Skin...no show

After raking in the moolah initially, the much-hyped Billa, found itself tottering at the box-office.
And surprisingly, even the sizzling dare bare act of hotshot Anushka failed to bolster its fortunes, raising thequestion of whether the strategy of riding on skin show is giving filmmakers the edge. Agreed that scorching publicity with steamy stills does arouse curiosity, and even gets the initial draw, but soon the glam act fizzles out.���������������������������We didn't promote the bikini act as the USP of our film,��������������������������� protests Meher Ramesh, director of Billa, who claims that every script can accommodate some scenes with the heroine sporting a bikini, but he chose to do it because it was a ���������������������������significant��������������������������� part of his well-knit script. However, what must be appreciated the director thinks is ���������������������������despite being a star-centric film, we gave equal footage to the female lead.��������������������������� Besides, he also had the well-endowed Namita strolling down the poolside in a swimsuit, vying for the attention of suave don, Prabhas. But all said and done, the bottom line is ��������������������������� the audience didn���������������������������t give their nod to make it a blockbuster.
Even yester year glam divas like Sridevi (Vetagadu), Jayasudha (Yugandhar), Rambha (Bombay Priyudu), Divya Bharati (Assembly Rowdy) and Naghma (Peddintalludu) indulged in skin show, wearing swimsuits that left audience gasping for breath. But while some of them were hits, some bombed. Riding on the skin show wave, sexy siren Nayantara too displayed her curves in bold postures in the stills of Salute last year. Hard as it may have been to miss her scorching hoardings, her dare bare acts couldn't save the film from disaster. The lure of the bikini didn't spare national-award-winning-actress Priyamani either, whose bikini avatar in Drona created ripples. ���������������������������I wanted to showcase a new facet of mine,��������������������������� she had said, prior to the release. Her sizzling posters generated interest, but the film couldn't set the box office on fire. Post release, she said she received a `mixed response' but quick to realise the futility of her efforts, as a post script she added, ���������������������������a good script will always be the key.��������������������������� Producer Radha Mohan supports her view. ���������������������������Nothing can replace a solid script,��������������������������� he avers. But in his film Adhineta, he too had Hamsa Nandini in a swimsuit. ���������������������������Nandini had a positive role and glam was just a part of it,��������������������������� he defends. He concedes however, that skin show can only spice up a film, but can never be its USP. And as if to affirm this view, audiences didn't take kindly to the overdone glam act of Mumaith Khan in Punnami Naagu and it crashed badly at the BO.
Irrespective of whether skin show is saleable or not, Gen Y actresses have declined to join the hottie brigade. ���������������������������I just can't do it. I am open to glam roles but skin show, no way,��������������������������� says Gaurie Pandit of Houseful fame. Another actress Sindhu Menon of Siddham fame admires the guts of actresses who flaunt their bodies, but wouldn't dare do it herself. ���������������������������I have always disliked skin show and bikinis, although I was sometimes forced to do it.��������������������������� But hastens to add assuredly, ��������������������������� Now, I have put my foot down.��������������������������� Mumbai-girl Meenakshi Dixit of Lifestyle fame thinks so too. ���������������������������I am not keen on doing it,��������������������������� she says. With even the bolder debutants from Mumbai saying ���������������������������No, No��������������������������� to skin show, the trend may have to wait for a season to get its day in the sun.