ALLAH MEHERBAN TO GADHA PAHELWAN

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

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

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

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

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

LATEST POSITION

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

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

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

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

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

JR. ARTISTES SUPPLIERS SHOWN THE DOOR

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

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

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

‘BORDER’ TAX FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

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

R.R. KHAJANCHI HOSPITALISED

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

HIRALAL SHAH DEAD

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

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

DHANUKAS BEREAVED

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

MARATHI FILMS GET 100% TAX EXEMPTION

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

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

‘London’ To Roll In London

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

PRODUCTION NEWS

‘Gharwali Baharwali’ In Hyderabad

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

‘Ghulam’ Major Spell

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

DO YOU KNOW?

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

‘BORDER’ RECORDS

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIX MASALA

FROM YOUNG GIRL TO OLD LADY

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

HISTORIC COLLECTIONS

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

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

– JAVED AKHTAR

Komal Nahta

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

Javed Sahab, where do you see yourself today?

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

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

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

What kind of songs give you satisfaction as a lyricist?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is it that prompted you to become a lyricist?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where do you see yourself twenty years from now?

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

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

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

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

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

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Cinema Shortage

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

Fancy Price

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

Bachchan’s Nihalani Connection

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

Dismally Low

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

Allah Meherban To Lady Pareshaan

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

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

ITIHAAS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LATEST POSITION

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

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

……….

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

………

DHANNALAL THAKURIA DEAD

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

MALAYALAM FILM HERO SUKUMARAN DEAD

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘BORDER’ SHOW FOR UPHAAR CINEMA VICTIMS

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

BASU BHATTACHARYA DEAD

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

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

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

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

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

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

BABY BOY FOR GIRISH JAIN

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

SHANKAR LALL GOENKA’S DAUGHTER TO WED

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

INDIA’S FIRST MULTIPLEX DOING WELL

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

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

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

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

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

‘Raju Raja Ram’ Rolls

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

‘Aa Ab Laut Chalen’ Launched With Recording

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

YOU ASKED IT

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

– Yes, it definitely can.

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

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

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

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

DO YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

BOMBAY

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

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

EAST PUNJAB

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

C.P. BERAR

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

NIZAM

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

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Lucky 1997

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

Goodbye Sapna

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

Too Short A Time?

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

Great Potential

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

Not Maintaining Their Status

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

Sabse Bada Rupaiya

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

Favourite No. 1 ?

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

Tips’ Trio Of Hits

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

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

60 DIE IN MAJOR FIRE AT DELHI’S UPHAAR CINEMA

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

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

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

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

‘Itihaas’: West Bengal Distributor Refuses To Hike Price

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

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

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

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

GULSHAN RAI: A DISTRIBUTORS’ PRODUCER

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

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

RAMKISAN KASAT’S SON TO WED

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

KEDAR NATH AGARWAL NO MORE

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

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

ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING

Rishi Kapoor To Direct Rajesh Khanna, Akshaye, Aishwarya

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

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

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

YOU ASKED IT

What explains the bumper opening of Border this week?

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

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

– GUPT, PARDES, DAUD and ISHQ.

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

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

DO YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHOOTING COVERAGE

‘YUGPURUSH’
A Different Nana Again

– Gautam Mutha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

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

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

No-Cut Director

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

Music To Hit Hai

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

Compliment Extraordinaire

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

‘Gupt’ In Gandhinagar

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

Too Sticky To Handle?

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

Direct Contact

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

‘JUDAAI’ 100 DAYS AT 35 CENTRES

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

LATEST POSITION

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

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

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

……….

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

……….

USHA KHANNA TURNS PRODUCER

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

SHILPA SHIRODKAR BEREAVED

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

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

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

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

CINEMA OWNER, MANAGER ARRESTED IN VIJAYAWADA: TRADE UPSET

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

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

YASHWANT KACHHWAHA BEREAVED

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

SIGNED

Rajkumar Santoshi Signs Priyadarshan, Akshaye

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

CENSOR NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

YOU ASKED IT

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

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

What is the formula for box-office success?

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

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

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

IN & OUT OF BOMBHAY

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

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

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

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

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

‘Kama Sutra’: Video Cassettes Available?

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

Tension Brewing

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

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

‘Virasat’ Success: The Firsts

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

Changed Scenario

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

Raj Kanwar’s Second Gesture

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

Ghai’s August Connection

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

Smallest Cinema, Biggest Share

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

Release At Short Notice

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

‘Speedy’ Saazish

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

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

Sony’s Music Company

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

VIRASAT

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

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

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

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

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

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

INSAAF

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

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

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

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

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

‘BORDER’ RELEASE POSTPONED

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

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

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

‘HERO NO. 1’ 100 DAYS

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

DO YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

YOU ASKED IT

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Insaaf’: An Eye-Opener

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Yash Chopra In New Territory

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

Battling For The Price

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

Holiday From Film Viewing

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

MAHAANTA

Ayesha Films’ Mahaanta (UA) is a routine revenge drama laced with ingredients like friendship, love and sacrifice. Two bosom pals are separated when one of them is killed alongwith his wife. The murdered friend’s brother thinks that the other friend is behind the murders actually committed by a gang of villains. One by one, he seeks revenge on the villains and, in the end, is also convinced about the innocence of the friend.

Like the oft-repeated story, the film’s screenplay is also routine. Some twists and turns in the story look contrived and rather far-fetched. For instance, a police commissioner tries to save the life of his friend’s brother by putting him behind bars in the hope that he would be safe and secure there! What’s more, scenes are so lengthy that the drama loses a bit of its impact due to that. The second half, in which the hero kills the villains one after another, is better, although it could do with a lot of trimming. Emotions are totally absent. Dialogues (Talat Rekhi) are very good at places. The film has taken a number of years to complete and the time-gap shows.

Jeetendra does a fair job. Sanjay Dutt is competent. His stunts are very good. Madhuri Dixit looks young and pretty in some scenes and older in other scenes. Her performance, as usual, is good. Amrish Puri makes a terrifying villain. Paresh Rawal, as the other villain, evokes laughter with his dialogues and acting. Shakti Kapoor is okay. Mohsin Khan, Tej Sapru, Tariq Shah, Satyen Kappu, Sumalatha, Poonam Dhillon, Saeed Jaffrey, Kishore Bhanushali, Brijgopal and the others are alright. Commentary by Raza Murad is effective.

Direction is limited by the script. Director Afzal Khan has borrowed ideas from previous hits rather than offering something new. His shot takings are, however, good. Veeru Devgan’s action scenes have been wonderfully composed and they lend good thrill. On the music (Laxmikant Pyarelal) front, there are two good songs — ‘Tapka re tapka’ and ‘Chhoo le choo le’. A couple of other songs are rather dull. Background score is effective, the impact accentuated by DTS mixing. Camerawork is fairly good. Production values are rich. Special (computer) effects are fair.

On the whole, Mahaanta is too routine a film to be able to entertain and will, therefore, prove a costly proposition for its distributors.

Released on 23-5-’97 at Liberty and 26 other cinemas of Bombay thru M.V. Pictures. Publicity: very good. Opening: average (adversely affected due to excessive number of cinemas). …….Also released all over.

NEW CINEMA OPENS IN BOMBAY

A new cinema — King’s — opened on 23rd May at Kurla, Bombay. A mini cinema with 191 seats, it is housed in the same premises at Kalpana and Kamran cinemas. It is airconditioned and is fitted with Stereophonic sound.

The cinema has just one class with an admission rate of Rs. 32.50. Its nett capacity per show is Rs. 3,753.15 and for 28 shows, it is Rs. 1,05,088.70. It is owned by Agadi Seth and its booking is being done by Rajshri.

In recent times, this is the fourth new cinema of Bombay. The three other newly-opened cinemas are Sona (at Borivli), Madhuban and Pooja (both at Dombivli).

FIRST MARATHI FILM ACTRESS KAMALABAI GOKHALE DEAD

Kamalabai Raghunathrao Gokhale, the first Maharashtrian actress to have acted in a film, passed away on the midnight of 18th May at the age of 97. She is survived by her son, Chandrakant Gokhale, and grandson, Vikram Gokhale.

Kamalabai joined Marathi theatre at the age of five. She acted in just one Marathi film, Bhasmasur Mohini, produced and directed by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913. In fact, Bhasmasur Mohini was the first film to have a female in the cast. Prior to that, it was the norm for male artistes to enact the female roles.

BETTER FACILITIES AT FILM CITY PROMISED

Govind Swaroop, secretary, cultural affairs, govt. of Maharashtra, and managing director of Film City, met film people in an informal meeting organised by G.P. Shirke on behalf of the Chamber of Motion Picture Producers, on 20th May. He patiently heard the various problems faced by the film industry at Film City during shooting and promised to solve these problems. He further informed that Film City had various new plans to give better amenities and facilities for filmmaking at Film City.

He said that Film City had already introduced a medical facility and insurance scheme, available for the benefit of the producers. When asked about the security at Film City, he explained that now, Film City had ex-army personnel on its security team, and security patrolling teams had also been introduced.

The film personalities present at the meeting were Sultan Ahmed, Gaffarbhai Nadiadwala, Ramesh Taurani, T.C. Dewan, Jagdish Sharma, Surjit Aujla, Mehul Kumar and Sushama Shiromanee alongwith representatives of cine workers.

DIMPLE KAPADIA BEREAVED

Chunibhai Kapadia, father of Dimple Kapadia, expired on 17th May in Bombay. Chautha was held on 20th.

BABY GIRL FOR ANAND

Music director Anand’s (Anand Milind) wife delivered a baby girl on 22nd May at Pushpa nursing home, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri, Bombay. This is the first child of the couple in 17 years.

YOU ASKED IT

When does the Rs. 15 lakh subsidy become due to a Marathi film producer — during the making of a film or at the time of release of the second (next) film?

– Firstly, Rs. 15 lakh subsidy has been promised by the Maharashtra chief minister, it hasn’t been made a policy decision so far. Whenever the policy comes (expected in mid-June), the subsidy for a film will become payable at the time of production of the producer’s next film, that too, in four instalments.

