Entertainment
Film did not fly because people do not fly! (IANS Column: B-Town)
New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) I noticed something curious. Director Siddharth Anand of the film ‘Fighter’ says that his film flopped because 90 per cent of Indian moviegoers have never sat in an airplane! I was amazed, amused, but, most of all, I was worried. Worried, because this is how the maker of a Rs 400-crore film thinks!
My mind instantly went back to Shakti Samanta’s ‘An Evening In Paris’ (1967), where a bikini-clad Sharmila Tagore is sea skiing as Shammi Kapoor courts her hanging from a helicopter. After learning what Malhotra had said to explain why his film had failed, I wondered how many people hang from a helicopter to court a woman! I don’t know anybody who has done such a thing and still, ‘An Evening In Paris’ was a major hit! I can cite hundreds of such examples.
Of course, the audience must first identify with the subject of a film. The other factor is fantasy — its content must make a viewer fantasise what the actor is doing on the screen. For instance, Rajesh Khanna driving parallel to a mini train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in ‘Aradhana’, another Shakti Samanta film, and on noticing Sharmila Tagore on the train, sings a song (‘Mere sapnon ki rani…’). That gives wings to the viewer’s fantasy. He would imagine his own self in that scene.
Similarly, when Amitabh Bachchan played his angry young man out to set the world right, it reflected the prevailing mood of the people of that time borne out of a rather authoritarian regime.
The prevailing national mood and the political dispensation usually have an undefined impact on the kind of films that work. Post-Independence, there was a brief period of time when films and songs were imbued with the spirit of nationalism. The period that followed was the celebration of independence. There was no media like the one that exists now and people lived believing that all was fine.
All genres, be it a family social, romance, musical, historical or mythological, found an audience. Action was accepted only as a part of the narrative; horror and extra-terrestrial movies held little appeal. People went to a cinema to be entertained and did not like to be burdened with ghost stories.
The second Prime Minister of India, Lal Bahadur Shastry, who fought a successful war and won it, brought nationalism back in his short tenure. Manoj Kumar’s ‘Shaheed’ as well as Gulshan Behl’s ‘Sikandar E Azam’, besides I.S. Johar’s comic take on Goa’s liberation, ‘Johar Mehmood In Goa’, managed to do well.
It was post the Shastri era that Manoj Kumar picked up the threads and cashed in on the national mood with his classic, ‘Upkar’. Jeetendra’s spy movie, ‘Farz’, struck a responsive chord in the audience because the film portrayed the Chinese as the antagonists.
Manoj Kumar continued driving home his theme of nationalism with ‘Purab Aur Paschim’, ‘Roti Kapada Aur Makaan’ and ‘Kranti’, all successful, thought the returns compared with ‘Upkar’ kept receding. Only ‘Upkar’ is considered a classic.
Then again, just about every genre was working with a new superstar, Rajesh Khanna, dominating the screen. Just as suddenly, anti-establishment films took over and became the norm. Films such as ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Deewaar’, ‘Trishul’, ‘Shahenshah’, ‘Inquilab’ and ‘Andhaa Kanoon’ ruled, all spun around the narrative of a one-man army taking on all that was wrong in the society.
After the Amitabh Bachchan angry young man era, however, no definite trend could be established that filmmakers could follow. There was only one formula for success and that was the musical love story. The new big stars — Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan — thrived on love stories. Even some one-film wonders such as Rahul Roy (‘Aashiqui’) and Vivek Mushran (‘Saudagar’) came up with hits.
So, Mr Director of ‘Fighter’, true nationalism and patriotism are the formulae that are in the air currently. Earlier, they hardly worked. Do you know that most war films don’t work in India unless they have human angles in valour shown by personnel and not machines, notably aircraft?
One of the earliest war films was Chetan Anand’s ‘Haqeeqat’. A perfectly blended film formula with family, emotions, romance and, most of all, one of the greatest musical scores a war movie could have. The film still got limited appreciation despite its tax-free tag in many parts of the country.
In your film, the family angle was corny. I can’t detail it because not many people have seen your film to understand it. You expect them to catch it on OTT so I won’t spoil the fun for them. I suppose being privileged enough to fly is not a prerequisite when it comes to watching the film on an OTT platform.
There is a list of war films that did not work and these include ‘Prem Pujari’, ‘Hindustan Ki Kasam’, ‘Vijeta’, ‘Aakraman’, ‘Mission Kashmir’, ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo’, ‘The Ghazi Attack’ and ‘LOC’. ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ was the notable exception.
Is it surprising that ‘Fighter’ failed to get a decent opening collection? There are people who grew up playing video games flying and downing fighter planes!
The choice of making a Rs 400-plus crore film was wrong on all counts. In which box office would a film with this kind of a budget recover the investment and make a profit? The collection would need to be be more than Rs 1,000 crore. Does the Indian box-office business have that kind of a potential?
