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EK THA TIGER: Release Phenomenal Advance Phenomenal
Tuesday 14th August 2012 11.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger will shatter all first day box office records as the advance is phenomenal and that too on a phenomenal release across India. The film will be the first film Hindi film to be screened in over 3000 screens. Ra.One and Don2 had 3000 plus screens but that was not just Hindi but with their South India dubbed versions as well.
The advance which opened over the weekend at places is phenomenal in every circuit. Obviously with such wide releases you don’t get 70-80% first day tickets sold in advance for day one as was the case 10-12 years back but the film will have the highest number of tickets sold in advance before the day of release.
Ek Tha Tiger should set important benchmarks across India tomorrow. The biggest being hitting double digit figures in Mumbai circuit. If it hits the 10 crore nett mark in Mumbai it will be the first time that a circuit total has hit double digit numbers. The first time all India figures hit double digits was just four years back when Ghajini hit 10 crore nett on its first Sunday.
It could also create records in Mysore and Tamil Nadu where the last few Salman Khan starrers have not broken records despite breaking records in other circuits.
Gangs Of Wasseypur part 2 fell on Monday as it collected in the range of 1-1.25 crore nett taking its figure to around 16.50 crore nett.
The film fell across India even in its best circuit Delhi/UP. The extended first week of nine days plus paid previews will collect around 18.50-18.75 crore nett which is a poor total.
The first part of Gangs Of Wasseypur will finish with around 28 crore nett getting near this mark is an impossible task for Gangs Of Wasseypur part 2.
they where highly negetive on gow1 and i remember shanghai on lighter side looks like paise nahin mile
realistically a liked movie sequel always done better commercially only at atleast outgross first part and curiously exception in recent times are rakht charita series and gow series
btw gow2 was promoted much better than first part to and really it was a surprise to see people not turning up here at all and that when dev d and gow1 had some multiplex support
Yashraj are suddenly sitting on two monsters with ETT and D3! There’s the SRK film too but it’s not going to match at least the initial rush of these two films.
I think you may be right. The initial rush for new SRK movie might not be as large as ETT and D3, but, I think as new content from the movie starts coming out, it should start building huge hype.
1) SRK returning back to his ‘forte’
2) Yash Chopra’s Directorial Return
3) A.R. Rahman’s Music
But, again, everything depends on the content of the movie. If that is good, the box office won’t matter. If the movie itself is bad, then, who cares about box office??? I remember movies like Swades and Andaz Apna Apna much more than a movie that just does well at box office, but, itself doesn’t provide anything new to the viewer (not gonna name names lol).
BUT, as for D3, not very excited. Seeing how the first two turned, easily gonna give this a miss. Am kinda waiting for Talaash though. should be a good one, hopefully. I sincerely hope that none of these movies are as low on entertainment as Ghajini was. Because that movie was putting me to sleep.
“Yashraj are suddenly sitting on two monsters with ETT and D3! There’s the SRK film too but it’s not going to match at least the initial rush of these two films.”
Hester agree
Didn’t notice it earlier
But it’s a rare situation wherein a production house is sitting on not one, not two but three potential biggies–not super hits but potential monsters…
Obviously the gross should be dhoom3>ETT>SRK/Kat film
Though one can’t underestimate the SRK/ Kat film as well since the whole aunty/family crowd will suddenly get their staple diet repackaged after a while laced with ‘traditional’ SRK-ism combined with Kats undeniable appeal–to add to it don’t believe yash chopra will come out of retirement with an average script (at least should not)
Also because of rahmans involvement, even the remaining ones like me are in…
ek tha tiger interval point:
nothing great…fun, action, comedy and a predictable twist in interval..Salman khan excels in comedy and the action scenes which are very good for a bollywood movie and the love story has of now is only developing….waiting for the second half to begin
The Front Row: Amitabh Bachchan on ‘The Great Gatsby,’ Leonardo DiCaprio
In a special Independence Day episode of “The Front Row With Anupama Chopra,” Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan spoke to Ms. Chopra about the making of “The Great Gatsby,” the humility of Hollywood stars and what makes for a good audience.
Here is an edited transcript from their conversation.
Anupama Chopra: About 20 years ago when I was a rookie reporter, I was doing these studio rounds and I walked into Filmistan and I asked a spotboy, ‘Aaj kaun aaya hai?’ (Who has come to shoot today?). And with complete seriousness he said ‘Bhagwan’ (God) and he meant you. In all these years of this very exhilarating and tumultuous career have there been moments when you felt like God?
Amitabh Bachchan: Of course not. Why should I have a reason to think like that?
Saw GOW2 yesterday!! I can assuredly say that it is more crisp and more entertaining and one of the best sequel ever made! had an wonderful experience.. Faizal khan and Definite rock! And also special mention to the character played by name of ‘Guddu’ ,the right hand of faizal.. awesome situational comedy revolving around talking in multiple mobile at a time. 🙂
Oh boy…thank myself that I cancelled my plans to watch ETT … from all the reviews I’ve read, it’s looking pretty mixed…if the audience reviews are better, might check it out l8r, but, for now, I thank me!!
Well, everything is temporary…but, it’s true that Salman should start doing some content-based films rather than just the buck-making movies…his star power is big enough to make them hits!
okay, public response seems VERY mixed…it was actually better for Bodyguard and RA.One … and that says something
fricking hell…the major trailers looked promising, but…DAMN!
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta
Exhibitors’ early estimates for 1st day ETT all-India net:30 crore plus!Yes,30 plus!!Some say, 32!B.O.history being written on historic day
By the way note how this confirms a point of mine. When films would open to 12 or 15 or 20 crores or whatever on day 1 these guys would go crazy saying it was houseful everywhere and that morning shows were 90-100% and what not. I’ve always said that if a film began at that level and stayed at that level throughout it would probably do 40 crores (at the very least) in one day. Now we see ETT on course for at least a 30 crore day. It’s not just the screen/print count because most big releases are comparable. Whether it’s 2500 or 2800 or 3000 doesn’t make a huge difference because you can do that massive number once you get past a certain level.
But again consider the commentary. Apparently there were massive hurricanes and history was created in extraordinary ways and what not even when Ready opened! They exhausted the dictionary each and everytime with superlatives. So how is ETT getting to 30 crores or more?!
Movie is getting Mixed review…. most saying no story but great action and Salman …. Nahata also tweeted the same on Mixed review… those who has watched it say, that Kabir should not have promoted it as intelligent thriller but its same salman stuff…
Ppl expecting intelligent thriller will get disappointed as lot of loopholes their in screenplay plugged in by Salman presence…
B.O. update: ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ has historic, unparalleled start
By Taran Adarsh, August 15, 2012 – 17:15 IST
No adjective would be able to justify the mammoth, historic, unprecedented opening of the keenly-anticipated EK THA TIGER. Although a number of films have embarked on a thunderous start at the ticket window, the kind of hysteria being witnessed for EK THA TIGER is beyond belief, never witnessed before.
At places [Jaipur], police had to called… At several places, people garlanded Salman’s pic on the hoardings… The sea of people outside every theatre cannot be described in mere words… It’s pandemonium at single screens and also at plexes as Salman makes an entry in the movie… The Salmania is visible at every centre, every theatre.
It’s a bit too early to predict the kind of business EK THA TIGER will generate on Wednesday, 15 August, but, one thing is certain: It will set new benchmarks in every circuit.
Ek Tha Tiger opened this morning across India and there are no words to describe the opening. It is simply tearing to shreds all opening records at every centre in India.
In the last few years there has been record breaking films like Three Idiots, Dabangg, Bodyguard and Agneepath but with all these films there have always been centres or circuits that are not record breaking but this is not the case with Ek Tha Tiger, every centre and every circuit is on a record breaking spree.
Its just not new records being set but the margins they are being set by, its impossible to put a number on its opening day business this early but it is sure to smash the opening day record figure by a distance.
‘Gangs Of Wasseypur 2’: What went wrong?
By Taran Adarsh, August 15, 2012 – 06:08 IST
Let’s face it: GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 has underperformed at the BO. The film had just one week to leave an impression, but the day-wise business clearly indicates that the film has failed to accumulate an impressive total. What could be the reasons? Lack of popular name/s in its star cast? Limited appeal? Or lack of interest in the second part? Barring Mumbai and Delhi [multiplexes], which contributed the utmost, the poor show in several circuits is for all to see. In fact, the business of GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 is lower than the first part at most centres, despite the second part carrying better word of mouth.
With EK THA TIGER invading the cineplexes on Wednesday [today], all films, including GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2, will be limited to 1 or 2 shows at major plexes [several cineplexes are *only* screening EK THA TIGER]. So was it erroneous to release the film on a weekday [the previews were held on Tuesday, while the film had a proper release on Wednesday], barely one week before EK THA TIGER? Had it opened after Idd, once the EK THA TIGER euphoria settled down, the business could’ve been enhanced? However, with so many films lined up week after week, what choice did Viacom18 have, frankly? In fact, Viacom18 needs to be lauded for promoting the two parts with gusto, spending a fat amount on their promotions and ensuring that the two parts were visible on all platforms of advertising/promotion.
Earlier RAKHT CHARITRA 2 and now GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 have netted lower than the respective first parts.
“Earlier RAKHT CHARITRA 2 and now GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 have netted lower than the respective first parts.”
Why is that so surprising?
Godfather1 did 135mn USD domestic and Godfather 2 releasing 2 years later did 47.5mn USD. But both were aclimed almost equally. ( (.2 and 9.1 respectively on IMDB)
Kill Bill 1 in 2003 did 70=110-180mn usd globally and Kill Bill 2 in 2004 did 66=86 = 152mn uSD . Again both were liked almost equally ( 8.2 and8.1 on IMDB)
That seems to be exactly the case with GOW 1 and 2. In fact Part 1 and Part 2 have done almost the same over their first 7 days, about 18cr. GOW 2 will earn less in the coming weeks because of ETT. But otherwise they have been liked almost equally well, GOW 1 being liked a wee bit more.
I think there was nothing wrong in the release strategy. Part 2 coming soon after the Part 1 was the best, just like in case of Kill Bill series.
well releasing it just a week before ETT was definitely foolish. Because the film’s business is now completely limited to the first week and in fact less than this because ETT release midweek. Meanwhile GoW1 did 28 crores or so partly because it had breathing room and week 2 was pretty solid too. This film even if it was going to do less than the first part could have done a lot more than it will now. And precisely because over the first week it has kept pace with the previous part. The release strategy was definitely foolish. It’s one thing to have competition and quite another to get ETT!
market has expanded a bit in last decade… allmost every sequel has outgrosses his earlier one and are bigger in scale production wise ….case in point is evey holllywood or bollywood sequel
taran is making sense here and thats exactly what i said earlier to infact his commentry is exact replica of mine
both rc ( pathetic record of rgv in recent time ) despite of being a decent movie and now gow sufferedmostly because of faulty release structure
TRue, releasing it before ETT will cut into its business, but not much. Any other time it would have grossed about 25cr. Now it will probably do 22cr. ( As against 28cr of Part 1) . But releasing it within a month ensured that the money is recovered quickly without the need foe spending too much on publicity, which would have been required if it was released much later.
Don’t think it can do 22 crores. Doubt it can cross 18 crores (20 if it’s very lucky). It hardly has any screens. But even if it did 22 that’s a more than 20% difference on the gross! At 18-20 crores we’re talking about a 30-35% differential! That’s like a film grossing 70-80 crores and 100-120 crores! The problem once again is not competition but the fact that ETT is running on almost all of the screens!
Brandon Cronenberg, son of acclaimed director David Cronenberg has come up with debut directorial venture “ANTIVIRAL”- a medical thriller which also competed at Cannes this year
Massive massive numbers. Clearly this is one film which is maximising first day to a higher level. At this rate it should easily be the 2nd biggest grosser and a legitimate shot at 200 crores, though it will still need legs for that.
Aren’t the Indian BO pundits like the boy who cried wolf? They go on the hyperbolic mode so often- they have so exhausted the superlatives- when the genuine occasion arises they have nothing to offer, they can’t explain that occasion properly.
Ek Tha Tiger smashes opening day records by a distance. It has beaten Agneepath by around 40%. The top opening day collections in Rajasthan on day one till date are as follows.
The ‘roar’ of the tiger !!
Feel good to see the biggest EVER opening day figures..
Reminds me of sowmthing–
Have rarely liked salman and have seem only a
handful of his films ..
Happened to see dabang first day (due to other reasons)–
Near around the ‘humka peeni hai’ declared that this will be the ‘game changer resurrecting film ‘ of his career
The bodyguards, readys, etc followed to increasing grosses..
Till
I saw some ek tha tiger one-liners
Pataate pataate and
Dress utaarna..
Finally saw the ‘dekhna chahta hoon..’–usually one doesn’t need further cues..
Knew this will be the biggest opener of not only salman but perhaps the biggest ever!!
Will he seeing it this week to see whether it is better than dabang —
Will trump it’s gross though ..
Dabang to tiger!!
While dabang was a game changer’: a ‘reset’ of sorts: for salman
Tiger seems set to be the ‘knockout blow’!!!
Needless to say—
Have more than a certain weakness and affinity for both these personas ..(the rest of salmans entire filmography is incidental to me !)
“dekhna chahta hoon
Ki yeh faisla
Mujhe kahaan le jata hai!” 🙂
big screen
anyways, the romantic angle is really dragged on for quite a while, but, absolutely loving the action so far. So far, it’s like a hybrid of Bodyguard and Don 2 action. *SPOILER* (???) Loved the part with Salman stopping the tram with his suit coat! That whole scene is well shot.
But, so far, overall, a below average movie…
The last half, namely the last 30 minutes were awesome! The movie has a “dabba” story…it seems like the director was relying A LOT on Salman, who is in 95% of the frames in the movie (which is never a bad thing lol). BUT, had the script been more tight and the editing had been crisp, this would have been a good movie. The best of the movie’s moments are few and far between. The first half’s first 15 minutes were amazing. They promise a thrill ride, but, then the movie falls flat after that. And then the 2nd half really tries its best to make up for the first half and, to a certain extent, succeeds, as Salman kicks some serious ass! Katrina is a given a few moments to shine in the action department too, but, no completely out-n-out action scenes were given to her. She has a few shots near the end. But, no kick-ass stuff like PC had nearing the climax of Don 2. So, all in all, it’s certainly better than Bodyguard, I think. But, that doesn’t say much. It REALLY falls flat on its face during the supposedly “warm and fuzzy” romantic parts. But, the action is amazing. 2.5/5
Arsh : many thanx though I’m wondering if u actually managed to ‘see’ the full movie 🙂
We’re u typing simultaneously from your iPhone …
I’m sure your girlfriend(s) got suspicious hahaa
arrey yaar, not exactly into the girlfriends masla yet…
LOL, I said I watched it on the big screen. ie, my TV LOL. I’m the kind of person who watches many of the movies online first, and then, if I like it, then, I’ll go watch it in theatre again. Reduces the effect, but, I am very conservative with my money in this matter. Ex. RA.One, I watched it…being a Shahrukh Khan fanatic, I enjoyed it and then went to the theatre to watch it. Came back from the theatre with a headache! Realized that was not a wise choice!
Don 2 is probably the only movie which I didn’t watch online b4 watching in theatre. DON’T JUDGE ME! I’M BROKE!!! 😉
This movie is not one on which you should waste money…of course, it doesn’t matter as billions of people are gonna watch it anyways, but, that’s my opinion!
Thanks for ur views on the film Arsh. Your comments are usually sharp and lucid and i have seen u being fair to all stars and their films. Btw where do u belong to and are u working professionally/studying?
“big screen. ie, my TV”- ha
Isn’t ‘big screen’ synonymous with ‘cinema’- just checking..
Ps: Im probably the only one here but I really liked bits of don2
My situation is different
I find it virtually impossible to watch a complete movie nowadays except on the big screen
One gets ‘committed’ and ‘stuck’ with watching the whole movie…
Dont enjoy subpar sound/picture but importantly lack the patience to sit out over a couple of hours except in a cinema…
“Isn’t ‘big screen’ synonymous with ‘cinema’…”
Not for me. my TV’s a 54 inch TV…I consider that pretty big…especially compared to my old Antique 20 inch TV that weighed about a ton lol.
I liked the idea of Don 2. But, I think, in terms of characters, they just didn’t justify Don’s character and in the end, he came out looking like he was some sort of a chindi chor. Also, Don 2 had some pacing problems in the middle, but, it really wasn’t for that long IMO. Again, just like Salman being in 95% of ETT, SRK was in about 95% of the film…that is … he was either in frame or the other characters were talking about him. ETT was relying too much on Salman…same way, Don 2 was relying a lot on SRK (i won’t say too much because Farhan did manage to put in some really amazing scenes…namely, the starting sequence, the car chase, the building jump, almost the entire bank robbery’s execution and the climax. Those parts relied heavily on Farhan’s handling of the scenes, which he did very well.).
I find that you’re just stuck rather than committed and stuck watching the whole movie. I just want it so, that I can just GTFO anytime I want and get my money back if i don’t like the movie LOL. I mean, I wouldn’t wanna be the one “committed” to watching RGV’s Aag in theatres. Oh, how the population of India went down after people killed themselves in the theatre! :O
I don’t ENJOY subpar sound/picture quality, but, I’m okay with it. I don’t mind…
Hmm : yes agree: one does get ‘stuck’ In a cinema
But watch only a v few nowadays ..
ps: mine is 65 inches ( I mean telly lol): but it’s somehow not the same as cinema…
For some reason, my comment made immediately from my phone after watching the movie last night isn’t showing up here. Anyway, saw the movie last night. Housefull attendance with a crowd that went absolutely ballistic with Salman’s silhouetted entry. The whistles and claps when he is shown in close up were unlike any I have experienced for any recent star.
Despite the massive opening day figures though, I doubt this film will have legs. The reaction was poor to mixed, and that is actually because this film is the least massy and most restrained Salman film in a long time. Certainly not what his core fan base must’ve been expecting.
It is no intelligent thriller or a realistic exploration of the world of RAW and ISI, but it is definitely better than the trying-to-be-too-smart-for-you mess that was Agent Vinod. Ek Tha Tiger in fact is an action romance at heart simply executed. There is a certain charm in seeing a film that isn’t trying to outsmart you, and tells its story simply without any gimmicks.
The leads have chemistry, the action is the best I’ve seen for a Bollywood film (including one setpiece involving Salman and Katrina where the latter doesn’t need the former to defend herself) and Salman is acting for a change… the first time since Dabanng.
SPOILER ALERT
The movie finishes before you expect it, and does so very subtly. I’m not sure if Salman fans would like to leave the theatre though with the knowledge that his character will be left running his entire life rather than taking the RAW and ISI down in a climactic action sequence.
SPOILER OVER
The movie does bring to fore that nothing is more dangerous for the Intelligencies of India & Pakistan than their people falling in love! Ek Tha Tiger, at a pacy 120 minutes is the Salman film I’ve most enjoyed in recent memory. I doubt his fans will think the same though.
thanks for your take Abzee.. not very surprised that the film has fallen between two stools as it were. I’ve throughout had the sense this would be the case. Obviously the numbers are so huge that it will still outgross all other Salman films and probably by a distance. But trending once again should reveal whether it’s only going to be a 5 day or so affair in terms of piling up most of its gross or something more.
Yup, that’s what I thought when I saw the trailer. Marykkundoru Kunjaadu (Mary had a little lamb) was quite successful due to a typically madcap Dileep performance- don’t think this will translate well at all. And much as it pains me to say this, Shreyas is no Dileep…
hard to tell, it depends on WOM. Agneepath opened at 22 crores or so (going by the same sources) but made 11 the next day. Then it picked up again and was stable for another 3 days or so. Let’s put it this way — if ETT averages 25 crores for the next 4 days it would do 135 or so at the end of this period. But I think that’s a tall order also judging by some of the WOM so far. What that would mean is it would have to be better than the opening day of every other film so far the rest of this week and weekend. That’s unlikely.
Ek Tha Tiger Takes Box Office Collections To A New High
Thursday 16th August 2012 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger has taken opening box office collections to a new high as it has collected 31-32 crore nett as per early estimates. Its a 40% jump from the previous record which was 22 crore nett approx set by Agneepath earlier this year.
Ek Tha Tiger has shattered records all over by recording capacity or near capacity houses all over on the widest release ever.
Mumbai will come in over 10 crore for the first time. CP Berar, Rajasthan and Nizam have all crossed the 1.50 crore barrier for the first time, it was only last year that these circuits crossed the 1 crore mark for opening day with Bodyguard. Mysore may also make it to the 1.50 crore mark.
The opening again proves that the action genre with a superstar on a big national holiday is unbeatable at the box office. When these three lethal combinations have come together it has proved to be record breaking over the last few years.
Taran and Nahta are updating everyone with their tweets simultaneously and giving the same exact info, just minute apart from each other. Funny thing is their #’s match even from the previous movies that they are comparing. Something wrong here, Even BO india above is very very close to the #s from these two, which is not usually true. Is it too good to be true here?
you should see the BOI reports. I’m worried there might be a few heart attacks at their end with the excitement. They’re calling the film’s performance a miracle and what not. Oh well.. only until the next Salman release!
Judging by these #’s can we safely say that Salman IS the biggest star in India right now? (Given that 3 idiots is a long way to beat, but not sure if Aamir’s Talaash would open this big now, he has had too much of a gap between big films of his) Salman has certainly taken over with ready and bodyguard which helped immensely to get him to this status right now.
Aamir has always worked this way and 3I has still not been beaten in absolute terms let alone after adjusting for inflation. Talaash is not a fair comparison since this isn’t the usual commercial fare. It will open big and do very well but can hardly be compared with pure escapist fare. And of course Aamir also has D3. Followed by Hirani’s film. So I’d still expect him to have the biggest box office numbers. And his prestige stays intact and of course it’s unique among his peers. It’s obviously hard to argue against these stupendous numbers Salman is putting up. I wouldn’t argue too much with anyone who wished to place him alongside Aamir at this very point but looking at the totality of factors I’m still comfortable placing Aamir ahead. But in terms of getting an initial going Salman is currently second to no one. And will say that Aamir and Salman, however one settles this debate, are in a different stratosphere from the others. Which is to say that Salman in the kinds of films he attempts and Aamir with any genre he attempts, in each case you get the best initial possible. And finally one should look at the overall box office result as well. Aamir’s trending is simply unmatched. For more than a decade now he’s put up superb trending in every imaginable genre at the very point when Bollywood has pretended that trending is a thing of the past and what not. This man keeps doing it! So far Salman for all his massive initials hasn’t doubled his week 1 number. Not once. Not even with Dabanng. Aamir did it with Ghajini and a lot more with 3I. This means something. Also remember the highest initials are about repetition. Salman keeps repeating the same format, the initial keeps increasing. Extraordinary as Aamir’s numbers have been he could get even higher in terms of the initial if for example he followed 3I with something similar.
That’s a very fair analysis here, and agree with everything you say. Just looking at these ETT #’s there is no doubt salman is unstoppable at this point. He just needs to do better than Ready and Bodyguard and the trending that he can hope for will come. I did check it out at a local theater last night (This was really local, In my town ). Went to the 9:30 show on a wed night (no holiday in US) its a work week (this is for others satyam sir). And have to say theater was about 60% (remeber this was a LOCAL theater). I would really like to see the Over seas #’s here, I think slowly but surely salman just might have an upper hand on SRK with this one on overseas. If that’s true than Salman is certainly ahed of SRK in INDIA and Over seas market. So the mighty has fallen. LOL
the overseas thing with respect to SRK is also a myth. In certain genres he’s still very strong. But Ghajini for example beat RNDBJ in the US both in terms of initial and final gross. 3I was way ahead of everything else. MNIK however did do very outside but to be very candid this subject had great emotional appeal for many Muslim audiences, specially from Pakistan. The point is you don’t make MNIK every day. the RNBDJ record is much more modest. Now having said that I would expect huge numbers for the Yash Chopra film. This too is a special case. Don wasn’t beating anyone! Still SRK is better overseas even at this moment than he is in India but it’s not uncontested the way it once was and there are a number of films with different stars that can put up very big numbers. For example JA did OSO-like numbers in the US. This too is a special case but once upon a time no one in any genre could beat SRK and even his average grossers overseas were better than the best everyone else had. Those times have long past. 3I was a global monster. Ghajini did extremely well everywhere. So it’s a relative game as well. If you compare where SRK was relative to the competition even in 2003 or something with what’s happening now there’s light years worth of difference.
Satyam, you should DEFINITELY watch this interview- It has director Kamal Swaroop- the guy who made Om-Dar-Ba-Dar, (which could not get a theatrical release but won the Filmfare Critics Award that year- incidentally Kashyap calls it one of his fav films) which is considered the most shocking, weird and experimental films to have ever been made in bollywood- And today it’s a cult favourite
With due respect to your Amir fandom, one has to wait and see what the BO brings forth for Amir Khan’s film.
One can say, 3i was a special case. A flash in the pan (even if it is a huge flash) is just that – a flash in the pan **unless proven otherwise**.
It’s no one’s fault that he didn’t appear in any mainstream film after 3i. This one big success DOES NOT equal Salman’s serial BO success.
SRK of course is not even in the running anymore IMO, and my respect for him has increased that he dares to do a conventional ‘romance’ in a YR film.
If Amir does a great BO in Talaash and D3 then one can think about his top position.
BTW, you are already preparing ground for Talaash not being that great a success by declaring the genre as not being the right kind.
WHY NOT? After all it is HE who makes the BO according to you. Didn’t Bodyguard and Ready do well inspite of not being very interesting ALL BECAUSE OF AMIR.
If D3 and Taalash break records right and left like Salman’s films, I will accept his top position, till then it isn’t him.
You can spin as many lengthy theories as you can it doesn’t sound solid to me.
A Huge LOL at 3I being called a flash in the pan! Ha! 😀
And since when did a typical Yash Chopra romance that too for SRK (a man who made his career out of romantic films) become a “daring” attempt for SRK eh?
I’m amused by SRK fans calling fully mainstream & heavily promoted films like Ra One & Don 2 experimental or offbeat & now complimenting SRK for “daring” to do a romantic film!
Saurabh: Om-Dar-Badar is the only Indian film that can bear comparison with Gnags of Wasseypur, in terms of multilayered narrative, rootedness of characters, linguistic innovations and an original auteur’s signature. Kamal destroyed himself with drinking after just one film. Thankfully Kashyap has got of that trap and is well on his way to create a shining body of work.
Utkal Sir, have u written anything on Om-Dar-Ba-Dar, i would love to read it. I remember watching this films on an i-pod in my boarding school in 12th and was blown away by it
Salman continues to shatter his own records. Dont think his mania is going to die anytime soon. This is by far the best phase by any star actor since probably, Amitabh Bachchan.
Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and now this. 4 super-grossers in a row. Akshay had a similar streak in 2007 but those films were superhits relative to their budget. those films werent the biggest grossers or anything. Every subsequent Salman film has become the biggest grosser barring 3 idiots.
Huge pressure on SRK with his next release. I think he should lie low for a while and let his target audience do the talking instead of going crazy with unnecessary promotions a la Ra One
THis is a YR film, and he doesn’t go in for such excessive publicity. Remember RNBDJ?
Quite happy for Salman. He should retire with a bang and not wait for people to do that.
I think he’s greater than Amir, who is a one time (or 2 if Gajhani is considered) record breaker.
One film wonder (even if it’s the highest) doesn’t tell one anything. If Amir repeats it often enough like Salman he can be considered the ‘top’ BO man around.
Aamir and Salman can be compared in terms of their BO pull w.r.t the genre films they attempt. Aamir has had huge grossers with ‘different’ cinema with films like TZP and RDB and 3 idiots (they dont focus on star-worship) but he has also had a Ghajini and that shut his critics up, who thought he cant get the biggest grossers in a film that idolizes ‘star worship.’ Thats another thing that he doesnt prefer going the Salman / SRK way when it comes to choosing the kind of cinema he believes in.
Having said that, Im rather looking forward to the Yash Chopra film. I might be rebuked but as guilty pleasures, I enjoy watching SRK in his strength genres than Salman. 🙂
true this is indeed the best concentrated phase since Bachchan. Of course it’s a different deal also because most of these grossers are about the initials. The trending leaves something to be desired in all of these cases. and one can’t say times are different when Aamir gets it done at every level and other films also do so when they’re truly liked. Whether they’re multiplex types (ZNMD) or mass center films (Singham). But Aamir still has the more remarkable record even here. Pretty much zero failure since Lagaan. It’s been more than a decade. He’s done everything from TZP to 3I! And even MP shouldn’t be counted a failure by today’s standards. It would very easily have cleared 100 crores and done 120-130 just maintaining its trending. Actually perhaps more given that more mass oriented films are opening much bigger than they did then. when you combine Aamir’s success rate over a decade with the extraordinary critical acclaim he’s got there’s just no competition. Now a star who had consistent success but mixed it up a bit like Aamir could immediately shoot to the top of the pack or be worthy of a comparison with Aamir. The reason I say this is not to take away anything from Salman because what he’s doing is obviously astonishing but given the greater Hollywoodization of Hindi cinema over time and the emphasis placed on the ‘prestige film’ just doing it Salman’s way isn’t the last word. It’s like Will Smith had 10 or so 200m grossers in a row at one point but there was still something he lacked. The audience will say Salman’s the top star or whatever but Aamir has a very special place. His films have great recall value. Salman’s essentially doing disposable cinema (with the exception of the very iconic Dabanng). It works for him but there’s nothing more to it. In a Hollywoodized system that’s not enough to truly give you that aura. And this matters even in a pragmatic sense because so many of Bombay’s brightest talents are making such films. A quick example here would be Barfi. It doesn’t have to be a blockbuster. It just has to do well or well enough. This sort of thing stays in the mind. But there is also the question of how long Salman can keep this going. Currently he’s showing no signs of slowing down. But this sort of repetition will start wearing thin after a while. He’s only been on this phase over 4 films and that too in a compressed time period. Much as people never ‘expect’ great success for a star till it actually happens (who predicted Salman would be in this phase?! even his fondest fans couldn’t have.). Similarly when he’s in this phase no one can imagine a downfall but it’s happened before! And with no variation it’s harder not to see this.
And i think while we talk abt Salman and Aamir’s success we should not forget that a certain man had a phase from 1973 to 86 where he had ATLEAST ONE hit every single year. even Bachchan’s B grade films used to have thunderous openings in some centres-i saw Lal Badshah in a housefull show in Benaras- and that when AB was in his lowest career phase. I am sure there is not a single fellow in any movie industry who has had this kind of success.also think Anil Kapoor’s no. of hits are not much less than SRK’s
“But this sort of repetition will start wearing thin after a while.”- Yes, and here too Bachchan is the only exception where during mid 80’s and so, he gave hits in lots of similar masala films. And not only that IMO he is the only guy who could make repetitive roles and films hugely enjoyable-I am dead sure that the so-called great actors like D.K,Naseer etc would have extremely stale (to the point of being perceived as ‘hamming’) if they had the bad luck of repeating themselves due to some poorer scripts
But many of those films those infinitely poorer to his 70s stuff (with few exceptions here and there) were still far more narrative-oriented or at least far more grounded in a set of political references and so on than the current masala efforts. I welcome the latter, it’s hugely preferable to the old Yashraj stuff but it’s also a cinema of pure effect. Which is why Salman works so well! In other words it’s about an attitude, a posture, it pays lip service to a masala tradition and that’s more or less it. There aren’t any serious stakes here! Which is why I keep getting back to Ghajini. Even Singham (though I hated the climax) was still much more narrative-driven that most of Salman’s films. The same could be said for Rowdy Rathore. The Salman films (though I celebrate his success for other reasons) are pure effect as I’ve just said. Compared to his films Rowdy is actually half-serious. There are moments of genuine unpleasantness here. Nothing of the sort in the Salman efforts which is why everyone can be on board. The larger point I’m trying to make is that I’ve never been into masala as an end in itself. These current efforts in an ideal world would be a way-station to something deeper. But I’m not very confident that’s the case. Looking at even some Southern examples I think this is all there is. And in this manifestation it’s the other side of the Yashraj stuff. So it makes the right noises, it certainly has the virtue of speaking to a universal audience, but it is other empty in its own way. It does not challenge it’s audience anymore than those other films. The Telugu example suggests you can prosper staying at this level. The Tamil example on the other hand shows you can mix it up a little but bread and butter masala is a challenge even there. You have massive stars doing massive projects and getting the numbers or you have B grade stars prospering in B grade masala. Here the Surya example is the most interesting one where a guy who didn’t seem to be cut out for this terrain has prospered hugely in it. he still doesn’t have the credibility of a mass star but by repetition he’s pulled up his numbers and has also retained his multiplex appeal. But in Tamil cinema the real game lies elsewhere with either the new wave or the thriller format with a Shankar punctuating the proceedings from time to time with his super-productions. Bombay so far seems to exhibit a complete split. either Rowdy or Cockatil, either Salman or ZNMD, either Rohit Shetty or Barfi.. and so on.
Actually in just about every one of those years he had multiple hits. But leaving this aside the scale is something else altogether. It’s not even like having three ETTs in the same year. It’s a different scale, a different set of metrics altogether. For that matter Rajesh Khanna during his peak 3 years or so ran up a string that is quite singular in its own right. The scale was not Bachchan’s for the most part but the consistency was mind-boggling. Still since that period Aamir’s larger and longer record is the most impressive and Salman’s current run is next. These are simply the two most impressive streaks since that period. That doesn’t mean this is like Bachchan. So in a sense to even say Bachchan’s greater is misleading because that implies some common terms of comparison when there aren’t any. Except for those born yesterday and/or suffering from Alzheimer’s.
actually dekha jaaye to SRK has never had the biggest grosser of its time..
DDLJ grossed less than HAHK
KKHH less than DDLJ
OSO equal to/ less than Dhoom 2
Yes, RNBDJ was probably going to be the biggest had Ghajini not happened two weeks later..
KKHH even grossed slightly less than RH or at best the two were the same with RH selling far more tickets. This is a point I’ve long made. SRK never had the biggest ever hits of the age. Still DDLJ was the best he did. I wouldn’t hold HAHK against him because that sort of success one hardly gets with any film, it’s a once in a generation deal. But over the last decade everytime Hrithik had a Filmkraft film he outgrossed SRK. I’ve done the numbers in more detail but to add to this essential fact SRK never had a series of hits in a compressed time schedule. And when he did a couple of times it wasn’t quite at this scale in every case. Actually his single best year in this sense was ’95. He had DDLJ and a pretty big one in KA (with Salman of course). In ’93 he had Baazigar/Darr back to back. In ’97 he had Pardes/DTPH. By and large though it’s not the same scale and even discounting this such years are the exception. And he often had lean periods during the 90s with lots of failures. So take his iconic (genre) stuff. DDLJ in ’95 but then DTPH/Pardes in ’97 two years later. Nothing of note in between. Then KKHH in ’98, Mohabbatein in 2000, K3G in 2001 and so forth. But if you want to look at scale even in a loose sense KKHH was his biggest after DDLJ and nothing he’s done since (nothing!) equals KKHH in terms of scale (despite the fact that it was released with BMCM and got out-initialed). Even K3G’s grossed was more or less matched by that of KMG. KNPH did more than Mohabbatein. Krrish pretty much doubled the gross of every SRK hit in that decade prior to OSO. So you can run the numbers in different ways. It’s a good record but it’s not one that matches the hype, let alone the superstar nonsense (though this word has since been greatly cheapened). He was definitely the most iconic star at his peak and this covered some of the gap but a lot of it was just media hype. Now in contrast in the overseas territories he truly deserved the hype. Because for the longest time there was a massive gap between him and everyone else on this score.
Haven’t read all of this discussion, but my concise view…
At this moment, it is a no brainer that Salman is having more than a dream run and is the most popular star…
But won’t keep aamir behind him (will keep him in front)
>since his 3I is still unbeaten
> his dhoom3 will again cream up the numbers
> his ‘prestige’ and variety adds a big deal to his stardom
> his adept understanding of the popular Bollywood medium
> directorial and economically sound production capability
Coming to SRK
here is where I differ with most here(& agree with those like Oldgold and arsh) inspite of not being his fan…
It’s one thing taking tow decades to beat someone conclusively, and another to then claim that one was always ‘bigger’!!!
Barring his blitzkrieg over the past 3 years or so, Salman was close to oblivion
There is this talk now of how the BIGGEST grossers are mostly not srks!
I believe that the true picture is revealed not so much by the ‘peaks’ but by the ‘troughs’ ( pun not intended)
Where we’re these when the likes of veer, yuvraaj, kyonki (haven’t watched any!) tanked!
I will repeat–
Over the past decade or more on a cumulative basis —
SRK has only been matched by one star –aamir
Even he took a decade or so to ‘catch up’ -then ran parallel for a while before edging ahead ( past few years!)
As for Salman, let’s not apply his current ‘career reset’ to their entire careers–yes he has been always a major superstar in the true sense but could never show the consistency of SRK (till the last few years)
As for overseas– SRK has been the king (again till the last three four years!)
These sort of spins and altered discourses are fine to play around with –but the reality doesn’t change
Ps: will come back after some work to read the interesting ‘justifications’ et al 🙂
I have never suggested that either Aamir or Salman were bigger than SRK in the 90s. On Salman I’ve made the case more than anyone I know that he was in the wilderness for years before Wanted. Even in the 90s he was out of the game for a long time before Dhawanizing himself. HAHK didn’t do anything for him nor did KA.
But there’s also no room for ‘nostalgia’ in these debates. Rajesh Khanna was an unparalleled superstar when he became one. But when it was over it was over. You don’t get brownie points for longevity. Yes you build up a base that still shows up for your films, at least for a while, but you start losing out to the competition in relative ways all the while.
Would not go that far to say Salman was in the wilderness in 90s or in the last decade. He was inconsistent with many flops, but had something working at the box office now and then (be it multistarrers). He was doing better than Aamir in the early nineties, and then in the mid nineties had hits where the other actors perhaps got more credit (madhuri in HAHK, KA etc), but they were big grossers and kept him in the loop. He again had a string of hits in late nineties. Even in the last decade he surfaced with a hit now and then (Tere Naam, Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya, No Entry, Partner, Wanted). He always has been a top star throughout.
It finally came all together with Dabangg and is now in the best phase of his career – which btw is no less than the best phase of any other Khan till date.
To continue–
The real reflection of a career graph is not only the sporadic peaks-
Heck akshay, even ajay and now the ‘father of flops’ abhishrek also has 100 crore hit(s)
Does their ‘esteemed’ past suddenly becomes hidden under the carpet..
The real picture is shown by the likes of tez, chandni chowk-don’t need to go into the drownas etc…
Even aamir was in ‘trouble’ for a while where he ‘disappeared’ for ages after Lagaan to return with a monster moustache (& a couple of illegitimate kids and relationships)
The brandishing of srks ‘failures’ is based on the twin ‘failures’ of his recent projects –incidentally both there were 100 crore grossers!!
I was the first one to declare the ‘official end of an era’ with the ra1 first Monday !!
But it’s amusing to see some usual elements ‘running away” with facts, history and come up with an altogether ‘alternate reality, perception wherein
Salman was nearly always the biggest star after aamir
While SRKs grossers always fell short !!!
Naah 🙂
actually it’s neither. It’s about how much a flop drowns a star and how much a hit reinvents him. So once Dabanng happened the clock reset for Salman. What he was doing for years before this literally does not matter! Much as with Aamir Lagaan was the same sort of deal. So on and so forth. The right film re-calibrates the star’s career. Gives the star a whole new chance (and then it’s up to the star to build on it). The history then matters but in an archaic sense. So for example Aamir got good reviews for Rangeela, he had a very big one in RH and so on in the 90s but all of that simply does not matter. It establishes a kind of memory chain for the audience but the star they truly look upto is the one they’ve seen since Lagaan. Similarly no one cares about either Biwi No 1 or HDDCS or veergati or the scores of forgettable films Salman did. What matters is Dabanng (with Wanted being a kind of ‘pre-Dabanng’). Which is why when the star has the right hit there is also a fork in the road. With Aamir there was no issue because he reinvented himself with a prestige film. Salman also has no problem because he was never going to be in the running for a Mehra film (to put it kindly!). With stars who have ambitions in either direction the decision becomes tricky. Take Abhishek. He has the Guru/Yuva history and so on where his acting abilities are not doubted by anyone. But the path he took in pursuit of the meaningful didn’t work out. Now he’s got reinvention with BB and obviously wants to build on this with maybe another couple of films. However the more he does this the more a return to more meaningful stuff becomes tricky as the star then starts getting associated with a much more commercial cinema. He’s still fortunate inasmuch as his serious moments have in many instances been iconic (no one will forget Yuva or Sarkar or especially Guru in a hurry). Nonetheless it’s not easy to split the difference beyond a point. Hrithik has had this problem in a different way. he clearly didn’t just want to be the guy doing Krrish. he also saw however that doing anything else meant reducing one’s box office numbers even when the film happened to be a success and though he could get awards he wasn’t really increasing his prestige as an actor (here people either see you as an actor or they don’t). He’s been struggling with this ever since. Even though he’s been successful lately in two very different films the pay off for him isn’t quite what he would have expected (and he knows this). So now it’s back to Krrish. Except that can he really outgross Salman or D3 or whatever the standard happens to be. So it’s tricky. In this sense the whole mass masala phase has impacted him more than SRK. SRK finally has a similar issue too. He can’t just become Salman as he doesn’t have the credibility for the genre, on the other hand he doesn’t have Aamir’s credibility either for more meaningful stuff. To add to this his strength genre is seen as passe. Once again he doesn’t quite pass the smell test when it comes to stuff like Don. So he truly needs reinvention. A hit here and there even a big one, ensures his viability but doesn’t exactly reinvent him. He’s now back to the same old with the Yash Chopra film, the message here is ‘I know you think I’m old for this stuff but hey let’s do this for old times’ sake and hey I also have Katrina and Rahman this time’! These things work upto a point but you can always separate the stars who get hits from the ones who truly excite the audience.
I kind of agree with you Satyam. That SRK needs to reinvent himself. However, here I don’t want Shahrukh to find a “niche”. I think Shahrukh should keep working in every sort of project. I mean, let’s not deny the facts that Salman’s just been producing action film after action film after action film! He needs to do what he did with RA.One (no, not content wise), he needs to introduce something new to Bollywood yet again. This time, however, with a director whose track record isn’t a pile of shit (a piece just doesn’t cut it)!
But, I’m a fan, so, I’ll definitely go watch it. I don’t care if I’m the only one in the theatres watching his movies lol. But, yes, his “forte” genre has passed, but, it’s quite possible that this genre could be revived!
Completely agree with Satyam’s statement on Salman and Aamir. Salman has obviously found his niche and he’s been very smart about exploiting it as deeply and as often as possible, and he should continue to do so. But the moment he steps out of that comfort zone I don’t think he’s invulnerable. Aamir on the other hand has shown for more than a decade that at the very least he can get an initial in all sorts of genres (in this sense Talaash, which is indeed unfair to compare with the ETT type of film, will actually nevertheless prove an important point about Aamir’s unique place when it opens well for the type of film it is) and at the very best he gets both this and a stellar run subsequent to the first week.
The other consideration here is that the fad of action films isn’t unique to Salman–especially if Akshay continues the RR type of thing, and others like Devgan or what have you continue to jump on board the Southern masala train. Meaning that while Salman is really way ahead of everyone when it comes to this stuff, he’s not quite in a class by himself in terms of getting people excited and into the theaters for these movies. So the run might be the best since Bachchan but (and not that anyone is saying this) this isn’t the same as saying there’s a one man industry at play. He’s got company.
Most importantly I continue to think that Aamir’s overall impact on his industry and film culture far exceeds any of his contemporaries including Salman. To repeat what’s been said elsewhere, (and what to my mind is obvious) the box office is not the only way to measure the importance a star has, (if this were the case SRK would be almost entirely irrelevant, but he’s not) and while some of the other metrics involved are less quantifiable, their signatures are unmistakable primarily by way of influence. And in this sense Aamir has maybe been the most important figure since Bachchan. But again, that’s not to suggest there’s a second coming here.
In some corner of the blogosphere I hope SM is celebrating.
Sm is currently invoelved in an ‘orgasmathon’ given the periodic ‘expanding’ and ‘reproducing’ nature of Salman hits..
Btw I suspect sm to be still active here in some other name..
Just like —
Bliss & munna seem similar 😉
Hahahaha
she had some problems logging in a while back. She’s not been here. She’s not the ID changing sort. But yeah would be great to have her around. With or without ETT.
Apparently she is looking after her kids and changing nappies (rather than IDs) hahaha
Ps: which reminds of Amy’s ‘disappearance’
There are some stories I’ve heard but not sure if they are rumours,,,
May reveal if she doesn’t turn up on her own– since then I have nothing to fear and can tell 🙂
Those living in the shadows of someone, sometimes take a lifetime/career to ‘grow’ and ‘match up’ with that person ..
Sometimes they eventually surpass him eventually
Which is fine…
But when they start claiming that they were ‘always the greatest!’ that’s when the ‘plug needs to be pulled’ 😉
“But there’s also no room for ‘nostalgia’ in these debates. Rajesh Khanna was an unparalleled superstar when he became one. But when it was over it was over”
Agreed
But then, why does one sees repeated ‘reminders’ ( as if one needs them anymore) of how this Salman or aamir or x or y (replace with anyone having a great phase) is actually somehow lesser than what bachchan sr enjoyed in the late seventies !!
🙂
Although this is not entirely a correct comparison since Salman is /was always much more than an Andy Murray (& so is SRK not exactly comparable to SRK!)
But still–
The other day Murray miraculously defeated Federer after a lifetime of attempts and won the Olympic gold..
Some Scotts I know tried to sell me a viewpoint that he always lost ‘close first and second sets’ before his ‘lesser stamina’ took him down!! Otherwise he wasnt much less than Federer!!
Hahaha
The hard reality for those here is
That SRK has been the star post bachchan who defined bollywood in India and aboard for the max length of time!!
Others had to huff n puff to catch him for the first decade, names kept changing as to who is now likely to take over –there was the Salman, akshay, Hritik, even abhishrek, ranbir phase
Beaitng someone after getting trumped till the fag end of your forties (starting in twenties) in a career lasting till early fifties (likely) should be seen in it’s perspective…
One shouldn’t forget some ‘basics’
Also to add–IMO SRK is clearly on his wane and his next few releases will seal it..
He may even go the Rajesh khanna way (but creditably and crucially) after atleast one full decade more @ the top!!
The other two also may not be far behind in the ‘decline’ though since the fifties are beckoning them and the camera is not nice to a fifty year old face/body…
So : before folks start their ‘alternate graphs’, whilst there is certainly no room for nostalgia ( not being a fan of SRK films- the room is nonexistent for me!!)
One can’t run away with certain key facts and documented realities of the recent past..
The poor gal who I gave a break to or employed may form another company of her own after two and three decades and start claiming that it was infact ‘she’ who did me a favour ! 🙂
I didn’t say SRK is Rajesh Khanna. Obviously there’s a question of longevity involved. My point just is that once that decline comes you don’t get extra credit for having been around. It’s a harsh line of work to be in!
every stars gets to face a decline,its the fans who takes a bettering from rival fans.if there was no decline then dev saab and dilip kumar would still be roaming around ,its a cycle of boom & bust..
“I am in Chicago right now. Unfortunately i haven’t got a chance to meet Aamir”
Bhaloo: apparently aamir has rented an apartment in Chicago and so have the bachchans
They maybe your neighbours (somewhere in downtown…)
Btw loved the ‘sky Deck’
Love Chicago …
To add–
The way chicago was destroyed (think there was some fire) & to now see all that architecture…
And buildings ..
A ‘tribute’ to the American spirit -hail…
absolutely man. There are some game commentators (go by the name “The Creatures”) who did a 24 hour live stream just to gain money for the Firefighters association. the people’s spirits remain high in America (just like the people themselves) :O
I have a feeling shahrukh is going to share the fate of Rajesh Khanna….I can see him dwindling…fading…and eventually becoming an invisible man.
Will be very hard for him because of all the 3 khans he is the most arrogant and conceited.
I hope in the coming years he turns more towards spirituality….goes to hajj and other religious pilgrimages..to cool off.
ps: In some of the recent interviews of Shahrukh, especially with the fraud Barkha Dutta…he comes across as an irritating “jack…..”
one almost gets the feeling that he is talking to himself.
“I have a feeling shahrukh is going to share the fate of Rajesh Khanna….I can see him dwindling…fading…and eventually becoming an invisible man.”
I don’t agree here…SRK is too smart and workaholic..may be the kind of script sense he has, he may not stay in the film business longer…but with his VFX studio, KKR and the new football club that he bought just now…he will be quite active unlike Rajesh Khanna…
u seriously have some problem with reading and understanding the context…
i am not comparing RK and SRK the stars…just comparing their longevity and remaining active in public life… Rajesh Khanna apart from being a phenomena for 4/5 years, has done nothing in comparison to SRK.
SRK is a phenomena in overseas, a major star in India, Ads, hosting shows, tv shows, buying a cricket club and a foot ball club, VFX studio, production company…
> But it’s important to give Rajesh Khanna his due.
