High on hype, low on substance!

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /><img src="/photo/632545.cms" alt="/photo/632545.cms" border="0" /><br /><br />What''s the infallible formula for success? Or, is there any such formula in the first place?<br /><br />Every time a producer starts a film, he makes sure to consult an astrologer in most cases.The first shot is also filmed (<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">mahurat</span> ceremony in film parlance) at a particular time. There are also instances of film titles being chosen by fortune-tellers.<br /><br />A few producers also choose a particular alphabet for the title of their film since it spells luck. J Om Prakash has a penchant for titles starting with the alphabet ''A'', while his son-in-law Rakesh Roshan prefers the alphabet ''K''.<br /><br />Ekta Kapoor firmly believes in the alphabet ''K''. So much so that the titles of her TV serials begin with this alphabet. The fact that her shows were well received by viewers might have reinforced Ekta''s belief in the alphabet.<br /><br />Paradoxically, the very alphabet ''K'' didn''t spell luck for Ekta when she turned her sights to feature films. First <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kyo kii... Main Jhooth Nahin Bolta</span> (Govinda, Sushmita Sen, Rambha), then <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kucch To Hai</span> (Tusshar, Esha Deol, Natasha) and now <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Krishna Cottage</span> (Sohail Khan, Isha Koppikar, Natasha) have been rejected outright by the public. <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Krishna Cottage</span>, her latest film, didn''t even garner a face-saving initial, despite fantastic promotion.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />Was it because Sohail Khan''s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">I - proud to be an Indian</span> is still fresh in the minds of the viewers and that indirectly affected the opening of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Krishna Cottage</span>? Or did the viewers feel that <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Krishna Cottage</span> was an extension of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kucch To Hai</span>? Or did the two consecutive successes - <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Murder</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Masti</span> - overpower the collections of this slasher movie?<br />Or are the viewers waiting for the next BIG release - <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Main Hoon Na</span> – thereby giving it a skip?<br /><br />There have been instances of films opening on a slow note (both <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Baghban</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Munnabhai MBBS</span> didn''t open well when released!), but going from strength to strength with word of mouth publicity.<br /><br />That brings me to a pertinent point: If <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Krishna Cottage </span>was strong in merits (which it isn''t), its box-office collections would''ve shown a meteoric rise on the subsequent days. Instead, the collections showed a downward trend, meaning the word had spread that the film was high on hype, but low on substance.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><br />So, is there a formula for success? In my opinion, there''s none!<br /><br />There are instances of a film starring a rank newcomer (<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Phool Aur Kaante</span>) opening along side a biggie <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">(Lamhe)</span> and the former fetching better collections. There are instances of a debutante actor''s film (<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai</span>) getting sandwiched between two mighty oppositions (<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Mela</span> - a week before, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani</span> - a week later]. But, in the final tally, it was the newcomer who had the last laugh.<br /><br />There are countless instances of big-budget extravaganzas, which were expected to take an earth-shattering initial, opening to a dull response, thereby sending shock waves throughout the industry.<br /><br />There are instances of ''unlucky'' heroes becoming super-stars overnight with one solid hit <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Zanjeer</span>. Conversely, there are umpteen cases of a top star''s films going unnoticed for no particular reason.<br /><br />Can you analyze this?<br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The author is a prominent trade analyst.</span></div> </div>