It’s an era where stories do not end. They sometimes go into flashback mode. Here’s digging more into the trend of prequels

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If the sequels were not enough, prequels and spin-offs have become the new cash cow for directors who have established their projects among fans! As Fantastic Beast: The Secrets of Dumbledore, a prequel to the popular Harry Potter series released on Friday, we dig deeper into this growing trend of prequels. Also, directors, producers and writers talk about whether prequels are as successful as the originals and sequels.

Director of the popular series Human, Mozez Singh believes it all depends on how badly the viewers want to to know more about the characters! “The success of prequels depends on how well they are made. With the prequel one must take the viewers to the roots of the character. In other words, the audience should feel that the original was just touching the surface, and it’s the prequel or even sequel that explains the layers and various themes involved.

So, it should be the prequels not originals that should lay the foundation and not the other way around.” The director feels that there’s a lot unsaid in Shefali Shah’s character from Human and it would be interesting to explore in a prequel. “While we have given a lot of flashbacks of Shefali’s life, it can be developed into a standalone prequel.”

Back & forth

Actress and writer Sukhmani J Sadana believes prequels are a very exciting space to be explored. She explains, “When we create, manifest a character to introduce a story, which is made into a film or web series, sometimes it becomes bigger than the story itself. And not just as a writer, sometimes as viewer too you often think what could have happened to the character afterwards or earlier. In Hollywood, we had that since years with projects like Star Wars, Avengers and X Men, but I am glad this trend has come to India.”

Actress Akanksha Malhotra adds, “I guess if a show is interesting, the audience wants to know more about the story’s origin. But not all the prequels are a hit. It all comes down to how well it has been made.”

With the prequel one must take the viewers to the roots of the character. While we have given a lot of flashbacks of Shefali Shah’s character in Human, it would be interesting to see it develop into a stand-alone prequel. Mozez Singh, director

Not just as a writer, sometimes as viewer too you often think what could have happened to the character afterwards or earlier. In Hollywood, we had that since years with projects like Star Wars, Avengers and X Men, but I am glad this trend has come to India. Sukhmani J Sadana, actress

Not all the prequels are a hit. It all comes down to how well it has been made. I would like to watch the back story of Jehangir Khan, a character played by Shah Rukh Khan in Dear Zindagi, in the coming future. It should be a meaty storyline. Akanksha Malhotra, actress

Success factor

Actress Richa Ravi Sinha says, “Any successful film is a mixture of a great story, script, incredible acting and excellent production quality, which captures the full range of feelings and emotions of the viewer. It’s only natural to want to know more. In my opinion, what really makes a great prequel is when it really tells us something we don’t already know. It can even change your view on the original.”

Director Manoj Aggarwal opines that to make a successful prequel, one requires more time. “It’s better to keep a gap between the original and prequel. The idea is to work on the script for a longer time and deliver something better than the franchise established by directors. With Star Wars trilogy and some other successful Hollywood prequels, this was the case. Even Lord of The Rings came long back but the prequel, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, will release this year.”

Indian context

In India, spin-offs and prequels are more visible in the television format. The makers of TV serial Anupamaa will soon be releasing a prequel series for digital platform Disney Hotstar. The show is titled Anupama—Namaste America. The animated spin-off of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma was developed to get the children acquainted with the various characters. There are a countable number of experiments in the name of prequel and spin-offs being done by Bollywood industry (Special Ops 1.5 and Bob Biswas) but with Baahubali’s prequel, there will be a wind of change.

More prequels on the way…

• Streaming on Disney Hotstar, action comedy film The King’s Man serves as a prequel to Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman movies, The Secret Service and The Golden Circle.
• The fans of Game of Thrones should look forward to House of Dragons in August.
• In September the prequel series of Lord of The Rings, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be released.
• There are films like Predator, John Wick and IT heading into the streaming zone with their prequel series.
• In India, Baahubali, which became a worldwide hit film, is set for a prequel, Baahubali: Before the Beginning, soon.
• The prequel for Zack Snyder’s Army of The Dead animation titled Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, is at the post-production stage.