TARAZU

Vee Vee Combines’ Tarazu (A) is yet another Akshay Kumar starrer with an oft-repeated and routine story which makes it look like other Akshay starrers released in recent times. It has the same good versus evil drama. On the good side are a police inspector, his brother, his sister-in-law, his beloved and his Muslim doctor. The evil force is represented by a don and his son. When the police inspector is not able to get justice in the court of law, he takes law into his hands and wipes out the evil forces one by one. So as not to come in the eyes of the police, the inspector is declared to be in a coma in hospital even while he actually exterminates the villains.

The story and screenplay are both quite childish. Several incidents are repetitive in the sense that they’ve been seen in earlier films. An attempt is made to make the drama light in the first half but if a few scenes entertain, several others fail to even get a smile on the lips. Situations have been forcibly created to raise laughter and that’s what is jarring. Further, the light scenes have been stretched too much, thereby robbing them of their humour value. A conscious attempt is also made to bring in communal sentiments but they hardly surface. Emotions are completely absent and even the romance is not very lively. Dialogues are okay.

Akshay Kumar continues to shine in action scenes and not impress in acting. Sonali Bendre’s performance is not too consistent. While she is good in some comedy scenes, she isn’t effective in others. Amrish Puri does not have much scope to leave a mark, and he actually disappoints if only because of that. Mohnish Bahl is quite nice. Kader Khan is alright as the Muslim doctor. Ranjeet, Shashi Sharma, Anil Dhawan, Rana Jung Bahadur, K.K. Raj, Anil Nagrath and Ajay Chadha fill the bill. Tej Sapru, Tiku Talsania, Harish Patel, Guddi Maruti and Dinesh Hingoo lend good support.

Direction is so-so. Director Vimal Kumar fails to inspire his cast to come up with effective performances. Rajesh Roshan’s music is good. ‘Ae deewane dil’ and ‘Haseena gori gori’ are very well-tuned numbers and the picturisation of the latter song is beautiful. Other song picturisations could have been better. ‘Su su su’ and ‘Chal ganne ke khet mein’ are, however, ordinary numbers. Action scenes have been well-composed. Editing needed to be much sharper. Camerawork is eye-pleasing. Background music is poor at places.

On the whole, Tarazu is too routine a fare to catch the fancy of the audience and will, therefore, find it difficult to touch the average mark.

Released on 1-8-’97 at Novelty and 20 other cinemas of Bombay thru Ahuja Films. Publicity: good. Opening: average. …….Also released all over. Opening was below expectations at several places.

LATEST POSITION

Heavy rains in many parts of the country have adversely affected box-office collections. …….Except for ANACONDA (dubbed), which has fared excellently, none of last week’s releases could make any mark at the ticket windows.

Lav Kush proves a total disaster. Its Bengali version, however, is excellent. 1st week Bombay 2,64,400 (25.66%) from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Solapur about 23,500; Delhi 3,20,050 (28.38%) from 4 cinemas; Agra 50,565, Allahabad 25,000, Gorakhpur 48,000, Hardwar 49,000; Calcutta 1,30,970 from 2 cinemas; Indore 75,000 from 2 cinemas; Jodhpur 1,06,000, Bikaner 35,657.

…………

Anaconda (dubbed) has done extremely well. 1st week Bombay 10,63,168 (75.84%) from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Pune 3,28,115 from 3 cinemas; Meerut 1,61,398; Nagpur 2,39,457 (100%); Hyderabad 3,30,832 (100%), Aurangabad 100%; Vijayawada (English version) 3,53,318 (100%).

Yes Boss drops further in Delhi-U.P., East Punjab, Bengal and C.P.C.I. Rajasthan but is very good in Bombay and South. 2nd week Bombay 26,88,661 (88%) from 8 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Rajkot 1,27,200 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 83,565; Pune 6,40,683 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,08,467 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Satara 92,882 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 2nd week Hubli 1,12,365, Belgaum 98,356; Delhi 35,85,252 (69.76%) from 11 cinemas; Lucknow 2,55,934, Allahabad 93,000, Gorakhpur 75,000 (1st 1,05,000); Calcutta 7,41,306 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 2,60,771 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 96,606, total 2,68,732, Amravati 92,623, Akola 64,800 (1st 1,18,108), Raipur 1,22,438, Bhilai 71,906, 1st week Chandrapur 1,26,662, 2nd Yavatmal (18 shows) 37,364; Bhopal 2,25,011 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,34,063 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 11,66,227 from 4 cinemas.

…………

Gupt 4th week Bombay 21,58,933 (66.83%) from 9 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Vapi 91,794, total 11,02,985, Rajkot 1,48,650, Jamnagar 48,465; Pune 6,84,552 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 96,914, 2nd week Satara 1,09,433 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 4th week Delhi 6,12,550 (61.03%) from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Lucknow 1,92,455, Agra 1,38,000, Allahahad 88,050, Gorakhpur 51,000 (3rd 82,000), 1st week Hardwar 90,000; 4th week Calcutta 4,51,150 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 1,03,213, 3rd Amravati 1,16,381, total 4,90,918, 4th week Akola 56,450 (3rd 73,986), Raipur 86,448, total 5,93,815, Bhilai 38,484, 1st week Durg (9 days) 83,134, 3rd week Jalgaon 73,000, 4th Gondia 26,200, total 1,96,024, Chandrapur 58,183, Yavatmal (18 shows) 9,683; Indore 1,34,406, Bhopal 85,984; Jaipur 4,38,216; Hyderabad 5,75,802 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon); Vijayawada 1,85,146, 2 weeks’ total at Visakhapatnam 3,91,832, Guntur 2,86,247.

Border 7th week Bombay (TF) 22,38,686 (76.41%) from 8 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Baroda 65,979, Rajkot 91,656, total 10,68,429, Jamnagar (noon) 16,575; Pune (TF) 6,89,933 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee, TF) 31,761, 3rd week Barsi (TF) 32,340, total 1,22,992, 6th Satara (TF) 64,829 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 7th Belgaum 41,956; Delhi 34,19,672 from 13 cinemas; 6th week Lucknow 2,87,080, 7th week Agra 78,760, Allahabad 74,000, Gorakhpur 79,000 (6th 87,000); Calcutta 2,52,039 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur (TF) 1,81,421 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 85,706, total 13,70,567, Amravati (TF) 1,20,441, Akola (TF) 1,09,980 (6th 80,539), total 9,13,817, Raipur 53,424, Bhilai 37,485, Chandrapur (TF) 65,650, total 9,62,478, Yavatmal (TF, 17 shows) 17,661; Indore 1,09,840, Bhopal 1,05,098; Jaipur 2,29,474, Bikaner 29,462; Hyderabad 3,71,744 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

RAJIV RAI ESCAPES BID ON LIFE

Director Rajiv Rai escaped a bid on his life at his office at Tardeo, Bombay, on the evening of 31st July when five assailants entered his office, planning to kill him. Rajiv, who had been receiving threatening telephone calls for ‘protection money’, had a personal bodyguard (a police constable) in his office. The constable injured one of the five assailants who has been arrested. Two more persons in connection with the murder bid were arrested later.

FWA FELICITATES GULZAR, JAVED AKHTAR

The Film Writers’ Association felicitated two of its members — Gulzar and Javed Akhtar — on 27th July at Hotel Sands for being honoured with the National Awards this year for Maachis and Saaz respectively.

Ramanand Sagar, the founder-member of the Association, was the chief guest. B.R. Chopra, Prakash Mehra and Sultan Ahmed were guests of honour.

Ramanand Sagar presented trophies and shawls to Gulzar and Javed Akhtar. B.R. Chopra presented a trophy to Hassan Kamal for the U.P. government’s Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad award. Ali Sardar Jaffery was the recipient of the Maharashtra government’s Urdu Academy award trophy which was accepted on his behalf by FWA president Ali Raza from Sultan Ahmed. Prakash Mehra gave the Ramakrishna Jaydayal Harmony award trophy to Nida Fazli, which was accepted on the latter’s behalf by FWA general secretary Tej Nath Zar.

Qamar Jalalabadi, Hassan Kamal, Ved Rahi and Jainendra Jain paid glowing tributes to Gulzar and Javed Akhtar. Hassan Kamal said that of all the awards received by a writer, the award from co-writers was the best. Jainendra Jain praised the two writers and said that they had done the other writers a favour by not compromising on their writings, as now, all the other writers could quote the examples of Gulzar and Javed Akhtar whenever a producer asked them to write something vulgar. Ved Rahi felt that the initial criticism of Maachis as being one-sided, was incorrect. Qamar Jalalabadi also paid glowing tributes to the two writers and was thanked by Javed Akhtar whom he called “naujawan”. According to Javed, he had not been called “naujawan” for many years now.

The function ended with a vote of thanks by Ali Raza and Tej Nath Zar. Tabassaum compered the function.

SANJAY DUTT’S PLEA REJECTED

The designated TADA court on 1st August rejected a petition filed by Sanjay Dutt, seeking permission to visit Salt Lake in the USA for the shooting of a film.

NEW CINEMA OPENS IN HUBLI

Sri Laxmi Narayan Chitra Mandir, a new cinema in Hubli, opened on 31st July. Shruthi Haakida Hejje (Kannada) is the opening attraction. The cinema is equipped with Monee Ultra Stereophonic sound.

CAA TO HONOUR ARTISTES AT AGM ON 15TH

The 39th annual general meeting of The Cine Artistes’ Association will be held on 15th August at 10.30 a.m. at Holiday Inn.

A felicitation function will also be held on the occasion when ex-presidents of the CAA, some veteran artistes and award winners will be honoured.

The ex-presidents to be honoured are late Jagdish Sethi, late Gajanan Jagirdar and late Iftekhar Ahmed. The veterans who will be honoured for their contributions are: Achla Sachdev, Agha Jaan (posthumously), Bibi Almas, Janki Das, Karan Dewan (posthumously), Madhubala (posthumously), Meena Kumari (posthumously), Mumtaz Ali (posthumously), Nalini Jaywant, Pradeep Kumar, Raj Kumari, Shobhna Samarth, Sulochana, Trilok Kapoor (posthumously), Usha Kiran and Veena.

Mithun Chakraborty will be honoured for bagging a National Award for the best supporting actor for Swami Vivekanand. Tabu and Rajeshwari will be honoured for receiving the National Awards for the best actress (Maachis) and the best supporting actress (Sardari Begum) respectively. Mohan Joshi, who bagged the Maharashtra government’s award for the best actor for the Marathi film, Rao Saheb, will also be honoured.

Mithun will be specially felicitated for strengthening the film trade union movement. Nitish Bharadwaj will also be felicitated for winning the Lok Sabha elections last year. The CAA’s legal advisor, P.K. Pandit, will be specially felicitated in recognition of his legal assistance rendered over the years.

Kamini Kaushal will be the chief guest.

NATIONAL AWARD FOR FILM ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION

Producer P.V. Gangadharan has bagged the National Award for the best film on national integration for his Malayalam film, Kanakkinave.

‘JEENE BHI DO YAARO’ JUBILEE

Media Entertainment Company’s sitcom, Jeene Bhi Do Yaaro, which is aired on Friday at 8 p.m. on STAR Plus, celebrates its silver jubilee this week. It features Madhavan, Sandhya, Rushali R., Shubha Khote, Raju Kher, Rajesh Khera, Kamia Malhotra and Aparna.Trophies were presented to the technical team and crew, at a private gathering this weekend.

It is conceived and directed by Akashdeep, and edited by Sanjay Walia.

CHANDRAKANT SANGANI NO MORE

Veteran writer-producer-director Chandrakant Sangani died on 28th July in Bombay at Nanavati Hospital following heart failure. He was 68 and is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.

Chandrakant Sangani had produced and directed 14 Gujarati films including Mare Javoon Bele Paar, Jigar Ane Amee, Tana Riri etc. He had also produced and directed one Hindi film, Gunahon Ki Shatranj.

He had played the hero in Jamai Raja (Gujarati) opposite Bindu in 1963. He was also the villain in Mehandi Rang Lagyo (Gujarati) which starred Rajendra Kumar. He also did bit roles in Hindi films.

Chandrakant Sangani had won eleven awards of the Gujarat state government for his films, direction and writing. He used to direct full-length dramas from 1948 to 1970 and also acted in about 80 stage-plays, besides directing about 50. Sangani had written a Gujarati novel, ‘Kholana Khudnar’.

NARAYAN RAJGOR SUCCUMBS TO INJURY

Veteran Gujarati film and stage actor Narayan Rajgor died at a hospital in Baroda on 28th July after receiving bullet injuries in a dummy firing during the shooting of Govindbhai Patel’s Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya at Lucky Studios, Halol. Uthamna was held in Bombay on 31st.

Rajgor was injured when Feroz Irani fired a dummy bullet at him in the studio on 25th July. The scene being picturised required Feroz to aim a revolver at Narayan Rajgor’s head but fire it in the air. Due to a miscalculation, Feroz pressed the trigger of the pistol even while it was pointing towards Rajgor’s head. The dummy bullet made a two-inch deep wound on the 68-year-old actor’s forehead and he had to be rushed to Mayo Hospital in Baroda. He slipped into a coma instantly and never recovered thereafter. He breathed his last on 28th in the hospital, and his body was flown to his residence in Bombay after a post-mortem.

Feroz Irani, producer-director Govindbhai Patel and the other unit members have been given a clean chit by the police following an inquiry. The deceased’s family has given an affidavit stating that they had no doubt that the cause of the death was an accident.

Narayan Rajgor had acted in over 150 films, besides a number of stage-plays. Some of his films are Dada O Dikri, Son Kansari, Patli Parmar, Saajan Ne Sathware, Laju Lakhan, Prem Na Bandhan, Raj Rajvan etc. He had played a bit role in the recently released Hindi film, Do Aankhen Barah Hath. He had received a number of Gujarat government’s state awards.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

Mahesh Bhatt To Direct Gulshan Kumar’s Next

Producer Gulshan Kumar has signed Mahesh Bhatt to direct Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.’s next. Kishan Kumar plays the male lead. Other cast and credits are being finalised.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Stree 420’ Is Now ‘Chachi 420’

The title of Raajkamal Films International’s Stree 420 has been changed to Chachi 420. It is almost complete and is being readied for an early release. Presented by Kamal Haasan and Jhamu Sughand and directed by Kamal Haasan for producer Saab John, the film stars Kamal Haasan, Tabu, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, Paresh Rawal, Ayesha Julka, Nassar and Raj Zutshi. Lyrics and dialogues: Gulzar. Music: Vishal Bhardwaj.

YOU ASKED IT

How sensible is it to release three big films – Pardes, …Aur Pyar Ho Gaya and Daud – one after the other?

– Very senseless!

Is it true that Indra Kumar is having second thoughts about picturising a song of Ishq on Amitabh Bachchan?

– Not true at all. The song will be picturised on Amitabh, as planned.

How many films is Tips producing currently?

– Six films of Tips are at different stages of production. They are ALBELA, FRIENDS, JAB PYAR KISI SE HOTA HAI, KUNWARA, KACHCHE DHAAGE and SOLDIER.

DO YOU KNOW?

* A vinyl hoarding of PARDES is the first of its kind to be put up in Rajkot near Mahila College. The 40 ft. x 20 ft. hoarding, showing Shah Rukh Khan and Mahima Chaudhary, is attracting a lot of public attention.

* Although producers Pranlal Mehta and Vijay Mehta have prepared five promotional trailers for their YUGPURUSH, only three will be aired on satellite channels. The video copies of the five trailers will be sent to distributors of the film to select the best three. The three selected ones will then be telecast on satellite channels.

HERE & THERE

Stars In Trouble For Stopping Train

After bandit queen-turned-MP Phoolan Devi, it is now the stars who have been charged of stopping a train for more than 25 minutes. A railway magistrate of Jaipur issued summons to Karisma Kapoor, Sunny Deol, Satish Shah and director Tinnu Verma to appear before him on August 1 for allegedly stopping a passenger train at Narena station for a film shooting in March this year. The magistrate took congnisance of a complaint filed by the assistant station master of Narena station that the stars and the director unauthorisedly pulled the chain of Link Express on March 11 to shoot a scene for their film, Bajrang. The complaint alleged that the train was stopped for more than 25 minutes, disrupting traffic on the route and causing inconvenience to the passengers.

Jaya Prada Ahead Of Sridevi In Income-Tax Arrears

South-based film stars were named in the Rajya Sabha on 29th July for their income-tax dues. Jaya Prada tops a list of 15 stars who owe income-tax in excess of Rs. 10 lakh each, with tax arrears of Rs. 1.13 crore. Next on the list is R. Gundamani with arrears of Rs. 78.97 lakh, and Sridevi owing Rs. 77.44 lakh. Others in the list are Senthil (Rs. 41.36 lakh), Murlikanthan (Rs. 24.31 lakh), Vijayashanti (Rs. 22.22 lakh), Arjun (Rs. 19.63 lakh), Soundarya (Rs. 17.27 lakh), R. Raja Babu (Rs. 15.45 lakh), and Srividya and Khushboo (Rs. 12.13 lakh each). Minister of state for finance Satpal Maharaj gave this information in reply to a question by R.M. Kumar.

Notices Issued To Vacate Five Delhi Cinemas

The Delhi authorities have become more vigilant with regard to safety in cinema halls after the Uphaar cinema tragedy. This week, notices have been issued by the Delhi Municipal Corporation to five cinemas to vacate their premises within five days, for violation of building bye-laws. The five cinemas are: Archana (which has been given ten days’ time because it also houses New Delhi Television Ltd. which produces STAR News), Paras, Virat, Sapna and Sangam.

Laughter, The Best Medicine

Here are some jokes to keep you smiling for the entire week:
Akshay Kumar’s new title: Rich man’s Mithun Chakraborty. At the rate at which his films are bombing, he has a fair chance of becoming the Mithun of 1997.

* * *

Manjit Singh, the only distributor who paid a price for the distribution rights of Lav Kush, can’t believe that the film has bombed. Since the Bengali version of Lav Kush is faring excellently, Manjit Singh is contemplating paying another 30 lakh for the distribution rights of the Bengali version for C.I.!

* * *

Q: What if Bobby Deol plays a double role in a film?
A: It will be Bobby’s first Deol role!

* * *

Q: What does the East Punjab distributor scream when he sees Shah Rukh Khan?
A: “Yes loss!”

* * *

Q: Why is Sanjay Kapoor praying for the success of Mere Sapno Ki Rani?
A: So that he can be called the most princely actor. He first clicked in Raja and if he clicks with this Rani, it will be something which even brother Anil Kapoor couldn’t achieve. Remember Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Rajkumar?

* * *

Q: After retirement from films, which is the best place for Sreedevi to go to?
A: Parliament, of course! If Phoolan Devi and Rabri Devi could make it, why not our Sreedevi? And with Jaya Prada already there, the film industry can expect a good tohfa from Delhi.

* * *

Q: What is the similarity between ex-Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and Amitabh Bachchan?
A: Plenty. When Laloo found himself losing his position, he promptly brought wife Rabri Devi in the ring. Likewise, after Mrityudaata, when Amitabh found himself losing his position, he, too, promptly brought wife Jaya Bachchan in the acting arena once again.

* * *

Q: Why is Raveena Tandon the RAT of the industry?
A: Because like a true rat, she was the first to desert the sinking ship called Akshay Kumar!

* * *

Q: Why do some of our action heroes neglect acting and concentrate completely on action?
A: Because, before every shot, when the director shouts, “Action”, these heroes think, he is asking them to perform action stunts!

* * *

Q: What does the feather below the logo of Pardes indicate?
A: It is the feather which fell off from Subhash Ghai’s cap when his Trimurti was released.

* * *

What did Yash Chopra say to son Adi (Aditya Chopra) when another Akshay Kumar starrer — Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi — was announced for Diwali release alongwith his own Dil To Pagal Hai?

– Mr. & Mrs. Khil to paagal hai, Adi.

* * *

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Panic In Foreign Land

All is not well with the film being shot from start to finish on a foreign land. The cameraman has already been changed, it is heard. And there are loud whispers that the producer and its two heroes aren’t happy with the work of the director too. Perhaps, that’s the reason the panic button was pressed and a few directors approached to take up or, at least, supervise the project. One such director, who was approached, is the young genius who gave the biggest blockbuster of 1996. Anyway, a close friend of the hero is the director who has finally flown to the foreign city to help his friend in need.

In A Writer’s Words

The best compliment anybody must have paid Akshaye Khanna is the one paid to him by Javed Akhtar. Lyricist Javed saw some reels of Dinesh Gandhi’s Lawaris and was floored by the performance of the handsome son of Vinod Khanna. The guy plays a roadside Romeo in the film and, according to Javed, “his mannerisms, his gait, his dialogue delivery and his acting are all superb”. So when the film’s debut-making director, Shrikant Sharma, asked Javed what he felt about Akshaye and whether the young boy was a star, Javed replied, “Star? Arre bhai, he is an entire galaxy of stars!” Javed feels, Akshaye just needs one major hit before reaching right on the top.

Price Hike

If there’s no denying the fact that Akshaye Khanna is the new darling of the masses, it is also a fact that the guy is letting success affect him too much. Why else would he be changing his price not once but twice and thrice in the case of one film. He may have signed this particular film before he became a rage, but that does not mean that he can hold the producer to ransom and increase his price indiscriminately. The producer in question, rather than obliging Akshaye, thought it fit to take his signing amount back from the actor and bid him goodbye. Will somebody tell Akshaye that it’s good to be important, but it is also important to be good?

Laloo And Lady Luck

C.P. Berar distributor Laloo Kabra, who has released Border in C.P. Berar, is convinced that film distribution is all a game of luck. He acquired Border at the eleventh hour when its earlier distributor, Raju Kothari, and producer-director J.P. Dutta decided to part ways. As against Border, there are three films (released recently) which Laloo was very keen to buy at some point of time or the other, but couldn’t or didn’t buy them finally. One was Ghoonghat, of which the original distributor, Mohan Kasat, refused to relinquish the rights. The second was Lav Kush but the astronomical price which producer Dilip Kankaria was asking for put off Laloo rather badly. And the third was Mrityudand which again Laloo couldn’t acquire for some reason. The box-office fates of all the three films send jitters down Laloo’s spine today and he is happy that he was lucky not to have bought any of the three films. Laloo must thank Lady Luck for favouring him so much.

The Price Of Over-Confidence

While on Lav Kush and the high price its producer, Dilip Kankaria, was quoting for its distribution rights before release, it must be mentioned here that the unrealistic price he was demanding proved to be a terrible curse for Kankaria. For, except for one territory, the film did not find buyers in the whole of India and had, therefore, to be released by Dilip Kankaria himself. The disastrous fate of the film must’ve made Kankaria regret his decision to release the film in almost the whole of India himself. Incidentally, the single territory for which the film was sold is C.I., and the unfortunate buyer is Manjit Singh.

LAV KUSH

Devyank Arts’ Lav Kush is a mythological film based on the story of the twin sons of Lord Ram. The story does not have much drama and the screenplay adds little to make the incidents dramatic. Except for a couple of emotional scenes (when Laxman leaves Sita in the jungle; interaction between Sita and Lav-Kush), there isn’t much which moves the viewer to tears. Besides, after a point of time, the film moves at a slackened pace which results in boredom creeping in. But the biggest drawback, perhaps, is the absence of a super-hit musical score. Although three to four songs are well-tuned, what was the demand of the mythological drama was haunting melody, songs that could become a rage among the audience. In their absence, the drama appears dull. Furthermore, with television bringing the whole Ramayan free to people’s houses, the charm of seeing a chapter therefrom over again is minimum, more so because one has to pay for it.

Jeetendra does an average job as Ram and has a permanent frowning expression on his face. Jaya Prada plays Sita ably. Master Aditya and baby Shreshtha impress as the twin children. Arun Govil gives a very good account of himself as Laxman. Dara Singh is alright in the role of Hanuman. Pran plays Valmiki with sincerity. Jayshree Gadkar, Beena, Tiku Talsania, Aroona Irani and the rest provide average support.

V. Madhusudan Rao’s direction looks dated. Although computer graphics give the film a modern look, there’s still no novelty because graphics of almost the same kind have been seen on the small screen. Besides, the narration is of the style of the sixties. Even though some songs (‘Katha ye Ram ki’, ‘Pativrata Siya Purshottam Shriram’, ‘Ramayan ki katha suno’, ‘Yeh vidhi ki dekho’) are well-tuned, Raamlaxman’s music is a letdown when judged by the demand of the genre of the film. Cinematography is good. Dialogues are fair. Although the film is about two children, there’s hardly anything for kids in it. Money seems to have been spent quite lavishly in the post-production stage but not as much in the production stage. Dolby DTS mixing is very good.

On the whole, Lav Kush has come many years late and, given the poor start and in the absence of an interesting narrative, emotions and hit music, it will fail to make a mark at the box-office. It, however, may do well in some pockets and small centres.

