The side effects of sequels

Mallika Sherawat cannot and does not act. The only time she tried and actually convinced the viewer was in Pyaar Ke Side Effects. Playing a girl who flees from an arranged marriage and ends up in a relationship with a commitment-phobic DJ in his 30s (Rahul Bose), she brought out the eccentricities in her character rather well.

More than seven years after its release, the film's sequel Shaadi Ke Side Effects starring Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan that takes the plot forward is on the way. One can visualise Farhan as Rahul's Sid, but Vidya as Mallika's Trisha is tough to imagine. But, the film's title that has 'side effects,' Vidya's interpretation of the lively Trisha and Farhan's charm can make the urban viewers gravitate to the theatres. At least, Team Side Effects must be optimistic.

Formula
Using an extendable theme or interconnected ideas to make sequels which, if successful, can lead to a franchise with more than two films became a viable concept in Hollywood long ago. Having understood that this idea can work in India, the Hindi film industry has tried to manipulate the success stories of several first films by giving rise to their sequels.

A few months before he passed away, Dev Anand who had made many ridiculous films on the trot had told this writer that he was planning to make a sequel of Hare Ram Hare Krishna. Many sequels that got made capsized at the box-office, among them Nigahen (the successor of Nagina), Hathyar (who had thought this one would follow Vaastav?), Bheja Fry 2 (strictly watchable on a day without options as opposed to the hilarious Bheja Fry) and Hyderabad Blues 2 (an insult to its predecessor Hyderabad Blues).

Shaadi Ke Side Effects is a bit of an exception, Pyaar Ke Side Effects having been a modest success at the time of its release. Just as critical acclaim for Hyderabad Blues cannot slip into history, PKSE had a breezy feel which probably would have worked better if released today. That the film has become more popular with time is the motivation, which is why its sequel can be expected to recover its investment and earn a little bit more.

The critics may or may not be kind; after all, PKSE wasn't welcomed by each one of them either. In SKSE, the Farhan-Vidya combination and a potentially funny story can end up finding viewers wanting to have a good laugh without brooding over questions like whether or not whether the lead pair is an appropriate replacement for its counterpart in the prequel.

Sequels aim at capitalising on public memory. There are times when unworthy successors make money without getting too many positive endorsements from viewers, the best example being Dabangg 2. The film's success was a combination of two factors: the presence of Salman Khan who needs a pathetic film like Jai Ho to misfire and his character of Chulbul Pandey.

Character

As Chulbul, Salman wasn't Salman but somebody else. The character became different from the actor, a rare surprise, endearing itself to numerous viewers across the country and beyond. For commercial success without getting uncritical applause, this sequel needed nothing more.

The concept of a Hindi film series hasn't evolved as yet. Raaz 3 was the third installment of the Raaz series, and its budget that was eclipsed by the returns on investment has been promising enough to convince the producers that it can continue.

Krrish 3 was expected to do well; for a change, however, it turned out to be a film whose commercial performance surpassed the most generous expectation anybody might have had. At the Indian box-office, it went past Chennai Express, which had established an all-time record by breaking the record set by 3 Idiots. The third film of the Krrish series was a reminder that a successful Hrithik Roshan product could take on the Khans.

Lessons

Not much later came Dhoom 3, the third part of the Dhoom franchise. Dhoom had started out with reasonably ordinary ambitions with John Abraham playing the villain and Abhishek Bachchan along with Uday Chopra the two characters out to get him. When it worked, Hrithik Roshan came along and became the anti-hero in the sequel.

The budget increased - the film had Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan too - and so did the returns. Dhoom 3 took a huge step forward, with Aamir Khan playing the villain and the budget apparently going past the Rs 125 crore mark. It made twice as much in India alone, making the Dhoom franchise the most successful one in Hindi cinema ever.

The industry has had many two film series, including Jewel Thief followed by the utterly forgettable Return of Jewel Thief. However, another franchise that seems poised to become a long-distance runner is the Golmaal franchise, whose first film Golmaal created the brand called Rohit Shetty. After Chennai Express, Shetty is working on Singham 2 which might threaten to have a third part should the sequel succeed.

Making a film series is a difficult form of art. If not a long story like that of the Harry Potter franchise, developing a structure of common ideas that can sustain the viewer's interest needs innovative thinking. Even if one film fails to attract audiences, a franchise might have to forget the possibility of a future. But then, the maker is prepared for a setback, knowing that it is the side effect of hopeful experimentation.

The writer is a freelance journalist