Did you know that only 4 per cent of Hindi films released in 2002 managed to generate business?

Earlier, the equation was 15 to 20 per cent of the total Hindi films released which generated brisk business. In 2002, 96 per cent of Hindi films made failed, leaving the world's largest celluloid industry grappling with losses close to Rs 5 billion.

There were only two hits: Mukesh Bhatt's Raaz and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas last year, if that. Some industry people refuse to term Devdas a hit. They say that for a Rs 500 million film, the profit margin should have been more handsome.

Industry watcher Rauf Ahmed blames it on the quality of films. "Never in the history of Indian cinema have so many bad films been made. The audience has lost faith in the industry," he says.

During this period, a new genre of films gained precedence. As many as nine Hinglish films released in India. [Click on the pictures above for a look at the Hinglish films released in 2002.]

Says trade analyst Amod Mehra, Entertainment Network, “Today, middle-class and poor people have virtually stopped going to the theatres, thanks to the spiralling prices of the tickets. Hence, the main audience for the film is the educated and the upwardly mobile urbanite. These people relate to Hinglish films better because this is exactly what they speak -- a bit of Hindi and a bit of English. Besides, they relate to the characters in Hinglish films strongly; they find the larger-than-life image of characters in the candy-floss and action films too unrealistic.”

The question is Are Hinglish films here to stay or is this just a passing phase?

Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, "At last, filmmakers are making what they believe in. The final product is not ruled by commercial demands. There is no reason why such a genuine thing will not stand. Initiated by Nagesh Kukunoor's Hyderabad Blues and Kaizad Guztad's Bombay Boys, Hinglish films are now gathering momentum."

According to Amod Mehra, “These films cannot increase their audience much because their popularity will always be restricted to the metros only. But they are here to stay. Filmmakers of such projects have stubbornly stuck it out and insisted on displaying their sensibilities and concerns to the public. The public, or at least a section of it, shares their concerns which are frequently treated with an engaging irreverence by these filmmakers, resulting in creating a niche market for them. This niche market is a more narrowly defined group than a mass market, a small market whose needs so far haven't been well served. These films have deliberately and bravely veered away from the one-size-fits-all marketing strategy that has so far been prevalent in Bollywood."

Says MTV veejay Cyrus Broacha, “These films are not a passing phase. I love such films. I would relish having more. You hear Hinglish in your neighbourhood, shopping complexes, college canteens and stadiums, lyricists use it, advertisers aren't far behind, and no one gets turned off by the use of veejays' Hinglish. It is the language of today's youngster, the medium he relates to. What is wrong if films are updated to keep up with the times?”

Rahul Bose, one of the regular actors on the Hinglish film circuit, is also a big supporter of this trend. "There is a big market for Hinglish films provided these films keep the global audience in mind. Else the film will have to be made in Rs 50 lakhs which is an uphill task. The Hinglish market has opened up and will improve a great deal more. The entire English-speaking urban audience watches these films. Surprisingly, some non-English speaking viewers who understand English also enjoy these films."

He continues, "Many Hinglish films have done fairly well. My film Everybody Says I'm Fine did far better than my expectations. It registered nearly 70 per cent collections, which is sufficiently high. I have just learnt that it was one of the six films of 2002 which did not cut a hole in the distributor's pocket. Instead, it made it heavy."

Why didn't some Hinglish films, like Split Wide Open, which was made keeping the global audience in mind, drawn crowds? Rahul says, "Surely anything and everything cannot click. The important need for these films is the availability of multiplexes. Can you imagine what would happen to a Hinglish film if it were playing at a large theatre and a big commercial film came along? It would be mowed down!"

Adds Mehra, "The trend of Hinglish films is aided by the fact that many distributors seem to be keen on such low-budget films with a good subject sense, since they feel it is easier to recover money than other big-budget films which are consistently falling at the box-office. There is a slight risk involved since these films do not boast of any stars. Often, distributors just tie up with the producer to release the movie. Depending on their agreement with the producer, at times, distributors may or may not get money. But they definitely earn recognition and name in the market. Thereafter, it is easy for their company to go public."

Says actor-turned-director Deepak Tijori, who is making Oops! in Hinglish and English, "People are tired of seeing actors who live in Dharavi [a locality in Mumbai] transported to Switzerland to shake their hips. With audiences opening up in foreign countries, all this has become embarrassing. I would prefer a Hinglish film any day, any time, for the simple reason that you get a lot of scope to exercise your freedom of expression. The censors are less strict for Hinglish films. Slang words or abusive words in English are common so they are bypassed in Hinglish films. A similar outburst in a Hindi film becomes a big issue. Also, we are taregetting the NRI segment."

Also Read:
Hinglish films in 2003
Tell us! Are Hinglish films here to stay?

Text: Vickey Lalwani