JEEO SHAAN SE
Prathima Distributors Pvt. Ltd.’s Jeeo Shaan Se (A) is neither here nor there. It doesn’t succeed in turning out to be either an entertainer or a proper love story or a crime film or even a revenge drama. The story is about three friends, two of whom are flirtatious by nature and the third is a simpleton. One of the two flirtatious guys always craves to have sex with a new girl! The intention, obviously, is to titillate the viewers. The other flirt has a father who has two look-alike brothers. Of the threesome, one (the father) is a businessman, the other is a professor and the third is a police inspector. An attempt is made to juxtapose the two tracks — of the three friends and of the three look-alikes — but without much success. Even the comedy turns out to be childish and of the kind which would only appeal to some front-benchers. At times, the comedy gets too irritating to be true. Like the story, the screenplay leaves plenty to be desired.
Dharmendra does an average job in a triple role. Ayub Khan, Jay Mehta and Vikas Bhalla are fair as the three friends. Monica Bedi, Saaxshi Shivanand and Rubina Khan give average performances as the sweethearts of the three friends. Mukesh Rishi is alright as the villain. Navneet Nishan has some light scenes which she carries off well. Sheeba dances sexily. Reena Roy, Neena Gupta, Bharat Kapoor, Harpal Singh and the rest fill the bill.
Direction is as poor as the script. Music is reasonably good. ‘Thoda thoda pyar’ and ‘Na khol tu pat ghoonghat ke’ are quite nice numbers. Song picturisations are fair. Action could have been better. Climax is predictable. Dialogues are ordinary. Photography and other technical and production values are alright.
On the whole, Jeeo Shaan Se is a poor show.
Released on 14-3-’97 at Naaz and 17 other cinemas of Bombay thru Dilsa Distributors Combine. Publicity: fair. Opening: poor. …….Also released all over.
LATEST POSITION
The examination period is taking its toll on the box-office, generally speaking. The additional holiday (Maha Shivratri) last week proved good for the film business.
Salma Pe Dil Aagaya meets with a disastrous fate. It had to be discontinued mid-week from some cinemas. 1st week Bombay 8,72,250 (41.03%) from 8 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,08,282 from 3 cinemas; Solapur (matinee) 5,195; Delhi 8,44,134 (36.55%) from 6 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 80,302 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 40,004, Agra 65,317, Varanasi 33,766; Amritsar 48,000; Nagpur 66,616 from 2 cinemas (1 for 4 days); Bhopal 64,298 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 1,80,780 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 9,72,594 from 8 cinemas (2 in noon).
Tamanna finds very limited patronage despite tax exemption in some states. 1st week Bombay 2,99,361 (66.31%) from 3 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad (TF) 94,989, Baroda (TF) 77,646; Delhi 6,15 372 (58%) from 2 cinemas; Lucknow 70,060, Varanasi 49,763; Calcutta 2,42,535; Jabalpur (TF, 6 days) 31,172, Bhilai (TF, 6 days) 29,876; Indore (TF) 67,032.
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Judaai, as predicted, has found acceptance after the initial resistance. It has picked up in several circuits like Gujarat (excellent), C.P. Berar, C.I. and Nizam and is steady in other circuits. 2nd week Bombay 15,19,703 (78.26%) from 6 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 8,09,192 from 4 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Baroda 1,53,195 (100%), Rajkot 1,42,165 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar 1,09,532 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 3,24,035 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,05,223; Belgaum 1,56,784, Dharwad 47,256; Delhi 22,42,494 from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 1,75,515, Lucknow 1,33,816, Agra 1,20,055 (1st 1,40,177), Allahabad 78,554 (1st 92,244), Varanasi 1,02,112 (1st 1,01,411), Meerut 1,06,231, Dehradun 79,798, Gorakhpur 97,544 (1st 1,01,677); Calcutta 13,20,020 from 13 cinemas; Nagpur 1,82,776 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 80,891, total 1,67,415, 1st Amravati 1,11,370, 2nd Akola 1,11,912 (1st 1,18,400), 1st week Dhule 89,263, 2nd Raipur 1,07,921 (1st 1,01,994), Bhilai 83,017; Indore 1,39,372 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,91,599 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,67,159 from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur 1,70,694 (1st 1,75,000); Hyderabad 5,33,626 from 3 cinemas.
