KAMA SUTRA – A TALE OF LOVE
(Dubbed)

Mirabai Films Pvt. Ltd.’s Kama Sutra – A Tale Of Love (A), dubbed from English, is a film (set in the 16th century) which has a story knit around sex and more sex. A princess and her lowly servant grow up together as friends but the latter resents having to wear the former’s old clothes always and being sidelined everywhere even while the former gets the best of everything in life. The servant, who grows up to be very sensual, seeks revenge on the princess by seducing her (the princess) to-be husband just a little before their marriage. The casanova husband falls prey to the servant’s seduction. So much so that when he consummates his marriage with the princess, he can think of only his sexual escapade with the servant.

The servant, who is now banished from the palace, meets a court sculptor who takes her to a teacher who used to teach the princess and other girls lessons in Kama Sutra. The sculptor and the servant are attracted towards each other. In the meantime, the princess’ husband yearns to get back the servant and when he does find her, he makes her his chief courtesan, much to the chagrin of his wife (the servant’s childhood friend). Thus begins the emotional and sexual game with the four players viz. the princess, her husband, the servant and her beloved.

Sex has been very liberally shown and that’s the catchword in the entire film. It titillates the viewer, more so because so much sex has never been seen earlier in a Hindi film. Otherwise, the drama moves at a slow pace but that is often sought to be compensated by vivid sex, coming at regular intervals. Music is in the background and there are no songs in the film.

Indra Verma does a wonderful job as the servant, looking sensual and performing brilliantly. Sarita Chowdhury, as the princess, is quite good. Naveen Andrews looks and acts the sex-hungry husband of the princess beautifully. Ramon Tikaram is also extremely natural in the role of the sculptor. Rekha is restrained and truly effective as the teacher imparting Kama Sutra lessons. The rest of the cast, including Harish Patel, Pearl Padamsee, Arundhati Rao, Khalid Tyabji and others, lend admirable support.

If the sex scenes are vivid, the dialogues too are pretty bold at several places. Although the censors may have cut portions, they’ve also permitted a lot to be shown. Dubbing is excellent.

Direction (by Mira Nair) is exemplary because the erotic scenes are truly so and they succeed in exciting the viewer, which was the aim of the film. What’s more, the drama also holds appeal for the class audience. Photography is superb. Sets (Nitin Desai) are fabulous. Production values are very nice. Costumes of the various characters give the impression of the drama being set centuries ago.

On the whole, a film like Kama Sutra is visually one of the boldest ever seen on the Hindi screen and it is this novelty and shock value and, of course, abundant and uninhibited sex, which will see it succeed handsomely at the box-office. The craze for the film will not be limited to young adults or just menfolk, even women and the elite can be expected to patronise the film in a big way as days pass. Class A1.

Released on 6-2-’98 at Satyam and 15 other cinemas of Bombay by Shogun Films thru Shringar Films. Publicity & opening: very good. …….Also released all over, to bumper houses everywhere. Over-capacity crowds were witnessed in several cinemas in different circuits.

LATEST POSITION

The industry’s Idd has come this week with the bumper opening of non-star cast and songless KAMA SUTRA. The actual Idd festival last Friday could not do anything for star-cast and song-filled BANARASI BABU and VINASHAK. Instead, Idd proved bountiful for DTPH and ISHQ as their collections jumped up in the week under review.

Banarasi Babu has not been appreciated and will entail losses to its distributors due to its high price. 1st week Bombay 35,70,871 (67.84%) from 15 cinemas (8 on F.H.): Ahmedabad 3,16,454 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,44,628 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 96,272 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 8,10,681 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 2,33,660 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Satara 80,556; Belgaum 1,97,826; Delhi 29,09,218 (50.57%) from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,53,047 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,88,717, Allahabad 1,59,000, Varanasi 1,95,495, Meerut 2,03,067, Bareilly 1,52,558 (60.54%), Dehradun 1,28,000, Hardwar 34,711; Nagpur 4,08,917 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,78,062, Amravati (6 days) 81,220, Akola 1,27,922, Bhilai 1,45,128, Chandrapur 1,14,646; Indore 1,29,580 (4 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,10,189 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 7,41,585 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 1,34,900.

Vinashak dropped rather badly from 2nd day onwards at some places and from 4th day onwards at other places. Its only saving grace is its reasonable price in some circuits. 1st week Bombay 43,19,365 (69%) from 13 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 6,17,036 from 7 cinemas, Rajkot 2,34,565 from 2 cinemas, Adipur 1,26,405; Pune 7,90,168 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 3,49,261 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Hubli 100%, Belgaum 1,35,845 (100%), Dharwad 100%; Delhi 29,39,616 (51.85%) from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,76,191 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,03,033, Allahabad 1,82,500, Varanasi 2,39,601, Meerut (6 days) 1,61,808 (100%), Bareilly 1,46,845 (73.88%), Dehradun 1,36,316; Calcutta 23,03,921 from 22 cinemas; Nagpur 4,59,519 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,79,890, Amravati 1,93,233, share 1,35,300, Akola 1,49,848, Raipur 2,12,595 (45.96%) from 2 cinemas, Bhilai 98,267, Durg 88,891, Jalgaon 1,82,235, Wardha 62,409, Chandrapur 1,49,319; Bhopal 3,22,002 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 4,97,553 from 3 cinemas, Jodhpur 3,00,000, Bikaner 97,500, Bharatpur (gross) 1,20,000; Hyderabad 32,09,820 from 17 cinemas.

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Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya (Gujarati, TF) is still going great guns and proves a blockbuster. It has collected better this week than in the previous week at many places. 4th week Ahmedabad 7,21,313 from 4 cinemas, Asodar 1,01,341, 2nd week Baroda 1,47,948, 4th Rajkot 2,14,376, 2nd Jamnagar 1,65,858 (1st 1,40,676), Bhavnagar 1,93,621 (1st 1,86,425).

Laali (Punjabi) is doing well in the circuit in East Punjab.

COURT ALLOWS SHOGUN FILMS TO USE TITLE ‘KAMA SUTRA – TALE OF LOVE’

Rejecting the notice of motion taken out by B. Gupta against Mirabai Films Pvt. Ltd. and Shogun Films Pvt. Ltd., the producers of Kama Sutra – A Tale Of Love, for the use of the title Kamasutra which is being made by him, Justice A.T. Vaidya of the Bombay city civil court in a judgement passed recently has said that as the name Kama Sutra – A Tale Of Love had been registered by the Association of Motion Picture & TV Programme Producers, though rejected by the Film Makers Combine, the same could be used by the defendants (Mirabai Films). However, the judge said that the loss suffered by Gupta could be compensated by the defendants in terms of money. The court also held that the balance of convenience was in favour of the defendants as the plaintiff had approached the court at a belated stage.

YUNUS PERWAIZ TO CONTEST LS ELECTIONS

Actor Yunus Perwaiz will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from the East Delhi constituency. He will be a candidate of the Samajwadi Party.

ADITYA CHOWKSEY’S WEDDING LARGELY ATTENDED

C.I. distributor Aditya Chowksey, son of distributor J.P. Chowksey, got married to Chhavi on 3rd February in Indore at Sayaji Hotel. The wedding reception was largely attended by the C.P.C.I. trade as also by Bombay trade personalities.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Besides Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan, there will be a third hero in Vashu Bhagnani’s BIWI NO. 1. His role will be small but important. Vashu and director David Dhawan have not yet finalised the guy.

* Sanjay Dutt plays a very important role in Raj Kanwar’s second home production, as yet untitled and starring Chandrachur Singh and Mahima Chaudhry. Raj prefers to call it a “dynamic role” although it is a guest appearance but a very, very lengthy guest appearance.

* Tips has got made attractive cards (in the style of picture postcards) of its forthcoming film, JAB PYAR KISI SE HOTA HAI, directed by Deepak Sareen. The card does not reveal the film’s name, it only shows Salman Khan and Twinkle Khanna in a song sequence, wearing similar clothes — red and green checkered shirt with blue jeans. Besides the main credit titles, the card announces: ‘Await the heart-throbbing music coming on Tips’.

RECORDS RE JOYA!

* Govindbhai Patel’s DESH RE JOYA DADA PARDESH JOYA (Gujarati, TF) is moving from glory to glory. The fourth week’s collections in most of the cinemas are better than or almost equal to those of the third week. The 3rd and 4th week’s collections respectively are: Amber, Ahmedabad 2,67,790/- (full) and 2,67,790/- (full); Anupam, Ahmedabad 2,68,392/- and 2,67,502/-; Anand, Naroda 90,016/- and 95,325/- (theatre records); Ashok, Ahmedabad 85,027/- and 90,696/- (theatre records); Vasant, Asodar 76,288/- and 1,01,341/-; Rajshree, Rajkot 2,14,878/- and 2,14,376/-; Galaxy, Bhavnagar 1,86,425/- and 1,93,621/-; Chitrakoot, Morbi 1,48,321/- and 1,51,151/-; Liberty, Junagadh 1,47,565/- (record) and 1,45,588/-. At Sadhna, Baroda, it collected 1,52,724/- in 1st week, and 1,47,948/- in 2nd week. The corresponding collections at Deepak, Jamnagar were 1,40,676/- (1st week) and 1,65,858/- (2nd week). The total for 2 weeks (3,06,534/-) is a city record. At Jaimeen, Botad, it has collected 1,42,161/- in 1st week.

Are Awards Losing Their Sanctity?

The recent film awards functions held by two big media groups have caused a lot of heartburns among industry people, giving rise to bickerings and allegations of partiality in the selection of winners. Since awards are subjective, there will always be such complaints, and history is witness to this fact because although one awards function was started as an annual affair only some years back, the other has been an annual ritual for many years now. But the foul talk that’s been generated this year after both the awards functions is, perhaps, the maximum. And that indeed is cause for concern not only because the industry participates in both the annual celebrations whole-heartedly year after year but also because the two media groups have their reputations to guard.

The funny part of the awards functions is that both profess to be popular awards and yet the winners in so many categories were absolutely different in the two functions. If the public, as is claimed, selects the winners, what does this imply? That there’s a different set of people selecting the award winners for one function, and another set of persons for the other function? Both the media groups had separate juries too but the wide variance in the winners makes one wonder whether it was finally the verdict of the jury alone and not of the public too. Or was it? Was even the verdict of the juries overridden in a bid to oblige people? That’s one major accusation being hurled at the organisers of at least one awards function. A top producer, wishing to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, felt that the winners were cleverly picked out so as to cover as many people and films as possible. Says he, “With the awards functions getting commercialised, the sponsors naturally insist that all top stars, producers, directors, music directors etc. should attend the function, to get the maximum mileage for their products. The organisers can ensure such attendance by honouring as many people as possible, whether or not they deserve to be so honoured. So we have popular awards and critics’ awards as also awards for new reasons and achievements.”

