HINDUSTAN KI KASAM

Devgans Films’ Hindustan Ki Kasam (UA) is a film which deals with the uneasy relations between India and Pakistan. The tension existing between the two countries is sought to be highlighted through the story of twin brothers who are separated in childhood. One brother grows up to become a writer in India, and the other dons the garb of a dreaded terrorist in Pakistan. The writer in India is endowed by nature with a quality which empowers him to dream of things that transpire in the life of his brother, thousands of miles away, even before he knows of his existence. He, therefore, writes novels about Indian armymen whose deaths are mysterious. In these novels, he reveals the circumstances which have led to their deaths because in all those cases, it has been his brother who has committed the crime. This arouses the suspicions of the Indian armymen who wrongly conclude that the writer is actually a terrorist. A retired army officer succeeds in establishing the writer’s innocence and the two of them together not only get the wayward Pakistani brother on the right track but also join hands with him to expose a conspiracy hatched by Pakistani terrorists to kill the Pakistani prime minister when he is on a goodwill mission to India.

The film actually has various tracks — the patriotic track which doesn’t really evoke patriotic feelings; the romantic tracks of the two brothers, which again lack in youthfulness or freshness; the track of fostering a feeling of brotherhood between the two countries, to identify a few. As a result, the drama often becomes hotch-potch. Little care has been taken of continuity and so the film appears jerky at times. The point of one twin brother dreaming of the deeds of the other may not be understood by all. Dialogues should have abounded in words of nationalistic flavour but such dialogues are few and hardly any of them are brilliant enough to deserve claps. Climax is too lengthy to be true. The portion of the climax in which Amitabh Bachchan goes on sermonising is irritating, to say the least. Further, the plea for brotherhood between inhabitants of the two nations may not find universal patronage in view of the recent animosity (Kargil).

Amitabh Bachchan suffers on account of a frivolous characterisation. He comes in and goes out of scenes from nowhere and his only job is to lecture. Although he performs well, the impatient audience of today will find it difficult to tolerate his sermonising. Ajay Devgan acts ably in a double role. He excels in stunts. Manisha Koirala looks disinterested. She impresses in her last scene and that’s about all. Sushmita Sen has a brief role and does a fair job. However, both the heroines need to improve their dress sense. Prem Chopra is quite good. Farida Jalal is natural but is getting repetitive. Gulshan Grover does a fine job. Kader Khan, Navin Nischol, Shakti Kapoor, Pramod Moutho, Salim Motu and Kashmira Shah lend average support. Shahbaaz Khan is effective. Mallika makes an average debut. The rest pass muster.

Veeru Devgan doesn’t impress as director half as much as he does as an action master. The script seems to have got too unwieldy for him to handle. Thrills (by Jai Singh) are excellent at places. The aerial stunts are exciting but the excitement wanes away after a while when realisation dawns upon the viewer that a lot of stunts are computer-generated also. Some special effects are good but some are rank shoddy. Music (Sukhwindara Singh) is a mixed bag. Jalwa tera jalwa is excellently-tuned but none of the other songs really stands out. In fact, so ordinary are most of the other songs that it would be in the film’s interest if they were shortened. Song picturisations (Raju Khan) could have been better. Sets (Bijon Dasgupta) are too loud and gaudy. Camerawork (Ishwar Bidri) is remarkable. Editing leaves a lot to be desired; reducing the film’s length by about 15 minutes can prove advantageous. Production values are grand.

On the whole, Hindustan Ki Kasam has hype and hoopla and, therefore, has taken a mind-blowing initial but once that dies down, the film will find it difficult to sustain at the box-office. Considering its high price, it will find the going tough except in Bihar and, perhaps, in circuits like East Punjab and parts of U.P., Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Exhibitors, who have paid fancy terms, will stand to lose even though a couple of distributors themselves may sail safe on the strength of the grand opening and the grander terms.

Released on 23-7-’99 at Novelty and 23 other cinemas of Bombay thru Devgan Entertainment & Software Ltd. Publicity & opening: extraordinary. …….Also released all over. Opening was historic everywhere.

LATEST POSITION

The sensational opening of HINDUSTAN KI KASAM this week has come as a shot in the arm.

Dada 1st week Bombay 13,49,559 (38.75%) from 10 cinemas; Ahmedabad 1,76,847 from 3 cinemas (3 cinemas unrecd.); Delhi 6,68,950 (39.38%) from 4 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,44,353 from 2 cinemas, Agra 1,08,400; Calcutta 9,89,919 from 12 cinemas; Amravati (6 days) 86,826, Yavatmal (8 days) 94,140, Bilaspur 76,902; Bhopal 1,45,161 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 1,88,915, Bikaner (gross) 2,15,030; Hyderabad (gross) 5,03,024 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon; 1 more in noon unrecd.).

Chudail No. 1 1st week Bombay 1,57,621 (33.31%) from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 60,374 from 2 cinemas.

Mann dropped further. It will entail heavy losses to its distributors. 2nd week Bombay 52,75,794 (81.03%) from 11 cinemas; Ahmedabad 14,88,155 from 4 cinemas, Krishna Padra, 1,29,674, Vapi 4,60,182, 1st Valsad 3,10,877, 2nd week Rajkot 1,93,865 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,06,765 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Kolhapur 1,73,718, Solapur 1,35,953; Delhi 45,37,666 from 11 cinemas (1 cinema was on F.H.); Kanpur 4,19,645 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 4,69,174, Agra 2,56,481, Varanasi 2,04,505, Allahabad 1,19,190, Bareilly (6 days) 97,600 (1st 1,93,222), Dehradun 1,40,000, Hardwar 75,505, Saharanpur 1,26,000; Calcutta 22,62,098 from 18 cinemas; Nagpur 7,08,358 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,38,591 (1st 2,17,787), Amravati (6 days) 1,63,284, Raipur (6 days, gross) 2,36,814 (1st week gross 3,89,561), Jalgaon (6 days) 1,38,475 (1st week 2,75,325), Chandrapur 1,09,377, Yavatmal 76,030 (1st 1,53,158); Indore 1,69,294, Bhopal 1,05,414 (1 cinema was on F.H.); Jaipur 4,16,484 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 1,37,772, Udaipur 1,15,000 (1st 2,73,000); Hyderabad (gross) 12,44,265 from 6 cinemas (2 in noon); 2 weeks’ total from Vijayawada (gross) 5,10,205.

Benaam 3rd week Bombay 1,34,142 from 3 cinemas; Solapur (matinee) 11,381; 1st week Ghaziabad 1,06,734, 3rd Kanpur 56,743; 2nd week Nagpur 34,684, 1st week Raipur 50,198.

Haseena Maan Jaayegi 4th week Bombay 21,56,826 (70.62%) from 7 cinemas; Ahmedabad 54,000, Rajkot 55,740, Jamnagar (mat.) 7,338; Solapur 1,00,517 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 20,11,426 from 8 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,03,371 from 3 cinemas, Lucknow 2,03,028, Agra 1,56,938, Varanasi 1,08,939, Allahabad 87,500, Dehradun 87,066; Calcutta 1,91,197; Nagpur 1,06,922 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 58,904, Amravati 85,534, Raipur (gross) 99,714, Jalgaon 60,792, 1st week Gondia (gross) 1,33,012, Chandrapur 2,07,649, 4th week Bilaspur 58,732; Indore 95,663 (1 cinema was on F.H.), Bhopal 1,37,009 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,18,343 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 7,31,993 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon).

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Bombay 5th week 47,18,206 (80.56%) from 11 cinemas; Ahmedabad 10,85,694 from 6 cinemas, Rajkot 1,34,104 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 52,580, Bhuj 69,291, Adipur 85,478; Solapur 1,07,375 from 2 cinemas (1 cinema in 14 shows and 1 in matinee); Delhi 13,15,245 from 6 cinemas (1 cinema was on F.H.); Kanpur 1,80,364 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,03,991, Agra 1,40,445, Varanasi 84,714, Allahabad 60,000, Bareilly (6 days) 36,578, Dehradun 74,094, Hardwar 20,000; Calcutta 4,94,808 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 1,31,333 from 2 cinemas, 3rd week Jabalpur 2,02,219, 5th Amravati (6 days) 94,768, Raipur (6 days, gross) 1,40,085, 4th week Wardha (6 days) 30,942, 5th week Yavatmal (6 days) 34,942; Indore 2,02,895 from 2 cinemas, Bhopal 1,20,713; Jaipur 2,21,476; Hyderabad (gross) 8,45,769 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon shows and 2 on F.H.).

_____

Man Saayba Ni Mediye (Gujarati; tax-free) 1st week Ahmedabad 2,01,589 from 3 cinemas; affected due to heavy rains and curfew in parts of the city.

Senthi Nu Sindoor (Gujarati; tax-free) 1st week Ahmedabad 1,71,442 from 3 cinemas; affected due to rains and curfew.

Saadha Muqaddar (Punjabi; tax-free) has done average in Punjab in 1st week.

JATIN KANAKIA DEAD

Popular TV and stage actor Jatin Kanakia expired on 18th July at Lilavati Hospital in Bombay. He had been suffering from cancer. He was 46 and is survived by his wife and son.

Beginning his acting career on Gujarati stage nearly 20 years ago, Jatin Kanakia went on to make his mark in several popular TV serials like Shriman Shrimati, Kabhi Yeh Kabhi Woh and Maal Hai To Taal Hai. Do Aur Do Paanch (on Zee) and Hum Sab Ek Hain (on Sony) are two of his serials currently on air.

AAMIR KHAN RELEASES NASREEN MUNNI KABIR’S ‘TALKING FILMS’

Aamir Khan formally released Nasreen Munni Kabir’s new book, Talking Films, at a function hosted by its publishers, Oxford University Press (OUP), on 23rd July at Y.B. Chavan Centre, Bombay. The book consists of the author’s conversations with writer-poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar on Hindi cinema.

While releasing the book, Aamir Khan remarked, “Good books on Indian cinema are very much needed.” He also informed the gathering that even though he had read several books on Indian cinema, hardly any had impressed him. However, he was looking forward to reading Talking Films as Javed Akhtar was a very good writer and an intellectual, he added.

Shabana Azmi read out excerpts from three segments of the book viz. ‘Starting A Conversation’, ‘Dialogue’ and ‘Speciality of Indian Films’.

Addressing the gathering, Javed Akhtar revealed that he was reluctant, at first, to talk to Nasreen on the book, but relented after he was convinced about the author’s valuable thoughts on the subject.

Later, Nasreen Munni Kabir expressed her gratitude to Javed Akhtar for “his most valuable co-operation in bringing out Talking Films.”

OUP managing director Manzar Khan, who introduced Nasreen, Javed Akhtar and Aamir Khan to the gathering, explained that though OUP was a centuries-old publishing house and had started its publications in India at the beginning of this century, it had only recently begun commissioning books on Indian cinema. This was because Indian films had amply proved that they were a force to reckon with, he added.

The author, Nasreen Munni Kabir, has made a number of short films on Indian cinema and on some of its stars for UK’s Channel 4. Presently, she is a London-based independent film producer and director.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Most of the films these days have appendages like Cinemascope, 6-track sound, Dolby Stereo, DTS sound, Sensurround etc. But there is one film which boasts of an appendage of an ‘exclusive’ kind. The currently running Kannada hit, A.K. 47, proclaims itself (in its publicities) as ‘Kannada Scope Digital’, whatever that means or whatever scope it offers!

* The name Prakash has generally proved unlucky if the person with the name has been associated with film distribution in Bombay. No names need to be spelt out. An exception is Prakash Kokane of Shringar Films. The guy is moving from strength to strength.

* The audience at Kalpana Talkies, Kurla, Bombay, showered coins in the matinee show on the first day of HINDUSTAN KI KASAM during the song Jalwa tera jalwa!

* Police had to be called in to control the huge crowds in Satara at Krishna Talkies and Jayvijay Talkies on the opening day of HINDUSTAN KI KASAM!

* Police had to resort to lathi-charge in Patna and other stations of Bihar to control the surging crowds on the opening day of HINDUSTAN KI KASAM.

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Director Karan Johar, currently in New York, will first go to London and thereafter return to India (on 10th August).

Mr. Anil Thadani of Yash Raj Films, London-New York, will return to India in 7-10 days.

Producer Boney Kapoor will return from Madras in a day or two.

Delhi-U.P. distributor and exhibitor Brijesh Tandon will come to Bombay on 30th July.

Mr. Rajprakash Bansal of Jai Pictures P. Ltd., Jaipur, returned to Jaipur on 21st July.

INR Hire
INDUSTRY LOSES CASE IN SC

The Supreme Court has upheld the regulations under the Cinematograph Act by which cinemas are bound to show short educational/documentary films (Indian news reel) made by the Films Division, free of cost, as part of the licensing agreement. The court upheld the appeal filed by the Union government and the governments of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh against the Delhi high court order quashing certain provisions under the Cinematograph Act and dismissed a writ petition of the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association, Calcutta, which had asserted that the regulations affected their right to freedom of speech. By this order of the SC, the statutory provision making it compulsory for cinemas in the country to screen educational and other documentaries prepared by the Films Division and also pay 1% of their nett weekly collections as rental to the Films Division has been upheld as valid.

According to a 1958 agreement between the FFI and the Films Division, the exhibitors have to pay one per cent of their nett weekly collections as rental for the short films, which they have to collect from the distribution centres. Screening of the short films was also made compulsory under the Cinematograph Rules.

The exhibitors challenged these rules, alleging that these regulations had affected their viewership and profits. They argued that they were facing tough competition from television, video and other audio-visual revolutions. Therefore, they could not spare time for the educational films nor pay for them. They also argued that as the government paid money to television channels for broadcasting these documentaries, the court should direct the government to do the same if the cinemas exhibited these documentaries.

The Supreme Court rejected their arguments. The judgement, delivered by a bench comprising Justice Sujata V. Manohar, Justice K. Venkataswami and Justice R.C. Lahoti, stated that there was no violation of the right to speech. When a significant part of the population is illiterate, it is important that every available means of communication, particularly audio-visual, be utilised to educate, inform and propagate scientific ideas. The best way to reach the large body of uneducated people is through the entertainment channel, the judgement said.

According to the court, instead of curtailing free speech, the provisions further it since they are intended to prepare a vast number of people for informed debate on important issues.

It also stated that the fees charged for the exhibition was nominal and only a small fraction of the cost incurred by the Films Division. Therefore, it was reasonable and did not infringe on the exhibitors’ right to trade. It was submitted by the government that Films Division was incurring heavy expenditure towards the production of about 125 films every year and took out about 400 prints of each film for distribution to over 13,000 cinemas across the country. The FD dubs the documentaries in 15 languages and retains about 50,000 prints at any given time, counsel for the government argued and added that FD incurred an expenditure of more than Rs. 12 crore per year for only taking out adequate prints while their recovery in the form of rentals is only Rs. 7 to 8 crore per year.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Heroes In New Territory

1999 may well go down in the history of Bollywood as a truly unusual year. For, at least four leading heroes and a heroine will have releases this year, which will get them into new territory — either producer or producer-director’s territory. Ajay Devgan’s Hindustan Ki Kasam has been released this week and although the official producer is Veeru Devgan, everyone knows how involved Ajay, too, has been in his maiden home production. Jackie Shroff’s Grahan is due for release later this year. Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla have stepped into production for the first time and are partners in Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani which will hit the screens in November. The month of November will also see the release of Sunny Deol’s home production, Dillagi, with which he has also made his debut as a director. Of course, Salman Khan’s Hello Brother and Anil Kapoor’s Pukaar are also there but these aren’t their first releases. And yes, Aamir Khan will step into the territory of production by launching Lagaan this year.

Lucky Lady Lends Her Voice

Believe it or not but Kajol has dubbed for Taal. Kajol and Taal?!? It so happened that Kajol was at Audeus for the dubbing of her Dil Kya Kare when a voice was required for an announcement to be made in the pre-climax of Taal, also being dubbed then at Audeus. Subhash Ghai’s staff requested Kajol to lend her voice to the announcement, and the numero uno actress willingly obliged! And so, Taal will have the voice of Kajol though not her face. Which is the scene for which Kajol has dubbed? Try to figure out when you see the film.

Tid-Bits

And here are bits of non-film news. Since the news are connected to film personalities, they deserve mention in these columns.

– Like Rajinikanth has announced that he will not lend his support to any political party in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The Tamil film superstar had supported the DMK-TMC Combine in the ’96 elections and the front had won hands down, thanks to the Rajinikanth charisma.

– Like, a piqued Jayalalitha (AIADMK chief) has filed a suit in a Madras city civil court against former Tamil film actress Latha (who is affiliated to another political party). Latha had said in a recent public meeting that Jayalalitha, during her stay in New Delhi in April 1999, had beaten a bearer of a five-star hotel. Can you beat that?!

– And lastly, Span Aviation (Maharashtra), an airlines company which got grounded in May 1998 after suffering losses, is now hoping to stage a comeback with the help of a film personality. The airline has joined hands with Vinayak Mayekar, a trustee of V. Shantaram Foundation. It may be recalled that Span Aviation had begun operations in February ’95 with the support of former chief minister of Maharashtra, Manohar Joshi. The airline remained air-borne for a short span of three years. Happy soaring this time.

National Opposition

On Friday, July 23, while several cinemas in the country were screening Veeru Devgan’s Hindustan Ki Kasam, a film propagating national integration, it faced a national opposition in the last show, thanks to Doordarshan. DD telecast Chetan Anand’s Hindustan Ki Kasam that day. Very funny, kasam se!

Quote Of The Week

“Films cannot be made without money. And money alone cannot make a film.”

– Manoj Kumar

“….JAANEWALE KI YAAD AATI HAI“
RAJENDRA KUMAR BIDS ADIEU

Jubilee star Rajendra Kumar Tuli, who dominated the film scene from the mid-fifties to the seventies, passed away on 12th July at 3.30 a.m. at Breach Candy Hospital, Bombay, where he had been admitted ten days earlier for respiratory and cardiac complications and a blood ailment. He was 71 and is survived by his wife, son Kumar Gaurav and two daughters.

The funeral, held the same afternoon at the Santacruz crematorium, was attended by a large number of film celebrities, friends and relatives including Sunil Dutt, B.R. Chopra, Yash Chopra, Ramanand Sagar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Mohan Kumar, Naushad, Feroz Khan, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Rajesh Roshan, Dara Singh, Chandrashekhar and others.

“Jaanewale kabhi nahin aate
Jaanewale ki yaad aati hai.”

One remembered these memorable lines of late Shailendra, during the final journey of the gentleman star Rajendra Kumar on July 12.

A partition refugee from Sialkot (Pakistan), Rajendra Kumar’s transition to stardom would read like a story of a comic-book hero. Those were the days when Dilip Kumar was the undisputed star. Rajendra Kumar appeared as an extra with Dilip Kumar in Mela (1948) and Devdas (1955) while working as an assistant to director H.S. Rawail. His passport to the industry was a letter of introduction for Rajinder Krishen.

Devendra Goel spotted Rajendra Kumar’s talent for acting and ventured to cast him as lead man in Vachan (1955). Fate ordained him with a spate of jubilees and successes beginning with director Vijay Bhatt’s Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959), followed in the same year by Devendra Goel’s Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan, B.R. Chopra’s Dhool Ka Phool (directed by Yash Chopra), director Kedar Kapoor’s Do Behnen and director Jyoti Swaroop’s Santan. There was no looking back after that. The hits that followed in later years were Aas Ka Panchhi, Gharana, Kanoon, Mere Mehboob, Gehra Daag, Sasural, Hamrahi, Aayee Milan Ki Bela, Dil Ek Mandir, Arzoo, Sangam, Zindagi, Suraj, Ganwaar, Gora Aur Kala, Aap Aaye Bahar Aayee, Anjana, Talash and Geet. He had also acted in Mehboob’s Mother India (1957) and a Gujarati super-hit, Mehendi Rang Lagyo (opposite Usha Kiron). Rajendra Kumar turned a producer with Love Story (1981) and launched his son, Kumar Gaurav, as the lead main in it. He had also produced Naam, Jurrat and Phool.

Rajendra Kumar, also known as Jubilee Kumar because a large number of his films turned out to be jubilee hits, was a wise investor. He constructed the Dimple preview theatre and personally used to oversee its maintenance. He also invested in film shooting equipments like cameras and lights. However, due to his simple and unostentatious lifestye, he was dubbed “tight-fisted”.

A well-known fact about Rajendra Kumar is that he was repeated by his producers in Bombay as well as in South, like B.R. Chopra (Kanoon and Dhool Ka Phool), S.S. Vasan of Gemini (Zindagi, Gharana and Shatranj), Sridhar (Dil Ek Mandir and Dharti), Ramanand Sagar (Arzoo, Geet and Lalkar), L.V. Prasad (Sasural and Hamrahi), Venus Krishnamoorthy (Suraj and Saathi), Devendra Goel (Vachan, Pyar Ka Sagar and Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan), O.P. Ralhan (Gehra Daag and Talash) and Raj Kapoor (Sangam and Mera Naam Joker). Mohan Kumar made five films with him — Aas Ka Panchhi, Aayee Milan Ki Bela, Aman, Anjana and Aap Aaye Bahar Aayee — and the two remained great friends till the end.

Among the many who paid fulsome tributes to Rajendra Kumar were Naushad who said, “He was a simple-hearted gentleman and a talented actor.” Producer S. Raamanathan described him as “a man of fine human qualities, who was a great favourite with South producers. He used to be very co-operative and never behaved like an arrogant star.”

Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee condoled the death of Rajendra Kumar and expressed profound grief. I & B minister Pramod Mahajan expressed his grief saying, “The world of cinema has become poorer by his death.” State minister for I & B, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said, “The death of the veteran actor, who swayed the emotions of the cinegoers, is a great loss to the industry.” B.R. Chopra, who cried when he visited Rajendra Kumar’s house on hearing the news of his demise, said that he (Rajendra Kumar) gave very good performances in his two films, Dhool Ka Phool and Kanoon. Mohan Kumar, a close friend of Rajendra, said, “I had worked with him in five films and all of them were hits. He took success in his stride and never let it go to his head. He was a great person and was liked by everyone.” Ramanand Sagar said, “I am proud that out of 25 silver jubilee hits he gave, I had a share of four precious films.” Ashok Kumar, who worked with Rajendra Kumar in a number of films, had a very close relationship with him and began to cry on hearing the news of his death. He said, “I have no words to express my feelings for him.” Shammi Kapoor paid his respects saying, “He was a fine person and a fine actor. The film industry is indebted to him for his immense contribution.”

LATEST POSITION

MANN suffered a lot on account of its poor editing. Yet, first week collections at many places were brilliant. The makers have deleted scenes and two songs (total running time reduced is 29 minutes) but the re-editing seems to have been effected too late in the day.

Mann began to drop mid-week. It is dull in Bihar, C.I. and Rajasthan. 1st week Bombay 66,51,187 (95.75%) from 12 cinemas; Ahmedabad 22,11,239 from 4 cinemas, Padra 2,23,513, Vapi 6,49,904, Rajkot (mat.) 54,505 (1 unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,65,683 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 14,73,353 from 4 cinemas (1 in mat.), Kolhapur 2,56,519, Solapur 3,99,085 from 2 cinemas, Sangli 2,03,000 (95%), Miraj 1,26,000 (92%), Islampur 1,72,151; Delhi 60,89,610 (93.17%) from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 6,47,423 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 5,19,606, full, Agra 3,62,222, Allahabad 2,41,950, Meerut 2,77,311, Bareilly (6 days) 1,66,297 (64.04%), Hardwar 1,26,206, Saharanpur 2,00,006; Calcutta 42,63,319 from 24 cinemas; Nagpur 13,42,667 from 5 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 2,00,062, Amravati (5 days) 2,13,474, Akola 2,51,770, Raipur (6 days; gross) 3,47,886, Durg 1,22,661, Jalgaon 2,75,325, Rajnandgaon (6 days) 1,03,000, Chandrapur 1,99,391; Indore 3,12,084 (3 cinemas on F.H.), Bhopal 1,89,993 (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 11,17,674 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 2,42,328; Hyderabad (gross) 45,28,309 from 18 cinemas (2 in noon), total share of 7 districts is over 40 lakh; Vijayawada (gross) 2,98,998.

Khaufnaak Raat 1st week Bombay 5,23,420 (42.29%) from 4 cinemas; 2nd week Delhi 86,231.

Benaam 2nd week Bombay 3,93,205 (47.29%) from 4 cinemas; Ahmedabad 28,157; 1st week Pune 2,72,329 from 3 cinemas; 2nd Delhi 1,64,420 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 30,189, Agra 39,131, Allahabad 15,885, 1st Bareilly 55,087 (24.64%); 2nd Calcutta 70,300; 1st Nagpur 1,50,115 from 2 cinemas; Bhopal 82,765; Bikaner 40,171.

Haseena Maan Jaayegi 3rd week Bombay 28,66,379 (71.14%) from 8 cinemas; Ahmedabad 6,54,095 from 6 cinemas, Rajkot 89,313, Jamnagar (mat.) 9,566 (1 unrecd.); Pune 6,04,186 from 4 cinemas (1 in mat.), Solapur 1,39,261 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.); Delhi 26,91,866 from 8 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,95,750 from 3 cinemas, Lucknow 2,95,804, Agra 2,20,000, Allahabad 1,35,547; Calcutta 2,34,674; Nagpur 98,004, Jabalpur 92,412, Amravati (6 days) 1,09,722, Akola (27 shows) 1,00,007, Raipur (gross) 1,70,295, Durg (gross) 41,484, Jalgaon 94,000; Indore 1,18,874 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 2,08,263 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,69,398, Ajmer 87,958, Bikaner 1,25,210; Hyderabad (gross) 6,03,599 from 4 cinemas.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam 4th week Bombay 49,39,255 (84.34%) from 11 cinemas; Ahmedabad 15,65,941 from 5 cinemas, Vapi 1,62,326, Rajkot 1,75,560 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.), Jamnagar 70,364, Adipur 1,34,103; Pune 8,25,378 from 4 cinemas; Delhi 21,50,359 from 9 cinemas; Kanpur (6 days) 1,68,240 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,86,898, Agra 2,05,011, Allahabad 80,622, Bareilly (6 days) 46,033; Calcutta 7,70,466 from 7 cinemas; Nagpur 1,55,534 from 2 cinemas, 2nd Jabalpur 2,45,967, 4th Amravati (6 days) 1,28,255, Akola 1,05,512, Raipur (6 days; gross) 1,76,697, 3rd Wardha 39,905, 4th Chandrapur 48,234; Indore 1,16,217, Bhopal 1,44,860; Hyderabad (gross) 4,46,865 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).

Mahashaktimaan (dubbed) is fair. (Its English version, The Matrix, is excellent.) 1st week Ahmedabad 1,34,387 (57%), Baroda 93,412 (82%); Kolhapur 86,536 (35%), Solapur 1,33,263 (89%), Sangli 84,686 (46%), Ichalkaranji 68,731 (50%), Malegaon 53,966 (48%); Belgaum 65,356 (82%); Indore 77,896 (40%); Aurangabad 1,20,990 (49%).

_____

Bindhast (Marathi; tax-free) 4th week Bombay 11,80,793 (52.46%) from 8 cinemas; Pune 1,15,678, Solapur 46,237.

ADITYA PANCHOLI ARRESTED, FREED ON BAIL

Aditya Pancholi was put in police lock-up at Santacruz (Bombay) on the morning of 15th July for injuring two police constables in a car accident at 1.30 a.m. According to the police, Aditya Pancholi was driving in an inebriated state. He is said to have first hit the motorcycle of the police constables, then an autorickshaw and then a dumper truck. Pancholi told the police that he had not committed any criminal act and that it was an accident. He was freed on bail the same day.

BHOOMI PUJA OF TWO CINEMAS IN SHIVPURI

Premnarayan and Radheshyam Rathod alias Munia performed bhoomi puja for two cinemas at Shivpuri. The puja was performed at the hands of Gajanand Patel. Munia already owns Shriram Smriti, Jyoti Talkies and Satyam Talkies at Guna; Laxmi Mandir and Mahesh Mandir at Ashok Nagar; and Laxmi Talkies at Aron.

The two cinemas at Shivpuri will come up within six months, according to Munia, who is also planning to construct some more cinemas at other centres of C.I.

ASHOK VASHODIA APPOINTED SECRETARY TO HRITHIK

Ashok Vashodia has joined as secretary to Hrithik Roshan. He can be contacted on phone nos. 631-4362 (residence) and 649-2352/605-0393 (office). Cellphone: 98200-45797. Fax: 605-0391.

YOU ASKED IT

Which is the most ideal and cost-effective medium for a film’s release publicity?

– The most cost-effective is paper publicity but the most effective is, of course, the television medium.

What is the difference between the Kargil war heroes and our film heroes?

– While the Kargil hero fights for defending the line of control (LoC), the film hero fights for his price and knows no line of control!

What do you predict for the second half of the year?

– It will be good, very good. So relax!

Among the old-time directors, who is still going strong?

– Only Yash Chopra. Who else?

DO YOU KNOW?

* The already big screen of Metro, Bombay, will assume a bigger dimension for the screening of Subhash Ghai’s TAAL. The screen will become bigger by 33% in keeping with the film’s grandeur. The screen is being changed by the cinema after a gap of 42 years.

* After playing football in New Delhi, cricket stars will take on the Bengali film stars for the benefit of army jawans’ welfare on August 8 in Calcutta. Organised by Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) in collaboration with the Federation of technicians and workers of Tollygunge, the match will feature Mithun Chakraborty, Prasenjit, Ranjit Mullick and company on one side and cricketers Kapil Dev, Ajay Jadeja, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and, of course, Saurav Ganguly and company on the other. In Calcutta, it will be cricket.

* In an effort to show solidarity with our jawans in Kargil, producer K.P. Singh and director Kundan Shah called off a day’s shooting of HUM TO MOHABBAT KAREGA last week in Hyderabad, to participate in a special rally arranged by the Andhra Pradesh Film Chamber of Commerce. The entire unit, including stars Bobby Deol and Karisma Kapoor, spent the day collecting funds for the noble cause.

* For the first time ever in the history of Gujarati films, a father and son are being pitted against each other at the box-office. This week’s Gujarati releases have father Naresh Kanodia (in MAN SAAYBA NI MEDIYE) and son Hitoo Kanodia (in SENTHI NU SINDOOR)!

MIX MASALA

ACHIEVEMENT INDEED!

The other day, we received a telephone call from a rather jubilant producer of a Mithun starrer. “God, I am so happy!”, he gushed over the phone. We would have thought that his film had become a hit at the ticket-windows or something, but then… So, what was the reason behind his ecstacy, we probed. “My film has not run into a single delivery problem,” he exclaimed, adding, “Saari deliveries smoothly ho gayee. That’s cause for celebration.” Yes, if it’s a Mithun starrer these days, we guess, smooth deliveries themselves are an achievement!

Many Important Awards For Hindi Films

‘KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI’ BAGS NATIONAL AWARD
‘Godmother’ Picks up Six

Yash Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, with which son Karan Johar made a remarkable debut as director, has bagged the National Award for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment. It has also won the best singer (female) award for Alka Yagnik.

Shyam Benegal’s Samar has been adjudged the best film. It has also bagged the best screenplay award for Ashok Mishra.

Ajay Devgan shared the best actor award for his performance in Zakhm with Mammootty for his enactment of the title role in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (English), directed by Dr. Jabbar Patel. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has also bagged the best art direction award for Nitin Desai.

Godmother, directed by Vinay Shukla, won the best actress award for Shabana Azmi. The film also won the best feature film award in Hindi in the language category. It has won four other awards: best lyrics (Maati re maati) award for Javed Akhtar; best music for Vishal Bhardwaj; best singer (male) for Sanjeev Abhyankar; and best editing award for Renu Saluja. In all, Godmother has bagged six awards.

The Nargis Dutt award for the best film on national integration has been won by Zakhm, produced by Pooja Bhatt.

The best supporting actor award has gone to Manoj Bajpayee for Satya, and the best supporting actress award, to Suhasini Mulay for Hu Tu Tu.

Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.. has won two awards: for best cinematography (Santosh Sivan) and for best audiography (R. Sridhar).

It is after a gap of several years that Hindi films in 1998 have bagged most of the important awards.

OTHER AWARDS

Besides winning the best cinematography award for Dil Se.., Santosh Sivan has bagged an award for direction for Malli (Tamil) which has been selected as the best environmental film. Malli has also won an award for child artiste baby Amma (Shwetha).

Rajeevnath has won the best director award for Janani (Malayalam). The Indira Gandhi award for the first film of a director has gone to Venu for Daya (Malayalam) which also won the best costume award for S.B. Satheesan.

The best children’s film award has been won by Virendra Saini for Kabhi Pass Kabhi Fail. Raja Sen’s Atmiyo Swajan (Bengali) has won an award for the best film on family welfare. Chintavishtayaya Shyamala (Malayalam) has got an award for portraying a woman’s struggle.

The 46th National Film Awards were announced at a press conference in New Delhi on July 16. Information and Broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan and chairpersons of the various juries addressed the conference. Minister of state for I & B Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was also present.

A record number of 114 feature and non-feature films in different Indian languages and English were viewed by a jury headed by D.V.S. Raju. Shaji N. Karun headed the non-feature jury. M.T. Vasudevan Nair headed the jury to select the best book on cinema and best cinema journalist.

BEST BOOK

In The Forest Hangs A Bridge won the best non-feature film award while Dr. Kishore Vaswani’s Cinemaee Bhasha Aur Hindi Samvaadon Ka Vishleshan was adjudged the best book on cinema. Meenakshi Shedde was chosen the best film critic.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Cut Short

Following the release of Mann last Friday, producer-director Indra Kumar and producer Ashok Thakeria took off for London and New York for the film’s premiere shows there. But after reaching London, Indra Kumar had to cut his trip short and return to India — to shorten the film! In keeping with the general consensus, Indra Kumar went a-trimming. And he finally effected cuts to the extent of 29 minutes! Two songs have been completely chopped off and scenes/shots of a total running time of 19 minutes have been thrown off.

Curiously enough — well, actually, not so curiously, after all — some distributors did not even wait for Indra Kumar’s advice. They exercised the cuts, apne mann se!

Operation Oppositions

Producers are wary of releasing their films in the face of oppositions. And what exactly constitutes an opposition? Well, for decades now, anything and everything, so to say, is construed an opposition to the box-office. Ramzan is an opposition, rains are an opposition, so are examinations, so is television, so are pre-Diwali days, so are Navratri days (especially in Gujarat and Maharashtra) and so also Ganpati festival (in parts of Maharashtra and, these days, in other states too). There are plenty of other oppositions too. But actually, after Vashu Bhagnani braved the World Cup cricket and brought his Biwi No. 1 in direct opposition of the event, is any opposition really an opposition? The collections of Biwi No. 1 were phenomenal all through the cricket days. That India did not enter the final could be one reason, but what about the days when India was still in the race? It would, therefore, be in the fitness of things if producers and distributors did some rethinking on the issue of oppositions and deduced whether it is actually right to keep their films away from the so-called oppositions and select release dates that don’t clash with the oppositions.

The ‘Taal’ Tale

When will Taal see release? And when should it be released? The answers to both the questions cannot be given definitively as of now because of the following given situation:

Subhash Ghai was in a fix whether to get Taal on August 6. His distributors insisted that Ghai should release Taal on 6th. That’s because if Taal were to be postponed, the distributors would have to let go of the chain of cinemas booked in their circuits and would, obviously, not be able to get a new chain that would be good enough, because of the line-up of releases.

So, Subhash Ghai, as of now, is determined to release Taal on 6th.

But exhibitors and others, who wish well for Subhash Ghai, are strongly of the opinion that Taal should not come on 6th. Why? They think that the promotion of ‘the beat of passion’ is yet to reach a crescendo which may not be possible till 6th August.

Many voices and whispers in the trade seem to strongly suggest, “Let the promotion be in sur and taal with the big canvas of the film!”

Dimple Luck

Rajendra Kumar’s daughter, Dimple, was undoubtedly his lucky mascot. And this can be proved by two examples. Before he built himself a new bungalow on Pali Hill, Bandra, he used to live in a bungalow on Carter Road, which was known as Dimple House. Till the time he lived in Dimple House, he rolled in great luck. One after the other, his films used to click and, as an actor, he was in great demand. It was only after he reluctantly sold the bungalow to Rajesh Khanna that Rajendra Kumar moved to his new bungalow at Pali Hill. Incidentally, when Rajendra Kumar sold the bungalow to Rajesh Khanna, he laid down a condition that the bungalow’s name be changed. Rajesh Khanna, therefore, changed it to ‘Aashirwad’. As fate would have it, Rajesh Khanna was to ultimately marry a girl named Dimple.

Much later, Rajendra Kumar constructed, with great love, the ultra-modern preview theatre, which he named ‘Dimple’, in his bungalow premises. This preview theatre is a great favourite of the industry folks even today.

It was a common sight to see the man taking a round of his preview theatre every evening and inspecting every nook and corner of the floor. If he found anything littered there, he would himself pick up the litter and throw it in the dustbin. Why, one even remembers seeing him keeping the bathroom slippers in their place! So much did he care for ‘Dimple’, the name that spelt luck for the jubilee star!

Title Of The Week

Bhooton Ka Honeymoon!

What The Left Hand Does…

So often do we observe — quite hilariously, might we add — how different government agencies take ridiculously contrasting stances on the same issue. Mahesh Bhatt’s Zakhm has bagged the Nargis Dutt National Award for 1998 for the best film on national integration. But wait a minute! How can that be? After all, wasn’t it another government agency — the CBFC, of course — which had not so long ago objected to the communal angle in the same film? Perhaps, there is some logic in the manner in which the government thinks, but try as we may, we fail to see any. Quite often, as in this instance, it seems to be just a case of — what the left hand does, the right hand does not know!

Gujarat Ma Hit Ne Halol Ma Jalso!

Lucky Studios at Halol (in Gujarat) looked decorated for a marriage. The excitement in the atmosphere was no less than what one witnesses at a weddinig. Well, in a way, the occasion was also a celebration of a marriage — top Gujarati film producer-director Govindbhai Patel’s marriage to success! For years now, the two — Govindbhai and Success — have lived like man and wife, inseparable, made-for-each-other.

After producing several hits almost in a row, Govindbhai delivered his biggest hit last year when his Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya hit the screens and simultaneously, the bull’s eye. The film went on to write new box-office history not just in Gujarat and Saurashtra but in Overseas, too. Not just the masses which usually patronise Gujarati films, this one, for the first time, also brought classes by the bulk to the cinemas. If the film became a blockbuster, its music, too, made the cash registers jingle as never before.

It was the celebration of the golden jubilee of Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya for which Lucky Studios on 13th July was bedecked like a bride. Govindbhai Patel, who turned a director with DRJDPJ, was a picture of humility as he, with his equally humble family, welcomed the guests who had come from all over Gujarat and Saurashtra to partake in the jubilee function which was preceded by the muhurt of Govindbhai’s next, Gaam Ma Piyaryu Ne Gaam Ma Sasaryu.

Rajeshbhai of Galaxy Pictures, Rajkot, sounded the clapper-board for the muhurt shot as Jeevanbhai Patel and Mrs. Govindbhai Patel cracked the auspicious coconuts, and Komal Nahta, editor of Film Information, switched on the camera. Govindbhai himself directed the first shot — a dramatic one — on Roma Manik and Hiten Kumar. The film stars four more heroes (Sameer Rajda and three others) and four other heroines of which one, Nandini, will be introduced in the film. Another new face in the film will be Heera alias Hiralal Thakkar who is a name to reckon with on Gujarati stage. Govindbhai had approached Alok Nath and Paresh Rawal for the role but, unable to get their bulk dates, he ultimately opted for Hiralal Thakkar and is more than happy with his choice.

Muhurt and lunch over, the latter part of the day was devoted to the jubilee celebrations. Govindbhai had got made trophies for every cinema where the film had had a meritorious run (and they were plenty) and every music shop which recorded outstanding sales of DRJDPJ audio cassettes, besides the film’s artistes, technicians and spot boys. Most of the trophies were presented by the lead pair of DRJDPJ, Roma Manik and Hiten Kumar. Govindbhai made an exception in the case of the trophy of late actor Narayan Rajgor who died last year following a freak accident on the sets of Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya. In fact, the function started with Govindbhai paying tributes to his “dear friend Narayan Kaka”. He could barely complete two sentences of his opening address when he burst into tears. In a quivering voice and with tears rolling down his cheeks, Govindbhai managed to convey to the audience that he would start off the trophy distribution function by personally presenting Narayan Kaka’s trophy to his son, Manish. A tearful Manish Rajgor came up on the dais and accepted the trophy even as several persons on the dais and in the audience were seen wiping their moistened eyes.

After the function, Govindbhai explained how thrilled he was because God had showered blessings on his new film in the form of rains which poured as soon as the muhurt shot was canned! Govindbhai also let us in to the secret of his success. “I do my home-work thoroughly before shooting begins,” he revealed and added, “God is great. He has been very obliging towards me.” And for GMPNGMS, Govindbhai will be immersed in its shooting for 50 days now. Before the shooting, he has had his script (story and screenplay are by Govindbhai himself, while the dialogues have been penned by Arvind Barot who is also the film’s lyricist and music director) cent per cent ready. Why, Govindbhai even plans to mix the film in Dolby sound, which will make this as the first Gujarati film in Dolby sound. For this, he has had detailed technical discussions so that due care may be taken while shooting. It was exhibitors D.Y. Pattani, Balaporia and Girishbhai, who prevailed upon Govindbhai to make his new film with Dolby sound. “The three of them volunteered to lend me some lakhs for the Dolby mixing and were willing to forgo the amount if the film did not do well when released!”, disclosed an ecstatic Govindbhai.

GMPNGMS will also be made in Marathi but Govindbhai will shoot the Marathi version after about 20 days of completing the Gujarati version’s shooting. And then, he will make the Rajasthani version of Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya. And one fine day, Govindbhai might just make a Hindi film too. “If I ever do so, it will be with Aamir Khan,” he smiles.

– Komal Nahta

‘Taal’: A Beat And A Treat Of Passion

Subhash Ghai is in great form if the songs and some scenes of his new magnum opus, Taal, are anything to go by. Information saw glimpses of the film this week and came out mighty impressed.

That the music of Taal is doing extremely well is common knowledge. What isn’t known as yet is that Ghai has once again made his songs a treat for the eyes too. Their picturisations are grand. Ramta jogi may well have the audience on their feet. Aag lage lag jaave has Aishwarya looking bewitching; the sets on which it has been picturised are an eyeful. The Ishq bina kya jeena yaaron dance has the unmistakable Saroj Khan stamp; its climax version, choreographed recently in Toronto by Shiamak Davar, is also reported to be a masterpiece. Taal se taal mila is melody and nature’s (Chamba’s) beauty at its best.