It’s important to give SRK his due too. Which NOW you can safely give, because he’s fading. Be magnanimous about it, satyam.
Though the way you are still attacking him, and putting him down, one would think he’s still worth attacking and putting down when almost everyone has accepted he ‘is’ down.
This might come as news to you but I don’t ‘attack’ people in the petty sense of the word. My analysis is based on facts (yes a revolutionary idea!) and the rest of it has ideological underpinnings. Even today I’d rather watch SRK than Salman. I have not liked the latter at all. This doesn’t mean I start arguing about his stupendous streak. Similarly I’d be supporting Aamir for his choices irrespective of how the box office turned out. But again there are some facts here. Which for many are rather inconvenient things. Actually I could probably advise SRK on a better career course than 99% of his fans including yourself! Mean this very seriously.
By the way I never said he’s fading the way you’ve framed it. He’s just weak relative to the competition. However he does need serious reinvention or he will get to that point despite some box office success. But over the longer run I wouldn’t be surprised to see him around when Salman isn’t! Because SRK can do other things. Salman Khan can’t exactly graduate to ‘senior’ roles!
Finally I have given SRK his due where it matters, for those who can read! It’s not my fault if 99% of the time these debates are conducted in absurd ways and one is forced to argue against him.
“It’s important to give SRK his due too. Which NOW you can safely give, because he’s fading. Be magnanimous about it, satyam.
Though the way you are still attacking him, and putting him down, one would think he’s still worth attacking and putting down when almost everyone has accepted he ‘is’ down.”
Wow Oldgold : u seem to have hit the ‘central issue’ spot on here 😉
what wrong with this srk fans,rajesh was even miles better in overseas then srk,although 4-5 years,[edited]…15 hits in a row,tell me when srk has even gave 3 hits in a row…ra one was momumentle disaster
arrogant and conceited.true but he has been the most undisputed superstar in bollywood and his precence is undoubtly unchallanged,speccially here in uk…untouchable
Wow, looks like you have BRITISH TEA (in british accent???) with Shahrukh every day that you can tell how is personally and professionally. Kabhi milvao yaar! XD
I love how katrina sits so ‘obediently’ and ‘attentively’ and overlooks some gross ‘excesses’ — stays quiet when needed to..
Has a good control over her senses & urges
She has worked hard to make the mos. of her modest abilities and achieved something difficult..
As for salman:
LOVE this tiger persona (after the dabang one!)
Yes I agree anjali …
Infact his downfall will be the steepest
and he will the least equipped to handle the aftermath..
A Rajesh khanna situation is not ruled out ..
Btw for newcomers, just to clarify– Im NOT an Srk fan..
It’s only when certain things/spins go beyond a mean average, I take up a cause 😉
“@ alex
i didnt knew…u like shahrukh?”
Hahaha
What a nice and cute question anjali
Yes: I have never been his fan
Infact satyam is witness to the excessive ‘fun’ I have always had at the expense of sr gay
But
Can’t tolerate ‘injustice’ beyond a point
When one starts negating someone’s entire standing and tries to ‘downplay’ some obvious achievements/ merits–
I speak up!!
Be it Srk
Or anurag kashyap
Or utkal uncle
Or oldgold or anjali 😉
Haha
I always believed in philanthropy
A ‘recovery’ unit has always been functional though in certain times when ‘mankind runs amok’, it becomes more active 🙂 hoho
To your point about SRK able to do “other” things and Salman not, do you possibly see a parallel between Dharams career and Salman? He will be hot till he his hot but will eventually fade rather quickly after that. There is very little longevity in his body of work. I mean who expects to sit through a Ready and/or a Bodyguard two decades from now unlike a Deewar or a Kala Pathar?
Not really Pranav.. Dharam was quite stable for very many years and did a number of meaningful films along the way. It’s only around the late 70s or after that he became associated with very mediocre and downright poor films. But it’s true that very few of those Dharam films mean anything anymore. Sad but true. Incidentally his Raja Jani from the I guess 1970 is still a very cool film.
“@ ace Adams
Bravo”
Thanx anjali and vijay 🙂
Btw anjali: have u seen ek tha tiger …?
Try to check it on the big screen…
Ps: I may be catching it sometime this week…
will watch ETT…but not in a cinema hall.the only directors who can force me to visit a hall are kashyap and hirani….in the last few years i have been to hall to watch only their films.
the 3 exceptions being: rang de basanti,dabangg and udaan.
and yes….mughal e aazam…when it was released in color!
finally have the dvd rip of cocktail…..off to watch cocktail now.
“finally have the dvd rip of cocktail…..off to watch cocktail now.”
Anjali: Oh my god: I’m nervous
I put in lots of ‘hard work’ in it 🙂
Lemme know your take : cheers…
oh boy…here we go! Arnie back in action. I hope his age doesn’t get in the way of his stunts and his overall “feel” in the movie. But, looks like a classic Arnie film!!! 😀
No wont go that far..
Salman has truly achieved a near miracle
Coming back like this @ his age is v difficult ..
Also though he doesn’t advertise it and highlights it,
Salman also has a very good ‘functional’ knowledge of how popular Bollywood operates —
He knows what his fans wan and gives them that unapologetically..
He has awoken the ‘tiger’ in me 🙂
thanks alex. Dont love Allen’s recent movies much. But like his early works.
Husbands and Wives came in the middle of his career. expecting something good. I find this guy incredibly charming.
n thanks for the other suggestion. would check it out
Ek Tha Tiger collected a phenomenal 31.25 crore nett on day one. The film may would have collected 75 lakhs more but some centres were closed due to various events listed below. The first day distributor share was amazing as it crossed 19 crore. The first day territorial breakdown is as follows.
Mumbai – 11.48 crore
Delhi/UP – 6.45 crore
East Punjab – 2.76 lakhs
West Bengal – 1.47 crore
Bihar – 45 lakhs
Assam – 5 lakhs
(Most parts of Assam was closed due to a bandh called by a local party)
Orissa – 30 lakhs
CP Berar – 1.61 crore
CI – 1.38 crore
Rajasthan – 1.76 crore
Nizam – 1.62 crore
(some centres in the Maharashtra side of the circuit were closed due to funeral of former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh)
Finally saw cocktail.
Really nice movie. For me it was a lot better than PRETENTIOUS stuff like ZNMD and DCH.
Great acting,songs,cinematography and story.
The theme: “Notwithstanding all our dramas, dialoguebaazi,over acting, denials and delusions….people do fall in LOVE.
What??…Love is a joke too??? Who cares….. as long as the world enjoys it and especially the audience.”
The Love triangle is a chameleon and has unmistakable sufi/playful…strains….
And a request to all the feminists…..
“If love is a joke then better be a clown
For love is what makes the world go round”
Diana!!!!…..u know..she was too good.
i am kind of amazed….did the director/story writer conceived her that way…or she added something of her personality to the role…or all this happened just by fluke….but she was amazing.
And its really unfortunate that some of the people here described her as a stereotype…..she has so many strains and layers to her character(just like all of us do)
though i didn’t like much the reintroduction of hooda’s character and the way the film ended..cud have been done better.
“And its really unfortunate that some of the people here described her as a stereotype…..she has so many strains and layers to her character(just like all of us do)”– so u seem to have picked up the ‘layers’
Unlike some who got confused by the ‘exterior distractions’..
Well said anjali: actually it was a very adeptly written part and the casting was bang on..
Besides imagine a much more skilful actress in that like say vidya balan– Sometimes u need a novice to bring out a certain freshness and ‘vulnerability’..
Btw even deepika did quite well IMO
i think utkal uncle has answered the question of regressive/progressive regarding cocktail exhaustively and comprehensively….
thankfully i am not a feminist and don’t waste my time in such idiotic debates.
but yes…those who are not interested in the theme of the exploration of love(overacting-natural acting)..and are wearing the chasma of feminism can construe the film as regressive(though utkal has refuted them exhaustively)….
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 6h
Thursday Update: #EkThaTiger is 50% of Wed. Yet, the contribution from several mass-dominated centres should contribute to a healthy total.
Besides imagine a much more skilful actress in that like say vidya balan– Sometimes u need a novice to bring out a certain freshness and ‘vulnerability’..
True.
The casting was bang on.
The most important scene was when saif is complimenting diana. he began in the usual “make believe way” he approached other women…by over acting and drama ….but suddenly in the middle of his speech…they both realize that the over acting has become natural acting…..some connection has struck…..
from then on all the three characters in the triangle are forced much against their wish to mature and become real.
“but suddenly in the middle of his speech…they both realize that the over acting has become natural acting…..some connection has struck…..”
Hmm anjali : u seem to have watched the film carefully…
Btw a question that even the great utkal uncle couldn’t answer…
Diana tells saif that the inebriated deepika didn’t say anything to her(though she had!)…then next day diana was goung to work but suddenly turns around to leave deepikas home!
Was this preplanned or she changed her mind last moment., 🙂
^ haha : Think that may get too ‘complicatedly gross’–sO u may leave that one anjali–
Do check out some Sufi lyrics /song I’ve put up in the Srk-Kat film thread: enjoy..
well cocktail is certainly not a melodramatic stereotyped rom com everyone has been making it out to be on this blog.
i am genuinely puzzled…..why such vehemence against that film?
i can understand it in case of ami….she being a hardcore feminist construed it as regressive. but satyam and others?
they fell prey to the outer gloss of the movie?
Agree anjali
Felt the same… Btw not everyone has the taste or sensibilities or pateince or even a certain ‘experience’ to assimilate this..
But seems we do 😉
Btw anjali:
Which role did u play in my spoof ?
I was so confused in my many roles as actor, director, producer, casting director, female ‘dress designer’ : that I wasn’t sure who was who –hahaha
Help me pleez
Anyhow in some ‘low lighting’ scenes, I couldnt make out the face of my cofactor hohoho
Haha dont worry anjali : u did a great job and looked great …
Btw due to your deep understanding in films, I have included u in my casting panel who ‘screen test’ the actors/ actresses for a role ( but final decision is mine !): also u can choose the role u want ..lol
Anyhow will have to sort out cocktail casting issues now
Gud note folks..
@ anjali : hope u didnt mind my ‘leg pulling’ –chillax 🙂
As per public demand a repeat–
Liked the ‘attitude’ of the song & both singers pull this off and some deceptively good lyrics
EK Tha Tiger Down At Mass Centres But North India Strong
Friday 17th August 2012 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger had pretty big falls in the mass areas across India but multiplexes have held up better especially in North India. There are circuits which have seen falls of nearly 60% but big markets like Delhi/UP and East Punjab are down less than 50% going by early numbers.
This is the trend nowadays that the higher you go on a national holiday the bigger the fall will on the a normal working day. Still Ek Tha Tiger has grossed in the 15 crore nett plus range as per early estimates on its second day which is record or near record collections for a non holiday and the figure looks even better considering the first day was a huge 31 crore nett plus.
The two day figures are 46 crore nett plus as per early estimates and the first three days look like going towards 60 crore which is 7-8 crore more than what any other film has collected over the first three days.
Just got back from ETT at my local multiplex here. Its an OK movie, nothing compared to Dabanng. THe movie wrapped up in about 2hr20mins, and about 20-30 mins of that was spent in pointless ‘been-there-done-that’ action sequences. In the age of Bourne and Bond, desi thrillers really have to try extra-hard to keep our attention up. Personally, used the time for going to the cafeteria. ( I did not want to miss Katzz songs..hehe).
Surprisingly, for the first time Salman looked like he was aging badly. Especially in the first half, his face looked very puffy, tired… maybe he was drinking too much in those days. The contrast between his 45+ face vs the youthful porcelain beauty of Katrina was really striking. And somehow, this also leads to a perceivable lack of chemistry between the two. I actually thought Kat was trying hard and not getting reciprocation from Salman. His was strangely a muted performance, no sparks like in Dabanng or Wanted. Even his comedy was flat.
The movie was rather straight-forward, no twists-turns etc, that could keep us glued. There was a parade of shots of exotic locales, those mind-numbing action sequences and Kats-Sallu romance. YRF really need to put more meat into their scripts.
I will not be surprised if this one fizzles out after a good first weekend. Maybe YRF will be content to net 50crs off Sallu’s shoulders and call it a night.
Interesting you say that about his physicality because I too thought he looked very strange on Indian Idol recently. His entire body seemed very bulky.
Anajli and AA: Cocktail is about many shades of love… real love, passionate love, playful love…love of the sufis,love of Radha and Krishna…full-blooded love of real persons. Anjali, I wont call ZNMD or DCH pretentious, but they are so limited…passionate love se daman bacha ke chalte hain. Afraid to show love in its fullest splendor. Love in these films is bloodless… tongue-in-cheek…as if to show some intense emotions is uncool. In films like DCH or ZNMD, people who are in love ( Aamir-Priety, Akshay-Dimple, Saif-Sonali, Hritik-Katrina) don’t make love. In Cocktail, they do.
In fact, I persuaded my son to see Cocktail ( while I, my wife and daughter saw Hemlock Society, since we had already seen Cocktail, me twice, by then) since I thought he needs to get out of the cool zone of films like ZNMD and improve his EQ. My daughter tried to dissuade him ( She and her friends hated it.) But he decide to check Mihir Fadnavis’s review, since he trusts him, and these lines made him go for it: “The greatest virtue of Cocktail is that it is very, very good looking. The gorgeous London and Capetown locales supplement the film’s ludicrous characters – in fact if Cocktailwere a music video it would be one of the best ones of the year. Pritam’s music is as generic as it gets but listening to Arif Lohar’s Jugni in the bombastic theater speakers blows your mind. “ In the end, he liked the film, and I was relieved.
I attribute many women not liking it to their straitjacketed view of feminism which the media feeds them. They feel threatened by the characters of Veronica and Meera. They would have like to see Veroniac asa real slut or dumb, so that they could feel superior to her. And they would liked to see Meera as a more of a desi and more dumb so that they again could feel superior to her. In their present avatars these two women look like much more complete women with textures and shades which many of today’s young women in their misguided quest for equality with men are denying themselves.
Thanx utkal uncle
It’s good to see you ‘forcing’ your nice son to watch cocktail to increase his EQ –also interesting your daughter hated it..
Well, there are reasons some females have not liked it
But your original reasons are highly enlightening–
“I attribute many women not liking it to their straitjacketed view of feminism which the media feeds them. They feel threatened by the characters of Veronica and Meera. They would have like to see Veroniac asa real slut or dumb, so that they could feel superior to her. And they would liked to see Meera as a more of a desi and more dumb so that they again could feel superior to her. In their present avatars these two women look like much more complete women with textures and shades which many of today’s young women in their misguided quest for equality with men are denying themselves”
Wow
Ps: not we know why Amy didn’t like it … Hahaha
Oldgold : what’s your take –if u haven’t seen it, u will be ‘persecuted’ here 🙂
^btw utkal uncle/ others- would like your views on ‘head in the clouds’-Theron & cruz
Ps: should prepare for an ‘attack’ by Amy
Btw there are more and more instances of ‘Internet deprivation’ of some poor girls by their parents/ hubbies /’boyfriends’
And disallowing them go using Internet..
Hope our poor Amy is not facing such a thing ..
My sympathies & ‘support’ for her 🙂
AA: You are not only what you eat, you are also what you read, what you listen to, what you see. That is why I made him ( my son) take time ( 6hrs and some more) off from his sweltering study schedule to watch GOW 1 and 2.
No. She loved it. Both the parts. So did my wife. GOW is gender neutral and universal. Packed with stuff. Great lines. Great performances. Great music. Can’t imagine anyone not liking it.
Utkal uncle: seems your son/daughter shares/ has inherited your good taste–would love to see them comment as well ..
As for Amy : she doesn’t have a bf (though she is looking for one)
Her parents seem to have taken away her Internet access to keep her ‘in check’
🙂
AA/ Anjali: What a coincidence! I came across this summing up of GOW by Mihir Fadnavis right now:
“Best enjoyed as a single viewing, Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2 are Kashyap’s double barreled shotgun blast in the rotting belly of Indian commercial cinema; unless you have an absolutely horrible taste in movies, you should watch them on a huge screen.”
Thanx for that link utkal uncle
Anjali is probably ‘recovering’ from her cock tail viewing ..
Well, a ‘back2back’ viewing of gow seems good for continuity but did u not feel ‘fatigue’- hav never sat in the cinema for five six hours @ a stretch (except for non-movie viewing pursuits!)
AA: It was physically fatiguing, since I was seeing them after a regular work day. Better to do it on a Sunday morning or something or after an afternoon nap if the only show available is in the evening.
Thanx but hasn’t got a release near me forget am/ pm/ combo
Btw u didn’t say much about GOW music
And snehas work..
What’s your ranking of GOW 1& 2 tracks ..
Oh , That’s an ocean. To write about it casually would be sacrilege. Let me make out some time to write a proper piece on it. Suffice to say Sneha has cured me of my Rahmania.
Yes : awaiting your proper piece on GOW music
Agree it is an ‘ocean’
What sets it apart is the genuinely rooted and unapologetically ethnic tinge (not the token mentions) to rural /countryside/folk stuff
Was never my cup of tea and neither do I understand most of te lyrics etc but then music needs no language
I rate sneha higher than Amit trivedi …( inspite of the Dev d brilliance!)
Ps: repeating again– ‘head in the clouds’ – u may have something to say on it once seen..,
“Suffice to say Sneha has cured me of my Rahmania.”
How-may I ask 😉
IMO rehman is a different ball game -he operates at a different storey from these other folks..
Think he has used rabbi shergill in the upcoming Srk-Kat film ( my hunch from a few sec of guitar)-check out the Srk /Kat promo thread for some links I’ve
posted..
Ps: utkal uncle is a ‘rockstar’ uncle unlike some
‘Khap panchayat’ types (even here) 🙂
Trailer of Sylvester Stallone’s upcoming film “Bullet To The Head” (based on the graphic book). Co-starring Sung Kang, Jason Momoa (Conan) and Christian Slater. And helmed by the director of cult classics like The Warriors and 48 Hrs- Walter Hill
Wow- Even though I haven’t commented on the blog in a few days- -and this is a box office thread about the biggest opener of all time- there are so many snide digs at me here that are totally unrelated to the topic. I am flattered that AA and Anjali find me so important. 😉
August 16, 2012
Movie Review
Love as Espionage, and Vice Versa
By RACHEL SALTZ
Kabir Khan’s “Ek Tha Tiger,” a Bollywood romance dressed in espionage clothes, seems most engaged during its glass-shattering, rooftop-hopping action sequences. Its superagent hero, Tiger (Salman Khan) — his 007 T-shirt is more descriptive than aspirational — can’t help making a mess fighting and chasing in foreign cities. Dublin, Istanbul and Havana are probably still sweeping up, rewiring and getting their trains back on track after Hurricane Tiger.
Too bad these bursts of action have more wit than the actual story or characters. But to talk about that involves spoilers, so if you don’t want to know the unsurprising surprises, stop reading now.
Because after a long windup — the whole first half — the movie becomes a Romeo-and-Juliet tale of lovers from warring houses. While on a mission in Ireland, Mr. Khan’s lonely Tiger, a R.A.W. agent (India’s C.I.A. — it stands for Research and Analysis Wing), falls for Zoya (Katrina Kaif). And lo and behold, she turns out to be … a Pakistani agent! (She’s ISI, or Inter-Services Intelligence.) What to do?
Tiger and Zoya both make good kung fu street fighters, but as spies they’re unconvincing, and as lovers they’re cookie-cutter bland. Their loyalty to each other is never really in question and only tepidly tested, so the theme of my enemy, myself, remains unexplored.
Still, it’s there: Indians and Pakistanis, the movie says, look alike, act alike and even spy alike. When they don’t know they’re supposed to hate each other, strange things can happen. Love, for example. And pumped-up fisticuffs in romantic places.
Why does Rachel Saltz review Hindi films? All of her reviews have the same indulgent, condescending tone.
I just get the feeling that she is incredibly bored and clueless watching Bollywood films and she reviews them less out of interest and more out of great kindness, so that even these kitchy films from a poor country get the privilege of being featured in the NYT.
She also always comments on similarity or references to Western culture in this wondorous way- isn’t it’s amazing that Indian people would even know about 007 or *gasp* have their own version of the CIA?
Update: ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ Fri to Tue trends!
By Taran Adarsh
Where is EK THA TIGER headed after a mind-boggling start on Wednesday [32.93 cr] and a dip in business on Thursday [14.50 cr]? Well, let’s look at the 2-day totals from India and Overseas…
India [Wed + Thu] – 47.43 cr
U.S.A. [Wed + Thu] – 1.90 cr [some screens yet to report]
U.K. [Wed + Thu] – 1.25 cr
Australia [Wed + Thu] – 65.73 lacs
U.A.E. [Wed + Thu] – 1.96 cr
New Zealand [Thu] – 10.40 lacs
FRIDAY TO TUESDAY TRENDS
A further dip in business is expected today [Friday]. But the film should gather momentum towards evening/night shows, again. The business is expected to shoot upwards on Saturday and Sunday, while the Eid festivities on Monday and Tuesday is sure to witness incredible numbers. Like I keep saying, picture abhi baaki hain!
WILL IT OVERTAKE SALMAN’S HITS?
The one question on everyone’s lips is [and my Twitter timeline is full with it], will EK THA TIGER overtake the lifetime business of DABANGG [147 cr] and BODYGUARD [148 cr]? Of course, it will. Just wait and watch! The Saturday to Tuesday business of EK THA TIGER will take the film to dizzy heights, for sure. Also, at the end of Week 1 [9 days], hopefully, EK THA TIGER will be able to cross the lifetime business of both these films. Yes, you read it right!
PAKISTAN BAN
With Pakistan deciding against screening EK THA TIGER, Yash Raj will stand to lose at least 10 cr to 12 cr from this territory.
LOL, the excuses are beginning! We’re now talking about losing money from Pakistan?! By the where is this 10-12 crores from. I am pretty sure Hindi films don’t get such wide releases in Pakistan.
But leaving this aside he’s talking about another dip on Fri. Obviously things will jump up over the weekend but this looks to be a sinking film. The numbers will be huge any which way. But this looks unlikely to cross Dabanng by very much if that is indeed the case.
Such bull! This is the diwali excuse. So if films fall so much on weekdays what’;s the point of even going in for an extended release. Day 1 is apparently more than made up by drops on days 2 and 3!
And again the number will still be among the biggest ever. But this what happens when films are reported on dishonestly. Whether a film is a hit or not liked very much if the numbers are similar the trade can pretend all’s ok. No one does this in any sane accounting system. Actually even in Bollywood no one does it this way. It’s just the trade that delivers these absurd narratives.
and note how whether a film starts at 30 and falls 50% or starts at 20 and does the same (all off similar screen counts) these guys pretend ‘it’s all expected’!
Check out Ghajini’s trending from day to day, I won’t even get into 3I’s. Somehow this can never happen but over a 9 day or so extended week Ghajini’s trending was extremely stable!
Fri is slated to be another 20% drop. Overall, the drops while expected are disconcertingly big and dont bode well for the total. Sure Sat,Sun and Mon will show a significant uptick but this is not going to trend that well. Afinal total in the neighbourhood of 160-170 is on the cards. Delusions about crossing 3I will have to wait for another day and another movie.
Yakuza,
That would be a shocker and find it hard to believe.
Cannot count that possibility out and you are obviously in the know.
Will be interesting to see how it plays out.
would be pretty stunning if that happened.. second what Rajen says.. you probably know more about this and if so this is incredible. Would be quite a disaster if that happened. I always had doubts about ETT, said so here many times, expected it to fall between two stools, but looking at day 1 I thought I might have been wrong. Certainly never expected anything like Ra One even with an underperformance.
I think Dabangg 2 would be the peak of this Salman phase as far as openings go and from then onwards it will be a downward slide. How big of a slide it will be only time will tell.
On the other hand I think both Krish 3 and Dhoom 3 would open bigger than ETT,Dabangg 2 and would also beat 3 Idiots with fair margin. Also Hrithik may not have a chance to repeat it again but Aamir would have one more chance to beat 3 Idiots with PK.
Well, like I mentioned in my comment yesterday, I would not be surprised if it fizzles after a bumper weekend. Movie mein jaan nahi hai. And Sallu was somehow really muted. Maybe YRF ke neechey kaam karne mein mazaa nahi aaya.
AA: IMO rehman is a different ball game . Absolutely. But Sneha has made me go for her ball game rather than rahman’s. At least right now. For ever since Gentleman and Rangeela or perhaps Dil Se days if I did not listen to a Rahman song on nay day, it wopuld kind of affect my blood circulation. I have almost all Rahman’s albums in three or four different formats. CD, Tapes, On the laptop hard drive, on a USB drive. But the last two months or so I have been managing without Rahman., listening to Ishaqzade, Cocktail and Gangs of Wasseypur by turn and feeling good. Of course it is true Rahman hasn’t come up with anything after Rockstar ( Ek Deewana Tha is god, but the film turning out to be so bad has dampened my enthusiasm for it somewhat.)
A bit on the two different ‘ ball games’. Douglas Hofstadter mentioned in one of his books that if mankind had to send some sample of music to the space so that living beings another galaxy could enjoy it , it had to be Bach. What he was trying to imply was that Bach’s music was kind of pure music. The enjoyment of Bach’s music comes from the pure aural sensation of the way the notes are organized. Another way of saying it is that a cultural knowledge of any kind is least required in case of Bach’s music. I feel that way about Rahman’s music. It is culture neutral. There are elements of culture in his music. His music is informed by various cultural traditions. But at the core his music is pure music. Notes, melody, beats, harmony.. he plays them around as he only can. That is why his music has been instantly accessible to South Indian as well as North Indians, Indians as well as non-indians. And the enjoyment of his music by diverse audiences is almost the same. This is true of Ilayaraja to a large extent too. But not so with most of the Hindi film composers. Not Shankar Jaikishan, not Naushad, not even RD Burman.
But when one talks of pop music, it is often not pure music. It is a cultural product. Songs of Eminem or Dylan or Guns N roses will not appeal to someone without some acquiantance with Western pop culture. Same goes for ghazals of Mehdi Hassan or Rabindrasangeet. But with the right amount of cultural literacy, songs by these composers can be great fun. And so it is with Sneha Kanwalkar. If one has been open to Indian folk music, western pop, Bollywood music and so on, Sneha’s amalgamation of these to create an original sound will feel pretty exciting. And I am taking in that excitement with relish right now.
I feel that the most original aspect of GoW is the music — “Emotional Atyachaar” in Dev D was simply the start, but the strange, not-necessarily-ironic combination of English and desi rustic in Go is a one of a kind. I do give credit to Khanwalkar and Kasyap for that, BUT, I have to say I miss Dev D’s Amit Trivedi. That album grew on me, and is one of my favorite non-ARR Hindi film albums in several years. I really wish he’d gotten a chance to score for GoW, although it is hard to begrudge a female music director this assignment…
Dev D is my favourite non_rahan album too. It’s the non-Rahman album I have been listening to the most number of times and over the the longest period of time without losing the shiver of excitement felt on the first listening. Emotional Atyachar is the biggest cultural artifact to come out of Bollywood in decades. But look at the arnge: Oh Pardesi, Mahi Mennuu, Nayan tarse, Yehi Meri zindahgi, Paayalaia .. and may be a coule more I am forgetting. Every song was a winner. and Kashyap picturized weach of them so much against the grain, so unpredictably. oh my that film was such a high ! Never tripped on a film like that in along time. maybe Woodstock on bog screen back in college days. and All That Jazz and Across the Universe. Yes, Amit Trivedi is the man. He is the future. But I still think Sneha was perfect for GOW and amit could not have done what she has done.
@ utkal
As far as the richness,beauty,depth,maturity and magic of music is concerned…the soulful renditions of indian ocean in black friday…is way better than the works of sneha and amit.
just listen to the music of black friday and other albums of indian ocean…they even composed the opening song of peepli live…..
listen to that music and then compare them with the music given by amit and sneha and yu will see the difference.
kashyap in a moment of hyperbole said: “Indian Ocean creates the best music on this side of the atlantic”….i don’t think he was wrong.
the element of ruuhaniyat that their music is imbued with…transports yu.
for me…indian ocean music is more richer and deeper than ar rahman.
Anjali, I have all the albums of Indian Ocean from their eponymous first through Desert Rain, Knadisaa, Jhini ( my favourite) right up to Black Friday and Khajoor Road( downloaded) . But they do not have the key to the storehouse of pure music that Rahman has nor do they have the easy familiarity with contemporary culture to be as inventive and playful as Sneha or Amit can be. They get the Sufi spirit quite right, but there the gold standard is Nusrat who makes such a deeply traditional music universally accessible with his sheer musical genius.
Perhaps I need to listen to it again, but I always found the Black Friday album overrated — not my kind of thing; stuff like Bandiya is just not a patch on the far better Sufi sounds around. In general, I don’t think “desi rock” was the right way to go for those tracks, something far more (for want of a better word) “ethnic” would have suited those tunes better…
pls listen to the bharam bhaap ke song….the opening pre blast music..and all the others….
i mean..there is no comparison…especially with sneha and amit on one hand…and indian ocean on the other.
pls listen to their music once..(maybe u havent listened to them in long time…and then compare.
indian ocean is atleast a million times better than these kids….i could have said billion…but then you wud have accused me of hyperbole.
Bliss: I have already explained what i mean by pure music pretty exhaustively in my earlier post… and how it can be sensed from a secondary attribute of its appreciation across cultural barriers.
Anjaki, Indian Ocean are good. I havent heard Black Friday as many times I have heard Kandisaa and Jhini. But by now I suppose you know that I look for joyousness and playfulness in art along with empathy for the whole spectrum of the human condition. For me the shock of excitement that Emotional Atyachar or Womaniya creates is huge. And it’s cultural rather than pure music.( and their picturization contributes to the impact as well.) But I relish it.
But I will listen to Black Friday again and will tell you if I feel any differently.
Anurag Kashyap in an interview has said that the only reason why he did not repeat Indian Ocean after Black Friday…even though he considers them to be the best musical band this side of the atlantic….was …. because music and songs his films are in the background and they serve to carry the narration forward…a lot of things are happening in the film while the music creates the climate……whereas The indian ocean music was so rich and deep that it distracted the mind of the audience…..from the narration on screen by their bewitching trippiness.
the same reason why dev anand did not play the full dum ma ro dum song by rd burman in his film because..he thought the song will become more important than the film.
this interview was conducted before the release of no smoking where he took vishal bhardwaj as a music director.
i read it in the pfc long way back, cannot find the link of the interview.
Ek Tha Tiger started like a hurricane and had a big fall on day two which was expected due to the huge collections on day one but it seems the downward trend is continuing on Friday.
The film should have consolidated on Friday and have similar collections in the 14-15 crore nett range but it seems a fall is on the cards as collections coming in at places are 20% lower than Thursday so a Friday fall is certain even if other places hold up better.
It could be the Ramadan period that is taking a toll on collections or it could be that the film does not have public appreciation that the last few Salman Khan starrers have had.
The key days will be Sunday and Monday when Ramadan is over and these will tell whether the film emerges a solid hit or a huge blockbuster.
I was expecting 30 crores each day…so 100 crores in just 4 days…
The response that i am getting from my friends in FB are very good for this movie…surprised that it dropped. But still agree that these are weekdays and bound to drop…waiting for the weekend results.
If it is able to manage 25 crores on Saturday and Sunday both, then we will have a 100 crore film in just 5 days or an extended weekend.
Sometime ago I commented on this site that this movie will fizzle out after initial euphoria.Salman was looking aged, disinterested and this will crash after initial hype. I guess this movie is losing steam and will crash from Tuesday.The poor storyline will not be appreciated by Janatha Janardhan.
^ good interview by anurag kashyap (namrata joshi)
Anyhow @ utkal uncle–
An astute and masterly take there on music -agree, sir !!
“Douglas Hofstadter mentioned in one of his books that if mankind had to send some sample of music to the space so that living beings another galaxy could enjoy it , it had to be Bach. What he was trying to imply was that Bach’s music was kind of pure music. The enjoyment of Bach’s music comes from the pure aural sensation of the way the notes are organized. Another way of saying it is that a cultural knowledge of any kind is least required in case of Bach’s music. I feel that way about Rahman’s music. It is culture neutral. There are elements of culture in his music. His music is informed by various cultural traditions. But at the core his music is pure music. Notes, melody, beats, harmony.. he plays them around as he only can. That is why his music has been instantly accessible to South Indian as well as North Indians, Indians as well as non-indians. And the enjoyment of his music by diverse audiences is almost the same. This is true of Ilayaraja to a large extent too. But not so with most of the Hindi film composers. Not Shankar Jaikishan, not Naushad, not even RD Burman.”
This is just personal taste so personal opinion( Utkal n others) like we have on all things since the genesis of Internet, and nothing more 🙂
Now those who like him will side with him saying yes ..yes and those who don’t will be labelled as novices in music..
Ps: I see now very harmful and Irritating trend of hyperbole here and most of those who utter those statements think they are Right and uttering gospel for modern times … Sanity has gone somewhere in dark corner 😦
^ bliss(munna): everyone is entitled to his/her opinion including u and utkal uncle ..and u say: in blogosphere, it brings in lots of hyperbole and similarly ‘deconstruction’
Ps: though one should ‘attempt’ to read ‘between’ the lines as well- rarely one does get to change the opinion…
Ps2: plz feel free to come up with your counterpoint to utkal. That’s the charm of debates..nothing to feel irritated about it (unless one starts comparing vishal shekhar to rehman!)
Rest about counterpoints is waste, IMHO when there is complete plasticity on the other side…
One can’t counter hyperboles :D, No Way…
I can Quote same bach and then say Salil Da or Sachin da music is pure than ???
Its just Personl taste like Religion and If we start countering My religion is better and bigger, we will end up nowhere.. same for Music as I said Sanity is lost here and hiding somewhere in dark Corner…
Arguing for the sake of argument and proving himself to be right is no big deal and saying himself right and what is right is all together different things…
Here, what’s going is, that what I say is right and you have have bad habit of adding butter to the fire 🙂
This article was written by Anurag in 2004:
Just a few years back, esteemed critic and filmmaker Khalid Mohamed decried Hum Aapke Hain Koun as the world’s longest toothpaste ad. Lately, in a review of Main Prem Ki Deewanee Hoon, he recognised the very same HAHK as a modern classic!
Suniel Shetty (don’t miss the newly added ‘e’) in Main Hoon Na is already being compared to the eternal Gabbar Singh of Sholay!
Either I’m going blind or I’ve sprouted large blinders on either side of my eyes. Why can’t I see what everyone else seems to be seeing?
A Subhash Ghai gets to open a ‘film’ school long after he has forgotten how to make them. His Whistling Woods sounds more like a retirement plan than the “future of Indian cinema”. But we can hardly blame the man. The government approved the plan. And gave him prime land for it in the process.
Team effort. Even losing a match requires a lot of it!
A director calls a press conference to declare that his film Kaun Hai Jo Sapnon Mein Aaya is the opening film of the Cannes film festival and trade magazines instantly go to town with the dubious fact, without so much as checking to see if it is the truth. The story repeats itself with that daily scrapbook of the film industry, the Bombay Times. They have been promoting The Perfect Husband with big, bold letters proclaiming its journey to Cannes. We believe it, shake our heads in slight incredulity and turn the page.
The question is, who is responsible for the hype, the lies? The media who delivers and lovingly nurtures it? The readers who lap it up in silent subservience? Or the filmmakers who are content with this universal belligerence? They want everyone to believe that it is all happening. Why burst the bubble when there’s no one around wanting to even take a poke at it? The media itself lends its posterior for the whipping it so richly deserves and often gets. Star-struck and salivating for sound bites, its main agenda is not to rub anyone up the wrong way. The year 2003 saw more hits than 2002 and the Star Screen Awards got so excited by it that they announced seven nominations each in the Best Actor and Actress categories. Were they feeling guilty about choosing the best five? “Policy please” seems to have given way to “Please policy” in their book of resolutions.
Why is it that a unique talent like Rajpal Yadav in Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon is not even considered for those awards? Is he not ‘star’ enough? Is it only because he doesn’t speak English? Because of the absence of a lineage?
Quite simply, in a nation and industry of a thousand dynasties, are we ashamed of recognising one of normal birth?
We are running a donkey’s race, swimming in the shallow end of mediocrity, believing we are masters of the sea.
^ thanx anjali : interesting link
Lol @ “Quite simply, in a nation and industry of a thousand dynasties, are we ashamed of recognising one of normal birth?
We are running a donkey’s race, swimming in the shallow end of mediocrity, believing we are masters of the sea.”
He may offend many by his tone but the crux of what he says is right. Not sure why someone who himself is not a beneficiar of this system can disagree with him (& some so vehemently)
A tiger ‘tamed’: the fall (or the rise!)
>
Saw Ek tha tiger: some random thoughts: as usual my individual take and not based on any public opinion/ box office ‘cues’
>Basic premise:
“Pehli Baar Koi Faisla dil se Kia hai
dekhne chahta hoon
Yeh Faisla mujhe kahaan le jaata hai!”
Similarly: one can apply the dictum:
‘love knows no logic and finds a way’ albeit in an espionage setting
>
>Reference points/ similarities:
Hollywood: the spy who loved me
Mr and Mrs Smith-Pitt, Jolie
Knight n Day- cruise, Diaz
Bollywood: agent vinod (though this one is better)
>It also dishes up a ‘James bond lite’ which is its strength and also a misgiving for different reasons
>Genre: basically an action spy (lite) romance
>
>Strengths
Salman khan: his presence, persona and sheer star power
Action: I mean good by Bollywood standards- From parkour to fun chases to innovative stopping of a tram by a coat to motorcycle powered aircraft entry !!
Locations: brilliant use incorporated into the story and visual palette-
Ireland, turkey, Cuba
>
> Skillful Support Actors
Like them personally : Girish Karnad (liked him), ranvir shorey, roshan Seth (always like him even in minuscule parts!)
>
> Salmans performance
1) a somewhat ‘different’ , ‘restrained’ or lets say ‘atypical’ Salman somewhat
2) may not exactly cater to his fan base that much though there are enough salmanisms there to keep em happy!
3) sometimes one felt a certain ‘disconnect’ between Salman the actor, the star and the overall setting while creditably, this was somewhat bridged ( due to more compromises from one side than the other)
4) at points he did appear to me as slightly disinterested, detached (even to katrina) and maybe a bit lazy but overall a competent star turn
5) to put it in the right perspective, a more ‘human’ act and falling below just ‘dabang’ in my preference overall…
>
>Issues/problems/ notes
1) somewhat lacking in true content & ‘depth’ in storyline
2)a bit unidimensional and linear : devoid of the ‘turns’ and ‘surprises’ viewers nowadays demand!
3) It’s good to lace proceedings with a dash of humour but its a delicate balance–too much ‘fun’ or comedy sometimes ‘trivialises’ the ‘drama’ diluting the overall effect !
4) there are loopholes and glaring practicality isseus but let’s give that a miss in a Salman film and those ‘objections’ should /will fall on deaf ears of his fans
>
> Songs/ music
Good though not brilliant
But the song picturisations were uniformly good and integrated to the ‘location’ and the visual imagery of that region..
My pick: banjara : Irish Celtic strains: shows Salman getting ‘hit’ by love for the first time
notable point: Laapata : wonderful Cuban montage: IMO was supposedly recorded with actual Cuban musicians to get the sake instrumentation and feel!
Good background score & the ‘tiger theme’!
> good one liners
Like ‘dekhne chahta hoon’
‘pataate pataate’, ‘dress utaarna nahin hai’
>
>Katrina Kaif:
She was good here as expected; looked good intermittently though for the first time, could see signs of ageing/Botox on her face..
> katrina: full points for action
Perhaps one of the best action in an Indian film by an actress !!
>
> the ‘chemistry’ of the lead pair
Well, people feel they had brilliant chemistry here.
I agree that the comaraderie and the ease was very evident but not exactly the ‘passion’ of true mad lovers.
Also felt a somewhat ‘resigned detachment’ in Salman (as someone who is tired of waiting and now doesn’t really care–lol!)
Or it might even be ‘knowing each other too well!’
IMO, the chemistry of katrina with Hritik in znmd was better..
> the crucial question
The dabang comparison
Well, the fact that im asking this question shows where this film is to be placed in salmans long filmography
Inspite of the numerous issues/ flaws, will place it just ‘below’ dabang. This film also highlighted the true worth of dabang and how it was much more than ‘munni’ or fun action or the moustache. abhinav kashyap did bring in a lot more intangible to the table.
But overall a good effort for salmans star power, ace locations and some innovative parkour action.
Addendum to ‘a tiger tamed’
Some of the good moments-
> the meeting of Girish karnad with Salman at the latters humble government quarters : doing humble cooking and reminiscing..
> A better than average depiction of the world of espionage- the way it operates/ the modus operandi (albeit with some glitches)
> some of the action sequences were quite good -though in some, one could make out salmans double(!) and also the fact that some were actually done by katrina herself!
The one where Salman gets from the mobike to the plane was silly but quite fun (inspite of some special effects issues!)
Ps: overall though, one wasn’t sure if adequate ‘justification’ was given for the great action – something that Indian viewers demand (!) and something they were given in more supply in the recent Hritik agneepath and even rowdy rathore!
Ps2: occupancy wise: this was somewhat lower than both those (bit that’s not a surprise)
Ps3: have always felt that SRK and even Hritik are bigger in that area overseas …
@ anjali:
I usually don’t believe in numbers/ ratings esp for Salman films sicke I haven’t seem many of his films and feel that some of those I’ve seen don’t deserve my rating ! Haha
But lately like him and admire his persona most dabang !
If u were to force me to rate his films: Out of five
I won’t rAte his other films ie around 0!
Dabang : 4
Ek tha tiger : 3 to 3.5
Ps: u can watch it : will be fun esp in the cinema : but don’t go expecting too much : chillax
Ps2: am a bit interested to know what the other esteemed members feel about ETT- hope they come up with their usual spell-checked, correctly syntaxed, ‘politocially correct’ reviews (& separate threads!)
🙂
By the way there are a few scenes in dabangg which i suspect were ghost directed by anurag kashyap.
of course none of them included salman khan….i am alluding to a few darkly comic scenes involving sonu sood and om puri….
Unlike many, i actually do find abhinav kashyaps work interesting on the basis of dabang – although these are early days and he has yet to come up with sowmthing after dabang–
Found a certain mix of kashyap tendencies with the usual masala popular fare..
Incidentally there was a dialogue in dabang that caught my eye and stayed with me –personally loved it ..
Something on the lines of –(maybe someone can remind the exact Hindi dialogue)
“If someone actually stays /lives with me, only then will understand and agree with WHY I do the things that I do!!” 🙂
Small things like ‘erotta!’-“how did your name become erotta though!..” hahaha
@ anjali -are u watching ETT? Suggest u check it out and write your thoughts …
@ Amy :If and when u get your internet access back (maybe half hour a day) :plz lemme know your thoughts on ETT..after reading mine above..
A gal (Kat) is shown as an ‘equal’ spy agent and does some gr8 kickass action 🙂
Some Trade Analysts and websites are desperate to promote this movie. ETT is Ra.One of 2012. When there is no proper storyline and movie is slow with Lead Actor looking aged and disinterested, movie falling in collections rapidly and we hear some sites and analysts saying that Muslims not going to movie due to Ramadan is the prime cause of drop in collection. Muslims staying home in Ramadaan without going to movies is silliest reason given as if they are the true followers of religion. The same muslims will vandalise Amar Jyothi Jawans memorial in Mumbai, beat up cops and molest women cops in the heart of a Metropolis in full view of public gaze( as those women cops are not their daughters,sisters, mothers or wives ) and world wide in Iran, Pakisthan, Syria, Afghanisthan and another dozen muslim countries kill their own people and blow up their own brothers during the month of Ramadan when they have to show mercy, compassion and forgiveness. What kind of dickhead logic people give to promote movies with an agenda. I feel most of these sites are controlled by people with a specific agendas and inclinations.
LOL. Had posted its trailer 3-4 months back. Saw it some time back and thought this was one film which kind of bought back the Mad Max persona back. Btw i thought his Edge Of Darkness was a terrific thriller and Ray Winstone was also superb in the film
More than the BO results of a particular movie, I’m interested in seeing how the three khans will land- land they must sooner or later, much likely pretty soon (within the next 2-3 years). Here’s what I think:
Salman Khan: Despite my feeling that his castle of sand will come down crashing any minute, he’s going very strong. I’ve been bemused by his late super-revival, but hats off to him for pulling it off. Still I can’t help but think his super success is of the brittlest kind and landing will be of shattering kind. Puffy faced, too bulky (or is that bloated?), disinterested, and perpetually pissed off and sarcastic- not sure how long this phase will last. With almost non-existent acting chops, what can he do besides the hero-giri?! Best case scenario for him would be to become a degraded version of Rajnikant: do one movie every couple of year and maximize the Eid weekend!
Aamir Khan: Nominally my favorite… With SMJ he has given a glimpse into his future. And what does that future hold? Perfection…perfection perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist. Paradoxically I find this perfection rather uninteresting, smothering…that’s why his most celebrated movies don’t make it to my favorite list….instead give me a flawed, but living, breathing Dil Se or Raavan or D6. It’s not that only flawed movies can be interesting, far from it, but his movies are perfect in the most obvious way- as if they are made by ticking the appropriate boxes. He should sometimes let it go.
Shahrukh Khan: Despite making fun of his age in the other thread, I think among the 3 Khans he has aged the best. By aged the best I don’t mean he hasn’t aged and still looks thirty, but he has aged most gracefully! To put it mildly I’m not fond of his current avatar and none of his upcoming movies excite me much. However if he lets go of his ego and faces certain truths, I actually see an interesting career ahead for him….not a flashy one, but a substantive one. But that is a big if! Otherwise if continues in the same old circle, I expect a slow fade.
Agree in many cases Matrix. But I think saying that SRK is aging gracefully is pushing it a bit given that at his current age he’s returned to his roots with all these romances and he’s also romancing girls half his age. I remember on these very blogs people once used to make fun of stars of the 70s or 80s acting with younger actresses (actually this happened much more in the 80s) but those were at least masala films where the romances were hardly central. But to have him romance girls that young in his genre is really pushing it. The point of Salman’s films or even Aamir’s is not ‘romance’. With SRK it is. And Anushka Sharma is about as extreme an example as one can find. Or even some of the others he’s appeared with. Don’t have a problem on this score for some of his other stuff though even with Don and so on you get the sense that he is really fighting age here (these films works best when stars are at the peak of their careers, and certainly physicality). In his upcoming Yash Chopra film there are rumors that he will play an older guy for at least part of the film (might be a spin on the VZ deal, without the politics). Meanwhile on Aamir I certainly see the point you’re making on ‘perfection’ though I don’t quite see how this means aging less gracefully (probably you didn’t intend to suggest this). Agreed completely on Salman though.
Satyam- SRK with Anushka or Katrina in a straight love story is definitely more than pushing it and I made fun of it with all those (some would say ‘petty’) jibes in the other thread…Here I wasn’t talking about this bit when I used the word graceful, rather it related to appearance in real life. Because of his relatively better age-appropriate dressing sense and because he seems to have let age take its toll on his face without resorting to any artificial means I find his aging graceful. Aamir, I don’t know he seems to have done something to his face- he comes across as wide eyed and his facial expressions seem to have become limited and when he has any expression, it seems forced- little hammed up if you will. I noticed this first in 3I, but with SMJ it kinda became distracting! Salman imo is the worst of all; in addition to his physical appearance I talked about, his dressing sense generally is atrocious these days….being human tees and flared jeans!!!
but this whole “perfection” thing is blown so out of proportion that even aamir has stop defending against it. it is sheer variety the man is trying – which is daringly differnent and dangerous from commercial point of view – so he goes all out with sincerity and conviction….and that is being termed as perfection! I would call it dedication to his art rather. And he is chilled out usually otherwise how would one justify his not doing a film in 3 years after 3i!! as he says – journey of film-making is as imp. for him as the completion. I think aamir enjoys what he does and he is a gambler at heart. So much so that mighty YRF has to give in to that indomitable spirit and push a golden goose like D3 by a year – and that is a lot of money mind you – as it would have earnt at-least 100 cr profit for YRF and 1 yr. interest of it wud be 10 cr….but aamir managed to push it for his tv show!!! name any other star who could have got away with this. Not even big b or srk wud do this to YRF.
Good set of thoughts, Matrix. I personally believe they all are capable of an afterlife after they accept that their best days are behind them. There are interesting possibilities for all of them.
I would love to see a good director give Salman a restrained,age appropriate role. However, it all depends on the kind of decisions they make.
I totally agree that Aamir needs to loosen up a bit. D3 should be interesting. And, yes even SRK can have a reasonable second innings, if he can accept not being a ‘Badshah’ and such.
“SRK can have a reasonable second innings, if he can accept not being a ‘Badshah’ and such.” From his interviews, it does not seem that he is someone that is convoluted in a sense of superiority.
To be fair –
Out of these three–
Srk seems most susceptible currently bcos
A) with chain smoking etc, he isn’t in the best physic shape inspite of being not ‘over weight’
B) his attitude has ways been based on ‘I’m the best!’
