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We are three quarters of the way through 2008 and with only three months left till we ring in 2009. I thought it would be a good idea to do a quick recap of the year's top five grossing films so far. This isn't the final list – we still have a few big films to go this year all lining up for release during the festive season so anything could happen. In the mean time, let's recap on what the cinema going audience has appreciated so far.
Singh Is Kinng
Starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif
Directed by Anees Bazmee
Music by Pritam
Released 8th August 2008
Shot in Australia with a plot similar to Frank Capra's 1934 release Lady for a Day and a later 1989 release starring Jackie Chan titled Miracles, Singh Is Kinng is a film about a Sikh boy (Happy) who tries to win over the love of his life but is inadvertently given leadership of a Sikh Gang in Australia.
The release of the film was controversial with members of the Sikh community expressing their disapproval over the interpretation of the Punjabi Community. A ban was initially sought stating Punjabi's were 'ridiculed' in the film with the main objection centering on the fact that Kumar's character sported a trimmed beard, which some orthodox Sikhs found offensive. A 50-minute discussion with the DSGMC authorities, Kumar and producer Vipul Shah led to twelve changes in the motion picture. As a result the DSGMC permitted the release of the film on the 7th of August on 2008; however, the first show of Singh is Kinng in NM Cinema Hall of Amritsar on August 8, 2008 was disrupted with protesting and the vandalism of the hall.
Reviews of the film have been positive. Taran Adarsh, of Indiafm.com stated, "SINGH IS KINNG lives up to the hype and hoopla. Want a joyride without taxing your brains? Board the SINGH IS KINNG wagon."
Singh Is Kinng had a record opening in India with 95-100% occupancy and a weekend net gross of Rs. 29 crores breaking the previous record of Rs. 22 crores set by Om Shanti Om. The film went on to gross Rs. 43.77 crores in the first week in India alone breaking the record for the highest opening week gross also held by Om Shanti Om at 41 Crores in 2007 with a gross profit of over Rs. 73 crores in it's first month in India.
Worldwide, Singh Is Kinng has grossed over 2 crores in Pakistan in two weeks, which is a record for any Indian film. In the United States, the film has grossed $1.1 million, approximately $1 million in the UK. Singh Is Kinng has already been declared a blockbuster worldwide and a super-hit in India which is why this makes it the biggest hit of the year so far.
Race
Starring Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor and Sameera Reddy
Directed by Abbas Mustan
Music by Pritam Chakraborty
Released 21 March, 2008
Set and mostly filmed in South Africa and Dubai, Race is a comedy/action/thriller loosely based on the 1998 Hollywood movie Goodbye Lover which delves into the themes of sibling rivalry, betrayal and passion.
Race received a mixed response from the critics. Taran Adharsh gave the film 4 out of 5, stating that Race "is a superb entertainer all the way" and that it "has not just style, but a lot of substance too," while Raja Sen gave the film 1.5 out of 5 and described the various number of plot twists and poor character development as its main deficiencies. Despite the mixed reviews Race went on to be the second hit of 2008 after the release Jodhaa Akbar in early January with an opening total of Rs.35,61,00,000 in India, 880,423 in the United Kingdom and $1,376,024 in the United States of America. As of May 30, it grossed a worldwide total of $24,391,921.
Apart from the high gross profit margins which place Race in forth place, the chart controversy has surrounded the soundtrack of the film. Taiwanese singer Lee-Hom Wang and his record label Sony BMG Music Entertainment Ltd. have issued legal papers to sue Tips Films, the distributors of Race for $320,000 in damages, for plagiarizing his song 'Deep in the Bamboo Grove' ('Zhu Lin Shen Chu') into the Hindi song 'Zara Zara Touch Me' from the film.
