THAKSHAK

Udbhav’s Thakshak (A) is the story of a young man who is forced into the world of crime and who wishes to leave it when he falls in love with a girl who abhors crime and criminals of any sort. The man is the protector of a reckless grandson of a rich builder. The builder indulges in every unlawful activity under the sun to further his business interests. The grandson is several steps ahead of his grandpa. The young man’s father is a partner in the business of the builder and he (father) does not approve of his son’s desire to leave the world of crime. Despite a strong bonding between the young man and the grandson, the latter, in a fit of fury, kills the former’s father. When the man comes to know that his father’s killer is none other than the person whom he had been protecting all along, he is unable to control his emotions and ultimately kills him.

The film has an unbelievable story in the sense that the moral duty to protect a heartless villain (grandson) being bequeathed like a legacy from one generation to another looks implausible in today’s times. More so, because the young man’s role is played by Ajay Devgan who has a role subservient to that of the grandson played by a relative non-entity, Rahul Bose! The pace of the drama is so slow that the film bores to the core. The slackness also creeps in because of lengthy dialogues, slow camera movements and less use of background music at places.

The character of Ajay Devgan will not find much appreciation among the masses. Not only has he a secondary role to Rahul Bose but the concept of a villain’s ‘henchman’ (Ajay Devgan) doubling up as a confirmed romanticist will also be difficult to digest.

The issue of land-grabbing is played to death in the film. The second gang of builders makes a meek opposition. The screenplay lacks consistency. For instance: Ajay Devgan is shown as a very understanding man who, alongwith his mother, is aware that he and his father are living life dangerously. So much so that Ajay even decides to quit the underworld. But no sooner does his dad get killed than he throws all rationality to the winds and behaves as if he had expected his goonda-father to die a martyr’s death!

If the story is not too mass-appealing despite a violent drama, and the screenplay leaves a lot to be desired, dialogues are also too verbose and dull. Of course, some dialogues are good but they are few and far between.

Ajay Devgan does a fair job but his fans are bound to feel let down due to his incongruous characterisation. Tabu has her good moments but she is otherwise average. Amrish Puri is so-so. Rahul Bose has a pretty lengthy role, which is not in keeping with his low popularity. He, however, does fairly well. Govind Namdev acts ably. Nethra Raghuraman impresses only in dances. Vineet Kumar, Anupam Shyam and Ravi Patwardhan lend ordinary support. A.K. Hangal does well. Khalid Mohammed, as bad man Farooq, lacks the sting. The rest of the cast passes muster.

Director Govind Nihalani has tried to take a commercial subject but his narration often gives the film a very ‘arty’ look. The drama moves at such a slow pace that it irritates to the hilt. Nihalani’s cinematography is superb. Music (A.R. Rahman) is good but the only song which appeals in the film is the hit ‘Rang de’ number; it has a superb picturisation (on Tabu and dancers). A couple of other songs have also been well picturised but most of the songs come without situations and, therefore, lose their impact. At least two songs, including ‘Bheege bheege’, can safely be chopped off. Technically, of a high standard.

On the whole, dry and drab Thakshak has the excellent ‘Rang de’ song but, besides that, there’s precious little to entertain the viewer. It is neither a class film nor a mass film and will, therefore, be neither here nor there. Considering its dull opening almost everywhere, it will entail heavy losses to all concerned. The title is also too difficult too understand.

Released on 3-12-’99 at Minerva and 15 other cinemas of Bombay thru Devgan Entertainment & Software Ltd. Publicity & opening: very good. …….Also released all over except in C.I.

LATEST POSITION

It was a normal week but collections were generally low.

Khoobsurat is fair in Bombay, Maharashtra and Nizam but very poor elsewhere. 1st week Bombay 45,10,205 (86.01%) from 11 prints; Ahmedabad 11,56,960 from 4 cinemas, Rajkot 1,63,000, Jamnagar (matinee) 17,034 (1 cinema unrecd.); Solapur 1,69,880; Delhi 27,29,818 (52.27%) from 9 cinemas; Kanpur 2,27,645 from 2 cinemas, Varanasi 1,63,937, Allahabad 97,000, Bareilly 65,917; Calcutta 16,17,799 from 18 cinemas; Nagpur 7,24,564 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,27,725, Akola 1,70,470, Raipur (6 days) 1,53,106, Bhilai 68,526; Indore 1,46,507 (3 cinemas on F.H.), Bhopal 2,68,407 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 5,75,539 from 3 cinemas, Ajmer (gross) 2,02,197; Hyderabad (gross) 28,54,624 from 14 cinemas, share about 15 lakh.

