ALLAH MEHERBAN TO GADHA PAHELWAN
Krishan Art Films’ Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan (A) has an apology of a story and a disgraceful screenplay. It is about elections being contested by three parties and it tries to be topical without any sense whatsoever. There are some scenes for titillation but the entire film baffles the viewer so much and is such an insult to even the person with the lowest IQ level that nothing absolutely appeals.
It is surprising that artistes like Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor and Kulbhushan Kharbanda can have the guts to associate their names with a film like this. They do nothing to rise above the silly script. Zahid Ali and Deepak Sinha are fair. Malashri, Asha Sharma, Richi, Kapil Sharma, Sweety Parekh, Mahesh Raj and all the others fill the bill.
Ravindra Arora Ravi’s direction is as disgusting as his script. Music is pathetic and song picturisations are dull. Camerawork is poor. Editing is terrible; there are continuity jerks galore. Production values make one wonder why the film was ever started. Technically, weak.
On the whole, Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan is an insult to the film industry.
Released on 27-6-’97 at Shalimar and 1 other cinema of Bombay thru K.F. Publicity: so-so. Opening: poor.
LATEST POSITION
It was a normal week except that heavy rains in Gujarat adversely affected box-office collections. …….The BORDER fever still continues, with the film proving a blockbuster in Delhi-U.P. and East Punjab and a hit elsewhere (except in West Bengal).
Itihaas, despite some editing, could not find acceptance. 1st week Bombay 36,69,356 (63.11%) from 15 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,91,048 from 5 cinemas, Vapi 2,49,000, Bharuch (gross) 2,40,234, Rajkot (matinee) 33,096, Jamnagar 1,11,797, Bhuj 1,02,000; Pune 7,58,042 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,31,663 (1 unrecd.); Belgaum 100%, Dharwad 97,856; Delhi 29,27,875 (54.40%) from 14 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,51,339 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,47,896, Agra 2,38,780, Allahabad 1,50,200, Meerut 1,86,216, Dehradun 1,27,891, Gorakhpur 1,54,000 (84.65%); Rohtak 27,398; Calcutta 24,43,713 from 28 cinemas; Nagpur 4,96,437 from 4 cinemas, Amravati 1,56,738, Akola 1,41,125, theatre record, Raipur 1,96,770 (81.26%), Bhilai 1,16,000, Jalgaon 1,35,000, Yavatmal 1,35,050; Indore 1,16,000 (3 on F.H., 1 unrecd.), Bhopal 3,86,486 from 3 cinemas, Ujjain 1,26,486 (1 unrecd.); Jaipur 6,92,121 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 1,60,138, Udaipur 2,31,700; Hyderabad 24,08,236 from 15 cinemas.
Border is going super-strong in North and is very steady in all other circuits except West Bengal where it has dropped remarkably due to too many cinemas. 2nd week Bombay 46,28,333 (90%) from 13 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 13,29,193 from 7 cinemas, Vapi 2,00,765, total 7,47,726, share above 4,50,000, Padra 1,57,290, Rajkot 1,95,082 (100%, 1 in matinee unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,26,082, total 2,72,729, Adipur 1,38,813; Pune 8,84,071 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,81,747, Solapur 1,83,958 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Satara 1,54,287 (97.89%) from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 2nd week Hubli 1,02,387, Belgaum 83,965, Dharwad 43,867 (1st 59,264); Delhi 50,05,863 from 14 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,47,307 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,22,783 (100%), Agra 2,50,460, Allahabad 2,00,000, Dehradun 2,02,195, Gorakhpur 1,60,272, Hardwar 90,000; Rohtak 57,000; Calcutta 18,58,818 from 16 cinemas; Nagpur 5,19,601 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,57,848, total 5,50,612, Amravati 2,13,640, Akola 1,40,007, total 4,41,483, Raipur 1,50,025, Bhilai 1,52,022, Durg 1,28,330, Wardha 68,900, Chandrapur 1,78,938, total 4,32,453, Yavatmal 1,13,238 (1st 1,82,400); Indore 1,59,000 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,98,246 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 6,29,467 from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur (gross) 1,05,000, Bikaner 2,60,084, Udaipur 2,11,000 (1st 2,45,800); Hyderabad 6,19,520 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).
