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Wanted: blockbusters
Audiences gave most films a resounding thumbs down in 2009, but hope springs eternal among Bollywood’s best.
It’s no secret that 2009 was quite dismal for the box office, never mind the bumper initial and matching reports of the year’s last release, 3 Idiots. Except for Love Aaj Kal, no other Hindi film has cut across geographical boundaries to come out with flying colours. Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani may have worked wonders in India, but its overseas business was not even average. Likewise, Wanted may have rocked in single screens, but the multiplex audience, like the public abroad, didn’t find it the most wanted film of the year.
Be that as it may, the industry’s hopes are now pinned on 2010. Among the eagerly awaited movies are:
My Name Is Khan: One of the deadliest combinations: Shah Rukh and Kajol in the lead with Karan Johar in command. Unlike Karan’s last release, Kurbaan (produced, not directed, by him), this one is about the impact 9/11 has had on Muslims in America. Be sure Muslim audiences will become fans of Karan Johar after this film, which has the potential of becoming the biggest Hindi hit ever on the overseas circuit. The February release is the first Bollywood film to have been acquired for worldwide distribution by a Hollywood studio – 20th Century Fox – which will screen it in hitherto unexplored markets.
Kites: The film is alleged to have been a factor in wrecking hero Hrithik Roshan’s marriage because of the affair he is, once again, alleged to have had with his Spanish heroine, Barbara Mori. It has a lot of dialogues in Spanish but if producer Rakesh Roshan is not at all bothered about that, it’s because, as he says, “Love has no language.” It is written and directed by Anurag Basu who Rakesh Roshan had acknowledged as India’s “best screenplay writer” after watching Gangster and Life In A Metro. The Hindi-Spanish film was to have released in 2009, but the delay is because Roshan wants to tap the world market, traditionally not known to screen Hindi films, simultaneously with the Indian and traditional overseas markets.
Guzarish: Never mind if Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s last, Saawariya, was a dud. His next is still as eagerly awaited, and not just because it stars Aishwarya and Hrithik. With two of Bollywood’s most striking faces in the cast and given that Bhansali has the knack of making his films look very beautiful, one can well imagine the visual appeal of Guzarish.
Veer: The first trailer of the Salman starrer reminds you that it has been directed by Anil Sharma who made one of the biggest ever blockbusters of Indian cinema, Gadar Ek Prem Katha. A fictional drama set in pre-independence India, it introduces two new girls opposite Salman Khan.
Housefull: Producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sajid Khan would wish for the film to live up to its title. And that’s quite possible if we overlook the bad patch its hero has been going through since the last two years. For, recent flops notwithstanding, Akshay can still guarantee full houses.
No Problem: Anil Kapoor had more than his share of problems in Short Kut: The Con Is On. Hopefully, the actor-producer has learnt his lesson and isn’t doing any con job in his new venture. Besides, there’s ever-dependable Anees Bazmee at the helm of affairs.
Raavan: Mani Ratnam, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan. Their first film together was Guru. Obviously, their second venture is highly anticipated. Close on the heels of Guru’s release came news of the engagement of Abhishek and Ash. Will the stork come calling after Raavan?
Golmaal 3: After Golmaal and Golmaal Returns, Rohit Shetty will make yet another in the series. Ajay Devgan, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi and Shreyas Talpade have been confirmed. Kareena Kapoor may play the female lead, her dates and their money willing.
Hera Pheri 4: For some strange reason, producer Firoz Nadiadwala insists that the third in the series will have the number ‘4’ following it, not ‘3’. Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Paresh Rawal are expected to bring the house down with their antics in this one, to be directed by Anees Bazmee.
Agent Vinod: After Love Aaj Kal, Saif’s banner is hot property and so, its second venture will be an eagerly awaited film. Shriram Raghavan, who made Johnny Gaddaar, will direct this thriller, co-starring Kareena Kapoor.
Rajneeti: Prakash Jha’s most commercial film, at least in terms of the cast. After all, Naseeruddin Shah, Ajay Devgan, Nana Patekar, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor and Manoj Bajpai do make a commendable cast.
Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se: Ashutosh Gowariker revisits the period drama genre after Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar. Set against the backdrop of the Chittagong Uprising, this film stars Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone.
