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95 Responses to “Saheb Biwi aur Gangster Returns, the rest of the box office”
Kai Po Che had a good second week as it collected around 12.50 crore taking the two week business to nearly 37 crore nett. The film grossed well in and around all big metros while other places were low but very steady compared to the first week.
The drop from the first week was less than 50% in most circuits. Overall the best business will come from Mumbai, Delhi/UP and Mysore with Mumbau contributing around 18-19 crore nett of the final business while Delhi/UP should add around 10 crore nett. Mysore should finish at 3.50 crore nett.
Race to has made it 150 crore plus worldwide and is amongst top 20 grossers of all time worldwide.
The 350 crore plus is Three idiots. the 300 crore plus film is Ek Tha Tiger.
The 250 plus film is Dabangg 2. The 200 plus films are Bodyguard, Dabangg, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Don 2, Ra.One, Rowdy Rathore and My Name Is Khan.
The 150 crore plus films are Agneepath, Ghajini, Housefull 2, Ready, Barfi!, Talaash, Golmaal 3, Rab ne Bana Di Jodi, Bol Bachchan, RACE 2, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dhoom 2.
My dear Women I salute you with these lines of Great poet Kaifi Azmi…
Qadr ab tak terii tarriikh ne jaanii hii nahiin
tujh mein shole bhii hain bas ashkfishaanii hii nahiin
tu haqiiqat bhii hai dilchasp kahaanii hii nahiin
terii hastii bhii hai ik chiiz javaanii hii nahiin
apnii tarrikh kaa unvaan badalnaa hai tujhe
uth merii jaan mere saath hii chalnaa hai tujhe
Seems another lacklustre week. No earthquakes and no shattering of records. Maybe they should start lowest opening records broken.
Long live the star system.
Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster [ Images ] Returns is better, sharper and more assured than the prequel, writes Raja Sen.
The title means nothing, you know.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster was fine, cheeky and homage-y but this added Returns, a grammatically incorrect English word at the end of a Hindi title? (Instead of, say, Saheb Biwi Aur Doosra Gangster?)
It is this anything-goes approach that carries itself on to the opening credits — with oddly tacky graphics of tossed coins and guns, as if to rub the film’s lack of finesse in our faces — and to the characters, who are introduced with no subtlety whatsoever: the word Gangster shows up with a funny gong sound, the Biwi appears to wailing B-movie siren sounds in the background.
WATCH: Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns trailer
Thus does director Tigmanshu Dhulia make it clear that he’s plunging us into a world of pure and unashamed schlock, and this film is meant to be terrifically tawdry.
From the background score that often features infant screams a la bad horror films, to scenes resting heavily on obvious metaphor, to the protagonists speaking exclusively in clever and applause-seeking dialogue, this is a film that aims to thrill and do so in the delicious language of the lurid. Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns is a theatrically indulgent entertainer, one that makes no bones about its pulpiness and stays well and truly juicy.
In the land of the Uttar Pradesh [ Images ] kings, where all moustaches are twirled up with flair, a once-wealthy royal sits in a wheelchair and plots his second marriage, deciding that arm-twisting is as good a seduction tactic as any. Saheb (Jimmy Shergill [ Images ]) wants what he wants, which is to humiliate everyone around him, bring them to their knees.
Meanwhile, his sloshed yet serpentine wife (Mahie Gill [ Images ]) lashes out: for help, for money, for company and for her queenly honour, whatever that last one means.
There is an abducted young princess (Soha Ali Khan [ Images ]) and her vengeful lover (Irrfan Khan [ Images ], this film’s Gangster) and much, much skullduggery afoot: this is a film where women sing old movie songs in their haveli at night, but even that romantic song about embraces comes from Woh Kaun Thi, a film of cruel conspiracy. And of double-crossing women.
Rife with their own internal motivations, none of the mains can be trusted. We are never sure just how much each protagonist knows, and what their next move is — or what, indeed, they want. Their fascinating amorality keeps the narrative tense and genuinely unpredictable, and a very solid ensemble coupled with tremendously entertaining dialogue — not to mention Dhulia’s irresistibly quirky gallows humour — makes this a very rollicking film.
Take, for instance, the lush queen. Mahie Gill’s Madhavi is all sarees and seduction, sure, but she’s made to play the drunk and desperate character cartoonishly over the top. She may or may not be bad, but, like Jessica Rabbit, she’s just drawn that way. Jessica Rabbit*h, then.
She’s hurt and wounded as well as hot and hungry, and Dhulia uses her cunningly, to evoke disgust and pity and love. And yet to keep us guessing.
The film’s dialogue is exceptionally good. Not just the taaliyan-at-a-baithak lines about how everyone looks the same in a wheelchair and why men swear more (because they sob less), but also the telltale lines that winkingly give away bits of the game.
A policeman measures out the future in terms of the next year, the next election, the next Shah Rukh Khan [ Images ] film. While a politician (in what will inevitably be the film’s most quoted moment) triumphantly calls himself a sensitive tomato.
The air is heavy with metaphor, as mentioned, but it’s handled most entertainingly. A man with killer aim starts to wield a camera, a sharpshooter learning to shoot. A veteran actor known for on-screen lasciviousness is the only one woefully out of place during a trashy dance sequence. A princess stands on her lover’s toes; a wife needs hands to steady her. One character ambitiously reads the constitution while another, attempting to forge and caress an unlikely romance, reads Shrabani Basu’s Victoria And Abdul, about the clerk who loved the queen.
The performances are unanimously strong. Irrfan, with several quivers full of the dialogues he likes, is a riot at first, and then a delight to watch gradually unravel. Mahie is intentionally exaggerated but performs with significant flair, and makes sure her barbs sting. Soha has the stateliness for the part but plays naive in almost childlike fashion, which is great. Raj Babbar and Pravesh Rana [ Images ] are very well cast. And we must also single out Rajeev Gupta as the film’s funniest character, the theatrically inept politician, the tomato.
But the film belongs, as it were, to Shergill. He dominates proceedings with delicate nuance and wonderful presence; it is as if he finds more dynamism from being strapped in a wheelchair. It is his lines that ring the loudest, and his eyes that do the film’s talking. This is a rendition that deserves a salaam.
Despite finding a lot to individually love, I wasn’t very sold on the first Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, largely because of the way it stretched out, its uneven tone, and the fatal misstep in attempting to pay tribute to Saheb Bibi Aur Ghulam by mirroring the classic.
The new film is much sharper, more assured, and, unencumbered by a classic to stand beside, a far better film.
Like the crooners aware of which guests to keep away from the tipple and the aides who wait till the master’s lips touch drink before letting their own, it is clear Tigmanshu Dhulia knows what he’s doing. It has, in fact, never been clearer. Which itself is worth drinking to.
Besides, how could one resist a film where even drawers opening and closing sound like guns being cocked?
Many have a defective poll system(recent IBN poll) which omits certain names by ignorance or design. Among the great directors, Shakti Samanta who had some great hits, some great movies and a huge span of great actor stars ranging from Madhubala, Uttam Kumar to AB and Rajesh Khanna. His name is not even considered just like legendary singer Mukesh was not considered in the Outlookindia poll.
Really looking forward to Sahib biwi aur gangster sequel, looks like Jimmy Shergill (probably the most underrated actor in the industry) and Irfan Khan are having a ton of fun.
Shadow of a Doubt
An old Hitchcock film from the 40’s. Not seen many of his films but enjoyed it a lot – it’s a mystery. Great ambiance and fun to watch, though both my mates fell asleep and only I made it to the end.
Devdas (1935)
Wanted to watch this for so many years. Finally found a DVD online which i ordered from india. But now I think it’s available on youtube! Anyways, found it quite hard to watch. Very ‘theatrical’ acting – I guess this was made a very long time ago! Only second Saigal movie I’ve seen…hard to believe he was a heartthrob in his time 😉
Dillagi (1966)
Saw this cos i like the Lata song ‘Mere Dil Pe Chal Rahein Hain’. Typical sixties movie with Mala Sinha and Sanjay Khan – they fight, they sing songs, they fall in love. Watchable for the cast and music.
Sur-Kshetra
I watched the whole show, but I shouldn’t have. Atif Aslam and Himesh are both immature, rude pricks. Asha’s behaviour was embarrassing. Only Runa and Abida were decent. The singers were generally not as impressive as on other shows but the finalists were very good, esp Diljaan. I found the format pretty poor (the judges award either zero or ten after each performance – how dumb is that) and I didn’t think having a music ‘war’ between India and Pakistan was in particularly good taste.
The Ghost Writer
Really enjoyed this thriller starring Ewan McGregor and Brosnan. About a writer who gets caught up in a political mess. Would like to see more Polanski movies. Any recommendations?
Private Practice
Watched all 6 seasons of this Grey’s Anatomy spin-off in a month (whilst I wasn’t working). Really, really enjoyed it. Shame its finished as I could have kept watching. In particular the ethical issues raised were really interesting.
Bahaaron Ki Manzil
I’ve seen this Meena Kumari – Dharmendra – Rahman mystery a few years back but came across it on youtube recently and just clicked on it and ended up watching the whole thing. Meena Kumari plays a woman who wakes up, and denies that her husband of 20 years and her teenage daughter are anything to do with her. Dharmendra plays her psychiatrist who is the only one to believe her. I actually like this film a lot even though the story’s not particularly logical! Pleasure watching the lead cast. And awesome songs, esp Lata’s Nigaahen Kyun Bhatakti Hai and Yeh Daaman Ab Na Chhutega.
Titli
I really like Rituparno Ghosh’s movies. I’ve enjoyed almost everything i’ve seen of his work. This stars Aparna Sen and Konkona, who plays a star-struck fan of Mithun, wh they end up meeting. I don’t wanna give more away but its a simple, interesting movie.
Yatra
I wanted to watch this for a long time but had moderate expectations as I knew reviews weren’t good. Nana Patekar plays a writer, Deepti Naval is his wife and Rekha plays a tawaif (surprise surprise). It’s very ‘artsy’ but mainly rather pointless, and at times non-sensical. Deepti is awesome as always, but rekha’s acting was pretty disappointing.
Suits (Season 2)
Brilliant stuff! Bring on season 3!
