Bollywood's 2015 Half-Yearly Results
Here's the latest update from the world of Bollywood. We bet you wouldn't want to miss this. Read on for details... With too many flops and too little hits, the last six months were bleak
July, and it's that time of the year when one is tempted to look back and analyse B-town's performance this year. We've seen a handful of hits and unfortunately, more than a few flops. Bollywood's report card isn't impressive. That is, if you judge on the basis of numbers. However, if quality is your criterion, things do look interesting. One can tell that the audience is making more informed choices.
One of the shining examples of this is Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan-starrer Piku. With a storyline that revolved around constipation, the film won over the public with its endearing characters and rib-tickling wit.
Result? Made on a modest budget, the film raked in Rs. 79. 76 crore at the box-office. Vivek Krishnani, President, Marketing and Revenue, MSM Pictures, the production house that made Piku says, "The film was marketed very well but what truly worked for it was a great story matched with superlative talent."
While Piku gave B-town its first big hit of the year, Tanu Weds Manu Returns gave it further impetus. The Kangana Ranaut film made a whopping Rs. 150 crore, thus becoming the first 100-crore grosser of 2015.
Krishika Lulla of Eros International, the studio that produced the movie, says, "We're consciously trying all sorts of genres - whether it is a realistic thriller like NH 10, a revenge saga like Badlapur or the more light-hearted Tanu Weds Manu Returns. Unless we try, we won't know if it is working."
Another moderate success was Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do. Although an expensive film, the star-studded vehicle grossed over 70 crores. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, "It did very well with the multiplex audience, which was its target audience. What it didn't recover from theatrical runs, it managed from overseas collections, satellite rights and music."
And just when we thought we're done counting our semi-annual favourites, came Remo D'Souza's ABCD 2, which comfortably surpassed the 100-crore mark. About its success, Varun Dhawan reasons, "It worked very well because it showcased the emotions and the pure intent with which Remo wanted to tell the story. Plus, few actors do films for kids and this helped ABCD 2 get accepted by families."
Yes, there were other films like Baby, Badlapur, Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Gabbar Is Back that fared well. But could they balance the unending flops? Not really.
From Tevar to Shamitabh, from Roy to Detective Byomkesh Bakshy - box-office witnessed one debacle after another.
And then came the mother of all debacles - Bombay Velvet. Ranbir Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap's ambitious project was made on a staggering budget of Rs. 120 crore. While the opening weekend garnered a dismal Rs. 16 crore, its lifetime collections were abysmal at approximately Rs. 24 crore. Says Adarsh, "Bombay Velvet was rejected outright. It had such a terrible opening that nothing could save the film."
Even Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi-starrer Hamari Adhuri Kahani, which arrived with a lot of expectations, bit the dust.
Says Anand Vishal of Fun Cinemas, "There has been some respite due to hits like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and ABCD 2. But filmmakers as well as exhibitors still haven't recovered their money. The flops have far outweighed the hits."
However, all is not lost yet. The second half may just tilt the scales. After all, there are big films like Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra starrer Brothers, Ajay Devgn's Drishyam, Shahid Kapoor's Shandaar, Ranbir's Tamasha among others.
Let's not forget, Dilwale which reunites Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, and Bajirao Mastani starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra.
Krishika is betting her money on the Sanjay Leela Bhansali love saga, which is produced by Eros. "I've seen some rushes of Bajirao and trust me, every frame is poetry in motion. The viewers are in for a delight this Christmas." What about the colossal clash with Dilwale? "Let's hope that both films do well."
Touche. Because truth be told, at this juncture, Bollywood is in dire need of a blockbuster or two.
One of the shining examples of this is Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan-starrer Piku. With a storyline that revolved around constipation, the film won over the public with its endearing characters and rib-tickling wit.
Result? Made on a modest budget, the film raked in Rs. 79. 76 crore at the box-office. Vivek Krishnani, President, Marketing and Revenue, MSM Pictures, the production house that made Piku says, "The film was marketed very well but what truly worked for it was a great story matched with superlative talent."
While Piku gave B-town its first big hit of the year, Tanu Weds Manu Returns gave it further impetus. The Kangana Ranaut film made a whopping Rs. 150 crore, thus becoming the first 100-crore grosser of 2015.
Krishika Lulla of Eros International, the studio that produced the movie, says, "We're consciously trying all sorts of genres - whether it is a realistic thriller like NH 10, a revenge saga like Badlapur or the more light-hearted Tanu Weds Manu Returns. Unless we try, we won't know if it is working."
Another moderate success was Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do. Although an expensive film, the star-studded vehicle grossed over 70 crores. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, "It did very well with the multiplex audience, which was its target audience. What it didn't recover from theatrical runs, it managed from overseas collections, satellite rights and music."
And just when we thought we're done counting our semi-annual favourites, came Remo D'Souza's ABCD 2, which comfortably surpassed the 100-crore mark. About its success, Varun Dhawan reasons, "It worked very well because it showcased the emotions and the pure intent with which Remo wanted to tell the story. Plus, few actors do films for kids and this helped ABCD 2 get accepted by families."
Yes, there were other films like Baby, Badlapur, Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Gabbar Is Back that fared well. But could they balance the unending flops? Not really.
From Tevar to Shamitabh, from Roy to Detective Byomkesh Bakshy - box-office witnessed one debacle after another.
And then came the mother of all debacles - Bombay Velvet. Ranbir Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap's ambitious project was made on a staggering budget of Rs. 120 crore. While the opening weekend garnered a dismal Rs. 16 crore, its lifetime collections were abysmal at approximately Rs. 24 crore. Says Adarsh, "Bombay Velvet was rejected outright. It had such a terrible opening that nothing could save the film."
Even Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi-starrer Hamari Adhuri Kahani, which arrived with a lot of expectations, bit the dust.
Says Anand Vishal of Fun Cinemas, "There has been some respite due to hits like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and ABCD 2. But filmmakers as well as exhibitors still haven't recovered their money. The flops have far outweighed the hits."
However, all is not lost yet. The second half may just tilt the scales. After all, there are big films like Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra starrer Brothers, Ajay Devgn's Drishyam, Shahid Kapoor's Shandaar, Ranbir's Tamasha among others.
Let's not forget, Dilwale which reunites Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, and Bajirao Mastani starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra.
Krishika is betting her money on the Sanjay Leela Bhansali love saga, which is produced by Eros. "I've seen some rushes of Bajirao and trust me, every frame is poetry in motion. The viewers are in for a delight this Christmas." What about the colossal clash with Dilwale? "Let's hope that both films do well."
Touche. Because truth be told, at this juncture, Bollywood is in dire need of a blockbuster or two.
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