JEANS
(Dubbed)

Amritraj Solomon Communications P. Ltd.’s Jeans (dubbed from the Tamil film of the same name) is a love story. A girl falls in love with one of a pair of twins, but the father of the twins will hear nothing of getting his son married to her because he is adamant that his twin sons must be married to twin sisters only. The father, who himself has a twin brother, is fooled by the girl’s grandmother into believing that the girl, too, has a twin. The girl, in keeping with her grandmother’s wish, pretends, she has a twin sister. But finally, the truth is revealed, and the boys’ father refuses to relent. Ultimately, the aunt of the two boys steps in to convince the father of the futility of his adamant stand.

The film may have a novel story-line but the director has neither been able to make it a comedy nor a tear-jerker, although he attempts to do both. As the drama progresses, it appears as if a David Dhawan kind of a subject was being given an L.V. Prasad kind of a treatment. The humour is too South Indian to be lapped up by the Hindi film audience. As for the emotions, they simply don’t touch the heart and look too synthetic. Computer graphics (done by Pentafour) are brilliant but they will be appreciated only in cities. The track of the twin heroes is somewhat interesting but that of their father and his twin brother is too lengthy and boring.

Prashant is too fat but acts well in a double role. In dramatic scenes, he needs to improve. Aishwarya Rai would do well to give up her Miss World (and model) hangover because of which she is too stiff to be true. She looks pretty in some scenes in which her costumes (Neeta Lulla) are attractive. But her acting leaves a lot to be desired. Both, Prashant and Aishwarya, dance well. Nasser is good in a double role. Laxmi is quite natural. Radhika does a wonderful job. Senthil and Raju Sundaram do not appeal to the Hindi film audience. Janaki Sabesh is quite nice. S. Ve. Shekhar is so-so.

Shankar’s direction is average. A.R. Rahman’s music is very good. ‘Hai re hai re hai rabba’, ‘Ajooba’ and ‘Columbus’ songs are appealing. Song picturisations on foreign locations, including the wonders of the world, are breathtakingly beautiful. Photography is top class. Technically, brilliant. Production values are very good. Dubbing is okay.

On the whole, Jeans has a body beautiful (locations, photography) but not a matching soul (story, screenplay, emotions). It will, therefore, not appeal to the Hindi cine goers and, except in select cinemas in a handful of cities, it will fail to create any mark.

Released on 15-5-’98 at Metro and 6 other cinemas of Bombay thru Metro Films. Publicity: excellent. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor at most of the places.

HITLER

B.M.B. Productions’ Hitler is a tale of brotherhood, betrayal and the bad world. It is about an IPS officer who is posted as a jailor and who earns the nickname of Hitler because of his strictness. He has an educated but unemployed younger brother who almost worships him for his principles, an advocate-wife who has given up her practice, two younger sisters and a son. The jailor and the city’s high-profile don are in conflict with each other because the former does not succumb to the pressures of the latter. To teach the jailor a lesson, the don frames his (jailor’s) brother for a murder. While the jailor believes that his brother may have committed the crime, his wife wears the lawyer’s gown again, to prove her brother-in-law innocent. But when the jailor also realises that his brother is not the murderer, he tries to convince the police commissioner about his brother’s innocence. The commissioner’s unrelenting attitude, thanks to the don’s influence, forces the jailor to give in his resignation. Thereafter, he and his brother (who escapes from jail) alongwith a friend get the don arrested.

The revenge story is routine and there’s not even an attempt to offer anything new, neither in content nor in presentation. The first half is dull and boring. The film becomes a bit interesting after interval. Dialogues are ordinary. Emotions fall flat.

Mithun Chakraborty does well. Manik Bedi acts freely. Raghuvaran does alright as a sophisticated don. Hemant Birje is fair. Shilpa Shirodkar acts ably. Dipti Bhatnagar is passable. Johny Lever is funny at places. Mohnish Bahl, Shiva, Satyen Kappu, Aroon Bakshi, Sanjeeva and the others lend adequate support.

Direction passes muster. The film does not have the support of good music. Two songs have a bit of appeal but that’s about all. Song picturisations are routine. Photography is quite nice. Action scenes are not very thrilling.

On the whole, Hitler is an ordinary fare for small centres only. Its low price is about the only redeeming feature.

Released on 15-5-’98 at Alankar and 18 other cinemas of Bombay thru Dilsa Distributors Combine. Publicity: so-so. Opening: average. …….Also released all over.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week with an additional holiday for Buddha Poornima.

Duplicate has done well in most of the ‘A’ class centres. It should fetch commission in many circuits. 1st week Bombay 55,55,786 (90.89%) from 13 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 10,63,323 from 6 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Baroda about 94%, Padra 1,95,288, Rajkot 1,74,535, Jamnagar 1,30,768 (1 in matinee unrecd.), Adipur 1,13,055; Kolhapur 1,80,000 (1 unrecd.), Solapur 1,61,744; Hubli 3,11,255, Belgaum 3,89,833 from 3 cinemas, Dharwad 1,46,831; Delhi 47,21,500 (75.94%) from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,92,002 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,67,603, Agra 2,75,365, Allahabad 2,00,000, Meerut 1,76,262, Bareilly 1,34,292 (67.56%), Dehradun 1,75,000; Amritsar 52,156; Calcutta 20,22,553 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 8,61,482 from 6 cinemas, Amravati (30 shows) 1,82,453 (93%), Akola 1,76,234, Bhilai 2,23,125, Yavatmal 1,82,422; Indore 4,06,038 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 5,61,633 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 12,55,375 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 2,75,542; Hyderabad 37,40,023 from 14 cinemas, share 20,14,320; good in Mysore where it is expected to yield overflow; Vijayawada 3,07,050 (98%), Visakhapatnam 2,10,398 (98%).

Aunty No. 1 2nd week Bombay 14,83,014 (44.99%) from 8 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 83,416 (1 unrecd.), Rajkot (matinee) 17,796, Jamnagar (matinee) 8,175 (1 in regular unrecd.); Solapur 42,933; Hubli 98,374, Belgaum 97,814; Delhi 15,91,074 from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,81,235 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,45,860, Allahabad 71,800, Bareilly 65,329 (30.23%), Dehradun 51,295; Calcutta 2,76,927 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 1,10,179 from 2 cinemas, Akola 49,868, total 1,56,483, Dhule 70,352, Durg 58,604 (1st 98,679), Jalgaon 76,404, Yavatmal (4 days) 10,679; Bhopal 1,43,494; Jaipur 2,44,204 from 2 cinemas, 1st week Jodhpur 1,99,000; 2nd week Hyderabad 3,35,751 from 3 cinemas.

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya 7th week Bombay 8,80,808 (49.38%) from 6 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 98,451, Baroda (6 days) 78,744, Rajkot (mg. shows) 6,846; Kolhapur 63,000, Solapur (14 shows) 1,02,706, 1st week Barsi 62,369; 7th week Delhi 6,37,769 from 4 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,04,282, Lucknow 2,30,841, Agra 82,500, Allahabad 56,000, Bareilly 50,000 (26.21%), Dehradun 69,000; Calcutta 1,73,196; Nagpur 97,909, Akola 70,394, total 7,99,394, share 5,88,946, Bhilai 50,762, 4th week Wardha 38,340, 7th Chandrapur 66,143, total 8,00,360, 1st week Sagar 93,144; 7th week Bhopal (6 days) 1,13,420; Jaipur 1,91,216; Hyderabad 4,79,061 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

Chhota Chetan (partly dubbed, revived, 3-D), 4th week Bombay (TF) 20,95,391 (98.28%) from 3 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,62,073; 2nd week Kolhapur (TF, 6 days) 1,42,400, Solapur (TF) 1,29,390; 4th week Delhi 12,56,722 from 3 cinemas; 3rd week Kanpur 61,615, 4th Agra 67,000. Opened this week in Nizam (opening was very good in Hyderabad).

……….

RAMESH TAURANI BEREAVED

Parsram Shewakramani, father-in-law of Ramesh Taurani (Tips), expired on 11th May in Bombay.

SUBHASH GHAI TO LAUNCH HI-TECH STUDIO

Producer-director Subhash Ghai will soon launch a studio with post-production suites and a shooting floor in Bombay. The studio, located at plot no. A-18, New Link Road, Oshiwara, Andheri, is called Audeus and it is equipped with state-of-the-art equipments like Avid Media Composer 8000 with Film Option. Another plus point of the studio is its dubbing suite which boasts of Fairlights MFX3 Plus Digital Audio Work-station. Among the studio’s other features are an 8-track recording facility on MO disk, a single dedicated keyboard which controls both, audio and the Beta recorder, a non-linear editing system which allows single track on 8-track editing features, a Beta projection on 10′ X 7′ screen via Barco projector, an online UPS with 1-hour battery back-up, and a sound transfer room equipped with 35mm, DA 98, DAT, CD, etc.

Apart from these, Audeus also features an air-conditioned shooting floor that can be instantly converted into three to four types of offices, bedrooms or conference rooms. The floor has a ceiling with concealed lights.

MANOJ KHIVASARA TO WED

Marriage of Bombay distributor and exhibitor Manoj Khivasara (Mahalaxmi Film Distributors, Bombay, and Mahalaxmi Theatre, Nasik) with Neelu will be solemnised on 22nd May in Nasik at Nasik Club on Nasik-Pune Road.

GRAND-DAUGHTER FOR KISHINCHAND JANIANI

Prem Janiani, son of Kishinchand Janiani of Prem Films, Jaipur, was blessed with a baby girl on 7th May.

CINEMA TO REOPEN

Geeta Palace Cinema (previously known as Madhuban) is due to reopen shortly in Bareilly. The cinema has a seating capacity of 704 and a nett capacity of Rs. 3,409.38 per show. Its capacity for 28 shows is Rs. 95,462.64.

YOU ASKED IT

What is your personal opinion about the film industry being granted industry status by the government?

– It is not clear how many benefits of industry will accrue to the film industry or how much the film industry will be able to advantageously use the industry status. Power tariff for cinemas and studios will go down and that may be a great saving. Frankly speaking, ever since the government granted film business the status of an industry, it has become a fashion with the film industry people to simply express joy and excitement over the issue without really knowing what’s in store for the film industry.

What is the price at which Ramgopal Varma’s Satya is being sold?

– The producers expect 1 to 1.25 crore per major circuit.

Is it true that Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala have been paired in Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria’s new film?

– Yes, they’ve been teamed together in Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria’s new film, titled MANN.

Delhi HC Restrains Cable TV Operators From Telecasting Vinod Chopra’s ‘Kareeb’

Producer-director Vinod Chopra is leaving no stone unturned to protect his Kareeb from the menace of cable piracy. He recently filed a civil suit in the Delhi high court and has succeeded in obtaining, even before the film’s release, an ex parte civil injunction which presents Indus In Media and Siti Cable Networks Ltd. from telecasting Kareeb in any form till 22nd July, 1998 (the next date of hearing).

This is, perhaps, the first time a producer has attempted to restrain cable TV operators from telecasting his film illegally. Cable TV operators usually show new films just days after their theatrical release although they do not hold the rights for them.

Golden Voice Talat Mahmood Is Dead

Aye mere dil kahin aur chal
Gham ki duniya se dil bhar gaya
Dhoondh le ab koi ghar naya

Renowned playback singer of the forties, fifties and sixties, Talat Mahmood’s hit song from Daag rings true today after the death of the singer on 9th May at 8 a.m. at his residence in Bombay following a heart attack. He was 75.

Talat had been struck with Parkinson’s disease some years ago and he was in hibernation for almost a decade. He is survived by his wife, son Khalid, who is a singer, and a daughter.

Trained in music in the Morris College of Music in Lucknow, Talat had a penchant for singing right from his adolescent days. He was picked up by HMV and he recorded private songs in Calcutta. One such number, Tasveer teri dil mera bahala na sakegi, written by Faiyyaz Hashmi and composed by Kamal Dasgupta, sold over one lakh copies in the late 1940s and turned Talat into a singing sensation.

Music director Anil Biswas gave Talat a break in Bollywood in Arzoo in 1951. Aye dil mujhe aisi jagah le chal, which he rendered for Dilip Kumar in Arzoo, marked the beginning of his long association with Biswas and Dilip Kumar. It also made him a sought-after name in Bollywood with music directors like Naushad, Sajjad Hussain, Shankar Jaikishen, S.D. Burman, Khayyam, Salil Choudhury and others recording songs in his voice. His speciality was love-lorn and melodious songs.

Tasveer banata hoon, tasveer nahin banti, Mera jeevan saathi bichhad gaya, Jaltein hain jiske liye, Itna na mujhse tu pyar badha, Shaam-e-gham ki kasam, Phir wohi shaam wohi gham, Aahaa rimjhim ke yeh pyare pyare geet liye, Rahi matwale, Man dheere dheere gaye re, Husnwalon ko dil na do, Shukriya aye tera pyar shukriya, Aisi chali hawa ki khushi dukh mein dhal gayee and Mitwa nahi aaye were some of his hit numbers. He also sang geets and ghazals with unparalleled skill. The beauty of his voice was the quivering silken touch.

Talat also acted in some films like Waaris, Tu Aur Main, Samapti, Dak Babu, Ek Gaon Ki Kahani, Malik and Sone Ki Chidiya. But he wasn’t successful as an actor as he was as a singer.

Talat Mahmood’s funeral was a private affair. Manna Dey and Naushad’s son, Raju, were among the few outsiders who were present.

‘Thai Saheb’, ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ Bag Swarn Kamal

Girish Kasaravalli’s Thai Saheb (Kannada) has won the Swarn Kamal for the best film of 1997 in the 45th National Awards announced in Delhi on 9th May by jury chairperson B. Saroja Devi. Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai also bagged the Swarn Kamal for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment.

J.P. Dutta’s Border has won the Nargis Dutt Award for the best film on national integration. The Indira Gandhi award for the first film of a director has gone to A.K. Lohitdas for his Malayalam film Bhoothakannadi. Govind Nihalani’s Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa has won the National Award for the best Hindi film.

The best director award went to Jayaraaj for his Malayalam film Kaliyattam. The best actor award was shared by Balachandra Menon (Samaantharangal) and Suresh Gopi (Kaliyattam), both Malayalam films. Even the best actress award was shared by the two heroines of Dahan (Bengali), Indrani Halder and Rituparna Sengupta. The best supporting actor award went to Prakash Raj for Iruvar (Tamil). Karisma Kapoor won the best supporting actress award for Dil To Pagal Hai. Javed Akhtar won the award for the best lyricist for his song Sandese aate hain in Border.

Winners in the regional films category were: Dahan (Bengali) by Rituparno Ghosh, Shesh Drusti (Oriya), Main Maa Punjab Di (Punjabi), written and directed by Balwant Dullat and produced by Devinder Walia, Mangamma (Malayalam), Terrorist (Tamil), Moongarina Minchu (Kannada) and Sindooram (Telugu).

Other award winners were: best screenplay – Rituparno Ghosh (Dahan, Bengali); best music – M.M. Keervani (Annamayya, Telugu); best cinematography – Santosh Sivan (Iruvar, Tamil); best editing – Sreekar Prasad (Terrorist, Tamil); best audiography – Sampath (Ennu Swantham Janakikutty, Malayalam); best art direction – Ramesh Desai (Thai Saheb, Kannada); best costume designer – Vaishali Kasaravalli (Thai Saheb, Kannada); best choreographer – Shiamak Davar (Dil To Pagal Hai); best male playback singer – Hariharan (Mere dushman mere bhai in Border); best female playback singer – Chitra (Payale chun mun in Virasat).

Ramaayanam (Telugu), directed by Guna Shekhar, won the best children’s film award. Dhanraj won the best child actor award for his performance in Dhanna.

Jury’s special award for the best actress went to Jayamala. Deepa Gahlot won the award for the best film critic.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Lata Mangeshkar had never rendered a song under the direction of composer A.R. Rahman until recently. She has now sung under him for three films — Boney Kapoor’s PUKAAR, Nazir Ahmed’s Jackie-Shah Rukh starrer, and Mani Ratnam’s DIL SE.

* DTPH is the fourth film of Yash Chopra to bag the National Award for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment. His three earlier award winners were CHANDNI, DARR and DDLJ. A great feat indeed!

* Javed Akhtar has won the National Award for his lyrics for the second consecutive year. He won it last year for SAAZ, and this year for BORDER.

* Following some differences between producer K.C. Bokadia and his financier, the deliveries of his HITLER this week could be effected only late. As a result, the film could not open on Friday in some circuits. In Bombay too, matinee shows of the film were cancelled on Friday. Bombay distributor Dilip Dhanwani had to reportedly pay more than his contracted amount for the delivery.

* Tips has decided to have a Friday release for its JAB PYAAR KISISE HOTA HAI all over. Even in U.P., C.P., C.I. and Orissa, the film will not open on Thursday, as is normal.

* While there’s no system of advance booking in Jaipur (or, for that matter, anywhere in Rajasthan), distributor Sunderdas Sonkiya tried it with an English film, TITANIC. He opened plans for the film at Prem Prakash cinema, Jaipur, on Wednesday and the response to the advance booking was very good! The film has opened this week at Prem Prakash and Mayank.

* It is noteworthy that a Gujarati film, Amar Kumar Jadeja’s BENI BAAR BAAR VARSE HUN AVYO, has been sold for Gujarat and Saurashtra on announcement itself. Its audio rights have been sold. …..The theme song for the film was recorded on 13th May at Ajivasan Sound live — that is, tracks and the voices playing simultaneously. The unusually long song has a duration of 24 minutes.

* Distributors of Bihar are seriously contemplating taking deliveries of films on Fridays and releasing them in their circuit on Sundays. This idea is the result of exorbitant film prices, poor fate of recent releases, and the invariable delay in the arrival of prints in Bihar.

* The Kannada remake of the Tamil super-hit KAATHAL KOTTAI, titled YARE NEENU CHALUVE, is dong very well in Karnataka and is poised to be a hit. It has been produced by Rockline Venkatesh and directed by D. Rajendra Babu.

MIX MASALA

TIT FOR TAT?

At the national conference on ‘Challenges before Indian Cinema’ on 10th May at The Leela Kempinski, Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde referred, in his speech, to star-MP Vinod Khanna as “Vinod Kumar”. Later, Dilip Kumar, in his speech, inadvertently addressed Gopinath Munde as “home minister”. A case of tit for tat? Well, that wasn’t all. FICCI chairman K.K. Modi addressed I & B minister Sushma Swaraj as “Shri” instead of “Smt.”!

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Mr. Ashok Tahirani of Ashoka Enterprises, Indore, is in town (634-2335) and will return to Indore on 17th May.

Producer and director Rakesh Roshan will leave for Australia to scout locations for KAHO NAA…PYAR HAI, on 20th May and will return after 10-12 days.

Mr. Balkrishna Shroff of Shringar Films, Bombay, will be back from Singapore on 18th May.

Mr. Ravi Machhar of Abhinay Cinema, Aurangabad, left Bombay for Bangalore today (16th May) and will be back tomorrow.

INDUSTRY STATUS FOR FILM INDUSTRY AT LAST

It was like a typical Hindi film. The best part came in the climax. Before that, the national conference on ‘Challenges before Indian Cinema’ had its highs and lows. But its climax was absolutely unexpected and unpredictable. Perhaps, it was because of that that the conference, organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FICCI) and the Film Federation of India (FFI) on 10th May at The Leela Kempinski Hotel, was such a grand hit.

The climax comprised the new BJP government’s I & B minister, Sushma Swaraj, granting industry status to film business. Amidst a standing ovation, Sushma Swaraj announced that she and her government had accorded the status of industry to the film business.

The film industry had been fighting for this status since years. In fact, so concerted had the fight become in the last few years that FFI president Santosh Singh Jain said, after the industry was granted recognition as an industry, that May 10 should be celebrated as the film industry’s Liberation Day. However, FFI general secretary K.D. Shorey felt, it was too premature to celebrate the industry status. According to Shorey, “The day even 10 producers can get finance from banks due to the industry status, will be the day for celebration.”

Although it may take some time before the actual benefits of an industry accrue to the film business, once that starts, it may be possible for film producers to borrow money from banks and financial institutions. What’s more, the power tariff of cinema houses may be brought down at par with the tariff of other industries. Besides these, a whole lot of other advantages will also accrue to the industry once the modalities are worked out. But there may also be some disadvantages attached to the industry status.

Sushma made it clear that the decision to grant industry status was not a momentous one or to win any applause, but that it was a well-thought of decision because it was needed for the betterment of cinema and for promoting good films. She informed that she had discussed the matter with finance minister Yashwant Sinha before attending the conference, and the modalities would be worked out soon and a notification, issued.

Sushma Swaraj, who had come well prepared for the conference, in a very business-like talk, dealt with every point raised in the earlier sessions of the conference. She said that the industry would be put on the concurrent list, and an amendment bill would be placed in Parliament in the next session for that. That would help the government tackle the thorny issues of the industry, she added.

On the demand for forming an export council for promotion of films abroad, she readily agreed to form a Film Export Council, considering it a necessary step to increase the export earnings from films, which had grown from a meagre Rs. 15 crore to Rs. 150 crore in the last five years, just on the industry’s own efforts.

NO ABOLITION OF CENSOR BOARD

Sushma refused to scrap the Censor Board as demanded by many members of the industry. However, she put forth her own idea of a green channel and another red channel of censorship, if the industry agreed to have self-censorship as it was doing in the case of film posters. She explained, “If the producer considers his film fit for universal screening and feels, it does not violate any censor guidelines, he can go through the green channel, which means, he can release the film without going to the Censor Board. In other cases, he can pass through the red channel, which means that he would have to obtain a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification. But she warned that if anything objectionable was found in the films cleared through the green channel, stringent punishment would be imposed on the producer. She asked the members of the industry to think over it and discuss the matter with her.

On her own, the I & B minister also mooted the idea of forming a development council for films, under her own ministry. The council, she added, would also have leaders of the film industry as members. The council will discuss industry problems on a quarterly basis and thus, the industry would not have to run after the ministers, but would rather be invited by the ministers themselves, she explained. In this way, efforts would be made to solve the industry’s problems as soon as possible. She also said, she wanted to form a group of key advisors from the film world, and the advisors so selected would have to be ‘spotless’ people.

Earlier, welcoming the minister, FICCI president K.K. Modi repeated FICCI’s decision to accept filmmaking as an industry and to take the film industry in its fold.

He urged the government to change those policies which were not beneficial for the industry and remove all the impediments in the growth of the film industry. He said, finance was the life-blood of business, and the doors to get finance from banks and financial institutions should be opened for the film industry by recognising it as an industry just like FICCI had recognised it. He lamented the gross violation of intellectual property rights by indiscreet cable TV operators, as well as the other problems of the industry which needed urgent attention.

Shabana Azmi, tracing the history and development of the film industry in brief, right from the days of Dadasaheb Phalke, said that Indian cinema was the only cinema in the world which had not been affected by Hollywood films because “Indians love Indian films wherever they are”. She emphasised that the National Film Development Corporation had been established with the idea of promoting good films and it had done a lot of good work but it was changing track under some compulsion and that it should redefine its role now to make a fruitful contribution in the development of the film industry. She condemned the flogging of Hindi cinema by people from different walks of life, politicians included, without any rhyme or reason, just to get some publicity. Shabana urged the government to look into the problems of the industry urgently and sympathetically. She also emphasised the need for some soul-searching by the industry people.

HINDI: INDUSTRY’S GREATEST CONTRIBUTION

Shatrughan Sinha, in his forceful address, said that the major need of the industry was finance (and not lectures from ministers) for the promotion of the film industry, and even the fate of good films hung in mid-air for want of finance. He said, the film industry’s greatest contribution to the country was the Hindi language which had not only helped in national integration but had also attracted people of the other parts on the world to India. He urged the government to check piracy of films and also asked Indians not to copy films and music of other countries.