Even if you believe in the Rs 700 crore and Rs 500 crore business as claimed by the makers of some recent films, what do you think is the take home from these figures? It is less than 50 per cent, for the multiplex chains demand 52.5 per cent in the first week, 48.5 in the second week, and so on.
Finally, when you say ‘Fighter’ will be called a classic by OTT viewers, it is just solace you are offering to yourself if you check what has worked on OTT platforms.
Social media is a boon as well as a curse. Boon, because it is many minutes ahead in the business of propagating news before traditional media catches up with it. And it is a curse because that is where people end up being fools and vengeful.
Anand’s other excuse is that they made a mistake by releasing the film on January 25, a working day before the Republic Day holiday. He seems to have forgotten that his earlier film, ‘Jawan’, was released on January 25 in 2023, also a working day. The film is reported to have collected Rs 55 crore on January 25; ‘Fighter’ could fetch only Rs 20 crore.
Filmmakers, over the years, have come up with many excuses on why their films failed. But this one qualifies for Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! In that sense, the southern filmmakers have a more business-like approach. If a film fails to work, they accept it and move on to the next project.
When a plane flies overhead, not only children but also grownups look up instinctively. I have known people who are scared to travel in an airplane but never heard of those who would not welcome the experience of travelling in one or watching a film showing planes!
The fact is, people have had enough of this patriotism and war against Pakistan narrative. Indians don’t hate Pakistan anymore considering how poorly the country is placed. People pity and have sympathies for our neighbour. So, no use fighting a meek, distressed enemy.
And don’t lose heart. Our airlines have ordered some 1,000 new planes and the government is constructing many more airports. More people will fly.
–IANS
vinod/srb
Allu Arjun is poised to dominate the box office with his highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, set to release on December 6, 2024. The excitement surrounding this film is phenomenal, already making headlines with an impressive pre-release collection of RS 1,085 crores! This achievement is particularly notable, given that it reached this milestone well before the movie even debuts in theaters.
Fans are eagerly looking forward to Allu Arjun’s return as Pushparaj, the character that earned him a National Award for Best Actor in the first installment, Pushpa: The Rise. The buzz surrounding Pushpa 2 is unparalleled, and the film is expected to break even more records upon its release. The pre-release collection includes a record-setting deal for theatrical rights, sold for ₹640 crores, making it one of the most lucrative film deals in Indian cinema.
Additionally, Pushpa 2 has secured a significant digital distribution agreement with Netflix, which acquired the rights for ₹275 crores, highlighting the high demand for the film. The overall pre-release earnings have been impressive across various regions, with ₹220 crores collected in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹200 crores in the North, ₹50 crores in Tamil Nadu, ₹30 crores in Karnataka, ₹20 crores in Kerala, and ₹40 crores from overseas markets. The music rights were sold for ₹65 crores, while the satellite rights fetched ₹85 crores, contributing a total of ₹425 crores from non-theatrical rights.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2: The Rule features a talented cast, including Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil alongside Allu Arjun. The film’s music will be released by T Series, further adding to the anticipation.
With Allu Arjun’s National Award win and the remarkable pre-release collections, it’s clear that Pushpa 2 is set to be a blockbuster. As the release date approaches, fans are excited to see how this film will perform at the box office. If the pre-release collections are any indication, Pushpa 2 is bound to shatter records and become a massive success!
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Anu Aggarwal, who rose to fame with “Aashiqui”, and “King Uncle”, recalled the time when filmmakers would come to her with money for signing a film and would not have a script ready.
In a conversation with Lehren shared on Instagram, the actress could be seen talking about it.
“I was shocked to see that people who don’t have their scripts are not ready when they would come to sign me up for a film. They would have the money ready and I would say I don’t want to sign with the money. I would like to hear the script.”
“They would say the script will be made so you can sign,” she added.
“This was the way and because I am an actor I would like to see what my role, story is. Everything is important. Nobody would have a script… 98 per cent of people would not have the script,” she said.
Anu Aggarwal gained immense popularity in the 1990s after featuring in the musical romantic drama “Aashiqui” directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
She starred alongside Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori.
The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers.
The soundtrack album has been rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their “100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks”.
It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release.
The film was remade in Kannada as “Roja” in 2002.
A sequel to the film, “Aashiqui 2”, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri, with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released in 2013.
–IANS
dc/khz
Entertainment
Ram Charan's daughter Klin achieves this milestone on grandfather Chiranjeevi's birthday
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) On the 69th birthday of actor and politician Chiranjeevi, his son Ram Charan has shared a peek into their family vacation to Paris, France, which is also the first trip of his daughter Klin Kaara with her grandparents.
Ram took to his Instagram account, where he has 23.9 million followers, and shared a family picture from Paris.