Released on 25-7-’97 at Maratha Mandir and 4 other cinemas of Bombay by Devyank Arts thru Shringar Films. Publicity: fair. Opening: very poor. …….Also released all over except in C.P. Berar and South. Opening was disastrous everywhere except East Punjab where the first two shows’ collections (in Ludhiana) were about 70% due to a Lav Kush rath yatra taken out by the distributor for two days prior to the film’s release. 1st day Indore about 14%.

ANACONDA
(DUBBED)

Columbia Tristar Films of India Ltd.’s Anaconda (dubbed from the English film of the same name; A) is an adventure film about a monstrous snake. This typical kind of snake gulps down humans after cracking their bones with its tight grip and regurgitates the body after a while. A group of persons encounters the 40-feet long snake and loses its members one by one to the deadly snake. To add to their woes is a villain who wants to kill the snake and, to achieve his purpose, subjects the group to all sorts of risks. Ultimately, the two surviving members of the group succeed in escaping from the clutches of the snake and even manage to kill it.

The film has terrifying and horrifying moments which send chills down the viewer’s spine. Scenes of the snake have been picturised just too remarkably. Although the drama does get dull at times and moves very slowly in the initial reels, it has more than its share of excitement, especially in the last one hour.

Dubbing is fair. The commentary at the start of the film, to explain about the snake and its whereabouts, is good and prepares the audience for what’s in store for them. Performances are all good.

Direction is remarkable. Camerawork and computer graphics are just too brilliant. Background music and sound effects are also splendid.

On the whole, Anaconda has the merits to prove a paying proposition.

Released on 25-7-’97 at Novelty and 4 other cinemas of Bombay thru A.A. Enterprises. Publicity & opening: good. …….Also released in Delhi-U.P., C.P. and Nizam to good houses.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week, and the Idd holiday didn’t really see collections going up.

Yes Boss has met with a mixed response. It is very good in Bombay circuit and South as also some big cities, but dropped quite alarmingly in many centres of the other circuits (like Delhi-U.P., East Punjab, Bengal, Bihar, C.P.C.I. Rajasthan). It has done well in Overseas. 1st week Bombay 33,93,479 (90%) from 9 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Rajkot 1,67,422 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,02,933; Pune 7,55,800 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 1,39,821 (100%), Belgaum 1,27,268; Delhi 35,94,680 (80.97%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,83,599 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,78,893, Allahabad 1,25,100, Amritsar 52,400; Calcutta 26,16,468 from 23 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Nagpur 5,69,226 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,72,127, Raipur 1,63,135 (66.77%), Bhilai 1,03,244; Bhopal 3,29,013 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 6,30,564 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad 34,87,501 from 17 cinemas, share 17,03,703.

Daava is below average in some circuits and average in others. 1st week Bombay 19,53,436 (61.38%) from 10 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Baroda 78,258, Jamnagar (matinee) 19,944; Pune 6,01,193 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee); Belgaum 100%; Delhi 16,94,140 (53.94%) from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,03,489 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,27,204, Agra 1,09,330, Allahabad 88,500, Bareilly 90,661 (51.03%), Hardwar 65,000; Amritsar 49,480; Calcutta 15,53,426 from 18 cinemas; Nagpur 2,94,786 from 4 cinemas, Raipur 1,39,342 (57.54%), Bhilai 71,047, Jalgaon 1,19,747; Indore 2,26,255 from 2 cinemas, Bhopal 98,200; Jaipur 3,99,890 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad 16,17,836 from 10 cinemas (1 in noon), share 7,02,657.

Mrityudand has maintained reasonably well in Maharashtra and M.P. due to tax-exemption. 2nd week Bombay (TF) 9,78,688 (70.11%) from 6 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Baroda (matinee) 20,660; Pune (TF) 3,65,012 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 3,18,578 from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 55,086, Lucknow 77,749, Agra 34,362, Allahabad 23,779, Bareilly 35,820 (15.58%); Calcutta 90,367; Nagpur (TF) 94,435, Jabalpur (TF) 73,622, total 1,99,318, Bhilai (TF) 48,322, 1st week Jalgaon (TF) 60,009; 2nd week Indore (TF) 62,956, Bhopal (TF) 1,00,310, 1st week Ujjain (TF) 78,838; 2nd week Jaipur 69,637.

Gupt is extraordinary in Bombay, Gujarat, South and fair in other circuits. Should do over 4 crore in Bombay circuit and more than 60 lakh in Kerala alone! 3rd week Bombay 26,96,749 (78.68%) from 10 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Vapi 1,70,240, total 10,11,191, Padra 1,62,674, Rajkot 1,67,690 (1 in matinee unrecd.), Jamnagar 72,458 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 9,05,064 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 9,99,581 from 4 cinemas; Kanpur 2,59,089 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,36,622, Agra 1,80,050, Allahabad 88,000, Bareilly 62,126 (28.29%); Calcutta 4,80,614 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 2,28,027 from 2 cinemas, Dhule 67,194, total 2,92,031, Raipur 1,09,795, Bhilai 44,991, 2nd week Amravati 1,40,779, total 3,74,537, Jalgaon 1,06,000, 3rd week Gondia 39,275, total 1,69,824, Chandrapur 90,008, total 3,89,063; Indore 1,61,681, Bhopal 1,09,846 (2nd 1,08,222); Jaipur 5,89,019 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 7,02,171 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon), share 3,39,380; Vijayawada 3 weeks’ total 9,36,927, share 4,49,233, Kurnool 4,22,890, 1st week Visakhapatnam 2,30,289 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), share 1,10,988, Guntur 1,76,267, share 1,10,410.

Border 6th week Bombay (TF) 25,80,386 (83.44%) from 9 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Baroda 1,03,955, Rajkot 1,17,212, Jamnagar 45,624, total 5,83,000; Pune (TF) 8,54,995 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), 2nd week Barsi (TF) 38,606; 6th week Belgaum 47,914; Delhi 33,22,644 from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,93,263 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,05,111, record, Agra 86,460, Allahabad 80,000, Bareilly 44,628 (19.98%), Hardwar 25,000, total 4,01,159; Calcutta 3,64,706 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur (TF) 2,21,321 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,32,275, total 12,84,661, Raipur 66,727, Bhilai 45,883, 5th week Durg (5 days) 26,563, 1st week Bhusawal (TF) 1,52,274 (100%), 6th week Wardha (TF) 29,550, Chandrapur (TF) 56,187; Indore 1,36,905, Bhopal 1,35,268; Jaipur 2,58,160; Hyderabad 4,00,897 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), share 1,52,373.

SNAKE BEATS THEM ALL

Indian filmmakers should hang their heads in shame. And not just because Jeevan Yudh, released this week, has had a 40% opening or Lav Kush (also released this week) has taken a 15% start or Ghoonghat (third release of the week) has opened to 30% houses.

If the above openings are shocking, more shocking is this. A dubbed (Hindi) Hollywood film, Anaconda, which has a snake as the central character, has registered the best initial this week. Yes, Columbia Tristar’s Anaconda (dubbed) has taken a respectable start not just in Bombay but also at places like Nagpur and Meerut.

Three cheers for the snake then and three boos for the three heroes of the three films! Hiss, hiss!!

BENGALI ‘LAV KUSH’ RELEASED AMIDST TENSION

The Bengali version of Dilip Kankaria’s Lav Kush was released on 25th July in Calcutta amidst much tension. Artistes and technicians of the Bengali film industry have been up in arms against Kankaria ever since he announced the release of the Bengali version, as they claim, it is a dubbed version. Dubbed Bengali films are not, as a rule, permitted to be released in Bengal. Kankaria, on the other hand, has maintained that Lav Kush is a bilingual.

Not satisfied with Dilip Kankaria’s contention, the Bengali industry artistes and technicians staged a dharna outside cinemas which were screening the Bengali version of Lav Kush on Friday.

As Kankaria had already obtained a court order to prevent the stay of release of the Bengali version, the anti-Lav Kush lobby got licences of at least three cinemas which were scheduled to release Lav Kush (Bengali), suspended. All the three cinemas — Uttara, Purabi and Shree — are of Kankaria himself. Kankaria contends that the suspension of licences was sudden and without show cause notices having been issued to the cinemas.

The Bengali version of the film could, therefore, be released in 16 of the 19 scheduled cinemas. The Hindi version was released in two cinemas (Hind and Ujjala).

FILMS FAIR ’97

The Films Fair will be held at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan from August 23 to 31, 1997. Films Fair ’97 will be a trade fair with a difference. Being organised by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), it has been subtitled the Genesis of Motion.

Marketing the centenary of films in India, the fair will bring together major film and television houses, both, from the country and abroad, exhibiting the history of cinema, major landmarks of the film industry, the role of film and TV in society, and techniques of filmmaking including the process. It will also enable various industrial units and manufacturers dealing with TV and photography-related equipment, both Indian and foreign, to display and sell their products.

The ITPO has formed an advisory committee with eminent film personalities including N.P. Nawani, secretary, Information & Broadcasting, Sunil Dutt, Sultan Ahmed, Pahlaj Nihalani, Asha Parekh, Ramesh Sippy and K.G. Dossani, president, Film Federation of India.

A series of seminars on subjects of topical interest are being organised during the fair. These include ‘Mainline Cinema Versus Parallel Cinema’, ‘The Emerging Role of Satellite Channels’, ‘Role of Cinema Television in Society’ and ‘The Film Industry Expectations and Government Policy Framework’.

Films Fair ’97 will not only showcase the strength and capabilities of Indian film industry vis-à-vis the international motion picture industry, but will provide entertainment bonanza to the visitors through screening of films at Shakuntalam theatre and a number of sponsored events.

MANAGER OF MAYFAIR, LUCKNOW MURDERED

Noon shows of all the cinemas of Lucknow on 20th July were suspended following the murder of Rakesh Khatri, manager of Mayfair cinema, Lucknow. Mayfair was closed for all the four shows.

KABIR BEDI BEREAVED

Siddharth, son of Kabir Bedi from his first wife, Protima Bedi, and brother of Pooja Bedi, committed suicide in Los Angeles on 19th July. He was a chronic patient of schizophrenia and was 25 years old.

‘JUDWAA’ SILVER JUBILEE

Sajid Nadiadwala’s Judwaa entered 25th combined week at Minerva (matinee), Bombay. It stars Salman Khan in a double role, with Karisma Kapoor, Rambha, Anupam Kher, Shakti Kapoor, Dalip Tahhil, Satish Shah, Jack Gaud, Bindu, Deepak Shirke, Mukesh Rishi, Ishrat Ali, Tiku Talsania, Dinesh Hingoo, Reema and Kader Khan. It is directed by David Dhawan and written by Rumi Jafri. Music: Anu Malik.

FWA TO FELICITATE JAVED AKHTAR, GULZAR

The Film Writers’ Association will felicitate Javed Akhtar and Gulzar on 27th July at Hotel Sands for winning National Awards for 1996. Javed Akhtar has bagged the award for the best lyrics (Saaz), and Gulzar has won the award for the best popular film (Maachis)

CINEMA CLOSED

Gaisford cinema in Rajkot downed shutters from 22nd July for an unspecified period. It is one of the older cinemas of Rajkot.

HOLLYWOOD LAUNCHES ‘RAMAYAN’: SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS TO BE DONE IN INDIA

For the first time, perhaps, a Hollywood producer has engaged an Indian company to do the special visual effects for his film. John Caruhasa Breathwaite, the producer of Ramayan, has contacted Ramesh Meer (The FX Factory) to create the special visual effects of his film to be made in English with Western actors.

Jeff Rector, who has featured in movies like Slider and Double Impact, will play Rama. Jerry Rector, Jeff’s twin brother, will play Laxman. Sita will be played by Chandni Breathwaite who has also featured in films such as Jerry Maguire and Father’s Day. The film will be directed by Artist Robinson.

The film is the culmination of 20 years of research done by John Caruhasa on this project. Its shooting will commence on 3rd October. Ramesh Meer will go to Los Angeles next month for the pre-production meeting with the cast and crew.

The project has the blessings of the ISKCON temple, Bombay, where the producer has stayed as a monk for many years while researching on the script of the film.

H.D. MISTRY ELECTED WIMPTSEA PRESIDENT

H.D. Mistry was elected president of the Western India Motion Picture & Television Sound Engineers Association for 1997 at its annual general meeting held on 13th July at Empire Audio Centre. B.N. Tiwari was elected vice president, and S.C. Bhambri, general secretary. E. Rudra was elected treasurer, and Madan Prakash and J.C.V.R. Rao, joint secretaries. Other elected members of the executive committee are: K.B. Sharma, Abdul Gadir, V.M. Gandhi, Sushil Malik, P.S. Mishra, Dilip J. Sawant, Tahir Khambati, Ramanand Prasad and Kirti K.A. Chedda.

RAMCHANDRA MUKHIYA ELECTED UPFAA PRESIDENT

The first meeting of the newly elected executive committee of the Uttar Pradesh Film Artist Association was held on 20th July when Ramchandra Mukhiya was re-elected its president. Manohar Bharti was elected vice president, and Satyavir Singh, secretary. Anup Singh and Ravi P. Bhagat were elected treasurer and general secretary respectively. Jagdish Singh, Prem Singh and Kunal Singh were unanimously co-opted on the committee.

YOU ASKED IT

What will happen to the industry, considering that all the three Hindi films released this week have had disastrous openings?

– Don’t panic. It’s just a coincidence that the three films have been released on the same day. Frankly speaking, had you expected any of the three films to open well? One is a non-star cast film, the other has out-of-demand stars, and the third has a hero who has a line of flops to his discredit and even the film itself gives a non-fresh look. Further, except for GHOONGHAT, the other two films haven’t even been publicised well.

What will be the opening (initial) of Mere Sapno Ki Rani, Pardes and …Aur Pyar Ho Gaya?

– MERE SAPNO KI RANI will have to bank upon its popular family-appealing music for an initial draw, PARDES has to depend upon the name of Subhash Ghai, and …AUR PYAR HO GAYA, upon the pair of Bobby Deol and Miss World Aishwarya Rai.

How are so many films scheduled for release in the coming weeks? Where are the cinemas?

– Not all the running films are good. Cinemas will be free once some of the films are discontinued. Of course, there is a rush of releases, but the situation is not as alarming as is being felt today.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Venus has brought out special pocket calendars of HAMESHAA with the film’s advertisement on one side of it and the days and dates from June 1997 to May 1998 on the other.

* The C.P. Berar distributors of BORDER, Laloo Kabra and Narendra Agarwal, have hit upon an appropriate idea to make BORDER a more paying proposition. They are now approaching schools for block bookings for their students. And since the war scenes in the film have educational value, the response from the schools is extremely positive.

* Novelty is the first cinema in Lucknow as well as in U.P. to instal Dolby digital and DTS sound system.

* Sagar’s serial, SHRI KRISHNA, is currently being telecast on SABC-1 in South Africa and has become very popular.

* YES BOSS has created a theatre record by collecting 1,72,127/- in 1st week at Vineet, Jabalpur.

* MRITYUDAND has created a record for tax-free films by collecting 78,838/- in 1st week at Trimurti, Ujjain. 2nd week first day: 7,000/-.

* GUPT has created a district record by collecting a total of 10,11,191/- in 3 weeks from Shree, Vapi. 3rd week: 1,70,240/-.

* SONGADYA (Marathi, TF, r.r.) has created a city record by collecting 77,070/- in 1 week at Shyam, Amravati, in spite of release of GUPT and MRITYUDAND in Amravati on the same day and communal tension in the city for 2 days.

MIX MASALA

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Sunil Shetty plays a fashion photographer in Nitin Manmohan’s Prithvi, but at the press conference of the film held last Saturday, Sunil, while replying to a query, said he was playing a press photographer in the film. Of course, it was simply a slip of Sunil’s tongue, but one which made the press guys happy because they felt, he was one of them — on screen, at least.

MIXING BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE?

There was some high-tension drama on the seventh floor of Naaz cinema building in Bombay last Saturday. The owner of one office on the floor brought in a girl of questionable character in his office. Some coolies outside Naaz telephoned the man’s wife and told her of her husband’s habit of picking up girls. The frightened man asked his peon to lock himself and the girl up in the office and go away. After a pretty long time, the owner (who had the keys) asked somebody to open the main door and let him out, giving the excuse that his peon had mistakenly locked him inside the office (!!!) and gone away home. That wasn’t all. By this time, two constables had arrived on the scene but the guy (his face was lal by now) had hidden his girl in a tiny cabin in his office. When interrogated, the man kept denying the presence of any girl in his office. Probably, the police couldn’t find the girl — or is it that they couldn’t even find the cabin?

NAAZ JUNGLE

The publicities displayed in offices in Naaz cinema building in Bombay these days take you back to the jungle days. Ashish Chhabria’s office has pictures of snakes all over because he is distributing Anaconda in Bombay. Tolu Bajaj is the distributor of The Lost World: Jurassic Park and so you see dinosaurs all over (in pictures, of course). From these two offices on the first floor, if you go to the sixth floor of Naaz, pictures of elephants, monkeys and dogs will stare you in the face in the office of Ashok and Nandu Ahuja. These animals play key roles in Ahujas’ forthcoming release, Jodidar.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘PARDES’ MUSIC: WHERE’S THE NADEEM SHRAVAN TOUCH?

Dear Komal,

It is very surprising that the musical score of Pardes sounds more a Laxmi-Pyare-Subhash Ghai creation than the work of Nadeem Shravan. The Pyare touch reverberates throughout the score. What perplexes me is that if Subhash Ghai wanted his songs to sound like that, he could have continued with his old team. He also had the choice to allow Nadeem Shravan to lend their individual distinct style. I am eagerly waiting for Shikhar score, only to see if Subhash Ghai has asserted himself there too, because A.R. Rahman is also equally headstrong. There is nothing wrong in a filmmaker insisting upon a certain musical style for his film. Pardes tonal patterns bear the signature of Subhash Ghai endorsed by Laxmi Pyare, and the evergreen Anand Bakshi factor is very much there.

– J.P. Chowksey
Prachi Films, Indore.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Not Interested

Believe it or not but one film, released all over recently, could not open in C.P. Berar because exhibitors were just not interested in releasing it. Exhibitors in Maharashtra were scared that since the film would take a disastrous start, they would lose out on the service charge on cinema tickets. And exhibitors of Madhya Pradesh, who are known to indulge in tax cutting, weren’t interested because they felt, when there wouldn’t be any audience, where was the tax going to come from and what cutting would they do. Hey Ram!

A Genius Called S.N. Agarwal

If today, many cinemas of the USA, Europe, the Far East and the Middle East use Indian cinema projectors, the credit goes to late S.N. Agarwal who died exactly a year ago at the age of 79. It was also Agarwal’s genius which brought to the country such new technologies as wide-screen presentation, Cinemascope presentation, magnetic 4-track Stereophonic sound system, Perspecta Integrator Stereo sound system, Photodiode-Solar cell technology (solid state) amplifiers, integrated circuitry, use of timing belt in projection equipments (to reduce noise and vibration in them). It was he who was instrumental in supplying and installing equipments in the Drive In cinemas of the country. He engineered and commissioned the first 4-track Optical Stereo film, HAHK..!. Out of 12,500 cinemas in India, S.N. Agarwal’s companies (Cinecita, Cinerama, Cinefones and Monee & Co. Pvt. Ltd.) have installed the sound and projection equipments in over 4,000 cinemas! B.R. Chopra had once called Agarwal a “machine man who has changed the dimension of presentation in motion picture and brought new dynamism and technologies”. It was because of Agarwal’s pioneering efforts that Chopra used in-speech projectors, thereby giving a new technical avenue to save enormous time of busy artistes by speeding up sound dubbing. Today, most of the dubbing, recording and re-recording theatres are equipped with hi-speed projectors, recording machines and dubbers etc. Again, it was Agarwal who indigenously manufactured and installed the Rock & Roll projectors at Film City and V. Shantaram’s Rajkamal Studios. The industry should be proud of Agarwal who brought India on the international map with his cinema projectors.

Time Sharing Basis

For the first time, perhaps, the triple cinema complex of Satyam, Sundaram and Sachinam at Worli, Bombay, is screening two films each this week. This is indicative of the rush of releases currently. At Satyam, Ghoonghat has been released this week and it is sharing the cinema with last week’s Yes Boss. Gupt and Border (tax-free) are sharing shows at Sundaram. At Sachinam, there’s Mrityudand (tax-free) and Virasat. Besides these three cinemas, there are several other cinemas in Bombay which are screening two films a day.

YES BOSS

United Seven Combines’ Yes Boss is a comedy. It is the story of an ambitious boy (working in an advertising agency) and an ambitious girl (a model), both of whom could do anything to achieve their goals. The boy, especially, doesn’t even mind bending backwards to please his boss so long as the latter will fulfil his promise of presenting him an office. So blinded is the boy with his ambitions that he even acts as a pimp for his boss! The soft corner he has for one such girl, whom he tries to ‘fix’ for his boss, soon turns into love. How he saves the girl from the clutches of his lustful boss forms the climax.

The film has a thin story-line and it has been stretched too much. By its very nature, a comedy is best enjoyed when it is crisp and to the point. In this film, the screenplay is not as tight as desired in an out-and-out comedy, hence the impact is diluted. Of course, some scenes and situations are hilarious but the overall drama starts looking too unreal and contrived after a while. Dialogues are good and witty but not consistently so. The first half tends to get boring after a while, and the second half is better. Climax, however, is weak. The scenes involving the boy, his beloved and his mother in the post-interval portion are about the only ones which give an Indian feel to an otherwise Western kind of film.

One major drawback is that in the first six or seven reels, a hero of no less a stature than Shah Rukh Khan is shown as pimping for his boss (Aditya Pancholi). This will hurt the sensibilities of the viewers (other than the ‘class’ audience) because the bulk of Hindi cinema audience yet attaches a lot of importance to values in life. What is worse is that Shah Rukh is not made to repent or even realise that what he has been doing (pimping) is ethically wrong — a point which should definitely have been conveyed by writers Sanjay Chhel and Mangesh Kulkarni.

Shah Rukh Khan is simply fantastic in the role of the ambitious employee. He endears himself to the audience right from the word ‘go’ and, sometimes, even manages to rise above the script. His sense of timing is superb. Juhi Chawla is quite good. Aditya Pancholi also does reasonably well although he does appear stiff in a couple of comic scenes. Kashmira Shah acts well in a special appearance and can make a good vamp. Gulshan Grover is restrained and impressive. Ashok Saraf does a fair job. Johny Lever is very good and should have been given a lengthier role. Reema supports very ably. Rakesh Bedi, Mahavir Shah, Amrut Patel, Ghanshyam, Joginder and the rest lend the desired support.

Aziz Mirza’s narration of the subject is of the kind which will appeal to city-based audiences. The film moves on a single track — comedy — and there’s lack of emotions, romance and drama. Several scenes are repetitive too. Jatin Lalit’s music is good. ‘Main koi aisa get gaaoon’, ‘Jo bhi chaahoon’ and ‘Suniye toh’ are well-tuned. Songs have been picturised on truly beautiful foreign locales. Action scenes are fair.

On the whole, Yes Boss rests on too thin a story-line and has ‘class’ appeal. It will do well in major cities but for the rest, its high price will see its distributors in the red. Business in Bombay and South will be good.

Released on 18-7-’97 at New Excelsior and 18 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity & opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening (on Thursday) was poor in C.I. Despite Idd holiday on Friday, opening was below the mark in Rajasthan (1st day about 74.77%) but excellent in Delhi and Calcutta.

LATEST POSITION

Communal tension in Maharashtra and Gujarat adversely affected box-office collections as cinemas remained closed for 1/2/3 days and audience attendance was poor. …..The Idd holiday on Friday (18th July) did not help the new releases much.

Do Aankhen Barah Haath 1st week Bombay 17,00,143 (61.64%) from 10 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,12,096 from 5 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot 60,270 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 67,000; Pune 5,41,685 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 15,23,042 (50.36%) from 9 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,59,438 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 95,093, Agra 1,85,319, Allahabad 83,600, Varanasi 96,071, Bareilly 58,069 (30.45%), Gorakhpur 75,000 (42.42%); Calcutta (6 days) 5,23,409 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 1,81,171 from 3 cinemas, Raipur 1,27,744 (48.69%); Bhopal 1,18,620 (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 2,86,950 from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur 2,00,000, Bikaner 97,393; Hyderabad 16,35,451 from 12 cinemas, share 5,10,000.

