(From our issue dated 3rd September, 1994)
LAUGH-RIOT
Rajkumar Santoshi’s Andaz Apna Apna is a laugh-riot. It throws caution to the winds. Seriousness? What’s that? You must be joking! There’s no such word in Santoshi’s dictionary. Versatile? Ah yes. The word exists. It means one who has made an action thriller (Ghayal) and a social (Damini) and attempts a comedy (AAA).
Aamir Khan is simply too cute and funny in the film. His short height is no constraint for the tall demands of his character. His sense of timing could give HMT watches a complex. His spirited acting keeps you in high spirits.
Salman Khan complements Aamir well. In fact, the film is full of the two Khan Dost. There’s one Javed Khan also. Hum Aapke Hain Khan..!, you see.
Aamir’s ‘Haila’ (Hai Allah) utterances in the film can become a craze among youngsters and collegians. Paresh Rawal’s double role makes the Khan khaandaan go gol-gol. There’s Shakti Kapoor as crime master Gogo who’ll make you laugh in the climax till you say, “No, no, not more.”
But there’s still more….. to make you go… ha ha, hee hee, ho ho……..
JAYALALITHA ANNOUNCES PACKAGE OF RELIEFS
FOR FILM INDUSTRY
Tamil Nadu chief minister, Jayalalitha, on August 31 declared open the Rs. 21-crore Film City, at Taramani in Madras. The Film City is named after her. At the opening, Jayalalitha said, “The magnificent venture will be a fitting tribute to glorious reign of South Indian Film Industry and the lofty values it has always tried to uphold.” On the occasion, she also announced a package of measures for the benefit of the industry. The measures are: reduction of sales tax on films from 5 to 3 per cent, reduction of shooting charges for ordinary locations from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 2,500 increasing the maintenance charges for air-conditioned theatres from 25 to 50 paise and for non-air-conditioned cinemas from 10 to 25 paise, and withdrawal of the power tariff hike for cinema houses. These became effective from September 1.
Paying tribute to the stalwarts of the Indian film industry, including C.N. Annadurai and M.G. Ramachandran who elevated the film medium for nobler purposes, Jayalalitha said, the future belonged to those who could merge film, video and computer techniques artfully. She said that the filmmakers and artistes had to utilise the film medium far more responsibly rather than surrender to ‘crass commercialism’. Now they should be extremely quality-conscious, keeping in mind the expansion of the electronic media and invasion of the satellite channels. Jayalalitha assured Ramanand Sagar, who made a plea not to allow the bureaucrats to hike the rent subsequently, that the venture would not be left in the hands of the bureaucrats. She said, producer-director P. Madhavan has been appointed chairman and managing director of the Film City.
The Film City has been built on a sprawling sylvan landscape of 85 acres and another 40 acres would be developed for items like an artificial lake and model railway station. Advanced shooting facilities, including underwater filming, computerised audio-visual equipment, cameras, editing and dubbing are available in the Film City.
Producer-director Shakti Samanta, who participated in the inaugural function, said the project was a paradise for filmmakers, from every angle. Ramanand Sagar hailed Jayalalitha as a patron deity of the film industry. Mrinal Sen observed that the whole world had been put into a capsule. “This is the Tamil Nadu government’s most befitting contribution to the national cinema on the occasion of the centenary of the invention of World Cinema”, he said. Dasari Narayana Rao, Girish Karnad, Mani Ratnam, and others also praised Jayalalitha’s grand effort.
Jayalalitha had a special word of thanks for doyen of the artistes, Sivaji Ganesan, and participants from other parts of the country, making the function a shining example of national integration. She also presented mementoes to the participants in the function and the artistes who presented a cultural show. The chief minister presented the first copy of the souvenir, published on the occasion, to Shakti Samanta.
DO YOU KNOW?
* The Barjatyas will be dubbing HAHK..! in Telugu. It has been tentatively titled PREMALAYA.
