KAREEB

Vinod Chopra Productions’ Kareeb is a love story set in a small town of Northern India. A poor girl and a rich boy fall in love with each other but the boy’s father will not let his son get married to a girl who doesn’t bring dowry. The boy, in order to fool his father, robs his money and gives it to him as if it were the dowry sent by the girl’s maternal uncle. All hell breaks loose when the theft comes to the notice of the father right on the day of the wedding. The marriage is stalled, which gives a heart attack to the girl’s widowed mother. She is shifted to a city hospital but the boy can’t do much because his enraged beloved has asked him to keep away. The boy, nevertheless, goes to the city and keeps tab on the mother’s progress. Finally, when over a lakh of rupees are required for the mother’s heart surgery, the boy comes to the rescue of the poor girl, but again, by unfair means. This not only wins him back his beloved but also prevents her marriage to the doctor attending to her mother.

While the first half has very interesting light moments between the boy and the girl, there is absolutely no romance in the post-interval portion. Not only that, the pace is very slow in the second half, and the drama seems to almost not move. One reason for this is that almost the entire second half has been shot in the hospital and the laundry which is opposite the hospital and in which the hero camps. Further, there’s no heroism of the hero in the whole film. Merely because the heroine has sworn him to keep away, his not coming to her aid in the hospital does not appeal. What’s more, there arises a feeling that he isn’t even trying hard enough to collect money for the mother’s treatment until towards the end. It is for this reason that the emotions simply do not come across because one doesn’t feel sorry for a hero who is not doing his best. The hero being conned by a couple also fails to have the emotional impact, if only because it is not the hero’s hard-earned money that’s lost. Even in the climax, the hero resorts to stealing, and his family members and friends also lie about his winning the lottery, further downgrading the character of the hero.

As against the abovesaid weak points in the story and screenplay, what is appealing is the comedy. While some scenes are hilarious, there are a few which bring a smile to the lips. But the fact remains, the drama after interval is weak. Also, the comedy is more of the kind that will be appreciated by the gentry and city audience. Climax is ordinary.

Bobby Deol does well in the light scenes but is not really good enough in the dramatic ones. His long hair rob him of Indian looks. Neha makes a confident debut and endears herself to the audience with a cute performance. She, however, needs to improve a lot in dancing, the awkwardness showing in the solitary and small dance piece she does in a song. Saurabh Shukla and Manav Kaushik are fantastic and evoke laughter at several places. In fact, they are the best performers in the film. Amit Phalke also impresses with a performance that’s natural to the core. Moushumi Chatterjee does an able job. Johny Lever’s comedy is enjoyable. Abhay Chopra gives a restrained performance but his dialogue delivery is not only too fast, it is also unclear at places. A star figure would have been a better choice for the role. Shammi Kapoor and Sushma Seth lend formidable support, and the change in the character leaves the audience quite shocked. The other artistes provide good support.

Director Vinod Chopra’s handling of the subject is sensitive and he also makes the film a visual delight. But his script sense leaves a lot to be desired. Anu Malik’s music score is good. All the songs are very melodious. Song picturisations do not befit a love story; they are too ordinary. Binod Pradhan’s camerawork is remarkable; the exotic locations have been fabulously captured by him. Editing is loose and the film could do with several deletions. Mixing is improper at places. Production values are fair.

On the whole, Kareeb remains a film for cities and the class audience and can be expected to do well in good cinemas of ‘A’ grade centres. For the distributors, therefore, the going will prove tough. Business in Bombay and South may be better.

Released on 17-7-’98 at Liberty and 10 other cinemas of Bombay thru Yashraj Film Distributors. Publicity: excellent. Opening: very good. …….Also released all over. Opening was good in Delhi and Calcutta but average in almost all the other places.

LATEST POSITION

The week that went by was normal.

Dulhe Raja has done very well. In Bihar, it has done exceptional business, breaking several records, and is expected to cross the crore mark there soon. It picked up in C.P. where the opening was below the mark. 1st week Bombay 48,92,947 (83.67%) from 14 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 8,15,242 from 5 cinemas, Padra 1,78,772, Jamnagar 1,17,244; Pune 7,69,496 from 5 cinemas; Delhi 39,57,727 (74.08%) from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 5,60,425 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,23,043, Allahabad 1,95,000, Bareilly 1,85,403 (85.82%); Calcutta 15,26,093 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 6,37,267 from 5 cinemas, Amravati 1,65,535, Durg 1,23,540, Jalgaon 1,53,808, Yavatmal 1,58,879, Bilaspur 1,78,877 from 2 cinemas; Indore 4,62,291 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,93,684 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 13,30,631 from 4 cinemas; Hyderabad 18,17,765 from 8 cinemas (3 on F.H.).

Satya (tax-exempted in Maharashtra from 12th July) is doing wonderful business in Maharashtra. It is steady in Gujarat, Delhi-U.P., East Punjab and the Eastern Circuit. The Telugu version is fantastic. 2nd week Bombay (TF) 37,03,878 (95.29%) from 7 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 99,949 (2 unrecd.); Pune (TF) 10,30,344 from 4 cinemas, Solapur (TF) 1,76,320 (100%); Delhi 4,65,355 from 2 cinemas (1 unrecd.); Kanpur 1,19,407 (1st 3,07,661), Lucknow 1,75,026, Allahabad 72,000, Dehradun 79,416; Calcutta 2,02,373; Nagpur (TF) 4,37,576 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 53,095, total 96,524, Amravati (TF) 1,62,561, Akola (TF) 85,611, total 1,62,026; Jaipur 1,49,542, Ajmer 65,808 (1st 62,516); Hyderabad 4,39,391.

Major Saab continues to do well in Gujarat, U.P. and Bihar. It has been granted tax-exemption in Maharashtra (from July 15). 3rd week Bombay (TF) 17,09,693 (57.52%) from 8 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 73,760 from 2 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Vapi 2,03,660, total 8,17,880, Jamnagar 74,014, total 3,48,126; Pune (TF) 3,35,361 from 2 cinemas, Solapur (TF) 93,748; Bijapur 2 weeks’ total 1,63,000; 3rd week Delhi 22,37,619 from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,23,462 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,23,065, Allahabad 1,14,000, Bareilly 45,743 (23.98%), Hardwar 25,000; 3 weeks’ billing of Delhi-U.P. is over 1.30 crore; Rohtak 15,088; Calcutta 3,48,363 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur (TF) 76,531 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,23,749, total 5,32,788, Amravati (TF) 66,276, Akola (TF from 15th) 43,559, total 2,44,040, Jalgaon 54,854, Chandrapur 1,58,084, Yavatmal 17,633, Bilaspur 51,281; Indore 1,12,251, Bhopal 72,035; Jaipur 2,28,100 from 2 cinemas, 2nd week Bikaner 1,62,546; 3rd week Hyderabad 3,61,377 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

Ghulam 4th week Bombay 29,39,613 (75.33%) from 10 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,40,150 from 2 cinemas; Pune 5,89,806 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,23,202 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee and 1 in 14 shows); Bijapur 3 weeks’ total 3,20,000; 4th week Delhi 7,53,746 from 3 cinemas; Kanpur 1,31,247 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,21,238, Allahabad 45,000, Dehradun 61,000; 1st week Rohtak 20,077; 4th week Calcutta 1,72,406; Nagpur 72,012 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,44,723, total 7,58,836, Amravati 1,22,245, total 7,28,741, Akola 72,053, total 4,52,362, Jalgaon (6 days) 84,303, Bilaspur 58,064; Indore 87,218, Bhopal 86,312; Jaipur 1,35,705; Hyderabad 6,10,504 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

SHAH RUKH DISCHARGED

Shah Rukh Khan was earlier this week discharged by a court in Ajmer in a case field against him by a group of lawyers for using allegedly derogatory words for lawyers in Ram-Jaane. The defence argued that Shah Rukh, being an actor, speaks and acts according to the script written for him and he should not be held responsible for words spoken while acting.

ENTERTAINMENT TAX IN RAJASTHAN REDUCED

The Rajasthan government has reduced entertainment tax to 50% on nett admission rates of less than Rs. 10. The earlier rate of entertainment tax (100%) continues on tickets, the nett rates of which are over Rs. 10.

‘SATYA’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya has been granted tax exemption in Maharashtra for a period of three months from July 10.

‘MAJOR SAAB’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

ABCL’s Major Saab has been exempted from payment of entertainment tax in Maharashtra for a period of three months from 14th July.

‘PARDES’ GOLDEN JUBILEE

Subhash Ghai’s Pardes is celebrating golden jubilee this week. Produced under the banner of Mukta Arts (Pvt.) Ltd., it stars Shah Rukh Khan, Mahima Chaudhry, Apoorva Agnihotri, Amrish Puri, Alok Nath and others. Music: Nadeem Shravan. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi, Cinematographer: Kabir Lal.

YOU ASKED IT

Why are state governments like those of Uttar Pradesh suddenly becoming sympathetic towards the film industry?

– Thanks to the efforts of the industry leaders as well as star-MPs like Shatrughan Sinha, the state governments are realising the seriousness of the precarious situation in which the film industry finds itself today. Further, the industry status granted by the central government is acting as a good starting point for states to act.

The Govinda-starrer, Achanak, did not take a decent opening whereas the other Govinda-starrer, Dulhe Raja, opened to excellent houses. Why so?

– DULHE RAJA boasted of a hit song, Ankhiyon se goli maare. ACHANAK had no hit number. Thus the difference in initials of the two films.

Has J.P. Dutta started shooting his Aakhri Mughal? Who is Abhishek Bachchan’s heroine in it?

– J.P. Dutta has reportedly decided to make another film, not AAKHRI MUGHAL. One hears, it will star Jackie Shroff and Sunil Shetty, besides Abhishek Bachchan.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Now, cinema tickets can be booked on fax. West Bengal distributor Pritam Jalan has introduced the booking-on-fax system with KAREEB in Calcutta. Perhaps, this is the first time anybody has tried this. The response is said to be tremendous. The film, released in three cinemas of Calcutta, drew all shows full on the opening day.

* Music directors Jatin Lalit seem to have taken it upon themselves to make stars sing. Having tasted great success by making Aamir Khan sing Aati kya Khandala in GHULAM, the duo has now gone ahead and recorded a song in the voice of Sanjay Dutt. The song, Ae Shivani, was recorded for writer-turned-director Sanjay Chhel’s film, KHUBSOORAT.

* Amit Kumar created a record of sorts on 14th July by recording four songs in a single day. A song each was recorded by music director Viju Shah and duo Jatin Lalit for David Dhawan’s BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN and Dharmendra’s as yet untitled film respectively. The remaining two songs were composed by music director Nilu Gavankar for Super Hit Cinema’s untitled film. 

* A vinyl 20′ x 20′ hoarding of SATYA is the first of its kind in Malegaon. Displayed by Bombay distributors VIP Enterprises at Sandesh cinema, it is attracting the public in large numbers.

MIX MASALA

SILVER COINS FOR SILVER JUBILEE

The silver jubilee of Gunjan Cinema, Vapi, is being celebrated with the distribution of silver coins. The cinema had opened on 12th July, 1973. Perhaps, after 25 years, the cinema’s golden jubilee will be celebrated with the distribution of gold coins.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

‘Penalty’ For Over-Spending?

While the Maharashtra government’s decision to allow the unspent service charge to be carried forward for a period of two years is laudable, what one fails to understand is why the government has not permitted exhibitors to carry forward the excess spent in a year (more than the amount of service charge collected in that year) to the next year. For instance, if an exhibitor spends Rs. 10 lakh in a year but collects only Rs. 3 lakh, he is not allowed to carry forward the difference (Rs. 7 lakh) to the next year. He will have to spend the service charge collection of the following year in that year or, now, can carry forward that amount for 2 more years. A typical case of an exhibitor being allowed to make a virtue out of not spending enough in a particular year but being penalised for spending more on the cinema in another year! But that’s how the government ‘thinks’.

Competitor Se..

The music of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.. is fast receiving both, critical acclaim as well as public appreciation. Released by Venus last week, the audio cassettes and CDs of the film are already so much in demand that Pravin Shah (of Time Audio) remarked that he had never before seen such a tremendous initial craze for any other film cassette in his showroom! Coming as it does from the boss of a rival music company, this compliment must hold a special meaning for Venus. Perhaps, it is time for whizkid music director, A.R. Rahman, to add a few feathers to his cap.

Distributor’s Confidence And Producer’s Magnanimity

Delhi-U.P. distributor Tolu Bajaj, who was to release Gordhan Tanwani’s Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha in Delhi-U.P. on commission basis, has gone ahead and changed his agreement to that for purchase on MG Royalty. Quite rare, one might say, considering that it wasn’t Tanwani’s intention to sell the film on MG royalty basis. Usually, a distributor, who is given a film on pure commission basis, would only too happily release it since he doesn’t have to take any risk. But Tolu’s confidence in the film prompted him to acquire it on MG. In all fairness to Tanwani, it must be mentioned here that he asked Tolu Bajaj to see the film’s first copy and then decide on whether or not he should pay an MG royalty amount for the film, but Tolu thought, it was more graceful to take a ‘blind’ decision. Incidentally, Gordhan Tanwani, who believes in spending lavishly on publicity, has despatched ten times more than the usual quantum of publicity materials, of his film to his various distributors. But the distributors have been told, they’ll be charged only for the usual or normal amount of publicity materials, the cost of the rest to be borne by the producer himself.

Zee To Produce Films

Zee TV is stepping into film production is a big way. Its first venture will be directed by Anil Sharma and will star Sunny Deol. Nitin Keni is incharge of the administrative side of Zee’s production division, and Shyam Gupta (who has directed a film, besides writing the dialogues for films like Ghatak) will head the creative side. The first venture will go on the sets later during the year.

INFORMATION MEETS

“Previously, songs would invariably come from the story. They were not fitted into a story as it is done today.”

– ANAND BAKSHI

RAJ VAIDYA

How can one best describe Anand Bakshi? Calm, collected and soft-spoken, Anand Bakshi’s persona is reflected in the songs that he writes. “Kya karoon, meri tabiyat hi kuchh romantic hai,” says Bakshi in response to a query about his preference for writing romantic lyrics. Having spent 42 years in the film industry, he remains one of the very few vanguards of the older school of lyricists, still very much in business today. He has been able to adapt his writing style to the changing times and, as a result, he remains a much sought-after song-writer, even now. That the younger generations still love his style of poetry has been comprehensively proved by the tremendous popularity of his songs from two hit films last year, viz. Dil To Pagal Hai and Pardes. From being in the Indian Army to becoming an award-winning lyricist, Anand Bakshi has traversed long distances in his career, delivering one classic song after another over the years. Yet, it is his modesty that prevents him from talking about his achievements. He would rather have his songs speak for himself, as they do — in volumes. In this interview, Bakshi allows us to take a peep into the mind of one of the most prolific song writers of our times.

At the risk of asking an oft-repeated question, how did the transition from Army to writing songs for films take place?
– When I was in the Army, I used to love singing — a passion that has refused to leave me even today. During the Army days, I had earned quite a reputation about my singing abilities. But, somewhere along the line, singing gave birth to poetry in me. I don’t know how this happened. Even today, I cannot say why or how I turned to poetry. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I was fully consumed by the desire to write poetry while still in the Army. As both could not be done side by side, I decided to quit the Army and came to Bombay in ’56. After a brief struggle, I began to get a few song writing assignments through which I was able to prove myself.

What, according to you, is the essential difference between literary poetry and film lyrics?
– The basic difference is that as film lyrics are written primarily for mass-appeal, it is very vital that they have simplicity of thought and language. They must be easy for every film viewer to understand. It is a compulsion each film lyricist faces every time he writes a song. In contrast, a literary poet faces no such compulsion. He writes on an independent level without any qualms about the sensibilities of those who read his poetry. In other words, he writes for himself. A film lyricist, on the other hand, must be able to cater to the lowest common denominator through his songs.

Who has influenced you the most as a poet?
– While I was in the Army, I was deeply influenced by the work of D.N. Madhok who had earned the title of Mahakavi back then. Later, I was also influenced by some great film lyricists of yesteryears, like Shakeel Badayuni, Rajinder Krishen and Shailendra.

You are continuing in the 43rd year of a prolific song-writing career in films. How, in your opinion, has the music in films changed over the years?
– All the songs are dances nowadays. You can rarely see songs where heroes and heroines are not dancing with 50 other people. And what kind of dances do they picturise nowadays? Fifty-sixty dancers, all standing in straight lines, with the hero and heroines in front, and moving their hands and legs about in rhythm! It really takes me back to my Army days when we used to exercise in a similar manner every morning. Anyway, the days when a love song or a romantic song was picturised on just the hero and the heroine alone, seem to be over. This is the reason why that intensity, that passion, which was there in the songs of the olden days, is missing today. The very intensity and passion behind each song lent it an individualistic feel in the days of yore. Today, you will find it hard to differentiate between one song and the other. The individuality, or call it the uniqueness, of the older songs is lost today.

What about the process of creating a song — has it changed, too, over the years?
– Of course, it has. Previously, songs would invariably come from the story. They were not fitted into a story, as it is done today. Since the songs emanated out of various situations within the story, the story-writer was able to put in some germs, which were later developed into full-fledged songs by the lyricist. Nowadays, the lyricists and the music directors are asked to compose songs between them and are told that they would be fitted into the story somehow.