Mrityudand could not find any appreciation, not even in Bihar. It is somewhat okay in Maharashtra and M.P. due to tax-exemption. 1st week Bombay (TF) 12,56,348 (76.90%) from 6 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,49,450 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 74,149; Pune (TF) 3,73,190 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (TF) 83,386 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Belgaum 93,267; Delhi 5,63,754 (41.52%) from 4 cinemas; Kanpur 1,07,333, Lucknow 1,16,856, Agra 71,654, Allahabad 36,600, Varanasi 70,788, Meerut 63,244, Bareilly 55,128 (23.99%), Dehradun 72,520, Gorakhpur 59,000 (27.92%); Calcutta (6 days) 1,25,205 from 1 cinema (other cinemas unrecd.); Nagpur (TF) 1,37,523 from 2 cinemas, Amravati (TF) 1,22,695, Akola (TF, 18 shows) 40,026, Bhilai (TF) 72,673; Indore (TF) 1,93,173 from 2 cinemas, Bhopal (TF) 1,18,160; Jaipur 2,13,097 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 2,35,729 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), share 60,297.

………

Gupt 2nd week Bombay (6 days) 31,02,250 (92.22%) from 11 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 7,55,678 from 3 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Valsad 3,00,462, Padra 2,03,838, Bharuch (6 days, gross) 2,84,048, Rajkot 1,75,680, Jamnagar 1,19,125 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.); Pune 9,79,763 from 5 cinemas (1 in mat.), Kolhapur 1,77,338 (100%), Solapur 1,65,663; Hubli 100%, Belgaum 100%; Delhi 25,78,944 from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.; 1 unrecd.); Kanpur 3,92,496 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,81,752, Allahabad 1,27,003, Varanasi 1,69,117, Meerut 1,90,264, Bareilly 1,09,205 (49.74%), Dehradun 1,68,473 (1st 1,84,552), Gorakhpur 1,25,000; Calcutta (6 days) 11,69,340 from 10 cinemas; Gaya 60,000 (1st 1,24,000) from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 2,91,919 from 2 cinemas, 1st week Amravati (30 shows) 2,33,757, 2nd Akola (16 shows) 38,429, Raipur 1,61,925, Bhilai 1,00,383, 1st week Jalgaon 1,91,000, 2nd week Gondia (26 shows) 47,500, total 1,31,563, Chandrapur (25 shows) 1,11,397, total 2,99,054, Yavatmal 50,016 (1st 1,30,198); Indore 1,90,300, Bhopal 3,08,217 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 7,63,999 from 2 cinemas, Ajmer 1,09,367; Hyderabad 10,98,879 from 5 cinemas, share 5,36,920; Vijayawada 2 weeks’ total 6,34,705.

……….

CBI PROBE SOUGHT INTO UPHAAR CINEMA FIRE TRAGEDY

The Delhi government, dissatisfied with the police investigations into the Uphaar cinema fire tragedy of 13th June, has sought a CBI probe into it. Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma said in New Delhi that many people, including MPs, had expressed their dissatisfaction with the investigations so far. He had, therefore, written to the lt. governor, seeking a CBI probe into the tragedy.

‘ZIDDI’ 100 DAYS

N.R. Pachisia’s Ziddi is celebrating 100 days of its run today (19th July) all over. Directed by Guddu Dhanoa, it stars Sunny Deol, Raveena Tandon, Anupam Kher, Ashish Vidyarthi, Farida Jalal and Raj Babbar. Music: Dilip Sen Sameer Sen. Action: Tinnu Verma.

RAVI KISSEN INJURED

Actor Ravi Kissen was hurt in a car accident at Lokhandwala, Bombay, on the morning of 18th July. He was in his Maruti Gypsy which collided with a truck. Ravi fell unconscious and had to be rushed to Cooper Hospital. He sustained injuries on his head and nose but is said to be out of danger.

ANJALIDEVI HONOURED

Celebrated artiste of Telugu films, Anjalidevi (of Suvarna Sundari fame), who has acted in almost 400 Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films in a career spanning 50 years, was conferred the prestigious Raghupathi Venkayya award for the year 1995 recently.

The Young Men’s Happy Club felicitated Anjalidevi on 13th July at Kakinada.

WEDDING RECEPTION

A grand reception to celebrate the marriage of Ravi, son of Jawaharlal Agarwal of Trimurti Talkies, Ujjain, was held on 17th July in Ujjain. It was well attended by trade people.

DIRECTOR KRISHNAN NO MORE

Director Krishnan (of the famous Krishnan-Panju duo) expired earlier this week in Madras. He was in his eighties. Among the films directed by Krishnan-Panju were Bhabhi, Varsha, Suhag Sindoor, Manmouji, Shaadi, Mera Kasoor Kya Hai, Ladla, Do Kaliyan and Main Sunder Hoon.

ANNASAHEB GHATGE DEAD

Noted Marathi film producer Annasaheb Ghatge passed away on 28th June at his residence in Sangli due to heart failure. He was 57 and is survived by his wife and two sons.

Annasaheb had produced Patlin, Pandharichi Wari and Sasar Maher. His Pandharichi Wari had bagged the best social film award of the Maharashtra state government in 1988-89. He had given actress Jayshree Gadkar a break as director in Sasar Maher. At the time of his death, he was producing Gaon Sara Jaga Zala, and its six songs have been recorded. The film was to star Ashok Saraf, and Ashwini Bhave in a double role.

EXTENSIVE RENOVATION & NEW NAME FOR BHAVNAGAR CINEMA

Ajay cinema at Bhavnagar is being extensively renovated. Dolby sound system is being installed. The cinema has been rechristened Rajshri and is owned by Ajay Chudasama who also owns Rajshri and Shalimar cinemas of Gandhinagar. The renovated cinema will open with Subhash Ghai’s Pardes.

HARBANS PAPE NO MORE

Dancer and dance director Harbans Pape expired on the night of 17th July in Dehradun. He was 69.

Badnam was his first film as a dancer. Among his other films (as dancer) were Jadoo, Naujawan, Mera Saya, Warrant, Sholey, Upkar, Ek Phool Do Mali, Deedar, Kajal, Do Ankhen, Madhumati, Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai etc. As a dance director, he directed Chandan, Deedar, Anjan and a few other films.

Harbans received several trophies and awards during his film career. After a fatal road accident around 1980, his career came to a halt. He returned to Dehradun from where he had come to Bombay, in 1984 and settled there permanently.

Harbans’ elder son, Titu, is working in the film industry as an artiste and dancer.

NOTICES ISSUED TO 42 DELHI CINEMAS

The municipal corporation of Delhi has issued notices to 42 of the 66 cinemas under its jurisdiction, for violation of building bye-laws. The cinemas have been asked to rectify the various violations within a fortnight. Action would be taken against those cinemas which fail to rectify the wrongs.

The notices have been issued following submission of inspection reports by the deputy commissioners of police of the respective zones. Earlier, licences of two cinemas of Delhi — Priya and Khanna — had been revoked. The licence of Priya was restored after the management showed papers which satisfied the authorities.

The municipal corporation of Delhi has taken a tough stand against erring cinemas of the capital city following the ghastly fire tragedy at Uphaar cinema in the city on 13th June.

FWICE GRANTS AFFILIATION TO CAC

The Cine Agents Combine, after dissociating itself from the Film Makers Combine (FMC), has become affiliated to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). The FWICE granted the CAC affiliation on 13th July.

I.R.K. PEON ABSCONDING WITH CASH

Gopal, a peon of Bombay distributor Inder Raj Kapoor (I.R.K. Films), was asked by the latter last Friday to collect a lakh of rupees from some place in Bombay and bring the same to office. To Kapoor’s bad luck, the peon never returned with the money he collected. Investigations are still on.

CONTROVERSY OVER BENGALI VERSION OF ‘LAV KUSH’

An ugly controversy has arisen in West Bengal over the release of Dilip Kankaria’s Lav Kush in the state. Technicians in West Bengal are up in arms against the release of any film dubbed in the regional language (Bengali) as, according to them, such dubbed films adversely affect Bengali films. In fact, just recently, the technicians and artistes of the Bengali film world appealed to the I & B minister to stop telecast of dubbed Bengali serials on DD.

With producer Dilip Kankaria insisting that the Bengali version is not dubbed, and the Bengali film industry convinced that it is a dubbed version, the fate of the Bengali Lav Kush hangs in balance a week before its scheduled release. According to Dilip Kankaria, Lav Kush is a bilingual shot in Hindi and Bengali simultaneously. “I have two negatives, one of the Hindi version, and the other, of the Bengali version,” says Dilip Kankaria. “Some vested interests are fanning this controversy but I’m sure, truth will prevail finally.”

FFI DELEGATION MEETS I & B MINISTER

A delegation of the Film Federation of India met I & B minister S. Jaipal Reddy in Delhi earlier this week and apprised him of the problems facing the film and television industries.

In particular, the issues of censorship, countervailing duty on raw film, and the constitution of the NFDC were discussed in detail. The minister was aware that in the name of preventing cruelty to animals, the Central Board of Film Certification was putting producers to a lot of hardship and promised to rectify the situation. He was shocked that Maneka Gandhi was indirectly dictating terms to the CBFC about prevention of cruelty to animals.

The minister was sympathetic to the demand of the industry to abolish countervailing duty on raw stock. The delegation also lamented the fact that there was no representative of the film industry on the NFDC, and asked the minister to appoint a suitable person.

The issue of the telecast of dubbed Bengali serials on Bengal Doordarshan was also discussed and it was impressed upon the minister to not discontinue them.

SIGNED

Sushmita Sen In ‘Chakra’

Sushmita Sen has been signed to play the leading lady opposite Sanjay Dutt in Mumbai Talking Pictures’ Chakra, being produced by Sanjay Dutt and Kumar Gaurav, and written and directed by Dilip Shukla. Aroora Irani and Amrish Puri play other important roles. Music by Vishal, editing by V.N. Mayekar, sound by Rakesh Ranjan, art by R. Verman, action by Raam Shetty, and cinematography by Nirmal Jani are the other major credits.

PRODUCTION NEWS

Boney Kapoor’s Film Progressing In Cochin

A 15-day shooting spell of Narsimha Enterprises’ untitled film, starring Sanjay Kapoor and Priya Gill, commenced in Cochin on July 16. The film co-stars Jackie Shroff (in a special appearance), Kader Khan, Johny Lever, Tej Sapru and Mohnish Bahl. Remake of the Tamil blockbuster Kaadhal Kottai, the film is being directed by Athathian for producer Boney Kapoor. It will be shot in its last schedule from Aug. 24 to Sept. 15 in Delhi. Music: Nadeem Shravan. Lyrics: Sameer. The film is being produced in association with Neha-MAD Films Combine.

YOU ASKED IT

Who is John Mathew Matthan who is making Sarfarosh? Has he made any film earlier?

– He is an ad filmmaker and SARFAROSH is his first feature film.

Will the audience accept Urmila Matondkar in a family film like Mere Sapno Ki Rani when the publicity of Daud, in which she is dressed too sexily, is at its peak?

– Didn’t the audience love her in JUDAAI after RANGEELA?

What is the total business, as per statements, of HAHK..!, DDLJ and Raja Hindustani in Bombay circuit and all over India?

– About 22, 14 and 11 respectively in Bombay. The first two films had the advantage of tax exemption in Maharashtra. In India, the figures are about 70, 40 and 38 respectively. RAJA HINDUSTANI is still running in its 32nd week and is expected to cross the DDLJ figure in the final tally.

MIX MASALA

MISSING THE TARGET

Ruia’s serial, Target, starring Sangeeta Naik in the lead, was to have gone on air on 18th July on DD Metro, but the makers couldn’t meet the target date due to a mishap on the sets on 12th July. Sangeeta, while performing a stunt, fractured her leg and has been advised six weeks’ bed-rest. And so the telecast of Target stands postponed.

PEOPLE
Are talking about

** The bumper opening of Yes Boss in Bombay and Delhi cities on the one hand and its lukewarm opening in circuits like C.P. and C.I. Actually, the difference in initials is not surprising considering that the film has an English title and although it has had extensive publicity, it (publicity) is of the kind which holds appeal for the class audience mainly. One might say that Border is also an English title, but there is a major difference, besides the fact that Border is a multi-starrer as against Yes Boss and it has a super-hit song in Sandese aate hain. The major difference is that although both are English titles, Border gives a serious connotation, while Yes Boss is a more frivolous title, if one may use the term.

** Akshay Kumar and his marketability after the debacles of Lahoo Ke Do Rang and Insaaf. The guy needs to take stock of the situation and also needs to take some corrective measures if he wants to regain his lost position. Incidentally, although comparisons are not always fair, people are comparing him with Mamta Kulkarni for their penchant for dropping their clothes on screen. He has taken off his shirt and pant a bit too often in films!

PEOPLE
Are wondering

** About how Subhash Ghai will release his Pardes on 8th August as announced, especially in view of the fact that the film’s music has been released less than a fortnight back, and the film’s publicity as yet is on a very low key. Know-alls insist, the film will be postponed, but people concerned with the film are confident, it will hit the screens on 8th August. According to Ghai himself, “My film is already censored, my mixing is half-complete and the film’s first copy will be out before the month-end. Then why should I postpone the release? The publicity has been kept low-key intentionally, because I want Pardes to grow week by week.”

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

No Cause For Celebration

Idd is an occasion to celebrate, but for the industry, yesterday’s Idd-e-Milad festival hardly gave reasons to celebrate. For, the initials of both the films released this week gave cause for concern. If Yes Boss opened to bumper houses in Bombay, Delhi and a few major cities, its opening in circuits like C.I., Rajasthan etc. was far from encouraging. Ditto with Daava. Why, not even the Idd holiday could help! Even though everybody is aware that the former film stars Shah Rukh Khan, and the latter, Akshay Kumar, it needs to be pointed out here once again alongwith the prices these two stars charge. Did you say, you are aware of their fees? Well, let’s not embarrass our heroes then!

‘Daava’ Delivery Drama

The effecting of deliveries of this week’s release, Daava, was not free from tension and drama. While the producer wanted his distributors to hike the price, the latter were in no mood to oblige, and some distributors/sub-distributors even wanted a price reduction. The deliveries for Bombay and the Eastern circuit were effected after a lot of haggling and heated arguments. In Bombay, the Gujarat sub-distributor made a deferred payment of a part of the delivery amount. The film changed hands for Saurashtra at the eleventh hour. In place of M.B. Films, it is now being distributed by Keshubhai of Porbandar, who managed to buy the film at a price less than the one for which M.B. Films had it.

It’s A Challenge

If you thought, Mehul Kumar is down and out after Lahoo Ke Do Rang and Mrityudaata, think again. The man has taken his two consecutive failures as a challenge for himself. Why, he has even titled his next as Challenge. Starring in the film will be Amitabh Bachchan and Nana Patekar.

The Experiment Man

R.V. Pandit is an unusual man. He will premiere his Train To Pakistan on STAR Plus on 15th August and release it theatrically from the very next day (Saturday, August 16). The cinemas where Train To Pakistan is booked will screen Pandit’s Maachis on 15th. BBC will also telecast the film on Channel 4 on 15th August. This is the first Indian film to be premiered by BBC. Pandit is also dubbing Maachis in various foreign languages and exporting the film to different countries. For his Darmiyaan, he has put up 90 hoardings all over the country.

The Indian World After ‘Jurassic Park’

It took the sequel of Jurassic Park (Hindi dubbed) to break the record of the first part in India. We are talking of the price the sequel (Hindi dubbed) has been sold for and is being sold to distributors. The sequel, titled The Lost World: Jurassic Park, is hot in distribution circles, thanks to the bumper initial business of the English version in Hollywood, and the tremendous business Jurassic Park (Hindi dubbed) had done in India. Paramount is likely to recover a total of about 1.5 to 2 crore from the various territories of India. Not a small figure, this. Incidentally, the publicity of The Lost World needs to be stepped up to match the high price.

‘Pardes’ Publicity: Not A Wise Decision

Another film’s publicity which, we feel, is being unnecessarily kept on a low key, is Subhash Ghai’s Pardes. With just three weeks to go before the film hits the screen, the awareness among the audience about the film and its release is not what it should be. Ghai wants to keep the publicity to the minimum possible level, as he feels, that will not raise people’s expectations too much. Obviously, he has not forgotten the Trimurti experience where the audience had expected the sky from the film. But if Subhash Ghai thinks, Trimurti bombed because people had great expectations from it, he is wrong. Trimurti was such a bad film that even if there were zero expectations from it, it would have proved a disaster. Coming back to Pardes, Ghai should definitely step up its publicity. In fact, an intensive and extensive publicity campaign is what is needed. Since it is not a multi-starrer (like Trimurti), the fear that people will expect the world out of it is unfounded. Even otherwise, the time is simply not enough for expectations to soar so high.

The Hero Image

Although this incident took place more than a year back in a cinema of Bombay, it went unreported. The cinema in question was screening Naseeruddin Shah and Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chaahat when a young man suddenly went wild and started breaking the chairs in the auditorium. The management, obviously, caught the man and slapped him for his behaviour. Although the cinema wallahs had beaten the guy enough, curiosity got the better of them and they asked the man the reason for his strange behaviour. The man’s reply stunned them as it will stun you now. Said he, “I don’t mind being beaten up by you, but I can’t bear to see Shah Rukh Khan being beaten so mercilessly on screen by Naseeruddin Shah. If Shah Rukh is a hero, how can he tolerate such a lot of violence on himself. What kind of a hero is he?” It may be recalled that Shah Rukh is almost beaten to death by Naseer in Chaahat. Our writers and directors would do well to keep the man’s logic in mind while writing/making films.

DO AANKHEN BARAH HATH

Sri Nirmaladevi Combines’ Do Aankhen Barah Hath (UA) is a masala film which has some romance, drama, revenge, separation, comedy, action, dances etc. But none of the abovesaid ingredients offers anything new or exciting. A boy-child is deserted by his mother for fear that her brother would kill him. He grows up and gets entangled in a love triangle. There are villains out to kill him; however, he manages to not only save himself but also wipe out the evil men and unite with his mother. He gets married to his beloved too.

If the story is routine, the screenplay has been childishly written without caring for logic. The film has taken too long in the making and the delay shows. Double-meaning dialogues, which constitute the comedy, would appeal to the front-benchers.

Govinda enacts a role which doesn’t suit his current status. All the same, he does well except in some scenes where he overacts. Both the heroines give poor accounts of themselves. Madhuvanti makes a disastrous debut, with neither the looks nor talent of a heroine. Roopali also does not impress. Aroona Irani does a fair job as Govinda’s mother. Johny Lever, Harish Patel, Asrani and Liliput provide light moments. Sadashiv Amarapurkar does a reasonably good job. Kiran Kumar is quite nice. Raman Khatri is average. Ishrat Ali, Arjun and Jack Gaud alongwith Anil Dhawan and the rest of the cast lend average support.

Direction (Kirti Kumar) is no better than the script. The director seems to have lost all interest in the film during its making. Music is good. ‘Mile jo tere naina’ and ‘Kasam se kasam se’ are melodious. Song picturisations give the film a dated look. Action scenes are so-so. Camerawork is okay. Production values are below the mark. Dialogues are passable.

On the whole, Do Aankhen Barah Hath is a dull and stale fare which will prove a burden for all concerned.

Released on 11-7-’97 at Alankar and 14 other cinemas of Bombay thru Shree Vijayraj Pictures. Publicity: average. Opening: below average. …….Also released all over to dull houses.

MRITYUDAND

Prakash Jha Productions’ Mrityudand (UA) is the story of three women in a village of Bihar. Male chauvinism is at its peak in this backward village where women are treated as pieces of furniture. The three women in the story dare to protest and break the myth that it is the wont of women to suffer in silence.

The story is different and forward-looking. Although the screenplay is well-written, the drama often moves at a terribly slow pace. References to business, business rivalry, government’s reservation policy etc. give the film a flavour that restricts its appeal to the class audience. Further, although the feeling one gets as the drama unfolds is that it deals with the upliftment of womenfolk in general, the film actually finally turns out to be a personal vendetta of the three women in particular. This dilutes the impact of the drama. The revolt of the ladies, moreover, is subdued and lacks fire which was needed to draw applause. Yes, a few scenes will evoke claps but not the climax. Dialogues are brilliant and very bold but only at places. The Bihari flavour has been brought across beautifully and the language spoken by the characters makes the atmosphere realistic. Climax should have been more fiery.

Performances are first rate. Shabana Azmi lives the role of the suffering-in-silence daughter-in-law and humiliated wife who ultimately revolts by throwing all myths to the winds. She gives a remarkable performance and does not overact even one bit. Madhuri Dixit does a splendid job as the educated younger daughter-in-law. She acts with effortless ease and should win accolades and awards for the excellent portrayal. She also looks beautiful. Ayub Khan is restrained as Madhuri’s husband, and impresses a lot. Shilpa Shirodkar is natural to the core. Mohan Joshi excels as the villain and evokes instant hatred. Om Puri is too good. Mohan Agashe plays his character with aplomb. Pyare Mohan leaves a very good impression. Harish Patel does an efficient job. Brij Gopal, Abha Dhulia, Achyut Potdar and the rest lend admirable support.

Given the story, Prakash Jha’s narration is very good. But he should have balanced the tense drama with some comedy and romance to make the film universally appealing. He, however, deserves distinction marks for extracting wonderful performances from his entire team. Three scenes — one in which Madhuri Dixit asks her husband not to behave like a God, one in which Shabana Azmi openly exposes her husband’s impotence, and the one in which Shilpa Shirodkar calls Mohan Joshi a pimp — have been shot exceptionally well and will evoke claps. But the fact remains that the film has very limited appeal as it moves on just one track which also lacks entertainment value. Of the songs, ‘Kehdo ek baar sajna’ is extremely hummable, but a couple of other songs are very dull, though, thankfully, short. Picturisations of two songs are good. Background music (Raghunath Seth) is superb. Camerawork (Rajen Kothari) is fantastic. Technically, very nice.

On the whole, Mrityudand is a film for very select cinemas in select cities only, because it has an inherent ‘class’ appeal, being too serious a film and devoid of regular masala like hit music, comedy, romance etc. It will, therefore, entail losses to most of its distributors. Its Bihari flavour may help it in Bihar. Tax exemption (the film is tax-free in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh) will help to an extent.

Released on 10-7-’97 at Metro (matinee) and on 11-7-’97 at Novelty and 12 other cinemas of Bombay by Vimal Agarwal and Cineyug thru R.M. Ahuja & Co. Publicity: good. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull almost everywhere.

LATEST POSITION

GUPT has recorded extraordinary collections in 1st week except in C.I. Heavy rains in different parts (Bombay, Maharashtra, Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh etc.) affected collections during the week.

Gupt has done tremendous business in 1st week. Cinemas screening DTS prints are drawing unprecedented crowds. 1st week Bombay 46,81,379 (98.16%) from 12 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 16,55,279 from 6 cinemas, Anand 5,05,450, Nadiad 3,97,325, Palanpur 2,09,254, Padra 2,80,068, Mehsana 2,36,275, Valsad 3,43,513 (92.75%), Bharuch (gross) 3,48,880 (100%), Rajkot 1,79,000 (100%), Jamnagar 1,52,097 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 12,34,611 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,77,338, Solapur 4,31,850 from 2 cinemas; Hubli 100%, Belgaum 100%, Dharwad 100%; Delhi 49,33,354 (92.23%) from 13 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Kanpur 5,39,052 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,11,307 (100%), Allahabad 1,53,953, Varanasi 1,87,113, Meerut 2,34,731 (100%), Bareilly 1,71,200 (77.97%), Dehradun 1,84,552 (77.87%), Gorakhpur 1,62,000 (88.89%); Calcutta 37,31,102 from 27 cinemas (of these 14 cinemas are for 6 days; 15 on F.H.); Guwahati about 2,83,000 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 10,68,286 from 5 cinemas, Akola 1,78,020, Raipur 2,35,647 (97.31%), Bhilai 1,71,000 (1 unrecd.), Chandrapur 1,87,657, Yavatmal 1,30,198; Indore 4,20,000 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 5,25,308 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 13,03,987 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 3,22,280 (100%), Udaipur 2,18,600; Hyderabad 39,76,909 from 17 cinemas, share 21,96,375, Aurangabad share 3,85,000; Bangalore 12,70,000 (100%) from 7 cinemas, Davangere 100%, share 1,30,000; Vijayawada 3,20,670 (100%), Kurnool 98,490; Madras 100%.

……….

Border (TF) 4th week Bombay 41,77,264 (91.49%) from 12 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,97,566 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Baroda 1,61,802, Rajkot 1,62,342, Jamnagar 81,310, Adipur 85,110, 1st week Bhuj 1,46,970; 4th Pune (TF) 6,01,313 from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur (TF) 1,87,163, Solapur (TF) 1,28,544 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 79,857, Belgaum 59,384; Delhi 34,12,604 from 10 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,04,071 (1 unrecd.), Lucknow 3,22,783 (100%), Allahabad 1,42,000, Varanasi 1,42,532, Bareilly 77,032 (34.48%), Dehradun 1,66,608, Gorakhpur 1,20,000, Hardwar 52,000; Rohtak 32,146; Calcutta 5,75,147 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur (TF) 2,51,062 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,03,192, total 9,78,088, Akola (TF) 1,20,518, total 6,82,877, Raipur 96,550, total 5,85,141, Bhilai 77,417, Durg 60,048, Wardha (TF) 47,851, total 2,68,000, share 2,00,000, Chandrapur (TF) 1,35,944, total 7,24,310, Yavatmal (TF) 45,282; Indore 1,40,096 (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,51,917; Jaipur 4,63,831 from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur 2,85,000, Bikaner 1,81,445; Hyderabad 4,42,794 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), share 1,95,794.

