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Raaz Reboot Ordinary Start – Pink Low Start
Friday 16 September 2016 13.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot managed an average opening at some centres outside the metros but the problem is the opening is decent at select mass centres. Single screens in Bhopal were decent but they were low in Lucknow. The pictures is mixed at mass centres while the bigger centres especially multiplexes are low. CPCI and Nizam / Andhra may have an average day one. It makes it an uphill struggle for the film as the target audience for horror is mainly B and C centres and single screens of bigger centres and here the collections are unlikley to improve as they tend to stick at the level of the initial. The bigger multiplexes will improve like they do for most films but a film like these really needs big support from smaller centres and single screens. The opening is lower than Azhar. All India Average – 20% apprx
Pink opened lower than Raaz with multiplexes generally similar to Raaz Reboot in A Centres but it is lower elsewhere. The release of the film is generally concentrated on the A centres which are the 20-25 biggest cities. The difference is that a dull start here is expected as its a weekend film while a Raaz Reboot has to get some sort of initial due to genre. A rise in the evening can even take it past Raaz Reboot on an all India level. The opening of Pink is lower than Wazir and similar to TE3N. The difference between this film and TE3N is this film has managed to get media on side through press previews which does help in the evening for films opening to very low numbers. All India Average – 15%
Komal Nahta
@KomalNahta
34m
Trade saddened by poor opening of #Pink . My assessment:nothing to worry.Collections wil not just pick up in multiplexes, they will shoot up
Sanjana: Senior Lawyers mostly are like judges only because of their experience and knowledge in real life. Also High Court Judges after retirement can practice before Supreme Court and other High Courts of the country under Indian Constitution.
Late Justice MC Chagla (the great Chief Justice of Bombay High Court) practised before Supreme Court subsequent to his retirement. Currently also many are practicing after retirement.
Senior Lawyers and Judges only belong to different sides, but they are actually in true sense Jurist.
opposed to the US where big Hollywood stars take political position during elections.
Asked if the fear of backlash and controversy prevents Indian actors from sharing their views on the political scenario of the country, Bachchan said, “You become an artiste and there are people who love you and there is a desire to reciprocate that. If it happens to be a politician who love you then also you reciprocate that.
“So what does that mean? Just because I am reciprocating it does not mean I am going to love their politics. I don’t think so.
“When you do not do something like that then we fear of a repercussion. Politicians are very powerful people. I don’t know if they can damage or harm to what extent because there is the court of law.
But the process of going to law and battle politics is not my job. My job is to be on camera and deliver my good. I don’t want to divert my attention.”
Bachchan said that in the US, the audience is “more mature” than in India and that may be the reason why their stars are upfront about their political views.
“Hollywood has a lot mature audience. Here it is still a little bit limited. When I was electioneering for Congress in Assam, my helicopter landed at a location of the opposition.
“Soon, the police asked us to leave. There were youngsters in the crowd and one of them ran up to the helicopter and smashed the window glass and put a paper on my hand.
“In it, he wrote that he is my big fan but I was dividing his attention and so I should leave.
“It is something that artistes have to face. We spend our lifetime into getting people to love us and we suddenly ask them that you love me so love my politics I don’t think it is right,” he said.
Back from PINK. Exceptional movie and this is IMO is the first metro centric movie for the metro women. We had lot of movies for women issues but this one is different in the sense that it needs to support women who are drinking types, working late nights, independent and having boyfriends. The whole crux of the incident and the proceedings from the movie starts till intermission is nothing short of brilliant. The movie just flies and you don’t realize the time at all. Once the 2nd half starts, Amitabh takes centre stage with long gazes(probably staring at another National Award) and manages to deliver the messages to court (and whole society). Tapsee Pannu and her friend Kirti did great and especially Tapsee with her unconventional looks stands out and delivers a knockout performance. All the supporting actors are perfect for the movie and its completely like watching a documentary with real life people.
If I have to nitpick something about the movie is that its very thin line of issue which the movie takes on and will impact very very few folks. I don’t think the mass majority will get the point of the movie. For them, it’ll still be the girls are in wrong at some level. But that’s a forced nitpicking. Overall the movie is simple awesome and highly recommended.
Pink deserves to be watched by everyone. Regardless of how the movie turns up, the subject and message is such that needs to be addressed n talked about. Glad that such a film addressing such an important opinion has finally been made in India with a star as big as Amitabh at the centre of it. When he speaks, people listen. Finally we have a movie which says aloud why a woman’s no means a no and not yes as shown in countless indian films uptil now.
Bachchan’s Blog today ( Re.- selfies and pictures), plus his pictures with Bishan Singh and Kapil Dev are simply superb !!!
Maza aa gaya !! Must read !!
It also kind of puts Rishi and Randhir Kapoor’s behavior in perspective !!
Bachchan never loses his cool !!
From my own experience – I can only say that movies like Rang De Basanti, A Wednesday, No One Killed Jessica, Dev D, Kaminey, Swades, Life in a Metro, Jodhaa Akbar, Kai Po Che, Pan Singh Tomar, Barfi and many many more were not easy films to green-light at their time and chances are many of them would not have been made if we did not have the creative conviction, so it’s easy to say the grass is greener on the other side, never is.
I recently took a look at what happened with Bombay Velvet, Tamasha, Shandaar and more recently – Baar Baar Dekho to realise the model is really broken. If you want to make a passion project – pay for it yourself. And before you make a sweeping statement, fix your own creative accountability, that would be my response.
Q. So is the studio model here extinct?
Yes I would say, in its present avatar, in India – it’s extinct. Firstly, large overheads kill the model – as most of the time you’re forced to increase your slate just to cover the costs that should not be there in the first place. 20-member marketing teams and 15-member distribution teams are archaic and indulgent, which forces the need to get into acquisitions, mostly under the garb of co-productions – but basically you’re the last man standing when things go south.
So unless studios are committed to 70% own development, and for the balance 30% a risk reward in their favour and overall staff strength is 10 to 15 – yes, the studio model is extinct.
Q. So is everyone in the industry on the same page on the challenges?
I am not sure, but going by what I hear – NO. There is no joint accountability on the right cost models, disciplines on budgets, where creative accountability rests and where indulgence crosses the line. From what I hear, taking creative accountability for a weak script, or mediocre direction and just poor execution does not exist. And when you have no one to blame – blame marketing, poor distribution, wrong release date, bad weather – everything but the content.
This quint article is a great piece and clearly points to all things we say here on these blogs but rarely discussed in media.
Yesterday read below article which is good too.
The myth of the shutting studios
The Indian film business is going through a painful but necessary correction that should make it more profitable
“…”We need to step back and review. Sure talent costs are high, but that holds true for many industries. The fundamentals of the film business remain intact. South India continues to take bolder steps and they are finding success… it is time perhaps to rethink the business,” points out Rakesh Jariwala, film segment leader, media and entertainment industry, EY. “The model will further evolve with digital as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Eros Now, Jio and others look for content and offer more windows to monetise better, by making more money from the same copyright,” he adds.
Kapoor agrees: “Suddenly a lot of people are saying that studios are not working. That is an oversimplification. The problem is one of business model.” Disney’s decision to quit will “put a very nice downward pressure on talent costs and content costs,” as Deshpande puts it.
The fact is more Indians are watching films across screens, TV, online and other platforms than ever before. Whether it is by tackling costs, processes or revenues, the trick is to find a way of making money from all of them…”
For once Indian Cinema attempts and shows maturity in court proceedings. Shall work in multiplex and metros. Gives out big message. Mr. Bachhan rocks as lawyer! And Tapsee gives good performance. Family audience shall stay away because of bold dialogues and screenplay. Gets many legal issues correct which is a good move.
Pink is awesome…terrific movie! And unlike I had suspected, it’s not preachy or a feminist claptrap. It has a genuine twist that makes the whole argument about consent a bit gray and immediately relevant. This is an argument that Indian society needs to embrace…the morality brigade should take special note.
And finally, what do I say about Bachchan that’s not been said? Like Eastwood in High Plains Drifter (one of my all time favorite Eastwood performances), he’s a ghost in the film who’s there to take revenge for some past injustice that’s never shown on screen. The courtroom scenes breathe some life into a highly inert (and enigmatic, precisely because of that) performance that’s all about the use of silence and a spellbinding ‘gaze’. The director has done a fabulous job in understanding the power of such understatement. If Piku fetched him a National Award, this one ought to net him a Bharat Ratna! Absolutely loved him here…
In the initial portions of the film, Bachchan is freaking scary! One isn’t exactly sure what side he’s on. Outstanding use of his cold (and impersonal) ‘gaze’ that sends chills down one’s spine…
Bachchan’s performance seems to be getting extreme views….most people have loved it but there are some including a spelling bee champion who have disliked only his performance in the movie.
Planning to go tomorrow !!
It’s not about Performance per se but problem with Bachchan like IE reviewer and great AAP leader Ashutosh:)
As Saket has already put it in eloquent way, Bachchan lost gaze is worth the movie.. Let any actor comes even 25% close to it.. Anyone except Irfann and Bajpayee.
The movie has received the best reviews all around. Part of it has to do with the content of the film, which elicits such a response, but the narrative drives home the message very convincingly.
Shoojit Sirkar is like Raju Hirani for the multiplex audience, operating at a much smaller scale. So far he has displayed his quirky side (Vicky Donor, Piku) but with Pink (I’m aware he’s not the director of the film) he’s shown that he can handle human drama as well.
Long may the Bachchan and Sirkar association continue….
Hirani can be only one. This is OMG moment on the topic – told bluntly and makes one feel guilty of wrong doings. This sometimes limits the BO prospects but ensures longevity and memorable.
Even today if you ask a commoner about which recent film had a pragmatic take of religion and rituals, more will say OMG and not PK. This despite more no of ppl having seen PK in theatre.
Hirani’s approach towards such issues are slightly different. He relies on story telling via self realisation. He chose the same subject of OMG but then made it massier in PK by not keeping it direct.
I hope Hirani takes this as a subject for the next Munna Bhai series. The impact that would have would be less impactful but more far reaching and result would be tremendous.
Not to get me wrong, but let me clarify myself more. In an attempt to make the movie more realistic, natural adult language and situation has to be used in movies like Pink. This keeps the children and read the family away. Still the movies of great WOM like Pink will make 100cr but will not touch 300Cr because children and family with children will not come.
But a Hirani will touch it with a difference and make it an wholesome family entertainer by not showing the scenes directly, thereby making the movie appeal to wider audience.
Politics of this forum:
Then of course people like Jayshah will come and spin a tail out of it by saying Akshay will never be able to cross 135 cr etc. and Satyam will mention in every long writeup of his. but this is politics and let’s not debate this.
I changed Dilwale’s script to cater to the fans of SRK and Kajol: Rohit Shetty
Rohit confessed, “Dilwale is the only film I have made without conviction, yet. I got intimidated by the need to cater to Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s massive fan following. The initial film was to be a tri-hero project about three brothers and Kajol’s track was to be of a mere four to five scenes. This change was also by my own willful voluntariness. We went wrong with it, in the process.
“Critics, friends and others would come to meet me and tell me that they’d gone to the theatre to watch my brand of film, which wasn’t what they saw,” he added.
Being the straight up guy, Rohit is honest here and the romance part of the movie was not only wtf but cringy to watch esp that 10 or 15 mins date scene between srk& kajol just nosedived whatever was built up until then. There was hardly any conviction to why all this was happening between the warring families.
This is the only reason I feel revival of SRK is a very remote possibility and one which is most difficult to accomplish among the older stars. His mind is not ready to accept that a 2005 is not a 1995 and 2016 is not a 2006. Until he employs a director bigger in status than him he will continue to waste time….who in his right mind will engage a director like Anubhav Sinha who has no takers in bollywood and hand him a project like RA1. Does one really think Anubhav has it in him to stop srk from bringing crass humor of touching heroine’s boobs and eat noodles with curd to make it funny ? Farah is no manmohan desai but one can easily imagine srk bringing his brand of humor to a movie like HNY, putting fingers in his mouth while talking to invoke laughter. Actually since CDI/ 2007 there is not a single movie which srk could proudly name where he has acted within the script. That too was due to a very strict Shimit who would not budge from his script to make the proceedings colorful as srk complained to yrf about the dry script. Fan too was meddled and so will be that dwarf movie with Anand Rai and even a fanboy like Imtiaz who too will not stop him from to act as per his whims and fancies……until then he and HR will be chasing the wind and sunshine for their twitter fans.
There have to be some sections apply on those directors who greatly underutilized AB and almost sabotaged this great talent in last decade. Thankfully and fortunately people like SIrcar came in AB’s life with “Pink”.
Riteish Deshmukh and Nargis Fakhri are currently busy with the promotions of their upcoming film Banjo. However, recently while promoting the film an unusual thing happened. As every other actress flaunts their assets Nargis also did the same. During promotion of the film on the sets of reality dance show she was wearing a dress which grabbed the eyeballs. Seemingly it was bit revealing for viewers as it was a TV show so the crew members asked Nargis to do something about it or cover it up!
A a source close to development was quoted saying to popular tabloid,”The crew initially requested the actress to cover that bold cut since it is a family show. But, when the actress didn’t relent, the show director had to intervene and made it clear to the actress that they cannot go ahead with such brazen skin show.”
Pink Has Low First Day
Saturday 17 September 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Pink had a low start on day one grossing around 4 crore nett. The film did pick up in the evening but mainly at high end multiplexes while the other multiplexes and its limited single screens did not improve much. The film can improve well on Saturday as these high end cinemas generally show the best growth on Saturday and the film has a big ratio of business coming from these cinemas. Neerja earliwr this year had grossed around 4.75 crore nett on day one and this film at high end multiplexes be it in Delhi, Punjab, Bangalore or Mumbai has very similar collections to that film. But in the rest where Neerja could not do well, Pink is even lower than that film.
Despite the media going crazy about the film, this support is unlikely to be reciprocated in most centres of India but the costs of the film are low enough that good appreciation at high end multiplexes of metros will see it through. There are many quite a few films which have got to 60-70 crore with mainly scoring at high end multiplexes and Pink does not need to that much business to cover. The film will get a good jump on Saturday and then it will be about that Monday being high enough to pull it through.
Despite the media going crazy about the film, this support is unlikely to be reciprocated in most centres of India but the costs of the film are low enough that good appreciation at high end multiplexes of metros will see it through.
More rubbish from BOI. Just because the people who run this site are stuck watching regressive trash from the 80s, doesn’t mean that others have to follow suit. You guys run a box office site — so talk about numbers and keep your opinions about movies to yourself! Do NOT try to outdo KRK by enlightening everyone with your mind-numbing stupidity…
I am surprised Satyam that you take a stand against BOI on this but in several of your commentry you take similar stand, without realising that your commentry may also be as classic as the second para, though would be eloquently put, but still bereft of logic.
Let me cite instances –
1. Your commentry on Akshay Kumar not exceeding 130cr barrier when you know his movies like Airlift or Baby or Rustom from thriller genre has this as industry barrier.
2. Your commentry on Salman Khan accusing him not being able to create final nett records despite knowing historically that only extra ordinary filmmaker’s movies does it; not extraordinary star’s.
3. Your commentry on Ajay Devgn on Shivaay when you know that the movie is vastly different from his all recent movies and cannot be compared with his previous mistakes.
Akshay kumar has tried every genre thriller, comdey , family drama etc. but still 130 crores seems to be the ceiling for him..
Fact is a fact sultan despite being a liked movie couldnt break PK record . I think all these talks of Salman khan being a bigger star than Aamir khan making noise due to big gaps in Aamir movies.Nobody questioned AAMIR stardom during 2008-09 and 2013-14, its just that by the time people become more interested in present BO performances and forgets past achievement. I am sure if Dangal outperforms Sultan Aamir will again be hailed as bigger star between the two.
Raaz Reboot Is Also Low On First Day
Saturday 17 September 2016 11.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot like Pink also had a low first day grossing around 4.75 crore nett and though the collections are higher than Pink the gap is closer than it should be as the film did open better but collections in the evening did not rise as much as Pink. The film has done well in parts of North, Rajasthan and Nizam / Andhra but the collections at multiplexes were generally dull and was driven by single screen business which was actually good in some parts of the country. Still the collections are more than 50% lower than the last part of Raaz which means this film has gone wrong somewhere as the franchise is much bigger but here the theatrical did not play to the strengths of the franchise.
The film has been taken at 20 crore for its Indian theatrical rights and so day one needed to be a bit higher unless the growth comes but that won’t be easy. Basically the difference between Pink and Raaz Reboot in terms of trend will be is that the former has done its best business where collections jump big on Saturday while Raaz Reboot has done its best business where collectioins don’t really improve on the initial. The film also has some business at major multiplexes but the ratio against all India is three times lower than Pink.
Both Raaz Reboot and Pink need around 40 crore nett plus for recovery (20 share for Raaz and 17 for Pink) and Pink probably has better chance due to the likely growth on Saturday but it will be Monday which will decide. If Raaz Reboot can grow 20-25% on Saturday it will have a fighting chance.
आपके जन्म दिवस पे, अपने, और अपने परिवार की ओर से, आपको शुभकामनाएं अर्पित करता हूँ , और ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता हूँ की आप स्वस्थ रहें और दीर्घायु हों ….
आपसे पहला परिचय, आपका निवास स्थान, मुख्या मंत्री , गुजरात :
घर, साधारण से भी साधारण, और कमरा उससे भी साधारण …. ‘Pa’ फिल्म के लिए Tax Exemption की माँग … कहा, मैं फिल्म देखूँगा, साथ अपनी गाड़ी में बैठाकर theatre में जाना, फिल्म देखना, उसके बाद वहीं भोजन साथ करना …. घर वापस आना,
ऐसे ही, Gujarat Tourism की बात करना , और विदाई …..
आश्चर्य …. !!!
हफ्ते भर के अंदर Gujarat Tourism के अधिकारी पूरी जानकारी लेकर मुम्बई मेरे पास उपस्थित , काम आरम्भ करने के लिए …. और कुछ ही दिनों में काम शुरू !
आश्चर्य …. !!!
काम के दौरान, मेरी मांग, की कोई भी राजनीतिज्ञ से न मिलना चाहूंगा न चाहूंगा की वे, जहाँ काम कर रहा हूँ , उपस्थित हों ….. जितने दिन-महीने काम किया , एक भी राजनीतिज्ञ नहीं दिखा, और न ही मिलने आया ….
आश्चर्य …. !!!
Gujarat में जहाँ कहीं भी, किसी भी दिन, काम के लिए पहुंचा, पहला phone आपका – ” स्वागत ! किसी भी चीज़ की ज़रुरत पड़े तो मुझे phone कीजियेगा ; बाहर बहुत गर्मी है, बीच बीच में थोड़ा आराम करते रहिये गा, और पानी पीते रहिये गा। .. !
आश्चर्य … !!!
महीनों बाद Tourism काम की समाप्ति पर, अचानक एक दिन आपका मेरे Hotel में आगमन, मुझे धन्यवाद देने के लिए, एक Dwarka मंदिर की छवि की भेंट, और विदाई …. !
आश्चर्य …. !!!
देश के आम चुनाव के दौरान आपके भाषण सुनना, और एक दिन आप की विजय प्राप्ति की घोषणा …. !
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !!!
प्रधानमंत्री पद पे आपकी नियुक्ति, Parliament में आपका प्रवेश, आपके विचार, आपके अनेक आम कार्यक्रमों की घोषणा, उनपर व्यतिगत monitoring करते रहना, विदेश में भारत की छवि और भारत की प्राथमिकता पर विश्व को जागृत करना … !
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !!!
किसी भी शादी ब्याह या आम कार्यक्रम में मुझे दूर से पहचान लेना, और मिलके कोई ऐसी व्यक्तिगत बात करना : ” Uttarayan के समय छत पे पतंग उड़ाते, आपकी उंगली कट गयी थी, अब कैसी है, ठीक है ?”
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं …. !!!
स्वच्छ भारत अभियान , बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ अभियान , TB , Hepatitis B , किसानों और आम आदमी के लिए आर्थिक सुरक्षा का अभियान , पानी बचाओ अभियान , शौचालाय बनाने का अभियान – इन सब पर आपके विचार और उनसे देश को जागृत करना … !
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !!!
इन सभी विषयों पर पहले कभी भी इतनी एकाग्रता, और दृढ़ता से देश को और समाज को परिचित कराना …!
अब … कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !
अब ये हमारा सांकल्प है … !
और प्रत्येक देश वासी इन सभी कार्यक्रमों में यदि अपना योगदान न दे , तो निराशा तो होगी ही, लेकिन … !
आश्चर्य भी होगा … !!!
आदरणीय मोदी जी, इस जन्म दिवस पे, ये ‘आश्चर्य’ की धारणा सभी पे बानी रहे, यही ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है …. !
extraordinary writeup from ones leading leaders of his profession on another leading leader but from another profession.
Would love to read more such leader to leader talk. Makes an inspirational read.
**Pls delete above comment
Extraordinary anecdote from one leader of his profession citing another leading but from a different profession.
Would love to read more such leader to leader talk. Makes an inspirational read.
Bliss- read this, simply brilliant piece by The Great Bong !! https://greatbong.net/2016/09/17/intellectual-standards-organization/
This is not unique to Mr. Guha. Most of his fellow ISO-certified “liberals” are also extremely closed to any kind of signal outside their echo chambers, just as much as “right wingers” are. This becomes even more ironic when they then rue the absence of right-wing intellectuals, after working actively towards making sure such intellectuals are never heard in the public or in the academic sphere, denying them a stage to express their opinions or hounding them out of academic spaces. This the distinguished men and women of the “liberal” persuasion can do, exerting as they do an almost absolute control of academia and mainstream media. Any attempt to break their control is considered intolerance, which is also why they believe social media has reduced the level of intellectual discourse, since in social media they can’t so easily silence the people calling out their inconsistencies, misrepresentations and outright falsehoods on a daily basis.
I came to know that Mr. Guha opposes a ban on alcohol imposed by Nitish, and instead favors high taxes, the principle being to price the poor out of the market. Realistically though, higher prices would not stop a drunk from drinking, it would just make him even more desperate for money and more prone to abusing his family and engaging in crimes. On the other hand, higher taxes would have no effect on the elites, who presumably wont care whether there is a cess of 120 pc or 150 pc on their Scotch.
Already done 🙂
Greatbong has experienced vicious attack of Left-commie echo system where his work was blocked…
Oops.. Left mean right, progressive, liberal, secular here and out there 🙂
Sandeep Kumar –
Our leader told us that – agar koi rishwat dey toh mana mat karna, ley lena and uskeee CD bana lena !! Yahee toh kiya tha jee maine ? Is this true ??
Why Sarkar 3 at this stage of your career?
The point of continuing any franchise is only when the characters create an impact and Mr. Bachchan did that so powerfully in Sarkar. Amitji and I were discussing ideas on how we should make Sarkar 3 since a few years and we both were clear that we won’t attempt it unless we are extremely sure we can better what has been already done in Sarkar in 2005 and Sarkar Raj (2) in 2008. So to get the absolutely right content was the reason for the delay
How different would he be in Sarkar 3?
The last time I saw Amitji in an angry man’s role was only in Sarkar 10 years ago and I designed that character from the angry image he derived from his portrayal in iconic films like Zanjeer, Deewar and Bemisal. In Sarkar my ambition is to portray him as being angrier than ever and that of course for highly valid reasons
What do you think of some of the recent films that Mr Bachchan has done, like Shamitabh, Teen and Wazir?
Though I myself have created some complacent and soft characters for him in in Rann, Nishabd, etc I generally do not like to see him playing an ordinary man. Of course they were great performances but my problem is that I want to see him larger than life
How do you plan to present Mr Bachchan in the sequel to the sequel to ensure a uniqueness and novelty in looks and emotions?
More than anything else his character will have a very powerful screen presence along with his trademark intimidating stares, shrivelling scowls and highly memorable one-liners ,which is the tradition of Sarkar
Today marketing is a monster for the medium and small budget films. I am yet to understand why stars today go from town to town and channel to channel and every interesting and popular reality show and serials on television in the age of social media, TV and Radio. It’s funny, but sad. Would audiences appreciate a film because the stars had visited their towns or because its promos were telecast thousands of times in a day and even all through the nights? They are working under the pressure of the stars, the pressure of the marketing people who are ignorant of the reality. The truth is known when the 9 pm show on Friday proves whether the film is going to do well or not. All the rest of the games and gimmicks played by the corporate culture are like a bluff game and people living in illusionary worlds of their own.
What I guess the corporate did wrong was to misread and misunderstand the film business from the very beginning .They misread its nature, its limitations, its secrets and its reality. And the whole business as run by them in their excitement grew into a monster too dangerous for them to go back to the reality.
These corporate basically focused on two things, the weekend initial draw which belongs to stars only and the pressure of the company’s quarterly results showing profit by hook or by crook. So they immediately bought stars at unimaginable prices to cover weekend business. Secondly, they handed over the whole process of filmmaking to stars who became their major consultants in selecting scripts, writers, directors and even producers of their choice. Dharma, Yash Raj, Nadiadwalas and the Bhatts continued their fight and survived because of their own in house stars they had groomed. Independent producers with decades of experience knew the complexities of business. They followed the golden rule that only availability of finance can never make a good film. It was love and passion for the films they made which made them the winners they were for decades
Pink must be almost double of yesterday on Saturday. Sunday will be in double digits. i dont know whats releasing in the next 2-3 weeks but if it gets screens it Has a very good chance of going to 100 crs. The recovery for the movie was around 35 crs it will comfortably double it for sure.
Yes, it all depends on what kind of upswing we see on Saturday and Sunday. Can the film ignite the RDB kind of hysteria? If it can then it has a chance to do 100 crores. The reviews are there but are people willing? The ticket rates have definitely gone up since the RDB days. Getting a tax-free status will help, like it helped Neerja.
But you are right, it’s too much of an ask. In reality, if the film does 60 crores+, it would indicate fantastic trending…given its 4 crore opening. It doesn’t help that it has opened in lesser number of screens compared to Raaz Reboot
To put it in perspective, if Pink manages to do 100 crores, it’d be as good as Baahubali’s performance (in Hindi). The latter was outstanding but had massive support from all sections of society. The subject matter wasn’t controversial…and it had special effects to boot.
Pink relies on a strong female-centric audience to show up in droves. It has to be the defining film of this generation in order to achieve Baahubali’s level of success. If it happens, I’d be very happy with the situation, but it’d also point towards an extraordinary situation.
OMG was a comedy film with an item number to boot! It was purely a commercial film.
Pink can hardly be called a commercial film. It’s on the lines of films like No One Killed Jessica or Talvar and none of these films managed to run amok at the box office.
This is not to suggest that OMG didn’t do well at the box office — it did fantastically well, trended excellently over the course of time — but it wasn’t a dark film. It was the exact opposite of a dark film. The odds of such a film succeeding, like the way it eventually did, are very much higher.
Pink Shows Huge Growth – Raaz Reboot Flat
Sunday 18 September 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Pink did well on Saturday as it showed had huge growth of around 80%. The film is on the lines of Neerja and Piku not only is the growth on Saturday similar but it is the same audience of high end multiplexes which is making the film work. Some of these theatres in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi were actually showing good collections and hitting 60-65% occupancy. Other A centres like a Lucknow or Ludhiana also had strong growth but the collections there still remain average while mass circuits like CPCI and Bihar remain poor despite big growth on Saturday but the film does not really need these markets to perform and can get away with its high end multiplex performance.. The metros will take the film to success and Monday will decide if the film can be a hit as costs are reasonable. Below is the first two day business of Pink.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 11,69,00,000 apprx
Raaz Reboot struggled on day two as business was similar to the first day with most of the circuits where it managed average business like a Nizam and UP going down on day two. There was improvement at some multiplexes but it was a limited push. Both Pink and Raaz Reboot needed a 20 crore nett weekend and Raaz Reboot will not get while Pink has a chance but even if it does not get at least it has a trend where it can make ground on the weekdays. The first two day business of Raaz Reboot is as follows
“She’s definitely an easy lay”.
An oft-heard categoriesation by many-a-machismos. One wonders from where do they derive, such confidence, in their assertion. This unfounded conviction is because of a warped mindset; India’s sordid masculine psyche. It’s this “male” mindset that the film Pink attempts to expose. And I must say, it does expose it, shamelessly and uninhibitedly. Moreover, it remains uncompromising in doing it and therefore ends up doing it, quite well.
Pink, in the process, throws up many moral questions . On what flimsy ground do we label someone as promiscuous? It, rightly, lashes out at the retrogressive typing of women, as “slut”/”loose”/ “easy” based on her clothes, life style, skin colour, ethnicity etcetera. It brings out the question of individual freedom to choice to her own sexualty and the blasphemous dilemma of consensual sex. Though it deals with legal aspects, of these issues, in reasonably fair and convincing way but it remains facile while taking on the ethical complexities involved with these issues. It pitches patriarchal/misogynistic mindset with liberal outlook and it takes no brainer to point the flaws in the former. However, it never dares to questions the unbridled libertine decadence, in the present day, urban mileu. Rather, it unconsciously undermines the conservative “Indian” ethos where restrictions were an act of prudence and not forced submission.
Tarun Tejpal a veteran champion of left “liberal” brigade had very insightfully spoken of:
“What’s it turns men into beasts?”
at his Tehelka edit meetings “It is this – not being able to take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Though, ironically, he himself was unable to take “no” when he tried sexually molesting, his employee, who was half his age. The movie harps on this point of inability of men to take “no” for an answer. The reason for this is that “no” is double whammy for many men. Its a blow not just to their insistent libido but also exalted ego. Pink does not pull it’s punches while uncovering these perverse, masculine, egoistic tendencies.
Pink’s pace is riveting and the way the plot unravels, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, through the film. It hits the ground running, remains gripping from the start till the very end. It’s not easy film to watch as it vocal on the “inconvenient truths” which are otherwise obfuscated in hypocritical society, we live in. It remains bold in its assertion but at times, gets too assertive. Even preachy. But these “feminist” homilies are, thankfully, few and far between.
The movie’s casting is spot on. Everyone fits into his/her roles like a glove. Three protagonists Minal ( Taapsee Pannu) Falak (Kirti Kulhari) and Andrea (Tariang) are sassy and suave girls you would spot in any of Delhi’s upscale shopping complex. Their counterparts, Ranbeer (Angad Bedi) and group of friends, are typical Haryanavi lager lout in Delhi’s upscale bar. Even those in smaller roles added to the film in every meaningful way, especially Piyush Mishra, Dhritimaan Chatterjee and Vinod Nagpal. Only sore thumb was Big B. He was, unexpectedly , tad disappointing. Perhaps, this could be because we expect much more from him. He just couldn’t pull off his role with ease and seemed too full of himself. Unlike Piku, where he, as an endearing old man, was such a delight to watch. Here, however, he was, wee bit, irritating.
Music was minimal. The sombre song that keeps coming in the film, just at the right moments, is haunting Kaari Kaari , sung so well by Qurat Ul Ain Balouch. I particularly enjoyed the piano pieces, in the background score, directed by Shantanu Moitra.
Pink could have been better. Having said that I feel it’s a commendable and a meaningful cinema. A honest and a well made film. Something that a society can learn from and inturn make it safer for millions of young women.
Read this comment on indicine…sums up the Indian/South Asian male’s mentality perfectly…
Watched pink movie.. It is really confused movie… Director tries hard to have the audience show sympathy towards the girls. What is the message? A women can do anything willingly like sex with others or boy friend it is absolutely fine… But when says NO!!! THEN IT’S ABSOLUTELY NO!!! Amazing!!! Where are the human values!! It’s just western culture… You can do whatever willingly… No one should stop you…. Why should audience show sympathy to character where she says she had sex at the age of 19 willingly with the boy friend!!! Amazing people appreciating such type of movies.
This so called “effect” of western culture is also blamed for the rising divorce rates in India. I think it’s actually a good thing. Not that I advocate couples breaking up on a whim, but what this trend indicates is that women are no longer willing to be subdued by men with a patriarchal mindset. There are far too many marriages in India (here it’s relevant to point out that it’s just not India) where women bear the brunt of abusive, alcoholic or even psychotic husbands and still carry on living with them — for the sake of societal pressure, cultural upbringing or deep-rooted prejudices enforced by the society at large. That they now choose to walk out of a bad marriage is a good thing. It’s called freedom…it’s also called equality and having some sense of self-worth. South Asian men take all this for granted and it’s a sickening mindset that needs to change.
Why should audience show sympathy to character where she says she had sex at the age of 19 willingly with the boy friend!!!
This is precisely why I said that the film isn’t a preachy, wannabe feminist story. It’s the ultimate liberal film in the sense that it asks the audience to sympathize with girls/women who want to be treated as equals. In fact, the film even suggests that some of them might have taken money for sex (in the past) as well. Even so, it’s their right to say NO, whatever be the circumstances. This is the point — and it’s hard for many to take it coming from a girl who’s not a virgin! Of course, nobody asks if a guy is a virgin or not. One wouldn’t be considered ‘man’ enough if one admits to being one. But that’s a different matter!
Read somewhere that Akshay kumar is a Canadian citizen. Is it true? He said in an interview that he holds dual citizenship, but its not possible because one has to relinquish indian citizenship to get passport of any other country. https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Akshay-Kumar-take-up-Canadian-citizenship
Pink did well on Saturday as it showed had huge growth of around 80%. The film is on the lines of Neerja and Piku not only is the growth on Saturday similar but it is the same audience of high end multiplexes which is making the film work. Some of these theatres in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi were actually showing good collections and hitting 60-65% occupancy. Other A centres like a Lucknow or Ludhiana also had strong growth but the collections there still remain average while mass circuits like CPCI and Bihar remain poor despite big growth on Saturday but the film does not really need these markets to perform and can get away with its high end multiplex performance.. The metros will take the film to success and Monday will decide if the film can be a hit as costs are reasonable. Below is the first two day business of Pink.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 11,69,00,000 apprx
Raaz Reboot struggled on day two as business was similar to the first day with most of the circuits where it managed average business like a Nizam and UP going down on day two. There was improvement at some multiplexes but it was a limited push. Both Pink and Raaz Reboot needed a 20 crore nett weekend and Raaz Reboot will not get while Pink has a chance but even if it does not get at least it has a trend where it can make ground on the weekdays. The first two day business of Raaz Reboot is as follows
boring kyun? And why is “about” page blank? I enjoy your writing the most on SS. Baki sare ek aur, aur aap ek aur. There is a certain honesty (satyam?) to your writing and has that nonwriterness (-aka same ghisa-pita liberal sounding lol) to it, that lends it very fresh n delightful to read. Keep up the good work. And now my comment will mysteriously disappear 😉
An Jo Satyamshot ke Amitabh Bachchan hain di ke liye, 1 se lekar 10 tak AB, phir kisi aur ka naam aata hai! Pink hi sahi, An Jo apne Satyamshot ke ‘swa-nirvasan’ se bahar aaye aur aate hi sixer!! Hope you are not going to vanish this time and will keep us hooked with your ‘out of the box’ views.
Excellent review, Anjo. Loved reading it…and glad you liked the film so much.
P.S. Re:My favorite line in the movie, just because I am in love with the ‘liberals’ from any society is by the character named Javed: Look, I can either be truthful or liberal. What do you want me to be?
You forgot to mention that Javed is later on shown to be a giant prick, who abandons Falak when she needed him the most! Guess who’s the director siding with in the end?
Girish Johar @girishjohar 10h10 hours ago
#UriAttack … 17 soldiers killed, 20 injured …so sad ….PATHETIC act by militants… RIP our brave soldiers
I know this is not a political blog but my rant here is more common sense & partly connected to films. When at each incidents like the one above, the Indian & foreign intelligence agencies point to Pak meddling who in their right mind will think about getting actors & comedians from an enemy camp and insult our fallen soldiers !