House
Finally filnished the 8th and last season. Can’t believe it’s over. Possibly my favourite TV show of all time. Don’t think anything will fill the void left by Gregory 😮
Griha Pravesh
This is exactly the type of movie I would expect to like – the exploration of a few characters and their lives, at a slow pace. But I wasn’t entirely impressed. This was Basu Bhattacharya’s final film in his trilogy about married couples (the foirst two being Anubhav – Sanjeev and Tanuja, with those awesome Geeta Dutt songs, and Aavishkar – Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila). Antway, here Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila play a married couple, leadinga dull life. He is a boring accountant, who ends up in an affair with a very slutty Sarika. I found her character quite irritating and althugh she’s attractive, its hard to imagine why the husband strayed, though she does improve over the course of the film. What lifts the movie is Gulzar’s dialogues – he’s a genius when it comes to relationships. And the final half-hour is gripping!
English Vinglish (again)
Somehow ended up watching this for the third time…not particularly out of my own volition but still didn’t mind seeing it again. Favourite film of 2012.
Naya Andaz
There are very few Meena Mumari films I’ve not seen so am really excited when I manage to find one that has thus far proved unavailable. Recently I got hold of Naya Andaz, Savera, Chaar Dil Chaar Raahein, Sanam, Shri Krishna Vivaah and Farishta so will watch them in due course.
Anyways, Naya Andaz stars her, Kishore Kumar and Pran. It’s watchable but nothing great – Kishore plays a singer/poet who leaves home as he is not valued by his father. He joins a drama company run by Pran who loves him main star, Meena. Like i said, nothing special but a pleasure to see Meena looking young and vivacious.
Sanam
Dev Anand and Suraiya star in this relatively interesting movie about redemption. Dev is poor, accidentally kills someone and then falls in love with the judge’s daughter, who thinks all poor ppl are bad. I guess it has tones of Awara. The lead pair are good, but I was more interested in the girl playing Suraiya’s sister – MEENA KUMARI 🙂 She’s hilarious and steals the show whenever she’s onscreen 🙂
Ek Deewana Tha
Finally finished this. I’d seen most of it on a plane some months back. I like Prateik but this was a kinda odd movie. Didn’t like the actress. Mediocre music by Rahman’s standards.
Biwi Aur Makaan
Produced by Hemant Kumar and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Starring Biswajeet and Mehmood. A comedy about 5 guys trying to geta flat in Bombay. nly couples area wanted by landlords – so they pretend to be two married couples! Not as good as his later comedies but still fun. And a great Lata-Asha due – Dabe Labon se Kabhi Jo Koi Salaam Lele.
Student of The Year
I prefer Karan Johar sticking to this kind of superficial stuff rather than overstepping his ability and trying to make something like KANK. This is more what he is ‘good’ and I actually found it less painful to watch than KANK. Its crap nevertheless of course. Varun and Siddarth are not so awful but Alia is really bad.
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
How did Yash Chopra make this 😦 Dull music, horrible leading lady, boring story.
**Would like to see more Polanski movies. Any recommendations?**
1) Bittermoon – super
2) The Pianist – very good
3) Rosemary’s Baby – good
4) Repulsion – repulsively attractive
5) Polanski: Wanted and Desired – fine documentary
6) Chinatown
7) Knife in the water
Checked out SBAGR last night and felt that this is the first Bollywood sequel which is better than the 1st part. This one scores over the 1st one in number of respect-
1) Tigmanshu uses the ‘hawelis’ themselves in a much better way this time around- much of the politics and game-plans happens inside the hawelis and they are really a part of the plot.
2) The sequel is pretty much bereft of sex scenes (save one). This one tighter script which does not lose focus for till the end.
3) The climax is superb and well-executed. The last one had gone completely haywire in the last 15 minutes or so but here Dhulia does not resort to any cheap twist- that is not to say that there is not any twist(s) but it is not gimmicky and cannot be predicted. Dhulia really saves his best for the 2nd half and the climax. I will go as far as to say that it is one of the best twist endings I have seen in recent times- the last scene will stay with you for a long time.
3) Irrfan’s character (who is curiously named Raja Bhaiyya!) and the actor himself are more than a welcome addition to the plot. And as expected the actor is in fine form and he gets some of the best one-liners in the film. Sample this- “Hamari to gaali or bhi taali padti hai”
4) I think this is one of the rare sequels where the plot not only is better but is more pulpy and juicy which is what should have been the case with the 1st one. Dhulia also really get the political backdrop (and undertones) to come into play. From the name Raja Bhaiyya itself to centering a part of the politics around the division of UP into 4 parts. Dhulia knows his world very well.
5) The cast is pitching perfect. The only downer is Mahie Gill who is all over the place with her drunkard act. This role simply required a better actor- Tabu (of Maqbool) comes to mind instantly. Soha also is pretty flat. But apart from that EVERY actor makes his character live on screen. And i think this is Jimmy’s best performance ever (yes i took both Haasil and Yahaan into account)- the film belongs to him. Watch him say this dialogue with elan- “Hum zinda hai abhi, makbara nahi huye hain”.
6) Finally I think this is Dhulia’s most realized work since lower even if his aim was lower this time around
A descriptive and informative piece on Tamil Film Industry
Everything You Know about Tamil Films Is Probably Wrong ( OPEN)
Yet, few filmmakers have polarised opinion in the last decade the way Kamal Haasan has. He has made movies with huge budgets, veering towards bankruptcy at times. Several of his dream projects, including the much-hyped Marudhanayagam, were shelved. To fund these ventures, he acted in potboilers, most of which were tremendously fun comedies, in between. His box-office hits include Thenali, Pammal K. Sambandam, Panchathanthiram, and Vasool Raja MBBS. He also collaborated with Gautham Menon on the cop thriller Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu in 2006, and starred in Unnaipol Oruvan, a remake of Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday.
Prithviraj to star in Happy New Year
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, Mar 8, 2013 – 18:16 hrs IST
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South star Prithviraj, who made his Hindi film debut opposite Rani Mukerji in Aiyyaa, has been signed to play one of the 3 main leads in Farah Khan’s Happy New Year. This is certainly a big project for Prithviraj considering he will be sharing screen space with Shah Rukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan.
Besides Happy New Year, Prithviraj will also be seen in YRF’s Aurangzeb that features Arjun Kapoor in a double role.
“Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy) would be re-writing brother Jonathan Nolan’s script and was circling the director’s chair. Now, Christopher Nolan has been confirmed as a director, but his partnership with brother Jonathan isn’t the biggest team-up news. In a rare bit of cooperation by major studios, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. will team up to co-produce; Paramount will handle domestic distribution while WB goes international. Legendary Pictures will not be involved, despite having backed The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception. Few plot details are available for the film, but it’s said to “depict a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.” We do know, however, that Interstellar is now slated for a November 7, 2014 release in IMAX.
The Nolan brothers’ Interstellar involves a group of explorers traveling through a wormhole and deals with time travel and alternate dimensions. The script is said to be inspired by the work of Kip Thorne, a physicist at Caltech.”
What would Pakistani PM pray for in Ajmer Shareef…. More Successful Bomb Blasts….!!!!! More Heads of Indian Soldiers… !!!!!!!
I have been to Ajmer… nd Its true Gareeb Nawaz really makes ur wish come true.. Mine was accepted… This makes me even more worried…!!!!!!
Friday 8th March 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns had a low opening of around 20% at multiplexes. Though the opening is low it is better than last week’s releases. The better opening came in select cinemas in the Delhi NCR area and it is this area which is likely to do the best business.
As with most medium to small films it is the Saturday business that holds the key and it will be no different for Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns. The film has the advantage that is like a solo release despite the release of Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga which has just 2-3 shows at multiplexes and has opened very poorly.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster released in 2011 grossed around 7.75 crore nett and this film will easily do more but it is also a much bigger film.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns First Day Business
Saturday 8th March 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns managed decent business on its first day collecting around 3.25 crore nett on day one as per early estimates. The film picked up at certain places and also with older releases being fatigued out and no major competition at the box office this week also helped the film a lot.
The first day of the business was as much as the combined business of last week’s two releases I Me Aur Main and The Attacks Of 26/11.
The film did its best business in Delhi/UP, East Punjab, CI and Rajasthan with both multiplexes and single screens returning decent figures. Business in other areas was comparatively lower. If the film shows just normal growth over the weekend it will come out with a decent 11.50 crore nett weekend.
Basically the film will cross the business of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011) in just two and a half days. The other release Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga was very poor with fisrt day collections likely to be 10 lakhs on a best case scenario.
B.O. update: ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns’ has tepid start!
By Taran Adarsh, March 8, 2013 – 12:45 ISTSAHEB BIWI AUR GANGSTER RETURNS started on a dull note in the morning shows. The opening response was below the mark even at premium multiplexes. The release of the film has coincided with the examination period, which has kept a chunk of the movie-going audience to stay away from cineplexes. However, the biz should gather momentum during the course of the day. The evening/night shows should witness an escalation, while the real test will be from Saturday onwards.
The other release, SAARE JAHAAN SE MEHNGA…, was never expected to start with a bang due to lack of face-value, but much depends on how it performs in the evening/night shows and over the weekend
hope to finally watch it today. I really wanted to do both in one go but it’s looking unlikely. I at least want to do each part on consecutive nights. On that note though the transfers on the Indian DVDs aren’t very good. They’ve released it in France as well and the DVD looks to be fantastic. But I don’t want double-dip on this. And even otherwise can’t say I am especially concerned about getting the best possible transfer on the film though undoubtedly it would have been nice to have it. The Indian one is inferior to even some of the better or good Indian DVDs in the past.
I do not see how it is a bigger film than the previous one. 90% of the film centres around hawelis just like the 1st one. The starcast is certainly bigger but I refuse to believe Irrfan would be charging Dhulia his normal fee. Also the thing to be kept in mind here is that Dhulia is co-producing the film.
The film did not garner a big enough opening inspite of being a sequel simply because unlike what was at the time of the earlier film this time around the makers did not publicise the sexual content of the film (save one very short lovemaking scene there is no adult content here)
ABCD Fourth Week Box Office Collection. Huge Hit
ABCD is a big surprise Hit of the year. Its good run at the box office continued in the 4th week also. It collected around 90 lakh nett in the fourth week at the box office. With this ABCD total collection after 28 days is around 41.65 crore nett mark.