Which contrary to belief isn’t bad when one is @ the top
But not good when one has to ‘adjust’ eg now
C) unlike his othe two friends, Srk has never really faced real serial failures (professionally or personally) : so is I’ll equipped temperamentally
D) unlike the other two, his strength genre is dependent more on looking young !
But
From past experience, won’t count him out yet
He is not that down n out as some believe and may just spring a surprise !!
hmm…one of the few times…I would like to disagree with you (a bit).
A) Agreed…his ageing is starting to show w/ him being a smokaholic (is that a word?) and a workaholic (that is DEFINITELY a word)
B) When he came into the industry, he thought he was the best, but, I would say that he let go of that attitude in the early 2000s. All he really says about ‘being the king’ is just as a dose of humour. (EVEN THOUGH it’s just a joke, I agree with the statement)
C) He has faced a few failures (personally). Most of these were probably before he entered the film industries, but, those things still affect him. For example, his parents dying when he was young. His sister being affected mentally by it. Shahrukh admitted that the only way he stays out of depression is by being a workaholic (which is the same as “A”)
D) I’m not really sure why people really say that it’s forte genre (I did say that too, but, after thinking about it objectively, I am wrong). It’s true that he has done several romantic films and that many other film makers tried to follow the formula of films like DDLJ etc, but, performance wise, I think he performs well in all kind of roles. Action, Villainous, Romantic, Drama…all of those.
I know I’m being a little bit less objective tonight, but, that’s cuz it’s almost 12:30 AM and I’m no mood to sleep (even though I’m sleepy as hell lol)
B.O. reality gets lost in perception
Opening weekend flash doesn’t tell the whole story
Most B.O. watchers are aware of the year’s bona fide blockbusters (“The Avengers,” “The Hunger Games,” etc.) and sleeper hits (including “Ted” and “Magic Mike”). But some of the most profitable titles are flying under the radar, including Fox Searchlight’s “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” whose beefy profitability ratio outweighs its image as a little charmer: The pic has earned more than $130 million globally from a budget of $10 million. Ditto Universal’s sturdy franchise installment “American Reunion,” which cost $50 million and has grossed almost $235 million worldwide
Oh my god! When will Salman stop giving this shitty action films with no substance at all. I watched Ek Tha Tiger today and it seems like Tiger didn’t roar. He meowed. There’s absolutely no saving grace in this movie. Yes, Salman has a specific sort of presence etc, but, I just cannot get past the fact that the intelligence spies were so stupid. It’s full of plot holes which unrepairable by the chemistry of Salman and Katrina, which in itself is very average! The last time I liked Salman’s on-screen persona was ‘Tere Naam’. In Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger, it just seemed that, anytime now, he would say, “Look at me. I am the biggest star in India right now,” which made it harder to sit through these movies. Ek Tha Tiger was a horrendous movie. Kabir Khan was focused so much on Salman’s star power that he forgot that movie had a very bland and thin script. It’s a 1/5 movie.
Ek Tha Tiger had a very good jump on Saturday as all circuits grew very well, some around 10% and others were nearly 50% up.
The Saturday business should come in around the 15.5-16 crore nett range which takes the total in four days to a huge 73 crore nett.
Mumbai, Delhi/Up, East Punjab and Mysore all saw big jumps in business and it is likely that the circuits which jumped less will show huge jumps on Sunday.
The extended five day weekend of the film should come in around 93 crore nett or even higher.
“even if it’s 95 or higher than this a third of this number would have come on day 1!”
True but don’t think it really matters in this case …
By the record breaking first day opening, the paying public gas spoken !!
The star power = bums on seats on first day roughly speaking (barring some disclaimers)
The rest is the film
No1 opening day till now= ETT
No2 opening day = Hritik agneepath as of now if I’m correct
This is the fact, the rest is opinion!!
The other FACT is that within ONE week, ETT seems likely to cross 100 cores ….
Where it exactly ends up is academic
It won’t cross 3 idiots though…
That ETT has the biggest opening day ever and the biggest first week maybe –isn’t that a FACT!!!
Afterwards who (other than the producers/distributors!) would be (need to be) worried about thurs, fri, sat, sun individual figures…
Ps: the film will go down tues onwards, but probably the ‘job will be done’ (‘damage’ will be done for some)
🙂
That is a fact but one can look at anything in complete isolation and call it a fact! In other words facts need contexts. The ‘truth’ can be made to sound like a ‘lie’ if deceptively used. I could say for instance that Coctail opened much bigger than ZNMD. Hence Saif must be bigger than Hrithik in this genre! Or I could say Agneepath had a bigger opening day than 3I (even accounting for inflation). Hence Hrithik must be bigger than Aamir. The facts can be ‘twisted’ in all sorts of ways which is one should err on the side of comprehensiveness and look at as many factors as possible. Incidentally this is something that is done in US box office reporting (simply the most thorough system in the world) where they compare everything humanly possible and then judge how well or not a film has done.
Agree that all points should be considered and context is important..
But not when one is talking of extremes
Eg when ETT gets the biggest ever opening day, one can’t (or shouldnt!) argue or deny or dissect beyond a point about the opening power of a star …
Similarly, no matter how many factors one looks at, the opening and total gross of tez and drona (the new 100 crore stars abhi
and ajay!)
In other words, in these extreme situations-high n low–contexts get meaningless beyond a point–from whatever angle one looks at it or sells it –the result is the same
So it’s sane to accept it 😉
Ps: ‘Coctail opened much bigger than ZNMD’–thanx for telling me that –don’t care abut SAifs stardom but that is good to hear….haha
“usual complain is the general fan of salman found it to intelligent and intelligent audiences found it to to dumbish”
Yes that is one possibility rockstar –though I saw it and didn’t find it great but not bad either,,
Some who go with agendas to either prop/ over praise it or pull it down may say this
How did u find it..
I wrote something on it –let me find it…
just in the interest of fairness, shouldn’t it be compared to the first day opening of the last big film that opened on a national holiday. that has to make at least a few cr difference.
will be lucky to cross ready and bodyguard, let alone 3 idiots. you know, those 3rd rate remakes with much less hype, no yrf and no katrina. huge public acceptance, ftw
Agree that the ‘last big film on a national holiday’ comparison is misleading since we are talking of an expanding market, inflation, genre difference, holiday etc
But at the end of the day, it is the biggest EVER opening day–don’t think this is an opinion but a ‘fact’
And not by a small margin..
Thats about the opening potential of the ‘star’ -right or wrong!
The rest is the film–which has many flaws that I pointed out yesterday
Besides it being an atypical Salman film wherein he is a bit more ‘restrained’ thus not exactly tailor made for his ‘core fan’
Ps: though using ‘restrained’ for anything about a Salman film makes one think again 🙂
Maybe but the ‘actual’ tickets are being sold
And ‘eager aamir fans’ are supposedly buying them !!
🙂
Ps: not sure if there are some who are that eager to book three months in advance.. Haha
@rockstar & others who missed it earlier- my thoughts on ek tha tiger—( before it got buried in some other ‘action’ here)– will be interested to hear what others felt about ETT…
AA Says:
August 18, 2012 at 7:47 AM
A tiger ‘tamed’: the fall (or the rise!)
>
Saw Ek tha tiger: some random thoughts: as usual my individual take and not based on any public opinion/ box office ‘cues’
>Basic premise:
“Pehli Baar Koi Faisla dil se Kia hai
dekhne chahta hoon
Yeh Faisla mujhe kahaan le jaata hai!”
Similarly: one can apply the dictum:
‘love knows no logic and finds a way’ albeit in an espionage setting
>
>Reference points/ similarities:
Hollywood: the spy who loved me
Mr and Mrs Smith-Pitt, Jolie
Knight n Day- cruise, Diaz
Bollywood: agent vinod (though this one is better)
>It also dishes up a ‘James bond lite’ which is its strength and also a misgiving for different reasons
>Genre: basically an action spy (lite) romance
>
>Strengths
Salman khan: his presence, persona and sheer star power
Action: I mean good by Bollywood standards- From parkour to fun chases to innovative stopping of a tram by a coat to motorcycle powered aircraft entry !!
Locations: brilliant use incorporated into the story and visual palette-
Ireland, turkey, Cuba
>
> Skillful Support Actors
Like them personally : Girish Karnad (liked him), ranvir shorey, roshan Seth (always like him even in minuscule parts!)
>
> Salmans performance
1) a somewhat ‘different’ , ‘restrained’ or lets say ‘atypical’ Salman somewhat
2) may not exactly cater to his fan base that much though there are enough salmanisms there to keep em happy!
3) sometimes one felt a certain ‘disconnect’ between Salman the actor, the star and the overall setting while creditably, this was somewhat bridged ( due to more compromises from one side than the other)
4) at points he did appear to me as slightly disinterested, detached (even to katrina) and maybe a bit lazy but overall a competent star turn
5) to put it in the right perspective, a more ‘human’ act and falling below just ‘dabang’ in my preference overall…
>
>Issues/problems/ notes
1) somewhat lacking in true content & ‘depth’ in storyline
2)a bit unidimensional and linear : devoid of the ‘turns’ and ‘surprises’ viewers nowadays demand!
3) It’s good to lace proceedings with a dash of humour but its a delicate balance–too much ‘fun’ or comedy sometimes ‘trivialises’ the ‘drama’ diluting the overall effect !
4) there are loopholes and glaring practicality isseus but let’s give that a miss in a Salman film and those ‘objections’ should /will fall on deaf ears of his fans
>
> Songs/ music
Good though not brilliant
But the song picturisations were uniformly good and integrated to the ‘location’ and the visual imagery of that region..
My pick: banjara : Irish Celtic strains: shows Salman getting ‘hit’ by love for the first time
notable point: Laapata : wonderful Cuban montage: IMO was supposedly recorded with actual Cuban musicians to get the sake instrumentation and feel!
Good background score & the ‘tiger theme’!
> good one liners
Like ‘dekhne chahta hoon’
‘pataate pataate’, ‘dress utaarna nahin hai’
>
>Katrina Kaif:
She was good here as expected; looked good intermittently though for the first time, could see signs of ageing/Botox on her face..
> katrina: full points for action
Perhaps one of the best action in an Indian film by an actress !!
>
> the ‘chemistry’ of the lead pair
Well, people feel they had brilliant chemistry here.
I agree that the comaraderie and the ease was very evident but not exactly the ‘passion’ of true mad lovers.
Also felt a somewhat ‘resigned detachment’ in Salman (as someone who is tired of waiting and now doesn’t really care–lol!)
Or it might even be ‘knowing each other too well!’
IMO, the chemistry of katrina with Hritik in znmd was better..
> the crucial question
The dabang comparison
Well, the fact that im asking this question shows where this film is to be placed in salmans long filmography
Inspite of the numerous issues/ flaws, will place it just ‘below’ dabang. This film also highlighted the true worth of dabang and how it was much more than ‘munni’ or fun action or the moustache. abhinav kashyap did bring in a lot more intangible to the table.
But overall a good effort for salmans star power, ace locations and some innovative parkour action.
Reply
AA Says:
August 18, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Addendum to ‘a tiger tamed’
Some of the good moments-
> the meeting of Girish karnad with Salman at the latters humble government quarters : doing humble cooking and reminiscing..
> A better than average depiction of the world of espionage- the way it operates/ the modus operandi (albeit with some glitches)
> some of the action sequences were quite good -though in some, one could make out salmans double(!) and also the fact that some were actually done by katrina herself!
The one where Salman gets from the mobike to the plane was silly but quite fun (inspite of some special effects issues!)
Ps: overall though, one wasn’t sure if adequate ‘justification’ was given for the great action – something that Indian viewers demand (!) and something they were given in more supply in the recent Hritik agneepath and even rowdy rathore!
Ps2: occupancy wise: this was somewhat lower than both those (bit that’s not a surprise)
Ps3: have always felt that SRK and even Hritik are bigger in that area overseas …
Reply
Anjali Singh Says:
August 18, 2012 at 8:59 AM
@ alex
out of 5 how much are yu giving to ETT.
Reply
AA Says:
August 18, 2012 at 9:16 AM
@ anjali:
I usually don’t believe in numbers/ ratings esp for Salman films sicke I haven’t seem many of his films and feel that some of those I’ve seen don’t deserve my rating ! Haha
But lately like him and admire his persona most dabang !
If u were to force me to rate his films: Out of five
I won’t rAte his other films ie around 0!
Dabang : 4
Ek tha tiger : 3 to 3.5
Ps: u can watch it : will be fun esp in the cinema : but don’t go expecting too much : chillax
Ps2: am a bit interested to know what the other esteemed members feel about ETT- hope they come up with their usual spell-checked, correctly syntaxed, ‘politocially correct’ reviews (& separate threads!)
August 19, 2012, 1:25 pm
‘The Expendables 2’ Proves Weaker Than the Original
By BROOKS BARNES
Like their muscles, the box-office drawing power of Sylvester Stallone and his action-hero cohorts appears to be atrophying with age: “The Expendables 2,” with Mr. Stallone and a muscular ensemble, was the No. 1 movie in North America over the weekend. But its estimated $28.8 million in ticket sales was 21 percent lower than its series predecessor’s opening-weekend total, after accounting for inflation. Millennium Films spent about $90 million to make “The Expendables 2,” which was distributed by Lionsgate.
“The Bourne Legacy” (Universal) was second, taking in about $17 million, for a two-week total of $69.6 million, according to Hollywood.com, which compiles box-office data. Placing third with an estimated $14 million in ticket sales was “ParaNorman,” which cost Laika, a boutique studio owned by the Nike co-founder Phil Knight, an estimated $55 million to make; Focus Features handled distribution. “The Campaign” (Warner Brothers) was fourth, taking in about $13.4 million, for a two-week total of $51.7 million. “Sparkle” (Sony) was fifth, selling an estimated $12 million. This period film, starring Whitney Houston in her last movie role, cost just $14 million to make.
“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” was a dud, taking in about $11 million for seventh place and a total of $15.2 million since opening on Wednesday; Disney spent about $25 million on production costs.
by the way it’s clear now that the current Dark Knight though otherwise a big grosser (will end up around 430-440m and I think the lower number is more likely) will fall significantly behind the last installment by more than a 100m (without adjusting for inflation) and will also fall behind the Avengers by roughly 200m.
I didn’t like Avengers. It was strictly ‘okay’ film for me. Personally think it’s really overhyped. Dark Knight series takes the cake for the best superhero movies created so far.
i love nolan’s earlier work and have liked this trilogy overall too. but all 3 films have issues. it was least apparent for the first one, it was just a good, little, gritty starting point for the story. the tdk was fantastic in 1st & 2nd act and Ledger took it to another level. but i thought it lost steam in the final act, which for me is the worst thing to happen to a movie. but due to its ‘legendary’ stature, the trilogy became burdened. tdkr got saddled with its stature and i always felt it will buckle under. so went with lower expectations and found it surprisingly ok. i think it’s also because the most problematic portions are in the middle, which a film can get away with. and they gave it a big finish and a pretty little bow, which made it satisfying to some extent. a lot of people thought he should have died, but i feel the franchise has been much heavier than it needed to be, there was no need to end on a miserable note. so the finale wasn’t bad for me.
Hmm actually I found TDKR crap and infact have been excessively tearing it apart here –infact even criticised the media (& some here ) for being too ‘soft’ on it to the extent of being ‘hesitant’ to take in its flaws — vis a vis an indigenous Indian product like GoW for which suddenly the most stringent standards have been used..
But must say that in a very concise succinct manner, u have rounded up v nicely how it still works as a trilogy and provided the expectations aren’t really sky high (following the second instalment!) it’s not that bad
I wrote some random thoughts on it but don’t know where they are now thread wise -maybe Satyam knows..
Ps: can vouch that u know your cinema 😉
have read your views on it. actually, most people have not been soft, it has definitely generated mixed reviews. more than the second one, which had many issues, but Ledger overshadowed them. i feel Hathaway was able to do it to some extent here, she was definitely the bright spot. but we have to remember it is only a comic book franchise at the end of the day. nolan and fans are both responsible for pushing for too much in what is essentially a summer blockbuster. ‘the weight of the world’ thing was overdone, injecting some humor and wit into it would have been better. i am the only person on the planet who now wants a sequel where batman & robin do a lighter ass-kicking take on the franchise, along with catwoman. i hope iron-man makes an appearance, so they all get wasted together. i am patenting the idea and will only sell it to nolan for a hefty sum.
“have read your views on it”–how come ..
Wow– my views are getting famous-am flattered–what did u feel about them..
Btw in your brief note above u have encapsulated the whole premise and purview of this enterprise…well said
And Yes, felt Hathaway did an ace job…Obama agreed !!
“. i am the only person on the planet who now wants a sequel where batman & robin do a lighter ass-kicking take on the franchise, along with catwoman. i hope iron-man makes an appearance, so they all get wasted together. i am patenting the idea and will only sell it to nolan for a hefty sum.”– haha
So we have got another anjali –original brilliant ideas -cheers 🙂
I watched it on the big screen today (and 2day, I actually do mean the theatre) and found it brilliant! Just the way the story’s been written and the way that Nolan handles every scene with amazing care. For me, it was a near-perfect movie. Too bad that the movie’s revenue didn’t match up to the Avengers, cuz TDKR was FAR superior. The brilliance, however, for me, didn’t lie in the fact that it was well done visually and the shots flowed amazingly. The brilliance was that EVERY character was explored so well and it was done in a manner which was exciting too! a definite 4.5/5 to 5/5 movie!
Just back from ETT….I liked the movie a lot ..great action, Sallu Bhai looks good and acts decently….he is a much better agent that Agent Vinod or Don ..( Sometimes the BGM gave me a feeling of the Don’s music though)…
Katrina total mast on hai……
I can see why Pakitan banned the movie, they hate losing their women to Kafirs….
AA actually both Sallu bhai and Katrina have acted pretty decently in the movie, and they both look good…
Salman Khan was giving a Jhalak of Dharmendra of Kartavya, Dharam Veer days……
was just lightly adding to aa’s comment. i don’t think your comments will be deleted but people will obviously form their opinions on them. just ask utkal. have no interest in ett -praise, criticism, or bo wise. so praise away!
^^C’mon folks –don’t scare poor antya with ‘code words’
She is under my ‘protection’ now (amongst some others)
🙂 joking…
Ps: do ‘open up’ and give ETT & cocktail a chance –good fun –may act as a good mind easing pyschotherapeutic ‘release’ phenomenon by default …
in all seriousness I don’t think there’s anything odd about liking ETT. In fact it sounds like the sort of campy spy thrillers produced in the late 60s or early 70s (with Dharmendra, Jeetendra and so on). Whether ETT is good enough or not people can debate but I have no issues with this sort of thing. This is not like Akshay’s comedies where even though I don’t have serious problems the context is so unbelievably low grade that it’s hard to watch them other than in bits.
Satyam it’s better than those campy flicks u are taking about..
Though the narrative has been kept v simple, unidimensional, linear (I suspect deliberately) keeping in mind the ‘sensibilites and special needs’ of the core Salman fan!
Btw the action and locations are good..
Do check it out …. With reasonable expectations.
The only Salman movie ‘better’ than this is dabang (which doesn’t say much given the ‘other’ films though..)
Cuba was captured well
Good montages and color palletes
Infact ‘laapata’ is picturised well and the instruments are genuinely cuban orchestra..
Even turkey is nicely done..
Some of the bits in the movie were unbelievably corny, notably the scene in Cuba where the wall says (in Spanish), “[Jis mohabbat mein deewangi na ho, woh mohabbat hi nahin]”
LOL… Katrina looked really good in the movie and for a change she acted pretty well too.. she looked the best in the designer Burqa like dress that she wore at the UN meet…..
Think she looked good in ‘banjara’ —
Plus her ‘action’ was probably the best by a female in an Indian film–remind me if u know anyone who did better action yet!
I wanna give an average too…lol
Katrina – 3/5 (Katrina improved a LOT…her hindi’s much better. She acted well, but, honestly, Salman’s thrilling presence overshadowed her sincere attempt)
Salman – 2.5/5 (Salman is Salman…wasn’t convinced that he was a RAW agent, but, that’s fuelled a lot by bad character writing)
Songs – 2.5/5 (Banjaara was picturized well, but, other than that, Mashallah was alright…and that’s about it)
BGM – 1.5/5 (didn’t go with the story at all)
Action – 4/5 (one of the best in Bollywood)
Production Values – 5/5 (FULL ON)
Support Cast – 3/5 (Ranvir Shorey is v. good…the rest disappoint)
Story – 1.5/5 (Paper thin story)
Loopholes – 1/5 (ie there are SEVERAL of them)
Shirtless – 1/5 (surprised they couldn’t find a better way to take off Salman’s shirt)
Oomph Factor – 2.5/5 (the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes are kick-ass…rest is a drag, so, the oomph factor lies in the opening and closing parts)
Skin Show – i don’t really count this as part of my criteria XD
have not seen cocktail, nor do i ever plan to. did skim thru the 30000 threads and comments on it. so your plan to recruit me into your cocktail cult is not going to succeed. at least the makers can die happy knowing it generated such commentary somewhere, since it has probably already disappeared from much of the public consciousness. a friend of mine did go to watch it with some people, she was so appalled she walked out at some point after the interval. confirmed everything i already knew.
^^ btw Satyam: u will be happy to read mr/ms antyas comments..
Some folks not commenting here also read stuff here ( including my bits on cocktail) …
Do u have any data /stats on how many those lurkers maybe ..
Think I should start getting more credit for increasing the viewership of this blog 🙂
Haha antya– I thought u were an ‘unsuspecting’ newcomer who I could ‘lure’ into my cult but u seem quite informed and have been reading my stuff… 🙂
“did skim thru the 30000 threads and comments on it. so your plan to recruit me into your cocktail cult is not going to succeed”
But do give it a watch –u may be surprised–I can vouch –it’s an ‘intelligent’ romcom hoho–let’s say just that…
Btw what films in that genre have u liked in bw, hw…
not a genre i am a fan of in general. the drama is never too significant and stakes never too high in these films. so the only thing keeping audience engaged is the skill and charisma of the actors and their chemistry, that’s what makes you root for them. i like the classics better here – breakfast at tiffany’s, philadelphia story, though they are ‘darker’ films in a way. a have a weakness for the very cheesy ‘an affair to remember’. must be cary grant. but the all time story here is of course ‘it happened one night’. incidentally, i have liked both bw takes on it, the older chori chori’ and the newer ‘dil hai ki manta nahin’. the last remotely good one was JWM, alhough weak and annoying in second half. also didn’t mind JTYJN, mostly due to some fun writing. the older shammi kapoor romance dramas work fairly ok within that framework too, especially with the help of some good music.
All v reasonable choices there ….btw did u ever check out ‘rockstar’ and znmd ..
“and stakes never too high in these films. so the only thing keeping audience engaged is the skill and charisma of the actors and their chemistry, that’s what makes you root for them. “-haha that’s your nice analytical ability shining through…lol
Especially in “stakes never too high in these films.”
🙂
usually go by gut feel to check out films and i am right 90% of the time on whether it turns out worthwhile for me. didn’t feel interested in znmd or rockstar. not a fan of imtiaz, liked socha na tha, ahista ahista and jwm to some extent but he hasn’t made a fully realized film yet. the themes and characters have become repetitive, instead of the freshness that made the earlier works interesting. znmd just seemed like poor man’s dch, originating from the failure of the very good lbc, rather than organic story-telling. zoya getting sell-out lessons from her brother to achieve bo success has worked out for her i guess.
^”usually go by gut feel to check out films and i am right 90% of the time on whether it turns out worthwhile for me. ” your gut feeling better be right given the nature of your work which is Also reliant on empathetic perception and instinct, I guess..
Ps: v good to hear your thoughts
Any movie u really loved recently ? Do come up with a writeup on it (u write v well!) -am sure Satyam will be happy to put up your take as a separate thread–will be gr8 to read a brainy docs take
Cheers 🙂
recently watched i’ve loved you so long and chaser. for some reason, the former left me cold despite kst’s excellent performance. chaser was in my netflix queue for over an year, it took me longer to watch it than bhatts to rape, er, remake it. it was disturbing as expected. i am rewatching the vengeance trilogy. may put down my thoughts some day after i collect them. though i don’t write well, contrary to your generous assertion. kahaani was good, atmosphere and performances wise, though the end didn’t make me gasp as i had already watched taking lives. and the loopholes were numerous. not bad overall.
” i don’t write well, contrary to your generous assertion”
My assertions are not ‘generous’ and usually not wrong 🙂
“it took me longer to watch it than bhatts to rape, er, remake it.”–haha
Ps: Did u check out ‘shame’ or ‘intouchables’ or the ‘dangerous method’!!
Your writeup may be on any film really of your choice –if I can wrote on ETT /cock tale ha
Anyhow need to go now …ciao
For Satyam and antya—
By public demand — a repeat of ‘banjara’
Enjoy the nice incorporation of Irish Celtic strains/ pipes into trinity college…u need to leave your ‘Intellectual baggage’ to enjoy this…
Though Salman doesn’t need any more testosterone (!), katrina does seem to have taken some stuff here..
Need to get back to some work …
Enjoy and good night !!
Ek Tha Tiger had a big Sunday as the circuits which did not show much growth on Saturday had a huge upturn on Sunday. The business on Sunday looks in the 21 crore nett region as per early estimates.
The five day extended weekend is in the 94 crore nett region which is 10-11% more than what Bodyguard put up last year around the same time.
The big difference being here is that Eid holiday is still to come while with Bodyguard Eid holiday was its first day. The figure on Monday will be huge as its a national holiday.
The film will collect as a worst case scenario as much as Bodyguard did over in its extended nine day week in six days. Infact its almost certain that the Ek Tha Tiger six day figure will be more than the nine day figure of Bodyguard and the first week may come out in the 135 crore nett region.
EK THA TIGER Extended Weekend Territorial Breakdown
Monday 20th August 2012 16.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger collected around 94 crore nett over its extended five day weekend. The approx figures for the five day weekend territorial breakdown is as follows.
Rockstar: instead of quoting from random sources can you , fora change, demonstrate that you can think for yourself and show what Soorja ka satvan ghoda has to do with Devdas. So far not one of your sources has thrown any light on that.
coming froim a guy who randomly give link and please concentrate on what you think rather than others…whatever i have said is crystal clear but i am get to understand how dirty picture is better than raging bull or for that how deepika performance was better than chandni chowk and how dch was worthless compared to cocktail
sorry told someone other day i won’t tolerate nuisance on personal front
and for a change since you are the only original thinker or voice of sanity let me tell you :
(was avoiding due to spoilers)
the first story itself follows the devdas patterm where paro played by jamuna never repents for his original dev and marries just like in older devdas with an older person but never suffers from it except at his death which is caused by her only unlike original one to ( she even calls him his brother to cover up her past ) here again benegal subverts and goes where like older devdas she is married to an older lad but unlike the original one of being character and obeying his husband will she even goes for infidelity for a child and at times even flirts with original dev for her character
similarly all other stories have their resonance with different refrences of original devdas..do watch it first
Rockstar: ” but i am get to understand how dirty picture is better than raging bull or for that how deepika performance was better than chandni chowk and how dch was worthless compared to cocktail”
Even I am cluless how The Dirty picture was better than raging Bull or how depika’s performance is better than Chandni Chowk or how DCH is worthless compared to Cockyail.’ would you care to enlighten me how?
Rockstar: I dont give a random link to prove anything. Links are for what they say. If I want to make a point, I make that point with my own observation and reasoning.
chandi chowk was told in a satirical since i won’t wanted to tell how a certain deepika is better than meena kumari
reast all are there itself in blogs archives about who said what …you have your opinion ok but whats your problem with counter view and this new trend of personal stuff in between things is hillarious
yup i never objects to it but argue with my stuff rather than personal stuff and please don’t talk about links where in arguments you time and again come up with it
hyperbole is good but atleast one should be able to back that
Utkal uncle : thanx for the lovely links -cheers
Btw have u checked out ETT-think u probably won’t but if u have –a note will be good..
Ps: like reading notes of folks like utkal uncle ..
Not due to gow or kashyap or cocktail..
But he is one of the rare ones here who will actually judge stuff from merit usually-(know there can be ‘hyperboles’ but that is a lesser problem than prestated positions–
Where ones response can be predicted even before a viewing -(infact before a release !) depending on the personelle involved in it..
Also inspite of provocations, he never loses civility
Keep it up utkal uncle 🙂
Satyam : u are the birthday buoy and also another genuine gentleman..
But to be frank-even some of your theores of comparing abhishrek to all n sundry and Rohan sippy as some sort of an auteur is a bit of a ‘hyperbole’ …
Most here don’t pester u due to the affection and respect for u (rightly)
Some don’t want their posts to be deleted haha
I don’t have either of these compulsions 🙂
Satyam : there’s a difference
I enjoyed cocktail due to a plethora of reasons (not all of which can be shared and many have been more than adequately explained!)
But I don’t market it as the next avatar of auteur ism or some such thing. Infact am the first to talk about it’s issues as well..
It’s not the same as comparing Rohan sippy to kashyap and abhishrek bachchan to aamir khan 🙂
“Ek Tha Tiger six day figure will be more than the nine day figure of Bodyguard and the first week may come out in the 135 crore nett region.”
Well done
This film has had issues but think its time to acknowledge that it has nailed the box office !!
Even if it crashes from monday (which also is unlikely!), the job has been done / the damage has been done for some ..
All sorts of permutations, spins, dissections and theories of trending go for a toss !!
Well done the team of tiger .. ( irrespective of like/dislike!)
Satyam:
I’m not a fan of ETT
And definitely not of salman
But can u deny the numbers!
Forget about Monday crash or not!!
What’s the tally before Monday ?
In certain situations, one should gracefully accept the facts-Bollywood or Hollywood- facts are facts..
To add–not very film will/can best 3 idiots..
To make it simpler –
A ‘bikini’ will remain a ‘bikini’-designer or otherwise !!
Whichever angle u see it or present it
It WILL reveal certain ‘facts’
So no point trying to ‘present’ or hide …
🙂
The points of first day, second, third day and so on about trending is certainly important
But not in extremes
Neither in burgeoning alltime highest figures as in ETT
or in alltime lower ones like tez, drona etc
In these situations, microdisscetion doesn’t change anything.
Ps: the one in a ‘burqa’ and the one with(out) even a bikini…
So all these attempts at dissection are like trying to ‘resuscitate’ a person who died a day ago !!!
New Delhi: While the nation is thronging to movie theaters in overwhelming numbers to see Bollywood super star Salman Khan kick butt in style in ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, it is important to know the lesser known facts about the real ‘Tiger’ of India who lived every day of his life to save the lives of his countrymen.
Meet Ravinder Kaushik, a trained theater artist and more than that a thorough patriot whose desire to save the nation took him to Pakistan as a spy at the time when Pakistan was plotting hard to start a war with India.
Ravinder was sent to Pakistan by RAW as Nabi Ahmed where he did a course in law and then after, joined the Pakistan Army. Later, he was promoted to the rank of a ‘Major’, fell hopelessly in love with a Muslim girl and married her.
Between 1979 and 1983, he sent secret information from Pakistan to RAW which helped a great deal to the Indian defense forces. The data that he sent came handy to the Indian soldiers in killing at least 50 Pakistani troopers in Pahalgaon. For that matter, he was conferred with the title of ‘Black Tiger’ by the Indian government in tenure at that time.
Unfortunately, Ravinder was caught by Pakistan and he was awarded death sentence which was later reduced to life time imprisonment. During his entire lifetime, he was brutally tortured in the various prisons he was kept. His letters to his homeland revealed the dreadful living conditions and barbaric acts of the officials in the Pakistani jails which made him contract pulmonary TB and Asthma. In one of his letters to his family, he wrote ““Kya Bharat jaise bade desh ke liye kurbani dene waalon ko yahi milta hai? (Is this the reward a person gets for sacrificing his life for India?)” but the government failed to rescue him and even provide proper funds to Ravinder`s family to lead their lives.
On 21 November, 2001, India’s Black Tiger breathed his last and was buried behind the jail at Mianwali in Pakistan.
Ravinder Kaushik is a man who did not repent even once on his decision to give a good 30 years of his life to his country. Most heartfelt thanks to the Black Tiger for saving thousands of lives.
ETT 5 days’ total: crossd Rs. 100 crore mark. Fastest grosser in Bollywood history!!!!
very impressive what ETT has done. Sallu bhai is clearly head and shoulders above everyone else right now. the fact that he is breaking his own records that were set from his previous film tells me that there is no one close to him right now.
i did watch ETT and found it very “blah”. ETT made dhoom 2 seem like a classic. katrina and sallu have zero chemistry on screen. and salmans “acting” continues to be cringe worthy! Dabangg remains his best acting (for him) job this decade.
i dunno if you’re talking about decade 2000 – 2010 or 2010 – 2012 … if 2000 – 2010, I’d say his best was Tere Naam. 2010 – 2012, yeah, of course, it’s Dabangg! 🙂
yeah this decade=2010 till present. from 2000-2009 sallu’s best were IMO:
1. Jaan-e-Mann
2. Wanted
3. Tere Naam
obviously salman khan is a non-actor. i don’t think anybody can argue about that. but he has a good screen presence and his strengths are comedy and delivering funny/intense one-liners in movies. in the films mentioned above…he actually did half way decent in the acting department.
Wanted was a very “flat” performance by Salman. Tere Naam is one where he had some emotion and I think that’s where he peaked as an actor. In Jaan-e-Mann, he was, again, monotonous. Some other performances of Salman which are worth watching are Maine Pyaar Kiya, Veergati, and of course, Andaz Apna Apna (not his best performance, but, absolutely loved him and Aamir in this classic!)
i agree with AAA, both sallu and Aamir were fantastic. the chemistry between the two lead actors was the best i’ve seen in years (not to mention performances from paresh rawal and shakti kapoor). it truly is a classic IMO. the jokes never get old even today!
Yep…one of Santoshi’s best works! Shakti Kapoor…Gogo!!
I’ll always remember that dialogue near the end when Amar and Prem are following Gogo on “gunpoint” and Amar says, “Gogo ji aap ka ghaagra!” that always makes me ROFLMFAO!
“obviously salman khan is a non-actor. i don’t think anybody can argue about that”
This is an extreme statement – sallu emotes very well as far romance, anger, comedy…..these are emotions he expresses and obviously he connects with the hearts of the audiences with his persona of which these are integral parts…..there are millions of macho men – they were non actors and couldn’t connect with the hearts of the paying audience despite their macho-physic. So I don’t buy this non-actor theory unless you say that what naseeruddin, om puri and the likes do – that is only called acting. Although comparison is a little out-of-place here but I never buy this theory that Kamal is an actor (or a better actor) than rajni….rajni is a fantasic actor too, but in addition to that – he has his styles, mannerism……and all these are also not intrinsic parts of acting only??? but then, it is a general tendency to term a B.O. superstar as a “non actor” and those who have done “meaningful cinemas” are only called actors!!!!
Again, Tere Naam, Maine Pyar Kiya and AAA are prime examples of when Salman was at his finest, but, now, it’s just getting tiring seeing him doing the same kind of stuff. Just a bit of variety from him would be nice. He’s very good at kicking ass, but, his dialogue delivery and overall performance are, for me, one of the worst in bollywood…but, he does have a striking presence on-screen!
Ek Tha Tiger broke all box office records for collections on Monday due to the national holiday for Eid. The film collected around 16 crore nett which is a record collection for Monday by a distance. Films like Dabangg and Three Idiots had the biggest collections on a Monday before of around 10.75 crore nett.
The six day total for Ek Tha Tiger is 110 crore nett approx. The collections on Monday were huge at single screens especially in areas dominated by Muslim audiences while multiplexes had larger falls.
Tuesday should also come out with a strong number as single screens remain strong and it may become the highest grossing film of 2012 in just its nine day extended first week.
Ek Tha Tiger collected around 18.75 crore nett over on Eid holiday Monday. The total so far is around 113 crore nett in six days. The numbers were huge at single screens across the country. The territorial breakdown for Monday is as follows.
there’s a 7 crore differential between BOI and Taran. On day 1 they both had the same number. Surprisingly they’ve fallen behind since. I’ve never seen such a big differential between BOI and Taran for a Salman film (or for that matter in most other cases).
Saw parts of Yudh after ages- This is a film i like a lot (had good visuals) inspite and not bcos of Anil Kapoor’s “Jhakaas”-Always believed Rajiv Rai to be a competent director who had a good technical sense. More importantly IMO as far as techno music goes, Anandji-Kalyanji were unmatchable (though Viju Shah may have had a hand here)- check out the fab title track here-
I had revisited Dark City some time back. This film, along with Minority Report, are to my mind, two of the most important sci-films of past 2 decades or so. To say that this film is miles ahead of The Matrix with which it shares similarity (in plot, themes and sets) is an understatement. After having a lot of discussion with friends who are ardent fans of the film, I had put down some random thoughts about the discussion I had with them about the film. Like always they are pretty ‘unorganized’
Alex Proyas’ Dark City is a rather deceptive film. It could be set everywhere and nowhere. It’s a city built of pieces of cities. One corner is from one place, another from some place else. So, you don’t really know where you are. A piece will look like a street in London, but a portion of the architecture looks like New York, but the bottom of the architecture looks again like a European city. You’re there, but you don’t know where you are. It’s like every time you travel, you’ll be lost.
But hey, if this confounds you, then it has served it’s purpose since the film’s plot, on its surface, deals with ‘fabricated memories’- it’s a dream or rather a ‘nightmarish’ world wherein a group of alien-like archons or angelic rulers/daemons known as the “Strangers” control manufactured city by “tuning” it every night, meaning the city is re-created and it’s rat-like inhabitants are implanted with new memories. They are able to conform physical reality by will alone (“tuning”), and one of their subjects, John Murdoch, eventually attains this ability. Immediately, we realize the basic theory of “magick” at work, which is the act of conforming reality to your will. However, the Strangers do it by telekenesis, and eventually so does John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell).
A cop is put on his case, Detective Bumstead (William Hurt), who picks up where a former cop had been working who went mad. His madness turned out to be a form of intense paranoia linked to a realization that all their reality was an illusion, and that they were the experiment of Gnostic daemons. John decides he must find out about his origins, since he cannot recall his past, either. For him, this is a quest to find Shell Beach, where he grew up. The entire city is a circular spiral, it turns out, and Murdoch discovers Shell Beach did not exist, and that Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) had been aiding the Strangers in implanting fake memories in people. The Strangers are conducting an experiment where they are seeking to find the soul, that thing that makes humans individuals, whereas the Strangers only possess a collective consciousness: something reminiscent of the demonic realm, if you have read enough exorcism accounts. The Strangers are, again, “aliens” that inhabit the bodies of dead humans, and hate light and water.
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But there is much more than what meets the eye. Proyas has done almost an improbable job of setting, what is essentially a science-fiction film, in a noir world- improbable because film noir represents a world-view which is completely opposed to any sci-fi or technology. So it is kind of an expressionist film depicting ‘urban repression and mechanism’. That one of the film’s writers is David S. Goyer who also contributed to Nolan’s Batman Begins and the Blade trilogy is pretty much evident in the feel and atmosphere of the film. ‘Dark City’, we discover, has perpetually been in a state of darkness – it is always night, and no one can recall when it was daytime. So we have the gnostic theme of demiurge(s) that have trapped a world in base darkness, where they lack their true god-powers. We see in the beginning a movie theater where films are playing named ‘The Evil” and “Nightmare,” cluing us into the fact that we are watching a movie that is essentially a nightmare. We see a hotel in which John Murdoch, the protagonist awakes nude in a bathtub, apparently being framed for a murder. However, this night is different, as it is Murdoch’s “awakening,” and from this point on, as he is chased by certain “Strangers,” Murdoch is able to “tune,” but this power is not yet under his control.
The city has a World War II like dreariness and has details from different eras and architectures that are changed by the Strangers; “buildings collapse as others emerge and battle with one another at the end”. The round window in the film is concave like a fishbowl and is a frequently seen element throughout the city. The inhabitants do not live at the top of the city; the main characters’ homes are dwarfed by the bricolgae of buildings. Notice an opening shot that approaches the hotel window behind which we meet Murdoch. The window is a circular dome in a rectangular frame. As clearly as possible, it looks like the “face” of Hal 9000 in “2001.” Hal was a computer that understood everything, except what it was to be human and have emotions. Dark City considers the same theme in a film that creates a completely artificial world in which humans teach themselves to be themselves. Proyas creates interior spaces that are long and narrow. Exteriors look down one street to the vanishing point, and then the camera pans to look down another street, equally long. The lighting is low-key and moody. The color scheme depends on blacks, browns, shadows and the pallor of the Strangers; warmer colors exist in human faces, in neon signs and on the billboard for Shell Beach. The Strangers occupy the bodies of human cadavers. Most of them are tall; one is in a child’s body but is no child. The alien beings themselves, living inside the corpses, look like spiders made of frightened noodles. They can levitate, they can change the matter of the city at will, they have a hive insect organization, they gather in a subterranean cavern to collectively retune the city.
The world created by the Strangers seems borrowed from 1940s film noir; we see fedoras, cigarettes, neon signs, automats, older cars (and some newer ones — the world is not consistent). The world created by the Strangers seems borrowed from 1940s film noir; we see fedoras, cigarettes, neon signs, automats, older cars (and some newer ones — the world is not consistent).
It is hard to imagine a film that provides a more pure depiction of the conflict between collectivism and individualism. The Strangers, as they are occasionally called, are conceived as the epitome of collectivism: all part of a single mind. Those who aspire to mandated equality couldn’t ask for a more rigorous homogenization. And, in keeping with the political and philosophical “progressive” and socialist traditions associated with such statistic programs of collectivism and homogenization, the Strangers are the perfect embodiment of authoritarian central planning and social engineering. They simply mould the world to the ends that they’ve identified as most beneficial. In contrast to the Strangers stands the human individual, Murdoch. While other humans, to the limited degrees of their own possibilities stand up against the Strangers, it is Murdoch who embodies individuality as such. The Strangers, it turns out, are dying
And as I said earlier the film is deceptive’- notice that all of the human memories are newly fabricated when the hands of the clock reach 12. This is defined as “midnight,” but the term is deceptive, because there is no noon. “First came darkness, then came the Strangers,” we are told in the opening narration. In the beginning, there was no light. John Murdoch, the hero, asks Bumstead, the police detective: “When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?” Bumstead is surprised by the question. “You know something?” Murdoch asks him. “I don’t think the sun even exists in this place. I’ve been up for hours and hours, and the night never ends here.” The film’s title screen contains spirals, which also appear during the film in Walenski’s doodles and on the ritualistically murdered woman’s body. However on the dead body they are revealed to actually have been drawn on, thus making them just as “real” as the doodles. The Strangers killed the woman, staged a ritualized murder scene and then tried to put Murdoch in the situation with only the memories of a killer in order to see if he’d actually go and kill with these fake memories. However, Murdoch awoke before the experiment could continue. The spiral is a symbol of one preset path into and from infinity for the people trapped in the Dark City – they don’t know of anything before and certainly had no hopes for forging their own way until Murdoch awoke and started the struggle against the Strangers.
Also note that the entire setting for the film is one big fakery as the final twist reveal, thus it is highly doubtful that any sort of authenticity was the Strangers’ goal. Also, all of the light sources in the film are the ones which emit artificial light, the source of the swastika symbol has not been made part of this fake reality. Characters only recall the concept of day when asked about it by Murdoch and this is only distant memories, but we know all of these to have been engineered. The Strangers also fear water and Schreber’s only place of solace and peace from his work is in a pool that just happens to have a sun icon above it. This was probably done by the Strangers to appease him as he is working to for them, but he is not a total sellout as he very willingly helps Murdoch as soon as he sees him awakened. The Strangers hating water and the sun effectively makes them an absolute opposite of what life on Earth is: based on Sun and Water – the real paradigm – fire and water, not engineered clockwork.
It is interesting that Murdoch really gets the answers to the “illusion” of his reality when he wanders into an old theme park attraction titled “Neptune’s Kingdom.” Neptune/Poseidon, of course, is the god of the waters, and the Strangers hate the water. Neptune is also the ‘planet of the mystic’ so Murdoch’s quest has been one that is ultimately solved by “mysticism.” Perhaps the meaning, since Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun, is that John mystically returns to the meaning of the symbolism of the gods to find freedom from the matter-connected controlling demiurges, the Strangers.
The theme of Proyas’ later film The Knowing is very similar to the themes found in Dark City – a world controlled by alien/demon-like entities, a mysterious code and set of symbols that must be deconstructed to decipher that reality as we know it is an illusion, and the apocalyptic end of that world
The poignancy of the film emerges in its love story. At a crucial point, John Murdoch tells Emma (Jennifer Connelly), “Everything you remember, and everything I’m supposed to remember, never really happened.” Emma doesn’t think that can be true. “I so vividly remember meeting you,” she says. “I remember falling in love with you.” Yes, she remembers. But this is the first time they have met. “I love you, John,” she says. “You can’t fake something like that.” And Murdoch says, “No, you can’t.” You can inform someone who they love, and that is what the Strangers have done with their memory injection. But what she feels cannot be injected. That is the part the strangers do not understand. Emma has a small role but it is at the heart of the movie, because she truly knows love; John has still to discover it — to learn about it from her.
Dark City also has some cyber-punk roots. In a way it is Blade Runner mashed-up with Maltese Falcon. Although we don’t really have computers or cyborgs, we certainly have machinery controlling human life – we have invasive and negative impacting technology, an underground, and truly, the strangers have ubiquitous access to information. The whole focus is on transforming the memories to get at the root of what humanity is. These Strangers, or aliens, if you will, are engaging in virtually the same exercise we see from cyborgs in many a cyberpunk film – they want to understand humanity for the expressed purpose of being, or at least acting human. The reality in which they exist is like The Matrix, and is a giant machine that can be manipulated by telekinetic will.
And finally the film also addresses the theme of ‘free will’ (which was also touched-upon by the recent Damon movie The Adjustment Bureau). The film ends with an unanswerable question- Are men inherently good or evil, or is it a matter of how they think of themselves? We, the humans and not the Strangers need to know this.
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Tiger roars… and how! The economics of ‘E.T.T.’
By Taran Adarsh, August 22, 2012 – 07:34 IST
Everyone — print media, TV journos, radio jockeys, websites, the enormous FB and Twitter fraternity, the netizens across the globe, also just about everyone within the film industry [which includes some A-list actors as well] — is monitoring the day-wise biz of EK THA TIGER. That’s the kind of frenzy this film has generated.
Enough has been said, spoken and written about the merits/demerits of the film. So let’s not get there. Instead, it’s time to do the hisaab-kitaab of this much-talked-about biggie…
Cost of production + Print & Advertising — 90 cr
The revenue this film has generated/will generate…
Satellite Rights — 44 cr to 45 cr
Music Rights + Home Video + Ringtones — 6 cr
Overseas theatrical share [expected] — 20 cr to 25 cr
India theatrical share [expected] — 95 cr to 100 cr
Total revenue generated — 165 cr to 175 cr
Return on investment [after deducting the cost] — 75 cr to 85 cr
didn’t like the former at all.. the latter was interesting enough but too derivative in some ways.. did a piece on it for a site. will try and locate it.
I like Dark City but probably beyond its merits. Find the first Matrix a more memorable film (the two that followed though were turds) but the Matrix obviously borrowed much from this movie down to its palette.
I am glad that u liked it GF. Have u written anything on this or Minority Report. And i also believe that some of the themes in Dark City were inspired from Terry Gilliam’s Brazil
Haven’t written anything on either film really. I’ve very rarely done expansive pieces on Hollywood movies. There’s more than enough blowhards out in the blogosphere contributing their thoughts to this industry!
And have a huge weakness for Minority Report. This is the closest Spielberg has gotten to a “Raiders of the Lost Ark” kind of action film that feels part of a great tradition but also distinctive, so here I disagree with Satyam on the derivative bit – or rather that while it’s not exactly cutting edge it’s certainly got a very fresh, robust energy about it. Of course unlike Raiders it’s a bit darker. Just as “grand” though.
This comment of yours where u have linked MR with Raiders is a tantalizing one- need to revisit the film tomorrow. Btw the ending of the film is also a bit ‘deceptive’- i mean the entire stuff abt the ‘dream’
I would add though that Spielberg doesn’t quite end strongly with Minority Report. Things wrap up a bit too neatly for the sort of world he sets up and I found this to be a bit too Hollywood for my taste. Not that I wanted grand despair here but it just felt a bit more shoehorned than the rest of the film. Still this is minor quibble about what is otherwise a sensational entertainment.
that’s true Shubh but it’s been done for very many films. So I wouldn’t hold this against ETT. One would have to ‘correct’ for all previous films first.
It’s good to see ETT breaking all records making life more difficult for those waiting to trend –the sharp dip apparently hasn’t happened yet —
Obviously will bit by that time, the jobs been more than done –as pointed out earlier
Ok
So Rarely read other reviews/sites on bollywood-
But for funs sake –checked out filmigirls take on ETT
Like myself : he doesn’t seem to care about how seeing a film /liking it will b perceived and so on —
A simple honest take
Also added — detail on ‘pencilled’ eye lashes and how katrinas Botox keeps fluctuating and so on (as expected she is more severe in katrina than salman 🙂
So courtesy filmigirl–ek tha tiger !!
