Nobody had thought Vivah would be a hit, especially when glossy looks and hi-tech are the call of the day. But the film has turned out to be a runaway success, having already earned above Rs 5 crore all over.
However, Vivah is not the only success this year. There are others such as Apna Sapna Money Money, Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Malamaal Weekly and Khosla Ka Ghosla.
The bright picture
Every filmmaker makes a film to ensure that it works at the box-office, except if they are the arty types looking for critical acclaim alone. However, nobody thought that films such as Malamaal Weekly and Pyaar Ke Side Effects would earn profits for their producers.
These two films had unconventional storylines and no big stars, but still made a huge impact at the box office. Malamaal Weekly, which released at a time when the country was riding the Rang De Basanti wave, grossed Rs 30 crore. Similarly, Pyaar Ke Side Effects released two weeks after Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which had made a mark with its patriotic message.
Last year
Compare this with last year. Page 3 and Kya Kool Hai Hum minted money. Accompanying them were predictable hits, Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar and Waqt The Race Against Time. This year, the ball is rolling faster.
Expert view
Filmmaker Onir admits the success of Khosla… was unexpected. “It was a fresh film that was marketed well,” he says. The year has been phenomenal in terms of the number of hits.
“It is all about content. Directors have realised that the audience is unpredictable and cannot be taken for granted,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh, adding that Malamaal ... and PyaarKe Side Effects are big surprises.
Amrita Rao, who starred in Vivah, says that the film’s simplicity has worked
Expert view
Filmmaker Onir admits the success of Khosla… was unexpected. “It was a fresh film that was marketed well,” he says. The year has been phenomenal in terms of the number of hits.
“It is all about content. Directors have realised that the audience is unpredictable and cannot be taken for granted,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh, adding that Malamaal ... and PyaarKe Side Effects are big surprises.
Amrita Rao, who starred in Vivah, says that the film’s simplicity has worked
What does this mean?
No matter how hi-tech we get, there is an audience for good stories — Vivah and Malamaal Weekly prove this. “Stars can get you initials, but not always hits,” says Adarsh.
digantaguha@hindustantimes.com