Bhago Bhoot Aaya name a Horror fillum
ian
September 6, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE GHOST THAT WORKED: Raaz
Kamal Amrohi's debut Mahal (1949) starring Ashok Kumar was the first
horror film in Hindi cinema that worked.
Films like the Exorcist — inspired ones like Gehrayee or a Jaadu Tona
(Reena Roy-Feroz Khan) bombed at the BO. Once in a while if a
successful Jaani Dushman would come it would be followed by a Woh Phir
Aayegi or Raat.
From the '70s to the '90s horror films continued to remain stuck in a
time warp. Shoe-string budgets and awful special effects were the
common factors. And yet the films were entertaining and offered
something different.
A fact proved even today. A film like Devdas lost out to Aadamkhor
Haseena (2002) when it attracted 100 per cent houseful shows in the
first week.
2000 onwards saw a different phase of horror films. Vikram Bhatt's
Raaz and Ram Gopal Varma's Bhoot brought in a more stylised, subtle
sense of the supernatural without the ghastly special effects.
The success of Raaz and Bhoot brought in a spate of other ghostly
films. Saaya, Hawa, Darna Mana Hai, Krishna Cottage, even a Bhoot Ke
Peeche Bhoot which failed.
Inspite of the fascination for the supernatural, mainstream Hindi
horror films, barring a handful, have not really worked at the BO.
The latest examples being Rakht and Hum Kaun Hai despitetheir big
stars and special effects.
The Ramsay effect
Shyam and Tulsi Ramsay's biggest grosser till date has been Purana
Mandir (1984).
In 1972 Shyam Ramsay made Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche and there was no
looking back.
Made in Rs 35 lakh and revolving around evil spirits and twisted
creatures with sex and nudity thrown in, the films always would gross
over a crore.
Says Ramsay, "The reasons why our films made money was because they
were of a different genre from the routine-type horror. In other films
at the end it would be revealed that there were really no ghosts
whereas we would show real ones."
But last year the Ramsay brothers decided to go in for a change with
Dhund – The Fog. "It was a mistake," Ramsay admits. "It was a thriller
when people were expecting a horror film from us." Now they have gone
back to their old forte — horror with Aatma and Ek Raat.
Ingredients to make a bhoot blockbuster
Film critic Indu Mirani: "A scary horror film is weaving a story that
keeps you on the edge of the seat and frightens the life out of you.
Horror films shouldn't have songs especially item numbers. That's why
Bhoot worked. Most horror films don't work because they lack logic.
You can't take creative license in a horror film. There has to be a
logical progression of events. The Ramsays films worked because they
were low-budget yet scary. You expected green hands rising from the
grave and you got it."
Film analyst Komal Nahta: "The film has to keep the viewer frightened
and yet keep him involved in a guessing game right till the end. It
has to have hit music. Raaz had superhit music.
Also Raaz clicked because it had the right blend of tradition and
modernity. You can't have a Sunil Shetty (Rakht) burning his father
alive.
Top 5 horror grossers
• Mahal (1949, Ashok Kumar, Madhubala)
• Madhumati (1958, Dilip Kumar Vyjayanthimala)
• Gumnaam (1965, Manoj Kumar, Nanda)
• Jaani Dushman (1979, Sunil Dutt, Sanjeev Kumar, Rekha)
• Raaz (2002, Dino Morea, Bipasha Basu)
THE COLLECTIONS (APPROX FIGURES)
• Bhoot — made at Rs 6.5 crore — above average
• Saaya — Rs 2.5 - 3 crore — flop
• Hawa — Rs 2.5 crore — flop
• Darna Mana Hai — Rs 3.5 — 4 crore - broken even
• Krishna Cottage — Rs 4.5 - 5 crore — flop
Prithviraj Dasgupta
> Truth about horror
> September 6, 2004
Hello Ian,
It would be great if you could mention the source that you
are quoting these articles from, or, the person who has written
the article. (I understand you have done the latter in some
of your recently posted articles). RMIM archives are a great
source of information and completing the above information will
help keep them that way. Also, it might be a good idea to
restrict your quoted postings on RMIM to Indian music related
articles. I am sure you know about another newsgroup called RAMLI
that discusses Indian movies.
-Prithviraj
ian
> restrict your quoted postings on RMIM to Indian music related
> articles. I am sure you know about another newsgroup called RAMLI
> that discusses Indian movies.
>
> -Prithviraj
Point Noted.
Sometimes talking about music one refers to the type of film it was
also discussion about films brings about the discussion of songs
(music) it bore be it even background score.
Apologise in advance if this "sounds" not related to music.