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Headlines
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News:
Refugee is unable to sustain itself at the box office
Amitabh scanned and measured at Madame Tussaud's
Yash Chopra signs Hrithik for his next movie
Devgan makes a neat packet out of Refugee
Hrithik opts out of Farah Khan movie
Hema Malini tipped to head NFDC
FIIs evince interest in Indian films
Ash to Ash
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News
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Refugee is unable to sustain itself at the box office
Refugee had an astounding initial at the box office. All the shows had been house full and tickets booked in advance. But the film has failed to get a decent opening in the second week. One of the reasons that are being cited by the critics is that the tickets have been priced at the double rates making it difficult for the middle class and the lower class to afford. Even the affluent class has shyed away from the high price. The house full board has been broken at many places including Liberty theatre where the premiere of the movie has held. The audiences who have seen the movie have complained of the slow movement of the film alongwith the three hour twenty minute long reel.
Distributors who had lined up for getting the territory rights stand to lose the maximum as they had bought the same at very high prices and this was the reason for the hike in ticket prices. Their hopes are dwindling with each passing day and they have nothing but J.P Dutta to blame.
Will J.P Dutta compensate them for their losses and will the movie sustain in the coming weeks ? This is one question which will be answered very soon by the cine lovers.
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Amitabh scanned and measured at Madame Tussaud's
LONDON: It won't be the brooding young cop from Zanjeer or the dockworker turned Don in `Deewar' who unleashed his anger on Bollywood in the early 1970s. It won't even be the middle-aged, but still angry, middle-aged star of the '80s and '90s. Instead Amitabh Bachchan's waxwork _ which is to take a place of pride in Madame Tussaud's later this year _ will be the ageing superstar as he is today _ in simple traditional Indian clothes _ more the speaker who appears for readings of his father Harivanshrai Bachchan's poetry than the star of a zillion costumed capers like Shahenshah and Toofan.
``It will be Amitabh Bachchan as he is now _ the only difference is he is currently sporting a grey beard for his latest film role but will be shaving it off once shooting is finished,'' said Madame Tussaud's spokesperson Diane Moon, setting to rest any dilemma about the look of the waxwork.
Within 48 hours of his name being announced at the Indian film awards at the Millennium Dome as the star who would be Bollywood's maiden representative waxwork in the prestigious Madame Tussaud's, the 58-year-old star was in his first sitting at sculptor Stuart Williamson's studio at Tussaud's.
Playing cinema doubles was perhaps an easier job for the star, but for the sculptor it meant creating the perfect true to life figure over which thousands of visitors gape in astonishement each year at Tussaud's.
In the three hour sitting with Williamson last Monday, Bachchan was put through amongst the most excruciating tests of his life. The star, sporting a grey French beard, sat calmly as over 150 precise measurements of his face were taken, some using the old fashioned method of huge callipers. His hair texture was carefully examined as were his eyeballs.
Based on these measurements, Williamson is to make the clay mould which will be used as the `negative' or the master around which a mould will be cast and the wax poured in. The gallery is also arranging for the star to have a second sitting in a few months so that he can sit by his clay scupture for Williamson to make final adjustments before it can be cast into wax.
The location for the figure has already been decided -- `The Garden Party' -- amongst the most popular locations in Tussaud's where likenesses of Hollywood greats like Sean Connery, Sylvester Stallone and Samuel L Jackson stand.
This has to be the biggest Bachchan release in years, and the star has promised to be there at the year-end to officially unveil his waxwork. The figure is estimated to cost around pounds 30,000 to make (Rs 21 lakh) and will be amongst 20 new waxworks in Tussaud's this year including that of the new US President. They won't be spending on the clothes though. In the tradition of most other celebrities after whom waxworks have been made, the Gandhi family and Narasimha Rao included, the Big B has promised Tussaud's to donate traditional clothes from his wardrobe.
Based on persistent requests and Bollywood's increasing high profile in the UK media, the Portraits Committee of Madame Tussaud's which meets annually, decided to consider a Bollywood star. Bachchan was on the shortlist which included Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwariya Rai, Madhuri Dixit and Raj Kapoor. The list was thrown open to an opinion poll which gathered over 15,000 votes. And though the superstar today may not be the hottest star in Bollywood, he is definitely amongst the most popular. The results were exactly in that order, with Bachchan pipping his two `Mohabbattein' co-stars by a few hundred votes.
``He's a living legend, and this is an honour for British Asians,'' says Birmingham-based Wizcraft organiser Mambo Sharma. ``Ask most second generation Asians which film they remembered when they were growing up and the answer will be Sholay, the star? Amitabh Bachchan."
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Yash Chopra signs Hrithik for his next movie
It is finally over. The long term friendship between Yash Chopra and Shahrukh Khan has finally come to an end. As we had speculated, Yash Chopra has signed Hrithik Roshan for his next film. When Ashok Vashodia (Hrithik's secretary) was contacted by Taran Adarsh, Ashok confirmed that Yash Raj Films had indeed signed Hrithik for their next movie to be shot exclusively in Europe.
