Bromance takes centre stage
Shifting their cameras from the stereotypical boy meets girl and falls in love formula, Bollywood filmmakers are increasingly exploring the world of male bonding — Kai Po Che, Grand Masti and Chashme Buddoor being the recent examples.
From Sholay and Dil Chahta Hai to 3 Idiots and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, male bonding, or ‘bromance’ as it has come to be known, has succeeded in being box-office hits.
Chashme Buddoor, featuring the trio of Farooque Shaikh, Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani, was a hit way back in 1981. And the remake is expected to be as much of a crowd-puller. “It is a youthful film, which can be enjoyed with friends and family,” says actor Ali Zafar.
Filmmaker Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly L.L.B starring comic stars Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani feels this trend is because of more young blood in the industry.
“There are a lot of younger filmmakers nowadays and, in a way, they want to share their own experiences through the films — maybe a school or a college memory. It is thus, very relatable for the younger crowd, and these films do really well,” says Subhash.
Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che that has hit the screens also touches the theme of male bonding. With the trio — Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh and Raj Kumar Yadav — the movie is striking a chord with youngsters. A fun-loving tale of three boys and their aspirations, the movie comes from director Abhishek Kapoor, known for his National Award winning 2008 film Rock On, also a movie on a group of friends.
Abhishek says, “Kai Po Che is earthy, raw and honest in its entirety. It speaks of the needs and the concerns of ‘real India’. Youth-centric films like this are successful in striking a chord with the audience as the youth likes watching its own reflection in the cinema they watch.”
Another offering this year, Grand Masti starring Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Riteish Deshmukh, is expected to be a laugh riot — considering the impact that Indra Kumar’s 2004 film Masti had.
Film trade expert Amod Mehra notes that male bonding is definitely not something new to Bollywood, and rightly so. He says, “In the past there have been plenty of examples like Satte Pe Satta, Amar Akbar Anthony and Bombay Boys. Later, movies like Jhankaar Beats, Rang De Basanti, Badmaash Company, Dostana, Golmaal series and Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, Delhi Belly and Pyaar Ka Punchnama touched upon the theme as well. And now we have a plethora of examples including Kai Po Che.”
“Stories revolving around a single character become monotonous after some time. Films with friendship as the central theme generally turn out to be successful and manage good trade at the box-office. Observing so many hits made on the same theme, we can say that the trend of male bonding and ‘bromance’ will continue successfully,” adds the expert.
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