Do you feel, the quality of film lyrics has deteriorated in today’s times?
– It depends on how you look at the issue. I will certainly say that the lyrics of songs nowadays are different from those of the earlier times. I think, the main reason why this has happened is because the changing times have brought about the change in the style of lyric-writing. In my opinion, the lyricists of today are okay. You can’t really expect them to continue writing in the same way as before, simply because they — and more importantly, the younger generation of film viewers — haven’t been exposed to the songs of the earlier films.

What do you think about the recent controversy between lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri and producer Mukesh Bhatt over the song Aati kya Khandala from GHULAM?
– Since I do not know much about the controversy, I cannot comment on it. But as far as the lyrics of the song go, I personally feel that there is nothing wrong with them and hence I do not feel offended by them.

To change tracks, tell us something about your legendary association with Laxmikant Pyarelal…
– I first got acquainted with Laxmikant Pyarelal when they were still assisting Kalyanji Anandji. I had already become a lyricist by then. We used to talk a lot to each other and later, when Laxmikant Pyarelal became music directors, I became their natural choice to pen their songs. We became a team after a couple of our hit songs in the initial years. As we worked more and more together, we were able to develop a very good rapport among ourselves. Another thing that worked in our favour was that all the three of us were nearly of the same age. But the most important thing that made us survive as a team was the fact that we were able to give hit songs at regular intervals. I say this because in our film industry, nothing succeeds like success. Success makes the teams, and failure breaks them.

In recent times, your association with producer-director Subhash Ghai has resulted in a number of memorable songs. What makes you both so formidable as a team?
– Having written all the songs for all of Subhash Ghai’s films, I can say that I understand the style of his filmmaking very well. Similarly, he understands my style of lyric-writing. So, there is a perfect understanding and tuning between us. We think nearly along the same lines on a lot of things. Moreover, apart from being colleagues at work, we also share a warm personal and family relationship. These and, like I said earlier, our successes together are the main reasons why we have been able to continue together for so many years.

Creative people, especially poets, are considered to be eccentric in one form or another. How does the statement apply to you?
– I don’t know about my eccentricities, but I do have this awful habit of chewing paan since a very long time. The habit has affected my health very badly and my doctors have warned me against continuing it. I have succeeded only to a small extent, in kicking the habit so far. Another habit that I have had, right from the time I made my foray into films, is that I am always punctual. In fact, I developed this habit during my Army days when we had to do everything at the appointed time. Sadly, punctuality is not exactly a virtue for the people in the film industry as nobody gets anywhere on time here. Very often, I find myself arriving at filmi functions before anyone else and end up waiting a long time for the functions to start.

Who are your favourite singers?
– Among my all-time favourites, I must include Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. I also like Kishore Kumar, Mukesh and Asha Bhosle. Among the current lot, I like the voices of Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan.

Recently, veteran lyricist Kavi Pradeep was awarded with the Dadasaheb Phalke award — the highest honour in the field of cinema in India. Any reactions?
– I would like to say that I am very happy that the contribution of the film lyricists has been appreciated by the government of India. Earlier, Majrooh Sultanpuri had also received the same honour. Kavi Pradeep has given the country some of the most inspirational songs ever written, and rightfully deserves the award.

What is your opinion on the increasing trend of Hindi pop music. Would you consider to write the lyrics of a pop album, if offered ?
– I can neither condemn pop music nor appreciate it for the simple fact that I cannot understand it. As regards the other question, I have already refused a number of offers of writing lyrics for pop albums.

You have seen a lot in your 42 years in the industry so far — be it fame, fortune or happiness. Is there still something that you have always wanted to do but still haven’t been able to?
– Yes, in fact, there is. As I mentioned earlier, I love singing. It is more than a passion with me. Sadly, I haven’t had much of a chance in this direction so far. It is true that Laxmikant Pyarelal gave me a break as a singer in Mom Ki Gudiya, where I sang a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, but after that, I was able to sing only three or four songs over the years. I hope, some day, I will be offered the song that would do justice to my singing abilities. I want to be remembered at least for one memorable song that I have sung.

Finally, what keeps you going so strong even after completing four decades in the industry?
– My need to work. That is the single most important reason for my consistency in films. I firmly believe that necessity pushes people to give their best in whatever fields they are. Those who have all they want, become lax in their work as they do not care whether they would get work the next day. For me, writing poetry is the only source of income I have. My children are yet not well-settled. So, I need to work in order to run the household. In turn, this need pushes me to give off my best in my songs.

Any poetic words, in parting…?
– Tadbeeron se phir jaayen,
Woh taqdeeren nahin hoti.
Jo taqdeeren na badal dein,
Woh tadbeeren nahin hoti.

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.

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.

MAJOR SAAB

Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd.’s Major Saab (UA) is a love story set against the army backdrop. Although the romantic tale has nothing to do with the military backdrop, the two main characters in the film are armymen. Thus, although the title gives the impression that the film is about the army, it actually turns out to be like any other love story. The title may, in this sense only, be construed to be less appropriate, but it is this very military background of the film which distinguishes it from other romantic dramas and lends freshness to an otherwise routine subject. Further, because of the two characters being in the army, the writers have been able to pack in a handful of truly nationalist dialogues with a lot of patriotic flavour, something which the audiences are bound to appreciate and even applaud.

Amitabh Bachchan plays the title role, incharge of a group of cadets whom he is imparting training to. One of the cadets is Ajay Devgan who is forced to join the army but has no intentions of remaining there. In fact, he keeps breaking the strict rules of the army, much to the annoyance of the major who is a strict disciplinarian. But gradually, the soft inside of the tough major wins over the disobedient cadet and he promises to follow in the footsteps of the major. On his part, the major helps the cadet (whom he starts treating like his son) free his beloved from the clutches of her devious brother and another evil don. For this, the major himself flouts the army rules.

The first half is slow and dull, and belongs to Ajay Devgan who, with his pranks, keeps the interest alive to some extent. The second half belongs to Amitabh Bachchan and, although lengthy and repetitive, this part is better. The ‘Sona Sona’ song in the pre-climax is the best thing in the film and it rejuvenates the audience to participate in the drama in the form of thunderous applause, whistles, cheers and even dancing with Bachchan. Credit for this goes as much to the music (Aadesh Shrivastava) as to the picturisation and Amitabh’s fabulous dance. Climax has plenty of action but is average. Dialogues (Santosh Saroj) in praise of Indians and the Indian jawans are brilliantly worded. Emotions are almost absent although there was much scope for them in the scenes between Amitabh and Ajay and between Ajay and Nafisa Ali (Amitabh’s wife). Robin Bhatt and Santosh Saroj’s screenplay has several flaws and is not even smooth. For instance, Ajay promises to become another Amitabh but the promise is not even sought to be fulfilled. Sonali’s change of mind (about marriage) and her brother’s change of heart appear ridiculous.

Amitabh Bachchan looks superb in the get-up of a major. His performance is even more superb. He plays his role to perfection, using his voice, expressions and body language fabulously. His dance, as said above, is the best (most superb) thing in the film and, in fact, the song and dance (choreographed by Ganesh) alone are enough to see the distributors of the film through. Ajay Devgan also acts very ably. If he is very good in action scenes, he is even better in the scenes which require him to perform. Sonali Bendre does an average job. Nafeesa Ali looks pretty and acts reasonably well, but her dialogue delivery is not good. Mohan Joshi performs well. Ashish Vidyarthi is also good as Sonali’s brother. But his character changes a bit too often. Mushtaq Khan leaves a mark. Navin Nischol and Siddharth provide good support. Kulbhushan Kharbanda is wasted. Shahbaaz Khan, Vikas Anand, Dinesh Hingoo and the others lend fair support.

Tinnu Anand’s (Verinder Raj Anand’s) direction is quite alright but his sense of editing leaves a lot to be desired. On the music side, the ‘Sona Sona’ song is a rage. Of the other numbers (Anand Raaj Anand), a couple of them are good but their picturisations are dull. Ravi K. Chandran’s camerawork is excellent and the same can be said about Sabu Cyril’s art direction. Action scenes (Bhiku Verma) are well composed. Editing is loose, and the film’s merits will improve if it is further edited by about 10 minutes.

On the whole, Major Saab will not get any critical acclaim or appreciation and may not have a long run, but it will definitely keep its distributors smiling due to four main reasons — ‘Sona Sona’ song and dance; Amitabh Bachchan’s performance; the bumper opening it has taken; and its reasonable price. These four factors outweigh the minus factors, namely, ordinary script and loose editing. Business in North India and Bihar should be better.

Released on 25-6-’98 at Metro and on 26-6-’98 at 19 other cinemas of Bombay by AB Corp. thru Shringar Films. Publicity: extraordinary. Opening: simply astounding. …….Also released all over. Opening was cinema-shattering everywhere except (surprisingly) in Jaipur.

LATEST POSITION

MAJOR SAAB has taken a bumper start. This, coupled with the success of last week’s release, GHULAM, has improved the generally dull first half of 1998.

Ghulam, as predicted, is the best in Bombay, Maharashtra and South (A1) and has done well in all the other circuits. It dropped quite badly in Gujarat and Saurashtra from mid-week. 1st week Bombay 59,26,533 (99.99%) from 14 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 14,29,544 from 7 cinemas, Padra 1,94,192, Rajkot 1,59,346, Jamnagar (matinee) 38,763; Solapur 2,17,038 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Belgaum 1,42,653 (100%); Delhi 33,75,118 (86.84%) from 8 cinemas; Kanpur 4,69,447 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,62,029, Agra 2,75,726, Allahabad 1,68,500, Meerut 1,78,271; Calcutta 27,73,744 from 21 cinemas (other cinemas were on F.H.); Nagpur 8,53,514 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,48,933 (100%), Amravati 2,66,661, Akola 1,86,308, Raipur 2,04,840 (73.62%), Chandrapur (29 shows) 2,15,765; Indore 3,99,000 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,56,387 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 7,82,318 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad 31,38,710 from 12 cinemas (1 in noon), share 17,19,432.

Maut Ke Saudagar (dubbed) 1st week Agra 85,145; Jaipur 1,46,169.

Gharwali Baharwali 2nd week Bombay 24,74,620 (60.47%) from 8 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,28,389 (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,70,085, Jamnagar 1,31,493 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Adipur 2 weeks’ total 2,00,199; Solapur 1,30,603 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 22,12,143 from 9 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,88,787 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,26,348, Agra 98,747, Allahabad 94,500, Bareilly 59,506 (26.63%), Hardwar 26,000; Calcutta 4,89,017 from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 1,89,651 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,21,628, total 2,86,771, Amravati 1,45,455, Akola 1,34,994, total 3,03,765, Raipur 1,24,610, Durg 77,596, Yavatmal 95,774; Indore 1,26,628 (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,94,939 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 1,87,010, Jodhpur 1,90,000, Ajmer 89,624; Hyderabad 3,40,472.

Achanak 2nd week Bombay 8,59,243 (47.54%) from 6 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,59,468 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot (matinee) 7,773; Solapur 91,850; Delhi 7,39,616 from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,19,588 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,77,788, Allahabad 48,000, Meerut 90,400, Bareilly 46,051 (21.31%); Calcutta 2,66,241 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 1,08,277 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 37,783, Amravati 70,629, Raipur 50,272, 1st week Jalgaon 1,33,240; 2nd week Indore 45,000, Bhopal 82,338; Jaipur 2,58,810 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 1,81,349 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai 5th week Bombay 14, 25,593 (67.17%) from 5 cinemas (3 on F.H.), good; Ahmedabad 47,189, Jamnagar 50,208; Solapur 54,630, 1st week Barsi 36,254; 5th week Belgaum 83,967; Delhi 23,98,043 from 6 cinemas, very good; Kanpur 93,815, Lucknow 1,03,245, Agra 95,671, Allahabad 39,109, Bareilly (6 days) 46,820 (24.27%), 1st week Hardwar 56,098; 5th week Calcutta 3,84,718 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 1,47,781, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,04,066, Akola 50,954, total 3,68,074, 4th week Raipur 57,348, 5th week Jalgaon (6 days) 38,665, Chandrapur 80,298, total 5,76,524, 3rd week Yavatmal (6 days) 22,644, 4th week Bilaspur 32,643; 5th week Bhopal 1,66,466, excellent; Jaipur 2,80,987, very good, 4th week Bikaner 96,375; 5th week Hyderabad 4,14,710 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

ASHA PAREKH APPOINTED CBFC CHAIRPERSON

Asha Parekh has been appointed chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification. She is the first lady to be appointed to chair the organisation and she succeeds Shakti Samanta.

Asha Parekh’s term is for a period of three years.

YOU ASKED IT

Why was Major Saab sold at a reasonable price to its distributors? Were they not willing to buy it for more than 1.25 to 1.5 crore?

– AB Corp. compensated its distributors for the losses of MRITYUDAATA and SAAT RANG KE SAPNE by keeping the price of MAJOR SAAB reasonable.

It is true that Ghulam has not done well in the USA?

– Yes, it is a shocking fact!

What is the title of the new Assamese film which has hit the bull’s eye?

– Ashok Kumar Bishaya’s JOUBAND AMANI KARE (which means JAWANI DEEWANI in Hindi). It is the biggest blockbuster in Assamese.

PEOPLE
Are talking about

** The brilliant opening of Major Saab all over the country. Amitabh Bachchan has not lost his charisma, that’s the general opinion.

** The wonderful gesture of producer-director K.C. Bokadia who gave Amitabh Bachchan the super-hit Sona Sona song for Major Saab. The song was recorded (by Aadesh Shrivastava) for Bokaddia’s Lal Baadshah but Amitabh liked it so much when he heard it that he jumped to pick up the song when Bokadia announced that there was no situation for it in Lal Baadshah. By the way, a super-hit number like Sona Sona needs no situation.

PEOPLE
Are happy about

** The return of the good times. Major Saab has taken a flying start, Ghulam has clicked, Gharwali Baharwali will fetch commission in some circuits, Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai is steady at medium collections since several weeks.

** Asha Parekh being appointed chairperson of the CBFC.

PEOPLE
Are scared about

** Two love stories, namely Kareeb and Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, scheduled for release one after the other. The former is due on 17th July while the latter will come on 24th July.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Delivery Problem Of A Different Kind

Major Saab had yet another hiccup — this time due to a technical snag — just before the preparation of the film’s final prints. There was reportedly a technical problem in the film’s sound negative. The rectifications took some time and, as a result, the sound negative could not be delivered to Adlabs in time for the preparation of the final prints. Much to its credit though, Adlabs successfully managed to deliver all the final prints of the film, as scheduled. But there was virtual maara-maari for the prints, among the various distributors. In the meantime, Delhi-U.P. distributor G.D. Mehta raised his order of prints by 5 at the eleventh hour (thanks to the last-minute booking in some stations). With these extra prints, G.D. Mehta’s tally has gone up to 45 prints. The total number of prints of Major Saab has crossed 280.

Top Distributors, Petty Rivalries

The scene in Delhi-U.P. exhibition trade is rather sad. Distributors of this circuit go to court against exhibitors, at the drop of a hat. This court-going practice is born out of the jealousies among some leading distributors of the territory. Reportedly, the distributors adopt dog-in-the-manger policy and try to block cinemas with their films so that the other distributor/s cannot get a good chain of cinemas for his/their releases. The professional enmity between some of the distributors is so bitter that a distributor would prefer paying deficit to a cinema rather than discontinuing his film to make way for his rival’s film. The classic case was a recent one in which a distributor knocked the doors of the court against an exhibitor who threatened to discontinue his film to accommodate another distributor’s film. So keen was a third distributor (not in any way connected with the film showing at the said cinema or with the film trying to be accommodated) to see that the new film should not be able to bag the cinema that he even told the complainant-distributor to not just go to court but also take some 10 thousand rupees from him towards the cost of litigation! All because this third distributor may have had an axe to grind with the second distributor. A case of dushman ka dushman, dost! All this pettiness among top distributors also affects exhibitors who often find themselves unnecessarily dragged into controversies. Obviously, the exhibitors can’t take sides because they have to deal with all the distributors. Incidentally, this cut-throat competition among distributors has prompted them to become cinema controllers too.

Titanic Rumours

Rumours are rife in the industry that two films are simultaneously being made, each based on the Hollywood blockbuster, Titanic. The two films being talked about are Indra Kumar’s Mann and Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. In reality, there is no truth in the rumours as both the films have different stories from each other as well as from the Hollywood blockbuster. The only similarity among them is that each of these films is to be shot aboard a ship — a fact which may well have sparked off the rumours. Last heard, Rakesh Roshan was planning a trip to Greece to find a suitable ship for his film while Indra Kumar has already found his ship in Singapore.

Asha Parekh In A New Role

Asha Parekh is the first lady to be appointed chairperson of the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC). She takes over from Shakti Samanta whose 7-year stint (the longest ever in the CBFC) ended on 24th June, 1998. Asha Parekh may be the first lady to be appointed chairperson of the CBFC, but, technically, she is not the first woman to occupy that chair. That distinction is already reserved for Aparna Mohile who was the acting chairperson of the CBFC in 1982 and ’83 — from 11th August, ’82 to 14th March, ’83. She is presently the Postmaster General, Maharashtra. Asha Parekh is officially the 21st chairperson of the CBFC, but since two earlier chairmen were reappointed on two separate occasions (B.D. Mirchandani — 15-6-’54 to 9-6-’55, re-appointed from 25-3-’60 to 1-11-’60; and D.L. Kothari — 22-11-’59 to 24-3-’60, reappointed from 2-11-’60 to 22-4-’65), she becomes the 19th person to hold the office since CBFC’s inception in 1951.

