JAANWAR

Shree Krishna International’s Jaanwar (UA) is the story of a child who falls into wrong hands and grows up to be a ferocious criminal. He meets a girl, falls in love with her and is about to get married to her and begin life afresh, leaving his past behind like a bad dream. But his past will not leave him so easily. Not just that, by quirk of fate, a little child falls in his lap and his upbringing becomes the criminal’s responsibility. The child grows up with the criminal, and the two of them grow very fond of each other. In the process, the criminal turns over a new leaf. After seven years, the child’s parents learn of the child’s whereabouts and seek his custody from the criminal-turned-guardian. The latter refuses to part with the child for sentimental reasons and, therefore, law has to step in. Finally, the child’s love for the guardian prompts his parents to request the guardian to stay with the family for the sake of the child.

Inspired from Mere Lal, the film has a weak and slow first half which has songs coming in quick succession of one another. The drama begins after interval, and the emotions of the child make the appealing part of the second half. Although dialogues (K.K. Singh) are well-written, they are, at many places, too flowery for the mood of the film. The screenplay (Robin Bhatt) is dull and it has some flaws too. For one, the ferocity of the criminal (Akshay Kumar) doesn’t come across in the first half to justify the title, because he has been shown as a criminal with a golden heart. Secondly, the criminal’s refusal to hand over the child to his parents looks a bit contrived. Even more surprising is the pleading of the lawful parents before the criminal-turned-guardian to give them back their child! Also, the criminal’s partner (Ashutosh Rana), who would rather die in prison than reveal the whereabouts of his friend (Akshay) to the police, has a change of heart at the drop of a hat — he begins to thirst for Akshay’s blood after being released from jail.

Akshay Kumar does quite well. He looks handsome in the first half but his get-up after interval is not very pleasing to the eyes. Karisma Kapoor is effective in emotional scenes but she is missing in a major part of the second half. Shilpa Shetty also scores in emotional scenes, which is all she gets to do. Mohnish Bahl gets limited scope and is alright. Ashish Vidyarthi, as the inspector with a mission, is okay. Ashutosh Rana does not have a role to match his talent. Master Aditya Kapadia looks cute and does a fair job. Johny Lever is just about funny at a couple of places. Shakti Kapoor is so-so. Kader Khan and Jaspinder Narula, both in guest appearances, lend face value. Malay Chakravorty, Viju Khote, Huma Khan, Dinesh Hingoo, Dolly Bindra, Jeetu Verma, master Mohd. Shanu, master Manjyot Singh and the rest lend ordinary support.

Suneel Darshan’s direction is quite good. He shows a marked improvement over his previous film, Ajay. Anand Milind’s music is the best thing in the film. Songs are all very well-tuned and the pick of the lot are ‘Mere yaar dildar’, ‘Mere sapnon ke rajkumar’, ‘Tujhko na dekhoon toh’, ‘Kasam se’ and ‘Chhamak chham’. Song picturisations, however, definitely needed to be more eye-catching to do justice to the lovely tunes. Camerawork (Sameer Reddy) is reasonably good. Tinnu Verma’s action is fairly exciting. Editing is loose. Production and other technical values are alright.

On the whole, Jaanwar has appeal for the masses (action) and ladies (emotions) but nothing for the upper classes. It should do fair business where is has opened well as in Maharashtra, U.P., West Bengal, Bihar, C.P.C.I. Rajasthan, mainly in ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres.

Released on 23-12-’99 at Metro and on 24-12-’99 at 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru Niraj International. Publicity: excellent. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over. Opening was very good in U.P., Bihar, C.P. and Rajasthan.

LATEST POSITION

The good opening of JAANWAR this week in many parts of the country has brought joy in the trade.

Dahek is a complete washout. 1st week Bombay 12,56,070 (21%) from 11 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,97,465 from 5 cinemas; Solapur 78,948; Delhi  6,07,035 (19%) from 6 cinemas; Kanpur 98,028 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 62,878, Agra 98,000, Allahabad 60,360, Bareilly 34,918; Indore 32,864 (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 42,260.

………

Khoobsurat 4th week Bombay 19,49,893 (58.66%) from 7 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,07,587 from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 78,000; Solapur 91,387; Delhi 6,56,064 from 3 cinemas; Kanpur 87,999 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,06,464, Agra 62,323, Allahabad 33,800, Dehradun 70,122; Calcutta 1,50,652; Nagpur 1,02,503, Jabalpur (6 days) 72,089, Amravati (6 days) 1,16,854, Raipur (6 days) 77,696, 3rd week Jalgaon (6 days) 77,515, 1st week Wardha 90,558, 2nd week Yavatmal 45,613 (1st 1,03,745); 4th week Indore 95,393, Bhopal 72,607; Jaipur 1,37,678; Hyderabad (gross) 3,34,810 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

Collections of Hum Saath-Saath Hain have improved in 7th week over those in the previous week/s in East Punjab mainly. 7th week Bombay 10,23,043 (40%) from 4 cinemas (9 on F.H.), 3rd week Bhayandar (gross) 70,794; 7th week Ahmedabad 2,38,690 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 1,81,051, Surat 1,93,400, 3rd week Kadi 65,300, 7th Rajkot (14 shows) 73,488, Jamnagar 58,118, Bhavnagar 66,003, Surendranagar 34,385; Nasik 1,33,500, Solapur 1,69,931, Sangli 64,400, Ahmednagar 91,200; Hubli 93,893, Belgaum 91,234, 3rd week Nippani 51,144, Bijapur (6 days) 62,537; 7th week Delhi 7,47,461 from 4 cinemas; Kanpur 1,24,807, Lucknow 2,70,931, Agra 1,70,000, Varanasi 1,26,286, Allahabad 1,01,590, Meerut 86,000, Bareilly 68,108, Jhansi 64,948, Dehradun 1,07,681, Moradabad 53,779, Gorakhpur 66,549, Aligarh 62,436, 3rd week Hardwar 65,000; 7th week Ludhiana 2,46,050, Jammu 79,550, Patiala 83,845; Calcutta 6,39,098 from 6 cinemas; Patna 2,33,050; 4th week Guwahati 77,362; 7th Bhubaneswar 48,402; Nagpur 3,65,677 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur (gross) 2,87,107; Amravati 1,60,902, total 17,55,463, Akola 1,19,213, Dhule 73,615, Raipur 2,27,497, Bhilai 71,626, 5th week Durg 58,542, 7th week Jalgaon 1,26,922, Bhusawal 87,777, 4th week Balaghat 68,317, 7th week Gondia 72,255, Wardha 35,207, Chandrapur 1,36,350, total 16,26,068, Yavatmal 68,018, Khandwa 1,12,856, total 13,96,222; Indore 1,61,037 (3 on F.H.), Sehore 43,750; Jaipur 5,95,480, Jodhpur (gross) 2,95,000 (6th 3,54,000), Ajmer 83,546 (6th 78,238); Hyderabad (gross) 7,87,254 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon); Aurangabad 1,58,836; Bangalore 4,06,389 from 2 cinemas; Madras 1,50,797.

Titanic (dubbed) was adversely affected due to Ramzan. 1 week Delhi 6,48,422 (32.79%) from 3 cinemas.

Maa Baap Ne Bhulsho Nahin (Gujarati; TF) 1st week Ahmedabad 7,19,175 from 5 cinemas; Rajkot 1,47,000. Very good.

Dariya Chhoru (Gujarati; TF) 3rd week Ahmedabad 1,66,873 from 2 cinemas; 1st week Bombay 5,56,077 (40.02%) from 3 cinemas.

‘HS-SH’: PRINT POSITION

Until two weeks back (that is, before the commencement of Ramzan), 316 prints of HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN were in circulation in India. In the Ramzan period, about 100 prints were withdrawn in the last two weeks. The number of prints will be increased from Jan. 7 and brought back to the pre-Ramzan level on 14th Jan. A total of 130 prints have been taken out for Overseas.

MADHURI DIXIT’S WEDDING RECEPTION A SELECT AFFAIR

The wedding reception of Madhuri Dixit and Dr. Shriram Nene on 18th December at The Club was a select affair. Besides family member, relatives and friends, a limited number of people from the industry were invited for the reception in Bombay. Madhuri and Shriram had got married in Los Angeles on 17th October.

The couple, who had a short honeymoon soon after their marriage, were off on a trip to many countries on 22nd December. Madhuri will return to India in the second week of January 2000.

The actress, whose Pukar and Gaja-Gamini are ready for release, will continue to act in films. In fact, inside reports have it that she has already signed two films of top directors. In one, she co-stars with three heroes and in the other, she pairs with another heroine and a hero.

‘Q’ OF BOND MOVIE DEAD

Desmond Llewelyn, who played the eccentric inventor, Q, in 17 James Bond films, including the latest, The World Is Not Enough, died on 20th December in a car crash in South England. He was returning to London from a promotional campaign for a book about life, which had been released at the premiere of his film, The World Is Not Enough. He was 85.

AJAY DEVGAN GRANTED PERMISSION TO SHOOT

A division bench of the Madras high court, on 23rd December, granted permission to Ajay Devgan to shoot his Raju Chacha on the set he had constructed in the Udhagamandalam (Ooty) reserve forests. The bench, comprising Justice R. Jayasimha Babu and Justice P. Sathasivam, quashed the order of the district forest officer rescinding an earlier order, granting permission for putting up a huge set in the area.

YOU ASKED IT

Is Mela a rehash of Caravan?

– It draws inspiration from CARAVAN and MERA GAON MERA DESH. But, obviously, director Dharmesh Darshan must’ve added his touches.

How come, nobody has thought of registering titles like Y2K, Millennium, Saal 2000, and the like?

– You never know, enthusiastic producers may register the titles you’ve suggested before you even know it!

Can one buy the Indian remaking rights of a foreign film screened at film festivals here?

– Of course, if the foreign film’s producer is willing to sell them. If not, our producers have the knack of remaking them even without their rights!

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Badal’ On Feb. 11

Mixing of Aftab Music Industries’ Badal is in progress. Produced by Salim and directed by Raj Kanwar from his own story, the film stars Bobby Deol, Rani Mukerji, Ashutosh Rana, Mayuri Kango, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Ashish Vidyarthi, Johny Lever, Upasna Singh, Shahbaaz Khan, Neena Kulkarni and Amrish Puri. Music: Anu Malik. Lyrics: Sameer. Screenplay: Robin Bhatt and Sutanu Gupta. Dialogues: Santosh Saroj. The film is scheduled for release on Feb. 11.

‘Mission Kashmir’ 15-Day Spell

Writer-producer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra started a fifteen-day shooting schedule of Vinod Chopra Productions’ Mission Kashmir on Dec. 13 on a set at Film City. Many scenes are being picturised featuring all the artistes. Starring Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Sonali Kulkarni, the film has music by Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonca. All the songs have already been recorded.

MULTIPLEXES IN GUJARAT

Government Clarification Causes Panic

The clarification, issued by the Gujarat government, in recent press advertisements regarding the tax exemption policy for new entertainment complexes in the state has sent shock waves among those planning such complexes. Although it is only a clarificatory notice and reiterates the position that already existed, people planning multiplexes in the state are panicking because they had interpreted the government policy on entertainment complexes insofar as it related to calculation of entertainment tax, differently.

The clarification mentions that the policy does not envisage that entertainment tax has been waived off but rather that tax exemption has been granted for the period of 10 years or till the investment in the multiplex is recovered, whichever is earlier. The clarification further provides for the maintenance of a pass book wherein the entertainment tax relief per week will be deducted from the total investment.

Since it is a tax relief, it implies that the multiplexes can neither collect entertainment tax from the paying public nor pay the same to the government treasury. This would imply that the admission rates charged by such multiplexes are the nett rates, and the tax to be deducted in the pass book would be calculated on the said rates. Multiplex owners would, on the other hand, interpret the policy to suggest that their admission rates were gross and only a part of that comprised entertainment tax collected but not payable to the government. In such an interpretation, the tax which is to be deducted from the investment in the pass book would be much lower every week.

At places like Gandhinagar, where tax is permitted to be compounded, the difference in the interpretations may not give rise to a very big difference in the tax calculations. But in places where tax is not allowed to be compounded, the entertainment tax calculated under the two interpretations would be very different — almost there times more by governmental interpretation than by multiplex owners’ interpretation.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Y3K… Not Y2K!

With the new millennium around the corner, the most commonly used term this last month of the old millennium is ‘Y2K’. An intelligent producer, wishing to remain anonymous, quipped, “While the concern the world over is the Y2K problem in computers, our film industry has another serious problem. It is called ‘Y3K’! ‘Y3K’ stands for ‘Why 3 Khans?’ That is to say, why is the industry so driven by only the three Khans — Aamir, Salman and Shah Rukh?” The producer further wondered, “Today, if you announce a film with any of the three Khans, music companies would fall over one another to acquire the music rights at crazy prices. Ditto, the Overseas distributors. But if your film does not have any Khan, no music company would even care to see who is your music director or how good is your music. For them, the three Khans are akin to sone ki khaan. But they would do well to remember that all that glitters is not gold! So, why so much importance to the three Khans? Y3K?” Any solution to the Y3K problem, anyone?!?

Out-Of-Tune Rumours

Rumours are rumours but they can sometimes harm the subject of the rumours badly. As the rumours concerning the singing career of playback singer Shailendra Singh are harming him. There was baseless talk of Shailendra having given up singing recently, but the singer, who shot to fame with Bobby, clarified, “I am shocked, and totally unaware about how these rumours emanated.” Rishi Kapoor telephoned Shailendra recently and expressed surprise that the singer did not partake in the Raj Kapoor celebration organised by Sony abroad last month. It is Rishi who told Shailendra Singh that he had heard rumours about him quitting singing. Surprised at the false talk, Shailendra informed Rishi that he could not participate, much as he would have liked to, because Sony had never contacted him for the same. “I’ve not quit singing,” the singer informed Information and added, “I’m lending my voice to a lot of songs for television serials and am also scoring music in films and serials.” So there!

Daddy Cool

Hrithik Roshan was a hit in Delhi among the youngsters on 22nd December during the screening of the songs of his launch pad, dad Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. A live show with Hrithik Roshan and Amisha Patel dancing to the film’s songs, was choreographed by the film’s choreographer, Farah Khan. The lead pair was cheered by the youth among the invitees. All the adulation that the pair got at the show made Rakesh Roshan feel cool enough to calculate the response his film would get.

A ‘Moving’ Performance

An ardent activist, she has always believed in raising a voice of protest against various ills and injustices.

Shabana Azmi on 22nd December raised her voice in the Rajya Sabha too, but in doing so, she was moved to tears following sharp exchanges between her and Shiv Sena member Sanjay Nirupam. Her objection to a statement against a minority community, made by the Sena member brought tears to her eyes as she rushed towards the chair of the House to lodge her protest. The chair later reprimanded the Sena member.

INFORMATION MEETS

“Today, I am completely focussed on my film career.”

– ANJAN SRIVASTAVA

The lovable Mr. Wagle from the tele-serial Wagle Ki Duniya, Anjan Srivastava, is down-to-earth in real life just like the character which he made immemorable on the small screen. Even today, years after the serial made its first appearance, he is unable to shake the image of Wagle off completely. “Yeh ek character ne mujhe itna pareshaan kiya hai ki bas, poochho mat,” he admits. On his part, he has constantly strived to do all kind of roles in order to prove his versatility, notable among which are his negative role in Boney Kapoor’s Santoshi-directed Pukar and another in NFDC’s Chhuti Kar Doonga, both unreleased films.

Information recently met this widely-respected film actor, television star and theatre stalwart over a chat. Excerpts:

Some good roles in the past year or so. How does it feel?

– Good, I guess. Both, Bandhan and Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, were successes. Khoobsurat has just released while the releases of Pukar and Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani are around the corner. It is an exciting going right now. Yes, China Gate didn’t do too well, but I guess that happens sometimes….

Tell us more about your experience of working in CHINA GATE.

– If you were to describe China Gate in very simple terms, you can say that it was the fitoor (whim) of Rajkumar Santoshi. He realised that whenever one talks of the best films or the best actors, one invariably talks of Hollywood. It disturbed him that whenever we compare our films with those made in the West, we say, yes, they are the best films. Especially now, when filmmakers all over the world are looking to Eastern countries for subjects and actors. Sadly, the all too human tendency of not letting outsiders enter one’s own market is what prevents more Eastern talent from getting a break there.

Let me stray a little here. I remember working with Mira Nair in Mississippi Masala some years ago. She had to literally fight it out with her American colleagues in order to include Indian talent in the project. They used to often ask her why she insisted on casting Indian actors in the film. They went on arguing endlessly even after Mira explained to them that she needed Indian actors because her characters were Indian!

Coming back to the point I was making earlier, the Italian cameraman of Mississippi Masala used to often tell me how they had no fresh subjects in the West, especially woman-oriented ones. Given this, I quite appreciate Santoshi’s belief that Indian films had the necessary talent to compete in the world market. Of course, this talent had to be presented in a befitting manner. So, he took several good character actors and, regardless of their ages and looks, made them the heroes of his film. He made China Gate a commercial film with a twofold aim that it went down well with the audience here and yet, enabled us to show to the West that we had some of the best actors in India. All of us were very thrilled with Rajkumar Santoshi’s vision and the respect he gave us as actors. On my part, I thoroughly enjoyed working in China Gate and can say that this time, Raj gave full justice to my role — something he couldn’t do in Barsaat and Ghatak, where he was forced to chop down my roles as the films had become too lengthy. Raj also gave us actors the respect we deserved, treated us with a lot of maturity and made full payments to us, even when in doing so, he had to bear losses.

