BOLLYWOOD BLUES

Bollywood Pins Hopes on Big Releases After Flops

By Thomas Kutty Abraham Fri Apr 29,10:52 AM ET

BOMBAY (Reuters) - Prolific Bollywood is entering its summer film season desperate for success after a string of failures so far in 2005, but critics see little sign of new and different films to grab the attention of fans.

Just one Bollywood movie in 12 has made money in the past few years as Indian movie goers tire of recycled action and romantic plots set to a Hindi beat with much singing and dancing.

"The past three months have been anything but bliss for the entertainment industry. The tally of flops continues to mount," said Taran Adarsh, editor of film business magazine Trade Guide.

"Almost every industry person is hoping and praying that the dry spell comes to an end and it pours hits this summer."

So far this year Bollywood, based in Bombay and named after Hollywood, has had just two big hits from 35 major releases.

Both succeeded by breaking away from the tried and true. "Page 3" was a movie about Bombay's party circuit while "Black" was inspired by deaf and blind writer Helen Keller.

But critics see little such inventiveness in the nearly 50 major movies due for release in the next four months, made for budgets of around 80 million rupees ($1.8 million) each.

In many cases they stick to a formula of tweaking successful Hollywood plots to fit the classic Bombay format.

SIGNS OF HOPE

Unless Bollywood changed, flops would continue to outnumber hits, magazine and newspaper film critic Deepa Gahlot said, but she saw hopeful signs of fresh talent and new ideas.

"People are trying to make different movies, but it will take at least two to three years before it shows results."

Two films released in April have had theater cash registers ringing. Both were traditional Bollywood fare: "Lucky," a romance starring established actor Salman Khan, and "Waqt" (Time), with Bollywood legend
Amitabh Bachchan and action hero Akshay Kumar.

But the Indian industry, with around 1,000 new movies a year -- second only to the prolific Californian P**N industry -- has few such successes to crow about.

Upcoming releases include films about a revolutionary freedom fighter and the famous love tomb, the Taj Mahal -- hardly new themes.

Despite a fan base extending to the Middle East and Asia, industry figures show that since 2001 just 8 percent of Bollywood movies have made money, a far cry from 45-50 percent in the early 80s.

Bollywood has put scandal behind it. Up until five years ago, some 40 percent of Bollywood movies were financed by the gangsters whose girlfriends and cronies often landed roles.

Now financial institutions and big companies fund more films, ensuring a greater degree of professionalism, and raising hopes for more success.

Top Indian business groups such as Birla and Tata have funded films alongside entertainment firms such as Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd. and Balaji Telefilms Ltd.

"Today's filmgoers are changing their preferences so fast, and only professionals can meet this challenge," said Sandeep Bhargava, chief operating officer of Sahara One Motion Pictures Ltd.

Industry experts say the infusion of professionalism and new plots will help industry revenue more than double to 143 billion rupees ($3.3 billion) by 2010, from 59 billion rupees now.

(US$1=43.7 Indian rupees)

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