Looks like Bollywood's finally growing up. 2011's line-up is an impressive mix of big budget multi-starrers, intelligent films directed by intelligent filmmakers and eagerly awaited indies.
How they all fare with the critics and the box-office is, of course, something that remains to be seen
Commercial cinema – good or bad – needs at least a two year incubation period from the idea to the release of a film. The global recession of 2008 thus affected Bollywood fortunes in 2010. That and its lack of creativity as the big budget films lacked spunk and idea – safe as Bollywood is in the faulty knowledge that stars are enough – made the industry lose close to Rs 500 crores this year.
Despite these debacles Bollywood stars make a major comeback in 2011 with multiple films of each in the offing. Aamir Khan has two sure and one probable release, Shahrukh has two, Salman Khan with as much as six, while Hrihtik Roshan has three, Akshay Kumar seven, Ajay Devgn two while both the new stars Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have three releases each.
Any other year and it would been an easy story to do with the title reading something like '11 films to watch out for in 2011' and the article carrying a roster of the big releases of the year. But as 2010 proved beyond any doubt that the small intelligent film has as much chance at the box office as the biggie, we bring you a rooster of those in the race, and not just the star attractions. Nothing's sure in 2011 except that merely star appeal will not work.
Sequels Galore
Sequels, till a few years back the exception in Bollywood, might make a splash this year with the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Don 2 directed by Farhan Akthar, Abbas-Mustan's Race 2 starring Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor and John Abraham, Abhishek Kapoor with Rock On 2, David Dhawan's Salman Khan and Govinda starrer Partner 2, Indra Kumar's Dhamaal 2 with Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Gadhvi's Dhoom 3, Tarun Mansukhani's Dostana 2 and Anees Bazmee's Hera Pheri 4 fighting it out at theatres near you. Phew.
Stand-alone Biggies
Shah Rukh Khan's home production Ra.One is due early 2011. The Deol family's outing with Yamla Pagla Deewana is another eagerly awaited film. Nikhil Advani will return with the Akshay Kumar starrer Patiala House, while Shirish Kunder will keep his fingers crossed this time with 2010's hit jodi, Salman and Sonakshi, in his film Kick. Aamir Khan productions will release its first English film Delhi Belly with Imran Khan in the lead and first-timer Abhinav Deo in the director's chair, while Aamir will also star in Farhan Akhtar's yet untitled film with Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee and directed by Honeymoon Travels' Reema Kagti.
'Bluffmaster' Rohan Sippy will reunite with Abhishek Bachchan in Dum Maro Dum while the south Indian hit Khakha Khakha will be remade by Vipul Shah and star John Abraham. Vidhu Vinod Chopra Production returns, with debutant and Rajkumar Hirani's protégé, Rajesh Mapuskar in Ferrari Ki Sawaari. Tigmanshu Dhulia also makes a comeback with Shagird starring Nana Patekar. Ali Abbas Zafar debuts with Mere Brother Ki Dhulhan with Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead.
Food for Thought
After the big commercial directors failed miserably in 2010, the focus will shift to the intelligent band of commercial Bollywood makers with their more modestly-budgeted films. Reticent autuer Vishal Bharadwaj returns with Saat Khoon Maaf, starring Neil Nitin Mukesh, Priyanka Chopra and John Abraham; Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar stars rock star Ranbir Kapoor. Sudhir Mishra will hopefully see his luck shine with two hopefuls in Tera Kya Hoga Johnny (originally slated for 2010) and Yeh Saali Zindagi. Other promising films incluce Madhur Bhandarkar's Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji starring Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi, Zoya Akhthar with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara starring Hrithik Roshan, brother Farhan and Abhay Deol, Anurag Kashyap's yet untitled film with Aamir Khan and Pankaj Kapoor's Mausam starring son Sahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor etc.
Also, Aamir director Raj Kumar Gupta returns with No One Killed Jessica, while Anees Bazmee is the director with most films in 2011 with Thank You, Hera Pheri 4, Ready, It's My Life and another untitled film.
Indie-go Nation
If 2010 is any indications, the low budget independent film will play a crucial role in 2011. The most expected indie of the year, of course, is debutant director Kiran Rao's Dhobi Ghat. There are many first-time directors who will try and make their mark this year such as Bedabrata Pain's take on the revolutionary Masterda in Chittagong and Alankrita Srivastava's Turning 30 with Gul Panag and Purab Kohli. Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms spurred by the tremendous success of Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, will try hitting the jackpot with the similarly-styled Ragini MMS, while Shorr, originally slated for a 2010 release, will hit screens this year as well. Both are by debutant filmmakers as well. Also, Onir's experimental, cooperatively-funded I Am will also release alongside all these indies.
Canned and Ready
Every year hundreds of low-budget films get made, many of them extremely worthy (like Dibakar Banerjee's Khosla Ka Ghosla that went unreleased for two years), but which end up in the bin waiting for distributors to pick them up. Estimates peg that number in 2010 to be at least 150 such films. After many indies becoming hits in 2010, hopefully some of these will find a release in 2011.
