Hatke, finally?

1 Oct 2008, 0006 hrs IST, ARPITA BASU & PEDEN DOMA BHUTIA Times News Network ,TNN

Remember the time every other filmi interview routinely claimed that the film (like every other film) was hatke?

Well, it wouldn’t be quite as far from the truth now. Bollywood is indeed thinking hatke, and if ticket sales are anything to go by, the audience is lapping it right off the counters. If, even five years ago, anything “offbeat” was packed off into arthouse obscurity, today, everyday protagonists can live out their out-of-the-box stories under mainstream arclights. Perhaps that’s why a Shyam Benegal — whose National Award-winning movies have previously drawn only a niche audience to theatres — can make a hit of a Welcome to Sajjanpur.

This year, the industry has produced some unlikely winners in Aamir, A Wednesday!, Mumbai Meri Jaan and, of course, Rock On!! No overhyped stars, no hip-shaking item numbers or kiss controversies, and yet the films ran housefull shows.

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