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251 Responses to “Dear Zindagi, the rest of the box office”
Just back from DEAR ZINDAGI. Let me be upfront saying that I had a feeling that DZ will be boring affair as there is supposedly even less comedy than EV(which had humor the English training classes) but am surprised that the movie has surprised me big time and there is never a dull moment in this 2 hr 20 mins movie. Gauri Shinde is treading a unique path in current crop of directors with the perfect balance of art vs commercial movies. Both her movies, EV and DZ reminds me of the 70’s parallel cinema movies like Chhoti si baat, Baaton baaton mein but it is actually dealing with complex issues of current times and is not a comedy genre. So, after loving English Vinglish, Dear Zindagi is a welcome addition to the movie industry.
The movie starts well and stays on its track with (Kaira) Alia Bhatt going through personal and professional issues and break-ups etc. Until she ends up landing in Goa where she meets with Dr. Jehangir Khan(SRK) and then slowly starts going for her therapy sessions and then eventually start controlling her life and handle both professional and personal issues. Looks boring huh? Well it is not. One of the movie’s biggest strength with tight screenplay and -out of the world- dialogues. The dialogues make this movie and the 1 liners are great. All the long dialogue sessions between Kaira and Jug are brilliantly written.
The movie has 2 songs – Just go to hell, Dill and Ali Zafar’s song. Some background small lines of songs but thats about it. The music is very well done and blends with the movie.
Alia Bhatt has created another monster of a performance and created competition to her great act in Udta Punjab(for which am expecting National Award). Dear Zindagi has her again her brilliant best and I would not be surprised if Alia sweeps all the awards (including Nationals.. I know I’m saying knowing its so difficult to win one in whole career). She is so natural and yet creates a perfect balanced performance and just hard to ignore.
SRK has given a natural performance but more than the performance its the maturity and depth he brings to the role. Its not a performance oriented role but the lines are very well written and that helps in a movie like this. All the other performances are good like Kunal, Ali Zafar, Angad Bedi and Alia’s friends, family etc.
Though I would have loved the movie to be 10 mins less, there is not a single fault note in the movie and editing is razor sharp. There will not be a single soul or single bad review(Big thing to say on 1st day) for this movie. Some might call it average but majority will be calling it above average and great movie. I felt EV had a wafer thin plot had exception screenplay but at least it had something for everyone to connect to whereas DZ will connect to only multiplex audience and majority of females. This movie is also very deep and heavy but has been handled very deftly without getting boring. As for Gauri Shinde, she will be creating her own path of cinema which is not really commercial but also not art movies.
I want to add that Gauri Shinde gets the metro girl’s lifestyle bang on! It cant’ be possible unless she gets this from her personal life and this movie can’t be directed a MAN at all. This is the best part and nothing comes across as superficial. Kudos to her!
Just amazed with the tehraav and writing of this movie. #dearzindagi is an amazing movie. Unhurried, lyrical, bitter- sweet. Not a single false note in the film or performances. Alia Bhatt is Outstanding. And clearly shows again why she’s the best actor of her generation. What’s a layered, delicate performance. Her best ever. And there’s only more to come. Shah rukh khan is superbly measured and has some of the best lines written ever. He appears on screen and you’re hooked. It’s magical. Yet another career milestone.
Take a bow gauri shinde takes huge courage and conviction to write a brave film like this. Thank you for making us believe that movies are empowering and make you think while they entertain.
This is Jitesh’s comment. “Not a single false note in the film or performances”
This is my comment in my review ” there is not a single false note in the movie and editing is razor sharp.”
Lol, perfecto!. As a rule, I don’t even read anything before I watch the movie and waise bhi I try to watch 1st day before reviews are out. This time more so as DZ is not releasing in India till Friday. Surprised to read exact line in other’s reviews 🙂
“Which movie from past few years does it compare to?”
That’s the beauty of it. As I said Gauri Shinde is creating unique cinema with very less similarity with other movies. The best comparison is to call it a ‘refined’ English Vinglish. I would say something like Irrfan’s Lunchbox to an extent.
Wouldn’t say the trailers were boring at all. It was looking like a ‘film of moments’, the sort of thing Balki and Gauri Shinde specialize in. I wasn’t the greatest fan of English Vinglish but it’s hard for a film like Dear Zindagi to jump out as a trailer.
Well said. This is a kind of film where its difficult to make a theatrical trailer without giving away too much. It showed moments and there are tons of them in the movie.
DEAR ZINDAGI HOLDS UP A MIRROR TO LIFE
Meena Iyer, Times of India
Rating 3.5/5
Feisty Alia, one of the better actors of the current generation, turns in a nicely nuanced performance. And SRK in his sober-avatar possessing infinite gyaan tempts you to seek out a therapist. If you’re in the mood to do some soul-searching this weekend, this film could do it for you.
A new Indian middle class, thirsting to travel, now has the means. As they flock to their favourite big screen backdrops, Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem bears the brunt of Bollywood tourism.
It is true for most of the tourist destinations. There is laxity by local, state and central Govt. in defining and implementing codes. There was Kedarnath deluge which killed many people. If you cannot think of all the rules by yourself, just look at West. Even smallest vista point is marked, roads, parking and of course ticketed. I went to Muir woods National park recently. The rush is so much that parking is not enough. So they have parking in city and trams to ferry people.
I just completed Neil Tyson’s Cosmos. The carbon footprint is alarming. We are destroying ourselves; If not nuclear, then by unloading carbon in atmosphere.
High time someone came up with an article like this. Needless to say most of it features Prince Ranbir.
++++
VIDEO: Bollywood Stereotypes We Need To Get Over With!
From ‘nerdy girl meets wanderlust struck boy’ to misogynist storylines in the garb of comedies, Bollywood is reaching a boiling point when it comes to some of its films
If all of Bollywood could be stretched out like a timeline and examined for some recurring variants, you would notice a striking trend in the genre of movies. Every time a path breaking and radical movie would come out, others would follow suit and anything that tried an archaic formula would crash and burn. The last time this occurred was during the release of Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan in 2001. Any other movie that tried the ye old formula of doppelgangers, reincarnation, running away from a feudal household and getting hitched tanked awfully at the box office. These trends kept happening throughout the decade and yet Bollywood churned out some old brews in brand new bottles.
With the rising number of Box Office disasters, it’s time to recap some of the most infuriating and repetitive stereotypes that keep torturing us every single Friday –
No Commitment Only Enjoyment.
Yeah! We get that commitment is tough. It’s a risk that’s absolutely not worth taking if one is not serious about it. But give us a freaking break will ya? How many movies are going to have the same old scene featuring the hero and his ladylove taking an oath about not getting serious? And then fall for each other. And then cry about it. It’s stereotypes like these that make us feel we’re stuck in a karmic cycle.
Heartbreaks Are The Ultimate Exam
One cannot compose, write, sing, paint, drive, brush their teeth and look at traffic in a different way unless they have a heartbreak in their lives. Heartbreaks are like the UPSC exams in films that revolve around romance, untapped talent and the coming-of-age genre. This becomes further exasperating when someone asserts in the film “Jab tak dil nahi tootta na tab tak andar se awaaz nahi niklegi.”
Marriage = Satan’s Playground
As if the heartbreaks pigeonhole wasn’t enough, here comes another favourite of senile producers – the bane of holy matrimony. We are definitely aren’t claiming, that marriage is a must or that every marriage is heavenly, it’s just when Bollywood keeps repeating that a husband is nothing more than a manservant and that marriage is almost asphyxiating, it becomes mind-numbingly contrived.
First World Issues
No we’re not saying that rich folks don’t have problems, they probably have issues twice as harsh as ours. It’s the part where filmmakers think they have an easy way out. If scuba diving, world tours, photography, destination weddings and making ketchup by grinding your posterior were the solution, life would’ve been much easier.
All Women Are Evil.
If the world was left in the hands of filmmakers of Bollywood sex comedies, bachelor humour films and college buddy marathons, women would have a really miserable time. Scene after scene, monologue after monologue, these films make the same point – Women are nothing but soul sucking beasts from hell.
Confused Nerdy Girl & Rich AF Man Who Meet Again.
Twenty years back, this combination must have been the quintessential odd couple. A girl who is bound by her adherence to the rules of the Indian household and a guy who is pampered to the core and lives life like a cool host from any travel channel. But now this formula is as stale as a bag of cold French fries. Every film sounds more like a listicle that mentions the things to do before you die.a
The movie has released only in 1000 screens as Master said. Not sure what the strategy is but I don’t get it…They could have easily gone for 2000 theatres and targeted a double digit opening
I liked movie, but in my circle I am hearing not so encouraging feedback , specially from those whom I trust in terms that their views are more inline of wider audience.
HT Entertainment @htshowbiz 4h4 hours ago
Rocky loves Sultan: Even @TheSlyStallone was impressed by @BeingSalmanKhan’s movie
Rocky loves Sultan: Even Sylvester Stallone was impressed by Salman’s movie – PTI, Panaji | Updated: Nov 25, 2016 15:33 IST
Director Ali Abbas Zafar says he had narrated the idea of Sultan to Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, who was bowled over by it.
The Salman Khan starrer romantic-sports-drama released this year on Eid and went on to become a huge blockbuster, apart from garnering critical acclaim.
Ali says he had a brief interaction with the Rocky star in Los Angeles, where the actor said a story like Sultan can also be made for the American audience.
“I met Stallone, while doing research and getting my martial arts team from LA. I met him for a brief interaction and he kind of heard the story. He said ‘Wow, what a story. This could be a story which can easily be done in America.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back “ Ali told PTI.
The film focuses on Sultan Ali Khan, a wrestling champion from Haryana whose successful career creates a rift in his personal life. The movie also starred Anushka Sharma.Sultan had it’s screening at the ongoing 47th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), where it was houseful.
Ali says while it is a good feeling that his film was screened at the festival, it puts a certain pressure on him as now people will look upto him for quality work. “Yesterday, when I entered I thought not many people would be watching it because it’s already been in theatres and was on TV too. But the turn out was very good. Even international audience was there.
“It feels special but it also unnerves you because more people know you now, they recognise your work. Next time you make something, they will be looking out for you. But it’s a good feeling.”
The film was also screened recently at Busan film festival and the director says the reason why people, who do not belong to India, are connecting with the film is because of its universal theme.“If the stories have a universal appeal, they will travel.
Satyajit Ray made films about Indian people. What the West related to was the honesty of the stories. Sultan has a universal story, about a man fighting within. That man can be anywhere in the world.
“I believe the story travels everywhere irrespective of the language. There is a certain way we do films. It has got songs and a lot of other elements, but I think that’s what West likes.”
**‘Wow, what a story. This could be a story which can easily be done in America.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back “ Ali told PTI.**
This is such a BS article. Was Stallone smoking pot when he heard Sultan’s story? Did he forget that HE made ROCKY in 1976? Or is he taking credit for ROCKY in 2016?
**‘Wow, what a story. This could be a story which can easily be done in America.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back “ Ali told PTI.**
Well, coz of Stallone’s speech issue, I think Ali didn’t get the words clearly. Below is the exactly what Stallone said.
**‘Wow, what a copy!. This is the story whichI have done in America decades back.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back. I know its old movie and then even remade it as its 6th part in Rocky Balboa and still you are making this as original. Freaking unbelievable.“ Ali told PTI.**
I can only say that this movie is not for everyone and that is shown with the release strategy. I think non-targetted folks end up watching it coz of names – Karan Johar, SRK, Alia Bhatt associated with the movie even though it is not a commercial venture and in the realm of ‘Lunchbox’ as I said earlier. Surely they will not like it. But I am sure it will find its chord in its specific audience and will sail through.
Dear Zindagi is a wonderful, self-assured gem
Raja Sen – Rediff – 4/5
Dear Zindagi is a lovely picture, made with finesse and heart, and one that not only takes some stigma off the idea of seeking therapy, but — in the most natural of ways — goes a long way in making a viewer think of the people who matter most.
The single smartest trick in this film, however, may well be the primary casting decision. Because a good therapist is a superstar.
#DearZindagi is for the classes mainly. But commercially speaking, it will prove a hit.
On the whole, Dear Zindagi is a film for the gentry and will do well mainly in the premium multiplexes of the big cities. Its business in lesser multiplexes, single-screen cinemas and other cities and towns will, generally speaking, be below the mark. Considering the cost of the film’s making, promotion and release (excluding Shah Rukh Khan’s fee which he has not charged), its entire investment has already been recovered from non-theatrical revenues. Therefore, it is a foregone conclusion that the producers will reap a fantastic harvest as every rupee of share from India (all-India distribution rights pre-sold to one company) and Overseas will go towards profit. For the all-India distributor, the film would prove to be just a safe bet. The film will do very well Overseas.
Dear Zindagi has opened well at 40-45% on average though it is a limited release across 800 theatres apprx meaning will reach a little over 1000 screens. The release which has not gone to places where the the film would not get an audience keeps the average occupancy up. The Shahrukh Khan factor has worked for the film to give it a good starting point and it remains to see if the film can go further. The film could actually post the sort of first day that may not need growth for a good weekend but the growth has to be there if the film is to get some sort of run at the box office. Even in the morning shows there is a big gap between the high end multiplexes and other multiplexes as the high end ones have opened double the other multiplexes.
The director’s last film English Vinglish (2012) did around 39 crore nett and found limited appreciattion, a sort of smaller version of the Queen and Neerja types which themselves are very limited. This film has taken a far bigger start than any of those films but eventually there are only a certain number of people who watch these films and despite the presence of Shahrukh Khan it will find it hard to go outside its limited audience.
The opening of the film is no doubt a plus, if we look at morning occupancy it can be compared to a film like Fan obviously there is a huge difference in the release size but the occupancy is similar, places like Mumbai and Bangalore could even be higher in terms of occupancy.
Finally after ages a positive write-up for comparative small release movie .. probably after ages BOI acknowledges release size vis-à-vis box-office numbers. otherwise most of time they end up reporting ridiculously Apple VS orange comparisons ignoring number of prints in circulation.
Yes and now I got to know it released in 1200 screens … which is not small by any count. Makers and BOI trying to protect movie box-office prospects by projecting it as Niche/Small release/Low budget/Other revenues etc … which is never considered for movies which are REAL small.
Just back from the flick, it may flop at box office or make even if the budget is small.
The idea might have good on paper, but fails to translate. The reason for Alia having issues are not great enough or they fail to translate as great enough for a flick.
Alia is rocking. SRK is good but his role is poorly written.
The sessions fail to create magic or to stay with you after the movie. And hence the movie is big let down from that angle.
The parts of film are good and create good emotions for a good story but the sum of the parts is not that whole and organic.
Movie watching is all about experience with other factors. I went to see FDFS on Wednesday .. in Dine in theater, relaxed mood and pleasant environment , my beautiful wife and daughter accompanied me .. around 10 more people in Audi .. we did our breakfast and enjoyed the philosophy of life unfolded on screen. So overall a good family time and nothing to complain.
I had similar experience with Trolls last week .. It was super musical fun with my daughter.
Thanks Yakuza for your views. It is very difficult for me to fathom calling DZ a bad movie. It can’t be entertaining which is obvious but so are many artistic movies including Lunchbox.
I want to also mention that EV had same issues as well but suddenly everyone praising EV as some sort of classic/masterpiece just to bring down DZ.
Anyways, this movie is not made to make huge money and personally many of folks around me have loved it.
Dear Zindagi Does Well On Day One with 9.5 crores!
BOI
Dear Zindagi has done well on day grossing around 9-9.50 crore nett as per early estimates. The collections are actually very good for this type of film on day one but the difference is the presence of Shahrukh Khan. If it was not for him this film would hardly have done half the business. The film has been driven by the star power instead of the value of the film but that is probably enough as the film is a low cost film. The film is for high end multiplexes so there is a chnce it could grow from this which would mean job done as far as cost are concerned. Even if the film was notbto grow much it still would be through unless there is a huge crash in collections.
Box office success looks ensured but appreciation is another matter as the success is coming due to low costs not because of appreciation like so many films lately from a Queen to Neerja to Pink. Obviously the film can go to a higher level but that is a tough ask as the reach is not there and if you do push in those centres they tend to give losses. The footfalls are low but high ends multiplexes with high ticket rates drive these films to success as long as costs are restrained. This one has another plus with star power but all that means is the 50-60 lakh footfalls will come in a different way to the above films.
The opening day of the film is the bigger than a big film like Mohenjo Daro aand in the same range as a Shivaay.
I think you’ve fooled yourself into believing every review will be positive. It’s typical of your reaction to Fan. Your retort is, if one doesn’t like it they didn’t understand it or it’s not their kind of film. The same critique can be applied to any film or star.
You enter most SRK films with blue tinted glasses.
“Not a single false note in the film or performances” is what you said. But since I think plenty of voices have spoken to the contrary, just like HNY, Dilwale, Fan etc. No point going back further. You’ll find a convoluted reason for others not to like, like niche or limited appeal etc.
And Z has a habit of bringing up old history for no reason.
“I think you’ve fooled yourself into believing every review will be positive. It’s typical of your reaction to Fan.”
Lol, you are dumb. That was my prediction on 1st day and it can go wrong. But everyone knows that this is a limited appeal movie and not a universal movie. Can it still disappoint within its target audience, yes it can. But that doesn’t make that lot of them will still end up liking it very much.
You are confusing yourself, I hardly consider DZ a SRK movie and I’ve hardly mentioned about him in my review. I went to watch it more coz of EV which I totally loved and DZ belongs to that unique narrative where there is lot more to it than what appears outline. I can pull out reviews folks getting bored on Lunchbox as well but that doesn’t make it a bad movie.
Below is exact comment from my 1st day review. I just said folks can’t say its a bad movie and at the worst will call it average.
“Some might call it average but majority will be calling it above average and great movie. I felt EV had a wafer thin plot had exception screenplay but at least it had something for everyone to connect to whereas DZ will connect to only multiplex audience and majority of females.”
“master,
you are just over exaggerating with srk films as always.
This film will hardly cross 100cr ,its not a material for everyones taste.”
Ok.. but who are you?? Did I say this will do 100 crores? Oh, you are one of those who thinks doing 100 crores is the be-all and end-all of success! LMAO!
Not just a relationship saga, here’s why Dear Zindagi is easily one of the finest gender-bender films in Bollywood!
NAYANDEEP RAKSHIT
Relationship story? Rom-com? Love saga? There’s more to Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan’s Dear Zindagi…
In modern day society, the common perception is that women are honest and loyal while the men are cheating, conniving and almost always have a philandering side to them. Gauri turns tables on women and explores the same instances from a woman’s point of view.
…
…
…
And for me, when a filmmaker can get a guy relate to what her female protagonist is going through in her film, that’s a victory. And Gauri has hit it for a home-run!
IMHO, the movie is at least 45 mins too long. Bits and pieces of comic relief or the occasional though-provoking one-liner fails to create any lasting emotional connect with the issues gnawing Alia’s mind. Alia’s performances is good, SRK is a bit wasted. Gauri Shinde tries too hard and fails to have the audience derive symbolism from dialogs/events. With the languid pace and limping dragging proceedings, IMHO, this could’ve been a 3 part serial on TV instead of being a nearly 2.5 Hr overdose of psycho-therapy.
TY Rooneybhai.
Maybe Ive become too old, and jaded for the whimsical forcefed new-agish offerings of these supposed hot-n-happening directors. But my 15 yr old daughter was not too impressed either. And she generally enjoys all of Alia as well as SRK outings. Gauri simply could not create an emotional connect.
DZ’s saturday’s collection to be more than Friday’s collections. Expecting 10 crores and Sunday advance looks great. Weekend will cross 30+ and majority of the job is done for this kind of movie.
Watching DZ now. I absolutely loved English Vinglish. I personally thought it was an outright classic. Not one scene out of place. I found it inspirational and very entertaining.
I’m not giving up on the DZ yet, but I don’t feel as much engaged with its theme. Also, I don’t agree with people who say there are no false notes in the film. i already see many, and I can’t say there are no cliches. I will be able to talk more after i see the whole film. But so far – a bit dull.
I agree that ‘theme’ is not universal as no one cares about girls moving over depression with breakups and especially if she’s the one cheating. But to be frank even EV theme is not the point for its greatness but the all parts of the sum are fantastic even though its quite linear narrative and works well to sum it up.
I liked EV a lot. There wasn’t much not to like, Sridevi was lovely in her portrayal of an unappreciated mother & her determination to better herself to win back her children & husband was done quite breezily without the traps of falling for that French fella. Obviously the Vinglish part itself was humorous. Growing up in a western society where ones English is usually superior to ones parents, one can identify with a lot but also sympathize.
Did not care for DZ at all. I found the whole film an absurd over-reaction of a whiny 21-year-old. Frankly, i could not identify with her problems at all, because there wasn’t anything to sympathise with her.
Spoiler alert: Even her so called big tragedy of her parents leaving her with the grandparents as a child is such a non-issue. It hardly qualifies as cruelty. That is a very common situation and many parents are forced by circumstances to leave a child with the grandparents. Most children don’t grow up with any ill-feeling.
I found Alia’s character annoying because she refuses to be grateful for anything she has:
– nice, generous friends, who are willing to suffer her moodiness and self-absorbed nature. They let her stay with them, serve her chai and food all the time.
-a maid at her beck and call
-indulgent parents who are at the receiving end of their daughter’s ire and temper tantrums
– fawning boyfriends who she bosses around, screams at or cheats on
It’s hard to like a film of this kind where the central character is not endearing at all. There are many moments in the film that I liked. But as a sum, it didn’t hold for me.
I thought SRK was wasted. Great that he led support to this film, but I don’t believe it is anywhere in the league of a EV. Kapoor & Sons was more poignant and realistic in comparison.
In her childhood between age 2-8 they leave her for professional reasons and go abroad. They funnier don’t respond to her letters. They also get a second child and feel that having Alia with them is difficult.
@sandy- precisely what I thought about the flick. The reason for her behaviour didn’t translate that good in film and lacked depth or real pain. Also you correctly point out that she is not grateful abt so many things.
I thought SRK would finally have a great film after a disappointing few years. This film is not going to be particularly useful in that respect.
As for Alia, the film won’t hurt her. But I don’t see it helping her either. it’s not going to enhance her appeal as an actress in the way Piku did for Deepika or Jab We Met did for Kareena. The film is just too trivial with a character that ties herself in knots with imagery problems. The bigger disappointment is that Gouri Shinde does not treat her central character with enough irony so as to detach her character from the film. Shinde appears too much on her whiny character’s side to do her script justice.
Actually I felt this was going to be the TZP moment for SRK. But as always his script sense makes him badly suffer. Nothing extraordinary or worth remembering about his character or the guy he plays. His intro was good. But then it failed to charm.