Though Ashok refused to comment whether the movie will be directed by Yash Chopra or Aditya Chopra, insiders say that Yash Chopra will be introducing a new director with this movie. Since the shooting of Mohabbatein is complete, the Chopras decided to start the finalisation of their new movie and will be making an official announcement with a press release soon.
Sources close to Aditya Chopra say that talks are going on with both Amisha Patel and Karisma Kapoor with highest preference being given to Amisha.
With this move, Yash Chopra has sealed all the ways of Khan into his camp. Does it mean that their 'claimed friendship' is finally shattered ?
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Devgan makes a neat packet out of Refugee
Refugee has opened to a bumper response, and guess whose wide grin is giving Abhishek Bachchan a complex. Not even with three guesses would you hit upon the right answer — Ajay Devgan! So what if Devgan, he of the intense eyes, hasn't managed had a hit in a long time, the entrepreneur in him is already laughing his way to the banks with Refugee's fantastic initials.
When J P Dutta's blockbuster was readied for distribution, Ajay Devgan wasted no time to grab distribution rights for the film in the Mumbai territory. And in spite of the fact that his two home productions last year (Hindustan Ki Kasam and Dil Kya Kare) drained the coffers of his firm Devgan Entertainment and Software Limited with their poor show, the guy wasted no effort in aggressively promoting Refugee. The grapevine has it that Ajay actually shelled out close to Rs 3.5 crore to finance the film's publicity in the Mumbai territory — something he has never done for his own starrers.
But now that Refugee has recovered Rs 3 crore for him in just four days, Ajay is indeed a happy man. With rumours of Ajay ghost-directing his next production, Raju Chacha, the hero had set tongues wagging about his creative instincts. Now, the yappers can yap about the smart businessman in him.
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Hrithik opts out of Farah Khan movie
Farah Khan was all slated to turn to direction by making a musical film. Her debut film was to star the hottest stars of Bollywood - Shahrukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan. The script of the movie demanded that there be two brothers, one straight and 'seedha-saadha' (Hrithik) and the other a cool dude (Shahrukh).
Farah is known for her proximity to Shahrukh Khan and she claims that Shahrukh has the maximum available energy and is always willing to try new steps. She had also applauded Hrithik for his superb dances in the movie Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai which she had choreographed. She was thus keen to make a musical dance movie with both the hunks.
It is leart that Hrithik has opted out of the movie and this has given major setback to Farah. Though the Roshan camp is citing date problems as the reason, Farah is sure that the fallout has been due to the Pepsi commercial which has created a rift between the stars.
The movie which was supposed to go on the floors from August end now remains in suspension till the new hero is finalised. Till then, the music of Hrithik's behaviour will jingle in her mind.
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Hema Malini tipped to head NFDC
Keeping with the tradition, the ministry of information and
broadcasting has chosen Hema Malini to be the chairperson of the
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), according to minister
Arun Jaitley. Hema will be the third woman to head agencies belonging
to the ministry of information and broadcasting. The other two headed
by women are the Children's Film Society of India, headed by Sai
Paranjpye, and the Central Board of Film Certification, headed by Asha
Parekh. "Very soon other members of the board of directors will be
announced. I had sent the list of names to the cabinet sub-committee
for approval. We have chosen six directors and four more are yet to be
named", he said. NFDC has been a "headless" outfit for the last seven
years since DVS Raju completed his term in 1993.
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FIIs evince interest in Indian films
Are distributors interested in an offer from a UK Institute of
Investors, who are willing to go in for a 50 per cent partnership with
big budget films in the year 2000-2001? Well, the chances appear dim.
For one thing, nobody has heard of such an FII, or knows through whom
it proposes to operate. Santosh Singh Jain, president of the Central
Circuit Cine Association, has received a fax, routed to him by the
FFI, from Bespinlight Ltd, London, stating that UK-based investors are
willing to invest and seek 50 per cent partnership on big-budget Hindi
films. The four films named are J P Dutta's "Refugee", Shivraj
Ratnam's "Miloge Tum", Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "Mission Kashmir" and
Aamir Khan's "Lagaan". "I do not know why they have asked me to
suggest the names of distributors who would be interested in such a
partnership. However, I do not wish to get involved in this, because
of the risks and uncertainties involved. I think the letter must be
from a brokers' outfit", he said.
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Ash to Ash
After Prashant had his acting stint with Aishwarya Rai in "Jeans", he
was understandably desperate to do another film with her, never mind
the fact that the hugely expensive film flopped like nobody's business.
He created such a fuss that the producer of "Kandukondain
Kandukondain" replaced him with Ajit for the film. But Prashan did not
give up and his dreams seem to have come true. He's found another
producer who's willing to shell out the big bucks and bring Ash to the
South once more opposite him. The film will be called "Star".
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