The box-office collections for the first half of 2008 is rather lacklustre with only 3 films out of almost 115 releases turning out to be clear hits. Then there is Sarkar Raj that has done average to fairly good business in few circuits. There were major debacles like Tashan, Halla Bol and Sunday. Even last week’s release, Yash Raj Films and Kunal Kohli’s Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, has not opened to expected response. Of course apart from bad content, to a certain extent the IPL 20-20 cricket tournament also played spoilsport.

However, things are certainly expected to be better in the second half as usually happens. This week’s films Love Story 2050 and Jaane Tu ...Ya Jaane Na, followed by Kismat Konnection, Singh Is Kinng, Bachna Ae Haseeno, God Tussi Great Ho, Karzzzz, Yuvraaj, Dostana and finally Ghajini.

A similar trend was observed last year, with collections picking up in the second half of 2007. Only Guru, Aap Kaa Surroor, Namastey London and Bheja Fry had succeeded at the box-office in the first half. However the second half was a real winner with Om Shanti Om, Partner, Chak De! India, Taare Zameen Par, Dhamaal, Bhool Bhulaiya, Jab We Met, Heyy Babyy and Welcome.

Now for the three hits this year. Let us take Jodhaa Akbar, a magnum opus by UTV and Ashutosh Gowariker. In today’s time to even think of making period film is a big risk and Ashutosh also dared to cast today’s heart-throb Hrithik Roshan in Akbar’s role. It was huge gamble as Hrithik is today’s dancing star who had taken the youth by storm in his last two releases Krrishh and Dhoom:2.

But conviction, passion and hardwork paid off. The film, which must have made at the cost of anything between 40 to 45 crore, garnered net collections around 37 to 40 crores from its theatrical collections in India and overseas. Its expected to garner another 25 to 30 crores from its satellite, home video and music business. For Jodhaa... to cross even net 40 crore mark was big achievement. Simply because thanks to its length it had to cut down on one show permanently, which meant loss of almost 10 to 15 crores business. The approximate business for Jodhaa is 25 crores from India and 15 crores from overseas.

In India as expected, the biggest business came from the Mumbai territory which is around 10 crore for second hit of the year Race. Produced by Tips. it was a perfect example of what today’s youth like: racy music, fast cars, sexy heroines and morals thrown out of window. This bold thriller by Abbas-Mastan was grabbed by the big cities’ the multiplex -going youth liked it, while it was rejected outright in smaller towns where single-screens still rule. The film’s theatrical (India + overseas) and satellite rights were bought by UTV at 65 crores. It netted theatrical business from India and overseas around 50 crores. From India its business comes around 35 crores while from overseas it’s up to 15 crores. Again Mumbai tops the chart where the film is expected to cross the 12 crore mark, but in smaller territories like CP, CI and Rajasthan, the film wasn’t much of earning proposition to it’s sub-distributors. For example in CI territory the film has yet to cross the net 1.50 crore mark while distributors had bought the film for more than that price. Even in CP, the film was bought by distributor for the same price so there is not much gain for him. As Uttpal Acharya, distribution head of Inox, puts it, “Race didn’t do that well in single screens, hence it wasn’t much of a paying proposition in small territories like Rajasthan.”

The third hit of the year, Jannat, is a real winner in every sense. It’s a paying proposition for everyone from producer, distributors, sub-distributor to exhibitors. But then this happens frequently with the Bhatt - Mahesh Bhatt films. Based on match-fixing in cricket it came at the right time when IPL was in progress. And the music which is a Vishesh Films forte played amajor role in the film’s success. Percept brought the distribution rights of Jannat (India + overseas + satellite rights) for around 11 crores. And the film is expected to do 25 crores business from India and overseas. Mumbai is expected to touch the 7 crore mark. The sub-distributors of the film all over have earned handsome money. For example, in Rajasthan, it was sold at 27 lakhs and is expected to do business of 55 lakhs. In CI it was sold for 20 lakhs and is expected to cross 45 lakhs. In Punjab it was sold for 40 lakhs and is expected to cross 90 lakhs. In Nizam, it was sold for 36 lakhs and is set to cross 60 lakhs, while in the east circuit, distributors bought it for 85 lakhs and its expected to rake in 1.50 crore. As Sanjay Surana, leading exhibitors of CP territory with 60 cinema halls under his belt puts it, “Price, release timing and music played a big role in Jannat’s success, while the huge prices of Race and Jodhaa Akbar did not help their cause as the huge price diminished the profit margin of sub-distributors and exhibitors.” He also adds, “I am very confident about new releases like Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, Kismet Konnection and Singh Is Kinng.”