Dear Zindagi review: SRK offers many life tips but the film fails to inspire
Dear Zindagi
Director: Gauri Shinde
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Ali Zafar, Angad Bedi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Yashwasini Dayama and Ira Dubey
Rating: 2/5
So the general consensus has finally arrived after the initial overwhelming positive reviews from the industry people. such reactions must be taken with a pinch of salt. It seems the makers wanted to create a fake positive WOM right at the beginning to create positive results at the box office. If the film is good, the makers let the movie speak for itself, like in case of CDI where that film was hardly talked about pre-release.
so the impression im getting from the general public seems to be that the film, except for some well written dialogue and moments, is unnecessarily long, talky and dull.
“It seems the makers wanted to create a fake positive WOM right at the beginning to create positive results at the box office. If the film is good, the makers let the movie speak for itself,”
Totally disagree. Can the industry folks just praise it as they really liked or just out of courtesy? How can that be a plan for longterm? None of the big celebs have seen it anyways. For creating boxoffice results.. almost all of boxoffice sites were talking about 9 to 9.5 crore 1st day opening and suddenly RedChillies and Dharma announced 1st day as 8.75 crore as official figures. They didn’t shoot it up like other producers do it very often.
By starting promotions exactly 1 month before its release, it was always depended upon WOM and that will be the case even now.
Same problem with Kabhi Alvida na kehana. In that film issue between couples were frivilous. That is why no sympathy with characters. I haven’t seen Dear Zindagi yet. But by reviews it seem the issues with Alia is forced or 1st world problem as sandy rightly put that it your parents left you to your grand parents it is not that big issue.
In Canada where I live, parents start leaving their 4-month olds at day care. Somebody mentioned first-world problems. First-world parents would be overjoyed to get grandparents to take care of a child for a few years. However, even grandparents here are busy with their lives or even working to necessarily make time.
Grandparents are always considered a safe bet in comparison with boarding schools, which Alia’s parents could have considered. The situation is different from TZP where the child is autistic and emotionally brittle for the kind of macho, oppressive environment he is brought into.
I was disappointed that Shinde manufactured a flimsy problem to justify Alia’s state.
I would much rather have my children staying with grandparents, then a nursery. In fact we do both. Grandparents provide tremendous cultured grounding, nursery a social dynamic. Childcare is ridiculously expensive, it’s a second wage.
Nursery is prohibitively expensive and I also feel for the kids (1-4) who are cooped up in the house/day care during the long winter months here.
For those reasons, I’d take the option of letting my 2-year old spend a few months in India with my parents.
My son was 6 months and we threw him into nursery. He learns a lot from older baby’s/ toddlers. But I do agree if given a choice upbringing with grandparents would be my preference. It’s safer, cultured and more secure.
“I was disappointed that Shinde manufactured a flimsy problem to justify Alia’s state.”
Disagree. I don’t think Gauri Shinde is that type of filmmaker. She has no reason to do it. I personally believe ‘it’ is widely followed in India(and can be connected well to audience) and hence it she put it out there how it can impact shaping up a child’s personality. Not every child will get on its negative impact but it can surely impact developing personality of children(which is like one of the main points in the movie).
This movie shows box office pull of SRK still remains intact despite delivering a series of duds . This is what separates Khans from other actors. They operate at a different level compare to Akshay/ Ajay etc.
Less promotions , niche subject , less screens, demonetization effect still a 10 crore opening kudos!!
Don’t forget overseas collections! Alia Bhatt’s biggest hits (2 states and Badrinath) collects lifetime $3 million and now one of her niche films ‘DZ’ collects $4 million in just 1st weekend. Difference? 🙂
Dear Zindagi had solid second day growth of around 30% as it grossed around 11.25 crore nett taking its two day total to 20 crore nett apprx. This is a very good second day number considering that the film opened well due to the presence of Shahrukh Khan. The fact that Saturday is the main day for premium multiplexes also helped its cause. The growth on Sunday will be less as the cinemas where it is scoring don’t collect well on the Sunday late evening and night shows. Still it will be a 32 crore nett type weekend and that is a big figure for this film. The film managed to do better in North India than day one but it is South, Mumbai (Exc. Gujarat / Saurashtra) and West Bengal where the film is faring well. The collections for the first two days are as follows.
Friday – 8,75,00,000
Saturday – 11,25,00,000
TOTAL – 20,00,00,000
The film is a success but still the film is a content film so it has to do more than just ride on the star pull of Shahrukh Khan as the content has to also work and for that Monday is crucial. Monday will tell if the film has found appreciation with that limited audience of premium multiplexes in the metros.
It’s amusing the desperation with which BOI say it’s about ‘the star power of SRK’ multiple times in every writeup on this film’s box office. Not that I’m surprised but this kind of emphasis always reveals the obvious anxiety. It’s one thing to say this in a debate or something. Not sure ‘who’ they’re addressing!
Master, I’m going to address some of your comments on this here. First off I’ll say a bit tongue-in-cheek that you’re not expecting a 100 here, you didn’t think ADHM needed to do much more than a 100, I must say you’re a man of low expectations these days!
But leaving this aside I do agree that 100 cannot be the bar for DZ. However if a film does 35 crores over the first weekend as this is quite likely to that’s certainly a reasonably expectation. Specially when you had a film like Piku that started much lower and did 80 or so. Pink did less than this of course but again started low. Now it’s fair to say those films were stupendously praised, this isn’t in that category. But that’s true for any film that doesn’t live upto expectations. suddenly this strange category is introduced and often selectively where beyond the face value of a film and everything it’s normally expected to do we start saying ‘oh it would have done more had it been liked more’. Well duh…! We shouldn’t play this BOI game where the star is given 100% credit for the opening (at least some stars) but later ‘hey it’s about content’. Well this too is true in every case! Using this argument no star who reaches a certain threshold ever has a flop! DZ in any case would be on course for a 100 if it were liked enough. Maybe it has been and it will do this, maybe it won’t because WOM is mixed. Either way the latter is not an excuse after this sort of opening.
I’d say more broadly though that one must evaluate these things with some conviction and frankly honesty. Before release or even after (if things don’t work out) one keeps setting the lowest possible bar for one’s star. But after release it proves ‘star value’ even if the film half-breathes at the box office! There isn’t a terrible result unless the film is the disaster of the year. There isn’t a bad critical result unless everyone pans the star (which never happens with certain kinds of stars.. we need not get into that discussion here). So one is constantly ‘gaming’ the discussion one way or the other. Box office realities or star standings aren’t really decided based on how we spin these things on blogs!
Yes DZ is a niche film. But what are you expecting? A Kahaani-like total from some years ago (60-65), a bit more than this but not at Piku level? Or more than that but not 100? Or is it again about ‘low expectations’ and celebrate later if the total turns out to be 100 or higher than one expected?! Again SRK’s career doesn’t depend on how you (or anyone else) spins it here. The same for any star fan. Yes we all have our preferences. I’m not saying you shouldn’t hope for SRK’s films to do well. I’m just saying you should be honest about the standards. Yes it’s a small film, yes it’s low budget, yes SRK hasn’t charged anything if reports are to be believed, yes it wasn’t advertised too much. Of course we must ask WHY all of this is the case if not the desperation to somehow get a ‘success’ in a small film. No matter what it does it seems like some kind of success on the economics! It’s not enough to point out these factors. One must also ask the questions.
Incidentally I have nothing against DZ. Whether it does a 100 or whatever or less. Those have never been my absolute standards one way or the other and I’ve argued about this many times. But you can’t keep gaming the discussion. And it’s not about SRK either because I said the same about ADHM recently.
“First off I’ll say a bit tongue-in-cheek that you’re not expecting a 100 here, you didn’t think ADHM needed to do much more than a 100, I must say you’re a man of low expectations these days!”
I’ll also repeat again which I’ve been saying like forever. Firstly my expectation from ADHM prior to release was 125 crores and I know it wasn’t on same format as YJHD. Anyways, it ended up doing just over 100cr. So, it can be termed disappointing but then so does every film will be if you have expectations to the highest level of WOM.
Yes, every film optimally need to do its best but it can’t. Majority of the films you keep mentioning are movies where WOM was like 100% positive. Always bringing out Kahaani, Piku, TZP, CDI etc doesn’t really help the argument. If the movie is not optimum 100% WOM and doesn’t reflect in its so called trending theory then its a bad movie. But not every movie will be so positive, only few exceptions will be there in every year. WOM can be 100% to 90% to 75% to 50% so on. When only the majority rejects the movie, it will be a disaster but if still majority loves it will trend well enough for it to be success.
There will be many categories from Average to Above Average to Hit to Superhit to Blockbuster. In your mind, if the movie is not a superhit/blockbuster its a flop. ADHM would have been clean big hit at 125 crores but falling short of it at 100 crores doesn’t make it a ‘FLOP’ automatically.
Basically, SRK’s whole career is whole downward trail. I mean, after DDLJ, he never got anything huge hit as such. So, if you start comparing every film following DDLJ to its monumental WOM and blockbuster collection.. then everything is disappointing and are actually FLOPS except CDI which might be the only one in last decade which had 100% WOM.
I think with some of the examples you’ve offered here you’ve proved my point.. yeah I really expect all of SRK’s films to be like DDLJ..! and yeah I expect 100% positive WOM everytime..!
I still feel it is not that big issue if reason is genuine. There is popular perception in india that BETE (son)se pyara POTA (Grand childrens) and BHAI se pyara BHATIJA..Grand parentes take good cure to thier garand childrens. I know many child who love to go to thier grand parentes (Dada-Dadi or Nana-Nani).
It was only a few reviews from the usual people who claimed it was a masterpiece. Look at reviews from The Indian Express, Rajeev Masand, Anupama Chopra, and many other respectable news outlets. They are far less than positive. Masand gives it 2 and a half. That should tell you that the film is not enjoying the kind of critical acclaim so vital to smaller, niche subjects of this kind.
A film like DZ doing well at the BO is always a good sign, because it shows there’s an audience for meaningful and niche subjects. More films like these will be made, and we would have to suffer less of Salmal Khan. I don’t grudge DZ its BO at all. Whether it has long legs or not will tell you if it was liked enough.
But going by reviews itself, you know it’s not in the EV/Piku/TZP league critically. And that to me, personally, is a let-down.
If I’m going to a theatre, I’ll take Salman anyday over EV/piku/tzp 🙂
Movies like DZ or EV, i’ll watch it at home.
But you can’t deny the fact that there are usual people on this blog who wants DZ to fail. it doesn’t take much to figure that out by reading comments. So my comment was more around that point.
If the movie is as bad as some of the usual people here are saying, then I expect a big drop today. If not today then definitely tomorrow.
But you can’t deny the fact that there are usual people on this blog who wants DZ to ‘succeed’. it doesn’t take much to figure that out by reading comments.
If the movie is as ‘good’ as some of the usual people here are saying, then I expect a big ‘increase’ today. If not today then definitely tomorrow.
Additionally I suspect the comments are aimed at me. If the films a success I.e. to me that is by definition (my expectations) trends well than it deserves a lot of credit. If it’s a first weekend/week movie, I stand by my usual stance regardless of audience limits.
Films like Queen, Piku, Pink etc had wider releases and trended well. Even her last film trended well. All can be termed as ‘limited’ audience. Cherry picking what is success and what isn’t is not worth it. BOI continuously discriminates against these films success but has all of a sudden supported DZ. Why???
I’ve always maintained, first Monday is way more important than any number. Today obvious it will be higher than Saturday. That itself is not groundbreaking, most films do this. Even Force 2 did. But it’s Mon figure dictated a lot more about overall performance.
One has to decide what model they are most invested in. Biggest start/best trend is optimal. Then one is either happy with best start possible or best trend possible. I’ve always been latter ignoring the superficial trade classifications and where eventual total finishes. The trade sees verdicts as total business. I see verdicts as more indicative to audience perception.
“Today obvious it will be higher than Saturday. That itself is not groundbreaking, most films do this.”
Yes but you are ignoring the part where everyone said there can’t be much growth after 1st day’s collection. But when it adds 30% increase on Saturday, you just forget it easily! NOT every movies does that, isn’t it?
Actually I am not sure how it grew so much on Saturday. Practically everyone I spoke too didn’t like it. Maybe I am not speaking to the target audience but these are the same people who liked pink neerja etc. The numbers this has put till now are very good occupancy wise.
“But going by reviews itself, you know it’s not in the EV/Piku/TZP league critically. And that to me, personally, is a let-down.”
That is very fair expectation but I would consider EV and DZ in the same league and Piku just little more(it has more repeat viewing coz of humor) and TZP is completely different league.
Amitabh Bachchan’s courtroom drama Pink
earned immense love and attention when it opened to theatres on September 16. On Friday, Big B shared that Pink has been invited for a special screening at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Pink is a vivid documentation of the harassment faced by three working women placed in New Delhi.
‘Dear Zindagi’ Isn’t Just Beautiful, It’s A Precious Film For Indian Cinema
Cinema isn’t always about perfect whistle-blowing moments, teary goodbyes and high octane climaxes. Sometimes, it’s just about sitting back and watching life unfurl itself in front of you, life as you know it. Life as we all know it – life that surprises, life that disappoints, life that complicates. Gauri Shinde’s ‘Dear Zindagi’ is just that – a slice of life that digs up questions that haunt most of us, troubles that cloud our very existence and a warm, tight hug all of us need but never ask for. Oh no, it’s not perfect. But it was important for ‘Dear Zindagi’ to be made. Like the much recent ‘Pink’. Because films aren’t always about entertaining. Cinema is as much about social commentaries and relatable portrayals of real life, as it is about mystical tales and larger-than-life love stories.
‘Dear Zindagi’ is a much-needed dialogue on mental health that is spoken of only in hushed words in real life, if at all. The film finally makes it okay to talk about it, to ask for help, to not being fine. Alia Bhatt’s Kaira makes you realize how natural it is to crumble and how it could happen to the best of us and more importantly, how it’s okay, important rather, to seek therapy. It’s a disease and, like most other diseases, can be cured with the right prescription of perspective and understanding. Even at understanding Kaira’s mental imbalance, the film never categorizes it as ‘depression’— a word that’s now used as a blanket term for any and every mental illness. You never feel the need to label Kaira’s condition, you don’t know what it is, all you know is you’ve felt the same at some point in life and you know how crippling it can be. Gauri Shinde leaves it at that and that’s exactly what makes it so much more relatable.
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Watch this film not because it’s perfect but because it’s the cheapest therapy session you’ll ever get. Watch it because Kaira is everyone of us and her problems deserve to be spoken about. Watch it because it’s not very often that a Bollywood film shows you life like it really is. Watch it because it might just make dealing with your own ‘zindagi’ a little better, if nothing else. And watch it for Alia Bhatt, because this girl is at beyond marvelous in the film.
I agree with the above write up about the film. It felt like coming out of a therapy session yourself at the end of the film..
it is something those who went with me also agreed!
and having someone as SRK guiding you through life’s problems surely helped..if there was an extended cameo which justified a superstar presence, this was it!
At the same time I agree with some who said her problems weren’t that grave, at least most of those were created by herself. She was having a successful career if not a successful love life, wasn’t driven away by her family , nor was having financial problems apparently.
And then her behavior issues are shown due to some childhood trauma bcos of her parents leaving..well, quite possible. it is something that different persons may react to in different ways, so some members here dismissing quoting out their own examples is weird, bcos you would only know that for sure when the examples quoted grow up and give their view on it! The character in the movie Bhulbulaiyya (which in turn was remade from Malayalam) had the same reason given for her even more serious condition while the character in Monsoon wedding had a more serious childhood trauma for lesser after effects. Anyways, my point is that, it varies, so those who are justifying leaving children’s responsibility with others after deciding to have them, hope for the best!
Much like the “tragedy” in the film, the humour too is forced I thought. Kaira’s uncle says “lebanese” instead of lesbian. That IS funny, except the uncle and aunt seem very fluent in English to make that mistake. There’s also a comment where the aunt excitedly asks Kaira about Salman’s abs. Frankly, Kaira’s family looks every bit like the intellectual class audience that Shinde is trying to aim for DZ, who are least likely to be impressed by Salman Khan.
These may be small things but they affect credibility of the script.
Agree. In fact that ‘Lebanese’ joke was blatantly copied from ‘Bend It Like Beckham’. In BendIt the dialog worked bcoz it was blurted out by an non English speaking old Sikh Aunty in London. Here it was really forced as the characters are latter shown to be speaking perfect English.
wasn’t the superb Akshay Kumar’s Jaanwar a blockbuster in Bihar? The movie has grown so much. If it were to release in 2006, it would have an All India Hit. What Bihar accepted in 90s, rest of the world did later with masala movie, and Salman benefited from it.
Shahid’s half-brother Ishaan Khattar and Sridevi’s daughter Jhanvi Kapoor has been finalized for the SAIRAT remake!
Must say the kid can pass off as poor hero in Sairat and Jhanvi can portray the leading girl’s role good. Not the worst casting and appears to be good for now!
For now director is not finalized but most probably – Shashank Khaitan (of Humpty Sharma) might direct. Producer is Karan Johar.
Both Ishaan and Jhanvi seemed forced entry into bollywood though they may pass off with their low key project.
Gentlemen, welcome another addition. At Least the look is smart and hope dialogue delivery is much better than his dad.
Suniel Shetty @SunielVShetty 7h7 hours ago
God owes us nothing but gives us everything. Always stay grounded Ahan. Welcome to the beautiful world of films. Always there for you. Papa.
The movie has done 4mn overseas which is roughly 27 crs. The cost of distribution was 31cr. This movie will be a hit just on overseas collection alone economic wise…
Ajay Devgn should be ashamed of even releasing his movies overseas. When his dream project and biggest budgeted movie can’t get ppl to come out, he has no business to release his other regular releases abroad.
Incidently I was part of the audience to watch Shivaay on big screen!
What if the film made 35 crores overseas an 0 in India? Still a hit?
The economics of a film in any case does not work that way. Surprised you don’t know this very basic thing. The distribution is ‘cut up’ into pieces. There is a distributor, sometimes many. Then it is sub-distributed further. Sometimes even within a sub-territory small percentages or areas are given to others. Now I’m not saying it is this complicated for a smaller film like DZ but the point is that the overall distribution cost doesn’t mean very much. A producer can make money this way (but then a producer can make a table profit even before the film is released) but not every distributor if the film doesn’t work well everywhere. The Bihar distributor doesn’t care if the film is doing well in NJ unless someone is going to reimburse him for his loss! By the way I’ve made this point for years. One of the many reasons why box office reporting is utter fiction. The trade too knows better and deliberately advances this kindergarten version of film distribution.
Yeah ofcourse I don’t mean it is a hit if it just does overseas. All I was saying it that it has done phenomenally well overseas visavis the size of the film..
I so much like the yesteryear’s definition of Hits – Silver Jubilee (25 weeks non stop run in a theatre) Hit, Golden Jubilee Hit, Diamond Jubilee hits etc.
These were so transparent than the current 100/200 Cr Hits.
BOI are now coming up with more spin for DZ. It opened bigger than Pink but don’t expect it to do more because the audience for these films is finite. Yes but ‘finite’ could be 70, it could also be 90. How do we know that what Piku did is the absolute limit of what such a film can do let alone Pink? So first there was the spin that SRK is such a big star that this film got a big opening (said it multiple times in every piece.. hey what’s the anxiety about?). But now given that opening one should nonetheless not expect a greater gross! because there are only 10 people interested in such film. In the case of Pink or Piku 2 showed up the first day and the rest later. With DZ 6 showed up on day 1 so there are only 4 more to go. Honestly I’d have a low opinion of a 7 year old who bought such stuff. Based on their narrative the film doing 100 should be an impossibility! But of course if it does they’ll have a different spin for it.
People who believe this stuff please predict the finite business of Dangal NOW! Or any other film! There is some kind of limit in theory i.e. its not plausible for a complete outlier like 1,000 crore for domestic business or in USA for a film to do $10bn. But this limit business is all BS, a cover-up to smokescreen poor performers into good ones.
for various reasons the jubilee standard is a hard one for today’s times but as Jay said ‘longevity’ is still a perfectly reasonable criterion and films even today show this. This is why the biggest openers on day 1 or 2 or whatever are usually not the biggest grossers. Similarly so at the lower end. The Piku trending for example. But in Hollywood too they look at trending and hence longevity for every kind of release. In South India again they look at the same. Bombay cinema hasn’t discovered different laws of economics! This is just plain fiction (and not very good fiction at that) that has been peddled for years by the trade and others (though the trade in their journals usually come up with very different ratings that in the stuff they say in the media, again in past years many examples have been provided of this). In any case whoever advances this version (trending, film distribution etc) either doesn’t know or isn’t being honest. There is simply no other possibility.
Naveen your list needs major corrections at the moment and first place 1-10 to Salman and then start your list.
Meanwhile I don’t know if anyone watches ‘The Golden Years with Javed Akhtar’ on Zee TV. I happened to catch episodes of 1969 – 70 -71 and was amazed by Rajesh Khanna dominance at the theatre. Shame on Naseeruddin Shah to comment on him on public platform and kudos to Salim Khan to have given a perfect response to him.
Look at this dominance and as per Javed Akhtar most were smash hits –
1969 Aradhana
1969 Ittefaq
1969 Doli
1969 Bandhan
1969 Do Raaste
1970 Khamoshi
1970 The Train
1970 Sachaa Jhutha
1970 Safar
1971 Kati Patang
1971 Anand
1971 Aan Milo Sajna
1971 Andaz
1971 Maryada
1971 Chhoti Bahu
1971 Haathi Mere Saathi
1971 Guddi
1971 Mehboob Ki Mehndi
1971 Badnaam Farishte
“I happened to catch episodes of 1969 – 70 -71 and was amazed by Rajesh Khanna dominance at the theatre.”
yes.. which is why you think Salman is the beginning and end of all things.
Incidentally a number of those films were not quite hits but ok given their offbeat status and so on. He was absolutely dominant in that period but not all of those films are successes except in a very loose sense (and of course this doesn’t take away anything from is astonishing run). But one must be precise. Guddi isn’t even a Rajesh Khanna film! He just makes a brief appearance. In Andaz though he had a show stealing part it was nonetheless a guest appearance. In any case no star before Bachchan had ever been this dominant at any point in time. Of course it ended for him very soon. But this is a good place to again start learning what a real superstar is!
I compiled the list from Wikipedia for those years as Javed Akhtar talked about them in his episodes of 69-70-71. I believe Javed Akhtar has done few other TV episodes on Classic / Bollywood Legends etc, but here I am referring to the current one being telecast which features songs (1950-1975). Since he is a bollywood veteran it is very interesting to hear all those back stories behind each song / lyrics and musical compositions.
