scene, a digital pre-visualization was created for each frame; based on the requirement, 3D models were created which served as a key for the design of indoor sets. Khan and Rampal filmed the scene in Croma, which was then superimposed on the power station's CGI replica and subsequently matched with the pre-visualization.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-6" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The visual effects of the film involved several complex and challenging aspects which took considerable time and effort to complete. Khan singled out one process and said that it took almost six days to create a single frame shot of glass flying onto his character.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[56] Designing the face of Ra.One and incorporating his "rebirth" scene with the face of Rampal took nearly a year to complete. The destruction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was done by recreating the entire scene using a miniature version, and reducing it to rubble. Other challenging scenes included a pivotal car chase scene in London which involved crashing through a bus, realistically creating a fight scene in mid-air, the cloning of Ra.One and the final battle between G.One and Ra.One. The film's visual effects also incorporated the time slicing procedure.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ref.25_38-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[39]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Despite the lack of proximity between the several groups of technicians working on Ra.One, the entire process of incorporating the visual effects was co-ordinated by means of virtual collaboration using digital connectivity. The progress was reviewed every alternate day through video conferencing between the technicians situated at various countries, and improvements were made by sketching over the filmed shots. Elements of highly complex shots were created in separate locations and later composited together into a single shot. Kleiser commented, "Artists and technicians at different facilities around the world could participate as though we were all huddled in the same screening room. We can pick out a team from around the world, and work with them remotely [...] Five years ago, this would have been inconceivable."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-viseff_25-6" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[26]

Suits
The body suits of Ra.One (left) and G.One<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The body suits worn by Khan and Rampal were designed by special effects designers Robert Kurtzman and Tim Flattery. The suits were made by a team of specialists based in Los Angeles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ref.25_38-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[39] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[57] Each suit reportedly cost 1 crore (US$199,500). Khan's suit was made of reinforced latex and was steel-blue in color; additionally, the suit was fitted with micro-computer circuitry.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-suit_57-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[58] 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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-suit2_58-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[59] A total of 21 costumes were made for use in the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-suituse_42-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[43]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">To create the mold of the suit, Khan was required to enter into a small chamber wearing minimal clothing. A warm latex-like liquid was subsequently released into the chamber, reaching until his neck. The liquid was allowed to solidify, forming the mold, and was then peeled off Khan's body. The suit was joined by a concealed zipper and taken for modifications, finally forming the suit used in the film. The entire process reportedly took an hour, and was described as "painful".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-suit_57-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[58] However, Khan decided to add computer-generated embellishments to the suits after expressing dissatisfaction with the initial rushes of the film. Subsequently, the technical team added light beams and electricity to the suits.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[60]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The body suits were the primary reason for both Khan and Rampal facing considerable difficulties during filming. Since removing the suits took a good deal of time, water and food intake had to be regulated.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-suit2_58-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[59] In addition, the non-porous nature of the suits created intense heat inside, causing excessive perspiration despite the presence of special air conditioning ducts;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-7" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-R.23_4-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[5] warm weather at shooting locations aggravated the problem. Consequently, both actors lost considerable weight while filming.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Bhaskar_5-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[6] In addition, a malfunction occurred in Khan's suit which required three months to fix.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-weekref_21-8" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[22]

Soundtrack
Main article: Ra.One (soundtrack) <p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The soundtrack of Ra.One was composed byVishal-Shekhar and its lyrics were written by Atahar Panchi, Vishal Dadlani and Kumaar.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TOI_60-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[61] Director Anubhav Sinha announced that R&Bsinger Akon would record two songs for the film and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra would also perform on the soundtrack.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TOI_60-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[61] The makers of the film complied with international copyright laws and obtained the license to use Ben E. King's "Stand By Me", on which they based the song "Dildaara".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TOI_60-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[61] The album features fifteen tracks, including seven original songs, four remixes, three instrumentals and an international version of "Chammak Challo".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TOI_60-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[61] It was released by T-Series on September 12, 2011 and the Tamil and Telugu versions were released on October 10, 2011 featuring six tracks each.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[62] Upon release, the soundtrack met with an overwhelmingly positive critical reception and subsequently gained widespread international popularity.<sup style="line-height: 1em; ">[see main]

