USHA KIRON BIDS ADIEU
Usha Kiron, the leading lady of yesteryears, passed way in Nasik on 9th March due to cancer. She was 71 and is survived by her husband, Dr. Manohar Kher, her actress-daughter, Tanvi Azmi, son-in-law, Baba Azmi (cinematographer), and a son.
Usha Kiron began her acting career with a Marathi play several decades ago. Thereafter, she acted in many Marathi and Gujarati plays and films. She made her debut in Hindi films with Amiya Chakravarty’s Gauna. Her performance in Amiya’s Patita, opposite Dev Anand, won her rave reviews. She made a place for herself even when Nargis, Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Nutan were the top leading ladies of the day. She acted opposite all top stars of those days: Dilip Kumar (Daag), Dev Anand (Patita) and Raj Kapoor (Nazrana) and opposite Rajendra Kumar (in the Gujarati super-hit, Mehndi Rang Laagyo). She also earned laurels for her versatile performances in Marathi films like Kanyadaan, Shikleli Bayko, Bala Jo Jo Re, Garib Gharachi Mulgi, Kanchanganga and Kalpana. The actress made a comeback in the seventies with character roles in Hrishikesh Mukherji’s Bawarchi and Chupke Chupke.
Usha Kiron was the sheriff of Bombay in 1997-98 during which period she forcefully campaigned against noise pollution. She had penned an autobiography, in Marathi, which was entitled Usha-Kal.
Usha Kiron was to be honoured by a women’s organisation on the occasion of the International Women’s Day (8th March, 2000), but she had to keep away from the function due to her indisposition.
Since a month-and-a-half, she had been staying at her son’s house in Nasik to take rest. According to her husband, “She was fully satisfied with life.”
Usha Kiron’s funeral at Nasik was largely attended.
LATEST POSITION
Examinations and telecast of cricket matches are adversely affecting box-office takings.
Khauff crashed on 4th day where it took a reasonably good start; elsewhere, it was dismal from the beginning. 1st week Bombay 50,02,509 (48.81%) from 18 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 11,76,278 from 8 cinemas, Rajkot 1,52,672 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,00,838; Pune 11,00,844 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 2,33,511 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 29,59,112 (36.24%) from 13 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur (6 days) 3,68,739 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,36,987, Agra 2,14,000, Allahabad 2,05,573, Bareilly (6 days) 1,03,896; Calcutta 18,89,285 from 21 cinemas; Nagpur 5,99,245 from 5 cinemas, Amravati (6 days) 1,85,237, Akola 1,41,524, Raipur (6 days) 1,08,917, Jalgaon 1,78,260, Yavatmal 69,572; Bhopal 2,57,022 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 9,19,947 from 4 cinemas, Ajmer (gross, 29 shows) 2,11,877, Bikaner 1,63,045; Hyderabad (gross) 26,27,931 from 14 cinemas (2 in noon), Vijayawada 2,38,996.
Hey! Ram 3rd week Bombay 11,00,155 (41.46%) from 4 cinemas (2 unrecd., 6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 76,072 from 2 cinemas; Pune 4,93,549 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 61,064; Hubli 1,05,387; Delhi 9,98,757 from 5 cinemas; Kanpur 44,103 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,06,769, Agra 28,500, Allahabad 31,000; Calcutta 4,31,178 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 53,452, Raipur 61,622, 1 week Bhilai 56,300; 3rd week Hyderabad (gross) 4,02,718 from 2 cinemas.
Devi (dubbed) 3rd week Bombay 1,48,764; Solapur (matinee) 15,355; Calcutta 2,64,788 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 48,564, good, Amravati (6 days) 36,098, Raipur (6 days) 16,770.
