Ranbir Kapoor’s Tu Jhoothi Main Makkkaar is the hit Bollywood is waiting for after Pathaan’s success, predicts trade

If Ranbir Kapoor-Shraddha Kapoor’s Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar becomes a success as the film’s producers and film trade analysts are hoping, it might mark the revival of the romantic genre in the theatres.

In the last couple of years, romantic movies have been pushed to the streaming platforms in favour of either big spectacles or action dramas, since they promise a comparatively better footfall in the theaters. The last romantic drama which released in the theaters was Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal in 2020. But that is going to change with Luv Ranjan’s latest romantic comedy, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. If this film becomes a success as the film’s producers and film trade are hoping, it might mark the revival of the genre in the theaters. Till Sunday evening, the film has sold 10,700 tickets across major multiplex chains. The number is positive and the film has over 2 days to ramp up advance sales.

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles, revolves around two youngsters who want to get into a casual relationship but not be the first ones to break up. The film also stars Anubhav Singh Bassi and Dimple Kapadia. Releasing in around 2500 screens, the film is expected to get a double-digit opening in the theaters, courtesy Ranbir’s massive fan following and Luv Ranjan’s successful track record.

Ranbir Kapoor has a huge, loyal fan base among the youth of the country and Luv Ranjan has earlier appealed to the young movie-watching crowd with his films like Pyar Ka Punchnama and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. So, with this combination, trade experts are looking forward to a constant flow of money at the box office in the coming days.

“Ranbir Kapoor has had a stronghold on the rom-com genre. Luv Ranjan, too has had a terrific track record in the romantic genre be it Pyar Ka Punchnama, Pyar Ka Punchnama 2 or Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. All of them have been absolute smashers. I am pretty sure with this one, he has scaled up a significant level in terms of the star cast, production value, and setup. So, Luv Ranjan, Ranbir and Pritam collaborating for this kind of film are a lethal combination,” suggested film distributor Akshaye Rathi.

The initial phase of Ranbir’s career in Bollywood was dominated by romantic dramas which worked really well for him. From among his 11 romantic movies, only two, Roy (2015) and Tamasha (2015) tanked at the box office. His 2013 film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, also starring Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Kalki Koechlin, earned Rs 188.57 cr and Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil did a business of Rs 112.48 cr. His other romantic dramas, Wake Up Sid, Barfi, and Rockstar also made him a fan favourite. On the other side of the spectrum, only Sanju (Rs 342.53 cr) was a massive hit, if we overlook Brahmastra, which did earn moolah at the ticket counters but was made at a massive budget.

Looking at the track record of Ranbir’s romantic movies, film trade analyst Taran Adarsh is hopeful that his comeback to the genre will bring some good news to not just the actor, but also to the Hindi film industry. Quoting the reasons that makes him look at Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar as a probable hit, Adarsh said, “We are seeing Ranbir Kapoor doing a romantic role after quite a gap. The last romantic film that he did was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. There has been a sufficient gap between that film and this film. Moreover, he has collaborated with Luv Ranjan for the first time. Ranjan’s previous films were great entertainers and were targeted at the youth. This is also targeted at the youth with a love story at its centre and a refreshing cast.” This is the first time that Ranbir and Shraddha have been cast opposite each other.

Film producer and trade expert, Girish Johar also believes the chances of Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar working at the box office are higher as “even on Valentine’s Day, there was no romantic film that released.” He believes that this long gap since the release of the last romantic drama will make the fans of the genre throng the theaters for the Ranbir Kapoor starrer upon its release on Holi (March 8). He pegged the film’s opening day collection in the range of Rs 10-12 crore

Filmmaker Luv Ranjan also holds a strong track record in the romantic-comedy genre. His last film, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety was a box office winner with a collection of Rs 108.95 cr. Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, starring Kartik Aaryan in the lead role, were also big hits. If he will be able to recreate the same magic which he did with Kartik, is something cinephiles are looking forward to.

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’s release on the festival of Holi might be both a blessing and a boon for the makers since in the North, cinema halls open only in the latter half of the day, after Holi celebrations are over. Commenting on the same, Rathi said, “There has been a lot of confusion around when Holi is being celebrated. However, beyond a point, day one collection won’t matter and it will sustain if the reports are great and will get a fabulous extended weekend.”

2023 has started on a good note with Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan becoming the highest-earning Hindi language film ever. The film brought money into the industry after two years of low revenue. In such a scenario, it becomes important, not just for Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, but for every Bollywood film to entice people to the cinema halls

Akshaye Rathi suggested, “Not just this film needs to do well, but all the films need to maintain the momentum built by Pathaan. We need more films to work well with a higher level of consistency. Also, the current generation of actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Shraddha Kapoor, Kartik Aaryan, and others needs to become bankable at the box office.”

Though the onus is on the film industry to make good films so that people once again visit the theaters, as per a current survey conducted by Ormax Media, “India’s theatrical universe has shrunk by 16.3% compared to pre-pandemic, and now stands at 122.0 million individuals compared to 145.7 million pre-pandemic. The Hindi language has lost 15.9 million audiences over the pandemic period.”

News Source:- The Indian EXPRESS