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December 7, 1999
BILLBOARD
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Who won? Who lost? How and why? Komal Nahta has the answers. In our weekly Box Office column.
Dharmesh Darshan's Mela has cost about Rs 200 million and if Venus (the music company that is also producing the film) has not objected to such heavy expenses, it is only because Darshan has a Raja Hindustani behind him.
Rajkumar Santoshi is another director whose films always go over-budget; his latest, Pukar, is no exception. Producer Boney Kapoor has spent Rs 200 million on making the film. He is now hoping the distributors will hike up the price and cover Santoshi's extravagance.
Shahrukh Khan and Juhi Chawla have also shelled out almost Rs 150 million for Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, in the hope that the venture will establish their banner, Dreamz Unlimited. This is the first time director Aziz Mirza is working with such a huge budget. His first big-money venture was Yes Boss, the success of which helped him escape the bondage of the shoestring budgets he has always had to work with. In fact, the money that's gone into making PBDHH is more than double the amount that went into the production of Yes Boss.
Neither here nor there
Nihalani has, for the first time, sold a film for Rs 15 million per circuit; his earlier films, which fell under the genre of art, barely managed to find buyers. But the distributors are now regretting their decision to back the film.
One distributor, who seems to have sensed that the film would not do well, was smart enough to give up the rights even before it was released. He became suspicious when Nihalani refused to preview the film for his distributors. The only one who was accorded that privilege was the distributor for Bombay, Ajay Devgan!
Ajay's hat trick!
Devgan, Jr, meanwhile, needs to appease the Gods. He is passing through an all-time low in both his career and his business. His maiden home presentation, Hindustan Ki Kasam, simply did not live up to its under-production promise. His second home production, Dil Kya Kare -- his first release with wife Kajol after the two were married -- bombed just as badly. Takshak, which is his third attempt, is all set to sink at the box office.
Pukar postponed
This is considered a bountiful period for new releases because a good chunk of the Muslim audience abstains from films during the month of Ramzan, which precedes the Id celebrations. By the time the festive day arrives, this audience is starving for entertainment.
Boney has opted to forgo this opportune moment because of the delayed release of Pukar's audio. Even otherwise, A R Rahman's music takes a while to sink into the minds of the people.
No universal blockbuster
Hum Saath-Saath Hain is, of course, 1999's biggest grosser, but its business has not been consistent throughout the country. It is a huge hit in C P Berar (includes part of Maharashtra and part of Madhya Pradesh), Nizam (part of Andhra Pradesh and part of Maharashtra), C I (central India, which includes part of MP) and Rajasthan, but in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal, it's just about a hit. So its business in some circuits may be more than that of KKHH, but may be less than the '98 mega hit in other circuits.
Biwi No 1 was the other 1998 hit. But the film bombed in West Bengal and was an average grosser in C I.
Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain and Ghulam were universal successes, but they weren't hits.
Alarming contrasts
The prices of films are rocketing to the skies these days. No film that boasts of a decent star cast and is made by an 'A' grade director is available for less than Rs 20 million today. But, though the prices are rising, a film's run in the theatres is declining.
The admission rates in cinemas have gone up so much that the audience now has to budget in order to watch a film. As a result, only the really good ones are patronised, leaving average and lesser films unpatronised by the middle-class audience. Which explains the smaller run of films in cinemas these days. Gone are the days of silver and golden jubilees. It's 25 days and 50 days, and not weeks anymore!
A silver lining?
Bobby Deol has his hopes pinned on Badal. After the disastrous fate of Dillagi, this film -- which also stars Rani Mukerjee -- had better run if Bobby is to remain in the reckoning.
The promotional trailers of Badal look good and are generating positive conversation in the industry. This has prompted producer Salim to ask his distributors to hike the film's price.
The latter, who've already paid about Rs 17.5 million to Rs 20 million for the film, can't believe Salim is even thinking of a price revision after Dillagi's debacle. So what if director Raj Kanwar has an almost 100 per cent track record?
PS (for those interested in trivia): Bobby's debut film, Barsaat, was originally called Badal!
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The dawn of the millennium will witness gigantic levels of competition, if the sheer massiveness of the films that will be released in the year 2000 is any indication. Three of Hindi cinema's costliest films will vie for the public's attention; in fact, the producers and distributors of the three films already have their fingers crossed.
Govind Nihalani must be regretting the day he launched Thakshak. The film has met with a cold response at the box office; even the art film circuit, which usually lavishes praise on Nihalani's films, has rejected Thakshak. As for the commercial film circuit, its response to the film has been even colder. Consequently, the film is neither here nor there.
Boney Kapoor has postponed the release of Pukar. Instead of hitting the screens on January 7, it will now be released on February 4. Anil Kapoor's Bulandi may now replace Pukar as the Id release, the other being Mela.
Believe it or not, there's been no single universal blockbuster in 1999. Quite unlike Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. Or Ishq and Dil To Pagal Hai in 1997. Or Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge in 1996.