In the middle of every year Bollywood starts limping when film after film bomb at the box-office and penetrate the shovel in its belly. For the last few years Khans – Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan – came out as the saviors, and unmistakably they are behind bollywood’s moving cycle.

Considering bollywood success, 2009 has not been the best of years – we write every year – films like Chadni Chowk To China, Delhi 6, Billu Barber and many more did not live to the expectations while Hollywood’s 2012 and Avatar took box-office by surprise and did over 100 crore business. This is just a beginning of the competition for our copy-cat directors in the coming days.

If 2008 was ruled by Aamir Khan for racking up more than 100 crores at the box-office with ‘Gajini’, the evergreen Khan once again relieved bollywood with 3 Idiots, released in the last week of December exceeds ‘Gajini’ by 30%.

In our list of top 5 box-office rulers, 3 Khan Films rule the roost – 3 Idiots, Wanted and Love Aaj Kal.

3 Idiots: 3Idiots came and sunk all the records of success at the box-office for any bollywood movie. The film was earlier said to be based on Chetan Bhagat’s best seller ‘Five Point Someone’ but as soon as it was released Chetan was sidelined. And what followed was allegation and counter-allegations.

But this didn’t cease its successful run at the box-office and 3Idiots become the biggest grosser of bollywood.

Wanted: Salman Khan has waited long for success after a dubious year 2008; Wanted came as a real breather for him.

Directed by dance Master Prabhu Deva ‘Wanted’ pulled audiences to the theater, it was Salman’s biggest success after ‘Tere Naam’.

Box office collection: Rs 75 crores.

Love Aaj Kal: If ‘Omkara’ being a cult in Hindi cinema cemented Saif Ali Khan as an actor, ‘Love Aaj Kal’ gives a glimpse of Saif’s understanding as a producer.

He chose Imtiyaz Ali to direct the film – Jab We Met fame – on the insistence of her girlfriend Kareena Kapoor. The difference of yesterday’s love and today’s love (flings) was beautifully brought on the celluloid.

Box Office collections: Rs 66.5 crores.

Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahaani – Ranbir Kapoor showed a glimpse of his dada ji (grandfather) Raj Kapoor ishtyle (style) in Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahaani and wooed the audience.

Director Raj Kumar Santoshi handled Ranbir well indeed who at times looked as if he is not yet over with the ‘Saanwariya’ hangover in serious situations. But he gave a spirited performance, flair of comedy and grace in dancing left people glued over the screen for the cute Kapoor. Katrina Kaif looked charming and it was her second hit in the year after New York.

Box Office collections: Rs 63 crores.

New York – The 9/11 incident was a big event in the modern time which has changed the whole geo-political ambit. Kabir Khan’s New York resembles to Pakistan’s take on 9/11 ‘Khuda Ke Liye’ which came in 2008 and received critical acclaimation.

However, New York cannot be put into the same category but some high voltage performances from Irfan Khan, Neil Nitin Mukesh and John Abraham made its success sure at the box-office.

Box Office collections: Rs 55.5 crores.