BOMBAY FILM INDUSTRY CLOSURE POSTPONED TO AUGUST 18

The proposed one-day strike of the Bombay film industry and the rally of August 11, to demonstrate the industry’s protest against the government’s inaction in curbing cable piracy of Hindi films, have been postponed by a week — to August 18. The rest of the details remain the same i.e. the entire industry will down shutters on August 18 (instead of August 11) and a rally will be organised from Juhu to Mantralaya in Bombay. It will terminate after an industry delegation hands over a memorandum to the chief minister, urging him to take firm and necessary action to curb the menace of cable piracy.

A meeting of representatives of all sectors of the film industry will be held at Mehboob Studios on August 9 at 4 p.m. to chalk out other details of the closure and the rally.

LATEST POSITION

Heavy rains in Maharashtra and various other parts have adversely affected collections.

Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha has done very well in the 1st week and is particularly excellent in major cities of the various circuits, but a drop was noticed in several other places from 5th/6th day onwards. 1st week Bombay 22,60,634 (100%) from 5 cinemas (6 on F.H.), Vashi 2,67,750; Ahmedabad 11,13,784 from 6 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Vapi 6,19,710 from 2 cinemas, Padra 2,03,464, Rajkot (matinee) 36,697 (1 unrecd.), Jamnagar 1,29,282 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 11,83,723 from 5 cinemas, Solapur 2,30,726 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee); Belgaum 1,16,507; Delhi 39,85,872 (86.65%) from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 4,10,924 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 4,18,769, Allahabad 2,07,370, Varanasi 1,85,603, Meerut 2,05,644, Hardwar 1,05,562; Rohtak 41,215; Calcutta 20,04,361 from 12 cinemas; Nagpur 8,26,157 from 4 cinemas, Amravati 1,81,427, Akola 2,07,640, Raipur 1,75,612, Chandrapur 1,63,531; Indore 2,38,013 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 4,29,711 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 12,07,588 from 4 cinemas, Ajmer (29 shows) 1,66,938; Hyderabad 15,58,445 from 7 cinemas (1 in noon).

Angaaray has not found appreciation. 1st week Bombay 20,01,430 (60.56%) from 9 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,76,671 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), Rajkot 1,07,265 (1 in matinee unrecd.); Delhi 14,86,349 (43.03%) from 8 cinemas (1 on F.H., 1 unrecd.); Kanpur 1,84,528 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,83,452, Allahabad 63,500, Varanasi 1,22,068, Bareilly 63,669 (41.36%); Calcutta 11,76,360 from 16 cinemas; Nagpur 2,00,729 from 4 cinemas; Indore 2,46,803 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,47,872 from 2 cinemas; Jodhpur 1,62,000; Hyderabad 16,24,303 from 9 cinemas (7 on F.H.), share (including F.H.) 11,25,000.

Kareeb drops further. 2nd week Bombay 19,45,260 (50.35%) from 7 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,59,812 (1 unrecd.), Vapi 1,00,900, total 3,71,394, Baroda 1,42,107; Pune 3,27,269 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 40,725; Delhi 22,13,639 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur (6 days) 85,642, Lucknow 2,33,575, Allahabad 57,880, Varanasi 85,212, Bareilly (6 days) 51,603; Calcutta 6,17,540 from 3 cinemas; Nagpur 1,04,498, Amravati (6 days) 42,390, Raipur (6 days) 54,834; Bhopal 97,454; Jaipur 1,61,244, Bikaner 90,024; Hyderabad 4,44,744 from 2 cinemas.

………..

Dulhe Raja 3rd week Bombay 11,63,643 (60%) from 6 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 2,19,454 from 3 cinemas, Jamnagar (matinee) 11,582; Pune 3,60,532 from 3 cinemas, 2nd week Solapur 81,306; 3rd week Delhi 12,55,330 from 6 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,81,071 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 1,84,528, Allahabad 1,11,300, Varanasi 1,42,824, Bareilly 1,08,114 (50.04%); Calcutta 2,43,450 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 1,63,801 from 2 cinemas, Amravati 93,002, 2nd week Akola 1,02,477, total 2,97,009, share 2,24,304, 3rd week Raipur 95,182, Jalgaon 94,000, Yavatmal 57,286; Indore 1,53,780, Bhopal 1,63,092; Jaipur 2,69,706 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 3,45,506 from 2 cinemas (1 in noon).

