The real mascots
ZIYA US SALAM
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The box office has thrown up its share of surprises in the first half of 2005. But there has been a constant: The Bachchans are more reliable than a post-dated cheque.
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Neither does the old pro need a fresh pair of legs nor does the young one need a grey head
THE BIG AND THE BIGGER B Abhishek Bachchan in front of his father Amitabh Bachchan's poster of "Sarkar". PHOTO: AP
In a land of hero worshippers, it cannot be easy being a Bachchan. All the adulation, all the expectations, all the hype; and films worth more than 50 crores riding on their shoulders! But these days, it does not hurt. Success has come to embrace the Bachchan duo, as almost everything they have touched has turned into box office gold!
And there is no sign of slowing down, either with age, as is the case with Amitabh or due to relative inexperience, as is the case with Abhishek.
The spell which started with Amitabh Bachchan's initially loud, then perfect performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black" promises to last. Courtesy nice stopovers like Shaad Ali Sahgal's "Bunty Aur Babli" where Big B shared screen space with his son for the first time. And Ramgopal Varma's "Sarkar" where the two play father and son on the big screen too. Again for the first time. The nation was rocking to "Kajrare kajrare" - where the presence of Amitabh forced even Aishwarya Rai to forget herself for a couple of minutes - when the song-less desi take on "Godfather" hit the screen. While Big B said it all with his large brooding eyes, the younger one made a mark with his searing intensity. He lost nothing in comparison to Kay Kay, the other standout performer in the film. Between them they ensured that the box office, which had not had a runaway hit this year, will be barren no more. The year that started on a sour note with Mahesh Bhatt's much-anticipated "Rog" had lumbered along until "Black" brought a little spark. The film, on the life of a girl deaf and dumb, reduced many to tears. And even as the critics raved about the powerful narrative, Big B managed to get rid of his loudness in the nick of time to deliver a performance he would probably preserve in the memory charts.
Soon after, he came donning the inspector's cap yet again. No longer angry, not so young either, the 60-plus hero who now prefers to call himself a supporting artiste only, managed to shake a leg in "Bunty Aur Babli". And he did it with such zest that "Kajrare kajrare" had the box office overflowing in adulation. The film, that took a lean initial, picked up and the faithful gathered to see Bachchan take on Bachchan. That it delivered Rani Mukerji yet another hit was a bonus. That Rai proved she could swing with abandon was a surprise. Pleasant one. Then "Sarkar" reigned.
Meanwhile, even as Amitabh saved a film like "Waqt" from slipping into mediocrity, Abhishek lent silent dignity to "Dus" released at the kiss of the second half of this year. Yes, whichever way you look, whatever your kind of cinema, there is no denying that 2005 so far belongs to the Bachchans.
Others too
There have been a handful of other films too where the Bachchans have not starred, and still been successful at the box office - films like Madhur Bhandarkar's "Page 3" or Pradip Sarkar's "Parineeta". Then there was "Kaal" too which rode to safety, courtesy Shah Rukh Khan's item number. But these are only asides in what has been a constant saga of triumph for the Bachchans. Incidentally, about the only time the Bachchans have not been in the limelight this year has been when they have been away from the silver screen. The occasion has been well used by the likes of Bhandarkar who showed us with "Page 3" what he is capable of, and that "Aan" just happened on an off day. And Sarkar whose "Parineeta" brought to cinemagoers Vidya Balan, a girl so bewitching and blessed with such eyes that they could be a national treasure.
Of course, others have goofed up. Notably Subhash Ghai whose "Kisna" with all the acrobatics of Isha Sharwani, failed to cause even a whimper at the turnstiles. And Mani Shankar, who was not too sure if the Bodo problem was in Assam or Manipur in "Tango Charlie". Or the men behind flicks like "Sheesha" - Neha Dhupia in a twin disaster - "Bewafaa" - Akshay's pop star act gone in vain - or "Karam" - Bollywood's respects to Tarantino. The only exception being a beautiful film on the life of an HIV victim when Sanjay Suri came up with a loving performance in "My Brother... Nikhil". That it did not do so well commercially only added a touch of reality. These films have grabbed attention in the Press, and some of them have even tasted controversy. But about the only time cinemagoers have been singing hosannas this year has been when the Bachchans have strutted their stuff. They have been happy, the distributors, exhibitors have been happy too. And the Bachchans could not have been happier. Neither does the old pro need a fresh pair of legs nor does the young one need a grey head. They are fine the way they are. And are loving it. This year the Bachchans have done nothing wrong and innumerable things right. Cheers!
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