It is a new year and Hindi filmdom, the biggest producer of movies in the world, is poised to deliver a robust box-office report card in January, breaking an age-old jinx.

January, not April, has been the cruellest month for Hindi film trade or Bollywood for some years now.

Films released during this month routinely die at the box-office and trade watchers display an almost weary resignation to the fact that the January jinx is stronger than any product the industry comes up with.

But it looks as if January is no longer the graveyard shift. The last film of 2004, "Dil Mange More", has set the cash registers ringing and more action is slated for the days ahead.

The teenybopper love story with a boy - Shahid Kapur - pitted against three girls has the usually grave film critics nearly raving. His boyish charms are winning him fans by the minute.

Adding to his appeal are the recently publicised images of Shahid and real-life girlfriend Kareena Kapoor locking lips.

The film, directed by Anant Mahadevan, and its music by Himesh Reshmmaiya are gaining popularity with many touting Shahid as the next Shah Rukh Khan in the making.

The box-office success of "Dil Mange More" will usher in a new beginning and this January will not prove to be the proverbial jinx for Bollywood.

Incidentally, cine-star Kareena had tried to keep the box-office smiling last year in January when the over-hyped "Chameli" was released. She created a stir with the film in which she essayed the role of a foul-mouthed sex worker.

In spite of the propaganda, Sudhir Mishra's film found favour neither with the dress circle crowd nor with frontbenchers. At the most, it added to Kareena's portfolio.

It provided an arty way out, still firmly within the commercial ambit, to a mainstream actress like Kareena, who ordinarily would have gone on accepting inconsequential Barbie doll roles despite a string of flops.

The line-up this January is a good indicator of what 2005 has in store for movie buffs.

The big-ticket, big-budget, mega-starrers will continue to be made, but they will be matched by "small" film made on shoestring budgets. Made with taut and focussed plots, here the story and not the star, is king.

In fact, Bollywood has never had so much money at stake in a single month as it has this January.

"If 2004 belonged to Yash Chopra, this month is crucial for other top guns of Bollywood like Subhash Ghai and Sanjay Leela Bansali," said a trade observer.

After a prolonged sabbatical from film direction, Subhash Ghai, Hindi film's most successful showman, will unveil "Kisna" that is undisputedly one of the most anticipated movies in the recent past.

The bilingual (in English and Hindi) has Vivek Oberoi in the title role of an Indian who goes against the colonial British empire. He is paired with a British actor played by Antonia Bernath and Esha Seth is an added attraction in the film.

The debutante from Kerala is a trained gymnast and is said to have delivered a good turn in the film. She has all the makings of emerging as the next big Subhash Ghai find, in the same lineage as Madhuri Dixit.

A lot is at stake in "Kisna" and the film's box-office report will play a deciding role in the careers of Ghai and Vivek. The exact release date of the film is still shrouded.

While some trade pundits said it is likely to go on the marquees Jan 21, others said the release date would depend on when the other much-awaited film of year - "Black" - is released.

"Black" marks the return of dream merchant Sanjay Leela Bhansali behind the camera after the spectacular "Devdas" stunned the world of cinema and "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" created box-office history.

Steering clear from trademark grandeur and opulence, Sanjay has this time dealt with the sensitive story of a physically challenged girl and her journey through life.

Anticipation is sky high from the film starring Rani Mukherjee and Amitabh Bachchan. The film's promos are promising the sky and going by Sanjay's shinning record, it is likely to deliver more than it promises.

Stories of how Amitabh broke down after watching some scenes during the making of the film are already doing the rounds and fuelling curiosity.

The fact that Rani is at the peak of her popularity and Amitabh is not doing too badly will help bring in the crowds and from there, few doubt Sanjay's ability to stun and mesmerise.