RANKING THE STARS (jan 08)
1. ShahRukh Khan - yes.. still on top. But in a much stronger position than a year back. Seems like no movies for a year. Unless JA makes it really big or Hrithik has a few big ones in the meantime, his position should be unaffected till his next release.
2. Hrithik Roshan… if JA makes it big, he will be at close heels with Srk.. and if it’s a real huge one (blockbuster plus) then I, for one, will put him right there at the very top. if JA flops, it will quite a big setback. With Kriish and D2 he had closed much of the gap between him and SrK… CDI and more importantly OSO made the gap bigger.. and if JA also flops.. he falls many steps below to join Aamir and Akshay in an entirely lower tier. And all the while we are talking of India alone, Worldwide he has a long way to go till he catches up with SrK.
3. Aamir .. As always .. he’s in the race simply coz he delivers hits and superhits (used to be above average and semi-hits in the 90’s) in movies that other stars are more than likely to simply flop. However, it’s the massy ones… biggies like Fanaa that actually raise his market value and catches the attention of the distributers the most. The stars below him can deliver a Fanaa as well, but they aren’t able to deliver a TZP. For the stars above him on the list, delivering a Fanaa is like drinking water. And yes their “fanaas” are usually atleast 15-20% bigger in gross. However, Ghajini is an equation changing film. If it does a Dhoom2 or Kriish, Aamir closes much of teh gap between him and Hrithik.. and double up if JA flops, he shoudl be put right along with Hrithik, if not above him. but, if Ghajini flops then Akshay, who is at Aamir’s heels, will simply walk pass him and should be put above him on the star ranking charts. So yeah… Ghajini is the equation changing and the most important film of 2008 for those who love keepin track of star stakes.
4. Akshay kumar, yes he had 4 successful flicks this year.. 3 superhits and one blockbuster. and yes no other star has done that in decades… and yes he’ s at the very peak of his career.. but NO he’s not ahead of Aamir. because none of those hits, and even if it were only 2 releases in teh year, is a bigger grosser than a Fanaa or a Dhoom2/Kriish (for those comparing him with Hrithik). I am one of those few here, who put Akshay behind Abhishek exactly a year ago. And thought he was only slightly head of Salman as well. Today, he’s light years ahead of Abhishek and Salman.. and has closed most of the gap between himself and Aamir and as I said earlier, if Ghajini flops, and he’s able to keep his current from through 2008 , he will crossed Aamir sometime during the year. But if Ghajini is a big hit, then Akshay will have to have done something really extra-ordinary to climb above Aamir.
5.Abhishek Bachchan.. to me Guru’s hit business counts more than a Partner’s blockbuster as far as the position of teh stars in question is concerned. And yes.. Marigold was a bigger flop than any other in recent years. Also.. if I not mistaken Abhishek still gets better offers than Salman does.
Rohit,
It is for a lack of better word, just a misunderstanding.
Your intentions are pure.
Lets not get hung up on one ...
Satyam, read jayshah's reply on screening. He will educate you a bit.
The most frustrating thing with it comes to ...
For my part, I'll say this, although I was initially going to give Rohit an email myself...
I've been a part ...
Gnight little bro. Hope by the time you wake , this all looks like a dream and not resemble a ...
I hope everything will be normal when i wake up tomorrow..
And this will be my last comment till Satyam shows ...
Have to leave for a meeting now. 
Rocky- Gusse mein log bahut kuch bol dete hain, they don't always mean it or regret it later.
Comment by rks on 17 January 2008:
Street: Good write-up. I have some disagreemnet with some of the arguments but broadly I agree.
IMO
1.SRK
1.5. Akshay
2. Hrithik
4. Salman
5. Abhishek
Aamir is in separate list.
BTW have you seen Dharm?
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 17 January 2008:
No.. i haven’t.. perhaps the only “worth-while” film I have not seen from 2007. Last films I watched were TZP and Aaja Nachle.. and really loved both of them.. really made up for much of the lacklustre year.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 17 January 2008:
Aamir ins a sperate list? lol.. come on man..
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 17 January 2008:
and akshay above Hrithik? again.. come on.. DO you see Akshay today getting an offer like Jodha Akbar, Don, RDB or a Dhoom2? I don’t..
Comment by rks on 17 January 2008:
” DO you see Akshay today getting an offer like Jodha Akbar, Don, RDB or a Dhoom2?”
But if you take lower rung producers to same numbers as one you have mentioned, then there is something in the Star?
Comment by devesh on 17 January 2008:
Street: i agree with RKS about Akshay, but wud put him at par with hrithik.
In fact, Akshay has a great and pretty different lineup of movies this year. wait n watch.