Auzaar proves average in some circuits and losing in others. 2nd week Bombay 10,84,304 (67.80%) from 7 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,50,529 from 4 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Baroda 1,06,172, Rajkot (matinee) 18,509, Jamnagar (matinee) 8,623 (1 in regular unrecd.); Pune 2,45,196 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), 1st Solapur (14 shows) 82,203, Satara 56,525 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 2nd Delhi 7,94,481 from 6 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Kanpur 90,404, Lucknow 1,57,827, Agra 61,540, Allahabad 54,550, Varanasi 77,971, Meerut 1,02,633, Dehradun 48,000, Gorakhpur 55,000; Calcutta 1,70,047; Jabalpur 55,820, total 1,65,615, 1st week Amravati 97,457, 2nd Akola (26 shows) 36,529 (1st 65,555), Raipur 61,736, 1st Bhilai 83,637, 2nd Jalgaon (last) 45,230 (1st 1,16,203), Yavatmal 16,187 (1st 46,472), Bilaspur 50,019; Bhopal 1,12,755 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 1,83,771; Hyderabad 6,62,589 from 3 cinemas.
Hero No. 1 is going strong at several centres. 3rd week Bombay 18,35,328 (80.31%) from 8 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,97,539 from 3 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Baroda 1,52,808 from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 1,20,703, Jamnagar (matinee) 9,863; Pune 4,68,286 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 40,771, Satara (last) 23,809 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); 1st week Nipani 1,57,984; 3rd Delhi 19,70,053 from 7 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,55,943 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,42,719, Agra 1,28,432, Allahabad 62,000, 2nd week Dehradun 1,26,795, 3rd Gorakhpur 57,000; Calcutta 4,32,637 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 1,85,985 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,06,150, total 4,19,978, Akola 70,787 (2nd 81,072), total 2,71,614, Raipur 1,07,021, theatre record, Bhilai 55,170, 2nd Yavatmal 29,450 (1st 55,324); 3rd Indore 3,02,200 from 2 cinemas, Bhopal 1,89,185 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,84,471 from 2 cinemas, Bikaner 75,279; Hyderabad 6,41,101 from 4 cinemas, share 2,96,101.
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MAHARASHTRA CABINET TO TAKE UP ENT. TAX ISSUE
The issue of entertainment tax in Maharashtra is likely to be finally taken up in the cabinet meeting on 18th March. The industry is waiting with bated breath, expecting some relief, at least. The rate of entertainment tax, it may be recalled, was doubled to 100% from January 1, 1997.
I-T RAIDS YIELD RS. 16 CRORE
Documents recovered from the raids on film personalities by the income-tax department in December ’96 have indicated the possession of concealed income totally worth about Rs. 16 crore. Field officers of the department are conducting further investigations.
KANNADA FILM PRODUCER MURDERED
Unidentified assailants kidnapped noted Kannada film producer Chidambara Shetty (45) and beat him to death on the night of 13th March.
According to his wife, Usha, who had filed a complaint of kidnapping with the K.G. Nagar Police in Bangalore, five persons had come to their house around 4 p.m. on Thursday. They held discussions with the film producer regarding the loans he had taken from them for producing Kannada films earlier, and demanded repayment.
Usha complained to the police after she suspected foul play in the whole episode.
Shetty was asked to accompany them in a van to their office. His body was found inside the NIMHANS compound on the Siddapur Road junction on Friday morning. His body bore multiple assault injuries with a blunt weapon.
CINEMATOGRAPHER BURIED ALIVE
Bangalore-based cinematographer Vijay Kumar was buried alive during a shooting stint when a mound of mud caved in at Samod town near Jaipur, the police said on 14th March. The incident took place when Vijay Kumar was shooting for a scene for Shimadhamari from atop a mud hill on 13th. The film’s unit and other people tried their best to save him but he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
ALKA YAGNIK STARTS RECORDING STUDIO
Alka Yagnik launched her own recording and dubbing studio, A.B. Sounds, in partnership with her brother, Samir Yajnik, on 23rd February. This was done in memory of her late father, D.S. Yajnik, and was inaugurated by her mother, Shubha Yajnik.
The opening was attended by a large number of personalities from the music world, like Khayyam, Kalyanji, Anandji, Laxmikant, Pyarelal, Usha Khanna, Rajesh Roshan, Bappi Lahiri, Raamlaxman, Anand, Milind, Jatin, Lalit, Dilip Sen, Sameer Sen, Nadeem, Shravan, Anu Malik, Ajit Verman, Aadesh Srivastava, Uttam Singh, Javed Akhtar, Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet, Vinod Rathod, Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Sapna Mukherji, Suresh Wadkar, Mohd. Aziz, Shailendra Singh, Ila Arun, Ramesh Taurani, Amit Khanna, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Tabassum and others.
Recording will commence with the blessings of Khayyam who will be recording the song of his home production serial, on Alka’s birthday, March 20. It will be rendered by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik (the birthday girl).
The technical engineer and designer of the studio is veteran sound recordist Daman Sood, and the recordist is Shashi Kumar (of Bombay Lab).
