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News:
Ajnabee v/s Kyo Kii...Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta mid-week Report
Vijay Anand: Censor Board's new chairman
Dilip Kumar hospitalised
Akshay-Ash in Subhash Ghai's next
Mahesh Manjrekar Plans Real Life on Reel
Paresh Rawal is singing
Jaya and Abhishek in a Bengali film
Movie Review : Ajnabee
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Ajnabee v/s Kyo Kii...Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta mid-week Report
The first three days of the film were fabulous; the film collected almost cent per cent at all theatres. But the cracks were visible from Monday, when the 'Current Booking' opened at several theatres. Now this is not a positive sign. Even the advance booking for the second week is anything but encouraging.
GUJARAT:
Like Mumbai city, the collections in Ahmedabad and Baroda registered a drop from the fourth day. The first three days' collections were satisfactory.
DELHI CITY AND UTTAR PRADESH:
The film has met with a mixed response in Delhi. Here too, the drop has been noticeable at several theatres. The collections for the first week should be in the range of 75%, which is not saying too much. At some key stations of Uttar Pradesh, the collections are good, although the reports are not.
KOLKATA CITY:
The film should garner decent collections in the first week only. The reports are not up to the mark.
C.P. BERAR, C.I., RAJASTHAN:
In Indore, the drop was noticeable on the second day itself. But the film is faring better in Nagpur, where the main cinema is the best. In Jaipur, the film collected approx. 95% on the first day, approx. 89% on the second, but dropped drastically on the fourth day.
SOUTH INDIA:
The classes, not the masses, are appreciating the film in Hyderabad. But other than Hyderabad, the drop is noticeable.
'KYO KII... MAIN JHUTH NAHIN BOLTA'
MUMBAI CITY:
The film was a non-starter. Everyone expected the film to open to a 100% response, but the collections were in the range of 50 to 60% on the first day. Although the reports have been positive, that hasn't translated into collections. The film did not pick up even on the fourth day.
GUJARAT:
The film is far from satisfactory. The collections are anything but encouraging. Even on Monday, the fourth day, the collections were the same as the first day.
DELHI CITY AND UTTAR PRADESH:
The collections in Delhi city have been approx. 60 to 65%, which is a negative sign. Neither the classes, nor the masses have liked the film. In Uttar Pradesh too, the film is below par.
KOLKATA CITY:
The film is poor here. The David-Govinda combo has failed this time, is the unanimous verdict.
C.P. BERAR, C.I., RAJASTHAN:
The opening in Nagpur (C.P.), Indore (C.I.) and Jaipur (Rajasthan), three 'A' class centres, was in the range of 30 to 35%. The film dropped further on the second day. Judge for yourself!
SOUTH INDIA:
The opening has been poor in Hyderabad. Will prove a losing proposition for its distributors.
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Vijay Anand: Censor Board's new chairman
Veteran actor and director Vijay Anand is the new chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification. The appointment came about after chairperson Asha Parekh expressed her desire to quit after a three year stint. Some of the films directed by Anand are Guide, based on R K Narayan's novel, Jewel Thief, Johny Mera Naam, Black Mail and Tere Mere Sapne while films like Ghungroo and Kora Kaagaz had the actor playing the lead in them.
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Dilip Kumar hospitalised
Veteran actor Dilip Kumar had to be rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the Lilavati Hospital. Kumar was at his farmhouse in Lonavla where he complained of a urinary problem two days ago. Brother Ehsan Khan rushed him to the hospital when his condition worsened. Dilip Kumar is currently under Dr Nitin Gokhale and Dr Bapat's observation.
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Akshay-Ash in Subhash Ghai's next
So it is Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai who will star in Subhash Ghai's next film. But that does not mean that Ghai did not approach Arjun Rampal. It is just that Ghai wanted a three-film contract to be signed, which Arjun was not game for. Ghai is likely to announce the film some time in October.
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Mahesh Manjrekar Plans Real Life on Reel
Not many Hindi cinema directors have tried their hands at autobiography. In the past, there was Guru Dutt, who came up with films like 'Pyaasa' and 'Kagaaz Ke Phool', which reflected the churning in his soul. Later, a self-indulgent and self-pitying Raj Kapoor tried to 'bare his soul' in 'Mera Naam Joker'. In recent times, Mahesh Bhatt has brought some real life experience to the screen.