A natural corollary of having separate awards under the popular catgegory and the critics category is that the critics do not think like the normal public. While it is understandable in the case of one or two categories, how does one explain such differences in a line of categories? Obviously, the intention was to please too many people at the same time, some deserving, others undeserving.

A glaring difference in the two awards functions was the almost complete omission of Dil To Pagal Hai from even the list of nominations in one, and the sweeping of awards by the same film in the other. Even subjectivity has to have some basis and there cannot be so much difference when both the awards are public awards. Then, some awards went by the name of popular awards although the films for which the concerned persons won those awards were flops. There’s no harm in giving awards to persons associated with flops if the said persons have excelled in their fields, but how can such awards assume the character of “popular awards”? The dictionary meaning of the word ‘popular’ is: ‘of, carried on by, the people; adapted to the understanding, taste, or means, of the people’. When the people didn’t patronise the film, how could they have voted for a person associated with the film? One is not disputing that the winners deserved such awards. No, that’s not the point here. But what the point definitely is is that such awards cannot be called popular awards.

The third major awards function, that is still to be held, may give rise to more controversies. The nominations themselves are raising eyebrows. A lot of questions vis-à-vis the awards functions are remaining unanswered. For a free and fair awards ceremony, what is required is complete transparency. Unfortunately, none of the awards ceremonies has been able to give that feeling of transparency — neither to the general public nor to the industry people.

Little wonder then that some top names, again wishing to remain anonymous, are seriously considering boycotting one or the other awards functions from next year onwards. The rumblings have begun. The organisers of these major events cannot afford to ignore these sounds of discontent. So also the sponsors of these mega events.

– Komal Nahta

Honestly Speaking….

Exhibitors all over the country are panicking. With hardly any films sustaining at the box-office, cinemas will soon have to go abegging for films. That would mean jeopardising the position of exhibitors. With distributors coming into a commanding position vis-à-vis exhibitors, the former would be able to dictate terms to the latter. Of course, that itself wouldn’t be enough to get smiles back on the faces of distributors because they’ve also been reeling under losses due to films falling like nine pins. Kama Sutra has come like a belated Idd!.

Well, actually, if you ask me, I’ll say — even at the cost of sounding repetitive — that it is the prices which are failing sometimes, not the films. Producers should realise the importance of correct pricing because ultimately, in calculating whether a film is a paying proposal or a loser, one has to weigh its cost against its business. Unrealistically high prices of films are ruining the market. Distributors are dying a slow but sure death. And if distributors don’t come forward to buy films of producers, the situation in the coming months will become even more alarming than it is today.

The demonstration effect is killing the industry. Each one is getting influenced by what the other is doing. If he can price his film so high, why can’t I? That seems to be the new mantra. In the case of artistes, the guiding factor for fixing one’s price is: when he/she is charging so much, why shouldn’t I? Producers and artistes ask themselves these questions but, believe me, they don’t have the guts to accept the honest reply.

The honest answer to the two questions above is: Each film is different from the rest, every artiste is unique, there can be no mathematics or readymade formulae for price fixation. A Sunny Deol may command ‘x’ price but Sunil Shetty or Akshay Kumar cannot, simply because they are also action heroes like Sunny, demand prices equivalent to or even determined by what Sunny is asking for. Or just because a Subhash Ghai sells his film at ‘y’ price, it doesn’t mean that every producer can get that price. It also doesn’t mean that even if he can get that price, he should ask for it even if his project does not deserve that price.

A question — and a pertinent one — that arises here is: who will decide what is the deserving price? The honest reply is: the conscience of the producer or the artiste concerned. If one cannot be fair, one should take the help of knowledgeable people in the industry who are known for their unbiased and balanced approach. It may sound a ridiculous option but that’s if you don’t give it a serious thought. Think over this for two days and then ask yourself for an honest reply. Chances are, you will agree with what’s mentioned above.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Differential Admission Rates

A lot of concern is being expressed at the level of box-office collections of some recent releases. But while expressing concern, one must not forget that the high admission rates of cinemas, especially in major cities, are also responsible for the pathetically low collections. It is a fallacy to imagine that a cinegoer would be willing and even eager to pay the same ticket price for a lesser hero as he would, say, for Sunny Deol or Shah Rukh Khan. The latter may not be as hot in smaller centres, but in cities, where admission rates are sometimes prohibitively high, he is the darling. And if the films of lesser heroes are not up to the mark, the exorbitant admission rates act as a double deterrent. Alongside pricing of films and artistes, it’s time one gave a serious thought to the pricing of cinema tickets too.

Of Good Luck And Bad Luck

It is not without reason that the film line is called the most speculative line. For, when Lady Luck will smile at you, you never know. Take, for example, the case of Rajasthan distribution. Kama Sutra was originally with Chopra Jaggi Pictures for the circuit. When Chopra Jaggi relinquished the distribution rights, two distributors saw the film (only last week). One was Rajasthan distributor Baba Ramdeo and the other party was East Punjab distributors, Saraswati Films. After the trial show, while Baba wondered whether he should go for it or not, the Saraswati guys struck the deal. Thus, they had the film for East Punjab as well as for Rajasthan. Baba Ramdeo later even had a change of mind and offered to buy the film from the Saraswati guys after giving them profit. But do you know why they refused to let go the rights? According to Baba Ramdeo, “They told me, they couldn’t leave the rights as they had told Subhash Ghai that they were releasing the film in Punjab as well as Rajasthan!” Imagine, sticking to a commitment because it had been conveyed to Ghai who, in any case, was not otherwise connected in any way with the film or the deal. The Saraswati guys must thank Ghai for their luck. And also thank Kamdev, the sex God, for their double windfall with the sexy Kama Sutra.

In Bombay too, the film changed hands. It was first acquired by Ajay Devgan who then relinquished the rights, presumably because pirated video cassettes of the film surfaced in the market. It was then that all-India rights holder R. Mohan decided to release it himself thru Shringar Films.

Doubly Lucky

Delhi-U.P. distributor G.D. Mehta is a very lucky guy. After negotiations, the price of Kama Sutra for Delhi-U.P. was brought down dramatically last week. And when the collections of all the three releases of last week nose-dived on Saturday itself in Delhi, exhibitors made a bee-line for the office of G.D. Mehta to book Kama Sutra as that was the only release of this week. That’s what you call double luck.

Sexy Shringar

Bombay distributors Shringar Films are on a sexy trip. It started with Aastha which they distributed, but there was a long gap after that. The trip has restarted this year with Kama Sutra this week. In the pipeline are two more films — Deepa Mehta’s Fire and Trans Arts India’s Erotic Tales (Part I) — which have a good dose of sex. The latter film (cleared by the Appellate Tribunal) actually consists of two different films — Mani Kaul’s The Cloud Door and a foreign film, The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch. It may be recalled that The Cloud Door, starring Anu Agarwal and Murad Ali, had attracted huge crowds in 1995 at the IFFI held in Bombay, obviously, due to its steamy sex scenes.

No Men Please

Apprehending that ladies may not readily and immediately come to cinemas screening Kama Sutra, Bombay distributor Balkrishna Shroff has decided to hold special shows for ladies only on Tuesday (10th February) at 3 p.m. at ten to twelve cinemas of Bombay city and suburbs. A good move which can be well emulated by distributors of other circuits since there were very, very few ladies in the house-full audiences on the first day throughout the country.

KOYLA

Filmkraft’s Koyla (A) is an action-filled revenge drama with a romantic track too. A money-hungry villain gets a labourer, working in a coal mine, and his wife killed for the lure of money. So that the only child of the victims should not identify the killers, the villain shoves burning coal down the poor child’s throat and makes him mute. The villain brings up the mute child (who is unaware of the fact that it is the villain who is responsible for his mute status) as his bonded labourer and the latter is ready to lay down his life for his master any time. The master is fond of girls one-third his age and his lust prompts him to marry one such girl. The mute boy rescues the girl from his master’s clutches when he realises the master’s fraud. The two then fall in love but are separated after a while. The mute boy gets back his lost voice and also gets to know that it was his own master who had rendered him mute. Obviously, he avenges the murder of his parents and the atrocities perpetrated on him and his beloved.

The story as such offers little novelty, and the screenplay is good in parts. At times, however, the writers have taken ‘convenience’ as the guiding factor and put logic or sound reasoning in the backseat. As a result, the film has some defects and flaws. For example, the child is rendered mute so that he may not give his witness in the court, but the same mute boy is asked to identify the killers, which he does! And this mute boy is the central character of the story, and his muteness, an important point in the story. The first half moves at a slow pace and it picks up well when the hero rescues the heroine. Even after interval, the really engrossing turns and twists are few and far between. Another drawback is that when the boy gets his voice back after years, there’s not much feeling of joy which the audience experiences, if only because they have not been made to suffer his pain. Comedy is crude and of the kind which would appeal to the masses but would not be quite liked by ladies and family audience. Romance has not been established. Dialogues lack the fire.

On the positive side are: excellent and abundant action, fantastic chase scenes (in particular, the helicopter scenes), beautiful locations, exceptional sound effects (in DTS mixed prints) and a good music score. Some comedy scenes are even hilarious.

Shah Rukh Khan has, no doubt, done extremely well as the mute bonded labourer but it must be conceded that the role of the angry young man does not suit his image. An action hero was the need of the story. Madhuri Dixit lacks glamour and looks fat. Her performance is, however, good, as usual. Her kotha scenes are in excess and don’t appeal. Amrish Puri has got an unduly lengthy role, something which does not appeal. He has performed ably but there’s too much of him. Ashok Saraf and Johny Lever evoke laughter at places. Deepshikha leaves a mark and lends oomph with her uninhibited exposure. Salim Ghose is average. Mohnish Bahl is good in a very brief special appearance. Ranjeet, Jack Gaud, Shubha Khote, Suresh Chatwal, Kunika, Ram Mohan, Himani Shivpuri, Vikas Anand, master Mohsin and master Vicky lend able support.

Rakesh Roshan should have opted for a more substantive plot. Although his direction is good, he ought to have gone easy on the crude comedy. Music (Rajesh Roshan) is very good but the absence of a super-hit and evergreen number is sorely felt. The ‘Bhang ke nashe mein’ song can be deleted. ‘Saason ki mala pe’ also needs to be edited. Picturisation of ‘Hosh na khode kahin’ is very good. ‘Badan juda hote hain’ is musically very good but a sensuous song of this kind deserved a more appropriate picturisaton — it is picturised on a girl who is sensuously dancing in front of her parents! ‘Dekha tujhe to’ is musically very appealing. Bhikoo Verma’s action is splendid and mind-blowing. Production values are good but not as much as the price for which the film has been sold. Camerawork (Sameer Arya) and the Arunachal Pradesh locations complement each other wonderfully. Both are exceptionally good.