Comment by JustaFan on 17 January 2008:
Akshay is almost tied with SRK as far as box office goes…the only thing keeping him from moving ahead is a superhit in a different type of movie (say a love story). If Hrithik gets JA to anything above 60, he moves ahead of SRK because JA is a much much riskier project than CDI.
I am not really sure where Aamir fits here because I don’t see any other actor even attempting a movie like TZP, much less directing or producing it…not to mention taking it to 50 CR.
Comment by Nitesh on 17 January 2008:
in complete agreement with rks…
1. Akshay is before Hrithik now.
2. Aamir belongs to a separate list
2008 will erase whatever little doubt one has about his position.
IMO by the end of 2008, he will come closest to SRK..much more than Hrithik ever was.
Comment by Nitesh on 17 January 2008:
2008 will erase whatever little doubt one has about Akshay’s position.
IMO by the end of 2008, he will come closest to SRK..much more than Hrithik ever was.
Comment by Nitesh on 17 January 2008:
agree with justafan on Aamir.
He is in the league of extraordinary actor-star
Comment by akshay shah on 17 January 2008:
Well written piece here..
“and yes he’ s at the very peak of his career.. but NO he’s not ahead of Aamir. because none of those hits, and even “–disagree with this quiet a bit..Akshay is FAR FAR from peaking IMO! His “biggieS” haven’t even released yet!
Comment by akshay shah on 17 January 2008:
I agree with you Nitesh..by the end of 08 Akki will be in a even stronger position….TASHAN…CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA…
Comment by amitk79 on 17 January 2008:
Hi..I agree that Aamir is in da league of his own.
About Hrithik I will say he does very few movies but quality ones.
Akshay doesnt do any quality movies and almost all his movies are multi starrers(Give some credit to others guys). Plus he lacks versatality(gets stuck up to 1 genre) and can never be rated as a genuine actor. So I dont really give him as much credit as many of u guys do.Anyways to each his own.
Comment by rks on 17 January 2008:
Welcome to the forum Amitk79.
Comment by Nitesh on 17 January 2008:
welcome to the forum amit….
Comment by Nitesh on 17 January 2008:
amitk…to counterargue your point, i will say that success redifnes the meaning of talent, versatility as you say….
a case in point is SRK…who too faced similar flak when he really arrived big time.
will love to read more from you…
wish that you have lots of fun on NG.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 January 2008:
Justafan “Akshay is almost tied with SRK as far as box office goes”
- Lemme know when SrK delivers an 85 cr grosser.. IN INDIA… don’t even bother ’bout overseas… or bout getting a 65cr grosser from a CDI-type movie.
“… If Hrithik gets JA to anything above 60, he moves ahead of SRK because JA is a much much riskier project than CDI. ”
- I’m just not sue bout that. I can bet you that CDI would have done atleast a crore or two movre if there were a certain Ash in the movie.. don’t forget .. that after Kajol, As is the biggest female star out there. Anyways.. a love story (that JA is) with SrK and Ash is anyday safer a film than a songless movie about woman’s hockey withc a bunch of nobodies.
“I am not really sure where Aamir fits here because I don’t see any other actor even attempting a movie like TZP, much less directing or producing it…not to mention taking it to 50 CR.”
- and I don’t really see any other actor attemting a an OSo.. not to mention taking it to 85+ cr. Remember Akshay’s biggest disapointment in recent times was an OSO-type affair … JeM.. and teh same’s true about AbBhishek and his biggest setback in YEARS - JBJ. So yeah.. Srk may not be able to deliver a TZP (it’s still questionable..coz he was able to deliver aCDI)but I can assure you that Aamir will never be able to deliver an OSO either.. and yes OSO is much bigger a hit than TZP can ever get.
Comment by jayshah on 18 January 2008:
Welcome Amit
Comment by ILG on 18 January 2008:
Street,
Mr.Jackyll and Hyde.
Nice write up.One may or may not agree with the list but it gladdens me to see that it is so constructive.
Comment by ILG on 18 January 2008:
SRK,looking purely at numbers is in a very strong position but the ennui is setting in except with his most ardent fans.
He has to reinvent himself and that too in a big way to keep up.OSO was a one time deal.Something of the same class is not going to work again.
Comment by Ravi on 18 January 2008:
What is happening with me? I agree 100% with SP, maybe SP’s Aatma has taken me over.
Very good write up and I think on the spot rankings, I agree with you 100% that HR is the closest to SRK presently and JA is successful will vault him over SRK and even the non success of JA will not dent him much.
As far as Akshay goes he has done extremely well and it is a credit to him that he has been so successful this year and he deserves every bit of the success but that sais, this year Nitesh bhai if his different movies become hits like last year will put him close to the top 2 and so till then he is still missing something.
