lunchtime poll #5: the path to awful movies can be paved with good people

A spin-off of the discussion of Guide, egged on by Pessimisissimo: what's the worst movie you've sat through because of who starred or was involved in it? (This is not to be confused with "what's the worst movie you've sat through because everyone else said it was wonderful/because of who brought it over to your house and was sitting on the sofa watching it with you, gauging your reaciton/because the music was so great/because you paid good money to sit in the theater's air conditioning/because you can hardly believe how giddily ridiculous it is" etc.)

#5: Aap ki Khatir
The explanation writes itself.
#4: Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
Darn you KJo and your stable of stars! SRK was the main appeal for me in this one because I saw it fairly early on and at that time he was the star I knew most about. If I I were to make this decision now, Kareena would likely have the same effect, as would SRK/Kajol together and Hrithik dancing. It should also be noted that I had read a lot of positive reviews of K3G, so those, coupled with the movie's general impression of being a Big Deal (whether or not this is earned), probably would have led me to it no matter who was involved. Still. Mega star-power with too much filmi indulgence and a story that makes me roll my eyes (somewhat made up for by Jaya giving the dinosaur what for).
#3: Bhagam Bhag
Even well-intentioned research can lead a person astray. In this instance, my occasional investigation into the all-important question "What is with Govinda?" led to nerve-grating, patience-testing annoyance.
#2: Kudrat
You'd think I'd learn. I'm sure I haven't. I'm sure I'll once again watch movies just because Akshaye Khanna is in them, and no doubt I will realize my time would have been better used some other way.
#1: Jab Jab Phool Khile
My hatred for this movie only festers and boils over with time. Neolithic ideals in sheep's clothing (i.e., Shashi) led me astray.

When you answer, please indicate for whom you suffered. I'm wildy curious if there's a general trend out there...we could start a special Filmfare award for "Most Likely to Entice People to Sit through Utter Garbage." (The Epsuggies?)

Another poll will be posted later this week. This is what happens when I've been traveling for a week and unable to watch any movies. Poll topic hint: click on the link for Kudrat above and peruse the pictures.

Comments

prasun said…
I don't usually watch movies for the stars - or rather, I'm not disappointed when I do. But I do have two movies that I could nominate - Aaghaz (Suniel Shetty) and Gajagamini (MF Hussain, Madhuri Dixit). I sat through these two on a cushionless wooden sofa in my hostel tv room.
KeepingItSimple said…
5) Guddu
SRK and Manisha Koirala

4) Kyun Ho Gayaa Naa
Aishwarya, Amitabh and Vivek Oberoi

3) Yuva
Abhishek , Ajay Devgan and don't remember the rest

2) Bhaagam Bhag
Govinda , Akshay Kumar

1) Heyy Babyy
Akshay Kumar, Ritiesh Deshmukh, Fardeen Khan
JR said…
Oh, you know what my answer is going to be: The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, for Preity Zinta. She said in an interview once that she had only done one movie for money, and I hope to god it was this one. Surely she didn't want to spend her days pretending to be illiterate, carrying around a lamb on her back?
Filmi Geek said…
Does *Son of the Pink Panther* count?

If not, then the clear winner is *Avtaar*.

(/me shudders at both memories)
Filmi Girl said…
I've got two from early in my Bolly-days:

Taal which I sat through for Aishwarya and music by A.R. Rahman. My hatred of this film runs so deep I *still* hate Akshaye Khanna and his stalking ways.

Also, Dil Hai Tumhaara, which I sat through because I love Preity.

And recently - Prem Kahani, during which I suffered through the "Everybody love Rajesh" show to get to The Shash being angsty parts.
ajnabi said…
We're only talking Hindi films, right? Because Eye of the Beholder with Ewan MacGregor and Ashley Judd was definitely at the top of the all movies list.

