WAJOOD
N. Chandra Productions’ Wajood (UA) is the story of a guy in search of his own identity in the world of dramatics. He is madly in love with one of his co-artistes who is also his student. His love assumes obsessive proportions while the girl who he is in love with is completely unaware of this. She falls in love with another man but their marriage cannot take place due to circumstances. The obsessed lover, constantly criticised by his father for not earning anything, takes the short-cut to success and becomes a dreaded criminal who loots and even murders. He keeps informing his lady love (who is a journalist) of his future moves in the world of crime and she prints stories based on information supplied by him. When the police still can’t get their hands on him, they seek the journalist-cum-stage actress’ help to nab him.
The thought and story idea of the film, which has shades of Agni Sakshi, is good but its handling is abstract at several places, class-appealing in nature and even dull in parts. But alongside all this, there are moments that are brilliant — some because of the dialogues, some others due to the performances of the artistes and some more because of the originality of thought or all of the above together. Yet, the drama gets so boring and repetitive a few reels after interval that it even becomes irritating. Besides, there’s hardly any comedy or light scenes (except two or three small scenes of Johny Lever) to break the monotony of the tension. The character of the heroine — she becomes a journalist — looks contrived and, therefore, doesn’t go too well with the drama. Besides, the heroine not recognising her secret lover’s voice and even him when he comes in front of her, in disguise, looks unconvincing.
Nana Patekar excels as a performer and essays different roles — of an obsessive lover, of an unsuccessful son, of a mentally retarded man, of a thug etc. — with equal ease. But his style, it must be mentioned, is getting to become quite predictable. His dialogue delivery is splendid, especially the ‘Kaise bataaoon main tumhe’ monologue which is so lengthy, yet so beautifully delivered. Madhuri Dixit is generally good and excels in a couple of dramatic scenes like the one in which she wins the trophy for the best actress, confrontation with her father and showdown with her boss. Her dances are a delight to watch, as usual. Mukul Dev acts freely and naturally but is not too convincing in scenes of high-voltage drama. Ramya Krishnan is likeably subdued. Hemu Adhikari, as Nana’s father, is first-rate. His performance, dialogue delivery and expressions are just too fabulous. Shivaji Satam does an able job. Johny Lever is superb but has a brief role. Rajiv Verma leaves a mark. Jagdeep is quite nice. Tej Sapru is impressive. Gick Grewal, as Jagdeep’s wife, is effective. Kunika, Suhas Joshi, Parikshat Sahni (special appearance), Sanjay Mishra and Rajdutt provide fair support.
N. Chandra’s direction is good but his narration seems to be targetted more at the elite/city audience. Dialogues (Kamlesh Pandey and N. Chandra) are masterly at many places. Of the songs, ‘Ki toot gayee’ is mass-appealing. ‘Sanam tum hum pe marte ho’ is quite good but its lyrics are not easy to understand. Camerawork (W.B. Rao) is effective. Action scenes are well-composed. The film can do with plenty of chopping because of a loose script.
On the whole, Wajood is a city film, mainly for Maharashtra. It will be appreciated by the balcony-class audience. It needs to be heavily edited, though. A loser.
Released on 11-12-’98 at Eros and 18 other cinemas of Bombay thru V.I.P. Enterprises. Publicity: fair. Opening: very good. …….Also released all over. Opening was good in Maharashtra but ordinary elsewhere.
KUDRAT
Film Enterprises’ Kudrat (UA) is a love story. At first, the heroine, a rich spoilt girl, looks down upon the hero but the latter ultimately wins her heart. Even the girl’s father agrees to the alliance and, in fact, it is he who asks his daughter to choose the hero as her life partner. But on the day of the engagement, the father insults the hero and his family members, calls off the engagement and cites old enmity as the cause for his action. He makes it clear that he had been playing a wicked game all along. The suspense about the enmity between the two families and what transpired thereafter is revealed later although references to the suspense are made earlier too. Ultimately, the father is made to realise his folly, and the lovers unite.