Virasat 6th week Bombay 15,35,854 (71.03%) from 6 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 95,700 from 2 cinemas (1 unrecd.), 5th week Rajkot 67,495; 6th week Pune 5,71,292 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,06,965, Solapur 90,186, 2nd Barsi 26,000; 6th week Delhi 91,387; Kanpur 66,776, Lucknow 1,71,961, Allahabad 39,000, Varanasi 34,180, Meerut 40,204, Dehradun 50,676, Gorakhpur 27,400, Hardwar 16,533; Calcutta 2,21,675 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 53,313, Jabalpur 79,482, total 7,41,787, Amravati 46,095, 2nd Akola 75,900, total 1,98,150, 6th Raipur 47,605, Bhilai (5 days) 21,300, 2nd week Wardha 48,115; 6th Bhopal 57,414; Jaipur 1,19,784, 2nd week Udaipur 70,680; 6th week Hyderabad 2,77,197.

CHETAN ANAND DEAD

Veteran producer-director-actor Chetan Anand died in the early morning hours of 6th July at Nanavati Hospital in Bombay. He had been suffering from kidney failure and chronic asthma. He was 82 and is survived by his illustrious brothers, Dev and Vijay Anand, wife Uma, and sons Ketan and Vivek.

Chetan Anand was cremated the same day at Oshiwara (Bombay) and the funeral was attended by a number of film personalities including B.R. Chopra and Amitabh Bachchan.

Chetan Anand made his debut in films in 1944 as hero in Phani Mazumdar’s Rajkumar. He made his first film, Neecha Nagar, in 1946. It was not only acclaimed in the country but also won an award at the Cannes film festival.

Chetan Anand made a variety of films. Haqeeqat, which he directed in 1964, was based on the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and was India’s first war film. It went on to become a super-hit. His other memorable films are Heer Ranjha, the only film written in verse, Taxi Driver, Andhiyan, Hindustan Ki Kasam, Afsar, Fantoosh, Hanste Zakhm and Kudrat. His last film was Haathon Ki Lakeerein. He made films for his brother Dev Anand under the banner of Navketan Productions and for himself under the banner of Himalaya Productions.

‘MRITYUDAND’ RELEASE: ERSTWHILE C.P. DISTRIBUTOR GETS NO RELIEF IN COURT

Rajesh Jain, the erstwhile distributor of Mrityudand for C.P. Berar, could not get any relief from the court for restraining the film’s release. He had gone to court after the CCCA refused to register the film in his favour and, instead, registered it in favour of another. As mentioned last week, Rajesh was late in knocking the doors of the court. Justice Kapadia opined that had Rajesh sought justice six months back when producer Prakash Jha sought a price increase for the first time, things may have been different. Following no relief in Justice Kapadia’s court, Rajesh went in appeal before a division bench but his appeal was disallowed.

JAYSINH RATANSHI DEAD

Veteran Bombay distributor Jaysinh Ratanshi (of Jaysinh Pictures P. Ltd.) expired on 6th July in Bombay. He used to be the regular distributor of Raj Kapoor’s films till the eighties.

ROAD IN DELHI TO BE NAMED AFTER S.P. SINGH

Aadharshila, a group of writers, journalists and artistes, paid emotional tribute to the memory of noted journalist S.P. Singh and well-known theatre and TV artiste Anand Sharma at a function in Delhi last week in the Indian Council for Cultural Relations auditorium, Azad Bhawan. The president of Aadharshila, Pradeep Sardana, demanded that for paying memorable tribute to the memory of S.P. Singh, a road in the capital city, preferably one near the place where the office of Aaj Tak is located, should be named after him. He also requested suitable financial help for the family of Anand Sharma. Chief minister of Delhi welcomed both the suggestions and assured that he would immediately act on this.

Sardana recalled how only last December, S.P. Singh was awarded the Aadharshila award for Aaj Tak at the same auditorium. He also announced the starting of two special awards in the memory of these two personalities, one to be given to an outstanding journalist and the other, to the best actor of the year, in the annual Aadharshila awards function.

Tributes were also paid in this programme to film journalist Sampat Lal Purohit and filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya, both of whom also expired recently.

‘MRITYUDAND’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA, M.P.

Prakash Jha’s Mrityudand has been granted 100% tax exemption in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. While the exemption in Maharashtra is for one year, that in M.P. is for six months.

CHITRA, SATARA DOWNS SHUTTERS

Chitra Talkies, Satara, closed down from 30th June. It was owned by Girdhar Shah and controlled by Vilas Karandikar. The cinema used to screen only English films. A commercial complex is likely to come up in place of the cinema which will be demolished soon.

NEW CINEMA IN HUBLI

A new cinema — Sri Laxmi Narayan — will open in Hubli, most likely on 18th July.

POWER SUPPLY DISCONTINUED TO 2 DELHI CINEMAS

The owners of Swaran cinema in Delhi have moved the court against the cancellation of power supply by the Delhi Vidyut Board on 4th July. The electricity connection was snapped on Friday while the afternoon show was still on.

The Swaran owners are challenging the decision of the DVB as, according to them, the power was cut without issuance of notice and this is against law. The capacity of the transformer at Swaran is 30 KW but they had been allegedly drawing around 40 KW.

The owners say that they had been requesting the DVB to increase the strength of the transformer to 40 KW, but no step had been initiated.

Meanwhile, the power supply of another cinema hall, Payal, has also been disconnected for deficiencies in the installation of transformer and other electrical equipment.

CENSOR NEWS

United Seven Combines’ Yes Boss, applied on 7th and seen on 8th, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/1/25/97 (U) dt. 10-7-’97; length 4536.84 metres in 16 reels (no cut).

Eklavya Visions’ Daava was given C.C. No. CIL/3/19/97 (A) dt. 7-7-’97; length 4452.75 metres in 16 reels (cuts: 156.80 metres).

Rohitasha Movies’ Dhaal has been passed for adults, with cuts, by the revising committee.

Mukta Arts Pvt. Ltd.’s Pardes (length 5261.45 metres in 21 reels), applied on 9th and seen on 10th, has been passed with U certificate, with 3 minor cuts.

Chiragdeep International’s Bhai Bhai will be seen next week.

TV & VIDEO INFORMATION

MUKESH KHANNA’S ‘SHAKTIMAN’ ON DD1

Bhishma International’s Shaktiman, produced by Mukesh Khanna and starring himself in the main lead, will go on air on DD1 from August. Directed by Dinkar Jani and written by Brij Mohan Pandey, the serial co-stars Kitu Gidwani, Navab, Deepak Bhatia and Brij Mohan Pandey.

YOU ASKED IT

In 150 weeks of HAHK..!, how many prints of the film have been taken out?

– 510 prints, unarguably the highest for first-run films.

Which has done more business, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge or Raja Hindustani?

– RAJA HINDUSTANI is a shade better in many of the circuits.

Is it advisable to make a star-studded horror film with a lot of computer graphics today?

– You can make anything, so long as the film has the merits to sustain audience interest and it offers something new.

DO YOU KNOW?

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 2,48,740/- in 1st week at Anupam, Ahmedabad.

* GUPT has created history at Krishna, Padra (Gujarat), by collecting 2,80,068/- in 1st week.

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 3,97,325/- in 1st week at Shreyas, Nadiad.

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 3,11,307/- (100%) in 1st week at Anand, Lucknow.

* GUPT has created a theatre record at Shah, Agra, by drawing all shows full (2,39,927/-) in 1st week.

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 2,40,285/- in 1st week at Apsara, Aligarh.

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 1,87,622/- in 1st week at Miglani, Moradabad.

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 3,71,801/- in 1st week at Prem Prakash, Jaipur.

* GUPT has created a theatre record by collecting 2,07,430/- in 1st week at Anand, Jodhpur.

* BORDER (tax-free) has created a theatre record by collecting 2,06,612/- in 4th week at Panchsheel, Nagpur.

* BORDER (TF) has created a city record by collecting 1,96,757/- in 4th week at Rajlaxmi, Amravati.

* BORDER (TF) has created another theatre record at Rajkamal, Akola, by collecting 1,20,518/- in 4th week (26 shows). Total: 6,82,877/-.

In Capital City Of Des For Music Release Of Pardes

After lying low for more than a year-and-a-half, Subhash Ghai decided to be his normal self on the 6th of July. So he did what he normally does. He organised a grand function at the grander Hyatt Regency Hotel in Delhi for releasing the music of his Pardes. And, as usual, he flew the Bombay press to cover the function.

I know, it must not have been pre-planned but I’d like to think otherwise. No, not the audio release party. I’m talking of the number of the room allotted to me in Hyatt. It was 124 and I couldn’t help remembering the ‘One two ka four’ song from Ghai’s earlier hit, Ram Lakhan, all through my 28-hour-and-some-15 minutes’ stay in Delhi. There were other reasons too for humming that super-hit number.

One of them was that the release function, which was scheduled to start at 1 p.m., commenced only around 2 p.m. One ka two, you see. Secondly, there wasn’t one but two different cassette release functions — one in the afternoon for the local press and film trade, and the other in the evening for political dignitaries and special friends. One ka two again, you see again! And for the two functions, there were four artistes of the film — Shah Rukh Khan, Amrish Puri and newcomers Mahima Chaudhry and Apoorva Agnihotri — present. The music team was also represented by four singers — Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam and Hema Sardesai. Of the two music directors, Nadeem and Shravan, only the latter, that is one, could make it to Delhi. See, how important the numbers ‘one’, ‘two’ and ‘four’ were in the showman’s function. So, do you blame me for constantly being haunted by the ‘One two ka four’ number?

Well, now coming to function number one. Ashok Amritraj and Jackie Shroff set the ball rolling by throwing open a float of the film on the dais and lighting the traditional lamp. An audio-visual of Subhash Ghai’s journey in the film industry under the Mukta Arts banner served to remind one of the hits and blockbusters the Ghai guy has given. Then there was the usual I-present-you-one-cassette-you-give-me-one-cassette ceremony with the recipients and the givers flashing smiles for the still and video cameras. In between the barter exchange of cassettes, the playback singers rendered songs from Pardes.

Lunch and drinks, hosted by distributors Mukta-Shakti Combines, followed, and by the time the celebrations were over, it was 4 o’clock. 1 (p.m.) ka 2 (p.m.) ka 4 (p.m.).

The evening function was almost a repetition of the afternoon one except that the two new faces, Mahima and Apoorva, were formally introduced to the gathering in the evening. Chief of army staff General S. Rowchowdhury formally released the cassette and presented one to Subhash Ghai. Ex-prime minister of India Atal Behari Vajpayee and Congress vice president Jitendra Prasad were special invitees. Atal-ji won a thunderous round of applause when, on being asked by Ghai to speak do shabd, announced that he would speak teen shabd and went on to say the three words, “Bahut bahut dhanyavad” before stepping down from the dais.

The playback singers enthralled the audience again with songs from the film. Kumar Sanu sang Do dil mil rahe hain, Hema Sardesai rendered ‘My first day in USA’, Sonu Nigam sang Dil deewana dil, and Kavita Krishnamoorthy aroused patriotic feelings with her ‘I love my India’ song. If there was anything that in a small way spoilt the show, it was the microphone which kept failing at the wrong time. But this is India and without such lapses, how can a function be complete? No, I don’t want to complain because I love such lapses as much as I love my India.

Drinks and dinner in the company of Delhiites followed. The next morning, breakfast was with Subhash Ghai. Actually, it was more of a ‘brunch’ (breakfast plus lunch) — two-in-one, if I may use the ‘one’ and ‘two’ again — because it was well past 12 noon by the time we had our first bite from a table laid with egg omelettes, dosa, puri bhaji, aloo parathas etc.

1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on the 7th of July was time for shopping and lunch respectively. And 4 p.m. was time to bid goodbye to Ghai and his Pardes family. It was also the time for a shock. Where was my ticket? Frantic searches and exactly three minutes later, it was clear that I had misplaced the ticket to Bombay. Ghai immediately instructed that a new ticket be purchased at the airport. Now this kind of one two ka four or rather, four two ka one, I least expected.

Feeling guilty for my absent-mindedness and more guilty for the monetary loss, I returned to buy a new ticket. “Name please,” asked the Sahara airlines staffer. “Komal Nahta,” I replied dejectedly. “Komal Nahta?”, asked the staffer excitedly. “We’ve already got your ticket, Sir. You left it in the aeroplane yesterday when you flew from Bombay to Delhi,” he informed a thrilled me.

Oh, I love Sahara India, I love Sahara India……. just as I love ‘I love my India’ from Pardes.

P.S.: I’ve stopped humming ‘One two ka four’ now. Instead, I’m singing ‘I love my India’…..

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

No. 1 in Hindi & Sindhi

It is common knowledge that producer Vashu Bhagnani, who has a penchant for ‘No. 1’ in his film titles (Coolie No. 1 and Hero No. 1,) will soon start Biwi No. 1. But few are aware that Bhagnani will also be launching a Sindhi film which has been titled Sindhi No. 1! For Biwi No. 1, Vashu has signed Anil Kapoor and Govinda, who will be directed by David Dhawan. The heroine is yet to be finalised, and Vashu plans to launch it in September. Sindhi No. 1 will also roll in September and will be made by and with a team of newcomers. But wait, Vashu Bhagnani has serious plans of roping in dear friend and Sindhi by caste, Ramesh Taurani, to act in this film!

C.I.: Panic Circuit For Bobby

Call it a coincidence or whatever. Both the Bobby Deol starrers have had shaky starts in C.I. circuit. When Bobby’s debut film, Barsaat, was released in October ’95, the C.I. territory behaved rather erratically in the opening week. The opening in all other circuits was sensational but not so in C.I. Once again, when Gupt was released last week, the initial it fetched in C.I. sent panic signals through the length and breadth of the trade. Of course, finally, Barsaat managed to go into overflow in C.I. too. Let’s wait and watch where Gupt reaches.

Helpful Thackeray

Prakash Jha is extremely grateful to Bal Thackeray. It is because of him that his film, Mrityudand, managed to get the tax exemption order for Maharashtra in a matter of hours. Explained Jha, “We had completed all the formalities for tax exemption in advance, before Bal Thackeray called me over on Wednesday, July 9. He promised me that I would have the tax-free order in my hands by 4 p.m. and sure enough, the order was faxed to me around 4.30 p.m.” It was the first time Jha had met Thackeray who, according to the filmmaker, loved the film which deals with the awakening of women in a backward town of Bihar.

‘Ghoonghat’ Gifts

Bombay distributor Dilip Dhanwani has got made special umbrellas and bags which will be distributed among the holders of lucky ticket numbers of Ghoonghat in the various cinemas of Bombay where the film will be released on 25th July. Special Ghoonghat caps will be distributed free among the children-audience. A mobile van, carrying Ayesha Julka and master Omkar Kapoor, will make the rounds of Bombay city beginning 13th July to publicise the film. The two artistes of the film will meet people at Madh Island, Fantasy Land and Chandan cinema (Juhu) on Sunday, sign autographs and even distribute free gifts.

Golden Jubilee Of Freedom: Industry Must Celebrate

With India celebrating its golden jubilee of Independence this year, the film industry should organise a function for the occasion. There have been a number of films produced in the country, which have a patriotic flavour, and an audio-visual made from scenes and songs of such films can be screened at the function as also in cinemas all over for the rest of the year. Surely, the industry owes at least that much to the motherland.

GUPT

Trimurti Films P. Ltd.’s Gupt (A) is a musical suspense drama made on a lavish scale. The governor of a state is murdered and the one arrested for the murder is none other than his innocent stepson. The only clue about the actual killer is a gold chain with a locket which the step-son finds in the dead governor’s hand. Arrested and put behind bars, the step-son escapes from there to track down the murderer. In this, he is assisted by his college friend who is silently but madly in love with him. The guy, however, loves another girl, his childhood friend, and the two even have plans of marriage. After a crazy hunt, the actual murderer’s identity is revealed and it leaves the guy shocked.

Being a whodunit, the writer has kept the film’s pace fast, with an intelligently written screenplay. Of course, there are some flaws (as, for instance, why the hero does not give the locket to his girlfriend or never mentions about it to her ever) but they don’t matter much, mainly because the film doesn’t give anybody time to think. The audience gets involved in the guessing game and keeps moving with the characters and incidents. Although the suspense is good, its revelation could have been more chilling.

Bobby Deol acts well. He looks very handsome and dances beautifully. He is brilliant in action scenes. Manisha Koirala and Kajol look sexy, glamorous and bewitching and perform excellently. Om Puri takes the cake for the most wonderful performance. He plays to the gallery and does a marvellous job, making every scene in which he appears memorable. His dialogues are very well penned and will draw thunderous applause. Sadashiv Amarapurkar and Ashok Saraf’s comedy is very enjoyable. Raza Murad impresses and evokes laughter with his shair-o-shairi. Prem Chopra is too good. Harish Patel leaves a mark simply by laughing! Paresh Rawal is restrained. Sharat Saxena, Dalip Tahhil, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Tej Sapru, Anjan Srivastava, Usman Khan, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Dinesh Hingoo lend admirable support. Priya Tendulkar does a fair job. Raj Babbar is very good in a guest appearance. Mukesh Rishi (special appearance), Dinesh Anand, master Harsh Lunia, Aparajita, Ram Mohan, Vikas Anand, Anil Nagrath, Sanjeeva, Bob Christo and the rest are adequate.

Rajiv Rai’s direction is truly praiseworthy. His narration is clear and devoid of confusion. He has interwoven comedy into the main track rather ably. Rajiv has given the film gloss and admirable finesse. Viju Shah’s music is hit. All the songs are very well-tuned and their picturisations are a veritable treat. The title song (picturised on the titles) is masterly, both in tune and visual appeal. ‘Duniya haseenon ka mela’, ‘Bechainiyan’, ‘Mere khwabon mein tu’ and ‘Ye pyar kya hai’ are the best numbers. Lyrics (Anand Bakshi) are rich. Action (Amin Gani) provides tremendous thrill. Ashok Mehta’s camerawork, as also the locations, are mind-boggling. Sets (Bijon Dasgupta) are heavenly. Production values are grand. Technically, top class. Background music is remarkable. Mixing in DTS sound is wonderful.

On the whole, Gupt has taken a flying start and has the merits to prove a richly rewarding film for all concerned, despite its high price. Youngsters and ladies will form its main clientele.

Released on 3-7-’97 at Liberty and on 4-7-’97 at 21 other cinemas of Bombay thru Modern Movies. Publicity & opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening was extraordinary in Bihar, Rajasthan, Mysore, Kerala, Tamilnad and excellent in the rest of the circuits except C.I. 1st day Jaipur about 99% from 4 cinemas, over-capacity at stations like Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar (Rajasthan) and Hajipur (Bihar); over 80% at Gangtok (Sikkim) despite torrential rains and flooding.

SHEKHAR KAPUR TO LAUNCH ABHISHEK BACHCHAN

So the acting bug has bitten the son of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. Reportedly, Abhishek Bachchan is getting geared up to make his debut into films. Shekhar Kapur will launch Bachchan junior, reveal insiders. It is learnt that Amitabh and Shekhar met in London where it was decided that Abhishek would make his debut in a film to be directed by Kapur.

‘PARDES’ MUSIC RELEASE IN DELHI

Subhash Ghai will formally release the music of his Pardes tomorrow (6th July) in Delhi at Hyatt Regency. The official release will be done at the hands of chief of the army staff, General S. Rowchowdhury and Mrs. Krishna Rowchowdhury, chairperson, Army Wives Welfare Associaton. The film has lyrics by Anand Bakshi and music by Nadeem Shravan.

DOLBY-DTS AT TOPIWALA CINEMA, BOMBAY

Topiwala cinema at Goregaon, Bombay, owned by Mr. N.S. Desai-Topiwala, has been equipped with Dolby and DTS surround sound system. Spanish make KCS speakers have been installed for surround sound effects. The cinema will shortly import Schneider German lenses for good picture quality.

STUDIO LINK IN NEW PREMISES

Publicity designers Atmanand and Vivek have shifted their Studio Link to a new address. The inauguration of the new place (13, Blue Moon Estate, off Link Road, near Monginis, Andheri (W), Bombay-53) will be held today (5th July).

TAX EXEMPTION FOR ‘AAI’, ‘GANPATI BAPPA…’

In accordance with the policy of the Maharashtra government to fully exempt Marathi films from payment of entertainment tax, Aai and Ganpati Bappa Moriya have been granted 100% tax exemption for a period of one year each.

GULSHAN KUMAR, JHAMU ACQUIRE ‘GENES’ HINDI DUBBING RIGHTS

Gulshan Kumar and Jhamu Sugandh have jointly acquired the Hindi dubbing rights of the Tamil film Genes, being made by Shankar. It stars Aishwarya Rai and Prashant. Music is scored by A.R. Rahman.

NEW OWNER, NEW NAME FOR RAIPUR CINEMA

Hora’s Amrit Talkies in Raipur has changed hands and has also got a new name. Its new licencees are Jasbir Singh Chawala and his partners. The cinema is now Krishna Theatre.

R.R. KHAJANCHI NO MORE

Veteran C.P. Berar distributor R.R. Khajanchi breathed his last on the afternoon of 29th June in Amravati. He was in his seventies and had suffered a heart attack a few days before the end came. He had been hospitalised following the attack but had returned home. He was cremated the same day.

R.R. Khajanchi is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.

Roopraj Khajanchi was a self-made man. He started as a stenographer in a film distribution office and rose to become the manager. He thereafter started his own distribution concern, Khajanchi Film Exchange, for C.P. Berar. His office has distributed a number of films including many hits like DDLJ, Aankhen, Darr, Chandni, Qurbani, Pyar Jhukta Nahin, Ilzaam, Shola Aur Shabnam, Ghar Ek Mandir, Swarg Se Sunder, Khudgarz, Taj Mahal etc. He had also released Taj Mahal in Bombay circuit.

Khajanchi Sahab’s distribution office, after several years of its opening, went through such a low phase that he stopped buying films altogether. He banked upon re-issue films and luck favoured the man. Slowly but surely, his office turned the corner and he again started buying new films. He struck gold with Feroz Khan’s Qurbani and K.C. Bokadia’s Pyar Jhukta Nahin after which there was no looking back. Releasing hits, flops, average and above-average films became his life.

Khajanchi was a simple and humble man. He believed in doing everything himself. Whether it was buying a film, finalising terms, preparing bills or cheques, he used to do it himself, never bothered about his status. No work was too small for this large-hearted and helpful man. Another admirable quality of R.R. Khananchi was his quick decision-making. If he had to buy the distribution rights of a film, it wouldn’t normally take him more than a few minutes to finalise the deal. He was soft-spoken and a man of few words. He was a good paymaster.

R.R. Khajanchi was an active member of the executive committee of the Central Circuit Cine Association for many years. He was also its president in 1982-83 and 1983-84.

Khajanchi Sahab was very close to the Information family and was among its first subscribers. Information family offers condolences to the bereaved family and prays that the departed soul rest in peace.

A meeting of the Amravati film trade was held on 30th June in the CCCA office to mourn the demise of and pay homage to R.R. Khajanchi. The meeting, chaired by CCCA vice president Vijay Rathi, recalled how Khajanchi Sahab had guided the Association with great success at different times, and remembered him as a leader and a sincere devoted worker, the void created by whose loss would be difficult to fill up. All cinemas of Amravati suspended their 3 p.m. shows on 29th June as a mark of respect. A condolence meeting will be held on 11th July at 11 a.m. at the residence of the Khajanchis. A pooja will be held before that at Dadawadi, Badnera Road, Amravati.

SHIVABHAI DEAD

Bombay and C.I. distributor Shivabhai Sharma died on 3rd July at his residence in Bombay following a heart attack. He was cremated on 4th. He was in his early forties. He had quit the film industry some years ago.

Shivabhai had distributed Aayee Milan Ki Raat and Sahibaan in Bombay under the concern of Matushree Pictures. In C.I., his office, Guddi Films, had released Khuda Gawah, Locket, Paraya Ghar and other films.

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

BBC CELEBRATES INDIA’S 50TH YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE

BBC World is celebrating India’s 50th year of independence by broadcasting a series of short films from June 25 to Aug. 13. The films chronicle India’s emergence under Nehru as a leading player in the non-aligned movement as well as the region’s continuing links with Britain, with the Queen visiting India and Pakistan in 1961.

TOO LATE?

Rajesh Jain has sought an order to restrain the release of Mrityudand, from the Bombay high court. But since Prakash Jha had already obtained a caveat, the case will come up for hearing only on Monday, the 7th of July. With the film due for release on 10th/11th July, deliveries for the various circuits, in all probability, will have been effected before Monday. Which would mean that for all practical purposes, Rajesh might not really achieve much from going to court.