Why is it that even after leaving a mark in films like DAMINI and KABHI HAAN KABHI NAA, one doesn’t see you very often on screen? Is it because you are too selective or…

– …Actually, I have received a lot of appreciation for a number of roles that I have played before the ones you have mentioned. Even in my earlier films, be they Loha, Shahenshah, Main Azaad Hoon or K. Vishwanath’s Sangeet, my roles have been liked a great deal.

I have never had any qualms about acting in commercial set-ups. I have always accepted every role that has come my way. Of course, sometimes it so happens that I am offered a film, but can’t take it up — as it once happened with K. Bapaiah’s film — because I have already committed the dates required, to someone else.

Apart from that, one of the reasons I got fewer offers was the perception in the trade that I haven’t ‘struggled’ much, so to speak. Perhaps, that’s true. Another thing that may have gone against me is the fact that I couldn’t use the media to my advantage like other actors did to theirs. When I began to be appreciated in Damini, I couldn’t figure out how to use my new-found success to push my case forward. But, I guess, that is purely my fault.

Mr. Wagle’s is probably one of the most successful characters on Indian television. Comment.

– What can I say? I can only say that it was because of team effort. Everyone on the team worked very hard on the serial, and I have always believed that if every small person on a project gives his optimum inputs — like we did on Wagle Ki Duniya — then there is no way it will fail.

On the flip side, Wagle became a very strong image for me to break free from. I tried acting in a variety of roles, but the Wagle image continued to haunt me for some time. I even did negative roles in films like Yodha, Shahenshah, Ghar Jamai, Main Azaad Hoon and Ghulami just to shake off the image. In fact, only some time back, before Rajkumar Santoshi offered me Pukar, he told me that my character was developing into a negative one, and nobody seemed to want to accept me in such a role. But somehow, he decided on me eventually, and I am happy that both, the film and my character in it, have turned out very good.

And what else does the future hold in store for you?

– I am looking forward to doing films that — as you had mentioned earlier — I deserve. I had even said the same thing to Anil Pandit of NFDC during negotiations for the role of the Maharaja of Baroda in Babasaheb Ambedkar. I asked him why I should accept a film for Rs. 25,000 when I had, after years of hard work, succeeded in having my price hiked to Rs. 5,00,000 today. In spite of doing every film that the NFDC had offered me in the past, all I had been getting in return were lame excuses and very low remunerations, I argued. Finally, I said, “Aap log kab tak mujhe bewaqoof banaaoge?” Anil Pandit then told me that the NFDC was about to start a new film called Chhutti Kar Doonga, in which I would be given a role and remuneration suitable to my calibre. True to his word, Chhutti Kar Doonga, even though being directed by a new director, has given me ample scope for performance. What is so unique about the film is that it is made within the commercial format where even songs are picturised on me — one of them with my lip-synch! Needless to add, this is one release I am looking forward to at the moment. Besides Pukar and Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, both of which should release soon, there is ABCL’s Loveria, which is complete too and awaiting release. Presently, I have signed Dr. D. Rama Naidu’s Aaghaaz, apart from Rajkumar Santoshi’s next and Kundan Shah’s next. I have also done a guest appearance in Mansoor Khan’s Josh. I play a key role in Parto Ghosh’s Dil Ke Aas Paas.

Today, I am completely focussed on my film career. I  am trying not to repeat the mistakes that I have made earlier. Yes, I will continue doing theatre and television, but very selectively. Right now, I am aiming to win the National Award for the best actor in a film. I know, I can do it, but I am depending on the makers to give me roles that justify my capabilities.

– RAJ VAIDYA

Fortune Favours The Brave

We’ve often heard this one — fortune favours the brave. And just at the turn of the millennium, we’ve got proof that fortune, in fact, sides with the brave-hearted.

At a time when producers would shy away from releasing their films, producer-director Suneel Darshan dared to come with his Jaanwar. Ramzan has, for years, been considered a very dull period for the release of big and star-cast films as a lot of Muslims abstain from visiting cinemas during this month. But Suneel Darshan dared to be different. And look, what happened! Despite the dull period, the film opened to pretty impressive houses at most of the places. By Ramzan standards, the opening of Jaanwar can be described as lovely. At least as far as the initial goes, Suneel’s  gamble has paid off. What must have given Suneel confidence to release his film in Ramzan was the film’s hit music score which had grown in popularity over the last few weeks. Coupled with the melodious songs were the well-made promotional trailers of the film for theatrical screening and telecast on satellite channels. A word about the trailers — they gave the impression of what the film was and were in sync with the title. Of course, the Christmas holidays and the absence of release of a proper star-cast film since a couple of weeks also helped in ensuring a good start for the film.

One more brave producer who reaped the fortune of his bravado earlier this year was Vashu Bhagnani. He released his Biwi No. 1 right when World Cup cricket matches were being played with India as a participating team. Leave alone the World Cup, even other international cricket matches make produces and distributors jittery, but Vashu threw caution and tradition to the winds. His film, too, was backed by a brilliant publicity campaign. Despite the cricket, Biwi No. 1 bowled the industry over with its superb opening then.

Moral of the story: Don’t be scared of myths. If you have the courage and the conviction, you can well explode them.

– Komal Nahta

RAJA HINDUSTANI

Cineyug’s Raja Hindustani is a brilliant film with a very Indian story. A taxi driver-cum-tourist guide falls in love with a millionaire’s only daughter. The girl, much against her father’s wishes, spurns every one to get married to the driver. Her scheming step-mother, however, will not let the marriage succeed even though the father soon gives his acceptance to the marriage. All hell breaks loose in the happily married couple’s life as the wretched step-mother creates misunderstandings between the husband and wife. Things reach a stage when the two separate from each other. The step-mother tries her best to ensure that the separation gives way to divorce, but does not succeed. Ultimately, the misunderstandings are cleared after a bit of action drama, and the couple unites again.

The major part of the first half is light and fun-filled. A couple of reels before the interval, it takes a serious and dramatic turn and that’s where the film involves the viewer completely. Many of the light portions of the hero (Aamir Khan) are quite enjoyable, but if a couple of scenes lack in entertainment value, it is mainly because one has seen Aamir do similar things in Rangeela and not because of a defect in scripting. However, the initial two reels are quite routine. The second half abounds in emotions and histrionics.

Although the pre-interval portion reminds of Jab Jab Phool Khile and the post-interval portion, of Pyar Jhukta Nahin, there are some new angles to the story and the fresh presentation, all of which lend it the desired novel effect. Principal among the new angles are: (i) the hero’s refusal to sign the divorce papers supposedly sent by his wife, because of his firm belief that marriage is a sacred institution which cannot be broken with the stroke of a pen; and (ii) the heroine’s refusal to divorce her husband. These two scenes reaffirm one’s faith in the institution of marriage and are so reassuring that they will be fantastic scoring points to make the ladies audience love — no, adore — the film. The refusals, of the husband first and the wife later, come at moments when one actually expects that they would sign the divorce papers. The shock value, coupled with the heartwarming feeling one experiences after these two scenes, are enough to bowl the ladies audience over and make them patronise this film in a very big way.

Performances of at least three lead artistes — Aamir Khan, Karisma Kapoor and Archna Puran Singh — are award-winning. Aamir does a fantastic job, especially in the dramatic and serious scenes. His drunken scene, in which he is a picture of frustration, bitterness and confusion, is mind-blowing and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that few could have done it with so much finesse and restraint as Aamir. Karisma Kapoor is the surprise packet of the film. All awards this year for the best actress need to be reserved for Karisma who is simply superb in the film. Not once does she go overboard; she comes up with a truly mesmerising performance. Her histrionics are fantastic. With this film, Karisma makes a comfortable place for herself in the top bracket. That she looks gorgeous in her new hair-style in the first half is an added advantage. Archna Puran Singh, as her horrible step-mother, is wonderful. With her typical acting, she gives the role a different dimension. Suresh Oberoi acts extremely ably. Johny Lever brings the house down with his comedy. The guy makes every scene in which he appears, a thoroughly enjoyable one. In particular, the scene in which he prostrates before Archna is excellent.

Navnit Nishan is cute and makes her presence felt. Veeru Krishan is also very good. Farida Jalal acts with perfect restraint. Pramod Moutho is effective. Mohnish Bahl has very little scope but is, nevertheless, natural. Tiku Talsania and master Kunal Khemu lend admirable support. Kalpana Iyer and Pratibha Sinha leave a mark in their appearances in only one song.

If the performances are award-winning, so are the dialogues (Javed Siddique and Dharmesh Darshan). The brilliant performances and the hard-hitting dialogues combine together to make several scenes worthy of thunderous applause. Falling in this category are: (i) Karisma’s announcement that she could forgo not one but a hundred houses for the love of her husband; (ii) Aamir’s tearing of the divorce papers; (iii) Karisma complimenting her father for having cursed her; (iv) Aamir asking his father-in-law to shut up and not interfere between him and his wife; (v) Karisma making her step-mother feel guilty for having misused her title of mother, etc. etc.

Dharmesh Darshan scores in every department — direction, scripting and extracting performances. The best part of his story and narration is that it is totally Indian in content, feel and presentation. His understanding of the medium is masterly and he knows how to blend drama, emotions, romance, comedy and music fruitfully. Here’s another young director who shines on the film firmament and who will be extremely sought-after.

Yet another award-winning department is the music. Nadeem Shravan are in top form and their songs are a virtual delight. The ‘Pardesi pardesi’ number is already a rage and its tune and picturisation (the first version) should draw deafening applause in cinema halls, especially when Kalpana Iyer asks Aamir to sing so that she can dance. The other two versions of the ‘Pardesi’ song are also excellent. Its use in the climax is masterly. ‘Poochho zara poochho’ is also excellently tuned. ‘Aaye ho meri zindagi meini’ has lilt. The blending of ‘Pardesi’ and ‘Aaye ho’ songs at the time of the couple’s separation is intelligent. Sameer’s lyrics also deserve distinction marks. Song picturisations are beautiful.

Action scenes are well composed but, it must be said, the action climax looks a bit out of place. Another sore point is that Aamir Khan has no dialogues to utter in the entire climax. Production values are of a good standard. Background music is appropriate. W.B. Rao’s camerawork is of top class. Editing is sharp.

On the whole, Raja Hindustani is a confirmed super-hit. It has taken a mind-blowing start and, on the strength of ladies and family audience as well as heavy patronage by youngsters, it is poised to create history in the initial weeks — from North to South and East to West.

Released on 14-11-’96 at Metro and on 15-11-’96 at 14 other cinemas of Bombay by Tips Films P. Ltd. and Cineyug thru Shringar Films. Publicity: extraordinary. Opening: bumper. …….Also released all over with fantastic response.

LATEST POSITION

The fanciful and fantastic opening of RAJA HINDUSTANI this week is the best Diwali gift the industry could have asked for. Last week’s GHATAK has also grossed tremendous collections.

Raja Hindustani (released on 11th/12th/13th/14th) has created records almost everywhere. 1st week Baroda (4 days) 100%, Padra (4 days) 1,35,632 (100%), Rajkot (4 days) 74,000, Jamnagar (4 days) 95,136 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.), Bhuj (3 days) 100%; Pune (4 days) 2,62,704 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.), Kolhapur (4 days) 100%, Nasik (4 days) 1,84,512 (100%), record; Allahabad (4 days) 85,020 (100%), Bareilly (3 days) 80,267 (100%), Gorakhpur (3 days) 68,800 (100%), theatre record; Nagpur 1st day 1,22,696 from 4 cinemas, Akola (3 days) 75,959 (100%), theatre record, Raipur (2 days) 65,391, Jalgaon (3 days) 1,06,110, Khandesh record, Wardha (3 days) 42,994, theatre record, Chandrapur (3 days) 98,290, city record, Yavatmal (3 days) 42,107 (100%); Bhopal (3 days) 1,96,000 from 3 cinemas.

Ghatak, after a somewhat shaky three days (of pre-Diwali), consolidated its position fabulously and went on to record wonderful collections in 1st week. The 2nd week has also started extremely well. 1st week Bombay 59,87,217 (90.97%) from 16 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 11,67,218 from 7 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Baroda 91% from 2 cinemas, Bharuch (gross) 2,83,612, Patan (gross) 2,14,886, city record, Jamnagar (mat.) 39,554 (1 in regular unrecd.), Adipur 1,35,251, district record; Pune 16,33,674 from 7 cinemas (1 in mat.), Kolhapur 1,83,078, Satara 1,56,982 (91.57%) from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.), Nasik 2,14,000; Belgaum 2,38,022 from 2 cinemas, record, Nipani 1,16,218; Delhi 44,70,594 (82.86%) from 14 cinemas (1 cinema on F.H.); Kanpur 4,05,691 from 2 cinemas, Agra 2,36,252, Allahabad 1,55,000, Meerut 2,14,007 (100%), theatre record, Bareilly 1,23,687 (67.83%), Gorakhpur 1,49,400 (70.70%); Calcutta 20,34,652 from 15 cinemas; Nagpur 5,61, 818 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,51,039, Amravati 2,54,969 from 2 cinemas, Akola 1,85,444, Raipur (6 days) 1,49,112, Bhilai (6 days) 1,03,000, Durg 1,34,874, city record, Jalgaon 1,70,173, Chandrapur (29 shows) 1,84,191, city record, Yavatmal 1,04,045, Bilaspur 1,64,113; Bhopal (3 days) 2,52,791 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 6,36,555 from 3 cinemas, Jodhpur 4,24,339, Ajmer 1,22,845 (100%), Bikaner 3,00,541, city record, Kota 1,51,834, Udaipur 100%, Alwar (4 days) 1,34,048; Hyderabad 28,99,947 from 13 cinemas, share 14,91,311.

……….

YOU ASKED IT

Is the bumper opening of Raja Hindustani a result of the Diwali period?

– Only partly. The major credit for the almost unprecedented opening goes to the super-hit Pardesi pardesi song and the film’s promotion and publicity.

Why has Rakshak been postponed by a week?

– According to its maker, Ashok Honda, the theatrical trailers, which are being screened in cinemas from this week only, need to be screened for at least 2 weeks to create the desired impact.

Is it necessary to have a novel subject if the film is to be a hit?

– If there is no novelty in subject, even novelty in presentation/narration can suffice.

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Mr. Dayanand Mandre of DRM Combines, Bangalore, will be in Bombay at Hotel Kemp’s Corner (363-4666/4646/4655) from Nov. 18 to 21.

Mr. Omprakash Agarwal of Rekha Movies, Calcutta, will reach Bombay on 18th November.

Mr. Naraindas Mukhija of Shree Navchitra Distributors P. Ltd., Jaipur, is in town (626-0106).

CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain is in Jaipur to attend the meeting of the executive committee of the CCCA.

Mr. N.D. Kabra and Mr. Laloo Kabra of Vishwajyoti Films, Bhusawal, are expected in Bombay early next week.

Producer Mahendra Dhariwal (HATYARA) will reach Bombay (633-2496) tonight (16th November).

K. PAPPU, RAJ KANWAR BEREAVED

Jeet Singh Kanwar, father of producer-directors K. Pappu and Raj Kanwar, expired in Delhi on 11th November. He was 65 and is survived by four sons and a daughter.

WEDDING BELLS FOR PAWAN KUMAR’S SON

A reception to celebrate the wedding of Anil, son of producer Pawan Kumar, with Renu will be held on 26th November at Lokhandwala Garden, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (W), Bombay.

GUL ANAND DEAD

Producer and Bombay and Overseas distributor Gul Anand passed away peacefully at his Pune residence following a heart attack on 12th November. He was 55. The marka ceremony was held on 15th at Peddar Road, Bombay.

Gul Anand had made films like Khatta Meetha, Chashme Buddoor, Jalwa and Hero Hiralal. He also continued the Overseas distribution business of his father. Gul considered Amitabh Bachchan his lucky mascot and made sure, his films had a fleeting appearance by the superstar.

Gul was both, a connoisseur of cinema as well as good food. His keen interest in healthy food prompted him to start a delicatessen at his office at Nana Chowk, Bombay. The delicatessen was very popular among the city’s elite. He also produced a serial on the royal dishes, Shahi Daawat, which is being aired on Zee TV. Gul also co-authored a book on food guide of Bombay and Nepal.

At the time of his death, he was producing a television serial which was not yet on air. He also had plans to start a film.

Gul was young at heart and fun-loving. He was very fond of inviting friends over for lunch or dinner which he would himself very painstakingly prepare.

SUBHASH GHAI, SUNIL BANSAL BEREAVED

Akhtar Farooqui, producer of Karz and father-in-law of Subhash Ghai and Rajasthan distributor Sunil Bansal, passed away in Bombay at Nanavati Hospital on 10th November after a brief illness. He was 72. He is survived by two daughters and five sons. The condolence prayers will be held at his Versova residence on 19th November from 7 p.m. onwards.

Quite ironically, his Karz was being telecast on DD-2 at the time of his death.

AKASHDEEP TO WED

Marriage of Akashdeep, son of producer-director Manmohan Sabir, with Sheeba, will be solemnised on 27th November at Hotel Horizon. A reception to celebrate the wedding will be held the same evening.

CENSOR NEWS

Shivam Chitrya’s (Bombay) Chhote Sarkar was given C.C. No. CIL/1/66/96 (U) dt. 14-11-’96; length 4404.97 metres in 18 reels (cuts: 61.82 metres).

Vishesh Films P. Ltd.’s Dastak was given C.C. No. CIL/3/37/96 (A) dt. 8-11-’96; length 4072.74 metres in 16 reels (minor deletion in sound only).

INDIAN ENGLISH FILMS

Mirabai Films’ Kama Sutra: A Tale Of Love was seen by the revising committee on 14th.

