(From our issue dated 18th March, 1995)
The executive committee of the IMPPA, at its meeting held on 13th March, took a serious view of the notice served by Super Art International, the Delhi-U.P. distributor of Teesra Kaun?, on producer N.N. Sippy. The notice has alleged that in defiance of the FMC-FDC regulation, N.N. Sippy had sold the cable TV rights of Teesra Kaun? before the expiry of six months of its theatrical release and the film had been shown on cable TV all over.
Sippy brought the notice of Super Art International to the notice of the executive committee and informed it of the unilateral decision of the FDC to convert his MG agreement with Super Art International into advance agreement.
The committee disapproved of the unilateral decision of the FDC and wondered how Sippy could be held responsible if his film was shown illegally on cable TV. It decided that the FMC should take up the matter with the FDC and, if need be, even ask all producers to refrain from co-operating with the distributor.
‘BOMBAY’ SCREENING SUSPENDED IN A.P.
The Telugu (dubbed) version of Mani Ratnam’s Bombay was discontinued from all over Andhra Pradesh from 14th March following protests by a section of the minority community. According to the Hyderabad police commissioner, V. Appa Rao, the film’s screening had to be suspended because of the fear that it might cause breach of peace and create religious animosity and communal disharmony.
Protests had taken the form of vandalism when Yadgiri cinema in Hyderabad was ransacked on March 10, the day the film was released. At another cinema, Devi, the night show on 11th was disrupted following a bomb hoax. At Menka, stone-throwing incidents were reported.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the film’s re-screening will commence in a day or two.
In the meantime, Mani Ratnam met Andhra chief minister N.T. Rama Rao on 16th and pleaded for the revocation of the police commissioner’s order to suspend the film’s screening.
The film’s distributors, Raghavendra Films, Secunderabad, on 15th March moved the A.P. high court, filing two writ petitions. While obecting to the admission of the petitions, the state advocate general justified the government’s action in suspending the exhibition of the film in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and in Rangareddy district. Justice A. Gopal Rao heard at length the admissibility of the two writ petitions, questioning the suspension. The counsel for the distributors argued that huge investment had been made and the film was released only after an appropriate certification by the appropriate authority. He also argued that the action of the police commissioner and district collector in suspending the screening was arbitrary and illegal and a violation of the fundamental right of expression. The matter has been posted for further hearing on 21st March.
AMPTVPP BREAKS AWAY FROM FMC
The Association of Motion Pictures & TV Programme Producers, which till now was an affiliate of the FMC, has broken away from the apex body of producers. The membership of the AMPTVPP had swelled recently when about 100 members resigned from the IMPPA and the Guild in protest against the functioning of the FMC. The Association has now severed ties with the FMC.
The FDC (Film Distributors’ Council) has, however, made it clear that it recognised and would deal with the FMC only. Reacting to the breakaway from the FMC, Santosh Singh Jain said on behalf of the FDC, “There are now two classes of producers — the disciplined under the FMC umbrella, and the indisciplined. If the breakaway group believes in the maxim, ‘Might is right’, the distributors’ associations have also got might enough to set them right.”
YOU ASKED IT
What is the proportion of films released to the films launched?
– About 60-65%. Two years back, it was 40-45%.
Who has completed the dubbing of Sanjay Dutt in Andolan and Jai Vikraanta?
– Chetan Shashital.
The kidney transplant racket was busted in Bombay a few days after the release of Suhaag which deals with the same subject. Shouldn’t the film be lauded by way of tax-exemption?
– You said it!
NO RELIEFS FOR INDUSTRY IN BUDGET
The film industry was completely sidetracked in the Union budget presented on 15th March. There were no reliefs whatsoever for the industry. There wasn’t even a mention of the film industry by the finance minster, Manmohan Singh.
The customs duty on magnetic audio and video tapes has, however, been reduced.
UPENDRA TRIVEDI, NARESH KANODIA TROUNCED
Both the heroes of Gujarati screen, Upendra Trivedi and Naresh Kanodia, lost in the assembly elections of Gujarat. While Upendra Trivedi lost from Bhiloda by over 6,000 votes, Naresh lost from the Jamnagar (rural) constituency by just about 1,700 votes. Naresh Kanodia had contested on a BJP ticket, and Upendra Trivedi on a Congress ticket.
ARMAN KOHLI INJURED
Arman Kohli injured his hand on 15th March on the set of his father, Raj Kumar Kohli’s Jeene Nahin Doonga when a gas balloon which was being used for the shooting, burst. He was advised five days’ rest.
‘MAJHDHAAR’ TELECAST: COURT RESTRAINS PRODUCER, DD
The Bombay high court on 16th March restrained producer Pravin Thakkar, Durga Pictures, Popular Entertainment Network and Union of India (Doordarshan Kendra) from telecasting Majhdhaar on 17th March on Doordarshan’s channel I. The injunction was granted by her Ladyship Mrs. Justice Baam in the notice of motion filed by P.M. Govani’s Zarine Enterprises in suit no. 961 of 1995.