Pre-release revenue
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The television broadcasting rights for Ra.One were bought for a then-record sum of 35 crore (US$6.98 million), surpassing the previous record set by 3 Idiots ( 33 crore (US$6.58 million) .<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hindustan_Times1_62-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[63] The film's music rights were bought by T-Series for 15 crore (US$2.99 million) while the distribution rights were acquired by Eros Entertainment for 77 crore (US$15.36 million) .<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Production_22-5" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[23] The distribution rights for the Tamil Nadu and Kerala versions were purchased by Abirami Ramanathan for a reportedly record, but undisclosed price.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-63" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[64] Ra.One set a new record for total pre-release revenue earned, netting 132 crore (US$26.33 million) , and surpassed the previous record held by 3 Idiots, which had earned 85 crore (US$16.96 million) prior to its release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[65]

Promotions
Khan promoting the Ra.OneHappy Meal from McDonald's.<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The producers of Ra.One set a record marketing budget of around 52 crore (US$10.37 million), making it the highest ever for a Bollywood film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Promotion_65-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[66] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Eros_66-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[67] Online promotions accounted for 15 crore (US$2.99 million) of this budget. The producers spent up to 10 crore (US$2 million) while tie-up partners covered the remaining marketing costs. The film's extensive promotion and marketing campaign were described as the "the most comprehensive and all-pervasive among people's lives",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] and a "promotional blitzkrieg"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-68" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[69]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Promotion of the film officially began in December 2010 when the first poster was published in many Indian newspapers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Reuters_23-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[24] The film's first look was later unveiled by Khan on his Twitter page on January 1, 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] Later, Sinha announced the launch of two teaser trailers of the film during the 2011 Cricket World Cup, nine months before the film's release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Teaser_69-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[70] Asked about why he was launching the film's trailer so early, Sinha commented, "Ra.One is not a Bollywood film that [the audiences] have seen before. The kind of size and magnitude that the film has requires it to be slowly introduced to the audience and that is the very purpose why we are starting the whole communication so early."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Teaser_69-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[70] The film's first full-length theatrical trailer was released three months later to the public. To promote the theatrical trailer, Khan was accompanied by the director on a tour of five cities, which included Delhi, Chandigarh, Indore andAhmedabad.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] During this event, a 3600 ft long fan mail collecting audience wishes and messages for the film was also launched.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The official website of the film was unveiled on May 31, 2011. In September 2011, Red Chillies Entertainment (RCE) launched a viral marketing campaign to promote the film online.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-70" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[71] The company launched an official, customised Ra.One channel on YouTube, the first for an Indian film. Several songs and theatrical promos were released, and videos of events, the film's production and some uncut footage were posted to the channel.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] The channel also hosts games, including the first social game from India, and contests where participants can create promos from clips, music and dialogue of the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-71" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[72]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Khan announced that the film would be subsidised through major brand ties-up<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-5" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Eros_66-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[67] including Formula Oneraces, Nokia, Godrej Consumer Products, Coca-Cola, HCL,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HCL_72-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[73] Horlicks and HomeShop18.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-73" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[74] Co-producers and distributors of the film, Eros International, released an official statement stating that it and RCE had recovered a major portion of their investments through in-film branding, media endorsements, music and satellite rights.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Eros_66-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[67] On October 20, 2011, Khan and Kapoor chatted with fans live on Google Plus; it was the first time any Indian film personality had done this.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-74" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[75] Three weeks before the film's release, a mass media campaign was launched by Western Union for international promotions using radio, television, print media and outdoor advertising. The campaign was launched in the US, Canada, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions and was targeted at non-resident Indians across the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-6" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] <p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">"My last strategy was that I do not want any one to know what the bad guy looks like. You see it in the film. The film is called Ra.One but no one knows what [he] looks like. Last week before the film releases, we will let everyone know what he looks like. It is not going to shake the earth, but all the facets are being revealed as a picture puzzle being peeled off."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Reuters_23-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[24] —Khan talking about the promotional strategy regarding the look of the villain, "Ra.One"<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The look of the film's titular character Ra.One, portrayed by Rampal, was heavily guarded and kept strictly secret; the entire filming unit were required to keep mobile phones away from shooting locations, and to sign non-disclosure agreements.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-75" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[76] The character was scheduled to be revealed on the eve ofDussehra. According to the producers, the time was chosen to show the symbolism between Ra.One and the mythological villain Ravana (of the Ramayana), both of whom were "equally bad".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-76" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[77] Due to technical problems, the character's appearance was revealed in the film's final theatrical trailer and received a positive reception.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-77" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[78] Commenting on the response to his look in the film, Rampal said: "The response has been phenomenal. People have liked my look. I am glad I have not disappointed anyone as there was so much anticipation for the film. I was petrified initially, wondering if my look would be appreciated and accepted. But it has been worth the wait."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-78" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[79]

