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What AB, Hrithik, Salman have in common
Multi-hero films. Bonanza or bust?
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Vickey Lalwani
Where is the superstar? Bollywood today has no Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan to draw in the crowds show after show, irrespective of the quality of the film.
Today, the presence of one big hero in the film simply does not guarantee its success. Look at what happened to Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, both starring Hrithik Roshan, considered today's hottest star.
Many Hindi filmmakers have now resorted to casting as many as three heroes together on a single film. Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega (Saif Ali Khan, Fardeen Khan, Aftab Shivdasani), directed by E Niwas, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan) directed by Karan Johar, Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan), directed by David Dhawan, Awara Paagal Deewana (Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Aftab Shivdasani), directed by Vikram Bhatt, Om Jai Jagadish (Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Abhishek Bachchan), directed by Anupam Kher and Jaani Dushman -- Ek Anokhi Kahani (Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty), directed by Raj Kumar Kohli; the list goes on.
Earlier, Rajiv Rai had trod the road twice with Tridev (Naseeruddin Shah, Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff) and Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (Sunil Shetty, Arjun Rampal, Aftab Shivdasani). While Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat was a non-starter, Tridev was a runaway hit.
Farhan Akhtar made his debut as a director with a three hero film Dil Chahta Hai (Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna). It was not a universal hit; the middle-class youth from small towns could not identify with the characters. But it did redefine 'hip' for the urban moviegoer.
Though Hum Kisise Kum Nahin failed, the ratio of three hero films to the other multistarrer non-starters has been good. At least till now.
Says trade analyst Amod Mehra of Entertainment Business Network, "Three hero films are not a bad proposition today, when the public's taste is unpredictable. Quite a few three hero films have clicked. Sholay (Sanjeev Kumar, Dharamendra, Amitabh Bachchan), was perhaps the first with Amar Akbar Anthony (Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor), following. Those were the real three hero films, where all three had equal footage. I am confident about the latest three hero project Awara Paagal Deewana. The action scenes leave you gasping for more, the comedy lines have you in splits, and Akshay [Kumar] has done a fine job."
"A multi-starrer is almost certain to get an initial draw, and thus has every chance to break even. Today, very few males in the industry are on a high. This Friday you are up, next Friday you are down," he adds.
Here is index of who is hot and who is not in Bollywood to endorse Mehra's views:
Amitabh Bachchan: He is still popular, but will a film with him as the solo hero be made?
Hrithik Roshan: Not long ago, he was an ace. Today, people say he is finished as an actor. His recent world tour had show organisers saying they would not have recovered their money had Kareena Kapoor not come along.
Shah Rukh Khan: Asoka and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam notwithstanding, SRK still stands tall at the turnstiles. A lot is expected from him in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdasmade at a whopping Rs 500 million.
An SRK film fetches top buck overseas. Also, Khan has now cut down tremendously on his work. Industry buzz is that he is planning a sabbatical to recuperate from his back ailment.
Aamir Khan: After his Oscar-nominated Lagaan, Aamir Khan reached the top of the charts. With Lagaan going global, trade pundits predict that the next Aamir starrer will fetch a phenomenal price, the highest ever.
But this Khan has no film on hand nor will the audience see any film of his release in the next one year.
Salman Khan: He is no longer considered a draw. With little or nothing in his kitty, Salman Khan looks at a bleak future. Unlike before, a Salman Khan starrer now does not command a hefty price at the overseas market.
Today, Salman's notoriety precedes his reputation.
Sunny Deol: With Gadar -- Ek Prem Katha, termed the biggest grosser in Indian cinema, he is hot. But only in Punjab.
Bobby Deol: People in the trade say he is more suited for the song-and-dance, romantic genre of films. His recent failure with 23rd March 1931 -- Shaheed has not done much to strengthen his position.
Abhishek Bachchan: "Lambe race ka godha hai," [He is a long distance runner], they all say. But the industry still has to see an Abhishek Bachchan hit.
Saif Ali Khan He could not reprise his Dil Chahta Hai antics in Na Tum Jaano Na Hum. Was his DCH performance a flash in the pan, then?
Ajay Devgan: Though he is a consistent performer, he fails to generate the required euphoria with the masses. Though it cannot be perceived as a shortcoming, Devgan is more of an actor than a star.
Govinda: His energy and comic talent are the envy of many. But his hideous dress sense and those extra kilos nullify his merits.
His overseas market is shrinking; he is just the poor man's entertainer. His career has taken a beating with his favourite director David Dhawan becoming overly repetitive.
Akshay Kumar: He is the only actor who can fit into the genre of foreign action films without embarrassing himself. Remember, he had 14 consecutive flops to his credit only two-and-half years ago.
Tusshar Kapoor: He has managed to carve a niche among star sons, but he clearly lacks star appeal.
It would be unfair to comment on his future prospects in terms of his market pull or even fan following. It is early days yet. One has to wait and watch to see his forthcoming appearances in Kya Pyaar Karoge Mujhse (opposite Esha Deol), and Jeena Sirf Terre Liye (opposite Kareena Kapoor).
Vivek Oberoi: With Ram Gopal Varma, Oberoi was in good Company. What remains to be seen is whether he will live up to that hype. This actor has a long way to go. He is even being touted as the next Hrithik Roshan.
Akshaye Khanna: A brilliant actor, he never got his due until Dil Chahta Hai came along. It remains to be seen how he utilises this new lease of life.
Are three hero films a draw in the sluggish overseas market?
Vikas Mohan, Editor/Proprietor of the trade magazine, Complete Cinema, has said that a serious limitation to the overseas market is the fact that there are few theatres screening Hindi films abroad. Producer Dinesh Gandhi goes one step ahead; he says the slump is not limited to the overseas market alone. The domestic market too has been equally affected.
Chandrakant Mehta of CA Corporation, a leading film exporter, opines that our action-thrillers face ridicule in foreign lands as the viewers there have been exposed to the best action flicks. He states that sober films and musicals with good visuals stand a better chance.
A three hero project also creates comparisons between the contemporaries.
Says Amod Mehra "These comparisons can be detrimental to an actor's future. A multi-starrer is seldom made with all the heroes sharing equal limelight. More often than not, the film is heavily tilted in favour of just one. Little do most heroes realise, they drain their time and energy, inviting inevitable and unfair comparisons in return. Awara Paagal Deewana is clearly Akshay Kumar all the way. Aftab and Sunil have been wasted."
Nothing succeeds like success. If Awara Paagal Deewana (which opened to 94.8 per cent collections on its first day), and Jaani Dushman -- Ek Anokhi Kahani (to be released August 2), click, one thing is for sure: there will be more three hero flicks in store.