JAYANTILAL GADA’S HOUSE-WARMING CEREMONY

Jayantilal Gada of Popular Entertainment Network Ltd. has shifted to a new flat at JVPD Scheme. The vastu poojan of the flat (at Darshan, opp. Bank of Maharashtra, N.S. Road no. 6, JVPD Scheme, Juhu, Vile Parle (W), Bombay-56) will be held tomorrow (6th July).

SIGNED

Gulshan Kumar Signs Priyadarshan And Mahesh Bhatt

Producer Gulshan Kumar has signed two directors, Priyadarshan and Mahesh Bhatt, to direct Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.’s forthcoming films. They will be launched very soon. Cast and credits for the films are being finalised.

TV & VIDEO INFORMATION

ONE ARRESTED IN RAID ON VIDEO LIBRARY

The Legal Action Against Copyright Theft (LAACT) raided a video library at Vasai, Bombay, recently and seized pirated cassettes of Border, Virasat, Hero No. 1, Koyla, Rangeela, Zameer and Lahoo Ke Do Rang, besides those of blue films. One person was arrested.

YOU ASKED IT

Is it sensible to make a film with a hero/heroine who plays a role in it which is contrary to his/her image?

– Why not? Mithun Chakraborty played a family man in PYAR JHUKTA NAHIN when he had the image of a dancing-action hero.

Is Mahesh Bhatt really giving up direction?

– Nadeem Shravan and Sunil Shetty too had, at different times, announced that they would be giving up their respective professions. But they are very much around. Mahesh Bhatt is even now signing new films.

Has cost of production really gone up so much as to warrant such high prices of films?

– Cost of production has definitely gone up tremendously mainly due to increase in star prices, remunerations of technicians and cine workers’ wages. Alongwith the costs, the greed of producers has also shot up!

HERE & THERE

Lata Mangeshkar: From Singer To Writer

On Friday, the 4th of July, the nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, became a writer too. A Marathi book, Phule Vechita, written by her, was to be released in Boston, USA, at the bi-annual convention of the US-based Brihan Maharashtra Mandal, better known as the BMM Convention. The book, compiled from Lata’s jottings, has 18 chapters, in which she has revealed her feelings about the happenings from her childhood to the present age. One chapter deals with her sister, Asha Bhosle, whose relationship with her (Lata) has become a topic of discussion with the release of Saaz, a film made by Sai Paranjpye and alleged to be based somewhat on their relationship.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Padmalaya’s ENCOUNTER (Telugu) is in great demand as far as its audio rights are concerned. But the Padmalaya people have decided to release the music themselves and, towards this have also opened their own music company, Padmalaya Audio.

* GUPT has created history by collecting the highest figure ever in Baroda on the opening day at Apsara cinema.

* BORDER has created a Kutch district record by collecting a total of 4,34,478/- in 3 weeks at Vinay, Adipur.

* BORDER has created a city record in 3rd week at Krishna Palace, Dehradun, by collecting 1,78,943/-. 2nd week was 2,02,195/-.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 1,41,000/- in 3rd week at Raj, Gorakhpur.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 75,000/- in 3rd week at Ashoka, Hardwar. 1st week was 1,23,060/-, and 2nd week, 96,910/-, both city records.

* BORDER has created a theatre record by collecting 2,18,845/- in 3rd week at Panchsheel, Nagpur.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 1,98,148/- in 3rd week (27 shows) at Rajlaxmi, Amravati.

* BORDER has created a theatre record by collecting 1,20,875/- in 3rd week at Rajkamal, Akola. Total: 5,62,359/-.

* BORDER has created a C.P.C.I. record and a city record by collecting 2,24,428/- in 3rd week at Jayanti, Jabalpur.

* BORDER has created another theatre record at Jayant, Chandrapur, by collecting 1,55,913/- in 3rd week. Total: 5,88,366/-.

* BORDER has created another city record by collecting 84,967/- in 3rd week at Swaroop, Durg.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 66,950/- in 3rd week at Amar, Dhamtari.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 2,00,910/- in 3rd week at Jyoti, Bhopal. It has also created a theatre record at Bhopal Talkies, Bhopal, by collecting 1,49,870/-.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 2,43,260/- in 3rd week at Minerva, Bikaner.

* ZIDDI has created a city record by collecting 92,010/- in 1st week at Alankar, Sagar. 2nd week 5 days: 45,000/-.

FMC-AMPTPP V/S. CINE AGENTS
Cine Agents Cry Foul

Cine agents (suppliers) whom the Film Makers Combine (FMC) and the Association of Motion Picture & TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP) have severed ties with are a picture of mixed emotions today. They are unhappy with the treatment meted out to them by leaders of the two producers’ organisations, but, at the same time, they are glad that members of the FMC and the AMPTPP have ignored the directive of their Associations and, in defiance thereof, continue to hire junior artistes and dancers through them (cine agents).

The two Associations of the producers just last week resolved to do away with suppliers and hire junior artistes and dancers directly for shootings.

The Cine Agents Combine, which is the Association of the suppliers, was affiliated to the FMC until recently. According to Devraj, president of the Cine Agents Combine, and G.D. Sharma, the problem has arisen because of G.P. Shirke who is both, chairman of the FMC as well as of the Cine Agents Combine. According to them, it is Shirke’s politics which has made the FMC and the AMPTPP take the extreme step of derecognising the Combine which has had ties with producers’ organisations since years.

Says G.D. Sharma, “The problem started when we stopped collecting Re. 1 from junior artistes for the Combine, since we weren’t sure about the money being put to fruitful use.” Shirke, it is alleged, objected to this and insisted that the practice of collecting Re. 1 not be discontinued.

G.D. Sharma has also alleged that almost Rs. 2 lakh of the Cine Agents Combine were transferred from its bank account to the account of one Ambalal, employed in the CAA by Shirke. “We do not know what has happened to the amount transferred and why, in the first place, it was transferred,” lamented Sharma who also now questions the action of Shirke in opening a new bank account of the Combine in a co-operative bank although an account in a scheduled bank existed. “According to my information, a union cannot have a bank account except in a scheduled bank, and the Cine Agents Combine is a union,” says Sharma, adding., “The cooperative bank employees insist that the monies were transferred to Ambalal’s account on the basis of duly signed cheques of the Combine.” Interestingly, according to Sharma, the persons whose signatures are on the cheques with which the monies were transferred insist, they haven’t signed them.

According to Sharma, when these “discrepancies” came to light, matters erupted. The cine agents, according to him, were sought to be dislodged. On 15th June, the Combine wrote to the FMC, breaking its affiliation with it (FMC). On 27th, FMC and the AMPTPP took a combined decision to do away with cine agents.

G.P. Shirke, however, refutes every charge against him. Says he, “Yes, Ambalal has run away after embezzling monies of the Cine Agents Combine, but I do not know where the money has gone nor was I a party to the withdrawal. My name is unnecessarily being dragged into the controversy by G.D. Sharma and others to tarnish my reputation.” On being told that producers were still hiring the services of cine agents, Shirke said, “Producers are free to use the services of cine agents. What the FMC and the AMPTPP has done is only to tell producers that they are now not bound to hire junior artistes and dancers through cine agents.”

The cine agents ruefully state how they’ve virtually bailed out many producers in difficult times. “It is not rare when we pay junior artistes from our pockets and settle accounts, running into lakhs, after a film’s completion. It will not be an exaggeration to say that our crores are stuck up in films, which makes us financiers of sorts,” explained G.D. Sharma. “We least expected such a shabby treatment from producers.”

Speaking on behalf of producers, Saawan Kumar, however, said, the FMC and the AMPTPP had done nothing wrong in refusing to henceforth entertain cine agents. “Pappu Verma, the new FWICE president, acted pretty tough during the talks with us for wage revision of cine workers this time,” said Saawan Kumar. “The producers had no alternative but to form their own body of cine workers.”

According to Sharma, with the FMC having closed its doors to the Cine Agents Combine, it may now seek affiliation to the FWICE.

MIX MASALA

CHOR MIYAN

Amitabh Bachchan lost his gold watch in Hyderabad last week during the shooting schedule of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Actually, it disappeared from his hotel suite. Obviously, it must’ve been the handiwork of a staffer of the hotel.

ARTISTIC CARD

The invitation card for the inauguration of the new premises where Atmanand-Vivek’s Studio Link has shifted is beautiful and classy. A pencil-shaped strip locks the card which, when opened, has the following well-worded message from the two renowned artists: Slowly, steadily, step by step / we have followed the designs of destiny / your appreciation, your trust, your affection / has encouraged us to form a link / a link that has grown stronger, will last longer. We are all set to take one big step / we are moving into a bigger place. We need your blessings, / we need your good wishes, / we believe you are our inspiration. Come, colour our lives / come, brighten our smiles / you are a great artist / your presence on our big day will prove it.

HALF-YEARLY CLASSIFICATION: 1997
(Total Releases: 53 films, including 12 dubbed & 1 animated)

AA (Super-Hit)

BORDER (‘AAA‘ in Delhi-U.P & East Punjab)

A1 (Hit)

JUDAAI (Average in West Bengal; ‘BB’ in Rajasthan)
HERO NO. 1
ZIDDI
JUDWAA

A (Semi-Hit)

VIRASAT (‘A1’ in Bombay; Average in West Bengal)

BB (Overflow)

Yeshwant (‘A1’ in Bombay; ‘B1’ in Delhi-U.P. & East Punjab)
Aastha

Coverage To Commission

Koyla (losing in some circuits)
Kaalia (losing in some circuits)

The Rest (43 Films)

Ganga Maange Khoon, Bandit Lovers (partly in Hindi), The Rock (dubbed), Nazarr, Jai Mahalaxmi Maa, Darawani Haveli, Aar Ya Paar, Love Birds (dubbed), Jaya Ganga, Chupp, Lion Heart (dubbed), Auzaar, Salma Pe Dil Aagaya, Tamanna, Sabse Bada Shaitaan (dubbed), Jeeo Shaan Se, Lahoo Ke Do Rang, Himalay Putra, Agnee Morcha, Gudgudee, Kaun Sachcha Kaun Jhootha, Dil Ke Jharoke Main, Khilone Ki Chahat Bani Papa Ki Aafat (dubbed), Suryaputra Shanidev, Mrityudaata, Ramayan Shri Ram Katha (animation), Sapnay (dubbed), Duniya Dilwalon Ki (dubbed), Dragonheart (dubbed), Sanam, Chudail, Zameer, Maun (dubbed), Mahanta, Sardari Begum, Insaaf, Zabardast Khatra (dubbed), Babe (dubbed), Gundagardi, The Phantom – Vetal (dubbed), Itihaas, Suraj, Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan.

SAAWAN KUMAR THANKS SAJID NADIADWALA

Dear Sajid Bhai,

Thank you very much for giving me the title ‘MOTHER‘ for my film. I will always appreciate your gesture.

Yours sincerely,

SAAWAN KUMAR

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Examination Time

The premiere or trade show of a big film is always an event to remember. Not only because the film may be good or bad or because of the guests who attend the show but also for the scene during the interval and after the end of the film. The excited audiences exchange notes among themselves about their views on the film. “I found so-and-so damn good, that one was terrible, that song was so-o-o-o sexy, how did you like so-and-so’s dress in the dance, that action scene was mind-blowing, but the climax was okay, this song is lifted from that number, it’s better than his last film, he has lost his touch, his last film was any day better, I think the film was superb, I found it okay, I didn’t care much for it, I think it’ll run, I don’t think it has any chance, ……,” these and many like comments are common. The best part is the seriousness with which people like to compare their personal views with those of others. The scene reminds one of that outside the examination hall of a tough examination like SSC to CA. The seriousness with which the students compare their answers is much like the seriousness after the film show. But then, for its maker, a premiere or trade show of his film is not less than an examination, right?

Launched In A Jiffy

After a fairly long break following the failure of Daraar, Sujit Kumar is back in the news with his new film, Champion. The actor-producer launched Champion in a jiffy on 29th June. A pandit forecast 29th as an auspicious time for Sujit Kumar to start his film and told him that if he let that day slip, he would have to wait until Diwali to launch the film. Sujit Kumar preferred to get started on 29th June itself and organised the recording of a shlok on the auspicious day and had a small party in the evening to celebrate the occasion. Champion, being directed by Padma Kumar, stars Sunny Deol in the title role. No, he doesn’t play a sportsman in the film, but a police inspector. Urmila was to play Sunny’s heroine but her price factor reportedly came in between her and the role. The choice has now fallen on Raveena Tandon. To take care of the music, it is today’s hit team of Javed Akhtar (lyrics) and Anu Malik (music). At the party, Sujit Kumar informed that the film would take a flying start on September 1 with a 45-day shooting schedule.

Mother’s Day

July 1 may well go down in 1997’s Bollywood history as Mother’s Day. For, two films launched on 1st July have mothers as the central character and ‘mother’ in their titles. Saawan Kumar’s film, launched with a song recording, is titled Mother. And Govind Nihalani commenced the shooting of his film which is titled Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Ma. Another coincidence is that both the films have unusual casts. The former stars Jeetendra, Randhir Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan with Rekha, and the latter marks the comeback of Jaya Bachchan.

Breathtaking Price

Do you know what the ratio of Dharmendra’s London, starring his two sons, Sunny and Bobby, with Karisma Kapoor, is? Hold your breath! For, it’s an unheard of 5 crore!! Reportedly, a Delhi-U.P. distributor has offered 4 for his circuit but Sunny Deol isn’t giving the nod. A leading Nizam distributor is contemplating offering 1.15 but it doesn’t seem likely that Sunny is even going to consider the offer.

Film Man Who Doesn’t See Films

Art director R. Verman believes in doing his work and leaving the rest to God. Why else would he never see films including those which have sets erected by him? Believe it or not, Verman has not seen a complete film for at least 18 years now! “Where’s the time?”, he asks in all humility. “I see glimpses here and there but a whole film for three hours — never!” The coming days will see the release of two big films with R. Verman’s sets — Pardes and Daud.

Tol Mol Ke Bol

Vimal Kumar’s Tarazu is due for an early release but deals for some territories are yet to be finalised. And is Vimal Kumar nervous about it? Not in the least bit. In fact, the film is open for some circuits because the producer is asking for a price revision. Those distributors who weren’t willing to hike the price — of Delhi-U.P., West Bengal, C.P. Berar and Rajasthan — relinquished the rights, and Vimal Kumar was more than happy. He is now keeping open trials of the film and is demanding his price. So far, he has succeeded in closing Delhi-U.P. and Rajasthan, and is confident of striking fresh deals for the other two territories very soon. “Let them see Tarazu, weigh its merits and pay the price,” says Vimal Kumar. Tol mol ke bol, what?

ALLAH MEHERBAN TO GADHA PAHELWAN

Krishan Art Films’ Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan (A) has an apology of a story and a disgraceful screenplay. It is about elections being contested by three parties and it tries to be topical without any sense whatsoever. There are some scenes for titillation but the entire film baffles the viewer so much and is such an insult to even the person with the lowest IQ level that nothing absolutely appeals.

It is surprising that artistes like Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor and Kulbhushan Kharbanda can have the guts to associate their names with a film like this. They do nothing to rise above the silly script. Zahid Ali and Deepak Sinha are fair. Malashri, Asha Sharma, Richi, Kapil Sharma, Sweety Parekh, Mahesh Raj and all the others fill the bill.

Ravindra Arora Ravi’s direction is as disgusting as his script. Music is pathetic and song picturisations are dull. Camerawork is poor. Editing is terrible; there are continuity jerks galore. Production values make one wonder why the film was ever started. Technically, weak.

On the whole, Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan is an insult to the film industry.

Released on 27-6-’97 at Shalimar and 1 other cinema of Bombay thru K.F. Publicity: so-so. Opening: poor.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week except that heavy rains in Gujarat adversely affected box-office collections. …….The BORDER fever still continues, with the film proving a blockbuster in Delhi-U.P. and East Punjab and a hit elsewhere (except in West Bengal).

Itihaas, despite some editing, could not find acceptance. 1st week Bombay 36,69,356 (63.11%) from 15 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,91,048 from 5 cinemas, Vapi 2,49,000, Bharuch (gross) 2,40,234, Rajkot (matinee) 33,096, Jamnagar 1,11,797, Bhuj 1,02,000; Pune 7,58,042 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,31,663 (1 unrecd.); Belgaum 100%, Dharwad 97,856; Delhi 29,27,875 (54.40%) from 14 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,51,339 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,47,896, Agra 2,38,780, Allahabad 1,50,200, Meerut 1,86,216, Dehradun 1,27,891, Gorakhpur 1,54,000 (84.65%); Rohtak 27,398; Calcutta 24,43,713 from 28 cinemas; Nagpur 4,96,437 from 4 cinemas, Amravati 1,56,738, Akola 1,41,125, theatre record, Raipur 1,96,770 (81.26%), Bhilai 1,16,000, Jalgaon 1,35,000, Yavatmal 1,35,050; Indore 1,16,000 (3 on F.H., 1 unrecd.), Bhopal 3,86,486 from 3 cinemas, Ujjain 1,26,486 (1 unrecd.); Jaipur 6,92,121 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 1,60,138, Udaipur 2,31,700; Hyderabad 24,08,236 from 15 cinemas.

Border is going super-strong in North and is very steady in all other circuits except West Bengal where it has dropped remarkably due to too many cinemas. 2nd week Bombay 46,28,333 (90%) from 13 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 13,29,193 from 7 cinemas, Vapi 2,00,765, total 7,47,726, share above 4,50,000, Padra 1,57,290, Rajkot 1,95,082 (100%, 1 in matinee unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,26,082, total 2,72,729, Adipur 1,38,813; Pune 8,84,071 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,81,747, Solapur 1,83,958 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Satara 1,54,287 (97.89%) from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 2nd week Hubli 1,02,387, Belgaum 83,965, Dharwad 43,867 (1st 59,264); Delhi 50,05,863 from 14 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,47,307 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,22,783 (100%), Agra 2,50,460, Allahabad 2,00,000, Dehradun 2,02,195, Gorakhpur 1,60,272, Hardwar 90,000; Rohtak 57,000; Calcutta 18,58,818 from 16 cinemas; Nagpur 5,19,601 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,57,848, total 5,50,612, Amravati 2,13,640, Akola 1,40,007, total 4,41,483, Raipur 1,50,025, Bhilai 1,52,022, Durg 1,28,330, Wardha 68,900, Chandrapur 1,78,938, total 4,32,453, Yavatmal 1,13,238 (1st 1,82,400); Indore 1,59,000 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,98,246 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 6,29,467 from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur (gross) 1,05,000, Bikaner 2,60,084, Udaipur 2,11,000 (1st 2,45,800); Hyderabad 6,19,520 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).

Virasat 4th week Bombay 17,01,685 (78.22%) from 6 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,30,041 from 3 cinemas, 3rd week Rajkot 1,03,169; 4th Pune 5,97,604 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,25,161, Solapur (14 shows) 74,793, 2nd Satara 38,339; 4th week Delhi 1,22,151 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,52,941 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,30,017, Agra 62,345, Allahabad 60,000, Meerut 71,913, Dehradun 89,345 (3rd 90,082), total 4,57,697, Gorakhpur 52,000, 1st Hardwar 55,000; 4th week Calcutta 4,68,423 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 72,361, Jabalpur 1,18,928, total 5,59,171, Amravati 53,636, Raipur 74,598, Bhilai 46,219; Bhopal 73,566; Jaipur 1,68,516; Hyderabad 3,60,866.

Ziddi 11th week Bombay 3,66,519 from 3 cinemas; Ahmedabad 37,773 (1 unrecd.); Pune 1,19,506, Solapur (matinee) 20,778; Delhi 1,02,466; Kanpur 1,65,253 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 80,686, Allahabad 35,000, Gorakhpur 38,000; Calcutta 1,29,782; Nagpur 35,348, Jabalpur 44,623, total 9,73,142, Amravati 41,403, 2nd Akola 1,19,909, total 2,76,608; 11th week Bhopal 38,599; Jaipur 82,424; Hyderabad 83,351.

JR. ARTISTES SUPPLIERS SHOWN THE DOOR

Junior artistes and cine dancers in films will no longer be engaged through suppliers/agents. A decision to this effect was taken at a joint meeting of the two premier organisations of producers, the Film Makers Combine (FMC) and the Association of Motion Picture & TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP), on 27th June at IMPPA House.

The meeting, chaired by G.P. Shirke, decided that producers will henceforth themselves decide on who is to be engaged from the Mahila Kalakar Sangh, Cine Dancers Association and Junior Artistes Association. A board for this will be formed by producers themselves.

The meeting was attended by Sultan Ahmed, K.D. Shorey, T.C. Dewan, Pahlaj Nihalani, Ramesh Taurani and Satish Kulkarni.

‘BORDER’ TAX FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

The Maharashtra state government has granted 100% tax exemption to Border for a period of one year from 25th June.

R.R. KHAJANCHI HOSPITALISED

Leading C.P. Berar distributor R.R. Khajanchi was hospitalised last week in Amravati. He is recuperating from a heart ailment.

HIRALAL SHAH DEAD

Producer Hiralal Shah passed away at his residence in Bombay on 26th June following a massive heart attack. He was 62 and is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. He was cremated the same evening. Hiralal Shah was a diabetic and had been unwell for a while before the end came.

Hiralal Shah had made films in Marathi and Hindi. His first film was Haldi Kunku in Marathi. He also made two Hindi-Marathi bilinguals. The first was Mera Sindoor and Mazha Saubhagya and the second was Fasi Ka Fanda and Maficha Sakshidar. He was producing Jhootha Insaaf at the time of his death. The film is 12 reels complete.

DHANUKAS BEREAVED

Shyam Sunder Dhanuka, father of Pawan Kumar and Mahendra Kumar Dhanuka of Pawan Enterprises, Patna, passed away in Patna on 9th June. Ekadasha was held on 20th June, and dwadasha, on 21st June.

MARATHI FILMS GET 100% TAX EXEMPTION

With the Maharashtra government’s tax exemption policy for Marathi films having come into force, a number of Marathi films have been granted 100% exemption from payment of entertainment tax. Among the many films declared tax-free are Dada Kondke’s 13 films and Prakash Kadam’s Maya Mamta. The films have been granted tax exemption from 21st June for a period of one year.

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

‘London’ To Roll In London

Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Karisma Kapoor starrer London will go before the camera on July 1 with a start-to-finish schedule in London. Being made under the banner of Vijayta Films, it will be written and directed by Gurinder Chadha and presented by Dharmendra. Others in the cast are Dara Singh, Saeed Jaffrey, Zohra Segal, Reema, Raj Zutshi, Harish Patel, Parmeet Sethi (guest appearance) and Navni Parihar. Music director Vishal Bharadwaj has recorded all the six songs, penned by Gulzar, at Sunny Super Sounds. The film has dialogues by Rumi Jafri, editing by Keshav Naidu, dances by Vaibhavi Merchant, and cinematography by Sreeram. Executive producer: Suneel Darshan.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Gharwali Baharwali’ In Hyderabad

Director David Dhawan will start a 15-day shooting schedule of Tutu Films’ Gharwali Baharwali from July 1 in Hyderabad. Many scenes will be picturised during the schedule, featuring Anil Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Rambha, Satish Kaushik and Kader Khan. The film is being written by Rumi Jafri and produced by Tutu Sharma. Music by Anu Malik, cinematography by K.S. Prakash and editing by Muthu are the other major credits.

‘Ghulam’ Major Spell

A 25-day shooting schedule of Vishesh Films P. Ltd.’s Ghulam will conclude on July 10 at Film City. Being directed by Vikram Bhatt for producer Mukesh Bhatt, the film stars Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Rajit Kapur, Mita Vashisht, Akshay Anand, Mukesh Rishi and others. Writer: Anjum Rajab Ali. Music: Viju Shah. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi.

DO YOU KNOW?

* A buyer of CD of PARDES will be entitled to a free CD of the instrumental theme music of all earlier films of Subhash Ghai.

‘BORDER’ RECORDS

* Creates a city record by collecting 3,90,162/- in 2 weeks at Dharam, Rajkot. All shows in both the weeks were full.

* Creates a record by drawing all 56 shows full in first 2 weeks at Nishat, Meerut. Nett for 2 weeks: 4,69,208/-. 3rd week’s opening show was full.

* Creates a theatre record by drawing all 28 shows full in 2nd week at Panchsheel, Nagpur. Collection: 2,24,840/-.

* Creates a city record at Jayant, Chandrapur, by collecting 1,78,938/- in 2nd week.

* Creates another record by collecting 1,59,000/- in 2nd week at Regal, Indore.

* Creates a city record by collecting 2,19,296/- in 2nd week at Jyoti, Bhopal. 2nd week at Bhopal Talkies, Bhopal: 1,78,950/-. Total: 3,98,246/-.

