Click to play videoMumbai: Filmmakers usually avoid releasing their film during the Holy month of Ramzan as practicing Muslims keep a fast and do not visit movie theatres during the period as a result of which ticket sales take a hit.
However, though the year started on a rather discouraging note for Bollywood, the tide seems to be changing in the second half of 2008.
The sales of movie tickets and popcorn has gone up. This boost at the box-office comes as a surprise during the Ramzan period.
This year has been an exception starting with Ram Gopal Verma's small budget non-starrer Phoonk which released in the last week of August and sustained itself till September collecting.
Then came Farhan Akhtar starrer Rock On, again a non-starrer which became a sleeper hit having grossed over 17 crore till date.
Manager Cinemax Rakesh Sharma says, “Its true till last year no filmmaker used to release films in Ramzan, but now it has proved that content is king. We were not expecting a great time from Bachna ae Haseeno till October but these films came as a surprise.”
Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher starrer A Wednesday which released on September 5 is an alternate film which didn’t open too well but picked up quite strongly on word of mouth publicity. This small budget film has already recovered it's costs.
Last but certainly not the least the holy month of Ramzan also saw the release of 1920, directed by Vikram Bhatt who has had a slew of duds behind him. This horror film made at a modest budget of over 6 crore is running successfully at multiplexes.
Phoonk , Rock On, A Wednesday and 1920 are not your regular entertainers but these films still managed to do well.
It looks as though the cinegoers are sending the message that if you give them good films they are ready to watch it at anytime of the year.
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