What is the progress of Mehul Kumar’s Aey Watan Tere Liye? Will it be released on 15th August this year, as planned?

– Insiders reveal that the film has been postponed for the time being. It is rumoured that Mehul Kumar is toying with the idea of another film with Amitabh Bachchan and Nana Patekar together.

Why are other film associations not as strong as the CCCA?

– Because there’s no unity among members in the other trade bodies.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Jayshree Talkies, Bijapur, has completed a hat-trick of silver jubilees in 1997 with RAJA HINDUSTANI. The earlier jubilees celebrated were: RAJA in 1995, and DDLJ in 1996.

* A church set of Lala Damani’s SAAZISH, erected in Ooty, has become a tourist attraction. The set has people visiting it every day.

* Just a week before the release of J.P. Dutta’s BORDER on 6th June, his earlier film, KSHATRIYA, will be revived in Bombay under a new title, KHILADIYON KA MUQABALA. Incidentally, both are four-hero films.

Case For Collective Action

The scene in a magistrate’s court in Bombay earlier this week would agitate and shock any sensible person. A lady from Baroda had filed a writ petition in the court, alleging that heroines Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Pooja Bhatt, Tabu and Mamta Kulkarni were all indulging in obscenity in films. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the lady came with a whole gang of her relatives and friends of all ages, to the court, obviously, with the intention of seeing and showing the stars in flesh and blood! Of course, the lady and her entourage must have been disappointed on not seeing a single actress as the heroines were all represented by their lawyers. Anyway, their disappointment is besides the point. What is the point is: how long can the industry and its people continue to be dragged to the court by such self-proclaimed custodians of law who, more often than not, are actually least concerned about the aesthetics they say they are fighting for.

It is not rare for mahila mandals to take up such issues in courts of law, only because an actor or actress refused to show their face or talk to some mad member of the mandal. Sometimes, the mere kick of troubling a busy and famous artiste prompts an individual or an organisation to make a case out of virtually nothing, and drag a helpless actress to court. And, the person making such a hue and cry must, more often than not, actually be seeing films like a crazy film buff.

The industry must collectively take up this matter with the authorities concerned so that punishment can be meted out to the complainant if it is established that the intention of the complainant was to simply harass an actor/actress or if the complaint is ab initio weak/senseless/baseless. If such a precedent is set, ninety-nine per cent of the cases against stars and filmmakers will never come up. In a recent judgement, a person falsely holding himself out to be Priyanka Gandhi’s husband was sent to jail. A judgement on similar lines in fraudulent cases involving stars is what is needed.

Coming back to the complainants. What are they actually trying to prove with such crazy cases? Their senselessness? Or are they fanning their egos? If they have a grouse, the right body to be addressed, in case of an objection to scenes in a film, is the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). And if they are so concerned about India’s culture and the morality of Indians, why do they turn a blind eye to girls wearing skimpier clothes in real life than our heroines on screen? Is it because a case against a nobody will get them nowhere and no publicity, while a case against a celebrity will get them fame and recognition?

Such fame and recognition be damned. High time, an end was put to such games played with popular names on grounds that are lame.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Changing Luck?

Lady Luck seems to be smiling on Mushir Riaz who are known as unlucky producers in the industry. For one, the music of their Virasat has become extremely popular, which has made the film ‘hot’ among the city audience, at least. Their hero, Anil Kapoor, who wasn’t exactly going through a good phase of his career, has recently delivered a hit in Judaai. And their heroine, Tabu, has won a National Award for 1996. Mushir Riaz had better keep their fingers crossed so that these three lucky points translate into box-office luck for their moderately-priced Virasat.

Sorry, We’re Not In The Race

Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the debut-making director of Khamoshi, may not have had a taste of success, but he felt, his film could have picked up an award or two at the National Awards. Even this became impossible because Sanjay realised (too late) to his dismay that Polygram (who presented the film) had simply not applied for awards in a single category. And this, despite the fact that the Polygram people kept telling Sanjay that they had sent the print of the film to Delhi for the jury to see it. Phew! Wonder, why anybody would be averse to winning awards?

‘JUDWAA’ 100 DAYS

Sajid Nadiadwala’s Judwaa has completed 100 days of its run today (May 17) at Liberty, Bombay, and other places. It stars Salman Khan in a double role with Karisma Kapoor, Rambha, Anupam Kher, Shakti Kapoor, Satish Shah, Kader Khan and others. It is directed by David Dhawan and its music is scored by Anu Malik. Purshottam K. Agarwal presents the film.

DISTRIBUTOR RAMBHAI MURDERED

Bombay and Delhi-U.P. distributor Rambhai Patel (Sheetal Films, Ahmedabad-Bombay-Delhi) was brutally murdered on the night of 12th May at Savli near Baroda. His partner in another business, Ramjibhai, was also murdered simultaneously.

Rambhai and Ramjibhai had a flourishing angadia business and had to reportedly recover several crores of rupees from the Somani brothers. When the latter went on postponing the payment, Rambhai and Ramjibhai had an altercation with the brothers a few days before the murders.

It seems that the murders were planned in great detail because Rambhai and Ramjibhai had been summoned by the Somanis to Salvi at the factory of Somani Cement to collect part of their payment. The Somanis, it is learnt, telephoned Rambhai on 11th May and asked him to come to his factory the following day. A reminder phone call was made on 12th too.

The two partners were taken to the godown of the factory on the night of 12th when they reached Somani Cement. By then, the goondas of the Somanis had taken their places in the godown and overpowered the two who least suspected foul play and, therefore, went unarmed. They were beaten with iron rods and wooden sticks, kicked and finally shot dead in true filmi style. Both, Rambhai and Ramjibhai, died on the spot as they could offer little opposition to the gang.

The dead bodies were put in their car and a goon of the Somanis was to set the car on fire at a distance from Savli. But even while preparations were being made to set the car afire at Parthampura village, a police van was passing that way. Sensing danger, the killers fled the scene. The police recovered visiting cards and diaries from the pockets of the two dead persons and, after investigations, arrested the Somani brothers on 15th May. The police suspect that three other persons were also involved in the horrendous murders, but they are still at large.

Rambhai had distributed Deewana, Bewaffa Se Waffa, Mehboob Mere Mehboob and Mashooq in Bombay circuit, and Phool Aur Kaante, Saajan and Sadak in Gujarat. He had also released a film or two in Delhi-U.P.

Rambhai was only 45 years old and is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. His 13-year old son was away in Ooty on a holiday when the murder took place. The funeral took place at Rambhai’s native place, Balol, on 14th. A post mortem was conducted on 13th.

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

Producer-director Indra Kumar is on a holiday abroad and will return in the first week of June.

Producer-director Rakesh Roshan left for a holiday abroad on May 13 and will return after a month.

Mr. Raman Maroo of Shemaroo Video will return to India from abroad on 27th May.

Mr. Rajesh Chowdhary of Modern Movies, Jaipur, returned to Jaipur on 16th May.

Mr. Baba Ramdeo of ABC Enterprises, Jaipur, is expected in town after a couple of days and will stay at Royal Inn (649-5151).

Producer Dinesh Salgia is in Indore and will return on 20th May.

Mr. Ashok Tharani of Ashoka Enterprises, Indore, will reach Bombay (634-2335) on 19th May.

Producer Mahendra Dhariwal, presently in Bombay, will leave for Jodhpur (46196) today.

Mr. Kamaldeep Singh Lamba of Kanwaljit Enterprises, Secunderabad, will be in Bombay (98200-74761) from May 19 to 23.

YOU ASKED IT

Jai-Kishen was released recently as Khiladi Hindustani. Anjaam has become Nafrat. Does this title-changing game help?

– In rare cases, it does. By the way, titles of only unsuccessful films are changed, generally speaking. Nobody has tried it with an old hit.

Video pirates have become super-active again. The latest Hindi films are telecast on cable TV channels all over, just two to four days after their theatrical release. Why doesn’t the industry take serious action against such pirates?

– The industry can do nothing till the government decides to help it. So helpless is the industry feeling that it has stopped contemplating taking any action whatsoever, which also is not right.

In 1995, when the government extended the benefit of 50% entertainment tax in Maharashtra for a further period of one year, it did so with the intention that the benefit should be passed on to cinegoers. Is there a similar intention in the current relief?

– No, this time, the government has reduced entertainment tax from 100% to 60% for the benefit of the industry only. Even then, where ticket rates are too high, it would be in the interest of all concerned to pass on at least a part of the benefit to the audience. If the industry does not do so, it may end up killing the hen that laid the golden eggs. For, if admission rates are not brought down in some cinemas, attendance, which is already low, may come down further.

Why? Why? Why?

Some stray thoughts have been crossing my mind for the past few days, which is good food for thought.

Like, why do distributors put the following line in their advertisements in newspapers: ‘To show or see this film on video/cable is illegal’. Has any distributor succeeded in taking action against anybody who shows or sees the latest films on video/cable?

Like, why do we refer to a film’s launching as its muhurt. A muhurt, by its very nature, must be held at the auspicious time. For film muhurts, the auspicious time is not that governed by the stars above but only that when the stars here on earth arrive for the launch. Then, what’s so muhurt-ish about the launching?

Or why do many producers ‘celebrate’ 100 days or silver jubilee of their films even though they run in deficit?

Why do producers flaunt the entry of their songs in countdown shows on the various television channels as a passport to success of their films when the two have no correlation whatsoever?

Why do distributors, when reviving old films, announce that the same have been revived ‘due to public demand’? Does any channel exist for public demand to reach the distributors?

Why, in the interviews on different satellite channels, do the producer/director/actor/ actress always harp on one thing — that my film/role is very different — when the fact is not so. Why can’t they just say that it is entertaining and leave it at that because nobody must be taking this “very different” bit seriously any longer.

Or why do music companies present Platinum and Double or Triple Platinum Discs to music albums when there’s no transparency at all about the album sales and when such Discs have become so common that they do little — or rather nothing — to augment the album sales or brighten up the prospects of a film if the album happens to be a film album?

