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Much like HAPPY ENDING was a very important film for Saif Ali Khan's career before it's release (he has not been having a good box office run and HAPPY ENDING needed to do well), Emraan Hashmi is on a similar path. Emraan, who has been very popular with the masses over the years, and at one point was giving some of the biggest box office successes of the year(s) along with Salman Khan (2011 is an example as MURDER 2, THE DIRTY PICTURE, READY and BODYGUARD were amongst four of the five biggest Hits that year) is now struggling.
The problem began when Emraan Hashmi started doing experimental films. SHANGHAI (2012) failed at the box office. RAAZ 3D, the type of massy film that his fans like to see from him, was a huge Hit. Then, the much-delayed RUSH flopped badly. The experimental films EK THI DAAYAN and GHANCHAKKAR flopped. His last release, RAJA NATWARLAL, also failed at the box office, despite being the type of massy film that his fans like to see him in.
Can UNGLI turn things around for Emraan Hashmi's career?
UNGLI marks the first time that Karan Johar and Emraan Hashmi are teaming together for a film (Karan Johar has produced the film). Unfortunately, beyond that, the film has nothing going for it!
It really is shocking. A lot was written about this film a long time ago about how it would be really youth-appealing and have a social message, almost as if another RANG DE BASANTI was going to come. The cast was also interesting, with Emraan Hashmi and Sanjay Dutt together. The film also re-unites Emraan Hashmi and Kangana Ranuat (they were both in the film GANGSTER) and also re-unites Emraan Hashmi and Randeep Hooda (they were both in OUATIM, JANNAT 2, etc). With Karan Johar's Dharma Productions producing the film, it seemed like this was going to be a huge film.
Then came the theatrical trailer! The trailer really was nothing memorable. It just appears to be a typical Emraan Hashmi movie. For example, the dialogue at the end of the trailer about him kissing now comes off as repetitive. Sanjay Dutt has been reduced to a cop role, and when hardly anybody cares about him as a cop in other films (flop film POLICEGIRI being an example) why should they care about him in a cop role here? One may forget that Kangana Ranaut is even in the film as she hardly been visible in anything related to the film. Randeep Hooda won't bring in any audience either.
It's as if Karan Johar doesn't even care about this film. He almost seems to have forgotten about it, much like how he seemed to have forgotten the box office debacle GORI TERE PYAR MEIN before that film released.
Honestly, UNGLI has no where to go at the box office. This period of the year (post-Diwali up until Christmas) tends to be dry for film business, as many people decide not to watch many of these films as they already spend a lot of money watching the big Diwali film and then decide to wait until the Christmas release. Also, there are so many films coming one week after another, who really has the time and money to see all of these films? UNGLI would need some sort of miracle to become a box office Hit (such as 3 IDIOTS type amazing WOM) due to low buzz and poor release date. But, obviously, the WOM of this film is going to be NOWHERE near the WOM of a film like 3 IDIOTS anyway, so again, this film has nowhere to go at the box office (I will write more about UNGLI's WOM below).
Dance Basanti seems to be the Hit song of the album as per public choice it seems (Youtube views and likes of the song seem to indicate that), but even then the buzz of the film is still low. Ungli Pe Naachalein, despite being a good song, has not picked up too well with listeners it seems, although it may increase its popularity after the film releases.
The low buzz of the film, poor release date, Emraan Hashmi coming after Flop films and lack of any other crowd-pulling actors in the film means that the film will likely have a poor opening day collection at the box office. Mass centres should see a better opening as masses like Emraan Hashmi, but the contribution from these centres won't make a difference to the overall picture of the film's poor box office fate.
In terms of WOM (Word of Mouth), UNGLI may find appreciation from a section of the audience. I did read a comment so far praising the film on Twitter, but I'm not sure how genuine that feedback was. Masses (despite forming the base of Emraan Hashmi's fans) may not connect to the film as Dharma's films are usually liked by the urban multiplex audience. The title of the film, the theme of the film surrounding the title of the film, the kiss dialogue of Emraan Hashmi, the lesbianism shown in the Ungli Pe Naachalein song, all of these things will ensure that the film is rejected by the family audience.
Poor opening day collection+limited growth in collections over the weekend due to rejection from family audience+drop in collections on weekdays due to possible rejection from masses+general disinterest for the film from the audience+a major release next week (ACTION JACKSON)= UNGLI flopping badly at the box office!
My Box Office Predictions for UNGLI:
Opening Day: 5 crores
Opening Weekend: 18 crores
Lifetime Collections: 25 crores
Overall Box Office Verdict: Flop
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