ABCD registered a drop of 55% from last week which is great. It is made on controlled budget, but with humongous theatrical returns, it has emerged as goldmine for makers and distributors. Like Race 2 and Kai Po Che it is the third film of 2013 which has made profit for each one who is associated with the film. Who knows, ABCD might still collect a few crore in coming days as well.
Yes. Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster Returns is delicious stuff. Dhulia knows how to write. Only when you watch films by Dhulia, Kshayp or Mishra ( Sudhir), you realise what the films of RGV lack…fullblooded women. It is when the worlds of men and women intersect that you get real drama. I mean there would be no ramyana without sita, Mandodari, Kaikeyi, Manthra. No Mahabharata without Draupadi, Kunti, Gandhari. Irrfan and Jimmy are on top of their acts. Both Mahie and Soha’s characters are well written and they deliver. But most of all it is the writing that sizzles. It is not just Dhulia’s lines. ( Which of course are great. Take the scene where Jimmy says to Mahie she acts so degraded as if she would do it for money. Offer me money then, it is okay, she responds. “ Aap itni sasti ho gayi hain ki mere paas dene ki liye chillar nahin hai”, he quips. ) But there are insightful sequences as well. The scene where Mahie says ; Mein rajneeti karn chahti hoon’, for example. You know her desperation. .she knows her yearning for romnace is mirage. Finding fulfillmemt through power is much more realistic aspiration. Or when she says, ” Mjujhe sirf mard hi kyon milte hain, shayar kyon nahin’ , she is speaking for women in general and their need for romance… when all they get is sex. The plotting and the supporting characters are detailed. Only the music is lackluster. And the item number ny Migdha Godse and the scene with the porn-watching politician are shoddy, sticking out unflatteringly from the wonderfully controlled, elegant storytelling of the rest if the film.. The best part of the film is that all the characters stay with you after the film is over. Especially…the saheb, the biwi and the gangster. Dhulia has made these as memorable as the saheb, the biwi and the ghulam. Dhulia’s trio are a little more complex and nuanced than Gurudutt’s if you ask me.
“what the film sof RGV lack…fullblooded women. It is when the worlds of men and women intresect that you get rral drama”
“she is speaking for women in general and their need for romance… and all they get is sex.”
utkal uncil– it is lines that this that have made me your ‘fan’…
i also wanna publically announce today
i have been a music fan for long
but i never used to pay any attnetion to lyrics –esp hindi ones
besides understanding them better–i have started paying more attention to them and it has opened a can of worms oops a treasure chest
started noticing ‘lyrics’thanx to
utkal uncle & ‘anjali singh’ who taught me lyrics 🙂
ps–utkal uncil i can bet u were a ‘casanova’ in your time–plz admit
🙂
“The best part of the film is that all the characters stay with yiou after the film is over”
utkal uncle–thats no excuse to abduct poor mahie gill and soha–cmon plz drop them back home lol
““she is speaking for women in general and their need for romance… and all they get is sex.””
now this is an ace ‘deep’ line by utkal uncle!!!
would like to invite all ‘females’ here to comment and opine on this –confirm or validate or deny it plz
ps-we know it is a ‘sensitive’ issue so I will personally give a ‘prize’ to any female who has the guts/openness to answer this–thanx
Satyam the other day was lamenting about ‘institutional’ support for Tamil/south movies..Looks like it is not only the south but the north too that is being afflicted with this disease..I do not see SBAGR — let alone sub-titled or non-sub-titled– anywhere on the US East coast..or for that matter I am not sure anywhere in the US..if anybody knows if it is playing anywhere near DC/Maryland/NY..do let me know..I NEVER watch pirated movies of Dhulia..he deserves the FULL support of the interested public..
On the other hand, the utterly mediocre but beautifully clothed KAI PO CHE is being shown in AMC and REGAL CINEMAS in its 3rd week!! God help stupid audience like me..
Yhea..no SBAGR near me either…went to theater and had to watch KPC instead. Didn’t like it except SR is quite hot and some parts of the city are well shot…not sure why people are raving so much abt KPC. Really disappointed abt SBAGR (was looking forward to it all wk)
not showing anywhere near me…(and i never go out of the way 4 movies)
ps–feel that this should be seen by every thinking person lol
apparently di told me she was dying to see this movie–perhaps my above line was relevant there…hehe
go folkz–patronise good stuff (that has healthy sex scenes like this not kinky!)
BOI is giving Special treatment to Special 26. Even after 4 weeks, they refuse to give verdicts. Do they want to count the last penny in the last theatre so as to declare it Hit? How long are they going to drag?
valuable piece. Thanks. Not sure though if I find the justification the author offers to be totally persuasive. Of course I’ll have to see the film to decide finally on this but the more ‘theoretical’ problem here is that this approach runs the risk of abstraction. In other words as opposing to thinking of violence in purely abstract terms as a human response and something all of us are capable of and so forth makes for perhaps a good ‘moral’ and or psychoanalytic argument but it risks erasing the very specific political frameworks within which this violence then comes about. For instance if set a film in Nazi Germany and just showed it as a ‘human story’ this would be perfectly valid as a choice but it would be questionable in the same sense. The ‘human story’ frame universalizes things but it also risks banality. Are humans everywhere the same? Well it depends. We are all the same in terms of our biology and how we’re ‘hard-wired’ et al. But we are also capable of radical difference in terms of our ‘potentiality’. And it is precisely a political framing of one kind or another that introduces this radical difference. I might be capable of atrocious violence but I also might not be able to realize this potential without being provided the right conditions. And this is where politics makes certain outcomes much more likely. Back to Nazi Germany. There was a centuries old history of anti-Semitism in Europe that led to all kinds of episodes and often horrible ones. But it took the extraordinary ‘difference’ that the Nazis constituted to take that reservoir of anti-Jewish feeling and channel it in certain ways that eventually created the world of the camps. There was nothing ‘inevitable’ about these events. But a certain kind of political discourse makes certain extremes much more possible if not in fact likely. And so while the piece here is well argued it doesn’t really get to the heart of the problem. One can make perfectly compelling human stories that double over as moral fables in a variety of contexts. And this is a defensible choice on its own. But one can justifiably wonder why certain choices were made and not others in a given set of contexts.
Dance clubs update—
couldnt see any movies in the multiplexes recently , but interesting visits to some plush dance clubs(unfortunately in groups) lol
To add to the problem–there are these ‘harmless’ kid ‘brother’ folks around
well, we all have been to dance clubs. There are some common sights–We all guys are basically into ogling, lets not pretend lol
and if one comes in ‘mixed groups’, we have to ‘behave ultradecently’ hehe
There are some ubiquitous male souls though.The ‘harmless’ kiddish guy even a ‘brother’ who sometimes just wait around the gals and sort of give them ‘company’…
They are usually v polite even respectful, sometimes youunger & become sort of ‘confidants’–but importantly they are ‘harmless'(apparently)!
When the gals are at their ‘lower ebb’ or emotionally vulnerable, they do give those gals a patient ear and also do get a few dances with them.
Anyhow–before one blames these harmless guys, one is reminded of ones own fetishes and one remains quiet 🙂
disclaimer–have been seeing those more recently and not only in dance bars but all around–but hey, everythings fine …These are just ‘innocent observations’. As they say, those (like me) who live in glass houses shouldnt change clothes with lights on) haha
🙂 Actually like sanju ‘baba’
Note that ‘baba’ is also somewhat like ‘munna’
U may become a grand dad but still stay a ‘baba’ or ‘munna’
Ps: munna just joking mate 😉
Recently dutt has been making some bad choices (including in women)& is looking decrepit& a butt of jokes
But he had his days
Once upon a time, he looked quite good-was ace in Naam
A little known film — a song I like
Check this out folks–enjoy 😉
That’s true but once Kishore wasn’t there RD simply stopped creating ‘magic’. For example I have never thought highly of the much heralded Ek Ladki Ko Dekha (or even the rest of the album. the only song i like here is Kuchh Na Kaho). And in any case Kumar Sanu could kill even a fantastic song most of the times (if one is a kid of the 90’s one can understand the pain of listening to a new Nadeem-Shravan- Sanu ‘composition’ every second day on a WalkMan. That said I prefer Sanu to both Mohammad Aziz and Shabbir Kumar.).
Actually come to think of it L-P gave better soundtracks than RD in the 80’s- here is one of their best from that period from Ghulami- “Mere Peeko Pawan”
Another one from the same film- Zee Haale Muskin Mukoba Ranjish (though I do not get the lyrics of the 1st line)- one of Shabbir’s better songs (I also like Jab Hum Jawaan Honge from Betaab as well)
RD was always great with BG scores though. check it out in this fantastic number from Sunny’s best IMO- Arjun- Rawail has filmed this entire sequence with lot of energy which seems to be missing in most of today’s films
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns Has Decent Weekend
Monday 11th March 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns had a decent weekend of around 11.25 crore nett. The approx breakdowns were 3.25 crore nett on Friday, 3.75 crore nett on Saturday and 4.25 crore nett on Sunday.
The film failed to get that major jump on Sunday as the family audiences kept away which will curtail its final business. The best business came in Delhi/UP and East Punjab followed by Rajasthan and CI. The film had a so-so performance in Mumbai and South.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns will do more than three times the business of the earlier Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster film released in 2011 but the cost of the film is also nearly three times more.
The weekend business of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster was 3.50 crore nett and it finished with 7.75 crore nett.
The Guardian piece makes some points that are bang on. In fact it almost repeats some of my observations verbatim. She says, “It also seems clear to me that this film is more effective in reaching out to its audience—and potentially changing people’s minds—than an imagined filmic naming and shaming of Modi could ever be. ” . I had said, “A film like this delivers the message on the futility and tragedy of aggressive communalism far more effectively than a Perzania or any of the other more explicitly political film do.” “ It replaces the Govind-Vidya romantic birthday-with-fancy-cake with a garba moment that has both sexual frisson and charming gawkiness. “ she says. I had said, “The lovemaking scene here built up from the lyrical Pari Hoon Mein dandiya sequence, and the aftermath of tension-filled talk in the auto to the message delivered on mixed up cellphone were very charming.”
She explains very well how the film vastly improves upon the book. She points out the use of vernacular language as against the English of the book. “Whichever it is, watching Kai Po Che, it is hard not to feel (as someone once said about Gopal Gandhi’s translation of A Suitable Boy into Hindi) that it has been translated back into the original.” That was very well put.
