Mindless movies with superstar power make it to the Rs 100-crore-club of Bollywood

The magical word for Bollywood in 2012 was the 100-crore-club, as more than half a dozen films made it in the club.
Films like Agneepath, Housefull 2, Ek Tha Tiger, Rowdy Rathore, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Son of Sardaar were the films which entered the club, and were declared as the biggest hit of the year. The success of these films based on the collection at the domestic box office and overseas market, glorifies its mass appeal, but, doesn’t really decide the quality of the films.
Most films which were panned by the film reviewers went on to become the biggest hits at the box office. In the last few years, inane, mindless and masala movies have hit the 100 crore club which only underlines the fact that the average movie-goer enjoys the regular entertainment. Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Ra One with a weak script or a mindless masala film Son of Sardaar or a cheap comedy Housefull 2, Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal series despite its flaws managed to make a lot of money at the box office.
“We need to bow down to the audience and their verdict at the box office. Indian audience enjoys films which are full of entertainment and high on emotions and that’s the reason that such film become a hit at the box office,” says trade analyst Taran Adarsh. “Star power is another major factor that dominates the market. Indian audience worships their star icons. The star power too helps in pumping the success rate,” he goes on to add.
Adarsh points at the trend in the 80s when art filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihlani, Prakash Jha and Ketan Mehta came up with strong art house cinema, Amitabh Bachchan ruled the box office with his mass entertainers. “Bachchan’s masala films which were criticized to be trite were the one’s which made maximum profit at the box office as the audience loved it,” he adds.
In the current scenario, Bollywood is making place for both small and big budget film. The strategy of filmmakers making a film on shoestring budget is simple-they want to narrate a good story on celluloid and make profit based on their limited production cost. Ranbir Kapoor starrer Barfi! blurred the thin lining between the two categories. The film made on a budget of Rs.30 crore went on to make a profit of Rs.175 crore. “I would rather touch a 100 hearts than bother about a making a meaningless film which makes a 100 crore club,” Anurag Basu, director of Barfi! had said at the release of the film. Anurag Kashyap who released several small films like Gangs of Wasseypur series, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana and Aiyyaa wants Bollywood to think beyond the 100 crore club. “I want the films to enter 500 crore club but only by elevating the quality of the film.