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Dillagi drops miserably. 2nd week Bombay 22,18,023 (54.88%) from 9 cinemas (9 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,59,791 from 4 cinemas, Jamnagar 31,163; Solapur 62,980; Delhi 30,74,595 from 9 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,29,702 from 2 cinemas, Varanasi 1,08,198, Allahabad 73,000, Bareilly (6 days) 47,062 (1st week 1,59,469), Hardwar 42,942; Calcutta 1,87,447 from 1 cinema (collections of other cinemas not disclosed); Nagpur 1,03,564 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 53,378 (1st week 1,39,206), Akola 37,153, Raipur (6 days, gross) 71,730 (1st 2,30,463), Bhilai 19,461; Indore 89,000 (1 cinema on F.H.), Bhopal 43,961; Jaipur 2,35,944, Bikaner 1,35,640; Hyderabad (gross) 3,27,836 from 2 cinemas.

Hum Saath-Saath Hain drops at many places. 4th week Bombay 50,63,183 (54.73%) from 13 cinemas, Vasai (gross) 2,32,550, Virar 1,53,420; Ahmedabad 6,72,331 from 5 cinemas, Gandhinagar 8,65,486 from 2 cinemas, Baroda 1,53,080, Padra 1,26,786, Anand 1,59,995 from 2 cinemas, Surat 4,88,454 from 2 cinemas, Rajkot 1,68,408, Jamnagar 1,02,078, Morbi 81,408, Bhavnagar 87,586, Surendranagar 83,149; Pune 12,73,251 from 4 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,80,031, Ichalkaranji 1,42,710, Solapur 2,91,513, Ahmednagar 1,60,956, Malegaon 1,17,531, Satara 1,03,336, Sangli 1,34,884, Nasik 3,32,666 from 2 cinemas; Hubli 1,62,993, Belgaum 1,57,274; Delhi 18,34,909 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur 1,90,746, Lucknow 3,75,803, Agra 2,40,102, Aligarh 1,16,571, Varanasi 1,63,587, Allahabad 1,50,484, Meerut 1,24,443, Bareilly 91,859, Dehradun 1,11,214, Gorakhpur 1,03,605, Jhansi 1,04,798, Moradabad 1,12,462; Calcutta 14,95,210 from 11 cinemas; Patna 2,60,034; 1st week Guwahati 1,48 821; 4th week Nagpur 6,20,147 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 3,52,431, Amravati 2,50,372, Akola 1,82,819, Dhule 1,28,183, Raipur 2,98,093, Bhilai 1,03,520, Durg 86,142, Jalgaon 1,99,864, Bhusawal 1,44,320, Gondia 1,25,610, Wardha 75,382, 1st Balaghat 98,284; 4th Indore 1,81,906, Bhopal 1,07,498; Jaipur 6,40,285, Jodhpur 5,15,200 (gross), Ajmer 1,13,465, Bikaner 1,55,461, Kota 1,44,504, Bhilwara 83,432, Alwar 1,33,128; Hyderabad 14,98,041 from 3 cinemas; Aurangabad 2,58,448, Latur 1,64,407, Parbhani 1,31,980, Nanded 96,587, Jalna 76,570; Bangalore 6,77,997 from 3 cinemas; Madras 2,99,391.

Vaastav 7th week Bombay 14,59,958 (62.52%) from 5 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,66,380 from 5 cinemas, Rajkot (shifting) 26,000; Solapur (mat.) 33,646; Kanpur 37,302, Varanasi (shifting) 1,08,687, Allahabad 62,000; Calcutta 85,500; Nagpur 75,791, 6 weeks’ share from Akola 3,53,340, 7th week’s collection 78,885, 4th Jalgaon 96,377, 1st day Wardha 27,884, city record; 7th week Hyderabad (gross) 90,482.

