LATEST POSITION
The bad phase in the industry continues.
Nayak is poor except in Bombay, parts of Maharashtra and U.P. 1st week Bombay 50,07,133 (75.61%) from 13 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,19,478 from 2 cinemas (4 unrecd.), Rajkot 2,26,616, Jamnagar 99,762 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 12,35,331 from 5 cinemas, Solapur 3,63,911 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Satara (matinee) 44,521 (98.53%); Hubli 2,53,053 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), Belgaum 1,93,111, Dharwad 1,33,256 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), Nipani 71,819, Bijapur 2,30,276; Delhi 38,47,242 (52.35%) from 11 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,13,170 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 6,43,459 from 2 cinemas, Agra 3,54,000, Varanasi 2,38,343, Allahabad 2,11,367, Jaunpur 87,781; Calcutta 11,12,107 from 7 cinemas; Nagpur 7,59,321 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,39,451, Amravati 3,00,536, Akola 2,26,154, Dhule 1,86,030, Raipur (6 days) 1,79,897, Bhilai (6 days) 1,22,314, Jalgaon 2,32,151, Wardha (4 days) 90,280, Chandrapur 2,62,721, Yavatmal (4 days) 69,937; Jaipur 7,03,555 (44.78%) from 3 cinemas, Ajmer (gross) 1,85,701; Hyderabad (gross) 29,65,981 from 10 cinemas (1 in noon). Total 2,17,09,765 from 87 cinemas.
………….
Lajja drops everywhere. 2nd week Bombay 43,56,579 (59%) from 11 cinemas (9 on F.H.), total for 2 weeks 1,11,54,257; Ahmedabad 2,70,691 from 2 cinemas (6 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,79,000, Jamnagar 72,678 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 10,35,374 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,31,887 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Bijapur 61,808 (1st 1,20,686); Delhi 43,42,607 from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,54,449 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 6,31,510 from 2 cinemas, Agra 2,11,000, Varanasi 2,04,233, Allahabad 2,41,500, Bareilly (6 days) 84,718; Calcutta 8,21,338 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 4,40,571 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,70,825, Amravati 2,05,257, Akola 1,44,814, total 3,91,065, Raipur (6 days, gross) 2,29,445, Bhilai (6 days) 96,206, Durg 91,891, Jalgaon 1,35,286 (1st 2,36,279), Wardha 79,667, Yavatmal 77,590, total 2,15,311; Indore 1,37,000 (3 on F.H.); Jaipur 6,77,556 (80.01%), Ajmer 69,286, Kota 1,55,000 (1st 2,18,000); Hyderabad (gross) 4,79,080 from 2 cinemas; 1st week Davangere 2,13,768. Total 1,64,02,614 from 68 cinemas.
Dil Chahta Hai 5th week Bombay 42,60,526 (63.20%) from 14 cinemas (6 on F.H.), total for 5 weeks 2,91,40,686; Pune 11,24,775 from 3 cinemas, Solapur 60,340; Delhi 22,36,386 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur 37,192, Lucknow 2,73,078, Agra 1,25,000, Varanasi 48,212, Allahabad 45,000; Calcutta 4,76,987 from 2 cinemas; Amravati 58,427, Raipur (6 days) 41,451; Bhopal 69,663; Jaipur 72,770 (12.04%); Hyderabad (gross) 5,70,604 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon; 2 on F.H.); 1st week Mangalore 1,87,318.
Gadar Ek Prem Katha 13th week Bombay 4,75,856 (46.29%) from 3 cinemas (6 on F.H.), total for 13 weeks 5,84,30,852; Ahmedabad 52,108 from 2 cinemas (2 unrecd.); Pune 2,97,691 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 30,900, Satara (21 shows) 21,411; Delhi (TF) 21,43,391 from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur (6 days) 1,38,930 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,60,903, Agra 1,22,000, Bareilly 60,918; 12th week Calcutta 61,856; 13th week Nagpur 97,684 from 2 cinemas, 5th Kamptee 39,684, total 3,62,812, 13th week Amravati 53,667, Akola 64,689, total 19,54,780, share 14,96,683, Raipur (6 days) 39,528, Jalgaon 65,363, total 23,15,569; Indore 81,500, Bhopal 92,771; Jaipur 1,34,005 (22.90%), Ajmer (gross) 88,250; Hyderabad (gross) 2,05,690.
