The year began with a Govinda-Juhi Chawla starrer Aamdani Athani Kharcha Rupaiya and true its name the film actually proved to be an aamdani athani khracha rupaiya for its distributors. Subsequent releases including debutant director Vipul Shah’s Gujarati play Andhalo Pato based Aankhen starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal and Sushmita Sen bombed at the box-office. Debutant director Meghna Gulzaar’s Filhaal didn’t live up to the expectations. Hopes dashed further when two Hrithik Roshan starrers Aap Mujhe Aache Lagne Lage and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum crashed at the box-office. David Dhawan’s Hum Kisse Kum Nahin further worsened the situation. Also films released in the latter part of the year including Satish Kaushik’s Badhaai Ho Badhaai, Anupam Kher’s Om Jai Jagdish, Kunal Kohli’s Mujhse Dosti Karoge, Vashu Bhagnani’s Jeena Sirf Mere Liye failed to create hysteria. Even experimental films like Hansal Mehta’s Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai and Arjun Sajnani’s Agni Varsha couldn’t save face sinking at the box-office. While films like Leela, Makdee and Deewangee managed to do average business. Trade pundits and distributors pressed the panic button. What did the masses want was the million dollar question no filmmaker had an answer to. Only six films made news this year.

Raaz
Vikram Bhatt’s small budgeted spine chilling film had just a film old lead pair... Bipasha Basu, who made her debut in Ajanabee and Dino Morea, who got a break in Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhie. Telling the story of a woman haunted by a spirit, the film succeeded on keeping its audience on the edge of seat. It was also technically slick that which happens to Bhatt’s forte. Raaz hit bull’s eye in the day itself and continued to brisk business in weeks that followed. Who had thought that this small time film entirely shot in Ooty would become the biggest hit of the year? Raaz opened new avenues for Bipasha Basu and practically relaunched Dino Morea who didn’t have a career to speak off after the pathetic Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhie.

Awara Paagal Deewana
Though the critics hated the film outright saying that if these are the kind of films that continued to be made, what will be the future of our film industry? But the masses lapped it up and enjoyed watching this Akshay Kumar-Sunil Shetty-Aftab Shivdasani- Amrita Arora-Preeti Jhangiani-Aarti Chhabria mishmash, a remake of the Hollywood hit The Whole Nine Yards. Vikram Bhatt had a scored a box-office hit once again. Two hits of three releases not bad must say.

Devdas
Devdas’ release was the most controversial and crucial time for the film industry. Expectations were sky high. After the colourful Hum Dil Chuke Sanam people looked forward to another bonanza from ace director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. What made its release even more talked about was because it was during that time that film financer Bharatbhai Shah was released from jail. And as if to pronounce the overwhelming response people made serpentine queues outside theatres to watch the first day first show. Based on Sharatchandra Chatterjee’s book Bhansali’s Devdas happened to be one of the many versions that were made over the years. Some loved the glamorous touches that Bhansali gave to the film. For instance, Devdas is shown returning from London and not Kolkatta as in the original. Also the costumes whether it was Aishwarya Rai’s saris or Madhuri Dixit’s chaniya-cholis each one was exquisitely designed for the film. Even the palatial sets, Nitin Desai’s genius creations, were elaborately carved and made. Bhansali’s idea to bring Chandramukhi and Paro together that didn’t exist in the original was frowned upon. But the audience loved it. Devdas a 50 crore-mega venture happened to be most expensive film ever made in the history of Indian cinema.

The Legend Of Bhagat Singh
The year will also be remembered for not one nor two but five different versions of Bhagat Singh. Out of the five the two that were most talked about were Sunny Deol’s 23rd March 1931:Shaheed and Rajkumar Santoshi’s The Legend Of Bhagat Singh. Both films were released on the same day. But as predicted Santoshi scored over Dhanoa as The Legend Of Bhagat Singh happened to be one of the most watchable historical ever made in Indian cinema. The meticulous research coupled with Ajay Devgan’s acting skills made the film worth a watch. The film might even fetched Ajay Devgan his second National Award.

Saathiya
The film starring Vivek Oberoi and Rani Mukherji marked the debut of Shaad Ali who was an assistant to Mani Ratnam for four years. Based on the Tamil hit Alai Paiyathe, Saathiya showed the trial and tribulations of a just married couple. The film captured the plight of the middle class homes excellently. Also the love that blooms amidst a local train journey made the film unique. Saathiya has come as a saving grace for crisis struck industry.

Kaante
Sanjay Gupta’s much-awaited magnum opus finally hit the theatres this year after half a dozen postponements. Shot entirely in America, the film boasted of a host of stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Kumar Gaurav and Lucky Ali. The film also marked the debut of director Mahesh Manjrekar as an actor. In fact the film opened to a packed house in the first week of its release. The critics praised it and the masses loved it. Kaante turned out to be bloomed rose at the box-office