Family dramas to bring back crowds

Sharukh and Rani featuring in Chalte Chalte, a romantic family drama.

Trade analysts believe two big-budget family dramas -- "Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon" (I Am Crazy About Love) and "Chalte Chalte" (While On a Stroll) -- will delight massive crowds over and over again. Skin-showing thriller "Bhoot" and the sultry "Andaz" (allure) have already begun pouring badly-needed rupees into the industry's coffers.

"Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon" and "Chalte Chalte" are scheduled for nationwide release this month, while "Bhoot" was responsible for 80 per cent of cinema revenues when it opened last Friday.

"Andaz" looks to power its way into the number one spot at the box-office, collecting 9.28 million rupees (198,000 dollars) in its opening week in Bombay at the heart of Bollywood.

India's formulaic film industry is in desperate need of a blockbuster after losing more than three billion rupees last year on a string of rote and predictable pictures that failed to hold audiences through one screening.

Only "Jism," a titillating flick was a bankable hit for the industry last year.

The hallmark of success for a Bollywood film is an audience that can sing along to the musical numbers and quote line after line of dialogue -- proof they have seen the picture multiple times.

"Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon" revolves around a love triangle of three friends and boasts megastars including heartthrob Hrithik Roshan, ingenue Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan, son of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan.

The romantic family drama "Chalte Chalte" from superstar Shahrukh Khan features movie star Rani Mukherjee alongside Khan in the lead role.

Directed and produced by ace director Ram Gopal Varma, "Bhoot" tells the story of a young couple played by Ajay Devgan and Urmila Matondkar who move into a duplex unaware that its previous occupant committed suicide within its walls.

"Andaz had a full opening in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and drew 80 percent initials in Bombay."

"Not only that, it also saw the revival of Bombay's black market for tickets after a long period. Bombay's Gaiety theatre had tickets for the film selling at double the price."

The success of films featuring skimpily-clad beauties will likely usher in more just like them, with directors and studios eager to seize on something, anything, that will keep the crowds coming.