Determined to draw in crowds, most directors are resorting to multi-starrer movies

Determined to draw in crowds, most directors are resorting to multi-starrer movies
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

DEC 30: With the sole exception of Hrithik Roshan, no single Bollywood actor made much of an impact at the box-office this year. At a time when it has become increasingly difficult for film-makers to expect their leading male star to draw in crowds, the only other available option seems to be multi-starcast movies.

Immensely popular in the eighties, all such films with three or more heroes were essentially action films, often inspired by those cowboy Westerns that Hollywood dished out every few years. Made on reasonable budgets, these films were mostly "easy recovery projects" as more actors on the film's posters always seemed to attract more audiences.

Incidentally, at least ten films with three or more leading heroes are currently being filmed in Bollywood. And almost every single A-list actor is doing at least one multi-starrer. Rajkumar Santoshi's 20-crore-plus Lajja stars Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Ajay Devgan opposite Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala and Mahima Chaudhary. The film, virtually complete, is scheduled to hit the marquee towards the middle of 2001. Debutant director Farhan Akhtar's premier offering, Dil Chahta Hai features Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna with Dimple Kapadia, Preity Zinta and Sonali Kulkarni. Karan Johar's Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, his follow-up to 1998's box-office smash Kuch Kuch Hota Hai has Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan paired with Jaya Bachchan, Kajol and Kareena Kapoor, and will open at cinema halls around Diwali next year.

Film-maker Rajiv Rai, whose penchant for several-hero projects was evident when he made such films as Tridev

and Vishwaatma is currenty wrapping up post-production on his Pyar, Ishq Aur Mohabbat which toplines Sunil Shetty, Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani along with Keerthi Reddy, Monica Bedi and Isha Koppikar. There is also the Ramgopal Varma-produced Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karegawith Saif Ali Khan, Fardeen Khan and Aftab Shivdasani, which is nearing completion, and is directed by Shool's E Nivas. David Dhawan's recently commenced Analyse This remake sees Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan being paired together for the first time. Meanwhile, veteran producer-director Rajkumar Kohli has signed up Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Aftab Shivdasani, Arshad Warsi, Aditya Panscholi and Sonu Nigam for his star-studded venture which will have Manisha Koirala and Rambha in the female leads.

Among those multi-starrers to begin shooting in 2001 include producer Feroz Nadiadwala's Awara, Deewana, Pagla to be directed by Vikram Bhatt and starring Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Aftab Shivdasani. Anupam Kher will turn director with Om Jai Jagdish starring Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, while Sanjay Gupta will direct Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty and Akshaye Khanna in his Reservoir Dogs remake titled Kaante.

"There is far too much money at stake, and judging by the way every top actor has failed to justify the price paid to them, film-makers have arrived at the conclusion that more stars in a film would mean bigger box-office restults," says a source in the film trade. "However, there is never any fool-proof formula for success in this business. Several multi-starcast films have failed in past years, but the trend seems to have returned now, and Bollywood is just trying its luck all over again," our source explains. "If these films don't work, it will be back to solo-hero films again."