On the whole, an unduly high-priced Koyla has an initial value which is simply mind-boggling, but it does not have matching merits and the fire in it. Since it has to depend only on the masses for patronage, it may not cover its high price on the strength of its opening. Even if some distributors do cover their price, exhibitors and third parties, who have paid phenomenal terms, would, in all likelihood, stand to lose. Business in North India will be better. Collections of the first week will undoubtedly be historic.

Released on 16-4-’97 at Madhuban, Dombivli and on 18-4-’97 at Minerva and 22 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity: excellent. Opening: bumper. …….Also released all over. Opening was historic everywhere. 1st day East Punjab over-capacity in many centres, full in Delhi-U.P., Bengal, C.P. Berar, Rajasthan (approx. 12,50,000/- on 1st day on 32 prints), full in all 22 cinemas of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

LATEST POSITION

The phenomenal opening of KOYLA this week has surpassed all expectations… The week that has gone by was good for the box-office due to the various holidays.

Ziddi has done very well and although it dropped at some places mid-week, its first week’s shares are excellent. 1st week Bombay 46,77,874 (83.22%) from 19 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 6,24,674 from 3 cinemas (4 unrecd.), Vapi 2,95,462, Baroda 100%, theatre record, Padra 2,57,080, record, Bharuch (gross) 2,90,903, Jamnagar 1,57,442; Pune 11,44,928 from 6 cinemas, Solapur 2,72,771 (93.45%) from 2 cinemas; Delhi 46,19,166 (97.67%) from 12 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,76,223 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,46,603 (100%), Varanasi 1,89,156 (98.40%), Moradabad 1,91,932, city record, Bareilly 1,72,234 (87.31%), Gorakhpur 1,48,176 (100%), theatre record; Amritsar 54,165; Calcutta (6 days) 23,93,542 from 20 cinemas; Rourkela 1,50,000; Nagpur 7,03,340 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,25,502, theatre record, Amravati 1,27,865, Chandrapur 1,43,709; Jaipur 11,24,766 from 5 cinemas, city record, Jodhpur 7,29,426 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 3,07,711, city record; Hyderabad 34,15,919 from 16 cinemas, share 16,26,688.

Kaun Sachcha Kaun Jhootha is a washout. 1st week Bombay 6,90,018 (33.03%) from 8 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,43,494 from 4 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 36,536 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 1,32,892 from 4 cinemas; Delhi 8,32,440 (22.64%) from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 42,641 from 2 cinemas, Varanasi 32,138, Gorakhpur 36,000; did poor in Calcutta; Nagpur 61,860, Jalgaon (6 days) 23,849; Hyderabad 2,75,341 from 7 cinemas (5 in noon).

Dil Ke Jharoke Main is also miserable. 1st week Bombay 3,66,327 (23%) from 7 cinemas; Pune 69,878 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 34,780; Delhi 3,66,615 (28.24%) from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 34,118; Calcutta (6 days) 2,29,224 from 4 cinemas; Bikaner 38,135; Hyderabad 2,95,087 from 5 cinemas (3 in noon).

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Himalay Putra 2nd week Bombay 5,40,081 (45.33%) from 4 cinemas (4 unrecd., 4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 72,081 (2 unrecd.), Baroda 57,920; Pune 2,51,032 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 19,232; Delhi 10,42,168 from 8 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,24,303 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,70,440, Agra 88,790, Varanasi 66,705, Bareilly 55,400 (30.94%), Gorakhpur 53,000; Calcutta (6 days) 2,37,314 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 54,369 from 2 cinemas, Amravati 45,240, Akola 38,628, 1st week Bhilai 1,13,720 from 2 cinemas, Yavatmal 41,303; 2nd Ujjain 20,200; Jaipur 1,54,005 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 3,56,599 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.).

Judaai 7th week Bombay 11,15,818 (77.06%) from 3 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,30,457 from 2 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Baroda 1,20,444, Rajkot 68,000, Jamnagar 78,739 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 3,00,141 from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur 79,000, Solapur 82,948, 3rd week Miraj 40,186 (1st 51,613, 2nd 45,429), record; 7th Belgaum 59,874; Delhi 2,77,823 from 2 cinemas; Kanpur (last) 1,00,748, Lucknow 81,936, Agra 48,756, Varanasi 65,082, Gorakhpur 47,000; Nagpur 1,16,363 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 49,624, total 4,85,792, 6th week Amravati 1,02,150, 7th week Akola 95,703, theatre record, Bhilai 50,217, 2nd week Wardha (6 days) 52,856, 4th Yavatmal 46,826, total 2,21,735; 7th Indore 99,837; Jaipur 74,066; Hyderabad 2,57,851, share 97,196.

Hero No. 1 8th week Bombay 6,49,559 from 3 cinemas; Baroda 38,713, Rajkot 54,400; Pune 1,96,055 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 43,021; Delhi 4,49,102 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 88,505 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,02,233, Agra 80,735, Varanasi 31,982, Gorakhpur (shifting) 32,000; Calcutta (6 days) 1,13,754; Nagpur 1,28,685 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 56,885, total 8,48,557, Akola 61,285, theatre record, 7th Bhilai 33,678, 4th Jalgaon 65,568; 8th week Indore 69,760; Jaipur 1,39,090; Hyderabad 4,08,362 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon), share 1,38,962.

Raja Hindustani 19th week Bombay 1,66,960; 22nd week Ahmedabad 70,130, Rajkot (matinee) 13,930; 19th Pune 2,96,222 from 2 cinemas, 18th week Solapur (7 shows) 59,297 (100%); 22nd week Delhi 1,99,384; 23rd week Kanpur 51,341, 22nd Lucknow 84,606, Agra 53,481, 23rd week Varanasi 25,015, Meerut 52,250, 22nd Bareilly 35,628 (19.14%), 23rd Gorakhpur 28,300; 20th week Nagpur 49,005, Jabalpur 70,919, total 31,43,068, 1st Balaghat 1,11,365, 4th Gondia 50,200; 22nd week Indore, 1,16,570; Hyderabad 1,92,181.

MEHTAB DEAD

Mehtab, yesteryears’ leading star and widow of producer-director-actor Sohrab Modi, died in Bombay on April 10. She was 70.

Mehtab’s last film, Jhansi Ki Rani, made by Sohrab Modi in Technicolor, was released in 1953. She joined the film industry during the silent era. She starred in scores of films, prominent being Kidar Sharma’s Chitralekha made in 1941, in which she appeared nude in a bathing scene, Father India, Stree Dharm, Sharda and Sanjog.

PEN OFFICE SHIFTED

Jayantilal Gada of Popular Entertainment Network Ltd. (PEN) has shifted his office, ‘Pen House’, to Asha Colony, Bungalow No. 3, Opp. Sea Princess Hotel, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, Bombay. A get-together was held on the occasion on April 16.

YOU ASKED IT

For English films, which territories are hot and in what order?

– The hottest territory for English films is Tamilnad-Kerala followed by Andhra, Bombay (excluding Karnataka), Nizam, West Bengal, Delhi, East Punjab, C.P.C.I. Rajasthan and Karnataka in that order.

Who has scored the music in the English film, Fire, starring Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Javed Jaffri and Kulbhushan Kharbanda?

– It is a songless film but its background music has been scored by A.R. Rahman. The film is being dubbed in Hindi and from the reports of those who’ve seen FIRE, it appears that the film, if properly exploited, can do wonders in Hindi.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Overseas distributor Kishore Lulla had no words to express how much he had liked the seven songs of Subhash Ghai’s PARDES when he heard them, so he sent Ghai a giant-sized bouquet of flowers. Lulla feels, all the songs are surefire hits.

* There are just 4 Telugu films which have grossed more than 50 lakh from one single cinema. The films are: PREMALAYAM which collected 54,91,762/- in 175 days’ run at Urvasi 70mm, Vijayawada, and 52,67,819/- in 175 days at Chitralaya 70mm, Visakhapatnam; PELLI SANDADI which collected 55,49,866/- in 301 days at Swarna Palace, Vijayawada; BHARATIYUDU which collected 55,02,912/- in 102 days at Venkateshwara Palace, Vijayawada; and NINNE PELLADUTHA which collected 56,64,774/- in 161 days at Raj 70mm, Vijayawada.

* KOYLA has taken a mind-blowing opening in East Punjab. It has collected almost double the house-full capacity on the first day at Friends, Jalandhar, Sangeet and Laxmi cinemas of Ludhiana, Shakuntala, Jammu, Rachna cinema in Faridabad and at Bhatinda.

* KOYLA has taken a historic start and has created city records on the first day at the following centres and cinemas of C.P. Berar: Raj, Raipur (50,008/-), Jeet, Bilaspur (41,668/-), Vandana, Jabalpur (48,235/-), Anjani, Khandwa (24,297/-), Rajkumar, Pusad (40,224/-, gross). It has also created theatre records at New Basant, Bhilai (36,036/-), Gajanan, Khamgaon (21,484/-) and Janta, Itarsi (25,115/-). It drew all shows full on the opening day at three cinemas of Nagpur, viz. Smruti, Panchsheel and Sangam as also at Vasant, Amravati.

* KOYLA has created theatre records on the opening day at all the five cinemas of Indore by collecting: 50,522/- at Sangeeta, 52,208/- at Neelkamal, 35,360/- at Devshri, 35,675/- at Premsukh, and 43,434/- at Smriti.

* KOYLA has created theatre records on the opening day by collecting: 55,000/- at Roxy, Gwalior; 30,000/- at Basant, Morar; 30,000/- at Metro, Ujjain; 30,000/- at Sundaram, Ujjain; 40,000/- at Bharat, Bhopal; 35,000/- at Jyoti, Bhopal; 28,000/- at Darshan, Ratlam. It has created a city record by collecting 38,000/- on 1st day at Jhankar, Rewa.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Playing Safe

If Bombay distributors V.I.P. Enterprises today prefer selling the distribution rights of their films to sub-distributors for Gujarat, Saurashtra, Karnataka and Thane district, it is thanks to Prem Granth. They had found Prem Granth so good that they decided to release it in the entire circuit themselves. Added to this were producer Randhir Kapoor’s instructions to V.I.P. to not sell any part of the circuit at anything but a really high price. They burnt their fingers and learnt their lesson. Had they sold the rights for the various sub-circuits, they would’ve covered their risk. Even if the film would have clicked in a big way, they would’ve got something by way of overflow. As Anil Choksey of V.I.P. says, “It is better to repent after selling than to repent without selling.” Another Bombay distributor, Vimal Agarwal, supports the system of covering one’s risk by selling the rights for sub-circuits, with the following comment: “A trader must always trade.” Vimal feels that to guard against errant sub-distributors, you can insist on foolproof and precautionary clauses in your agreements with them.

All The Trouble For Just One Week!

