Question

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Bandhan Audio Release Function - 

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https://www.rediff.com/entertai/1999/jan/09hit.htm

1998 belonged to Kajol and Salman Khan. But in terms of sheer number, the biggest name of the year was Mithun Chakraborty. He had 15 releases in 1998.

Salman Khan

Success ratio: 80

Salman remained in the limelight throughout this year, both professionally and personally. On the professional front, Salman emerged the most successful hero of the year with his much-appreciated antics in Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai and Bandhan, the last named film having found great fans in small centres. Later, his charming special appearance in KKHH was the icing on the cake.

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Bandhan was criticized by the critics with harsh reviews predicting it to bomb big time at the box office. But BANDHAN, surprised everyone with it's box office run.

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BOI on Bandhan - 

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Full Movie - 

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The Chartbuster - 

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Bandhan was the official remake of Tamil Hit Pandithurai [1992] which was also remade in Telugu as Bava Bavamaridi [1993] & later in Kannada as Baava Baamaida [2001].

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Pandithurai Full Movie - 

Cast - Prabhu Ganeshan, Khushboo, Radha Ravi, Sumithra & Silk Smitha. 

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Bava Bavamaridi Full Movie - 

Cast - Suman, Malashri, Krishnam Raju, Jayasudha & Silk Smitha.

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Baava Baamaida Full Movie - 

Cast - Shivarajkumar, Rambha, Prakash Raj, Vinaya Prasad & Rani.

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Characters Across Remakes
Hindi Remake	Tamil Original	Telugu Remake	Kannada Remake
Salman Khan	Prabhu Ganeshan	Suman	Shivarajkumar
Rambha	Khushboo	Malashri	Rambha
Jackie Shroff	Radha Ravi	Krishnam Raju	Prakash Raj
Ashwini Bhave	Sumithra	Jayasudha	Vinaya Prasad
Shweta Menon	Silk Smitha	Silk Smitha	Rani / Raksha

Answer 1

Salman Khan in 1998, Pktdk (Superhit), Jpkshh (Semihit), followed by Bandhan (Hit) along with KKHH.
I will not say it's a surprise hit.

Answer 2

I Just know it from the title song. My parents and me (I dont remember the details obviously) were in Kolkata to visit someone, tried to watch this movie....didn't get tickets as it was housefull. My folks told me they went for Maharaja instead (some Govinda movie)which was running nearby and hardly had more than 20 people for the show.