2010: A good year for Bollywood

Bollywood remains committed to entertaining audiences throughout the year. PHOTO: FILE

This year has seen several commercially and critically successful films released by the Indian film industry. Dozens of Bollywood films have been released internationally this year, some of these have been the year’s highest-grossing films. Dabangg, Golmaal 3, Raajneeti, My Name is Khan, Housefull, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and I Hate Luv Storys have all  done well at the box office with Dabangg leading the way.
However, the year really kicked off towards the end and as of November 2010, six films have made it into the top 30 list of highest grossing Hindi films at the Indian box office. Dabangg, Golmaal 3, Raajneeti, My Name is Khan, Housefull and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai all made this cut.
2010 was also the first time the top 10 films alone crossed the INR7 billion mark with the total net amount earned being INR7.135 billion and is also the first time in Bollywood history that two films have grossed more than INR1 billion in so soon after a release.
Salman Khan starrer Dabangg when onto break many records, previously held by Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots (2009), and took in INR145 million on its opening day, more than INR491 million on its opening weekend and INR808 million in its first week. Golmaal 3, which stars Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor, is the fourth highest-grossing film at the Indian box office and took in more than INR1.06 billion in its first month.
Raajneeti had an all star cast which included Katrina Kaif, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Naseeruddin Shah and grossed over INR920 million. The film which took an inside look at politics in India, was produced and directed by Prakash Jha and drew parallels to the epic Mahabharata.
My Name is Khan starred one of Bollywood’s favourite on-screen couples, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, and went onto become part of the 10 highest-grossing films at the Indian box office and is also the highest grossing Bollywood film in the overseas market.
Guzaarish, Break Ke Baad and Phas Gaye Re Obama were released this month and are also expected to do well at the box office. Upcoming films Tees Maar Khan, Dhobi Ghat and No One Killed Jessica are also thought to become hits with Tees Maar Khan’s item number, “Sheila Ki Jawani” already making the rounds on YouTube.
Top grossing films of 2010

Dabangg
Golmaal 3
Raajneeti
My Name is Khan
Housefull
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
Kites
I Hate Luv Storys
Anjaana Anjaani
Khatta Meetha