GROUND ZERO
THE CREATIVE GLASS CEILING
Just heard that the gravity defying 3 Idiots has busted another
record. It has become the first Hindi film to gross $75 million on the
box office - overseas and Indian territories. That translates into a
staggering Rs 350 crore collections. Interestingly this is just box
office and does not include satellite TV, DVD, music and language
rights. While this success underlines the latent potential of Hindi
cinema and throws into stark relief the false and glass ceiling that
existed in the minds and hearts of industry wallahs, but it also
highlights one other thing. That the combine of Vidhu Vinod Chopra and
Raju Hirani has struck paydirt three times running - Jadu ki Jhappi,
followed by Gandhigiri and now yet another slice of life through the
homily of all izz well. For Chopra whose movies have never really been
commercial successes when he has directed them - Khamosh, 1942 A Love
Story, Parinda, Mission Kashmir (which was partly successful because
it wasn't very expensive) or even Eklavya, his teaming up with Hirani
has really worked for the banner. Imagine Eros International which was
in the race to distribute this film and was beaten at the proverbial
post by Reliance Big Entertainment, they must be ruing of what could have
been. Chopra has always made good films, but unsuccessful ones. As a
producer though, Munnabhai MBBS with Hirani at the helm was a
masterstroke. Lage Raho Munnabhai, a highly complex film because the
audience needed to accept Gandhi as a character in the movie. More
than that, somewhere the audience needed to be part of the inter play
and interface between Dutt and Gandhi. To everyone's amazement, it
worked like a charm.
Let us dwell on the potential of Hindi cinema briefly. Last week I was
critical of the scale and size of Hindi cinema when you compare it to
Hollywood. At the same time, $75 million tells you that there is a lot
of head room available. One needs to plug and play. If we make good,
relevant and interesting cinema which strikes a chord with the hoi
polloi, both the masses and classes, then Hindi films can raise the
bar in terms of revenue mobilisation. When Ghajini happened last year,
people were awestruck at the sheer magnitude of business. Now with 3
Idiots, the bar has been raised manifold. New vistas have been
explored. Which is a good thing. The emergence of the multiplex has
changed the revenue paradigm. Their proliferation will take revenues
to new highs in the coming years. Similarly, the overseas market which
wasn't being marketed effectively and efficiently is also leading to
new gains. I am sure in the years to come, the dynamics of delivering
hits will change. More prints both at home and abroad, more marketing
gimmicks from the stars, better promos and teasers, aggressive
promotional activities around the film and of course better and tauter
stories and screenplays will deliver at the B.O. And of course
corporatisation which has crept
in unnoticed. Reliance Big Entertainment, UTV Movies, Eros
International, Fox Star, Sony Pictures, and now one hears that the
Hindujas are also returning.
3 Idiots is a creative culmination of the Chopra-Hirani style of film
making. It is also the epitome of creativity. A confluence of the
creative talents and juices of Chopra, Hirani and of course Aamir
Khan. Khan has shown that he is getting better with time - Lagaan,
Taare Zameen Par and now 3 Idiots. All three different and yet there
is a stream of conciousness running through. A stream of sensitivity and
sensibility. Of touching a chord, human and humane at the same time.
The question is will 3 Idiots be their creative pinnacle? Will the
creative juices, bordering on the sublime now be able to deliver
another sensitive, humorous and satirical yet critical of the times
kind of cinema? And this holds good for all three. I will tell you why
I am thinking on these lines.
Many in the film industry reckon that while Sholay was one of the
greatest and most popular films ever made, it practically meant the
creative deathknell for three of its principal players - producer G P
Sippy, director Ramesh Sippy and actor Amjad Khan. You can argue that
Amjad Khan played many a character in films, but none greater than
Gabbar Singh. He could never ever climb out of the Gabbar
straitjacket, it shackled his stature and performances as an
actor.Yes, Ramesh Sippy made Shakti which pitted Dilip Kumar
versus the brooding Amitabh Bachchan in one of his finest portrayals,
but Sippy had peaked with Sholay. That remains his defining film, just
as it remains Amjad Khan's. None of the three could ever reach the
heights of Sholay.