>
When you’ve been waiting for a movie as long as I’ve been waiting for Ek Tha Tiger there is the very real danger of being disappointed. Sky high expectations are not my preferred viewing partner at the movies but I put my trust in Kabir Khan and he rewarded me with an action packed spy flick! Ek Tha Tiger, the third of Kabir’s Pakistan Trilogy, is much more subdued masala than Salman has delivered recently – no item song, no comedy subplot, no villain.
And a word of warning to viewers – please try to see this without spoilers. It’s worth it. I’ll be as vague as possible in my review but I can’t really talk about the film without revealing something that is better discovered for yourself.
That thing is not the presence of Ranvir Shorey, who I am happy to tell you – spoiler free – is a welcome face!
Ek Tha Tiger begins as the story of “Tiger” (Salman Khan) – R.A.W. agent and all-around badass. He shoots to kill and cares about nothing and nobody outside of his job. All of that changes when he gets assigned to Dublin to tail one Dr. Kidwai (the always delightful Roshan Seth, who we last saw being too classy for that piece of shit Trishna) to make sure he’s not selling military secrets to the Pakistanis. His pal Gopi (a bearded Ranvir Shorey) comes along to help. Tiger tries to keep his mind on the mission but he finds himself falling hard for Dr. Kidwai’s student helper Zoya (Katrina Kaif) and misses a critical piece of information. We end the first half on a cliffhanger – is Zoya dead? Is Tiger responsible?
(This is your last chance to have an important plot element remain unspoiled.)
Post-interval Tiger is reunited with Zoya – who has been reunited with her co-workers in Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. And we enter delicious Dhoom 2 territory as the couple deceive each other and their intelligence agencies as plot twist follows plot twist. Who is working for whom? Will Tiger betray his country? Will Zoya? Can this love across enemy lines succeed?
Let me get the one negative point out of the way first and then I’ll talk about all the good stuff.
Katrina, darling, I adore you but please stop with the fillers and botox. The “Bollywood Barbie” tag isn’t supposed to be literal!
She actually wasn’t too bad through most of the film but there were a handful of places where you could tell that she could barely move her face. It was really distracting. I kept trying to figure out if she had the botox done at the beginning of film and it gradually wore off or if she shot for a few weeks and then decided to botox it up before the song picturizations. I think it was the latter but I could be wrong.
Anyways, yes, Katrina is looking plastic.*
With that out of the way, let’s talk Tiger!
I loved this film.
The first half is more masala with comedy, action, romance, and drama but the second half is all romantic spy-thriller. It’s an interesting style choice but it works. We’re prepped by the masala romance in the first half to accept that Tiger and Zoya would risk their lives for each other in the second half. And all of this is set against some wonderfully rich Kabir Khan cinematography. He has a real eye for scene composition and we get visual treats like Zoya and Tiger’s first post-interval meeting. As a Pakistani delegation and Indian delegation walk towards each other, there are just hints of a red scarf floating in and out of frame on the Pakistani side. Keep in mind that we (and Tiger) think Zoya is dead but that red scarf… The delegations stop and face each other and as one of the Pakistanis moves aside we see Zoya… in a red scarf. It was really well done.
Kabir Khan also has a great eye for faces, which I really appreciate. Not only do we get a solid supporting cast with Roshan Seth and Ranvir Shorey but the junior artistes are a wonderful bunch – Zoya gets a multi-racial cast of friends; Tiger ogles a ginger-headed lady; there is a bank teller with some amazing penciled eyebrows. Clearly the junior artistes were picked with purpose and it’s that level of detail that makes a Kabir Khan film special.
He isn’t just on top of the visuals but also manages to pull wonderful performances out of Katrina and Salman, who have never had chemistry before in anything. Ever. Salman gives the best performance I’ve seen from him since Jaan-e-Mann. He sinks his teeth into Tiger and melts right into Kabir’s more naturalistic style of filmmaking. Salman knows when to take Tiger into filmi territory and he knows when to pull back. It’s really a wonderful performance. Katrina – aside from the occasional facial freeze – is very charming. She nails both the emotion and the action.
Yes, I said action.
Because I saved the best for last – Zoya isn’t just a pretty plot device, she’s a spy and that means she can come up with plots and dishoom some bad guys if necessary. When Tiger and Zoya join forces, they really become equal partners in crime. Zoya not only plans things but she gets to run, jump, hit people, do badass stunts, and wear sensible shoes. Nobody puts Katrina in a corner. There is one part where she slides on her knees under this guy trying to shoot her and it’s awesome.
I cannot wait to see what she’ll get to do in Dhoom 3.
Ek Tha Tiger is exactly as advertised – Kabir Khan style masala. It’s a fun film, with some satisfying emotional undercurrents and beautiful visuals. It doesn’t give the full-contact masala high of something like Endhiran. Ek Tha Tiger is more like a nice glass of red wine – subtle, rich, and just what the doctor ordered after a long week of work.
*Who can we get to stage an intervention? Aamir and Saif have gotten their own surgeries. And we’ve already seen Ajay’s influence on Kangana, so it’s no use calling him. Akshay? He seems to like the natural look.
It’s trending quite well at this point and should do 16-170. However the only record it’s broken is on opening day. The fastest 100 doesn’t mean much because once you have that kind of opening unless the movie’s a total washout it will get to that number ‘fastest’.
But it’s rather unfortunate that you too have taken this scoffing tone when it comes to trending. Perhaps you know a better way of doing this than the professionals at Hollywood. Or perhaps they just haven’t seen big openers in their history.
As far as I’m concerned the big ‘record’ besides the 200 crore gross (which no film despite having bigger initials over the first week has reached, even approached, before ETT every other film was at least 55 crores or so behind! this with the advantage of inflation and what not) is 3I’s extraordinary trending. For that matter Ghajini’s trending itself hasn’t been repeated.
The reason this is important is because you don’t get to the biggest numbers without minimal trending even if you shatter records on day 1. So this isn’t something abstract! It’s unfortunate that these things even have to be explained to desis including those who live or have grown up outside India and ought to be just a bit more enlightened on these issues.
To have this whole Adarsh-like approach where one pre-decides certain films are huge and record-breakers and irrespective of the evidence one continues to push that story (including for Ra One!) is unfortunate but hardly surprising.
Tomorrow if D2 does 140 crores in a week and gets to 210 this will not be as impressive an achievement as 3I by any stretch even though the trade will crow about it. This absurdity whereby a film is first expected to shatter records and then given credit for just maintaining numbers proportionate to its scale, even when these numbers are otherwise disappointing, has a great deal of participants evidently!
Here’s the deal. When you have a star and/or a film that opens big or very big just ‘ok’ WOM (which is to say that most people find it ok, not good or great) will sustain it and take it towards a big total. When the WOM or good or better that’s when you get real trending. Ra One happens when the film is completely rejected though even here it is within the sci-fi genre that you can have a total miss (in most other genres there’s more latitude). But that’s not very often in ‘by the numbers’ filmmaking.
Salman, rather smarter than some of his fans or those who watch his movies, said it best when Ready was releasing when he suggested that the film had become hot only because he had had something like Dabanng, otherwise it would have been a different story a few years ago! He was quite right, there’s nothing to films like Ready and BG, you need a truly hot star to get these to work at any level. All of this we know. This pretense of surprise that a film made on this scale starring him is getting huge numbers is crazy!
if trending continues to be like this…then i see it sailing past 200cr. tuesday was the expected big drop off right? that did not happen. any word on wed figures?
so week 1 total is somewhere between 126-136cr…the new bar has been set once again by sallu bhai.
^ just to repeat–the above is filmigirls take on ETT !
Typo-like me, ‘she’ doesn’t care how seeing/liking a movie will be perceived …
Good to get an honest simple fun take …
I may sound arrogant here Satyam but do u remember the last time there was a fruitful discussion on the blog? when i joined this forum some months back, there used to be meaningful debates even amidst all the fun. But since past 2 weeks or so, the sensible stuff has almost vanished and has been replaced by fights and jokes over ridiculous stuff like ‘Kashyap is greater than Ray’ and so on- bcos of this people will lose interest in the blog IMO- Ami too complained abt it the other day- U should think abt it
true there’s been some of this stuff and I have probably unhelpfully contributed to this myself. Having said that these things always happen. I can’t really say it’s anything completely new in this sense. I do certainly see where you’re coming from and it’s certainly something to be alert to. Do think there have been important film discussions in this period as well. Perhaps some of this other stuff has sucked out some of the oxygen but it’s been there.
Satyam, one of the most effective ways of countering these problems in an open forum is to remember this dictum of internet discussion: Don’t feed the trolls. No matter what the temptations, sometimes one needs to learn to ignore, not to react. Anyone who has spent a fair bit of time in online discussions can detect these type of comments with a little bit of attention- taken at random or individually these comments may as well sound very reasonable, but in context and seen as a pattern they display a remarkable similarity with trolling, albeit of the sophisticated kind.
you’re quite right Matrix. Often I know where people are coming from but my larger ‘interest’ in responding is about, in a sense, opening the conversation for other readers. But you’re right that irrespective of the aim certain discussions are just not the most fruitful ones.
BTW this may be useful to people here who want to watch ‘classic non- Hindi Indian films but don’t know the language'(though some may be already aware abt this)- A friend of mine told me yesterday that a tv channel “Lok Sabha TV” screens these great Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali and other Indian language films with subtitles alongwith off-beat Hindi films (the so-called ‘art films’) every Saturday night- whoever interested can check the schedule- btw they also show the famous DD show “Discovery of India”
clint eastwood is the most intelligent actor i hv come across.
though the poor fella has been much derided for his limited acting skills….i beg to differ.
his acting is unobtrusive acting….he blends with the narrative and acquires an almost storybook…. static and timeless appeal. where the other actors r indulging in ACTING…(natural or over the top)…emoting…. and in a lot of other ways perhaps unconsciously so, trying to leave their conspicuous stamp on the story ……clint in his characteristically unassuming manner simply becomes the story.
Ek Tha Tiger Eid Factor – Two Sides Of The Coin: The UNBELIEVABLE
Wednesday 22nd August 2012 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger on Tuesday is behaving very differently at centres across India. Where there is a heavy muslim population the film is holding up with unbelievable figures and in other places it is down heavily.
This can be illustrated with figures from two centres, Lucknow and Gurgaon, both are in North India, the latter being a multiplex heavy centre just outside Delhi and the former being Muslim dominated centre of UP. Both centres are amongst the the top ten grossing centres of India for Hindi films.
Below are the UNBELIEVABLE Tuesday figures from LUCKNOW with Monday figures in brackets.
Novelty Lalbagh – 1,89,187 (1,87,217)
Novelty Aliganj – 1,17,152 (1,17,152)
Pratibha – 1,48,766 (1,64,119)
Umrao – 1,20,904 (1,20,913)
Wave – 4,57,874 (4,09,432)
PVR – 2,76,833 (3,55,520)
PVR Phoenix – 4,96,010 (5,05,065)
Fun – 4,36,870 (3,68,376)
Inox – 3,25,956 (2,23,290)
TOTAL – 25,69,552 (24,51,084)
The collections are 5% up on Tuesday in Lucknow from Monday
Ek Tha Tiger Eid Factor – Two Sides Of The Coin: The CRASH
Wednesday 22nd August 2012 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger on Tuesday is behaving very differently at centres across India. Where there is a heavy muslim population the film is holding up with unbelievable figures and in other places it is down heavily.
This can be illustrated with figures from two centres, Lucknow and Gurgaon, both are in North India, the latter being a multiplex heavy centre just outside Delhi and the former being Muslim dominated centre of UP. Both centres are amongst the the top ten grossing centres of India for Hindi films.
Below are the Tuesday figures from Gurgaon which show a huge CRASH with Monday figures in brackets.
PVR Ambience – 2,03,030 (5,93,937)
PVR MGF – 2,10,722 (6,22,648)
PVR Sahara – 1,54,532 (3,30,409)
DT City – 1,23,206 (3,49,062)
DT Mega – 1,08,168 (2,70,643)
DT Star – 90,227 (3,00,295)
Big – 1,14,195 (3,50,990)
SRS Omaxe – 1,17,519 (3,07,833)
SRS Wedding – 84,553 (2,28,201)
TOTAL – 12,06,155 (33,54,023)
The collections are down 64% in Gurgaon on Tuesday from Monday.
If this film repeated Ghajini’s trending it would do 270 crores. If it repeated 3I’s trending it would do 340 crores. If it just repeated Dabanng’s trending it would do 235 crores. If it repeated only Ready’s trending it would do 225 crores.
People should keep these numbers in mind before they lose their heads over day 1 numbers. Otherwise you could have a film open at 160 crores with enough inflation, it would comfortably pass 200 crores even if it were the worst washout around and everyone could celebrate! Much as in Hollywood if the Dark Knight opens with stunning numbers it’s expected to maintain that pace.
Don’t know where ETT will end up but let’s see what total it gets to based on the above model!
yes as i said above…agreed on that trending analysis. TDKR opened to a solid number…but if compared to TDK the trending has been disappointing. it will end up around 420ishM after opening at 160M. TDK opening at 158M and ended up with 533M showed the film was greatly appreciated.
ETT has been holding up really well so far…with no major films upcoming (besides a dull ‘Joker’) ETT has a free run for the next couple of weeks.
yes as I said a few days ago the current Dark Knight will fall about 100m behind the previous one and about 200m behind Avengers. But the reviews were somewhat mixed as was the WOM. So it’s not surprising. It was liked but not as much as the last one which was adored universally. Read somewhere that Avengers needed to make 400m in the US just to be profitable! In India the most expensive productions become ‘superhits’ on day 1!
lol yeah no arguments on the superlatives that are spewed out for a movie that opens big.
will finally be watching TDKR tomorrow night. have stayed away from the reviews and just followed the box office numbers. i think TDK obviously had the Joker/heath ledger effect that kept it going and was loved immensely.
before TDKR released..i mentioned that there wasn’t that genuine buzz around the latest one compared with the previous version. even before the Colorado shootings, i didn’t think it was going to do as much as TDK or break the Avengers opening weekend record.
Early this weekend, The Dark Knight Rises flew past The Dark Knight’s overseas total. The conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy added $21.4 million from 61 markets, which brought its total to $488.6 million. That’s ahead of The Dark Knight’s $469.7 million, and Rises will drastically widen that gap with openings in China and Italy at the end of the month.
The movie’s top-grossing territories so far are the U.K. ($77.8 million), South Korea ($40.8 million), Australia ($40.5 million), Germany ($29 million) and Mexico ($28.6 million). Worldwide, the movie’s total has reached $898.4 million, and it should be on track for $1 billion eventually.
The Expendables 2 actually appears to have earned more than The Dark Knight Rises this weekend, though official figures are not available (the foreign distribution is being handled by many different companies, so getting a specific figure is tricky). The action sequel grossed at least $22.4 million from 18 markets, including three big ones. It improved 45 percent from the first movie in Russia ($8 million) and 58 percent in Italy ($1.9 million). It was less impressive in the U.K., where it grossed just over $3 million including previews.
Total Recall earned $18.9 million from 53 territories, bringing its total to $58 million. It opened strong in South Korea ($5.2 million) and was also good in France ($3.5 million) and Brazil ($2 million). The sci-fi remake should ultimately earn over $100 million overseas, though it needs a bit more than that to really make up for its terrible domestic performance.
The Bourne Legacy grossed $18.1 million from 18 territories this weekend for a very early total of $28 million. It earned $7.2 million (including previews) in the U.K., and debuted in first place in Australia with $4.7 million. It was a little weaker in Spain, where it took third place with $2.5 million.
Box office phenomenon The Avengers debuted in Japan, its final market, this weekend. Disney reported that the movie earned $6.7 million, but including previews it has already grossed over $17 million there. Its outstanding overseas total reached $863.9 million, which ranks fourth all-time.
Brave continued its slow-and-steady foreign run with another $14.4 million from 46 territories. To date, the Disney/Pixar movie has earned $179.2 million overseas for a worldwide total north of $408 million.
Ted continued its very impressive foreign run with $11.6 million this weekend. It added $3.2 million in the U.K., and held first place for the third-straight week in Germany with $2.4 million. So far, the Seth MacFarlane comedy has earned $138.2 million overseas.
Ice Age: Continental Drift grossed $11.1 million this weekend to bring its incredible total to $646.3 million. It probably won’t match its predecessor’s $690.1 million foreign total, but that’s an unreasonable standard anyway. On Monday, the movie passed $800 million worldwide.
TDKR on course to cross $ 1 billion worldwide & TDK’s worldwide collections…would make it the biggest worldwide non – 3D grosser after Titanic…terrific going !!!
Ek Tha Tiger collected record numbers on Wednesday beating the numbers of Three Idiots. It had set records on many of the previous days also but that was all in the holiday period. Wednesday was the first day after the holiday period and bit like the Monday for normal Friday releases.
The Wednesday number should come in around 9 crore nett which is phenomenal. The film is being driven by business in mass pockets, UP is simply earth shattering and helped the Delhi/UP circuit to over 2 crore nett collections even though collections in Delhi city have come down from there high levels.
The central belts are also very strong though there were larger drops in parts of the Mumbai and South Indian circuits. Overall the film is looking set for a good run over the next few weeks.
Aamirsfan : plz let me know your thoughts after achieving out TDKR ..
B rangans review of ETT is expectedly highly entertaining and nicely written .
Each line does prove the same point-‘how brilliant b rangan is as a person and how austeristic his natural urges are’
Theres a reason why I rate the ‘homegrown’ satyam and even some otjer folks here higher than b rangan (content and relevance wise)
When get time, will probably expand on this –unfortunately 🙂
I did not want to blog-whore on this thread but am surprised you think people have been soft on Nolan. TDKR has received mixed reviews – especially from the critics; I don’t think people have been overly generous to it. I am not sure why you are expecting an extremely -ve reaction to it. If you go to the comic books’ fan-sites, you will see some of them have ripped apart the movie…
but that is the effect the film had on me as a layman non-comic-book movie lover: the one who wants to watch grand action movies ONLY on imax or whatever the best of technology has to offer…
Perhaps if i watch TDKR on my laptop, I am sure the effect will be halved – I am not sure where you watched it…because it definitely counts for this movie…
Alex has this strange impression that the movie has been reviewed too kindly because of Nolan when this isn’t the case. In fact very many major voices have criticized the film for getting too ‘serious’ and so on. But this is nonetheless a very significant achievement. One can’t simply reject the film out of hand.
Another reminder of bankruptcy of these sources.As if one were needed.
Regardless, this cannot take away from a stupendous performance by ETT thus far. Have to say it has exceeded my predictions so far, and by quite a bit.
the thing is that one a producer total, one is another source. But the problems are the same. Often it’s not about higher and lower (unless someone is doing so with an agenda) but the fact that neither side really knows. The differential comes about because in some cases the same number of centers are not taken for a territory or sub-territory. The info is not completely available in time. BUt also from some of the centers you might get gross figures rather than nett. These are then mixed up with the rest. All kinds of stuff happens. Not just with ETT but every film. Which is then the reason why it is so easy to distort things if you have an agenda. But yeah this differential is unusual.
It’s good to see folks finally coming round to accept reality lol
About ETT and in general 🙂
@ann-
I have no problems with anyone going orgasmic about kareena kapoor forget about TDKR ..
As long as one is ‘honest’ and there is no agenda to it..
For eg I enjoyed reading a few lines of your raving review in TDKR more —
Though you last line was telling
“– It is almost blasphemous to think of rating Christopher Nolan”
Haha
Anyhow : coming back to b ranga
Am nobody to criticise a reviewer of his ‘stature’-think he’s got awards for it as well though lately one gets a feeling that he is no longer ‘reviewing’ these bollywood films
But using them as an opportunity to take out certain key messages on ‘intellectual superiority’
To heck –who are his reviews meant for ? –auteurs or the general public !!
Are the box office figures of ETT now and numerous hit but crap films which he made fun of –not a resounding slap !!
I mean: what did he expect out of salmans ETT– is he a kid from kindergarten exPecting a classy cerebral thriller there!!
And has he ever invested two Pennies into any film –if and when he does he will realise whats the pressure to get it back !
Would rate rangans reviews
out of ten–
Quality of English writing 11
Wit and creative allegories 14
Context 6
Relevance to target audience 4
Content 5
Ie full of Intellectual self gratification
Reading his reviews seem like -“hey I didnt miss a single loophole!”
Wow well done mate..U deserve a phd for that !!
One rememwbers how he got orgasmically excited when some one mentioned ‘blowjob’ in delly belly
Have no issues with it -infact welcome it myself -but his calling it the biggest revolution since renaissance in Bollywood made one stop!!
When the box office of these films stay indirectly proportional to their ratings day after day– don’t they get the message !!
Stop writing reviews for yourselves or to prove you intellect -they are for the reading public (atleast meant to be)
I would take an honest review from Ann or filmigirl over these –though always find them highly entertaining and an epitome in creative and witty English writing
🙂
I knew you would pick that line up… that line was written when I definitely was on a high…and let me add a disclaimer there; it is almost blasphemous to ME only…
<>
I have not read BR’s review on ETT but isn’t it better that commerce/box-office success are separated from the film’s actual content/worth? We do have the likes of Taran colluding with the prod houses and film stars to write mutually satisfying reviews….
Housefull, to me is a turkey content-wise, but I cannot deny its monetary success….
“I knew you would pick that line up… that line was written when I definitely was on a high…and let me add a disclaimer there; it is almost blasphemous to ME only”
Hahah Ann -I was only pulling your leg
U don’t have to be apologetic about loving TDKR or Nolan –I’m nice to simple polite folks 🙂
@ Ann –
I didnt watch TDKR on ‘laptop’
But on IMAX
Anyhow – have never had issues with ‘genuine’ folks having genuine fun in any film–
To add–didn’t see u finding minutiae criticism in GOW or any other bollywood film either.
It’s the ‘imbalance’ that’s a problem somewhat –but even there, one can have bigger sins -like enjoying the ‘acting’ of nargis fakhri or Diana panty 🙂
Secondly, why do you think holding AK to lofty standards is a prejudice? Even if one were indulging in it, isn’t it a back-handed compliment to AK itself that he is now held accountable to ‘world’ standards but not ‘regional’ standards? (by regional, meaning the B word – Bollywood).
I think Satyam has exhaustively covered this in many of his comments. On the one hand, his fans are bestowing immortality on AK and on the other, when somebody starts questioning this, the terms are downgraded to ‘local’ immortality? (Some guy says to AK that the 3 great epics of India are RAMAYANA, MAHABHARATA, and GOW…I doubt whether he even saw parts of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan…let alone the different textual versions….)
I think the number of people on this blog at least who find him unimpressive is a very very tiny minuscule. I think it is only the ‘finality’ with which people are saying that AK has taken over Ghatak or Ray that Satyam and others are objecting to. And they are correct. I do not think Ray immediately took over the world’s greats with Pather Panchali. It just lay bare a ‘streak’ of genius in him. It was his accumulating body of work that took him to greater heights…
fact is consistency and even gow 2 faltered both commercially and critically compared to gow1 …he has to give much more and even gow having much vast release in terms of prints have a much lesser print per average ( such sort of terrain will always have limited scope of release and if you are going for commercial element there is bound to be little disappointment)…kashyap’s strength is films on tight budget which contradicts star model and don’t go along with their fee structure so one understand this pr hyperbole but his core strength will always be hostel going torrent crowd unless he has plans for bigger ambition
with body of work there is a certain vishal bhardawaj who has given things critically and commercially only there is kaminey but that is a bigger grosser than gow 1 and 2 combined with more commercial elements
and don’t ignore your regional standard on very extreme vionence there was a movie called subramaniapuram very recently and won national award and why in credit anurag thanked that because on such tight budget layer of story was much more immense
for record even satyajit ray and adoor where part of so called regional cinema and ya in terms of quality the word regional rightly describes bollywood
To add Ann –
Talking of your adulation of TDKR -I never have issues with simple honest in complicated views—even if u watch cheap porn on your laptop and enjoy it –thats fine
Same for folks like utkal uncle and so on..dont like the ‘easy target’ mentality.
It’s the complex spin and the ‘big fish’ that grab my attention 🙂
Ps: enjoy TDKR
SATYAMSHOT 
August 14, 2012 at 8:12 AM
EK THA TIGER: Release Phenomenal Advance Phenomenal
Tuesday 14th August 2012 11.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger will shatter all first day box office records as the advance is phenomenal and that too on a phenomenal release across India. The film will be the first film Hindi film to be screened in over 3000 screens. Ra.One and Don2 had 3000 plus screens but that was not just Hindi but with their South India dubbed versions as well.
The advance which opened over the weekend at places is phenomenal in every circuit. Obviously with such wide releases you don’t get 70-80% first day tickets sold in advance for day one as was the case 10-12 years back but the film will have the highest number of tickets sold in advance before the day of release.
Ek Tha Tiger should set important benchmarks across India tomorrow. The biggest being hitting double digit figures in Mumbai circuit. If it hits the 10 crore nett mark in Mumbai it will be the first time that a circuit total has hit double digit numbers. The first time all India figures hit double digits was just four years back when Ghajini hit 10 crore nett on its first Sunday.
It could also create records in Mysore and Tamil Nadu where the last few Salman Khan starrers have not broken records despite breaking records in other circuits.
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August 14, 2012 at 8:12 AM
Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 Goes Down On Monday
Tuesday 14th August 2012 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Gangs Of Wasseypur part 2 fell on Monday as it collected in the range of 1-1.25 crore nett taking its figure to around 16.50 crore nett.
The film fell across India even in its best circuit Delhi/UP. The extended first week of nine days plus paid previews will collect around 18.50-18.75 crore nett which is a poor total.
The first part of Gangs Of Wasseypur will finish with around 28 crore nett getting near this mark is an impossible task for Gangs Of Wasseypur part 2.
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August 14, 2012 at 8:13 AM
It’s impossible because of ETT otherwise it might have done something similar. They just mistimed this release badly. The film needed two weeks.
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August 14, 2012 at 11:09 PM
they where highly negetive on gow1 and i remember shanghai on lighter side looks like paise nahin mile
realistically a liked movie sequel always done better commercially only at atleast outgross first part and curiously exception in recent times are rakht charita series and gow series
btw gow2 was promoted much better than first part to and really it was a surprise to see people not turning up here at all and that when dev d and gow1 had some multiplex support
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August 14, 2012 at 11:14 PM
and ya a sequel in such less time was always suicidal ….atleast they should have had some time between the releases or released on much lesser print
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August 14, 2012 at 8:14 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
Those asking, yes, the trailer of Yash Chopra’s next film, which will release this Diwali, is attached to #EkThaTiger prints.
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August 14, 2012 at 8:14 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#KSKHH Weekend 3: Fri 63 lacs, Sat 58 lacs, Sun 66 lacs. 1st Week 35.40 cr, 2nd Week 8.03 cr, 3rd Weekend 1.87 cr. Total: 45.30 cr. Hit.
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August 14, 2012 at 8:18 AM
Yashraj are suddenly sitting on two monsters with ETT and D3! There’s the SRK film too but it’s not going to match at least the initial rush of these two films.
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August 14, 2012 at 1:32 PM
i thought D3 was a super-monster 🙂
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August 14, 2012 at 2:56 PM
I think you may be right. The initial rush for new SRK movie might not be as large as ETT and D3, but, I think as new content from the movie starts coming out, it should start building huge hype.
1) SRK returning back to his ‘forte’
2) Yash Chopra’s Directorial Return
3) A.R. Rahman’s Music
But, again, everything depends on the content of the movie. If that is good, the box office won’t matter. If the movie itself is bad, then, who cares about box office??? I remember movies like Swades and Andaz Apna Apna much more than a movie that just does well at box office, but, itself doesn’t provide anything new to the viewer (not gonna name names lol).
BUT, as for D3, not very excited. Seeing how the first two turned, easily gonna give this a miss. Am kinda waiting for Talaash though. should be a good one, hopefully. I sincerely hope that none of these movies are as low on entertainment as Ghajini was. Because that movie was putting me to sleep.
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August 14, 2012 at 3:03 PM
“Yashraj are suddenly sitting on two monsters with ETT and D3! There’s the SRK film too but it’s not going to match at least the initial rush of these two films.”
Hester agree
Didn’t notice it earlier
But it’s a rare situation wherein a production house is sitting on not one, not two but three potential biggies–not super hits but potential monsters…
Obviously the gross should be dhoom3>ETT>SRK/Kat film
Though one can’t underestimate the SRK/ Kat film as well since the whole aunty/family crowd will suddenly get their staple diet repackaged after a while laced with ‘traditional’ SRK-ism combined with Kats undeniable appeal–to add to it don’t believe yash chopra will come out of retirement with an average script (at least should not)
Also because of rahmans involvement, even the remaining ones like me are in…
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August 14, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Talaash advance booking opens a 100 days ago!
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/1547944/Advance-booking-opens-for-Aamir%27s-Talaash
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August 15, 2012 at 3:41 AM
fake rumour…it’s been denied!
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August 14, 2012 at 3:06 PM
Call for all box office afficianados
Any predictions for ek tha tiger
Opening day
Weekend
Gross…
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August 14, 2012 at 3:16 PM
opening day = more than 28 -31crs
lifetime – 165-175 or nearing 200 if WOM is good
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August 14, 2012 at 3:57 PM
I’ll go a little lower and say 26 cr – 30 cr
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August 14, 2012 at 4:29 PM
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August 15, 2012 at 1:45 AM
Offensive!
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August 15, 2012 at 3:38 AM
LOL why the hell is “Makers of F.A.L.T.U.” written there??? Is this trailer supposed to reel people in or repulse them out???
As per the trailer, I have a bad feeling about this. It seems like another so-called “leave your brains at home” kind of a film! 😦
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August 15, 2012 at 2:23 AM
ek tha tiger interval point:
nothing great…fun, action, comedy and a predictable twist in interval..Salman khan excels in comedy and the action scenes which are very good for a bollywood movie and the love story has of now is only developing….waiting for the second half to begin
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August 15, 2012 at 3:15 AM
The Front Row: Amitabh Bachchan on ‘The Great Gatsby,’ Leonardo DiCaprio
In a special Independence Day episode of “The Front Row With Anupama Chopra,” Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan spoke to Ms. Chopra about the making of “The Great Gatsby,” the humility of Hollywood stars and what makes for a good audience.
Here is an edited transcript from their conversation.
Anupama Chopra: About 20 years ago when I was a rookie reporter, I was doing these studio rounds and I walked into Filmistan and I asked a spotboy, ‘Aaj kaun aaya hai?’ (Who has come to shoot today?). And with complete seriousness he said ‘Bhagwan’ (God) and he meant you. In all these years of this very exhilarating and tumultuous career have there been moments when you felt like God?
Amitabh Bachchan: Of course not. Why should I have a reason to think like that?
Anupama: Well everybody thinks of you like that.
Amitabh: That’s everybody, that’s not me.
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/08/15/the-front-row-amitabh-bachchan-on-the-great-gatsby-leonard-dicaprio/
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August 15, 2012 at 10:05 AM
@Bliss Thanks a lot for you post.
Regards Rupam { xhobdo }
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August 15, 2012 at 3:31 AM
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tweet-review-ek-tha-tiger-first-day-first-show/282445-47-77.html
alright…so far i’m seeing some positive and some mixed reviews on ETT…seems Salman’s presence in the film is being relied-on way too much…which is too bad and the story, I hope from other in-depth reviews, will be decent enough to make me wanna go watch this. So far, no…
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August 15, 2012 at 3:37 AM
Saw GOW2 yesterday!! I can assuredly say that it is more crisp and more entertaining and one of the best sequel ever made! had an wonderful experience.. Faizal khan and Definite rock! And also special mention to the character played by name of ‘Guddu’ ,the right hand of faizal.. awesome situational comedy revolving around talking in multiple mobile at a time. 🙂
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August 15, 2012 at 5:00 AM
http://thew14.com/2012/08/14/thew14-com-movie-review-by-mayank-shekhar-ek-tha-tiger/
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August 15, 2012 at 5:11 AM
http://mihirfadnavis.blogspot.in/2012/08/movie-review-ek-tha-tiger.html
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August 15, 2012 at 5:41 AM
Oh boy…thank myself that I cancelled my plans to watch ETT … from all the reviews I’ve read, it’s looking pretty mixed…if the audience reviews are better, might check it out l8r, but, for now, I thank me!!
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August 15, 2012 at 6:07 AM
Why??
Just it’s sallu movie 🙂
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August 15, 2012 at 6:10 AM
no…read my comment below lol! 😛
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August 15, 2012 at 6:17 AM
Just curious 🙂
We should blame ourselves if we expect Great content in salman movie, that movie wont click @BO…
Salman deserves credit on bringing SS back in business.. No movie can gross now 140+ w/o SS in picture…
Salman Craze is Huge right now and he also knows it and its temporariness… Its Sal-mania 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Well, everything is temporary…but, it’s true that Salman should start doing some content-based films rather than just the buck-making movies…his star power is big enough to make them hits!
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August 15, 2012 at 5:57 AM
okay, public response seems VERY mixed…it was actually better for Bodyguard and RA.One … and that says something
fricking hell…the major trailers looked promising, but…DAMN!
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August 15, 2012 at 6:40 AM
I dont think I’d be willing to watch a Salman movie in theater after monstrosities like Ready n Bodyguard.
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August 15, 2012 at 7:26 AM
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/review_review-ek-tha-tiger-is-an-action-lovers-paradise_1728329
looks like salman has done it again..
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August 15, 2012 at 7:29 AM
its entertaining and some how i shall be not missing this yash raj epic..if times of india says its very good then its good enough for me
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Ek-Tha-Tiger-Movie-Review/articleshow/15504575.cms
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August 15, 2012 at 7:31 AM
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta
Exhibitors’ early estimates for 1st day ETT all-India net:30 crore plus!Yes,30 plus!!Some say, 32!B.O.history being written on historic day
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August 15, 2012 at 7:33 AM
komal nahta figures are preety accurate ,if word of mouth is good then salmans starrer will do atleast100cr by sunday?
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August 15, 2012 at 7:37 AM
A frens review of Ek tha tiger, who watched the movie today in Mangalore http://amarcinekatha.blogspot.in/2012/08/first-ek-tha-tiger-reviewby-shiva.html
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August 15, 2012 at 8:01 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
Too early to predict #EkThaTiger first day business. 30 cr seems definite *as per trends*. 35 cr possible too. Wait till evening!
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August 15, 2012 at 8:02 AM
Incredible!
By the way note how this confirms a point of mine. When films would open to 12 or 15 or 20 crores or whatever on day 1 these guys would go crazy saying it was houseful everywhere and that morning shows were 90-100% and what not. I’ve always said that if a film began at that level and stayed at that level throughout it would probably do 40 crores (at the very least) in one day. Now we see ETT on course for at least a 30 crore day. It’s not just the screen/print count because most big releases are comparable. Whether it’s 2500 or 2800 or 3000 doesn’t make a huge difference because you can do that massive number once you get past a certain level.
But again consider the commentary. Apparently there were massive hurricanes and history was created in extraordinary ways and what not even when Ready opened! They exhausted the dictionary each and everytime with superlatives. So how is ETT getting to 30 crores or more?!
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August 15, 2012 at 8:10 AM
Movie is getting Mixed review…. most saying no story but great action and Salman …. Nahata also tweeted the same on Mixed review… those who has watched it say, that Kabir should not have promoted it as intelligent thriller but its same salman stuff…
Ppl expecting intelligent thriller will get disappointed as lot of loopholes their in screenplay plugged in by Salman presence…
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August 15, 2012 at 8:09 AM
B.O. update: ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ has historic, unparalleled start
By Taran Adarsh, August 15, 2012 – 17:15 IST
No adjective would be able to justify the mammoth, historic, unprecedented opening of the keenly-anticipated EK THA TIGER. Although a number of films have embarked on a thunderous start at the ticket window, the kind of hysteria being witnessed for EK THA TIGER is beyond belief, never witnessed before.
At places [Jaipur], police had to called… At several places, people garlanded Salman’s pic on the hoardings… The sea of people outside every theatre cannot be described in mere words… It’s pandemonium at single screens and also at plexes as Salman makes an entry in the movie… The Salmania is visible at every centre, every theatre.
It’s a bit too early to predict the kind of business EK THA TIGER will generate on Wednesday, 15 August, but, one thing is certain: It will set new benchmarks in every circuit.
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August 15, 2012 at 8:13 AM
Ek Tha Tiger Obliterates All Opening Records
Wednesday 15th August 2012 12.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger opened this morning across India and there are no words to describe the opening. It is simply tearing to shreds all opening records at every centre in India.
In the last few years there has been record breaking films like Three Idiots, Dabangg, Bodyguard and Agneepath but with all these films there have always been centres or circuits that are not record breaking but this is not the case with Ek Tha Tiger, every centre and every circuit is on a record breaking spree.
Its just not new records being set but the margins they are being set by, its impossible to put a number on its opening day business this early but it is sure to smash the opening day record figure by a distance.
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August 15, 2012 at 8:11 AM
‘Gangs Of Wasseypur 2’: What went wrong?
By Taran Adarsh, August 15, 2012 – 06:08 IST
Let’s face it: GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 has underperformed at the BO. The film had just one week to leave an impression, but the day-wise business clearly indicates that the film has failed to accumulate an impressive total. What could be the reasons? Lack of popular name/s in its star cast? Limited appeal? Or lack of interest in the second part? Barring Mumbai and Delhi [multiplexes], which contributed the utmost, the poor show in several circuits is for all to see. In fact, the business of GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 is lower than the first part at most centres, despite the second part carrying better word of mouth.
With EK THA TIGER invading the cineplexes on Wednesday [today], all films, including GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2, will be limited to 1 or 2 shows at major plexes [several cineplexes are *only* screening EK THA TIGER]. So was it erroneous to release the film on a weekday [the previews were held on Tuesday, while the film had a proper release on Wednesday], barely one week before EK THA TIGER? Had it opened after Idd, once the EK THA TIGER euphoria settled down, the business could’ve been enhanced? However, with so many films lined up week after week, what choice did Viacom18 have, frankly? In fact, Viacom18 needs to be lauded for promoting the two parts with gusto, spending a fat amount on their promotions and ensuring that the two parts were visible on all platforms of advertising/promotion.
Earlier RAKHT CHARITRA 2 and now GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 have netted lower than the respective first parts.
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August 15, 2012 at 8:31 AM
“Earlier RAKHT CHARITRA 2 and now GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 2 have netted lower than the respective first parts.”
Why is that so surprising?
Godfather1 did 135mn USD domestic and Godfather 2 releasing 2 years later did 47.5mn USD. But both were aclimed almost equally. ( (.2 and 9.1 respectively on IMDB)
Kill Bill 1 in 2003 did 70=110-180mn usd globally and Kill Bill 2 in 2004 did 66=86 = 152mn uSD . Again both were liked almost equally ( 8.2 and8.1 on IMDB)
That seems to be exactly the case with GOW 1 and 2. In fact Part 1 and Part 2 have done almost the same over their first 7 days, about 18cr. GOW 2 will earn less in the coming weeks because of ETT. But otherwise they have been liked almost equally well, GOW 1 being liked a wee bit more.
I think there was nothing wrong in the release strategy. Part 2 coming soon after the Part 1 was the best, just like in case of Kill Bill series.
AS usual the trade pundits know nothing.
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August 15, 2012 at 8:35 AM
well releasing it just a week before ETT was definitely foolish. Because the film’s business is now completely limited to the first week and in fact less than this because ETT release midweek. Meanwhile GoW1 did 28 crores or so partly because it had breathing room and week 2 was pretty solid too. This film even if it was going to do less than the first part could have done a lot more than it will now. And precisely because over the first week it has kept pace with the previous part. The release strategy was definitely foolish. It’s one thing to have competition and quite another to get ETT!
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August 15, 2012 at 9:21 AM
market has expanded a bit in last decade… allmost every sequel has outgrosses his earlier one and are bigger in scale production wise ….case in point is evey holllywood or bollywood sequel
taran is making sense here and thats exactly what i said earlier to infact his commentry is exact replica of mine
both rc ( pathetic record of rgv in recent time ) despite of being a decent movie and now gow sufferedmostly because of faulty release structure
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August 15, 2012 at 9:30 AM
and ya during the days of godfather or even kill bill there was hardly that much emphasis on promotion to grab eye ball
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August 15, 2012 at 8:41 AM
TRue, releasing it before ETT will cut into its business, but not much. Any other time it would have grossed about 25cr. Now it will probably do 22cr. ( As against 28cr of Part 1) . But releasing it within a month ensured that the money is recovered quickly without the need foe spending too much on publicity, which would have been required if it was released much later.
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August 15, 2012 at 8:53 AM
Don’t think it can do 22 crores. Doubt it can cross 18 crores (20 if it’s very lucky). It hardly has any screens. But even if it did 22 that’s a more than 20% difference on the gross! At 18-20 crores we’re talking about a 30-35% differential! That’s like a film grossing 70-80 crores and 100-120 crores! The problem once again is not competition but the fact that ETT is running on almost all of the screens!
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August 15, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Satyam Ji,
Not yet watch Ek Tha Tiger ,Hope Sunday will watch the film.
Just saw review of Ek Tha Tiger by Divya Ji { Divya Solgama }Here the link
‘Review of Ek Tha Tiger’ http://www.gomolo.com/ek-tha-tiger-movie-review/41988/1825606
Thank you,
Regards Rupam { xhobdo }
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August 15, 2012 at 10:01 AM
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August 15, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Wow! Fiennes and Carter.. I am in
Trailer of “GREAT EXPECTATIONS” (based on the Dickens’ novel)-
stars- Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Jeremy Irvine (War Horse), Jason Flemyng….Directed by Mike Newell (Prince of Persia)
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August 15, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Public response..
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August 15, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Brandon Cronenberg, son of acclaimed director David Cronenberg has come up with debut directorial venture “ANTIVIRAL”- a medical thriller which also competed at Cannes this year
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August 15, 2012 at 11:13 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger Wednesday 8 pm update: All set to be the biggest opener. EVER. Unheard of, unimaginable figures in every circuit
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August 15, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Massive massive numbers. Clearly this is one film which is maximising first day to a higher level. At this rate it should easily be the 2nd biggest grosser and a legitimate shot at 200 crores, though it will still need legs for that.
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August 15, 2012 at 11:36 AM
what Salman has done since Dabangg is incredible and incredibly unexpected!
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August 15, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Yup Dabanng, Ready, Bodyguard and now ETT. All big grossers. More so his opening streak is incredible and not showing any signs of falling apart.
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August 15, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Aren’t the Indian BO pundits like the boy who cried wolf? They go on the hyperbolic mode so often- they have so exhausted the superlatives- when the genuine occasion arises they have nothing to offer, they can’t explain that occasion properly.
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August 15, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Absolutely! Exactly the same adjectives and nouns were used to describe at least a dozen other films!
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August 15, 2012 at 12:27 PM
They don’t go Hyperbolic on numbers but on stars / prdn house they favour or can’t mess with…. survival instinct
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August 15, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Great going for ETT. As expected but wont sustain at this level.Still a 170 crore is very possible.
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August 15, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Ek Tha Tiger smashes opening day records by a distance. It has beaten Agneepath by around 40%. The top opening day collections in Rajasthan on day one till date are as follows.
1. EK THA TIGER 1.65-1.75 crore
2. Agneepath – 1.20 crore
3. Bodyguard – 1.17 crore
4. Rowdy Rathore – 1.02 crore
5. Bol Bachchan – 86 lakhs
5. Don 2 – 85 lakhs
6. Dabangg – 80 lakhs
7. Housefull 2 – 79 lakhs
8. Ready – 78 lakhs
9. Ra.One – 76 lakhs
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August 15, 2012 at 1:59 PM
Whatever the merits of the film sand its eventual total, continue to feel happy for Salman with his recent successes.
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August 15, 2012 at 1:59 PM
It had a promising premise but then totally drops the ball. Nice songs and locales though. Separate section with spoilers:
http://www.desidvd.com/2012/08/ek-tha-tiger-2012-hindi-review.html
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August 15, 2012 at 2:57 PM
The ‘roar’ of the tiger !!
Feel good to see the biggest EVER opening day figures..
Reminds me of sowmthing–
Have rarely liked salman and have seem only a
handful of his films ..
Happened to see dabang first day (due to other reasons)–
Near around the ‘humka peeni hai’ declared that this will be the ‘game changer resurrecting film ‘ of his career
The bodyguards, readys, etc followed to increasing grosses..
Till
I saw some ek tha tiger one-liners
Pataate pataate and
Dress utaarna..
Finally saw the ‘dekhna chahta hoon..’–usually one doesn’t need further cues..
Knew this will be the biggest opener of not only salman but perhaps the biggest ever!!
Will he seeing it this week to see whether it is better than dabang —
Will trump it’s gross though ..
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August 15, 2012 at 3:04 PM
Dabang to tiger!!
While dabang was a game changer’: a ‘reset’ of sorts: for salman
Tiger seems set to be the ‘knockout blow’!!!
Needless to say—
Have more than a certain weakness and affinity for both these personas ..(the rest of salmans entire filmography is incidental to me !)
“dekhna chahta hoon
Ki yeh faisla
Mujhe kahaan le jata hai!” 🙂
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August 15, 2012 at 3:09 PM
[added to post]
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August 15, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Great great stuff !!!
One of the best interviews of Big B … very easy and free flowing …
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August 15, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Better is appropriate word 🙂
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August 15, 2012 at 3:20 PM
Watching ETT right now…it’s getting boring after the first 15 minutes. will post thoughts periodically!
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August 15, 2012 at 3:35 PM
Thanx Arsh: are u watching it online or in a cinema ?
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August 15, 2012 at 3:57 PM
big screen
anyways, the romantic angle is really dragged on for quite a while, but, absolutely loving the action so far. So far, it’s like a hybrid of Bodyguard and Don 2 action. *SPOILER* (???) Loved the part with Salman stopping the tram with his suit coat! That whole scene is well shot.
But, so far, overall, a below average movie…
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August 15, 2012 at 4:35 PM
The last half, namely the last 30 minutes were awesome! The movie has a “dabba” story…it seems like the director was relying A LOT on Salman, who is in 95% of the frames in the movie (which is never a bad thing lol). BUT, had the script been more tight and the editing had been crisp, this would have been a good movie. The best of the movie’s moments are few and far between. The first half’s first 15 minutes were amazing. They promise a thrill ride, but, then the movie falls flat after that. And then the 2nd half really tries its best to make up for the first half and, to a certain extent, succeeds, as Salman kicks some serious ass! Katrina is a given a few moments to shine in the action department too, but, no completely out-n-out action scenes were given to her. She has a few shots near the end. But, no kick-ass stuff like PC had nearing the climax of Don 2. So, all in all, it’s certainly better than Bodyguard, I think. But, that doesn’t say much. It REALLY falls flat on its face during the supposedly “warm and fuzzy” romantic parts. But, the action is amazing. 2.5/5
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August 15, 2012 at 4:41 PM
Arsh : many thanx though I’m wondering if u actually managed to ‘see’ the full movie 🙂
We’re u typing simultaneously from your iPhone …
I’m sure your girlfriend(s) got suspicious hahaa
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August 15, 2012 at 4:46 PM
arrey yaar, not exactly into the girlfriends masla yet…
LOL, I said I watched it on the big screen. ie, my TV LOL. I’m the kind of person who watches many of the movies online first, and then, if I like it, then, I’ll go watch it in theatre again. Reduces the effect, but, I am very conservative with my money in this matter. Ex. RA.One, I watched it…being a Shahrukh Khan fanatic, I enjoyed it and then went to the theatre to watch it. Came back from the theatre with a headache! Realized that was not a wise choice!
Don 2 is probably the only movie which I didn’t watch online b4 watching in theatre. DON’T JUDGE ME! I’M BROKE!!! 😉
This movie is not one on which you should waste money…of course, it doesn’t matter as billions of people are gonna watch it anyways, but, that’s my opinion!
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August 16, 2012 at 7:11 AM
Thanks for ur views on the film Arsh. Your comments are usually sharp and lucid and i have seen u being fair to all stars and their films. Btw where do u belong to and are u working professionally/studying?
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August 16, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Honestly, I do tend to be a little biased when a SRK movie comes out, but, I’m never unfair with the other stars just cuz I’m a Shahrukh fan. 🙂
I’m starting university in September. COMPUTER SCIENCE FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PYTHON, C++…ALL THAT SHIZZLE!!! 😀
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August 15, 2012 at 4:52 PM
“big screen. ie, my TV”- ha
Isn’t ‘big screen’ synonymous with ‘cinema’- just checking..