My Bollywood pick so far would have to be Karan Arjun. I hated Vivah, which I watched for Shahid and Amrita, but it wasn't the worst movie ever, just criminally boring.
JR said…
Oh...filmi girl reminded me of Dil Hai Tumharaa...yeah, that is another candidate for the "God, I hope she did this for money" candidate. In third place is Armaan--I notice these three films were all released back to back. Either she was suffering long-term effects from a concussion, or she needed $$$ desperately.
I've been known to watch crappy movies for the camp value of the thing, but here are some which made me just flat out angry :D

Tashan: Akshay Kumar
Aap Ki Khatir: Akshay Khanna
Ek Rishta: Akshay Kumar
Aja Nachle: Madhuri Dixit
Jab Jab Phool Khile: Shashi
KANK: Abhishek Bacchan, Rani
Todd said…
I watch so many bad movies that I've pretty much stopped contemplating the reasons why... beyond, you know, that's just who I am. But, thinking about it, I realize that Aishwarya is a main offender in this area, as she's been responsible for me watching Mistress of Spices, part of Shabd, and Ab Ab Laut Chalen. I'm over that phase now -- though I have to admit I kind of liked that warrior movie she did with Colin Firth.

I guess I also have to add to this list my recent viewing of International Crook, which is so far the only time that Feroz Khan has ever let me down.
Pien said…
Have seen so many 'bolly' movies by now that fortunately it is very easy to forget the bad ones (but Todd, thank you so much for reminding me on Mistress of Spices - not).

Worst movie?
Must be Kyon Ki. I hardly managed to sit through, constantly hoping it would get better for a movie with Kareena Kapoor - after having seen her in Jab we met and Chameli - could not be THAT bad...

Close second: Mumbai Matinee. Actually for the same reason. Couldn't believe an actor such as Rahul Bose wasted his talent on a movie like that.
Sizzlingtree said…
Hi Beth,
I read your blog but comment only rarely. However, I had to comment on this post. My awful five:

Ajooba
Ram Teri Ganga Maili
Satyam Shivam Sundaram
Prem Granth
Khaandaan
and many many more....
Bollyviewer said…
OMG - so many bad movies watched for favorite stars that its impossible to even remember! Can remember one thing though - I have watched the largest number of bad movies for Shashi Kapoor and Jab Jab Phool Khile isnt even the worst of them!
Pessimisissimo said…
Beth, great post. Here's my (current) list, subject to change as soon as I sit through another terrible movie. By the way, I'm only including movies we sat all the way through--the ones we yanked out of the DVD player after 15 minutes don't count:

#5. Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin: Aamir Khan stalking Madhuri Dixit.
#4. Karan Arjun: SRK and Kajol and Kiron Kher and Ila Arun in an awful reincarnation/revenge fantasy. The presence of Salman Khan should have tipped us off...
#3. Trimurti: SRK and Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff and Saeed Jaffrey in another violent revenge fantasy.
#2. Koyla: SRK and Madhuri and Amrish Puri in an incoherent, violent mess.
#1. Ishq: Aamir Khan AND Juhi Chawla AND Ajay Devgan AND Kajol; we waited in vain for it to get better, and it just kept getting worse and worse.

On the other hand, I actually liked Vivah and Aaja Nachle, and I'm not too bothered by K3G, all of which made other people's most hated lists. Ah well...
Ah, that would be Atithee, which my love of Shashi and my dedication to the PPCC forced me to endure until the end.

I believe Atithee is known as the Death of Film. It is beyond bad. It's not even MST3K bad. It's like kill yourself bad.
Wow, how much fun! I just did a tally of all the people mentioned by name in this post, and so far the Epsuggy goes to...Shahrukh Khan with 6 votes! Aishwarya Rai is first runner-up with 5 specific mentions, then Madhuri Dixit and Akshay Kumar, with 4 each.

A special lifetime achievement Epsuggy goes to house favorite Shashi Kapoor. Although Shashi-ji had only two specific mentions (Jab Jab Phool Khile and Atithee), I suspect he's a partial cause of watching Ajooba and Satyam Shivam Sundaram. Bollyviewer's hearty and crystal-clear statement of "I have watched the largest number of bad movies for Shashi Kapoor" brought knowing, heartfelt tears to the eyes of the judges, and thus the special award is bestowed upon him.

Also of note: A. R. Rahman is the only musician to appear so far. Surely there are more pied pipers!

I'll keep the numbers going for awhile and do another tally at the end of next week.

Side note to Pien - Kyon Ki is the only Hindi film I've abandoned without finishing. That one was an extreme case of "cut your losses." I still love Kareena, but I don't think anything could tempt me back to that.