EIGHT INDIAN FILMS FOR CAIRO FETE
As many as eight Indian films have been selected for the 25th Cairo International Film Festival to be held between 9th and 20th October this year. The films, to be screened in various sections at the fete, are Tapan Sinha’s Daughters Of This Century, Aamir Khan’s Lagaan, Ashok Mehta’s Moksh, Yash Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Jayaraj’s Shantham (Malayalam), M.P. Sukumaran Nair’s Sayanam (Malayalam), Raja Sen’s Atmiyo Swajan (Bengali) and M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s Oru Cheru Punchiri (Malayalam). The selection of the eight films was made by the festival authorities after previewing a total of nine films recommended by the fete’s Indian representative and jury member, R.A. Jalan (of Gaurang Films, Calcutta). Actress-danseuse Mamata Shankar has also been invited to be a part of the festival’s jury panel.
AMPTPP DECRIES INCREASE IN FILM CITY CHARGES
The AMPTPP has written to Film City authorities, asking them to reconsider their decision to enhance the rates of shooting charges separately for each location as well as for outdoor locations, together with electricity and air-conditioning charges per shift. Earlier, on 14th January ’99, during a joint meeting of producers’ associations and Film City authorities, it was decided that the latter will charge a flat rate of Rs. 6,000 per day to shoot on any location in Film City. However, the Film City authorities unilaterally decided on the rate enhancement.
3 DIE IN CRASH IN CALCUTTA CINEMA
Three people were crushed to death and over 30 injured when a 1,000 square feet front roof of Society cinema in Calcutta collapsed on 10th September. The people were waiting under the roof as it was raining heavily. Nearly 100 people were under the roof but most of them managed to run to save their lives when it gave way.
The second show was coming to its end when the roof crashed. The panic-stricken audience had to be escorted out through the emergency gates. Snarled rescue effort took time to take off and several people were trapped under the debris for over five hours. The injured were moved to two hospitals.
AMPTPP, IMI, PPL SIGN MOU
The Association of Motion Pictures & TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP), India Music Industry (IMI) and Phonographic Performance Ltd. (PPL) signed a memorandum of understanding on 11th September, in an effort to prevent unauthorised screening of film clips, usually containing song sequences, on satellite channels. Under the terms of the MOU, PPL is authorised, on behalf of film producers, to administer the rights in the film clippings in respect of their use by the satellite channels. PPL is also authorised to issue permissions and licences to the channels as well as to fix the terms and payment for such use.
All revenue collected by the PPL will be shared 50:50 by the AMPTPP and PPL. It may be noted that non-film music videos produced by IMI/PPL members have been excluded from the purview of the MOU.
‘AJNABEE’ SONG: LYRICIST CRIES FOUL
Lyricist Taabish Romani has alleged that the song ‘Mohabbat naam hai kiska’ from Film Folks’ Ajnabee, credited to Sameer, has been plagiarised from a song written by him in 1991. The song had been registered with the Film Writer’s Association in the same year, he claims.
AMPTPP WRITES TO CULTURE MINISTRY
The AMPTPP has, in a letter dated 10th September, proposed various concessions which the Maharashtra government’s ministry of cultural affairs can grant to the film industry. They are as follows:
(i) The government to provide electricity and water to studios, laboratories, recording centres, cinema halls etc. at industrial rates and not at commercial rates as at present.
(ii) The government to provide more benefits in terms of free or low land lease, tax-exemption, loans and subsidies to boost the production sector’s efforts at creating necessary infrastructure for film production in Maharashtra, thereby eliminating the need to go to other states.
(iii) The 5-year tax-holiday scheme for multiplexes be made applicable to existing single-screen cinemas if they renovate and convert to at least 2-screen cinemas.
(iv) Lowering the minimum limit to avail of the above multiplex policy to 2 screens instead of 4 as at present.
(v) Removal of sales tax on copyright.
(vi) Local government bodies to be urged to provide all assistance to film and TV serial crews while shooting.
