If 2004 was the year of the letter 'M' in Bollywood, then this year certainly looks promising for the letter 'B'.

From Mallika Sherawat and "Murder" to "Main Hoon Na", "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi" and "Masti" to "Mughal-e-Azam", many hit names began with the letter 'M'.

But it looks like 2005 is going to be the year of 'B'. Beginning with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black", which opens January-end, a whole string of films with titles starting with the letter are ready to strike the box office.

Strangely, three films with the word 'black' are scheduled for the beginning of 2005.

Besides Bhansali's "Black", there's "Blackmail", directed by Ajay Devgan's cousin that features the actor in the lead. Right after that, there's Anurag Kashyap's hard-hitting "Black Friday" about the Mumbai terror attacks of 1993.

Moving on to other significant 'B'-related happenings in 2005, Dharmesh Darshan's family epic "Bewafaa" comes at the beginning of February. And his brother Suneel Darshan's new film is entitled "Barsaat".

After the success of "Baghban" in 2003, Ravi Chopra has named his new Amitabh Bachchan-Hema Malini tearjerker "Babul".

Also, Amitabh and son Abhishek Bachchan get together for Shaad Ali's "Bunty Aur Babli".

If all these films do well, the question to 'B' or not to 'B' will certainly be resolved.