And this has happened repeatedly over the years. I am giving the
analogy of Sholay because it involved three people and of course one
can compare it to 3 Idiots in terms of revenues and canvas. But
creatively, if you look at the careers of some of our biggest stars of
yesteryears, then there is always that one defining film in their
oeuvre. I don't think Dharmender ever acted better than he did in
Satyakam. Ditto for Dilip Kumar who produced Ganga Jamuna, I don't
think he ever acted better. And that is saying a lot because Dilip
Kumar has delivered powerhouse performances time and again during his
career. Who can forget Mughal e Azam, Naya Daur a personal favourite,
Sunghursh (another personal favourite) or Madhumati, but Ganga remains
his greatest role. Yusuf
Khan aka Dilip Kumar not only produced Ganga Jamuna (the only time
ever) but he also wrote the story and screenplay. It was a coming
together of his best strains. It is also remembered
for his brother Nasir Khan who many believe outshone Dilip Kumar in
the film. Yet, Dilip Kumar surpassed himself in this 1961 classic. It
had all the ingredients of a cult film - good vs evil, two real
brothers pitted against one another and one dying at the hands of the
other. Wow, what more can yoiu ask. In many ways like Mehboob Khan's
Mother India where Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raj Kumar
acted out of their skins. Or Bharat Bhushan who could never do better
than his essaying the part of Mirza Ghalib.
In many ways this creative peaking is also a jinx. However, hard one
tries after that peak, you cannot go higher or achieve greatness
thereafter. It is like climbing Everest in the old days, where do you
go after that? Similarly, the showman Raj Kapoor made many great
films, he acted in an equally number of outstanding films, but the
creative zenith of his career came in Sangam. It captured everything
that Raj Kapoor stood for - romance, emotion, imagination,
visualisation, grandoise scale. As
Sunder, Raj Kapoor displays his craft as an actor and director. I
loved Raj Kapoor in Jagte Raho, even Teesri Kasam, but Sangam was the
showman through and through. Everything that he stood for or embodied
was on show in Sangam. Take Amitabh Bachchan, his body of work is
stupendous. While there are many performances that are unforgettable,
Zanjeer and Dewaar till this day remain a symbol of AB.
Look at Dev Anand for example. You can swear by the famous line Johnny
Mera Naam nahin, but the indelible impression that he has left in our
minds as Raju guide in Guide remains embedded in our memory recesses
till this day. I was a great Dev
Anand fan and used to enjoy his black & white films as well - Hum
Dono, Kaal Pani, Taxi Driver, Kaal Bazaar (though they were much
before my time) - adored him in Jewel Thief,
Johnny Mera Naam, Tere Mere Sapne; but one just cannot forget Raju guide.
Like Raj kapoor, Dev Anand was a producer par excellence. He was also
blessed that he had his brother, the amazing Vijay Anand directing him
in several of these films.
Will this jinx dominate Chopra, Hirani and Aamir Khan after the
unprecedented success of 3 Idiots? Will they be able to cross this
creative threshold in the future? Aamir Khan for one can. That he
could direct a sensitive film like Taare Zameen Par shows that he has
petrol left in the tank. One can argue that after Munnabhai MBBS, was
it possible to make a film like Lage Rehao, but the Chopra-Hirani duo
did, not once but twice, now with 3 Idiots as well. It will be a
challenge for all three to better their work in 3 Idiots. While
creativity has no limits, and remains infinite, the ability to draw
from the inner most recesses after attaining creative nirvana is
always difficult. You might continue to be successful, but can you
find the same form again? Raj Kapoor made Bobby, Satyam Shivam
Sundaram and his biggest blockbuster Ram Teri Ganga Maili after
Sangam, but Sangam was well, a confluence of all his abilities. Dilip
Kumar has never produced another film after Ganga Jamuna. These are
tell tale signs. Aamir Khan has decided not to act for sometime. He
doesn't have any acting project on the anvil, there are no releases
other than Dhobi Ghat which he is producing where he has a special
appearance. Some element of creative fatigue has already set in. Will
Chopra and Hirani take Munnabhai to America, or will they make a
sequel to Idiots, nevertheless, it is a tough act to follow.
(Impact)
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