GHULAM

Vishesh Films Pvt. Ltd.’s Ghulam (A) is the story of a small-time thief whom circumstances force to become the messiah of the basti in which he lives. This basti is almost ruled by a local dada whom the small-time thief challenges and finally has the entire basti, hitherto petrified of him, revolting against him and his atrocities. Aamir Khan plays the thief-turned-messiah who is brought up by his elder brother.

The first half moves at a good pace and has interesting and enjoyable moments. The romantic track of Aamir Khan and girlfriend Ranee Mukerji may not be novel or fresh but all the same, it does appeal to the viewer, if only for the sincerity and spontaneity of Aamir Khan. The film switches tracks after interval and becomes grim and serious. Trying to establish Aamir Khan as a toughie does not quite jell with his lover-boy image. What’s more, Aamir is shown succeeding over a rough-and-tough villain like Sharat Saxena — something which won’t be digested by the audience even though pains have been taken to make it seem plausible.

The story, especially the post-interval portion, reminds of films like Parinda, Ghatak and Boxer. Still, Anjum Rajabali’s effort in writing is quite good; the film at least moves logically and does not appear patchy. However, once the tense drama begins, the romantic portion seems to have been forgotten. The scenes between Aamir and his brother, in the second half, have more of class appeal.  Moreover, the issue tackled in the film is on too small a level (a basti), thereby robbing the film of grandeur. Dialogues definitely needed to be better and much more hard-hitting. Climax is dull and the audience expects the film to wind up in the courtroom but it gets over in the basti. The climax fight is too lengthy.

Aamir Khan does a splendid job, getting into the skin of the character and taking care of the smallest of nuances. Although his physique and chocolate looks let him down as a toughie, his performance is fabulous. Ranee Mukerji has very limited scope and is alright. She does not look too glamorous. Sharat Saxena, as the main villain, is weak. He shouts more than acts. Rajit Kapoor, as Aamir’s brother, plays the villain’s sidekick ably. Meeta Vashishta impresses a great deal with her acting but she does not get much scope. Deepak Tijori is quite nice. Akshay Anand is convincing. Dalip Tahhil (in a guest appearance) and Ashutosh Rana are effective. Bobby Saini, Raju Kher, Madhu Malhotra, Javed Rizvi and the rest lend fair support.

Vikram Bhatt’s direction is good at times but not always so. He has handled the first half with maturity but the second half is loose and too dry. Jatin Lalit’s contribution is the best after Aamir Khan’s. The ‘Aati kya Khandala’ song is a hit. ‘Aankhon se tune ye kya keh diya’ and ‘Jaadu hai’ are also melodious numbers. Picturisation of the ‘Khandala’ song is lovely. Dharma Teja’s camerawork is reasonably good. Action scenes (Abbas Hanif) are fair. Editing is a bit loose. Production values are okay.

On the whole, Ghulam has a hit song, an entertaining first half and an endearing Aamir Khan to more than offset the boredom that creeps in in the tense second half. Considering its lovely opening almost all over, it should keep its distributors quite pleased. Business in Bombay, Maharashtra and South should be better.

Released on 19-6-’98 at Novelty and 20 other cinemas of Bombay thru Veekay Enterprises. Publicity: very good. Opening: excellent. …….Also released all over. Opening was very good everywhere except in East Punjab and C.I., where it was fair.

LATEST POSITION

The fantastic opening of GHULAM has brought happy tidings in the industry.

Gharwali Baharwali is good in East Punjab  and C.P. Berar and fair in C.I. and Nizam, but started dropping from 4th/5th day onwards elsewhere. Is poor in Gujarat and Bengal. 1st week Bombay 34,00,800 (79.71%) from 9 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,23,244 from 2 cinemas (3 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,55,280; Pune 7,88,325 (86.99%) from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,99,216 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee, 1 unrecd.); Delhi 32,74,245 (71.11%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,08,417 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,90,324, good, Agra 1,84,253, Allahabad 1,38,000, Varanasi 1,47,770, Meerut 1,51,000, Bareilly 99,875 (44.71%), Dehradun 1,30,000, Hardwar 70,000; Rohtak 28,109; Calcutta 12,73,538 from 15 cinemas; Nagpur 4,40,216 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,65,143, Amravati 1,77,528, Akola 1,68,770 (98%), Raipur 1,92,405 (79.45%), Durg 1,10,697, Yavatmal 1,19,682; Indore 1,46,987 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,72,966 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 6,64,480 from 4 cinemas, Jodhpur 2,55,000, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,31,400, Bikaner 2,38,600; Hyderabad 15,75,018 from 7 cinemas.

Achanak has not found appreciation. 1st week Bombay 31,57,587 (61.61%) from 12 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,30,176 (3 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,53,942 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 8,78,882 from 5 cinemas, Solapur 1,91,850 (78.14%); Hubli (noon) 44,552; Delhi 16,80,320 (53.61%) from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,45,203 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,65,173, Allahabad 89,000, Varanasi 1,27,470, Meerut 1,57,048, Bareilly 88,034 (40.75%), Dehradun 96,000; Calcutta 9,92,751 from 10 cinemas; Nagpur 4,13,204 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 54,069, Amravati 1,19,756, Raipur 1,10,051 (43.27%); Indore 2,38,000 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 2,10,433 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,38,516 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 14,48,909 from 8 cinemas (1 in noon).

Humse Badhkar Kaun has been rejected. 1st week Bombay 19,53,988 (42.42%) from 15 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 85,090 (3 unrecd.), Baroda 96,935, Rajkot 52,854 (1 in regular & 1 in matinee unrecd.); Pune 3,67,265 from 4 cinemas; Delhi 15,88,055 (41.31%) from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,21,796 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,05,344, Agra 1,10,315, Allahabad 95,000, Varanasi 1,04,886, Bareilly 38,731 (19.49%); Calcutta 5,43,634 from 7 cinemas; Jabalpur 66,748, Amravati 88,469, Wardha 57,194, Yavatmal 81,766, Bilaspur 54,022; Jaipur 1,74,720 from 2 cinemas.

Dushman 3rd week Bombay (TF) 11,44,458 (60.10%) from 5 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Baroda 48,760, Rajkot 47,272; Pune (TF) 4,15,923 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi (TF) 2,85,396; Kanpur 60,521, Lucknow 71,838, Varanasi 57,128, Dehradun 40,000 (2nd 79,000); Calcutta 1,20,661; Nagpur (TF) 59,376 from 2 cinemas, 2nd week Jabalpur 1,14,706, total 2,95,048, Amravati (TF) 79,752, 3rd week Akola (TF) 52,069, total 1,58,537, Raipur 52,424, 1st week Bilaspur 61,140; 3rd week Indore 30,000, Bhopal 54,732; Jaipur 91,730; Hyderabad 2,36,403.

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai is very steady in Delhi, C.I., Rajasthan and Nizam. 4th week Bombay 14,73,278 (69.42%) from 5 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,20,270 from 3 cinemas, Jamnagar (15 shows) 44,405; Pune 3,52,301 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 63,828; Delhi 20,29,440 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur 1,03,912, Lucknow 1,16,483, Agra 99,500, Allahabad 46,800, 3rd week Varanasi 96,021, 4th week Bareilly (6 days) 55,115 (28.57%), Dehradun 1,07,786 (3rd 1,46,000); Calcutta 4,42,247 from 4 cinemas (1 in noon); Nagpur 1,56,566, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,09,026, Akola 55,176, total 3,17,120, 3rd week Raipur 73,746, 4th week Jalgaon (6 days) 46,432, Chandrapur 97,393, total 4,96,226, 2nd week Yavatmal 31,225, 3rd week Bilaspur 78,003; 4th week Bhopal 1,72,495; Jaipur 2,63,321, better than 3rd week, 3rd Bikaner (6 days) 76,545; 4th week Hyderabad 4,89,997 from 3 cinemas (2 in noon).

MYSORE DISTRIBUTORS FEEL PINCH OF SHOW TAX HIKE

The distributors of Mysore circuit have been feeling the pinch of an unreasonable hike in show tax for the past few months. It may be recalled that the state government increased the show tax from Rs. 80 to a steep Rs. 300 with effect from 1st April, 1998. The 15% surcharge on the tax remains. As a result, the distributor has had to pay a tax of Rs. 345 per show against Rs. 92 previously.

Given that a hit film runs for at least 400 shows in Mysore circuit, the show tax alone adds up to a whopping Rs. 1,38,000 — a very high figure, especially keeping the small size of the territory in mind.

FIRST AIR-CONDITIONED CINEMA IN KOLHAPUR

Saraswati Chitra Mandir in Kolhapur is now rechristened Saraswati Deluxe. After its purchase by Vijendra Shenoy (of Milap cinema, Bombay) and others, it has been fully renovated and equipped with Dolby SR sound. It is the first air-conditioned cinema of Kolhapur. With admission rates of Rs. 15, 20 and 25, it has a nett weekly capacity of Rs. 1,98,000. Its weekly hire is Rs. 50,000.

YOU ASKED IT

At what ratio has this week’s release, Ghulam, been delivered to its distributors?

– At the ratio of between 1.10 and 1.35 crore.

What is better — a bumper opening or pick-up by word of mouth?

– A bumper opening is definitely better because there’s nothing like initial business. Pick-up is generally never 100%.

To what do you attribute the lovely opening of Ghulam?

– To the Aati kya Khandala song and Aamir Khan.

‘Major Saab’ Cleared For June 26 Release

ABCL’s Major Saab, after four days of tension in Delhi, was finally cleared by the chief of army staff on 18th June. Objections to several scenes in the film had raised serious doubts about whether the film would be released on 26th June, as scheduled. The uncertain situation had sent exhibitors all over India panicking about their release schedules. Distributors of Major Saab in different circuits had a tough time convincing exhibitors that the film would get the army clearance and would, therefore, be released on schedule. Suspecting exhibitors held back their MGs/advances, putting distributors to further trouble.

But with the clearance having been obtained, all that is past now. Major Saab is set for release on June 25/26 all over. The defence ministry officials and the top brass of the three defence services saw the film at a preview in Delhi early this week. They reportedly objected to the wrongful and distorted portrayal of discipline in the armed forces, especially in the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakvasla. Amitabh also met army chief Ved Prakash Malik on 15th June.

According to a press release of ABCL, the no-objection certificate of the ministry of defence and the army was presented to the CBFC which gave the film a ‘UA’ certificate dated 19-6-’98. All recommended changes and cuts have been duly executed and presented. The release adds: Major Saab is a commercial film and, like all commercial cinema in India, is in the realm of fiction and make-believe. The events and episodes depicted in the film Major Saab are also fictitious and make-believe. The film needs to be looked at in this context. Even though the story is set partially at the National Defence Academy in Khadakvasla, the incidents that are shown in the film do not factually happen at this institution. Certain sequences may appear to be violative of the ethos and tradition of the National Defence Academy, but we mean no disrespect either to the institution or any units or regiments of the Army and the Army personnel. We respect the sanctity and integrity of this premier institution of the country. We take great pride in the discipline, the sense of responsibility, the patriotism that is inculcated by the Academy in the future officers of the Armed Forces, whom we hold in high esteem.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Ramgopal Varma is contemplating dubbing his SATYA in English. He has already approached UTV which is likely to handle the dubbing, if finalised, on his behalf.

* In Goldie Behl’s ANGAARAY, Gulshan Grover plays an underworld don. Whenever Gulshan appears on the screen, a continuous humming sound intersperses the dialogue. The hum could have been produced through a musical synthesiser or by a dubbing/mimicry artiste. But director Mahesh Bhatt hummed and hawed at the idea as he wanted the hums exactly the way he had mentally conceived them to be. The fastidious Mahesh Bhatt finally himself hummed it out with all his lung power.

* GHULAM has created a city record by collecting 51,403/- on the opening day at Chitra, Amravati.

* TITANIC has yielded a share of over 7.25 lakh in 5 weeks from Premprakash, Jaipur.

* NADIYA KE PAAR has yielded a share of 91,000/- in the 1st week of its 4th run at Payal in Jamshedpur (Tatanagar area). The second week’s share is expected to be 30,000/-. The film will then be shifted to Shyam cinema at Haldwani (another suburb of Tatanagar).

What’s The Scene?

In finalising the price of Major Saab, Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd. has considered the losses its distributors made in its earlier films, Mrityudaata and Saat Rang Ke Sapne. As a result, the price of Major Saab is a reasonable 1.25 crore to 1.50 crore. Good for the distributors.

Sunil Shetty needs to do some serious thinking about the projects he signs. His Humse Badhkar Kaun had to be discontinued from Jaipur’s Moti Mahal cinema after just a 2-day run.

Till two years back, David Dhawan was the magic man. But his last few releases, including Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi, Banarasi Babu, Deewana Mastana and now, Gharwali Baharwali, have failed to create the magic of his earlier hits. Is it over-confidence or over-commitment? Either way, it’s bad and sad.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Initial Value

At last, there is some respite for the industry which has been craving for a film to take a fantastic opening at the box-office. Ghulam has opened to fantastic houses almost all over the country this week, much to the relief of the industry troubled by a spate of films failing to record even decent openings irrespective of their casts, makers or publicity campaigns. This favourable run of luck is expected to continue with the release of Major Saab next week (on 26th June). The publicity of the film has already generated a tremendous response among all and has come to be regarded as the year’s best publicity campaign so far. The fantastic poster and banner designs give an impression that the film has depth, and they are going a long way in creating the right mood for the film. Moreover, the film’s attractive promotional trailers have been well-received by the public.

The ‘A’ Factor

With the fantastic opening of Ghulam this week, and Major Saab expected to open to bumper houses next week, one cannot help but observe an interesting point of similarity between the two films — the ‘A’ factor. While Ghulam boasts of Aamir Khan in its cast, Major Saab has two A’s — Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgan — not to mention ABCL which has produced the film! It sure looks like the ‘A’ factor is all-important……

Amitabh Bachchan ‘Controversy’ Limited?

With the release of Major Saab next week, ABCL has once again lived up to its reputation of being involved in pre-release controversies. Mani Ratnam’s Bombay (the all-India rights of which were held by ABCL) ran into rough weather over censorship. Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen, an ABCL production, got into a major censor imbroglio not once but twice — the second time, it was resolved only when the Supreme Court granted the film a clearance for release. True to ABCL’s tradition, even Major Saab is reported to have upset the army which initially refused to clear the film for release. Fortunately for ABCL, the film was ultimately cleared by the army after minor changes were effected, but in good time for the release to not have had to be postponed. In view of the fact that each one of ABCL’s releases gets into unlimited problems while getting clearance from various agencies, it may help to change the company’s name to Amitabh Bachchan Clearance Limited! Or would Amitabh Bachchan Controversy (Un)Limited be a more appropriate change?

Hearing What And Signing What?

Nowadays, one often hears every other star waxing eloquent on how he never signs a film without hearing its complete story. If this were really true, our stars must be the worst judges of a film’s potential, in light of the fact that such a large number of films starring these very stars flop at the box-office! But the reality is not that they are poor judges. The fact is something else. In many cases, the stars hear only some scenes of the film instead of the complete story and, excited by them, sign the film without hearing the rest of the story. At other times, a star gets carried away by his role and, without knowing the whole story of the film, signs on the dotted line. As a result, it has become extremely easy for a clever, eloquent and articulate director to sign top stars up by narrating just three or four interesting scenes to them! Ultimately, what happens in such cases is that the rest of the film doesn’t match up to the narrated scenes and hence the film fails at the box-office. It must be borne in mind that a handful of scenes or a strong character for the hero alone do not make a film, and if our stars are under such an impression, they are fooling no one but themselves.

Who’s Copying Whom?

And here’s an incident that should make you laugh.

A 4-year old was watching Qila on cable TV. After a while, the little one, pointing at Dilip Kumar in the film, quipped, “Papa, papa, this old man is copying Shah Rukh Khan.”

GHARWALI BAHARWALI

Tutu Films’ Gharwali Baharwali (UA) is a comedy film about a man (Kader Khan) who is obsessed about his daughter-in-law (Raveena Tandon) not being able to conceive and, therefore, give him a grandchild. His obsession drives him to force his son (Anil Kapoor) into a second marriage (with Rambha). What follows are incidents where the son finds himself in a fix as he has to deal with his two wives. While some of the scenes are hilarious and evoke instant laughter, the plot itself is very weak. For one, the manner in which Anil Kapoor is led into a second marriage looks implausible in view of the fact that Anil is not shown as an uneducated village bumpkin but rather a city-bred, educated businessman. Secondly, the second wife (Rambha) is not at all demanding and, in fact, pointedly tells Anil Kapoor to leave her and continue his life with Raveena. In such a situation, why Anil Kapoor tries to fool Raveena and woo Rambha is incomprehensible, when he could have as well made amends by simply supporting Rambha rather than romancing her. Thirdly, Anil Kapoor’s characterisation is poor, making him appear to be a queer mix of a completely devoted husband and a Romeo. Similarly, Kader Khan’s character is so inconsistent that it changes after every few reels — first, he is bent upon a second marriage for his son; next, he is cent per cent against bigamy and even threatens to kill Anil if he weds again; and later, he insists that both Anil’s wives should live together! Trying to justify Anil’s second marriage, in the post-interval portion is neither convincing nor emotional. It would have been much better had the comic track been allowed to continue. Besides, the crude language in which the father prods his son to give him a grandson, looks odd. Dialogues are punch-packed and witty.

