Bollywood dares IPL 5
April 4, 2012 11:23:23 AM IST
updated April 6, 2012 10:54:04 AM IST
Rachana, Glamsham Editorial
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Before the advent of TV era, Films had a numero uno position in mass entertainment in this country. Cricket was not yet declared a religion neither the cricketing icons were considered gods. The only triumvirate beyond our religious pantheons were Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, and Raj Kapoor. Everything changed, as TV became an essential household prop. And thus were born the new gods of popular entertainment in Sachin Tendulakar, M.S. Dhoni, and the rest.
The biggest Cricketing event of the country, Indian Premiere League (IPL), which is considered a big threat to Bollywood box office by trade pundits, no longer seems to scare filmmakers unlike the past few years. As more and more of them, including major production houses, have shown the guts and gumption to schedule the release of their big-budget films during IPL 2012 that begins April 4th and ends on May 27, 2012. Is it because they think people have been losing interest in Cricket after the dismal performance by the Indian team in all formats of the game?
The first one to cock a snook at IPL season is the second instalment of Sajid Khan's blockbuster franchise - HOUSEFULL 2, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, with a long list of stars led by Akshay Kumar and Asin. It releases on April 6th, just two days after the opening of the IPL season.
This is followed by Vikram Bhatt's much talked about film HATE STORY and John Abraham's debut production VICKY DONOR. Both the films release on 20th April 2012.
Likewise, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's long time in the making FERRARI KI SAWAARI and Priyadarshan's action-packed film TEZZ, a Venus production, hit the screens on 27th April 2012.
Following the success of JANNAT, Mahesh Bhatt deliberately chose May 4 to release its sequel JANNAT 2. As the first part was released during IPL (2008) and did fairly well. Vikram Bhatt's yet another venture, DANGEROUS ISHQ, starring Karisma Kapoor & Rajneish Duggal is set to release on 11th May.
CHECK OUT: HOUSEFULL 2 set for a bumper opening!
Viacom 18 Motion Pictures' DEPARTMENT, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, starring Sanjay Dutt, and YRF's ISHAQZAADE are scheduled for 18th May release.
Besides, some other small and medium budget ventures will also hit the screens in this period.
During the first three IPL seasons Bollywood was hit hard and faced a significant erosion of its theatrical business. Year 2008 saw the release of big films like YRF's TASHAN, BR Chopra's BHOOTHNATH, Mahesh Bhatt's JANNAT, Sanjay Gupta's WOODSTOCK VILLA during the IPL season. However, it was only JANNAT that successfully braved the IPL tide. While 2009 was a complete letdown for Bollywood with no big releases. There were enough releases in the year 2010 but it was only Balaji Motion Pictures' LOVE SEX AUR DHOKHA (LSD), released during IPL that emerged successful.
However, the fourth season of IPL and year 2011 saw a turnaround for Bollywood. The Hindi Film Industry dared to take on IPL and did substantial business at BO with films like Vashu Bhagnani's F.A.L.T.U, Rohan Sippy's DUM MAARO DUM, Balaji Motion Pictures' SHOR IN THE CITY & RAGINI MMS, Vikram Bhatt's HAUNTED 3D.
Now it is to be seen how Bollywood fares in the current year and if succeeds in exorcising the IPL ghost for good.
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