Lack of content proves fatal for 'Tashan', 'Krazzy 4'

Mumbai, May 13 (IANS) Bollywood is smarting under two box-office disasters - Yash Raj Films' star-studded "Tashan" and Filmkraft's "Krazzy 4". Their failure has proved that gloss, style and fluff cannot be a mantra for success without a convincing script.

Though still running in cinemas, the poor show of the two films has already caused a combined loss of approximately Rs.400 million to the industry. The loss includes the money forfeited by Yash Raj Films after multiplexes refused to show "Tashan" for the entire first week of its release following disputes over the percentage of their revenue share of box-office earnings.

With recovery from multiplexes amounting to almost more than 50 percent of the total box-office collections of a movie, "Tashan" bore the brunt most during the crucial week after its release.

Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, "Tashan" had Bollywood's most saleable actor Akshay Kumar along with most sought after pair Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, but still failed to lure the audiences.

Not only did "Tashan" open with a dismal initial collection of 52 percent, its second week's box-office collections further crashed to 35 percent, despite multiplexes running the movie after settling their dispute with Yash Raj Films.

This may not be so much a financial blow to Yash Raj Films as a blot to its credibility, more so because the banner's three previous films "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom", "Laaga Chunari Mein Daag" and "Aaja Nachle" had also turned out to be damp squibs.

The last hit the banner saw was Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Chak De! India".

Nobody from Yash Raj Films is willing to speak on the subject. "The reasons are being looked into" is all the PR department of the production company said Monday.

The banner has four biggies lined up for release this year. It is being hoped that "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic", "Bachna Ae Haseeno", animation film "Roadside Romeo" and Aditya Chopra's third directorial venture "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" will turn the tide.

Filmkraft's "Krazzy 4", which opened comparatively better, could not, however, sustain its box-office performance as the audience found the comic caper a crazy ride leading to nowhere.

Starring a host of comic actors, Arshad Warsi, Rajpal Yadav, Suresh Menon and Irrfan Khan, the film failed for want of a good script.

Ironically, most viewers found Hrithik Roshan's item song - that not only caused a controversy but also put a big hole in producer Rakesh Roshan's pocket - to be the main redeeming feature of the otherwise stale fare.

Its second week's box-office collections stand at 42 percent.

All eyes are now on Filmkraft's next venture "Kites", starring Hrithik, the US-based Spanish model Barbara Mori and Kangana Ranaut. The film, directed by Anurag Basu, will begin shooting soon.

Other cast and credits are still being finalised.

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