rediff.com: Why Phoonk became a bigger hit than Rock On!

Why Phoonk was a bigger hit than Rock On

Understanding the film business is not easy.

For starters, making Rs 50 crores (Rs 500 million) at the box office could be a hit for one film, but a flop for another.

So while a quick glance at the box office report could give you an idea, we try and explain which films actually worked at the box office this past year, and why.

We consulted Komal Nahata, the box office guru and editor, Film Information, the industry's leading trade magazine, who classifies the movies in various categories, according to their success rates:

Movie Marvel of the Year: Ghajini

Komal labels the Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini as the movie marvel of the year because it is expected to do Rs 55 crore (Rs 555 million) business in India theatrically, and about Rs 17 crore (Rs 170 million) overseas. And this is only the distributor's net share, the gross amount is even more.

This is phenomenal business, making the film a huge hit -- in fact, one of the biggest hits of the decade.

Text: Syed Firdaus Ashraf

Also see: Showcasing Ghajini