MIX MASALA

FROM YOUNG GIRL TO OLD LADY

Jaya Bhaduri’s first film was Guddi. And now, she will be staging her comeback in Govind Nihalani’s Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Ma after a long gap. In the film, she will play the role of a woman who ages from 30 to 70 years. Which means, Jaya will play an old woman in the film. From Guddi to buddhi, that’s a good range!

HISTORIC COLLECTIONS

Itihaas, released last week, could not, unfortunately, live up to its title. It has far from created history. And Border, released a week before Itihaas, created all the itihaas in its first week with historic collections!

“I sincerely believe that both, lyricists and script writers, in Bollywood are grossly underpaid. They definitely deserve to be paid much better.”

– JAVED AKHTAR

Komal Nahta

To say that Javed Akhtar is a great lyricist would be stating the obvious. But 1996 and the first half of 1997 have been particularly great for this man of words. With a National Award under his pen and two hits — Border and Virasat — under his writing pad, Javed is an excited man today. And as much sought-after for film lyrics as for poetry and lectures. I met Javed at his seventh floor residence in Sagar Samrat building at Juhu. The samrat of lyrics was relaxing in the hall which overlooks the sagar and he smiled, almost wickedly, when I entered his flat, panting for breath. (The elevator was out of order and climbing seven storeys, I thought then, was just a little less difficult than penning a hit song!) A glass of water and some breaths later:

Javed Sahab, where do you see yourself today?

– Writing lyrics. My total concentration is on writing songs these days. Although there’s been a long gap between the last script I wrote and today, alongwith lyrics-writing I am also starting a script for Kavita Chaudhry. The lady impressed me a great deal with her serial, Udaan, and I’m sure, she’ll make a great director one day. So, as I was telling you, I am writing a film for her to direct. The story, screenplay and dialogues are all mine. I’ve had sittings with her and I see a lot of potential in her. Here, I’d like to add that I’m writing a script after a long break because it’s my love to write, and the work is coming from the core of my heart. We intend to finish this script by July. Yet another film I am writing is for Singeetam Srinivasan. It is his idea and story line which I am working on. Although I cannot give you any details about the subject, I can say that it will be the most unusual film of the country or even of the world. I was very excited when I heard the story idea, and this is another project that I am writing from my heart.

Why have you taken up script writing when you are going so strong as a lyricist?

– No, don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing script writing at the cost of lyrics writing. Scripting has always been my passion but I realised, I was losing interest in my work and becoming mechanical, so I decided to give myself a break. Today, if I’ve started writing scripts again, it’s not because of my need, but because of my desire. As I said, it’s coming from my heart because this is something I really want to do.

What kind of songs give you satisfaction as a lyricist?

– I believe that a lyricist doesn’t have to be a great poet. But he must have tremendous versatility. As for satisfaction, no song is bad per se. A lyricist should be able to write with equal ease a light-hearted romantic song, a serious song, a lullaby, a bhajan, a street urchin’s song, a ghazal etc. Whatever he is writing, the song should convey the feeling it is meant to. But what makes a song bad is crudity, obscenity and cliché.

Is that the reason you don’t write songs for David Dhawan’s films?

– No, no, it’s not that. Just recently, David and I had a talk on the telephone. Perhaps, I’ll be writing for him in the near future. I myself have written songs like Ek do teen char (Tezaab) or Kehte hain mujhko Hawa Hawaii (Mr. India), so how can I be against light-hearted songs? And I don’t think, David Dhawan’s films now have crude or obscene songs, which is what I can never write.

How do you define a crude or obscene song? One man’s food can be another man’s poison.

– Rightly said. But I have my own aesthetic sense. I’ll decide what is or isn’t crude or vulgar. If I find a song desired by a producer or director to be crude, I won’t write it. God bless the producer/director, let him listen to or get written the song from another willing lyricist but, sorry, I’m not ready to compromise on that point.

With such a stand, you must have faced situations when you’ve been asked to write a song which you aren’t happy about. What do you do in such a situation?

– I’ve encountered such situations and I’ve left some films because of this. There have been some instances when I’ve had music sittings with the makers but backed out thereafter when I heard the details of the song situations and demands of the makers. Now I don’t face such situations because it is established beyond doubt that I don’t write such songs. Frankly, even people are tired of such songs, and I don’t think, producers are recording vulgar songs these days. I’m happy about that.

What is it that prompted you to become a lyricist?

– See, I’ve always been interested in two things — cinema and literature. And it has been so from my childhood days. I don’t want to sound pompous but I remember thousand of couplets even today. Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza Sahab said in 1974 or ’75 that he had never met anybody who remembered more poetry than Javed Akhtar. I have a great memory for film songs and poetry, and I remember thousands of each of them too. That’s because I was always interested in them. I come from a family of writers and poets and though I wasn’t writing poetry for many years, I used to interact with poets. What I mean to say is that I was always in touch. It was in the eighties that Yash Chopra literally forced me into writing for films. He insisted that I write songs for his Silsila and I’m thankful to him for that. So you see, I was getting prepared, although unintentionally, to become a lyricist, right from my childhood.

How do you prefer working — writing lyrics first or working on a tune?

– Both ways. I am used to writing lyrics on tune. It often happens that a good tune inspires me to write a good song. Frankly, writing on a tune is not at all a problem for me. Many lyricists in the past too have worked like that. For example, Sahir Ludhianvi was explained the song situation in Jaal (Dev Anand asking his girlfriend to come) and was also given the tune and metre. On that tune, he wrote Ye raat ye chandni phir kahan / Sun ja dil ki dastaan. He could as well have written Aa ja aa ja balma / Sun ja dil ki dastaan. But the words he used were brilliant. That’s the mark of a great poet.

In today’s times, when music directors often insist on their photographs being splashed on the film’s hoardings and inlay cards of audio cassettes, don’t you feel slighted that a lyricist’s photo is rarely published/painted?

– Leave aside the publicity, I feel, lyricists are not even paid well. Perhaps, Sahir was the only exception because he used to charge much more than other lyricists. Traditionally, music directors have always got more prominence and importance. I don’t want to undermine their importance, but a good lyricist deserves much more importance, much more prominence in the public eye. A good lyricist — any good lyricist — must be paid more handsomely.

What has the National Award for the best lyrics of 1996 meant to you?

– (Smiles and thinks for a while) I’m happy, yes, very happy. Even before the award was announced, I got to know that my name was being considered for both, Sardari Begum and Saaz. Somehow I thought, I would get the National Award for Sardari Begum. Maybe, because Sardari Begum had more songs and also more variety. But I ultimately got the award for Saaz, maybe because in Sardari Begum, there are incomplete songs but in Saaz, there are complete songs.

You said a while ago that you are thankful to Yash Chopra for your break as a lyricist. Don’t you believe in being grateful? More than a year ago, Yash Chopra’s television software production company, Metavision, approached you to be a judge for one show of its TV programme, MERI AWAZ SUNO, but you reportedly insisted on being paid for it and refused to oblige when no payment was forthcoming. Is that right?

– Yes, that’s right. But it is not that I don’t believe in being grateful. Had Yash Chopra offered me payment, I may not even have accepted it. But because his company didn’t offer me any payment, I asked for it. Actually, it so happened that just a day before Metavision approached me, Subhash Ghai had sent me a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh, asking me to anchor a TV show of his. So, you see, the contrast was too obvious — one person asking me to present a show and making payment in advance, and another not even mentioning anything about money. I have and even then had great respect for Yash-ji but the question of money somehow cropped up in my mind at that time and well…..

(After a while) Actually, I quite agree with you. I should be honest to confess that now, when I look back, I feel, I should have agreed to be the judge without insisting on being paid for it. I guess, sometimes, you react to a situation in a particular manner merely because of your mood, not as a pre-meditated step.

Besides a National Award, you’ve also made waves internationally for your writings like Tarkash.

– Yes, to be invited by universities like Harvard, London and Chicago to speak to their students is indeed a great honour.

Where do you see yourself twenty years from now?

– I don’t know, I’m not sure. Who knows, what I will feel like doing tomorrow. See, I had come to the film industry to become a director, and look, what I am doing. I had even assisted in direction and editing. Some day, before I hang my boots, I will definitely direct a film.

It is believed that Javed Akhtar is for the rich and big producers only. Don’t you think, you are too costly a lyricist?

– I don’t think my price is high or excessive at all. I sincerely believe that writers — both lyricists and script writers — in Bollywood are grossly underpaid. They definitely deserve to be paid much better. On the one hand, people say, music is very important today and, on the other, lyricists (who are a part of the film’s music) are so poorly paid. The price of a lyricist is often not even 0.1% of the amount a producer gets on selling his film’s music rights! Forget me, don’t you think, talented lyricists like Bakshi Sahab, Majrooh Sahab and Sameer need to be paid more than what they receive today? How can you underestimate their contribution?

So you aren’t satisfied with what you are being paid?

– I don’t believe in cribbing and complaining. In this industry, nobody gives you your right on a platter, you’ve got to insist for your right. If you deserve it, you get it. Traditionally, lyricists have been underpaid, and it will take time to break the tradition, and to convince producers that lyricists are not getting a fair deal.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Cinema Shortage

The coming months will witness a glut of releases. Obviously, therefore, there is going to be felt an acute shortage of cinemas in different parts of the country. Believe it or not, as many as 55 to 60 films are planned to hit the screens in the coming 4 months till Diwali. Even if we assume that 8 to 10 of the scheduled films don’t make it, it still leaves about 45 to 50 in the field. Which means, an average of 3 films per week. Phew! that’s frightening, isn’t it?

Fancy Price

The hottest film in sub-distribution circles today is Subhash Ghai’s Pardes. Believe it or not, there are offers of 1 crore and even more for the distribution rights of Gujarat only. Considering that Ghai has sold its rights at the ratio of 1.80 crore, the Gujarat price is simply outstanding. Of course, Bombay distributor Tolu Bajaj is in no mood to sell the rights for Gujarat at this stage and this price!

Bachchan’s Nihalani Connection

It is a mere coincidence but not a small one. Jaya Bachchan, who had quit acting 16 years ago, made an exception for Amitabh Bachchan’s make-up man and gave a special appearance in his Marathi film, Akka, released some years back. The Marathi film was presented by Pahlaj Nihalani. Now, Jaya is all set to stage her true comeback with a lead role in a Hindi film being made by another Nihalani — Govind. She has been signed for Govind Nihalani’s Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Ma. Which means, if you’ve got to sign Jaya for your film, you had better have a Nihalani either presenting or producing, directing, photographing or writing your film!

Dismally Low

There’s a cinema in Puri (Orissa) which paid a total of just Rs. 26,616 by way of entertainment tax during the year ended 31st March, 1997. Yes, Rs. 26,616 for one full year! Which means, an average of Rs. 73 per day!! Such dismal payments of entertainment tax would compare miserably with some cinemas of metropolitan cities like Bombay or Delhi.

Allah Meherban To Lady Pareshaan

The undermentioned is no joke but a fact. It goes to show how funny titles of some less-publicised films can’t be digested by laymen.

A lady, who refused to identify herself, telephoned our office on Monday this week to ask us what the releases of the week were going to be . When our person informed her of Suraj, it was okay. But the moment he said, “Allah Meherban To Gadha Pahelwan“, the lady thought, he was fooling her and, expressing here irritation, banged down the receiver.

ITIHAAS

Inderjit Films Combine’s Itihaas (A) is a love story about a village belle and a guy who has been assigned the task of taking her from the village to the city to hand her over to a lusty rapist. Their love begins and develops while they are going to the city, both of them quite unaware of what’s in store for the girl. How the guy saves his beloved from the rapist’s clutches forms the second half of the film. To make matters worse for the boy, his father is an obedient servant of the rapist, for whom the master’s word is like an order of the God and must be fulfilled under any condition.

While the story is quite good, it doesn’t offer much novelty. Nor does it present a romantic drama never seen before, to justify the title (‘history of love’). Screenplay is well-penned except that a lot of cinematic liberties are taken by the writers. The very point of transporting girls from the village to the city by road, involving a journey of several days, looks far-fetched in the age of aeroplanes and helicopters. The development of the romance looks a bit contrived. Amrish Puri playing the obedient servant of the rich rapist (Raj Babbar) also does not seen appealing, so boss-like is the image of the former. What’s more, Amrish Puri permitting his beloved son (Ajay Devgan) to follow in his footsteps (to transport girls for an ulterior purpose) leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

This is not to say that the film has no plus points. For one, it has some brilliant emotional scenes of special significance for ladies and masses. For example, the scene in which the hero’s mother wipes off the sindoor on her forehead, the scene in which the hero stops his father from taking away his beloved, the one in which the hero’s blood comes splashing on the father’s face, the one in which the two Shakti Kapoors (father and son) come face-to-face etc. Dialogues are also excellent at a number of places.

Ajay Devgan does a good job and brings tears to the eyes in emotional scenes. Twinkle Khanna is good only in a couple of dramatic scenes. She dances awkwardly and also needs to improve on her acting in general and dubbing in particular. Sapna Bedi is weak. Amrish Puri, though miscast, does a very fine job as Ajay’s father. Raj Babbar is average. Aroona Irani shines with a natural performance. Shakti Kapoor is wonderful in the role of the innocent son. As the father, he acts well but his voice is jarring. Mohnish Bahl, Neelima Azim and Kaanchan lend the desired support.

Raj Kanwar’s direction is good and he comes straight to the point rather than beating around the bush. His concepts are clear but, one wishes, he hadn’t taken so many cinematic liberties and had gone easy on the rape and kotha scenes, both of which remind of Koyla.

There are too many songs in the film and that’s one major minus point because no number is hit. The title song, ‘Ja ja re ja’ and ‘Yeh ishq bada bedardi hai’ are the best songs. Song picturisations needed to be more eye-filling. Action is fairly good but too many gun-fights in the climax rob it of thrill. Harmeet Singh’s camerawork is of a high standard. Production values are okay. Technically, good.

On the whole, Itihaas has average merits and can hope to do similar business, having taken an unexciting start at most of the places. Further editing and deletion of a couple of songs (like the bhaang song) can definitely prove advantageous. Its business in ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres should be better.

Released on 20-6-’97 at Novelty and 22 other cinemas of Bombay thru Devgan’s Entertainment. Publicity: extraordinary. Opening: below expectations (partly due to heavy rains). …….Also released all over. Opening was poor in C.I., good in U.P. and C.P. and ordinary in other circuits.

LATEST POSITION

The nation has been swept by the BORDER wave. The film, which took a mind-boggling start, maintained fabulously all through the week and has written new history in box-office collections, creating unimaginable records in every circuit. Is somewhat lesser in West Bengal where it dropped rather badly from 6th day.

Border, contrary to our prediction, proves a hit all over, and, as predicted, is a lottery in Punjab. It has smashed all previous records almost everywhere in the first week. 1st week Bombay 55,48,010 (96.89%) from 13 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 21,50,660 from 7 cinemas, Baroda 3,23,361 (100%), Padra 2,70,081 (82.37%), Rajkot 1,95,081 (1 in matinee unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,66,647, Adipur 1,71,768 (97.75%); Pune 3,60,281 (100%), Solapur 2,33,840 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 1,62,638 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon), Belgaum 1,78,086 from 2 cinemas, Dharwad 47,956; Delhi 54,28,260 (99.85%) from 13 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,93,610 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,22,783 (100%), Agra 2,98,821, Allahabad 2,23,668, Varanasi 2,89,887, Ballia 1,22,000, Hardwar 1,23,000, Gorakhpur 1,69,272 (100%); creates new records in every station of Punjab, Amritsar 65,975; Calcutta 49,39,598 from 28 cinemas; Nagpur 12,30,279 from 5 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,92,764, Akola 3,01,476, Raipur 3,74,098 (81.38%) from 2 cinemas, Bhilai 2,65,207, Durg 2,15,363, Wardha 89,281, Chandrapur 2,53,515; Indore 1,66,001 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,36,471 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 12,34,725 from 4 cinemas, Jodhpur (gross) 4,30,000 (1 unrecd.), Bikaner 3,43,168 (100%); Hyderabad 42,95,212 from 20 cinemas, share 21,79,704, Aurangabad share from 3 cinemas 4,25,211.

……….

Virasat has faced a drop due to the opposition of Border. 3rd week Bombay 22,00,951 (77.46%) from 7 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,91,893 from 4 cinemas, Rajkot 1,37,187, Jamnagar 48,559, total 1,99,688; Pune (18 shows) 2,10,070, Solapur (14 shows) 83,338; Delhi 14,49,822 from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 2,16,066 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,37,002, Agra 90,820, Allahabad 70,100, Varanasi 69,523, Meerut 86,319, Gorakhpur 73,000; Calcutta 6,08,700 from 7 cinemas; Nagpur 68,115, Raipur 86,314, Bhilai 52,519, Chandrapur 47,280, total 2,40,638; Indore 1,38,000, theatre record, Bhopal 52,160 (1 unrecd.); Jaipur 2,56,047 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 3,81,863.

………

DHANNALAL THAKURIA DEAD

Veteran Dhannalal Thakuria of Regal cinema, Indore, expired on 14th June in Indore. He had not been keeping good health since a long time.

MALAYALAM FILM HERO SUKUMARAN DEAD

One of the most popular Malayalam film heroes, Sukumaran, passed away at a private nursing home in Kochi on 16th June following a massive heart attack. He was 50 and is survived by his wife, Mallika, who was also an actress earlier, and two sons.

Sukumaran had been admitted to hospital on 14th and was making steady progress but suffered the fatal attack in the afternoon on 16th. His last film was Vamsham, released a few months ago.

Sukumaran was a college lecturer before he took up acting as a profession. He was the uncrowned king of Malayalam cinema in the seventies after the death of the all-time great Satyan. Sukumaran won several awards, including the state award for the best actor for Bandhanam. Although younger stars like Mammootty and Mohanlal dislodged Sukumaran from his top position in the eighties, he continued to play substantive supporting roles.

He was known for his brilliant and natural dialogue delivery. He also played anti-hero roles. Among Sukumaran’s notable films are Valarthu Mrugangal, Ee Manohara Theeram, Vadakakku Oru Hrudayam, Thuramugham, Ishtamanu Pakshe and Sathrathil Oru Rathri. His very first film, Devalokam, has not yet been released. He had also produced two films, Ira and Padayani.

Sukumaran was the former chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC). He graduated in law after retiring from playing hero roles and also enrolled himself as an advocate in Kochi.

The news of his unexpected death cast a pall of gloom on the Malayalam film industry. Many ongoing shooting schedules were abruptly wound up as artistes and technicians thronged the Indira Gandhi Cooperative Hospital where his body was kept.

‘BORDER’ SHOW FOR UPHAAR CINEMA VICTIMS

Producer-director J.P. Dutta will hold a charity show of Border in Delhi next week to raise funds for the families of those killed and injured in the ghastly fire tragedy at Uphaar cinema in Delhi on 13th June. The stars of the film are likely to attend the show. J.P. and his team will also call on the injured people who are recuperating in hospitals.

BASU BHATTACHARYA DEAD

Producer-director Basu Bhattacharya passed away in the late night hours of 19th June at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, Bombay, where he had been admitted for pancreatitis on 13th May. His funeral took place on 20th. He was 65. He is survived by his wife (estranged), a son and two daughters.

Sarika specially arrived from Madras to attend Basu-da’s funeral. She was seen crying inconsolably.

Just a few days before his end came, Basu-da had been given a cheque by Bombay distributor Shyam Shroff in the account of Aastha.

Basu Bhattacharya assisted Bimal Roy and also married his daughter with whom he was later estranged. He made his directorial debut with Teesri Kasam in 1966. He made Anubhav, Avishkar and Grihapravesh, all of which explored the various aspects of a middle-class marriage. His other films were Tumhara Kallu, Panchvati and the recently released and successful Aastha. Basu-da belonged to the art cinema movement, and Aastha was his first commercial success. Anubhav also did fair business.

Basu-da, at the time of his death, was working on the English version of Aastha for international release. His Aakhri Daku remained incomplete till the end.

As a person, Basu Bhattacharya was lively and jolly. He was very well-read. He was member of many international film festival juries. Basu-da had also made some documentary films.

BABY BOY FOR GIRISH JAIN

A baby boy was born to Girish Jain, the youngest of the seven Jain brothers who own Venus Records & Tapes Pvt. Ltd., recently. This is Girish’s second child.

SHANKAR LALL GOENKA’S DAUGHTER TO WED

Marriage of Sheetal, daughter of Assam distributor and exhibitor Shankar Lall Goenka, with Navin will be solemnised on 27th June in Ranchi.

INDIA’S FIRST MULTIPLEX DOING WELL

The first multiplex in the country, at Anupam cinema in New Delhi, is doing good business. It opened on 3rd June and has four auditoria — Audi 1, Audi 2, Audi 3 and Audi 4. While Audi 1 has a seating capacity of 368, and Audi 4, of 332, the other two auditoria (Audis 2 and 3) can accommodate 150 people each.

Anupam cinema is owned by Ajay Bijli. The multiplex also has an American-style cafetaria.

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

Veeru Devgan Directs Amitabh, Ajay In ‘Hindustan Ki Kasam’

Devgan’s Films’ Hindustan Ki Kasam was launched with a pooja ceremony on June 19 at Filmistan Studios. Regular shooting commenced soon thereafter and will go on till June 26. All the leading artistes are participating in the first schedule. Veeru Devgan makes bow as a director with this film which stars Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Sushmita Sen, one more heroine (to be finalised), Shakti Kapoor, Farida Jalal, Shahbaaz Khan, Salim, Navin Bawa and Gulshan Grover. Writer: Janak Hriday. Cinematography by Ishwar Bidri, music by Sukhwinder, lyrics by Anand Bakshi, art by Bijon Dasgupta, and editing by Suresh Chaturvedi are the other major credits.

‘Raju Raja Ram’ Rolls

Jackie Shroff Entertainment Ltd.’s Raju Raja Ram went before the camera today (June 21) with a week-long schedule at Filmistan Studios and Hiranandani Complex. Director David Dhawan is picturising scenes on Jackie Shroff, Govinda, Salman Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film has music by Anu Malik. Prakash Jaju and Avinash Adik are its co-producers.

‘Aa Ab Laut Chalen’ Launched With Recording

R.K. Films & Studios’ Aa Ab Laut Chalen was launched on June 18 with a song recording at Sunny Super Sounds. The song was penned by Sameer, rendered by Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet, Sonu Nigam, Saud Khan, Shabbir Kumar and composed by Nadeem Shravan. Rishi Kapoor makes his bow as a director with this film which has in its cast Rajesh Khanna, Akshaye Khanna, Aishwarya Rai, Paresh Rawal, Satish Kaushik, Jaspal Bhatti and Kader Khan. Cinematographer: Sameer Arya. It will go before the cameras on August 15 with a 55-day shooting schedule in the USA and Canada.

YOU ASKED IT

Can the success of Border trigger off a trend of multi-starrers?

– Yes, it definitely can.

Is there a market for non-film (basic) music albums?

– Of course, there is a market. Otherwise, music companies and other producers would not be cutting so many basic albums. A good market for such cassettes also exists in foreign countries.

Is Mukul Anand’s Dus also an Indo-Pak war film like Border?

– It is not a war film. But it definitely deals with Indo-Pak relations and problems.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Jyoti is the only cinema in Jalandhar, which keeps its air-cooling plant in operation in every show every day, even when there is power cut in the city. The cinema also provides chilled drinking water to its patrons free of cost. Little wonder then that the cinema is doing so well and this, in spite of being the oldest in Jalandhar.

* THE PHANTON – VETAL (dubbed) had to be discontinued from two cinemas of Bombay viz. Galaxy (Bandra) and Shreyas (Ghatkopar) on the first day after the first show itself due to dismal collections. JEET was screened at Galaxy thereafter, and VIRASAT, at Shreyas.

* What MRITYUDAATA could not achieve in ‘A’ class centres of C.P. Berar, it has achieved at a ‘C’ class centre like Balaghat. It drew all shows full on the first 3 days at Shyam, Balaghat.

‘BORDER’ SWEEPS BOX -OFFICE ALL OVER IN 1ST WEEK

BOMBAY

* Draws 26 out of 28 shows full at Shiv, Ahmedabad, in spite of simultaneous release at nearby Relief cinema.

* Drew 28 shows full at Rajshri, Gandhinagar, where it collected 4,45,284/-. A late night show had to be specially held on Sunday, June 15, due to public demand.

EAST PUNJAB

* Creates records at each and every station of East Punjab. Huge crowds had to go disappointed home in most of the shows at most of the centres all through the first week due to house-full boards.

C.P. BERAR

* Yields a share of over 46 lakh in 1st week in C.P. Berar.

NIZAM

* Yields a mind-blowing share of 21,79,704/- from 20 cinemas of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Lucky 1997

1997 has proved lucky for at least four people who have been considered jinxed for years. The four have tasted success this year after ages. Mushir-Riaz gave flops for 21 years before giving Virasat this year. Priyadarshan, the director of Virasat, has also given his first success in Hindi. And J.P. Dutta, who must’ve forgotten what success feels like, has given his first success after Ghulami, in Border. Luckily for J.P., the hit Border is not just directed by him, it is also produced by him.

