/> I write this piece with a lot of hope. And an optimistic man that I am, I am quite sure that tide will change for better as Bollywood moves out of first quarter of the year.

The period from January to March has been disastrous to say the least. Perhaps the worst ever this decade! Films have not just flopped left, right and center; they have been box office disasters all the way.

Each of the biggies has failed at the box office, whether it is ‘Chandni Chowk To China', ‘Billu Barber' and ‘Delhi 6′. On the other hand successes like ‘Dev D', ‘Raaz - The Mystery Continues' and ‘Slumdog Millionaire' haven't been big enough to compensate for the losses.

What's worse is to see complete lack of interest that is setting into audience when it comes to visiting theaters. In fact till as early as last year, a film was declared a flop after a one week run.

However, patience is fast running out amongst the trade as well which is quick to declare the film as a disaster on the opening Friday itself.

It is not at fault though because the current year has seen a new trend of shows being canceled left, right and center depending upon the Friday response. Frankly, the number of films that have met with such a fate has been unparalleled.

So far, so bad, so sad and so pathetic. So can one eventually have any hopes whatsoever in the months to come. If you ask me, definitely yes!

There is a strong lineup of ‘big films' that could salvage the show. And I am purposely refraining from mentioning 'small films' here because they always serve as a dessert but never as a main course.

A 5-10- 15 crore earner coming amidst 50 crores hit is always a welcome inclusion but never good enough to keep the show going for an industry worth thousands of crores.

Hits belonging to the ilk of ‘A Wednesday', ‘Phoonk' and ‘Dev D' are nice to add up to the total of successful films in a year but hardly make a difference to the report card that is generated at the end of a year.

That's the reason why if films like ‘Kal Kissne Dekha', ‘Jashn' or ‘Sikandar' turn out to be successful; it will be good for the makers though industry would still be thirsting for more.

Need of the hour is a movie like ‘8X10 Tasveer' or ‘Kambakkth Ishq' to do business on the lines of a ‘Singh Is Kinng' or a ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa' or a ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' that goes on to make 50/60/70 crores at the box office.

And I am not even talking about a 100 crore plus earner like ‘Ghajini' because history can't be expected to repeat itself so soon. Will the tide change for better in months to come? Watch this space!