The snap shows his parents– father Chiranjeevi, mother Surekha, his wife Upasana Kamineni, and their furry friend–pet dog. We can see Chiranjeevi holding his granddaughter Klin adorably in his arms.
Ram looked dapper in a black shirt, matching trousers and an olive green jacket.
They are posing against the backdrop of Eiffel Tower.
The post is captioned as: “Klin Kaara’s first trip with her grandparents!!! Memorable”.
In another post, Ram dropped a photograph with his father, wearing matching South Indian ethnic outfits.
He wrote in caption: “Happpiest birthday, Appa!!”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Chiranjeevi’s birthday, UV Creations and director Vashistaa Mallidi have unveiled the highly anticipated first look poster for ‘Vishwambhara’, a fantasy adventure film.
Sharing the poster on social media, the makers wrote: “When darkness and evil take over the world, a Magnanimous Star shall shine bright to fight, Happy birthday, MEGASTAR @KChiruTweets, Let the world witness your aura with #Vishwambhara, Get ready for a MEGA MASS BEYOND UNIVERSE, In cinemas from January 10th, 2025.”
The movie promises to be a cinematic spectacle, featuring Chiranjeevi in a lead role. The film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashika Ranganath and Kunal Kapoor.
The film will be released on January 10, 2025.
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Telugu action drama ‘Bhola Shankar’ directed by Meher Ramesh. It also featured Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.
Meanwhile, Ram Charan last appeared in action drama ‘Acharya’, directed by Koratala Siva. The film starred Chiranjeevi, alongside Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta.
He next has ‘Game Changer’, and ‘RC16’ in the pipeline.
–IANS
sp/
Entertainment
Rani Mukerji: Shivani Shivaji Roy shows how a woman can lead from front in a male-dominated field
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Rani Mukerji has talked about why she loves her character Shivani Shivaji Roy from “Mardaani,” which has completed 10 years in Hindi cinema on Thursday.
She said: “Shivani Shivaji Roy is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field.”
As the film celebrates its 10th anniversary, Rani is grateful for all the love and acclaim that she has received.
She said: “I’m truly proud of my ‘Mardaani’ franchise. It is a franchise that keeps on giving. The love, adulation, and the respect that I have received from Mardaani is truly humbling.”
On Thursday morning, the makers of the film teased fans about the next chapter of the franchise.
Production Yash Raj Films banner took to YouTube, where they dropped a teaser of sorts, which begins from the first installment, which first released in 2014.
The production company captioned it: “10 years of #Mardaani and the next chapter awaits… Celebrating the feisty, daredevil cop #ShivaniShivajiRoy and the spirit of #Mardaani today. Thank you for a decade of love and appreciation for our beloved franchise. We are inspired… again… thanks to you. #RaniMukerji #10YearsOfMardaani.”
Rani is too excited to reprise the role and don the cop uniform once again.
She said: “I’m looking forward to bringing back Shivani Shivaji Roy on the big screen soon. It’s been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country.”
“Each (woman cop) one of them relentlessly works hard to keep our families safe and I have always loved to salute these fearless women. Shivani will be back and I hope you will give as much love to her as you have always showered for 10 years now!” added the actress.
–IANS
dc/
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor brought out her A-game in fashion, where she flaunted “minimal, bold and effortlessly on point” look.
The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures. In the pictures, she is seen wearing a powder pink shirt, paired with a blazer and long skirt. She completed her look with sunglasses.
“Celebrating @perniaq season 2 podcast drop with that sleek @phoebephilo energy—minimal, bold, and effortlessly on point. Shoutout to the squad for keeping the vibe,” she wrote and also mentioned that she is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor.
Recently, Sonam shared several glimpses from her son Vayu’s vintage car themed cake as he turned two on August 20.
Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of the two-tier toddler friendly, refined sugar free chocolate cake. It featured a vintage ice blue car atop of the cake with the number 2 written on it.
The actress had also penned a heart-felt note for her son Vayu.
“My baby turns two today!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, precious Vayu! W Being your mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. You’ve filled our lives with so much joy, laughter, and wonder,” Sonam said.
The actress shared that with her son, everyday is an adventure filled with “your boundless curiosity, your infectious laughter, and your sweet, loving nature.”
“You’ve brought so much light and happiness into our world, making every moment more beautiful and every relationship stronger. You’ve deepened the love between your dadaa and me in ways we never imagined, and you’ve brought pure, unfiltered joy to everyone who loves you-your nani and nana, dadi and baba, kaaa masa, Masi and chachu,” she said.
“Your sweet spirit and playful energy make our family complete, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.”
She tagged Vayu as her sunshine, music, little genius, and their endless “source of happiness”.
“We love you more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will continue to bring into our lives,” Sonam said.
–IANS
dc/
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