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HYDERABAD CINEMAS

Two of the main cinemas of Hyderabad — Santosh and Sapna — have been closed for good since last week. They are likely to give way to a commercial complex.

*        *        *

Shama Theatre, situated in the old city of Hyderabad, will be closed from 10th December for renovation. It will reopen on 7th January, 2000 with Mela.

‘HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM’ SILVER JUBILEE

Bhansali Productions’ Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam has entered combined silver jubilee week at Minerva (matinee) in Bombay. Produced and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film stars Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai, and has music by Ismail Durbar. It is presented by Jhamu Sughand.

GRAND WEDDING OF BRIJ MITTLE’S SON

The wedding reception of Devesh, grandson of D.S. Mittle and son of Brijbihari Mittle of D.S. Mittle & Sons, Bombay, with Payal at SNDT College Ground on 29th November was a grand affair. So was the pre-marriage cocktail-dinner function at the RWITC, Mahalaxmi on 27th. Both the functions were largely-attended affairs.

KAVI JUMANI TO WED

Overseas distributor Kavi Jumani, son of Ranchor Jumani of Worldwide Entertainment Group, Bombay, will wed Neelam on 10th December. A reception to celebrate the marriage will be held the same evening at The Regent, Bandra, Bombay.

YOU ASKED IT

When a film gets embroiled in controversy, does it help or mar the film’s box-office prospects?

– A controversy can help only if the film has intrinsic merits as in the case of Mani Ratnam’s BOMBAY, Shekhar Kapur’s BANDIT QUEEN, or Deepa Mehta’s FIRE. But if a film has no potential, no amount of controversy can help boost its prospects. Amrit Nahata’s KISSA KURSI KA, before release, was in a controversy of the magnitude no film has ever been in, but because it was a poor commercial fare, it bombed despite the controversy and free publicity. Controversies rarely mar a film’s prospects.

With Overseas bringing good money for our films, how about marking films in two versions — Hindi and English — for the Overseas market?

– Our English films would have to compete with Hollywood films as they would have to cater to the English-film audience. That would be a tough job. At present, Hindi films cater to the Hindi-film audience.

Can a mediocre film be remade into a successful/hit film after making changes in the script?

– Nothing like correcting a mediocre film’s — or, better still, flop film’s — deficiencies and, if the subject then turns out to be inspiring enough, nothing like remaking it into a hit.

SIGNED

Fardeen Khan Signed For Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Jungle’

Producer-director Ram Gopal Varma has signed Fardeen Khan to play a leading role in his Jungle. He is currently participating in a month-long shooting schedule in a sanctuary in South India. Sunil Shetty and Urmila Matondkar are the other lead players.

REGIONAL FILMS

MARATHI

‘Bindhast’ Silver Jubilee

Producer Matchindra Chate’s Bindhast, directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni, entered silver jubilee week in matinee shows at Bombay’s Plaza and Milap (Kandivli) cinemas and in 16 other centres of Maharashtra on 3rd December. The film has been distributed by Deoyani Movies Pvt. Ltd. Its silver jubilee will be celebrated with functions at Plaza and Milap cinemas, Bombay on December 9.

DO YOU KNOW?

* HS-SH has created theatre records by collecting 2,00,188/- (nett) in 1st week, 2,21,323/- in 2nd week, and 1,31,901/- in 3rd week at Galaxy, Naroda, Ahmedabad. The weekly capacity of the cinema is 2,52,111/-.

MIX MASALA

MELA SINGERS KA

The title song of Mela — Mela dilon ka — which is fast gaining in popularity (music: Anu Malik), has a virtual mela of playback singers lending their voices to it. Believe it or not but in its two versions, the title song has 12 singers lending their vocal chords to embellish it. The singers are Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Shankar Mahadevan, Roop Kumar Rathod, Jaspinder Narula, Hema Sardesai, Nitin Mukesh, Sadhana Sargam, Abhijeet, Poonam and Anmol, besides chorus! Living up to the films’ title, wot?!