But the most perceptive observation is summed up in these sentences, “ Instead it lays out a world whose everyday Hinduness is remarkable for being unremarked, just as it often is in Indian life: the Ganesh statue on the dashboard, the instinctive gesture of touching new ground to one’s forehead, or writing Om to inaugurate a new blackboard.”
In fact it is this sophistication in staging that makes it stand out from films like RDB or ZNMD. It is this live in reality that sucks the audience into its world and makes it such a rewarding viewing.
And let me repeat once again, Thank God the characters are nothing out of the ordinary. And nothing special happens to them ( Save for the climax.) . I have a weakness for films where not much happens ( Before and After The Sunrise, anyone?)
( And as far as politics, what do you want? That a Sound Of Music should have a sermon about the horrid acts of Hitler and Nazism? In fact the film ( Kai Po Che) depicts very clearly how the Hindu political outfit is biased towards the Muslim population, denying them succor in their most hapless times, and how its leaders rouse anti-Muslim sentiments among ordinary Hindus and how the local leaders trap ordinary youths like Omi in their political fold. If it was any more strident , it would have lost all its aesthetic balance and wont have been
Wow that’s a biggie news –thanx mr anya
Hope it’s not one of the April fool prank u ar e playing on me (ahead of time!) lol
& whatta relief –something ‘normal’ from u –Yaaiyyy
Stay happy & cheerful 🙂
Shobhaa de tweets
Just watched Saheb,Biwi…!Too long.But too good! Irfan K shouldn’t waste his talent on movies like Spiderman.What an irresistible gangster!
The first quarter of the year has nearly finished and the first hit film of 2013 has yet to come. There have been a handful of successful films in 2013 led by Race 2 but none of them have gone onto to be a major hit. Last year in the first quarter films like Agneepath and Kahaani had emerged huge hits.
The first quarter still has Himmatwala to come which should do the trick while second quarter looks much stronger than the first with potential hits like Ek Thi Daayan, Shootout At Wadala, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 and Ghanchakkar and there is always a chance of a small film or two surprising.
The major problem in the first two months has been the non performance in the North of most films. Today business is such that if a film works in Mumbai and North the job is done as it forms 60-70% of the market depending on the film. Even a film like Special 26 without doing too well in the Gujarat belt (which is 35-40% of Mumbai circuit) has managed to outperform in Mumbai circuit as it heads to a near 12 crore share compared to near 7 in Delhi/UP..
Successful films which are good need not be major hits. Better than craps getting 100 crores.
And how can Agneepath and Kahaani be in the same bracket?
Will still check it out when the subtitled version arrives but very disappointed with this. Have liked all 3 Ameer Sultan films but probably this is what happens when you take Jayam Ravi-
Rangan’s review of Ameer Sultan’s ‘Ameerin Aadhi Baghavan’-
Ameerin Aadhi Baghavan…Heaven Help Us-
“An acquaintance, a close associate of K Balachander, has this way of scoffing at today’s filmmakers. “Look at what a long and varied career director saar had,” he’ll say, “and look at these directors now, who begin to falter in just their second or third films.” Make that “fourth film,” and he could be talking about Ameer – for Aadhi Bhagavan is a baffling embarrassment. How the creator of Paruthi Veeran could have ended up with something so incoherent is something only the director can answer, while we, the audience, can point to the usual suspects – like a sentimental moment that segues to a song voiced by Udit Narayan and staged in a desert, where hero and heroine pound their feet into the sand, as if determined to reshape the surrounding dunes. My favourite surreal moment, in a sea of surreal moments, is a shootout on a terrace, after the onset of which the heroine, standing below, screams, “Enna nadakkudhu anga?” We are left asking the same question.”
2013 Mumbai Circuit Ratio Against All India
Mumbai circuit has out performed this year which is probably due do to the content of the films released so far which have held more appeal in Mumbai than some other circuits. The successes of the year are mainly due to Mumbai circuit so far this year. Below is ratio for Mumbai circuit against all India of all films which have grossed more than 10 crore nett this year. The 2012 average ratio for Mumbai on 148 Hindi films was 36%.
Some interesting conclusions can be drawn from this data.
Mumbai circuit is ready to watch films for content more than for stars.
Mumbai has the largest diversity of tastes and thus almost every good film gets audience.
The northern circuits including Bengal circuit are somewhat dumb and lacks taste for certain types of good films.
Mani Ratnam sues ‘Kadal’ distributor!
By MOVIEBUZZ
Source : SIFY
Last Updated: Thu, Mar 14, 2013 11:19 hrs0 Comments
The Madras High Court has restrained Mannan of Mannan Films from “entering, interfering or trespassing into the office of director and producer Mani Ratnam”.
Mani Ratnam, his production company Madras Talkies and his wife Suhasini Maniratnam had filed a suit against Mannan claiming Rs 5 Crore as damages for “the loss of goodwill and reputation by false, motivated, defamatory and derogatory acts of Mr. Mannan.”
Mani Ratnam’s lawyer Abdukumar submitted that Mr Mannan who claimed to be one of the distributors of Kadal was a stranger as far as Maniratnam is concerned. Mannan had lodged a complaint before the commissioner of police , stating that Maniratnam had cheated him in the distribution of the film and when he demanded repayment , he was criminally intimidated, which was false, perverse, illegal and defamatory.
SATYAMSHOT 
March 8, 2013 at 12:00 AM
Kai Po Che Has Good Second Week
Friday 8th March 2013 10.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Kai Po Che had a good second week as it collected around 12.50 crore taking the two week business to nearly 37 crore nett. The film grossed well in and around all big metros while other places were low but very steady compared to the first week.
The drop from the first week was less than 50% in most circuits. Overall the best business will come from Mumbai, Delhi/UP and Mysore with Mumbau contributing around 18-19 crore nett of the final business while Delhi/UP should add around 10 crore nett. Mysore should finish at 3.50 crore nett.
Bihar, Nizam and Rajasthan are poor performers.
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March 8, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Race 2 Makes It To 150 Crore Plus Worldwide
Friday 8th March 2013 10.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Race to has made it 150 crore plus worldwide and is amongst top 20 grossers of all time worldwide.
The 350 crore plus is Three idiots. the 300 crore plus film is Ek Tha Tiger.
The 250 plus film is Dabangg 2. The 200 plus films are Bodyguard, Dabangg, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Don 2, Ra.One, Rowdy Rathore and My Name Is Khan.
The 150 crore plus films are Agneepath, Ghajini, Housefull 2, Ready, Barfi!, Talaash, Golmaal 3, Rab ne Bana Di Jodi, Bol Bachchan, RACE 2, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dhoom 2.
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March 8, 2013 at 1:28 AM
And thus continued BOI with its Baniyagiri. Hum filmon ke nahin, kiryaane ke tarafdaar hain.
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March 8, 2013 at 1:42 AM
Nice piece on new thing ‘ Casting Director’ Shanoo
http://caravanmagazine.in/arts/dream-girl
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March 8, 2013 at 2:03 AM
My dear Women I salute you with these lines of Great poet Kaifi Azmi…
Qadr ab tak terii tarriikh ne jaanii hii nahiin
tujh mein shole bhii hain bas ashkfishaanii hii nahiin
tu haqiiqat bhii hai dilchasp kahaanii hii nahiin
terii hastii bhii hai ik chiiz javaanii hii nahiin
apnii tarrikh kaa unvaan badalnaa hai tujhe
uth merii jaan mere saath hii chalnaa hai tujhe
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March 8, 2013 at 2:29 AM
Seems another lacklustre week. No earthquakes and no shattering of records. Maybe they should start lowest opening records broken.
Long live the star system.
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March 8, 2013 at 2:57 AM
SBGR getting good reviews:
Baja Sen’s review –
Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster [ Images ] Returns is better, sharper and more assured than the prequel, writes Raja Sen.
The title means nothing, you know.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster was fine, cheeky and homage-y but this added Returns, a grammatically incorrect English word at the end of a Hindi title? (Instead of, say, Saheb Biwi Aur Doosra Gangster?)
It is this anything-goes approach that carries itself on to the opening credits — with oddly tacky graphics of tossed coins and guns, as if to rub the film’s lack of finesse in our faces — and to the characters, who are introduced with no subtlety whatsoever: the word Gangster shows up with a funny gong sound, the Biwi appears to wailing B-movie siren sounds in the background.
WATCH: Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns trailer
Thus does director Tigmanshu Dhulia make it clear that he’s plunging us into a world of pure and unashamed schlock, and this film is meant to be terrifically tawdry.
From the background score that often features infant screams a la bad horror films, to scenes resting heavily on obvious metaphor, to the protagonists speaking exclusively in clever and applause-seeking dialogue, this is a film that aims to thrill and do so in the delicious language of the lurid. Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns is a theatrically indulgent entertainer, one that makes no bones about its pulpiness and stays well and truly juicy.
In the land of the Uttar Pradesh [ Images ] kings, where all moustaches are twirled up with flair, a once-wealthy royal sits in a wheelchair and plots his second marriage, deciding that arm-twisting is as good a seduction tactic as any. Saheb (Jimmy Shergill [ Images ]) wants what he wants, which is to humiliate everyone around him, bring them to their knees.
Meanwhile, his sloshed yet serpentine wife (Mahie Gill [ Images ]) lashes out: for help, for money, for company and for her queenly honour, whatever that last one means.
There is an abducted young princess (Soha Ali Khan [ Images ]) and her vengeful lover (Irrfan Khan [ Images ], this film’s Gangster) and much, much skullduggery afoot: this is a film where women sing old movie songs in their haveli at night, but even that romantic song about embraces comes from Woh Kaun Thi, a film of cruel conspiracy. And of double-crossing women.
Rife with their own internal motivations, none of the mains can be trusted. We are never sure just how much each protagonist knows, and what their next move is — or what, indeed, they want. Their fascinating amorality keeps the narrative tense and genuinely unpredictable, and a very solid ensemble coupled with tremendously entertaining dialogue — not to mention Dhulia’s irresistibly quirky gallows humour — makes this a very rollicking film.