Anil Kapoor is in his element in just a few scenes but for the rest, he does an average job, suffering on account of a weak characterisation. Raveena Tandon impresses in a couple of dramatic scenes but is so-so otherwise. Rambha is alright; she doesn’t get too many scenes to emote. Kader Khan (made to look unshapely) is too loud at places. Satish Kaushik’s comedy is excellent at several places and, in a couple of scenes, he brings the house down with laughter. But his dialogues in a few scenes are unclear. Besides, his role is so lengthy that he could get on people’s nerves. Asrani is okay. Tiku Talsania, Rakesh Bedi and Dina Pathak are fair. Master Shahrukh is cute.

David Dhawan’s direction is like a job hurriedly done. While his handling of comedy scenes (especially those involving Satish Kaushik) show his stamp, the narration of the drama is not very convincing. David seems to have been let down by writer Rumi Jafri who has relied on clichéd situations and has hardly worked on two important characterisations — those of Anil and Kader Khan. Anu Malik’s music is a big letdown. Except for ‘Ek taraf hai gharwali’ and ‘Ta ra ra ra’, which are fair numbers, the other songs are dull. Even song picturisations are not exciting. The ‘Ghunghat mein chehra’ song can be advantageously deleted. Camerawork is okay. The Nepal locations have not been well exploited. Production and other technical values are alright.

On the whole, Gharwali Baharwali is neither a comedy nor an emotional family drama. It may make the audience laugh at places, but it cannot be expected to make distributors smile. A dull fare, its business in Bombay and Maharashtra may be fair but that in the rest of India will be weak.

Released on 12-6-’98 at Minerva and 16 other cinemas of Bombay thru VIP Enterprises. Publicity: good. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over.

ACHANAK

Film Folks International’s Achanak (UA) is a thriller in which there is also a suspense angle, albeit weak. The main drawbacks of the film are that it has several unbelievable incidents, unrealistic acts by characters, and hotch-potch screenplay. The story moves from the view-points of different characters at different times. Suspense, when revealed, fails to excite because what is suspense for the hero is not suspense for the audience. Further, too many coincidences in the drama dilute the impact.

Screenplay is one of sheer convenience. Tight corners for the characters are first created in a contrived manner and then other characters try to help those stuck up in such forced tight corners. Dialogues are okay. Climax is too lengthy.

Govinda does well. Manisha Koirala does a fair job. Farhana suffers on account of a faulty and ill-defined characterisation. Rahul Roy is alright in a special appearance. Paresh Rawal is reasonably good. Johny Lever, in a triple role, provides some comic moments. He is especially good in the climax scenes with Sanjay Dutt and Shah Rukh Khan (both in friendly appearances). Navneet Nishan, Saeed Jaffrey, Tinnu Anand, Dalip Tahhil, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Viju Khote, Dinesh Hingoo and the other artistes lend average support.

Naresh Malhotra’s direction is not very inspiring, maybe due to the weak script. Music is quite good. ‘Jaane jaana’, ‘Ek soni kudi’ and ‘Dil leke gayaa chor’ are hummable numbers. Song picturisations have no novelty or freshness. Photography (Raju Kaygee) is eye-pleasing. Action is quite good. Production values are of a good standard. Technically, up to the mark.

On the whole, Achanak is a dull fare.

Released on 12-6-’98 at Maratha Mandir and 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru Dilsa Distributors Combine. Publicity: good. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull in many circuits.

HUMSE BADHKAR KAUN

Vee Creations’ Humse Badhkar Kaun (UA) is a routine tale of good versus evil. A pair of twin brothers (played by Sunil Shetty and Saif Ali Khan) gets a shock when they learn that the chief minister of the state is none other than their own mother. Some terrorists will, however, not let them reach their mother. Ultimately, the two brothers fight the villains and thus save the state and their mother.

Neither is the story exciting nor is the screenplay. Scenes are so lengthy that at many places, their impact is lost. Dialogues are commonplace. Except for some exciting action, a couple of emotional scenes and some funny moments, there’s little to please the heart.

Sunil Shetty does well as the simple village boy who comes to the city in search of his twin brother. Saif Ali Khan, as the twin brother, is good in a carefree role. Sonali Bendre and Dipti Bhatnagar do fair jobs, but they are almost missing in the second half. Raza Murad is okay and so are Mukesh Rishi and Mohan Joshi. Beena, as the mother of the twins, does quite well. Shiva and Ashish Balram Nagpal pass muster. Deepak Anand is alright. The rest fill the bill.

Deepak Anand’s direction is reasonable but the uninspiring story and unduly lengthy scenes are sore points. Viju Shah’s music is a letdown. ‘Line maar le’ is about the only hummable number. Its picturisation is good. Camerawork is so-so. Production and other technical values are average.

On the whole, Humse Badhkar Kaun is a dull fare with chances in small centres.

Released on 12-6-’98 at Alankar and 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru Mahalaxmi Film Distributors. Publicity & opening: average. …….Also released all over. Opening was quite dull in many circuits but alright in U.P.

INDUSTRY DELEGATION CALLS ON U.P. CM

A delegation of the film industry, headed by FFI president Santosh Singh Jain, will meet the Uttar Pradesh chief minister on 13th June (today) in Lucknow. The delegation will also go to Dehradun where it will visit the proposed site of Film City. Ramanand Sagar, Surinder Kapoor, Subhash Ghai, Sultan Ahmed and G.P. Shirke will be the other members of the delegation. Shatrughan Sinha and Pahlaj Nihalani will join the delegation from Delhi.

The industry people have been invited by the U.P. tourism minister for the proposed development of Uttar Pradesh as a shooting spot.

GAUTHAMI WEDS

South films’ heroine, Gauthami, was wedded to Sandeep Bhatia, a Bombay-based businessman, on 7th June in Madras.

ANU MALIK, RAHAT INDORI ACCUSED OF PLAGIARISM

Music director Anu Malik and lyricist Rahat Indori have been served legal notices by lyricist Syed Mohammad Hasan Imam for alleged plagiarism of his lyrics, in Kareeb. According to the notice, Hasan Imam had had a sitting with Anu Malik in March ’92 when he had narrated the lyrics of the mukhda of a song written by him, which went as Haan judaai se darta hai dil. The lyrics were also registered by Imam with The Film Writers’ Association. Anu Malik had, at that time, assured Hasan Imam that the lyrics would be used in the then under-production film of producer Salim Akhtar. It is stated in the notice that while this never happened, Anu Malik later used the lyrics, without Hasan Imam’s consent or knowledge, in two songs composed by him for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Kareeb.

Accordingly, a notice has also been served on Tips, the film’s audio rights holders, as well as producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

NAWAL BABU NO MORE

Leading Bihar exhibitor Nawal Kishore Sinha, proprietor of Kiran Talkies, Gaya, expired on 6th June at Gaya.

‘DUSHMAN’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA, DELHI

Pooja Bhatt’s Dushman has been granted tax exemption in Maharashtra for a period of three months starting 12th June. Since the tax-free order was received by the producer after the film’s matinee show started on 12th June, the tax-free rates came into effect from the 3 p.m. show onwards.

The film has also been exempted from entertainment tax in Delhi.

YOU ASKED IT

Will star prices come down due to the spate of failures in the recent times?

– Star prices are already steady and, in some cases, coming down because there aren’t too many announcements. Even in the case of newly announced films, the artiste finds himself unable to dictate sky-high prices as he was capable of doing, say, a year back. But still, prices need to come down even more.

People keep saying that films are flopping one after another because of a bad period. Is it really the period that is bad or is it the films which are poor?

– What are flopping are bad films, but it is also true that the extent to which they are flopping is because of the bad times.

Is it worthwhile to shoot on foreign locations even now or have we had too much of it?

– Foreign locations can be exciting for the audience but our makers should stop repeating the same locations over and over again.

DO YOU KNOW?

* PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA has yielded a distributor’s share that has surpassed the first run share of DIL TO PAGAL HAI and ISHQ at Barsi (Maharashtra). The share of DTPH from Chitra, Barsi was about 1,15,000/- and that of ISHQ from the same cinema, about 1,20,000/-. The share of PKTDK from Asha cinema in the first 5 weeks (4 weeks in regular shows and 1 in matinee) is 1,32,141/- and the film is now in its 6th week. DTPH fetched an additional share of 38,600/- in 3 weeks’ run (2nd run) in matinee shows at Asha.

What’s Hot?

The Aati kya Khandala song of Ghulam is becoming a rage not only in India but abroad too. It is Aamir Khan’s first try at playback singing. Maybe, the craze for the number may translate into a bumper opening for the film next week. Aati/aata kya film dekhne?

The promotional trailer of Major Saab on satellite channels is being well appreciated. People are happy to see Amitabh Bachchan playing his age.

Another film of which trailers-on-air are being hotly discussed is Harmesh Malhotra’s Dulhe Raja. They’re good — that’s the general opinion.

CENSOR NEWS

Vishesh Films P. Ltd.’s Ghulam was given C.C. No. CIL/3/26/98 (A) dt. 9-6-’98; length 4794.88 metres in 20 reels (no cut).

Deepak Arts’ Iski Topi Uske Saar was given C.C. No. CIL/2/20/98 (UA) dt. 5-6-’98; length 3980.47 metres in 16 reels (cuts: 122.80 metres).

Sarav Productions’ Dhadak was given C.C. No. CIL/3/27/98 (A) dt. 10-6-’98; length 4343.13 metres in 15 reels (cuts: 75.05 metres).

Rajeev Mohan’s Suraj was given C.C. No. CIL/1/34/98 (U) dt. 9-6-’98; length 1117.20 (16 mm) metres in 10 reels (cuts: 0.80 metres).

ABCL’s Major Saab (length 4812.86 metres in 19 reels), applied on 8th and seen on 10th, has been passed with UA certificate, with minor cuts.

Pramod Films’ Barood (length 4855.55 metres in 18 reels), applied on 10th, was seen on 11th.

Pali Films’ Maut (length 2714.58 metres in 13 reels), applied on 10th, was seen on 11th.

Vishal International Productions (P.) Ltd.’s Jaihind (length 4741.24 metres in 18 reels), applied on 11th, was seen on 12th.

Eastern Epic Production’s Jaag Utha Shaitan (dubbed; length 2496.88 metres in 5 reels), applied on 9th, was seen on 10th.

Columbia Tristar Films of India Ltd.’s Maut Ke Saudagar (dubbed; length 2275.32 metres in 5 reels), applied on 10th, was seen on 12th.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Too Many Releases Spoil The Fun

The folly of simultaneous releases of three and four films in a week has always been a topic of discussion in film circles. Such an eventuality invariably leads to bad consequences for all the films in question. To substantiate this point, one can take the case of the simultaneous releases of Gharwali Baharwali, Achanak and Humse Badhkar Kaun this week. In Rajasthan circuit, all the three films have failed to open to full houses in Jaipur. In fact, the opening day’s collection of Achanak was 57%, of Gharwali Baharwali was 53% and of Humse Badhkar Kaun was about 30%. In contrast, Gharwali Baharwali opened to full houses in Ajmer, Kota and Bikaner since the other two films did not open there this week. Even in Udaipur, Gharwali Baharwali opened to full houses because the only other release this week in the lake city was Dushman. This example should serve as an eye-opener for the industry about the merits of spacing out releases.

Major Contribution To ‘Major Saab’

It is often said that people from the film industry lack a sense of camaraderie towards each other. While there are many who subscribe to this view, producer Vashu Bhagnani’s recent deed should force them to reconsider. It all began when the publicity materials of Major Saab were not ready till as late as three weeks before the scheduled date of release. ABCL was even contemplating postponing the film’s release by a couple of weeks because of the delay in the preparation of publicities. Fortunately for ABCL, such a situation was avoided just in the nick of time when Vashu Bhagnani, producer of the Amitabh-starrer Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, stepped in. Amitabh Bachchan is reported to have requested Vashu to help the film out by taking charge of getting the publicity prepared in the shortest possible time. Vashu, on his part, went out of his way to make sure that the publicity materials designed were of a very good quality. As a result, two splendidly attractive back-lit hoardings of Major Saab were put up at two strategic locations in Bombay on 11th June — that is, in just a week’s time from Vashu stepping in. The hoardings, designed by Himanshu and Rahul Nanda, are displayed at the junction of Linking Road and S.V. Road at Bandra and outside Mela restaurant at Worli. In one word, the two hoardings are fantastic. And so was Vashu’s gesture.

Crisis And Losses

D.Y. Pattani was one of the leading sub-distributors of Gujarat territory but the losses he has faced in the last year-and-a-half could frighten anyone. His list of loss-making films released in 1997 and 1998 (so far) includes Himalay Putra, Mrityudaata, Insaaf, Itihaas, Do Ankhen Barah Haath, Ghoonghat, Mere Sapnon Ki Rani, Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi, Aflatoon, Sher-E-Hindustan, Zor, Saazish, 2001, Yugpurush and Salaakhen. Little wonder then that Pattani has suddenly given up buying films for Gujarat and is, instead, concentrating on his exhibition business. As he says, “I’ve completely stopped buying films because of the crisis in the industry and the heavy losses I’ve suffered in distribution. I’m now only interested in releasing films on commission basis.”

Censors Behind Filmmakers

Certain shots in a song from David Dhawan’s Gharwali Baharwali were objected to by the censors, leading to their deletion from the film. The objectionable shots appear in the antra of the song Ek taraf hai gharwali and depict hero Anil Kapoor tapping (as if he were playing drums) on the backsides of heroines Raveena Tandon and Rambha, of course, in humour. The accompanying lines go thus: Yeh mera bongo, yeh meri dafli….! It must be said here that the censors have chosen to literally go by the guidelines even when it is obvious that the shots have been included in jest rather than due to any ulterior motive. Incidentally, a while ago, the censors had not insisted on the deletion of similar shots showing Shah Rukh playfully pinching Juhi’s backside, and Sonali Bendre slapping Shah Rukh’s behind in the song Ek sharaarat hone ko hai from Duplicate. So while the shots of the behind in Duplicate were allowed to remain in the film, those in Gharwali Baharwali were left behind in the editing room.

INFORMATION MEETS

“Ten years from now, I see myself as an actor who has reached heights that no one ever has.”

– ASHUTOSH RANA

RAJ VAIDYA

Quite a few heads turn and eyebrows are raised as he casually saunters into the lobby of Hotel Centaur at Juhu. This newly-found admiration on people’s faces doesn’t seem to flatter him one bit. Down-to-earth, intelligent and extremely self-confident, Ashutosh Rana is a virtual power-house of talent who has impressed one and all with his power-packed performance in Dushman. Soft-spoken and articulate, he comes across as a refreshing change from many other newcomers in films. In a free-wheeling interview, Ashutosh reveals about his journey towards success.

On His Early Days
I hail from Gadarwara, a small town near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. I did my schooling there, in Jabalpur, and in Ahmedabad. I finally graduated in Law from Sagar University (M.P.). Since childhood, I have been actively involved with theatre. My first performance on stage was at the age of 4 years. While still at school, I gradually began to discover an in-built ability to act. This discovery slowly turned into a passion as I moved on to participating in Ram Lilas from acting in plays in school. Eventually, while still in college, I set up a theatre group with a few friends and began performing in our own productions of popular Hindi plays. We also tried our hand at experimental theatre and even wrote and staged a play ourselves. By the time I finished college, I realised that I had evolved into a mature actor.

On Transition From Law To NSD
I studied law only because I needed a degree. My main interest had always been acting ever since my growing-up years. So, after getting my law degree, I began thinking about how to turn my passion for acting into a profession. I sought the advice of Pt. Shastri, my spiritual guru in whom I have complete faith. At his behest, I went to Delhi and joined the National School of Drama in 1991. For the next three years, I received formal education on various aspects of theatre. I graduated from the school in 1994.

On Coming To Bombay
Upon finishing my training at the NSD, I was faced with two opinions. I could either remain in Delhi and join a theatre repertory company or go to Bombay and try my luck in films. You see, by then, acting had become my passion, profession and majboori. Once again, Shastri-ji came to my rescue and made the choice simpler for me. He advised me to opt for Bombay. Soon enough, I landed myself in the middle of the scorching Bombay summer of 1994. All I had with me was my acting ability, and I soon realised that in the absence of any Godfather to launch me, I had to take the rough ride up. Thus began endless months of meeting with producers and auditioning for minuscule roles for TV serials and films. Eventually, I landed a small role in the TV serial Aahat. The role involved only one scene! I was almost disillusioned with the meagre result which my strenuous efforts had paid off into. Later, when director B.P. Singh complimented me on my performance and expressed great admiration for my abilities, my confidence was somewhat restored.

“Guruji Predicted My Swabhimaan Role….”
After my initial break with Aahat, no substantial role came my way for nearly a year. But even during that period, I never once thought of going back to where I came from. In fact, during those trying times, I strengthened my resolve to make it. Then one day, Guru-ji (Pt. Shastri) told me that Mahesh Bhatt would soon be launching a serial, the title of which would begin with ‘S’. He also said that I would be offered a role in it and that I must take it, however small it may be. Sure enough, I was offered the role of a gunda in Mahesh Bhatt’s daily serial, Swabhimaan within just a few days after Guru-ji‘s prediction. I took up the role in spite of the fact that it was to span over only 10 episodes. But as luck would have it, such a small opportunity ended up boosting my career in a major way. My work in the serial was so well-appreciated that the 10-episode role was stretched to more than 650 episodes!

