Rowdy Rathore puts Akshay back on top

One common ailment that every actor in B-Town suffers from is Friday jitters. A trade source says, “Actors often get affected with media reports over their brawls, alleged link-ups and socially-unacceptable behaviour, but nothing affects them more than the fate of their films at the box office, or the media obsession surrounding it.”
The source adds that all eyes are now on the box office, “and while an actor can manipulate the media with regard to most things that portray him in a negative light or at least attempt a fair amount of damage control, he cannot fudge box office figures because this is the judgement of the junta.”
Till March 2012, Akshay Kumar was not even in the reckoning for the top honours.But the Khiladi, who’d hit a bad patch with films like Tashan (2008), Chandni Chowk To China, 8x10 — Tasveer, Kambakht Ishq, Blue, De Dana Dan (all in 2009); Khatta Meetha, Action Replayy, Tees Maar Khan (all in 2010); Patiala House, Thank You, Desi Boyz (all in 2011), was trying to hold on to his superstar status by tooth or nail. In April, with the release of Housefull 2, the scales finally started to tip in his favour.
But it was the June 1 release ofRowdy Rathore that has really put the actor back on top with the likes of Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. The masala potboiler was critically slammed but has gone on to do wonders at the desi box office and found itself a place of pride in Bollywood’s most coveted ` 100 crore club.
Box Office collections (in crores)
1. 3 Idiots - ` 202 cr 2. Bodyguard - ` 148 cr 3. Dabangg - ` 143 cr 4. Rowdy Rathore - ` 128 cr* 5. Agneepath - ` 122 cr 6. Ready - ` 121 cr 7. RA.One - ` 118 cr (including Tamil, Telugu) 8. Ghajini - ` 115 cr 9. Housefull 2 - ` 112 cr 10. Don 2 - ` 110 cr 11. Golmaal 3 - ` 108 cr 12. Singham - ` 100 cr
(*Rowdy Rathore is still running in the fourth week but at a reduced number of screens because Teri Meri Kahaani and Gangs of Wasseypur released on June 22.
*Figures mentioned in box include close approximations on monies from satellite, overseas, music and ancillary rights)