Badal 4th week Bombay 12,39,720 (54.27%) from 5 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,45,142 from 4 cinemas, Jamnagar (matinee) 7,071; Solapur 1,07,794 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 2nd week Bijapur 1,12,073; 4th week Delhi 5,81,426 from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,16,049 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,77,653, Agra 2,50,000, Allahabad 1,05,000, Bareilly 1,02,551, Hardwar 35,000; Calcutta 3,96,463 from 3 cinemas; Amravati 45,026, Akola 61,704, total 5,36,659, Raipur (6 days, gross) 1,25,311, Bhilai 35,000, Durg 33,462, Jalgaon 54,438, Wardha 34,610; Indore 92,000, Bhopal 66,320; Jaipur 2,03,431 from 2 cinemas, Ajmer (gross) 96,910, Bikaner 92,074; Hyderabad (gross) 3,79,344 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon, 1 on F.H.).
Pukar 5th week Bombay 7,69,728 from 2 cinemas (1 unrecd., 3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,94,958 from 5 cinemas; Pune 2,66,196 from 2 cinemas; Delhi (TF) 9,67,272 from 5 cinemas; Kanpur 1,32,766 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,28,558, Agra 57,000, Allahabad 28,759, 1st week Hardwar 70,000; 5th week Calcutta 1,25,322; Nagpur 1,17,781 from 2 cinemas, Amravati (6 days) 56,815, Akola 48,527, total 5,28,922, Raipur (TF, 6 days) 50,740; Indore (TF) 45,833; Hyderabad (gross) 7,49,919 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon).
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani 7th week Bombay 6,19,123 (33.46%) from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Pune (matinee) 17,497; Kanpur 13,279 (1 on F.H.), Lucknow (6 days) 70,360, Allahabad 50,000; Calcutta 85,968; Indore (TF) 38,000, Bhopal (TF) 42,912, 1st week Ujjain (TF) 42,000; 7th week Hyderabad (gross, noon) 26,728.
Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai 8th week Bombay 42,62,999 (95.57%) from 10 cinemas (5 on F.H.), 2nd week Vashi (gross) 3,46,468, 7th week Vasai (gross) 2,27,927; 8th week Ahmedabad 9,90,201 from 4 cinemas, Baroda 2,15,381, 2nd week Padra 2,42,098, 1st week Cambay 1,98,906, 8th Rajkot 1,25,570; Pune 8,74,145 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,87,490; Dharwad 59,847; Delhi 18,11,654 from 7 cinemas; Kanpur 1,78,063 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,00,660, Allahabad 83,000, Bareilly (6 days) 49,254, Muzaffarnagar 25,000, 5th week Hardwar 37,000; 8th week Calcutta 8,47,928 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 4,26,912 from 3 cinemas, 1st week Balaghat (3 days) 54,276, 8th week Amravati 1,42,812, total 12,84,595, Akola 1,30,266, total 11,48,659, Raipur 1,06,861, Bhilai 36,070, 6th week Durg 54,410, 8th week Jalgaon 1,13,001, 3rd week Wardha 1,17,175, total 4,14,120, share 3,45,120, 7th week Chandrapur 1,51,957 (6th 1,26,849), total 12,69,607, 6th Yavatmal (gross) 1,01,514, total 7,87,169, share 4,87,169; 8th week Bhopal 1,57,142; Jaipur 2,16,326, Bikaner 77,934; Hyderabad (gross) 6,98,572 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon, 1 on F.H.).
NUTAN DEPARTS
Nutan Govind Naik, associate editor of Film Information, passed away in the early morning hours of 8th March at a hospital at Dombivli, a far-off suburb of Bombay. He was 57 and is survived by his wife and three daughters. He had been keeping ill-health since the last few months and had gone to Goa, his native place, last month. His family brought him back to Bombay on 6th March when his condition deteriorated, and admitted him to hospital right away. His condition worsened around 3 a.m. on 8th and he breathed his last around 5.30 a.m. in the hospital. He was cremated at the Chandanwadi crematorium the same evening.
