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Vishal Bhardwaj is an exemplary filmmaker. Giving a Desi touch to Shakespeare’s work requires a detailed understanding of human emotions and dynamics of interpersonal relationships. His repertoire of work comprises of films which are mostly memorable. Whether or not those films have become box office hits is a later story but they were all great films. Short of his film Haider releasing, Koimoi presents to you a compilation of commercial success rate of his films.
Bhardwaj began with Makdee. Shweta Basu Prasad might be in news for all the wrong reasons now but the film was a well executed film that perhaps catered to a niche audience. Made on a shoestring budget, the film might have struggled at the box office but made India proud at multiple International Film Festivals.
In 2003, Bhardwaj completed his first adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, into a brilliantly Indianized Maqbool. Again made on a small budget, the film is one that demands you to understand the right nuances of Macbeth. It has a tinge of operatic beauty in it and the film is a smashing hit with Bhardwaj loyalists even today. Ace performances and superb direction, Maqbool might have been a box office doom but did well with intelligentsia who got the theme well.
Continuing with his expertise over children’s films, Bhardwaj next made The Blue Umbrella. Again a small film, in terms of length as well as production value, the film was backed by UTV. It went on to win the 2007’s National Award for the Best Children’s Film but was commercially released in 2005.
In 2006, Bhardwaj did the unusual. He took a bunch of A lister actors and made an off-beat, A certified film that went on everyone’s resume as work for posterity. Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Konkana Sen Sharma all brought alive Shakespeare’s Othello in Omkara with impeccable brilliance. With Konkana bagging a National Award and the film being praised by all, there were more takers for the film because of the star value associated with it. It was a rustic, earthly and yet a gorgeous watch.
In 2007, along with Mira Nair, Bhardwaj also made Blood Brothers which was screened at the Toronto Film Festival that did not see an India release as such.
In 2009, Vishal collaborated with Shahid Kapoor for the first time. No one knew the underrated actor’s real potential till then. It was commercial hit with the film earning double of its investment value. It was not only a hit film for Shahid but a path-breaking film from him.
In 2011, Vishal roped in Priyanka Chopra to make a film on Ruskin Bond’s story of Susanna’s 7 Husbands titled ‘Saat Khoon Maaf‘. Made on budget of 15 crores, the film made 20 crores and garnered mixed reviews from most notable critics.
In 2013, the filmmaker made Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. It was a box office flop. While many sections of the intelligentsia praised the movie, it was a tirade for many who did not fully understand the relevance of the film. Made on a high budget of almost 45 crores, the film wrapped up in the range of 42 crores only.
There are big hopes from Haider but unfortunately the film is clashing with Bang Bang. However, the audience of Vishal Bhardwaj will go solely for his film and Haider might begin low but word of the mouth will help the film greatly.
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