Besharam, Gunday, Lootera, Ghanchakkar, Nautanki Saala... these may be commonly used insults that are now part of our daily lingo. But this year, B-Town’s also buzzing with these swear words as they all happen to be titles of upcoming films. And these are not all, a look at the films releasing this year shows how filmmakers seem to be ditching the more urban names in favor of raw and rustic titles.

And ‘the more filmy, the better’ seems to be the mantra... so titles like Revolver Rani, Bullet Raja, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani that were once associated with B-grade films are all finding their way into the ‘respectable’ league with A-listers starring in them. Industry watchers and trade experts point out that in most cases these film titles are barely a reflection of the tone of the films which are increasingly appealing more and more to the masses.

But in other cases too, even though the backdrop is an urban setting, names like these are being zeroed in on as they are more catchy and have a better connect with masses. “Most of the mainstream releases this year are masala films, and these titles carry that impact which is in tandem with the mood of the film. And even if they are not cuss words, they have a local or a rustic touch to them,” insiders explain.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta says that films this year are catering to the masses and as titles play an important role in establishing a film’s identity and tone, naturally common lingo is preferred. “Cuss words have a shocking impact, which make them an instant hit among masses — they are simple and catchy. It gives the idea that it is the story of and for the masses that draws more footfalls in the interiors. Besides, even multiplex audience are all for formula films, so it’s a winning trend,” he says.

Vishal Bhardwaj admits that his hatke title had put him in a fix. “But Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola is the simplest way to describe my film and people know what to expect. It helped establish the nature of the film for the audience,” says Vishal. Rohan Sippy agrees. “Nautanki Saala explains the character in a nutshell and is relatable to the masses,” he says.

A senior distributor elaborates, “When Ranbir’s film is called Besharam or Shahid’s film is called Rajkumar Rambo, it automatically takes them out of the classy zone and connects with the masses instantly. Today, it is the masses that the filmmakers are trying to woo. Also, younger heroes are trying to build a mass connect and masala films are that bridge.”