Once in the mid-70’s, when both Bollywood’s mainstream movies and parallel cinema were booming, I happened to ask the late Manmohan Desai [Amar Akbar Anthony, Naseeb, Coolie, Mard] his views on the issue. The definitive super-hit masala film-maker’s response was as transparent, unapologetic and entertaining as his gems.
“Jab bhi critics aur pundits mera film ko tareef karta hai, ghabrahat hota hai. Mutlab, pucca flop! Jab bhi kass ke gaali deta high English mein, English akbaar aur magazine mein, main solid khush hota hoon … mutlab, pucca super hit!!”
(Whenever critics and Pundits praise my film, I get scared because it’s a sure sign of the film tanking at the box office. But when they pans my films in their write-ups in English newspapers and magazines, I feel overjoyed as it means that the film will do great in theatres)