You need to understand, even though the first Drishyam (Hindi) was only an average grosser when it was released (80cr nett or so IIRC), it was a huge hit when it got aired on TV with numerous screenings getting great TRPs. So the northies loved the movie when it came on TV (Simialr to the 1st KGF Hindi) which acted as the perfect catalyst for the sequel.
I did see HR's comment about VV not doing well....he gets the fact that majority of his fans wants his to do larger than life action movies, however he is a sort of person if he likes a script he will go for it irrespective of the film's BO potential.
HR was the numero uno in Bollywood in 2006 after the release of Krrish and Dhoom 2, it would have been very easy for him to keep that streak going by doing similar action / dance popcorn entertainers, but he did not have a release in 2007 and the next film he did was Jodhaa Akbar which was completely a different genre. Another gap in 2009 (apart from a cameo) then in 2010 he had Kites and Guzaarish. So it is pretty evident how the man works. Let me tell you very frankly, there is no actor in India who tests the fans' patience and make them frustrated like him.![]()
Last edited by Tony Stark; 12th January 2023 at 10:32 AM.
Drishyam, KGF & even Baahubali sequels are results of TV success. Now Pushpa can be credited to a small extend becoz Allu Arjun started promoting dubbed versions of his movies like Alai Vaikuntapura etc. But I dont think a dubbed version of Lucifer might work there because of the nativity and the complexities in the script. I believe a Marakkar would have worked becoz of the simplicity of the script.
I believe VV has a serious box office potential and would have done well if it was release pre-covid days. Post covid, just like Mohanlal, situations changed. Many might have seen VV dubbed versions (as you said) during the lockdown. This is exactly where Mohanlal gone right and later wrong.
See, I am being brutally honest here. Bollywood dont have a Mohanlal kinda actor or Mammotty who can raise mainstream cinema with their charisma and starpower and performance oriented movies. I was under the impression that hardwork can deliver goods but again thats no match for out n out talent. The best example is what Aamir did with LSC. He failed completely as an actor which IMO killed the movie. Now we are talking about one of the best in the game in terms of hardwork, dedication etc. HR is a hardworking actor. But has he really pushed the envelope with his performance?? I don't think so (Maybe I saw loads of Malayalam Cinema). If you see Koi Mil Gaya & Kaabil and compare the body language, you can see loads of similarities. People tend to think he is a brilliant actor just like how people perceive SRK, Ranbir Kapoor as brilliant actors because they look good onscreen. Ranbir keeps on playing the love failure or man child role in majority of his movies including Sanju. Its that his movies were written well, compliments with his performance. Ae Dil Has Mushkil, Wake Up Sid, Rockstar etc. When he tried different, he failed. SRK has been the same for past 20 decades. His lucrative charisma is mistaken as performance. Now I know HR is the best to play Dhoom 2, ZNMD, Krrish etc. But the common factor is more than performance, he has to look good. Actually he is not challenged by a stronger performer in Bollywood (becoz they dont have one). This is why Malayalam Cinema stands tall in terms of performance, Mohanlal and Mammotty inspires each other to go next level to survive. Same case for supporting cast. Maybe thats why he is taking break becoz he doesn't want to repeat himself. Thats the very same reason why Vijay, Rajni does movies with a gap while Ms does 2-3 movies an year!!!
Mammooty / Mohanlal pole oru hero oriented longevity onnum Bollywood il illa....you saw How Amitabh Bachchan tried to keep on playing hero late into his 50s and it got backfired spectacularly and from Mohabbatein onward he has been playing characters befitting his age. Remember AB was 58 while doing Mohabbatein, and here you have Mammootty still playing 35-40 year old hero at 71Even Rajni and Kamal (apart from Vikram) were churning out duds last few years. So our 'Ms' are an exception. Also it makes one question why we don't have a equally capable 2nd layer to them...
Bachchan started to lose his stardom towards the end of 80s 80s. Infact his starpower in its complete sense is lesser than 2 decades. You recall how pathetic he was during 90s and was almost a joke until KBC & Mohabattein came into picture. Also Bollywood always took charismatic actors as great actors. Rajesh Khanna, Big B, SRK are cahrismatic actors and thats why they became the biggest stars during their. Ranveer Singh is trying desperately to achieve that. I don't think they had really "great actors" that can be called as stars. If you observe carefully, Big B's eyes are not at all expressive like Dilip Kumar or SRK. So someone like HR or Ranbir are never challenged to an extend. With nepotism growing more (like Telugu), the quality of the performance will go more down.
Now in Tamil, where we have actors coming from stage bringing similar performance onscreen, people tend to claim that as acting. Sivaji Ganesan, MGR started off. Then we see Rajni imitating MGR with his style and Vijay imitating Rajni. I seriously believe Rajni could have been a far better actor if he wasnt the star he was. On other hand, Kamal Hassan is overrated IMO (I know many will kill me for this). Even in his last Vikram, you really feel he is acting and there is a camera around. Take 2 scenes!! The scene where he changes his expression as he takes the baby upstairs (When Fahad narrates that he got two faces). Then what about the chewing the gum shot in the final scene of the movie?? I rarely seen him being effectively natural but more of a performer. Thats where Drishyam and Paapanasham stays apart. Now since people started to accept their style, their fans started to call them great actors...like Vijay by Vijay fans
While Mammotty & Mohanlal are clearly great actors who became stars. Now when Mammotty had a pathetic 2010 decade, how many actually write him off?? The reason is the actor is still there and you cant erase that portion. Same case for Mohanlal. These both can bounce back with their acting capabilities. Thats where the longevity happened and the versatility (which helped Mohanlal more) added to it. This is why the next set of actors cant replace these two. None including Fahad possess that brilliance. Fahad is the best amongst young actors in terms of performance but not the best of all time. And reality is there is no actor belong to FF's level in other main industries. Thats why he was able to easily shine in a movie like Vikram when given chance. Its an open fact that he is the key reason why Vikram became a success in terms of cast.