New Delhi: As numerologists gain clout in Bollywood, film titles have increasingly started to resemble discarded classroom worksheets of a fifth grader learning to spell.
As producers add an extra 'k' here and an extra 'b' there, or even three 'n's where one would have worked perfectly fine, film titles get crazier (or is it krazier?) every day. The Bbuddha - Hoga Terra Baap franchise reportedly added the extra 'b' after people started to assume the film was a biopic on Gautam Buddha. It is, in fact, about a retired hitman who comes back to finish one last job.
No one knows when or how the trend started or if at all it is more influenced by the popularity of text messaging on cell phones that is destroying the sanctity of English language worldwide or by numerologists influencing the decisions of producers who have big money riding on big ticket releases.
Producer-director Rakesh Roshan may have kicked off the trend with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, where an extra 'a' was added in two words in the film's name on the recommendation of astrologers.
But it caught on like a forest fire after films such Heyy Babyy and Singh is Kinng posted big gains at the box office. It was followed up
Experts say the use of phonetic spelling and little or no punctuation is a direct product of hurried mobile texts and laziness in forming lucid, grammatically correct words to communicate emotions and thoughts.
Bollywood has loyally followed with strange to downright silly titles that read little better than a teenager's hurried SMS to a college pal.
Roshan has followed numerology in each of his releases - Koi Mil Gaya, Krrish and Krazzy 4.
Singer turned actor Himesh Reshammiya is also known for his firm beliefs in numerology. His film Karzzzz was named on numerological calculations.
Directors such as Vipul Shah, John Matthew Matthan and Sangeet Shivan also consult numerologists.
When Vipul Shah's 'Namasteyy London' with an extra 'y' did well at the box office, he immediately added an extra 'n' to Singh is Kinng.
Zubeidaa, Kambkakkth Ishq, Kyaa Kool Hai Hum are all products of numerological calculations. Some of them have done good business.
While director Ashutosh Gowariker added an extra 'a' in Jodhaa Akbar, Ekta Kapoor's inclination towards numerology is well known.
The trend has caught on with stars as well. Ajay Devgan now signs off as 'Devgn'. Actors such as Suniel Shetty, Kirron Kher, Emraan Hashmi, Eesha Koppikhar and Tusshar Kapoor are now following their numerologically corrected names.
Numerology is the science of studying numbers. Numerologists assign numbers to every alphabet, and then study if those numbers match with the date of birth of the person concerned. (With additional information from PTI)
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