(From our issue dated 14th May,1994)
DO YOU KNOW?
* According to producer Premji, he has changed the title of his film from AURAT to AURAT AURAT AURAT as it speaks about the three phases in a woman’s life, viz. maidenhood, married status and motherhood.
* Director Talat Jani directed his father, the famous qawwal, Jani Babu, for Super Cassettes’ album, ‘Allahwala’, on 13th May.
* So impressed was director Talat Jani with the crew-cut hair of the trainees at State Reserve Police Force Quart ers, Jogeshwari, Bombay, where he had gone to shoot his HIMMATVAR recently, that he too trimmed his hair then and there.
* For the first time, perhaps, three tax-free films – JURASSIC PARK, TEJ ASVINI and SALAAMI – were running in Yavatmal last week.
* LAADLA has created a theatre record by collecting 47,581/- (nett) in 2nd week at Vasant, Wardha.
* BEERA BEGO AAYEEJE RE (Rajasthani, TF) has created a record for Rajasthani films by collecting 2,07,220/- in 1st week at Girdhar Mandir, Jodhpur. It has also created a theatre record by collecting 73,055/- at Swapnalok, Udaipur. It has created another record at Manthan, Pali.
* JURASSIC PARK has created a new record by collecting 34,610/- in 4th week at Circle, Nasik.
* JURASSIC PARK (Hindi, TF) has created a record by collecting 90,529/- in 4th week at Anuradha, Nasik Road. Total for 4 weeks: 3,91,113/-.
* JURASSIC PARK (TF) has created a theatre record by collecting a total of 1,73,515/- (against a capacity of 1,94,880/-) in 4 weeks at Kakani, Malegaon. 4th week: 40,012/-.
* JURASSIC PARK has created a theatre record by collecting 93,196/- in 1st week and 84,692/- in 2nd week at Prabhat, Dehradun.
MIX MASALA
NATION’S SHOW PLACE
Bombay’s Minerva cinema is advertised as the ‘pride of Maharashtra’, and Novelty, as ‘Theatre Magnificent’. Now, Liberty, which is being readied to release Rajshri’s Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, is being publicised as ‘Show place of the nation’.
YOU ASKED IT
How many cinemas have closed down in Bombay in the last 10 years?
– Twenty cinemas!
Despite so many associations in the industry and their rules and regulations, why is the film industry so indisciplined?
– For one, there are too many associations and they often work against each others’ interests. Secondly, many in the industry do not take rules and regulations too seriously; it is money and status that matter.
What are the pre-requisites of a successful hero today?
– He must be young, fresh, lucky and a good actor and dancer. In the alternative, he must be a dinosaur!
‘1942 A LOVE STORY’: MRTPC SUSPENDS OPERATION OF FMC CIRCULAR
The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) on 11th May suspended the operation of the FMC’s boycott of Vinod Chopra Productions vide the former’s (FMC’s) circular dated 19th November, 1993. The order was passed in the injunction application no. 65 of 1994 made by Vinod Chopra Productions. The application is listed for hearing on 23rd May before the Commission.
It may be recalled that following Vinod Chopra’s flouting of the FMC resolution in November ’93, the FMC had on 19th November issued circulars asking the distributors’ associations and Film City and other studios as also other associations and federations to boycott Vinod Chopra and his production concern. The FMC had resolved to suspend all shooting activities in November ’93 as a result of its dispute with cine workers, but Vinod Chopra had shot his 1942 A Love Story despite the suspension.
The MRTPC has suspended the operation of the FMC circular. Notice under section 10(a)(i) and 12-A of the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 has been issued to the FMC.
KAMAL CANCELS TRIP
Kamal Haasan has boycotted the Cannes film festival where his Thevar Magan (Tamil) is being screened. The boycott came as a result of the lackadaisi cal attitude of the Directorate of Film Festival authorities who were not even present to receive Kamal at Bombay airport where he arrived earlier this week from Madras to proceed to Cannes.
BABY BOY FOR SUNNY DEOL
Sunny Deol’s wife delivered a baby boy in London on 12th May. This is the couple’s second child.
VETERAN ACTOR DEAD
S.B. Nayampally, a veteran actor of the late silent and the early talkie era, died of old age in Bombay on May 7. Having started his career with Wedding Night in 1929, he had to his credit many films like Noor Jehan, Alam Ara, Zarina, Saire Paristan, Kal Koot and Zingaro. His other notable films were Jhansi Ki Rani and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, his last film.
VETERAN FILMMAKER SUBODH MITRA DEAD
Subodh Mitra (86), a veteran filmmaker of New Theatres, died on April 29 in Calcutta, after a prolonged illness. Having started his career as an editor with New Theatres, he had edited about 150-odd films made by New Theatres between 1931 and 1954. His first directed film was Doctor. Grihadata, made in 1967, was his last film. It was a big hit.
