Content has certainly become the king at the box office. Big budgets and heavyweight names are what are usually perceived as a requirement for a film’s success at the box office. But off late, good content without the above two have been making a mark. These films may not have a big budget or a big name, but an effective word of mouth publicity is ensuring that they stay longer in theatres and get their due. Here are 7 films in the last few years that turned out as huge surprises in the offing, thanks to a good word of mouth.
Content has certainly become the king at the box office. Big budgets and heavyweight names are what are usually perceived as a requirement for a film’s success at the box office. But off late, good content without the above two have been making a mark. These films may not have a big budget or a big name, but an effective word of mouth publicity is ensuring that they stay longer in theatres and get their due. Here are 7 films in the last few years that turned out as huge surprises in the offing, thanks to a good word of mouth.
NH10
Possibly the most fearless film of the year till date, NH10 has Anushka Sharma battling the outer demons in a perfectly scripted thriller that brings out the social evils and ills that plague the Indian society. An unconventionally striking thriller, a good word of mouth was always the basic requirement for the film. Anushka who turned producer with NH10 knew that very well. Receiving rave reviews from all corners, NH10 has definitely upped its game at the box office, thanks to a positive word of mouth spread.
Dum Laga Ke Haisha
The year has not been profitable for filmmakers in 2015 but Dum Laga Ke Haisha broke the jinx in a huge manner. In spite of being a small film the film grew with positive word of mouth and set the cash registers ringing at the box office. It was a small film from YRF studios starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar which has been growing day by day. The film has collected a total of over Rs 21 crore at the box office till its second Friday and is still growing.
Badlapur
Another risk paid off well when Varun Dhawan was lauded for his brave performance in Badlapur. Another Sriram Raghavan film, Badlapur had been one of the anticipated films ever since the teaser release. A powerful drama and some riveting performances, Badlapur had everything working for it. And a good word of mouth ensued. The result? Badlapur turned out to be a huge success for everyone, sitting at the top, being the second highest grosser of 2015 till now. The film, which collected around Rs 49 crore is second only to Akshay Kumar's Baby which collected over Rs 90 crore.
Queen
Vikas Bahl’s film about a simple girl was THE film of 2014. With low promotions before its release, it failed to get a dramatic opening at the box office but the collections spiked in the second week and it finished with a lifetime of Rs 61 crore. It swept all the awards during the awards season and garnered critical acclaim as well as immense appreciation from all quarters. Queen certainly broke the stereotype and proved that 'actresses cannot bringing in commercial successes' was nothing but just a myth. Kangana Ranaut became the star of the year and Queen gave wings to other aspiring filmmakers to live their dreams.
Haider
The film was made on a modest budget and had a niche audience that widely appreciated the critically acclaimed film. Haider had a stellar cast with Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor playing the lead and it did exceedingly well. Knowing that it is not an out and out commercial flick, the Vishal Bharadwaj film performed way above expectations. Given that it clashed with a big budgeted Bang Bang, Haider maintained its grounds and netted over Rs 50 crore, thanks to the great word of mouth publicity that the film enjoyed.
The Lunchbox
It was a simple film which was loved by the audience. An unusual love story made on a small budget received a lot of appreciation from the audiences. One of the best examples of 'chhota package, bara dhamaka', The Lunchbox created a benchmark for all other small budget films and stood out as one of the most efficiently made films of the year. It might have made just about Rs 20 crore but considering the huge return on its investment, it certainly brought in more percentage of profits than any other Khan film!
Filmistaan
It won the audience’s hearts and critical acclaim and this low budget film managed to collect 6 crore due to the positive buzz about it. An ode to films and Bollywood, Sharib Hashmi's heartwarming performance called for a round of applause and a great word of mouth followed.
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