JODI NO. 1
Time Films International’s Jodi No. 1 is a comedy right from the word ‘go’. The film has a thin and oft-repeated storyline and depends on punches and witty dialogues to keep the tempo going. Two friends are renowned thugs who loot people, jewellers and banks with the same ease and finesse. On the run after accidentally killing the younger brother of an underworld don, the duo lands in a rich industrialist’s house, posing as guests from the USA. While one goes on to fall in love with the daughter of the industrialist, the other still dreams of the two looting the man of his riches. Their dreams are shattered when the don tracks them down and demands a ransom of Rs. 2 crore. At the same time, the true identity of the two thugs comes to the knowledge of the industrialist and his extended family. Finally, of course, the family comes to the rescue of the twosome and even accepts the guys with open arms.
The story and screenplay (Yunus Sejawal and Imtiaz Patel) are an exercise in writing of convenience. There’s no logic to what’s happening and how. While this is alright sometimes, especially when the film is a comedy, it can’t be accepted throughout the length of the film. And such lack of a coherent script will not be accepted as easily in circuits of North India and the Eastern Circuit as in Bombay and Maharashtra.
The first half abounds in hilarious scenes, heightened by the funny dialogues of Rumi Jafri and the spontaneous performance of Govinda. The second half has its share of light scenes but they are less hilarious. The abrupt change of heart of the industrialist’s family in the pre-climax looks contrived. Similarly, the climax, though funny, looks rather simplistic as the don’s men go one by one to see what’s happening in the bathroom. Other drawbacks in the film are the lack of romance and absence of emotions.
Sanjay Dutt does an extremely fine job. He is superb in an out-and-out comedy role and springs a welcome surprise with his sense of timing. His dances are also good, for a change. Govinda deserves cent per cent marks for his spontaneous performance. His acting, dialogue delivery, facial expressions, all are flawless. The actor is simply amazing and, together with Sanjay Dutt, evokes laughter at many places. Surely, a performance that can fetch him awards for comedy. His dances are, as usual, masterly. Their ‘control kar‘ punch and Govinda’s Hain expression are just too funny. Twinkle Khanna and Monica Bedi have little to do except look pretty and shake a hip here and a leg there in dance sequences. Anupam Kher plays the industrialist fairly well. Ashish Vidyarthi is effective as the don, although his activities as a don are almost totally left to the viewer’s imagination! Supriya Karnik does well. Aasif Sheikh leaves a mark. Tiku Talsania is very good in a brief role. Sanjay Narvekar is effective. Sayaji Shinde impresses in a couple of scenes. Rajat Bedi and Pooja Batra are good in special appearances. Mukesh Rishi, Shakti Kapoor, Ashok Saraf, Ajit Vachhani, Anil Dhawan, Pramod Moutho, Mushtaq Khan, Avtar Gill, Arjun, Shashi Kiran, Himani Shivpuri, Kannu Gill and the rest lend adequate support.
David Dhawan’s direction is good but his selection of such a weak storyline is shocking. The film looks like a case of a body beautiful (dialogues and performances) without a proper backbone (plausible script)!
Besides Govinda and Sanjay Dutt, the other hero of the film is dialogue writer Rumi Jafri. All credit to Rumi for coming up with extraordinary witty and humorous dialogues even in the absence of a worthwhile script.
Music (Anand Raaj Anand and Himesh Reshammiya) is a letdown. A couple of songs are fair but there’s none to hold the audience’s attention. Further, the songs have no relevance to the drama. The Ande ka funda song is mass-appealing, but its picturisation is average. Background music (Anjan Biswas) is excellent. K.S. Prakash Rao’s cinematography is wonderful. Editing is sharp. Production and technical aspects are of a good standard. Action scenes are well composed by Mahendra Verma.
On the whole, Jodi No. 1 is a comedy which will make its distributors of Bombay, Maharashtra and South smile. In Bombay circuit, the film has all chances of fetching overflow. But considering its high price, it may remain an average or even below-average fare for the other distributors because in the rest of the circuits, an out-and-out comedy without a proper script and with weak music and dull heroines doesn’t make for an enjoyable film.
Released on 13-4-2001 at Minerva, Metro and 19 other cinemas of Bombay by Time Magnetics (India) Ltd. thru Tilak Enterprises Ltd. Publicity: very good. Opening: extraordinary. …….Also released all over. Opening was superb in Maharashtra but below the mark in M.P., Rajasthan and centres in some other circuits. 1st day Gondia (5 shows) 25,584/-, Balaghat 19,718/-, Jaipur (3 cinemas) 1,40,372/- (52.92%). Opening in Bihar was dull.
