2006 will see a few directors try their luck at the box office for a second time. Some succeeded with their debuts, others weren't that lucky. Will lady luck favour them this time around?
Shimit Amin
The director of Ab Tak Chappan surprised everyone by giving us a hit with Nana Patekar as the lead in 2004. The film was based on the life of Mumbai police sub-inspector Daya Nayak and his killing of gangsters in shooting encounters. In those days, Nayak was highly praised for his efforts to eliminate gangsters from Mumbai. He is now in jail.
As for Shimit, he has moved camp from Ram Gopal Varma to Yash Chopra and is likely to direct Shah Rukh Khan for the next Yash Raj film.
Apparently, Aditya Chopra heard the script and was bowled over. "All I can say at this point is that it is going to be very different in mood and texture from Ab Tak Chappan. Will it have songs and music? I don't know. It might." That is all he has to say.
Farah Khan
This dance director shot to fame in the early 90s with the song Pehla Nasha from Jo Jeeta Woh Sikandar. She then moved to the big league, becoming a regular dance director for all Khan films and eventually becoming a great pal of Shah Rukh Khan's.
SRK became so fond of her that he decided to produce Main Hoon Na -- Farah's directorial debut.
The film was based on promoting peace between India and Pakistan and had all the ingredients of a Hindi film -- good songs, stepfather, weeping mother, loving brother, careless son and a villain played by Suniel Shetty. It was a big hit.
Now, the duo is back. Both have agreed to do a film together titled Happy New Year. Shooting has yet to begin but, keeping Farah's track record in mind, it could be a hit.
Nikhil Advani
No one can dare take on the Karan Johar camp head on and survive in the industry. But Nikhil Advani did. He directed the hit Kal Ho Naa Ho before walking out of the Johar camp on account of differences.
His next film is said to have six love stories. The pairs comprise Anil Kapoor-Juhi Chawla, Salman Khan-Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham-Vidya Balan, Akshaye Khanna-Ayesha Takia, Govinda with a foreigner, and Perizaad Zorabian opposite Sohail Khan.
It is to Nikhil's credit that he has managed to convince them all. This could be easily one of the biggest films of 2006. Interestingly, it will be pitched against former mentor Karan's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.
Onir
We still don't know why Yash Raj Films, one of India's leading companies, distributed a small budget film like My Brother Nikhil. It had Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri in the lead. There were no great songs, and the story -- about a swimmer infected by AIDS -- was also off-beat. It made no news at the box office, but was much appreciated by critics.
Now, the director has teamed up with the same team to make Ek Pal Ke Liye. Will it work? Let's see.
Raju Hirani
There is a distinctive feature about Sanjay Dutt's career. He gives a series of flops, before coming back with a big hit. After Vaastav came a dozen flops, before Munnabhai MBBS happened. Now, once again, Sanjay's series of flops has begun.
We only hope Raju Hirani's second film with Dutt -- Munnabhai Meets Mahatma -- becomes a hit for the actor and director.
Anupamaa
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