'Tamasha' which netted some Rs38 crore in its opening weekend might help Ranbir Kapoor bounce back after a spate of box office failures. A list of 10 films that helped actors who were down in the dumps return to the game
New Delhi: Imtiaz Ali’s Friday release Tamasha netted more than ₹ 38 crore in its opening weekend despite mixed reviews. While it may be too early to say whether it’ll help lead actor Ranbir Kapoor bounce back after a spate of box office failures, the film is definitely a far cry from the outright disasters that his previous outings like Bombay Velvet and Besharam were. Here’s a list of 10 films that helped actors who were down in the dumps return to the game.
1.Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015): Vicky Donor (2012) was the stuff that Bollywood dream debuts are made of. But Ayushmann Khurrana’s subsequent films, Nautanki Saala, Bewakoofiyaan and Hawaizaada didn’t live up to the hype. He only resurfaced with Yash Raj Films’ sleeper hit Dum Laga Ke Haisha this year, a modestly cost, warm romantic comedy set in 1990s Haridwar that made more than ₹ 30 crore.
2.R…Rajkumar (2013): Hailed as the next big superstar after his debut in 2003, Shahid Kapoor hasn’t exactly had a dream run at the box office. Occasional memorable outings like Jab We Met and Kaminey aside, Kapoor’s filmography, especially later in his career, was marked by disasters like Mausam, Teri Meri Kahaani and Phata Poster Nikla Hero. But in 2013, Prabhudheva-directed comedy R...Rajkumar happened to him, bringing in close to ₹ 70 crore. He followed it with Vishal Bhardwaj’s critically acclaimed Haider that also earned more than ₹ 50 crore. Despite the latest disappointment Shandaar, the actor is considered one of the better performers in the industry.
3.Cocktail (2012): Before she achieved super-stardom and started belting out multiple hits a year, Deepika Padukone wasn’t making the most correct movie choices. Lafangey Parindey, Break Ke Baad, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and Desi Boyz are some examples. The winning streak began with her bold, vivacious turn in Homi Adajania’s Cocktail that made ₹ 71 crore at the box office and continued with Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express, Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, Happy New Year and Piku.
4.I Hate Luv Storys (2010): Imran Khan went from his high-profile debut in Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na (2008) to damp squids like Kidnap and Luck. Things seemed pretty bleak until debutant director Punit Malhotra’s romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys came along. The film made more than ₹ 43 crore in box office collections and gave Khan his prized boy-next-door image once again. Sadly though, Khan couldn’t build on it and has been fiercely disappointing in his recent outings.
5.Wanted (2009): As unimaginable as it may sound, there was a time when Salman Khan’s films weren’t minting money at the box office. After a spate of bland flicks like Yuvvraaj, Heroes, Hello and God Tussi Great Ho, action-thriller Wanted marked Khan’s return as the fearless macho hero. Prabhudheva’s Hindi directorial debut made ₹ 61 crore and put Khan right on top of the game. With Dabangg, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger and other superhits, he hasn’t looked back since.
6.Koi…Mil Gaya (2003): The super success of Hrithik Roshan’s debut Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (2000) was followed by a series of half-baked attempts like Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, Mujhse Dosti Karoge, Na Tum Jaano Na Hum and Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. Faith in the actor was restored with dad Rakesh Roshan’s sci-fi film Koi… Mil Gaya that brought in ₹ 19 crore as collections and won him every possible award that season.
7.Munnabhai MBBS (2003): Long after his critically acclaimed performance in Mahesh Manjrekar’s action drama Vaastav (1999), Sanjay Dutt was saddled with tedious outings like Kurukshetra, Pitaah, Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin and Hathyar. The breather came with Rajkumar Hirani’s Munnabhai MBBS, a heartwarming comedy drama that made more than ₹ 7 crore in the country and has evolved into a successful franchise today. It remains one of Dutt’s most-loved characters.
8.Saathiya (2002): Rani Mukerji’s career went through a lull after the massive success of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). The next four years brought several inconsequential films including Hello Brother, Badal, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye and Mujhse Dosti Karoge. The much-needed respite came with Shaad Ali’s romantic drama Saathiya, a runaway hit that was remade from Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film Alaipayuthey and earned ₹ 4 crore at the box office. Rani was top of the game for nearly the next three years with movies like Hum Tum, Black and Bunty Aur Babli.
9.Mohabbatein (2000): After a brief sabbatical in the mid-90s, Amitabh Bachchan returned to the big screen only to play characters unconvincing for his real-life age. Films like Kohram, Hindustan Ki Kasam and Sooryavansham are proof. It was with Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein that he reinvented himself and came into his own. The film made ₹ 25 crore at the box office and established Bachchan as the only actor of his age with that clout.
10.Jaanwar (1999): For the longest time, Akshay Kumar was considered the action hero who couldn’t act. Duds like Keemat, Barood, International Khiladi and Zulmi brought in scathing reviews from all quarters. But the tables turned with Suneel Darshan’s Jaanwar, a father-son story that made collections of nearly ₹ 10 crore and brought out the sensitive actor in Kumar.
All figures have been sourced from movie websites Bollywood Hungama and IBOS Network.
