Everything you need to know about Bollywood PR

Isko poora padh liya, toh branding know-how jinga-la-la

By Bollywood Publicity On Dec 12, 2023

Most people seek quick fixes.
Most people think short-term.
Most people get easily distracted.
Most people are too busy to think big.
Most people spend, but don’t invest in themselves.
Most people won’t become stars.
Most people won’t bother to read these FAQs in full.
Still, we explain everything in detail, for that 1 person.
For that 1 in 10,000 who’ll take charge to build a career.
For that 1 person who may become a celebrity tomorrow.

The most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Bollywood PR with insider insights

Table of Contents

What is Bollywood PR?

Imagine your name shining in Bollywood’s spotlight. Bollywood PR (Bollywood Public Relations), also known as Entertainment PR (Entertainment Public Relations), focuses on image-building, branding, hype and crisis management.

This is done with news placements, like news articles, features, company profiles, interviews or photo galleries in the news media.

Publicity is achieved through either Organic News placements (without disclaimers), or Paid News placements (with disclaimers).

Bollywood publicists and entertainment PR agencies are hired to promote film projects, as well as by actors, directors, producers, film financers, exhibitors, models, beauty pageant winners, choreographers, cinematographers etc. who wish to support and enhance their careers with PR machinery.

What is music PR?

Music celebs need to be heard to attract shows, gigs, and filmmakers and companies to sign them. Music PR (music Public Relations) is publicity and hype which can be acquired for singers, composers, lyricists, directors, producers, music companies, singles, albums and music videos.

This is done with music news placements, like news articles, features, interviews, audio reviews and video reviews in the news media.

Just like Bollywood PR, music promotions are done with the help of either Organic News placements (without disclaimers), or Paid News placements (with disclaimers).

What is the full form of PR?

The full form of PR is Public Relations. It is not to be confused with Press Release, which is a tool in Public Relations. Public Relations (PR), is handled by experienced professionals, who conduct PR exercises (however long-term, or short-term) with a clear vision and strategy.

With PR, you can create and elevate your image with expert guidance. Needless to say, effective PR can transform careers.

Who should get PR done and is it really needed?

In today’s intensely competitive world, anyone looking to propel their career forward and stand out in the crowd should consider investing in PR. Individuals who prioritize personal brand building through PR, gain a strategic advantage, creating a positive public image that attracts opportunities and accelerates career growth.

PR provides a means to showcase achievements, expertise and unique qualities, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience.

Not getting PR done means missing out on a powerful tool to shape public perception. Nowadays, first impressions are often formed online. The absence of a curated image can hinder professional advancement. Without effective PR, individuals risk being overlooked in a sea of talent, limiting their exposure and potential to work assignments.

Thus, PR is not just a luxury; but a necessity. Those who invest in PR take charge of their narrative, seize opportunities, and position themselves for accelerated career growth, leaving the competition behind.

When is the best time to get PR done?

While it’s never too late to start, the sooner you engage in PR efforts, the sooner you can shape the narrative surrounding your career.

Every moment presents an opportunity to showcase your achievements, expertise, and unique qualities. Whether you’re at the beginning of your career, feeling stagnated in it, or well-established; PR can provide a strategic advantage.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Bollywood PR?

Advantages of Bollywood PR:

Visibility: Enhances your visibility and maintains a positive public image.

Brand Building: Builds and strengthens the celebrity’s personal brand, contributing to long-term success.

Positive Perception: Shapes a positive public perception, influencing how audiences perceive a celebrity.

Market Expansion: PR facilitates the expansion of a celebrity’s market reach, both nationally and internationally.

Event Promotion: Effectively promotes movie releases, events and projects, ensuring maximum audience engagement.

Endorsement Opportunities: Attracts lucrative brand endorsement deals from Talent Management agencies and collaborations.

Opportunity Attraction: Attracts lucrative opportunities such as film roles, brand endorsements, and collaborations.

Project Hype: Generates pre-release hype for projects, ensuring a strong initial audience engagement.

