Writer-director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s controversial action drama Animal, featuring Ranbir Kapoor as the protagonist, has polarised Hindi film-going audiences. However, Vanga has delivered a commercial outcome he must have been hoping for: the fourth highest-grossing film of 2023 — and still going strong.
One week old in the theatres, Animal, which was produced with an estimated budget of Rs 100 crore, has reportedly grossed around Rs 600 crore worldwide. These are extraordinary figures, possibly more than the expectations of the hardcore Ranbir Kapoor fan. What is more significant is that the film will not go away from the theatres anytime soon. At the moment, the film’s lifetime box-office score is a mystery.
Some have found Animal a disturbing and offensive film because of the maker’s unabashed indulgence in misogyny, toxic masculinity and mindless violence. But, critics of the film’s content have been outnumbered by satisfied filmgoers. Seen as a reckless man with a troubled mind and daddy issues, Ranbir Kapoor has proved — yet again — why he is possibly the most gifted star-actor of his generation. He is at the top of his game, which results in a near-flawless performance and holds the film together. Animal is a big-screen experience that is difficult to digest, but impossible to ignore. The problematic film, in short, has appealed to the average moviegoer despite its visible shortcomings.
Fifteen years ago, AL Murugadoss’s action thriller Ghajini (2008), featuring Aamir Khan, became the first Hindi film to cross the Rs 100-crore mark at the Indian box office. A lot has changed since then. Film budgets have gone up. The fees of leading stars have multiplied manifold. Ticket prices have touched the skies. OTT platforms have redefined the preferences of urban viewers. A recent phase scarred by commercial failures for the industry has come and gone.
All five highest-grossing films since the start of 2023 have a one common USP: action. Siddharth Anand’s action thriller Pathaan and Atlee’s action thriller Jawan have a second common factor: Shah Rukh Khan. SRK’s astonishing comeback, but in the image of an action star, has been the biggest story of 2023. Anil Sharma’s period drama Gadar 2 marked the return of Sunny Deol as Tara Singh, a character that became popular nationwide after the phenomenal success of the film’s prequel Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001). Gadar 2’s incredible success proved that Tara Singh’s appeal remained intact. Animal’s success is another evidence of Ranbir Kapoor’s ability to take up challenging assignments and deliver. Not everyone has liked the film, which is not surprising, but the film is a major success.
Among these success stories, Jawan and Pathaan have grossed more than Rs 1,000 crore worldwide. Gadar 2, the biggest surprise of the year, has reportedly grossed around Rs 690 crore globally. Animal has crossed the Rs 600-crore mark already. Maneesh Sharma’s action thriller Tiger 3, the third film of the Tiger series and fifth highest-grossing film, has fallen behind in the earnings race. Yet, it has reportedly grossed more than Rs 450 crore worldwide. Tiger 3 is an important success for Salman Khan, although the film has not helped him reemerge as a competitor for SRK.
Has social media helped Bollywood deliver several great commercial outcomes in 2023? While trending hashtags such as #BoycottBollywood hurt certain Hindi films last year — although the extent of loss because of this phenomenon cannot be determined — the near-absence of such activity has helped the ailing industry in 2023. Potential moviegoers have rejected bad films, of course, while several other films have failed to appeal to the average viewer and flopped. But, the industry has got what it needs: the return of the enthusiastic viewer who wants to see films that promise entertainment.
Moviegoers are looking forward to the release of four-time National Award-winning director Rajkumar Hirani’s comedy-drama Dunki. A December 21 release also starring SRK, Dunki revolves around a group of friends, who decide to take an illegal route to go to London. The recently released trailer revealed trademark Hirani qualities such as humour, emotions and good music. Dunki will clash with Prashanth Neel’s Telugu action drama Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, a lavishly mounted action drama about a clash between good and bad in a fictional universe starring Prabhas alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran. Neel’s KGF films had set the Hindi film box office on fire. However, taking on the highly anticipated Hirani-SRK combination in the market for Hindi films will be a different and difficult challenge for Neel and Prabhas.
Countless moviegoers will gravitate to the theatres in the last weekend of December. That has two implications: great entertainment for the ticket-buying public and solid business for the industry.
The writer, a journalist for three decades, writes on literature and pop culture. Among his books are ‘MSD: The Man, The Leader’, the bestselling biography of former Indian captain MS Dhoni, and the ‘Hall of Fame’ series of film star biographies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
Comments
0 comment