Virasat 4th week Bombay 17,01,685 (78.22%) from 6 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,30,041 from 3 cinemas, 3rd week Rajkot 1,03,169; 4th Pune 5,97,604 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,25,161, Solapur (14 shows) 74,793, 2nd Satara 38,339; 4th week Delhi 1,22,151 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,52,941 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,30,017, Agra 62,345, Allahabad 60,000, Meerut 71,913, Dehradun 89,345 (3rd 90,082), total 4,57,697, Gorakhpur 52,000, 1st Hardwar 55,000; 4th week Calcutta 4,68,423 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 72,361, Jabalpur 1,18,928, total 5,59,171, Amravati 53,636, Raipur 74,598, Bhilai 46,219; Bhopal 73,566; Jaipur 1,68,516; Hyderabad 3,60,866.
Ziddi 11th week Bombay 3,66,519 from 3 cinemas; Ahmedabad 37,773 (1 unrecd.); Pune 1,19,506, Solapur (matinee) 20,778; Delhi 1,02,466; Kanpur 1,65,253 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 80,686, Allahabad 35,000, Gorakhpur 38,000; Calcutta 1,29,782; Nagpur 35,348, Jabalpur 44,623, total 9,73,142, Amravati 41,403, 2nd Akola 1,19,909, total 2,76,608; 11th week Bhopal 38,599; Jaipur 82,424; Hyderabad 83,351.
JR. ARTISTES SUPPLIERS SHOWN THE DOOR
Junior artistes and cine dancers in films will no longer be engaged through suppliers/agents. A decision to this effect was taken at a joint meeting of the two premier organisations of producers, the Film Makers Combine (FMC) and the Association of Motion Picture & TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP), on 27th June at IMPPA House.
The meeting, chaired by G.P. Shirke, decided that producers will henceforth themselves decide on who is to be engaged from the Mahila Kalakar Sangh, Cine Dancers Association and Junior Artistes Association. A board for this will be formed by producers themselves.
The meeting was attended by Sultan Ahmed, K.D. Shorey, T.C. Dewan, Pahlaj Nihalani, Ramesh Taurani and Satish Kulkarni.
‘BORDER’ TAX FREE IN MAHARASHTRA
The Maharashtra state government has granted 100% tax exemption to Border for a period of one year from 25th June.
R.R. KHAJANCHI HOSPITALISED
Leading C.P. Berar distributor R.R. Khajanchi was hospitalised last week in Amravati. He is recuperating from a heart ailment.
HIRALAL SHAH DEAD
Producer Hiralal Shah passed away at his residence in Bombay on 26th June following a massive heart attack. He was 62 and is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. He was cremated the same evening. Hiralal Shah was a diabetic and had been unwell for a while before the end came.
Hiralal Shah had made films in Marathi and Hindi. His first film was Haldi Kunku in Marathi. He also made two Hindi-Marathi bilinguals. The first was Mera Sindoor and Mazha Saubhagya and the second was Fasi Ka Fanda and Maficha Sakshidar. He was producing Jhootha Insaaf at the time of his death. The film is 12 reels complete.
DHANUKAS BEREAVED
Shyam Sunder Dhanuka, father of Pawan Kumar and Mahendra Kumar Dhanuka of Pawan Enterprises, Patna, passed away in Patna on 9th June. Ekadasha was held on 20th June, and dwadasha, on 21st June.
MARATHI FILMS GET 100% TAX EXEMPTION
With the Maharashtra government’s tax exemption policy for Marathi films having come into force, a number of Marathi films have been granted 100% exemption from payment of entertainment tax. Among the many films declared tax-free are Dada Kondke’s 13 films and Prakash Kadam’s Maya Mamta. The films have been granted tax exemption from 21st June for a period of one year.
ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING
‘London’ To Roll In London
Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Karisma Kapoor starrer London will go before the camera on July 1 with a start-to-finish schedule in London. Being made under the banner of Vijayta Films, it will be written and directed by Gurinder Chadha and presented by Dharmendra. Others in the cast are Dara Singh, Saeed Jaffrey, Zohra Segal, Reema, Raj Zutshi, Harish Patel, Parmeet Sethi (guest appearance) and Navni Parihar. Music director Vishal Bharadwaj has recorded all the six songs, penned by Gulzar, at Sunny Super Sounds. The film has dialogues by Rumi Jafri, editing by Keshav Naidu, dances by Vaibhavi Merchant, and cinematography by Sreeram. Executive producer: Suneel Darshan.