* Krishan Kumar has reportedly called it quits from acting. He is completing his under-production films after which he will retire from acting. Did anyone heave a sigh of relief?
* Inspired by the sensational success of the ‘Amma dekh tera munda bigda jaaye’ song of STUNTMAN, its director, Deepak Balraaj Vij has changed the music track of all the seven songs of his home production, DANCE PARTY.
* Due to overwhelming response of the public, the management of Galaxy cinema, Jamnagar conducted an extra show of HAHK..! for ladies on each of 27th, 28th and 29th August.
* HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN..! has created a new record by collecting 91,160/- in 3rd week at Galaxy, Jamnagar where it had collected 70,522/- in 1st week and 79,469/- in 2nd week. Total: 2,41,152/-.
* HAHK..! has created a city and district record by collecting 1,23,632/- in 4th week at Vijay, Nasik. Total for 4 weeks: 4,91,221/-.
* HAHK..! has drawn all 28 shows full (1,42,772/-) in 4th week at Relief, Ahmedabad. The first 3 weeks did not record 100% collections.
* Tickets of HAHK..! are selling in the black market in Delhi for as high as Rs. 700 per ticket!
* A couple in Kanpur has vowed to see HAHK..! 100 times at Manjushree cinema. They have requested the management to arrange a dinner (at the couple’s cost) for them with Madhuri and Salman on the completion of their 100th show.
* HAHK..! has created theatre records again at Hind and Menoka cinemas of Calcutta by drawing 100% in 4th week.
‘1942’: THE TAMIL NADU STORY
* 1942 A LOVE STORY is doing wonders at Woodlands, Madras. The film has completed 50 days there and Vidhu Vinod Chopra has become the talk of the city. Producers, directors, artistes and technicians of the South film industry and their family members are repeating the film. Maybe, Vinod Chopra can consider dubbing it in Tamil.
RAJSHRI BREAKS OWN RECORD
* Rajshri’s HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN..! has created a new record by yielding a distributor’s share of 5,74,289/- in just four weeks at Manjushree, Kanpur. This is the highest ever share since the inception of the cinema. The previous record was held by Rajshri’s own NADIYA KE PAAR which had yielded a share of 5,52,257/- in 62 weeks’ run! HAHK..! has surpassed that share in just four weeks. Collection in 4 weeks: 7,44,845/-, a record in Kanpur district.
SNAPSHOTS
DEALS GALORE
Distributors suddenly seem to have become superactive. Deals are being concluded left, right and centre. On the one hand, there are complaints (from distribution quarters) that film prices are touching the sky and, on the other, distributors themselves are clamouring for films. Sounds paradoxical? Don’t worry. That’s how the industry has always been……
* * *
‘BRAHMA’ DELIVERY HASSLES
Brahma could not be released in C.P., C.I. and U.P. on Thursday, September 1, due to delivery problems. The film was released all over on Friday. A couple of shows in several cinemas of Bombay on Friday were also cancelled due to late arrival of prints (from Madras). The case of East Punjab was the worst. The distributor reportedly paid the delivery amount but was asked to go back without the prints. Hey Brahma!
* * *
PART WAYS
Dada Kondke and nephew Vijay Kondke have separated. Although they are sharing the same office on the sixth floor of Naaz, the boundary limits of the two offices have been drawn. Incidentally, Vijay Kondke, after a long gap post-Maherchi Saadi, may produce a Hindi film now.
* * *
CLEARED
Dada Kondke’s Marathi film, Sasarcha Dhotar, which had been refused certificate by the Bombay regional office of the CBFC, has been cleared by the Appellate Tribunal.
* * *
DUE TO TECHNICAL REASONS…
Producer Vinay Sinha was keen on releasing Andaz Apna Apna on 16th September to avoid release during shraaddh. But his distributors prevailed upon him to not come in direct opposition of Main Khiladi Tu Anari, the release (on 16th) of which had been fixed earlier. Andaz Apna Apna will now come on 23rd but since shraaddh begins on 20th, at least one print of the film will be released on 19th.
