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127 Responses to “Lootera, Policegiri, the rest of the box office”
B.O. update: ‘Lootera’, ‘Policegiri’ start slow!
By Taran Adarsh, July 5, 2013 – 12:07 IST
Both, LOOTERA and POLICEGIRI had a slow start in the morning shows. While LOOTERA is expected to dominate the multiplexes, POLICEGIRI is targeted at single screens and is expected to fare better there. The morning shows of these two releases were most ordinary, but it all depends on the evening and night shows these days. If the biz shoots upwards, the films would be able to put up good numbers on Day 1.
Friday 5th July 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera and Policegiri both started slowly at the box office with Lootera recording collections of 30-35% at metro multiplexes but lower elsewhere while Policegiri was awful at multiplexes on its limited release though single screens recorded better collections of around 30%.
A start like this for Policegiri means its an uphill struggle because when a film in the action genre does not open it is a lost cause most of the time.
Lootera was never expected to open and will depend on what sort of growth it shows over the weekend but like Raanjhanaa it will have a lot of work to do as the budget is on the higher side looking at the type of film it is and a male lead whose previous films have not done that well at the box office which makes an it even harder for the film as far as opening morning collections are concerned.
Friday 5th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Raanjhanaa was rock steady in week two collecting around 17 crore nett against the 35 crore nett approx in week one. The week on week drop is around 50%.
The film has now collected 52 crore nett in two weeks and should record good figures in week three despite competing with two new major releases. The film has done very good business all over expect East Punjab and West Bengal where collections are average.
Raanjhanaa has chances to do final business of around 65 crore nett and could even become the fourth highest grossing film of the year by beating the Special 26 total of 65 crore nett.
I am shocked at how well Ranjhnaa has done, 52 crores and counting for a movie that did not boast of well established stars is excellent. Mite check it out this weekend if it is still playing
Friday 5th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ghanchakkar had low first week collections of around 28 crore nett. The collections came down rapidly over the weekdays. The second week has seen a huge reduction of shows and the film will not add much in week two.
The film put up low numbers in practically all the circuits with Mumbai grossing around 9.50 crore nett and Delhi/UP being 6.50 crore nett approx. Mysore which may have been expected to do better for this type of multiplex film also had disappointing figures of around 1.40 crore nett.
The single screen dominated areas had very low collections be it UP, CP Berar or Bihar.
Satyam: When is the piece on YJHD coming? And C’mon, tell us who took you out for it- premika, sakhi (Bemisaal waali Raakhi) or padosan ki bhabhi?
BTW, have you checked out Jerry Pinto and Sheena Sippy’s fantastic book “Bollywood Posters”. Any book whose front cover has Sharmila Tagore (out of all people) with a gun (Do Shatru) should be bought instantly
A compelling watch that grows on you, yet the writing is a little too simplistic and predictable in both the halves, especially for those who’ve already read The Last Leaf. But Motwane’s direction is so assured, the film is shot so brilliantly and the moments captured are so extraordinary you are forced to overlook the flaws. Finally a clean, authentic love story from the heartland after long. Must be seen!
Great to your know thoughts after a long times…i was missing these mini-reviews of yours. How would you compare it to Udaan.
The thing is those critics who are now shouting from the rooftop that Motwane has made a masterpiece have forgotten that his first film was already a masterpiece (it’s a bit like saying Yash Chopra made his masterpiece in Trishul)- sadly these guys never gave the film the critical support it deserved. Now when both Kashyap and Motwane have become known and have taken in stars, these guys are getting epiphanies about this director’s talents
Very excited about the film. And Trivedi has once again hit it out of the park after Kai Po Che
Once in a while comes a film that engages and holds your interest in the same measure as it perturbs and agitates. Raanjhanaa made for one such unusually disquieting, ambiguous viewing.
…….
And then there’s the real issue. That of love. Of one-sided, unrequited love that Kundan nurses for Zoya (Sonam). He’d go to any extreme extent for it—stalk her, blackmail her, serve Rooh Afza and Rasna in her engagement party, even take to violence. She wouldn’t reciprocate, but use him emotionally for her own good. They are both wicked and there’s a tantalising anarchy underlying their passion that holds promise and potential of a very unique love story to emerge. Alas, it remains still-born. Before you can say “love all”, the game gets entirely one-sided and manipulated. Kundan is built up as the quintessential underdog, across a religious, class and love divide (played with an infectious, charming energy by Dhanush). The one for whom we reserve our affection and sympathy despite his unforgivable trespasses. On the other hand, Zoya doesn’t go beyond the haughty, cold, heart-breaker mould. Even the journey to redemption (set in the asininely handled world of JNU-Delhi politics and a cringingly laughable take on the fiery Bhatta Parsaul issue) is reserved for the hero. The heroine will have to remain content shouldering the blame and guilt when she finds her chance to strike back. If only her character had been given more layers, Kundan, perhaps, wouldn’t have come across as just a cute, endearing, idealised version of a painfully persistent, possessive, obsessive, suffocating guy that he essentially is. One whom any woman would be entirely justified in snubbing and turning her back on.
The backbone of any good romance—reciprocated or not—is the dynamics of the lovers. Here it gets as warped as another recent, though much reviled, film set in another UP town—Ishaqzaade. If this shows us ‘reality’, so did that. If love brings out the worst in lovers here, so it did there. Only Raanjhanaa is a more palatable mirror that makes us accept things than question them. Rs 100 crore anyone?
I agree completely: it’s the extremely one-sided depiction of the event, through a perspective that renders Kundan’s abusive actions acceptable and even endearing, whilst letting Zoya remain an indecipherable enigma whose every tiniest action is portrayed in an unforgiving light, that is so disturbing; Joshi has put it beautifully.
Both sonakshi and ranveer have dig into their roles and come up with restrained, natural acts that for once do not go overboard. While sonakshi lends a remarkable sensitivity to her character of an ailing, hopelessly in love writer, ranveer is a true revelation who shows he has much more in his acting genes than playing loud, brash delhi boys. All said n done, it is an uncomplicated, straight love story that wears its heart on its sleeve. Motwane has truly delivered a gem. Comparisons with Udaan are unfair even though I have a certain weakness for that film.
Though this question is completely unrelated to the merits of the film, it reiterates a common belief that is reiterated time n again: why do all good girls fall for the wrong men?
Good girls, or girls in general most of the time have this fantasy to change a man, so the good is not attractive to them, it is the flaw that attracts them, with a fantasy, that they will make them good…
rooney, changing a man is simply imposssible. Men hate girls who try to change them. Accept the men as they are and they are most happy. Praise them to get things done. Manipulate them by praising.
Men are like kids while women are more insightful. Manipulating in a bad way will boomerang. When something is done with sincerely and keeping in mind the welfare of the person, it yields results. If a man is addicted to smoking, it is of no use telling him dont. He will simply do it surreptiously or start defying openly. When he starts coughing(smoker’s cough), one can try to tell him why he has started coughing and the effects of smoking. Buy him expensive, less risky cigarettes. Tell him casually if he gets cancer, he will not get sympathy but only treatment.
Caveat – I am not a pandit on cinema as some others in this forum so it is not a review but just my feeling after watching Lootera.
Story – Alsmost a decade ago, during my IIMC days, i wrote an article on Lata Ji. I wrote “Agar aapke ander ab bhi kuch Dhawal (Safed, White) aur Shuddh (Pure) bacha hai to aap Lata ji ki aawaz main use mehsoos kar sakte hain. Aap is baat per bhi bharosa kar sakte hain ki Kalyug main bhi Devi-Devta avtaar lete hain kyonki Lata ji ki aawaz main sakshat Saraswati Vaas karti hain” Same thought came in mind watching an expeirence called Lootera. I will not go in the story detail as most of the people know it and it can play spoiler alert. The Bottomline is this that after watching lootera you understand that Silence to speaks. There are to many scene in the film where there are no dilouge, no dramatic music. Director gave viewers time to feel the imotion and to see within. This film sometimes reminds you our epics like where everything is corelated. The way he construct ‘Meri jaan Toote main basi hai’ story and Leaf painting sequence, The way he build up imotions for the climax is the proof of what a great storytaler motwane is ? His eyes for detail is also unmatched. Take the example of that scene where Ranveer and his friend left Sonakshi Haveli. They don’t start thier bike because it can wake Sonakshi or her father.
Performences- As i already said i will noy say to much about story so it brings us to the performence. Lootera is a film which is based on performences. Every actor fits into thier role to the ‘T’. Even thier diction is perfect to. As far as performences of lead actors are concern i have to admit though i am a big Ranveer fan i have no shame to say that Film belongs to Sonakshi Sinha. She is the soul of the film. You feel every imotion of her. From Acting to body lanuage to diction to basically she captured everything perfectly. As they say nobody is perfect but Sonkshi is perfect for this role. As far as Ranveer performence He to delivered a perfect punch. It is just that Sonkshi role is more meat. I rate Ranveer above Ranbeer and this film confirms my belive. (Strictly my thought). He is more versetile and now i understad why he has such a terrefic lineup of Films. Looking forward to Ramleela and Gundey.
Cinemetography – And talk about lootere will be not complete without talking about Cinemetography. As i said somewhere i don’t watch too many films in theater so i can’t say if any other film look so good in big screen. Every shot is a treat to watch. In film Ranveer and Sonkshi paint the landscape but in reality whole film is poetry in motion. Do a favour to yourself and good cinema and watc this in theatre.
PS 1- They say Boys don’t cry but i cried twice during the film. First in ‘Shikayate’ song and Second time during ‘Zinda houn main’ song. ‘Zinda houn main’ song is 100 times more impactfull in the film then the promo.
PS 2 – Though so far i found OUATIM Dobaara promo crap still i want it to be big hit just because Ekta produced Lootera and gave enough budget to make en classic called Lootera.
I’m late to this party, but I enjoyed brangan’s review and some of the discussions here. I found Ruhul’s neo-Devdas view compelling but I’m not sure that Kundan had that Devdas-like self-loathing, arrogance and sense of entitlement. This seemed much more to me as an ode to the small town Raanjhanaa. Bindiya seemed like the female counterpart to Kundan. Brangan, I thought the point of her character was to show that the role can cut across both genders and Swara Bhaskar is terrific in the limited time she gets.
It takes skills, motivation and hard work to make something of oneself (like Zoya did) but schooled on a diet of movies like Saajan, with enough ardor and fervor, it’s considerably easier to chase fool’s good and make a career of being a Raanjhanaa. It was all going per the Raanjahanaa script, right down to sacrificing for the idol’s happiness when tragedy strikes. I thought that atonement scene by the ghats was less about atonement (not that he’s not sorry about the tragedy) and more about getting back into Raanjhanaa mode and snapping out of his paralysis. But Kundan is like a fish out of water away from Benaras and his idol no longer coquettish and warm is now sullen and resentful. His success in student politics is unwitting and would be almost comical if the issues weren’t so serious. He’s a reluctant hero, so it’s almost a relief to be able to slip into Sydney Carton mode – It’s a far far better rest….. I found the climax poignant and quite moving, more so than any of Dhanush’s breakdown scenes. The Raanjhanaa is dead, long live the Raanjhanaa!
Yes! Just out of the world whacky dialogues in this movie!! Smitten by the charm of Kundan’s simplicity and unfaltered love for the woman he loved.. And Murali’s unconditional loyalty and love for his friend whose future in the love-world will remain grey and unconquered and shows no promise! In a life or a few more, some of us should do something right to have the privilege of a lover like Kundan and a friend like Murali. Dhanush, you caught my attention for sure. Will keep you in my radar!
Rangan’s is a superb review, one that does justice to the film’s strengths, and is able to articulate what had been bothering me about the film’s last thirty minutes or so…
Lootera is very good (a bit loose towards the end), but as with Udaan, I find that I have little to say/write about it: Motwane resolutely has made both films about very particular stories, seeking to keep wider resonance to a minimum (thus Udaan isn’t about fatherhood, but about a very particular father and son; and for all the wider themes latent in Lootera about zamindari and its demise, perhaps one should say about the ways of the village, a certain bucolic air, giving way to the grasping ways of the city and modern life). Nevertheless, this is well worth a watch, especially on the big screen — Motwane is clearly the most cinematically accomplished of this new brigade (hard to imagine Kashyap making a film this fulfilling, with — one has to use the word — “therao”)…
I was interested in Raanjhana…then got put off by reports about the film romanticizing stalking. A friend also felt that the film sends out wrong messages. Still, i may watch it, or wait for Bhaag Milkha to release…definitely need to watch this biopic.
I think stalking in films should not be taken that seriously. It also teaches a lesson that stalking does not pay. You should watch it and form your own judgment.
Actually i am planning to watch 2 movies at one go if weather permits.. Lootera and Raanjhana. Though Lootera is getting lots of praises, I think I have seen better movies like mausam, Anupama, Kabhie Kabhie etc. which also have lots of poetry, anguish etc.
Hmmm so even sanju is watching movie(s) on the big screen–not one but two!!!
Seems sanju has got two boyfriends –one movie with each 😉
Let us know ur views & updates ( also about the movie)…
but who absolutely right and who is absolutely wrong in the world? we are all mixtures of good/bad/imperfect/grey shades – so right guy/wrong guy thing is a bit “social” definition
The tragedy of divya and Ilavarasan’s love story is somewhat like rizwan’s story. This happened in a supposedly pro dalit, pro reservation, anti caste state.
Friday 6th July 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera had below the mark collections with first day likely to come out in the 4.25-4.50 crore nett region. the film fared better in the metros with mass belts having very low collections.
The collections are similar to Ranveer Singh’s last film Ladies vs Ricky Bahl which was released 18 months back but Lootera is a much bigger film than that film.
The best collections have come in West Bengal as the film is set there but the Central belt has low collections and North also has not collected outside the Delhi/NCR region. The film will have to show very strong growth to come out with even reasonable weekend figures.
the amusing thing is that given this kind of subject and treatment BOI consider this number ‘poor’ while just a few days ago they thought the Ghanchakkar opening at two crores higher was average!
Nothing amusing here Satyam ji. Anyone who’s watched the two movies would know which was more difficult to sit through (not saying quality wise but subject wise) or have pull box office wise. Also Ghanchakkar did not come with extraordinary early reviews. If that was the case it would have opened much higher given how it opened with such poor reviews. I though the film would tank at the end of the first day itself but it did very well to hold up at least for the weekend with that subject and word of mouth.
Though I agree with your general view about the over rating of box office pull of Emraan, here the emraan-vidya combination has surely worked keeping the subject in mind. With any other combination the weekend total here would have been the full run number.
