KACHCHE DHAAGE
Tips Films P. Ltd.’s Kachche Dhaage (UA) is a thriller. The story of the misadventures of two step-brothers who are jointly framed for terrorist activities, the film deals with their travails as also their relationship and ultimately with how they come out of the frame-up. The first half is very good and credit for this goes to story and screenplay writer Anjum Rajabali who keeps the audience guessing about what the next scene would be. The second half becomes routine but again, once the revelation of the traitors comes, it becomes exciting and interesting. The ending, however, is hurried and looks quite abrupt. Romance is almost totally absent in the film which abounds in action. Emotions do touch the heart at a couple of places although there was scope for some more of them. Dialogues (Milan Luthria and Sanjay Chhel) are very good and punch-packed at several places. The little jokes between the two heroes are enjoyable.
Ajay Devgan does an excellent job as the illegitimate child angry with the whole world. He lends an impressive intensity to his character and uses his eyes to convey a lot of his emotions. Saif Ali Khan, as the flamboyant city boy, is truly lovable and easy-going. Between the two of them, they make the audience laugh at several places. Manisha Koirala has been wasted; she appears in songs and a few scenes but doesn’t get any scope whatsoever to act. She looks pretty. Namrata Shirodkar does quite well. Govind Namdeo is absolutely natural and shines as the overambitious police officer. Sadashiv Amarapurkar is effective. Vineet Kumar is good. Maya Alagh, S.M. Zaheer, Mahavir Shah, Rajesh Vivek, Annu Kapoor, Parmeet Sethi, Simran, Ishrat Ali, Sanjay Goradia and the rest lend good support.
Milan Luthria makes a reasonably confident debut as a director. Although his narration is not without avoidable flaws, he, nevertheless, shows the spark. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s music and Anand Bakshi’s lyrics make a good combination. ‘Dil pardesi ho gaya’, ‘Ishq di galli’ and ‘Dil dena hee painda hai’ are wonderful songs. The ‘Dhola’ number is also very melodious but it comes at an inappropriate time. The ‘Nawazta hai jo sabko woh dilnawaz hai tu’ qawwali, rendered by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, is excellent and holds special appeal for the Muslim audience. Its picturisation too is beautiful. But a couple of other songs should have had better picturisations. Tinnu Verma’s action scenes and thrills are brilliant. In fact, action is a major plus point of the film. The train sequence is quite breathtaking. Camerawork (Gopal S. Reddy) is wonderful. Editing is crisp. Background score is very effective.
On the whole, Kachche Dhaage has an appealing first half, abundant action, melodious music and praiseworthy performances of the two heroes on the plus side but too routine a second half on the weak side. Having taken a flying start, it will yield returns to its distributors. The film has special appeal for Muslim centres.
Released on 19-2-’99 at Maratha Mandir and 22 other cinemas of Bombay thru Devgan’s Entertainment. Publicity & opening: excellent. (A record number of 82 prints have been released in a record number of 101 cinemas in the circuit.) …….Also released all over. Opening was extraordinary in U.P., East Punjab and Rajasthan.
LATEST POSITION
After DAAG last week, KACHCHE DHAAGE this week has also opened to very good houses almost everywhere.
Daag The Fire has amassed excellent shares in the 1st week due to the bumper opening. 1st week Bombay 49,59,116 (85.55%) from 12 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 12,21,073 from 7 cinemas, Rajkot 1,64,454; Pune 10,74,577 from 4 cinemas, Kolhapur 2,13,000, Solapur 3,07,963 from 2 cinemas; Belgaum 1,47,693; Delhi 48,79,852 (81.24%) from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 5,71,055 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 4,40,348, Varanasi 2,90,220, Bareilly 2,17,000 (78.98%), Dehradun 2,28,512; Calcutta 26,50,432 from 19 cinemas; excellent in Bihar; Nagpur 7,52,348 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur 2,00,074 (100%), Amravati 2,58,000, Akola (29 shows) 1,70,000 (100%), Raipur 1,84,044, Bhilai 1,60,000, Jalgaon 2,30,657, Chandrapur 2,00,051, Yavatmal 1,36,764; Indore 3,74,295 (77.38%) from 2 cinemas (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 3,97,971 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 10,67,084 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 1,94,600; Hyderabad (gross) 32,34,130 from 14 cinemas (1 in noon); Guntur (gross, 5 days) 77,964, Ongole (gross, 5 days) 79,866.
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Bombay Boys (dubbed) 1st week Bombay 79,920 (19.30%) from 1 cinema; Lucknow 1,27,739; Jaipur 1,19,533.
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Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain 4th week Bombay 33,41,949 (78.51%) from 10 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,66,946 from 2 cinemas (2 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,37,460 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 3rd week Jamnagar 63,130; 4th week Pune 6,50,965 from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,62,349, Solapur 1,73,813; Delhi 13,58,131 from 6 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,45,297 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,98,498, Varanasi 1,19,719, Bareilly 46,498 (15.34%), Dehradun 1,39,000 (3rd 1,46,002), Hardwar 40,000; Rohtak 5,089; Calcutta 5,31,555 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 3,34,297 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 87,207, total 4,54,872, Amravati 1,27,651, Akola 93,005, total 4,82,445, Raipur 1,08,187, Bhilai 96,247, 2nd week Jalgaon 1,20,841, 4th week Gondia (gross) 65,922, Chandrapur 84,456, total 5,21,956, Yavatmal 34,614 (3rd 46,008), Bilaspur 87,162; Jaipur 2,10,900, 3rd week Bikaner 79,201; 4th week Hyderabad (gross) 4,92,885 from 3 cinemas (1 in noon).
