LATEST POSITION
Diwali proved bountiful for both, MOHABBATEIN and MISSION KASHMIR. While MOHABBATEIN held on fabulously in ‘A’ class centres, MK began to drop from 4th day onwards. The fall at several places was alarming. Exhibitors, who’ve paid very fancy terms to MK, stand to lose quite heavily. MK is, however, extraordinary in Bombay, so-so in Delhi-U.P., Eastern circuit, C.I. Rajasthan and Mysore, dull in Nizam and fair in East Punjab and C.P. Berar. The length of MOHABBATEIN is a negative point. While the business in ‘A’ class centres is superb, it is good in ‘B’ class centres, and ordinary in smaller centres. Eighth day figures of MOHABBATEIN in all ‘A’ class centres are outstanding.
Mohabbatein is mind-blowing! Will prove an earner in every single territory. Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are being loved immensely. 1st week Bombay 68,12,387 (99.87%) from 14 cinemas (8 on F.H.), Vasai (gross) 4,89,978, Vashi 4,66,127 (100%), Panvel 3,16,624 (100%); Ahmedabad 40,43,719 from 7 cinemas, Padra 4,71,807 (100%), Patan (28 shows) 3,24,400 (95.88%), Valsad (gross) 4,98,414, Kalol 2,31,567 (100%), Ankleshwar 4,42,546, Vapi (21 shows) 4,73,403 (100%), Rajkot 4,37,850, Jamnagar (28 shows) 3,13,450, Adipur (28 shows) 3,24,502 (90.70%), Bhuj (28 shows) 3,07,983 (83.51%); Pune 17,70,902 from 5 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 3,24,456 (100%), Satara 3,42,666 (95.70%) from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Sangli 3,15,344 (95%); Delhi 66,85,211 (96.81%) from 11 cinemas (1 on F.H.); Kanpur (6 days) 6,62,886 from 2 cinemas, Lucknow 5,66,800 (100%), Agra 2,81,316 (100%, 1 unrecd.), Allahabad 3,45,108 from 2 cinemas, Bareilly (6 days) 2,80,748; Calcutta 40,21,788 (100%) from 15 cinemas (6 on F.H.); Guwahati 4,28,967 (53.55%) from 5 cinemas; Nagpur 13,02,744 (99.48%) from 4 cinemas, Jabalpur (6 days) 2,30,897, Akola (24 shows) 2,37,642, Raipur (6 days, gross) 2,98,714, Bhilai 2,85,543, Jalgaon (22 shows) 2,62,306, Khandwa 1,42,841, Gondia (24 shows) 1,55,888 (91.15%), Rajnandgaon 1,32,077 (87.29%), Chandrapur (23 shows) 2,70,275 (100%), Yavatmal (25 shows, gross) 1,99,752; Indore 4,81,687 from 2 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Jaipur 15,90,341 (94.21%) from 4 cinemas, Ajmer (22 shows) 1,67,467; Hyderabad (gross) 37,04,760 (100%) from 11 cinemas (2 in noon, 2 on F.H.); tremendous in Overseas, especially in the UK.
Mission Kashmir has grossed fantastic figures in Bombay, U.P., East Punjab and C.P. Berar, but dropped drastically in C.I. and Nizam. Is ordinary in Overseas. 1st week Bombay 91,02,682 (95%) from 14 cinemas (10 on F.H.), Vasai (gross) 5,44,110; Ahmedabad 58,02,887 from 10 cinemas, Vapi 6,44,665 (91.36%), Rajkot 6,15,100 from 2 cinemas, Jamnagar 2,81,921 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Anjar 1,19,929 (74.13%), Bhuj 2,51,716 (94.21%); Pune 25,92,773 from 6 cinemas (1 in matinee), Solapur 3,74,774 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee), Satara 2,88,442 from 2 cinemas (1 in matinee); Delhi 1,02,31,411 (81.94%) from 17 cinemas (2 on F.H.); Kanpur (6 days) 9,72,093 from 4 cinemas, Lucknow 13,12,028 from 3 cinemas, Agra 6,03,000, Allahabad 3,71,135, Bareilly (6 days) 2,85,385; Calcutta 72,09,146 from 41 cinemas; Guwahati 6,21,000 (74.04%) from 6 cinemas; Nagpur 10,50,708 (66.20%) from 5 cinemas, Jabalpur 3,10,648, Balaghat 1,07,034, Amravati 3,83,365, Akola (30 shows) 3,05,423, Raipur 4,55,007 from 2 cinemas (1 in gross, 1 in nett), Bhilai 2,40,200 from 2 cinemas, Durg 1,38,752, Jalgaon 4,01,054, Wardha 1,65,929, Rajnandgaon (6 days) 1,05,129, Chandrapur 2,55,636, Yavatmal 1,45,739, Sagar 1,05,048; Indore 2,65,089 from 2 cinemas (5 on F.H.); Jaipur 15,91,791 (87.15%) from 3 cinemas, Ajmer (29 shows, gross) 3,30,806; Hyderabad (gross) 40,95,696 from 15 cinemas (3 on F.H.); Guntur (gross) 1,47,555.
