Just two months into 2016 and we have seen a good mix of films — from the big-budget Airlift and Neerja to smaller but powerful films like Aligarh and Zubaan. The months ahead, have the three biggies — Shah Rukh Khan (Fan), Salman Khan (Sultan) and Aamir Khan (Dangal). We asked trade analysts to name five films they are looking forward to. This is what they had to say...
AMUL MOHAN
Fan: Shah Rukh Khan is looking good and the movie is looking intriguing. The film’s trailer shows him in a different role and the overall scenario is exciting. Fan is looking more commercial than Raees, so the stakes would be higher.
Sultan: Salman Khan. Regardless of what he does or whatever happens or what kind of trailer he cuts, he rules the box-office today. His promotional activities are above and beyond everything else. Salman is a phenomenon right now.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil: People may not look out for this film as Ranbir is facing a lull in his career right now but let’s not forget that Karan Johar, Ranbir, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan all pack a powerful punch together. It’s a very big film which is releasing on Diwali and it’s a family entertainer and KJo’s brand of cinema. Karan has never made a `100-crore film ever. For a premier filmmaker like him, ADHM is a great opportunity to break that jinx.
Dangal: It’s more of a personal story that Aamir is doing this time and less commercial, but because it’s Aamir he will pull a rabbit out of the hat as he always does.
Befikre: Ranveer Singh has had a fantastic year. Befikre is a very safe bet. The director Aditya Chopra made Dilwale Dulhania... eight years ago and 1,200 weeks later, the film is still running. Adi has never made a film without SRK (who, incidentally, is supposed to do a large cameo in it) till now. It’s a romantic film shot against the backdrop of Paris, what else do you want? The general public takes notice of anything Adi makes. I really like the way they launched Befikre — first about Adi and his father talking about the film and then the actor’s videos introducing themselves.
TARAN ADARSH
Fan: It’s a very different role this time for Shah Rukh Khan as he plays a fan who looks like him. He’s gone experimental this time. Also, the way they have marketed the song in various Indian languages is a unique way of promoting the film and created a lot of buzz.
Raees: This film falls into a very different league for SRK especially as it's being directed by Rahul Dholakia. The teaser seems very interesting and then you have Pakistani actress Mahira Khan who is very talented, so that whole package looks exciting.
Sultan: Salman Khan. Salman Khan. Salman Khan. The film is looking very good and it’s produced by Aditya Chopra who is known to make quality, commercial films.
Mohenjo Daro: Ashutosh Gowariker, one of my favourite filmmakers teams up with Hrithik Roshan yet again (after Jodhaa Akbar). It’s also a costume drama set against a historical backdrop which Ashu specialises in — all adding up to an explosive combo.
Dangal: When it’s Aamir Khan, everyone takes a back seat.He holds the reins for this film with an offbeat subject on a wrestler and his daughters. The year should close on a thunderous note.
KOMAL NAHTA
Dangal: Aamir’s sense of script is very powerful. I have heard the narration and after hearing it, I cried madly. It’s a mind-blowing script and has the potential to become the biggest hit of 2016. The film is about women’s empowerment and girls and ladies will go repeatedly to watch it. The subject is such that it will get tax exemptions from across the country. The emotional story between a father and his daughters will make all ladies weep when they watch it.
Sultan: What does one say? The film stars Salman Khan, bas. He spells success with capital S and anything he touches turns into gold. Also, his look is fantastic in the film. Never has he looked so good.
Fan: I got goosebumps when I saw the trailer. There’s an inherently intriguing, exciting quality about the film. I had a similar feeling when I had seen the Bhaag Milkha Bhaag trailer and told Rakeysh Mehra that it would become a huge hit. Fan has stirred that same kind of excitement today. It’s something you have never seen before and novelty value is tremendous.
Rustom: Anything that is new and has an actor in a role which nobody has played on the Hindi screen is interesting to watch. Akshay’s first look as a naval officer has created that interest. The intricacies of the job, his duties and protocol, what a naval officer does, will all make it an interesting film to watch. Nobody has played a naval officer before in Bollywood, not even a character actor.
Sarbjit: Omung Kumar has earlier directed Mary Kom. Also, suddenly, there seems to be a great excitement in the public’s mind about chapters in history which we are unaware of — like Airlift and Neerja. In Sarbjit, we don’t know the details of how his sister felt, what all she did to save her brother and what she went through so knowing these details on celluloid will make it an interesting human drama to watch. Ram Gopal Varma went wrong when he made a film on 26/11 as everyone knew all the details of what happened. A film on the heroes who died in the terrorist attacks, the hardships they went through and the dreams nipped in the bud was a story waiting to be told.
GIRISH JOHAR
Dangal: I am looking forward to Aamir portraying the character of a wrestler. He has put on and lost oodles of weight for the role.
Sultan: Salman Khan is the Sultan of the box office... the messiah and the audience relate to that charisma.
Raees: It’s got to have a lot of character and it’s not mass-y like a Rohit Shetty film. Shah Rukh’s role in Raees has more depth and will make the film an interesting watch.
Rustom: The first look and whatever story I know, of it, Rustom is going to be a deadly action thriller and yet it’s realistic-looking. The response to the first look has been very positive and that has upped the hotness quotient of the film.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil: First and foremost, because it’s a Dharma production. It has Karan Johar coming back with a super hot cast of Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Anushka Sharma. It’s slated for a Diwali release and will have the big canvas that Karan is known for. The film has been shot in UK and Paris, and Ranbir should be in his element in the film. He has that star power — one hit and he’ll be back! Wrong choices can’t take that stardom away.
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