A look at the films that have set the silver screen ablaze in the last few years

Ask any filmmaker and he will tell you how Diwali is perhaps the best time to release a movie in the Indian market. History is replete with examples of how producers have ended up richer and fatter after every Diwali release. Irrespective of how good or bad your movie is, you will end up laughing your way to the bank as the festive season would ensure that maximum footfalls for your movie. Traditionally, Diwali has been the luckiest time of the year for actor Shah Rukh Khan who has given his biggest money spinners during this time. Be it Dil Toh Pagal Hai or Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, SRK’s Midas touch as evident in the 90s during Diwali has remained intact and continued in to the new century as well. Aamir too tasted immense success with Raja Hindustani which was released during Diwali. This year, though, Khans have decided to lie low during Diwali leaving the field open for Hrithik’s Krrish 3 which happens to be the sole release this Diwali. And expectedly the movie has received a bumper opening. Let’s take a look at how movies released in the last decade have fared during Diwali. 2012 Two big titans – SRK and Ajay Devgn – clashed at the box-office with Jab Tak Hain Jaan and Son of Sardaar respectively. Much was expected but both outings turned out to be colossal disappointments. Even the big daddy of Indian cinema, Yash Chopra’s return couldn’t save Jab Tak Hain Jaan from sinking. The film was thrashed by critics and didn’t find much favour among the audience as well. Ajay Devgn’s magnum opus Son of Sardaar was an even bigger disaster and was panned for its meaningless plot. But the makers of the movie had the last laugh. Sons of Sardaar went on to collect 100 crore at the box-office. The Diwali effect, we say. 2011 SRK’s pet project Ra One took off in style in Diwali. Shah Rukh, who had exuberantly promoted this sci-fi movie in the biggest possible way, received a thumping festive opening at the box office. The critics, however, were far from impressed with the pedestrian movie plot. But the special effects used in the movie impressed one and all, setting new benchmarks for VFX in India. Last but not the least; the songs became super popular especially among kids. Box-office verdict – A SRK movie during Diwali just cannot fail at the box-office. Jab Tak Hain Jaan was just an aberration. Ra One saw SRK chamak challoing his way to his bank. 2010 Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgn made a splash this year with Golmaal 3. The comic caper made terrific business at the box-office went on to become the 2nd highest grosser of 2010 after Dabangg. The other movie that released alongside was Action Replay starring Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai. This one sank without a trace. 2009 A total of three movies released this year. All The Best –The Fun Begins starring Ajay Devgn, Blue featuring Akshay Kumar and Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna with Salman Khan in the lead role. Out of these three films, Blue was the most expensive movie and was touted to do big business. Sadly it got submerged under water and incurred huge losses. Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna made with a total budget of 15 crore raked in 53 crore at the box-office. Though it could be called a hit commercially, this Salman Khan movie didn’t exactly create the kind of magic one normally expects from him. All The Best – The Fun Begins was the greatest benefactor of the festive season this year. Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgn’s combined star power was immediately lapped up by the audience who flocked in hordes to see the movie thereby making it the Diwali hit of 2009. 2008 The mischievous duo of Ajay and Rohit were at it again with Golmaal Returns. Needless to say, Golmaal Returns made money and how. Made on a budget of 24 crore, the movie amassed a total of 51 crore in its box-office run. Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion also released during this Diwali. The movie was universally loved both by audience and critics. Many even christened it as the best women-centric films in Bollywood. Though the movie didn’t make it to the top 10 grossers of the year, it did enough business to be termed a hit. 2007 This Diwali two stars whose destinies were meant to be entwined were born. Saawariya which gave India it’s future superstar in the form of Ranbir Kapoor while King Khan’s Om Shanti Om introduced Bollywood’s reigned diva, the ethereal Deepika Padukone to the world. Unfortunately, Ranbir’s debut vehicle was smashed to smithereens by both audience and critics alike. It bombed badly at the box-office leaving the Kapoor lad in tears. On the other hand, SRK and his team made merry with Om Shanti Om making it one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. 2006 It was the year of Shah Rukh Khan again. And this time King Khan was reprising the legendary role of Amitabh Bachchan in Don. The movie didn’t open to good critical appreciation but the combined star power of Shah Rukh and Farhan Akhtar saw Don making immense profit. 2005 It was a double whammy for director Priyadarshan this year with two of his movies – Garam Masala and Kyon Ki releasing on Diwali. A happy proposition for Priyadarshan later turned out to be a nightmare when Salman Khan starrer Kyon Ki received a tepid response at the box-office. The audience was in no mood to watch the melodrama offered by Kyon Ki and instead chose Garam Masala which enticed one and all with rib-tickling comedy and sexy bikini beauties. 2004 Four films released this year - Veer-Zaara, Aitraaz, Naach and Mughal-E-Azam (colour version). While Naach vanished without a trace, Aitraaz did manage to hold the viewer’s interest with a good story line and excellent acting and the overt sexual overtones But this Diwali definitely belonged to Veer-Zaara. Aficionados simply loved Yash Chopra’s cross border love story that had Shah Rukh playing a dashing army officer who gets incarcerated in a Pakistani prison. The scene in the Pakistani courtroom where SRK reads out Hindi poetry got him a standing ovation at many cinema halls. Mughal-E-Azam too was loved by the masses.