|
-: Advertisement :-
-: Advertisement :-
Headlines
|
News:
Box office
Sunny vs. Aamir again!
Saif-Urmila in Ripples-Ram Gopal Varma Road
'Lagaan' not just a cricket match: Aamir
I always wanted to be Mother-Sushmita Sen
Abhishek and the art of self-control
Tum Bin Releasing this Friday
Yaadein Premeire on IMAX screen
Urmila's Item Song in Lajja
Lucky Ali and Raveen pair together
|
News
|
Box office
Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai - 1st Day in Bombay
Liberty - 1,16,136 (100%)
Sundaram - 44,262 (77.49%)
Premiere - 53,297 (100%)
Gossip - 9,639 (100%)
Navrang - 57,611 (83.73%)
Anupam - 53,300 (71.24%)
Milap - 66,000 (64.41%)
Akash - 28,788 (100%)
Ankur - 35,700 (49.36%)
Uday - 35,500 (87.36%)
Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega - 1st Week
Bombay - 45,44,677 (85%)
Jamnagar - 75,337
Sholapur- 2,13,297
Delhi - 20,18,669 (50%)
Kanpur - 2,70,121
Lucknow - 3,10,375 (71%)
Bareilly - 82,609 (25%)
Agra - 1,60,000 (43%)
Amritsar - 30,460
Calcutta - 4,49,940
Nagpur - 4,15,879 (38%)
Raipur - 63,420 (6 dy.)
Jalgaon - 1,16,296 (47%)
Wardha - 64,114 (31%)
Jaipur - 3,74,162 (23%)
Hyderabad - 18,72,649
Top
Sunny vs. Aamir again!
It seems that Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan have a thing against each other. Their next releases will also be releasing on the same day. Sunny's Indian and Aamir's Dil Chahta Hai will clash again on August 10th. Indian was completed in a record time of eight months and co-stars Shilpa Shetty, while Dil Chahta Hai co-stars Sail Ali Khan, Akshay Khanna, Preity Zinta, and Sonali Kulkarni. Since there hasn't been much hype around Indian and a lot around Dil Chahta Hai, Aamir should be the victor this time, since Lagaan blew Gadar out of the waters in most regions . Both these films which also have competitons from other movies releasing on the same date. Yeh Raaste Hai Pyar Ke (which Sunny Deol makes a special appearance in), Lajja, and Nayak. Certainly hard for a movie to become a success these days!
Top
Saif-Urmila in Ripples-Ram Gopal Varma Road
Ripples, the producers of YEH TERA GHAR YEH MERA GHAR and ROSHNI, have teamed up with Ramgopal Varma to produce ROAD, which will be directed by Rajat (PYAAR TUNE KYA KIYA) Mukherjee. The film will be a two-hero project and will star Saif Ali Khan (as a psycho), Urmila Matondkar and one more hero, who is under finalisation.
Top
'Lagaan' not just a cricket match: Aamir
The recently-released Hindi film 'Lagaan' is not just a cricket match but a show of human spirit, courage and feeling of togetherness under a village culture in which poor farmers fought againt the tax imposed on their agricultural produce by British rulers, Amir Khan, bollywood actor and producer of the film said today.
"It is a sensible, unique, and entertainment film that grabs attention of viewers irrespective of their age group," Khan told a press conference here.
Undoubtedly the film had cost us Rs 25 crore, he said because around Rs eight lakh were daily spent on a unit of 400 people, including British stars, engaged in the making of the film at Bhuj in Gujarat for months together.
To a question he said it would take time to assess the return on the expenditure incurred on the film.
To a threat from film mafia, Khan said, the criminals are everywhere and Bollywood is not an exception to it. This reflects a social stigma and failure of adminstration at the law and order front, he said, adding, it was not the film industry which was producing criminals.
Top
I always wanted to be Mother-Sushmita Sen
She is difficult to pin down and she laughs when you tell her that. Sushmita Sen is racing ahead on a fast-paced life. Despite her commitment to films and her newly adopted daughter Renee, Sen has a personal life too. She has an impressive list of films lined up -this ex-Miss Universe is raring to go. In a heart to heart conversation, Sen talks about her powerful roles, her lovely daughter Renee and herself.
You have pretty good films in the pipeline. Starting from David Dhawan's Govinda starrer Jhootha Kahin Ka, Meghna Gulzar's Filhaal, All The Best, Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai and Barf.