Why do several producers announce that their films “can be enjoyed on the big screen only” and, yet, sell the video rights of such big-screen entertainers?

Why does the CBFC give ‘A’ and ‘UA’ certificates to films when practically all the films can be seen in cinemas by non-adults or by children unaccompanied by their guardians or without their consent? And these very adult films, after some days, are telecast on channels which have no censorship rules!

Or why do stars make the producers pay their personal make-up man, hair dresser, spot boy, driver? I’m sure, our stars are not so poor that they can’t afford to pay their personal staff adequately. No other profession provides scope for such payment from the person hiring the professional’s services to the professional’s servant, cook etc. etc.

Any why do distributors always cry that the industry is finished, that if prices don’t come down, there’ll be no buyers left, that times have never been as bad as they are today — and, after and in spite of all this, rush to buy films at fancy prices?

Or why do distributors crib that stars don’t run, rather, the film runs, but when it comes to buying films, they want only stars-cast films and will never touch a non-star cast project?

Why does everyone keep saying that the industry is fighting for its very survival even though this ‘dying’ industry has completed 100 years?

And finally, why am I writing all this? Is anything going to change?

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Piracy Of A New Kind

The menace of video piracy has raised its ugly head once again. And this time, with more force than ever before. Although illegal, the latest films are telecast on cable TV throughout the country barely four or five days after their premiere theatrical releases. The video cassettes may be pirated and of poor quality but their telecast and wide reach do make a dent in box-office collections. This piracy is most pronounced in Delhi where pirated video cassettes are openly available. As if this isn’t bad enough, we now have cases of piracy of video CDs too. The pirated video CDs, like the pirated video cassettes of Raja Hindustani, are already available in the market. There is reliable information that due to be out in the market very shortly are video CDs of HAHK..!, DDLJ, Rangeela, Bombay and Judaai. Pertinent to note that official (legal) video cassettes of none of the above films have been released as yet. Piracy of video CDs has spread panic among legal video distributors who used to recover at least a lakh or two from sale of video CD rights. With pirated copies out, this market may be as good as lost now!

Quality-Conscious

The quality-conscious producers and directors taking personal interest in the production of music cassettes of their films is not new. But a music director doing so! Viju Shah deserves a pat on his back for the pains he took in the mastering and duplication of Gupt audio cassettes. He visited the audio plants of Tips outside Bombay and spent hours and hours till he was completely satisfied with the quality. All this, so that the public gets impeccable quality.

And if Viju Shah needs to be complimented for the above, Rajiv Rai also deserves to be congratulated. For, although Gupt is due for release on 4th July, its first copy will be out by the end of May. Reportedly, Rajiv wants that about 10 prints of the film be taken out daily so that complete check can be maintained on their quality. Compare this with the cases of 99% of the films released. Hundreds of prints of such films are prepared in one week!

Madhuri Magic Again?

For those who feel, it’s the end of the road for Madhuri Dixit who has had four failures in a row (Yaraana, Rajkumar, Prem Granth and Koyla), there’s news to the contrary. Madame Dixit, who has not been looking as beautiful as she used to earlier, is, it is heard, looking her glamorous and slim self in Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai. Maybe, Madhuri and Chopra’s magic will work, and this Diwali, the actress will have the audience go pagal over her all over again.

‘Sapnay’ Crushed

In Bombay, HMV had tied up with Crush (soft drink) for the publicity of its Sapnay. Hoardings, sponsored by Crush, sprang up all over the city, advertising both, Sapnay and the soft drink. Catchy captions caught the attention of the public. Captions like: ‘Love hurts but a little Crush never hurt anyone’ or ‘Bet you never had a Crush like this’. With the collections of Sapnay coming crashing down day by day in majority of the cinemas, Crush may now well put up hoardings with the following captions: ‘Love hurts but a Big Crash hurts everyone’ and ‘Bet you never saw a Crash like this’.

THE LAST LAUGH

** What are the distributors of Mrituydaata singing in chorus?

SANAM

Magnum Films International’s Sanam is a love story which has a disjointed script. The drama comprises scenes which often do not have any connection with the ones they follow or precede. There’s a nationalist angle too which has no relevance to the love story. The two tracks are sought to be juxtaposed in the climax but the result is pathetic. The first half deals with a girl unsuccessfully trying to woo a military trainee. The latter, after dodging her for quite a while, reveals why he is doing so. A fairly good part of the second half deals with his revelation. It turns out that he cannot love the girl because his elder brother was killed in an accident, which made him pledge to become a responsible and respectable military officer. This reason for his aloofness sounds strange but so do many incidents in the film. Actually, the love drama takes a backseat a little before interval, and for some reels thereafter, there is a bit of family drama. Then comes the nationalist part. Comedy falls flat most of the times.

If the story is childish, the screenplay is worse still. Dialogues are ordinary. The film has taken years in the making and the staleness shows.

Vivek Mushran does an average job. Manisha Koirala looks pretty and performs fairly well. Sanjay Dutt is okay in a brief and rather inconsequential role. Anupam Kher entertains at places only. Kader Khan is good. Shakti Kapoor and Gulshan Grover are alright. Dalip Tahhil, Harish Patel, Maya Alagh, Razzak Khan, Achyut Potdar, Dinesh Hingoo, Anjan Srivastava, Rami Reddy, Madan Jain, Aroon Bakshi, Ishrat Ali, Asrani, Usha Nadkarni and the rest pass muster.

Aziz Sejawal’s direction is unbelievably poor. Although the film seems to have lost its impact due to the undue delay in its completion, even its handling otherwise is bad. Anand Milind’s music is the only plus point of the film. ‘Kasam se kasam se’, ‘Ishq mein mere Rabba’, ‘Raks mein hai saara jahan’, ‘Aankhon mein neendein’, and ‘Khuda kare ki mohabbat mein’ are all very hummable numbers. But since the music was released years ago, it has become stale. Song picturisations are so so. Action is functional. Camerawork and other technical and production values are okay.

On the whole, Sanam is a weak fare.

Released on 9-5-’97 at Alankar and 15 other cinemas of Bombay thru VIP Enterprises. Publicity & opening: average. …….Also released all over except in East Punjab and C.P. Berar.

LATEST POSITION

Film after film is failing to make a mark at the box-office.

Sapnay (dubbed) has found very limited appreciation and proves losing. 1st week Bombay 20,25,277 (87.23%) from 5 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,16,970 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Baroda 1,80,472, Rajkot 1,07,557, Jamnagar 87,628; Solapur 96,153; Delhi 13,59,488 (70.98%) from 5 cinemas (1 unrecd.); Kanpur 1,14,942, Lucknow 1,55,646, Agra 1,00,500, Allahabad 80,000, Varanasi 75,430 (27.19%), Dehradun 76,000, Gorakhpur 52,000; Amritsar 42,000; Calcutta 10,53,342 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 3,71,128, Jabalpur 1,39,882, Amravati 1,49,606, Akola 84,500, Bhilai 52,045; Bhopal 1,73,023 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,22,377, Udaipur 87,870; Hyderabad 6,77,185 from 5 cinemas, share 1,27,322.

……….

Koyla 3rd week Bombay 6,13,041 (51.44%) from 3 cinemas (10 on F.H., 5 unrecd.); Ahmedabad 52,428 (3 unrecd.), 1st week Padra 88,591, Idar 75,500 (68.63%), 3rd Rajkot 1,01,025; Solapur 88,035; Dharwad 53,665; Delhi 19,15,256 from 10 cinemas; Kanpur 1,57,584 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,60,361, Agra 77,530, Allahabad 74,700, Varanasi 98,577, Meerut (35 shows) 94,781, Bareilly 79,466 (34.58%), Dehradun 65,535, Gorakhpur 84,000 (2nd 1,02,402); Calcutta 8,20,054 from 11 cinemas; Gaya 32,000; Nagpur 2,07,734 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 80,137, total 4,32,459, Amravati 1,04,481, Akola 84,074, total 3,03,682, Raipur 1,15,254, Bhilai 31,200, Durg 39,853, 2nd week Khandwa 55,713; 3rd Indore (14 shows) 62,990 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 94,779; Jaipur 1,72,730, Udaipur 46,640; Hyderabad 5,17,674 from 2 cinemas, share 2,05,692.

Ziddi is still going strong. 4th week Bombay 5,97,781 (73.07%) from 3 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,38,750; Solapur 92,771 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 9,47,438 from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,95,398 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,64,689, Agra 1,20,000, Allahabad 85,000, Varanasi 1,00,723, Bareilly 56,468 (29.37%), 3rd week Dehradun 72,000, 4th Gorakhpur 56,000 (3rd 61,700); Calcutta 2,62,324; Nagpur 1,24,285 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 89,144, total 5,47,358, Amravati 90,836, Raipur 1,09,875, Bhilai 43,564, Chandrapur 38,649 (3rd 37,609); Bhopal 1,13,630; Jaipur 2,16,014, 3rd week Jodhpur 1,56,000, 4th Bikaner 58,341; Hyderabad 5,75,898 from 4 cinemas.

Judaai 10th week Bombay 3,55,671 (60.66%, 3 on F.H., 1 unrecd.); Ahmedabad 1,71,129 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 1,03,296, Rajkot 52,000, Jamnagar 43,370, total 7,87,807; Solapur (matinee) 18,555; Delhi 82,312; Kanpur 85,399 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 48,289, Allahabad 41,000, Varanasi 52,560; Amritsar 12,160; Nagpur 1,54,960 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 40,779, total 5,74,216, 9th week Amravati 80,113, record, 10th Akola 81,601, record, total 9,15,150, Raipur (last) 49,367, 4th week Wardha (last) 30,937; 10th Indore 82,652, record, Bhopal 75,990, record; Hyderabad 1,77,047.

