Success Reboot

There are two parts to the disappointments this year—the commercial and creative. The business for most part has been bad this year and if you were to speak with the makers they would promptly point out that it is not the films but their budgets that failed them.

Of course,this logic holds true only for movies that work and while cynics may dismiss it as bunkum there is some truth to it. Most flops this year have been high-cost acquisitions with moderate to poor returns (and weak content) for companies that buy them out. But the excessive budgets are intricately linked to the creative bankruptcy that necessitates projects to be star-laden with scant attention to essentials such as scripts. Most filmmakers,despite evidence that originality works better with the audience,have succumbed to the temptation of dishing out Hollywood rehashes with poor results.

The audience,with its choice of films,clearly suggests that stories with local context—be it youthful angst,politics,education or even mindless comedies-finds takers. In fact,rustic and earthy are the buzzword this year especially because adaptations and stories with a slant towards Western sensibilities have failed. And yet sincere efforts to create good,wholesome entertainment are few and far between. In this mad scramble for safe options that has followed the drubbing of half-hearted efforts,remakes of older hits and hits down south form the roadmap ahead for the multi-crore industry. So much so that every producer worth his salt is looking to remake a south film.

Aamir popularised this trend with Ghajini that also resurrected Salman Khan’s flagging career (with the success of Wanted). In fact,the brawny Khan already has two remakes Kick and Ready in the pipeline. However,one has to give credit to Aamir Khan for getting it right with a blend of unusual stories and masala elements. Peepli [Live with a rural-urban mix,3 Idiots,Ghajini and Taare Zameen Par,all moderate-budget,high-content films have gone on to become huge moneyspinners.

Surely,it is a safe formula to which the industry could hold on.

Media footnote

People have long been commenting on how the news media has morphed into a tool of entertainment and as the whole Niira Radia’s conversation drama unfolded,one was compelled to agree. The tapes suggest that the media can no longer consider itself unimpeachable on issues of dispassionate reporting,which is rather unfortunate. Almost as unfortunate as discovering that a good film is a rip-off.