LATEST POSITION
The trade is rejoicing the fantastic opening of JODI NO. 1 this week. Last week’s releases fared miserably.
Rahul is poor everywhere except, to some extent, in Bombay city. 1st week Bombay 10,49,234 (66%) from 7 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Baroda 63,186; Delhi 5,94,870 (18.91%) from 5 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Lucknow 1,75,328, Agra 62,000, Varanasi 39,923; Nagpur 1,11,030, Amravati 56,116, Raipur (6 days) 29,657; Indore 67,229; Jaipur 85,825.
Censor lives up to the tradition of Dev Anand’s flops of the last so many years. 1st week Bombay 7,25,306 (24.12%) from 7 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 1,00,264 from 2 cinemas; Delhi 6,49,534 (18.40%) from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Lucknow 52,534, Varanasi 41,936, Allahabad 28,000; Nagpur 1,63,935 from 3 cinemas, Amravati 36,521.
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One 2 Ka 4 drops even more dramatically than last week. 2nd week Bombay 27,01,962 (37%) from 15 cinemas (7 on F.H.), total for 2 weeks 71,28,676; Ahmedabad 53,388; Pune 6,73,666 from 4 cinemas, Solapur 1,07,445 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Bijapur 90,345; Delhi 18,51,336 from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Lucknow 3,04,499 from 2 cinemas, Agra 68,975, Varanasi 64,110; Calcutta 3,82,000; Nagpur 1,45,858 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 53,885, Amravati 77,580, Akola 40,033, Raipur (6 days) 43,069, Jalgaon (6 days) 80,000, Yavatmal (4 days) 12,527; Jaipur 5,48,002 from 2 cinemas; Hyderabad (gross) 4,55,224 from 2 cinemas; 1st week Davangere 87,854.
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Chhupa Rustam 3rd week Bombay 6,78,009 from 5 cinemas (2 on F.H.), total for 3 weeks 38,85,250; Pune 24,327; Delhi 3,06,215 from 3 cinemas; Lucknow 1,76,522, Agra 70,000, Varanasi 68,181, Allahabad 65,500; Nagpur 25,322, Amravati 41,905, Wardha (6 days) 38,982.
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke 5th week Bombay 8,89,073 from 2 cinemas (7 cinemas unrecd., 6 on F.H.), total for 5 weeks 2,02,79,500; Ahmedabad 4,04,938 from 4 cinemas (1 unrecd.); Pune 6,07,090 from 4 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 1,35,875 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), 2nd week Barsi (14 shows) 28,536; 5th week Delhi 3,62,923 from 2 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Agra 1,05,000, Varanasi 99,551, Meerut 94,268, total 9,10,727, Bareilly (3 days) 20,185; Calcutta 1,70,191 from 2 cinemas; Nagpur 2,22,931 from 2 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 97,061, Amravati 1,21,713, Akola 1,01,400, Raipur (6 days) 1,12,023, Jalgaon (6 days) 84,126, Yavatmal 40,861, total 3,71,814, share 2,46,814; Indore 63,419; Jaipur 1,98,520; Hyderabad (gross) 3,43,012.
TICKET RATES HIKED IN JAIPUR
Admission rates of cinemas in Jaipur were hiked by 15% with effect from 10th April.
‘TUM BIN…’ COMPLETION PARTY
Super Cassettes hosted a grand party on 7th April at Centaur Juhu to celebrate the completion of its Tum Bin…. The film, directed by Anubhav Sinha, stars artistes who will be seen for the first time on the big screen.
A live performance of the film’s songs was held on the occasion. The film boasts of very good music (Nikhil-Vinay).
The party was very well attended. Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Mukesh Desai welcomed the guests. A magnificent fireworks show was the highlight of the evening.
BMPEU STRIKE TAKES UGLY TURN
The Bengal Motion Pictures Employees Union strike took an ugly turn as it entered its fourth week on 13th April. A group of about 100 BMPEU supporters stormed the Calcutta office of Venkatesh Films on 11th April, destroyed the print-checking machine and tore apart a print of One 2 Ka 4, the West Bengal distribution rights of which are held by the company. The striking workers were registering their protest against the distributor’s plan of releasing Pratibad (Bengali) on 13th April in spite of the ongoing strike. Offices of Surender Films and Sethi Films in the city were also attacked.