Hero No. 1 11th week Bombay 4,89,628 (63.43%) from 2 cinemas; Baroda 23,062, 10th week Rajkot 40,007 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 11th Solapur (matinee) 28,222; Delhi 1,77,222 from 2 cinemas; Lucknow 55,442, Agra 45,500, Varanasi (shifting) 44,595, Gorakhpur (shifting) 15,000; Calcutta 86,689; Nagpur (shifting) 30,306, Jabalpur 54,609, total 10,09,311, 1st week Amravati 2,05,785, 11th Akola 46,403, total 6,50,175, share 3,65,140, 1st Khandwa 91,000; 11th week Indore 58,725, Bhopal 49,661; Hyderabad 3,02,940 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

CONTROL ON FILM PRICES: CCCA GETS STRICT

No distributor of C.P.C.I. Rajasthan will henceforth be allowed to offer to buy any film which has already been sold by the producer to another distributor. If a distributor makes a counter-offer for an already sold film, he will be liable to a penalty imposed by the Central Circuit Cine Association.

This decision was taken at the meeting of the executive committee of the CCCA held in Bombay on 5th May. The intention of the resolution passed is to avoid the artificial increase in film prices triggered off by over-enthusiastic distributors.

It was also resolved at the same meeting that the price of a film acquired for distribution will have to be fixed on the very day the deal is concluded by paying the signing amount.

The CCCA also resolved to take action against any producer who would make unreasonable demands on its distributor-members at the time of delivery (eg. unjustified dupe charges, price hike, etc.). The CCCA president would in such cases have a right to suo moto issue a circular, asking its members not to deal with the erring producer.

R.K. SORAL DRAGS DD TO COURT

The Bombay high court has admitted a petition alleging that Doordarshan broadcasts films at the instance of touts. Producer R.K. Soral has filed the petition, submitting that his Saveray Wali Gadi was not accepted for screening by DD as, according to DD, it was not found suitable for family viewing.

According to the petition, the Tamil version of the same film was telecast by DD. Soral has alleged that his film had not been accepted because he had not approached the authorities through touts.

Counsel for Soral, P.A. Sebastian, said that the film had been granted tax exemption by the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi and that it had been granted a ‘U’ certificate. Therefore, according to him, the film qualified for public viewing.

CINEMA COMPLETES 25 YEARS

Meghdoot Talkies, Vidisha (M.P.), which was opened on 7th May, 1972, completed 25 years on 7th May, 1997. Coincidentally, the opening film at this cinema — Mera Gaon Mera Desh — and the one being screened on 7th May, 1997 — Raja Hindustani — are distributed by the same distributor, Lalchand (Prem Films and Sunil Enterprises, Indore). What’s more, Lalchand has screened all his films in the last 25 years at this cinema only and in no other cinema of Vidisha.

The silver jubilee must be a joyous occasion then for the cinema owners as well as for C.I. distributor Lalchand.

44th National Awards

Swarn Kamal For ‘Lal Darja’
Kamal Haasan, Tabu Bag Awards For Best Actor, Actress

Lal Darja (Bengali) was adjudged the best film of 1996 at the 44th National Film Awards announced in New Delhi on May 6 by jury chairman T. Subbarami Reddy. Awarded for “poetic presentation and exploitation of the complexities of human relationships in a contemporary urban milieu”, the film has been produced by Chitrani Lahiri and directed by Buddhadeb Dasgupta. It gets a Swarn Kamal, besides a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each for the producer and the director. Maachis, declared the most popular film with wholesome entertainment, also gets a Swarn Kamal and Rs. 40,000 each for its producer, R.V. Pandit, and director, Gulzar.

Kamal Haasan won the best actor award for Indian (Tamil) while Tabu won the best actress award for her “sensitive portrayal of a woman trapped in vortex of conflicts” in Maachis. Nana Patekar was declared the best supporting actor in Agni Sakshi, and Rajeshwari Sachdeva, the best supporting actress in Sardari Begum.

Other award winners are:- Best director and best screenplay: Ahathian for Kaathal Kottai (Tamil) which is being remade in Hindi by Boney Kapoor in association with Neha-MAD Films Combine; best music: A.R. Rahman (Minsara Kanavu, Tamil); best choreography: Prabhu Deva (Minsara Kanavu); best male playback singer: S.P. Balasubrahmaniam (Minsara Kanavu); best female playback singer: Chitra (Minsara Kanavu); best lyrics: Javed Akhtar (Saaz); best cinematography: Mrinal Kanti Das (Adajya, Assamese); best audiography: Krishnanunni (Desadanam, Malayalam); best art director: Thotta Tharani (Indian); best special effects: Venki (Indian); and best costume designer: M. Dandapani (Kulum, Malayalam).

Best film on social issues: Tamanna, produced by Pooja Bhatt and directed by Mahesh Bhatt.

Indira Gandhi award for best first feature film: Raag Biraag (Assamese) by director Biddu Chakraborty. This film also won the best editor award for A. Sreekar Prasad.Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on national integration: Kanakkinavu (Malayalam) by Sibi Malayil.

Best film on family welfare: Laathi (Bengali) by Prabhat Roy.

The films awarded in the regional categories are: Gudia (Hindi); Sardari Begum (Urdu); Adajya (Assamese); Sanghat (Bengali); America America (Kannada); Desadanam (Malayalam); Rao Saheb (Marathi); Shunya Swaroopa (Oriya); Kaathal Kottai (Tamil); and Ninne Pelladutha (Telugu).

Raja Sen’s Damu (Bengali) won the best children’s film award, and Kumar Kavya and master Kumar jointly won the best child artiste award for their performances in Little Soldiers (Telugu) and Desadanam (Malayalam) respectively.

The Special jury award went to Amol Palekar for Daayra, and to Kiron Kher, for her performance in Sardari Begum. The jury also made special mention of the performances of Dolon Roy in Sanghat, and Bhagirathi in Adajya.

TV & VIDEO INFORMATION

BINDU ON SMALL SCREEN

Bindu will appear on the small screen for the first time in Kamroop Kanakhya Productions’ untitled TV serial. It will co-star Ajit Vachani, Bharat Kapoor, Suhas Khandke and others, and will be directed by Sanjay Upadhyay from a story written by S.P. Shrivastava and screenplay by M. Saleem. Producer: Bina S. Shrivastava. Regular shooting will begin from May 11.

YOU ASKED IT

What is the estimated loss likely to be in Mrityudaata?

– It would be in the region of 1.5 crore per major circuit.

Will Ishq be released in June? What is the delay?

– ISHQ will not come before July or August. Two or three days’ shooting remains to be done, besides picturising a song on Amitabh Bachchan (special appearance). All the artistes have finished their dubbing.

When vacations should prove beneficial for films, why have the releases of April bombed one after the other?

– Films have bombed because they weren’t good. Whatever business they’ve done, it’s partly due to the vacation period. ZIDDI, a good success, was also an April release. The vacation period is helping good films like HERO NO. 1, JUDAAI and ZIDDI.

MIX MASALA

VAASTU SET

The science of vaastu shastra has a good number of takers in the film industry. Film folk often build their houses and offices in accordance with the principles of vaastu shastra. But some art directors of the South take the cake. While constructing film sets also, they keep in mind the vaastu principles. One such set, constructed in accordance with the rules of vaastu shastra, is that for Tutu Sharma’s Gharwali Baharwali at Padmalaya Studios.

“It was an inner voice in me which kept telling me not to give up!”

– AFZAL KHAN on ‘Mahaanta‘

Mahaanta may have been inordinately delayed due to Sanjay Dutt’s arrest three years ago but the enthusiasm with which its director, Afzal Khan, has completed the film is admirable. Not just completed, he has actually re-shot about 60% of the film. Coupled with Afzal’s excitement in the project was Sanjay Dutt’s and the rest of the cast’s complete involvement. In this brief interview, Afzal Khan talks about his first directorial venture and how his distributors have stood by him. Excerpts:

Why did you think of re-shooting so heavily?

– After Sanjay Dutt’s release from jail, when I completed picturising a song on Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit, I saw the rushes, sat down and thought, and realised that if I didn’t re-shoot, there would be a lot of continuity problems and jerks. Ultimately, I realised, there would be problems at the time of delivery. Besides, I was too bothered about my name and respectability as a director. Secondly, I also feel that in a film, if there’s even a bit of upsetting of something, the final result can be disastrous. Also, when I decided to re-shoot, I got a chance to change the script a bit to reduce the footage of the stars who don’t run today, like Mohsin Khan.

How long did it take you to re-shoot?

– I re-shot during the period from July ’96 to October ’96, and then again in December ’96. In between, I completed the film’s background music in November.

Why did the background music recording take so long? And why have you gone in for DTS mixing — because it is the in-thing today or because your film needs it?

– We took Pyarelal-ji to Madras to record the entire background score. Everybody knows the perfectionist Pyare-ji is. And we didn’t use stock music at all. As for DTS sound, we realised that the film needed it. After all, we wanted Mahaanta to be today’s film.

When you took the decision to re-shoot, did you take your distributors into confidence or did you break the news to them gradually?

– No, we didn’t inform them before re-shooting. We involved them slowly, after re-shooting had started. We had to inform them sooner or later because they were going to bear the additional cost.

What has been the reaction of your distributors? What is the new ratio of your film?

– My distributors have been cooperating fabulously. When they saw excerpts from the film, they all were unanimous in their feelings about my work. They told me, it didn’t look like Mahaanta was my first film. We’ve re-fixed the ratio at about 1.75 crore to 2 crore.

How did your producer react when you told him of your plans to re-shoot?

– Producer Ayub Khan, presenter Nasir Khan and myself are all related. One sister of Ayub Khan is my wife and another sister of his is Nasir’s wife. Both, Ayub and Nasir, gave me the green signal without so much as even batting an eyelid.

How much was your film complete when Sanjay was jailed?

– 75% approximately. Had I thought like some other producers, I too could’ve completed the film by engaging the services of duplicates. But I had mentally decided not to complete it without Sanjay Dutt. He’s a genuine friend.

After the re-shooting and increase in ratio, will the producer be in the red or will he break even?

– No, it is a big setback for the producer. After all, besides the re-shooting, he has spent for 43 days for background music. DTS mixing has taken a month and ten days.

Who was your moral support during the time between the starting of MAHAANTA and its completion?