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

Salman To Start Film Starring Himself, Kajol, Arbaaz

Salman Khan’s production banner, G.S. Entertainment, will launch its first venture starring Salman Khan, Kajol and Arbaaz Khan in lead roles, on Nov. 19 with a song recording at Sunny Super Sounds. Sohail Khan directs the film which is being produced jointly by Guneet Walia and Sohail Khan. A Vashu Bhagnani presentation, it has music by Jatin Lalit. Lyrics: Sameer. Action: Mahendra Verma. Art: Sharmishtha Roy. Editing: Muthu. The first shooting schedule will begin from December 20.

Bokadia’s ‘Lal Badshah’ To Roll On 17th

Producer-director K.C. Bokadia’s Lal Badshah will mount the sets on Nov. 17 on a set at Film City. It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Manisha Koirala, Shilpa Shetty, Amrish Puri, Mukesh Rishi and others. Music is scored by Aadesh Srivastava.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Instant Reaction

Producers being producers, they will never miss an opportunity to hike the prices of their films even if the hike is merely in their thoughts. No sooner did Raja Hindustani release this week to bumper houses than one producer telephoned us to enquire whether he could get a price of Rs. 3 crore for his almost complete star-studded project. “2 crore is old story now. Business has increased so much so fast that films should now be sold at higher prices,” said the producer. Whether business has shot up “so fast” or not, one doesn’t know, but what definitely is “so fast” is the reaction of producers to any hit.

‘Kama Sutra’: A Tale Of Trouble

Mira Nair’s Kama Sutra: A Tale Of Love is in censor trouble. The examining committee of the CBFC offered a number of cuts which Mira reportedly accepted. But the committee had a change of mind and instead refused certificate to the film. In spite of Mira Nair’s acceptance of the cuts, the film was referred to the revising committee. Probably, the members of the examining committee developed cold feet because of the nature of the film and decided to play safe and let the revising committee take the decision. When CBFC chairman Shakti Samanta was asked to see the film, he is reported to have said, “I don’t see films as a matter of principle.”

Marital Problems? No Problem!

If you meet Boney Kapoor in the near future, don’t be surprised if you find him in his elements. Boney is thrilled because three major hits of this year — Raja Hindustani, Saajan Chale Sasural and Agni Sakshi — have one thing in common: problems in the married lives of the hero (heroes) and heroine (heroines). So why should Boney Kapoor be happy about this common problem, you might ask. Well, it’s because his forthcoming film, Judaai, is also the story of one man who has two wives, and the problems that follow.

Dancing Dames

Yet another common point — not in the three hits of this year but in two films released recently and one forthcoming film. They all have one song-dance number picturised on a well-known heroine who is seen in that film in just that song. Ghatak has Mamta Kulkarni dancing with dance director Ganesh in Maara re. In Raja Hindustani, one gets to see Pratibha Sinha in the Pardesi pardesi number. And in Rakshak will be seen Raveena Tandon in the Shaher ki ladki song-dance.

Mathematical Logic

When a film bombs, there’s no dearth of sarcastic comments which make the rounds in trade circles. But one got to hear some really good ones when Raja Hindustani proved a hit on day one itself. Said a smart Alec, “Raja Hindustani in Bombay will do business equal to that of Raja plus Hindustani.” Touch wood! An exhibitor, referring to the hit business of Raja Hindustani and Ghatak, remarked, “History is repeating itself. In 1990, it was Aamir Khan’s Dil and Sunny Deol’s Ghayal, which were released on the same day, and both went on to become hits. Now, six years later, it is Sunny’s Ghatak and Aamir’s Raja Hindustani. They were released almost simultaneously — the former on 8th November, and the latter on 11th.”

RELEASES UNCERTAIN

Releases of all forthcoming films are uncertain in view of the ongoing cinema closure in Maharashtra. A number of producers have planned their releases from Feb. 7 onwards to take advantage of the Idd period, but the release plans are all subject to the reopening of cinemas in Maharashtra. Saawan Kumar’s Salma Pe Dil Aagaya will, perhaps, be the only major film which will be released on 9th February even if the bandh is not called off.

Cinema Closure In Maharashtra
Deadlock Continues

The deadlock in the matter of cinema closure in Maharashtra continues, with the government adopting a tough and rigid stand that it would not grant any relief or concession before March 5 until which the election code of conduct would remain in operation in the state. The code of conduct precludes the government from granting any relief, benefits or concession to anybody. The industry leaders, on their part, are making efforts to get negotiations restarted with the government. In a bid to woo the BJP ministers, who are said to have objected to the earlier settlement arrived at (on 6th January) between their partners, the Shiv Sena, and the action committee of the film industry, the latter is now seeking appointment with BJP’s Gopinath Munde. An early meeting with Munde, who returned from Delhi only on 16th January, is not ruled out.

In the meantime, TOA president U.A. Thadani on behalf of the action committee denied that the industry had been asked to reopen the cinemas before any settlement came about.

The action committee is also going all out to seek a more pronounced support from the production sector. Towards this end, it has arranged a meeting with several top producers and those whose films are ready for an early release, on Monday, January 20, at Gaiety-Galaxy cinema complex.

Whilst the leaders are making efforts for a settlement, exhibitors, especially from ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres, have started losing their patience and and are pressing the action committee for calling off the bandh. Some cinemas in ‘A’ class centres are also said to be keen that they be allowed to reopen soon in view of the Idd festival during which box-office collections are known to look up. But distributors of C.P. Berar submitted a written memorandum to the CCCA, asking it not to call off the closure by accepting 100% entertainment tax, under any circumstances. The memorandum states that if 100% tax rate is accepted, the business of small and flop films will be badly affected as admission rates will go up.

Even as the cinema closure entered its 18th day today, cinemas of Marathwada continue to function and are paying entertainment tax at the new enhanced rate of 100%.

Meanwhile, a couple of Marathi film producers and distributors have decided to offer their prints to any cinema owner who is prepared to release them, in view of the fact that there is no solution in sight for the ongoing bandh. The current season is one of yatras (pilgrimages) in Maharashtra, a period known to be bountiful for the box-office. The Marathi film producers and distributors do not want to lose out on this golden period and hence their decision to call off the bandh. It may be mentioned here that touring cinemas in the state have been permitted right from the start to continue their operations and not remain closed.

Whatever the progress on the front of the cinema bandh, the next two or three days will be very crucial and a final and definite outcome may materalise next week.

STOP PRESS

It is reliably learnt that Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has expressed the Maharashtra government’s inability to grant any relief in entertainment tax till 5th March, on which date the election code of conduct will cease to apply. While he is also said to have expressed a desire that some concession needed to be given to the industry in the matter of entertainment tax, he is reported to have asked that the closure be called off immediately.

It is, therefore, likely that after a meeting with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde in a couple of days, the action committee might decide to call off the cinema closure with the hope that some concession will be granted after March 5, 1997.

SANTOSH SINGH JAIN KO GUSSA KYON AATA HAI?

CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain lost his cool at the action committee meeting on 16th January when both, U.A. Thadani and N.N. Sippy, did not turn up at the meeting which was called to take stock of the situation of the cinema closure. When contacted, Thadani is said to have told Jain that since there was no headway made in the matter, he had excused himself from the meeting.

Upon this, Jain is said to have threatened to ask his members to reopen their cinemas without a settlement if the Bombay leaders continued to show scant interest in the matter. In fact, this statement of Santosh Singh Jain soon started doing the rounds of the trade circles and news spread fast that the C.P. Berar distributors and exhibitors were calling off the bandh. When contracted, Jain told Information, “No, we aren’t calling off the closure. My remarks were made in the heat of the moment, we don’t intend carrying out our threat.”

“We’d rather close down our cinemas forever than pay 100% entertainment tax”

– U.A. THADANI

Bombay exhibitor U.A. Thadani is known for his sharp tongue and short temper. The man minces no words and never hesitates in calling a spade a spade. When we called on him on 15th January, he was having an afternoon siesta in his office. “I’ve nothing to do,” he grinned as he opened his eyes and straightened himself in his chair. He was, obviously, referring to the ongoing cinema bandh in Maharashtra, precisely the reason why we had decided to interview him.

What is the latest on the closure front?

– Nothing. We are trying to fix up on a meeting with deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde but he is in Delhi today. Shatrughan Sinha, who is also in Delhi, met him there. We’ll, perhaps, get a chance to see him once he returns to Bombay.

But there are press reports that the government wants the closure to be called off before it has a dialogue with the industry.

– Rubbish! Nobody has conveyed this to us.

Will the action committee call off the bandh if the government asks it to do so before it has a dialogue?

– No way! We will not open the cinemas till we get the relief we are demanding. We can’t pay 100% entertainment tax, it is impossible.

What is the industry expecting to achieve?

– A definite relief, not merely promises.

Will the industry accept the 3-tier entertainment tax structure agreed to between Pramod Navalkar and the action committee on 6th January?

– Yes, we will accept that even today. We are not like the government which goes back on its word.

But what if the government refuses to grant any relief?

– We won’t open the cinemas. We’d rather close them down permanently than pay tax at the rate of 100%.

Exhibitors of small towns are getting impatient and want to reopen their cinemas as they are convinced, the government won’t grant any relief before March 5. Comment.

– This is not true. On the contrary, I receive phone calls everyday from cinemas in moffusil places, pledging their unstinted support to the bandh. Finally, the bandh will bear fruits for the benefit of all. If we agree on the 100% tax rate, a number of cinemas will find it difficult to run. They will close down. Already, with 50% entertainment tax, several cinemas have downed shutters. Imagine the scene then, with double the tax rate.

The government is said to be sore about exhibitors not spending the money collected by way of the tax-free service charge, for the maintenance of cinemas. How justified are exhibitors in not utilising this money for the purpose for which it has been allowed to be collected?

– If exhibitors don’t spend the money on maintenance, they have to refund the amount unspent to the government at the end of every year. Why, my own Deccan cinema in Pune refunded over Rs. 46,000 last year. On the other hand, there is no system of carrying forward any excess amount spent in a year on maintenance of a cinema, to be adjusted against the service charge collected in the following year.

How true is the government’s claim that 50% entertainment tax concession was given to the industry as a cinema centenary year gift?

– It is totally false. The gift was given in the 98th year of cinema and withdrawn in the centenary year which was 1996!

Why are the Marathwada exhibitors not supporting your call of cinema closure?

– There are various reasons for it. Of them, one is the fact that some cinemas in that region are owned by ministers. But let me tell you, the total revenue to the government from cinemas of this region is a mere 2 crore per year.

How true is the claim of some Marathi film producers that cinemas in districts of Sangli and Satara have reopened?

– It is utter nonsense. Not a single cinema in Satara or Sangli district is running. The bandh is total, barring the Marathwada region.

Do you think that the election code of conduct is a genuine excuse for not granting relief to the industry or is it a lame excuse?

– See, even in September 1996 when the 50% tax rate was extended for three-and-a-half months, till December 1996, the extension was given while the code of conduct was in operation. If the government wants to, it can still help the industry before 5th March.

Do you think that the BJP ministers did not approve of the settlement between Shiv Sena and the industry and, therefore, the relief was withdrawn before being granted?

– The BJP ministers may have felt ignored, and the industry is to be blamed for this. Quite unwittingly, we did not meet the ministers of the BJP but we have convinced them that this was not done intentionally or with any motive.

Why, according to you, is the government not keen to grant the relief being demanded by the cinemas?

– It has got a wrong impression that if the tax rate is doubled, from 50% to 100%, its revenue will also double. It should realise that attendance in cinemas will come down when the tax rate goes up. So, how can it earn more with 100% tax?

Till when do you think will the bandh continue?

– Till as long as the government doesn’t grant us relief. We are prepared to go on even after 5th March. But we do hope to break the ice with the government shortly, once we meet Gopinath Munde.

– Komal & Gautam

Firoz Nadiadwala Starts ‘Raftaar’ In Style

Producer Firoz A. Nadiadwala launched Base Industries Group’s Raftaar on Jan. 11 at Oberoi Towers. There was heavy security at the launch venue as it was attended by three VIPs — Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Hollywood star Steven Seagal.

Bal Thackeray lit the traditional lamp, Bharat Shah switched on the camera, Steven Seagal sounded the clapper-board, and Dilip Kumar directed the muhurt shot taken on Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar. Before the muhurt shot, a brilliant audio-visual was played for the invitees. Its sound was impeccable and it had been excellently shot.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who flew in from Karachi, also attended the launch party.

Raftaar is being directed by Priyadarshan. Its music is scored by Anu Malik, and lyrics are written by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Government Talking Through Its Hat

The Maharashtra government, in its talks with industry leaders over the issue of cinema closure, among other things, expressed displeasure that cinemas in the state were not screening Marathi films for a minimum fixed number of weeks, as desired by the government. Perhaps, the government does not know that if all the cinemas decided to screen Marathi films even for just one week in a year (of course, the government wants them to screen them for several weeks), many of them will have to remain closed. Because there just aren’t enough Marathi films produced. In 1996, only 11 Marathi films were made as against 22 in 1995 and an equal number in 1994.

Cheer Up, Monsieur Munde

Now that it’s clear that Gopinth Munde and his BJP put the spoke in the wheel during the talks for settlement of the issue of entertainment tax in Maharashtra and the consequent cinema closure, because they felt slighted and ignored by the industry, here’s a song which industry people should now sing to Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi:

Joshi dekh, haan dekh
Tera Munde bigda jaaye
Joshi dekh dekh dekh dekh dekh….

Maybe, then Joshi and Munde may have pity on the industry and do something for it!

GRAFFITI

What’s the new malady on sets, can you tell?
Well, well,
It’s the phone’s ringing bell
For the director, it spells H-E-L-L
This toy called Stars’ Cell-Tel.

GAIR

Released all over (in Bombay thru Dilsa Distributors) on November 7 (Sunday), Prakash Chitralaya’s Gair (UA) is a family drama. An orphan, found in a temple, is adopted by a poor lady. He grows up to become a top industrialist and in reaching the enviable position, he is helped by a benevolent industrialist. The jealous son of the benevolent industrialist resents his father’s assistance to the orphan, and adding fuel to the fire of resentment is the son’s maternal uncle. The jealousy reaches its zenith when the son accuses his father of being the father of the orphan too. In the end, the true identity of the orphan comes as a shocking revelation. Ultimately, the uncle is punished for his evil designs.

The story is routine and the screenplay relies on clichés. The revelation of the orphan’s identity has no relevance to the earlier part of the drama and if it does have relevance, the same is not clear in the narration. The situations to further the drama are those that’ve been seen umpteen times in innumerable films earlier. The pace is slow. Dialogues are good at places. The film has taken a long time in the making and it shows.

Ajay Devgan does quite well. Raveena Tandon does a fair job. Amrish Puri is effective as the kind-hearted industrialist. Paresh Rawal plays the usual villain. Reena Roy is alright. Ajinkya Deo performs quite ably. Kiran Kumar, Satyen Kappu, Sulbha Deshpande, Rajesh Puri, Guddi Maruti, Sunil Rege, Anil Nagrath and Achyut Potdar lend average support.

Direction (Ashok Gaikwad) is very routine. Two songs — ‘Dil chura liya’ and ‘Aankhon mein mohabbat hai’ — have a bit of an appeal. Song picturisations are ordinary. Anwar Siraj’s camerawork is good. Action scenes should have been more thrilling.

On the whole, Gair is an ordinary fare, for ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres.

TITANIC
(Dubbed)

Released on 8th November in Akola (at Manek Talkies), Twentieth Century Fox’s Titanic (dubbed) is an extraordinary love story. A multi-millionairess falls in love with a commoner on board a ship. The girl’s fiancé tries his best to stall the love affair and, towards this end, he even blames the young boy of stealing a costly necklace. The girl’s beloved is hand-cuffed in an isolated room of the ship when catastrophe strikes. The ship collides with a gigantic iceberg and slowly begins to sink. There aren’t enough life-boats to save the sea of humanity aboard the luxury liner. While all the passengers are in a scramble to escape, the multi-millionairess sets out to search her poor boyfriend and then tries to set him free. By the time, she succeeds, it is too late. All the same, the two manage to desert the ship but the ice-cold water ultimately claims the boy’s life!

The story is very Indian in flavour. Dubbing is lovely. The drama is superb and the climax, nail-biting. The scenes of the ship sinking are mind-blowing.

Leonardo DiCaprio, in the role of Jack Dawson, looks extremely handsome and endears himself to the audience with his looks and superb acting. Kate Winslet’s bewitching beauty complements her spontaneous performance beautifully. Gloria Stewart is excellent. All the other artistes lend admirable support.

James Cameron’s direction is too good to be true. Camerawork is fabulous. Computer graphics are so amazingly realistic that they don’t look like graphics.

On the whole, Titanic has extraordinary merits.

LATEST POSITION

After a shaky start, HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN picked up phenomenally. Ladies and family audience seem to have taken to the film in a big way and this class of audience will ultimately make the film class ‘AAA’. Cinegoers are repeating the film, and its music sales have also gone up. Second week figures are expected to be excellent, looking to the craze the film has generated and the excellent word of mouth that’s spreading.

