The film industry is going through a precarious phase!
A new trend seems to have emerged this year. A majority of big-budgeted films released in the first two months failed to fetch a decent opening, while those that lacked face-value took a fabulous start from Day 1.
Films that were expected to change the tide for the better came without a bang and left without a whimper. Films like PITAAH, KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE, MAA TUJHHE SALAAM (except North), FILHAAL, YEH MOHABBAT HAI, HAAN… MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA and TUMKO NA BHOOL PAAYENGE did not live up to the gargantuan expectations.
But the flavour of the season was the non-star cast films. STYLE (the last release of 2001), YEH DIL AASHIQANAA (the first success of 2002) and RAAZ hammered the fact that the audience wanted a change.
Change in terms of casting, in terms of content.
None of the three films were expected to set the box-office on fire. STYLE started on a slow note, but picked up gradually. Y.D.A. started very well and maintained steady collections as days progressed, proving a hit in the North. As for RAAZ, the film proved that even a non-star cast film could fetch a 100% start all over India.
Is this trend here to stay? What are the implications of this trend? Will the so-called stars be forced to reduce their remuneration?
Let me go step by step.
a) The trend of small-budget films leaving a mark at the box-office is not new and the success of these three films does not indicate that every low or medium-budgeted film would strike gold.
b) The implications of this trend have started emerging already since a majority of producers are planning films with either newcomers/models or those who are not in the 'A' bracket.
c) Will the stars reduce their remuneration in the wake of so many flops? No way! With most stars turning producers, they seem to be least bothered with the number of flops that keep mounting up week after week.
But they will realise their folly when there are no takers!
2002 COMES CLOSE TO 2001
The number of releases in the first two months seems to be increasing with each passing year. A section of the film industry strongly felt that the number of new releases would slow down in 2002, with a majority of films releasing in 2001.
But if you browse through the statistics of the last six years, you will observe that the number of releases in 2002 is the second highest.
1997:
January – 9; February – 8;
Total – 17.
1998:
January – 16; February – 9;
Total – 25.
1999:
January – 10; February – 9;
Total – 19.
2000:
January – 14; February – 11;
Total – 25.
2001:
January – 18; February – 14;
Total – 32.
2002:
January – 15; February – 16;
Total – 31.
What has fallen drastically in 2002, however, is the production of low-budget films, which catered to the lowest stratum. And that can be attributed to the fact that the censors have become strict.
HOPE 2002
With the ratio of flops remaining at 90%, one expects the ratio of hits to improve from April 2002 onwards. Films like AANKHEN, HUM TUMHARE HAIN SANAM, COMPANY, AAP MUJHE ACHCHE LAGNE LAGE, HUM KISISE KUM NAHIN, NA TUM JAANO NA HUM, BADHAI HO BADHAI, YEH HAI JALWA, DEVDAAS, KAANTE and MAIN PREM KI DEEWANI HOON are expected to bring the smiles back.
RELEASES – JANUARY 2002
PITAAH, QATIL CHUDAIL, WHERE EAGLES DARE (Dub.), PATI PATNI AUR PATNI KA WOH (Dub.), KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE, MAHAL, KUNWARI CHUDAIL, YEH DIL AASHIQANAA, HER NIGHTS, KHOONI BISTAR, MAA TUJHHE SALAAM, AAKHEER, COVER STORY (Dub.), KAMAAL KI CHHOKRI (Dub.) and JUNOON PYAAR KA (Dub.).
RELEASES – FEBRUARY 2002
RAAZ, FILHAAL, CHINA STRIKE FORCE (Dub.), YEH MOHABBAT HAI, MEMSAAB NO. 1, BEHIND ENEMY LINES (Dub.), JEEPERS CREEPERS (Dub.), HAAN… MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA, EK AUR VISPHOT, MITR-MY FRIEND (Dub.), THE ONE (Dub.), TUMKO NA BHOOL PAAYENGE, JO DAR GAYA SAMJHO MAR GAYA, ZINDAGI AUR MAUT, MADAM NO. 1 and LETHAL TARGET (Dub.).
