Could this be a coincidence?
January 2003 witnessed the release of JISM. A woman-oriented theme with sex in generous doses, the film emerged the first universal success of the year.
Although the ratio of flops touched an all-time high in the first quarter of 2004 [January to March], the second quarter [April to June] has begun on a favourable note.
MURDER has proved to be the first universal success of 2004. Like JISM, the film talks of adultery and how a married woman cheats on her husband. If Pooja Bhatt produced JISM, MURDER is produced by her chacha Mukesh Bhatt.
Ironically, the two desi versions of UNFAITHFUL, released in two consecutive weeks, have brought respite for a hungry-for-hits industry. Last week's HAWAS and this week's MURDER have set the cash registers jingling and one hopes that MASTI, a sex comedy [coincidentally, this one also talks of extra-marital affairs], will only improve the scenario for the better.
IS IT WORTH IT?
With the single screen theatres calling off the strike, the stage is set for an exciting phase in Bollywood.
It's a known fact that a number of biggies are lined up for release in the summer vacations and if the strike would've continued for a couple of weeks more, the producers would've been forced to postpone their films to a latter date.
Which means, when the strike would've been called off, all producers would've been forced to get into a tearing hurry to release their films at the earliest, thereby leading to a bigger chaos.
I agree, the single screen theatres had lost their patience and were left with no alternative but to go on an indefinite strike. But, on an individual level, I feel shutting down all business can never be a foolproof remedy for the crisis.
