There
has
always
been
a
general
feeling
within
and
outside
the
industry
that
controversies
and
promotional
gimmicks
always
add
up
to
boost
box-office
collections.
There
is
also
a
strong
feeling
that
most
of
the
controversies
in
the
film
industry
are
not
for
real
but
are
rather
created
by
producers
for
obvious
reasons.
But
the
present
cases
of
Kurbaan
this
week
and
of
Tum
Mile
released
last
week
should
conclusively
indicate
how
these
feelings
don"t
seem
true
anymore.Karan
Johar
produced
Kurbaan
had
been
in
the
thick
of
controversies
since
the
last
few
days
before
its
release.
It
was
the
Shiv
Sena
first
who
threatened
to
stall
the
film"s
screening
because
of
its
'obscene" posters
showing
Kareena
Kapoor"s
bare
back.
Also,
somebody
dragged
the
film
to
court
and
sought
a
ban
on
it
as
he
felt
it
would
hurt
Islamic
religious
sentiments.
But
both
these
seem
to
have
hardly
had
any
impact
on
the
box-office
because
Kurbaan
did
not
open
too
well
this
week.
In
fact,
considering
that
the
film
is
produced
by
Karan
Johar,
is
extremely
well-promoted,
has
lovely
music
and
stars
real-life
love
birds
Saif
Ali
Khan
and
Kareena
Kapoor,
it
should
have
opened
to
a
thunderous
response.
But
the
initial
at
many
places
on
Friday
was
lack-luster.
In
fact
even
the
paid
previews
of
the
film
on
Thursday
didn"t
draw
the
desired
crowds
in
many
cities.
No
doubt,
collections
in
some
major
cities
on
Thursday
and
Friday
were
impressive
but
the
opening
was
disappointing
in
many
other
cities.
This
goes
on
to
prove
that
the
controversies
around
Kurbaan
did
not
come
to
its
rescue
in
ensuring
an
enviable
opening
to
the
film.
The
case
of
Mahesh
Bhatt"s
Tum
Mile
is
different
but
the
point
that
a
controversy
is
not
necessarily
conducive
to
the
box-office
is
proven
here
as
well.
After
Mahesh
Bhatt"s
son
Rahul
Bhatt"s
name
figured
in
alleged
terrorist
Headley"s
case,
some
outfits
in
Gujarat
disrupted
shows
of
Tum
Mile
(which
was
released
only
a
week
back)
and
even
forced
exhibitors
to
pull
out
the
film
from
their
cinemas.
In
spite
of
television
channels
beaming
the
news
about
shows
of
Tum
Mile
being
disrupted
and
cancelled,
its
collections
just
did
not
pick
up
in
places
where
there
were
no
untoward
incidents.
All
of
which
goes
to
prove
that
the
days
of
controversies
fuelling
bigger
tickets
sales
is
becoming
passe
in
Bollywood
now.