A Sequel To ‘Sholay’ In The New Millennium

G.P. Sippy on 30th November announced that Sippy Films would make a sequel to its all-time classic, Sholay. The film will roll next year, for which a national talent search will be launched. Besides newcomers, the cast may include some of the leading artistes of Sholay.

The announcement of the sequel was made at the party to celebrate 25 years of the making of Sholay, at President Hotel. G.P. Sippy and his grandsons, Sascha Sippy and Shaan Uttamsingh, took the gathering at the function down memory lane by presenting an audio-visual of the films produced by the banner. Dharmendra and Hema Malini made an entry together at the party. Hema’s was the most appropriate speech on the occasion. Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan could not attend due to a family engagement. Jagdeep, Viju Kote, Mac Mohan and Sachin were also present. Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Jalal Agha, R.D. Burman, Kishore Kumar, cinematographer Dwarka Divecha, Keshto Mukherjee, Leela Mishra, Om Shivpuri, Iftekhar and associate producer Vijay Sippy, all of who were associated with Sholay, were remembered.

Ramesh Sippy, who directed the monumental hit, was conspicuous by his absence.

Sippy Films will undertake a nationwide talent search between January and March 2000 to scout artistes and technicians for the sequel to Sholay.

At the function, Sascha Sippy also announced the launch of G.P. Sippy Entertainment Group. The Group will comprise three separate enterprises viz. Sippy Films Pvt. Ltd., which will look after all the mega projects for the group; Generation 3 which will produce smaller-budget films; and a third company which will produce English films as well as TV serials.

Sippy Films’ other plans include commissioning 30 pieces of art on Sholay to leading Indian artistes. The works of art will be exhibited during Sholay World Tour which will kick off in September 2000. Sippy Films is also planning to recreate the Ramgarh village at the location near Bangalore, where Sholay was shot.

3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment

Panic Scene

Never have the panic buttons in the recent past been pressed so hard by exhibitors as now, thanks to the heart-breaking — and back-breaking — fate of Dillagi, poor appeal of Khoobsurat and an uninspiring initial response for Thakshak. One question that the shaky exhibitors ask themselves is: “What will happen to the trade, what with highly-expected films remaining highly unaccepted?!”

Films Make Stars…

“There are two kinds of artistes,” says Manoj Kumar. “Those who are a product of cinema and those who are a product of stardom.”

To drive home his point, Manoj Kumar narrated an interesting incident that took place nearly two decades ago. The incident, involving a top heroine of the time, a widely-respected thespian and Manoj Kumar himself, took place during a shooting schedule of Manoj’s film, to picturise a song. During the first two days of the schedule, shots involving the heroine were canned, for which she had to report early on the sets. From the third day onwards, Manoj Kumar decided to begin shooting in the morning with the thespian and himself. Upon learning that she would be required only later during the day, the heroine, on the evening of the second day, asked director Manoj Kumar whether she could report late for the shooting the following day. At this, Manoj Kumar drew her attention to the thespian, who was sitting quietly at a distance, and asked her if she knew who he was. “Of course, I know. He is …. (so-and-so),” the heroine named him. “You are wrong,” quipped Majoj Kumar and added, “Try again.” Puzzled, the heroine answered (thinking that Manoj Kumar was pulling her leg) that he was so-and-so’s husband. But, Manoj Kumar still insisted that she was wrong and that she try again. It was only after the heroine tried several times (with different descriptions of the same man) but failed to come up with the reply which satisfied Manoj Kumar that she realised that something was amiss. Finally, driven to her wits’ end, she asked Manoj Kumar who the man was. Manoj calmly replied, “He may be all of who you say he is, but, to me, he is a product of cinema. This man, who is probably the finest actor India has seen, has been reporting on the set on the dot even though he wasn’t required and yet, he didn’t complain even once. That is because he is a product of cinema and not a product of stardom like you are. You must realise that stars do not make films; rather, films make stars!”

