Do item numbers by top actresses work as crowd pullers?

By Screen Weekly -

May 14, 2013 - 11:34 AM IST

According to industry insiders, item numbers by top heroines remains a surefire attraction for the audience. Here's why:

"Is there an item number in Bombay Talkies?' A question posed to Karan Johar, at the trailer launch of the film, almost had him falling out of his chair at the thought of an item number in a 20 odd minute short. But it still raised a pertinent question. Have item numbers tracks become mandatory in film?

If one goes back in time, item numbers have always been there in Bollywood films, but they were generally associated with Helen and Mumtaz shimmying in gowns and feathers along with a handful of backdrop dancers as hero downed a glass or two at a bar. Leading ladies like Vyjanthimala doing some memorable item numbers were few and far in between. However, over the years, temperatures definitely shot up when Sharmila Tagore frolicked in An Evening in Paris, Parveen Babi moved sensuously to 'Jawaani Jaaneman' and 'Raat Baaki' in Namak Halal, Madhuri Dixit danced erotically to 'Choli Ke Peeche' and Karishma Kapoor's 'Sexy Sexy' (later changed to 'Baby Baby') moves in Khuddaar, Shilpa Shetty's 'Maain Aayi Hoon UP, Bihar Lootne' in Shool and Bipasha Basu's 'Bidi Jalaile' in Omkara.

Like the movie, item numbers too have undergone a transformation. Picturised lavishly, today they are more sexy and more bold. A-listers like Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, have dared to bare and are changing the language of item numbers in their expensive designer wear and carefully crafted moves. With songs like 'Munni Badnaam Hui', 'Chikni Chameli' to the latest 'Babli Badmaash' and 'Laila' tracks in Shootout At Wadala topping the charts, what attracts more footfalls - an item song done by an A-lister heroine or an item number performed by a heroine known just for her sexy looks?

"Item numbers have always had a charm and unless they are really bad, the audience is always excited to see a good dance number. And when there's a top actress involved, the excitement doubles for the audience. The recently released Shootout At Wadala would not have had the opening it did were it not for Priyanka's 'Babli Baadmaash'. In this case, even Sunny Leone's item number made an impact," says trade analyst Komal Natha.

"It's true that a top heroine doing raunchy number is a draw for the audience. But no one can say by how much it contributes to the business as it's difficult to calculate that. It does make a difference though," says trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

Sanjay Gupta. Who helmed SAW, agrees that the three special tracks in his the film helped to draw the audience. "In recent times item numbers have set a trend and they can do wonders for a film. But if you ask what attracts the audience more - an - A-lister or a more sexy actress doing the item number, I'd say both, but ultimately it all depends on how good the song is. My Twitter is full of fabulous comments about Priyanka's 'Babli Badmaash' and Sunny Leone's 'Laila'. The audience has been dancing to Sunny's numbers in the theatres in Pune. Cops had to be called to control the crowd. Kareena Kapoor's 'Fevicol' in Dabangg 2 was another item number that drew people to watch the film," says Gupta.

However, Karan Malhotra, whose film Agneepath had Katrina Kaif dancing to the catchy upbeat and sexually provocative 'Chikni Chameli', says that a top actress doing an item number pulls in the crowd. "'Chikni Chameli' was a big draw for Agneepath, primarily because of a top star like Katrina dancing sensuously. There was also the excitement of seeing two big heroes like Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt sharing screen space with her in that song. An item song can generate more business for a film if its plugged and somewhere it helps the narrative," he explains.

Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, trade analyst Amod Mehra, and Tanuj Garg, CEL of Balaji Motion Pictures agree that a good song picturised on a leading heroine helps to draw the audience. "It all depends on how strong the song is and who it is picturised on. If its good packet with an A-lister, it adds to the business as it's a bonus for the audience," says Roshan.

"The song, music and the picturisation of the number helps to bring a film into the limelight, but as far as I know, Agneepath's 'Chikni Chameli' was the only item number that attracted the audience into the theatres and translated into numbers," states Mehra.

"It's the song and the film that matters. Items songs do not guarantee business, but it helps getting the film noticed and is one of the many tools of promoting. But if Katrina's 'Chikni Chameli' drew in the audience, her equally publicised 'Sheila Ki jawani' didn't do anything for the opening of Tees Maar Khan. Now it's both Priyanka Chopra's 'Babliâ€¦' and Sunny Leone's 'Laila' which has drawn the audience because of the novelty factor associated with it. Both Priyanka and Sunny have performed item numbers for the first time," say Garg.

However, there are some filmmakers who beg to differ on item number attracting the audience to the theatres. "If one remembers the recently released action thriller Commando had an item number by Nathalia Kaur, but it was not used to promote the film," say Vipul Shah, the producer of the film.

"If a film depends on an item number for it's opening, then I would say that the content of the film is under question. Also it has to be there in the graph of the film. I think people smell a film and make up their minds about wanting to watch it or not. I wouldn't know about the item songs of Shootout At Wadala, but the day I saw the trailer I knew I wanted to watch the film. And I would like to believe that the audience to felt the same way about the film," he adds.