The love between the hero and heroine looks unreal and even the suspense angle has no shock value whatsoever. The change of face of the hero’s father, by plastic surgery leaves the viewer as uninvolved in the drama as he is throughout the rest of the film because of two reasons — one, the concept is not so common as to be easily appreciated and secondly, such a surgery has been seen in Vishwa Vidhaata earlier. Screenplay is dull and the lesson the heroine’s father is made to learn in the end (about outraging the modesty of a girl) looks fake. Emotions are absent except, maybe, in one scene.
Akshaye Khanna does a fairly good job but doesn’t look very dashing. Urmila Matondkar acts ably and looks pretty but the actress should change her mannerisms and facial expressions as they are tending to become repetitive. Aroona Irani does a fine job. Kader Khan is alright and so is Paresh Rawal. Ravi Kishan, Shalini Kapoor and Ashish Nagpal lend average support. Anant Mahadevan, Maya Alagh, Kiran Kumar, Achyut Potdar, Ghanshyam, Gavin and the rest of the cast fit the bill.
Direction is ordinary. The director has not been able to infuse feelings into the subject. On the music front (Rajesh Roshan), the ‘Chidi ki dukki’, ‘Aaj hoke rahe apna milan’, ‘Deewane do dil mile’, ‘Main hoon akeli’ and ‘Tujhe dene ko mere paas kuchh nahin’ are well-tuned numbers but the only mass-appealing one is the first-mentioned song. Song picturisations are fair. Action scenes are alright. Camerawork is good. Other technical values are okay.
On the whole, Kudrat is a dull fare and will put its distributors to heavy losses.
Released on 11-12-’98 at Dreamland and 10 other cinemas of Bombay by Raj Enterprises thru Shringar Films. Publicity: good. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor almost everywhere.
LATEST POSITION
Except for SOLDIER, none of the new releases has been able to make a mark at the box-office.
Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate has not found acceptance. It is good only in parts of Bombay city, and disastrous elsewhere. 1st week Bombay 29,81,165 (73.11%) from 10 cinemas (4 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 4,22,461 from 3 cinemas; Pune 6,56,618 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur (matinee) 47,818; Belgaum 1,05,267; Delhi 19,13,854 (38.84%) from 10 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,75,963 from 3 cinemas, Lucknow (6 days) 1,40,712, Agra 1,32,000, Allahabad 78,000, Bareilly (6 days) 57,818 (30.17%); Calcutta (6 days) 5,59,248 from 4 cinemas; Nagpur 4,26,555 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 70,856, Amravati (6 days) 54,074, Akola 83,768, Raipur (6 days) 89,173; Indore 1,62,184 (3 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,63,044 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 3,60,629 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad 8,55,728 from 4 cinemas.
………
China Gate is steady at some centres. 2nd week Bombay 37,00,420 (75%) from 10 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 8,42,539 from 7 cinemas, 1st week Padra 1,38,188, 2nd week Rajkot 1,33,730, Jamnagar 1,06,109 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Pune 9,34,205 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Kolhapur 1,67,278, Solapur 1,31,265; Delhi 24,93,436 from 9 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 2,52,863 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 2,64,025, Agra 2,25,000, Varanasi 1,46,281, Allahabad 1,67,411, Bareilly 78,811 (26%); Nagpur 2,89,053 from 2 cinemas, 1st week Jabalpur 1,71,576, 2nd week Amravati (6 days) 1,66,007, Akola 1,15,632, total 3,06,303, Raipur (6 days) 1,09,809, Bhilai 91,956, Gondia (gross) 68,216; Indore 65,275 (1 on F.H.), Bhopal 1,98,733 from 2 cinemas; Jaipur 2,60,234, 1st week Bikaner 2,17,686, Udaipur 2,27,428; 2nd week Hyderabad 8,38,991 from 5 cinemas.