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai 18th week Bombay 9,15,021 (40.52%) from 4 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Baroda 92,340; Pune 5,62,196 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 87,000, Solapur (matinee) 32,050; Delhi 1,56,947 (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,24,624 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,30,810, Dehradun 48,000, Hardwar 19,000; Calcutta 1,48,648; Nagpur 66,879, 13th week Jabalpur 98,481, total 22,15,771, 18th week Amravati (6 days) 50,560, Akola 45,173, total 17,60,000, 5th week Durg (6 days, gross) 29,128, total 2,87,922, 6th week Balaghat (5 days) 22,340, total 3,38,546; 18th week Indore 55,936, Bhopal 91,931; Jaipur 4,33,307; Hyderabad (gross) 3,05,856.
‘FIRE’ CLEARED AGAIN BY CBFC
Deepa Mehta’s Fire has been cleared by the CBFC again. It had been referred to the Central Board of Film Certification by the I & B ministry following violent protests against the film’s screening in Bombay and Delhi in December ’98. It is likely to be released again in Bombay next week. It was re-released in Delhi this week. It has been running in other parts of the country.
MADHOO WEDS
Actress Madhoo got married to Anand Shah, cousin of Jai Mehta and Juhi Chawla, on 19th February. Jai and Juhi will hold a reception in their honour this evening (20th February) at their residence at Malabar Hill, Bombay.
ARSHAD WARSI WEDS
Arshad Warsi got married to his girlfriend, Maria, on 14th February in Bombay.
HRITHIK ROSHAN INJURED
Hrithik Roshan was injured on the set of Kahoo Naa…Pyaar Hai on 13th February while doing a stunt scene. His injury may not permit him to do stunts for about a fortnight and, therefore, producer-director Rakesh Roshan has postponed the erection of a set for the film, at Film City, on which shooting was to start shortly.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
1999 — The Year Of Excitement Galore
The year 1999 is easily one of the most crucial years in the history of film trade. For, rarely, if ever, have so many big films been released in a single year as will be released in 1999. Just take a look at some of the big films due in the rest of 1999: Jaanam Samjha Karo, Lal Baadshah, Sarfarosh, Pukaar, Pyar Koi Khel Nahin, Aap Mere Hain Sanam, Anari No. 1, Arjun Pandit, Badshah, Biwi No. 1, Chal Mere Bhai, Champion, Dil Kya Kare, Dillagi, Farz, Haseena Maan Jayegi, Hindustan Ki Kasam, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, Kohram, Kunwara, Mann, Albela, Mast, Mela, Refugee, Chhalia, Sooryavansham, Taal…… Phew! And the above list is not exhaustive by any means.
As if this weren’t enough, there are several other films which may be included in the above list on the strength of their casts, if not for their directors. These include Laawaris, Khauff, 1947 (Earth), Friends, Hum To Mohabbat Karega, Jaanwar, Kartoos, Khoobsurat, One Two Ka Four, Rajaji, Shikari, Silsila Hai Pyar Ka, Takshak, Hadh Kardi Aapne and S. Raamanathan’s untitled film with Amitabh.
It is plain to see from the above list that a lot depends on the outcome at the box-office this year. A lot many fortunes will be made or, God forbid, if many of these big films bomb, a lot is also at stake. We will only have to wait and see how the industry fares during this booming — if we may use the term — year. In the meantime, the trade may look ahead with optimism brought in by HADMRH and Daag The Fire.
History Repeats
For Anil Kapoor, the behaviour of D. Rama Naidu’s Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain at the box-office has not been too different from how his Judaai had behaved. Like Judaai, it took the audience lesser time than the trade people to accept HADMRH as a hit. And just as Judaai was comparatively weak in Rajasthan, HADMRH too had a terribly slow start. Of course, Judaai did consolidate its position in Rajasthan after about 4 weeks of its release and so Anil is hoping, HADMRH too repeats the Judaai trick in the Rajasthan territory.
Manisha And 1999
In spite of having had a dismal 1998 (in which she gave super-duds like Yugpurush, Achanak, Maharaja and Dil Se..), Manisha Koirala has a lot to look forward to in this year. She is all set to invade the box-office with a string of releases in the coming few months. Opening her 1999 account with Ajay-Saif starrer Kachche Dhaage (released yesterday), Manisha’s further releases include the Jackie-Akshaye starrer Laawaris (releasing on 5th March) and K.C. Bokadia’s Lal Baadshah (in March). The months of April and May may well see the release of her other films like Manoj Kumar’s Jaihind, JSEL’S long-delayed Grahan, Firoz A. Nadiadwala’s Kartoos, Madan Mohla’s Chhupa Rustam and director Sanjay Gupta’s Khauff. Still later, there will be Hindustan Ki Kasam, Mann, Moksha and Champion.