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2014 hasn’t been terrific for the box office so far. Only 2 super hits to its credit so far, the year has had more losses than wins. With 2013 setting newer benchmarks of success with Dhoom 3 and Chennai Express setting unattainable lifetime incomes, 1st Quarter 2014 report card reads 7 flops, 2 Losing films, 2 Average films and 4 plus films.
Going by the first quarter of the year, I would like to talk about flop and average movie starting according to there release date.
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Mr. Joe B. Carvalho starring Arshad Warsi, lost out due to lack of systematic promotions. The film that was panned by all and sundry unanimously with a lifetime run of 4 crores flopped terribly at the box office. Sholay 3D was, however, a film that cannot be meted with anything other than love. The foremost classic of Bollywood, the film was translated into 3D using expensive machinery that shot up the budget of the film. Despite being relished by audiences for nearly four decades, the film made 11 crores at the box office losing less than 50% of its investment only.
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Abhishek Chaubey’s Dedh Ishqiya was unparalleled in terms of cinematic rendition. Praised by the intelligentsia in abundance, the film’s loss was its lack of connect with audiences homogeneously. It earned merely 27 crores at the box office and settled for the plus tag. What worked was the formula of T-Series banner – Yaariyan. A film that lacked in logic but thrived on good music and great hype emerged as a superhit due to its low budget. Yaariyan settled at a lifetime of 40 crores.
Miss Lovely was a delicious, sinister dark film that was wonderfully shot and was very spirited. But it suffered due to zero promotions. A typically art-house film, the chemistry of such ventures with audiences is minimal. Settling at 70 lacs’ income only, the failure of such films is heartbreaking. Another film from this week that disappeared altogether was Karle Pyaar Karle because people were oblivious of it altogether. It rested at a total income of 1 crores.
Audiences were expecting a respite with Salman Khan’s Jai Ho. Yes, the film did manage to be the year’s only 100 crore club entrant so far, but the usual wickedness of the Superstar was missing. Made on a budget of 70 crores, it wasn’t anything commendable when the film rested its lifetime at a measly 111 crores. That is barely the magic expected of Sallu Bhai.
One By Two is the most abrupt film you’ll watch in a long time. The film that barely even recovered half its budget lost out on the race partially because of Salman’s prior presence at the box office as well as being a bad film. It made only 2.50 crores from the domestic market. Obviously a Flop!
February began pleasantly with Parineeti Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra’s brilliant chemistry in Hasee Toh Phasee. That actress is one firecracker and can keep one glued to the screens. But obviously the film did not echo with all and settled at a lifetime total of 35.50 crores.
Gunday that released on the eve of Valentine’s day scored 70 crores at the box office. With a great camaraderie between its lead pair, Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, the film could have soared more at the box office but failed to work well with all factions equally and thus resulted to a limited box office run. The high budget could only make the film ‘Plus’ at the box office.
Heartless, starring Adhyayan Suman, was released with Hasee Toh Phasee! But its tanked badly at the Box Office.
Darr @ The Mall film could only make 4.50 crores and stuck itself to losing tag. Highway, however, received a mixed reaction from the audiences. While the critics too were disputed over their verdict on the film, the low budget made it possible for the venture to emerge as an average. It earned 27.25 crores.
The funny little romantic drama, Shaadi Ke Side Effects starring Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar made 34.40 crores at the box office. Made on a small budget, the film managed to recover its investment at the domestic box office though failing to recreate Vidya and Farhan’s 100 crore whiff.
March had the ladies reigning at the box office. Beginning with the maverick Queen that was both critically acclaimed and appreciated by audiences, the film made on a small budget managed off a whopping 50 crores and still running. Already a superhit, the film’s profit rate currently is 355%.
Along with Queen, released Juhi-Madhuri starrer Gulaab Gang. Earning only 14.30 crores, the film’s high voltage drama between Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla wasn’t enough to get crowds going at cinemas.
Neeraj Pandey’s Total Siyapaa was even more dismal as the film made 6 crores only at the box office clearly coming out as a flop.
Ayushmann Khurana and Sonam Kapoor’s love in times of inflation story didn’t quite work either. Bewakoofiyaan started very low at the box office and managed to be a flop alone with a lifetime earn of 14 crores only.
Luckily Ragini MMS 2 did attempt to cast aide to the dry box office spell with a bombastic opening. A film of a seductive flavor, the movie has so far made 38.50 crores at the box office. We can safely predict that it will be a hit but anything more will just be a pleasant surprise.
As the industry is expected to embark on another dry phase with somber releases like Dishkiyaoon, Youngistaan and O Teri! concluding the month, the coming month has a few relishable releases like 2 States, Revolver Rani and Bhoothnath Returns which might hold some appeal. However, the Superstars and their ventures are still at a distance!
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