Formula films are back in action

Making zara hatke films are best left to offbeat cinema — this is  the current mood in Bollywood. Last year saw many offbeat films with some of the biggest names in B-Town —Ravan, Guzaarish, Kites, Action Replay, Kheley Hum Jee Jaan Sey, Jhootha Hi Sahi — and did not get as good a response from the theatre-going audiences as expected. On the other hand masala films like Dabangg, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Golmaal, et al seem to have hit jackpot. And as if having learnt a lesson from this, Bollywood is now choosing to play safe by sticking to formula films this year.

 Be it Hrithik Roshan in Agneepath or Shah Rukh Khan in Don 2, Saif Ali Khan in Agent Vinod, Abhishek Bachchan in Dum Maaro Dum, Akshay Kumar in Joker, Salman Khan in Ready, Ajay Devgn in Singham or John Abraham in Force, almost all stars will be seen doing films that are being labeled a mass film than class.

“It is true. The stars are now back to concentrating more on being heroes than just actors. The audience does want to see some herogiri on screen. And whether anyone accepts it or not, masala films sell!” says trade analyst Amod Mehra, adding that it’s fan-earning time once again for the stars and it’s the masses they must target for that. Director Abhinav Kashyap says, “Just because an actor does formula films doesn’t mean he can’t act. And just because someone does an offbeat film it doesn’t make them better actors. Besides, why would anyone be ashamed to be associated with these films even on an international level.”

Filmmaker Milan Luthria explains, “The last few years saw NRI focused films, which filmmakers considered a good way to get away from quintessential masala. But ultimately it’s the Indian masses that will seal the fate of a film. But now dialoguebaazi, and whistling is back in the theatres and film-makers are waking to this fact.”