Just going by sheer number of movies done by him within this short span needs to be commended and bollywood must have been very organized to let him churn out so many releases. To be frank, I never liked RK growing up and always wondered about all the fuss discussed in the later years. However with time esp since anti establishment is a bit passe nowadays and of course through availability of multiple movie channels / Youtube etc one realises the reasons for such craze for him. Today when I watch Aamir I see him copying his distinct style and there are a lot many glimpses of him when aamir is doing a romantic turn. (Don’t jump on me and watch Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin to know what I mean)
Salman is in a different league altogether and endured the test of times for last 27 years and getting stronger by each day! Come to think all this is excluding the blockbuster years spent on TV which is entering 9th year starting with Dus Ka Dum in 07-08!
Most actors in those days did very many films. On Salman this is his strongest phase ever and by far. He’s never been remotely close to this sort of thing at any point in his career, not even when he started out and had a number of successes at that point. Again I could almost go film by film with you and tell you how each one did. Much as for many years before Wanted he was more or less in the wilderness. Yes he’s survived. But no one half significant among his contemporaries hasn’t. Devgan and Akshay are still around. Historically a number of Bollywood actors hung around forever. Now you cannot survive that long if you’re mediocre at every single point (in box office terms). there have to be highs at different points. What Salman has done since Dabanng is uncanny in that stars don’t begin to have their very best careers at his age. But that’s a very different claim than saying ‘he’s been going strong for 27 years’. Because the latter is fiction. SRK on the other hand has been a more traditional star in this sense. Was dominant at the right age and generated enough of an audience base to remain major even with lots of indifferent or poor results over years. So a loss in standing but he isn’t a nobody. Aamir since Lagaan is also a very different sort of star but again he started this process much younger. The Salman thing is unusual. But it is singular only when judged the right way. If one says foolish things like ‘he’s been dominant for 27 years’ then one flattens out the singularity. But then this is a game the SRK fans play also. ‘Hey the Khans have been around this long’ or ‘they had this many hits after 50’ or whatever. The former I’ve debunked many times (this whole communal club labeling, consciously or otherwise). On the second longevity isn’t everything. Let’s take your Rajesh Khanna example. His rise is the stuff of legend but so is his fall. He then did films for many years but he was secondary to a number of other stars. he just stopped being any sort of box office factor beyond a point. However that doesn’t take away from his insular superstardom. So yes Dharmendra was successful much longer than Rajesh Khanna but Dharmendra was never as successful as Rajesh Khanna at that point. There isn’t even a comparison on this score. Longevity matters but so does magnitude. But again one must be willing to ‘see’ facts to understand this. If you create equations explicitly designed to favor your favorite star that has no meaning. So a star having a big hit after 40 or 50 or before 30 or 25 or whatever isn’t by itself remarkable. Nor is surviving for 30 years even as a significant star. So Jeetendra and Dharmendra both survived for three decades or more. Dharmendra was generally more successful than Jeetendra (though not always) but that doesn’t itself make Dharmendra extraordinary. Again Salman’s current run is truly unusual precisely because nothing in his past is like it. The final thing I’d say is that it’s not only about the box office but also cultural meaning. Rajesh Khann’s box office is already stunning for that period but the culture he was all on his own cannot really be easily understood much less quantified. There are things that transcend even a great box office career.
I somehow agree with satyam to some extent that rajesh khanna ” would ended for him very soon “, I disagree there because when roti was released in 74,amitabh already had his first major blockbuster ” zanzeer ” then followed Benaam and majboor both were average earners but rajesh khanna still dominated after roti with super-hits like pyaar ki khahani,prem nagar,chaila babu ,although the latter was his last superhit and that time amitabh was much in command post Deewar and not including sholay as some might argue that dharmendra was the main hero,amitabh started to give hits after 1976,like khoon pasina,hera pheri,kabhi kabhi,adalat and 1977 saw a major movement of superstar in decline and rise,1977 was major turning point, parvarish and amar akbar anthony brought something unique and public saw a star (Amitabh ) that even amitabh was surprised as how far but very near to be the next superstar.
Rajesh khanna was from 1969-1977 as superstar
Amitabh 1977-1992
salman khan as seen he was always as like dharmendra or jeetendra but he has surprided me aswell.
srk 1993-2008 as undisputed superstar.
looks like amir khan & salman khan a late surge in bollywood post 2009 still cannot match what amiatbh and srk has achieved in bollywood film industry…although salman is giving srk run for his money…can salman khan continue the level what others have not and maybe amir has that answer but surely srk as reign of dominat khan is truly over….somehow overseas market all 3 khans are neck to neck,very hard to seperate all….
The nuance to uninterrupted run:
1. # of flops and how well they did in spite of being flop.
2. How were contemporaries doing in terms of biggest hits.
rajesh khanna did mini-comeback 1983 with avtaar & souten but amitabh had coolie in his sleeves,his comeback was short lived as his usual flops continued , as we saw amitabh entered politics and rahesh khanna,jackie shroof saw a chance to make a mark in bollywood but as predicted Amitabh still did a film or two and in 1985 his a long waited ” mard ” was released in competion with Ram teri ganga meli…both bacame the blockbusters and chances were soon fading away the likes of khanna & shroff…
I think Salman passes both these criteria with flying colors at the moment. As a matter of fact Salman’s personal life always took precedence to his professional outings otherwise he was a top draw at the box-office most of his innings and never really out of the reckoning. In all fairness his 2003-2008 arc must have been the weakest which he kind of made up by having an extra ordinary inning with a clean cut run.
Among the Khans & Akshays, there is a definite resemblance between a Salman & Dharmendra both in terms of sustained popularity plus there is a spillovers effect due to similarity in looks. One of the wonders of modern cable viewing is allowing one to catch up on all these old songs and TV programs on fast forward mode. But personally I have invariably stopped whenever a Dharmendra song from pre 70s is playing and cannot help but notice the similarities in build and clean cut good looks both these actors possessed in their youth. However Salman is now rewriting all box office history and it’s no more a fluke but a careful chartered course where he has amazingly done two brilliant movies back to back with promise of more to come on the same content driven path.
Like Akshay, Aamir & Salman – SRK too would be part of the arithmetic to the top but at the moment somewhere his ‘sur’ is out of sync. If you follow closely, whenever Aamir praises Salman act these days, he is commending him more for being in character and keeping the right ‘sur’ throughout the movie…..
Audience never wishes to be taken for granted and one needs to remain within the character and not do any frivolous gimmicky act or say a dialogue to sound pontifical and not in line with tone of the movie. I was hoping to catch DZ for Alia but read a very unfavorable line in one of the reviews which held me back since it echoes with irritation to whatever srk does these days.
“More eye-rolls are caused by the dialogues which are straining to be natural, but end up being far too many for much too little. Finally, despite Alia Bhatt’s clear and present spark (she keeps disappearing into the construct of the Fragile, Vulnerable Little Girl, coming up for air only once in a while) and Shah Rukh’s raffish charm (he keeps reaching out for the right `sur’, a mix of gravitas and lightness, and catches it only occasionally, letting us notice the white in his beard: hey, look, there’s a superstar playing his age!)” – Indian Express
Few years back one of the commentator here itself , I think ‘Goodfellas’ had a very valid criticism of SRK which has somewhat stuck on with me and I have never been able to enjoy his movie ever after. He used a term called ‘playacting’ which is so true to what srk is doing these days. For all the outwardly talent and knowing the craft, he has this frivolousness while doing a scene which irks me the most these days. The last I absolutely liked him was in Veer Zara and CDI too but beyond that I am still waiting for him to internalize his act on the screen…….
Being 1-10 is more about how bad other stars are doing than how good you are doing.
Salman has a case to be No 1 and No 2 together as the next 2 stars (SRK and Aamir) are giving half the no of blockbusters in last few years.
However No 1-10 means that all the major hits are given only by Salman. Now if SRK, Aamir or Akshay (off late) had not been so relevant than what they are today, Salman would have got it.
I think Salman is going thru great phase at the moment. I am a big fan of him and love his style and movies.
More than Dharmendra, i will equate him to Rajnikanth.
So now with DZ collections it has been proven that despite DeMonetization there is enough cash liquidity in the market! A movie with mixed reviews wouldve collected more than any of the Diwali releases. Wonder why the Opposition is doing a Bharat Bandh for today??
I find it strange to read such comments on here. Everyone posting here us highly educated and yet posts such bland questions.
For example, even if DZ does 100 crores, what would be the footfalls? As it is multiplex film, it’ll be around 50 lakhs max. That is very generous figure as Its just weekend now. Now what % is 50 lakhs out of 125 crores? Not even 0.4% and you gonna decide country’s demonitization effect based on movies? Hilarious!
If Dangal were to release today it would get affected as the movie has more resonance with the interiors…DZ was a multiplex movie so the impact is minimal.
Currently, R Ashwin is the best all rounder by a distance. He is at his best but do find him to be capable to be 80% Kumble and 50% Laxman in one. He is a great asset at the moment, bigger than Kohli.
The article humorously gives an equation which sums it all for the all rounder:
Ashwin the all rounder – Ashwin the bowler = Rohit Sharma 😀
Great achievement by Ajay…single handedly created magic in single screens , and in the real Bharat
I personally don’t care about the overseas BO , but in Bharat he has shown kee Shivay kaun hai aur Fuddu kaun hai !!
Toh bolo Har Har Har Har Har !!
This line truly defines Ajay & he is right there with the top guns !!
++
Ajay Devgn @ajaydevgn Nov 22
Against all odds. Still here. 25 years down the line. Only because of all ur love and support. Humbled.
+++
Shivaay for the genre has done extremely well and against all odds of KJO maneuvers and manipulations considering the boxoffice reach of a Diwali release in the last few years.
Even with Robot 2 I am very sure Golmaal 4 will hold its own and comedy track is always a win win during festive time.
Now certain people here may not like Ajay because of his openly nationalistic views , but boy the Bharat wasi loved him and loved Shivay !!
Maza aa gaya !!
Anyhow- I am mighty pleased for Ajay and his team that Shivay has crossed 100 cr. mainly on the basis of SS
Don’t want to get into the usual Tu Tu- mein mein with the usual agenda driven people. So have fun !!
#Go Shivay !!
I’m happy for him too. I don’t really like his acting since it’s about same in all scenes but I’m always for any movie that has success. Success, no matter how small should be praised.
Rangan’s readings are always a pleasure to read. I’m just excited to see that last of my 3 films are so much in common to his reviews and liking(ADHM, Force 2 and DZ) though obviously his writing skills and understanding of the craft is lot better but overall the understanding is very similar. He gets the good points straight and I really liked out of all intelligent critics out there, he gave Force 2 a chance when others will bash it without even seeing the movie.
Unfortunately, we no longer operate with the same wisdom and discernment as our forefathers. Where they warned of the evils they experienced which “flow from the excess of democracy,”[9] we demand the voice of the people be heard. This difference between a republic and democracy is all but lost in public discourse by conservatives and progressives alike. Those on the left side of the aisle seem to bemoan the fact that the popular vote is ignored. Many don’t like that the representatives, Electors, even exist. They are calling for the abolishment of the Electoral College system completely. Conservatives aren’t much better. They don’t mind that the representatives in a republic exist as long as, contrary to Webster’s definition, no “power is lodged in their representatives.” They want the power in the people directly. The representatives are only there to do what the people demand. They want a democracy, not a republic. They want the power to vote for Skittles for dinner. This is evident by how they approach their legislators. They want them to do X, Y or Z because that is what “we the people” demand. The Constitutionality of it only matters when the legislators are listening to another faction of their constituency.
Just back from Dear Zindagi. It’s the first time I fully watched Alia Bhatt in the cinema (I walked out of Shandaar after 10 mins, saw 2 States on TV) & she is seriously talented. I can only say she is India’s answer to Jennifer Lawrence who is my favourite actress bar none!
The film is brilliant overall. Her journey is wonderfully directed IMO & the certain discussion round her life events being quite nominal are quite harsh. Leaving home for one year, getting no response to any letter from her parents, seeing love adorned on her baby brother and listening to her mother say she can’t look after two children was enough for her to have some level of mental scarring. It’s true she’s quite brattish & unappreciative, spoilt, quite mean but that arc she suffers was quite plausible for me. She’s a rocking actress!!!! And her display throughout was very well keyed.
SRKs best film for nearly a decade for me. His entry is welcome because till that point the film is just charting Alia’s life and misery (both film & audience & Kaira needed him) Interestingly he is like Rangan says playing himself, but there is a ton of wisdom & wit on display through his act & script. Unlike ADHM where he looked haggered and jaded, I felt his pearls of Einstein, philosophical dialogues worked well for him. I’m so glad a cliched ending was avoided, I just want to know what were the eyedrops for?
Gauri Shinde as a follow up to EV weaves another gem. If I have any criticism it is length, film can be shorter. Barring this she has dealt with a sensitive topic in a very professional manner with bags of emotion and humour. Mental health, trauma, depression are tough topics but to deliver in an entertaining manner takes some skill. Total winner for me & audience loved it as did my wife – cried throughout! Don’t take her crying as any endorsement, she’ll cry in most films.
Alia – what a talent! Just hope she makes good choices going forward, only see Kangana as any real threat acting wise, she’s well ahead of Deepika, Priyanka etc.
Thanks Jay.. good to you sticking to your checking it out in cinema (especially when you have a little kid yourself). When I kept saying about Alia people make me feel am a fool for praising her. I just praised her in Udta punjab and DZ and she’s beyond awesome in these both movie.
You know.. your review is EXACTLY as my review. I only commented that length can be reduced and nothing else is silly or needed to be cut out. There is hardly any difference and yet folks made fun of me for liking this movie(including you I guess).
Well, anyways at least in my mind.. I’m not unfair in reviewing in any movie as per my mind. I try to give movies fair chance and even went for Shivaay, Mirzya, MohenjoDaro etc on big scren.
I don’t think anyone made fun of your review but of course when you go in defensive mode about the movie, people will dig out all the negatives. We have enough SRK haters (or any star) on the website 😉
If one likes the movie very much, it appears defensive. I don’t think I ever did that to Dilwale or Fan. You can check my history. Moreover I hardly consider DZ as an SRK movie, its a movie for folks who loved EV and in ur same space for me. I loved this for Gauri and Alia. SRK is fine but it didn’t need great histrionics from his side.
I wanted to compare this film take on a medical topic to how KJo took to cancer in ADHM, but resisted the temptation. This film hangs that one out to dry IMO.
There was thought given here. The background story was shown in its entirety & provided enough of a punch for me to convinced.
Also I found Alia’s reasons for being ‘her’ far more convincing than Anushka’s.
Dear Zindagi Has Decent Monday
Tuesday 29 November 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Dear Zindagi had a decent Monday with a fair hold at around 4.25 crore nett. The film covered a lot of ground over the weekend and the film had to come down to the level of the content of the film and that is what happened on Monday. The inflated weekend numbers due to the star power could never hold as a film of this type has never crossed 5 crore nett on Monday and Dear Zindagi needed that and more for a 40% hold.
The film may not appeal to many but the business model has worked in a big way as profits on this are bigger than other successful films with limited appeal like Neerja and Pink. The film will close with recovery of over 75 crore from all revenue sources while hardly any niche films hit 50 crore. Its also likely that it will follow the path of Neerja and Pink on television and emerge a disaster even though Shahrukh Khan is there as these type of films have no life after the 4-5 week theatrical run is over. The collections for the first four days of Dear Zindagi are as follows.
The North India market had hinted that it was not going to get those holds with a 30-40% drop as a multiplex film needs North India to be strong as these markets hold very well after the weekend. Normally these types depend on word of mouth but here the job was done over the weekend. The first week is likely to close around 46-47 crore nett which despite weekdays having ordinary collections is a big number.
Just to give perspective, Piku which had twice the +ve WOM as DZ had Monday collections as 4.40 crores(after Sunday’s 11.20 crores). But there is no way it will hold like Piku.
Anyways, overall the recovery going over 75 crores from all sources is more than enough for this kind of project. Alia has got extraordinary reviews and acclaim and SRK has benefitted some goodwill by supporting an indie kind of film and doing a supporting role.
If this film fails to hold I do not think one can blame it on limited audience. I’d probably pin-point the lack of story revelation in the promos. Promos could have done a bit more to illustrate what this film is about, the social issues it attempts to tackle. There is no reason at all why such a film cannot find a big audience at all. One cannot say the audience don’t understand this stuff when films like TZP/CDI made merry. It’s not dull like Swades *could* be labelled. If we talk in 1st & 3rd world language…this film is pitching itself as a 1st world film, with a 1st world problem and 1st world solution.
However, the issues on display are very universal; sibling rivalry, parental favouritism, parental misguidance, insomnia (pressure), career vs. marriage, parental resentment, partner issues…the list could go on.
It could be the makers are just happy to milk it from a section of the audience that they have portrayed rather than exploring a much wider audience.
It is a bit unusual to talk about target audience only when one casts a megastar. Niche movies can easily transform and reach wider audience if they are well made and immediately turn universal one way or the other. This has been witnessed with Queen & and then recently Pink & Piku. Even a Neerja with deadbeat genre and one known name was able to get the audience with +ve wom. At the moment a 60-65cr lifetime is the bare minimum a srk fan base can get irrespective of the genre. That is the reason srk was all over the promos instead of the other tom, dick & harry cast. Bachchan has been doing this niche stuff for a number of years now and only when the movies had some redeeming factor, they could find an audience otherwise all those Shamitabh, Nishabd were sent to garbage can.
Aside I don’t know why people attach so much value to parallel cinema / niche films etc since there are hardly 2 or 3 standouts in the last 4-5 years. Who wouldn’t want to watch a good riveting movie but after wasting your time and money what do we get at the end……an ego trip of some arsehole of a director with contorted twists & turn to the movie plot as per his own mood swing in the name of realistic cinema and aesthetics. At least commercial cinema we get our money’s worth with some maad-dhaad, dance and song and ogle at some cleavage.
Many may differ with my choices but this is what I ‘personally’ thought of all the hyped niche movies in last 3 or 4 years which I went to see after all the hype & +ve wom –
Queen – Okayish – More hype than substance
EV – Borderline crap. ( Flaws in basic characterization)
Piku – Avg (good build up but poor culmination)
Pink – okay to good
Wazir – poor
Rock On – Hyped crap
Badlapur – below avg
Saala Khadoos – bakwas / wtf
Ferrari Ki Sawaari – childish shit from Hirani and gang
Fan – nonsense and complete waste of resources in 2nd half
Talaash – avg / bordering good
Well I am basically mainstream guy so there are numerous and I don’t even remember all of them, but let’s just say a Lage Raho, 3I, VZ, Golmaal 3 , Bajrangi Bhaijaan , Wanted, Sultan would get a perfect 10 as far as I am concerned among the recent lot.
I never warmed up to Dabangg and few other big star movies except may be a song here or there or few sequences which did it for me in terms of time well spent / paisa wasool.
Real connections and like a diamond in the sky – TZP and DCH. Infact I don’t know why tears came while watching DCH on TV recently. May be missing friends, buddies, true love and generally world has gotten too complicated since I watched that movie…. There are scenes in the movie in Sydney when Aamir is lonely going through a painful parting – (its not only love per se but family, friends and companionship ) Aamir is close to perfection.
I need to stop and not allow sharing more in front of all you shallow people!!
***DCH is running on repeat run on ZeeCinema these days.
After Pink, this will be another high for Tapsee. The with Judwaa 2, he is not in mainstream. Far more talented than Alia, Kapoor etc, she has my bet to be next star.
Didn’t realize there is Akshay in its 1st look. So, they will be promoting Akshay’s role as well in the movie as a extended guest appearance. It will open well.
Back from Dear Zindagi. And I’m glad I watched it. the film is not a crowd pleaser in any way and that’s the best part of it. many people seem to have a problem with the thanklessness of Alia’s character but that’s not the point. point is Kiara reflects the insecurity, dilemma, and flaws many of us possess but hate to admit them. the film doesnt judge her for that and talks about a past that is a problematic just like any of us (glad they didn’t show a childhood replete with extreme difficulties) but might just explain the way Alia behaves and takes her decisions. The story is a regular one and didn’t necessary had to be told in the commercial sense but is a work that just shows how it absolutely okay to accept ourselves the way we are: imperfect, flawed, not necessarily likeable.
Alia is a true revelation. comes up with a performance depicting a range of emotions without going overboard but giving it the required depth. SRK was okay but his trademark mannerisms are on display here. His performnace in Fan this year was much better and truly brilliant but Dear Zindagi is a superior film for sure.
this certainly needs to be seen. it is is a sweet little gem
News is that Crack will not release on Aug, 2017. It will release by Nov end or move to Jan 2017 as Akshay Kumar opted out of Omung Kumar’s FIVE which was to release on Jan 26, 2017.
A man was on a train in Japan, reading a novel set in Japan. The train slid past the mountains, bound for Kyoto, where the man, bearded, bright-eyed, was headed. The year was 1989. The train was a bullet train.
The man on the train was in a quandary, and the man in the novel he was reading was in a quandary; and as he read the novel, it emerged that his quandary and the one in the novel were essentially the same.
The man in the novel was Sebastian Rodrigues, a Portuguese Jesuit priest sent to Japan in the 17th century. He was there to minister to Japanese Catholics suffering under a brutal regime and also to find out what had happened to his mentor, a priest rumored to have renounced the faith under torture.
The man on the train was Martin Scorsese. He was in Japan to play the part of Vincent van Gogh in a movie by Akira Kurosawa, another master filmmaker. He was also there to move past a brutal battle in America’s culture wars over a picture of his, “The Last Temptation of Christ.”
DZ is NYT’s critics’ pick. Not that it means something great. This is the same newspaper that had dissed GANDHI and ROCKY as schmaltzy.
However, I vastly prefer Andy Webster to the dumb Rachel Saltz who has zero understanding of Indian films and their milieu and the dynamics..
————————————————————————————-
The issues in Gauri Shinde’s sharply observed drama “Dear Zindagi” are suggested in its opening scene: A woman walks with her boyfriend, disgusted with his infidelity, while he pleads for forgiveness, professing his love. A director calls cut, and we realize we are watching actors on a Mumbai movie set. The young cinematographer Kaira (Alia Bhatt) suggests shooting another take, this time with the woman surreptitiously checking out a passing male bicyclist. Her director approves.
The restless, ambitious Kaira has a wandering eye of her own. Bored with her distracted boyfriend, Sid (Angad Bedi), a restaurateur, she has a fling with her colleague Raghuvendra (Kunal Kapoor). When Raghuvendra gets an exciting project in New York, he teases Kaira with the possibility of joining him on it — with the implicit understanding that it is contingent upon their continued sexual intimacy. “Hot?” she says when he praises her beauty. “Is that my only talent?” She passes on the job, but remains drawn to him.
