Begum Jaan fails: Reason why Bollywood shies away from films with sad ending

Time & Us
Last Updated: April 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

 New Delhi:-Last week’s big release Begum Jaan-starring Vidya Balan is having a dismal run at the box office. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the film earned Rs 13.35 crore in first four days of its release.

Makers can boast about Begum Jaan still being profitable due to its limited cost, but these numbers are nowhere close to being called a hit with an A-lister in the lead.

But counting Begum Jaan’s box office numbers isn’t the priority here. Actually, it’s a trend that’s taking a shape through the box office failure of films like Begum Jaan and most of these are stories with sad endings.

The biggest hits of the last 2 years are: Baby, Gabbar Is Back, Piku, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, ABCD 2, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Bajirao Mastani, Dilwale, Airlift, Neerja, Kapoor And Sons, Housefull 3, Udta Punjab, Sultan, Rustom, Pink, MS Dhoni, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Dangal, Kaabil, Raees and Jolly LLB 2.

All these commercially successful films were released between January 2015 and April 2017, before Begum Jaan to be precise. And, apart from Bajirao Mastani, none of these films actually have a sad ending. Even if they have, it’s not outright depressing in nature.

However, some of the biggest hits in Bollywood’s history have tragic stories: Sholay and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak have the instant recall value. But the trend is probably changing.

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