2011 is an open house in Bollywood and like in 2010 many biggies will fall while we'll see many small, sleeper hits. As we herald the New Year, we've only got this to say – may the best films win.
How they all fare with the critics and the box-office is, of course, something that remains to be seen
Commercial cinema – good or bad – needs at least a two year incubation period from the idea to the release of a film. The global recession of 2008 thus affected Bollywood fortunes in 2010. That and its lack of creativity as the big budget films lacked spunk and idea – safe as Bollywood is in the faulty knowledge that stars are enough – made the industry lose close to Rs 500 crores this year.
Despite these debacles Bollywood stars make a major comeback in 2011 with multiple films of each in the offing. Aamir Khan has two sure and one probable release, Shahrukh has two, Salman Khan with as much as six, while Hrihtik Roshan has three, Akshay Kumar seven, Ajay Devgn two while both the new stars Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have three releases each.
Any other year and it would been an easy story to do with the title reading something like '11 films to watch out for in 2011' and the article carrying a roster of the big releases of the year. But as 2010 proved beyond any doubt that the small intelligent film has as much chance at the box office as the biggie, we bring you a rooster of those in the race, and not just the star attractions. Nothing's sure in 2011 except that merely star appeal will not work.
Sequels Galore
Sequels, till a few years back the exception in Bollywood, might make a splash this year with the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Don 2 directed by Farhan Akthar, Abbas-Mustan's Race 2 starring Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor and John Abraham, Abhishek Kapoor with Rock On 2, David Dhawan's Salman Khan and Govinda starrer Partner 2, Indra Kumar's Dhamaal 2 with Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Gadhvi's Dhoom 3, Tarun Mansukhani's Dostana 2 and Anees Bazmee's Hera Pheri 4 fighting it out at theatres near you. Phew.
Stand-alone Biggies
Shah Rukh Khan's home production Ra.One is due early 2011. The Deol family's outing with Yamla Pagla Deewana is another eagerly awaited film. Nikhil Advani will return with the Akshay Kumar starrer Patiala House, while Shirish Kunder will keep his fingers crossed this time with 2010's hit jodi, Salman and Sonakshi, in his film Kick. Aamir Khan productions will release its first English film Delhi Belly with Imran Khan in the lead and first-timer Abhinav Deo in the director's chair, while Aamir will also star in Farhan Akhtar's yet untitled film with Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee and directed by Honeymoon Travels' Reema Kagti.
'Bluffmaster' Rohan Sippy will reunite with Abhishek Bachchan in Dum Maro Dum while the south Indian hit Khakha Khakha will be remade by Vipul Shah and star John Abraham. Vidhu Vinod Chopra Production returns, with debutant and Rajkumar Hirani's protégé, Rajesh Mapuskar in Ferrari Ki Sawaari. Tigmanshu Dhulia also makes a comeback with Shagird starring Nana Patekar. Ali Abbas Zafar debuts with Mere Brother Ki Dhulhan with Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead.
Food for Thought
After the big commercial directors failed miserably in 2010, the focus will shift to the intelligent band of commercial Bollywood makers with their more modestly-budgeted films. Reticent autuer Vishal Bharadwaj returns with Saat Khoon Maaf, starring Neil Nitin Mukesh, Priyanka Chopra and John Abraham; Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar stars rock star Ranbir Kapoor. Sudhir Mishra will hopefully see his luck shine with two hopefuls in Tera Kya Hoga Johnny (originally slated for 2010) and Yeh Saali Zindagi. Other promising films incluce Madhur Bhandarkar's Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji starring Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi, Zoya Akhthar with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara starring Hrithik Roshan, brother Farhan and Abhay Deol, Anurag Kashyap's yet untitled film with Aamir Khan and Pankaj Kapoor's Mausam starring son Sahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor etc.
Also, Aamir director Raj Kumar Gupta returns with No One Killed Jessica, while Anees Bazmee is the director with most films in 2011 with Thank You, Hera Pheri 4, Ready, It's My Life and another untitled film.
Indie-go Nation
If 2010 is any indications, the low budget independent film will play a crucial role in 2011. The most expected indie of the year, of course, is debutant director Kiran Rao's Dhobi Ghat. There are many first-time directors who will try and make their mark this year such as Bedabrata Pain's take on the revolutionary Masterda in Chittagong and Alankrita Srivastava's Turning 30 with Gul Panag and Purab Kohli. Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms spurred by the tremendous success of Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, will try hitting the jackpot with the similarly-styled Ragini MMS, while Shorr, originally slated for a 2010 release, will hit screens this year as well. Both are by debutant filmmakers as well. Also, Onir's experimental, cooperatively-funded I Am will also release alongside all these indies.
Canned and Ready
Every year hundreds of low-budget films get made, many of them extremely worthy (like Dibakar Banerjee's Khosla Ka Ghosla that went unreleased for two years), but which end up in the bin waiting for distributors to pick them up. Estimates peg that number in 2010 to be at least 150 such films. After many indies becoming hits in 2010, hopefully some of these will find a release in 2011.
2011 is an open house in Bollywood and like in 2010 many biggies will fall while we'll see many small, sleeper hits. As we herald the New Year, we've only got this to say – may the best films win.
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