Hum Saath-Saath Hain has been loved for its light first half and the tear-jerking second half. Is all set to write history. Is not up to the mark in Delhi-U.P. in 1st week; 2nd week opening is also less in Delhi-U.P. than in other circuits. 1st week Bombay 1,03,14,963 (91.47%) from 16 cinemas (10 on F.H.), Vasai (gross) 5,60,717, Virar 3,16,020; Ahmedabad 39,82,382 (90.25%) from 9 cinemas, Baroda 6,44,003 from 2 cinemas, Padra 3,80,810, Valsad 3,82,920, Palanpur 4,38,172 (91.10%) from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 2,48,413, Adipur 1,42,793, Bhuj 1,38,639; Pune 25,62,025 from 7 cinemas, Kolhapur 2,75,196 (1 unrecd.), Solapur 5,34,779 from 2 cinemas; Hubli 3,47,165, Belgaum 2,54,758, Dharwad 1,65,380 (71.92%); Delhi 66,76,057 (77.57%) from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 7,64,937 from 3 cinemas, Lucknow 9,59,262 from 2 cinemas, Bareilly (6 days) 1,61,185; Calcutta 29,68,702 from 14 cinemas; Nagpur 10,36,340 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur (gross) 4,82,528, Amravati (29 shows) 3,25,536, Akola (29 shows) 2,13,457, Dhule (29 shows) 1,70,132 (92%), Raipur (29 shows, gross) 3,50,948, Bhilai (29 shows) 2,03,604, Jalgaon 2,46,937, Bhusawal 2,09,073, Gondia (gross) 1,46,935, Wardha (6 days) 77,353, Chandrapur 3,06,727, Yavatmal 2,72,457 (64.93%) from 2 cinemas, Khandwa 2,43,725; Indore 2,08,695 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,74,736 (2 unrecd.); Jaipur 13,01,871 from 3 cinemas, Jodhpur 3,87,000, Ajmer (27 shows) 1,56,996, Bikaner 2,44,800; Hyderabad (gross) 31,56,815 from 7 cinemas; Bangalore 22,21,170 from 4 cinemas, Mangalore 3,49,887; Madras 4,70,983; is fantastic in the USA (1st 3 days US $651,575) and very good in UK (it has found a place in the Top Hits of the USA and the UK).

Shool has not quite been appreciated except, to an extent, by the gentry audience. It, however, did benefit due to Diwali holidays. 1st week Bombay 54,35,485 (75.33%) from 11 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 11,61,251 from 5 cinemas, Rajkot 1,45,390 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 78,458 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 8,23,599 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,76,052 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Barsi (gross) 1,22,737; Delhi 26,96,530 (45.83%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur (3 days) 2,28,220 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow (3 days) 1,92,524, Varanasi (4 days) 1,26,973, Bareilly (3 days) 35,000; Calcutta 6,34,825 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 4,84,080 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (4 days) 60,445, Amravati (3 days) 78,606, Akola (4 days) 65,184, Raipur (gross, 3 days) 1,33,782; Indore (4 days) 1,73,245 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Jaipur 3,22,204 from 3 cinemas, Bikaner 1,33,285; Hyderabad (gross) 10,38,354 from 5 cinemas.

Maa Kasam is dull. 1st week Bombay 15,20,557 (53.70%) from 9 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,37,984 from 3 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 65,980 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 1,94,185 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 14,01,093 (27.89%) from 10 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Kanpur (3 days) 84,514 from 2 cinemas, Varanasi (4 days) 60,283, Bareilly (3 days) 21,636; Calcutta collections were not disclosed; Nagpur 1,32,089 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (4 days) 28,912, Amravati (3 days) 36,102, Akola (4 days) 36,382, Raipur (3 days) 20,011; Jaipur 1,87,124, Jodhpur 1,00,000; Hyderabad (gross) 5,05,588 from 8 cinemas (2 in noon).

Gair reaped the benefit of Diwali holidays and then the collections plunged. 1st week Bombay (5 days) 29,31,608 (77.16%) from 14 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad (5 days) 3,99,537 from 4 cinemas; Pune (5 days) 4,27,520 from 5 cinemas (2 in matinee), Kolhapur (5 days) 95,093, Solapur (5 days) 1,70,934 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Lucknow (3 days) 1,32,430, Varanasi (3 days) 87,553; Jabalpur (3 days) 73,528, Akola (4 days) 78,093, Raipur (gross, 3 days) 1,33,890, Durg (4 days) 38,378, Jalgaon (3 days) 62,000; Indore (4 days) 35,000 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal (4 days) 1,01,695 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur (5 days) 5,51,226 from 4 cinemas.

Vaastav continues to do excellent in Maharashtra. 4th week Bombay 25,43,934 (81.30%) from 8 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 78,000; Pune 4,94,192 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,45,226, 1st week Barsi (gross) 94,000; 4th week Delhi 2,04,560 (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,92,208 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,45,078, Varanasi 1,40,676, Bareilly 48,703; Calcutta 1,77,765; Nagpur 1,62,992 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 71,918, total 3,19,142, Amravati 92,264, Akola 67,441, Raipur (gross) 95,422, 1st week Jalgaon 2,83,556, Chandrapur (3 days) 1,00,100, 3rd week Yavatmal 19,211 (2nd 18,344); 4th week Indore 32,000; Hyderabad (gross) 3,10,039.

………

‘BIWI NO. 1’ CELEBRATES SILVER JUBILEE

Puja Films’ Biwi No. 1, produced by Vashu Bhagnani and directed by David Dhawan, entered its silver jubilee week at Pratap, Thane (Bombay) in matinee shows on 12th November. Based on a story by Kamal Haasan, the film stars Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Tabu, Sushmita Sen, and Himani Shivpuri and Saif Ali Khan (both in guest appearances). Music: Anu Malik. Lyrics: Sameer. Screenplay & dialogues: Rumi Jafri.

THEY TOO OFFER TICKETS VIA INTERNET

Refuting the claim of Shyam Talkies, Raipur, that it had become the first cinema in C.P. Berar to book and offer tickets on internet, Prakalp Rathi of Smruti and Jayshree cinemas of Nagpur has stated that both his cinemas have also been offering tickets on internet on www.searchnagpur.com since the last 6-8 months.

INDORE NEWS

♦ Sanjay, a new cinema, opened on 8th November with Gair.

♦ Kastur and Astha cinemas have started advance booking of tickets on internet for Hum Saath-Saath Hain.

♦ Madhya Pradesh experienced power cut for four hours, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on 11th November.

♦ Prem Chopra’s purse was flicked by a pickpocket at the Indore airport this week. He lost Rs. 5,000/-!

♦ Gopal Sharma, a local film agent of Mhow, passed away on 10th November.

DO YOU KNOW?

* B.R. Chopra’s mega mythological TV serial, MAHABHARAT, has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the “longest-running religious soap opera”. The most popular epic serial is mentioned in the year 2000 edition of Guinness World Records, according to a confirmation letter written by Guinness’ Amanda Brooks to B.R. TV.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has become the first film ever to have crossed Rs. 1 crore mark in collections from Bombay city & suburbs alone (excluding Thane district). It has collected 1,03,14,963/- from 16 cinemas — an all-time high figure!

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 11,04,539/- in 1st week (23 shows) at Liberty, Bombay.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 9,02,728/- in 1st week at Satyam, Bombay.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 11,56,191/- in 1st week at Chandan, Juhu.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 7,39,078/- in 1st week at Pinky, Andheri.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created an all-India record by collecting 15,00,283/- in 1st week at City Pulse, Gandhinagar. The film was simultaneously released at Rajshree, Gandhinagar, where also it is creating havoc.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created theatre records at 2 cinemas of Palanpur in 1st week: City Pulse 2,45,200/- (capacity: 2,48,000/-) and Roop 1,92,972/- (cap. 2,33,000/-). Total of two cinemas is 4,38,172/ (against a capacity of 4,81,000/-); 91.10%.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 3,85,601/- in 1st week at Aradhana, Baroda.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has drawn all shows full on 8th day at Dreamland, Valsad. Collection on 8th day: 69,072/-. 1st week’s collection: 3,82,920/-.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 1,16,270/- in 1st week at Shivalaya, Anand.

* The management of Swaroop, Sangli has replaced the mirror and the front and back lenses of both the projectors with brand new ones for the projection of HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN. The cinema building was also fully illuminated throughout the first week of the screening of HS-SH.

* The management of Novelty cinema in Lucknow organised a lucky draw in every show of HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN on November 5, 6 and 7. The winners were presented a Tanishq gold locket of Lord Ganesh. The cinema’s sound system was upgraded for the film (7 nos. QSC amplifiers THX approved of 3,000 watts each) and other renovation work was also carried out.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a circuit record by collecting 4,87,727/- in 1st week at Smruti, Nagpur. It has also created a theatre record at Panchsheel, Nagpur by collecting 3,45,561/-.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 4,82,528/- in 1st week at Vandana, Jabalpur.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 3,25,536/- in 1st week (29 shows) at Chitra, Amravati.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created  a theatre record by collecting 2,13,457/- in 1st week (29 shows) at Vasant, Akola.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created  a city record by collecting 3,06,726/- in 1st week (28 shows) at Jayant, Chandrapur.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a theatre record by collecting 1,70,133/- (92%) in 1st week at Rajkamal, Dhulia.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created  an all-time district record by collecting 1,46,935/- in 1st week at Prabhat, Gondia.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created  a district record by collecting 2,43,725/- in 1st week at Abhishek, Khandwa (C.P. Berar).

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has yielded a distributor’s share of 5,25,000/- in 1st week from Kalpatru, Jodhpur. All 28 shows were full. This is the highest ever share from a single theatre in Rajasthan! …Kalpatru cinema has now acquired a new look. Equipped with a Dolby SR sound system, the cinema’s exterior boasts of three sprawling lawns and a spacious car park. Baba Ramdeo, who controls the cinema, is quite excited at the euphoria created by the film at his cinema.

* HUM SAATH-SAATH HAIN has created a record by collecting 8,88,104/-, the highest ever, in 1st week at Tarakarama 70mm, Hyderabad.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Raman’s ‘Ravan’ Observation!

While those who have seen (and those who haven’t) Hum Saath-Saath Hain have termed the film as ‘Modern Ramayan’, Raman Maroo of Shemaroo has made an additional bit of observation. He has described the film as ‘Ramayan without Ravan’! Rare observation indeed, Raman.

Generation Next

It was in 1979 that Ramesh Behl had made his debut as director with Kasme Vaade, starring Amitabh Bachchan. And now, twenty years later, it is the generation next in the same roles with Goldie Behl, son of late Ramesh Behl, making his directorial debut with Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai, starring Abhishek Bachchan in the lead.

‘Taal’ Still Record-Holder In USA

Hindi films are slowly but surely making a mark in the international markets. Dil Se.., KKHH, Biwi No. 1, Taal and now HS-SH have all made it to the Top 10 or 20 charts in the USA and the UK. Why, HS-SH was on the 20th position in the US charts at the end of the first 3 days with a total collection of US $651,575 on 59 prints and a per-screen average of $11,043. This per-screen average was higher than even the average of any Hollywood film in the last weekend. But still, the per-screen average of Taal in its first weekend in the USA has not been surpassed by HS-SH. Taal had collected US $591,289 on 44 screens in the first weekend, thereby registering a per-screen average of US $13,438.

The Rajshri Experiment

The Rajshri experiment of flooding the market with the prints of Hum Saath-Saath Hain seems to have misfired, at least initially. Thankfully, the experiment was more pronounced in Bombay circuit although it was carried out in some centres of other circuits too. So, despite great appreciation for the film, the collections were extremely shaky in the first three days.

The Barjatyas must have been spurred on by the super-success of their previous Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! to have decided on an over-saturated released for HS-SH. In all fairness to them, anybody in their place would have been equally, if not more, over-confident. Then, there was also the fear of illegal VCDs of the film flooding the market and cutting into the theatrical business. But in their understandable enthusiasm, the Barjatyas failed to appreciate some things in ultimately arriving at a decision that has, in hindsight, shocked the trade.

The first thing the Barjatyas overlooked was the lacklustre publicity and lack of hype for the film. Perhaps, they assumed that after the runaway success of HAHK..!, there was no need to really go all out on the publicity front. Many in the industry had assumed likewise. But the assumption was erroneous. It would not have been a wrong assumption had the number of prints been limited. But, the publicity was so low-key as to befit a release of, say, 30 to 40 prints in the whole of India. However, in fact, the total number of prints released in India was 321. As if that wasn’t enough, the admission rates in a number of cinemas were hiked — at places, the hike was steep.

The second factor overlooked was that the music had not become a craze before the film hit the screens. The power of hit music cannot be under-estimated. The youth among the audience like to see a film in the initial days if its music is a rage.

Yet another point not considered was that the film, after all, is a family drama and not a youthful romantic tale. Family dramas, by their very nature, rarely take a flying start. More the number of prints, lesser the chance of a great start. A love story or an action drama would not have opened to as dull houses as the family drama opened.

The fourth factor was the pre-Diwali days which are known to be the dullest days of the year. The collections on the first three days of the week were dull not only because of too many prints, low publicity etc. but also because of the truly dull days.

Filmmaking is one aspect. But for fruitful business, a proper publicity and release strategy are also very important, as borne out by the case of Hum Saath-Saath Hain. The Barjatyas must take quick corrective action if they would like to see steady collections in the coming days. Pulling out the extra prints would be one step. BRINGING DOWN ADMISSION RATES TO MORE REASONABLE LEVELS WOULD BE THE OTHER. And yes, even now, the publicity needs to be spruced up. Post-release publicity is also very very important and we have the recent examples of Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai to prove the point. Both the films benefitted a great deal at the box-office due to sustained publicity campaigns.

The faster the Barjatyas act, the bigger the hit Hum Saath-Saath Hain will ultimately prove.

– Komal Nahta

HELLO BROTHER

G.S. Entertainment’s Hello Brother (UA) is a comedy film. It is the story of an innocent guy who works for a drug lord but doesn’t know that he is involved in illegal activities. A police inspector suspects that he is working for a criminal and he tries to get to the main don, using the innocent guy who turns out to be too smart for him. One day, the innocent guy comes to know of his boss’ business, and the boss, therefore, kills him. Simultaneously, the police officer is also critically injured and is in need of a heart transplant. The dead guy’s heart is transplanted into the police officer. As a result, the police officer can see and talk to the dead man. To make matters more comical, the police officer falls in love with the dead man’s girlfriend. How the dead man and the police officer first quarrel among themselves, then become friends and eliminate the drug lord forms the latter part of the drama. The dead man also helps the police officer win over his girlfriend.

Since the accent is on comedy, there’s no place for emotions at all. The drama is childish and the film sometimes looks like an assemblage of items rather than a cohesive script. The film reminds of Ghazab and Chamatkar and, therefore, has no novelty value. But, perhaps, the biggest drawback of the film are the jokes of breaking wind by the police officer’s senior, and the antics of the hero adopted by him to be one-up on his opponents. Everytime the senior police officer appears on the scene (and that’s quite often), he breaks wind and the accompanying sound effects and reactions of the others around him would leave many viewers too embarrassed. For, such things are too private to be enjoyed or laughed at in public. Further, the novelty of  a character breaking wind has waned, it having been used in the recently released Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Of course, this very comic portion will be liked by one section of the audience (mainly youngsters) who don’t mind such stuff, but the family and class audience may find the same disgusting.

There’s no proper build-up of romance. Likewise, the climax starts pretty abruptly and it is weak, too. The short duration of the film (its running time is 2 hours and 15 minutes) is yet another drawback. Dialogues (Sohail Khan), however, are very witty and humorous.

Salman Khan, as the innocent guy, acts freely and raises a lot of laughter for his crazy antics. But it must be mentioned that Salman is repeating himself too much — he did the same crazy comedy in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, in Jaanam Samjha Karo and again in Biwi No. 1. Salman’s dances are a delight to watch. Arbaaz Khan does a fairly good job as the police officer. The scene between the two Khans (where Arbaaz acts like a tapori) and the heroine is very enjoyable. Rani Mukerji dances beautifully, looks glamorous and acts quite well. Johny Lever acts with aplomb, evoking laughter almost every time he appears on the screen. Neeraj Vora’s facial expressions when he breaks wind are exceptionally natural. Shakti Kapoor is average and doesn’t get much scope. Razzak Khan is good in a couple of scenes. Sulbha Arya, Dinyar Tirandaz, Mukhtar Khan, Mahendra Verma and the others lend reasonable support.

Sohail Khan’s direction is fairly nice but his story and screenplay leave a lot to be desired. His comedy would seem weird to some, vulgar to some but also very entertaining to some. However, it will only be a section of the city audience who’d really care for the kind of mirth shown in the film. Music (Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid-Wajid) and dances (Ganesh Acharya) are, perhaps, the best things in the film. ‘Chandi ki daal par’, ‘Chunariya’, ‘Hataa saawan ki ghata’ and the title track are extremely popular numbers and their picturisations are superb, vibrant and colourful. Background score and editing (both by Yusuf Khan) are appreciable. Santosh Thundiyil’s camerawork is praiseworthy. Action scenes are alright. Production values are okay.

On the whole, Hello Brother has masala for Bombay and Maharashtra mainly. Its prospects in North India and the Eastern circuit are not too bright although it has taken a great start and has a clear field for two weeks as well as the advantage of several holidays during the two weeks. Considering its high price, it could remain a loser in several circuits.

Released on 10-9-’99 at Minerva, Eros (matinee) and 17 other cinemas of Bombay by Vimal Agarwal thru R.M. Ahuja & Co. Publicity & opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening was mind-boggling in C.P. Berar and Rajasthan (1st day Jaipur about 95%). A drop in collections was noticed in Delhi-U.P. and the Eastern circuit on day 1 itself.

1947 EARTH

Deepa Mehta’s 1947 Earth (A) tells the tale of pre-Partition India. It shows the amity between Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims until the news of Partition filters in and creates mental disintegration mainly between the Hindus and the Muslims. The story, based on Bapsi Sidhwa’s celebrated novel, Cracking India, is narrated through the character of a Parsi girl. It revolves around a playful ice-candy man (Aamir Khan), a docile masseur (Rahul Khanna), the Parsi girl (Maia Sethna) and her Hindu maidservant (Nandita Das).