Now, it is the turn of director Mahesh Manjrekar, who has made such widely-appreciated films as 'Vaastav', 'Kurukshetra', 'Astitva' and 'Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai', to hark back to the bitter-sweet memories of childhood. "During my childhood, I had a feeling that my father could not understand my feelings and emotions. Now that I am a father myself, I realize that my father was never wrong, but at the same time my feelings as a child seem justified. This complex issue made me pen the story of my childhood and I feel that it is not just my story but the story of the entire society."
So, what type of film is 'Ehsaas'? "It is a story about the conflict of emotions between a 10 year old and his father. The father has great expectations from his child whereas the child expects something totally different from the father. It is about the clash between the feeling of an innocent child and a responsible father."
What is the most impressive thing about his film? 'The entire film is very impressive. It has good story. All the artists have given a wonderful performance. The music is enchanting. On the whole, it was a very enjoyable experience."
Mahesh is known for his versatility. If "Vaastav' was stark and exposed the dark side of underworld, 'Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai' explored the emotional world of a rural man. 'Astitva' was a projection of women in society, while 'Nidaan' raised a social point. 'Kurukshetra', for its part, was a totally commercial film. So, how important was it to make a film like 'Ehsaas'? "See, every film has its own importance. I do not compare my films. All are special to me because they have different stories. 'Vaastav' differed from 'Astitva' and 'Nidaan'. 'Kurukshetra' was a different kettle of fish. The base of 'Ehsaas' is totally different. If you go through 'Ehsaas' closely, you will find there is a hidden stream of emotions flowing from beginning to end."
'Ehsaas' has Sunil Shetty as its hero. He was once known as an 'action man', but has, of late, been trying to change his image by opting for subtle roles. His last few films ('Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi', 'Pyaar Ishq aur Mohabbat' and 'Jungle') have not clicked at the box office. How does Mahesh rate him as a performer? "Sunil is an artiste with whom I can work confidently. It is up to a director how he makes an actor fit into a role. Sunil is mature and can perform any role. When I thought of him for this role, his image did not matter. I wanted an artiste who could do justice to the role of a father of a 10-year-old. You too will appreciate his performance in the film."
How was it seeing his childhood being reenacted in front of his eyes? "It is not an easy question. If I say it was all acting and not real, then I would be doing injustice to my feelings. I also don't want to be falsely modest. Yes, there were several scenes that related directly to my own sufferings. I sobbed during the shooting of some scenes. You cannot forget your past even if you want to."
Now that 'Ehsaas' is complete and waiting for an early release, what other projects does Mahesh have in hand? "My next film will be 'Pitah'. It is nearing completion. Sanjay Dutt has given, what I think, is a lifetime performance in it. Nandita Das is the heroine. Then, I am making 'Tera Mera Saath Hai' with Ajay Devgan, Sonali Bendre and Namrata Shirodkar. Another film is for the Sony channel, and I am to start a film with Amitabh Bachchan called 'Kutumb' very soon. I am also acting in Sanjay Gupta's film 'Kaante'
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Paresh Rawal is singing
He is definitely an actor par excellence, but when one heard him break into a song on the sets, one was surprised! We are talking about Paresh Rawal. Had he not been an actor, he would have been a singer, that's what he says. And guess who his favorite singer is! It is the yesteryear maestro K L Saigal. "I have all his songs and practice them dedicatedly," he says with a smile. Was that a hint that he might come out with an album?? Well only he can answer that one
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Jaya and Abhishek in a Bengali film
Jaya Bachchan will be doing a Bengali film after a gap of over 25 years. In the film titled Mritibhumi, Jaya plays a 65 year-old-woman who abhors corruption and wants to bring about change in the society and restore it to the way it was when she was a teenager and when India was under the British Raj. The film is to be directed by Raja Sen and will also star son Abhishek Bachchan. Raja Sen is busy location-hunting for the film. "It is likely to be shot in Darjeeling, while the locations are yet to be decided," he informed the press.
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Movie Review : Ajnabee
There's no denying the fact that director duo Abbas-Mustan are amongst the best in the business!