Satya is extraordinary in Maharashtra. 4th week Bombay (TF) 44,08,892 (86.16%) from 10 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,49,907 from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 45,744; Pune (TF) 8,90,283 from 5 cinemas (2 in matinee), Solapur (TF) 1,74,035; Delhi 6,33,364 from 3 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 96,501 from 2 cinemas, Allahabad 60,857, Varanasi 39,838; Calcutta 1,83,352; Nagpur (TF) 2,20,782 from 2 cinemas, Amravati (TF) 1,44,679, Akola (TF) 71,846, total 3,23,938, share 2,38,770, 1st week (3 days) Wardha (TF) 59,695, Chandrapur (TF) 1,21,222; 4th week Bhopal 70,000; Hyderabad 3,26,958.

Show Tax In Madhya Pradesh Shoots Up
Industry Loss Estimated At 6 Crore Annually

Show tax in Madhya Pradesh has been increased 13 times with effect from 24th June. According to a gazette in notification (no. 30/18) dated 3rd July, the show tax per show will now be charged between Rs. 50 and Rs. 200. The show tax before this was Rs. 15 per show.

Although the gazette notification of 3rd July does not specify cinema, it does talk of public performances. The Supreme Court in 1959 had in the case of Delite cinema, Jabalpur, versus Jabalpur Municipal Corporation held that film screenings in a cinema came within the ambit of public performances.

According to Narendra Agarwal of Anjani Talkies, Khandwa, the additional burden to distributors and exhibitors of the state due to the hike in show tax would be about Rs. 6 crore annually. Madhya Pradesh has more than 700 cinemas, of which 500 operate regularly.

The Central Circuit Cine Association has been trying to get the M.P. government to permit cinemas to levy a tax-free service charge on the lines of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. While the tax-free service charge has not been allowed, the increase in show tax has come as a rude shock to the film trade in M.P.

With CCCA elections due next month, this issue of show tax is likely to be brought up at the annual general meeting by members who feel that the present executive committee should have taken steps to ensure that show tax on cinemas was not increased. There is still time, and a timely and effective representation to the government can save the industry 6 crore and also serve as a face-saving device for the CCCA executive committee.

YOU ASKED IT

Which films will be released on Diwali this year?

– BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN and KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI.

While Rajiv Babbar’s Shapath and Chandaal had opened to good houses, why has Yamraaj, released this week, not had a similar (good) opening?

– Perhaps, because of a surfeit of releases of Mithun starrers. Too much of anything is bad, right? Nevertheless, in Bombay, YAMRAAJ has taken a good start.

Do you think, banks will finance film production or is all this talk about bank and institutional finance for the film industry, useless?

– It is just a matter of time. Banks and financial institutions seem to have started thinking in terms of giving loans to film producers.

Who is the biggest enemy of the film industry?

– Some of the industry people themselves, especially those who claim to be on the creative side but are actually interested in only making a quick buck. There’s no seriousness or dedication in their work.

REGIONAL FILMS

Gujarati
Upendra, Naresh, Jeet Teamed

Upendra Trivedi, Naresh Kanodia and Jeet Upendra have been teamed in J.K. Film Productions’ Prod. No. 1, to be produced by Vikram Singh Dodia and Mahavir Singh Kochar. It will be directed by Atmaram Thakor. Story: Vikram Singh Dodia. Screenplay & dialogues: Vikram Patel.