Video games
Shahrukh Khan launches 'G.One' – Nvidia GEFORCE GTX 560Ti graphic card.<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In July 2011, Red Chillies Entertainment (RCE) announced a tie-up with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to build a full cycle game of the film for Sony's PlayStationconsole.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-79" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[80] "Ra.One – The Game" was released on October 5, 2011 at an event in Mumbai. The game features approximately 20 environments and voice-overs by the actors. It was available on PlayStation 2 in India and PlayStation 3 for the international market. Khan volunteered to write the game script, dubbed for the game, and oversaw its technical development. The project was the first full cycle PlayStation 3blu-ray disc game developed with an Indian developer, the first console game to be dubbed by leading Bollywood actors and the first Bollywood title to appear in a full cycle video game.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[81]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">SCEE paid around 4.5 crore (US$0.9 million) to license the Ra.One rights and 3 crore (US$598,500) to market and promote the game through offline promotions and about 250 television advertisement spots.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Psgame_81-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[82] At the time of its launch, 21,000 game consoles were sold and 100,000 units were expected to be sold across India alone.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Psgame_81-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[82] On October 14, 2011, a gaming tournament titled "The Ra.One NvidiaGeForce lan" was held in Mumbai. The event hosted around 1,000 gamers competing against each other and included the games FIFA, Counter-Strike and Call of Duty, and was telecast live on YouTube.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[83]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">RCE also collaborated with UTV Indiagames to design a social game called the Ra.One Genesis, based on the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Gaming_83-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[84] The game reached #1 on the iTunes store within 24 hours of its launch, becoming the first Bollywood movie app to be top-featured on iPhone and iPad.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-84" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[85] It also became the most downloaded game in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Malaysia within 24 hours of being launched.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Khanmarket_85-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[86] The game cost approximately 4.5 crore (US$0.9 million) to produce; its storyline is not related to that of the movie, but it is based on the character of G.One. The game was launched across platforms like mobiles, tablet PCs, thedirect-to-home platform and social networking sites like Facebook.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Gaming_83-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[84] According to the company's digital and new media head Shailja Gupta, the idea behind the digital marketing was to create a franchisee forRa.One. She said, "Social gaming is just one part of the digit marketing strategy. The unique part of the social game is the integration of merchandise and gaming."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Gaming_83-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[84]

Merchandise and comics
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">To promote the film and increase its franchising business, Shahrukh Khan tied up with Seventymm to market merchandise related to the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-86" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[87] Original G.One tee shirts, coffee mugs, wrist bands, watches, mobile pouches, video cameras were among the items sold. The official G.One online store sold similar merchandise.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-promdr_87-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[88] 90% of the 400,000 stationery items and toys were sold in 15 days and an additional 100,000 were ordered. The makers spent 1.5 crore (US$299,250) on the mold for the G.One action figure.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Khanmarket_85-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[86] A range of jewellery line inspired by the symbol of "Ra.One",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Promotion_65-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[66] and a series of HCL laptops with customised integrated Ra.One skin<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HCL_72-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[73] were also made available. Red Chillies Entertainment also collaborated with UTV Indiagames to develop digital comics based on the film's characters. The comics were written by Khan and featured weekly episodes that served as a prequel to the events portrayed in the movie.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ET_88-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[89]