Take, for instance, the lush queen. Mahie Gill’s Madhavi is all sarees and seduction, sure, but she’s made to play the drunk and desperate character cartoonishly over the top. She may or may not be bad, but, like Jessica Rabbit, she’s just drawn that way. Jessica Rabbit*h, then.
She’s hurt and wounded as well as hot and hungry, and Dhulia uses her cunningly, to evoke disgust and pity and love. And yet to keep us guessing.
The film’s dialogue is exceptionally good. Not just the taaliyan-at-a-baithak lines about how everyone looks the same in a wheelchair and why men swear more (because they sob less), but also the telltale lines that winkingly give away bits of the game.
A policeman measures out the future in terms of the next year, the next election, the next Shah Rukh Khan [ Images ] film. While a politician (in what will inevitably be the film’s most quoted moment) triumphantly calls himself a sensitive tomato.
The air is heavy with metaphor, as mentioned, but it’s handled most entertainingly. A man with killer aim starts to wield a camera, a sharpshooter learning to shoot. A veteran actor known for on-screen lasciviousness is the only one woefully out of place during a trashy dance sequence. A princess stands on her lover’s toes; a wife needs hands to steady her. One character ambitiously reads the constitution while another, attempting to forge and caress an unlikely romance, reads Shrabani Basu’s Victoria And Abdul, about the clerk who loved the queen.
The performances are unanimously strong. Irrfan, with several quivers full of the dialogues he likes, is a riot at first, and then a delight to watch gradually unravel. Mahie is intentionally exaggerated but performs with significant flair, and makes sure her barbs sting. Soha has the stateliness for the part but plays naive in almost childlike fashion, which is great. Raj Babbar and Pravesh Rana [ Images ] are very well cast. And we must also single out Rajeev Gupta as the film’s funniest character, the theatrically inept politician, the tomato.
But the film belongs, as it were, to Shergill. He dominates proceedings with delicate nuance and wonderful presence; it is as if he finds more dynamism from being strapped in a wheelchair. It is his lines that ring the loudest, and his eyes that do the film’s talking. This is a rendition that deserves a salaam.
Despite finding a lot to individually love, I wasn’t very sold on the first Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, largely because of the way it stretched out, its uneven tone, and the fatal misstep in attempting to pay tribute to Saheb Bibi Aur Ghulam by mirroring the classic.
The new film is much sharper, more assured, and, unencumbered by a classic to stand beside, a far better film.
Like the crooners aware of which guests to keep away from the tipple and the aides who wait till the master’s lips touch drink before letting their own, it is clear Tigmanshu Dhulia knows what he’s doing. It has, in fact, never been clearer. Which itself is worth drinking to.
Besides, how could one resist a film where even drawers opening and closing sound like guns being cocked?
NDTV’s Saibal Chatterjee:
http://movies.ndtv.com/movie-reviews/movie-review-i-saheb-biwi-aur-gangster-returns-792?pfrom=home-movies
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March 8, 2013 at 3:08 AM
Many have a defective poll system(recent IBN poll) which omits certain names by ignorance or design. Among the great directors, Shakti Samanta who had some great hits, some great movies and a huge span of great actor stars ranging from Madhubala, Uttam Kumar to AB and Rajesh Khanna. His name is not even considered just like legendary singer Mukesh was not considered in the Outlookindia poll.
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March 8, 2013 at 7:23 AM
because of ignorance
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March 8, 2013 at 9:40 AM
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March 8, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Really looking forward to Sahib biwi aur gangster sequel, looks like Jimmy Shergill (probably the most underrated actor in the industry) and Irfan Khan are having a ton of fun.
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March 8, 2013 at 3:16 PM
I am going tonight 🙂
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March 8, 2013 at 10:33 AM
Okay so a bunch of stuff I watched recently:
Shadow of a Doubt
An old Hitchcock film from the 40’s. Not seen many of his films but enjoyed it a lot – it’s a mystery. Great ambiance and fun to watch, though both my mates fell asleep and only I made it to the end.
Devdas (1935)
Wanted to watch this for so many years. Finally found a DVD online which i ordered from india. But now I think it’s available on youtube! Anyways, found it quite hard to watch. Very ‘theatrical’ acting – I guess this was made a very long time ago! Only second Saigal movie I’ve seen…hard to believe he was a heartthrob in his time 😉
Dillagi (1966)
Saw this cos i like the Lata song ‘Mere Dil Pe Chal Rahein Hain’. Typical sixties movie with Mala Sinha and Sanjay Khan – they fight, they sing songs, they fall in love. Watchable for the cast and music.
Sur-Kshetra
I watched the whole show, but I shouldn’t have. Atif Aslam and Himesh are both immature, rude pricks. Asha’s behaviour was embarrassing. Only Runa and Abida were decent. The singers were generally not as impressive as on other shows but the finalists were very good, esp Diljaan. I found the format pretty poor (the judges award either zero or ten after each performance – how dumb is that) and I didn’t think having a music ‘war’ between India and Pakistan was in particularly good taste.
The Ghost Writer
Really enjoyed this thriller starring Ewan McGregor and Brosnan. About a writer who gets caught up in a political mess. Would like to see more Polanski movies. Any recommendations?
Private Practice
Watched all 6 seasons of this Grey’s Anatomy spin-off in a month (whilst I wasn’t working). Really, really enjoyed it. Shame its finished as I could have kept watching. In particular the ethical issues raised were really interesting.
Bahaaron Ki Manzil
I’ve seen this Meena Kumari – Dharmendra – Rahman mystery a few years back but came across it on youtube recently and just clicked on it and ended up watching the whole thing. Meena Kumari plays a woman who wakes up, and denies that her husband of 20 years and her teenage daughter are anything to do with her. Dharmendra plays her psychiatrist who is the only one to believe her. I actually like this film a lot even though the story’s not particularly logical! Pleasure watching the lead cast. And awesome songs, esp Lata’s Nigaahen Kyun Bhatakti Hai and Yeh Daaman Ab Na Chhutega.
Titli
I really like Rituparno Ghosh’s movies. I’ve enjoyed almost everything i’ve seen of his work. This stars Aparna Sen and Konkona, who plays a star-struck fan of Mithun, wh they end up meeting. I don’t wanna give more away but its a simple, interesting movie.
Yatra
I wanted to watch this for a long time but had moderate expectations as I knew reviews weren’t good. Nana Patekar plays a writer, Deepti Naval is his wife and Rekha plays a tawaif (surprise surprise). It’s very ‘artsy’ but mainly rather pointless, and at times non-sensical. Deepti is awesome as always, but rekha’s acting was pretty disappointing.
Suits (Season 2)
Brilliant stuff! Bring on season 3!
House
Finally filnished the 8th and last season. Can’t believe it’s over. Possibly my favourite TV show of all time. Don’t think anything will fill the void left by Gregory 😮
Griha Pravesh
This is exactly the type of movie I would expect to like – the exploration of a few characters and their lives, at a slow pace. But I wasn’t entirely impressed. This was Basu Bhattacharya’s final film in his trilogy about married couples (the foirst two being Anubhav – Sanjeev and Tanuja, with those awesome Geeta Dutt songs, and Aavishkar – Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila). Antway, here Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila play a married couple, leadinga dull life. He is a boring accountant, who ends up in an affair with a very slutty Sarika. I found her character quite irritating and althugh she’s attractive, its hard to imagine why the husband strayed, though she does improve over the course of the film. What lifts the movie is Gulzar’s dialogues – he’s a genius when it comes to relationships. And the final half-hour is gripping!
English Vinglish (again)
Somehow ended up watching this for the third time…not particularly out of my own volition but still didn’t mind seeing it again. Favourite film of 2012.
Naya Andaz
There are very few Meena Mumari films I’ve not seen so am really excited when I manage to find one that has thus far proved unavailable. Recently I got hold of Naya Andaz, Savera, Chaar Dil Chaar Raahein, Sanam, Shri Krishna Vivaah and Farishta so will watch them in due course.
Anyways, Naya Andaz stars her, Kishore Kumar and Pran. It’s watchable but nothing great – Kishore plays a singer/poet who leaves home as he is not valued by his father. He joins a drama company run by Pran who loves him main star, Meena. Like i said, nothing special but a pleasure to see Meena looking young and vivacious.
Sanam
Dev Anand and Suraiya star in this relatively interesting movie about redemption. Dev is poor, accidentally kills someone and then falls in love with the judge’s daughter, who thinks all poor ppl are bad. I guess it has tones of Awara. The lead pair are good, but I was more interested in the girl playing Suraiya’s sister – MEENA KUMARI 🙂 She’s hilarious and steals the show whenever she’s onscreen 🙂
Ek Deewana Tha
Finally finished this. I’d seen most of it on a plane some months back. I like Prateik but this was a kinda odd movie. Didn’t like the actress. Mediocre music by Rahman’s standards.
Biwi Aur Makaan
Produced by Hemant Kumar and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Starring Biswajeet and Mehmood. A comedy about 5 guys trying to geta flat in Bombay. nly couples area wanted by landlords – so they pretend to be two married couples! Not as good as his later comedies but still fun. And a great Lata-Asha due – Dabe Labon se Kabhi Jo Koi Salaam Lele.
Student of The Year
I prefer Karan Johar sticking to this kind of superficial stuff rather than overstepping his ability and trying to make something like KANK. This is more what he is ‘good’ and I actually found it less painful to watch than KANK. Its crap nevertheless of course. Varun and Siddarth are not so awful but Alia is really bad.
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
How did Yash Chopra make this 😦 Dull music, horrible leading lady, boring story.
Kya Super Cool Hain Hum
Umm!!!
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March 8, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Speaking of great dramas, Game of Thrones Season 3…only three weeks away. Cannot wait !!!
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March 8, 2013 at 6:49 PM
What’s it about? I mean the genre and basic plot line…
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March 8, 2013 at 12:31 PM
I really enjoyed Polanski’s Ghost Writer as well…
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March 8, 2013 at 3:13 PM
@Salim:
**Would like to see more Polanski movies. Any recommendations?**
1) Bittermoon – super
2) The Pianist – very good
3) Rosemary’s Baby – good
4) Repulsion – repulsively attractive
5) Polanski: Wanted and Desired – fine documentary
6) Chinatown
7) Knife in the water
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March 8, 2013 at 3:15 PM
Chinatown. My fav
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March 8, 2013 at 6:51 PM
Thanks :=) Will note them down and check them out.