As far as Aamir goes he is on a different level and cannot be compared with anyone else and Aby’s baby do not count him out, this year will make or break him with respect to being a serious contender to HR or just a also ran.
Comment by amitk79 on 18 January 2008:
hey guys..
I dont really see the point of success showing versatality..argument is baseless..was Maqbool a success?? not much if it ever was..was Jhonny Gaddar a success..not much I guess..success has nothing to do vth talent and versatality..many thrashy movies have suceeded and many good ones have gone unnoticed(or havnt been that successful)..its a fact..if u fail to see it den its probably coz u dont wanna see it..
and about Aamir cant deliver OSO..ya he sure cant..seriously he will loose all his reputation..he tried Fanaa though..that worked for him really well..
Comment by amitk79 on 18 January 2008:
By success I mean to refer to BO success..coz thats wt u guys were refering to
Comment by sandy on 19 January 2008:
As usual, don’t agree that HRithik is at Number 2. The guy is probably a notch higher than Akshay Kumar, since he obviously enjoys more prestige as an actor and is more exclusive. In that sense, Akshay is the poor man’s Hrithik.
But certainly, SRK and Aamir are Number one by me. I’d had given this year to SRK, had it not been for the phenomenon that TZP proved to be. I mean, this was truly a spectacular achievement and remember that Aamir was also the director here, so that’s a double whammy.
Also, this film is not your mid-level hit. It’s a super-duper hit already and a seven crore forth week means that it can scale higher than anyone can imagine. Given its niche genre etc, this is an achievement that puts Aamir in a different league altogther.
Yet, considering that SRK pulled an absolutely class act with CDI, a film that I loved dearly, and then again gave a lesser-liked yet a huge commercial hit with OSO, he and Aamir share the top slot. Also remember, Aamir’s got Gajini coming up…if that’s a roaring success too, this actor should be treated pretty much treated as impregnable at the boxoffice.
Coming to Hrithik, the guy has an appaulingly poor body of work, except for those two-three films he’s done with his father.And even these were more of showcase vehicles than anything substantial and do not deserve much cinematic merit. Of course, if JA fails, then he slips even further , but I’d still put him above Akshay, unless the later supremely impresses in Tashan.
My (overall) star rating would be:
1 Aamir (Gajini advantage), SRK
2 Hrithik
3.Akshay Kumar
4.Saif
5.Abhishek
Comment by sandy on 19 January 2008:
Oops, I’d put Salman ahead of Abhishek and on par with Saif at No 4.
Comment by sandy on 19 January 2008:
But again agree with Street that Salman is not such a serious player any more. I’d be tempted to put Saif and Ranbir above him. Abhishek to my mind was the most interesting star among his generation but there’s a certain ennuie that has set in about his whole persona. Also, the fact that he has a not-so-promissing release in Drona makes it bleaker. But then, he has Sarkar and hopefully some of the looney-eyedness that completely enwraped him post marriage will go away. Also, there’s Dilli 6, though I don’t really think too highly od Rakeysh Mehra.
Comment by Nitesh on 19 January 2008:
1. Akshay is before Hrithik now.
2. Aamir belongs to a separate list
2008 will erase whatever little doubt one has about Akshay’s position.
IMO by the end of 2008, he will come closest to SRK..much more than Hrithik/Aamir ever was.
Comment by Julie on 20 January 2008:
1. Akshay is before Hrithik now.
2. Aamir belongs to a separate list
Agree with you Nitesh here. In terms of BO performance Akshay is ahead of Hritik and at par with SRK if not ahead this year. aamir clearly belongs to a seperate list. In terms of 2007 only it would be a touch and go btw Akshay and SRK (with or without presitge films LOL). 2008 will make the picture clearer for Akshay i.e. whether he topples SRK to get to No. 1 or remains at Number 2. I do not see Hritik by any means taking over Akhsay even with JA success (I am once again ignoring prestige factor here).
Comment by ăbzee on 20 January 2008:
hopefully some of the looney-eyedness that completely enwraped him post marriage will go away.
That looney-eyedness is the mad rush of love, me lady. And as long as it doesn’t affect his work, I wouldn’t wih it away. I know I’ve been looney-eyed for a good fortnight now, and I’ve never felt better
Comment by ăbzee on 20 January 2008:
I wouldn’t *wish* it away
Comment by jayshah on 20 January 2008:
abzee you found a dosti finally ?
Comment by ăbzee on 20 January 2008:
Jay- Itni bhi dosti nahin hain ke bataa sakoon
Seriously though bro, I’m sorry to have let you down. I know you were counting on me, but kya karen, I just don’t swing that way. Talking about which, where’s Som these days?
Comment by jayshah on 20 January 2008:
I have no idea where som is. Maybe he has exams.