At one level, one can justify a movie like ADHM, where the setting is London and the characterization demand foreign actors, but I fail to understand is a why others like a K&Sons or a even Raees (though its not 100% certain) would employ a Mahira Khan to act as an Indian journo in hindi movie.
I hate the Shiv Sena for their hooliganism & extortionist nature of their operations in Mumbai but more so I tend to sympathize with their anti-pak stance to movies&sports. We got to be naive to believe all this cultural & person to person contact will ease tensions and rivalries when clearly this is not simply border and showmanship issue and at the bottom is a Hindu-Muslim conflict and unlikely to resolve until the other is completely demolished. Just look at all the channels today and where is all the anger directed. What it clearly does is harm the vast muslim populace living in India who try to make ends meet & lead a normal life and they are easily clubbed with the enemy nation at a drop of a hat like what SRK these days is is facing with his Jio ad.
Why is it so difficult for our film makers to shun actors / players from across the border…..Does Pak invite a Srk, Akki or Sallu to work in their movies……. ?
Agree with this and this is why i find Karan Johar so manipulative. Apparently ash/Anushka/ Fawad are all playing Pakistanis in this movie. This was completely unnecessary and only done because Pakistanis make up a large proportion of the Overseas BO, and he is just trying to maximize that. He knows that its BO prospects are always capped in the Indian BO so he’s making up for it with this move. More over, I bet some political parties (probably Shiv Sena) will try to ban the movie or block it thus creating free controversy / publicity and increasing the Indian Box office by about 10% from the liberal multiplex audience members fighting for free speech or some bs , and Karan Johar ends up w a 200 crore world wide grosser which is enough to call ADHM a hit, but of course Fox bears losses, and the end result is something like my name is khan’s box office and reception.
As much I like tit for tat response in this case but I understand any war will put India couple of decades back economically. You have to choose your poison. Constant festering or war; Pakistan is not going to change its ways. The political leadership of Pakistan cannot whisk away the hawks.
This where political leadership needs to take a stand unless the Indian govt is under some kind of behind the scene game plan of waiting it out for enemy to wither away by its own slow death…..
The point is the way present generation blames Indira Gandhi for committing a blunder by not settling the Kashmir question in Shimla in 1972 on India’s terms when India was in the position of dictating terms as a victor of war, future generations may blame people in power today.
We know managing external relations is complex esp in a large and diverse democracy like India. But the fact remains that we have always been particularly generous to our neighbors where throwing around a bit more weight might have been beneficial in the long run.
I Appeal To SRK, Aamir & Salman To NOT Release Their Films On Holidays
“…….Because they don’t know filmmaking. With stars on board, they know that they’ll get the initial numbers na? Get the Khans and release it on holidays, catch the audience over a festival weekend. Often the films open well, not essentially because they are all good films but because of the good period. In fact, the stars must say that ‘we are crowd-pullers and we’ll release it on normal weekends. I appeal to the 3 Khans to take a call that they won’t release their films on holidays. Let the new crop prosper. As seniors, let us be providers. Films of new actors and makers come during periods of Ramzan, Examinations and IPL, and fail at the ticket windows. Woh dab ke mar jaate hain.
Do you think that…?
(Interrupts) The industry needs 12 Salmans not 1, 12 Deepikas not 1, 12 Raju Hiranis not 1. Seniors in the industry have to think about this. The industry needs to get healthy.
Will the corporates listen to the 3 Khans if they tell them to not release their ventures on big holidays?
Kaunse corporate ki majaal hai ki Khan ko na bole? How can they overrule any of the 3 Khans? What is any corporate’s personal credibility? They are a case of baith ja baith gayi, khadi ho ja khadi ho gayi, ghoom jaa ghoom gayi.
Mukesh Bhatt has contradicted his own statements in this interview, for instance his response is devoid of any rationale when asked this question-
”Is it that Studios want stars essentially?
Because they don’t know filmmaking. With stars on board, they know that they’ll get the initial numbers na? Get the Khans and release it on holidays, catch the audience over a festival weekend. Often the films open well, not essentially because they are all good films but because of the good period. In fact, the stars must say that ‘we are crowd-pullers and we’ll release it on normal weekends. I appeal to the 3 Khans to take a call that they won’t release their films on holidays. Let the new crop prosper. As seniors, let us be providers. Films of new actors and makers come during periods of Ramzan, Examinations and IPL, and fail at the ticket windows. Woh dab ke mar jaate hain.”
Now he is stating 2 very opposite things and either may be true, but not both. He believes that studios are encashing the massive pull of Khans on festive weekends with out knowing filmmaking and further raising doubts over the star power of Khans by asking them to release their movies during normal periods. Even if we take his presumptions to be true, Khans have ‘earned’ the faith of the audience over years and also the festival periods of their own gradually as Christmas and Eid were never considered an auspicious occasion for big releases before Aamir and Salman turned them in to most enviable release dates respectively besides Deepawali which Shahrukh had monopolised long before! January was also considered an unfavourable period before 2006 when RDB released on Republic day! Black was to release in January but due to the belief January being an inauspicious month for movie release, it was pushed ahead to February and released in the first week of February!! And it’s not as if Tiger Shroff’s films would start becoming blockbusters on these festivals! There are multiple factors behind the gigantic success Khans have been enjoying during these festival periods not the ‘festivals alone’.
Myselfaamir you get everything right in your comment….there are a lot of contradictions there by Bhatt and at the end of the day the interviewer does hint to him that its not charity and industry goes by survival of the fittest model and purely driven by market dynamics.
I put up the piece also for corruption in films where producers just ripped the studio. The kashyap, vikas bahl types along with ranbir/shahid kind of actors thrived on the studio model and may be same what ashutosh-hrithik did recently with Mohenjo daro. That is why hyping themselves, staying in media / social media sites has become all the more important for such players.
“……..(Interrupts) Oh, we are making lovely cinema, we are making poetry (gets animated). Hawa mein baat karte hain, so vague they talk. I look at them and smile….”
“,,,,,on the other hand, the industry has now started projecting flops as hits. In fact, some of the guys even started actually believing that their flops were hits. Imagine! It was such a schizophrenic way of functioning. In the bargain, actors, technicians and even the lower rung got corrupt. It was a free-for-all”
“The time has come for some serious correction. Corporates should stop paying actors insane amounts of money. A cameraman who charged only Rs 10-15 lakh per film is now charging Rs 1 crore”
”Coming back to your point that the Khans should give away the holidays to other stars…
I am not saying ‘other stars’. I am saying ‘newcomers’. I am not saying ‘Khans should give it to Varun Dhawan’. Else you are making Varun Dhawan into a monster. Let me explain: Salman should allow Sooraj Pancholi’s film to release on Eid. Karan Johar should be allowed to release his Student of the Year 2 on a Diwali and no big star should clash with him; let’s not forget that SOTY Part 1 gave us 3 talented people. We have to create a wealth of talent and the seniors- actors, producers, directors- must lead from the front.”
MSDhoni this is not the end of the story as he gives an example of ‘hapless’ Sooraj Pancholis of this world and ‘SOTY 2’ as examples of this ‘noble model and cause’ to save Bollywood! Look how far he could go while ‘seremonising’ industry to avoid the upcoming upheaval the current model is likely to bring about! This ‘nepotism’ is the cardinal cause behind the current state of Bollywood where Imran Khans and Emraan Hashmis are kept providing movies on their platter despite former being the worst mainstream actor ever with just one emotion and latter delivering disasters one after the other! Yet Mukesh Bhatt wants to make us believe in his gospel truth which is ”We are not in the business of making films. We make destinies”!! How far one can go in trying to be next to ‘GOD’ is closest i have read or heard with such narcissistic, egotistic vanity!
Second thing he wants us to believe that emerging talents will get the similar response from the audience as these Khans, Kumar and Roshans are getting is another wishful fantasy which will certainly cost Bollywood dearly as in his ill-advised scenario, neither party is going to benefit. There will be a loss of huge revenue as people would not shell out the huge amount just to watch ’emerging talents’ and on the other hand there would be a certain drop in the final gross of big star’s movies as festive periods do help in adding extra Crores to the final gross!
Problem lies elsewhere which he didn’t even insinuate as a factor for the crisis Bollywood has been going through, which is insane ticket pricing which is causing the shrinking revenue from theatrical and forcing masses to indulge in piracy. How could, a family of 4 or 5 with a monthly income ranging from Rs. 25000 to 75000, ‘afford 2000 to 3000 bucks every week just on movies with so much inflation?? It’s not if they don’t want to but it’s because they can not afford to due to astronomical ticket prices. This is most vital aspect where the radical and drastic measures ought to be taken for any chance of revival as piracy would keep flourishing as long as masses are priced out even before the release of the movie! Southern film industry could teach a lot in this respect as they have put the audience at the forefront which is what Bollywood should emulate as a model, as this model is self-reliant and self-dependent with out needing any help from outside.
Pink 3rd Day Box Office Collection [Sunday] Total 3 Days/ 1st Weekend
The movie is seen with outstanding response from audiences at Indian theatres. The film as per Taran Adarsh is earning good income from multiplexes rather than single screens as they are dominated by Raaz Reboot led by Emraan Hashmi.
The film is able to earn better collection than Vikram Bhatt’s directorial movie “Raaz Reboot”. The impact movie with solid performance and good direction opens on a good note on Sunday morning shows. The film form the start of the day itself, is seen with good audience at theatres and it was seen with maximum audience in evening shows.
As per early estimates, Pink morning shows of Day 3 is seen grossing 1.59 crores* and after making good income in opening shows, it makes a business of 2.22 crores* in afternoon shows whereas evening collections were 3.17 crores. Night show for Sunday marks 2.31 crores*.
Therefore, Pink 3rd day box office collection makes a total business of Rs 9.29 crores which is excellent hike for Amitabh Bachchan starrer.
This takes Pink 3 days total collections i.e. 1st weekend business at Rs 21.26 crores* which is a good news for Shoojit Sarcar.
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta 2h2 hours ago
Reproducing my Friday tweet: Poor opening of #Pink . My assessment:Collections wil not just pick up in multiplexes, they will shoot up.
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta 2h2 hours ago
Indeed, that’s what happened. #Pink on Friday: 4.25 crore. Saturday: 7.5 crore. Sunday: seems to be 9.5 crore. Total: 21.25 crore!!!!!
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 12h12 hours ago
#Pink Fri 4.32 cr, Sat 7.65 cr. Total: ₹ 11.97 cr. India biz… OUTSTANDING at plexes… ₹ 20 cr [+/-] weekend on the cards… 👍👍👍
Bachchan has a hit 43 years after Zanjeer.. it beggars the imagination.. it’s been a trivia game with me to keep measuring this gap, I’ve been doing it for years. It will also be interesting to see where this film ends up. Piku was a much lighter, more accessible film. On the other hand the response to Pink is easily stronger than the already very positive Piku one. In fact even in the trade I see some ‘usual suspects’ who are often not happy to celebrate more niche films and/or not very eager to celebrate a Bachchan success give this total endorsement. The film has clearly struck a chord.
He also has received 5 National Awards, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan in the same period. In all likelihood, he will also receive the Phalke award and also the Bharat Ratna in the future.
I fear getting chomped but nonetheless truth will set me free, so I will take the bait.
@”Bachchan has a hit 43 years after Zanjeer.. it beggars the imagination.. it’s been a trivia game with me to keep measuring this gap, I’ve been doing it for years”
Why are you putting a closure to this and this preemptive assertion? Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!!!
What Bachchan has done since Zanjeer/1973 to date is unprecedented, groundbreaking, unparalleled, unequalled ….we can continue putting these adjectives and that won’t be sufficient. We also wish and pray he continues this path for years to come and has a productive & healthy life.
What we ‘do know’ is the trajectory Bachchan career path is following and doing a oft repeated rumsfeld quote which I really like – ‘here are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know!
Now in contemporaneous universe, for the last 27 years there is also a graph moving upwards in positive territory since its inception. The trajectory is running parallel to the mentioned above and for sake of argument with a higher standard deviation all things considered & allowing for inflation. What is clear at the moment is that a 4-5 cr opening day is still a distant 10/12 years away for this contemporary graph.
So let’s leave the final verdict and how this will be analyzed to the historians when all’s said & done.
Out of respect for the Indian captain and also to avoid confusions while discussing the next blockbuster coming our way on Sept 30th, I will henceforth forego my username.
TigerZindaHai seems tempting to take up but at the moment I am going to settle with a low key ‘livewire’. Please make appropriate adjustments to your databases as MSDhoni is not going to be available for sometime.
Marigold is one of the biggest disasters of all time as it wasn’t able to collect even 1 Crore with its budget @ around 25 Crore in 2007!! I can’t think of any recent release of any top star failing to even cross 1 Crore mark!!
The 43 year old span for hits would be done by many of AB’s contemporaries. Rajni did his debut in 1975 and has a hit this year – a massive one. Kamal debuted in 1959 as child artist and has hits spanning 60 years…I am sure Dilip Kumar also would have it. Mohanlal, Mamooty also will have it…If you are saying it with respect to Bollywood then that’s fine. But I don’t doubt for a moment that the Khans will be around in some capacity 20 years down the line assuming they are alive course…
Dilip Kumar last solo Hit was Ram Aur Shyam in 1967 at age of 45 .. Nothing substantial for next 13-14 years till he did comeback in multistarrers of 80’s with Kranti, Karma and Saudagar as Hits. His last was Quilla in 1996 and it was disaster.
Hahaha.. You are using ‘solo’ multistarrers. LMAO. Being a bachchan fan, you should know what’s in reality Solo vs Multistarrer. He actually retired after Ram aur Shyam and did only few films for close friends till he came back in 1981 with Kranti.
I know where you are coming from master. In those 80’s multistarrer, Dilip kumar was not the driving force except Karma where his role was really good. Saudagar actually underperformed at boxoffice, it was first movie where cracks were visible in subhash ghai direction. Kranti anyways was out n out Manoj kumar movie.
But all this is not the point, fact is after age 45(1967) Dilip did nothing important except few in 80’s and NO, he never took retirement .. its just that his movies didn’t work.
“Dilip did nothing important except few in 80’s and NO, he never took retirement .. its just that his movies didn’t work.”
You are completely ignorant my friend. Talks were always there during his peak about his retirement. He wasn’t interested to continue working all his life. That’s why he did only odd 50 films in his whole career. Right after producing and ghost directing Ganga Jamuna in 1961 which was huge blockbusters he stopped accepting movies and industry was upset with his retirement. Then after 3 years he did Leader and Dil diya and dard liya. These were 2 of his comeback signed movies and then he got married in 1966 and accepted the southern remake offer of Ram aur Shyam. He did few films after that in Bengali with Saira Banu and did the same remake in Hindi and other friends like BR Chopra and Asit Sen and then stopped in ’75. Even best offers that time like Trishul(Sanjeev Kumar’s role) and all he kept rejecting. Then Manoj Kumar had huge project and kept requesting him for years as he was his idol and then finally he accpeted and came back with Kranti in 1981 and all other offers starter pouring from Ramesh Sippy to Yash Chopra to Subhash Ghai and you want us to believe that he had no offers? Flopping is another matter but he was always extremely selectively and lived his life in semi-retirement phase after ’61.
Please learn some bollywood history my friend and not just surround with Bachchan history.
actually this isn’t the truth either. Between the number of films Dilip Kumar did in the 50s and the 60s there’s a big gap. Being selective only explains part of it, specially when coupled with his declining box office fortunes. Pretty much every single film of his failed after Gunga Jumna in 1961 and the disastrous Bairaag in 1976. He certainly tried a number of things, some of it more interesting than others but nothing quite worked. Ram our Shyam was really the exception not the rule. Now this didn’t mean he didn’t have any standing as a star but as a box office he was more or less finished. These things happen. Dilly Kumar was first among equals in the 50s but in the 60s Dev Anand had a longer run than him despite also being a declining star. Raj kapoor similarly barring a few high points was more or less done as major star in the 60s though of course he was also a director and the combination was very effective. Sangam was one of the big hits of that decade. Again even a fading star can trade on his iconic appeal enough to stay relevant for a while. dilip Kumar packed it in after Bairaag. When he returned with Kranti the only success he ever got besides this film (which was a huge multistarrer) was in Subhash Ghai’s films (also generally big multistarrers). Of course I won’t play this stupid game that many anti-Bachchan folks do. If Dilip Kumar didn’t mean anything why would he even have those central roles in those Ghai films or many of the other films he did in the 80s. So he did have a bit of a reinvention moment in that decade. But nothing really worked besides the films he did with Ghai by and large. Even Shakti is by Bachchan’s standards an underperformer, it did well enough, was a profitable film but way worse stuff Bachchan did at the time did better than this. Yes it was a grim subject and so on and yes its prestige was always greater than its box office, either way Dilip Kumar wasn’t lighting it up a the box office. Again he had his prestige. It meant something to have Dilip Kumar in a film.
The Bachchan analogy is deeply inaccurate though. In other words if one follows the silly narrative of many of the folks arguing against Bachchan then he’s an even bigger star than many of the pro-Bachchan folks claim. Why? Because if the man is nothing and if his films aren’t doing anything and so forth it’s mysterious why he continues to be this prolific in every avenue of popular culture and why at even the purely cinematic level he’s able to attract every kind of project from the smallest to the biggest and every kind of director from the prestige end to the commercial blockbuster type. It means something when Bachchan does Black or Piku or Pink but it equally means something when he does Mohabbatein or Thugs of Hindustan. One could keep multiplying these examples. Yes a lot of bad decisions on his part, a lot of poor films, a lot of poor parts, too many films at certain points. I am still the biggest critic of his choices since the 80s. But these debates have to come about in an environment of sanity. When Sachin played a certain way at the age of 36 and when he clearly wasn’t his former self the question to be asked was: what must he have been at his peak if he could still keep adding centuries at that rate after the age of 35? Similarly if Bachchan despite all his choices can keep getting this amount of work, if he can still be the most credible brand ambassador for all kinds of things across all kinds of markets, if he can become legendary just for a TV show, if he can excite the critics like no other actor still, in an interesting film, if he cans till physically dwarf all the competition at its peak, I could keep going on, but if he can do it at his age or the age he’s been for so long what must he have been like at his peak as a force?
I’m not saying you’re stating the opposite, just making a larger set of points here because stupidity unfortunately abounds in these matters and it’s on display all the time. As I always say no one can really, truly understand Rajesh Khanna at his peak let alone the much longer Bachchan arc which continues to this day. And again I’ve been his strongest critic in many ways and on his blog but certain discussions are sane, others simply aren’t. He’s the most ubiquitous pop culture figure by far over the last two decades. You don’t become that and despite some very questionable decisions if there isn’t a market out there for you and which market isn’t only measurable by box office returns. No matter how legendary a star you are you don’t just keep getting prestige films if your market has entirely evaporated. And so the analogy with Dilip Kumar doesn’t hold. What Dilip Kumar did in the 80s was pretty good and certain more than any senior star had been able to manage till then. But what Bachchan has done is as always greater by several orders of magnitude. The difference of degree is such that the analogy doesn’t even begin. This doesn’t mean one should be unkind to Dilip Kumar’s legacy and career but often stupidity about Bachchan (which itself confirms everything I;m saying.. why do people need to argue against him so much?! even the stupidity is symptomatic!) is the constant in these discussions.
Again not saying you’re suggesting all of this but as I quite often do I’m addressing an entire field of opinion in this matter.
At some other time I’ll repeat some points from the past on Bachchan’s acting style in his late career. Again I’ve addressed this on his blog as well but I certainly don’t hold the ‘majority’ view on this.
Btw.. this is Kamal Hassan’s thought on Dilip Kumar and talks about his retirement so early in his career with lost interest!
Haasan is very upset with the awesome Dilip Kumar for giving up too early, “He had no right to retire so early. I think he gave up 40 years too early, thereby depriving us of many path-breaking performances that may have happened if he hadn’t lost interest. But what he has done in the past is staggering. Mughal-e-Azam and Ganga Jumna make my jaws drop every time I view them. I can’t see a single flaw in his performance. Best actor this country has ever produced? Hands down! He is beyond a national treasure.”
These are Naseeruddin Shah’s words on Bachchan and DK:
Dilip Kumar’s contribution is immense. He was fortunate to work with great filmmakers, Bimal Roy, Mehboob Khan, K Asif. When he became bigger than the film, that’s when his decline began, post-the magnificent Ganga Jamuna.
Amitabh continued Dilip Kumar’s tradition and bettered that school of acting. I consider him a better actor to Dilip Kumar because he sustained it longer. He’s proved himself capable of playing all sorts of parts. I just wish he’d backed more than popcorn movies. He was in a position to change the industry. Obviously, he didn’t want to. But there’s no denying his greatness as an actor.
This is precisely my hypothesis as well. The latter part of DK’s career is all hype and no substance. He was as full of his trademark mannerisms as Rajesh Khanna was during his peak.
There’s a world of difference between Dilip Kumar in Naya Daur and Dilip Kumar in Shakti. The latter performance is a caricature whereas the former is still a joy to watch.
“actually this isn’t the truth either. Between the number of films Dilip Kumar did in the 50s and the 60s there’s a big gap. Being selective only explains part of it, specially when coupled with his declining box office fortunes. ”
I don’t want to continue this further but if you saying its not the truth doesn’t make it wrong. Basically, you don’t agree with the notion of semi-retirement or retirement. Your choice but after giving MEA, he didn’t sign any movies for next 5 years. All his did was complete his self produced/directed Ganga Jumna(which is the foundation for Deewar). So, when an actor delivers 2 of his best movies and then doesn’t do movies next 4 years, where does the talk about boxoffice comes? If he wasted his peak time by not signing movies, how are we even talking about declining boxoffice failures. Yes.. his comeback movies didn’t work but then he didn’t do them right after MEA or GJ or else he would have continued that momentum. He literally stopped accepting movies. By the time he came back and did Leader/Dil liya Dard liya.. it was long time from MEA and GJ and that peak was gone and he was older.
Deewar borrows from a lot of sources. From On the Waterfront to Mother India to Gunga Jumna. Not that this means anything. Sholay borrows from a whole host of films. ‘Greatness’ is not reduced by borrowing, otherwise most of the world’s art would be problematic. It’s about what one does with the borrowing.
On the rest you might want to familiarize yourself with his timeline a bit:
Leader was incidentally a major project and its failure at the time was considered a big blow to him. Yes Dilip Kumar reduced his workload quite a bit but this is true for the other two members of that great trio from the 50s as well. Raj Kapoor also does far less, even the irrepressible Dev (he has probably as many films as those two combined for the 60s but this also holds for the 50s! his number nonetheless came down). What’s the common thread here? These are all aging stars. It’s hardly uncommon for important or even great stars to become more selective as they get older because of course they can’t maintain the same sort of volume. Yes Dilip Kumar might have had longer absences at points but he still did enough major films in all kinds of setups and failed doing so. Put differently if Aamir takes a break and comes back the burden to succeed increases, not the opposite. A star can choose to be Aamir or Salman but the success graph has to be maintained one way or the other. Dilip Kumar’s cause was not helped by doing fewer films. And it’s not just this, one could examine his entire graph post-Gunga Jumna through Qila in 1994 and see what’s going on. And here I’m once again not playing the game of excluding multistarrers. I am including them. It’s still not much. Once more this doesn’t mean there was no market for him. Just a limited one. Do you really think he wouldn’t have done more if he had got many more good opportunities through the 60s and 70s? And whether he was dragged out again by Manoj Kumar or not the fact remains that when you do stuff like Dharam Adhikari and Kanoon Apna Apna and Izzatdaar and what not in the following decade or a bit later, when you do a double role in your final film Qila where one brother rapes a courtesan (Rekha)it’s a bit hard to believe that one maintained quality standards in the 60s and 70s that one suddenly forgot at an even older age. I can understand Kranti or Shakti or Ghai but not the other stuff. The facts are what they are. We don’t even have to get into the psychological motivations here because while those might explain a reduced frequency to some degree they don’t quite explain a dramatically reduced success rate. And again I am not arguing against Dilip Kumar (even though I’ve never been much of a fan) for the simple reason that I don’t bring in personal things in these matters. Dilip Kumar did a number of high profile films following Gunga Jumna and ending with Deewar. There are two major double roles here and one triple. He did some very commercial stuff, he did some more offbeat stuff, he did a multistarrer, all kinds of things, it just didn’t work except on the very exceptional day. I have a sense of why this was the case but that’s another debate.
Also, this is complete in contrast when Amitabh took break in 1992 to 1997. This he did when his movies were not working and he took this retirement. But whereas Dilip Kumar did when he delivered his biggest 2 blockbusters and best movies. I can’t believe you folks turn a blind eye to this simple fact which no one needs to prove it. Its all out there in the open.
If DK had not lost interest and worked 5 years prime after MEA in some movies.. that CV of films would have been different. By mid 60’s and early 70’s the trend was different.
Actually Bachchan took his first break in the 80s between ’86 and ’88. When he was in politics. He left in ’92 the second time. On the rest the films weren’t working in many cases by his lofty standards but he was still indisputably the biggest star in terms of the initial and even on the gross he had some of the biggest ones at the time even when he failed. Anyway this is again a different debate. I don’t want this distraction when it’s about Dilip Kumar.
Again you just don’t know Dilip Kumar’s timeline. there is no 5 year gap anywhere. GJ released in ’61, Leader released in ’64. You’re confusing it with his 5 year break following Bairaag and here this was a terrible failure following years of failures. He was neither getting the biggest initials or anything close to this nor the biggest grossers or anything remotely close to this.
“Again you just don’t know Dilip Kumar’s timeline. ”
You are completely following the IMDB timeline.. which is incorrect. I’m very right about timelines. MEA was supposed to release in ’59 and after that he was just shooting GJ. MEA ended up releasing in ’60 with color post production and then GJ had lot of issues with censors and issues and then finally halted and released in Jan 01, ’61. That’s a well known issue and even tracked in Wiki (2nd para).
Leader released in Jan 1964 as far as I know. presumably he started the shoot before this. But in any case the ‘break’ however long or short hardly advances your argument. The relevant debate is about how well or not he did. Whatever films he did not work between GJ and Bairaag. And since you’ve quoted Wikipedia check out how they characterize the 60s and 70s for Dilip Kumar:
by the way Wikipedia is hardly error-free. Just quoting it since you have. by the way there were all kinds of stories at the time including the fact that Dilip Kumar had been suffering psychological problems because of all the serious/tragic roles he did and that he needed lighter films and so on.
Incidentally the IMDB timeline is not incorrect. It’s just mentioning release years. I was pointing to it also to highlight the number of films he did after ’61.
” The relevant debate is about how well or not he did.”
Actually the only reason Dilip Kumar is remembered is not for his boxoffice hits but for his acting/talent/depth. It has no corelation to boxoffice. My point is that he didn’t utilize his peak and slowed down early on and many do emphasis this point.. even Kamal Hassan as I put it above.
I don’t think anyone is comparing DK with boxoffice blockbusters(MEA is an exception), he was and is always known for his acting and talent. Its the standing purely as an actor and respect he commanded over decades in the industry. Tomorrow even Varun Dhawan can have more hits than DK but that doesn’t mean anything.
Wrong again. Dilip Kumar was the leading box office star of his age. First among equals (Dev, Raj Kapoor). He had the greatest prestige as an actor but he was also the greatest box office star in the 50s. The other two were often class, Raj Kapoor had some hugely iconic hits but in sum Dilip Kumar was still considered the greatest, a school for a couple of generations of actors. But this didn’t come at the expense of his box office.
The Kamalahasan example is also misplaced. Yes he was never Rajni but the greatest star other than the latter in that period. Tamil cinema in any case has a ‘double’ structure where the ‘greatest’ actor is a huge box office figure but never quite as much of a phenomenon as the greatest star (Shivaji to MGR, Kamal to Rajini). Of course beyond a point the gap widened much more here in pure box office terms and there are multiple reasons for this but in any case this wasn’t Dilip Kumar’s fate. the trio more or less faded at the same time (unless one thinks Dev’s absurd 70s career (following Johnny Mera Naam) is worth anything. Dilip was absolutely definitional for the longest time and not just because of his acting. A commercial star can never have that kind of formidable reputation as an actor without also being a formidable box office force. The 50s was his peak. He had great success in this decade and the films on which he built his reputation. After this decade ended it came apart rather quickly for him. MeA or GJ became capstones to a great career rather than suggestive of a great career arrested midstream. He just looked passé in the 60s in most ways. also sometimes things change suddenly. The 60s really brought newer stars, different sorts of films and for want of a better word a different aesthetic. It just wasn’t Dilip Kumar’s world anymore.
BENGALURU: A 22-year-old woman suspected to have instigated the arson attack on 42 buses of a Tamil Nadu-based operator in Bengaluru last week was allegedly offered Rs 100 and a plate of biryani to join the protests over Cauvery water-sharing.
C Bhagya is one of 11 people arrested for the September 12 attack. The suspects have been accused of dousing the crew of the KPN fleet with diesel and threatening to burn them. It was on account of CCTV footage from the yard where the buses were parked, as well as mobile phone videos filmed by the crew, that police suspected Bhagya to be the agent provocateur.
However, Bhagya’s mother Yellamma has told the media that her daughter was offered Rs 100 and a plate of mutton biryani by “friends” to join the protests. Bhagya stays with her parents in Girinagar, close to the KPN garage, and is a daily wager. “Bhagya had just returned home around noon (on September 12) when some men known to her came over and asked her to join the protests.They promised to give her biryani and Rs 100 at the end of the day,” Yellamma said.
Police sources said the footage from the arson site also shows other women, but it is not clear if they played an active role in the vandalism. Bhagya is the only woman among the 400-odd people arrested in connection with the September 12 violence in Bengaluru. She is currently in police custody for further questioning.
A senior police officer said it was not yet clear if Bhagya was leading the mob. “As of now, we can say she was one of the arsonists,” the officer added.
Roshans to move ‘Krrish 4’ from Christmas 2018 as Shah Rukh Khan announced the date first and claims he wasn’t aware of SRK’s film announcement!
Emphasizing on the fact that he had no idea the 2018 date was taken, Roshan Sr told BT, “It is unethical for me to release my film on this date as Shah Rukh has already announced his movie.” However, he’s in no mood to shift ‘Kaabil’, as he states, “I had announced the date for ‘Kaabil’ earlier. If they are coming on the same date, then I can’t do anything about it.”
Roshan adds, “I don’t know what they will eventually decide. We’re here to make films, not create controversies. As far as Shah Rukh is concerned, he’s like a younger brother to me. I gave him a break in ‘King Uncle’, and then worked with him in ‘Karan Arjun’ and ‘Koyla’.”
Rakesh Roshan is a fool if he thinks people will believe he did not know SRKs film was releasing then. Better just to say I’m making a point and happy to ruin my son and younger brothers career in the process.
Two things. Firstly Roshan might have really missed the annoucement as it wasn’t as big as Thugs or well publicized or even a huge film. It was just a week or 2 back. Also, Roshans just tentaively gave statement that they will start work on Krrish 4 will release around Christmas 2018 with no particular release date in mind.
Seocondly, its a game.. just annouce the date and then back off from Chrismas 2018 and prove a point.. see, I backed off from clash as its unethical to announce 2nd, so you need to do the same with Kaabil/Raees clash. His statements(below) are already hinting at this.
*********
Roshan, however, is in no mood to shift the release date of Kaabil, which will hit the screens with SRK’s Raaes on January 26 next year. “I had announced the date for Kaabil earlier. If they are coming on the same date, then I can’t do anything about it,” he added.
Though there will be box office clash between SRK and Hrithik next Republic Day, Roshan insists there are no issues with the Dilwale actor.
“As far as Shah Rukh is concerned, he is like a younger brother. I gave him a break in King Uncle (1993) and then worked with him in Karan Arjun (1995) and Koyla (1997),” he said.
“Knowing him, I don’t think he will do anything unethical. I don’t know what they will eventually decide (referring to box clash between Kaabil and Raaes),” Roshan said.
, “It is unethical for me to release my film on this date as Shah Rukh has already announced his movie.”
Good joke as his ethics vanish in thin air while fudging boxoffice figures of Krishh 3 😆These tactics are just to show how generous and moral he is in real life!
AzmiShabana @ REPLY ALL DM FAV RT ? 4 hours ago
RTretweeted by mehdi_nisar1
@aamir_khan does it again. #Dangal is fantastic.Director Nitesh Tiwari d excellent writing d brilliant cast Aamirs most hearfelt performance
AzmiShabana @ REPLY ALL DM FAV RT ? 4 hours ago
RTretweeted by mehdi_nisar1
Watching #Dangal is d best birthday gift I could get. Thanku @aamir_khan nitesh tiwari kiran rao fatima sana u r outstanding
After finishing his last film, Dilwale, Rohit Shetty had been working round the clock, to finish and finalize the script of his remake of the 1989 hit film, Ram Lakhan, starring Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor. The film is to be helmed by Dharma Productions, Subhash Ghai and Rohit Shetty.
While news had Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra were to be roped in for the lead roles; seems like now no actor wants to do a two hero film with Rohit.
Every actor that Shetty has approached, told him that they would rather opt for a solo him by the director.
Seems like casting troubles for Rohit don’t seem to be ending anytime soon, thus he has decided to focus his energies, on Golmaal 4
Pink had a decent first weekend of around 21.50 crore nett but the trend is very strong for the film especially on Sunday. The film showed huge growth on Saturday of 80% and has followed up well on Sunday with growth of around 30%. The film has done business very similar to Neerja especially on Saturday and Sunday. The first day was around 50 lakhs nett less than that film but weeeknd returned with similar collections. The film should benefit on the weekdays due to the weekend trend and there is possibility of the Monday number being similar to Friday. The film has more than doubled the Friday business by Sunday which normally gives a chance for Monday to be equal to Friday as those dull circuits on Friday should go above on Monday. The weekend business of Pink is as follows.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,75,00,000
TOTAL – 21,44,00,000 apprx
The best performance for the film has come in West Bengal as that circuit has notched up around 1.60 crore nett (Neerja week one was 1.86 crore nett). After West Bengal it is Mysore, Mumbai, East Punjab and Delhi / UP in that order. The rest of the domestic circuits have not fared well with Nizam / Andhra being average while others are poor. Infact Raaz Reboot has collected better outside West Bengal, Mysore, Mumbai, East Punjab and Delhi /UP even over the the three days despite no growth for Raaz Reboot.
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
1h
#Pink witnesses MASSIVE JUMP on Sun… Sun biz is double of Fri… Sat growth [from Fri]: 77.08%… Sun growth [from Fri]: 120.83%… SUPER!
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
1h
Starting on a tepid note on Fri morning, the gradual growth in biz of #Pink is simply PHENOMENAL… Expected to be STRONG on weekdays too.
Decent ???? Now compare this commentary with Neerja first weekend – Similar pattern at boxoffice, same screens(1000), but Neerja was costly movie. So while Neerja has excellent written all over, PINK is just decent.
Neerja Has Second Best Opening Weekend Of 2016
Neerja had a good weekend recording the second highest weekend figures of 2016 after Airlift. The film is in second place but collections are almost half of Airlift. The first weekend business of Neerja is as follows
Friday – 4,50,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,75,00,000
Total – 21,75,00,000
The trend is very strong which has ensured a hit. The film has done very well in the metros while other areas grew on Saturday and Sunday but have probably not goe to the levels on Sunday to suggest strong final numbers in places in Gujarat and UP. The big cities are sure to do excellent business over the next few weeks.