– No amount of external support can help until you yourself are convinced that what you are doing is right. It was an inner voice in me which kept telling me not to give up. That voice was my greatest moral support. Anybody else in my place would’ve broken down under the pressure, but I never looked back. The secretaries of my artistes also co-operated wonderfully and so did the stars themselves. Amrish Puri used to invariably joke with me and say, “You’ve taken so many of my dates, I almost feel as if I am the hero of the film.” The technicians also cooperated fabulously but I gave them extra remunerations. Here I must mention what (action director) Veeru-ji (Devgan) used to say. Looking at my unfailing confidence in the film, my undying spirit and my extensive re-shooting, he used to joke, “We should take out his heart and see the stuff it is made of.”

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

The Hit Pair

Two films, the songs of which are currently very popular, are Virasat and Border. At least three songs of the former film have become the favourites of music lovers. And in the case of Border, the ‘Sandese aate hain’ song is quite a craze, more so in Punjab. The coincidence is that the music of both the films is scored by Anu Malik and the lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar. And before we know it, so many producers will rush to sign the lyricist and the music director that the hit pair will also become the ‘hot’ pair!

Enter The Ad Film People

Ad film people are entering the film industry. At least two leading persons from the ad world have already started their film projects in 1997. Shantanu Sheorey, ace photographer, is directing Kamal Haasan’s Chikni Chachi, the Hindi version of the English flick, Mrs. Doubtfire. Well-known ad filmmaker Kailash Surendranath also makes his bow as a feature film director with Ashok Amritraj’s Love You Hamesha. Who knows, as the year progresses, we may have a couple of more from the ad world come into this ‘mad’ world.

Of Luck — Good And Bad

There have been umpteen incidents of major losses being averted by sheer good luck, or windfall gains accruing due to plain luck. One such incident deals with Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film, Iruvar. Before it was released, Jhamu Sugandh had finalised the negotiations for the Hindi dubbing rights of the film. Something went wrong between Ratnam and Sugandh, and the deal was cancelled. Reportedly, Mani Ratnam asked for a price higher than that committed earlier, which agitated Jhamu Sugandh and prompted him to call off the proposed deal. Mysore distributor N.R. Sudhir jumped in and clinched the deal at the enhanced price. A few days later, Iruvar was released in Tamil Nadu and it bombed miserably at the box-office. Jhamu Sugandh must be thanking his stars, and Sudhir, cursing his!

Involvement, Not Interference

Amitabh Bachchan has come in for a lot of criticism for Mrityudaata. But Bachchan has preferred to pass on the blame to whoever by saying that he never interfered during the film’s making and that he had seen it only in bits and parts and not in totality. What Amitabh fails to realise is that he is not just the hero of Mrityudaata but also its producer. So long as he was only an actor, the statement that he had seen the film only in bits and parts would have been understandable. But now that he has a dual role — that of a producer and a hero — making such comments does not behove Bachchan. He should realise that when a producer takes interest in his project or makes suggestions to his director or asks for changes to be carried out in script/
music/action etc., it is not called ‘interference’. The right word to describe the same is ‘involvement’. And a producer’s involvement is needed even if an actor’s interference must be avoided. And yes, even if Amitabh saw Mrityudaata only in bits and parts, he couldn’t have liked it. After all, other than the Daler Mehndi song, no bit and no part of the film could have appealed to him or to anyone else. Incidentally, Amitabh himself has said that including a Daler Mehndi number in the film was his (Amitabh’s) brainwave. While it must be said that it was a truly good idea, what should one call it — interference in Bachchan’s lingo, or involvement in ours?

Panic Everywhere…

There is all-round panic in the trade after Mrityudaata and Koyla. In Bombay trade circles, the panic is most pronounced among sub-distributors of Gujarat, Saurashtra, Thane and Karnataka. In the case of Koyla, Dilip Dhanwani acquired the aforementioned four sub-circuits at an unheard of MG price and stands to lose at least 1.5 crore. The sub-distributors of Mrityudaata for Gujarat and Thane will also lose heavily. These losses and the consequent panic situation have resulted in sub-distributors shying away from buying new films. But Bombay distributors have some reason to smile amidst all the panic. It’s because of the reduction in entertainment tax in the state of Maharashtra from 7th May.

…And Confusion At Places

While it was first reported that the new entertainment tax rate in Maharashtra would come into effect from 2nd May, it was later clarified by the authorities that the reduced rate would apply only from May 7. It is learnt that several cinemas of Bombay have refrained from making DCRs of May 7 and 8 (Wednesday and Thursday), awaiting a decision on whether to pay 100% tax or 60%. Some cinemas have prepared the DCRs showing tax calculated at 100% for May 7 and 8 too. But in some centres of Maharashtra, some exhibitors have prepared DCRs showing 60% tax from 2nd May itself.

In Defence Of ‘Border’

Even before Border has been released, all efforts are being made to seek tax exemption for the film in the various states. Towards this end, the film was shown to the defence ministry on 9th May in Delhi. With the Indo-Pak war as its base and the reported nationalist flavour of the film, J.P. Dutta shouldn’t find it difficult to convince the state governments to grant tax exemption to the film. Reportedly, Javed Akhtar, who has penned the wonderful lyrics of the film, is very close to defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Barter Exchange

J.P. Dutta’s Border has changed hands in C.P. Berar. The film, which was earlier with Raju Kothari, has now been acquired by the Kabras. As if to settle scores, Tutu Sharma’s new film, Gharwali Baharwali, has been acquired for C.P. Berar by Raju Kothari. The Kabras have been distributors of all of Tutu’s earlier films but his latest project has been bagged by Raju Kothari.

SAPNAY
(Dubbed)

AVM Productions’ Sapnay, dubbed from the Tamil film Minsara Kanavu, is a love triangle with some difference. For one, two boys don’t love the same girl. One boy is in love with her but doesn’t know how to express his love, and so he takes the help of another boy to get the girl closer to him, but in so doing, the second boy and the girl fall in love. Another difference is that although the girl is the usual fun-loving kind, she is bent upon leaving the materialistic world and becoming a nun.

The unusual story is interesting, but showing too many Christian characters and too much of Christianity restricts the film’s appeal dramatically. Not only is the heroine brought up in a missionary school, even one hero is a Christian. The film has plenty of light moments but several of them are of the kind which would appeal immensely to the class audience but not at all to the masses. Further, since it is a dubbed film, the dialogues don’t come in a natural flow and, therefore, reduce the impact of the light scenes. This, coupled with the film’s mixing which is not proper, proves a handicap for the audience. Dubbing, in fact, is bad, and several dialogues are not easily comprehensible. The first half is dull.

What the drama definitely lacks in is emotions. The story had scope to accommodate emotional scenes but they are missing. An attempt has been made to infuse some sentiments in the climax but they don’t touch the heart. The climax, as it is, is over-dramatic and does not go well with the mood of the rest of the film.

Arvind Swamy acts with effortless ease. Although he gets lesser scope to entertain than the other hero (Prabhu Deva), he leaves a mark with his sincere performance. Although a bit fat, he looks very handsome. Kajol is excellent. She comes like a whiff of fresh air whenever she does on the screen. She looks pretty, dances beautifully and acts admirably. In fact, she and Prabhu Deva are the life of the film. Prabhu Deva endears himself to the audience in the role of a barber. His antics and jokes are very entertaining. V.K. Ramaswamy, Nassar, Prakash Raj and Girish Karnad lend good support. S.P. Balasubrahmaniam is good only at places; at other times, he tends to get boring and irritates.

Rajiv Menon has selected a fairly different story but his debut as a director leaves a lot to be desired. Rather than explaining things properly, he often leaves a lot to the viewer’s imagination. His narration of the subject is of class appeal. Of course, his direction also has its brilliant moments but they are few and far between, and the overall impact isn’t too nice. A sensitive subject as this required a mature handling with a lot of emphasis on a tight screenplay. A.R. Rahman’s music is the biggest asset of the film. The songs are a treat for the ears and picturisations of most of them are superb. ‘Awara bhanwara’, ‘Chanda re’ and ‘Ho…. la la la’ are wonderful songs and their picturisations thrill the heart. Picturisation of ‘Door na ja mujhse’ is extraordinary. Background music is very effective. Camerawork is brilliant. Locations are beautiful. Dialogues could have been better. Editing should have been sharper.

On the whole, Sapnay is a film for select cinemas in select major cities only, where the class audience will like it. But as there’s less for masses in it, it will meet with a poor fate in the rest of the country, and keep its distributors in the red.

Released on 1-5-’97 at Metro and on 2-5-’97 at other cinemas of Bombay thru ABC Pictures Pvt. Ltd. Publicity: excellent. Opening: very good. …….Also released all over. Opening was not upto the mark at many places.

LATEST POSITION

The debacle of MRITYUDAATA has sent shock-waves in the industry. …….This week’s SAPNAY has taken a poor start at most of the places.

Mrityudaata started dropping from 2nd day onwards. 1st week Bombay 40,98,434 (79.87%) from 14 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 14,15,389 from 8 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Padra 1,51,148, Bharuch (gross) 3,38,722, Rajkot 2,88,790 from 2 cinemas, Jamnagar 1,51,219; Pune 8,96,903 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 2,58,971 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 36,53,043 (81.44%) from 11 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,62,920 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,11,651, Agra 2,38,332, Varanasi 1,81,561 (89.21%), Dehradun 1,45,000 (69.99%); Calcutta 48,00,175 from 37 cinemas; Gaya 1,00,010 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 5,40,069 from 6 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,24,873 from 2 cinemas, Amravati 1,79,808 from 2 cinemas, Akola 1,77,080 from 2 cinemas, Raipur 2,46,195 (50.38%) from 2 cinemas, Bhilai 2,62,620 from 3 cinemas, Jalgaon 1,00,034, Chandrapur 1,17,410, Khandwa 88,984 from 2 cinemas; Indore 3,41,270 from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,19,403 from 3 cinemas, Gwalior 1,16,000; Jaipur 11,60,803 from 6 cinemas, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,28,722, city record, Bikaner 2,65,909 from 2 cinemas, Udaipur 91,740; Hyderabad 33,94,977 from 22 cinemas, share 18,79,000.

