The burgeoning sequel drama in Hindi cinema
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ove them, hate them, but you cannot ignore them! Film sequels/series are a trend that are here to stay, be it in Hollywood or our very own Hindi film industry. In several cases the sequel is announced even before the fate of the original film is declared. While a sequel essentially takes the original story forward, a series builds on the popularity of key characters that are then featured in every film of the franchise. The recognition and affinity that the audience develops towards the central characters or the theme that is taken a notch higher with every film definitely works in favor of sequels. However it also increases the expectations of the viewers and more often than that sequels fail to live up to them. It is not an easy task to recreate the magic of the original let alone taking it forward and that is why several sequels have had a blink and miss appearance.
As the Hindi film industry has a slew of sequels awaiting release, we take a look at some of the sequels/series that have managed to succeed, while some have even broken the records of the original films.
Munna Bhai and Circuit
Munna Bhai: Who would have ever imagined that two goons would go on to become endearing household characters? That is exactly what Raju Hirani gave audiences through Munna and Circuit in the Munna Bhai series. While the first film, Munna Bhai MBBS shows the transformation of an uneducated, bone-breaking ‘bhai’ into a kind-hearted life saving doctor (almost), Lage Raho Munna Bhai had him impart Gandhiji’s values in a coming of age and humorous manner. The simple and no frills treatment of both the films led to an instant connect with the audience. Director Raju Hirani delivered complete entertainers packed with emotion, humor, sweet romance and ofcourse heart-warming lessons, which change your outlook towards life. And worthy of special mention is the ensemble cast in both the films, be it the protagonists, Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi who have put their souls into making these characters memorable or Boman Irani who played the disciplinarian Dr.Asthana and the self-obsessed businessman Lucky Singh. We sure look forward to more films in this franchise.
John Abraham as the antagonist in Dhoom
Dhoom: Sanjay Gadhvi’s Dhoom portrayed action like never before – slick, stylish and almost envious! If Dhoom had the sports bikes and racy edge, Dhoom 2 had gritty stunts and unpredictable twists that have led to the popularity of the series. Complete with a foot-thumping background score and dynamic villains, Dhoom and Dhoom 2 had a Hollywood action flavor to them. What is definitely unique about these series is the emphasis on the villain, be it John Abraham of Hrithik Roshan who largely drive the story with complete élan unlike other films that are hero-centric. Though Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra reprise their roles and Inspector Jai and Ali in both the films, it’s the antagonists that steal the show. The films also have its dose of romance, comedy albeit questionable in many instances and amounts of typical Bollywood drama but come together as a decent overall package. These cutting-edge entertainers opened up a new avenue for action in Hindi cinema and audiences have high expectations from the third film – Dhoom 3, especially with perfectionist Aamir Khan leading it.
A still from Golmaal 3
Golmaal: The Golmaal franchise has acquired an almost iconic status owing to its rib-tickling gags which get better with every film. Though the second part did get a tad bit melodramatic and draggy, the first and third installment had audiences falling of their seats. The films have a distinct flavor with Rohit Shetty’s trademark over-the-top stunts, hilarious antics and spot on characterization, Tusshar Kapoor’s dumb guy act being a roaring hit. Though some of the characters like Ajay Devgn (who one would have never imagined in a comic act), Tusshar Kapoor and Arshad Warsi have remained constant through the series, even the other members, be it Shreyas Talpade, Sharman Joshi or Kunal Khemu have all got their comic timing right. One of the few comedy films that can be enjoyed over and over again, we do hope that the franchise continues to grow and get better.
Hrithik Roshan as Krrish
Krrish – This sci-fi series helmed by Rakesh Roshan is said to be a trilogy, the first of which was Koi Mil Gaya. This blockbuster film with the alien character Jadoo became an instant rage amongst the kids. The film was worthy of applause on many counts – Hrithik Roshan’s performance as a developmentally challenged person, the novelty of seeing an alien in a Hindi film, the emotional and touching relationship between the protagonist and the alien and the overall treatment of what was touted as India’s first sci-fi thriller. The sequel, Krrish took the series to an all new level with state-of-the art VFX on par with those from Hollywood, brilliant stunts & action rarely seen in Hindi cinema and the creation of a superhero, once again connecting with a difficult to please fan base – kids. Building on the element of fantasy and taking audiences into alien world along with Hrithik Roshan’s commendable performances has worked for this series. With Krrish 3 on the anvil, we can only hope for something bigger to add to this successful franchise.
Salman Khan as Chulbul Pandey
Dabangg: Chulbul Pandey took the nation by storm in Dabangg. Be it fighting goons single-handedly, wooing his lady love or dancing in his trademark style, Chulbul Pandey aka Salman Khan held Dabangg on his shoulders. Ditto with Dabangg 2 which brought back Pandeyji’s magic and created the same effect at the box office, both the films were huge grossers. Though the villain, central location and few other elements change in the sequel, one may argue that largely it is all the same – the gags, stunts and even dialogs and music bear way too much resemblance to the first film. But it is the characteristic Salman Khan charm and the style with which he delivers the power packed punches and dialogs that wins audiences every time. Though the directorial reigns shifted from Abhinav Kashyap in the original to Arbaaz Khan for the sequel, both films have all the elements for a complete masala entertainer. All we can say is that if there were another sequel or prequel to be added to the series, there is not much doubt on the roaring success it would become. Such is the star power!
