LATEST POSITION
Despite bad reports in the industry, the public has given the thumbs up to MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI, a wholesome entertainer.
Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai does exceptionally well in every circuit. Fetches superb shares from all ‘A’ class centres. Is poised to become class A1. It is not as good in smaller centres where it actually needed to be released later. Tusshar, who the industry feared would not make it, has caught the fancy of the audience. Cinegoers in several parts of the country are greeting the songs with whistles in the cinema halls. 1st week Bombay 48,05,655 (95.16%) from 9 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Ahmedabad 23,18,223 from 4 cinemas, Vapi 4,50,156 (80%), Baroda 100%, Surat 100%, Navsari 25 shows full, Anand 1,79,621 (98.02%), Palanpur 4,11,014; Pune 10,97,616 (99%) from 3 cinemas, Kolhapur 100%, Solapur (matinee) 81,847 (100%), Ahmednagar 1,35,290 (92.21%), Satara (14 shows) 93,852 (100%), Sangli 2,20,980 (99%), Malegaon 2,00,723 (87.43%); Hubli (matinee) 89,030 (91.90%, 1 in regular shows 100%), Belgaum 2,35,394 (85.78%, 1 in matinee 100%), Dharwad (matinee) 75,331 (81.19%; 1 cinema unrecd.); Delhi 61,17,787 (80.82%) from 10 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur 5,74,485 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 5,92,897 (100%), Agra 3,44,398, Allahabad 2,53,000, Meerut 3,54,756 (100%), Bareilly 2,48,847, Dehradun 2,51,151, Gorakhpur 2,35,354, Aligarh 2,40,987, Moradabad 2,36,435; Calcutta 12,62,529 from 4 cinemas (3 cinemas’ collections unrecd., where theatre records were created, other cinemas on F.H.); Patna 100%; Nagpur 9,92,366 from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 2,31,293, Amravati 2,84,851, Raipur (6 days) 2,02,780, Durg 1,50,684, Jalgaon 2,19,080, Wardha 1,14,182, Yavatmal (5 days) 85,588; Jaipur 7,59,730 (58.98%) from 2 cinemas, Jodhpur (29 shows) 7,92,904 (94.54%), record, Ajmer (29 shows, gross) 2,16,526; Hyderabad (gross) 36,00,307 from 12 cinemas. Total 2,87,57,649 from 80 cinemas.
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Ek Rishtaa The Bond Of Love drops quite dramatically. Is good in Eastern U.P. 2nd week Bombay 54,24,836 (61.13%) from 16 cinemas (6 on F.H.), total for 2 weeks 1,45,03,335; Ahmedabad 3,14,939 from 3 cinemas; Pune 14,97,744 from 4 cinemas, Solapur 2,81,528 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Satara 1,43,638 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Bijapur 79,491 (1st 1,68,633); Delhi 26,23,460 from 10 cinemas (1 unrecd., 4 on F.H.); Kanpur 3,53,297 from 3 cinemas, Lucknow 4,29,855, Allahabad 2,03,885, Jaunpur 40,000; Calcutta 17,86,203 from 8 cinemas; Nagpur 3,81,766 from 3 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 1,23,927, Amravati 2,06,952, Raipur (6 days) 2,27,003, Jalgaon 1,13,837, Gondia (gross) 1,03,119, Wardha 63,691, Yavatmal 89,362, total 2,62,397, Sagar 51,752; Indore 1,19,728 (3 on F.H.); Jaipur 3,97,210 (50.16%), Ajmer (gross) 2,17,082; Hyderabad (gross) 4,56,384.
Jodi No. 1 7th week Bombay 12,39,344 (41.30%) from 8 cinemas (3 on F.H.), total for 7 weeks 2,51,73,527; Pune 5,74,772 from 6 cinemas, Solapur 1,57,712 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 4,63,947 from 4 cinemas; Kanpur 65,578, Lucknow 1,81,422, Allahabad 30,000, Bareilly (6 days) 22,539; Jabalpur (6 days) 31,974, total 7,69,902, Amravati 82,229, Raipur (6 days) 26,634, Jalgaon 48,949, Chandrapur 51,062, total 8,97,685, Yavatmal 28,891, total 3,64,804; Indore 41,630; Jaipur 68,247 (13.92%); Hyderabad (gross) 2,21,545.