From Small Screen To Silver Screen
My work in Swabhimaan slowly but surely began to interest filmmakers in my acting ability. As a result, I began getting small but significant roles in films. Yet, the kind of roles I had in mind all along, were still eluding me. I acted in small roles in Govind Nihalani’s Sanshodhan and Mahesh Bhatt’s Tamanna. I had only three scenes in the latter film, but director Mahesh Bhatt was so impressed with me that he suggested my name for a one-scene role of a freedom-fighter in director Vikram Bhatt’s Ghulam.

On Bagging The ‘Dushman’ Role
Pooja Bhatt, while still planning Dushman, happened to like my cameo performance in Ghulam, at a preview so much that she asked me to meet her and Mukesh Bhatt after a couple of days. They told me that they had been toying with the idea of casting me in the role of the main villain in Dushman. The only thing they were apprehensive about was that I had a softer look than what they wanted for their villain. I pleaded with them to cast me and argued that if anyone could portray the role in the best possible way, it was me. I must have managed to convince them, for, a few days later, Mukesh Bhatt called me to his office and offered me the role.

On His Dream Finally Coming True
My first reaction on being offered the Dushman role was of disbelief! I asked Mukesh Bhatt if he was serious. When he replied in the affirmative, I just felt like yelling out. I even asked him if I could do so! He said okay and immediately, then and there, I let out all my excitement in a loud yell, only after which Mukesh Bhatt discussed business with me!

On Still Having To Approach Producers For Work
It is true that I still approach people for work, even after my performance in Dushman. But I don’t think, there is anything humiliating about it. I feel that I have a greater desire to work with them than they have, to work with me. So, it’s only logical that I approach them. As far as the creative ego goes, it never gets hurt by such things because the very reason of my existence is my acting ability, and in order to survive, I must be able to prove it. Again, I can only prove my ability through my work. If I were to just sit back and wait for people to flock to me with roles, I may lose out on a lot of precious work that I could otherwise get by approaching the producers myself.

On Current And Future Projects
I have been cast in Vishesh Films’ next film, Sunghursh, being directed by Bunty Luthria. Apart from that, I have also signed Suneel Darshan’s next, tentatively titled Jaanwar, and Pranlal Mehta’s film, to be directed by Esmayeel Shroff.

On Acting
I feel, acting is something that cannot be defined. It is beyond the reach of definition, just like our concept of God is. You can only experience them, but can never describe them in words.

On How He Sees Himself 10 Years From Now
I see myself as an actor who has reached heights that no one ever has. I hate mediocrity and will never want to remain in a mediocre position. For me, it is either all, or nothing. Just as the poem goes:

Dil bhi ek zid pe adaa hai,
Kisi bachche ki tarha,
Ya to sub kuchh mujhe chhahiye,
Ya kuchh bhi nahin.

“We are making constructive efforts to finally turn Mukta Arts into an institution”

– SUBHASH GHAI

How did the idea of setting up Audeus germinate in your mind?

– When I set up Mukta Arts in 1982, I wanted to model it along the lines of the big studios of yesteryears. V. Shantaram’s Rajkamal, Bombay Talkies and others were all institutions in themselves. Similarly, we do not want Mukta Arts to remain just a film production house, but we are making constructive efforts to finally turn it into an institution. Launching new talents, having a large number of technicians on payroll are only a few of our efforts to make Mukta Arts function like the studios of olden days. But, we do not want to stop at just that.

The biggest loss the industry suffered with the closing of the studio culture, was in the area of research & development. The studios could afford to invest in innovative technical experiments because of their institutional status. This is not possible for today’s independent film producers. So, promotion of R & D became another important purpose behind the setting up of Audeus.

Apart from that, as a filmmaker, I have always dreamt of having a state-of-the-art studio of my own. I have been able to fulfill this dream with Audeus.

What makes you confident of good returns on a huge investment such as this?

– The level of technical awareness has improved vastly not only among filmmakers but also among the viewers. The public is not going to accept technically inferior films today. Thus if a film producer wants to fight the satellite invasion, he will have to come to studios like Audeus and make his film with the help of the latest equipments.

How long did it take to complete the studio?

– We had already bought the plot after Khal-Nayak in 1993, but then Trimurti flopped and our company faced a few financial difficulties as a result. Finally, we began working constructively on this studio about three years back and were able to complete it in May this year.

How did you decide on the name ‘Audeus’?

– Someone had once told me that Audeus means ‘harmonious sound’ in Greek. I liked its sound and because it conveys the idea behind the studio, I chose to name it thus.

All equipments are becoming outdated in a short span of time as newer and better equipments are developed every now and then. This means that there is a need for constant upgradation of equipments in studios such as Audeus. How will you tackle this problem?

– You are right. Existing technology becomes outdated every six months. We are aware of this fact and hence we have a set plan to upgrade the equipment at Audeus at regular intervals.

We also have a plan to add to the present set-up which constitutes only the 1st phase of the project. We have acquired a total area of 13,000 sq. ft., out of which Audeus takes up only 6,000 sq. ft. We still have an unutilised area of 7,000 sq. ft. on which we will introduce state-of-the-art song recording rooms and mixing halls in phases II and III of the project. We intend to turn Audeus into a one-stop post-production shop for feature films within a year.

Are there any plans of setting up similar studios in the future?

– Not similar, but larger and even more beneficial to the film industry. I want to set up a large state-of-the-art shooting floor fully equipped with the latest lighting equipment and other modern facilities. I also plan to set up an institute where young talents and aspiring technicians will be trained in the latest techniques. Moreover, I have plans to establish a library of film-related reading material like screenplays, etc. It is impossible to lay one’s hands on script or screenplay of any film, especially for one not connected with films. I would like to have these in a library open to any person interested in films, whether rich or poor. Again, these efforts will directly contribute towards turning Mukta Arts into an institution, as I mentioned before.

Any parting words?

– I would like to give back to the industry whatever I have earned from it and I hope that my efforts will serve the industry well.

LATEST POSITION

The box-office continues to present a gloomy picture as far as new releases are concerned.

Dushman faced a steep decline mid-week. 1st week Bombay 40,07,228 (70.19%) from 14 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,59,385 from 6 cinemas, Jamnagar (matinee) 17,780; Pune 8,27,633 from 6 cinemas, Solapur 1,07,615 (1 unrecd.); Hubli 1,06,827, Belgaum 53,887; Delhi 20,39,291 (54.56%) from 8 cinemas (1 unrecd., 1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,65,219, Lucknow 1,77,898, Agra 1,40,897, Varanasi 1,17,252; Calcutta 12,54,829 from 11 cinemas; Nagpur 1,55,681 from 2 cinemas, Akola 68,082, Raipur (6 days) 1,08,995, Yavatmal 1,05,246 (2nd week 1st day 8,282); Bhopal 2,34,550 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 4,88,165 from 3 cinemas; Hyderabad 15,44,734 from 8 cinemas.

………..

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai is steady in Bombay (good cinemas), Delhi city (good cinemas), C.I. and very good in Rajasthan but drops further in U.P., East Punjab, Bengal, Bihar, C.P. and Nizam. 2nd week Bombay 28,27,275 (76.24%) from 7 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 73,948, Jamnagar 70,761; Pune 6,49,894 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 91,340; Hubli 1,63,614, Belgaum 1,07,536; Delhi 26,80,178 from 7 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,79,352 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,10,375, Allahabad 69,450, Bareilly (6 days) 81,033 (42%), total 2,22,467; Calcutta 7,78,803 from 7 cinemas; Nagpur 1,99,740, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,11,847, Akola 68,879, 1st week Raipur 1,30,583 (53.92%), Bhilai 1,01,225, Durg 90,543, 2nd week Jalgaon (6 days) 65,689, Chandrapur 1,12,761, total 2,86,565, 1st Bilaspur 1,56,190; 2nd Bhopal (6 days) 1,72,604 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,58,186; Hyderabad 5,43,725 from 3 cinemas.

Mard 2nd week Bombay 96,171 (27.18%); Ahmedabad 84,725 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 47,353; Pune 77,940 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st week Solapur 32,937; 2nd week Delhi 4,89,615 from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 28,459, Lucknow 45,853, Allahabad 32,500, Varanasi 57,571, Bareilly 47,714 (22.09%), 1st week Hardwar 44,827; Rohtak 7,575; 2nd week Calcutta 96,482; Nagpur 47,918, 1st week Jabalpur (6 days) 66,875, 2nd week Amravati 66,499, 1st Akola 90,746, 2nd week Raipur 62,515, 1st Bhilai 32,392, 2nd Bilaspur (6 days) 45,567, total 1,26,072; Bhopal 30,610; Jodhpur 79,000, 1st week Bikaner 1,69,296.

………..

Chhota Chetan (partly dubbed, revived, 3D) 7th week Bombay (TF) 19,27,044 (90.38%) from 3 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,21,755; Pune (TF) 3,13,253, 5th week Solapur (TF) 55,678; 7th week Delhi (TF) 11,94,960 from 3 cinemas; Agra 27,635, 1st week Allahabad 88,020; Nagpur (TF) 3,26,234, 2nd week Amravati (TF) 1,48,737, 1st Chandrapur (TF, 27 shows) 1,23,835 (2nd week 1st day 16,225); 3rd week Hyderabad 3,05,801.

BOMBAY HC STAYS FURTHER DEALING IN ‘LAL BAADSHAH’ AUDIO RIGHTS

K.C. Bokadia’s Lal Baadshah has run into rough weather. The Bombay high court, by an order passed on 27th May, has prohibited further dealing in the film’s audio rights. This order was passed by the court in a motion filed by Vijay Chokhani of Pearl Video Films.

K.C. Bokadia had borrowed a sum of Rs. 10 lakh from Vijay Chokhani of  Pearl Video Films, while agreeing to hand over the audio rights of Lal Baadshah as security against the loan. Later, K.C. Bokadia sold the audio rights of the film to Pen Audio in violation of the agreement with Vijay Chokhani. As a result, Pearl Video Films filed a suit in the Bombay high court, which, in an order passed on 29th April, asked Pen Audio to deposit a sum of Rs. 5 lakh with the court within 4 weeks.

Pen Audio filed an application for extension of time, which was rejected by the court on 27th May.

The court’s order prohibiting further dealing in the film’s audio rights, therefore, stands in view of the fact that Pen Audio failed to deposit the money with the court.

ARUDRA PASSES AWAY

Renowned Telugu film writer and poet Bhagavathula Shankara Sastry, popularly known as Arudra, passed away on 4th June in Madras after a brief illness. Apart from his outstanding work as a writer, poet, literary critic and historian, Arudra penned lyrics for over 2,000 Telugu film songs and also wrote dialogues for nearly 150 Telugu films. He was also the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi awards of both, the Central as well as the Andhra Pradesh state governments.

He is survived by his writer-wife, K. Ramalaxmi, and three daughters.

SUBHASH GHAI’S AUDEUS LAUNCHED

Dilip Kumar formally inaugurated Subhash Ghai’s state-of-the-art post-production and shooting studio, Audeus, on 31st May. Shabana Azmi lit the traditional lamp, and Bharat Shah cracked the auspicious coconut. A large number of industry people graced the launching of the studio situated off Link Road, Andheri, Bombay.

Audeus has a Fairlight MFX 3 Plus Digital Audio Workstation inclusive of a dubbing suite, an Avid Media Composer (with Film Option), a sound transfer room, a Steenbeck editing studio, an air-conditioned shooting floor (60 feet by 40 feet by 17 feet height) and a sound-proof generator.

The Workstation is widely used in Hollywood. The Avid Media Composer enables non-linear editing for television and film.

PRASAR BHARATI BILL MOVED

I & B minister Sushma Swaraj on June 1 moved the Prasar Bharati Bill in Parliament. Some new clauses, other than those provided in the October ordinance, have been added. Under the new Bill, the term of office of part-time members will be six years. One-third of them will retire every two years. The whole-time member will retire at the age of 62 years and will not be entitled to any compensation because of his ceasing to hold such office. No part-time member will be entitled to any compensation. The President of India will appoint a president and ten board members. Four of them will be Parliament members. A recruitment board will be formed, comprising the chairman, other members, ex-officio members, the nominated member and elected members for posts equivalent to joint secretaries.

The day the Bill is passed, S.S. Gill will cease to be the chief executive officer, as his age is 70 years. He will not be entitled to any compensation.

Video Piracy And Overseas Distribution

Apropos the article on video piracy, carried in Film Information last week, some more disturbing facts have come to light — this time, in connection with Philippines, where scheduled releases of several Hindi films have had to be cancelled due to the arrival of pirated video copies of films prior to their theatrical screenings.

The Philippines distributor of Duplicate had to suffer heavy losses after the film was released there on 24th May. It is reported that the pirated video tapes of the film had already hit the market as early as on 17th May. Moreover, the prints of these pirated tapes were of a crystal-clear quality and contained no advertisements. As a result, the attendance in the cinema which screened the film did not even cross 50% of the expected occupancy. Later, the scheduled release of Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai had to be cancelled by the distributor in an attempt to avoid losses as the pirated copies of the film had already surfaced in video stores a few days before its theatrical release. Now, it is learnt that the scheduled release of Dushman, too, has met with the same fate.

According to a leading distributor of Philippines, these pirated video tapes are of superb quality, and the video cassettes of two of the abovementioned three films had no advertisements in them. Incidentally, Pakistan still remains the source of origin of most pirated tapes of Hindi films, it is learnt.

This entire piracy operation is quickly gaining ground and unless urgent and firm steps are taken to exterminate it, some Overseas centres may become ‘dead’ for Hindi films forever.

No Substantial Relief For Industry In Union Budget

The Union Budget, announced on 1st June, has provided some relief to the film industry, but nothing substantial has been offered.

The amortisation period for films has been reduced from 180 days to 90 days. That is to say, the cost of films produced/released till 31st December (instead of 30th September earlier) will henceforth be allowed to be amortised. Rules 9A and 9B of the Income-Tax Rules provide for the entire cost of production/distribution of a film to be allowed in the financial year in which it is produced/released, only if the film is released before 1st October. In the case of a distributor, the cost of prints and publicity are allowed separately in the year in which it is incurred, whether the film is released before or after September 30. If a film is released after 30th September, the cost is allowed only to the extent of the revenue, the balance cost is amortised in the next financial year. The amortisation period has now been reduced to 90 days — that is, the cost of films released till 31st December will be fully allowed to be deducted.

Recorded video cassettes for television broadcast and audio cassettes have been exempted from the 8% excise duty.

Customs duty on cinema jumbo rolls has been reduced from 25% to 10%. The reduction in basic customs duty on positive film imported, from 25% to 10% is, however, not expected to have any impact on the final price because of various reasons: (a) an additional 8% value added tax has been levied and this is on the gross amount; (b) the MODVAT now available will be 95% instead of the earlier 100%; (c) the rupee has been further devalued in comparison to the dollar. Due to all the aforesaid reasons, the final price of positive raw stock will hardly undergo any change, according to Sushil Gupta and Bipin Salva, two leading dealers in the stock. Says Bipin Savla, “The 8% value added tax is not leviable on positive raw film as there is no indigenous production. If the tax is abolished, as being asked for by the industry, positive raw stock will become cheaper by Rs. 50 per roll, if not, it will become dearer by Rs. 50. The price of negative raw film will go up because while all other duties on its imports have remained the same, an additional 8% VAT has also been levied on it.”

The limit in section 258B of the Income-Tax Act has been increased from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 25,000. Under the said section, producers will now be required to furnish information to the I-T department in respect of payments above Rs. 25,000 to any person now, instead of the earlier requirement of Rs. 5,000.

In the meantime, the AMPTPP has rushed ‘thank you’ telegrams to finance minister Yashwant Sinha, I & B minister Sushma Swaraj and MP Shatrughan Sinha for the reliefs in the Union Budget.

YOU ASKED IT

How many Hindi films are on the sets and how many more are complete and either being readied for release or already ready for release?

– About 250 films are at various stages of production. Of these, only about 100 films are making regular progress. About 225 films are complete and are either being readied for release or are already ready with their first copies out. Of these 225, at least 75 to 100 are lying unreleased and unsold since many years.

Will film prices come down now?

– They are already coming down, what with distributors often refusing to take deliveries at the contracted prices.

Why is Titanic not doing as well in centres where it is opening now, as it did eight and 10 weeks earlier?

– Firstly, because the TITANIC wave was at its peak 15 weeks back. Secondly, cable TV operators all over India have been telecasting TITANIC repeatedly and, therefore, the craze is definitely declining. A simultaneous release all over India would have been much better.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Although producer K.P. Singh launched HUM TO MOHABBAT KAREGA on 1st June, there was not a single shot that was canned that day. That’s because both, Bobby Deol and Karisma Kapoor, only rehearsed that entire day under the supervision of director Kundan Shah. Hum to rehearsal karega, what? Shooting started on 2nd.

* Qawwals are Rajiv Babbar’s favourites. Or so it would seem, going by the fact that he gave a filmi break to qawwal Altaf Raja in his SHAPATH, and is now giving a filmi break to another qawwal, Parveen Saba, in his new film, YAMRAAJ. Like he had a qawwali sung by Altaf, which was also picturised on the qawwal himself, Parveen Saba’s qawwali will also be picturised on Parveen herself.