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March 8, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Thanks for that Salim.
I too LOVED House,MD and love Suits.
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March 8, 2013 at 8:39 PM
I miss Greg a lot – nothing seems to fill the void He has left 😮
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March 14, 2013 at 9:44 AM
Started watching the special features in the season 8 box-set…now I miss Him even more 😦
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March 8, 2013 at 12:07 PM
For Satyam 🙂
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March 8, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Any fans of the show Spartacus here? I am just hooked on it, probably the most entertaining pulp on television ever.
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March 8, 2013 at 12:21 PM
That is, if you can stomach the sex and violence.
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March 8, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Yes, I can stomach and also below the stomach sex..no problem at all..
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March 8, 2013 at 10:19 PM
http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?284177
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March 8, 2013 at 10:32 PM
Checked out SBAGR last night and felt that this is the first Bollywood sequel which is better than the 1st part. This one scores over the 1st one in number of respect-
1) Tigmanshu uses the ‘hawelis’ themselves in a much better way this time around- much of the politics and game-plans happens inside the hawelis and they are really a part of the plot.
2) The sequel is pretty much bereft of sex scenes (save one). This one tighter script which does not lose focus for till the end.
3) The climax is superb and well-executed. The last one had gone completely haywire in the last 15 minutes or so but here Dhulia does not resort to any cheap twist- that is not to say that there is not any twist(s) but it is not gimmicky and cannot be predicted. Dhulia really saves his best for the 2nd half and the climax. I will go as far as to say that it is one of the best twist endings I have seen in recent times- the last scene will stay with you for a long time.
3) Irrfan’s character (who is curiously named Raja Bhaiyya!) and the actor himself are more than a welcome addition to the plot. And as expected the actor is in fine form and he gets some of the best one-liners in the film. Sample this- “Hamari to gaali or bhi taali padti hai”
4) I think this is one of the rare sequels where the plot not only is better but is more pulpy and juicy which is what should have been the case with the 1st one. Dhulia also really get the political backdrop (and undertones) to come into play. From the name Raja Bhaiyya itself to centering a part of the politics around the division of UP into 4 parts. Dhulia knows his world very well.
5) The cast is pitching perfect. The only downer is Mahie Gill who is all over the place with her drunkard act. This role simply required a better actor- Tabu (of Maqbool) comes to mind instantly. Soha also is pretty flat. But apart from that EVERY actor makes his character live on screen. And i think this is Jimmy’s best performance ever (yes i took both Haasil and Yahaan into account)- the film belongs to him. Watch him say this dialogue with elan- “Hum zinda hai abhi, makbara nahi huye hain”.
6) Finally I think this is Dhulia’s most realized work since lower even if his aim was lower this time around
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March 9, 2013 at 12:52 AM
A descriptive and informative piece on Tamil Film Industry
Everything You Know about Tamil Films Is Probably Wrong ( OPEN)
Yet, few filmmakers have polarised opinion in the last decade the way Kamal Haasan has. He has made movies with huge budgets, veering towards bankruptcy at times. Several of his dream projects, including the much-hyped Marudhanayagam, were shelved. To fund these ventures, he acted in potboilers, most of which were tremendously fun comedies, in between. His box-office hits include Thenali, Pammal K. Sambandam, Panchathanthiram, and Vasool Raja MBBS. He also collaborated with Gautham Menon on the cop thriller Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu in 2006, and starred in Unnaipol Oruvan, a remake of Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday.
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/art-culture/everything-you-know-about-tamil-films-is-probably-wrong
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March 9, 2013 at 12:56 AM
Shankar is missing though …
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March 9, 2013 at 8:39 PM
For you bliss:
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/art-culture/inside-irrfan-khan-s-mind
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March 9, 2013 at 2:03 AM
Prithviraj to star in Happy New Year
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, Mar 8, 2013 – 18:16 hrs IST
#
South star Prithviraj, who made his Hindi film debut opposite Rani Mukerji in Aiyyaa, has been signed to play one of the 3 main leads in Farah Khan’s Happy New Year. This is certainly a big project for Prithviraj considering he will be sharing screen space with Shah Rukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan.
Besides Happy New Year, Prithviraj will also be seen in YRF’s Aurangzeb that features Arjun Kapoor in a double role.
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March 9, 2013 at 5:49 AM
Christopher Nolan to Write & Direct INTERSTELLAR, Co-Produced & Distributed by Paramount & Warner Bros.; Opens November 7, 2014 in IMAX-
http://collider.com/christopher-nolan-interstellar-release-date/
“Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy) would be re-writing brother Jonathan Nolan’s script and was circling the director’s chair. Now, Christopher Nolan has been confirmed as a director, but his partnership with brother Jonathan isn’t the biggest team-up news. In a rare bit of cooperation by major studios, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. will team up to co-produce; Paramount will handle domestic distribution while WB goes international. Legendary Pictures will not be involved, despite having backed The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception. Few plot details are available for the film, but it’s said to “depict a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.” We do know, however, that Interstellar is now slated for a November 7, 2014 release in IMAX.
The Nolan brothers’ Interstellar involves a group of explorers traveling through a wormhole and deals with time travel and alternate dimensions. The script is said to be inspired by the work of Kip Thorne, a physicist at Caltech.”
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March 9, 2013 at 5:57 AM
What would Pakistani PM pray for in Ajmer Shareef…. More Successful Bomb Blasts….!!!!! More Heads of Indian Soldiers… !!!!!!!
I have been to Ajmer… nd Its true Gareeb Nawaz really makes ur wish come true.. Mine was accepted… This makes me even more worried…!!!!!!
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March 9, 2013 at 6:12 AM
He may pray for Kashmir.
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March 9, 2013 at 6:15 AM
And Pigs will Fly…
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March 9, 2013 at 6:38 AM
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns Has Low Opening
Friday 8th March 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns had a low opening of around 20% at multiplexes. Though the opening is low it is better than last week’s releases. The better opening came in select cinemas in the Delhi NCR area and it is this area which is likely to do the best business.
As with most medium to small films it is the Saturday business that holds the key and it will be no different for Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns. The film has the advantage that is like a solo release despite the release of Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga which has just 2-3 shows at multiplexes and has opened very poorly.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster released in 2011 grossed around 7.75 crore nett and this film will easily do more but it is also a much bigger film.
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March 9, 2013 at 6:39 AM
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns First Day Business
Saturday 8th March 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns managed decent business on its first day collecting around 3.25 crore nett on day one as per early estimates. The film picked up at certain places and also with older releases being fatigued out and no major competition at the box office this week also helped the film a lot.
The first day of the business was as much as the combined business of last week’s two releases I Me Aur Main and The Attacks Of 26/11.
The film did its best business in Delhi/UP, East Punjab, CI and Rajasthan with both multiplexes and single screens returning decent figures. Business in other areas was comparatively lower. If the film shows just normal growth over the weekend it will come out with a decent 11.50 crore nett weekend.
Basically the film will cross the business of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011) in just two and a half days. The other release Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga was very poor with fisrt day collections likely to be 10 lakhs on a best case scenario.
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March 9, 2013 at 6:56 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#SahebBiwiAurGangsterReturns picked up in evening/night shows on Friday. Collected Rs 3.51 cr.
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March 9, 2013 at 6:58 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh
#KaiPoChe [revised] collected approx Rs 16.42 cr nett in Week 2. Grand total: approx Rs 45.52 cr nett.
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March 9, 2013 at 6:58 AM
B.O. update: ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns’ has tepid start!
By Taran Adarsh, March 8, 2013 – 12:45 ISTSAHEB BIWI AUR GANGSTER RETURNS started on a dull note in the morning shows. The opening response was below the mark even at premium multiplexes. The release of the film has coincided with the examination period, which has kept a chunk of the movie-going audience to stay away from cineplexes. However, the biz should gather momentum during the course of the day. The evening/night shows should witness an escalation, while the real test will be from Saturday onwards.
The other release, SAARE JAHAAN SE MEHNGA…, was never expected to start with a bang due to lack of face-value, but much depends on how it performs in the evening/night shows and over the weekend
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March 9, 2013 at 7:19 AM
So you are finally getting around to watching GoW. Waiting for your views (or better still a review) with bated breath.
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March 9, 2013 at 7:56 AM
hope to finally watch it today. I really wanted to do both in one go but it’s looking unlikely. I at least want to do each part on consecutive nights. On that note though the transfers on the Indian DVDs aren’t very good. They’ve released it in France as well and the DVD looks to be fantastic. But I don’t want double-dip on this. And even otherwise can’t say I am especially concerned about getting the best possible transfer on the film though undoubtedly it would have been nice to have it. The Indian one is inferior to even some of the better or good Indian DVDs in the past.
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March 9, 2013 at 9:00 AM
lemme know your views satyam–a european i know has the gow dvds and will give it to me
lemme know if its worht the effort of six hours !!
btw kashyaps gow praised by scorcese in a personal letter–now this does mean something…
https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/bollywood/news/a463993/anurag-kashyap-letter-from-scorsese-is-my-greatest-award-yet.html
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March 9, 2013 at 7:05 AM
I do not see how it is a bigger film than the previous one. 90% of the film centres around hawelis just like the 1st one. The starcast is certainly bigger but I refuse to believe Irrfan would be charging Dhulia his normal fee. Also the thing to be kept in mind here is that Dhulia is co-producing the film.
The film did not garner a big enough opening inspite of being a sequel simply because unlike what was at the time of the earlier film this time around the makers did not publicise the sexual content of the film (save one very short lovemaking scene there is no adult content here)
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March 9, 2013 at 6:53 AM
ABCD Fourth Week Box Office Collection. Huge Hit
ABCD is a big surprise Hit of the year. Its good run at the box office continued in the 4th week also. It collected around 90 lakh nett in the fourth week at the box office. With this ABCD total collection after 28 days is around 41.65 crore nett mark.
ABCD registered a drop of 55% from last week which is great. It is made on controlled budget, but with humongous theatrical returns, it has emerged as goldmine for makers and distributors. Like Race 2 and Kai Po Che it is the third film of 2013 which has made profit for each one who is associated with the film. Who knows, ABCD might still collect a few crore in coming days as well.
http://www.addatoday.com/2013/03/abcd-fourth-week-box-office-collection.html
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March 9, 2013 at 10:57 AM
ok guyz–an ‘epic conclusion’ to a saga of ‘bad decisions’
🙂
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March 9, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Happy Maha Shivratri everyone….!!!