Friday 6th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Policegiri fared poorly on its first day with collections around the 2.50 crore nett mark. The collections at multiplexes were very bad especially the metros, Dehi city had ridiculously low collections.
The film did fare better in places like UP, Bihar, CPCI and Rajasthan as these areas collected better than Lootera which was very low in these areas. But Policegiri had to put up excellent numbers in these mass belts to get even reasonable day one figures as urban centres so low.
Policegiri has had such a low start that its impossible for the film to score at the box office unless there is some sort of miracle 300% jump on Saturday.
Wimbledon
Two power packed semis yesterday –loved em…
Think the Federer-nadal era is slowly morphing into the djoko/?murray phase now….the stamina/power continues to increase…
Finally poor Scotts gettin something to cheer about in life …there maybe a collective orgasm tomorrow afternoon though.
Atlast, (finally…) I feel Murray is
ready now (if djoko lets him)
Good to see a French/German ladies final (& even better to see the Williams sisters not there!!)–may the best costume win…
Surpisingly found a cinema showing lootera( doesn’t normally show Bollywood)–may check it out tomorrow if get some holly watching company…
Besides, hoping for a review on ‘looters’ from Amy
And one by Satyam on Yjhd &/or ranjhana …
Let’s see who wins (I’m the self appointed ‘judge’!)
C’mon Satyam–don’t chicken out now —& for gods sake plz leave deepika and that remote alone now 🙂
have been a bit busy with some stuff Alex, will write something on YJHD and Raanjhana. In brief though I found the former terribly pedestrian and empty. Meanwhile the latter had an appealing first half but a second one where the script goes somewhat haywire. Still I’d any day take the latter over the former.
July 5, 2013
Little Interest in ‘Lone Ranger’ Is a Blow for Disney
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
LOS ANGELES — The train wreck was supposed to stay on-screen.
Walt Disney Studios spent the July 4 holiday watching its expensive action western, “The Lone Ranger,” disintegrate in a box-office collision with a strong performance by the goofy little animated heroes of Universal Pictures’s “Despicable Me 2.”
By Friday morning, “Despicable Me 2” had taken in taken in $59.5 million at the North American box office since its Tuesday night opening, according to an early estimate by Hollywood.com, and appeared to be headed for five-day total of $115 million or more. Its projected total is sure to more than double the five-day take for “The Lone Ranger,” which by some estimates is expected to take in less than $50 million for the holiday, after collecting just $19.5 million in domestic theaters since Tuesday night.
Disney’s film stars Johnny Depp, was directed by Gore Verbinski, who joined Jerry Bruckheimer as a producer to revive the studio’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” team, and cost about $225 million to make, according to a person briefed on the expenses who spoke on condition of anonymity because of studio policy. That high cost came in part because of the wreckage from the movie’s railroad action scenes.
But critics were harsh. The film scored 37 of a possible 100 on the Metacritic.com service, and A.O. Scott, reviewing for The New York Times, called it “a frantic grab bag of plots and themes, a semester-long Westerns 101 college course crammed into two and a half hours and taught by a professor whose lecture notes were rearranged by a gust of wind on his way to class.”
The audience, meanwhile, turned away from a film that seeks its appeal in Mr. Depp’s wisecracking reinterpretation of Tonto, the Native American sidekick to John Reid, the Lone Ranger, who has loomed large in American pop culture since the broadcast of a radio drama in the 1930s. The masked ranger is played by the actor Armie Hammer.
A Disney spokesman on Friday declined to discuss the film’s performance.
Early Tuesday, the analyst Doug Creutz, with Cowen & Company in San Francisco, was quoted in a report from the Bloomberg News service, predicting that Disney would eventually write off $100 million on “The Lone Ranger.”
That would be about half the write-down it took on another large-scale film disaster, “John Carter,” which cost about $350 million to make and market, and collected only about $282 million at the worldwide box office after its release in March 2012. (Studios keep only part of the box office receipts, which are shared with exhibitors, but also collect money from home entertainment and other sales.) A year earlier, Disney had suffered a similar disaster with another expensive flop, “Mars Needs Moms.”
Alan F. Horn, a veteran Warner executive, became chairman of Walt Disney Studios last June, after “The Lone Ranger” was already being made.
Fierce competition from a crowded slate of blockbusters this summer leaves little room for “The Lone Ranger” to expand its appeal in coming weeks. On July 12, Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures will open “Pacific Rim,” a robot battle fantasy that was promoted this week in trailers attached to “The Lone Ranger,” while Sony Pictures Entertainment will release “Grown Ups 2,” a sequel to an earlier comedy hit, which featuring Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Chris Rock.
^^Lovely writeup by dolce—more bout South Indian places —
Loved the athirapally falls bit –didn’t know that….
& wow–mani at his best–this ones for Satyam & Amy…
Note how much better this guy is compared to abhishrek here though,, sorry Satyam
Ps: nice bits bout some other places
Lol @ Vivek Oberoi…..
Lootera Shows Strength On Saturday Policegiri Falters
Saturday 7th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera showed strength at multiplexes on Saturday with good jumps all over. The film had a jump in collections of around 30% with Saturday business being around 5.50 crore nett. Multiplexes across the country showed healthy gains.
The two day business is around 9.75 crore nett which is not that good but the film has a good upward which gives it a chance depending on what happens over the week.
Policegiri struggled on Saturday as collections were down on a little bit as it collected around 2.50 crore nett as against the 2.75 crore nett on Friday. The film is sure to have sub 10 crore nett weekend collections which is a very poor result for the film.
Its a minor surgery, they are saying and so it is done in Hinduja Hospital in mumbai. It was during the shooting of Bang Bang, the incident seems to have happened. Actors take a lot of risks. Bachchan in Coolie, SRK’s shoulder thing and now Hrithik’s.
Thanx 4 the info LS & sanju—wishing hritik Roshan all the best for his surgery–n get well soon….
Anyhow–finally found a multiplex showing ‘lootera’ not far off –plus some ‘looteri’ company 2 watch it—
checkin out lootera early show ‘lootera’ today….yaiy…
Tony: I am surprised that you think AS hasn’t aged well. This as well as Aakrosh are 2 of Nihalani’s (and Hindi cinema’s) absolute great films. Whether it’s Naseer’s cameo, Sadashiv’s outstanding act (Rama Shetty has to be one of the great villains of all-times) or Om Puri’s one for the ages act (i find it as good as anything AB, Balraj Sahni, DK, De Niro etc have done in their entire career), everything works- the scene where Smita Patil gives Puri the titular poem and Puri slowly reads it out, is one of favourites scenes anywhere in cinema.
But I am glad that you saw this. Satyam had put some very insightful comments on the film earlier. In case you have not seen them, would also recommend Nihalani’s Vijeta, Drohkaal, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa. But Aakrosh above all. And if you (or anyone else here) can manage the translated works of Vijay Tendulkar, you should read them instantly. Btw this was the first art-film which was actually a ‘hit’
There really is something about Dhanush’s eyes in Raanjhana. If, as Marilyn Monroe said, “The real lover is the man who can thrill you just by touching your head or smiling into your eyes”, then unconventional-looking (as film reviewers euphemistically call him) Dhanush is the next Rajesh Khanna of Bollywood.
But there is more to Mr. Kolaveri than his eyes alone. His ability for rapid emotional transformation, his lack of self consciousness and, in sharp contrast to the narcissistic toy boys of Bollywood, his body confidence make him among the most electric debutantes of our time.
Just as A.R. Rahman’s score for Raanjhana makes traditional Banarsi chaitis and kajris palatable yet recognisable, scratch the surface of Kundan and you will find the archetypal Tamil hero somehow made acceptable to an all-India audience.
Tamil heroes, their swarthy complexion, hefty waistlines and OTT emotions have always been at the fringe of the Hindi film industry. Sivaji Ganesan’s quivering jowls, MGR’s pencil-thin moustache and Rajnikant’s antics were too much even for an audience no stranger to flights of fantasy. Yet, in Tamil Nadu, millions worship them and consistently voted them to power in the state. The biggest stars of the North are not a patch on the emotional pull of the Southern superstars. What psychological oddity in millions of Tamilians accounts for such behaviour?
Dhanush provokes you into reflecting that the fanatical response to Tamil films may not be in the vices of its viewers but in the virtues of its performers. To understand the theatrical virtuosity of the South Indian star, one needs to understand a related area of self expression: temple devotion. Performing arts in India, after all, have their origin in the telling of a religious story to an illiterate audience.
Forget the tamil superstars. What about popular stars like Muthuraman, Gemini Ganeshan, Jaishankar, S.S.Rajendran of the bygone era? They are as normal as Dharmendra, Rajendra Kumar etc. They cant be caricatured. They represent tamil cinema patronised by the middleclasses.
Yeah! And i feel a bit sad because throughout the 90’s (and the early part of the last decade) I was a big fan of Tim Henman (how many here remember him!) and everytime he used to reach the Semis they used to keep mentioning Fred Perry. Btw Murray makes it a point to clarify everytime that he is a Scot.
Have never been his fan/ never bet on Murray :except this time… His skillsets been there for a while but he lacked physically (& mentally).
This time felt he was ready though…as for djoko, he under performed today..(& wasn’t allowed his groove)
Motwane is a special talent and so is the music director trivedi.
Ranveer is as mentioned above -though he does well, he needs more ‘consistency’ & ‘polish’ (esp in diction etc)
But the film belongs to–
Someone I have never been a fan of, who got her break due to her surname & subsequent films due to a mixture of good flicks and luck. Also she is ‘atypical’ amongst the current lot of heroines in many ways…
But her she forced me to appreciate the role and her performance.
Reluctantly & hesitantly, have to give it to
Sonakshi sinha….
The ‘masala loving’ (admitted & closet) viewers may find this slow and dry and this is likely to reflect on the box office.
Motwane has the raw material and is nearly there-he needs either a kjo-esque project designer or an aamir like ‘interfering actor’ to take his talent to higher levels of reward. Motwane does falter in some places though its relative and can be ignored in the overall context.
But–it’s probably my exaggeration right now (high spirits)& wil revisit this point—bit was somewhat surprised (to the minor shock degree) to see sonakshis endearing and instinctive performance
Another one into my music bank–
Selling and reviewing. Critic’s responsibility to audience.
Except one or two, none of the notable critics tried to say what is wrong with Lootera. Its pace, its slowness. Critics must also think of filmgoers who spend money and time to watch a movie. If critics like a certain type of movie, they should also view it objectively. It is like selling a washing machine because it is aesthetically designed though the way it washes clothes or dirty linen is questionable.
Some of my friends could not sit through the movie. They also said the audience have become restless after a while. These are the same people who loved ashiqui 2 and also did not hate Ghanchakkar.
These types of movies must be appreciated rather than hyped. Hype creates skyhigh expectations.
You have to like this movie because it is fashionable, politically correct and it will make you acceptable into that select circle. It is like emperor’s clothes. If you disagree, you are castigated as tasteless and loving lowbrow stuff.
Slow movies are not everyone’s cup of tea. Most of our audience want entertainment or thriller. Udaan was one of my favorite movies of that year but there are many who didn’t like it. It was comparatively small so there was not much noise but this is bigger in scale so people would scream if they see it in cinema with certain expectations.
ps -Re. Emperor’s clothes – I didn’t mind Tashan or Tees Maar Khan but found issues with dabangg or similar neo masala movies because of uneven tones.
Udaan I saw on TV and it was quite engrossing with not a dull moment. And with masala movies, it is easy to find out. We can ignore fans raving over them and decide.
But Lootera is too much hyped and the disappointment is also quite loud in some quarters.
in the first half of the movie, i don’t think there is much case of stalking. Stalking is when u r fed up/ irritated of the person, u want to get rid of him/her and he/she is still following you. But Zoya in mvoie doesn’t seem to mind Kundan’s presence. She rather enjoys slap-sessions. She even invites him, ‘kal thapar khane aana.’ i belong to a small town and i have seen many such cases. girls do normally say yes after keep on postponing to accept the proposal at the first place and playing on and giving suggestive invitations. It is not stalking.
even later, when zoya returns from JNU, she gets to know about kundan’s obsession, still she keeps on asking favors from him and making him her confidant and in a way staying close to him. i wonder how could she mistake him as just-a-friend. if at all, there is a case here of stalking againt kundan, then there should also be one against zoya for abetment to stalking. Much like, there is a case against aditya pancholi for abetment to suicide in jiah’s case.
but in 2nd half, there is full-fledged stalking. and zoya, out of her desire to ignore kundan, becomes a poor victim and she doesn’t realise that she’s being eaten inside out. she didn’t want to see kundan, yet he was making his presence felt. if she had sought to get rid of him, say by taking help of her friends or with the help of police, she could have saved herself of the torture and the forced mis-steps that she took later on. but she was in a weak situation. she was bereaved. one really doesn’t realise sometimes what is good for him/her.
there is a sharp contrast b/w zoya and kundan. zoya, the pragmatic and action-oriented girl, doesn’t think of taking revenge by inflicting pain on kundan, instead she strives to take jasjeet’s vision forward. whereas, kundan, the romanticist, would not leave the other person alone and would continue to make things worse.
Monday 8th July 2013 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera had below the mark collections for the weekend of around 16 crore but the trend was good and the film holds promise for the weekdays. The first day was around 4.25 crore nett and Saturday was 5.50 crore while Sunday collected around 6.25 crore nett.
The film will be looking to hold well over the weekdays and get over 25 crore nett. Lootera suffered from a poor start so even though it picked up well the low starting point kept the weekend figures on the lower side.
The best business for the film came in West Bengal due to the local flavour. It collected around 1 crore nett in West Bengal which made West Bengal the fourth highest collecting circuit for the film when normally it is 7th or 8th.
Monday 8th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Policegiri was never going to do well at multiplexes due to limited release and no awareness for the film due to lack of promotion but the film also failed at single screens in mass belts.
The collections in UP, Bihar, CPCI, Rajasthan and Nizam were much better than the bigger circuits but still low. The collections in Delhi city, East Punjab and Mysore were just awful. If the film had scored at the multiplexes of the smaller cities it could have yielded better results but the collections were mainly fromthe single screens.
The film collected around 8.25 crore nett over the weekend which is poor return for such a film. Policegiri is a heavy loser despite a limited P&A spend.
Sudhakar Bokade, who produced movies like “Izzatdaar” and “Saajan”, breathed his last at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here. He was 57.
Bokade, who was a part of the film world for over two decades, died Sunday night.
His daughter Divya Bokade confirmed the news to IANS, saying: “He was hospitalised day before yesterday (July 6) because he suffered a heart attack, and he passed away last night (July 7).”
