Bollywood cocks a snook
ZIYA US SALAM
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Just half-way through 2006, films such as `Rang De Basanti,' `Fanaa,' `Phir Hera Pheri' and `Malamaal Weekly ' are making history by keeping the cash registers jingling.
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SUCCESS STORIES: Rang De Basanti
Cinemagoers across the country are smiling as the season of laughter just turned into one of the decade. Yes, the year 2006, less than half way through, has already made history. All thanks to the success stories of films like `Rang De Basanti,' `Fanaa,' `Phir Hera Pheri,' `36 Chinatown,' `Taxi No. 9211,' `Aksar' and `Malamaal Weekly.' Each of these films has left the distributors, exhibitors, cinema hall owners, and the common man smiling.
It is unlike the past, when each year had less than five films which could be dubbed as hits and another five, which were semi-hits. And a handful that were commission-earners. What's more, all the hits of this year have been mocking the pundits of doom who said that the days of all-India hits, such as `Sholay,' `Maine Pyar Kiya,' `Hum Aapke Hain Koun!' and `Gadar,' were dead and gone.
All India hits
Well, if major hits were dead, they have been revived this year. Films like `Rang De Basanti' have done well across India, just like `Fanaa' which has done well all over, including Gujarat where only one hall played the film for a few days in the face of mounting controversy.
While `Rang De Basanti' has grossed around Rs.20 crores, `Fanaa' is said to have done a business of Rs.17 crores in the first couple of weeks itself. While `Rang De Basanti' is said to have revived patriotic fervour among the youth, `Fanaa' has unleashed debates on the merits of Aamir Khan's stand in real life.
"`Fanaa' has opened well and is poised to overtake `Rang De Basanti' in the weeks to come," says Sanjay Mehta, a leading distributor from Delhi, whose `Aksar' hit the bull's eye this year, mocking at critics.
The film, with two chart-toppers `Soniye' and `Ek Jhalak Dikhlaja,' was a runaway hit as the masses queued up to sing along with Himesh Reshamiyaa and ogle at Udita Goswami's ample midriff.
`Aksar' collected around Rs.11 crores, and being moderately priced, it left every distributor and exhibitor happy. Much like `Taxi No. 9211,' Nana Patekar's shot at regaining lost ground. The film did wonderfully well in Mumbai, proving once again that Nana has a loyal fan following in the belt. Elsewhere, too, it did well enough to get into the hit bracket. Of course, the presence of John Abraham and Bappi Lahiri's hit song, "Metre down down" helped. Distributed by UTV, it collected nearly Rs 2 crores from the Delhi-UP circuit alone.
Scoffing at critics
Malamaal Weekly.
Like `Aksar,' another film that scoffed at critics was Mukta Arts' `36 Chintatown.' It has grossed around Rs.14 crores across India already. Says Sanjay Ghai, who handled the distribution of the film, "The film was a hit all over. I guess the name of our banner, the track record of our directors Abbas-Mustan and the hit music of Himesh Reshamiyaa tilted the scores in our favour."
Incidentally, reveals Ghai, the film's music audios with the superhit "Aa Ashiqi Mein Teri" have already grossed Rs.1.5 crores this year, delighting the makers.
It is the emotion they experienced with Mahesh Bhatt's `Gangster' too. Directed by Anuraag Basu, the film capitalised on good music with songs like "Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai" and "Ya Ali," lovely locales of South Korea and a head-turner of a heroine, Kangana, to score at the box office. Of course, the rumours that it was based on the real life story of don Abu Salem helped in getting a good initial. And in the end, nobody was complaining, as the moderately priced film notched up the numbers.
Good times
Good times, it seems, are set to continue. Just this past week, Neeraj Vora's `Phir Hera Pheri' has opened to record audiences all over India, with even places like Karnataka and Bengal warming up. In a month, the film is poised to overtake the collections of the original `Hera Pheri' whose sequel it is.
However, `Phir Hera Pheri' has competition already! On its heels is Rakesh Roshan's `Krrish,' Hrithik Roshan's long awaited film releasing Friday next. Says Mehta, "It has been almost three years. The buzz is good. The film is likely to take a stupendous opening despite the fact that music is not as good as `Koi... Mil Gaya'."
What's more, the fun is likely to last long, sending the year 2006 into record books as the year when Bollywood turned the corner.
The year 2001 may have had `Gadar' and `Lagaan' just like last year had `Black,' `Page 3,' `Sarkar' and `Bunty Aur Babli', but the class of 2006 has gems too many to name. `Corporate,' `Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna,' `Don,' `Golmaal,' `Omkara,' `Rocky' and `Babul' are all big banners, big starrers and all scheduled to kiss the silver screen this year. Did one hear the cash registers jingling already!
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