Though I am happy for Komal Nahta. Poor chap finally gets his due on this blog !
On my previous comment wish to add that there is at least one thing which one can bring to closure and that is Bachchan conduct in public life which is matchless and without a single false note. That part of the genius is something which will never be emulated and is unrealizable.
I’m not giving Nahta any kind of ‘due’. I quote all sorts of sources all the time because they’re out there. This doesn’t mean I have any more trust in them than I’ve had before. They are all compromised or corrupt or both. Sometimes they accidentally agree with the truth for all sorts of reasons.
Secondly, and to repeat an old point, box office reporting isn’t merely about the numbers (at least in India), but also about the commentary. If the latter is dishonest the former becomes meaningless. Even something that is literally true can become false if it is cast in a framework that is that of a lie. Whether something makes 20 crores or 100 or 200 this is not a meaningful fact in itself (even assuming the numbers are being reported honestly), we need contexts to make sense of the numbers. And if there are lies attached to those contexts in the form of all kinds of misleading, selective or other kinds of dishonest narratives then the numbers even if true are pointless.
Of course this applies to many of the fans as well who can often match the likes of Nahta in matters of dishonesty.
Not one of Rangan’s better reviews, I’m afraid. For one, the reference to Baar Baar Dekho makes no sense; it’s an unnecessary digression. Second, Pink can hardly be described as a film that bridges the multiplex and single screen audiences. Forget single screens, it won’t register much activity in multiplexes across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Such is the nature of the debate that’s central to the storyline.
And finally, it has become fashionable of late to criticize Bachchan – the actor. What exactly is a late-career Bachchan performance anyway? If anything, he’s won more acclaim as an actor since the 2000s – three National Awards, no less! If people were expecting a Sunny Deol like performance (Damini) then they are bound to be disappointed. Bachchan in Pink has a very opaque presence, except for the courtroom scenes, and even there he takes time to open up. This is a very nuanced performance, and one that relies on his physicality more than ever. To summarize his performance in one sentence – his presence is the most mesmerizing in Pink. He doesn’t have to utter a single word and he is still able to chew up the scenery. One could certainly feel unsettled by all this, but that’s hardly any reason to single him out.
Leonardo DiCaprio helped an elderly couple, who seemed clueless about his celebrity status, find their way in around New York City.
The Hollywood superstar was walking his dog near the Hudson River when he was approached by the couple. They apparently needed help getting around the city.
“He was walking along with a friend and his dog, just strolling and right before sunset and an old couple was looking around and he walked up to them. It looked like they needed help.
“Then he pulled out his phone and showed them something on his phone. Then he reached out and pointed them in the direction to go and they went on their way,” an onlooker told People.
The actor was wearing a newsboy cap and sunglasses, which probably helped him go incognito, but this couple did not seem to notice they were talking to a star.
Iru Mugam has done well in second week. Chennai city will be around 4.5 crores. For its budget it will reach super hit mark I think. It might cross Rajni Mururgan in terms of gross to become the third biggest gross in 2016 behind Kabali and Theri.
Pink is a very well scripted film that relies on great performances and a screenplay that hardly digresses, making it taut and consistently engaging.
The girls are superb, but Amitabh seems to have made a habit of stealing the show from right under everyone else’s now without even bothering to try.
The court proceedings are loud at times, but sometimes you do need rhetorics and unsubtleties to drive home a point. Damini did it back in the 90s, and now Pink with its multiple lump in the throat moments..
Im still reeling under the effects of Amitabh’s excellent rendition of Tanvir Ghazi’s Tu Khud ki khoj Mei Nikal in the end credits..
Gox, I’m not letting your comments through.. these sorts of political comments become a free for all eventually and unfortunately very few people are responsible or mature enough to add anything useful. Of course the way your comments are framed is itself part of the problem but that’s another issue.
Subject was relevant and framing was deliberately kept such. Provoking can be used as a tool to get real feedback. I had access to this platform so i thought to get a feel of how people actually think. On twitter and facebook there are way too many fake & paid trolls to get any genuine feedback.
As i have watched #PINK now. Given its dark theme and relistic treatment i am surprised how it attracted so many audience over weekend. It will be intresting to see its performance at boxoffice, i have doubt if it can retain momentum. But this movie is defnitely much beyond boxoffice. I can’t add much beyond what already have said and discussed. The message should reach to each and every home for sure.
Bachchan towers through Pink — the way he bellows “et cetera” is alone worth having the heavy-hitter at play — but there are softer moments like one where he appears to have dozed off in court, or where he lays his head by his convalescent wife’s bedside and needs his hair ruffled and his conviction validated. It is a role that goes from saying nothing to talking too much, and that gear-shift is managed impressively by the actor, even though the film dismisses his mental condition quite conveniently as it goes on.
Raja Sen on Pink https://rajasen.com/2016/09/18/review-aniruddha-roy-chowdhurys-pink/
Re.-Other hiccups include Pannu’s freshly painted collarbone tattoo that gleams wetly throughout the proceedings
Bachchan’s Blog of today –
With celebration .. the pain of the attack on our forces unprovoked and killing 18 of our jawans .. our prayers are with the family of those that gave their lives in our protection .. but we are ANGRY .. !!
JAI HIND !!
During the shooting of the court room scenes, Shoojit Sircar would jump back from his station in front of the monitors and embrace the young girls after the shot and exclaim unbelievably :
“ kya kar rahe ho tum log “ !!
That above is Komal Nahata a relentless and ruthless commentator on the business of cinema, just gushing over the film and its prospects and declaring publicly that it is the best film ever .. that is a huge remark coming from him ..
This short ‘lol, true!’ quip signifies something much deeper and unfortunately to a large extent negates what has been professed here about marriage of convenience between a fan & source. This opportune Nahta approval is not such a big deal but simply strengthens my own beliefs in human traits.
Bachchanites now please stop cursing Nahta & add this to your do list !
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta 4h4 hours ago
Business & Art must meet for Bollywood to be in the #Pink of health!Catch Big B in conversation on ETC Bollywood Business, Thursday at 10 pm
& some more –
Amitabh Bachchan @SrBachchan Sep 19
T 2384 – For Komal Nahata, who is devastating in assessing box office fortunes, to say publicly that #PINK is the best ever, is something !!
Nahta only praises if he manages to get interviews and if you don’t give him that, he’s completely anti. That’s at least different than Taran Adarsh coz.. interviews are done by Faridoon and he doesn’t review movies.
Livewire, not sure who’s approving of Nahta. My longer comment yesterday should have made that clear for those with some some facility in English. Here though I was responding to Bachchan’s sardonic Hindi comment. Even his English comments I read in a similar vein. I pointed this out on day 1 myself. I was quite surprised that Nahta was so positive on the film because with many others that were niche in the same way or that jumped in the same sense he was quite unforgiving and just ignored the good news later. Paa and Piku spring to mind in this regard but there are others too.
But even if one were hypocritical on this score (which I’m not) it would perhaps be slightly less than the hypocrisy involved in believing in Salman’s innocence. Or not being consistent even in this hypocrisy (when he was convicted it was somehow a terrible legal system where others got off.. when he was let off no one could complain about the same legal system since Salman had been fairly released.. and leaving aside the legal story the question of who drove seems to have become as much of a puzzle as the Talaash ghost story..).
People who live in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones let alone huge rocks..
besides this you’re fast becoming the impossible fan who becomes madly jealous every time anything or anyone else gets any sort of attention from Pink to Aamir to the ADHM trailer or whatever. Akshay seems to be ok though and I don’t think it takes Einstein to understand why…! In any case the least important thing about the Pink reception might be whatever Nahta’s saying about it and/or whatever Bachchan’s saying in turn.
Heard Salman had a stomach upset today. Sorry to hear that. I know this a tense day for you but don’t worry. He’ll be back to normal soon.
Salman anxieties never seem to end here and a reference is made one way or the other in anything I say. For the last time – Salman legal stories are a thing of the past & it would serve well to one and all to respect the Indian judiciary and oft repeated legal jargon that nobody gets justice. People only get good luck or bad luck.
What I fail to understand is when a BoxOfficeIndia, Taran or a Komal are the only reliable quoted sources on this blog since eternity, why not grant them the verifiable source tag and give respect where respect is due. Why start adding ifs and buts as per our own liking? Commentaries are anyway personal opinions and being trade experts they get it right more often than we do here and are aware of the intricacies of the box-office incognito. When all is settled and done , don’t you feel they were the first to nab the Abhi fraud media was perpetuating on all of us.
With regards to resentfulness & so called jealousies, paper tigers bother me so you get my two cents on them. I have got a thing for genuine people and hate fake stars and verbiage.
Lastly like of the other members on this blog , I am a follower of good authentic cinema and just recently had a fulfilling sunday where watched Bajrangi Bhaijaan on StarPlus at 1 pm and then 4:30 pm was hooked on to Sholay on Movie Ok for another 3 hours. Both amazing piece of filmmaking and the experience was so profound and/or affecting I wouldn’t want to taint it with my biases for the actors. I would appreciate a Pink when I get to see it but like Bachchan himself said we are a tad 28 years behind to get our own The Accused.
Btw on another note , till I see Sultan again on TV, I would agree with you that BB is a real gem and on par with the best Hindi movies have to offer in recent days.
Livewire why does your ”good authentic cinema list” more often than not begin and end with Salman’s movies!! you had to name Sholay alongside BB to make your opinion sound less ”prejudiced”!! Your ”aversion” to Arijit Singh is solely due to Salman’s dislike for Arijit! And while that is your own prerogative to like or dislike anyone or anything but to keep twisting facts just to suit your own narratives,which you keep repeating, is akin to trying to project mirage as river in your reverie!! One sample is given below to ascertain my analysis-
”due to anxieties ended up listening to ADHM soundtrack over the weekend and let me say it is truly over hyped, over promoted & pumped for no reasons. The title track is just about okay and not a Kal Ho Na Ho it’s been made out to be and neither is the sufi Bulleya a Mitwa. Bulleya is below avg and picturisation gives us a sense of rockstar deja vu. The soundtrack at this time seems overrated and there are many others like me who feel the same and arijit singh sounds same all over the place.
The over promotions and constant chatter on social media gives this movie BV vibes in terms of putting people off. Ranbir simply cannot jump from doing below 60 cr netter to challenging the status quo at the top. He needs to get thru the middle rung of a ladder first to challenge the crème da crème de la crème.”
Look how far you could go by foretelling ADHM’s boxoffice fate to similar to that of BV!! But you rational faculties stop functioning when it comes to analysing Salman’s ‘Acting prowess” if anything of this sort exists or his pre-Dabangg period which was full of flops and disasters!
”I would appreciate a Pink when I get to see it but like Bachchan himself said we are a tad 28 years behind to get our own The Accused.”
Another convenient cherry-picking as if Salman has been delivering ”originals” since his debut that too without watching the movie as inspired and lifted are two starkly contrasting terms where Pink comes in the former category yet fully set in Indian ethos and ground realities.
Myselfaamir i was the first one who appreciated Tum Hi Ho sung by Arijit Singh but since then the guy has become too stale and sounds same in each and every song.Is it my fault ?
The hype he gets is equivalent to none other than a Sonu or Udit Narayan. Do you think he is of similar calibre?
We never had a Kishore / Rafi / Mukesh again but still i can live with Kumar Sanu / Sonu / Abhijeet and a Udit and can listen to them in isolation or while driving. Arijit unfortunately except for that Ashiqui song and that song Janam-Janam from Dilwale has to be turned off immediately.
On salman’s acting you need to revisit his movies and watch them in the context of the script and tone. Today in that mid day link I posted this is what Ali Zafar said today – “No one can be a huge star in this country if they aren’t good at acting. For me, an actor must necessarily have a connect with the audience. ”
I am talking from hindi audience point of view where song acting too forms an integral part.
Just watch Saathiya ye tune kya kiya from movie Love – the song and the acting is just first rate !!!
Further to my comment, will this make the grade for Satyamshot now ?
ETC Bollywood @ETCBollywood 7h7 hours ago
@SrBachchan talks about how @KomalNahta’s Box Office predictions are so accurate! Tune-in to watch tonight’s episode of ETC BBiz for more!
The point you’re trying to make is a mystery to everyone but yourself.. Bachchan has appeared on Nahta’s show before this as well. As for Bachchan saying that about Nahta I tend not to take most of his public pronouncements very seriously! And I’ve said this for years on his blog.
It’s getting hackneyed with the same formula of picking and choosing stuff as long it pleases and suits your own make-believe world, but the moment someone shows you the mirror, you’d come up with zillion fallacious logics under the garb of arguments to defend Salman ”the actor” or prove Aamir possesses only ”smart pants” act with your own abstruse defintions which are as intricate as ” BHAI’s acting’ and sometimes even evoking a laughter!! There is life beyond Salman and Aamir and they can certainly live happily without our round the clock defence, so let’s cherish “our life” as well 🙂
There seems to be a strange connect between best friends Kamya Panjabi and Pratyusha Banerjee. It took months for Kamya to come to terms with Pratyusha’s untimely death. She was however again reminded of her friend, who committed suicide by hanging herself on April 1 , while enacting a suicide scene in her TV show ‘Shakti — Astitva Ek Ehsaas Ki’. She felt like she was re-living Pratyusha’s last moments.
A rather disturbed Kamya says, “I am a strong woman. But shooting this scene, in which I commit suicide by hanging myself like my friend (Pratyusha) apparently did a few months ago, has been the most difficult one in my life. I was overwhelmed by a weird feeling of helplessness and had knots in my stomach.”
The actress further shares that she is constantly reminded of Pratyusha one way or the other, “It’s a huge coincidence that my show replaced ‘Balika Vadhu’, in which Pratyusha played the original grown-up Anandi. Our birthdays are just two days apart – hers being on August 10 and mine on 13th. Pratyusha’s birthday was the biggest occasion of her life and would begin the preparations a month in advance. She would insist on celebrating our birthdays together. I just couldn’t muster the courage to cut the cake on my birthday this year. My co-actors and the unit made me cut one finally. She used to stay over at my place and I still have her clothes and bag at my home.”
If you go by what they (CowSavers) do all the time, by now several articles on the Pancholis would have been around. Maybe this did not happen because Aamir himself kept out of this controversy.
These rumours perhaps began as Jiah’s mother Rabiya and Tahir are close friends.
However Tahir Hussain says “As far as I know, Rabiya is married to a man from Pakistan. Rabiya is a very close friend of mine, but I was never married to her and Jiah is not my daughter.” Jiah too has been hearing many of these rumours and many people have even asked her if she is related to Aamir Khan. A visibly upset Jiah says “This is completely untrue and utter rubbish. To be frank I don’t know much about my father and I have never asked my mother about him. All I know is that he was an American.”
*************
Tahir Hussain saying he’s close to Jiah’s mom but never married her(you don’t need to) and then Jiah khan saying I never asked about my dad to my mom and never know about his is enough for the rumor to be created.
Raaz Reboot Has Big Drop On Monday
Tuesday 20 September 2016 11.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot had a big fall on Monday as the film fell around 56% from Friday. The collections over the weekend were poor so a drop like this seals the fate of the film. The drops were across the board but the weekend trend suggested s difficult road ahead and that is what has happened. A horror film has to get its audience in the theatres on day one and that is where Raaz Reboot failed. It could be due to the censor board that a tamer film was made without the horror and sex usually associated with the Raaz brand but a brand has to stick to its strengths to have a chance.
Pink On Course To Emerge A HIT
Tuesday 20 September 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Pink has held up very well on Monday is on course to emerge a HIT. It basically has done what every film that does not open has to do to emerge a hit and that is Monday to be in the same range as Friday. The collections of Pink on Monday are very similar to Friday across all circuits. The bulk of the business remains in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, East Punjab, West Bengal and Mysore but others despite being low have recorded similar numbers to Friday. The trend on Monday is better than Neerja which had dropped around 20% from Friday while here there is hardly a drop. The first four day business of Pink is as follows.
The footfalls on Monday are higher than Friday by about 10% as multiplex ticket rates go down on weekdays from weekend levels. The film is looking to cross 35 crore nett for the first week and then the second Friday will determine the lifetime business of the film.
This is an extraordinary achievement. Tapsee Pannu and Amitabh Bachchan deserves all the accolades. One a rising female star and other a legend. Soojit Sarkar has more powers now. Sarkar should announce his next with BigB immediately.
I think BigB’s presence in the film on such a sensitive topic has given it immense respectability and goes with the legend’s persona. At this age he has managed to single-handedly taken this movie to a Superhit status. He is the world’s biggest super star.
I’d rephrase your sentence as one of the biggest star cum actors this world has ever witnessed transgressing all barriers i.e. region, religion, language, caste, gender, idealogy, age and many more to reach where he is!!
“He is ‘the unifier’ in the truest sense as seldom you, me, Naveen, MSDhoni, Master agree with one another”
If you don’t love Bachchan then you are not fan of bollywood. You can’t love hindi movies and not like bachchan or vice versa. They are interconnected and you can’t seperate them.
They have modified the Monday number and brought it down. It’s 3.75 Crores on their website now. They did the same thing for Sunday’s total, brought it down by 25 Lakhs.
It seems they look at Taran’s numbers and then make the change. Why are they not confident about their own sources?
The commentery of BOI says it all! This is an all-round triumph from boxoffice to critics bowing down to power of ‘Pink’! Let’s pray for the well being of anti-Bachchan brigade which might be sulking and seething after the thumping and roaring success of Pink 😉
” anti-Bachchan” – I really doubt if this exists in true sense. I can understand someone taking a stand differently on Bachchan in argument with a Bachchan fanatic. But no movie lover will ever be able to be if Bachchan had not been there. No Hindi film lover is complete without Bachchan. He is the equivalent of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh of Hindi film industry. No one can go against him. He is Pure.
U shudve been on NG circa 2005-2010 to truely understand anti-Bachanism from the rabidly paranoid SRK fan-groups. Or even on various other film blogs those days. Thankfully, SRK’s downfall began during those days and now his fangroups can hardly muster any arguments.
Justice Katju attacks Amitabh Bhachcan , calls him to have nothing in his head
Amitabh Bachchan
When I said Amitabh Bachchan has nothing in his head, many people asked me to elaborate. So I am writing this post.
Karl Marx had said that religion is the opium of the masses, used as a drug by the rulers to keep the masses pacified, so that they may not revolt
But the Indian masses need several drugs to keep them pacified, one is not enough for them. Religion is only one of such drugs. Some other drugs which are needed are films, the media, cricket, astrology, babas, etc. A combination of drugs has to be given by our rulers to the Indian masses to keep them pacified, just as for some diseases a combination of medicines has to be given.
One of such powerful drugs is films. The Roman Emperors used to say ‘ If you cannot give the people bread, give them circuses “. So most of our films are like circuses, which our rulers provide to our people since they cannot give the people bread ( i.e. employment, heaalthcare, nutritious food, good education, etc ).
Amitabh Bachchan’s films, like those of Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, etc are like drugs, they take the people to a world of make believe, and they are therefore very useful to our rulers since they keep people pacified.
Apart from being a good actor, what is there in Amitabh Bachchan ? Has he any scientific ideas for solving the country’s massive problems ? There are none. From time to time he appears on some media channels giving sermons and homilies, and from time to time he is shown to be doing good deeds, but who can not do this with tons of money ?
Vikram’s Iru Mugan has emerged a success at both the domestic and overseas box office. According to Behindwoods box office wing, the film is predicted to collect around 4.7 crores by the end of its second week run at the Chennai city box office alone.
According to our sources close to Vikram, the ‘I’ actor is extremely happy with the success of the film. We are told that just like Chennai and other parts of TN, Iru Mugan has outperformed even in neighboring states like Kerala, Andhra and Telangana. The film has reportedly made more than expected profits in these parts after Kabali and Theri, add our sources.
It is fascinating to see that Iru Mugan has retained most of its screens from the first week. This is a rare phenomenon, considering the recent trade trends.
So, that also means the trailer might be attached with Diwali releases – Ajay Devgn’s Shivaay or Ranbir Kapoor’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, or with both!
Dangal is a biographical sports drama based on the life of Mahavir Singh Phogat played by Aamir and also features Sakshi Tanwar and Fatima Sana Sheikh in key roles.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari the movie is slated to release on 23rd December.
Raaz Reboot may have had a poor weekend and has practically flopped after the big drop on Monday but it did get more footfalls than Pink across India despite having lower all India collections. This is because both films were totally the opposite as Raaz Reboot managed its best collections at single screens while Pink scored at high end multiplexes. Neither film got many footfalls with Raaz at 18.73 lakhs while Pink was a little under 18 lakhs. But what it is shows is that smaller films have to be aimed at this high end multiplex audience as the business comes if this audience takes to it despite limited footfalls due to high ticket ticket rates. The details of both films are as follows.
Raaz Reboot
Gross – 21,63,00,000
Footfalls – 18.73 lakhs
ATP (Weekend) – INR 115.50
Pink
Gross – 29,71,00,000
Footfalls – 17.94 lakhs
ATP (Weekend) – INR 165.70
The ticket rates at single screens are around 25% on average of these high end multiplexes so you have to be getting in four people against one to compete. Not that it can’t happen but Raaz Reboot was not at that level. The footfalls of Pink will be ahead of Raaz Reboot by the end of the week but remains to be seen where they go in the long run. Neerja had 66 lakh footfalls but that was with tax free exemption which enabled lower ticket rates.
Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan on son Hrithik, the debacle of ‘Mohenjo Daro’ and bringing back India’s most successful super-hero franchise with ‘Krrish 4’
You took many by surprise by announcing ‘Krrish 4’.
It was on my mind. And when my wife (Pinkie) showed me a Ganpati idol as superhero Krissh, I felt it was an auspicious moment to announce it; people still believe in Krrish’s power, even after so many years.
Several Hollywood films deal with superheroes. Can Krrish match up?
We can’t match their scale and budget. But Krrish will strike an emotional chord with the audience. That’s what ultimately matters. Their films may be technically brilliant, but don’t touch the soul.
You decided to avert Krissh 4 clashing with Aanand L Rai’s Shah Rukh Khan-starrer for X’mas, 2018, yet are sticking to the Republic Day 2017 clash with SRK’s ‘Raees’.
That’s because I wasn’t aware (of Aanand L Rai’s SRK-starrer’s release date). As soon as I was told, I decided to avert the clash. I have just announced Krrish and am yet to begin work. I announced ‘Kaabil’ first, so I am sticking to it. I am superstitious. I moved the release date of ‘King Uncle’ (1993) due to a family wedding. The film didn’t do well. Ever since, I believe that if I change the date, things may not work out. Even during ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’, I was told to do a rethink. There were big films lined up before and after, I stuck to the date.
But box-office clashes prove to be a deterrent in raking in the moolah.
Yes, they eat into each other’s profits. But the good film does well. Kaabil is the love story of a visually impaired boy and girl. It is set in Mumbai. You’ll see director Sanjay Gupta in a new light. He has done better than I had expected.
Then why not budge, rather than clash?
It becomes an ego issue and then no one wants to budge.
As a father, what would you say about Hrithik’s recent share of controversies?
I know the truth, and Hrithik is right.
Do you feel the negativity around ‘Mohenjo Daro’ sealed the film’s fate?
Though director Ashutosh Gowariker had a vision, what did not work were the last 20 minutes of the film. The VFX failed it, things appeared tacky. The last few reels of a film always stays in the audience’s mind, and that’s where the film did not work.
Most industry folk showed support to Akshay’s Rustom, which clashed with Mohenjo Daro. Do you think Hrithik was sidelined because of his personal turmoil?
What happens in an actor’s personal life doesn’t impact a film. A good film will do well. Rustom was a good film. In the industry, anyone can side with anyone. Every family has their share of ups and downs, but as we are part of the industry, our turmoil gets highlighted. I know my son, and he has done no wrong. I stand by him.
In terms of performances, I’d say the following actors have been standout performers, so far (not in any order):
#1 Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh — Udta Punjab
#2 Amitabh Bachchan, Kirti Kulhari —Pink
#3 Nawazuddin Siddiqui — Raman Raghav 2.0
I’d say at this point in time, Nawaz just beats Big B in terms of overall impact, but there are mitigating reasons for that, which I’ll probably talk about sometime later.
Bachchan performance is #TE3N is by far best in this decade .. its pity that boxoffice performance determines the actor performance as well. It was such a strong performance that his absence was strongly felt whenever not on screen.
haven’t seen TE3N, yakuza…so can’t comment. I should probably watch it. The trailers were indeed impressive but I lost interest when the reviews didn’t match up to overall expectations.
Strognly recommended Saket. Mostly complained that it was slow and predictable, but i am not sure how movie can be termed as slow if events on screen keep you on hold. For me pace of movie was perfect what it suppose to be based on subject and characters. As for predictability, if you go to movie after reading ‘Montage’ story with spoilers, then yes it is predictable.
Saket TEEN is one of the criminally under-rated movies of this year starring Amitabh. It is a very moody piece. Amitabh gives a helluva performance in this one.
It didn’t do well because people were expecting a ‘crackling’ thriller but it actually veered toward a more sombre and moody drama – that actually worked very well for me but not for many unfortunately.
To be honest, I actually watched TEEN very grudgingly since the director was RIBHU DAS GUPTA who directed MICHAEL and the series YUDH. Yudh was a very good drama that lost it’s charm heading toward the last episodes. So was not gung-ho on this but the director surprised me here.
I remember Yudh…quite liked it apart from the finale. Slow-paced, moody — these attributes tick the right boxes in my case, so will definitely check it out this weekend.
P.S. Zakir Hussain, who played Bachchan’s manager in Yudh was outstanding. Really liked the series, but why-oh-why did they have to ruin it with that ending?
he did direct the non-bachchan parts and he is no where to be seen in any of the promotional material. Whatever soorjit may say (collaborative effort yada) he is taking the full publicity/credit bu appearing in all promotions without his “director”. The germ of the idea was the “director’s” who wanted to make it in bangla and SSircar may have put his efforts and polished the product but still what is fair is fair and.
But here’s a counter-argument: why should anyone, even a professional critic, be measured or rational when something sneaks up on him and takes a firm grip on his emotions? For a jaded scribe who has written lakhs of words about cinema, it’s good to be reminded that one is still capable of being electrified, in a childlike way, by a film. Or by a scene. Or a gesture. A line of dialogue, a swell of music working in just the right way alongside an elegant camera movement. Once you’re back in the real world (or whatever vestiges of it may be seen in the section of the mall beyond the multiplex’s exit door), you might feel embarrassed about your hyper-dramatic reaction – but that reaction was an honest one.
and…
In my own instinct-vs-cerebra struggles, there is a personality factor at work. On the scale that has Highly Emotional Viewer at one end and Highly Analytical Viewer at the other, I am much closer to the latter extreme: rarely do I get so engrossed in a film that I stop thinking about its nuts and bolts, stop noticing things like framing or shot composition. It is often said admiringly of an actor, “He was so good that I could see only the character”, but it doesn’t work that way for me – even while enjoying a performance, I never forget who is playing the part, and in some cases my appreciation is deepened by associations with the actor’s earlier work
Twinkle Khanna has been always upfront about her ideologies. The actress and writer never shies away from boldly speaking her mind.
As known to all, Twinkle is very active on social media and recently she was being harassed by a follower on her twitter handle. The man was constantly tweeting her asking “why she didn’t change her surname even after her marriage”.
This irked the actress but she chose to ignore it in beginning. However, when he still didn’t stop she lost her cool and bashed him in the most classic way.
She posted: “A lot of people bring this up,though not as stridently as this gentleman-Khanna it will always be #MarriedNotBranded”
Pink has held up very well on Monday is on course to emerge a HIT. It basically has done what every film that does not open has to do to emerge a hit and that is Monday to be in the same range as Friday. The collections of Pink on Monday are very similar to Friday across all circuits. The bulk of the business remains in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, East Punjab, West Bengal and Mysore but others despite being low have recorded similar numbers to Friday. The trend on Monday is better than Neerja which had dropped around 20% from Friday while here there is hardly a drop. The first four day business of Pink is as follows.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,50,00,000
Monday – 3,75,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 24,94,00,000 apprx
The footfalls on Monday are higher than Friday by about 10% as multiplex ticket rates go down on weekdays from weekend levels. The film is looking to cross 35 crore nett for the first week and then the second Friday will determine the lifetime business of the film.
What is wrong with Rangan these days? It must be the toll of reviewing too many films – Hindi and Tamil. Look at the headline of ‘ Pink’ – A solid courtroom drama that makes solid points…The review proper , then, talks how it is the kind of film that would be an Oscar bait in Hollywood. Then it expresses surprises there being no song during the end credits as if it makes all that big a difference to the film. Ad to demonstrate this he brings in Bar Bar Dekho out of all the films! All this while, nothing about the film.
The worst sin in my eyes is that he no longer seems to be excited by a good film. He writes about as clinically about Pink as about Bar Bar Dekho. Sad
Then it expresses surprises there being no song during the end credits as if it makes all that big a difference to the film. Ad to demonstrate this he brings in Bar Bar Dekho out of all the films! All this while, nothing about the film.
Yeah, this is what I spoke about as well. It’s like reviewing a Satyajit Ray film by comparing it to a Dada Kondke movie and expressing surprise that Ray’s film has no double-entendres. I’m obviously exaggerating to make a point.
I’m sure Rangan has seen Shoojit Sircar’s films before. Which of his previous films gave him the idea that there could be an item song in the film?
Pink Remains Steady On Tuesday
Wednesday 21 September 2016 11.30 IST
Pink remained steady on Tuesday with collections in the same range as Monday. The collections of the film are alsmost ditto of Neerja barring the first day where Neerja collected 50 lakhs nett more. That film eventually grossed 72 crore nett but it had tax exemptions come into play from six in many states which boosted its nett business by around 10 crore. The competition for Pink is weak this week though there are many films releasing but none seem to have box office potential on their theatrical promos though maybe word of mount can help them. This will allow another solid week for the film befor Dhoni – The Untold Story Arrives. The first five day business of Pink is as follows.
Another ”inventive theory” to deny Pink its due by BOI-
Raaz Reboot Gets More Weekend Footfalls Than Pink
Tuesday 20 September 2016 13.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot may have had a poor weekend and has practically flopped after the big drop on Monday but it did get more footfalls than Pink across India despite having lower all India collections. This is because both films were totally the opposite as Raaz Reboot managed its best collections at single screens while Pink scored at high end multiplexes. Neither film got many footfalls with Raaz at 18.73 lakhs while Pink was a little under 18 lakhs. But what it is shows is that smaller films have to be aimed at this high end multiplex audience as the business comes if this audience takes to it despite limited footfalls due to high ticket ticket rates. The details of both films are as follows.
The ticket rates at single screens are around 25% on average of these high end multiplexes so you have to be getting in four people against one to compete. Not that it can’t happen but Raaz Reboot was not at that level. The footfalls of Pink will be ahead of Raaz Reboot by the end of the week but remains to be seen where they go in the long run. Neerja had 66 lakh footfalls but that was with tax free exemption which enabled lower ticket rates.
Look at the phrasing which begins with ”Raaz Reboot may have had a poor weekend” as if there are doubts over this ‘fact’, yet they would never publish how much money SRK or Karan Johar movies do collect at single screens in comparison to their collections at the multiplexes! Their commentary gives impression of to that of ” a sour loser”!
For God’s sake they are a boxoffice site and in the number crunching game !
Myselfaamir when all the hoopla settles down and we get to the lifetime figures of most of these movies, they tend to get it better than most of us here. So I would suggest not to pay much attention to their commentary and hold your horses !!!
Re:No one can be a huge star in this country if they aren’t good at acting. For me, an actor must necessarily have a connect with the audience. If the ticket payers are giving respect to an actor, they are the right judges to say whether they are good or bad
If this logic were taken to its logical conclusion then Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Manoj Bajpai, Irrfan Khan etc aren’t good actors at all. They are bad actors because ticket payers don’t respect them. Whatever that means!
I have heard this line of reasoning many times. It’s a false binary. If public vote is the only thing that matters then Chetan Bhagat is a better writer than Salman Rushdie and Ali Abbas Zafar is about 10 times better than Anurag Kashyap or even Guru Dutt! We can keep multiplying these examples in case it’s not farcical enough.
Theoretically agree it’s a farcical argument but my argument does not stem from critical appreciation but hindi movie magic encounters !
Just look at the question of the interviewer posed to Zafar before he replies with that retort – “Is it a risk to make the film with two stars who aren’t exactly known for their acting chops?”
So I feel that reply in that context is apt.
Btw in a comment above, I said something about – song acting!
(allow me to use such a term)
Rajesh Khanna & SRK made a career out of it. I mean what is a Rajesh Khanna without a ” Aate jaate khoobsoorat awaara sadko par or a SRK “Aaye kaash ke hum hosh mein na aayen”.
Though Bachchan and Dilip kumar had more depth. But what would be a Bachchan be if he were not to make the nation crazy with a Rote huey aate hain sab in that white striped leather jacket on a bike crooning away on marine drive. Even today when one gets hold of a bike one instantly starts stargazing about a woh muqaddar ka sikandar or koi na koi chahiye…..
Now look what bad actors did to “Teri galiyon mein na rakhen ge kadam or atrocious vijay anand did to chalte chalte mere yeh geet yaad rakhna or how neele neela ambar par was butchered by kunal goswami.
I would rate acting in hindi movies a bit differently.
You are confusing star presence with acting. A star by virtue of his/her following can create hysteria without being a good actor. A star can also make his/her mannerisms popular.
Those stock mannerisms come and go with each era. They don’t act as substitutes for genuine acting.
Agree and I get where you are coming from but for that to happen one has to be Kumar Gaurav sorts.
Similarly on Naseer’s criticism of Rajesh Khanna recently, there was an interesting link on Naseer’s acting by Nykavi where apparently Naseer made a mess of a romantic scene. So there is a bit of ‘own perspective’ on all this and open to debate.
Re.-Now look what bad actors did to “Teri galiyon mein na rakhen ge kadam or atrocious vijay anand did to chalte chalte mere yeh geet yaad rakhna or how neele neela ambar par was butchered by kunal goswami
How about Kya hua tera Vada- Tariq
Tu iss tarah sey meri zindgai mein shamil hai- Deepak Parashar
Meri soni meri tamann- Vijay Arora ( the guy was a freaking gold medalist )
Roney na dijiyga – ???
Rocky there is a endless list to this. Vijay Arora and Tariq remind me Yaadon Ki Baraat title song and what was a proper hindi reunion movie masala moment – ruined by atrocious acting.
Pyaar mangaa hai tumhee se – though more than Sachin one can fault the pictursation.
Recent time there is a song which I really like and one of the best of Udit Narayan but spoilt by Asif Sheikh .
Bin Tere Sanam mar mitenge hum – which nerd gave that song to Asif sheikh
Went off to a meeting after typing this, and through out the meeting I was humming Roney na dijiega ….Now googled it it was Ronit Roy .
Aside- then there was Kamal Sardana !!
He is not saying that stardom and talent are proportional.But only saying that a big star has to be good actor.There is no logical conclusion to the things you said.
Welcome back, one shouldn’t expect much from Dangal, a similar film has already released. It will be a terrible performer just like Ghajini, 3I, D3 & P.K.
livewire,I have given a better reply.Rajesh Khanna,Dharmendra,vinod khanna are good actors.So is Akshay,salman khan.There can always be higher and lower according to the audience.
Nice comparison being done here. Also, note that Piku beat Pink’s opening by just one crore!
What exactly was the reason to sign Deepika Padukone for the film and pay her more? Moreover, she was the weakest link in the film; didn’t even look like a Bengali from any angle. Would the result have been any different if, say, Vidya Balan were in the film instead of her?