Thought Leadership: Positions celebrities as thought leaders, enhancing credibility and influence beyond the entertainment realm.

Crisis Management: PR helps manage and navigate through crises, preserving the celebrity’s reputation.

Makeovers: PR allows for strategic rebranding, helping celebrities evolve with their careers.

Legacy Building: PR helps in crafting a lasting legacy, shaping how a celebrity is remembered in the industry.

Disadvantages of Bollywood PR:

Public Scrutiny: Intense public scrutiny may magnify personal and professional challenges.

Loss of Privacy: Intensive PR can result in a loss of personal privacy, blurring the lines between public and private life.

Dependency Risks: Over-reliance on PR professionals may lead to a disconnect between the celebrity and their genuine persona.

Competitive Pressure: The need to constantly outshine in the media can create immense pressure and stress for celebrities.

Short-Lived Impact: The impact of PR efforts might be short-lived if not consistently managed.

Costly Endeavor: Maintaining a robust PR strategy can be financially demanding, especially for emerging talents.

Time Consumption: Managing PR demands time, diverting attention from personal life.

Fan Expectation Burden: Continuous PR success can create high fan expectations, leading to added pressure on celebrities.

Sustainability Challenges: Maintaining a consistently effective PR presence poses challenges in sustaining momentum over an extended career.

What type of clients do Bollywood publicists like to accept?

Bollywood publicists prefer to handle the following type of clients:

Positive Reputation: Individuals with a positive public reputation and minimal history of controversies.

Consistent Work Ethic: Clients demonstrating a consistent commitment to their craft and career advancement.

Involved in Social Causes: Clients involved in meaningful social causes, contributing to a positive public image.

Proactive in Career Development: Clients who actively seek opportunities and are invested in their long-term career development.

Have Marketable Stories: Clients with interesting and marketable narratives that align with industry trends and audience interests.

Are Collaborative: Those willing to collaborate closely with the publicist for effective communication strategies.

Open to Guidance: Individuals willing to take guidance from publicists for effective image management.

Maintain Professionalism: Clients exhibiting professionalism in their public interactions and image management.

Media-Friendly Personality: Clients who are comfortable and engaging in media interactions.

Bollywood publicists prefer clients who possess these qualities in order to effectively manage their public image and communication strategies.

How do I find a good publicist who suits me?

To find a publicist who suits you:

Research: Conduct thorough research on potential Bollywood publicists and Bollywood PR agencies on Google.

Networking: Seek recommendations from industry peers, colleagues, or professionals in your field.

Online Presence: Examine their online presence, including social media and websites, to understand their approach and branding.

Most Trusted Publicists in Bollywood: To find the most trusted publicists in Bollywood, look for reputation, experience and expertise.

Understanding: A good publicist is also attuned to your vibe, creating a harmonious working relationship. Also, a good publicist is one who is easily able to understand your aims, goals and vision.

Interactions: Schedule interviews with potential publicists to assess their communication style, strategies, and understanding of your goals. See how responsive they are.

Communication Style: Ensure compatibility in communication style and a clear understanding of your personal or professional brand.

Budget Consideration: Discuss and clarify the cost structure to ensure it aligns with your budget and expected outcomes.

Transparency: Look for a publicist who is transparent about their strategies, potential challenges and expected results.

Guarantees: A good publicist may also be able to guarantee publication of content, at least on a fixed number of websites through a strategic PR approach.

Providing You Clarity: A good publicist will not only answer all your questions but also proactively address concerns, fostering a transparent and communicative partnership.

Trust Your Instincts: Ultimately, trust your instincts and choose a publicist who resonates with your vision and values.

What is the difference between image-building, publicity and hype?

Image-building: Elevate your brand progressively with strategic PR, ensuring enduring impact and sustained success. Image-building involves gradually raising the bar for your brand as you progress. With a long-term vision, it remains the most lasting form of strategic PR activity.

