The amazing success of Indra Kumar's Grand Masti puts a big question-mark on the expected turn-out for Raj Kumar Santoshi's Phata Poster Nikla Hero (PPNH). Would the eye-popping success of Grand Masti affect the Shahid's grand comeback plans?
Trade analyst Amod Mehra feels films are bound to be affected by the success of their counterparts released previously. `Whenever any film is declared a hit, the releases during the following week get affected. And if the new film's content is weak the successful film from the previous week overshadows the new film. `
While the week's other release Ritesh Batra's much-anticipated The Lunchbox has a totally different audience-profile PPNH is a comedy, albeit a far less off-colour comedy than Grand Masti, and therefore liable to be smothered by the storm of smut that the sex-comedy has released.
Says Bihar exhibitor Roshan Singh, `Grand Masti is doing roaring business. We don't expect a sizable fall in the audience attendance in the second week. Since Shahid's film is also a comedy its opening would be affected to a large extent. Grand Masti's comedy has the advantage of sex. `
PPNH director Raj Kumar Santoshi is unfazed by the competition that has crept up on his film from behind. `I've been around for 23 years as a director. I've seen too many trends and fads, ups and downs to be affected by anything. I am sure my film would do well regardless of the competition. `
Incidentally Santoshi's first directorial venture Ghayal was released on the same Friday in 1990 as the Grand Masti director Indra Kumar's Dil. Both were blockbusters.
Trade expert Komal Nahata doesn't think PPNH would be affected by the unexpectedly huge success of Grand Masti. `When there's scope for two releases during a week why can't PPNH and Grand Masti which are separated by a week do well when their release is separated by a week? PPNH can do well in the 1st week while side-by-side GM scores in its 2nd week. `
