AARZOO
Dayavanti Pictures’ Aarzoo (UA) is a love triangle which is an insult to the viewer’s common sense. The story is one which has been seen in many films earlier and the screenplay is poor.
A rich girl is in love with a pilot but her father is keen that she get married to her childhood friend. The father’s keenness stems from the word he had given to the boy’s dying father. To ensure that his promise is fulfilled, the girl’s father hatches a conspiracy to kill the pilot and almost succeeds. But the pilot survives the stage-managed deadly accident and returns, after years, to seek revenge and win his girlfriend back (who by then is married to the same childhood friend and has also given birth to the pilot’s child). The pilot’s return coincides with the realisation that dawns on the lady about her husband’s (childhood friend’s) true love for her and she is ready to consummate her marriage after so many years. Torn between her lover and her husband, she finds herself in a dilemma but the convenient script, that doesn’t care for logic, comes to her rescue — her husband is killed in the climax, and she returns to her lover.
As the film progresses, one thing emerges quite clearly — that the sole intention of the producers was to make a fast buck and to take the distributors for a royal ride. For, although the film has been shot on eye-pleasing locations and has reasonably lavish song picturisations, no care has been taken of the script and even the making, the two most important things in a film. The cast seems to be totally disinterested.
The heroine shuttles between the two heroes as if she were a ping pong ball. Towards the film’s ending, it almost appears as if she is in a win-win situation because she is bound to get at least one of the two heroes! The pilot is presumed dead but when he returns after about seven years, his grouse is that his lady love did not have the patience to await his arrival! But how should the lady ever know that the pilot was alive? So why blame her? To justify the pilot’s grouse, the lame excuse given is that he (pilot) had written letters to her during that period — letters that never reached her. But when the pilot suspected foul play in the accident that almost claimed his life, why didn’t he suspect similar foul play in the communication through letters? Writer Reema Rakesh Nath and director Lawrence D’souza have no answer to this question as to innumerable others. For instance, why does the childhood friend cry at the girl’s engagement ceremony and guzzle drink after drink in spite of having voluntarily sacrificed his love? Why does the heroine not tell the pilot at the first given chance that her child had been fathered by him and not by her legally wedded husband? Why does the second hero’s diary, set afire, burn the whole room, but yet remain intact for the heroine to read it?
The film relies heavily on clichés. The ‘statue’ punch has not only been seen in many earlier films but has been done to death. The ‘Maa Sheranwali’ song springs up from nowhere and its relevance in the pre-climax (when the pilot’s letters come falling out from behind a Maa Sheranwali calendar) will be lost on the audience due to its poor handling. The point about the pilot being unconscious for several years together, sounds ridiculous! The comedy scenes in the first half are too poor to evoke laughter. The love angle of the childhood friend looks unbelievable as it is sought to be established through a dull song and his diary jottings. Care has not even been taken of the geographical details. The childhood friend returns from abroad but is received at the airport which also is located abroad! The confrontation between the lady and the pilot in the pre-climax is half-hearted. The last four to five reels of the film have been mixed wrongly — there’s no lip-sync with the dialogues spoken. The dialogues are routine.
Madhuri Dixit looks too mature and seasoned to play the role written for her. Even an excellent performer like her has not been able to rise above the dull script. She has, however, looked pretty at places. Akshay Kumar does an average job and looks lost in the second half. Saif Ali Khan is mechanical. Amrish Puri is so-so. Paresh Rawal is competent and raises laughter at places. Aroona Irani has been hopelessly wasted. Laxmikant Berde, too, has no worthwhile role. Reema, Tej Sapru, Mohan Joshi, Mukesh Rishi, baby Sadat, baby Ghazala and baby Sundas lend average support.
Lawrence D’souza’s camerawork is very good but the same can’t be said of his direction which is dull, to say the least. Music is a mixed bag. The ‘Ab tere dil mein’ is very well-tuned; the ‘Saajan’, ‘Tu soni kudi’ and title tracks are good. But the engagement song and the ‘Mehbooba’ number are poor. Foreign locations are extremely eye-pleasing. Action scenes look contrived. The gliding scene in the climax is unintentionally hilarious! Editing is poor. Background music is ordinary. Technically, weak (as mentioned above).
On the whole, Aarzoo is an insipid fare and an exercise in futility at the expense of gullible distributors who will stand to lose heavily.