For the sake of a simple case study, let’s say, it took Ranbir Kapoor 16 years from the time of release of his first film, to be recognized by Bollywood as a commercially viable star, which finally happened with the film Animal. Some argue that the absence of thorough image-building, branding, and media-savviness prolonged this.

Ranbir did not share anything about himself or bother to interact with fans on any social media platform. He was considered to be a versatile actor but did not get slotted as a commercial actor. He wasn’t considered as a serious contender to Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar or Hrithik Roshan… not even to Ranveer Singh.

Some feel that it is only after Ranbir married into the Bhatt family, that he truly understood the importance of image-building, and took extra efforts to be media-friendly. Maybe, the outspoken and once extremely media-savvy Mahesh Bhatt had a hand in changing his mind.

Ranbir shifted focus to selecting highly commercial projects, was seen at public events, and underwent a makeover for his image. So much so that he even became accessible to the unruly Bollywood paparazzi, and became their darling in no time.

This was in stark contrast to his earlier image of aloofness; trying to only let his roles and movies do the talking. He was now seen as taking efforts to curate an image and be accessible and reach out to his fans. His fans multiplied, and when Animal got acclaim, he was touted a commercial success.

Publicity: Publicity is making your brand stay in the news with a constant flow or news placements for the sake of continuous visibility. Publicity aims to maintain consistency in the public eye.

For instance, stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar don’t necessarily require extensive image-building. But they need consistent publicity to stay in the news and stay in circulation.

Hype: Hype is an instantaneous form of PR activity that can make you instantly famous on websites and Google. It’s sudden, quick and fast. However, at the same time, it’s temporary and fades quickly if not done regularly.

A good example of hype would be the way movies are publicized. When a movie is about to be released, its hype suddenly shoots up and you start hearing various aspects about the film everywhere.

There is talk about the first look, the teaser, the trailer, the songs, the story, the concept, the stars, their interviews and appearances, their bytes and controversies, their linkups, and sometimes even PR stunts.

All this is part of PR hype created by the film’s publicists to make the film hot and garner initial ticket sales. That’s hype. However, after the film’s release in a few weeks, the hype subsides, and media discussions subtly shift to the next big thing on the horizon.

Which are the top best Bollywood PR agencies in Mumbai?

Discover your pinnacle with Mumbai’s finest agencies. The top best Bollywood PR agencies include Dale Bhagwagar Media Group, Spice PR, Raindrop Media, Universal Communications, Parull Gossain Publicists Inc, and Hype PR. These are the known market leaders in PR, though there are countless others in Bollywood. (For details on all the top best Bollywood PR agencies in India, you can check this section)

Which are the top best music PR agencies in Mumbai?

Amplify the reach of your melodies. The top best music PR agencies in Mumbai include High Key Public Relations, Dale Bhagwagar Media Group, Tappy Toes, India Music PR, Melody Posts, Out Of My Chair and Rhythm Report. These are the better-known names in music PR, though there are many others in the industry. (For details on all the top music PR agencies in Mumbai for song and music promotions in India, you can check this section)

What is the difference between Bollywood PR, Talent Management and Digital Marketing?

There is a lot of difference between Bollywood PR, Talent Management and Digital Marketing. They are three different professions, mostly catered to by different agencies specializing in each of them.

Bollywood PR mainly caters to publicity and hype that can be acquired in the news media through the expertise of seasoned publicists and Bollywood PR agencies in Mumbai. Your journey to the limelight starts here.
Talent Management is about managing artistes, by procuring work assignments, appearances and managing their day-to-day affairs, including money negotiations and dates.
Digital Marketing is about handling social media and fixing celeb spotting by paparazzi. (For a detailed article explaining everything about the difference between Bollywood PR, Digital Marketing and Talent Management, click here)

Is PR and Digital Marketing the same?

No, not at all. Though both, PR and Digital Marketing, are about publicity, they are different professions altogether, requiring completely different skill sets.

PR: Today’s Public Relations (PR) goes beyond traditional media coverage; it’s about sculpting a robust online presence and branding through News Websites. Publicists skillfully forge connections with News Editors and Journalists.