Both the heroes of Ghai’s Taal come across as extremely honest protagonists. Anil Kapoor is a practical man of the fag end of the 20th century; he believes in principles like ‘dishonesty, and not honesty, is the best policy’. He is so open about his philosophy in life that there’s a likeable honesty to his dishonesty too. As for his performance, the couple of scenes one saw suggest that Anil is out to grab awards with this one. Ghai has made Anil’s character so mass-appealing (his lines of dialogues are remarkable, to say the least) that it is natural to be reminded of the lovable ‘Lakhan’ of Ram Lakhan. Akshaye Khanna is so brutally honest that his philosophy in life seems to be: ‘Honesty is the only policy’. He acts with a rare confidence, sincerity and simplicity. Aishwarya Rai follows up her acting calibre seen in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and impresses with a natural performance. Alok Nath and Amrish Puri are also brilliant.

Ghai’s direction is masterly. The man with the Midas touch is once again in perfect sur, perfect taal.

But just two points of caution here: the second promotional trailer of Taal, currently on air on satellite channels, is being found too ‘class’-appealing by the public. Since the film has so much ‘mass’ appeal, Ghai should change the trailer — quick! Secondly, Ghai should ensure that by the time Taal is released, the Ishq bina kya jeena yaaron number becomes a rage. The song has the merits. What is required is hammering. Because that can make a world of a difference to the film’s opening.

– Komal Nahta

INDER KUMAR BEREAVED

Narendra Kumar, youngest brother of actor Inder Kumar, expired on 8th July in Agra due to an electric shock. He was 18.

JEETENDRA, PRASAN BEREAVED

Producer and Bombay distributor Amarnath Kapoor, father of actor Jeetendra and producer Prasan Kapoor, passed away on 9th July at his residence in Bombay following cardiac arrest. He was 84 and is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters and grandchildren.

ROHIT ROY WEDS

A reception to celebrate the wedding of actor Rohit Roy with Mansi Joshi was held last week at Royal Palms, Goregaon, Bombay.

TAX-EXEMPTION FOR ‘SARFAROSH’ IN U.P.

John Mathew Matthan’s Sarfarosh has been granted entertainment tax exemption for a period of two months by the Uttar Pradesh government with immediate effect. Incidentally, Sarfarosh has already been granted tax exemptions in Delhi and Maharashtra.

INDORE EXHIBITORS, DISTRIBUTOR HOSPITALISED

C.I. exhibitors Anil Pahuja and Chandu Goyal and distributor Aditya Chowksey met with a serious accident when the car they were travelling in from Dewas to Indore on 7th July collided head-on with another car coming from the opposite direction. The three had gone to Dewas in connection with checking video piracy. Anil sustained multiple fractures on his left hand and foot. Chandu Goyal’s nose was fractured and he also sustained injuries on his eye. The doctors have been able to save his eye. Aditya sustained minor injuries only. The skin on his forehead has had to be grafted. All the three were hospitalised immediately and are recuperating.

Both the cars were completely damaged.

NEW CINEMA AT PHALODI

A new cinema, N.K. Cinema, opened at Phalodi (Rajasthan) on 4th July with Sooryavansham. The cinema was inaugurated at the hands of Rajasthan health and information minister Rajendra Choudhary. It is owned by I.D.U. Khan and managed by Abdul Majid. The cinema has a seating capacity of 894.

YASH CHOPRA STARTS HOME ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION

Yash Chopra has started a home entertainment division called Yash Raj Films Home Entertainment. The first release of the company is the video cassettes and DVDs of Dil To Pagal Hai.

TULSIDAS BHATIA BEREAVED

Jaswanti, wife of financier Tulsidas Bhatia, expired on 8th July in Bombay at Breach Candy Hospital where she had been admitted two days earlier. She was 70.

MARATHI FILM COMEDIAN VASANT SHINDE DEAD

Veteran Marathi stage and screen actor Vasant Shinde, who witnessed the evolution of cinema from silent era to the present, died in Pune on 4th July following a massive heart attack. He was 87 and is survived by a son and two daughters.

Vasant Shinde was a comedian par excellence and worked in around 225 films. His prominent films were Lavani Bhulali Abhangala, Prem Sanyas, Ram Joshi and Sangtye Aika.

BANK FINANCE FOR FILMS LEFT TO INDIVIDUAL BANKS’ DISCRETION

The working group constituted under the aegis of the Indian Banks’ Association last year to study in depth the need, mode of financing, security and other aspects pertaining to bank finance for film industry, and to suggest suitable financing methodology, filed its report recently with the IBA after three meetings. The report was later examined by the IBA’s managing committee which observed that so far, film production has not been granted an industry status by the government. It was also observed that the working group report attempted to codify the circumstances prevalent in the film industry and it was a piece of guidance to the member-banks. Subsequently, it was decided to accept the report and leave it to the member-banks to decide the course of action to be taken. It was further decided to forward a copy of the report to RBI and to circulate the report among member-banks for information.

It may be recalled that a special session to discuss institutional financing for the film industry was held during a national conference on ‘Challenges before Indian Cinema’, jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Film Federation of India (FFI), in Bombay on 10th May last year. It was during that session that the working group had been constituted. The working group was chaired by IBA deputy chairman and Bank of Baroda managing director K. Kannan. The other members included K.C. Chowdhary, S. Rajagopal, T.S. Raghavan, P.S. Sheldenkar, C.B. Mouli, A.R. Kher and FFI representatives Pahlaj Nihalani and B.G. Dave.

IMPPA CANCELS CELEBRATION, DONATES TO ARMY

The IMPPA, which was to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year with a grand function, has decided to cancel the celebration. Instead, it will contribute Rs. 1,01,000/- to the Army Central Welfare Fund, for the Kargil victims. This will be IMPPA’s contribution over and above the individual contributions being made by producers.

In the meantime, IMPPA has requested producers and their family members to send in their contributions at the IMPPA office for onward submission to the Army Central Welfare Fund.

YOU ASKED IT

Which actor and actress, according to you, have delivered award-winning performances of the year so far?

– Even though this year is only half-way through, there have already been several performances that deserve to be awarded. Among these are actors Aamir Khan (for both, SARFAROSH and MANN) and Ajay Devgan (for HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM); and actresses Kajol (for HUM AAPKE DIL MEIN REHTE HAIN) and Aishwarya Rai (for HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM).

There have been several successful films in the first half of 1999 but none has proved an all-India hit. Why so?

– Because some of the hit films did not have universally appealing subjects, and those that did have universally acceptable subjects weren’t hit subjects.

Why did Mann not take as great an opening in the rest of the country as in Bombay?

– That’s not surprising at all. For one, Aamir Khan starrers have never had great openings in North India and so also MANN. Secondly, the film has good music but not one that can be termed exceptional which is what is necessary for a grand opening.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Refugee’ 15-Day Spell In Bhuj

Producer-director J.P. Dutta will start a 15-day shooting schedule of J.P. Films’ Refugee from July 11 in Bhuj. Two songs and scenes will be picturised featuring all the artistes. The film introduces Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor in the lead. It co-stars Jackie Shroff, Sunil Shetty, Anupam Kher, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Reena Roy, Sudesh Berry, Padmini Kapila, Punit Issar, Ashish Vidyarthi, Mukesh Tiwari, Shadab Khan, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Arif Zakaria, Avtar Gill and Amit Ghanshyam. It has music by Anu Malik, lyrics by Javed Akhtar, dialogues by O.P. Dutta, cinematography by Bashir Ali, action by Bhiku Verma, dances by Saroj Khan, sound by Buta Singh, and editing by Deepak and Vilas.

‘Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega’ In East Africa

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala’s Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, being directed by Raj Kanwar, will be shot from July 25 to August 15 on locations in East Africa. Three songs and many scenes will be picturised on Salman Khan, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta. Four helicopters and three small aircrafts will also be employed in the shooting. Being made under the banner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film has music by Anu Malik and lyrics by Sameer. Screenplay: Rumi Jafri. Cinematography: W.B. Rao. Choreography: Farah Khan.

REGIONAL FILMS

GUJARATI

Govind Patel To Launch ‘Gaam Maa Piyariyu…’

Following the phenomenal success of Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya, producer-director Govindbhai Patel will launch his 13th production, titled Gaam Ma Piyariyu Ne Gaam Ma Sasaryu on July 13 with a grand muhurt at Lucky Studios, Halol. The film’s story and screenplay is by Govindbhai Patel himself. Music is scored by Arvind Barot who has also penned the lyrics and dialogues. The film stars Hiten Kumar, Roma Manik, Firoz Irani, Kalpana Dewan, Devendra Pandit, Devyani Thakkar, Nimita, Bharti Sharma, Hiralal Thakkar, Manhar Thakkar, Sameer Rajda, Dinesh Hingoo, Indumati Rajda, Manisha Purohit, Trambak Joshi, Usha Lakod, Jeetu Dwarkawala, Hina Upadhyay and Hina Rajput. Being made under the banner of G.N. Films (Keshod), this will be the first Gujarati film to be made in Cinemascope with digital sound.

BHOJPURI

Moushumi In Title Role

Moushumi Chatterji has been signed to play the title role in Manoranjan Films International’s Badki Bhauji. The film is being produced by Manoranjan Sinha and directed by Prabhat Pandey. Also in the cast are Salil Sudhakar, Girija Shankar, Madhu Sharma, Kripa Shankar, Manoranjan Sinha, Girish Kumar and Rakesh Ranjan. Cinematography: F.R. Khan.

CENSOR NEWS

Pinnacle Entertainments P. Ltd.’s Sar Ankhon Par was given C.C. No. CIL/1/36/99 (U) dt. 7-7-’99; length 4263.02 metres in 16 reels (no cut).

Well Makers Films’ Chudail No. 1 (revised) was given C.C. No. CIL/3/30/99 (A) dt. 9-7-’99; length 2847.49 metres in 15 reels (cuts: 348.70 metres).

S.A.S. Movies’ Shaitan No. 1 (dubbed) was given C.C. No. CFL/3/51/99 (A) dt. 7-7-’99; length 2258.68 metres in 5 reels (minor deletion in sound only).

Warner Brothers’ Mahashaktimaan (dubbed) was given C.C. No. CFL/3/50/99 (A) dt. 6-7-’99; length 3862.73 metres in 7 reels (minor deletion in sound only).

REGIONAL FILMS

Gangani Film Productions’ Man Saayba Ni Mediye (Gujarati) was given C.C. No. CIL/1/35/99 (U) dt. 7-7-’99; length 4610.96 metres in 17 reels (cuts: 3.01 metres).

S.C. Entertainment’s Dracula 2000 (Telugu, dubbed; length 2542.24 metres in 6 reels), applied on 7th, was seen on 8th.

Devanchal Pictures’ Sat Manglya (Garhwali; length 4171.22 metres in 18 reels), applied on 8th, was seen on 9th.

Paramount Films’ The Prince Of Egypt (Egyptinte Rajkumaran) (Malayalam, dubbed; length 2712.76 metres in 10 reels), applied on 8th, was seen on 9th.

Aditya International’s Bhairavadu (Telugu, dubbed; length 2121.50 metres in 5 reels) was applied on 9th.

TRAILERS

Trailer of Devgan Films’ Hindustan Ki Kasam was given C.C. No. CIS/1/161/99 dt. 8-7-’99; length 52.57 metres.

Trailer of Vishesh Films’ Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan was given C.C. No. CIS/1/159/99 dt. 7-7-’99; length 73.10 metres.

Trailer of J.K. Movies’ Agni Putra was given C.C. No. CIS/3/26/99 (A) dt. 7-7-’99; length 88.42 metres (cuts: 1.49 metres).

Trailer of B. Gupta Creations’ Admi Aur Aurat was given C.C. (in Delhi) No. CIS/1/18/99 (A) dt. 14-6-’99; length 95.30 metres (cuts: 2.50 metres).

Trailer of Gangani Film Production’s Man Sayba Ni Mediye (Gujarati) was given C.C. No. CIS/1/160/99 dt. 8-7-’99; length 104.74 metres.

IMPORTED FILMS

Paramount Films’ The Mummy was given C.C. No. CFL/3/52/99 (A) dt. 8-7-’99; length 3418.20 metres in 14 reels (no cut).

Superfine Films’ The Possession: Witchboard 3 was seen on 5th.

20th Century Fox’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was seen on 7th; Never Been Kissed has been passed with UA certificate, with cuts.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Sujit Kumar’s ANUBHAV has been revived in Bombay this week at Super and 6 other cinemas with an imaginatively amusing publicity campaign. The posters all over the city scream, “BIWI NO. 1 Ho Ya BIWI NO. 2, Donon Ko Pyar Ka ANUBHAV Chahiye”!

* MANN is the first film in Nizam which has been released in 7 districts simultaneously with Hyderabad and Secunderabad — at Aurangabad, Nanded, Parbhani, Gulbarga, Raichur, Warangal and Nizamabad.

* Playback singer Jaspinder Narula’s brother, Micky Narula, will make debut as a music director with Rashtriya Productions’ WOH BEWAFA THI. He also plays a lead role in the film.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

‘Taal’ Release On The Beat

Finally, the speculation over the release date of Taal has ended. The film, according to Subhash Ghai, will definitely hit the screens all over on 6th August. Accordingly, premieres of Taal will be held from 5th August onwards in London, New York, Los Angeles and Toronto. Organised by the film’s Overseas distributors, Eros International, London, each premiere screening will be preceded by a grand event. Currently, an extensive media plan to promote Taal through display of vinyl hoardings on the streets of London and New York is being carried out. It would be a first for a Hindi film. Meanwhile, A.R. Rahman is recording the background score at Audeus. And Ghai — well, he is working day and night literally. Shooting (patch-work scenes) in the day, sitting on the background score with Rahman and editing in between.

…Another One On ‘Mann’

Mann publicity continues to feature in this column this week, too. The latest is a striking replica of Sun Vista, the luxury cruise on which Mann has been shot, which is placed on display in the foyer of Bombay’s Eros cinema. The replica has been attracting a great deal of attention of cinegoers. Moreover, the entire interior of Eros has been repainted in the lavender shade — the colour of the logo of Mann! As if this weren’t enough, a special live band has been hired to play the film’s music in the cinema’s foyer, before and after each show and during the interval.

Meanwhile, Mann magic also continues, if the public reaction during the first show on Friday at Eros, Bombay, is anything to go by. A group of people in the audience took to dancing in the aisle during songs and the music piece in the film.

Gola Ka Mann Bola

Hyder Gola (Gola Bros.), a Bombay distributor of dubbed Hindi versions of English films of the horror and sexy kind, has been inspired by Mann so much that he has decided to turn a producer with all his tan-mann-dhan! Know how? He has announced his maiden production venture as Tan-Mann! He has also announced the title of its English version as Mind And Body. And mind you, this is no mindless exercise. For, the film will be shot in a 15-day schedule (till completion) in Bombay and Jaipur.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week except in Bombay where the traders’ strike on 1st July saw a spurt in collections as it was almost like a holiday.

Haseena Maan Jaayegi has done extremely well in Bombay, U.P., C.P. Berar, C.I., Rajasthan and Nizam. It is, however, ordinary in West Bengal and so-so in East Punjab, Bihar (heavy rains) and Mysore. 1st week Bombay 59,24,202 (89.63%) from 13 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 10,91,899 from 6 cinemas, Rajkot 1,62,400 (1 unrecd.), Jamnagar (matinee) 29,977; Pune 12,15,859 from 4 cinemas, Solapur 4,30,025 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 2,41,199 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon), Belgaum 2,40,554 from 2 cinemas, Bijapur 1,32,630; Delhi 52,33,414 (88.91%) from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 7,37,663 from 3 cinemas, Lucknow 5,07,181 (100%), Agra 2,99,706, Allahabad 2,62,808, Bareilly 1,75,102, Hardwar 1,65,939; Calcutta 15,69,895 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 9,23,037 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,43,117, Amravati 2,37,818, Akola 1,86,617, Raipur (gross) 4,01,676, Durg 1,40,171, Jalgaon 2,30,752, Yavatmal 1,87,514, Bilaspur 2,35,233; Indore 2,17,826 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 6,03,504 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 11,54,417 from 4 cinemas, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,87,176; Udaipur 2,35,870; Hyderabad (gross) 40,72,786 from 17 cinemas (1 in noon).

Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi… is ordinary in major cities but dull otherwise. 1st week Bombay 18,10,736 (66.42%) from 5 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,90,667, Baroda 80,498; Pune 4,14,138 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 1,08,347; Delhi 13,03,493 (76.74%) from 4 cinemas; Kanpur 77,665 from 2 cinemas, Allahabad 51,000; Calcutta 6,28,673 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 2,29,172 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 8,77,600 from 4 cinemas (2 in noon); Vijayawada (gross) 97,063.

………

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is extraordinary in 2nd week in Bombay and Gujarat (expected to do 5 crore in Bombay circuit) but not very strong in the other circuits. It has maintained quite well in Delhi, parts of Bengal, C.P.C.I. Rajasthan and Nizam but in the rest of these circuits, the drop was quite noticeable. It is not faring well in smaller centres. 2nd week Bombay 64,14,816 (90%) from 12 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 24,32,067 from 5 cinemas, Baroda 2,00,537, Valsad 3,30,578 (1st 3,10,908), Rajkot 2,52,584 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,14,342 (1 in matinee unrecd.), Bhavnagar 2,05,769, Bhuj 1,48,766, Adipur 1,59,587 (85.38%); Pune 11,26,781 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,76,428 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 1,25,436 (1st 2,50,425); Delhi 47,81,781 from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,52,706 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 4,85,107, Agra 3,55,780, Allahabad 1,57,683, Bareilly (6 days) 1,08,000; Calcutta 14,71,445 from 10 cinemas; Nagpur 4,49,995 from 2 cinemas, Amravati (6 days) 1,76,608, Akola 1,89,300, total 4,66,500, Raipur (gross, 6 days) 2,76,491, 1st week Wardha 1,24,353, 2nd Yavatmal 1,01,439 (1st 1,38,552); Indore 3,96,429 from 2 cinemas, Bhopal 1,47,627 (1 unrecd.); Jaipur 5,04,481 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 11,58,138 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon); Vijayawada (gross) 2,88,210.

Sirf Tum is doing steady business and, due to its low price, it will soon fetch good overflow from everywhere except, maybe, Rajasthan. 3rd week Bombay 6,02,667 (58.31%) from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,75,779 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 58,084; Pune 1,23,824 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 58,135; Delhi 4,43,370 from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 1,41,080, Lucknow 2,54,979, Agra 1,46,362, Allahabad 80,598, Bareilly 65,246; Calcutta 1,97,235; Nagpur 76,164, Jabalpur (6 days) 90,503, Amravati 1,16,108, 1st week Akola 94,300, 3rd week Raipur 54,024, Jalgaon (6 days) 55,510, Chandrapur 1,38,244, total 4,64,119; Jaipur 1,16,044; Hyderabad (gross) 4,48,132 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Biwi No. 1 5th week Bombay 27,98,193 (70.76%) from 8 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,52,604 from 4 cinemas, Baroda 99,698; Pune 4,59,511 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,17,970 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Barsi (20 shows) 60,322; 5th week Delhi 21,76,292 from 7 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,35,789, Lucknow 4,62,702, Allahabad 1,10,289; Calcutta 3,37,196 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 88,023 from 2 cinemas, 4th week Jabalpur 1,26,695, total 7,81,693, 5th week Amravati (6 days) 1,03,063, Akola 98,018, total 7,50,070, Raipur (6 days) 52,524, Durg 30,646, 4th week Jalgaon 1,27,942, Wardha 35,493; 5th week Indore 90,000 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 89,590; Jaipur 2,55,915, Udaipur 21,078; Hyderabad (gross) 3,25,586 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon); 1st week Guntur (gross) 88,742, Ongole (gross) 99,108.

Sarfarosh 9th week Bombay (now tax-free) 10,62,379 (66.95%) from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 32,141 from 2 cinemas (both in mg. shows); Pune 5,47,330 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (7 shows) 57,312; Delhi (TF) 2,89,927 from 2 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Lucknow 1,39,122, Allahabad 58,500; Calcutta 1,79,065; Nagpur 71,319, 6th week Jabalpur 98,199, total 9,55,550, 9th week Amravati 54,724; Indore 32,000, Bhopal 30,688; Jaipur 6,57,268 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 4,17,052 from 2 cinemas; 1st week Ongole (gross) 97,566.

_____

Bindhast (Marathi; TF) is going great guns. 2nd week Bombay 19,07,819 from 13 cinemas; Pune 1,46,332, Kolhapur 1,05,892, Solapur 61,828, Sangli 1,05,356, Ichalkaranji 32,461, total in Bombay city-suburbs and Maharashtra 23,59,688 from 18 cinemas, total share about 11 lakh. 2 weeks’ billing is about 30 lakh.

TRIPLE CELEBRATIONS IN JAIN HOUSEHOLD

Sandeep, grandson of CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain and son of C.I. distributor Jitendra Jain, was blessed with a baby boy on 26th June in Jaipur. Siddharth Sacheti, another grandson of Santosh Singh Jain and son of Padam Sacheti, was also blessed with a baby boy on 27th in Jaipur.

Pooja, grand-daughter of Santosh Singh Jain and daughter of Narendra Jain of Sanman Films, Jaipur, will wed Ashwin on 10th July in Cuttack.

‘SARFAROSH’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

John Mathew Matthan’s Sarfarosh has been granted tax exemption in Maharashtra for a period of six months beginning 29th June.

ANTI-PAKISTAN PROTEST IN NAAZ COMPOUND

An impromptu protest against the Pakistani infiltration in Kargil was held in the Naaz cinema compound in Bombay on 1st July. The protest, which began with coolies shouting anti-Pakistan slogans and burning Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s effigy, was soon joined by several distributors who left their offices and gathered at the site on learning of the protest.

FIRE IN ZEE TV’S WORLI OFFICE

A major fire broke out in the Worli office of Zee TV on the morning of 27th June. Three tankers and four fire engines brought the fire under control in about four hours’ time. Property worth crores of rupees was damaged. The cause of the fire may have been a short-circuit.

