Aap Ka Surroor, released last Friday, has turned out to be one of the biggest box office openers in the recent past, with footfall at theatres on a par with superhits of 2006 like Krrish and Dhoom 2.

With big budget, mega-hyped and heavily promoted films sinking at the box office with unnerving regularity, the stupendous opening of the flick starring musician-actor Himesh Reshammiya has sent hopes soaring.

The triumph of a new banner vis-a-vis the drubbing of Yash Raj Films' Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Ta Ra Rum Pum reaffirmed that audiences' preferences follow no trends. Ta Ra Rum Pum did rake in more than Rs.150 million in two weeks, but has not been successful in single screens.

At best, it can be described as an average hit. On the other hand, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, pitted as Yash Raj Films' superhit of the year, is still struggling to find its feet after its June 15 release.

The biggest hit of the year so far is Bheja Fry, which cost Rs.6 million but has made about Rs.120 million. Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd collected about Rs.80 million and The Namesake also raked in approximately Rs.50 million. Other hits include Life in a... Metro, Traffic Signal and Cheeni Kum.

Among the big-budget films, Mani Ratnam was the only one whose seemingly commercially non-viable Guru garnered Rs.300 million. Other decent performers were Shootout At Lokhandwala, still running in theatres, and Namastey London. The latter is the story of an immigrant father trying to wed his daughter to a Punjabi man. The film has crossed the billion-rupee mark.

The duds of the year include Salaam-e-Ishq, Eklavya: The Royal Guard, Big Brother, Provoked, Life Mein Kabhi Kabhi, Shakalaka Boom Boom, Just Married, Water and Yatra.

Almost 45 out of 55 films that made it to the cinemas so far in 2007 have bombed, plunging revenues by 40 per cent compared to the same period last year. "Content in many of the films was not strong," Bollywood analyst told.

Trade analysts have pegged the losses from tanking films this year at an estimated $36 million. "Bollywood film-makers have not catered to masses or classes this year," said industry analyst Vinod Mirani.