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The Indian movie industry waited till the last year in the opening decade of the 21st century to show what it is capable of, breaking a 35-year-old record in the process.

BOLLYWOOD is on a high. The world’s biggest film industry ended the last year of the first decade of the 21st century on a most optimistic note, having notched a record US$50mil (RM170mil) from Aamir Khan’s frothy film, 3 Idiots, in under two weeks from global exhibition.

Never before has an Indian movie created so much buzz, and collected so much moolah in so short a time.

The simple story of three friends through college and work also dislodged the 35-year-old record of the top Bollywood grosser, Sholay, to become the biggest hit in the history of Hindi cinema.

In an industry where luck plays a major role in determining the success or failure of a movie, 2009 saw Bollywood’s fortunes on the up­­swing, with both theatre occupancy and gate collections rising handsomely.

Box office collections during the year were well over US$320mil (RM1.1bil) despite a two-month shutdown of all cinema halls over the discord with exhibitors on revenue-sharing.

A record 125 Hindi films were released last year, a good number of them box-office hits. Some of the successful films were: Love Aaj Kal, Wanted, New York, Kaminey, Ajab Prem Ki Ajab Kahani, Wake Up Sid, Paa, Dev D and, of course, 3 Idiots.

Though 68-year-old Amitabh Bachchan playing a teenager suffering from progeria, a debilitating disease stunting growth, in Paa got rave reviews for his histrionic talents, it was the super-duper success of Aamir Khan’s act in 3 Idiots that set a new benchmark in quality cinema emanating from the formula factory called Bollywood.

Based on a racy novel, Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, the largest-selling English-language novelist in India at present, the film is about three friends who meet as students at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and go on to bond for the rest of their lives.

It is their innocent and not-so-innocent capers at the IIT and afterwards which seem to be bringing in eager viewers who stay glued to their seats in 1,500 cinema halls in India and some 300-odd overseas as Aamir and his buddies make them laugh, cry and wince in surprise with them.

Following an overwhelming demand even in the second week, a number of theatres in metros increased ticket prices by over 25%. Yet, such was the pull of the movie that it did not dampen ticket sales.

Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the celebrated maker of the two Munnabhai movies, the film showcases the energies of a new India as epitomized by Aamir Khan’s character, hailing from a poor family who gains admission in the prestigious IIT thanks only to his extraordinary talent.

3 Idiots focuses on indigenous inventions and their application to everyday life. There is the scooter-powered flour mill, an exercise cycle-cum-washing machine and a bicycle-powered horse-shaver to keep the viewers engrossed.

The 40-something Aamir Khan playing a 20-something character, Ranchodas Shyamaldas Chanchad a.k.a. Rancho, does not for a moment seem unconvincing.

The film also offers an insight into the pressure-cooker student life on the IIT campus what with the fear of failure driving some to commit suicide.

Within days of the box-office success of the film, Chetan Bhagat, a real-life IIT alumnus, complained that he was short-changed by the film makers who acknowledged his novel on which the movie was based in small print in rolling titles at the end of the film.

Aamir Khan and the director of the film pooh-poohed the novelist’s claim, arguing that he was not only adequately compensated financially but his prior consent was secured before the movie went on the sets.

While Khan claimed that only 5%-10% of the novel was adapted in the film story, Bhagat countered that 70%-80% of the film was based on his novel.

A very angry Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the producer of 3 Idiots, had the entire media braying for his blood when he shouted at a persistent journalist questioning him about Bhagat’s charge, asking the latter to shut up.

The Bhagat-Chopra spat, played in the full glare of the television media, further added to the appeal of the film. The controversy also renewed public interest in Bhagat’s 2004 novel with the publishers bringing out its 156th impression within days of the spat.

Television commentators urged viewers to read the novel and then see the film to find out for themselves whether the film maker or the novelist was speaking the truth.

Meanwhile, the super-duper success of 3 Idiots has further consolidated the position of Aamir Khan as Bollywood’s numero uno star-actor. A perfectionist who does only a film or two a year, the diminutive Khan is heads and shoulders above the competition when it comes to sheer acting talent.

Indeed, it has been said about Bollywood’s most accomplished hero that had he been four inches taller, he would have been the tallest actor in the history of Bollywood.

Yes, Amitabah Bachchan is gifted. So is Dilip Kumar. But both Bachchan and Kumar belong to the method school of acting while Aamir Khan epitomizes the natural school of acting. Before Aamir, the late Sanjeev Kumar and Motilal were ranking members of the natural school of acting.

Lest this column read like a PR plug for Aamir Khan and his latest celluloid offering, one must take note of the other two Khan heroes, Shah Rukh and Salman.

Well, Shah Rukh has been promoting his film My Name Is Khan, due for release next month, while Salman’s Veer is set to be released later this month.

Both Khans are huge draws on the box-office, but even they acknowledge publicly that Aamir is a more accomplished actor.

Meanwhile, the year 2009 finally settled the question about the next superstar. With the aging crop of heroes from the Khans to Akshay Kumar, the Deol brothers and Sanjay Dutt in their early or late forties, the 27-year-old Ranbir Kapur seems to have consolidated his place as the next super star with three successful films.

Wake Up Sid and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani were box-office hits, while Salesman Rocket Singh won cri­­ti­­cal acclaim for his acting talents.

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