It took several years for the box-office record of Bahubali 2: The Conclusion (Hindi dubbed) to be broken by Pathaan. How many years will it now take for the record of Pathaan to be surpassed?

– There’s no science or mathematical calculation to arrive at the answer to your question. It could happen within a few weeks or it could take several years for the record of PATHAAN to be broken. 

Why did Bholaa not touch even Rs. 100 crore? Does it mean that the film was rejected by the audience?

– Had BHOLAA been rejected by the public, it wouldn’t have been possible for it to cross Rs. 75 crore in three weeks. Its complete alienation of the ladies and family audience restricted its appeal to the mass base of audience only. Another reason why it could not inch its way to the Rs. 100-crore mark is the fact that lakhs of people had already seen the original, Tamil KAITHI (of which BHOLAA is a remake), on the various platforms available, either with subtitles or dubbed in Hindi.

Will Salman Khan’s next be Sooraj Barjatya’s film?

– Yes, Salman Khan will star in Sooraj Barjatya’s next. But it will be a few months before that film starts.

Has the matter of allotment of shows to Pushpa: The Rule Part 2 (Hindi dubbed) and Baby John from 25th December been resolved between the exhibitors and the producers/distributors of the two films?

– Yes, it was resolved late last night. Read details elsewhere in our issue.

Why did Vanvaas not open well today (20th December)? Is it because of the Pushpa 2 wave?

– VANVAAS opened to a lukewarm response partly because of the continuing craze for PUSHPA 2. But it is also a fact that even otherwise, the promotion of VANVAAS had not caught the fancy of the public. So, a dull initial for the film was on the cards.       

Is there a slump in production activity in Bollywood?

– Yes, there is a decline in the number of films being announced and started because producers and stars are in a confused state of mind about what to make. A wrong step could prove to be an expensive mistake.

Is the success of The Kashmir Files unparalleled?

– This success story reminds one of the runaway success of JAI SANTOSHI MAA in 1975.

Will the unimaginable success of The Kashmir Files change the way films are made and will it also prompt filmmakers to make serious films now?

– There will be a handful of producers who will announce serious films, now that THE KASHMIR FILES is such a huge hit, but please don’t expect the entire industry to change because of one film, howsoever huge its success. This is like saying that after the stupendous success of JAI SANTOSHI MAA in 1975, producers only made mythological films. But we all know, that’s not true.

Would Bachchhan Paandey have done well at the box-office if The Kashmir Files was not so strong in its second week?

– The business of BACHCHHAN PAANDEY was slightly adversely affected because of THE KASHMIR FILES but to think that if it would not have had to face the opposition of THE KASHMIR FILES, its fate would’ve changed is baseless. We’ve had two films releasing on the same day and both clicking at the box-office. GADAR EK PREM KATHA and LAGAAN were simultaneously released, and both were hits. There are other similar examples.

Will the business of Dhurandhar: The Revenge surpass that of Dhurandhar? I ask this question because the music of the sequel is not as hit as of the first part.

– Going by the super-flying start which DHURANDHAR: THE REVENGE has taken, it seems all set to surpass the business of the first part. The ticket rates for the sequel have been hiked — not just in the big cities but also in ‘B’ class centres. Incidentally, it is not a rule that only films with super-hit music can work wonders at the box-office.    

What are your expectations for the first weekend’s all-India net collections of Dhurandhar: The Revenge?

– Rs. 350-plus crore in the first 4-day weekend (and including the paid previews)!!!!     

Why are there no major films releasing in the next two weeks?

– Perhaps, to avoid being wiped out by the tsunami called DHURANDHAR: THE REVENGE.  

What kind of opening-day figures do you estimate for Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3?

