[YEAR-END] Bollywood and Kollywood

Finally, the year has come to an end! The last official releases up North for the year were Aneez Basmee's WELCOME and actor-turned-director Aamir Khan's TAARE ZAMEEN PAR (Expect a review later today.) From the recent reports, both films have opened to full houses and postive response. For Akshay, it's another hattrick for him after back-to-back hits with Namastey London, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Down in Tamil Nadu, the latest to release this month was Ajit Kumar's Billa 2007. A remake of the Rajnikanth starrer in the 80s [which takes it's origin back to Chandra Barot's Don and Farhan Akthar's remake of last year with SRK] the film has taken a huge opening [as proven by the star's track record] and a good to excellent response from the audience.

Both sides aside, let's have a look at the hits and misses of last year.

Bollywood:

JAN:
GURU - HIT
SALAAM E ISHQ - FLOP


FEB:
BLACK FRIDAY - FLOP
UNDERTRIAL - FLOP
TRAFFIC SIGNAL - AVERAGE
EKLAYVA - FLOP
HONEYMOON TRAVELS - AVERAGE

MAR:
NISHABD - FLOP
RED - FLOP
WATER - FLOP
JUST MARRIED - FLOP
NAMASTE LONDON - HIT

APRIL:
BHEJA FRY - HIT
KYA LOVE STORY HAI - FLOP
TA RA RAM PAM - FLOP

MAY:
LIFE IN A METRO - HIT
CHEENI KUM - HIT
SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA - HIT

JUNE:
FOOL N' FINAL - FLOP
DHARAM - FLOP
RED SWASTIK, MP3 - FLOPS
JHOOM BARBAR JHOOM - FLOP
AAP KA SUROOR - THE MOVIEE - HIT
AWAARAPAN - FLOP
APNE - AVERAGE

JULY:
BOMBAY TO GOA - FLOP
NAQAAB - FLOP
PARTNER - HIT

AUGUST:
CASH - FLOP
GANDHI MY FATHER - FLOP
CHAK DE! INDIA - BLOCKBUSTER
BUDDHA MAR GAYA - FLOP
MARIGOLD - FLOP
HEYY BABY - HIT
RGV KI AAG - DISASTER

SEPTEMBER:
DARLING - FLOP
DHAMAAL - HIT
DHOL - HIT
JOHNNY GADAAR - FLOP

OCTOBER:
GO - FLOP
BHOOL BHULAIYAA - HIT
LAAGA CHUNARI - FLOP
SPEED - FLOP
JAB WE MET - BLOCKBUSTER
NO SMOKING - DISASTER

NOVEMBER:
OM SHANTI OM - BLOCKBUSTER
SAANWARIYA - FLOP
DHANA DHAN GOAL - AVERAGE
AAJA NACHALE - DISASTER

DECEMBER:
DUS KAHANIYAAN - FLOP
STRANGERS - FLOP
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR - (COLLECTIONS UPTO 25 crores+
WELCOME - (COLLECTIONS UPTO 25 crores+)

Total
Hits/Blockbusters: 15
Flops/Disasters: 29+
Averages: 3

Comments: Not great comparing to the success ratio of last year. Adding the hit status of TZP and WELCOME doesn't change everything though However, next year is full of surprises such as Tashan, Jodha Akbar, Ghajini Remake, Shortcut, and more.

KOLLYWOOD

JAN:
Pokkiri - Blockbuster
Aalwar - Flop
Paruthi Veeran - Blockbuster
Mozhi - Blockbuster
Pachakilli Muthucharam - Flop

FEB/MAR:
Muni - Flop
Vyabaari - Flop
Thirumuhan - Flop

April/May:
Unnale Unnale - Hit
Mayakannadi - Flop
Koodal Nagar - Flop
Maduraiveeran - Flop
Naan Avanillai - Blockbuster
Chennai 600028 - Blockbuster
Parratai Engira Azhagu Sundaram - Flop
Periyar - Blockbuster

June/July:
Sivaji - Blockbuster
Kireedom - Blockbuster
Veerappu - Hit
Thottal Poo Malarum - Flop
Aarya - Average
Pallikoodam - Average

August/Sept:
Marudhamalai - Hit
Sathum Podathey - Average
Malaikootai - Average
Tamil M.A - Average

Oct/Nov:
Kannammochi Yennada - Average
Azhagiya Tamil Magan - Flop
Pollathavan - Hit
Vel - Hit
Machakaran - Flop

Dec:
Billa 2007 - Hit

Total
Hits/Blockbuster: 14
Flops/Disasters: 12+ (includes small films not in list (source: sify.com))
Averages: 6

Comments: Seems that thanks to Billa, Kollywood has reasons to rejoice. Though the stats are nowhere near the greatness of 2004, it still looks better. However, the hits/Blockbusters seem to be on par with Bollywood's. Expect Vikram's comeback with Bheemaa, Kamal's Dasavatharam, and more next year.

Verdict: Both states have done 50% hits and 50% flops. Highlights of Bollywood would be the following: GURU, CHAK! DE, HEYY BABY, BHOOL BHULAIYAA, OM SHANTI OM, LIFE IN A METRO, CHEENI KUM, AAP KA SUROOR - THE MOVIEE. Kollywood had POKKIRI, MOZHI, PARUTHIVEERAN, CHENNAI 600028, POLLLATHAVAN, and BILLA