The studio, A.B. Sounds, is located at 61, Row House, RSC-II, Park Street, Bungalow Owners’ Association, Lokhandwala, Andheri, Bombay. Phone: 6320385, 98210-44692.
YOU ASKED IT
Which is the best period to release a film?
– That during which your stars are favourable. Because, if your stars aren’t favourable, even the smallest of oppositions can prove to be disastrous for the film. And if your stars are favourable, the biggest of oppositions may not affect your film!
What is the industry’s reaction to the three recent murders of people connected with the film trade?
– While the industry is sorry about the murders, it can do precious little except sympathise with the kith and kin of the deceased.
Don’t you think, ABCL is rushing with the release of Mrityudaata, considering that even its music has not been released as yet?
– The producer knows the best when to get his film. Maybe, ABCL feels, a month-and-a-half is sufficient for the music to grow. The audio cassettes are being released today (15th March), and the film is scheduled for release on 25th April.
PRODUCTION NEWS
‘Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai’ Stint Complete
Director Deepak Sareen completed a 10-day shooting schedule of Tips Films (P.) Ltd.’s Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai this week at Mehboob Studios on a set and on Bombay locales. Salman Khan, Twinkle Khanna, Anupam Kher, Mushtaq Khan and Johny Lever participated. The film has music by Jatin Lalit, lyrics by Anand Bakshi, cinematography by Manmohan Singh, story by Honey Irani, dialogues by Javed Siddique and art direction by Sharmishtha Roy.
Paresh Rawal In ‘Loha’
Producer-director-writer Kanti Shah has signed Paresh Rawal to play a key role in Jockey Films’ Loha. It stars Dharmendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Divya Jaiswal, Mohan Joshi, Deepak Shirke, Shakti Kapoor, Shashikala, Sujata Mehta and Rami Reddy, with Govinda and Manisha Koirala in guest appearances.
‘Kachche Dhaage’
A further 9-day shooting stint of Tips Films (P.) Ltd.’s Kachche Dhaage began from March 14 at R.K. Studios on a set erected by Bijon Dasgupta. Choreographer Saroj Khan and director Bunty Luthria are picturising a song on Saif Ali Khan, Namrata Shirodkar and dancers. The film also stars Ajay Devgan, Govind Namdeo and Om Puri. Another heroine is yet to be finalised. It is based on a story and screenplay by Anjum Rajab Ali. Music: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Lyrics: Anand Bakshi.
ANNOUNCEMENT & LAUNCHING
Govind Nihalani Launches ‘Takshak’
Udbhav’s Takshak was launched on March 10 at Natraj Studios. The muhurt began with a musical rendition, specially composed by the film’s music director, A.R. Rahman, for the occasion. Thereafter, the dramatic muhurt shot was picturised on Ajay Devgan, Tabu, Amrish Puri and Rahul Bose. It underlined the film’s theme in a subtle manner. The set for the muhurt was erected by art director Nitin Desai. An image of sun radiating raw energy, cast in fibre glass, hung over the decorated stage.
The muhurt was followed by a press conference addressed jointly by Govind Nihalani, Amrish Puri, Tabu and Govind Namdeo. The film also stars Om Puri and Manoj Bajpai. A new girl will be finalised shortly. It is being written, produced, directed and cinematographed by Govind Nihalani. Dialogues by Kamlesh Pandey, and poems by Surya Bhanu Gupt are the other major credits.
The muhurt was very well-attended.
MUSIC INFORMATION
Venus Releases ‘Border’ Music In Style
Union defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was appropriately chosen as the chief guest at the function to release the audio cassettes of J.P. Dutta’s Border on March 8 at Hotel Sun N Sand. It was also not out of place to honour two war heroes, on the occasion. Brigadier K.S. Chandpuri and Air Marshall Bawa were felicitated, which created the mood for the release of the music of a film about war heroes and about the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The stage and lighting for the cassette release function were handled by Wizcraft.
The music of Border has been scored by Anu Malik and its lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar. The film is presented by Bharat Shah. The music is being marketed by Venus.
DO YOU KNOW?
* KOYLA has been booked at Metro, Ujjain, on fantastic terms.
* Although Aditya Chowksey (Prachi Films, Indore) is not the distributor of JUDAAI in C.I., he distributed handbills of the film (printed in his own mini press) among the public in Indore in order to publicise the film. Aditya says, he did this because he is “very fond of Boney uncle”.
* JUDAAI has surpassed in 2nd week the collections of 1st week at the following centres of Gujarat: Anupam, Ahmedabad by collecting 1,82,029/- (1st week was 1,58,968/-); Natraj, Ahmedabad 1,55,522/- (1st week was 1,55,255); Amber, Ahmedabad 1,63,016/- (1st week 1,49,920/-); Rajshri, Gandhinagar 3,32,546/- (1st week 3,05,668/-); Dreamland, Valsad 1,59,319/- (1st week 1,56,195/-).
