2006: The ‘Blockbuster’ Box Office Year Is A Decade Old! Here’s a Throwback Timeline

Rarely has a calendar year in the history of cinema been so graciously overawing like 2006. The year that saw a flurry of hits after hits and set the cash registers on fire was an impeccable time for Bollywood fanatics to relish. The year that began with the euphoria of Rang De Basanti and ended with the chaotic fun of Bhagam Bhag is suggestive enough to apprehend the magnanimity of 2006.

2006 completes a decade this year! When you look back at the movies that made you stand in long queues to earn you a ticket, trust us it will make you feel old. Dhoom 2 came a decade ago! Surprised? Brace up for more jolts as we take you back to the releases of 2006 that stay with us even today. Here’s a timeline of the biggest ‘Blockbuster’ year of the 21^st century.

January (Began With Zinda, Ended With The Revolution Of Rang De Basanti)

Having started with the dark and edgy thriller by Sanjay Gupta, though Zinda was a box office failure, it made way for a revolution to follow two weeks later. On 26^th January, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti released. With the only recognizable face in the name of Aamir Khan, the film ruled the first quarter of year’s box office single handedly. It was a rage and a revolution!

February (John And Nana’s Surprise Element With Taxi No. 9211)

Just as the tempest of Rang De Basanti was starting to settle down, a month later Milan Luthria sprung a surprise with Taxi No. 9211. The cat & mouse sketch folded in a day long story instantly picked up and became a surprise hit. The film doesn’t go without a viewing even today when it airs on TV. 

March (An Amusing Surprise: Malamaal Weekly)

At a time when Priyadarshan was coining hits after hits with big stars in prominence, he took us through a surprise by crafting a small budgeted movie with no stars. With Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Asrani, Rajpal Yadav, Arbaaz Khan and Riteish Deshmukh all together, Malamaal Weekly was a treat to kids and families post their final exams. Apparently, that’s when the movie released – March 10^th! The word of mouth made this light hearted entertainer a success.

April (Humko Deewana Kar Gaye Followed By Kangana’s Striking Debut - Gangster)

Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif first time collaborated in Raj Kanwar’s Humko Deewana Kar Gaye that released on April 14. Though the film couldn’t really excel at box office, the music found its way into people’s hearts. The chemistry of its lead pair made way for a number of hits to be shared between them.                                                                                                 However, on 28^th April, the biggest female face of the industry right now made her scintillating debut. In Anurag Basu’s Gangster, Kangana Ranaut shared screen with Emraan Hashmi and Shiney Ahuja and straightaway became a talking point. The film was a declared hit at box office.

May (Aamir Khan and Kajol’s Fanaa Did Wonders)

May 26: As if Aamir Khan joining forces with Yash Raj Films wasn’t big bomb of a news, Kajol got on board as the leading lady. Released in the last week of May, this film had box office insanity written all over it! The film clicked with critics and the masses and ended up as one of the highest grossers of the year. 

June (Phir Hera Pheri Clashed With Chup Chup Ke, Krrish Came Out As Our First Superhero)

Just two weeks after Fanaa on June 9^th , there came the first big clash of the year. Two films of the same genre, same taste and almost identical cast hit the screens together. ‘Neeraj Vohra’s Phir Hera Pheri and Priyadarshan’s Chup Chup Ke’! While Phir Hera Pheri won the box office battle hands down, Chup Chup Ke won hearts. In anyway, it was a win win situation for audiences in theaters. However, the real picture was only to unfold two weeks later. When Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Krrish’ starring Hrithik hit the theaters, ticket counters went on fire. The sequel to Koi Mil Gaya gave us our own superhero that kids can’t be more thankful for even today.

July (Two Shades Of The Coin – Golmaal & Omkara)

While Ajay Devgn’s versatility can’t be put to question, he proved it further in July 2006. While Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal: Fun Unlimited set up an all new franchise, two weeks later Vishal Bhardwaj came up with his most epic Shakespearean adaptation in Omkara. Ajay played the lead in both. While Golmaal found a thorough connect with the masses, Omkara could only impress the critics. 

August (Biggest Ensemble Cast – Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Came Out)

Having been in news ever since the day of its announcement, Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna released on August 11^th. With a stellar cast of Big B, SRK, Abhishek Bachchan, Priety Zinta and Rani Mukerji all in one frame, KANK took a bumper opening. However, its controversial subject given an elite urban execution dented its performance in India. Nevertheless in overseas, the film set new records.

September (The Most Loved Film of the Year – Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Moderate Hits Like Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Khosla Ka Ghosla & Woh Lamhe )

The very first day of September gave us unarguably the best film of the year with Raju Hirani’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai! The film picked up with positive word of mouth and placed itself as the most successful film of the year. The good times continued the same month with movies like Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Khosla Ka Ghosla performing well. It ended with Kangana’s second consecutive outing with Mohit Suri’s Woh Lamhe.

October (The Biggest Diwali Clash – Don Vs Jaan-E-Mann Vs Umrao Jaan)

Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Aishwarya Rai, Priety Zinta & Abhishek Bachchan, all these actors had come out to lock horns with each other on the highest grossing day of the year. With the epic clash of as many three releases – Farhan Akhtar’s Don, Shirish Kunder’s Jaan-E-Mann and J.P. Dutta’s Umrao Jaan, the Diwali was full of crackers. While the last of the lot got straightaway out, Jaan-E-Mann gave some stiff competition to Don before running out of breath against Shah Rukh’s star power. Apparently the brands of Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar weren’t as huge as what they are today, or it would have been a different picture altogether. 

November (Vivaah Got Going Until Dhoom 2 Arrived)

One of the biggest career hits for Shahid Kapoor, Sooraj Barjatya’s Vivaah came out on November 10^th. The film grew proportionately in B & C centers and grossed a fortune for Rajshri owing to its massive family appeal. Although it was 2 weeks later when Sanjay Gadhvi’s Dhoom 2 lit up the screens! With Hrithik Roshan as the baddie, Dhoom 2 broke all box office records and was the highest grossing film of the year leaving Lage Raho Munna Bhai’s collective figure behind.

December (Baabul Followed By Kabul Express Followed By Bhagam Bhag)

The already blockbuster year deserved to end on a high, didn’t it? While Ravi Chopra’s much in news Baabul starring Big B, Salman, John, Rani and Hema Malini took off on December 8^th to poor reviews and response, it was a rare big failure that year. The next week had a strange release in the form of Kabul Express starring John and Arshad Warsi that also marked the debut of Kabir Khan as filmmaker. Although a box office flop, the film was later appreciated for its brave cinematic efforts.The last big release of the year tried reviving the lost business in December. Priyadarshan’s Bhagam Bhag that also marked the comeback of Govinda, was a box office success. It was Priyadarshan’s third film of the year and gave a well-deserved farewell to the year that only understood the terminology of Hits, Super Hits and Blockbusters!

10 years down the line, while we see records being shattered every year, none so far has been able to match the aura of this blockbuster year that completes a decade. With the likes of Raees, Sultaan, Dangal, Mohanjo Daro, Rustom, Shivaay slated to hit the screens this year, could this be the one to challenge 2006? You doubt it, don’t you?