Released on 18-3-’99 at Metro and 2 more cinemas and on 19-3-’99 at 15 other cinemas of Bombay by Dayavanti Distributors thru Shringar Films. Publicity: very good. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor in several circuits. (A disastrous drop in collections was noticed in cities like Indore on the 2nd day.)
RAMESH SHARMA SHOT AT
Producer Ramesh J. Sharma was shot at by unidentified persons on the evening of 19th March at Bandra Reclamation in Bombay. He was rushed to the nearby Lilavati Hospital at Bandra, where, at the time of going to the press, he was being operated upon. The operation, according to his wife, was to last five hours. The bullets were fired on his face and abdomen, it is learnt. Ramesh Sharma was supervising a set being erected for his BAAGHI when the assailants attacked. A couple of arrests have reportedly been made.
ANOTHER CINEMA CLOSED
One more cinema of Shahdol (C.I.) — Kiran — has downed shutters. Now, only one cinema is running at Shahdol.
U.P. GOVT. GETS TOUGH ON COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS
The Uttar Pradesh government has notified that all cable operators must produce before the district entertainment tax officer, the copyright certificates of all films to be shown on their networks, seven days prior to their telecast. It has further notified that in case a cable operator fails to produce the certificate at least three days before a film’s telecast, his licence would be revoked. Accordingly, all entertainment tax officers in the state have been directed to prepare a list of all films shown on cable TV and launch proceedings against defaulters in this regard. An additional licence fee of Rs. 100 per connection has also been levied on the cable operators apart from the existing annual fee of Rs. 2,400.
JAWAHARLAL BAFNA BACK HOME
Producer Jawaharlal Bafna, who had left home on 12th March after the release of his Aaag Hi Aag that day and who was untraceable since then, finally returned home on 15th night. He had been to Ahmedabad, says he.
NEW CINEMA IN BOMBAY
Sahitya Sangh Mandir in Bombay, which exclusively staged plays so far, has also begun screening films with Vahinichi Maya (Marathi; tax-free) from yesterday (19th March). The auditorium has a seating capacity of 818 and will screen only Marathi films in 2 shows daily. On weekdays, films will be screened in the 12.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. shows and on Saturdays and Sundays, in the 12.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. shows. The tax-free admission rates are Rs. 9.75, Rs. 12.85, Rs. 16 and Rs. 19.10. Further details about the cinema, controlled by Shenoy (of Milap cinema, Kandivli, Bombay), can be had on telephone nos. 385-6303/387-6158.
INDIA’S FIRST MULTIPLEX IN AHMEDABAD
Come 30th April and Ahmedabad will have a designer multiplex called City Pulse Entertainment Complex. Located on the Ahmedabad Gandhinagar expressway, this complex has three cinemas with seating capacities of 550, 450 and 240. There is a common projection room. Besides the cinemas, it has restaurants, fast food joints, bowling alleys, video parlours, an art gallery, 5-star suites and a swimming pool.
The cinema complex has been constructed by Ashok Purohit who is also a leading architect of the walled city of Gujarat. The cinemas will be managed by Nandu Bohra.
VATSA OFFICE ATTACKED: RAVI BURMAN ESCAPES UNHURT
A group of depositors of Vatsa Corporation Limited attacked the Vatsa Music office at Fort (Bombay) recently. They also threatened to beat up Ravi Burman, the chairman of the company.
Due to persisting financial problems, Vatsa has not been able to pay back the interest money and principal amounts to its depositors.
The mob forcibly entered the premises, breaking the glass door, window panes and other furniture. Burman, who was in his cabin, escaped unhurt.
PRODUCER ASHOK ROY DEAD
Producer Ashok Roy died at a hospital in Bombay on 19th March due to a liver problem. He was 63 and is survived by his son, Sanjay Roy (who is working as Vimal Kumar’s chief accountant), and a daughter.
Ashok Roy had produced Ek Khilari Bawan Pattey. Before turning producer, he used to work as the general manager of J. Om Prakash’s production concern. He also worked as the production incharge of Surinder Kapoor’s company and N.P. Ali’s company.
MOTI SAGAR DEAD
Yesteryears’ hero Moti Sagar passed away on 14th March in Bombay following a cardiac arrest. He was 72 and is survived by three daughters, including singer Preeti Sagar and television anchor-person Namita Sagar.
Moti Sagar had acted in films like Apna Ghar, Burma Road and Chhoti Chhoti Batein. At the time of his death, he had been producing and directing the TV serial Phulwari Bachchon Ki since the last seven years.