Goodbye Sapna

J.P. Dutta has trimmed Border in Bombay. The song picturised on Pooja Bhatt and Akshaye Khanna has been deleted. Two scenes in which Jackie Shroff’s heroine, Sapna Bedi, was seen, have also been completely edited. As a result, Sapna is simply not there in the film now! Not that she performed well. But, all the same, it must’ve been a nightmarish revelation for poor Sapna to know that she is no longer in the film, at least in Bombay. This must be the first time that a heroine’s role has been completely axed from a film.

Too Short A Time?

Many in the trade feel that Subhash Ghai’s Pardes may not be released on 8th August, as announced. Their surmise is based on the fact that the music of the film will be released as late as on 30th June, which would mean just a month’s time for the songs to grow. While it is generally believed that 1½ to 2 months are required for a film’s music to grow, there is no hard and fast rule as such. Perhaps, Subhash Ghai is so confident about his music that he feels, a month is sufficient.

Great Potential

Jayantilal Gada of Pen Audio has achieved a lot at the young age of 32. He has made a beautiful office in Juhu (opposite Hotel Sea Princess) and it has been done up just too tastefully. Considering that Gada suffered a loss of Rs. 91 lakh not many years ago, when he had a small office on Tribhuvan Road, his standing today is praiseworthy. Although he has a music company which has released a number of titles, he has made most of his money in the business of buying satellite rights of films. Today, Gada has a big library of films for satellite television, including G.P. Sippy’s Sholay, R.K.’s whole lot and what not. Says Gada, who is a bit conscious about not being able to speak and write English, “I don’t understand why the television industry is looked down upon or regarded as small. It is a huge industry and there’s a great potential in it.” While one can’t help agreeing with Jayantilal Gada, one must also admit that there’s a great potential in this man too, even if he doesn’t know English!

Not Maintaining Their Status

It’s strange how some main and prestigious cinemas of Bombay charge lakhs by way of weekly rentals and earn thousands on account of service charge, but don’t spend even a few thousands for their maintenance and upkeep. For instance, Eros cinema. Besides its fantastic sound system and its very clean toilets, the cinema is found lacking in almost every department. Or Metro. On the opening day of Border, the cinema’s air-conditioning plant was not working to its full capacity in the last show so that the audience was heard complaining about the heat. Surely, one expects better things from cinemas like Eros and Metro. And if main cinemas leave something to be desired, one can well imagine the condition of the other cinemas.

Sabse Bada Rupaiya

It’s funny how the management/staff of CMM Studios at Worli, Bombay, has found a way to fleece people frequenting the place. A public telephone in the posh CMM premises will not work till the user puts two Re. 1 coins instead of the usual one coin. Obviously, the telephone has been tampered with by somebody.

Favourite No. 1 ?

Believe it or not but Harish is the common hero in all of Govinda’s No. 1 titled films, however brief his role. Harish was Govinda’s friend in Coolie No. 1. He was also seen in a brief role in Govinda’s Hero No. 1. And now, he has been singed to play a meaty role in Govinda’s third No. 1 film, Aunty No. 1. Does it mean, Harish is Govinda’s favourite no. 1?

Tips’ Trio Of Hits

As far as music companies go, it must be said that it is Tips which is releasing the music of one big film every month. In May, it released Gupt, and this month, the audio cassettes of Daud are out. In the month-end (or, for all practical purposes, in July), Tips will flood the market with Pardes cassettes. The best part is that all the three films boast of excellent music.

Incidentally, while Tips has put up a couple of back-lit hoardings of Daud in Bombay, it will, in a couple of days, decorate the city with Gupt hoardings too.

60 DIE IN MAJOR FIRE AT DELHI’S UPHAAR CINEMA

A major fire broke out at Uphaar cinema in Delhi on Friday, June 13 at 5 p.m., killing almost 60 people. Over two hundred others were burnt and injured and are being treated in hospitals. The fire brigade, which arrived after 30 minutes of the catastrophe, was trying to control the fire even at 9 p.m.

A transformer in an air-conditioner on the ground floor of the recently renovated cinema got burnt and is said to have caused the fire. As people seeing the film noticed the fire, there was utter chaos with everybody trying to run out of the hall. As soon as the fire broke out, the hall was filled with gas. While people in the stalls could escape faster, many of those seated in the balcony were trapped. Many people who managed to escape, returned inside the gas chamber to save others. Among the 60-odd people burnt to death, at least three were armymen, it is reported.

Border had opened at the cinema the same day. Since Border deals with the story of armymen, a lot of army people had gone to see the film on its opening day. The cinema has a seating capacity of over 1,000.

Many cars parked in the cinema’s parking space were also burnt. Simultaneously with saving the lives of people and battling to bring the fire under control, efforts were on to remove the undamaged cars from the parking lot.

‘Itihaas’: West Bengal Distributor Refuses To Hike Price

With just a week to go for the release of Raj Kanwar’s maiden production venture, Itihaas, also directed by him, the dispute over the price for West Bengal and Assam has not yet been resolved. Raj Kanwar is looking for a price hike while the West Bengal-Assam distributor is in no mood for an increase.

It is learnt that the two failed to reach a settlement and the Bengal distributor ultimately threatened not to take the film’s delivery if it was not effected at the contracted price. Reportedly, the producer is said to have told the distributor, presumably in the heat of the moment, that he would rather not have the film released in West Bengal and Assam than effect delivery at the contracted price. The producer’s claim is that he has gone over-budget and hence the hike. The distributor, however, refuses to buy the over-budget story.

Xavier Marquis, who presents the film, is said to have kept out of the controversy as the deal for West Bengal-Assam was finalised by Raj Kanwar and his brother, K. Pappu.

Of course, one is sure, the film will not remain unreleased in West Bengal and Assam. But the sooner the matter is settled, the better it would be for all concerned.

GULSHAN RAI: A DISTRIBUTORS’ PRODUCER

Looking to the recent spate of flops and disasters, Gulshan Rai is showing concern for his distributors by agreeing to reduce the price of his Gupt. Some of his distributors have approached Rai, seeking reduction in the price. The film, it may be mentioned here, had fetched fantastic prices (in the ratio of 2.5 to 3 crore per major circuit) in all the circuits when it was sold. Gulshan Rai, it is learnt, is agreeing to oblige in cases where he feels, a price reduction is necessary, considering the tight money position in the industry, the recent losses suffered by his distributors in other films, etc.

Incidentally, the cinema trailers of the film have turned out to be extraordinary.

RAMKISAN KASAT’S SON TO WED

Marriage of Sushil, son of leading C.P. Berar distributor Ramkisan Kasat, with Savita will be solemnised on 18th June in Amravati at Hotel Mehfil Inn.

KEDAR NATH AGARWAL NO MORE

Producer, director and Bengal and Delhi-U.P. distributor Kedar Nath Agarwal passed away in Calcutta on 9th June. He was 65. He used to own the concerns Parasnath Pictures and Sangeeta Productions.

Kedar Nath is survived by his wife, two children, brother Naresh Kumar Agarwal and other family members.

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

Rishi Kapoor To Direct Rajesh Khanna, Akshaye, Aishwarya

R.K. Films And Studios’ Aa Ab Laut Chalen, with which Rishi Kapoor makes his debut as director, will be launched with a song recording on June 18 at Sunny Super Sounds. The music will be scored by Nadeem Shravan and lyrics will be penned by Sameer.

The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Akshaye Khanna, Aishwarya Rai, Paresh Rawal, Jaspal Bhatti, Satish Kaushik, Jatin Sial, Himani Shivpuri, Viveck Vaswani and Kader Khan. It has screenplay by Sachin Bhaumick, story and dialogues by Rumi Jafri, scenario by Raju Saigal, photography by Sameer Arya, and art direction by Suresh Sawant.

The unit will leave for a 55-day shooting schedule on August 15 in the United States of America and Canada. Four songs and scenes will be filmed with the entire cast participating.

YOU ASKED IT

What explains the bumper opening of Border this week?

– The extraordinary and formidable star-cast, excellent and correct publicity (that the film is a war film), a war film coming after many, many years and, of course, the super-hit ‘Sandese aate hain’ song.

In the coming days, which forthcoming films can be expected to take bumper initials?

– GUPT, PARDES, DAUD and ISHQ.

Have the problems between the producer and some distributors of Mrityudand, over the issue of price, as mentioned by you last week, been sorted out? Will the film be released this month?

– The differences are being sorted out. New distributors are also showing interest in the film. It will now be released on 11th July. Incidentally, the film’s music is picking up very well.

DO YOU KNOW?

* It was not just India which was in the grip of a BORDER fever, but London and Canada too were in its grip. Long queues for the advance booking of tickets of the film were witnessed in London and Canada!

* Padmalaya’s Telugu film, ENCOUNTER, starring Krishna, is oven-‘hot’ in distribution circles. It has reportedly been sold at a very fancy price for Andhra. This is Krishna’s 310th film and has been directed by Shankar. It will be released on 15th August.

* Jyotin Goel has imported a gorilla suit from Hollywood for the climax of SAFARI.

* Sapna cinema, Indore, which has just 640 seats and is equipped with DTS sound system, has collected over 40 lakh in 30 weeks’ run of RAJA HINDUSTANI.

* KHILADIYON KA KHILADI got the benefit of a housefull show on 5th June at Rituraj, Itarsi. People thought, BORDER had opened at the cinema as it was heavily advertised all over the town that BORDER was coming on 5th June. With the last-minute postponement by one week, the cinema management forgot to change the date in the film’s various boards all over town. People did not notice that BORDER had not been released, even after seeing the publicity of KKK at the cinema!

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting a total of 2,05,443/- on the opening day in Nagpur (5 cinemas). It collected 46,736/- at Smruti (5 shows), 42,579/- at Ashirwad (4 shows), 32,120/- at Panchsheel (4 shows), 48,136/- at Jaswant (5 shows), and 35,872/- at Sangam (4 shows).

* BORDER has created a unique city record by collecting 69,093/- on the opening day at Rajkamal, Akola. There were over-capacity crowds in the very first show at 6 a.m. when the film collected over 18,000/- against a capacity of 11,000/-!

* BORDER has created a theatre record by collecting 51,027/- on the opening day at Babulal, Raipur. It has also created a record by collecting 36,022/- on the opening day (4 shows) at Horas Amrit, Raipur, where it has been released simultaneously.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 46,840/- on 1st day at Jayant, Chandrapur.

* BORDER has broken the records of all previous big films like HAHK..!, DDLJ and RAJA HINDUSTANI by collecting 51,735/- on the opening day at Jayanti, Jabalpur.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 46,426/- on the first day at Rajlaxmi, Amravati.

* BORDER has created a city record by collecting 36,480/- on the first day (6 shows) at Apsara, Yavatmal.

SHOOTING COVERAGE

‘YUGPURUSH’
A Different Nana Again

– Gautam Mutha

Nana Patekar is out of the Pune mental asylum after 25 years. He had been admitted to the asylum when he was seven years of age. Today, he is 32 but not worldly-wise, although he is no longer a lunatic. A simpleton in appearance and even simpler by heart, he is unbelievably innocent and has a heart of gold.

That’s Nana in Yugpurush. It was shot on June 3, 4 and 5 in Kolhapur at Shalini Palace Hotel, and producer Pranlal Mehta had invited a press team to cover the shooting. The train journey from Bombay to Kolhapur, in the company of the film’s cast and crew, was an enjoyable one. Nana joined the group from Pune where he had gone to attend a school function.

Yugpurush is Pranlal Mehta’s 25th film. He had produced his first film, Kinara, in 1978, and has also made a Gujarati film and two Kannada ones. Yugpurush is inspired from a Russian novel, The Idiot, on which was based a Russian film of the same name as also a Bengali film, Aparichito. It had been Parto Ghosh’s long-time desire to make a film on this subject and finally the Bengali babu, Parto-da, is doing it for Gujarati bhai, Pranlal Mehta.

Yugpurush was to star Sridevi in the female lead but she preferred to walk out of the project before it could roll due to “a misunderstanding that there were some kotha scenes to be done by her”. Manisha has stepped into Sri’s shoes and, likewise, Ashwini Bhave has replaced Deepti Bhatnagar in the film.

As for the title role, Pranlal Mehta said, “Only Nana could have done this role. Besides him, I could think of two great actors who would’ve done justice to the character — Dilip Kumar of yesteryears or young Sanjeev Kumar.” According to Pranlalbhai, even Kamal Haasan may have found it difficult to enact the role.

And if Nana has accepted the challenging role, it is because of two main reasons — one, it is challenging, and two, because Nana is trying not to get typecast in one kind of role, that of an angry not-so-young man mouthing fiery dialogues. In Yugpurush, his dialogues are simple and he speaks them slowly. But even the simple dialogues assume the nature of hard-hitting dialogues because they reflect the thoughts of a man who is as innocent and pure as can be.

There are no villains in the literal sense of the term, in the film. Of course, Mohan Joshi and Shivaji Satam are not idealistic persons but they aren’t filmi villains as well. Jackie Shroff’s character, nevertheless, does have grey shades. He plays a filthy rich business tycoon who must have what his heart desires. Manisha Koirala is the helpless girl who finds herself in the clutches of Shivaji Satam. When she meets Nana, she develops a liking for him and his simplicity and innocence. No villains, therefore no fights. Yugpurush has barely five minutes of action!

With Manisha replacing Sridevi, the project has turned out to be like a sequel to the hit Agni Sakshi — Parto Ghosh, Jackie, Nana and Manisha. Pranlal Mehta must be thanking his stars for the replacement which happened without a deliberate attempt from his side.

Pranlal Mehta is confident, all the awards of 1997 for the best actor will go to Nana for Yugpurush, so “wonderful” is his performance. Another thing Mehta guarantees is the audience’s tears. “Everybody will be moved to tears by Nana,” he predicts confidently.

Parto Ghosh also feels, emotions will be the high-point of the film. He is quick to explain that although the subject of the film is different, it is not an offbeat film which he is making. “It has all the commercial ingredients, yet it will be a film with a difference,” he says with an air of confidence. Parto is also confident that in this film, which will project an altogether different Nana, the audience will also love Jackie Shroff who, according to him, will be a surprise packet. Mohan Joshi’s changeover in the end will also be a highlight, he feels.

Ashwini Bhave is thrilled about her role of a simple girl in Yugpurush. Her only ‘grouse’, if one may use the word, is that Parto-da addresses her as “Oshwini” instead of Ashwini. Bengalis are known to round off any and every world and ‘Ashwini’ is no exception.

Exceptionally unusual is the end of the film in which Nana……. well, it wouldn’t be fair to reveal the ending. But that was exactly the portion being shot in Kolhapur and witnessed by us. A portion of a song was also picturised. The palatial hotel was selected on Nana’s suggestion and was used as Mohan Joshi’s house-cum-office. Mohan Joshi, who plays a publishing baron in the film, is, in real life, the non-controversial kind who does not crib or complain about anything, more because “I’m not in a position where I can even suggest”. He has the drive to make an indelible mark as a villain. Of course, for the present, he concedes that Amrish Puri is the last word in villainy.

If Mohan Joshi doesn’t like to even make suggestions, Nana is forever making suggestions on the sets. “What’s wrong?,” queries Nana and answers himself, “I don’t think, this is interference. It is up to the director to accept or reject my suggestions.” Parto, who is also making Musthafa with Nana, doesn’t seem to mind Nana’s habit of making suggestions, one bit. And if both, the actor and the director, are happy, why should anybody else have any objection?

But then, why doesn’t Nana himself direct another film after Prahaar? “Because it is a time-consuming job. Directing one film will take my two years,” he says. “Then I won’t be able to pursue acting.” And anybody would agree that Nana makes a better actor than director.

The unit will move to Bangalore shortly for a song picturisation. The songs of Yugpurush, composed by Rajesh Rohan, have a Bengali flavour. Rich in lyrical value (the songs are written by Majrooh Sultanpuri), they are all slow except for one which is a fast number. One song, which was picturised in the Pune mental asylum, was liked so much by the asylum authorities that Pranlal Mehta had to give in to their request to give them a cassette containing that song. The asylum uses the song as a prayer for its inmates and plays it daily!

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Thrill-A-Minute, Chill-A-Minute ‘Anaconda’

Columbia-Tristar is planning to dub its English blockbuster, Anaconda, in Hindi. The film, about a type of snake found in the Amazon forests, sends chills down the spine of the viewer as did Jurassic Park. The Anaconda snake is so huge, one could faint at its very sight. It catches its prey (humans) in such a tight grip that the sound of the bones of the prey being crushed can be heard. The snake then gulps down the human body but it doesn’t digest it; rather, after a while, it regurgitates it. The hour-and-a-half film boasts of excellent visuals and nail-biting and hair-raising excitement. Indians are known to have a liking for films based on ichhadhari snakes. Who knows, a film about a different kind of snake — with an opening commentary — might also click. At least one distributor seems supremely confident about the dubbing because he has offered Columbia-Tristar an unheard of price for the to-be dubbed versions.

No-Cut Director

Krishna Reddy is a well-known and successful writer-director of Telugu films, having made almost 15 films. Among his successes is Shubhlagnam of which Judaai was the remake. Krishna Reddy’s latest Telugu release was Aahwaanam which didn’t do too well. For the censors, Krishna Reddy’s films mean that they don’t have to use their scissors at all. For, never has even a single cut been offered by the CBFC in any of Reddy’s films. That’s some record!

Music To Hit Hai

The music of Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai is already being spoken about in superlative terms by those who’ve heard it, even though it hasn’t been released as yet. Sunil Bansal, the Rajasthan distributor of the film, goes into ecstasy while talking of the film’s music. And this, when he has not even heard one actually recorded song. Then how come? Well, it so happened that Yash Chopra was in Jaipur some days back alongwith his wife, Pamela, to attend a marriage. Sunil and his family members had gone to the hotel where the Chopras were putting up, and were pleasantly surprised to hear Pamela Chopra humming the title song of the film behind closed doors of the hotel room. Sunil and family members waited patiently outside the room, refraining from ringing the door bell, so that Pamela could continue humming the song and they could hear it. Says Sunil, “The song is exceptional, its lyrics are simply fantastic.”

Compliment Extraordinaire

The acclaim which Javed Akhtar is receiving as a lyricist, from different quarters is remarkable. Be it for his lyrics in films or his book of poems or his non-film songs, the lyricist continues to make news after news. Currently, his songs in Virasat, Border, Sapnay, Yes Boss, …Aur Pyar Ho Gaya and Mrityudand are either already popular or becoming popular. Which is what made a personality like Lata Mangeshkar remark, “This is something which has never happened to any lyricist during the last hundred years of cinema. I have rarely seen a lyricist in such a state of inspiration, writing poetry and songs that appeal to the classes and masses alike.” No ordinary compliment this, coming as it does from the nightingale of India.

‘Gupt’ In Gandhinagar

For the first time in a city like Gandhinagar (in Gujarat), a vinyl hoarding has been put up in a cinema. The expensive hoarding is of Rajiv Rai’s Gupt and the cinema is Ajay Chudasama’s Rajshri. Well-illuminated, the colourful hoarding is attracting curious onlookers who crowd around it to have a look.

Too Sticky To Handle?

While it is common knowledge now that debut-making Shantanu Sheorey is not the director of Kamal Haasan’s Chikni Chaachi, few are aware of the fact that Shantanu was out barely seven days after the film rolled, in March itself. Kamal Haasan has himself directed the entire film and it would surprise many that Chikni Chaachi is about 90% complete! The portions shot by Shantanu were reshot by Kamal as the latter was not happy with the work done by the former. The film’s online producer, Saab John, has dismissed as baseless Shantanu’s claim in a recent press interview that it was he who walked out of the film because of aesthetic differences between Kamal Haasan and himself. Incidentally, Kamal’s Ladies Only is also ready. After Chikni Chaachi, he plans to produce more Hindi films, on a regular basis now. And yes, the hunt for a new title for Chikni Chaachi (because there are some who feel, womenfolk may not quite approve of the word ‘Chikni’ in the title; while ‘chikni’ in Bambaiya Hindi means good-looking, in the North, it translates into ‘sticky’) is over because it has now been titled Stree 420. Kamal wanted to take no chances by retaining the title Chikni Chaachi because ladies and children have been regular audience of his films in South.

Direct Contact

Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla will meet their fans on Sunday, June 15, between 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. at three places in Bombay, viz. Carter Road, Shivaji Park and opposite NCPA. As a promotional drive for Yes Boss, producer Ratan Jain has thought of this novel publicity campaign. The two stars will move in a mobile music van and sign autographs for their fans, besides asking them to see Yes Boss.

‘JUDAAI’ 100 DAYS AT 35 CENTRES

Boney Kapoor’s Judaai is celebrating 100 days today (June 7) at more than 35 centres all over India. It is heading for 100 days at about 10 more centres. Produced by Surinder Kapoor and directed by Raj Kanwar, the film stars Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Kader Khan, Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever, Upasna Singh and Farida Jalal. Music: Nadeem Shravan.

LATEST POSITION

The success of VIRASAT has taken many by surprise and has brought the much-needed joy in the industry.

Virasat started picking up from 2nd and 3rd day onwards and has now established itself as an A1 film in most of the circuits. The film’s making, Anil Kapoor and Tabu’s performances and its hit music score are being praised by the ladies and classes. 8th day’s collections were also wonderful at many places. 1st week Bombay 24,88,069 (90.43%) from 8 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 10,81,437 from 5 cinemas, Baroda 2,13,407, Rajkot 1,61,281, Jamnagar 94,861, Kolhapur 1,99,772, Solapur (14 shows) 1,12,858 (97%); Belgaum 1,13,285; Delhi 44,45,836 (87.06%) from 12 cinemas (1 unrecd. and 1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,81,559 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,68,355, Agra 1,64,346, Allahabad 1,08,000, Varanasi 1,22,200, Bareilly 1,15,139, Gorakhpur 1,14,000 (71.45%); Calcutta 15,83,905 from 16 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Nagpur 5,26,660 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,77,870, Amravati 1,17,972, Bhilai 1,35,688, Chandrapur 1,30,624, Yavatmal 70,030; Bhopal 2,54,511 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 4,73,353 from 2 cinemas, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,15,951, Bikaner 2,05,248; Hyderabad 4,42,957, full.

Insaaf has not found acceptance. 1st week Bombay 25,00,299 (59.09%) from 12 cinemas (11 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,94,209 from 3 cinemas (3 cinemas unrecd.), Rajkot 1,60,444 from 2 cinemas; Kolhapur 1,03,452, Solapur 1,08,348; Delhi 14,15,661 (49.33%) from 8 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,81,556 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow (6 days) 1,38,011, Agra 2,51,319, Allahabad 83,630, Meerut 1,70,240, Bareilly (5 days) 46,299, Gorakhpur (6 days) 90,000; Calcutta 15,02,280 from 21 cinemas; Bhopal 1,71,342 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 4,57,610 from 4 cinemas, Jodhpur 1,10,000 (1 unrecd.), Bikaner 1,28,014, Bharatpur (gross) 91,500; Hyderabad 23,38,548 from 17 cinemas. Opened this week in C.P. Berar.

……….

Mahaanta 2nd week Bombay 6,75,460 (36.37%) from 4 cinemas (11 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,57,182 from 5 cinemas, Jamnagar 33,901; 1st Kolhapur 1,26,411 (91.60%), 2nd Solapur 74,771; Delhi 5,33,963 from 6 cinemas (1 unrecd., 6 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,50,503 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,15,455, Agra 80,000, Allahabad 57,000, Varanasi 65,572, Bareilly 67,891, 1st Hardwar 45,000; 2nd Calcutta 1,44,583; Nagpur 96,404 from 2 cinemas, 1st Jabalpur 1,21,039, 2nd week Amravati 69,462, Akola 50,552, total 1,71,969, Raipur 91,014, Jalgaon 88,796, Wardha 26,313; Indore 52,098, Bhopal 63,165, Ujjain 41,927; Jaipur 1,19,204; Hyderabad (6 days) 1,44,203; 13 days’ total at Vijayawada 2,66,703, 12 days’ total at Visakhapatnam 1,96,623.

……….

USHA KHANNA TURNS PRODUCER

Music director Usha Khanna has turned a serial producer with Mamta which she is making under the banner of Usha Khanna Productions. Krishna Singh is the co-producer. The 52-episode TV serial will go on the floors on June 29. It is being directed by Prabhat Khanna from his own story and concept. Cast: Shahbaaz Khan, Anjana Mumtaz and Asif Sheikh. Lyrics: Yogesh.

SHILPA SHIRODKAR BEREAVED

Veteran Marathi film actress Meenakshi Shirodkar, grandmother of Shilpa and Namrata Shirodkar, breathed her last on 2nd June in Bombay. She had broken her backbone and was operated upon two weeks back. She was 81 and is survived by a son and his family.