* In 11 of the 17 centres in C.P. Berar, where the Rathi group controls cinemas, their cinemas have grossed the maximum entertainment tax/collections in the year ended 31st March, 1998. The cinemas which have topped the list in the various centres are: Smruti in Nagpur (51,40,016/- tax); Raj in Raipur (36,58,299/-); Shyam in Balaghat (gross collections 25,23,621/-); Vasant in Akola (23,09,153/- tax); Jyoti in Dhulia (17,38,316/-); Vasant in Wardha (12,66,880/-); Shyam in Yeotmal (12,25,328/-); Prabhat in Gondia (10,97,811/-); Shyam in Paratwada (5,64,086/-); Shree in Achalpur (3,73,479/-); and Jaihind in Badnera (3,13,984/-).

* PKTDK has created another U.P. record by collecting 1,53,175/- in 10th week at Novelty, Lucknow. Total for 10 weeks: 27,70,142/-.

* PKTDK has created another theatre record by collecting 60,697/- in 10th week at Uday, Akola. Total: 9,95,263/-. Share: 6,96,546/-.

* PKTDK has created a record by collecting 86,465/- in 1st week at Mayoor, Balaghat.

* CHHOTA CHETAN (tax-free) has created a city record by collecting 3,26,234/- (95%) in 1st week at Smruti, Nagpur, in spite of extreme heat and opposition of cricket matches.

* TITANIC has created a city record by collecting 6,65,816/- in 4 weeks at Amrut, Hubli. 4th week’s collection: 1,56,246/-.

COMMENTS

BHARAT SHAH

I’ve stopped financing films. I now either go in for world rights control or equal partnerships only.

TOLU BAJAJ

Film production is a tedious job and the returns in most of the cases are not commensurate with the amount of work put in. Given the efforts a producer puts in, he could earn much more in any other industry.

RAJ LALCHANDANI (Bombay distributor)

With films flopping one after another, somebody should organise a Satyanarayan pooja to appease the Gods.

RAJEEV MALHOTRA (Bombay exhibitor)

Looking at DCRs these days is a nightmarish experience.

NITIN GHELANI (Bombay exhibitor)

The position is such today that a distributor, who doesn’t release a film on Friday, is in profit. Because, not making a loss is akin to making a profit.

Are We Prepared For Industry Status?

Ever since the I & B minister announced industry status for films, it has become a fashion — or almost so — in the industry to express joy and contentment over the newly conferred ‘title’. Since the modalities have still to be worked out, one doesn’t really know what the new status will translate into in terms of day-to-day functioning of producers, artistes, exhibitors, distributors and all the others who are a part of the film industry. Not just that, most of the industry folk aren’t even aware of what implications the word ‘industry’ added after the word ‘film’ would have, whether it would bring in more advantages than headaches, whether it would make life any less miserable than it has become today for the industry folk.

Which brings us to the pertinent question: are we really prepared for the industry status? The immediate thing that comes to a producer’s mind when he talks of films as an industry is financing of film production by banks and financial institutions. But, contrary to general belief, mere industry status is not enough to prompt banks and other financial institutions to offer loans to producers on a platter. For this, producers too will have to support their loan applications with a lot of paper-work, facts and figures. A project report is one of the first things a bank will ask of a producer. Not many producers today are even aware of what a project report is or how it is to be prepared. Because of the disorganised way in which the industry has been functioning for years, there never had been left a need for something called a project report. But sooner than later, producers will start talking of project reports with banks and bank managers as they do dates diaries with stars and star-secretaries.

Making project reports will go a long way in bringing about organisation in the disorganised industry. For, projecting costs would require detailed planning and it would also guard against unnecessary and wasteful expenditure. Actually, project reports could also act as a handy tool in the hands of financiers and world rights controllers to keep a tab on where their finances are going, how much over-budget the film has gone, where costs need to be controlled, etc. etc. The utility of a project report to a financier apart, when monies are borrowed from banks and institutions instead of private financiers, a producer will simply not be able to do without a project report.

Insurance is another aspect that will need attention. There is an opinion that banks may insist on an insurance cover for the film they would finance. In that case, that would require more paper-work which, in turn, would also work towards bringing in discipline in the industry.

Are we ready for all this? If not, the industry had better gear up for reaping the fruits of industry status. The government has done its job of declaring showbiz as an industry. Let the opportunity now not slip out of the industry’s hands for lack of discipline and organisation. Let the industry show the government that it is ready for what it had asked. Let project reports, discipline, organisation, schedules and the like be the words of the new millennium. Let us bid goodbye to disorganisation, indiscipline, loose talks and the like.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Too Many Releases In Too Few Weeks

The release schedules of the coming few weeks seem to be choc-a-bloc with too many films due for release within too short a time-span. Gharwali Baharwali, Achanak and Humse Badhkar Kaun are due next week. Ghulam releases a week after that, on 19th June; Major Saab is scheduled for 25th; and Satya and Kareeb, for 3rd July. This, at a time when Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai, Duplicate and Dushman are already showing in most ‘A’ class centres! Given the fact that at least two of the four running films will continue occupying cinema halls in the coming weeks, one wonders how the distributors for the abovementioned due-for-release films will find cinema halls to screen them, especially from and after 19th June. If one adds Chhota Chetan and Titanic to the list of films already occupying cinema halls, the scenario becomes even more frightening. And to think of it, just some weeks back, exhibitors did not have films to screen.

Films Go Abegging For Buyers

It had to happen. And it is happening. Distributors, reeling under the pressure of losses, are withdrawing from the scene. Many of the distributors of various circuits are simply not interested in buying films. “We are not in the race”, “We’d rather wait and watch”, “We don’t mind releasing films on commission basis, but buying them is out”, these and various similar comments are often being heard these days. Even ‘A’ grade set-ups are going abegging for buyers. Some of the top (in terms of makers, cast, music etc.) films are being offered to distributors for running on pure commission basis as they (distributors) are not prepared to pay MG royalties. Six months back, nobody would have imagined that this would be the state of affairs. But those who had the foresight, predicted, the situation would be terrible. Their prophecy is coming true.

Jitters Of A Different Kind

With three star-cast films — Gharwali Baharwali, Achanak and Humse Badhkar Kaun — set for release simultaneously next week, there is a lot of tension in the air. While the producers and distributors of these three films are understandably nervous as each of these films may bite into the other two’s collections, Manmohan Shetty of Adlabs is getting the jitters, but of a different kind. All the three films are being processed at Adlabs. Delivering such a large number of prints (almost 500 for the three films) by the same deadline must pose a massive problem. But knowing  Manmohan Shetty’s planning and punctuality, one is sure, he will deliver every print before the deadline and, in the process, also add a few more feathers to the cap of Adlabs.

Too Much Is Too Bad

Mithun Chakraborty’s reckless signing has started taking its toll on producers and distributors of his starrers. With the last four Mithun-starrers — Ustadon Ke Ustad, Gudia (partially released), Hitler and Mard — bombing at the box-office, it is Mahendra Dhariwal, the producer of this week’s release, the Mithun-starrer Hatyara, who has had to bear the brunt. His distributors for Overseas and East Punjab took deliveries at reduced prices. The C.I. distributor had, a few days back, pleaded inability to take delivery and Dhariwal had, therefore, to change his distributor. The new price he got for C.I. was, of course, lesser than the earlier price. All of which have left the producer in deficit. Mithun Chakraborty and his prospective producers had better read the writing on the wall and go easy.

No Buyers

That sub-distributors for Gujarat and Saurashtra are shying away from coming forward to buy films is evident from the fact that Achanak has not been acquired by any party for these two sub-territories of Bombay circuit. This, despite starring Govinda and Manisha Koirala! On his part, Bombay distributor Dilip Dhanwani is not one bit perturbed by this. He is happy releasing the film all over the circuit himself, including in Thane district. Achanak is just one example. There are so many more films available for Gujarat, Saurashtra and Thane district but with no buyers in sight.

Marketing As Important As Making Film

The eagerly awaited Godzilla was premiered in Madison Square Gardens, New York, on 18th May. The film had one of the largest premieres ever in the history of Hollywood. Produced by Dean Devlin and directed by Roland Emmerich, Godzilla is the nineties’ version of the cult character created by Toho Co. of Japan in 1954 and featured in 22 American films since  1956. The film, released successfully in Asia on 25th May, has already recorded the biggest ever opening figures in Indonesia.

For both, Devlin and Emmerich, the duo who earlier gave Independence Day, making films has been an educating process in how to successfully market their films. This is the reason why they chalked out a previously unheard of promotional strategy for Godzilla — that of creating an aura of secrecy around the film’s post-production and not releasing any stills or trailer footage before the film’s release. The idea behind this was to increase speculation about Godzilla’s look and build up tension before the release of the film. According to Devlin, it had been a tremendous problem having to redefine Godzilla’s look as the character had already featured in so many  films over the years. But they turned this very problem into a clever new marketing and promotional strategy which worked at keeping the brand new look of Godzilla a secret till the film’s release.

CBFC In The Dark

On 5th June, as the CBFC staff was preparing the censor certificate for Achanak, all the lights in the building went off due to a power failure and left everybody in the dark quite achanak. It is commendable that the CBFC staff managed to complete all the formalities and prepared the certificate by 2 p.m. in spite of inadequate light and oppressive heat. While producer Vijay Galani and director Naresh Malhotra must have shed their mehenat ka paseena during the making of Achanak, the CBFC staff literally sweated it out while making a censor certificate! Incidentally, the film was seen by the censors on 4th June and it was ordered some cuts. It is to the CBFC’s credit that the producer had the censor certificate in his hands within 24 hours of the film being viewed by the examining committee.

DUSHMAN

Pooja Bhatt Productions’ Dushman (A) is the story of a girl who avenges the rape and murder of her twin sister. While her family is too scared to confront the rapist-cum-murderer, and the police plead helplessness is arresting him, the girl decides to finish the villain off. She is aided in achieving her goal, by a blind army officer.

The film, inspired from the Hollywood film Eye For An Eye, has an exciting and interesting first half. The audience keeps getting more and more involved in the drama as it unfolds. Some scenes (like the girl’s rape even while her sister is aware that something terrible is happening but finds herself in a helpless situation) have such a lovely impact that they even shock the viewer. But the drama becomes dull after interval as the story tries to accommodate the romantic track. Besides, there are far too many convenient twists and turns in the story post-interval. For instance, although the police keep a close vigil on the villain, he refuses to mend his ways. In the end, he even walks into the trap laid by the girl, without so much as even bothering about verifying if he was being trapped.

Kajol gives an award-winning performance in a double role. She is simply splendid as the shaken sister (after her twin’s death) and the avenging angel. Not once does she go overboard and she carries the film on her shoulders with effortless ease. Sanjay Dutt, in a guest-like appearance, is average. Jas Arora looks good but gets very little scope. Ashutosh Rana is marvellous as the villain. He delivers a performance that is mind-blowing. Tanvi Azmi acts ably. Pramod Moutho is fair. Kunal Khemu leaves a mark. Baby Varsha, Naresh Suri and the others lend good support.

Tanuja Chandra makes an impressive debut as a director; her shot takings are like those of a seasoned director. But the screenplay (by Mahesh Bhatt and her) is not very consistent. Girish Dhamija’s dialogues are lovely. Music (Uttam Singh) needed to be more peppy and much better. ‘Awaz do humko’ and ‘Pyar ko ho jaane do’ are the better numbers. Song picturisations are ordinary and a couple of them even break the flow of the story. Camerawork (Nirmal Jani) is excellent. Action scenes are well composed. Climax is not very exciting. Technically, very good. Background music is appropriate.

On the whole, Dushman has a tight first half but a dull second half. It has excellent performances by Kajol and Ashutosh Rana but it gives no scope to the hero. With average music and lack of repeat value, the film finally emerges as one mainly for cities, that too, of Maharashtra and South. It may, however, find the going tough in U.P., East Punjab and Rajasthan. Tax exemption can help.

Released on 29-5-’98 at Novelty and 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru Veekay Enterprises. Publicity: very good. Opening: good. …….Also released all over. Opening was quite good in Delhi, Nizam and Mysore, below the mark in U.P. and rather dull in Rajasthan.

SHAM GHANSHAM

Suneha Arts’ Sham Ghansham is the story of two boys who are not brothers but are brought up by the same woman, the mother of one of the two boys. The other boy is the son of the villain who, incidentally, is the murderer of the first boy’s father. The villain is unaware that his wife had delivered a baby boy before dying in the hospital and had given the new-born’s custody to the other woman, asking her to keep the child away from the murderer. The villain is daggers drawn with the two boys (when they grow up) and even wants to shoot them (for a reason which is not very strong). It is then that the mother challenges the villain to shoot the boys dead and reveals that one of them is his own son. The villain then yearns to know which one of the two boys is his. His wish is fulfilled when he is dying. But before that, the two boys attempt to seek revenge on the villain for having murdered their mother/guardian’s husband. That is to say, the son of the villain is also out to seek revenge.

Although the story is new, there’s no meaning to the novelty because the audience isn’t really interested in knowing who is who’s son. A major reason for this lack of interest is the uninteresting turns and twists in the story and the conscious, though feeble, attempt to make the drama look like an exciting suspense drama. Even after the suspense is revealed, no major purpose is served. Screenplay is quite weak. What’s more, either the editor seems to have forgotten his job or the director seems to have not allowed the former to use the scissors judiciously. Scenes are lengthy and repetitive. Some emotional scenes touch the heart. Comedy is dull.

Raakhee does a good job. Chandrachur Singh is average and so is Arbaaz Khan. Priya Gill hardly leaves a mark. Pooja Batra is worse still. Amrish Puri performs with conviction. Bindu is fair. Bhupinder Singh passes muster. Gufi Paintal, Vikram Gokhale, Rohini Hattangady, Raju Kher and the rest lend average support.

Direction is ordinary. Director Ashok Ghai has been able to neither make the drama exciting nor involve the audience. Of the songs, ‘Aandi ae jaandi ae’ is quite well-tuned. ‘Mitwa re’ is alright. Song picturisations are routine; none of the four lead players can dance even reasonably gracefully. Camerawork is good. Production and technical values are alright.

On the whole, Sham Ghansham has hardly any merits and, given the dull start, it may remain a non-starter.

Released on 29-5-’98 at Minerva and 15 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity: fair. Opening: poor. …….Also released all over.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week, but the heat is adversely affecting box-office collections.

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai has done well mostly in good cinemas of major cities only. 1st week Bombay 38,01,506 (82.80%) from 9 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 91,717 (4 cinemas unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,24,169 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Adipur 1,16,857; Solapur 2,14,390 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 26,91,955 (86.02%) from 7 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur (6 days) 2,65,669 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow (6 days) 2,44,601, Allahabad 1,04,500, Bareilly (6 days) 1,22,126 (63.30%); Calcutta (6 days) 17,55,199 from 11 cinemas (19 cinemas were either on F.H. or their collections were not revealed); Nagpur 4,40,441 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,24,135, Akola 1,26,660, Chandrapur 1,73,804; Bhopal (6 days) 2,53,286 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 6,83,827 from 4 cinemas, Udaipur 2,10,215; Hyderabad 25,30,438 from 14 cinemas (1 in noon), share 12,70,088.

Mard is poor at most of the centres. 1st week Bombay 18,55,792 (52.52%) from 12 cinemas (5 on F.H., 3 unrecd.); Ahmedabad 1,92,990 from 3 cinemas (3 cinemas unrecd.), Rajkot 51,000; Delhi 19,09,183 (49.56%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,33,272, Lucknow 79,896, Allahabad 56,000, Varanasi 64,782, Bareilly 85,161 (39.41%); Amritsar 54,540; Calcutta (6 days) 7,84,498 from 11 cinemas (11 cinemas were either on F.H. or their collections were not revealed); Gaya 65,000; Nagpur 1,65,749 from 3 cinemas, Amravati 1,12,942, Dhule 59,552, Raipur 1,13,003; Bhopal 1,08,708 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,90,318 from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur 2,23,000; Hyderabad 7,02,927 from 9 cinemas (3 in noon).

…………

Jeans (dubbed) 2nd week Bombay 12,29,732 (57.69%) from 4 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Baroda 1,07,967; Solapur (14 shows) 1,18,110; Delhi 4,58,802 from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 32,658, Lucknow 99,603, Allahabad 32,500, Varanasi 20,252; Calcutta (6 days) 1,22,328; Nagpur 93,677, 1st week Jabalpur (25 shows) 89,511, 2nd week Amravati 56,666, Akola 92,560, total 2,05,500; Indore 71,253 (1 on F.H.), 1st week Bhopal 62,948; 2nd week Jaipur 1,37,069; Guntur 3 weeks’ total 5,37,200, Tenali 3 weeks’ total 3,84,125, Ongole 3 weeks’ total 4,18,000.

Duplicate 3rd week Bombay 16,08,945 (44.26%) from 9 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,18,772 (2 cinemas unrecd.), Rajkot 93,493; Solapur 60,764; Delhi 8,67,606 from 5 cinemas (1 on F.H., 1 unrecd.); Kanpur 1,41,114 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,98,585, Varanasi 95,868, Bareilly 26,311 (13.23%), Hardwar 20,000; Calcutta (6 days) 4,78,975 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 59,895 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 75,055, total 3,91,403, Amravati 71,986, Akola 41,244, total 2,94,618, share 2,12,000, 1st week Dhule 72,675, 3rd Raipur 51,011, total 3,47,730; Indore 1,33,045, Bhopal 50,532; Ajmer 51,867; Hyderabad 5,52,238 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).

