MONDAY, May 5, (News Locale) - There could not have been any worse a start to 2008 for Bollywood's biggest production house Yash Raj Films (YRF) as they first offering this year, the much hyped Tashan bombed badly at the box office. 

For some time now YRF have banked heavily on big star names and slick shooting, paying scant regard to the script. The production house's Midas touch saw YRF walk away with some of the biggest hits of all time between 2002 and 2006 when each of their films were well received by the audience.

The run started with Saathiya which proved to be a hit with the masses and was followed by Hum Tum which grossed over Rs 50 crores. YRF continued to rake in the moolah with Veer-Zara, Dhoom, Bunty Aur Babli and Salaam Namaste proving to be huge hits, even though there was a hiccup in the form of Neal n Nikki which was bashed by the critics for excessive skin show and an excuse of a storyline.

However the failure was soon forgotten in 2006 as Fanaa struck the bull's eye in the summer and Yash Raj followed it up with their biggest hit in recent times following the release of Dhoom 2 which grossed more than Rs 162 crores for the production house.
A confident Yash Raj tried to renegotiate their price slice with the multiplexes, demanding 60 percent and 55 percent of the first and second week earnings. 

However Chak De India proving to be the only hit for Yash Raj in 2007 while Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Aaja Nachle all turning to be duds at the box office. All of the three films were trashed for their apparant lack of storyline and only the success of Chak De India and to some extent, Ta Ra Rum Pum, helping Yash Raj recoup their investment last year.

Tashan was expected to be one of the biggest hits of this year and though 2007 proved to be one of a worst for Yash Raj in recent times, the production studio refused to budge from their stance and reiterated their demand for a 60 percent share in the revenue.

However the multiplexes refused to accept the revised payment division and Tashan was rerleased just in single screen theatres and some independent multiplexes. Produced at a budget of around Rs 35-40 crores, the film failed to generate the interest of the audience, managing to collect just Rs 18 crores in its first week.

Analysts believe that Yash Raj's tiff with the multiplexes cost the film at least Rs 10 crores and with Tashan being bashed up by the critics and public alike, Yash Raj was forced to renegotiate their demands and settled for the usual rates for their remaining three films to be released this year.

The only concession given by the multiplexes has been in the price division for Shahrukh Khan starrer Rab De Bana Di Jodi  which will be released in December. Yash Raj will be getting 50 percent of the revenues in the first week followed by 42.5 and 35 percent in second and third week respectively.

Once again this story or rather the non-story of Tashan has proved that it is consumer who is the king and not the actors or the production houses.