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88 Responses to “Welcome Back, the rest of the box office”
Welcome Back had a good to decent opening as some circuits opened to good collections while others were average. The opening of the film is very similar to Brothers which opened a few weeks back. The main difference is Welcome Back is better in Gujarat while Brothers was better in East Punjab. The rest is pretty similar with the same circuits (Rajasthan, CI) leading for both films. The average occupancies are around 30%.
The difference between Welcome Back and Brothers is the holiday factor which meant Brothers did well on Friday evening and Saturday and for this it will have to be reports that help it push it on Friday evening. Not only is the initial similar to Brothers but so are the costs.
The opening is not great for the film as it is well over budget but looking at it from the cast and music point of view it is good as there is no crowd puller in the cast or a hit song but still the first day will be good enough for a platform to build on over the weekend. The Sunday family audience will probably decide the fate of the film. There will be potential for huge growth over Saturday and Sunday from this start.
It all sounds quite unwatchable — and some parts certainly are — but thanks to the astoundingly fit elder statesmen in charge, Welcome Back provides its share of ludicrous laughs. Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar, playing paragons of brotherly love and men of thundering tempers, are superb. Kapoor wears outrageous sunglasses, a winner’s scowl and is infectiously joyful when winning at a graveside game of antakshari. Patekar, daftly giggly during that same scene, is at his best when pensive or exhausted, sitting back wearily on a table at the chaos hits a crescendo. In the last film he played a don with acting aspirations; in this one, after much madness, he asks the man holding the gun what he thought of his acting.
Those two are priceless enough to make this worth a watch, and the other veterans wangle themselves some random moments. Paresh Rawal, in the middle of this atrocious plot, can still come off as a sincerely outraged everyman, Naseeruddin Shah goes full-Mohra as a blind man who likes leaping over steps, and I may forever be haunted by the image of Dimple Kapadia flying through a sandstorm, eyes wild and hair akimbo.
welcomeback2Some of the wordplay holds up surprisingly well, like a bit about how ‘gun’ (virtue) and ‘gun’ share the same spelling, and Kapoor’s riffs about how he let go of his style, his ‘kaayde’, before he could make his gangs, his Al Qaaed-e. But those are rare moments slipped into in a film proud of its puerility. The first film had Akshay Kumar to shoulder all the buffoonery, and while even that only added up to a barely watchable film, here Abraham is an utter trainwreck and the Hassan girl doesn’t help.
Still, Welcome Back is dumb yet entertaining, utterly silly but made with a kind of absurd, warm energy. It’s actually amusing even if it goes on far too long, and while I don’t recommend going to a theatre to watch this mess, you’ll sure get your money’s worth watching it on TV. Plus, there’s something to be said for a film where the climax features a cute peach microlight bringing about a bunch of killer drones. If only this were shorter, crisper, a bit smarter, with just a touch more… um, control, Mr Bazmee, control.
COLORS
Raj Nayak @rajcheerfull 4h4 hours ago
Colors welcomes #BhajrangiBhaijaan @BeingSalmanKhan to #biggboss9 Presented by @Snapdeal Powered by @Oppomobileindia This October @ColorsTV
Aadesh Shrivastava’s family: Don’t need funds, but prayers
According to an IANS report, the family of Bollywood singer-composer Aadesh Shrivastava, who is battling with cancer, says they are not seeking financial help from anyone, but everyone’s blessings. His brother-in-law and composer Lalit Pandit, from the Jatin-Lalit duo, said that the family is not reeling under a financial crunch, as media reports are indicating.”We are not seeking help from the industry. We don’t need money, we need prayers from people. We don’t need funds and we have never asked for funds from anybody,” Lalit told over phone. Shrivastava, whose cancer has relapsed for the third time, is undergoing treatment in Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here since the last 44 days. Lalit also refuted a news report claiming that the family has turned to a Himachal Pradesh-based Tibetan monk Yeshi Dhonden, known for using ancient Tibetan herbal therapies to cure the disease. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/Aadesh-Shrivastavas-cancer-relapses-How-he-fought-cancer-last-time/photostory/48798406.cms
On the whole, Welcome Back is a worthy sequel to Welcome. It is very funny and, therefore, very entertaining. It will score in the cinemas. However, if in spite of this, it will not be able to make money for its investors, it would be because of the high investment in the making, promotion and release of the film. The continuous flow of releases in the coming weeks will ensure that the window for the film at the box-office is small, and this will tell on its total business.
Welcome Back has managed the second best opening of the year in some markets. Bajrangi Bhaijaan has been the best opening of the year in all circuits while ABCD 2 and Brothers share the spoils for second place in different circuits. Welcome Back is beating Brothers in Rajasthan and CI where Brothers is number two for the year and it is beating ABCD 2 in Gujarat where ABCD 2 had the second best opening after Bajrangi Bhaijaan. In the the rest it is either 2nd or 3rd.
The release is a little less than Brothers though a little wider than ABCD 2 and the first day collections will also challenge these two films and the chances are there for the second biggest opening day of the year after Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
The film has a big cast but not in terms of box office draw and the music did not really work either but the goodwill of Welcome (2007) has come into play. This can be seen as the territories where Welcome (2007) performed best are out performing and and these areas are also the ones which determine satellite success which was huge for Welcome (2007).
On the other hand it also shows where the franchise could have gone with a cast as strong as the original film as it would have taken the film to another level altogether. Still the core Hindi markets are doing well and this gives it a good chance of success.
Kanpur Phantom numbers on friday are 40% lower than Thursday. Thursday figures by Taran are 2.88 cr, so Friday would be around 1.25 cr. So, looks like 6 cr second weekend and 4 cr more later in the run to a Total lifetime 57 cr. And if Biased BOI had dare to provide actual numbers , it wouldnt have touched 50 cr even.
On the other hand, Welcome back should be in range of 12-15 cr day one.
Girish Johar @girishjohar 23m23 minutes ago
Friday Kanpur #Phantom 1.12lacs aprox
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Girish Johar @girishjohar 25m25 minutes ago
Friday Kanpur #WelcomeBack 10.97lacs aprox
Welcome Back Has Strong First Day
Friday 04 September 2015 23.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Welcome Back has had a strong first day with collections set to come in at around 14.50 crore nett. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is the biggest opening of the year at 26.50 crore nett while ABCD 2 is next best at 14.25 crore nett. The collections of Welcome Back should be able to surpass ABCD 2 when final collections come in the morning. The collections in metro multiplexes are a little lower than ABCD 2 but better in other parts of the country.
The collections could have went higher but there some issues as 300 digital prints could not be uploaded at in their respective cinemas. The film has done very well in most circuits of India and its a good number for a non holiday.
The film does have a big budget so there is a bit to cover yet but there is plenty of scope for improvement as metros can make ground on Saturday. The Welcome franchise has been well established as the film found huge success on television and this made sure the film generated good footfalls on day one.
This movie is very interesting- from the Trailer it looked like another Dhamaal/Grand Masti/Sajid Khan movie but the reviews aren’t completely terrible. Even the Pseudo critics Rajeev Masand and Raja Sen didn’t destroy the film. The opening is very strong- it’s actually bigger than any Akshay Kumar movie ever. Akshay has 3 franchises- Welcome, Hera Pheri, and Housefull. He literally chose the worst franchise to continue- Housefull. Can’t believe he isn’t in the future Welcome and Hera Pheri movies…and that John is his replacement. I’d take Welcome or Phir Hera Pheri over any of the Housefull movies any day. Watched Welcome 1 last night and I forgot how funny it is without ever being vulgar. Also Akshay really doesn’t have much to do in the second half- it’s really Nana-Anil all they way. If its the same for WB, then this one should be funny too. Anyways, its been a while since a Circus film came out…I think Houseful 2 was the last one.
John isn’t Akshay’s replacement in HP3. Both he and Abhishek play characters called Raju. They’re confused for the original Raju or some such thing. There is also a story that Akshay didn’t like the original script much as he felt his character didn’t have much to do in it. It’s possible that in Houseful-like fashion they were adding actors here and Akshay might have felt the action revolved around the ‘fake’ Rajus.
