LATEST POSITION
None of the three releases of last week could make an impressive mark at the box-office. This week’s BAL BRAMHACHARI, too, has taken an unfortunate start.
Mr. Bechara meets with disastrous results. 1st week Bombay 17,82,769 (62.35%) from 9 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Baroda 78,876, Bharuch (gross) 1,39,017, Rajkot 1,00,210, Jamnagar 68,521; Pune 4,90,118 from 5 cinemas (1 in mat.), Solapur 70,191, Nasik 55,150; Hubli 1,15,262 (100%); Belgaum 1,12,678; Delhi 11,82,015 (40.45%) from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,76,588 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 46,970, Allahabad 55,000, Bareilly 53,047 (29.08%), Gorakhpur 68,000; Amritsar 55,000; Calcutta 13,22,430 from 20 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Nagpur 2,83,645 from 3 cinemas, Akola 75,014, Raipur 1,01,742 (50.45%), Bhilai 85,141; Indore 1,28,888 (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,53,821 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 3,37,009 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad 11,33,100 from 7 cinemas, share 5,15,742.
…….
Jeet has maintained extremely well and proves an overflow film in some circuits and a commission earner in others. 2nd week Bombay 30,87,236 (88.14%) from 12 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Padra 89,241, Rajkot 96,712 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.), Jamnagar (mat.) 9,341 (1 unrecd.); Pune 4,40,802 from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,25,000, Solapur 1,28,932 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Satara 76,991 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.); Belgaum 1,17,879; Delhi 34,77,924 from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,08,206 from 2 cinemas, Allahabad 1,18,000, Meerut 1,84,388 (100%), Bareilly 1,10,380 (61.65%), Gorakhpur 1,15,000; Jammu 1,15,000; Calcutta 13,64,766 from 14 cinemas; Gaya 30,000; Nagpur 1,39,970 from 2 cinemas, 1st Amravati 1,35,661, city record, 2nd week Akola 1,02,600, Dhule 71,850, theatre record, Raipur 1,13,236, Bhilai 50,004, Bilaspur 97,264; Indore 1,51,000, Bhopal 2,62,636 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,87,372 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 1,79,493, city record, Sriganganagar city record, 1st Udaipur city record, Sikar theatre record, 2nd week Alwar 1,20,247; Hyderabad 7,10,975 from 4 cinemas, share 3,23,406.
Hindustani (dubbed) 3rd week Bombay 26,80,913 (89.13%) from 9 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Jamnagar 90,265; Pune 8,89,824 from 4 cinemas (1 in mat.), Solapur 1,22,217, 1st Barsi (gross) 65,000, 3rd week Satara 1,26,227 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.); Delhi 19,19,568 from 8 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,24,741, Lucknow 2,45,222, Agra 1,29,983, Allahabad 77,800, Meerut 1,31,192, Bareilly 53,415 (28.69%), Dehradun 1,01,359, Varanasi 68,008, Gorakhpur 54,087, Hardwar (last) 16,000; Jammu 62,664; Calcutta 8,92,315 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 3,16,549 from 2 cinemas, 1st Kampthi 40,870, 3rd week Jabalpur 1,20,171, total 3,95,421, Amravati 1,30,053, city record, Akola 98,976, theatre record, Dhule 64,746, total 2,86,426, Raipur 95,835, theatre record, Bhilai 59,541, Jalgaon 80,600, theatre record, Wardha 37,442; Indore 2,13,111, Bhopal 1,07,293; Jaipur 2,04,009.
Entertainment Tax Policy Still Unclear
Maharashtra Industry Gearing Up For Closure?
The release schedules of all the forthcoming films are uncertain. With no clear indication coming from the Maharashtra government about whether or not it would extend the benefit of reduced (50%) entertainment tax for a further period of one year, the future course of action of the Maharashtra film industry is unclear. If the tax benefit is not renewed, there is all likelihood that the industry will down shutters in protest. While the earlier decision was to close down from 13th September, it has now been decided to down shutters from 20th September. The old ordinance, granting a reduction in entertainment tax in the state, expires on 15th September, 1996.