The first half has some light moments with Aamir Khan enlivening the goings-on with his antics, and Rahul Khanna endearing himself to the audience with his docility. The scenario changes when Aamir learns of Nandita Das’ love for Rahul. This disturbs Aamir because he, too, loves her. The tension reaches a flashpoint when a train from Gurdaspur arrives in Lahore. The train is filled with corpses of Muslims and among them are those of Aamir’s three sisters who have, like the rest, been killed by Hindus. Aamir is, therefore, filled with hatred for the Hindus. He is also agitated when the Hindu maidservant, whom he has loved, spurns him for the masseur. All this (murder of his sisters, his being spurned) causes a mental turmoil in him to such an extent that he is led to committing barbaric acts.

The film has been masterly crafted. Each and every scene and character have been perfectly etched out, thanks to an engaging screenplay. The cinematography captures the ambience of the period with great dexterity. All this technical finesse may go down well with the sophisticated audience. It would find great appreciation from the Overseas patrons. But it will not evoke the same reaction from the Indian cine goers largely due to the fact that the Partition turmoil has been relegated to the background of people’s memories and also because such a subject has been earlier dealt with in Pamela Rooks’ A Train To Pakistan. The film is terribly slow and bores the viewer, at places.

Aamir Khan is simply wonderful. He evokes a lot of laughter with his shairis in the initial reels. The drastic change of his character towards the concluding reels will, however, disappoint the audience who views him as a darling hero. Rahul Khanna is fantastic in his debut-making attempt. He looks very handsome and is sure to draw great attention of producers and directors. Nandita Das, the dusky beauty with pearly white teeth, is simply superb. She reminds of Smita Patil, in looks as well as performance. In no scene does one detect her acting effort. She is just too natural to be true. Maia Sethna, as the 8-year old Parsi girl, is adorable. Kitu Gidwani and Arif Zakaria, as the Parsi couple, live their roles and succeed in highlighting the Parsi traits. Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Gulshan Grover, Pawan Malhotra and Raghubir Yadav make their presence felt.

Music (A.R. Rahman) is in keeping with the mood of the film. Two songs (‘Rut aa gayee re’ and ‘Banno’) are truly hit numbers. The other songs are also beautifully tuned. The songs are finely integrated into the scenes. But using the songs in background, with dialogues superimposed on them, mars the impact of the wonderful music. Background score is appropriate. Production values are of a high grade. Camerawork is of a very high order.

The film has come at a time when the two partitioned countries are passing through a different stage of hostility. The Partition turmoil shown in the film will not even evoke nostalgia for those who had experienced it during their times. It may, as said, impress the Overseas audience. At home, who would like to see a flashback in these fast-forward times, except the classes?

Released on 10-9-’99 at New Empire and 13 other cinemas of Bombay thru Devgan Entertainment & Software Ltd. Publicity: excellent. Opening: good. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull in several circuits.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week.

Sangharsh has done well (overflow) in West Bengal and fair in Bombay but is ordinary elsewhere. 1st week Bombay 40,01,130 (68.37%) from 11 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 9,30,362 from 5 cinemas, Baroda 99,925, Rajkot 84,050 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 12,54,545 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,45,178, Solapur 2,41,000 from 2 cinemas; Hubli 2,40,386; Delhi 35,59,333 (59.86%) from 11 cinemas; Kanpur 3,54,138 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,53,127, Varanasi 1,99,765, Bareilly 1,21,447, Dehradun 1,72,001, Hardwar 40,000; Calcutta 16,95,475 from 13 cinemas (share including MGs and FHs: 20 lakh, good); Nagpur 5,91,096 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,00,255, Amravati 1,94,542, Akola 1,28,083, Raipur (gross) 2,00,025; Indore 3,00,164 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 2,07,357 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 5,22,695 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 97,805; Hyderabad (gross) 16,06,647 from 8 cinemas.

Godmother has been appreciated by the elite in metro cities but suffers wherever excessive number of prints were released. It is good in Saurashtra and Gujarat due to its Gujarati flavour. 1st week Bombay 13,70,631 (68.80%) from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 6,57,144 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 78,908, Rajkot 1,60,690, Jamnagar 1,17,068 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 1,84,760 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 3,79,289 (90.69%); Lucknow 1,47,777; Calcutta 2,28,201 from 2 cinemas (other cinemas not disclosed); Hyderabad (gross) 1,40,068 from 2 cinemas (both in noon).

………..

Baadshah drops at many places. Will ultimately prove safe in Bombay and South only. 2nd week Bombay 47,66,881 (72.20%) from 12 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 15,09,251 from 6 cinemas, Rajkot 2,33,000 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,43,494 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 9,23,804 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,76,489 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 37,18,422 from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,12,982 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 6,91,258 from 2 cinemas, Bareilly 1,26,120, Dehradun 1,65,000 (1st 2,41,968), Hardwar 60,009, total 1,74,156; Rajkot 28,665 (1st 58,549); Calcutta 9,60,413 from 7 cinemas; Nagpur 3,80,822 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,01,228, total 4,72,890, Amravati 1,13,325, Akola 1,09,700, Raipur (gross) 2,25,890, Durg 68,371, Chandrapur 89,531 (1st 1,63,291); Indore 1,71,000 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,88,083 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,35,360, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,15,831, Bikaner (gross) 1,71,150; Hyderabad (gross) 11,38,045 from 6 cinemas (1 in noon); Vijayawada 2 weeks’ total (gross) 5,58,578, Viaskhapatnam (gross) 4,97,970, Kurnool (gross) 2,15,580.

Arjun Pandit finally emerges an overflow film in East Punjab and Bihar, average/commission earner in Bombay and C.P. Berar, and a commission earner in Rajasthan. 3rd week Bombay 11,49,184 (58.23%) from 6 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,49,234 from 3 cinemas, 1st week Padra 1,33,885, 3rd Jamnagar (matinee) 22,432 (1 in regular unrecd.); Pune 2,36,062 from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,10,561, Solapur 85,151; Delhi 5,52,435 from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,61,832 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,84,113, Dehradun 1,50,360 (2nd 2,01,005), Hardwar 99,238, total 4,42,673; Rohtak 8,123 (1st 70,636, 2nd 12,260); Calcutta 1,49,594; Nagpur 1,38,873, Jabalpur (6 days) 64,068, Amravati (6 days) 83,339, Akola 67,052, total 3,29,352, Raipur (6 days, gross) 1,08,164, Jalgaon (6 days) 62,799, 2nd week Wardha (5 days) 34,060, 1st Yavatmal 1,40,897; 3rd week Bhopal 79,994; Jaipur 3,55,156 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 32,851; Hyderabad (gross) 1,91,174.

Taal 4th week Bombay 36,22,230 (67.10%) from 8 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 10,43,910 from 4 cinemas, Baroda 2,10,462, Jamnagar 1,12,615; Pune 6,77,397 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,39,000; Delhi 31,58,929 from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 2,07,231 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,02,796, Varanasi 1,40,233, Bareilly 42,382, Dehradun 1,30,000; Calcutta 4,98,127 from 2 cinemas; Jabalpur 1,00,133, total 5,14,908, Amravati 1,38,683, Akola 1,10,517, total 5,89,100, Raipur (gross) 1,75,349, 2nd week Wardha 51,380, 3rd Yavatmal 48,490 (2nd 87,605); 4th week Indore 1,46,000 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,32,895; Jaipur 5,82,884, Jodhpur 1,20,000, Ajmer 76,528, Bikaner 65,714; Hyderabad (gross) 12,32,970 from 5 cinemas (2 in noon), Aurangabad (gross) 3,71,773 from 2 cinemas; 4 weeks’ (gross) total Vijayawada 14,76,696, Visakhapatnam 8,21,964, Kurnool 4,63,187, Anantapur 5,41,390, Cuddapah 2,37,575, 2 weeks’ total at Rajahmundry (gross) 2,42,683, 16 days’ total Guntur (gross) 2,16,956, 1st week Ongole (gross) 1,08,555.

T.M. BIHARI PASSES AWAY

Veteran producer and Bombay exhibitor T.M. Bihari passed away last week in Pune where he was leading a retired life. He was the one who had introduced Dharmendra in his film, Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, directed by Arjun Hingorani. Bihari made the first Sindhi feature film, Abana, in which he introduced Sadhana.

YOU ASKED IT

How many cinemas are there in India? Has the number of cinemas gone up or down in the last few years?

– As on 31st March, 1999, there were 12,548 cinemas in the country. The number has dwindled over the years. On 31st March, 1991, India had a total of 13,101 cinemas. That is to say, there has been a net decline of 553 cinemas in the last eight years — an average net drop of 69 cinemas per year.

Big films are bombing at the box-office and yet, producers are not contemplating bringing film prices down. Why is that so?

– Producers will never think of bringing film prices down. It is the distributors who have to refrain from buying high-priced films. If that happens, producers will be forced to reduce prices.

DO YOU KNOW?

‘DDLJ’ SCORES A DOUBLE CENTURY!

* DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE (tax-free) has this week entered 200th combined week at Maratha Mandir, Bombay, in matinee shows (after being shifted from main cinema New Excelsior). On September 9, it completed 146 weeks at Maratha Mandir alone where it recorded a total collection of 77,18,610/- (against the total capacity of 1,09,23,136/-) averaging 70.66% per week! The total share of 146 weeks is Rs. 30 lakh (approximately). Needless to say, it has never gone into deficit in any week. A newly-designed banner is being put up at Maratha Mandir to mark the film’s entry into the 200th week!

MIX MASALA

VOCAL SUPPORT

Two stars, loyal to their own genre of films, lent ‘vocal support’ to the two films released this week. Shabana Azmi, the votary of art/class cinema, lent her voice to the Parsi girl in 1947 Earth, at the beginning and at the end of the film. Amitabh Bachchan’s deep-throated voice signifies the ‘voice from the heaven’ in Hello Brother.

HELLO ASHOK

Ashok Ahuja, the Bombay distributor of Hello Brother, was deprived of ‘hellos’ on his cellphone the day his film was released. How come? Was the cellphone’s battery down? Or was the phone damaged? Or did he switch it off? Nothing of the sort! Some visitor to his office simply walked out after stealthily picking up his ‘hello’ machine — the cellphone, that is! Who is the thief, no one knows!

PRETTY CLEAR?

Many in the industry pronounce the ‘ty’ in Preity Zinta’s name as in ‘Almighty’. But the fact is that the ‘ty’ is to be pronounced as in titli (butterfly). In other words, the correct pronunciation of the cute actress’ name is the same way one would pronounce Priti. One feels, it is the spelling which has created the confusion. But now, this clarification by Preity herself should serve to clear all doubts about how one should call her. It is spelt Preity and pronounced Priti — the ‘ty’ as in ‘Bharti’ and not as in ‘entity’.

Territorial Ratios: An Urgent Case For Rethinking

That prices of films, more than films themselves, are failing is old story now. But the old story has of late been raising its ugly head a bit too often. Big films sold at bigger prices have been even bigger losers at the box-office. While some films have bombed universally, there are others which have managed to do reasonably well in some circuits but have flopped in other territories.

Which gets us to the new story. Films today are not doing universally well. Gone seem to be the days when a film was a universal hit or even an all-round earner. Audience’s tastes in the various circuits have changed so much and are so different from each other that it is becoming increasingly difficult for makers to make films that have universal appeal. Then there are also films which do bumper business in Overseas but are not half as good in one or all of the home territories.

This makes it imperative for makers to do some rethinking on the pricing structure of their films. Not just should film prices be more moderate, they should also be structured according to the type of films made. Let not distributors be bogged down with the burden of meaningless ratios. Producers must appreciate the fact that if their films may not appeal to the Rajasthan audience as much as to the West Bengal viewers, there’s not much sense in charging the same price to the distributors of both the circuits. The distributor of C.I. need not always pay 20 or 25% of the Bombay distributor’s price; he may be charged 15% if a producer is honest enough to admit that his film has less of a flavour for the C.I. audience.

Of course, it may not always be easy for a producer to judge objectively whether and, more importantly, admit that his film has wide-ranging appeal or only sectional appeal. But if it is not always easy, it is also not so difficult as to be impossible to assess the appeal of a film before release. Its flavour, content and treatment can be reasonably good indicators.

Big producers can afford to discard the ratio system. A little lesser coverage won’t ruin them. But overcharging distributors can adversely affect the latter and jeopardise their financial standing. After all, producers have got newer sources or revenue earnings in the form of satellite channels.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

National Awards: Misinterpreting Their Importance

It is indeed strange how distributors sometimes think. Despite being veterans in their fields, some of the distributors of Godmother miscalculated the impact of the hype and hoopla surrounding the film after it bagged six National Awards. They felt, the terrific media hype would translate into a bumper opening for the film, failing to appreciate the fact that by its very genre, it was an art film and, therefore, no amount of national or international awards could change the film’s outcome on the opening day or week. Given that it is an art film and, what’s more, doesn’t boast of saleable stars, their decision to release excessive number of prints in cities like Bombay and Calcutta has proved to be detrimental for the film. What Godmother required was love and care in the form of a very limited release and not an over-saturated release, as has happened. More thought should definitely have gone into devising its release strategy. Distributors also need to understand that National awards can also go against the film sometimes, because they only serve to underline the genre of the films which win them. For, in India, it is usually art films which bag the awards except, say, the National award for the best film providing wholesome entertainment. Godmother, in any case, is a film which could not but depend on just mouth publicity to grow among the elite audience. Fortunately for director Vinay Shukla though, his good work in the film has not gone unrewarded. He has been receiving accolades galore for his direction. Incidentally, Vinay has been signed for a film to be produced by Boney Kapoor. It will star Jaya Bachchan, besides other heroes and heroines.

Rakesh Roshan’s Surprise Party

It was a party with a difference. Pinkie, wife of producer-director Rakesh Roshan, threw a surprise party on 5th September at The Club to celebrate Rakesh’s 50 years (on 6th). If the theme party (the theme being ‘A night in Las Vegas’) was a surprise for Rakesh Roshan, the close friends of the Roshans, who were invited to celebrate the milestone in the life of Rakesh, were also in for a very big surprise. They were treated to a 5-minute montage of various phases in the celebrated producer-director’s life — right from his childhood, through his marriage, birth of his two children, marriage of his daughter when Rakesh became a father-in-law, his graduation to becoming a grandpa, right to the day he completed 50. The montage was very beautifully prepared by son Hrithik Roshan who is being introduced by dad in Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. Hrithik used still photographs to make the montage which sure did strike an emotional chord in the hearts of the viewers. And Hrithik showed only the personal side of Rakesh Roshan’s life without really getting into details of his professional life. So, besides having an actor, Rakesh has a director, too, at home in Hrithik.

Roshan Jubilee House

Everybody in the Roshan family knew what Hrithik and his mother Pinkie were planning for the Big Day, except Rakesh Roshan. It was as if Hrithik was on some secret mission. While Hrithik was on his ‘mission’, Rakesh Roshan was desperately wanting his son to see the re-edited portion of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. But Hrithik was untraceable, much to his dad’s consternation. In fact, Hrithik was engaged in finalising the photographs connected with Rakesh Roshan’s fifty years and in preparing the montage.

By the way, Rakesh Roshan’s house is now a jubilee house. While Rakesh Roshan’s mother is 75 (platinum jubilee), Rakesh is 50 (golden), and Hrithik just completed 25 (silver).

Shocking Khans

This week’s two releases provide ‘shock value’ to the cine goers for more reasons than one. Firstly, due to the disturbingly short lengths of the two films — Hello Brother (2 hours and 15 minutes) and 1947 Earth (2 hours). Secondly, due to two Khans’ unexpected moves. In Hello Brother, Salman Khan dies before the interval point, and in 1947 Earth, Aamir Khan turns negative towards the end. And these were shocks, particularly to the Khans’ hardcore fans.

Think Before You Speak

Industry leaders are sometimes quite rash in the comments they make in front of members of the fourth estate, which then get published in newspapers and magazines read by the general public. Like Pahlaj Nihalani, in his capacity as president of the Association of Motion Pictures & TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP), recently made public his ire over Shekhar Kapur who is fighting a war of words (besides battling for the censorship of his Elizabeth) with the CBFC. While Pahlaj has a right to his opinion, one fails to understand how the producer-leader got his facts wrong. To drive home the point that the cuts suggested by the CBFC in Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth were reasonable, Pahlaj cited the examples of Fire and Kama Sutra and said that the failures of the said two films proved the point that the taste and mentality of the Hindi film audience were entirely different from those of English film audience. Failure of Fire and Kama Sutra?!?, The AMPTPP president is, perhaps, unaware of the fact that Kama Sutra is a very successful film and collections of Fire, too, after a shaky start, picked up at many places. None of the two films is a failure, because both have fetched returns to not only their producers but distributors too.

Pahlaj has also questioned Mahesh Bhatt’s authority to support Shekhar Kapur in his fight against the CBFC, “Who is Mahesh Bhatt to support Shekhar Kapur?”, reads Pahlaj’s rhetoric. By the same logic, Mahesh Bhatt could as well ask Pahlaj who he (Pahlaj) is to object to his (Bhatt’s) support to Kapur.

While nobody objects to anybody’s personal opinions, a lot of people in the industry conveyed to Film Information their anxiety over the lack of caution and over the factual errors that came across loud and clear in some of the comments made by industry leaders in recent times. Not too many days back, TOA (Theatre Owners’ Association, Bombay) president U.A. Thadani’s comment in a national daily published from Bombay, agitated many producers and distributors. When asked his opinion on the INR hire charged by the Films Division to the film industry (an issue which is currently being debated in the Supreme Court), Thadani remarked something to the effect that the INR hire in any case wasn’t affecting exhibitors because it was being paid by distributors! How Thadani could treat such a serious issue so casually is  vexatious. After all, the industry is questioning the very basis of the hire charge — having to screen Indian news reels for the government and, over and above that, having to pay 1% of the nett collections for screening them!