Ps: Im probably the only one here but I really liked bits of don2
My situation is different
I find it virtually impossible to watch a complete movie nowadays except on the big screen
One gets ‘committed’ and ‘stuck’ with watching the whole movie…
Dont enjoy subpar sound/picture but importantly lack the patience to sit out over a couple of hours except in a cinema…
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August 15, 2012 at 5:01 PM
“Isn’t ‘big screen’ synonymous with ‘cinema’…”
Not for me. my TV’s a 54 inch TV…I consider that pretty big…especially compared to my old Antique 20 inch TV that weighed about a ton lol.
I liked the idea of Don 2. But, I think, in terms of characters, they just didn’t justify Don’s character and in the end, he came out looking like he was some sort of a chindi chor. Also, Don 2 had some pacing problems in the middle, but, it really wasn’t for that long IMO. Again, just like Salman being in 95% of ETT, SRK was in about 95% of the film…that is … he was either in frame or the other characters were talking about him. ETT was relying too much on Salman…same way, Don 2 was relying a lot on SRK (i won’t say too much because Farhan did manage to put in some really amazing scenes…namely, the starting sequence, the car chase, the building jump, almost the entire bank robbery’s execution and the climax. Those parts relied heavily on Farhan’s handling of the scenes, which he did very well.).
I find that you’re just stuck rather than committed and stuck watching the whole movie. I just want it so, that I can just GTFO anytime I want and get my money back if i don’t like the movie LOL. I mean, I wouldn’t wanna be the one “committed” to watching RGV’s Aag in theatres. Oh, how the population of India went down after people killed themselves in the theatre! :O
I don’t ENJOY subpar sound/picture quality, but, I’m okay with it. I don’t mind…
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August 15, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Hmm : yes agree: one does get ‘stuck’ In a cinema
But watch only a v few nowadays ..
ps: mine is 65 inches ( I mean telly lol): but it’s somehow not the same as cinema…
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August 15, 2012 at 11:12 PM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger Day 1 numbers being compiled. But one thing is crystal clear: ALL previous records shattered by a BIG margin.
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August 16, 2012 at 2:07 AM
For some reason, my comment made immediately from my phone after watching the movie last night isn’t showing up here. Anyway, saw the movie last night. Housefull attendance with a crowd that went absolutely ballistic with Salman’s silhouetted entry. The whistles and claps when he is shown in close up were unlike any I have experienced for any recent star.
Despite the massive opening day figures though, I doubt this film will have legs. The reaction was poor to mixed, and that is actually because this film is the least massy and most restrained Salman film in a long time. Certainly not what his core fan base must’ve been expecting.
It is no intelligent thriller or a realistic exploration of the world of RAW and ISI, but it is definitely better than the trying-to-be-too-smart-for-you mess that was Agent Vinod. Ek Tha Tiger in fact is an action romance at heart simply executed. There is a certain charm in seeing a film that isn’t trying to outsmart you, and tells its story simply without any gimmicks.
The leads have chemistry, the action is the best I’ve seen for a Bollywood film (including one setpiece involving Salman and Katrina where the latter doesn’t need the former to defend herself) and Salman is acting for a change… the first time since Dabanng.
SPOILER ALERT
The movie finishes before you expect it, and does so very subtly. I’m not sure if Salman fans would like to leave the theatre though with the knowledge that his character will be left running his entire life rather than taking the RAW and ISI down in a climactic action sequence.
SPOILER OVER
The movie does bring to fore that nothing is more dangerous for the Intelligencies of India & Pakistan than their people falling in love! Ek Tha Tiger, at a pacy 120 minutes is the Salman film I’ve most enjoyed in recent memory. I doubt his fans will think the same though.
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August 16, 2012 at 3:05 AM
Great to hear ur views Abzee though wish u would have written more on it. But will disagree on Agent Vinod- i thought it was the best action-thriller to have come out from bollywood since Khaaki- here are my humble views on it- https://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/my-royale-with-cheese-saurabh-on-agent-vinod/
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August 16, 2012 at 7:29 AM
thanks for your take Abzee.. not very surprised that the film has fallen between two stools as it were. I’ve throughout had the sense this would be the case. Obviously the numbers are so huge that it will still outgross all other Salman films and probably by a distance. But trending once again should reveal whether it’s only going to be a 5 day or so affair in terms of piling up most of its gross or something more.
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August 16, 2012 at 6:33 AM
Trailer of Priyadarshan’s Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal (sequel of Malamaal Weekly)- http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DHq2wIos_aYI&sa=U&ei=XsssUJasJY2vygHJk4CwCw&ved=0CCUQtwIwBA&usg=AFQjCNEuTtW96bqc1ZAtVfzd49nIxjqBww
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August 16, 2012 at 6:48 AM
It’s supposedly a remake of some Malayalam movie Merrykundoru Kunjaadu- Satyam/GF may be knowing abt it
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August 16, 2012 at 12:30 PM
Yup, that’s what I thought when I saw the trailer. Marykkundoru Kunjaadu (Mary had a little lamb) was quite successful due to a typically madcap Dileep performance- don’t think this will translate well at all. And much as it pains me to say this, Shreyas is no Dileep…
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August 16, 2012 at 6:57 AM
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta
Final: EK THA TIGER has collected 32.92 crore (nett) from 3300 Screens in India
ps : WOW !!! Incredible !!!
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August 16, 2012 at 7:05 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
Okay, here’s the *actuals* of #EkThaTiger on Wednesday: Rs 32.92 cr nett on 3300 screens in India. Beyond Historic!
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August 16, 2012 at 7:06 AM
Stunning!
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August 16, 2012 at 8:55 AM
Wed – 33 cr
Thur – 25 cr
Fri – 25 cr
Sat – 33 cr
Sun – 33 cr
is it going this way?
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August 16, 2012 at 10:05 AM
Nope …
Its fallen 50 – 60 % on thursday as per Taran and particularly in mass areas…
50 % is normal fall these days 🙂
It will have another big day of 30 crs on monday
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August 16, 2012 at 10:09 AM
would be very surprised if it did 30 on Mon.
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August 16, 2012 at 10:16 AM
@Satyam,
30 is possible if Eid falls on sunday…
It’s now subject to the appearance of Moon 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 10:24 AM
yes if it’s Sun it’s possible.
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August 16, 2012 at 10:07 AM
hard to tell, it depends on WOM. Agneepath opened at 22 crores or so (going by the same sources) but made 11 the next day. Then it picked up again and was stable for another 3 days or so. Let’s put it this way — if ETT averages 25 crores for the next 4 days it would do 135 or so at the end of this period. But I think that’s a tall order also judging by some of the WOM so far. What that would mean is it would have to be better than the opening day of every other film so far the rest of this week and weekend. That’s unlikely.
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August 16, 2012 at 7:07 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#GOW2 Tue previews 34 lacs, Wed 2.75 cr, Thu 2.3 cr, Fri 3.2 cr, Sat 3.25 cr, Sun 3.6 cr, Mon 1.26 cr, Tue [est] 1.1 cr. Total: 17.8 cr nett
Failed to show any growth in the extended weekend Dull
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August 16, 2012 at 7:11 AM
Ek Tha Tiger Takes Box Office Collections To A New High
Thursday 16th August 2012 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger has taken opening box office collections to a new high as it has collected 31-32 crore nett as per early estimates. Its a 40% jump from the previous record which was 22 crore nett approx set by Agneepath earlier this year.
Ek Tha Tiger has shattered records all over by recording capacity or near capacity houses all over on the widest release ever.
Mumbai will come in over 10 crore for the first time. CP Berar, Rajasthan and Nizam have all crossed the 1.50 crore barrier for the first time, it was only last year that these circuits crossed the 1 crore mark for opening day with Bodyguard. Mysore may also make it to the 1.50 crore mark.
The opening again proves that the action genre with a superstar on a big national holiday is unbeatable at the box office. When these three lethal combinations have come together it has proved to be record breaking over the last few years.
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August 16, 2012 at 7:26 AM
Taran and Nahta are updating everyone with their tweets simultaneously and giving the same exact info, just minute apart from each other. Funny thing is their #’s match even from the previous movies that they are comparing. Something wrong here, Even BO india above is very very close to the #s from these two, which is not usually true. Is it too good to be true here?
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August 16, 2012 at 7:31 AM
you should see the BOI reports. I’m worried there might be a few heart attacks at their end with the excitement. They’re calling the film’s performance a miracle and what not. Oh well.. only until the next Salman release!
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August 16, 2012 at 7:47 AM
Judging by these #’s can we safely say that Salman IS the biggest star in India right now? (Given that 3 idiots is a long way to beat, but not sure if Aamir’s Talaash would open this big now, he has had too much of a gap between big films of his) Salman has certainly taken over with ready and bodyguard which helped immensely to get him to this status right now.
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August 16, 2012 at 8:31 AM
Aamir has always worked this way and 3I has still not been beaten in absolute terms let alone after adjusting for inflation. Talaash is not a fair comparison since this isn’t the usual commercial fare. It will open big and do very well but can hardly be compared with pure escapist fare. And of course Aamir also has D3. Followed by Hirani’s film. So I’d still expect him to have the biggest box office numbers. And his prestige stays intact and of course it’s unique among his peers. It’s obviously hard to argue against these stupendous numbers Salman is putting up. I wouldn’t argue too much with anyone who wished to place him alongside Aamir at this very point but looking at the totality of factors I’m still comfortable placing Aamir ahead. But in terms of getting an initial going Salman is currently second to no one. And will say that Aamir and Salman, however one settles this debate, are in a different stratosphere from the others. Which is to say that Salman in the kinds of films he attempts and Aamir with any genre he attempts, in each case you get the best initial possible. And finally one should look at the overall box office result as well. Aamir’s trending is simply unmatched. For more than a decade now he’s put up superb trending in every imaginable genre at the very point when Bollywood has pretended that trending is a thing of the past and what not. This man keeps doing it! So far Salman for all his massive initials hasn’t doubled his week 1 number. Not once. Not even with Dabanng. Aamir did it with Ghajini and a lot more with 3I. This means something. Also remember the highest initials are about repetition. Salman keeps repeating the same format, the initial keeps increasing. Extraordinary as Aamir’s numbers have been he could get even higher in terms of the initial if for example he followed 3I with something similar.
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August 16, 2012 at 8:42 AM
That’s a very fair analysis here, and agree with everything you say. Just looking at these ETT #’s there is no doubt salman is unstoppable at this point. He just needs to do better than Ready and Bodyguard and the trending that he can hope for will come. I did check it out at a local theater last night (This was really local, In my town ). Went to the 9:30 show on a wed night (no holiday in US) its a work week (this is for others satyam sir). And have to say theater was about 60% (remeber this was a LOCAL theater). I would really like to see the Over seas #’s here, I think slowly but surely salman just might have an upper hand on SRK with this one on overseas. If that’s true than Salman is certainly ahed of SRK in INDIA and Over seas market. So the mighty has fallen. LOL
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August 16, 2012 at 10:04 AM
the overseas thing with respect to SRK is also a myth. In certain genres he’s still very strong. But Ghajini for example beat RNDBJ in the US both in terms of initial and final gross. 3I was way ahead of everything else. MNIK however did do very outside but to be very candid this subject had great emotional appeal for many Muslim audiences, specially from Pakistan. The point is you don’t make MNIK every day. the RNBDJ record is much more modest. Now having said that I would expect huge numbers for the Yash Chopra film. This too is a special case. Don wasn’t beating anyone! Still SRK is better overseas even at this moment than he is in India but it’s not uncontested the way it once was and there are a number of films with different stars that can put up very big numbers. For example JA did OSO-like numbers in the US. This too is a special case but once upon a time no one in any genre could beat SRK and even his average grossers overseas were better than the best everyone else had. Those times have long past. 3I was a global monster. Ghajini did extremely well everywhere. So it’s a relative game as well. If you compare where SRK was relative to the competition even in 2003 or something with what’s happening now there’s light years worth of difference.
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August 16, 2012 at 8:52 AM
Satyam, you should DEFINITELY watch this interview- It has director Kamal Swaroop- the guy who made Om-Dar-Ba-Dar, (which could not get a theatrical release but won the Filmfare Critics Award that year- incidentally Kashyap calls it one of his fav films) which is considered the most shocking, weird and experimental films to have ever been made in bollywood- And today it’s a cult favourite
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August 16, 2012 at 10:00 AM
thanks Saurabh.. hadn’t heard of this film..
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August 16, 2012 at 3:54 PM
With due respect to your Amir fandom, one has to wait and see what the BO brings forth for Amir Khan’s film.
One can say, 3i was a special case. A flash in the pan (even if it is a huge flash) is just that – a flash in the pan **unless proven otherwise**.
It’s no one’s fault that he didn’t appear in any mainstream film after 3i. This one big success DOES NOT equal Salman’s serial BO success.
SRK of course is not even in the running anymore IMO, and my respect for him has increased that he dares to do a conventional ‘romance’ in a YR film.
If Amir does a great BO in Talaash and D3 then one can think about his top position.
BTW, you are already preparing ground for Talaash not being that great a success by declaring the genre as not being the right kind.
WHY NOT? After all it is HE who makes the BO according to you. Didn’t Bodyguard and Ready do well inspite of not being very interesting ALL BECAUSE OF AMIR.
If D3 and Taalash break records right and left like Salman’s films, I will accept his top position, till then it isn’t him.
You can spin as many lengthy theories as you can it doesn’t sound solid to me.
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August 16, 2012 at 4:21 PM
Let’s be serious, impossibly hard as this task might be for you when it comes to Aamir… or SRK!
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August 16, 2012 at 4:27 PM
It’s the same with you when it comes to Amir…. or SRK.
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August 18, 2012 at 2:07 AM
@Oldgold
A Huge LOL at 3I being called a flash in the pan! Ha! 😀
And since when did a typical Yash Chopra romance that too for SRK (a man who made his career out of romantic films) become a “daring” attempt for SRK eh?
I’m amused by SRK fans calling fully mainstream & heavily promoted films like Ra One & Don 2 experimental or offbeat & now complimenting SRK for “daring” to do a romantic film!
What a joke!
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August 16, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Saurabh: Om-Dar-Badar is the only Indian film that can bear comparison with Gnags of Wasseypur, in terms of multilayered narrative, rootedness of characters, linguistic innovations and an original auteur’s signature. Kamal destroyed himself with drinking after just one film. Thankfully Kashyap has got of that trap and is well on his way to create a shining body of work.
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August 16, 2012 at 9:05 AM
Utkal Sir, have u written anything on Om-Dar-Ba-Dar, i would love to read it. I remember watching this films on an i-pod in my boarding school in 12th and was blown away by it
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August 16, 2012 at 10:02 AM
Salman continues to shatter his own records. Dont think his mania is going to die anytime soon. This is by far the best phase by any star actor since probably, Amitabh Bachchan.
Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and now this. 4 super-grossers in a row. Akshay had a similar streak in 2007 but those films were superhits relative to their budget. those films werent the biggest grossers or anything. Every subsequent Salman film has become the biggest grosser barring 3 idiots.
Huge pressure on SRK with his next release. I think he should lie low for a while and let his target audience do the talking instead of going crazy with unnecessary promotions a la Ra One
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August 16, 2012 at 10:09 AM
THis is a YR film, and he doesn’t go in for such excessive publicity. Remember RNBDJ?
Quite happy for Salman. He should retire with a bang and not wait for people to do that.
I think he’s greater than Amir, who is a one time (or 2 if Gajhani is considered) record breaker.
One film wonder (even if it’s the highest) doesn’t tell one anything. If Amir repeats it often enough like Salman he can be considered the ‘top’ BO man around.
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August 16, 2012 at 10:11 AM
what do you mean by ‘if considered’?! Ghajini was an absolute record breaker in every sense when it released!
On the rest I am so surprised by your views on Aamir. Think you’d be prepared to defend Hashmi over him!
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August 16, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Aamir and Salman can be compared in terms of their BO pull w.r.t the genre films they attempt. Aamir has had huge grossers with ‘different’ cinema with films like TZP and RDB and 3 idiots (they dont focus on star-worship) but he has also had a Ghajini and that shut his critics up, who thought he cant get the biggest grossers in a film that idolizes ‘star worship.’ Thats another thing that he doesnt prefer going the Salman / SRK way when it comes to choosing the kind of cinema he believes in.
Having said that, Im rather looking forward to the Yash Chopra film. I might be rebuked but as guilty pleasures, I enjoy watching SRK in his strength genres than Salman. 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 10:21 AM
OG,
Just curious
Can you draw comparative chat of Salman, Aamir and Srk…
by your yardstick than Srk is nowhere, he also has no Absolute grosser of decade and may have few of years ( I dont know)…
Ps: Salman is not ‘Untouchable’ but Now ‘Unreachable’ as per BO numbers are considered
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August 16, 2012 at 10:23 AM
true this is indeed the best concentrated phase since Bachchan. Of course it’s a different deal also because most of these grossers are about the initials. The trending leaves something to be desired in all of these cases. and one can’t say times are different when Aamir gets it done at every level and other films also do so when they’re truly liked. Whether they’re multiplex types (ZNMD) or mass center films (Singham). But Aamir still has the more remarkable record even here. Pretty much zero failure since Lagaan. It’s been more than a decade. He’s done everything from TZP to 3I! And even MP shouldn’t be counted a failure by today’s standards. It would very easily have cleared 100 crores and done 120-130 just maintaining its trending. Actually perhaps more given that more mass oriented films are opening much bigger than they did then. when you combine Aamir’s success rate over a decade with the extraordinary critical acclaim he’s got there’s just no competition. Now a star who had consistent success but mixed it up a bit like Aamir could immediately shoot to the top of the pack or be worthy of a comparison with Aamir. The reason I say this is not to take away anything from Salman because what he’s doing is obviously astonishing but given the greater Hollywoodization of Hindi cinema over time and the emphasis placed on the ‘prestige film’ just doing it Salman’s way isn’t the last word. It’s like Will Smith had 10 or so 200m grossers in a row at one point but there was still something he lacked. The audience will say Salman’s the top star or whatever but Aamir has a very special place. His films have great recall value. Salman’s essentially doing disposable cinema (with the exception of the very iconic Dabanng). It works for him but there’s nothing more to it. In a Hollywoodized system that’s not enough to truly give you that aura. And this matters even in a pragmatic sense because so many of Bombay’s brightest talents are making such films. A quick example here would be Barfi. It doesn’t have to be a blockbuster. It just has to do well or well enough. This sort of thing stays in the mind. But there is also the question of how long Salman can keep this going. Currently he’s showing no signs of slowing down. But this sort of repetition will start wearing thin after a while. He’s only been on this phase over 4 films and that too in a compressed time period. Much as people never ‘expect’ great success for a star till it actually happens (who predicted Salman would be in this phase?! even his fondest fans couldn’t have.). Similarly when he’s in this phase no one can imagine a downfall but it’s happened before! And with no variation it’s harder not to see this.
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August 16, 2012 at 11:33 AM
And i think while we talk abt Salman and Aamir’s success we should not forget that a certain man had a phase from 1973 to 86 where he had ATLEAST ONE hit every single year. even Bachchan’s B grade films used to have thunderous openings in some centres-i saw Lal Badshah in a housefull show in Benaras- and that when AB was in his lowest career phase. I am sure there is not a single fellow in any movie industry who has had this kind of success.also think Anil Kapoor’s no. of hits are not much less than SRK’s
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August 16, 2012 at 11:46 AM
“But this sort of repetition will start wearing thin after a while.”- Yes, and here too Bachchan is the only exception where during mid 80’s and so, he gave hits in lots of similar masala films. And not only that IMO he is the only guy who could make repetitive roles and films hugely enjoyable-I am dead sure that the so-called great actors like D.K,Naseer etc would have extremely stale (to the point of being perceived as ‘hamming’) if they had the bad luck of repeating themselves due to some poorer scripts
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August 16, 2012 at 12:37 PM
But many of those films those infinitely poorer to his 70s stuff (with few exceptions here and there) were still far more narrative-oriented or at least far more grounded in a set of political references and so on than the current masala efforts. I welcome the latter, it’s hugely preferable to the old Yashraj stuff but it’s also a cinema of pure effect. Which is why Salman works so well! In other words it’s about an attitude, a posture, it pays lip service to a masala tradition and that’s more or less it. There aren’t any serious stakes here! Which is why I keep getting back to Ghajini. Even Singham (though I hated the climax) was still much more narrative-driven that most of Salman’s films. The same could be said for Rowdy Rathore. The Salman films (though I celebrate his success for other reasons) are pure effect as I’ve just said. Compared to his films Rowdy is actually half-serious. There are moments of genuine unpleasantness here. Nothing of the sort in the Salman efforts which is why everyone can be on board. The larger point I’m trying to make is that I’ve never been into masala as an end in itself. These current efforts in an ideal world would be a way-station to something deeper. But I’m not very confident that’s the case. Looking at even some Southern examples I think this is all there is. And in this manifestation it’s the other side of the Yashraj stuff. So it makes the right noises, it certainly has the virtue of speaking to a universal audience, but it is other empty in its own way. It does not challenge it’s audience anymore than those other films. The Telugu example suggests you can prosper staying at this level. The Tamil example on the other hand shows you can mix it up a little but bread and butter masala is a challenge even there. You have massive stars doing massive projects and getting the numbers or you have B grade stars prospering in B grade masala. Here the Surya example is the most interesting one where a guy who didn’t seem to be cut out for this terrain has prospered hugely in it. he still doesn’t have the credibility of a mass star but by repetition he’s pulled up his numbers and has also retained his multiplex appeal. But in Tamil cinema the real game lies elsewhere with either the new wave or the thriller format with a Shankar punctuating the proceedings from time to time with his super-productions. Bombay so far seems to exhibit a complete split. either Rowdy or Cockatil, either Salman or ZNMD, either Rohit Shetty or Barfi.. and so on.
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August 16, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Actually in just about every one of those years he had multiple hits. But leaving this aside the scale is something else altogether. It’s not even like having three ETTs in the same year. It’s a different scale, a different set of metrics altogether. For that matter Rajesh Khanna during his peak 3 years or so ran up a string that is quite singular in its own right. The scale was not Bachchan’s for the most part but the consistency was mind-boggling. Still since that period Aamir’s larger and longer record is the most impressive and Salman’s current run is next. These are simply the two most impressive streaks since that period. That doesn’t mean this is like Bachchan. So in a sense to even say Bachchan’s greater is misleading because that implies some common terms of comparison when there aren’t any. Except for those born yesterday and/or suffering from Alzheimer’s.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:18 PM
“when you combine Aamir’s success rate over a decade with the extraordinary critical acclaim he’s got there’s just no competition”
absolutely. And just imagine his position after T, D3 and PK have released.
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August 16, 2012 at 10:25 AM
actually dekha jaaye to SRK has never had the biggest grosser of its time..
DDLJ grossed less than HAHK
KKHH less than DDLJ
OSO equal to/ less than Dhoom 2
Yes, RNBDJ was probably going to be the biggest had Ghajini not happened two weeks later..
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August 16, 2012 at 12:24 PM
KKHH even grossed slightly less than RH or at best the two were the same with RH selling far more tickets. This is a point I’ve long made. SRK never had the biggest ever hits of the age. Still DDLJ was the best he did. I wouldn’t hold HAHK against him because that sort of success one hardly gets with any film, it’s a once in a generation deal. But over the last decade everytime Hrithik had a Filmkraft film he outgrossed SRK. I’ve done the numbers in more detail but to add to this essential fact SRK never had a series of hits in a compressed time schedule. And when he did a couple of times it wasn’t quite at this scale in every case. Actually his single best year in this sense was ’95. He had DDLJ and a pretty big one in KA (with Salman of course). In ’93 he had Baazigar/Darr back to back. In ’97 he had Pardes/DTPH. By and large though it’s not the same scale and even discounting this such years are the exception. And he often had lean periods during the 90s with lots of failures. So take his iconic (genre) stuff. DDLJ in ’95 but then DTPH/Pardes in ’97 two years later. Nothing of note in between. Then KKHH in ’98, Mohabbatein in 2000, K3G in 2001 and so forth. But if you want to look at scale even in a loose sense KKHH was his biggest after DDLJ and nothing he’s done since (nothing!) equals KKHH in terms of scale (despite the fact that it was released with BMCM and got out-initialed). Even K3G’s grossed was more or less matched by that of KMG. KNPH did more than Mohabbatein. Krrish pretty much doubled the gross of every SRK hit in that decade prior to OSO. So you can run the numbers in different ways. It’s a good record but it’s not one that matches the hype, let alone the superstar nonsense (though this word has since been greatly cheapened). He was definitely the most iconic star at his peak and this covered some of the gap but a lot of it was just media hype. Now in contrast in the overseas territories he truly deserved the hype. Because for the longest time there was a massive gap between him and everyone else on this score.
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August 16, 2012 at 12:42 PM
The three khans -career graph-an update!!
Haven’t read all of this discussion, but my concise view…
At this moment, it is a no brainer that Salman is having more than a dream run and is the most popular star…
But won’t keep aamir behind him (will keep him in front)
>since his 3I is still unbeaten
> his dhoom3 will again cream up the numbers
> his ‘prestige’ and variety adds a big deal to his stardom
> his adept understanding of the popular Bollywood medium
> directorial and economically sound production capability
Coming to SRK
here is where I differ with most here(& agree with those like Oldgold and arsh) inspite of not being his fan…
It’s one thing taking tow decades to beat someone conclusively, and another to then claim that one was always ‘bigger’!!!
Barring his blitzkrieg over the past 3 years or so, Salman was close to oblivion
There is this talk now of how the BIGGEST grossers are mostly not srks!
I believe that the true picture is revealed not so much by the ‘peaks’ but by the ‘troughs’ ( pun not intended)
Where we’re these when the likes of veer, yuvraaj, kyonki (haven’t watched any!) tanked!
I will repeat–
Over the past decade or more on a cumulative basis —
SRK has only been matched by one star –aamir
Even he took a decade or so to ‘catch up’ -then ran parallel for a while before edging ahead ( past few years!)
As for Salman, let’s not apply his current ‘career reset’ to their entire careers–yes he has been always a major superstar in the true sense but could never show the consistency of SRK (till the last few years)
As for overseas– SRK has been the king (again till the last three four years!)
These sort of spins and altered discourses are fine to play around with –but the reality doesn’t change
Ps: will come back after some work to read the interesting ‘justifications’ et al 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 12:46 PM
I have never suggested that either Aamir or Salman were bigger than SRK in the 90s. On Salman I’ve made the case more than anyone I know that he was in the wilderness for years before Wanted. Even in the 90s he was out of the game for a long time before Dhawanizing himself. HAHK didn’t do anything for him nor did KA.
But there’s also no room for ‘nostalgia’ in these debates. Rajesh Khanna was an unparalleled superstar when he became one. But when it was over it was over. You don’t get brownie points for longevity. Yes you build up a base that still shows up for your films, at least for a while, but you start losing out to the competition in relative ways all the while.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:10 PM
fully agree satyam
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August 16, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Would not go that far to say Salman was in the wilderness in 90s or in the last decade. He was inconsistent with many flops, but had something working at the box office now and then (be it multistarrers). He was doing better than Aamir in the early nineties, and then in the mid nineties had hits where the other actors perhaps got more credit (madhuri in HAHK, KA etc), but they were big grossers and kept him in the loop. He again had a string of hits in late nineties. Even in the last decade he surfaced with a hit now and then (Tere Naam, Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya, No Entry, Partner, Wanted). He always has been a top star throughout.
It finally came all together with Dabangg and is now in the best phase of his career – which btw is no less than the best phase of any other Khan till date.
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August 16, 2012 at 12:54 PM
To continue–
The real reflection of a career graph is not only the sporadic peaks-
Heck akshay, even ajay and now the ‘father of flops’ abhishrek also has 100 crore hit(s)
Does their ‘esteemed’ past suddenly becomes hidden under the carpet..
The real picture is shown by the likes of tez, chandni chowk-don’t need to go into the drownas etc…
Even aamir was in ‘trouble’ for a while where he ‘disappeared’ for ages after Lagaan to return with a monster moustache (& a couple of illegitimate kids and relationships)
The brandishing of srks ‘failures’ is based on the twin ‘failures’ of his recent projects –incidentally both there were 100 crore grossers!!
I was the first one to declare the ‘official end of an era’ with the ra1 first Monday !!
But it’s amusing to see some usual elements ‘running away” with facts, history and come up with an altogether ‘alternate reality, perception wherein
Salman was nearly always the biggest star after aamir
While SRKs grossers always fell short !!!
Naah 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 1:47 PM
actually it’s neither. It’s about how much a flop drowns a star and how much a hit reinvents him. So once Dabanng happened the clock reset for Salman. What he was doing for years before this literally does not matter! Much as with Aamir Lagaan was the same sort of deal. So on and so forth. The right film re-calibrates the star’s career. Gives the star a whole new chance (and then it’s up to the star to build on it). The history then matters but in an archaic sense. So for example Aamir got good reviews for Rangeela, he had a very big one in RH and so on in the 90s but all of that simply does not matter. It establishes a kind of memory chain for the audience but the star they truly look upto is the one they’ve seen since Lagaan. Similarly no one cares about either Biwi No 1 or HDDCS or veergati or the scores of forgettable films Salman did. What matters is Dabanng (with Wanted being a kind of ‘pre-Dabanng’). Which is why when the star has the right hit there is also a fork in the road. With Aamir there was no issue because he reinvented himself with a prestige film. Salman also has no problem because he was never going to be in the running for a Mehra film (to put it kindly!). With stars who have ambitions in either direction the decision becomes tricky. Take Abhishek. He has the Guru/Yuva history and so on where his acting abilities are not doubted by anyone. But the path he took in pursuit of the meaningful didn’t work out. Now he’s got reinvention with BB and obviously wants to build on this with maybe another couple of films. However the more he does this the more a return to more meaningful stuff becomes tricky as the star then starts getting associated with a much more commercial cinema. He’s still fortunate inasmuch as his serious moments have in many instances been iconic (no one will forget Yuva or Sarkar or especially Guru in a hurry). Nonetheless it’s not easy to split the difference beyond a point. Hrithik has had this problem in a different way. he clearly didn’t just want to be the guy doing Krrish. he also saw however that doing anything else meant reducing one’s box office numbers even when the film happened to be a success and though he could get awards he wasn’t really increasing his prestige as an actor (here people either see you as an actor or they don’t). He’s been struggling with this ever since. Even though he’s been successful lately in two very different films the pay off for him isn’t quite what he would have expected (and he knows this). So now it’s back to Krrish. Except that can he really outgross Salman or D3 or whatever the standard happens to be. So it’s tricky. In this sense the whole mass masala phase has impacted him more than SRK. SRK finally has a similar issue too. He can’t just become Salman as he doesn’t have the credibility for the genre, on the other hand he doesn’t have Aamir’s credibility either for more meaningful stuff. To add to this his strength genre is seen as passe. Once again he doesn’t quite pass the smell test when it comes to stuff like Don. So he truly needs reinvention. A hit here and there even a big one, ensures his viability but doesn’t exactly reinvent him. He’s now back to the same old with the Yash Chopra film, the message here is ‘I know you think I’m old for this stuff but hey let’s do this for old times’ sake and hey I also have Katrina and Rahman this time’! These things work upto a point but you can always separate the stars who get hits from the ones who truly excite the audience.
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August 16, 2012 at 3:46 PM
I kind of agree with you Satyam. That SRK needs to reinvent himself. However, here I don’t want Shahrukh to find a “niche”. I think Shahrukh should keep working in every sort of project. I mean, let’s not deny the facts that Salman’s just been producing action film after action film after action film! He needs to do what he did with RA.One (no, not content wise), he needs to introduce something new to Bollywood yet again. This time, however, with a director whose track record isn’t a pile of shit (a piece just doesn’t cut it)!
But, I’m a fan, so, I’ll definitely go watch it. I don’t care if I’m the only one in the theatres watching his movies lol. But, yes, his “forte” genre has passed, but, it’s quite possible that this genre could be revived!
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August 16, 2012 at 3:42 PM
Overseas, it’s still SRK’s ‘kingdom’ lol. His movies do tend to open at a higher note than other stars’. maintaining is up to the actual film!
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August 16, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Completely agree with Satyam’s statement on Salman and Aamir. Salman has obviously found his niche and he’s been very smart about exploiting it as deeply and as often as possible, and he should continue to do so. But the moment he steps out of that comfort zone I don’t think he’s invulnerable. Aamir on the other hand has shown for more than a decade that at the very least he can get an initial in all sorts of genres (in this sense Talaash, which is indeed unfair to compare with the ETT type of film, will actually nevertheless prove an important point about Aamir’s unique place when it opens well for the type of film it is) and at the very best he gets both this and a stellar run subsequent to the first week.
The other consideration here is that the fad of action films isn’t unique to Salman–especially if Akshay continues the RR type of thing, and others like Devgan or what have you continue to jump on board the Southern masala train. Meaning that while Salman is really way ahead of everyone when it comes to this stuff, he’s not quite in a class by himself in terms of getting people excited and into the theaters for these movies. So the run might be the best since Bachchan but (and not that anyone is saying this) this isn’t the same as saying there’s a one man industry at play. He’s got company.
Most importantly I continue to think that Aamir’s overall impact on his industry and film culture far exceeds any of his contemporaries including Salman. To repeat what’s been said elsewhere, (and what to my mind is obvious) the box office is not the only way to measure the importance a star has, (if this were the case SRK would be almost entirely irrelevant, but he’s not) and while some of the other metrics involved are less quantifiable, their signatures are unmistakable primarily by way of influence. And in this sense Aamir has maybe been the most important figure since Bachchan. But again, that’s not to suggest there’s a second coming here.
In some corner of the blogosphere I hope SM is celebrating.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Well Said GF 🙂
I Miss SM 😦
Wonderful member and whose writings I cherished to read…
SM, If your eyes catch these lines than Come back 😦
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August 16, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Sm is currently invoelved in an ‘orgasmathon’ given the periodic ‘expanding’ and ‘reproducing’ nature of Salman hits..
Btw I suspect sm to be still active here in some other name..
Just like —
Bliss & munna seem similar 😉
Hahahaha
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August 16, 2012 at 1:34 PM
she had some problems logging in a while back. She’s not been here. She’s not the ID changing sort. But yeah would be great to have her around. With or without ETT.
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August 16, 2012 at 2:25 PM
Apparently she is looking after her kids and changing nappies (rather than IDs) hahaha
Ps: which reminds of Amy’s ‘disappearance’
There are some stories I’ve heard but not sure if they are rumours,,,
May reveal if she doesn’t turn up on her own– since then I have nothing to fear and can tell 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Those living in the shadows of someone, sometimes take a lifetime/career to ‘grow’ and ‘match up’ with that person ..
Sometimes they eventually surpass him eventually
Which is fine…
But when they start claiming that they were ‘always the greatest!’ that’s when the ‘plug needs to be pulled’ 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 12:59 PM
“But there’s also no room for ‘nostalgia’ in these debates. Rajesh Khanna was an unparalleled superstar when he became one. But when it was over it was over”
Agreed
But then, why does one sees repeated ‘reminders’ ( as if one needs them anymore) of how this Salman or aamir or x or y (replace with anyone having a great phase) is actually somehow lesser than what bachchan sr enjoyed in the late seventies !!
🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Although this is not entirely a correct comparison since Salman is /was always much more than an Andy Murray (& so is SRK not exactly comparable to SRK!)
But still–
The other day Murray miraculously defeated Federer after a lifetime of attempts and won the Olympic gold..
Some Scotts I know tried to sell me a viewpoint that he always lost ‘close first and second sets’ before his ‘lesser stamina’ took him down!! Otherwise he wasnt much less than Federer!!
Hahaha
The hard reality for those here is
That SRK has been the star post bachchan who defined bollywood in India and aboard for the max length of time!!
Others had to huff n puff to catch him for the first decade, names kept changing as to who is now likely to take over –there was the Salman, akshay, Hritik, even abhishrek, ranbir phase
Beaitng someone after getting trumped till the fag end of your forties (starting in twenties) in a career lasting till early fifties (likely) should be seen in it’s perspective…
One shouldn’t forget some ‘basics’
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August 16, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Also to add–IMO SRK is clearly on his wane and his next few releases will seal it..
He may even go the Rajesh khanna way (but creditably and crucially) after atleast one full decade more @ the top!!
The other two also may not be far behind in the ‘decline’ though since the fifties are beckoning them and the camera is not nice to a fifty year old face/body…
So : before folks start their ‘alternate graphs’, whilst there is certainly no room for nostalgia ( not being a fan of SRK films- the room is nonexistent for me!!)
One can’t run away with certain key facts and documented realities of the recent past..
The poor gal who I gave a break to or employed may form another company of her own after two and three decades and start claiming that it was infact ‘she’ who did me a favour ! 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 1:33 PM
I didn’t say SRK is Rajesh Khanna. Obviously there’s a question of longevity involved. My point just is that once that decline comes you don’t get extra credit for having been around. It’s a harsh line of work to be in!
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August 16, 2012 at 1:40 PM
every stars gets to face a decline,its the fans who takes a bettering from rival fans.if there was no decline then dev saab and dilip kumar would still be roaming around ,its a cycle of boom & bust..
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August 16, 2012 at 2:34 PM
^ good points vijay.
“its the fans who takes a bettering from rival fans.”
It’s good not to be of anyones fan (except oneself) 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 5:03 PM
I disagree AA. One should be a fan, but, one should never be a fanboy! But, there’s a fine line!
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August 16, 2012 at 1:11 PM
🙂 what fun…
Which check in sometime the ‘justifications’
Anyhow —
Aamir rents an apartment in Chicago –abhishrek quickly ‘copies’ him….(@ least now he knows who all to copy…)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Dhoom-3-Aamir-Khan-rents-a-home-in-Chicago/articleshow/15515181.cms
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August 16, 2012 at 1:37 PM
Stop babbling,AA.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:38 PM
I am in Chicago right now. Unfortunately i haven’t got a chance to meet Aamir. My colleges and friends are going crazy here…
Well i am only able too see the pics of D3 shooting through my friend’s FB profile…I heard Abhishek will be joining soon..
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August 16, 2012 at 2:17 PM
“I am in Chicago right now. Unfortunately i haven’t got a chance to meet Aamir”
Bhaloo: apparently aamir has rented an apartment in Chicago and so have the bachchans
They maybe your neighbours (somewhere in downtown…)
Btw loved the ‘sky Deck’
Love Chicago …
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August 16, 2012 at 2:31 PM
To add–
The way chicago was destroyed (think there was some fire) & to now see all that architecture…
And buildings ..
A ‘tribute’ to the American spirit -hail…
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August 16, 2012 at 4:13 PM
absolutely man. There are some game commentators (go by the name “The Creatures”) who did a 24 hour live stream just to gain money for the Firefighters association. the people’s spirits remain high in America (just like the people themselves) :O
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August 16, 2012 at 1:33 PM
I have a feeling shahrukh is going to share the fate of Rajesh Khanna….I can see him dwindling…fading…and eventually becoming an invisible man.
Will be very hard for him because of all the 3 khans he is the most arrogant and conceited.
I hope in the coming years he turns more towards spirituality….goes to hajj and other religious pilgrimages..to cool off.
ps: In some of the recent interviews of Shahrukh, especially with the fraud Barkha Dutta…he comes across as an irritating “jack…..”
one almost gets the feeling that he is talking to himself.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:42 PM
“I have a feeling shahrukh is going to share the fate of Rajesh Khanna….I can see him dwindling…fading…and eventually becoming an invisible man.”
I don’t agree here…SRK is too smart and workaholic..may be the kind of script sense he has, he may not stay in the film business longer…but with his VFX studio, KKR and the new football club that he bought just now…he will be quite active unlike Rajesh Khanna…
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August 16, 2012 at 1:50 PM
bhalo,
do not insult rajesh with srk…rajesh in his days was top notch where as srk is not even half of it.
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August 16, 2012 at 2:23 PM
@Vijay …
u seriously have some problem with reading and understanding the context…
i am not comparing RK and SRK the stars…just comparing their longevity and remaining active in public life… Rajesh Khanna apart from being a phenomena for 4/5 years, has done nothing in comparison to SRK.
SRK is a phenomena in overseas, a major star in India, Ads, hosting shows, tv shows, buying a cricket club and a foot ball club, VFX studio, production company…
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August 16, 2012 at 2:25 PM
” Rajesh Khanna apart from being a phenomena for 4/5 years, has done nothing in comparison to SRK. ”
but that phenomenon reach heights that SRK couldn’t even begin to approach at any point in his career.
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August 16, 2012 at 2:39 PM
“but that phenomenon reach heights that SRK couldn’t even begin to approach at any point in his career.”
But given a choice i will prefer for a SRK like career…Don’t want my Fav star to fade after 4/5 years…
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August 16, 2012 at 4:15 PM
that’s fair.. I think anyone would make that choice. But it’s important to give Rajesh Khanna his due.
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August 16, 2012 at 5:28 PM
> But it’s important to give Rajesh Khanna his due.
It’s important to give SRK his due too. Which NOW you can safely give, because he’s fading. Be magnanimous about it, satyam.
Though the way you are still attacking him, and putting him down, one would think he’s still worth attacking and putting down when almost everyone has accepted he ‘is’ down.
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August 16, 2012 at 5:35 PM
This might come as news to you but I don’t ‘attack’ people in the petty sense of the word. My analysis is based on facts (yes a revolutionary idea!) and the rest of it has ideological underpinnings. Even today I’d rather watch SRK than Salman. I have not liked the latter at all. This doesn’t mean I start arguing about his stupendous streak. Similarly I’d be supporting Aamir for his choices irrespective of how the box office turned out. But again there are some facts here. Which for many are rather inconvenient things. Actually I could probably advise SRK on a better career course than 99% of his fans including yourself! Mean this very seriously.
By the way I never said he’s fading the way you’ve framed it. He’s just weak relative to the competition. However he does need serious reinvention or he will get to that point despite some box office success. But over the longer run I wouldn’t be surprised to see him around when Salman isn’t! Because SRK can do other things. Salman Khan can’t exactly graduate to ‘senior’ roles!
Finally I have given SRK his due where it matters, for those who can read! It’s not my fault if 99% of the time these debates are conducted in absurd ways and one is forced to argue against him.
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August 16, 2012 at 5:30 PM
“It’s important to give SRK his due too. Which NOW you can safely give, because he’s fading. Be magnanimous about it, satyam.
Though the way you are still attacking him, and putting him down, one would think he’s still worth attacking and putting down when almost everyone has accepted he ‘is’ down.”
Wow Oldgold : u seem to have hit the ‘central issue’ spot on here 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 5:48 PM
what wrong with this srk fans,rajesh was even miles better in overseas then srk,although 4-5 years,[edited]…15 hits in a row,tell me when srk has even gave 3 hits in a row…ra one was momumentle disaster
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August 16, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Satyam ,
Well said but bozos suddenly trying to sound neutral (tho sounding ‘neutered’) won’t get it.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:46 PM
arrogant and conceited.true but he has been the most undisputed superstar in bollywood and his precence is undoubtly unchallanged,speccially here in uk…untouchable
uk: srk stands @80%
salman@ 10%
amir @ 10%
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August 16, 2012 at 3:50 PM
Wow, looks like you have BRITISH TEA (in british accent???) with Shahrukh every day that you can tell how is personally and professionally. Kabhi milvao yaar! XD
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August 16, 2012 at 1:37 PM
looks like ek tha tiger is doing well in overseas.
its a sallu-mania..
http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/box-office/2012/salman-ek-tha-tiger-overseas-box-office-collection-098454.html
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August 16, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif With Komal Nahta
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August 16, 2012 at 1:42 PM
I love how katrina sits so ‘obediently’ and ‘attentively’ and overlooks some gross ‘excesses’ — stays quiet when needed to..
Has a good control over her senses & urges
She has worked hard to make the mos. of her modest abilities and achieved something difficult..
As for salman:
LOVE this tiger persona (after the dabang one!)
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August 16, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Yes I agree anjali …
Infact his downfall will be the steepest
and he will the least equipped to handle the aftermath..
A Rajesh khanna situation is not ruled out ..
Btw for newcomers, just to clarify– Im NOT an Srk fan..
It’s only when certain things/spins go beyond a mean average, I take up a cause 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 1:41 PM
@ alex
i didnt knew…u like shahrukh?
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August 16, 2012 at 3:52 PM
huh…just like Salman says in Partner…”bimari toh tumhe poori baat na sun ne ki”…he said “Im NOT an Srk fan..”
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August 16, 2012 at 1:46 PM
“@ alex
i didnt knew…u like shahrukh?”
Hahaha
What a nice and cute question anjali
Yes: I have never been his fan
Infact satyam is witness to the excessive ‘fun’ I have always had at the expense of sr gay
But
Can’t tolerate ‘injustice’ beyond a point
When one starts negating someone’s entire standing and tries to ‘downplay’ some obvious achievements/ merits–
I speak up!!
Be it Srk
Or anurag kashyap
Or utkal uncle
Or oldgold or anjali 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 1:48 PM
he,he alex since when you became AA,not joined the recovery service have you?
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August 16, 2012 at 1:48 PM
Ha!
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August 16, 2012 at 1:51 PM
Haha
I always believed in philanthropy
A ‘recovery’ unit has always been functional though in certain times when ‘mankind runs amok’, it becomes more active 🙂 hoho
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August 16, 2012 at 1:54 PM
absolutely “functional”..like that!
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August 16, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Satyam,
To your point about SRK able to do “other” things and Salman not, do you possibly see a parallel between Dharams career and Salman? He will be hot till he his hot but will eventually fade rather quickly after that. There is very little longevity in his body of work. I mean who expects to sit through a Ready and/or a Bodyguard two decades from now unlike a Deewar or a Kala Pathar?
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August 16, 2012 at 9:47 PM
Not really Pranav.. Dharam was quite stable for very many years and did a number of meaningful films along the way. It’s only around the late 70s or after that he became associated with very mediocre and downright poor films. But it’s true that very few of those Dharam films mean anything anymore. Sad but true. Incidentally his Raja Jani from the I guess 1970 is still a very cool film.
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August 16, 2012 at 1:51 PM
@ Ace adams
Bravo!
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August 16, 2012 at 2:02 PM
“@ ace Adams
Bravo”
Thanx anjali and vijay 🙂
Btw anjali: have u seen ek tha tiger …?
Try to check it on the big screen…
Ps: I may be catching it sometime this week…
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August 16, 2012 at 2:08 PM
no probs alex,btw i shall be watching ek tha tiger next monday or tuesday,avoiding eid rush…
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August 16, 2012 at 2:12 PM
Hmm…When IS Eid btw..?
Wanted to wish those celebrating Eid like qalander, naveed and Oldgold ….
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August 16, 2012 at 2:18 PM
here in uk,depend on the moon,saturday is most likely.
ek tha tiger has come bang in time for eid dhamaka.
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August 16, 2012 at 2:22 PM
Anjali: dya see only kashyap films
Cum on-‘open up’ your mind 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 2:25 PM
will watch ETT…but not in a cinema hall.the only directors who can force me to visit a hall are kashyap and hirani….in the last few years i have been to hall to watch only their films.
the 3 exceptions being: rang de basanti,dabangg and udaan.
and yes….mughal e aazam…when it was released in color!
finally have the dvd rip of cocktail…..off to watch cocktail now.
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August 16, 2012 at 2:28 PM
“finally have the dvd rip of cocktail…..off to watch cocktail now.”
Anjali: Oh my god: I’m nervous
I put in lots of ‘hard work’ in it 🙂
Lemme know your take : cheers…
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August 16, 2012 at 4:06 PM
“Can’t tolerate ‘injustice’ beyond a point”
Odd since much of the injustice done on this blog these days tends to come from you!
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August 16, 2012 at 1:48 PM
Oldgold seems so ‘overwhelmed’ by my vOcal defends of her ‘god’ Srk–that she has sent me some messages /pics etc
Cum on OG- that wasnt needed 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 3:54 PM
hey alex, watch the language lol
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August 16, 2012 at 1:56 PM
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August 17, 2012 at 2:10 AM
oh boy…here we go! Arnie back in action. I hope his age doesn’t get in the way of his stunts and his overall “feel” in the movie. But, looks like a classic Arnie film!!! 😀
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August 17, 2012 at 2:21 AM
Thanks so much for posting this Arsh. You made my day. Btw Arnie is also teaming up with Stallone for another film
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August 17, 2012 at 6:56 AM
LOL I didn’t post it…Bliss did. BUT, since you already thanked me…I’ll pass the thanks on…THANKS FOR SHARING BLISS!!!!
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August 16, 2012 at 2:01 PM
Who should Salman attribute his recent success to –
My two cents:
Inflation
Fans
Deteriorating public taste
Period! 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 2:06 PM
No wont go that far..
Salman has truly achieved a near miracle
Coming back like this @ his age is v difficult ..
Also though he doesn’t advertise it and highlights it,
Salman also has a very good ‘functional’ knowledge of how popular Bollywood operates —
He knows what his fans wan and gives them that unapologetically..
He has awoken the ‘tiger’ in me 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 2:14 PM
OT:
Have Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives in system.
How is it?
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August 17, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Watch it with a ‘cock’s tale’ and you will like it.. of course, you won’t be having ‘sufiana’ illusions about this movie…
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August 16, 2012 at 2:21 PM
Could never complete it…but it’s good–Allens somewhat ‘biographical take’ if u will..