Meenakshi was the first actress of Marathi films to appear in a swimsuit on the screen in Master Vinayak’s classic film, Brahmachari. She acted in many films and stage plays.

COURT RESTRAINS T-SERIES FROM SELLING ‘ZIDDI’, ‘SALMA PE…’ CASSETTES

Judge R.Y. Ganoo on 9th May passed an order confirming his earlier ad interim order that T-Series (Super Cassettes Industries), their servants and agents are restrained from manufacturing and selling of cassettes and CDs of Ziddi and Salma Pe Dil Aagaya. They are further restrained from removing any stock of these two titles from their factories/godowns. This order was passed on an application made by Vatsa Entertainment Ltd. in the Bombay city civil court. Vatsa Entertainment had terminated its agreement with Super Cassettes Industries for the manufacture and distribution of Ziddi and Salma Pe Dil Aagaya cassetes. However, T-Series continued to manufacture these cassettes and CDs and also did not pay the royalty due to Vatsa Entertainment and hence Vatsa filed a suit in the Bombay city civil court.

CINEMA OWNER, MANAGER ARRESTED IN VIJAYAWADA: TRADE UPSET

The proprietor and the manager of a leading twin cinema complex of Vijayawada were arrested by the police on 4th June for allegedly abetting black-marketing in tickets. The distribution and exhibition sectors of Vijayawada trade remained closed on 5th in protest against the arrest and the atrocities of the police. About 500 people from the two sectors took out a silent procession through the main streets of the city to the office of the Vijayawada police commissioner.

In the meantime, the cinema owner and manager were released on bail on 4th itself.

YASHWANT KACHHWAHA BEREAVED

Anand cinema, Jodhpur, remained closed for two days earlier this week due to the death of Geetadevi Kachhwaha, widow of Mahendra Singh Kachhwaha and sister-in-law of Yashwant Singh Kachhwaha of Anand cinema. Mahendra Singh Kachhwaha expired last month.

SIGNED

Rajkumar Santoshi Signs Priyadarshan, Akshaye

Priyadarshan has been signed to direct Akshaye Khanna for a film to be made under the banner of Ram Creations for producer Rajkumar Santoshi. It has music by A.R. Rahman, art by Sabu Cyril, and cinematography by K.V. Anand. Regular shooting will start from July 1. A leading lady and other cast and credits are being finalised. Xavier Marquis is the co-producer of the film.

CENSOR NEWS

Inderjit Films Combine’s Itihaas was given C.C. No. CIL/3/17/97 (A) dt. 2-6-’97; length 4442.67 metres in 18 reels (cuts: 281.01 metres).

Paramount Films of India Ltd.’s The Phantom – Vetal (dubbed) was given C.C. No. CFL/2/20/97 (UA) dt. 4-6-’97; length 2766.86 metres in 10 reels (no cut).

Prakash Jha Productions’ Mrityudand, seen on 3rd, has been passed with UA certificate, with cuts.

Sri Nirmala Devi Combines’ Do Aankhen Barah Hath (length 4107.48 metres in 15 reels), applied on 2nd, was seen on 4th.

Devyank Arts’ Lav Kush (length 4884.82 metres in 18 reels), applied on 3rd and seen on 4th, has been passed with U certificate, without cut.

Trimurti Films P. Ltd.’s Gupt (length 4776.25 metres in 17 reels), applied on 3rd and seen on 5th, has been offered A certificate, with cuts.

YOU ASKED IT

Pre-release reports of Virasat in trade circles were bad. People felt, a film with such a rural background would never run. They also felt, it was too much of a class taste. What went right?

– There’s no hard and fast rule that a rural background film cannot run. A story which touches the heart, whether based in a village or a city, is bound to run. VIRASAT may have a class treatment but it deals with a subject which has mass appeal and there’s also plenty of sentiments for the ladies.

What is the formula for box-office success?

– There’s no readymade formula as such, but novelty, either in content or presentation, coupled with conviction in what you are making, has more chances to succeed than anything else.

Why do you keep criticising stars for their high prices? After all, it is producers who run after stars, not vice versa?

– Yes, stars don’t run after producers, and their prices are governed by the laws of demand and supply. But my point is that since they are a part of this industry, they must have a more compassionate approach and should show more concern for the others in the industry by pricing themselves more realistically.

IN & OUT OF BOMBHAY

Mr. R.R. Khajanchi of Khajanchi Film Exchange, Amravati, is expected in town (493-0645) on 10th June.

Producer-director Indra Kumar returned from the USA on 6th night.

Producer Vashu Bhagnani returned from his holiday abroad on 6th June.

Producer Boney Kapoor will return from Madras this evening (7th June) and will go to the USA on 9th.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

‘Kama Sutra’: Video Cassettes Available?

Traders in Naaz were shocked to learn that pirated video cassettes of Mira Nair’s dubbed Hindi film, Kama Sutra, were in circulation in the market. Reportedly, the cassettes originated from London where a premiere show of the film was held some time back. Ajay Devgan, who holds the film’s distribution rights for Bombay, is contemplating taking up the matter with R. Mohan who holds the all-India rights of the film. Obviously, Ajay Devgan would now demand a drastic price reduction. It may be recalled here that pirated video cassettes of Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen were also out much before the film’s theatrical release.

Tension Brewing

There’s tension on the Mrityudand front. Producer-director Prakash Jha is contemplating a price hike but the film’s Bombay distributor, Vinodbhai Kakkad, is in no mood to agree to hike. Reportedly, he has expressed his desire to the producer to relinquish the distribution rights if a price hike is insisted upon. C.P. Berar distributor Rajesh Jain (who is also the C.P. distributor of Insaaf and who obtained a court order in the case of Insaaf for its delivery at the contracted price) is also thinking in terms of going to court against the price hike.

By the way, Rajesh Jain took delivery of Insaaf at a little above the contracted price (outright purchase) and released it in his territory this week.

‘Virasat’ Success: The Firsts

There are a couple of firsts associated with the success of Virasat. After so many years have producers Mushir-Riaz got a success that Virasat is almost like their first victory. Their last successfull film was Mehbooba and even that, released 21 years ago, wasn’t a universal success. After Mehbooba, it was just a line of flops and debacles from their banner which gave films such as Apne Paraye, Rajput, Shakti, Zabardast, Samundar, Commando and Akayla. Virasat is also director Priyadarshan’s first commercial success. Priyan, as Priyadarshan is known to his friends, has always been counted as a ‘class director’ because his films invariably have a ‘class’ treatment which make them critically acclaimed films but which are commercial flops. Even though Virasat has that ‘class’ touch of Priyan, it has been loved by the ladies, besides the elite audience. And since this ‘class’ film deals with the story of a village, it just might do good business in ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres too. If it does, it will be another first — a ‘class’ film doing good business in small centres.

Changed Scenario

Talking of Virasat, one also recalls the number of changes which took place in its cast and credits before the film was finally started. It was initially supposed to be directed by J.P. Dutta. After J.P., it was Bharathan, the director of the original version (Thevar Magan), who was roped in. But the guy is said to have told Raaj Kumar in his very first meeting with the star that he was a great fan of his. Not wrong in being anybody’s fan but the producers felt, if the director was so much in awe of the actor, he wouldn’t be able to do a competent job. It was then Mahesh Bhatt who was signed to call the shots. Finally, Priyadarshan was assigned the job. For the role of the older Thakur (hero’s father), currently played by Amrish Puri, the original choices were Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar. Dilip Kumar did not do the film as he was busy with the direction of Kalinga. Raaj Kumar was reportedly angry with J.P. Dutta who did not reach at the appointed time to narrate the story to him. When Mahesh Bhatt was signed to direct the film, the writer was to have been Javed Akhtar. Reportedly, Javed expressed reservations about Anil Kapoor being able to do justice to the role of the hero and wanted him to be replaced. Of course, Mushir-Riaz would hear nothing of it. The funny part is that Raaj Kumar on his part did not think, Javed Akhtar was suitable to write the film.

Raj Kanwar’s Second Gesture

It has been Raj Kanwar again who has shown grace by postponing the release of Itihaas by a week so that Border has no opposition. Border last week was postponed by a week and will now come on 13th June, the day on which Itihaas was earlier scheduled for release. The funny part is that Itihaas release was planned for 13th June only because Border was initially due to come on 31st May. Raj Kanwar had at that time personally met J.P. Dutta and asked him about the release plans of Border and, on his own, volunteered to come two weeks after Border. The latter film later got postponed by a week, to 6th June. Then, last week, it was decided to postpone Border by a further week. Raj Kanwar was initially reluctant to change his date and stuck to 13th June. After all, it wasn’t his fault if Border was postponed by a week. But Bharat Shah, who presents Border, requested Raj Kanwar to move ahead by one more week just one last time. There were meetings and telephonic conversations galore on 3rd June between Bharat Shah and Raj Kanwar. Finally, Raj relented and Bharatbhai beamed with joy. But Raj Kanwar, in agreeing to release his Itihaas on 20th June, told Bharatbhai that should Border be further postponed, it would be Bharatbhai’s turn to not get it in opposition to Itihaas and, instead schedule it for any day after 20th June. Bharatbhai, of course, agreed readily.

Ghai’s August Connection

With the release of Subhash Ghai’s Pardes planned for 8th August, one is reminded of three other Ghai films which were released around the same time in earlier years —Karma on 7th August, 1986, Saudagar on 8th August, 1991, and Khal-nayak on 5th August, 1993. The music of Pardes will be released on 30th June but those who’ve heard the songs say, they are melodious and mesmerising (Nadeem Shravan and Anand Bakshi). Besides six Hindi songs, the film also has an English number, written and rendered by Hema Sardesai. A song of Pardes will be aired on television for the first time on 15th June in the Superhit Muqabala programme on DD1.

Smallest Cinema, Biggest Share

It pays to keep your cinema in good condition. This is what one can conclude when one sees the shares of Insaaf in Indore. Although the film has not been appreciated, it has yielded a handsome share from Abhinayshri cinema of Indore. In fact, of all the five cinemas in Indore, in which Insaaf was released last week, Abhinayshri has the smallest seating capacity (only 745) and yet, it has yielded the highest share in Indore. The owners of Abhinayshri and Amulshri spent a fortune in renovating the cinemas recently. The two cinemas have been merged into one. The name Abhinayshri has been retained for the merged cinema.

Release At Short Notice

K.C. Bokadia is indeed an opportunist. No sooner was the release of Border postponed last week, from 6th to 13th June, than he decided to release his own Gundagardi on 6th as there were no other releases fixed for the day. In just a week’s time, he got all his distributors to agree to the release and effected deliveries smoothly to meet the release date. To his luck, Thursday was Amavasya day and the film opened to very good houses. Of course, the mass-appealing title also did the trick.

‘Speedy’ Saazish

Bengal distributor Lala Damani, who has turned a Hindi film producer too (he has already produced Bengali films), deserves to be complimented for the speed with which he is completing his Saazish, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Vikas Bhalla, Pooja Batra, Kashmira Shah, Helen, Aroona Irani, Sachin, Homi Wadia and others. The film went before the cameras on 20th March and it should be complete in a couple of days — that is, in less than three months! Perhaps, because he is a distributor first, Lala did not make a mere proposal, rather, he signed his artistes after his script was ready. For music, Lala opted for melody instead of “today’s Western tunes”, as he calls them. Sudhir R. Nair, erstwhile assistant to Shashilal Nair, has directed Saazish which abounds in emotions in the first half and action in the second half.

Incidentally, Ajay Devgan was to play the role which is now being played by Mithun Chakraborty. For some reason, Ajay couldn’t do the film. But Ajay liked the film’s story so much that he acquired its distribution rights for Bombay.

Sony’s Music Company

The Sony people have now opened a music company too. Called Sony Music, the new company has its posh and tasteful office at Santacruz, Bombay. To begin with, Sony will release some basic albums. It hasn’t acquired any film music rights so far, but will do so soon.

VIRASAT

M.R. Productions Pvt. Ltd.’s Virasat (UA), remake of the Tamil film Thevar Magan, is the story of a village and two thakur-brothers staying in the village. The two brothers and their families are sworn enemies and their enmity starts affecting the normal lives of the ordinary villagers too, who, incidentally, are ever ready to lay down their lives for their masters (respective thakurs). The son of the elder thakur returns to the village after completing his studies abroad and has plans to start his business in leading cities of India and settle down in a city after marrying his foreign-based girlfriend. However, a slight mistake on the part of the educated son stirs a hornet’s nest in the village, and the two families as well as the entire village get entangled in a bitter battle. The educated son has a change of heart and mind and he decides to stay back in his village and cure it of all its ills and evils. He has to also don the mantle of his father who dies suddenly. Circumstances force the young guy to sacrifice his love and instead, get married to an uneducated poor girl of his village.

The story is quite unusual and has good sentiments for the ladies. The scenes between the two heroines as also between the father and his foreign-returned son bring tears to the eyes. Screenplay is well written, but what does jar is the atrocious editing. Scenes are so lengthy that some of them begin to bore and give the film a feel of a documentary on a village and its hardships! The enmity between the two families has not been shown as very bitter, which also makes the drama less exciting. Nevertheless, the film has quite a many brilliant moments, unexpected twists and turns, superb performances and excellent music.

Anil Kapoor literally lives his role. First, as the foreign-returned fun-loving boy and then, as a serious messiah of the village, Anil shines in scene after scene, delivering an award-winning performance. Tabu is the surprise packet of the film and is simply fantastic. As the uneducated girl, she endears herself to the viewer with a performance that is absolutely natural and truly extraordinary. Her gait, dressing-up, make-up, style of talking and acting deserve full marks and should fetch her awards and wide acclaim. Pooja Batra makes an impressive debut and comes like a whiff of fresh air. She looks pretty and acts naturally. Amrish Puri is extraordinary as the older thakur. Not once does he go overboard; his performance will be remembered for a long time. Milind Gunaji makes a weak villain. Govind Namdeo acts ably but his twisted mouth (unnecessarily so) makes his dialogues unclear and often difficult to follow. Satyen Kappu leaves a mark. Sulbha Deshpande is very effective. Tiku Talsania provides good relief. Neeraj Vora (as Sukhia) is terrific. His sense of timing and facial expressions are praiseworthy. Reeta Bhaduri makes her presence felt in a small role. Reena, Anjana, Dilip Dhawan, Darshan Arora, baby Rajeshwari, baby Sandhya, baby Namrata and the rest lend admirable support.

Priyadarshan’s direcion is admirable but he shouldn’t have gone so easy on the editing. His picturisation of the flood scene, Amrish Puri’s death scene and his recreation of the village ambience are fantastic. Anu Malik’s music is hit. ‘Dhol bajne lagaa’, ‘Payalay chunmun’ and ‘Taare hain baaraati’ are all excellently tuned. Their picturisations are also remarkable. ‘Ankhiyan mila ke’ is yet another beautiful number. Lyrics (Javed Akhtar and Nitin Raikwar) deserve special mention. Locations are heavenly, and Ravi K. Chandran captures them on celluloid just too marvellously. His camerawork is award-winning. Sabu Cyril’s art direction is excellent. Production and other technical values (DTS mixing etc.) are of a high standard.

On the whole, moderately-priced Virasat has good merits, diluted to some extent by loose editing. Further editing (of scenes like the lathi fight, of the double-role comedians, of sufferings of flood-affected villagers, of the panchayat scene before interval etc.) can help a great deal. Even without further editing, the film will fetch good returns on the strength of appreciation of class audience, ladies and families. The film deserves to be granted tax exemption for the message of peace and brotherhood it conveys.

Released on 30-5-’97 at Eros and 12 other cinemas of Bombay by Mr. India and Vimal Agarwal thru R.M. Ahuja & Co. Publicity: excellent. Opening: quite good. …….Also released all over.

INSAAF

Manish Arts’ Insaaf (A) is the usual and oft-repeated run-of-the-mill revenge drama. An honest and young police officer and an upright commissioner take it upon themselves to expose the murderers of a big group of school-going kids and their teacher (who is the sister of the young police officer). They realise, to their shock, that a timid minister, a police inspector and an underworld don are all hand-in-glove and directly involved in the multiple murders. One by one, the three villains are exterminated by the police officer. The twists and turns in the drama are most predictable. Screenplay is pathetically poor. Dialogues are witty at places.

Akshay Kumar, it appears, doesn’t even make an attempt to make some mark with his acting. All his efforts are directed in stunts and dances, in both of which he shines. Shilpa Shetty does a fair job. Paresh Rawal raises laughter as the comic Gujarati underworld don. Alok Nath is okay and so are Ranjeet and Mohan Joshi. Dinesh Hingoo, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Anjalika Mathur, Achyut Potdar, Rana Jung Bahadur and the rest of the artistes pass muster.

Dayal Nihalani’s direction is hardly any better than his scripting. He is content with giving stale fare to the viewers. Music is okay but song picturisations are all visually very appealing. ‘Barah aana de’ and a couple of other songs are musically quite good. Background score is dull. Action scenes are thrilling at places. Climax is long and repetitive. Camerawork is good. Production values are of a good standard.

On the whole, Insaaf is too poor a drama to make any mark at the box-office and will entail heavy losses to all concerned.

Released on 30-5-’97 at Alankar and 22 other cinemas of Bombay thru ABC Pictures P. Ltd. Publicity: quite good. Opening: average. …….Also released all over (except in C.P. Berar). Opening in U.P. was delayed by a day due to late arrival of prints. Opening was poor at most of the places including C.I. and Rajasthan.

‘BORDER’ RELEASE POSTPONED

The release of J.P. Dutta’s Border has been postponed by a week. It will now hit the screens on 13th June instead of 6th June, as scheduled.

The postponement has been necessitated due to a technical problem. A few reels have had to be remixed as the DTS mixing, done at Sunny Super Sounds, is said to have not yielded the desired results in those reels. The remixing has already begun in Madras.

Rumours were rife in the industry that the remixing would take more than a week and hence Border would be released only on 20th June. But, according to Bharat Shah who presents the film, “It will definitely come on 13th June.” Another big film, due for release on June 13, is Raj Kanwar’s Itihaas.

‘HERO NO. 1’ 100 DAYS

Vashu Bhagnani’s Hero No. 1is celebrating 100 days of its run all over today (May 31). Directed by David Dhawan, it stars Govinda, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Kader Khan, Satish Shah, Himani Sivpuri, Tiku Talsania and others. Music: Anand Milind.

DO YOU KNOW?

* HMV is going all out in the promotion of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s music of …AUR PYAR HO GAYA. It has announced 28 cash prizes for direct wholesalers, 130 cash prizes for direct retailers, indirect wholesalers and retailers, and a London trip for four direct wholesalers. It has brought out a dealer kit containing one …APHG T-shirt, a sampler cassette and different types of posters. The kit is being sent to around 800 music outlets across the country. Carry bags have also been made for display/usage at the outlets. As many as 50,000 …APHG paper caps were distributed at the venues of the cricket matches in the Independence Cup. Intensive publicity is being done on radio as well as television. In addition, two 30-minute capsules are being booked on DD for showing the making of …APHG.

* BORDER has already been booked on a fantastic MG amount at Rituraj cinema, Itarsi.

* HERO NO. 1 has completed 100 days today (May 31) in 4 cinemas in Nizam circuit: Hyderabad’s Parmeshwari 35mm (regular shows) and Ramakrishna 35mm (mg. shows); Secunderabad’s Anand 70mm (mg. shows); and Aurangabad’s Apsara (mg. shows).

*RAJA HINDUSTANI is the first blockbuster to have been released at Shri Krishna cinema, Seoni Malwa. Other blockbusters like HAHK..! and DDLJ were released in other cinemas of this small centre of C.P. Berar. Coolers had been specially installed at Shri Krishna for RAJA HINDUSTANI, to fight the summer heat.

YOU ASKED IT

Collections in Maharashtra are so poor even after 60% entertainment tax. Does it mean, even this tax rate is too high?

– Firstly, the benefit of reduction in entertainment tax from 100% to 60% has not been passed on to the audience, generally speaking. Secondly, collections are on the lower side not only in Maharashtra but all over because films released in the last six or seven weeks have been bad. And thirdly, and most importantly, any rate of entertainment tax is high. What is needed is its complete abolition.

Of Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, the two ex-superstars, whom is the craze greater for, today?

– Both are great actors but the current craze is naturally for the younger of the two oldies, Amitabh Bachchan.

Is the distributor a necessary evil between the producer and exhibitor?

– He is necessary but not an evil. He takes the risk and, very often, suffers losses, thereby shielding the producer.

‘Insaaf’: An Eye-Opener

The delivery drama in the case of this week’s release — Insaaf — should make all the industry people hang their heads in shame. Only thing, the reasons for hanging their heads would be different, depending upon whether they are artistes, producers, directors or distributors.

Since Insaaf has been in the making for years, its production cost crossed its budgeted cost by a couple of crores. Producer Jimmy Nirula had no option but to increase its price at the time of delivery. Almost every distributor created problems in taking delivery at the increased price. While the problems of some distributors could be tackled and solved easily, those of the Delhi-U.P. and C.P. Berar distributors took days to tackle. As a result, the film was released a day late in U.P. (on Friday instead of Thursday). And in C.P. Berar, it simply couldn’t be released. The C.P. Berar distributor of the film, Rajesh Jain, took the matter of the proposed price hike to court and obtained an order for delivery at the contracted price.

Akshay Kumar is one of our ‘hotter’ heroes. He charges about 1.5 per film. But distributors were reluctant to take delivery of his starrer for even 0.75, that is, half his price! And the film opened to 25% houses in C.I. on Thursday. This should make the artistes hang their heads in shame. Akshay Kumar happens to be the hero of Insaaf, but our other stars are all in the same boat, having over-priced themselves so much that a situation like this had to arise. Today, it has happened in the case of an Akshay-starrer, tomorrow could be another hero’s turn.

Director Dayal Nihalani took over 400 shifts to complete the film! Is he under the mistaken impression that raw stock comes for free or that the producer raises interest-free money to make a film? A director who shoots for 400 shifts needs to do some serious introspection before starting his next. And this director’s doing should embarrass the entire community of directors.

Producer Jimmy Nirula also cannot absolve himself of the responsibility for the pathetic state of affairs. Agreed, the producer more often than not finds himself in a helpless position. But Jimmy should’ve put his foot down when things began to go out of hand. It would’ve at least not been as worse a situation as he finds himself in today, with liabilities of crores. This case should make producers wake up to the fact that it is they who are the bosses and it just doesn’t pay to behave subserviently as if they were the servants. The word may sound too harsh but it is a fact that many producers behave like the servants and chamchas of the stars and the director. No producer should tolerate the cancellation of shooting by stars, on flimsy grounds. If stars are asking for the sky by way of remuneration, let them at least allot proper dates and stick to them so that films can be completed in a decent time schedule. Producers should be crying tears of blood today, after what has happened to the producer of a big-budget star-cast Insaaf.

Distributors should think twice before grabbing proposals. Film prices are so high today that a wrong decision could just wipe out a distributor in one stroke.

Unrealistic star prices, indiscipline, wasteful expenditure by directors are all killing the industry. These must be stopped. Or else, there’ll be an Insaaf every week, an Akshay Kumar every day, a Dayal Nihalani behind every film, and an unfortunate Jimmy Nirula bearing the brunt of every wrong person’s selfish moves.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Yash Chopra In New Territory

More and more producers are turning distributors too. The fancy business of some blockbusters in Bombay is prompting big producers to try their luck in distribution. The latest to turn a distributor for Bombay territory is producer-director Yash Chopra. His Dil To Pagal Hai will be distributed by Chopra himself who will soon be buying an office in Naaz building. Reportedly, a distribution manager has also been finalised.

Battling For The Price

After C.P. Berar, J.P. Dutta’s Border has changed hands for West Bengal too. The original distributors of the film, Musical Films, didn’t quite like the music which Dutta kept on playing — of increasing the price. After a lot of haggling, in which the Musical people reluctantly agreed to hike the price to 47, the position was the same. Dutta refused to budge from his increased price of 51. All negotiations broke down there and, with the intervention of Dinesh Gandhi, the matter was finally settled with the parting of ways — with Musical relinquishing the rights and opting for a profit. Dutta then sold the rights to Lala Damani. Thank God, a legal battle was averted since both, the Musical guys as well as Bharat Shah (who presents Border and who, incidentally, was on the negotiation table, and not J.P. Dutta) thought it better to settle it out of court. As it is, a battle film is enough. Who wants a battle for a film?

Holiday From Film Viewing

Barring Ziddi, no film released in April and May (till 28th May) has fared well at the box-office. Actually, ‘not fared well’ is an understatement, considering, we had such bombs as Mrityudaata, Zameer, Sanam etc. As a wag remarked, “Kehne ko toh, April aur May chhuttiyon ke mahine hain, lekin iss saal, nayee filmon ki chhutti ho gayee.”