Trade Talk: This week’s overladen movie business

Nobody is talking about this week’s Hindi releases which could be a blessing in disguise at the box-office.

Over expectation: Laal Singh Chaddha. Zero Expectation: Karthikeya 2.

The small but numerous films being released this week make it a notable Friday of powerful  understatement. There is Ratnaa Sinha’s Middle-class Love, featuring the talented semi-newcomer Prit Kamani, who is, in my opinion, a talent waiting to explode. This could be his big-ticket to stardom. I quite like Ratnaa Sinha’s first film Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana.

Producer Vinod Bachchan and firecracker Swara Bhasker had created a kind of history in Tanu Weds Manu. Good to see them back together in Jahan Chaar Yaar. It is very rare to see a female buddy flick. So while Farhan Akhtar sits on his FMB (female buddy flick) Jee Le Zaraa, here is Jahaan Chaar Yaar, featuring Swara with Meher Vij, Shikha Talsania, Pooja Chopra. The film is directed by Kamal Pandey, who comes from television.

The Prakash Jha helmed Matto Ki Saikal is brighter in tone and mood than Siya, a film that would leave viewers depressed for days.

This is where Netflix’s Jogi will score bigtime. Director Ali Abbas Zafar tackles a real-life  political carnage. But it is the story of hope, heroism and friendship during the time of a barbaric crisis. On the streaming platform, Jogi on Netflix, has a clear edge over Siya, which is a dark, deeply dirgeful depiction of poverty and exploitation .

Producer of Jogi, Himanshu Mehra says, “When Ali Abbas Zafar took me through his take on the script I knew this had to be told. The text of Jogi is a simple yet bold story that is sure to strike an emotional chord with the viewers. Thankfully, the stars have aligned for our story to be out there and what better service than Netflix to showcase it to viewers across the globe.”

With five Hindi-language releases lined up for public attention, this is  the kind of underdogs’ parade that Hindi cinema comes  up with once in a while. None of the films are devoid of merit, though some of them could have done with a smudge of smiles and sunshine.

Says Prakash Jha, who  plays the lead in Matto Ka Saikal, “The best part of making film at this  time is that there is space for everyone and everything. You can make a film about the 1984 Sikhs riots (Jogi) or about girl bonding (Jahaan Chaar Yaar). You can tell the story of a rape survivor’s brave effort for justice (Siya) or about a poor Dalit father trying to feed his family (Matto Ka Saikal). There is room for all so long as you have a story to tell.”

This is the small-is-tall week for Hindi cinema.