(vii) A stringent implementation of the Copyright Act and Cable TV Act.
M.P. GOVT. HONOURS MAHENDRA KAPOOR
The Madhya Pradesh government has conferred the annual Lata Mangeshkar award on veteran singer Mahendra Kapoor. Besides a scroll of honour, the award carries Rs. 1 lakh in cash prize. The function to felicitate the singer will be held on February 17, 2002.
CINEMA REBUILT AFTER FIVE YEARS
Sapna Cinema in Ulhasnagar (Thane district), which had been shut down nearly five years ago, will reopen on 21st September with Ajnabee. The cinema has been entirely rebuilt and is situated between the 3rd and 5th floors of a shopping complex. The seating capacity is 470 (balcony – 143; stalls – 327). The admission rates are Rs. 60 and Rs. 40.
Santosh Singh Jain Panel Set To Sweep CCCA Elections In Jaipur
With just a little over a week to go before members of the Central Circuit Cine Association descend upon Jaipur to attend its 48th annual general meeting on 24th September and biennial elections the following day, some heat has been generated. A total of about 800 members are expected to cast their votes this time despite the lack of much heat. Giving a meek competition to Santosh Singh Jain’s panel of contestants is the opposition led by Ramesh Sureka.
The following nominations had been received and found in order till 10th September, the last date for filing them:
C.P. Berar Distributors (4 seats):- Anil Kumar Rathi, Bhagwandas (Laloo) Kabra, Bharat R. Khajanchi, Chandrashekhar Choudhary, Dilip G. Mudliar, Girdhar Solanki, K.D. Sonar, Mohan Godha, Premchand Sah, Ramkisan Kasat and Vinod Bhandari.
C.P. Berar Exhibitors (4 seats):- Arjundas Bhateja, Azad Laddha, G.N. Ganediwal, Inderchand Dhariwal, Mahendra Jain, Milapchand Jain, Munshiram Upveja, Rajnish Purohit, S.K. Surana, Vijay Rathi and Vishnuprasad Agrawal.
C.I. Distributors (2 seats):- Dinesh Sharma, Hemant Vyas, Jitendra Jain, Mahesh Sharma, Nandkishore Jalani, O.P. Goyal, Santosh Singh Jain and Vinod Malhotra.
C.I. Exhibitors (2 seats):- Arvind Joshi, Azizuddin Jameeluddin, Dhanraj Oza, O.P. Goyal, Ramesh Sureka, Shiv Kumar Jaiswal and Uttamchand Nahar.
Rajasthan Distributors (2 seats):- Akhilesh Ramdeo, Chandrashekhar Choudhary, Kishan Puri, Kishinchand Janiani, Mohan Godha, Nandkishore Jalani, Narendra Singh Baid, Rakesh Sabharwal, Ramdhan Mamoria, Satyavan Pareek, Subhash Burad and Sudhir Puri.
Rajasthan Exhibitors (2 seats):- Chandrashekhar Choudhary, Kishanchand Jain, Kishinchand Janiani, Kishanchand Bansal, Liyakat Ali, Madhusudan Pareek, Narendra Sharma, Ramesh Chand Jain, Ramdhan Mamoria, Sandeep Bhandari, Trilok Singh and Vedprakash Goyal.
There seems to be no competition in the C.P. Distributors’ as well as Exhibitors’ section. Members of the Santosh Singh Jain panel are poised for a cake-walk victory. In the Distributors’ section, the most likely winners are Bharart R. Khajanchi, Ramkisan Kasat, Dilip Mudliar and Bhagwandas (Laloo) Kabra. In the C.P. Exhibitors’ section, the balance of scales seems to be titled in favour of S.K. Surana, Vijay Rathi, Azad Laddha and Mahendra Jain.
The fight, if any, will be in the C.I. and Rajasthan territories. CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain’s victory from the C.I. Distributors’ section is, of course, a foregone conclusion. In the C.I. Exhibitors’ section, there may be a tough fight between Santosh Singh Jain’s Uttam Nahar and O.P. Goyal and the opposition’s Ramesh Sureka and Azizuddin Jameeluddin.
