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Well, the year has belonged to the unexpected underdogs so far. With a massive release like Jai Ho biting the dust, it is the smaller films which have been raging at the box office. And it turns out Sajid Nadiadwala has a big contribution this year in two of the biggest hits that have emerged in the market.
Though Nadiadwala’s first release, Highway earned decent critical acclaim from all and sundry. The film wasn’t exactly a hit, nothing even near it. Made on 18 crores the film earned 27.25 crores at the domestic box office. Though the film wasn’t a hit, the average cumulative lifetime number wasn’t deterring at all as the film clicked well with intelligentsia who appreciated the novel subject and the tasteful treatment.
Then it was 2 States. Made on a relatively tight budget of 35 crores, the film was the second entrant into the 100 crore club this year and probably the first proud one. With over 104 crores‘ income from the domestic box office solely and above 200% profit rate, the film was a thrashing hit of sorts becoming Alia Bhatt-Arjun Kapoor’s first phenomenal box office success of that order.
Also, it was the Highest Grosser in 2014 when it came to the overseas market with 34 crores in the film’s kitty. Though a great deal of the success belongs to Chetan Bhagat’s book whose popularity was the prime impetus for the film to click well with the audiences, the marketing strategies of Dharma and Nadiadwala himself cannot be overlooked.
The other surprising win was Heropanti. As baffled as the critics were with the film, the box office success cannot be denied. What worked is impossible to point out but the film that was made on a budget if 25 crores is already emerging as a smashing hit. The film has earned 43.50 crores at the domestic box office and if one has to go by new releases’ box office performances of new releases, Heropanti will score all week.
Nadiadwala’s upcoming Salman Khan starrer Kick is not in the best of shape currently with the release nearing in and the schedule still running late. Though Eid is barely two months away, the filming hasn’t been wrapped with a good chunk of post production left. Ordinarily this ain’t good news. But going by débutant director Sajid’s luck, probably 2014 is his year and Salman might enjoy the fruits of his luck this time.
Jai Ho wasn’t a testament to his good time but with Nadiadwala’s phase seeing better days, Kick might get him a hattrick. Let’s watch out for it, all in good time.
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