Ah that might be it- his role was probably not substantial. Like in Welcome 1 where Nana/Anil took over… as opposed to say like Singh Is Bliing which looks like it’s all about Akshay all the time. Also, heard that John got paid some 20 chores for this and Anil Kapoor was paid 4-5 crores! Where is this money coming from firoz nadiawala!
to be honest this has been the case with Akshay for a while. Certainly in the Houseful franchise where they keep adding actors of all kinds. Singh is Blinng is his first proper big comedy in this genre in quite some time that doesn’t have this issue. It’s also his last best chance to put up some big numbers. Otherwise he’s stuck in the 80 crore range one way or the other. Either he does sensible films that can’t gross much more than this or he does commercial stuff that doesn’t get enough of an initial. Either way Singh is his last chance to put up something big. Given Welcome Back’s opening day numbers one can certainly expect a lot more from Singh.
WB wasn’t offered to Akshay because the script didn’t demand the character to return. Welcome franchise anyway rests on the shoulders of Nana, Anil, Paresh. The lead can keep changing as long as these 3 are there.
WB got such an opening because it revived memories of the first film with almost all the side characters same as Welcome. Also the song Meet Me Daily is similar to Kiya Kiya as far as picturization is concerned.
I fear Singh Is Bliing wont get such support because this is not a sequel to SIK coming from different producer, director and the characters are totally different. SIK had superhit music and no cues have been taken from that film here. No international artist song also. Akshay should have first made a sequel to SIK using this script to get a big hit.
The plot is a no-brainer, the goings on are inconsistent, but what definitely works in the film’s favour is its laugh out loud dialogues (written by Anees Bazmee, Rajiv Kaul and Raj Shandaliya). Mostly original and seeped in humour, these dialogues get better because they are mouthed by some of the best actors that we have — Anil Kapoor, Nana, Rawal, Shah and Dimple Kapadia. This ensemble is a pure delight to watch on screen. Some scenes are uproariously funny, like the one at the graveyard where an impromptu antakshari takes place. Unfortunately, the director is not able to keep up the tempo in some portions, especially in the second half, which seems forced and tedious.
John Abraham puts in a decent effort and makes his Ajju quite an endearing character. Shruti Haasan looks pretty and that’s about it.
Tbh besides Bharadwaj Rangan and reviews of members here, I don’t really care for reviewers. I also really liked the TOI critic (forgot her name at the moment) who unfortunately passed away a couple of months ago. The way I decide whether or not I like a movie critic is based upon if there is consistency between them liking/disliking a specific movie and me liking/disliking the same. And as for who are the “real” critics…the Audience!
Welcome Back has done the unthinkable. No one, just no one expected the film to open the way it did on Friday. Even in this column it was mentioned pre-release that a 10-12 crore opening day was on the cards. However, anything beyond that would have been good and 15 crore was a milestone that was unimaginable.
However, this is what happened as the film not just opened well but went on to see an increase in momentum with every passing show. By evening it was clear that 12 crore was set to be surpassed and as the night shows began, there was a serious chance for the film to cross the In a way, the manner in which the film continued to collect on Friday was pretty much akin to Anees Bazmee and Anil Kapoor’s own No Entry (2005). Just like that Boney Kapoor film, even firoz Nadaidwallah’s Welcome Back faced financial challenges till the eve of release, and later suffered from several cancelled shows till the afternoon due to issues with print delivery. Also, just like No Entry, the audience word of mouth was fantastic and that resulted in families stepping by evening and night shows to bring in excellent moolah.
No wonder, the collections of now read 14.35 crores and with this, the Anees Bazmee directed film has managed to take the third best opening of the year after none other than Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Akshay Kumar’s Brothers. Now this isn’t something that anyone expected from this franchise affair that was coming eight years after first in the series, Welcome (2007). The popularity which Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Paresh Rawal starrer has enjoyed over the years rubbed well into the second in the series as well.
Since the word of mouth is good, except a bountiful Saturday and Sunday as well for the Eros film. It won’t be surprising now to see a 50 crore weekend on the cards.
Looking at the comments on that post wish someone had posted the ultimate philophical songs from Kishore – RD Burnam – Rajesh Khanna trio era which is from Aap Ki Kasam. Zindagi Ke Safar mein…
This is the genius of the lyricst
e hte Only a genius lyr
Subah aati hai raat jaati hai
Yunhi waqt chaltaa hi rehata hai rukata nahin
Ek pal mein ye aage nikal jaata hai
Aadami theek se dekh paataa nahin
Aur parde pe manjar badal jaataa hai
Ek baar chale jaate hain jo din raat subah o shaam
Vo vo phir nahin aate vo phir nahin aate
Zindagi ke safar men guzar jaate hain jo makaam
Vo phir nahin aate vo phir nahin aate
& Safar song of Kishor K with RK and Kalyanji – Zindagi Ka Safar yeh kaisa safar….
Aise Jeevan Bhi Hain Jo Jiye Hi Nahin
Jinko Jeene Se Pehle Hi Maut Aa Gayi
Phool Aise Bhi Hain Jo Khile Hi Nahin
Jinko Khilne Se Pehle Fiza Kha Gai
Hai Pareshaan Nazar Thak Gaye Chaaraagar
Koi Samjha Nahin Koi Jaana Nahin
Would have posted the youtube link but didn’t wish to clog the blog.
Always liked Aadesh for his soulful music and he outdid himself with those Bagban and Babul tracks. Esp. liked his Babul songs ‘Kehta Hai Babul’ in Bachchan’s voice and Sonu Nigam’s soulful rendition ‘Bawri piya ki…’ His tracks for Chalte Chalte with Jatin Lalit too are evergreen.
Feel very sad at this loss at such an age. RIP Srivastava and we will miss your music and presence on reality shows too.
‘On learning about Aadesh’s passing away, Senior Bachchan conveyed his condolences through his twitter and blog. Known for normally writing long blog pieces, this time Big B kept it short. “Aadesh Shrivastava passed away .. I lived my music with him .. I live without him now .. and perhaps my music too ..,” he posted.
CREDITS: AMITABH BACHCHAN BLOG
I can understand Bachchan here as this has to be one of the best father -daughter song Aadesh Srivastava gave him and one for the ages.
looking at his filmography…surprising to see he had done a lot recent bachchan starrers (including abhishek bachchan). ‘sona sona’ is probably the most famous song of bachchan in recent times…thanks to aadesh. thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP.
Saw TWMR on TV several times and atlast fell in love with it. As I did not watch the prequel, it took time to understand who was who.
Kangana was fabulous and Madhavan and the supporting cast were good too. Kangana deserves all the awards for her act as Kusum. This movie grows with each viewing. The other movie which I never get tired of watching again and again is Angoor.
It is Sudeep who catches more attention in his interactions with Eaga. I loved this movie and its somewhat amusing to see that a common pest taking it out against a powerful man. Delaying his flight and so on so forth. Audience started to watch for the pest’s next move and were not disappointed. It is empowerment of the most lowly creature. A powerless common man who was killed and a common pest which is often crushed with a newspaper.
i saw kill the messenger on HBO last week and I can’t believe how ‘under the radar’ it went last year. don’t recall it being in the race for any awards but in my opinion it was one of the best movies of last year. Jeremy Renner nails the character and the fact that the story is so close to reality is even more insane. Gary Webb was a true hero and will go down as an important figure when one looks back in history during this era. this was a nice article i found on the film…
Liked the movie but didn’t like it towards the end when personal issues started cropping.
ps – Read the reviews and his allegation was partly correct but most of the reports suggested he exaggerated. I am not sure if you are reporter you don’t take pictures or things like that as proof?
i tend to agree with you that towards the end of the movie..it was underwhelming. on gary webb himself…whatever he uncovered may have been a bit exxagerated..but in the end he was proven right on many claims. in 1998 the CIA’s internal review proved much of what Gary Webb was saying as correct but it went unnoticed by the leading news media outlets.
Welcome Back is set to have an excellent second day with business set to come in at around 16.75 crore nett which would take the two day business to 31 crore nett. Some places have benefited from holiday for Janmashtami while other places don’t have a holiday but have actually grown.