With AGNEEKAAL, their very first Hindi film, they proved that they knew their job well. Their subsequent releases, KHILADI, BAAZIGAR and SOLDIER, emphasised the fact that they believed in deviating from the stereotype; focussing more on content than form. Their last release, CHORI CHORI CHUPKE CHUPKE, was path-breaking for the Indian audience in many ways since it tackled an intrepid theme surrogate motherhood.
But their latest offering, AJNABEE, belies the king-sized expectations!
Inspired by the Hollywood flick CONSENTING ADULTS, AJNABEE is a whodunit that tackles the novel issue of wife swapping. Bobby Deol and Kareena Kapoor tie the knot after two meetings and set out for Switzerland, where Bobby is supposed to participate in a polo match.
In Switzerland, the couple's immediate neighbours are Akshay Kumar and his svelte wife Bipasha Basu, who lead a luxurious lifestyle. The couples (Bobby-Kareena and Akshay-Bipasha) start spending a lot of time with each other and their friendship grows with each passing day.
Their friendship turns bitter when, on a holiday to Mauritius, Akshay suggests to Bobby, 'Why not swap wives for fun sake?'. An infuriated Bobby comes to blows with Akshay, compelling the couples to cut short their holiday and return to Switzerland.
Once home, Bobby forgives Akshay for the sinful idea, after the latter relentlessly apologises for it. A few days later, Akshay celebrates his birthday with Bobby and the two ladies. In an inebriated state, Akshay once again suggests the idea of swapping wives to Bobby.
Bobby walks into Akshay's house, but the next morning he learns that Bipasha has been murdered. All fingers point towards Bobby, who is arrested by the police.
But the actual murderer is on the loose. The mystery deepens!
The initial reels focus on fun and frolic, with as many as four songs coming in rapid succession. The emphasis is on providing light moments, perhaps to balance the intense goings-on that are to follow subsequently.
The narrative gets attention-grabbing when Akshay suggests wife swapping to Bobby. However, this particular issue, wife swapping is alien for the Hindi cinegoer and so, it will come as a shock to him when Akshay raises the topic.
The interval point, which is actually the turning point of the film, catches the viewer unaware and he expects the post-interval portions to be much more engrossing. But the second half of this flick is akin to soda; it opens with fizz but mellows thereafter.
Clearly, the fault lies with the screenplay of the film!
One, revealing the true identity of the murderer in the first ten minutes of the second half was not the right thing to do. The suspense should've been maintained till the climax.
Two, just when the mystery deepens, the comedy track in the film comes as a stumbling block and dilutes the overall impact.
Three, the pre-climax, when Bobby accesses Akshay's bank accounts is treated childishly and cannot be absorbed. Even in the climax when Akshay reveals his game plan to Bobby looks hackneyed.
Even otherwise, barring a few scenes, the second half is deficient of endearing moments to keep the viewer mesmerised.
Directorially, Abbas-Mustan are not in form this time. The film maintains a rich, glossy look throughout, but the by-now-famous touches of the directors are restricted to a handful of sequences, which is all the more surprising in view of the fact that they have tackled this genre of film-making (suspense) with elan in KHILADI, BAAZIGAR and DARAAR.
They seem to have chosen a wrong story (wife swapping), which will not find patronage or identification from the orthodox cinegoers in India. Moreover, the screenplay is not as inspiring as their previous attempts. In fact, it leaves a lot to be desired.
Anu Malik's music elevates the proceedings to an extent. The film has three lilting numbers 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' (climax number), 'Meri Zindagi Mein' and 'Mohabbat Naam Hai Jiska' and the picturisation of these songs are eye-pleasing. Dialogues (Shyam Goel) are very well penned. Cinematography is first-rate.
Both Akshay Kumar and Bobby Deol deliver run-of-the-mill performances. They are decent, not magnificent. Kareena Kapoor goes through her part with ease, since the role doesn't demand histrionics. Considering this to be her first film, Bipasha Basu exudes confidence, oozes oomph and does a satisfactory job. Johny Lever is loud. Sharat Saxena is wasted. Dalip Tahil doesn't impress either.
On the whole, AJNABEE tackles an audacious theme that the Indian audience will find hard to absorb and identify with. The film, which boasts of impressive names on and off the screen, will attract the audiences for the first few days, but its fall is imminent after the initial euphoria settles. A heavy price tag will also prove a deterrent for its investors.
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