Oh yes, I am thrilled that all the films I have been working on for the past two years will release within a month of each other. First Goldie Behl's debut directorial Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai will release June end. I have a perfect role where I play a girl almost like myself. She's ambitious and a go better but not a bitch. I play a successful woman getting things done her way in a man's world. Goldie Behl is too good and the whole team was such an inspiration, Abhishek, Rani, Sameer (camera man) and Shristhi (producer) were great. Then I have David's film - it's a hilarious one. I am Govinda's wife and we look great on screen. Mark my words, this film will be different from other David films. Working with Tabu in Filhaal was like learning everyday. We got along very well and Meghna too proved to be a sensitive director. The film is fabulous, I can tell you that. Thankfully these films have come to an end almost so I can take a vacation and then return to shoot for Vipul Shah's All The Best and Vishal Bharadwaj's Barf. I am thoroughly exhausted with so much work.
You rejected Mahesh Manjrekar's Tera Mera Saath Rahen. Do you think it was a wrong career move?
No I don't think so. I thought the script was not as convincing as it should have been. I had made it clear to Mahesh that I had a problem with the script. I even told him that if he wanted only me then he should make changes. So it was a mutual decision for him to take another actress. Everything was well settled and therefore I don't think there's any problem there.
Initially you wanted to be heroine of the film but now you have graduated to the character roles, which are of course meatier, why this sudden transformation?
Look I always believed in doing better roles than just prancing around trees. I feel I should either be playing a good role in a film or not do that film at all. This no 1 thing never interested me. I am allergic to it. For me no 1 means having a place for yourself that people can't throw you off. Only time it is empty is when you leave it. And I was never into that any ways. Your four films do well and you are no 1 and four films flop and you are out. No 1 is a strong position, it can't be shifted around because two of your films didn't work.
How does it feel to be a mother?
It feels wonderful. I always wanted to be a mother and adopt a girl child. But the courts thought I was too young at 18. Then I tried all means possible to adopt a kid. I love kids and I am glad my family has supported me through the whole experience. I look after my daughter Renee whenever I am at home and now I appreciate my mom for all the wonderful things she did for me when I was a kid and even today she indulges me. I feel Renee and I connect somewhere.
Top
Abhishek and the art of self-control
A few thoughts that I would like to share with you.
Controversy and the Bombay film industry go hand-in-hand. Barely had the National Film Awards controversy died down than another involving Abhishek Bachchan erupted.
Whether Abhishek punched the photojournalist who clicked his pictures in Delhi on the sets of Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai or not is not the question here.
What is important is that Abhishek must be more in control of himself. He comes from such a high profile family. Not a tall claim, is it, considering the advantages that accrue from being a Bachchan.
It happens every Friday.
When a film flops, it hurts the people concerned with it. Yes. It also gladdens hundreds of industry hearts who wait for competition to fail.
Now, everyone in the industry wants a hit. No one really cares who delivers. All that matters is a hit.
One of the factors that could make or break a film is its promotional trailors.
A question often asked these days is what and how much should they reveal?
Make no mistake. The audience is smart. So it's best to take them into confidence. Let the trailors give them the exact feel of the film. If one tries to mislead the public with promos that have little to do with the content of the film, it will backfire.
To cite an example, if he chose to, Aditya Chopra could have lured the audience into cinemas by displaying Aishwarya Rai in the pre-release trailors of Mohabbatein. He didn't. Because Aishwarya did not have a lengthy role in the film.
The point is that Aditya didn't cheat his audience who, therefore, respected him for it.
The industry complains that our films lack good, original scripts. What I want to know, then, is why has no one ever thought of conducting workshops for writers?
Scream, shout, yell, brood, cry, complain, curse! But corrective measures? What's that?!
Multiplexes are facing rough weather. There aren't enough films to feed the cinemas. Yet, more and more multiplexes seem to be springing up.
Where will the software to service the cinemas come from? This is a clear case of lopsided growth, one which no one in the industry seems to be worried about.
After two to three years, when about 50 to 70 multiplexes will be functioning, exhibitors will cry in leisure. Currently, they are building in haste. Why, nothing could be more shocking than this: a new multiplex, Surmandir, opened on Friday (April 20) at Palanpur (Gujarat). The opening film at one of the three screens was Rahul and, believe it or not, one show on the opening day itself had to be cancelled due to lack of audience. This is the case of a brand new screen!
