With Tu Jhoothi Mai Makkaar, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, Pathaan’s Success Along With Jawan, Gadar 2 & Other Blockbusters In The Making; Is Bollywood Back To Era Of Success, Close To Replicating 2019’s 4000 Crore Milestone?
The year started well with Pathaan and then there was Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar bringing in moolah as well. Read on for more.
Special feature – Bollywood is back – Long live Bollywood (Picture Credit: IMDB)
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The horrors of the post pandemic after effects at theatres seem to be waning away, and that too fast. Even when Sooryavanshi brought back audiences in theatres on Diwali 2021, the follow-through wasn’t really great. There were more disasters and flops than ever before in weeks that followed and 2022 didn’t turn out to be much encouraging either, what with the bad run continuing with only an occasional hit or a blockbuster. The glory of box office which was evidenced in 2019 when over 4000 crores had come from just the Bollywood releases was a thing of the last and one wondered whether 2023 would manage to replicate that success.
Well, even though we are still far away from reaching that 4000 crores milestone, at least the progression is in the right director if the performance of films releases during last three months is any indication. With the coming few weeks too promising a bountiful of big films with great expectations coming up, it seems like the industry could well be headed towards 3500 crowds mark at least, if not more, hence ensuring that there is a revival game which has started consolidating well.
Yes, the year started well with Pathaan and then there was Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar bringing in moolah as well. However this was far and few as big films like Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, Bholaa, Selfiee and Shehzada couldn’t really do the kind of business that was expected out of them. However the game changer has been The Kerala Story which brought audiences back in hordes when released in May. Ever since then, three months have gone by and there has been a flurry of good successes and that too on a consistent note.
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke was the one which emerged as a success and it really matters since mid-budget movies needed to attract audiences back in theatres as well. This was followed by SatyaPrem Ki Katha and that has turned out to be a similar success too. With back to back entertainers like these coming in, audiences are finally back in mood to step back into theatres one Friday after another.
That has now been evidenced with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani as well which has scored a century and will now add a lot more to cross 150 crores mark. Of course, pre-pandemic this one would have been pitched as a 200 crores grosser but then it’s one step at a time currently and hence even a century score is welcome.
What’s heartening is that coming weeks are looking quite promising too. Trade has already pitched Gadar 2 as the next 200 Crore Club entrant at the bare minimum while OMG 2 too has been gladly accepted, hence setting the stage for word of mouth to take over. Then there is Dream Girl 2 coming in next and this film could well surprise one and all with its opening. If these three films emerge as a winner as well then this mid-block of 2023 could well turn out to be the most bountiful of them all in last so many years.
As for the current quarter, it should end on a high with the release of Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan in September. With the biggie is a potential blockbuster in the making, rest assured there would be a lot to cheer about for the exhibition and distribution sector as the stage would set for a bountiful last quarter of the year ahead.
Thankfully, things are going in favour of the Hindi film industry currently and one just hopes that it only continues right till the end of the year as the industry can do with all the successes that can come its way.
Long live Bollywood.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