MUSIC DIRECTOR EJAZ HUSSEIN NO MORE
Music director Ejaz Hussein of the music director duo Pradeep Udhas – Ejaz Hussein passed away in Bombay on 6th February due to a cardiac arrest. The duo has composed the music for the ready-for-release Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya. Ejaz is survived by his wife and two sons.
FIRST SUPERMAN OF FILMS PASSES AWAY
Kirk Alyn, the first Superman of films, died on 14th March in Woodlands, Texas (USA). He was 88. Kirk, at the age of 37, played the title role in Columbia’s Superman for the first time and once again played Superman in Atom Man Vs. Superman in 1950.
PRODUCTION NEWS
‘Haseena Maan Jayegi’ Last Schedule
Anu Malik recorded the seventh and last song of Rahul Productions’ Haseena Maan Jayegi on March 16 at Empire Audio Centre. It was penned by Sameer and rendered by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik. The film is being produced by Smita Thackeray and directed by David Dhawan. The last two songs of the film will be picturised from March 24 to 30 in Bombay on Sanjay Dutt, Govinda, Karisma Kapoor and Aroona Irani. Also in the cast are Pooja Batra, Paresh Rawal, Kader Khan, Satish Kaushik, Mohan Joshi, Aasif Sheikh and Anupam Kher alongwith Bindu and Asrani in guest appearances. Story-screenplay: Yunus Sejawal and Imtiaz Patel. Dialogues: Rumi Jafri. Cinematography: K.S. Prakash Rao. Action: Mahendra Verma. Art: R. Verman. Dances: Ganesh and B.H. Tharun Kumar. Sound: Vinod Potdar. Editor: A. Muthu. The film is presented by Bharat Shah and is being readied for June 24 release all over.
‘Sooryavansham’ Post-Production Work In Madras
Padmalaya Combines’ Sooryavansham was shot from March 1 to 16 in Hyderabad. Climax scenes and a song were picturised on the entire cast. Dubbing of the film began on March 17 at Media Arts in Madras. Amitabh Bachchan is completing his dubbing first. The recording of background music will begin from March 26. The shooting of the film is already complete except for the picturisation of two songs to be done from March 31 to April 9. The film is being readied for release on May 6. Others in the cast are Soundarya, Anupam Kher, Bindu, Shivaji Satam, Mukesh Rishi, Jaya Kapoor, Rachna Banerjee, master Anand Vardhan and Kader Khan. Producer: G.A. Seshagiri Rao. Director: E.V.V. Satyanarayana. Story: Vikraman. Music: Anu Malik. Lyrics: Sameer. Dialogues: Aadesh K. Arjun. Choreography: Chinni Prakash. Cinematograhy: S. Gopal Reddy.
MUSIC INFORMATION
HMV Celebrates 50 Years Of R.K.
HMV has released a 3-cassette pack of R.K.’s hits, titled ‘R.K. Films – A 50 Year Celebration’.
CENSOR NEWS
A.K. International’s Anari No. 1, applied on 16th and seen on 17th, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/1/15/99 (U) dt. 18-3-’99; length 4573.52 metres in 18 reels (no cut).
D.M.S. Films’ International Khiladi, seen on 15th, has been issued C.C. No. CIL/3/14/99 (A) dt. 19-3-’99; length 5270.83 metres in 18 reels (cuts: 99.19 metres).
Matharu Films’ Lafda was given C.C. No. CIL/3/13/99 (A) dt. 12-3-’99; length 3972.95 metres in 15 reels (cuts: 191.48 metres).
Gulab Films’ Bhoot Ka Darr was given C.C. No. CIL/1/14/99 (U) dt. 17-3-’99; length 2327.17 metres in 13 reels (no cut).
Goel Screencraft’s Safari has been passed with U certificate, with minor cuts.
Karishma International’s Jaanam Samjha Karo, see on 16th, has been passed with U certificate, with cuts.
2000 Films’ Tan Aggan (revised) has been passed for adults, with cuts.
Well Make Films’ Kaamdev has been refused certificate.
YOU ASKED IT
What is the meaning of Gaj Gamini, the title of M.F. Hussain’s film? Is Shah Rukh Khan playing a role in the film.
– The title signifies a woman who has the gait (walk) of an elephant. Yes, Shah Rukh Khan will make a special appearance in the film.
What do you think of the multiple film awards functions?
