Khan Is King, Rani Is Queen

Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan has been voted the film industry’s most powerful man for the second year running in the Filmfare Power List. King Khan, who headed the Top Ten list last year along with Amitabh Bachchan, retains his prime position thanks to two blockbusters: Veer-Zaara and Main Hoon Na. His other big film, Swades, limped at the box office but got him enough critical acclaim to offset its commercial fate.
The poll, conducted for Filmfare by AC Nielsen ORG-Marg across all sections of the film industry, reflects the opinion of the film fraternity and is a barometer of industry approval, in contrast to the Filmfare Awards, which reflect popular and fan sentiment. This year’s Power List, for instance, features six actors and four film-makers, with 32-year-old Karan Johar and septuagenarian Yash Chopra coming in after Shah Rukh Khan and ahead of Aamir Khan. The Power List also indicates that unlike Hollywood, which is run by the big studios, Bollywood is ruled by the star system.
Not surprisingly, there is only one actress in the List—Rani Mukerji (No 10), who’s pushed Aishwarya Rai out of the Top Ten this year. While actresses corner much media attention and fan fervour, the film trade accords them far less importance because a film rarely sells on the strength of its heroine. Mukerji, obviously, headed the Top Ten Actresses List.
The other new entrants to the Top Ten this year were Rakesh Roshan (No 5) and Salman Khan (No 7). Roshan, who’s had two mega-successes on the trot (Kaho Naa Pyar Hai and Koi Mil Gaya) has started work on Koi Tumsa Nahin, a film already being talked about for a rumoured Rs 8 crore to be spent on its special effects and action. Salman Khan, with four movies and one big hit in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, is clearly back in business after his nightmarish 2003 accident.
Amitabh Bachchan, unarguably the overpowering symbol of Hindi films today, has slipped to No 8 in the trade’s reckoning, perhaps because of a combination of overexposure (he did nine films last year and was seen in a series of ads as well) and some indifferent films. In contrast, Hrithik Roshan, who had just one film (Lakshya) last year, has moved up three places thanks to a fine performance and a growing reputation for perfectionism.
The other perfectionist, Aamir Khan, has come down two places to No 4, but even that move could be impressive given that he hasn’t had a release in three years (his last film was Dil Chahta Hai in 2001). His next movie, The Rising, expected in June, will be one of the year’s most-awaited.
The other much-anticipated film is Black, a movie coming from Devdas director Sanjay Leela Bhansali (No 9). Like many others in the Top Ten, Bhansali didn’t have a release in 2004. In tinselville, as in other businesses, sustaining power scores.





Filmfare Top Ten 2004



1 Shah Rukh Khan

2 Karan Johar

3 Yash Chopra

4 Aamir Khan

5 Rakesh Roshan

6 Hrithik Roshan

7 Salman Khan

8 Amitabh Bachchan

9 Sanjay Leela Bhansali

10 Rani Mukerji



Filmfare Top Ten 2003


1 Amitabh Bachchan &
Shah Rukh Khan

2 Aamir Khan

3 Yash Chopra

4 Sanjay Leela Bhansali

5 Yash & Karan Johar

6 A R Rahman

7 Aishwarya Rai

8 Manmohan Shetty

9 Hrithik Roshan

10 Ajay Devgan