It would surprise many to know that Koyla will be screened at the main cinema of Indore — Sangeeta — for just one week, after which the cinema has booked Mrityudaata. Obviously, Rakesh Roshan is irritated with his C.I. distributor who had not informed him of the limited run. Instead, his distributor, Ashok Tolani, and the owner of Sangeeta cinema (Indore), Sanjay Tolani, prevailed upon Rakesh Roshan to anyhow facilitate the installation of DTS sound system at the cinema (Sangeeta). Without knowing that his Koyla would be discontinued from Sangeeta after just a week’s run, Rakesh requested Jaya cinema (Borivli, Bombay) to urgently transfer its DTS sound system (which was till then not installed) to Indore and instead instal another system after a couple of days. Jaya cinema obliged, but Rakesh Roshan now feels cheated. Understandably so!

This Is Not Done

Rakesh Roshan’s son, Hrithik, who had gone to see Koyla on the opening day at Minerva, Bombay, was shocked out of his wits with what he saw. There were several boys stationed outside the cinema, wearing Mrityudaata boards on either sides of their bodies. These guys were hurling abuses at Koyla and were passing derogatory remarks about the film. Whose brainchild this was, nobody knows. But whoever thought of this style of publicising Mrityudaata must surely be sick in the head!

SATYA

Varma Corporation Ltd.’s Satya (A) is the story of the underworld told in a very realistic manner. It neither highlights crime nor shows the police in a bad light. The film also attempts to show that those in the underworld are also human beings and do have a family life like the rest of the world.

A young educated guy comes to Bombay and is drawn into the world of dons although he never nursed a desire to be a part of it. But once in it, he becomes a dreaded name in the underworld, not just for his skill but also for his sharp brain and intelligence. He falls in love with his neighbour, a lower-middle class girl who is trying to make it in the word of playback singing. One day, he decides to confess to his beloved, of the life he is leading and also of his plans to leave the country (with her) to start life afresh, away from the underworld. But before he can do so, he is nabbed by the police. His girlfriend, who is till then unaware of his activities, is shattered when the truth about his connections comes to her knowledge in such circumstances. Although he pleads with her to hear him out, she does not give him a second chance. Ultimately, he is killed by the police.

The film is stark and leaves the viewer numb with shock. Its making is brilliant and the technical finesse is astonishing. Sound effects and the background score are splendid, adding to the tension in the drama.

But the technique and the sincerity of director Ramgopal Varma notwithstanding, the film appears to have been made for a select audience only. It will appeal to the classes and the city audiences, mainly in Maharashtra. The underworld lingo used is of the kind typical to Maharashtra, hence the sectional appeal. Censors have been liberal (perhaps, as a reward for the film’s authenticity), and a lot of swear words have been allowed in the dialogues. Ladies will, however, find it difficult to take so many swear words, besides the gruesome violence. That would also limit the business prospects.

J.D. Chakravarthy suits the role very well and gives a restrained performance as a thinking underworld guy with a mind of his own. Urmila Matondkar excels as his beloved, playing the poor girl’s character to near-perfection. Manoj Bajpai delivers an award-winning performance as the hero’s friend. Shefali Chhaya, as his wife, is cute and natural to the core. Paresh Rawal is good. Saurabh Shukla lives his role. Govind Namdeo does a fine job. Aditya Srivastav shines. Makrand Deshpande, Raju Mavani, Sabeer, Rajesh Joshi and Sanjay Mishra provide able support.

Ramgopal Varma’s direction deserves distinction marks. His handling of the subject is remarkable. Vishal’s music is a major letdown. Actually, a tense drama of this kind could have done with hit music, but most of the songs in the film are dull and boring. The wedding song is the better of the lot. The light scenes in the film are well-placed but the humour again is subtle and, therefore, of the kind that can be appreciated more by the elite. Action scenes have fresh composition. Dialogues are very natural.

On the whole, Satya has appeal for Bombay and other big cities in Maharashtra mainly. It should also do well in cities in C.I. and South on the strength of mouth publicity. But given its dull start, lack of face value and poor music on the one hand, and high theatre rentals on the other, it may not really get a chance to grow in the rest of the country as well as at the smaller centres in the aforementioned parts.

Released on 3-7-’98 at Eros and 15 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity: very good. Opening: so-so. …….Also released all over. Opening was good in Lucknow, Nagpur and a couple of other cities but dull in most other places.

LATEST POSITION

Heavy rains throughout the week, in Bombay and various other parts of Maharashtra have adversely affected box-office collections.

Major Saab started dropping from 5th/6th day onwards. Maximum drop (alarming) was noticed in Gujarat, Saurashtra, Bombay, Rajasthan and C.P.C.I. The drop notwithstanding, the film will fetch commission in most of the circuits on the strength of its initial value and, of course, its reasonable price in many circuits. The film was re-edited mid-week in some cinemas of Bombay. 1st week Bombay 52,21,530 (84.32%) from 13 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 7,70,643 from 4 cinemas, Rajkot 1,84,802, Jamnagar (27 shows) 1,63,640; Pune 12,35,932 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 3,14,472 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 47,30,303 (87.97%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 5,31,932 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,84,410 (100%), Agra 4,03,879, Allahabad 1,89,077, Bareilly 1,49,820 (78.55%), Dehradun 2,31,312 (87.77%), Muzaffarnagar 1,18,839, Saharanpur 1,67,325, Hardwar 70,000; very good in East Punjab, Amritsar 65,500; Calcutta (6 days) 21,77,749 from 16 cinemas; Nagpur 6,88,149 from 5 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,53,101, Amravati 1,65,919, Akola 1,45,092, Dhule 1,07,878, Raipur 2,15,303 (69.57%), Bhilai 1,33,184, Jalgaon 1,36,408, Yavatmal 1,02,981, Bilaspur 2,10,176 from 2 cinemas; Indore 4,13,541 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,77,963 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 9,27,766 from 5 cinemas, Udaipur 2,35,870; Hyderabad 33,69,488 from 18 cinemas (2 in noon), share 16,92,000, Aurangabad share 3,20,000 from 3 cinemas; Visakhapatnam 1,76,000.

Ghulam has maintained extremely well in Maharashtra (despite rains) but has dropped in other circuits, at several places by 40-50%. 2nd week Bombay 40,07,696 (84.24%) from 13 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,58,664 from 4 cinemas, Rajkot 1,18,810, Jamnagar (matinee) 15,646; Pune 11,15,608 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,66,868 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee, 1 in daily 2 shows); Belgaum 1,17,476, 1st week Bijapur 1,34,000; 2nd week Delhi 21,64,408 from 8 cinemas; Kanpur 2,39,819 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,71,828, Agra 1,40,675, Allahabad 1,15,000, Dehradun 1,25,469; Nagpur 3,04,588 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,08,234, total 4,57,167, Amravati 1,95,060, total 4,61,721, Akola 1,09,327, total 2,95,636, Dhule 77,000, Raipur 1,42,443, Bhilai 1,08,149, Jalgaon (6 days) 1,51,917, Chandrapur 1,15,435, total 3,31,201, Bilaspur 1,08,481; Indore 1,06,290 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,86,313 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,88,321 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 11,11,362 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon).

………..

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai 6th week Bombay 9,71,817 (58.09%) from 4 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Baroda 91,609, Jamnagar 36,410, total 3,70,974; Pune 2,40,541 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 47,198, 2nd week Barsi 17,906; 6th week Belgaum 76,818; Delhi 18,23,216 from 5 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 66,000, Lucknow 79,194, Allahabad 30,342, 2nd week Hardwar 32,000, 6th week Bareilly (6 days) 37,944 (19.67%), Dehradun 37,000; Calcutta (6 days) 2,55,747 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 1,24,325, Jabalpur (6 days) 90,803, Akola (26 shows) 33,200, total 4,01,274, 5th week Raipur 52,229, total 4,24,338, Jalgaon 5 weeks’ total 4,30,000, 1st week Wardha (5 days) 76,028, 6th week Chandrapur 63,240, total 6,39,764, 5th week Bilaspur 19,213; 6th Bhopal 1,54,393; Jaipur 2,32,976; Hyderabad 3,31,707 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

YOU ASKED IT

Why are action films considered safer bets than, say, social films?

– Because even today, action films have more takers in small centres.

What needs to change the most in the film industry, to take advantage of the industry status?

– The mindset of the industry people in general and producers and actors in particular.

What is the progress of Time’s Hu Tu Tu? At what ratio is it being offered?

– It is nearing the completion mark. The makers are demanding in the region of 1.75 crore per major circuit.

PHALKE AWARD FOR KAVI PRADEEP

Renowned poet and lyricist Pradeep has bagged the Dadasaheh Phalke award for his life-long contribution to Hindi films. The award — the highest in the field of Indian cinema — will be presented to him by the President of India at a function to be held in New Delhi.

Kavi Pradeep has penned lyrics for a number of Hindi films over a career spanning more than four decades. Known for the high literary quality and simplicity of his lyrics, he has penned a number of hit songs including the soul-searching Dekh tere sansar ki haalat kya ho gayi Bhagwaan from Nastik, the patriotic Aao bachchon tumhen dikhayein jhanki Hindustan ki from Jagruti, and Hum laayein hain toofan se kashti nikaal ke from the same film. Although the award is being given for Pradeep’s immense contribution to Hindi films, his best song is, perhaps, the non-filmi number, Ae mere watan ke logon. It is a well-known fact that Lata Mangeshkar’s rendition of this song at the Red Fort, New Delhi, in the ‘sixties had moved the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to tears.

CINEMA OWNERS SHOT AT

Rajesh and Vinayak Mayekar, partners in Plaza cinema, Bombay, were shot at near Hiranandani Gardens at Powai, Bombay, on 1st July. Three men, in a white Maruti car, fired six rounds of bullets at the Mayekar brothers as they were travelling to Hiranandani Complex by car. They were rushed to Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, where Vinayak was discharged after treatment. Rajesh Mayekar was later shifted in a critical condition to Hinduja Hospital.

Extortion is believed to be the motive behind the attack.

SURESH WADKAR WEDS

Wedding of playback singer Suresh Wadkar with Padma was solemnised at Juhu, Bombay, on 1st July. A host of film celebrities, including Lata Mangeshkar, attended the wedding.

GOVINDA BEREAVED

Govinda’s father, Arun Kumar Ahuja, passed away on the morning of 3rd July at Hinduja Hospital, Bombay, following a massive heart attack. He was seriously ill and was hospitalised two days before the end came. He was 81.

Arun Kumar (that was his screen name) was an actor in his own right and had acted in many films including Mehboob Khan’s Ek Hi Raasta, Aurat, Savera, Samaj Ko Badal Dalo, Return Of Toofan Mail, Shankar Parvati, Aulad and Payal Ki Jhankar. He played the lead man in almost 40 films of the 50 he worked in.

His funeral, held the same evening, was largely attended. Chautha ceremony will be conducted at Arya Samaj, Santacruz, Bombay, on Monday (6th July). He is survived by three daughters and sons Govinda and director Kirti Kumar.

