The first quarter of 2013 has concluded and to be brutally honest, it has ended on a disheartening note. Sajid Khan's keenly anticipated biggie HIMMATWALA was mauled by reputed critics and to add to Sajid's woes, the word of mouth is extremely negative. Even the numbers in mass-dominated circuits -- which gave some hope to the film on Day 1 -- are on a declining spree, while the biz at plexes is way below the mark.
Having grown up on masala films -- besides reviewing the original HIMMATWALA three decades ago -- I was aghast when I watched Sajid's adaptation of that hugely entertaining movie. The fact is, Sajid has made a complete mess of that entertainer and its BO outcome, therefore, doesn't come as a surprise. In fact, now that HIMMATWALA has failed to get the desired numbers, Mumbai-based film-makers, studios and actors will think twice before remaking a yesteryear hit. That's a fact!
In terms of economics, HIMMATWALA is an expensive proposition and at the speed its business is sinking, UTV is sure to lose a substantial chunk of investment on this one. After three back-to-back hits, Sajid Khan has delivered a flop that's not only a financial failure, but has also failed to live up to the mammoth expectations of the moviegoer. Now let's hope the second quarter yields fantastic results. Fingers crossed!