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SILVER JUBILEE
Tips Films’ Kya Kehna!, directed by Kundan Shah, has entered combined 25th week at Shalimar (matinee), Bombay. It stars Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Chandrachur Singh, Farida Jalal, Mamik, Navnit Nishan and Anupam Kher. Music: Rajesh Roshan.
K.P. SINGH’S SON TO WED
Marriage of Ashish, son of producer K.P. Singh and nephew of producer N.P. Singh, with Shilpa will be solemnised on 8th November in Bombay. A reception will be held the same evening at Hotel Centaur (Airport).
GOGA KAPOOR CONVICTED
In case no. 92/S/93, filed by Gobindram Ahuja under sections 138 and 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, in the 18th Girgaum (Bombay) court against actor Goga Kapoor, director V. Menon and their wives, for dishonour of a cheque (dated 15th July, 1993) for Rs. 4,00,000, the court convicted the four accused vide its order dated 15th October, 2000. They were fined Rs. 5,000 each and were ordered to pay Rs. 4 lakh to Ahuja or, in default, to undergo 3 months’ imprisonment. The case related to the film Hamari Pratigya.
CINEMA SEALED FOR SCREENING ‘BITS’
Jaihind Talkies, Balaghat was sealed by the police on 18th October after a raid during which it was found to be screening a print of Khooni Shikunja interpolated with ‘bits’. The police seized the print and arrested the cinema manager and the projection operator on the spot. The print was reportedly supplied by Abhayraj Film Distributors, Amravati thru Krishna Theatre, Raipur. The police has initiated action against all the involved offenders.
MUKTA ARTS’ 20 CRORE PROJECT: FILM AND TV INSTITUTE
Mukta Arts Ltd. has earmarked Rs. 20 crore to set up a film and television training institute to create a pool of new talent in filmmaking and in media arts and science. It has, for the purpose, entered into a joint venture with the Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation Ltd., an autonomous body which owns the Film City in Bombay. The Corporation will hold a 15% stake in this joint venture company, to be known as Whistling Woods International Pvt. Ltd., for providing land to Mukta Arts Ltd.
Andersen Consulting and leading architects of India and abroad are working in full swing to give shape to the project. The new training institute will be ready for inauguration by October 2001.
YOU ASKED IT
Who among these can make a dependable director — stars, writers, editors and cinematographers?
– The one who has a good combination of writing and editing sense.
When one receives payment against a lab letter, is the payment made with interest or without it?
– Without interest!
How could you predict that Mohabbatein would prove plus when the talk in the trade was that it was very boring and lengthy?
– Those who spoke of boredom and length forgot to see the power of the scenes of (a) Amitabh Bachchan, (b) Shah Rukh Khan, (c) both of them together. Those scenes alone are enough to more than offset the boredom and the extra length. The film has some inherent plus points, and that’s what the audience has seen.
DO YOU KNOW?
* MOHABBATEIN stood at no. 9 in the UK tops for the 29th October weekend, collecting £2,46,368 from 26 screens. Its per screen average of £9,476 was the highest for the weekend, including English films. MISSION KASHMIR could collect only £89,265 from 27 screens with an average of £4,291 per screen. It stood at no. 15.