CHAMAN PURI DEAD

Veteran character actor Chaman Puri, eldest brother of Amrish Puri, expired on 26th June in Bombay. He was 82. Chautha ceremony was held on 29th June. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

His cremation was attended by many from the film industry despite incessant rains.

Chaman Puri was the treasurer of The Cine Artistes’ Association for a decade.

RAMESH AHUJA NO MORE

Director Ramesh Ahuja passed away on 29th June at a private nursing home in Dehradun after a long ailment. He was 55.

Born on 5th October, 1942, in Peshawar, Ramesh hailed from a well-known family. He graduated from DAV College, Dehradun. During college days, he was very active in sports and other cultural activities. He chose to pursue a career in the film industry and for that, he left for Bombay in May 1964. He started his career as an assistant to director Raghunath Jhalani in Aaye Din Bahar Ke. His first independent directorial venture was Tahir Husain’s Khoon Ki Pukar. Some of the films directed by him were Locket, Tamacha, Garibon Ka Daata and Roti Ki Keemat. He also directed a comedy TV serial, Nok Jhonk.

DO YOU KNOW?

* The government of Tamil Nadu has so far been distributing 70% of the entertainment tax collected, among the local bodies. From 1st June, the percentage has been raised to 90.

* Zee TV and Meteor Films hosted a party on the evening of July 1 at Hotel Ambassador to celebrate the telecast of their serial, GHAR JAMAI. But nothing went right for R. Madhavan who plays the title role in the serial. The actor, fond of dressing in dhoti-kurta ensemble, had sent his most expensive designer dhoti for ironing. But the dhobi disappeared with the dhoti! Then, his Toyota car met with an accident. While he was arguing with the owner of the vehicle which banged his car, someone quietly walked away with his mobile phone which was kept in the car. However, the ghar jamai managed to reach the party when it was almost over.

* Subhash Ghai commenced the shooting of his TAAL on 2nd July in Bombay. No artiste faced the camera because Ghai and his cameraman were only capturing nature — rains that lashed Bombay city, and the high tide.

ADVANCE REPORTS!

* Although the name of Kavi Pradeep for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award was announced yesterday (3rd July), Film Information had more than six months ago mentioned that the great lyricist-poet deserved the coveted award in the 50th year of India’s independence.

In our issue dated 13th December, 1997, Jagat Gupta had mentioned in his ‘Here & There’ column that Pradeep deserved to be awarded the Phalke award for 1997. And sure enough, he has been awarded.

HALF-YEARLY CLASSIFICATION: 1998
(Total Releases: 66 films, including 17 dubbed)

AA (Super-Hit)

–

A1 (Hit)

–

A (Semi-Hit)

PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA (‘A1’ in Bombay)

BB (Overflow)

–

Commission To Overflow

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai
Miyan Bivi Aur Woh (dubbed)

B1 (Commission Earner)

Ghulam (‘A1’ in Bombay and Maharashtra)
Kama Sutra – A Tale Of Love (dubbed)

Coverage To Commission

Major Saab (overflow in a couple of circuits)
Tomorrow Never Dies (dubbed)
Chandaal
Gharwali Baharwali (losing in some circuits, overflow in some)
Speed 2 (Ab Samandar Pe, dubbed)

The Rest (56 films)

Haiwan (dubbed), Sher-E-Hindustan, Char Dham, Air Force One (dubbed), Badmaash, Miss 420, Ajnabi Saaya, Yeh Aashiqui Meri, Bada Din, Aag Aur Tezaab, Double Team (dubbed), Banarasi Babu, Vinashak, Hafta Vasuli, Laash, Zor, Saat Rang Ke Sapne, Saazish, 2001, The Blue Lagoon (dubbed), Military Raaj, Monsoon (dubbed), Barsaat Ki Raat, Mohabbat Aur Jung, Ustadon Ke Ustad, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa, Phir Wohi Awaaz, Ghar Bazar, Yugpurush, Rustom-E-Jehan (dubbed), Aakrosh, Deewana Hoon Pagal Nahin, Pyasi Chudail (dubbed), Qila, Keemat, Nanha Rakshak (dubbed), Kabhi Na Kabhi, Dand-Nayak, Kanoon Ka Khiladi (dubbed), Salaakhen, Gudia, Qatil Kaun? (dubbed), Aunty No. 1, Duplicate (commission earner in Bombay), Jeans (dubbed), Hitler, Jiyaala, Mard, Angaar Vadee, Dushman, Sham Ghansham, Hatyara, Mera Desh (dubbed), Achanak, Humse Badhkar Kaun, Maut Ke Saudagar (dubbed).

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Half A Crore In Matinees Only

In direct contrast to so many films that bite the dust after a few weeks’ run at the box-office, try to digest this. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (tax-free), in its 84 weeks’ run in matinee shows at Maratha Mandir, Bombay, has so far collected Rs. 50,27,090! The blockbuster continues its good run at the cinema and looks set for a 100-week run. An example of what magic low admission rates can do!

Film More Important, Not Role

While on the topic of rare things in the industry, have you ever heard of a hero asking for his role to be cut down in a two-hero film? Never! Well, Salman Khan did so for producer Sajid Nadiadwala’s Jeet which co-starred Sunny Deol with him. The whole story goes thus: When producer Sajid and director Raj Kanwar narrated the story of Jeet to Salman, he jumped at the role even though it was slightly inferior to the one played by Sunny. In fact, the producer-director team told Salman that his role was unnees as compared to Sunny’s, which was bees. But Salman corrected them, saying his role was pandrah and Sunny’s was bees. Still, he signed the film because he was fully convinced that it would turn out to be a success. Later, when the film was shot and the rushes viewed, he realised that several of his scenes didn’t quite jell with the film and — believe it or not — he insisted on those scenes being deleted from the film — even at the cost of reducing his role by a significant extent! His rationale behind it was simply that the main reason for him to sign the film was its gripping story and if certain scenes of his made the film’s structure appear loose, it was better that the scenes be deleted from the film! Bravo, Salman! We hope, more and more stars take his example and put their films before the lengths of their roles.

“It is better to share profits than to try to get 100% and end up getting not even 10%.”

– AMITABH BACHCHAN

KOMAL NAHTA & SANJAY K.S.

Amitabh the actor has fascinated millions. But Bachchan the businessman had never caught our fancy — not when he launched ABCl, not even when ABCL was in deep trouble, not before that, not after that. But, as it is said, he who suffers losses becomes a wiser businessman. And wisened Amitabh Bachchan indeed has, as a businessman. Perhaps, that business wisdom surfaced so much in our conversation with him earlier this week that we realised, after the interview, that we had hardly spoken to the actor in him. Most of our talk was with the head of a corporation which had the actor as its brand equity. Actually, the business talk started from the word ‘go’ when Bachchan enquired about how the seminar on Film Insurance, which we had organised the previous day, had gone (read report elsewhere in this issue). “You tell us, what you felt about it,” we asked him. To which his reply was, “It was very interesting, a lot of what was being said was music to my ears.” Amitabh then explained how he had tried to take a key man insurance policy but the same did not materialise, “but it is just on hold for the time being”. He also explained that ABCL was the first company of its kind which had a human being as its corpus — Amitabh the brand name was valued at Rs. 15 crore, and Jaya, at Rs. 3 crore.

Amitabh also recalled why ABCL had got into so many things all together. “We had two options — either to start divisions one by one or to start several divisions together. We opted for starting everything together. We were trying to bring in vertical integration of our activities.” In between praising Bharatbhai Shah for controlling 80% of the industry and lamenting his bad experience in Overseas distribution of a super-hit film “because the people doing business there just don’t believe in giving accounts”, Bachchan spoke about film business in general and AB Corp. in particular.

So, are you excited that MAJOR SAAB took a bumper initial?

– Yes, I am very happy about it. It has given me a chance to reconsolidate my position. After Mrityudaata, people had said all sorts of things. The opening of Major Saab is an answer to that.

But then, has the consequent drop in collections saddened you?

– Yes, of course, it is saddening. But ultimately, a star cannot ensure more than the initial collections. After that, it is the film’s merit that counts.

Agreed. But as long as you were only the hero of a film, you could say so. Now that you are also the producer of the film in question, don’t you think, you can’t just talk of the film’s merits and forget about it. Because, as a producer, it is you again who is responsible for the merits. So if you take credit for the opening, shouldn’t you also take discredit for the drop?

– Yes, you’re right. I must take the discredit along with the credit. I understand, I am connected with the film in two capacities — as an actor and as a producer.

Besides the good opening, the other best thing about MAJOR SAAB was its reasonable price. Does this mean, your price (which governs the price at which your films are sold) for outside productions, too, will now be lower?

– My price has never been a problem. Nor has it ever been rigid. Way back during the making of Aaj Ka Arjun, I had reduced my price to accommodate Mr. Bokadia. I’ve done it often in the past and I do it even today. What’s the big deal? I realise, I cannot command the price I used to earlier. Although my contract with ABCL (AB Corp.) stipulates that I charge 3 crore per film, it may not be possible to get that kind of a price. Adjustments will, therefore, have to be made.

Stars are known to have yes-men around them. The bigger the star, the more the chamchas. How then do you have access to honest reports of your films?

– Trade papers. They are a true reflection of audience tastes. Their reviews are the only ones I take seriously, others simply don’t matter. Because trade papers are the only ones who interpret monetary collections rather than writing subjective reviews.

Do you think your starting too many things together in ABCL (like multi-productions, distribution, music company, event management etc.) was responsible for the company’s failure?

– I agree, we got over-ambitious. You may call it our greed but that’s how it was. You see, we had promised, we would achieve a certain target before going public, and, in the process, we took on more than we could manage.

And why couldn’t you manage?

– Our biggest blunder was that we didn’t realise, it had to be someone from the family who had to be in complete charge of the company. Even an empire like Reliance is in overall charge of Dhirubhai Ambani or, in his absence, his sons. There is simply no alternative to this. One family man has got to be the head, otherwise, no business, however small or big, can work. Anyway, we’ve realised the mistakes we committed and we are taking care now, so that they aren’t repeated.

But your brother, Ajitabh Bachchan, is known to be a shrewd businessman.

– We relied too much on our managers and executives. And they let us down. We thought, we’d try to induct management graduates into the company to bring in professionalism into the industry. Alongside, we also had street-smart persons from the industry. But gradually, the MBAs of the company said, they did not want interference, that they wanted a free hand. We reposed trust in them but they let us down badly. They were simply not accountable, they fibbed, lied, they stole.

If you are blaming the executives, don’t you think, you need to also blame yourself or your family for having lapsed so badly?