Additionally, some publicists wield expertise in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), ensuring your story not only gets noticed on Google, but also helps you build a Google presence, with consistent and impactful PR articles.

Digital Marketing: On the other hand, Digital Marketing caters specifically to social media and fixing celeb spotting by paparazzi, with social media managers dealing with the public online.

Both are different professions, and mostly handled by separate agencies who specialize in either of them.

What should be tapped first — Bollywood PR, Talent Management or Digital Marketing?

There is no hard and fast rule as such about which activity should be pursued first.

However, according to industry insiders, it is more sensible to first become famous with Bollywood PR through online news media and Google presence through SEO, so that one is considered a ‘credible’ brand in the entertainment industry.
Once PR and branding reaches a consistent and high level, the chances of Talent Management agencies showing interest in the brand increase, as the person or project becomes ‘saleable’.
After this, if the brand begins getting regular work, one could then focus on being ‘marketable’. At this stage, Digital Marketing and celeb spotting through paparazzi can be tapped for social media enhancement.

Though this is the normal understanding; many make the mistake of tapping social media first. A few in thousands do finally become celebrities and influencers on social media, but in comparison to the national fame that a Bollywood celebrity or music celebrity has, the social media celebs appear more like ‘starlets’ instead of ‘stars’.

Thus, it may not make sense spending time, money and energy on Digital Marketing or celeb spotting by paparazzi, before creating a brand through Bollywood PR or music PR, and getting work through Talent Management.

Which are the main media platforms to be tapped for Bollywood publicity and hype?

In today’s age, the most important media to be tapped for branding and hype in Bollywood, or the music industry, are Bollywood news websites. Additionally, lifestyle news websites, mainstream news websites and business news websites can also be tapped. Specifically for music PR in India, apart from the above mentioned sites, even tech news websites can be tapped. (List of Bollywood and Lifestyle Websites)

What are the most valuable aspects of your PR exercise?

Google presence: Elevate your story’s impact. Google presence is one of the most valuable aspects of your PR exercise. Because Google presence through news websites brings respect, credibility and search value worldwide.

Bollywood as well as music artists who have a good and consistent Google presence, increase their chances of earning better deals and assignments. Plus, they can be easily found on Google, thus increasing their prospects of faring better in procuring deals for shows or appearances, which is one of the main sources of income and profits for an artist.

Quality and presentation: Another valuable aspect of a good PR exercise is the quality of the written content, along with its classy presentation. All this is only possible through the help of a Bollywood publicist or entertainment PR agency, which can present the artist or project in an technically experienced manner.

Big publicity tip: Unless you are a media professional yourself, you should not try to attempt PR on your own, because PR is not only about media placements, but done with an accurate understanding of a combination of long-term vision, media manipulation, narrative building, SEO tactics and PR strategy. (To read the article ‘Strategy over struggle: PR and online branding for quick stardom in Bollywood’, click here)

What are the different topics covered by news websites?

Though the range of topics covered by websites is vast, they mainly cover national and international news, business news, lifestyle news, tech news and entertainment news; including Bollywood news and music news. Apart from these, there are news agencies which deal in syndicated content. (Check out the list of top best genuine news websites in India by clicking here)

What are the different categories of websites on the internet?

Post pandemic, three broad categories have emerged among websites.

New-Age Websites: The most sought-after for Organic coverage. New-Age Websites are sites existing from around 3-7 years and competing with the older ones on Google. For example, sites like Cine Mumbai, Bollywood Dhamaka, Bollywood Roundup, BollyNext and Super Showbiz.
Veteran Websites: Sites which are older than 7-8 years. For example, sites like Bollywood Hungama, Koi Moi and Bollywood Life. Many of them indulge in Paid News.
Legacy Websites: Sites which have a Legacy of print or television media. For example, sites like Filmfare and Cine Blitz. Most of them indulge in Paid News. Legacy websites used to be the most desired in the past. However, in today’s times, many New-Age websites are more desired, for staying focused on complete Organic coverage.

