(From our issue dated 25th March, 1995)
Release of Mani Ratnam’s Bombay (Hindi version) postponed by a week — to 7th April.
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Jai Vikraanta takes an unimpressive start in Bombay, East Punjab and Indore. Opens very well in centres of U.P. and Rajasthan. Takes a flying start in Bihar.
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Shooting of Sapoot, starring Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty, starts without FMC clearance.
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The Rajshris pay advance tax of Rs. 7 crore this month.
Shatru’s Impressive Performance
According to press reports, the performance of Shatrughan Sinha in the sensitive areas of Mithilanchal in Bihar on Sunday, March 19, was enviable. Shatru was there to campaign for the BJP in the ensuing assembly elections. He made brief speeches in all his meetings which were very largely attended. His speeches were punctuated with Urdu couplets which had the audience applauding him. Shatru told the crowds that he had “come here to shoulder my social responsibility as a Bihari”. He impressed the people when he declared that he had nothing to gain or lose as he was not even contesting the elections. After the BJP comes to power in the state, he announced, “I will not even be a durban.” Shatrughan devoted more time to narrating the sorry tale of the state than to projecting himself as a filmi hero of repute. In all his speeches, the name of chief election commissioner T.N. Seshan figured prominently for his cleansing of the electoral malpractices.
DO YOU KNOW
* Bappi Lahiri lent his voice to a song composed by his young son, Bappa. Satyanarayan Mishra rendered sargam. The song was recorded for a TV serial, MARIA.
GUJARAT GOVT.’S SUBSIDY POLICY
NOT RENEWED
The Gujarat government’s subsidy policy for Gujarati film producers, expired in August ’94 and has since not been renewed. The 70% tax-exemption policy of the Gujarat government is also due for expiry this month-end.
Following the expiry of the subsidy policy, at least three producers would lose their claim on the subsidy of Rs. 3 lakh each. The producers (and their films) are Govindbhai Patel (Radhiari Raat), Mukund Patel (Halo Aapna Malak Ma) and Rakesh Nahata and Nandu Jalani (Baba Ramdev).
SON FOR XAVIER MARQUIS
Preeti, wife of producer Xavier Marquis, delivered a baby boy on 12th March in Bombay. This is the couple’s second child.
Mix Masala
JAI HO!
So ‘inspired’ seems to be Bombay distributor Devendra Shah with the title Jai Vikraanta that he has started a new distribution concern by the name of Jai Girnar Films. Devendrabhai already has a concern called Girnar Films. Sultan Ahmed, who is distributing his Jai Vikraanta in Bombay, operates from Devendra Shah’s office.
TAKE TWO!
Producer-director Surendra Bohra had such a bad fall on the staircase of Naaz building on 20th March that he fractured his left leg and right hand. He was leaving Naaz to see his father, Shreeram Bohra, at Bombay Hospital. Shreeram-ji had been operated upon for a fracture of the hip. He had had a fall in his bathroom just a fortnight back and had fractured his hip.
KEEPING ALL COMMUNITIES HAPPY
Naajayaz has drawn house-full collections in the first week in three cinemas of Hyderabad, viz. Shama, Priya and Tirumalla. Of these three cinemas, one is owned by a Muslim, another, by a Hindu, and the third, by a Christian.
THOUGHTFUL BACHCHAN
Amitabh Bachchan who had to cancel the Holi celebrations at his bungalow at the eleventh hour due to the hospitalisation of his father, Harivanshrai Bachchan, not only had his staff inform the invitees of the cancellation, he also wrote each one a letter of apology for the cancellation. Too unusual for an industry man, isn’t it?
TRIBUTE TO HER TALENT
Padmini Kolhapure may have given up acting but there’s an acting institute in London that’s been named after her. It is called Padmini Kolhapure Acting School and it will be inaugurated on 31st March. And who will do the inauguration honours? Yes, you are right — Padmini Kolhapure herself. She has gone to London to formally open the school.
ON THE SLY
A couple of employees of the IMPPA are seeking favours in kind from producer-members of the Association, on the sly, of course. Obviously, for something in return. And there’s at least one employee who leaks confidential information at the drop of a hat. Surprising, the IMPPA and the FMC prefer to ignore such nonsense!