PRODUCTION NEWS
‘Gharwali Baharwali’ In Hyderabad
Director David Dhawan will start a 15-day shooting schedule of Tutu Films’ Gharwali Baharwali from July 1 in Hyderabad. Many scenes will be picturised during the schedule, featuring Anil Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Rambha, Satish Kaushik and Kader Khan. The film is being written by Rumi Jafri and produced by Tutu Sharma. Music by Anu Malik, cinematography by K.S. Prakash and editing by Muthu are the other major credits.
‘Ghulam’ Major Spell
A 25-day shooting schedule of Vishesh Films P. Ltd.’s Ghulam will conclude on July 10 at Film City. Being directed by Vikram Bhatt for producer Mukesh Bhatt, the film stars Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Rajit Kapur, Mita Vashisht, Akshay Anand, Mukesh Rishi and others. Writer: Anjum Rajab Ali. Music: Viju Shah. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi.
DO YOU KNOW?
* A buyer of CD of PARDES will be entitled to a free CD of the instrumental theme music of all earlier films of Subhash Ghai.
‘BORDER’ RECORDS
* Creates a city record by collecting 3,90,162/- in 2 weeks at Dharam, Rajkot. All shows in both the weeks were full.
* Creates a record by drawing all 56 shows full in first 2 weeks at Nishat, Meerut. Nett for 2 weeks: 4,69,208/-. 3rd week’s opening show was full.
* Creates a theatre record by drawing all 28 shows full in 2nd week at Panchsheel, Nagpur. Collection: 2,24,840/-.
* Creates a city record at Jayant, Chandrapur, by collecting 1,78,938/- in 2nd week.
* Creates another record by collecting 1,59,000/- in 2nd week at Regal, Indore.
* Creates a city record by collecting 2,19,296/- in 2nd week at Jyoti, Bhopal. 2nd week at Bhopal Talkies, Bhopal: 1,78,950/-. Total: 3,98,246/-.
MIX MASALA
FROM YOUNG GIRL TO OLD LADY
Jaya Bhaduri’s first film was Guddi. And now, she will be staging her comeback in Govind Nihalani’s Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Ma after a long gap. In the film, she will play the role of a woman who ages from 30 to 70 years. Which means, Jaya will play an old woman in the film. From Guddi to buddhi, that’s a good range!
HISTORIC COLLECTIONS
Itihaas, released last week, could not, unfortunately, live up to its title. It has far from created history. And Border, released a week before Itihaas, created all the itihaas in its first week with historic collections!
“I sincerely believe that both, lyricists and script writers, in Bollywood are grossly underpaid. They definitely deserve to be paid much better.”
– JAVED AKHTAR
Komal Nahta
To say that Javed Akhtar is a great lyricist would be stating the obvious. But 1996 and the first half of 1997 have been particularly great for this man of words. With a National Award under his pen and two hits — Border and Virasat — under his writing pad, Javed is an excited man today. And as much sought-after for film lyrics as for poetry and lectures. I met Javed at his seventh floor residence in Sagar Samrat building at Juhu. The samrat of lyrics was relaxing in the hall which overlooks the sagar and he smiled, almost wickedly, when I entered his flat, panting for breath. (The elevator was out of order and climbing seven storeys, I thought then, was just a little less difficult than penning a hit song!) A glass of water and some breaths later:
Javed Sahab, where do you see yourself today?
– Writing lyrics. My total concentration is on writing songs these days. Although there’s been a long gap between the last script I wrote and today, alongwith lyrics-writing I am also starting a script for Kavita Chaudhry. The lady impressed me a great deal with her serial, Udaan, and I’m sure, she’ll make a great director one day. So, as I was telling you, I am writing a film for her to direct. The story, screenplay and dialogues are all mine. I’ve had sittings with her and I see a lot of potential in her. Here, I’d like to add that I’m writing a script after a long break because it’s my love to write, and the work is coming from the core of my heart. We intend to finish this script by July. Yet another film I am writing is for Singeetam Srinivasan. It is his idea and story line which I am working on. Although I cannot give you any details about the subject, I can say that it will be the most unusual film of the country or even of the world. I was very excited when I heard the story idea, and this is another project that I am writing from my heart.
Why have you taken up script writing when you are going so strong as a lyricist?
– No, don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing script writing at the cost of lyrics writing. Scripting has always been my passion but I realised, I was losing interest in my work and becoming mechanical, so I decided to give myself a break. Today, if I’ve started writing scripts again, it’s not because of my need, but because of my desire. As I said, it’s coming from my heart because this is something I really want to do.
What kind of songs give you satisfaction as a lyricist?
