How to create a global sensation: Lessons from the makers of hit Thai film ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’

Jina Osothsilp, the CEO of film company GDH—whose name stands for Gross Domestic Happiness and is known for its feel-good films—says that How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies tells a universal story about love and relationships across different generations in a family. This is one of the reasons, she says, the film has touched the hearts of audiences worldwide.

“We feel that family films about love and gratitude are truly universal. Initially, there was some concern that a movie like this might not make a lot of money. But we wanted to create a good film, and we believe that good films should enlighten the audience. When we as a board read the script, we all admired it and believed it was an excellent script. We felt that if we didn’t make this movie, we’d regret it deeply,” Jina says. “We were so proud of the team when we saw the first cut of the film. We wanted to showcase this film, and we wanted everyone to see it.”

With the movie backed by a strong marketing push from the studio, the result has been overwhelming success that has brought entire families back to the cinemas. “Usually, family films are cartoons or animations where parents take their kids to watch. But with this movie, we’re getting the younger generation to bring their elders to watch. Typically, older people don’t go to the cinema anymore. But with the word-of-mouth spreading widely, it has brought people back to the theatres. We’ve seen many scenes where grandchildren are pushing their grandparents in wheelchairs, coming together as a family in large numbers.”

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The global success of How to Make Millions When Grandma Dies was the plans all along, says Jina. “It was actually our intention from the beginning to take our work beyond Thailand. The unexpected success started in Indonesia, the first international market where we released the film. When we showed it to Indonesian influencers, wow, it became a viral tear-jerker—even more so than during the premiere in Thailand. By the second day, the box office revenue rose by 90 per cent from the first day, and it continued to grow, making it the highest-grossing Thai film of all time in Indonesia.”

That said, the GDH executive says that the filmmakers were rewarded not just by the box-office returns, but by the overwhelmingly warm reception from audiences worldwide. “When we were on our promotional tour in countries like Vietnam, we saw young people walking out of the cinema in tears and running up to hug Grandma Taew [Usa Semkhum, a 78-year-old actress who played the film’s titular grandma]. Even we were moved to tears. They said the movie reminded them of their grandma and thanked us for making such a great film. Normally, we’re the ones thanking the audience, but this time, people were coming to thank us. It felt like an experience that re-energized the entire team.”

Jina has always believed that behind every success is a great team, whether it's the talented actors or the skilled crew members behind the scenes. This includes veteran producers like Jira Maligool and Vanridee Pongsittisak, as well as 
Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, the screenwriter who created the original story, and the young, dynamic director, Pat Boonnitipat.

“Everyone is part of an amazing team, and we believe that the success of this film will encourage filmmakers to create fresh, new content, elevating the standards of the film industry.” Jina continues, smiling, “This success is a huge motivation for everyone in the industry, especially for new directors, telling them, ‘Hey, you can do it!’”

While How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is the first feature film directed by 34-year-old Pat Boonnitipat, he has several notable projects under his belt, including the documentary Let Me Grow, which tells the story of a gamer’s life transformation; and the series Project S: SOS Skate Seum Sa, and Bad Genius: The Series.

“When I made Let Me Grow, I did it purely out of passion, just like with SOS, where I tried to convey meaningful stories through fiction. As for Bad Genius: The Series, it was about understanding the mass market and figuring out how to communicate the story in a way that makes it enjoyable for the audience. One of the advantages of working on series is that it’s like having the opportunity to practice for a long time. The length of a series is equivalent to making three to four movies. What's important is that when each episode airs, viewers tweet about it, so we learn what works and what doesn’t. This gave me practice in creating films that truly connect with the audience,” the director explains.

“By the time I worked on How to Make Millions, it felt like I had done it all—writing scripts, directing, filming, choosing shots, selecting acting styles, editing, and setting the music. I think it all came together perfectly. With good content and the skills I’ve accumulated, I feel like this film is the project that I’m most confident in.”

The hit Thai film was the brainchild of screenwriter Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, who was inspired to write about his experience taking care of his sick grandmother. After Pat signed on to direct and co-write, the pair took more than two years to develop the script.

It took a while for the director to really get a feel for the story. Pat says, “I remember that at first, I couldn’t write anything because I had no insight, no feelings, and I wasn’t emotionally connected to the story. So, I decided to move from Phetchaburi to live with my grandma in Bangkok. I took her to temples, cooked for her, and argued with her. I had lived in that house since I was a child but had moved away. I moved back because of this film.”