Doli Saja Ke Rakhna 2nd week Bombay 8,28,084 (48.48%) from 5 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Baroda 54,067; Pune 2,14,535 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 90,365; Delhi 2,47,471 from 2 cinemas; Kanpur 54,922, Lucknow 1,07,952, Varanasi 47,252, Allahabad 37,000; Nagpur 52,500, Raipur (6 days) 47,123, Bhilai 44,075, 1st week Chandrapur 1,06,721; Indore 1,29,500 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.), 2nd week Bhopal 54,407; Hyderabad 3,68,081 from 2 cinemas (1 cinema for 4 days).
Soldier proves class A in some circuits and BB in others. In East Punjab, it is AA, equal to KKHH! 3rd week Bombay 22,75,545 (79.46%) from 7 cinemas (8 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 3,15,967 from 3 cinemas (1 unrecd.), 1st week Patan 1,48,142; 3rd week Pune 5,00,354 from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur (16 shows) 55,194, Solapur 98,990; Delhi 16,69,286 from 7 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 4,00,416 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 3,44,757, Varanasi 2,59,546, Bareilly (6 days) 1,27,021 (53.94%), Hardwar 48,887; Calcutta (6 days) 2,57,226; Nagpur 2,01,378 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,01,233, total 4,43,516, Amravati (6 days) 77,004, Raipur (6 days) 83,224, Bhilai 39,344, 2nd week Durg (6 days) 54,671, 1st week Chandrapur 2,02,800, 2nd week Yavatmal 73,834; 3rd week Jaipur 4,39,150 from 2 cinemas, 2nd week Bikaner 1,61,123, 3rd week Udaipur 1,27,735; Hyderabad 6,37,883 from 2 cinemas, excellent.
Fire (dubbed) has done remarkably well at several places due to the widespread publicity its discontinuance in Bombay and Delhi has got. Collections have shot up remarkably in Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad and Calcutta. 4th week Baroda (matinee) 20,328; Solapur 98,044; 2nd week Kanpur 1,62,743, 4th week Lucknow 1,68,324, Allahabad 58,750; 3rd week Calcutta (6 days) 1,56,961; 4th week Nagpur (17 shows) 78,462; 1st week Jaipur 4,17,719, excellent.
Armageddon (dubbed) 1st week Akola 1,35,893, excellent.
KAVI PRADEEP NO MORE
Noted poet and lyricist Kavi Pradeep died at his residence in Bombay on 11th December due to old age. He was 84 and is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Pradeep had penned several immortal songs for Hindi films, mostly in the ‘forties and ‘fifties. His most famous song was undoubtedly Aye mere watan ke logon sung by Lata Mangeshkar. This song had brought tears to the eyes of Jawaharlal Nehru. Another hit song of his, Chal chal re naujawan from Bandhan, had become the youth march for the army in the 1940s. Aao bachchon tumhe dikhaayen from Jagruti was yet another super-hit penned by the super-genius. The first film for which he wrote songs was Kangan and when he was asked to pen its lyrics, he was hesitant and said, he was a poet and had never written a film song. Pradeep was also a singer and music director, and several of his songs used to have tunes composed by himself. Among the other films for which he wrote songs are Punarmilan, Anjaan, Jhoola, Kismat (Door hathon ae duniya walon, Hindustan hamara hai), Girls School, Baap Beti, Vaman Avtar, Chakradhari etc. The last film for which he penned songs was Aankh Ka Tara. He had written about 1,700 film and non-film songs in six decades.
Kavi Pradeep just this year had been awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke award.
N.C. SIPPY BEREAVED
Mohini Sippy, wife of producer N.C. Sippy and mother of producer Romu Sippy and director Raj N. Sippy, expired on 6th December in Bombay. Marka ceremony was held on 8th at Nij Thanw, Khar, Bombay.