FOX MD DEAD
J.R. Shenoy, managing director of 20th Century Fox Corpn. (India) P. Ltd., died on 1st May in Bombay, succumbing to the multiple head injuries he suffered on April 12, when the car he was travelling in skidded near Sahar airport, Bombay. He was on his way to Hong Kong to attend the conference of the managers of Fox when the accident took place.
REGE APPOINTED CBFC ARO
Mrs. M.P. Rege of the CBFC, Bombay, has taken charge as assistant regional officer and superintendent officer.
CCCA BREAKS JOINT TRIBUNAL WITH FMC
The Central Circuit Cine Association (CCCA), in its executive committee meeting held on May 12 and 13, decided to discontinue its joint tribunal with the Film Makers Combine. This follows the ongoing dispute between the FMC and the Film Distributors’ Council over the issue of video release and monitoring of the star ceiling scheme.
PUNJAB DISTRIBUTORS SUSPEND PAYMENTS TO PRODUCERS
An emergency meeting of distributors of East Punjab, held on 11th May in Jalandhar, condemned the stand of the FMC to postpone all releases after 6th May. The meeting decided that no distributor would, until further directions, send any remittances to the producers, whether the payment was to wards signing amount, under-production instalments or overflow money. It was also decided that if any distributor did not comply with the decision, he would be suspended from the membership of NIMPA for six months and a penalty of Rs. 50,000 would be levied on him.
SELF-REGULATION BY STARS: CAA TO MONITOR CEILING
Even as the stalemate over who would monitor the star-ceiling scheme – the FMC or the FDC – continues, the Cine Artistes’ Association (CAA) has decided to monitor it itself.
On a representation made by major stars that they would like to self-regulate their assignments and would like the CAA to monitor the same, the executive committee of the CAA at its meeting held on 8th May, resolved that henceforth all stars shall self-regulate their assignments. It was also resolved to form a sub-committee of stars to monitor the same. The meeting decided that henceforth, all artistes desiring to start shooting for new films would have to approach the sub-committee and obtain necessary clearance before starting shooting for the same.
Vulgarity, Violence In Films Condemned
CBFC chairman Shakti Samanta gave an assurance that vulgar songs will not be permitted in films henceforth. He was speaking at a meeting convened on 11th May in Delhi on film censorship, by I & B minister K.P. Singh Deo. The meeting lasted over four hours and was attended by parliamentarians, members of the National Commission for Women, film critics, cable TV operators, members of the CBFC and representatives of the film industry.
Vulgarity and obscenity in films came in for sharp criticism by the government. References were made at various stages to Khuddar, Raja Babu, Dulaara and Khal-nayak. Shakti Samanta said, by the time the aforesaid films came up for censorship, the songs (found objectionable) in them had already been telecast a number of times on Doordarshan and satellite channels. He added, the CBFC had currently started censoring the songs prior to their release in the market and their telecast on television. Even violence was being gradually curbed, he informed.
BJP MP Uma Bharti wondered why more films like Maine Pyar Kiya and Roja were not being made. She added that both the films were entertaining, be sides being full of messages.
Actor-turned-MP Arvind Trivedi decried the vulgarity in songs and warned, “Today, they are merely asking what lies behind the choli. Tomorrow, they will actually show what lies behind. What will we do then?”
Members of the Women’s Commission refuted the contention of filmmakers that they were giving what the audience wanted. According to them, a recent finding revealed that the cinegoers, especially women, found sex and violence in films revolting
Film industry representatives felt, the allegations were mostly unwarranted as only a handful of films contained vulgar songs and excessive violence. They pointed out that the government had not granted the film industry the status of an industry so far.
Actor-cum-MP Sunil Dutt explained that there were always two sides to a coin. “You must find out what the industry has gone through before you look down upon us and condemn us as dishonourable, vulgar people,” he said.
Raj Babbar also defended the film industry in the Rajya Sabha on 13th May. In his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha, Raj said that vulgarity in films was only a reflection of society. He called khadi wallahs (politicians) the real villains of society. He opined that it was wrong to blame films alone.
FMC-FDC Stalemate Continues
Early Settlement In Sight
Preparations On For ‘Aatish’ Release
The stalemate in the dispute between the Film Makers Combine and the Film Distributors’ Council continues, with no official announcement of a joint meeting. Consequently, the FMC’s embargo on releases continues to be in operation.
No new films were released this week. Both, Mohabbat Ki Arzoo and Aa Gale Lag Jaa, had been technically released last week (6th May) and they were released all over India on 13th. Aatish, Anth, Jai-Kishen and a couple of other films were scheduled for release on 20th May but since no settlement has been arrived at, they have all been postponed. Consequently, there will be no new release next week.
In the meantime, preparations are on to release Aatish on 27th May. Large-scale publicities of the film have come up all over Bombay, presumably, in the hope that the film will be released on 27th. It is rumoured that G.P. Sippy is trying his best to bring about a settlement so that Aatish can come on 27th. Gulshan Rai’s Mohra, which was fixed for release on 27th May, has been postponed to 10th June.
