Trade Analysts predict the Box Office to be on fire this week, as two of Anurag Kashyap’s most awaited ventures hit the screens this Friday. Currently, both OMG Oh My God! and Sridevi’s come back vehicle English Vinglish is doing excellent business. But this Friday will be crucial to decide the fates of both Chittagong and Aiyyaa. Anurag Kashyap issued an official statement emphasizing that the clash of his films was consequential and not intentional. But it would be quite interesting to observe the fates of two important films, from the same production house, pitted against each other.
Aiyyaa will see Rani Mukerji make a comeback after giving herself a long rest of about a year. The film will be a happy blend of romance and humor, against a backdrop of Tamil and Maharashtrian cultures clashing against each other. The film has already been signed off as whacky and quirky, quite contrary to other romantic comedies released in recent times. The lead lady has given her best work and tried her hand at versatility. She has tried the famous Lavani as well as Belly Dancing in quite jhiktaaek typically South Indian film like avatar. Rani has claimed that her character Meenakshi will give every girl some aspect to relate to. This film is also the Bollywood debut of South Superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran who has worked well at the abs department and contoured out a chiseled look.
But more in sync with Anurag Kashyap’s style of filmmaking is Chittagong, a film directed by a former NASA scientist, Bedabrata Pain. This is Pain’s first tryst at filmmaking and the film has already garnered curiosity and rave reviews for the sheer innovativeness of its concept, rediscovering the much forgotten Chittagong uprising (1930-34). The plot is about freedom fighter Surya Sen played by Manoj Bajpai, leading a group of his young students to take on the British Raj. The protagonist is a teenager who tells the story from his mosaic vision of dilemmas and mirrored self doubts which entails the improbable victory. The young actor Dilzad Hiwale, who plays Jhunku Roy, is said to have done quite a commendable work. The film was shot in 42 days due to a lack of ample budget, but then again Anurag Kashyap is the brand behind excellent realistic cinema created on low budgets and yet has a certain Midas touch to it.
Both Aiyyaa and Chittagong are not even on comparable platforms in terms of budget, performance or even genres for that matter. While Aiyyaa is targeted at all audiences alike, Chittagong is targeted essentially at the multiplex audiences who are more equipped to understand the tone and sensibility of the film. Also releasing this Friday is Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot Returns which is a sequel of the hit 2003 film Bhoot. This Friday will see a great deal of intriguing activity at the Box Office much to the advantage and for the entertainment of the Common Man.
