One would consider a multi-starrer like Sholay to break all box office records, when it was released 50 years ago in 1975. It had a box office clash with another release titled Jai Santoshi Maa, and the latter overpowered Ramesh Sippy's Sholay in certain aspects.
What's Happening
- The two films released on August 15, 1975. While Jai Santoshi Maa attracted the audience with its devotional theme, Sholay was initially declared a flop.
- The audience flocked to the theatres to watch this spiritual saga that showcased the beautiful relationship between Santoshi Maa and her devotees.
- Such was the craze that Jai Santoshi Maa earned a greater profit margin than Sholay and overshadowed a cult classic led by superstars such as Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan.
Audience Reactions
According to a report on Hindustan Times, the viewers believed that Anita Guha, who played the role of Santoshi Maa, was a real-life goddess. Coins and flowers were thrown at the screen as a sign of respect and devotion. People used to take off their slippers before entering the theatres.
The songs also played a massive role in making Jai Santoshi Maa such a colossal blockbuster. The song Main toh aarti utaroon re, Santoshi Mata Ki was being played in temples during aarti.
While the exact numbers for the film's budget are not known, Jai Santoshi Maa did go on to become the second-highest-grossing film of 1975. Sholay remained in the number one spot. Jai Santoshi Maa's profit margin was greater than Sholay because of the former's low production cost.
In A Nutshell
Jai Santoshi Maa was a more profitable movie than Sholay because of its low-budget production. But Sholay was a bigger grosser in overall box office revenue. Despite tough competition from a big film like Sholay, Jai Santoshi Maa struck a chord with the audience and achieved significant success.
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