The industry bandh in Maharashtra, if it comes about, will entail closure of all cinemas. Opinion is divided on the date from which the bandh should begin. While some feel, an immediate bandh is necessary, there are others who are in favour of a notice period of 3 weeks. A meeting of industry leaders was held in Naaz building on Friday, September 6, to decide on the cosure of action. It was agreed that the bandh should start from 20th September.
In the meanwhile, industry leaders are making the rounds of offices of various political leaders to convince them of the need to renew the ordinance. Meetings are being held every day with some minister or the other. The several meetings held are likely to bear fruit as the matter of entertainment tax may be taken up in the cabinet meeting of 10th September. In the meanwhile, a delegation of the film industry will meet Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today (7th September).
IMPDA president N.N. Sippy and CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain are hopeful that the government would heed the industry’s demand and renew the ordinance. If this happens, the forthcoming films are likely to come on schedule.
In the meantime, Anil Ganguly confirmed on Friday night that his Angaara would be released on 13th September.
INDIAN FILM UNIT DETAINED IN VANCOUVER
A 13-member Indian film unit headed by producer Ishtyaq Ahmed was detained by immigration officials in Vancouver, Canada, despite having visas issued by the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi. The crew was handcuffed and detained for three days at the airport and thereafter released as all charges against them were dropped even without detention hearing! Under the immigration rules, the immigration department must produce an individual for detention within 48 hours.
The crew was detained under suspicion because of an anonymous letter received by Immigration Canada. The letter mentioned that the group was in Canada “under false pretences”.
An Indian-Canadian member of Parliament has asked Immigration Canada to apologise to Ishtyaq Ahmed and his crew, who had gone to Vancouver to shoot a film.
“I’VE RETURNED THE MONEY”:
JACKIE SHROFF CLARIFIES
Apropos the news of Jackie Shroff’s arrest warrant, printed in our issue last week, the actor has clarified that his office paid N. Kumar vide bank draft (no. 960464) drawn on Vijaya Bank, Nagpur for the amount of Rs. 5 lakh on 24th August ’96 sent through Elbee Express Courier. An additional draft, amounting to Rs. 1 lakh towards interest, was sent on 27th August by the same courier.
BIHAR DISTRIBUTORS RESENT PRODUCERS’ STAND
The Bihar Film Distributors have sent a reply to the AMPTPP’s letter which described the self-regulatory measures adopted by the Bihar distributors as being anti-producers. The AMPTPP’s letter accused the Bihar distributors of trying to coerce film producers to agree to unreasonable conditions of business.
The letter from Bihar distributors denies that Bihar is a hot territory as mentioned in the AMPTPP letter. It substantiates its claim by listing down a number of big star-cast films which have no buyers for Bihar-Nepal. The Bihar distributors have also refuted the allegation that the cases of decrease in prices and refusal to take delivery by distributors far outnumber the cases of increase in price by producers. The letter warns that distributor-members will not let producers blackmail them and will not henceforth bow down before the unreasonable demands of producers.
The Bihar distributors have also condemned the system whereby they have to pay for no fault of theirs when the producer’s cost of production goes up or towards the maintenance of producer’s property in the form of dupe negative charges. They are also made to pay for delay of video cassettes but, according to them, in reality, the producer does nothing to stop the illegal video cassettes from flooding the market.
YOU ASKED IT
Hollywood makers come up with sequels to blockbusters. Why don’t Indian makers come out with Part I, Part II and so on?
– Indians, perhaps, don’t give a ‘second thought’!
Everyone in the industry believes that a good script is the most vital ingredient for a successful film. But writers are the most lowly-paid tribe. Why this paradox?
– Maybe, because although script is the most important, no script writer has proved to be so important! Anyway, money has nothing to do with a writer’s creativity.
