Airlift and Neerja - These have been the two biggest successes that the industry has seen this year. The way Kapoor & Sons is currently finding appreciation, it is set to make it three, hence resulting in a biggie each in the months of January, February and March respectively. What ties the three films together is the element of realism. Hence, while both Airlift and Neerja are based on true events, Kapoor & Sons could be as close to reality as one would expect, considering its stage, setting and treatment.

However, it has been a while since one saw a hardcore mainstream commercial 'masala' film turn out to be successful at the Box Office. Well, Sardaar Gabbar Singh could well break that bad spell.

"Indeed," comments an insider, "The film has all the quintessential elements that one expects in a hardcore entertainer. It has music, action, romance, drama and comedy in good doses. Such genre of films has set audience for themselves, especially down South. This is the reason why Pawan Kalyan, who plays a loveable cop in the film, is quite confident of the major opening that the film is expected to take in South. However, what makes Sardaar Gabbar Singh different is the fact that it is releasing in Hindi as well in its mainstream avtar."

This is the reason why the makers Pawan Kalyan Creative Works and Northstar Entertainment have tied up with Eros International to ensure that the film arrives just like any other Bollywood biggie.

"It makes sense too since the film's setting is that of the princely town of Rattanpur which is set on the border of Telangana, Chhattisgarh and MP," our source adds, "By basing the film in this region, the makers have played a masterstroke by sitting in the heart of India. You have all the cultures merging seamlessly here."

Moreover, since it has been a while that a hero has beaten the pulp out of the baddies on screen, one can pretty much foresee Sardaar Gabbar Singh fill in the void that has been created due to the absence of 'masala' films.

Says Pawan, "Sardaar Gabbar Singh has a universal story with a sensibility that should appeal to audiences pan India. Film making cannot be confined to a certain area or demographics and our film attempts a unique connect with India, especially the Hindi belt."

With Kajal Agarwal as the leading lady and Sharad Kelkar as the antagonist, Sardaar Gabbar Singh releases all over on 8th April.