MULTIPLEX OPENS IN VAPI
A state-of-the-art 3-screen multiplex, Cine Park, was inaugurated in Vapi (Gujarat) on 25th May. While 647-seater Cine Park 1 opened with Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, 521-seater Cine Park 2 opened with Albela, and 198-seater Cine Park 3 opened with Vertical Limit (E.). The admission rates at the cinemas are: Marvel class Rs. 30; Royal class Rs. 40; and Executive class Rs. 50. Cine Park 3 has only Marvel class. The combined nett weekly capacity of the 3 screens is Rs. 12,50,000. The multiplex is owned by Salim Khoja (phone: 0260-429000) and controlled by D.Y. Pattani of Bombay.
‘MKKH’ PRESS MEETS
Producer Vashu Bhagnani, director Satish Kaushik and Delhi-U.P. distributor Brijesh Tandon held a series of press conferences this week as promotion for their Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai. The trio on 30th May addressed a gathering at Nandan cinema, Meerut where the film is being screened. There was a large turnout of trade people as well as general public. The same day, they also attended a show of the film at Suman Cinema in Modinagar. The proprietor of the cinema, K.K. Bhardwaj, and his son, Manmohan, thanked the trio.
Earlier this week, at a press conference in New Delhi, Vashu Bhagnani and Brijesh Tandon dispelled misleading media reports about the film being a flop. Disclosing opening collections of the film in several centres, the producer and distributor demonstrated how the film was doing superb business, contrary to media reports.
SURESH VORA PASSES AWAY
Bombay distributor Suresh Vora passed away on the night of 28th May at Kothari Hospital in Bombay. He was 55 and was suffering from cancer.
Starting his career as a despatch clerk, Suresh Vora later joined B.R.A. Enterprises as distribution manager. After working there for about ten years, he set up his own distribution concern, M.B.S. Combines, in partnership with late Madhubhai and late Bipinbhai Acharya. Through the concern, he distributed several films for Bombay, notable among which was Manmohan Desai’s Toofan. Suresh had created quite a stir when he acquired the film at a very fancy price in 1989. Among other films distributed by him was Salim Akhtar’s Loha.
He was cremated in Bombay on 29th May.
LICENCES OF 6 CINEMAS SUSPENDED IN AHMEDABAD
The Ahmedabad city police on 26th May raided as many as 12 local cinema halls for complaints about the screening of ‘bits’. They suspended the licences of six of them which were found to be showing uncensored portions interpolated in regular features. The six offending cinemas are Madhuram, Vasant, Mangalam, Aradhana, Geeta and Gauri. The police also seized the incriminating prints from the cinemas.
‘HUM HO GAYE AAP KE’ COMPLETION PARTY
Venus hosted a party on 29th May at Hotel Centaur to celebrate the completion of its Hum Ho Gaye Aap Ke. The film, directed by Ahathian, stars Fardeen Khan and newfind Reema Sen in the leads.
Songs from the film were screened at the party. At least two songs are very good. The film has music by Nadeem Shravan and lyrics by Sameer.
CINEMA OWNER DEAD
Mitthalal Agrawal, proprietor of Mayur Talkies, Morena (M.P.), passed away on 25th May at Morena. He was 82 and is survived by his wife and two sons. The cinema remained closed for three days.
‘1857 KRANTI’ TO GO ON AIR ON DD TODAY
Producer-director-actor Sanjay Khan hosted a party on May 29 at The Club, Bombay, to mark the start of telecast of Numero Uno International Ltd.’s 1857 Kranti. A 104-episode series, 1857 Kranti will be aired from today (June 2) on Doordarshan at 9.30 p.m. The historic drama is based on the sepoy mutiny and explains the betrayal by the East India Company. The serial has script and dialogues by Sanjay Khan and Nawa Lucknowi, and music by Khayyam. Farah Khan (Sanjay Khan’s daughter) is the creative director. The serial stars S.M. Zaheer, Maya Alagh, Tej Sapru, Raza Murad, Barkha Madan, Kaushal Kapoor, Bhupinder Singh and others.