YOU ASKED IT
Are heroes whose films don’t even command an opening, justified in charging their high prices?
– Do stars go to producers or do producers approach the stars? The answer to your question lies in the counter question.
Will the business of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! surpass that of Maine Pyar Kiya?
– Beyond doubt, it will surpass MAINE PYAR KIYA. In all probability, by a big margin.
Who is the no. 1 hero today?
– The number game changes every Friday.
FIGHTER CRITICAL
A fighter, injured on the sets of Boney Kapoor’s Prem in Madras last week, is in a critical condition. He has been hospitalised at Vijaya Hospital, Madras.
SANTOSH SINGH JAIN BECOMES GREAT GRANDPA
Wife of Sanjeev Jain, son of Jitendra Jain of Sanman Films, Indore and grandson of CCCA president Santosh Singh Jain, delivered a baby boy on 2nd September in Jabalpur. This is the couple’s first child.
SOMY ALI OPERATED
Somy Ali had to be operated upon for appendicitis on 28th August in Madras. She complained of acute pain on 27th during the shooting of N.N. Sippy’s Teesra Kaun? and had to be hospitalised forthwith. She is fine now.
‘Raja Hindustani’ 80% Complete
A 25-day shooting schedule of Cineyug’s Raja Hindustani was completed recently at Filmistan Studios. A song and scenes were picturised on Aamir Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Suresh Oberoi, Johny Lever, Archna Pooran Singh, Pramod Moutho, Farida Jalal, Tiku Talsania, Navneet Nishan, Veeru Krishnan, master Kunal Kemmu, Mohnish Bahl, junior artistes, fighters and dancers. Being directed by Dharmesh Darshan from his own story for producers Karim Morani, Bunty Soorma and Aly Morani, the film has screenplay and dialogues by Robin Bhatt and Javed Siddique, music by Nadeem Shravan and lyrics by Sameer. It is now 80% complete.
‘Main Khiladi Tu Anari’ Negative Cut
Chhaganlal Jain, father of Ganesh Jain, cut the first negative of United Seven International’s Main Khiladi Tu Anari on Aug. 29 at Adlabs. The film is being readied for an early release. It stars Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Rageshwari, Mukesh Khanna, Johny Lever, Beena, Shiva, Shakti Kapoor and Kader Khan. Producer: Champak Jain. Director: Sameer Malkan. Music: Anu Malik. Dialogues: Kader Khan. Story and screenplay: Sachin Bhaumick.
‘Trimurti’ Stint Over, Climax In Russia
Director Mukul S. Anand completed a month-long shooting schedule of Mukta Arts (P.) Ltd.’s Trimurti on August 31. Various scenes, a song and part of the climax were picturised on 6 different sets at Film City with the participation of Jackie Shroff, Shah Rukh Khan, Priya Tendulkar and Mohan Agashe. Five songs have already been recorded and picturised in Kulu Manali, Mysore and Bangalore. Producer Subhash Ghai has already left for Tashkent to make arrangements for shooting the balance climax and special effects. The film is slated for a December-January release. Fifteen days of Sanjay Dutt are required to complete his balance portions. Gautami and Anjali Jathar are the leading ladies of the film. Music is scored by Laxmikant Pyarelal and lyrics are penned by Anand Bakshi. Screenplay by Karan Razdan, dialogues by Anees Bazmee, cinematography by Ashok Mehta, art by R. Verman and dances by Saroj Khan are the other major credits.
