RJ Balaji and his Branding - Edward Raghul

RJ Balaji has a multi-faced profile to define him. Once he was on Radio as RJ, does Cricket commentary, Did a podcast on Spotify, was a comedian, an anchor, and a writer cum director. Whatever he does, he is the emblem of the work. Right from kid to granny, if they know the show is led by RJ Balaji, they participate in the show without any second thought. Apart from that, he developed a reputation on his name, he followed a good strategy to sell his product and made himself a brand. What's that, let's discuss!

RJ Balaji as a Radio Jockey 

He addresses many current affairs and his opinion on the issues too in the radio so sarcastically. Usually, people facing hardships due to politicians have a bitter side on them as they can't openly get down into protest as it may draw a huge question mark into their lives. When someone sarcastically makes fun of and belittles politicians and those who create the problem, gain some sort of respect and support among common people. He did "cross-talk" which is a super-duper hit (even he used cross-talk to promote "veetla vishesham"). Cross talk magnifies the support he gained from the public, as it's original and no script in it, the people's opinion of him and his work is genuine, which interconnects the followers blindly and also introduces him to many new audiences. This made a strong network of followers for RJ Balaji

RJ Balaji as a cricket commentary

Cricket, generally being a long-winded game has various teams play in it. Throwing light on IPL and World Cup Series, it has a wide range of audience despite of their educational status or standard of living. Moreover the audience consider their team as their own family. They hesitate even to watch the match if it's not their team's match day. Eventually the viewership of the channel keeps fluctuating. Now to maintain equilibrium the whole responsibility lies over the commentators. There are few people who watch the match just for the commentators.

    Viewers are ranged widely. However most of the viewers are of the middle class background. To attract this certain group of audience, the commentators live by them during commentary. This work is predominantly done by RJ Balaji in Star Sports Tamil. His commentary is much relatable to our day to day life. For instances, ( சென்னைக்கு மிக அருகில் செங்கல்பட்டிற்கு ball சென்றுகொண்டிருக்கிறது, நம்ப ஆளு கண்ணா மூடிட்டேன் ball அ புடிப்பரு, if he misses the ball, கண்ண தொறந்துட்டாரு போல). And also RJ Balaji sarcastically comments not only in the game but also on the players by giving names of his own and singing songs (Thevattiyave Rahul Thevattiyave, Lungi Ngidi) referring to films, and correlating with them (that's how memes are liked by many). He also sarcastically shows his situation which gives the audience to connect with him. It gives him a bonus of followers again which helps him further his projects. 

RJ Balaji as an anchor

Anchoring is the gateway to the show he/she hosts. If the entrance is well and welcomes the audience, the show seems to be attractive and many sponsors will approach it finally it results in a good profit with some takeaway to the audience. If the show doesn't have a good anchor, even though the programs or the designs are good, the observer finds some difficulty watching the show. This could be reduced only by an anchor who has a spontaneous replying to anyone (sarcasm is appreciable), connecting with the audience and keeping the program engaged without any lag. Also, the anchor should not keep on talking unwanted or irrelevant to the show too, which makes the event too awkward for the public.

RJ Balaji is not only a good anchor but also one of the appreciable ones too who do quite good anchoring. He is good at connecting with the people and making them come into his control (taking off the show in his control) which every anchor basic needs to do to take a show in his appreciable way. He also controls the crowd, if they misbehaved or over reacted when they saw their favorite hero sarcastically and without hurting them. Also, he reflects a common man's favor on the stage, while being with stars on the stage. He never over-prises a guy to say on a stage, which makes his reliability to the next level. 

RJ Balaji as an actor (comedian)

As an actor/comedian, he created a trademark for his roles, which he or his replica character alone suits. The characters did need some sort of advice or commenting on some issue or need to fill the gap/silence in the scene with a lengthy dialogue that should not hurt others but should be enjoyable too. Every comedian has some strength and their way of doing fun, this kind of character is a little rare, of course, he can be easily replicated by some new anchor but also the audience finds that "he acts like RJ Balaji". So, unlike his every interview saying himself that his acting is outdated, he creates a brand with his acting too. 

RJ Balaji and his podcast

From the title "Naalna Murukku", he catches the audience. Even though Spotify hires RJ Balaji to promote their app, he (RJ Balaji) sees the platform as his personal space. He revealed in many interviews that his podcast is an extension of his radio work, but I as an audience see that he wants to share his thoughts with colleagues and friends in his state. Even though it's his personal opinion, it gets hit because of his character. He updates him selves with what happening in the world, what these generation guys like, and how they behave. And also he constantly finding solutions for new problems arising day to day. He thinks newly day to day which makes him shout those tricks and strategies in any means. If not podcast, he might have told in his films or his work, or at least he might have used YouTube as his platform. As he thinks from a basic middle-class mental, those solutions are easily relatable to us and also easy to follow too. He is also dedicatedly to working for his podcast because finding a new topic every week isn't a joke. That too not for namesake, as a Wikipedia guy used to do daily on his YouTube. That's why his podcast hits a new record every week. 