FILM INDUSTRY AND KARGIL
No Consensus On Course Of Action

The Film Makers Combine has been holding meetings to decide on the industry’s plan of action for assistance to the Indian Army. A musical show is likely to be held in Bombay this month to raise funds for the jawans although industry leaders are divided over the idea of holding such a show.

Yash Chopra and Yash Johar have reportedly contributed Rs. 1 lakh each to the fund to be ultimately donated to the Army. While it had been decided that distributors and exhibitors all over the country would donate the collections of cinemas in the 3 p.m. show on 25th July (Sunday) to the Army Central Welfare Fund, it is not known whether the decision will in fact be carried out. Reportedly, leaders of the distribution and exhibition sectors in Bombay are having second thoughts in the matter. Confusion, therefore, prevails in that direction. In the meantime, some of our stars have been visiting hospitals where wounded jawans are being treated.

YOU ASKED IT

What does the success of Sirf Tum prove?

– That a film with a good/novel script, even in the absence of stars, has more chances of clicking than the other way around!

I want to produce a film. What kind of story do you suggest for a 2001 release?

– A story with Indian traditional values and sentiments and a modern look.

Why do trial reports of films differ so often from the public reports?

– Because public pays for the film while a trial show is for free. Therefore, public opinion is also genuine opinion as there are no strings attached.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Amitabh Bachchan has been voted the greatest stage and screen star of the millennium in a BBC Online (BBC’s Internet-based news channel) poll for the millennium. While Govinda squeezed in at no. 10 spot in the poll, the other positions were grabbed by Sir Laurence Olivier (2nd), Alec Guinness (3rd), popular cartoon character Homer Simpson (5th), Robert De Niro and Marilyn Monroe.

MUSICAL BONANZA FOR EXHIBITORS

* In a rare gesture, Miraj sub-distributor Dr. Sunil Patil of V.N. Films, Miraj-Shrirampur-Akluj last week gifted exhibitors of ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres attractive packs containing audio cassettes of HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, MANN, TAAL, SOORYAVANSHAM, SIRF TUM, HINDUSTAN KI KASAM and ANARI NO. 1. This novel gesture by a sub-distributor for the usually-neglected ‘B’ and ‘C’ class exhibitors has been receiving a lot of praise from all in the trade.

MIX MASALA

SAME OLD VEERU

It would surprise many to know that a top action director like Veeru Devgan, who has now also turned a producer and director with Hindustan Ki Kasam, even today travels on motor-cycle. He does have cars but it is not rare to see the stunt director atop a motorbike when travelling short distances. “It’s so handy,” smiles Veeru as he explains why he prefers a motor-cycle to a car. “You don’t have to wait for the driver to take the car out of its parking space, and there’s no problem of space when turning a motorbike.”

SURE FORMULA?

In this week’s release, Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya, Aroona Irani keeps giving suggestions to her nephew (Atul Agnihotri) and his wife, Ayesha Julka — to the former on how to irritate his wife, and to the latter, on how to win her husband over. Every plan, according to her, is a formula to be applied for positive results. So it is quite often that Aroona Irani proclaims that she has thought of a lovely ‘formula’. As a wag remarked after seeing the film, “Now, I understand what a ‘formua film’ is!”

DICTION DEFECT

All those who have seen Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi… have been wondering what heroine Rinke Khanna thought her hero’s name was in the film! Almost throughout the film, she is heard addressing him as Sdhant instead of Siddhant. Is it that the name was to be pronounced with a silent ‘i’ and a silent ‘d’? Which would, in turn, imply that everyone in the film, except Rinke, pronounced the name wrong! Jokes apart, even a decent actress like Rnke Khanna — sorry, Rinke Khanna — falters in pronunciation kabhi kabhi…

HALF-YEARLY CLASSIFICATION: 1999
(Total Releases: 65 films including 13 dubbed)

AA (Super Hit)

–

A1 (Hit)

BIWI NO. 1
(losing in Bengal & Bihar and ‘BB’ in C.I.)

HUM AAPKE DIL MEIN REHTE HAIN
(‘BB’ in East Punjab, Eastern Circuit, Rajasthan & Nizam)

A (Semi Hit)

–

BB (Overflow)

Sarfarosh
(‘A1’ in Bombay)

Haseena Maan Jaayegi
(average in Eastern circuit and ‘B1’ in East Punjab)

Daag The Fire

Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet
(‘A1’ in Bihar and ‘B1’ in some circuits)

Sirf Tum

Commission To Overflow

Kachche Dhaage

B1 (Commission Earner)

–

Coverage To Commission

Tej Raftaar (dubbed)

Coverage

International Khiladi

THE REST

Sikandar Sadak Ka, Loh Purush, Lo Main Aagayaa, Jahan Tum Le Chalo, Aa Ab Laut Chalen (good in Bombay), Hu Tu Tu, Bade Dilwala, Khooni Aahat (dubbed), Shera, Chalo America, Bombay Boys (dubbed; ‘BB’ in Bombay), Gupt Sandesh (dubbed), Krantipath, Qatil Chandalini, Kaun (good in Bombay), Zameen Ke Neeche, Lal Baadshah (good in U.P.), Laawaris, Aaag Hi Aag, Kaala Samrajya, Aarzoo, Kahani Kismat Ki, Jaanam Samjha Karo, Putlibai, Purnasatya, Bhoot Ka Darr, Avaidh Sambandh (dubbed), Anari No. 1 (‘BB’ in Bombay), Tan Aggan, Zulmi, Silsila Hai Pyar Ka, Tower House, Shaitaani Khazana (dubbed), King Kong (dubbed), Jaihind, Ronin (Gehri Saazish, dubbed), Main Hoon Baazigar (dubbed), Beauty Palace (dubbed), Lafdaa, Hello Doctor (dubbed), Kartoos, Phool Aur Aag, Khooni Ilaaka – The Prohibited Area, Main Tere Pyaar Mein Pagal (dubbed), Sooryavansham (‘BB’ in Bengal, Bihar and ‘B1’ in C.P. Berar), Rajaji, Ganga Ki Kasam, Safari, Dracula, Zimbo, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (‘AA’ in Bombay), Anyay Hi Anyay, Nyaydaata, Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi…, The Terrorist (dubbed).

 Second Quarter Of 1999: A Mix Of Joys & Sorrows

The second quarter of 1999 has been far more exciting for the industry than the first quarter. At least five films from those released in the months of April, May and June ’99 have proved successful. Biwi No. 1 is the biggest grosser of the second quarter and although its box-office performance in West Bengal and Bihar is not commensurate with its price, its business in other circuits is indeed very heartening. Bombay leads, followed by Delhi-U.P. Sarfarosh, too, is exceptionally good in Bombay and a fair earner in the rest of India. Again, it is far from encouraging in Bihar. Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, on the other hand, is the best in Bihar and is expected to do over 1.75 crore in the territory! Although a slow starter in almost the whole country, the film picked up after 3-4 days of its release and will ultimately fetch commission in all circuits and even overflow from some. Haseena Maan Jaayegi was the other David Dhawan film of the quarter, besides Biwi No. 1, to do well at the box-office. Again, this David Dhawan film, too, is not as strong in East Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar as in the other circuits. Bihar, of course, had heavy rains and hence the film’s collections were adversely affected. Sirf Tum was the surprise packet of the second quarter. Not only did it open well — which was quite unexpected — but it also maintained very well almost everywhere. Rajasthan may not be as strong, but then, the rest of India will bring in good overflow cheques to producer Boney Kapoor.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam proved an extreme case. It is doing wonders in Bombay and Gujarat but the business in other circuits ranges from average to below-average. For example, if Delhi was very good in 2nd week too, U.P. was not too strong. Bihar has not been good from the start. In other circuits, collections in some stations are enviable but in other stations, they are dropping quite fast. Anari No. 1 also proved an earner in just a couple of circuits. Similarly, Sooryavansham. It is doing excellent in West Bengal and good in Bihar and C.P. Berar. But it is a heavy loser in most of the other circuits.

Jaanam Samjha Karo was the biggest shock of the quarter. Among the other losers are Silsila Hai Pyar Ka, Zulmi, Jaihind, Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi…, Safari, Rajaji etc.

While the industry earned very well in the line of successes of the three months, it also lost heavily — almost Rs. 25 crore — in the 32 damp squibs it gave in the three months. Yes, 32 losers out of the 38 films released in the second quarter of 1999!

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

‘Mann’: Listen To People’s Hearts

The immense craze for Mann among the public is indeed heartening. The songs, the promotional trailers, the street publicity and, of course, Aamir Khan have generated so much curiosity around the film that one expects it to take an absolutely bumper opening. Distributors of the circuits in which varying admission rates are permitted would do well to hike the rates in the first week at least, to take advantage of the craze for the film. For instance, a couple of cinemas of Bombay city and suburbs can do with an admission rate of Rs. 150 in the balcony. The response can be monitored and the rates for the second week, decided thereafter. Yes, this hike will not pinch the purses of Aamir’s fans and even if it does, nobody will complain about the pinch. That is the kind of craze one sees for Mann and, therefore, it would only be in the fitness of things if distributors cashed in on it.

Listen To Your Heart….
….But Also See His Art

Publicity designer J.P. Singhal is in great form. His designs for Mann are casting a magical spell on the public. The colour scheme as also the pictures used in the posters and hoardings of the film are beautiful and an absolutely soothing sight. Here, a special mention must be made of the film’s hoardings put up at Chowpatty (opposite Birla Kreeda Kendra) in Bombay. Each hoarding, in a series of four, depicts a different close-up of Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala together with an alphabet from the film’s title. Thus, read from left to right, the hoardings read M-A-N-N while creating an impression of there being a single long hoarding! ‘Listen to your heart’ goes the catchline in the film’s publicities. Might we add to that: ‘Also see Singhal’s Art!’

Incidentally, a novel mode of publicity is being employed for Mann in Bombay. An attractive back-lit vinyl mega-poster, fitted into the back of a mini-truck, has begun doing the rounds of Bombay streets since July 2. The truck itself is covered on three sides with different mega-posters of the film and has been additionally fitted with sound equipment, which is used to air the film’s music. It shouldn’t be long before this new mobile publicity method becomes popular among the masses — earning mann-y kudos for those who devised it.

Rumours With Base

There are already rumours in trade circles that the release of Taal has been postponed. It is being said that instead of 6th August, as scheduled, Taal may hit the screens a week later. But then it is also being argued that 13th August is not a lucky Friday for Subhash Ghai and so the film may actually come on 20th August. Another argument being put forward for the postponement is that since the music of Taal is so good, Ghai will definitely like it to grow to the fullest before the film is released. Subhash Ghai had blundered last time when he released Pardes before its music could make a real mark. Ultimately, of course, the music grew to great heights but the harm in terms of a not-so-exciting opening to the film was done. Ghai couldn’t have forgotten that mistake, and, one is sure, he would like to play it safe this time. Since the music of Taal has all the potential to hit big time, the maker would, perhaps, like to wait a little longer so that the popularity of the music helps the film’s opening to the fullest.

Kargil Coincidence

Coincidences can never be explained but this coincidence beats all coincidences. Just before the India-Pakistan ‘battle’ at Kargil began, Sarfarosh, which openly talks of ISI agents disturbing the peace in India, was released. The Kargil battle is still on and two more films which deal with India-Pakistan war — Hindustan Ki Kasam and Kohram — are due for release. What’s more, Kohram has actually been shot at Kargil and Siachen, both of which are in news these days. And the shooting at these places was done months ago, when the Kargil tension had not even surfaced!

Big In Japan

Japan seems to have turned into a huge new market for Tamil films in the past year or so. The latest Rajinikanth starrer, Padayappa, has been sold for an astonishing price of US $50,000 — the highest ever fetched by any Indian film in Japan! The film’s Japan rights have been bought by G.V. Films which had entered the Japanese market in 1996 with the Tamil film, Indira. However, the film that really discovered the huge potential of this new market was an earlier Rajinikanth starrer, Muthu, which was released with subtitles in Japan in June last year. Believe it or not, Muthu has already posted a mammoth US $1.75 million in gate receipts and, a year later, is still showing at Japanese cinemas! The outstanding success of the film in Japan last year soon prompted other Tamil film producers to follow suit. Consequently, Tamil films have begun to be regularly screened in Japan. In fact, G.V. Films alone has exported Tamil films worth US $1,00,000 (excluding Padayappa) so far. Apparently, extremely high costs involved in producing Japanese films is the main reason for Japanese distributors having turned to foreign films. Even as distributors had been dependent mainly on Hollywood and South Korean films in the past, the box-office record of Muthu has helped India emerge as a strong contender in the Japanese market in the last one year. With Padayappa proving to be a huge grosser everywhere, India’s position should further consolidate in Japan. As the famous pop song goes, Big in Japan….

Mithun Starrers: A Sad Story

About six months back, Film Information had cautioned producers of Mithun starrers to be careful as they would find it extremely difficult to get buyers for their films. Our fears were based on the pathetic fate of several Mithun starrers released last year. And what is happening at the time of deliveries of Mithun starrers now, proves that our warning was not incorrect. There is a delivery hassle in every second Mithun starrer, Sikandar Sadak Ka, Aaag Hi Aag, Kahani Kismat Ki, Ganga Ki Kasam and Benaam — all these Mithun films have seen tension at the time of their deliveries. Why, some of the aforesaid films haven’t been released in some circuits as yet. Going by the trend, one can expect worse times for Mithun’s producers in the months to come. The hero has already had seven releases in 1999, and about 10 to 12 more of his starrers should see release in the second half of the year.

Height Of Arrogance

…And now, further proof of this top star’s arrogance and his utter disregard for the people who give him work. A couple of years ago, he had been signed by a popular actor-turned-producer-director for one of the two leads in his film. It so happened that, one day, the star sauntered in nonchalantly, more than four hours late for his shooting. Irked by the star’s unprofessional behaviour, the veteran producer-director sarcastically remarked to him whether he should ask the unit to pack up for the day since they had already lost a major part of the day. No words can precisely describe the anguish of the producer-director — and a senior one at that — when the star, instead of apologising, replied shamelessly,  “Who the hell are you to tell the unit to pack up? I am calling for pack-up!” Did you say, “Shame shame!” Well, we won’t even say that for this act on the part of the shameless star.

Not Done

Then there’s this super-hero who thinks no end of his judgement on films starring himself. So far so good. He even goes to the extent of criticising films in which he acts. But who gives him the right to talk ill of those films even while they are under-production? Besides being unethical, it creates such a bad impression about those films because you have the hero himself bad-mouthing his starrer. At least two top producer-directors have faced this problem. The hero, even while acting in their films, used to quite openly tell trade people that those two films were not going to click. The funniest part of this entire episode is that both the bad-mouthed films clicked. One of them went on to become a blockbuster. Wonder whether these two films have taught the super-hero a lesson or not. For, not only is he exposing his unethical side and lack of judgement but also harming the interests of his own producers. All this, only because he is the top hero. The question which arises here is: why does he sign a film in the first place if he has to cast aspersions on its box-office potential even before it is complete?

Film Information’s Kargil Special

How often have we been moved to tears in scenes of death in films? How often has a separation/estrangement on the screen made us weep? How often has an accident in a film sequence made us close our eyes in dismay and sigh in disbelief? And all this when we know that what we are seeing is not true. In fact, who better than us film people to know that cinema is only make-believe.

It is said that creative people are the most sensitive too. If that is true, the havoc the current encounters between Indian army jawans and Pakistani intruders is wreaking on our country should strike a chord in our hearts. When we can cry so easily in films, tears should come naturally to us when we read reports of the killings of our jawans at Kargil. Hundreds of our soldiers have laid down their lives to protect the country’s honour, hundreds have been maimed or handicapped for life while fighting the enemies.

But as opposed to reel life, this is real life. Merely shedding tears will not be enough. The film industry has always risen to the occasion whenever the country has needed its services. Mother India needs the industry’s help once again. The families of jawans killed in the Kargil encounters need financial support. The injured soldiers need monetary help. The government today needs a helping hand. It is looking to the film industry with expectations and hope.

And like in the past, we can do it this time too. Various associations of the industry are collecting funds for the army and army wives. May they meet with tremendous success in their endeavours.

Film Information will bring out a special KARGIL ISSUE on 14th August, 1999. The earnings from that special issue will be donated to the Army Welfare Fund. For that, we need your support, your patronage. Come, advertise in our issue of August 14 and contribute to a noble cause. Only because we are not at the scene (Kargil), we should not underestimate the emotional drama being unfolded in armymen’s homes every day. Simply recall a scene from Haqeeqat which made you cry. Or a sequence in Border that shook you. And you will instantly feel like making some contribution, at least, to the Kargil cause. You will indeed feel like being a part of our Kargil Special of 14th August. So put pen to paper now. Remember, every assistance will go a long way in ameliorating the hardships of our jawans and their families.

Come on, we at Film Information stand with folded hands in anticipation. We need your helping hand. Our motherland needs it. Our jawans need it. For once, let us applaud the real heroes.

– Komal Nahta

HASEENA MAAN JAAYEGI

Rahul Productions’ Haseena Maan Jaayegi is a comedy about two carefree sons of a rich businessman. The two guys hate to work but love to flirt. They individually hook a girl each, and it turns out that the two girls are sisters. One brother impersonates the other’s uncle to impress the girls’ father about their position in society. The two brothers — or, if you please, the uncle and nephew — stay in the house of the girls. To finalise his own marriage with the other girl, the brother-turned-uncle plays a double role, sometimes appearing as the uncle, and, at other times, as the brother. How they generally fool the whole world to get their work done forms the major part of the film. It is inspired by Pyar Kiye Jaa.

The film has a weak story and a screenplay that cares more for convenience than logic. However, what still makes the film watchable and even enjoyable at several places are the performances and the witty dialogues (Rumi Jafri). There is no freshness in the story and it looks like a rehash of four or five earlier hits. But the comedy punches are quite enjoyable at several places.

Sanjay Dutt does fairly well in an out-and-out comic role. Govinda is just too brilliant in the role of the brother-cum-uncle. His sense of timing and performance are extraordinary. He is the life of the film and lifts even ordinary scenes to greater heights with his sheer acting prowess. His dances are a delight to watch. Karisma Kapoor, unfortunately, gets little scope for acting. She excels in dances. Pooja Batra does an average job in a minuscule role. Satish Kaushik is superb as the P.A. to the businessman-father of the two boys. His poker-faced comedy is wonderful, to say the least. Kader Khan also shines as the rich businessman. Anupam Kher repeats his previous act and, therefore, doesn’t really stand out except in a couple of scenes. Paresh Rawal plays the Nepali watchman with aplomb and evokes laughter at several places. Aroona Irani’s comedy is entertaining and credit for it goes as much to the writers as to the actress. Ashish Vidyarthi and Razzak Khan are effective. Mohan Joshi and Aasif Sheikh provide average support. Bindu and Asrani’s comedy episode is quite good.

David Dhawan’s direction is good, as usual. Music (Anu Malik) is appealing. ‘I love you bol dal’, ‘What is mobile number’ and the title song are the best. The other numbers also have racy tunes. All the songs have been imaginatively picturised and choreography is very good, but a major flaw is that most of the songs pop up without proper situations. Camerawork (K.S. Prakash Rao) is good. Editing is sharp. Production and technical values are of a good standard. Climax is different but effective only in parts.

On the whole, Haseena Maan Jaayegi has a fair dose of comedy, although without a cohesive story, and will, therefore, remain an average fare in some circuits and above-average in other circuits (where comedies are more patronised).

Released on 25-6-’99 at Minerva and 20 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity: very good. Opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening was very good everywhere.

PYAAR MEIN KABHI KABHI…

Tyger Productions’ Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi… is a youthful film about love and campus life. It gets philosophical at times and remains plain comical at other times. While the comedy in the first half is enjoyable and holds appeal for the class audience, the philosophical part gets boring. The post-interval portion, especially, is rather dull.

A college girl falls in love with her college pal but he loves another girl. A common friend does all he can to see that the two of them come together because he sincerely believes, they are made for each other. Much later, it is revealed that he, too, loves the same girl but, of course, he sacrifices his love for his friend’s sake.

The subject has been handled in a way which will appeal only to the youth among the elite and city audience. Many jokes are of the kind which will not be understood at all by audience outside those in metropolitan cities. Another drawback is that the film has no face value whatsoever. Except for two songs — ‘Mussu Mussu’ and ‘Woh pehli baar’ — the others pass muster. Considering that the film is a romantic tale, there should’ve been at least three or four really good numbers. But only ‘Mussu Mussu’ qualifies to be called a hit.

Performances of the entire cast are good. Although the lead artistes do not have the traditional requisites of hero/heroine, they have done well in this film. Rinke Khanna looks cute and does a natural job. Dino Morea is very effective and restrained. Sanjay Suri, as their good friend, does a fine job. Aakash Saigal, Manoj Dhanwani and Akash Karnatiki lend very good support. Shveta Salve, Melody Decunha and Tora Khasgir are alright. Longines Fernandes is okay. Mohan Kapur, Patrick Biswas and the rest are fair.

Raj Kaushal’s direction is good but of the kind which makes the film a fare for a very, very limited audience. Music should have been far better. The ‘Mussu Mussu’ song is, of course, excellent and its picturisation is also cute. Camerawork is alright. Production and technical values are fair.

On the whole, Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi… is for the class audience among youth only. It has some chances in only a handful of cinemas in the entire country, but for the rest, it will meet with a disastrous fate.

Released on 25-6-’99 at New Empire and 7 other cinemas of Bombay thru SPE Films P. Ltd. Publicity: very good. Opening: fair. …….Also released in Delhi-U.P., East Punjab, Bengal, C.P. Berar and Nizam.