Depending on your specific requirements, you could choose wisely. Experienced publicists and PR agencies can also correctly advise you on the same, to ensure your PR activity’s success. (Click here to read a more detailed explanation about New-Age websites, Veteran websites and Legacy websites)

What is the secret sauce of Bollywood PR placements?

Most publicists and PR agencies won’t tell you this! However, the secret sauce of Bollywood PR is Organic News articles without disclaimers.

Whereas New-Age Websites still give Organic web placements for articles, most Veteran and Legacy Websites have begun to focus on Paid News articles with disclaimers, which state that your article has been provided by a third party and that the publication does not take any responsibility for the authenticity of the article.

Such disclaimers take away the credibility of your entire article and it comes across as a paid and planted plug, which actually does more harm in the long run.

Another give-away of paid articles is that Veteran and Legacy websites often put them in sections titled Brand Post, Branded Content or Sponsored Content, which signifies that the article is an advertorial (advertisement), and not editorial.

Thus, New-Age websites, or websites which carry Organic News articles without disclaimers, should always be preferred for the sake of your respect and credibility. (Read this article to find out the main advantages of Organic PR over Paid News)

What is the difference between Organic News and Paid News?

Organic News: Organic News articles are editorial news placements done organically (mostly through the contacts and connections of a publicist).

These appear without disclaimers, mainly on New-Age Websites and carry more respect and credibility due to their Organic editorial nature.

Paid News: On the other hand, Paid News articles are paid advertorial placements done by simply paying the media for the articles. These are mostly published by Veteran and Legacy websites and come with disclaimers at the end, which take away the credibility of the content written above.

As mentioned earlier, they are often carried in sections titled Brand Post, Branded Content or Sponsored Content, which is a give-away that the articles are paid for, and are paid advertorial plugs.

Google’s stance: Google has often stated that it prefers to show Organic content in its results. As the search engine’s algorithms advance, there is also a likelihood that just as Google discourages AI-written content, it might bring an update which might penalize Branded Content in the future.

India’s stance: In future, there is a possibility that the Indian government could bring in stringent regulations to control the spread of paid news, fake news and harmful AI-generated content. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has already expressed concerns stating that AI poses challenges and ethical concerns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the inaugural event of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit in Delhi, highlighted the immense danger posed by artificial intelligence.

As of now, Google or the Indian government have not brought any harsh rules over Fake News, Paid News or questionable AI content, but the risk is always looming large on such content being marginalized or sidelined in future.

What is Hybrid PR?

Hybrid PR is a new form of PR, where Organic News and Paid News articles are procured in specific proportions to achieve a balance between placements on New-Age Websites, Veteran Websites and Legacy Websites.

Though there are only a handful of publicists and PR agencies specializing in a good mix of both Organic News and Paid News, it can emerge as a safer bet in terms of striking a balance between quality and quantity in article placements in the future. (Read this detailed article about why hybrid PR; a mix of organic news and branded content, is the future of Bollywood PR)

How much do Bollywood PR agencies and music PR agencies charge?

Different agencies would have different PR packages and PR pricing too.

Cost of Organic News PR packages:

[One-time deals]: Organic News articles will give you more value for the money spent on creating your brand. To give you a fair idea, if you are going for Organic News articles with a reputed and experienced Bollywood PR agency to take care of your branding, the charges/fees might be in the expected average range of Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 15,00,000 for one-time packages, depending on the PR packages chosen by you and the quantity of website placements promised by the PR agency. (However, for Hybrid PR packages, which are a mix of Organic and Branded content, the pricing could be much higher.) Organic PR packages carry the maximum value, and give you more bang for your buck. Many reputed PR agencies might also take one-time fees in full advance.