Films of RJ Balaji

Apart from the films project his view over the society, he incorporates the untold rules in his filmmaking. Once Mayilsami sir told in a stage of LKG, RJ Balaji never hire a guy if he didn't have a native of Tamilnadu for his work. Also, his female lead mostly knows to speak Tamil. His film dialogues are not so loaded and simple to the layman. His musicians, Leon James and Girish Gopalakrishnan, aren't famous but produce feel-good tunes which suit the film aptly. This made his film cost-effective and budget-friendly for the producers. His attitude of appreciating his Assistant Directors and Associates is too appreciable which he started from his first film, LKG by mentioning RJ Balaji and Friends. He is the icon of his films, even though his films have multi stars as he is the pillar of his film promotions. 

1. LKG (Laalkudi Karuppaiya Gandhi)

It's his debut film as a lead actor, writer, and assistant director which is his gateway to projecting his view to the public via cinema. Even though the film is based on politics, he just sarcastically teased everyone who not only did betray the public but also teased many who penetrate their life (Like Colgate, Harpic, etc). The film revolves around him, not only in the story but also in the promotions. He can market anything, with his huge network of friends and the contacts he has until he feels that is good. The posters he made and incorporated the "LKG" film into cricket matches, used politicians to promote their films, etc. It's a point to be noted that he teased everyone in the film but if the particular man/woman sees the scene, they appreciate the work rather than getting hurt themselves. It's the latest version of Chanakya's Arthasasthra in which he routed how a politician can grow upright from a position of counselor to a Chief Minister of the State. 

2. Mookuthi Amman

Mookuthi Amman, his second film, which he released precariously in OTT as of it gets released in theatre, it would have been released either with master or after that which can't be a topic of trending or sensation. As it gets released on OTT, on the day it gets released, it's the trending topic, and also gave many templates for memers who promote the film for their part too. Even though it's an unofficial remake of the film PK (2014), he added little interesting factors to be enjoyed like நீங்க நம்பள வந்துச்சி, நம்பிடீங்க போயிடுச்சி and delivered pain of a woman (especially as a housewife) subtly. I worried about why Rajkumar Hirani didn't give him rights for PK. It is my favorite film too and also I need it in my language, Tamil. He mentioned "Lady Superstar" for actress Nayanthara, which mostly none of the films mentioned which I liked personally. Even though it's a film of big stars Nayanthara and Urvashi ma'am, it's been known for us as RJ Balaji's film, which is because of his dominance over the screenplay and his promotions for it. 

3. Veetla Vishesham

This film took RJ Balaji to a next level as he leaves his producer, Ishari Ganesh, and did a film for Boney Kapoor, a famous film producer in Bollywood. And also this film is a multi-starrer with Sathiyaraj, Urvashi, Aparna Balamurali, CWC Pugazh, and much more. As it's a big-sized film he did ever, the film was released after the big blockbuster film, Vikram and also he has to run for the promotion, to sell the film on his own, he did the mind-blowing job in promotion which he didn't ever do in his first film LKG. He made the Veetla Vishesham film team enter Cricket commentary, sometimes he mentioned his film name while the game goes on, and with his contacts, he used Behindwoods YouTube channel to promote, and social media influences are called for preview and their voice are recorded, an audio launch has been arranged, it's not a big deal but he arranged a standup comedian to give a welcome address which is quite fresh and the anchor RJ Vijay's script is too crisp which shows how they rehearsed. After the film gets released, he entered a random theatre and asks the public opinion about himself which builds a reputation with the public and also it pulls out even more audiences into the theatre. Then, as usual, gave interviews, and press meetings, and was promoted in the Naalna Murukku podcast too. The main thing these promotions are worked out because these are realistic and no added flavors or fake things for promotion purposes which made a trustworthy RJ Balaji film among the public. It's not like those films who will tell எங்க அண்ணனுக்கு நான் தான்டா பண்ணுவேன். Hope you understand!

RJ Balaji's Cinematic Universe

Cinematic Universe is the term getting popular because of its brand new for our Indian Cinema, and was also introduced by Lokesh Kanagaraj. But many failed to notice and Balaji too failed to promote that he too used this cinematic universe material in his film, before Lokesh used it in Vikram film. Chief Minister LKG's name in Mookuthi Amman and Veetla Vishesham film. Mookuthi Amman name is mentioned in Veetla Vishesham's invitation (audio launch) which are all the craziest things he did and also enjoyable too. 

RJ Balaji's Interview

Apart from his answers being so realistic, his own, and open-minded, he makes the anchor feel comfortable and gives them some positive vibration for them. This makes them ask not only good questions but also questions favorable to them. And secondly, he did much analysis on the anchor on whom he gonna appear for the interview. While starting the interview, he appreciates how the anchor doing his job so great fully with some relevant actions on them which makes them work even more properly and proud fully. He notices every action of his surroundings from which he learns continuously.

Conclusion

Keeping banners and following our favorite stars blindly isn't gonna be a profit for us as we have lots of work to do for ourselves. It's not an article to say RJ Balaji is a great man, please do support him and his work. Rather, he gives a lot of messages directly and indirectly also he is a man from whom we want to learn, about how he markets his work, and how he does the same alone. What's the use of developing contacts and how we can be supportive of them too, a mutual help! How we have to be responsible, trustworthy, respect others, and treat everyone as humans. He, once told, to pay his workers well enough and say don't opt for any loan or borrow money as he alone knows how it ruins lives and stops our development and updates the society. These are the things we have to learn from him as to how he learns from everyone to develop his life from a normal RJ to a film maker!

Spl thanks to Chiranjeevitha.P for making the article perfect!