Btw u may prefer ‘head in the clouds’ first..though not Allen..
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August 16, 2012 at 2:26 PM
thanks alex. Dont love Allen’s recent movies much. But like his early works.
Husbands and Wives came in the middle of his career. expecting something good. I find this guy incredibly charming.
n thanks for the other suggestion. would check it out
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August 16, 2012 at 4:38 PM
EK THA TIGER First Day Territorial Breakdown
Thursday 16th August 2012 17.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger collected a phenomenal 31.25 crore nett on day one. The film may would have collected 75 lakhs more but some centres were closed due to various events listed below. The first day distributor share was amazing as it crossed 19 crore. The first day territorial breakdown is as follows.
Mumbai – 11.48 crore
Delhi/UP – 6.45 crore
East Punjab – 2.76 lakhs
West Bengal – 1.47 crore
Bihar – 45 lakhs
Assam – 5 lakhs
(Most parts of Assam was closed due to a bandh called by a local party)
Orissa – 30 lakhs
CP Berar – 1.61 crore
CI – 1.38 crore
Rajasthan – 1.76 crore
Nizam – 1.62 crore
(some centres in the Maharashtra side of the circuit were closed due to funeral of former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh)
Mysore – 1.55 crore
TNK – 35 lakhs
TOTAL – 31.23 crore
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August 16, 2012 at 5:53 PM
Finally saw cocktail.
Really nice movie. For me it was a lot better than PRETENTIOUS stuff like ZNMD and DCH.
Great acting,songs,cinematography and story.
The theme: “Notwithstanding all our dramas, dialoguebaazi,over acting, denials and delusions….people do fall in LOVE.
What??…Love is a joke too??? Who cares….. as long as the world enjoys it and especially the audience.”
The Love triangle is a chameleon and has unmistakable sufi/playful…strains….
And a request to all the feminists…..
“If love is a joke then better be a clown
For love is what makes the world go round”
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August 16, 2012 at 5:57 PM
An apt take anjali–u seem to have captured the ‘essence’ of the film right 😉
Unlike most others…
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August 16, 2012 at 6:08 PM
Btw anjali: whose ‘performance’ did u find was better –deepika or diana panty…..
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August 16, 2012 at 6:16 PM
Diana!!!!…..u know..she was too good.
i am kind of amazed….did the director/story writer conceived her that way…or she added something of her personality to the role…or all this happened just by fluke….but she was amazing.
And its really unfortunate that some of the people here described her as a stereotype…..she has so many strains and layers to her character(just like all of us do)
though i didn’t like much the reintroduction of hooda’s character and the way the film ended..cud have been done better.
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August 16, 2012 at 6:22 PM
“And its really unfortunate that some of the people here described her as a stereotype…..she has so many strains and layers to her character(just like all of us do)”– so u seem to have picked up the ‘layers’
Unlike some who got confused by the ‘exterior distractions’..
Well said anjali: actually it was a very adeptly written part and the casting was bang on..
Besides imagine a much more skilful actress in that like say vidya balan– Sometimes u need a novice to bring out a certain freshness and ‘vulnerability’..
Btw even deepika did quite well IMO
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August 16, 2012 at 6:34 PM
So anjali : what’s your take on this allegation of ‘regressiveness’ in cocktail etc by many here…
And which songs were good..
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August 16, 2012 at 6:48 PM
i think utkal uncle has answered the question of regressive/progressive regarding cocktail exhaustively and comprehensively….
thankfully i am not a feminist and don’t waste my time in such idiotic debates.
but yes…those who are not interested in the theme of the exploration of love(overacting-natural acting)..and are wearing the chasma of feminism can construe the film as regressive(though utkal has refuted them exhaustively)….
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August 16, 2012 at 6:26 PM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 6h
Thursday Update: #EkThaTiger is 50% of Wed. Yet, the contribution from several mass-dominated centres should contribute to a healthy total.
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August 16, 2012 at 6:34 PM
50% fall would give 16-17 cr ,still very good numbers but dont think WOM is really strong here .
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August 16, 2012 at 6:35 PM
Besides imagine a much more skilful actress in that like say vidya balan– Sometimes u need a novice to bring out a certain freshness and ‘vulnerability’..
True.
The casting was bang on.
The most important scene was when saif is complimenting diana. he began in the usual “make believe way” he approached other women…by over acting and drama ….but suddenly in the middle of his speech…they both realize that the over acting has become natural acting…..some connection has struck…..
from then on all the three characters in the triangle are forced much against their wish to mature and become real.
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August 16, 2012 at 6:49 PM
“but suddenly in the middle of his speech…they both realize that the over acting has become natural acting…..some connection has struck…..”
Hmm anjali : u seem to have watched the film carefully…
Btw a question that even the great utkal uncle couldn’t answer…
Diana tells saif that the inebriated deepika didn’t say anything to her(though she had!)…then next day diana was goung to work but suddenly turns around to leave deepikas home!
Was this preplanned or she changed her mind last moment., 🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 6:58 PM
^ haha : Think that may get too ‘complicatedly gross’–sO u may leave that one anjali–
Do check out some Sufi lyrics /song I’ve put up in the Srk-Kat film thread: enjoy..
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August 16, 2012 at 7:03 PM
well cocktail is certainly not a melodramatic stereotyped rom com everyone has been making it out to be on this blog.
i am genuinely puzzled…..why such vehemence against that film?
i can understand it in case of ami….she being a hardcore feminist construed it as regressive. but satyam and others?
they fell prey to the outer gloss of the movie?
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August 16, 2012 at 10:55 PM
🙂
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August 16, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Agree anjali
Felt the same… Btw not everyone has the taste or sensibilities or pateince or even a certain ‘experience’ to assimilate this..
But seems we do 😉
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August 16, 2012 at 7:12 PM
Btw anjali:
Which role did u play in my spoof ?
I was so confused in my many roles as actor, director, producer, casting director, female ‘dress designer’ : that I wasn’t sure who was who –hahaha
Help me pleez
Anyhow in some ‘low lighting’ scenes, I couldnt make out the face of my cofactor hohoho
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August 16, 2012 at 7:32 PM
Haha dont worry anjali : u did a great job and looked great …
Btw due to your deep understanding in films, I have included u in my casting panel who ‘screen test’ the actors/ actresses for a role ( but final decision is mine !): also u can choose the role u want ..lol
Anyhow will have to sort out cocktail casting issues now
Gud note folks..
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August 16, 2012 at 7:43 PM
@ anjali : hope u didnt mind my ‘leg pulling’ –chillax 🙂
As per public demand a repeat–
Liked the ‘attitude’ of the song & both singers pull this off and some deceptively good lyrics
dedicated to the whole cast..
Good night..,
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August 17, 2012 at 12:03 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
Assuming, I repeat *assuming*, #EkThaTiger Thu was between 14 to 17 cr, don’t forget, most biggies collect that on a Sun. Chill naysayers!
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August 17, 2012 at 12:04 AM
EK Tha Tiger Down At Mass Centres But North India Strong
Friday 17th August 2012 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger had pretty big falls in the mass areas across India but multiplexes have held up better especially in North India. There are circuits which have seen falls of nearly 60% but big markets like Delhi/UP and East Punjab are down less than 50% going by early numbers.
This is the trend nowadays that the higher you go on a national holiday the bigger the fall will on the a normal working day. Still Ek Tha Tiger has grossed in the 15 crore nett plus range as per early estimates on its second day which is record or near record collections for a non holiday and the figure looks even better considering the first day was a huge 31 crore nett plus.
The two day figures are 46 crore nett plus as per early estimates and the first three days look like going towards 60 crore which is 7-8 crore more than what any other film has collected over the first three days.
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August 17, 2012 at 12:53 AM
there’s the weekend and Eid to come!
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August 17, 2012 at 1:02 AM
Just got back from ETT at my local multiplex here. Its an OK movie, nothing compared to Dabanng. THe movie wrapped up in about 2hr20mins, and about 20-30 mins of that was spent in pointless ‘been-there-done-that’ action sequences. In the age of Bourne and Bond, desi thrillers really have to try extra-hard to keep our attention up. Personally, used the time for going to the cafeteria. ( I did not want to miss Katzz songs..hehe).
Surprisingly, for the first time Salman looked like he was aging badly. Especially in the first half, his face looked very puffy, tired… maybe he was drinking too much in those days. The contrast between his 45+ face vs the youthful porcelain beauty of Katrina was really striking. And somehow, this also leads to a perceivable lack of chemistry between the two. I actually thought Kat was trying hard and not getting reciprocation from Salman. His was strangely a muted performance, no sparks like in Dabanng or Wanted. Even his comedy was flat.
The movie was rather straight-forward, no twists-turns etc, that could keep us glued. There was a parade of shots of exotic locales, those mind-numbing action sequences and Kats-Sallu romance. YRF really need to put more meat into their scripts.
I will not be surprised if this one fizzles out after a good first weekend. Maybe YRF will be content to net 50crs off Sallu’s shoulders and call it a night.
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August 17, 2012 at 7:56 AM
Interesting you say that about his physicality because I too thought he looked very strange on Indian Idol recently. His entire body seemed very bulky.
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August 17, 2012 at 2:51 AM
Anajli and AA: Cocktail is about many shades of love… real love, passionate love, playful love…love of the sufis,love of Radha and Krishna…full-blooded love of real persons. Anjali, I wont call ZNMD or DCH pretentious, but they are so limited…passionate love se daman bacha ke chalte hain. Afraid to show love in its fullest splendor. Love in these films is bloodless… tongue-in-cheek…as if to show some intense emotions is uncool. In films like DCH or ZNMD, people who are in love ( Aamir-Priety, Akshay-Dimple, Saif-Sonali, Hritik-Katrina) don’t make love. In Cocktail, they do.
In fact, I persuaded my son to see Cocktail ( while I, my wife and daughter saw Hemlock Society, since we had already seen Cocktail, me twice, by then) since I thought he needs to get out of the cool zone of films like ZNMD and improve his EQ. My daughter tried to dissuade him ( She and her friends hated it.) But he decide to check Mihir Fadnavis’s review, since he trusts him, and these lines made him go for it: “The greatest virtue of Cocktail is that it is very, very good looking. The gorgeous London and Capetown locales supplement the film’s ludicrous characters – in fact if Cocktailwere a music video it would be one of the best ones of the year. Pritam’s music is as generic as it gets but listening to Arif Lohar’s Jugni in the bombastic theater speakers blows your mind. “ In the end, he liked the film, and I was relieved.
I attribute many women not liking it to their straitjacketed view of feminism which the media feeds them. They feel threatened by the characters of Veronica and Meera. They would have like to see Veroniac asa real slut or dumb, so that they could feel superior to her. And they would liked to see Meera as a more of a desi and more dumb so that they again could feel superior to her. In their present avatars these two women look like much more complete women with textures and shades which many of today’s young women in their misguided quest for equality with men are denying themselves.
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August 17, 2012 at 6:33 AM
Thanx utkal uncle
It’s good to see you ‘forcing’ your nice son to watch cocktail to increase his EQ –also interesting your daughter hated it..
Well, there are reasons some females have not liked it
But your original reasons are highly enlightening–
“I attribute many women not liking it to their straitjacketed view of feminism which the media feeds them. They feel threatened by the characters of Veronica and Meera. They would have like to see Veroniac asa real slut or dumb, so that they could feel superior to her. And they would liked to see Meera as a more of a desi and more dumb so that they again could feel superior to her. In their present avatars these two women look like much more complete women with textures and shades which many of today’s young women in their misguided quest for equality with men are denying themselves”
Wow
Ps: not we know why Amy didn’t like it … Hahaha
Oldgold : what’s your take –if u haven’t seen it, u will be ‘persecuted’ here 🙂
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August 17, 2012 at 6:36 AM
my sister liked it
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August 17, 2012 at 6:52 AM
All sensible girls like it …
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August 17, 2012 at 7:03 AM
^btw utkal uncle/ others- would like your views on ‘head in the clouds’-Theron & cruz
Ps: should prepare for an ‘attack’ by Amy
Btw there are more and more instances of ‘Internet deprivation’ of some poor girls by their parents/ hubbies /’boyfriends’
And disallowing them go using Internet..
Hope our poor Amy is not facing such a thing ..
My sympathies & ‘support’ for her 🙂
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August 17, 2012 at 7:27 AM
Alex, apparently Ami’s bf got pissed with her because she told him that she wanted to be the exclusive dress designer of Imran Khan 🙂
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August 17, 2012 at 7:04 AM
AA: You are not only what you eat, you are also what you read, what you listen to, what you see. That is why I made him ( my son) take time ( 6hrs and some more) off from his sweltering study schedule to watch GOW 1 and 2.
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August 17, 2012 at 7:10 AM
Gr8
Di your daughter like GOW -highly unlikely ..
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August 17, 2012 at 7:21 AM
No. She loved it. Both the parts. So did my wife. GOW is gender neutral and universal. Packed with stuff. Great lines. Great performances. Great music. Can’t imagine anyone not liking it.
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August 17, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Utkal uncle: seems your son/daughter shares/ has inherited your good taste–would love to see them comment as well ..
As for Amy : she doesn’t have a bf (though she is looking for one)
Her parents seem to have taken away her Internet access to keep her ‘in check’
🙂
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August 17, 2012 at 7:30 AM
Ek Tha Tiger collected a 14.50 crore nett on day two . The second day territorial breakdown is as follows.
Mumbai – 4.85 crore
Delhi/UP – 3.30 crore
East Punjab – 1.49 crore
West Bengal – 62 lakhs
Bihar – 25 lakhs
Assam – 20 lakhs
Orissa – 15 lakhs
CP Berar – 66 lakhs
CI – 57 lakhs
Rajasthan – 88 lakhs
Nizam – 80 lakhs
Mysore – 58 lakhs
TNK – 15 lakhs
TOTAL – 14.50 crore
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August 17, 2012 at 8:15 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger *actuals* Wed 32.93 cr, Thu 14.50 cr. Total: 47.43 cr
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August 17, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Fall is 54%, as usual BOI commentary sucks..
check their commentary on AP fall
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxnewsdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=3969&nCat=
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August 17, 2012 at 8:50 AM
LOL!
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August 17, 2012 at 8:23 AM
AA/ Anjali: What a coincidence! I came across this summing up of GOW by Mihir Fadnavis right now:
“Best enjoyed as a single viewing, Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2 are Kashyap’s double barreled shotgun blast in the rotting belly of Indian commercial cinema; unless you have an absolutely horrible taste in movies, you should watch them on a huge screen.”
http://mihirfadnavis.blogspot.in/2012/08/movie-review-gangs-of-wasseypur-2.html
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August 17, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Thanx for that link utkal uncle
Anjali is probably ‘recovering’ from her cock tail viewing ..
Well, a ‘back2back’ viewing of gow seems good for continuity but did u not feel ‘fatigue’- hav never sat in the cinema for five six hours @ a stretch (except for non-movie viewing pursuits!)
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August 17, 2012 at 8:53 AM
AA: It was physically fatiguing, since I was seeing them after a regular work day. Better to do it on a Sunday morning or something or after an afternoon nap if the only show available is in the evening.
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August 17, 2012 at 9:02 AM
Thanx but hasn’t got a release near me forget am/ pm/ combo
Btw u didn’t say much about GOW music
And snehas work..
What’s your ranking of GOW 1& 2 tracks ..
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August 17, 2012 at 9:15 AM
“Btw u didn’t say much about GOW music”
Oh , That’s an ocean. To write about it casually would be sacrilege. Let me make out some time to write a proper piece on it. Suffice to say Sneha has cured me of my Rahmania.
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August 17, 2012 at 9:23 AM
Yes : awaiting your proper piece on GOW music
Agree it is an ‘ocean’
What sets it apart is the genuinely rooted and unapologetically ethnic tinge (not the token mentions) to rural /countryside/folk stuff
Was never my cup of tea and neither do I understand most of te lyrics etc but then music needs no language
I rate sneha higher than Amit trivedi …( inspite of the Dev d brilliance!)
Ps: repeating again– ‘head in the clouds’ – u may have something to say on it once seen..,
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August 17, 2012 at 9:28 AM
“Suffice to say Sneha has cured me of my Rahmania.”
How-may I ask 😉
IMO rehman is a different ball game -he operates at a different storey from these other folks..
Think he has used rabbi shergill in the upcoming Srk-Kat film ( my hunch from a few sec of guitar)-check out the Srk /Kat promo thread for some links I’ve
posted..
Ps: utkal uncle is a ‘rockstar’ uncle unlike some
‘Khap panchayat’ types (even here) 🙂
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August 17, 2012 at 10:05 AM
Trailer of Sylvester Stallone’s upcoming film “Bullet To The Head” (based on the graphic book). Co-starring Sung Kang, Jason Momoa (Conan) and Christian Slater. And helmed by the director of cult classics like The Warriors and 48 Hrs- Walter Hill
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August 17, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Ok folks –off to ‘ek tha tiger’ (unless get distracted into something else)
Catch ya later with the review/ updates,….
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August 17, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Wow- Even though I haven’t commented on the blog in a few days- -and this is a box office thread about the biggest opener of all time- there are so many snide digs at me here that are totally unrelated to the topic. I am flattered that AA and Anjali find me so important. 😉
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August 17, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Ami, if by any chance u got offended by my comment (which was a joke- and i haven’t made any other comment abt u) i apologise
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August 17, 2012 at 11:29 AM
I know your comment was a joke Saurabh- I’m not offended by it at all. 🙂
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August 17, 2012 at 11:26 AM
NY Times:
August 16, 2012
Movie Review
Love as Espionage, and Vice Versa
By RACHEL SALTZ
Kabir Khan’s “Ek Tha Tiger,” a Bollywood romance dressed in espionage clothes, seems most engaged during its glass-shattering, rooftop-hopping action sequences. Its superagent hero, Tiger (Salman Khan) — his 007 T-shirt is more descriptive than aspirational — can’t help making a mess fighting and chasing in foreign cities. Dublin, Istanbul and Havana are probably still sweeping up, rewiring and getting their trains back on track after Hurricane Tiger.
Too bad these bursts of action have more wit than the actual story or characters. But to talk about that involves spoilers, so if you don’t want to know the unsurprising surprises, stop reading now.
Because after a long windup — the whole first half — the movie becomes a Romeo-and-Juliet tale of lovers from warring houses. While on a mission in Ireland, Mr. Khan’s lonely Tiger, a R.A.W. agent (India’s C.I.A. — it stands for Research and Analysis Wing), falls for Zoya (Katrina Kaif). And lo and behold, she turns out to be … a Pakistani agent! (She’s ISI, or Inter-Services Intelligence.) What to do?
Tiger and Zoya both make good kung fu street fighters, but as spies they’re unconvincing, and as lovers they’re cookie-cutter bland. Their loyalty to each other is never really in question and only tepidly tested, so the theme of my enemy, myself, remains unexplored.
Still, it’s there: Indians and Pakistanis, the movie says, look alike, act alike and even spy alike. When they don’t know they’re supposed to hate each other, strange things can happen. Love, for example. And pumped-up fisticuffs in romantic places.
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August 17, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Why does Rachel Saltz review Hindi films? All of her reviews have the same indulgent, condescending tone.
I just get the feeling that she is incredibly bored and clueless watching Bollywood films and she reviews them less out of interest and more out of great kindness, so that even these kitchy films from a poor country get the privilege of being featured in the NYT.
She also always comments on similarity or references to Western culture in this wondorous way- isn’t it’s amazing that Indian people would even know about 007 or *gasp* have their own version of the CIA?
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August 17, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Ha! Our comments crossed – I completely agree that her tone seems very blah. I think she’s had it with her editor and it shows!
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August 17, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Though to be fair there are worse sins than showing boredom and condescension when reviewing Salman Khan films.
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August 17, 2012 at 11:44 AM
LOL. Might just be me but Saltz sounds a bit “over” reviewing Bollywood.
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August 17, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Update: ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ Fri to Tue trends!
By Taran Adarsh
Where is EK THA TIGER headed after a mind-boggling start on Wednesday [32.93 cr] and a dip in business on Thursday [14.50 cr]? Well, let’s look at the 2-day totals from India and Overseas…
India [Wed + Thu] – 47.43 cr
U.S.A. [Wed + Thu] – 1.90 cr [some screens yet to report]
U.K. [Wed + Thu] – 1.25 cr
Australia [Wed + Thu] – 65.73 lacs
U.A.E. [Wed + Thu] – 1.96 cr
New Zealand [Thu] – 10.40 lacs
FRIDAY TO TUESDAY TRENDS
A further dip in business is expected today [Friday]. But the film should gather momentum towards evening/night shows, again. The business is expected to shoot upwards on Saturday and Sunday, while the Eid festivities on Monday and Tuesday is sure to witness incredible numbers. Like I keep saying, picture abhi baaki hain!
WILL IT OVERTAKE SALMAN’S HITS?
The one question on everyone’s lips is [and my Twitter timeline is full with it], will EK THA TIGER overtake the lifetime business of DABANGG [147 cr] and BODYGUARD [148 cr]? Of course, it will. Just wait and watch! The Saturday to Tuesday business of EK THA TIGER will take the film to dizzy heights, for sure. Also, at the end of Week 1 [9 days], hopefully, EK THA TIGER will be able to cross the lifetime business of both these films. Yes, you read it right!
PAKISTAN BAN
With Pakistan deciding against screening EK THA TIGER, Yash Raj will stand to lose at least 10 cr to 12 cr from this territory.
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August 17, 2012 at 11:36 AM
LOL, the excuses are beginning! We’re now talking about losing money from Pakistan?! By the where is this 10-12 crores from. I am pretty sure Hindi films don’t get such wide releases in Pakistan.
But leaving this aside he’s talking about another dip on Fri. Obviously things will jump up over the weekend but this looks to be a sinking film. The numbers will be huge any which way. But this looks unlikely to cross Dabanng by very much if that is indeed the case.
Such bull! This is the diwali excuse. So if films fall so much on weekdays what’;s the point of even going in for an extended release. Day 1 is apparently more than made up by drops on days 2 and 3!
And again the number will still be among the biggest ever. But this what happens when films are reported on dishonestly. Whether a film is a hit or not liked very much if the numbers are similar the trade can pretend all’s ok. No one does this in any sane accounting system. Actually even in Bollywood no one does it this way. It’s just the trade that delivers these absurd narratives.
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August 17, 2012 at 11:39 AM
and note how whether a film starts at 30 and falls 50% or starts at 20 and does the same (all off similar screen counts) these guys pretend ‘it’s all expected’!
Check out Ghajini’s trending from day to day, I won’t even get into 3I’s. Somehow this can never happen but over a 9 day or so extended week Ghajini’s trending was extremely stable!
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August 17, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Fri is slated to be another 20% drop. Overall, the drops while expected are disconcertingly big and dont bode well for the total. Sure Sat,Sun and Mon will show a significant uptick but this is not going to trend that well. Afinal total in the neighbourhood of 160-170 is on the cards. Delusions about crossing 3I will have to wait for another day and another movie.
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August 17, 2012 at 1:59 PM
No dude . . Max 100 Core up to Monday and then Game over. This is Ra.One of 2012. Will not contribute more than 30 Crore after Monday.
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August 17, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Yakuza,
That would be a shocker and find it hard to believe.
Cannot count that possibility out and you are obviously in the know.
Will be interesting to see how it plays out.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:04 PM
would be pretty stunning if that happened.. second what Rajen says.. you probably know more about this and if so this is incredible. Would be quite a disaster if that happened. I always had doubts about ETT, said so here many times, expected it to fall between two stools, but looking at day 1 I thought I might have been wrong. Certainly never expected anything like Ra One even with an underperformance.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Incidentally I’ve also been very skeptical about sher Khan and the Dabanng sequel, for different reasons.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:59 PM
I think Dabangg 2 would be the peak of this Salman phase as far as openings go and from then onwards it will be a downward slide. How big of a slide it will be only time will tell.
On the other hand I think both Krish 3 and Dhoom 3 would open bigger than ETT,Dabangg 2 and would also beat 3 Idiots with fair margin. Also Hrithik may not have a chance to repeat it again but Aamir would have one more chance to beat 3 Idiots with PK.
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August 17, 2012 at 5:47 PM
Well, like I mentioned in my comment yesterday, I would not be surprised if it fizzles after a bumper weekend. Movie mein jaan nahi hai. And Sallu was somehow really muted. Maybe YRF ke neechey kaam karne mein mazaa nahi aaya.
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August 18, 2012 at 12:54 AM
was expecting from trailors and kabir khan on helm making commercial movie and even in trailors salman’s age is appearing now
even they are talking about dabang 2 but people are underestimating the importance of abhinav kashyap and a strong script for dabang
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August 17, 2012 at 2:04 PM
AA: IMO rehman is a different ball game . Absolutely. But Sneha has made me go for her ball game rather than rahman’s. At least right now. For ever since Gentleman and Rangeela or perhaps Dil Se days if I did not listen to a Rahman song on nay day, it wopuld kind of affect my blood circulation. I have almost all Rahman’s albums in three or four different formats. CD, Tapes, On the laptop hard drive, on a USB drive. But the last two months or so I have been managing without Rahman., listening to Ishaqzade, Cocktail and Gangs of Wasseypur by turn and feeling good. Of course it is true Rahman hasn’t come up with anything after Rockstar ( Ek Deewana Tha is god, but the film turning out to be so bad has dampened my enthusiasm for it somewhat.)
A bit on the two different ‘ ball games’. Douglas Hofstadter mentioned in one of his books that if mankind had to send some sample of music to the space so that living beings another galaxy could enjoy it , it had to be Bach. What he was trying to imply was that Bach’s music was kind of pure music. The enjoyment of Bach’s music comes from the pure aural sensation of the way the notes are organized. Another way of saying it is that a cultural knowledge of any kind is least required in case of Bach’s music. I feel that way about Rahman’s music. It is culture neutral. There are elements of culture in his music. His music is informed by various cultural traditions. But at the core his music is pure music. Notes, melody, beats, harmony.. he plays them around as he only can. That is why his music has been instantly accessible to South Indian as well as North Indians, Indians as well as non-indians. And the enjoyment of his music by diverse audiences is almost the same. This is true of Ilayaraja to a large extent too. But not so with most of the Hindi film composers. Not Shankar Jaikishan, not Naushad, not even RD Burman.
But when one talks of pop music, it is often not pure music. It is a cultural product. Songs of Eminem or Dylan or Guns N roses will not appeal to someone without some acquiantance with Western pop culture. Same goes for ghazals of Mehdi Hassan or Rabindrasangeet. But with the right amount of cultural literacy, songs by these composers can be great fun. And so it is with Sneha Kanwalkar. If one has been open to Indian folk music, western pop, Bollywood music and so on, Sneha’s amalgamation of these to create an original sound will feel pretty exciting. And I am taking in that excitement with relish right now.
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August 17, 2012 at 2:11 PM
I feel that the most original aspect of GoW is the music — “Emotional Atyachaar” in Dev D was simply the start, but the strange, not-necessarily-ironic combination of English and desi rustic in Go is a one of a kind. I do give credit to Khanwalkar and Kasyap for that, BUT, I have to say I miss Dev D’s Amit Trivedi. That album grew on me, and is one of my favorite non-ARR Hindi film albums in several years. I really wish he’d gotten a chance to score for GoW, although it is hard to begrudge a female music director this assignment…
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August 17, 2012 at 2:23 PM
Dev D is my favourite non_rahan album too. It’s the non-Rahman album I have been listening to the most number of times and over the the longest period of time without losing the shiver of excitement felt on the first listening. Emotional Atyachar is the biggest cultural artifact to come out of Bollywood in decades. But look at the arnge: Oh Pardesi, Mahi Mennuu, Nayan tarse, Yehi Meri zindahgi, Paayalaia .. and may be a coule more I am forgetting. Every song was a winner. and Kashyap picturized weach of them so much against the grain, so unpredictably. oh my that film was such a high ! Never tripped on a film like that in along time. maybe Woodstock on bog screen back in college days. and All That Jazz and Across the Universe. Yes, Amit Trivedi is the man. He is the future. But I still think Sneha was perfect for GOW and amit could not have done what she has done.
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August 17, 2012 at 2:42 PM
@ utkal
As far as the richness,beauty,depth,maturity and magic of music is concerned…the soulful renditions of indian ocean in black friday…is way better than the works of sneha and amit.
just listen to the music of black friday and other albums of indian ocean…they even composed the opening song of peepli live…..
listen to that music and then compare them with the music given by amit and sneha and yu will see the difference.
kashyap in a moment of hyperbole said: “Indian Ocean creates the best music on this side of the atlantic”….i don’t think he was wrong.
the element of ruuhaniyat that their music is imbued with…transports yu.
for me…indian ocean music is more richer and deeper than ar rahman.
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August 17, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Anjali, I have all the albums of Indian Ocean from their eponymous first through Desert Rain, Knadisaa, Jhini ( my favourite) right up to Black Friday and Khajoor Road( downloaded) . But they do not have the key to the storehouse of pure music that Rahman has nor do they have the easy familiarity with contemporary culture to be as inventive and playful as Sneha or Amit can be. They get the Sufi spirit quite right, but there the gold standard is Nusrat who makes such a deeply traditional music universally accessible with his sheer musical genius.
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August 17, 2012 at 3:06 PM
What is this new term ‘Pure music” ???
BW music can never be pure but singing can be ..
I Know, some blaha blaha stuff will be thrown at me but my Q will still remain … Pure music and BW cant co-exist…
but when one is Fan(tic) than any hyperbole is possible..
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August 17, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Perhaps I need to listen to it again, but I always found the Black Friday album overrated — not my kind of thing; stuff like Bandiya is just not a patch on the far better Sufi sounds around. In general, I don’t think “desi rock” was the right way to go for those tracks, something far more (for want of a better word) “ethnic” would have suited those tunes better…
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August 17, 2012 at 3:07 PM
http://gaana.com/#!/streamalbums/black-friday
pls listen to the bharam bhaap ke song….the opening pre blast music..and all the others….
i mean..there is no comparison…especially with sneha and amit on one hand…and indian ocean on the other.
pls listen to their music once..(maybe u havent listened to them in long time…and then compare.
indian ocean is atleast a million times better than these kids….i could have said billion…but then you wud have accused me of hyperbole.
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August 17, 2012 at 3:11 PM
Bliss: I have already explained what i mean by pure music pretty exhaustively in my earlier post… and how it can be sensed from a secondary attribute of its appreciation across cultural barriers.
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August 17, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Anjaki, Indian Ocean are good. I havent heard Black Friday as many times I have heard Kandisaa and Jhini. But by now I suppose you know that I look for joyousness and playfulness in art along with empathy for the whole spectrum of the human condition. For me the shock of excitement that Emotional Atyachar or Womaniya creates is huge. And it’s cultural rather than pure music.( and their picturization contributes to the impact as well.) But I relish it.
But I will listen to Black Friday again and will tell you if I feel any differently.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:17 PM
Anurag Kashyap in an interview has said that the only reason why he did not repeat Indian Ocean after Black Friday…even though he considers them to be the best musical band this side of the atlantic….was …. because music and songs his films are in the background and they serve to carry the narration forward…a lot of things are happening in the film while the music creates the climate……whereas The indian ocean music was so rich and deep that it distracted the mind of the audience…..from the narration on screen by their bewitching trippiness.
the same reason why dev anand did not play the full dum ma ro dum song by rd burman in his film because..he thought the song will become more important than the film.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:22 PM
this interview was conducted before the release of no smoking where he took vishal bhardwaj as a music director.
i read it in the pfc long way back, cannot find the link of the interview.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:23 PM
Ek Tha Tiger Set Be Down Again On Friday
Saturday 17th August 2012 22.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger started like a hurricane and had a big fall on day two which was expected due to the huge collections on day one but it seems the downward trend is continuing on Friday.
The film should have consolidated on Friday and have similar collections in the 14-15 crore nett range but it seems a fall is on the cards as collections coming in at places are 20% lower than Thursday so a Friday fall is certain even if other places hold up better.
It could be the Ramadan period that is taking a toll on collections or it could be that the film does not have public appreciation that the last few Salman Khan starrers have had.
The key days will be Sunday and Monday when Ramadan is over and these will tell whether the film emerges a solid hit or a huge blockbuster.
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August 17, 2012 at 4:24 PM
Man how many excuses will these guys make!
By the time the weekend arrives the bar is so low that if the film than does 10-15% better they’ll say ‘big jumps’!
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August 17, 2012 at 9:35 PM
I was expecting 30 crores each day…so 100 crores in just 4 days…
The response that i am getting from my friends in FB are very good for this movie…surprised that it dropped. But still agree that these are weekdays and bound to drop…waiting for the weekend results.
If it is able to manage 25 crores on Saturday and Sunday both, then we will have a 100 crore film in just 5 days or an extended weekend.
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August 18, 2012 at 1:04 AM
lol it was salman’s period and now its cursed to
wtf was that for 20 % hikes in tickets in this period may be that don’t help collections to
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August 18, 2012 at 2:27 AM
“The key days will be Sunday and Monday when Ramadan is over and these will tell whether the film emerges a solid hit or a huge blockbuster.”
surely these 2 days will fetch 30+25 – as huge (and i mean it) muslim population will flock to see ETT for “bhai”
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August 18, 2012 at 1:46 AM
Sometime ago I commented on this site that this movie will fizzle out after initial euphoria.Salman was looking aged, disinterested and this will crash after initial hype. I guess this movie is losing steam and will crash from Tuesday.The poor storyline will not be appreciated by Janatha Janardhan.
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August 18, 2012 at 3:34 AM
Ek The Tiger VS Ra.One VS BodyGuard (First Three Days Comparison)
http://bollybusiness.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/ek-the-tiger-vs-ra-one-vs-bodyguard-first-three-days-comparison/
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August 18, 2012 at 9:04 AM
good stuff Yakuza. really puts ETT in sharp focus.
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August 18, 2012 at 6:04 AM
Namrata Joshi on Anurag Kashyap ( OUTLOOK)
[post created]
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August 18, 2012 at 6:24 AM
http://mumbaiboss.com/2012/08/17/the-vigil-idiot-ek-tha-tiger/
This has GOT to be the best review ever!!! :O
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August 18, 2012 at 6:41 AM
lol. yeah. checked it out yesterday
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August 18, 2012 at 6:49 AM
^ good interview by anurag kashyap (namrata joshi)
Anyhow @ utkal uncle–
An astute and masterly take there on music -agree, sir !!
“Douglas Hofstadter mentioned in one of his books that if mankind had to send some sample of music to the space so that living beings another galaxy could enjoy it , it had to be Bach. What he was trying to imply was that Bach’s music was kind of pure music. The enjoyment of Bach’s music comes from the pure aural sensation of the way the notes are organized. Another way of saying it is that a cultural knowledge of any kind is least required in case of Bach’s music. I feel that way about Rahman’s music. It is culture neutral. There are elements of culture in his music. His music is informed by various cultural traditions. But at the core his music is pure music. Notes, melody, beats, harmony.. he plays them around as he only can. That is why his music has been instantly accessible to South Indian as well as North Indians, Indians as well as non-indians. And the enjoyment of his music by diverse audiences is almost the same. This is true of Ilayaraja to a large extent too. But not so with most of the Hindi film composers. Not Shankar Jaikishan, not Naushad, not even RD Burman.”
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August 18, 2012 at 7:06 AM
This is just personal taste so personal opinion( Utkal n others) like we have on all things since the genesis of Internet, and nothing more 🙂
Now those who like him will side with him saying yes ..yes and those who don’t will be labelled as novices in music..
Ps: I see now very harmful and Irritating trend of hyperbole here and most of those who utter those statements think they are Right and uttering gospel for modern times … Sanity has gone somewhere in dark corner 😦
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August 18, 2012 at 8:01 AM
^ bliss(munna): everyone is entitled to his/her opinion including u and utkal uncle ..and u say: in blogosphere, it brings in lots of hyperbole and similarly ‘deconstruction’
Ps: though one should ‘attempt’ to read ‘between’ the lines as well- rarely one does get to change the opinion…
Ps2: plz feel free to come up with your counterpoint to utkal. That’s the charm of debates..nothing to feel irritated about it (unless one starts comparing vishal shekhar to rehman!)
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August 18, 2012 at 8:22 AM
1st you stop playing with names and gender 😀
Rest about counterpoints is waste, IMHO when there is complete plasticity on the other side…
One can’t counter hyperboles :D, No Way…
I can Quote same bach and then say Salil Da or Sachin da music is pure than ???
Its just Personl taste like Religion and If we start countering My religion is better and bigger, we will end up nowhere.. same for Music as I said Sanity is lost here and hiding somewhere in dark Corner…
Arguing for the sake of argument and proving himself to be right is no big deal and saying himself right and what is right is all together different things…
Here, what’s going is, that what I say is right and you have have bad habit of adding butter to the fire 🙂
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August 18, 2012 at 8:24 AM
^haha I agree to that munna 😉
Ps: u are really a true fan of rd burman : cheers
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August 18, 2012 at 7:36 AM
This article was written by Anurag in 2004:
Just a few years back, esteemed critic and filmmaker Khalid Mohamed decried Hum Aapke Hain Koun as the world’s longest toothpaste ad. Lately, in a review of Main Prem Ki Deewanee Hoon, he recognised the very same HAHK as a modern classic!
Suniel Shetty (don’t miss the newly added ‘e’) in Main Hoon Na is already being compared to the eternal Gabbar Singh of Sholay!
Either I’m going blind or I’ve sprouted large blinders on either side of my eyes. Why can’t I see what everyone else seems to be seeing?
A Subhash Ghai gets to open a ‘film’ school long after he has forgotten how to make them. His Whistling Woods sounds more like a retirement plan than the “future of Indian cinema”. But we can hardly blame the man. The government approved the plan. And gave him prime land for it in the process.
Team effort. Even losing a match requires a lot of it!
A director calls a press conference to declare that his film Kaun Hai Jo Sapnon Mein Aaya is the opening film of the Cannes film festival and trade magazines instantly go to town with the dubious fact, without so much as checking to see if it is the truth. The story repeats itself with that daily scrapbook of the film industry, the Bombay Times. They have been promoting The Perfect Husband with big, bold letters proclaiming its journey to Cannes. We believe it, shake our heads in slight incredulity and turn the page.
The question is, who is responsible for the hype, the lies? The media who delivers and lovingly nurtures it? The readers who lap it up in silent subservience? Or the filmmakers who are content with this universal belligerence? They want everyone to believe that it is all happening. Why burst the bubble when there’s no one around wanting to even take a poke at it? The media itself lends its posterior for the whipping it so richly deserves and often gets. Star-struck and salivating for sound bites, its main agenda is not to rub anyone up the wrong way. The year 2003 saw more hits than 2002 and the Star Screen Awards got so excited by it that they announced seven nominations each in the Best Actor and Actress categories. Were they feeling guilty about choosing the best five? “Policy please” seems to have given way to “Please policy” in their book of resolutions.
Why is it that a unique talent like Rajpal Yadav in Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon is not even considered for those awards? Is he not ‘star’ enough? Is it only because he doesn’t speak English? Because of the absence of a lineage?
Quite simply, in a nation and industry of a thousand dynasties, are we ashamed of recognising one of normal birth?
We are running a donkey’s race, swimming in the shallow end of mediocrity, believing we are masters of the sea.
http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?224117
Full article Link.
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August 18, 2012 at 8:31 AM
^ thanx anjali : interesting link
Lol @ “Quite simply, in a nation and industry of a thousand dynasties, are we ashamed of recognising one of normal birth?
We are running a donkey’s race, swimming in the shallow end of mediocrity, believing we are masters of the sea.”
He may offend many by his tone but the crux of what he says is right. Not sure why someone who himself is not a beneficiar of this system can disagree with him (& some so vehemently)
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August 18, 2012 at 7:47 AM
A tiger ‘tamed’: the fall (or the rise!)
>
Saw Ek tha tiger: some random thoughts: as usual my individual take and not based on any public opinion/ box office ‘cues’
>Basic premise:
“Pehli Baar Koi Faisla dil se Kia hai
dekhne chahta hoon
Yeh Faisla mujhe kahaan le jaata hai!”
Similarly: one can apply the dictum:
‘love knows no logic and finds a way’ albeit in an espionage setting
>
>Reference points/ similarities:
Hollywood: the spy who loved me
Mr and Mrs Smith-Pitt, Jolie
Knight n Day- cruise, Diaz
Bollywood: agent vinod (though this one is better)
>It also dishes up a ‘James bond lite’ which is its strength and also a misgiving for different reasons
>Genre: basically an action spy (lite) romance
>
>Strengths
Salman khan: his presence, persona and sheer star power
Action: I mean good by Bollywood standards- From parkour to fun chases to innovative stopping of a tram by a coat to motorcycle powered aircraft entry !!
Locations: brilliant use incorporated into the story and visual palette-
Ireland, turkey, Cuba
>
> Skillful Support Actors
Like them personally : Girish Karnad (liked him), ranvir shorey, roshan Seth (always like him even in minuscule parts!)
>
> Salmans performance
1) a somewhat ‘different’ , ‘restrained’ or lets say ‘atypical’ Salman somewhat
2) may not exactly cater to his fan base that much though there are enough salmanisms there to keep em happy!
3) sometimes one felt a certain ‘disconnect’ between Salman the actor, the star and the overall setting while creditably, this was somewhat bridged ( due to more compromises from one side than the other)
4) at points he did appear to me as slightly disinterested, detached (even to katrina) and maybe a bit lazy but overall a competent star turn
5) to put it in the right perspective, a more ‘human’ act and falling below just ‘dabang’ in my preference overall…
>
>Issues/problems/ notes
1) somewhat lacking in true content & ‘depth’ in storyline
2)a bit unidimensional and linear : devoid of the ‘turns’ and ‘surprises’ viewers nowadays demand!
3) It’s good to lace proceedings with a dash of humour but its a delicate balance–too much ‘fun’ or comedy sometimes ‘trivialises’ the ‘drama’ diluting the overall effect !
4) there are loopholes and glaring practicality isseus but let’s give that a miss in a Salman film and those ‘objections’ should /will fall on deaf ears of his fans
>
> Songs/ music
Good though not brilliant
But the song picturisations were uniformly good and integrated to the ‘location’ and the visual imagery of that region..
My pick: banjara : Irish Celtic strains: shows Salman getting ‘hit’ by love for the first time
notable point: Laapata : wonderful Cuban montage: IMO was supposedly recorded with actual Cuban musicians to get the sake instrumentation and feel!
Good background score & the ‘tiger theme’!
> good one liners
Like ‘dekhne chahta hoon’
‘pataate pataate’, ‘dress utaarna nahin hai’
>
>Katrina Kaif:
She was good here as expected; looked good intermittently though for the first time, could see signs of ageing/Botox on her face..
> katrina: full points for action
Perhaps one of the best action in an Indian film by an actress !!
>
> the ‘chemistry’ of the lead pair
Well, people feel they had brilliant chemistry here.
I agree that the comaraderie and the ease was very evident but not exactly the ‘passion’ of true mad lovers.
Also felt a somewhat ‘resigned detachment’ in Salman (as someone who is tired of waiting and now doesn’t really care–lol!)
Or it might even be ‘knowing each other too well!’
IMO, the chemistry of katrina with Hritik in znmd was better..
> the crucial question
The dabang comparison
Well, the fact that im asking this question shows where this film is to be placed in salmans long filmography
Inspite of the numerous issues/ flaws, will place it just ‘below’ dabang. This film also highlighted the true worth of dabang and how it was much more than ‘munni’ or fun action or the moustache. abhinav kashyap did bring in a lot more intangible to the table.
But overall a good effort for salmans star power, ace locations and some innovative parkour action.
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August 18, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Addendum to ‘a tiger tamed’
Some of the good moments-
> the meeting of Girish karnad with Salman at the latters humble government quarters : doing humble cooking and reminiscing..
> A better than average depiction of the world of espionage- the way it operates/ the modus operandi (albeit with some glitches)
> some of the action sequences were quite good -though in some, one could make out salmans double(!) and also the fact that some were actually done by katrina herself!
The one where Salman gets from the mobike to the plane was silly but quite fun (inspite of some special effects issues!)
Ps: overall though, one wasn’t sure if adequate ‘justification’ was given for the great action – something that Indian viewers demand (!) and something they were given in more supply in the recent Hritik agneepath and even rowdy rathore!
Ps2: occupancy wise: this was somewhat lower than both those (bit that’s not a surprise)
Ps3: have always felt that SRK and even Hritik are bigger in that area overseas …
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August 18, 2012 at 8:59 AM
@ alex
out of 5 how much are yu giving to ETT.
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August 18, 2012 at 9:16 AM
@ anjali:
I usually don’t believe in numbers/ ratings esp for Salman films sicke I haven’t seem many of his films and feel that some of those I’ve seen don’t deserve my rating ! Haha
But lately like him and admire his persona most dabang !
If u were to force me to rate his films: Out of five
I won’t rAte his other films ie around 0!
Dabang : 4
Ek tha tiger : 3 to 3.5
Ps: u can watch it : will be fun esp in the cinema : but don’t go expecting too much : chillax
Ps2: am a bit interested to know what the other esteemed members feel about ETT- hope they come up with their usual spell-checked, correctly syntaxed, ‘politocially correct’ reviews (& separate threads!)
🙂
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August 18, 2012 at 10:02 AM
🙂
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August 18, 2012 at 10:06 AM
By the way there are a few scenes in dabangg which i suspect were ghost directed by anurag kashyap.
of course none of them included salman khan….i am alluding to a few darkly comic scenes involving sonu sood and om puri….
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August 18, 2012 at 10:08 AM
also the scene where sonu sood barges into salman’s house and kills dimple…has unmistakable anurag kashyap quality
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August 18, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Unlike many, i actually do find abhinav kashyaps work interesting on the basis of dabang – although these are early days and he has yet to come up with sowmthing after dabang–
Found a certain mix of kashyap tendencies with the usual masala popular fare..
Incidentally there was a dialogue in dabang that caught my eye and stayed with me –personally loved it ..
Something on the lines of –(maybe someone can remind the exact Hindi dialogue)
“If someone actually stays /lives with me, only then will understand and agree with WHY I do the things that I do!!” 🙂
Small things like ‘erotta!’-“how did your name become erotta though!..” hahaha
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August 18, 2012 at 10:51 AM
@ anjali -are u watching ETT? Suggest u check it out and write your thoughts …
@ Amy :If and when u get your internet access back (maybe half hour a day) :plz lemme know your thoughts on ETT..after reading mine above..
A gal (Kat) is shown as an ‘equal’ spy agent and does some gr8 kickass action 🙂
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August 18, 2012 at 8:49 AM
OT-came across this rare pic-
Whatta pic —
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August 18, 2012 at 8:49 AM
Some Trade Analysts and websites are desperate to promote this movie. ETT is Ra.One of 2012. When there is no proper storyline and movie is slow with Lead Actor looking aged and disinterested, movie falling in collections rapidly and we hear some sites and analysts saying that Muslims not going to movie due to Ramadan is the prime cause of drop in collection. Muslims staying home in Ramadaan without going to movies is silliest reason given as if they are the true followers of religion. The same muslims will vandalise Amar Jyothi Jawans memorial in Mumbai, beat up cops and molest women cops in the heart of a Metropolis in full view of public gaze( as those women cops are not their daughters,sisters, mothers or wives ) and world wide in Iran, Pakisthan, Syria, Afghanisthan and another dozen muslim countries kill their own people and blow up their own brothers during the month of Ramadan when they have to show mercy, compassion and forgiveness. What kind of dickhead logic people give to promote movies with an agenda. I feel most of these sites are controlled by people with a specific agendas and inclinations.
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August 18, 2012 at 9:17 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger India *actuals* Wed 32.93 cr, Thu 14.50 cr, Fri 12.90 cr. Total: 60.35 cr nett.
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger India Saturday trends: Biz better than Thursday and Friday at several centres.
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger Sat Update II: Expect biz to show big jump from evening shows. Brisk advance booking. Sat biz should be ahead of Thu & Fri.
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August 18, 2012 at 9:18 AM
EK THA TIGER Third Day Territorial Breakdown
Saturday 18th August 2012 17.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger collected around 12 crore nett on day three. The third day territorial breakdown is as follows.
Mumbai – 4.30 crore
Delhi/UP – 2.70 crore
East Punjab – 1.22 crore
West Bengal – 48 lakhs
Bihar – 20 lakhs
Assam – 18 lakhs
Orissa – 12 lakhs
CP Berar – 54 lakhs
CI – 43 lakhs
Rajasthan – 74 lakhs
Nizam – 67 lakhs
Mysore – 41 lakhs
TNK – 13 lakhs
TOTAL – 12.12 crore
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August 18, 2012 at 9:32 AM
I hadn’t heard of Mel Gibson’s Get the Gringo until it released on DVD but it’s a fun ride. Enjoyed it a lot.
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August 18, 2012 at 9:44 AM
LOL. Had posted its trailer 3-4 months back. Saw it some time back and thought this was one film which kind of bought back the Mad Max persona back. Btw i thought his Edge Of Darkness was a terrific thriller and Ray Winstone was also superb in the film
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August 18, 2012 at 10:53 AM
LOL, it’s hard to keep up with your volume! edge of Darkness is based on a BBC series which is even better.