……….

Ziddi 3rd week Bombay 10,12,806 (71.53%) from 6 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,88,034 from 2 cinemas (3 unrecd.); Pune 3,98,388 from 3 cinemas, Solapur 99,528 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 15,40,599 from 8 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,26,837 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,79,660, Agra 1,17,650, Varanasi 1,18,839, Dehradun 87,874 (2nd 1,36,081); Rohtak 26,034; Calcutta 6,39,526 from 8 cinemas; Nagpur 1,99,461 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 88,688, total 4,58,213, Amravati 90,707, Raipur 1,16,201, Bhilai 45,356, total 3,40,380, 2nd Jalgaon 95,900, 3rd week 4 days 38,000; 3rd week Jaipur 2,48,768, Bikaner 52,247; Hyderabad 3,24,238.

Judaai 9th week Bombay 7,40,593 (59.57%) from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Baroda 1,06,768, Rajkot 58,725, Jamnagar 57,707; Pune 1,30,421 from 3 cinemas, Solapur 39,007; Delhi 2,77,835 from 3 cinemas; Kanpur 98,314 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 55,191, Agra 27,500; Nagpur 78,962 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 39,762, total 5,73,199, 8th Amravati 78,021, 9th week Akola 64,860, total 8,33,550, Raipur 53,711, Bhilai (6 days) 25,250, 4th week 6 days Wardha 27,548; 9th Indore 83,020, Bhopal 83,188; Jaipur 68,252; Hyderabad 2,07,199.

Hero No. 1 10th week Bombay 4,80,924 (69.71%) from 3 cinemas; Baroda 28,015, 9th week Rajkot (mat.) 8,200; 10th Pune 2,36,718 from 4 cinemas (1 in mat.), Solapur (mat.) 27,408; Delhi 1,81,741 from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 43,912, Lucknow 55,517, Agra 60,384, Varanasi 39,373; Calcutta 1,12,237; Nagpur 22,774, Jabalpur 50,643, total 9,54,702, Akola 32,007, total 6,03,772, share 3,44,506, 1st week Gondia 62,271; 10th Indore 52,810, Bhopal 57,348; Jaipur 1,21,219; Hyderabad 3,37,263 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

Raja Hindustani 21st week Bombay 4,09,531 from 4 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 23,675 (1 unrecd.), 25th week Baroda 41,488; 22nd Pune 1,65,088 from 3 cinemas, 20th week Solapur (7 shows) 51,689; 24th Delhi 85,054; 25th Kanpur 26,913, 24th Lucknow 56,853, 25th Varanasi 17,343; 3rd week Kampti 33,353, 3 weeks’ total from Balaghat 2,65,000; 24th week Indore 1,21,103, 23rd Bhopal 44,713; 25th week Hyderabad 1,97,875.

GRAND OPENING OF CINEMA AT DOMBIVLI, BOMBAY

The opening of Pooja cinema at Dombivli, a distant Bombay suburb, on 1st May at the hands of police commissioner O.P. Bali was a grand affair. The expenditure incurred by the owners, Morarji Vira, Meghji Vira, Mahendra Vira, Bhanu Vira and Kekin Vira, befitted that for a marriage.

Invitee shows of Sapnay were held at 6 p.m. as well as 9 p.m. at Pooja and the recently opened twin cinema, Madhuban. Both are equipped with Dolby Stereophonic sound system. The invitees in both the shows at both the cinemas were treated to dinner too.

The Vira family played perfect hosts, receiving the guests with pedas and thandai. Everybody associated with the construction of Pooja cinema was honoured on the occasion with trophies.

TAX EXEMPTION FOR MARATHI FILMS

Maharashtra revenue minister Narayan Rane announced in the legislative council this week that Marathi films would be granted 100% entertainment tax exemption. Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi has also promised to increase the subsidy payable to Marathi film producers to Rs. 15 lakh.

FIRST AIR-CONDITIONED CINEMA IN BARODA

Vihar cinema in Baroda has installed an air-conditioning plant and becomes the only cinema in Baroda district with a full air-conditioning facility. Sapnay opened at the air-conditioned cinema on 2nd May.

KETAN ANAND’S WIFE COMMITS SUICIDE

Producer-director Ketan Anand’s wife committed suicide on 26th April at her residence at Chembur, Bombay. The reason for the suicide is not known.

‘SAPNAY’ PREMIERE

A premiere show of Sapnay was held on 30th April at Metro, Bombay. The three lead artistes of the film — Arvind Swamy, Kajol and Prabhu Deva — attended the show.

DTS SOUND SYSTEM FOR CINEMA AT AKLUJ

Dr. Sunil Patil, owner of Shriram cinema, Akluj (Maharashtra), has gone to Dubai and Singapore for buying DTS digital sound system for the cinema. The cinema is already equipped with Dolby SR sound.

DTS SOUND AT SMRITI, INDORE

Smriti cinema in Indore, owned by the Kasliwals, will instal DTS sound system. Border will be released at the cinema after the installation of the sound system. This will be the third cinema in Indore to have DTS sound system, the earlier two being Sapna and Sangeeta.

DTS AT NOVELTY, LUCKNOW

Novelty Talkies, Lucknow, has installed DTS Stereophonic sound system. It is the first cinema in Uttar Pradesh to have installed the sound system.

JAIPAL REDDY NEW I & B MINISTER

Sudini Jaipal Reddy is the new information & broadcasting minister in the government of prime minister I.K. Gujral. He was sworn in as cabinet rank minister on 1st May and succeeds C.M. Ibrahim.

O.P. GOYAL STABBED

C.I. distributor O.P. Goyal was stabbed on 29th April in Indore while he was leaving Sapna cinema for his office. He was dragged out of the car and stabbed at four or five places by unidentified persons. He is out of danger. Just recently, Goyal had met with a car accident.

YOU ASKED IT

Can a sequel of a hit film succeed in India?

– Why not? There’s no hard and fast rule that a sequel will not succeed. NIGAHEN, the sequel to NAGINA, may have bombed, but that does not mean, sequels can never do well.

After Mrityudaata and Koyla, what, according to you, should be a reasonable price for big films?

– 1.5 to 1.75 crore should be the upper limit for any film. If such films can take a bumper initial, the back-breaking losses will at least be averted.

When everybody says that the ‘film line’ is a ‘small line’, how is it that reports of big disasters don’t come in circulation before their release?

– Firstly, the correct judgement about a film can often not be made unless it is viewed in totality. Secondly, big filmmakers are extra-careful that their reports don’t leak out. And finally, the public is the best judge as far as reports of films go.

The Industry Must Give 5 To 10 Years’ Time To Judge ABCL

– AMITABH BACHCHAN

A day after the premiere of Mrityudaata in Jaipur, a group of Bombay journalists who had been there to attend the premiere, got some time to talk to Amitabh Bachchan in his suite at Rajputana Palace Sheraton. The comeback hero spoke on topics ranging from his comeback film, Mrityudaata, to corporatisation to stars of the day.

On ‘Mrityudaata’:

Amitabh Bachchan did not express his own opinion about the film as he claimed that he had not seen the whole film in one sitting, but had seen it in parts at different times. He admitted that he had liked the theme when it was being planned and had asked Mehul Kumar to go ahead. He said, he never interfered in Mehul’s work and he made it clear that Mrityudaata was, all in all, a Mehul Kumar film.

Amitabh clarified that only a few producers, and not many, as is generally believed, had approached him for making his comeback film, and of them, he selected two — Indra Kumar and Mehul Kumar — for ABCL productions. They persisted whereas others simply proposed, he explained. When it was time to launch the films, muhurt of Indra Kumar’s film was performed first. However, it couldn’t make any progress as Indra Kumar was busy in completing his Ishq. Thus, Mehul got a chance to launch and complete ABCL’s Mrityudaata at breakneck speed. One major point in favour of Mehul Kumar, according to Bachchan, was that he himself was a producer-director and so understood the problems of producers, which helped in economising production cost. ABCL being a new company, such a person was needed for its initial productions, said Amitabh. And Mehul had given no cause for complaint. Amitabh informed that shooting of Indira Kumar’s film would start in two months’ time and it would be completed within six months.

On ABCL:

Amitabh Bachchan said, he launched ABCL after giving great thought and studying the entertainment industries of the world. He agreed that only appointing MBAs to run his company was of no use, but, he felt, if they were given lessons in film business, they could be very beneficial to the industry. “It is a matter of give-and-take,” he added. “We have to learn something from them, and they have to learn something from us. Only then can the corporate body succeed.” Supporting his corporatisation, he said, “Corporate body is the need of the hour. Our Indian film industry is very small. In the age of globalisation, foreigners are ready to invest money in our country and if they get the opportunity, they will not hesitate to grab it. The American corporate bodies like 20th Century Fox, Paramount etc. are so rich that even one section of these companies may have more money power than our entire film industry. There was a time when, even in India, our major studios were running the film business like corporate bodies, but with the star system gaining popularity, the studios fragmented. Again, attempts are being made in India to progress with corporatisation. Like in Hollywood, in India too, producers-directors can make films under any corporate body in business-like manner.”

“ABCL is only two years old and it has spread its wings in audio, television, film production, distribution and some other branches of the entertainment industry. It has earned profits in some and incurred losses in others. At present, because of differences with Multichannel, with which ABCL was looking after the marketing of television programmes, this section is lying low, and efforts are being made to give it a new lease of life. As far as film productions are concerned, two films have been released, and one of these (Tere Mere Sapne) has succeeded. Naam Kya Hai and Saat Rang Ke Sapne are almost ready, with only two-three days’ shooting remaining to be done. Major Saab, another Amitabh Bachchan starrer, will be 70% complete after the current shooting schedule being held in Pune. All these films are likely to be released in 1997 itself. A turnover of Rs. 80 crore, just within two years, is not a mean achievement.” Amitabh, reacting to comments that ABCL was in the red, said, “People must give at least five to ten years to assess the success or failure of ABCL.”

