Ahead of the release of Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor's Baaghi 3, we revisit some of the most successful Bollywood franchises ever. From Masti to Race to Dhamaal, the list is filled with blockbusters!
Picture Courtesy: YouTube
Bollywood franchises always happen to attract the fancies of the audiences and they are followed by mammoth and staggering box-office collections. It's hard to tell which Bollywood film was the first to have a sequel but we are reminded of Sridevi's film, Nigahein, which was a sequel to her blockbuster, Nagina.
But until a certain point, sequels in Bollywood never worked, and even the second part of a cult film like Vaastav failed to impress critics and audiences. It was only after the success of Phir Hera Pheri, the continuation of Hera Pheri when Bollywood realised they should turn their films into a full-blown franchise. And the latest one is Baaghi 3, which has come a long way.
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Credit must be given to Sajid Nadiadwala and Tiger Shroff that in four years, they have made three films and two of them are major money-spinners. Ahead of this potential juggernaut's release, here are some very popular films that saw immensely successful franchises:
1. Raaz (2002)
If Nadiadwala has an action franchise to his credit, Rohit Shetty has a cop and a comical franchise, the Bhatts have a horror one. More than Murder, it's Raaz that made them the people of the masses. Smartly combining horror, erotica, and soothing soundtrack, Raaz was the only major hit of the year 2002, which is still one of the least memorable years in Hindi movie history. In 2009, they came back with Raaz: The Mystery Continues and in 2012, they gave us Raaz: The Third Dimension and both of them did really well. Alas, the fourth film of the franchise, Raaz Reboot, failed to scare with its horror and sooth with its music. It seemed it was time for Vishesh Films to reinvent.
2. Koi... Mil Gaya (2003)
Rakesh Roshan made this film at a time when son Hrithik Roshan was struggling with consecutive failures. When filmmakers wanted to tap into his intimidating persona and smoking aura, Roshan peeped into his fallible and fragile side and gave him the character of Rohit Mehra, a mentally challenged but genius student. Seeking inspiration from the Hollywood classic E.T., Koi... Mil Gaya immediately became children's favourite, and a lot of credit also goes to the adorable alien, Jaadu. Three years later in Krrish, India got its first Superhero in the form of Krishna Mehra, Rohit Mehra's son, and their story continued till Krrish 3 that came out in 2013! Rohit is no more, so what does Roshan have in mind for Krrish 4? Does Krrish have to lead a lonely battle this time?
3. Masti (2004)
Ever thought Bollywood could pull-off adult comedy? And that too by helmed by the man who made tearjerkers like Dil, Mann, Ishq, and Beta? Indra Kumar, drifting away from his melodramatic touches, gave us a comedy nobody ever imagined could exist in the industry. Masti tackled infidelity sprinkled with sexual innuendos and adult humour. Nine years later in Grand Masti, the married men's perversions quadrupled, and so did the box-office numbers. Fate dealt a cruel hand in the third part of the franchise when Great Grand Masti was leaked online and suffered heavy losses. But at least credit goes to Kumar for being unapologetic enough to give us a comedy that doesn't shy away from its promiscuity.
4. Golmaal (2006)
Rohit Shetty's debut feature, Zameen, failed to do well. A theme that guarantees big bucks today was rejected by the audiences in 2003- Patriotism. It was wise of him to channel his inner comic and make a film that's unpretentious from the first reel to the last. He made Golmaal, a story about four friends and their misadventures. They all were slackers and their actions were all slapstick, but it was refreshing to see Ajay Devgn in this genre after ages, and it also marked the much-needed reinvention of Tusshar Kapoor. Before we got Singham, Shetty turned this comedy into a franchise that refused to stop. And why should it even pause for breath? Given the thunderous success of Golmaal Returns, Golmaal 3, and Golmaal Again, Golmaal 5 is bound to happen and it will!
5. Dhamaal (2007)
Just a year after Golmaal, Bollywood got another comedy that has achieved cult status over the years- Dhamaal. Inspired by the comedy, It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, this was Indra Kumar's second film that was all set to be turned into a franchise, something even he wouldn't have thought of. With Double Dhamaal and Total Dhamaal, he got a hattrick of hits which he sadly missed with the franchise of Masti.
6. Race (2008)
Abbas-Mastan's last watchable film, Race, was what we call the unapologetic and unfiltered take on lust for power and hunger for revenge. A younger brother hatches a plan to eliminate his elder sibling to claim what he thinks rightly belongs to him. The elder brother outsmarts his intelligence and what follows next is what you expect in a film directed by our men in white. There were more twists, turns and thrills than you could possibly imagine or guess, and the sight of some mega movie stars on luscious locations and lavish attires made Race easy on the eyes. Race 2, although a success, paled in comparison to the first. And Race 3, despite being the biggest hit out of all the three, didn't impress the audiences or the critics as much as they expected. If there's Race 4 coming up, it better be good!
7. Dabangg (2010)
Chulbul Pandey is a cop with a difference. When we met him for the first time in 2010, he called himself Robinhood Pandey. He was the most crooked cop ever, and the most colourful character of Salman Khan. Dabangg was an ode to the cinema of the 70s and 80s that sadly began to fade away with time. Abhinav Kashyap kept the nostalgia of the bygone era alive, and also peppered the narrative with his own freshness. This was the reincarnation of Bhai, who then became a force to reckon with. And with Dabangg 2 and Dabangg 3, it seems Inspector Chulbul Pandey is here to stay and slay.
And here are some other films whose franchises garnered a lot of attention- Murder, Hate Story, and Commando!
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