He continues: “I wanted to know how my grandma lived, what she liked to say, how she reacted, or why she thought the way she did. I had never cared about these things before. Once I moved back to live with her, the momentum of making this movie affected my entire family. Everyone began to feel like this grandchild was really paying attention to grandma, so they felt they had to do something as well. As a result, the family started coming home more often, and it brought everyone closer together. I feel like making this movie has already improved my life, even from the very beginning. Since the content was good, it pushed me to want to create a great movie."

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The real-life stories and events from the screenwriters’ experiences have found themselves written into various scenes in the movie. “When I encounter something, I would tell [Thodsapon] about it, and he would guide me, saying, ‘This is good.’ I learned from him about how to choose and write a good scene because he is a true screenwriter. It requires a lot of practice and experience,” says Pat.

“Most of the time, writing a screenplay involves sitting down and discussing, gradually shaping the direction of the story together. Part of it is asking questions. The question I ask most often is, 'What is this movie really about?' Another part involves bringing real-life experiences into the film.”

He continues, “For me, a good script must have a good story and good characters. A good script often arises from what is most human because movies are made by people for people to watch. Some films might have stunning visuals or cutting-edge technology, but in the end, the important question is, does it communicate with the audience?”

That the film tells a story about family is one of the key factors that won the hearts of viewers around the world, says Pat. “I think we are in a very special time, a period when extended families are transitioning into nuclear families, and there are many people who have experienced this. In another ten years, this feeling will no longer exist. [This is the reality that] allows this film to connect with a wide audience.”

The universality of the story has been borne out by the film’s success across different markets. Because the plot of the film revolves around a Chinese-Thai family, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, one might expect that it would resonate with Chinese-speaking audiences. However, even in Muslim-majority Indonesia, for example, the film has achieved remarkable box office success.

“We didn't expect the Indonesian market to be this successful, but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. This may be because their family institution is very strong—religious practices require them to stay together and maintain strong family ties. One thing that impressed me greatly is that when Indonesians like our film, they express their appreciation wholeheartedly. They share positive feelings and wish for us and our team to have good lives. We can feel that what they communicate is very pure, and it warms our hearts,” he says.

In contrast, they observed that discerning Singaporean audiences have very high standards and seek something beyond mere entertainment. “Singaporeans watch, listen, and ask questions attentively. People of all ages raise their hands to ask questions. For instance, one person asked why we chose this particular song for a specific scene, even though that song is over a hundred years old and hardly anyone knows it. But Singaporeans know it. I think they are a group of people who have been waiting for films like this. With their Asian sensibilities, they feel very grateful to us for making this movie. This work represents a facet of Asia that they take pride in, and this is what Hollywood needs to see.”

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“I want people to watch this film because I believe it is a good movie,” Pat told Tatler in an interview before the premiere of How to Make Millions. The Thai film industry was relatively sluggish at the time, affected by economic conditions and by the limited diversity in content.

“I think this film succeeded due to several factors,” says Pat. “It was created from good content, made with the right approach, and surrounded by a team that wanted this film to be something meaningful for the audience. When the film succeeded, we realised that audiences are ready to consume stories beyond the usual horror films, comedies, or the Y [yaoi or BL] series, which are currently the dominant genres. This has a significant impact on the future of filmmakers, as well as the choices of scripts by production companies and investors. We now see wider opportunities and possibilities, not just in Thailand.”

The success of a Thai film is tremendously inspiring for filmmakers across Asia, the director says. “I went to Indonesia and met many filmmakers, directors, and platform representatives who expressed how hopeful they are that a film like How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies can be profitable,” Pat smiles. “It means they can tell good stories, share family tales, and focus on everyday stories with a meticulous approach to filmmaking. It’s something they've wanted to do for a long time.”

The next step for this groundbreaking Thai film is to plant the Thai flag around the world, as it enters markets in the United States, Europe, Australia, South Korea, and Japan. The ultimate dream of the young director is to take his work all the way to the Oscars.

“If How to Make Millions were to make it to the Oscars one day, it would open up many new opportunities. I believe it would transform Thailand's image, with more people becoming familiar with the country. A huge influx of money would come into the country, showing the world that this nation and its people have the potential to create such work. For me, the Oscars are not as meaningful on a personal level as they are for the Thai film industry and Thailand as a whole. I believe this is the best chance we have to get there if we receive genuine support from all sectors.”

This article was originally published in Thai as บทเรียนความสำเร็จภาพยนตร์พันล้าน 'หลานม่า' กับความฝันสู่ออสการ์ by Chachanondh Limthong

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