His last rites will be conducted Monday afternoon.
During his stint as a producer, he gave the industry movies like “Sapne Sajan Ke”, “Dhanwaan”, “Kalinga”, “Prahaar”, “Sauda” and “Yeh Pyar Hi To Hai”.
He is survived by his two daughters Divya and Kiran, and son Krishna.
Telugu horror-comedy “Prema Katha Chitram”, which stars Sudheer Babu, will be remade in Hindi and Tamil. The remake rights are said to have been bought for a fancy price.
“The remake rights have been bought for an exorbitant price. While the Hindi remake rights have been bought by Adi Seshagiri Rao, the Tamil remake rights have been purchased by Tamil producer Kasi,” Sudharshan Reddy, producer of “Prema Katha Chitram” told IANS.
“Both Adi and Kasi are on the lookout for big studios in Hindi and Tamil respectively to have the film remade,” he added.
Made with a budget of Rs.2.2 crore, “Prema Katha Chitram”, which released June 7, was declared a sleeper hit. It went on to collect over Rs.10 crore in the first two weeks at the ticket window.
Presented as a horror-comedy-cum-thriller, the film was about how the life of four youngsters, who are on the brink of committing suicide, changes forever when they enter a farmhouse in the woods.
Directed by debutant J. Prabhakar Reddy, the film also features Nanditha, Pradeep and Giri in important roles.
Actually these policegiri roles have been taken to infinite height by Bachchan.Now other actors are burning their hands in such ventures but all in vain.
There are very few in Bollywood who have the credibility which Aamir Khan enjoys: If not the youth, can’t cinema play an instrumental role in putting forth issues which don’t seem attention-grabbing to many? “I completely agree with Farooq Sheikh’s thought – ‘Agar aap cinema walon ko bandar ka naach dikhane jaisa treat karogey, toh cinema waley bhi aapko chawanni phenkne wala hi samjhengey.’ There are discussions wherein filmmakers say – include certain elements to turn a project into a complete masala film. But I’m happy there is a different kind of cinema which the viewers are getting to watch. So if ‘Kai Po Che’ works, we understand that people are interested in watching a different kind of cinema. That sensibility is seeping in. It is slow, but gradually, it will happen.”
“Agreed, not many are interested in watching films which deal with a social problem or health-related issue, but if Aamir Khan can make ‘Taare Zameen Par’, why can’t other filmmakers follow in his footsteps? “It is a fact that not many watched ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’. So if there are no takers, how can we make such films? Jo paisa lagata hai, wohh bolta hai, ‘Kyun aisi filmon mei mera pasia dooba rahe ho?’
As far as ‘Taare Zameen Par’ goes, it worked because Aamir Khan used his credibility, and directed the film. There are very few people who enjoy the credibility which Aamir Khan has. Uss credibility mei se bhi toh koi akela jake karta hai. Aur kitney log kartey hain? If we will make ‘Taare Zameen Par’, we won’t get Rs 10 crores. At the end of the day, Bollywood is a consumer driven industry,” he says.
Everyone is addressing Dhanush’s violent/stalker streak in the film, but no one seems to be talking about the subtle mental torture that she puts him throught, always using him when convenient, and quite often, making him feel he stands a chance even when he doesn’t. I am not saying what Dhanush does is right and can be justified, but Sonam also plays a dangerous game.
July 7, 2013
Masked Lawman Stumbles at the Gate
By BROOKS BARNES
Tumbleweeds blew through theaters playing “The Lone Ranger” over the weekend, calling into question Johnny Depp’s star power, extending Jerry Bruckheimer’s troubled box-office run and probably leading to a write down of $100 million or more at Disney’s film studio.
Even more humiliating for Disney: “Despicable Me 2,” a relatively inexpensive cartoon from Universal — a new force in animation, the art form that Walt Disney perfected for the masses — was an immediate smash hit. “Despicable Me 2” took in about $142.1 million between Wednesday and Sunday, while “The Lone Ranger” had ticket sales of about $48.9 million over the same period.
Together they offer a striking portrait of modern Hollywood. Studios like Disney, searching for global audiences, are making fewer movies but spending more on the ones they do release. This raises the stakes to almost impossible levels; “The Lone Ranger,” which cost at least $375 million to make and market, will need to take in an estimated $800 million worldwide to break even, after accounting for revenue splits with theater owners.
“Despicable Me 2” represents Hollywood’s safety net — sequels, particularly animated ones that appeal to families looking for a guaranteed experience. The film also underscores an effort by studios not known for animation to dive into the field in a cost-effective way. Universal’s Illumination Entertainment made “Despicable Me 2” for $76 million; major Pixar and DreamWorks Animation movies can cost twice as much.
“With animation in particular, you can clearly control costs while not diminishing the audience’s pleasure,” said Nikki Rocco, Universal’s president for distribution. “Did we expect a blockbuster? Yes. Did we expect one of this size? No.”
“Despicable Me 2,” which received largely positive reviews, has already taken in about $151.1 million overseas. Early worldwide results give the film a berth among some of the biggest animation franchises in Hollywood history, including “Shrek.” Universal has a follow-up movie planned for December 2014.
As Universal was celebrating, Disney was trying to figure out how “The Lone Ranger” came up so lame — “the kind of bomb that people discuss for years to come,” as Phil Contrino, chief analyst for BoxOffice.com put it.
Westerns are difficult to sell to modern audiences. “The Lone Ranger,” directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Mr. Bruckheimer, follows “Cowboys & Aliens” and “Jonah Hex” as recent Old West flops. But “The Lone Ranger,” starring Mr. Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer in the title role, was troubled from the start, with Disney scrambling to spend less on production than the planned $250 million. (The studio succeeded by a smidge.)
When Disney decided to move forward with “The Lone Ranger” in 2011 — the project had been gestating at the studio since 2007 — the hope was for another franchise in the vein of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Despite the western’s cost, Disney was given comfort by the fact that many members of the original “Pirates” creative team were on board, including Mr. Depp, Mr. Bruckheimer, Mr. Verbinski and the writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio.
But “The Lone Ranger,” which received terrible reviews, suffered from tonal problems. Was it a campy comedy or a serious action film? Trailers seemed to play it both ways, said Doug Creutz, a media analyst with Cowen & Company.
Last week, Mr. Creutz predicted that Disney would eventually have to write off $100 million if “The Lone Ranger” did as poorly as prerelease surveys suggested. It actually performed worse; analysts had been bracing for as little as $65 million in ticket sales from the film’s first five days in North American theaters.
Aside from “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” in 2011, Mr. Bruckheimer’s track record of late has been dismal, with duds including “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” But Mr. Depp may have a bigger problem. Are audiences tiring of his oddball characters? “Dark Shadows,” in which he played a vampire, was also a disappointment last summer.
“We are obviously disappointed,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s executive vice president for distribution. “The frustrating thing for us is that it felt like the ingredients were there. We are holding out hope that word of mouth will propel ticket sales, particularly among older consumers, who remember the property fondly and don’t have a lot of movies aimed at them in the weeks ahead.”
Hopes for “The Lone Ranger” now rest on its overseas performance. Mr. Hollis said that the movie’s continued foreign rollout would be staggered over the next two months and noted that Mr. Depp’s movies have tended to overperform internationally. So far, however, interest has been soft; the movie opened in 30 percent of the foreign marketplace over the last week and took in about $24.3 million.
Disney’s last two releases, Pixar’s “Monsters University” and Marvel’s “Iron Man 3,” are both huge hits, together delivering more than $1.6 billion in ticket sales and still counting. But as Mr. Creutz said, “A bomb from ‘Lone Ranger’ could offset a lot of these benefits and sustain the perception that Disney’s film studio has some serious problems away from the Marvel-Pixar axis.”
From Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap. The guys who brought us the stunning Udaan. What could go wrong? Lootera is a masterclass in lighting and blocking a scene, a tremendous display of artistry, craft and detailing. It’s a grand, beautiful looking film that constantly gives you hope that it will come up with something sweeping to say. Sadly it’s far from the film that you would expect it to be considering the talent involved. It is lyrical, twee, gritty, romantic, poignant. Lootera is a lot of things, but mostly it’s a failure. An ambitious one for sure, but a failure.
Directed with admirable dedication by Motwane, the film vaults like a skier across the slippery terrain of the Dalhousie Himalayas. It’s a film that wants you to register an emotional response instead of an intellectual one – on a scale of 1 to Mills and Boon, Lootera falls right around Nicholas Sparks territory. Hopefully Motwane recognizes this because the plot is ridiculous, and even as a romantic tear jerker that requests your suspension of disbelief to part ways with you, the film is simply pretty but uninvolving. There is Amit Trivedi’s exquisite music to keep the atmosphere intact but it only serves as window-dressing to a film that is at best unmemorable and inconsequential.
– See more at: http://mihirfadnavis.blogspot.in/#sthash.9xdzQyJp.dpuf
The thing with lootera is it is to confusing and falls apart completely in 2nd half…usual may like soft romance ya soft which is harmless and also lacks depth
From rays backdrop in first half and so do his focus of zamindari in his early films to Amitabh Bachchans farar and finally the token green leaf….the narrative is neither consistent nor focussed
Motwani grip of area first jamshedpur in udaan and then to nearby kolkata is evident but direction loses fucus and consistency compleately and so do the sudden change and transformation …not realistic
climax with leaf and belief on life which it carries where putting it may save other is to filmy and manipulative coming from a realistic guy who was not brought on fantacy ala token green leaf
Nearby Bengal would have been more Appropriate rather than kolkata…in udaan though he showed glimpses of jamshedpur and brilliantly shot Bengal a city which has considerable influence of jamshedpur but alas the story and script is ridiculous
Motwane has faltered at places as I mentioned and can enumerate a list of the flaws–but these are relative and can be overlooked in the overall scheme of things.
He has extracted the best performances of the careers of the lead pair (well, ranveer was perhaps better on his debut since it suited his persona more!) but sonakshi has surely been a revelation.
Besides, the music and background score is a character of its own.
@ utkal uncle-your record has got stuck on ranjhana–instead of stalking poor sonam (like dhanush)–do check out lootera.
Also hope Amy finally gets some company to see lootera –surprising she hasn’t managed yet,,,(like sanju lol)
Ps: Amy: know uve to take care of your figure but stop starving yourselves lol
For the so called first half and the original inspiration jalsagar where a beautiful and more authentic portrayl of man unaware of new zamindari and how others duped him with there business dealing…one of finest work of satyajit ray that to some 55years ago
You may move people into different era but there is a thing called research and mannerism virtually absent
Transormation of characters in virtually every 10 min of second half..
Though one thing motwane has done better by not giving dialogues to ranbir Singh to hide inefficiency which to at times come into play
Though udaan was a small movie with no expectation intially but scale and budget of looters is much bigger(35-40cr) so commercial scrutinity is much more further much before motwane shyam benegal made a series on last leaf originally a full episode for kathasagar a dd series of golden day wentby and he was the orginal inheritor of even this idea on India which most people are paradaing and trying to get credit as the orginal innovation and bringing change to Indian cinema
Monday 9th July 2012 10.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera disappointed on Monday with collections in the 2.25 crore nett range. The film had shown good growth over the weekend which suggested a good run for the film but collections on Monday came down more than they should have.
The collections are 47% down from Friday which is okay but the Friday collection was low and considering Sunday got to 6.25 crore the film should have done better on Monday. The film got on Monday as it had a higher ratio of collections on the weekend from premium multiplexes and these fall more on Monday.
The film will now find it hard at the box office and at best it could emerge an average fare.
After watching the promising trailers reminiscent of Satyajit Ray’s films like Charulata and Aranyer Din Ratri and of course Vikramaditya Motwane’s the legacy of a brilliant film like Udaan, I was all prepared to soak in the love story set in the early 50s, only to realize that the Lootera would rob me of my 250 bucks and 2.5 odd hours (the latter cost me dearly). Here’s a fictional account of what must have transpired between the two lead actors Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha after reading the screenplay of Lootera:
Ranveer Singh: Not again! This seems like some prequel to ‘Ladies v/s Ricky Behl’, ‘Fanaa’ and ‘Special 26’ set against the backdrop of Zamindari abolishment era!
Sonakshi Sinha: Khaaaamosh! This one’s a silent film, not those with eardrum splitting background score and I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and drive a Vintage Chevrolet!
RS: But doesn’t this ‘I will last till the last leaf’ wala angle more of a ‘I will not marry him because I promised Jesus Christ’ oath in Jab Tak Hai Jaan? Why are all heroines so superstitious?
SS: Nah, it isn’t like that at all! It seems you haven’t read O Henry’s story, ‘The Last Leaf’…
RS: Well, I haven’t read it, but watched its adaptation on DD…Katha Sagar…
SS: What is Katha Sagar? Sounds like some mytho…
RS: It used to be a popular series on Doordarshan back in the 80s. Shyam Benegal had adapted the O Henry story as, ‘Kalakriti’ featuring Supriya Pathak and Neena Gupta. You can watch it YouTube
SS: Whatever…But think of it…you get to play the leading role of an absconding Lootera in an era where Zamindars like my character’s father to be played by Barun Chanda gleefully invited strangers to stay over at their place and flirt with their daughters…I don’t mind as long as I get to wear Bengali sareers, jewellery and drive a Vintage…(Smiles)
RS: Yeah I know Vintage Chevrolet….How about asking the director Vikram Motwane to tweak the story a bit and ‘Un-Fanaa’ it?
SS: It’s already ‘Un-Fanaa’oed by the director who also doubles up as the screenplay writer. Remember I don’t kill your character in Mother India, Vastav or Fanaa style…I am not playing a blind girl’s character here… but an Asthma-cum-TB patient…Not something I’d mind as long as I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and drive a Vintage Chevrolet! (Smiles)
RS: Hey I suspect the director added TB to the already Asthma-suffering patient just to pay homage to Ritwik Ghatak’s Meghe Dhaka Tara. Even the village in Bengal is called Manikpur – perhaps a tribute to Manik Da i.e. Satyajit Ray for inspiring the director to recreate the idyllic evenings of Charulata and Aranyer Din Ratri…
SS: You seem to know a lot about Bengali films, eh?
RS: Research my dear (Winks) Vikramaditya asked me to watch Ray films and try getting the nuances of actors like Soumitra Chatterjee and Uttam Kumar right… while my costar Vikrant Massey was busy watching DVDs of Dev Anand films.
SS: Now what’s that Dev Anand twist?