Our leaders need to use caution. They should learn to be more discreet in their public utterances. For, they are representing the opinions of the entire industry. Let them not give to outsiders a picture of the industry as a house divided. As it is, the industry has rarely received good treatment at the hands of the central and state governments. The general public, too, has this suspicious glint in the eye when it views the film industry and its people. Rather than clearing the air, such ridiculous and, at times, factually and politically incorrect statements, coming as they do from industry leaders, serve only to show the film industry — our film industry — in bad light. This shouldn’t happen.

– Komal Nahta

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

KILLER ENTERTAINMENT TAX IN GUJARAT

Dear Sir,

I would like to draw the attention of the film trade to the dismal scenario prevailing in the exhibition of films in Gujarat. Towards this purpose, I am enclosing herewith the translation of a Gujarati advertisement issued by me in the local Ahmedabad dailies, Sandesh, Jai Hind, Jansatta, Sambhav, etc. to highlight the unjust and partial government policy regarding entertainment tax in Gujarat.

Why is the entertainment tax on cinema tickets so high in Gujarat? Every successive government in Gujarat seems to have adopted a very bitter attitude towards film audience.

(1) Is it a crime to see or show a film?

(2) The government seems to be reviving a practice similar to that prevalent during the days of slavery by investing unrestrained power in hands of its officials.

(3) The entertainment tax in Gujarat is the highest in the whole of India. In fact, according to a recent statement made by the leading light of our film industry, Subhash Ghai, the entertainment tax in Gujarat is the highest in the whole world.

It is indeed an irony that the entertainment tax is 4% in excess of that on alcoholic beverages! Today, a cinema ticket costing 35 paise is taxed 65 paise in the state. As a result, the admission rates have gone up considerably, which had led to a steep decline in the number of film audience as the common man is finding it increasingly difficult to pay the high prices of cinema tickets.

On the other hand, lavishly organised cultural extravaganzas are totally exempted from any tax. Even in hotels, items served and costing up to Rs. 200 are tax-free. Seen in this light, it is indeed ludicrous that such a partial attitude is adopted towards the entertainment industry. Why is the film industry being continuously made a target for excessive entertainment tax?

Cinema owners have had to make several representations — sometimes at the cost of their pride — before the government, but every plea of theirs have fallen on deaf ears. The government officials have consistently shown a lack of basic courtesy of at least hearing them out properly.

Even after the closures of 250 out of 700 cinemas in the state, the government officials never fail to remind cinema owners that earlier, the Janata Dal government under Chimanbhai had granted 50 paise, BJP government under Keshubhai had granted Re. 1 and RJP under Shankarsinh had granted Rs. 2 tax exemptions. The government officials cite these examples as if they were acts of charity more than anything else.

It is also indeed disturbing that no member of Parliament, who is supposed to represent all sections of society, has ever raised his voice against the government’s unjust and partial policy so far.

– B.P. Shah
Rupam Cinema
Ahmedabad

(It is indeed laudatory that B.P. Shah has raised his individual voice for a just cause without any fear of a possible backlash from the powers-that-be. His effort is not only commendable, it also needs to be reciprocated by the industry showing full support to the cause of Gujarat exhibitors.)

LATEST POSITION

The lovely opening of KAHO NAA…PYAAR HAI this week has brought a new excitement in the industry. …Collections improved last week due to Idd festival. The advantage was most pronounced in the cases of MELA, JAANWAR and HS-SH.

Mela has not found appreciation in major cities except, to an extent in U.P., Bihar, C.P.CI. Rajasthan. 1st week Bombay 75,25,192 (79.77%) from 16 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 7,08,085 from 3 cinemas, Padra 1,96,180, Rajkot 1,64,306, Jamnagar 1,58,740, Bhuj 1,15,900, Adipur 1,44,601; Sangli 1,85,000; Bijapur 1,91,100; Delhi 58,05,328 (75.03%) from 12 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Lucknow 6,56,258 from 2 cinemas, Agra 3,75,000, Varanasi 4,80,395 from 2 cinemas, Allahabad 2,37,411, Bareilly (6 days) 1,98,977, Hardwar 80,000; Calcutta 22,14,570 from 11 cinemas; Nagpur 10,68,778 from 5 cinemas, Amravati 2,80,274, Akola 2,07,810, Raipur (gross, 6 days) 3,07,312, Bhilai 1,40,860, Jalgaon 2,88,710, Wardha 1,56,336; Indore 1,73,250 (4 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,35,658; Jaipur 8,87,981 from 3 cinemas, Jodhpur (15 shows, gross) 1,47,616 (1 unrecd.), Ajmer (gross, 29 shows) 3,23,426, Bikaner 3,21,864; Hyderabad (gross) 43,36,647 from 16 cinemas (1 in noon).

Bulandi proves a horrifying disaster. 1st week Bombay 36,04,831 (61.09%) from 10 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,71,535 from 5 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,46,843 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 85,880; Bijapur 1,10,000; Delhi 18,37,320 (25.13%) from 13 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Lucknow 1,99,776, Agra 1,85,000, Varanasi 1,51,297, Allahabad 1,64,000; did extremely poor in Calcutta (figures not disclosed); Nagpur 3,09,559 from 3 cinemas, Akola 1,16,197, Raipur (gross, 6 days) 1,22,092, Bhilai (gross) 1,38,315, Yavatmal 67,616; Indore (5 days) 1,28,232 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal (5 days) 1,01,429 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 4,25,690 from 3 cinemas, Jodhpur (14 shows, gross) 97,151; Hyderabad (gross) 10,05,173 from 8 cinemas (1 in noon).

………..

Jaanwar is doing very well in U.P., West Bengal, Bihar and C.P. Berar. 3rd week Bombay 15,08,727 (41.60%) from 8 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 54,823 (2 unrecd.), 1st week Bhuj 59,831; Miraj 87,657; 3rd week Delhi (4 days) 2,16,190; Agra 2,37,348, Varanasi 2,14,178, Allahabad 1,72,700, Bareilly (6 days) 1,37,897, 1st week Hardwar 1,15,000; 3rd Calcutta 7,71,257 from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 69,646 from 2 cinemas, Akola 95,881, total 3,59,909, Raipur (6 days) 75,804, Bhilai 35,165, Jalgaon 1,25,525 (2nd 1,57,423), Chandrapur 66,475, total 3,84,362, Yavatmal (gross) 1,13,212, total 4,28,852, share 2,78,852, very good; Indore 77,652, Bhopal 1,02,485; Jaipur 2,76,486 from 2 cinemas, Ajmer (gross) 1,40,244, Bikaner 1,31,380; Hyderabad (gross) 2,96,454.

Titanic (dubbed) 1st week Bombay 3,53,718 (63.39%) (1 on F.H.); 2nd week Allahabad 86,300, 1st week Agra 71,000.

Hum Saath-Saath Hain made a killing in Bombay-Karnataka, U.P., C.P. Berar and Nizam due to the Idd festival. 10th week Bombay 7,34,540 (45.82%) from 3 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,46,913, Rajkot (14 shows) 51,199, Jamnagar 46,877 (9th 30,123), Bhavnagar 60,670 (9th 50,487); Hubli 1,30,178 (9th 78,207), Belgaum 96,596 (9th 84,557), 3rd week Gadag 56,057 (2nd 38,336), 1st Karwar 45,753, 6th week Bijapur 91,385 (5th 51,890), Nippani 36,874, 1st week Sankeshwar 37,419; 10th week Delhi 4,06,613 from 3 cinemas; Kanpur 1,72,235 (9th 1,24,645), Lucknow 3,97,848 (9th 2,48,526), Agra 1,78,993 (9th 1,19,397), Varanasi 1,65,489 (9th week 1,21,695), Allahabad 93,158 (9th 87,326), 3rd week Mirzapur 54,365, 1st Badaun 54,745, 10th week Meerut 1,19,237 (9th 54,774), 1st week Bahraich 58,097, Bulandshahr 99,338, Dadri 47,538, 10th week Bareilly 80,869 (9th 40,563), Jhansi 54,233, 1st Farrukhabad 69,441, 10th Dehradun 60,123, Saharanpur 62,746 (9th 22,847), 1st week Firozabad 1,21,418, Hapur 74,601, 10th week Gorakhpur 98,045 (9th 66,090), 1st week Raibareilly 62,231, 6th Hardwar 22,835, 10th week Moradabad 1,15,681 (9th 37,334), Aligarh 1,12,758 (9th 39,448), 1st week Shahjahanpur 69,623, Sitapur 98,582; 10th Calcutta 4,01,854 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 1,75,832, 7th week Balaghat 39,023, 1st week Kamptee 67,435, 10th Jabalpur 2,05,231, Amravati 1,30,885, total 22,00,011, Akola 1,07,165, total 15,86,909, share 12,60,136, Dhule 76,516 (9th 45,082), Raipur 1,30,039, Bhilai 22,349, 8th week Durg 32,123, 10th week Jalgaon 97,601, Bhusawal 48,075, Gondia (14 shows, gross) 31,502, total 10,19,586, Chandrapur 73,181, total 19,26,289, Yavatmal (gross) 48,685, total 13,45,853, share 6,25,853, Khandwa 74,541; Indore 1,15,287 (3 on F.H.); Jaipur 5,28,400, Ajmer 66,529, Bikaner 46,350; Hyderabad (gross) 5,10,906 (9th 4,09,291), Aurangabad about 1,48,000; Bangalore 2,10,043 (9th 1,71,479); Madras (18 shows) 93,160.

________

Maa Baap Ne Bhulsho Nahin (Gujarati; TF) is doing great business. 4th week Ahmedabad 6,44,343 from 5 cinemas.

YESUDAS TO BE FELICITATED

Playback singer K.J. Yesudas will be felicitated by People’s Arts Centre on 26th January at Shanmukhananda Hall in Bombay on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Usha Mangeshkar will sing songs along with him on the stage. Music maestros Naushad and Khayyam will also attend.

Yesudas has rendered over 35,000 songs in several Indian and foreign languages.

SURINDER KAPOOR HOSPITALISED

Producer Surinder Kapoor, who was in Delhi to attend the International Film Festival of India, was hospitalised on 11th January after he complained of giddiness. He was discharged from hospital on 13th and returned to Bombay the same day. His son, Anil Kapoor, was also in Delhi when he was hospitalised.

NAGPUR EXHIBITORS FELICITATE DHARMENDRA

The Cine Exhibitors Association, Nagpur, felicitated actor Dharmendra on 6th January in Nagpur. Dharmendra was there on a brief visit. The actor recalled his visit to Janki Cinema, Nagpur thirty years ago when his Phool Aur Patthar was being screened there.

Anil Deshmukh, minister for education and sports, Maharashtra, was also present on the occasion. S.B. Patil and K.K. Sawhney, hon. secretary and hon. treasurer respectively of the CEA, welcomed both the distinguished guests.

PADAMCHAND AGARWAL NO MORE

Padamchand Agarwal, well-known Hyderabad exhibitor (proprietor of Asha Talkies, Hyderabad) and Nizam distributor, passed away on 9th January in Hyderabad.

FARIDA JALAL BEREAVED

Najma H. Kazam, mother of actress Farida Jalal and director Khalid, passed away on the night of 7th January at Belle Vue Nursing Home, Bombay. She was being treated there for cancer of the throat.

ASHOK THAKERIA RECOVERING

Producer Ashok Thakeria, who had met with a road accident a fortnight back near Nasik, is recuperating at his home. He had been admitted to Bombay Hospital.

‘PHIR BHI DIL HAI HINDUSTANI’ PRESS MEET

Dreamz Unlimited held a press briefing for Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani on January 13 at The Orchid Hotel, Bombay. The press briefing was addressed by the film’s producers-cum-lead pair Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, producer-director Aziz Mirza and music directors Jatin Lalit. The press meet was followed by dinner.

VINOD MALHOTRA’S SON TO WED

Marriage of Amit, son of C.I. distributor Vinod Malhotra and grandson of D.R. Malhotra, with Gunjan, will be solemnised on 10th February at Hotel Taj, Indore. The marriage will be preceded by shagan ceremony on 9th February.

FESTIVAL OF RAJ KAPOOR’S FILMS

The Cultural Centre of Russia, Bombay, will organise a six-day festival of late showman Raj Kapoor’s films beginning 17th January, at the House of Soviet Culture, Bombay. Randhir Kapoor will inaugurate the festival. The inaugural function will be followed by the screening of Barsaat. The other films to be screened are Shri 420, Sangam, Bobby, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai and Mera Naam Joker.

The festival is being organised to commemorate the 75th birth anniversary of the great filmmaker. Entry to the festival is free.

Tax ‘Cutting’ Is Normal In Baroda!

Tax ‘cutting’ is not uncommon in some ‘A’ class centres of Gujarat. Baroda is one such centre where entertainment tax is not paid in full. It is not as if only small or unpopular cinemas resort to tax ‘cutting’ in Baroda. Even big and well-known cinemas, which screen new films, indulge in the illegal practice of concealing ticket sales to save on entertainment tax.

While the above is shocking, what is even more shocking is that the authorities are turning a blind eye to this illegal act by certain cinemas. In spite of the practice of duplicate tickets issued by such cinemas being brought to the notice of the powers that be, they refuse to take corrective steps or action against the erring exhibitors. This is also causing a lot of heartburn among the genuine exhibitors who do not indulge in such unfair practices.

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

David To Direct Govinda In Jeetendra’s Film

David Dhawan has been signed to direct Shri Siddhivinayak Films’ Prod. No. 1, being presented by Jeetendra, and starring Govinda and Sushmita Sen in the lead. The film will be produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor and will be launched on Feb. 1 with a song recording. Story-screenplay: Yunus Sejawal and Imtiaz Patel. Dialogues: Rumi Jafri. Executive producer: Prakash Pange.

David To Direct Salman In MKD’s Next

Producer Ketan Manmohan Desai has signed David Dhawan to direct, and Salman Khan to lead the cast of M.K.D. Films Combine’s next. It will go on the floors shortly. Other cast and credits will be finalised soon. Executive producer: Prakash Pange.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Hey! Ram’ Background Score Recording In Hungary

The recording of background score of Raajkamal Films’ Hey! Ram is currently under way in Budapest (Hungary). A 90-piece Western classical orchestra recorded 12 minutes of music composed by Ilaiyaraja, on the first day of the recording itself. The recording unit is expected to return to India today (15th). The film, due for release on February 18, is produced and directed by Kamal Haasan who also stars in it. Also in the cast are Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Naseeruddin Shah, Hema Malini and Om Puri. Bharat Shah presents it.

YOU ASKED IT

I have a group of friends from various businesses, who are ready to raise a capital of Rs. 3 crore. Will you please suggest a viable proposal to make a film?

– I have a director, artistes and technicians who will agree to complete a film with a capital base of Rs. 2 crore, the balance being credit available. Will you please suggest a viable story to make my film?

On which day and in which year did the Father of Indian Cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, pass away?

– 16th February, 1944, at the age of 74. He was born in 1870. His real name was Dhundiraj Govind Phalke.

Do you foresee a time when films will be made without songs?

– Songs and music are an integral part of our daily lives. We have songs for every occasion, every festival, every mood, every part of the day. Therefore, films without songs are unthinkable.

At every muhurt, producers get the coconut-breaking ceremony performed. The coconut is described as “auspicious”. But in most cases, the results are not auspicious. Does it then mean that a film flopped because the coconut was not auspicious?

– Why blame the poor coconut? If you are honest and fair in assessing the merits and demerits of a film, you will notice that the blame lies in too many other departments, least of all in the coconut and the coconut-breaking ceremonies.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Shah Rukh Sells And How!

Shah Rukh Khan’s Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani seems to have broken a record even before its release. Its sub-distribution rights have been sold for Gujarat at a record price of — hold your breath! — Rs. 1 crore. Yes, about half the price has been paid by way of signing amount. The buyers, S.M. Movies, have, in turn, extracted outstanding MGs from different stations of Gujarat in a bid to hedge their huge investment. In recent times, no film has commanded such a superb price. And this, without the buyer having seen a single frame of the film. Is it the magic of Shah Rukh the star or the magic of Shah Rukh the producer? Or both?!?

The Starting Non-Starters

It is indeed inexplicable as to why the releases in the first week of any year in the eighties and nineties have almost never proved successful. The following is the list of first releases. 4-1-’80: no new release. 2-1-’81: Waqt Ki Deewar, Guest House. 1-1-’82: Daulat, Dil-E-Nadaan, Josh. 7-1-’83: Zara Si Zindagi, Chatpatee. 6-1-’84: Wanted, Sardaar. 4-1-’85: no new release. 3-1-’86: Ram Tera Desh. 2-1-’87: Insaniyat Ke Dushman (did quite well), Sutradhar, Patthar Se Takkar. 1-1-’88: Jungle Ki Beti, Khel Mohabbat Kaa. 6-1-’89: Vardi (did quite well). 5-1-’90: Souten Ki Beti, Pyar Ke Naam Qurban, Vidrohi. 4-1-’91: Jigarwala, Laal Paree. 3-1-’92: Daulat Ki Jung. 1-1-’93: Dil Hi To Hai, Balmaa, Zakhmi Rooh. 7-1-’94: Zid, Gopalaa, Thanedaarni, Aag Aur Chingaari. 6-1-’95: Ab Insaf Hoga, Gunehgar, Kala Sach. 5-1-’96: Himmat, Jurmana, Smuggler. 3-1-’97: Aastha (did well only in Bombay and C.P. Berar). 2-1-’98: Haiwaan. 1-1-’99: Sikandar Sadak Ka. And on 7-1-2000: Mela and Bulandi.