Evicted by a landlord who distrusts unmarried renters, the workaholic Kaira retreats to her seaside hometown in Goa and her affluent parents, who fret over her lack of matrimonial prospects. Shooting a promotional video for a local businessman, she chances across Jehangir Khan (the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan), a.k.a. Jug, a laid-back psychologist (a B.D., or brain doctor, as the movie puts it). Over multiple sessions, she consults him about her mixed emotions regarding Raghuvendra. Complicating matters is a handsome musician, Rumi (Ali Zafar), who serenades her yet prefers silence when he’s not expounding on early Pink Floyd.
Jug’s meetings with Kaira provide Ms. Shinde with abundant opportunities to explore philosophical issues (“zindagi” means “life”), not least the value of forgiveness and the need people can have to create unnecessary obstacles for themselves. This is a movie that drops quotations from Faulkner and Einstein, but it rarely feels pedantic or platitudinous, thanks to the breezy, assured delivery of Mr. Khan, whose unforced ease is apparent when Jug gracefully resists a misguided romantic overture from Kaira.
Mr. Khan, who has worked with female directors before, is clearly comfortable in the hands of Ms. Shinde, who also wrote the script. (This is the second feature from Ms. Shinde, who directed the acclaimed “English Vinglish,” from 2012.) Ms. Bhatt also benefits from Ms. Shinde’s guidance, transcending her starlet status in a bitter tirade against Kaira’s parents and a tearful confession to Jug.
There are sentimental threads here, including a friend’s pregnancy and a Hallmark-moment family reconciliation. But Kaira’s ultimate triumph comes not in marriage but in an independent film she has directed on her own. Her project, like Ms. Shinde’s insightful movie, is a resounding victory.
“Dear Zindagi” is not rated. It is in Hindi, with English subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 35 minutes.
Dear Zindagi NYT Critics’ Pick
FIND TICKETS
Director Gauri Shinde Writer Gauri Shinde Stars Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Angad Bedi Rating Not Rated
“Ms. Bhatt also benefits from Ms. Shinde’s guidance, transcending her starlet status in a bitter tirade against Kaira’s parents and a tearful confession to Jug”
Dear Zindagi does not trivialise the issues faced by people seeking help. everyone’s got their problems..some may appear big, some appear small to different people, but experiences, good or bad, shape our attitude and thought process. the greaf thing is that the film recognises these and plays out quite like an actual therapy session.
Try saying “Cmon your issues arent a big deal. come off it” to a person seeking help and look at the consequences.
Lol. My wife came out saying something similar! I think she thought I was getting her to watch it for some selfish reason & she said sorry to me for some odd reason.
“wow..Dear Zindagi’s therapy sessions are transforming quite a few here!”
Even when everyone after my review were giving negative reviews on here, I commented (as below) that it will find its chord. Now with boxoffice holding well, it has been proved. More than boxoffice, its the sort of film, if loved will be loved very much at a personal level.
” But I am sure it will find its chord in its specific audience and will sail through.”
I agreed with your review after watching the film, my only issue was that the dilemma Kaira was going through, the depression, even her lack of sleep wasn’t stressed on enough. Or maybe showing too much of the darker side didn’t go well with the breezy, colorful kind of film they were making.
Re. – everyone’s got their problems..some may appear big, some appear small to different people, but experiences, good or bad, shape our attitude and thought process. the greaf thing is that the film recognises these and plays out quite like an actual therapy session.
Tony – for a very brief moment, I thought you were talking about problems associated with the various sizes of b^^bs and d***s….LOL!
Dear Zindagi Holds Firm On Tuesday with just 5% drop from Monday!
Dear Zindagi had a strong hold on Tuesday as collections dropped just 5% from yesterday after 50% plus drop on Monday. The Monday drop was a little more than normal due to the strong weekend (for this type of film) but it has consolidated well on Tuesday. The film is best in South India with Mysore (excellent), Nizam / Andhra and Tamil Nadu / Kerala all having strong collections. The business in Mysore has already crossed 4.50 crore nett in five days which is not far short of the lifetime business of Neerja (6.10 crore) and Kapoor & Sons (5.25 cr). It will easily cross these films in Mysore and also another similar film Pink as well as films like Fan and Rustom. The collections for the first five days of Dear Zindagi are as follows.
The lifetime business of the film will be decided by that Thursday to Friday and how big it can grow back on Saturday. A 60 crore nett total seems to be there and remains to be seen if it can go higher and by how much.
Q. Would it be correct to say that Shahrukh Khan in Dear Zindagi is the biggest impact ever in an extended guest role?
A. No. Amitabh Bachchan in Andhaa Kanoon (1983) and Sunny Deol in Damini (1993) had the sort of impact that is unlikley to be matched. These films were bigger Hits than Dear Zindagi and terms of appreciation you just can’t compare, Andhaa Kanoon and Damini are on a different level.
It’s not a guest role or extended, these new ‘extensions’ are hilarious. It’s a supporting role. He is pivotal to the films theme & ending.
Luck by Chance and one of those Salman films with Zinta and Rani where SRK enters as husband are more like guest roles plus the recent one in ADHM. Surely an element of surprise (hard in today’s times) or lack of screen time must be a qualifier!
SRK is fully loaded in all posters and trailers, some ppl not in the know may have expected a bigger role!
There is an urgency to credit SRK with opening (fair) but doing this whilst whittling his role to guest role is quite ridiculous.
I think there’s a difference in your reading. I would not call SRK’s act as an extended guest appearance but then I would not call Amitabh in Andha Khanoon and Sunny Deol in Damini. I would call all these are ‘supporting roles’. So, whatever the terms they are using is apt for all the 3 movies.
SRK has 40 mins screen time in 2.5 hours movie. You can call it extended or supporting but its not the same as TZP where Aamir is also the main lead actor and how he turns the boy around and screen time is far longer.
Small roles under 5 mins or so are special appearances or cameos and like SRK in Luck by Chance. SRK had a ‘guest role’ in Bhoothnath with 15-20 mins role. So in in that sense, you can call 40 min role as ‘extended guest role’ or supporting role. No one usually calls supporting role when leading actors act in other movies. Like even Salman Khan in KKHH was sort of extended guest appearance.
But I think Supporting roles are fine but then the market value of the movie will become different, so they call it some stupid names like guest role hai but thora lamba hai, Lol.
One useful distinction between the two is that a supporting role is usually intrinsically connected with a film’s narrative while a guest appearance often isn’t. So Andha Kanoon does not really need the Bachchan subplot. The story can function perfectly well without it. It’s a guest appearance that’s been extended to a supporting part in terms of the footage but not structurally. Damini though is more of a supporting role because there has to be a lawyer in the second half. Aamir in TZP is along the same lines. I suspect SRK is a main part masquerading as a supporting one. What’s the distinction here? Sometimes a film has lead parts for the male and female character but structurally revolves around the female. In such a film the male part can seem diminished for obvious reasons. The star (male) might be there to increase the film’s commercial viability and/or for his own career. But the easy way out is to not call it any sort of central part at all and call it this other stuff (guest appearance, extended guest appearance, special role etc). This sort of exercise (not new) is always a way to save the male stars’s (always male!) prestige. Specially so when he might be in a relatively vulnerable position. But to extend these possibilities Bachchan in BnB is a supporting part (not a guest one), in Mohabbatein he has the central part or at the most one of the two central parts even though SRK has more footage. In K3G on the other hand he [Bachchan] has a supporting part. Here SRK has more footage but even otherwise is central. So a lot of this is about footage but also the symbolism in each example. Now a lot of times a star with his mere presence can elide these differences or become ‘show-stealing’ irrespective of the footage or the kind of role. But the length of a part is not at all the same thing as the structural value of a part and/or it’s symbolic potency.
Actually I want to include Salman Khan in No Entry as one of the big impacts. He had extended guest appearance and this turned the movie the biggest hIt of the year in 2005.
Dear Zindagi
My views
Very similar to Jay
Quite liked it.
Starts off slow and on an uneven turf but after about 20 min finds it’s groove.
First 20 min are a little torturesome and is hard to sympathize with Alia’s character and one misses Ms Shinde’s deft touch one saw in English Vinglish. It is no coincidence that the movie takes a turn with introduction of SRK.
SRK provides the much needed structure to the film and is quite effective and endearing.
The film still belongs to Alia as she is the central character and she does a commendable job-as always.
SRK is quite likeable here and is quite endearing after a while- partly because he is not going through his tired romantic routine.
His performance does fall apart in the final session in which he manages to be both smug and awkward (unintentionally) but it doesn’t detract much from an otherwise winning performance.
My rating 3.5/5 without first half hour and
3/5 overall
Very happy. Want KAHAANI to succeed – if it’s fine by the way. I don’t know the credibility of GULF NEWS except it’s time-zone advantage so will take this high rating with a pinch of salt..
That’s good to know. I don’t read much of that so I didn’t know. Agree or disagree is fine – I was just wondering if that’s a BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA type of deal..
On his father Ajit Khan’s death anniversary, Shehzaad talks to Patcy N/Rediff.com about his famous father’s journey into Bollywood.
My father’s screen name Ajit was given to him by Nanabhai Bhatt (director Mahesh Bhatt’s father) because his real name Hamid Ali Khan was too long.
The new name proved to be lucky.
My father was from Hyderabad. When he was 22, he sold his college books and ran away from home to pursue his dreams.
My grandfather was in the Nizam’s military. He was very strict. He was against my father becoming an actor; he wanted him to have a more dignified profession like doctor or lawyer.
Acting was considered taboo. If you entered the Indian film industry, you were outcast from your community. In those days, there were no acting schools. My father, Dilip Kumar and other legends never went to acting school. At the most, they did theatre.
I was so scared of my father that I was unable to tell him that I wanted to act. So how could my father tell his father that he was interested in acting?
We come from a staunchly patriarchal family where you have to listen to your father. We did not have the guts to ask. We couldn’t even make eye contact with our father. Even though I knew my father had run away from home, I never had the courage to ask him about his life. It was only when he grew older that he himself started telling us about his life.
When he came to Bombay, he stayed with a friend in Mohammed Ali Road (in south Mumbai).
When I was a kid, my father once showed me these huge cement pipes which are put into nullahs, and told me that he stayed in one of them for a few days. A local goon would collect money every week from people to allow them to live in those pipes. This was in the 1950s or may be earlier.
One day the goon asked my father for the hafta, which my father refused, and bashed him up instead. From the next day, my father became the local goon and no one would take money from him! He would get free tea, snacks and food.
SATYAMSHOT 
November 23, 2016 at 4:57 PM
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November 23, 2016 at 8:10 PM
Just back from DEAR ZINDAGI. Let me be upfront saying that I had a feeling that DZ will be boring affair as there is supposedly even less comedy than EV(which had humor the English training classes) but am surprised that the movie has surprised me big time and there is never a dull moment in this 2 hr 20 mins movie. Gauri Shinde is treading a unique path in current crop of directors with the perfect balance of art vs commercial movies. Both her movies, EV and DZ reminds me of the 70’s parallel cinema movies like Chhoti si baat, Baaton baaton mein but it is actually dealing with complex issues of current times and is not a comedy genre. So, after loving English Vinglish, Dear Zindagi is a welcome addition to the movie industry.
The movie starts well and stays on its track with (Kaira) Alia Bhatt going through personal and professional issues and break-ups etc. Until she ends up landing in Goa where she meets with Dr. Jehangir Khan(SRK) and then slowly starts going for her therapy sessions and then eventually start controlling her life and handle both professional and personal issues. Looks boring huh? Well it is not. One of the movie’s biggest strength with tight screenplay and -out of the world- dialogues. The dialogues make this movie and the 1 liners are great. All the long dialogue sessions between Kaira and Jug are brilliantly written.
The movie has 2 songs – Just go to hell, Dill and Ali Zafar’s song. Some background small lines of songs but thats about it. The music is very well done and blends with the movie.
Alia Bhatt has created another monster of a performance and created competition to her great act in Udta Punjab(for which am expecting National Award). Dear Zindagi has her again her brilliant best and I would not be surprised if Alia sweeps all the awards (including Nationals.. I know I’m saying knowing its so difficult to win one in whole career). She is so natural and yet creates a perfect balanced performance and just hard to ignore.
SRK has given a natural performance but more than the performance its the maturity and depth he brings to the role. Its not a performance oriented role but the lines are very well written and that helps in a movie like this. All the other performances are good like Kunal, Ali Zafar, Angad Bedi and Alia’s friends, family etc.
Though I would have loved the movie to be 10 mins less, there is not a single fault note in the movie and editing is razor sharp. There will not be a single soul or single bad review(Big thing to say on 1st day) for this movie. Some might call it average but majority will be calling it above average and great movie. I felt EV had a wafer thin plot had exception screenplay but at least it had something for everyone to connect to whereas DZ will connect to only multiplex audience and majority of females. This movie is also very deep and heavy but has been handled very deftly without getting boring. As for Gauri Shinde, she will be creating her own path of cinema which is not really commercial but also not art movies.
RECOMMENDED!!
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November 23, 2016 at 8:14 PM
I want to add that Gauri Shinde gets the metro girl’s lifestyle bang on! It cant’ be possible unless she gets this from her personal life and this movie can’t be directed a MAN at all. This is the best part and nothing comes across as superficial. Kudos to her!
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November 24, 2016 at 12:05 AM
good to hear this is worthwhile…
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November 24, 2016 at 1:19 AM
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November 24, 2016 at 3:16 AM
Hoping to watch this Monday – thanks for the review.
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November 24, 2016 at 4:50 AM
How did you see it so early Master?
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November 24, 2016 at 9:44 AM
The movie released in USA/Canada yesterday.
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November 23, 2016 at 10:47 PM
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November 27, 2016 at 1:18 AM
Powerful!!!
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November 24, 2016 at 1:22 AM
Jitesh Pillai(Filmfare)
Just amazed with the tehraav and writing of this movie. #dearzindagi is an amazing movie. Unhurried, lyrical, bitter- sweet. Not a single false note in the film or performances. Alia Bhatt is Outstanding. And clearly shows again why she’s the best actor of her generation. What’s a layered, delicate performance. Her best ever. And there’s only more to come. Shah rukh khan is superbly measured and has some of the best lines written ever. He appears on screen and you’re hooked. It’s magical. Yet another career milestone.
Take a bow gauri shinde takes huge courage and conviction to write a brave film like this. Thank you for making us believe that movies are empowering and make you think while they entertain.
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November 24, 2016 at 1:30 AM
This is Jitesh’s comment. “Not a single false note in the film or performances”
This is my comment in my review ” there is not a single false note in the movie and editing is razor sharp.”
Lol, perfecto!. As a rule, I don’t even read anything before I watch the movie and waise bhi I try to watch 1st day before reviews are out. This time more so as DZ is not releasing in India till Friday. Surprised to read exact line in other’s reviews 🙂
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November 24, 2016 at 9:46 AM
For some reason I found the trailers boring. Which movie from past few years does it compare to?
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November 24, 2016 at 10:34 AM
“Which movie from past few years does it compare to?”
That’s the beauty of it. As I said Gauri Shinde is creating unique cinema with very less similarity with other movies. The best comparison is to call it a ‘refined’ English Vinglish. I would say something like Irrfan’s Lunchbox to an extent.
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November 24, 2016 at 10:44 AM
Wouldn’t say the trailers were boring at all. It was looking like a ‘film of moments’, the sort of thing Balki and Gauri Shinde specialize in. I wasn’t the greatest fan of English Vinglish but it’s hard for a film like Dear Zindagi to jump out as a trailer.
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November 24, 2016 at 10:55 AM
Well said. This is a kind of film where its difficult to make a theatrical trailer without giving away too much. It showed moments and there are tons of them in the movie.
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November 24, 2016 at 10:57 AM
Got it.
I liked English Vinglish so I may like it but will wait for dvd or when it comes on tv.
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November 24, 2016 at 10:56 AM
Bhawana Somaaya @bhawanasomaaya
#DearZindagi offers amazing insights into relationships. Unpredictable.Energetic.Sensitive. Must watch for the young n also the old.
The hangover of @aliaa08 in @gauris #DearZindagi persists. What an actor! What a performance!proud of @MaheshNBhatt @sonirazdan baby.
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November 24, 2016 at 11:01 AM
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November 24, 2016 at 11:01 AM
GulfNews – 3.5 star (not bad, I usually follow Gulf News and koimoi review, they’re usually spot on with my likings)
The Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt starrer is a heartwarming, sensitive film about troubled twenty-somethings
http://gulfnews.com/leisure/movies/reviews/dear-zindagi-movie-reivew-1.1934694
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November 24, 2016 at 11:11 AM
DEAR ZINDAGI HOLDS UP A MIRROR TO LIFE
Meena Iyer, Times of India
Rating 3.5/5
Feisty Alia, one of the better actors of the current generation, turns in a nicely nuanced performance. And SRK in his sober-avatar possessing infinite gyaan tempts you to seek out a therapist. If you’re in the mood to do some soul-searching this weekend, this film could do it for you.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/Dear-Zindagi/movie-review/55592513.cms
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November 24, 2016 at 8:35 PM
How “3 Idiots” Destroyed Ladakh
A new Indian middle class, thirsting to travel, now has the means. As they flock to their favourite big screen backdrops, Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem bears the brunt of Bollywood tourism.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/arielbardi/what-has-3-idiots-done-to-ladakh?utm_term=.pyvEoVWxY#.pggvVZJo8
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November 24, 2016 at 9:07 PM
It is true for most of the tourist destinations. There is laxity by local, state and central Govt. in defining and implementing codes. There was Kedarnath deluge which killed many people. If you cannot think of all the rules by yourself, just look at West. Even smallest vista point is marked, roads, parking and of course ticketed. I went to Muir woods National park recently. The rush is so much that parking is not enough. So they have parking in city and trams to ferry people.
I just completed Neil Tyson’s Cosmos. The carbon footprint is alarming. We are destroying ourselves; If not nuclear, then by unloading carbon in atmosphere.
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December 1, 2016 at 10:44 AM
“Neil Tyson’s Cosmos” aap toh amazing ho munnabhai, hai
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December 1, 2016 at 11:27 AM
Even though I knew lots of stuff but it is well presented 13 episodes. I must say first episode is kind of throwing spanner in the works.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos:_A_Spacetime_Odyssey
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November 24, 2016 at 9:49 PM
High time someone came up with an article like this. Needless to say most of it features Prince Ranbir.
++++
VIDEO: Bollywood Stereotypes We Need To Get Over With!
From ‘nerdy girl meets wanderlust struck boy’ to misogynist storylines in the garb of comedies, Bollywood is reaching a boiling point when it comes to some of its films
If all of Bollywood could be stretched out like a timeline and examined for some recurring variants, you would notice a striking trend in the genre of movies. Every time a path breaking and radical movie would come out, others would follow suit and anything that tried an archaic formula would crash and burn. The last time this occurred was during the release of Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan in 2001. Any other movie that tried the ye old formula of doppelgangers, reincarnation, running away from a feudal household and getting hitched tanked awfully at the box office. These trends kept happening throughout the decade and yet Bollywood churned out some old brews in brand new bottles.
With the rising number of Box Office disasters, it’s time to recap some of the most infuriating and repetitive stereotypes that keep torturing us every single Friday –
No Commitment Only Enjoyment.
Yeah! We get that commitment is tough. It’s a risk that’s absolutely not worth taking if one is not serious about it. But give us a freaking break will ya? How many movies are going to have the same old scene featuring the hero and his ladylove taking an oath about not getting serious? And then fall for each other. And then cry about it. It’s stereotypes like these that make us feel we’re stuck in a karmic cycle.
Heartbreaks Are The Ultimate Exam
One cannot compose, write, sing, paint, drive, brush their teeth and look at traffic in a different way unless they have a heartbreak in their lives. Heartbreaks are like the UPSC exams in films that revolve around romance, untapped talent and the coming-of-age genre. This becomes further exasperating when someone asserts in the film “Jab tak dil nahi tootta na tab tak andar se awaaz nahi niklegi.”
Marriage = Satan’s Playground
As if the heartbreaks pigeonhole wasn’t enough, here comes another favourite of senile producers – the bane of holy matrimony. We are definitely aren’t claiming, that marriage is a must or that every marriage is heavenly, it’s just when Bollywood keeps repeating that a husband is nothing more than a manservant and that marriage is almost asphyxiating, it becomes mind-numbingly contrived.
First World Issues
No we’re not saying that rich folks don’t have problems, they probably have issues twice as harsh as ours. It’s the part where filmmakers think they have an easy way out. If scuba diving, world tours, photography, destination weddings and making ketchup by grinding your posterior were the solution, life would’ve been much easier.
All Women Are Evil.
If the world was left in the hands of filmmakers of Bollywood sex comedies, bachelor humour films and college buddy marathons, women would have a really miserable time. Scene after scene, monologue after monologue, these films make the same point – Women are nothing but soul sucking beasts from hell.
Confused Nerdy Girl & Rich AF Man Who Meet Again.
Twenty years back, this combination must have been the quintessential odd couple. A girl who is bound by her adherence to the rules of the Indian household and a guy who is pampered to the core and lives life like a cool host from any travel channel. But now this formula is as stale as a bag of cold French fries. Every film sounds more like a listicle that mentions the things to do before you die.a
http://www.spotboye.com/vod/specials/bollywood-stereotypes-we-need-to-get-over-with/5834477d54cd2cee5857c241
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November 24, 2016 at 10:41 PM
Where is Sanjana?
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November 24, 2016 at 11:32 PM
Not sure…she hasn’t commented in last one week..
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November 25, 2016 at 4:30 AM
she is in Bali..
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November 25, 2016 at 4:44 AM
She is visiting India and with no cash, can’t buy data card to login.
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November 25, 2016 at 3:00 AM
The movie has released only in 1000 screens as Master said. Not sure what the strategy is but I don’t get it…They could have easily gone for 2000 theatres and targeted a double digit opening
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November 25, 2016 at 4:49 AM
Reviews are quite mixed and not as positive as English Vinglish.
Few examples –
Bollywood Hungama has given 2.5
TOI has 3.5
I however trust Master’s review and will watch this movie for sure.
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November 25, 2016 at 2:22 PM
I liked movie, but in my circle I am hearing not so encouraging feedback , specially from those whom I trust in terms that their views are more inline of wider audience.
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November 25, 2016 at 2:23 PM
Some notables .. BobbyTalkCinema and Rajiv Vijyakar
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November 25, 2016 at 8:56 AM
HT Entertainment @htshowbiz 4h4 hours ago
Rocky loves Sultan: Even @TheSlyStallone was impressed by @BeingSalmanKhan’s movie
Rocky loves Sultan: Even Sylvester Stallone was impressed by Salman’s movie – PTI, Panaji | Updated: Nov 25, 2016 15:33 IST
Director Ali Abbas Zafar says he had narrated the idea of Sultan to Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, who was bowled over by it.
The Salman Khan starrer romantic-sports-drama released this year on Eid and went on to become a huge blockbuster, apart from garnering critical acclaim.