Jannat
Starring Emraan Hashmi and Sonal Chauhan
Directed by Kunal Deshmukh
Music by Pritam and Kamran Ahmed Deshmukh
Release date 16 May, 2008
By having a double premiere in Pakistan and then India, it allowed the Bhatt's to have a simultaneous release. A film which covered the subject of match fixing in cricket is a surprise entry in the charts. Helmed by two debutants, director Kunal Deshmukh and story writer Vishesh Bhatt, I give you the fifth biggest hit of the year.
The film opened to mixed reviews - Noyon Jyoti Parasara (AOL India) gave the film 2.5 out of 5 saying, "When we have something in a movie that appeals to everyone, that's when we call it a masala entertainer – probably. Keeping this is mind, Jannat, with a decent measure of romance, thrill, comedy, tragedy and of course cricket is definitely a masala flick." While Taran Adarsh stated that Jannat was a "well-made film with lilting music, gripping script and excellent performances as its mainstay" and gave it 3.5 out of 5.
The film went on to gross a profit of Rs.32,47,00,000 for the first month with trade experts declaring the film a super hit
Jodhaa Akbar
Starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker
Music by A. R. Rahman
Released 19th January 2008
A historical film based on a marriage between the Muslim Mughal Emperor Akbar, (Hrithik Roshan) and his Hindu wife, Jodhaabai, (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) was initially an alliance but became a love story.
2008 commenced with a flourish. Ashutosh Gowarikar's contentious release Jodhaa Akbar created a stir with Gowarikar acknowledging that approximately 70% of the movie was based on his imagination though many of the events portrayed in the movie were based on true accounts from the time. Controversy reigned supreme with this film – a number of Rajput groups claimed Jodhaa was married to Akbar's son, Jahangir, not Akbar. Pressure was placed on Gowarikar for a public apology was and the film was not released in 30 cinema theatres in Rajasthan.
Ashutosh Gowarikar went on record to say, "While making the film I did my best to go by the book. I consulted the best historians and went through the most rigorous research. And there are different names used for Akbar's wife, Jodhaa being one of them. In fact, there's a disclaimer about the Rajput queen's name at the beginning of the film. But to see that, the protesters have to see the film."
The film received an exceptional response at the US and UK box-offices, grossing $1.3 million dollars in the first weekend in the North American box office with The New York Times giving the movie a positive review, comparing Ashutosh Gowariker to Cecil DeMille. The film had a shaky start at the Indian box office with the Hindustan Times giving the film a mere 2 out of 5 with reviewer Khalid Mohammed stating that Gowariker had "miscalculated the technical logistics and emotional content of a period piece" but through word of mouth, it went on to gross Rs. 62 crore coming in at number three in our charts.
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Starring Imran Khan and Genelia D'Souza
Directed by Abbas Tyrewala
Music by A. R. Rahman
Released 4th July 2008
Set amongst a group of college friends Aamir Khan and Mansoor Khan's production Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is a romantic comedy centering on friendship which introduced Aamir Khan's nephew Imran Khan and Genelia D'Souza.
With a premiere at PVR Cinemas (the film's joint distributor alongside Aamir Khan Productions) in Goregaon, Mumbai, the film was released with 473 prints worldwide, of which 282 were analogue prints, 81 were digital screens and 110 prints were overseas. By the second week, the numbers of shows of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na in the multiplexes were increased with 100 more centers opening for screenings.
Jaane Tu... received positive responses from the critics with most giving the film an average of 4/5. Taran Adarsh of IndiaFM gave it 3.5 stars saying it is "a breezy entertainer which will be loved by its target audience -- the youth."
Jaane Tu... was an early success, with 80% occupancy initially going on to 100% occupancy later in the week. The takings for the first week were Rs. 20.01 crore averaging to Rs. 6,56,524 per print. For the second week, the numbers of shows were increased allowing the film to reach 100% occupancy at several screens. The film grossed 17.50 crores in its second week. In its first month, the total grossed was approximately 52.96 crores making Imran Khan and Genelia D'Souza's Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na the year's second biggest hit so far.
http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/1824-the-five-biggest-grosser-8217-s-of-the-year-so-far.html?page=3
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