The representative of South Indian films, Gangadharan, presented a shawl to the I & B minister.

Inaugurating the conference in the morning, thespian Dilip Kumar lamented the conditions of the film industry due to cancerous taxation and lack of clean financial resources. He said, multi-taxation had killed about 25 great film institutions like Bombay Talkies, Prabhat Theatres and New Theatres and today’s filmmakers were suffering because of non-availability of finance from banks and financial institutions.

FICCI & FILM INDUSTRY

In his welcome address in the morning, FICCI president K.K. Modi first recognised filmmaking as an industry and the film industry as a partner of FICCI. Concluding his address, he announced that during FICCI’s annual awards function from this year onwards, a special award would be given to a person in visual media, for creativity.

Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister, Gopinath Munde, announced that if the Union government created a kitty of Rs. 1,000 crore for financing films, the government of Maharashtra would contribute Rs. 100 crore in it as its share. Regarding tax concessions, he invited a viable proposal from the film industry.

In his keynote address, former chairman of the National Film Development Corporation, D.V.S. Raju, said that with this national conference, the film industry had opened a new chapter in its history. He pointed out the need to get financial support from banks and financial institutions, saying that till now, the film industry was depending on the resources generated internally for producing 850-900 films every year in 14 languages to cater to millions of audience through a network of about 12,000 cinemas. Finance was also needed to construct more theatres, he added. He pleaded for the abolition of entertainment tax or at least for bringing it down to normal sales tax level and for stopping illegal screening of films on cable.

Raju commented that AIR’s royalty being paid to Indian film songs was not only the lowest but also discriminatory because an English song was paid Rs. 10 whereas Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and other Indian songs were paid only Rs. 2 per song. He wanted it increased to Rs. 25 per song.

Shyam Benegal blamed the present system of film financing as being responsible for pushing cinema into today’s pathetic situation. Professionalism and creativity in filmmaking had had to take a second place to ensure the security of investment against risks, he added.

PUNITIVE TAXES

“Film industry is taxed in a manner that suggests that these are punitive in nature, designed, perhaps inadvertently, to discourage cinema rather than encourage the industry,” said Benegal and asked the government to be rational. He also said, filmmakers saw censorship as a needless sources of aggravation, unnecessary and undeserved, while the Censor Board looked at the filmmaker as some kind of a subversive, intent on polluting the cultural landscape. “A cat-and-mouse game is played between the censors and the filmmakers and that had made censorship infructuous and meaningless,” he concluded.

Vinod Khanna, now a member of Parliament too, in his volatile speech, pleaded to the government not to give a step-motherly treatment to films. He emphasised on the role played by the film industry in national integration. He pointed out some ways to get finance and develop the film world. He also emphasised the need for self-retrospection by the film industry.

EXTORTION MONEY, NOT ENTERTAINMENT TAX

Presenting a vote of thanks, FFI president Santosh Singh Jain hoped “the new government will not lack the necessary political will to study and understand the perpetual problems of the film industry and take suitable steps to solve them.” Jain pointed out that inadequate market was the greatest hurdle in the development of even regional films and thus more theatres were needed to be constructed in most parts of the country. Jain called entertainment tax a malady which was the mother of all ills, and termed it ‘extortion money’ rather than entertainment tax.

The first session of the conference was devoted to ‘Industry status for film industry’. P.G. Mankad, secretary, I & B, chaired it. Co-chairman Amit Khanna said that some states had granted a partial industry status to films, but not the government of India. Recognition as an industry was just the first step towards an organised growth of film entertainment business. Institutional finance on reasonable terms would go a long way in relieving the film industry which provides direct employment to 10 lakh people and indirect to 20 lakh others, he said.

Khanna suggested that a methodology be developed to value the intellectual property rights so that producers could offer these assets as collateral security for raising money from banks etc. He asked the government to involve industry professionals in all decisions which affected the smooth functioning of the film industry and to put the industry on its concurrent list. He also suggested that a Film & TV Promotion Council be established by the government.

SERIOUS BUSINESS

Subhash Ghai pointed to the insecure position of filmmakers who are affected more by loose perceptions and biased government officials. Until and unless the filmmakers were made secure, to expect good films from them would be futile, he explained. Film business was a serious business and it needed industry status for its survival, he added.

Arijit Dutta, an exhibitor of Calcutta, was critical of the government for using the film industry as the proverbial golden goose. In a well-worded speech, he said, the industry deserved to be given the status of other industries.

Mankad assured that he would put the industry’s viewpoint before the government.

P.R. Dasgupta, secretary, education, ministry of Human Resource Development, chaired the second session, on ‘Intellectual property rights and Indian film industry’. Speaking as co-chairperson, K.D. Shorey threw light on the Copyright Act and said, despite the Indian Copyright Act being one of the most comprehensive and fair pieces of legislation, copyright holders were suffering because of the utter apathy, indifference and, sometimes, the callous attitude of the executive, both, in the states and at the centre, and the enforcement agencies. He insisted that it was the duty of the state to ensure with diligence the protection of the arts and inventions. During the last 10 years, some 800-odd cases were made against pirates but even a minimum punishment had not been granted in a single case, the lamented.

Mrs. P.V. Valsala G. Kutty, registrar of copyrights, presented a paper on copyrights.

P.R. Dasgupta agreed with K.D. Shorey and assured help in the best possible manner.

The third session was devoted to ‘Taxation issues related to the film industry’. Former I & B secretary P. Murari chaired the session. Yash Chopra, dwelling on section 80HHC of the Income-Tax Act, said that with the introduction of the section in 1983 with the object of giving incentives to exporters of films, 100% exemption on export earnings was allowed. As a result, there was a remarkable jump in software exports from about Rs. 20 crore per annum to Rs. 150 crore per annum. However, suddenly, the I-T department changed its stand and held that export of software was not entitled to deduction under the section as films were not ‘goods’ or ‘merchandise’. The entire film fraternity had become the victim of a rather fanciful interpretation of the said section by a couple of assessing officers in the I-T department, he sighed.

Yash Chopra requested for a complete abolition of countervailing duty on import of raw stock and the unreasonable restrictions imposed on film producers for film shootings abroad.

HIGHLY DISCRIMINATORY

South’s L. Suresh informed that section 285B of the I-T Act, which makes it compulsory for the producer to file a statement containing particulars of payments of over Rs. 5,000 in the aggregate made by him or due from him to each such person as was engaged by him in the production, within 30 days of the completion of the film, was only for the film trade. It was highly discriminatory and should be removed, he added.

Sv. Rm. Ramanathan from South presented the entertainment tax structure in the various states and appealed to the government to abolish entertainment tax.

The chief commissioner of income-tax, B. Mishra, assured that he would look into the matter and do the needful.

INSURANCE FACILITIES

In the final session on ‘Institutional financing for film industry’, chaired by V. Subramaniam, executive director, Reserve Bank of India, and co-chaired by K.G. Dossani, problems in bank financing for films were discussed. Dossani pointed out that there was no National Film Policy till today though a working group on National Film Policy had made various recommendations in 1980. He said, banks treated film production as a low-priority and high-risk activity. Film industry needed concessional finance from institutions, for which appropriate surety in the form of pledges of Intellectual Property Rights could be provided. He said, insurance facilities must be made available, covering risk, as was being done in the cases of other industries.

K. Kannan, deputy chairman, Indian Banks Association, put forward the banks’ difficulties in providing finance for films.

Chairman Subramaniam informed that the Reserve Bank had not put any restrictions on banks for providing finance for films. When a suggestion was made that a committee should be formed to study film financing, he readily agreed.

FFI treasurer N.N. Sippy proposed the vote of thanks. FICCI general secretary Dr. Amit Mitra conducted the programme very efficiently.

Mixed Reactions To Industry Status

B.R. CHOPRA

I am more than happy with what we have achieved so far. The whole demand for the industry status was to gain respectability as far as film finance is concerned. Now that this demand is granted, we must show, by our future doing, that we deserve it.

BHARAT SHAH

I think, the move will only benefit five or six people in the industry. The change will remain only symbolic in nature as it will fail to achieve anything practically. The banks will only grant finance to those producers who can provide some kind of security. Very few producers will be able to do that. Hence some may bribe a bank official to get a loan approved. However, when the banks will be unable to recover such loans, they will become stricter and the whole scenario will revert to what it is today.

RAMESH SIPPY (Bombay distributor)

It is definitely a move in the positive direction, but how much it will achieve remains to be seen. We should be happy if we are able to derive even 10% of the total benefits expected out of this measure.

SAAWAN KUMAR TAK

It is difficult to say that the change will be for the better. In my opinion, the exercise will only help four-five people at the top. For the rest, it will not make any difference whatsoever. Of course, some producers will go on to bribe the bank managers to get loans approved and, as a result, the industry will earn a bad reputation. In a nutshell, the move will make the rich richer while the poor will remain as they are.

U.A. THADANI

All are very happy. Something will surely come out of it.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Figures Frighten Him; His Figures Frighten All

It does look like Dilip Kumar was not briefed properly before he delivered the opening speech at the National Conference on ‘Challenges before Indian Cinema’. How else could one explain the faux pas he committed during his speech? Dilip Kumar claimed that out of every Rs. 100 collected by a film at the ticket window, only about Rs. 4 or 5 comes to the producer! Such an erroneous remark leads one to wonder whether he meant that the rest of the earnings go to fill the government’s coffers? We do not think so. Maybe, he meant that the exhibitors/distributors take away a very large part of a film’s earnings as compared to the producers. But even if Dilip Kumar thinks so, what was the necessity to bring up this issue at the conference with the government. After all, the issue (of sharing a film’s earnings) is an internal one. Why drag the government into it? And Mr. Dilip Kumar should know that if the distributor keeps his share, it is because he has already given the producer an MG royalty amount even before the film has been released. It would have been wiser for Dilip Kumar if he had taken his self-confessed fear for figures more seriously and stayed away from playing with them. For, at the same conference, he revealed that Mathematics was his weakest subject and he used to score just 4 marks in a paper of 100!

Rather Funny

Distributors in Amravati are governed by a different Income-Tax Act, it seems. Although the income-tax rules provide that amortisation of MG royalty and cost of prints and publicity is allowed if the film is released at least six months prior to the year-ending, in reality, the Amravati income-tax office does not allow the amortisation if a film has not realised its cost, even if it is released 6 months prior to the year-end. In such a case (when a film does not recover its MG royalty, cost of prints and publicity), the I-T department allows each print cost to be allowed only if that print (the cost of which is claimed) has been screened for a stipulated number of weeks, which is too high. There’s no such provision in the Income-Tax Act or the Rules, and it is only the Amravati distributors who have to maintain a record of the print utilisation. Distributor Pramod Munot has won in the appeal against the department, before the CIT (A) as well as the Appellate Tribunal. But the department has now appealed to the high court.

‘Double Role’ Party

The Hindi dubbed version of Jeans was premiered at Metro Cinema, Bombay, on 14th May. The film’s all-India rights holders, Metro Films, also organised a grand party at the Taj Mahal Hotel after its premiere. Now, call it a coincidence or whatever, the wedding anniversary of Tolu Bajaj (who is one of the major partners in Metro Films) fell on the same day. In fact, he was married 23 years ago at the very venue of the Jeans party — that is, the Ball Room of Taj Mahal! And no, the party on 14th May, 1998 was not at all a planned coincidence. In keeping with the film’s ‘double roles’ flavour — it has double roles of hero Prashant as well as of Nasser — the premiere party had a double significance.

DUPLICATE

Dharma Productions’ Duplicate (UA) is a comedy film. It is the story of two guys, not related to each other but who look exactly similar. While one is a simpleton, the other is a crook and a killer. The police is after the killer but they arrest the simpleton twice by mistake. Ultimately, the crook is killed by his own girlfriend. The simpleton also has his girlfriend and the comedy of errors makes the two girls romance with the wrong partners at one point of time.

The film has a number of cute and light moments which make the viewer laugh. But like too much of anything is bad, even too much laughter gets tiring after a while. There’s just no romance, not much seriousness in the drama, and the comedy, at times, looks far-fetched too. After a point of time, even the crook and the police begin to behave like comedians. Nevertheless, for the class of audience, which doesn’t look for a well-defined story line but can do with good comic punches in its place, the film does afford good entertainment. Of course, some of the jokes are of the type which can be appreciated only by the educated/class/city audience. Climax is weak.

Shah Rukh Khan is splendid. As the simpleton, he shines with a perfect sense of timing and a performance that requires the greatest skill. He is not as good in the role of a crook, though. In fact, there’s so much of Shah Rukh in the film that his fans will take it as a feast but too much of Shah Rukh may irritate the ones who aren’t crazy about him. Juhi Chawla looks pretty and does a fantastic job. Her sense of comedy, too, is absolutely praiseworthy. Sonali Bendre looks glamorous and acts ably. Farida Jalal is excellent as the simpleton Shah Rukh’s mother. Mohnish Bahl is truly restrained and effective. Tiku Talsania lends good light moments. Gulshan Grover leaves a mark. Sharat Saxena, Rana Jung Bahadur, Vishwajeet Pradhan and the rest provide adequate support. Kajol’s friendly appearance is too brief to register in the viewer’s mind.

Given the comedy subject, direction is very appropriate. But the more discerning audience would have expected a more well-defined story and more variety of masala. Music is below the mark. Although the ‘Mere mehboob mere sanam’ song is well-tuned, there’s no hit number and some of the other songs are slow. However, song picturisations (Farah Khan) are eye-filling, and the foreign locales, on which most of them have been shot, are a treat to watch. Special effects and computer graphics (showing two Shah Rukhs even touching each other) are splendid. Photography is of a very good standard and so are the other technical and production values. Sets are opulent. Action scenes are so-so. Dialogues are very witty at many places.

On the whole, Duplicate will appeal mainly to kids and youngsters but there will be a section of the audience which will find so much comedy too difficult to digest. At best, it will remain a city fare which will do well in ‘A’ class centres, especially in Bombay, Maharashtra and South.

Released on 8-5-’98 at Liberty and 20 other cinemas of Bombay thru Modern Movies. Publicity: excellent. Opening: very good. …….Also released all over. Opening was a little below the mark in Delhi, C.P. and C.I. 1st day Jaipur 2,39,670/- from 4 cinemas.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week. However, collections were adversely affected at several places on 7th due to Mohurram. On the other hand, collections were good on 1st May owing to Labour Day holiday.

Aunty No. 1 did well in the first 4-5 days but once the decline in collections started thereafter, it dropped rather badly. 1st week Bombay 33,19,247 (64.68%) from 13 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,42,138 from 5 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot 73,957 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar (matinee) 14,242 (1 in regular unrecd.); Pune 8,47,510 from 5 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,63,514, Solapur 1,33,598; Hubli 1,29,986, Belgaum 1,37,645; Delhi 29,31,904 (59.59%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H., 1 unrecd.); Kanpur 2,81,136 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,75,772, Bareilly 91,266 (42.25%); Amritsar 52,156; Calcutta 14,06,880 from 14 cinemas; Nagpur 5,92,665 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,18,453, Amravati 1,43,102, Akola 1,06,615, Dhule 1,06,013, Raipur 1,57,181 (57.91%), Jalgaon 1,39,395, Chandrapur 1,17,300; Indore 2,95,161 from 2 cinemas (4 on F.H.), Bhopal 2,71,565 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 7,61,508 from 4 cinemas; Hyderabad 20,85,007 from 11 cinemas.

Salaakhen crashed further in 2nd week. 2nd week Bombay 23,21,905 (61.11%) from 10 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 58,227 (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,06,750, Jamnagar 59,390; Pune 5,38,516 from 5 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,06,000, Solapur 1,51,348; Delhi 13,66,374 from 8 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,04,015 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,13,330, Bareilly 51,834 (23.20%), Hardwar 42,000; Calcutta 6,15,698 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 1,33,162, Jabalpur 1,48,345, total 3,80,406, Amravati 1,34,963, total 3,80,922, Akola 80,042, total 2,86,017, Raipur 81,870, Jalgaon 1,13,442, Chandrapur 83,604, total 2,73,101; Indore 1,27,000, Bhopal 1,63,616 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,90,129 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 6,35,522 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon, 1 on F.H.); 1st week Vijayawada 1,93,186.

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya 6th week Bombay 10,33,977 (46.11%) from 6 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,07,828, Rajkot 59,611, Jamnagar 32,845, total 4,59,548; Pune 4,27,174 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 77,600, Solapur (14 shows) 1,13,947; Delhi 5,21,013 from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,26,520, Lucknow 2,28,042, Bareilly 42,153 (18.73%); Nagpur 1,80,167 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 80,696, total 8,38,749, Amravati 1,03,304, Akola 90,037, total 7,29,000, share 5,48,026, Raipur 82,904, Wardha 45,868, Chandrapur 63,184; Bhopal (6 days) 1,29,993; Jaipur 2,04,027; Hyderabad 5,32,194 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

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Chhota Chetan (partly dubbed, revived, 3-D) 3rd week Bombay (TF) 21,32,004 (100%) from 3 cinemas; Ahmedabad 1,81,483, Rajkot 1,32,742; Pune (TF) 4,05,411, 1st week Kolhapur (TF, 6 days) 1,49,772, Solapur (TF) 1,85,193; 3rd week Delhi 9,14,840 from 2 cinemas; 2nd week Kanpur 62,871.

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Lakhtar Ni Laadi Ne Vilayat No Var (Gujarati, TF) 1st week Ahmedabad 2,22,791 from 4 cinemas (2 unrecd.), dull.

Shandhyug (Marathi, TF) 1st week Bombay 1,57,848 (36.01%) from 3 cinemas.

Tu Tithe Mee (Marathi, TF) 2nd week Bombay (matinee) 90,133 (65.54%).

Jeans (Tamil) is steady in Tamil Nadu and collected very well in 2nd week.

Jeans (Telugu) 2nd week Hubli 98,365, Dharwad 37,914 (1st 69,387); 1st week Tenali 1,40,750, Ongole 1,73,800, 2 week’s total from Vijayawada 8,84,461 from 3 cinemas, Machilipatnam 1,98,854.

Titanic (English) 9th week Bombay 38,70,042 (84%) from 8 cinemas; 2nd week Ahmedabad (14 shows) 2,94,204 (1 unrecd.); 8th week Delhi 14,38,640 from 3 cinemas; 2nd week Lucknow 2,80,434; 9th week Calcutta 3,50,210; 1st Nagpur 2,37,300 (100%); 8 weeks’ total at Vijayawada 26,37,140.

NEW MINI CINEMA OPENS IN BOMBAY

A new luxurious cinema house, Movie Time, opened on 8th May at Malad (West) in Bombay with Duplicate in two shows and Titanic in two. Situated at Jagdamba Complex, Kanchpada, the 330-seater has a beautiful exterior as well as interior and is equipped with imported Christie projectors, Xenon illuminator, QSC Dolby digital amplifier and 12 JBL speakers of 800 watts each. The seats are cushioned and comfortable and are fitted with cup-holders. There is only one class in the cinema.

Admission rate is Rs. 70. The capacity per show is Rs. 14,231.25, and the capacity for 28 shows is Rs. 3,98,475. Telephone nos.: 880-4022/4023/2164.

For booking tickets in advance, arrangements for telefax system upto Lokhandwala Complex and online booking on internet have been made.

Movie Time is owned by Lalit Kapur.

KOTA COURT DIRECTS SHAH RUKH, JUHI TO APPEAR ON MAY 21

Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and the story writer, director and producer of Ram-Jaane have been directed to appear in the court of the senior chief magistrate (1), Kota, Brijmohan Bansal, on May 21. The order was issued by the magistrate, rejecting Shah Rukh’s appeal to dismiss the case filed against him in 1997. The case was filed by pleaders of Kota — Mohammed Akram, Meghraj Singh Shaktawat, Kailash Bamania, Satyanarain Dhaman, Satyanarain Goel and others — objecting to the derogatory remarks against the pleaders in Ram-Jaane. Earlier, on an appeal by the defendants, the Jaipur high court had directed them to file their objections in the court of the magistrate, which was ultimately rejected by the magistrate.

Even Shah Rukh Khan Is Incomplete Without Hit Music

Everyone in the trade had expected Duplicate to take a bumper opening. It had Shah Rukh Khan, after all. And Shah Rukh had DTPH and Pardes behind him.

However, the opening of Duplicate on Thursday/Friday was anything but bumper. At places, it was good or very good, at other places, it was not even good.

What went wrong? Well, nothing actually. The only wrong thing was the industry’s assumption that Duplicate would command a fantastic initial. What the industry got taken in by was the presence of Shah Rukh and the excellent publicity. But what the industry forgot was that Duplicate did not have hit music. What it also forgot was that even Shah Rukh Khan must have the advantage of hit music to command an initial draw.

The music of Pardes became a rage only after the film was released. Therefore, despite the presence of Shah Rukh Khan and the name of Subhash Ghai, it didn’t open to bumper houses at many places. On the other hand, Shah Rukh’s DTPH and Koyla boasted of hit music, and both the films, therefore, recorded phenomenal opening day collections.

So, it is a fallacy to think that Shah Rukh alone is enough for a bumper initial draw. What is needed is Shah Rukh Khan plus hit songs. Without the latter, you can definitely hope for a decent opening but not a crazy opening.

Telephone Calls For Trustworthy Confirmation

Our office telephones rang endlessly yesterday (Friday, 8th May). Not as much for the reports of Duplicate, as for knowing which of Hitler and Mard would make it to the cinemas on 15th May, that is, next week. The reason for the hundreds of calls was the uncertainty over the release of Hitler and Mard. Both these films were scheduled to be seen by the censors on the same day (8th May). At around 2.30 p.m., news poured in that Hitler had not only been seen by censors in Madras but had also been cleared for universal exhibition. The other bit of news was that Mard would not be seen by the censors that day.

Desperate distributors and exhibitors all over India wanted to know the correct position from us. While it was certain in the afternoon that Hitler had won the race to the box-office over Mard, by 4 p.m., there was a rumour that Mard was also being seen by the censors in Madras. This brought the film back in the race. Matters became more complex because many exhibitors had booked both the films, assuming that they wouldn’t be released simultaneously. While distributors of both the films in almost every circuit claimed that it was their film which would come, and not the other, exhibitors didn’t know whom to believe and whom not.

Why, producer K.C. Bokadia, stationed in Madras, made it a point to himself telephone all his distributors and inform that Hitler had been censored and would be released on 15th. In the meantime, by the evening of Friday, it was clear that Mard had not been seen by the censors, as rumoured.

As one rumour led to another, the level of desperation of distributors and exhibitors went up. This became evident to us when we began to receive the strangest of all requests. Like this distributor of Mard, who literally pleaded with us to do anything within our powers, but to get Mard released first! “Aap kuchh bhi kijiye, lekin Mard ko 15th ko le aaiye!”, the distraught distributor said.

But no, Mard will now be seen by the Madras regional office of the CBFC on 12th May. The released date will be finalised only thereafter. It could be 22nd or 29th May or even 5th June.

YOU ASKED IT

When Chhota Chetan, in its 3-D version, is doing well in its repeat-run too, why did the 3-D technology not catch on in India?

– Because of the headache involved in distributing 3-D spectacles to cine goers. Literally also, the wearer of 3-D spectacles complains of a headache after a while!

When did the levy of entertainment tax on films begin in India?

– The first tax was levied in 1922 in Bengal, followed by Bombay in 1923. The rate was 12½%.

What is more important for a film — a hit star or hit music?

– Both are equally important for ensuring a bumper opening.

CENSOR NEWS

Varma Corporation Ltd.’s Satya was given C.C. No. CIL/3/22/98 (A) dt. 5-5-’98; length 5017.14 metres in 17 reels (cuts: 10.96 metres).

