Why was Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani such a big hit?

Even those who didn't like the look of YJHD and dolefully lamented the sacrifice of the bright and quirky director, Ayan Mukerji, upon the altar of Karan Johar's brand of Bollywood materialism, trooped to watch the film. If not for anything else, to collect more fodder for grumbling. When it comes to cashing in on fandom though, YJHD's not-so-secret weapon was Ranbir Kapoor.

"The best thing about Ranbir is the fact he is very relatable. Almost in the way Shah Rukh Khan was — warm, funny, guy-next-doorish," says Anirban Das Blah of Kwan, a celebrity management firm that boasts of Kapoor as one of their clients. As Raj Kapoor's grandson and Rishi Kapoor's son, Ranbir is more Bollywood royalty than the guy-next-door, but the way he conducts himself in public appearances makes him seem endearingly normal. In fact, after Shah Rukh Khan in DDLJ, Kapoor is probably the only actor who has won hearts for playing a loser. (Watch Rocket Singh, Wake up Sid, Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani and Barfi once more for proof.)

Also, while Barfi! might have raised his profile as an actor, Kapoor's fan base is built solidly upon the actor's performances in romantic comedies hero, which is a genre he's strayed from since Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani in 2009. Barfi! and Rockstar both had moments of humour but were also emphatically weepy. With Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Kapoor is back on the familiar turf of happy, candyfloss romance.

Does this mean Kapoor now commands an opening like Salman Khan or Shah Rukh? This may break Kapoor's fans' hearts, but not yet. "It depends on the film a person is doing. This film had everything going for it, naturally the opening was that great," says trade analyst Indu Mirani.

The producers and the marketing team carefully calibrated the publicity to keep up the tempo for months, from releasing snatches of the catchy Badtameez Dil in the first trailer to setting tabloid mills abuzz with nuggets about buddy-chemistry shared by ex-lovers Deepika and Ranbir. We were ceremoniously reminded that the film exists, every single day. Also, what can be more exciting for a largely voyeuristic audience than ex-flames cosy up on screen and wonder what curses their current objects of affection might be making up in their heads? With the tabloids religiously watering such interests, YJHD was all set for a huge opening already.

But few could have imagined the film's earnings would put it alongside the likes of Dabangg and Ek Tha Tiger. Ek Tha Tiger also starred ex-flames Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. While it's difficult to say exactly why, we can safely assume that the ladies approve of a smooth-talking Ranbir Kapoor just as they do a brawny, muscle-twitching Salman Khan. A large section of those who thronged theatres for YJHD were going to watch a 'family film', unlike Khan's biggest hits which are macho, action movies. As Firstpost's entertainment editor Deepanjana Pal points out, YJHD is the film that comes close to being the Hum Aapke Hain Kaun of these times. A film with hummable songs and not-too-shallow humour; a film that is as much about your parents as it is about your ex boyfriends/girlfriends. Basically a film that is easy to stomach and digest.

A quick look at the recent releases shows that all of them had failed at least one of Bollywood's basic rules of success. Kai Po Che was star-less. Go Goa Gone had corny jokes one too many and Saif Ali Khan was unrecognisable in it. Matru…'s political metaphors made it too 'heavy' and except for the painstaking efforts of Deepika and Jacqueline's abs, nothing worked for Race 2. YJHD on the other hand didn't lose sight of these basics and consequently was as long due as the rains in Mumbai this year.