On the star/actor dichotomy, Pauline Kael had something very interesting to say – she bemoaned the fact that Sofia Loren’s fans weren’t happy for her to be adored as a pure star; they were always looking to find ways to see her as an actress as well. They would point to certain pauses, certain scenes where she was filmed in a certain way and attribute all sorts of hidden meanings to her acting prowess. It’s not enough being a star anymore; one also has to prove his/her acting credentials to the world as well. That then satisfies the fan’s justification for supporting his/her favorite star.
That unfortunately is a logical fallacy. A star doesn’t need to be even competent as an actor. Call it the star’s presence, aura or signature; it’s enough to cast a spell on the audience. There’s no more justification or validation needed. A lot of careers get derailed because of this fixation with being called an actor. If one has established himself/herself in a particular genre, then all one needs is to milk it till the end. There’s no genuine need to show unnecessary ambition when there’s no real need for it. And especially when one’s not had proper training for it.
One doesn’t have to look too far. Where do our Bollywood stars come from? Have they ever done any theater before joining films? Do they regularly attend acting workshops? Do they even watch the best of world cinema? Are they even cinematically literate? If the answer to all these questions is no, then why even try to attempt something that’s beyond your reach? Keep on working in genres that play to one’s strength and keep the money machine working. There’s absolutely no shame in that. One would still be called lead “actor” even if the latter bit isn’t really true.
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any star-actors in Bollywood. To state the obvious, Bachchan is a great star-actor; Aamir’s good too; Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor are good actors who also happen to have at least some fan following with them. Alia Bhatt is a very good upcoming star-actor. I might have missed a few names here and there, but the argument holds true. It’s not as if one has to look deeply to find stars who can act. It’s pretty much obvious after watching one or two films.
As for the fans, well, there’s no real need to look beyond what’s obvious. A star has fans/followers because he/she primarily has physical attributes that are deemed praiseworthy, if not downright enviable. One is naturally drawn towards physical beauty; in the same way one is also drawn towards delicious food. There are tons of healthy food alternatives available but the taste buds ask for whatever satisfies one’s cravings. Humans are wired like that. Some are not, but most people are. The question is: why is there a need to constantly justify our cravings? Why can’t one be comfortable with one’s choices, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, without having to justify it to the world (and to the self)? The answer: humans are also wired to rationalize wrong behavior patterns, especially if one’s keen on doing it again and again.
This is all fascinating stuff and there’s a whole science devoted to it – Behavioral Economics. But that’s for another time.
This is your third film together. How easy or tough is it to work with the same team?
SS: People will watch Shoebite whenever it releases, but the truth is neither Piku nor Pink would have been possible without Mr Bachchan . Having worked with him in two films, I knew he would approve of Pink, but for Aniruddh, it was his first and he was jumping with joy when Bachchan said ‘Yes’. It is easy to work with him in first, second or third because he gives his best to every shot and does not take a single day of shooting for granted.
AB: I’m privileged that Shoojit is still considering me for films; it was an absolute privilege to work with him on Piku and when he approached me for Pink, I had made up my mind within five minutes of narration. The content and message was so powerful and I had faith that as a creative producer, Shoojit will do full justice
AB: In my long career associated with so many writers and directors, I was repeatedly told was that if it is a courtroom drama, there has to be dramatic dialogues delivered loudly with a lot of anger to get claps from the audience. In Shahenshah, we wanted to do it differently and experimented with an alternative. But eventually director Tinu Anand felt that it was too understated and we shot the climax the way it is now. In Pink, the original draft did feature few exaggerations in the court scenes, but then all of us deliberated and after the brain storming, everyone agreed that we needed to revisit the scenes suiting the character and his personal condition and we are happy that our endeavour has been appreciated by the audience.
You play the patriarch and interestingly all the women characters in the film are rooting for you.
AB: The credit goes to the writer for conceiving interesting moments and relationships. Deepak Sehgal volunteers to fight his neighbour’s case because he believes they are in the right and then travels the anxieties with them. My argument with the cop Sarla, superbly performed by the actress, is one of my favourite scenes in the film. Lot of people told me they feel choked when the other lady cop offers a handshake in the last scene. It is a special moment, a special film and a special experience I will cherish forever.
Stars do bring people into theatres, but are they as central to your life as they once were? In the new age of excessive entertainment, deep self-absorption, fragmentation of fun, and the ease of becoming a minor celebrity yourself on the social media by the virtue of a comment or the birth of your infant or the death of a parent, are celebrities as rare and precious as they once were?
From the noise around Rajinikanth’s “Kabali”, you may have imagined that every Tamilian would rush to watch the film. But the modest success of the film points to something else. Far greater than the supposed charms of Rajnikanth was the quiet comment of a more powerful person — the fan’s friend, who had watched the film and whispered that it was rubbish. It is possible that the recent giant flops of Hindi cinema may not have been bad bets just five years ago. The stars might have pulled you in, but now something has changed. So, do they still deserve more than half the budget?
Mumbai: Bollywood Stuntman Flees With 98-Lakh Luxury Car, Nabbed In 4 Hours
Stuntman Shamsher Mehboob Khan drives off in the stolen Audi.
Mumbai: As a stuntman in Bollywood, Shamsher Khan (30) has performed many heroic acts for top actors. In real life, however, he turned out to be more a villain after he stole a luxury car belonging to the wife of a politician. Thankfully, he was arrested just four hours after he tried to pull off this real-life stunt.
Kurla police get a tip-off and set up a nakabandi at Kapadia Nagar. They fortify the check-post.
In Bollywood, Shamsher Mehboob Khan has worked with famous actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn. He has also worked extensively with director Rohit Shetty, in his films as well as on a popular stunt-based reality show that was hosted by him.
A. Raaz Reboot is 31 crore and Pink is 21 crore without the fee of Amitabh Bachchan who has satellite rights which can be accounted for in the 7-9 crore range.
It’s wrong to usurp a date another colleague has announced: Hrithik Roshan
Subhash K Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Updated: Sep 22, 2016 07:29 IST
When filmmaker Rakesh Roshan announced Christmas 2018 as the release date of Krissh 4, he was clearly not aware that director Aanand Rai’s Shah Rukh Khan-starrer was also scheduled to release on the same day.
Big-budget films clashing on the same day can prove costly, as his son Hrithik had realised after his film Mohenjo Daro clashed with Akshay Kumar’s Rustom.
On getting to know that SRK’s film had been planned for the same day as theirs, Roshans quickly moved their film from the proposed festival slot.
Explaining the safe manoeuvre, Hrithik says, “My mom and dad have always taught me that doing the right thing is over and above any profit or loss. I guess dad felt it was wrong to usurp a date that another colleague has already announced.”
Interestingly, Raees, another of Shah Rukh’s releases, was scheduled for January 26 next year, the same Friday as Hrithik’s home production Kaabil releases, though the Roshans made their release announcement long before. Doesn’t Hrithik see a contradiction here, we ask?
He shrugs, “I can’t judge other people’s ethics. I must travel my own path, guided by my values and allow others to travel theirs.” He admits though, that releasing Raees and Kaabil together would damage both the films. “Both films will suffer a little. But both can also do well enough if the content is good. If it’s in your destiny to succeed, nobody can take it away. Likewise, failure.” http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/it-s-wrong-to-usurp-a-date-another-colleague-has-announced-hrithik-roshan/story-23fJdXkPW3HYDwqsjs44JK.html?utm_source=base&utm_medium=also-read
They are throwing the morality & ethics card. I find it ridiculous to believe they would not know a big film was already scheduled for release on Dec 2018.
I guess they are making SRK to look bad in media. It was daft for Raees to move on date for another big clash, but once done everything else from Roshans after that is petty.
Directors turn actors: Which ones fit in, and which don’t?
Ananya Ghosh, Hindustan times | Updated: Sep 18, 2016 01:34 IST
If it hadn’t been for Naseeruddin Shah, director Sudhir Mishra might have been known as actor Sudhir Mishra instead. Not that Mishra doesn’t act. His Haji Bhaijaan in Madhur Bhandarkar’s 2007 film Traffic Signal still sends chills down the spine. And he does bit roles every now and then. “If a good friend asks me to do a role, I take it up simply because I love hanging around on the sets. If you are directing you are burdened with responsibilities, so you can’t enjoy filmmaking that much,” he says.
Mishra actually considered being an actor, having acted in several plays, but Shah got in the way. “We were doing Khamosh,” he says. “I was working as an assistant director and also had a bit role. Seeing Naseer act up close, I realised I can never be as good as him. So I chose something I thought I was good at instead. Naseer single-handedly put me off acting. Either you should be as good as him or not act at all.”
The big swap
It may seem odd that directors, much of whose job involves instructing actors how to act, are seldom seen on screen themselves.
Surely, there have been exceptions. In Hollywood, directors like Orson Welles, Charles Chaplin, Quentin Tarantino and Woody Allen have often cast themselves in starring roles and blown their audience’s minds with their acting prowess. Back home, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt had achieved similar feats. But those instances were rare and far between.
However, in the last few years, with Bollywood becoming bolder, experimenting with exciting content and out-of-the-box characters, this seems to be changing.
Most recently, Anurag Kashyap has moved from behind the camera to in front of it, playing a corrupt police inspector in AR Murugadoss’s Sonakshi Sinha-starrer, Akira (2016). Although it is a heroine-centric film, Kashyap has been fielding compliments ever since the release of the film.
According to Murugadoss, because Akira has a very powerful female protagonist, the character of the police inspector pitted against her needed to be a strong one.
“It is unlike anything you have seen in Bollywood. Hence we needed a new face. It is a challenging role and I wanted someone with a strong personality to do justice to it,” says Murugadoss, who went on an auditioning spree to find an actor who’d be the right fit. And then, while watching an interview of Kashyap, the casting director had a brainwave. “The way he spoke and owned the show, both my casting director and I thought he would be just perfect for the role,” says Murugadoss. So Kashyap was approached for the role and, after carefully reading the script, he agreed to come on board.
“After seeing the final outcome, I am sure no one else could have pulled this off this so convincingly. Kashyap’s talent as a director is well-known but I will take the credit of bringing out the actor in him,” laughs Murugadoss.
The director’s actor
Long before he became Anurag Kashyap the director, Kashyap had spent 20 years on stage in theatre and proved his acting prowess. “But I gave up the thought of acting in films the day I saw myself on screen the first time. I hated myself,” says Kashyap adding: “I keep getting offers but so far, on the few occasions where I have said ‘yes’, it was mostly for some emotional reason or if it was an interesting but small role. I prefer theatre to movies when it comes to acting.” Kashyap was last seen on stage a decade back as Fanidhar in Makrand Deshpaande’s acclaimed Hindi play Sir Sir Sarla.
Although, this poster boy of independent cinema claims that the last thing he wants to do is act in movies he eventually agreed to turn villain in a full-blown commercial Bollywood movie. And according to Kashyap, it was Murugadoss’s “infectious, childlike enthusiasm” that convinced him to take up the role.
Handing over control on the set to his director was very easy, says Kashyap. “Being a director myself, I know very well that the only person who knows what’s going on a set is the director. And this was Murugadoss’s film, not mine. I was there as an actor and my job was to follow the director’s instructions,” he says.
Earlier, in 2011, we had seen Kashyap on screen, playing gangster Bunty Bhaiya in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Shagird. Dhulia, returning the favour, acted in Kashyap’s two-part epic, Gangs of Wasseypur.
“What worked for us, be it he directing me or vice-versa, is that we both took instructions well. And that is always crucial,” says Dhulia, whose portrayal of Ramadhir Singh, the corrupt politician and ‘coal king’ of Dhanbad, is still etched in the minds of the audience. But that, claims Dhulia, was an ‘unplanned’ event. “Though Anurag had given me the script, I didn’t bother to read it. I didn’t even know what character I was supposed to play, or how big or important the role was, or what would be required of me,” he admits. It was only when the prosthetics guys arrived at his office to take a mould of his face that it crossed Dhulia’s mind that maybe it was not a blink-and-miss-role, and maybe he was to play an old man.
But, more than his inner director, it was his inner writer who helped him portray the character, says Dhulia. “The director knows as he looks through the lens what will look good on screen. But every good actor should have a little bit of a writer in him. That helps in improvising,” he says.
It might come as a surprise for many, but Dhulia’s area of specialisation at the National School of Drama (NSD) was not direction, but acting. “After NSD, I never really ventured into acting. And that is because, while doing the course, I realised that I was quite bad as an actor,” laughs Dhulia. But he adds that he was never really bit by the acting but. “While growing up I was confused. I joined NSD because I wanted to get out of Allahabad and I had heard about the open and free atmosphere of a drama school,” he says.
Getting into the skin of the character
Director Prakash Jha has no such qualms about himself as an actor – provided the role is perfect. Perhaps that’s why it took him 40 years to make his on-screen debut, which he did in his own film, Jai Gangaajal (2016), playing corrupt police inspector Bhola Nath Singh to great acclaim.
“I knew the nuances of the character more than anyone else and even while scripting, I could see myself in that role,” says Jha. “Me as a director and me as an actor are completely different entities and both were confident about me playing BN Singh. If not, as a director, I would not have cast myself in the role, and as an actor, I would not have taken it up.”
After four decades working as a director, writer and film curator, Jha was already contemplating finding newer forms of expression. “Acting just happened to be one of the avenues I wanted to tap,” he says. “I was always an actor. In fact, all human beings are actors! But to be able to act on command is something that requires certain technique, which I knew.”
He had no first-day jitters when he switched to the front of the camera. “Unlike in theatre, here you are not acting in front of people. You are acting in front of the camera, and imagining the people. I have been with the camera all my life. Why should I be scared to perform in front of it?”
But even a man as confident as Jha had one concern. “As an actor and as a director, the only thing that you have no control over is whether you as a person will be accepted as the character, whether you would believable. There are actors who are dashing, handsome who fail being the character. That is what is important to achieve. I knew the character in my mind, but would I be able to play it with my body? That was the question,” he says.
The eagerly awaited biopic Dhoni: The Untold Story, just got bigger… at least in size. It now comes to light that the film is 3 hours 10 minutes in length.
It was shown to the Censor Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) this week, and, the film was unanimously loved by one and all in the Censor Board.
Says a source close to the film, “The Censor Board wouldn’t touch a single shot. They said every moment in Dhoni’s story is inspiring and motivational. The film clocks a solid 3 hours and 10 minutes of playing time.”
Interestingly, the film is split in two unequal halves.
Says the source, “The interval occurs after 2 hours and 40 minutes of playing-time at a crucial juncture in Dhoni’s saga.”
Reacting to the CBFC’s clean chit, the film’s director Neeraj Pandey says, “This was only expected.”
Music composer Pritam is riding high on the wave of super success, since he’s working with the top three Khans viz., Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan in their upcoming films. If that wasn’t enough, two songs of Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (that he has composed) have taken the world of music by a storm. In a Bollywood Hungama exclusive with Content Head (Broadband) Faridoon Shahryar, Pritam speaks about the music of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Tubelight, Dangal, The Ring and Jagga Jasoos. It’s a Bollywood Hungama exclusive. Don’t miss it!
Karan Johar, in an interview with ‘Bollywood Hungama’ recently said that music is the most integral part of the contributing factor to the soul of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Two songs (‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and ‘Bulleya’) have simply carved a very important place in the hearts and minds of millions of people all across the world. Have you received such an unprecedented response to the music of any of your films before?
I agree with you. I’ve done so many films. I’ve seen lots of hit songs in my life, starting from ‘Dhoom Machale’. Iss gaane (‘Ae Dil Hai Muskhil’) ka speciality yeh tha ke industry insiders se itna praise mila. Karan Johar liked the song very much. Whenever I used to meet Adi, he said that he liked the song. While Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan tweeted about the song, Mukesh Bhatt called me. I don’t think Mukeshji has called me for any song earlier. That’s good – the reaction that came from industry insiders.
How many songs feature in the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’s album?
In all, there are five songs. Four are on Ayan’s (Ranbir Kapoor) singing career. I thought there are only 2-3 voices in the industry who can sing all the songs. Out of those, Arijit Singh is closest to me. And because the film required specifically one voice, the title song was sung by Arijit. Besides that, there’s one dance song that has also been sung by Arijit.
So, another ‘Badtameez Dil’ happening?
Not exactly ‘Badtameez Dil’, its more ‘chhedkaani’ kind of song.
You also have Dangal, which is coming up with Aamir Khan. I believe there is one promotional song which has been recorded and shot on Aamir Khan. Can you please tell us something about the music of Dangal?
I’ve signed an NDA. That’s why I cannot talk about it.
After Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Phantom, you are now doing Tubelight with Kabir Khan. How has been the experience?
Kabir Khan is a friend and it’s always fun to work with him. The one compliant that I have about Kabir is that he doesn’t make love stories. Since Tubelight has no love angle, there are no love songs. Even Bajrangi hardly had any love angle. So was Phantom. So was New York (laughs). I keep telling Kabir Khan that he should have love songs in films, because, his films have become very challenging. It’s easier to score rom-coms because love, dance, happiness are very common emotions.
Has Arijit Singh sung for Tubelight as well?
Tubelight’s songs aren’t even locked yet. Abhi toh sirf first schedule shoot karne gaye and gaane sab idhar aane ke baad honge.
Anurag Basu was sitting with you a short while ago for Jagga Jasoos. Please tell us something about the film.
(Sighs!) I think Jagga Jasoos is the most difficult film I’ve worked on because there’s no precedent. Anurag Basu makes films which has no precedent. In Barfi also, the protagonist baat nahi karta hai, toh maine kaha hero baat nahi karta and heroine also doesn’t talk. Aisa koi precedent hi nahi tha. English mein bhi tha ki nahi mujhe malum nahi tha. Broadways mein bahut aaya hai, but detective film mein Broadway, I don’t think that has happened or not. Thoda love story ho jataa, toh acha ho jaata. I can’t divulge too many details but I know something special is brewing.
You also have Ring with Imtiaz Ali and Shah Rukh Khan. How is the film shaping up? Imtiaz Ali has a tremendous ear for music.
This is the question I don’t know. I can’t tell you anything about the music, unless it goes into the mastering stage.
I believe that they had shot some song in Prague recently with Shah Rukh Khan.
That’s exactly what I am saying. Unless it comes out, you don’t even know about the songs. The film is releasing next year. Tab tak kya ho jaayega, gaana change ho jaayega, situation change ho jaayega, I don’t know.
How was your experience of working with Aamir Khan for Dangal?
Oh! That was lovely. Aamir Khan is an absolute pleasure to work with because he actually understands film making so well. Dangal’s music is very apt to the script and Aamir Khan is so true to the film.
t looks like the Vetri Maaran’s Visaaranai is going places. The National Award-winning film is all set to represent India in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The decision was announced today by the selection committee of the Film Federation of India (the trade body that represents film industries of the country).
Visaaranai is a docu-drama crime-thriller and is based on the novel Lockup penned by M Chandrakumar, an auto driver from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The star cast for the film includes Dinesh, Anandhi, Aadukalam Murugadoss. Visaaranai was the first Tamil film to win the Amnesty International Award at at the 72nd Venice Film Festival. The story revolves around police brutality and corruption. The film bagged the Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Supporting Actor for Samuthirakani and Best Editing for Kishore in the 63rd National Awards.
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
7h
#Pink is UNSTOPPABLE… Wed biz [3.87 cr] HIGHER than Tue [3.51 cr] and Mon [3.78 cr]… SUPERB… Day-wise data in next tweet…
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
7h
#Pink Fri 4.32 cr, Sat 7.65 cr, Sun 9.54 cr, Mon 3.78 cr, Tue 3.51 cr, Wed 3.87 cr. Total: ₹ 32.67 cr. India biz. EXCELLENT!
I am still betting on 90-100Cr.
I have high hopes on MS Dhoni which i think will be a monstrous blockbuster, but not a 2 weeks types but a 4-5 weeks haul. This means Pink will retain good screen share and considering its awesome WOM, it will not get affected by MSD>
With all the funny Jennifer Anniston memes doing the rounds, this seems very desi and funniest esp coming from Mrs Vinod Chopra –
Anupama Chopra @anupamachopra Sep 20
Good time to remember that killer line from #TVFTripling – compatibility bhi na badi ma***chod cheez hoti hai! #brangelina
The making of the plot from police taking meenal from the locality infront of society ppl to the scene where deepak stands again in the lawyer coat in front of door gave me goosebumps, an emotionally drench with heavy heart feeling yet with the smell of victory that now he stands before them n that no one can beat them.. it was nostalgic feeling.. it was like watching numerous ABsirjee’s 70s movies where when he stands all other look minion..respect for the writer,director. Take a bow AB sir..Outstanding..
Bollywood actress Sunny Leone is against the release of the upcoming documentary on her life, Mostly Sunny in India, as she feels it does not do justice to her story.
Mostly Sunny charts the life of Leone, born Karenjit Kaur Vohra in Sarnia, Ontario, from her childhood in a conservative Sikh family to her shift to Los Angeles, her emergence as one of the biggest adult movie stars in the world and her subsequent mainstream movie career breakthrough in Bollywood.
When asked about this, Leone said, “It’s really simple, at the end of the day, its my personal story. I surrendered to his vision but when it got to my story, how it looks and the story that is actually told… In my view no one in this entire world has the right to say how my life should be told.”
“I am the one telling the story, it is my life. There were certain things I didn’t like and I wanted it (the documentary) to be for many people to watch, not just one age group. I don’t see my story as a sob story, where something went wrong. That’s not my story,” the actress said
Mostly Sunny director Dilip Mehta is disappointed with Sunny Leone’s reaction to his documentary film about her life, which was also well received at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year. While Sunny recently told PTI that she hopes the film doesn’t come to India, she also said that the story is not hers, since it’s someone else’s vision and opinion.
In this interview, Dilip Mehta responds to the accusations made by the actress and clarifies his intention behind making the film.
Q: Sunny Leone feels that your documentary about her life doesn’t do justice to her. Your comments?
Dilip Mehta: I read Sunny Leone ‘s statement with disappointment and mild amusement. Since she’s been ‘honest’ about her past, audiences should now definitely see my film Mostly Sunny, and decide for themselves whether the documentary is a figment of my imagination, or an honest journalistic portrayal of an unapologetic, unrepentant former porn star, who’s taken India by storm with her entry into Bollywood. I wish her well but she shouldn’t paint every journalist with the CNN IBN brush. (Sunny’s interview with a CNN-IBN journalist where she was quizzed about her pornographic past was labeled ‘intrusive
Q: Sunny feels the documentary isn’t really about her…
Dilip Mehta: Sunny drives the film. It’s her narrative. Her younger brother Sunny (who’s name she assumed) is another driving force in the film, and his presence in the film is endearing and very very sympathetic. I wonder at times which film are Sunny and Daniel referring to? It certainly doesn’t sound like Mostly Sunny.
Q: Was she happy while you shot the film?
Dilip Mehta: In the many interviews we did over a couple of years, all have been on camera.
SATYAMSHOT 
September 16, 2016 at 5:01 AM
MyselfAamir:
Raaz Reboot Ordinary Start – Pink Low Start
Friday 16 September 2016 13.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot managed an average opening at some centres outside the metros but the problem is the opening is decent at select mass centres. Single screens in Bhopal were decent but they were low in Lucknow. The pictures is mixed at mass centres while the bigger centres especially multiplexes are low. CPCI and Nizam / Andhra may have an average day one. It makes it an uphill struggle for the film as the target audience for horror is mainly B and C centres and single screens of bigger centres and here the collections are unlikley to improve as they tend to stick at the level of the initial. The bigger multiplexes will improve like they do for most films but a film like these really needs big support from smaller centres and single screens. The opening is lower than Azhar. All India Average – 20% apprx
Pink opened lower than Raaz with multiplexes generally similar to Raaz Reboot in A Centres but it is lower elsewhere. The release of the film is generally concentrated on the A centres which are the 20-25 biggest cities. The difference is that a dull start here is expected as its a weekend film while a Raaz Reboot has to get some sort of initial due to genre. A rise in the evening can even take it past Raaz Reboot on an all India level. The opening of Pink is lower than Wazir and similar to TE3N. The difference between this film and TE3N is this film has managed to get media on side through press previews which does help in the evening for films opening to very low numbers. All India Average – 15%
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2324
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September 16, 2016 at 5:09 AM
Komal Nahta
@KomalNahta
34m
Trade saddened by poor opening of #Pink . My assessment:nothing to worry.Collections wil not just pick up in multiplexes, they will shoot up
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September 16, 2016 at 5:13 AM
Bachchan looks more like a distinguished judge than a lawyer.
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September 16, 2016 at 1:44 PM
Sanjana: Senior Lawyers mostly are like judges only because of their experience and knowledge in real life. Also High Court Judges after retirement can practice before Supreme Court and other High Courts of the country under Indian Constitution.
Late Justice MC Chagla (the great Chief Justice of Bombay High Court) practised before Supreme Court subsequent to his retirement. Currently also many are practicing after retirement.
Senior Lawyers and Judges only belong to different sides, but they are actually in true sense Jurist.
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September 16, 2016 at 6:28 AM
raaz reboot Comedy of Horrors!
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September 16, 2016 at 6:51 AM
opposed to the US where big Hollywood stars take political position during elections.
Asked if the fear of backlash and controversy prevents Indian actors from sharing their views on the political scenario of the country, Bachchan said, “You become an artiste and there are people who love you and there is a desire to reciprocate that. If it happens to be a politician who love you then also you reciprocate that.
“So what does that mean? Just because I am reciprocating it does not mean I am going to love their politics. I don’t think so.
“When you do not do something like that then we fear of a repercussion. Politicians are very powerful people. I don’t know if they can damage or harm to what extent because there is the court of law.
But the process of going to law and battle politics is not my job. My job is to be on camera and deliver my good. I don’t want to divert my attention.”
Bachchan said that in the US, the audience is “more mature” than in India and that may be the reason why their stars are upfront about their political views.
“Hollywood has a lot mature audience. Here it is still a little bit limited. When I was electioneering for Congress in Assam, my helicopter landed at a location of the opposition.
“Soon, the police asked us to leave. There were youngsters in the crowd and one of them ran up to the helicopter and smashed the window glass and put a paper on my hand.
“In it, he wrote that he is my big fan but I was dividing his attention and so I should leave.
“It is something that artistes have to face. We spend our lifetime into getting people to love us and we suddenly ask them that you love me so love my politics I don’t think it is right,” he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Amitabh-Bachchan-Regret-not-fulfilling-promises-I-made-as-a-politician/articleshow/54359847.cms
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September 16, 2016 at 8:02 AM
Housefull 3 Tops Television Ratings For 2016
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2323
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September 16, 2016 at 9:34 AM
If possible, will watch PINK today. Such movies needs support!
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September 16, 2016 at 10:18 PM
Back from PINK. Exceptional movie and this is IMO is the first metro centric movie for the metro women. We had lot of movies for women issues but this one is different in the sense that it needs to support women who are drinking types, working late nights, independent and having boyfriends. The whole crux of the incident and the proceedings from the movie starts till intermission is nothing short of brilliant. The movie just flies and you don’t realize the time at all. Once the 2nd half starts, Amitabh takes centre stage with long gazes(probably staring at another National Award) and manages to deliver the messages to court (and whole society). Tapsee Pannu and her friend Kirti did great and especially Tapsee with her unconventional looks stands out and delivers a knockout performance. All the supporting actors are perfect for the movie and its completely like watching a documentary with real life people.
If I have to nitpick something about the movie is that its very thin line of issue which the movie takes on and will impact very very few folks. I don’t think the mass majority will get the point of the movie. For them, it’ll still be the girls are in wrong at some level. But that’s a forced nitpicking. Overall the movie is simple awesome and highly recommended.
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September 17, 2016 at 4:09 AM
Thanks for feedback Master
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September 16, 2016 at 12:05 PM
Pink deserves to be watched by everyone. Regardless of how the movie turns up, the subject and message is such that needs to be addressed n talked about. Glad that such a film addressing such an important opinion has finally been made in India with a star as big as Amitabh at the centre of it. When he speaks, people listen. Finally we have a movie which says aloud why a woman’s no means a no and not yes as shown in countless indian films uptil now.
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September 16, 2016 at 12:11 PM
Bachchan’s Blog today ( Re.- selfies and pictures), plus his pictures with Bishan Singh and Kapil Dev are simply superb !!!
Maza aa gaya !! Must read !!
It also kind of puts Rishi and Randhir Kapoor’s behavior in perspective !!
Bachchan never loses his cool !!
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September 16, 2016 at 1:04 PM
Ronnie Screwvala on Bollywood: Even If It Ain’t Broke… Fix It
https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/2016/09/16/ronnie-screwvala-blog-opinion-bollywood-corporate-studios-utv-disney-utv-rang-de-basanti-rsvp
From my own experience – I can only say that movies like Rang De Basanti, A Wednesday, No One Killed Jessica, Dev D, Kaminey, Swades, Life in a Metro, Jodhaa Akbar, Kai Po Che, Pan Singh Tomar, Barfi and many many more were not easy films to green-light at their time and chances are many of them would not have been made if we did not have the creative conviction, so it’s easy to say the grass is greener on the other side, never is.
I recently took a look at what happened with Bombay Velvet, Tamasha, Shandaar and more recently – Baar Baar Dekho to realise the model is really broken. If you want to make a passion project – pay for it yourself. And before you make a sweeping statement, fix your own creative accountability, that would be my response.
Q. So is the studio model here extinct?
Yes I would say, in its present avatar, in India – it’s extinct. Firstly, large overheads kill the model – as most of the time you’re forced to increase your slate just to cover the costs that should not be there in the first place. 20-member marketing teams and 15-member distribution teams are archaic and indulgent, which forces the need to get into acquisitions, mostly under the garb of co-productions – but basically you’re the last man standing when things go south.
So unless studios are committed to 70% own development, and for the balance 30% a risk reward in their favour and overall staff strength is 10 to 15 – yes, the studio model is extinct.
Q. So is everyone in the industry on the same page on the challenges?
I am not sure, but going by what I hear – NO. There is no joint accountability on the right cost models, disciplines on budgets, where creative accountability rests and where indulgence crosses the line. From what I hear, taking creative accountability for a weak script, or mediocre direction and just poor execution does not exist. And when you have no one to blame – blame marketing, poor distribution, wrong release date, bad weather – everything but the content.
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September 16, 2016 at 1:26 PM
This quint article is a great piece and clearly points to all things we say here on these blogs but rarely discussed in media.
Yesterday read below article which is good too.
The myth of the shutting studios
The Indian film business is going through a painful but necessary correction that should make it more profitable
“…”We need to step back and review. Sure talent costs are high, but that holds true for many industries. The fundamentals of the film business remain intact. South India continues to take bolder steps and they are finding success… it is time perhaps to rethink the business,” points out Rakesh Jariwala, film segment leader, media and entertainment industry, EY. “The model will further evolve with digital as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Eros Now, Jio and others look for content and offer more windows to monetise better, by making more money from the same copyright,” he adds.
Kapoor agrees: “Suddenly a lot of people are saying that studios are not working. That is an oversimplification. The problem is one of business model.” Disney’s decision to quit will “put a very nice downward pressure on talent costs and content costs,” as Deshpande puts it.
The fact is more Indians are watching films across screens, TV, online and other platforms than ever before. Whether it is by tackling costs, processes or revenues, the trick is to find a way of making money from all of them…”
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/the-myth-of-the-shutting-studios-116091400008_1.html
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September 16, 2016 at 1:38 PM
Movie of the year for me. (PINK)
For once Indian Cinema attempts and shows maturity in court proceedings. Shall work in multiplex and metros. Gives out big message. Mr. Bachhan rocks as lawyer! And Tapsee gives good performance. Family audience shall stay away because of bold dialogues and screenplay. Gets many legal issues correct which is a good move.
Watch it. Don’t miss it on big screen!
Just came out of the show! Details later!
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September 16, 2016 at 2:59 PM
Good to know rooney, Thanks for your feedback.
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September 17, 2016 at 2:42 AM
Do post ur views soon!
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September 16, 2016 at 3:13 PM
great to see you here Rooney.. hope all’s well..
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September 17, 2016 at 2:43 AM
all fine just busy in practice!
But I can’t miss a courtroom drama with Big B 🙂
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September 16, 2016 at 9:33 PM
Pink is awesome…terrific movie! And unlike I had suspected, it’s not preachy or a feminist claptrap. It has a genuine twist that makes the whole argument about consent a bit gray and immediately relevant. This is an argument that Indian society needs to embrace…the morality brigade should take special note.
And finally, what do I say about Bachchan that’s not been said? Like Eastwood in High Plains Drifter (one of my all time favorite Eastwood performances), he’s a ghost in the film who’s there to take revenge for some past injustice that’s never shown on screen. The courtroom scenes breathe some life into a highly inert (and enigmatic, precisely because of that) performance that’s all about the use of silence and a spellbinding ‘gaze’. The director has done a fabulous job in understanding the power of such understatement. If Piku fetched him a National Award, this one ought to net him a Bharat Ratna! Absolutely loved him here…
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September 16, 2016 at 9:57 PM
In the initial portions of the film, Bachchan is freaking scary! One isn’t exactly sure what side he’s on. Outstanding use of his cold (and impersonal) ‘gaze’ that sends chills down one’s spine…
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September 16, 2016 at 9:58 PM
Great to hear your views Saket.. looking forward to it..
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September 16, 2016 at 10:30 PM
Oscar. Or some such international honour. Bachchan never ceases to surprise us. Where is An Jo?
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September 17, 2016 at 5:53 AM
Where is An Jo?
Probably waiting for B-AnJo, which releases next week? 🙂
Jokes apart, would love to read his review of Pink
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September 17, 2016 at 2:26 AM
Agree on everything here!
Shows male and societal bias and hypocrisy and Bachchan is at it best.. SIMPLY THE BEST BACHCHAN ONE HAS SEEN. Period
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September 17, 2016 at 9:17 AM
Bachchan’s performance seems to be getting extreme views….most people have loved it but there are some including a spelling bee champion who have disliked only his performance in the movie.
Planning to go tomorrow !!
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September 17, 2016 at 10:04 AM
It’s not about Performance per se but problem with Bachchan like IE reviewer and great AAP leader Ashutosh:)
As Saket has already put it in eloquent way, Bachchan lost gaze is worth the movie.. Let any actor comes even 25% close to it.. Anyone except Irfann and Bajpayee.
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September 16, 2016 at 10:15 PM
Have never seen Nahta so positive on a relatively niche film:
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September 17, 2016 at 5:51 AM
The movie has received the best reviews all around. Part of it has to do with the content of the film, which elicits such a response, but the narrative drives home the message very convincingly.
Shoojit Sirkar is like Raju Hirani for the multiplex audience, operating at a much smaller scale. So far he has displayed his quirky side (Vicky Donor, Piku) but with Pink (I’m aware he’s not the director of the film) he’s shown that he can handle human drama as well.
Long may the Bachchan and Sirkar association continue….
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September 17, 2016 at 10:26 AM
Hirani can be only one. This is OMG moment on the topic – told bluntly and makes one feel guilty of wrong doings. This sometimes limits the BO prospects but ensures longevity and memorable.
Even today if you ask a commoner about which recent film had a pragmatic take of religion and rituals, more will say OMG and not PK. This despite more no of ppl having seen PK in theatre.
Hirani’s approach towards such issues are slightly different. He relies on story telling via self realisation. He chose the same subject of OMG but then made it massier in PK by not keeping it direct.
I hope Hirani takes this as a subject for the next Munna Bhai series. The impact that would have would be less impactful but more far reaching and result would be tremendous.
