There is a misconception in the minds of the public and also among some trade people that Farhan Akhtar’s Don was a roaring hit. The truth is that Don did extremely well in the Overseas circuit but was a fair earner in India. However, it was definitely not a runaway hit. Either because a film goes on to become a hit later, on the television circuit, or simply because the general media keeps referring to a successful film or even an average grosser as a hit, some films tend to be remembered as hits even though they weren’t.
Don, Jab We Met, Hera Pheri and Golmaal Fun Unlimited weren't hits when they hit theatres
Jab We Met and Hera Pheri (of Priyadarshan) are two more such examples. While Jab We Met did not fetch much overflow, it is perceived as a super-hit because it almost became a cult film on the television channels. As for Hera Pheri, it may surprise many even today to know that it fared quite badly in the cinemas except in a few big cities. It came to be referred to as a hit simply because it became a hot favourite on TV after its run at the theatres was over. There are many such examples and two more films that instantly come to mind are Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal – Fun Unlimited and its sequel, Golmaal Returns. Both were not hits at all but they are termed hits, especially after the second sequel, Golmaal 3, became a blockbuster.