Jeans Productions’ Jeans (dubbed), seen on 8th in Madras, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/1/0422/98 (U) 8-5-’98; length 4746.38 metres in 16 reels (no cut).

B.M.B. Productions’ Hitler, seen on 8th in Madras, has been passed with U certificate, without cut.

Roopvati Pictures’ Mard and Makewell Films International’s Hatyara will be seen on 12th in Madras.

P.M. Films’ Sar Utha Ke Jiyo has been offered A certificate, with cuts.

Deepak Arts’ Iski Topi Uske Sarr has been offered UA certificate, with cuts.

Samna International’s Zanjeer – The Chain has been offered A certificate, with cuts.

Tips Films P. Ltd.’s Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai (length 4633.26 metres in 16 reels), applied on 6th and seen on 8th, has been reportedly okayed.

Pooja Bhatt Productions’ Dushman (length 4262.93 metres in 15 reels) was applied on 8th.

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Mr. Vinay Choksey of VIP Enterprises, Bombay, is expected back from Australia after two weeks.

Mr. Ramdhan Mamoria of Shreedhan Enterprises, Jaipur, and Mr. Kishanchand Jain of Rekha Films, Jaipur, are at Hotel Neelkanth (649-5566/7/8).

Mr. Ajay Chudasama of Rajshri Cinema, Gandhinagar, left for Gandhinagar this morning (9th May).

Mr. Mohan Kasat of Mohan Chitra, Amravati, is in town.

Mr. Ravi Machhar of Sahyog Films, Hyderabad and Abhinay Cinema, Aurangabad, is in town.

Producer Mahendra Dhariwal will leave for Ooty on 10th for the shooting of his DADA and will stay at Hotel Monarch (44408).

DO YOU KNOW?

* Rival exhibitors of Baroda don’t seem to be too happy with the good collections at Sagar cinema, Baroda. Perhaps, that is why every time a new film is due for release at Sagar, either a rival exhibitor puts some legal or other hurdle in the way or ensures that the print to Sagar reaches late. One or the other problem cropped up at the time of release of ZIDDI, DEEWANA MASTANA, PKTDK. On 8th May, when DUPLICATE was due to open at Sagar, a rival cinema served Sagar a show cause notice and tried to obtain a stay on the film’s release. But the court dismissed the case, and the film opened to full houses in 5 shows!

* Producer-director Ratan Irani is shooting his MERE APNE in Kashmir. It is after nine years that a film unit is shooting there. A lot of film shootings used to be done in Kashmir till 1989 when militancy started there. After that, there was shooting in Kashmir but of a different kind. 

BOOM TIME IN GUJARATI INDUSTRY

* One Gujarati blockbuster, DESH RE JOYA DADA PARDESH JOYA, has given such a boost to the Gujarati film industry that there are about a dozen films either in the making or in the planning. These include films of Mundra brothers, Bhavchand Patel, Rambhai Bhimani, Dablabhai Tanna, Ashok Patel, Govindbhai Patel, Atul Rawal, S.J. Talukdaar, Rajendra Butala, Amar Kumar Jadeja etc. And the most-in-demand hero and heroine are Hiten Kumar and Roma Manik. Incidentally, DRJDPJ is expected to do a business of 10 crore!

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Despondent Exhibitors

Despite the regular flow of releases, exhibitors all over the country are panicking. Reason: no film is sustaining at the box-office. In the first four months of 1998, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya is the only film which has done great business. No other film has so far really made any impressive mark at the box-office. Rather, some releases have put exhibitors to horrifying losses. Like, for instance, Salaakhen. It nose-dived in the second week and collected 50% of the first week’s collection or even lesser! Exhibitors, who had booked the action film on fancy terms, are still rubbing their eyes in disbelief. For, they stand to lose heavily, very heavily. With films falling like nine pins, exhibitors (and even distributors) are looking up to the heavens. For, it seems, only God can help this industry. Did you say, even God cannot?

‘Hitler’ Wins The Release Race

The race between the three Mithun starrers — Hitler, Mard and Hatyara — has finally been put to an end by the Central Board of Film Certification. While K.C. Bokadia’s Hitler was censored in Madras on 8th May, Surendra Bohra’s Mard could not be seen that day by the Madras regional office. Obviously, therefore, Hitler will hit the screens next week, while Mard will come later. Mahendra Dhariwal, the producer of Hatyara, had earlier last week decided on postponing his film by some weeks. Incidentally, all the three producers of the Mithun-starrers — Bokadia, Bohra and Dhariwal — hail from Rajasthan. While Bokadia is from Merta, Bohra and Dhariwal are from Jodhpur.

Professional Low

It’s a strange coincidence that whenever producer Sajid Nadiadwala starts a film, his director is, at that time, passing through a low in his profession. His Judwaa, directed by David Dhawan, went before the cameras on the day Yaraana, also directed by David Dhawan, was released and declared a loser. His Jeet (Raj Kanwar) had barely started than Kartavya, directed by Raj Kanwar, bombed. Now, Sajid will shortly start the Hindi remake of the Malayalam hit, Chandralekha, with Priyadarsan whose last two films (Saat Rang Ke Sapne and Kabhi Na Kabhi) have bombed. The remake will star Anil Kapoor, Tabu and Mahima Chaudhry.

Mithun’s Mantra — More The Merrier?

While there is an increasing breed of stars who prefer doing fewer films at a time, Mithun Chakraborty seems to tread a different path. He remains, so far, the star with the most number of releases in 1998. The year is only in its fifth month and already, six Mithun-starrers have seen release. These are Sher-E-Hindustan, Saazish, Military Raaj, Chandaal, Ustadon Ke Ustad and Gudia. While the next few weeks await the release of his Hitler, Mard and Hatyara (all ready for release), another lot of Mithun-starrers like Goondagiri, Sikandar Sadak Ka and Do Numri are being readied for release in the coming two months. Moreover, it is certain that Mithun’s Devta, Sabse Badhkar Kaun, Yamraaj and at least five or six of his other under-production films may be completed in time for release this year. Thus, if all goes well, Mithun’s tally of 1998 releases will add up to a whopping 15 or even 20 films! Among his other under-production films are Mafia Raaj, Aag Hi Aaag, Agni Putra, Arjun Raaj, Jaan Ki Bazi, Jwar Bhata, Phandebaaz, Balram, Sautela, Waqt Ka Faisla, Warrant, Dada, Love Station, Deepak Pawar’s Prod. No. 1, Sipahi Hindustan Ka and Balidaan. Well, didn’t we say, more the merrier?

Incidentally, South films’ hero, Prem Nazir, perhaps, holds the record for the maximum number of releases in a single year. He had — hold your breath — 39 releases in 1979! Prem Nazir may also be the hero with the maximum films to his credit. He has acted in 450 films.

INFORMATION MEETS

“Satya can make an intellectual mind think but it also has the substance to shock the masses.”

– RAMGOPAL VARMA

KOMAL NAHTA

That Ramgopal Varma has an eye for technical brilliance was evident in his very first film, Shiva. Of the ten Telugu and Hindi films which followed Shiva, some clicked and some bombed, but they were all technically far superior than many other films of their times. Ramu, as Ramgopal is affectionately called, has surpassed all his technical brilliance, in his latest film, Satya. We recently had an occasion to see the stark Satya which deals with the Bombay underworld — how it functions, the personal lives of gangsters, their humane side. The film is so realistic (it even has four-letter words being mouthed by the characters) that it leaves the viewer shocked; for the thinking mind, it provides good food for thought. Its principal artistes — Chakravorty, Urmila Matondkar and Majoj Bajpai — have performed so wonderfully that you can’t help singing their praises. Satya also boasts of excellent sound effects, of the kind not heard earlier in Hindi films. All said, it definitely leaves you with a hangover. Our hangover prompted us to sit with Ramu and get him to talk more on Satya. The engineer-turned-filmmaker answered all the questions except the one about, what we think, is too heavy a price fixed for the film (“that’s Bharatbhai Shah’s department,” he laughed), in an informal chat a little before his departure for Panvel (near Bombay) for the shooting of his next film.

What was the inspiration to make a film like SATYA?

– I was toying with the idea of making an action film, something like my first film, Shiva, but on a much larger scale, when I happened to meet a gangster. When I interacted with him, I was touched by the human element of a guy from the underworld. I discovered that we generally tend to treat them as gangsters and nothing more than that, but when you interact with them, they too come across as human beings. One is horrified when one reads headlines in newspapers about underworld dons and gangsters being shot dead or shooting others dead, but when the human element of these gangsters comes in, the whole perspective changes. You then start looking at these people as human beings. My film, Satya, is more about the psychology of gangsters, it tackles the human side of the strata which society shuns and is terrified of.

Having made the film, how far do you think, you’ve succeeded in striking a balance between commercial and good cinema?

– The clichéd definition of good or art cinema is that the narration should be very slow and that it appeals to the thinking mind. Whereas, commercial cinema is something which appeals to instinct rather than intelligence. I would say, in a commercial film, you try to give the audience what it wants. What does the audience want? Violence, sex, fear and emotions. These four ingredients in a film are bound to affect the cine goer, whether he is in Hollywood or Bollywood. In Hollywood, the line between commercial and good cinema has been removed. A film like Godfather offers a lot to the viewer to think about (like an art film would) but it also has the capacity to move him emotionally (like a commercial film would). Satya, too, can make an intellectual mind think, maybe raise an issue, but it also has the substance to shock the masses. They (masses) would feel for the characters even if they may not understand the intricate details and the film in its whole context. What I’ve basically done is to take the characters and locations on the realistic level and give the film a very real look but I’ve given it the pace of a mainstream cinema film. I’ve used the background score to dramatise the whole thing. The background music, sound effects and the cutting (editing) style are all of the kind used in commercial films. Art filmmakers have a very detatched way of showing things because of which the audience doesn’t feel involved.

How real have you tried to keep the characters of your story?

– As real as possible. I heard a lot of real-life incidents before beginning to shoot. But here I must add that a lot of credit for the realistic characters goes to my actors. For instance, Manoj Bajpai looks like a real gangster in the film. But I cannot deny that we also definitely had role models before us.

Except for Urmila Matondkar, there aren’t really well-known faces in the film. Why only Urmila among so many fresh faces? Or alternatively, why aren’t there other equally well-known actors, like Urmila?

– Right from the beginning, I had wanted to cast only new faces in the roles of gangsters. Had I shown known faces, it would have acted against the film’s authenticity. I also thought that if I would not include a love angle in the story, it may start looking like a documentary on the underworld, which my film isn’t. On the other hand, since the film basically deals with the underworld, I did not want to devote too much time to the love story. Since Urmila is the one in love with my hero, I could say a lot without giving too much footage to the love track. Besides, Urmila’s is the only character which is not from the police force or from the underworld, where I’ve used lesser known or new faces.

This brings me to my next question. Why was Mahima Chaudhry replaced by Urmila?

– When I signed Mahima for the heroine’s role, my script wasn’t complete. Once it was more defined, I realised that I needed a more established heroine. So, I wrote a letter to Mahima, explaining her the actual position and situation and informing her that I would want to replace her. Mahima wrote back to me to say that she, too, was not interested in doing my film.

How did you think of using four-letter words at so many places in your dialogues? Were you not scared of the censors or….

– …..Did I have an advance understanding with the censors, do you mean?

No, no, what I mean is, did you shoot with alternative dialogues too?

– No, I didn’t shoot the scenes with alternative dialogues. Right from the beginning, I and all the persons involved with the film were convinced that we were making an honest film. The four-letter words, used by the characters who mouth them, are a part of the language of such characters in real life. They (swear words) were never included to titillate the viewer. We were sure, our sincerity would be appreciated by the censors, and that’s what has happened. The censors have passed most of the four-letter words.

Where you somewhere driven by the fact that Shekhar Kapur got away with four-letter words in BANDIT QUEEN?

– I wouldn’t deny that this fact did cross my mind. I’m sure, Bandit Queen has influenced me as far as the four-letter words go, because I was also making a genuine film like Bandit Queen.

Who do you think is your target audience for the film?

– I sincerely feel, Satya will appeal to all. Its intellectual content may appeal only to the intelligentsia but its emotional appeal will be universal. I wouldn’t call it just an action film. It is also about what prompts the gangsters to take to action. In a film like Ardh Satya, there was a curiosity among the general public to know how the police functions. Satya takes a close look into the lives of gangsters. So the people will be curious to know about the functioning of the underworld, which they will be able to see in my film. Moreover, the love story in the film makes it one of universal appeal.

Notwithstanding the four-letter words?

– Yes, in spite of the four-letter words, the film has universal appeal.

What special care did you take for the fantastic sound effects in the film?

– We worked a great deal on the sound. I give a lot of credit for the excellent sound effects to Media Artistes. Shridhar and his team at Media Artistes have done a splendid job. Most of the sound effects in the film have been recorded specially for it, we haven’t used stock sound. Because the film is so realistic, the impact of sound gets enhanced. That is why the sound also looks so real in the film. We worked for a whole three months on the sound.

After taking so much pain on the sound, don’t you feel frustrated that many cinemas in smaller places do not have even reasonable sound facilities, what to talk of modern sound?

– Yes, it is frustrating, but that cannot be the reason for not working on sound. In our industry, people adopt new things, only after somebody tries it and proves successful. Like, Dolby sound became popular after Rangeela and DDLJ. If Satya becomes successful, more producers will insist on the sound effects of Satya. Without change, there can be no progress in any field.

Aren’t you scared of inviting the wrath of the underworld once your film hits the screens?

– No. I’ve neither glorified nor demeaned the underworld and so, I don’t think anybody should be angry after seeing the film. My effort is to make the underworld guys look inside themselves.

Did you have to show your film to the police?

– Not at all. The film doesn’t side with anybody — neither the underworld nor the police.

What is your next film?

– My new film will be a suspense thriller starring Manoj Bajpai and Urmila Matondkar. It is about a psychopath killer and a woman who is alone at home. The entire film has only two characters. It isn’t titled as yet. I’m planning to complete it in one schedule of less than a month. Mukesh Udeshi is presenting it.

AUNTY NO. 1

Lata Films’ Aunty No. 1 is the story of an aspiring film actor who has to don the get-up of an aunt of his friends to not only help them but also save his skin from the villains whom he has seen murdering someone. The story is quite childish and the comic situations are not really funny because most of them are contrived. The writer and director seem to have decided to offer a funny fare to the audience and, in the process, dish out sub-standard comedy. Screenplay is so routine that one wonders whether any serious effort has gone into the film at the scripting stage. Even the dialogues lack the punch of a comedy.

Govinda is the only one who tries to rise above the script and he succeeds. His performance is consistently good, whether as the aspiring hero or the aunty. Raveena Tandon gets limited scope and is average. Raza Murad and Mohnish Bahl come up with ordinary performances. Kader Khan, too, is not in his elements. Sadashiv Amarapurkar passes muster. Harish and Rohit Kumar are so-so. Karina Grover and Mitra Joshi are insignificant. Bindu does a fairly good job. Reema and Saeed Jaffrey are okay.

Kirti Kumar’s direction is hardly any better than Sachin Bhaumick’s script. No attempt has been made to provide hilarious situations or even something that would keep the audience in good spirits. Rather, the feeble comedy begins to jar after a while. The title song and ‘Bul bula re bul bula’ are well-tuned numbers and their picturisations are quite nice. A couple of songs are weak. Action scenes look forced. Camerawork is average.

On the whole, Aunty No. 1 will neither make the audience laugh nor the distributors smile. Despite its reasonable price, it cannot be expected to turn out to be an earning fare.

Released on 1-5-’98 at Minerva and 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru VIP Enterprises. Publicity: quite good. Opening: very good (due to Maharashtra Day holiday on 1st May). …….Also released all over. Opening was satisfactory at some places but below the mark at others.

THE OTHER SIDE OF ARJUN

On 10th April, a musical night with Arjun (of Mahabharat fame) was organised at Birla Matushri Sabhagriha, Bombay. The show was a tribute to the legendary singer, Mohd. Rafi, and was attended by a number of celebrities like Jackie Shroff, Namrata Shirodkar, Shahbaaz Khan, Ranee Mukerji, Milind Gunaji, Ayub Khan, producer Sudhakar Bokade, producer-director Ravi Chopra and Naushad Ali. Arjun impressed the audience with a soulful rendition of a number of Rafi hits.

During the programme, Athar Nabi, chairman of Avadh Ratan Committee, announced that Madhuri Dixit would be honoured with an Avadh Ratan very soon. He also mentioned that they had earlier decided to felicitate her during a Kumar Sanu nite, but Arjun’s voice had so impressed him that they had now decided to have a musical nite with Arjun instead.

Past recipients of Avadh Ratan include Kaifi Azmi, Naushad Ali, Lata Mangeshkar and Dev Anand, who were felicitated during musical nites with Jagit Singh, Asha Bhosle, Mohd. Aziz and Udit Narayan.

DTS CINEMAS TO DOUBLE IN 3 YEARS

A total of 300 cinemas in India have been installed with DTS sound system in the last two-and-a-half years. This was revealed by Jim Murray, director of worldwide sales and exhibitor relations, Digital Theater Systems, at an informal get-together hosted by him on 30th April at Ramada Inn Palm Grove. Murray also said that it was the target of Digital Theater Systems to instal the sound system in 300 more cinemas in the next three years. He was especially happy about the maintenance and sound system of Cinemax in Bombay.

PHALKE BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

The birth anniversary of Dadasaheb Phalke was celebrated by the Western India Film Producers’ Association on 30th April at Citizen Hotel. Dev Anand was the chief guest and he released an informative directory brought out by the WIFPA.

WIFPA president G.P. Shirke, Sultan Ahmed, Santosh Singh Jain, Shakti Samanta, Yash Chopra, Janki Dass, actress Nimmi, Gaffarbhai Nadiadwala, Chandrashekhar, Ramanand Sagar, S.K. Kapur, K.D. Shorey and Anil Ganguly made speeches, paying tributes to Phalke.

It was decided that the industry should ask the Maharashtra government to give it land in Bombay for constructing a huge Dadasaheb Phalke Film Bhavan in memory of the late filmmaker. The Film Bhavan would house a laboratory, recording rooms, preview theatres and even rooms for lodging and boarding of distributors who come to Bombay from other parts of the country.

Vrinda Pusalkar, the 75-year-old daughter of Phalke, was also present at the celebration function, alongwith her son. She is the only living child of Dadasaheb Phake, all the others having expired.

Dinkar Chowdhry compered the function. The vote of thanks was proposed by Mahavir Jain.

ASHIM BHATTACHARJII’S SON TO WED

Sanjay (UTV), son of director Ashim Bhattacharjii, will wed Geetanjali on 4th May. A reception to celebrate the marriage will be held the same evening at Khar Gymkhana, Khar, Bombay.

YOU ASKED IT

You always complain that stars are charging exorbitantly but when it comes to your reviews of non-star cast films, you write that the film has dim chances due to lack of face value. Why this contradiction?

– A non-star cast film has dim chances if the content is not good. But a strong script can offset lack of face value. The bottomline is, good scripts always work — something which I’ve always been writing about. Besides, look at the fate of some big star-cast films which flop because of their high prices (which, in turn, are due to sky-high star prices).

Which was the first colour film of India?

– Imperial Film Company’s KISAN KANYA, produced in 1937. Minerva Movietone’s JHANSI KI RANI (1953) was the first technically perfect Technicolor film. SAIRANDHRI, made in 1933 by Prabhat Film Company, was also a Technicolor film but its colour quality was not satisfactory.

When will Sooraj Barjatya commence the shooting of Hum Saath Saath Hain?

– On 18th June, 1998. The film will be released in 1999-end.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Bade Dilwala’ Complete

Action and climax scenes were picturised for Noorani Film Corporation’s Bade Dilwala in the film’s last week-long spell till April 29 at a cafe, Churchgate, Mantralaya and other locales of Bombay. Sunil Shetty, Priya Gill, Archna Pooran Singh, Ranjeet, Satish Kaushik, baby Erum, Raju Kher, Guddi Maruti and Paresh Rawal participated. The entire shooting is now complete. Dubbing is in progress at Anand. The film is written, produced and directed by Shakeel Noorani. Music: Aadesh Shrivastava. Action: Raam Shetty.

MUSIC INFORMATION

Rajshri Launches Music Company With Love Album

The Barjatya family has added one more dimension to its Rajshri empire by launching a music company — Rajshri Music. The first non-film album of the new company is ‘Yeh Hai Prem’, containing ten songs penned by Shyam Anuragi and composed by Milind Ingle. They’ve been rendered by Milind Ingle and Shikha.

The unique feature of the album is that a whole love story is sought to be narrated through the ten songs. A video of the first song has been shot by Kunal Kohli. Abbas (Tamil film hero) and Preeti are the lovers in the song choreographed by Saroj Khan and cinematographed by Basha Lal.

Rajshri Music has entered into a manufacturing and distribution arrangement with Sony Music.

Rajshri has also tied up with Hallmark Cards & Gifts which will manufacture and distribute ‘Yeh Hai Prem’ posters, greeting cards, coffee mugs, letter pads and several other stationery items.

The ‘Yeh Hai Prem’ album is the baby of Rajat Barjatya, son of Ajit Kumar Barjatya. The young boy addressed the press conference on 27th and fielded the questions from the press, with maturity. He revealed that it was his late grandfather, Tarachand Barjatya’s dream to start a music company. He also informed that the ‘Yeh Hai Prem’ team had worked on the album for a year-and-a-half.

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Producer-director Subhash Ghai left for Khandala on 1st May and will be back on 4th.

Mr. Pramod K. Gupta of Rangbhumi and Jyoti Publicity, Delhi, will be in Bombay from May 5 to 9 at Hotel Kings International (618-4381/82/83, office no.: 646-4055).

Producer Yash Johar left for Delhi on 1st May and will return this evening (2nd May).

Producer Tutu Sharma is in Delhi.

Madhuri’s Gratefulness & Goodwill

Rarely, if ever, does a heroine throw a party where the who’s who of the industry is invited. Hosting parties has long been the domain of film producers. If not film producers, it is always the male species in the industry that spends money on lavish parties.

Madhuri Dixit’s party then on 30th April at Holiday Inn came as a surprise. Even more surprising was the fact that the super-successful heroine didn’t have any specific reason to throw a party. She was neither announcing a film nor celebrating her birthday nor even planning to get married. Since 1997 has been a particularly good year for Madhuri, what with the runaway success of Dil To Pagal Hai and her bagging all the awards, it, perhaps, could have been her reason for celebrating.

And celebrate she did but even as every one of the invitees asked Madhuri what the occasion was, the girl simply smiled and said, “There’s no occasion.”

Very thoughtfully, Madhuri and Rikku, her meticulous secretary right from the time she entered the industry almost 15 years ago, had extended invitations to all Madhuri’s producers, directors and co-stars — right from her first film to the ones she is currently acting in. Some producers/directors have almost retired from the industry and even their whereabouts was not known, but Madhuri and Rikku managed to trace them and yes, they were there at the party.

The attendance was solid proof of the goodwill Madhuri has built over the years in the industry. Everybody had a great time celebrating….. well, nothing actually! It was just Madhuri’s way of saying “thank you” to all those who’ve been responsible for her rise to the no. 1 position. And her timing couldn’t be more correct. After all, Madhuri’s dil to khush hai…..

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Mithun Film Festival

Believe it or not, Mithun Chakraborty has been giving sleepless nights to many a distributor and exhibitor. Reason: three Mithun-starrers viz. Mard, Hatyara and Hitler have been announced for release on the same day, 15th May. Common sense would convince anyone that three Mithun starrers cannot hit the screens on the same day, but the question that is being asked is: which of these three will come and which won’t? Exhibitors all over have distributors of all the three films booking the films at their cinemas but they (exhibitors) don’t know whom to oblige and whom to refuse. The position this week is no better than it was last week, with producers and distributors of all the three films claiming that irrespective of the other films, their film is “definitely coming on 15th May”. The copies of Hitler and Hatyara should be out in a day or two at Vijaya Vauhini Lab in Madras. The copy of Mard will take three to five days to be out. All the films are yet to be censored.

