In one fell swoop, the Vidya Balan-starrer The Dirty Picture has broken the long-held belief that films with strong female characters can't hold their own in a male-dominated Bollywood. Within a week of its release, the film - which rides on Balan's able shoulders - has grossed nearly Rs 50 crore, taking on conventional biggies with even bigger budgets.
The last female-centric film to have acquitted itself well in the Bollywood arena was Priyanka Chopra's Fashion (2008), directed by Madhur Bhandarkar.The film has been applauded and collections have been unprecedented even in states like Rajasthan, UP and Bihar - known for their male-centric traditions.
Vishal Anand, operations head of Fun Cinemas said, "Vidya has done something a lot of male stars couldn't do - netting Rs 50 crore with a bold subject like this. I think the film's success is largely due to her acting, crisp one-liners, good marketing, word of mouth and men folk thronging theatres."
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