With the exception of two films — Insaniyat Ke Dushman (1987) and Vardi (1989) — the rest proved non-starters.

Pyar Jhukta Nahin, which proved a super-hit, was the first release of 1985. It was, however, not released in the first week of ’85, but in the second week (11-1-’85). There was no release in the first week of 1985.

Curiously enough, none of the films released from 1990 to 1999 proved successful. Insaniyat Ke Dushman and Vardi were both releases of the eighties.

Among the first releases of 2000, Bulandi proved a loser while Mela might earn part commission in some territories only.

Twinkle And The Killing Coincidence!

Here’s an interesting contribution from a reader of ours, who chooses to remain anonymous.

Whoever has played Twinkle Khanna’s brother in her recent releases has had to die in the film. In International Khiladi, Vivek Shauq was cast in the role of Twinkle’s brother. He was killed in the early reels. Deepak Tijori played Twinkle’s brother in Baadshah and he, too, gets killed in the film. Now, in Mela, it is Ayub Khan falling prey to Tinu Verma’s bullets in the initial reels and leaving his sister, Twinkle Khanna, all alone to face the mad, bad world.

Minister Framed!

And now a joke to keep you smiling for the week. This one is about a minister in the Maharashtra government. Several years back, he had been invited for a film’s muhurt as the chief guest. He was asked to sound the clapper-board for the muhurt shot. After being properly briefed, the minister ventured to do what he had never before done in his life. He gave the clap, announced good luck to the project and… and… well, he stayed put right there. Perhaps, taken in by the still photographers’ cameras clicking, he was unable to appreciate the fact that there was a movie camera too, which was switched on to capture the muhurt shot and not just him. He refused to budge from the frame and, thus, the artistes just couldn’t perform the inaugural shot. It took a while before the minister was politely asked to come out of the frame!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Satellite Rights

Dear Sir,

After reading the contents in the matter under the heading, ‘Satellite Rights & Wrong’ in Film Weather: 1999 in the issue of Film Information dated 1st January, 2000, I feel that to effectively deal with the issue of satellite rights, our associations should make their members add the following in their distribution agreements:

a) That, if the producers are selling the satellite rights of their films for telecasting before the stipulated time of five years from the date of the film’s premiere theatrical release, the MG royalty should then be treated as ‘advance’ and made refundable to its distributor within a month of the film’s telecast on the satellite channel.

b) That, for overflow films, further overflows be stopped immediately after the film is telecast on satellite.

The above would be in addition to the penalties levied by the respective associations.

– Tarachand B. Kanuga
Shiva Enterprises
Controller, Krishna Theatre,
Risali, Dist. Durg (M.P.).

AGNICHAKRA

Jyoti Art Production’s Agnichakra (UA) is the usual story of good versus evil. An honest and upright police officer is killed by some terrorists whom he is out to exterminate. A new officer is appointed in his place to complete the unfinished task. There is also the murdered officer’s younger brother who swears revenge against the culprits. The third group of revenge-seekers comprises a co-officer of the murdered police officer, his beloved and another young man.

The story has absolutely no freshness whatsoever. Screenplay cares little for continuity and is a hopeless attempt at writing. Dialogues are commonplace. The film has taken many years in the making and it shows not only in continuity jerks but also in the appearances of the stars who come in varying shapes and sizes in different scenes.

Govinda does well in the first half. He, however, doesn’t impress thereafter and also gets less scope after interval. Naseeruddin Shah acts with a lot of sincerity. Dimple Kapadia passes muster. Vishal Khanna does not impress. Anupam Kher is okay. Pramod Moutho does an average job and so does Satish Shah. Raj Kiran, Beena, Brando Bakshi, Soni, Ruhi Sawant, Bindiya Gill, Somy Ali (she springs up from nowhere in a song sequence), Manmoujee, Birbal and the rest don’t add anything to the dull proceedings.

Direction is so-so in the first half but in the second, the aim seems to have been simply to complete the film any which way. Music is a letdown like the rest of the film. Photography and other technical values are average. Action scenes look outdated.

On the whole, Agnichakra is a poor fare.

Released on 26-9-’97 at Shalimar and 7 other cinemas of Bombay thru Solanki Movies. Publicity & opening: dull. …….Also released all over except C.P. Berar. In Calcutta, the film could not open on Friday due to the non-arrival of prints. It is likely to open there today (27th September).

DHIRUBHAI SHAH ARRESTED UNDER COFEPOSA

Music company owner, video distributor and producer Dhirubhai Shah was arrested under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange & Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), 1974 on 23rd September night for his alleged involvement in a Rs. 22-crore hawala racket. The Bombay city police detained him for alleged violation of foreign exchange regulations. He has been committed to the Yerawada jail in Pune.

The order for his detention and committal was issued in April 1996 but Dhirubhai had been absconding since then. A metropolitan magistrate had proclaimed last month under the Criminal Procedure Code that his property be attached. Dhirubhai was also questioned by the crime branch of police in connection with the recent murder of Gulshan Kumar.

ANOOP KUMAR DEAD

Actor Anoop Kumar passed away on 20th September at 4.15 a.m. following cardiac arrest in a hospital at Juhu, Bombay. He was 72 and is survived by four daughters and a son. He had been ailing since almost two months.

Anoop Kumar belonged to the famous Ganguly family and teamed up with brothers Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. He played the role of the eccentric brother who keeps popping into the frame with funny one-liners.

He made his debut in Zaraa Palat Ke Dekho in 1950. He also acted in Firdaus, Dekh Kabira Roya, Junglee, Prem Pujari and the recent Rock Dancer. He had also produced Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool in 1969. In 1991, he produced the TV serial Bhim Bhawani, featuring himself and Ashok Kumar.

SC ASKS SUBHASH GHAI TO PAY PENALTY

The Supreme Court on 22nd September asked producer Subhash Ghai to pay an additional Rs. 1 lakh as penalty to the Archaeological Survey of India for damaging the Fatehpur Sikri monument during the shooting of his Pardes there. According to the court, the producer had violated certain conditions of the agreement with the ASI for location shooting inside the monument at Agra. Ghai had already paid Rs. 1 lakh to the ASI.

A bench of Justice S.B. Majmudar and Justice S. Saghir Ahmad passed the direction on a public interest litigation by residents of Fatehpur Sikri, alleging that damage had been done by the film’s unit during the shooting. The court said that the additional amount of Rs. 1 lakh would be utilised by the ASI for the upkeep of the monument.

LABOUR STRIKE IN TWO BOMBAY CINEMAS

Regal and Capitol cinemas of Bombay are closed for three days since 26th September following a strike call given by the Bombay Labour Union to which the workers of the two cinemas owe allegiance. The main demand of the workers is for a hike in wages. The cinemas are owned by Sidhwas (Globe Theatres P. Ltd.).

‘BORDER’ 100 DAYS’ PARTY AT RAJKAMAL, AKOLA

A dinner party was hosted on 24th September at Rajkamal cinema, Akola, to mark the 100 days of Border. The cinema owners, Suresh Joharle and Vitthal Rathi, invited the proprietors, managers and staff members of all the cinemas of Akola and the entire Akola trade. The C.P. distributors of Border, B.N. (Laloo) Kabra (Vishwajyoti Films, Bhusawal) and Narendra Agrawal, could not attend the function as they were in Jaipur to attend the annual general meeting of the CCCA. A month’s salary as bonus was also distributed to the staff of Rajkamal, Akola as well as to A.V. Gawande, local representative of Vishwajyoti Films, Bhusawal.

Santosh Singh Jain Re-Elected CCCA President

Santosh Singh Jain was re-elected president of the Central Circuit Cine Association for 1997-98 at the first meeting of the newly elected executive committee held on 25th September in Jaipur at Ravindra Manch. Vijay Rathi was re-elected vice president. S.K. Surana and Ramesh Surekha were elected hon. secretary and hon. treasurer respectively.

Earlier in the day, at the elections to the executive committee, a total of 450 votes were polled. Of these, 48 were declared invalid. The following members were declared elected:

C.P. Berar Exhibition: Azad Laddha (polled 373 votes), S.K. Surana (368), Vijay Rathi (340) and Mahendra Jain (312).

C.P. Berar Distribution: The following were declared elected unopposed: Bharat Khajanchi, Ramkisan Kasat, B.N. (Laloo) Kabra and Dilip Mudliar.

C.I. Exhibition: Uttam Nahar (380 votes) and Ramesh Surekha (346).

C.I. Distribution: There was no polling and the following two were declared elected unopposed: Santosh Singh Jain and Vinod Malhotra.

Rajasthan Exhibition: Kishanchand Jain (267) and Mohan Godha (265).

Rajasthan Distribution: Nandkishore Jalani (354) and Mohan Godha (305).

Liyakat Ali was the most notable loser. Having contested in the Rajasthan Exhibition sector, he polled only 153 votes.

All the 16 candidates elected belong to the Santosh Singh Jain panel. Actually, Liyakat Ali was the lone strong opposition candidate, the other candidates in the fray standing bleak chances of winning. Ramdhan Mamoria and Rajendra Mamoria had withdrawn from the battle.

O.P. Goyal, Ramdhan Mamoria and Pramod Munot were co-opted to the executive committee.

Earlier, on 24th September, the CCCA’s annual general meeting was held at the same venue — Ravindra Manch — in Jaipur.

Both, the annual general meeting and the elections, were ‘cold’ affairs. Since there was no opposition worth the name, no heat had been generated this year in the CCCA elections. There was, therefore, a record low turnout for the AGM and elections.

BATTLE OF WORDS BEFORE ELECTIONS

At the luncheon party held on 24th September at Ravindra Manch, there was a heated exchange of words between Rajendra Mamoria and Naraindas Mukhija. The latter had allegedly secured withdrawal letters from Ramdhan Mamoria and Rajendra Mamoria (both opposition candidates) on the pretext that one’s letter would be deposited with the CCCA and the other would be taken on Santosh Singh Jain’s panel. But both, father and son, were kept out of the panel, which hurt Rajendra no end.

Rajendra blamed Sethji (Naraindas Mukhija) of playing games and resorting to dirty politics for no justifiable reasons. Of course, ultimately, Ramdhan Mamoria was co-opted on the committee on 25th. Maybe, he would not have been co-opted had it not been for the tantrum thrown by son Rajendra.

LUCKY LIYAKAT, UNLUCKY LIYAKAT

Liyakat Ali’s defeat in the elections came as quite a shock. More than the defeat, it was the huge margin by which he lost, that shocked the trade.

Just a fortnight back, Liyakat Ali had met with a terrible accident near Bikaner when the brand new Maruti Zen car, in which he was travelling, had a head-on collision with a truck. Although the car was smashed into a thousand pieces, Liyakat and Satyawan Pareek, who was travelling with him, had a Providential escape. This, incidentally, was the third accident Liyakat met with in the last three years.

So while Liyakat was lucky in personal life, he remained unlucky in public life.

WORRIED LOT

The mood at the AGM and elections of the CCCA was anything but upbeat. With films falling like nine pins, distributors and exhibitors were a worried lot. S.K. Surana, distributor and exhibitor of C.P. Berar, lamented that box-office attendance was declining because the benefit of reduction in entertainment tax was not being passed on to cinegoers. Rajasthan distributor and exhibitor O.P. Bansal remarked, “Artificial film prices had to come down to the real level. We will now hear of film prices being reduced at the time of delivery every week.”

LUNCH & DINNER

Dinner for the delegates at the CCCA elections on 25th September was hosted by Rajasthan distributor and exhibitor O.P. Bansal. CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain held a lunch party on 26th for a select gathering at his Jaipur residence.

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Banarasi Babu’ Complete

With the conclusion of a 5-day stint in Bangalore recently, the entire shooting of Sapna Arts’ Banarasi Babu is complete. Govinda, Ramya, Asif Sheikh, Sanam, Shakti Kapoor and stuntmen participated. Directed by David Dhawan for producer Nandu G. Tolani, the film co-stars Bindu and Kader Khan. Writer: Rumi Jafri. Music: Anand Milind.

‘Dus’ Director Not Finalised So Far

Nitin Manmohan has clarified that no director has as yet been finalised to complete Neha-MAD Film Combines’ Dus which was being directed by late Mukul Anand.

YOU ASKED IT

When distributors, due to cut-throat competition, give several lakhs more than the price they originally offer for a film, why do they feel sad to increase a couple of thousands in cinema rentals?

– Perhaps, because they realise that they’ve paid too high a price for the film and, therefore, want to save as much as possible thereafter.

Why is there no heat in the elections to any trade association this year?

– Trade associations are becoming less and less important in a member’s life. Therefore, there’s no urge to serve the industry by getting elected to the executive committee of any association.

For a ‘hot’ film, how much can a producer cover from sale of theatrical rights for the various circuits in terms of percentage of a major circuit?

– Upto 550 to 600% (including Overseas rights and excluding audio rights).

Laughter, The Best Medicine

With Sanjay Gupta not having made it even with Hameshaa, a film about punar-janm (reincarnation), a wag remarked: “Now Sanjay Gupta must take a punar-janm, figuratively speaking, by changing his style of filmmaking if he wants to succeed.

* * *

Raveena Tandon has recovered from brain fever (meningitis). Before that, Neelam had also suffered from brain fever. So we have proof that at least two of our heroines have brains.

* * *

Q: What did Arshad Warsi tell Chandrachur Singh after the debacle of Betaabi?
A: “Chandrachur, tere mere sapne ho gaye chur-chur!”

* * *

After the release of Main Solah Baras Ki, Dev Anand will launch Main Ek Sau Solah Baras Ka. Dev himself will play the central character in the film.

* * *

Q: Why did Mere Sapno Ki Rani not fare well at the box-office?
A: Because the audience felt, Urmila was too heavily covered with clothes.

* * *

Q: Then why did Daud flop?
A: Because the audience felt, Urmila was too scantily dressed.

* * *

Q: Why are two films of David Dhawan (DD) being released together, on 10th October?
A: One film is DD1 and the other is DD Metro!

* * *

Q: Why are all big (cost-wise) films re-edited after release?
A: Because before release, the makers think of only their money spent on filming the scenes and songs. After release, they have to think of the bored public’s money.

* * *

Q: What did Rishi Kapoor tell his hero (Akshaye Khanna) and heroine (Aishwarya Rai) in the USA (where he is shooting) after the debacle of …Aur Pyar Ho Gaya and Mohabbat?
A: Aa ab (India) laut chalen!

* * *

Points To Ponder

What happened with the makers of Hameshaa two weeks back and with the producers of Mohabbat last week is suggestive of an emerging trend. We may now hear of more cases of distributors of one or the other circuits pleading inability to take delivery of the film at the contracted price. This is because film prices are false today and they have been so for the past two or three years. Producers made their money in these three years, now it’s their turn to panic. To panic because their share of profit has declined, not because they are making a loss. Not as yet, at least.

* * *

It’s good that Ishq has been postponed, although the reason why its release has gone ahead by four weeks (from 31st October to 28th November) isn’t good. Aamir Khan hurt his leg and hand while shooting for Mela, and since a song, which remains to be picturised for Ishq, would require the participation of Aamir (besides Ajay Devgan, Juhi Chawla and Kajol), the same (song picturisation) has had to be postponed. In a way, it’s good because there was too much of a rush on Diwali. There are now four confirmed releases on Diwali, viz. Dil To Pagal Hai, Ghulam-E-Musthafa, Grahan and Bhai. Incidentally, while on the song of Ishq, this same song was to have featured Amitabh Bachchan too. Why, Sudesh Bhosle even imitated Amitabh’s voice beautifully in the Mr. Lova song which, by the way, should soon become a hit with the masses.

* * *

Amitabh Bachchan’s next release will be K.C. Bokadia’s Lal Badshah, Amitabh himself said this, earlier this week in Jaipur when he was chatting with the press which had gone there to cover the films’ shooting. His Major Saab, he added, will be released early next year, after Lal Badshah.

* * *

Ram Gopal Varma has changed the leading lady of his new film, Satya. Pardes girl Mahima Chaudhry is out and in her place has come Urmila Matondkar. Don’t ask why — it could start a whole new controversy, and the industry has had more than its share of controversies in the last two months.

* * *

Plus Channel had unwelcome visitors on the morning of 26th September. The income-tax department carried out raids on its premises. I’m sure, they must have found Plus in minus.

* * *

The Meri Awaz Suno finals were held last week at a well-organised function at St. Andrews auditorium at Bandra, Bombay. Like last year, two participants — a girl and a boy — were declared winners. This television show, produced by Metavision, kept its promise last year when an audio cassette of the winner (male), Pradeep Somasundaram, was released by HMV recently. A solo cassette of the female winning voice, Sunidhi Chauhan, is due for an early release. Sanjeev Kohli, the active partner in Metavision, deserves praise for arranging an enjoyable evening where the finalists regaled the invited audience. While Annu Kapoor, who has been compering the show for the last two years, makes an excellent host, he must guard against shedding tears in front of the camera. The guy even cried (tears of joy?) in the finals function but, let me tell you, nobody was moved one bit. Hold back your tears, Annu, you are more appealing without them.

* * *

Producers and distributors should do some re-thinking on the topic of releasing films on Thursday in some circuits and on Friday in other circuits. If the public report of a film is poor on Thursday, exhibitors and sub-distributors, who usually wait till Thursday afternoon for making payments to distributors of the circuits in which the film is due for release on Friday, start making excuses. This lands the distributors into trouble. Why not release films on the same day in all the circuits — whether on Thursday or Friday.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Two Together

After a fairly long break, producer D. Rama Naidu will now start two Hindi films — the first in January ’98. Anil Kapoor has so far been finalised to play the hero in the first venture which will be a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Pavitra Bandham. The heroine is still to be finalised but, to quote Suresh, the dynamic young son of Rama Naidu, “That shouldn’t be a problem. It’s the kind of role any heroine would yearn to do. We have some heroines in mind and we’ll finalise the one who can give us priority dates.”

