Ra One Movie: The Famous Ra.One YouTube Channel Animation (2011)

Before its Diwali 2011 release, the ra one movie ran one of the most memorable YouTube campaigns of its time: an animation in which Shah Rukh Khan appeared to take over the YouTube channel page itself. Here is what that promotion was, the facts about the film, and how to watch it today.

Quick answer: Ra.One is a 2011 Hindi superhero film directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. Its official YouTube channel opened with an animation that made it look as if the YouTube page itself had come alive. The film released for Diwali in October 2011 and won the National Film Award for Best Special Effects.

The Ra One movie YouTube animation

When I visited the Ra.One YouTube channel in October 2011, it did not look like a normal channel page. Shah Rukh Khan appeared and performed stunts that seemed to interact with the YouTube page around him. You can still watch the animation here:

The clever part was that visitors did not realise it was an animation at first. It looked like the actual YouTube page had gone interactive, so most people watched the whole thing. Only later did they notice that the real channel was further down the page and they had to scroll to reach it.

Many people also missed the “Skip Animation” link that appeared after a while at the top right. Skipping took you to the end of the animation, which still played a promo for the Ra.One music, so you had to scroll again to see the channel videos.

Why it worked

• Surprise: people expected a standard channel page, so the animation grabbed attention.
• Star power: having Shah Rukh Khan “inside” the page made it feel personal.
• Paid reach: the film ran a big online ad campaign, with banners across the web pointing people to the channel.

Interactive takeovers like this were possible on YouTube’s old custom brand channels. YouTube later moved all channels to a standard layout, so this kind of custom channel takeover is no longer offered.

About the Ra One movie

• Director: Anubhav Sinha
• Producer: Gauri Khan for Red Chillies Entertainment
• Cast: Shah Rukh Khan (in a double role as Shekhar and G.One), Arjun Rampal as the villain Ra.One, Kareena Kapoor and Armaan Verma
• Music: Vishal–Shekhar, including the hit songs “Chammak Challo” and “Criminal” with Akon
• Release: Diwali, late October 2011
• Awards: National Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Special Effects

The story follows a game developer whose video game villain, Ra.One, escapes into the real world, and the game’s hero, G.One, who comes out to stop him. The film had a record Diwali opening, although its collections dropped quickly after the first weekend. It is now often described as a cult film.

How to watch Ra.One today

Streaming rights for Indian films change over time, so the easiest way to find Ra.One is to search for it on a streaming guide such as JustWatch, which shows the current legal options in your country. Avoid unofficial download sites, which often carry malware. For more on legal ways to stream Indian films and shows, see our guides to Bollywood movies on YouTube and watching Hindi TV serials online.

If you are interested in how YouTube rewards big channels today, read about YouTube Creator Awards and play buttons.

FAQ

Who directed Ra.One?

Anubhav Sinha directed Ra.One, and Gauri Khan produced it under Red Chillies Entertainment.

When was Ra.One released?

Ra.One was released for Diwali in late October 2011.

Can I still see the Ra.One YouTube animation?

The animation video is still on YouTube at the link above, but the interactive channel page no longer exists because YouTube changed its channel design.

Did Ra.One win any awards?

Yes. It won the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Special Effects.