Release
Khan, Kapoor and Rampal (l-r) atRa.One's premiere in London<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Between October 24 and 26, 2011, Ra.One had international premieres in Dubai, London and Toronto, all of which were chosen because of their large international significance and the presence of large South Asian populations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-89" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[90]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The film's first international premiere was held in Dubai on October 24, 2011 at the Grand Cinemas, Wafi. Afterwards, a high-profile dinner and charity auction were held, where Khan raised K.D 30,000 to build a workshop for children with special needs.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Emirates_90-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[91] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[92] The premiere was the first Indian film to sell tickets for its shows and to have three simultaneous screenings for the event. The London premiere of the film took place at the O<sub style="line-height: 1em; ">2 Cineworld the following day and the Toronto premiere took place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on October 26, 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-92" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[93] Due to a conflict with Kapoor's scheduled appearance at Madame Tussauds, it was later announced that she would not attend the film's premiere in Toronto.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[94]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Ra.One surpassed several records among Indian films for the volume of theatrical release in India and worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Box_Office_India1_94-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[95] In India, the film was released in 3,100 screens, breaking the record of Bodyguard (2011), which was released in 2,700 screens.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Record_95-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[96] Overseas, the film was expected to be released in around 1,500 screens with 904 prints.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Eros_66-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[67] Release was expected in 600 screens in Germany, 250 screens in South Korea, 25 prints in Taiwan, 25 prints in New Zealand, 75 prints in Russia,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Record_95-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[96] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-96" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[97] 79 prints in the Middle East,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Emirates_90-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[91] 344 prints in the US, 51 prints in Australia, 202 prints in the UK and 49 prints in Canada.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[98] A reported partnership deal is being finalised by the distributors, which will allow the film to be released in China with 1,000 prints.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Digital_98-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[99] The 3D version was released in 550 selected screens around the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Record_95-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[96] Also, 275 prints of the Tamil version and 125 of the Telugu version were released.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-99" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[100]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Digital_98-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[99] A week before its release, multiplex owners throughout India decided to allot the project with 95% of the total available screen space.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-100" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[101] Uncertainty arose concerning the release of 3D version. Khan clarified on the microblogging site Twitter that the 3D version would be released on the set date.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-twitter_101-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[102]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The Indian Television premiere took place on January 21, 2012 on STAR Gold. The film garnered anaudience rating of 6.7 and a market share of 28% for the channel.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-102" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[103]

Censor ratings
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">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. After much deliberation, the film was passed with a 'U' certificate without cuts, but under the condition that prominent disclaimers stating that the stunts were computer-generated and should not be imitated were shown.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-103" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[104] 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.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-104" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[105] In March 2012, Ra.One faced allegations of receiving a favored censor rating from the Board, in addition to violating the rule of producers not meeting with the Board officials during the screening.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-105" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[106]

Controversies
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">After the principal photography began, Ra.One faced allegations of plagiarism and similarities with other film projects, including Enthiran. When asked about this, 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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-106" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[107] Commenting on Enthiran, he said, "they [both] are different films. I will not like to talk about anyone else's film but Rajni sir is respectable to all of us."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-107" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[108]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">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 left a note threatening the Indian Press Club and defaced the homepage.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-108" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[109]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Days before its release, scriptwriter Yash Patnaik claimed that the film resembled a concept that he had developed several years back. Patnaik subsequently moved his appeal to the Bombay High Court, pleading for a delay in the film's release until he was given due credit or 10% of the film's overall profit.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Writer_109-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[110] The court, observing the prima facie evidence that there had been copyright violations, asked the filmmakers to deposit 1 crore (US$199,500) on October 21, 2011 with the court before releasing the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Patnaik_110-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[111] However, challenging the court decision, Patnaik demanded that the producers give him a credit and not cash.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Patnaik_110-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[111] Sinha claimed that he had developed the film's story.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-111" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[112]