SNAPSHOTS
HIGHEST EVER FOR ‘BOMBAY’
New Excelsior, which will be the main cinema in Bombay for Bombay, will have admission rates as high as Rs. 150. There will be 25 seats at Rs. 150 per ticket in the executive class. The dress circle (536 seats) will be priced at Rs. 100 per ticket, and there will be 468 seats at Rs. 25 per head. To match the big difference in admission rates between the classes, there will be exclusive facilities for the top classes. There will be a waiter-in-attendance for the executive class where patrons will be allowed to order for eatables/drinks even while the film’s screening is on. There will be a separate entry and exit as also an exclusive canteen for this class. The seating will, of course, be very comfortable, with more leg-space. The dress circle will also have a separate canteen for its patrons only, where snacks will be sold at rates which are 25% more than in the normal canteen.
Incidentally, the nett weekly capacity of New Excelsior will be approximately a whopping 9.5 lakh! The film will be released in only 12 cinemas of Bombay.
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3-WEEK DELAY
After a round of discussions with his all-India distributors, Sultan Ahmed has decided to delay the video cassettes of his Jai Vikraanta by three weeks from the date of its theatrical release. The video cassettes are being marketed by Shemaroo.
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SPECIAL SOUND AND EFFECTS
The mixing of Tutu Sharma’s Rajkumar will be done in digital sound. Prem was to have been mixed in digital sound, but the plans were changed at the eleventh hour and its Dolby mixing is now on in Madras. Rajkumar will also boast of a lot of special effects.
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DHIRUBHAI SHAH’S INVITATION TO FMC, ZEE
Dhirubhai Shah, on behalf on his consortium and ATN, has thrown an open challenge to the FMC and to Zee TV to come “face-to-face to address the press and come forward with whatever allegations they have against us”. Dhirubhai adds, “I am going to record complete press conference on video and shall distribute unedited copies thereof before the lunch time is over.” The conference has been fixed for 10th April at 10.30 a.m. at Hotel Guest Line Days, Juhu, Bombay.
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RAHMAN GOES ‘PUBLIC’
Music whizkid A.R. Rahman who has always maintained a low profile (he shuns the limelight), will appear on Drishti India’s Chitrahaar programme on the national network of Doordarshan on 29th March. It will be the first national exposure for Rahman whose tunes have conquered hearts, not only nationwide but also across the border.
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RAJIV RAI’S MUSIC COMPANY
Rajiv Rai has started a music company. He has reportedly acquired five to six films for the audio market. Among the films is Babubhai’s (Bombino) Veergati. Incidentally, one song of Veergati (music: Adesh Srivastava), recorded recently, is said to be a potential chartbuster.
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HIT MUSIC
Just the sampler audio cassette of Tips’ Coolie No. 1 is indicative of what’s coming for music lovers. At least four songs of the film are racy numbers that will have guys and gals tapping their feet and swinging their hips. ‘Main raste pe ja raha tha’ and ‘Jeth ki dupahariya’ are the best songs. ‘Meri gali mein aa jana’ and Dil deewana’ will also soon become very popular.
YOU ASKED IT
Is the unabridged version of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! being screened in any cinema in India?
– Rajshri of Gandhinagar is the only cinema in India which is screening the complete (unabridged) version of the film.
‘HAHK…!’ JUBILEE SWEETS
Sweets were distributed to all the cinegoers at Yadav Talkies, Gwalior, on 9th March, the day on which HAHK..! completed 25 weeks of its run at the cinema and entered 26th week. The cinema was well decorated on the occasion.
‘GUNEHGAR’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA
Maan Singh Deep’s Gunehgar, produced by Kalyaani Singh and directed by Vikram Bhatt, has been exempted from entertainment tax in Maharashtra for one year.
A.P. HC JUDGE SEES ‘BOMBAY’
Bombay was seen by Justice A. Gopal Rao of the Andhra Pradesh high court on 22nd March. An early decision in the matter of writ petitions, filed by the film’s distributors, Raghavendra Films, Secunderabad, is expected.
‘BOMBAY’ DISCONTINUED IN HUBLI
Following communal tension in Raichur and Hubli, the police department has issued notices to exhibitors of the area that they would have to take police permission before screening Mani Ratnam’s Bombay which is the story of a Muslim girl and a Hindu boy. The Tamil version of the film, which was running in Hubli, was discontinued in its second week.
BABY BOY FOR RAVINDRA JAIN
Divya Jain, wife of music director Ravindra Jain, delivered a baby boy on 9th March at a nursing home in Bombay. This is the couple’s first child.
