 |
|
|
|
|
News
|  | |
Top 10 Hits of 2006
The year 2006 shall go down in the history of Bollywood as the most profitable year in Bollywood history. Not only did more movies strike gold at the evasive boxoffice but also the money raked in by semi hits-hits-super hits grew tenfold to those compared to last few years. If last year's biggest hit No Entry stood tall at a total gross of Rs. 50 crores, 2006's biggest hit Krrish earned more than double the same.
2006 also saw a good number of medium budgeted films having a good run at the box-office. Films like Khosla Ka Ghosla, Malaamal Weekly, Pyar Ke Side Effects, Dor and Taxi No. 9211 were such few examples. The films that made good money but don't feature in this top 10 include, Apna Sapna Money Money, 36 China Town, Golmaal and Tom, Dick and Harry.
 No. 10 - Gangster
Bhatt's funda of capturing the ticket windows with moderate budget thrillers having great music and a new starcast continued in 2007 too. Gangster looted the box-office moolah with its original story line, outstanding performances by its lead actors (Emraan Hashmi, Shiney Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut) and an exceptional musical score (Pritam). The film had gathered initial curiosity for its lead character being allegedly based on real life don Abu Salem played in the film by Shiney and his moll played by Kangana.
Best thing about the film: Pritam's music. All its songs like, Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai, Ya Ali and Bheegi Bheegi Si.
Total Gross: Rs. 25 crores
 No. 9 - Vivah
Going back to his forte of highly emotional family dramas, after a superflop Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon (2003), director Sooraj Barjatya proved he still holds the pulse of India's family audiences. Made at a cost of Rs. 7 crores this Barjatya family drama has grossed Rs. 25 crores in its first seven weeks and is still going strong all over India, especially the interiors. Thanda promos, outdated music (Ravindra Jain) and a non-saleable lead pair (Shahid - Amrita), Vivah had everything going against its favour. The opening of the film silenced all these doubts and emerged 2006's most surprising success story.
Best thing about the film: Sooraj Barjatya's direction.
Total Gross: Rs. 25 crores
 No. 8 - Phir Hera Pheri
The sequel to the hit comic capper, Hera Pheri (2000), Phir Hera Pheri broke the myth that sequels do not work in Bollywood. The trio of Akshay Kumar-Paresh Rawal-Suniel Shetty was back again minus the original director (Priyadarshan) and was well received not only in India but also given a warm welcome in UK too. PHP debuted at No.8 in its opening weekend in the UK Top 10 and enjoyed a fantastic run at both the UK and Indian box office. The bumbling trio's antics raked in a nett gross of Rs 40 crores, that's triple, the amount its predecessor earned.
Best thing about the film: Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal's acting.
Total Gross: Rs. 40 crores
 No. 7 - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Karan Johar changed tracks from glossy romance to adultery but his NRI fixation remain unchanged. KANK with a dream starcast of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta was the amongst the biggest openers of 2006 but could not manage to hold strongly at the box office in India. Indian audiences found it difficult to accept an infidel husband - wife as the lead pair who walk out of their marriages and come together at the end. KANK created history in the overseas market but recorded dismal collections in India after an exciting opening.
Best thing about the film: Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan together rocked.
Total Gross: Rs. 46 crores
 No. 6 - Don
Farhan Akhtar's gamble of remaking a two and a half decades old cult classic (Don starring Big B) paid off. He pitched in Shah Rukh Khan in Big B's shoes, stylized his version like a Bond film and added an unusual twist at the film's climax. The result, a super hit. Despite mixed reviews this Diwali release ignited box office all over and grossed a net profit close to Rs. 50 crores. A confident Farhan is even planning to make Don 2 now. Don was facing competition with Salman-Akshay starrer Jaan-E-Mann released on the same date but the former's super success over the later proved, Badshah Khan ko box-office pe haraana mushkil hi nahi naamumkin bhi hai!
Best thing about the film: Shah Rukh Khan as Don and Farhan's twist at the end.
Total Gross: Rs. 50 crores
 No. 5 - Rang De Basanti: In Bollywood, the commercial success of a film does not necessarily reflect its artistic values. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti was not only critically acclaimed but also ignited the box office, becoming the first major hit of 2006. Most importantly it awakened the sluggish Generation X of present day India. After a dud called Aks (2001), Mehra came back with RDB in such a fantastic form that his film was sent as India's official entry to the Oscars. Rang De Basanti amassed a total net gross of over Rs.51 crores at the box office worldwide. Taking a cue from his role in RDB, Aamir Khan associated himself more vocally to social injustices in the society.
Best thing about the film: Mehra's script and direction
Total Gross: Rs. 51 crores
 No. 4 - Fanaa
The film had everything in its favour to win the audiences heart, Kajol's onscreen comeback opposite Aamir Khan, Yashraj Films banner and Kunal Kohli as a director whose last film was the loveable, Hum Tum, a mega success. Fanaa could not be released in the state of Gujarat due to Aamir's vocal support for the 'Narmada Bachao Andolan' that angered the political parties of Gujarat. This love story of a terrorist (Aamir) with a blind girl (Kajol) was panned by the critics but still managed to gross a whopping Rs. 55 crores at the box office world wide.
Best thing about the film: Kajol's acting
Total Gross: Rs. 55 crores
 No.3 - Lage Raho Munnabhai
This sequel to Munna Bhai M.B.B.S was Sanjay Dutt's biggest hit till date. The second in the Munna Bhai series, Lage Raho Munna Bhai featured Munna (Dutt) and Circuit (Arshad Warsi) encountering Mahatma Gandhi and coining a new term that became the latest mantra of the nation, Gandhigiri. A feel good entertainer that also carried a strong message, LRMB grossed a total Rs. 70 crores at the box office world wide. Many Hollywood studios have also shown keen interest in remaking this film in English with a top end star cast.
Best thing about the film: The original concept and the Munna - Circuit jodi.
Total Gross: Rs. 70 crores
 No.2 - Dhoom 2
Dhoom 2 ne Dhoom se jyaada dhoom macha diya. The hype set by the success of Dhoom helped and Dhoom 2 with a lead cast of Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu and Uday Chopra, Dhoom 2 took an earth shattering box-office opening. The Rs. 80 crores total gross world wide in just 5 weeks has catapulted it to 2006's second biggest hit status. Dhoom 3 is already being discussed and allegedly would be starring either Aamir or Shah Rukh Khan under Aditya Chopra's direction.
Best thing about the film: Hrithik Roshan
Total Gross: Rs. 80 crores
 No. 1 - Krrish
In the year of sequels the box office topper was a sequel too. Roshan father-son duo struck a hat-trick with Krrish. Projected as India's first superhero film, Krrish went on to create box-office history with record earnings of Rs. 120 crores worldwide. Krrish, sequel to Koi...Mil Gaya (total gross Rs. 42 crores) earned three times more than its predecessor. Mind-boggling dare devil-stunts by Hrithik without the use of a body double or computer gimmickry was the highest USP of this film which won the hearts of the adults and bachha log alike. Inspired by his film's dream run at the box office, Rakesh Roshan has already started work on its next part in his super hero series.
Best thing about the film: Rakesh Roshan: Hrithik Roshan combination
Total Gross: Rs. 120 crores
-- Abhijit Mhamunkar
|
|
|
|
|
|