The collections are up by a healthy 20% on an all India level which and further growth like this on Sunday will mean the film will emerge a winner despite its high costs. Welcome Back is already sure to cross the 100 crore nett mark and it is just a question of how much higher it goes.
The film is doing excellent business in Mumbai, Delhi / UP (UP did drop a little on Saturday), East Punjab, Rajasthan, CP Berar, CI and Bihar. All these are core main circuits and it looks there is no stopping this film.
Had started to develop a bit of disliking for irfan due to arrogance perception but here in this interview, he comes across unobtrusive, real and grounded and always admire that quality ; infact look upto to them for just this basic human quality.
Irfan Khan – The Anupam Kher Show – Season 2 – 30th August 2015
Welcome Back has had a huge Sunday with collections hitting 20 crore nett and the weekend going to 51 crore nett apprx. It is the second highest weekend of the year after Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Nest best was Brothers which had grossed 47.42 crore nett and ABCD 2 at 46.16 crore nett so Welcome Back has comfortably beaten these two films
The collections should hold on Monday as unlike most films made today its not the handfull of big cities which have the highest falls in ticket rates on Monday dominating business. The core Hindi markets are doing very well and these hold better over weekdays. The film is looking set for a big run over the next few weeks despite the competition in front of them
The India collections were expected to be good though probably not as high as a 50 crore nett plus weekend but Overseas has sprung surprised with early weekend numbers suggesting good weekend total which is a bonus for the film.
On the other hand, BOI were quite orgasmic in their commentary on Phantom’s first week-end and they suddenly gone very quiet when the collections have gone down drastically. Looks like Phantom’s collections won’t even go past the 55cr mark lifetime. And BOI seem to have opted to remain silent.
Welcome Back has hit the 90 crore mark in terms of worldwide gross collections. The overseas collections are set to be around the $3 million range while the domestic gross figures are around 70 crore. The film has done very well in the Gulf which was expected as the first one also did big numbers crossing a $1 million way back in 2007. The top opening weekend Worldwide grossers of 2015 are as follows
Welcome Back did very well in its first weekend grossing 50 crore nett plus. The film also had a solid trend showing good growth on Saturday and Sunday. The first weekend business of Welcome Back are as follows.
Friday – 14,25,00,000
Saturday – 16,75,00,000
Saturday – 19,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 50,50,00,000 apprx
The business strong in most places lije Mumbai, Delhi / UP, East Punjab, Rajasthan, CP Berar and CI though West Bengal with just 1.75 crore nett fared poorly but that would hardly alter it’s fate as main circuits are string.
Welcome Back has sailed through on Monday despite the high costs of the film as per the face value it had and emerged a big HIT. The collections are rock steady on Monday and although its too early to put a number to Monday it is very unlikely to drop more than 40% from Friday which means a minimum 8.5 crore is there and this number should be higher when the day finishes.
A circuit like Rajasthan which opened strongly is just 30% down from Friday and with these circuits working, it means the film is going to be a good runner for the next 2-3 weeks. The film will cruise past the 100 crore nett mark and will be no surprise if it goes above 125 crore nett.
The film does have a budget of over 100 crore but that is not much of a concern now as a minimum 80 crore distributor share will come from theatres across the world and more importantly it has tremendous appreciation in the main Hindi film markets.
I would be extremely happy if the narrative goes back to traditional raw ingredients of masala moments since this remains the most popular genre of Indian cinema. One of the reason for BB astounding connection / success is going back to the same roots/ elements as pointed by Rangan and many reviewers on this blog.
“Is Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo a remake of Rajshri’s Raja Aur Rank?
Now, we all know that Salman Khan plays a double role in PRDP which will see him both as a Prince and a common man. If we go by the story of Raja Aur Rank, which is a screen adaptation of Mark Twain’s novel Prince and The Pauper, it is a tale of two identical kids who are born on the same day to a king and a pauper respectively. The pauper child one day runs away from home and lands in the palace where he meets his princely twin. They decide to swap places which end miserably. The difference being, the older film was on kids with Sanjeev Kumar playing a crucial role. Here, Salman will be seen as a Prince and a regular man.”
Ask Salman about it and he laughs it off. “Aamir doesn’t need to worry at all. Dangal has a beautiful script. Aamir plays a father in the film. In Sultan, I don’t have any children. I just have to battle my opponents in the ring. There is no negative force in Sultan, there’s just me and a love story that takes the story forward.” Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar, chips in, “Dangal and Sultan are two very different films. Theirs is a biopic. Ours isn’t. Sultan is about this fictional character of the same name, in a very real, rural set-up.”
HUMNE SUNA HAI!
“To add to Aamir’s woes, he learnt that the Sultan team was scouting the same locations in Haryana. So he called up good friend Aditya Chopra and requested that his team change the location to Punjab. But that hasn’t happened,” adds our insider. Phantom released months after Baby. Both had similar stories. The audiences warmed to both the films. Kuch seekho, Aamir!
Poor aamir will now make changes; resort the film; delay the release etc etc
As for welcome back—
People like satyam are quietly lapping it up.
It won’t be bad but someone needs to PAY me to watch most PROMOS like this nowadays. ..
Manjhi – The Man Mountain has outpaced All Is Well at the box office. Both the films had been released on the same day with Manjhi – The Man Mountain getting a release which was one third of All Is Well, Below is a comparison of both films till date
Week One
All Is Well – 12,10,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 9,63,00,000
Week Two
All Is Well – 41,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 3,23,00,000
Week Three (Weekend)
All Is Well – 2,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 50,00,000
TOTAL
All Is Well – 12,52,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 13,36,00,000
New Delhi: Anees Bazmee’s slapstick comedy Welcome Back has minted big numbers at the box office despite being written off by movie critics.
The Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, John Abraham-starrer opened with Rs.14.35 crore on Friday and went on to earn Rs.17.05 crore and Rs.19.60 crore on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, taking its total weekend business within the country to Rs.51 crore, according to trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
The multi-starrer has been described by critics as overstretched, overcrowded and an insult to the 21st century viewer’s sense of humour. The critics’ verdict was that, apart from shoddy editing and tasteless music, the movie is marked by mediocre performances. But that obviously hasn’t deterred audiences. And Welcome Back is not the first instance of audiences proving the critics wrong.
Rohit Shetty’s loud and predictable Singham Returns had crossed Rs.156 crore worldwide last year according to movie website Bollywood Hungama. Farah Khan’s multi-starrer Happy New Year, described as stale and incapable of being lifted even by Shah Rukh Khan’s presence, brought in more than Rs.245 crore for its makers. Significantly, Indra Kumar’s adult comedy Grand Masti, described by one critic as “unbearable and obnoxious,” also crossed the Rs.100-crore mark in 2013.
“Audiences today have already made up their minds about the films they’re going to watch. And they are not really adventurous,” said film critic Raja Sen. “There is a certain section that wants to go to the theatre knowing they will get what they paid for. In a Salman Khan film, they know that’ll be a couple of fights, some songs and a shirtless sequence. But in a Bombay Velvet, they don’t really know.”
In the case of Welcome Back, Sen attributes the success to a matter of reduced expectations. “It’s not really trying to make sense,” he said. “You know there’s going to be no Akshay Kumar or Katrina Kaif. Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar deliver in their own way. Anees Bazmee as director gives them room to play and they go wild.”
Bazmee as director agrees his motive is to entertain audiences. “I’m not making a Satyajit Ray film,” he said. “It’s clear that you should leave your brains behind when you watch this movie. We’re all leading such stressful lives that we’ve almost forgotten how to laugh.”
But the director of hit comedies like No Entry (2005) is not entirely satisfied with the lack of critical acknowledgment. “Of course I’m hurt as a film maker because I respect critics. But I also feel audiences go to the theatre to enjoy themselves whereas some reviewers go with the opinion that in no case must they have a good time like ordinary individuals do,” he said.
Sen also emphasizes that heavily marketed films with releases as wide as Welcome Back have anyway captured their audiences before the reviews are even out. “It’s only when a film like Piku or Tanu Weds Manu manages to run longer than the first three days that you get a sense of what it’s worth,” he said.