RS: Be it Shagird, Saheb Biwi aur Gangster or Bombay Talkies, every ‘meaningful’ film must have an old song, you see…Jokes apart, actually the character of Vikrant is obsessed by Dev Anand and jigs to the tunes of ‘Tadbeer se bigdi hui Taqdeer bana le’ from the movie, Baazi.
SS: Oh yes…I read it in the screenplay…But I wonder how the radio tunes on its own accord in the second half when I am struggling to write a book and throw the paper.
RS: They wasted so much paper back then…no wonder we’re bombarded by ‘Save paper, save tree’ slogans, emailers, and ads on every 5th June. Ask the director, there must be an intellectual layer to the radio switching on automatically and precisely playing the song which evokes memories of your character Pakhi’s past. (Winks)
SS: How mean of you! But you know what…even I felt why my character lets my caretaker played by Divya Dutta to leave me alone when I was on the verge of dying. I also didn’t understand why the doctor disappears precisely the moment when I need him the most…and how on earth does your character know to give me a shot of Deriphyllin-like injection? Horrors of horror, you even force-feed the injection in the second half!
RS: Conmen know it all you know. It was again an intellectual layer you see…it indicates that my character Varun Shrivastav/Aatmanand Tripathi must have posed himself as a doctor in the past.
SS: Quite possible. But why does the cop’s character to be played by Aadil Hussain wait all night to hunt down your character?
RS: He didn’t have ‘search warrant’ you know…it’s mentioned in your dialogues written by Anurag Kashyap…see here it…
SS: (Reading carefully) Oh yes…got it…on second thoughts the cop didn’t have a search warrant to step inside my house but had complete freedom to gheraao my home and keep a vigilant eye all night. In fact, he even tells me that he’d retain his thollaas I mean police walaas around her home all night and hunt him down the next morning with a search warrant. But I don’t mind you know…as long as I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and….
RS: (Laughs) Even I wondered why the cops don’t notice my character trying to tie an artificial leaf on a tree all night. The production designer showed me the ‘painted leaf’…Hell, it comes across as some snow-resistant material but definitely not a painting cutout…Reminds me of the white horses in Pankaj Kapur’s Mausam!
SS: I am sure the critics will love those ‘hidden layers’ and lap up the wafer-thin plot camouflaged by beautiful cinematography by Mahendra J. Shetty and awe-inspiring music by Amit Trivedi and lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
RS: Bingo! And we’ll laugh our way to the bank and bag trophies and accolades… perhaps the National Award too….
SS: Are you kidding me?
RS: Well, why not? If Akshay Kumar can win a National Award for ‘Singh is King’… then why can’t this original Singh?
SS: Hope so…Well, I don’t care as long as I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and drive a Vintage Chevrolet.
RS: I know! Well, who cares if the audience ends up singing, ‘Mein to ainwayi ainwayi loot gaya!
Word of mouth on Vikramaditya Motwane’s Lootera saw it get an average start at the ticket windows. But, the film got patronage only, we repeat only, in the very niche-class A-town multiplexes. Since the product relied more on aesthetics and less on entertainment, only the gentry indulged in it.
With a weekend collection of around `15.88 crore, Ekta Kapoor and Phantom Productions (the producers of Lootera) have been saved, because they managed a good price for this film from satellite rights. The producers officially gave out a box-office figure of `18.5 crore for the same period. Lootera cost around `33 crore with publicity and advertising. However, how much of the cost was borne by Ekta and how much was thrust onto Phantom, is ambiguous because the final settlements are yet to happen.
Balaji has reportedly managed to sell the satellite rights of four of its films — Ek Thi Daayan, Shootout At Wadala, Lootera and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Dobaara — for `100 crore. Hence, the box-office deficit on movies like ETD and Lootera has been adjusted, making them safe for Balaji. Incidentally, the Ranveer Singh-Sonakshi Sinha film also managed `3.50 crore from music rights and `.65 crore for home video.
Sanjay Dutt’s Policegiri got an okay start in B and C centres’ single screens. But the film that collected `8.75 crore in three days is considered a loss-making proposition.
Ghanchakkar crashed after the first three days. A trade source says, “This was expected. Since the opening itself was lukewarm, weak collections through the week didn’t shock anyone. The masses didn’t take to this one.” Collections on Raanjhanaa have become a trickle. However, it is a certified hit.
Wednesday 10th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera has failed to make a mark at the box office as Tuesday recorded dull collections of 1.75 crore nett which is 20% down from Monday. A film like Lootera is never likely to open well and basically good weekday business becomes a must.
The film had a drop on Monday but even then if Tuesday can be in the range of Monday then the film has a chance but here Tuesday saw another drop and the film has just not performed well on the weekdays. Films like Raanjhanaa and Fukrey which were also dependent on weekday business managed similar business on Monday and Tuesday.
The film is looking to close the week at 23 crore nett and is unlikely to collect much thereafter.
‘Lootera’ works with its target audience!
By Taran Adarsh, July 10, 2013 – 08:31 IST
Truly, Bollywood is going through an interesting phase. Till a few years ago, either masala movies or mindless laughathons dominated the marketplace. But look at the films being churned out these days. Of course, there’s ample room [read screen space] for all genres to co-exist, but the fact that diverse genres are finding an outlet, besides the tried-and-tested formula, clearly indicates that times are changing rapidly.
Aimed at the plexes primarily, LOOTERA was never meant set the BO ablaze with an earth-shattering start. It was meant to consolidate its status if the word of mouth was positive. That’s exactly how this film has behaved at urban pockets. What goes in favour of the film is the fact that the makers kept the economics in check. Having cost approx Rs 32 cr [inclusive of P and A], a substantial chunk of the investment has already been recovered from Music, Home Video, Overseas, Satellite and ancillary rights.
As for the India theatrical rights, Balaji decided to give the film to several distributors on Advance, so that they [distributors] don’t incur losses, if the film falters. The controlled release in India — targeted primarily at urban plexes/1000 screens — was again a step in the right direction and the revenue generated from urban centres should ensure recovery of the balance investment, thus taking the film to the comfort zone. Of course, it remains to be seen how it fares in its second weekend, but if the steady business is an indicator, the second weekend should witness an upward trend again, especially on Saturday and Sunday.
POLICEGIRI, on the other hand, had to be content with the business generated from mass circuits/single screens. One shouldn’t expect every film to go the DABANGG or SINGHAM way, but POLICEGIRI did witness ample footfalls at single screens over the weekend, which proves that masala movies work well in several circuits of India. It remains to be seen if the makers, who have also distributed the film themselves, will eventually recover the investment, since there’s a wave of interesting films lined up in the forthcoming weeks and the screen space, obviously, will shrink considerably as a result of it.
Having said that BOI is more off the mark. This sort of offbeat film cannot be judged by the gross standards of Raanjhanaa or whatever. However well those films did, whatever the expectations might or might not have been those were regular films.
Chennai Box-Office – July 5-7
Wednesday, 10 July , 2013, 17:38
The Chennai Box-Office has been roaring this week. Suriya`s Singam 2 took a magnificent opening and is a winner. In Chennai city alone the film netted an amazing Rs 1.45 Cr in its opening weekend, due to large number of screens.
At the number two position is TVSK, which is rock solid in its fourth week and holding on well against competition. In the third place is Ambikapathy, a dubbed film continuing in its second week.
And in the fourth place is the Hindi film Lootera, which has taken a decent opening. And at number five is The Lone Ranger.
Shah Rukh Khan confirms his surrogate baby’s birth, names him AbRam
CNN-IBN | Updated Jul 10, 2013 at 08:34am IST
New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has confirmed the birth of his and his wife Gauri Khan’s surrogate baby boy and has named him ‘AbRam’. The actor has also denied all reports of sex determination tests on the child.
In a press release on Tuesday, Shah Rukh said AbRam was having health issues as he was prematurely born by several months. “Amidst all the noise that has been going around, the sweetest is the one made by our newborn baby, AbRam. He was born prematurely by several months, but has finally come home,” said Shah Rukh. “Gauri and our whole family have been dealing with his health issues for a long time now,” he added.
“As a family, our silence on this subject has been because of the personal nature of emotional strife that we have been going through due to his health,” Shah Rukh said. The superstar also put the record straight that “there was no sex determination for our child”.
Karan Johar @kjohar25 9 Jul
AbRam is the most beautiful child i have ever laid my eyes on…he is to the Mannat born and has made the home even more beautiful…..
SATYAMSHOT 
July 5, 2013 at 7:12 AM
B.O. update: ‘Lootera’, ‘Policegiri’ start slow!
By Taran Adarsh, July 5, 2013 – 12:07 IST
Both, LOOTERA and POLICEGIRI had a slow start in the morning shows. While LOOTERA is expected to dominate the multiplexes, POLICEGIRI is targeted at single screens and is expected to fare better there. The morning shows of these two releases were most ordinary, but it all depends on the evening and night shows these days. If the biz shoots upwards, the films would be able to put up good numbers on Day 1.
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July 5, 2013 at 7:13 AM
Lootera And Policegiri Start Slowly
Friday 5th July 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera and Policegiri both started slowly at the box office with Lootera recording collections of 30-35% at metro multiplexes but lower elsewhere while Policegiri was awful at multiplexes on its limited release though single screens recorded better collections of around 30%.
A start like this for Policegiri means its an uphill struggle because when a film in the action genre does not open it is a lost cause most of the time.
Lootera was never expected to open and will depend on what sort of growth it shows over the weekend but like Raanjhanaa it will have a lot of work to do as the budget is on the higher side looking at the type of film it is and a male lead whose previous films have not done that well at the box office which makes an it even harder for the film as far as opening morning collections are concerned.
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July 5, 2013 at 7:12 AM
Raanjhanaa Rock Steady In Week Two
Friday 5th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Raanjhanaa was rock steady in week two collecting around 17 crore nett against the 35 crore nett approx in week one. The week on week drop is around 50%.
The film has now collected 52 crore nett in two weeks and should record good figures in week three despite competing with two new major releases. The film has done very good business all over expect East Punjab and West Bengal where collections are average.
Raanjhanaa has chances to do final business of around 65 crore nett and could even become the fourth highest grossing film of the year by beating the Special 26 total of 65 crore nett.
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July 5, 2013 at 10:28 AM
I am shocked at how well Ranjhnaa has done, 52 crores and counting for a movie that did not boast of well established stars is excellent. Mite check it out this weekend if it is still playing
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July 5, 2013 at 7:12 AM
Ghanchakkar Has Low First Week
Friday 5th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Ghanchakkar had low first week collections of around 28 crore nett. The collections came down rapidly over the weekdays. The second week has seen a huge reduction of shows and the film will not add much in week two.
The film put up low numbers in practically all the circuits with Mumbai grossing around 9.50 crore nett and Delhi/UP being 6.50 crore nett approx. Mysore which may have been expected to do better for this type of multiplex film also had disappointing figures of around 1.40 crore nett.
The single screen dominated areas had very low collections be it UP, CP Berar or Bihar.
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July 5, 2013 at 10:32 AM
Satyam: When is the piece on YJHD coming? And C’mon, tell us who took you out for it- premika, sakhi (Bemisaal waali Raakhi) or padosan ki bhabhi?
BTW, have you checked out Jerry Pinto and Sheena Sippy’s fantastic book “Bollywood Posters”. Any book whose front cover has Sharmila Tagore (out of all people) with a gun (Do Shatru) should be bought instantly
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July 5, 2013 at 8:49 AM
So what is the verdict of those who have really seen the movie Lootera from this blog?
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July 5, 2013 at 8:52 AM
So what is the verdict of those from SS?
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July 5, 2013 at 8:57 AM
http://www.bollymoviereviewz.com/2013/07/lootera-review.html
Some negative reviews along with positive ones.
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July 5, 2013 at 8:58 AM
One of the comments.
this supposed master piece is extremely slow and an awful boring movie. Warning: Only for intellectual snobs others please stay away
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July 5, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Sooooo…just people who are willing to use their brains can watch this one? o.O
That’s … well, that’s unfortunate.
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July 5, 2013 at 4:59 PM
Watched Lootera
A compelling watch that grows on you, yet the writing is a little too simplistic and predictable in both the halves, especially for those who’ve already read The Last Leaf. But Motwane’s direction is so assured, the film is shot so brilliantly and the moments captured are so extraordinary you are forced to overlook the flaws. Finally a clean, authentic love story from the heartland after long. Must be seen!
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July 5, 2013 at 11:05 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Tony, what did you think of performances?
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July 5, 2013 at 11:29 PM
Great to your know thoughts after a long times…i was missing these mini-reviews of yours. How would you compare it to Udaan.
The thing is those critics who are now shouting from the rooftop that Motwane has made a masterpiece have forgotten that his first film was already a masterpiece (it’s a bit like saying Yash Chopra made his masterpiece in Trishul)- sadly these guys never gave the film the critical support it deserved. Now when both Kashyap and Motwane have become known and have taken in stars, these guys are getting epiphanies about this director’s talents
Very excited about the film. And Trivedi has once again hit it out of the park after Kai Po Che
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July 5, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Namrta Joshi on Raanjhanaa:
Once in a while comes a film that engages and holds your interest in the same measure as it perturbs and agitates. Raanjhanaa made for one such unusually disquieting, ambiguous viewing.
…….
And then there’s the real issue. That of love. Of one-sided, unrequited love that Kundan nurses for Zoya (Sonam). He’d go to any extreme extent for it—stalk her, blackmail her, serve Rooh Afza and Rasna in her engagement party, even take to violence. She wouldn’t reciprocate, but use him emotionally for her own good. They are both wicked and there’s a tantalising anarchy underlying their passion that holds promise and potential of a very unique love story to emerge. Alas, it remains still-born. Before you can say “love all”, the game gets entirely one-sided and manipulated. Kundan is built up as the quintessential underdog, across a religious, class and love divide (played with an infectious, charming energy by Dhanush). The one for whom we reserve our affection and sympathy despite his unforgivable trespasses. On the other hand, Zoya doesn’t go beyond the haughty, cold, heart-breaker mould. Even the journey to redemption (set in the asininely handled world of JNU-Delhi politics and a cringingly laughable take on the fiery Bhatta Parsaul issue) is reserved for the hero. The heroine will have to remain content shouldering the blame and guilt when she finds her chance to strike back. If only her character had been given more layers, Kundan, perhaps, wouldn’t have come across as just a cute, endearing, idealised version of a painfully persistent, possessive, obsessive, suffocating guy that he essentially is. One whom any woman would be entirely justified in snubbing and turning her back on.