Chhota Chetan (partly dubbed, revived, 3-D) 6th week Bombay (TF) 19,79,761 (92.85%) from 3 cinemas (3 on F.H.), excellent; Ahmedabad 1,45,927, Rajkot 82,910; 4th week Solapur (TF) 69,967; 6th Delhi (TF) 14,41,154 from 3 cinemas; 1st week Amravati (TF) 1,69,476; 2nd week Hyderabad 4,24,552.

Titanic (English) 12th week Bombay 24,54,685 from 6 cinemas (3 on F.H.); 5th week Ahmedabad 1,88,710; 11th week Delhi 9,06,489 from 3 cinemas; 3rd week Kanpur 1,24,895, 5th week Lucknow 1,99,271; 12th week Calcutta (6 days) 3,37,707; 4th week Nagpur 2,12,083, 1st Amravati 1,56,144; Indore 2,29,682 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,98,428; 2nd week Jaipur 3,68,213.

SUBHASH GHAI’S STUDIO INAUGURATION

Subhash Ghai’s shooting and post-production studio, Audeus, will be inaugurated on 31st May. Located at plot no. A/18, off Link Road, opposite Laxmi Industrial Estate at Andheri (W), Bombay, it is equipped with state-of-the-art Fairlight MFX 3 Plus Digital audio workstation. The entire studio, including the shooting floor, is air-conditioned. Phone no.: 632-0937.

APARESH LAHIRI DEAD

Noted singer and music director Aparesh Lahiri, father of music director Bappi Lahiri, expired on 28th May in Bombay at Jaslok Hospital. He was 74. He had scored music and rendered songs for about 100 Bengali and Hindi films. The first Hindi song he rendered was for Kathputli. His most popular number was the Bengali national song, Ek baar biday de ma, sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Aparesh Lahiri had bagged the government’s Rajat Kamal award for his music in the Hindi-Bengali film, Subhas Chandra Bose. He is survived by his son, Bappi, his daughter-in-law, grandson and grand-daughter.

Shradh ceremony will be held on 7th June (Sunday) at 10 a.m. at Lahiri House, plot no. 4, Hatkesh Nagar, JVPD Scheme, Bombay.

RAJESH VAKIL DEAD

Director Rajesh Vakil, son of late producer-director Nanubhai Vakil, passed away on 22nd May in Bombay following an illness. He was 49.

Rajesh had worked as an associate director in films like Aaj Ka Arjun and Teri Meherbaniyan. He had directed Mere Sajana Saath Nibhana, starring Mithun Chakraborty and Juhi Chawla.

He is survived by his wife and a son.

NUPUR CINETORIUM OPENS IN AURANGABAD

Smita Thackeray inaugurated Nupur Cinetorium in Aurangabad on 22nd May. Guardian minister Chandrakant Khaire, Jackie Shroff, commissioner of police of Aurangabad, Joshi, and ex-MP Pradeep Jaiswal, besides distributors of Nizam and local exhibitors, were present at the opening of the fourteenth cinema in the city, with Jeans.

Rajesh Patel and Sushma Patel, directors in the cinema, welcomed the guests. The cinema has 1,130 seats and is equipped with DTS Ultra Stereophonic sound system.

‘DTPH’ TAX-FREE IN MAHARASHTRA

Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai, which won the award for the best popular film of 1997 providing wholesome entertainment, has been granted perpetual tax exemption by the Maharashtra government.

UNCANNY COINCIDENCE

On the same day and around the time music maestro Laxmikant breathed his last was scheduled the first trial of the first copy of one of Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s last films, Manoj Kumar’s Jaihind. The trial, scheduled for 2.30 p.m. at Sumeet, started a bit late. And even as the viewers enjoyed the melodies of L-P inside the preview theatre, little did they know that one of the two geniuses behind the lovely tunes had passed away a little while ago.

Laxmikant Bids ‘Bye

Even six days after music maestro Laxmikant bid farewell to the world, the news of his death seems unbelievable. Maybe because the composer, who scored music with Pyarelal in over 490 films, is still alive through the great legacy of almost 5,000 songs he has left behind. Or maybe because Laxmikant-Pyarelal were like one single person, the one inseparable from the other. Or because Laxmikant’s smiling face is almost impossible to wipe out from the memory, and it comes before your eyes the moment you think of the music wizard. But the fact is, the great music director is no more. He breathed his last around 2 p.m. on 25th May at Nanavati Hospital in Bombay where he had been admitted a few days back for cancer of the prostate and kidney failure. His condition continued to cause concern to his near and dear ones and a slight improvement on 24th was hardly any consolation.

Born in 1934 on Diwali day, Laxmikant got his name from the festival of lights on which day the Hindus pray to Goddess Laxmi. For many years till the Diwali of 1997, Laxmi-ji, as he was fondly called, used to throw a party on Diwali night, inviting his friends to enjoy with him.

The first film for which Laxmi-Pyare scored music was Parasmani, released in 1963. Both, the film and their music, became big hits, and the music duo became overnight celebrities. With a sound training in music and having assisted Shanker-Jaikishen, Naushad and Kalyanji-Anandji, the team churned out one captivating melody after another. If their songs Bindiya chamkegi from Do Raaste or Saawan ka mahina from Milan could gladden the heart, their melancholic numbers like Jaanewalon zara from Dosti or Khilona jaan kar tum to from Khilona could also moisten the eyes of the listener. Whatever the mood of the song, the duo came up with brilliant tunes and remained the undisputed kings in the music world for three decades.

Hansta hua noorani chehra (Parasmani), Jyot jagate chalo (Sant Gyaneshwar), Suno sajna, papeehe ne (Aaye Din Bahaar Ke), Mast baharon ka main aashique (Farz), Dil vil pyar vyar main kya janoon re (Shagird), Maar diya jaaye ki chhod diya jaaye (Mera Gaon Mera Desh), Vaada tera vaada (Dushmun), Patthar ke sanam tujhe humne (Patthar Ke Sanam), Jhilmil sitaron ka aangan hoga (Jeevan Mrityu), Aap aaye bahaar aayee (Aap Aaye Bahaar Aayee), Chal chal chal mere haathi (Haathi Mere Saathi), Dheere dheere bol koi sun na le (Gora Aur Kala), A B C D chhodo (Raja Jani), Ek pyar ka naghma hai (Shor), Hum tum ek kamre mein bandh ho and Jhooth bolay kauva kaate (Bobby), Ab chahe maa roothe ya baba (Daag), Kabhi khole na tijori ka taala (Bidaai), Gore rang pe na itna gumaan kar (Roti), Main na bhooloonga (Roti Kapada Aur Makaan), My name is Anthony Gonsalves (Amar Akbar Anthony), the title song in Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Chalo re doli uthao kahaar (Jaani Dushman), Dafliwale dafli bajaa (Sargam), Sheesha ho ya dil ho (Aasha), Om Shanti Om (Karz), Tere mere beech mein kaisa hai yeh bandhan anjaana (Ek Duuje Ke Liye), Tu mera jaanoo hai (Hero), Tumse milkar na jaane kyon (Pyar Jhukta Nahin), Chitthi aayee hai (Naam), Main teri dushman (Nagina), Kaate nahin kat-te (Mr. India), Ek do teen char (Tezaab), My name is Lakhan (Ram Lakhan), Jumma chumma de de (Hum), Illu illu (Saudagar) and Choli ke peechhe kya hai (Khal-nayak) are only a few of the super-hit songs of the duo.

Laxmikant was a talented mandolin player. He teamed up with Pyarelal, whom he met during his struggling days, and thus began a golden chapter in the history of Hindi films. Being more vocal of the two, Laxmikant lit up the atmosphere wherever he went. “He was a damn confident person,” said Boney Kapoor, adding, “He was never unnerved and he had this knack of putting his producers at ease.” This unshaking confidence in his abilities was, perhaps, the reason why Laxmikant never thought of calling it a day even when Laxmi-Pyare’s popularity began to decline in the nineties when younger music directors came on the scene.

The under-production films of L-P are Manoj Kumar’s Jaihind (ready for release), Aabroo, Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin, Maha-Yudh and Rishta Ho To Aisa.

Music director Kalyanji said, Laxmikant’s biggest strength was churning out numbers which catered to popular taste. Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar described the late composer as “a member of our family”. Naushad described Laxmikant as the “last” chirag (lamp) of the golden era of Hindi film music.

Laxmikant was cremated on the night of 25th at the Vile Parle crematorium. His funeral was well-attended. The condolence meeting on 28th May at his bungalow, called Parasmani after L-P.’s first film, was very largely attended.

And so, even though Laxmi can’t give us more hits, his legacy of songs will continue to entertain the world for years and years…..

YOU ASKED IT

What is the biggest malady in the film industry today?

– Lack of good, sensible and original writers. Second on the list is star prices which are too high.

Which was the first music director duo in Bollywood?

– Phirozeshah H. Mistry and B. Irani, who played musical instruments for ALAM ARA in 1931.

DO YOU KNOW?

* Manoj Kumar’s new film has been re-titled JAIHIND. As this title was earlier with Anand Balraaj, Manoj Kumar had decided to call his film JAI-HIND – THE PRIDE. BUT Anand graciously decided to forgo the title in favour of Manoj Kumar and, therefore, the latter’s film is now JAIHIND once again.

* Goldie Behl, the 23-year-old son of late Ramesh Behl, used to sport long hair (almost touching his shoulders), but he has cut them short as an astrologer told him, this would be good for the box-office performance of his film, ANGAARAY. Incidentally, Goldie has made a good teaser trailer of the film, which will soon go on air on the various satellite channels.

* M.F. Hussain, whose painting of Goddess Sita had him in the midst of a terrible controversy, finally tendered an apology to Shiv Sena Chitrapat Shakha president G.P. Shirke. The latter had threatened that he wouldn’t allow Hussain’s GAJ GAMINI to be shot unless Hussain apologised for the painting which had hurt Hindu religious sentiments.

* Raj Karan Palace in Allahabad is the only cinema in Delhi-U.P., where ISHQ has had a 25-week run. This is the second jubilee at the cinema, of the same distributor viz. Mukta-Shakti Combines, Delhi. The earlier silver jubilee was of RAJA HINDUSTANI. …….Raj Karan Palace is the first cinema in Allahabad district to be equipped with Dolby Ultra Stereophonic 4-track sound system. CHHOTA CHETAN has opened at the cinema this week.

* Bengal-Bihar distributor Dr. Sunil released MARD last week in West Bengal, and DUSHMAN this week in West Bengal and Bihar. In the coming days and months, he has the following line-up of releases for West Bengal as well as Bihar: GHULAM, MAJOR SAAB, SATYA, DIL SE (only West Bengal) and ZAKHAM.

* Cinemax cinema has recorded all shows house-full for the past 11 weeks! CHHOTA CHETAN drew all shows full in its 6th week, too. Before CC, TITANIC had had a 5-week run at the cinema, with cent per cent collections every week!

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Beautiful Flops

Films made by reputed directors from the South have in recent times failed to woo Hindi film viewers, primarily because of the directors’ concern more for the ‘form’ than the ‘substance’. The ‘form’ seems all too important in films like Priyadarsan’s Saat Rang Ke Sapne and Kabhi Na Kabhi, Sangeet Sivan’s Zor, Shankar’s Jeans, among others. A heavy overdose of aesthetics is what the viewer gets in these films, when all he is looking for is a good drama/story. This undue emphasis on visual appeal often means that the content takes a back-seat in such films. One can attribute this overly conscious sense of aesthetics to the fact that the South Indian directors are, perhaps, more technically aware than their Bombay counterparts. It is also understandable that they should apply these new techniques in their films as soon as they have mastered them. But in doing so, they often go overboard and reduce their films to merely attempts at showing off their technical prowess.

Moreover, undue insistence on mood lighting, use of bounced light almost uniformly throughout the film, extra-artistic (and sometimes, even bizarre, as in Priyadarsan’s Kabhi Na Kabhi) settings and unnecessary use of special effects distract the viewer from the subject matter of the film. These props irritate the viewer when the script does not match the form. A producer has rightly said that Priyadarsan makes even poverty look rich! But, jokes apart, it does look like the director is trying too hard to woo the viewers who, as a result, end up suspecting the director’s intentions. It is a proven fact that a film with good subject matter appeals more to Hindi film audience everywhere than films with extra-technical finesse but which lack in subject matter. It is about time Priyadarsan, Sivan, Rajiv Menon and company paid heed to this simple truth.

JAB PYAAR KISISE HOTA HAI

Tips Films (P.) Ltd.’s Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai is a love story but with a difference — here, the lover boy, who is a Casanova, is already the father of a child although he hadn’t married the child’s mother who has since died. The story reminds of Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom but the sensitive handling of the drama, as in Masoom, is missing.

The first half is light and has several comedy scenes which entertain a lot and make the audience laugh. The real drama begins after interval and it is this drama which should have been tear-jerking but which remains superficial and even appears farcical at times. There are several reasons for this, all concerning the scripting (Honey Irani). For one, the concept of a bastard child is treated too lightly, and the portion of the child’s mother romancing with the hero is shown only in flashback, thereby adding to the lack of seriousness. Secondly, the child comes across as an over-smart and ultra-confident kid, thereby not winning the viewer’s sympathy. He should have been shown as a lovable but scared and timid child to drive home the point of his loneliness. Thirdly, the interaction between the hero and his child is not heart-warming. Fourthly, the end is too simplistic and convenient to be true. The ending drama is also a bit absurd when the heroine’s father asks the hero to choose between his daughter and the bastard child. The problem point is not so much about the child staying with the hero as about the hero having fathered a child before marriage and that too, from another girl.

As a result, the story-based film appeals more for the frivolous incidents and less for its story. The pace is quite slow. Climax, as mentioned above, is ordinary. Dialogues are good and natural.

Salman Khan looks very handsome and does a splendid job, both, in light as well as dramatic scenes. Twinkle Khanna looks pretty but her acting is ordinary. She needs to improve in emoting and voice modulation. Johny Lever is marvellous and provides a number of comic moments. Master Aditya Narayan acts very confidently but this very confidence was what was not required. Anupam Kher is good. Farida Jalal, Saeed Jaffrey and Himani Shivpuri lend able support. In a special appearance, Namrata Shirodkar has been wasted. The others are okay.

Director Deepak Sareen falters in the handling of the drama although he shows a flair for visual beauty and is good with comedy scenes. Jatin Lalit’s music is refreshing and melodious. The best number is ‘O jaana na jaana’. But there isn’t any racy song for youngsters and masses who form the major clientele of Salman-starrers. Song picturisations are not as good as the music although the locations on which they’ve been shot are beautiful. The picturisation of ‘Chal pyar karegi’ has family appeal. Camerawork (Manmohan Singh) is excellent. Production and technical values are very good.

On the whole, Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai has not taken a very good start and it doesn’t have the substance or novelty to pick up phenomenally. Even otherwise, it has more appeal for the balcony-class audience as masses (which constitute a large part of Salman’s fans) may not quite appreciate seeing Salman Khan as a father in the post-interval portion. An average fare, it may even find the going tough where its opening is dull.

Released on 22-5-’98 at New Excelsior and 15 other cinemas of Bombay by Tips Films (P.) Ltd. thru R.G. International. Publicity: very good. Opening: quite good. …….Also released all over. Opening was below the mark at many places.

MARD

Roopvati Pictures’ Mard (A) is a routine story of good versus evil, the former being represented by an upright and honest police officer, and the latter, by a corrupt chief minister and a gang of a don and his henchmen. The police officer is often transferred from one place to another, under pressure from the underworld. But finally, the new chief minister, who is an honest man, gives the police officer a free hand to wipe out all evil from society. Shortly thereafter, the chief minister is killed and the officer finds himself alone once again. He is even framed for a crime he hasn’t committed, but he manages to get his act together and avenges all the wrongs by finishing the villains one by one.

The story is oft-repeated and the screenplay, at several places, is one of convenience. Although the comedy track has no relevance to the main story, the director has sensibly put in comedy scenes at regular intervals, and they sometimes come as fairly entertaining diversions. Dialogues are alright.

Mithun Chakraborty looks quite fresh and does well. Ravali is average. Kader Khan disappoints with a disinterested approach to his performance. Shakti Kapoor is average. Gulshan Grover is alright. Pramod Moutho does an ordinary job. Raza Murad is fair. Johny Lever is quite nice. Vishwajeet Pradhan, Ashwin Kaushal, Adi Irani and Jack Gaud lend the required support. Altaf Raja and Pinky Chinoy are fair in a solitary dance number.

Direction is routine. Music is not up to the mark. Except for the Altaf Raja song (which is reasonably alright), the other numbers just about fit the bill. Action scenes lack novelty. In fact, if Rambo Rajkumar does not change his repetitive stunts in film after film, he is in for trouble. Camerawork is fair. Technically, it leaves something to be desired.

On the whole, Mard is a dull fare, for ‘B’ and ‘C’ class centres only.

Released on 22-5-’98 at Dreamland and 19 other cinemas of Bombay thru A.B.C. Pictures Pvt. Ltd. Publicity & opening: fair. …….Also released all over.

LATEST POSITION

Collections are generally dull all over.

Jeans (dubbed) is a disaster. 1st week Bombay 20,20,247 (69.43%) from 4 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,70,720, full, Baroda 1,42,869; Pune 3,04,058, Solapur (14 shows) 1,43,928; Delhi 7,28,752 (61.53%) from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 70,941, Lucknow 1,53,452, Allahabad 55,800, Varanasi 55,221, Meerut 1,01,225, Dehradun 60,000; Amritsar 51,500; Calcutta 2,32,335 from 1 cinema (collections of other cinemas were very poor); Nagpur 3,09,670 from 2 cinemas, Akola 1,13,000; Indore 1,23,000 (1 on F.H.); Jaipur 2,85,250, Jodhpur 1,75,000, Udaipur 1,75,000; Vijayawada (Telugu) 4 weeks’ total 12,81,168, Machilipatnam 4 weeks’ total 3,37,012.

