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A Hong Kong based Indian filmmaker recently made a unique documentary on the one film wonders of Bollywood where some make it to the top even after their debut films are flops whereas some sink into oblivion even though the their debut films are super hits. Shoma A Chatterji gives an interesting glimpse into workings of the unpredictable box office.

Hong Kong-based Komal Tolani's 54-minute documentary Sunset Bollywood is devoted to one-film wonders in tinsel town. Tolani, a Drama, Film and TV graduate of Bristol University, was inspired to make the film when she saw her teenage-heartthrob Rahul Roy on a television re-run of AASHIQUI.

"I wanted to convey the true reasons why people fade out of the limelight. These actors are usually dismissed as one-hit wonders, but often, as my documentary reveals, there are other reasons why actors and actresses bow out of the industry early," explains Tolani.

Is it a hare-and-tortoise race between has-beens who made it to the headlines with their first film and stars who churned out one flop after another but rose to big heights and stayed there for years and years? Bollywood offers an interesting script along these lines.

Bollywood is generously dotted with one-film wonders and first-film stars. One film wonders are newcomers whose first film was a thumping hit but who never really could take a joyride on the success of that film to lead up to sustained stardom. They simply faded out, at times, vanishing without trace. First-film stars are those whose first film brought them stardom but whose subsequent forays into cinema were so marginalized that people forgot they existed at all. A classic example of the former is none other than Bhagyashree while Rameshwari offers an illustration of the latter category of actors. Both of them were talented, had a strong screen presence and interestingly, made their debut in Rajshri Production films. Bhagyashree starred in one of the biggest hits in Hindi cinema - MAINE PYAR KIYA. Rameshwari, armed with a diploma in acting from the FTII, stepped into films with the delightful family entertainer, DULHAN WOHI JO PIYA MAN BHAAYE in 1977. Over the past three decades, Rameshwari has done not more than 24 films. Though she did the female lead in some of her earlier films, all of them flopped. We saw her last in BUNTY AUR BABLI. Prem Kishen, son of Premnath, did the hero's role opposite Rameshwari but disappeared from the large screen afterwards except in itsy bitsy negative roles in a few films.

Bhagyashree turned down every single offer that came her way after the success of her debut film. She even rejected an offer of Rs.10 lakh for a film, an astronomical sum in those days for an absolute newcomer. She had strings attached - the producer had to take her brand new husband Himalaya as her hero. Producers refused to comply. One did a few years later, but was left bankrupt because Himalaya was no screen material and Bhagyashree was no longer a craze.

Rajendra Kumar was called Jubilee Kumar because most of his films ran for 25 weeks at a stretch in theatres. He launched his son Kumar Gaurav in LOVE STORY, one of the biggest hits. It was a delightful entertainer with a new girl, Vijayeta, in the female lead. But the father who launched his son also destroyed his budding career. He out-priced his son in the market so much so that producers gradually shied away. He re-launched his son several years later opposite Madhuri Dixit in PHOOL. But Kumar Gaurav was finished as an actor for all time to come. Vijayeta too, could do little to save her career.

Rahul Roy created headlines with his debut in Mahesh Bhatt's AASHIQUI. This too, was a hit but though Rahul did some more films, none of them could bring him back the limelight he experienced with his first film. Salma Agha, the singing actress, made a stunning debut in B.R. Chopra's NIKAAH (1982.) She was beautiful, talented and could lend voice to her own songs. But her unprofessional attitude and wrong choice of banners and films did nothing to sustain that sparkling debut. Mandakini's much-touted debut in Raj Kapoor's RAM TERI GANGA MAILI was a big hit, wet saree and all. But it did nothing to further the career of the youngest Kapoor heir Rajeev Kapoor, whose launch film this was supposed to be. Mandakini acted in 36 films till 1996, including ones like TEZAAB and DANCE DANCE, but she could not impress and vanished with her name tainted with alleged mafia link for good measure. The same applies to Zeba, the beautiful lady from Pakistan who starred in the title role of Raj Kapoor's HENNA (1991.) Though the film was a hit, Zeba went away for good and we never ever saw her again.

Bollywood is a better playfield for the tortoise than for the hare. There are exceptions of course, but by and large, the slow learners have turned out to be the biggest winners in the race. Rajesh Khanna's first film AAKHRI KHAT (1966) was a flop. But he was noticed and got offers despite the film's failure. Dharmendra, who has acted in nearly 250 films over the past 45 years, offered a turnip at the box office with his debut in DIL BHI TERA HUM BHI TERE (1960). The following two years, he kept up his record of flops with SHOLA AUR SHABNAM, BOYFRIEND and SOORAT AUR SEERAT (1962). His first hit came with UNPADH in 1962. He was cast opposite Mala Sinha in the film and being a heroine-centred film, his role was secondary to the heroine's. But his career was made and he can still pick and choose his roles if he wishes to.

Few who saw K.A. Abbas's SAAT HINDUSTHANI (1969) would recall one of the seven Indians who was shot and killed while trying to crawl through an iron fencing at the then-colonial Goa border. The lanky young man with hollow cheeks was none other than Amitabh Bachchan. But SAAT HINDUSTANI was a flop and hardly anyone recalls the lanky young man today. In BOMBAY TALKIE (1970), a Shashi Kapoor production, Amitabh was not even mentioned in the credits of the film. After all, he was one of the mourners at a funeral within the film! In Sunil Dutt's RESHMA AUR SHERA (1971), Bachchan played Chhotu, a bit role purportedly sans dialogue! And look where he finds himself today!

Hema Malini's much-touted debut film SAPNO KA SAUDAGAR opposite Raj Kapoor was no great shakes at the box office. But she was showered with roles after the film. No one remembers Rekha's Hindi debut film today. But that does not change her status quo in the film industry. Dimple Kapadia on the other hand, could never recreate the magic she defined in BOBBY. Nor could Amrita Singh the way she did in BETAAB, her debut opposite Sunny Deol. Aesop was right.