The backbone of any good romance—reciprocated or not—is the dynamics of the lovers. Here it gets as warped as another recent, though much reviled, film set in another UP town—Ishaqzaade. If this shows us ‘reality’, so did that. If love brings out the worst in lovers here, so it did there. Only Raanjhanaa is a more palatable mirror that makes us accept things than question them. Rs 100 crore anyone?
http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?286450
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July 5, 2013 at 11:04 PM
I agree completely: it’s the extremely one-sided depiction of the event, through a perspective that renders Kundan’s abusive actions acceptable and even endearing, whilst letting Zoya remain an indecipherable enigma whose every tiniest action is portrayed in an unforgiving light, that is so disturbing; Joshi has put it beautifully.
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July 5, 2013 at 9:44 PM
shobhaa de’s tweet about Lootera
Sonakshi is the 21st century Vyjayantimala. Lootera is a 5- hanky movie. Just what the monsoon ordered. Go watch and weep buckets.
She approves.
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July 6, 2013 at 12:03 AM
Both sonakshi and ranveer have dig into their roles and come up with restrained, natural acts that for once do not go overboard. While sonakshi lends a remarkable sensitivity to her character of an ailing, hopelessly in love writer, ranveer is a true revelation who shows he has much more in his acting genes than playing loud, brash delhi boys. All said n done, it is an uncomplicated, straight love story that wears its heart on its sleeve. Motwane has truly delivered a gem. Comparisons with Udaan are unfair even though I have a certain weakness for that film.
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July 6, 2013 at 12:06 AM
Though this question is completely unrelated to the merits of the film, it reiterates a common belief that is reiterated time n again: why do all good girls fall for the wrong men?
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July 6, 2013 at 12:14 AM
Because the right men are not that attractive!
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July 6, 2013 at 12:20 AM
Other reasons. Right men are already booked.
Love is blind.
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July 6, 2013 at 12:33 AM
I have a theory.
Good girls, or girls in general most of the time have this fantasy to change a man, so the good is not attractive to them, it is the flaw that attracts them, with a fantasy, that they will make them good…
good is boring, bad is exciting!
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July 6, 2013 at 12:40 AM
rooney, changing a man is simply imposssible. Men hate girls who try to change them. Accept the men as they are and they are most happy. Praise them to get things done. Manipulate them by praising.
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July 6, 2013 at 1:20 AM
Men are like kids while women are more insightful. Manipulating in a bad way will boomerang. When something is done with sincerely and keeping in mind the welfare of the person, it yields results. If a man is addicted to smoking, it is of no use telling him dont. He will simply do it surreptiously or start defying openly. When he starts coughing(smoker’s cough), one can try to tell him why he has started coughing and the effects of smoking. Buy him expensive, less risky cigarettes. Tell him casually if he gets cancer, he will not get sympathy but only treatment.
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July 6, 2013 at 12:54 AM
Caveat – I am not a pandit on cinema as some others in this forum so it is not a review but just my feeling after watching Lootera.
Story – Alsmost a decade ago, during my IIMC days, i wrote an article on Lata Ji. I wrote “Agar aapke ander ab bhi kuch Dhawal (Safed, White) aur Shuddh (Pure) bacha hai to aap Lata ji ki aawaz main use mehsoos kar sakte hain. Aap is baat per bhi bharosa kar sakte hain ki Kalyug main bhi Devi-Devta avtaar lete hain kyonki Lata ji ki aawaz main sakshat Saraswati Vaas karti hain” Same thought came in mind watching an expeirence called Lootera. I will not go in the story detail as most of the people know it and it can play spoiler alert. The Bottomline is this that after watching lootera you understand that Silence to speaks. There are to many scene in the film where there are no dilouge, no dramatic music. Director gave viewers time to feel the imotion and to see within. This film sometimes reminds you our epics like where everything is corelated. The way he construct ‘Meri jaan Toote main basi hai’ story and Leaf painting sequence, The way he build up imotions for the climax is the proof of what a great storytaler motwane is ? His eyes for detail is also unmatched. Take the example of that scene where Ranveer and his friend left Sonakshi Haveli. They don’t start thier bike because it can wake Sonakshi or her father.
Performences- As i already said i will noy say to much about story so it brings us to the performence. Lootera is a film which is based on performences. Every actor fits into thier role to the ‘T’. Even thier diction is perfect to. As far as performences of lead actors are concern i have to admit though i am a big Ranveer fan i have no shame to say that Film belongs to Sonakshi Sinha. She is the soul of the film. You feel every imotion of her. From Acting to body lanuage to diction to basically she captured everything perfectly. As they say nobody is perfect but Sonkshi is perfect for this role. As far as Ranveer performence He to delivered a perfect punch. It is just that Sonkshi role is more meat. I rate Ranveer above Ranbeer and this film confirms my belive. (Strictly my thought). He is more versetile and now i understad why he has such a terrefic lineup of Films. Looking forward to Ramleela and Gundey.
Cinemetography – And talk about lootere will be not complete without talking about Cinemetography. As i said somewhere i don’t watch too many films in theater so i can’t say if any other film look so good in big screen. Every shot is a treat to watch. In film Ranveer and Sonkshi paint the landscape but in reality whole film is poetry in motion. Do a favour to yourself and good cinema and watc this in theatre.
PS 1- They say Boys don’t cry but i cried twice during the film. First in ‘Shikayate’ song and Second time during ‘Zinda houn main’ song. ‘Zinda houn main’ song is 100 times more impactfull in the film then the promo.
PS 2 – Though so far i found OUATIM Dobaara promo crap still i want it to be big hit just because Ekta produced Lootera and gave enough budget to make en classic called Lootera.
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July 6, 2013 at 11:17 AM
nice to see u here dj!
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July 6, 2013 at 1:03 PM
rooney,how are you mate,been long time since we commented,still loving football…rooney is staying @ utd
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July 6, 2013 at 1:52 AM
Mail from ‘ Maru’ on Rangan’s blog:
I’m late to this party, but I enjoyed brangan’s review and some of the discussions here. I found Ruhul’s neo-Devdas view compelling but I’m not sure that Kundan had that Devdas-like self-loathing, arrogance and sense of entitlement. This seemed much more to me as an ode to the small town Raanjhanaa. Bindiya seemed like the female counterpart to Kundan. Brangan, I thought the point of her character was to show that the role can cut across both genders and Swara Bhaskar is terrific in the limited time she gets.
It takes skills, motivation and hard work to make something of oneself (like Zoya did) but schooled on a diet of movies like Saajan, with enough ardor and fervor, it’s considerably easier to chase fool’s good and make a career of being a Raanjhanaa. It was all going per the Raanjahanaa script, right down to sacrificing for the idol’s happiness when tragedy strikes. I thought that atonement scene by the ghats was less about atonement (not that he’s not sorry about the tragedy) and more about getting back into Raanjhanaa mode and snapping out of his paralysis. But Kundan is like a fish out of water away from Benaras and his idol no longer coquettish and warm is now sullen and resentful. His success in student politics is unwitting and would be almost comical if the issues weren’t so serious. He’s a reluctant hero, so it’s almost a relief to be able to slip into Sydney Carton mode – It’s a far far better rest….. I found the climax poignant and quite moving, more so than any of Dhanush’s breakdown scenes. The Raanjhanaa is dead, long live the Raanjhanaa!
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July 6, 2013 at 3:44 AM
A FB status update today from a friend:
Yes! Just out of the world whacky dialogues in this movie!! Smitten by the charm of Kundan’s simplicity and unfaltered love for the woman he loved.. And Murali’s unconditional loyalty and love for his friend whose future in the love-world will remain grey and unconquered and shows no promise! In a life or a few more, some of us should do something right to have the privilege of a lover like Kundan and a friend like Murali. Dhanush, you caught my attention for sure. Will keep you in my radar!
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July 6, 2013 at 4:13 AM
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July 6, 2013 at 6:24 AM
Rangan’s is a superb review, one that does justice to the film’s strengths, and is able to articulate what had been bothering me about the film’s last thirty minutes or so…
Lootera is very good (a bit loose towards the end), but as with Udaan, I find that I have little to say/write about it: Motwane resolutely has made both films about very particular stories, seeking to keep wider resonance to a minimum (thus Udaan isn’t about fatherhood, but about a very particular father and son; and for all the wider themes latent in Lootera about zamindari and its demise, perhaps one should say about the ways of the village, a certain bucolic air, giving way to the grasping ways of the city and modern life). Nevertheless, this is well worth a watch, especially on the big screen — Motwane is clearly the most cinematically accomplished of this new brigade (hard to imagine Kashyap making a film this fulfilling, with — one has to use the word — “therao”)…
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July 6, 2013 at 5:19 AM
3 to 5 movies in a multiplex close to my residence. Which one to watch?
YJHD. Lost interest due to those songs and dances becoming stale.
Lootera. Is it the arty type with long pauses?
Raanjhana. Perfect mix of masala and some artiness with an unusual starcast.
I am choosing the third one.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:34 AM
I was interested in Raanjhana…then got put off by reports about the film romanticizing stalking. A friend also felt that the film sends out wrong messages. Still, i may watch it, or wait for Bhaag Milkha to release…definitely need to watch this biopic.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:40 AM
I think stalking in films should not be taken that seriously. It also teaches a lesson that stalking does not pay. You should watch it and form your own judgment.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:44 AM
Actually i am planning to watch 2 movies at one go if weather permits.. Lootera and Raanjhana. Though Lootera is getting lots of praises, I think I have seen better movies like mausam, Anupama, Kabhie Kabhie etc. which also have lots of poetry, anguish etc.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:45 AM
Lots of praise.
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July 7, 2013 at 7:20 AM
Hmmm so even sanju is watching movie(s) on the big screen–not one but two!!!
Seems sanju has got two boyfriends –one movie with each 😉
Let us know ur views & updates ( also about the movie)…
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July 6, 2013 at 5:31 AM
The idea of a woman falling for the wrong guy is disturbing.. just like a man cheating on his wife
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July 6, 2013 at 9:56 AM
but who absolutely right and who is absolutely wrong in the world? we are all mixtures of good/bad/imperfect/grey shades – so right guy/wrong guy thing is a bit “social” definition
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July 6, 2013 at 7:58 AM
there maybe so many stories doing blockbuster business. But real life showcases certain bitter incidents like life imitating art.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/chennaitalkies/entry/dravidianism-is-dead-long-live-ilavarasan
The tragedy of divya and Ilavarasan’s love story is somewhat like rizwan’s story. This happened in a supposedly pro dalit, pro reservation, anti caste state.
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July 6, 2013 at 8:18 AM
Lootera First Day Business
Friday 6th July 2013 11.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera had below the mark collections with first day likely to come out in the 4.25-4.50 crore nett region. the film fared better in the metros with mass belts having very low collections.
The collections are similar to Ranveer Singh’s last film Ladies vs Ricky Bahl which was released 18 months back but Lootera is a much bigger film than that film.
The best collections have come in West Bengal as the film is set there but the Central belt has low collections and North also has not collected outside the Delhi/NCR region. The film will have to show very strong growth to come out with even reasonable weekend figures.
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July 6, 2013 at 8:19 AM
the amusing thing is that given this kind of subject and treatment BOI consider this number ‘poor’ while just a few days ago they thought the Ghanchakkar opening at two crores higher was average!
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July 7, 2013 at 6:03 AM
Nothing amusing here Satyam ji. Anyone who’s watched the two movies would know which was more difficult to sit through (not saying quality wise but subject wise) or have pull box office wise. Also Ghanchakkar did not come with extraordinary early reviews. If that was the case it would have opened much higher given how it opened with such poor reviews. I though the film would tank at the end of the first day itself but it did very well to hold up at least for the weekend with that subject and word of mouth.
Though I agree with your general view about the over rating of box office pull of Emraan, here the emraan-vidya combination has surely worked keeping the subject in mind. With any other combination the weekend total here would have been the full run number.
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July 6, 2013 at 8:18 AM
Policegiri First Day Business
Friday 6th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Policegiri fared poorly on its first day with collections around the 2.50 crore nett mark. The collections at multiplexes were very bad especially the metros, Dehi city had ridiculously low collections.
The film did fare better in places like UP, Bihar, CPCI and Rajasthan as these areas collected better than Lootera which was very low in these areas. But Policegiri had to put up excellent numbers in these mass belts to get even reasonable day one figures as urban centres so low.
Policegiri has had such a low start that its impossible for the film to score at the box office unless there is some sort of miracle 300% jump on Saturday.
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July 6, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Wimbledon
Two power packed semis yesterday –loved em…
Think the Federer-nadal era is slowly morphing into the djoko/?murray phase now….the stamina/power continues to increase…
Finally poor Scotts gettin something to cheer about in life …there maybe a collective orgasm tomorrow afternoon though.
Atlast, (finally…) I feel Murray is
ready now (if djoko lets him)
Good to see a French/German ladies final (& even better to see the Williams sisters not there!!)–may the best costume win…
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July 6, 2013 at 9:37 AM
Lootera
It seems like this film may make my list of best films I watched thus year. The list till now….
Surpisingly found a cinema showing lootera( doesn’t normally show Bollywood)–may check it out tomorrow if get some holly watching company…
Besides, hoping for a review on ‘looters’ from Amy
And one by Satyam on Yjhd &/or ranjhana …
Let’s see who wins (I’m the self appointed ‘judge’!)
C’mon Satyam–don’t chicken out now —& for gods sake plz leave deepika and that remote alone now 🙂
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July 6, 2013 at 10:26 AM
have been a bit busy with some stuff Alex, will write something on YJHD and Raanjhana. In brief though I found the former terribly pedestrian and empty. Meanwhile the latter had an appealing first half but a second one where the script goes somewhat haywire. Still I’d any day take the latter over the former.
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July 6, 2013 at 10:35 AM
When are you watching Lootera? And did check out Matru btw?
They were playing Meghe Dhaka Tara (the new one) with subs in Delhi with subs in some theatres of PVR (not sure about Bambai though)-
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July 6, 2013 at 10:38 AM
might watch it this weekend if I get a chance but not sure.
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July 6, 2013 at 10:31 AM
July 5, 2013
Little Interest in ‘Lone Ranger’ Is a Blow for Disney
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
LOS ANGELES — The train wreck was supposed to stay on-screen.
Walt Disney Studios spent the July 4 holiday watching its expensive action western, “The Lone Ranger,” disintegrate in a box-office collision with a strong performance by the goofy little animated heroes of Universal Pictures’s “Despicable Me 2.”
By Friday morning, “Despicable Me 2” had taken in taken in $59.5 million at the North American box office since its Tuesday night opening, according to an early estimate by Hollywood.com, and appeared to be headed for five-day total of $115 million or more. Its projected total is sure to more than double the five-day take for “The Lone Ranger,” which by some estimates is expected to take in less than $50 million for the holiday, after collecting just $19.5 million in domestic theaters since Tuesday night.