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March 9, 2013 at 3:23 PM
Yes. Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster Returns is delicious stuff. Dhulia knows how to write. Only when you watch films by Dhulia, Kshayp or Mishra ( Sudhir), you realise what the films of RGV lack…fullblooded women. It is when the worlds of men and women intersect that you get real drama. I mean there would be no ramyana without sita, Mandodari, Kaikeyi, Manthra. No Mahabharata without Draupadi, Kunti, Gandhari. Irrfan and Jimmy are on top of their acts. Both Mahie and Soha’s characters are well written and they deliver. But most of all it is the writing that sizzles. It is not just Dhulia’s lines. ( Which of course are great. Take the scene where Jimmy says to Mahie she acts so degraded as if she would do it for money. Offer me money then, it is okay, she responds. “ Aap itni sasti ho gayi hain ki mere paas dene ki liye chillar nahin hai”, he quips. ) But there are insightful sequences as well. The scene where Mahie says ; Mein rajneeti karn chahti hoon’, for example. You know her desperation. .she knows her yearning for romnace is mirage. Finding fulfillmemt through power is much more realistic aspiration. Or when she says, ” Mjujhe sirf mard hi kyon milte hain, shayar kyon nahin’ , she is speaking for women in general and their need for romance… when all they get is sex. The plotting and the supporting characters are detailed. Only the music is lackluster. And the item number ny Migdha Godse and the scene with the porn-watching politician are shoddy, sticking out unflatteringly from the wonderfully controlled, elegant storytelling of the rest if the film.. The best part of the film is that all the characters stay with you after the film is over. Especially…the saheb, the biwi and the gangster. Dhulia has made these as memorable as the saheb, the biwi and the ghulam. Dhulia’s trio are a little more complex and nuanced than Gurudutt’s if you ask me.
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March 9, 2013 at 3:33 PM
“what the film sof RGV lack…fullblooded women. It is when the worlds of men and women intresect that you get rral drama”
“she is speaking for women in general and their need for romance… and all they get is sex.”
utkal uncil– it is lines that this that have made me your ‘fan’…
i also wanna publically announce today
i have been a music fan for long
but i never used to pay any attnetion to lyrics –esp hindi ones
besides understanding them better–i have started paying more attention to them and it has opened a can of worms oops a treasure chest
started noticing ‘lyrics’thanx to
utkal uncle & ‘anjali singh’ who taught me lyrics 🙂
ps–utkal uncil i can bet u were a ‘casanova’ in your time–plz admit
🙂
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March 9, 2013 at 3:37 PM
“The best part of the film is that all the characters stay with yiou after the film is over”
utkal uncle–thats no excuse to abduct poor mahie gill and soha–cmon plz drop them back home lol
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March 9, 2013 at 3:41 PM
blog announcement—
““she is speaking for women in general and their need for romance… and all they get is sex.””
now this is an ace ‘deep’ line by utkal uncle!!!
would like to invite all ‘females’ here to comment and opine on this –confirm or validate or deny it plz
ps-we know it is a ‘sensitive’ issue so I will personally give a ‘prize’ to any female who has the guts/openness to answer this–thanx
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March 9, 2013 at 3:54 PM
Satyam the other day was lamenting about ‘institutional’ support for Tamil/south movies..Looks like it is not only the south but the north too that is being afflicted with this disease..I do not see SBAGR — let alone sub-titled or non-sub-titled– anywhere on the US East coast..or for that matter I am not sure anywhere in the US..if anybody knows if it is playing anywhere near DC/Maryland/NY..do let me know..I NEVER watch pirated movies of Dhulia..he deserves the FULL support of the interested public..
On the other hand, the utterly mediocre but beautifully clothed KAI PO CHE is being shown in AMC and REGAL CINEMAS in its 3rd week!! God help stupid audience like me..
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March 9, 2013 at 4:38 PM
Yhea..no SBAGR near me either…went to theater and had to watch KPC instead. Didn’t like it except SR is quite hot and some parts of the city are well shot…not sure why people are raving so much abt KPC. Really disappointed abt SBAGR (was looking forward to it all wk)
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March 9, 2013 at 4:00 PM
not showing anywhere near me…(and i never go out of the way 4 movies)
ps–feel that this should be seen by every thinking person lol
apparently di told me she was dying to see this movie–perhaps my above line was relevant there…hehe
go folkz–patronise good stuff (that has healthy sex scenes like this not kinky!)
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March 9, 2013 at 7:50 PM
http://moifightclub.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/sai-paranjpyes-chashme-buddor-to-re-release-a-new-trailer-is-out/
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March 9, 2013 at 11:19 PM
Did you catch up with Stoker? In case you did tell us your thoughts.
BTW the new GIJOE releases in India before U.S. Take that Satyam, GF and other ‘videsis’ 🙂
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March 10, 2013 at 12:32 PM
ha! yes, that’s a kick in the ego for sure. not caught stoker yet, in a day or two.
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March 9, 2013 at 9:21 PM
^o my gawd-unknown ‘creature’ again–i need 2 run …lol
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March 10, 2013 at 3:52 AM
BOI is giving Special treatment to Special 26. Even after 4 weeks, they refuse to give verdicts. Do they want to count the last penny in the last theatre so as to declare it Hit? How long are they going to drag?
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March 10, 2013 at 1:30 PM
http://www.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/name-place-religion-thing-understanding-kai-po-ches-gujarat
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March 10, 2013 at 2:22 PM
valuable piece. Thanks. Not sure though if I find the justification the author offers to be totally persuasive. Of course I’ll have to see the film to decide finally on this but the more ‘theoretical’ problem here is that this approach runs the risk of abstraction. In other words as opposing to thinking of violence in purely abstract terms as a human response and something all of us are capable of and so forth makes for perhaps a good ‘moral’ and or psychoanalytic argument but it risks erasing the very specific political frameworks within which this violence then comes about. For instance if set a film in Nazi Germany and just showed it as a ‘human story’ this would be perfectly valid as a choice but it would be questionable in the same sense. The ‘human story’ frame universalizes things but it also risks banality. Are humans everywhere the same? Well it depends. We are all the same in terms of our biology and how we’re ‘hard-wired’ et al. But we are also capable of radical difference in terms of our ‘potentiality’. And it is precisely a political framing of one kind or another that introduces this radical difference. I might be capable of atrocious violence but I also might not be able to realize this potential without being provided the right conditions. And this is where politics makes certain outcomes much more likely. Back to Nazi Germany. There was a centuries old history of anti-Semitism in Europe that led to all kinds of episodes and often horrible ones. But it took the extraordinary ‘difference’ that the Nazis constituted to take that reservoir of anti-Jewish feeling and channel it in certain ways that eventually created the world of the camps. There was nothing ‘inevitable’ about these events. But a certain kind of political discourse makes certain extremes much more possible if not in fact likely. And so while the piece here is well argued it doesn’t really get to the heart of the problem. One can make perfectly compelling human stories that double over as moral fables in a variety of contexts. And this is a defensible choice on its own. But one can justifiably wonder why certain choices were made and not others in a given set of contexts.
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March 10, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Dance clubs update—
couldnt see any movies in the multiplexes recently , but interesting visits to some plush dance clubs(unfortunately in groups) lol
To add to the problem–there are these ‘harmless’ kid ‘brother’ folks around
well, we all have been to dance clubs. There are some common sights–We all guys are basically into ogling, lets not pretend lol
and if one comes in ‘mixed groups’, we have to ‘behave ultradecently’ hehe
There are some ubiquitous male souls though.The ‘harmless’ kiddish guy even a ‘brother’ who sometimes just wait around the gals and sort of give them ‘company’…
They are usually v polite even respectful, sometimes youunger & become sort of ‘confidants’–but importantly they are ‘harmless'(apparently)!
When the gals are at their ‘lower ebb’ or emotionally vulnerable, they do give those gals a patient ear and also do get a few dances with them.
Anyhow–before one blames these harmless guys, one is reminded of ones own fetishes and one remains quiet 🙂
disclaimer–have been seeing those more recently and not only in dance bars but all around–but hey, everythings fine …These are just ‘innocent observations’. As they say, those (like me) who live in glass houses shouldnt change clothes with lights on) haha
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March 10, 2013 at 2:25 PM
for saurabh:
http://thefrontrowwithanupamachopra.tumblr.com/post/44922861850/in-conversation-with-sanjay-dutt-an-extended
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March 10, 2013 at 2:31 PM
🙂 Actually like sanju ‘baba’
Note that ‘baba’ is also somewhat like ‘munna’
U may become a grand dad but still stay a ‘baba’ or ‘munna’
Ps: munna just joking mate 😉
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March 10, 2013 at 2:43 PM
Recently dutt has been making some bad choices (including in women)& is looking decrepit& a butt of jokes
But he had his days
Once upon a time, he looked quite good-was ace in Naam
A little known film — a song I like
Check this out folks–enjoy 😉
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March 10, 2013 at 2:51 PM
i like this one from his debut rocky
rd did do some good work in the 80’s
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March 10, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Thanks for the link.
This is one very underrated RD- Dutt song from his little known Jeeva- “roz roz aankhon tale”
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March 10, 2013 at 3:29 PM
yup, that’s a really good one. so much of rd’s 80’s work doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.
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March 10, 2013 at 3:31 PM
a good song –and isnt that heroine mrs dawood?
of the ‘waterfall’ song …lol (she reminds me of kareena somehow though)
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March 11, 2013 at 5:33 AM
Mandakini…
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March 11, 2013 at 6:23 AM
That’s true but once Kishore wasn’t there RD simply stopped creating ‘magic’. For example I have never thought highly of the much heralded Ek Ladki Ko Dekha (or even the rest of the album. the only song i like here is Kuchh Na Kaho). And in any case Kumar Sanu could kill even a fantastic song most of the times (if one is a kid of the 90’s one can understand the pain of listening to a new Nadeem-Shravan- Sanu ‘composition’ every second day on a WalkMan. That said I prefer Sanu to both Mohammad Aziz and Shabbir Kumar.).