India
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Upon release, Ra.One received mixed reviews from critics in India.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-112" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[113] Film reviewers were separated into two factions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-113" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[114] Some critics thought that the film had brought the level of Indian films to a par with Hollywood films, while others complained about the flawed script.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Rev.23_114-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[115] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HTX_115-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[116] According to review aggregator Review Gang, professional critics gave the film an average rating of 50%.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-116" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[117] <p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film a score of 4.5 out of 5 and said, "Ra.One is the most ambitious, most expensive and the most technologically complex Hindi film ever made. It pushes the envelope further ... It is a film that will rewrite the textbook of computer graphics in Hindi cinema. At the same time, it is very Indian at heart."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-117" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[118] He was later criticised for "over-rating" the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-HTX_115-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[116] Khalid Mohamed fromDeccan Chronicle gave it 4 out of 5 stars, concluding, "Here’s a technical accomplishment with as much heart as hardware".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-118" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[119] Rachit Gupta of Filmfare gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "Ra.One is an enjoyable sci-fi and CGI fiesta that will transport you to a world of kooky fantasy and video game heroes."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-119" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[120]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5, and wrote that "Ra.One is sure to usher in a crackling Diwali at the box office and give the audience paisa vasool entertainment, with fine performances by both Shah Rukh and Kareena. Even young Armaan is efficient. Go have a blast."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-toireview_120-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[121] Subhash K Jha gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, and commented, "Ra.One is a saucy, sassy, scintillating super-hero film which knows exactly when to let the narrative flow in a furious frenzy of hyper-activity, and when to brake the goings-on just before the hysterical happenings topple into the realm of irretrievable absurdity."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-121" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[122] K.K. Rai of Stardustgave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, and wrote that, "Ra.One is a visual treat with top notch computer graphics and other use of high-tech gadgetry. It is certainly better than anything Bollywood has offered so far, and is more in consonance with standards of Hollywood. Anubhav’s execution of the screenplay is perfect, and pacing most suitable to the genre of the flick."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-122" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[123] Komal Nahtaof Koimoi.com also gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, praised the performances of the lead actors but added that the story, based on gaming and technology, would be difficult for the older generation to comprehend.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-123" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[124] The Indo-Asian News Network also gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and said that "Ra.One is still probably one of the classiest movies seen in the Hindi film industry and a feather in Anubhav's hat."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-124" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[125] Kaveri Bamzai of India Today gave the film 3.5 stars out of 5, and wrote, "Welcome to a movie as 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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-125" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[126] Soumyadipta Banerjee of DNA India gave the film 3.5 stars, and said, "The real story is the way the film is carried forward and the special effects. It’s worth a worth. It might be not be a good idea to watch it for the second time around though."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dnareview_126-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[127]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Aniruddha Guha of DNA India gave it 3 stars and said, "Ra.One is beautiful in appearance, but empty within. Which is a pity. Anubhav could have really made a mark with this one."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-127" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[128] Sanchari Bhattacharya of Rediff called the film "escapist entertainment" and gave it 3 out of 5 stars.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-128" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[129] Daily Bhaskar gave it 3 out of 5 stars, and wrote that "Ra.One is surely crafted as a kids’ entertainer, The movie is a joyful cinematic experience for game enthusiasts."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-129" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[130] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, and said, "Ra.One packs in just about everything under the sun and the moon so that the paying public goes home feeling they haven’t been shortchanged. It trundles along all right but never quite hits the high roads."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-130" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[131] Gaurav Malani of The Economic Times gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and commented, "Though the sci-fi concept seems too far-fetched, the director is able to pull it off with visual dazzlery and fast-paced storytelling that the genre demands. The action sequences are thrillingly and credibly choreographed."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-etreview_131-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[132]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Some critics gave the film average or mixed reviews. Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, praising Khan's performance but arguing that, "while this superhero film has plenty sound and fury, it's sorely lacking slickness."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-132" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[133] Sonia Chopra of Sify gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "Ra.Oneis a visual extravaganza and fun enough. 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. Too bad, really."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-133" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[134] Sukanya Verma of Rediff wrote that "The 3D version of Ra.One has nothing extra to offer" giving it 2.5 out of 5 stars.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-134" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[135] Shubha Shetty-Shah of Mid-Day gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, and said, "Ra.One manages to stumble and falter, in spite of all the crutches that it has been provided with. [It's] a revolting khichdi of sorts. The extra half star is for the visual effects and for that intention to make it king size."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-135" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[136]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The film also received a number of negative reviews. Mayank Shekhar of Hindustan Times gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "Neither here nor there, everything appears so visibly constructed and all over the place that you can look through the wires, rather than blend in with the experience."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-136" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[137] Arthur J. Pais ofRediff rated the film with 2 stars quoting "Ayyayyo, what a glorious mess of a film Ra.One is."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-137" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[138] Aseem Chhabra of Rediff criticised the film for its muddled script, gave it 2 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "There are video games that kids play, but then they shut them off, after they win or lose. Finally, Ra.One has a similar forgettable quality."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-138" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[139] Abhishek Mande of Rediff called the film "SRK's most expensive midlife crisis" and wrote that it "could have been great fun but didn't live up."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-139" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[140] Zee News said that, "The film has its moments but they are far and few in between. Some of the scenes are surely entertaining but when one goes to watch a SRK [Khan] film, one hopes to be entertained throughout, and sadly Ra.One fails to do so."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-140" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[141] Sanjukta Sharma of Mint called the film a "haphazard medley of Iron Man, The Matrix, Superman,Terminator 2 and age-old disappearing and levitating acts we’ve seen over and over again in no-brainer Rajnikanth blockbusters ... Anubhav Sinha’s Ra.One is a spectacular disappointment."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-141" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[142] The Mumbai Mirror rated the film 2 out of a 5 stars, praised the action sequences but criticised the writing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-142" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[143] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2 stars and said that "Ra.One is a superstarry slurry sludge, with just the occasional consolatory sparkle."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-143" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[144] Raja Sen of Rediff rated the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and said, "The film seems to think that nothing seems to matter as long as there's enough Khan, and it becomes tragically evident that this is a project born more out of vanity than passion."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-144" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[145] Saisuresh Sivaswamy of Rediff said, "Shah Rukh Khan's latest film offers no emotional connect with the audience even as its story flops in the telling", giving it 1.5 stars.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-145" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[146] Kunal Guha of ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo! Yahoo! Movies] panned the film, did not award it any stars and wrote that, "Ra.One'' does what no other sci-fi movie has done before: it mocks itself. It's convenient to say that if you have no expectations from the film, you wouldn't be disappointed."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-146" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[147]