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September 17, 2016 at 10:39 AM
Not to get me wrong, but let me clarify myself more. In an attempt to make the movie more realistic, natural adult language and situation has to be used in movies like Pink. This keeps the children and read the family away. Still the movies of great WOM like Pink will make 100cr but will not touch 300Cr because children and family with children will not come.
But a Hirani will touch it with a difference and make it an wholesome family entertainer by not showing the scenes directly, thereby making the movie appeal to wider audience.
Politics of this forum:
Then of course people like Jayshah will come and spin a tail out of it by saying Akshay will never be able to cross 135 cr etc. and Satyam will mention in every long writeup of his. but this is politics and let’s not debate this.
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September 17, 2016 at 12:16 PM
Everytime you respond to me like this I’ll remind you how classy Akshay Kumar is & how much you are not with this link. Remember his words.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_rtvHY8DOj8
6 times – all this proves is how many personal attacks you are making.
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September 16, 2016 at 11:26 PM
I changed Dilwale’s script to cater to the fans of SRK and Kajol: Rohit Shetty
Rohit confessed, “Dilwale is the only film I have made without conviction, yet. I got intimidated by the need to cater to Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s massive fan following. The initial film was to be a tri-hero project about three brothers and Kajol’s track was to be of a mere four to five scenes. This change was also by my own willful voluntariness. We went wrong with it, in the process.
“Critics, friends and others would come to meet me and tell me that they’d gone to the theatre to watch my brand of film, which wasn’t what they saw,” he added.
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September 18, 2016 at 2:20 PM
Being the straight up guy, Rohit is honest here and the romance part of the movie was not only wtf but cringy to watch esp that 10 or 15 mins date scene between srk& kajol just nosedived whatever was built up until then. There was hardly any conviction to why all this was happening between the warring families.
This is the only reason I feel revival of SRK is a very remote possibility and one which is most difficult to accomplish among the older stars. His mind is not ready to accept that a 2005 is not a 1995 and 2016 is not a 2006. Until he employs a director bigger in status than him he will continue to waste time….who in his right mind will engage a director like Anubhav Sinha who has no takers in bollywood and hand him a project like RA1. Does one really think Anubhav has it in him to stop srk from bringing crass humor of touching heroine’s boobs and eat noodles with curd to make it funny ? Farah is no manmohan desai but one can easily imagine srk bringing his brand of humor to a movie like HNY, putting fingers in his mouth while talking to invoke laughter. Actually since CDI/ 2007 there is not a single movie which srk could proudly name where he has acted within the script. That too was due to a very strict Shimit who would not budge from his script to make the proceedings colorful as srk complained to yrf about the dry script. Fan too was meddled and so will be that dwarf movie with Anand Rai and even a fanboy like Imtiaz who too will not stop him from to act as per his whims and fancies……until then he and HR will be chasing the wind and sunshine for their twitter fans.
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September 17, 2016 at 12:48 AM
There have to be some sections apply on those directors who greatly underutilized AB and almost sabotaged this great talent in last decade. Thankfully and fortunately people like SIrcar came in AB’s life with “Pink”.
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September 17, 2016 at 1:40 AM
Riteish Deshmukh and Nargis Fakhri are currently busy with the promotions of their upcoming film Banjo. However, recently while promoting the film an unusual thing happened. As every other actress flaunts their assets Nargis also did the same. During promotion of the film on the sets of reality dance show she was wearing a dress which grabbed the eyeballs. Seemingly it was bit revealing for viewers as it was a TV show so the crew members asked Nargis to do something about it or cover it up!
A a source close to development was quoted saying to popular tabloid,”The crew initially requested the actress to cover that bold cut since it is a family show. But, when the actress didn’t relent, the show director had to intervene and made it clear to the actress that they cannot go ahead with such brazen skin show.”
http://www.india-forums.com/bollywood/hot-n-happening/69375-nargis-was-asked-to-cover-her-cleavage.htm
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September 17, 2016 at 2:08 AM
Pink Has Low First Day
Saturday 17 September 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Pink had a low start on day one grossing around 4 crore nett. The film did pick up in the evening but mainly at high end multiplexes while the other multiplexes and its limited single screens did not improve much. The film can improve well on Saturday as these high end cinemas generally show the best growth on Saturday and the film has a big ratio of business coming from these cinemas. Neerja earliwr this year had grossed around 4.75 crore nett on day one and this film at high end multiplexes be it in Delhi, Punjab, Bangalore or Mumbai has very similar collections to that film. But in the rest where Neerja could not do well, Pink is even lower than that film.
Despite the media going crazy about the film, this support is unlikely to be reciprocated in most centres of India but the costs of the film are low enough that good appreciation at high end multiplexes of metros will see it through. There are many quite a few films which have got to 60-70 crore with mainly scoring at high end multiplexes and Pink does not need to that much business to cover. The film will get a good jump on Saturday and then it will be about that Monday being high enough to pull it through.
http://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2325
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September 17, 2016 at 6:01 AM
Despite the media going crazy about the film, this support is unlikely to be reciprocated in most centres of India but the costs of the film are low enough that good appreciation at high end multiplexes of metros will see it through.
More rubbish from BOI. Just because the people who run this site are stuck watching regressive trash from the 80s, doesn’t mean that others have to follow suit. You guys run a box office site — so talk about numbers and keep your opinions about movies to yourself! Do NOT try to outdo KRK by enlightening everyone with your mind-numbing stupidity…
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September 17, 2016 at 6:24 AM
classic BOI drivel in that second paragraph..
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September 17, 2016 at 11:04 AM
I am surprised Satyam that you take a stand against BOI on this but in several of your commentry you take similar stand, without realising that your commentry may also be as classic as the second para, though would be eloquently put, but still bereft of logic.
Let me cite instances –
1. Your commentry on Akshay Kumar not exceeding 130cr barrier when you know his movies like Airlift or Baby or Rustom from thriller genre has this as industry barrier.
2. Your commentry on Salman Khan accusing him not being able to create final nett records despite knowing historically that only extra ordinary filmmaker’s movies does it; not extraordinary star’s.
3. Your commentry on Ajay Devgn on Shivaay when you know that the movie is vastly different from his all recent movies and cannot be compared with his previous mistakes.
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September 17, 2016 at 12:26 PM
Akshay kumar has tried every genre thriller, comdey , family drama etc. but still 130 crores seems to be the ceiling for him..
Fact is a fact sultan despite being a liked movie couldnt break PK record . I think all these talks of Salman khan being a bigger star than Aamir khan making noise due to big gaps in Aamir movies.Nobody questioned AAMIR stardom during 2008-09 and 2013-14, its just that by the time people become more interested in present BO performances and forgets past achievement. I am sure if Dangal outperforms Sultan Aamir will again be hailed as bigger star between the two.
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September 17, 2016 at 12:30 PM
By the way Rustom was a bad film and there is nothing to be proud of that film.
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September 17, 2016 at 2:09 AM
Raaz Reboot Is Also Low On First Day
Saturday 17 September 2016 11.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot like Pink also had a low first day grossing around 4.75 crore nett and though the collections are higher than Pink the gap is closer than it should be as the film did open better but collections in the evening did not rise as much as Pink. The film has done well in parts of North, Rajasthan and Nizam / Andhra but the collections at multiplexes were generally dull and was driven by single screen business which was actually good in some parts of the country. Still the collections are more than 50% lower than the last part of Raaz which means this film has gone wrong somewhere as the franchise is much bigger but here the theatrical did not play to the strengths of the franchise.
The film has been taken at 20 crore for its Indian theatrical rights and so day one needed to be a bit higher unless the growth comes but that won’t be easy. Basically the difference between Pink and Raaz Reboot in terms of trend will be is that the former has done its best business where collections jump big on Saturday while Raaz Reboot has done its best business where collectioins don’t really improve on the initial. The film also has some business at major multiplexes but the ratio against all India is three times lower than Pink.
Both Raaz Reboot and Pink need around 40 crore nett plus for recovery (20 share for Raaz and 17 for Pink) and Pink probably has better chance due to the likely growth on Saturday but it will be Monday which will decide. If Raaz Reboot can grow 20-25% on Saturday it will have a fighting chance.
http://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2326
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September 17, 2016 at 8:52 AM
@Rocky 🙂
Bachchan on Modi #BurnolMoment
परम आदरणीय और सम्माननीय प्रधान मंत्री,
श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी,
आपके जन्म दिवस पे, अपने, और अपने परिवार की ओर से, आपको शुभकामनाएं अर्पित करता हूँ , और ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता हूँ की आप स्वस्थ रहें और दीर्घायु हों ….
आपसे पहला परिचय, आपका निवास स्थान, मुख्या मंत्री , गुजरात :
घर, साधारण से भी साधारण, और कमरा उससे भी साधारण …. ‘Pa’ फिल्म के लिए Tax Exemption की माँग … कहा, मैं फिल्म देखूँगा, साथ अपनी गाड़ी में बैठाकर theatre में जाना, फिल्म देखना, उसके बाद वहीं भोजन साथ करना …. घर वापस आना,
ऐसे ही, Gujarat Tourism की बात करना , और विदाई …..
आश्चर्य …. !!!
हफ्ते भर के अंदर Gujarat Tourism के अधिकारी पूरी जानकारी लेकर मुम्बई मेरे पास उपस्थित , काम आरम्भ करने के लिए …. और कुछ ही दिनों में काम शुरू !
आश्चर्य …. !!!
काम के दौरान, मेरी मांग, की कोई भी राजनीतिज्ञ से न मिलना चाहूंगा न चाहूंगा की वे, जहाँ काम कर रहा हूँ , उपस्थित हों ….. जितने दिन-महीने काम किया , एक भी राजनीतिज्ञ नहीं दिखा, और न ही मिलने आया ….
आश्चर्य …. !!!
Gujarat में जहाँ कहीं भी, किसी भी दिन, काम के लिए पहुंचा, पहला phone आपका – ” स्वागत ! किसी भी चीज़ की ज़रुरत पड़े तो मुझे phone कीजियेगा ; बाहर बहुत गर्मी है, बीच बीच में थोड़ा आराम करते रहिये गा, और पानी पीते रहिये गा। .. !
आश्चर्य … !!!
महीनों बाद Tourism काम की समाप्ति पर, अचानक एक दिन आपका मेरे Hotel में आगमन, मुझे धन्यवाद देने के लिए, एक Dwarka मंदिर की छवि की भेंट, और विदाई …. !
आश्चर्य …. !!!
देश के आम चुनाव के दौरान आपके भाषण सुनना, और एक दिन आप की विजय प्राप्ति की घोषणा …. !
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !!!
प्रधानमंत्री पद पे आपकी नियुक्ति, Parliament में आपका प्रवेश, आपके विचार, आपके अनेक आम कार्यक्रमों की घोषणा, उनपर व्यतिगत monitoring करते रहना, विदेश में भारत की छवि और भारत की प्राथमिकता पर विश्व को जागृत करना … !
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !!!
किसी भी शादी ब्याह या आम कार्यक्रम में मुझे दूर से पहचान लेना, और मिलके कोई ऐसी व्यक्तिगत बात करना : ” Uttarayan के समय छत पे पतंग उड़ाते, आपकी उंगली कट गयी थी, अब कैसी है, ठीक है ?”
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं …. !!!
स्वच्छ भारत अभियान , बेटी बचाओ बेटी पढ़ाओ अभियान , TB , Hepatitis B , किसानों और आम आदमी के लिए आर्थिक सुरक्षा का अभियान , पानी बचाओ अभियान , शौचालाय बनाने का अभियान – इन सब पर आपके विचार और उनसे देश को जागृत करना … !
कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !!!
इन सभी विषयों पर पहले कभी भी इतनी एकाग्रता, और दृढ़ता से देश को और समाज को परिचित कराना …!
अब … कोई आश्चर्य नहीं … !
अब ये हमारा सांकल्प है … !
और प्रत्येक देश वासी इन सभी कार्यक्रमों में यदि अपना योगदान न दे , तो निराशा तो होगी ही, लेकिन … !
आश्चर्य भी होगा … !!!
आदरणीय मोदी जी, इस जन्म दिवस पे, ये ‘आश्चर्य’ की धारणा सभी पे बानी रहे, यही ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है …. !
स्नेह आदर सहित,
अमिताभ बच्चन
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September 17, 2016 at 9:09 AM
Superb………thanks for sharing that Bliss !!
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September 17, 2016 at 10:47 AM
extraordinary writeup from ones leading leaders of his profession on another leading leader but from another profession.
Would love to read more such leader to leader talk. Makes an inspirational read.
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September 17, 2016 at 10:49 AM
**Pls delete above comment
Extraordinary anecdote from one leader of his profession citing another leading but from a different profession.
Would love to read more such leader to leader talk. Makes an inspirational read.
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September 18, 2016 at 9:37 AM
Bliss- read this, simply brilliant piece by The Great Bong !!
https://greatbong.net/2016/09/17/intellectual-standards-organization/
This is not unique to Mr. Guha. Most of his fellow ISO-certified “liberals” are also extremely closed to any kind of signal outside their echo chambers, just as much as “right wingers” are. This becomes even more ironic when they then rue the absence of right-wing intellectuals, after working actively towards making sure such intellectuals are never heard in the public or in the academic sphere, denying them a stage to express their opinions or hounding them out of academic spaces. This the distinguished men and women of the “liberal” persuasion can do, exerting as they do an almost absolute control of academia and mainstream media. Any attempt to break their control is considered intolerance, which is also why they believe social media has reduced the level of intellectual discourse, since in social media they can’t so easily silence the people calling out their inconsistencies, misrepresentations and outright falsehoods on a daily basis.
I came to know that Mr. Guha opposes a ban on alcohol imposed by Nitish, and instead favors high taxes, the principle being to price the poor out of the market. Realistically though, higher prices would not stop a drunk from drinking, it would just make him even more desperate for money and more prone to abusing his family and engaging in crimes. On the other hand, higher taxes would have no effect on the elites, who presumably wont care whether there is a cess of 120 pc or 150 pc on their Scotch.
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September 18, 2016 at 9:53 AM
Already done 🙂
Greatbong has experienced vicious attack of Left-commie echo system where his work was blocked…
Oops.. Left mean right, progressive, liberal, secular here and out there 🙂
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September 18, 2016 at 4:49 PM
Sandeep Kumar –
Our leader told us that – agar koi rishwat dey toh mana mat karna, ley lena and uskeee CD bana lena !! Yahee toh kiya tha jee maine ? Is this true ??
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September 17, 2016 at 9:08 AM
I think it’s my arrogance which was the main reason for my flops” – Ram Gopal Varma
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/11392
Why Sarkar 3 at this stage of your career?
The point of continuing any franchise is only when the characters create an impact and Mr. Bachchan did that so powerfully in Sarkar. Amitji and I were discussing ideas on how we should make Sarkar 3 since a few years and we both were clear that we won’t attempt it unless we are extremely sure we can better what has been already done in Sarkar in 2005 and Sarkar Raj (2) in 2008. So to get the absolutely right content was the reason for the delay
How different would he be in Sarkar 3?
The last time I saw Amitji in an angry man’s role was only in Sarkar 10 years ago and I designed that character from the angry image he derived from his portrayal in iconic films like Zanjeer, Deewar and Bemisal. In Sarkar my ambition is to portray him as being angrier than ever and that of course for highly valid reasons
What do you think of some of the recent films that Mr Bachchan has done, like Shamitabh, Teen and Wazir?
Though I myself have created some complacent and soft characters for him in in Rann, Nishabd, etc I generally do not like to see him playing an ordinary man. Of course they were great performances but my problem is that I want to see him larger than life
How do you plan to present Mr Bachchan in the sequel to the sequel to ensure a uniqueness and novelty in looks and emotions?
More than anything else his character will have a very powerful screen presence along with his trademark intimidating stares, shrivelling scowls and highly memorable one-liners ,which is the tradition of Sarkar
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September 17, 2016 at 9:20 AM
THE SHOWMAN BUSTS THE BIG BLUFF
http://supercinema.co.in/the-showman-busts-the-big-bluff/
Today marketing is a monster for the medium and small budget films. I am yet to understand why stars today go from town to town and channel to channel and every interesting and popular reality show and serials on television in the age of social media, TV and Radio. It’s funny, but sad. Would audiences appreciate a film because the stars had visited their towns or because its promos were telecast thousands of times in a day and even all through the nights? They are working under the pressure of the stars, the pressure of the marketing people who are ignorant of the reality. The truth is known when the 9 pm show on Friday proves whether the film is going to do well or not. All the rest of the games and gimmicks played by the corporate culture are like a bluff game and people living in illusionary worlds of their own.
What I guess the corporate did wrong was to misread and misunderstand the film business from the very beginning .They misread its nature, its limitations, its secrets and its reality. And the whole business as run by them in their excitement grew into a monster too dangerous for them to go back to the reality.
These corporate basically focused on two things, the weekend initial draw which belongs to stars only and the pressure of the company’s quarterly results showing profit by hook or by crook. So they immediately bought stars at unimaginable prices to cover weekend business. Secondly, they handed over the whole process of filmmaking to stars who became their major consultants in selecting scripts, writers, directors and even producers of their choice. Dharma, Yash Raj, Nadiadwalas and the Bhatts continued their fight and survived because of their own in house stars they had groomed. Independent producers with decades of experience knew the complexities of business. They followed the golden rule that only availability of finance can never make a good film. It was love and passion for the films they made which made them the winners they were for decades
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September 17, 2016 at 1:38 PM
Pink must be almost double of yesterday on Saturday. Sunday will be in double digits. i dont know whats releasing in the next 2-3 weeks but if it gets screens it Has a very good chance of going to 100 crs. The recovery for the movie was around 35 crs it will comfortably double it for sure.
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September 17, 2016 at 2:07 PM
100 cr is very optimistic. After watching, I would think it will be around 65-70 crs.
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September 17, 2016 at 3:45 PM
Piku did 80 and that was a much lighter subject. 100 might be too much of an ask.
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September 17, 2016 at 3:59 PM
Yes, it all depends on what kind of upswing we see on Saturday and Sunday. Can the film ignite the RDB kind of hysteria? If it can then it has a chance to do 100 crores. The reviews are there but are people willing? The ticket rates have definitely gone up since the RDB days. Getting a tax-free status will help, like it helped Neerja.
But you are right, it’s too much of an ask. In reality, if the film does 60 crores+, it would indicate fantastic trending…given its 4 crore opening. It doesn’t help that it has opened in lesser number of screens compared to Raaz Reboot
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September 17, 2016 at 4:20 PM
agreed..
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September 17, 2016 at 4:06 PM
To put it in perspective, if Pink manages to do 100 crores, it’d be as good as Baahubali’s performance (in Hindi). The latter was outstanding but had massive support from all sections of society. The subject matter wasn’t controversial…and it had special effects to boot.
Pink relies on a strong female-centric audience to show up in droves. It has to be the defining film of this generation in order to achieve Baahubali’s level of success. If it happens, I’d be very happy with the situation, but it’d also point towards an extraordinary situation.
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September 17, 2016 at 4:20 PM
agreed again.
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September 17, 2016 at 9:57 PM
Pink has a great chance to touch OMG which few years has netted an awesome 84cr to emerge as Blockbuster.
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September 17, 2016 at 10:52 PM
Just checked that MS Dhoni is releasing on 30th. That will affect the screen count I think
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September 18, 2016 at 6:02 AM
OMG was a comedy film with an item number to boot! It was purely a commercial film.
Pink can hardly be called a commercial film. It’s on the lines of films like No One Killed Jessica or Talvar and none of these films managed to run amok at the box office.
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September 18, 2016 at 6:05 AM
This is not to suggest that OMG didn’t do well at the box office — it did fantastically well, trended excellently over the course of time — but it wasn’t a dark film. It was the exact opposite of a dark film. The odds of such a film succeeding, like the way it eventually did, are very much higher.
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September 17, 2016 at 2:33 PM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/15/riz-ahmed-typecast-as-a-terrorist
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September 18, 2016 at 2:53 AM
Pink Shows Huge Growth – Raaz Reboot Flat
Sunday 18 September 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Pink did well on Saturday as it showed had huge growth of around 80%. The film is on the lines of Neerja and Piku not only is the growth on Saturday similar but it is the same audience of high end multiplexes which is making the film work. Some of these theatres in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi were actually showing good collections and hitting 60-65% occupancy. Other A centres like a Lucknow or Ludhiana also had strong growth but the collections there still remain average while mass circuits like CPCI and Bihar remain poor despite big growth on Saturday but the film does not really need these markets to perform and can get away with its high end multiplex performance.. The metros will take the film to success and Monday will decide if the film can be a hit as costs are reasonable. Below is the first two day business of Pink.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 11,69,00,000 apprx
Raaz Reboot struggled on day two as business was similar to the first day with most of the circuits where it managed average business like a Nizam and UP going down on day two. There was improvement at some multiplexes but it was a limited push. Both Pink and Raaz Reboot needed a 20 crore nett weekend and Raaz Reboot will not get while Pink has a chance but even if it does not get at least it has a trend where it can make ground on the weekdays. The first two day business of Raaz Reboot is as follows
Friday – 5,13,00,000
Saturday – 4,75,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 9,88,00,000 apprx
http://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2329
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September 18, 2016 at 3:04 AM
Poor Big B, he’s ‘getting away’ with a good film.
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September 18, 2016 at 7:01 AM
ha!
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September 18, 2016 at 4:13 AM
Awesome growth indeed. A solo release would have …. But anyway battle is already won.
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September 18, 2016 at 4:22 AM
REVIEW OF “PINK”
“She’s definitely an easy lay”.
An oft-heard categoriesation by many-a-machismos. One wonders from where do they derive, such confidence, in their assertion. This unfounded conviction is because of a warped mindset; India’s sordid masculine psyche. It’s this “male” mindset that the film Pink attempts to expose. And I must say, it does expose it, shamelessly and uninhibitedly. Moreover, it remains uncompromising in doing it and therefore ends up doing it, quite well.
Pink, in the process, throws up many moral questions . On what flimsy ground do we label someone as promiscuous? It, rightly, lashes out at the retrogressive typing of women, as “slut”/”loose”/ “easy” based on her clothes, life style, skin colour, ethnicity etcetera. It brings out the question of individual freedom to choice to her own sexualty and the blasphemous dilemma of consensual sex. Though it deals with legal aspects, of these issues, in reasonably fair and convincing way but it remains facile while taking on the ethical complexities involved with these issues. It pitches patriarchal/misogynistic mindset with liberal outlook and it takes no brainer to point the flaws in the former. However, it never dares to questions the unbridled libertine decadence, in the present day, urban mileu. Rather, it unconsciously undermines the conservative “Indian” ethos where restrictions were an act of prudence and not forced submission.
Tarun Tejpal a veteran champion of left “liberal” brigade had very insightfully spoken of:
“What’s it turns men into beasts?”
at his Tehelka edit meetings “It is this – not being able to take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Though, ironically, he himself was unable to take “no” when he tried sexually molesting, his employee, who was half his age. The movie harps on this point of inability of men to take “no” for an answer. The reason for this is that “no” is double whammy for many men. Its a blow not just to their insistent libido but also exalted ego. Pink does not pull it’s punches while uncovering these perverse, masculine, egoistic tendencies.
Pink’s pace is riveting and the way the plot unravels, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, through the film. It hits the ground running, remains gripping from the start till the very end. It’s not easy film to watch as it vocal on the “inconvenient truths” which are otherwise obfuscated in hypocritical society, we live in. It remains bold in its assertion but at times, gets too assertive. Even preachy. But these “feminist” homilies are, thankfully, few and far between.
The movie’s casting is spot on. Everyone fits into his/her roles like a glove. Three protagonists Minal ( Taapsee Pannu) Falak (Kirti Kulhari) and Andrea (Tariang) are sassy and suave girls you would spot in any of Delhi’s upscale shopping complex. Their counterparts, Ranbeer (Angad Bedi) and group of friends, are typical Haryanavi lager lout in Delhi’s upscale bar. Even those in smaller roles added to the film in every meaningful way, especially Piyush Mishra, Dhritimaan Chatterjee and Vinod Nagpal. Only sore thumb was Big B. He was, unexpectedly , tad disappointing. Perhaps, this could be because we expect much more from him. He just couldn’t pull off his role with ease and seemed too full of himself. Unlike Piku, where he, as an endearing old man, was such a delight to watch. Here, however, he was, wee bit, irritating.
Music was minimal. The sombre song that keeps coming in the film, just at the right moments, is haunting Kaari Kaari , sung so well by Qurat Ul Ain Balouch. I particularly enjoyed the piano pieces, in the background score, directed by Shantanu Moitra.
Pink could have been better. Having said that I feel it’s a commendable and a meaningful cinema. A honest and a well made film. Something that a society can learn from and inturn make it safer for millions of young women.
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September 18, 2016 at 4:50 AM
Fantastic jump for Pink…hopefully will continue its run similar or better than Neerja
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September 18, 2016 at 6:54 AM
Read this comment on indicine…sums up the Indian/South Asian male’s mentality perfectly…
Watched pink movie.. It is really confused movie… Director tries hard to have the audience show sympathy towards the girls. What is the message? A women can do anything willingly like sex with others or boy friend it is absolutely fine… But when says NO!!! THEN IT’S ABSOLUTELY NO!!! Amazing!!! Where are the human values!! It’s just western culture… You can do whatever willingly… No one should stop you…. Why should audience show sympathy to character where she says she had sex at the age of 19 willingly with the boy friend!!! Amazing people appreciating such type of movies.
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September 18, 2016 at 7:08 AM
This so called “effect” of western culture is also blamed for the rising divorce rates in India. I think it’s actually a good thing. Not that I advocate couples breaking up on a whim, but what this trend indicates is that women are no longer willing to be subdued by men with a patriarchal mindset. There are far too many marriages in India (here it’s relevant to point out that it’s just not India) where women bear the brunt of abusive, alcoholic or even psychotic husbands and still carry on living with them — for the sake of societal pressure, cultural upbringing or deep-rooted prejudices enforced by the society at large. That they now choose to walk out of a bad marriage is a good thing. It’s called freedom…it’s also called equality and having some sense of self-worth. South Asian men take all this for granted and it’s a sickening mindset that needs to change.
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September 18, 2016 at 7:33 AM
Why should audience show sympathy to character where she says she had sex at the age of 19 willingly with the boy friend!!!
This is precisely why I said that the film isn’t a preachy, wannabe feminist story. It’s the ultimate liberal film in the sense that it asks the audience to sympathize with girls/women who want to be treated as equals. In fact, the film even suggests that some of them might have taken money for sex (in the past) as well. Even so, it’s their right to say NO, whatever be the circumstances. This is the point — and it’s hard for many to take it coming from a girl who’s not a virgin! Of course, nobody asks if a guy is a virgin or not. One wouldn’t be considered ‘man’ enough if one admits to being one. But that’s a different matter!
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September 18, 2016 at 7:45 AM
Read somewhere that Akshay kumar is a Canadian citizen. Is it true? He said in an interview that he holds dual citizenship, but its not possible because one has to relinquish indian citizenship to get passport of any other country.
https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Akshay-Kumar-take-up-Canadian-citizenship
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September 18, 2016 at 3:43 PM
I think that is true. Last incidence at London Heathrow was due to that.
http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/akshay-kumar-not-detainedat-heathrow-airport/
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September 18, 2016 at 3:44 PM
His wiki page also shows the same (RHS):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akshay_Kumar
You cannot hold dual citizenship with Indian passport. OCI is extended VISA.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2010/10/indian_cinema
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September 18, 2016 at 3:40 PM
What a despicable mindset!
The sad truth is there are many who share it.
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September 18, 2016 at 9:48 AM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Swathi-murder-accused-Ramkumar-commits-suicide-in-Puzhal-Central-Prison-in-Chennai/articleshow/54393630.cms
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September 18, 2016 at 11:51 AM
What are the day 2 box office collections of the 2 movies released???
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September 18, 2016 at 12:13 PM
Pink did well on Saturday as it showed had huge growth of around 80%. The film is on the lines of Neerja and Piku not only is the growth on Saturday similar but it is the same audience of high end multiplexes which is making the film work. Some of these theatres in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi were actually showing good collections and hitting 60-65% occupancy. Other A centres like a Lucknow or Ludhiana also had strong growth but the collections there still remain average while mass circuits like CPCI and Bihar remain poor despite big growth on Saturday but the film does not really need these markets to perform and can get away with its high end multiplex performance.. The metros will take the film to success and Monday will decide if the film can be a hit as costs are reasonable. Below is the first two day business of Pink.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 11,69,00,000 apprx
Raaz Reboot struggled on day two as business was similar to the first day with most of the circuits where it managed average business like a Nizam and UP going down on day two. There was improvement at some multiplexes but it was a limited push. Both Pink and Raaz Reboot needed a 20 crore nett weekend and Raaz Reboot will not get while Pink has a chance but even if it does not get at least it has a trend where it can make ground on the weekdays. The first two day business of Raaz Reboot is as follows
Friday – 5,13,00,000
Saturday – 4,75,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 9,88,00,000 apprx
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2329
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September 18, 2016 at 12:03 PM
Pink review
Spoiler Alert: Mild spoilers ahead
[post created]
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September 18, 2016 at 12:13 PM
AJ what is your site? I wanted to check it out but forgot the URL
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September 18, 2016 at 12:18 PM
I think it is in my name-link itself. It’s a boring site by the way.
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September 18, 2016 at 1:41 PM
boring kyun? And why is “about” page blank? I enjoy your writing the most on SS. Baki sare ek aur, aur aap ek aur. There is a certain honesty (satyam?) to your writing and has that nonwriterness (-aka same ghisa-pita liberal sounding lol) to it, that lends it very fresh n delightful to read. Keep up the good work. And now my comment will mysteriously disappear 😉
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September 18, 2016 at 2:08 PM
An Jo Satyamshot ke Amitabh Bachchan hain di ke liye, 1 se lekar 10 tak AB, phir kisi aur ka naam aata hai! Pink hi sahi, An Jo apne Satyamshot ke ‘swa-nirvasan’ se bahar aaye aur aate hi sixer!! Hope you are not going to vanish this time and will keep us hooked with your ‘out of the box’ views.
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September 18, 2016 at 12:22 PM
Wonderful piece AnJo 🙂
Amitabh is towering sun in the movie
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September 18, 2016 at 12:23 PM
Excellent review, Anjo. Loved reading it…and glad you liked the film so much.
P.S. Re:My favorite line in the movie, just because I am in love with the ‘liberals’ from any society is by the character named Javed: Look, I can either be truthful or liberal. What do you want me to be?
You forgot to mention that Javed is later on shown to be a giant prick, who abandons Falak when she needed him the most! Guess who’s the director siding with in the end?
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September 18, 2016 at 1:02 PM
http://www.ndtv.com/youth-for-change-conclave
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September 18, 2016 at 3:37 PM
This is quite good…liked Bachchan’s and Shoojit Sircar’s responses the most.
P.S. Ravish Kumar is brilliant as a journalist. Respect him quite a lot.
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September 18, 2016 at 3:42 PM
Another 2 here-
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pink-amitabh-bachchan-taapsee-pannu-mind-rocks-2016-shoojit-sircar/1/766527.html
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mind-rocks-2016-kangana-ranaut-feminism-hrithik-roshan-pink/1/766715.html
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September 18, 2016 at 2:07 PM
Girish Johar @girishjohar 10h10 hours ago
#UriAttack … 17 soldiers killed, 20 injured …so sad ….PATHETIC act by militants… RIP our brave soldiers
I know this is not a political blog but my rant here is more common sense & partly connected to films. When at each incidents like the one above, the Indian & foreign intelligence agencies point to Pak meddling who in their right mind will think about getting actors & comedians from an enemy camp and insult our fallen soldiers !
At one level, one can justify a movie like ADHM, where the setting is London and the characterization demand foreign actors, but I fail to understand is a why others like a K&Sons or a even Raees (though its not 100% certain) would employ a Mahira Khan to act as an Indian journo in hindi movie.
I hate the Shiv Sena for their hooliganism & extortionist nature of their operations in Mumbai but more so I tend to sympathize with their anti-pak stance to movies&sports. We got to be naive to believe all this cultural & person to person contact will ease tensions and rivalries when clearly this is not simply border and showmanship issue and at the bottom is a Hindu-Muslim conflict and unlikely to resolve until the other is completely demolished. Just look at all the channels today and where is all the anger directed. What it clearly does is harm the vast muslim populace living in India who try to make ends meet & lead a normal life and they are easily clubbed with the enemy nation at a drop of a hat like what SRK these days is is facing with his Jio ad.
Why is it so difficult for our film makers to shun actors / players from across the border…..Does Pak invite a Srk, Akki or Sallu to work in their movies……. ?
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September 18, 2016 at 3:02 PM
Agree with this and this is why i find Karan Johar so manipulative. Apparently ash/Anushka/ Fawad are all playing Pakistanis in this movie. This was completely unnecessary and only done because Pakistanis make up a large proportion of the Overseas BO, and he is just trying to maximize that. He knows that its BO prospects are always capped in the Indian BO so he’s making up for it with this move. More over, I bet some political parties (probably Shiv Sena) will try to ban the movie or block it thus creating free controversy / publicity and increasing the Indian Box office by about 10% from the liberal multiplex audience members fighting for free speech or some bs , and Karan Johar ends up w a 200 crore world wide grosser which is enough to call ADHM a hit, but of course Fox bears losses, and the end result is something like my name is khan’s box office and reception.
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September 18, 2016 at 3:53 PM
As much I like tit for tat response in this case but I understand any war will put India couple of decades back economically. You have to choose your poison. Constant festering or war; Pakistan is not going to change its ways. The political leadership of Pakistan cannot whisk away the hawks.
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September 18, 2016 at 9:05 PM
This where political leadership needs to take a stand unless the Indian govt is under some kind of behind the scene game plan of waiting it out for enemy to wither away by its own slow death…..
The point is the way present generation blames Indira Gandhi for committing a blunder by not settling the Kashmir question in Shimla in 1972 on India’s terms when India was in the position of dictating terms as a victor of war, future generations may blame people in power today.
We know managing external relations is complex esp in a large and diverse democracy like India. But the fact remains that we have always been particularly generous to our neighbors where throwing around a bit more weight might have been beneficial in the long run.
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September 18, 2016 at 2:51 PM
Fair points !
I Appeal To SRK, Aamir & Salman To NOT Release Their Films On Holidays
“…….Because they don’t know filmmaking. With stars on board, they know that they’ll get the initial numbers na? Get the Khans and release it on holidays, catch the audience over a festival weekend. Often the films open well, not essentially because they are all good films but because of the good period. In fact, the stars must say that ‘we are crowd-pullers and we’ll release it on normal weekends. I appeal to the 3 Khans to take a call that they won’t release their films on holidays. Let the new crop prosper. As seniors, let us be providers. Films of new actors and makers come during periods of Ramzan, Examinations and IPL, and fail at the ticket windows. Woh dab ke mar jaate hain.
Do you think that…?
(Interrupts) The industry needs 12 Salmans not 1, 12 Deepikas not 1, 12 Raju Hiranis not 1. Seniors in the industry have to think about this. The industry needs to get healthy.
Will the corporates listen to the 3 Khans if they tell them to not release their ventures on big holidays?
Kaunse corporate ki majaal hai ki Khan ko na bole? How can they overrule any of the 3 Khans? What is any corporate’s personal credibility? They are a case of baith ja baith gayi, khadi ho ja khadi ho gayi, ghoom jaa ghoom gayi.
http://www.spotboye.com/bollywood/Bollywood-interviews/i-appeal-to-the-srk-aamir-and-salman-to-not-release-their-films-on-holidays/57dec45b4d65b9d23b5105a9
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September 18, 2016 at 5:33 PM
Mukesh Bhatt has contradicted his own statements in this interview, for instance his response is devoid of any rationale when asked this question-
”Is it that Studios want stars essentially?
