Time to catch up with what's been happening at the local Box office over the last few months or so…Well, first there was Moharrum, but after the second Eid of the year, the industry has been buoyed as three of the big guns all managed to score hits. Ghunda Tax has been a major success in the Punjab region as previously reported and it still continues to draw solid crowds at Lahore's Naghma cinema. Tax has enjoyed similar success all over the country and has been instrumental in underlining Parvez Rana's supremacy among current directors. At the moment, he appears to be able to do no wrong.

Naseebo Lal's songs have been a major part of the successful formula and her popularity has hit dizzying heights with people claiming her to be a cross between Reshma and Madame ji - what could be higher praise. Anyway, there have recently been disturbing rumours filtering through about the lady binging on whiskey and being drugged up to her eyelids - well, she wouldn't be the first singer to head down that particular alley. None the less, at the moment her songs are top box office draw, especially in the Punjab circuit. Along with Ghunda Tax, Moosa Khan has also performed very well and continued its run merrily in Lahore though it then hit a major hurdle with the censors withdrawing its certificate. Shaan took out a stay order, but that too soon ran out and now the movie is being shorn of objectionable scenes before being resubmitted. The third film to hit the bull's eye from Eid was Badmash Gujjar - and so Shaan scored a hat-trick of major hits while his major competition in the form of Chalo Ishq Larain wasn't even released on time. This is how it's been over the last three months or so:

Shikari Haseena: opened on Jan 18th and bombed instantly all over. People claim the film to be unbearably awful with performances that make you want to run out screaming from the cinema and direction that is even worse. All the jungle footage is stolen from wildlife films and the entire effort just plain stinks. The first week's collections were hovering around the 35% mark and dropped to non existent levels thereafter. The same pattern was witnessed in Lahore with collections of 40% in the first week and next to nothing in the week that followed. Shikari Haseena therefore qualifies as the year's first massive flop.

Khuda Qasam: this Reema, Saud, Rembo starrer opened in early February and met with a dismal fate collecting around 40% in its first week and around 25% subsequently before exiting cinemas in a hasty retreat. Another super flop and another than lends credence to the theory a cast without Shaan is a non starter these days.

Jeeo Jatta: arrived in early February in the Punjab circuit with ten prints. The film lacked Shaan power and wasn't directed by Parvez Rana or Masood Butt - two prerequisites these days it seems. The public were least interested in a stale, boring film with a weak cast (who wants to watch Saud as hero after all?). The film bombed with collections of well below 40% in its first week and barely made it to a second week at all.

Moosa Khan: has shown solid box office legs and has continued to perform very well all over the country. The film was a success for its producers even before opening as they managed to command and receive such a whopping price for it from distributors…however, the films censors' certificate has just been withdrawn and the film has been removed from cinemas.

Ghunda Tax: has continued to build on it's very strong start and in the Punjab circuit is second only to last years smash Humayun Gujjar. Tax continues to draw crowds on several prints all over the country and is still going great guns at Lahore's premium Naghma cinema. Another stunning success for Parvez Rana.

Badmash Gujjar: This cheaply made quickie from Masood Butt has stunned business moguls with its success - and it continues to rake in the money. Some claim this to be the biggest success from Moosa and Ghunda Tax due to the small budget that the film was produced on. The film continues to run in the secondary cinemas all over the Punjab circuit.

Hamayun Gujjar: defies all predictions with its huge box office appeal and continues to pack in the crowds well into its 9th month of release with collections above 50% in the Punjab circuit. A stupendous success.

Makha Jat and Sher E Lahore also continue in the Punjab circuit where they have already reaped considerable rewards, especially Sher E Lahore which was a massive success for Madame Sangeeta at a time when all other films were flopping. Makha Jat, a very cheap production, has managed to keep its investors quite happy with steady business and repeat bookings all over the Punjab circuit.

The industry had been buoyed by the success of Ghunda Tax, Moosa Khan and Badmash Gujjar and reports were also filtering through of some Pashto films scoring big successes up north. There were thus great expectations when Eid ul Azha arrived bringing with it one big Urdu release, Border as well as Punjabi fare Dada Badmash, Babu Khan and Jagga Tax. Syed Noor's Sholay was due to open but the producers couldn't get their prints completed in time and huge losses were incurred due to this bungling.