– Yes, I take the blame too. It was the first time, we were doing what we were doing, and we weren’t really prepared for it. That is why, this time, I’ve taken personal interest in Major Saab after having burnt my fingers in the earlier projects. I’ve even supervised the publicities, trailers etc. of the film. Major Saab has been a great learning experience for me. Also, I salute producers for how they manage to make film after film in such a disorganised atmosphere. No business anywhere in the world works the way our industry does. Here, simply a pat on the back can make the actor poorer by 25 lakh and the producer richer by that amount. If an actor quotes 1.5 crore as his price, the producer pats him on the back and involves him in emotional talk like, “Yaar, dedh is not a shubh figure, I like sawa. Let your price be sawa karod.” And there, the actor has agreed.

Is it right to say in retrospect that you aren’t half as good a businessman as you are an actor?

– Yes, I’ve not proved to be the best businessman. But things will not be the same now.

Does that also mean that the MBAs you hired were not even trained for industry work?

– No, no, they were trained. But they let us down very, very badly.

How do you propose to guard against such a calamity in the future?

– Either me or my family member now oversees everything. Day-to-day working reports are on our desks now everyday.

But don’t you think that a creative job like filmmaking cannot be handled by a corporation which produces several films at a time?

– AB Corp. will now appoint executive producers who will not only be in overall charge of the film they handle but will also get a percentage share in the profits. That way, they’ll be encouraged to do their best. Of course, our creative inputs will also be there. But it is impossible for one person to be involved completely in five or six projects at a time. In that case, the person would have to rely on his director or production manager, who may end up cheating him. But if an executive producer were to be given a share in the profit, this eventuality can be avoided. So, I’ve realised, it is better to share profits than to try to get 100% but end up getting not even 10% or, sometimes, even losing.

What does AB Corp. have up its sleeve now?

– There’s a film with Mansoor Khan and Aamir Khan. Then there’s one with David Dhawan and myself. We’re also negotiating with Shah Rukh Khan for a film. Abbas Mustan are already signed with us. Then, there will also be a film with Abhishek.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LATEST POSITION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

_____

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

ADITYA PANCHOLI ARRESTED, FREED ON BAIL

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

BHOOMI PUJA OF TWO CINEMAS IN SHIVPURI

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

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

ASHOK VASHODIA APPOINTED SECRETARY TO HRITHIK

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

YOU ASKED IT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Only Yash Chopra. Who else?

DO YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

MIX MASALA

ACHIEVEMENT INDEED!

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

Many Important Awards For Hindi Films

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OTHER AWARDS

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

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

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

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

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

BEST BOOK

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

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Cut Short

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

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

Operation Oppositions

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

The ‘Taal’ Tale

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

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

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

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

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

Dimple Luck

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

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

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

Title Of The Week

Bhooton Ka Honeymoon!

What The Left Hand Does…

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

Gujarat Ma Hit Ne Halol Ma Jalso!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Komal Nahta

DULHE RAJA

Eastern Films’ Dulhe Raja is a comedy film about a rich businessman who owns a five-star hotel, and a young dhaba owner who refuses to vacate the hotel’s compound in which he has built his dhaba and which is causing losses to the hotel owner. The dhaba owner (Govinda) falls in love with the businessman’s daughter (Raveena Tandon) and she, too, pretends to be in love with him to teach her father a lesson. Ultimately, of course, both, the father and daughter, realise that the dhaba owner is the most suitable match. Fun is the catchword and the film moves from incident to incident, evoking laughter and entertaining the viewers till interval point. The second half, when the drama branches out into various tracks, isn’t very funny. Still, it does have its enjoyable moments. The dhaba owner enlivens the proceedings whenever he comes on the scene. Dialogues (Anwar Khan) are witty at many places and help in elevating the comic drama to a good extent. Although the story is very ordinary, writers Rajeev Kaul and Praful Parekh have made up for it with a fairly well-written screenplay.

Govinda does a fabulous job in the title role. Comedy is his forte and he comes out with flying colours, endearing himself to the audience with his street-smartness and comic punches. Raveena Tandon looks pretty and does reasonably well. Kader Khan is very good. Johny Lever, as Kader Khan’s manager, provides several fun-filled occasions with his comedy. Monnish Bahl does an able job. Prem Chopra and Rana Jung Bahadur are good as the villainous brothers. Asrani also provides some entertainment. Anjana Mumtaz, Sudhir, Viju Khote and Manmoujee lend fair support. Guddi Maruti, Anil Nagrath, Suresh Malhotra, Anil Verma, Dinesh Hingoo, Veeru Krishan and the rest fill the bill.

Harmesh Malhotra’s direction is reasonably good. Anand Millind’s music is racy. ‘Ankhiyon se goli maare’ is the best number and is already very popular. The title song and ‘Raja Bhoj….Gangu Teli’ are also fairly good songs. Picturisation of songs is too ordinary and needed to be far better. Production values are also ordinary. Camerawork and other technical aspects are quite good.

On the whole, Dulhe Raja is a good mass entertainer and will keep its distributors, especially of Northern India and Bihar, happy.

Released on 10-7-’98 at Dreamland and 20 other cinemas of Bombay thru Dilsa Distributors Combine. Publicity: good. Opening: very good. …….Also released all over. Opening was excellent in Bihar, very good in Delhi-U.P., C.I. and Rajasthan but not up to the mark in C.P. Berar.

LATEST POSITION

The Idd holiday on 7th/8th proved advantageous for the box-office.

Satya picked up very well in Bombay and Maharashtra due to mouth publicity, but the pick-up in Gujarat, Bengal and Bihar was not up to the mark. It has done poor in Delhi-U.P., East Punjab, M.P. belt of C.P. Berar, in C.I. and Rajasthan. The Telugu version is extraordinary in Hyderabad where the Hindi version is also terrific. 1st week Bombay 39,15,035 (81%) from 9 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,61,354 from 3 cinemas, Rajkot 1,24,347, Jamnagar 71,702 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 8,73,260 from 4 cinemas, Solapur 1,60,510 (100%); Delhi 9,19,323 (48.29%) from 4 cinemas; Lucknow 2,19,272, Allahabad 68,000, Meerut 1,26,877; Calcutta (most of the collections are for 6 days) 5,15,500 from 5 cinemas (1 in noon); Nagpur 5,20,349 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 43,428, Amravati 1,70,860, Akola 80,015, Raipur 90,008, Bhilai 82,045, Bilaspur 43,821; Indore (5 days) 1,08,684 (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,36,852 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,88,830 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 5,25,541 (100%), share 2,66,000, Aurangabad 2,04,263, share 1,54,000; Telugu (dubbed) version Hyderabad share from 13 cinemas 17,09,822; Vijayawada 3,39,549 from 2 cinemas, Visakhapatnam 4,04,225 from 2 cinemas, Anakapalli 92,227, Rajahmundhry 2,17,332 from 2 cinemas, Kakinada 1,24,569, Nellore 1,57,052, Guntur 2,47,120, Tenali 1,49,093, Eluru 1,27,659, Ongole 1,53,044.

Jaane Jigar is very dull. 1st week Bombay 6,95,137 (43.63%) from 5 cinemas (4 unrecd., 4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 51,875; Delhi 3,70,695 (41.16%) from 3 cinemas; Lucknow 64,220, Allahabad 42,128, Bareilly 51,378 (23.78%); Nagpur 98,161 from 2 cinemas, Raipur 31,923; Bhopal 65,152; Jaipur 89,413; Hyderabad 5,75,835 from 8 cinemas (2 in noon).

…………

Major Saab has dropped further. 2nd week Bombay 26,86,186 (62.73%) from 10 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,65,998 from 2 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Vapi 2,51,320, total 6,14,220, 1st week Padra 1,56,492, 2nd week Rajkot 1,21,731, Jamnagar 1,10,472, total 2,74,112; Pune 6,08,535 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,16,222; Delhi 31,68,686 (59%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Lucknow 3,33,420, Allahabad 1,55,000, Bareilly 90,002 (47.19%), Dehradun 1,60,000, Hardwar 50,000; Rohtak 24,925 (1st 50,908); Nagpur 1,80,425 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,55,948, total 4,09,050, Amravati 1,05,606, Akola 55,388, total 2,00,480, Dhule 59,728, Raipur 92,421, Bhilai 60,119, Jalgaon 76,140, Yavatmal 31,614, Bilaspur 88,544; Indore 2,28,381 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,87,685 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,41,572 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 4,91,389 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

Ghulam 3rd week Bombay 40,59,867 (82.87%) from 12 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,48,279 (1 unrecd.), Vapi 1,28,735, total 10,05,157, 1st week Rajkot (matinee) 13,571, 3rd week Jamnagar (matinee) 13,000; Pune 6,74,493 from 4 cinemas, Solapur 1,52,592 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 15,30,724 from 7 cinemas; Lucknow 1,80,073, Allahabad 65,000, Meerut 1,04,571, Dehradun 82,000; Nagpur 1,13,974 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,56,945, total 6,14,112, Amravati 1,44,775, Akola 84,672, total 3,80,308, Dhule 90,109, total 3,62,500, Raipur 94,448, Bhilai 68,331, 2nd week Jalgaon (6 days) 1,11,136, 3rd week Bilaspur 85,397; Indore 1,14,897, Bhopal 1,07,728; Jaipur 1,72,480; Hyderabad 7,43,034 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).

PRADEEP RECEIVES PHALKE AWARD AMIDST STANDING OVATION

Poet and lyricist Pradeep received the highest national honour conferred on a film personality, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, on 10th July at the 45th National Film Awards at Siri Fort, New Delhi. When octogenerian Pradeep came on the stage in a wheel-chair, president K.R. Narayanan came forward to greet him and presented him the award. The emotion-charged audience gave a standing ovation to the great poet, who was recognised as the best film poet by India’s first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, as early as in 1961.

President Narayanan also presented awards to the other winners — Jayamala (Golden Lotus for best film Thai Saheb, directed by Girish Kasaravalli), Yash Chopra (Golden Lotus for best popular film Dil To Pagal Hai), J.P. Dutta (Nargis Dutt award for Border), Govind Nihalani (best Hindi film, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa), Jayraaj (best director, Kaliyattam), Suresh Gopi and Balachandra Menon (joint winners for Kaliyattam and Samaantharangal respectively), Indrani Halder and Rituparna Sengupta (joint winners for best actress in Dahan), Karisma Kapoor (best supporting actress for DTPH) and Deepa Gahlot (best film critic).

I & B minister Sushma Swaraj, I & B state minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and FFI president Santosh Singh Jain were seated on the dais.

RAKESH ROSHAN REPLACES KAREENA KAPOOR

Producer-director Rakesh Roshan has replaced Kareena Kapoor with Amisha Patel. Kareena was to have made her debut alongwith Rakesh Roshan’s son, Hrithik Roshan, in Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. In fact, the two had even participated in a shooting scheduled of the film last month.