Disney’s film stars Johnny Depp, was directed by Gore Verbinski, who joined Jerry Bruckheimer as a producer to revive the studio’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” team, and cost about $225 million to make, according to a person briefed on the expenses who spoke on condition of anonymity because of studio policy. That high cost came in part because of the wreckage from the movie’s railroad action scenes.
But critics were harsh. The film scored 37 of a possible 100 on the Metacritic.com service, and A.O. Scott, reviewing for The New York Times, called it “a frantic grab bag of plots and themes, a semester-long Westerns 101 college course crammed into two and a half hours and taught by a professor whose lecture notes were rearranged by a gust of wind on his way to class.”
The audience, meanwhile, turned away from a film that seeks its appeal in Mr. Depp’s wisecracking reinterpretation of Tonto, the Native American sidekick to John Reid, the Lone Ranger, who has loomed large in American pop culture since the broadcast of a radio drama in the 1930s. The masked ranger is played by the actor Armie Hammer.
A Disney spokesman on Friday declined to discuss the film’s performance.
Early Tuesday, the analyst Doug Creutz, with Cowen & Company in San Francisco, was quoted in a report from the Bloomberg News service, predicting that Disney would eventually write off $100 million on “The Lone Ranger.”
That would be about half the write-down it took on another large-scale film disaster, “John Carter,” which cost about $350 million to make and market, and collected only about $282 million at the worldwide box office after its release in March 2012. (Studios keep only part of the box office receipts, which are shared with exhibitors, but also collect money from home entertainment and other sales.) A year earlier, Disney had suffered a similar disaster with another expensive flop, “Mars Needs Moms.”
Alan F. Horn, a veteran Warner executive, became chairman of Walt Disney Studios last June, after “The Lone Ranger” was already being made.
Fierce competition from a crowded slate of blockbusters this summer leaves little room for “The Lone Ranger” to expand its appeal in coming weeks. On July 12, Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures will open “Pacific Rim,” a robot battle fantasy that was promoted this week in trailers attached to “The Lone Ranger,” while Sony Pictures Entertainment will release “Grown Ups 2,” a sequel to an earlier comedy hit, which featuring Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Chris Rock.
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July 6, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Lol @ ‘lone ranger’–sounds true for the person who went to watch this on the big screen….
Btw a nice piece by dolce –Filmi travel across south India –wud b gud 2 travel across d filmi landmarks thru India..enjoy..
http://dolcenamak.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/filmy-moments-in-india.html
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July 6, 2013 at 4:38 PM
^^Lovely writeup by dolce—more bout South Indian places —
Loved the athirapally falls bit –didn’t know that….
& wow–mani at his best–this ones for Satyam & Amy…
Note how much better this guy is compared to abhishrek here though,, sorry Satyam
Ps: nice bits bout some other places
Lol @ Vivek Oberoi…..
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July 6, 2013 at 6:07 PM
yes glad you’re appreciating ‘this guy’..
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July 6, 2013 at 5:55 PM
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July 7, 2013 at 3:03 AM
Lootera Shows Strength On Saturday Policegiri Falters
Saturday 7th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera showed strength at multiplexes on Saturday with good jumps all over. The film had a jump in collections of around 30% with Saturday business being around 5.50 crore nett. Multiplexes across the country showed healthy gains.
The two day business is around 9.75 crore nett which is not that good but the film has a good upward which gives it a chance depending on what happens over the week.
Policegiri struggled on Saturday as collections were down on a little bit as it collected around 2.50 crore nett as against the 2.75 crore nett on Friday. The film is sure to have sub 10 crore nett weekend collections which is a very poor result for the film.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:13 AM
Hrithik Roshan’s imminent brain surgery —
http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/hrithik-roshan-to-undergo-brain-surgery-to-remove-blood-clot-935653.html
Did not know where to post, so I have put it up here, randomly. I hope Hrithik recovers quickly, safely.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:25 AM
Its a minor surgery, they are saying and so it is done in Hinduja Hospital in mumbai. It was during the shooting of Bang Bang, the incident seems to have happened. Actors take a lot of risks. Bachchan in Coolie, SRK’s shoulder thing and now Hrithik’s.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:30 AM
Today all bad news.
Bomb blasts in Bihar ‘s Buddha temple at Bodh Gaya.
SFO plane crash.
Train fire in Qubec, Canada.
Hope no one will blame korrupt kongress for all these incidents. Though they may pick on the first incident.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:30 AM
Yes, rediff has some details about the surgery — http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/hrithik-roshan-to-undergo-brain-surgery-today/20130707.htm
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July 7, 2013 at 6:50 AM
Thanx 4 the info LS & sanju—wishing hritik Roshan all the best for his surgery–n get well soon….
Anyhow–finally found a multiplex showing ‘lootera’ not far off –plus some ‘looteri’ company 2 watch it—
checkin out lootera early show ‘lootera’ today….yaiy…
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July 7, 2013 at 9:41 AM
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lootera-did-not-expect-to-get-noticed-says-vikrant-massey/404732-8-66.html
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July 7, 2013 at 9:57 AM
Finally got around watching ardh satya. A powerful film but I do not think it has aged well.
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July 7, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Tony: I am surprised that you think AS hasn’t aged well. This as well as Aakrosh are 2 of Nihalani’s (and Hindi cinema’s) absolute great films. Whether it’s Naseer’s cameo, Sadashiv’s outstanding act (Rama Shetty has to be one of the great villains of all-times) or Om Puri’s one for the ages act (i find it as good as anything AB, Balraj Sahni, DK, De Niro etc have done in their entire career), everything works- the scene where Smita Patil gives Puri the titular poem and Puri slowly reads it out, is one of favourites scenes anywhere in cinema.
But I am glad that you saw this. Satyam had put some very insightful comments on the film earlier. In case you have not seen them, would also recommend Nihalani’s Vijeta, Drohkaal, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa. But Aakrosh above all. And if you (or anyone else here) can manage the translated works of Vijay Tendulkar, you should read them instantly. Btw this was the first art-film which was actually a ‘hit’
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July 7, 2013 at 10:37 AM
There really is something about Dhanush’s eyes in Raanjhana. If, as Marilyn Monroe said, “The real lover is the man who can thrill you just by touching your head or smiling into your eyes”, then unconventional-looking (as film reviewers euphemistically call him) Dhanush is the next Rajesh Khanna of Bollywood.
But there is more to Mr. Kolaveri than his eyes alone. His ability for rapid emotional transformation, his lack of self consciousness and, in sharp contrast to the narcissistic toy boys of Bollywood, his body confidence make him among the most electric debutantes of our time.
Just as A.R. Rahman’s score for Raanjhana makes traditional Banarsi chaitis and kajris palatable yet recognisable, scratch the surface of Kundan and you will find the archetypal Tamil hero somehow made acceptable to an all-India audience.
Tamil heroes, their swarthy complexion, hefty waistlines and OTT emotions have always been at the fringe of the Hindi film industry. Sivaji Ganesan’s quivering jowls, MGR’s pencil-thin moustache and Rajnikant’s antics were too much even for an audience no stranger to flights of fantasy. Yet, in Tamil Nadu, millions worship them and consistently voted them to power in the state. The biggest stars of the North are not a patch on the emotional pull of the Southern superstars. What psychological oddity in millions of Tamilians accounts for such behaviour?
Dhanush provokes you into reflecting that the fanatical response to Tamil films may not be in the vices of its viewers but in the virtues of its performers. To understand the theatrical virtuosity of the South Indian star, one needs to understand a related area of self expression: temple devotion. Performing arts in India, after all, have their origin in the telling of a religious story to an illiterate audience.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/gaze-of-the-tamil-lover/article4884224.ece
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July 7, 2013 at 10:44 AM
though it’s meant to be a complimentary piece it ranges from the superficial to the ridiculous to the offensive.
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July 7, 2013 at 11:47 AM
Forget the tamil superstars. What about popular stars like Muthuraman, Gemini Ganeshan, Jaishankar, S.S.Rajendran of the bygone era? They are as normal as Dharmendra, Rajendra Kumar etc. They cant be caricatured. They represent tamil cinema patronised by the middleclasses.
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July 7, 2013 at 12:34 PM
ok so Murray becomes the first Briton to win Wimbeldon since 1936!
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July 7, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Yeah! And i feel a bit sad because throughout the 90’s (and the early part of the last decade) I was a big fan of Tim Henman (how many here remember him!) and everytime he used to reach the Semis they used to keep mentioning Fred Perry. Btw Murray makes it a point to clarify everytime that he is a Scot.
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July 7, 2013 at 2:01 PM
Poetic justice! The Brits are hosting for years and atlast the son of the soil claimed the title. Hip hip hurray, Murray.
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July 7, 2013 at 6:35 PM
Have never been his fan/ never bet on Murray :except this time… His skillsets been there for a while but he lacked physically (& mentally).
This time felt he was ready though…as for djoko, he under performed today..(& wasn’t allowed his groove)
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July 7, 2013 at 2:19 PM
Rangan on singam 2:
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July 7, 2013 at 2:22 PM
Tamil cinema’s 2013 report card:
http://www.sify.com/movies/2013-kollywood-s-half-yearly-report-card-news-tamil-nhbpPxfdajj.html
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July 7, 2013 at 2:22 PM
the failures;
http://www.sify.com/movies/2013-films-that-failed-to-impress-the-bo-imagegallery-kollywood-nhcpi1dgghd.html
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July 7, 2013 at 2:25 PM
http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/review-sonakshi-impresses-but-lootera-is-boring-928775.html
Is Lootera a too much hyped film?
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July 7, 2013 at 6:51 PM
Lootera — briefly …
May expand later–but some quick thoughts after watching the film are are unchanged from this I had posted (before seeing the film)
Motwane is a special talent and so is the music director trivedi.
Ranveer is as mentioned above -though he does well, he needs more ‘consistency’ & ‘polish’ (esp in diction etc)
But the film belongs to–
Someone I have never been a fan of, who got her break due to her surname & subsequent films due to a mixture of good flicks and luck. Also she is ‘atypical’ amongst the current lot of heroines in many ways…
But her she forced me to appreciate the role and her performance.
Reluctantly & hesitantly, have to give it to
Sonakshi sinha….
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July 7, 2013 at 7:11 PM
lootera–contd
The ‘masala loving’ (admitted & closet) viewers may find this slow and dry and this is likely to reflect on the box office.
Motwane has the raw material and is nearly there-he needs either a kjo-esque project designer or an aamir like ‘interfering actor’ to take his talent to higher levels of reward. Motwane does falter in some places though its relative and can be ignored in the overall context.
But–it’s probably my exaggeration right now (high spirits)& wil revisit this point—bit was somewhat surprised (to the minor shock degree) to see sonakshis endearing and instinctive performance
Another one into my music bank–
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July 7, 2013 at 9:59 PM
http://movies.yahoo.com/news/showbiz-india-bollywood-shifting-home-abroad-talent-cross-225552222.html
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July 7, 2013 at 11:27 PM
Selling and reviewing. Critic’s responsibility to audience.
Except one or two, none of the notable critics tried to say what is wrong with Lootera. Its pace, its slowness. Critics must also think of filmgoers who spend money and time to watch a movie. If critics like a certain type of movie, they should also view it objectively. It is like selling a washing machine because it is aesthetically designed though the way it washes clothes or dirty linen is questionable.
Some of my friends could not sit through the movie. They also said the audience have become restless after a while. These are the same people who loved ashiqui 2 and also did not hate Ghanchakkar.
These types of movies must be appreciated rather than hyped. Hype creates skyhigh expectations.
You have to like this movie because it is fashionable, politically correct and it will make you acceptable into that select circle. It is like emperor’s clothes. If you disagree, you are castigated as tasteless and loving lowbrow stuff.
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July 7, 2013 at 11:57 PM
Slow movies are not everyone’s cup of tea. Most of our audience want entertainment or thriller. Udaan was one of my favorite movies of that year but there are many who didn’t like it. It was comparatively small so there was not much noise but this is bigger in scale so people would scream if they see it in cinema with certain expectations.
ps -Re. Emperor’s clothes – I didn’t mind Tashan or Tees Maar Khan but found issues with dabangg or similar neo masala movies because of uneven tones.
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July 8, 2013 at 1:26 AM
Udaan I saw on TV and it was quite engrossing with not a dull moment. And with masala movies, it is easy to find out. We can ignore fans raving over them and decide.
But Lootera is too much hyped and the disappointment is also quite loud in some quarters.
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July 8, 2013 at 2:05 AM
http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/lootera-a-short-stretched-beyond-time/article4888492.ece
A balanced review from The Hindu.
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July 8, 2013 at 12:38 AM
From ‘ ramitbajaj01’ in Rangan’s bl;og:
in the first half of the movie, i don’t think there is much case of stalking. Stalking is when u r fed up/ irritated of the person, u want to get rid of him/her and he/she is still following you. But Zoya in mvoie doesn’t seem to mind Kundan’s presence. She rather enjoys slap-sessions. She even invites him, ‘kal thapar khane aana.’ i belong to a small town and i have seen many such cases. girls do normally say yes after keep on postponing to accept the proposal at the first place and playing on and giving suggestive invitations. It is not stalking.
even later, when zoya returns from JNU, she gets to know about kundan’s obsession, still she keeps on asking favors from him and making him her confidant and in a way staying close to him. i wonder how could she mistake him as just-a-friend. if at all, there is a case here of stalking againt kundan, then there should also be one against zoya for abetment to stalking. Much like, there is a case against aditya pancholi for abetment to suicide in jiah’s case.
but in 2nd half, there is full-fledged stalking. and zoya, out of her desire to ignore kundan, becomes a poor victim and she doesn’t realise that she’s being eaten inside out. she didn’t want to see kundan, yet he was making his presence felt. if she had sought to get rid of him, say by taking help of her friends or with the help of police, she could have saved herself of the torture and the forced mis-steps that she took later on. but she was in a weak situation. she was bereaved. one really doesn’t realise sometimes what is good for him/her.
there is a sharp contrast b/w zoya and kundan. zoya, the pragmatic and action-oriented girl, doesn’t think of taking revenge by inflicting pain on kundan, instead she strives to take jasjeet’s vision forward. whereas, kundan, the romanticist, would not leave the other person alone and would continue to make things worse.
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July 8, 2013 at 7:21 AM
in fact shobaa de rips apart raanjhana – …….