Words of Appreciation:

Amitabh was very appreciative of another corporate body — Plus — and music business baron Gulshan Kumar. He said, the business acumen of Gulshan Kumar was masterly. He had captured the music market even in remote corners of the country through his ingenious method of handing over distribution to such people as bus operators, paanwalas and other people who are in contact with street people all the time.

On Current Stars:

Even while discussions were on, the television set in the room was showing the countdown show, BPL Oye. As Govinda appeared on the scene in a song from Hero No. 1, Amitabh remarked, “He (Govinda) is outstanding.” Soon after, when Kajol appeared in a song from Sapnay, he said, “She is the most natural actress.” About his own son, Abhishek, he didn’t say, he would take up acting. “He has just joined ABCL and is looking after some of the work.”

– JAGAT GUPTA

Prices, More Than Films, Are Failing

The back-breaking Mrityudaata and the loss-making Koyla have shaken the confidence of the trade. It is not the first time that two big films, released one after another, have failed. But it is the first time that two highest-priced films of their times have flopped. Although the losses of the two films cannot be compared, what is similar in the non-success of Koyla and the debacle of Mrityudaata is that their prices were too high and did not match their costs of production. The repercussions of the flopping of these two films will be felt in the forthcoming releases when exhibitors don’t come forward with deserving MGs, having paid undeserving MGs or advances to the two films.

If producers have been unreasonable in demanding crazy prices, over-enthusiastic distributors have also been rather indiscriminate in acquiring films at unbelievably high prices. Agreed, everything, which is in demand, comes at a premium. But such a heavy premium?

Businesses of films like Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Raja Hindustani, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Karan Arjun are used as pointers by producers when they quote fancy prices for their films. But in the last almost four years, we’ve had just four such mega hits. It is not as if every second or third film is hitting the bull’s eye. Nor has cost of production gone up to such an extent that crazy prices should be demanded. It is actually the unsatiable greed of the producer to get quick-rich that prompts him to demand prices which have no relation whatsoever to the actual cost of production. Distributors also sometimes do not give proper accounts and the due overflow to the producers, which prompts the latter to sell their films at unrealistic prices. The logic of the producers is that they are collecting the potential overflow in advance. Assuming that their logic is not wrong, they must then willingly refund the excess price to their distributors if the film fails to cover the unrealistic part of the price. Then there are some producers who, in fixing the ratios of their films, unfortunately behave as if there will be no tomorrow or as if they will make no film after their current proposal. Yes, proposal makers they are, more than filmmakers.

It is shocking, to say the least, that distributors should be paying so much for films after losing so heavily in previous projects. The psychology of the distributors may be funny but it isn’t difficult to understand. A distributor is living under the constant fear that if I don’t buy this film, some other distributor might buy it. It is this fear of a film going to another which prompts a distributor to pay sky-high prices even while fretting and fuming at them. But why this insecurity? Why pay an unreasonable price not because you fancy a film but because you are scared that the film may catch the fancy of another? No sensible business can be conducted on the basis of what another thinks is the worth of a film. It never was and never can.

This is not to say that film prices can never be more than a given limit. No, each film is a project in itself and its price must be governed by the laws of demand and supply. But let not the distributors think that just because there is short supply of potential hits, any price is justified for such films, for the simple reason that it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict which film constitutes a potential hit. No banner, whatever its past record, and no director, whatever the business of his last film, can ever guarantee that his next film will be a super-hit or, for that matter, even a success. Then why charge the price of a blockbuster? As for demand, the same logic applies. There is definitely a demand for hits but can anyone guarantee even a success?

Then why should prices, said to be governed by the economic laws of demand and supply, be so unrealistic that in some cases, it is the prices which ultimately flop, not the films?

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

One Man’s Food, Another Man’s Poison

A hit in one language does not guarantee that the same film will also click when dubbed in another language. This has been proved a number of times, and the latest example is that of Raja Hindustani. This super-duper hit was dubbed in Telugu as Premabandham but the dubbed version is as big a disaster as the original was a hit. Released on 21st March in Andhra, the Telugu version has left its distributors and others connected with it disappointed. Its dubbing is said to be of poor quality and so are the dialogues in Telugu. Even the lyrics are reportedly sub-standard. Now that the dubbed version has bombed, the objection which had been raised by the talented director of the film, Dharmesh Darshan, to its dubbing without his knowledge, makes sense. Dharmesh was apprehensive about the dubbing quality and had, even before the Telugu version could hit the screens, expressed fear that if it did not do well, it would spoil his reputation in the Telugu film market. Dharmesh’s fears have proved right and, if today, the film’s producers may be regretting their hasty decision, Dharmesh must be shedding tears at the fate of his ‘baby’.

Minor Change

A flop film brings out the bitchiest best of the trade people. And bigger the flop, bitchier the comments of the trade.

Like, for instance, a Gujarati film producer remarked after the bombing of Mrityudaata: “It wasn’t only Amitabh’s comeback film. It was also Mehul Kumar’s comeback vehicle. The director will now have to come back to making Gujarati films only.” Another wag bitched, “Looking to the cold response to Amitabh Bachchan in Mrityudaata and the not-so-exciting initial of the film, the title of ABCL’s next film should be changed from Major Saab to Minor Saab!”

Wetting The Wall

And this one, just for a laugh.

This was when Salim-Javed’s Deewaar, which went on to become a blockbuster, was being made. The title had not been finalised. When Deewaar came up as one of the suitable titles, somebody from the unit thought, it was too dry a title and expressed so. Writer Javed Akhtar, who has a wonderful sense of humour, said, “Title dry lagta hai? Koi baat nahin, film ka title Geeli Deewaar rakh dete hain!”

MRITYUDAATA

ABCL’s Mrityudaata (A) is too routine a film to be made for the comeback of an actor who has been the superstar for years. It has absolutely no novelty, either in content or in presentation. In fact, the story gives the impression that writer-director Mehul Kumar was bankrupt of ideas and did not even make an attempt to offer something fresh to the audience. Screenplay is as pathetic as the story. Dialogue writer Jalees Sherwani seems to have got so excited about his job that he has written long and unending lines of dialogues which sermonise, preach and bore more than anything else. Quite frankly, the film is so verbose that it gets on the audience’s nerves after a while, especially because subjects of this kind have been handled umpteen times earlier.

The story is about a middle-aged surgeon whose brother is killed by an evil politician and a don. The shock is too much for the doctor’s wife to bear and she, too, dies. This puts the doctor in such a state of depression that he drowns himself in alcohol everyday. Being a very skillful surgeon, he is extremely sought-after and, therefore, performs operations in an inebriated state! How the medical profession permits such doctors to even enter the operation theatre is conveniently not touched upon. When the surgeon is pushed against the wall by the politician and the don and he learns that they were responsible for the deaths of his brother and wife, the life-saving doctor dons a new mantle. He vows to wipe out the enemies of the country and becomes a life-taker.

The first half is shockingly dull and fails to evoke any interest or participation of the viewer. The pace picks up to some extent just before interval so that the second half is relatively better. But the sermonising impact is so great that the film turns out to be devoid of any entertainment value.

Amitabh Bachchan has done a good job but he has failed on two counts: firstly, his choice of subject to stage a comeback is wrong, and secondly, he looks fat, old and tired. Dimple Kapadia has no role worth her while and she does fairly well. The scenes and song of young Amitabh and Dimple are boring. Karisma Kapoor performs very ably but she suffers on account of poor characterisation — she is almost a vamp who walks out on the hero and marries the villain’s son! Add to that, she is made to become a widow soon after her marriage. Arbaaz Ali Khan is bad and neither looks nor acts like a hero. Paresh Rawal is effective. Ashish Vidyarthi performs well but has too much to talk and so tends to bore. Mukesh Rishi has been given a role longer than he can handle. Mushtaq Khan is extremely impressive and comes up with a truly free performance. Pran leaves a mark in a guest appearance. Deepak Tijori is alright and so is Asif Sheikh. Avtar Gill, Tiku Talsania, Dinesh Hingoo and Farida Jalal (in a guest role) lend good support. Vikas Anand, Mukesh Rawal, Dharmesh Tiwari, Mulraj Rajda, Namdeo Lahute and the others provide average support. Daler Mehndi appears in a song-dance which is excellent.

Director Mehul Kumar handles a poor story even more poorly. Anand Milind’s music is fair but a film of this canvas deserved a hit score. The Daler Mehndi song is superb and has also been picturised beautifully. It comes at the appropriate time to break the tension and monotony. Other song picturisations lack imagination. Camerawork is not up to the mark. Background music is alright and sound effects (DTS) could have been better. Action should have been more exciting and stylised.

On the whole, Mrityudaata, which has been sold at a prohibitively high price, may have taken a bumper start (at most places) but it will keep Amitabh fans sorely disappointed and, therefore, its distributors are bound to incur huge losses.

Released on 25-4-’97 at Eros and 23 other cinemas of Bombay by ABCL thru Shringar Films. Publicity & opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening was bumper everywhere except, surprisingly, in East Punjab where shows were not full on the first day. The film dropped conspicuously on 2nd day in C.P. and C.I.

LATEST POSITION

The drop in collections of MRITYUDAATA on the first day itself at several places has baffled the industry.

Koyla, as expected, has recorded historic collections in the first week and, as predicted, began to slide downwards at most places, soon after the festival period got over on 20th. 1st week Bombay 42,65,879 (91.44%) from 13 cinemas (10 on F.H.), Vashi 2,50,445, record, Palghar 1,02,615; Vapi 2,90,834, Ahmedabad 16,38,960 from 8 cinemas, Bharuch 3,25,682, Ankleshwar 1,79,379, Palanpur city record, Rajkot 1,89,000, Jamnagar (14 shows) 43,739; Pune 9,20,782 from 6 cinemas (2 in matinee), Kolhapur 3,21,320 from 2 cinemas, Solapur 2,86,050 from 2 cinemas; Hubli 100%, Belgaum 100%, Dharwad 89,987 (97.83%), Karwar 100%, record, Nipani 100%, record; Delhi 50,28,023 (97.53%) from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,97,960 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,15,982, Agra 2,35,380, Allahabad 1,90,000, Meerut 1,66,468 (100%), theatre record, Dehradun 1,69,279, theatre record, Gorakhpur 1,76,000 (82.24%); Amritsar 50,318; Calcutta 38,61,120 from 26 cinemas (14 unrecd.); Bihar extraordinary, share about 40 lakh; Nagpur 8,15,021 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,55,036, city record, Amravati 2,33,322 from 2 cinemas, Akola (31 shows) 1,34,504 (100%), Raipur 2,30,032 (94.99%), city record, Bhilai 2,21,395 from 2 cinemas, Durg 1,28,425; Indore 4,25,623 from 2 cinemas (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,28,615 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 11,72,007 from 5 cinemas, Bikaner 2,73,891, Udaipur 2,31,130 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 50,43,395 from 22 cinemas, share 27,64,495, share from circuit 31 lakh, exceptional.