Overseas
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Overseas, the film received generally positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes rated the film at 77% "Fresh" (83% for top critics), and Metacritic gave the film a 60% rating.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Rev1_147-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[148] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-148" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[149]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Joe Neumaier from New York Daily News gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Ra.One has a witty sense of punky, gaming-style esthetics that American blockbusters try for but can't quite achieve."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Rev1_147-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[148] Kevin Thomas of Los Angeles Times said, "Ra.One is Bollywood at its best. It has energy, spectacle and humor, song and dance, but razzle-dazzle special effects and action stunts never overwhelm its story of enduring love that unfolds amid an intricate and inspired sci-fi odyssey".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-149" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[150] Rachel Saltz of 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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-150" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[151] Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "India’s first attempt at a superhero movie is both vigorous and emotionally fulfilling within the context of Bollywood traditions."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-151" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[152] Andrew O'Hehir from Salon wrote, "From dazzling dance numbers to post-Matrix action, ''RA. One'' showcases Bollywood's confidence."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-152" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[153]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">International Business Times praised the performance of Shahrukh Khan and stated that the chemistry between him and his son, played by Armaan Verma, dazzles throughout the film: "He is wonderful as always. He fits into the role superbly ... His chemistry with his son Prateek in the film is wonderful ...Ra.One is an excellent superhero film; a complete entertainer."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-153" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[154] Rubina A. Khan of The First Postpraised 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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-154" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[155] Manjari Saxena of Gulf News called it "a fun movie to catch."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-gulfnews_155-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[156] John Anderson ofVariety gave the film an average review, and stated, "Along with Khan's presence, it's the effects that sellRa.One, and they arrive more or less nonstop. Rather than incorporate the technology into the story, Sinha's CG acrobatics become the equivalent of a wide receiver doing backflips in the endzone – amusing, but beside the point."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-156" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[157]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Tamara Baluja of The Globe and Mail gave the film one out of four stars. Although she called the special effects "fantastic", she panned the movie as a whole.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-157" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[158] Simon Abrams of Slant Magazine also gave it one out of four stars and wrote: "Ra.One ' s indifferently demeaning scenario proves just how meaningless its creators' supposedly good intentions really are."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-158" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[159] Bloomberg rated the film with one out of four stars, and wrote, "While no one was expecting The Dark Knight from this film’s makers, they could potentially have matched the entertaining and goofy Hellboy. Sadly, Khan and director Anubhav Sinha fail to understand the idiom of superhero cinema."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-159" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[160] 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."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-160" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[161]

Box office
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In February 2012, Box Office India reported that the Hindi version of Ra.One collected a worldwide gross revenue of 202 crore (US$40.3 million) .<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-161" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[162] According to Eros International, Ra.One grossed 240 crore (US$47.88 million) worldwide from all its versions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wgross_162-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[163] Box Office India declared the film a "hit" in India,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hit_163-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[164] and a "super hit" in the overseas markets.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-over_164-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[165]