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July 8, 2013 at 2:26 AM
Lootera Holds Promise For The Weekdays
Monday 8th July 2013 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera had below the mark collections for the weekend of around 16 crore but the trend was good and the film holds promise for the weekdays. The first day was around 4.25 crore nett and Saturday was 5.50 crore while Sunday collected around 6.25 crore nett.
The film will be looking to hold well over the weekdays and get over 25 crore nett. Lootera suffered from a poor start so even though it picked up well the low starting point kept the weekend figures on the lower side.
The best business for the film came in West Bengal due to the local flavour. It collected around 1 crore nett in West Bengal which made West Bengal the fourth highest collecting circuit for the film when normally it is 7th or 8th.
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July 8, 2013 at 7:57 AM
Midweek: ‘Lootera’ picks up, ‘Policegiri’ at single screens
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July 8, 2013 at 2:26 AM
Policegiri Fails In Mass Belts
Monday 8th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Policegiri was never going to do well at multiplexes due to limited release and no awareness for the film due to lack of promotion but the film also failed at single screens in mass belts.
The collections in UP, Bihar, CPCI, Rajasthan and Nizam were much better than the bigger circuits but still low. The collections in Delhi city, East Punjab and Mysore were just awful. If the film had scored at the multiplexes of the smaller cities it could have yielded better results but the collections were mainly fromthe single screens.
The film collected around 8.25 crore nett over the weekend which is poor return for such a film. Policegiri is a heavy loser despite a limited P&A spend.
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July 8, 2013 at 3:34 AM
http://www.india-forums.com/bollywood/hot-n-happening/34970-producer-sudhakar-bokade-dead.htm
RIP.
Remember the blockbuster movie Saajan?
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July 8, 2013 at 3:35 AM
Sudhakar Bokade, who produced movies like “Izzatdaar” and “Saajan”, breathed his last at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here. He was 57.
Bokade, who was a part of the film world for over two decades, died Sunday night.
His daughter Divya Bokade confirmed the news to IANS, saying: “He was hospitalised day before yesterday (July 6) because he suffered a heart attack, and he passed away last night (July 7).”
His last rites will be conducted Monday afternoon.
During his stint as a producer, he gave the industry movies like “Sapne Sajan Ke”, “Dhanwaan”, “Kalinga”, “Prahaar”, “Sauda” and “Yeh Pyar Hi To Hai”.
He is survived by his two daughters Divya and Kiran, and son Krishna.
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July 8, 2013 at 3:45 AM
Can we have a separate thread for this news?
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July 8, 2013 at 3:39 AM
Telugu horror-comedy “Prema Katha Chitram”, which stars Sudheer Babu, will be remade in Hindi and Tamil. The remake rights are said to have been bought for a fancy price.
“The remake rights have been bought for an exorbitant price. While the Hindi remake rights have been bought by Adi Seshagiri Rao, the Tamil remake rights have been purchased by Tamil producer Kasi,” Sudharshan Reddy, producer of “Prema Katha Chitram” told IANS.
“Both Adi and Kasi are on the lookout for big studios in Hindi and Tamil respectively to have the film remade,” he added.
Made with a budget of Rs.2.2 crore, “Prema Katha Chitram”, which released June 7, was declared a sleeper hit. It went on to collect over Rs.10 crore in the first two weeks at the ticket window.
Presented as a horror-comedy-cum-thriller, the film was about how the life of four youngsters, who are on the brink of committing suicide, changes forever when they enter a farmhouse in the woods.
Directed by debutant J. Prabhakar Reddy, the film also features Nanditha, Pradeep and Giri in important roles.
Indiaforums
http://www.india-forums.com/bollywood/hot-n-happening/34972-hindi-tamil-remake-for-prema-katha-chitram.htm
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July 8, 2013 at 6:57 AM
Actually these policegiri roles have been taken to infinite height by Bachchan.Now other actors are burning their hands in such ventures but all in vain.
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July 8, 2013 at 7:12 AM
There are very few in Bollywood who have the credibility which Aamir Khan enjoys: If not the youth, can’t cinema play an instrumental role in putting forth issues which don’t seem attention-grabbing to many? “I completely agree with Farooq Sheikh’s thought – ‘Agar aap cinema walon ko bandar ka naach dikhane jaisa treat karogey, toh cinema waley bhi aapko chawanni phenkne wala hi samjhengey.’ There are discussions wherein filmmakers say – include certain elements to turn a project into a complete masala film. But I’m happy there is a different kind of cinema which the viewers are getting to watch. So if ‘Kai Po Che’ works, we understand that people are interested in watching a different kind of cinema. That sensibility is seeping in. It is slow, but gradually, it will happen.”
“Agreed, not many are interested in watching films which deal with a social problem or health-related issue, but if Aamir Khan can make ‘Taare Zameen Par’, why can’t other filmmakers follow in his footsteps? “It is a fact that not many watched ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’. So if there are no takers, how can we make such films? Jo paisa lagata hai, wohh bolta hai, ‘Kyun aisi filmon mei mera pasia dooba rahe ho?’
As far as ‘Taare Zameen Par’ goes, it worked because Aamir Khan used his credibility, and directed the film. There are very few people who enjoy the credibility which Aamir Khan has. Uss credibility mei se bhi toh koi akela jake karta hai. Aur kitney log kartey hain? If we will make ‘Taare Zameen Par’, we won’t get Rs 10 crores. At the end of the day, Bollywood is a consumer driven industry,” he says.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/anurag-kashyap-few-in-bollywood-are-as-credible-as-aamir-khan/404938-8-66.html
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July 8, 2013 at 11:13 AM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Woman-dies-of-wrong-blood-transfusion-Delhi-govt-asked-to-pay-compensation/articleshow/20975421.cms
Why films like Ankur Arora murder case are important to create awareness.
Inspite of a bravura performance by Kaykay, tisca Chopra and others, the film could not make a mark. This film should have been made tax free.
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July 8, 2013 at 5:00 PM
They could have gone for little darker/serious treatment. Some of the dialogues were very Bollywoodish.
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July 8, 2013 at 5:48 PM
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/india-questions/india-questions-bill-gates-and-aamir-khan/279512
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July 8, 2013 at 7:45 AM
http://www.firstpost.com/living/raanjhanaa-rss-and-arundhati-agree-middle-class-women-dont-count-937529.html/2
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July 8, 2013 at 2:27 PM
Everyone is addressing Dhanush’s violent/stalker streak in the film, but no one seems to be talking about the subtle mental torture that she puts him throught, always using him when convenient, and quite often, making him feel he stands a chance even when he doesn’t. I am not saying what Dhanush does is right and can be justified, but Sonam also plays a dangerous game.
Quite liked the movie btw.
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July 8, 2013 at 4:58 PM
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/we-the-people/we-the-people-too-young-to-marry/282210
A discussion which is happening mostly from women’s point of view.
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July 8, 2013 at 7:49 AM
July 7, 2013
Masked Lawman Stumbles at the Gate
By BROOKS BARNES
Tumbleweeds blew through theaters playing “The Lone Ranger” over the weekend, calling into question Johnny Depp’s star power, extending Jerry Bruckheimer’s troubled box-office run and probably leading to a write down of $100 million or more at Disney’s film studio.
Even more humiliating for Disney: “Despicable Me 2,” a relatively inexpensive cartoon from Universal — a new force in animation, the art form that Walt Disney perfected for the masses — was an immediate smash hit. “Despicable Me 2” took in about $142.1 million between Wednesday and Sunday, while “The Lone Ranger” had ticket sales of about $48.9 million over the same period.
Together they offer a striking portrait of modern Hollywood. Studios like Disney, searching for global audiences, are making fewer movies but spending more on the ones they do release. This raises the stakes to almost impossible levels; “The Lone Ranger,” which cost at least $375 million to make and market, will need to take in an estimated $800 million worldwide to break even, after accounting for revenue splits with theater owners.
“Despicable Me 2” represents Hollywood’s safety net — sequels, particularly animated ones that appeal to families looking for a guaranteed experience. The film also underscores an effort by studios not known for animation to dive into the field in a cost-effective way. Universal’s Illumination Entertainment made “Despicable Me 2” for $76 million; major Pixar and DreamWorks Animation movies can cost twice as much.
“With animation in particular, you can clearly control costs while not diminishing the audience’s pleasure,” said Nikki Rocco, Universal’s president for distribution. “Did we expect a blockbuster? Yes. Did we expect one of this size? No.”
“Despicable Me 2,” which received largely positive reviews, has already taken in about $151.1 million overseas. Early worldwide results give the film a berth among some of the biggest animation franchises in Hollywood history, including “Shrek.” Universal has a follow-up movie planned for December 2014.
As Universal was celebrating, Disney was trying to figure out how “The Lone Ranger” came up so lame — “the kind of bomb that people discuss for years to come,” as Phil Contrino, chief analyst for BoxOffice.com put it.
Westerns are difficult to sell to modern audiences. “The Lone Ranger,” directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Mr. Bruckheimer, follows “Cowboys & Aliens” and “Jonah Hex” as recent Old West flops. But “The Lone Ranger,” starring Mr. Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer in the title role, was troubled from the start, with Disney scrambling to spend less on production than the planned $250 million. (The studio succeeded by a smidge.)
When Disney decided to move forward with “The Lone Ranger” in 2011 — the project had been gestating at the studio since 2007 — the hope was for another franchise in the vein of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Despite the western’s cost, Disney was given comfort by the fact that many members of the original “Pirates” creative team were on board, including Mr. Depp, Mr. Bruckheimer, Mr. Verbinski and the writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio.
But “The Lone Ranger,” which received terrible reviews, suffered from tonal problems. Was it a campy comedy or a serious action film? Trailers seemed to play it both ways, said Doug Creutz, a media analyst with Cowen & Company.
Last week, Mr. Creutz predicted that Disney would eventually have to write off $100 million if “The Lone Ranger” did as poorly as prerelease surveys suggested. It actually performed worse; analysts had been bracing for as little as $65 million in ticket sales from the film’s first five days in North American theaters.
Aside from “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” in 2011, Mr. Bruckheimer’s track record of late has been dismal, with duds including “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” But Mr. Depp may have a bigger problem. Are audiences tiring of his oddball characters? “Dark Shadows,” in which he played a vampire, was also a disappointment last summer.
“We are obviously disappointed,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s executive vice president for distribution. “The frustrating thing for us is that it felt like the ingredients were there. We are holding out hope that word of mouth will propel ticket sales, particularly among older consumers, who remember the property fondly and don’t have a lot of movies aimed at them in the weeks ahead.”
Hopes for “The Lone Ranger” now rest on its overseas performance. Mr. Hollis said that the movie’s continued foreign rollout would be staggered over the next two months and noted that Mr. Depp’s movies have tended to overperform internationally. So far, however, interest has been soft; the movie opened in 30 percent of the foreign marketplace over the last week and took in about $24.3 million.
Disney’s last two releases, Pixar’s “Monsters University” and Marvel’s “Iron Man 3,” are both huge hits, together delivering more than $1.6 billion in ticket sales and still counting. But as Mr. Creutz said, “A bomb from ‘Lone Ranger’ could offset a lot of these benefits and sustain the perception that Disney’s film studio has some serious problems away from the Marvel-Pixar axis.”
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July 8, 2013 at 10:18 AM
http://www.addatoday.com/2013/07/raanjhanaa-third-weekend-collection.html
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July 8, 2013 at 1:34 PM
From Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap. The guys who brought us the stunning Udaan. What could go wrong? Lootera is a masterclass in lighting and blocking a scene, a tremendous display of artistry, craft and detailing. It’s a grand, beautiful looking film that constantly gives you hope that it will come up with something sweeping to say. Sadly it’s far from the film that you would expect it to be considering the talent involved. It is lyrical, twee, gritty, romantic, poignant. Lootera is a lot of things, but mostly it’s a failure. An ambitious one for sure, but a failure.
Directed with admirable dedication by Motwane, the film vaults like a skier across the slippery terrain of the Dalhousie Himalayas. It’s a film that wants you to register an emotional response instead of an intellectual one – on a scale of 1 to Mills and Boon, Lootera falls right around Nicholas Sparks territory. Hopefully Motwane recognizes this because the plot is ridiculous, and even as a romantic tear jerker that requests your suspension of disbelief to part ways with you, the film is simply pretty but uninvolving. There is Amit Trivedi’s exquisite music to keep the atmosphere intact but it only serves as window-dressing to a film that is at best unmemorable and inconsequential.
– See more at: http://mihirfadnavis.blogspot.in/#sthash.9xdzQyJp.dpuf
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July 8, 2013 at 4:57 PM
The thing with lootera is it is to confusing and falls apart completely in 2nd half…usual may like soft romance ya soft which is harmless and also lacks depth
From rays backdrop in first half and so do his focus of zamindari in his early films to Amitabh Bachchans farar and finally the token green leaf….the narrative is neither consistent nor focussed
Motwani grip of area first jamshedpur in udaan and then to nearby kolkata is evident but direction loses fucus and consistency compleately and so do the sudden change and transformation …not realistic
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July 8, 2013 at 5:03 PM
spoiler:
climax with leaf and belief on life which it carries where putting it may save other is to filmy and manipulative coming from a realistic guy who was not brought on fantacy ala token green leaf
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July 8, 2013 at 5:11 PM
Nearby Bengal would have been more Appropriate rather than kolkata…in udaan though he showed glimpses of jamshedpur and brilliantly shot Bengal a city which has considerable influence of jamshedpur but alas the story and script is ridiculous
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July 8, 2013 at 5:57 PM
Lootera- in continuation to this
Motwane has faltered at places as I mentioned and can enumerate a list of the flaws–but these are relative and can be overlooked in the overall scheme of things.
He has extracted the best performances of the careers of the lead pair (well, ranveer was perhaps better on his debut since it suited his persona more!) but sonakshi has surely been a revelation.
Besides, the music and background score is a character of its own.
@ utkal uncle-your record has got stuck on ranjhana–instead of stalking poor sonam (like dhanush)–do check out lootera.
Also hope Amy finally gets some company to see lootera –surprising she hasn’t managed yet,,,(like sanju lol)
Ps: Amy: know uve to take care of your figure but stop starving yourselves lol
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July 8, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Minor or major
For the so called first half and the original inspiration jalsagar where a beautiful and more authentic portrayl of man unaware of new zamindari and how others duped him with there business dealing…one of finest work of satyajit ray that to some 55years ago
You may move people into different era but there is a thing called research and mannerism virtually absent
Transormation of characters in virtually every 10 min of second half..