……….

Ziddi is doing well. 2nd week Bombay 23,54,631 (75.02%) from 11 cinemas (10 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,11,098 from 4 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Padra 2,00,549, Jamnagar 1,12,710, total 2,70,152; Pune 4,14,538 from 2 cinemas, Solapur 1,85,321 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 32,12,256 from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,67,082 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,41,379, Agra 2,10,500, Allahabad 1,54,000, Varanasi 1,82,416, Bareilly 1,15,659 (60.15%), Dehradun 1,26,081, Gorakhpur 1,16,000; Calcutta 15,54,589 from 19 cinemas; Nagpur 3,09,384 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,44,024, total 3,69,525, Amravati 1,11,590, Raipur 1,44,221 (1st 2,23,480), theatre record, Bhilai 61,868, Jalgaon (4 days), 64,471, Chandrapur 61,412; Jaipur 3,07,024, Jodhpur 4,82,000 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 2,05,291; Hyderabad 5,34,186 from 2 cinemas, share 2,76,954.

Judaai 8th week Bombay 9,53,740 (70.07%) from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,23,120 (4 unrecd.), Baroda 1,31,075, Rajkot 67,000, Jamnagar 71,750; Pune 1,94,075 from 3 cinemas (2 in matinee), Kolhapur 70,000, Solapur 48,424; Delhi 2,57,646 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,91,382 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 86,923, Agra 53,500, Allahabad 54,000, Varanasi 79,477, Gorakhpur 36,000; Nagpur 1,05,326 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 47,647, total 5,33,437, 7th Amravati 93,367, 8th Akola 83,600, Raipur 53,383 (7th 58,622), Bhilai 34,028, 3rd Wardha (6 days) 39,182, 5th week Yavatmal 37,154 (4th 46,821), total 2,63,947; 8th Indore 96,673, Bhopal 90,492; Jaipur (last) 91,973, 5th Ajmer 50,762; 8th Hyderabad 3,91,660 from 2 cinemas, share 1,78,654.

Hero No. 1 is class A1 in many circuits. 9th week Bombay 7,12,470 (74.99%) from 4 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Baroda 38,807, 1st week Jambusar 50,526, 9th week Rajkot 47,000; Pune 2,17,216 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 36,309; Delhi 2,17,504; Kanpur 62,458, Lucknow 95,908, Agra 61,692, Allahabad 41,000, Varanasi 82,010, 8th Dehradun (last) 49,754 (7th 69,704), 4th week Gorakhpur 30,000; 9th week Calcutta 1,26,832; Nagpur 49,312, Jabalpur 55,503, total 9,04,060, Akola 48,663, Raipur 52,480 (8th 53,748), total 8,86,126, Bhilai 20,527, 5th Jalgaon (last) 43,415; 9th week Indore 60,483, Bhopal 67,789; Jaipur 1,47,885; Hyderabad 3,52,827 from 3 cinemas, share 1,45,161.

Raja Hindustani 20th week Bombay 1,67,602 from 2 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Pune 3,38,580 from 3 cinemas, 19th Solapur (7 shows) 56,020; 23rd week Delhi 4,78,583 from 4 cinemas (2 on F.H.); 24th Kanpur 41,992, 23rd Lucknow 84,398, Agra 55,400, 24th Allahabad 37,000, Meerut 89,198, 23rd Bareilly 30,735 (23.31%), 24th Gorakhpur 26,000; 1st week Kampti 42,336 (93.07%), 21st Jabalpur (last) 81,598, total 32,24,666, 6th week Gondia 42,158; 23rd Indore 1,21,103, 22nd Bhopal 58,016; 24th Hyderabad 2,17,980.

MURAD NO MORE

Veteran actor Murad expired on 24th April in Bombay due to old age. He was 86 and had developed complications in the lungs.

Hamid Ali Murad is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, actor Raza Murad.

He had acted in about 500 films out of which he played a judge in half of them! Among the many films he acted in were Anmol Ghadi, Andaz, Deedar, Mirza Ghalib, Do Bigha Zameen, Mughal-E-Azam, Yahudi, Taj Mahal etc. His first film was Mehboob’s Najma, released in 1942. Murad had given up acting since the last six or seven years owing to ill-health.

CHANDU PARKHI DEAD

Actor Chandu Parkhi expired on 14th April in Bombay at K.E.M. Hospital due to a heart attack. He had been admitted to the hospital for an operation for gangrene but suffered the fatal attack before surgery.

Chandu Parkhi had his individualistic style of acting and shone in comedy roles. He had acted in several television serials and Hindi as well as Marathi films like Nasheebwan, Ram Rahim etc.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Coal is a strict ‘no no’ for films and film titles, it seems. At least three films with an equivalent of coal in their titles or with stories dealing with coal have failed to click at the box-office. They are: KALKA, KAALA PATTHAR and now, KOYLA.

After Playing Raja, It’s Now Time To Play ‘Ghulam’

Raja Hindustani Aamir Khan has lost weight, nine kilos to be precise. The Raja was till earlier this week shooting for Mukesh Bhatt’s Ghulam which, in all probability, will be his first release now. Aamir was almost living at Film City since the last 40 days, shooting day and night for the film.

He used to often double up as the producer because Mukesh was down with malaria. The committed and involved actor that he is, Aamir used to give the daily report of shooting to Mukesh Bhatt on telephone when the latter was laid up in bed. “I was so touched,” is all that Mukesh can say about Aamir’s involvement.

Ghulam, informs director Vikram Bhatt when we visit the huge basti set at Film City, is a film about extortion (hafta) and subservience, about the tendency of humans to submit easily, to take things lying down, to become a slave of the system. This film is Vikram’s biggest assignment so far, and with all the confidence at his command, the young director says, “If I can’t deliver the goods with such a talented actor like Aamir, I’ll have no excuse.”

Aamir’s co-star in Ghulam is Rani Mukerji whom Mukesh Bhatt describes as “superb”. The producer sees a fantastic future for Rani. Mukesh Bhatt has opted for less busy artistes from the stage for this film. So he has people like Mita Vashisht and Rajit Kapur playing key roles. “They play the characters with more conviction, and the audience would not be aware of what’s in store for them because the artistes have no image,” explains Mukesh Bhatt.

The producer recalls another gesture of Aamir which touched him deeply. Aamir contracted conjunctivitis during the 40-day schedule and even while Mukesh Bhatt and Vikram Bhatt were contemplating cancelling the shooting for a couple of days, Aamir came up with the suggestion that they shoot the action scenes which, according to the script, required his face to be battered and bleeding and his eyes red and swollen. “That way, we did not waste a single shooting day,” said Mukesh with gratitude (for Aamir) writ all over his face. “It’s Aamir’s complete involvement that made him suggest what he did,” he said, adding, “Which other actor would have done this?”

Vikram cited another incident which revealed Aamir’s love for his work. “Aamir doesn’t shoot on Sundays, but I wanted him on one Sunday,” said Vikram, adding, “At first, Aamir was hesitant, afraid that his wife wouldn’t like him to shoot on a Sunday, but finally relented and agreed to come later in the day. On the appointed Sunday morning, he telephoned me and told me, he would like to come from morning itself so that the mood of the climax wasn’t lost. Can you believe it, he was here, on the set, giving cues to the co-artistes, something which anybody else from the unit could jolly well have done in his place.”

But then, Aamir is Aamir, not anybody, right?

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Novelty In Publicity

Another film that’s been well publicised is Mrityudaata. Despite wall posters being banned in Bombay, the film’s Bombay distributors (Shringar Films) have gone all out to reach out to the masses and inform them that the film is coming/has come. The novel idea of making boys stand at strategic points in the city and suburbs, wearing Mrityudaata boards on either side of their bodies, has attracted a lot of attention. It is the brainchild of Shravan Shroff of Shringar. Incidentally, reacting to the item printed in this column in our issue last week, Shyam Shroff of Shringar has clarified that the Mrityudaata boys were not at all hurling abuses either against Koyla or Rakesh Roshan, as alleged by the latter’s son, Hrithik Roshan. According to Shyam Shroff, the five boys stationed outside Minerva cinema were hired from a professional agency only for publicising Mrityudaata and they did their job professionally and quietly.

Hello Brother

Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol together? Seems like the two brothers will indeed come together. The film, titled London, will be made by their own production banner, Vijayta Films. As the title suggests, it will be shot in London. Reportedly, a London-based lady director will direct the two brothers and Karisma Kapoor who plays the female lead. Music, one hears, will be scored by Vishal Bhardwaj. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Even more exciting is the news that it will be completed in three months at a stretch this year!

Rajasthan Business: The New Formula

Every territory has a formula for calculating the expected business of films. In Rajasthan, the accepted formula for many years was: five to six times the business of Jaipur city would, generally speaking, be the business of the entire circuit. But the scene has changed in recent times. Veteran Rajasthan distributor and exhibitor O.P. Bansal opines that no longer can one say that five or six times the share of Jaipur would roughly be equal to the total share from Rajasthan. According to him, the new formula is to calculate the shares from eight centres and multiply the figure by 2. That is to say, the total business of Rajasthan can be assessed by doubling the total business from the following eight centres: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Kota, Udaipur, Sriganganagar and Alwar.