The film industry is on the path to recovery. After a series of shocks and setbacks, a number of films released in the recent past have succeeded in infusing optimism amongst traders. HOUSE FULL, BADMAASH COMPANY, RAAJNEETI and now THE KARATE KID [released last Friday] have been successful in luring audiences back to theatres.
With no major Hindi film releasing last Friday [EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE was the most prominent one], RAAJNEETI continued to dominate the marketplace. The 10-day business has been robust and UTV, its principal distributors, is sure to reap a neat profit when they add the revenues accumulated from theatrical and non-theatrical avenues.
Besides faring exceptionally well in the U.S., THE KARATE KID raked in approx. Rs. 4.5 cr. in its opening weekend in India, from three versions [English, Hindi and Tamil]. Jackie Chan movies are well received in India and one was expecting THE KARATE KID to stand out as well. However, since the RAAJNEETI wave was omnipotent, THE KARATE KID was expected to be sidelined in the process. But the film packed in a solid punch. Sony is now gearing up for its Telugu release on 2nd July.
The Hindi release, EK SECOND... JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE, has met with a poor response from moviegoers. The producers spent heavily in its promotion, but the question is, is the moviegoer of today interested in watching Manisha and Jackie romance on screen? This combination worked a decade ago and might work even today if they're cast in supporting roles, but lead roles? Nahin!
The buzz on RAAVAN seems to be gaining momentum. A Mani Ratnam film is special and moviegoers across the globe are awaiting the master film-maker's new film with bated breath. RAAVAN is equally important for Abhishek Bachchan and also for Reliance Big Pictures, who have paid a really big price for its distribution rights. Let's hope the winning streak continues!
