Tracking the Title

And today,when every third Hindi film title is in English,this same principle applies. Once Upon… created correct curiosity about content,with the publicity stressing on a 70s underworld background. And for the sizable chunk of audiences who do not know English,well,they are all familiar with terms like 3 Idiots,No Entry,Welcome,Wanted,Gangster,All The Best and so on. Of course,the content must match and meet up to expectations thats unconditional.

Coming to the lengthy ones,we have the imaginative Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (neither was the Prem ajab or unusual nor the Kahani ghazab or wondrous,but the fluffy package worked). There were also Ek Duuje Ke Liye and Hum Aapke Hain Koun!… that succinctly capsuled what these films were about.

Among crisp,one- or two-word titles,apart from the character-based ones like Bobby,Rangeela,Professor,Baazigar or Saccha Jhutha,there are also those titles that stimulated curiosity about their meanings like Tezaab,Lagaan,Gadar,Fanaa or Dabangg. Many of these terms are common enough in specific linguistic circles or at certain awareness levels but unknown outside them,and along with the rest of the marketing strategy,not to forget the ubiquitous musical factor,they enhanced the anticipation level of these films. Dabangg is continuously mispronounced as Dab-Bang,Gadar (revolt) and Lagaan (tax) were mistaken for gaddaar (traitor) and lagan (colloquial term for marriage),but all of them whetted audience appetite by their sound!

But thanks to filmmakers with strange motivations,things are going woefully wrong. Titles with suffixes that added nothing of value – the latest example being Crook – Its Good To Be Bad and those like Jashnn,London Dreams,Chance Pe Dance,Milenge Milenge and Blue said little about the films and also lacked allure. We Are Family,confirmed only during post-production,was at odd variance with the plot the climax may have justified it in part,but titles need to be about films,not their climaxes! Whats Your Raashee?,Radio and Main Aur Mrs Khanna were more examples of titles with cold vibes.

But the biggest downers in recent years have come from the Yash Raj banner,once known for perfect titles like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. They seem to be consistently dishing out uninspiring titles that kill any interest we could have in their products,like Dil Bole Hadippa!,Aaja Nachle,Tara Rum Pum Pum,Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic,Jhoom Barabar Jhoom,Pyaar Impossible,Roadside Romeo (for an animation film for children!),Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (in this day and age!),Badmaash Company and Lafangey Parindey.

And when most of the final outcomes (as movies) were also below-par,we were left wondering if better titles could perhaps have partly salvaged their openings. YRFs next two films show no change in mindsets Band Baaja Baaraat and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan are unattractive enough to kill interest in films starring any superstar Khan,Akshay Kumar or Hrithik Roshan! So how can they help the lesser movies,however good they may turn out to be?

Even among other films in production,less than a handful are supported by good titles like Action Replayy,Golmaal 3 (comedies and sequels get a lot of latitude in this matter),Power and Tees Maar Khan.

Sure,titles are not everything,but a rose by a poor name does seem far less alluring and in films,first vibes are often lasting impressions.