Actually come to think of it L-P gave better soundtracks than RD in the 80’s- here is one of their best from that period from Ghulami- “Mere Peeko Pawan”
Another one from the same film- Zee Haale Muskin Mukoba Ranjish (though I do not get the lyrics of the 1st line)- one of Shabbir’s better songs (I also like Jab Hum Jawaan Honge from Betaab as well)
RD was always great with BG scores though. check it out in this fantastic number from Sunny’s best IMO- Arjun- Rawail has filmed this entire sequence with lot of energy which seems to be missing in most of today’s films
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March 10, 2013 at 2:59 PM
agree–gud work by rd here (& some good lyrics)
ps–but i like tina munim more–somewhat cute ..
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March 11, 2013 at 6:30 AM
One of the best sequences I have seen in any film-
watch from 5:09 mark to 6:03. Also the bg score and Bachchan’s voiceover in the beginning is awesome
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March 11, 2013 at 8:03 AM
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns Has Decent Weekend
Monday 11th March 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns had a decent weekend of around 11.25 crore nett. The approx breakdowns were 3.25 crore nett on Friday, 3.75 crore nett on Saturday and 4.25 crore nett on Sunday.
The film failed to get that major jump on Sunday as the family audiences kept away which will curtail its final business. The best business came in Delhi/UP and East Punjab followed by Rajasthan and CI. The film had a so-so performance in Mumbai and South.
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns will do more than three times the business of the earlier Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster film released in 2011 but the cost of the film is also nearly three times more.
The weekend business of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster was 3.50 crore nett and it finished with 7.75 crore nett.
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March 11, 2013 at 8:05 AM
Midweek: ‘Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns’ has Rs 12.75 cr opening weekend
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March 11, 2013 at 8:59 AM
The Guardian piece makes some points that are bang on. In fact it almost repeats some of my observations verbatim. She says, “It also seems clear to me that this film is more effective in reaching out to its audience—and potentially changing people’s minds—than an imagined filmic naming and shaming of Modi could ever be. ” . I had said, “A film like this delivers the message on the futility and tragedy of aggressive communalism far more effectively than a Perzania or any of the other more explicitly political film do.” “ It replaces the Govind-Vidya romantic birthday-with-fancy-cake with a garba moment that has both sexual frisson and charming gawkiness. “ she says. I had said, “The lovemaking scene here built up from the lyrical Pari Hoon Mein dandiya sequence, and the aftermath of tension-filled talk in the auto to the message delivered on mixed up cellphone were very charming.”
She explains very well how the film vastly improves upon the book. She points out the use of vernacular language as against the English of the book. “Whichever it is, watching Kai Po Che, it is hard not to feel (as someone once said about Gopal Gandhi’s translation of A Suitable Boy into Hindi) that it has been translated back into the original.” That was very well put.
But the most perceptive observation is summed up in these sentences, “ Instead it lays out a world whose everyday Hinduness is remarkable for being unremarked, just as it often is in Indian life: the Ganesh statue on the dashboard, the instinctive gesture of touching new ground to one’s forehead, or writing Om to inaugurate a new blackboard.”
In fact it is this sophistication in staging that makes it stand out from films like RDB or ZNMD. It is this live in reality that sucks the audience into its world and makes it such a rewarding viewing.
And let me repeat once again, Thank God the characters are nothing out of the ordinary. And nothing special happens to them ( Save for the climax.) . I have a weakness for films where not much happens ( Before and After The Sunrise, anyone?)
( And as far as politics, what do you want? That a Sound Of Music should have a sermon about the horrid acts of Hitler and Nazism? In fact the film ( Kai Po Che) depicts very clearly how the Hindu political outfit is biased towards the Muslim population, denying them succor in their most hapless times, and how its leaders rouse anti-Muslim sentiments among ordinary Hindus and how the local leaders trap ordinary youths like Omi in their political fold. If it was any more strident , it would have lost all its aesthetic balance and wont have been
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March 11, 2013 at 9:06 AM
..and wont have been half as good a fim.)
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March 11, 2013 at 8:14 PM
well, there’s indian media going not overboard at all
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Bollywood-biggies-in-Spielberg-s-next-film/Article1-1024905.aspx
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March 11, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Wow that’s a biggie news –thanx mr anya
Hope it’s not one of the April fool prank u ar e playing on me (ahead of time!) lol
& whatta relief –something ‘normal’ from u –Yaaiyyy
Stay happy & cheerful 🙂
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March 12, 2013 at 12:34 AM
Shobhaa de tweets
Just watched Saheb,Biwi…!Too long.But too good! Irfan K shouldn’t waste his talent on movies like Spiderman.What an irresistible gangster!
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March 13, 2013 at 6:07 AM
The first quarter of the year has nearly finished and the first hit film of 2013 has yet to come. There have been a handful of successful films in 2013 led by Race 2 but none of them have gone onto to be a major hit. Last year in the first quarter films like Agneepath and Kahaani had emerged huge hits.
The first quarter still has Himmatwala to come which should do the trick while second quarter looks much stronger than the first with potential hits like Ek Thi Daayan, Shootout At Wadala, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 and Ghanchakkar and there is always a chance of a small film or two surprising.
The major problem in the first two months has been the non performance in the North of most films. Today business is such that if a film works in Mumbai and North the job is done as it forms 60-70% of the market depending on the film. Even a film like Special 26 without doing too well in the Gujarat belt (which is 35-40% of Mumbai circuit) has managed to outperform in Mumbai circuit as it heads to a near 12 crore share compared to near 7 in Delhi/UP..
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxnewsdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=5477&nCat=
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March 13, 2013 at 8:17 AM
Successful films which are good need not be major hits. Better than craps getting 100 crores.
And how can Agneepath and Kahaani be in the same bracket?
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March 13, 2013 at 10:18 PM
Will still check it out when the subtitled version arrives but very disappointed with this. Have liked all 3 Ameer Sultan films but probably this is what happens when you take Jayam Ravi-
Rangan’s review of Ameer Sultan’s ‘Ameerin Aadhi Baghavan’-
Ameerin Aadhi Baghavan…Heaven Help Us-
“An acquaintance, a close associate of K Balachander, has this way of scoffing at today’s filmmakers. “Look at what a long and varied career director saar had,” he’ll say, “and look at these directors now, who begin to falter in just their second or third films.” Make that “fourth film,” and he could be talking about Ameer – for Aadhi Bhagavan is a baffling embarrassment. How the creator of Paruthi Veeran could have ended up with something so incoherent is something only the director can answer, while we, the audience, can point to the usual suspects – like a sentimental moment that segues to a song voiced by Udit Narayan and staged in a desert, where hero and heroine pound their feet into the sand, as if determined to reshape the surrounding dunes. My favourite surreal moment, in a sea of surreal moments, is a shootout on a terrace, after the onset of which the heroine, standing below, screams, “Enna nadakkudhu anga?” We are left asking the same question.”
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March 13, 2013 at 11:52 PM
http://www.tellychakkar.com/interviews/my-film-50-percent-complete-while-writing-rest-just-putting-idea-screen-tigmanshu-dhulia
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March 14, 2013 at 12:47 AM
Eagerly waiting waiting for this though it wouldn’t be the same without Cage. But great that they have got Carrey in the mix now-
Trailer of ‘Kick-Ass 2’
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March 14, 2013 at 2:40 AM
2013 Mumbai Circuit Ratio Against All India
Mumbai circuit has out performed this year which is probably due do to the content of the films released so far which have held more appeal in Mumbai than some other circuits. The successes of the year are mainly due to Mumbai circuit so far this year. Below is ratio for Mumbai circuit against all India of all films which have grossed more than 10 crore nett this year. The 2012 average ratio for Mumbai on 148 Hindi films was 36%.
Some interesting conclusions can be drawn from this data.
Mumbai circuit is ready to watch films for content more than for stars.
Mumbai has the largest diversity of tastes and thus almost every good film gets audience.
The northern circuits including Bengal circuit are somewhat dumb and lacks taste for certain types of good films.
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March 14, 2013 at 2:55 AM
Salman Khan rejects Chetan Bhagat’s script or first draft of it as it is not commercial enough.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Salman-Khan-rejects-Chetan-Bhagats-script/articleshow/18965076.cms
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March 14, 2013 at 3:45 AM
Chetan Bhagat @chetan_bhagat
The Mumbai Mirror story on Kick is fake. Haven’t met Salman on Kick at all. Script is still not ready. Just been working with Sajid N’s team
Note: TOI usually runs Mumbai Mirror’s articles a day later, or sometimes on the same day.
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March 14, 2013 at 6:15 AM
Mani Ratnam sues ‘Kadal’ distributor!
By MOVIEBUZZ
Source : SIFY
Last Updated: Thu, Mar 14, 2013 11:19 hrs0 Comments
The Madras High Court has restrained Mannan of Mannan Films from “entering, interfering or trespassing into the office of director and producer Mani Ratnam”.
Mani Ratnam, his production company Madras Talkies and his wife Suhasini Maniratnam had filed a suit against Mannan claiming Rs 5 Crore as damages for “the loss of goodwill and reputation by false, motivated, defamatory and derogatory acts of Mr. Mannan.”
Mani Ratnam’s lawyer Abdukumar submitted that Mr Mannan who claimed to be one of the distributors of Kadal was a stranger as far as Maniratnam is concerned. Mannan had lodged a complaint before the commissioner of police , stating that Maniratnam had cheated him in the distribution of the film and when he demanded repayment , he was criminally intimidated, which was false, perverse, illegal and defamatory.
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March 14, 2013 at 6:27 AM
http://movies.ndtv.com/movie-reviews/movie-review-i-jolly-llb-i-793?pfrom=home-topstories
Jolly LLB film review. Seems a topical movie. Instead of BMW, they are showing Land Cruiser.
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March 14, 2013 at 6:59 AM
How does Aamir stack up against Salman, SRK after 25 years in B’wood?
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/how-does-aamir-stack-up-against-salman-srk-after-25-years-in-bwood/378699-8-66.html
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March 14, 2013 at 7:10 AM
Priyanka Chopra’s ‘Babli Badmaash’ gets U/A rating
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/priyanka-chopras-babli-badmaash-gets-ua-rating/378748-8-66.html
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March 15, 2013 at 12:42 AM
ang lee headed to tv
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ang-lees-oscar-follow-up-428593#
sign me up
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March 15, 2013 at 7:56 AM
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