Diwali is a festive season of lighting and merriment. When everyone is on a spree of fun, can the world's most prolific industry Bollywood lag behind? Normally Bollywood plays gamble and these gamble-reap dividends, as it is a safe premiere season. The success of RAJA HINDUSTANI, KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, DIL TO PAGAL HAI, MOHABBTEIN and various others are certain ample reason for Bollywood to release movies during Diwali.

 
This year 2003 witnesses the release of SSSHHH... RAJA BHAIYA, ISHQ HAI TUMSE, INTEHA and others. Though none of these movies have the substance or the stars to create hype but still during the festive season of Diwali some of these movies are a safe bet. Let's find out the reasons as why certain films managed to do good business during Diwali.

Trade analyst Amod Mehra feels that apart from a safe premiere season, Diwali also means bonuses, a long weekend and a traditional period when most are on a spending spree. Also sometimes the producers might decided to test the waters simultaneously like Karan Johar and David Dhawan did it in 1998. But 2003 seems to been silent.

Vinod Mirani, editor of Box Office tells that the problem in the last two years has been the Ramzan period that has immediately followed Diwali. Moreover the holy month of Ramzan is considered inauspicious for film openings, since Muslims do not visit theatres during this period. Muslims make up a significant chunk of the film going audience, the films that open in Diwali when it coincides with Ramzan are essentially 'stop-gap movies' - the kind that would hit theatres pre-Diwali, during Navratri or Shraad in other years.

Mehra laments for film trade and feels with Ramzan coming hot on the heels of Diwali in consecutive years is a rare phenomenon. And any film that risks an entry during this month stands to lose 40-50 per cent in terms of collections. Most believe this calendar-induced trend should get corrected by next year and the festival season of blockbusters slated for Diwali may be back soon.

However, this year, the producers who have films at stake on the Friday post-Diwali may have to burn their pockets further, considering the latest double whammy - another threat of an indefinite strike by theatre owners proposed from the same week. So this Diwali maybe playing a bet on movies wont be that safe.

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