The Rajasthan Distributors’ section may also see both candidates of Jain’s group — Mohan Godha and Nandkishore Jalani — winning. Trilok Singh’s victory from the Rajasthan Exhibitors’ section is almost a certainty.
All in all, at least 13 or 14 members of the Jain panel are bound to romp home victorious. It should not be a surprise even if all 16 of the panel are declared elected.
A total of 85 CCCA members and workers, who have completed more than 50 years in the industry, will be felicitated at the annual general meeting this year. The names of the members to be honoured at the hands of MPA (Delhi) president G.S. Mayawala are:
C.P. Berar Region (total 51 to be felicitated): Sharad Chandra J. Malpani, S.B. Agrawal (Jhunjhunwala), Bhalchandra Keshaorao Garud, S.A. Hussaini, S.B. Patil (Nana Saheb), V.P. Solanki, Laxminarayan C. Bhandari, Shikharchand Jain, Vasant Pundlik Pande, Syed Mehboob Syed Moiuddin, Jagannath Narhari Dusane, C.K. Mahajan, Jagannath H. Pandya, N.B. Kazi, Kashinath Dattatraya Sonar, S. Mohan Singh, Dattatraya Eknath Naik, Dhondu Vithoba Lanjulkar, Sudhakar Anandrao Saikhedkar, H.G. Daga, Manohar K. Aware, Keshrimal Lunkad, Yahyabhai Taherali, Sukhwant N. Killor, P.V. Oza, N.D. Kabra, D.K. Goliwale, G.E. Naik, S.D. Palkar, N.P. Phalak, Chintaman Choudhary, Dwarkadas C. Bhate, Saitwal, M.B. Patil, Pundlik Narayan Patil, Vasant Rao Bhikaji Patil, Nagarmal Premraj Sharma, P.A. Kulkarni, Ramanlal H. Bhatia, Naunital H. Bhatia, Vinayak Vishnu Upasani, G.M. Pardesi, M.N. Bhosekar, P.G. Gujrathi, P.S. Patil, H.S.P. Rao, B.G. Dave, Vishwaraj Singh, Kashiram Asaram Sawale, F.H. Sisodiya, Vishwamohan Tiwari.
C.I. Region (total 26 to be feted): Santosh Singh Jain, Dayanand Kapoor, Lachhmi Narain Kapoor, Shantilal C. Jain, Pukhraj Nahar, Babulal Wani, Brijmohan Saraf, M.L. Jain, Nayan Ranjandas, Surendra Parekh, Harisingh Dularelal Mukharya, Joharilal Jhanjharia, Devdutt, G.S. Gupta, S.M. Kothari, V.K. Joshi, C.S. Lunkad, Radheshyam Gupta, H.R. Malhotra, Manohar Vishnu Kapde, Asaramji Saboo, B.B. Chaturvedi, P.J. Agrawal, B.P. Jhanjharia, Ramjilalji Sharma, S.S. Jogdand.
Rajasthan Region (8 to be feted): Gaurishankar Pandia, S. Krishnamurthy, Luqman Hussain, Gopaldas Purohit, Dhanpat Singh Bengani, Chandanmalji Baid, Sunderlal Devpura, Laxminarayan Sharma.
YOU ASKED IT
What are the definite releases this Diwali?
– With two months still to go, there will be several changes in the release position of films. So there’s no sense in hazarding a guess now.
What is the price of one roll of Kodak film positive?
– Rs. 2,050. There is a discount available for bulk purchase.
Is it true that Sunny Deol is demanding 5 crore as his fee for a film.
– If a star is not interested in working in a film, the best way to say this is to ask for the moon.
CENSOR NEWS
Arclightz and Films P. Ltd.’s Asoka (historical) was given C.C. No. CIL/2/26/2001 (UA) dt. 11-9-2001; length 5048.25 metres in 17 reels (cuts: 6.47 metres).
Sri Siddhivinayak Films’ Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta (social), seen on 7th, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/2/27/2001 (UA) dt. 12-9-2001; length 4317.91 metres in 18 reels (cuts: 8.85 metres).
Film Folks’ Ajnabee (social), seen on 6th, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/3/81/2001 (A) dt. 13-9-2001; length 4525.95 metres in 18 reels (minor deletion in sound only).
