‘Obsession’ has turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the year. What makes it even more impressive is that it was made on a tiny budget of just $750K, yet has gone on to earn a massive $170 million worldwide. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma was clearly blown away by this. On Sunday, he took to X to say that he is obsessed with the film and shared his thoughts on why it has managed to connect with so many people across the world.
Ram Gopal Varma’s theory on why ‘Obsession’ connected with audiences
RGV took his X handle and wrote, “My theory on the tremendous success of OBSESSION. Every woman has a little bit of NIKKI in her, which she too knows. Every man sees a little bit of NIKKI in his woman. Hence the CONNECT.”
What is ‘Obsession’ about?
The film follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a music store employee whose life takes a dark and terrifying turn after he gets his hands on a supernatural toy. He uses it to make his childhood friend Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, fall in love with him but the wish comes at a horrifying price. ‘Obsession’ is written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker.
Ram Gopal Varma breaks down Obsession’s budget and making
In another post on X, RGV went deeper into what impressed him about the film’s making, zeroing in on its editing and directorial approach. He said, “Am obsessed with Obsession.. Till even a few weeks before the whole industry believed that only big starred, massive budgeted, Vfx spectacle films will pull audience into the theatres and now Obsession reset that button. No big stars, no grand locations no lavish production design no foreign shoots no top technicians and contrary to it’s reported budget of 7 cr (Indian) it’s easy to see , it’s pure making cost cannot be more than 70 lakhs minus technical fees considering it’s entirely shot in exactly 3 locations ( two rooms in a modest house, interior of a car and interior of a small store.”He added, “The directors style is visually simplistic but very unique ( I was especially struck with his use of too much head space in many shots which strangely enhances the mood ) He treats editing not just as a technical craft but as psychological weapon blending rapid cuts with especially lengthy stays (case in point is long stay on Nikki’s face in interval shot ) These kind of long takes build unbearable tension because the audience is trapped in the character’s perspective with no escape.”The note further read, “His cutting on sharp sound effects (a door slam, a sudden laugh, a heartbeat) to create rhythmic punctuation is awe inspiring. Barker’s editing philosophy seems to be: “Make the audience feel what the character feels, which is being unstable.” He throws out traditional editing rules (smooth continuity, clear emotional beats) in favour of something extremely anarchic. The result is a film that feels unpredictable and alive, like the editing itself is also a part of the horror. He mostly used single-source lighting and lit up spaces rather than individual shots, very much like David Fincher, but much more effectively. More than the 179 million dollars collection so far with a less than 1 million dollar budget , what needs to be even more studied are the path breaking edit and sound design techniques not to forget character design.”
Internet roasts Ram Gopal Varma for missing the point of ‘Obsession’
However, not everything RGV said landed well online. His remark about every woman having a bit of Nikki in her rubbed a large section of the internet the wrong way. Given that ‘Obsession’ is essentially a story about Bear forcing his crush Nikki into a relationship against her will through a supernatural wish, many social media users felt that RGV had completely missed the point of the film. One user did not mince words, writing, “The movie isn’t about Nikki to begin with, what did you smoke before stepping into the theatre, Ramu?” Another took a more sarcastic route, asking, “Are you suggesting every man is like the male lead”.
‘Obsession’ director Curry Barker thanks fans as film crosses $100 million
The film’s extraordinary success also moved its creator to speak up. A few days ago, director Curry Barker took to Instagram to express his disbelief and gratitude as the film crossed the $100 million mark at the box office. In a heartfelt note to his audience, he wrote, “Over 100M at the box office?! So surreal, and it’s all because of you guys. Thank you to everyone who has come out to watch the film and to everyone who helped us get here. I’m obsessed with you.”
Obsession’s box office performance in India
‘Obsession’ made its way to Indian cinemas on May 29 and has since managed to make a solid impact locally as well, pulling in Rs 32 crore at the Indian box office.