Zarine Enterprises holds the commercial and non-commercial rights of the film in 35mm, television, video, satellite and 16mm for Bombay circuit. Pravin Thakkar was planning to hold the film’s premiere release on DD on 17th. Govani moved the court for an injunction order. It was argued on his behalf that since he held the television and other rights for Bombay circuit, Pravin Thakkar could not telecast the film on DD. The court restrained the defendants from telecasting the film without Govani’s consent.
As a result, DD telecast Mere Saath Chal on 17th in place of Majhdhaar.
S.H. Karim appeared on behalf of Zarine Enterprises.
In the meantime, the delivery of the film for Overseas has reportedly been effected.
JUHI OBTAINS INJUNCTION ORDER
FROM DELHI HC
The Delhi high court on 9th March restrained D.N. Productions, producer Nita Sharma, Rauko Cine Laboratory, the director-general of Doordarshan and Saibaba International from telecasting the teleserial Mahashakti or any other serial under any other name, giving to understand and portraying Juhi Chawla as an artiste or character thereof, leading or otherwise. The order was passed in the application no. 1340 of 1995 in suit no. 389 of 1995, made by Juhi Chawla.
Juhi had alleged that she had acted in a feature film produced by Nita Sharma but the producer had released the film in a serial form on the small screen under a new title, Mahashakti, without her consent.
HARIVANSHRAI BACHCHAN HOSPITALISED
Well-known poet and Amitabh Bachchan’s father, Harivanshrai Bachchan, was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on the night of 16th March after he reported sick. Following the hospitalisation, the Holi celebration at Amitabh’s bungalow on 17th was cancelled.
VISHWAS PAUL BHATIA NO MORE
Still photographer Vishwas Paul Bhatia expired on 14th March at a private nursing home in Bombay following a heart attack. He was 52.
Bhatia had his own photo studio at Dadar, Bombay. His three sons, Kuldeep, Pradeep and Ratan, are also still photographers in their own rights. Vishwas Paul had also produced a film, Black Shadow, in 1957. He is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.
ARUN CHOWDHURY DEAD
Noted director, actor and story writer of Bengali films, Arun Chowdhury, died of a massive heart attack on March 14 in Calcutta. He was 74. His first film as a writer-director-actor, Pasher Bari, was re-made as Padosan in Hindi. His other noted acting assignments were Satyajit Ray’s Paraspather and Kanchenjunga.
3-E
Education-Entertainment-Enlightenment
“I’m A Filmmaker, Not A Proposal Maker”: Chakki
While producers are divided over the issue of ceiling on star assignments, Pramod Chakravorty has a unique problem. Akshay Kumar was introduced by Chakki-da in Deedar and the maker had signed him for not one but three films. After Deedar, Chakki-da was on the lookout for a good subject for Akshay who was always willing to work in his film. But now that he has got the right subject, Akshay is not being cleared by the FMC as he already has 12 films on the floors. Says Chakki-da, “Till I did not have a subject, how could I apply for the clearance of my film (which never existed) by the FMC? I am not a proposal maker. Now that I have a subject and an artiste who is ever-willing to work in my film, the FMC won’t clear it. What am I to do? Is it fair? I am being penalised for being a sincere filmmaker instead of a proposal maker.” Maybe, FMC can clarify on this point.
No Regrets
Tinnu Anand doesn’t one bit regret his decision to quit direction and take up acting. So busy is he as an actor today on the big screen as well as the small screen that he has made up his mind never to go back to direction. In fact, his diary is so full that he had to say “no” to his favourite director, J.P. Dutta, for Border. And the paradox is that Tinnu was yearning to act under Dutta’s direction. It is not just Hindi films and TV serials in which Tinnu is busy. He has also invaded the South and is currently acting in a Telugu, a Malayalam and a Kannada film. His first South film is of course, the controversial Bombay in which he plays Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Where does all this leave the recent announcement that Tinnu Anand would be directing a film for producer Daulat Fulwadhya? “The news is incorrect,” clarified Tinnu. “It is being spread by the producer without my consent. I would like to clarify that I am not directing any film for Daulat Fulwadhya or, for that matter, for anybody.”
Inspired By Mamashri
There’s a story behind the title of producer Vinod Talwar’s under-production Phool Bane Patthar. Besides the fact that the script demanded the title, Vinod was also inspired by his maternal uncle, O.P. Ralhan’s Phool Aur Patthar. Before registering the title, Vinod went to Ralhan under whom Vinod, incidentally, also learnt direction, and told him of his new film and what he desired to title it. “Your career got a boost with Phool Aur Patthar,” said Vinod to his uncle, “and I wish, the phool and patthar also prove lucky for me.” Ralhan could only smile and give his blessings to Vinod. As for the film, it is fast nearing completion and Vinod is confident, it will bring him good returns as well as name and fame. He is particularly excited about the dog in his film, which has performed “every conceivable feat”. He is also excited that his film, though does not boast of top names in its cast, is closed for all India except Bombay, Overseas and parts of South. This itself is no small feat! Says Vinod Talwar, “I intentionally did not conclude the deals for Bombay and Overseas because I want to show the film to the prospective buyers and then sell it. I am confident of getting good prices for Bombay and Overseas.”