Nutan-ji, as he was commonly addressed by everyone in the film trade, was gentle and affable by nature. He was soft-hearted and used to come to the help of anyone in need. He worked in the film trade for nearly four decades. Nutan-ji started out in a humble capacity in Trade Guide under late B.K. Adarsh. He inched his way up to become its reporter and with his penchant for box-office figures, he used to later assess the films’ all-India business, and he did so with unabated passion. He was also fond of watching previews of important releases in order to test his judgement. When G.P. Sippy’s Sholay was being dubbed a flop by the industry at the time of its release, Nutan-ji was firm in his statement that it would prove to be a super-duper hit. He loved emotional films and used to weep like a child while watching sentimental scenes, especially the ones involving screen-mothers.
Late Manmohan Desai was among the many who trusted Nutan-ji’s judgement. When Man-ji kept the first preview of his maiden production, Amar Akbar Anthony, he insisted on Nutan-ji seeing the film and giving him his frank opinion. After the show was over, Manmohan Desai was taken aback when Nutan-ji exclaimed, “Definitely 1 crore!” Man-ji was surprised because producers and distributors then never imagined that a film, howsoever good, could touch the crore-mark, despite Sholay having done a business of more than a crore. For Nutan-ji’s unerring judgement in Amar Akbar Anthony, Manmohan Desai presented him a trophy at its jubilee function.
Even if Nutan-ji erred in his judgement on certain films, he would admit that he had failed, for, he never believed in arguing to just prove his point. He was indeed a man of few words, but when it came to discussions on a film’s collections, prices and terms to be offered, he would open up with great enthusiasm and excitement. When our late editor, Ramraj-ji, had joined Trade Guide to assist his brother, Adarsh-ji, Nutan-ji had struck a great rapport with him (Ramraj-ji). After Ramraj-ji founded Film Information in 1973, Nutan-ji joined Film Information and became its associate editor. He was an important and integral part of the Information family for over 25 years. Nutan-ji was especially very friendly with distributors and exhibitors of C.P., C.I. and Rajasthan trade. He used to liaise with producers on their behalf. His association with the film trade also made him dabble into distribution and exhibition businesses.
His ambition to produce a film was fulfilled when he co-produced the Rajasthani film, Ramkudee Jhamkudee, which became a hit. He also co-produced another Rajasthani film, Khoon Ro Teeko, and the Hindi film, Saajan Ka Ghar.
Nutan-ji used to hate wasting time on busy days, especially Thursdays and Fridays. He had a penchant for keeping his table clear of papers, which indicated his endeavour to finish the work on hand in time. When working, he used to detest disturbance of any kind and used to indulge in chatter or light gossip, only after finishing the work on hand. He used to love cricket and avidly followed every game of the sport that India played.
Over the years, Nutan-ji had maintained his physique and appearance. In fact, many in the trade used to jocularly ask him whether he ever aged! But the last four months of his life saw him age too quickly. His weight reduced drastically quite rapidly and the last month or so was rather difficult for him.
PROTEST AGAINST ‘GADAR’ SHOOTING
A section of Shia Muslims in Lucknow has protested the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to allow producer Nitin Keni to shoot his Sunny Deol-Amisha Patel starrer Gadar at the local Imambara. Activists have demanded that the permission to shoot be withdrawn as Imambara is a religious place for Muslims. Leaders of Shia Muslims have threatened to immolate themselves if their demand was not met by the government soon.
VARSHA USGAONKAR WEDS
Varsha Usgaonkar married Ajay Sharma, son of veteran music director Ravi, in Goa on 9th March. The wedding, solemnised at Varsha’s sister’s house, was attended by close relatives.
KHUSHBOO MARRIES SUNDAR C.
Top Tamil film heroine Khushboo married Tamil film actor, producer and director Sundar C. on 9th March at a five-star hotel in Madras. The marriage was attended by a large number of South film celebrities.
NEW CINEMA AT HALOL
A new cinema — Jap — opened at Halol (Gujarat) last week. This is the second cinema of Halol.
FILMCENTER DECIDES TO CLOSE DOWN
Filmcenter, one of the oldest film processing laboratories of Bombay, is contemplating closure. The lab is refusing new films with the aim of ultimately downing shutters.