Meanwhile, Bhiwandi (a distant Bombay suburb) beckoned Sanjay Kapoor.
The actor visited Farhan cinema in the suburb on April 20 because his Chhupa Rustam has drawn unprecedented crowds. In fact, the rush on the first day of its 5th week at Bhiwandi was almost as much as the rush for Albela which opened on 20th at a cinema in the same compound!
Truth to tell, the industry is still very sceptical about the music of Aamir Khan's Lagaan.
But the fact is that the music is very popular. A R Rahman's tunes tend to grow on you. And so they have: Ghanan ghanan and Mitwa sun mitwa are already being touted as hits.
The music rights of Nayak - The Real Hero, meanwhile, remain with Super Cassettes.
The audio company had given indications of relinquishing the audio rights of a couple of films due to the slump in the music market. Terms between the makers of Nayak - The Real Hero and Super Cassettes have been renegotiated.
However, Aks and Dil Chahta Hai have been relinquished.
Few can match the business acumen of Vashu Bhagnani.
Three weeks ago, at the inauguration of Ramesh Sippy's new distribution office, Vashu seized the opportunity to personally distribute the newly-released audio cassettes and CDs of his Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai among all the invitees there.
Now, he is sending huge cartons to friends and distributors of the film, containing cassettes, CDs, MKKH diaries, MKKH writing pads, MKKH autograph books, MKKH mouse pads, MKKH address books, MKKH tapes and MKKH carry bags (plastic).
Every big producer says, he loves to make films. He is in this industry for the passion.
Yet, every producer prices his film so dispassionately. Unrealistic prices, which can break the backs of distributors if something were to go wrong with the film, should not be a passionate maker's claim to fame.
Still, the fact is that producers generally charge prices as if filmmaking is only their business, not at all a passion.
Why this insecurity? Distributors and exhibitors are part of this industry, too. Their interests need to be looked after, too.
Top
Tum Bin Releasing this Friday
With TUM BIN, T-Series returns to the film production arena after a sabbatical. The film stars four newcomers Priyanshu, Himanshu, Rakesh and Sandali. Shot at the picturesque locales of Canada, the film is directed by Anubhav Sinha, one of the leading music video directors of the country.
Anubhav Sinha describes the film as an emotional journey. "It's an intense love story, which is original to the core. Not inspired by any Hindi or English film," he states.
The director says he could've cast four established stars in the roles essayed by the newcomers, but chose against signing big names. "It's a challenge to deliver a hit without stars. Moreover, the newcomers are even more committed in their approach towards work, since their career depends on that film," he adds.
Anubhav handpicked the four youngsters after screen-testing hundreds of faces. Once chosen, the director rehearsed with them for a complete two months, before he embarked on a marathon shooting schedule in Canada.
"Each one knew much before the shooting commenced, what their character sketch and lines were, which is why they came full prepared on the sets," Anubhav adds.
A brief storyline of the film:
TUM BIN is a conflict between love and logic, conflict between love and destiny, conflict between love and options.
It is a story of Piya (Sandali) who fell in love with someone who shattered her dreams. Piya fell in love with Shekhar (Priyanshu) without ever realising that a cordial, official and a formal relationship with Shekhar grew from reliance to trust, trust to dependence and dependence to love.
Piya fell in love without ever realising that Shekhar had a past. This past, if told, was a sin… it was a crime, a crime that would help many lives.
Enters Abhi (Himanshu) at this stage. Abhi is someone who is God-sent for Piya. But Piya is in love with Shekhar, who carries a dark past with him.
Slated for release on July 13, TUM BIN has lilting music by Nikhil-Vinay and the songs have already caught on in a big way.
Top
Yaadein Premeire on IMAX screen
With the release of Subhash Ghai's YAADEIN drawing close, the anticipation is high among the exhibitors of the film, more so in the overseas territory. A few weeks ago, there was news that Ghai was toying with the idea of coming out with an Imax print of the film for release in Mumbai.
Now, the latest news goes that the film is likely to be premiered in Imax in the overseas territory. "We are trying to premiere the film in Imax in U.S.A. and U.K. and are working on that idea with Subhash-ji," Kumar Taurani revealed. According to Taurani, there are plans for a grand overseas premiere of the film.