PEN LTD. STARTS DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS
Popular Entertainment Network Ltd. (PEN) has now entered the distribution sector by acquiring Rose Movies Combines’ Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai… and its own presentation, Gurudev Bhalla’s Shararat, for Bombay territory. The films will be released through Ethnic Enterprises.
DILIP GULATI ATTACKED
Producer-director Dilip Gulati was attacked by unknown assailants at his Lokhandwala residence in Bombay in the early morning hours of 30th May. He was stabbed by three persons who forcibly entered his flat. The Oshiwara police have registered a case of attempt to murder under section 326 of the IPC. It is surmised that Gulati may have been attacked for failing to repay his debts.
ANSALS’ REVISION PETITION IN UPHAAR CINEMA CASE
The Delhi high court on 30th May reserved orders on the revision petitions filed by Ansal brothers in the Uphaar cinema tragedy case. Sushil and Gopal Ansal, owners of Uphaar cinema, have challenged the charges framed against them by a lower court for alleged negligence and injuries caused to cinegoers during the screening of Border on June 13, 1997 and also for violation of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act.
In the revision petition, the Ansal brothers have stated that they have been falsely implicated. The prosecution case itself is that the fire was on account of a Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) transformer which supplied regular power to the Green Park residential area and not to Uphaar cinema alone. The revision petition, therefore, states that the entire responsibility of the fire rests with the DVB. The Ansals also stated that they had filed a suit against DVB for damages of Rs. 6.55 crore.
CENSOR NEWS
Essel Vision’s Gadar Ek Prem Katha (social) was given C.C. No. CIL/2/17/2001 (UA) dt. 30-5-2001; length 5232.69 metres in 19 reels (cuts: 5.07 metres).
Aamir Khan Productions P. Ltd.’s Lagaan (social) was given C.C. No. CIL/1/24/2001 (U) dt. 28-5-2001; length 6142 metres in 24 reels (no cut).
Mega Bollywood P. Ltd.’s Paagalpan (social) was given C.C. No. CIL/3/52/2001 (A) dt.
29-5-2001; length 4578.80 metres in 17 reels (cuts: 35.69 metres).
Film Enterprises’ Zindagi (social) was given C.C. No. CIL/2/16/2001 (UA) dt. 28-5-2001; length 3413.67 metres in 14 reels (cuts: 54.41 metres).
YOU ASKED IT
Like Akshay Kumar and Juhi Chawla played hero-heroine in Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi and then brother-sister in Ek Rishtaa, who are the other stars who’ve played hero-heroine and brother-sister?
– Dev Anand and Zeenat Aman (WARRANT and HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA), Shah Rukh and Aishwarya Rai (MOHABBATEIN and JOSH) and Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini (DESH PREMEE and GEHRI CHAAL).
Which of the two films stands to lose due to their simultaneous release — Lagaan or Gadar Ek Prem Katha?
– The opening of both the films will be adversely affected due to one another. GADAR may open better in North, and LAGAAN in Bombay and South.
When did the Indian film industry become the largest film industry in the world?
– In 1971 when the total number of films produced in the country was 432.
‘Yaadein’ Music: A Surefire Hit
Song Picturisations Heavenly
Subhash Ghai, Anu Malik and Anand Bakshi have done it! The music of Ghai’s Yaadein is super-hit. Yes, the initial reports may be — sorry, will be — mixed but didn’t that happen in the maker’s previous film, Taal, too? Ultimately, the songs of Taal went on to create history once they grew on the listener.
The music of Yaadein, too, will grow on the listeners. And grow so beautifully that it will ultimately become universally hit in some weeks from now. If the songs are wonderful, so are their picturisations (Information saw five songs yesterday). Saroj Khan’s splendid choreography, Kabir Lal’s masterly cinematography and, of course, Ghai’s exceptional conception and execution, all these combine to give the viewers a veritable treat. It’s, therefore, a double treat — audio and visual.
The title song, Yaadein yaad aati hai, is in two versions. Hariharan’s mellifluous voice enriches Anand Bakshi’s rich and meaningful lyrics and the result is sheer magic. A song that will linger in your yaadein for a long time. The other version is well rendered by Sunidhi Chauhan and Mahalaxmi.
Hariharan’s rendition and Anu’s racy tune make Kucch saal pehle a major hit number.