Ali says he had a brief interaction with the Rocky star in Los Angeles, where the actor said a story like Sultan can also be made for the American audience.
“I met Stallone, while doing research and getting my martial arts team from LA. I met him for a brief interaction and he kind of heard the story. He said ‘Wow, what a story. This could be a story which can easily be done in America.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back “ Ali told PTI.
The film focuses on Sultan Ali Khan, a wrestling champion from Haryana whose successful career creates a rift in his personal life. The movie also starred Anushka Sharma.Sultan had it’s screening at the ongoing 47th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), where it was houseful.
Ali says while it is a good feeling that his film was screened at the festival, it puts a certain pressure on him as now people will look upto him for quality work. “Yesterday, when I entered I thought not many people would be watching it because it’s already been in theatres and was on TV too. But the turn out was very good. Even international audience was there.
“It feels special but it also unnerves you because more people know you now, they recognise your work. Next time you make something, they will be looking out for you. But it’s a good feeling.”
The film was also screened recently at Busan film festival and the director says the reason why people, who do not belong to India, are connecting with the film is because of its universal theme.“If the stories have a universal appeal, they will travel.
Satyajit Ray made films about Indian people. What the West related to was the honesty of the stories. Sultan has a universal story, about a man fighting within. That man can be anywhere in the world.
“I believe the story travels everywhere irrespective of the language. There is a certain way we do films. It has got songs and a lot of other elements, but I think that’s what West likes.”
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November 27, 2016 at 10:37 AM
**‘Wow, what a story. This could be a story which can easily be done in America.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back “ Ali told PTI.**
This is such a BS article. Was Stallone smoking pot when he heard Sultan’s story? Did he forget that HE made ROCKY in 1976? Or is he taking credit for ROCKY in 2016?
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November 27, 2016 at 10:51 AM
**‘Wow, what a story. This could be a story which can easily be done in America.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back “ Ali told PTI.**
Well, coz of Stallone’s speech issue, I think Ali didn’t get the words clearly. Below is the exactly what Stallone said.
**‘Wow, what a copy!. This is the story whichI have done in America decades back.’ Because it’s about an underdog who has lost everything and is trying to get his self esteem back. I know its old movie and then even remade it as its 6th part in Rocky Balboa and still you are making this as original. Freaking unbelievable.“ Ali told PTI.**
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November 25, 2016 at 10:46 AM
Absolutely bland, stretched movie. Not worth even a single watch. Such a disappointment from Shinde coming after English Vinglish
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November 25, 2016 at 11:40 AM
Afte initial positive reviews, I am hearing mostly mediocre reviews. Alia’s acting has been appreciated though.
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November 25, 2016 at 12:20 PM
I don’t agree. Those are business ratings point of reviews and not movie’s worth.
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November 25, 2016 at 12:26 PM
I am talking about user reviews. I rarely read professional or taran Adarsh kind of reviews. Most of the users are North American.
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November 25, 2016 at 12:42 PM
I can only say that this movie is not for everyone and that is shown with the release strategy. I think non-targetted folks end up watching it coz of names – Karan Johar, SRK, Alia Bhatt associated with the movie even though it is not a commercial venture and in the realm of ‘Lunchbox’ as I said earlier. Surely they will not like it. But I am sure it will find its chord in its specific audience and will sail through.
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November 25, 2016 at 2:37 PM
Correct Bland is the word.
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November 25, 2016 at 12:21 PM
Dear Zindagi is a wonderful, self-assured gem
Raja Sen – Rediff – 4/5
Dear Zindagi is a lovely picture, made with finesse and heart, and one that not only takes some stigma off the idea of seeking therapy, but — in the most natural of ways — goes a long way in making a viewer think of the people who matter most.
The single smartest trick in this film, however, may well be the primary casting decision. Because a good therapist is a superstar.
http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/review-dear-zindagi-is-a-wonderful-self-assured-gem/20161125.htm
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November 25, 2016 at 12:52 PM
#DearZindagi is for the classes mainly. But commercially speaking, it will prove a hit.
On the whole, Dear Zindagi is a film for the gentry and will do well mainly in the premium multiplexes of the big cities. Its business in lesser multiplexes, single-screen cinemas and other cities and towns will, generally speaking, be below the mark. Considering the cost of the film’s making, promotion and release (excluding Shah Rukh Khan’s fee which he has not charged), its entire investment has already been recovered from non-theatrical revenues. Therefore, it is a foregone conclusion that the producers will reap a fantastic harvest as every rupee of share from India (all-India distribution rights pre-sold to one company) and Overseas will go towards profit. For the all-India distributor, the film would prove to be just a safe bet. The film will do very well Overseas.
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November 25, 2016 at 12:36 PM
Box Office: The final verdict – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil BEATS Shivaay by more than Rs. 90 crores at the global box office
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/box-office-special-features/box-office-final-verdict-ae-dil-hai-mushkil-beats-shivaay-rs-90-crores-global-box-office/
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November 25, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Dear Zindagi Takes Good Opening
Dear Zindagi has opened well at 40-45% on average though it is a limited release across 800 theatres apprx meaning will reach a little over 1000 screens. The release which has not gone to places where the the film would not get an audience keeps the average occupancy up. The Shahrukh Khan factor has worked for the film to give it a good starting point and it remains to see if the film can go further. The film could actually post the sort of first day that may not need growth for a good weekend but the growth has to be there if the film is to get some sort of run at the box office. Even in the morning shows there is a big gap between the high end multiplexes and other multiplexes as the high end ones have opened double the other multiplexes.
The director’s last film English Vinglish (2012) did around 39 crore nett and found limited appreciattion, a sort of smaller version of the Queen and Neerja types which themselves are very limited. This film has taken a far bigger start than any of those films but eventually there are only a certain number of people who watch these films and despite the presence of Shahrukh Khan it will find it hard to go outside its limited audience.
The opening of the film is no doubt a plus, if we look at morning occupancy it can be compared to a film like Fan obviously there is a huge difference in the release size but the occupancy is similar, places like Mumbai and Bangalore could even be higher in terms of occupancy.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2498
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November 25, 2016 at 2:32 PM
Finally after ages a positive write-up for comparative small release movie .. probably after ages BOI acknowledges release size vis-à-vis box-office numbers. otherwise most of time they end up reporting ridiculously Apple VS orange comparisons ignoring number of prints in circulation.
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November 25, 2016 at 2:45 PM
ONLY because this stars SRK
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November 25, 2016 at 3:24 PM
Yes and now I got to know it released in 1200 screens … which is not small by any count. Makers and BOI trying to protect movie box-office prospects by projecting it as Niche/Small release/Low budget/Other revenues etc … which is never considered for movies which are REAL small.
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November 26, 2016 at 1:31 AM
1200 is ridiculously small…Neerja, Pink, All would have released in 2000+ screens
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November 26, 2016 at 4:25 AM
Krish .. PINK was 1000 screens .. go back and check.
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November 25, 2016 at 11:20 PM
“ONLY because this stars SRK”
This comment is so last season(decade)!
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November 26, 2016 at 8:06 AM
those are generic jayshah replies, they have thing for srk.
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November 25, 2016 at 2:34 PM
Dear Zindagi : average movie.
Just back from the flick, it may flop at box office or make even if the budget is small.
The idea might have good on paper, but fails to translate. The reason for Alia having issues are not great enough or they fail to translate as great enough for a flick.
Alia is rocking. SRK is good but his role is poorly written.
The sessions fail to create magic or to stay with you after the movie. And hence the movie is big let down from that angle.
The parts of film are good and create good emotions for a good story but the sum of the parts is not that whole and organic.
My personal views.
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November 25, 2016 at 3:36 PM
Movie watching is all about experience with other factors. I went to see FDFS on Wednesday .. in Dine in theater, relaxed mood and pleasant environment , my beautiful wife and daughter accompanied me .. around 10 more people in Audi .. we did our breakfast and enjoyed the philosophy of life unfolded on screen. So overall a good family time and nothing to complain.
I had similar experience with Trolls last week .. It was super musical fun with my daughter.
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November 25, 2016 at 6:51 PM
Thanks Yakuza for your views. It is very difficult for me to fathom calling DZ a bad movie. It can’t be entertaining which is obvious but so are many artistic movies including Lunchbox.
I want to also mention that EV had same issues as well but suddenly everyone praising EV as some sort of classic/masterpiece just to bring down DZ.
Anyways, this movie is not made to make huge money and personally many of folks around me have loved it.
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November 26, 2016 at 12:28 AM
Yup completely agree yakuza. But a good movie, wins your heart inspite of any factors!
But I always feel movie watching is personal experience. I am happy you and master liked it, hope it does good!
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November 25, 2016 at 10:43 PM
Dear Zindagi Does Well On Day One with 9.5 crores!
BOI
Dear Zindagi has done well on day grossing around 9-9.50 crore nett as per early estimates. The collections are actually very good for this type of film on day one but the difference is the presence of Shahrukh Khan. If it was not for him this film would hardly have done half the business. The film has been driven by the star power instead of the value of the film but that is probably enough as the film is a low cost film. The film is for high end multiplexes so there is a chnce it could grow from this which would mean job done as far as cost are concerned. Even if the film was notbto grow much it still would be through unless there is a huge crash in collections.
Box office success looks ensured but appreciation is another matter as the success is coming due to low costs not because of appreciation like so many films lately from a Queen to Neerja to Pink. Obviously the film can go to a higher level but that is a tough ask as the reach is not there and if you do push in those centres they tend to give losses. The footfalls are low but high ends multiplexes with high ticket rates drive these films to success as long as costs are restrained. This one has another plus with star power but all that means is the 50-60 lakh footfalls will come in a different way to the above films.
The opening day of the film is the bigger than a big film like Mohenjo Daro aand in the same range as a Shivaay.
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2499
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November 25, 2016 at 10:53 PM
“The opening day of the film is the bigger than a big film like Mohenjo Daro aand in the same range as a Shivaay.”
Ouch! 🙂
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November 26, 2016 at 1:32 AM
9.5 is too high for that release count. It cannot possibly grow now. Even otherwise i am not hearing good reviews for this.
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November 26, 2016 at 2:12 AM
Depends, if you are the ‘target’ audience, you will like it. Otherwise if you are not, film is not made for you.
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November 26, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Good to see you ‘maturing’.
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November 26, 2016 at 2:28 PM
I think you’ve fooled yourself into believing every review will be positive. It’s typical of your reaction to Fan. Your retort is, if one doesn’t like it they didn’t understand it or it’s not their kind of film. The same critique can be applied to any film or star.
You enter most SRK films with blue tinted glasses.
“Not a single false note in the film or performances” is what you said. But since I think plenty of voices have spoken to the contrary, just like HNY, Dilwale, Fan etc. No point going back further. You’ll find a convoluted reason for others not to like, like niche or limited appeal etc.
And Z has a habit of bringing up old history for no reason.
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November 26, 2016 at 3:03 PM
“I think you’ve fooled yourself into believing every review will be positive. It’s typical of your reaction to Fan.”
Lol, you are dumb. That was my prediction on 1st day and it can go wrong. But everyone knows that this is a limited appeal movie and not a universal movie. Can it still disappoint within its target audience, yes it can. But that doesn’t make that lot of them will still end up liking it very much.
You are confusing yourself, I hardly consider DZ a SRK movie and I’ve hardly mentioned about him in my review. I went to watch it more coz of EV which I totally loved and DZ belongs to that unique narrative where there is lot more to it than what appears outline. I can pull out reviews folks getting bored on Lunchbox as well but that doesn’t make it a bad movie.
Below is exact comment from my 1st day review. I just said folks can’t say its a bad movie and at the worst will call it average.
“Some might call it average but majority will be calling it above average and great movie. I felt EV had a wafer thin plot had exception screenplay but at least it had something for everyone to connect to whereas DZ will connect to only multiplex audience and majority of females.”
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November 26, 2016 at 7:30 PM
master,
you are just over exaggerating with srk films as always.
This film will hardly cross 100cr ,its not a material for everyones taste.
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November 26, 2016 at 8:44 PM
“master,
you are just over exaggerating with srk films as always.
This film will hardly cross 100cr ,its not a material for everyones taste.”
Ok.. but who are you?? Did I say this will do 100 crores? Oh, you are one of those who thinks doing 100 crores is the be-all and end-all of success! LMAO!
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November 25, 2016 at 11:17 PM
Not just a relationship saga, here’s why Dear Zindagi is easily one of the finest gender-bender films in Bollywood!
NAYANDEEP RAKSHIT
Relationship story? Rom-com? Love saga? There’s more to Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan’s Dear Zindagi…
In modern day society, the common perception is that women are honest and loyal while the men are cheating, conniving and almost always have a philandering side to them. Gauri turns tables on women and explores the same instances from a woman’s point of view.
…
…
…
And for me, when a filmmaker can get a guy relate to what her female protagonist is going through in her film, that’s a victory. And Gauri has hit it for a home-run!
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-not-just-a-relationship-saga-here-s-why-dear-zindagi-is-easily-one-of-the-finest-gender-bender-films-in-bollywood-2276925
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November 26, 2016 at 5:03 AM
IMHO, the movie is at least 45 mins too long. Bits and pieces of comic relief or the occasional though-provoking one-liner fails to create any lasting emotional connect with the issues gnawing Alia’s mind. Alia’s performances is good, SRK is a bit wasted. Gauri Shinde tries too hard and fails to have the audience derive symbolism from dialogs/events. With the languid pace and limping dragging proceedings, IMHO, this could’ve been a 3 part serial on TV instead of being a nearly 2.5 Hr overdose of psycho-therapy.
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November 26, 2016 at 7:33 AM
Wow! and i thought I was alone in my thoughts qua the movie. I second your thoughts, and brilliantly summed up the movie for me.
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November 26, 2016 at 9:21 AM
TY Rooneybhai.
Maybe Ive become too old, and jaded for the whimsical forcefed new-agish offerings of these supposed hot-n-happening directors. But my 15 yr old daughter was not too impressed either. And she generally enjoys all of Alia as well as SRK outings. Gauri simply could not create an emotional connect.
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November 26, 2016 at 1:14 PM
DZ’s saturday’s collection to be more than Friday’s collections. Expecting 10 crores and Sunday advance looks great. Weekend will cross 30+ and majority of the job is done for this kind of movie.
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November 26, 2016 at 2:04 PM
Watching DZ now. I absolutely loved English Vinglish. I personally thought it was an outright classic. Not one scene out of place. I found it inspirational and very entertaining.
I’m not giving up on the DZ yet, but I don’t feel as much engaged with its theme. Also, I don’t agree with people who say there are no false notes in the film. i already see many, and I can’t say there are no cliches. I will be able to talk more after i see the whole film. But so far – a bit dull.
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November 26, 2016 at 2:56 PM
I agree that ‘theme’ is not universal as no one cares about girls moving over depression with breakups and especially if she’s the one cheating. But to be frank even EV theme is not the point for its greatness but the all parts of the sum are fantastic even though its quite linear narrative and works well to sum it up.
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November 26, 2016 at 3:04 PM
Please post your comments after watching the movie.
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November 26, 2016 at 3:42 PM
I liked EV a lot. There wasn’t much not to like, Sridevi was lovely in her portrayal of an unappreciated mother & her determination to better herself to win back her children & husband was done quite breezily without the traps of falling for that French fella. Obviously the Vinglish part itself was humorous. Growing up in a western society where ones English is usually superior to ones parents, one can identify with a lot but also sympathize.
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November 26, 2016 at 5:41 PM
Did not care for DZ at all. I found the whole film an absurd over-reaction of a whiny 21-year-old. Frankly, i could not identify with her problems at all, because there wasn’t anything to sympathise with her.
Spoiler alert: Even her so called big tragedy of her parents leaving her with the grandparents as a child is such a non-issue. It hardly qualifies as cruelty. That is a very common situation and many parents are forced by circumstances to leave a child with the grandparents. Most children don’t grow up with any ill-feeling.
I found Alia’s character annoying because she refuses to be grateful for anything she has:
– nice, generous friends, who are willing to suffer her moodiness and self-absorbed nature. They let her stay with them, serve her chai and food all the time.
-a maid at her beck and call
-indulgent parents who are at the receiving end of their daughter’s ire and temper tantrums
– fawning boyfriends who she bosses around, screams at or cheats on
It’s hard to like a film of this kind where the central character is not endearing at all. There are many moments in the film that I liked. But as a sum, it didn’t hold for me.
I thought SRK was wasted. Great that he led support to this film, but I don’t believe it is anywhere in the league of a EV. Kapoor & Sons was more poignant and realistic in comparison.
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November 27, 2016 at 1:47 AM
PS. On the spoiler. Having not seen it is she just living with them or occasionally being left with them?
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November 27, 2016 at 7:54 AM
@jayshah (spoilers)
In her childhood between age 2-8 they leave her for professional reasons and go abroad. They funnier don’t respond to her letters. They also get a second child and feel that having Alia with them is difficult.
@sandy- precisely what I thought about the flick. The reason for her behaviour didn’t translate that good in film and lacked depth or real pain. Also you correctly point out that she is not grateful abt so many things.
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November 26, 2016 at 5:52 PM
I thought SRK would finally have a great film after a disappointing few years. This film is not going to be particularly useful in that respect.
As for Alia, the film won’t hurt her. But I don’t see it helping her either. it’s not going to enhance her appeal as an actress in the way Piku did for Deepika or Jab We Met did for Kareena. The film is just too trivial with a character that ties herself in knots with imagery problems. The bigger disappointment is that Gouri Shinde does not treat her central character with enough irony so as to detach her character from the film. Shinde appears too much on her whiny character’s side to do her script justice.
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November 27, 2016 at 7:58 AM
Actually I felt this was going to be the TZP moment for SRK. But as always his script sense makes him badly suffer. Nothing extraordinary or worth remembering about his character or the guy he plays. His intro was good. But then it failed to charm.
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November 26, 2016 at 7:33 PM
Dear Zindagi review: SRK offers many life tips but the film fails to inspire
Dear Zindagi
Director: Gauri Shinde
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Ali Zafar, Angad Bedi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Yashwasini Dayama and Ira Dubey
Rating: 2/5
http://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/dear-zindagi-review-shah-rukh-khan-is-charming-but-this-life-is-unreal/story-Q2qdCtY4pO2rBQzj39ZEHN.html
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November 26, 2016 at 9:16 PM
So the general consensus has finally arrived after the initial overwhelming positive reviews from the industry people. such reactions must be taken with a pinch of salt. It seems the makers wanted to create a fake positive WOM right at the beginning to create positive results at the box office. If the film is good, the makers let the movie speak for itself, like in case of CDI where that film was hardly talked about pre-release.
so the impression im getting from the general public seems to be that the film, except for some well written dialogue and moments, is unnecessarily long, talky and dull.
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November 26, 2016 at 11:28 PM
Some people have liked it including Rajen sir! But yes the reviews have been mixed; more on negative side from users.
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November 26, 2016 at 11:30 PM
Also CDI released in pre social media era and Satyam used to write book length reviews 🙂
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November 27, 2016 at 12:17 AM
“It seems the makers wanted to create a fake positive WOM right at the beginning to create positive results at the box office. If the film is good, the makers let the movie speak for itself,”
Totally disagree. Can the industry folks just praise it as they really liked or just out of courtesy? How can that be a plan for longterm? None of the big celebs have seen it anyways. For creating boxoffice results.. almost all of boxoffice sites were talking about 9 to 9.5 crore 1st day opening and suddenly RedChillies and Dharma announced 1st day as 8.75 crore as official figures. They didn’t shoot it up like other producers do it very often.
By starting promotions exactly 1 month before its release, it was always depended upon WOM and that will be the case even now.
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November 26, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Same problem with Kabhi Alvida na kehana. In that film issue between couples were frivilous. That is why no sympathy with characters. I haven’t seen Dear Zindagi yet. But by reviews it seem the issues with Alia is forced or 1st world problem as sandy rightly put that it your parents left you to your grand parents it is not that big issue.
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November 27, 2016 at 12:19 AM
“it your parents left you to your grand parents it is not that ‘big issue’.”
People with such thinking and especially parents with such thinking SURELY need to watch DZ! You will learn a bit or two about its impact.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:14 AM
In Canada where I live, parents start leaving their 4-month olds at day care. Somebody mentioned first-world problems. First-world parents would be overjoyed to get grandparents to take care of a child for a few years. However, even grandparents here are busy with their lives or even working to necessarily make time.
Grandparents are always considered a safe bet in comparison with boarding schools, which Alia’s parents could have considered. The situation is different from TZP where the child is autistic and emotionally brittle for the kind of macho, oppressive environment he is brought into.
I was disappointed that Shinde manufactured a flimsy problem to justify Alia’s state.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:35 AM
I would much rather have my children staying with grandparents, then a nursery. In fact we do both. Grandparents provide tremendous cultured grounding, nursery a social dynamic. Childcare is ridiculously expensive, it’s a second wage.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:51 AM
Nursery is prohibitively expensive and I also feel for the kids (1-4) who are cooped up in the house/day care during the long winter months here.
For those reasons, I’d take the option of letting my 2-year old spend a few months in India with my parents.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:57 AM
My son was 6 months and we threw him into nursery. He learns a lot from older baby’s/ toddlers. But I do agree if given a choice upbringing with grandparents would be my preference. It’s safer, cultured and more secure.
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November 27, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Infants have low immunity; so it is always preferable to have them at home.
As they grow older, they learn from older kids. So I think Nursery is fine.
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November 27, 2016 at 10:20 AM
“I was disappointed that Shinde manufactured a flimsy problem to justify Alia’s state.”
Disagree. I don’t think Gauri Shinde is that type of filmmaker. She has no reason to do it. I personally believe ‘it’ is widely followed in India(and can be connected well to audience) and hence it she put it out there how it can impact shaping up a child’s personality. Not every child will get on its negative impact but it can surely impact developing personality of children(which is like one of the main points in the movie).
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November 27, 2016 at 12:27 AM
This movie shows box office pull of SRK still remains intact despite delivering a series of duds . This is what separates Khans from other actors. They operate at a different level compare to Akshay/ Ajay etc.
Less promotions , niche subject , less screens, demonetization effect still a 10 crore opening kudos!!
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November 27, 2016 at 12:37 AM
Don’t forget overseas collections! Alia Bhatt’s biggest hits (2 states and Badrinath) collects lifetime $3 million and now one of her niche films ‘DZ’ collects $4 million in just 1st weekend. Difference? 🙂
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November 27, 2016 at 12:50 AM
So, as I said above, 2nd day is very strong all over.
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November 27, 2016 at 12:51 AM
I will say it again here.. Sunday will be 13.5 to 14 crores.