PRAMOD MAHAJAN NEW I & B MINISTER
Pramod Mahajan has been appointed the new Union minister for information and broadcasting. The I & B ministry was being handled by prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee after the earlier I & B minister, Sushma Swaraj, was appointed chief minister of Delhi.
CASE AGAINST MAMTA KULKARNI IN BANGLADESH
Mamta Kulkarni and seven others face a case in a Dhaka court under the sections 500, 501, 502 and 109 of the Bangladesh Penal Code for allegedly speaking for reunification of Bangladesh and West Bengal. An advocate filed the case on 7th December, alleging that the eight offenders, including the editor of a newspaper, had violated the sections by their remarks published in the newspaper.
Mamta was in Dhaka last week for the shooting of a Bengali film, Sesh Bangsadhar, an Indo-Bangladesh co-production.
JOHNY LEVER SENTENCED TO JAIL
The 19th metropolitan magistrate’s court at Esplanade in Bombay on 8th December sentenced comedian Johny Lever to seven days’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 1,000 on him under section 2 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honour and Constitution of India Act, 1971.
Actor Johny Lever was arrested by the police immediately after the court order was passed. But since he has already served three days in jail for the offence, he will now be jailed for only four more days.
It may be recalled that the Bombay police had booked Johny Lever soon after receiving video tapes of a party held in Dubai in 1989, which depicted the famed comedian parodying the Indian national anthem in an objectionable manner.
PREMATURE TELECAST OF FILMS ON SATELLITE CHANNELS: CCCA PROPOSES SEVERE FINES
In a meeting to be held on 21st December in Indore, the executive committee of the Central Circuit Cine Association will discuss a proposal to impose severe penalties on producers in the event of premature telecast of their films on satellite and cable television. The CCCA has already initiated action deciding on imposition of a penalty of Rs. 2,50,000 on a producer if his film is prematurely telecast, but the new proposal will impose much higher penalties to duly compensate the distributors for their losses arising out of the telecast. The proposal states:
i) A producer selling the rights for telecast within one year of the film’s release in the circuit shall be made to pay a compensation of Rs. 10,00,000, out of which Rs. 7,50,000 shall be proportionately distributed among the film’s distributors in C.P. Berar, C.I. and Rajasthan, the balance going to the CCCA’s coffers;
ii) A producer selling the rights for telecast between one and two years of the film’s release shall pay Rs. 7,50,000, out of which Rs. 5,50,000 shall go to the distributors;
iii) A producer selling the rights for telecast between two and three years of its release shall be made to pay Rs. 6,00,000, out of which Rs. 4,00,000 shall go to the distributors; and
iv) A producer selling the rights for telecast between three and five years of its release shall pay Rs. 4,00,000, out of which Rs. 2,50,000 shall go to the distributors.
Apart from the above, the distributors shall be entitled to get their claims against business losses registered with the CCCA, irrespective of the forced undertaking given by them to the producers at the time of the agreement or at the time of delivery of prints, the proposal states.
It is also proposed that a dialogue be initiated with the production sector in order to resolve the issue permanently.
Supreme Court To Hear ‘Fire’ Plea On 15th December
The raging Fire controversy refuses to die down. Industry people, including Dilip Kumar, Mahesh Bhatt and the film’s director, Deepa Mehta, as also some lawyers have petitioned the Supreme Court, seeking a direction for restoration of “rule of law and the Constitution before the situation slips into a complete threatened anarchy”. While declining to issue notice on a limited plea for providing security to Deepa Mehta, the director of Fire, the Court fixed 15th December as the date to hear the petition along with an intervention application filed by a Delhi resident. The application seeks an apology from Deepa Mehta for hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus by portraying lesbianism in the film.
The Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice A.S. Anand, Justice M. Srinivasan and Justice M.B. Shah told the counsel for the petitioners to stop talking to the press as the matter was sub judice. The petition has sought a direction to Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi, the Maharashtra government, Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray to take all steps to provide a sense of security, apart from mere protection so that the film can be exhibited. The petitioners have also requested the Court to issue suitable directions, including the direction by way of continuing mandamus, that those guilty for the acts perpetrated are brought to book and tried in accordance with law.
The film, it may be mentioned here, has been referred by the I & B ministry to the CBFC for re-examination.
Meanwhile, the arguments for and against the film’s screening continue. The Bombay police on 9th December arrested about 30 demonstrators after they assembled outside the city’s New Empire cinema to protest against the Shiv Sena’s call for a ban on the film. Even some lady journalists, who had gone to cover the demonstration for their newspapers, were arrested by the police. It may be mentioned here that the police had not taken any action against Shiv Sena members last week when they disrupted the screening of Fire at New Empire and Cinemax. In the meantime, the Indian Film Directors’ Association has condemned the violent protest against the film. The Film Federation of India has also made formal protests in this regard to Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi as well as to I & B minister of state, M.A. Naqvi.
YOU ASKED IT
Is it true that the Rajshri group has joined hands with some NRI to start an exhibition chain all over India?
– Several NRIs have been contacting the Rajshri people with different proposals but nothing concrete has shaped up so far.
What are the Associations doing to protect distributors’ interests in the event of producers selling satellite rights for telecast soon after theatrical release of films?
– Distributors’ associations all over India have taken a serious note of the new trend, and a policy decision is like to be taken by them on the lines of the decision of the Central Circuit Cine Association. The CCCA is in the process of finalising the steps to be taken by its distributor-members in such an event.
Is it advisable to remake a hit in the same language?
– It is advisable to do so only if the maker is sure, he can better it or if the hit had been released many years ago and it has not been seen by many of today’s audience.
DO YOU KNOW?
* Majrooh Sultanpuri, who had penned the hit Hum to mohabbat karega song of DILLI KA THUG in 1958, will once again be writing the title song of K.P. Singh’s HUM TO MOHABBAT KAREGA. While that song of 40 years ago was picturised on Kishore Kumar and Nutan, the new song will be picturised on Bobby Deol and Karisma Kapoor.
* Bombay distributor Ramesh Sippy is offering a special discount of 40% at Bombay’s Central Plaza cinema in the 3 p.m. show from Mondays through Fridays for DOLI SAJA KE RAKHNA. The discount is available only in the stalls and that too for ladies audience.
RHYME TIME
Truth About ‘Jhooth…’
It was touted as a comedy
But for distributors, it has proved a tragedy
This Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate
‘Coz it has caused bade bade ghaate
Playing With Fire
The case of Deepa Mehta’s Fire
Shows how the Sena state-managed public ire
Shouldn’t the Centre in its whimsical fashion
Having sent Fire for re-examination
Now make CBFC, an abbreviation
For Central Board of Farcical Certification?
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Record Of Sorts
With Kunwara to be released in Bombay by Shringar Films, this would be the fifth David Dhawan film starring Govinda to be released by Shringar. The association of Shringar Films with David Dhawan-directed Govinda-starrers began with Swarg. David’s next film to be released by Shringar was Coolie No. 1, followed quickly by Saajan Chale Sasural. Both starred Govinda. Recently, Shringar released David’s fourth film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda. Kunwara also stars Govinda.
Akshaye Khanna’s Producers Panic
The poor opening response to Kudrat this week comes close on the heels of the disastrous initial of Doli Saja Ke Rakhna two weeks back. Besides the fact that both the films have been such poor starters, what is causing concern to producers of Akshaye Khanna starrers is that both, Kudrat and Doli…, are solo Akshaye starrers. Like the producers of his films, distributors of Akshaye’s films are also panicking although everyone is trying hard to hide his panic. After all, people associated with a star’s films should be the last ones to show, they are scared. Or else, how will they inspire the confidence of exhibitors for giving them (distributors) the much-awaited advances?