Century For ‘Duplicate’

That Shah Rukh Khan is the hottest hero in the Overseas territory is common knowledge. But how hot? Well, the number of prints of Shah Rukh’s Duplicate being taken out by ABCL and Arjan Lulla, the Overseas distributors of the film, should give an indication of how very hot the guy is with the ‘phoren’ world. A total of 97 prints are being taken out for Overseas alone. With one more week still to go for the release, the figure of 97 may go up further as the craze continues to mount. You never know, the number of prints finally taken out could be 100 or even more! Earlier, DTPH and Ishq have had over 90 prints of theirs taken out.

Similarity Breeds Contempt

The recent failures of Salaakhen, Zor, Aflatoon and Keemat once again underscore the fact that people want to see Sunny Deol and Akshay Kumar do something different, for a change. That Sunny still suffers from the hangover of his earlier films like Arjun and Ghayal is amply evident from his recent releases viz. Ghatak, Ziddi, Ajay and, now, Salaakhen. The question being asked is, how long can one go on performing the same kind of roles in film after film? More importantly, how long will the public tolerate an actor doing this? Sunny’s recent failures (Zor and Salaakhen) make the public verdict crystal clear, and he must take note of it. Being a talented actor, it shouldn’t be difficult for him to convincingly portray roles that are at least a bit different from his trademark one-man-taking-on-the-big-bad-world roles. Remember Damini?

Another star who is sailing in the same boat is Akshay Kumar. Insaaf, Tarazu, Aflatoon, Keemat and even his earlier films, all depict him performing the same old dance-routines and wearing (or rather, taking off) the same type of costumes. Action has always been Akshay’s strong point, but now, you cannot help but notice that a dull routine has crept in even in his action sequences. These being the main reasons for his recent failures, Akshay, too, needs to take stock of the situation and introduce a great deal of freshness in his performances.

Punjab Government Harassing Producers

Although producer-director B.S. Shaad’s Punjabi film, Laali, has been released and has also done well, Shaad has no laali on his face these days. Reason: the Punjab government is playing games with him. Shaad had applied for Punjab government’s subsidy for his film and had also completed all the required formalities in this regard. Since the script of Laali had been approved by the committee set up for the purpose, Shaad thought, he would have no difficulty in getting the subsidy amount from the government. Although he was sanctioned a subsidy of Rs. 12 lakh, months have passed since the release of his film in January this year, but the government has not paid him the money. An exasperated Shaad has now served the Cultural Affairs department of the government a legal notice, claiming the subsidy due to him. It also appears that his is not a solitary case. Dalwinder Sohal (Ishq No Poochhe Jaat) and Priti Sapru (Muqaddar) are two more producers who are contemplating similar action against the Punjab government.

SALAAKHEN

Cinema Arts’ Salaakhen is a revenge drama with a difference. It tells the story of a man who dares to raise his voice against the crimes committed by an influential person who is actually an underworld don but who wears the garb of a social worker. Since the police are hand-in-glove with the don, they make life miserable for this man, an honest teacher, who pledges to give witness in the court and who thinks he is, therefore, helping the police. The torture gets too much for the simpleton teacher and then, his son, an angry young man, decides to take law into his hands. He breathes fire and, one by one, kills all those responsible for torturing his father. A major part of the film is in flashback.

The opening couple of reels (before the flashback begins) are stunning because the drama is absolutely unusual. Once the flashback begins, the film has some highs and also some lows. The plus points are the arresting second half, especially the long climax, the performances of the main characters, and the action. The lows are that the film has less relief and the ending is not as effective as it should have been. Since the hero is a criminal in the eyes of law but a true hero in the public eye, greater participation of the public in getting justice for the hero would have had a more hair-raising impact. Nevertheless, the climax action (Tinnu Verma) is simply astounding and keeps the audience at the edge of their seats. The murder of the police officer in the dhobi ghat and the car stunts and explosions are breathtaking. Too much footage has been given to the hero’s father, and his death in the court looks contrived. The first half is dull at places but the second half is good.

Sunny Deol does a remarkable job as the angry young man. He breathes fire into his character and performs brilliantly. As a result, all his action scenes and otherwise unbelievable dare-devilry look absolutely believable. Raveena Tandon has hardly any role but she is good in whatever little she has to do. Her dances are appealing. Anupam Kher is simply fantastic as the simple teacher who takes on the don. His little nuances are proof of how much pains he has taken to portray his character. In one word, he is superb. Farida Jalal, playing his wife and Sunny’s mother, also gives a memorable performance. Her scenes when she curses the evil-doers is stunning. Amrish Puri plays the don with conviction and with the ease which he has mastered. Mohan Joshi is good. Mahavir Shah leaves a mark with an able job. Harish Patel provides a couple of light moments with his natural acting. Deven Varma has a brief role and is good. Rummy Dhillon is average. Ravi Patwardhan acts ably. Dinesh Hingoo is okay. Manisha Koirala appears in just one dance number but her presence is not electrifying.

Director Guddu Dhanoa has extracted superlative performances from his cast. Although he has not let the action fare remain just that and has handled the subject with reasonable confidence, providing some emotions too, he has not balanced the tension with light scenes or refreshing romance. Dilip Shukla’s screenplay is good and his dialogues are also very nice. But it must be mentioned that Sunny’s character is such that his dialogues should have been much more fiery. Dilip Sen Sameer Sen’s music is catchy but the absence of a hit number is felt sorely, especially because there’s not much relief otherwise. ‘Pichhu pade hain’, ‘Dhak dhak’, ‘Punjabi kudi’ and ‘Zubaan pe jo nahin aaye’ are the better songs. Song picturisations are not novel. Camerawork is quite good. DTS mixing is very effective. Other technical aspects are proper. Production values are grand.

On the whole, Salaakhen has appeal for the masses. Despite a heavy price, it has the merits to keep everybody satisfied.

Released on 24-4-’98 at Novelty and 21 other cinemas of Bombay thru A.B.C. Pictures P. Ltd. Publicity: very good. Opening: good (affected due to Sharjah Cup cricket match finals). …….Also released all over. Opening was excellent in U.P., C.P. Berar and Orissa (in all these circuits, the film opened on Thursday) but not as good in C.I.

VIJAY SIPPY’S DEATH STILL A MYSTERY

Mystery continues to surround the death of producer Vijay Sippy, son of G.P. Sippy and brother of Ramesh Sippy, whose body was found lying in the building adjacent to the one in which he used to stay, on the morning of 17th April. Police investigating the case are confused about whether the death is a case of suicide or murder.

Vijay Sippy was 52 and a law graduate. He joined his father’s business when he was 22 years old. Starting as a trainee, he went on to eventually run the company.

Vijay was a private person by nature and, therefore, socialised very little. He is survived by his parents, two wives and a son.

A condolence meeting will be held on Sunday, 26th April, between 5.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. at the residence of G.P. Sippy, Shree Vijayaa Bhavan, Altamount Road, Bombay.

CHANDRA SHEKHAR BEREAVED

Satyamma, mother of veteran actor Chandra Shekhar and grandmother of television serial producer Ashok Shekhar, expired on 22nd April in Hyderabad after a prolonged illness.

SOUND RECORDIST H.D. MISTRY DEAD

H.D. Mistry, senior sound recordist, expired in Bombay on 8th April after a brief illness. He was 84 and active till the end. He was president of the Western India Motion Picture & Television Sound Engineers’ Association and chairman of WIMPSE Welfare Trust.

Before turning a freelance sound recordist in 1969, Mistry was attached to Ranjit Studios. He recorded the songs of late singers K.L. Saigal and Khursheed at Ranjit with only one microphone for both, the singer and the musician. The famous Vande Mataram song, rendered by Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar and chorus for Anand Math, was recorded by H.D. Mistry in 1950 with just three microphones in a non-airconditioned and non-sound-proof shooting stage of Filmistan Studios.

Mistry had recorded the sound for 100 feature films.

He is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.

C.I. REVERTS TO THURSDAY RELEASE SCHEDULE

Beginning this week, films are being released in C.I. on Thursdays again, instead of Fridays. The system of releasing films on Thursday was discontinued from 13th November, 1997, as a result of a decision taken by the Indore Distributors Forum. But the system of releasing films on Fridays did not find favour with distributors and exhibitors alike. The trade has, therefore, shifted to the old system of releasing films on Thursdays.

In C.P. Berar, it had been left to the discretion of the distributor to release films on Thursdays or Fridays. But now, even the C.P. trade has decided to stick to the Thursday release pattern.

HINDI FILMS ‘BANNED’ IN MANIPUR

Hindi films have been ‘banned’ in Manipur with effect from 25th April by extortionists who were demanding protection money from cinemas screening Hindi films. When the cinemas refused to oblige, the extortionists ordered an unofficial ban on Hindi films.

The ban has spread panic among Assam distributors who fear, they will face a loss of at least 20% in their revenue.

YOU ASKED IT

With star-cast films like Qila, Kabhi Na Kabhi, Zor, Yugpurush and Keemat flopping, will film prices come down?

– They may not come down but they surely won’t go up indiscriminately.

Which was the first cinema to be built in India?

– It was Elphinston Picture Palace, built by J.F. Madan in Calcutta in 1907. The first cinema show was arranged by the Lumière brothers of France at Watson Hotel in Bombay on 7th July, 1896.

What is essential for a non-star-cast film to click?

– Novelty in subject or presentation or hit music or all three.

CENSOR NEWS

Lata Films’ Aunty No. 1, seen by the revising committee on 21st, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/1/25/98 (U) dt. 24-4-’98; length 3933.90 metres in 16 reels (cuts: 158.81 metres).

M.V. Gopalram’s Mera Desh (dubbed) was given C.C. (in Madras) No. CIL/3/0099/98 (A) dt. 27-3-’98; length 4013.31 metres in 15 reels (no cut).

Venus Corporation Ltd.’s Satya (length 4999.19 metres in 17 reels), applied on 17th and seen on 20th, has been offered A certificate, with cuts.

Sarav Productions’ Dhadak was seen by the revising committee on 20th.

P.M. Films’ Sar Utha Ke Jiyo was seen on 22nd.

Promise Pictures’ Jungle Love Story has been offered UA certificate, with cuts.

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Mr. Sunil Bansal of Jai Pictures P. Ltd., Jaipur, is in town (630-2376).

Mr. S.M. Kothari of Indore will reach Bombay today (25th April).

Producer N.N. Sippy, associate producer Pravesh Sippy and cameraman Debu Deodhar left for France and Czechoslovakia on 23rd April to scout locations for SILSILA HAI PYAR KA. They are expected back after a fortnight.

Mr. Sunderdas Sonkiya and Mr. Ramavtar Rana of Jaipur Films P. Ltd., Jaipur, are in town (611-5808).

DO YOU KNOW?

* Three Mithun starrers are ready for release. All the three — MARD, HITLER and HATYARA — might hit the screens in May.

* The Aati kya Khandala song, rendered by Aamir Khan (and Alka Yagnik) for GHULAM, should soon become very popular. It has endearing lyrics by Nitin Raikwar and soft music (Jatin Lalit).

* M.F. Hussain’s GAJ GAMINI has taken off with song recordings.

* A.R.B. Arts, the East Punjab distributors of SALAAKHEN, have released as many as 28 prints in the circuit. Two prints were added to the original 26 on Friday itself. 

* The US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs, Karl Frederick Inderfurth, saw DTPH on 22nd April at Bombay’s Liberty cinema. Persis Khambatta was his interpreter. Inderfurth could see just 45 minutes of the film as he had to keep another appointment, but he said, he was dying to know the ending of the interesting film.

* Rajshri’s MAINE PYAR KIYA has been revived in Bihar this week with six prints. …….At Chitrabani, Begusarai, it was PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA which was booked from 24th April but due to the print not reaching the cinema on time, MAINE PYAR KIYA is being screened there for a week. PKTDK will open next week in continuation to MPK. That’s MAINE PYAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA, then!

Dream Merchant

‘Titanic’ Fever In Bollywood

It’s Titanic fever all around. Whether at parties or other social gatherings, the film being discussed is the 11-Oscar winner. So, it was natural for me to dream about the film industry in Bollywood trying to ape Titanic. Bhed chaal, you know.

I first dreamt about Mahesh Bhatt who told me that after the super-success of Titanic in India, he had decided to postpone his retirement by one film. “I’ll quit direction after I’ve made a Hindi Titanic,” he said. “What Hollywood can do, Bollywood can do better and with double the results and efficiency. My film will start after the release of my Duplicate and it will be called Duplicate Titanic. There will be not one but two Titanic ships in the film, and catastrophe will strike both of them at the same time. That would mean double the thrill for the price of a single ticket.”

David Dhawan was busy on the sets of Smita Thackeray’s Haseena Maan Jayegi. Without giving much thought, he told me, “My next will be titled Haseena Teri Jaan Jayegi. In that film, it will be the heroine who will die due to the cold waters the lovers will land themselves into after the ship tragedy as in Titanic. Karisma will play Kate Winslet’s role and, of course, Govinda will be her hero. Govindo Di Virario.”

Subhash Ghai had not yet recovered from the blacklash of the “nasty journalists” who had been “writing nonsense” about his legal battle with Mahima Chaudhary. About Titanic, he said, “I plan to make a sequel to Titanic. It will be called Titanic Chali Pardes. My film will start where the Hollywood film ended. I will show the ship-owner taking the ship-builder to court for breach of his contract. How could the ship sink like that?” Then, sensing my bewilderment, he added, “Don’t worry, I may have lost in a real court of law, but that doesn’t mean, I don’t know to direct a courtroom drama. Coming back to my film. It will be so titled because the Titanic will be shown heading for pardes when calamity will strike. Since I’ve got a contract with Mahima, she will have to play the heroine in the film. The boy? It could be anybody. But not a newcorner. I don’t want more courtroom dramas in real life!”

Umesh Mehra was still trying to figure out why Qila bombed so miserably, when I met him. “See, we Indians have got a Hollywood complex,” he thundered. “Why should I make a Titanic or a sequel or an inspired version of it? If Titanic was a disaster film, so was my Qila. But nobody praises me as they praise the Titanic director.”

Vashu Bhagnani was not in his office when I reached there. His peon told me, he had gone to IMPPA to register a line of titles like Ship No. 1, Disaster No. 1, Iceberg No. 1, Love Story No. 1, Titanic No. 1, Luxury Liner No. 1, Water No. 1, Sea No. 1, Samudra No. 1, Accident No. 1…… I excused myself to use Vashu’s toilet to do what they call ‘no. 1’.

Randhir Kapoor said, he had finally been inspired to start a film. “It will be called Ram Teri Ganga Phir Maili Ho Gayee because the ship disaster will take place in the Ganga in my film.”

Yash Chopra and Rajkumar Barjatya, being the most forward-looking producers in India, told me, they had decided to join hands for the Titanic film in India. “Oh, like Paramount and 20th Century Fox joined hands in Hollywood,” I exclaimed excitedly. “Yes,” nodded Barjatya. But the two pillars were undecided about the title. While Barjatya wanted the film to be called Nadiya Ke Paar because it would be the endeavour of Titanic to go nadiya ke paar, Chopra suggested that more prominence should be given to the romance portion of the story and preferred the title Dil To Saath Saath Hai. “This film,” revealed Chopra, “will be longer than even the Titanic. It will be of 21 reels and saat-saat-saat reels will be directed by me, Sooraj Barjatya and Aditya.”

Ram Gopal Varma scoffed at the idea of being inspired from Titanic. “This is not Hollywood,” he said. “Special effects don’t work in our films,” he sighed, adding, “Remember my Daud? It had so many special effects, still it bombed.” I had half a mind to tell him, his film had flopped not because of the special effects but rather because of the special defects!

Pranlal Mehta was despondent. My Yugpurush has put me to such major losses, I can’t dream of starting my next so soon. But yes, I’ve thought of a title. If I could make Jeeo Shaan Se, I can also make Doobo Shaan Se. And yes, if I do make this Titanic-inspired film, it will be directed by…….” “Ramesh Sippy,” I interrupted him.

B.R. Ishara was in a dubbing studio. He told me, “If Hollywood can send a Titanic to India, so can I send a film to Hollywood. I’m dubbing my old film, in English, and just wait and watch, it will give Titanic a run for its money. “Which film?”, I queried. “Of course, Kaagaz Ki Nao,” he announced.

The last on my list was Priyadarsan. “I’m no less than James Cameron,” he said with unmistakable pride. “Saat Rang Ke Sapne and Kabhi Na Kabhi have given me more confidence than ever before. Cameron only made the ship sink. I’m capable of drowning the entire Bombay film industry, just you wait.”

I woke up with a start. I didn’t want to drown.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Colleagues Before Becoming Man And Wife

Before Shravani Deodhar got married to cameraman Debu Deodhar, she used to be Amol Palekar’s fifth assistant. In fact, the two met each other when Debu was Amol’s cameraman, and Shravani, his assistant. Being the fifth assistant, she used to sound the clapper-board before every shot but since she used to be a bit slow in moving out of the frame after sounding the clap, Debu used to get irritated and often chided her for wasting precious raw stock. He used to tell Shravani to move out of the frame quickly and used to advise her to decide beforehand on the place where she would run after giving the clap. Those were the days when Shravani and Debu were just colleagues. Shravani ultimately did find the right place — in Debu’s heart. This was revealed by Shravani recently.

A Promise Fulfilled

Late actor Yeshwant Dutt, perhaps, had a premonition of his death. After completing the shooting of Ajey Jhankar’s Marathi film, Sarkarnama, he had been hospitalised for an ailment. When the film’s director, Shravani Deodhar, and cameraman, Debu Deodhar, went to visit him in hospital, he told them not to worry because he wouldn’t die before completing his dubbing. When he was discharged from hospital, he dubbed for Sarkarnama at Film City from morning to 2.30 in the night. Only after completing his dubbing did he return home. The following day, Yeshwant Dutt breathed his last. But he had kept his promise to the Deodhars about completing Sarkarnama before dying.

Thoughtful Gesture

Vinayak Mayekar, the controller of Plaza cinema, Bombay, where Marathi film Tu Tithe Mee opened this week, was so impressed with the film when he saw it that he agreed to forgo one show’s rent (approximately Rs. 10,000) at Plaza. It’s not the amount but the thought which counts.

Hindustani-Pakistani

After late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it is Pakistani singer Ataullah Khan who has lent his voice to a Hindi film song. And this Pakistani has sung for a film with a title no less than Hero Hindustani! Which makes it: Film Hindustani, singer Pakistani.

The ‘D’ Factor

‘D’ has been a particularly lucky alphabet for Yash Chopra. Some of the biggest hits of his, either as director or producer or both, have had their titles beginning with ‘D’ — Dhool Ka Phool, Daag, Deewaar, Darr, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Dil To Pagal Hai.

KABHI NA KABHI

Shogun Films Ltd.’s Kabhi Na Kabhi (UA) is the story of two young men, both involved in the underworld, whom destiny brings together. The two guys become great friends and also love the same girl but both of them do not know about the other’s love. One of the two guys is also in search of his father’s killer and he does not know that the one who he is searching for is none other than his best friend. The host of misunderstandings between the two friends (Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor) are finally cleared in the climax.

The story and screenplay are hackneyed and do not provide a single scene which can be said to be novel or original. The romantic portion of Javed Akhtar’s story reminds of his earlier film, Saagar. There is no proper build-up to many scenes, as a result of which nothing creates an impact. For instance, Anil Kapoor’s search for his father’s murderer has no emotional appeal because the base (Anil’s relationship with his estranged father) is weak. Anil saving Jackie’s sister looks like a contrived link in the story. Dialogues, too, are ordinary. Showing Jackie and Anil romancing does not suit their image today; they are quite old for it.

Jackie Shroff does an average job and also looks odd in some scenes. Anil Kapoor is alright. Pooja Bhatt hardly looks like a heroine, thanks to her size; her weight notwithstanding, she does a fair job. Paresh Rawal is quite good but his gait and mannerisms remind of his character in Raja. Tinnu Anand, Alok Nath, Rohini Hattangady, Darshan Bagga, Mac Mohan, Suresh Menon and the rest fill the bill.

Priyadarsan’s direction is average. It almost appears that he has tried to camouflage the defects in the script by showering too much attention on the visuals, lighting etc. But Priyadarsan would do well to realise that no amount of gloss can ever make up for weak content. Editing is one more department the director should pay attention to. The film is very loose and scenes, unduly lengthy. In fact, so poor is the editing that one is left wondering whether editor Gopalakrishnan fell in love with Priyadarsan’s work.

A.R. Rahman’s music is good but the songs have been playing since so many months, there’s a certain amount of staleness that’s crept in. The title song, ‘Tu hi tu’, ‘O mere yara dildaara’ and ‘Jo maanga tha’ are well-tuned, and the picturisation of ‘Tu hi tu’ is absolutely fantastic. Ravi Chandran’s camerawork is brilliant and so is Sabu Cyril’s art direction. The film has taken several years in the making and the time-lag shows.

On the whole, Kabhi Na Kabhi is a weak fare and a lengthy one too. It will entail heavy losses to its distributors despite its low price.

Released on 16-4-’98 at Metro and on 17-4-’98 at 13 other cinemas of Bombay thru A.B.C. Pictures Pvt. Ltd. Publicity: good. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull everywhere.

LATEST POSITION

Both the new releases of this week have opened to truly poor houses. …….PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA in Hindi, TITANIC in English and DESH RE JOYA DADA PARDESH JOYA in Gujarati are doing fantastic business.

Qila has fared miserably all over. 1st week Bombay 18,41,518 (50.73%) from 9 cinemas (4 unrecd., 8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,81,099 from 3 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 37,210 (1 in matinee unrecd.); Solapur 77,575; Belgaum 64,129; Delhi 18,89,780 (37.48%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,29,681 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,82,567, Agra 1,19,176, Allahabad 83,000, Varanasi 1,44,000, Bareilly 54,623 (27.48%); Amritsar 60,365; Calcutta 9,59,124 from 13 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Nagpur 2,55,760 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 41,929, Amravati 72,861, Akola 49,284, Raipur 54,079, Jalgaon 42,524, Yavatmal 66,298; Indore 54,508 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,58,411 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 6,94,244 from 3 cinemas, Bikaner 98,525; Hyderabad 10,12,751 from 8 cinemas.

Keemat, after a good start, dropped quite badly from 4th day onwards. 1st week Bombay 24,48,886 (64.16%) from 11 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,38,186 from 5 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Vapi 2,72,078, Rajkot 1,36,158; Kolhapur 1,72,032, Solapur 1,16,921; Hubli 1,73,214 (88.21%); Delhi 26,74,323 (55.34%) from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,53,104 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,56,599, Allahabad 1,20,000, Varanasi 1,61,483, Meerut (31 shows) 2,11,829, Bareilly 1,21,966 (56.46%), Hardwar 60,713; Amritsar 52,354; Calcutta 16,24,834 from 13 cinemas (12 on F.H.); Nagpur 3,92,791 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,12,536, Amravati 1,51,543, Akola 1,31,253, Raipur 1,43,051, Jalgaon 1,21,001; Indore 2,51,457 from 2 cinemas (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,69,077 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 6,93,632 from 5 cinemas, Udaipur (4 days) 92,000; Hyderabad 22,84,785 from 14 cinemas.

………..

