In Bollywood, a Friday usually decides a film's fate, yet some dates on the calendar make producers and distributors nervous long before that Friday arrives. Trade experts tend to steer clear of dates with a consistently disappointing track record, and on that count June 17 sits right at the top. Calling it Bollywood's most 'unlucky' release date would not be a stretch. Across the two decades from 1994 to 2016, every filmmaker who gambled on opening a movie on this day walked away with either a heavy financial blow or an ice-cold audience response. The numbers leave no room for doubt: not one film released on this date has ever managed a 'hit' or 'blockbuster' tag.
Udta Punjab (June 17, 2016, Average)
Abhishek Chaubey's 2016 film was tangled in one of the biggest censorship controversies in Bollywood history even before it hit screens. Laying bare the grim drug crisis in Punjab, it boasted a strong starcast of Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh. The acting drew widespread praise and the film generated huge buzz among both audiences and critics. Still, when it reached theatres on June 17, all that hype failed to translate into box office magic. A print leak controversy combined with thin footfalls reduced a film with genuine blockbuster potential to a mere 'average' rating.
Aatish (June 17, 1994, Average)
Directed by Sanjay Gupta, this stylish action thriller was a much-discussed film of the 1990s, headlined by Sanjay Dutt, Aditya Panscholi, Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor. Its songs and action sequences became hugely popular with younger viewers. Inspired by the Hollywood film 'A Better Tomorrow', it was expected to turn into a cult hit. After releasing on June 17, 1994 the film opened strongly, but it could not sustain over the long run and ended up as just an 'average' performer.
Bheja Fry 2 (June 17, 2011, Below Average)
'Bheja Fry', released in 2007, became a cult comedy and made Vinay Pathak's character 'Bharat Bhushan' a household name. Hoping to cash in on that success, the makers brought the sequel 'Bheja Fry 2' to screens on June 17, 2011. This time the budget was bigger and the shoot moved overseas, but audiences missed the simplicity and original humour of the first part. The result was a flop at the box office and a 'below average' verdict.
Bachke Rehna Re Baba (June 17, 2005, Flop)
Starring Rekha, Mallika Sherawat and Paresh Rawal, this was an adult comedy. Given Mallika Sherawat's popularity at the time, the makers were confident the film would do well on single screens. However, a weak story and shoddy screenplay led audiences to reject it outright. Released on June 17, 2005, the film proved to be a box office flop.
Always Kabhi Kabhi (June 17, 2011, Disaster)
This film carried the name of Shah Rukh Khan's production house, Red Chillies Entertainment. Directed by Satish Kaushik, the youth-centric film marked Ali Fazal's debut. Shah Rukh Khan himself appeared in a cameo in one song and the movie was heavily promoted, yet when it opened on June 17, 2011 audiences simply did not show up. While its music was a minor hit, the film turned out to be a major disaster at the box office.
Bin Bulaye Baraati (June 17, 2011, Disaster)
Another example of multi-starrer films failing landed on the very same date. Featuring actors like Aftab Shivdasani, Priyanka Kothari, Rajpal Yadav and Johnny Lever, the film was made in a thoroughly dated style. Its screenplay was so dull that audiences turned it down on day one, and the trade declared it a straight 'disaster'.
Dhanak (June 17, 2016, Disaster)
National Award-winning director Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dhanak' was a beautiful, emotional tale of two children who set off across the deserts of Rajasthan in the hope of meeting Shah Rukh Khan. It earned excellent reviews at international film festivals, but the commercial box office, along with the 'curse' of the June 17 date, spared even this artistic film. With poor distribution and a shortage of theatre shows, the film suffered a complete financial setback and joined the list of 'disasters'.