MANOHAR MUDKATTE NO MORE

Legal advisor Manohar Mudkatte passed away on 25th June in Bombay at S.L. Raheja Hospital following renal failure. He was 72. He was cremated the same day. He is survived by four daughters and a son.

Mudkatte had been hospitalised a month-and-a-half back. His condition deteriorated on 25th and he breathed his last at 11.35 a.m.

Manohar Mudkatte used to specialise in legal matters pertaining to the production sector. Many years back, he used to be the distribution manager of Rajshri Pictures P. Ltd., Bombay. He was extremely good at figures and used to remember shares to the last rupee. He also owned a telecine transfer unit.

YOU ASKED IT

What is the ratio of Mann? And of Taal?

– The ratio of MANN is 3 crore. That of TAAL is under finalisation.

What is ‘concept cinema’, as is being used by its makers to describe this week’s release, Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi…?

– ‘Concept cinema’ is a term coined to describe films that are positioned to appeal to a specified target audience. In the case of PMKK…, the primary target audience is youngsters, particularly females, between 13 and 21 years of age, and the secondary target audience is adults, particularly females again, between 21 and 30 years of age. The film, according to its makers, has been made to appeal to the aforesaid target audience.

How many successes/hits/super-hits has David Dhawan given so far?

– A total of 13 so far — SWARG, SHOLA AUR SHABNAM, AANKHEN, RAJA BABU, BOL RADHA BOL, COOLIE NO. 1, JUDWAA, SAAJAN CHALE SASURAL, LOAFER, HERO NO. 1, DEEWANA MASTANA, BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN, BIWI NO. 1! This week’s HASEENA MAAN JAAYEGI too has started well.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Champion’ 40-Day Marathon Schedule

The unit of Shree Shiv Bhakti Films’ Champion left for Hyderabad today (June 26) for a 40-day marathon shooting schedule at Ramoji Rao Studios. Sunny Deol, Manisha Koirala, Kashmira Shah, Deepak Parasher, Surendra Pal, Tom Alter, Johny Lever, Dina Pathak, Krishna Mishra, Charlie, A.K. Hangal, Anil Nagrath, Abhishek and Vikram Gokhale will participate. The fourth song will be recorded shortly in Bombay by music director Anu Malik. The film is being produced by Sujit Kumar and directed by Padam Kumar. Screenplay: N.K. Mahajan. Dialogues: Sanjay Masoom. Lyrics: Javed Akhtar. Cinematography: Thiru. Action: Tinnu Verma. Choreography: Ahmed Khan and Raju Sundaram. Editor: Chandan. Art: Raghavan.

‘Hindustan Ki Kasam’ First Copy Out

The first print of Devgan Films’ Hindustan Ki Kasam came out on June 23 from Prasad Lab. The film, produced and directed by Veeru Devgan, stars Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Manisha Koirala, Sushmita Sen, Prem Chopra, Gulshan Grover, Shahbaaz Khan, Farida Jalal, Johny Lever, Goga Kapoor, Salim, Navin, Bawa, Mallika, Shakti Kapoor and Kader Khan. Dialogues: Tanveer Khan. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi. Music: Sukhwindara Singh. Cinematography: Ishwar Bidri. Dances: Raju Khan. Action: Jay Singh and Norman Kent (from Hollywood). Art: Bijon Dasgupta. Sound: Rakesh Ranjan. Editor: Suresh Chaturvedi. Bharat Shah presents the film.

‘Badal’ In Simla

A 20-day shooting spell of Aftab Music Industries’ Badal began on June 20 in Simla. Bobby Deol, Rani Mukerji, Mayuri Kango, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Ashish Vidyarthi, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Harish Patel, Neena Kulkarni, Mushtaq Khan, Razzak Khan, Upasna Singh, Dinesh Anand, baby Sana, Ashutosh Rana, Johny Lever, Amrish Puri and Mink (special appearance) are participating. The film is being produced by Salim. Story writer & director: Raj Kanwar. Screenplay: Robin Bhatt and Sutanu Gupta. Dialogues: Santosh Saroj. Lyrics: Sameer. Music: Anu Malik. Action: Bhiku Verma. Art: R. Verman. Dances: B.H. Tharun Kumar and Chinni Prakash. Editor: Waman Bhosle. Masuda H.M. Ishaque presents the film.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Khans Ka Mela

Will Diwali ’99 be a test of strength for the Khan stars? Seems so. For, as of now, the three films being announced for release on Diwali (5th November) are all Khan starrers. Rajshri’s Hum Saath Saath Hain stars Salman Khan, Venus’ Mela has Aamir Khan, and Aziz Mirza’s Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani is not just Shah Rukh Khan’s home production but it also has him in the lead. But while all the three films have been announced for release this Diwali, the question being asked in trade circles is: will the other two films come in opposition of Hum Saath Saath Hain? Well, if they do, at least the Khan heroes can well proclaim “Hum saath saath hain!”

Mast Music

Seven songs and all of them racy and foot-tapping. Well, that’s the music of Ram Gopal Varma’s new film, Mast. The film is composer Sandeep Chowta’s first full-fledged Hindi venture and, must say, all the seven songs of the film are really appealing. Like songs, like picturisations. Ram Gopal is leaving no stone unturned to make the songs a delight on the screen too. Mast, incidentally, will be released in late September or early October. A new handsome boy, Aftab, will be introduced in the lead in this film. He makes his debut opposite Urmila Matondkar.

Hit Gayee Or Pit Gayee?

Overheard the following conversation:

Producer to cinema owner where his film has opened. “What’s the report of my film?”

Cinema owner: “Public is not moving. It is glued to the seats. There’s pin-drop silence.”

Producer: “Wow! Does that mean that people are liking my film? It’s a hit?”

Cinema owner: “No, it only means that the audience is fast asleep. Your film is dead boring.”

BRIEF ENCOUNTER

“Hum Saath Saath Hain has not been inspired from any film — whether ours or somebody else’s. It has been Raj Babu’s concept right from the start.”

– KAMAL KUMAR BARJATYA

The shooting of HUM SAATH SAATH HAIN having now been completed, when should we expect the first copy of the film to be out?

It is true that the shooting phase of Hum Saath Saath Hain is complete and, at the moment, its dubbing is in progress. However, there has been a slight delay as we have had to find matching dates of 10 to 15 artistes for dubbing at a time. Fortunately, we have procured the required dates from the artistes and expect dubbing to be complete by mid-July. For this, we must take this opportunity to thank all our artistes who have been co-operation personified.

We will begin working on the background score by 21st July. Right now, however, we are completely concentrating on the dubbing. When that is over, we will have everything under our control to start planning to complete and release the film. We have scheduled to complete all post-production and other work in time for the first copy to be out in the first week of September. The film is slated for release during Diwali this year (5th November ’99).

So when shall we expect the music release of HUM SAATH SAATH HAIN?

We had earlier planned to have the audio launch in September, but we have now rescheduled it earlier to coincide with Janmashtami (1st week of September). You see, Hum Saath Saath Hain has a song connected with Janmashtami, which, we think, will be ideal for the audio release around the same time.

What is going to be the release strategy of HUM SAATH SAATH HAIN? Will it be anything like HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN..!?

Our previous film, HAHK..!, was released in 1994 with a limited number of prints initially. We increased the number of prints as weeks progressed. The reason behind it was that we had induced the then state-of-the-art optical surround Stereophonic sound system, which existed in very few cinemas at the time. We first had it installed at Liberty, Bombay, prior to the film’s release. However, there was a little wait, after the release, while other cinemas in the country also upgraded their sound systems. Thus, we kept increasing the prints of HAHK..! with installations of the required sound system in cinemas. Today, there are nearly 500 cinemas all over the country, which have optical surround or other later sound systems, thanks to HAHK..!.

Today, distributors in smaller stations are insisting on a simultaneous release of HSSH with the A-class centres. Our effort will be to accommodate their demands as far as possible. In the case of Hum Saath Saath Hain, we are planning a release similar to that of any other big film nowadays.

How true are reports that HSSH has been inspired by earlier hits like KHANDAAN, DO RAASTE or some earlier Rajshri film?

There is not an iota of truth in such reports. HSSH has not been inspired from any film — whether ours or somebody else’s. In fact, it has been Raj Babu’s (Rajkumar Barjatya) concept right from the start.

Are you satisfied with the way HSSH has shaped up? Do you expect it to surpass the box-office record of HAHK..!?

Even as Hum Saath Saath Hain has as much entertainment value as HAHK..!, the former is more intense than the latter. While HAHK..! had more lighter moments, HSSH has more of the subject matter, emotional content and drama. Again, while HAHK..! had as many as 14 songs, HSSH has only seven. Therefore, we would not like to compare the two films, really. As far as we are concerned, we are happy with the job Sooraj has done. He has not only amassed a huge cast, but has used each of the artistes well in the story. He has also extracted a fine performance out of each and every artiste. So, yes, we are satisfied with the way HSSH has shaped up.

Finally, what is the length of HSSH?

Its length is about fifteen minutes less than the abridged (shorter) version of HAHK..!. That is, it is roughly 180 minutes long.

– GAUTAM MUTHA

‘Taal’ Music: Out To Mesmerise The Nation

KOMAL NAHTA

Gosh! Can you believe it? I went to Delhi last Saturday (12th June) for the music release of Subhash Ghai’s Taal and now, exactly seven days later, I don’t remember what happened there. I can’t recall who formally released the album. I can’t recall who made speeches on the occasion. I can’t even remember the venue in Delhi, where the audio was released.

But who cares? What you readers should care to know about is the quality of music. You do remember that A.R. Rahman is the film’s music director, don’t you? You also know that Anand Bakshi has once again penned all the songs of this film of Subhash Ghai, don’t you? If I were to tell you that the music of Taal is brilliant, par excellence, would you be keen to know more about it or about the function that marked its release? If you opt for the latter, I’m sorry because, as I said earlier, my memory fails me. If you opt for the former, here we go.

Undoubtedly, the music of Taal is the best of 1999 so far. My hunch says, it will be difficult for any other filmmaker and music director to surpass this music this year at least. Listen to the opening track. Ishq bina kya jeena yaaron… It mesmerises you. It has mesmerised me. Ah yes, that’s why I’ve forgotten what the hell happened in Delhi. A.R. Rahman’s music composition matches the excellent lyrics of Anand Bakshi. This song, in days to come, will be heard in every car on the street and, yes, in every discotheque. It is slow, then fast, then slow, then fast. But it is the best song of the album.

Or maybe, it isn’t. Because Taal se taal mila, the next number, is equally wonderful. This one also has you in a trance. The more you listen to it, the more you want to listen to it. Is it the magic of Rahman, Bakshi or singers Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan? I think, it is all of this plus the Midas touch of Subhash Ghai.

Ramta jogi is another extraordinary composition. Sukhwindara Singh is in great form and so is Rahman. Dance on this number and you, too, will be in form! Yet another super-hit song which will make inroads into the discotheques in the days to come.

Kahin aag lage lag jaaye has Asha Bhosle at her sexiest best. Accompanied by Aditya Narayan and Richa Sharma, the veteran singer could put most of the younger ones to shame, such is the sharpness of the voice and her flawless rendition. Nahin saamne tu is a very slow number but don’t underestimate its power. It will grow on you slowly but surely. Full marks to Hariharan for the rendition and to Sukhwindara Singh for the l-o-o-o-o-ng aalaap!

Ni main samajh gayee and Kariye na are the other two songs in the album which also has the title music (called Beat of Passion) and another music piece (Raga dance). In the film, there will be a total of six music pieces. And are they superb? You bet!

The music of Ghai’s Taal is bound to mesmerise the nation. Contrary to A.R. Rahman’s trademark South flavour, the music of Taal has a predominantly North Indian flavour. This may then well become the first Rahman album which will set the music market in North India on fire first and then spread to the rest of the country. It should become a rage in Overseas countries too.

I remember Subhash-ji often telling me how he had had to keep awake for nights together for the recordings of Taal because Rahman prefers to record at night. Well, all those sleepless nights have been worth their while. No, don’t just go by what I am saying. Ask Kumar and Ramesh Taurani (Tips) and they’ll inform you that they’ve released an all-time record 15 lakh audio cassettes in the first lot. They may, however, not tell you that they’ve got repeat orders in just three days of the first release! They’d hide this fact because, maybe, they are apprehensive of the evil eye. But they will tell you that they’ve pressed 40 to 50,000 CDs when the usual quota for a big film is 10,000…..

…….Oh, oh, oh, I remember now. This is what Ramesh Taurani revealed at the press conference in Delhi last Saturday. I remember how Anil Kapoor politely refused to answer any questions which did not relate to Taal, saying that it was the function of Taal. I recall Akshaye Khanna expressing a lot of concern for our army jawans, and Aishwarya offering any help for them, whenever needed. I remember seeing the audio-visual of Taal, prepared for the occasion. I remember Ghai calling on the prime minister to extend an invitation to him to attend the music release function that evening. Yes, I do remember now, that the release function was held at Siri Fort auditorium. I also remember that Kavita Krishnamoorthy sang a song of Taal. So did Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, Hariharan and Sukhwindara Singh. I also remember Ahmed Khan’s troupe giving dance recitals. I remember Ramesh Taurani telling me that Anand Bakshi had not come to Delhi as he has a phobia of air travel. Yes, I remember also that Anil Kapoor had the presence of mind to reach the dais alongwith the other artistes and unit members of the film when the VIP, who was to present the audio cassette of Taal to Ghai, was reported missing. The entire unit, instead, presented the cassette to Subhash Ghai who was visibly touched. I remember Subhash Ghai puffing cigarettes nervously before the start of the function at Siri Fort. I also remember Amrish Puri making the atmosphere light whenever he opened his mouth. I remember some clown of a Master of Ceremonies conducting the function and describing Satish Kaushik as art director, and A.R. Rahman as poet and lyricist. I recall the wit of Javed Akhtar who jocularly chided the master of ceremonies for having called Rahman a lyricist but not having addressed Javed as a music director. Thank God, he did not need to call out my name. Otherwise, he may have mistaken me to be the hero of Taal. And then both, Anil Kapoor and Akshaye, would’ve felt bad. Of course, Aishwarya, I’m sure, would’ve loved it….

…Just as music lovers are going to love… Come on, you know what I mean — the music of Taal, of course!!

LATEST POSITION

SIRF TUM, a small film, has surprised the trade with its good business in the first week. …This week’s HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM has opened to bumper houses in many parts.

Sirf Tum has done excellent in Bombay, Delhi-U.P., Orissa, Rajasthan, Nizam and Mysore. Is good in East Punjab, Bengal, Bihar and C.P.C.I. At places (like Jaipur, Ajmer), the film picked up phenomenally as the week progressed. 1st week Bombay 14,66,415 (91.04%) from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,69,351, Baroda 94,738 (90%); Pune 4,74,577 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee, 5 days) 52,900 (100%); Delhi 17,14,749 (79.01%) from 4 cinemas; Lucknow 3,77,653, Agra 3,99,618, excellent, Allahabad 1,67,363, Meerut 2,36,540, Bareilly 1,27,607; Nagpur 3,62,470 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 99,251, Amravati 1,53,970, Raipur 1,02,265, Bhilai 70,050, Jalgaon (6 days) 79,291, Chandrapur 1,80,828; Bhopal 78,506; Jaipur 3,16,251; Hyderabad (gross) 5,61,820 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Safari has done poor. 1st week Bombay 19,74,097 (42.13%) from 10 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,36,034 from 5 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Baroda 58,606, Jamnagar (matinee) 18,052; Pune 4,87,851 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 81,662, Solapur 1,43,984 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 13,39,629 (26.72%) from 9 cinemas; Lucknow 57,240, Agra 65,400; Nagpur 2,64,323 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 56,245, Akola 72,702, Dhule 63,627, Bhilai 66,674 from 2 cinemas, Jalgaon 72,188, Bilaspur 92,232; Bhopal 88,000 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,18,017 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 13,17,411 from 10 cinemas (2 in noon).

…………

Biwi No. 1 is still very strong. 3rd week Bombay 63,38,121 (86.75%) from 13 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 10,11,421 from 5 cinemas, Jamnagar 70,000; Pune 12,67,727 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 2,03,847, Solapur 1,77,927 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Miraj 76,223; Delhi 55,21,384 from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Lucknow 5,40,013, Agra 2,20,442, Allahabad 1,72,192, Bareilly 1,04,870, Hardwar 65,600; Nagpur 4,66,899 from 5 cinemas, 2nd week Jabalpur 2,11,974, total 4,92,118, 3rd week Amravati (6 days) 1,83,992, Akola 1,56,457, total 5,29,372, Raipur (6 days)1,21,002, Bhilai 72,296, 2nd week Jalgaon 2,27,932, Wardha (6 days) 68,509, Chandrapur 1,71,119; 3rd week Indore 1,90,136, Bhopal 2,20,102 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 4,72,674 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 40,000, Udaipur 1,47,000; Hyderabad (gross) 10,10,652 from 6 cinemas (1 in noon).

Sarfarosh 7th week Bombay 18,31,572 (65.61%) from 7 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,08,336 (1 unrecd.); Pune 7,13,044 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,17,197 (6th 1,20,803); Delhi (TF) 15,34,247 from 7 cinemas; Lucknow 1,97,723, Agra 34,560, Allahabad 72,413; Nagpur 86,457, 4th week Jabalpur 1,32,986, total 7,31,470, 7th week Amravati 73,517, Akola 37,867, total 5,63,578, Dhule 7 weeks’ total 4,46,113, 7th week Raipur 29,355, Bhilai 21,972, 1st week Rajnandgaon 80,000; 7th week Indore 1,10,000 from 2 cinemas, Bhopal 50,000; Jaipur 5,50,392; Hyderabad (gross) 5,17,832 from 2 cinemas; 1st week Guntur (gross) 98,852.

WARRANT ISSUED AGAINST NANDU TOLANI

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate of the Girgaon (Bombay) court, S.P. Gaikwad, has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against film producer Nandu Tolani for his failure to repay a Rs. 35 lakh loan taken from Kotak Mahindra Finance Limited. Tolani has yet to be arrested as the Khar police has not yet executed the warrant.

The producer had applied for a car loan amounting to Rs. 35 lakh in the name of his firm, Sapna Arts, in 1996. Kotak Mahindra sanctioned and disbursed the loan that same year and Tolani used the money to purchase a Toyota Supra. Tolani had surrendered 25 post-dated cheques to Kotak, which managed to realise only Rs. 5 lakh of the loan amount, since a year later, the cheques began to bounce. When the company made no headway, it filed a criminal complaint with the Girgaon metropolitan court in 1998. However, Tolani failed to appear before the court and the case was adjourned several times. The producer had also ignored repeated summons.

Finally, on May 29, 1999, the court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the producer, directing the Khar police to produce Tolani before the court.

Tolani, on his part, has denied defaulting on any payments.

YOU ASKED IT

What is the expected business of Daag The Fire and Kartoos in Bombay and Delhi-U.P.?

– DAAG THE FIRE is expected to do over 2 in each of Bombay and Delhi-U.P. KARTOOS will do less than that in Bombay as well as in Delhi-U.P.

Who are the stars to watch out for this year?

– Make a note. 1999 will belong to the two A’s — Anil Kapoor and Aamir Khan. Anil has had two releases so far this year and both (HUM AAPKE DIL MEIN REHTE HAIN and BIWI NO. 1) have clicked. Aamir’s solo release, SARFAROSH, is also a plus fare everywhere.

Despite giving so many hits, why are advance trade reports of David Dhawan’s films invariably bad?

– Maybe, because the trade people don’t take David’s comedies seriously. But the audience seem to be loving and lapping them up — and that’s what is important.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Even before the release of its music, one song of KOHRAM — Hum hain Banaras ke bhaiyya — regaled the audience abroad at Amitabh Bachchan’s shows. Amitabh performed on the stage to this song-dance number at all his 16 shows. Bachchan and Viju Shah took special permission from producer-director Mehul Kumar to use this song.

* Such was the encouraging response to SIRF TUM and cold response to SAFARI at the new City Pulse cineplex in Gandhinagar that SIRF TUM was shifted from the smaller screen 3 (229-seater) to the bigger screen 1 (385-seater) mid-week. SAFARI, consequently, was shifted from screen 1 to screen 3. Both, SIRF TUM and SAFARI, are distributed in Bombay circuit by Vimal Agarwal thru R.M. Ahuja & Co.

* Distributors of SIRF TUM had gone very slow with the film’s release. But looking to the lovely response of cinegoers, most of them have taken additional prints in 2nd week itself. The Bombay distributors have taken 7 extra prints, the Delhi-U.P. distributors have added 4 prints in 2nd week, the Nizam distributor has taken 1 more print, and the Overseas distributor has also taken an additional print. Next week, the Delhi-U.P., West Bengal, Bihar, C.P. Berar and Overseas distributors will take 2, 1, 2, 1 and 1 additional prints respectively.

* The Mauritius distributor of SIRF TUM has ordered for two extra prints of the film. The film is doing wonderful business in the island country. In fact, it is the first big success there after KKHH.

* Besides West Bengal, SOORYAVANSHAM is also doing well in Bihar. According to Sudhir of Chandra Sudhir Films, the distributors of the film for Bihar, “SOORYAVANSHAM will definitely prove to be a commission earner in Bihar.”