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August 18, 2012 at 10:56 AM
satyam have yu seen gandu by Q? what are your thoughts on that movie?
has anyone here reviewed it?
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August 18, 2012 at 11:00 AM
haven’t yet though was almost on the verge a number of times.
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August 18, 2012 at 12:05 PM
More than the BO results of a particular movie, I’m interested in seeing how the three khans will land- land they must sooner or later, much likely pretty soon (within the next 2-3 years). Here’s what I think:
Salman Khan: Despite my feeling that his castle of sand will come down crashing any minute, he’s going very strong. I’ve been bemused by his late super-revival, but hats off to him for pulling it off. Still I can’t help but think his super success is of the brittlest kind and landing will be of shattering kind. Puffy faced, too bulky (or is that bloated?), disinterested, and perpetually pissed off and sarcastic- not sure how long this phase will last. With almost non-existent acting chops, what can he do besides the hero-giri?! Best case scenario for him would be to become a degraded version of Rajnikant: do one movie every couple of year and maximize the Eid weekend!
Aamir Khan: Nominally my favorite… With SMJ he has given a glimpse into his future. And what does that future hold? Perfection…perfection perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist. Paradoxically I find this perfection rather uninteresting, smothering…that’s why his most celebrated movies don’t make it to my favorite list….instead give me a flawed, but living, breathing Dil Se or Raavan or D6. It’s not that only flawed movies can be interesting, far from it, but his movies are perfect in the most obvious way- as if they are made by ticking the appropriate boxes. He should sometimes let it go.
Shahrukh Khan: Despite making fun of his age in the other thread, I think among the 3 Khans he has aged the best. By aged the best I don’t mean he hasn’t aged and still looks thirty, but he has aged most gracefully! To put it mildly I’m not fond of his current avatar and none of his upcoming movies excite me much. However if he lets go of his ego and faces certain truths, I actually see an interesting career ahead for him….not a flashy one, but a substantive one. But that is a big if! Otherwise if continues in the same old circle, I expect a slow fade.
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August 18, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Agree in many cases Matrix. But I think saying that SRK is aging gracefully is pushing it a bit given that at his current age he’s returned to his roots with all these romances and he’s also romancing girls half his age. I remember on these very blogs people once used to make fun of stars of the 70s or 80s acting with younger actresses (actually this happened much more in the 80s) but those were at least masala films where the romances were hardly central. But to have him romance girls that young in his genre is really pushing it. The point of Salman’s films or even Aamir’s is not ‘romance’. With SRK it is. And Anushka Sharma is about as extreme an example as one can find. Or even some of the others he’s appeared with. Don’t have a problem on this score for some of his other stuff though even with Don and so on you get the sense that he is really fighting age here (these films works best when stars are at the peak of their careers, and certainly physicality). In his upcoming Yash Chopra film there are rumors that he will play an older guy for at least part of the film (might be a spin on the VZ deal, without the politics). Meanwhile on Aamir I certainly see the point you’re making on ‘perfection’ though I don’t quite see how this means aging less gracefully (probably you didn’t intend to suggest this). Agreed completely on Salman though.
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August 18, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Satyam- SRK with Anushka or Katrina in a straight love story is definitely more than pushing it and I made fun of it with all those (some would say ‘petty’) jibes in the other thread…Here I wasn’t talking about this bit when I used the word graceful, rather it related to appearance in real life. Because of his relatively better age-appropriate dressing sense and because he seems to have let age take its toll on his face without resorting to any artificial means I find his aging graceful. Aamir, I don’t know he seems to have done something to his face- he comes across as wide eyed and his facial expressions seem to have become limited and when he has any expression, it seems forced- little hammed up if you will. I noticed this first in 3I, but with SMJ it kinda became distracting! Salman imo is the worst of all; in addition to his physical appearance I talked about, his dressing sense generally is atrocious these days….being human tees and flared jeans!!!
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August 19, 2012 at 8:20 AM
but this whole “perfection” thing is blown so out of proportion that even aamir has stop defending against it. it is sheer variety the man is trying – which is daringly differnent and dangerous from commercial point of view – so he goes all out with sincerity and conviction….and that is being termed as perfection! I would call it dedication to his art rather. And he is chilled out usually otherwise how would one justify his not doing a film in 3 years after 3i!! as he says – journey of film-making is as imp. for him as the completion. I think aamir enjoys what he does and he is a gambler at heart. So much so that mighty YRF has to give in to that indomitable spirit and push a golden goose like D3 by a year – and that is a lot of money mind you – as it would have earnt at-least 100 cr profit for YRF and 1 yr. interest of it wud be 10 cr….but aamir managed to push it for his tv show!!! name any other star who could have got away with this. Not even big b or srk wud do this to YRF.
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August 18, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Good set of thoughts, Matrix. I personally believe they all are capable of an afterlife after they accept that their best days are behind them. There are interesting possibilities for all of them.
I would love to see a good director give Salman a restrained,age appropriate role. However, it all depends on the kind of decisions they make.
I totally agree that Aamir needs to loosen up a bit. D3 should be interesting. And, yes even SRK can have a reasonable second innings, if he can accept not being a ‘Badshah’ and such.
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August 19, 2012 at 2:55 AM
“SRK can have a reasonable second innings, if he can accept not being a ‘Badshah’ and such.” From his interviews, it does not seem that he is someone that is convoluted in a sense of superiority.
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August 18, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Good points there matrix …
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August 18, 2012 at 12:35 PM
To be fair –
Out of these three–
Srk seems most susceptible currently bcos
A) with chain smoking etc, he isn’t in the best physic shape inspite of being not ‘over weight’
B) his attitude has ways been based on ‘I’m the best!’
Which contrary to belief isn’t bad when one is @ the top
But not good when one has to ‘adjust’ eg now
C) unlike his othe two friends, Srk has never really faced real serial failures (professionally or personally) : so is I’ll equipped temperamentally
D) unlike the other two, his strength genre is dependent more on looking young !
But
From past experience, won’t count him out yet
He is not that down n out as some believe and may just spring a surprise !!
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August 19, 2012 at 3:11 AM
hmm…one of the few times…I would like to disagree with you (a bit).
A) Agreed…his ageing is starting to show w/ him being a smokaholic (is that a word?) and a workaholic (that is DEFINITELY a word)
B) When he came into the industry, he thought he was the best, but, I would say that he let go of that attitude in the early 2000s. All he really says about ‘being the king’ is just as a dose of humour. (EVEN THOUGH it’s just a joke, I agree with the statement)
C) He has faced a few failures (personally). Most of these were probably before he entered the film industries, but, those things still affect him. For example, his parents dying when he was young. His sister being affected mentally by it. Shahrukh admitted that the only way he stays out of depression is by being a workaholic (which is the same as “A”)
D) I’m not really sure why people really say that it’s forte genre (I did say that too, but, after thinking about it objectively, I am wrong). It’s true that he has done several romantic films and that many other film makers tried to follow the formula of films like DDLJ etc, but, performance wise, I think he performs well in all kind of roles. Action, Villainous, Romantic, Drama…all of those.
I know I’m being a little bit less objective tonight, but, that’s cuz it’s almost 12:30 AM and I’m no mood to sleep (even though I’m sleepy as hell lol)
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August 18, 2012 at 4:52 PM
B.O. reality gets lost in perception
Opening weekend flash doesn’t tell the whole story
Most B.O. watchers are aware of the year’s bona fide blockbusters (“The Avengers,” “The Hunger Games,” etc.) and sleeper hits (including “Ted” and “Magic Mike”). But some of the most profitable titles are flying under the radar, including Fox Searchlight’s “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” whose beefy profitability ratio outweighs its image as a little charmer: The pic has earned more than $130 million globally from a budget of $10 million. Ditto Universal’s sturdy franchise installment “American Reunion,” which cost $50 million and has grossed almost $235 million worldwide
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118057706/
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August 19, 2012 at 3:03 AM
Oh my god! When will Salman stop giving this shitty action films with no substance at all. I watched Ek Tha Tiger today and it seems like Tiger didn’t roar. He meowed. There’s absolutely no saving grace in this movie. Yes, Salman has a specific sort of presence etc, but, I just cannot get past the fact that the intelligence spies were so stupid. It’s full of plot holes which unrepairable by the chemistry of Salman and Katrina, which in itself is very average! The last time I liked Salman’s on-screen persona was ‘Tere Naam’. In Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger, it just seemed that, anytime now, he would say, “Look at me. I am the biggest star in India right now,” which made it harder to sit through these movies. Ek Tha Tiger was a horrendous movie. Kabir Khan was focused so much on Salman’s star power that he forgot that movie had a very bland and thin script. It’s a 1/5 movie.
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August 19, 2012 at 8:06 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger – India *actuals* Sat 16.75 cr. Total: 77.10 cr nett. Excellent growth on Saturday.
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger *India* Sunday trends: Better than Saturday. Another BIG jump expected today.
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August 19, 2012 at 8:08 AM
Ek Tha Tiger Has Very Good Jump On Saturday
Sunday 19th August 2012 11.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger had a very good jump on Saturday as all circuits grew very well, some around 10% and others were nearly 50% up.
The Saturday business should come in around the 15.5-16 crore nett range which takes the total in four days to a huge 73 crore nett.
Mumbai, Delhi/Up, East Punjab and Mysore all saw big jumps in business and it is likely that the circuits which jumped less will show huge jumps on Sunday.
The extended five day weekend of the film should come in around 93 crore nett or even higher.
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August 19, 2012 at 8:08 AM
even if it’s 95 or higher than this a third of this number would have come on day 1!
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August 19, 2012 at 12:52 PM
“even if it’s 95 or higher than this a third of this number would have come on day 1!”
True but don’t think it really matters in this case …
By the record breaking first day opening, the paying public gas spoken !!
The star power = bums on seats on first day roughly speaking (barring some disclaimers)
The rest is the film
No1 opening day till now= ETT
No2 opening day = Hritik agneepath as of now if I’m correct
This is the fact, the rest is opinion!!
The other FACT is that within ONE week, ETT seems likely to cross 100 cores ….
Where it exactly ends up is academic
It won’t cross 3 idiots though…
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August 19, 2012 at 1:00 PM
“This is the fact, the rest is opinion!!”
thanks for your opinion…
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August 19, 2012 at 1:03 PM
🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 1:15 PM
That ETT has the biggest opening day ever and the biggest first week maybe –isn’t that a FACT!!!
Afterwards who (other than the producers/distributors!) would be (need to be) worried about thurs, fri, sat, sun individual figures…
Ps: the film will go down tues onwards, but probably the ‘job will be done’ (‘damage’ will be done for some)
🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 3:02 PM
That is a fact but one can look at anything in complete isolation and call it a fact! In other words facts need contexts. The ‘truth’ can be made to sound like a ‘lie’ if deceptively used. I could say for instance that Coctail opened much bigger than ZNMD. Hence Saif must be bigger than Hrithik in this genre! Or I could say Agneepath had a bigger opening day than 3I (even accounting for inflation). Hence Hrithik must be bigger than Aamir. The facts can be ‘twisted’ in all sorts of ways which is one should err on the side of comprehensiveness and look at as many factors as possible. Incidentally this is something that is done in US box office reporting (simply the most thorough system in the world) where they compare everything humanly possible and then judge how well or not a film has done.
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August 19, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Agree that all points should be considered and context is important..
But not when one is talking of extremes
Eg when ETT gets the biggest ever opening day, one can’t (or shouldnt!) argue or deny or dissect beyond a point about the opening power of a star …
Similarly, no matter how many factors one looks at, the opening and total gross of tez and drona (the new 100 crore stars abhi
and ajay!)
In other words, in these extreme situations-high n low–contexts get meaningless beyond a point–from whatever angle one looks at it or sells it –the result is the same
So it’s sane to accept it 😉
Ps: ‘Coctail opened much bigger than ZNMD’–thanx for telling me that –don’t care abut SAifs stardom but that is good to hear….haha
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August 19, 2012 at 3:11 PM
they are saying ek tha tiger is indian version of mr and mrs smith
usual complain is the general fan of salman found it to intelligent and intelligent audiences found it to to dumbish
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August 19, 2012 at 3:14 PM
“usual complain is the general fan of salman found it to intelligent and intelligent audiences found it to to dumbish”
Yes that is one possibility rockstar –though I saw it and didn’t find it great but not bad either,,
Some who go with agendas to either prop/ over praise it or pull it down may say this
How did u find it..
I wrote something on it –let me find it…
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August 19, 2012 at 3:30 PM
thats what people whom i trust told me and frankly i haven’t seen the movie
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August 19, 2012 at 1:07 PM
just in the interest of fairness, shouldn’t it be compared to the first day opening of the last big film that opened on a national holiday. that has to make at least a few cr difference.
will be lucky to cross ready and bodyguard, let alone 3 idiots. you know, those 3rd rate remakes with much less hype, no yrf and no katrina. huge public acceptance, ftw
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August 19, 2012 at 1:13 PM
Agree that the ‘last big film on a national holiday’ comparison is misleading since we are talking of an expanding market, inflation, genre difference, holiday etc
But at the end of the day, it is the biggest EVER opening day–don’t think this is an opinion but a ‘fact’
And not by a small margin..
Thats about the opening potential of the ‘star’ -right or wrong!
The rest is the film–which has many flaws that I pointed out yesterday
Besides it being an atypical Salman film wherein he is a bit more ‘restrained’ thus not exactly tailor made for his ‘core fan’
Ps: though using ‘restrained’ for anything about a Salman film makes one think again 🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 12:59 PM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger Sunday trends: Trade confident of touching 20 cr today. May even cross the figure, depending on nite shows.
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August 19, 2012 at 1:05 PM
From BOI FB page..they have revised the Sat figure from 15.5 to 16.5
Ek Tha Tiger Saturday Collection 16.5 cr nett. Actuals
Collection Breakup –
Wed – 32.92 cr nett.
Thurs – 14.5 cr nett.
Fri – 12.9 cr nett.
Sat – 16.5 cr nett.
Total – 76.82 cr nett.
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August 19, 2012 at 1:26 PM
Aamir takes another unprecedented step!!
Advance for talash opens few months earlier!
What dya think of this, Satyam …
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/BollywoodHungama-News/Advance-booking-opens-for-Aamir-Khan-s-Talaash/Article1-913002.aspx
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August 19, 2012 at 1:32 PM
another one in a string of rumors about Talaash, methinks
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August 19, 2012 at 1:51 PM
It was rumor !!!
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August 19, 2012 at 3:27 PM
it’s been denied. it’s not happening.
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August 19, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Maybe but the ‘actual’ tickets are being sold
And ‘eager aamir fans’ are supposedly buying them !!
🙂
Ps: not sure if there are some who are that eager to book three months in advance.. Haha
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August 19, 2012 at 1:49 PM
OT,
Enjoy !!!
Brahama Kamal ( Lotus), rarely seen and Opens up once in year
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August 19, 2012 at 3:20 PM
@rockstar & others who missed it earlier- my thoughts on ek tha tiger—( before it got buried in some other ‘action’ here)– will be interested to hear what others felt about ETT…
AA Says:
August 18, 2012 at 7:47 AM
A tiger ‘tamed’: the fall (or the rise!)
>
Saw Ek tha tiger: some random thoughts: as usual my individual take and not based on any public opinion/ box office ‘cues’
>Basic premise:
“Pehli Baar Koi Faisla dil se Kia hai
dekhne chahta hoon
Yeh Faisla mujhe kahaan le jaata hai!”
Similarly: one can apply the dictum:
‘love knows no logic and finds a way’ albeit in an espionage setting
>
>Reference points/ similarities:
Hollywood: the spy who loved me
Mr and Mrs Smith-Pitt, Jolie
Knight n Day- cruise, Diaz
Bollywood: agent vinod (though this one is better)
>It also dishes up a ‘James bond lite’ which is its strength and also a misgiving for different reasons
>Genre: basically an action spy (lite) romance
>
>Strengths
Salman khan: his presence, persona and sheer star power
Action: I mean good by Bollywood standards- From parkour to fun chases to innovative stopping of a tram by a coat to motorcycle powered aircraft entry !!
Locations: brilliant use incorporated into the story and visual palette-
Ireland, turkey, Cuba
>
> Skillful Support Actors
Like them personally : Girish Karnad (liked him), ranvir shorey, roshan Seth (always like him even in minuscule parts!)
>
> Salmans performance
1) a somewhat ‘different’ , ‘restrained’ or lets say ‘atypical’ Salman somewhat
2) may not exactly cater to his fan base that much though there are enough salmanisms there to keep em happy!
3) sometimes one felt a certain ‘disconnect’ between Salman the actor, the star and the overall setting while creditably, this was somewhat bridged ( due to more compromises from one side than the other)
4) at points he did appear to me as slightly disinterested, detached (even to katrina) and maybe a bit lazy but overall a competent star turn
5) to put it in the right perspective, a more ‘human’ act and falling below just ‘dabang’ in my preference overall…
>
>Issues/problems/ notes
1) somewhat lacking in true content & ‘depth’ in storyline
2)a bit unidimensional and linear : devoid of the ‘turns’ and ‘surprises’ viewers nowadays demand!
3) It’s good to lace proceedings with a dash of humour but its a delicate balance–too much ‘fun’ or comedy sometimes ‘trivialises’ the ‘drama’ diluting the overall effect !
4) there are loopholes and glaring practicality isseus but let’s give that a miss in a Salman film and those ‘objections’ should /will fall on deaf ears of his fans
>
> Songs/ music
Good though not brilliant
But the song picturisations were uniformly good and integrated to the ‘location’ and the visual imagery of that region..
My pick: banjara : Irish Celtic strains: shows Salman getting ‘hit’ by love for the first time
notable point: Laapata : wonderful Cuban montage: IMO was supposedly recorded with actual Cuban musicians to get the sake instrumentation and feel!
Good background score & the ‘tiger theme’!
> good one liners
Like ‘dekhne chahta hoon’
‘pataate pataate’, ‘dress utaarna nahin hai’
>
>Katrina Kaif:
She was good here as expected; looked good intermittently though for the first time, could see signs of ageing/Botox on her face..
> katrina: full points for action
Perhaps one of the best action in an Indian film by an actress !!
>
> the ‘chemistry’ of the lead pair
Well, people feel they had brilliant chemistry here.
I agree that the comaraderie and the ease was very evident but not exactly the ‘passion’ of true mad lovers.
Also felt a somewhat ‘resigned detachment’ in Salman (as someone who is tired of waiting and now doesn’t really care–lol!)
Or it might even be ‘knowing each other too well!’
IMO, the chemistry of katrina with Hritik in znmd was better..
> the crucial question
The dabang comparison
Well, the fact that im asking this question shows where this film is to be placed in salmans long filmography
Inspite of the numerous issues/ flaws, will place it just ‘below’ dabang. This film also highlighted the true worth of dabang and how it was much more than ‘munni’ or fun action or the moustache. abhinav kashyap did bring in a lot more intangible to the table.
But overall a good effort for salmans star power, ace locations and some innovative parkour action.
Reply
AA Says:
August 18, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Addendum to ‘a tiger tamed’
Some of the good moments-
> the meeting of Girish karnad with Salman at the latters humble government quarters : doing humble cooking and reminiscing..
> A better than average depiction of the world of espionage- the way it operates/ the modus operandi (albeit with some glitches)
> some of the action sequences were quite good -though in some, one could make out salmans double(!) and also the fact that some were actually done by katrina herself!
The one where Salman gets from the mobike to the plane was silly but quite fun (inspite of some special effects issues!)
Ps: overall though, one wasn’t sure if adequate ‘justification’ was given for the great action – something that Indian viewers demand (!) and something they were given in more supply in the recent Hritik agneepath and even rowdy rathore!
Ps2: occupancy wise: this was somewhat lower than both those (bit that’s not a surprise)
Ps3: have always felt that SRK and even Hritik are bigger in that area overseas …
Reply
Anjali Singh Says:
August 18, 2012 at 8:59 AM
@ alex
out of 5 how much are yu giving to ETT.
Reply
AA Says:
August 18, 2012 at 9:16 AM
@ anjali:
I usually don’t believe in numbers/ ratings esp for Salman films sicke I haven’t seem many of his films and feel that some of those I’ve seen don’t deserve my rating ! Haha
But lately like him and admire his persona most dabang !
If u were to force me to rate his films: Out of five
I won’t rAte his other films ie around 0!
Dabang : 4
Ek tha tiger : 3 to 3.5
Ps: u can watch it : will be fun esp in the cinema : but don’t go expecting too much : chillax
Ps2: am a bit interested to know what the other esteemed members feel about ETT- hope they come up with their usual spell-checked, correctly syntaxed, ‘politocially correct’ reviews (& separate threads!)
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August 19, 2012 at 5:09 PM
good take on ETT AA…..agree with most of your points except Botox….. she is soo natural yaar….
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August 19, 2012 at 3:37 PM
August 19, 2012, 1:25 pm
‘The Expendables 2’ Proves Weaker Than the Original
By BROOKS BARNES
Like their muscles, the box-office drawing power of Sylvester Stallone and his action-hero cohorts appears to be atrophying with age: “The Expendables 2,” with Mr. Stallone and a muscular ensemble, was the No. 1 movie in North America over the weekend. But its estimated $28.8 million in ticket sales was 21 percent lower than its series predecessor’s opening-weekend total, after accounting for inflation. Millennium Films spent about $90 million to make “The Expendables 2,” which was distributed by Lionsgate.
“The Bourne Legacy” (Universal) was second, taking in about $17 million, for a two-week total of $69.6 million, according to Hollywood.com, which compiles box-office data. Placing third with an estimated $14 million in ticket sales was “ParaNorman,” which cost Laika, a boutique studio owned by the Nike co-founder Phil Knight, an estimated $55 million to make; Focus Features handled distribution. “The Campaign” (Warner Brothers) was fourth, taking in about $13.4 million, for a two-week total of $51.7 million. “Sparkle” (Sony) was fifth, selling an estimated $12 million. This period film, starring Whitney Houston in her last movie role, cost just $14 million to make.
“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” was a dud, taking in about $11 million for seventh place and a total of $15.2 million since opening on Wednesday; Disney spent about $25 million on production costs.
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August 19, 2012 at 3:40 PM
by the way it’s clear now that the current Dark Knight though otherwise a big grosser (will end up around 430-440m and I think the lower number is more likely) will fall significantly behind the last installment by more than a 100m (without adjusting for inflation) and will also fall behind the Avengers by roughly 200m.
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August 19, 2012 at 3:45 PM
not surprising. though not a great movie by any means, avengers was pretty entertaining. and RDJ makes things better just by BEING.
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August 20, 2012 at 6:27 AM
I didn’t like Avengers. It was strictly ‘okay’ film for me. Personally think it’s really overhyped. Dark Knight series takes the cake for the best superhero movies created so far.
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August 19, 2012 at 3:59 PM
“RDJ makes things better just by BEING.”–haha
Btw what did you feel about TDKR …
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August 19, 2012 at 4:13 PM
i love nolan’s earlier work and have liked this trilogy overall too. but all 3 films have issues. it was least apparent for the first one, it was just a good, little, gritty starting point for the story. the tdk was fantastic in 1st & 2nd act and Ledger took it to another level. but i thought it lost steam in the final act, which for me is the worst thing to happen to a movie. but due to its ‘legendary’ stature, the trilogy became burdened. tdkr got saddled with its stature and i always felt it will buckle under. so went with lower expectations and found it surprisingly ok. i think it’s also because the most problematic portions are in the middle, which a film can get away with. and they gave it a big finish and a pretty little bow, which made it satisfying to some extent. a lot of people thought he should have died, but i feel the franchise has been much heavier than it needed to be, there was no need to end on a miserable note. so the finale wasn’t bad for me.
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August 19, 2012 at 4:19 PM
Hmm actually I found TDKR crap and infact have been excessively tearing it apart here –infact even criticised the media (& some here ) for being too ‘soft’ on it to the extent of being ‘hesitant’ to take in its flaws — vis a vis an indigenous Indian product like GoW for which suddenly the most stringent standards have been used..
But must say that in a very concise succinct manner, u have rounded up v nicely how it still works as a trilogy and provided the expectations aren’t really sky high (following the second instalment!) it’s not that bad
I wrote some random thoughts on it but don’t know where they are now thread wise -maybe Satyam knows..
Ps: can vouch that u know your cinema 😉
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August 19, 2012 at 4:29 PM
have read your views on it. actually, most people have not been soft, it has definitely generated mixed reviews. more than the second one, which had many issues, but Ledger overshadowed them. i feel Hathaway was able to do it to some extent here, she was definitely the bright spot. but we have to remember it is only a comic book franchise at the end of the day. nolan and fans are both responsible for pushing for too much in what is essentially a summer blockbuster. ‘the weight of the world’ thing was overdone, injecting some humor and wit into it would have been better. i am the only person on the planet who now wants a sequel where batman & robin do a lighter ass-kicking take on the franchise, along with catwoman. i hope iron-man makes an appearance, so they all get wasted together. i am patenting the idea and will only sell it to nolan for a hefty sum.
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August 19, 2012 at 4:38 PM
“have read your views on it”–how come ..
Wow– my views are getting famous-am flattered–what did u feel about them..
Btw in your brief note above u have encapsulated the whole premise and purview of this enterprise…well said
And Yes, felt Hathaway did an ace job…Obama agreed !!
“. i am the only person on the planet who now wants a sequel where batman & robin do a lighter ass-kicking take on the franchise, along with catwoman. i hope iron-man makes an appearance, so they all get wasted together. i am patenting the idea and will only sell it to nolan for a hefty sum.”– haha
So we have got another anjali –original brilliant ideas -cheers 🙂
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August 20, 2012 at 6:30 AM
I watched it on the big screen today (and 2day, I actually do mean the theatre) and found it brilliant! Just the way the story’s been written and the way that Nolan handles every scene with amazing care. For me, it was a near-perfect movie. Too bad that the movie’s revenue didn’t match up to the Avengers, cuz TDKR was FAR superior. The brilliance, however, for me, didn’t lie in the fact that it was well done visually and the shots flowed amazingly. The brilliance was that EVERY character was explored so well and it was done in a manner which was exciting too! a definite 4.5/5 to 5/5 movie!
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August 19, 2012 at 4:02 PM
Just back from ETT….I liked the movie a lot ..great action, Sallu Bhai looks good and acts decently….he is a much better agent that Agent Vinod or Don ..( Sometimes the BGM gave me a feeling of the Don’s music though)…
Katrina total mast on hai……
I can see why Pakitan banned the movie, they hate losing their women to Kafirs….
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August 19, 2012 at 4:56 PM
LOL, on the last bit!
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August 19, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Good simple unibiased and reasonable take on ETT there, omrocky (like mine above)
“Katrina total mast on hai……”–hahah
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August 19, 2012 at 4:14 PM
AA actually both Sallu bhai and Katrina have acted pretty decently in the movie, and they both look good…
Salman Khan was giving a Jhalak of Dharmendra of Kartavya, Dharam Veer days……
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August 19, 2012 at 4:39 PM
Agree omrocky.. Though be careful of excessive praise of ETT
Your comments may get deleted by Satyam 🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 4:42 PM
or people may think you have mental health issues. and who could blame them?
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August 19, 2012 at 4:44 PM
abhee toh praise shuru hua hai, aap kyon finisssss ho rahe hain antya jee ???
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August 19, 2012 at 4:48 PM
was just lightly adding to aa’s comment. i don’t think your comments will be deleted but people will obviously form their opinions on them. just ask utkal. have no interest in ett -praise, criticism, or bo wise. so praise away!
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August 19, 2012 at 4:51 PM
sorry antya , I mistook you for another kimcchoo/zeezack / falanee/dhumkee fan…
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August 19, 2012 at 4:47 PM
aarambh sey antya tak..ETT rocckssss….
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August 19, 2012 at 4:50 PM
Re : ETT rocckssss
Market main chouthi Kism ki rocks aa gayi kya 🙂 ???
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August 19, 2012 at 4:58 PM
ha ha….. ab chaey eenth pade ya pathar yara maine toh tareef kar dee…..
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August 19, 2012 at 4:55 PM
ha! pretty clever. no issues. though i don’t understand your code words above. i am new here.
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August 19, 2012 at 5:00 PM
^^C’mon folks –don’t scare poor antya with ‘code words’
She is under my ‘protection’ now (amongst some others)
🙂 joking…
Ps: do ‘open up’ and give ETT & cocktail a chance –good fun –may act as a good mind easing pyschotherapeutic ‘release’ phenomenon by default …
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August 19, 2012 at 4:59 PM
LOL, this is preferable to calling Cocktail comparable to Guru Dutt or calling Kashyap India’s greatest ever director!
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August 19, 2012 at 5:04 PM
in all seriousness I don’t think there’s anything odd about liking ETT. In fact it sounds like the sort of campy spy thrillers produced in the late 60s or early 70s (with Dharmendra, Jeetendra and so on). Whether ETT is good enough or not people can debate but I have no issues with this sort of thing. This is not like Akshay’s comedies where even though I don’t have serious problems the context is so unbelievably low grade that it’s hard to watch them other than in bits.
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August 19, 2012 at 5:09 PM
Satyam it’s better than those campy flicks u are taking about..
Though the narrative has been kept v simple, unidimensional, linear (I suspect deliberately) keeping in mind the ‘sensibilites and special needs’ of the core Salman fan!
Btw the action and locations are good..
Do check it out …. With reasonable expectations.
The only Salman movie ‘better’ than this is dabang (which doesn’t say much given the ‘other’ films though..)
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August 19, 2012 at 6:03 PM
How was Havana here?
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August 19, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Cuba was captured well
Good montages and color palletes
Infact ‘laapata’ is picturised well and the instruments are genuinely cuban orchestra..
Even turkey is nicely done..
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August 21, 2012 at 9:01 AM
Some of the bits in the movie were unbelievably corny, notably the scene in Cuba where the wall says (in Spanish), “[Jis mohabbat mein deewangi na ho, woh mohabbat hi nahin]”
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August 19, 2012 at 4:49 PM
Hahaha 🙂
@ omrocky – what rating do u give ETT (out of five)..
@ antya — do u see humble Bollywood flicks as well–hav u checked out ETT ….
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August 19, 2012 at 4:50 PM
BW flicks – yes, sometimes. ETT – God, no! *shudder*
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August 19, 2012 at 4:56 PM
Katrina – 4.5/5
Salman- 4/5
Songs- 2/5
BGM- 3.5/5
Action- 5.5/5
Production Values- 5/5
support cast- 5/5
Story- 2/5
Loopholes- 5/5
shirtless- 1/5
oomph factor- 1/5
Skin show- 0/5
AA- do the average ……
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August 19, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Katrina 4.5 !!!
Hmm omrocky : what did u see that I didn’t 😉
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August 19, 2012 at 5:04 PM
Rocky saw ETT but he might have confused it with Charas.
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August 19, 2012 at 5:14 PM
LOL… Katrina looked really good in the movie and for a change she acted pretty well too.. she looked the best in the designer Burqa like dress that she wore at the UN meet…..
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August 19, 2012 at 5:21 PM
Think she looked good in ‘banjara’ —
Plus her ‘action’ was probably the best by a female in an Indian film–remind me if u know anyone who did better action yet!
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August 19, 2012 at 5:24 PM
zeenat amaan in Don..lol
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August 19, 2012 at 5:28 PM
Ya zeenat was good but not sure if she did some stunts herself like katrina did here..
“Skin show- 0/5”– hahaha– what were u expecting lol
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August 20, 2012 at 2:43 AM
I wanna give an average too…lol
Katrina – 3/5 (Katrina improved a LOT…her hindi’s much better. She acted well, but, honestly, Salman’s thrilling presence overshadowed her sincere attempt)
Salman – 2.5/5 (Salman is Salman…wasn’t convinced that he was a RAW agent, but, that’s fuelled a lot by bad character writing)
Songs – 2.5/5 (Banjaara was picturized well, but, other than that, Mashallah was alright…and that’s about it)
BGM – 1.5/5 (didn’t go with the story at all)
Action – 4/5 (one of the best in Bollywood)
Production Values – 5/5 (FULL ON)
Support Cast – 3/5 (Ranvir Shorey is v. good…the rest disappoint)
Story – 1.5/5 (Paper thin story)
Loopholes – 1/5 (ie there are SEVERAL of them)
Shirtless – 1/5 (surprised they couldn’t find a better way to take off Salman’s shirt)
Oomph Factor – 2.5/5 (the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes are kick-ass…rest is a drag, so, the oomph factor lies in the opening and closing parts)
Skin Show – i don’t really count this as part of my criteria XD
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August 19, 2012 at 4:51 PM
“was just lightly adding to aa’s comment”– thanx antya..
Btw antya: have u heard of /seen a humble flick called ‘cocktail’ …any thoughts …
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August 19, 2012 at 5:06 PM
have not seen cocktail, nor do i ever plan to. did skim thru the 30000 threads and comments on it. so your plan to recruit me into your cocktail cult is not going to succeed. at least the makers can die happy knowing it generated such commentary somewhere, since it has probably already disappeared from much of the public consciousness. a friend of mine did go to watch it with some people, she was so appalled she walked out at some point after the interval. confirmed everything i already knew.
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August 19, 2012 at 5:26 PM
^^ btw Satyam: u will be happy to read mr/ms antyas comments..
Some folks not commenting here also read stuff here ( including my bits on cocktail) …
Do u have any data /stats on how many those lurkers maybe ..
Think I should start getting more credit for increasing the viewership of this blog 🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 5:12 PM
Haha antya– I thought u were an ‘unsuspecting’ newcomer who I could ‘lure’ into my cult but u seem quite informed and have been reading my stuff… 🙂
“did skim thru the 30000 threads and comments on it. so your plan to recruit me into your cocktail cult is not going to succeed”
But do give it a watch –u may be surprised–I can vouch –it’s an ‘intelligent’ romcom hoho–let’s say just that…
Btw what films in that genre have u liked in bw, hw…
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August 19, 2012 at 5:31 PM
not a genre i am a fan of in general. the drama is never too significant and stakes never too high in these films. so the only thing keeping audience engaged is the skill and charisma of the actors and their chemistry, that’s what makes you root for them. i like the classics better here – breakfast at tiffany’s, philadelphia story, though they are ‘darker’ films in a way. a have a weakness for the very cheesy ‘an affair to remember’. must be cary grant. but the all time story here is of course ‘it happened one night’. incidentally, i have liked both bw takes on it, the older chori chori’ and the newer ‘dil hai ki manta nahin’. the last remotely good one was JWM, alhough weak and annoying in second half. also didn’t mind JTYJN, mostly due to some fun writing. the older shammi kapoor romance dramas work fairly ok within that framework too, especially with the help of some good music.
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August 19, 2012 at 5:38 PM
All v reasonable choices there ….btw did u ever check out ‘rockstar’ and znmd ..
“and stakes never too high in these films. so the only thing keeping audience engaged is the skill and charisma of the actors and their chemistry, that’s what makes you root for them. “-haha that’s your nice analytical ability shining through…lol
Especially in “stakes never too high in these films.”
🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 5:53 PM
usually go by gut feel to check out films and i am right 90% of the time on whether it turns out worthwhile for me. didn’t feel interested in znmd or rockstar. not a fan of imtiaz, liked socha na tha, ahista ahista and jwm to some extent but he hasn’t made a fully realized film yet. the themes and characters have become repetitive, instead of the freshness that made the earlier works interesting. znmd just seemed like poor man’s dch, originating from the failure of the very good lbc, rather than organic story-telling. zoya getting sell-out lessons from her brother to achieve bo success has worked out for her i guess.
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August 19, 2012 at 6:10 PM
^”usually go by gut feel to check out films and i am right 90% of the time on whether it turns out worthwhile for me. ” your gut feeling better be right given the nature of your work which is Also reliant on empathetic perception and instinct, I guess..
Ps: v good to hear your thoughts
Any movie u really loved recently ? Do come up with a writeup on it (u write v well!) -am sure Satyam will be happy to put up your take as a separate thread–will be gr8 to read a brainy docs take
Cheers 🙂
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August 19, 2012 at 6:26 PM
recently watched i’ve loved you so long and chaser. for some reason, the former left me cold despite kst’s excellent performance. chaser was in my netflix queue for over an year, it took me longer to watch it than bhatts to rape, er, remake it. it was disturbing as expected. i am rewatching the vengeance trilogy. may put down my thoughts some day after i collect them. though i don’t write well, contrary to your generous assertion. kahaani was good, atmosphere and performances wise, though the end didn’t make me gasp as i had already watched taking lives. and the loopholes were numerous. not bad overall.
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August 19, 2012 at 6:45 PM
” i don’t write well, contrary to your generous assertion”
My assertions are not ‘generous’ and usually not wrong 🙂
“it took me longer to watch it than bhatts to rape, er, remake it.”–haha
Ps: Did u check out ‘shame’ or ‘intouchables’ or the ‘dangerous method’!!
Your writeup may be on any film really of your choice –if I can wrote on ETT /cock tale ha
Anyhow need to go now …ciao
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August 19, 2012 at 6:18 PM
For Satyam and antya—
By public demand — a repeat of ‘banjara’
Enjoy the nice incorporation of Irish Celtic strains/ pipes into trinity college…u need to leave your ‘Intellectual baggage’ to enjoy this…
Though Salman doesn’t need any more testosterone (!), katrina does seem to have taken some stuff here..
Need to get back to some work …
Enjoy and good night !!
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August 20, 2012 at 9:34 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger – India *actuals* Sun 23.06 cr. Total: 100.16 cr nett. SUPERB. Fastest 100 cr grosser ever – 5 days [Hindi films]. NEW RECORD!
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August 20, 2012 at 9:35 AM
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/trade/top5/id/887/date/2012-08-20
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August 20, 2012 at 9:36 AM
Ek Tha Tiger Has Big Sunday
Monday 20th August 2012 12.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger had a big Sunday as the circuits which did not show much growth on Saturday had a huge upturn on Sunday. The business on Sunday looks in the 21 crore nett region as per early estimates.
The five day extended weekend is in the 94 crore nett region which is 10-11% more than what Bodyguard put up last year around the same time.
The big difference being here is that Eid holiday is still to come while with Bodyguard Eid holiday was its first day. The figure on Monday will be huge as its a national holiday.
The film will collect as a worst case scenario as much as Bodyguard did over in its extended nine day week in six days. Infact its almost certain that the Ek Tha Tiger six day figure will be more than the nine day figure of Bodyguard and the first week may come out in the 135 crore nett region.
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August 20, 2012 at 9:36 AM
EK THA TIGER Extended Weekend Territorial Breakdown
Monday 20th August 2012 16.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger collected around 94 crore nett over its extended five day weekend. The approx figures for the five day weekend territorial breakdown is as follows.
Mumbai – 33.78 crore
Delhi/UP – 19.72 crore
East Punjab – 9.38 crore
West Bengal – 4.18 crore
Bihar – 1.64 crore
CP Berar – 4.49 crore
CI – 3.79 crore
Rajasthan – 5.46 crore
Nizam – 4.72 crore
Mysore – 3.83 crore
Others – 3.11 crore
TOTAL – 94.12 crore
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August 20, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Rockstar: instead of quoting from random sources can you , fora change, demonstrate that you can think for yourself and show what Soorja ka satvan ghoda has to do with Devdas. So far not one of your sources has thrown any light on that.
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August 20, 2012 at 12:08 PM
coming froim a guy who randomly give link and please concentrate on what you think rather than others…whatever i have said is crystal clear but i am get to understand how dirty picture is better than raging bull or for that how deepika performance was better than chandni chowk and how dch was worthless compared to cocktail
sorry told someone other day i won’t tolerate nuisance on personal front
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August 20, 2012 at 12:17 PM
and for a change since you are the only original thinker or voice of sanity let me tell you :
(was avoiding due to spoilers)
the first story itself follows the devdas patterm where paro played by jamuna never repents for his original dev and marries just like in older devdas with an older person but never suffers from it except at his death which is caused by her only unlike original one to ( she even calls him his brother to cover up her past ) here again benegal subverts and goes where like older devdas she is married to an older lad but unlike the original one of being character and obeying his husband will she even goes for infidelity for a child and at times even flirts with original dev for her character
similarly all other stories have their resonance with different refrences of original devdas..do watch it first
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August 20, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Rockstar: ” but i am get to understand how dirty picture is better than raging bull or for that how deepika performance was better than chandni chowk and how dch was worthless compared to cocktail”
Even I am cluless how The Dirty picture was better than raging Bull or how depika’s performance is better than Chandni Chowk or how DCH is worthless compared to Cockyail.’ would you care to enlighten me how?
Rockstar: I dont give a random link to prove anything. Links are for what they say. If I want to make a point, I make that point with my own observation and reasoning.
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August 20, 2012 at 12:26 PM
chandi chowk was told in a satirical since i won’t wanted to tell how a certain deepika is better than meena kumari
reast all are there itself in blogs archives about who said what …you have your opinion ok but whats your problem with counter view and this new trend of personal stuff in between things is hillarious
common you guys are better than that
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August 20, 2012 at 12:21 PM
yup i never objects to it but argue with my stuff rather than personal stuff and please don’t talk about links where in arguments you time and again come up with it
hyperbole is good but atleast one should be able to back that
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August 20, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Utkal uncle : thanx for the lovely links -cheers
Btw have u checked out ETT-think u probably won’t but if u have –a note will be good..
Ps: like reading notes of folks like utkal uncle ..
Not due to gow or kashyap or cocktail..
But he is one of the rare ones here who will actually judge stuff from merit usually-(know there can be ‘hyperboles’ but that is a lesser problem than prestated positions–
Where ones response can be predicted even before a viewing -(infact before a release !) depending on the personelle involved in it..
Also inspite of provocations, he never loses civility
Keep it up utkal uncle 🙂
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August 20, 2012 at 1:23 PM
“Also inspite of provocations, he never loses civility”
true but I wish I could sometimes lose all sense of civility when Cocktail is compared to Guru Dutt!
“But he is one of the rare ones here who will actually judge stuff from merit usually -(know there can be ‘hyperboles’ ”
No kidding.
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August 20, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Satyam : u are the birthday buoy and also another genuine gentleman..
But to be frank-even some of your theores of comparing abhishrek to all n sundry and Rohan sippy as some sort of an auteur is a bit of a ‘hyperbole’ …
Most here don’t pester u due to the affection and respect for u (rightly)
Some don’t want their posts to be deleted haha
I don’t have either of these compulsions 🙂
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August 20, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Yes I am indeed guilty of hyperbole.. I can’t match the sobriety and restraint of many on Cocktail..
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August 20, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Satyam : there’s a difference
I enjoyed cocktail due to a plethora of reasons (not all of which can be shared and many have been more than adequately explained!)
But I don’t market it as the next avatar of auteur ism or some such thing. Infact am the first to talk about it’s issues as well..
It’s not the same as comparing Rohan sippy to kashyap and abhishrek bachchan to aamir khan 🙂
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August 20, 2012 at 1:58 PM
“But I don’t market it as the next avatar of auteur ism or some such thing.”
Very kind of you!
“It’s not the same as comparing Rohan sippy to kashyap and abhishrek bachchan to aamir khan :-)”
On Abhishek I and Aamir share an opinion!
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August 20, 2012 at 1:28 PM
“Ek Tha Tiger six day figure will be more than the nine day figure of Bodyguard and the first week may come out in the 135 crore nett region.”
Well done
This film has had issues but think its time to acknowledge that it has nailed the box office !!
Even if it crashes from monday (which also is unlikely!), the job has been done / the damage has been done for some ..
All sorts of permutations, spins, dissections and theories of trending go for a toss !!
Well done the team of tiger .. ( irrespective of like/dislike!)
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August 20, 2012 at 1:54 PM
these days most big films don’t crash on Mon anyway but given the Eid period this doesn’t apply in any case.
“All sorts of permutations, spins, dissections and theories of trending go for a toss !!”
One could be succinct and say all kinds of Hollywood analysis doesn’t apply..!
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August 20, 2012 at 3:02 PM
Satyam:
I’m not a fan of ETT
And definitely not of salman
But can u deny the numbers!
Forget about Monday crash or not!!
What’s the tally before Monday ?
In certain situations, one should gracefully accept the facts-Bollywood or Hollywood- facts are facts..
To add–not very film will/can best 3 idiots..
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August 20, 2012 at 3:09 PM
To make it simpler –
A ‘bikini’ will remain a ‘bikini’-designer or otherwise !!
Whichever angle u see it or present it
It WILL reveal certain ‘facts’
So no point trying to ‘present’ or hide …
🙂
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August 20, 2012 at 3:21 PM
So satyam:
Thought for the day–
Stop wearing bikinis…
It will always reveal more than it hides
Try whatever u may 😉
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August 20, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Obviously, the more subtle point is lost on you.
As applied to the first five day collections of ETT.
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August 20, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Re:It will always reveal more than it hides
What it reveals may be interesting but what it conceals is vital
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August 20, 2012 at 4:20 PM
^^ Haha good one rajen uncle 🙂
That’s why my jokes are for all subsections of readership..
Each of them finds its correct ‘target audience’ haha
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August 20, 2012 at 4:26 PM
The points of first day, second, third day and so on about trending is certainly important
But not in extremes
Neither in burgeoning alltime highest figures as in ETT
or in alltime lower ones like tez, drona etc
In these situations, microdisscetion doesn’t change anything.
Ps: the one in a ‘burqa’ and the one with(out) even a bikini…
So all these attempts at dissection are like trying to ‘resuscitate’ a person who died a day ago !!!
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August 20, 2012 at 2:57 PM
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/ek-tha-black-tiger-real-life-tale-of-a-true-patriot_117290.htm
New Delhi: While the nation is thronging to movie theaters in overwhelming numbers to see Bollywood super star Salman Khan kick butt in style in ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, it is important to know the lesser known facts about the real ‘Tiger’ of India who lived every day of his life to save the lives of his countrymen.
Meet Ravinder Kaushik, a trained theater artist and more than that a thorough patriot whose desire to save the nation took him to Pakistan as a spy at the time when Pakistan was plotting hard to start a war with India.
Ravinder was sent to Pakistan by RAW as Nabi Ahmed where he did a course in law and then after, joined the Pakistan Army. Later, he was promoted to the rank of a ‘Major’, fell hopelessly in love with a Muslim girl and married her.
Between 1979 and 1983, he sent secret information from Pakistan to RAW which helped a great deal to the Indian defense forces. The data that he sent came handy to the Indian soldiers in killing at least 50 Pakistani troopers in Pahalgaon. For that matter, he was conferred with the title of ‘Black Tiger’ by the Indian government in tenure at that time.
Unfortunately, Ravinder was caught by Pakistan and he was awarded death sentence which was later reduced to life time imprisonment. During his entire lifetime, he was brutally tortured in the various prisons he was kept. His letters to his homeland revealed the dreadful living conditions and barbaric acts of the officials in the Pakistani jails which made him contract pulmonary TB and Asthma. In one of his letters to his family, he wrote ““Kya Bharat jaise bade desh ke liye kurbani dene waalon ko yahi milta hai? (Is this the reward a person gets for sacrificing his life for India?)” but the government failed to rescue him and even provide proper funds to Ravinder`s family to lead their lives.
On 21 November, 2001, India’s Black Tiger breathed his last and was buried behind the jail at Mianwali in Pakistan.
Ravinder Kaushik is a man who did not repent even once on his decision to give a good 30 years of his life to his country. Most heartfelt thanks to the Black Tiger for saving thousands of lives.
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August 20, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Hmm thanx for that interesting link..
In ETT, there seems to be loads of ‘additions’ to this
Btw it’s a pity how India treats its ‘real’ heroes…
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August 20, 2012 at 4:56 PM
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta
ETT 5 days’ total: crossd Rs. 100 crore mark. Fastest grosser in Bollywood history!!!!
very impressive what ETT has done. Sallu bhai is clearly head and shoulders above everyone else right now. the fact that he is breaking his own records that were set from his previous film tells me that there is no one close to him right now.
i did watch ETT and found it very “blah”. ETT made dhoom 2 seem like a classic. katrina and sallu have zero chemistry on screen. and salmans “acting” continues to be cringe worthy! Dabangg remains his best acting (for him) job this decade.
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August 20, 2012 at 6:55 PM
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August 20, 2012 at 8:21 PM
yeah this decade=2010 till present. from 2000-2009 sallu’s best were IMO:
1. Jaan-e-Mann
2. Wanted
3. Tere Naam
obviously salman khan is a non-actor. i don’t think anybody can argue about that. but he has a good screen presence and his strengths are comedy and delivering funny/intense one-liners in movies. in the films mentioned above…he actually did half way decent in the acting department.
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August 20, 2012 at 9:58 PM
Wanted was a very “flat” performance by Salman. Tere Naam is one where he had some emotion and I think that’s where he peaked as an actor. In Jaan-e-Mann, he was, again, monotonous. Some other performances of Salman which are worth watching are Maine Pyaar Kiya, Veergati, and of course, Andaz Apna Apna (not his best performance, but, absolutely loved him and Aamir in this classic!)