According to Rakesh, he had to take the step of removing Kareena from the film’s cast because the heroine and her mother, Babita, made unreasonable demands like a top billing for Kareena, above even Hrithik. “They even wanted me to picturise scenes before I pcturised a song,” said Rakesh Roshan.

Amisha Patel is the grand-daughter of Rajni Patel and daughter of Amit Patel. She has modelled for Jai soap and many other products. Some of her commercials are currently on air on television channels.

While Babita was not available for her comments, close industry sources reveal that Kareena herself was keen to leave the film because she has been offered the lead role opposite Abhishek Bachchan in J.P. Dutta’s Aakhri Mughal. Obviously, Dutta would want his film to be Abhishek and Kareena’s launching pad, say the industry sources. However, our sources reveal that there’s no truth in this story.

AMARJEET NO MORE

Veteran producer-director and publicist Amarjeet passed away on 4th July in Bombay. He had directed Hum Dono and had produced several films like Prem Shastra, Teen Deviyan, Gambler, Sunny and Rocky. Amarjeet was closely associated with the Navketan banner and had also assisted Chetan Anand in many of his films.

Amarjeet is survived by his wife and a daughter.

The bhog ceremony will be held on Sunday, 12th July at 11 a.m. at Shri Guru Singh Gurudwara, 3rd Road, Khar (W), Bombay.

NATUBHAI DESAI DEAD

Natubhai Desai, controller of production for all the films produced by Vinod Shah and Harish Shah, expired on 7th July at his residence in Bombay. He was 68 and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

A prayer meeting will be held today (Saturday, 11th July) between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Khalsa Sabha Bombay, behind Citylight Cinema, Matunga, Bombay.

JAMANBHAI MANSATA DEAD

Jamanbhai Mansata of Yeshwant Talkies, Indore, and Jyoti Talkies, Calcutta, expired on 7th July in Calcutta. He was 86 and is survived by three sons.

‘RAJA HINDUSTANI’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

Raja Hindustani has been granted tax exemption in Maharashtra for a period of one year from 6th July. The film was released in November ’96.

KUMAR SANU’S RECORDING STUDIO

Playback singer Kumar Sanu has started a recording studio, K.K. Sound, at Andheri (W), Bombay, at plot no. 23, Shah Industrial Estate, off Veera Desai Road. It will be formally inaugurated on 13th July. The studio offers 24-track digital and analog recording facilities.

YOU ASKED IT

After Ghulam and Major Saab, which is the next film which can be expected to take a bumper start?

– Mani Ratnam’s DIL SE… It has music extraordinaire, Shah Rukh Khan and Mani Ratnam’s name.

Which was the first Bhojpuri film and in which year was it made?

– Nirmal Pictures’ GANGA MAIYA TOHE PIYARI CHADHAIBO, made in 1962 and directed by Kundan Kumar. It proved to be a super-hit.

‘Dil Se..’: Instant Hit From Rahman

Rejoice! Sing! Dance! The music of Dil Se.. has been released and boy! what music! Venus’ album is a listener’s delight. Every one of the six songs is extraordinary.

Chhaiyyan Chhaiyyan is an instant super-hit number. Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi are in top form in their rendition. Thayya Thayya is its Punjabi version. The song has that quality which can make people dance in the cinema halls. Satrangi re is another fabulous number, by Sonu Nigam and Kavita Krishnamoorthy. Chhaiyyan Chhaiyyan and Satrangi re will soon be heard in every car and at every discotheque, that’s a guarantee!

Di se re has A.R. Rahman, Harmony Anuradha and Anupama using their vocal chords to the fullest. Melody at its peak! Jiya jale has none other than Lata Mangeshkar and M.G. Sreekumar rendering the soulful number. Ae ajnabi has an excellent tune and is of the kind which keeps growing on you. Udit Narayan is in great form in this song, teaming up with Mahalakshmi.

A.R. Rahman seems to be at his inspired best in this album and Gulzar’s lyrics complement his superb tunes. Undoubtedly, the best music of recent times, Dil Se.. is a triumph as much for the three producers, Shekhar Kapur, Mani Ratnam (director also) and Ram Gopal Varma, and for presenter Bharat Shah as for Rahman and Gulzar. And yes, unlike other Rahman albums which take time to grow on the listener, this one is an instant hit — there cannot be a mistake about that.

Venus has a goldmine in its hands. Kasam se..!

Tamil Nadu Government Concedes Industry’s Major Demands

Actors, directors, producers and others connected with the Tamil film industry took out a huge procession, led by Rajinikanth, on 3rd July in Madras to protest against video piracy in the state of Tamil Nadu, which is causing immense harm to the industry. Closure of 192 cinemas in the last two years is attributed to video piracy. Nearly 200 more cinemas are on the verge of closure. Now, videos of films are sometimes released even before the premiere of the films. Chief minister Karunanidhi announced a package of steps in response to a memorandum submitted by the industry representatives to him.

The chief minister conceded two major demands — to crack down on video pirates and to offer entertainment tax concessions to the tune of Rs. 40 crore. He said that a state enforcement wing, headed by an inspector general of police, besides district cells, would be formed to curb video piracy. The Goondas Act would be amended to enable the authorities to detain under the preventive detention law, anyone punished twice for video piracy. The government will not give any fresh licences to video theatres nor renew existing licences. Entertainment tax for new films would be reduced from 40% to 30%. The CM appealed to the film magazines to refrain from publishing reports which portrayed members of the film industry in bad light.

Entertainment Tax Reduced In Uttar Pradesh

The meeting of film industry delegates with the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh last month has borne fruits. Chief minister Kalyan Singh has announced a reduction in entertainment tax, from 125% to 100%. He said, films shot 50% in the state would be given 50% rebate in entertainment tax, and those shot 75% in the state would be fully exempted from tax, for three years. But these films should not compromise with the moral values of the society. A preview committee would be formed, comprising secretaries of various state departments and three members of the film industry including film journalists and critics. The chief minister also announced rebate to Hindi, Brij and Bhojpuri language films for six months, and films of other languages for 30 days. For the development of the film industry in the state, he also promised to develop a Film City.

Kalyan Singh also announced the formation of the Film Development Board, in the state assembly on 3rd July. He said, the Board was being formed to encourage film producers to make films on Indian culture and tradition. It would help to ensure more employment opportunities in the state, besides encouraging the film industry. The members of the Board will comprise principal secretaries or secretaries of information, institutional finance, industry and tourism departments along with reputed film producers, directors and distributors. The Board would table its recommendations for identification of important locations for filmmaking. The government would provide necessary facilities like roads, communications, power etc. in these identified areas.

Jackie’s Humane Gesture

It is a well-known fact that our film industry has gone out of its way in helping our countrymen in times of calamity and distress. Be it the Indo-Pak wars or the Bhopal gas tragedy or during droughts, the industry has invariably joined hands with the government and helped in raising significant funds for the relief of the victims. In the same way, the industry has shown a keen response to the Gujarat government’s request for help in raising funds for the relief of the people who lost heavily in the recent storm. Akshay Kumar had been on a tour of Gujarat recently to raise funds for the cyclone victims. Anu Malik is also presenting a nite today (July 11) in Surat. While this speaks volumes for the generosity of our industry, the most welcome gesture, perhaps, in this regard came from Jackie Shroff. Having expressed his inability to attend the musical nite as he was scheduled to be in Mauritius for a shooting, Jackie announced his decision to hold a special charity premiere of his Grahan in Ahmedabad in August when the film will be released. The proceeds of this premiere will go to the government fund for the cyclone victims. He has also promised that he would have his entire cast and crew flown to Ahmedabad for the premiere.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Sunny Deol  shot for 45 days at a stretch in Ooty for Polygram’s PYAR KOI KHEL NAHIN. Rarely does one hear of Sunny giving bulk dates for a film. PYAR KOI KHEL NAHIN is being directed by Subhash Sehgal.

* SATYA, which started at 1,700/-on the opening day at Ashoka, Behala (Calcutta), picked up day by day so that its week closed at 17,500/-.

* The Hollywood blockbuster TITANIC has earned its distributors, 20th Century Fox, a share of over Rs. 40 lakh from its combined run of 18 weeks in two cinemas of Bombay city alone. The film was first released at Cinemax, Goregaon, and recorded 100% collections in a six-week run there, earning a share of over Rs. 25 lakh. From the seventh week onwards, it was shifted to Cinestar, Kandivli, where in a twelve-week run so far, it has registered collections of Rs. 33,20,277/-. Incidentally, both these cinemas are controlled by Shringar, Bombay.

FANTASTIC RAJA

* The opening of DULHE RAJA was so fantastic in Bihar that the rentals in 12 cinemas of the 15 in which the film has been released were covered on the first day itself! Most of the cinemas recorded over-capacity collections.

COMMENTS

K.C. BOKADIA

The public is fed up of meaningless violence. One may burn up cars and trucks but the fact is, we cannot compete with disasters like in TITANIC. Indians are fond of good songs, emotions and good dialogues. And that’s what I’ve strived to give in my LAL BAADSHAH. The good dialogues, when spoken by Amitabh Bachchan, will add to the fun. After all, he has been known for his dialogue delivery.

GULSHAN RAI

Most of the films released these days have no sustaining power; they take bumper openings and soon, collections drop. This lack of holding power coupled with high theatre rentals is killing business.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Big B, Small Gestures

Amitabh Bachchan may have had a love-hate relationship with the press, but the general public, by and large, has continued to adore him just as it did before. One of the reasons why he has been able to maintain this popularity is the way he treats the people who come in contact with him. He attends to even the smallest things that would make the other person, regardless of his stature, feel comfortable. The following incident bears further testimony to this fact: Recently, Amitabh Bachchan was interviewed for a programme for the Vividh Bharati service of the All India Radio. The team comprising an interviewer and a sound recordist reached at the appointed hour at Amitabh’s bungalow, only to find him busy in a television interview. As a result, the duo had to wait for almost an hour before Amitabh could be with them. But, during their wait, Amitabh’s staff went out of its way to make them feel comfortable and even repeatedly apologised for the delay. The apology came in spite of the fact that it was due to the late arrival of the TV interview team and had absolutely nothing to do with Amitabh! Anyway, when he finally met the radio team, he ensured that absolutely no phone calls would be passed on to him for the next hour and began the interview only after a chair was provided for the sound recordist who would have otherwise had to remain standing throughout the interview. Not only this, the sound recordist, being an ardent fan of Amitabh, had borrowed a camera from a friend so that he could have a photograph of him taken with the superstar. When this fact was brought to Amitabh Bachchan’s knowledge, he readily obliged and even suggested a good spot where the photograph could be taken. This is not all. When the interviewer paid him compliments on behalf of a female relative who was a great fan of Amitabh and was bedridden due to arthritis, Amitabh sympathised with her condition and even wrote her a touching note, wishing her a speedy recovery! Needless to say, the special treatment at the hands of Amitabh Bachchan left the duo in complete awe of the superstar’s simplicity and humility.