MIX MASALA

HAPPY TO LOSE

Delhi-U.P. distributor Tolu Bajaj has lost a bet of a cellphone to his manager, Sanjay Ghai. And he is happy that he has lost the bet. When his Sirf Tum opened at Agra’s Anjana cinema last week, Sanjay Ghai had predicted that it would collect 4 lakh in the first week. The figure was on the higher side and Tolu thought, it would be impossible to touch the figure of 4. He betted a cellphone and although the film collected just Rs. 382 short of 4 lakh (due to rains), Tolu has decided to give a cellphone to Sanjay.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

‘Biwi No. 1’: Unknown Facts

Some inside information about David Dhawan’s latest success, Biwi No. 1. The name of Tabu’s Punjabi character in the film — Lovely — was suggested not by the writer, director or even producer Vashu Bhagnani but by Tabu herself. Tabu’s son (Piloo) in the film is played by Vashu Bhagnani’s nephew (sister’s son). Although this is the child’s first film as a child artiste, he has done a damn neat job and is evoking laughter in the cinema halls. The second climax in the film — involving Anil Kapoor (Lakhan), Tabu (Lovely) and their child (Piloo) — was, at one point of time, to have been shot differently and in a milder way. But Anil Kapoor is said to have put his foot down and insisted that the climax of the original Tamil version (Sathi Leelavathi) not be changed. Why, Anil is said to have convinced the makers to stick to the original and even told them, he would not have agreed to do the role if he had known that the climax would be diluted. The makers saw reason and obliged. The rest, as they say, is history.

FFI Trains Gun On Pramod Mahajan

The Film Federation of India’s meeting on 8th June in Madras ended with an almost unanimous feeling of disapproval over Pramod Mahajan’s tenure as the union information and broadcasting minister. Sources in FFI disclose that Mahajan seems to be eternally busy with party work and has ignored the industry. Moreover, he also seems to have developed a sudden aversion to the film industry and its problems, say FFI spokespersons while citing examples of Mahajan visiting Bombay every week and yet ignoring representations made by the premier association of the film industry. Well, must say that there is some force in FFI’s demand for Mahajan’s head, then.

Hit Song

Producer Babloo Pachisia and director Rahul Rawail have a winner on their hands in the Gherdar ghaghro, lachhedar chunadi song in their Arjun Pandit. Dilip Sen Sameer Sen’s foot-tapping music will have music lovers dancing to the beats of the song. On his part, choreographer Lollypop has made Juhi Chawla dance and how! The picturisation of this number is excellent — just like the song itself! Two more songs — one picturised on Daler Mehndi and Juhi, and the other (Paagal paagal) picturised on Sunny Deol and his friends — are really good. Also good was one scene which Rahul Rawail showed us earlier this week in the editing room. The scene shows Sunny Deol (who is in police custody) single-handedly fighting an army of policemen who are holding his hands tight, to pull a terrified Juhi Chawla into a police van standing in the court premises. Sunny locks the van from inside and pleads with Juhi even as the policemen outside, standing in pouring rain, try to break open the door of the van to rescue Juhi and take Sunny in custody again. Rahul Rawail’s handling of the scene would leave the viewer wide-eyed… and moist-eyed too. Yes, the scene does get tears to your eyes.

SIRF TUM

Narsimha Enterprises’ Sirf Tum is a unique love story in which the boy and girl in love meet only in the end. The entire love story progresses without the protagonists meeting each other. Since they have not even seen one another’s photograph, the two don’t recognise each other when fate brings them face-to-face on more occasions than one. The story is excellent but the same cannot be said of the screenplay. While the first half is slow and also boring, the post-interval portion is quite interesting.

Remake of the Tamil super-hit Kaadhal Kottai, the film deals with the romance between a middle-class girl and an orphan boy who is an engineer. The two get to know each other through letters they exchange, and they even decide to get married. Since their love does not start with the usual boy-meets-girl episode, they also decide that they should not even exchange photographs but rather meet in person whenever. Several obstacles come in the way of their meeting and, at times, it almost appears as if the two are not destined to ever meet.

The impact of an extremely novel and wonderful story has been diluted by average performances and poor handling by the director. A subject of this kind required the girl and the boy to be so innocent and lovable that the audience’s hearts would bleed for them. But neither the hero nor the heroine evoke that kind of sympathy or love. The viewer, therefore, doesn’t move with the drama. It is then that thoughts like the hero and heroine exchanging letters in today’s age of internet and e-mail disturb the mind and don’t let the viewer enjoy the way one should in such a film. Too much of Malayalam dialogues in the first half will not go down well with the non-Malayalee audience.

Sanjay Kapoor and Priya Gill are okay. Sushmita Sen does justice to her role and exudes glamour. Kader Khan’s comedy is loud and hardly makes anybody laugh. Johny Lever has also been wasted. Mohnish Bahl does quite well. Guest Jackie Shroff, as the autorickshaw driver, is good. Salman Khan is alright in a brief special appearance and serves to lend star value. Tej Sapru, Shagufta Ali, Shubha Khote and the rest provide fair support.

Ahathian’s direction is devoid of the sensitivity the subject deserved. A tale which could have been narrated in a heart-rending way has been told in quite a flat manner. Even the climax is not as exciting as it should have been. The feeling of helplessness of the heroine (when searching for her beloved) because of torrential rains doesn’t come across if only because there isn’t even knee-deep water on the streets. Perhaps, the only place where the film does strike a chord is in the very last scene when the two lovers meet on the railway platform. That scene is truly fantastic.

Nadeem Shravan’s music is wonderful. The title song, ‘Dilbar dilbar’, ‘Panchhi sur mein gaate hain’, ‘Pehli pehli baar’ and ‘Ek mulaqat zaroori hai sanam’ are all beautiful songs with melodious tunes. Picturisation of ‘Dilbar dilbar’ on heavenly Houston locales is breathtaking. Camerawork complements the beautiful locations. Production values are grand. Technically, of a high standard.

On the whole, Sirf Tum has a unique story and excellent music as its saving points. It lacks universal appeal and will be appreciated by the class audience in cities. Major releases in the coming weeks will also affect its prospects.

Released on 11-6-’99 at Eros and 4 other cinemas of Bombay by Vimal Agarwal thru R.M. Ahuja & Co. Publicity: extraordinary. Opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening was very good.

CENSOR NEWS

Bhansali Productions’ Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, seen on 8th, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/2/17/99 (UA) dt. 11-6-’99; length 5160.01 metres in 23 reels (no cut).

Inega International’s Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya was given C.C. No. CIL/2/16/99 (UA) dt. 10-6-’99; length 3684.10 metres in 16 reels (cuts: 37.15 metres).

Tyger Productions’ Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi…, seen on 7th, has been passed with U certificate, with cuts.

Star International’s Shaitan Tantrik has been refused certificate.

Well Make Films’ Chudail No. 1 (revised), seen on 7th, has been passed for adults, with cuts.

S.A.S. Movies’ Shaitan No. 1 (dubbed), seen on 7th, has been passed for adults, with cuts.

Rahul Productions’ Haseena Maan Jaayegi was seen on 9th.

H.S. Films’ Shaitani Darinda (length 2666.24 metres in 13 reels), applied on 7th and seen on 8th, has been passed for adults, with cuts.

Cine Images’ Akeli (length 5258.41 metres in 18 reels), applied on 9th, was seen on 11th.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Tabu will act in a Marathi film, ASTITVA. It is actually a Marathi-Hindi bilingual being directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and produced by him jointly with Jhamu Sughand.

* Naghma, who is very keen to make it in Hindi films now, has shed a lot of weight. She looks prim, slim and pretty. Maybe, producers and directors would like to give the actress a second chance.

* Exhibitors of Aurangabad have evinced a keen interest in the multiplex policy of the Maharashtra government, which grants an entertainment tax holiday for up to five years to cinemas housed in a multiplex. At least two exhibitors are seriously weighing the possibilities of constructing cineplexes in Aurangabad.

Magic Of Marketing & Music

The unexpected happened this week again. Boney Kapoor’s Sirf Tum, despite having a negative face value, opened very well everywhere. The film’s hero, Sanjay Kapoor, has been going through a terrible professional low. Heroine Priya Gill’s position is worse still. The only ‘saleable’ actress in the film is, perhaps, Sushmita Sen — she too has become ‘hot’ only after the success of Biwi No. 1 in which she has won wide appreciation. But heroines are generally known to not contribute to the initial value of a film. Of course, in the case of Sirf Tum, Sushmita can take some credit for the opening because her performance in Biwi No. 1 is fresh in people’s minds. Moreover, her song in Sirf Tum — Dilbar dilbar — was already very popular before the film opened.

What, besides Sushmita, contributed to the noteworthy opening of the film? The answer lies in the two Ms — Music and Marketing. Not just the Dilbar dilbar song but the entire album of Sirf Tum is a listener’s delight. Nadeem Shravan’s music had begun to mesmerise the audience, and the film’s release insofar as the timing vis-à-vis the popularity of music is concerned was appropriate.

But, perhaps, the most important factor which contributed to the enviable opening is producer Boney Kapoor’s marketing of the film. The importance of marketing cannot be gainsaid. Not caring about the poor star-cast, Boney spent lavishly on the film’s publicity — as lavishly, or even more than he had spent on its making. Whether it was street publicity or television or publicity in the print media, Boney spent heavily to make the film desirable among the audience. The film has a novel story and, realising its worth, Boney informed the potential audience of its novelty though the extensive publicity campaigns. The idea of falling in love with someone you’ve never met must’ve appealed to the young generation which thronged to the cinemas on the opening day.

Just two weeks back, we had Vashu Bhagnani’s multi-starrer Biwi No. 1 opening to bumper houses due, again, to its wonderful marketing. The impressive initial which Sirf Tum has taken this week underlines the important role of appropriate marketing in today’s times. Boney Kapoor, too, needs to be patted on his back for a splendid display of his business acumen in the face of the worst of circumstances.

– KOMAL NAHTA

Happy Days Are Here Again

The success of Sarfarosh and Biwi No. 1 have boosted the morale of the film industry. Sarfarosh was perceived as a ‘city film’ and if it has managed to keep its distributors happy despite its ‘class’ appeal, it bodes well for the industry, especially because it proves again that films with novelty do have a market today even if they have a ‘class’ appeal. The success of Biwi No. 1 is exciting not just because distributors will earn handsomely in the film but also because it was released at a time that was considered suicidal. Yet, despite the World Cup cricket fever, the film not only opened to a bumper response but also held on well all through the first week and also in the second week.

Now that the industry’s good times have started, it looks like these are going to continue for some months at least. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is carrying good pre-release reports and all those who’ve seen it opine that it is a good tear-jerker.

The songs of Haseena Maan Jaayegi give a feeling that this will be yet another winner from David Dhawan. Especially because Biwi No. 1 has clicked, the belief that HMJ too will do well is further fortified. The music of Mann is also doing tremendously well and looking to the track record of Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria on the one hand and of Aamir Khan on the other, the odds are in favour of Mann winning the audience’s hearts. Veeru Devgan’s maiden directorial venture, Hindustan Ki Kasam, already has exhibitors swearing by its trailer alone (prepared, incidentally, by Rajtaru Videosonic). With a thinking actor like Ajay Devgan in command (it is Devgans’ home production), this Kasam definitely looks promising.

The month of August will start with Subhash Ghai’s Taal and it doesn’t need to be reiterated that Ghai still has a good feel of the public pulse and is in perfect sur and taal. The songs, composed by A.R. Rahman and written by Anand Bakshi, are excellent, as Ghai’s music always is. If Taal will start the month of August for the industry, the month will conclude with Venus’ prestigious Baadshah. Besides the deft direction of Abbas Mustan (who delivered a hit in Soldier with a hero who had almost been written off by the industry), Baadshah also has Shah Rukh Khan to boot. Between Taal and Baadshah, we will have Mehul Kumar’s Kohram, which despite the poor fates of Amitabh Bachchan’s recent releases as also Nana Patekar’s last few films, does give good vibes.

So it seems, happy times are here again. One never knows, the coming three months (beginning next week) may be the best period for the industry in a long time! This should get a smile on everyone’s lips and a shine on our faces, right?

– Komal Nahta

LATEST POSITION

BIWI NO. 1 has written box-office history — from North to South and East to West. Collections maintained marvellously after the flying start it took, and new records have been created at many places. Ladies and youngsters are patronising the film in a big, very big way. Second week opened wonderfully well. In Overseas too, the film has stolen the hearts of the audience. In the UK and the USA, first week collections are more than DTPH almost everywhere. At Cineworld, Feltham (U.K.), the film has grossed more than even KKHH had in its 1st week!

Biwi No. 1 has created havoc in 1st week. It is outstanding in Bombay, Delhi-U.P., East Punjab, C.P. Berar, C.I., Rajasthan, Nizam and Mysore. 1st week Bombay 74,44,340 (100%) from 14 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 22,33,286 from 5 cinemas, Baroda 2,45,522 (100%), Vapi (gross) 5,75,120, Padra 2,60,057, Bhuj 1,37,346 (83.74%), Bharuch (gross) 3,44,994, Valsad 3,11,865 (94.88%), Bardoli 1,89,353, Patan 1,91,289, Jamnagar 1,58,450, Adipur 1,50,620 (92.82%); Pune 14,53,307 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 2,61,909 (100%), Solapur 4,83,539 from 2 cinemas, Ahmednagar 2,01,489 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Malegaon 2,01,617 (100%), Satara 2,12,758 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Sangli 2,23,020 (100%), Islampur 1,59,532 (100%), Miraj 1,40,722 (100%), Nasik 3,52,901; Bijapur 1,83,137 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 69,66,105 (96.76%) from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 8,67,210 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 5,12,075 (100%), Agra 3,61,281, Varanasi 4,03,429, Allahabad 2,19,788, Saharanpur 2,15,171, Meerut 2,97,262, Bareilly 2,76,973 (79.54%), Dehradun 2,89,180, Gorakhpur 2,38,674, Hardwar 1,74,435, Moradabad 2,72,537, Aligarh 2,99,282, Jhansi 2,08,933, Shahjehanpur 1,36,743, Bulandshahr 1,56,468; Calcutta 29,23,458 from 14 cinemas; Nagpur 12,76,016 from 6 cinemas, Amravati 3,47,176, Akola 2,01,288, Raipur (6 days) 1,94,840, Bhilai (6 days) 1,62,964, Durg 1,60,005; Indore 3,53,000 (4 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,42,606 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 15,09,254 from 5 cinemas, Bikaner 1,74,318; Hyderabad (gross) 53,33,893 from 18 cinemas; Vijayawada (gross) 2,13,646.

Sooryavansham has maintained in Calcutta (where even the first week’s collections were very good) and some stations in the other circuits. 2nd week Bombay 16,12,693 (53.96%) from 7 cinemas; Ahmedabad 4,77,223 from 6 cinemas, Rajkot 74,858 (1st 94,633), Jamnagar 46,727 (1st 60,966); Pune 3,16,129 from 3 cinemas; Delhi 6,72,843 from 7 cinemas; Kanpur 56,421, Lucknow 2,03,335 (1st 2,40,591), Varanasi 74,948, Bareilly 40,166 (14.62%), Dehradun 43,421; Calcutta 20,35,555 from 25 cinemas (1st 29,76,818 from 27 cinemas); Nagpur 2,37,402 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 50,263, total 1,08,951, Amravati 94,866 (1st 1,13,879), Akola 92,193, total 1,99,663, Raipur 1,03,520 (1st 1,04,049), Bhilai 60,078, Bilaspur 53,887; Bhopal 55,873; Jaipur 1,21,904; Hyderabad (gross) 4,47,606 from 2 cinemas; Guntur (gross) 73,854, total 1,48,585, Ongole (gross) 77,972, total 1,49,591.

Rajaji 2nd week Bombay 7,50,030 (33.44%) from 7 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,25,857 from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 61,643; Pune 3,48,345 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 8,46,604 from 7 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,39,944 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 99,546, Varanasi 58,578, Bareilly 35,548 (25.62%); Calcutta 1,43,471; Nagpur 77,635 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 59,378, total 1,42,728, Amravati 72,361, Akola 70,336, total 1,98,503, Raipur 74,201, Jalgaon 97,423, Bilaspur 54,422; Indore 90,000, Bhopal 47,216; Jaipur 1,71,187 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 1,42,294 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet 4th week Bombay 5,85,303 (52.28%) from 3 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,02,670 from 3 cinemas, Rajkot 94,581, Jamnagar 35,072; Pune 98,440 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 4,01,090 from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,52,807 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,64,429, Varanasi 1,42,575, Meerut 80,502, Bareilly 41,114 (13.56%), Dehradun 52,000 (3rd 93,000); Calcutta 2,17,214 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 93,835 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,04,020, total 5,72,271, Amravati 1,24,200, Akola 74,158, total 4,48,045, Raipur 1,34,893, total 7,27,369, Bhilai 80,552, Jalgaon 89,421, total 4,87,877; Bhopal 72,700; Jaipur 1,00,030, Jodhpur 1,08,000, Bikaner 53,582; Hyderabad (gross) 4,85,303 from 3 cinemas.

Sarfarosh 5th week Bombay 28,90,918 (81.50%) from 9 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,76,305 from 3 cinemas; Pune 8,34,034 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,17,484; Delhi 9,17,218 from 5 cinemas; Kanpur 1,46,290 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,40,418, Varanasi 1,03,672, Dehradun 88,791 (4th 1,35,000); Calcutta 2,84,271; Nagpur 1,10,914, 2nd week Jabalpur 1,99,497, total 4,38,670, 5th Amravati 1,10,343, Akola 56,019, total 4,81,370, Raipur 41,428, total 4,40,000, Bhilai 19,860, 1st Durg 32,796, 5th week Jalgaon 48,417, 4th week Wardha (6 days) 29,469; 5th Indore 1,42,202 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 5,87,455; Hyderabad (gross) 7,41,852 from 4 cinemas (1 in noon).

FOUR ARRESTED FOR SELLING ‘BIWI NO. 1’ VIDEO CDs

A police team from Pydhonie, Bombay, on 28th May raided a courier company and recovered pirated video CDs of Biwi No. 1, besides digital video tapes, 198 video CDs and 362 audio CDs of other films. The total value of goods seized was around Rs. 2 lakh. The raid was conducted with the assistance of Vashu Bhagnani, producer of Biwi No. 1, and the Feature Film Copyright Company. Four persons were arrested.

‘SARFAROSH’ TAX-FREE IN DELHI

The Delhi state government has granted Sarfarosh exemption from payment of entertainment tax for a period of 3 months with immediate effect.

Aamir Khan, the hero of Sarfarosh, and the film’s associate director, U.S. Pathik, were in Delhi recently in this connection. Aamir visited Chanakya, Shiela and Anupam PVR cinemas where the film was being screened.

‘SOORYAVANSH’ — THE SUN RISES IN THE EAST

Now this bit of news will surprise many. The latest Amitabh starrer, Sooryavansham, which has fared miserably in many territories, has proved very successful in West Bengal! In fact, if the film’s Bengal distributor, Bijay Khemka, is to be believed, the film’s collections in the first two weeks are so good that it may well go on to become an overflow film there. Sooryavansham, bought by Khemka at an MG royalty of Rs. 45 lakh for West Bengal, has already fetched a share of Rs. 38 lakh in 2 weeks!

This incredible result of the film is not only because the film has been appreciated there but also the outcome of Khemka’s foresight and shrewd pre-release planning. First of all, he changed the film’s title to Sooryavansh and had new posters printed, bearing the new title. “People, especially Muslim audience, have always had some kind of an allergy towards Sanskritised film titles, and I quickly realised that with a name like Sooryavansham, it would be that much harder to pull in the audience,” says Khemka, explaining the rationale behind the move to change the title. Another thing that went in the film’s favour at the box-office in Calcutta was its spaced-out release. Khemka explains, “I could have easily gone overboard like distributors generally do with Amitabh starrers but, I was confident of the film’s merits and knew that a spaced-out release would be best suited for it. Accordingly, I literally hand-picked the cinemas in the territory, keeping in mind that no two cinemas showing Sooryavansham (or rather, Sooryavansh) are within striking distance of each other.”

It is comprehensively evident that Bijay Khemka’s efforts have paid off, and paid off well. This was also the response of Amitabh Bachchan to Bijay Khemka when the latter called the former up in Los Angeles to inform him of the good news.

Sooryavansh is currently running in its third week in Bengal, and Khemka is expecting a slight drop in collections as the ongoing World Cup cricket has entered the interesting Super Six stage. However, the film’s first two weeks have been so encouraging in Calcutta, that there remains no doubt about its smooth sailing in the weeks to come. Like they say — well begun is half done!

YOU ASKED IT

Why do you say (in this column last week) that Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam will take a flying start? The trade insists that its music is not too exciting and you will agree, music today is a key factor in deciding the kind of opening a film will get.

– Let the trade say what it wants to. Ask the public and you will know that the music of HDDCS has been very well received by them.

When was the multiplex policy of the Maharashtra state government announced in the gazette?

– The policy has not yet been gazetted. The gazette is due soon.

Is the great business of Biwi No. 1 the result of publicity hype?

– The publicity helps a film, but no amount of hype can ever benefit a film for more than a couple of days unless the film has merits.

What’s Hot?

♦♦ Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Initial trial reports have it that the film is — hold your breath! — a major hit. Get ready for a great start and a greater run, then!

♦♦ Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria’s Mann. Its music is growing and may soon become super-hit.

♦♦ Music of Smita Thackeray’s Haseena Maan Jaayegi. The ‘I love you bol daal’ song will soon become a rage. The catchy music will ensure a bumper opening to the film.

DO YOU KNOW?

 * Seven different promotional trailers of Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria’s MANN will be aired on DD1 during the live telecast of the World Cup Super Six cricket match between India and Pakistan on 12th June. This is the first time ever that a Hindi film’s promotional trailers would be aired on DD1 during the World Cup live telecast.

