AB DEKHNA HOGA , DARSHAKO MEIN KITNA HAI DUM .... BY ALI PETER JOHN

Isn't it a strange world ? Just a few months ago , we were all lost and we wondered whether we would watch new films in single screen theatres and even multiplexes . There was no sign of any films coming anywhere near any theatres in our cities ,our suburbs or even our villages and gulies - Ali Peter John

There was a season of panic all over and not even the stars and superstars and legendary filmmakers could predict what the future would be for the world of Hindi films and we were all sitting at home , twiddling our thumbs and fingers and signing sad versions of the evergreen song , que sera sera ( whatever will be, will be)

And then Covid19 suddenly decided to be kind and gave back the keys to all and gave them the freedom to unlock all their doors and throw open their businesses and if there was one business Covid19 was most kind to , it was the business of Hindi films . Studios were asked to open up for shootings after a gap of two years and most of all theaters were asked to open , first with some restrictions and then freely.

And now for the last three months , we are seeing a flood of films all over . It seems like the line ,. " Apna bhi time aayega " is coming true with some big films being released and what a way they are being released .

The Hindi films like Gangubai have done well , but who could have predicted the grand success of films from the South like Pushpa The Rise , RRR and KGF Chapter 1 and KGF Chapter 2 which have created box office and other kinds of history globally.'

The success of these Hindi and South films seem to have given a shot in the arm for the entire industry which can be seen from the way filmmakers , stars , distributors and exhibitors and financiers are running around crazily to release as many films as possible in the shortest possible time as possible . And are they even thinking about whether the theater going audience has the financial and other kinds of ability and capacity to watch two and three films at the same time .

There is universal financial crisis all over and funds are extremely limited and the amount left for entertainment has automatically been reduced drastically and families are struggling to make both ends meet and have realised that they have little or no sources to spend thousands of rupees on seeing even one film in a week. Those who point out the success of the films from the South are talking about a seasonal miracle and such miracles happen just once in a way . We will see whether this kind of a miracle continues in the months and years to come .

And with this week, starting April 29, there are two big films of two different genres being released all over . There is Ajay Devgn's directorial venture " Runway 34 with Amitabh Bachchan heading the cast and there is Tiger Shroff's.

Heropanti 2. Couldn't the powers behind these two films are realised that there could have been a clash at the box office because both the films are considered to be action thrillers with the usual dose of emotional masala .

The audience certainly cannot see both the films if they are not rich enough and have the time to watch two films in a week . They will after a great deal of thought decide to watch any one of the films or not watch any of them at all .

Who will be the loser then ? The audience will find some way of entertaining themselves . But what about the makers like Ajay Devgn and Ahmed Patel do about the crores they may lose because of their daring to accept a clash and then most probably pay a heavy price for it.

I don't need to go into the details of all the films to come which will be facing a clash, but with all my experience I know that whenever there is a clash between two films, however great they are , only one can succeed and if both succeed , it is a clear sign that God exists .

In 2022 alone ( the rest of it ) there are imminent clashes of films expected between films like Adipurush and Bhoolbhoolaya 2, Laal Singh Chadda and a number of films which are in a hurry to either commit harakiri or are getting set to run the hundred metres dash race to the box office . It is not easy , my friends , but if you have decided to play the game as you want to , so be it , tathastu .

We have gone through the worst phase in the history of indian cinema . Should we learn and benifit from it , or should we give it a damn and drive ourselves to doomsday . The pandemic must have harmed us in many ways , but we should thank it for warning us about a bleak future if we have not learnt from the bitter lessons it has taught us for our good

Competition , they say is good for progress and prosperity , but what use is competition if both the competitors compete to end in total confusion which can lead us all to a point of no return . Would we like to reach a safe destination or would we hasten our steps to reach the steps leading to the destination of doom

YE MAUKA HAI HAR KHEL KO SAMBHAL SAMBHAL KAR KHELNE KA . MUQABALA ACCHA HAI , LEKIN AGAR MUQABALA HUM SAB KO MUSHKIL MEIN DAAL DE , TOH AISE MUQABALA HUM KYOON MUQABALA KARE ?