Aditi Ahuja
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Whether or not you have realised it – we are already done with half of the year 2019! Fitness and diet resolutions aside, the year has been fairly decent on the movie front. While the films that were anticipated to break the office got a tepid response – some unexpected releases did surprisingly well at the box office. Here’s a roundup of all the big hits and misses of the industry so far, in order of their release.
1. Uri
Release: January 11
Status: Hit!
The Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam war drama was the first big hit of 2019. Based on the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), the film stayed on screens for more than a 100 days and did brisk business of more than Rs. 240 crores.
2. Why Cheat India
Release: January 18
Status: Miss
Based on the cheating scam in entrance exams in India, the Emraan Hashmi-starrer got mired in a number of controversies. The makers had no option but to change the name from Cheat India to the CBFC-suggested Why Cheat India. Nevertheless, the film had a blink-and-miss run at the box office and could barely even touch the Rs. 50 crore mark.
3. Thackeray
Release: January 25
Status: Miss
The film saw the return of Amrita Rao after a fairly long time alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who played the lead role. Nawaz had earlier wooed audiences in the Manto biopic as well – thereby making this another anticipated box office success. Balasaheb Thackeray biopic’s did end up getting critics’ approval – but failed to perform at the box office. It only made a collection of Rs. 70 crores at the box office.
4. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga
Release: February 1
Status: Miss
The film was the first time actress Sonam Kapoor was seen collaborating with father actor Anil Kapoor. This, along with the reunion of Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla after so many years did sound like a recipe for success! However, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga could not live up to the hype and disappeared after doing an average business of Rs 20 crores.
5. Gully Boy
Release: February 14
Status: Hit!
After three failures at the box office – Bollywood was pining for a hit, which is when Zoya Akhtar delivered and how! The Ranveer Singh – Alia Bhatt starrer, based on the lives of real life rappers Divine and Naezy got stupendous amounts of great reviews from critics and audiences alike. It too raked in more than Rs. 150 crores at the box office, and it’s entire music album became an instantaneous hit!
6. Sonchiriya
Release: March 1
Status: Miss
After the disappointment in Kedarnath, hopes were riding high on Sushant Singh Rajput’s Sonchiriya, also starring Bhumi Pednekar. The film got a tepid response at the box office, and failed to perform the anticipated numbers.
7. Badla
Release: March 8
Status: Hit!
Owing to the film Pink‘s success, Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu’s on-screen pair became the talking point of Badla as well. The crime thriller proved to be a success, thanks to some memorable performances and great scriptwriting! Rs. 80 crores plus was the film’s collection at the box office.
8. Kesari
Release: March 21
Status: Hit!
Based on the Battle of Saragarhi, Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra’s Kesari surprised everyone by doing extremely well! The film easily did Rs. 150 crores plus business at the box office.
9. Kalank
Release: April 17
Status: Miss
The period drama from the house of Dharma with an ensemble cast had hopes and anticipations riding high on it. Starring Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapur, Madhuri Dixit, and Sanjay Dutt – Kalank was the biggest multi-starrer release of the year. Kalank had hoped to collect at least Rs. 200 crores at the box office – a task at which it failed, miserably.
10. Romeo Akbar Walter
Release: April 25
Status: Miss
Romeo Akbar Walter was John Abraham’s espionage thriller – with a triple role for the actor. While the film got mixed responses, its box office numbers were mostly cold.
11. Luka Chhupi
Release: May 1
Status: Hit!
The refreshing young pair of Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan along with a quirky storyline proved to be a recipe for success! The romantic-comedy film did an easy Rs. 128 crores at the box office.
12. De De Pyaar De
Release: May 16
Status: Hit!
Great performances by Tabu and Rakulpreet, and Ajay Devgn’s comic timing made this one have a successful run at the box office! Even though the plot was done and dusted, the trio bought something new and refreshing to the screen.
13. India’s Most Wanted
Release: May 24
Status: Miss
Arjun Kapoor’s first outing as a spy turned out to be not such a successful addition to his filmography. India’s Most Wanted failed to live up to the hype of previously successful spy thrillers such as Raazi.
14. Bharat
Release: June 5
Status: Hit
Salman Khan’s Eid-release has broken all records at the box office, and has already done business of Rs. 200 crores despite facing tough competition from more recent releases such as Kabir Singh. Katrina Kaif’s performance in the film was also appreciated.
Which films out of the list did you like, and which did you not?
Tell us in the comments below!