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November 27, 2016 at 1:08 AM
Dear Zindagi Shows Strong Growth On Day Two
Dear Zindagi had solid second day growth of around 30% as it grossed around 11.25 crore nett taking its two day total to 20 crore nett apprx. This is a very good second day number considering that the film opened well due to the presence of Shahrukh Khan. The fact that Saturday is the main day for premium multiplexes also helped its cause. The growth on Sunday will be less as the cinemas where it is scoring don’t collect well on the Sunday late evening and night shows. Still it will be a 32 crore nett type weekend and that is a big figure for this film. The film managed to do better in North India than day one but it is South, Mumbai (Exc. Gujarat / Saurashtra) and West Bengal where the film is faring well. The collections for the first two days are as follows.
Friday – 8,75,00,000
Saturday – 11,25,00,000
TOTAL – 20,00,00,000
The film is a success but still the film is a content film so it has to do more than just ride on the star pull of Shahrukh Khan as the content has to also work and for that Monday is crucial. Monday will tell if the film has found appreciation with that limited audience of premium multiplexes in the metros.
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November 27, 2016 at 7:05 AM
It’s amusing the desperation with which BOI say it’s about ‘the star power of SRK’ multiple times in every writeup on this film’s box office. Not that I’m surprised but this kind of emphasis always reveals the obvious anxiety. It’s one thing to say this in a debate or something. Not sure ‘who’ they’re addressing!
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November 27, 2016 at 7:27 AM
Master, I’m going to address some of your comments on this here. First off I’ll say a bit tongue-in-cheek that you’re not expecting a 100 here, you didn’t think ADHM needed to do much more than a 100, I must say you’re a man of low expectations these days!
But leaving this aside I do agree that 100 cannot be the bar for DZ. However if a film does 35 crores over the first weekend as this is quite likely to that’s certainly a reasonably expectation. Specially when you had a film like Piku that started much lower and did 80 or so. Pink did less than this of course but again started low. Now it’s fair to say those films were stupendously praised, this isn’t in that category. But that’s true for any film that doesn’t live upto expectations. suddenly this strange category is introduced and often selectively where beyond the face value of a film and everything it’s normally expected to do we start saying ‘oh it would have done more had it been liked more’. Well duh…! We shouldn’t play this BOI game where the star is given 100% credit for the opening (at least some stars) but later ‘hey it’s about content’. Well this too is true in every case! Using this argument no star who reaches a certain threshold ever has a flop! DZ in any case would be on course for a 100 if it were liked enough. Maybe it has been and it will do this, maybe it won’t because WOM is mixed. Either way the latter is not an excuse after this sort of opening.
I’d say more broadly though that one must evaluate these things with some conviction and frankly honesty. Before release or even after (if things don’t work out) one keeps setting the lowest possible bar for one’s star. But after release it proves ‘star value’ even if the film half-breathes at the box office! There isn’t a terrible result unless the film is the disaster of the year. There isn’t a bad critical result unless everyone pans the star (which never happens with certain kinds of stars.. we need not get into that discussion here). So one is constantly ‘gaming’ the discussion one way or the other. Box office realities or star standings aren’t really decided based on how we spin these things on blogs!
Yes DZ is a niche film. But what are you expecting? A Kahaani-like total from some years ago (60-65), a bit more than this but not at Piku level? Or more than that but not 100? Or is it again about ‘low expectations’ and celebrate later if the total turns out to be 100 or higher than one expected?! Again SRK’s career doesn’t depend on how you (or anyone else) spins it here. The same for any star fan. Yes we all have our preferences. I’m not saying you shouldn’t hope for SRK’s films to do well. I’m just saying you should be honest about the standards. Yes it’s a small film, yes it’s low budget, yes SRK hasn’t charged anything if reports are to be believed, yes it wasn’t advertised too much. Of course we must ask WHY all of this is the case if not the desperation to somehow get a ‘success’ in a small film. No matter what it does it seems like some kind of success on the economics! It’s not enough to point out these factors. One must also ask the questions.
Incidentally I have nothing against DZ. Whether it does a 100 or whatever or less. Those have never been my absolute standards one way or the other and I’ve argued about this many times. But you can’t keep gaming the discussion. And it’s not about SRK either because I said the same about ADHM recently.
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November 27, 2016 at 10:15 AM
“First off I’ll say a bit tongue-in-cheek that you’re not expecting a 100 here, you didn’t think ADHM needed to do much more than a 100, I must say you’re a man of low expectations these days!”
I’ll also repeat again which I’ve been saying like forever. Firstly my expectation from ADHM prior to release was 125 crores and I know it wasn’t on same format as YJHD. Anyways, it ended up doing just over 100cr. So, it can be termed disappointing but then so does every film will be if you have expectations to the highest level of WOM.
Yes, every film optimally need to do its best but it can’t. Majority of the films you keep mentioning are movies where WOM was like 100% positive. Always bringing out Kahaani, Piku, TZP, CDI etc doesn’t really help the argument. If the movie is not optimum 100% WOM and doesn’t reflect in its so called trending theory then its a bad movie. But not every movie will be so positive, only few exceptions will be there in every year. WOM can be 100% to 90% to 75% to 50% so on. When only the majority rejects the movie, it will be a disaster but if still majority loves it will trend well enough for it to be success.
There will be many categories from Average to Above Average to Hit to Superhit to Blockbuster. In your mind, if the movie is not a superhit/blockbuster its a flop. ADHM would have been clean big hit at 125 crores but falling short of it at 100 crores doesn’t make it a ‘FLOP’ automatically.
Basically, SRK’s whole career is whole downward trail. I mean, after DDLJ, he never got anything huge hit as such. So, if you start comparing every film following DDLJ to its monumental WOM and blockbuster collection.. then everything is disappointing and are actually FLOPS except CDI which might be the only one in last decade which had 100% WOM.
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November 27, 2016 at 12:36 PM
I think with some of the examples you’ve offered here you’ve proved my point.. yeah I really expect all of SRK’s films to be like DDLJ..! and yeah I expect 100% positive WOM everytime..!
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November 27, 2016 at 1:28 PM
” you’ve proved my point.”
I always do that as I understand you very well.
“” yeah I really expect all of SRK’s films to be like DDLJ..! and yeah I expect 100% positive WOM everytime..!”
Maybe I should accept you as you die-hard SRK fan inside and bigger than the best out there! 🙂
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November 27, 2016 at 3:26 AM
I still feel it is not that big issue if reason is genuine. There is popular perception in india that BETE (son)se pyara POTA (Grand childrens) and BHAI se pyara BHATIJA..Grand parentes take good cure to thier garand childrens. I know many child who love to go to thier grand parentes (Dada-Dadi or Nana-Nani).
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November 27, 2016 at 8:41 AM
If the movie is as bad as some of the usual people here are saying, then I expect a big drop today. If not today then definitely tomorrow.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:04 AM
It was only a few reviews from the usual people who claimed it was a masterpiece. Look at reviews from The Indian Express, Rajeev Masand, Anupama Chopra, and many other respectable news outlets. They are far less than positive. Masand gives it 2 and a half. That should tell you that the film is not enjoying the kind of critical acclaim so vital to smaller, niche subjects of this kind.
A film like DZ doing well at the BO is always a good sign, because it shows there’s an audience for meaningful and niche subjects. More films like these will be made, and we would have to suffer less of Salmal Khan. I don’t grudge DZ its BO at all. Whether it has long legs or not will tell you if it was liked enough.
But going by reviews itself, you know it’s not in the EV/Piku/TZP league critically. And that to me, personally, is a let-down.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:42 AM
If I’m going to a theatre, I’ll take Salman anyday over EV/piku/tzp 🙂
Movies like DZ or EV, i’ll watch it at home.
But you can’t deny the fact that there are usual people on this blog who wants DZ to fail. it doesn’t take much to figure that out by reading comments. So my comment was more around that point.
If the movie is as bad as some of the usual people here are saying, then I expect a big drop today. If not today then definitely tomorrow.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:54 AM
But you can’t deny the fact that there are usual people on this blog who wants DZ to ‘succeed’. it doesn’t take much to figure that out by reading comments.
If the movie is as ‘good’ as some of the usual people here are saying, then I expect a big ‘increase’ today. If not today then definitely tomorrow.
Additionally I suspect the comments are aimed at me. If the films a success I.e. to me that is by definition (my expectations) trends well than it deserves a lot of credit. If it’s a first weekend/week movie, I stand by my usual stance regardless of audience limits.
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November 27, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Films like Queen, Piku, Pink etc had wider releases and trended well. Even her last film trended well. All can be termed as ‘limited’ audience. Cherry picking what is success and what isn’t is not worth it. BOI continuously discriminates against these films success but has all of a sudden supported DZ. Why???
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November 27, 2016 at 10:23 AM
“If the movie is as ‘good’ as some of the usual people here are saying, then I expect a big ‘increase’ today.”
I already told on Sat that Sunday will be 13 to 14 crores. You’ll know it tomorrow. Make what you can out of it!
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November 27, 2016 at 10:30 AM
I’ve always maintained, first Monday is way more important than any number. Today obvious it will be higher than Saturday. That itself is not groundbreaking, most films do this. Even Force 2 did. But it’s Mon figure dictated a lot more about overall performance.
One has to decide what model they are most invested in. Biggest start/best trend is optimal. Then one is either happy with best start possible or best trend possible. I’ve always been latter ignoring the superficial trade classifications and where eventual total finishes. The trade sees verdicts as total business. I see verdicts as more indicative to audience perception.
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November 27, 2016 at 10:55 AM
“Today obvious it will be higher than Saturday. That itself is not groundbreaking, most films do this.”
Yes but you are ignoring the part where everyone said there can’t be much growth after 1st day’s collection. But when it adds 30% increase on Saturday, you just forget it easily! NOT every movies does that, isn’t it?
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November 27, 2016 at 11:00 AM
Well if it shows good growth today, no reason why the hold on Monday can’t be decent yea?
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November 27, 2016 at 11:47 AM
Actually I am not sure how it grew so much on Saturday. Practically everyone I spoke too didn’t like it. Maybe I am not speaking to the target audience but these are the same people who liked pink neerja etc. The numbers this has put till now are very good occupancy wise.
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November 27, 2016 at 12:21 PM
“Practically everyone I spoke too didn’t like it.”
Krrish, are you checking with folks in Bihar? 😀 J/K.
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November 27, 2016 at 10:26 AM
“But going by reviews itself, you know it’s not in the EV/Piku/TZP league critically. And that to me, personally, is a let-down.”
That is very fair expectation but I would consider EV and DZ in the same league and Piku just little more(it has more repeat viewing coz of humor) and TZP is completely different league.
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November 28, 2016 at 8:48 AM
@sandyi” More films like these will be made, and we would have to suffer less of Salmal Khan”
I don’t know if you watch CNWK, Dr Mashoor Gulati there would rightly say – Aisey kaun bolta hai Salman ke baare mein bhai…..
…and don’t tell me you have transformed from a Sandyi of Pune to a “Sundy” of Canada and doing a Akshay of Housefull 3
Girish Johar @girishjohar 4h4 hours ago
“I am dying to show my film to @BeingSalmanKhan.”- says @aamir_khan #Dangal
Yeh hai Jalwa !
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November 27, 2016 at 10:56 AM
Amitabh Bachchan’s courtroom drama Pink
earned immense love and attention when it opened to theatres on September 16. On Friday, Big B shared that Pink has been invited for a special screening at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Pink is a vivid documentation of the harassment faced by three working women placed in New Delhi.
http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/amitabh-bachchans-pink-invited-for-special-screening-at-un-headquarters-1630830?pfrom=home-movies
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November 27, 2016 at 11:27 AM
‘Dear Zindagi’ Isn’t Just Beautiful, It’s A Precious Film For Indian Cinema
Cinema isn’t always about perfect whistle-blowing moments, teary goodbyes and high octane climaxes. Sometimes, it’s just about sitting back and watching life unfurl itself in front of you, life as you know it. Life as we all know it – life that surprises, life that disappoints, life that complicates. Gauri Shinde’s ‘Dear Zindagi’ is just that – a slice of life that digs up questions that haunt most of us, troubles that cloud our very existence and a warm, tight hug all of us need but never ask for. Oh no, it’s not perfect. But it was important for ‘Dear Zindagi’ to be made. Like the much recent ‘Pink’. Because films aren’t always about entertaining. Cinema is as much about social commentaries and relatable portrayals of real life, as it is about mystical tales and larger-than-life love stories.
‘Dear Zindagi’ is a much-needed dialogue on mental health that is spoken of only in hushed words in real life, if at all. The film finally makes it okay to talk about it, to ask for help, to not being fine. Alia Bhatt’s Kaira makes you realize how natural it is to crumble and how it could happen to the best of us and more importantly, how it’s okay, important rather, to seek therapy. It’s a disease and, like most other diseases, can be cured with the right prescription of perspective and understanding. Even at understanding Kaira’s mental imbalance, the film never categorizes it as ‘depression’— a word that’s now used as a blanket term for any and every mental illness. You never feel the need to label Kaira’s condition, you don’t know what it is, all you know is you’ve felt the same at some point in life and you know how crippling it can be. Gauri Shinde leaves it at that and that’s exactly what makes it so much more relatable.
….
….
….
Watch this film not because it’s perfect but because it’s the cheapest therapy session you’ll ever get. Watch it because Kaira is everyone of us and her problems deserve to be spoken about. Watch it because it’s not very often that a Bollywood film shows you life like it really is. Watch it because it might just make dealing with your own ‘zindagi’ a little better, if nothing else. And watch it for Alia Bhatt, because this girl is at beyond marvelous in the film.
http://www.mensxp.com/entertainment/gossip/33552-dear-zindagi-isn-t-just-beautiful-it-s-a-precious-film-for-indian-cinema.html
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November 27, 2016 at 2:46 PM
I agree with the above write up about the film. It felt like coming out of a therapy session yourself at the end of the film..
it is something those who went with me also agreed!
and having someone as SRK guiding you through life’s problems surely helped..if there was an extended cameo which justified a superstar presence, this was it!
At the same time I agree with some who said her problems weren’t that grave, at least most of those were created by herself. She was having a successful career if not a successful love life, wasn’t driven away by her family , nor was having financial problems apparently.
And then her behavior issues are shown due to some childhood trauma bcos of her parents leaving..well, quite possible. it is something that different persons may react to in different ways, so some members here dismissing quoting out their own examples is weird, bcos you would only know that for sure when the examples quoted grow up and give their view on it! The character in the movie Bhulbulaiyya (which in turn was remade from Malayalam) had the same reason given for her even more serious condition while the character in Monsoon wedding had a more serious childhood trauma for lesser after effects. Anyways, my point is that, it varies, so those who are justifying leaving children’s responsibility with others after deciding to have them, hope for the best!
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November 27, 2016 at 3:48 PM
Thanks for your comments and feedback.
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November 27, 2016 at 7:51 PM
Much like the “tragedy” in the film, the humour too is forced I thought. Kaira’s uncle says “lebanese” instead of lesbian. That IS funny, except the uncle and aunt seem very fluent in English to make that mistake. There’s also a comment where the aunt excitedly asks Kaira about Salman’s abs. Frankly, Kaira’s family looks every bit like the intellectual class audience that Shinde is trying to aim for DZ, who are least likely to be impressed by Salman Khan.
These may be small things but they affect credibility of the script.
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November 28, 2016 at 1:56 AM
Agree. In fact that ‘Lebanese’ joke was blatantly copied from ‘Bend It Like Beckham’. In BendIt the dialog worked bcoz it was blurted out by an non English speaking old Sikh Aunty in London. Here it was really forced as the characters are latter shown to be speaking perfect English.
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November 27, 2016 at 9:25 PM
gulf is like the bihar of india when it comes to audience tastes
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November 27, 2016 at 11:37 PM
Point? Is DZ running same in Bihar as in Gulf??
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November 28, 2016 at 1:13 AM
wasn’t the superb Akshay Kumar’s Jaanwar a blockbuster in Bihar? The movie has grown so much. If it were to release in 2006, it would have an All India Hit. What Bihar accepted in 90s, rest of the world did later with masala movie, and Salman benefited from it.
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November 27, 2016 at 11:48 PM
Shahid’s half-brother Ishaan Khattar and Sridevi’s daughter Jhanvi Kapoor has been finalized for the SAIRAT remake!
Must say the kid can pass off as poor hero in Sairat and Jhanvi can portray the leading girl’s role good. Not the worst casting and appears to be good for now!
For now director is not finalized but most probably – Shashank Khaitan (of Humpty Sharma) might direct. Producer is Karan Johar.
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November 28, 2016 at 8:30 AM
Both Ishaan and Jhanvi seemed forced entry into bollywood though they may pass off with their low key project.
Gentlemen, welcome another addition. At Least the look is smart and hope dialogue delivery is much better than his dad.
Suniel Shetty @SunielVShetty 7h7 hours ago
God owes us nothing but gives us everything. Always stay grounded Ahan. Welcome to the beautiful world of films. Always there for you. Papa.
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November 28, 2016 at 12:57 AM
Those who dont like economics turn away 🙂
The movie has done 4mn overseas which is roughly 27 crs. The cost of distribution was 31cr. This movie will be a hit just on overseas collection alone economic wise…
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November 28, 2016 at 1:16 AM
How?
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November 28, 2016 at 2:36 AM
To put this in perspective, let’s compare this with Shivaay(which had more supporters than DZ on here).
DZ 1st weekend overseas = 27.5 crores
Shivaay LIFETIME overseas = 9.5 crs.
Ajay Devgn should be ashamed of even releasing his movies overseas. When his dream project and biggest budgeted movie can’t get ppl to come out, he has no business to release his other regular releases abroad.
Incidently I was part of the audience to watch Shivaay on big screen!
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November 28, 2016 at 6:31 AM
What if the film made 35 crores overseas an 0 in India? Still a hit?
The economics of a film in any case does not work that way. Surprised you don’t know this very basic thing. The distribution is ‘cut up’ into pieces. There is a distributor, sometimes many. Then it is sub-distributed further. Sometimes even within a sub-territory small percentages or areas are given to others. Now I’m not saying it is this complicated for a smaller film like DZ but the point is that the overall distribution cost doesn’t mean very much. A producer can make money this way (but then a producer can make a table profit even before the film is released) but not every distributor if the film doesn’t work well everywhere. The Bihar distributor doesn’t care if the film is doing well in NJ unless someone is going to reimburse him for his loss! By the way I’ve made this point for years. One of the many reasons why box office reporting is utter fiction. The trade too knows better and deliberately advances this kindergarten version of film distribution.
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November 28, 2016 at 6:45 AM
even when a film has one all India distributor (Yashraj or whatever) that doesn’t mean that there aren’t very many sub-distributors.
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November 28, 2016 at 10:24 AM
Yeah ofcourse I don’t mean it is a hit if it just does overseas. All I was saying it that it has done phenomenally well overseas visavis the size of the film..
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November 28, 2016 at 6:34 AM
I so much like the yesteryear’s definition of Hits – Silver Jubilee (25 weeks non stop run in a theatre) Hit, Golden Jubilee Hit, Diamond Jubilee hits etc.
These were so transparent than the current 100/200 Cr Hits.
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November 28, 2016 at 6:41 AM
I agree, because longevity always provides real evidence of success.
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November 28, 2016 at 6:54 AM
BOI are now coming up with more spin for DZ. It opened bigger than Pink but don’t expect it to do more because the audience for these films is finite. Yes but ‘finite’ could be 70, it could also be 90. How do we know that what Piku did is the absolute limit of what such a film can do let alone Pink? So first there was the spin that SRK is such a big star that this film got a big opening (said it multiple times in every piece.. hey what’s the anxiety about?). But now given that opening one should nonetheless not expect a greater gross! because there are only 10 people interested in such film. In the case of Pink or Piku 2 showed up the first day and the rest later. With DZ 6 showed up on day 1 so there are only 4 more to go. Honestly I’d have a low opinion of a 7 year old who bought such stuff. Based on their narrative the film doing 100 should be an impossibility! But of course if it does they’ll have a different spin for it.
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November 28, 2016 at 7:33 AM
This is not clever stuff. Finite business LOL!
People who believe this stuff please predict the finite business of Dangal NOW! Or any other film! There is some kind of limit in theory i.e. its not plausible for a complete outlier like 1,000 crore for domestic business or in USA for a film to do $10bn. But this limit business is all BS, a cover-up to smokescreen poor performers into good ones.
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November 28, 2016 at 6:49 AM
for various reasons the jubilee standard is a hard one for today’s times but as Jay said ‘longevity’ is still a perfectly reasonable criterion and films even today show this. This is why the biggest openers on day 1 or 2 or whatever are usually not the biggest grossers. Similarly so at the lower end. The Piku trending for example. But in Hollywood too they look at trending and hence longevity for every kind of release. In South India again they look at the same. Bombay cinema hasn’t discovered different laws of economics! This is just plain fiction (and not very good fiction at that) that has been peddled for years by the trade and others (though the trade in their journals usually come up with very different ratings that in the stuff they say in the media, again in past years many examples have been provided of this). In any case whoever advances this version (trending, film distribution etc) either doesn’t know or isn’t being honest. There is simply no other possibility.
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November 28, 2016 at 1:36 AM
Current ranking of stars after the superb opening of Dear Zindagi because of SRK and decent (only) show by ADHM & Shivaay:
No 1 – Salman Khan
No 2 – Shahrukh Khan
No 3 – Aamir Khan
No 4 – Akshay Kumar
No 5 – Ranbir Kapoor
No 6 – Ajay Devgn
No 7 – Ranveer Singh
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November 28, 2016 at 1:37 AM
Correction: No 6 – Hrithik; No 7 – Ajay Devgn; No 8 – Ranveer Singh
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November 28, 2016 at 9:06 AM
Naveen your list needs major corrections at the moment and first place 1-10 to Salman and then start your list.
Meanwhile I don’t know if anyone watches ‘The Golden Years with Javed Akhtar’ on Zee TV. I happened to catch episodes of 1969 – 70 -71 and was amazed by Rajesh Khanna dominance at the theatre. Shame on Naseeruddin Shah to comment on him on public platform and kudos to Salim Khan to have given a perfect response to him.
Look at this dominance and as per Javed Akhtar most were smash hits –
1969 Aradhana
1969 Ittefaq
1969 Doli
1969 Bandhan
1969 Do Raaste
1970 Khamoshi
1970 The Train
1970 Sachaa Jhutha
1970 Safar
1971 Kati Patang
1971 Anand
1971 Aan Milo Sajna
1971 Andaz
1971 Maryada
1971 Chhoti Bahu
1971 Haathi Mere Saathi
1971 Guddi
1971 Mehboob Ki Mehndi
1971 Badnaam Farishte
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November 28, 2016 at 10:20 AM
“I happened to catch episodes of 1969 – 70 -71 and was amazed by Rajesh Khanna dominance at the theatre.”
yes.. which is why you think Salman is the beginning and end of all things.
