(From our issue dated 31st August, 1996)
Sapna Arts’ Mr. Bechara is an unusual story of a young and noble-hearted widower who finds himself playing husband to a beautiful girl who has had a memory lapse. The young man has a little child to look after and since the girl is alone, a doctor-friend of the man plans this ‘alliance’ with good intentions. He hopes that ultimately, the two would get married and that would solve both their problems. Such a stage almost arises — after plenty of light moments — but then comes on the scene, the girl’s ex-lover. The girl also gets back her lost memory and finds herself in a dilemma about whom she should marry. Like the unusual story, the ending is also quite unexpected and would even move the weak-hearted to tears.
The first half is light and quite enjoyable upto a certain stage, after which it becomes boring in parts as, after a point, the story stops moving. The film again picks up and moves at a good pace after interval and there are, besides light moments, some scenes with an emotional under-current too. The film’s screenplay has been excellently written. Dialogues match the mood of the drama.
Anil Kapoor does a good job of a widower who is forced to live with an unknown girl. Sridevi is superb as the girl with a memory lapse. Her spontaneity in comedy scenes is remarkable. Anupam Kher also performs excellently as the doctor-friend. Shakti Kapoor is good. Heera Rajgopal has no worthwhile role. Nagarjuna is alright in a special appearance. Tiku Talsania’s comedy is truly entertaining. Avtar Gill, Shammi, Mahavir Shah, Damini and the others lend the desired support. The child artiste (infant) looks very cute.
K. Bhagyaraj’s scripting and direction are very nice. There are several scenes in the film which have the stamp of a seasoned director. As far as music goes, not only does the film have less songs, it also lacks in hit music. While the ‘Jaanam mere jaanam’ song is well-tuned, what was needed was a super-hit number with a haunting tune because it is on hearing this song that the girl gets back her lost memory. In fact, it is because of the absence of a haunting melody that the girl’s getting back her memory does not have the desired impact. ‘Saathi mere’ is quite an appealing number. The ‘Julie Seema’ song can safely be deleted because it looks quite odd.
P.S. Prakash Rao’s camerawork is praiseworthy. Other technical aspects are of a good standard.
On the whole, Mr. Bechara is a fair entertainer for families but the dull start it has taken will come in the way of its box-office prospects. It will have to rely on the word of mouth to pick up but even then, in most circuits, it may remain a loser, its merits notwithstanding.
Released on 30-8-’96 at Novelty and 13 other cinemas of Bombay thru ABC Pictures P. Ltd. Publicity: not effective. Opening: so so. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull at most of the places.
LATEST POSITION
The Raksha Bandhan holiday saw collections jump phenomenally. On the other hand, heavy rains in Maharashtra and other parts of the country adversely affected box-office collections.
Jeet has done very well initially. 1st week Bombay 41,70,534 (97.70%) from 12 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 13,78,286 from 9 cinemas, Mehsana 1,02,800, Padra 1,71,630, Rajkot 2,18,652 from 3 cinemas (1 in matinee), Jamnagar (matinee) 16,045; Pune 10,72,179 from 7 cinemas, Kolhapur 1,52,849; Belgaum 1,37,658; Delhi 44,77,553 (91.68%) from 13 cinemas (2 unced.); Kanpur 2,96,667 from 2 cinemas, Agra 1,85,000, Allahabad 1,72,000, Bareilly 1,47,287 (82.26%), Dehradum 1,30,932 (75.42%), Gorakhpur 1,53,000 (85.66%); Calcutta 32,39,349 from 25 cinemas; Nagpur 7,64,408 from 6 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,63,698, Akola 1,87,298, Dhule 1,14,445, theatre record, Bhilai 1,86,938 from 2 cinemas, Chandrapur 1,47,036, Bilaspur 2,21,270 from 2 cinemas; Indore 2,63,952 from 2 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Jaipur 9,29,605 from 4 cinemas, Bikaner 2,85,379, city record, Sriganganagar 2,05,801, Alwar 1,87,372; Hyderabad 29,31,641 from 15 cinemas, share 15,26,723. Total: 2,28,11,264 from 119 cinemas. Average: 1,91,691 per cinema.
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Hindustani (dubbed) is doing extraordinary in Maharashtra. 2nd week Bombay 36,93,342 (81.64%) from 12 cinemas (7 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 5,15,265 from 5 cinemas, Bharuch (gross) 1,91,047, Jamnagar 95,691; Pune 9,56,675 from 4 cinemas (1 in mat.); Delhi 25,60,149 from 10 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur 1,85,895, Lucknow 2,53,469, 1st Agra 1,30,000, 2nd Allahabad 1,00,639, Meerut 1,56,220, Bareilly 63,030 (33.85%), Dehradun 1,45,000 (76.75%), Gorakhpur 81,158; Calcutta 16,64,137 from 22 cinemas; Nagpur 4,04,293 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur 1,10,688, total 2,75,250, Amravati 1,54,356, theatre record, Akola 1,23,368, theatre record, Dhule 88,304, city record, Raipur 1,13,585, Bhilai 90,239, Jalgaon 1,34,462, theatre record, Bhusawal 45,010, Chandrapur 83,466, 1st Yavatmal 1,25,507 (72.65%), city record; 2nd Indore 2,33,000; Jaipur 2,54,580, Udaipur 87,527.