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August 20, 2012 at 10:28 PM
i agree with AAA, both sallu and Aamir were fantastic. the chemistry between the two lead actors was the best i’ve seen in years (not to mention performances from paresh rawal and shakti kapoor). it truly is a classic IMO. the jokes never get old even today!
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August 21, 2012 at 1:10 AM
Yep…one of Santoshi’s best works! Shakti Kapoor…Gogo!!
I’ll always remember that dialogue near the end when Amar and Prem are following Gogo on “gunpoint” and Amar says, “Gogo ji aap ka ghaagra!” that always makes me ROFLMFAO!
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August 21, 2012 at 1:24 AM
crime master gogo naam hain mera..aaya hoon…kuch toh lootke jaoonga!!!!
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August 21, 2012 at 1:32 AM
“AANKHEN NIKAAL KE GOTI KHELTA HOON!” Loved his lines!
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August 21, 2012 at 1:04 AM
“obviously salman khan is a non-actor. i don’t think anybody can argue about that”
This is an extreme statement – sallu emotes very well as far romance, anger, comedy…..these are emotions he expresses and obviously he connects with the hearts of the audiences with his persona of which these are integral parts…..there are millions of macho men – they were non actors and couldn’t connect with the hearts of the paying audience despite their macho-physic. So I don’t buy this non-actor theory unless you say that what naseeruddin, om puri and the likes do – that is only called acting. Although comparison is a little out-of-place here but I never buy this theory that Kamal is an actor (or a better actor) than rajni….rajni is a fantasic actor too, but in addition to that – he has his styles, mannerism……and all these are also not intrinsic parts of acting only??? but then, it is a general tendency to term a B.O. superstar as a “non actor” and those who have done “meaningful cinemas” are only called actors!!!!
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August 21, 2012 at 1:13 AM
Again, Tere Naam, Maine Pyar Kiya and AAA are prime examples of when Salman was at his finest, but, now, it’s just getting tiring seeing him doing the same kind of stuff. Just a bit of variety from him would be nice. He’s very good at kicking ass, but, his dialogue delivery and overall performance are, for me, one of the worst in bollywood…but, he does have a striking presence on-screen!
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August 20, 2012 at 10:20 PM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger Monday, 11 pm Update: Multiplexes and single screens rocking today. Single screens specially are Wow!
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August 20, 2012 at 10:30 PM
have read that monday might be at 24-25 cr. yashraj’s first 100cr grosser…brought to them by an ‘outsider’.
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August 21, 2012 at 7:22 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger – India *actuals* Monday [Eid] 20.68 cr. Total:120.84 cr nett. NEW RECORD FOR MONDAY FIGURES.
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August 21, 2012 at 7:25 AM
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta
ETT Monday: Rs.20.68 crore. Total: Rs. 120.84 crore
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August 21, 2012 at 7:23 AM
Ek Tha Tiger Has Record Breaking Monday
Thursday 16th August 2012 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger broke all box office records for collections on Monday due to the national holiday for Eid. The film collected around 16 crore nett which is a record collection for Monday by a distance. Films like Dabangg and Three Idiots had the biggest collections on a Monday before of around 10.75 crore nett.
The six day total for Ek Tha Tiger is 110 crore nett approx. The collections on Monday were huge at single screens especially in areas dominated by Muslim audiences while multiplexes had larger falls.
Tuesday should also come out with a strong number as single screens remain strong and it may become the highest grossing film of 2012 in just its nine day extended first week.
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August 21, 2012 at 7:23 AM
EK THA TIGER Monday Territorial Breakdown
Tuesday 21st August 2012 15.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger collected around 18.75 crore nett over on Eid holiday Monday. The total so far is around 113 crore nett in six days. The numbers were huge at single screens across the country. The territorial breakdown for Monday is as follows.
Mumbai – 7.05 crore
Delhi/UP – 3.92 crore
East Punjab – 1.60 crore
West Bengal – 85 lakhs
Bihar – 37 lakhs
CP Berar – 74 lakhs
CI – 80 lakhs
Rajasthan – 1.04 crore
Nizam – 1.05 crore
Mysore – 78 lakhs
Others – 55 lakhs
TOTAL – 18.72 crore
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August 21, 2012 at 7:25 AM
there’s a 7 crore differential between BOI and Taran. On day 1 they both had the same number. Surprisingly they’ve fallen behind since. I’ve never seen such a big differential between BOI and Taran for a Salman film (or for that matter in most other cases).
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August 21, 2012 at 8:12 AM
Saw parts of Yudh after ages- This is a film i like a lot (had good visuals) inspite and not bcos of Anil Kapoor’s “Jhakaas”-Always believed Rajiv Rai to be a competent director who had a good technical sense. More importantly IMO as far as techno music goes, Anandji-Kalyanji were unmatchable (though Viju Shah may have had a hand here)- check out the fab title track here-
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August 21, 2012 at 9:44 AM
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August 21, 2012 at 10:23 AM
1 to watch…..
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August 21, 2012 at 10:29 AM
Satyam
Where do you think ETT’s grand total lies?
Around 170cr or will it beat 3i total?
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August 21, 2012 at 1:53 PM
I had revisited Dark City some time back. This film, along with Minority Report, are to my mind, two of the most important sci-films of past 2 decades or so. To say that this film is miles ahead of The Matrix with which it shares similarity (in plot, themes and sets) is an understatement. After having a lot of discussion with friends who are ardent fans of the film, I had put down some random thoughts about the discussion I had with them about the film. Like always they are pretty ‘unorganized’
Alex Proyas’ Dark City is a rather deceptive film. It could be set everywhere and nowhere. It’s a city built of pieces of cities. One corner is from one place, another from some place else. So, you don’t really know where you are. A piece will look like a street in London, but a portion of the architecture looks like New York, but the bottom of the architecture looks again like a European city. You’re there, but you don’t know where you are. It’s like every time you travel, you’ll be lost.
But hey, if this confounds you, then it has served it’s purpose since the film’s plot, on its surface, deals with ‘fabricated memories’- it’s a dream or rather a ‘nightmarish’ world wherein a group of alien-like archons or angelic rulers/daemons known as the “Strangers” control manufactured city by “tuning” it every night, meaning the city is re-created and it’s rat-like inhabitants are implanted with new memories. They are able to conform physical reality by will alone (“tuning”), and one of their subjects, John Murdoch, eventually attains this ability. Immediately, we realize the basic theory of “magick” at work, which is the act of conforming reality to your will. However, the Strangers do it by telekenesis, and eventually so does John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell).
A cop is put on his case, Detective Bumstead (William Hurt), who picks up where a former cop had been working who went mad. His madness turned out to be a form of intense paranoia linked to a realization that all their reality was an illusion, and that they were the experiment of Gnostic daemons. John decides he must find out about his origins, since he cannot recall his past, either. For him, this is a quest to find Shell Beach, where he grew up. The entire city is a circular spiral, it turns out, and Murdoch discovers Shell Beach did not exist, and that Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) had been aiding the Strangers in implanting fake memories in people. The Strangers are conducting an experiment where they are seeking to find the soul, that thing that makes humans individuals, whereas the Strangers only possess a collective consciousness: something reminiscent of the demonic realm, if you have read enough exorcism accounts. The Strangers are, again, “aliens” that inhabit the bodies of dead humans, and hate light and water.
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But there is much more than what meets the eye. Proyas has done almost an improbable job of setting, what is essentially a science-fiction film, in a noir world- improbable because film noir represents a world-view which is completely opposed to any sci-fi or technology. So it is kind of an expressionist film depicting ‘urban repression and mechanism’. That one of the film’s writers is David S. Goyer who also contributed to Nolan’s Batman Begins and the Blade trilogy is pretty much evident in the feel and atmosphere of the film. ‘Dark City’, we discover, has perpetually been in a state of darkness – it is always night, and no one can recall when it was daytime. So we have the gnostic theme of demiurge(s) that have trapped a world in base darkness, where they lack their true god-powers. We see in the beginning a movie theater where films are playing named ‘The Evil” and “Nightmare,” cluing us into the fact that we are watching a movie that is essentially a nightmare. We see a hotel in which John Murdoch, the protagonist awakes nude in a bathtub, apparently being framed for a murder. However, this night is different, as it is Murdoch’s “awakening,” and from this point on, as he is chased by certain “Strangers,” Murdoch is able to “tune,” but this power is not yet under his control.
The city has a World War II like dreariness and has details from different eras and architectures that are changed by the Strangers; “buildings collapse as others emerge and battle with one another at the end”. The round window in the film is concave like a fishbowl and is a frequently seen element throughout the city. The inhabitants do not live at the top of the city; the main characters’ homes are dwarfed by the bricolgae of buildings. Notice an opening shot that approaches the hotel window behind which we meet Murdoch. The window is a circular dome in a rectangular frame. As clearly as possible, it looks like the “face” of Hal 9000 in “2001.” Hal was a computer that understood everything, except what it was to be human and have emotions. Dark City considers the same theme in a film that creates a completely artificial world in which humans teach themselves to be themselves. Proyas creates interior spaces that are long and narrow. Exteriors look down one street to the vanishing point, and then the camera pans to look down another street, equally long. The lighting is low-key and moody. The color scheme depends on blacks, browns, shadows and the pallor of the Strangers; warmer colors exist in human faces, in neon signs and on the billboard for Shell Beach. The Strangers occupy the bodies of human cadavers. Most of them are tall; one is in a child’s body but is no child. The alien beings themselves, living inside the corpses, look like spiders made of frightened noodles. They can levitate, they can change the matter of the city at will, they have a hive insect organization, they gather in a subterranean cavern to collectively retune the city.
The world created by the Strangers seems borrowed from 1940s film noir; we see fedoras, cigarettes, neon signs, automats, older cars (and some newer ones — the world is not consistent). The world created by the Strangers seems borrowed from 1940s film noir; we see fedoras, cigarettes, neon signs, automats, older cars (and some newer ones — the world is not consistent).
It is hard to imagine a film that provides a more pure depiction of the conflict between collectivism and individualism. The Strangers, as they are occasionally called, are conceived as the epitome of collectivism: all part of a single mind. Those who aspire to mandated equality couldn’t ask for a more rigorous homogenization. And, in keeping with the political and philosophical “progressive” and socialist traditions associated with such statistic programs of collectivism and homogenization, the Strangers are the perfect embodiment of authoritarian central planning and social engineering. They simply mould the world to the ends that they’ve identified as most beneficial. In contrast to the Strangers stands the human individual, Murdoch. While other humans, to the limited degrees of their own possibilities stand up against the Strangers, it is Murdoch who embodies individuality as such. The Strangers, it turns out, are dying
And as I said earlier the film is deceptive’- notice that all of the human memories are newly fabricated when the hands of the clock reach 12. This is defined as “midnight,” but the term is deceptive, because there is no noon. “First came darkness, then came the Strangers,” we are told in the opening narration. In the beginning, there was no light. John Murdoch, the hero, asks Bumstead, the police detective: “When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?” Bumstead is surprised by the question. “You know something?” Murdoch asks him. “I don’t think the sun even exists in this place. I’ve been up for hours and hours, and the night never ends here.” The film’s title screen contains spirals, which also appear during the film in Walenski’s doodles and on the ritualistically murdered woman’s body. However on the dead body they are revealed to actually have been drawn on, thus making them just as “real” as the doodles. The Strangers killed the woman, staged a ritualized murder scene and then tried to put Murdoch in the situation with only the memories of a killer in order to see if he’d actually go and kill with these fake memories. However, Murdoch awoke before the experiment could continue. The spiral is a symbol of one preset path into and from infinity for the people trapped in the Dark City – they don’t know of anything before and certainly had no hopes for forging their own way until Murdoch awoke and started the struggle against the Strangers.
Also note that the entire setting for the film is one big fakery as the final twist reveal, thus it is highly doubtful that any sort of authenticity was the Strangers’ goal. Also, all of the light sources in the film are the ones which emit artificial light, the source of the swastika symbol has not been made part of this fake reality. Characters only recall the concept of day when asked about it by Murdoch and this is only distant memories, but we know all of these to have been engineered. The Strangers also fear water and Schreber’s only place of solace and peace from his work is in a pool that just happens to have a sun icon above it. This was probably done by the Strangers to appease him as he is working to for them, but he is not a total sellout as he very willingly helps Murdoch as soon as he sees him awakened. The Strangers hating water and the sun effectively makes them an absolute opposite of what life on Earth is: based on Sun and Water – the real paradigm – fire and water, not engineered clockwork.
It is interesting that Murdoch really gets the answers to the “illusion” of his reality when he wanders into an old theme park attraction titled “Neptune’s Kingdom.” Neptune/Poseidon, of course, is the god of the waters, and the Strangers hate the water. Neptune is also the ‘planet of the mystic’ so Murdoch’s quest has been one that is ultimately solved by “mysticism.” Perhaps the meaning, since Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun, is that John mystically returns to the meaning of the symbolism of the gods to find freedom from the matter-connected controlling demiurges, the Strangers.
The theme of Proyas’ later film The Knowing is very similar to the themes found in Dark City – a world controlled by alien/demon-like entities, a mysterious code and set of symbols that must be deconstructed to decipher that reality as we know it is an illusion, and the apocalyptic end of that world
The poignancy of the film emerges in its love story. At a crucial point, John Murdoch tells Emma (Jennifer Connelly), “Everything you remember, and everything I’m supposed to remember, never really happened.” Emma doesn’t think that can be true. “I so vividly remember meeting you,” she says. “I remember falling in love with you.” Yes, she remembers. But this is the first time they have met. “I love you, John,” she says. “You can’t fake something like that.” And Murdoch says, “No, you can’t.” You can inform someone who they love, and that is what the Strangers have done with their memory injection. But what she feels cannot be injected. That is the part the strangers do not understand. Emma has a small role but it is at the heart of the movie, because she truly knows love; John has still to discover it — to learn about it from her.
Dark City also has some cyber-punk roots. In a way it is Blade Runner mashed-up with Maltese Falcon. Although we don’t really have computers or cyborgs, we certainly have machinery controlling human life – we have invasive and negative impacting technology, an underground, and truly, the strangers have ubiquitous access to information. The whole focus is on transforming the memories to get at the root of what humanity is. These Strangers, or aliens, if you will, are engaging in virtually the same exercise we see from cyborgs in many a cyberpunk film – they want to understand humanity for the expressed purpose of being, or at least acting human. The reality in which they exist is like The Matrix, and is a giant machine that can be manipulated by telekinetic will.
And finally the film also addresses the theme of ‘free will’ (which was also touched-upon by the recent Damon movie The Adjustment Bureau). The film ends with an unanswerable question- Are men inherently good or evil, or is it a matter of how they think of themselves? We, the humans and not the Strangers need to know this.
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August 21, 2012 at 2:26 PM
Bhansali to produce a film on the life of Olympic Bronze medal winning female pugilist Mary Kom- http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/more/news/view/id/1553631
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August 22, 2012 at 7:47 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger – India *actuals* Tue 16.31 cr. Total: 137.15 cr nett. Excellent! All set to cross #Dabangg [147 cr] & #Bodyguard [148 cr].
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August 22, 2012 at 7:53 AM
Tiger roars… and how! The economics of ‘E.T.T.’
By Taran Adarsh, August 22, 2012 – 07:34 IST
Everyone — print media, TV journos, radio jockeys, websites, the enormous FB and Twitter fraternity, the netizens across the globe, also just about everyone within the film industry [which includes some A-list actors as well] — is monitoring the day-wise biz of EK THA TIGER. That’s the kind of frenzy this film has generated.
Enough has been said, spoken and written about the merits/demerits of the film. So let’s not get there. Instead, it’s time to do the hisaab-kitaab of this much-talked-about biggie…
Cost of production + Print & Advertising — 90 cr
The revenue this film has generated/will generate…
Satellite Rights — 44 cr to 45 cr
Music Rights + Home Video + Ringtones — 6 cr
Overseas theatrical share [expected] — 20 cr to 25 cr
India theatrical share [expected] — 95 cr to 100 cr
Total revenue generated — 165 cr to 175 cr
Return on investment [after deducting the cost] — 75 cr to 85 cr
If this is not a sure shot Blockbuster, what is?
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August 22, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Satyam, what do u think of Dark City and Minority Report
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August 22, 2012 at 12:43 PM
didn’t like the former at all.. the latter was interesting enough but too derivative in some ways.. did a piece on it for a site. will try and locate it.
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August 22, 2012 at 2:08 PM
I like Dark City but probably beyond its merits. Find the first Matrix a more memorable film (the two that followed though were turds) but the Matrix obviously borrowed much from this movie down to its palette.
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August 22, 2012 at 2:39 PM
I am glad that u liked it GF. Have u written anything on this or Minority Report. And i also believe that some of the themes in Dark City were inspired from Terry Gilliam’s Brazil
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August 22, 2012 at 2:51 PM
Haven’t written anything on either film really. I’ve very rarely done expansive pieces on Hollywood movies. There’s more than enough blowhards out in the blogosphere contributing their thoughts to this industry!
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August 22, 2012 at 2:39 PM
And have a huge weakness for Minority Report. This is the closest Spielberg has gotten to a “Raiders of the Lost Ark” kind of action film that feels part of a great tradition but also distinctive, so here I disagree with Satyam on the derivative bit – or rather that while it’s not exactly cutting edge it’s certainly got a very fresh, robust energy about it. Of course unlike Raiders it’s a bit darker. Just as “grand” though.
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August 22, 2012 at 2:47 PM
This comment of yours where u have linked MR with Raiders is a tantalizing one- need to revisit the film tomorrow. Btw the ending of the film is also a bit ‘deceptive’- i mean the entire stuff abt the ‘dream’
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August 22, 2012 at 2:48 PM
I would add though that Spielberg doesn’t quite end strongly with Minority Report. Things wrap up a bit too neatly for the sort of world he sets up and I found this to be a bit too Hollywood for my taste. Not that I wanted grand despair here but it just felt a bit more shoehorned than the rest of the film. Still this is minor quibble about what is otherwise a sensational entertainment.
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August 22, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Actually the year this came out along with Catch Me.. was a rather stunningly good year for Spielberg. Loved both those movies.
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August 22, 2012 at 1:47 PM
Satyam,
Following 2 tweets of Amul Mohan ( Super Cinema ) somehow clarifies the difference in figures by BOI & Taran/ Komal
@amul_mohan :
“#EkThaTiger : wed – 31 cr, thur – 14.25 cr, fri – 12.50 cr, sat – 15.50 cr, sun – 21.75 cr, mon – 18 cr, tue – 13 cr, total 126 cr. ”
“Trade analysts need to stop tweeting the figures Production houses give out! Its beyond daft… Where are your trade sources??? “
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August 22, 2012 at 1:50 PM
It is quite obvious that Taran / Komal are giving figures quoted by Yashraj !!!
Common knowledge that most production houses report inflated figures as compared to actuals.
Not to take anything away from ETT…the film is trending terrific so far…180 crores very much on the cards.
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August 22, 2012 at 3:02 PM
that’s true Shubh but it’s been done for very many films. So I wouldn’t hold this against ETT. One would have to ‘correct’ for all previous films first.
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August 22, 2012 at 1:41 PM
It’s good to see ETT breaking all records making life more difficult for those waiting to trend –the sharp dip apparently hasn’t happened yet —
Obviously will bit by that time, the jobs been more than done –as pointed out earlier
Ok
So Rarely read other reviews/sites on bollywood-
But for funs sake –checked out filmigirls take on ETT
Like myself : he doesn’t seem to care about how seeing a film /liking it will b perceived and so on —
A simple honest take
Also added — detail on ‘pencilled’ eye lashes and how katrinas Botox keeps fluctuating and so on (as expected she is more severe in katrina than salman 🙂
So courtesy filmigirl–ek tha tiger !!
>
When you’ve been waiting for a movie as long as I’ve been waiting for Ek Tha Tiger there is the very real danger of being disappointed. Sky high expectations are not my preferred viewing partner at the movies but I put my trust in Kabir Khan and he rewarded me with an action packed spy flick! Ek Tha Tiger, the third of Kabir’s Pakistan Trilogy, is much more subdued masala than Salman has delivered recently – no item song, no comedy subplot, no villain.
And a word of warning to viewers – please try to see this without spoilers. It’s worth it. I’ll be as vague as possible in my review but I can’t really talk about the film without revealing something that is better discovered for yourself.
That thing is not the presence of Ranvir Shorey, who I am happy to tell you – spoiler free – is a welcome face!
Ek Tha Tiger begins as the story of “Tiger” (Salman Khan) – R.A.W. agent and all-around badass. He shoots to kill and cares about nothing and nobody outside of his job. All of that changes when he gets assigned to Dublin to tail one Dr. Kidwai (the always delightful Roshan Seth, who we last saw being too classy for that piece of shit Trishna) to make sure he’s not selling military secrets to the Pakistanis. His pal Gopi (a bearded Ranvir Shorey) comes along to help. Tiger tries to keep his mind on the mission but he finds himself falling hard for Dr. Kidwai’s student helper Zoya (Katrina Kaif) and misses a critical piece of information. We end the first half on a cliffhanger – is Zoya dead? Is Tiger responsible?
(This is your last chance to have an important plot element remain unspoiled.)
Post-interval Tiger is reunited with Zoya – who has been reunited with her co-workers in Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. And we enter delicious Dhoom 2 territory as the couple deceive each other and their intelligence agencies as plot twist follows plot twist. Who is working for whom? Will Tiger betray his country? Will Zoya? Can this love across enemy lines succeed?
Let me get the one negative point out of the way first and then I’ll talk about all the good stuff.
Katrina, darling, I adore you but please stop with the fillers and botox. The “Bollywood Barbie” tag isn’t supposed to be literal!
She actually wasn’t too bad through most of the film but there were a handful of places where you could tell that she could barely move her face. It was really distracting. I kept trying to figure out if she had the botox done at the beginning of film and it gradually wore off or if she shot for a few weeks and then decided to botox it up before the song picturizations. I think it was the latter but I could be wrong.
Anyways, yes, Katrina is looking plastic.*
With that out of the way, let’s talk Tiger!
I loved this film.
The first half is more masala with comedy, action, romance, and drama but the second half is all romantic spy-thriller. It’s an interesting style choice but it works. We’re prepped by the masala romance in the first half to accept that Tiger and Zoya would risk their lives for each other in the second half. And all of this is set against some wonderfully rich Kabir Khan cinematography. He has a real eye for scene composition and we get visual treats like Zoya and Tiger’s first post-interval meeting. As a Pakistani delegation and Indian delegation walk towards each other, there are just hints of a red scarf floating in and out of frame on the Pakistani side. Keep in mind that we (and Tiger) think Zoya is dead but that red scarf… The delegations stop and face each other and as one of the Pakistanis moves aside we see Zoya… in a red scarf. It was really well done.
Kabir Khan also has a great eye for faces, which I really appreciate. Not only do we get a solid supporting cast with Roshan Seth and Ranvir Shorey but the junior artistes are a wonderful bunch – Zoya gets a multi-racial cast of friends; Tiger ogles a ginger-headed lady; there is a bank teller with some amazing penciled eyebrows. Clearly the junior artistes were picked with purpose and it’s that level of detail that makes a Kabir Khan film special.
He isn’t just on top of the visuals but also manages to pull wonderful performances out of Katrina and Salman, who have never had chemistry before in anything. Ever. Salman gives the best performance I’ve seen from him since Jaan-e-Mann. He sinks his teeth into Tiger and melts right into Kabir’s more naturalistic style of filmmaking. Salman knows when to take Tiger into filmi territory and he knows when to pull back. It’s really a wonderful performance. Katrina – aside from the occasional facial freeze – is very charming. She nails both the emotion and the action.
Yes, I said action.
Because I saved the best for last – Zoya isn’t just a pretty plot device, she’s a spy and that means she can come up with plots and dishoom some bad guys if necessary. When Tiger and Zoya join forces, they really become equal partners in crime. Zoya not only plans things but she gets to run, jump, hit people, do badass stunts, and wear sensible shoes. Nobody puts Katrina in a corner. There is one part where she slides on her knees under this guy trying to shoot her and it’s awesome.
I cannot wait to see what she’ll get to do in Dhoom 3.
Ek Tha Tiger is exactly as advertised – Kabir Khan style masala. It’s a fun film, with some satisfying emotional undercurrents and beautiful visuals. It doesn’t give the full-contact masala high of something like Endhiran. Ek Tha Tiger is more like a nice glass of red wine – subtle, rich, and just what the doctor ordered after a long week of work.
*Who can we get to stage an intervention? Aamir and Saif have gotten their own surgeries. And we’ve already seen Ajay’s influence on Kangana, so it’s no use calling him. Akshay? He seems to like the natural look.
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August 22, 2012 at 2:50 PM
It’s trending quite well at this point and should do 16-170. However the only record it’s broken is on opening day. The fastest 100 doesn’t mean much because once you have that kind of opening unless the movie’s a total washout it will get to that number ‘fastest’.
But it’s rather unfortunate that you too have taken this scoffing tone when it comes to trending. Perhaps you know a better way of doing this than the professionals at Hollywood. Or perhaps they just haven’t seen big openers in their history.
As far as I’m concerned the big ‘record’ besides the 200 crore gross (which no film despite having bigger initials over the first week has reached, even approached, before ETT every other film was at least 55 crores or so behind! this with the advantage of inflation and what not) is 3I’s extraordinary trending. For that matter Ghajini’s trending itself hasn’t been repeated.
The reason this is important is because you don’t get to the biggest numbers without minimal trending even if you shatter records on day 1. So this isn’t something abstract! It’s unfortunate that these things even have to be explained to desis including those who live or have grown up outside India and ought to be just a bit more enlightened on these issues.
To have this whole Adarsh-like approach where one pre-decides certain films are huge and record-breakers and irrespective of the evidence one continues to push that story (including for Ra One!) is unfortunate but hardly surprising.
Tomorrow if D2 does 140 crores in a week and gets to 210 this will not be as impressive an achievement as 3I by any stretch even though the trade will crow about it. This absurdity whereby a film is first expected to shatter records and then given credit for just maintaining numbers proportionate to its scale, even when these numbers are otherwise disappointing, has a great deal of participants evidently!
Here’s the deal. When you have a star and/or a film that opens big or very big just ‘ok’ WOM (which is to say that most people find it ok, not good or great) will sustain it and take it towards a big total. When the WOM or good or better that’s when you get real trending. Ra One happens when the film is completely rejected though even here it is within the sci-fi genre that you can have a total miss (in most other genres there’s more latitude). But that’s not very often in ‘by the numbers’ filmmaking.
Salman, rather smarter than some of his fans or those who watch his movies, said it best when Ready was releasing when he suggested that the film had become hot only because he had had something like Dabanng, otherwise it would have been a different story a few years ago! He was quite right, there’s nothing to films like Ready and BG, you need a truly hot star to get these to work at any level. All of this we know. This pretense of surprise that a film made on this scale starring him is getting huge numbers is crazy!
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August 22, 2012 at 5:26 PM
if trending continues to be like this…then i see it sailing past 200cr. tuesday was the expected big drop off right? that did not happen. any word on wed figures?
so week 1 total is somewhere between 126-136cr…the new bar has been set once again by sallu bhai.
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August 22, 2012 at 5:35 PM
after opening week 126-136cr and the end total would be 160-170cr…that is a pretty bad crash which is what you’ve explained well above.
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August 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM
^ just to repeat–the above is filmigirls take on ETT !
Typo-like me, ‘she’ doesn’t care how seeing/liking a movie will be perceived …
Good to get an honest simple fun take …
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August 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/branded/
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August 22, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Some good news from The Timepass of India to Satyam: AB Jr in Dhulia’s film KALA SONA –
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Tigmanshu-Dhulias-filmi-state/articleshow/15587333.cms
Baap kala patthar mein hira nikla – beta kya niklega? waqt hi batayega….
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August 22, 2012 at 3:45 PM
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August 22, 2012 at 3:46 PM
By the way I love Feroz Khan’s campy Kala Sona!
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August 22, 2012 at 4:22 PM
I may sound arrogant here Satyam but do u remember the last time there was a fruitful discussion on the blog? when i joined this forum some months back, there used to be meaningful debates even amidst all the fun. But since past 2 weeks or so, the sensible stuff has almost vanished and has been replaced by fights and jokes over ridiculous stuff like ‘Kashyap is greater than Ray’ and so on- bcos of this people will lose interest in the blog IMO- Ami too complained abt it the other day- U should think abt it
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August 22, 2012 at 4:31 PM
true there’s been some of this stuff and I have probably unhelpfully contributed to this myself. Having said that these things always happen. I can’t really say it’s anything completely new in this sense. I do certainly see where you’re coming from and it’s certainly something to be alert to. Do think there have been important film discussions in this period as well. Perhaps some of this other stuff has sucked out some of the oxygen but it’s been there.
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August 23, 2012 at 1:30 PM
Satyam, one of the most effective ways of countering these problems in an open forum is to remember this dictum of internet discussion: Don’t feed the trolls. No matter what the temptations, sometimes one needs to learn to ignore, not to react. Anyone who has spent a fair bit of time in online discussions can detect these type of comments with a little bit of attention- taken at random or individually these comments may as well sound very reasonable, but in context and seen as a pattern they display a remarkable similarity with trolling, albeit of the sophisticated kind.
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August 23, 2012 at 2:07 PM
you’re quite right Matrix. Often I know where people are coming from but my larger ‘interest’ in responding is about, in a sense, opening the conversation for other readers. But you’re right that irrespective of the aim certain discussions are just not the most fruitful ones.
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August 22, 2012 at 4:32 PM
BTW this may be useful to people here who want to watch ‘classic non- Hindi Indian films but don’t know the language'(though some may be already aware abt this)- A friend of mine told me yesterday that a tv channel “Lok Sabha TV” screens these great Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali and other Indian language films with subtitles alongwith off-beat Hindi films (the so-called ‘art films’) every Saturday night- whoever interested can check the schedule- btw they also show the famous DD show “Discovery of India”
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August 22, 2012 at 5:51 PM
this is eastwoods next…though he is not the director. robert lorenz is making his directing debut. seems like a anti-moneyball movie.
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August 23, 2012 at 11:52 PM
clint eastwood is the most intelligent actor i hv come across.
though the poor fella has been much derided for his limited acting skills….i beg to differ.
his acting is unobtrusive acting….he blends with the narrative and acquires an almost storybook…. static and timeless appeal. where the other actors r indulging in ACTING…(natural or over the top)…emoting…. and in a lot of other ways perhaps unconsciously so, trying to leave their conspicuous stamp on the story ……clint in his characteristically unassuming manner simply becomes the story.
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August 22, 2012 at 9:41 PM
Ek Tha Tiger Eid Factor – Two Sides Of The Coin: The UNBELIEVABLE
Wednesday 22nd August 2012 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger on Tuesday is behaving very differently at centres across India. Where there is a heavy muslim population the film is holding up with unbelievable figures and in other places it is down heavily.
This can be illustrated with figures from two centres, Lucknow and Gurgaon, both are in North India, the latter being a multiplex heavy centre just outside Delhi and the former being Muslim dominated centre of UP. Both centres are amongst the the top ten grossing centres of India for Hindi films.
Below are the UNBELIEVABLE Tuesday figures from LUCKNOW with Monday figures in brackets.
Novelty Lalbagh – 1,89,187 (1,87,217)
Novelty Aliganj – 1,17,152 (1,17,152)
Pratibha – 1,48,766 (1,64,119)
Umrao – 1,20,904 (1,20,913)
Wave – 4,57,874 (4,09,432)
PVR – 2,76,833 (3,55,520)
PVR Phoenix – 4,96,010 (5,05,065)
Fun – 4,36,870 (3,68,376)
Inox – 3,25,956 (2,23,290)
TOTAL – 25,69,552 (24,51,084)
The collections are 5% up on Tuesday in Lucknow from Monday
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August 22, 2012 at 9:43 PM
Ek Tha Tiger Eid Factor – Two Sides Of The Coin: The CRASH
Wednesday 22nd August 2012 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger on Tuesday is behaving very differently at centres across India. Where there is a heavy muslim population the film is holding up with unbelievable figures and in other places it is down heavily.
This can be illustrated with figures from two centres, Lucknow and Gurgaon, both are in North India, the latter being a multiplex heavy centre just outside Delhi and the former being Muslim dominated centre of UP. Both centres are amongst the the top ten grossing centres of India for Hindi films.
Below are the Tuesday figures from Gurgaon which show a huge CRASH with Monday figures in brackets.
PVR Ambience – 2,03,030 (5,93,937)
PVR MGF – 2,10,722 (6,22,648)
PVR Sahara – 1,54,532 (3,30,409)
DT City – 1,23,206 (3,49,062)
DT Mega – 1,08,168 (2,70,643)
DT Star – 90,227 (3,00,295)
Big – 1,14,195 (3,50,990)
SRS Omaxe – 1,17,519 (3,07,833)
SRS Wedding – 84,553 (2,28,201)
TOTAL – 12,06,155 (33,54,023)
The collections are down 64% in Gurgaon on Tuesday from Monday.
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August 22, 2012 at 10:16 PM
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta
ETT Day 7: Final figure – Rs. 16.31 crore. Total for 7 days – Rs. 137.15 crore. Superb!!!!
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August 22, 2012 at 10:29 PM
If this film repeated Ghajini’s trending it would do 270 crores. If it repeated 3I’s trending it would do 340 crores. If it just repeated Dabanng’s trending it would do 235 crores. If it repeated only Ready’s trending it would do 225 crores.
People should keep these numbers in mind before they lose their heads over day 1 numbers. Otherwise you could have a film open at 160 crores with enough inflation, it would comfortably pass 200 crores even if it were the worst washout around and everyone could celebrate! Much as in Hollywood if the Dark Knight opens with stunning numbers it’s expected to maintain that pace.
Don’t know where ETT will end up but let’s see what total it gets to based on the above model!
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August 22, 2012 at 10:41 PM
yes as i said above…agreed on that trending analysis. TDKR opened to a solid number…but if compared to TDK the trending has been disappointing. it will end up around 420ishM after opening at 160M. TDK opening at 158M and ended up with 533M showed the film was greatly appreciated.
ETT has been holding up really well so far…with no major films upcoming (besides a dull ‘Joker’) ETT has a free run for the next couple of weeks.
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August 22, 2012 at 10:52 PM
yes as I said a few days ago the current Dark Knight will fall about 100m behind the previous one and about 200m behind Avengers. But the reviews were somewhat mixed as was the WOM. So it’s not surprising. It was liked but not as much as the last one which was adored universally. Read somewhere that Avengers needed to make 400m in the US just to be profitable! In India the most expensive productions become ‘superhits’ on day 1!
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August 22, 2012 at 11:11 PM
lol yeah no arguments on the superlatives that are spewed out for a movie that opens big.
will finally be watching TDKR tomorrow night. have stayed away from the reviews and just followed the box office numbers. i think TDK obviously had the Joker/heath ledger effect that kept it going and was loved immensely.
before TDKR released..i mentioned that there wasn’t that genuine buzz around the latest one compared with the previous version. even before the Colorado shootings, i didn’t think it was going to do as much as TDK or break the Avengers opening weekend record.
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August 23, 2012 at 2:01 AM
taran adarsh @ taran_adarsh
#EkThaTiger – India *actuals* Tue 16.31 cr. Total: 137.15 cr nett. Excellent! All set to cross #Dabangg [147 cr] & #Bodyguard [148 cr].
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August 23, 2012 at 12:07 AM
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3505&p=.htm
Around-the-World Roundup: ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Passes ‘Dark Knight’ Overseas
Early this weekend, The Dark Knight Rises flew past The Dark Knight’s overseas total. The conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy added $21.4 million from 61 markets, which brought its total to $488.6 million. That’s ahead of The Dark Knight’s $469.7 million, and Rises will drastically widen that gap with openings in China and Italy at the end of the month.
The movie’s top-grossing territories so far are the U.K. ($77.8 million), South Korea ($40.8 million), Australia ($40.5 million), Germany ($29 million) and Mexico ($28.6 million). Worldwide, the movie’s total has reached $898.4 million, and it should be on track for $1 billion eventually.
The Expendables 2 actually appears to have earned more than The Dark Knight Rises this weekend, though official figures are not available (the foreign distribution is being handled by many different companies, so getting a specific figure is tricky). The action sequel grossed at least $22.4 million from 18 markets, including three big ones. It improved 45 percent from the first movie in Russia ($8 million) and 58 percent in Italy ($1.9 million). It was less impressive in the U.K., where it grossed just over $3 million including previews.
Total Recall earned $18.9 million from 53 territories, bringing its total to $58 million. It opened strong in South Korea ($5.2 million) and was also good in France ($3.5 million) and Brazil ($2 million). The sci-fi remake should ultimately earn over $100 million overseas, though it needs a bit more than that to really make up for its terrible domestic performance.
The Bourne Legacy grossed $18.1 million from 18 territories this weekend for a very early total of $28 million. It earned $7.2 million (including previews) in the U.K., and debuted in first place in Australia with $4.7 million. It was a little weaker in Spain, where it took third place with $2.5 million.
Box office phenomenon The Avengers debuted in Japan, its final market, this weekend. Disney reported that the movie earned $6.7 million, but including previews it has already grossed over $17 million there. Its outstanding overseas total reached $863.9 million, which ranks fourth all-time.
Brave continued its slow-and-steady foreign run with another $14.4 million from 46 territories. To date, the Disney/Pixar movie has earned $179.2 million overseas for a worldwide total north of $408 million.
Ted continued its very impressive foreign run with $11.6 million this weekend. It added $3.2 million in the U.K., and held first place for the third-straight week in Germany with $2.4 million. So far, the Seth MacFarlane comedy has earned $138.2 million overseas.
Ice Age: Continental Drift grossed $11.1 million this weekend to bring its incredible total to $646.3 million. It probably won’t match its predecessor’s $690.1 million foreign total, but that’s an unreasonable standard anyway. On Monday, the movie passed $800 million worldwide.
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August 23, 2012 at 12:10 AM
TDKR on course to cross $ 1 billion worldwide & TDK’s worldwide collections…would make it the biggest worldwide non – 3D grosser after Titanic…terrific going !!!
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August 23, 2012 at 12:47 AM
while it may have been a slight disappointment domestically…it has earned more worldwide third time around. very good.
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August 23, 2012 at 2:46 AM
LOL, another golden piece from Bhardwaj:
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August 23, 2012 at 7:51 AM
‘Done with it’ – Bhatt (Hindu)
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article3807399.ece
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August 23, 2012 at 10:12 PM
What have I missed? Do not understand why AK calls this a great, great interview?? Bhatt has been spouting the same stuff for decades….
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August 23, 2012 at 8:39 AM
Ek Tha Tiger Has Record Wednesday
Thursday 23rd August 2012 13.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ek Tha Tiger collected record numbers on Wednesday beating the numbers of Three Idiots. It had set records on many of the previous days also but that was all in the holiday period. Wednesday was the first day after the holiday period and bit like the Monday for normal Friday releases.
The Wednesday number should come in around 9 crore nett which is phenomenal. The film is being driven by business in mass pockets, UP is simply earth shattering and helped the Delhi/UP circuit to over 2 crore nett collections even though collections in Delhi city have come down from there high levels.
The central belts are also very strong though there were larger drops in parts of the Mumbai and South Indian circuits. Overall the film is looking set for a good run over the next few weeks.
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August 23, 2012 at 9:44 AM
Aamirsfan : plz let me know your thoughts after achieving out TDKR ..
B rangans review of ETT is expectedly highly entertaining and nicely written .
Each line does prove the same point-‘how brilliant b rangan is as a person and how austeristic his natural urges are’
Theres a reason why I rate the ‘homegrown’ satyam and even some otjer folks here higher than b rangan (content and relevance wise)
When get time, will probably expand on this –unfortunately 🙂
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August 23, 2012 at 10:58 AM
AA:
I did not want to blog-whore on this thread but am surprised you think people have been soft on Nolan. TDKR has received mixed reviews – especially from the critics; I don’t think people have been overly generous to it. I am not sure why you are expecting an extremely -ve reaction to it. If you go to the comic books’ fan-sites, you will see some of them have ripped apart the movie…
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_knight_rises/
And I am sure you will not like my review:
http://reviews.allaboutbelgaum.com/2012/07/24/the-dark-knight-rises-and-how/
but that is the effect the film had on me as a layman non-comic-book movie lover: the one who wants to watch grand action movies ONLY on imax or whatever the best of technology has to offer…
Perhaps if i watch TDKR on my laptop, I am sure the effect will be halved – I am not sure where you watched it…because it definitely counts for this movie…
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August 23, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Alex has this strange impression that the movie has been reviewed too kindly because of Nolan when this isn’t the case. In fact very many major voices have criticized the film for getting too ‘serious’ and so on. But this is nonetheless a very significant achievement. One can’t simply reject the film out of hand.
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August 23, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Amul Mohan
#EkThaTiger : wed – 31cr, thur – 14.25cr, fri- 12.50cr, sat – 15.50 cr, sun – 21.75 cr, mon – 18cr, tue- 13cr, wed- 8.50 cr, total 134.50 cr
BOI tally looks to be more or less the same.
Difference between this & Taran/Komal’s tally is now an alarming 13 crores…we have had cases earlier of disparity upto 5 crores here & there.
Something’s fishy somewhere !!!
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August 23, 2012 at 11:11 AM
the difference is 3 croes, not 13. Taran and Nahata have it at a bit more than 137.
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August 23, 2012 at 12:49 PM
ETT Day 8:Rs.10.45 crore.Total Rs.147.6 crore.Lifetime collection of Dabangg(142 crore) and Bodyguard(146 crore) surpassed in 8 days.Great!
Difference is 147.6 – 134.5 = 13.1 crs 🙂
Another moron T has same nums
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August 23, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Another reminder of bankruptcy of these sources.As if one were needed.
Regardless, this cannot take away from a stupendous performance by ETT thus far. Have to say it has exceeded my predictions so far, and by quite a bit.
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August 23, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Agree on ETT.. It is holding v good and has every chance to reach 3I’s nums
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August 23, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Satyam,
No, Taran & Komal have it at 147.50 and have already announced the crossing of Bodyguard’s lifetime collections !!!
The difference is actually 13 crores….astounding !!!
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August 23, 2012 at 2:08 PM
ah.. my mistake.. sorry.
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August 23, 2012 at 2:12 PM
the thing is that one a producer total, one is another source. But the problems are the same. Often it’s not about higher and lower (unless someone is doing so with an agenda) but the fact that neither side really knows. The differential comes about because in some cases the same number of centers are not taken for a territory or sub-territory. The info is not completely available in time. BUt also from some of the centers you might get gross figures rather than nett. These are then mixed up with the rest. All kinds of stuff happens. Not just with ETT but every film. Which is then the reason why it is so easy to distort things if you have an agenda. But yeah this differential is unusual.
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August 23, 2012 at 1:27 PM
It’s good to see folks finally coming round to accept reality lol
About ETT and in general 🙂
@ann-
I have no problems with anyone going orgasmic about kareena kapoor forget about TDKR ..
As long as one is ‘honest’ and there is no agenda to it..
For eg I enjoyed reading a few lines of your raving review in TDKR more —
Though you last line was telling
“– It is almost blasphemous to think of rating Christopher Nolan”
Haha
Anyhow : coming back to b ranga
Am nobody to criticise a reviewer of his ‘stature’-think he’s got awards for it as well though lately one gets a feeling that he is no longer ‘reviewing’ these bollywood films
But using them as an opportunity to take out certain key messages on ‘intellectual superiority’
To heck –who are his reviews meant for ? –auteurs or the general public !!
Are the box office figures of ETT now and numerous hit but crap films which he made fun of –not a resounding slap !!
I mean: what did he expect out of salmans ETT– is he a kid from kindergarten exPecting a classy cerebral thriller there!!
And has he ever invested two Pennies into any film –if and when he does he will realise whats the pressure to get it back !
Would rate rangans reviews
out of ten–
Quality of English writing 11
Wit and creative allegories 14
Context 6
Relevance to target audience 4
Content 5
Ie full of Intellectual self gratification
Reading his reviews seem like -“hey I didnt miss a single loophole!”
Wow well done mate..U deserve a phd for that !!
One rememwbers how he got orgasmically excited when some one mentioned ‘blowjob’ in delly belly
Have no issues with it -infact welcome it myself -but his calling it the biggest revolution since renaissance in Bollywood made one stop!!
When the box office of these films stay indirectly proportional to their ratings day after day– don’t they get the message !!
Stop writing reviews for yourselves or to prove you intellect -they are for the reading public (atleast meant to be)
I would take an honest review from Ann or filmigirl over these –though always find them highly entertaining and an epitome in creative and witty English writing
🙂
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August 23, 2012 at 3:53 PM
I knew you would pick that line up… that line was written when I definitely was on a high…and let me add a disclaimer there; it is almost blasphemous to ME only…
<>
I have not read BR’s review on ETT but isn’t it better that commerce/box-office success are separated from the film’s actual content/worth? We do have the likes of Taran colluding with the prod houses and film stars to write mutually satisfying reviews….
Housefull, to me is a turkey content-wise, but I cannot deny its monetary success….
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August 23, 2012 at 6:25 PM
“I knew you would pick that line up… that line was written when I definitely was on a high…and let me add a disclaimer there; it is almost blasphemous to ME only”
Hahah Ann -I was only pulling your leg
U don’t have to be apologetic about loving TDKR or Nolan –I’m nice to simple polite folks 🙂
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August 23, 2012 at 1:33 PM
@ Ann –
I didnt watch TDKR on ‘laptop’
But on IMAX
Anyhow – have never had issues with ‘genuine’ folks having genuine fun in any film–
To add–didn’t see u finding minutiae criticism in GOW or any other bollywood film either.
It’s the ‘imbalance’ that’s a problem somewhat –but even there, one can have bigger sins -like enjoying the ‘acting’ of nargis fakhri or Diana panty 🙂
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August 23, 2012 at 3:40 PM
Firstly, I have not watched GOW 1 to 10.
Secondly, why do you think holding AK to lofty standards is a prejudice? Even if one were indulging in it, isn’t it a back-handed compliment to AK itself that he is now held accountable to ‘world’ standards but not ‘regional’ standards? (by regional, meaning the B word – Bollywood).
I think Satyam has exhaustively covered this in many of his comments. On the one hand, his fans are bestowing immortality on AK and on the other, when somebody starts questioning this, the terms are downgraded to ‘local’ immortality? (Some guy says to AK that the 3 great epics of India are RAMAYANA, MAHABHARATA, and GOW…I doubt whether he even saw parts of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan…let alone the different textual versions….)
I think the number of people on this blog at least who find him unimpressive is a very very tiny minuscule. I think it is only the ‘finality’ with which people are saying that AK has taken over Ghatak or Ray that Satyam and others are objecting to. And they are correct. I do not think Ray immediately took over the world’s greats with Pather Panchali. It just lay bare a ‘streak’ of genius in him. It was his accumulating body of work that took him to greater heights…
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August 23, 2012 at 4:24 PM
fact is consistency and even gow 2 faltered both commercially and critically compared to gow1 …he has to give much more and even gow having much vast release in terms of prints have a much lesser print per average ( such sort of terrain will always have limited scope of release and if you are going for commercial element there is bound to be little disappointment)…kashyap’s strength is films on tight budget which contradicts star model and don’t go along with their fee structure so one understand this pr hyperbole but his core strength will always be hostel going torrent crowd unless he has plans for bigger ambition
with body of work there is a certain vishal bhardawaj who has given things critically and commercially only there is kaminey but that is a bigger grosser than gow 1 and 2 combined with more commercial elements
and don’t ignore your regional standard on very extreme vionence there was a movie called subramaniapuram very recently and won national award and why in credit anurag thanked that because on such tight budget layer of story was much more immense
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subramaniapuram
for record even satyajit ray and adoor where part of so called regional cinema and ya in terms of quality the word regional rightly describes bollywood
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August 23, 2012 at 2:11 PM
To add Ann –
Talking of your adulation of TDKR -I never have issues with simple honest in complicated views—even if u watch cheap porn on your laptop and enjoy it –thats fine
Same for folks like utkal uncle and so on..dont like the ‘easy target’ mentality.
It’s the complex spin and the ‘big fish’ that grab my attention 🙂
Ps: enjoy TDKR
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August 23, 2012 at 3:49 PM
Trailers of 2 upcoming films starring ‘Nicolas Cage’ – 1) STOLEN- Cage and Josh Lucas- director is Simon West (Expendables 2, Con Air, Lara Croft)- http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DrpMxOjUjweA&sa=U&ei=toY2UJiFIsad2QW3kIGAAg&ved=0CCgQtwIwAw&usg=AFQjCNHJsAsDHlnFkG1uBWnNxzSOItRjNA (2)THE FROZEN GROUND- Cage, John Cusack and Vanessa Hudgens- http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dj2hP4eNJ2cE&sa=U&ei=jYc2UJOdIcjiyAGo4ICQBg&ved=0CC8QtwIwBA&usg=AFQjCNE_PBvf8doQzUCrjXNiN8fAznnamg
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August 23, 2012 at 6:56 PM
Something for Satyam:
Amitabh bachchan joins Facebook-gets a million likes instantly
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