Incidentally a number of those films were not quite hits but ok given their offbeat status and so on. He was absolutely dominant in that period but not all of those films are successes except in a very loose sense (and of course this doesn’t take away anything from is astonishing run). But one must be precise. Guddi isn’t even a Rajesh Khanna film! He just makes a brief appearance. In Andaz though he had a show stealing part it was nonetheless a guest appearance. In any case no star before Bachchan had ever been this dominant at any point in time. Of course it ended for him very soon. But this is a good place to again start learning what a real superstar is!
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November 28, 2016 at 10:58 AM
I compiled the list from Wikipedia for those years as Javed Akhtar talked about them in his episodes of 69-70-71. I believe Javed Akhtar has done few other TV episodes on Classic / Bollywood Legends etc, but here I am referring to the current one being telecast which features songs (1950-1975). Since he is a bollywood veteran it is very interesting to hear all those back stories behind each song / lyrics and musical compositions.
Just going by sheer number of movies done by him within this short span needs to be commended and bollywood must have been very organized to let him churn out so many releases. To be frank, I never liked RK growing up and always wondered about all the fuss discussed in the later years. However with time esp since anti establishment is a bit passe nowadays and of course through availability of multiple movie channels / Youtube etc one realises the reasons for such craze for him. Today when I watch Aamir I see him copying his distinct style and there are a lot many glimpses of him when aamir is doing a romantic turn. (Don’t jump on me and watch Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin to know what I mean)
Salman is in a different league altogether and endured the test of times for last 27 years and getting stronger by each day! Come to think all this is excluding the blockbuster years spent on TV which is entering 9th year starting with Dus Ka Dum in 07-08!
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November 28, 2016 at 12:31 PM
Most actors in those days did very many films. On Salman this is his strongest phase ever and by far. He’s never been remotely close to this sort of thing at any point in his career, not even when he started out and had a number of successes at that point. Again I could almost go film by film with you and tell you how each one did. Much as for many years before Wanted he was more or less in the wilderness. Yes he’s survived. But no one half significant among his contemporaries hasn’t. Devgan and Akshay are still around. Historically a number of Bollywood actors hung around forever. Now you cannot survive that long if you’re mediocre at every single point (in box office terms). there have to be highs at different points. What Salman has done since Dabanng is uncanny in that stars don’t begin to have their very best careers at his age. But that’s a very different claim than saying ‘he’s been going strong for 27 years’. Because the latter is fiction. SRK on the other hand has been a more traditional star in this sense. Was dominant at the right age and generated enough of an audience base to remain major even with lots of indifferent or poor results over years. So a loss in standing but he isn’t a nobody. Aamir since Lagaan is also a very different sort of star but again he started this process much younger. The Salman thing is unusual. But it is singular only when judged the right way. If one says foolish things like ‘he’s been dominant for 27 years’ then one flattens out the singularity. But then this is a game the SRK fans play also. ‘Hey the Khans have been around this long’ or ‘they had this many hits after 50’ or whatever. The former I’ve debunked many times (this whole communal club labeling, consciously or otherwise). On the second longevity isn’t everything. Let’s take your Rajesh Khanna example. His rise is the stuff of legend but so is his fall. He then did films for many years but he was secondary to a number of other stars. he just stopped being any sort of box office factor beyond a point. However that doesn’t take away from his insular superstardom. So yes Dharmendra was successful much longer than Rajesh Khanna but Dharmendra was never as successful as Rajesh Khanna at that point. There isn’t even a comparison on this score. Longevity matters but so does magnitude. But again one must be willing to ‘see’ facts to understand this. If you create equations explicitly designed to favor your favorite star that has no meaning. So a star having a big hit after 40 or 50 or before 30 or 25 or whatever isn’t by itself remarkable. Nor is surviving for 30 years even as a significant star. So Jeetendra and Dharmendra both survived for three decades or more. Dharmendra was generally more successful than Jeetendra (though not always) but that doesn’t itself make Dharmendra extraordinary. Again Salman’s current run is truly unusual precisely because nothing in his past is like it. The final thing I’d say is that it’s not only about the box office but also cultural meaning. Rajesh Khann’s box office is already stunning for that period but the culture he was all on his own cannot really be easily understood much less quantified. There are things that transcend even a great box office career.
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November 28, 2016 at 1:01 PM
I somehow agree with satyam to some extent that rajesh khanna ” would ended for him very soon “, I disagree there because when roti was released in 74,amitabh already had his first major blockbuster ” zanzeer ” then followed Benaam and majboor both were average earners but rajesh khanna still dominated after roti with super-hits like pyaar ki khahani,prem nagar,chaila babu ,although the latter was his last superhit and that time amitabh was much in command post Deewar and not including sholay as some might argue that dharmendra was the main hero,amitabh started to give hits after 1976,like khoon pasina,hera pheri,kabhi kabhi,adalat and 1977 saw a major movement of superstar in decline and rise,1977 was major turning point, parvarish and amar akbar anthony brought something unique and public saw a star (Amitabh ) that even amitabh was surprised as how far but very near to be the next superstar.
Rajesh khanna was from 1969-1977 as superstar
Amitabh 1977-1992
salman khan as seen he was always as like dharmendra or jeetendra but he has surprided me aswell.
srk 1993-2008 as undisputed superstar.
looks like amir khan & salman khan a late surge in bollywood post 2009 still cannot match what amiatbh and srk has achieved in bollywood film industry…although salman is giving srk run for his money…can salman khan continue the level what others have not and maybe amir has that answer but surely srk as reign of dominat khan is truly over….somehow overseas market all 3 khans are neck to neck,very hard to seperate all….
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November 28, 2016 at 1:21 PM
The nuance to uninterrupted run:
1. # of flops and how well they did in spite of being flop.
2. How were contemporaries doing in terms of biggest hits.
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November 28, 2016 at 1:09 PM
rajesh khanna did mini-comeback 1983 with avtaar & souten but amitabh had coolie in his sleeves,his comeback was short lived as his usual flops continued , as we saw amitabh entered politics and rahesh khanna,jackie shroof saw a chance to make a mark in bollywood but as predicted Amitabh still did a film or two and in 1985 his a long waited ” mard ” was released in competion with Ram teri ganga meli…both bacame the blockbusters and chances were soon fading away the likes of khanna & shroff…
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November 28, 2016 at 2:14 PM
@The nuance to uninterrupted run”
I think Salman passes both these criteria with flying colors at the moment. As a matter of fact Salman’s personal life always took precedence to his professional outings otherwise he was a top draw at the box-office most of his innings and never really out of the reckoning. In all fairness his 2003-2008 arc must have been the weakest which he kind of made up by having an extra ordinary inning with a clean cut run.
Among the Khans & Akshays, there is a definite resemblance between a Salman & Dharmendra both in terms of sustained popularity plus there is a spillovers effect due to similarity in looks. One of the wonders of modern cable viewing is allowing one to catch up on all these old songs and TV programs on fast forward mode. But personally I have invariably stopped whenever a Dharmendra song from pre 70s is playing and cannot help but notice the similarities in build and clean cut good looks both these actors possessed in their youth. However Salman is now rewriting all box office history and it’s no more a fluke but a careful chartered course where he has amazingly done two brilliant movies back to back with promise of more to come on the same content driven path.
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November 28, 2016 at 2:33 PM
Like Akshay, Aamir & Salman – SRK too would be part of the arithmetic to the top but at the moment somewhere his ‘sur’ is out of sync. If you follow closely, whenever Aamir praises Salman act these days, he is commending him more for being in character and keeping the right ‘sur’ throughout the movie…..
Audience never wishes to be taken for granted and one needs to remain within the character and not do any frivolous gimmicky act or say a dialogue to sound pontifical and not in line with tone of the movie. I was hoping to catch DZ for Alia but read a very unfavorable line in one of the reviews which held me back since it echoes with irritation to whatever srk does these days.
“More eye-rolls are caused by the dialogues which are straining to be natural, but end up being far too many for much too little. Finally, despite Alia Bhatt’s clear and present spark (she keeps disappearing into the construct of the Fragile, Vulnerable Little Girl, coming up for air only once in a while) and Shah Rukh’s raffish charm (he keeps reaching out for the right `sur’, a mix of gravitas and lightness, and catches it only occasionally, letting us notice the white in his beard: hey, look, there’s a superstar playing his age!)” – Indian Express
Few years back one of the commentator here itself , I think ‘Goodfellas’ had a very valid criticism of SRK which has somewhat stuck on with me and I have never been able to enjoy his movie ever after. He used a term called ‘playacting’ which is so true to what srk is doing these days. For all the outwardly talent and knowing the craft, he has this frivolousness while doing a scene which irks me the most these days. The last I absolutely liked him was in Veer Zara and CDI too but beyond that I am still waiting for him to internalize his act on the screen…….
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November 29, 2016 at 2:05 AM
@Livewire
Being 1-10 is more about how bad other stars are doing than how good you are doing.
Salman has a case to be No 1 and No 2 together as the next 2 stars (SRK and Aamir) are giving half the no of blockbusters in last few years.
However No 1-10 means that all the major hits are given only by Salman. Now if SRK, Aamir or Akshay (off late) had not been so relevant than what they are today, Salman would have got it.
I think Salman is going thru great phase at the moment. I am a big fan of him and love his style and movies.
More than Dharmendra, i will equate him to Rajnikanth.
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November 28, 2016 at 2:00 AM
So now with DZ collections it has been proven that despite DeMonetization there is enough cash liquidity in the market! A movie with mixed reviews wouldve collected more than any of the Diwali releases. Wonder why the Opposition is doing a Bharat Bandh for today??
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November 28, 2016 at 2:27 AM
Master seems to have answer to all such questions. Over to you Sir!
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November 28, 2016 at 2:51 AM
I find it strange to read such comments on here. Everyone posting here us highly educated and yet posts such bland questions.
For example, even if DZ does 100 crores, what would be the footfalls? As it is multiplex film, it’ll be around 50 lakhs max. That is very generous figure as Its just weekend now. Now what % is 50 lakhs out of 125 crores? Not even 0.4% and you gonna decide country’s demonitization effect based on movies? Hilarious!
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November 28, 2016 at 10:34 AM
If Dangal were to release today it would get affected as the movie has more resonance with the interiors…DZ was a multiplex movie so the impact is minimal.
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November 28, 2016 at 4:27 AM
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November 28, 2016 at 4:34 AM
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/mrsfunnybones/black-white-fifty-shades-of-pink/
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November 28, 2016 at 5:16 AM
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1161128/jsp/opinion/story_121635.jsp
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November 28, 2016 at 7:32 AM
Currently, R Ashwin is the best all rounder by a distance. He is at his best but do find him to be capable to be 80% Kumble and 50% Laxman in one. He is a great asset at the moment, bigger than Kohli.
The article humorously gives an equation which sums it all for the all rounder:
Ashwin the all rounder – Ashwin the bowler = Rohit Sharma 😀
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November 28, 2016 at 10:37 AM
Monday looks like 3.25 to 3.50
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November 28, 2016 at 11:24 AM
Toh Bolo Har Har Har Har Har Har !!
Jai Ho Shivay !! Congratulations Team Devgan and Team Bharat !!
On the next day i.e. fifth Saturday, Shivaay witnessed slight rise in its business and added the amount of 0.12 crore* to its account, with which it has entered in the 100 crore club domestically. – See more at: http://boxofficecollection.in/box-office-report/box-office-shivaay-ae-dil-hai-mushkil-30th-day-collection-ajay-devgns-film-enters-in-100-cr-club-22715#sthash.4xGxeJrM.hEMq6l9Z.dpuf
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November 28, 2016 at 11:27 AM
Great achievement by Ajay…single handedly created magic in single screens , and in the real Bharat
I personally don’t care about the overseas BO , but in Bharat he has shown kee Shivay kaun hai aur Fuddu kaun hai !!
Toh bolo Har Har Har Har Har !!
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November 28, 2016 at 1:53 PM
Funny, so only single screen audience is indian and the multiplex audience isn’t?
Or you don’t want to make that case because that would prove fuddu ne ajay ki mar di, not just overseas but in bharat too?
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November 28, 2016 at 2:08 PM
Jahan sey mein dekh raha hoon Fuudu aur uskey desh ney apnee khud hee maar lee !!! LOL
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November 28, 2016 at 2:12 PM
As for Multiplex – I had made that case
ADHM had MNS, Kjo, Ranbir, Anushka, Ash and Fuddu
Shivay- Only Ajay Devgan
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November 28, 2016 at 2:40 PM
This line truly defines Ajay & he is right there with the top guns !!
++
Ajay Devgn @ajaydevgn Nov 22
Against all odds. Still here. 25 years down the line. Only because of all ur love and support. Humbled.
+++
Shivaay for the genre has done extremely well and against all odds of KJO maneuvers and manipulations considering the boxoffice reach of a Diwali release in the last few years.
Even with Robot 2 I am very sure Golmaal 4 will hold its own and comedy track is always a win win during festive time.
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November 28, 2016 at 11:39 AM
Now certain people here may not like Ajay because of his openly nationalistic views , but boy the Bharat wasi loved him and loved Shivay !!
Maza aa gaya !!
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November 28, 2016 at 1:24 PM
If this is magic then just curious, what do you call what salman does in single screens?
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November 28, 2016 at 2:09 PM
Maha Magic…..
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November 28, 2016 at 2:17 PM
Anyhow- I am mighty pleased for Ajay and his team that Shivay has crossed 100 cr. mainly on the basis of SS
Don’t want to get into the usual Tu Tu- mein mein with the usual agenda driven people. So have fun !!
#Go Shivay !!
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November 28, 2016 at 5:45 PM
I’m happy for him too. I don’t really like his acting since it’s about same in all scenes but I’m always for any movie that has success. Success, no matter how small should be praised.
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November 28, 2016 at 8:05 PM
**mainly on the basis of SS**
For a moment I thought you were referring to SATYAMSHOT..
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November 28, 2016 at 2:36 PM
So JayShah, heard you are not taking off your clothes for Salman?
http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/i-wont-be-shedding-my-clothes-in-bigg-boss-10-interview/20161128.htm
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November 28, 2016 at 5:52 PM
LOL! I think we have better options than me on the blog for that!
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November 28, 2016 at 4:24 PM
Rangan has a wonderful piece on DZ:
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November 28, 2016 at 11:17 PM
Rangan’s readings are always a pleasure to read. I’m just excited to see that last of my 3 films are so much in common to his reviews and liking(ADHM, Force 2 and DZ) though obviously his writing skills and understanding of the craft is lot better but overall the understanding is very similar. He gets the good points straight and I really liked out of all intelligent critics out there, he gave Force 2 a chance when others will bash it without even seeing the movie.
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November 28, 2016 at 5:16 PM
Unfortunately, we no longer operate with the same wisdom and discernment as our forefathers. Where they warned of the evils they experienced which “flow from the excess of democracy,”[9] we demand the voice of the people be heard. This difference between a republic and democracy is all but lost in public discourse by conservatives and progressives alike. Those on the left side of the aisle seem to bemoan the fact that the popular vote is ignored. Many don’t like that the representatives, Electors, even exist. They are calling for the abolishment of the Electoral College system completely. Conservatives aren’t much better. They don’t mind that the representatives in a republic exist as long as, contrary to Webster’s definition, no “power is lodged in their representatives.” They want the power in the people directly. The representatives are only there to do what the people demand. They want a democracy, not a republic. They want the power to vote for Skittles for dinner. This is evident by how they approach their legislators. They want them to do X, Y or Z because that is what “we the people” demand. The Constitutionality of it only matters when the legislators are listening to another faction of their constituency.
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November 28, 2016 at 5:36 PM
Spoilers
Just back from Dear Zindagi. It’s the first time I fully watched Alia Bhatt in the cinema (I walked out of Shandaar after 10 mins, saw 2 States on TV) & she is seriously talented. I can only say she is India’s answer to Jennifer Lawrence who is my favourite actress bar none!
The film is brilliant overall. Her journey is wonderfully directed IMO & the certain discussion round her life events being quite nominal are quite harsh. Leaving home for one year, getting no response to any letter from her parents, seeing love adorned on her baby brother and listening to her mother say she can’t look after two children was enough for her to have some level of mental scarring. It’s true she’s quite brattish & unappreciative, spoilt, quite mean but that arc she suffers was quite plausible for me. She’s a rocking actress!!!! And her display throughout was very well keyed.
SRKs best film for nearly a decade for me. His entry is welcome because till that point the film is just charting Alia’s life and misery (both film & audience & Kaira needed him) Interestingly he is like Rangan says playing himself, but there is a ton of wisdom & wit on display through his act & script. Unlike ADHM where he looked haggered and jaded, I felt his pearls of Einstein, philosophical dialogues worked well for him. I’m so glad a cliched ending was avoided, I just want to know what were the eyedrops for?
Gauri Shinde as a follow up to EV weaves another gem. If I have any criticism it is length, film can be shorter. Barring this she has dealt with a sensitive topic in a very professional manner with bags of emotion and humour. Mental health, trauma, depression are tough topics but to deliver in an entertaining manner takes some skill. Total winner for me & audience loved it as did my wife – cried throughout! Don’t take her crying as any endorsement, she’ll cry in most films.
Alia – what a talent! Just hope she makes good choices going forward, only see Kangana as any real threat acting wise, she’s well ahead of Deepika, Priyanka etc.
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November 28, 2016 at 5:41 PM
oh man, movie will crash from tomorrow 🙂
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November 28, 2016 at 7:28 PM
great to get your take Jay.. thanks..
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November 28, 2016 at 8:51 PM
Thanks Jay.. good to you sticking to your checking it out in cinema (especially when you have a little kid yourself). When I kept saying about Alia people make me feel am a fool for praising her. I just praised her in Udta punjab and DZ and she’s beyond awesome in these both movie.
You know.. your review is EXACTLY as my review. I only commented that length can be reduced and nothing else is silly or needed to be cut out. There is hardly any difference and yet folks made fun of me for liking this movie(including you I guess).
Well, anyways at least in my mind.. I’m not unfair in reviewing in any movie as per my mind. I try to give movies fair chance and even went for Shivaay, Mirzya, MohenjoDaro etc on big scren.
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November 28, 2016 at 9:08 PM
I don’t think anyone made fun of your review but of course when you go in defensive mode about the movie, people will dig out all the negatives. We have enough SRK haters (or any star) on the website 😉
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November 28, 2016 at 9:17 PM
If one likes the movie very much, it appears defensive. I don’t think I ever did that to Dilwale or Fan. You can check my history. Moreover I hardly consider DZ as an SRK movie, its a movie for folks who loved EV and in ur same space for me. I loved this for Gauri and Alia. SRK is fine but it didn’t need great histrionics from his side.
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November 28, 2016 at 11:06 PM
Btw Jayshah, just read 2 of my comments about the *childhood trauma* in response to calling it fake/flimsy reason!
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November 28, 2016 at 11:07 PM
*My above comment went into moderation*
Btw, glad that Jayshah didn’t consider that trauma to be flimsy or even filmy!
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November 29, 2016 at 3:03 AM
I wanted to compare this film take on a medical topic to how KJo took to cancer in ADHM, but resisted the temptation. This film hangs that one out to dry IMO.
There was thought given here. The background story was shown in its entirety & provided enough of a punch for me to convinced.
Also I found Alia’s reasons for being ‘her’ far more convincing than Anushka’s.
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November 28, 2016 at 8:17 PM
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November 29, 2016 at 1:13 AM
Dear Zindagi Has Decent Monday
Tuesday 29 November 2016 11.00 IST
Box Office India Trade Network
Dear Zindagi had a decent Monday with a fair hold at around 4.25 crore nett. The film covered a lot of ground over the weekend and the film had to come down to the level of the content of the film and that is what happened on Monday. The inflated weekend numbers due to the star power could never hold as a film of this type has never crossed 5 crore nett on Monday and Dear Zindagi needed that and more for a 40% hold.
The film may not appeal to many but the business model has worked in a big way as profits on this are bigger than other successful films with limited appeal like Neerja and Pink. The film will close with recovery of over 75 crore from all revenue sources while hardly any niche films hit 50 crore. Its also likely that it will follow the path of Neerja and Pink on television and emerge a disaster even though Shahrukh Khan is there as these type of films have no life after the 4-5 week theatrical run is over. The collections for the first four days of Dear Zindagi are as follows.
Friday – 8,75,00,000
Saturday – 11,25,00,000
Sunday – 12,50,00,000
Monday – 4,25,00,000
TOTAL – 36,75,00,000
The North India market had hinted that it was not going to get those holds with a 30-40% drop as a multiplex film needs North India to be strong as these markets hold very well after the weekend. Normally these types depend on word of mouth but here the job was done over the weekend. The first week is likely to close around 46-47 crore nett which despite weekdays having ordinary collections is a big number.
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November 29, 2016 at 1:17 AM
Just to give perspective, Piku which had twice the +ve WOM as DZ had Monday collections as 4.40 crores(after Sunday’s 11.20 crores). But there is no way it will hold like Piku.
Anyways, overall the recovery going over 75 crores from all sources is more than enough for this kind of project. Alia has got extraordinary reviews and acclaim and SRK has benefitted some goodwill by supporting an indie kind of film and doing a supporting role.
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November 29, 2016 at 7:59 AM
compare Piku’s Mon number to the Fri one and then do the same for DZ.. BOI are running the fiction I talked about yesterday..
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November 29, 2016 at 10:22 AM
If this film fails to hold I do not think one can blame it on limited audience. I’d probably pin-point the lack of story revelation in the promos. Promos could have done a bit more to illustrate what this film is about, the social issues it attempts to tackle. There is no reason at all why such a film cannot find a big audience at all. One cannot say the audience don’t understand this stuff when films like TZP/CDI made merry. It’s not dull like Swades *could* be labelled. If we talk in 1st & 3rd world language…this film is pitching itself as a 1st world film, with a 1st world problem and 1st world solution.
However, the issues on display are very universal; sibling rivalry, parental favouritism, parental misguidance, insomnia (pressure), career vs. marriage, parental resentment, partner issues…the list could go on.
It could be the makers are just happy to milk it from a section of the audience that they have portrayed rather than exploring a much wider audience.
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November 29, 2016 at 12:26 PM
It is a bit unusual to talk about target audience only when one casts a megastar. Niche movies can easily transform and reach wider audience if they are well made and immediately turn universal one way or the other. This has been witnessed with Queen & and then recently Pink & Piku. Even a Neerja with deadbeat genre and one known name was able to get the audience with +ve wom. At the moment a 60-65cr lifetime is the bare minimum a srk fan base can get irrespective of the genre. That is the reason srk was all over the promos instead of the other tom, dick & harry cast. Bachchan has been doing this niche stuff for a number of years now and only when the movies had some redeeming factor, they could find an audience otherwise all those Shamitabh, Nishabd were sent to garbage can.
