2006
has been a celebration of success of the
Hindi film industry. Almost all the big
banners and big stars have had their dates
with success and almost everyone is happy.
For once, everyone is talking about how
the past year turned out to be a good
one.During this time of 2005 the industry
was ranting about the lack of hits. A
look at all the hits, superhits and blockbusters
of 2006.
Well
begun is half done. That was the way 2006 started.
On Jan 26 2006 released Rang de Basanti. This is to
date one of the biggest grossers of the year. The
fact that Aamir Khan was willing to play just one
of the guys in a big group and did not mind the script
giving a bit more to Siddharth and the other boys
was heartening. This movie is testimony to the fact
that Aamir is a team worker. The youthful energy,
the right mix of patriotism and chauvinism and the
‘Be a rebel’ music of A.R.Rahman were
reasons for the film to rock the box office. The work
of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra was given the nod as the
official Indian entry to the Oscars. Two of Rahman’s
songs too have made it to the Oscars.
Taxi
No. 9211 which released in early Feb. managed
to do well for its producer. The John Abraham
factor worked in the movie’s favour.
Nana Patekar’s portrayal of the taxi
driver won him a nomination in the best supporting
actor category. This movie was a bit along
the lines of Bluffmaster which had released
in late 2005, but still pulled its weight
through. Its business was mainly in city centres
and multiplexes.
Barely
three months after RDB rocked the screens,
Aamir Khan was ready with his next offering,
something that does not happen very often.
Fanaa directed by Kunal Kohli came out at
the start of the summer and scorched cinema
halls. Controversies and the ban in Gujarat
did not hamper the film’s success. Though
the critics panned the film, especially the
second half, the audience lapped it up. Kajol’s
comeback too was highly appreciated. But the
real credit of the success must be given to
Yashraj films for their smart marketing of
the movie. At this point of time 2006 seemed
to be an Aamir Khan year.
The best was reserved for the peak summer season.
The first of the biggies to hit the screens was the
biggest of them all, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. Karan
Johar’s shift from feel good romance to what
he felt was reality. His audiences were a bit shocked
at what was on offer. Surely, this is not what they
expected from the ‘family audience’ expert.
However, the big banner, bigger starcast and excellent
music saw the film do above average business at home.
But it remains among one of the high grossers of the
year because of the euphoria that a Karan Johar film
creates overseas.
A
month later came Rakesh Roshan’s biggest
offering yet, an effort to save his son Hrithik’s
career. The father-son combo clicked again;
Krish with its superhero concept and spellbinding
stunts captured the audiences’ imagination.
The movie was a huge hit wherever it released.
Its gigantic budget was justified when it made
much more than what it had cost. Hrithik’s
career was back on track. Even though a blockbuster,
the film could not match up to the overseas
collections of KANK.
Then as the summer progressed a number of small
films released. A few of them fell by the wayside,
some managed to recover cost and some others
made a mark. Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate
was one of them. The movie was appreciated for
its theme and bold presentation. Bipasha Basu
came in for praise for her role and has received
a Best Actress nomination. The movie, in spite
of its theme which did not confirm to commercial
norms did well at the box office.
Another
brave venture, Vishaal Bhardwaj’s Omkaara too
released at about the same time. The film, an adaptation
of Shakespear’s Othello was well received. Saif
Ali Khan’s villainy went down well with the
audience and the movie did well enough to be termed
a hit.