100 Days In Bombay

G.N. Films’ (Keshod) Desh Re Joya Dada Pardesh Joya completed 100 (combined) days in Bombay at Dreamland (matinee) two weeks back. The film also completed silver jubilee in 25 centres of Gujarat and Saurashtra and is now heading towards golden jubilee. It was released in America last week.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Unexciting Independence Day

With the release of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.. having been postponed by a week, there’s no major release now scheduled for 14th August. Surprising, because the Independence Day holiday on 15th August is considered to be truly bountiful for the box-office. Maharaja was trying to meet the 14th August release date but the film will not be ready for that day now, maybe, because post-production work went slow under the assumption that Dil Se.. would make it on 14th, so Maharaja could follow the next week. In the meantime, rumour-mongers insist that presenter Bharat Shah has postponed Dil Se.. by a week so that Barood, which is also presented by him, gets two clear weeks without any major opposition. Barood is scheduled for release on 7th August. Of course, the rumours are baseless, but it is said that there should be no big film hitting the screens on 14th August.

Dream Goes To Dust

After all the pains he has taken over the completion of his dream project, Ramoji Rao must be a disillusioned man today. His Film City in Hyderabad is reportedly running into losses to the tune of several lakhs every month. Reason: no takers. Now, this must surely seem surprising, for, the Film City offers every single facility required in the process of making a film. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that one can just walk into the Film City with the script, cast and crew, and walk out with the first copy of his film. Yet, it is a sad fact that for inexplicable reasons, producers are shying away from this completely self-sufficient studio. In the past six months, only two films have been shot there, putting Ramoji Rao to huge losses.

20 Flops For Every Hit

You way have heard of two-in-one and three-in-ones. Commonly used to describe a radio-cum-cassette-player (two-in-one) or a radio-cum-cassette-player-cum-CD-player (three-in-one), the expression could also be used to refer to a person or thing who/which does two/three jobs/activities/duties. But have you heard of a twenty-in-one? Well, that’s what one leading Bengal distributor has been nicknamed by others in the trade in Calcutta. Of course, although there’s no malice meant, this distributor is referred to as 20-in-1 because, to quote another Bengal distributor, “The 20-in-1 releases 20 flops for every hit/success released by him.” That is to say, for every hit/success released by him, there are about 20 flops that follow in his distribution concern.

Godzilla-Replies

The publicity caption of the Hollywood film Godzilla, viz. ‘Size does matter’, has become a popular catchline. Here’s how the catchline can be altered to suit happenings in the Indian film industry.

Why is Satish Kaushik the favourite comedian of David Dhawan these days?

Because size does matter!

Why were Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda cast in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan?

Because height does matter!

Why has Saawan Kumar made Mother ’98 with four oldies?

Because age does matter!

Why are so many films flopping these days?

Because price does matter!

Why did nobody believe Mukesh Bhatt when he said that Ghulam had cost him 15 crore to make?

Because lies does matter!

Dream Merchant

Film Folk and Bank Loan

There’s so much optimism in the film industry after 10th May, the day on which I & B minister Sushma Swaraj announced industry status for the film world. Without knowing how and when bank finance will become available to films, trade people are all talking of bank and institutional finance. Every filmland party, every film-folk gathering has a fixed topic of discussion since that May day! Actually, bank finance is coming out of my ears — and last night, it also came into my dreams. Not the finance, silly. They were some proposals for bank finance that made it into my dreams.

Pramod Chakravorty applied to the Bank of Baroda for finance for his next, starring Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty. The bank manager pleaded inability to finance such a risky proposal. “But where’s the risk?”, argued Chakki-da. “See,” replied the bank manager, “when your Barood was launched, Akshay and Raveena Tandon were in love with each other but during its making, they fell apart and thereby delayed your film. If Akshay and Shilpa also decide to split, it would mean delaying your new film. We are wary of Akshay’s temporary love affairs even more than his permanent affair with flops.”

Harmesh Malhotra, flush with the success of Dulhe Raja, approached Union Bank for a loan for his next, also starring Govinda and Raveena Tandon. The assistant manager of the bank processed the file and not only turned down the loan application but also Harmesh Malhotra’s request for a meeting with the manager. “Govinda starrers are a strict no-no in this bank,” informed the assistant manager. “We are aware of Govinda’s latecoming habits and we’d rather not risk our money in his films.”  Harmesh-ji tried to reason out with the bank officer that Govinda had mended his ways and was now reporting for his shootings on time, but the banker said, he was also aware that Govinda gets such I’m-now-punctual-and-serious stories printed in the press at regular intervals. “He is regular about these news items but very irregular for his shootings,” the banker concluded.