Because they don’t know filmmaking. With stars on board, they know that they’ll get the initial numbers na? Get the Khans and release it on holidays, catch the audience over a festival weekend. Often the films open well, not essentially because they are all good films but because of the good period. In fact, the stars must say that ‘we are crowd-pullers and we’ll release it on normal weekends. I appeal to the 3 Khans to take a call that they won’t release their films on holidays. Let the new crop prosper. As seniors, let us be providers. Films of new actors and makers come during periods of Ramzan, Examinations and IPL, and fail at the ticket windows. Woh dab ke mar jaate hain.”
Now he is stating 2 very opposite things and either may be true, but not both. He believes that studios are encashing the massive pull of Khans on festive weekends with out knowing filmmaking and further raising doubts over the star power of Khans by asking them to release their movies during normal periods. Even if we take his presumptions to be true, Khans have ‘earned’ the faith of the audience over years and also the festival periods of their own gradually as Christmas and Eid were never considered an auspicious occasion for big releases before Aamir and Salman turned them in to most enviable release dates respectively besides Deepawali which Shahrukh had monopolised long before! January was also considered an unfavourable period before 2006 when RDB released on Republic day! Black was to release in January but due to the belief January being an inauspicious month for movie release, it was pushed ahead to February and released in the first week of February!! And it’s not as if Tiger Shroff’s films would start becoming blockbusters on these festivals! There are multiple factors behind the gigantic success Khans have been enjoying during these festival periods not the ‘festivals alone’.
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September 18, 2016 at 9:22 PM
Myselfaamir you get everything right in your comment….there are a lot of contradictions there by Bhatt and at the end of the day the interviewer does hint to him that its not charity and industry goes by survival of the fittest model and purely driven by market dynamics.
I put up the piece also for corruption in films where producers just ripped the studio. The kashyap, vikas bahl types along with ranbir/shahid kind of actors thrived on the studio model and may be same what ashutosh-hrithik did recently with Mohenjo daro. That is why hyping themselves, staying in media / social media sites has become all the more important for such players.
“……..(Interrupts) Oh, we are making lovely cinema, we are making poetry (gets animated). Hawa mein baat karte hain, so vague they talk. I look at them and smile….”
“,,,,,on the other hand, the industry has now started projecting flops as hits. In fact, some of the guys even started actually believing that their flops were hits. Imagine! It was such a schizophrenic way of functioning. In the bargain, actors, technicians and even the lower rung got corrupt. It was a free-for-all”
“The time has come for some serious correction. Corporates should stop paying actors insane amounts of money. A cameraman who charged only Rs 10-15 lakh per film is now charging Rs 1 crore”
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September 19, 2016 at 3:21 AM
”Coming back to your point that the Khans should give away the holidays to other stars…
I am not saying ‘other stars’. I am saying ‘newcomers’. I am not saying ‘Khans should give it to Varun Dhawan’. Else you are making Varun Dhawan into a monster. Let me explain: Salman should allow Sooraj Pancholi’s film to release on Eid. Karan Johar should be allowed to release his Student of the Year 2 on a Diwali and no big star should clash with him; let’s not forget that SOTY Part 1 gave us 3 talented people. We have to create a wealth of talent and the seniors- actors, producers, directors- must lead from the front.”
MSDhoni this is not the end of the story as he gives an example of ‘hapless’ Sooraj Pancholis of this world and ‘SOTY 2’ as examples of this ‘noble model and cause’ to save Bollywood! Look how far he could go while ‘seremonising’ industry to avoid the upcoming upheaval the current model is likely to bring about! This ‘nepotism’ is the cardinal cause behind the current state of Bollywood where Imran Khans and Emraan Hashmis are kept providing movies on their platter despite former being the worst mainstream actor ever with just one emotion and latter delivering disasters one after the other! Yet Mukesh Bhatt wants to make us believe in his gospel truth which is ”We are not in the business of making films. We make destinies”!! How far one can go in trying to be next to ‘GOD’ is closest i have read or heard with such narcissistic, egotistic vanity!
Second thing he wants us to believe that emerging talents will get the similar response from the audience as these Khans, Kumar and Roshans are getting is another wishful fantasy which will certainly cost Bollywood dearly as in his ill-advised scenario, neither party is going to benefit. There will be a loss of huge revenue as people would not shell out the huge amount just to watch ’emerging talents’ and on the other hand there would be a certain drop in the final gross of big star’s movies as festive periods do help in adding extra Crores to the final gross!
Problem lies elsewhere which he didn’t even insinuate as a factor for the crisis Bollywood has been going through, which is insane ticket pricing which is causing the shrinking revenue from theatrical and forcing masses to indulge in piracy. How could, a family of 4 or 5 with a monthly income ranging from Rs. 25000 to 75000, ‘afford 2000 to 3000 bucks every week just on movies with so much inflation?? It’s not if they don’t want to but it’s because they can not afford to due to astronomical ticket prices. This is most vital aspect where the radical and drastic measures ought to be taken for any chance of revival as piracy would keep flourishing as long as masses are priced out even before the release of the movie! Southern film industry could teach a lot in this respect as they have put the audience at the forefront which is what Bollywood should emulate as a model, as this model is self-reliant and self-dependent with out needing any help from outside.
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September 18, 2016 at 4:32 PM
Pink 3rd Day Box Office Collection [Sunday] Total 3 Days/ 1st Weekend
The movie is seen with outstanding response from audiences at Indian theatres. The film as per Taran Adarsh is earning good income from multiplexes rather than single screens as they are dominated by Raaz Reboot led by Emraan Hashmi.
The film is able to earn better collection than Vikram Bhatt’s directorial movie “Raaz Reboot”. The impact movie with solid performance and good direction opens on a good note on Sunday morning shows. The film form the start of the day itself, is seen with good audience at theatres and it was seen with maximum audience in evening shows.
As per early estimates, Pink morning shows of Day 3 is seen grossing 1.59 crores* and after making good income in opening shows, it makes a business of 2.22 crores* in afternoon shows whereas evening collections were 3.17 crores. Night show for Sunday marks 2.31 crores*.
Therefore, Pink 3rd day box office collection makes a total business of Rs 9.29 crores which is excellent hike for Amitabh Bachchan starrer.
This takes Pink 3 days total collections i.e. 1st weekend business at Rs 21.26 crores* which is a good news for Shoojit Sarcar.
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September 18, 2016 at 5:07 PM
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta 2h2 hours ago
Reproducing my Friday tweet: Poor opening of #Pink . My assessment:Collections wil not just pick up in multiplexes, they will shoot up.
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta 2h2 hours ago
Indeed, that’s what happened. #Pink on Friday: 4.25 crore. Saturday: 7.5 crore. Sunday: seems to be 9.5 crore. Total: 21.25 crore!!!!!
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 12h12 hours ago
#Pink Fri 4.32 cr, Sat 7.65 cr. Total: ₹ 11.97 cr. India biz… OUTSTANDING at plexes… ₹ 20 cr [+/-] weekend on the cards… 👍👍👍
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September 18, 2016 at 5:09 PM
Bachchan has a hit 43 years after Zanjeer.. it beggars the imagination.. it’s been a trivia game with me to keep measuring this gap, I’ve been doing it for years. It will also be interesting to see where this film ends up. Piku was a much lighter, more accessible film. On the other hand the response to Pink is easily stronger than the already very positive Piku one. In fact even in the trade I see some ‘usual suspects’ who are often not happy to celebrate more niche films and/or not very eager to celebrate a Bachchan success give this total endorsement. The film has clearly struck a chord.
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September 18, 2016 at 5:11 PM
After this I am really looking forward to Sarkar now…..
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September 18, 2016 at 7:09 PM
Bachchan has a hit 43 years after Zanjeer.
He also has received 5 National Awards, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan in the same period. In all likelihood, he will also receive the Phalke award and also the Bharat Ratna in the future.
Quite a lucky chap, this Bachchan!
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September 19, 2016 at 9:17 AM
I fear getting chomped but nonetheless truth will set me free, so I will take the bait.
@”Bachchan has a hit 43 years after Zanjeer.. it beggars the imagination.. it’s been a trivia game with me to keep measuring this gap, I’ve been doing it for years”
Why are you putting a closure to this and this preemptive assertion? Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!!!
What Bachchan has done since Zanjeer/1973 to date is unprecedented, groundbreaking, unparalleled, unequalled ….we can continue putting these adjectives and that won’t be sufficient. We also wish and pray he continues this path for years to come and has a productive & healthy life.
What we ‘do know’ is the trajectory Bachchan career path is following and doing a oft repeated rumsfeld quote which I really like – ‘here are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know!
Now in contemporaneous universe, for the last 27 years there is also a graph moving upwards in positive territory since its inception. The trajectory is running parallel to the mentioned above and for sake of argument with a higher standard deviation all things considered & allowing for inflation. What is clear at the moment is that a 4-5 cr opening day is still a distant 10/12 years away for this contemporary graph.
So let’s leave the final verdict and how this will be analyzed to the historians when all’s said & done.
I need to get ready for a sermon now !
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September 19, 2016 at 9:22 AM
MSDhoni.. I won’t provide a sermon but I’m also afraid I have no meds at the moment to offer…
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September 19, 2016 at 9:30 AM
Haha….aapko toh dawa nahin dua ki zaroorat hai !
Out of respect for the Indian captain and also to avoid confusions while discussing the next blockbuster coming our way on Sept 30th, I will henceforth forego my username.
TigerZindaHai seems tempting to take up but at the moment I am going to settle with a low key ‘livewire’. Please make appropriate adjustments to your databases as MSDhoni is not going to be available for sometime.
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September 19, 2016 at 3:01 PM
Aur Dhoni ji aapka rog dawa aur duaa dono se pare ho gaya hai, ab to kewal chamatkar hi aapko iss asadhya sthiti se nijat dila sakta hai!!
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September 19, 2016 at 9:38 AM
What is clear at the moment is that a 4-5 cr opening day is still a distant 10/12 years away for this contemporary graph.
Main Aur Mrs Khanna & Marigold
It’s not 10-12 years away; these turkeys have already given a glimpse of what’s in store…
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September 19, 2016 at 2:50 PM
Marigold is one of the biggest disasters of all time as it wasn’t able to collect even 1 Crore with its budget @ around 25 Crore in 2007!! I can’t think of any recent release of any top star failing to even cross 1 Crore mark!!
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September 19, 2016 at 9:48 AM
The 43 year old span for hits would be done by many of AB’s contemporaries. Rajni did his debut in 1975 and has a hit this year – a massive one. Kamal debuted in 1959 as child artist and has hits spanning 60 years…I am sure Dilip Kumar also would have it. Mohanlal, Mamooty also will have it…If you are saying it with respect to Bollywood then that’s fine. But I don’t doubt for a moment that the Khans will be around in some capacity 20 years down the line assuming they are alive course…
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September 19, 2016 at 3:37 PM
Dilip Kumar last solo Hit was Ram Aur Shyam in 1967 at age of 45 .. Nothing substantial for next 13-14 years till he did comeback in multistarrers of 80’s with Kranti, Karma and Saudagar as Hits. His last was Quilla in 1996 and it was disaster.
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September 19, 2016 at 3:48 PM
Hahaha.. You are using ‘solo’ multistarrers. LMAO. Being a bachchan fan, you should know what’s in reality Solo vs Multistarrer. He actually retired after Ram aur Shyam and did only few films for close friends till he came back in 1981 with Kranti.
Oh yeah.. Saudagar ran for Vivek Mushran!
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September 19, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Saudagar also had Raj Kumar in equal footing. It wasn’t a Dilip Kumar – only vehicle at all…
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September 19, 2016 at 4:21 PM
I know where you are coming from master. In those 80’s multistarrer, Dilip kumar was not the driving force except Karma where his role was really good. Saudagar actually underperformed at boxoffice, it was first movie where cracks were visible in subhash ghai direction. Kranti anyways was out n out Manoj kumar movie.
But all this is not the point, fact is after age 45(1967) Dilip did nothing important except few in 80’s and NO, he never took retirement .. its just that his movies didn’t work.
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September 19, 2016 at 4:51 PM
“Dilip did nothing important except few in 80’s and NO, he never took retirement .. its just that his movies didn’t work.”
You are completely ignorant my friend. Talks were always there during his peak about his retirement. He wasn’t interested to continue working all his life. That’s why he did only odd 50 films in his whole career. Right after producing and ghost directing Ganga Jamuna in 1961 which was huge blockbusters he stopped accepting movies and industry was upset with his retirement. Then after 3 years he did Leader and Dil diya and dard liya. These were 2 of his comeback signed movies and then he got married in 1966 and accepted the southern remake offer of Ram aur Shyam. He did few films after that in Bengali with Saira Banu and did the same remake in Hindi and other friends like BR Chopra and Asit Sen and then stopped in ’75. Even best offers that time like Trishul(Sanjeev Kumar’s role) and all he kept rejecting. Then Manoj Kumar had huge project and kept requesting him for years as he was his idol and then finally he accpeted and came back with Kranti in 1981 and all other offers starter pouring from Ramesh Sippy to Yash Chopra to Subhash Ghai and you want us to believe that he had no offers? Flopping is another matter but he was always extremely selectively and lived his life in semi-retirement phase after ’61.
Please learn some bollywood history my friend and not just surround with Bachchan history.
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September 19, 2016 at 5:21 PM
actually this isn’t the truth either. Between the number of films Dilip Kumar did in the 50s and the 60s there’s a big gap. Being selective only explains part of it, specially when coupled with his declining box office fortunes. Pretty much every single film of his failed after Gunga Jumna in 1961 and the disastrous Bairaag in 1976. He certainly tried a number of things, some of it more interesting than others but nothing quite worked. Ram our Shyam was really the exception not the rule. Now this didn’t mean he didn’t have any standing as a star but as a box office he was more or less finished. These things happen. Dilly Kumar was first among equals in the 50s but in the 60s Dev Anand had a longer run than him despite also being a declining star. Raj kapoor similarly barring a few high points was more or less done as major star in the 60s though of course he was also a director and the combination was very effective. Sangam was one of the big hits of that decade. Again even a fading star can trade on his iconic appeal enough to stay relevant for a while. dilip Kumar packed it in after Bairaag. When he returned with Kranti the only success he ever got besides this film (which was a huge multistarrer) was in Subhash Ghai’s films (also generally big multistarrers). Of course I won’t play this stupid game that many anti-Bachchan folks do. If Dilip Kumar didn’t mean anything why would he even have those central roles in those Ghai films or many of the other films he did in the 80s. So he did have a bit of a reinvention moment in that decade. But nothing really worked besides the films he did with Ghai by and large. Even Shakti is by Bachchan’s standards an underperformer, it did well enough, was a profitable film but way worse stuff Bachchan did at the time did better than this. Yes it was a grim subject and so on and yes its prestige was always greater than its box office, either way Dilip Kumar wasn’t lighting it up a the box office. Again he had his prestige. It meant something to have Dilip Kumar in a film.
The Bachchan analogy is deeply inaccurate though. In other words if one follows the silly narrative of many of the folks arguing against Bachchan then he’s an even bigger star than many of the pro-Bachchan folks claim. Why? Because if the man is nothing and if his films aren’t doing anything and so forth it’s mysterious why he continues to be this prolific in every avenue of popular culture and why at even the purely cinematic level he’s able to attract every kind of project from the smallest to the biggest and every kind of director from the prestige end to the commercial blockbuster type. It means something when Bachchan does Black or Piku or Pink but it equally means something when he does Mohabbatein or Thugs of Hindustan. One could keep multiplying these examples. Yes a lot of bad decisions on his part, a lot of poor films, a lot of poor parts, too many films at certain points. I am still the biggest critic of his choices since the 80s. But these debates have to come about in an environment of sanity. When Sachin played a certain way at the age of 36 and when he clearly wasn’t his former self the question to be asked was: what must he have been at his peak if he could still keep adding centuries at that rate after the age of 35? Similarly if Bachchan despite all his choices can keep getting this amount of work, if he can still be the most credible brand ambassador for all kinds of things across all kinds of markets, if he can become legendary just for a TV show, if he can excite the critics like no other actor still, in an interesting film, if he cans till physically dwarf all the competition at its peak, I could keep going on, but if he can do it at his age or the age he’s been for so long what must he have been like at his peak as a force?
I’m not saying you’re stating the opposite, just making a larger set of points here because stupidity unfortunately abounds in these matters and it’s on display all the time. As I always say no one can really, truly understand Rajesh Khanna at his peak let alone the much longer Bachchan arc which continues to this day. And again I’ve been his strongest critic in many ways and on his blog but certain discussions are sane, others simply aren’t. He’s the most ubiquitous pop culture figure by far over the last two decades. You don’t become that and despite some very questionable decisions if there isn’t a market out there for you and which market isn’t only measurable by box office returns. No matter how legendary a star you are you don’t just keep getting prestige films if your market has entirely evaporated. And so the analogy with Dilip Kumar doesn’t hold. What Dilip Kumar did in the 80s was pretty good and certain more than any senior star had been able to manage till then. But what Bachchan has done is as always greater by several orders of magnitude. The difference of degree is such that the analogy doesn’t even begin. This doesn’t mean one should be unkind to Dilip Kumar’s legacy and career but often stupidity about Bachchan (which itself confirms everything I;m saying.. why do people need to argue against him so much?! even the stupidity is symptomatic!) is the constant in these discussions.
Again not saying you’re suggesting all of this but as I quite often do I’m addressing an entire field of opinion in this matter.
At some other time I’ll repeat some points from the past on Bachchan’s acting style in his late career. Again I’ve addressed this on his blog as well but I certainly don’t hold the ‘majority’ view on this.
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September 19, 2016 at 5:12 PM
Btw.. this is Kamal Hassan’s thought on Dilip Kumar and talks about his retirement so early in his career with lost interest!
Haasan is very upset with the awesome Dilip Kumar for giving up too early, “He had no right to retire so early. I think he gave up 40 years too early, thereby depriving us of many path-breaking performances that may have happened if he hadn’t lost interest. But what he has done in the past is staggering. Mughal-e-Azam and Ganga Jumna make my jaws drop every time I view them. I can’t see a single flaw in his performance. Best actor this country has ever produced? Hands down! He is beyond a national treasure.”
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September 19, 2016 at 5:17 PM
These are Naseeruddin Shah’s words on Bachchan and DK:
Dilip Kumar’s contribution is immense. He was fortunate to work with great filmmakers, Bimal Roy, Mehboob Khan, K Asif. When he became bigger than the film, that’s when his decline began, post-the magnificent Ganga Jamuna.
Amitabh continued Dilip Kumar’s tradition and bettered that school of acting. I consider him a better actor to Dilip Kumar because he sustained it longer. He’s proved himself capable of playing all sorts of parts. I just wish he’d backed more than popcorn movies. He was in a position to change the industry. Obviously, he didn’t want to. But there’s no denying his greatness as an actor.
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September 19, 2016 at 5:22 PM
This is precisely my hypothesis as well. The latter part of DK’s career is all hype and no substance. He was as full of his trademark mannerisms as Rajesh Khanna was during his peak.
There’s a world of difference between Dilip Kumar in Naya Daur and Dilip Kumar in Shakti. The latter performance is a caricature whereas the former is still a joy to watch.
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September 20, 2016 at 9:25 AM
“actually this isn’t the truth either. Between the number of films Dilip Kumar did in the 50s and the 60s there’s a big gap. Being selective only explains part of it, specially when coupled with his declining box office fortunes. ”
I don’t want to continue this further but if you saying its not the truth doesn’t make it wrong. Basically, you don’t agree with the notion of semi-retirement or retirement. Your choice but after giving MEA, he didn’t sign any movies for next 5 years. All his did was complete his self produced/directed Ganga Jumna(which is the foundation for Deewar). So, when an actor delivers 2 of his best movies and then doesn’t do movies next 4 years, where does the talk about boxoffice comes? If he wasted his peak time by not signing movies, how are we even talking about declining boxoffice failures. Yes.. his comeback movies didn’t work but then he didn’t do them right after MEA or GJ or else he would have continued that momentum. He literally stopped accepting movies. By the time he came back and did Leader/Dil liya Dard liya.. it was long time from MEA and GJ and that peak was gone and he was older.
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September 20, 2016 at 9:53 AM
Deewar borrows from a lot of sources. From On the Waterfront to Mother India to Gunga Jumna. Not that this means anything. Sholay borrows from a whole host of films. ‘Greatness’ is not reduced by borrowing, otherwise most of the world’s art would be problematic. It’s about what one does with the borrowing.
On the rest you might want to familiarize yourself with his timeline a bit:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0474801/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1#actor
Leader was incidentally a major project and its failure at the time was considered a big blow to him. Yes Dilip Kumar reduced his workload quite a bit but this is true for the other two members of that great trio from the 50s as well. Raj Kapoor also does far less, even the irrepressible Dev (he has probably as many films as those two combined for the 60s but this also holds for the 50s! his number nonetheless came down). What’s the common thread here? These are all aging stars. It’s hardly uncommon for important or even great stars to become more selective as they get older because of course they can’t maintain the same sort of volume. Yes Dilip Kumar might have had longer absences at points but he still did enough major films in all kinds of setups and failed doing so. Put differently if Aamir takes a break and comes back the burden to succeed increases, not the opposite. A star can choose to be Aamir or Salman but the success graph has to be maintained one way or the other. Dilip Kumar’s cause was not helped by doing fewer films. And it’s not just this, one could examine his entire graph post-Gunga Jumna through Qila in 1994 and see what’s going on. And here I’m once again not playing the game of excluding multistarrers. I am including them. It’s still not much. Once more this doesn’t mean there was no market for him. Just a limited one. Do you really think he wouldn’t have done more if he had got many more good opportunities through the 60s and 70s? And whether he was dragged out again by Manoj Kumar or not the fact remains that when you do stuff like Dharam Adhikari and Kanoon Apna Apna and Izzatdaar and what not in the following decade or a bit later, when you do a double role in your final film Qila where one brother rapes a courtesan (Rekha)it’s a bit hard to believe that one maintained quality standards in the 60s and 70s that one suddenly forgot at an even older age. I can understand Kranti or Shakti or Ghai but not the other stuff. The facts are what they are. We don’t even have to get into the psychological motivations here because while those might explain a reduced frequency to some degree they don’t quite explain a dramatically reduced success rate. And again I am not arguing against Dilip Kumar (even though I’ve never been much of a fan) for the simple reason that I don’t bring in personal things in these matters. Dilip Kumar did a number of high profile films following Gunga Jumna and ending with Deewar. There are two major double roles here and one triple. He did some very commercial stuff, he did some more offbeat stuff, he did a multistarrer, all kinds of things, it just didn’t work except on the very exceptional day. I have a sense of why this was the case but that’s another debate.
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September 20, 2016 at 9:36 AM
Also, this is complete in contrast when Amitabh took break in 1992 to 1997. This he did when his movies were not working and he took this retirement. But whereas Dilip Kumar did when he delivered his biggest 2 blockbusters and best movies. I can’t believe you folks turn a blind eye to this simple fact which no one needs to prove it. Its all out there in the open.
If DK had not lost interest and worked 5 years prime after MEA in some movies.. that CV of films would have been different. By mid 60’s and early 70’s the trend was different.
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September 20, 2016 at 9:59 AM
Actually Bachchan took his first break in the 80s between ’86 and ’88. When he was in politics. He left in ’92 the second time. On the rest the films weren’t working in many cases by his lofty standards but he was still indisputably the biggest star in terms of the initial and even on the gross he had some of the biggest ones at the time even when he failed. Anyway this is again a different debate. I don’t want this distraction when it’s about Dilip Kumar.
Again you just don’t know Dilip Kumar’s timeline. there is no 5 year gap anywhere. GJ released in ’61, Leader released in ’64. You’re confusing it with his 5 year break following Bairaag and here this was a terrible failure following years of failures. He was neither getting the biggest initials or anything close to this nor the biggest grossers or anything remotely close to this.
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September 20, 2016 at 10:10 AM
“Again you just don’t know Dilip Kumar’s timeline. ”
You are completely following the IMDB timeline.. which is incorrect. I’m very right about timelines. MEA was supposed to release in ’59 and after that he was just shooting GJ. MEA ended up releasing in ’60 with color post production and then GJ had lot of issues with censors and issues and then finally halted and released in Jan 01, ’61. That’s a well known issue and even tracked in Wiki (2nd para).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunga_Jumna
He wasn’t shooting anything from ’60 onwards till 64 Leader. Leader ’64 and Dil daya Dard Liya ’66 were his comeback movies and Leader flopped badly.
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September 20, 2016 at 10:43 AM
Leader released in Jan 1964 as far as I know. presumably he started the shoot before this. But in any case the ‘break’ however long or short hardly advances your argument. The relevant debate is about how well or not he did. Whatever films he did not work between GJ and Bairaag. And since you’ve quoted Wikipedia check out how they characterize the 60s and 70s for Dilip Kumar:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilip_Kumar
by the way Wikipedia is hardly error-free. Just quoting it since you have. by the way there were all kinds of stories at the time including the fact that Dilip Kumar had been suffering psychological problems because of all the serious/tragic roles he did and that he needed lighter films and so on.
Incidentally the IMDB timeline is not incorrect. It’s just mentioning release years. I was pointing to it also to highlight the number of films he did after ’61.
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September 20, 2016 at 10:54 AM
” The relevant debate is about how well or not he did.”
Actually the only reason Dilip Kumar is remembered is not for his boxoffice hits but for his acting/talent/depth. It has no corelation to boxoffice. My point is that he didn’t utilize his peak and slowed down early on and many do emphasis this point.. even Kamal Hassan as I put it above.
I don’t think anyone is comparing DK with boxoffice blockbusters(MEA is an exception), he was and is always known for his acting and talent. Its the standing purely as an actor and respect he commanded over decades in the industry. Tomorrow even Varun Dhawan can have more hits than DK but that doesn’t mean anything.
Anyways, we need to end this topic.
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September 20, 2016 at 11:39 AM
Wrong again. Dilip Kumar was the leading box office star of his age. First among equals (Dev, Raj Kapoor). He had the greatest prestige as an actor but he was also the greatest box office star in the 50s. The other two were often class, Raj Kapoor had some hugely iconic hits but in sum Dilip Kumar was still considered the greatest, a school for a couple of generations of actors. But this didn’t come at the expense of his box office.
The Kamalahasan example is also misplaced. Yes he was never Rajni but the greatest star other than the latter in that period. Tamil cinema in any case has a ‘double’ structure where the ‘greatest’ actor is a huge box office figure but never quite as much of a phenomenon as the greatest star (Shivaji to MGR, Kamal to Rajini). Of course beyond a point the gap widened much more here in pure box office terms and there are multiple reasons for this but in any case this wasn’t Dilip Kumar’s fate. the trio more or less faded at the same time (unless one thinks Dev’s absurd 70s career (following Johnny Mera Naam) is worth anything. Dilip was absolutely definitional for the longest time and not just because of his acting. A commercial star can never have that kind of formidable reputation as an actor without also being a formidable box office force. The 50s was his peak. He had great success in this decade and the films on which he built his reputation. After this decade ended it came apart rather quickly for him. MeA or GJ became capstones to a great career rather than suggestive of a great career arrested midstream. He just looked passé in the 60s in most ways. also sometimes things change suddenly. The 60s really brought newer stars, different sorts of films and for want of a better word a different aesthetic. It just wasn’t Dilip Kumar’s world anymore.
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September 18, 2016 at 7:27 PM
Q: What do you get when you mix Pink & Piku
A: Pinku. (Warning:Mind your eyes!)
Kher’s character was indeed called Pinku in this film.
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September 18, 2016 at 8:43 PM
BENGALURU: A 22-year-old woman suspected to have instigated the arson attack on 42 buses of a Tamil Nadu-based operator in Bengaluru last week was allegedly offered Rs 100 and a plate of biryani to join the protests over Cauvery water-sharing.
C Bhagya is one of 11 people arrested for the September 12 attack. The suspects have been accused of dousing the crew of the KPN fleet with diesel and threatening to burn them. It was on account of CCTV footage from the yard where the buses were parked, as well as mobile phone videos filmed by the crew, that police suspected Bhagya to be the agent provocateur.
However, Bhagya’s mother Yellamma has told the media that her daughter was offered Rs 100 and a plate of mutton biryani by “friends” to join the protests. Bhagya stays with her parents in Girinagar, close to the KPN garage, and is a daily wager. “Bhagya had just returned home around noon (on September 12) when some men known to her came over and asked her to join the protests.They promised to give her biryani and Rs 100 at the end of the day,” Yellamma said.
Police sources said the footage from the arson site also shows other women, but it is not clear if they played an active role in the vandalism. Bhagya is the only woman among the 400-odd people arrested in connection with the September 12 violence in Bengaluru. She is currently in police custody for further questioning.
A senior police officer said it was not yet clear if Bhagya was leading the mob. “As of now, we can say she was one of the arsonists,” the officer added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Woman-arsonist-set-afire-42-buses-for-biryani-Rs-100/articleshow/54399152.cms
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September 18, 2016 at 9:35 PM
Roshans to move ‘Krrish 4’ from Christmas 2018 as Shah Rukh Khan announced the date first and claims he wasn’t aware of SRK’s film announcement!
Emphasizing on the fact that he had no idea the 2018 date was taken, Roshan Sr told BT, “It is unethical for me to release my film on this date as Shah Rukh has already announced his movie.” However, he’s in no mood to shift ‘Kaabil’, as he states, “I had announced the date for ‘Kaabil’ earlier. If they are coming on the same date, then I can’t do anything about it.”
Roshan adds, “I don’t know what they will eventually decide. We’re here to make films, not create controversies. As far as Shah Rukh is concerned, he’s like a younger brother to me. I gave him a break in ‘King Uncle’, and then worked with him in ‘Karan Arjun’ and ‘Koyla’.”
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September 19, 2016 at 2:46 AM
Rakesh Roshan is a fool if he thinks people will believe he did not know SRKs film was releasing then. Better just to say I’m making a point and happy to ruin my son and younger brothers career in the process.
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September 19, 2016 at 9:42 AM
Two things. Firstly Roshan might have really missed the annoucement as it wasn’t as big as Thugs or well publicized or even a huge film. It was just a week or 2 back. Also, Roshans just tentaively gave statement that they will start work on Krrish 4 will release around Christmas 2018 with no particular release date in mind.
Seocondly, its a game.. just annouce the date and then back off from Chrismas 2018 and prove a point.. see, I backed off from clash as its unethical to announce 2nd, so you need to do the same with Kaabil/Raees clash. His statements(below) are already hinting at this.
*********
Roshan, however, is in no mood to shift the release date of Kaabil, which will hit the screens with SRK’s Raaes on January 26 next year. “I had announced the date for Kaabil earlier. If they are coming on the same date, then I can’t do anything about it,” he added.
Though there will be box office clash between SRK and Hrithik next Republic Day, Roshan insists there are no issues with the Dilwale actor.
“As far as Shah Rukh is concerned, he is like a younger brother. I gave him a break in King Uncle (1993) and then worked with him in Karan Arjun (1995) and Koyla (1997),” he said.
“Knowing him, I don’t think he will do anything unethical. I don’t know what they will eventually decide (referring to box clash between Kaabil and Raaes),” Roshan said.
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September 19, 2016 at 9:49 AM
Rakesh Roshan is providing an honorable exit route for srk and non acceptance will be perceived as of arrogance in public life.
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September 19, 2016 at 10:04 AM
MSDhoni, if you use a different ID or email it goes into moderation..
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September 19, 2016 at 11:22 AM
Lol @livewire/MSDhoni 🙂
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September 19, 2016 at 9:53 AM
Theatre bookings of Raaes already started. I don’t think the clash will be avoided
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September 20, 2016 at 1:47 PM
, “It is unethical for me to release my film on this date as Shah Rukh has already announced his movie.”
Good joke as his ethics vanish in thin air while fudging boxoffice figures of Krishh 3 😆These tactics are just to show how generous and moral he is in real life!
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September 19, 2016 at 12:54 AM
AzmiShabana @ REPLY ALL DM FAV RT ? 4 hours ago
RTretweeted by mehdi_nisar1
@aamir_khan does it again. #Dangal is fantastic.Director Nitesh Tiwari d excellent writing d brilliant cast Aamirs most hearfelt performance
AzmiShabana @ REPLY ALL DM FAV RT ? 4 hours ago
RTretweeted by mehdi_nisar1
Watching #Dangal is d best birthday gift I could get. Thanku @aamir_khan nitesh tiwari kiran rao fatima sana u r outstanding
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September 19, 2016 at 5:31 AM
wow!
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September 20, 2016 at 9:56 AM
@ wow !
happy to see this excitement & the fan in you still alive.
Jo apni aankhon mein
Hairaniyan leke chal rahe ho
Toh zinda ho tum
Dilon mein tum apni
Betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho
Toh zinda ho tum
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September 19, 2016 at 3:11 AM
After finishing his last film, Dilwale, Rohit Shetty had been working round the clock, to finish and finalize the script of his remake of the 1989 hit film, Ram Lakhan, starring Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor. The film is to be helmed by Dharma Productions, Subhash Ghai and Rohit Shetty.
While news had Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra were to be roped in for the lead roles; seems like now no actor wants to do a two hero film with Rohit.
Every actor that Shetty has approached, told him that they would rather opt for a solo him by the director.
Seems like casting troubles for Rohit don’t seem to be ending anytime soon, thus he has decided to focus his energies, on Golmaal 4
http://www.india-forums.com/bollywood/hot-n-happening/69451-rohit-shetty-ram-lakhan-in-trouble.htm
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September 19, 2016 at 3:13 AM
Pink had a decent first weekend of around 21.50 crore nett but the trend is very strong for the film especially on Sunday. The film showed huge growth on Saturday of 80% and has followed up well on Sunday with growth of around 30%. The film has done business very similar to Neerja especially on Saturday and Sunday. The first day was around 50 lakhs nett less than that film but weeeknd returned with similar collections. The film should benefit on the weekdays due to the weekend trend and there is possibility of the Monday number being similar to Friday. The film has more than doubled the Friday business by Sunday which normally gives a chance for Monday to be equal to Friday as those dull circuits on Friday should go above on Monday. The weekend business of Pink is as follows.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,75,00,000
TOTAL – 21,44,00,000 apprx
The best performance for the film has come in West Bengal as that circuit has notched up around 1.60 crore nett (Neerja week one was 1.86 crore nett). After West Bengal it is Mysore, Mumbai, East Punjab and Delhi / UP in that order. The rest of the domestic circuits have not fared well with Nizam / Andhra being average while others are poor. Infact Raaz Reboot has collected better outside West Bengal, Mysore, Mumbai, East Punjab and Delhi /UP even over the the three days despite no growth for Raaz Reboot.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2332
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September 19, 2016 at 5:33 AM
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
1h
#Pink witnesses MASSIVE JUMP on Sun… Sun biz is double of Fri… Sat growth [from Fri]: 77.08%… Sun growth [from Fri]: 120.83%… SUPER!
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
1h
Starting on a tepid note on Fri morning, the gradual growth in biz of #Pink is simply PHENOMENAL… Expected to be STRONG on weekdays too.
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September 19, 2016 at 12:03 PM
Decent ???? Now compare this commentary with Neerja first weekend – Similar pattern at boxoffice, same screens(1000), but Neerja was costly movie. So while Neerja has excellent written all over, PINK is just decent.