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya 3rd week Bombay 37,01,045 (80.73%) from 11 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,98,120 from 2 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Vapi 2,59,886, Jamnagar 82,198; Kolhapur 1,56,473, Solapur (14 shows) 1,40,082; Belgaum 98,572; Delhi 22,52,775 from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,22,115 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,91,071, Allahabad 1,18,520 (2nd 1,35,000), Varanasi 1,60,242, Bareilly 1,20,668 (53.61%), Hardwar 45,000; Rohtak 8,519; Calcutta 5,73,023 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 3,05,484 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,67,157 (2nd 1,53,431), total 5,30,976, Amravati 1,26,188, Akola 1,27,990, total 4,23,234, share 3,31,628, Raipur 1,44,783, Durg 87,125, Chandrapur 1,30,067, total 4,66,322, Yavatmal 36,284 (2nd 49,430); Bhopal 2,58,967, total 7,11,735; Jaipur 3,30,073, Bikaner 1,45,832, Udaipur 82,985; Hyderabad 6,06,954 from 3 cinemas.

_______

Sarbans Daani Guru Gobind Singh (Punjabi, TF) has been rejected. Discontinued after 3/4 days from 3 cinemas in Delhi; entered 2nd week in Ludhiana.

Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya (Gujarati, TF) 14th week Ahmedabad 4,51,961 from 4 cinemas, 10th week Baroda 1,22,954, 4th Padra 1,45,721, 2nd Himmatnagar 1,24,460, Kadi 1,37,950, 12th week Jamnagar 1,27,626, 14th Rajkot 1,77,000; 1st week Bombay (with tax) 3,64,649 (38.76%) from 3 cinemas.

_______

Titanic (English) 6th week Bombay 18,52,307 (100%) from 2 cinemas; 5th week Delhi 19,53,769 from 3 cinemas; 6th Calcutta 3,50,210; Vijayawada 5 weeks’ total 16,88,217 (100%), Visakhapatnam 34 days’ total 16,24,686.

3-D EXPERIENCE FOR A NEW GENERATION

The revised version of Chhota Chetan (3-D, partly dubbed) has been released this week in Bombay and Delhi-U.P. Several new characters have been added to this 1984 film but the charm still is of the 3-D effect only. The ultra-modern sound does add to the 3-D effects (which are truly excellent) but the new portions in the film don’t really go well with the contents of the old film. Newcomers Urmila Matondkar, Harish, Shakti Kapoor, Satish Kaushik and Ravi Baswani look as if they are on a different track.

The high points in the film are still the three-dimensional figures and the performances of the four kids. Which makes one wonder whether the makers wouldn’t have achieved similar results had they released the old Chhota Chetan only. Music should have been better.

Opening response is fantastic in Bombay. Children (a whole new generation of under-14s) will love the experience of seeing a 3-D film.

CBFC CHAIRMAN SHAKTI SAMANTA’S RESIGNATION NOT ACCEPTED

CBFC chairman Shakti Samanta resigned from his post on 13th April. The resignation has not yet been accepted. He, therefore, continues to occupy the post.

When contacted, Shakti Samanta told Information, “My first stint as chairman was for three years, it was renewed for a further three years, and again for three years. I’ve completed two years of my second extension, and I think, eight years is a long enough time to be in this post.” Samanta denied that there was any political reason for his resignation.

R.K. HANDA DEAD

Renowned art director R.K. Handa expired due to heart failure at his Juhu (Bombay) residence on 12th April. He was 62 years old and is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Besides being an art director of repute, Handa was also actively involved in the film trade union movement. At the time of his death, he was the president of the Association of Cine & TV Art Directors, senior vice president of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, senior vice president of the Film Studio Setting & Allied Mazdoor Union, and general secretary of the All India Film Employees Confederation.

Handa’s organisational capacities were too well-known in the industry. The cause of cine workers, especially casual workers, was always dear to him.

BHATTS BEREAVED

Shirin Bhatt, wife of producer-director Nanabhai Bhatt, mother of director Mahesh Bhatt, producer Mukesh Bhatt and writer Robin Bhatt, mother-in-law of C.I. distributor and producer Darshan Sabharwal and grandmother of Pooja Bhatt, producer-director Suneel Darshan and director Dharmesh Darshan, expired on 12th April in Bombay. Chautha was held on 14th and was attended by many people from the industry.

MAMMOOTTY AWARDED PADMA SHRI

President K.R. Narayanan presented the Padma Shri award to Mammootty along with other winners of this year’s Republic Day honours, on 12th April at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

YOU ASKED IT

Have the censors become stricter these days?

– Yes, they have. According to the new guidelines, the censors even have the right to delete scenes showing characters smoking or drinking liquor, if they think fit.

Which was the first 3-D film ever produced?

– It was Warner Brothers’ BWANA DEVIL, released in Hollywood in November 1952. The film had an African jungle story and was a huge success.

If story/script is the backbone of a film, why are writers paid so less compared to, say, artistes?

– The script may be a film’s backbone, but how many writers are really worth even the mediocre price they command? A good many writers are not even original.

CENSOR NEWS

Dharma Productions’ Duplicate was given C.C. No. CIL/2/15/98 (UA) dt. 17-4-’98; length 4519.62 metres in 18 reels (cuts: 82.67 metres).

Sahni International’s Jaane Jigar was given C.C. No. CIL/2/14/98 (UA) dt. 16-4-’98; length 4209.36 metres in 17 reels (cuts: 170.47 metres).

Columbia Tristar Films of India Ltd.’s Qatil Kaun? (dubbed), seen on 15th, has been issued C.C. No.CFL/3/41/98 (A) dt. 17-4-’98; length 2690.76 metres in 5 reels (no cut).

Lata Films’ Aunty No. 1 has been passed with U certificate, with cuts.

P.M. Films’ Sar Utha Ke Jiyo (length 4368.70 metres in 16 reels) was applied on 17th.

Varma Coporation Ltd.’s Satya (length 4999.19 metres in 17 reels) was applied on 17th.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Cinegoers’ Comfort

The accent these days is on wooing cinegoers to cinemas, looking after their comforts, giving them value for money. Cinemax at Bombay, which is screening Chhota Chetan (3-D) from this week, held a magic show on the opening day (Friday) as Urmila Matondkar plays a magician in the film. At Eros, Bombay, which is screening the same film, there’s a fat guy in an animal suit moving in the foyer, to impress children. In Ahmedabad, the owner of Roopam cinema, where the all-time Gujarati blockbuster, Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya, is running, has very thoughtfully put up a tent in his premises. The tent has swings for tiny tots so that ladies waiting for the tickets of the following show (in case the show for which they’ve come is house-full) can relax in the tent alongwith their kids. What’s more, biscuits and milk are provided free of cost for those who prefer to wait — and watch the film.

Foreign Shooting Schedule Cancelled At Short Notice

The dancing hero did the ‘slip dance’ this time. That is to say, he slipped out of a commitment to go abroad for a shooting of his film which is nearing the completion mark. The unit was to shoot in a pardesi territory — Holland, to be precise — but this hero babu played truant and cancelled his trip at the eleventh hour. So what if the producer had done all the ticketing and hotel bookings  in Holland? The hero couldn’t care less, what say?

‘Titanic’ Controversy In Scotland

The all-Time English hit, Titanic, is in the midst of a major controversy in Scotland. In the film, the first officer of the ship is shown as a cowardly murderer, but official records show that when the real Titanic collided with the iceberg, the bridge officer acted promptly to deal with the emergency and selflessly helped passengers onto lifeboats before himself going down with the ship. In the film, the officer is shown accepting bribes and killing two passengers who are fighting to get on to a lifeboat. He is then shown putting a gun in his mouth and killing himself. The makers of Titanic personally apologised for the gaffe, in the Scottish town of Dalbeattie. They also contributed $8,000 to a fund commemorating William Murdoch, the real bridge officer who died in the Titanic. But some locals felt, the apology and contribution weren’t enough. They wanted Twentieth Century Fox to amend the credits to reflect the truth when the video version of Titanic is released. The makers, on the other hand, insisted that the film was never intended to portray him as a coward and said, any implication otherwise was “inadvertent”. They said, it was neither feasible nor necessary to change the Titanic video, as demanded by some locals. In the meantime, Murdoch’s 80-year-old nephew, Scott Murdoch, said, he was very pleased with the apology issued by the producers of the film.

Horror Galore

The months of May and June may be quite horror-filled at the box-office. No, no, we aren’t predicting doomsday for the film industry due to the recent debacles nor are we insinuating that forthcoming films are carrying bad reports. What we imply is that in May and June, there are several horror films lined up for release. They are Purani Kabar, Khofnaak Mahal, Maut, Bhayaanak, Chudail No. 1, Daayan and Khoon Ki Pyasi Daayan.

QILA

Eagle Films’ Qila (A) is a murder mystery in which a judge, who is the head of a family, suspects that one of his own family members has committed the crime. The person murdered is his own brother who is a tyrant, debauch and cruel thakur. The tyrant has rejected his wife and son. He has also raped a danseuse who then gives birth to a child born due to the rape. The judge not only comes to know the truth about the murder but also saves the family honour by shielding the murderer in court, but only after resigning from the judge’s post and becoming a defence lawyer. His sole aim is to keep the hitherto fragmented family together.

The first half is generally quite interesting but it does have some dull moments. The characters take too long to be introduced and their introductions take a while to seep inside the mind. The second half is quite dull because the courtroom drama is devoid of the fire it should have had. The revelation of the murderer comes slowly and by the time the complete identity has been revealed, the audience has either guessed the name or otherwise lost interest in knowing who is behind the murder. Besides, the retired judge does not use his skill to unearth the mystery, he uses it only to get justice (though poetic) to the murderer by withholding the truth from the court. Another minus point is that most of the characters in the film are subdued and suppressed.

Dilip Kumar is quite good as the judge first and lawyer later. But in the double role of a villain, he doesn’t impress one bit. Dilip Kumar also looks tired and his dialogue delivery does not have the fire of yore. Rekha does a fine job. Mukul Dev gives a good show of his talent. He is natural in most of the dramatic and emotional scenes and also dances well. Mamta Kulkarni has thankfully improved  on her dialogue delivery and now doesn’t rush like a speeding train. She has performed quite well. Smita Jayakar is effective. Gulshan Grover does an able job. Kunika is very good as Gulshan’s wife. Malay Chakravarty is quite effective. Satish Kaushik’s comedy is not up to the mark. Shahbaaz Khan, Avtar Gill, Umesh Shukla, master Sahil, Rajeshwari and Pramod Moutho lend the desired support.

Umesh Mehra’s direction is good at places but falls short of expectations at other places. He has especially not been able to handle the complex second half of the drama effectively. The film’s pace is terribly slow at places. Dialogues, which are a strong point in Dilip Kumar starrers, are ordinary for a major part of the film. Two songs — ‘Wah bhai wah’ and ‘Kurte ki bahiyan ko’ — are well-tuned and also effectively picturised. ‘Prem hai Radha’ and ‘Malika hai tu’, on the other hand, are dull songs. Action is routine. Camerawork is okay. Other technical values are fair.

On the whole, Qila lacks in merits. Besides, it does not have popular stars of today and has, therefore, taken a shockingly slow start. It will entail heavy losses to its distributors.

Released on 10-4-’98 at Minerva and 20 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity: good. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over. Opening was below the mark everywhere. 1st day Jaipur about 1,40,435/- against a capacity of 2,01,397/- (70%, good in Raj Mandir, dull in other cinemas), Ajmer about 70%.

KEEMAT

United Seven Creations’ Keemat (UA) is about two young orphan boys who are good for nothing and who dream of making it big one day. One idea in this direction, which occurs to them, is to hook a rich girl and get married to her. One of them succeeds in wooing a girl but, contrary to their belief, she is not a millionairess but rather a small-time thief like both of them. During one of their many pick-pocket episodes, they get involved indirectly in a murder when the lad, whose pocket they’ve picked, is knocked down by a van while he is chasing them. They learn that the boy was on his way to his village and he was carrying cash with him, which was of utmost importance to his family in the village. As a token of repentance, the two boys go to the village to hand over the money they’ve found, to the deceased lad’s family. They do not tell the family members anything about the accident. By the by, they endear themselves to the family and the as-yet-single boy also falls in love with a village belle. To their surprise, they realise that a scheming industrialist is out to vacate all the villagers from the village in order to set up industries there. The two good-for-nothing guys then vow to rescue the villagers from the clutches of the evil industrialist.

The story is a mix of Sholay and Dushmun but is a poor cousin of both these films. Screenplay is ordinary but what really saves the film from falling flat on its face are the witty dialogues (by Madan Joshi). Actually, the film loses its charm once the focus shifts to the village because from that point, not only are most of the incidents predictable, but the drama is also drab.

Akshay Kumar looks handsome (with short hair), acts very well and shines in action scenes. Some of his fights are lovely. Saif Ali Khan is really cute and he too entertains ably. Raveena Tandon looks pretty and performs sincerely and with conviction. Sonali Bendre has hardly any scope. She is average. Dalip Tahhil does a fair job. Anupam Kher is good. Moushumi Chatterjee is efficient in a small role. Johny Lever lends some hilarious moments. Avtar Gill, Kiran Zaveri, Sheetal Suvarna, Ravi Kishan, Chhotu Dada and Mukesh Khanna (in a guest role) provide adequate support.

Direction is average. No attempt is made by director Sameer Malkan to give something new to the viewer. Rajesh Roshan’s music is an asset. ‘De diya dil piya’, ‘Koi nahin tere jaisa’ and ‘O mere chhaila’ are good songs, and the picturisation of the first-named number is superbly sensuous and eye-catching. The ‘O mere chhaila’ number is also very well picturised. Action scenes lend good thrill and have been effectively composed. Camerawork is of a good standard and so are the other technical values.

On the whole, Keemat has some truly good moments but not a matching script and, considering its price, will not find the going very smooth.

Released on 10-4-’98 at Maratha Mandir and 16 other cinemas of Bombay thru Shringar Films. Publicity: good. Opening: very good. …….Also released all over. Opening was good at most of the places. 1st day Jaipur about 1,71,500/- from 5 cinemas (all in 5 shows), fair.

LATEST POSITION

PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA is continuing its victory march everywhere.

Aakrosh has not been appreciated. 1st week Bombay 27,41,852 (52%) from 17 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,47,978 from 6 cinemas, Bharuch (gross) 2,31,846, Rajkot 1,75,890 from 2 cinemas, Jamnagar 1,23,234; Pune 5,78,335 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,34,434, Solapur 2,44,057 (58.44%) from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 57,819, Belgaum 1,37,318; Delhi 18,26,329 (35.40%) from 11 cinemas (1 unrecd., 2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,68,252 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,28,031, Dehradun 85,000, Hardwar 44,947; Calcutta 4,41,129 from 2 cinemas (did poor at other cinemas); Nagpur 3,12,971 from 4 cinemas, Akola 79,748, Raipur 56,668 (22.50%), Bilaspur 67,404; Bhopal 1,69,703 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 3,93,614 from 4 cinemas; Hyderabad 16,52,716 from 13 cinemas.

Deewana Hoon Pagal Nahi is terribly poor. 1st week Delhi 66,812 (35.33%, 1 cinema discontinued the film after a day’s run); Lucknow (4 days) 10,714; Calcutta (6 days) 1,82,337 from 7 cinemas.

Pyasi Chudail (dubbed) 1st week Delhi 4,47,777 (50.14%) from 3 cinemas; Lucknow 89,016; Nagpur 79,244 from 2 cinemas, Akola 51,046, Raipur 24,881; Hyderabad (noon) 32,713.

The Blue Lagoon (dubbed) is also poor. 1 week Bombay 12,500 (25.55%, 1 cinema was on F.H.).

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya is doing fantastic in Bombay, Delhi-U.P., C.P., C.I. and Nizam. 2nd week Bombay 47,12,601 (87.09%) from 12 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,63,024 from 3 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,84,187 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,18,851; Pune 9,36,139 from 4 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,98,000, Solapur (14 shows) 1,40,110 (95.71%); Belgaum 1,13,629; Delhi 41,90,001 from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,58,141 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 4,00,107, Bareilly 1,49,189 (66.28%), Dehradun 1,78,500, Hardwar 60,292 (1st 83,286); Calcutta (6 days) 14,06,645 from 12 cinemas (1 in noon); Nagpur 4,60,083 from 4 cinemas, Akola 1,38,093, total 2,95,245, Raipur 1,61,704, Durg 1,06,775, Chandrapur 1,42,353, total 3,35,357; Bhopal 3,82,706 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 4,80,938 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 2,05,260; Hyderabad 15,16,612 from 7 cinemas (2 in noon).

Yugpurush 2nd week Bombay 9,25,100 (34.61%) from 6 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 83,738 from 2 cinemas; Pune 3,22,082 from 4 cinemas, Solapur 44,070; Hubli 83,418, Belgaum 76,817; Delhi 2,18,360 (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 64,340 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 89,898, Bareilly 26,399 (11.81%), Dehradun 51,000; Calcutta 1,50,280; Nagpur 87,490 from 2 cinemas, Akola 42,214, Raipur 41,401, Wardha (6 days) 20,234, Bilaspur (6 days) 37,164; Indore 65,427, Bhopal 65,120 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 1,13,108; Hyderabad 1,06,745.

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Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya (Gujarati, TF) is absolutely mind-boggling. 13th week Ahmedabad 5,03,672 from 4 cinemas, 3rd week Idar 79,432, Asodar 64,700, Himmatnagar 1,22,141, Kadi 1,31,870, 11th week Jamnagar 1,59,026, 13th week Rajkot 1,90,000. Opened this week in Bombay city & suburbs to ordinary houses.

_______

Titanic (English) 5th week Bombay 16,46,148 (100%) from 2 cinemas; 4th week Delhi 21,78,341 from 3 cinemas; Calcutta 3,50,210; Vijayawada 3,53,318 (100%), Visakhapatnam 3,57,177 (100%). Extraordinary.

NATRAJ STUDIOS TO CLOSE DOWN

Natraj Studios will soon be demolished. This studio at Andheri (East) in Bombay also houses several production offices and a preview theatre, besides shooting floors.

FILMS ON OUTRIGHT OR ADVANCE BASIS ONLY: C.I. DISTRIBUTORS

Films must be acquired for distribution either on outright basis or advance basis only. This and several other decisions were taken at a meeting of Indore (C.I.) distributors on 8th April at Film Bhawan, Indore. All the decisions taken at the said meeting will be considered and discussed at the meeting of the executive committee of the CCCA, being held in Jaipur today (11th April).

Ramesh Surekha, Vinod Malhotra, Uttam Nahar, O.P. Goyal, Anil Rathi, Jitendra Jain, Harish Janiani, Vedprakash Mendiratta, Aditya Chowksey, Jagdish Advani, Yogesh Syal, Sunil Chowdhary, Jagdish Sharma and Satyanarayan Gupta were the distributors present at the Indore meeting, besides CCCA secretary C.V. Kavisher.

The other decisions taken at the meeting were: (a) no producer should assign the satellite rights of his film to CVO as telecast of films on the said channel very adversely affects business of distributors; (b) producers should be restrained from levying unwanted charges such as dupe charges, DTS charges etc., on the distributor at the time of release, that too using coercive methods; (c) the ratio for C.I. should not be more than 20% of a major circuit as the business potentiality is not more than that.

LAXMI KANT BERDE’S WIFE DEAD

Actress Ruhi, wife of comedian Laxmi Kant Berde, expired on 5th April at 11 a.m. at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, Bombay, due to brain haemmorhage. She was 49. Ruhi had acted in a number of Hindi and Marathi films as also in Marathi stage-plays. She had been hospitalised nine days before the end came.

Ruhi was cremated the same day at the Oshiwara crematorium. Her funeral was largely attended by persons from the Marathi and Hindi film industry. Among the Marathi films she had acted in were Ovalte, Bhauraya, Pandu Hawaldar, Aaram Haram Aahe, Galli Te Dilli, Zakhmi Waghin, Mumbaicha Fauzdar, Dhakti Soon, Mazha Ghar Mazha Sansar, Mamla Poricha, Doctor Doctor etc. She had also acted in Manmohan Desai’s Aa Gale Lag Jaa.

RAMESH PAREKH BEREAVED

Kiran Parekh, younger brother of leading Orissa distributor Ramesh Parekh (Parekh Traders, Cuttack), expired on 6th April in Calcutta. He was 44. Chautha was held on 9th.

KANNU DAVE DEAD

Jitendra Dave (Kannu), partner in Ganesh Talkies, Calcutta, expired on 2nd April. He was 57.

YOU ASKED IT

What do you have to say to the fact that a film like Qila, with stars like Dilip Kumar and Rekha, did not take even a decent opening?

– That old is not always gold!

How was the first quarter of 1998 and how do you expect the second quarter to be?

– The first three months were quite bad. The current quarter can be expected to be much better.

What is the ratio of Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai?

– Between 1.75 and 2 crore.

Is it a fact that Sunny Deol is on a signing spree?

– Yes, he has signed quite a few films of late.

What is the progress of Gaffarbhai Nadiadwala’s Raftaar?

– It is racing towards completion. Its title will be changed soon.

The Subhash Ghai – Mahima Controversy:
THE TRUE STORY
Court Grants Mahima Permission To Go Abroad; Admits Ghai’s Case

The controversy about Subhash Ghai and his protégé, Mahima Chaudhry, whom he introduced in Pardes, has not only been making headlines in the last few days but has also been distorted as much as it could and at least a hundred times more than it should have to keep the rumour mills and gossip mills grinding.

First things first. Ghai dragged Mahima to court to restrain her from going abroad to perform stage-shows as he had a contract with the actress, under which, to quote from the duly signed contract (dated 19th February, 1996), “the artiste (Mahima) has irrevocably agreed….. all the rights for her services as a model for any advertising company or product or any stage show or TV show in India or abroad is assigned to the producers (Mukta Arts Pvt. Ltd.) or to their nominees and such assignments shall be dealt directly by the producers or their nominees for the period of five years from the date of release of the first film titled Pardes and 35% of the benefits and compensations or its kind for the said services shall go directly to Mukta Arts Welfare Trust whatsoever they deem fit and the artiste shall not have any claim on this amount and/or benefits while the rest 65% shall be paid to the artiste within 15 days on receipt basis.” Ghai alleged that Mahima had not sought his permission to perform abroad and had thereby committed breach of contract.

Subhash Ghai sought an ad interim injunction from the Bombay high court, restraining Mahima from participating in the show abroad. The court rejected the prayer and permitted Mahima to perform abroad because restraining her would adversely affect the organisers of the stage shows, who were financially involved. Besides, the court felt that the relief sought by Ghai lacked urgency. This is the essence of the court order. But the court has not rejected Ghai’s suit for due performance of the contract, which is the impression given by press and other media coverage. On the contrary, the suit was admitted by the court and it will be heard in the days to come.

No sooner does any private understanding or contract (between two or more individuals or parties) become public (as Ghai and Mahima’s contract in the present case), we Indians have a habit of giving unsolicited and misdirected opinion on the same. That’s exactly what is happening in the Ghai-Mahima case and that’s one major reason why so much hue and cry is being made over the issue. Industry people are already sitting on judgement over such issues as to why Subhash Ghai should demand 35% from Mahima. This never was the issue before the court and this is not the issue which needs discussion. If Ghai and Mahima entered into a contract, that’s it. Nobody has a right to comment on it because Mahima has not disputed the fact of her signing the contract. Whether Ghai’s contract asked her to pay 35% or 95%, it was between him and his heroine, and after the contract is signed, sealed and delivered, nobody has the right to cast aspersions on anyone. The tragedy is that the issue has become more emotional than legal now, and the press must take a large part of the blame for this. Another factor responsible for giving the issue an emotional twist is that Mahima is a girl and a newcomer while Ghai is a man. But it must be realised that in the eyes of law, the two are merely parties to a contract, nothing more, nothing less. Further, the press and people alike love to pull down a famous and successful person who, in the present case, happens to be Ghai. For the press, they sell more copies when they can criticise a celebrity, and for the general public, it gives them the feeling that the mighty are also capable of falling. Both are crazy reasons but the truth is that they are there.

