Box Office Summary of JOSH:

By Bollywood Hungama -

June 15, 2000 - 12:00 AM IST

Everyone's talking about JOSH. Everyone wants to know whether Shah Rukh Khan is back with JOSH. Everyone wants to know whether the film will sustain in states like Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat, since it has been imparted the Goan flavour. Everyone wants to know the verdict on JOSH -- Is it a hit or a flop? One film, endless questions... JOSH is a crucial release for Shah Rukh Khan; there are no two opinions on that. The actor has been going through a rough patch after KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, since all the three releases that followed -- BAADSHAH, PHIR BHI DIL HAI HINDUSTANI and HEY! RAM -- did not create ripples. The Hrithik Roshan wave made things worse and the media was quick to write off SRK's achievements. But JOSH has taken a flying start and silenced the critics of SRK. It won't be wrong to state that JOSH has fetched the biggest opening of the year, crossing the opening weekend figures of DULHAN HUM LE JAYENGE, which were huge. Obviously, SRK is on Cloud Nine. Unfortunately, the reports on JOSH aren't encouraging. The film has met with a mixed response from cinegoers, who have appreciated the first half of the film, but are unanimous that the second half lacks josh. As a director, Mansoor Khan has proved his mettle once again. The film is technically far more accomplished than his previous efforts, QAYAMAT SE QAYAMAT TAK, JO JEETA WOH SIKANDER and AKELE HUM AKELE TUM. The performances are first-rate too; right from SRK to Sharad Kapoor, Mansoor has moulded them the way he wanted. In a nutshell, JOSH has the unmistakable stamp of Mansoor Khan. But as a writer, he falters badly. The script has several loose ends, like the base for the enmity between SRK and Sharad Kapoor is not revealed. The two seem to be at loggerheads all the while, but what for? Ditto for Ash (belonging to Eagle gang), who walks into the Bichhu territory as and when she feels like, although the territories have been clearly demarcated and the trespassers are reduced to pulp. The pre-climax, of course, takes the cake. The portions depicting SRK and Ash's parents have not been developed properly, and the climax is least dramatic. In fact, it is Chandrachur Singh who walks away with the title of the 'hero' in the end, relegating SRK in the background. Clearly, Mansoor Khan and his team of writers have come up with a half-baked screenplay, which is so difficult to digest! And now for the outcome: The film is doing extra-ordinary in Mumbai and South India, since the viewers have been able to identify with the Catholic background of the film. But to cite this reason alone for the not-too-happening outcome at other places would be wrong. Let's not forget that JULIE and BOBBY, two love stories with Goan/Catholic background, did phenomenally well in the 1970s. Of course, these films were backed by haunting music and drama that defied stereotype. Coming back to the box-office collections of JOSH, the film is doing very well in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Hyderabad, but the box-office collections at Delhi, key centers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Calcutta and Jaipur have registered a drastic drop. The film may turn out to be a loser in these circuits, keeping the high price of the film in mind. The next question is obvious: Is SRK back with a bang? Yes, he is, for the film has opened to a thundering response and has affirmed his status as a top star. But, to be honest, he is yet to deliver an all-India hit like KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE. Will Aditya Chopra's MOHABBATEIN do the trick, is to be seen! Like soda, JOSH opened with all the fizz, but the bubble has burst after the initial craze subsided. Click here to watch a video from Josh Duration : 00:03:44, 45 kbps Single ISDN line 2000 Venus Movies (Reproduced under the official movie promotion license) By Taran Adarsh (Taran is the editor of Trade Guide and writes for IndiaFM)