New Delhi: The Aamir Khan starrer Fanaa has been released after its fare share of crisis and controversies, courtesy Aamir himself. The opinions about the movie itself are rather mixed. But inspite of that the film is raking in record bucks.
Because Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi panned it, Gujarat banned it. They said no to Fanaa because Aamir Khan spoke against the state when he spoke for the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
But none from the banned brigade is complaining. Fanaa is running to packed houses in the rest of the country.
Fanaa, however, isn't the first to benefit from a controversy. In 2005, Salman Khan, decided to threaten his ex-girlfriend Aishwarya Rai and did that in sync with the release of Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya. Salman Khan also disclosed that he was close to the underworld. The expose only helped the film at the box office.
In 2004 with Murder, Mallika Sherawat said she will swim naked under water. Mahesh Bhatt was ecstatic. Then she refused and Bhatt was angry. He threatened to use a body double. The audiences thronged in to find out the truth. The movie was a success.
In 2002 Manisha Koirala's Ek Choti Si faced controversy. The end result, a small budget mediocre film earned its money and was termed a hit.
And who can forget Sanjay Dutt's Khalnayak. After the stars arrest in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, there was one man who probably secretly thanked his gods, director Subhash Ghai beaming with big bucks.
But controversies might not always help. Aamir Khan irked Mangal Pandey's descendents no end for visiting a brothel. They moved court. There was a huge controversy. The movie got a record-breaking opening but fizzled out with a whimper.
That also happened with Shayam Benegal's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose the Forgotten Hero which raised a lot of hue and cry. First for the title then the portions that dealt with the leaders liasion with Emily Shenkl. But none of these helped at the box office.
Well controversy or no controversy the box office understands only the language money.
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