Four-Week Delay For ‘Ishq’

Producer Gordhan Tanwani has postponed the release of his Ishq by four weeks. Instead of Diwali, it will now come on 28th November. The reason for the rescheduling is the picturisation of a song which still remains to be done. Aamir Khan has hurt himself and will, therefore, not be able to participate in the picturisaton of that song. Yes, this is the same number in which Amitabh Bachchan was to have featured. But the latest news is that the makers will not be featuring Bachchan in the song which will be picturised on the four lead players — Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla, Ajay Devgan and Kajol.

Well, actually, this seems to be a bad season for the community of artistes. A few days back, Raveena Tandon was hospitalised. A couple of months back, Rajesh Khanna burnt his legs rather badly in Delhi when a container of boiling hot water fell on them. Khanna had to undergo skin grafting to treat the burns.

Flop? Who Cares?!?

Believe it or not but Chandrachur Singh has no dates to give for at least a year. And the price he is quoting is too phenomenal to be true. This was before the release of Betaabi. After its debacle too, the scene hasn’t changed. That’s how the film industry functions!

Good Reports

A Bombay distributor recently visited pilgrim place Shirdi. He had undergone some blood tests, the reports of which showed that everything was normal. Said he, “These days, film reports are never good. Therefore, a good blood report is enough reason to visit Shirdi and thank the Lord.”

The Bigger Bombs

And to end this column with a joke.
Q: How did Plaza cinema in Bombay survive the bomb blast in 1993?
A: It had screened bigger bombs than the bombs of 1993 — that’s how!

BOMBAY FILM INDUSTRY CLOSURE POSTPONED TO AUGUST 18

The proposed one-day strike of the Bombay film industry and the rally of August 11, to demonstrate the industry’s protest against the government’s inaction in curbing cable piracy of Hindi films, have been postponed by a week — to August 18. The rest of the details remain the same i.e. the entire industry will down shutters on August 18 (instead of August 11) and a rally will be organised from Juhu to Mantralaya in Bombay. It will terminate after an industry delegation hands over a memorandum to the chief minister, urging him to take firm and necessary action to curb the menace of cable piracy.

A meeting of representatives of all sectors of the film industry will be held at Mehboob Studios on August 9 at 4 p.m. to chalk out other details of the closure and the rally.

LATEST POSITION

Heavy rains in Maharashtra and various other parts have adversely affected collections.

Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha has done very well in the 1st week and is particularly excellent in major cities of the various circuits, but a drop was noticed in several other places from 5th/6th day onwards. 1st week Bombay 22,60,634 (100%) from 5 cinemas (6 on F.H.), Vashi 2,67,750; Ahmedabad 11,13,784 from 6 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Vapi 6,19,710 from 2 cinemas, Padra 2,03,464, Rajkot (matinee) 36,697 (1 unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,29,282 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 11,83,723 from 5 cinemas, Solapur 2,30,726 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Belgaum 1,16,507; Delhi 39,85,872 (86.65%) from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 4,10,924 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 4,18,769, Allahabad 2,07,370, Varanasi 1,85,603, Meerut 2,05,644, Hardwar 1,05,562; Rohtak 41,215; Calcutta 20,04,361 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 8,26,157 from 4 cinemas, Amravati 1,81,427, Akola 2,07,640, Raipur 1,75,612, Chandrapur 1,63,531; Indore 2,38,013 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,29,711 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 12,07,588 from 4 cinemas, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,66,938; Hyderabad 15,58,445 from 7 cinemas (1 in noon).

Angaaray has not found appreciation. 1st week Bombay 20,01,430 (60.56%) from 9 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,76,671 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,07,265 (1 in matinee unrecd.); Delhi 14,86,349 (43.03%) from 8 cinemas (1 on F.H., 1 unrecd.); Kanpur 1,84,528 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,83,452, Allahabad 63,500, Varanasi 1,22,068, Bareilly 63,669 (41.36%); Calcutta 11,76,360 from 16 cinemas; Nagpur 2,00,729 from 4 cinemas; Indore 2,46,803 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,47,872 from 2 cinemas; Jodhpur 1,62,000; Hyderabad 16,24,303 from 9 cinemas (7 on F.H.), share (including F.H.) 11,25,000.

Kareeb drops further. 2nd week Bombay 19,45,260 (50.35%) from 7 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,59,812 (1 unrecd.), Vapi 1,00,900, total 3,71,394, Baroda 1,42,107; Pune 3,27,269 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 40,725; Delhi 22,13,639 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur (6 days) 85,642, Lucknow 2,33,575, Allahabad 57,880, Varanasi 85,212, Bareilly (6 days) 51,603; Calcutta 6,17,540 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 1,04,498, Amravati (6 days) 42,390, Raipur (6 days) 54,834; Bhopal 97,454; Jaipur 1,61,244, Bikaner 90,024; Hyderabad 4,44,744 from 2 cinemas.

………..

Dulhe Raja 3rd week Bombay 11,63,643 (60%) from 6 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,19,454 from 3 cinemas, Jamnagar (matinee) 11,582; Pune 3,60,532 from 3 cinemas, 2nd week Solapur 81,306; 3rd week Delhi 12,55,330 from 6 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,81,071 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,84,528, Allahabad 1,11,300, Varanasi 1,42,824, Bareilly 1,08,114 (50.04%); Calcutta 2,43,450 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 1,63,801 from 2 cinemas, Amravati 93,002, 2nd week Akola 1,02,477, total 2,97,009, share 2,24,304, 3rd week Raipur 95,182, Jalgaon 94,000, Yavatmal 57,286; Indore 1,53,780, Bhopal 1,63,092; Jaipur 2,69,706 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 3,45,506 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Satya is extraordinary in Maharashtra. 4th week Bombay (TF) 44,08,892 (86.16%) from 10 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,49,907 from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 45,744; Pune (TF) 8,90,283 from 5 cinemas (2 in matinee), Solapur (TF) 1,74,035; Delhi 6,33,364 from 3 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 96,501 from 2 cinemas, Allahabad 60,857, Varanasi 39,838; Calcutta 1,83,352; Nagpur (TF) 2,20,782 from 2 cinemas, Amravati (TF) 1,44,679, Akola (TF) 71,846, total 3,23,938, share 2,38,770, 1st week (3 days) Wardha (TF) 59,695, Chandrapur (TF) 1,21,222; 4th week Bhopal 70,000; Hyderabad 3,26,958.

Show Tax In Madhya Pradesh Shoots Up
Industry Loss Estimated At 6 Crore Annually

Show tax in Madhya Pradesh has been increased 13 times with effect from 24th June. According to a gazette in notification (no. 30/18) dated 3rd July, the show tax per show will now be charged between Rs. 50 and Rs. 200. The show tax before this was Rs. 15 per show.

Although the gazette notification of 3rd July does not specify cinema, it does talk of public performances. The Supreme Court in 1959 had in the case of Delite cinema, Jabalpur, versus Jabalpur Municipal Corporation held that film screenings in a cinema came within the ambit of public performances.

According to Narendra Agarwal of Anjani Talkies, Khandwa, the additional burden to distributors and exhibitors of the state due to the hike in show tax would be about Rs. 6 crore annually. Madhya Pradesh has more than 700 cinemas, of which 500 operate regularly.

The Central Circuit Cine Association has been trying to get the M.P. government to permit cinemas to levy a tax-free service charge on the lines of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. While the tax-free service charge has not been allowed, the increase in show tax has come as a rude shock to the film trade in M.P.

With CCCA elections due next month, this issue of show tax is likely to be brought up at the annual general meeting by members who feel that the present executive committee should have taken steps to ensure that show tax on cinemas was not increased. There is still time, and a timely and effective representation to the government can save the industry 6 crore and also serve as a face-saving device for the CCCA executive committee.

YOU ASKED IT

Which films will be released on Diwali this year?

– BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN and KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI.

While Rajiv Babbar’s Shapath and Chandaal had opened to good houses, why has Yamraaj, released this week, not had a similar (good) opening?

– Perhaps, because of a surfeit of releases of Mithun starrers. Too much of anything is bad, right? Nevertheless, in Bombay, YAMRAAJ has taken a good start.

Do you think, banks will finance film production or is all this talk about bank and institutional finance for the film industry, useless?

– It is just a matter of time. Banks and financial institutions seem to have started thinking in terms of giving loans to film producers.

Who is the biggest enemy of the film industry?

– Some of the industry people themselves, especially those who claim to be on the creative side but are actually interested in only making a quick buck. There’s no seriousness or dedication in their work.

REGIONAL FILMS

Gujarati
Upendra, Naresh, Jeet Teamed

Upendra Trivedi, Naresh Kanodia and Jeet Upendra have been teamed in J.K. Film Productions’ Prod. No. 1, to be produced by Vikram Singh Dodia and Mahavir Singh Kochar. It will be directed by Atmaram Thakor. Story: Vikram Singh Dodia. Screenplay & dialogues: Vikram Patel.

100 Days In Bombay

G.N. Films’ (Keshod) Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya completed 100 (combined) days in Bombay at Dreamland (matinee) two weeks back. The film also completed silver jubilee in 25 centres of Gujarat and Saurashtra and is now heading towards golden jubilee. It was released in America last week.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Unexciting Independence Day

With the release of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.. having been postponed by a week, there’s no major release now scheduled for 14th August. Surprising, because the Independence Day holiday on 15th August is considered to be truly bountiful for the box-office. Maharaja was trying to meet the 14th August release date but the film will not be ready for that day now, maybe, because post-production work went slow under the assumption that Dil Se.. would make it on 14th, so Maharaja could follow the next week. In the meantime, rumour-mongers insist that presenter Bharat Shah has postponed Dil Se.. by a week so that Barood, which is also presented by him, gets two clear weeks without any major opposition. Barood is scheduled for release on 7th August. Of course, the rumours are baseless, but it is said that there should be no big film hitting the screens on 14th August.

Dream Goes To Dust

After all the pains he has taken over the completion of his dream project, Ramoji Rao must be a disillusioned man today. His Film City in Hyderabad is reportedly running into losses to the tune of several lakhs every month. Reason: no takers. Now, this must surely seem surprising, for, the Film City offers every single facility required in the process of making a film. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that one can just walk into the Film City with the script, cast and crew, and walk out with the first copy of his film. Yet, it is a sad fact that for inexplicable reasons, producers are shying away from this completely self-sufficient studio. In the past six months, only two films have been shot there, putting Ramoji Rao to huge losses.

20 Flops For Every Hit

You way have heard of two-in-one and three-in-ones. Commonly used to describe a radio-cum-cassette-player (two-in-one) or a radio-cum-cassette-player-cum-CD-player (three-in-one), the expression could also be used to refer to a person or thing who/which does two/three jobs/activities/duties. But have you heard of a twenty-in-one? Well, that’s what one leading Bengal distributor has been nicknamed by others in the trade in Calcutta. Of course, although there’s no malice meant, this distributor is referred to as 20-in-1 because, to quote another Bengal distributor, “The 20-in-1 releases 20 flops for every hit/success released by him.” That is to say, for every hit/success released by him, there are about 20 flops that follow in his distribution concern.

Godzilla-Replies

The publicity caption of the Hollywood film Godzilla, viz. ‘Size does matter’, has become a popular catchline. Here’s how the catchline can be altered to suit happenings in the Indian film industry.

Why is Satish Kaushik the favourite comedian of David Dhawan these days?

Because size does matter!

Why were Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda cast in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan?

Because height does matter!

Why has Saawan Kumar made Mother ’98 with four oldies?

Because age does matter!

Why are so many films flopping these days?

Because price does matter!

Why did nobody believe Mukesh Bhatt when he said that Ghulam had cost him 15 crore to make?

Because lies does matter!

Dream Merchant

Film Folk and Bank Loan

There’s so much optimism in the film industry after 10th May, the day on which I & B minister Sushma Swaraj announced industry status for the film world. Without knowing how and when bank finance will become available to films, trade people are all talking of bank and institutional finance. Every filmland party, every film-folk gathering has a fixed topic of discussion since that May day! Actually, bank finance is coming out of my ears — and last night, it also came into my dreams. Not the finance, silly. They were some proposals for bank finance that made it into my dreams.

Pramod Chakravorty applied to the Bank of Baroda for finance for his next, starring Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty. The bank manager pleaded inability to finance such a risky proposal. “But where’s the risk?”, argued Chakki-da. “See,” replied the bank manager, “when your Barood was launched, Akshay and Raveena Tandon were in love with each other but during its making, they fell apart and thereby delayed your film. If Akshay and Shilpa also decide to split, it would mean delaying your new film. We are wary of Akshay’s temporary love affairs even more than his permanent affair with flops.”

Harmesh Malhotra, flush with the success of Dulhe Raja, approached Union Bank for a loan for his next, also starring Govinda and Raveena Tandon. The assistant manager of the bank processed the file and not only turned down the loan application but also Harmesh Malhotra’s request for a meeting with the manager. “Govinda starrers are a strict no-no in this bank,” informed the assistant manager. “We are aware of Govinda’s latecoming habits and we’d rather not risk our money in his films.”  Harmesh-ji tried to reason out with the bank officer that Govinda had mended his ways and was now reporting for his shootings on time, but the banker said, he was also aware that Govinda gets such I’m-now-punctual-and-serious stories printed in the press at regular intervals. “He is regular about these news items but very irregular for his shootings,” the banker concluded.

Boney Kapoor and Anil Kapoor approached Dena Bank for a loan of Rs. 4 crore. The money, they said, would be needed after 30 days for a start-to-finish shooting schedule of Pukaar. The bank officials were not totally ignorant about films and asked the Kapoor brothers, “Start-to-finish? But Pukaar was started three years ago, right?” Boney nodded, “Of course, it was. What we mean by start-to-finish is that we start our next shooting schedule after we receive your loan and the shooting goes on till your loan is finished.” The bank officials gave the Kapoors one look of dismay which said more than a thousand words.

Amitabh Bachchan’s application for loan was rejected by Bank of India even before it was read. Reason: the bank felt, it was too risky to lend money to AB Corp. as Amitabh’s detractors pay money to buy people who then frequent cinemas screening the star’s film and walk out mid-way. This, the bank managers agreed with Bachchan, created the wrong impression among the rest of the people viewing the film. Amitabh tried to reason out with the manager that the situation was not as grim as he was imagining and that his (Amitabh’s) press statements about detractors or anything else should not be taken so seriously. “Yes, seriously,” nodded the bank manager, “we aren’t taking your loan application also seriously.” And he began to laugh deliriously.

Vinod Chopra, aware of how every loan application for films was being rejected by different banks, tried to be different. He approached the Grindlays Bank to get a loan sanctioned not for his next film but rather for the legal battle he would have to fight against video pirates at the time of release of his new film. The manager of Grindlays Bank was, however, blunt to the point of being rude. He told Vinod Chopra, “You needn’t get any court order for your new film. After the debacle of Kareeb, the cable TV operators may themselves refuse to touch your next film. No legal battle, no loan.”

Vashu Bhagnani tried to sweet-talk the manager of Saraswat Bank into giving him a loan for his new film. “If you sanction the loan, I’ll make a film on your bank and title it Bank No. 1,” smiled Vashu, while pushing a briefcase of money no. 2 into the manager’s hand. The manager, fearing a scam no. 1, returned Vashu his briefcase of currency notes as well as the loan application. “Cash liya to darna kya?”, asked Vashu. “Loan deke marna kya?”, counter-questioned the bank manager. “Okay, okay, loan nahin deke ladna kya?“, shot back Vashu as he caught hold of his briefcase and sped out of the bank.

Mahesh Bhatt refused to go to any bank. “If I can direct films over the telephone, I can jolly well raise finances over the same telephone,” he told brother Mukesh Bhatt. He then telephoned his bank (Overseas Bank) manager and asked if he could finance the purchase of the latest VCDs and LDs of Hollywood films. “Their cost,” explained Bhatt to the banker, “is much more than the production cost of my films.” The bank manager explained to Mahesh Bhatt that the bank rules did not permit him to lend money for anything except film production. He, therefore, asked him to get a loan application prepared, attaching the script of the film he wanted finance for. Bhatt shouted, “Are you mad? How can I write the script without seeing LDs of new Hollywood releases?” Saying thus, he banged down the telephone.

Saawan Kumar approached his bank — Bank of Maharashtra — for a loan for his next film. “What is the security you can offer?”, asked the manager. Replied Saawan Kumar, “I can offer the security of my unreleased film, Mother ’98.” “But that film is not sold,” lamented the manager. “So what if the film is not yet sold?”, asked Saawan Kumar, adding, “I have the capacity to hold. The film is taking some time to be sold because the subject is bold…” The bank manager interrupted him, “Okay, okay, but what do I do with the security of an unsold film?” It was now Saawan Kumar’s chance to cut him short. Said he, “Look, mister, would you accept gold as security?” The manager’s face lit up. “Of course, I would,” he smiled. “Okay then, do you know the cast of my Mother ’98?”, asked Saawan Kumar, and himself answered the query, “It has Rekha, Jeetendra, Randhir Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan.” The manager looked perplexed. “But there are no youngsters in the film?”, he queried. Saawan Kumar shot back, “You just said, you will accept gold as security, didn’t you? Well, my film may have oldies, but then, old is gold.” The manager grinned, “Sir, your loan is sanctioned.”

– Komal Nahta