FAILED

Akshay Kumar’s CC2C has broken his winning streak. The weekend saw a good opening in the city but since Monday the movie has failed to generate the response an Akshay Kumar movie generally does.

After a great end to 2008 with movies like Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Ghajini, all eyes were set on the Akshay Kumar’s Chandni Chowk to China (CC2C) — the big release of 2009. But Chandni Chowk to China is arguably the worst Bollywood movie we have seen in a few years. It’s just four days old and it is already being touted as a combination of Drona 2, Love Story 2050 and Tashan.

But to go back to the beginning: Apparently, Akshay had liked a poster director Nikhil Advani made which showed Akshay standing with two swords crossed. (See pic) Akshay looked at the poster and asked, ‘What’s the script?’ to which Nikhil replied that he didn't have any. Logical as ever Akshay queried, ‘What’s the idea?’ Nikhil replied that he didn’t have an idea either. All he had was the poster. To which Akshay is said to have laughed and congratulated Nikhil on “this new way of working.” He is supposed to have added, “I really like the poster, it's great, and I'm going to work in your film.”

Despite his obvious glee at working on a film that didn’t have a script we hear that Akshay Kumar made Nikhil reshoot a large portion of the film. But alas! Nothing worked and now many people have been leaving the theatres in less than an hour, too traumatised to talk. Worse, theatres across the country are reducing the number of shows.

According to Sathish, General Manager, PVR Cinemas, “The weekend saw a good opening as the audience had already booked the tickets. But since Monday morning, we are seeing a fall out. It is because of the negative publicity by the media.”

Fun Cinemas saw a collection of Rs 17 lakhs in three days but according to the officials, “People are not as crazy as they were for Ghajini.” Even Mohit Bhargava, Regional General Manager, INOX says, “The weekend so a good response but since Monday the movie has not attracted many as normally an Akshay Kumar movie generates. But I would still stay the response is not bad.”

Trade expert Amod Mehra too trashed the film, “CC2C is a disaster. The film has no script, no action and no China. Distributors are crying and they are bound to lose copious amounts of money.”

Sridhar Raghvan the writer of CC2C admitted that he was getting mixed and negative feedback on the film. But he added, “I wouldn’t like to react to it now. I will talk after a few days. (Maybe he’s hoping for a miracle).”

The worst part is that CC2C has a U certificate which means that a lot of kids who are Akshay Kumar fans, and yes, he still has plenty, will see this film which has far too much of toilet humour. Amod endorsed, “It's a very obnoxious film. The villain beats up Akshay, spits on him, unzips his pants and urinates on him. Now this is not just toilet humour but toilet itself.”
While most Akshay movies of late have not exactly been hailed by the critics, they have still managed to rake in the moolah. This, in turn, led Akshay to call the shots and demand a huge fee from the producer. But now that Chandni Chowk to China and even Jumbo have bit the dust, not to forget that Singh is Kinng was not a hit (Ask the distributors off the record), does Akshay need to reassess his standing in the industry?

“Definitely,” said Amod. “If Akshay does films like this crap, his career will be over faster than he thinks. If a big star like Akshay can generate only 50-55 per cent on the opening day of his film, he doesn’t deserve the money he is getting.”

We hate to be the ones to say this, but we have to: Akshay Kumar has become overconfident and this reflects not only in the quality of the films he acts in but also the statements he makes so cockily. Give us another Khiladi or Hera Pheri and we will flock to the cinemas again. Or else…