It is widely accepted that any Ekta Kapoor production will be promoted well and cross boundaries but The Dirty Picture has exceeded any and all expectations from pundits and the production house itself. The film which stars Vidya Balan as a dancing star has created new records collecting over Rs 52 crore at the box office within its first week. Such a big success that The Dirty Picture is now the most successful female led film in the Indian cinema and all within one week! Could this success lead the way for more films with strong female characters in what is currently a male dominated industry? Time can only tell but one thing is for sure that Ekta and Vidya are prepared to lead the way.
Unfortunately for those who love female led films, there has been a lack of choice in 2011 with only a few grabbing audiences hearts and The Dirty Picture has even outdone some of the biggest hits this year. The Dirty Picture which rides heavily on Vidya’s shoulders had a great release weekend with opening figures of Rs 9.54 crores rising to a Sunday intake of Rs 12.38 crores. Revenue has continued to be good throughout the week ending on a high Rs 52 crore – a rare number for any film. The film has not only made a profit considering its modest production cost but has managed to do so on a smaller screen count than its competition from films like Desi Boyz and Rockstar. This has not only been a welcome surprise for audiences but for the team also. Emraan Hashmi tweeted to his fans “Can’t thank all of you enough for the overwhelming response to ‘The Dirty Picture’. The film’s emerged a real game changer.”
Writer-director Saurabh Shukla echoes the concerns of the industry saying “Bollywood is indeed a male-dominated industry, and even society is; hence fewer woman-centric films are made.” But like many Shukla agrees “with ‘The Dirty Picture’, Vidya is likely to turn the tables.” Talking on the issue of female-centric films Vidya said, “The reason for the success of such films is that they are no longer boring, grim or heavy like they used to be in the past. Today, films with female-centric plots and characters are more entertaining and engaging”
The team has not only received praises from fans that the box office but also from pundits who are tipping the films lead actress to come out on top during the award season. Trade pundit Amod Mehra explains why The Dirty Picture deserves all its praise saying “TDP is the biggest opening even for a woman-oriented film in the history of Indian cinema. Not only is the film being appreciated in multiplexes, it’s doing roaring business in single screen cinema halls across the country”. Film makers have also voiced their appreciation for the film including Ram Gopal Varma who heaped praises on Ekta tweeting “I want to give 2 million 15 lakh 17 thousand 3 hundred and 26 and a half kisses to Ekta for proving that Dirty is Clean and Clean is Dirty,”
Ekta concedes herself that the films journey from the white board to the cinema house was not an easy one. “I had the script three years ago, but no director wanted to touch it,” says the producer but is glad that the teams dedication has paid off. “I am amazed at the response The Dirty Picture has received from the industry and the audience.” Vidya echoes Ekta’s sentiments saying “I was hoping that people will connect with Silk and love the film, but I don’t know what I was expecting. This is definitely beyond anything I could have hoped for. I feel so humbled by all the love, the praise, and appreciation, the success at the box office, it is unbelievable…thank u all ”
The Dirty Picture which released worldwide on Dec 2nd sees Vidya Balan play the role of a dancing star and chronicles her journey. With films like No One Killed Jessica and The Dirty Picture already under her belt, audiences can expect to see more of Vidya in Kahaani, again taking a lead role.