Hitler is dull. 1st week Bombay 18,08,108 (44.45%) from 14 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Pune 3,45,800 from 4 cinemas; Delhi 13,73,669 (31.70%) from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Lucknow 41,482, Allahabad 56,100, Varanasi 94,062; Calcutta 12,74,756 from 24 cinemas; Nagpur 2,72,357 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 50,834, Akola 70,714, Jalgaon (6 days) 61,752, Yavatmal 62,988; Bhopal (6 days) 86,053 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,85,667 from 3 cinemas, Udaipur 98,840; Hyderabad 8,04,345 from 9 cinemas (2 in noon).

……….

Duplicate has dropped considerably in its 2nd week. 2nd week Bombay 35,19,315 (67.34%) from 13 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Rajkot 1,39,277 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 91,513; Pune 7,88,164 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,10,506; Delhi 24,79,431 from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,67,217 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,13,715, Allahabad 1,30,000, Varanasi 1,61,565, Meerut 1,24,191, Bareilly 63,719 (32.05%), Dehradun 1,25,774 (1st 1,79,000), Hardwar 30,000; Calcutta 9,85,127 from 7 cinemas; Nagpur 1,08,675 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,22,558 (1st 1,93,888), total 3,16,446, Amravati 1,15,704, total 2,98,157, Akola 77,939, total 2,53,374, 1st week Chandrapur 1,55,132, 2nd week Yavatmal 61,366; Indore 2,29,010 from 2 cinemas. Bhopal 2,56,420 from 3 cinemas; Jaipur 5,50,798, Ajmer 81,469 (1st 1,43,402), Bikaner 1,57,185, Udaipur 68,485; Hyderabad 8,95,034 from 4 cinemas (1 in noon).

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya 8th week Bombay 4,95,666 (53.66%) from 4 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Rajkot (matinee) 14,836; Pune 2,50,008 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (7 shows) 74,059; Delhi 1,87,120; Kanpur 68,066, Lucknow 2,07,183, total 24,43,705, Allahabad 55,800, Varanasi 75,600, Bareilly 43,000 (22.96%), Dehradun 66,755 (7th 69,000); Calcutta 1,89,822; Nagpur 99,497, Jabalpur 77,765 (7th 74,056), total 9,90,571, Akola 68,707, total 8,68,101, share 6,28,196, 5th week Wardha 37,276; 8th week Bhopal (6 days) 1,09,859; Jaipur 72,566; Hyderabad 6,74,342 from 4 cinemas (2 in noon).

________

Chhota Chetan (partly dubbed, revived, 3-D) is super-strong wherever it is tax-free. 5th week Bombay (TF) 20,34,917 (95.44%) from 3 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Rajkot 88,960; 3rd week Solapur (TF) 93,751; 5th week Delhi (TF) 15,88,902 from 3 cinemas; 4th week Kanpur 59,194; 1st week Hyderabad 5,59,757, good.

Dildaara (Punjabi) 1st week Amritsar 49,460, entered 2nd week in Ludhiana.

________

Titanic (English) 11th week Bombay 26,33,202 (85.52%) from 6 cinemas (4 on F.H.); 10th week Delhi 13,88,752 from 4 cinemas; 2nd week Kanpur 1,54,643, 4th Lucknow 2,49,598; 11th week Calcutta (6 days) 3,19,934; 3rd week Nagpur 2,26,352 (95.38%); 1st week Jaipur 5,56,428 from 2 cinemas; Vijayawada 10 weeks’ total 32,76,898, Visakhapatnam 10 weeks’ total 31,39,008.

SHAKTI SAMANTA UNWELL

Producer-director Shakti Samanta took unwell last week and has been advised rest. He is recuperating at home.

UNSPENT SERVICE CHARGE CAN BE CARRIED FORWARD FOR 2 YEARS

The government of Maharashtra has amended the provisions of the Bombay Entertainments Duty Act by an ordinance promulgated by the governor on 1st May. The ordinance empowers the cinema proprietor to carry forward the unspent amount of tax-free service charge for expending in the two immediately following financial years. Earlier, the proprietor was required to spend the entire amount of service charges collected, in the same financial year in which it was so collected. But by the amendment of 1st May, 1998, the cinema owner is allowed to carry forward unspent amount of service charges for two financial years immediately following the financial year in which the amount has remained so unspent.

NEW CINEMA OPENS IN AURANGABAD

A new cinema, Nupur Cinetorium, opened on 22nd May in Aurangabad. Owned by Rajesh Patel of Raj group, it is equipped with DTS and Ultra Stereophonic sound. The cinema is air-cooled and is located near the fire station on Jalna Road.

Producer Smita Thackeray formally inaugurated it. Chandrakant Khaire, minister for forest and environment, Maharashtra, presided over the function.

DTS SOUND AT PANCHSHEEL, AMRAVATI

DTS sound system has been installed at Panchsheel cinema, Amravati. Titanic opened there on 21st May.

LAXMIKANT CRITICAL

Music director Laxmikant is seriously ill and has been admitted to Nanavati Hospital, Bombay, for cancer and kidney failure.

KANNADA FILM ACTRESS SERIOUSLY INJURED

Kannada film actress Nivedita Jain suffered severe head injuries after she fell down from her second floor house in Bangalore on the night of 17th May. She was trying to relax on the three-foot parapet wall on her terrace when she lost her balance and fell to the concrete floor 36 feet below. She was injured in the face and head and also fractured a hand. She was rushed to a nursing home from where she was shifted to a hospital. Nivedita slipped into a coma but her condition improved three days later.

According to a report, she opened her right eye on 20th and even recognised one of her friends.

CHANNELS OF CENSORSHIP: FFI TO DISCUSS

The Film Federation of India has convened a meeting on 26th May at IMPPA House in Bombay to discuss the film industry’s views on I & B minister Sushma Swaraj’s proposal to set up red and green channels of film censorship. Sushma Swaraj had, in the film industry and FICCI’s national conference on 10th May, expressed a view of having a green and a red channel of censorship. She invited view points on the subject from the industry. After the meeting of 26th May, the FFI will hold discussions with the government and present its views on the issue.

TALAT MAHMOOD HAD NO ILLNESS

Khalid, son of late singer Talat Mahmood, has clarified that his father never suffered from Parkinson’s disease nor was he ever paralysed, as mentioned in press reports covering the news of Talat Mahmood’s death on 9th May. He has also made it clear that Talat did not suffer a stroke or, for that matter, had not contracted any other kind of illness. Advancing age and an aversion to any kind of physical exercise regime (like daily walks etc.) was what had made the singer frail, slowing him down considerably and making him withdraw from public appearances in later life.

YOU ASKED IT

What is the rough estimate of losses the industry has faced in the first four months due to the line of flops?

– Approximately 50 crore!

Which film of Amitabh Bachchan will be released first — Major Saab or Lal Baadshah?

– MAJOR SAAB may come before LAL BAADSHAH. Although the post-production work of LAL BAADSHAH is in progress, shooting of six to eight days still remains to be done.

What are the ratios of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se and Yash Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?

– 2 crore each.

DO YOU KNOW?

* With I & B minister Sushma Swaraj having expressed a desire to have a woman as chairperson of the Censor Board, speculations are rife in the industry that it may be Asha Parekh who will now occupy the post.

* A trial show of Ram Gopal Varma’s SATYA was organised at Famous-Mahalaxmi earlier this week, specially for top police officers of Bombay. Reportedly, they loved the film.

* Deepa Mehta’s FIRE, which has a very bold subject, has been passed by the CBFC’s examining committee, without a single cut. It has, of course, been certified for adults only.

* Two forthcoming films — KAREEB and SATYA — will be released with limited prints in Bombay city and suburbs as well as Maharashtra.

* Raju Mavani’s IMTIHAN (Sunny Deol, Raveena Tandon and Saif Ali Khan) will be revived by Dilsa Distributors Combine in Bombay under a new title, AASHIQ BANA GHATAK. The title has its origin in Saif’s successful starrer, AASHIK AAWARA, and Sunny Deol’s GHATAK.

* The first few reels of MARD (released this week) are technically faulty. The sound is not clear in those reels.

* Bombay distributor Sanjay Chaturvedi had to personally fly on Friday with four prints of MARD to Rajkot, for release in Saurashtra, because of the cancellation of Thursday’s train (which would have otherwise carried the prints).

* Cinemagic, the third cinema owned by the Kanakias (the first two being Cinemax and Cinestar), will open in Andheri (Bombay) in June-July ’98. This mini cinema has come up where earlier stood Darpan cinema. It has a capacity of about 350 seats.

* Following the popularity of Mukesh Khanna’s TV serial, SHAKTIMAN, especially among children, some gutka and supari manufacturers have launched their products under the name of ‘Shaktiman’. Mukesh Khanna has decided to move the court against these manufacturers.

* So moved was Katita Krishnamoorthy by the song she lent her voice to recently for the mentally handicapped children of Thakur Hariprasad Institute in Hyderabad that she donated her remuneration for the song to the Institute and also promised to visit the Institute. The song was recorded in Bombay at Inderjeet Singh’s Innovision Studios.

* JAB PYAAR KISISE HOTA HAI opened at Abhishek Talkies, Khandwa yesterday (22nd May) with prizes in a lucky draw scheme announced by the cinema management. The prizes for the holders of the lucky tickets included a refrigerator, a mixer, a TV set, etc. Unfortunately, the opening show recorded only 35% collections. At Smruti cinema, Nagpur, where JEANS was released last week, the cinema management and Arvind Mills Ltd. joined hands and organised a lucky draw in which 28 lucky winners were given a pair of Ruf-n-Tuf jeans each.

Star? But Where’s The Pulling Power?!?

The unexpectedly unexciting opening of Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai this week has sent shivers down the spines of trade people. Salman Khan has had a hit in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, and this is his first release after that. One would have expected JPKHH to open to bumper houses. Why, PKTDK had had a fantastic initial. But JPKHH did not draw full houses on the opening day or even in the opening shows in Bombay, parts of U.P., Bengal, C.P.C.I. and Nizam. In East Punjab and Rajasthan, even the main cinemas weren’t full! The opening of JPKHH once again underlines the fact that today, no stars — repeat, no stars — are worth their prices. Two weeks back, Duplicate had opened to houses which were way below expectations. The high expectations were born out of the super-success of DTPH and the success of Pardes, the two releases of Shah Rukh Khan prior to Duplicate. So, the conclusion is: no star deserves the price he is demanding, whether he is Shah Rukh or Salman or Sunny Deol. The second conclusion, which is a corollary to the first one, is: producers are pricing their films too much on the higher side, on the assumption that stars sell. But the openings of the recent releases show that stars do not sell as far as the paying public goes. The importance of both, super-hit music and ‘hot’ titles to ensure good openings, cannot be under-estimated.

Problem Of Strictness, Not Of Time

I & B minister Sushma Swaraj has suggested the formation of two channels — a green and a red one — of censorship on the lines of the green and red channels for customs. When a passenger coming to India from a foreign country does not have any imported  goods to declare (and, therefore, has no duty to pay), he can pass through the customs’ green channel and thereby save time. The red channel is for those who have to pay customs duty.

But one wonders what purpose the green channel of censorship would serve. The industry does not feel that film censorship takes too much time. What it definitely feels is that censorship is too strict and also futile in today’s times. So what the industry is looking for is complete abolition of censorship or, if that is not possible, leniency in censorship. The green channel would not serve either of the demands. Besides, with the producer passing through the green channel being prone to be severely punished if his film is found to have flouted the censor guidelines, one wonders whether any producer would in the first place opt for the green channel. After all, if a producer is so confident of getting an all-clear certificate, why would he go through the green channel? He would, obviously, opt for the red channel so that he doesn’t have to fear being penalised in future if something objectionable is found in his film at a later date.

The Film Federation of India, which will meet on 26th May to discuss the feasibility of the green and red channels of censorship, may well realise the futility of such channels to solve the real problems of censorship.

– Komal Nahta

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Trailer Tattle

Distributors in Delhi are an enterprising lot. As soon as they receive the trailers of their due-for-release films, they hold a screening of the same for the trade people. If the trade-wallahs vanish from the scene quickly after the screening of the trailer, the interpretation is that the trailer has been disliked and, therefore, exhibitors will not be too ‘hot’ on the film. But if they accompany the films’ distributor to his office after the screening, it means, the film is ‘hot’! The distributor, in this case, can heave a sigh of relief.

Delivering Bombs

It hasn’t been a very rosy career for both, ex-Miss Universe Sushmita Sen and ex-Miss World Aishwarya Rai. Films of both the beauties have bombed. Not just that, the cinegoers haven’t really gone ga ga over their performances, too. When the audience refused to hear Sushmita’s initial knocking at the box-office with Dastak, she bravely tried to make a forceful comeback with Zor. Sadly for her, the film proved too weak to stand on its own feet, what to talk of supporting Sushmita. Aishwarya’s first film, …Aur Pyar Ho Gaya, was such a disaster that the public anything but fell in love with her. Her second feature film was Mani Ratnam’s Tamil Iruvar and it proved to be such a big disaster that all plans to dub the film in Hindi had to be shelved. Now, with her recent release in Hindi, Jeans (dubbed), proving to be too ill-fitting for the distributors, it is evident that the public has once again ignored her graceful beauty. Wonder, whether these beauties charge bombastic prices for delivering beautiful bombs?

Many Firsts

The Gujarati film, Mara Saayba Ni Chundadi, which rolled on 15th May in Ahmedabad, has achieved a number of firsts for Gujarati films already. It is producer Rajendra Butala’s first production venture. Butala is one of the leading figures of Gujarati stage with a number of successful stage-plays to his credit. His dramas have run to packed houses even in the USA. Director Arvind Vaidya, too, makes his debut with this film, after a long and successful stint as an actor on Gujarati stage and in TV serials. In fact, the career track record of the producer was so impressive that Mehboob Shaikh and Yusuf Shaikh of Yen Movies, Ahmedabad, bought the film’s distribution rights for Gujarat territory on the day it was launched. This is the first time they will be distributing a Gujarati film. This is also, perhaps, the first time a Gujarati film has gone on floors with a bound script. The film was scheduled to be completed in one month, but going by its progress in the first week of shooting, producer Butala is confident of winding up three days ahead of the schedule. Incidentally, the film is based on one of Butala’s ultra-successful plays.

Favouritism In Andhra

The Telugu Desam government in Andhra Pradesh has been accused of bias and favouritism in the grant of subsidy to Telugu films produced in the state. The state government has a policy of paying a subsidy of Rs. 3 lakh in order to encourage the local film industry. However, the state’s Film Development Corporation, which makes the subsidy payments, has reportedly been facing a financial crunch and has not paid any subsidy for the past three years. As a result, a large number of producers are waiting to receive their subsidy, and the government’s dues on this count total a whopping Rs. 3 crore. In this scenario, the payment of Rs. 30 lakh by way of subsidies to each of two producers, Doraiswamy Raju and M.S. Reddy, for their films made in 1997 throws up a number of allegations of governmental bias. The government policy allows payment of a maximum subsidy of Rs. 30 lakh for “good films”. Pertinent to note that while Raju is a sitting MLA of the ruling Telugu Desam Party, Reddy is perceived to be very close to chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. It seems obvious that the Corporation was pressurised by the chief minister to make the two payments. The proximity of the two producers to the ruling party apart, it does seem improper on the part of the government to pay Reddy in full even when he is reported to owe the government more than Rs. 30 lakh as interest on the amount he had taken for the construction of his recording studio. The directors of the Film Development Corporation, including well-known producers Suresh Babu, K.L. Narayana and T. Bhardwaj and managing director Kishan Rao, are reportedly considering conveying their protest to the chief minister soon.

JEANS
(Dubbed)

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

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

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

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

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

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

HITLER

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

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

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

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

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

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

LATEST POSITION

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

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

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

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

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

……….

RAMESH TAURANI BEREAVED

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

SUBHASH GHAI TO LAUNCH HI-TECH STUDIO

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

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

MANOJ KHIVASARA TO WED

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

GRAND-DAUGHTER FOR KISHINCHAND JANIANI

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

CINEMA TO REOPEN

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

YOU ASKED IT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Golden Voice Talat Mahmood Is Dead

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DO YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIX MASALA

TIT FOR TAT?

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

IN & OUT OF BOMBAY

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

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

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

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

INDUSTRY STATUS FOR FILM INDUSTRY AT LAST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NO ABOLITION OF CENSOR BOARD

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

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

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

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

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

HINDI: INDUSTRY’S GREATEST CONTRIBUTION

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

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

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

FICCI & FILM INDUSTRY

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

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

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

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

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

PUNITIVE TAXES

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

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

EXTORTION MONEY, NOT ENTERTAINMENT TAX

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

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

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

SERIOUS BUSINESS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HIGHLY DISCRIMINATORY

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

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

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

INSURANCE FACILITIES

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

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

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

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

Mixed Reactions To Industry Status

B.R. CHOPRA

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

BHARAT SHAH

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

RAMESH SIPPY (Bombay distributor)

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

SAAWAN KUMAR TAK

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

U.A. THADANI

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

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Figures Frighten Him; His Figures Frighten All

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

Rather Funny

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

‘Double Role’ Party

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