Wednesday Jan 23 4:50 PM
Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network
Would Sunny Deol's presence in HALLA BOL would have made a difference to the film's prospects? It certainly would have. However, the bargain here is not for Ajay Devgan's role; it is for the character that was eventually played by Pankaj Kapoor.Many people who have watched the film vouch for the fact that Sunny Deol in the role of a dacoit turned revolutionary would have turned HALLA BOL into a different ball game altogether. Says Prashant Nagrath, an IT professional and an avid moviegoer, "One can certainly not take away from the fiery act of Pankaj Kapoor; he was brilliant. However, the role was simply tailor made for Sunny Deol."
Adds Meenakshi, a home maker, "Sunny may be having his own reasons for staying away from GHATAK and GADAR kind of roles. Still, it would have been nostalgia revisited if only he would have returned to deliver the dialogues with the kind of punch only he can."
Dharmesh, a Pankaj Kapoor follower has a different point of view, "If Sunny Deol was enacting this role, it would have all become so predictable. What was the point? I believe sheer presence of Pankaj Kapoor made the going on interesting as there was no hero-giri expected."
"I guess it was sheer bad luck and some ordinary promotion which resulted in a poor box office performance of the film. Whether Pankaj Kapoor or Sunny Deol, it all boils down to the fact that the film didn't get it's due. I just hope that when the DVDs of the film hit the stand, they get a much better reception," concludes Prashant.
Released on 11th January all over, HALLA BOL was released at a huge number of prints (around 700) but only managed to net 12 crores from theatrical revenues.