And that is what Bazmee hopes to achieve too. “The same people who had criticized No Entry and Welcome call them cult films today. So I hope there comes a day soon when the reviewers praise my film on release. My day would be made. After all, we’ve all worked really hard for two-and-a-half years,” he said.
Watched Welcome Back…some parts were absolutely hilarious. Still could have been better, but the Majnu-Uday Shetty jodi is the funniest since Munnabhai-Circuit.
Anees Bazmee Gears Up For ‘Aankhen 2′ With Amitabh Bachchan
Director Anees Bazmee, whose latest slapstick comedy flick Welcome Back is roaring at the box-office with magical numbers, is all set to start work on ‘Aankhen 2‘ with Big B.
Aankhen 2 will be the sequel of 2002 heist thriller drama, Aankhen which was directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah & starred Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Paresh Rawal & Sushmita Sen in pivotal roles. According to reports, the sequel will star Amitabh Bachchan with 3 new star cast, who will be playing Blind men in the sequel. Yes! Akki, Rawal and Arjun will be replaced in Aankhen 2.
Q Bajrangi Bhaijaan is the biggest hit this year but would it be correct in saying that Tanu Weds Manu Returns with its 150 crore is the biggest achievement this year?
Ans. The biggest achievement this year is the 112 crore nett of Baahubali in Hindi. Actually its probably the biggest box office achievement since Gadar in 2001. The figures and appreciation by the Hindi audience is remarkable. South dubbed films sometimes work in some Hindi markets like a Humse Hai Muqbala, Bombay and Hindustani in the mid 90’s but these did not work too well in North. Baahubali has even scored in Delhi /UP and East Punjab becoming the first film from South to do so and the 25 crore nett combined total from these two markets is just unbelievable.
Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo edges Sunny Deol’s Ghayal 2 out of theatres!
“Exhibitor – distributor Akshaye Rathi has just broke the news that Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo will indeed be a solo release. Sunny Deol’s Ghayal 2 which was supposed to be released with Sooraj Bharjatiya’s magnun opus.
We had all geared up for some fireworks at the box office with two big movies: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Ghayal 2 clashing with each other on the much coveted Diwali dates! We were all the more surprised because, the release date of much awaited Daniel Craig’s Spectre was pushed to make way for the Bhai of the box-office. But with this news, fans of Salman Khan can finally breathe a sigh of relief. It is going to be a bloody good Diwali for the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor. We are damn sure of this!”
Credits: Bollywood Life
Akshaye Rathi @akshayerathi
And #Ghayal2 has been postponed, making #PremRatanDhanPayo a solo release on Diwali. Get ready for some serious fireworks at the box office! 9:17 AM – 9 Sep 2015
SATYAMSHOT 
September 4, 2015 at 5:14 AM
Welcome Back had a good to decent opening as some circuits opened to good collections while others were average. The opening of the film is very similar to Brothers which opened a few weeks back. The main difference is Welcome Back is better in Gujarat while Brothers was better in East Punjab. The rest is pretty similar with the same circuits (Rajasthan, CI) leading for both films. The average occupancies are around 30%.
The difference between Welcome Back and Brothers is the holiday factor which meant Brothers did well on Friday evening and Saturday and for this it will have to be reports that help it push it on Friday evening. Not only is the initial similar to Brothers but so are the costs.
The opening is not great for the film as it is well over budget but looking at it from the cast and music point of view it is good as there is no crowd puller in the cast or a hit song but still the first day will be good enough for a platform to build on over the weekend. The Sunday family audience will probably decide the fate of the film. There will be potential for huge growth over Saturday and Sunday from this start.
Boxofficeindia
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September 4, 2015 at 7:35 AM
It all sounds quite unwatchable — and some parts certainly are — but thanks to the astoundingly fit elder statesmen in charge, Welcome Back provides its share of ludicrous laughs. Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar, playing paragons of brotherly love and men of thundering tempers, are superb. Kapoor wears outrageous sunglasses, a winner’s scowl and is infectiously joyful when winning at a graveside game of antakshari. Patekar, daftly giggly during that same scene, is at his best when pensive or exhausted, sitting back wearily on a table at the chaos hits a crescendo. In the last film he played a don with acting aspirations; in this one, after much madness, he asks the man holding the gun what he thought of his acting.
Those two are priceless enough to make this worth a watch, and the other veterans wangle themselves some random moments. Paresh Rawal, in the middle of this atrocious plot, can still come off as a sincerely outraged everyman, Naseeruddin Shah goes full-Mohra as a blind man who likes leaping over steps, and I may forever be haunted by the image of Dimple Kapadia flying through a sandstorm, eyes wild and hair akimbo.
welcomeback2Some of the wordplay holds up surprisingly well, like a bit about how ‘gun’ (virtue) and ‘gun’ share the same spelling, and Kapoor’s riffs about how he let go of his style, his ‘kaayde’, before he could make his gangs, his Al Qaaed-e. But those are rare moments slipped into in a film proud of its puerility. The first film had Akshay Kumar to shoulder all the buffoonery, and while even that only added up to a barely watchable film, here Abraham is an utter trainwreck and the Hassan girl doesn’t help.
Still, Welcome Back is dumb yet entertaining, utterly silly but made with a kind of absurd, warm energy. It’s actually amusing even if it goes on far too long, and while I don’t recommend going to a theatre to watch this mess, you’ll sure get your money’s worth watching it on TV. Plus, there’s something to be said for a film where the climax features a cute peach microlight bringing about a bunch of killer drones. If only this were shorter, crisper, a bit smarter, with just a touch more… um, control, Mr Bazmee, control.
http://rajasen.com/2015/09/04/review-anees-bazmees-welcome-back/
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September 4, 2015 at 7:58 AM
http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/welcome-back-review-anil-kapoor-nana-patekar-paresh-rawal-shine-in-a-meaningless-yet-funny-film-2420600.html
A very positive review.
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September 4, 2015 at 8:19 AM
COLORS
Raj Nayak @rajcheerfull 4h4 hours ago
Colors welcomes #BhajrangiBhaijaan @BeingSalmanKhan to #biggboss9 Presented by @Snapdeal Powered by @Oppomobileindia This October @ColorsTV
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September 4, 2015 at 9:29 AM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Worst-refugee-crisis-since-World-War-II-Drowned-Syrian-toddler-buried-in-Kobani/articleshow/48813123.cms
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September 4, 2015 at 9:39 AM
Aadesh Shrivastava’s family: Don’t need funds, but prayers
According to an IANS report, the family of Bollywood singer-composer Aadesh Shrivastava, who is battling with cancer, says they are not seeking financial help from anyone, but everyone’s blessings. His brother-in-law and composer Lalit Pandit, from the Jatin-Lalit duo, said that the family is not reeling under a financial crunch, as media reports are indicating.”We are not seeking help from the industry. We don’t need money, we need prayers from people. We don’t need funds and we have never asked for funds from anybody,” Lalit told over phone. Shrivastava, whose cancer has relapsed for the third time, is undergoing treatment in Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here since the last 44 days. Lalit also refuted a news report claiming that the family has turned to a Himachal Pradesh-based Tibetan monk Yeshi Dhonden, known for using ancient Tibetan herbal therapies to cure the disease.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/Aadesh-Shrivastavas-cancer-relapses-How-he-fought-cancer-last-time/photostory/48798406.cms
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September 4, 2015 at 10:46 AM
On the whole, Welcome Back is a worthy sequel to Welcome. It is very funny and, therefore, very entertaining. It will score in the cinemas. However, if in spite of this, it will not be able to make money for its investors, it would be because of the high investment in the making, promotion and release of the film. The continuous flow of releases in the coming weeks will ensure that the window for the film at the box-office is small, and this will tell on its total business.
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September 4, 2015 at 2:35 PM
I wonder why no coverage for this hit movie. The part 2 is also coming now. Enjoy 😉
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September 4, 2015 at 2:50 PM
Welcome Back has managed the second best opening of the year in some markets. Bajrangi Bhaijaan has been the best opening of the year in all circuits while ABCD 2 and Brothers share the spoils for second place in different circuits. Welcome Back is beating Brothers in Rajasthan and CI where Brothers is number two for the year and it is beating ABCD 2 in Gujarat where ABCD 2 had the second best opening after Bajrangi Bhaijaan. In the the rest it is either 2nd or 3rd.