Though one thing motwane has done better by not giving dialogues to ranbir Singh to hide inefficiency which to at times come into play
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July 8, 2013 at 6:54 PM
Though udaan was a small movie with no expectation intially but scale and budget of looters is much bigger(35-40cr) so commercial scrutinity is much more further much before motwane shyam benegal made a series on last leaf originally a full episode for kathasagar a dd series of golden day wentby and he was the orginal inheritor of even this idea on India which most people are paradaing and trying to get credit as the orginal innovation and bringing change to Indian cinema
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July 8, 2013 at 8:11 PM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/I-was-always-a-dramebaaz-child-Swara-Bhaskar/articleshow/20972970.cms
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July 9, 2013 at 7:54 AM
Lootera Disappoints On Monday
Monday 9th July 2012 10.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera disappointed on Monday with collections in the 2.25 crore nett range. The film had shown good growth over the weekend which suggested a good run for the film but collections on Monday came down more than they should have.
The collections are 47% down from Friday which is okay but the Friday collection was low and considering Sunday got to 6.25 crore the film should have done better on Monday. The film got on Monday as it had a higher ratio of collections on the weekend from premium multiplexes and these fall more on Monday.
The film will now find it hard at the box office and at best it could emerge an average fare.
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July 9, 2013 at 7:55 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 2h
#Lootera Weekend 18.5 cr, Mon 2.7 cr. Total: Rs 21.2 cr nett.
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July 9, 2013 at 7:55 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 22h
#Raanjhanaa Weekend 3: approx Rs 4.75 cr. Grand total: Rs 57.47 cr. HIT… India theatrical biz. Hindi version.
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July 9, 2013 at 8:06 AM
What about its tamil version ambikapathy?
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July 9, 2013 at 9:58 AM
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/others/Carter-Road-flat-cave-in-tenant-locked-out/articleshow/20769521.cms
Raja Sen’s travails!
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July 9, 2013 at 10:11 AM
Abhishek Bachchan flags off special bus services for Film City workers
for more images follow the link..
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July 9, 2013 at 10:41 AM
would completely celebrate this but for the inclusion of a Thackeray!
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July 9, 2013 at 10:46 AM
another real masters tribute
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July 9, 2013 at 10:59 AM
A RATHER FUNNY SIDE:
After watching the promising trailers reminiscent of Satyajit Ray’s films like Charulata and Aranyer Din Ratri and of course Vikramaditya Motwane’s the legacy of a brilliant film like Udaan, I was all prepared to soak in the love story set in the early 50s, only to realize that the Lootera would rob me of my 250 bucks and 2.5 odd hours (the latter cost me dearly). Here’s a fictional account of what must have transpired between the two lead actors Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha after reading the screenplay of Lootera:
Ranveer Singh: Not again! This seems like some prequel to ‘Ladies v/s Ricky Behl’, ‘Fanaa’ and ‘Special 26’ set against the backdrop of Zamindari abolishment era!
Sonakshi Sinha: Khaaaamosh! This one’s a silent film, not those with eardrum splitting background score and I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and drive a Vintage Chevrolet!
RS: But doesn’t this ‘I will last till the last leaf’ wala angle more of a ‘I will not marry him because I promised Jesus Christ’ oath in Jab Tak Hai Jaan? Why are all heroines so superstitious?
SS: Nah, it isn’t like that at all! It seems you haven’t read O Henry’s story, ‘The Last Leaf’…
RS: Well, I haven’t read it, but watched its adaptation on DD…Katha Sagar…
SS: What is Katha Sagar? Sounds like some mytho…
RS: It used to be a popular series on Doordarshan back in the 80s. Shyam Benegal had adapted the O Henry story as, ‘Kalakriti’ featuring Supriya Pathak and Neena Gupta. You can watch it YouTube
SS: Whatever…But think of it…you get to play the leading role of an absconding Lootera in an era where Zamindars like my character’s father to be played by Barun Chanda gleefully invited strangers to stay over at their place and flirt with their daughters…I don’t mind as long as I get to wear Bengali sareers, jewellery and drive a Vintage…(Smiles)
RS: Yeah I know Vintage Chevrolet….How about asking the director Vikram Motwane to tweak the story a bit and ‘Un-Fanaa’ it?
SS: It’s already ‘Un-Fanaa’oed by the director who also doubles up as the screenplay writer. Remember I don’t kill your character in Mother India, Vastav or Fanaa style…I am not playing a blind girl’s character here… but an Asthma-cum-TB patient…Not something I’d mind as long as I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and drive a Vintage Chevrolet! (Smiles)
RS: Hey I suspect the director added TB to the already Asthma-suffering patient just to pay homage to Ritwik Ghatak’s Meghe Dhaka Tara. Even the village in Bengal is called Manikpur – perhaps a tribute to Manik Da i.e. Satyajit Ray for inspiring the director to recreate the idyllic evenings of Charulata and Aranyer Din Ratri…
SS: You seem to know a lot about Bengali films, eh?
RS: Research my dear (Winks) Vikramaditya asked me to watch Ray films and try getting the nuances of actors like Soumitra Chatterjee and Uttam Kumar right… while my costar Vikrant Massey was busy watching DVDs of Dev Anand films.
SS: Now what’s that Dev Anand twist?
RS: Be it Shagird, Saheb Biwi aur Gangster or Bombay Talkies, every ‘meaningful’ film must have an old song, you see…Jokes apart, actually the character of Vikrant is obsessed by Dev Anand and jigs to the tunes of ‘Tadbeer se bigdi hui Taqdeer bana le’ from the movie, Baazi.
SS: Oh yes…I read it in the screenplay…But I wonder how the radio tunes on its own accord in the second half when I am struggling to write a book and throw the paper.
RS: They wasted so much paper back then…no wonder we’re bombarded by ‘Save paper, save tree’ slogans, emailers, and ads on every 5th June. Ask the director, there must be an intellectual layer to the radio switching on automatically and precisely playing the song which evokes memories of your character Pakhi’s past. (Winks)
SS: How mean of you! But you know what…even I felt why my character lets my caretaker played by Divya Dutta to leave me alone when I was on the verge of dying. I also didn’t understand why the doctor disappears precisely the moment when I need him the most…and how on earth does your character know to give me a shot of Deriphyllin-like injection? Horrors of horror, you even force-feed the injection in the second half!
RS: Conmen know it all you know. It was again an intellectual layer you see…it indicates that my character Varun Shrivastav/Aatmanand Tripathi must have posed himself as a doctor in the past.
SS: Quite possible. But why does the cop’s character to be played by Aadil Hussain wait all night to hunt down your character?
RS: He didn’t have ‘search warrant’ you know…it’s mentioned in your dialogues written by Anurag Kashyap…see here it…
SS: (Reading carefully) Oh yes…got it…on second thoughts the cop didn’t have a search warrant to step inside my house but had complete freedom to gheraao my home and keep a vigilant eye all night. In fact, he even tells me that he’d retain his thollaas I mean police walaas around her home all night and hunt him down the next morning with a search warrant. But I don’t mind you know…as long as I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and….
RS: (Laughs) Even I wondered why the cops don’t notice my character trying to tie an artificial leaf on a tree all night. The production designer showed me the ‘painted leaf’…Hell, it comes across as some snow-resistant material but definitely not a painting cutout…Reminds me of the white horses in Pankaj Kapur’s Mausam!
SS: I am sure the critics will love those ‘hidden layers’ and lap up the wafer-thin plot camouflaged by beautiful cinematography by Mahendra J. Shetty and awe-inspiring music by Amit Trivedi and lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
RS: Bingo! And we’ll laugh our way to the bank and bag trophies and accolades… perhaps the National Award too….
SS: Are you kidding me?
RS: Well, why not? If Akshay Kumar can win a National Award for ‘Singh is King’… then why can’t this original Singh?
SS: Hope so…Well, I don’t care as long as I get to wear Bengali sarees, jewellery and drive a Vintage Chevrolet.
RS: I know! Well, who cares if the audience ends up singing, ‘Mein to ainwayi ainwayi loot gaya!
SS: By this Loot’error’a! (Both laugh)
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July 9, 2013 at 12:58 PM
Very mildly funny!
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July 9, 2013 at 11:08 PM
Word of mouth on Vikramaditya Motwane’s Lootera saw it get an average start at the ticket windows. But, the film got patronage only, we repeat only, in the very niche-class A-town multiplexes. Since the product relied more on aesthetics and less on entertainment, only the gentry indulged in it.
With a weekend collection of around `15.88 crore, Ekta Kapoor and Phantom Productions (the producers of Lootera) have been saved, because they managed a good price for this film from satellite rights. The producers officially gave out a box-office figure of `18.5 crore for the same period. Lootera cost around `33 crore with publicity and advertising. However, how much of the cost was borne by Ekta and how much was thrust onto Phantom, is ambiguous because the final settlements are yet to happen.
Balaji has reportedly managed to sell the satellite rights of four of its films — Ek Thi Daayan, Shootout At Wadala, Lootera and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Dobaara — for `100 crore. Hence, the box-office deficit on movies like ETD and Lootera has been adjusted, making them safe for Balaji. Incidentally, the Ranveer Singh-Sonakshi Sinha film also managed `3.50 crore from music rights and `.65 crore for home video.
Sanjay Dutt’s Policegiri got an okay start in B and C centres’ single screens. But the film that collected `8.75 crore in three days is considered a loss-making proposition.
Ghanchakkar crashed after the first three days. A trade source says, “This was expected. Since the opening itself was lukewarm, weak collections through the week didn’t shock anyone. The masses didn’t take to this one.” Collections on Raanjhanaa have become a trickle. However, it is a certified hit.
TOI
The ship in Ship of Theseus will sink, it seems.
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July 10, 2013 at 8:16 AM
Downward Trend Continues For Lootera
Wednesday 10th July 2013 10.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Lootera has failed to make a mark at the box office as Tuesday recorded dull collections of 1.75 crore nett which is 20% down from Monday. A film like Lootera is never likely to open well and basically good weekday business becomes a must.
The film had a drop on Monday but even then if Tuesday can be in the range of Monday then the film has a chance but here Tuesday saw another drop and the film has just not performed well on the weekdays. Films like Raanjhanaa and Fukrey which were also dependent on weekday business managed similar business on Monday and Tuesday.
The film is looking to close the week at 23 crore nett and is unlikely to collect much thereafter.
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July 10, 2013 at 8:21 AM
‘Lootera’ works with its target audience!
By Taran Adarsh, July 10, 2013 – 08:31 IST
Truly, Bollywood is going through an interesting phase. Till a few years ago, either masala movies or mindless laughathons dominated the marketplace. But look at the films being churned out these days. Of course, there’s ample room [read screen space] for all genres to co-exist, but the fact that diverse genres are finding an outlet, besides the tried-and-tested formula, clearly indicates that times are changing rapidly.
Aimed at the plexes primarily, LOOTERA was never meant set the BO ablaze with an earth-shattering start. It was meant to consolidate its status if the word of mouth was positive. That’s exactly how this film has behaved at urban pockets. What goes in favour of the film is the fact that the makers kept the economics in check. Having cost approx Rs 32 cr [inclusive of P and A], a substantial chunk of the investment has already been recovered from Music, Home Video, Overseas, Satellite and ancillary rights.
As for the India theatrical rights, Balaji decided to give the film to several distributors on Advance, so that they [distributors] don’t incur losses, if the film falters. The controlled release in India — targeted primarily at urban plexes/1000 screens — was again a step in the right direction and the revenue generated from urban centres should ensure recovery of the balance investment, thus taking the film to the comfort zone. Of course, it remains to be seen how it fares in its second weekend, but if the steady business is an indicator, the second weekend should witness an upward trend again, especially on Saturday and Sunday.
POLICEGIRI, on the other hand, had to be content with the business generated from mass circuits/single screens. One shouldn’t expect every film to go the DABANGG or SINGHAM way, but POLICEGIRI did witness ample footfalls at single screens over the weekend, which proves that masala movies work well in several circuits of India. It remains to be seen if the makers, who have also distributed the film themselves, will eventually recover the investment, since there’s a wave of interesting films lined up in the forthcoming weeks and the screen space, obviously, will shrink considerably as a result of it.
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July 10, 2013 at 8:22 AM
LOL both saying something completely different!
Having said that BOI is more off the mark. This sort of offbeat film cannot be judged by the gross standards of Raanjhanaa or whatever. However well those films did, whatever the expectations might or might not have been those were regular films.
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July 10, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Taran says: It was meant to consolidate its status if the word of mouth was positive.
But is the word of mouth positive? That is the question.
I think Ghanchakkar has better word of mouth and though more experimental, has been steadier over the week.
( I haven’t seen both, but am more inclined to check Ghanchakkar rather than Lootera.)
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July 10, 2013 at 5:24 PM
Chennai Box-Office – July 5-7
Wednesday, 10 July , 2013, 17:38
The Chennai Box-Office has been roaring this week. Suriya`s Singam 2 took a magnificent opening and is a winner. In Chennai city alone the film netted an amazing Rs 1.45 Cr in its opening weekend, due to large number of screens.
At the number two position is TVSK, which is rock solid in its fourth week and holding on well against competition. In the third place is Ambikapathy, a dubbed film continuing in its second week.
And in the fourth place is the Hindi film Lootera, which has taken a decent opening. And at number five is The Lone Ranger.
http://www.sify.com/movies/boxoffice.php?id=15033705&cid=13525926
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July 10, 2013 at 5:27 PM
Shah Rukh Khan confirms his surrogate baby’s birth, names him AbRam
CNN-IBN | Updated Jul 10, 2013 at 08:34am IST
New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has confirmed the birth of his and his wife Gauri Khan’s surrogate baby boy and has named him ‘AbRam’. The actor has also denied all reports of sex determination tests on the child.
In a press release on Tuesday, Shah Rukh said AbRam was having health issues as he was prematurely born by several months. “Amidst all the noise that has been going around, the sweetest is the one made by our newborn baby, AbRam. He was born prematurely by several months, but has finally come home,” said Shah Rukh. “Gauri and our whole family have been dealing with his health issues for a long time now,” he added.
“As a family, our silence on this subject has been because of the personal nature of emotional strife that we have been going through due to his health,” Shah Rukh said. The superstar also put the record straight that “there was no sex determination for our child”.
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July 10, 2013 at 5:30 PM
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the baby’s name is Abram, a Hebrew variant of the name Abraham which means ‘father of multitudes’.
http://businessofcinema.com/news/a-new-baby-in-shah-rukh-khans-family/80420
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July 10, 2013 at 7:21 PM
it was all over the news….and above all from
Karan Johar @kjohar25 9 Jul
AbRam is the most beautiful child i have ever laid my eyes on…he is to the Mannat born and has made the home even more beautiful…..
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