‘Coolie No. 1’ Song Recorded
Anand Milind recorded the fourth song for Puja Films’ Coolie No. 1 last week at Mehboob Recording Theatre. Penned by Sameer, it was rendered by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. The film stars Govinda, Karisma Kapoor, Harish, Kanchan, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Shakti Kapoor, Mahesh Anand and Kader Khan. It is being produced by Vashu Bhagnani and directed by David Dhawan. Tips presents it.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
“I Will Wait”: Subhash Ghai
Subhash Ghai has signed Sunil Shetty in place of Sanjay Dutt for Trimurti. He is considering signing Ajay Devgan. These and many similar statements are heard off and on following Sanjay’s arrest under TADA. But Ghai dismisses all of them as rumours with just one statement, “What to talk of replacing Sanjay Dutt, I haven’t even thought about replacing him.” Ghai explains, “I will wait for the court’s verdict and only then will I think what is to be done. Why should I think negative? I have asked Mukul Anand to shoot each and every portion not requiring Sanjay and even complete the dubbing and mixing. By then, I am hopeful that the verdict will be pronounced. If, God forbid, a negative decision is given by the court, I will, at that time, sit with Sunil Dutt and Sanjay Dutt and decide what is to be done. Until then, I am not going to think about this chapter at all. One must learn to live with positive thinking.”
Rebirth Of Liberty, Bombay
The Rajshris have done the impossible. Bombay’s Liberty cinema had been written off, with attendance being extremely low. But thanks to Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!,the audience has returned to Liberty and how! The cinema is being maintained extremely well and its foyer has been beautifully done up by Sooraj Barjatya who has put up huge portraits of Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan etc. with catchy captions. A huge portrait of late Tarachand Barjatya serves as a reminder of the man who built the Rajshri empire and to whom grandson Sooraj has dedicated the film. Raj Kumar Barjatya revealed, “Among cinemas, our 100% attention was on Liberty. We have supervised the minutest of things and taken care of every little detail at the cinema.” With admission rates having been increased last week, the cinema is now yielding a share of over Rs. 3 lakh per week!
An Experience Of A Lifetime
Mukesh Khanna, who saw Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! at Liberty cinema, Bombay last Sunday, was all praise for the film and its director, Sooraj Barjatya. According to him, the film was an experience of a lifetime. A simple thing like decorative lights around the screen, which are switched on in three songs, attracted Mukesh Khanna’s attention to the point of making him exclaim, “Terrific” when the lights were first switched on. The actor also spoke in superlatives about the cinema’s maintenance and manager Shah’s efforts.
Heightened Curiosity
Trade circles are abuzz with talks of Vinod Khanna’s maiden production, Himalaya Putra, in which he launches his son, Akshay Khanna. Vakil Singh, the East Punjab distributor, recently left a Rs. 10-lakh cheque with Vinod Khanna as signing amount for the distribution rights. And other offers are pouring in. The response the film has been getting is highly positive and Vinod, too, is not leaving anything to chance to see the project through and in time. The muhurt will be held on October 6 in a grand and novel way. It will be followed by a marathon 45-day outdoor schedule for which the technical crew will go location-hunting on the 5th of this month
Meanwhile, it is learned that Danny “may” also be playing an important role in the film.
DD: Drastic Drop
With new and old hits being telecast on Saturdays on the national network of DD (Doordarshan), box-office collections have started to come down steeply in the 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. shows of Saturday. This was the case all over India when Saajan and Daag were telecast on the past two Saturdays. Collections in many cinemas dropped by 60 and 70 per cent!
Time Is Money
The Time people believe in spending lavishly on their productions. As in Vijaypath, they are making their songs of Gambler too, rich and opulent. Eye-catching sets, plenty of costumes, a number of dancers are foregone conclusions in Time’s songs. Those who’ve seen the ‘Akeli main aayee’ song of Gambler can’t help praising its lavishness. Money has been spent not like water (because sometimes the taps can fail you) but like the rain-water this year, which refuses to stop. Is that what they mean when they say, time is money?!?
Explosive Discovery
And this one is for a smile. The Time people (Dhirubhai Shah and Pravin Shah) are on the lookout for a new sex bomb for their next. And since the newcomer will be Time’s discovery, she will be called a Time bomb. That would be an explosive discovery, wouldn’t it?
