A comment From KB made me think about this question, how important is star and how important is the genre of the movie? In times where uto 50 of the earnings of a movie are made in its opening week, ex:
Movie--------Opening---Final-----Opening %
MNIK--------29.5-------73-------42
MP-----------10.5-------28-------35
Wanted-------17.0-------61-------28
Love Aaj Kal-28---------67-------42
Raajneeti-----34---------93-------36
Ghajini-------30--------115-------26
So, except Ghajini almost every movie got a huge chunk from the opening weekend only, forget about opening week. You see the opening week picture, and movies have made upto 50% in the first week itself. Now its a general theory that opening of a movie gives the idea about the star power of the star, and OFC, when wom is not out, when no critical reviews are out, how what else can explain the incoming of audience? That too at such exorbitant rates? So, it is presumed that its nothing but the credibility of the star in question and his loyal fan base which comes out to support a product of unknown value. So, according to this rule only we can say that if a movie doesn't get a good opening it would mean that star doesn't have that much of fan base/star power.
Now the nubers of Salman's recent releases prior to dabangg
London Dreams: 14.5
MAMK: 4
Veer: 19
Collective: 37 crs
Now believe it or not, Saif Ali Khan with Love aaj kal, Kurbaan and TPTM has given collective opening of 53 crs. So easy to assume that Salman didn't have star power as of Saif.
Enter Dabangg and equation has changed, with movie on road to become second highest opener ever, it ust throws star theory out of the window. A washed up star, a star of bygone era, getting a phenomenal 34-35 crs opening weekend even after delivering 3 duds in a row.
So, this brings us back to the original question, what matters the most to audience? Star, or the genre?
People think that big star's movie is always safe, since he will rake in a big number in the opening week itself and then on it will be all hunky dory for him. But that seems not to be the case. Opening has largely depended upon the genre of the movie, a genre more suitable for masses, bigger the opening, no matter the star. Else who was the star in Raajneeti to get a 34 cr opening weekend?
And after opening week its always believed that everything is decided by the content of the movie, if it is good, and liked, it will continue to grow, if it is not, it will take a fall. So, this brings me to the question, if its all about content and genre, where does the star get into the picture? How does it leave the record of 3Idiots? Was it Aamir? Was it SRK for OSO? Was it Salman for Dabangg?
PS: Thanks to Doga and his blog Boxofficekings for all the numbers.
One more questiojn comes right now is if Salman regains his star status? Has he moved in the number game? Where is his position now?
ReplyDeleteI think he is exactly where he was. If he plays to his genre, he will reap benefits, if he doesn't, he will pay the price. Though nothing cna be said about the movie as of now, so giving any verdict to Dabangg will be wrong. And hence placing Salman on the basis of Dabangg would be as wrong.
Such a superb opening works wonders for Salman and clearly bring him back in numbers game . Akshay , Hrithik has been weak at 3,4 position recently and were hanging onto it only because no one could charge from behind . Ranbir is showing signs too so its fight btw Salman and Ranbir .
ReplyDeletei think Aamir is at top clearly by a margin followed by Srk with Ranbir , Salman behind him . SAlman if gets dabaang pass 100 and follows it up with another 100 crore with bazmee and Srk has a turkey in RA-1 ( most likely ) he will move to second place .
Anon, one thing I agree with is that yes, Salman is back in number game, he is no more irrelevant which he had become prior to Wanted I think. But where exactly he stands is the big question right now.
ReplyDeleteAccording to me, Aamir, SRK are right up there, with competition being real hard for 3rd spot. HR made himself unavailable, and I think that's why he doesn't have a claim on third spot the way Amir and SRK have on theirs. But still I would say that HR is very much a top star regardless of Kites.
Akki, I think is again a big star, but Salman's return has surely made him nervous. Where does Akki stands again is not something very clear to me. To me, if there is any fight for number 3, it has to be between HR and RK. RK has done phenomenal in last few years, though AA is looking like a mis step, and he is sure to lose some ground, but still a guy who has given 3rd biggest hit of India domestically in a political thriller, I think he deserves to be mentioned and taken note of. If Wanted and Danbangg and to some extent 3I are anything to go by, it just shows that if a star/ex star/noob comes in a massy genre, he is sure to put BO on fire. This makes the distance between them appear very small unlike what appeared to us pre Dabangg.
Had SRK come in something like Dabangg, he must have got a similar opening, I don't think any bigger, because hey, what can be bigger than 15 odd crs on the opening Friday?
I am no more a believer in star ranking system, but if I am forced to make a pick I think it should be more like
Aamir
SRK
HR/RK
Akki/Salman
The biggest loser in all this I guess has been Saif Ali Khan, who is bound to change things for himself for the better with the incoming of Agent Vinod, again a genre that Indian crowd will only love.
I think for now its just Aamir who I can say that he is above genre, he can even give a good opening to an art house production just by producing it or appearing in it, rest of the gang I think is too genre dependent.