Neerja Has Second Best Opening Weekend Of 2016
Neerja had a good weekend recording the second highest weekend figures of 2016 after Airlift. The film is in second place but collections are almost half of Airlift. The first weekend business of Neerja is as follows
Friday – 4,50,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,75,00,000
Total – 21,75,00,000
The trend is very strong which has ensured a hit. The film has done very well in the metros while other areas grew on Saturday and Sunday but have probably not goe to the levels on Sunday to suggest strong final numbers in places in Gujarat and UP. The big cities are sure to do excellent business over the next few weeks.
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September 19, 2016 at 12:04 PM
http://boxofficeindia.com/art_detail.php?articalid=1841#.V-ALCuT2ZEw
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September 19, 2016 at 12:06 PM
as I always say BOI’s jokes should at least be funnier..
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September 19, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Though I am happy for Komal Nahta. Poor chap finally gets his due on this blog !
On my previous comment wish to add that there is at least one thing which one can bring to closure and that is Bachchan conduct in public life which is matchless and without a single false note. That part of the genius is something which will never be emulated and is unrealizable.
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September 19, 2016 at 12:33 PM
I’m not giving Nahta any kind of ‘due’. I quote all sorts of sources all the time because they’re out there. This doesn’t mean I have any more trust in them than I’ve had before. They are all compromised or corrupt or both. Sometimes they accidentally agree with the truth for all sorts of reasons.
Secondly, and to repeat an old point, box office reporting isn’t merely about the numbers (at least in India), but also about the commentary. If the latter is dishonest the former becomes meaningless. Even something that is literally true can become false if it is cast in a framework that is that of a lie. Whether something makes 20 crores or 100 or 200 this is not a meaningful fact in itself (even assuming the numbers are being reported honestly), we need contexts to make sense of the numbers. And if there are lies attached to those contexts in the form of all kinds of misleading, selective or other kinds of dishonest narratives then the numbers even if true are pointless.
Of course this applies to many of the fans as well who can often match the likes of Nahta in matters of dishonesty.
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September 19, 2016 at 6:43 AM
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September 19, 2016 at 7:48 AM
Not one of Rangan’s better reviews, I’m afraid. For one, the reference to Baar Baar Dekho makes no sense; it’s an unnecessary digression. Second, Pink can hardly be described as a film that bridges the multiplex and single screen audiences. Forget single screens, it won’t register much activity in multiplexes across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Such is the nature of the debate that’s central to the storyline.
And finally, it has become fashionable of late to criticize Bachchan – the actor. What exactly is a late-career Bachchan performance anyway? If anything, he’s won more acclaim as an actor since the 2000s – three National Awards, no less! If people were expecting a Sunny Deol like performance (Damini) then they are bound to be disappointed. Bachchan in Pink has a very opaque presence, except for the courtroom scenes, and even there he takes time to open up. This is a very nuanced performance, and one that relies on his physicality more than ever. To summarize his performance in one sentence – his presence is the most mesmerizing in Pink. He doesn’t have to utter a single word and he is still able to chew up the scenery. One could certainly feel unsettled by all this, but that’s hardly any reason to single him out.
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September 19, 2016 at 7:02 AM
Leonardo DiCaprio helped an elderly couple, who seemed clueless about his celebrity status, find their way in around New York City.
The Hollywood superstar was walking his dog near the Hudson River when he was approached by the couple. They apparently needed help getting around the city.
“He was walking along with a friend and his dog, just strolling and right before sunset and an old couple was looking around and he walked up to them. It looked like they needed help.
“Then he pulled out his phone and showed them something on his phone. Then he reached out and pointed them in the direction to go and they went on their way,” an onlooker told People.
The actor was wearing a newsboy cap and sunglasses, which probably helped him go incognito, but this couple did not seem to notice they were talking to a star.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/hollywood/leonardo-dicaprio-gave-an-unsuspecting-elderly-couple-directions-in-nyc/story-DroRpaVAEQoAhVb61IyPvI.html
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September 19, 2016 at 7:26 AM
Iru Mugam has done well in second week. Chennai city will be around 4.5 crores. For its budget it will reach super hit mark I think. It might cross Rajni Mururgan in terms of gross to become the third biggest gross in 2016 behind Kabali and Theri.
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September 19, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Pink is a very well scripted film that relies on great performances and a screenplay that hardly digresses, making it taut and consistently engaging.
The girls are superb, but Amitabh seems to have made a habit of stealing the show from right under everyone else’s now without even bothering to try.
The court proceedings are loud at times, but sometimes you do need rhetorics and unsubtleties to drive home a point. Damini did it back in the 90s, and now Pink with its multiple lump in the throat moments..
Im still reeling under the effects of Amitabh’s excellent rendition of Tanvir Ghazi’s Tu Khud ki khoj Mei Nikal in the end credits..
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September 19, 2016 at 12:10 PM
Gox, I’m not letting your comments through.. these sorts of political comments become a free for all eventually and unfortunately very few people are responsible or mature enough to add anything useful. Of course the way your comments are framed is itself part of the problem but that’s another issue.
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September 19, 2016 at 3:11 PM
Subject was relevant and framing was deliberately kept such. Provoking can be used as a tool to get real feedback. I had access to this platform so i thought to get a feel of how people actually think. On twitter and facebook there are way too many fake & paid trolls to get any genuine feedback.
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September 19, 2016 at 1:43 PM
Andaz Apna Apna Mahurat with the entire cast and a very young Sachin Tendulkar!
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September 19, 2016 at 2:11 PM
Hope Pink gets the Tax free status asap.
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September 19, 2016 at 2:23 PM
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September 19, 2016 at 2:30 PM
Loved the Nishabd discussion.
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September 19, 2016 at 6:06 PM
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September 19, 2016 at 4:11 PM
As i have watched #PINK now. Given its dark theme and relistic treatment i am surprised how it attracted so many audience over weekend. It will be intresting to see its performance at boxoffice, i have doubt if it can retain momentum. But this movie is defnitely much beyond boxoffice. I can’t add much beyond what already have said and discussed. The message should reach to each and every home for sure.
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September 19, 2016 at 5:03 PM
Bachchan towers through Pink — the way he bellows “et cetera” is alone worth having the heavy-hitter at play — but there are softer moments like one where he appears to have dozed off in court, or where he lays his head by his convalescent wife’s bedside and needs his hair ruffled and his conviction validated. It is a role that goes from saying nothing to talking too much, and that gear-shift is managed impressively by the actor, even though the film dismisses his mental condition quite conveniently as it goes on.
Raja Sen on Pink
https://rajasen.com/2016/09/18/review-aniruddha-roy-chowdhurys-pink/
Re.-Other hiccups include Pannu’s freshly painted collarbone tattoo that gleams wetly throughout the proceedings
Even I noticed them !!
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September 19, 2016 at 5:37 PM
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September 19, 2016 at 6:06 PM
Bachchan’s Blog of today –
With celebration .. the pain of the attack on our forces unprovoked and killing 18 of our jawans .. our prayers are with the family of those that gave their lives in our protection .. but we are ANGRY .. !!
JAI HIND !!
During the shooting of the court room scenes, Shoojit Sircar would jump back from his station in front of the monitors and embrace the young girls after the shot and exclaim unbelievably :
“ kya kar rahe ho tum log “ !!
That above is Komal Nahata a relentless and ruthless commentator on the business of cinema, just gushing over the film and its prospects and declaring publicly that it is the best film ever .. that is a huge remark coming from him ..
http://srbachchan.tumblr.com/
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September 19, 2016 at 7:13 PM
LOL!!
Bachchan’s hit it out of the park!! अब नहाता भी लाइन पे आ गया मतलब पिक्चर तो हिट समझो!!
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September 19, 2016 at 7:29 PM
lol, true!
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September 20, 2016 at 3:22 PM
@”lol, true!”
This short ‘lol, true!’ quip signifies something much deeper and unfortunately to a large extent negates what has been professed here about marriage of convenience between a fan & source. This opportune Nahta approval is not such a big deal but simply strengthens my own beliefs in human traits.
Bachchanites now please stop cursing Nahta & add this to your do list !
Komal Nahta @KomalNahta 4h4 hours ago
Business & Art must meet for Bollywood to be in the #Pink of health!Catch Big B in conversation on ETC Bollywood Business, Thursday at 10 pm
& some more –
Amitabh Bachchan @SrBachchan Sep 19
T 2384 – For Komal Nahata, who is devastating in assessing box office fortunes, to say publicly that #PINK is the best ever, is something !!
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September 20, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Nahta only praises if he manages to get interviews and if you don’t give him that, he’s completely anti. That’s at least different than Taran Adarsh coz.. interviews are done by Faridoon and he doesn’t review movies.
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September 20, 2016 at 4:08 PM
Livewire, not sure who’s approving of Nahta. My longer comment yesterday should have made that clear for those with some some facility in English. Here though I was responding to Bachchan’s sardonic Hindi comment. Even his English comments I read in a similar vein. I pointed this out on day 1 myself. I was quite surprised that Nahta was so positive on the film because with many others that were niche in the same way or that jumped in the same sense he was quite unforgiving and just ignored the good news later. Paa and Piku spring to mind in this regard but there are others too.
But even if one were hypocritical on this score (which I’m not) it would perhaps be slightly less than the hypocrisy involved in believing in Salman’s innocence. Or not being consistent even in this hypocrisy (when he was convicted it was somehow a terrible legal system where others got off.. when he was let off no one could complain about the same legal system since Salman had been fairly released.. and leaving aside the legal story the question of who drove seems to have become as much of a puzzle as the Talaash ghost story..).
People who live in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones let alone huge rocks..
besides this you’re fast becoming the impossible fan who becomes madly jealous every time anything or anyone else gets any sort of attention from Pink to Aamir to the ADHM trailer or whatever. Akshay seems to be ok though and I don’t think it takes Einstein to understand why…! In any case the least important thing about the Pink reception might be whatever Nahta’s saying about it and/or whatever Bachchan’s saying in turn.
Heard Salman had a stomach upset today. Sorry to hear that. I know this a tense day for you but don’t worry. He’ll be back to normal soon.
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September 20, 2016 at 4:16 PM
Satyam: Probably you should address that its for livewire or me(hopefully not, lol)
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September 20, 2016 at 4:18 PM
yes did reply to livewire.. though it’s probably showing up in the comments less clearly. it’s certainly not for you! Anyway made that explicit.
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September 21, 2016 at 11:14 AM
Salman anxieties never seem to end here and a reference is made one way or the other in anything I say. For the last time – Salman legal stories are a thing of the past & it would serve well to one and all to respect the Indian judiciary and oft repeated legal jargon that nobody gets justice. People only get good luck or bad luck.
What I fail to understand is when a BoxOfficeIndia, Taran or a Komal are the only reliable quoted sources on this blog since eternity, why not grant them the verifiable source tag and give respect where respect is due. Why start adding ifs and buts as per our own liking? Commentaries are anyway personal opinions and being trade experts they get it right more often than we do here and are aware of the intricacies of the box-office incognito. When all is settled and done , don’t you feel they were the first to nab the Abhi fraud media was perpetuating on all of us.
With regards to resentfulness & so called jealousies, paper tigers bother me so you get my two cents on them. I have got a thing for genuine people and hate fake stars and verbiage.
Lastly like of the other members on this blog , I am a follower of good authentic cinema and just recently had a fulfilling sunday where watched Bajrangi Bhaijaan on StarPlus at 1 pm and then 4:30 pm was hooked on to Sholay on Movie Ok for another 3 hours. Both amazing piece of filmmaking and the experience was so profound and/or affecting I wouldn’t want to taint it with my biases for the actors. I would appreciate a Pink when I get to see it but like Bachchan himself said we are a tad 28 years behind to get our own The Accused.
Btw on another note , till I see Sultan again on TV, I would agree with you that BB is a real gem and on par with the best Hindi movies have to offer in recent days.
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September 21, 2016 at 12:36 PM
Livewire why does your ”good authentic cinema list” more often than not begin and end with Salman’s movies!! you had to name Sholay alongside BB to make your opinion sound less ”prejudiced”!! Your ”aversion” to Arijit Singh is solely due to Salman’s dislike for Arijit! And while that is your own prerogative to like or dislike anyone or anything but to keep twisting facts just to suit your own narratives,which you keep repeating, is akin to trying to project mirage as river in your reverie!! One sample is given below to ascertain my analysis-
”due to anxieties ended up listening to ADHM soundtrack over the weekend and let me say it is truly over hyped, over promoted & pumped for no reasons. The title track is just about okay and not a Kal Ho Na Ho it’s been made out to be and neither is the sufi Bulleya a Mitwa. Bulleya is below avg and picturisation gives us a sense of rockstar deja vu. The soundtrack at this time seems overrated and there are many others like me who feel the same and arijit singh sounds same all over the place.
The over promotions and constant chatter on social media gives this movie BV vibes in terms of putting people off. Ranbir simply cannot jump from doing below 60 cr netter to challenging the status quo at the top. He needs to get thru the middle rung of a ladder first to challenge the crème da crème de la crème.”
Look how far you could go by foretelling ADHM’s boxoffice fate to similar to that of BV!! But you rational faculties stop functioning when it comes to analysing Salman’s ‘Acting prowess” if anything of this sort exists or his pre-Dabangg period which was full of flops and disasters!
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September 21, 2016 at 12:54 PM
”I would appreciate a Pink when I get to see it but like Bachchan himself said we are a tad 28 years behind to get our own The Accused.”
Another convenient cherry-picking as if Salman has been delivering ”originals” since his debut that too without watching the movie as inspired and lifted are two starkly contrasting terms where Pink comes in the former category yet fully set in Indian ethos and ground realities.
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September 21, 2016 at 1:06 PM
Myselfaamir i was the first one who appreciated Tum Hi Ho sung by Arijit Singh but since then the guy has become too stale and sounds same in each and every song.Is it my fault ?
The hype he gets is equivalent to none other than a Sonu or Udit Narayan. Do you think he is of similar calibre?
We never had a Kishore / Rafi / Mukesh again but still i can live with Kumar Sanu / Sonu / Abhijeet and a Udit and can listen to them in isolation or while driving. Arijit unfortunately except for that Ashiqui song and that song Janam-Janam from Dilwale has to be turned off immediately.
On salman’s acting you need to revisit his movies and watch them in the context of the script and tone. Today in that mid day link I posted this is what Ali Zafar said today – “No one can be a huge star in this country if they aren’t good at acting. For me, an actor must necessarily have a connect with the audience. ”
I am talking from hindi audience point of view where song acting too forms an integral part.
Just watch Saathiya ye tune kya kiya from movie Love – the song and the acting is just first rate !!!
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September 22, 2016 at 10:01 AM
Further to my comment, will this make the grade for Satyamshot now ?
ETC Bollywood @ETCBollywood 7h7 hours ago
@SrBachchan talks about how @KomalNahta’s Box Office predictions are so accurate! Tune-in to watch tonight’s episode of ETC BBiz for more!
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September 22, 2016 at 10:12 AM
The point you’re trying to make is a mystery to everyone but yourself.. Bachchan has appeared on Nahta’s show before this as well. As for Bachchan saying that about Nahta I tend not to take most of his public pronouncements very seriously! And I’ve said this for years on his blog.
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September 22, 2016 at 11:10 AM
It’s getting hackneyed with the same formula of picking and choosing stuff as long it pleases and suits your own make-believe world, but the moment someone shows you the mirror, you’d come up with zillion fallacious logics under the garb of arguments to defend Salman ”the actor” or prove Aamir possesses only ”smart pants” act with your own abstruse defintions which are as intricate as ” BHAI’s acting’ and sometimes even evoking a laughter!! There is life beyond Salman and Aamir and they can certainly live happily without our round the clock defence, so let’s cherish “our life” as well 🙂
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September 19, 2016 at 8:34 PM
There seems to be a strange connect between best friends Kamya Panjabi and Pratyusha Banerjee. It took months for Kamya to come to terms with Pratyusha’s untimely death. She was however again reminded of her friend, who committed suicide by hanging herself on April 1 , while enacting a suicide scene in her TV show ‘Shakti — Astitva Ek Ehsaas Ki’. She felt like she was re-living Pratyusha’s last moments.
A rather disturbed Kamya says, “I am a strong woman. But shooting this scene, in which I commit suicide by hanging myself like my friend (Pratyusha) apparently did a few months ago, has been the most difficult one in my life. I was overwhelmed by a weird feeling of helplessness and had knots in my stomach.”
The actress further shares that she is constantly reminded of Pratyusha one way or the other, “It’s a huge coincidence that my show replaced ‘Balika Vadhu’, in which Pratyusha played the original grown-up Anandi. Our birthdays are just two days apart – hers being on August 10 and mine on 13th. Pratyusha’s birthday was the biggest occasion of her life and would begin the preparations a month in advance. She would insist on celebrating our birthdays together. I just couldn’t muster the courage to cut the cake on my birthday this year. My co-actors and the unit made me cut one finally. She used to stay over at my place and I still have her clothes and bag at my home.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Kamya-Panjabi-Pratyusha-kept-coming-to-my-mind-while-I-was-shooting-the-suicide-scene/articleshow/54407245.cms
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September 19, 2016 at 8:36 PM
http://www.bombaytimes.com/movies/india/Will-the-Jiah-Khan-case-take-a-new-turn/articleshow/54406793.cms
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September 20, 2016 at 1:44 AM
If you go by what they (CowSavers) do all the time, by now several articles on the Pancholis would have been around. Maybe this did not happen because Aamir himself kept out of this controversy.
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September 20, 2016 at 4:27 AM
Why on earth would Aamir be involved in this controversy? Does he need to be dragged in everywhere ?
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September 20, 2016 at 4:33 AM
Jiah Khan is Aamir Khan’s step-sister. Her mother Rabiya Amin, a former Hindi film actress, worked in Tahir Hussain’s Dulha Bikta Hai.
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September 20, 2016 at 12:18 PM
And how do you know? None of the concerned people have claimed so far?
http://www.bollywoodmantra.com/news/jiah-khan-rubbishes-rumours-of-being-aamir-khan-s-stepsister/1301/
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September 20, 2016 at 12:25 PM
From the link…
These rumours perhaps began as Jiah’s mother Rabiya and Tahir are close friends.
However Tahir Hussain says “As far as I know, Rabiya is married to a man from Pakistan. Rabiya is a very close friend of mine, but I was never married to her and Jiah is not my daughter.” Jiah too has been hearing many of these rumours and many people have even asked her if she is related to Aamir Khan. A visibly upset Jiah says “This is completely untrue and utter rubbish. To be frank I don’t know much about my father and I have never asked my mother about him. All I know is that he was an American.”
*************
Tahir Hussain saying he’s close to Jiah’s mom but never married her(you don’t need to) and then Jiah khan saying I never asked about my dad to my mom and never know about his is enough for the rumor to be created.
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September 20, 2016 at 1:25 AM
Raaz Reboot Has Big Drop On Monday
Tuesday 20 September 2016 11.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot had a big fall on Monday as the film fell around 56% from Friday. The collections over the weekend were poor so a drop like this seals the fate of the film. The drops were across the board but the weekend trend suggested s difficult road ahead and that is what has happened. A horror film has to get its audience in the theatres on day one and that is where Raaz Reboot failed. It could be due to the censor board that a tamer film was made without the horror and sex usually associated with the Raaz brand but a brand has to stick to its strengths to have a chance.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2333
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September 20, 2016 at 1:39 AM
The only reason why this film was made was to rob Pink of screens. 😦
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September 20, 2016 at 2:42 AM
Pink On Course To Emerge A HIT
Tuesday 20 September 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Pink has held up very well on Monday is on course to emerge a HIT. It basically has done what every film that does not open has to do to emerge a hit and that is Monday to be in the same range as Friday. The collections of Pink on Monday are very similar to Friday across all circuits. The bulk of the business remains in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, East Punjab, West Bengal and Mysore but others despite being low have recorded similar numbers to Friday. The trend on Monday is better than Neerja which had dropped around 20% from Friday while here there is hardly a drop. The first four day business of Pink is as follows.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,50,00,000
Monday – 4,00,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 25,19,00,000 apprx
The footfalls on Monday are higher than Friday by about 10% as multiplex ticket rates go down on weekdays from weekend levels. The film is looking to cross 35 crore nett for the first week and then the second Friday will determine the lifetime business of the film.
http://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2334
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September 20, 2016 at 2:51 AM
This is an extraordinary achievement. Tapsee Pannu and Amitabh Bachchan deserves all the accolades. One a rising female star and other a legend. Soojit Sarkar has more powers now. Sarkar should announce his next with BigB immediately.
I think BigB’s presence in the film on such a sensitive topic has given it immense respectability and goes with the legend’s persona. At this age he has managed to single-handedly taken this movie to a Superhit status. He is the world’s biggest super star.
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September 20, 2016 at 3:30 AM
I’d rephrase your sentence as one of the biggest star cum actors this world has ever witnessed transgressing all barriers i.e. region, religion, language, caste, gender, idealogy, age and many more to reach where he is!!
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September 20, 2016 at 3:35 AM
Basically we are all fridges, and he is a fridge magnet!
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September 20, 2016 at 3:55 AM
He is ‘the unifier’ in the truest sense as seldom you, me, Naveen, MSDhoni, Master agree with one another 🙂
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September 20, 2016 at 9:47 AM
“He is ‘the unifier’ in the truest sense as seldom you, me, Naveen, MSDhoni, Master agree with one another”
If you don’t love Bachchan then you are not fan of bollywood. You can’t love hindi movies and not like bachchan or vice versa. They are interconnected and you can’t seperate them.
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September 20, 2016 at 3:15 AM
Eating humble pie, folks at BOI must be obese.
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September 20, 2016 at 8:50 AM
They have modified the Monday number and brought it down. It’s 3.75 Crores on their website now. They did the same thing for Sunday’s total, brought it down by 25 Lakhs.
It seems they look at Taran’s numbers and then make the change. Why are they not confident about their own sources?
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September 20, 2016 at 2:52 AM
The commentery of BOI says it all! This is an all-round triumph from boxoffice to critics bowing down to power of ‘Pink’! Let’s pray for the well being of anti-Bachchan brigade which might be sulking and seething after the thumping and roaring success of Pink 😉
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September 20, 2016 at 3:08 AM
” anti-Bachchan” – I really doubt if this exists in true sense. I can understand someone taking a stand differently on Bachchan in argument with a Bachchan fanatic. But no movie lover will ever be able to be if Bachchan had not been there. No Hindi film lover is complete without Bachchan. He is the equivalent of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh of Hindi film industry. No one can go against him. He is Pure.
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September 21, 2016 at 3:13 AM
U shudve been on NG circa 2005-2010 to truely understand anti-Bachanism from the rabidly paranoid SRK fan-groups. Or even on various other film blogs those days. Thankfully, SRK’s downfall began during those days and now his fangroups can hardly muster any arguments.
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September 20, 2016 at 4:02 AM
https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwifsqyfvZ3PAhWBRyYKHRjtCHwQtwIIGzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Du7b6rMnYUWY&usg=AFQjCNE6ErGybWdYZa8AY2qg_CWdDs0HUA&sig2=hRtElXLvNEvZ11H6GW1uFg&bvm=bv.133178914,d.eWE
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September 20, 2016 at 4:26 AM
This has taken social media by storm now.
Justice Katju attacks Amitabh Bhachcan , calls him to have nothing in his head
Amitabh Bachchan
When I said Amitabh Bachchan has nothing in his head, many people asked me to elaborate. So I am writing this post.
Karl Marx had said that religion is the opium of the masses, used as a drug by the rulers to keep the masses pacified, so that they may not revolt
But the Indian masses need several drugs to keep them pacified, one is not enough for them. Religion is only one of such drugs. Some other drugs which are needed are films, the media, cricket, astrology, babas, etc. A combination of drugs has to be given by our rulers to the Indian masses to keep them pacified, just as for some diseases a combination of medicines has to be given.
One of such powerful drugs is films. The Roman Emperors used to say ‘ If you cannot give the people bread, give them circuses “. So most of our films are like circuses, which our rulers provide to our people since they cannot give the people bread ( i.e. employment, heaalthcare, nutritious food, good education, etc ).
Amitabh Bachchan’s films, like those of Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, etc are like drugs, they take the people to a world of make believe, and they are therefore very useful to our rulers since they keep people pacified.
Apart from being a good actor, what is there in Amitabh Bachchan ? Has he any scientific ideas for solving the country’s massive problems ? There are none. From time to time he appears on some media channels giving sermons and homilies, and from time to time he is shown to be doing good deeds, but who can not do this with tons of money ?
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September 20, 2016 at 5:42 AM
http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/amitabh-bachchan-has-nothing-in-his-head-said-katju-big-bs-response-1464041
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September 20, 2016 at 11:04 AM
Well, there might be nothing in Amitabh’s head, but it clearly seems something is wrong with Katju’s head…
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September 20, 2016 at 5:50 AM
Vikram’s Iru Mugan has emerged a success at both the domestic and overseas box office. According to Behindwoods box office wing, the film is predicted to collect around 4.7 crores by the end of its second week run at the Chennai city box office alone.
According to our sources close to Vikram, the ‘I’ actor is extremely happy with the success of the film. We are told that just like Chennai and other parts of TN, Iru Mugan has outperformed even in neighboring states like Kerala, Andhra and Telangana. The film has reportedly made more than expected profits in these parts after Kabali and Theri, add our sources.
It is fascinating to see that Iru Mugan has retained most of its screens from the first week. This is a rare phenomenon, considering the recent trade trends.
http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/vikrams-iru-mugan-makes-merry-at-the-box-office.html
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September 20, 2016 at 6:35 AM
So, that also means the trailer might be attached with Diwali releases – Ajay Devgn’s Shivaay or Ranbir Kapoor’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, or with both!
Dangal is a biographical sports drama based on the life of Mahavir Singh Phogat played by Aamir and also features Sakshi Tanwar and Fatima Sana Sheikh in key roles.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari the movie is slated to release on 23rd December.
http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-news/aamir-khan-starrer-dangal-trailers-release-date-is-here/
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September 20, 2016 at 11:47 AM
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2335
Raaz Reboot may have had a poor weekend and has practically flopped after the big drop on Monday but it did get more footfalls than Pink across India despite having lower all India collections. This is because both films were totally the opposite as Raaz Reboot managed its best collections at single screens while Pink scored at high end multiplexes. Neither film got many footfalls with Raaz at 18.73 lakhs while Pink was a little under 18 lakhs. But what it is shows is that smaller films have to be aimed at this high end multiplex audience as the business comes if this audience takes to it despite limited footfalls due to high ticket ticket rates. The details of both films are as follows.
Raaz Reboot
Gross – 21,63,00,000
Footfalls – 18.73 lakhs
ATP (Weekend) – INR 115.50
Pink
Gross – 29,71,00,000
Footfalls – 17.94 lakhs
ATP (Weekend) – INR 165.70
The ticket rates at single screens are around 25% on average of these high end multiplexes so you have to be getting in four people against one to compete. Not that it can’t happen but Raaz Reboot was not at that level. The footfalls of Pink will be ahead of Raaz Reboot by the end of the week but remains to be seen where they go in the long run. Neerja had 66 lakh footfalls but that was with tax free exemption which enabled lower ticket rates.
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September 20, 2016 at 12:54 PM
Good that my dad is no more, he’d be sad to hear what people say: Shah Rukh
http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/good-that-my-dad-is-no-more-he-d-be-sad-to-hear-what-people-say-shah-rukh/story-ifqWXvU6zggdi1n2DlyiZI.html
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September 20, 2016 at 2:09 PM
Guys FYI – The Original Sin is now available !! lol
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September 20, 2016 at 2:10 PM
Rakesh Roshan: The VFX failed ‘Mohenjo Daro’
Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan on son Hrithik, the debacle of ‘Mohenjo Daro’ and bringing back India’s most successful super-hero franchise with ‘Krrish 4’
You took many by surprise by announcing ‘Krrish 4’.
It was on my mind. And when my wife (Pinkie) showed me a Ganpati idol as superhero Krissh, I felt it was an auspicious moment to announce it; people still believe in Krrish’s power, even after so many years.
Several Hollywood films deal with superheroes. Can Krrish match up?
We can’t match their scale and budget. But Krrish will strike an emotional chord with the audience. That’s what ultimately matters. Their films may be technically brilliant, but don’t touch the soul.
You decided to avert Krissh 4 clashing with Aanand L Rai’s Shah Rukh Khan-starrer for X’mas, 2018, yet are sticking to the Republic Day 2017 clash with SRK’s ‘Raees’.
That’s because I wasn’t aware (of Aanand L Rai’s SRK-starrer’s release date). As soon as I was told, I decided to avert the clash. I have just announced Krrish and am yet to begin work. I announced ‘Kaabil’ first, so I am sticking to it. I am superstitious. I moved the release date of ‘King Uncle’ (1993) due to a family wedding. The film didn’t do well. Ever since, I believe that if I change the date, things may not work out. Even during ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’, I was told to do a rethink. There were big films lined up before and after, I stuck to the date.
But box-office clashes prove to be a deterrent in raking in the moolah.
Yes, they eat into each other’s profits. But the good film does well. Kaabil is the love story of a visually impaired boy and girl. It is set in Mumbai. You’ll see director Sanjay Gupta in a new light. He has done better than I had expected.
Then why not budge, rather than clash?
It becomes an ego issue and then no one wants to budge.
As a father, what would you say about Hrithik’s recent share of controversies?
I know the truth, and Hrithik is right.
Do you feel the negativity around ‘Mohenjo Daro’ sealed the film’s fate?
Though director Ashutosh Gowariker had a vision, what did not work were the last 20 minutes of the film. The VFX failed it, things appeared tacky. The last few reels of a film always stays in the audience’s mind, and that’s where the film did not work.
Most industry folk showed support to Akshay’s Rustom, which clashed with Mohenjo Daro. Do you think Hrithik was sidelined because of his personal turmoil?
What happens in an actor’s personal life doesn’t impact a film. A good film will do well. Rustom was a good film. In the industry, anyone can side with anyone. Every family has their share of ups and downs, but as we are part of the industry, our turmoil gets highlighted. I know my son, and he has done no wrong. I stand by him.
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September 20, 2016 at 4:32 PM
It’s not exactly end of the year, so there maybe a few surprises in store, but if I had to list my top 3 Hindi films of the year (so far), I’d say:
#3 Udta Punjab
#2 Pink
#1 Raman Raghav 2.0
I’ll also add #4, a film I quite liked, Nil Battey Sannata.
The rest of the stuff that I’ve watched (Wazir, Kapoor & Sons, Sultan) veers from OK to yeah, whatever…
P.S. Missed out on: Aligarh, Neerja, Airlift & Phobia
P.P.S. Looking forward to: M S Dhoni, Dangal, Dear Zindagi, Mirzya, Rock On 2 (bit iffy on Rock On 2)
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September 20, 2016 at 4:39 PM
In terms of performances, I’d say the following actors have been standout performers, so far (not in any order):
#1 Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh — Udta Punjab
#2 Amitabh Bachchan, Kirti Kulhari —Pink
#3 Nawazuddin Siddiqui — Raman Raghav 2.0
I’d say at this point in time, Nawaz just beats Big B in terms of overall impact, but there are mitigating reasons for that, which I’ll probably talk about sometime later.
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September 20, 2016 at 5:05 PM
Bachchan performance is #TE3N is by far best in this decade .. its pity that boxoffice performance determines the actor performance as well. It was such a strong performance that his absence was strongly felt whenever not on screen.
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September 20, 2016 at 5:07 PM
haven’t seen TE3N, yakuza…so can’t comment. I should probably watch it. The trailers were indeed impressive but I lost interest when the reviews didn’t match up to overall expectations.
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September 20, 2016 at 7:45 PM
Strognly recommended Saket. Mostly complained that it was slow and predictable, but i am not sure how movie can be termed as slow if events on screen keep you on hold. For me pace of movie was perfect what it suppose to be based on subject and characters. As for predictability, if you go to movie after reading ‘Montage’ story with spoilers, then yes it is predictable.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:25 AM
Saket TEEN is one of the criminally under-rated movies of this year starring Amitabh. It is a very moody piece. Amitabh gives a helluva performance in this one.
It didn’t do well because people were expecting a ‘crackling’ thriller but it actually veered toward a more sombre and moody drama – that actually worked very well for me but not for many unfortunately.
To be honest, I actually watched TEEN very grudgingly since the director was RIBHU DAS GUPTA who directed MICHAEL and the series YUDH. Yudh was a very good drama that lost it’s charm heading toward the last episodes. So was not gung-ho on this but the director surprised me here.
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September 21, 2016 at 6:58 AM
I remember Yudh…quite liked it apart from the finale. Slow-paced, moody — these attributes tick the right boxes in my case, so will definitely check it out this weekend.
P.S. Zakir Hussain, who played Bachchan’s manager in Yudh was outstanding. Really liked the series, but why-oh-why did they have to ruin it with that ending?
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September 20, 2016 at 4:34 PM
Shoojit more or less admits that he has directed Pink –
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September 20, 2016 at 10:11 PM
he did direct the non-bachchan parts and he is no where to be seen in any of the promotional material. Whatever soorjit may say (collaborative effort yada) he is taking the full publicity/credit bu appearing in all promotions without his “director”. The germ of the idea was the “director’s” who wanted to make it in bangla and SSircar may have put his efforts and polished the product but still what is fair is fair and.
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September 21, 2016 at 1:51 PM
and ?
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September 20, 2016 at 5:49 PM
On the emotional viewer and the ‘rational’ critic
Fantastic piece…some excerpts:
But here’s a counter-argument: why should anyone, even a professional critic, be measured or rational when something sneaks up on him and takes a firm grip on his emotions? For a jaded scribe who has written lakhs of words about cinema, it’s good to be reminded that one is still capable of being electrified, in a childlike way, by a film. Or by a scene. Or a gesture. A line of dialogue, a swell of music working in just the right way alongside an elegant camera movement. Once you’re back in the real world (or whatever vestiges of it may be seen in the section of the mall beyond the multiplex’s exit door), you might feel embarrassed about your hyper-dramatic reaction – but that reaction was an honest one.
and…
In my own instinct-vs-cerebra struggles, there is a personality factor at work. On the scale that has Highly Emotional Viewer at one end and Highly Analytical Viewer at the other, I am much closer to the latter extreme: rarely do I get so engrossed in a film that I stop thinking about its nuts and bolts, stop noticing things like framing or shot composition. It is often said admiringly of an actor, “He was so good that I could see only the character”, but it doesn’t work that way for me – even while enjoying a performance, I never forget who is playing the part, and in some cases my appreciation is deepened by associations with the actor’s earlier work
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September 20, 2016 at 7:24 PM
Twinkle Khanna has been always upfront about her ideologies. The actress and writer never shies away from boldly speaking her mind.
As known to all, Twinkle is very active on social media and recently she was being harassed by a follower on her twitter handle. The man was constantly tweeting her asking “why she didn’t change her surname even after her marriage”.
This irked the actress but she chose to ignore it in beginning. However, when he still didn’t stop she lost her cool and bashed him in the most classic way.
She posted: “A lot of people bring this up,though not as stridently as this gentleman-Khanna it will always be #MarriedNotBranded”
Indiaforums
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September 21, 2016 at 2:14 AM
Pink has held up very well on Monday is on course to emerge a HIT. It basically has done what every film that does not open has to do to emerge a hit and that is Monday to be in the same range as Friday. The collections of Pink on Monday are very similar to Friday across all circuits. The bulk of the business remains in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, East Punjab, West Bengal and Mysore but others despite being low have recorded similar numbers to Friday. The trend on Monday is better than Neerja which had dropped around 20% from Friday while here there is hardly a drop. The first four day business of Pink is as follows.