Aside I don’t know why people attach so much value to parallel cinema / niche films etc since there are hardly 2 or 3 standouts in the last 4-5 years. Who wouldn’t want to watch a good riveting movie but after wasting your time and money what do we get at the end……an ego trip of some arsehole of a director with contorted twists & turn to the movie plot as per his own mood swing in the name of realistic cinema and aesthetics. At least commercial cinema we get our money’s worth with some maad-dhaad, dance and song and ogle at some cleavage.
Many may differ with my choices but this is what I ‘personally’ thought of all the hyped niche movies in last 3 or 4 years which I went to see after all the hype & +ve wom –
Queen – Okayish – More hype than substance
EV – Borderline crap. ( Flaws in basic characterization)
Piku – Avg (good build up but poor culmination)
Pink – okay to good
Wazir – poor
Rock On – Hyped crap
Badlapur – below avg
Saala Khadoos – bakwas / wtf
Ferrari Ki Sawaari – childish shit from Hirani and gang
Fan – nonsense and complete waste of resources in 2nd half
Talaash – avg / bordering good
Barfi – excellent
ZNMD – excellent
Paan Singh – Fantastic
The only hatke movies I have truly enjoyed with a fulfilling feel in last few years have been
Tanu Weds Manu – both parts
Khosla Ka Ghosla – an absolute gem
Kahaani – took me by surprise and was truly engrossing.
Jolly LLB : Great
Have not seen Talvar and few other hyped ones……
Looking forward to Kahaani 2 and hope they don’t disappoint !
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November 29, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Lol you are aptly named livewire
With this can you also provide your words on major films too?
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November 30, 2016 at 11:20 AM
@”major films ”
Well I am basically mainstream guy so there are numerous and I don’t even remember all of them, but let’s just say a Lage Raho, 3I, VZ, Golmaal 3 , Bajrangi Bhaijaan , Wanted, Sultan would get a perfect 10 as far as I am concerned among the recent lot.
I never warmed up to Dabangg and few other big star movies except may be a song here or there or few sequences which did it for me in terms of time well spent / paisa wasool.
Real connections and like a diamond in the sky – TZP and DCH. Infact I don’t know why tears came while watching DCH on TV recently. May be missing friends, buddies, true love and generally world has gotten too complicated since I watched that movie…. There are scenes in the movie in Sydney when Aamir is lonely going through a painful parting – (its not only love per se but family, friends and companionship ) Aamir is close to perfection.
I need to stop and not allow sharing more in front of all you shallow people!!
***DCH is running on repeat run on ZeeCinema these days.
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November 29, 2016 at 4:24 AM
Is this article written from a distributor perspective, which is what normally BOI talk about? Or producer?
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November 29, 2016 at 1:35 AM
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November 29, 2016 at 1:50 AM
The prequel to Baby. Has Tapsee in main lean. AKshay doing a cameo. Looking forward to it.
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November 29, 2016 at 1:52 AM
After Pink, this will be another high for Tapsee. The with Judwaa 2, he is not in mainstream. Far more talented than Alia, Kapoor etc, she has my bet to be next star.
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November 29, 2016 at 2:00 AM
*Taapsee*
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November 30, 2016 at 9:41 AM
Didn’t realize there is Akshay in its 1st look. So, they will be promoting Akshay’s role as well in the movie as a extended guest appearance. It will open well.
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November 29, 2016 at 7:19 AM
Back from Dear Zindagi. And I’m glad I watched it. the film is not a crowd pleaser in any way and that’s the best part of it. many people seem to have a problem with the thanklessness of Alia’s character but that’s not the point. point is Kiara reflects the insecurity, dilemma, and flaws many of us possess but hate to admit them. the film doesnt judge her for that and talks about a past that is a problematic just like any of us (glad they didn’t show a childhood replete with extreme difficulties) but might just explain the way Alia behaves and takes her decisions. The story is a regular one and didn’t necessary had to be told in the commercial sense but is a work that just shows how it absolutely okay to accept ourselves the way we are: imperfect, flawed, not necessarily likeable.
Alia is a true revelation. comes up with a performance depicting a range of emotions without going overboard but giving it the required depth. SRK was okay but his trademark mannerisms are on display here. His performnace in Fan this year was much better and truly brilliant but Dear Zindagi is a superior film for sure.
this certainly needs to be seen. it is is a sweet little gem
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November 29, 2016 at 9:11 AM
Thanks for your thoughts!
As I said its based on ‘target’ audience. Some comments/ reviews on here calling it – Not watchable even once, big bore etc appear alien to me.
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November 29, 2016 at 10:04 AM
yes.. i had certain apprehensions going by these reviews. glad to be proved wrong
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November 29, 2016 at 7:47 AM
Monday collection of 4.25 is better than I thought it would be.
From the reports so far, it looks like today will be about 80% of Monday so probably around 3 to 3.25 crore.
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November 29, 2016 at 7:48 AM
Colombia plane crash: 6th survivor found under fuselage
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/americas/colombia-plane-accident/index.html
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November 29, 2016 at 8:59 AM
SRK-Anushka-Imtiaz Ali film’s 1st Look. Release date announced 11th Aug, 2017.
[post created]
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November 29, 2016 at 9:01 AM
First look launched by Salman Khan.
@BeingSalmanKhan
– I’m going to tweet at 7pm today, Ek Baar jo maine commitment kar di … too much fun !
.@iamsrk ki film aa Rahi hai . Date Maine decide kar di hai . Title tum log decide kardo . Best of luck @AnushkaSharma #ImtiazAli
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November 29, 2016 at 9:02 AM
News is that Crack will not release on Aug, 2017. It will release by Nov end or move to Jan 2017 as Akshay Kumar opted out of Omung Kumar’s FIVE which was to release on Jan 26, 2017.
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November 29, 2016 at 9:05 AM
A man was on a train in Japan, reading a novel set in Japan. The train slid past the mountains, bound for Kyoto, where the man, bearded, bright-eyed, was headed. The year was 1989. The train was a bullet train.
The man on the train was in a quandary, and the man in the novel he was reading was in a quandary; and as he read the novel, it emerged that his quandary and the one in the novel were essentially the same.
The man in the novel was Sebastian Rodrigues, a Portuguese Jesuit priest sent to Japan in the 17th century. He was there to minister to Japanese Catholics suffering under a brutal regime and also to find out what had happened to his mentor, a priest rumored to have renounced the faith under torture.
The man on the train was Martin Scorsese. He was in Japan to play the part of Vincent van Gogh in a movie by Akira Kurosawa, another master filmmaker. He was also there to move past a brutal battle in America’s culture wars over a picture of his, “The Last Temptation of Christ.”
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November 29, 2016 at 9:16 AM
DZ is NYT’s critics’ pick. Not that it means something great. This is the same newspaper that had dissed GANDHI and ROCKY as schmaltzy.
However, I vastly prefer Andy Webster to the dumb Rachel Saltz who has zero understanding of Indian films and their milieu and the dynamics..
————————————————————————————-
The issues in Gauri Shinde’s sharply observed drama “Dear Zindagi” are suggested in its opening scene: A woman walks with her boyfriend, disgusted with his infidelity, while he pleads for forgiveness, professing his love. A director calls cut, and we realize we are watching actors on a Mumbai movie set. The young cinematographer Kaira (Alia Bhatt) suggests shooting another take, this time with the woman surreptitiously checking out a passing male bicyclist. Her director approves.
The restless, ambitious Kaira has a wandering eye of her own. Bored with her distracted boyfriend, Sid (Angad Bedi), a restaurateur, she has a fling with her colleague Raghuvendra (Kunal Kapoor). When Raghuvendra gets an exciting project in New York, he teases Kaira with the possibility of joining him on it — with the implicit understanding that it is contingent upon their continued sexual intimacy. “Hot?” she says when he praises her beauty. “Is that my only talent?” She passes on the job, but remains drawn to him.
Evicted by a landlord who distrusts unmarried renters, the workaholic Kaira retreats to her seaside hometown in Goa and her affluent parents, who fret over her lack of matrimonial prospects. Shooting a promotional video for a local businessman, she chances across Jehangir Khan (the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan), a.k.a. Jug, a laid-back psychologist (a B.D., or brain doctor, as the movie puts it). Over multiple sessions, she consults him about her mixed emotions regarding Raghuvendra. Complicating matters is a handsome musician, Rumi (Ali Zafar), who serenades her yet prefers silence when he’s not expounding on early Pink Floyd.
Jug’s meetings with Kaira provide Ms. Shinde with abundant opportunities to explore philosophical issues (“zindagi” means “life”), not least the value of forgiveness and the need people can have to create unnecessary obstacles for themselves. This is a movie that drops quotations from Faulkner and Einstein, but it rarely feels pedantic or platitudinous, thanks to the breezy, assured delivery of Mr. Khan, whose unforced ease is apparent when Jug gracefully resists a misguided romantic overture from Kaira.
Mr. Khan, who has worked with female directors before, is clearly comfortable in the hands of Ms. Shinde, who also wrote the script. (This is the second feature from Ms. Shinde, who directed the acclaimed “English Vinglish,” from 2012.) Ms. Bhatt also benefits from Ms. Shinde’s guidance, transcending her starlet status in a bitter tirade against Kaira’s parents and a tearful confession to Jug.
There are sentimental threads here, including a friend’s pregnancy and a Hallmark-moment family reconciliation. But Kaira’s ultimate triumph comes not in marriage but in an independent film she has directed on her own. Her project, like Ms. Shinde’s insightful movie, is a resounding victory.
“Dear Zindagi” is not rated. It is in Hindi, with English subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 35 minutes.
Dear Zindagi NYT Critics’ Pick
FIND TICKETS
Director Gauri Shinde Writer Gauri Shinde Stars Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Angad Bedi Rating Not Rated
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November 29, 2016 at 9:45 AM
“Ms. Bhatt also benefits from Ms. Shinde’s guidance, transcending her starlet status in a bitter tirade against Kaira’s parents and a tearful confession to Jug”
Best and most powerful moments in film.
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November 29, 2016 at 10:23 AM
Dear Zindagi does not trivialise the issues faced by people seeking help. everyone’s got their problems..some may appear big, some appear small to different people, but experiences, good or bad, shape our attitude and thought process. the greaf thing is that the film recognises these and plays out quite like an actual therapy session.
Try saying “Cmon your issues arent a big deal. come off it” to a person seeking help and look at the consequences.
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November 29, 2016 at 10:35 AM
Lol. My wife came out saying something similar! I think she thought I was getting her to watch it for some selfish reason & she said sorry to me for some odd reason.
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November 29, 2016 at 2:25 PM
wow..Dear Zindagi’s therapy sessions are transforming quite a few here! 🙂
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November 29, 2016 at 9:29 PM
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November 30, 2016 at 1:40 AM
“wow..Dear Zindagi’s therapy sessions are transforming quite a few here!”
Even when everyone after my review were giving negative reviews on here, I commented (as below) that it will find its chord. Now with boxoffice holding well, it has been proved. More than boxoffice, its the sort of film, if loved will be loved very much at a personal level.
” But I am sure it will find its chord in its specific audience and will sail through.”
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November 30, 2016 at 5:41 AM
I agreed with your review after watching the film, my only issue was that the dilemma Kaira was going through, the depression, even her lack of sleep wasn’t stressed on enough. Or maybe showing too much of the darker side didn’t go well with the breezy, colorful kind of film they were making.
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November 30, 2016 at 3:11 PM
Re. – everyone’s got their problems..some may appear big, some appear small to different people, but experiences, good or bad, shape our attitude and thought process. the greaf thing is that the film recognises these and plays out quite like an actual therapy session.
Tony – for a very brief moment, I thought you were talking about problems associated with the various sizes of b^^bs and d***s….LOL!
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November 30, 2016 at 1:35 AM
Dear Zindagi Holds Firm On Tuesday with just 5% drop from Monday!
Dear Zindagi had a strong hold on Tuesday as collections dropped just 5% from yesterday after 50% plus drop on Monday. The Monday drop was a little more than normal due to the strong weekend (for this type of film) but it has consolidated well on Tuesday. The film is best in South India with Mysore (excellent), Nizam / Andhra and Tamil Nadu / Kerala all having strong collections. The business in Mysore has already crossed 4.50 crore nett in five days which is not far short of the lifetime business of Neerja (6.10 crore) and Kapoor & Sons (5.25 cr). It will easily cross these films in Mysore and also another similar film Pink as well as films like Fan and Rustom. The collections for the first five days of Dear Zindagi are as follows.
Friday – 8,75,00,000
Saturday – 11,25,00,000
Sunday – 12,50,00,000
Monday – 4,25,00,000
Tuesday – 4,00,00,000
TOTAL – 40,75,00,000
The lifetime business of the film will be decided by that Thursday to Friday and how big it can grow back on Saturday. A 60 crore nett total seems to be there and remains to be seen if it can go higher and by how much.
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November 30, 2016 at 7:08 AM
Wednesday seems to be on same level as Tuesday so the film is holding up pretty well.
I do think on Friday it will go below 3 crore if Kahani2 is anywhere close to Kahani.
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November 30, 2016 at 7:26 AM
This one may turn out very well.
https://www.bollyarena.net/raees-sneak-peak-tariler-on-7-dec/
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November 30, 2016 at 8:33 AM
This looks massy to me…Kaabil will struggle against this…
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November 30, 2016 at 9:14 AM
“This looks massy to me…Kaabil will struggle against this ”
looking at the sneak-peak-trailer here raees will struggle aswell,
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November 30, 2016 at 8:53 AM
Read the story of the real person on whom this movie is based..plenty of scope for masala and action there..
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November 30, 2016 at 1:39 PM
For once BOI give Amitabh Bachan some due. And surprisingly it is at the expense of SRK. I am pleasantly surprised:
http://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=2509
Q. Would it be correct to say that Shahrukh Khan in Dear Zindagi is the biggest impact ever in an extended guest role?
A. No. Amitabh Bachchan in Andhaa Kanoon (1983) and Sunny Deol in Damini (1993) had the sort of impact that is unlikley to be matched. These films were bigger Hits than Dear Zindagi and terms of appreciation you just can’t compare, Andhaa Kanoon and Damini are on a different level.
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November 30, 2016 at 2:03 PM
Wow! This is a moment for the best champagne!
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November 30, 2016 at 3:05 PM
**Wow! This is a moment for the best champagne!**
Yeah. And we need to finish the champagne quick before they decide to roll-back because their tongue slipped a truth..
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November 30, 2016 at 2:50 PM
Sunny entry in Damini was awesome, full on masala
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November 30, 2016 at 3:17 PM
of course Damini hardly did Andha Kanoon’s kind of business! Also is SRK’s an extended guest role?
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November 30, 2016 at 3:21 PM
Not to forget that besides great masala role, Sunny Deol ended up getting National Award for his role in Damini. Best of both worlds!!
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December 1, 2016 at 2:21 AM
It’s not a guest role or extended, these new ‘extensions’ are hilarious. It’s a supporting role. He is pivotal to the films theme & ending.
Luck by Chance and one of those Salman films with Zinta and Rani where SRK enters as husband are more like guest roles plus the recent one in ADHM. Surely an element of surprise (hard in today’s times) or lack of screen time must be a qualifier!
SRK is fully loaded in all posters and trailers, some ppl not in the know may have expected a bigger role!
There is an urgency to credit SRK with opening (fair) but doing this whilst whittling his role to guest role is quite ridiculous.
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December 1, 2016 at 2:29 AM
Much like Aamir in TZP ? except he was playing a teacher while Srk is a therapist .
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December 1, 2016 at 2:40 AM
Ha Aamir too is pivotal in a supportive act in the same way, there is not much difference in the two roles except, TZP was also directed by him.
I found Salman’s role in KKHH a guest role so let’s throw that into the mix too! What about Big B in Bunty Aur Babli? Or Salman in Baghban!
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December 1, 2016 at 9:53 AM
I think there’s a difference in your reading. I would not call SRK’s act as an extended guest appearance but then I would not call Amitabh in Andha Khanoon and Sunny Deol in Damini. I would call all these are ‘supporting roles’. So, whatever the terms they are using is apt for all the 3 movies.
SRK has 40 mins screen time in 2.5 hours movie. You can call it extended or supporting but its not the same as TZP where Aamir is also the main lead actor and how he turns the boy around and screen time is far longer.
Small roles under 5 mins or so are special appearances or cameos and like SRK in Luck by Chance. SRK had a ‘guest role’ in Bhoothnath with 15-20 mins role. So in in that sense, you can call 40 min role as ‘extended guest role’ or supporting role. No one usually calls supporting role when leading actors act in other movies. Like even Salman Khan in KKHH was sort of extended guest appearance.
But I think Supporting roles are fine but then the market value of the movie will become different, so they call it some stupid names like guest role hai but thora lamba hai, Lol.
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December 1, 2016 at 12:31 PM
One useful distinction between the two is that a supporting role is usually intrinsically connected with a film’s narrative while a guest appearance often isn’t. So Andha Kanoon does not really need the Bachchan subplot. The story can function perfectly well without it. It’s a guest appearance that’s been extended to a supporting part in terms of the footage but not structurally. Damini though is more of a supporting role because there has to be a lawyer in the second half. Aamir in TZP is along the same lines. I suspect SRK is a main part masquerading as a supporting one. What’s the distinction here? Sometimes a film has lead parts for the male and female character but structurally revolves around the female. In such a film the male part can seem diminished for obvious reasons. The star (male) might be there to increase the film’s commercial viability and/or for his own career. But the easy way out is to not call it any sort of central part at all and call it this other stuff (guest appearance, extended guest appearance, special role etc). This sort of exercise (not new) is always a way to save the male stars’s (always male!) prestige. Specially so when he might be in a relatively vulnerable position. But to extend these possibilities Bachchan in BnB is a supporting part (not a guest one), in Mohabbatein he has the central part or at the most one of the two central parts even though SRK has more footage. In K3G on the other hand he [Bachchan] has a supporting part. Here SRK has more footage but even otherwise is central. So a lot of this is about footage but also the symbolism in each example. Now a lot of times a star with his mere presence can elide these differences or become ‘show-stealing’ irrespective of the footage or the kind of role. But the length of a part is not at all the same thing as the structural value of a part and/or it’s symbolic potency.
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December 1, 2016 at 12:59 AM
Actually I want to include Salman Khan in No Entry as one of the big impacts. He had extended guest appearance and this turned the movie the biggest hIt of the year in 2005.
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November 30, 2016 at 3:25 PM
http://erosnow.com/movie/watch/1057257/daddy/6772131/exclusive—official-teaser?ap=1
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November 30, 2016 at 8:27 PM
Dear Zindagi
My views
Very similar to Jay
Quite liked it.
Starts off slow and on an uneven turf but after about 20 min finds it’s groove.
First 20 min are a little torturesome and is hard to sympathize with Alia’s character and one misses Ms Shinde’s deft touch one saw in English Vinglish. It is no coincidence that the movie takes a turn with introduction of SRK.
SRK provides the much needed structure to the film and is quite effective and endearing.
The film still belongs to Alia as she is the central character and she does a commendable job-as always.
SRK is quite likeable here and is quite endearing after a while- partly because he is not going through his tired romantic routine.
His performance does fall apart in the final session in which he manages to be both smug and awkward (unintentionally) but it doesn’t detract much from an otherwise winning performance.
My rating 3.5/5 without first half hour and
3/5 overall
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November 30, 2016 at 10:56 PM
Thanks for your views.
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December 1, 2016 at 9:06 AM
wasn’t that last part awkwardness intentional? as he realised she was falling for him and wanted to get out of it without hurting her? i thot so.
that “i like you..i really like you” made ppl laugh in the theatre.
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December 1, 2016 at 9:56 AM
“wasn’t that last part awkwardness intentional? ”
Totally intentional.
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December 1, 2016 at 10:42 AM
DZ may crash tomorrow:
‘Kahaani 2’ film review: A thrilling ride
http://gulfnews.com/leisure/movies/reviews/kahaani-2-film-review-a-thrilling-ride-1.1938342
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December 1, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Very happy. Want KAHAANI to succeed – if it’s fine by the way. I don’t know the credibility of GULF NEWS except it’s time-zone advantage so will take this high rating with a pinch of salt..
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December 1, 2016 at 11:08 AM
Gulf News reviews are usually authentic .. we may not agree, but they are genuine.
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December 1, 2016 at 11:09 AM
That’s good to know. I don’t read much of that so I didn’t know. Agree or disagree is fine – I was just wondering if that’s a BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA type of deal..
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December 1, 2016 at 12:04 PM
Gulf News is not bollywoodhungama.
They’re usually spot on.
Althou some of the other reviews I’ve read are average.
This is probably the best year ever for female oriented/lead films.
Even Dangal is in this mode.
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December 1, 2016 at 11:14 AM
On his father Ajit Khan’s death anniversary, Shehzaad talks to Patcy N/Rediff.com about his famous father’s journey into Bollywood.
My father’s screen name Ajit was given to him by Nanabhai Bhatt (director Mahesh Bhatt’s father) because his real name Hamid Ali Khan was too long.
The new name proved to be lucky.
My father was from Hyderabad. When he was 22, he sold his college books and ran away from home to pursue his dreams.
My grandfather was in the Nizam’s military. He was very strict. He was against my father becoming an actor; he wanted him to have a more dignified profession like doctor or lawyer.
Acting was considered taboo. If you entered the Indian film industry, you were outcast from your community. In those days, there were no acting schools. My father, Dilip Kumar and other legends never went to acting school. At the most, they did theatre.
I was so scared of my father that I was unable to tell him that I wanted to act. So how could my father tell his father that he was interested in acting?
We come from a staunchly patriarchal family where you have to listen to your father. We did not have the guts to ask. We couldn’t even make eye contact with our father. Even though I knew my father had run away from home, I never had the courage to ask him about his life. It was only when he grew older that he himself started telling us about his life.
When he came to Bombay, he stayed with a friend in Mohammed Ali Road (in south Mumbai).
When I was a kid, my father once showed me these huge cement pipes which are put into nullahs, and told me that he stayed in one of them for a few days. A local goon would collect money every week from people to allow them to live in those pipes. This was in the 1950s or may be earlier.
One day the goon asked my father for the hafta, which my father refused, and bashed him up instead. From the next day, my father became the local goon and no one would take money from him! He would get free tea, snacks and food.
http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/how-ajit-became-a-suave-villain/20161021.htm
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December 1, 2016 at 12:08 PM
Love to read stories of actors from yesteryears.
So much struggle, so much passion.
Now all we have is basically sons/daughters of someone within film industry.
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December 1, 2016 at 1:07 PM
If DZ is in only 1200 screens, cant it keep it and Kahaani the rest of screens? Is there any other film releasing?
Loved the first film, wud like to see Kahaani 2 pretty soon.
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December 1, 2016 at 1:24 PM
DZ will not lose any screen and since it’s only on 1200 or less screens, Kahaani will plenty of screens too.
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