Also thanks to everyone for playing along, especially the first-time commenters!
Unknown said…
Yaadein!!!!!! I went solely to watch Hrithik, and that is all I did! After about 3/4th of the movie, I was actually looking at the screen and telling Hrithik Roshan "You are the only reason I am still sitting here, or rather your attractiveness, or sexiness or whatever it is". It was a pathetic pathetic movie.

And yes, Ishq for Aamir Khan, I too kept waiting for it to improve.

Trimurthi for SRK, at that time I used to like him enough for that. I actually went for the first day, first show in Bangalore, after hours of waiting in line!

Another horrid movie I sat through was SRK's 'English Babu Desi Mem'. But by then my dislike for SRK had taken roots; did it solely coz my crazy friends wanted to watch it, so you might not put it in your tally.
Ohhh, Vatsala, that's a good story :) I haven't seen Yaadein, but I know that emotion well (and have had similar one-sided conversations with other people). Good call on English Babu Desi Mem, too - utterly forgettable.
ajnabi said…
Awww, I have an illogical soft spot in my heart for Yaadein--in fact I practically screencapped the whole movie for my post on it. LOL
SpyGirl said…
Not even Abhishek could save Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon.
Hey whattabout Nishabd, guys? The name hasn't cropped up. Or is that everybody liked the movie? or no one has seen it, maybe!
Unknown said…
And yes, how could I forget? Raja Hindustani! Who would have thought that my dear Amir could put us through that?
Before it was released, I had actually promised 2 sets of friends that I would watch it with them. We live to learn.
UtesFan89 said…
I actually didn't mind Aap Ki Khatir or Bhagam Bhag. They could've been better, but eh... and I like Karan Arjun, I think (it's been years).

Yaadein was horrible... no idea why I sat through it. Same with Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon. Neal 'N' Nikki as well... you don't expect that type of crap from Yash Raj.

But the worst one... Jaani Dushman. Aftab. Akshay Kumar. Sunil Shetty. Arshad Warsi. And the biggest waste of time.
Ajnabi - I think a lot of people do, and I think that spot is called "Hrithik."

Spygirl - Logically I agree with you, but for whatever reason I like that movie. Not that I want to see it a third time, but it holds a nice place in my memories.

Aditya - I actually liked that one...but I know many didn't!

Vatsala - Good call! I don't remember that movie well, but now that I've seen Jab Jab Phool Khile, I have no wish to remind myself ;)

Utes - Yes, that one is HORRIBLE. Uuuugh.
Pitu said…
As part of my Madhuri-SRK-Hrithik fandom, I have sat thru countless disasters.

Madhuri: Khilaaf, Dayavan, Sahibaan, Phool, Mohabbat, Yeh Raste Hain Pyar Ke, Wajood and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam.

SRK: Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, Chamatkar, King Uncle, Ram Jaane, One Two Ka Four.

Hrithik: Yaadein, Na Tum Jano Na Hum, Aap Mujhe Acche Lagne Lage, Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon.

As you can see, I have SUFFERED!! A lot!!
filmyink said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
filmyink said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
filmyink said…
The movies which can be worse r ;

Bade miyan Chote miyan;
Recent Ram Gopal Verma movies esp PHOONK 1 & 2;some of Sushmita Sens movies Chingari
Uday chopra movies; Pyar impossible=dekna impossible
Shashi kapoor - Fakira (totally sad to say this); Shashi what were u thinking!!!i felt better only after watching Kalyug...
English = Runaway bride- we just walked out of the theatre half way
Na tum jaano na hum and other movies which Hrithik did after KNPH with Amisha patel
Kareena&Karisma have also very bad films to their name Jaanwar,MUJHE KUCH KEHNA HAI; wondered how that became a hit and got remade in most of the languages
Madhuri's Raja;Amir's Raja hindustani;Salmans Tumko na bhool paayenge.
Please guys spare Shashi-ji frm the honour.
"""The trophy for bad films definItely goes to ..............
"SALMAN KHAN""""
filmyink said…
PS:Used to like Salman khan in Andazz apna apna;HAHK;even Janam Samjha karo!!!
But my resentment started with Hum dil de chuke sanam,and is continuing....now i dont even bother ;#@$5%$#$$$#

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