The first quarter of 2012 has ended [so fast!] and the outcome is thodi khushi, zyada gham. A few successes… a string of disappointments. AGNEEPATH, of course, dominated the first quarter, but the biggest surprise was -- you guessed it right -- KAHAANI. Like Vidya's previous release, THE DIRTY PICTURE, this film too has been a game changer. The India theatrical business is an eye-opener, but what caught everyone by surprise was its dream run in the international arena.
The setbacks made the industry poorer by several crores, making a deep hole in the pockets of the investors, but what I like about our industry is the never-say-die attitude. Every time a biggie flops, the makers, the studio and also the actors associated with the film pick themselves up and start walking all over again. I only hope that we learn from our mistakes [read wrong economics and sketchy scripts], so that we don't repeat them in the future.
Will HOUSEFULL 2 make it to the 100 cr Club? That's one question people have been asking me on Twitter. By the looks of it, yes, HOUSEFULL 2 should embark on a mind-boggling start at the ticket window, but whether or not it will make it to the coveted Club will depend on how the audience reacts to the film. The word of mouth plays a crucial role these days and if the film enjoys terrific reports, I am sure, crossing the 100 cr mark wouldn't be an issue.
The hype is tremendous, the cast is gigantic, the scale is bigger… let's hope HOUSEFULL 2 gets the housefull boards out during the weekend as well as on weekdays.
The Bhatts are having the last laugh! BLOOD MONEY, a low cost film, has consolidated its status at the box-office. The film has cost 9.25 cr [inclusive of P&A], out of which a good chunk has been recovered from the sale of Satellite and Music rights. The India theatrical business is impressive, given the star cast of the film [it should touch Rs 9 cr in Week 1] and that should help the film reach the profit zone. At a time when films made in fancy budgets are sinking faster than Titanic, the success of films that don't have extravagant budgets attached to them truly comes as a breather and need to be acknowledged!