– Rs. 40-45 crore and Rs. 30-32 crore respectively. You may be aware that in half of India, the Laxmi Pooja is now scheduled for 31st October rather than 1st November which is the day of the films’ release. Had 1st November been the day of Laxmi Pooja, the figures would’ve been lower because the Laxmi Pooja rituals keep a section of the audience away from the cinemas. For those who observe Diwali on 31st October, New Year will fall on 2nd November as there is no festival on 1st November. As for those performing the Laxmi Pooja on 1st November, the New Year’s Day will, of course, be on 2nd November. Incidentally, the community of traders in North India still maintains that the traders will perform Laxmi Pooja on 1st November. Call it confusion or two days of Laxmi Pooja, but the fact is that there is lack of clarity.

What, according to you, is the biggest takeaway from the deal for sale of 50% stake in Dharma Productions to Adar Poonawalla?

– For the trade, the biggest takeaway is that a person completely, wholly and absolutely unconnected with the film industry and not even remotely  related to it has invested Rs. 1,000 crore in the business.   

Will the Dharma-Poonawalla deal be a one-off case or will we now hear of more such deals?

– It is very likely that more such deals may happen in the months and years to come. The entry of Adar Poonawalla in the entertainment business may prompt more industrialists to get into the business.

Why did Brahmastra get mixed reviews last week?

– Probably because it is a completely new kind of film for the Hindi film-going audiences. That’s why most of the reviewers went wrong. They failed to appreciate the power of the absolutely outstanding VFX in the film. But the case of a couple of reviewers was pitiable: they gave the film bad reviews to ‘atone’ for their ‘sin’ of giving Karan Johar’s JUGJUGG JEEYO glowing reviews and even praising it for a couple of weeks after its release, to fool the people into believing that the film was a blockbuster. Of course, collections did not match their reviews and their positive comments for JUGJUGG JEEYO at all. To make up for their fake reviews for Karan’s JUGJUGG JEEYO, they decided to be ‘straightforward’ this time. But in their quest to give the impression that even they can be honest, they gave Karan’s new film, BRAHMASTRA, bad reviews. They made the second mistake by reviewing a hit film as a flop/disappointing film, only and only because they wanted to ‘correct’ their first mistake. Isn’t it sickening?

What is the minimum you expect Brahmastra to do in India?

– Refer to our review of BRAHMASTRA. We had predicted, and we quote from our review: “It has the potential to touch or almost touch the Rs. 100-crore mark in the first weekend, and touch or almost touch the Rs. 200-crore mark by the end of the second weekend.” To that, we now add that it has the potential to touch the Rs. 250-crore mark in its lifetime.

After Brahmastra, which film would you bet on?

– VIKRAM VEDHA. The film’s trailers have been loved by the public. The film should net at least Rs. 20-25 crore on the opening day (30th September).

Now that the trailer of Jawan is out, any guesses on the first day’s all-India net collections?

– It could be the highest ever opening for a Hindi film. Highest ever!

How many different characters does Shah Rukh Khan play in Jawan?

– Why do you want to spoil your fun and that of others by asking me to reveal the number? Wait for five more days, and you shall see for yourself on the sixth day.

Why is a big star-cast film, like this week’s Kushi, released in its Hindi dubbed avatar without any promotion?

– It’s indeed strange! The producers expect Hindi film audience to throng the cinemas without any awareness about the film or its release, which is like waiting for a miracle to happen, perhaps.

Which will be the first major release in cinemas, now that cinemas in Delhi have reopened?

– Perhaps, BADHAAI DO, starring Rajkumar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar and produced by Junglee Pictures. It was announced for release on 11th February, and luck seems to be favouring the producers.

Will Kichcha Sudeepa’s Vikrant Rona (dubbed) release on 24th February?

– No, it has been postponed. There is no new release date as yet.

What do you think of the clash of RRR and Bachchan Pandey on 18th March?

– As of now, both the films seem likely to be set to clash at the box-office on 18th March. Here, the comment made by Farhad Samji, director of BACHCHAN PANDEY, is worth reproducing. Says he, “I know, one should not take panga with RRR (Rajamouli, Rajkumar Hirani and Rohit Shetty) but we have no alternative. Therefore, we will be going ahead with releasing our film on 18th March.”