Top
Urmila's Item Song in Lajja
It's a known fact that our heroines say an instant 'yes' to item-songs these days. The song-items on Mamta Kulkarni in GHATAK, Urmila Matondkar in CHINA GATE, Madhuri Dixit in BADE MIYA CHOTE MIYA, Sushmita Sen in FIZA, Raveena Tandon in KHAUFF and Shilpa Shetty in SHOOL have worked in a big way. Now, Rajkumar Santoshi has once again roped in Urmila, after CHINA GATE, for a special song in LAJJA.
Since Urmila was out of town, her secretary Avee confirmed the development. "It's true that Urmila has been signed for the song in LAJJA. She is, in fact, shooting for it right now," Avee disclosed. Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Mahima Chaudhary and Manisha Koirala in the lead, Aishwaya Rai and Sonali Bendre in special appearances and now Urmila in a song... the cast of LAJJA is swelling with each passing day!
Top
Lucky Ali and Raveen pair together
At the rate Lucky Ali is signing films, don’t be surprised if the singer cum actor decides to give acting first priority, while singing takes a backseat. Besides Dev Anand’s LOVE AT TIMES SQUARE and Sanjay Gupta’s KAANTE, Lucky has signed yet another project, which will be scripted and directed by choreographer Ahmed Khan’s brother Bobby Khan, one of the leading music video directors.
Who’ll play Lucky’s sweetheart in the film? Raveena Tandon. The film, titled KYA MAIN AB BHI TUJHSE PYAAR KARTA HOON, will have music by Lucky himself and will go on the floors on August 1 with a 20-day schedule.
Top
|
-: Advertisement :-
-: Advertisement :-
|
Admin Message
Features
Do you own an Internet cafe or provide internet access for web surfing?
If so, please contact us.
new!
Review of 'Lagaan'
new!
T.Y.B.Sc. results
are online at
http://results.mu.ac.in/science/main.htm
T.Y.B.Com. results
are online at
http://results.mu.ac.in/commerce/enter_no.php3?exam=bcmmrk2
Puraani
yaadein - lyrics of old Films Division cartoons (via nukkad).
SSC results were declared on June 19th 2001 at 3 PM. The marksheets
are available in the schools. Last date to apply for
reverification is July 3, 2001.
The results are also available online at
http://mahresult.nic.in
on June 19th.
Giant wave lashing Marine Lines. Great pic of the monsoon's first wavelash.
Review of
Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya
Review of the Hindi play
shaadi@barbaadi.com
new!
The wonder that is the Mumbai
tiffinwalla
Fireplace Musings - poemku's by Sanjeev Naik - on likhaai
Astro-magic by Rajababu - on likhaai
Earthquake - a poem by Rajababu (via nukkad)
Mumbai Us Zamaney Ka
- a walk down memory lane (via nukkad)
new!
Today in history
Some history behinds the names of Mumbai's localities.
Let us know if you have any information.
This week's Bollywood news
Advertisement
Advertisement
Our interactive bus guide
Refuse, Reduce, Re-use, Re-cycle plastics
List of places to see in Mumbai (with pics). Any corrections/additions/suggestions? Send them in.
Have a suggestion for new features?. Let us know!.
25 things that prove you're a Bombayite...... - via nukkad
Make Mumbai Central your start page! Step-by-step instructions here.
Message boards
Community events: Events in June 2001
Education: TYBSc and TYBCom results online
Bollywood Masala: Review of Lagaan
40+ and going strong: ST THOMAS 1970 BATCH ANYONE?
Singles scene: visit to mumbai
nukkad
Re: Khwaab
REPLY--Equation...
Fiat 1100 Delight - the passing of an icon
Re: Women [Reply to Nelson Fernandes]
How times have changed? [For the better, perhaps]
Re: Please tell me why...
(More info on the 'nukkad' mailing list, including subscription info is at:
http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/ )
About the Mumbai Grapevine
The Mumbai Grapevine is a daily newsletter with news and info
from the city of Mumbai, formerly Bombay. The newsletter also
has weekly editions of international news.
To express your opinion about a particular story or news item,
write to:
news-editor@mumbai-central.com
These opinions may be published on the newsletter. If you do
not want your name/address to be published along with your
letter, please indicate clearly.
Instructions to unsubscribe are at the end of the newsletter.
Please feel free to forward this message to your friends and co-workers
who might be interested in it. The instructions to join the Mumbai
Grapevine are at the end of the message.
|