India
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Ra.One broke several box office records in India. Generally, there were higher occupancy levels for the 3D version of the film than the 2D version. Families and children comprised the majority of Ra.One's audience.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Telegraph_175-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[176] The maximum revenue for the film come from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu/Kerala and Mysore.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-176" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[177] At the end of its theatrical run in India, the film netted 114.78 crore (US$22.9 million), becoming the fifth highest-grossing Bollywood film at that time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bonum_174-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[175]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">On its first day, Ra.One opened at 70–100% cinema occupancy levels throughout India. The lower-than-expected occupancy level was mainly due to Diwali festivities which affected evening shows; the morning opening was described as "historic" by several trade analysts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-openinget_177-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[178] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-178" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[179] The film then set the record for biggest Diwali opening day, out-grossing the previous record of Golmaal 3.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-179" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[180] Ra.One set the record for biggest single-day revenue of a film on its second day, beatingBodyguard's previous first-day record. The film subsequently broke the record for the biggest three-day opening weekend, again previously held by Bodyguard. The five-day extended weekend of Ra.One came second to the previous extended weekend record held byBodyguard.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-firstweekend_168-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[169]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Subsequently, the film's box office collections began to suffer considerable drops in collections; drops were visible even in its first extended weekend. The first week and first nine-day extended week ofRa.One ended up ranking second to Bodyguard by a considerable margin. On its second weekend, Ra.One suffered a drop of 80% from its first (three-day) weekend. At the end of its second week, Ra.Onedeclined by 83% compared to its first (seven-day) week; the collections were boosted due to "Eid" falling within the second week.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-180" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[181] The drop is put into further context by the fact that while Ra.One's first week was the second-highest at that time, its second week was ranked 24th.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-secondw_172-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[173]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">After its second week, Ra.One failed to collect in a considerable manner. In its third week, the release of Rockstar resulted in a major screening space loss for Ra.One, and hence collections dropped by 90% compared to the second week. Ra.One continued to collect at the theaters, but after the third week the collections dipped to well below the 1 crore (US$199,500) mark. <p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">On its first day, Ra.One collected 2 crore (US$399,000) from the Tamil and Telugu versions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-181" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[182] At the end of the three-day weekend, the dubbed versions had collected a total net of 4.5 crore (US$0.9 million) .<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-firstweekend_168-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[169] The Tamil and Telugu versions collected 6 crore (US$1.2 million) in its first extended week, showing large drops throughout.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-fweekex_170-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[171]
 * Dubbed versions

Overseas
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The overseas release of Ra.One spread across two phases, with most major markets covered in the first phase. On its opening weekend, Ra.One debuted to $6.75 million overseas.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] The five-day opening (three day in certain territories) was the fourth biggest for a Bollywood film. In its opening weekend, the film collected US$1,654,023 in US, £908,768 in the UK, $250,000<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] in Pakistan, $349,899<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] in Australia, $1,509,624<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] in UAE, $91,135<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] in New Zealand and $40,658<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-5" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] in Fiji. In addition, the film saw strong openings in Singapore and other East Asian countries.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-over_164-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[165] As of its second week,Ra.One had earned around $8.25 million overseas,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-6" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film overseas in 2011 (subsequently, Khan's other release of 2011 Don 2 surpassed this total).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-over_164-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[165] In 3 weeks,Ra.One collected $8.6 million<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-7" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] making it the fifth highest grossing film ever in the overseas market.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-183" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[183] As of November 24, 2011, Eros International stated that the film made more than $10 million<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-.24_182-8" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[note 1] in the overseas market.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-184" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[184]

