As ‘Singham Again’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ hit screens, hopes rise for blockbusters

Film Critic Joginder Tuteja says “Both the movies will make around Rs 50 crore on its opening day, but in all probability, Singham will have an edge. It is a multi-starrer with superstars, and as a franchise, it has been extremely successful in the space of the cop universe. Though Bhool Bhulaiyaa may have fewer shows and screens in comparison, it is guaranteed a successful opening as well, given Kartik Aaryan’s draw amongst the young and family audience.”

Hopes skyrocket

It is hoped that the predicted box office earnings for both films will give a much-needed break to Bollywood which has turned in an underwhelming performance in 2024. Movie trade analyst Girish Wankhade says the year has been a letdown, with highly anticipated films such as Chandu Champion, Bade Miya Chote Miya, Fighter, Indian 2 and Jigra crashing at the theatres. Except Stree 2, Kalki 2898AD, Shaitan and Hanuman, the films, including Jr NTR’s Devara and Vicky Vidya ka Woh Wala Video, were average grossers despite producers claiming otherwise.

Misleading BO collections

Many questioned the accuracy of the actual earnings of films over the given box-office numbers, and actor Divya Khosla’s post added fuel to the fire. She posted a picture of a near-empty theatre, implying that the makers of Alia Bhatt’s Jigra were misleading the public regarding its performance.

Girish Wankhade says it’s a sorry state of affairs, with several recent films such as Fighter, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Savi and Jigra, as well as some successful films like Kalki 2898 AD and Munjya showing higher numbers than their actual collections. “Box office numbers will never reflect the true success of a film. Block and corporate bookings, along with special screenings, are the norm. These sales are added to the so-called collections. But, have these tickets been used to watch the film? No! Despite being sold out, the film may well be running to an empty theatre. It’s after the opening weekend that one gets a clear picture of the film’s performance. Inflated numbers can’t make up for a bad film,” he says.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, in a recent interview, acknowledged that box office numbers were manipulated to create an impression of success.

Girish Wankhade adds, “It’s not just the producer hyping the numbers, they are supported by certain sections of the media, trade and digital marketing to create an impression of mega success. A Rs 50 crore collection may well be presented as anywhere between Rs 55 and Rs 75 crore, and by the time tracking agencies get the true picture, it’s too late, since fudged numbers are already doing the rounds.”

Audience has the final say

In the absence of legitimate sources, it is the audience who plays a decisive role in a movie’s success. Actor and writer Piyush Mishra voices his concern over the obsession of actors to be part of a ‘Crore Club’, which has led to quality being compromised. “In the race to be part of the 100/200/300-crore Club, they are being repetitive with regard to ideas and concepts. There is general fatigue in terms of storytelling in the industry. You will get the box office numbers once you start telling good stories,” he asserts.