Chamakti shaam hai has Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik’s youthful voices making it very peppy. Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor’s dance in this one, picturised in Udaipur, only adds to the fun and frolic that goes with a celebration number. Another surefire hit.
Jab dil mile has some very difficult dance steps but then we’re talking of Hrithik whose body is elastic. The guy drives you crazy with his dance in this one and Chamakti shaam hai. Kareena looks ravishing and matches Hrithik step for step. Asha Bhosle, Udit Narayan, Sukhwindara Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan vie for honours in this number.
Eli re eli may sound a rather dull song on the first listening but don’t be misled. It will soon catch your attention. Its picturisation is even better. A family song in the true sense of the term, it has oomph for the youngsters (three pretty girls, sexily dressed, dancing) and heart-warming emotions for the not-so-young-ones. The last part of the song has Jackie sobbing — and will have the audience in the auditorium follow Jackie. Yes, Jackie’s tears will activate your tear-ducts. The Eli eli words just might become popular like the ILU ILU words of Saudagar. It’s Kavita K. Subramaniam (nee Krishnamoorthy), Alka Yagnik and Hema Sardesai in this one.
Chanda tare… A passionate song, rendered oh-so-passionately by Sukhwindara Singh and Kavita K. Subramaniam. Let’s not discuss its picturisation or else passions will run high! Suffice it to say, Kareena looks bewitching, Hrithik enchanting. The romantic mood is heightened by its picturisation aboard a ship with gushing waters forming the perfect backdrop.
K.K.’s rendition and Bakshi’s lyrics deserve distinction marks in Aye dil dil ki duniya mein. Sneha Pant is the female voice in the song.
All in all, Yaadein is yet again a memorable score from Subhash Ghai.
DO YOU KNOW?
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by drawing all shows full (3,54,756/-) in 1st week at Nandan, Meerut. Before this, it was the same producer, Vashu Bhagnani’s BIWI NO. 1 which had drawn full houses at Nandan.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created theatre records in 1st week at the following cinemas of Calcutta: Chaplin by collecting 4,54,594/-, Menoka (5,85,803/-), Srilaxmi Kanchrapara, Khatoon Mahal and Shyamsree. At Chaplin, films generally collect half of what MKKH has collected.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has done extraordinary in 1st week in Indore and Gwalior. It has surpassed the first week’s shares of KN..PH in Indore and Gwalior and equalled the share of the blockbuster of last year in Bhopal. Collections on 8th day were better than on the seventh day in almost all centres of C.I.
* A total of 20 additional prints of MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI have been taken by distributors in its 2nd week. The Overseas distributor has taken 7 extra Dolby prints (1st week: 53 prints). The Bombay distributor has added 9 more prints to its first week’s 52. Delhi-U.P. distributor’s tally is now 36, one more than in the previous week. Likewise, the C.I. distributor has added one print to the first week’s 8. In Nizam, nine prints were screened in 1st week, and 10 are being screened in 2nd week. The East Punjab distributor had 15 prints in 1st week, and has 16 in second week. Of the 20 additional prints, 16 are Dolby prints and 4 are mono. The total number of prints in 2nd week across the world is 277.
* On Sunday, the crowds for MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI at Abhinayshri, Indore were so huge that the distributors pulled out PYAAR TUNE KYA KIYA… from Devshri cinema in the same compound and screened MKKH in all the four shows there too. Thus, instead of four shows that day in that compound, there were eight shows of MKKH. Almost all the 8 shows were packed to capacity.
* As in Indore, so in Jodhpur too. The crowd at New Kohinoor Upper cinema for MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI got so restless on Sunday when many did not get tickets that the management had no alternative but to pull out ALBELA from New Kohinoor Lower (in the same compound) and screen MKKH at both the cinemas in all the 4 shows!
* In Jaipur, police had to be called in at Motimahal cinema on Sunday to control the restless crowds for MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI.
* In Surat, 800 people had to return home without tickets in one show of MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI at Rajhans cinema.
* Police had to be alerted at Shillong (in Assam) on Sunday to control the crowds that had gathered to see MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by drawing all shows full in 1st week at Vasant, Pune. It has also created a record by drawing all 28 shows full at City Pride 2, Pune. At Rahul, Pune, it drew 25 out of 28 shows full.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 2,20,980/- (99%) at Pratap, Sangli.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI drew all 14 shows full in 1st week at Radhika, Satara.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 12,75,388/- in 1st week at R World, Adalaj, Ahmedabad.