The problem began when, as alleged by Ghai, Mahima failed to honour the contract. In all fairness, therefore, all discussions must be limited to this aspect only.

Where Ghai, perhaps, erred is in seeking an injunction from the court, restraining Mahima from participating in the shows. The show organisers had nothing to do with the dispute between Mahima and her mentor, Subhash Ghai, and so it would be ridiculous to expect the court to grant Ghai’s prayer which, if granted, would have put the organisers to loss. The relief Ghai should have sought from the court is performance of the contract by Mahima and, therefore, obtaining his 35% share. Performance of contract would also include Mahima working in, to again quote from the contract, “any of the three future ventures to be produced and/or directed by producers (Mukta Arts Pvt. Ltd.) or any of its directors or their nominees like Suneha Arts or under any banner they may deem fit”. The contract also adds that “the artiste has irrevocably agreed and confirmed to act in such other three feature films as and whenever required by producers or their nominees”.

Now to come to Mahima’s press statements. The actress has alleged that since Ghai did not sign her for Taal, she, too, was free to work in other films without informing Ghai. Mahima should realise that it is Ghai who has bound her by a contract, and not she who has bound him. The contract clearly mentions that Mahima would act in such other three feature films as and whenever required by the producers or their nominees. There’s no clause in the contract which would make it binding on Ghai to sign Mahima for Taal or any other film.

Mahima has also said that she and Ghai had orally decided to call off the contract. But the court would want proof of this in writing and with Ghai denying the cancellation, Mahima’s claim may not hold water in the court of law.

Another childish remark by Mahima is that Ghai had hurt her by not casting her in Taal, by dragging her to court, by issuing notices (in trade papers) against her and by maligning her. Regarding Taal, as said above, it was Subhash Ghai’s prerogative alone to decide whether or not Mahima suited the role. There was no written commitment from Ghai to sign her for Taal. And so the question of being hurt can never arise. Mahima  can then even say, she is hurt for not being signed by Rakesh Roshan, Yash Chopra, Sooraj Barjatya etc. As regards her allegation that she was hurt because Ghai had dragged her to court and he had issued notices in trade papers against her and he had maligned her, Mahima would not have spoken about being hurt if she had only asked herself one question: why did Ghai drag her to court, why did he issue notices against her, and why did he malign her? The obvious answer to all the three questions is: because she committed breach of contract. Ghai’s actions are actually reactions to Mahima’s one action — that of breach of contract.

Actually, not only Mahima, even Subhash Ghai should stop talking about emotions, now that the matter is in court. Somehow, emotional talk does not sound honest in view of the fact that the matter is already in court. Especially, Subhash Ghai should refrain from indulging in such talk because it is he who has chosen to go to court. The matter is now a court battle, not an emotional tiff.

Mahima appears to be an intelligent girl otherwise. The actress seems to have been misled by people who may be calling themselves her well-wishers but are actually not so. She may have emerged victorious in the controversy and in the court case for restraining her from performing abroad, but one is not sure whether she will also emerge victorious in the suit for due performance of contract. And that suit is what is really important. Or maybe, the case is withdrawn after an out-of-court settlement between the two warring parties.

 

LATEST POSITION

The success of PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA has brought some life in the industry.

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya has done very well despite examination period. Is poised to become class A in Bombay. Is a commission-earner in East Punjab, Bengal and Rajasthan and overflow in the other circuits. It is also doing very well in Overseas. 1st week Bombay 48,07,493 (92.88%) from 13 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 12,06,439 from 5 cinemas, Rajkot 2,16,780 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Kolhapur 2,22,634 (98%), Solapur 3,09,999 from 2 cinemas (1 in 14 shows), Nasik 1,64,934 (100%); Belgaum 1,16,508; Delhi 49,71,705 (91.31%) from 11 cinemas; Lucknow 4,13,599 (100%), Agra 2,70,938 (94.52%), Allahabad 1,61,000, Varanasi 2,41,279, Meerut 2,32,373 (98.28%), Bareilly 1,96,079 (87.11%), Dehradun 2,07,764 (100%), Saharanpur 1,76,454 (83.26%), Moradabad 1,71,836, Gorakhpur 1,73,235, Aligarh 1,85,568; Calcutta 26,21,229 (91.32%) from 16 cinemas; Nagpur 6,71,138 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,00,382, Akola 1,57,151, Raipur 2,00,580 (82.82%), Bhilai 1,47,674, Durg 1,35,530, Chandrapur 1,93,004, Bilaspur 90,177; Indore 2,98,560 (4 on F.H.), Bhopal 5,43,684 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 10,77,188 from 5 cinemas, Bikaner 2,76,828; Hyderabad 40,72,338 from 15 cinemas, share 23,19,117; Visakhapatnam 2,06,131, Kurnool 1,85,857.

Yugpurush is dull everywhere but slightly better in Maharashtra. 1st week Bombay 20,57,508 (52.12%) from 10 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,59,606 from 4 cinemas, Rajkot 91,000; Solapur 1,53,919 from 2 cinemas; Hubli 1,48,267, Belgaum 1,87,349; Delhi 11,25,119 (37.34%) from 6 cinemas (1 unrecd.); Allahabad 1,02,000, Bareilly 44,858 (20.08%), Dehradun 77,305; Calcutta 7,17,427 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 3,63,589 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 89,166, Akola 81,035, Raipur 67,853 (31.24%), Bhilai 83,778 from 2 cinemas, Jalgaon (6 days) 66,290, Bilaspur 68,852; Indore 99,000 (2 unrecd.), Bhopal 1,18,231 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,48,177 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 67,371; Hyderabad 9,05,976 from 10 cinemas.

…………

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Titanic (English) 4th week Bombay 16,46,148 (100%) from 2 cinemas; 3rd week Delhi 25,71,324 from 4 cinemas; Calcutta 3,50,210; 3 weeks’ total Vijayawada 10,49,951 (100%), Visakhapatnam 10,71,537 (100%).

IMPPA WELCOMES VINOD KHANNA

Many film producers personally received Vinod Khanna at Bombay’s Santacruz airport on 3rd April. He came to Bombay on 3rd for the first time after his election to the Lok Sabha and was garlanded by many of those who were present to receive him.

Among those who greeted the star-MP at the airport were IMPPA president Sultan Ahmed, IMPPA vice president Sundeep Sethi, Shakti Samanta, Saawan Kumar Tak, Mehul Kumar, Surendra Mohan, Surinder Kapoor (FMC chairman), Anil Ganguly, Jimmy Nirula, Satish Khanna, Anand Girdhar, S.K. Kapur, Surjit Aujla, K.K. Talwar, Vinay Kumar Sinha, Johny Bakshi, Kant Kumar, Madan Mohla, Vinod Chhabra, Firoz Nadiadwala and Dinkar Chowdhary (IMPPA secretary). Vinod Khanna said, he was touched by the love and affection of the industry. He promised that as a Parliamentarian, he would try to do something to solve the industry’s problems.

‘PARDES’ TAX-FREE IN U.P.

Subhash Ghai’s Pardes has been granted tax-exemption in the state of Uttar Pradesh for a period of 1 month from 9th April.

FIRST MALAYALAM FILM IN DTS

Thirakalkappuram, starring Suresh Gopi and Manju Warrier, is the first Malayalam film in DTS. It is produced by Guru Pavana Films (P.) Ltd. and is due for release all over Kerala on 9th April. This maiden film of Guru Pavana Films is a sequel to the President’s award-winning film of 1964, Chemmeen. It is directed by debut-maker Anil Adityan. Music is scored by Johnson.

BUBBY KENT, BOBBY ANAND BEREAVED

Devika Kent, wife of producer Bubby Kent, sister of Overseas and Rajasthan distributor and producer Bobby Anand, and daughter of producer-director Suraj Prakash, expired on 2nd April in Bombay at Kothari Hospital due to a heart attack. She was only 30 years old. She is survived by her husband and a daughter.

Chautha will be held today (4th April) from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Panchtantra building, Yaari Road, Versova, Andheri.

BARJATYAS BEREAVED

Manakchand Barjatya, father of Padam Barjatya of P.B. Pictures, Jaipur, and Jaikumar Barjatya of Rajshri Pictures (P.) Ltd., Patna, and uncle of producers Kamal Kumar, Rajkumar and Ajit Kumar Barjatya, passed away on 21st March in Jaipur. Shanti Vidhan pooja was held on 2nd April in Jaipur.

SHAH RUKH INJURED

Shah Rukh Khan fractured his leg on the sets of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se a few days back in Madras.

AGAJANI KASHMIRI DEAD

Noted writer of yesteryears, Agajani Kashmiri, who wrote several hits like Anmol Ghadi, Taqdeer, Love In Simla and Junglee, died in Toronto on 27th March. He was 89 and is survived by two sons and grandchildren.

‘BORDER’, ‘DTPH’, ‘JUDAAI’ FOR NATIONAL AWARDS

J.P. Dutta’s Border, Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai and Boney Kapoor’s Judaai have been nominated for the National Awards of 1997, by the Film Federation of India.

The regional language films nominated are: Sarkarnama (Marathi), Sedin Chaitra Maas and Vidroho (both Bengali), Suryavamsam (Tamil), Annamayya (Telugu), Aniyathi Pravu (Malayalam) and Ulta Palta (Kannada).

WEDDING BELLS FOR SOHAIL KHAN

Director Sohail Khan got married to Seema on 29th March at a hurriedly called ceremony in Bombay.

ARJUN RAMPAL WEDS

Leading model and hero of Shantanu Sheorey’s Jadh, Arjun Rampal, got married to well-known model Mehr Jesia in Bombay earlier this week.

FFI, SIFCC BOYCOTT DOORDARSHAN

The Prasar Bharti Corporation’s recent decision to discontinue telecast of regional language films on Doordarshan’s national network has made the Film Federation of India take a decision to boycott Prasar Bharti till the decision is reversed. The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce has accused Prasar Bharti CEO, S.S. Gill, of taking a unilateral decision and has threatened that unless the telecast of South Indian films was restored immediately, it would stop supplying film-based programmes to Doordarshan.

RAMESH DEO RELEASES WIFE’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, LAUNCHES FILM

Seema Deo and Ramesh Deo celebrated triple occasions on 27th March at Rang Sharda — birthday of Seema Deo, the release of her autobiography, Suhasini, and the launching of their film, Waghnakh (Marathi). The film is being produced by Ajinkya Deo (elder son of the couple) under the banner of Ramesh Deo Productions, and directed by younger son Abhinay Deo whose debut-making film this is.

The event was presided over by Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi who announced the muhurt of the film and also released the book. Cultural affairs minister Pramod Navalkar, mayor Vishakha Raut, municipal commissioner Girish Gokhale, director Raj Dutt, Sulochana and many others from the film and stage industries felicitated the couple. Pradeep Bhide was the compere.

There was a display of fireworks, followed by cocktails and dinner.

Waghnakh will roll on April 20 and it will be completed in two months in Kolhapur. Starring Ramesh Deo, Seema Deo and Ajinkya Deo as the leading man, its leading lady and other cast and credits will be finalised soon.

YOU ASKED IT

What is the business of Titanic expected to be in India?

– Sky is the limit for the film and it is almost impossible to predict a logical estimate. In the USA, people are repeating the film 10 and even 15 times and one can expect such things to happen in India too.

Can the levy of abnormally high entertainment tax be challenged in court?

– It can, and it should be challenged. Expenditure of some lakhs in fighting out the issue in court could result in savings in crores because there are all chances of the tax being abolished or, at least, drastically reduced.

When should one ideally do a film’s casting — when a story-line is finalised or when the complete script is ready?

– When at least a major part of the scripting is complete.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Subhash Ghai is helping Jackie Shroff with his first production venture, GRAHAN. Ghai is reportedly re-editing the film.

* The Advanis of Shri Bableshwar Films, Indore, have completed a hat-trick of successful releases with PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA. The earlier two successes were DEEWANA MASTANA and ISHQ.

* Of the 11 Oscars bagged by TITANIC, two were for the best sound track and the best editing. The sound track was done in DTS, and the editing, on Avid. Both, DTS and Avid, are distributed in India, exclusively by Real Image Pvt. Ltd.

* Rishi Kapoor, the director is no different from Rishi Kapoor, the actor. Proof: as an actor, Rishi does not shoot on Sundays. Now, as director of AA AB LAUT CHALEN too, he does not shoot on Sundays. So what if his artistes and technicians are ready for a Sunday shooting, Rishi says, “no”. And so, it’s a holiday for the entire team.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record at Novelty, Bombay, by collecting 5,68,801/- (100%) in 1st week.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 1,64,934/- (100%) in 1st week at Mamta, Nasik.

* PKTDK has created a new city record in 1st week at Delhi’s Vishal cinema by collecting 7,17,617/- (against a capacity of 7,60,714/-) in 1st week. No film in 4 shows daily has collected so much earlier. 

* PKTDK has created theatre records in 1st week at Delhi’s Moti (2,49,037/- against 2,72,098/-), Rachna (4,60,195/- against 5,13,335/-), Batra (4,33,505/- against 5,05,422/-) and Chaudhry, Ghaziabad (2,32,284/- against 2,57,056/-).

* PKTDK has created a new record at Novelty, Lucknow, by collecting 4,13,599/- (100%) in 1st week. All 4 shows on the opening day of 2nd week were also full.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 2,32,373/- against a capacity of 2,36,439/- in 1st week at Nandan, Meerut.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 1,98,058/- in 1st week at Prabha, Bareilly.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 2,70,938/- (against 2,86,643/-) in 1st week at Shree, Agra.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 1,85,568/- in 1st week at Surjit, Aligarh.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record at Raj, Gorakhpur, by collecting 1,73,235/- in 1st week.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 2,41,279/- in 1st week at Natraj, Varanasi.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 1,60,482/- in 1st week at Sangeet, Allahahad.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 1,71,836/- in 1st week at Kunwar, Moradabad.

* PKTDK has created a city record by collecting 2,07,764/- (all shows full) in 1st week at Prabhat, Dehradun.

* PKTDK has created a theatre record by collecting 1,76,454/- (against a capacity of 2,11,930/-) in 1st week at Kalpana, Saharanpur.

* PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA has created a theatre record by collecting 1,93,004/- in 1st week at Abhay, Chandrapur.

Peep, Don’t Sleep

Nana Patekar gave three hits, Tirangaa, Krantiveer and Agni Sakshi, and increased his price by 400%. Now, after an average to below-average Ghulam-E-Musthafa and a disaster, Yugurush, he should reduce his price to 20% of what he is currently charging. That is, if Nana believes in fair play.

Sunil Shetty’s Aakrosh is a non-starter all over India. His previous release, Vinashak, too fared badly and entailed losses to most of its distributors. Sunil Shetty should, therefore, reduce his price to 50% of his present price. That is, if he believes in the policy of live-and-let-live.

The list of Akshay Kumar’s failures, debacles and disasters is long. To cut matters short, I can only say that instead of counting his flops, he should rather count the huge losses which distributors of his starrers have suffered in the past two years. He will then automatically feel inclined to slash his price by 75%. That is, if Akshay has a heart which beats for his producers and distributors.

Urmila Matondkar should be honest to herself and compare the number of producers who queue up at her house these days with their number in the post-Rangeela days. She will realise that life after Daud is not so rangeeli after all — for her producers, that is. With this realisation, Urmila herself will feel obliged to slash her price by 50%. That is, if she has foresight and is concerned about the future — of herself this time, more than of her producers.

Jackie Shroff should try and recall when his last solo starrer hit the bull’s eye. I say, try, because it may not be easy for him to remember the number of months since the release of his last hit, and the name of the film. Maybe, he will then reduce the remuneration he charges by, say, 2 lakh for every month he counts. That is, if he believes that the trade is already making such calculations about his career.

Amrish Puri should do some rethinking on his fabulously high price. Although he is undoubtedly the numero uno villain/character artiste, he should appreciate the fact that films sell on the names of heroes and heroines. Thus convinced, he will find it easier to convince himself that his price needs a revision in the downward direction. That is, if the screen villain is a hero in real life.

Sanjay Dutt should open his eyes to two facts — that he hasn’t delivered a hit for a long time and that he hasn’t still completed some of his very old starrers. He may then feel like hurrying up — as much to complete the old stock as to price himself more realistically. That is, if Sanjay can change.

Nana, Sunil, Akshay, Urmila, Jackie, Amrish, Sanjay — all just need to peep into their own conscience. The rest will follow.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Twentieth Century Craze

Imagine, the producer or distributor of a film not being entitled to the tickets of his own film. Well, that’s exactly the position of Twentieth Century Fox which has released blockbuster Titanic in Bombay — at Regal and Cinemax. So much is the demand for seats that some irate members of the public complained to the police that they weren’t getting tickets at Regal due to block bookings at the cinema. As a result, the police has asked Twentieth Century Fox to refrain from doing block bookings for friends/trade people and others. Resultantly, even Twentieth Century Fox has to obtain police permission for reserving too many seats together at Regal! That’s the twentieth century craze for the Twentieth Century-Paramount co-production!

Maximum Planning, Minimum Wastage

Viveck Vaswani’s Sar Ankhon Par is in its last lap of production, and before the month comes to a close, the film will be complete. A major part of the film has been shot in much the same way as Hollywood films are shot, in the sense that detailed call-sheets are handed out to every unit member even before a shooting schedule actually begins. The call-sheets give the exact time when each artiste is required, for which scene/shot he/she is needed, the props and articles required, the scene number, shot number etc. etc. That way, there’s little room for confusion and minimum wastage of time and money. This style of functioning is courtesy executive producer and writer Sunjiv Puri who has used his vast experience of English productions (he has been involved in the production of several English films shot in India) in Sar Ankhon Par. That’s also the reason why the bound script of the film is ready unlike in the case of most films! Incidentally, SAP will be complete before the month-end.

All Set

There’s a new kind of set designing in Bollywood. Suren Gurbaxani is basically a wedding decorator who erects wedding mandaps, reception stages and does the other decoration too for weddings. He has branched out into set designing for films. The advantage of getting sets erected by Suren’s team is that once they have to be dismantled, there’s no worry for the producer to pay the wooden planks supplier, property supplier and other set materials suppliers. That’s because Suren takes back all the set materials after the set is dismantled. That way, the charges for his services and goods are reasonable too. Why, even some art directors prefer sub-contracting work to Suren who has constructed sets for some films like Dil To Pagal Hai (not all the sets).

BJP Sore

The scene in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, involving duplicates of film stars Shatrughan Sinha, Rajesh Khanna, Rajinikanth, Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt, has not found the approval of the BJP’s film wing. In the scene in the film, the star look-alikes are shown fighting among themselves and even calling each other names. This hasn’t gone down well with the political party’s film wing which has asked the makers to delete the said scene from all the prints running.

WARNING NOTICE

The public in general and the film trade in particular are hereby informed that our M/s. MUKTA ARTS PVT. LTD., Mumbai-50 had given a break to M/s. RITU CHAUDHARY alias MAHIMA CHAUDHARY in their latest film PARDES. The said Mahima Chaudhary had entered into an Agreement with our said clients dated 19-2-1996 whereby she has agreed to work for our clients in their 3 further films.

The said Mahima Chaudhary is thus bound with our clients for a period of 5 years from the release of their film PARDES i.e. till 9-8-2002. The said Mahima Chaudhary has irrevocably agreed with our clients that she shall not render her services as a model for any advertising company or product or any stage show or TV show in India or abroad without the written consent of our clients. The said rights are assigned to our clients who alone are authorised to deal directly with any such party who opts to have the services of Mahima Chaudhary. Mahima Chaudhary has further irrevocably appointed, nominated and constituted Shri Subhash Ghai or his nominee as the authorised person to act, represent, select and negotiate any outside assignments of feature films shooting and/or advertisement films, TV programmes or stage shows etc. on behalf of Mahima Chaudhary and to decide the terms and conditions thereof during the period of the said Agreement. Mahima Chaudhary does not have any right to negotiate any terms and conditions with any party directly.

The said Mahima Chaudhary is also bound to work in our clients’ 3 further films and allot to them preferential shooting dates.

In view of the above, any party or person desirous of dealing with Mahima Chaudhary shall have to deal through our clients only. In case any party or person directly deals with Mahima Chaudhary, they shall so do entirely at their risk, and our clients shall proceed to take suitable legal action against the said errant party.

(R.K. MIDHA)
ADVOCATE SUPREME COURT
for M/s. MUKTA ARTS PVT. LTD.
Tel.: 640 6410

Bombay,
3-4-1998

PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA

G.S. Entertainment’s Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya is a youthful love story. A young village girl, who has an over-possessive brother, falls in love with a city-bred boy, but her brother won’t dream of giving the nod for their marriage. The boy tries to impress his girlfriend’s brother in all ways so that he would give them the green signal. Love ultimately triumphs — of course, after the mandatory hurdles are crossed. There’s a track of the boy’s father and step-mother, who have a change of heart in the climax. There’s also another track of a greedy family in the village, which is trying to usurp land not belonging to it. There’s a third track of the girl’s loving uncle whose joy lies in the happiness of his nephew and niece but who, for an inexplicable reason, panics terribly on learning about the love affair of his niece and the city boy whom, incidentally, the uncle adores.

The film has generated immense craze, thanks to its hit music and the presence of heart-throb Salman Khan. Fortunately, it is the songs and Salman, which are the two major plus points in the film. In fact, so good are both that the high expectations of the audience (due to the publicity hype) are met in these two respects at least, the other drawbacks, therefore, being relegated to the background. For, otherwise, the scripting is poor and also not original, and the direction is ordinary.

There are several scenes which can be easily trimmed, either because they are unnecessary or because they do not come in the sequence they should be coming in. While several individual comedy scenes are very enjoyable, there are some which do not tickle the ribs. The city audience, especially, will appreciate the humour in the film. Climax is quite tame. Dialogues are witty. Emotions are sorely missing in this love story.

Salman Khan is the life of the film. It is one of the best performances of his career and he endears himself to the audience as soon as and everytime he appears on the screen. He looks terrific too. Kajol does a fairly good job. She should, however, check her weight. Arbaaz Khan is alright as Kajol’s no-nonsense brother but since the reason for his weird behaviour is not explained, one is left wondering what his problem is. Dharmendra is fair. A bulky Anjala Zaveri gives an average performance. Kiran Kumar, Kunika, Tiku Talsania, Dinesh Hingoo, Ashok Saraf, Nirmal Pandey, Asif Sheikh, Razak Khan, Anand Balraj and Ashish Balram Nagpal lend ordinary support.

Direction is functional. Director Sohail Khan has not been able to make a cohesive drama and the discredit for this should also be shared by writer Sanjeev Duggal and editor Yusuf Khan. Even an obvious slip like Arbaaz Khan asking Nirmal Pandey whether he was new to his (Arbaaz’s) city (when, all his life, Arbaaz has been actually living in a village!) has escaped the director’s attention. There’s no consistency in Kajol’s style — she uses Main and Hum (while talking of herself) as she pleases.

Music (Jatin-Lalit, Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid-Wajid) is hit. O O Jaane jaana (lyrics: Sameer) is the best song and its picturisation is also wonderful. Odh li chunariya (lyrics: Sudhakar Sharma) is musically very strong but its picturisation should have been better. Tum par hum hai atke has an interesting picturisation. Sun o deewani teri jawani is yet another well-tuned song.

Action scenes are okay. Camerawork is very good. Other technical and production values are of standard. DTS mixing, however, leaves something to be desired.