NEW CINEMA IN JALGAON DUE TO OPEN SHORTLY
A new cinema — Mohan Chitra Mandir — will open shortly in Jalgaon. Owned by Viththal Shivaji Sonawane, it is equipped with Photophone projectors and Dolby Digital sound system. Its screen size is 48′ x 21′. The air-cooled cinema has big foyers on the first and ground floors.
It has 3 classes — Balcony (with 311 seats), I Class (260 seats), and II Class (342 seats). The admission rates are Rs. 20, Rs. 12 and Rs. 7 respectively. The booking of the cinema will be controlled by Mohan Exhibitors (Vasant Talkies Building, Amravati).
GYANCHAND MEHTA DEAD
Well-known Rajasthan distributor Gyanchand Mehta (Mehta Film Exchange, Jaipur) expired on 4th March in Jaipur owing to heart failure. He was 67. Uthavna was held on 6th.
His distribution concern was being looked after by him as well as his only son, Dinesh.
‘KHOOBSURAT’ COMPLETES 100 DAYS
Sanjay Chhel’s debut directorial venture, Khoobsurat, completed 100 combined days of its run at Metro (matinee), Bombay on 4th March. Produced by Rahul Sughand and presented by Jhamu Sughand, the film stars Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar in the lead. Music: Jatin Lalit.
‘PUKAR’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA, U.P.
Boney Kapoor’s Pukar has been exempted from payment of entertainment tax in Maharashtra for a period of one year from 9th March. The film is being screened at tax-free rates from 10th.
The Uttar Pradesh government has also exempted Pukar from entertainment tax with effect from 17th March. The exemption will be effective for 4 weeks.
‘KKHH’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA
Yash Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, directed by debut-making Karan Johar, has been granted tax-exemption in Maharashtra for a period of one year from 10th March. The entertainment tax exemption has come in the wake of the film bagging the National award for the best film providing wholesome entertainment. It is also tax-exempted in Delhi for 3 months from 25th February.
YOU ASKED IT
Do you think, the makers of Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani erred in the publicity campaigns of the film?
– Yes, they did. Had they stressed on the nationalist feel of the film, in their pre-release promotional trailers, business would have been at least 20% to 25% better.
When will Esha Deol be launched? Is the launch film a remake of a South film?
– Boney Kapoor will start the film starring Esha Deol in April. It will be directed by Vinay Shukla and star Sanjay Kapoor and Aftab in the male leads, with Jaya Bachchan in a key role. The film is a remake of the Telugu hit, PELLI.
Despite Sanjay Gupta’s films bombing at the box-office, how does he manage to bag new films?
– He doesn’t come alone, he gets Sanjay Dutt with him. Any director, who has dates of the scarce commodity called ‘saleable hero’, has more chances of bagging films.
DO YOU KNOW?
* Premiere, the newly-opened state-of-the-art cinema at Parel, Bombay, allows children under the age of 18 to see an adults film at the cinema provided the accompanying parents of the children give an undertaking to the cinema that they will be responsible for the consequences if their children are caught watching adults films. But does this undertaking absolve the cinema from legal implications?
* A pop song of the toe-tapping kind, set to tune by Anand Milind, Shankar Mahadevan and Lezz Lewis and choreographed by Ganesh Hegde, was picturised for CHAL MERE BHAI under the direction of noted ad man Ashu Trikha who specialises in making promos for feature films. It was picturised on Shankar Mahadevan and Lezz Lewis (who have themselves rendered the song) on March 6 at Filmistan Studios. This song will be a part of the promotional campaign and it will also be utilised in the film’s titles.