Friday – 4,19,00,000
Saturday – 7,50,00,000
Sunday – 9,50,00,000
Monday – 3,75,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 24,94,00,000 apprx
The footfalls on Monday are higher than Friday by about 10% as multiplex ticket rates go down on weekdays from weekend levels. The film is looking to cross 35 crore nett for the first week and then the second Friday will determine the lifetime business of the film.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2334
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September 21, 2016 at 9:03 AM
What is wrong with Rangan these days? It must be the toll of reviewing too many films – Hindi and Tamil. Look at the headline of ‘ Pink’ – A solid courtroom drama that makes solid points…The review proper , then, talks how it is the kind of film that would be an Oscar bait in Hollywood. Then it expresses surprises there being no song during the end credits as if it makes all that big a difference to the film. Ad to demonstrate this he brings in Bar Bar Dekho out of all the films! All this while, nothing about the film.
The worst sin in my eyes is that he no longer seems to be excited by a good film. He writes about as clinically about Pink as about Bar Bar Dekho. Sad
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September 21, 2016 at 1:45 PM
Then it expresses surprises there being no song during the end credits as if it makes all that big a difference to the film. Ad to demonstrate this he brings in Bar Bar Dekho out of all the films! All this while, nothing about the film.
Yeah, this is what I spoke about as well. It’s like reviewing a Satyajit Ray film by comparing it to a Dada Kondke movie and expressing surprise that Ray’s film has no double-entendres. I’m obviously exaggerating to make a point.
I’m sure Rangan has seen Shoojit Sircar’s films before. Which of his previous films gave him the idea that there could be an item song in the film?
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September 21, 2016 at 9:15 AM
Pink Remains Steady On Tuesday
Wednesday 21 September 2016 11.30 IST
Pink remained steady on Tuesday with collections in the same range as Monday. The collections of the film are alsmost ditto of Neerja barring the first day where Neerja collected 50 lakhs nett more. That film eventually grossed 72 crore nett but it had tax exemptions come into play from six in many states which boosted its nett business by around 10 crore. The competition for Pink is weak this week though there are many films releasing but none seem to have box office potential on their theatrical promos though maybe word of mount can help them. This will allow another solid week for the film befor Dhoni – The Untold Story Arrives. The first five day business of Pink is as follows.
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September 21, 2016 at 9:15 AM
The Neerja obsession continues..
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September 21, 2016 at 9:16 AM
taran adarsh @taran_adarsh 4h4 hours ago
#Pink is ROCK-STEADY… Fri 4.32 cr, Sat 7.65 cr, Sun 9.54 cr, Mon 3.78 cr, Tue 3.51 cr. Total: ₹ 28.80 cr. India biz.
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September 21, 2016 at 11:19 AM
Another ”inventive theory” to deny Pink its due by BOI-
Raaz Reboot Gets More Weekend Footfalls Than Pink
Tuesday 20 September 2016 13.30 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Raaz Reboot may have had a poor weekend and has practically flopped after the big drop on Monday but it did get more footfalls than Pink across India despite having lower all India collections. This is because both films were totally the opposite as Raaz Reboot managed its best collections at single screens while Pink scored at high end multiplexes. Neither film got many footfalls with Raaz at 18.73 lakhs while Pink was a little under 18 lakhs. But what it is shows is that smaller films have to be aimed at this high end multiplex audience as the business comes if this audience takes to it despite limited footfalls due to high ticket ticket rates. The details of both films are as follows.
Raaz Reboot
Gross – 21,63,00,000
Footfalls – 18.73 lakhs
ATP (Weekend) – INR 115.50
Pink
Gross – 29,71,00,000
Footfalls – 17.94 lakhs
ATP (Weekend) – INR 165.70
The ticket rates at single screens are around 25% on average of these high end multiplexes so you have to be getting in four people against one to compete. Not that it can’t happen but Raaz Reboot was not at that level. The footfalls of Pink will be ahead of Raaz Reboot by the end of the week but remains to be seen where they go in the long run. Neerja had 66 lakh footfalls but that was with tax free exemption which enabled lower ticket rates.
Look at the phrasing which begins with ”Raaz Reboot may have had a poor weekend” as if there are doubts over this ‘fact’, yet they would never publish how much money SRK or Karan Johar movies do collect at single screens in comparison to their collections at the multiplexes! Their commentary gives impression of to that of ” a sour loser”!
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September 21, 2016 at 11:27 AM
For God’s sake they are a boxoffice site and in the number crunching game !
Myselfaamir when all the hoopla settles down and we get to the lifetime figures of most of these movies, they tend to get it better than most of us here. So I would suggest not to pay much attention to their commentary and hold your horses !!!
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September 21, 2016 at 1:34 PM
My review of Nil Battey Sannata (Mild Spoilers inside)
[post created]
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September 21, 2016 at 2:04 PM
Re:No one can be a huge star in this country if they aren’t good at acting. For me, an actor must necessarily have a connect with the audience. If the ticket payers are giving respect to an actor, they are the right judges to say whether they are good or bad
If this logic were taken to its logical conclusion then Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Manoj Bajpai, Irrfan Khan etc aren’t good actors at all. They are bad actors because ticket payers don’t respect them. Whatever that means!
I have heard this line of reasoning many times. It’s a false binary. If public vote is the only thing that matters then Chetan Bhagat is a better writer than Salman Rushdie and Ali Abbas Zafar is about 10 times better than Anurag Kashyap or even Guru Dutt! We can keep multiplying these examples in case it’s not farcical enough.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:24 PM
Theoretically agree it’s a farcical argument but my argument does not stem from critical appreciation but hindi movie magic encounters !
Just look at the question of the interviewer posed to Zafar before he replies with that retort – “Is it a risk to make the film with two stars who aren’t exactly known for their acting chops?”
So I feel that reply in that context is apt.
Btw in a comment above, I said something about – song acting!
(allow me to use such a term)
Rajesh Khanna & SRK made a career out of it. I mean what is a Rajesh Khanna without a ” Aate jaate khoobsoorat awaara sadko par or a SRK “Aaye kaash ke hum hosh mein na aayen”.
Though Bachchan and Dilip kumar had more depth. But what would be a Bachchan be if he were not to make the nation crazy with a Rote huey aate hain sab in that white striped leather jacket on a bike crooning away on marine drive. Even today when one gets hold of a bike one instantly starts stargazing about a woh muqaddar ka sikandar or koi na koi chahiye…..
Now look what bad actors did to “Teri galiyon mein na rakhen ge kadam or atrocious vijay anand did to chalte chalte mere yeh geet yaad rakhna or how neele neela ambar par was butchered by kunal goswami.
I would rate acting in hindi movies a bit differently.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:30 PM
You are confusing star presence with acting. A star by virtue of his/her following can create hysteria without being a good actor. A star can also make his/her mannerisms popular.
Those stock mannerisms come and go with each era. They don’t act as substitutes for genuine acting.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:48 PM
Agree and I get where you are coming from but for that to happen one has to be Kumar Gaurav sorts.
Similarly on Naseer’s criticism of Rajesh Khanna recently, there was an interesting link on Naseer’s acting by Nykavi where apparently Naseer made a mess of a romantic scene. So there is a bit of ‘own perspective’ on all this and open to debate.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:31 PM
Re.-Now look what bad actors did to “Teri galiyon mein na rakhen ge kadam or atrocious vijay anand did to chalte chalte mere yeh geet yaad rakhna or how neele neela ambar par was butchered by kunal goswami
How about Kya hua tera Vada- Tariq
Tu iss tarah sey meri zindgai mein shamil hai- Deepak Parashar
Meri soni meri tamann- Vijay Arora ( the guy was a freaking gold medalist )
Roney na dijiyga – ???
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September 21, 2016 at 3:27 PM
Rocky there is a endless list to this. Vijay Arora and Tariq remind me Yaadon Ki Baraat title song and what was a proper hindi reunion movie masala moment – ruined by atrocious acting.
Pyaar mangaa hai tumhee se – though more than Sachin one can fault the pictursation.
Recent time there is a song which I really like and one of the best of Udit Narayan but spoilt by Asif Sheikh .
Bin Tere Sanam mar mitenge hum – which nerd gave that song to Asif sheikh
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September 21, 2016 at 4:13 PM
Went off to a meeting after typing this, and through out the meeting I was humming Roney na dijiega ….Now googled it it was Ronit Roy .
Aside- then there was Kamal Sardana !!
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September 21, 2016 at 4:20 PM
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September 21, 2016 at 2:28 PM
He is not saying that stardom and talent are proportional.But only saying that a big star has to be good actor.There is no logical conclusion to the things you said.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:30 PM
I commented on this blog after a long time.lets see how much dangal will gross.This will be fun.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:33 PM
Kaisey ho Sunil ?
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September 21, 2016 at 2:41 PM
I am pretty sure it will gross less than airlift!
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September 21, 2016 at 2:47 PM
ha ha ha….
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September 22, 2016 at 3:04 AM
Welcome back, one shouldn’t expect much from Dangal, a similar film has already released. It will be a terrible performer just like Ghajini, 3I, D3 & P.K.
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September 21, 2016 at 2:32 PM
OT- Vishal Dud is Jainunely sorry !!
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September 21, 2016 at 2:35 PM
livewire,I have given a better reply.Rajesh Khanna,Dharmendra,vinod khanna are good actors.So is Akshay,salman khan.There can always be higher and lower according to the audience.
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September 21, 2016 at 4:10 PM
There can always be higher and lower according to the audience.
So the time when Akshay Kumar gave 14 flops in a row, he was a bad actor? According to the audience he was!
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September 21, 2016 at 2:37 PM
good,rocky.:D
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September 21, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Piku vs Pink vs Neerja: Box Office Collection Comparison
Nice comparison being done here. Also, note that Piku beat Pink’s opening by just one crore!
What exactly was the reason to sign Deepika Padukone for the film and pay her more? Moreover, she was the weakest link in the film; didn’t even look like a Bengali from any angle. Would the result have been any different if, say, Vidya Balan were in the film instead of her?
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September 21, 2016 at 5:01 PM
On the star/actor dichotomy, Pauline Kael had something very interesting to say – she bemoaned the fact that Sofia Loren’s fans weren’t happy for her to be adored as a pure star; they were always looking to find ways to see her as an actress as well. They would point to certain pauses, certain scenes where she was filmed in a certain way and attribute all sorts of hidden meanings to her acting prowess. It’s not enough being a star anymore; one also has to prove his/her acting credentials to the world as well. That then satisfies the fan’s justification for supporting his/her favorite star.
That unfortunately is a logical fallacy. A star doesn’t need to be even competent as an actor. Call it the star’s presence, aura or signature; it’s enough to cast a spell on the audience. There’s no more justification or validation needed. A lot of careers get derailed because of this fixation with being called an actor. If one has established himself/herself in a particular genre, then all one needs is to milk it till the end. There’s no genuine need to show unnecessary ambition when there’s no real need for it. And especially when one’s not had proper training for it.
One doesn’t have to look too far. Where do our Bollywood stars come from? Have they ever done any theater before joining films? Do they regularly attend acting workshops? Do they even watch the best of world cinema? Are they even cinematically literate? If the answer to all these questions is no, then why even try to attempt something that’s beyond your reach? Keep on working in genres that play to one’s strength and keep the money machine working. There’s absolutely no shame in that. One would still be called lead “actor” even if the latter bit isn’t really true.
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any star-actors in Bollywood. To state the obvious, Bachchan is a great star-actor; Aamir’s good too; Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor are good actors who also happen to have at least some fan following with them. Alia Bhatt is a very good upcoming star-actor. I might have missed a few names here and there, but the argument holds true. It’s not as if one has to look deeply to find stars who can act. It’s pretty much obvious after watching one or two films.
As for the fans, well, there’s no real need to look beyond what’s obvious. A star has fans/followers because he/she primarily has physical attributes that are deemed praiseworthy, if not downright enviable. One is naturally drawn towards physical beauty; in the same way one is also drawn towards delicious food. There are tons of healthy food alternatives available but the taste buds ask for whatever satisfies one’s cravings. Humans are wired like that. Some are not, but most people are. The question is: why is there a need to constantly justify our cravings? Why can’t one be comfortable with one’s choices, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, without having to justify it to the world (and to the self)? The answer: humans are also wired to rationalize wrong behavior patterns, especially if one’s keen on doing it again and again.
This is all fascinating stuff and there’s a whole science devoted to it – Behavioral Economics. But that’s for another time.
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September 21, 2016 at 5:05 PM
Take Three With Pink: In Conversation With Big B & Shoojit Sircar
Bhawana Somaaya
https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/2016/09/21/take-three-with-pink-in-conversation-with-amitabh-bachchan-and-shoojit-sircar-taapsee-pannu
This is your third film together. How easy or tough is it to work with the same team?
SS: People will watch Shoebite whenever it releases, but the truth is neither Piku nor Pink would have been possible without Mr Bachchan . Having worked with him in two films, I knew he would approve of Pink, but for Aniruddh, it was his first and he was jumping with joy when Bachchan said ‘Yes’. It is easy to work with him in first, second or third because he gives his best to every shot and does not take a single day of shooting for granted.
AB: I’m privileged that Shoojit is still considering me for films; it was an absolute privilege to work with him on Piku and when he approached me for Pink, I had made up my mind within five minutes of narration. The content and message was so powerful and I had faith that as a creative producer, Shoojit will do full justice
AB: In my long career associated with so many writers and directors, I was repeatedly told was that if it is a courtroom drama, there has to be dramatic dialogues delivered loudly with a lot of anger to get claps from the audience. In Shahenshah, we wanted to do it differently and experimented with an alternative. But eventually director Tinu Anand felt that it was too understated and we shot the climax the way it is now. In Pink, the original draft did feature few exaggerations in the court scenes, but then all of us deliberated and after the brain storming, everyone agreed that we needed to revisit the scenes suiting the character and his personal condition and we are happy that our endeavour has been appreciated by the audience.
You play the patriarch and interestingly all the women characters in the film are rooting for you.
AB: The credit goes to the writer for conceiving interesting moments and relationships. Deepak Sehgal volunteers to fight his neighbour’s case because he believes they are in the right and then travels the anxieties with them. My argument with the cop Sarla, superbly performed by the actress, is one of my favourite scenes in the film. Lot of people told me they feel choked when the other lady cop offers a handshake in the last scene. It is a special moment, a special film and a special experience I will cherish forever.
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September 21, 2016 at 8:24 PM
http://www.hindustantimes.com/columns/why-it-is-good-that-bollywood-is-having-a-crisis/story-bDIkWF62cLz0cQH00cuUSM.html
Excerpts
Stars do bring people into theatres, but are they as central to your life as they once were? In the new age of excessive entertainment, deep self-absorption, fragmentation of fun, and the ease of becoming a minor celebrity yourself on the social media by the virtue of a comment or the birth of your infant or the death of a parent, are celebrities as rare and precious as they once were?
From the noise around Rajinikanth’s “Kabali”, you may have imagined that every Tamilian would rush to watch the film. But the modest success of the film points to something else. Far greater than the supposed charms of Rajnikanth was the quiet comment of a more powerful person — the fan’s friend, who had watched the film and whispered that it was rubbish. It is possible that the recent giant flops of Hindi cinema may not have been bad bets just five years ago. The stars might have pulled you in, but now something has changed. So, do they still deserve more than half the budget?
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September 22, 2016 at 1:33 AM
http://www.koimoi.com/reviews/parched-review/
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September 22, 2016 at 3:33 AM
Mumbai: Bollywood Stuntman Flees With 98-Lakh Luxury Car, Nabbed In 4 Hours
Stuntman Shamsher Mehboob Khan drives off in the stolen Audi.
Mumbai: As a stuntman in Bollywood, Shamsher Khan (30) has performed many heroic acts for top actors. In real life, however, he turned out to be more a villain after he stole a luxury car belonging to the wife of a politician. Thankfully, he was arrested just four hours after he tried to pull off this real-life stunt.
Kurla police get a tip-off and set up a nakabandi at Kapadia Nagar. They fortify the check-post.
In Bollywood, Shamsher Mehboob Khan has worked with famous actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn. He has also worked extensively with director Rohit Shetty, in his films as well as on a popular stunt-based reality show that was hosted by him.
http://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-bollywood-stuntman-flees-with-98-lakh-luxury-car-nabbed-in-4-hours-1464979?pfrom=home-topstories
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September 22, 2016 at 3:48 AM
Q. What are the budgets of Raaz Reboot and Pink?
A. Raaz Reboot is 31 crore and Pink is 21 crore without the fee of Amitabh Bachchan who has satellite rights which can be accounted for in the 7-9 crore range.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2340
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September 22, 2016 at 3:51 AM
Pink To Continue Box Office Domination This Week
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2339
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September 22, 2016 at 5:10 AM
It’s wrong to usurp a date another colleague has announced: Hrithik Roshan
Subhash K Jha, Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Updated: Sep 22, 2016 07:29 IST
When filmmaker Rakesh Roshan announced Christmas 2018 as the release date of Krissh 4, he was clearly not aware that director Aanand Rai’s Shah Rukh Khan-starrer was also scheduled to release on the same day.
Big-budget films clashing on the same day can prove costly, as his son Hrithik had realised after his film Mohenjo Daro clashed with Akshay Kumar’s Rustom.
On getting to know that SRK’s film had been planned for the same day as theirs, Roshans quickly moved their film from the proposed festival slot.
Explaining the safe manoeuvre, Hrithik says, “My mom and dad have always taught me that doing the right thing is over and above any profit or loss. I guess dad felt it was wrong to usurp a date that another colleague has already announced.”
Interestingly, Raees, another of Shah Rukh’s releases, was scheduled for January 26 next year, the same Friday as Hrithik’s home production Kaabil releases, though the Roshans made their release announcement long before. Doesn’t Hrithik see a contradiction here, we ask?
He shrugs, “I can’t judge other people’s ethics. I must travel my own path, guided by my values and allow others to travel theirs.” He admits though, that releasing Raees and Kaabil together would damage both the films. “Both films will suffer a little. But both can also do well enough if the content is good. If it’s in your destiny to succeed, nobody can take it away. Likewise, failure.”
http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/it-s-wrong-to-usurp-a-date-another-colleague-has-announced-hrithik-roshan/story-23fJdXkPW3HYDwqsjs44JK.html?utm_source=base&utm_medium=also-read
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September 22, 2016 at 7:00 AM
They are throwing the morality & ethics card. I find it ridiculous to believe they would not know a big film was already scheduled for release on Dec 2018.
I guess they are making SRK to look bad in media. It was daft for Raees to move on date for another big clash, but once done everything else from Roshans after that is petty.
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September 22, 2016 at 10:31 AM
It’s turning ugly.
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September 22, 2016 at 5:26 AM
Directors turn actors: Which ones fit in, and which don’t?
Ananya Ghosh, Hindustan times | Updated: Sep 18, 2016 01:34 IST
If it hadn’t been for Naseeruddin Shah, director Sudhir Mishra might have been known as actor Sudhir Mishra instead. Not that Mishra doesn’t act. His Haji Bhaijaan in Madhur Bhandarkar’s 2007 film Traffic Signal still sends chills down the spine. And he does bit roles every now and then. “If a good friend asks me to do a role, I take it up simply because I love hanging around on the sets. If you are directing you are burdened with responsibilities, so you can’t enjoy filmmaking that much,” he says.
Mishra actually considered being an actor, having acted in several plays, but Shah got in the way. “We were doing Khamosh,” he says. “I was working as an assistant director and also had a bit role. Seeing Naseer act up close, I realised I can never be as good as him. So I chose something I thought I was good at instead. Naseer single-handedly put me off acting. Either you should be as good as him or not act at all.”
The big swap
It may seem odd that directors, much of whose job involves instructing actors how to act, are seldom seen on screen themselves.
Surely, there have been exceptions. In Hollywood, directors like Orson Welles, Charles Chaplin, Quentin Tarantino and Woody Allen have often cast themselves in starring roles and blown their audience’s minds with their acting prowess. Back home, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt had achieved similar feats. But those instances were rare and far between.
However, in the last few years, with Bollywood becoming bolder, experimenting with exciting content and out-of-the-box characters, this seems to be changing.
Most recently, Anurag Kashyap has moved from behind the camera to in front of it, playing a corrupt police inspector in AR Murugadoss’s Sonakshi Sinha-starrer, Akira (2016). Although it is a heroine-centric film, Kashyap has been fielding compliments ever since the release of the film.
According to Murugadoss, because Akira has a very powerful female protagonist, the character of the police inspector pitted against her needed to be a strong one.
“It is unlike anything you have seen in Bollywood. Hence we needed a new face. It is a challenging role and I wanted someone with a strong personality to do justice to it,” says Murugadoss, who went on an auditioning spree to find an actor who’d be the right fit. And then, while watching an interview of Kashyap, the casting director had a brainwave. “The way he spoke and owned the show, both my casting director and I thought he would be just perfect for the role,” says Murugadoss. So Kashyap was approached for the role and, after carefully reading the script, he agreed to come on board.
“After seeing the final outcome, I am sure no one else could have pulled this off this so convincingly. Kashyap’s talent as a director is well-known but I will take the credit of bringing out the actor in him,” laughs Murugadoss.
The director’s actor
Long before he became Anurag Kashyap the director, Kashyap had spent 20 years on stage in theatre and proved his acting prowess. “But I gave up the thought of acting in films the day I saw myself on screen the first time. I hated myself,” says Kashyap adding: “I keep getting offers but so far, on the few occasions where I have said ‘yes’, it was mostly for some emotional reason or if it was an interesting but small role. I prefer theatre to movies when it comes to acting.” Kashyap was last seen on stage a decade back as Fanidhar in Makrand Deshpaande’s acclaimed Hindi play Sir Sir Sarla.
Although, this poster boy of independent cinema claims that the last thing he wants to do is act in movies he eventually agreed to turn villain in a full-blown commercial Bollywood movie. And according to Kashyap, it was Murugadoss’s “infectious, childlike enthusiasm” that convinced him to take up the role.
Handing over control on the set to his director was very easy, says Kashyap. “Being a director myself, I know very well that the only person who knows what’s going on a set is the director. And this was Murugadoss’s film, not mine. I was there as an actor and my job was to follow the director’s instructions,” he says.
Earlier, in 2011, we had seen Kashyap on screen, playing gangster Bunty Bhaiya in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Shagird. Dhulia, returning the favour, acted in Kashyap’s two-part epic, Gangs of Wasseypur.
“What worked for us, be it he directing me or vice-versa, is that we both took instructions well. And that is always crucial,” says Dhulia, whose portrayal of Ramadhir Singh, the corrupt politician and ‘coal king’ of Dhanbad, is still etched in the minds of the audience. But that, claims Dhulia, was an ‘unplanned’ event. “Though Anurag had given me the script, I didn’t bother to read it. I didn’t even know what character I was supposed to play, or how big or important the role was, or what would be required of me,” he admits. It was only when the prosthetics guys arrived at his office to take a mould of his face that it crossed Dhulia’s mind that maybe it was not a blink-and-miss-role, and maybe he was to play an old man.
But, more than his inner director, it was his inner writer who helped him portray the character, says Dhulia. “The director knows as he looks through the lens what will look good on screen. But every good actor should have a little bit of a writer in him. That helps in improvising,” he says.
It might come as a surprise for many, but Dhulia’s area of specialisation at the National School of Drama (NSD) was not direction, but acting. “After NSD, I never really ventured into acting. And that is because, while doing the course, I realised that I was quite bad as an actor,” laughs Dhulia. But he adds that he was never really bit by the acting but. “While growing up I was confused. I joined NSD because I wanted to get out of Allahabad and I had heard about the open and free atmosphere of a drama school,” he says.
Getting into the skin of the character
Director Prakash Jha has no such qualms about himself as an actor – provided the role is perfect. Perhaps that’s why it took him 40 years to make his on-screen debut, which he did in his own film, Jai Gangaajal (2016), playing corrupt police inspector Bhola Nath Singh to great acclaim.
“I knew the nuances of the character more than anyone else and even while scripting, I could see myself in that role,” says Jha. “Me as a director and me as an actor are completely different entities and both were confident about me playing BN Singh. If not, as a director, I would not have cast myself in the role, and as an actor, I would not have taken it up.”
After four decades working as a director, writer and film curator, Jha was already contemplating finding newer forms of expression. “Acting just happened to be one of the avenues I wanted to tap,” he says. “I was always an actor. In fact, all human beings are actors! But to be able to act on command is something that requires certain technique, which I knew.”
He had no first-day jitters when he switched to the front of the camera. “Unlike in theatre, here you are not acting in front of people. You are acting in front of the camera, and imagining the people. I have been with the camera all my life. Why should I be scared to perform in front of it?”
But even a man as confident as Jha had one concern. “As an actor and as a director, the only thing that you have no control over is whether you as a person will be accepted as the character, whether you would believable. There are actors who are dashing, handsome who fail being the character. That is what is important to achieve. I knew the character in my mind, but would I be able to play it with my body? That was the question,” he says.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/directors-turn-actors-which-ones-fit-in-and-which-don-t/story-MYAwFw4UyuqcR12G8oYHzK.html
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September 22, 2016 at 7:27 AM
The eagerly awaited biopic Dhoni: The Untold Story, just got bigger… at least in size. It now comes to light that the film is 3 hours 10 minutes in length.
It was shown to the Censor Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) this week, and, the film was unanimously loved by one and all in the Censor Board.
Says a source close to the film, “The Censor Board wouldn’t touch a single shot. They said every moment in Dhoni’s story is inspiring and motivational. The film clocks a solid 3 hours and 10 minutes of playing time.”
Interestingly, the film is split in two unequal halves.
Says the source, “The interval occurs after 2 hours and 40 minutes of playing-time at a crucial juncture in Dhoni’s saga.”
Reacting to the CBFC’s clean chit, the film’s director Neeraj Pandey says, “This was only expected.”
– See more at: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/dhoni-biopic-3-hours-10-mins-long/#sthash.s88k4QOu.dpuf
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September 22, 2016 at 7:33 AM
Music composer Pritam is riding high on the wave of super success, since he’s working with the top three Khans viz., Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan in their upcoming films. If that wasn’t enough, two songs of Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (that he has composed) have taken the world of music by a storm. In a Bollywood Hungama exclusive with Content Head (Broadband) Faridoon Shahryar, Pritam speaks about the music of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Tubelight, Dangal, The Ring and Jagga Jasoos. It’s a Bollywood Hungama exclusive. Don’t miss it!
Karan Johar, in an interview with ‘Bollywood Hungama’ recently said that music is the most integral part of the contributing factor to the soul of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Two songs (‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and ‘Bulleya’) have simply carved a very important place in the hearts and minds of millions of people all across the world. Have you received such an unprecedented response to the music of any of your films before?
I agree with you. I’ve done so many films. I’ve seen lots of hit songs in my life, starting from ‘Dhoom Machale’. Iss gaane (‘Ae Dil Hai Muskhil’) ka speciality yeh tha ke industry insiders se itna praise mila. Karan Johar liked the song very much. Whenever I used to meet Adi, he said that he liked the song. While Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan tweeted about the song, Mukesh Bhatt called me. I don’t think Mukeshji has called me for any song earlier. That’s good – the reaction that came from industry insiders.
How many songs feature in the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’s album?
In all, there are five songs. Four are on Ayan’s (Ranbir Kapoor) singing career. I thought there are only 2-3 voices in the industry who can sing all the songs. Out of those, Arijit Singh is closest to me. And because the film required specifically one voice, the title song was sung by Arijit. Besides that, there’s one dance song that has also been sung by Arijit.
So, another ‘Badtameez Dil’ happening?
Not exactly ‘Badtameez Dil’, its more ‘chhedkaani’ kind of song.
You also have Dangal, which is coming up with Aamir Khan. I believe there is one promotional song which has been recorded and shot on Aamir Khan. Can you please tell us something about the music of Dangal?
I’ve signed an NDA. That’s why I cannot talk about it.
After Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Phantom, you are now doing Tubelight with Kabir Khan. How has been the experience?
Kabir Khan is a friend and it’s always fun to work with him. The one compliant that I have about Kabir is that he doesn’t make love stories. Since Tubelight has no love angle, there are no love songs. Even Bajrangi hardly had any love angle. So was Phantom. So was New York (laughs). I keep telling Kabir Khan that he should have love songs in films, because, his films have become very challenging. It’s easier to score rom-coms because love, dance, happiness are very common emotions.
Has Arijit Singh sung for Tubelight as well?
Tubelight’s songs aren’t even locked yet. Abhi toh sirf first schedule shoot karne gaye and gaane sab idhar aane ke baad honge.
Anurag Basu was sitting with you a short while ago for Jagga Jasoos. Please tell us something about the film.
(Sighs!) I think Jagga Jasoos is the most difficult film I’ve worked on because there’s no precedent. Anurag Basu makes films which has no precedent. In Barfi also, the protagonist baat nahi karta hai, toh maine kaha hero baat nahi karta and heroine also doesn’t talk. Aisa koi precedent hi nahi tha. English mein bhi tha ki nahi mujhe malum nahi tha. Broadways mein bahut aaya hai, but detective film mein Broadway, I don’t think that has happened or not. Thoda love story ho jataa, toh acha ho jaata. I can’t divulge too many details but I know something special is brewing.
You also have Ring with Imtiaz Ali and Shah Rukh Khan. How is the film shaping up? Imtiaz Ali has a tremendous ear for music.
This is the question I don’t know. I can’t tell you anything about the music, unless it goes into the mastering stage.
I believe that they had shot some song in Prague recently with Shah Rukh Khan.
That’s exactly what I am saying. Unless it comes out, you don’t even know about the songs. The film is releasing next year. Tab tak kya ho jaayega, gaana change ho jaayega, situation change ho jaayega, I don’t know.
How was your experience of working with Aamir Khan for Dangal?
Oh! That was lovely. Aamir Khan is an absolute pleasure to work with because he actually understands film making so well. Dangal’s music is very apt to the script and Aamir Khan is so true to the film.
– See more at: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/jagga-jasoos-difficult-film-ive-worked-pritam/#sthash.MZ2pQr7L.dpuf
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September 22, 2016 at 9:00 AM
t looks like the Vetri Maaran’s Visaaranai is going places. The National Award-winning film is all set to represent India in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The decision was announced today by the selection committee of the Film Federation of India (the trade body that represents film industries of the country).
Visaaranai is a docu-drama crime-thriller and is based on the novel Lockup penned by M Chandrakumar, an auto driver from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The star cast for the film includes Dinesh, Anandhi, Aadukalam Murugadoss. Visaaranai was the first Tamil film to win the Amnesty International Award at at the 72nd Venice Film Festival. The story revolves around police brutality and corruption. The film bagged the Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Supporting Actor for Samuthirakani and Best Editing for Kishore in the 63rd National Awards.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Visaaranai-enters-the-Oscar-race/articleshow/54464448.cms
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September 22, 2016 at 9:27 AM
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September 22, 2016 at 10:17 AM
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
7h
#Pink is UNSTOPPABLE… Wed biz [3.87 cr] HIGHER than Tue [3.51 cr] and Mon [3.78 cr]… SUPERB… Day-wise data in next tweet…
taran adarsh
@taran_adarsh
7h
#Pink Fri 4.32 cr, Sat 7.65 cr, Sun 9.54 cr, Mon 3.78 cr, Tue 3.51 cr, Wed 3.87 cr. Total: ₹ 32.67 cr. India biz. EXCELLENT!
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September 22, 2016 at 4:09 PM
70cr minimum
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September 22, 2016 at 8:00 PM
PINK has just 2 weeks to earn .. i think 60 is best bet.
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September 23, 2016 at 4:46 AM
I am still betting on 90-100Cr.
I have high hopes on MS Dhoni which i think will be a monstrous blockbuster, but not a 2 weeks types but a 4-5 weeks haul. This means Pink will retain good screen share and considering its awesome WOM, it will not get affected by MSD>
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September 22, 2016 at 2:49 PM
With all the funny Jennifer Anniston memes doing the rounds, this seems very desi and funniest esp coming from Mrs Vinod Chopra –
Anupama Chopra @anupamachopra Sep 20
Good time to remember that killer line from #TVFTripling – compatibility bhi na badi ma***chod cheez hoti hai! #brangelina
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September 22, 2016 at 3:12 PM
“saraswati creations” AB’s company is also one of the producer of pink but reasons best known to him and others, that info is completely underplayed.
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September 23, 2016 at 4:48 AM
Income tax !!! 🙂 🙂
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September 22, 2016 at 3:23 PM
The making of the plot from police taking meenal from the locality infront of society ppl to the scene where deepak stands again in the lawyer coat in front of door gave me goosebumps, an emotionally drench with heavy heart feeling yet with the smell of victory that now he stands before them n that no one can beat them.. it was nostalgic feeling.. it was like watching numerous ABsirjee’s 70s movies where when he stands all other look minion..respect for the writer,director. Take a bow AB sir..Outstanding..
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September 22, 2016 at 4:00 PM
Sunny Leone doesn’t want her documentary to release in India
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-sunny-leone-doesn-t-want-her-documentary-to-release-in-india-2257032
Bollywood actress Sunny Leone is against the release of the upcoming documentary on her life, Mostly Sunny in India, as she feels it does not do justice to her story.
Mostly Sunny charts the life of Leone, born Karenjit Kaur Vohra in Sarnia, Ontario, from her childhood in a conservative Sikh family to her shift to Los Angeles, her emergence as one of the biggest adult movie stars in the world and her subsequent mainstream movie career breakthrough in Bollywood.
When asked about this, Leone said, “It’s really simple, at the end of the day, its my personal story. I surrendered to his vision but when it got to my story, how it looks and the story that is actually told… In my view no one in this entire world has the right to say how my life should be told.”
“I am the one telling the story, it is my life. There were certain things I didn’t like and I wanted it (the documentary) to be for many people to watch, not just one age group. I don’t see my story as a sob story, where something went wrong. That’s not my story,” the actress said
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September 22, 2016 at 4:01 PM
Not Like I Was Holding A Gun To Sunny Leone’s Head: Dilip Mehta
https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/2016/09/22/mostly-sunny-director-dilip-mehta-reacts-to-sunny-leones-accusations-that-he-manipulated-her-story
Mostly Sunny director Dilip Mehta is disappointed with Sunny Leone’s reaction to his documentary film about her life, which was also well received at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year. While Sunny recently told PTI that she hopes the film doesn’t come to India, she also said that the story is not hers, since it’s someone else’s vision and opinion.
In this interview, Dilip Mehta responds to the accusations made by the actress and clarifies his intention behind making the film.
Q: Sunny Leone feels that your documentary about her life doesn’t do justice to her. Your comments?
Dilip Mehta: I read Sunny Leone ‘s statement with disappointment and mild amusement. Since she’s been ‘honest’ about her past, audiences should now definitely see my film Mostly Sunny, and decide for themselves whether the documentary is a figment of my imagination, or an honest journalistic portrayal of an unapologetic, unrepentant former porn star, who’s taken India by storm with her entry into Bollywood. I wish her well but she shouldn’t paint every journalist with the CNN IBN brush. (Sunny’s interview with a CNN-IBN journalist where she was quizzed about her pornographic past was labeled ‘intrusive
Q: Sunny feels the documentary isn’t really about her…
Dilip Mehta: Sunny drives the film. It’s her narrative. Her younger brother Sunny (who’s name she assumed) is another driving force in the film, and his presence in the film is endearing and very very sympathetic. I wonder at times which film are Sunny and Daniel referring to? It certainly doesn’t sound like Mostly Sunny.
Q: Was she happy while you shot the film?
Dilip Mehta: In the many interviews we did over a couple of years, all have been on camera.
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