JATINDER ANAND DEAD
Veteran film distributor of C.I., Jatinder Anand, proprietor of Suchitra Distributors, Indore, passed away on the morning of 23rd March in Indore due to a heart attack.
ASHOK MAJNU NO MORE
Dialogue writer Ashok Majnu, son of late comedian Majnu, expired on 20th March at Holy Family Hospital. He was 42. He had written the dialogues for Jayanta Mukherjee’s short film, Pagal Kaun, and for the feature film Mazaaq.
FAREED REHMAN DEAD
Singer and commercial artist Fareed Rehman passed away on March 21 following a cardiac arrest. He was 54. He is survived by his wife and two children. He had cut two albums for Music India Ltd.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Papa Kehte Hain…….
Yash Chopra usually makes it a point to go on the sets of his son, Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge when he is shooting for it. Before you jump to the conclusion that papa Chopra must be helping/guiding Aditya in direction, let it be said that Yash-ji prefers to visit the set during lunch-hour. “I have lunch with my son and the unit because Adi likes me to be there during lunch,” revealed Yash Chopra. “I am there more as a production manager, to ensure that whatever Adi needs, is there on the sets. Beyond that, I don’t interfere in the film’s making. I have not seen a single frame of the rush print.” When asked whether he knew if Adi was doing a good job, the proud father replied, “He is not doing a good job, he is doing a fantastic job.” Dilwale Dulhania….. will be shot in London in May. It is not just songs which will be picturised there but “a major chunk of the film” which will be canned in London. After the shooting of Dilwale Dulhania….., Yash Chopra will also shoot his film in London in the same schedule. That will mark the rolling of his film, to be directed by himself. It has been titled Maine Mohabbat Kar Li and stars Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. One more leading lady is to be finalised.
Incidentally, Dilwale Dulhania….. will be released on Diwali this year.
The Lucky Sipahi
K.C. Bokadia’s Zakhmi Sipahi is serving like a testimonial for its director, T.L.V. Prasad. Although it is yet to be released, trade buzz has it that Prasad has signed three or four films after showing a few reels of Zakhmi Sipahi to producers. Rajiv Babbar reportedly took him on for his Jallad after seeing rushes of ZS. Producer Maan Singh Deep will soon be launching a film to be directed by T.L.V. Prasad and he, too, seems to have been inspired by what he saw of Zakhmi Sipahi. It is rumoured that Time has also signed Prasad for a forthcoming film. The interesting part is that all these films, like Zakhmi Sipahi, have Mithun Chakraborty playing the lead, and their dialogues are being written by Anirudh Tiwari. If that’s not enough, the cameraman common to these projects is Navakant.
Business Logic
Nizam, Delhi-U.P. and Bombay distributor Tolu Bajaj acquired this week the distribution rights of Satyen Pal Chaudhry’s Zulmi for Bombay and Delhi-U.P. What was his fancy for investing in the film for two major territories? Replies Tolu, “Satyen Pal is a decent producer, Kuku Kohli is a good director, and Akshay Kumar is a hotshot actor. I, therefore, decided to take the plunge and buy two major territories.”
Change In Cast
G.P. Sippy’s film, to be directed by Sanjay Gupta, has undergone a change insofar as its star-cast is concerned. It was to have starred Sanjay Kapoor and Aditya Pancholi, but the film will now have Jackie Shroff and Saif Ali Khan. While Aditya was replaced by G.P. Sippy of his own accord, Sanjay Kapoor and Sippy parted ways amicably. Kajol, of course, continues to play the female lead. The film, incidentally, has been titled Hameshaa and will roll very shortly.
Sweet Memories
The film splicer on which the first Indian feature film, Raja Harishchandra, was cut by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1912, has been presented to the national film museum and is on exhibit there. The equipment was given to the museum by Vrinda Pusalkar, the youngest daughter of Phalke. Vrinda recalled that her father was employed with the archaeological department. Interested in the visual arts, he saw the film, Birth Of Jesus Christ, in Bombay and decided to make a film on Lord Krishna. Towards this end, he started reading every possible book on photography and filmmaking, so much so that he almost became blind. His eyes had to be operated upon, after which he again started working on the project. For this, he collected money by mortgaging his insurance policy and his wife’s ornaments. His wife used to help in editing the prints of his films. Phalke was a very disciplined man. He used to also run a printing press, besides writing plays. He used to like the Western way of living.