– I believe that a lyricist doesn’t have to be a great poet. But he must have tremendous versatility. As for satisfaction, no song is bad per se. A lyricist should be able to write with equal ease a light-hearted romantic song, a serious song, a lullaby, a bhajan, a street urchin’s song, a ghazal etc. Whatever he is writing, the song should convey the feeling it is meant to. But what makes a song bad is crudity, obscenity and cliché.
Is that the reason you don’t write songs for David Dhawan’s films?
– No, no, it’s not that. Just recently, David and I had a talk on the telephone. Perhaps, I’ll be writing for him in the near future. I myself have written songs like Ek do teen char (Tezaab) or Kehte hain mujhko Hawa Hawaii (Mr. India), so how can I be against light-hearted songs? And I don’t think, David Dhawan’s films now have crude or obscene songs, which is what I can never write.
How do you define a crude or obscene song? One man’s food can be another man’s poison.
– Rightly said. But I have my own aesthetic sense. I’ll decide what is or isn’t crude or vulgar. If I find a song desired by a producer or director to be crude, I won’t write it. God bless the producer/director, let him listen to or get written the song from another willing lyricist but, sorry, I’m not ready to compromise on that point.
With such a stand, you must have faced situations when you’ve been asked to write a song which you aren’t happy about. What do you do in such a situation?
– I’ve encountered such situations and I’ve left some films because of this. There have been some instances when I’ve had music sittings with the makers but backed out thereafter when I heard the details of the song situations and demands of the makers. Now I don’t face such situations because it is established beyond doubt that I don’t write such songs. Frankly, even people are tired of such songs, and I don’t think, producers are recording vulgar songs these days. I’m happy about that.
What is it that prompted you to become a lyricist?
– See, I’ve always been interested in two things — cinema and literature. And it has been so from my childhood days. I don’t want to sound pompous but I remember thousand of couplets even today. Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza Sahab said in 1974 or ’75 that he had never met anybody who remembered more poetry than Javed Akhtar. I have a great memory for film songs and poetry, and I remember thousands of each of them too. That’s because I was always interested in them. I come from a family of writers and poets and though I wasn’t writing poetry for many years, I used to interact with poets. What I mean to say is that I was always in touch. It was in the eighties that Yash Chopra literally forced me into writing for films. He insisted that I write songs for his Silsila and I’m thankful to him for that. So you see, I was getting prepared, although unintentionally, to become a lyricist, right from my childhood.
How do you prefer working — writing lyrics first or working on a tune?
– Both ways. I am used to writing lyrics on tune. It often happens that a good tune inspires me to write a good song. Frankly, writing on a tune is not at all a problem for me. Many lyricists in the past too have worked like that. For example, Sahir Ludhianvi was explained the song situation in Jaal (Dev Anand asking his girlfriend to come) and was also given the tune and metre. On that tune, he wrote Ye raat ye chandni phir kahan / Sun ja dil ki dastaan. He could as well have written Aa ja aa ja balma / Sun ja dil ki dastaan. But the words he used were brilliant. That’s the mark of a great poet.
In today’s times, when music directors often insist on their photographs being splashed on the film’s hoardings and inlay cards of audio cassettes, don’t you feel slighted that a lyricist’s photo is rarely published/painted?
– Leave aside the publicity, I feel, lyricists are not even paid well. Perhaps, Sahir was the only exception because he used to charge much more than other lyricists. Traditionally, music directors have always got more prominence and importance. I don’t want to undermine their importance, but a good lyricist deserves much more importance, much more prominence in the public eye. A good lyricist — any good lyricist — must be paid more handsomely.
What has the National Award for the best lyrics of 1996 meant to you?
– (Smiles and thinks for a while) I’m happy, yes, very happy. Even before the award was announced, I got to know that my name was being considered for both, Sardari Begum and Saaz. Somehow I thought, I would get the National Award for Sardari Begum. Maybe, because Sardari Begum had more songs and also more variety. But I ultimately got the award for Saaz, maybe because in Sardari Begum, there are incomplete songs but in Saaz, there are complete songs.
You said a while ago that you are thankful to Yash Chopra for your break as a lyricist. Don’t you believe in being grateful? More than a year ago, Yash Chopra’s television software production company, Metavision, approached you to be a judge for one show of its TV programme, MERI AWAZ SUNO, but you reportedly insisted on being paid for it and refused to oblige when no payment was forthcoming. Is that right?
