By: Amit kumaR Agarwal
It's August 2024, 2/3rd of the year has passed and there has been only one blockbuster in the Hindi Film Industry, ironically a dubbed-Telugu language film, Kalki 2898 AD. Mind you, the film did the business taking hugely mixed reviews in its stride!
While there have been films that have been successful to moderately successful - Fighter, Hanu-Man, Deadpool and Wolverine, Shaitaan, Munjya, Bad Newz, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya - they were few and far in between from the 150-films released as of August 9, 2024.
It's not just the actors and producers that are worried, distributors are worried, exhibitors are worried. Will the Independence-Day releases strike gold on August 15?
There are three major Hindi releases - Stree 2, Khel Khel Mein, Vedaa. With a 5-day extended weekend (Monday being a holiday, Raksha Bandhan) expectations are high, but with the state box-office is in; are the exhibitors really bullish.
Satyam, an exhibitor based in Uttar Pradesh said that he has expectations from Stree 2 which has taken a huge advance. He said though he liked the trailer of Khel Khel Mein as well, it is for the multiplex crowd in the cities, and he hopes Khel Khel Mein works as well.
Rakesh Jain, a distributor based in Delhi said that while Stree 2 is everyone's favorite, he feels Khel Khel Mein is the dark-horse. The music is hit and the trailer has really been loved by everyone. Though he too feels the film's business will be restricted to cities.
Laila Pannda, an actress based in Mumbai has already made plans, "for me it is Khel Khel Mein on Friday and Stree 2 on Saturday".
Where does it leave Vedaa then, "I feel Vedaa should work at smaller centres, though the feel of the film is very 'Dhaakad' (Kangna Ranaut starrer) kind, but I feel it should work" gushes Nitin, another exhibitor from Uttar Pradesh.
The writer feels that while Stree 2 is a sure-shot blockbuster, Khel Khel Mein should do decent business as well (if the film is as well made, as the trailer). Though Akshay Kumar is going through a bad-phase, everyone agrees it is the films that have let Akshay down. As for Vedaa, it will be all about smaller centres.
BUT - the big question is after the Independence Day - what?
The next notable releases are well after a gap of two and a half months - on the Deepawali. Does it mean empty cinemas, after 10-days till Deepawali.
Well, it is high-time the Hindi film producers and film-makers, take a logical stock of things so that the industry doesn't choke and die.