Comedy franchise: The new BO king
Comedy franchises have been a dominating trend in the West. One can’t miss Hangover, Men in Black, and Home Alone films, which only reiterate that there are major takers for this genre. And aping this reliable formula for success, Bollywood has been raking in the moolah in 2019.
This year, comedies such as Total Dhamaal and Housefull 4 created a roar at the box office, becoming two of the highest grossing films. This trend was witnessed in 2017, when Golmaal Again earned almost double of its last instalment, Golmaal 3 (2010), and in 2006, Lage Raho Munna Bhai became a blockbuster, garnering thrice the amount of Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003).
“With the advancement of technology and developed sensibilities of the audience, comedy has seen an evolution. The past 15 years have seen the peak of comedy franchises. For instance, after the release of the fourth film, the Housefull franchise has collectively garnered more than ₹500 crore at the domestic box office,” says trade analyst Amul Vikas Mohan. The announcement of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Hera Pheri 3, Hungama 2 and Golmaal 5 only ingeminate the trend.
The latest instalments of the franchises have collections, which are higher than their previous parts. Producer Anand Pandit says, “For a family outing, a good laugh works better than anything else. Franchises have greater recall value with audiences, and when coupled with a strong star cast, they are bound to get the cash registers ringing. I wouldn’t say that franchises have become bigger than the stars. They’ve a loyal following, but the songs and the writing are crucial, too.”
A regular in such comedy franchises, actor Riteish Deshmukh says, “For a comedy film to be made into a franchise, the mother film has to be extremely successful. Once that happens, you realise that the audience would want to see the same star cast back in a different film. Comedy franchises started about 10-15 years ago. It’s slightly easier to promote a franchise film, but you’ve got to make sure that you build on that earlier-made reputation, else they’ll get shut down.”
The writer-director of this year’s hit, Housefull 4, Farhad Samji feels comedy films act as an escape route for viewers after a long hectic day. He says, “People watch such entertainers to forget all that’s going on in their lives. Housefull 4 worked because people had not watched reincarnation comedy on such a huge scale in Indian cinema. There have been times when franchise films haven’t worked. It all depends on the content. The audience should feel a connect with the characters or the story.”
Actor Anil Kapoor says, “With our lives getting more manic, we could use a good laugh. There’s no formula for success. But comedy franchises, when executed properly, can become hugely popular.”
There’s no formula for success. But comedy franchises, when executed properly, can become hugely popular.
ANIL KAPOOR
ACTOR
For a comedy film to be made into a franchise, the mother film has to be extremely successful.
RITEISH DESHMUKH
ACTOR