Khamoshi 3rd week Bombay 15,73,171 (62.53%) from 6 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,39,300 (1 cinema unrecd.), Rajkot 60,540, Jamnagar 23,936; Pune 3,91,986 from 2 cinemas (1 in mat.); Delhi 12,20,059 from 6 cinemas; Kanpur (last) 31,425, Lucknow 1,02,593, Allahabad 30,000, Bareilly 23,087 (13.11%), Dehradun 43,720, Gorakhpur 27,500; Calcutta 1,53,840; Nagpur 1,09,690 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur 63,699, total 3,12,548, Amravati (last) 52,491, Raipur 47,861, Bhilai (6 days, last) 26,800, 2nd Jalgaon 54,512; 3rd week Hyderabad 1,83,926 from 2 cinemas.
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YOU ASKED IT
Is Rajasthan the ‘hottest’ territory even today?
– Besides Rajasthan, there’s Bombay too!
First Papa Kahte Hain, then Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin and now Bhairavi and Laalchee. Why has Plus Films been unlucky in its production ventures?
– Non-star cast and new star cast films have bleak futures because cinema rentals have gone up tremendously. Unless such films have extraordinary merits, they cannot hope to succeed.
To what do you attribute the dull opening of Mr. Bechara this week when Anil Kapoor’s previous film, Loafer, and Sridevi’s previous film, Army, had both opened to excellent houses?
– A cold title, music which isn’t too popular, and bad publicity (designs).
NON-BAILABLE ARREST WARRANTS
AGAINST JACKIE, HEMA, BOKADIA
The first class judicial magistrate of Nagpur on 28th August issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Jackie Shroff and Hema Malini for offences under the Negotiable Instruments Act. The warrants were issued, directing the two stars to appear in person before the magistrate on or before September 9. This follows the criminal pleas moved against them by a builder, N. Kumar, who had, some time back, also initiated process against producer M.C. Bokadia.
Kumar had reportedly extended loans of Rs. 5 lakh each to Jackie and Hema for film projects last year. Both the stars, according to him, returned the loan amount by cheques which were returned unpaid by the bank due to lack of funds. Subsequently, the builder moved the court, and summons were issued against the two stars who were asked to appear before the magistrate. When they failed to respond to the summons, the magistrate issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the two.
In the case of M.C. Bokadia, the high court bench of Nagpur posted for September 2 the hearing of the application filed by Bokadia, challenging the process initiated against him by the judicial magistrate. Bokadia, in a similar case, had borrowed money from N. Kumar but the former’s cheque of Rs. 10 lakh for repayment of the loan to the latter was returned unpaid by the bank due to lack of sufficient funds. When N. Kumar moved an application accusing M.C. Bokadia of cheating and other crimes, the judicial magistrate on June 29 ordered Bokadia to appear before him in person on 28thh August .
Bokadia, however, preferred an appeal in the high court, and the same was heard on August 27. The court refused to consider a stay on the criminal process. In absence of the stay and due to Bokadia’s failure to appear before the magistrate, a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued by the magistrate against him. Bokadia moved a fresh application on August 29 before the high court, seeking cancellation of the arrest warrant. The counsel for N. Kumar accepted the notice before admission and sought time till September 2 for replying to the same.
DO YOU KNOW?
* Plus Films’ SARDARI BEGUM may be the first Shyam Benegal directed film to have as many as eight songs! While its music has been scored by Benegal’s favourite, Vanraj Bhatia, the lyricist is a surprise – Javed Akhtar.
* As a token of appreciation for Nadeem Shravan’s music for his PARDES, Subhash Ghai has presented the duo with an Opel Astra car each!
KARNATAKA DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
HONOURS SUBHASH GHAI
Subhash Ghai was felicitated by the Karnataka Film Directors Association in Bangalore on 25th August. Ghai also distributed trophies to several directors for their achievements. He attended the annual function of film directors the same evening as a guest of honour alongwith Karnataka chief minister J.H. Patel, minister of information Nanaiah, and Dadasaheb Phalke award winner Raj Kumar. The latter spoke highly of Ghai and his popularity in South India. Subhash Ghai, in his speech, appealed to the state government to maintain Bangalore as the state’s creative capital and keep it away from politics and commercial forces.
IMPPA AGM, ELECTIONS ON SEPTEMBER 18
The annual general meeting of the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) will be held on 18th September at ISKCON, Juhu, Bombay. The meeting will be followed by elections.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
No Election Heat
Like last year, the election scene in various associations of the industry is likely to be far from hot this year too. The Central Circuit Cine Association, which is the strongest body of the film industry, may even go without elections next month. That is to say, an executive committee to be selected by consensus may come in power this time. Not much election heat also seems to have generated on the front of the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) and the Indian Motion Picture Distributors’ Association (IMPDA). Boring, isn’t it?
After 35 Years
Liberty cinema in Bombay was agog with activity after midnight on 27th and 28th August. Dance director Nimesh Bhatt picturised a song for Wajeda Films’ Jiyaala on the lead pair, Sajid Khan and Poonam Jhawar, at the cinema after the last show of Khamoshi The Musical got over at 12.30 a.m. That is to say, the khamoshi of the two nights was broken by the musical beats of Jiyaala. The shooting used to go on upto 10 a.m. the following day, a little before the show timing of the other musical viz. HAHK..! (which is running at Liberty in matinee shows). A film has been shot at Liberty cinema after 35 years. The last film to have been shot there was Mere Mehboob. According to the makers of Jiyaala, the management of Liberty was co-operation personified during their two eventful nights at the posh cinema. Incidentally, only two songs and the climax remain to be shot to complete Jiyaala.