Dream Merchant
The Industry’s Voluntary Disclosure Scheme
I must’ve had too much of the Union Budget in general and the proposed Voluntary Disclosure Scheme in particular. For, I dreamt of a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) with a difference.
I dreamt that a special Voluntary Disclosure Scheme had been announced for the film industry only, that too, for just one day. Under this Scheme, industry people had the liberty to disclose one major secret which they may have kept closely guarded all these years. Nobody would point an accusing finger at them, no questions would be asked, and their confessions or disclosures would not be used against the declarants. The voluntary disclosures had to be made at Film City where a huge set had been erected for the purpose by art director Nitin Desai.
The first to arrive at the VDS venue was Saawan Kumar Tak. He disclosed that he would henceforth never disclose that his dil kis pe aagaya. Tolu Bajaj was touched by his disclosure and I could see tears in Tolu’s eyes. In that tearful state itself, Tolu Bajaj took the mike and announced his disclosure, “From now on, I’ll never buy any film for three territories simultaneously except if it is directed by Indra Kumar. I’ve burnt my fingers badly in Trimurti and Salma Pe Dil Aagaya, both of which I released in Bombay, Delhi-U.P. and Nizam.
Mamta Kulkarni had come to Film City on crutches due to her fractured leg. It was quite a sight because it was for the first time that people were seeing her leg covered, even if it was just a plaster cover. Flashing her cute smile, Mamta spoke uninhibitedly, “I’ve come to say that the Voluntary Disclosure Scheme does not excite me. I would have appreciated if a Voluntary Exposure Scheme had been introduced.” The front-benchers cheered Mamta for her bold revelation!
Anu Malik apologised for coming late and said, he was held up at a copying session — sorry, recording session. His disclosure was quite revealing. He said, he had flicked the tunes of 14 songs of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, 27 of A.R. Rahman, and a record 169 of Shankar Jaikishen. When asked to further declare about tunes of other music directors, Anu swore, he didn’t remember the figures!
Amitabh Bachchan was pretty upset when he took the mike. “Haan, mujhe voluntary disclosure karna tha,” he thundered in a style that’s typical of him in a filmi climax, “lekin dus saal pehle — jab main karodon kamaata tha. Aaj, jab meri ABCL mein nuksaan hee nuksaan hai, main kya disclose karoon, haaeen? Kya main yeh disclose karoon ki ABCL ne 1995 aur 1996 mein kitna ghata kiya hai ya main yeh disclose karoon ki ABCL ki liabilities kis tarha badh rahi hai?” Amitabh would have gone on, so emotionally charged was he, but Mehul Kumar (who was seated among the audience) shouted “Cut, cut”.
Fardeen Khan, the debonair son of Feroz Khan, came jazzily dressed and was driving his car at breakneck speed. As he was getting off the car, I asked him why he was in such a tearing hurry. He replied equally hurriedly, “The discos are heading for closure, so I want to dance to my heart’s content.” I laughed and told him, it wasn’t a disco closure but rather a Disclosure Scheme. He looked sheepishly at me and fled from there.
After Fardeen, came Farheen. She refused to open her mouth and simply raised two fingers of her right hand. Did she want to declare Rs. 2 lakh income? “No,” she said, shaking hear head. Was it 2 crore? No again. Then was it do Arab? “Yes, yes,” she exclaimed, “I’ve got to voluntarily disclose do Arab — one is in my cupboard, and the other, under my bed.” I saw a number of people going red in the face. And a few young heroines getting green with envy!
Govinda disclosed that it was not always his ill-health that prompted him to cancel shootings. He said, he was fond of feigning illness and that his producers should, therefore, stop worrying about his high and low blood pressure.
Sridevi came with her new-born daughter in her arms. She said, she loved the film industry too much to agree to a judaai from it. So, she had decided to henceforth accept mother’s role, provided, of course, Anil Kapoor would play the father.
Madhuri Dixit put all speculation about whether she was still No. 1 to rest. She voluntarily disclosed that she was no longer the No. 1. When asked to name the new No. 1, Madhuri smiled, “I can’t disclose her name — voluntarily or involuntarily.”
Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon came hand-in-hand to make their declaration. Akshay spoke first, “We aren’t married,” he declared. Raveena was more honest when she said, “I want to voluntarily declare today that Akshay and I are very fond of talking lies.”
The last to arrive was Mahesh Bhatt. As is his style, he spoke philosophically of everything but the Voluntary Disclosure Scheme. He lamented that his Dastak and Tamanna, too, had bombed like several of his earlier films. “I think,” he spoke slowly, “it’s time for me to quit. This is my Voluntary Closure Scheme. Yes, I’d like to close shop…”
– Komal Nahta