* The shooting of producer-director Hussain Bloch’s Gujarati film, SAACHO SATHVARO SAAJAN NO, was interrupted for half an hour recently at Halol, due to the ’emotional breakdown’ of leading lady Sharmilee and Heena Upadhyay while enacting an emotional scene. The scene had Heena Upadhyay (playing a bhabhi) exhorting bride-to-be Sharmilee to be good and virtuous in her in-laws’ house. Whenever the two actresses were giving takes, they used to break down. The director suspended the shooting for half an hour until the emotionally-swept ladies regained their composure.
* Laloo Kabra, the C.P. Berar distributor of KN…PH, has started a scheme of distributing free T-shirts to winners of the lucky draws in every show at Jayant, Chandrapur and Manek, Akola. Collections at Chandrapur have shot up (6th week 1,26,848/-; 7th week 1,51,957/-).
COMMENTS
BONEY KAPOOR
City Pulse cineplex in Gandhinagar is the best thing to have happened to the industry in recent years.
SANJAY MEHTA (Bobby Art International, Delhi)
The menace of no. 2 prints in U.P. is killing the trade. The local authorities and the cinemas, which screen illegal prints, are hand-in-glove.
BRIJESH TANDON (Delhi-U.P. exhibitor-distributor)
The business of Delhi city is dismal these days.
MAVJIBHAI SHAH (Bombay distributor)
Unrealistically high admission rates in cinemas are killing the business. Now, people see a film only if it is really good. That is why, business of good films is extraordinary whereas that of poor films is dismal.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Well-Deserved Tax Exemptions
It is heartening to note that state governments are granting entertainment tax exemption to a well-deserved film like Pukar. That Boney Kapoor’s ambitious project tackles the Indo-Pak enmity quite boldly and bluntly is laudable. The exemption from payment of entertainment tax by state governments of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi underlines the fact that all is not lost for purposeful films with a message. A couple of other states are expected to follow suit and similarly exempt Pukar from tax.
Delayed Exemption
While the state governments, including Maharashtra, have been reasonably fast to act on tax-exemption to Pukar, the Maharashtra government has shown unbelievable lethargy in granting tax exemption to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Although all National award-winning films are granted the tax-free status by the government of Maharashtra, one wonders why it took the government one year to put its seal on the tax-free order for KKHH. Oh, kya kya hota hai!
Govinda As No. 1 Distributor
Govinda, who fancies ‘No. 1’ in the title of his starrers, is now aiming to become the No. 1 distributor for Bombay! The star has jumped into the distribution arena and will be releasing Hadh Kardi Aapne on April 14. Know what he has named his distribution concern? It is named Govinda Yashvardhan No. 1 Distributors! Yashvardhan, his ‘partner’ in the concern, is his 4-year old son! For the time being, the office will be operated from floor no. 1 of Naaz Building.
Calling To Say, ‘Pyaar Hai, Kaho Naa…Kya Haal Hai?’
The jingle of cash registers is sweet music to any producer’s ears, including Rakesh Roshan’s. But what happens when the jingle of money comes together with constant ringing of telephone bells? Ever since the release of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, Rakesh Roshan has been attending to calls after calls from friends and acquaintances from all over India and abroad. The telephones ring to bring compliments galore as also to enquire after his health. The Overseas calls come mostly in the middle of the night, thus forcing Rakesh to keep awake all night. The constant ringing of his phones has exasperated him so much that he could tear his hair apart (pity, he can’t, because he is bald!). The producer-director of the super-hit film has, therefore, hit upon an idea, although late: to have his old phones disconnected and to get new phone numbers. And he has done exactly that! Now, ring in the new number if you can! Or, ask him if you happen to bump into him, “Kaho naa…aapka naya telephone number kya hai?”
Not On Ground Level
Offices of almost all the leading distributors of Delhi-U.P., located in the Chandni Chowk area, are, by a strange coincidence, on the first and second floors of buildings. Since most of the buildings in the area are very old, the staircases are extremely steep. Resultantly, exhibitors and cinema controllers, who have to frequent the offices of distributors for booking films, must be getting out of breath even before they reach their destinations. MGs and advances asked for by distributors these days must be adding to the breathlessness of exhibitors!