On the whole, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya has hit music, cute Salman Khan and a holiday period ahead as the biggest advantages to ensure returns to distributors. While business in Bombay and South should be very good, that in North and Eastern India can be expected to be just about fair since intrinsic merits in the script and presentation are missing.

Released on 27-3-’98 at Novelty, Metro (matinee) and 18 other cinemas of Bombay by Vimal Agarwal thru R.M. Ahuja & Co. Publicity: bumper. Opening: excellent (despite examination period). …….Also released all over to very good houses (except in C.I. where opening was a little below satisfactory).

YUGPURUSH

Prathima Films’ Yugpurush (A) is a tender tale about worldly exploitations. Inspired from Dostovski’s Russian novel and film, The Idiot (on which was based the Bengali film Aparichito made more than three decades back), it has an unusual story which touches the heart but which has very limited appeal. It is for the elite audience only.

A young boy, who gets a shock when his parents are killed in an earthquake, is sent to a mental asylum and he comes out of it after 25 years. Although he has immense vision (he can tell a man’s character simply by looking at his face), is pure at heart and extremely simple in looks, he is not one bit worldly-wise. Once out of the hospital, he meets some interesting people. One is a woman of disrepute on whom her aged lover (a politician) spends crores but she is disillusioned with her life. Another is the son of another politician, who detests his father but is madly in love with the lady of disrepute. The third is a family which has taken care of him and his property all these years. The head of this family has his eyes on the mental patient’s wealth, but his daughter is in love with him (the patient). The fourth is a man who is so greedy that he can even sell himself for money.

The woman of disrepute also falls in love with the mental patient; he, too, loves her. But the politician’s son makes the woman his wife and, in a fit of extreme possessiveness, kills her and is jailed for it. This mentally disturbs the mental patient again.

There are several heart-warming moments in the film, such as the scene in which he innocently signs his property papers to give the power of attorney to his manipulative caretaker guardian, and then, the guardian has a change of heart because of his innocence and himself tears off the papers, or the scene where the woman of disrepute is being auctioned, and the simpleton agrees to marry her. There are also many light scenes, mostly in the first half, which regale the audience.

But the drama moves at a slow pace. The second half is grim and too tense to be enjoyable. Besides, the central character in the film is of the kind a layman cannot identify with. Several other characters in the film also are not the kind which one can identify with. That’s a major drawback of the film. Dialogues, by Hriday Lani, are simple and excellent and some touch the heart.

Nana Patekar endears himself to the viewer instantly with his simpleton looks and innocence. In a role that’s different from what he is used to playing, he delivers an award-winning performance. But while he may get awards for the performance, this itself could go against the film — for, his fans will not get to see what he is famous for i.e. bad words, loud delivery of dialogues etc. Manisha Koirala also does a fabulous job which could fetch her some awards. She is especially superb in the agonising outbursts and the tender moments she spends with the simpleton hero. Jackie Shroff looks the character he plays and does justice to his role. Ashwini Bhave is fair. Shivaji Satam impresses a great deal as the lecherous aged politician. Jayant Savarkar, in a mass-oriented role, is very natural. Mohan Joshi is quite good. Mohnish Bahl, Sulbha Deshpande, Yeshwant Dutt, Ravi Patwardhan and the others lend good support.

Parto Ghosh’s handling of the ‘class appeal’ subject is equally class appealing. There’s hardly anything for the masses. Music in this kind of a film needed to be of the hit genre. Although ‘Bandhan khula’ and ‘Chale hum do’ are well-tuned, they are not the type of songs which can be hummed. Song picturisations are quite eye-filling. Camerawork (K.V. Ramanna) is very good. Other technical aspects are of standard.

On the whole, a sensitive Yugpurush is for the sensitive viewer but unfortunately, there aren’t many of this class. Therefore, although it will win critical acclaim, it will bring heavy losses to all distributors. Its heavy second half, to an extent, even offsets the impact of the enjoyable first half. Tax exemption can help the film. Business in Maharashtra, where Nana is the most popular, should be somewhat better.

Released on 26-3-’98 at Metro and on 27-3-’98 at 15 other cinemas of Bombay thru Apollo Enterprises. Publicity: good. Opening: average. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor in most of the circuits.

ROTARIANS FELICITATE SUBHASH GHAI, PARDES’ UNIT

The Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town on 21st March felicitated Subhash Ghai and the unit of his Pardes at Hotel Centaur at a charity dinner in aid of cancer patients. Besides Ghai, there were Shah Rukh Khan, Alok Nath, Himani Shivpuri, Renu Saluja, Shravan, Anand Bakshi, Javed Siddiqi, Neeraj Pathak, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamoorthy and Hema Sardesai. They were all presented trophies as well as gifts prepared specially for them by cancer patients. The trophy to Subhash Ghai was given by Mrs. Subhash Ghai. Others who handed over the trophies were Anil Kapoor, Govinda and Aishwarya Rai.

Mahima Chaudhry and Apoorva Agnihotri were conspicuous by their absence.

CCCA OPENS CHARITABLE DISPENSARY IN JAIPUR

The CCCA has started a charitable dispensary in Jaipur in its office premises. The dispensary is for members of the CCCA, their office staff and their family members. Consultation will be free and so will medicines.

The dispensary was inaugurated on 16th March. Trustee members of the CCCA, Nandu Jalani, Kishore Kala and Satyawan Pareek, attended the inaugural function alongwith other trade persons.

JATIN-LALIT BEREAVED

Kamla Pandit, mother of music directors Jatin-Lalit, Sulakshana Pandit, Vijayta Pandit and Mandheer, and wife of music director Pratapnarayan Pandit, expired on 21st March in Bombay. Chautha ceremony was held on 24th at IMA, Juhu, Bombay.

AMRAVATI FILM TRADE MOURNS DADA’S DEMISE

The Amravati film trade held a meeting on 16th April in the office of the CCCA, Amravati, to condole the death of Dada Kondke. Glowing tributes were paid to Kondke at the meeting chaired by Vijay Rathi. Two minutes’ silence was also observed to pay homage to the departed soul.

YOU ASKED IT

Why do foreign production companies normally talk of business in terms of grosses?

– Because the world over, there’s either no entertainment tax or, if it does exist, it is negligible. It’s in India that the government is a partner in film exhibition without investing anything.

In your opinion, should Titanic have been dubbed in Hindi?

– Of course, it should have, because it had the potential to do great business in Hindi too. Given the number of people who understand English in India, you cannot expect the English film to do as much business as the Hindi version would have done. Of course, on its own too, the English version is all set to prove to be the biggest Hollywood hit so far in India.

What is the scope of a Tamil or Telugu film dubbed from a Hollywood film?

– If the film is good, the Tamil/Telugu dubbed versions do very big business.

CENSOR NEWS

G.S. Entertainment’s Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya was given C.C. No. CIL/1/17/98 (U) dt. 23-3-’98; length 4466.12 metres in 18 reels (cuts: 22.57 metres).

Eagle Films’ Qila was given C.C. No. CIL/3/19/98 (A) dt. 23-3-’98; length 4507.49 metres in 17 reels (no cut).

Triple Aar Trinetra Combines’ Aakrosh was given C.C. No. CIL/3/20/98 (A) dt. 26-3-’98; length 4315.26 metres in 16 reels (cuts: 72.65 metres).

Divya Films International’s Kanyadaan was given C.C. No. CIL/1/18/98 (U) dt. 26-3-’98; length 4593.77 metres in 16 reels (cuts: 13.26 metres).

MIX MASALA

TITANIC CHEQUE FOR ‘TITANIC’ DIRECTOR

James Cameron, the director of Titanic, will be presented a cheque of $100 million by 20th Century Fox, one on the two distributors of the film. Cameron had given up much of his fees when costs for making Titanic began to soar over budget. To placate studio executives, Cameron surrendered all his remuneration except for a $1.2 million writing fee.

The new deal for restoring his pay must first be approved by Cameron and then agreed to by Paramount Pictures, the film’s other distributor.

‘TITANIC’ STAR SUES MAGAZINE OVER NUDE PICTURES

Titanic hero Leonardo DiCaprio sued Playgirl magazine on 27th March over unauthorised nude photographs it plans to publish of the actor. He filed the suit in Los Angeles superior court, seeking unspecified damages from the magazine and an injunction to prevent publication of the photographs.

DiCaprio said in the suit that he suffered “shame, mortification, hurt feelings, emotional distress, embarrassment, humiliation and injury to his privacy and peace of mind.”

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Delivery Dramas

Both the deliveries of this week were Caesarean — that is to say, there were problems and tensions, and it wasn’t smooth sailing. While in the case of Yugpurush, the tensions had started months back, with several distributors asking for a price reduction, in the case of Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, the tension was only between the Bombay distributors (Vimal Agarwal and Ashok and Nandu Ahuja) and their sub-agents for Gujarat, Saurashtra and Thane district. What surprised the Bombay trade, when all the three aforesaid sub-distributors pleaded inability to meet their commitments, was that this was happening in the case of a film which boasted of hit music, a terrific hype and an enviable advance booking! Is the money market so tight? Ultimately, the film’s delivery for all the above sub-circuits was taken by the Bombay distributors only. This, of course, resulted in a lot of quarrels and heartburning. Prints of a couple of stations of Gujarat, like Baroda and Nadiad, also reached late. Yugpurush changed hands earlier this week for Bombay city-suburbs and Maharashtra when Apollo Enterprises stepped in and Shringar Films (on behalf of ABCL) stepped out. The prices of several other distributors of Yugpurush had to be reduced by producer Pranlal Mehta.

More Value For Money

As people in Bombay must be aware, the Shroffs (Shringar Films) have specially appointed a violinist at their Cinemax cinema at Goregaon to play the theme music of Titanic (which is showing at the cinema) in the interval. Well, like the film itself, this novel idea is also being appreciated by the audience. Why, one Sarita Almeida, who happened to see Titanic at Cinemax, wrote a letter to the Shroffs to express how happy, “amazed and thrilled” she was “to see such a good violinist performing during the interval”. The letter further adds, “The last hymn, ‘Nearer my God’, he played so well, I may say, better than those performing in the picture. We were humming all the time after the picture and discussing how well the violinist played the same. Thanks, we shot two birds at a time — the picture and the live music.” The idea of keeping a violinist to play in the interval, it may be mentioned here, was Shravan Shroff’s.

Film Industry Problems

The seminar of the film industry, scheduled to be held on Saturday, May 2, at Bombay’s Leela Kempinski, has come like a God-sent opportunity to the industry to focus the government’s attention on its sorry plight. Being held under the guidance of the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry), this seminar will be attended by the finance minister, I & B minister, finance secretary, I & B secretary, industries secretary and other government officials. Industry people will read papers on subjects like grant of industry status to the film line, finance to film industry, taxation in film industry (both Central and State), copyright laws vis-à-vis the film industry, etc. One hopes, the industry’s problems get a sympathetic eye and ear of the government.

Striking The Right Note

Rakesh Roshan has started the launch vehicle of son Hrithik and Kareena Kapoor on a wonderful note. The very first song of the film, recorded last week, is a lovely number — lovely in all respects. It has been beautifully penned by an inspired Saawan Kumar Tak, excellently tuned by Rajesh Roshan, and ably rendered by Kumar Sanu with a couple of aalaap by Priti Singh. That’s good team-work, then.

Shah Rukh, His Favourite?

Mysore distributor R.N. Mandre seems to be too fond of Shah Rukh Khan. For, he has three films of the actor, for distribution in his circuit. One is Parvesh Mehra’s Shah Rukh-Karisma starrer, the second is Moranis-Bunty Soorma’s Shah Rukh-Karisma starrer, to be directed by David Dhawan, and the third is Nazir Ahmed’s Shah Rukh-Jackie-Juhi starrer, being directed by K. Shashilal Nair.

HAZAAR CHAURASI KI MAA

Udbhav’s Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (A) is the story of the mother of a revolutionary boy who is part of the Naxalite movement in Calcutta. The mother is unaware of her son’s activities till after he is killed. To find out more about him and his work, she goes to meet the mother of a friend of his (who was also killed alongwith her son) and her son’s girlfriend. Both of them throw light on her son’s activities and she understands him better after his death. Ultimately, the mother also becomes a human rights activist. But before that, she emerges as a bold lady who is quite different from the traditional, submissive, unprotesting, tolerant upper-middle class wife and mother working in a bank.

The film, based on Mahasweta Devi’s Bengali novel, is aimed at the elite audience and connoiseurs of art cinema. The story itself has little entertainment value and is depressing, besides being thought-provoking. The pace is extremely slow and it moves on a single track. There are no songs, no comedy, no romance.

The narration has some scenes which move the viewer, a couple of them even stun him. For instance, the climax, in which the mother catches the leg of the killer tight and does not let him escape, the scene in which she identifies the corpse of her son, the scene in which the mother of her son’s friend recounts her agonising tale, the brutal murder of the four friends in front of the parents of one of them etc. Dialogues are natural to the core.

Jaya Bachchan excels in the role of the sensitive mother. She guards against going overboard and performs wonderfully. Seema Biswas is also superb as the mother of the friend of Jaya’s son. Nandita Das, as the son’s beloved, is excellent and very natural. Joy Sengupta is very good as the son. Anupam Kher does a fine job. Milind Gunaji and the others lend good support.

Director Govind Nihalani’s narration of the subject is such as would appeal to the class audience only. Background score is effective. Camerawork is very nice. Technical aspects are of a good order.

On the whole, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa is a slow fare for select cinemas in very select cities only. Its commercial prospects are as grim as the subject it tackles.

Released on 19-3-’98 at Metro and on 20-3-’98 at 1 more cinema of Bombay thru Shringar Films. Publicity: quite good. Opening: poor.

NOW IN BOMBAY
BADA DIN

Gramco Films’ Bada Din is about an aspiring singer who couldn’t care less about anybody else in the world. He suddenly finds himself protecting a young eye-witness to a murder because the police fails to give him protection. When confronted by the murderers, he even musters courage to give them a tough fight and declares that he has become a fearless man now.

The film has a Christian backdrop as two principal characters are Christian. That itself limits the film’s prospects to a large extent. Further, the drama moves on almost a single track, the other tracks being there just for namesake. The treatment of the offbeat subject is of the kind which would be appreciated by very select audience. The film’s pace is slow and at the end of it, one gets the feeling of it being much ado about (almost) nothing. Dialogues are alright but several dialogues are spoken in English, and that limits their appeal.

Shabana Azmi plays the Christian lady with aplomb. She is as natural as natural can be. Mark Robinson acts with confidence in his first film but dances quite awkwardly. He doesn’t look the traditional hero. Tara Deshpande has a small role and is okay. Abhay Chopra plays the villain ably. Sanjay Pathak is effective. Alok Nath is superb as the main villain, Irfan Khan, Pramod Singh and the rest of the cast provide good support.

Anjan Dutt’s shot takings are good but his handling of the dark subject is aimed at ‘entertaining’ the class audience only. Music (Jatin Lalit) is very good. ‘Meri aankhon mein tum ho’, ‘Suno zara’ and ‘Na koi tera’ are very well-tuned songs. Camerawork is good. Production values are so-so. Technically, appropriate.

On the whole, Bada Din has nothing big about it except its title. Returns, too, will be very small.

Released on 20-3-’98 at Minerva thru Gramco Films. Publicity: average. Opening: poor.

RAJASTHANI CINEMA’S FIRST LYRICIST, DIALOGUE WRITER DEAD

The first dialogue writer and lyricist of Rajasthani films, P.N. Sharma, expired on 16th March in Jaipur due to old age. He was 95.

Better known as Dr. Prabhu Narayan Sharma ‘Sahriday Natyacharya’, he wrote the songs and dialogues of the first Rajasthani film, Nazrana, made in 1942. He was also an author and dramatist. Thirty books written by him, have been published. Sharma also wrote, directed and acted in several Sanskrit and Hindi stage-plays. It was for his contribution to Sanskrit and Hindi stage that he was conferred the title of Natyacharya in 1934.

NEW CINEMA IN AURANGABAD

A new cinema, Nupur Cinetorium, will open on Gudi Padwa day (28th March) in Aurangabad near CIDCO fire brigade in the Radhika shopping arcade. Owned by Rajesh Patel, it has a seating capacity of 1,002 and is equipped with Ultra Stereophonic and DTS sound systems and a modern projector which been installed by Monee & Co. The cinema will be thrown open to the public from 3rd April. It is air-cooled and is the 14th cinema in Aurangabad.

LARGE ATTENDANCE AT SIPPY’S DAUGHTER’S WEDDING RECEPTION

Priya, daughter of Bombay distributor Ramesh Sippy, got married to Rajeev on 17th March. The reception at NSCI, Bombay, was very well-attended by industry people.

For The First Time, Perhaps….
….Dada Kondke’s Name Brought Tears To The Eyes

Dada Kondke, the comedy king of Marathi films, died of a heart attack in the early morning hours of 14th March. He suffered the attack at his residence and was rushed to a hospital in Dadar, where he was pronounced dead before admission. Dada was 66 and single. He was cremated the same day.

Born in 1932, Dada’s real name was Krishna as the day of his birth happened to be Gokul Ashtami. Actor-producer-director-writer Dada Kondke was well-known for his brand of comedy films and double-meaning dialogues. He played the role of a village bumpkin to perfection, his innocent face and his trademark half-pant attire, complete with a string hanging down, adding to his character. For connoiseurs of Dada’s films, the very mention of his name brought a smile to their lips.

Dada Kondke had made 15 Marathi films, besides four in Hindi and two in Gujarati. His Marathi films were Songadya (which had the all-time hit song, Kay ga Saku, bola Dajiba). Ekta Jeev Sadashiv, Andhala Marto Dola, Pandu Hawaldar, Tumcha Amcha Jamla, Ram Ram Gangaram, Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgulya, Hyoch Navra Pahije, Aali Angavar, Muka Ghya Muka, Mala Gheoon Chala, Sasarcha Dhotar, Wajvoo Ka?, Yevoo Ka Gharat and Palva Palvi. His Hindi films were Tere Mere Beech Mein, Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein, Aage Ki Soch and Khol De Meri Jubaan. His nine consecutive Marathi films had celebrated silver jubilee (some of them were even golden jubilee hits), a feat that found a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Dada is survived by his sister and nephew, Vijay Kondke, also a producer-director. He had just recently decided to dub his Marathi films in Hindi and was, in fact, dubbing Aali Angavar at the time of his death.

Like his films, Dada used to make people laugh with his stock of jokes and wit and humour. He used to tell of his attempt to sign a leading Hindi film actress years ago. The actress in question quoted him an abnormally high price which Dada agreed to pay. But when she was told by Dada that he would be her co-star, she refused and asked to be cast opposite a better hero. Upon which, Dada is said to have demanded back the signing amount he had paid her, telling her that he had agreed to pay her more than her market price, only because she would have to star with a person with an ugly face. Dada’s favourite co-star in Marathi films was Usha Chavan with whom he acted in 10 films. She was also his co-star in his first two Hindi films.

Dada owned two studios, one at Ingavli and the other at Khadakvasala near Pune. He also had distribution offices in Bombay and Amravati.

AKBAR BAKSHI NO MORE

Well-known action director Akbar Bakshi passed away on 19th March in Bombay at his residence following a heart attack. He was 48 and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. He was cremated the same day.

Akbar had composed the action for almost 75 films. He was the favourite action director of Akshay Kumar and had composed the stunts for almost all his films including the daredevil ones in Sabse Bada Khiladi, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi and Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi. Among the other films he had directed the stunts for were Paanch Paapi, Aakhri Ghulam, Kala Dhanda Goray Log, Nagina, Khiladi, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Insaaf, Tarazu, Baazigar, Yes Boss, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Gambler, Karmyoddha and 2001. He used to assist Mohammed Ali before he turned independent with Pahlaj Nihalani’s Paap Ki Duniya, directed by Shibu Mitra.

Umesh Mehra described Akbar Bakshi as a hardworking and technically sound action director who used to plan things properly. Akbar had also composed the fights in two English films, The Far Pavilions and Queenie, and a Bengali film of actor Prasenjit. Among his forthcoming complete and incomplete films are Keemat, Duplicate, Angaaray, Barood, Soldier, Shivam, Baadshah and Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin.

PREM SETHI DEAD

Producer Prem Sethi expired on 14th March at Nanavati Hospital in Bombay where he had been operated upon for a spinal ailment. Although the operation was successful, Sethi passed away on the morning of 14th following some complications. He was 70 and is survived by a wife, two sons and a daughter. He was cremated the same day.

Prem Sethi had produced films like Mastana (with Motilal as hero), Pocketmaar, Sharabi (both starring Dev Anand) and Gumrah (starring Subhash Ghai).

C.S. OZA DEAD

C.S. Oza of Jalaram Films, Indore expired on 19th March in Indore. He had been suffering from cancer.

YOU ASKED IT

The government denied permission for shooting Seven Years In Tibet in India for political reasons but now, the film has been passed by the CBFC for screening in India? How is it?

– The permission not granted was for shooting. The CBFC may have considered it fit for exhibition, so it cleared the film.

It is said that production has declined in the past 2-3 years, yet the number of releases every year is almost the same. How is that possible?

– In the past two to three years, the number of dubbed films hitting the screens has increased. Besides South films, we also have Hollywood films being dubbed in Hindi now. Therefore, even though film production has decreased, the number of releases hasn’t.

Who is the number 1 music director today?

– There’s none who can claim to be the numero uno among music directors. Nobody has the consistency to entitle him to claim the no. 1 title.

FILM INDUSTRY MINISTRY

Prime minister: Santosh Singh Jain

Home minister: Sreedevi

Information & Broadcasting minister: Harish Sughand

(Cultural) Affairs minister (read that: Love Affairs): Pooja Bhatt

Deputy (Cultural) Affairs minister: Manisha Koirala

(External) Affairs minister: Chunkey Panday

Finance minister: Bharatbhai Shah

Defence minister: Amitabh Bachchan (he has to always defend himself and ABCL)

Deputy Defence minister: J.P. Dutta

Education minister: Govinda

Law & Justice minister: Sanjay Dutt

Deputy Law & Justice minister: Aditya Pancholi (for always taking law in his hands)

Human Resource Development minister: Asha Chandra

Food minister: Guddi Maruti

Health minister: David Dhawan

Commerce minister: Boney Kapoor

Industry minister: R. Mohan

Textile minister: Mamta Kulkarni (you know why!)

Tourism minister: Yash Chopra

Deputy Tourism minister: Mithun Chakraborty

Railway minister: Manoj Kumar (he never travels by aeroplane)

Ministers for Science & Technology: Ram Gopal Varma & Shankar

Power minister: G.P. Sippy (for, he is most power-hungry)

Forest minister (read that: Jungle minister): Dinesh Patel

Telecommunications minister: Anupam Kher (for his love for the phone)

Speaker: Nana Patekar (forget Khamoshi!)

DO YOU KNOW?

* Financier Dinesh Gandhi can swear by Mehul Kumar’s honesty. That is why his finance arrangements with Mehul Kumar used to be all oral with nothing being signed or sealed. For one of his films (financed by Dinesh Gandhi), Mehul Kumar had sold off two prints (taken out for Saurashtra; the film was being distributed in Saurashtra by Mehul Kumar) to the Orissa distributor of the film, and he showed the receipt of money from the Orissa distributor, in the account submitted to Gandhi. Dinesh Gandhi was thrilled beyond words by Mehul Kumar’s honesty, and complimented him for it, saying that had the transaction not found a mention in the statement, he (Dinesh Gandhi) would never even have known that it had taken place. In other words, Mehul Kumar could have pocketed the money, but preferred not to do it. Honesty is still the best policy for some!