The release is a little less than Brothers though a little wider than ABCD 2 and the first day collections will also challenge these two films and the chances are there for the second biggest opening day of the year after Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
The film has a big cast but not in terms of box office draw and the music did not really work either but the goodwill of Welcome (2007) has come into play. This can be seen as the territories where Welcome (2007) performed best are out performing and and these areas are also the ones which determine satellite success which was huge for Welcome (2007).
On the other hand it also shows where the franchise could have gone with a cast as strong as the original film as it would have taken the film to another level altogether. Still the core Hindi markets are doing well and this gives it a good chance of success.
Boxofficeindia
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September 4, 2015 at 2:56 PM
Kanpur Phantom numbers on friday are 40% lower than Thursday. Thursday figures by Taran are 2.88 cr, so Friday would be around 1.25 cr. So, looks like 6 cr second weekend and 4 cr more later in the run to a Total lifetime 57 cr. And if Biased BOI had dare to provide actual numbers , it wouldnt have touched 50 cr even.
On the other hand, Welcome back should be in range of 12-15 cr day one.
Girish Johar @girishjohar 23m23 minutes ago
Friday Kanpur #Phantom 1.12lacs aprox
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Girish Johar @girishjohar 25m25 minutes ago
Friday Kanpur #WelcomeBack 10.97lacs aprox
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September 4, 2015 at 2:56 PM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 7h7 hours ago
#Drishyam [Week 5] Fri to Sun 84 lacs, Mon to Thu 45 lacs. Total: ₹ 76.16 cr. India biz.
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September 4, 2015 at 3:12 PM
http://www.rajeevmasand.com/reviews/our-films/jokes-apart/
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September 4, 2015 at 4:26 PM
Welcome Back Has Strong First Day
Friday 04 September 2015 23.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Welcome Back has had a strong first day with collections set to come in at around 14.50 crore nett. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is the biggest opening of the year at 26.50 crore nett while ABCD 2 is next best at 14.25 crore nett. The collections of Welcome Back should be able to surpass ABCD 2 when final collections come in the morning. The collections in metro multiplexes are a little lower than ABCD 2 but better in other parts of the country.
The collections could have went higher but there some issues as 300 digital prints could not be uploaded at in their respective cinemas. The film has done very well in most circuits of India and its a good number for a non holiday.
The film does have a big budget so there is a bit to cover yet but there is plenty of scope for improvement as metros can make ground on Saturday. The Welcome franchise has been well established as the film found huge success on television and this made sure the film generated good footfalls on day one.
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September 4, 2015 at 4:33 PM
This movie is very interesting- from the Trailer it looked like another Dhamaal/Grand Masti/Sajid Khan movie but the reviews aren’t completely terrible. Even the Pseudo critics Rajeev Masand and Raja Sen didn’t destroy the film. The opening is very strong- it’s actually bigger than any Akshay Kumar movie ever. Akshay has 3 franchises- Welcome, Hera Pheri, and Housefull. He literally chose the worst franchise to continue- Housefull. Can’t believe he isn’t in the future Welcome and Hera Pheri movies…and that John is his replacement. I’d take Welcome or Phir Hera Pheri over any of the Housefull movies any day. Watched Welcome 1 last night and I forgot how funny it is without ever being vulgar. Also Akshay really doesn’t have much to do in the second half- it’s really Nana-Anil all they way. If its the same for WB, then this one should be funny too. Anyways, its been a while since a Circus film came out…I think Houseful 2 was the last one.
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September 4, 2015 at 5:10 PM
John isn’t Akshay’s replacement in HP3. Both he and Abhishek play characters called Raju. They’re confused for the original Raju or some such thing. There is also a story that Akshay didn’t like the original script much as he felt his character didn’t have much to do in it. It’s possible that in Houseful-like fashion they were adding actors here and Akshay might have felt the action revolved around the ‘fake’ Rajus.
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September 4, 2015 at 6:18 PM
Ah that might be it- his role was probably not substantial. Like in Welcome 1 where Nana/Anil took over… as opposed to say like Singh Is Bliing which looks like it’s all about Akshay all the time. Also, heard that John got paid some 20 chores for this and Anil Kapoor was paid 4-5 crores! Where is this money coming from firoz nadiawala!
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September 4, 2015 at 6:43 PM
to be honest this has been the case with Akshay for a while. Certainly in the Houseful franchise where they keep adding actors of all kinds. Singh is Blinng is his first proper big comedy in this genre in quite some time that doesn’t have this issue. It’s also his last best chance to put up some big numbers. Otherwise he’s stuck in the 80 crore range one way or the other. Either he does sensible films that can’t gross much more than this or he does commercial stuff that doesn’t get enough of an initial. Either way Singh is his last chance to put up something big. Given Welcome Back’s opening day numbers one can certainly expect a lot more from Singh.
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September 7, 2015 at 3:14 AM
WB wasn’t offered to Akshay because the script didn’t demand the character to return. Welcome franchise anyway rests on the shoulders of Nana, Anil, Paresh. The lead can keep changing as long as these 3 are there.
WB got such an opening because it revived memories of the first film with almost all the side characters same as Welcome. Also the song Meet Me Daily is similar to Kiya Kiya as far as picturization is concerned.
I fear Singh Is Bliing wont get such support because this is not a sequel to SIK coming from different producer, director and the characters are totally different. SIK had superhit music and no cues have been taken from that film here. No international artist song also. Akshay should have first made a sequel to SIK using this script to get a big hit.
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September 4, 2015 at 5:22 PM
R.I.P. Aadesh.
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-aadesh-shrivastava-loses-battle-with-cancer-passes-away-at-49-2122066
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September 4, 2015 at 6:20 PM
RIP. Just saw the news.
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September 4, 2015 at 6:46 PM
Bachchan has a brief post just about this news.
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September 4, 2015 at 6:41 PM
very sad..
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September 4, 2015 at 8:12 PM
I thought somehow he could survive. Sad for his wife and family who were hoping against hope. Sad for music lovers. Too young to die.
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September 4, 2015 at 9:48 PM
The plot is a no-brainer, the goings on are inconsistent, but what definitely works in the film’s favour is its laugh out loud dialogues (written by Anees Bazmee, Rajiv Kaul and Raj Shandaliya). Mostly original and seeped in humour, these dialogues get better because they are mouthed by some of the best actors that we have — Anil Kapoor, Nana, Rawal, Shah and Dimple Kapadia. This ensemble is a pure delight to watch on screen. Some scenes are uproariously funny, like the one at the graveyard where an impromptu antakshari takes place. Unfortunately, the director is not able to keep up the tempo in some portions, especially in the second half, which seems forced and tedious.
John Abraham puts in a decent effort and makes his Ajju quite an endearing character. Shruti Haasan looks pretty and that’s about it.
Overall, it’s a fun watch which will keep you snorting and giggling even after you exit the theatre.
– See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/welcome-back—movie-review/16510160#sthash.92mTwIKw.dpuf
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September 4, 2015 at 10:56 PM
Raj5: ‘ Even the Pseudo critics Rajeev Masand and Raja Sen didn’t destroy the film.” So who in your book are the real critics?
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September 4, 2015 at 11:59 PM
Write your review if you hapopen to watch WB. I think you are relatively quite a balanced critic. And so is Saurabh.
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September 5, 2015 at 12:17 AM
Tbh besides Bharadwaj Rangan and reviews of members here, I don’t really care for reviewers. I also really liked the TOI critic (forgot her name at the moment) who unfortunately passed away a couple of months ago. The way I decide whether or not I like a movie critic is based upon if there is consistency between them liking/disliking a specific movie and me liking/disliking the same. And as for who are the “real” critics…the Audience!
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September 5, 2015 at 1:24 AM
Nikhat Kazmi?
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September 5, 2015 at 1:36 AM
Welcome back is almost sure to go past 100 crores. Saturday has started very well and expect 20 plus figure. Huge appreciation from families.