[Yearly deals]: If your deal is on a monthly remuneration basis for a full year, the charges/fees charged by reputed and credible PR agencies might be in the expected average range of Rs 60,000 to Rs 3,75,000 per month. Do note that these are average price ranges, and specifically for Organic News placements, and might also vary from agency to agency. Also note that if an entertainment PR agency is highly trusted and reputed, it may charge the entire yearly fee upfront as a one-time fee. This depends on which agency you are signing up with and how reputed it is. A simple Google search will give you more clarity. Note that some agencies are more preferred, because they give a ‘guarantee’ of a fixed number of web news placements every month, whereas other agencies use that old tried-and-tested line, “We can’t guarantee news placements, but we will put our best efforts to pitch for you.”

Cost of Paid News PR packages: Paid News prices range from staggeringly low amounts as Rs 3,000 to Rs 2,50,000 on an average, depending upon which publication or package you choose for placing your advertorial paid articles.

But as explained earlier, Paid News placements, though cheaper, can have many long-term disadvantages compared to Organic News placements. This has been explained in detail above, so that you could make extremely informed decisions for your branding in Bollywood.

PS: There is a possibility that when AI regulation kicks in paid news press releases in India may face trouble, with Google downgrading your ‘branded post’ press releases.

Cost of Hybrid PR packages: As Hybrid PR is a mix of both, Organic News placements and Paid News placements, the charges/fees would be an addition of both.

You should go for Hybrid PR only if you have high PR budgets to brand yourself fantastically. Otherwise, it is best to either choose Organic News or Paid News.

Can I get work without branding and without spending any money on my PR?

If you are very lucky you may get work without branding. However, talent alone is often not enough to secure acting or music opportunities in the highly competitive Indian entertainment industry.

You must have realized how many movies bomb and go unnoticed every month. Many producers spend years working on a film project, but due to a lack of branding, their films just come and go without getting noticed or remembered.

Similarly, aspiring artists need PR and an online presence to stand out among thousands and lakhs of people, gain visibility, build credibility, and get noticed to increase their chances of getting discovered by industry professionals.

Think about it! Producers, directors, financial backers, and industry professionals are highly unlikely to invest in, or hire aspiring artists without an established brand, reputation or fame.

By investing in PR and crafting a Google presence, aspiring actors and musicians can increase their chances of recognition and success in launching their careers. You can unlock the doors to stardom with strategic Bollywood PR, and begin your journey to fame. (Read this article about work without branding and Google presence)

Can I bargain with my PR agency for a better price?

PR is a service industry and charges vary from publicist to publicist and agency to agency. So, of course, you can bargain.

However, if a PR agency is very reputed and has fixed pricing for their PR packages, they might be reluctant to give discounts. If pushed too much, some may relent, but they might most probably end up cutting corners on the deliverables. Most of this cost-cutting would not be noticed by you, because it happens at the backend; but it does happen. So be warned. You can take your chances though.

But if the PR packages are not from any A-list top-of-the-line agency and do not mention fixed pricing, it is your right to bargain and get the best price for yourself.

Who is a good and safe publicist for you?

To craft your PR success, the best publicist for you is one who has experience and expertise in the news media.

When hiring a publicist, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

Is your publicist helpful in guiding you properly about which PR package and type of websites suit your requirement?
Does your publicist help you with the quality of written content?
Does your publicist ‘guarantee’ organic web placements?
Does your publicist have a fair knowledge of Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Does your publicist take your approval on content before sending it out to news editors and journalists?
Does your publicist manage a good classy presentation for you on the news websites?
Does your publicist have control over the copy (written content)? Does your article appear as-it-is, or are there too many unwanted changes made by website editors and journalists to the final draft of your news article?
Do at least 30 percent of your articles on websites get listed on Google?
Last but not the least, will your articles stay on Google forever, contributing to your overall Google presence?

If the answers to most of these questions are in the affirmative, you can be rest assured you are in the safe hands of a good publicist.

Ready to elevate your profile? Check out our pages of the top Bollywood PR agencies and top music PR agencies in India.

Additionally, check out the list of top best Entertainment & Lifestyle websites in Bollywood.