The producers’ delegation which was in Delhi on 11th May for a meeting with the I & B minister and others, had unofficial discussions (on 12th) with G.S. Mayawala, G.D. Mehta and others representing the FDC. However, no concrete solution could be arrived at. G.D. Mehta, it may be mentioned here, is distributing Aatish in Delhi-U.P. He is also reportedly very keen that a settlement comes about soon so that Aatish can be released on 27th. Several members of the FMC also concurred with Mayawala and Mehta in Delhi that an early settlement was necessary. Among those who were present in Delhi in the unofficial meeting on 12th afternoon were Shakti Samanta, Shreeram Bohra, J. Om Prakash, G.P. Shirke, N.N. Sippy, K.D. Shorey, Sultan Ahmed, Shabnam Kapoor, Pahlaj Nihalani, Pappu Verma and Sush ama Shiromanee. Santosh Singh Jain of the FDC had returned to Bombay on the night of 11th itself.
Meanwhile, rumours were rife in Bombay and Delhi trade circles all through the week that a settlement had been reached at. Most of the rumours were born out of the fact that hectic preparations were on to release Aatish.
It is also rumoured that G.S. Mayawala and G.D. Mehta are coming to Bombay in a day or two and will hold a meeting with the FMC on Monday, May 16, to arrive at a possible solution. N.N. Sippy of the FDC pleaded ignorance about any meeting between the FMC and the FDC. “I’ve not been informed of any meeting,” he said. He confirmed, an unofficial meeting was held in Delhi, but said, he couldn’t participate actively in it as he had to leave for Indore even while discussions were on. “Further, I did not have the mandate of the FDC to talk to the FMC, so I wasn’t keen on the unofficial meeting anyway.” explained Sippy.
Know-alls in the trade hint that an early settlement is on the cards because of Aatish. “There’s G.P. Sippy on the side of the FMC, and G.D. Mehta and G.S. Mayawala in the FDC, who’ll see to it that the embargo is lifted so that Aatish can be released on 27th,” said an industry leader wishing to remain anonymous.
Garma-Garam
** Vidhu Vinod Chopra is leaving no stone unturned to make his 1942 A Love Story a ‘1994 Most Discussed Story’. He is all set to fly to England to mix his film in Dolby stereo sound. This would make 1942 the first Indian film in Dolby sound. The mixing would take about 20 days and, consequently, its release has been postponed by three weeks. Some re-shooting is also on the cards. “The film will now hit the screen on 1st July,” said Vinod Chopra. Incidentally, Suresh Sikchi (Anurag Films, Amravati), who is, these days, busier than the proverbial bee in counting the handsome shares from Jurassic Park (he has released it in C.P.C.I. Rajasthan), has acquired 1942 for a phenomenal price for C.P. Insiders say, the MG price is 40! Sikchi says, “The film will be a blockbuster.”
** Metro Cinema in Bombay and Mangala Cinema in Pune have made arrangements to screen Vinod Chopra’s 1942 in Dolby stereo sound. Other cinemas are expected to follow suit.
** After Vinod Chopra, I come to Vinod Doshi. The financier and one-time producer has launched his son, Gaurang, as a hero. Writer Vinay Shukla will direct Gaurang in a film to be produced by Tutu Sharma. The dinner party hosted by Vinod Doshi two weeks back at Juhu Sports Club, to celebrate the launching, was note worthy for the extremely tasty food, shudh shakahaari.
** The Cine Artistes’ Association seems to have made a smart move. Even while the FMC and the FDC are involved in a battle about who would monitor the star ceiling scheme, the CAA has thrown a bombshell. The scheme will be monitored by the CAA alone, according to a resolution passed by the Association. One scheme and three guardians!
** Sanjay Dutt was to have reported out of Bombay for the shooting of a big film last week. But he couldn’t make it to the location and consequently, the shooting schedule had to be can celled midway. The unit has since returned. And the set on the picturesque location stands there silently (since March), waiting for Sanjay.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Logic Worth A Crore
A leading producer (who also owns a music company) reportedly met Yash Chopra recently and expressed his desire to buy the music rights of his next film. Chopra, who always sells the audio rights of his films to HMV, told the producer so. When the latter did not give up, Yash Chopra is reported to have quoted an exorbitant price of 1 crore for the music rights. The Marwari producer is said to have asked for 5 minutes’ time. After 5 minutes, he told Yashji, “For 1 crore, why don’t you direct a film for me?” Yash-ji couldn’t figure out why the producer had agreed to the crore figure. The producer’s logic was that if Yash-ji would agree to direct his film for 1, the price would cover the charges for direction as also for the music rights because those would then, obviously, vest with his company. Smart logic, isn’t it?