– It’s a joke, so just enjoy it! Jokes apart, the awards functions serve to fan the massive egos of the industry people who will keep cribbing about them and yet keep attending all of them and, maybe, even performing in them.
How is it that Deepak Sareen has not bagged any directorial assignment after the success of Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai?
– Maybe, because of his shy disposition, he may not be pushing himself in this dog-eat-dog industry. He is already directing Tips’ ALBELA. A couple of more announcements with Deepak as director are on the cards.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Talent Waiting To Be Tapped
Mazhar Kamran is an interesting person to talk to, apart from being an ace cinematographer that he, obviously, is, as proved in Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya and Kaun. A graduate from FTII, Pune, Kamran got his first big break when Muzaffar Ali (he directed Umrao Jaan, remember?) offered him the lesser-known Husn-E-Jaana for BiTV. A few documentaries and short films later, Kamran landed the plum assignment of cinematography of Satya. At that point, Satya had already been shot 25% by American cinematographer Gerard Hooper. Recounting the experience, Kamran says, “I was extremely surprised when Varma offered me Satya. He had called me after a common friend had suggested my name to him. We had a very informal chat. At the end of it, he told me, ‘You are doing my film.’ Just like that, I asked him if he would like to see my previous work, and he said that there was no need for it. He said, as long as I was confident of doing my job, he had no problems!” That Kamran not only did his job, but more, is evident from the ‘real’ visual appeal of Satya. This must have been the reason why Ram Gopal Varma signed Kamran on for his next, Kaun, a couple of weeks before the release of Satya.
Kamran is currently negotiating a few offers, but “nothing concrete at the moment”. He feels that not knowing many people in the industry may prove to be a disadvantage for him. But that shouldn’t come in the way of real talent, should it?
Love Is In The Air…
And this snippet requires absolutely no comment. Take a look at the films lined up for release in the next few weeks — Silsila Hai Pyar Ka, Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya, Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi, Pyar Koi Khel Nahin.
Now, if only everyone in the industry loved each other so much. Alas…..
Dream Merchant
It’s An Ad Mad World Of Bollywood
Film artistes are doing more commercial advertisements than films these days. Or so it appears if you go by the number of times the commercials are repeated every day on every satellite channel. Aamir Khan may not have sold his Sarfarosh the way he is hard-selling Coke these days. Cool dude Salman Khan makes you reach out for the cool Thums Up in its commercial even as he ‘sells’ Jaanam Samjha Karo in another ad. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Ranee Mukerji, the trio that made millions of hearts go aflutter in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, are these days trying to sell you Pepsi. And so, naturally, I had to dream about our stars and the products they’d endorse.
Sunny Deol was the ideal choice for Iodex. His back problem is by now as famous as his dare-devil stunts on screen. Imagine Sunny Deol exhorting the public to buy Iodex with the line,
“Iodex maliye, shooting pe chaliye.”
Govinda, I dreamt, was trying very hard to bag the ad film of HMT Watches, after the commercial of Godrej’s Ganga Soap in which he acted under the direction of none other than Shekhar Kapur. But the HMT people were wary of his reputation of being late everywhere. Govinda, it seems, put them at ease by writing his own ad script for HMT:
Main to late late jaa raha tha
Main to producers ko sataa raha tha
Late late ja raha tha
Producers ko sataa raha tha
Achhee ghadi na mili to main kya karoon
Achhee ghadi na mili to main kya karoon
After this song, Govinda would break into a jig with the following song:
O kaale patte wali tera naam toh bata
O gol dial wali tera naam toh bata
Tera naam toh bata, tera naam toh bata
Obviously, the naam of the gold dial and kaale patte wali watch will be HMT. After the HMT blah-blah, Govinda would finally announce in his typical English:
I was always late
Till Watch No. 1 became my new mate
Now you see my success rate
It will really be great.
Last heard, Govinda was late for the shooting of the commercial by just 14 hours. And so, he’s out!
Kashmira Shah had been roped in for the Roopam ad. The ad was short, like her mini dresses in films, and sweet, not like the fate of some of her releases. Clad in clothes, Kashmira would announce:
“Jee haan, main bhi kapde pehenti hoon
Agar woh Roopam ke ho”.
Ting Tong!!
The makers of Moov ointment, I dreamt, were roping in the all-India distributors of films starring Akshay Kumar and Akshaye Khanna. “Aa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a hamari kamar”, the distributors would wail in chorus.
“Kamar mein dard hai?”,
Akshay Kumar would ask.