DO YOU KNOW?
* Mukesh Khanna has written to the Guinness Book of World Records, asking for the inclusion of his SHAKTIMAAN in the Book as the longest running TV serial. The serial, produced by his Bheeshm International, has entered the fifth year of its run on DD1.
* GADAR has created a record by fetching a distributor’s share of 55,93,487/- in 13 weeks at Milan, Delhi. Total collection for 13 weeks: 85,18,487/-.
* GADAR has created a city record by collecting 81,310/- in 12th week at Anand, Jabalpur. 12 weeks’ total: 25,41,930/-.
* GADAR has created a Khandesh record by collecting 65,363/- in 13th week at Chitra, Jalgaon. Total for 13 weeks: 23,15,569/-, Khandesh record.
* GADAR has created a city record by collecting 19,54,780/- in 13 weeks at Vasant, Akola. Share: 14,96,683/-, city record.
* GADAR has created a city record by collecting a total of 3,62,812/- in 5 weeks at Shree Talkies, Kamptee (C.P. Berar). 5th last week’s collection was 39,684/-.
* KANASUGARA (Kannada) has fetched a share of 22,00,000/- in 6 weeks from Sujata, Hubli and Mahalaxmi, Gadag.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Distributor: Speak No Truth!
Producer: Hear No Truth!
Ever wondered why the producer of a film is the last to know that his film has bombed? Firstly, because he doesn’t want to believe that it has flopped. Secondly, his distributors will not let him know so. Distributors are a funny lot. Even if a film, released by them, seems obviously heading towards becoming a disaster, they would not risk breaking the news to its producer. Rather, many distributors do the opposite — while insulating their producer from the genuine (bad) reports, they praise the film sky-high before the producer and even tell him of an excellent public reaction which actually doesn’t exist. If the film has opened to full houses, they substantiate their claim with box-office figures. But if the initial is poor or ordinary, they’ll support their concocted public reaction by saying that the film will soon pick up and that the producer should not worry at all.
Why this strange behaviour of all distributors — or almost all? Are they such an insecure lot that they fear, the producer will not give them his next film if they speak the truth? In the first place, would they be interested in the producer’s next? Also, are producers so vain that they don’t want to be told the truth for as long as possible?
New Zeal In Promotion
Producer Vashu Bhagnani has done what no producer has done so far. He released the music of his forthcoming film, Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, in New Zealand earlier this week. For the grand release, he flew not just members of the fourth estate but also some leading dealers of HMV, the music company which will market the audio cassettes and CDs. Vashu was to have launched the music in India by releasing it in five or six cities of the country on the same day. For this, he wanted to charter a plane which would fly his guests and unit to the different cities for the audio release. But when the airlines authorities pleaded their inability to arrange for cabin crew for the flight that would be chartered, due to staff shortage, Vashu decided to instead fly his unit and guests to New Zealand.
Malaysian Malady
Film industry people are a superstitious lot. So trust them to dig out information like the one that follows.
Malaysia has proved to be a very unlucky shooting spot as far as the box-office fates of films shot there go. To substantiate their claim, they throw names of such disasters as One 2 Ka 4, Yaadein…, Aks, Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke and Aaghaaz as the films which have been shot in the Asian country. More recently, Shankar had taken his unit to Malaysia for Nayak. Not just Hindi films, even Telugu films shot in Malaysia have bombed. But there are two exceptions in Telugu, at least. D. Rama Naidu’s Preyasi Raave and S.V. Krishna Reddy’s Telugu film did well after being shot in Malaysia. Of course, two films out of 20-odd shot there is not much of a consolation. So while the Malaysian tourism department would like to promote the country for Indian film shootings, with the catchline ‘Malaysia – Truly Asia’, the more discerning (read that superstitious) producer would like to cry ‘Malaysia – Truly Unlucky’. Howzzat?!?
South African Shivers
Like Malaysia, another country that has translated into bad luck for Hindi film producers is South Africa. Some of the films shot in SA and which, on release, proved to be duds at the box-office are Khel, Karobaar, Kartoos, Prem Granth, Mast and Hera Pheri (it did very well in Bombay only).