* At Shivalaya, Anand (Gujarat), MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has drawn 23 out of 28 shows full and has collected 1,79,621/- against a capacity of 1,83,246/-.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI drew all 4 shows on 8th day at Pratap, Baroda full in advance. All 28 shows in 1st week were full.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has drawn 3 shows on each of 8th, 9th and 10th days full in advance at Rajhans, Surat. It drew all 28 shows full in 1st week.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 4,11,014/- in 1st week (26 shows) at Sur Mandir, Palanpur (Gujarat).
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI is going great guns in Bombay-Karnataka. It drew all shows full in 1st week at Sudha, Hubli. At Apsara (matinee), Hubli, it collected 89,030/- against 96,880/-. It drew all 7 shows full at Nartaki, Belgaum. At Chandan, Belgaum, it collected 2,35,394/- against a capacity of 2,74,428/-.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created records in 1st week at the following cinemas of Delhi: Odeon by collecting 6,78,269/-, Golcha (4,99,263/-), Liberty (6,97,242/-), PVR Anupam (7,14,088/-), Alpna (5,80,325/-) and Movie Palace (2,62,322/-).
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a theatre record by collecting 5,92,897/- in 1st week at Novelty, Lucknow.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 3,65,227/- in 1st week at Movie House, Kanpur.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a theatre record by collecting 2,51,151/- in 1st week at Krishna, Dehradun.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a theatre record by collecting 2,35,354/- in 1st week at Vijay, Gorakhpur.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 2,40,987/- in 1st week at Nandan, Aligarh.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a theatre record by collecting 3,44,398/- in 1st week at Shah, Agra.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 2,36,435/- in 1st week at Miglani, Moradabad.
* MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI has created a record by collecting 2,48,847/- in 1st week at Kamal, Bareilly.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Climax With 34-Camera Set-Up
For the climax sequence of Nayak, director Shankar used 500 cars and — hold your breath! — a 34-camera set-up to capture the action! Anil Kapoor fights the villains in the climax, with only muck covering his body — or so it seems. The first promotional trailer of the film, which is a remake of Shankar’s Tamil blockbuster, Mudhalvan, also shows a part of this elaborate climax sequence. The impact — simply fantastic! Wait for the promo, prepared by Rajtaru, to go on air!!
Yeh Dil Chahe More!
While on trailers, the theatrical trailers of Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai have been released all over India by Dimples Cine Advertising. Rajesh Karamchandani of Dimples, spurred on by the response to the trailer of Dil Chahta Hai, says, “I am going to tap more production houses with this concept.” Dimple is currently also doing promos for Star Plus, Star Movies, SABe TV, Sony Music and Discovery Channel for their new releases and programmes.
Turning A Deaf Ear
Even after four months of the earthquake having wreaked havoc, there seems to be no respite in sight for cinema halls in the Kutch region of Gujarat. A lone Kutch Exhibitors Association is striving to mitigate the impact of the tragedy when all and sundry have turned a deaf ear to the local cinema owners’ pleas. Be it the Gujarat Cinema Exhibitors Association (of which all Kutch cinemas are members) or the various government departments, all have continued to ignore the Kuch exhibitors’ pitiable plight. Appallingly enough, not a single GCEA member has thought if necessary so far to even visit a cinema in Kutch. The GCEA’s apathy is even more shameful, considering that a member of the CEAI (of which Kutch exhibitors are not members), Rashmibhai, went to Kutch to study the extent of damage to the cinema halls. Still, the CEAI has done nothing in the matter. What’s worse, even the entertainment tax officials, who otherwise visited the cinemas frequently for inspection, have become conspicuous by their absence since the earthquake. It may be mentioned here that all the Kutch cinemas together pay a total compounding entertainment tax of Rs. 1.5 crore per annum. Today, all this seems to have been forgotten when the cinemas are battling for survival. Even the distributors who used to collect advances from exhibitors, prior to the earthquake, refuse to help them.
The KEA is trying its best, but obviously, is up against the wall, thanks to the indifference of all agencies concerned. Shameful, indeed!