Commercial analysis
<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Ra.One generated curiosity among the public and distributors since the announcement of Akon's involvement with the film's soundtrack. The film received media attention due to the early launch of the film's extensive publicity campaign. After the first trailer was released, many analysts predicted that Ra.Onewould not succeed at the box office because of its use of technology and action, a reportedly different type of script and an urban feel suggesting that Ra.One would be a "class" phenomenon, and would not percolate down to the "masses".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Buzz_52-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[53] Some trade analysts were, however, quite positive about the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Koimoi_185-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[185] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-186" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[186] Image guru Dilip Cherian said "SRK is building the film as a franchise much as Hollywood studios do. It’s like bludgeoning the market into submission."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-promdr_87-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[88] Consequently, audience expectations built up to a very high level.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-187" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[187] Ra.One set records for levels of public awareness of the film and audience anticipation six weeks before its release; these levels were maintained until the release date. However, it was noted that to recoup its investment, the film would need to run for an extensive period in theaters, unlike the short-lived films Bodyguard or Singham.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Buzz_52-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[53] The film's visual effects generated much curiosity among moviegoers, film distributors and critics, and had been called "the best India has ever seen [and] on par with Hollywood". <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ET_88-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[89] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Marketing_67-7" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[68] <p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">"Wherever you go, be it a mall or be it a hospital, you are bound to find one certain G.One smiling at you with enticing blue eyes. This fierce promotional drive is getting on the audiences' nerves now and has the potential of killing the enthusiasm of movie goers."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-188" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[188] —Rohit Vats, CNN IBN, on the strategy of marketing used in Ra.One<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The extensive promotional campaign provoked strong reactions from viewers and box office trackers; there was speculation that the saturation strategy would backfire. The omnipresence of Ra.Onepopularised a series of internet and SMS jokes, several of them targeting the film's publicity campaign and post-release, the film itself. Khan was unconcerned by the popularity of these jokes. He said, "Some people have devoted their lives to writing about how Ra.One is not a good film. But I am glad, since people are discussing it, it pretty much shows how the film hasn’t been ignored."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Jokes_189-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[189] The style of the film's marketing was attributed to personal ambition.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-promdr_87-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[88]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In spite of the high cost of the film and its seemingly risky nature, Khan recovered most of the film's production costs well before release through film rights and sponsorship.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Buzz_52-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[53] The high budget of the film, meaning high prices for distributor rights and lower profits, was another area of concern. Outlook India said; " ... Ra.One is Shahrukh Khan’s biggest gamble yet. The superhero genre, the mind-boggling budget, the marketing blitzkrieg, the brand value, the superstardom, Shahrukh has staked it all on the movie." <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-promdr_87-3" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[88]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The superhero genre was untested by Khan and was not popular in India. Khan's earlier success was predominantly based on romantic roles with notable exceptions such as Swades (2004) and ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chak_De!_India Chak De! India]'' (2007).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-190" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[190] Khan's role as a superhero was unfamiliar to his fans, who recognised him as a romantic actor with "arched brows, deep dimples, perennially outstretched arms and a sarcastic half-smile." Filmmaker Paromita Vohra, a fan of Khan, commented "Will the superhero have traces of the SRK [Khan] I love or not?" Author Supriya Mandangarli noted that "the SRK persona has not been so much about aggressive masculinity as about nostalgia, the reason why Ra.One seems a big risk." <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-promdr_87-4" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[88]

<p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Post release, Ra.One received a lukewarm audience reception. Opinions on the film varied widely; user ratings ranged from 1.5 to 4.5 stars out of 5.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Rev.23_114-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[115] While audiences unanimously praised the visual effects and technical aspects of the film, many were left feeling the need of a better and more original script. Children and teenagers unanimously loved the movie; however, adults were critical of it.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Rev.23_114-2" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[115] Audiences also compared Ra.One to other science-fiction films like Mr. India, Krrish, Drona and Enthiran,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-191" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[191] and American superhero films like Batman Begins and Tron: Legacy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ripposter_192-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[192] Vats commented, "Ra.One banked upon mammoth promotional drive in order to pull the audiences to the theatres and therefore mixed reviews actually have brought down the fever a bit. The focus on technical fineness has made Ra.One an experience worth watching but the hype around the film has begun to fizz away." A major short-coming of the film was that it failed to connect with Khan's own built-in fan base. Noted film producer Pritish Nandyechoed these sentiments by saying "I'm no fan of SRK but I must say, even if it disappoints you all, I enjoyed Ra.One. ... The problem with [it] is that it does not connect with SRK's own fan base. They were cursing the film and walking out."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pritnan_193-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[193] <p style="line-height: 1.5em; ">Went to see Ra.One with no expectations. Was stopped by random people at Inox, discouraging us. Including a charming old lady. —Pritish Nandy's tweet about the planned negativity factor, when he went to watch the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pritnan_193-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[193] <p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The film failed to meet the very high expectations, and thus negativity about the film spread. A member of the film's production unit commented, "The attention was now diverted to speculating the figures, hinting at the figures not being true. It has now come to point of being nasty." Khan was upset with the negative word-of-mouth about the film which he said was "a clever marketing strategy to undercut the film when it was going on at full-steam in the theatres." <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nandy2_194-0" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[194] Nandy reported about "random people coming up to the audience and asking them to go back rather than watch the film" in several multiplexes across Mumbai.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nandy2_194-1" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[194]

Accolades
Main article: List of accolades received by Ra.One<p style="line-height: 19px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Ra.One received numerous nominations and awards in India and abroad. Most of these were for the technical aspects of the film, such as visual effects, cinematography, sound design and action sequences. The film won both the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Special Effects, three Star Screen Awards and six Zee Cine Awards.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-195" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[195] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-196" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[196] Ra.One also received several marketing and business awards for its promotions, distribution and music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-197" style="line-height: 1em; font-style: normal; ">[197]