2008 has drawn to an end, and what a difference 3 months can make. The top ten chart has been updated and we have some new entries and some exits. The festive season had several big releases to round up the year and what a way to end. Ladies and gents (drum roll please) I give you in reverse order the top grossers of 2008.
Bhootnath (Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla, Shahrukh Khan, Aman Siddiqui, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Rajpal Yadav. Directed by Vivek Sharma with music by Vishal-Shekhar.)
Release date: May 9, 2008
An adaptation of the Oscar Wilde short-story The Canterville Ghost. Vivek Sharma’s directorial debut was full of surprises. Teaming two superstars: Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, even if Shah Rukh Khan was only a special appearance which totaled about 25 minutes and then deciding to make a film that defies all the typical hindi film stereotypes, yet has all the necessary emotions that work with the Hindi film going audience, Bhoothnath is essentially a simple story, that was well told and that’s why it worked so well.
Bhoothnath is a story of a seven-year-old naughty yet innocent boy, who unknowingly turns a foe into a friend. This is a story of Banku (Aman Siddiqui) and his friend, Kailash Nath aka Bhoothnath (Amitabh Bachchan).
Bhoothnath received a mixed response from the critics Taran Aadarsh gave the film 4 out of 5 stating “Bhoothnath is a well-told story that has all it takes to appeal to kids and kids at heart, besides striking a chord with the families. Has the merits and potential to end the dry spell at the box-office.”
BollySpice reviewer Razeen Shameem gave the film 3 out of 5 stating that “Bhoothnath is a solid entertainer…… The movie is worth it mainly to see the chemistry between Amitabh Bachchan and Aman Siddiqui. Those in fear of it being a kiddie film fear not because it is a family film.”
Bhoothnath went on to gross Rs. 36,57,17,088 worldwide, placing this Vivek Sharma offering at number 10 in our charts.
