Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network

When producers carried on their two months long strike, there was quite some hullabaloo around audiences being deprived of films for weeks at stretch. Newspaper, social networking sites, Bollywood websites - all forums had a common discussion going that audiences were longing for films to arrive in theaters again. It was akin to a staple diet being missing from everyone's routine.

The strike opened and most notable films to arrive in theaters were KAL KISSNE DEKHA and PAYING GUESTS. And what happened to them? Well, they fell and fell miserably. Let alone the two films showing some signs of struggle at the box office; they didn't even take a respectable opening and poor reviews only killed their prospects further.

There were expectations that audiences would patronize these two films at the least since finally there was some software available in theaters after a long break. However, as one film maker called to comment, ''Just because a departmental store may open after a break doesn't mean that a consumer would throng it to pick up chocolates, washing powder or utensils just for the sake of it? He/she should have a need for it, right? Neither KAL KISSNE DEKHA nor PAYING GUESTS were in demand and strike or no strike; they couldn't find audiences for them.''

Which means all eyes are now on KAMBAKKHT ISHQ which is red hot amongst distributors, exhibitors and of course audiences. It is already being looked at as the 'real comeback film' for Bollywood even though NEW YORK is releasing this Friday. Of course this Kabir Khan directed film is expected to be a good watch but due to its theme, it doesn't have a mass commercial blockbuster written on it.

In such a scenario, it is back to Akshay and Kareena promising to deliver the goods. Fingers crossed!