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September 5, 2015 at 6:27 AM
yes 100 looks certain here..
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September 5, 2015 at 2:14 PM
20 cr would be bit of a strech , but should do around 17 – 18 cr .
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September 5, 2015 at 4:30 AM
Welcome Back has done the unthinkable. No one, just no one expected the film to open the way it did on Friday. Even in this column it was mentioned pre-release that a 10-12 crore opening day was on the cards. However, anything beyond that would have been good and 15 crore was a milestone that was unimaginable.
However, this is what happened as the film not just opened well but went on to see an increase in momentum with every passing show. By evening it was clear that 12 crore was set to be surpassed and as the night shows began, there was a serious chance for the film to cross the In a way, the manner in which the film continued to collect on Friday was pretty much akin to Anees Bazmee and Anil Kapoor’s own No Entry (2005). Just like that Boney Kapoor film, even firoz Nadaidwallah’s Welcome Back faced financial challenges till the eve of release, and later suffered from several cancelled shows till the afternoon due to issues with print delivery. Also, just like No Entry, the audience word of mouth was fantastic and that resulted in families stepping by evening and night shows to bring in excellent moolah.
No wonder, the collections of now read 14.35 crores and with this, the Anees Bazmee directed film has managed to take the third best opening of the year after none other than Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Akshay Kumar’s Brothers. Now this isn’t something that anyone expected from this franchise affair that was coming eight years after first in the series, Welcome (2007). The popularity which Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Paresh Rawal starrer has enjoyed over the years rubbed well into the second in the series as well.
Since the word of mouth is good, except a bountiful Saturday and Sunday as well for the Eros film. It won’t be surprising now to see a 50 crore weekend on the cards.
http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/welcome-back-phenomenal-on-day-1-3rd-highest-opener-of-the-year/
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September 5, 2015 at 6:26 AM
great piece by Rangan on the philosophical song:
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September 5, 2015 at 6:54 AM
Interesting piece. There are many songs which are philosophical and melodious. The voices singing those songs also make them appealing.
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September 5, 2015 at 6:37 PM
Looking at the comments on that post wish someone had posted the ultimate philophical songs from Kishore – RD Burnam – Rajesh Khanna trio era which is from Aap Ki Kasam. Zindagi Ke Safar mein…
This is the genius of the lyricst
e hte Only a genius lyr
Subah aati hai raat jaati hai
Yunhi waqt chaltaa hi rehata hai rukata nahin
Ek pal mein ye aage nikal jaata hai
Aadami theek se dekh paataa nahin
Aur parde pe manjar badal jaataa hai
Ek baar chale jaate hain jo din raat subah o shaam
Vo vo phir nahin aate vo phir nahin aate
Zindagi ke safar men guzar jaate hain jo makaam
Vo phir nahin aate vo phir nahin aate
& Safar song of Kishor K with RK and Kalyanji – Zindagi Ka Safar yeh kaisa safar….
Aise Jeevan Bhi Hain Jo Jiye Hi Nahin
Jinko Jeene Se Pehle Hi Maut Aa Gayi
Phool Aise Bhi Hain Jo Khile Hi Nahin
Jinko Khilne Se Pehle Fiza Kha Gai
Hai Pareshaan Nazar Thak Gaye Chaaraagar
Koi Samjha Nahin Koi Jaana Nahin
Would have posted the youtube link but didn’t wish to clog the blog.
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September 5, 2015 at 6:46 PM
They are lovely songs with lots of meaning and at the same time melodious. Evergreen songs. And also songs of Anand.
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September 5, 2015 at 6:30 AM
Aadesh Shrivastava,
Music composer Aadesh Shrivastava dies after tough battle with cancer – See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/music-director-aadesh-shrivastava-passes-away-after-tough-battle-with-cancer/#sthash.RAV5iqMf.dpuf
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September 5, 2015 at 6:31 AM
Aadesh, who rose to fame with his musical compositions for films like ‘Chalte Chalte’, ‘Baabul’, ‘Baghban’, ‘Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham…’ and ‘Rajneeti’ among others, also sang a number of songs including ‘Sona sona’, ‘Shava shava’, ‘Gustakhiyaan’ and ‘Gur nalon ishq mitha’. – See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/music-director-aadesh-shrivastava-passes-away-after-tough-battle-with-cancer/#sthash.RAV5iqMf.dpuf
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September 5, 2015 at 6:32 AM
Aadesh Shrivastava R.I.P
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September 5, 2015 at 11:01 AM
Always liked Aadesh for his soulful music and he outdid himself with those Bagban and Babul tracks. Esp. liked his Babul songs ‘Kehta Hai Babul’ in Bachchan’s voice and Sonu Nigam’s soulful rendition ‘Bawri piya ki…’ His tracks for Chalte Chalte with Jatin Lalit too are evergreen.
Feel very sad at this loss at such an age. RIP Srivastava and we will miss your music and presence on reality shows too.
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September 5, 2015 at 6:24 PM
‘On learning about Aadesh’s passing away, Senior Bachchan conveyed his condolences through his twitter and blog. Known for normally writing long blog pieces, this time Big B kept it short. “Aadesh Shrivastava passed away .. I lived my music with him .. I live without him now .. and perhaps my music too ..,” he posted.
CREDITS: AMITABH BACHCHAN BLOG
I can understand Bachchan here as this has to be one of the best father -daughter song Aadesh Srivastava gave him and one for the ages.
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September 6, 2015 at 4:53 AM
looking at his filmography…surprising to see he had done a lot recent bachchan starrers (including abhishek bachchan). ‘sona sona’ is probably the most famous song of bachchan in recent times…thanks to aadesh. thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP.
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September 5, 2015 at 11:27 AM
Saw TWMR on TV several times and atlast fell in love with it. As I did not watch the prequel, it took time to understand who was who.
Kangana was fabulous and Madhavan and the supporting cast were good too. Kangana deserves all the awards for her act as Kusum. This movie grows with each viewing. The other movie which I never get tired of watching again and again is Angoor.
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September 5, 2015 at 3:12 PM
Now we need to convince Rajen to check again and get rid of his bi-cardia fixatation.
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September 5, 2015 at 4:04 PM
I would need someone to pay me $10 million to watch it again😄
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September 5, 2015 at 3:01 PM
http://www.india-forums.com/bollywood/south-india/56288-eega-2-may-happen-post-baahubali-2-nani.htm
“Rajamouli sir is keen to work on ‘Eega 2’. However, it may happen only after ‘Baahubali 2’,” Nani told IANS.
The 2012 release “Eega”, a reincarnation story about a housefly set out to take revenge, impressed critics and audiences alike.
The film was dubbed and released in Hindi as “Makkhi”, and it was extremely well received.
Directed by Rajamouli, “Eega” also featured Kannada superstar Sudeep and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in important roles.
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September 5, 2015 at 5:58 PM
loved Bahubali as much as everyone else but found Eega completely overrated.
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September 5, 2015 at 8:30 PM
Tried watching on Netflix, after sometime it got irritating.
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September 5, 2015 at 9:34 PM
Eaga 2 maybe much more slick and less tiresome. Hope Rajamouli is reading this!
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September 5, 2015 at 9:36 PM
yeah just couldn’t understand the fuss over this one!
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September 5, 2015 at 9:49 PM
It is Sudeep who catches more attention in his interactions with Eaga. I loved this movie and its somewhat amusing to see that a common pest taking it out against a powerful man. Delaying his flight and so on so forth. Audience started to watch for the pest’s next move and were not disappointed. It is empowerment of the most lowly creature. A powerless common man who was killed and a common pest which is often crushed with a newspaper.
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September 6, 2015 at 2:44 AM
The movie idea is interesting but the screenplay could have been better. I need to finish it to give a proper comment.
Saw Jeremy Renner starrer “Kill the messenger”; Based on true story…decent watch.
