Katrina Kaif is the phataka in demand

What is Diwali without some good old fireworks and crackers? It’s also now a yardstick of a Bollywood star’s popularity with the junta at the rate a firecracker named after them sells.

 Last year’s blockbuster Dabangg continues to make ripples at the firecracker stores with a unique brand of firecrackers known as the Chubul Pandey rockets. But more than the Bollywood heroes, it’s the Bollywood heroines who actually rule the cracker street.

Himmat Chavan, store owner says, “These are the crackers that get sold out very quickly. Hindi film stars ki toh bahut chalti hai. People get attracted to the pictures on the packaging and buy them. But most of them are costly ones, all fancy stuff,” he says pointing to the rows of Katrina Kaif’s Funky Dream multi-shot rockets.

When it comes to crackling sex appeal, it clearly seems to veer to actress Katrina Kaif, who has zameen chakri to her name since last year. Close on her heels is actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

A cracker calledFlying Rani, which emits unusual colours while burning, has been named after actress Rani Mukerji. But veteran actress Hema Malini continues to be the perennial favourite since the 1970s when she ruled as ‘Dream Girl’. Her images continue to adorn covers of crackers like Sholay bomb at a time when even Hollywood’s glam brigade led by actor Angelina Jolie are making their presence felt at the stalls.

Vicky Tikmani, a firecracker store owner, adds that there’s a huge demand for cartoon characters too.

“Pokemon, Monster, Dragonballs — all these are in huge demand. They mostly interest children, so we also make sure that these firecrackers are the kinds that children can handle.”