LSD alias Love Sex Aur Dhokha: The title has titillation value. Add to that Dibakar Banerjee, director of Khosla Ka Ghosla and Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and the banner of Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji, and you have a heady combination.
Chance Pe Dance: Shahid Kapoor goes shirtless in the film directed by Ken Ghosh who gave the actor his break (Ishq Vishk). Besides his dance moves, Shahid also exposes his six-pack (or is it eight-pack) abdomen. It’s the same film in which Jiah Khan was replaced by Genelia D’souza.
Delhi Belly: Aamir Khan’s small English film, Delhi Belly, stars nephew Imran Khan. Industry people swear by Aamir’s judgement and it is this very judgement that prompts one to believe that this will stand out. Aamir plans to release the film abroad before bringing it to Indian screens.
Hook Ya Crook: David Dhawan directs John Abraham and Genelia D’Souza in the UTV production. The film may have been temporarily stalled but there’s very little work left to complete the comedy.
Love You Maa: It’s the tentative title of Karan Johar and Sony’s remake of Stepmom. Kajol, Kareena and Arjun Rampal have been shooting at such a brisk pace that this may well turn out to be the fastest venture of Dharma Productions although it is being directed by first-timer Siddharth Malhotra.
Tees Maar Khan: This is Farah Khan’s third venture, but this time without Shah Rukh Khan. Seems Farah can’t do without Khan in her film – and if not in the film, at least in the title.
Khatta Meettha: Never mind if Priyadarshan’s last film with Akshay Kumar, De Dana Dan, failed to make the bank accounts (except that of Akshay) swell but their next film together promises to give the audience kuchh khatta and kuchh meettha.
Anjana Anjani: Siddharth Anand’s first directorial venture outside Yash Chopra’s banner. The man who gave you Salaam Namaste and Ta Ra Rum Pum now gets you Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor in a love story.
Action Replay: One London Dreams can’t haunt filmmaker Vipul Shah like a nightmare. After all, he has films like Waqt - The Race Against Time, Namastey London (both directed and produced by him) and Singh Is Kinng (produced by him) to his credit.
It’s My Life: Of course, it is Hurman Baweja’s life and that is why he is paying the price for all the wrong choices he made (Love Story 2050, Victory, What’s Your Raashee?). Boney Kapoor’s It’s My Life is probably Hurman’s last chance. The subject is a tried and tested one, having worked in Telugu (Bommarillu) and Tamil (Santhosh Subrahmaniam).
1-800-Love: Don’t go by the title because it will be discarded the moment producer Madhu Mantena (Ghajini) and director Abbas Tyrewala (Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na) get a more suitable one.
Aditya Chopra’s untitled film: Actor Parmeet Sethi turns director with this one starring Shahid Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. Shahid may not have delivered a success in Dil Bole Hadippa! but Anushka proved lucky for Aditya Chopra. Yes, although some people didn’t think much of Rab Ne Bana De Jodi – the fact is that the film is one of the biggest grossers of the producer to date!
Patiala House: Akshay Kumar and Nikhil Advani team up again after Chandni Chowk To China. This film is about an extended Punjabi family living in London.
Double Dhamaal: Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria’s Dhamaal may not have earned tons of money but it definitely created a brand which the duo wants to exploit in the sequel. Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaffery, Ritesh Deshmukh and Ashish Chowdhary will be repeated to give audiences double the fun.
Prince It’s Showtime: So what if it stars Vivek Oberoi – the thriller promises James Bond kind of thrills. Shot in different countries, this one just might change the way the world looks at Vivek.
Rann: It’s already controversial, what with its distorted version of the National Anthem being asked to be deleted by the court. But then, what is an RGV film without controversy?
Raktacharitra: Ram Gopal Varma swears by this film and feels it will change people’s perception about Vivek Oberoi. It is being shot in Hindi and Telugu.
I Hate Love Stories: From Karan Johar’s banner will come a different love story, starring Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor. Manish Malhotra’s nephew, Punit Malhotra, directs.
Robot: Probably the most expensive film being made. If, even after Jeans, Aishwarya agreed to work with Shankar, you can well imagine the clout the man holds. Rajnikanth plays a double role – of a professor who makes robots, and the professor’s creation, a humanoid. Oscar-winning sound engineer Resul Pookutty will use Kyma sound processing software to create the voice of Rajnikanth’s humanoid character.