A Wish Fulfilled For Naseer

Richard Attenborough had first considered Naseeruddin Shah to enact Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi. Hoping to be cast in the role, Naseer had kept on going with Attenborough to various places until he (Naseer) realised that it was a futile exercise. Attenborough just wanted to give the impression to others in the unit that an Indian artiste was being considered (by him) for the role of Gandhi while, actually, Attenborough had already made up his mind to cast a foreign actor (Ben Kingsley) in the role. Naseer is still to get over the bitterness for not being finalised for the role of Gandhi in Attenborough’s film. But Naseer had a chance to satiate his desire to enact Gandhi on the stage a few years back. That was not all. Rather, it was the beginning. For, the actor was last year offered the role of Mahatma Gandhi in Hey! Ram, by Kamal Haasan. At first, Naseeruddin was averse to the idea of sitting before the mirror for five hours every day — that too, at-a-stretch — for donning the make-up for Gandhi’s character. But he soon got over his initial aversion. And when he did sign the film, he was pretty much impressed with Hollywood’s internationally-renowned make-up man, Ed French, who brought about a remarkable transformation in the actor’s look. On the days he was required for the shooting, Naseer would report on the sets at 4 in the morning and sit still till 9 a.m., being made up, before he faced the camera to enact the great man who Naseer had always looked upon “as a father figure”.

Urmila’S Sixer!

Urmila has hit a sixer of a different kind. The mast, khoobsurat heroine’s daud was such that she was run-out with all the six flop films released one after the other. Did you ask, kaun? Jaanam samjha karo! Six in a row, this is no dillagi!

Title Of The Week

Murde Ki Maut!

CITY PULSE PULSATES TO THE TAAL OF ‘TAAL’

A good film needs a good cinema. And if the two goods come together, the result can be too good! This was the message that came across loud and clear at the 100-day celebrations of Subhash Ghai’s Taal at the grand City Pulse cineplex in Gandhinagar (Gujarat).

Subhash Ghai lit the traditional lamp in the presence of City Pulse owner Ashok Purohit and the elite of the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar on 21st November in the spacious foyer of the cineplex to mark the completion of 100 days of Taal. The lamp, which had plenty of wicks, was also lit by other guests present. After this, Ghai was led to the cinema screening Taal. Much to the joy of the audience, Subhash Ghai addressed them and thanked them for making Taal complete 100 days in Gandhinagar.

Praising City Pulse, Ghai remarked that a beautiful cinema like City Pulse “needed to be encouraged all the way”. It may be mentioned here that Subhash Ghai had visited Ashok Purohit’s multiplex when Taal had just been released there. He had loved the cinema very much and, therefore, when Purohit invited Ghai to visit it again on the occasion of 100 days of Taal, the latter consented immediately.

TO PARDES WITH A TICKET OF ‘TAAL’

Ashok Purohit has announced a lucky draw scheme which is running from the 100th day of Taal and will go on till the film completes 25 weeks at City Pulse. Counterfoils of all tickets sold from the 100th day to the silver jubilee week will be maintained by the cinema and one from among them will be picked up in a lottery. The lucky ticket-holder will be entitled to a free to and fro Dubai ticket, courtesy City Pulse. The audience has been asked to maintain counterfoils of their tickets of Taal as the lucky one would get to fly to pardes on presenting the counterfoil.

STARS ‘N’ SILVER JUBILEE

Ashok Purohit plans to have all the three lead artistes of Taal — Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna — and, of course, Subhash Ghai present at City Pluse at the time of the lucky draw on the occasion of the film’s silver jubilee celebrations. Ghai, on his part, has consented to be present along with his stars.

For the 100 days’ celebrations, Purohit had a music troupe specially called from Jodhpur to entertain Ghai and a select gathering of the elite of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The invitees included the finance minister of Gujarat. The presence of the glitterati was complemented by a glittering display of fireworks at midnight.

PULSE OF RAJASTHAN

For Subhash Ghai, it was a day of Rajasthani connections! Before he boarded the flight to Ahmedabad with yours truly (who hails from Jodhpur in Rajasthan), he was entertaining a Rajasthani friend in Bombay. At Ahmedabad airport, we were received by Ashok Purohit who also hails from Jodhpur. The music troupe was from Jodhpur. And the perfect hospitality of Purohit and his family was no less Jodhpuri…!

– Komal Nahta