Distributors tend to hike admission rates at will. Don’t you think that there should be some policy at the association level for the benefit of the distributors, exhibitors and the audience as well?
– Why should there be a policy to curb free trade?
RAMESH CHANDRA LAHOTI PASSES AWAY
Prominent exhibitor, distributor and industrialist Ramesh Chandra Lahoti passed away at the age of 78 on 31st August in Hyderabad.
Mr. Lahoti was attached to various social and educational institutions of Hyderabad. He was the founder-president of the Hyderabad Film Exhibitors’ Association and served the trade till his last. He was president of the Hyderabad State Film Chamber of Commerce for two consecutive terms. He also served as president of the Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries. His contribution as a member-secretary and chairman of the All-India Industrial Exhibition Society was tremendous. He was chairman of various colleges and institutions run under the Exhibition Society. He was an active member of Rotary Club of Hyderabad.
As an exhibitor, he owned Royal Talkies and used to control Krishna Talkies. His distribution concern was called Silver Screens. He was very popular in and outside trade circles.
RAJKUMAR GUPTA DEAD
Rajkumar Gupta, proprietor of Meera Talkies and Meera Deluxe, Hyderabad, passed away on 5th September in Hyderabad.
DO YOU KNOW?
* Even after taking deliveries of films at 35% of a major circuit’s ratio, Bihar distributors are in a state of panic. Except JEET, no other film has even recovered its cost in Bihar-Nepal. The losing films include KRISHNA, DIL TERA DIWANA, KHAMOSHI, HINDUSTANI, SAZAA-E-KAALAPAANI and MR. BECHARA.
* For the first time in the history of Delhi cinemas, air balloons have been used for the publicity of a film. The film in question is SAZAA-E-KAALAPAANI and the film’s Delhi-U.P. distributors, Bobby Art International, have displayed square balloons with attractive designs on all the sides at prominent sites in the capital.
* South Indian language films are dubbed in Hindi, mostly in Madras or Bombay. It must have, perhaps, been a rare occasion when recently M.V. Gopalram dubbed Telugu film WARNING in Hindi in Hyderabad at Raghava Studio. The Hindi dubbed version is called POLICE WARNING.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Magnanimous Gesture
So happy were the producers and director of Raja Hindustani with it when they saw the entire film on 4th September that they decided to go in for Dolby sound. It was the first time that day that director Dharmesh Darshan ‘agreed’ to show the whole film to his producers! Since the release date of the film has already been fixed (8th November), Dolby sound mixing would necessitate working at breakneck speed but there is a hitch. Dharmesh is busy in the forthcoming days with the shooting of the films he is directing for Venus. When the producer-trio of Raja Hindustani — Aly Morani, Karim Morani and Bunty Soorma — approached Ratan Jain of Venus with their problem, he was magnanimous enough to agree to a shuffling of his shooting dates so that Dharmesh could concentrate on the Dolby mixing.
The Signature Campaign That Never Was
The Janmashtami holiday on 5th September was not without its light moments for distributors and exhibitors of Naaz. While some offices remained closed that day, others observed a working day. Girdhar, the manager of Shringar Films (which, incidentally, was working that day), quite matter-of-factly asked his peon to go around and see which offices in Naaz building were open and which were closed that day. The poor peon took Girdhar’s instructions more seriously than he ought to have and, perhaps, in a bid to impress his boss, he set out with a foolscap paper and pen in hand and began to take signatures of people whose offices were open. Some of them signed but not without wondering why a signature campaign had been initiated. Word soon spread in Naaz that Shringar Films had launched a signature drive and everybody was dying to know what it was for. Even while the peon was at his work seriously, somebody telephoned Girdhar and asked him what the signature campaign was all about. It was then that Girdhar realised what an innocuous enquiry of his had turned into, and he burst out laughing. And what did the other Naaz-wallahs do? Well, they also laughed at the joke!