“Toh Moov lagaao”,
Akshaye Khanna would advise.
“Arrey nahin, hamari toh
kamar toot gayee re,
aisi filmein release kar-kar ke”,
the distraught distributors would reply.
“Toh phir Move ho jaao”,
Akshaye would say,
“Aur hamari agli filmein mat kharido”,
Akshay Kumar would conclude.
Shah Rukh Khan would advertise for Balbharti Learner’s Hindi Academy.
“Jaise maine seekhi, aap bhi
seekhiye — shudh Hindi —
Balbharti Learner’s Hindi Academy se.
K.K.K.K…..se Kiran.
D….D….D…. se Darr.”
Aishwarya Rai seemed to be the first choice for the Kitply ad film. The whole ad would be in the same format as at present except for the end. In the ad currently on air, the model, drenched in pouring water, shouts, “Arrey bhai, main Kitply nahin hoon.” In the new ad, a drenched Aishwarya, clad in Jeans, would sob,
“Arrey bhai, aur paani daalo,
aakhir main bhi Kitply hi hoon.”
The only hitch is, the wooden actress is demanding the price of rosewood for the Kitply commercial.
K.C. Bokadia and Amitabh Bachchan would come together again. No, no, not for a feature film but for an ad film. In the typical Bokadia style, the product to be advertised would be decided later but the catchline had already been finalised. Just like Bokadia’s scripts are finalised after his shooting schedules! Anyway, without being bitchy, let’s come back to the catchline. Actually, one of the following two short-listed catchlines was to be finalised. While Bokadia preferred the former, Bachchan was keen on the latter. The two catchlines:
(1) Bore ka jhatka dheere se lage.
(2) Crore ka jhatka dheere se lage.
Rakesh Roshan, I dreamt, had been approached to appear in the commercial for Head & Shoulders Shampoo. Roshan Sr. was priding himself in the industry, saying that the H & S people had selected him, only because he was the only successful filmmaker who had his head on his shoulders. Did the others have their shoulders on their heads? Anyway, Rakesh Roshan would move round and round like Pooja Batra does in the Head & Shoulders commercial. Only thing, since Rakesh is bald, there wouldn’t be the healthy flowing hair. The punch-line would be:
Head & Shoulders apnaayen.
Na rahega baal, na bajegi dandruff ke kaaran band!
Quite a Bald & Beautiful ad, this.
Mahima Chaudhry, I dreamt, had been thrown out of the Nirma detergent ad. The ad filmmaker was none other than Raj Kanwar and, therefore, poor Mahima couldn’t get her lines properly. Perhaps, she was so obliged towards Raj Kanwar that she kept making a mistake. Instead of singing.
Nirma detergent tikiya
Iske jhaag ne jadoo kar diya,
the discovery of Subhash Ghai kept singing,
Nirma detergent tikiya
Iske Daag ne jadoo kar diya.
The ad film producer was livid. “Listen,” he thundered, “Nirma is for removing daags, not for creating daags. If we have to make a film for daag, we’d rather take Monica Lewinsky to act, and Bill Clinton to direct, not you and Raj Kanwar.” Mahima blushed — at the producer’s sense of humour — and wept at being thrown out.
Rambha had been signed for the Close Up commercial but language was her problem. Able to understand neither English nor Hindi, the sexy actress, nevertheless, flew from Madras for the shooting. She reported in a mini frock with cycling shorts underneath. Everytime the director shouted, “Action”, Rambha would lift her mini up. The perplexed director didn’t know what had hit this Rambha-ho-idli-sambhar-ho and ‘closed up’ on her. To his dismay, he realised that Rambha had mistaken the commercial as one for Clothes Up instead of Close Up! Curtains down!!
Salman Khan was planning to do a commercial for VIP Underwears. With his penchant for posing topless with his Calvin Klein underwear band showing from under his pants, the sexy Khan would declare:
“Ab yeh Under ki baat hai!”
The only product, perhaps, for which a suitable star was not being found was Fair & Lovely cream. When approached, Mamta Kulkarni said, she’d rather appear in an ad for Bare & Lovely. Hairy Anil Kapoor scoffed at the offer of Fair & Lovely and announced that he was due to shoot topless for a commercial of Hair & Lovely.
Gosh! I woke up with a start. I had dreamt too many things, some of them frighteningly funny and some scaringly stupid. It was, so to say, a Nightmare & Lovely!
– Komal Nahta