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September 6, 2015 at 4:40 AM
i saw kill the messenger on HBO last week and I can’t believe how ‘under the radar’ it went last year. don’t recall it being in the race for any awards but in my opinion it was one of the best movies of last year. Jeremy Renner nails the character and the fact that the story is so close to reality is even more insane. Gary Webb was a true hero and will go down as an important figure when one looks back in history during this era. this was a nice article i found on the film…
http://www.laweekly.com/news/how-kill-the-messenger-will-vindicate-investigative-journalist-gary-webb-5108149
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September 6, 2015 at 1:30 PM
Liked the movie but didn’t like it towards the end when personal issues started cropping.
ps – Read the reviews and his allegation was partly correct but most of the reports suggested he exaggerated. I am not sure if you are reporter you don’t take pictures or things like that as proof?
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September 6, 2015 at 5:54 PM
i tend to agree with you that towards the end of the movie..it was underwhelming. on gary webb himself…whatever he uncovered may have been a bit exxagerated..but in the end he was proven right on many claims. in 1998 the CIA’s internal review proved much of what Gary Webb was saying as correct but it went unnoticed by the leading news media outlets.
‘Gary Webb Was Right’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-levin/gary-webb-was-right_b_6024530.html
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September 5, 2015 at 6:30 PM
Dangal shoot about to kick off!
http://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/photos/340667/sneak-peek-aamir-khans-dangal-look-test
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September 5, 2015 at 6:53 PM
Welcome Back is set to have an excellent second day with business set to come in at around 16.75 crore nett which would take the two day business to 31 crore nett. Some places have benefited from holiday for Janmashtami while other places don’t have a holiday but have actually grown.
The collections are up by a healthy 20% on an all India level which and further growth like this on Sunday will mean the film will emerge a winner despite its high costs. Welcome Back is already sure to cross the 100 crore nett mark and it is just a question of how much higher it goes.
The film is doing excellent business in Mumbai, Delhi / UP (UP did drop a little on Saturday), East Punjab, Rajasthan, CP Berar, CI and Bihar. All these are core main circuits and it looks there is no stopping this film.
Boxofficeindia
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September 5, 2015 at 9:25 PM
Had started to develop a bit of disliking for irfan due to arrogance perception but here in this interview, he comes across unobtrusive, real and grounded and always admire that quality ; infact look upto to them for just this basic human quality.
Irfan Khan – The Anupam Kher Show – Season 2 – 30th August 2015
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September 5, 2015 at 9:56 PM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/MF-Husains-former-Bengaluru-home-now-a-restaurant/articleshow/48841292.cms
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September 6, 2015 at 2:51 PM
Welcome Back has had a huge Sunday with collections hitting 20 crore nett and the weekend going to 51 crore nett apprx. It is the second highest weekend of the year after Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Nest best was Brothers which had grossed 47.42 crore nett and ABCD 2 at 46.16 crore nett so Welcome Back has comfortably beaten these two films
The collections should hold on Monday as unlike most films made today its not the handfull of big cities which have the highest falls in ticket rates on Monday dominating business. The core Hindi markets are doing very well and these hold better over weekdays. The film is looking set for a big run over the next few weeks despite the competition in front of them
The India collections were expected to be good though probably not as high as a 50 crore nett plus weekend but Overseas has sprung surprised with early weekend numbers suggesting good weekend total which is a bonus for the film.
Boxofficeindia
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September 7, 2015 at 12:39 AM
On the other hand, BOI were quite orgasmic in their commentary on Phantom’s first week-end and they suddenly gone very quiet when the collections have gone down drastically. Looks like Phantom’s collections won’t even go past the 55cr mark lifetime. And BOI seem to have opted to remain silent.
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September 7, 2015 at 1:08 AM
Watched Welcome yesterday on channel. Perhaps after a while. It still looked fresh and enjoyable.
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September 7, 2015 at 1:38 AM
Welcome Back Scores High In Pakistan | All Set To Beat Bajrangi Bhaijaan’s Weekend Record
http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/welcome-back-scores-high-in-pakistan-all-set-to-beat-bajrangi-bhaijaans-weekend-record/
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September 7, 2015 at 1:53 AM
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/back-to-basics/article7616124.ece
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September 7, 2015 at 4:28 AM
Welcome Back has hit the 90 crore mark in terms of worldwide gross collections. The overseas collections are set to be around the $3 million range while the domestic gross figures are around 70 crore. The film has done very well in the Gulf which was expected as the first one also did big numbers crossing a $1 million way back in 2007. The top opening weekend Worldwide grossers of 2015 are as follows
1. Bajrangi Bhaijaan – 1,87,24,00,000
2. Welcome Back – 90,00,00,000 apprx
3. Brothers – 80,90,96,000
4. ABCD 2 – 71,52,35,000
5. Did Dhadakne Do – 67,84,84,500
Boxofficeindia
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September 7, 2015 at 4:29 AM
Welcome Back did very well in its first weekend grossing 50 crore nett plus. The film also had a solid trend showing good growth on Saturday and Sunday. The first weekend business of Welcome Back are as follows.
Friday – 14,25,00,000
Saturday – 16,75,00,000
Saturday – 19,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 50,50,00,000 apprx
The business strong in most places lije Mumbai, Delhi / UP, East Punjab, Rajasthan, CP Berar and CI though West Bengal with just 1.75 crore nett fared poorly but that would hardly alter it’s fate as main circuits are string.
Boxofficeindia
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September 7, 2015 at 7:16 AM
Welcome Back has sailed through on Monday despite the high costs of the film as per the face value it had and emerged a big HIT. The collections are rock steady on Monday and although its too early to put a number to Monday it is very unlikely to drop more than 40% from Friday which means a minimum 8.5 crore is there and this number should be higher when the day finishes.
A circuit like Rajasthan which opened strongly is just 30% down from Friday and with these circuits working, it means the film is going to be a good runner for the next 2-3 weeks. The film will cruise past the 100 crore nett mark and will be no surprise if it goes above 125 crore nett.
The film does have a budget of over 100 crore but that is not much of a concern now as a minimum 80 crore distributor share will come from theatres across the world and more importantly it has tremendous appreciation in the main Hindi film markets.
Boxofficeindia
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September 7, 2015 at 7:56 AM
Aamir Khan & Raju Hirani attempted suicide after watching this video
Happy Monday to all !!
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September 7, 2015 at 8:37 AM
I would be extremely happy if the narrative goes back to traditional raw ingredients of masala moments since this remains the most popular genre of Indian cinema. One of the reason for BB astounding connection / success is going back to the same roots/ elements as pointed by Rangan and many reviewers on this blog.
“Is Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo a remake of Rajshri’s Raja Aur Rank?
Now, we all know that Salman Khan plays a double role in PRDP which will see him both as a Prince and a common man. If we go by the story of Raja Aur Rank, which is a screen adaptation of Mark Twain’s novel Prince and The Pauper, it is a tale of two identical kids who are born on the same day to a king and a pauper respectively. The pauper child one day runs away from home and lands in the palace where he meets his princely twin. They decide to swap places which end miserably. The difference being, the older film was on kids with Sanjeev Kumar playing a crucial role. Here, Salman will be seen as a Prince and a regular man.”
Credits: Bollywood Life.
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September 7, 2015 at 9:00 AM
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-aamir-need-not-worry-salman-khan-on-dangal-2122511
Aamir need not worry: Salman Khan on ‘Dangal’
Ask Salman about it and he laughs it off. “Aamir doesn’t need to worry at all. Dangal has a beautiful script. Aamir plays a father in the film. In Sultan, I don’t have any children. I just have to battle my opponents in the ring. There is no negative force in Sultan, there’s just me and a love story that takes the story forward.” Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar, chips in, “Dangal and Sultan are two very different films. Theirs is a biopic. Ours isn’t. Sultan is about this fictional character of the same name, in a very real, rural set-up.”
HUMNE SUNA HAI!
“To add to Aamir’s woes, he learnt that the Sultan team was scouting the same locations in Haryana. So he called up good friend Aditya Chopra and requested that his team change the location to Punjab. But that hasn’t happened,” adds our insider. Phantom released months after Baby. Both had similar stories. The audiences warmed to both the films. Kuch seekho, Aamir!