Silence Is Golden

So much has been said and is being said about the kind of roles Amitabh should  or shouldn’t do. In fact, the issue has taken on mammoth proportions with almost every Tim, Dick and Harry airing an opinion on it. While a certain amount of discussion over such topics in the press and trade circles is valid and even helpful in certain cases, one mustn’t forget that such debates last only till the star in question delivers a hit. Similarly, the debate over the kind of roles Amitabh should be playing will die down the very moment he delivers a hit. In the meantime, Amitabh Bachchan himself is not faced with much of a choice. He could either be blunt and speak the truth that these issues, like he playing roles that suit his age, are being raised only because he has not been able to give a hit of late, or he could gracefully accept all this needless criticism and advice with a patient ear, knowing fully well that a hit by him will end all this chatter. Amitabh, being his usual self, has chosen the latter, in the process, perfecting the art of listening to unsolicited opinions. The debate, in the meanwhile, rages on……

Say “No”

The recent controversy over Kareena Kapoor being replaced in Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai has resulted in a lot of tongues wagging. Now that Rakesh Roshan and Kareena are no longer working together, rightly did a smart Alec remark, “It is a case of Kaho “naa” between the two of them.”

INFORMATION MEETS

“I had to try very hard to convince producers and directors that I had no intentions of giving up acting.”

– ASRANI

RAJ VAIDYA

From the humble beginning as a child artiste on All India Radio, Jaipur, to becoming one of the most fondly remembered comedy actors; then, being forced into oblivion by circumstances, but rising back to regain lost ground — Asrani has seen it all. An FTII graduate in acting, he struggled for a number of years before finally getting a break in Hindi films but once he arrived, he carved out a definite niche for himself in no time. Whether playing Amitabh’s secretary in Abhimaan, or playing the angrez ke zamaane ka jailor in Sholay, each character played by Asrani has left an indelible mark on the audience all over.

But then, why has Asrani, the comedy actor par excellence and former superstar in Gujarati films, disappeared from the silver screen in the recent past — this is a question many have wanted an answer to.

In a serious chat with Film Information, comedian Asrani himself explains his journey from acting to direction and back to acting after a few years of break from the screen.

You have worked with a host of reputed directors in your career spanning nearly three decades. What has the experience been like?

– It has been tremendous, to say the least. I have been fortunate in having worked with some of the top directors of Hindi cinema like Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Shakti Samanta, B.R. Chopra and L.V. Prasad, among many others. The most important aspect of my association with these stalwarts has been the immeasurable amount of knowledge on cinema that I have received from them. Each of my directors had a distinct style of his own and I imbibed a lot by observing them as well as through interaction with them. I have always maintained that working in cinema is like learning a language. While FTII can teach you the rules of the grammar, only a good director can teach you how to make sentences using these rules.

You share a very special bond with Hrishikesh Mukherjee, having featured in nearly all his films since GUDDI…..

– You are right. It is a special bond — a bond of affection. To describe it, I will have to go back to my FTII days. Those days, Hrishikesh Mukherjee was on the FTII faculty and used to visit Pune to teach us film editing. I had been aware of his immense work in films till then, and quickly realised that if I could somehow impress him, it would surely open up the doors of the film industry for me. So, I soon began hovering around him as much as possible, but to no avail. Finally, in order to get rid of me, he told me that he would call me in case he thought of a role for me, and he returned to Bombay. A couple of years passed after that, during which I had moved on to become an instructor at FTII. Then, one day, Hrishikesh Mukherjee came again to the FTII, this time with his entire team comprising Gulzar and others. They had come to test Jaya Bhaduri for the title role in Guddi. I was asked to locate Jaya on the campus and I immediately rushed to the canteen where she was sipping tea with her batch-mates, Danny Denzongpa and Anil Dhawan. The moment I told her about Hrishikesh Mukherjee considering her for the role in Guddi, she rushed out to see him. It so happened that while Jaya was talking to Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar asked me what I thought of Jaya as an actress, since I was an instructor at the FTII. I praised her acting abilities and then, later asked Gulzar whether there was any role in the film which I could bag. Gulzar refused to part with any information about the film, adding that Hrishikesh Mukherjee was well-known for his discipline and would chuck him out of the project if he divulged anything about the film. But I persisted and finally succeeded in convincing Gulzar in telling me that there was a bit role of a small-town boy who comes to Bombay to make it in films. This was an opportunity too good to miss and soon, there I was, pestering Hrishikesh Mukherjee for a role in Guddi. He dissuaded me by saying that there was none that I could play. At this, I instantly asked him about the role of the young man wanting to become a film star. The very next moment, Hrishikesh Mukherjee was livid. He turned to Gulzar and shouted his lungs out at him for having divulged this information. Having realised that there was no way he  would give me a role after that, I quickly fled the scene. But, as fate would have it, I was eventually signed for the same role. I was paid Rs. 250 for it! My work in Guddi was appreciated and I received about eight to ten films soon after Guddi was released. Well, this was my first brush with Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Over the years, we have been able to develop a warm, emotional bond between us, which lasts even today.

Many consider your role of a comic jailor in SHOLAY as one of your finest. How was it conceived?

– To tell you the truth, the role was written down to its minute details even before I was approached. Ramesh Sippy had sent a message asking me to see him for a role that he wanted me to portray in his then forthcoming film, Sholay. When I went to meet him at the appointed hour, I was surprised to see writers Salim and Javed also present. I was even more surprised when Javed Akhtar narrated my role to me because rarely had I been narrated a role that was so completely sketched out in the script itself. My costumes, mannerisms and my look were described in minute details. Even my lines were already written. I was so impressed that I immediately agreed to do it, sharing director Ramesh Sippy’s belief that even though the role was small, it had the potential to become a landmark. Later, Ramesh Sippy showed me a few photographs of Hitler and called Akbarbhai of Kachins to create a set of costumes along the lines of what Hitler used to wear. He later called Kabir, who was one of the best wig-makers at the time, and gave him the responsibility of creating a special wig for me. He also asked me if I could imitate Hitler’s way of speaking in a high tone. I practised on my dialogue delivery during a few rehearsals and gave an okay performance in my very first take itself. The shot over, the writers and the director congratulated me on my performance which, according to them, was better than what they had visualised. But, the truth is, I was inspired a lot by their commitment to even a two-or-three-scenes role like mine, and hence, was able to deliver a performance like that.

I would also like to add here that Dharmesh Darshan, who is directing me in Mela currently, is also one such rare director who takes great pains over each and every role in his film, however small it may be.

Obviously, SHOLAY is one of your favourite roles. But, apart from it, which of your other roles are closer to your heart than the rest?

– Definitely the one where I play a patient at a mental asylum in the Sanjeev Kumar-Leena Chandavarkar starrer Anhonee. Then, there was the one in Balika Badhu, directed by Tarun Majumdar. I also like my performances in Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar, Abhimaan and Koshish.

In the ’80s, you worked in a number of films directed by directors from the South. The comedy in these films was somewhat different from that in our films. How did you adjust to doing such silly roles?

– I agree that the comedy in those films was crude. You see, most of these films were Hindi remakes of hit films made in Tamil, Telugu etc. Since the directors from the South are a superstitious lot, they refused to change anything — not even the smallest bit — from the original. Initially, I did point out the fact that their kind of comedy would not work with all-India audiences which view Hindi films. But they were adamant and one of them even asked me to pack up if I did not agree with his way of functioning. I am aware of an incident when even a star like Dharmendra was asked to pack up when he refused to wear a silly costume. He later agreed, just like I did, mainly because the working down South was very organised and disciplined, as also for the fact that we were paid well and in time.

Eventually, after a couple of big hits early on, there came a time when 24 Hindi films made down South flopped within a single year. Obviously, Hindi audience had passed their judgement on this practice of passing off buffoonery in the name of comedy.

There came a time in the ’80s when you ruled the roost as superstar in Gujarati films? How did that come about?

– Actually, in the early ’80s, I was getting bored with the kind of roles I was getting. I thought that, may be, I should try and create a decent role for me by myself. But the only way I could do it was if I were to direct the film myself. So, I wrote, directed and acted in Chala Murari Hero Banne. Though the film bombed at the box-office, producer-director Vijay Bhatt was impressed with my effort and offered me the lead role in the Gujarati film, Maa Baap. The role of a common but honest autorickshaw driver, devoted to his parents, was so well-appreciated by the audience that the film went on to become one of the biggest hits in Gujarati cinema. In fact, it ran for 25 weeks in London — a feat not even a Hindi film had ever achieved till then. The success of Maa Baap was followed by 10 jubilee hits in Gujarati, which included Mota Gharni Vahu, Via Viramgam and Amdavadno Rickshawalo — the last one directed by me.

After a successful and long career in both, Hindi and Gujarati films, you seemed to have disappeared from the scene for many years. What happened?

– This is an important question. So, let me give you a detailed answer. Let me describe the circumstances that led to my disappearance from the screen. Towards the end of the eighties, my roles in Gujarati films had become repetitive and as a result, I found myself stagnating once again in my career. The roles I was getting in Hindi films were also nothing to write home about. Just around that time, I was offered two films to direct. I took up the offers, thinking, I could create good roles for myself in these films. Thus, I directed Dil Hi To Hai for Magnum, and Udaan for Shabnam Kapoor and Raju Kothari. Unfortunately, the planning of both these films went haywire and, as a result, Dil Hi To Hai took two whole years to complete, while Udaan took four more years after that. This delay cost me a very significant loss of nearly 23 acting assignments as I had to refuse them due to unavailability of dates — most of which were taken up by the two films I was directing. But, even after Udaan was complete, nobody came forward to sign me, thanks to the misconception in the industry that actors who turn directors no longer like to act. I was a helpless victim of this misconception and had to try very hard to convince producers and directors that I had no intentions of giving up acting. Of late, I have begun getting roles in films like Gharwali Baharwali, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Mela, Priyadarshan’s Raftaar, Firoz Nadiadwala’s Kartoos and David Dhawan’s Haseena Maan Jayegi, among others.

One thing I would like to state while on the topic is the fact that the public never deserted me even during this period of forced oblivion and I am very grateful to them for that. Whenever I travelled, even abroad, for that matter, people always asked me why I had quit acting and when would they be able to see me again on screen. This encouraging response gave me a lot of strength and hope during the lean patch.

Who are your favourite actors currently?

– There are quite a few. Among them, Govinda is an extremely talented actor and my co-artiste in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Then, there is Kader Khan whose comedy timing is superb, to say the least. Moreover, I am particularly impressed with the dedication of Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. Both these heroes involve themselves completely in the project and you can be sure that they will give their 100% in every role they play.

Among my all-time favourites are Danny Kaye and, to some extent, Jack Lemmon in Hollywood, while in India, it can only be Kishore Kumar who, in many ways, was the Indian counterpart of Danny Kaye.