* Bengal distributor Bijay Khemka used to be a regular distributor of Hindi films produced in the South, generally those produced by Padmalaya, in the eighties. But he stopped acquisitions in 1990 when the Padmalaya people also stopped producing Hindi films. Khemka restarted buying after nine years, with Padmalaya’s SOORYAVANSHAM this year. And the film is doing very well in West Bengal (he holds the distribution rights for West Bengal and Assam; it opened in Assam this week).

* Like producer Vashu Bhagnani, the C.I. distributor of his BIWI NO. 1 also left no stone unturned to publicise his film on a grand scale. A procession was taken out in Indore city on the opening day last week and the procession was accompanied by a band. The band also played outside the cinema screening the film. Further, specially made BIWI NO. 1 sarees were marketed in the city, and those ladies coming to see the film wearing the special sarees were given free entry!

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Trailer Ki Kasam

One promotional trailer that’s proving magical for the film’s distributors is that of Veeru Devgan’s Hindustan Ki Kasam. Exhibitors of the various circuits are clamouring to book the film at their cinemas. Why, the East Punjab distributor is said to have covered almost a crore of rupees (!) by way of MGs and FHs two months before the film’s release (on 23rd July). Exhibitors of U.P., too, are picking up the film for their cinemas at fancy prices.

Animals Do The Trick

An interesting bit of observation. Among all the Hindi-dubbed foreign films released in India, the ones which usually manage to do well are the ones portraying some kind of an animal in a central role. Be it the Hindi dubbed versions of Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Anaconda or Godzilla, each of these films revolving around a menacing creature (a dinosaur, a huge snake, a gigantic gorilla) has gone down well with our audience. One may infer from the above that our viewers have a penchant of sorts for animals. However, this may be far from the truth. The real reason behind the success of the aforesaid films may be the fact that each of these films offered a spectacular visual novelty, presented in a simple storyline. For some reason, our audience seem to prefer a Hindi dubbed foreign film that deals less with dialogues over the others. Why, as long as the film can be understood without paying attention to its dialogues, it will do even if the creature is nowhere near being menacing, as shown by the success of the funnily titled Hindi dubbed version, Ek Bandar Hotel Ke Andar, of Dunston Checks In. This may also explain why the Hindi dubbed version of Babe (a universal hit about the goings-on in the life of a cute pig) failed to attract viewers. The latter has a lot of dialogues whereas the former is an action comedy. Points to ponder, then?

BIWI NO. 1

Puja Films’ Biwi No. 1 (UA) is the story of a young, married and successful businessman who has an affair with a model working for his company. When his wife comes to know of his affair, she confronts him and gives him two options to choose from — either forget the affair and the model forever or leave the house. The husband, agitated at being questioned by his wife, opts for the latter and starts living with his model girlfriend. Although not married to her, he lives with her as would a husband and wife. When this happens, the wife and a family friend join hands to teach the errant husband and his girlfriend a terrible lesson. For this, the wife herself becomes a model and even sends her two kids and mother-in-law to live with her husband and his girlfriend. The kids and the ma-in-law, under instructions from the wife, create situations to show the girlfriend in such bad light always that the husband starts hating his girlfriend. Finally, the husband and wife re-unite. The model returns to the photographer who had proposed marriage to her earlier.

Inspired from the Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi, the film is an out-and-out comedy. The first half is just about fair. It is the second half which is more entertaining, and the two climaxes (one involving all the main characters, and the other with Anil Kapoor, Tabu and their child) are truly hilarious. But the drama is weak and has some drawbacks. The wife is shown to be so rich, modern and beautiful that her pining for her husband (even after knowing that he is sleeping around with the model) appears rather unbelievable. Had the wife been shown to be ordinary-looking and also financially insecure, the pining would’ve looked more plausible. Further, the serious point of the husband straying has been treated too lightly. Showing the wife turning a model herself is unnecessary because after she does take up modelling, there’s no more reference to her new profession. Dialogues (Rumi Jafri) have punch at places but fall flat at some places in the first half. Emotions post-interval are feeble. Some adult jokes are quite funny.

Salman Khan does well as the husband gone wayward. He is especially good in comedy scenes and dances. Karisma Kapoor plays Salman’s wife to perfection. She shines in emotional scenes. Anil Kapoor, as the Punjabi doctor-friend of Salman Khan, is extremely likeable. Tabu plays Anil’s wife very ably. The climax on Anil and Tabu is fantastic. These two Punjabi characters will hold special appeal for audience in Punjab and Delhi. Sushmita Sen acts like a seasoned actress and is admirably free in her performance. Looking sexy and fashionable, she plays the model brilliantly. Saif Ali Khan is alright. Himani Shivpuri and Shashi Kiran lend wonderful support as Salman’s mother and secretary respectively. Master Rinku and baby Pinky are cute. The dog does an able job. Guddi Maruti, Rajiv Verma and Kanu Gill are okay.

David Dhawan seems to be in form after interval. At several places in the film, though, it does appear that David has made the film as a rush job. Music (Anu Malik) is good. The title song, ‘Sona sona’, ‘Jungle mein’ and ‘Mehboob mere’ numbers are racy and well-tuned. ‘Om Sai Ram’ song is designed to appeal emotionally. Song picturisations (Ganesh and B.H. Tharun Kumar) are excellent. Special mention in this regard must be made of the ‘Sona sona’ number, the title song, and ‘Mehboob mere’ songs. Foreign locations are heavenly. K.S. Prakash Rao’s camerawork is good. Production values are simply grand. Background score (Surender Sodhi) is effective. Editing is sharp. Sets are rich. Other technical values are of a good standard.

On the whole, Biwi No. 1 has taken a flying start and it does have comic masala to make people laugh and its distributors smile.

Released on 28-5-’99 at Metro and 19 other cinemas of Bombay by Puja Films thru Shringar Films. Publicity & opening: simply breathtaking. …….Also released all over. Opening was bumper in Delhi (1st day almost 100%) and East Punjab and very good elsewhere. (1st day Jaipur 2,80,138/- from 5 cinemas.)

LATEST POSITION

The box-office took a severe beating on Wednesday (26th May) due to the India-Sri Lanka cricket match.

Sooryavansham proves a total loss. It has recorded extremely poor collections as it failed to pick up after a dismal start, despite appreciation. It, however, picked up in Calcutta and, to some extent, in Bihar. 1st week Bombay 28,32,459 (45.81%) from 11 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 9,88,714 from 6 cinemas, Baroda 96,948, Padra 88,314, Rajkot 94,633, Jamnagar 60,966; Pune 7,58,063 from 5 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,25,000, Solapur 2,63,725 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 18,46,238 (28.43%) from 13 cinemas; Kanpur 91,577, Lucknow 2,40,591, Agra 1,69,756, Varanasi 1,03,783, Bareilly 64,403 (23.44%), Dehradun 83,282; Calcutta 29,76,819 from 27 cinemas; Nagpur 3,03,777 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 58,687, Amravati 1,13,879, Akola 1,07,470, Raipur 1,04,049, Bhilai 80,130; Bhopal 1,45,416 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,35,862 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 21,26,662 from 9 cinemas, share (including Aurangabad, Parbhani and Warangal) 13,20,541; Vijayawada (gross) 1,50,574, Guntur (gross, 6 days) 85,952, Ongole (gross, 6 days) 97,584.

Rajaji started dropping from 2nd day onwards. 1st week Bombay 30,86,127 (65.23%) from 11 cinemas (11 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 7,83,640 from 4 cinemas, Rajkot 1,14,595; Pune 5,76,794 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,24,000, Solapur 2,08,517 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 28,96,036 (51.91%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,93,457 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,76,680, Agra 2,63,589, Bareilly 90,637 (65.33%); Calcutta 2,74,982 from 1 cinema (other cinemas’ collections undisclosed); Nagpur 3,87,122 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 83,350, Amravati 1,40,340, Akola 1,28,167, Raipur 1,48,581, Bhilai 83,462, Jalgaon 1,39,195; Indore 3,11,000 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 2,26,438 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 5,85,487 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 9,05,502 from 6 cinemas (1 in noon, 1 on F.H.).

Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet 3rd week Bombay 9,63,292 (45.76%) from 5 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,36,259 from 3 cinemas, Rajkot (matinee) 18,492, Jamnagar 57,459; Pune 4,05,225 from 4 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,27,000, Solapur 97,187; Delhi 1,38,798 (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,35,430 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,29,185, Agra 1,75,948, Varanasi 1,77,980, Bareilly 70,568 (23.28%), Dehradun 93,000 (2nd 1,10,000); Calcutta 8,85,711 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 1,86,501 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,13,054, total 4,68,200, Amravati 1,62,738, Akola 1,01,166, total 3,73,886, Raipur 1,71,131, Bhilai 1,17,180, Jalgaon 1,00,389, Chandrapur 75,868, total 3,54,320; Jaipur 1,44,633, Bikaner 79,579; Hyderabad (gross) 5,76,785 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).

Kartoos  3rd week Bombay 9,14,687 (37.97%) from 6 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Pune 99,102 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 81,617, Solapur 46,676 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Barsi 49,561; 3rd week Delhi 3,70,700 from 3 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,45,056 from 2 cinemas, Bareilly 33,559 (15.01%), Dehradun 61,152 (2nd 1,01,003); Calcutta 1,29,879; Nagpur 70,785 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 41,028, Amravati (6 days) 28,691, Raipur (6 days) 28,005, Bhopal 41,030; Jaipur 1,23,248, Bikaner 2,24,000; Hyderabad (gross) 2,69,884 from 2 cinemas; Vijayawada 3 weeks’ total (gross) 5,10,293, 1st week Guntur (gross) 97,588.

Sarfarosh 4th week Bombay 36,82,522 (81.41%) from 11 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,47,598 (2 unrecd.); Pune 9,66,035 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,37,570, Solapur 1,50,430, 1st week Miraj 1,09,000; 4th week Delhi 12,51,005 from 4 cinemas; Kanpur 2,01,712 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,73,098, Agra 1,53,926, Varanasi 1,36,489, Bareilly 42,491 (14.97%), Dehradun 1,35,000 (3rd 1,64,153); Nagpur 1,49,273, 1st Jabalpur 2,39,173, 4th week Amravati 1,42,176, Akola 63,256, total 4,26,842, Raipur 56,396, Jalgaon 80,006, 3rd week Wardha (6 days) 43,431; 4th Indore 1,72,400 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 6,22,657, Bikaner 20,481; Hyderabad (gross) 6,25,166 from 2 cinemas; Vijayawada 2 weeks’ total (gross) 4,55,085.

________

Dada Ne Wahalee Dikri (Gujarati; TF) 5th week Ahmedabad 3,10,046 from 3 cinemas, Baroda 42,500, 1st week Idar 1,05,009, 5th week Rajkot 1,04,000.

SALMAN KHAN CHARGESHEETED

Chargesheets were filed against Salman Khan and others in the court of additional civil judge and judicial magistrate P.K. Vashist of Jodhpur on 24th May for allegedly poaching protected black bucks near Jodhpur last year when he had gone there to shoot for Rajshri’s Hum Saath Saath Hain. The chargesheets have been filed under sections 147, 148, 149 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 9, 39, 51 and 52 of the Arms Act. The other accused in the chargesheets are local people, mostly related to the tourism trade.

CHOWK IN MEMORY OF LAXMIKANT

The spacious lawns at music director Laxmikant’s Juhu bungalow have been host to many a party on Diwali (Laxmi pooja) day. For, Laxmikant used to celebrate his birthday every Diwali day in style and with his film industry friends. Whisky used to flow freely at the party which used to go on till the wee hours of the following morning. Spirits used to be high at such parties which used to be largely attended.

The same lawns on 25th May this year were host to yet another film gathering. But instead of whisky, it was a sober water-melon juice that did the rounds. The spirits weren’t exactly high because the mood was sober. The occasion was the naming ceremony of a public square (chowk) outside Laxmikant’s bungalow in memory of the late music director.

Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane did the honours by unveiling the two plaques with the name of the square — Sangeetkar Laxmikant Chowk — and garlanding the plaques. Deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde was the chief guest while Hareshwar Patil (mayor of Bombay), Nitin Gadkari (public works department minister) and Datta Rane (minister for higher and technical education) were the guests of honour. Local municipal councillor Arun Deo presided over the function. Chief minister Narayan Rane promised to build a memorial of Laxmikant in Sindhudurg where the late music director was born.

Subhash Ghai and Javed Akhtar made speeches recalling the great works of Laxmikant. The ministers also spoke on the occasion. Among the other luminaries who attended the function were Manoj Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Surinder Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Asrani, Bindu (Laxmikant’s sister-in-law), Pyarelal, Suresh Wadkar, Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Shabbir Kumar, Shailendra Singh, Nalin Dave, Manhar Udhas, Bappi Lahiri, Aadesh Shrivastava, Ramesh Taurani and Dinesh Gandhi.

Tears welled up in the eyes of Laxmikant’s widow, Jaya, as Narayan Rane was unveiling the plaque. For, although the square-naming ceremony was a proud moment in her life, the cause for it was the saddest memory of her life.

AAMIR ON HIS HOME PRODUCTION, ‘LAGAAN’

KOMAL NAHTA

When it comes to sincerity, few can match Aamir Khan’s. For the dubbing of emotional scenes, the perfectionist star puts glycerine in his eyes and dubs the dialogues as the make-believe tears roll down his cheeks. All this, so that the voice conveys the emotions perfectly. At one such dubbing session, I met Aamir Khan as well as the glycerine bottle, placed on a table next to the chair the actor was occupying. Unfortunately though, Aamir had no use of the glycerine when I met him, since it wasn’t an emotional scene he was dubbing for. Although Mann is said to abound in tear-jerking scenes, it was a scene of fun ‘n’ frolic that Aamir was giving his voice to at Empire that evening.

The success of Sarfarosh was written all over Aamir’s face. There was no place for pride in his scheme of things, just simple joy. Yes, but he was definitely proud of debut-making director John Mathew Matthan. “The man needs credit for having made such a film — and succeeded,” remarked Aamir. For, although the film may not be a runaway hit outside Bombay and Maharashtra, it, nevertheless, is doing good business in all cities of all the circuits. In other words, no distributor stands to lose in the film. While it will give commission to its distributors of other circuits, some may even share overflow with John.

Besides Sarfarosh and Mann (about which also Aamir is extremely excited), Aamir’s home production also has the guy all charged up. Called Lagaan (Tax), the film, informed Aamir, is a period drama set in the year 1890 in a village in India. Yes, you’ve guessed it right — Aamir will wear a dhoti in the film, which will be a first in his career.

Lagaan is scripted and will be directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and, to quote Aamir, “I couldn’t believe it when I first heard the script, it’s so good.” The dialogues are being written by K.P. Saxena who Ashutosh re-discovered from do gaz zameen ke neeche. Not literally, but almost so. K.P. Saxena had penned the dialogues for Ramsays’ Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neechey although he couldn’t take credit for the same due to technical reasons. Lucknow-based Saxena also did ghost-writing for a film or two and is a well-known hasya kavi too.

Rani Mukerji was to have played Aamir’s heroine in Lagaan but a new heroine is now being finalised. “Date problems,” says Aamir, adding, “When we approached her for our film, she had already committed the dates we needed, to some other producers. She did try to adjust them for Lagaan but it was impossible for her. I, too, did not want her to cancel someone else’s dates for my film because, I wouldn’t have liked anyone doing that with dates allotted to me as a producer.”

Aamir is currently in Bhuj (Gujarat) to finalise locations for the film and is expected back in Bombay on 30th. He will fly to London on June 2 or 3 to finalise some British actors and actresses for his film. “Since the film is set in pre-Independence India, there are some British characters too in the film. Besides character artistes, one heroine will also be British,” explained the star.

Lagaan will be shot in one single schedule of four months beginning November 11. The entire shooting will be done in Bhuj. Aamir has already signed A.R. Rahman for the music score although the lyricist/s is/are yet to be finalised.

This is all I can get out of Aamir in the total of 20 minutes in between his dubbing takes. Before recordists Chaturvedi and Pradeep Suri, director Indra Kumar and producer Ashok Thakeria dubbed me an intruder on their time, I made a quick exit from Empire and remained content with listening to (and enjoying), the music of Mann. The catchline of the film — ‘Listen to your heart’ — should be rephrased, at least for the audio sales: ‘Listen to our album’. Yes, listen to it. The music grows on you and how!

YOU ASKED IT

The entire industry feared that the World Cup cricket would adversely affect the initial (opening) of Biwi No. 1. But nothing of the sort happened. What led to the bumper opening of Biwi No. 1 in the midst of World Cup cricket?

– Publicity no. 1! Vashu Bhagnani’s publicity of the film has been so brilliant that people were waiting for the film’s release. Yes, World Cup cricket does affect the box-office but the publicity and the cast of BIWI NO. 1 had made the film as eagerly awaited as World Cup cricket.

Among the forthcoming films, which do you think will take good openings?

– HINDUSTAN KI KASAM, KOHRAM, HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, HASEENA MAAN JAAYEGI, MANN and TAAL.

How much cinematic liberty should a filmmaker ideally take?

– It varies from film to film. Comedies have more scope for cinematic liberties than, say, serious films.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Jaanwar’ In Switzerland

The last 10-day shooting spell of Shree Krishna International’s Jaanwar will begin in Switzerland on May 30. Two songs and a few scenes will be picturised on Akshay Kumar and Karisma Kapoor. The film also stars Shilpa Shetty, Mohnish Bahl, Ashutosh Rana, Ashish Vidyarthi, Malay Chakravorty, Rami Reddy, Huma Khan, Johny Lever and Shakti Kapoor. Being produced and directed by Suneel Darshan, it has music by Anand Milind. The eighth and last song was recorded on May 26 and 27 at Sahara India. It was penned by Sameer. Screenplay: Robin Bhatt. Dialogues: K.K. Singh. Cinematographer: Sameer Reddy. Action: Tinnu Verma. Dances: Raju. Editor: Sanjay Sankla.

‘One Two Ka Four’

A 7-day shooting stint of Glamour Films’ Prod. No. 2, now titled One Two Ka Four, commenced on May 23 and is currently in progress at Hotel SeaRock and on locales of Bombay. Shah Rukh Khan and Jackie Shroff are participating alongwith stuntmen. Juhi Chawla plays the female lead. Being produced by Nazir Ahmed and directed by Shashilal K. Nair, the film has music by A.R. Rahman. Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri. Screenplay: Manoj Lalwani and Rajkumar Daahima. Dialogues: Sanjay Chhel. Cinematographer: S. Kumar. Choreographer: Farah Khan. Action: Mahendra Verma.

NEWS FROM NEPAL

SIGH OF RELIEF

Trade people heaved a sigh of relief when both, Kartoos and Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, clicked in Nepal, ensuring some returns to its distributor who has had a series of flops in the recent past. Kartoos clicked in the mountainous region (Kathmandu, Pokhra, etc.) which comprises 70% of the Nepal market. Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, on the other hand, proved successful in the Terai region which comprises the other 30% of the market. Kartoos, like International Khiladi, took a bumper opening everywhere, whereas Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet was a slow starter.

‘JAANAM’ SHOCKS

Among the other releases in the recent past, Zulmi, Silsila Hai Pyar Ka and Phool Aur Aag were very poor. Both the big releases, Jaanam Samjha Karo and Sarfarosh, failed to get good openings and proved losers, surprising many. In fact, the fate of Jaanam Samjha Karo at the box-office baffled everyone as the film failed despite its hit music and Salman Khan’s hot-favourite status. Sarfarosh, however, has been liked by the upper class audience but they form only a negligible percentage of the total market.

NO BUYERS

Jai Hind and Sooryavansham have failed in finding buyers — mainly due to their high prices and poor market responses. Since both these movies are unregistered and not formally looked after by anyone in Nepal, it seems almost certain that the Doli Saja Ke Rakhna incident will be repeated. It seems quite likely that in a few weeks’ time, several illegal prints of the two films will be imported and screened here.

NEW RELEASES

Last week’s release, Rajaji, has not found appreciation from the audience, entailing heavy losses to its distributor. Sooryavansham, as mentioned earlier, did not find a release. Biwi No.1 has been acquired at a phenomenal price — the highest ever so far! The film’s publicity campaign and good music have buoyed the confidence of all concerned in spite of the fact that director David Dhawan’s films have, of late, not been faring too well in Nepal.

FOUL PLAY

A few non-Nepalese distributors are currently engaged in the foul practice of illegal sale of prints after a week of the film’s release here. There is a growing concern over the issue as it may prove damaging to the image of Nepal’s bona fide distributors. However uncommon may the illegal sale of prints (to buyers for U.P. interiors, Bhutan and Burma) be at present, it is feared that, if not checked, the menace will wreak havoc on producers and distributors in the near future. Already, owing to this foul activity, an unduly large number of prints are being ordered and imported, irrespective of the merits of films and the market potential. For instance, as many as six prints each of Kartoos, Jaanam Samjha Karo and Biwi No. 1 have been ordered for Nepal, which is a high number indeed. It is expected that at least two of these prints in each case will be resold after a week.

NMPA GETS TOUGH

The distributors’ wing of the Nepal Motion Picture Association (NMPA) will be taking a very strict decision, in the near future, in regard to pictures acquired for Nepal via or from Bihar. There have also been regular efforts made in the past to convince and compel Hindi film producers to sell the rights for Nepal separately, rather than with Bihar. NMPA will be holding its general body meeting on 15th and 16th June, during which a new executive committee will be formed.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Hrithik Gaining Ground

Even before the release of his first film, Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, Hrithik Roshan is said to be attracting the attention of filmmakers. Reportedly, Vidhu Vinod Chopra found Hrithik so ideal for one of the lead roles in his next, Kashmir, that he instantly signed him up for the same. If sources are to be believed, the film was originally penned with Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan in father-son roles. Currently, plans are afoot to cast Sanjay Dutt in the father’s role. Also, Preity Zinta is likely to star opposite Hrithik in the film. There are indications that, besides Kashmir, at least two other films, starring Hrithik Roshan, are likely to go under way even before Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai is released. These are Khalid Mohammed’s film (opposite Karisma Kapoor) and Mohan Kumar’s next, to be directed by Satish Kaushik.