The Eastern India Motion Pictures Association has condemned the attacks, calling them an “act of desperation” by the striking workers. It may be mentioned here that the strike is losing momentum by the day. Over 400 cinemas in the state, including about 30 in Calcutta, are currently functioning.
BACHANIS’ MOVIE STAR CINEMA TO OPEN
Movie Star, the new cinema at Goregaon (West), a Bombay suburb, will open on 20th April with Tips’ Albela. The cinema, owned by Kishore and Kumar Bachani, has 412 seats. There are three classes: Dress Circle (326 seats; admission rate Rs. 50), Box (30 seats; Rs. 70), Club Class (56 seats; Rs. 90).
The cinema is located on Ram Mandir Road, off S.V. Road. It has a parking space to accommodate over 150 cars. Jadhav is the manager. Phone: 873-8848.
FAMOUS LAUNCHES NEW TELECINE MACHINE
Famous Studios has installed the Millennium Telecine Lite Machine at a cost of Rs. 4.5 crore. The machine is equipped with a resolution independence up to 4K. It also permits a High Definition Serial Link (HDSL) Dual Link 2K output. Moreover, at a scanning speed of 16 frames per second, it is one of the fastest scanners available.
‘MOHABBATEIN’ SILVER JUBILEE
Yash Raj Films’ Mohabbatein entered 25th (silver jubilee) week at Liberty, Bombay and 23 other centres in India on 13th April. Produced by Yash Chopra and written and directed by Aditya Chopra, the hit stars Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai (special appearance), Uday Chopra, Jugal Hansraj, Jimmy Shergill, Shamita Shetty, Preeti Jhangiani, Kim Sharma, Archna Pooran Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Shefali Chhaya, Amrish Puri and Anupam Kher. Music: Jatin Lalit. Cinematography: Manmohan Singh. Dances: Farah Khan. Art: Sharmishta Roy.
FILM DELEGATION CALLS ON CHHATTISGARH CM
A delegation of the Chhattisgarh Cine Association on 27th March called on the state chief minister, Ajit Jogi, at his residence and handed over a charter of demands of the local film trade. Apprising the CM of the severe problems faced by the local trade, the delegation brought to his notice that the situation had worsened since film business had been completely ignored in the state Budget.
The main demands in the 11-point charter are (a) doubling of service tax to Rs. 2; (b) scaling down of entertainment tax from the existing 75% to 50%; and (c) reduction in show tax from Rs. 100 to Rs. 50.
The chief minister assured the delegation that his government would announce relief measures soon. Lunkaran Parakh, Inderchand Dhariwal, Gurmeet Singh Gurdutta, H.G. Daga, Navin Lodha, Narendra Jaiswal, Dhanya Kumar Jain, Sunil Bajaj and Prasanna Gattani comprised the delegation which called on the chief minister.
MANOJ DEASI TO CONTROL MARATHA MANDIR, BOMBAY
Admission Rates Down
With effect from 27th April, the Thadani group will leave control of Maratha Mandir, one of the main cinemas of Bombay. Manoj Desai will henceforth control the cinema.
From the same day, admission rates at the cinema will be slashed by 30% to 50%. The new rates in the three classes will be: Balcony 40/- (old rate 60/-), Family Circle 30/- (old rate 50/-), and Upper Stall 20/- (old rate 40/-).
RAMESH SIPPY’S NEW OFFICE INAUGURATED
The new office of Bombay distributors Ramesh Sippy and Rakesh Sippy (Balaji Enterprises) in Naaz building (2nd floor) was inaugurated on 7th April at the hands of Jeetendra and Boney Kapoor. The entire Naaz building as also a number of producers came to wish the Sippys good luck and fortune in their new office.
The lunch that followed the launch was as tasty as the office is tasteful.
‘MISSION KASHMIR’ SILVER JUBILEE
Vinod Chopra Productions’ Mission Kashmir entered combined silver jubilee week on 13th April at Novelty (matinee), Bombay and other centres in India. Produced and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the film stars Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Puru Raaj Kumar, Sonali Kulkarni, Abhay Chopra, Rajendra Gupta and baby Heena Biswas. Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Action: Allan Amin. Cinematography: Binod Pradhan. Art: Nitin Desai.
UMAKANT DESAI FETED
Actor Umakant Desai, the sole living member of the unit of the first Gujarati talkie, Narsinh Mehta (1932), was felicitated on 8th April in Bombay on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Gujarati cinema. The felicitation function was organised by a Bombay-based cultural organisation, Tathastu.