– Yes, that’s right. But it is not that I don’t believe in being grateful. Had Yash Chopra offered me payment, I may not even have accepted it. But because his company didn’t offer me any payment, I asked for it. Actually, it so happened that just a day before Metavision approached me, Subhash Ghai had sent me a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh, asking me to anchor a TV show of his. So, you see, the contrast was too obvious — one person asking me to present a show and making payment in advance, and another not even mentioning anything about money. I have and even then had great respect for Yash-ji but the question of money somehow cropped up in my mind at that time and well…..
(After a while) Actually, I quite agree with you. I should be honest to confess that now, when I look back, I feel, I should have agreed to be the judge without insisting on being paid for it. I guess, sometimes, you react to a situation in a particular manner merely because of your mood, not as a pre-meditated step.
Besides a National Award, you’ve also made waves internationally for your writings like Tarkash.
– Yes, to be invited by universities like Harvard, London and Chicago to speak to their students is indeed a great honour.
Where do you see yourself twenty years from now?
– I don’t know, I’m not sure. Who knows, what I will feel like doing tomorrow. See, I had come to the film industry to become a director, and look, what I am doing. I had even assisted in direction and editing. Some day, before I hang my boots, I will definitely direct a film.
It is believed that Javed Akhtar is for the rich and big producers only. Don’t you think, you are too costly a lyricist?
– I don’t think my price is high or excessive at all. I sincerely believe that writers — both lyricists and script writers — in Bollywood are grossly underpaid. They definitely deserve to be paid much better. On the one hand, people say, music is very important today and, on the other, lyricists (who are a part of the film’s music) are so poorly paid. The price of a lyricist is often not even 0.1% of the amount a producer gets on selling his film’s music rights! Forget me, don’t you think, talented lyricists like Bakshi Sahab, Majrooh Sahab and Sameer need to be paid more than what they receive today? How can you underestimate their contribution?
So you aren’t satisfied with what you are being paid?
– I don’t believe in cribbing and complaining. In this industry, nobody gives you your right on a platter, you’ve got to insist for your right. If you deserve it, you get it. Traditionally, lyricists have been underpaid, and it will take time to break the tradition, and to convince producers that lyricists are not getting a fair deal.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Cinema Shortage
The coming months will witness a glut of releases. Obviously, therefore, there is going to be felt an acute shortage of cinemas in different parts of the country. Believe it or not, as many as 55 to 60 films are planned to hit the screens in the coming 4 months till Diwali. Even if we assume that 8 to 10 of the scheduled films don’t make it, it still leaves about 45 to 50 in the field. Which means, an average of 3 films per week. Phew! that’s frightening, isn’t it?
Fancy Price
The hottest film in sub-distribution circles today is Subhash Ghai’s Pardes. Believe it or not, there are offers of 1 crore and even more for the distribution rights of Gujarat only. Considering that Ghai has sold its rights at the ratio of 1.80 crore, the Gujarat price is simply outstanding. Of course, Bombay distributor Tolu Bajaj is in no mood to sell the rights for Gujarat at this stage and this price!
Bachchan’s Nihalani Connection
It is a mere coincidence but not a small one. Jaya Bachchan, who had quit acting 16 years ago, made an exception for Amitabh Bachchan’s make-up man and gave a special appearance in his Marathi film, Akka, released some years back. The Marathi film was presented by Pahlaj Nihalani. Now, Jaya is all set to stage her true comeback with a lead role in a Hindi film being made by another Nihalani — Govind. She has been signed for Govind Nihalani’s Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Ma. Which means, if you’ve got to sign Jaya for your film, you had better have a Nihalani either presenting or producing, directing, photographing or writing your film!
Dismally Low
There’s a cinema in Puri (Orissa) which paid a total of just Rs. 26,616 by way of entertainment tax during the year ended 31st March, 1997. Yes, Rs. 26,616 for one full year! Which means, an average of Rs. 73 per day!! Such dismal payments of entertainment tax would compare miserably with some cinemas of metropolitan cities like Bombay or Delhi.
Allah Meherban To Lady Pareshaan
The undermentioned is no joke but a fact. It goes to show how funny titles of some less-publicised films can’t be digested by laymen.
A lady, who refused to identify herself, telephoned our office on Monday this week to ask us what the releases of the week were going to be . When our person informed her of Suraj, it was okay. But the moment he said, “Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan“, the lady thought, he was fooling her and, expressing here irritation, banged down the receiver.