Yet Another ‘No. 1’

Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Aunty No. 1, Anari No. 1, and Biwi No. 1. To cash in on the popularity of titles with the suffix ‘No. 1’, Dayanand Mandre has titled his dubbed version of the English film, Wishmaster, as Shaitan No. 1. Mandre has mixed the dubbed version in Dolby sound. “The film,” says Mandre, “abounds in special effects and computer graphics.”

‘Mann’ Memories

The reports of the Titanic-like sinking of luxury liner Sun Vista, off the western Malaysian coast, on 21st May, must be evoking a great deal of nostalgia among the unit members of Indra Kumar’s Mann. The 70-member unit spent seven days aboard the liner last August, shooting two songs and a few scenes. Curiously, when producer Ashok Thakeria first approached Sun Cruises (which owns the ship) for permission to shoot aboard its ship, he was told that they would not want to get involved if the film was, in any way, similar to James Cameron’s Titanic! It was only after Thakeria convinced them that his film had nothing in common with the Hollywood blockbuster, that he was given permission to shoot aboard Sun Vista. Soon, the unit boarded the ship from Singapore for a 7-night cruise for a shooting stint. A choc-a-bloc schedule hardly gave any of the unit members any time to enjoy the luxurious facilities on board, yet hero Aamir Khan would usually be seen heading for the jacuzzi to unwind after pack-up. Some of the members would also spend their free time at the casino aboard the ship. One of the common topics for jokes among the unit members used to be that whether there are enough lifeboats on the liner in case it were to do a Titanic. Little would they have realised that something like that would actually happen in future. Sun Vista was on its way back to its base in Singapore with 1,104 people from 26 nations on board when it sank into the sea following an engine room fire. All were rescued and no casualty was reported. Incidentally, some of the passengers of Sun Vista had seen Titanic and sang its theme song while they were being evacuated, to keep up their spirits. The ship’s band played the tune of the same song.

SOORYAVANSHAM

Padmalaya Combines’ Sooryavansham is an unusual story about the relationship between a strict and rich father and his simpleton son whom he considers good for nothing. The son, however, loves his father and worships him. Now treated as a servant by everybody, he has a childhood girlfriend who studies in the city and whom he loves. But the girl spurns him because he is uneducated. Rather than let the girl win the wrath of his father, the son poses as if it is he who is not ready for the marriage. This infuriates the father even more. The girl, on her part, conveniently forgets the sacrifice the son has made for her. Enters another city-bred girl who falls in love with the simpleton. Although he considers himself much below her educated status, she coaxes him into agreeing to marry her. But his father orders him not to get married to the girl as he has assured the girl’s mother that the marriage would never take place. Rather than obey his father, the son revolts for the first time, and gets married to the girl. All hell breaks loose and the father throws the newly-weds out of his house after insulting them. The two start life from scratch but, by dint of hard work, earn name, fame and money. The wife becomes a Collector (after completing her IAS) and the husband, a business tycoon. Both of them, however, revere the father. A son born to them makes the grandfather soften his tough stand, by his cuteness and intelligence. Ultimately, the estranged father and son unite after years of separation.

Remake of the Tamil blockbuster of the same name, the film abounds in emotional scenes between father and son, some of which draw tears from the eyes. The unusual plot (story by Vikraman) unfolds on the screen, keeping audience interest alive, although the pace is slow at times. Comedy, at regular intervals, breaks the monotony of a tension-ridden drama. The first half is really wonderful. After interval, the screenplay takes recourse to clichéd situations at a few places. Aadesh K. Arjun’s dialogues are extraordinary and greatly enhance the impact of the drama. The build-up of the drama deserves special mention. Also deserving special mention are some scenes like the face-to-face meeting between the father-in-law and daughter-in-law (tear-jerker), the speech made by the son about his strict father, at the opening ceremony of the hospital (very emotional), the scene in which the father throws his son and daughter-in-law out of his house (truly dramatic), and the entire climax.

On the negative side is the double role of Amitabh Bachchan. In the role of the son, he looks too elderly. Several of the other important characters in the film are, curiously enough, South Indian film artistes, thereby giving the film a South Indian flavour. Music lacks a hit number — and that is a big minus point. Further, the title, too, has a South colour.

Although Amitabh looks too old for the son’s role, his performance is simply mesmerising. Both, as the father and the son, Bachchan acts with a rare maturity and delivers performances that are undoubtedly worthy of awards. His brilliant acting in the film will be discussed for a long time to come. His get-up and costumes in the father’s role are splendid. In summary, Amitabh Bachchan is just too good to be true. Soundarya may lack glamour and oomph but she, too, does a remarkable job. Not once do Amitabh and Soundarya go overboard. Jaya Sudha, too, is restrained as the wife of the older Bachchan. The voice of both the heroines have been excellently dubbed by Rekha. Anupam Kher is lovable as Amitabh’s confidant. He is superb in light scenes. Kader Khan is also terrific. Shivaji Satam is natural to the core. Bindu does an able job. Mukesh Rishi performs well. Rachna Banerjee, as Amitabh’s first girlfriend, is okay. Master Anand Vardhan is cool and confident.

E.V.V. Satyanarayana’s direction is fantastic but it must be said here that the treatment would be appreciated more by the class audience. Nevertheless, the director has added a lot of gloss and has treated the subject with freshness. Music should have been far better. ‘Dil mere’ is the best song but its repetition in the first half is a bit jarring. Song picturisations match the film’s mood. Action scenes are okay. Camerawork (Gopal Reddy) is breathtaking. Production values are very good. Technically, of a high order.

On the whole, Sooryavansham may have taken a slow start but it definitely has the merits (emotions, novelty, dialogues and extraordinary performances) to pick up by word of mouth and, thereafter, prove profitable.

Released on 21-5-’99 at Liberty and 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru Ethnic Enterprises. Publicity: below the mark. Opening: average. …….Also released all over except in East Punjab. Opening was dull at most of the places.

RAJAJI

Shivam Chitrya (Bombay)’s Rajaji is the story of a youth from a village, who shirks work and is so lazy that he decides to con the daughter of some rich business tycoon into marrying him. He succeeds in doing so but realises on the day of his marriage that the girl is not the daughter of a business tycoon but rather of the tycoon’s gardener! The young man’s frustration at being ‘conned’ gets the better of him and he confesses his evil designs but, in the same breath, blames his wife and father-in-law for having ‘fooled’ him into marriage. He also walks out on his wife, only to repent later. But while he is away, his father-in-law has become a multi-millionaire by winning a lottery. So, when he returns to make amends for his mistake, his pleas to win back his wife are interpreted as manifestation of his greed and designs to usurp the father-in-law’s wealth. He then decides to himself work hard and earn a lot of money. His wife has a change of heart and ultimately the two of them unite.

The first half has some entertaining moments, a couple of which are even hilarious. But the screenplay goes haywire after interval. The scene in which the hero gets drunk and confesses his designs (to hook a rich girl) is not just poor but also gramatically wrong. For one, he tries to justify his act by saying that many youngsters do similar things. How a wrong action can be sought to be made to look correct simply because a lot of people do the same wrong is not explained. Secondly, the hero blaming his wife for dressing up like a rich girl although she is poor (which, according to him, led him to think that she is rich), is simply ridiculous. Thirdly. the hero’s childhood friend, who exposes him at the start of the scene, has himself hooked a rich businessman’s ugly daughter; therefore, the friend’s outburst looks fake. The writer has tried to justify the scenes by making the hero talk out his frustration under the influence of liquor but that hardly justifies it. This whole scene is very important in the film, but, unfortunately, it drops the character of the hero so low that it becomes one which is almost beyond redemption. This is the film’s weakest point. Even otherwise, the second half takes recourse to clichéd situations. Climax is poor. Dialogues (Kader Khan) are fair.

Govinda does pretty well as usual, but he should guard against getting repetitive now. Raveena Tandon is fairly good. Satish Kaushik entertains at places. But Govinda and Satish Kaushik’s comedy is also too loud at places. Aroona Irani does an able job. Kader Khan is good. Shakti Kapoor has precious little scope. Mohan Joshi is average. Divya Dutta passes muster. Ranjeet fills the bill and so does Shagufta Ali. Dinesh Hingoo lends able support. Mushtaq Khan, Razzak Khan and Bobby Saini are so-so.

Director Vimal Kumar has not been able to continue the mirth of the first half, in the second half. The script (Satish Jain), covering the real drama, is quite shoddy and the director has not been able to salvage the film when the drama goes out of hand. Music (Anand Milind) is quite good. ‘Sunday ki raat thi’, ‘Tere pyar ne’, ‘Baj gaya tabla’ and ‘Saasuji tharo lalla’ are quite well-tuned. Picturisation of ‘Tere pyar ne’ is eye-filling. Camerawork is alright. Action scenes are okay. Production values are fair. Technically, okay.

On the whole, Rajaji suffers on account of a weak script and faulty characterisation of the hero. It cannot hope to fetch returns for its distributors. However, it may do somewhat better in Bombay and Maharashtra, where comedies are preferred.

Released on 21-5-’99 at Alankar and 21 other cinemas of Bombay thru ABC Pictures P. Ltd. Publicity: good. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over. Opening was below the mark at several places.

LATEST POSITION

The dull opening of SOORYAVANSHAM may not have shocked the trade, but it has definitely shaken the industry confidence.

…………

Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet is doing very well except in Bombay city and Delhi city. It is extraordinary in Bihar where it is expected to do a business of over 1 crore. It is also very strong in U.P., Gujarat, C.P.C.I. Rajasthan and Nizam. 2nd week Bombay 19,01,333 (51%) from 9 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 7,15,151 from 4 cinemas, 1st week Padra 1,32,053, Valsad 2,55,236, 2nd week Vapi 2,16,910, total 6,71,006, Rajkot 1,75,053 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 98,756; Kolhapur 1,43,494, Solapur 1,22,557; Delhi 12,82,674 from 6 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,66,614 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,71,124, Agra 2,26,212 (1st 2,86,710), Varanasi 2,04,417, Allahabad 80,962, Bareilly 1,24,083 (40.94%), Dehradun 1,10,000, Muzaffarnagar 82,000; Calcutta 10,90,765 from 13 cinemas; Nagpur 3,77,730 from 4 cinemas, Amravati 1,99,553, Akola 1,35,101, total 2,72,720, Raipur 2,07,012, Bhilai 1,56,058, total 3,32,062, Jalgaon 1,34,258; Jaipur 2,47,615, Bikaner 1,41,516; Hyderabad (gross) 6,07,767 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon, 1 on F.H.).

Kartoos 2nd week Bombay 22,09,980 (41.35%) from 12 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,10,660 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Vapi 2,47,313, Rajkot 82,450 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar (matinee) 19,051; Kolhapur 1,32,171, Solapur 1,25,302 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 13,84,099 from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,83,214 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,80,345, Bareilly 65,920 (29.48%), Dehradun 1,01,003 (1st 2,18,000), Muzaffarnagar 60,000; Calcutta 3,94,389 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 1,64,925 from 2 cinemas, Amravati (6 days) 75,714, Akola 89,025, total 2,86,416, Raipur (6 days) 51,186, Bhilai (6 days) 29,842, Jalgaon (6 days) 51,930, 1st week Chandrapur 1,76,304; 2nd week Indore 69,856, Bhopal (6 days) 1,27,852 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,33,983, Jodhpur 1,75,000; Hyderabad (gross) 9,88,357 from 9 cinemas (2 in noon, 1 on F.H.); Vijayawada 2 weeks’ total (gross) 4,01,158.

Sarfarosh is class A1 in Bombay. It is also strong in C.P. Berar (Maharashtra belt), Rajasthan and Nizam in spite of World Cup cricket matches. 3rd week Bombay 42,49,186 (84.93%) from 12 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 6,79,518 from 3 cinemas, Rajkot 1,04,176; Kolhapur 1,62,029, Solapur 1,65,128, 1st week Barsi 56,301; 3rd week Delhi 18,35,005 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur 2,70,775 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,07,153, Agra 1,82,318, Varanasi 1,79,857, Bareilly 60,269 (21.24%), Dehradun 1,64,153 (2nd 1,80,000), total 6,09,701, Muzaffarnagar 50,000; Calcutta 9,42,543 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 2,72,625 from 2 cinemas, Amravati 1,57,276, Akola 81,773, total 3,63,586, Raipur 70,518, Bhilai 75,632, 1st week Durg (6 days) 67,547, 3rd Jalgaon 95,225, 2nd week Wardha (6 days) 55,976; 3rd week Indore 1,86,160 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 6,28,458, Bikaner 1,35,946; Hyderabad (gross) 11,89,345 from 5 cinemas; Vijayawada (gross) 2,53,009.

Dada Ne Wahalee Dikri (Gujarati, TF) is growing day by day. It is poised for a long and meritorious run in Gujarat and Saurashtra. 4th week Ahmedabad 3,97,854 from 3 cinemas, Baroda 57,675, Rajkot 1,15,000. 14 prints are running in Gujarat & Saurashtra.

LEGAL FRONT
NO RELIEF FOR PRITAM JALAN IN ‘SOORYAVANSHAM’ CASE

West Bengal distributor Pritam Jalan failed to get any relief from the court in the matter of distribution of Sooryavansham in West Bengal. Jalan had been appointed by Padmalaya Combines to exploit the film on its behalf in West Bengal territory. Thereafter, Padmalaya sold the film’s distribution rights to Vijay Khemka. In the meantime, Jalan had booked the film at some cinemas and he moved the court to restrain Padmalaya from granting the distribution rights to anybody other than himself.

The court, while rejecting Jalan’s plea, instructed Padmalaya to ensure that the commitments of Pritam Jalan to the cinemas in which the film was booked by him, were honoured.

‘DAAG THE FIRE’ 100 DAYS’ FUNCTION AT UDAY, AKOLA

Deepak Joshi and Narendra Joshi of Narendra Films, Amravati, the distributors of Daag The Fire for C.P. Berar, announced bonus for the staff of Uday Talkies, Akola, where the film completed 100 days on 21st May. The celebration function was held on 21st at the cinema. The entire Akola film trade was present at the function. From Amravati, Sharang Chandak, Lokendra Jain, Arjun Bhateja and Gopal Rathi attended.

Priya Rajurkar and Sangram Rajurkar, proprietors of Uday Talkies, and Arun Bopshetty, manager, welcomed the guests. The function was followed by a pooja and lunch.

The film is completing 100 days all over the country today (22nd May).

Tanwani’s Praiseworthy Gesture

It sounds unbelievable. But it is true. Producer Gordhan Tanwani has, of his own accord, converted his MG royalty agreements of Ishq with most of his distributors, into those for outright sale. This means, large-hearted Tanwani has, with one stroke of his pen (he has dashed off letters to his distributors, to break the good news), decided to forgo all overflow that may accrue to him in the months and years to come. The agreements with his distributors are valid till 28th November, 2002. The outright status, as per his letters, comes into effect from 1st April, 1999.

Something which could easily pass off as an April fool joke for the simple reason that no producer has the guts to show such largesse, has come as a happy reality for the distributors of Ishq. In his letter, Tanwani has thanked his distributors for having stood by him and for having exploited his film to the best of their ability. He has also acknowledged their having given him overflow as well as having increased their MG royalty after the film was pronounced a hit. It may be recalled that Gordhan Tanwani, in a rare gesture, had, at the time of release of his film, asked his distributors to increase their MG royalties only if it succeeded at the box-office. When it did, his distributors unhesitatingly paid the balance MG royalties. They appreciated his concern for his distributors, which made him ask for the enhanced MG royalty only in the event of the film hitting the bull’s eye. According to Tanwani, the enhanced MG price was arrived at to cover his cost of production which was phenomenal. 

The producer’s concern for his distributors at the time of the film’s release has now given way to a rewarding gesture towards them. Tanwani has requested them not to henceforth send him any overflow and also to desist from sending him the business statements of the film, as the film was now theirs and only theirs, till 28th November, 2002. Why, Nizam distributor Ravi Machhar’s cheque for overflow for the month of April, sent to Tanwani before the letter reached Machhar, was forthwith returned by Tanwani’s office to Machhar, with thanks.

In these times of ever-growing greed of producers, the gesture of Gordhan Tanwani has come as a very pleasant surprise. A heroic act that deserves the highest praise.

Aditya Chopra Teams Amitabh, Shah Rukh In Yash Chopra’s ‘Mohabbatein’: Uday Chopra To Make Debut

Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan will come together for the first time in Yash Chopra’s Mohabbatein, to be written and directed by Aditya Chopra. Uday, younger son of Yash Chopra, will make his acting debut with this film in which he, too, will play a leading role. Two more young boys and three young heroines, besides the other cast, are being finalised. Jatin Lalit have been signed to score the music. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi. Cinematographer: Manmohan Singh. Art: Sharmishta Roy.

The film will be launched with song recordings in June.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Shool’ Complete

With the completion of the last 15-day shooting schedule last week, the entire shooting of Dream Merchants’ Shool is now complete. Starring Raveena Tandon, Manoj Bajpayee, Sayaji Shinde, Vallabh Vyas, Ganesh Yadav, baby Aavi, Virendra Saxena and others, the film is jointly produced by Nitin Manmohan and Ramgopal Varma and directed by E. Niwas. Music is scored by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Lyrics: Sameer. Writer: Anurag Kashyap. Editing: Bhanodaya. Background music: Sandeep Chowta. Cinematography: Hari Nair.

‘Bichhoo’ Shot For 11 Days

Guddu Dhanoa’s Bichhoo, presented by Narinder Dhanoa, was shot in its second schedule from May 9 to 19 at Kamal Amrohi Studios, Gorai island and on various locales of Bombay. Bobby Deol participated along with Farida Jalal, Mohan Joshi and junior artistes. The film, being made under the banner of Bhagwan Chitra Mandir, co-stars Rani Mukerji and Raj Babbar. Music is by Anand Raaj Anand, and lyrics, by Sameer. Veena Sood is the executive producer.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Double-Role Voice

Is Amitabh Bachchan the only one playing a double role in Sooryavansham? No! Rekha, too, plays a dual role. Rekha?!? Well, it’s actually Rekha’s voice ‘playing’ a double role. For, the actress has dubbed for both the heroines of the film, viz. Soundarya and Jaya Sudha. On whose request did Rekha agree to dub for the two heroines? Your guess is as good as ours. But it must be added here that Rekha has done a fantastic job of the dubbing.

Incidentally, Sarath Kumar had played a double role (of father and son) in the Tamil original version, also titled Sooryavansham. Sarath Kumar was passing through the worst crisis of his career when Sooryavansham was released, having given 14 flops in a row, and Sooryavansham changed all that when it turned out to be one of the biggest hits of Tamil cinema! In the Telugu remake (again titled Sooryavansham), it was Venkatesh who was cast in the double roles of father and son. In fact, insiders say that Vikraman, who was to have directed the Hindi remake also (he had directed the Tamil and Telugu versions), backed out after shooting for a few days, because he was unhappy about Amitabh’s double role in the film.

Distributor’s Dilemma

There are problems when a film doesn’t do well and there are problems when it does very well — as Bombay distributor Balkrishna Shroff (Shringar Films) is realising. The concern’s Sarfarosh is presently doing so well in Bombay that Shringar is experiencing a lot of trouble finding suitable cinemas for its other big film, Biwi No. 1, which releases next week. At Cinemax, Goregaon, Bombay, the latter was booked from 28th May onwards, and its publicity was also put up in time at the cinema. However, the excellent run of Sarfarosh there posed a serious dilemma for the distributor and quite understandably so. After all, it makes no business sense to take off a film which is doing terrific business at a cinema and replace it with another. Fortunately for Shringar Films, it also controls the cinema and so was able to shift Biwi No. 1 to New Era, Malad. However, the case is quite different at other cinemas outside Shringar’s control. Whether they will succeed in solving their dilemma remains to be seen.

Hogi Pair Ki Jeet

Producer Anil Sharma must be one hell of a patient man, going by the number of changes that have been made in the star cast of his recently released Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet. When the film was launched, the two lead pairs were Ajay Devgan – Mamta Kulkarni and Ayub Khan – Ayesha Julka. However, that had to change when Mamta’s refusal to attend the shooting schedules led to her being replaced by Shipla Shetty in the film. The film had been shot in 8 reels with Ajay, Ayub and Ayesha in the meantime. But even this star cast had to change when Neha was added to the cast in Shilpa Shetty’s place, and the Ayub-Ayesha pair was replaced by Arshad Warsi and Mayuri Kango. Thus the final casting was arrived at. However, there cropped up one small problem. Renuka Shahane, who was then playing Ajay and Ayub’s bua (paternal aunt) in the film, suddenly decided that she looks too young to play Arshad’s bua! She was promptly replaced by Ketki Dave and only then, things fell into place.

‘Taal’: Music Of The Saal?

Now some news on the music front. Subhash Ghai’s Taal is easily one of the most awaited musical albums currently. If the three songs from the album, that Information has heard, are anything to go by, the film’s music score may well go on to be the ‘music of 1999’. The combination of A.R. Rahman’s masterful compositions, Anand Bakshi’s simple yet rich and meaningful lyrics, and Ghai’s musical genius are bound to create a magic that may last for a long time. In fact, it is a measure of the supreme confidence of Tips in the film’s music that it has decided to release a hitherto unheard of 15 lakh cassettes in the first lot itself! Well, it looks like record-breaking times are here — at least, musically speaking!