94-year-old Umakant Desai’s repertoire includes a variety of roles in over a dozen Gujarati and more than 35 Hindi films, notable among which are Vijay Bhatt’s Bharat Milap and Ram Rajya.
Desai had also produced a Gujarati film, Bahuroopi, which bagged seven state awards.
SALMAN CHARGED
More than two years after the black buck shooting incident in Jodhpur, a local court framed charges on 13th April against Salman Khan and others for poaching endangered animals. The chief judicial magistrate, Pramod Vashisht, read out the charges framed against them. Salman and all the other accused were present. They pleaded not guilty and said, they would contest the case.
CALL TO DELETE ‘DEROGATORY’ REMARK IN ‘ONE 2 KA 4’
A derogatory reference to the Ajanta-Ellora monuments in One 2 Ka 4, by its hero, Shah Rukh Khan, has drawn flak from BJP member Prakash Javadekar. He raised the matter in the Maharashtra legislative council on 12th April. He urged the Maharashtra government to review the film and delete the said portion.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Musical Chairs
The party is over, it seems. At least, as far as music rights of films are concerned. Audio companies, which had paid fancy prices for acquisition of audio rights of star-cast films, are rethinking. Why, some music companies have served notices on producers of some big films for relinquishment of the audio rights. Dil Chahta Hai, Aks and Nayak – The Real Hero are instances in point. One audio company is rumoured to have asked the producers of at least two films, presented by Bharat Shah, to submit his chargesheet to it to decide whether it would like to retain the music rights of the films. Of course, the reason for the relinquishment and rethinking is the huge prices paid for the audio rights, which, today are appearing to be wrong prices. The affected producers are now looking for alternative music companies.
Cool Kher
Anupam Kher is very unlike other directors when on the set of Vashu Bhagnani’s Om Jai Jagdish which he is directing. Unlike, because he is as cool as the proverbial cucumber. And that’s not only because of the set having been erected at Juhu Beach, facing the sea and which ensures that there’s cool sea breeze blowing all the time. “I know my job, so why shouldn’t I be cool?”, asks Anupam with a wink. Vashu invited the press on his very realistic set of a huge house — Gulmohar Villa — on 10th April. Anil Kapoor, who plays Om, was felicitated for winning the best actor National Award for Pukar. To cheer Anil and to meet the scribes were Fardeen Khan (who plays Jai) and Abhishek Bachchan (Jagdish), besides their leading ladies — Mahima Chaudhry (who has replaced Tabu), Urmila Matondkar and Diya Mirza. The set is so real that it could easily pass off as a real house. Gulmohar Villa ‘plays’ an important role in the film which is written by debut-making Rahul Nanda. The dialogues are being penned by Raman Kumar.
Om Jai Jagdish is being shot in a long schedule on the set, and the others participating in the stint are Waheeda Rehman and Om Puri. Waheeda plays the mother of Om, Jai and Jagdish. Om Puri is a florist and is very close to the family. “The film is very real,” informs the first-time director. “There’s not a single fake scene in it. That is why, you’ll see all the actors playing characters in my film.”
Hamara Overflow Aapke Paas Rakho
Nizam distributor Ravi Machhar is these days singing praises of producer Boney Kapoor. For, the latter has converted his MG royalty agreements of Pukar, Sirf Tum and Judaai with Machhar into outright sale agreements. “This, when I am still paying him overflow every month, in the accounts of all the three films,” explains an excited Ravi. The reason for Boney’s magnanimity was that his fourth film, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, which is also being distributed by Ravi Machhar in Nizam, will not recover its commission. It is to compensate for HDAPH that Boney made the move and asked Ravi to stop sending him the overflow cheques now.
Desire + Providence = Break! And What A Break!!
The Ande ka funda song of Jodi No. 1, that is on every youngster’s lips today, is the work of a rank newcomer. It is penned and composed by Pratik Joseph who has also rendered the song. Pratik is a young professor of Mathematics in a Bombay college and had, more than a year back, sent an audio cassette with his songs taped, to David Dhawan. It was Pratik’s ardent desire to sing a song for David’s film. Perhaps, having to cope with umpteen such requests from all types of strugglers, David didn’t really care to even play the cassette for many days till, one day, his son (who had heard the cassette) forced David to hear out Pratik’s cassette. That — and Providence — did the trick! The aspiring singer was contacted and, within a few days, the Ande ka funda song had been written and even recorded in the professor’s voice. And it doesn’t require great mathematical skills to calculate that the song, to an extent, led to the grand opening, at least in Bombay, of the film this week. Perhaps, a singer and lyricist is born!