Meena Iyer & Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; April 4, 2014)

Trade reports say approximately 46 films released in the first quarter of 2014 as opposed to 43 for the same period last year. However, there were only two clear winners — Queen and Ragini MMS 2. Gunday falls in the above average slot, Yaariyan and Hasee Toh Phasee made it to the average slot. And though Salman Khan’s Jai Ho crossed the 100 cr mark, it didn’t bring too much cheer to the distribution circles because the trade has started to expect the sun, moon and stars from Salman.

 In Janary to March 2014 Bollywood collected 500 cr. In the corresponding period last year Hindi cinema collected 520 crores.

 Check out the laundry list of disasters and you will realise that Bollywood filmmakers have more often got their formula wrong than right. Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Dedh Ishqiya, Sholay 3D, Mr Joe B Carvalho, Karle Pyaar Karle, Heartless, Miss Lovely, Ya Rab, Babloo Happy Hai, Om Dar-Ba-Dar, Paranthe Wali Gali, Kaho Na Kaho, Darr @ The Mall, Dee Saturday Night, Lucky Kabootar, Pyaar Ka Live Show, Anuradha, Gulaab Gang, Total Siyapaa, Bewakoofiyaan, Neighbours, W, Ankhon Dekhi, Gang Of Ghosts, Lakshmi, O Teri and Dishkiyaoon have created such a vacuum in the balance-sheets of producers, that some of them are still wondering why they ventured in the direction of these projects.

 Distributor Hemant Shah, attributes the long list of flops to poor content. He says, “The cost of the movies, with print and advertising, too has proved to be unviable. Also, on some days, the matches and exams added to the industry woes.” In the same vein, another distributor adds that no film is small vis-à-vis the cost. “People were depending on Madhuri Dixit’s two films, but they couldn’t run even one week. With the print and publicity expenditure going up, how long can one go on thinking that satellite rights will save the day for you.”

 Case in point: Club 60, starring Farooq Shaikh and Sarika. Trade experts state it earned critical acclaim and filled up whatever little shows they had. “But the film got an offer of only 1 crore for the satellite rights,” says the distributor.