When Dino Morea must've professed love to Bipasha Basu by whispering into her ears the three magical words, 'Ishq hai tumse' [I Love You], it must've had a mesmerising effect, which was more than evident in RAAZ.
But with the two lovers going separate ways and the ishq between them having died down, their on-screen act of saying 'Ishq hai tumse' in ISHQ HAI TUMSE just didn't arouse the same passion.
More than three weeks ago, this writer had warned that the first week of the New Year does not augur well for the film industry. The article was supported with facts and many producers actually re-scheduled the release dates of their films after reading this piece.
Producers like Ramgopal Varma, Pritish Nandy and Manisha Koirala decided to shift their films [EK HASINA THI, CHAMELI, PAISA VASOOL] to another date.
Call it superstition or whatever, a majority of films that opened in the first week of the New Year haven't fared too well at the box-office. Would ISHQ HAI TUMSE break the jinx and prove an exception – the question was uppermost on my mind as the film hit the marquee last week.
Unfortunately, ISHQ HAI TUMSE not only opened to a lukewarm response, but the collections have been falling steadfastly as days advanced. Not that anyone was expecting miracles. The film lacked the merits to entice the viewer.
The dull response to the film also indicates that no matter how successful the original version may've been, you cannot expect its remake to meet a similar fate.
TWO'S COMPANY, THREE'S A CROWD
While recording my comments for BBC the other day, I was asked a pertinent question: Is it right to have three films releasing in one week? Is it an unhealthy practice? Obviously, the question was directed towards the three new releases of this week – PLAN, CHAMELI and PAISA VASOOL.
Well, from the producers' point of view, do they have a choice? I mean, after the repeated postponement of the release schedules of L.O.C. and KHAKEE, the producers of the remaining films were awaiting an opening so that they could release their films as soon as possible.
Ideally, a film should be released without oppositions, so that the quantum of business is optimum. But if the promotion of a film has been on for more than one/two months, the producer stands a risk of harming his own film if he delays its release to a further date.
On the flip side, does the common man have the time, money and inclination to watch two or three films in a week? With ticket rates soaring upwards [at places, the rates of admission are Rs. 100 or Rs. 150 or perhaps more!], it's getting increasingly difficult for a common man to watch so many films in a week.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT…
This year has been no exception! Almost every publication has done a series of articles on the line-up of films that are expected to set the silver screen afire this year. However, the list seems incomplete [a few journos have included hardly 7/8 films, which is ridiculous!], for the line-up of biggies this year is expected to take the industry on a much better level.
We at IndiaFM have compiled a list of 50 films that are expected to take Bollywood by storm. However, the list does not include films like KISNA, BAJIRAO MASTANI, RAINCOAT, BLACK, SWADES, RANVEER, SIPAAHI and THE RISING, which have yet to mount the sets.