Border: churned out in record time by super hack director of last years Musalman - Border follows the trend of vile, fascistic, hatred filled garbage , but alas business wise the film opened with a huge explosion shattering box office records in its wake. Collections all over were 100% but by the third week had dropped to a less hysterical 70%. This film has managed to do exactly what its producers had hoped - cash in on the unprecedented Cold War prevailing between India and Pakistan. While India churns out crap like Maa Tujhe Salaam and 16th December, Lollywood responds with equally offensive rubbish in "Moosa Khan" and "Border". Pity.

Dada Badmash: Madame Sangeeta's follow up to the super hit Sher E Lahore opened to a fantastic response all over the country establishing the Madame as a force to be reckoned with on the Punjabi scene where she joins the ranks of heavyweights Parvez Rana and Masood Butt. Madame Sangeeta's film has declined to a still brilliant 75% and that too in its 4th week of release. The film continues to show box office legs and continues to draw big crowds not only in the Punjab circuit but also in Sind where the film has gone down a storm. A resounding success all over; with much credit to the songs of Naseebo Lal, the lewd dances and the thunderous performance of warhorse Yusuf Khan.

Babboo Khan: Parvez Rana's name is white hot these days after Hamayun Gujjar and Ghunda Tax - he has followed up with Babboo Khan which has also shown a solid performance so far if not anywhere near matching the thunder of Dada Badmash. Babboo Khan might yet manage to turn a profit, the next few weeks will decide.

The notorious Doulat was released in Sindh at the end of march but met with the same calamity that it suffered in Punjab. I think the chapter is finally closed on that one.

Wehshi Jat - the first two weeks of this Shaan, Noor starrer have gone very well with 90% collections in the first week and 80% in the second. The change of having Shaan with Noor has gone down well and so have the little ladies lewd gyrations. The film is a sure fire hit all over the Punjab circuit.

Dosa: this film was bound to struggle without any top line stars and indeed after a deceptively strong opening week of above 60%, collections have nosedived disastrously to miniscule levels. Despite the popularity of Naseebo Lal's songs picturized on Resham, the film has shown no box office power and has been pronounced dead on arrival.

Jagga Tax: Masood Butt's follow up to the successful Badmash Gujjar has shown good initial results and is a profit earner for its distributors with an all round steady show but lacking the firepower of Badmash Gujjar. The film will do well to turn a small profit for its investors.

Ranoo Phadaybaaz: remember Mumtaz from the 70's and 80's? well Megha who stars in Phadaybaaz is her cousin trying desperately to gain a toe hold in the industry. This is her attempt at finally breaking through, but a desperate and dire attempt it is alas and the film has been laughed off the screen with dismal box office collections closer to single figures and too embarrassing to report. Poor Megha, all she has to show for her efforts are several debts and much egg on her pretty face. Better luck next time.

Chalo Ishq Larain: Much was expected of Shehzad Gul's Chalo Ishq Larain and the hype had been quite sustained over a prolonged period of time. The verdict is that the film is a stinker and the ticket buying public has utterly rejected it resulting in the first major box office casualty of the year. The film had a huge budget (comparatively) and major investment and many hopes were pinned on its success. Things had looked ominous from the outset when reports of a troubled shoot involving cat fights between Zara and Meera were reported. The real setback was when Gul pulled the movie from its Eid release slot which really set industry tongues wagging. The buzz all over was that Gul had been unconfident of his film and refused to put it up against the big films that were opening at that time. He withdrew his film from a further Eid, and people were sure that Gul had a dud on his hands. The film has opened to dismal business with business reported far lower than 50% in its opening two weeks………closer to 35%. A massive flop.

Badmash te Qanoon: Meanwhile Shaan must be smirking as his absolutely mediocre Badmash te Qanoon has opened steadily in Lahore where collections have been hovering around the 70% mark - considering the films low budget, that's not too bad a start.

E-mail OAK your Lollywood comments and questions