There was a time when Mallika Sherawat packed enough punch to sell a project.
From the time she burst onto the screen (literally) with the 17-kiss Khwahish (discounting an entirely forgettable debut with a bit role in Jeena Sirf Mere Liye) to her smouldering act in Murder, Sherawat was a sure bet to set the ticket windows buzzing.
But a series of forgettable flicks (Kis Kiski Kismat, Bachke Rehna Re Baba, Shaadi Se Pehle) and an embarrassment named The Myth later, distributors are not exactly warming up to the idea of buying a film starring Ms Sherawat. More so when it is being promoted as one where she sheds her raunchy image, not her clothes.
Sherawat's next project,
Pyaar Ke Side Effects
, co-starring Rahul Bose, has failed to find any buyers so far, though its promos have been on air for quite some time. The film was scheduled to hit screens on July 28, but it has been postponed indefinitely for lack of buyers.
Trade analyst Amod Mehra says one reason could be that it does not have a saleable lead pair. While Rahul Bose is a fine actor, trade circles see him as "not commercially viable".
Pritish Nandy Communications reportedly wants Rs 1 crore for Mumbai alone, but distributors are unwilling to pay more than Rs 40 lakh. Says Delhi distributor Avtar Singh Kochar of Dolly Films, "The price is a bit too high. I have burnt my fingers earlier with PNC films, so I am a bit wary this time."
Producer Pritish Nandy's attempts to sell Pyaar Ke Side Effects as a film that features 'Mallika the plain Jane' also seem to have backfired. Nandy said no producer before him has so far dared to cast her in a serious role, but distributors do not seem keen to run that gauntlet.
{{/usCountry}}Producer Pritish Nandy's attempts to sell Pyaar Ke Side Effects as a film that features 'Mallika the plain Jane' also seem to have backfired. Nandy said no producer before him has so far dared to cast her in a serious role, but distributors do not seem keen to run that gauntlet.
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