* India’s new home minister, Lal Krishna Advani, had in 1977, performed the muhurt ceremony of J.G. Mohla’s (father of producer Madan Mohla) film, YOGESHWAR KRISHNA. Although the film never got completed, it starred top names like Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna and Shashi Kapoor, and was to have been directed by Ramanand Sagar. It was launched at Natraj Studios. At that time, L.K. Advani was the I & B minister, and Morarji Desai, the prime minister. Incidentally, Morarji Desai had worked on the script of YOGESHWAR KRISHNA with J.G. Mohla.

* Rajesh Roshan’s music score in Dinesh Gandhi’s Jackie-Akshaye Khanna-Manisha starrer, LAAWARIS, is very good. Of the five songs recorded, two should become very popular once the music is released. One more song may be added. Incidentally, no song has been picturised on Jackie and his co-star, Dimple Kapadia.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Flexibility, Tutu Style

Producer Tutu Sharma has decided not to be rigid about the release date of his film, Gharwali Baharwali. He would rather come in a week in which there aren’t any other big films scheduled for release than clash with one or more biggies. Say he, “I’ll be ready for release by mid-May but I’ll wait for a clear week. I have no ego problems and I don’t mind postponing my film by one, two or more weeks if another or other films are announced for the week in which I’ve planned my release. I’ll not indulge in the usual ‘Why should I postpone my films?’ or ‘If the other guy is scared, let him postpone his release, I’m not scared of anyone’ type of comments. It’s so silly, we indulge in such ego talks and, in the process, get big films to release simultaneously, thereby cutting into each other’s collections. What is the sense? Let us also think about our distributors because it is they who would suffer more due to ego hassles between producers.” Right, Tutu, right. There indeed is no sense in such clash of releases. If more producers thought like Tutu, it would be really nice.

Two Together

Producers Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria are planning to start not one but two films, both to be directed by Indra Kumar. While the first will star Aamir Khan and a heroine (to be finalised), the other — Rishta — will have Anil Kapoor paired with two girls. And before you think, these two films will take four years to complete, let it be said that it won’t be so. The Aamir starrer will be launched in June with a 45-day shooting schedule, and Rishta will go on the sets in August. Both will be completed fast which, for Indra Kumar, should be a record. Yes, Indra is out to prove that he doesn’t need years to complete a film. And yeah, for the Aamir starrer, the duo has signed a new duo to score music. It is music director Shravan’s sons, Sanjeev and Darshan, who will be providing music in the film. “They are damn good,” is how Ashok Thakeria describes the talented team of Sanjeev-Darshan.

Confidence, Bokadia Style

Barely has K.C. Bokadia completed Hitler and is on the verge of completing Lal Baadshah (directed by himself) than he is already planning two or three more projects. One film that he will direct will star Sunny Deol (in a special role) and Arshad Warsi. It is being produced by film agent and producer B.R. Sahni’s nephew. Bokadia has a couple of other projects in mind, which may or may not be directed by him. In the meantime, with a few days’ shooting remaining to complete Lal Baadshah, he is already on to its post-production work and is dead sure that he will manage a May release for the film. About no other film has Bokadia been so sure as he is about Lal Baadshah. Unlike many producers who are secretive about their film before release, Bokadia doesn’t mind showing friends scenes and songs from the film. That’s confidence, baadshah style!

Public Or Private Choice?

The Zee Cine awards which were presented last week profess to have been decided by the public. Can the public be so foolish as to not vote for Tabu either in the best actress or best supporting actress category for her performance in Virasat? Compare her non-inclusion in any category with the inclusion of Sapna Bedi and Shrabani Mukerji (both for Border) in the supporting actress category. Sapna Bedi’s role was completely chopped off a few days after the release of Border, and Shrabani hardly had a role to perform. Then how did the public vote for the two girls? Likewise, while Anil Kapoor was not nominated for the best actor award for his performance in Virasat, an inconsequential actor like Rajeev Goswami in an insignificant role in Border was nominated in the best supporting actor category. Did you ask, who Rajeev Goswami was in the film? Well, many people have been asking the same question. And Zee’s reply, obviously, is that it is the people’s choice. So much for the so-called democratic way of selecting the award-winners! No, people are not so stupid . Then who is? Let the people decide now.

Boney Oopar Neeche

Producer Boney Kapoor these days oopar neeche ho raha hai. Literally! No, not because a very long shooting schedule of his Pukaar is in progress but because the shooting of his Sanjay Kapoor starrer will also begin next week. But why ooper neeche? Well, because the Sanjay starrer will be shot ooper — in Delhi, that is — and Pukaar is being shot neeche — in Hyderabad.

CHANDAAL

Aabha Films’ Chandaal (A) is the usual revenge drama of a wronged police officer. A don kills the family members of the police inspector because the latter has, in the discharge of his duties, killed his (don’s) son and also chopped off his hand. The blame for the murders of the family members comes on the honest police officer who is, therefore, jailed. A lady-journalist pleads his case with the President and succeeds in getting him freed after five years. To his horror, he finds that his house has been converted into a cemetery. The ex-police inspector then decides to himself don the mantle of the chandaal and also seeks revenge on the don and his other sons.

The story is routine and oft-repeated. Screenplay, even though one of convenience, does not let the viewer get bored, at least in the second half, because it is quite fast-paced. There are, however, a few dull moments before interval. Dialogues are good at places.

Mithun Chakraborty does a good job. Sneha is fair. Rami Reddy is alright but filmmakers should realise that his dubbing (dialogue delivery and diction) is so poor that the impact of his acting is lost. Punit Issar is okay. Altaf Raja, in a song sequence, is alright. His song (‘Kar lo pyar’), although having no proper situation, is very good. Asrani’s comedy, aimed at front-benchers, lends some relief in the second half. Hemant Birje, Jack Gaud, Avtar Gill, Kasam Ali, Ashwin Kaushal, Lekha Govil, Pinky Chinoy and the rest provide adequate support.

T.L.V. Prasad’s direction is mechanical. Music (Anand Milind) is fair but there’s not even one number which could be rated as hit or semi-hit. The better songs, besides Altaf Raja’s, are ‘Husn tera hai kudiye’, ‘Tu ladki hai teekhi mirchi’ and ‘Ras malai’. Song picturisations are routine and the romantic ones are all dream sequences. Camerawork is of a reasonable standard. Production and other technical values are appropriate. Action scenes are fairly nice but too many cinematic liberties have been taken in stunts.

On the whole, reasonably priced Chandaal should do reasonable business on the strength of patronage of the masses.

Released on 13-3-’98 at Alankar and 17 other cinemas of Bombay by Hum Films thru Balaji Enterprises. Publicity: good. Opening: good (due to Holi holiday). …….Also released all over.

LATEST POSITION

Monsoon (dubbed) is doing very well in C.I. (opened this week in Gwalior to very good response).

Zor 4th week Bombay (6 days) 4,43,646 (61.65%) from 3 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 50,825 (2 unrecd.); Pune 2,75,459 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Barsi 50,947 from 2 cinemas (14 shows at both the cinemas); 4th week Delhi (6 days) 3,55,475 from 3 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Kanpur 84,559 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,37,888, Allahabad 36,000; Calcutta (6 days) 1,07,480; Jabalpur (6 days) 36,644, Amravati (6 days) 35,235, Akola 25,773, total 3,21,106, Raipur (6 days) 23,565; Bhopal (6 days) 43,345; Hyderabad 2,42,027 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Kama Sutra – A Tale Of Love (dubbed) 5th week Bombay (6 days) 7,51,624 (54%) from 4 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,12,297 (3 unrecd.), 1st week Bharuch (gross) 2,15,924; 5th week Pune 1,21,490 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi (6 days) 13,03,448 from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 77,726, Lucknow 1,08,179, Allahabad 33,000; Calcutta 2,23,795 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 48,487, 1st week Jabalpur (6 days) 1,91,952, 2nd Jalgaon 71,086 (1st 1,85,000); 5th week Indore (6 days) 40,000, Bhopal (6 days) 41,904.

…………

_________

Titanic (E.) is extraordinary. 1st week Bombay 14,99,336 from 2 cinemas (collections of 1 cinema are for 6 days only); Calcutta (6 days) 3,00,180.

SATYEN PAL CHAUDHRY BEREAVED

Producer Satyendra Pal Chaudhry’s 17-year-old son, Viraj, committed suicide on 9th March at his residence in Bombay. After he had consumed poison, the boy was rushed to Nanavati Hospital where he died late evening. The pressure of the oncoming examination (he was studying in Std. XII) is said to be the cause of the suicide. The chautha ceremony on 12th was largely attended by industry people.

UPENDRA TRIVEDI ELECTED MP

Gujarati film actor Upendra Trivedi won the Lok Sabha elections from the Bhiloda constituency in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat. He contested independently and defeated his nearest rival by a handsome majority.

CHANDAN SINGH TYAGI ELECTED MADEA PRESIDENT

Chandan Singh Tyagi was elected president of the Movie Action Dummy Effect Association at its sixth annual general meeting held on 8th March at Natraj Studios. Arun Patil was elected senior vice president, and Vijendra Tyagi, vice president. Anthony Fernandes was elected general secretary, and R.I. Shaikh and Ajay Dwivedi, joint secretaries. Gulab Shingare was elected treasurer.

Ashok Patil, Suresh Gohil, Tanveer Ahmed, Rajendra Tyagi, Sadanand Poojary, Maxy Fernandes, Mohd. Salim, Javed Sayyed, Babu Sistla, Mahendra Yadav, Narayan Sharma and Mohd. Iqbal were elected other members of the executive committee.

Chandan Singh Tyagi, Anthony Fernandes and Ajay Dwivedi will represent the MADEA in the General Council of the FWICE. Anthony Fernandes will represent it in the executive committee of the FWICE.

SOUTH BEAUTIES FOR BACHCHAN

It is mere coincidence but not a small one, this. Amitabh Bachchan’s new films have him paired with South India beauties. He recently signed Suryavamsham (the Hindi title is unknown) opposite Tamil and Telugu film actress Soundarya. Mehul Kumar’s Kohram stars Jaya Prada and Tabu (she is a Hyderabadi). His Bade Miyan Chote Miyan co-star is Ramya Krishna. Soon to be released Lal Baadshah has Amitabh in a double role; while the senior Bachchan is paired opposite Radhika, the younger Bachchan is opposite Shilpa Shetty (she is a Mangalorean). In S. Ramanathan’s untitled film, Amitabh’s co-star is Vijayashanti. Priyadarshan has signed Shobhana opposite the big B for Dariya. Incidentally, Shobhana (Malayalam film beauty) has already done a music video, ‘Kabhi Kabhi’, with him. Last but not the least, the Amitabh-starrer yet to see the light of the day, Yaar Meri Zindagi, co-stars Sudha Chandran. 

YOU ASKED IT

What should the budget of a Mithun starrer be?

– Less than Rs. 2 crore.

How many releases should a hero ideally have in one year?

– Three to four.

Will the Hindi (dubbed) and Tamil (original) versions of Jeans be released simultaneously?

– The Tamil version will come on 10th April while the Hindi dubbed version is fixed for release either on 24th April or in May.

Haven’t we had too much of foreign shootings in films these days?

– But producers have been shooting in different countries and on newer locations, so what’s the harm?

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Mr. Shyam Shroff and Mr. Shravan Shroff of Shringar Films, Bombay, are in the USA and will be back after six or seven days.

Mr. Kishore Kala of Vinayaka Films, Jaipur, will come to Bombay on 16th March.

Mr. Pawan Todi of Vinayaka Films, Jaipur, currently in Calcutta, will come to Bombay on 16th.

Mr. Naraindas Mukhija of Shree Navchitra Distributors P. Ltd., Jaipur, will reach Bombay (636-0106) on 17th/18th March.

Producer Boney Kapoor has gone to Madras and Hyderabad.

Film agent N.S. Bhalla returned from his foreign trip on 11th March.

DO YOU KNOW?

* This must be a record of sorts. Producer Rajiv Babbar has so far made six films, all of them with Mithun Chakraborty as hero. His seventh film also stars Mithun and he has announced his eighth, MAA KASAM, again with Mithun Chakraborty.

WHAT A DELIGHT!

* Delite cinema in Delhi has screened three films of Mukta Shakti Combines, which have completed 100 days. RAJA HINDUSTANI ran for 16 weeks, and PARDES and ISHQ, for 15 weeks each. Indeed, a delightful cinema for Mukta Shakti Combines, this Delite!

* Actor and singer Aroon Bakshi has turned a music director by scoring music for a Punjabi non-film album, ‘Bol Mitti Dya Baavya’, to be released by Venus next month. Dharmendra has given commentary for the album in which one song is penned by his brother, Ajit Singh.

* Considering that it is a non-star cast film, BARSAAT KI RAAT has had a massive publicity campaign. Bharat Kapoor has not left any medium — television, radio, airports, railway stations, bus-backs, street publicity, magazines etc. — untouched. Truly, a creditable attempt.

* KAMA SUTRA has created a city record by collecting 50,225/- on the first day at Jayant, Jabalpur.

* ISHQ has collected a whopping 35,49,915/- in 15 weeks at Novelty, Lucknow.

* DESH RE JOYA DADA PARDESH JOYA is the first Gujarati film to be showing with 37 prints in Gujarat and Saurashtra.

* SARKARNAMA (Marathi; tax-free) has created a record in 2nd week too by collecting 35,017/- (nett) in 21 shows at Shiv Shankar, Miraj.

Music For The Ears
Narrative That Draws Tears
The Unprecedented Success Story Called ‘Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya’

The long and almost never-ending queues of people outside cinemas of Gujarat and Saurashtra, which are screening Govindbhai Patel’s Gujarati blockbuster, Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya, are reminiscent of the euphoria which had been witnessed almost three decades ago for the Upendra Trivedi starrer, Jesal Toral. People from nearby villages used to come in bullock-carts to towns and cities screening Jesal Toral and they used to camp in the cinema compounds. If they did not get tickets for the 12 noon show, they used to wait for the 3 o’clock show, and if they were similarly unlucky in the 3 p.m. show, they used to simply wait and try their luck in the 6 o’clock show or 9 p.m. show. But they would not return home without seeing the film. They used to carry their food with them and the ground of the cinema compound was where they used to eat it.

History is repeating itself after many, many years. Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya is a mega hit in the truest sense of the term. It has already crossed the crore-mark and at the rate at which it is going, it should touch the 2-crore mark in a matter of a few weeks more. It has broken all the box-office records and is also the first Gujarati film to be running with 37 of its prints engaged in Gujarat and Saurashtra! No Gujarati film producer can boast of having taken out so many prints of his film in the past.

DRJDPJ has opened up a new chapter in the history of Gujarati films. People are flocking to the cinemas as if they were visiting a carnival or a fair. No sooner does the current show become house-full than those waiting in the queues ask the management to open the ticket windows for the next show! The unprecedented crowds are the same whether it is Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Nadiad, Anand or Bharuch in Gujarat or Rajkot, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Veraval, Botad or Una in Saurashtra.

In Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat and Rajkot particularly, the upper class audience is patronising the film in a really big way. They come in cars, a sight hitherto unknown to the Gujarati film world because Gujarati films have almost always been patronised by the lower class and rural audience.

Why is the film such a roaring hit? Why is it creating such a stir and what is it in the film which is attracting such huge crowds? Most viewers felt, it was the film’s story and its music which were the two biggest plus points. The film shows the love between a grandfather and his grand-daughter who is married off in a family which lives abroad. The grand-daughter is unhappy in her married life but does not let this be known to her family members in India. This has struck a chord in the viewers’ hearts. The treatment of the subject, when the family members come to know the truth, is also excellent. Especially, the sad song, picturised on the entire family, has been moving the audience to tears. Most of those who have seen the film also cite the absence of vulgarity/cheapness/obscenity as another reason for liking it. This has also made the film a family affair.

What is really creditable about DRJDPJ is that it is the maiden directorial venture of lucky producer Govindbhai Patel. And it boasts of no star names like Naresh Kanodia in its cast or Mahesh-Naresh in its music score. Arvind Barot, a well-known folk singer of Gujarat, has achieved remarkable success by setting the meaningful and tear-jerking lyrics in rich folk tunes. The film’s audio cassettes are also selling like hot-cakes and it is a fact that Govindbhai is minting money from both the sides — box-office returns as well as sale of music cassettes (he has himself marketed the audio cassettes). Reportedly, about six to seven lakh albums have already been consumed by the market.

Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya will be released in Bombay city and suburbs on 10th April in three cinemas (Alankar matinee, Uday, Ghatkopar and Mehul, Mulund). Let’s see, how the Bambaiya Gujju bhais and behens treat this super-hit.

Condemnable Apathy

The death of a young stunt artiste a fortnight ago throws light on the callousness of a large majority of the industry people. It also exposes the indifference of the association of stuntmen, the Movie Stunt Artistes’ Association. Of course, it also reveals the humane side of a producer but this very revelation also brings to light the bitter truth that there aren’t many producers like Gupta — men with a heart.

The accident took place on the set of producer Kulbhushan Gupta’s Pardesi Babu. That it was a freak accident is borne out by the fact that the stunt artiste, who was in his early twenties and was used to doing daredevil stunts, fell off from a bench just two feet high. That was the beginning of the poor boy’s journey to his end. The freak accident landed him in a hospital where he battled for life for 18 days. Kulbhushan Gupta spent about Rs. 1.5 lakh for his treatment because the accident, although a freak one, happened on his set. He approached the Movie Stunt Artistes’ Association but the latter has no system of medical assistance. Gupta was shocked when he was told that the Association paid Rs. 40,000 to the family of a deceased stuntman but had no provision for paying for the treatment of a member. Did this amount to saying crudely that the Association would do nothing to save its member but would rather wait for him to die and, nevertheless, contribute Rs. 40,000 after doing nothing to save his life? The Association also asked the producer on whose set the accident has taken place, to pay Rs. 2 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family.

A question which arises here is that another producer may have not given the injured stuntman the top quality treatment which Gupta gave him and, in the process, spent a lakh-and-a-half. That producer, too, would have to pay Rs. 2 lakh after the stuntman’s demise, and Gupta is also being asked to pay Rs. 2 lakh. Put differently, isn’t a humane person being penalised, and a heartless producer being treated leniently? Why does the Association think that its members’ lives are worth something only after they are no more? It is a rather horrendous thought for an Association to look in the other direction while its member is battling with death, and offer money after he is no more. More horrendous, if one considers the risky nature of the job of stuntmen.

Equally horrifying was the apathy of the stars of Pardesi Babu. Neither Govinda nor Raveena Tandon nor Shilpa Shetty came forward to offer any monetary help — not when their co-worker was hospitalised, not even when he bid adieu to the world. Many of our stars would have behaved exactly the way the three abovenamed did. Compared to the poor stuntman, what the stars earn is phenomenal. But you require a big heart to contribute for a noble cause; simply a big pay packet is not enough. Who is the actual hero then? Govinda or the stuntman who laid down his life while doing what Govinda (or, for that matter, any of our stars) fears to do.

The Movie Stunt Artistes’ Association needs to revise its policies. It can have a contributory fund from which medical expenses of those injured while at work can be met. Producers and the stuntmen can contribute to the fund. Life insurance is still a far cry — why, nobody knows. And our ‘poor’ artistes deserve to hang their heads in shame for their cold behaviour.

P.S.: Even as this piece goes into print, news trickles in that a stuntman’s right palm was completely blown off when a bomb, which he was holding, exploded in his hand on the set of Majboor on 9th March.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

The ‘Titanic’ Story

That the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic derives its name from the luxury liner which actually sank in 1912 is common knowledge. But not many know of an uncanny similarity between the sinking of the Titanic ship in 1912 and the contents of a novel published in 1898 by Morgan Robertson. The novel lies in a tattered and frayed condition in a glass-enclosed case in Philadelphia’s Maritime Museum. The novel, a work of fiction, recounts the story of the sinking of a big, fast and luxurious ship, delineating all the details and events leading up to what the book describes as the greatest ocean disaster in history. In the novel, Robertson describes a colossal ship believed to be unsinkable, embarking on its maiden voyage in the month of April. It is out to set a record and it has on board some of the wealthiest and most influential society figures from Europe and America. It is speeding along the northern lanes of Atlantic travel when it suddenly crashes into an iceberg and goes down swiftly. An inadequate number of lifeboats (only 24) are on board, and, consequently, there’s a heavy loss of life. The name of the ship is Titan. Fourteen years later, in 1912 in the month of April, the world-famous Titanic went down. The details of Robertson’s story paralleled the actual events of the sinking of the Titanic with uncanny faithfulness. The fictional Titan had 3,000 persons aboard, the Titanic had 2,207. Both were considered unsinkable because of their allegedly watertight compartments, and both made their maiden voyage in April. The length of the Titan was 800 feet, the Titanic was 882.5 feet long, and both used three propellers. The speed of Titan at impact with the iceberg was 25 knots, the Titanic’s was 23. The displacement tonnage of the Titan was 75,000 while of the Titanic was 66,000. While there were only 24 lifeboats aboard the fictional Titan, the Titanic, too, had grossly inadequate lifeboats — only 20!

Dada Dubbing Marathi Hits

Believe it or not but the king of double-meaning dialogues in Marathi cinema, Dada Kondke, is planning to dub his Marathi hits in Hindi. Dubbing work of one of his films has already commenced at Empire Audio Centre. Dada had made some films like Aage Ki Soch and Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein in Hindi too. The Hindi film buffs will now get to see many of Dada’s old Marathi hits.

‘Titanic’ Perks

Titanic has completed its glorious first week in Bombay at Regal and Cinemax cinemas despite the examination period. While Regal is screening a Dolby digital print, Cinemax is showing a DTS print. The latter cinema has some additional features to offer Titanic viewers. The video wall in the foyer of Cinemax shows the making of Titanic before the film begins as well as in the interval. In the auditorium, the music of Titanic (specially recorded on 6 tracks) is played in the interval. As if that isn’t enough, there’s a violinist in the foyer, who plays the Titanic music live. Little wonder then that the advance booking for the second week at Cinemax was somewhat better than at Regal. Incidentally, when Titanic was booked at Cinemax subject to Chhota Chetan (which will release at Cinemax on 17th April), it was felt that six weeks would be a sufficient run at the trendy cinema. But at the rate at which the film is going, it shouldn’t be a surprise if six weeks turn out to be an insufficient period. More so, because March-end and early April will see a lot of examinations getting over. As it is, students are already asking Balkrishna Shroff (of Cinemax) to reserve tickets in bulk for them for the days after their examinations.

Hit In Kerala

While on Chhota Chetan, this 3-D film of the early eighties has created a mini havoc in Kerala in its revised version. It is common knowledge that the film has been mixed in Dolby sound, and some additional shooting with Urmila Matondkar and others has also been done. Chhota Chetan, in its new form, has won the audience’s hearts in the South. Let’s see what happens in Bombay, Delhi and West Bengal on 17th April.

Indian Titanics

Here’s an intelligent joke from Javed Akhtar, to keep you laughing:

Two Hindi film trade people were discussing the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic. One of them wondered aloud: “What’s so great about Titanic? I wonder why there’s so much talk about the film. After all, it’s just a ship in the film, which sinks. Here in India, so many of our films themselves sink without a trace, and yet nobody talks of them!”

Holi Jokes

Since it is the Holi week, the column wouldn’t be complete without some Holi jokes.

Q: Why did Juhi Chawla not celebrate the colour of festivals?
A: Because saat rang hardly brought colour to her career.

Q: Why did Aamir Khan refrain from playing Holi?
A: Because he is already a Rangeela hero.

Q: Which colour did Amitabh Bachchan not smear on others when playing Holi?
A: Red. Because that’s his colour, the colour of Lal Baadshah.

Q: What does Rakesh Roshan apply on the faces of his enemies on Holi?
A: Of course, koyla!

Q: Why does Mehul Kumar detest playing Holi?
A: Because he detests anything that reminds him of rang. Remember Lahoo Ke Do Rang?