Boney Kapoor and Anil Kapoor approached Dena Bank for a loan of Rs. 4 crore. The money, they said, would be needed after 30 days for a start-to-finish shooting schedule of Pukaar. The bank officials were not totally ignorant about films and asked the Kapoor brothers, “Start-to-finish? But Pukaar was started three years ago, right?” Boney nodded, “Of course, it was. What we mean by start-to-finish is that we start our next shooting schedule after we receive your loan and the shooting goes on till your loan is finished.” The bank officials gave the Kapoors one look of dismay which said more than a thousand words.

Amitabh Bachchan’s application for loan was rejected by Bank of India even before it was read. Reason: the bank felt, it was too risky to lend money to AB Corp. as Amitabh’s detractors pay money to buy people who then frequent cinemas screening the star’s film and walk out mid-way. This, the bank managers agreed with Bachchan, created the wrong impression among the rest of the people viewing the film. Amitabh tried to reason out with the manager that the situation was not as grim as he was imagining and that his (Amitabh’s) press statements about detractors or anything else should not be taken so seriously. “Yes, seriously,” nodded the bank manager, “we aren’t taking your loan application also seriously.” And he began to laugh deliriously.

Vinod Chopra, aware of how every loan application for films was being rejected by different banks, tried to be different. He approached the Grindlays Bank to get a loan sanctioned not for his next film but rather for the legal battle he would have to fight against video pirates at the time of release of his new film. The manager of Grindlays Bank was, however, blunt to the point of being rude. He told Vinod Chopra, “You needn’t get any court order for your new film. After the debacle of Kareeb, the cable TV operators may themselves refuse to touch your next film. No legal battle, no loan.”

Vashu Bhagnani tried to sweet-talk the manager of Saraswat Bank into giving him a loan for his new film. “If you sanction the loan, I’ll make a film on your bank and title it Bank No. 1,” smiled Vashu, while pushing a briefcase of money no. 2 into the manager’s hand. The manager, fearing a scam no. 1, returned Vashu his briefcase of currency notes as well as the loan application. “Cash liya to darna kya?”, asked Vashu. “Loan deke marna kya?”, counter-questioned the bank manager. “Okay, okay, loan nahin deke ladna kya?“, shot back Vashu as he caught hold of his briefcase and sped out of the bank.

Mahesh Bhatt refused to go to any bank. “If I can direct films over the telephone, I can jolly well raise finances over the same telephone,” he told brother Mukesh Bhatt. He then telephoned his bank (Overseas Bank) manager and asked if he could finance the purchase of the latest VCDs and LDs of Hollywood films. “Their cost,” explained Bhatt to the banker, “is much more than the production cost of my films.” The bank manager explained to Mahesh Bhatt that the bank rules did not permit him to lend money for anything except film production. He, therefore, asked him to get a loan application prepared, attaching the script of the film he wanted finance for. Bhatt shouted, “Are you mad? How can I write the script without seeing LDs of new Hollywood releases?” Saying thus, he banged down the telephone.

Saawan Kumar approached his bank — Bank of Maharashtra — for a loan for his next film. “What is the security you can offer?”, asked the manager. Replied Saawan Kumar, “I can offer the security of my unreleased film, Mother ’98.” “But that film is not sold,” lamented the manager. “So what if the film is not yet sold?”, asked Saawan Kumar, adding, “I have the capacity to hold. The film is taking some time to be sold because the subject is bold…” The bank manager interrupted him, “Okay, okay, but what do I do with the security of an unsold film?” It was now Saawan Kumar’s chance to cut him short. Said he, “Look, mister, would you accept gold as security?” The manager’s face lit up. “Of course, I would,” he smiled. “Okay then, do you know the cast of my Mother ’98?”, asked Saawan Kumar, and himself answered the query, “It has Rekha, Jeetendra, Randhir Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan.” The manager looked perplexed. “But there are no youngsters in the film?”, he queried. Saawan Kumar shot back, “You just said, you will accept gold as security, didn’t you? Well, my film may have oldies, but then, old is gold.” The manager grinned, “Sir, your loan is sanctioned.”

– Komal Nahta