* An idea of how MISSION KASHMIR dropped as the week progressed while MOHABBATEIN held on fabulously can be had from the 7th day collections of the two films in Nagpur:- MOHABBATEIN: Panchsheel 43,584/- (full), Liberty 54,273/- (full), Aashirwad 53,335/- (not full), and Jaswant 35,875/- (full). MISSION KASHMIR: Smruti 33,053/- (full week 4,06,053/-), Alankar 25,204/- (2,15,633/-), Jayshree 14,220/- (1,79,572/-), Sangam 9,319/- (1,56,580/-), Gitanjali 5,798/- (92,870/-). While both the films started with 100% collections, MOHBBATEIN closed at 99.48% (all 4 cinemas) and MISSION KASHMIR, at 66.20% (all 5 cinemas).
* So much is the craze for MOHABBATEIN that the 2nd week plans at Chitra, Bombay are full in advance!
* MISSION KASHMIR has yielded a distributor’s share of 4 lakh from Parvati, Vasai (a distant suburb of Bombay) in 1st week. This is the highest-ever share earned from the cinema since its inception.
* MOR CHHAINHA BHUINYA (Chhattisgarhi) has created a record by collecting 2,37,313/- (nett) in 1st week at Babulal, Raipur, despite direct oppositions of MOHABBATEIN and MISSION KASHMIR. There was uncontrollable rush at the cinema from Sunday onwards.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
Special Effects For Special Film
Take a deep breath! For, what you are going to read may take your breath away for a while.
Ajay Devgan, who has already spent a fortune on the making of his dream project, Raju Chacha, is now spending heavily on the special effects in the film starring himself, wife Kajol and Rishi Kapoor.
Three top studios specialising in computer graphics in Bombay (CMM, Crest and Western Outdoor) as well as three top names in Madras (Pentafour, Prime Focus and Total Infotech) are engaged in doing special effects of the film. Pentafour has been working on a 7-minute 3-D animation in the film for the last six months, according to the film’s executive producer, Kumar Mangat.
The film will have more than 20 minutes of effects and the average rate is Rs. 8,000 per second of graphics. Which means, Ajay will spend over Rs. 1.5 crore on special effects alone.
But well, what is a crore or two for a special effects if the film is so special to you, right? Incidentally, the film, which marks the debut of director Anil Devgan, may hit the screens in Idd week (28th December) this year.
Satish Jain’s Chhattisgarhi Hit
Satish Jain may not have tasted much success as a writer, but his maiden directorial venture, Mor Chhainha Bhuinya, a Chhattisgarhi film, has hit the bull’s eye. Released in Diwali week in the Chhattisgarhi region’s three stations — Raipur, Durg and Bilaspur — the film picked up phenomenally from its third day (Sunday) onwards and is running to packed houses. It is after many years that a Chhattisgarhi film has come. This, coupled with the current sentiments in wake of Chhattisgarh being made a separate state, besides, of course, the film’s merits have all added up to lure record crowds to cinemas screening the film.
Going Deewana
Although the title of Rajshri’s new film is Main Prem Deewani Hoon, the ones who’ve gone deewana over its story are Hrithik Roshan and dad Rakesh Roshan. As is well-known by now, the latest screen sensation heard the complete story of Sooraj Barjatya’s love story from Sooraj himself last week. So floored was the guy by the narration that he, in turn, narrated the story to dad Rakesh Roshan. Sr. Roshan’s reaction was no different. “It’s earth-shattering,” is how Rakesh Roshan described the love story.
The film, to roll next year, will release in the year 2002. Besides Hrithik, the love story will star one more hero and a heroine. Although Hrithik has not been formally signed, it’s definite that he will be playing one of the two male leads. As for the second hero, your guess may not be as good as ours!
Hum Panchhi Saalon-Saal Ke!
Perhaps, Sunil Shetty and Aishwarya Rai’s stars don’t match. How else could one explain the fact that both the films starring the pair have ended up taking overly long in the making. The two films in question, Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke and Radheshyam Seetaram, are among the earlier films that Aishwarya had signed — after her debut vehicle, ..Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya. The director of Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke, K. Sashilaal Nair, opted out of the film when it was nearly 75% complete. Since then, producer Rahul Gupta has tried out a couple of other directors in order to complete the film, however, without much success.
Meanwhile, there is a ray of hope as far as the other film, Radheshyam Seetaram, starring the lead pair, is concerned. The film, which had been stalled for quite a while, has now changed hands, having been acquired by the N. Kumar Group from the original producer, Shabnam Kapoor. It is 50% ready and efforts are now on to complete it for a release some time next year.
That is, if Sunil Shetty and Aishwarya Rai’s stars match!
