Jai Ho seems to have raised question marks to the formula Salman Khan almost established in last 5 years. It'll not be a flop (in fact it is expected to reach 115C INR domestically), but nowhere close to a blockbuster (the distributors are surely losing big money). Even Salman Khan is puzzled with the lukewarm response. He is ready to take the blame on himself - a big brotherly gesture to cover for his younger brother. All said, it's really the bigger question that's coming out - what next? I'm sure the producers of his movies in the pipeline are feeling butterflies in their stomach. But Salman Khan is a seasoned veteran. He has seen extreme ups and downs in his professional life (I'm not even looking at his personal life). His career graph has been inconsistent, marked by superhits and terrible patches. He has never shied away about his strategy. I know he is contemplating deep. Among his peers, Aamir Khan is at the most commanding position on the box office. He somehow managed to keep both the critics and the audience at his side by choosing different roles, marketing skills and acting prowess. He rectified a Talaash by a Dhoom 3. SRK, on the other hand, was haplessly wandering - surrendered to Rohit Shetty (the most successful director of last 5Y) - got not just a hit or superhit, but an all-time blockbuster movie Chennai Express. If normalized by the cost, this is the biggest single success story of 2013,even if D3 is the highest in terms of revenue. Well, I have watched it... it's really tough to stand till the end - SRK, even after declaring himself as a 40Y old man, cannot pull off his usual "energy" stunts anymore. It's tiring to watch him work so hard on nothings. It's a bad film except for Deepika Padukone. Have not watched D3 and JH. It's OK, I was just thinking about the formula to success - who best can I look up to other than the "Khans of Bollywood" who have ruled the industry for 25Y? When I talk about winners, I definitely mean the time-tested ones. By all standards, these gentlemen are winners. But where is the formula? The truly successful people on this planet own the secret formula to success. Or they may think they do. I'm still not convinced. They are all at 48 and I'll be eagerly watching their trajectories.
Best of 2013? Well... not seen too many movies, not heard too many songs. Getting old... I'm sorry George, I'm getting older!
Out of what I could get a glimpse of:
1. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Ayan Mukherjee): Bright, coming-of-age, very entertaining. A very young director could inject the heart and brain at the right places. A "blockbuster"... probably the only deserving one of 2013.
2. Raanjhanaa (Anand L Rai): Written enough about it. Solid work. Thanks to the viewers for making it a "hit".
3. Special 26 (Neeraj Pandey): Wonderful. Amazingly simple but refreshing movie. Once again... great to find its box office success.
Out of what passed through my ears:
1. YJHD (Pritam Chakraborty): Great album. All the item songs are lessons to other music directors. Impressive writing by lyricists, easy mixing into the frame of the film, foot-tapping, but never lost its elegance. Other songs are also very good.
2. Raanjhanaa (AR Rahman): Of/by/for Benaras, India. Rahman is never tired. I heard Majrooh Sultanpuri wondering how SD Burman was never fatigued in his creation.
3. A few songs here and there... but nothing concrete to take the 3rd spot. Aashiqui 2 might be the most successful, but to me the old Aashiqui remains stronger... in fact A2 is not my type!
Best of 2013? Well... not seen too many movies, not heard too many songs. Getting old... I'm sorry George, I'm getting older!
Out of what I could get a glimpse of:
1. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Ayan Mukherjee): Bright, coming-of-age, very entertaining. A very young director could inject the heart and brain at the right places. A "blockbuster"... probably the only deserving one of 2013.
2. Raanjhanaa (Anand L Rai): Written enough about it. Solid work. Thanks to the viewers for making it a "hit".
3. Special 26 (Neeraj Pandey): Wonderful. Amazingly simple but refreshing movie. Once again... great to find its box office success.
Out of what passed through my ears:
1. YJHD (Pritam Chakraborty): Great album. All the item songs are lessons to other music directors. Impressive writing by lyricists, easy mixing into the frame of the film, foot-tapping, but never lost its elegance. Other songs are also very good.
2. Raanjhanaa (AR Rahman): Of/by/for Benaras, India. Rahman is never tired. I heard Majrooh Sultanpuri wondering how SD Burman was never fatigued in his creation.
3. A few songs here and there... but nothing concrete to take the 3rd spot. Aashiqui 2 might be the most successful, but to me the old Aashiqui remains stronger... in fact A2 is not my type!