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September 7, 2015 at 3:36 PM
Poor aamir will now make changes; resort the film; delay the release etc etc
As for welcome back—
People like satyam are quietly lapping it up.
It won’t be bad but someone needs to PAY me to watch most PROMOS like this nowadays. ..
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September 7, 2015 at 11:39 AM
Clap worthy !!
http://www.bbc.com/hindi/india/2015/09/150907_amitabh_slammed_for_no_janmashtami_greetings_pm.shtml?ocid=socialflow_facebook
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September 8, 2015 at 6:14 AM
Manjhi – The Man Mountain has outpaced All Is Well at the box office. Both the films had been released on the same day with Manjhi – The Man Mountain getting a release which was one third of All Is Well, Below is a comparison of both films till date
Week One
All Is Well – 12,10,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 9,63,00,000
Week Two
All Is Well – 41,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 3,23,00,000
Week Three (Weekend)
All Is Well – 2,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 50,00,000
TOTAL
All Is Well – 12,52,00,000
Manjhi – The Man Mountain – 13,36,00,000
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Details/art_detail/manjhithemanmountainoutpacesalliswell#.Ve60lRGqqko
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September 8, 2015 at 7:58 AM
New Delhi: Anees Bazmee’s slapstick comedy Welcome Back has minted big numbers at the box office despite being written off by movie critics.
The Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, John Abraham-starrer opened with Rs.14.35 crore on Friday and went on to earn Rs.17.05 crore and Rs.19.60 crore on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, taking its total weekend business within the country to Rs.51 crore, according to trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
The multi-starrer has been described by critics as overstretched, overcrowded and an insult to the 21st century viewer’s sense of humour. The critics’ verdict was that, apart from shoddy editing and tasteless music, the movie is marked by mediocre performances. But that obviously hasn’t deterred audiences. And Welcome Back is not the first instance of audiences proving the critics wrong.
Rohit Shetty’s loud and predictable Singham Returns had crossed Rs.156 crore worldwide last year according to movie website Bollywood Hungama. Farah Khan’s multi-starrer Happy New Year, described as stale and incapable of being lifted even by Shah Rukh Khan’s presence, brought in more than Rs.245 crore for its makers. Significantly, Indra Kumar’s adult comedy Grand Masti, described by one critic as “unbearable and obnoxious,” also crossed the Rs.100-crore mark in 2013.
“Audiences today have already made up their minds about the films they’re going to watch. And they are not really adventurous,” said film critic Raja Sen. “There is a certain section that wants to go to the theatre knowing they will get what they paid for. In a Salman Khan film, they know that’ll be a couple of fights, some songs and a shirtless sequence. But in a Bombay Velvet, they don’t really know.”
In the case of Welcome Back, Sen attributes the success to a matter of reduced expectations. “It’s not really trying to make sense,” he said. “You know there’s going to be no Akshay Kumar or Katrina Kaif. Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar deliver in their own way. Anees Bazmee as director gives them room to play and they go wild.”
Bazmee as director agrees his motive is to entertain audiences. “I’m not making a Satyajit Ray film,” he said. “It’s clear that you should leave your brains behind when you watch this movie. We’re all leading such stressful lives that we’ve almost forgotten how to laugh.”
But the director of hit comedies like No Entry (2005) is not entirely satisfied with the lack of critical acknowledgment. “Of course I’m hurt as a film maker because I respect critics. But I also feel audiences go to the theatre to enjoy themselves whereas some reviewers go with the opinion that in no case must they have a good time like ordinary individuals do,” he said.
Sen also emphasizes that heavily marketed films with releases as wide as Welcome Back have anyway captured their audiences before the reviews are even out. “It’s only when a film like Piku or Tanu Weds Manu manages to run longer than the first three days that you get a sense of what it’s worth,” he said.
And that is what Bazmee hopes to achieve too. “The same people who had criticized No Entry and Welcome call them cult films today. So I hope there comes a day soon when the reviewers praise my film on release. My day would be made. After all, we’ve all worked really hard for two-and-a-half years,” he said.
http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/dNu50faAtIGOs8CBxuVslN/Slammed-by-critics-Welcome-Back-sweeps-the-box-office.html
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September 8, 2015 at 11:18 AM
Watched Welcome Back…some parts were absolutely hilarious. Still could have been better, but the Majnu-Uday Shetty jodi is the funniest since Munnabhai-Circuit.
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September 8, 2015 at 12:23 PM
Anees Bazmee Gears Up For ‘Aankhen 2′ With Amitabh Bachchan
Director Anees Bazmee, whose latest slapstick comedy flick Welcome Back is roaring at the box-office with magical numbers, is all set to start work on ‘Aankhen 2‘ with Big B.
Aankhen 2 will be the sequel of 2002 heist thriller drama, Aankhen which was directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah & starred Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Paresh Rawal & Sushmita Sen in pivotal roles. According to reports, the sequel will star Amitabh Bachchan with 3 new star cast, who will be playing Blind men in the sequel. Yes! Akki, Rawal and Arjun will be replaced in Aankhen 2.
http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-popular/anees-bazmee-gears-up-for-aankhen-2-with-amitabh-bachchan/
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September 8, 2015 at 2:16 PM
Celebrating 20 years of Rangeela http://www.thequint.com/entertainment/2015/09/08/celebrating-20-years-of-rangeela-not-just-a-regular-cult-classic
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September 9, 2015 at 2:34 AM
From BOI
Q Bajrangi Bhaijaan is the biggest hit this year but would it be correct in saying that Tanu Weds Manu Returns with its 150 crore is the biggest achievement this year?
Ans. The biggest achievement this year is the 112 crore nett of Baahubali in Hindi. Actually its probably the biggest box office achievement since Gadar in 2001. The figures and appreciation by the Hindi audience is remarkable. South dubbed films sometimes work in some Hindi markets like a Humse Hai Muqbala, Bombay and Hindustani in the mid 90’s but these did not work too well in North. Baahubali has even scored in Delhi /UP and East Punjab becoming the first film from South to do so and the 25 crore nett combined total from these two markets is just unbelievable.
Raj Rajoriya
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September 9, 2015 at 4:43 AM
http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-news/prabhas-baahubali-pose-inspires-creative-minds-for-ganesha-idols/
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September 9, 2015 at 10:57 AM
Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo edges Sunny Deol’s Ghayal 2 out of theatres!
“Exhibitor – distributor Akshaye Rathi has just broke the news that Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo will indeed be a solo release. Sunny Deol’s Ghayal 2 which was supposed to be released with Sooraj Bharjatiya’s magnun opus.
We had all geared up for some fireworks at the box office with two big movies: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Ghayal 2 clashing with each other on the much coveted Diwali dates! We were all the more surprised because, the release date of much awaited Daniel Craig’s Spectre was pushed to make way for the Bhai of the box-office. But with this news, fans of Salman Khan can finally breathe a sigh of relief. It is going to be a bloody good Diwali for the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor. We are damn sure of this!”
Credits: Bollywood Life
Akshaye Rathi @akshayerathi
And #Ghayal2 has been postponed, making #PremRatanDhanPayo a solo release on Diwali. Get ready for some serious fireworks at the box office! 9:17 AM – 9 Sep 2015
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September 9, 2015 at 11:40 AM
looks like akki is having another block-buster on his hand,nice song though
[added to post]
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September 9, 2015 at 12:31 PM
‘another block-buster’ ?? Was this a sarcastic remark?
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September 9, 2015 at 12:38 PM
it depends how you look at…
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September 9, 2015 at 12:44 PM
got it..sarcasm.
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September 9, 2015 at 12:48 PM
My ears are actually bleeding as a result of listening to your music.
” got it” if you havent then you have already missed the boat. 😉
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September 9, 2015 at 11:37 PM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 16h16 hours ago
#WelcomeBack Fri 14.35 cr, Sat 17.05 cr, Sun 19.60 cr, Mon 7.52 cr, Tue 6.15 cr. Total: ₹ 64.67 cr. Should close Week 1 at ₹ 75 cr [+/-].
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September 10, 2015 at 1:49 AM
BOI is higher than producer numbers on Tuesday.
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September 10, 2015 at 5:10 AM
didn’t know..
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