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Looks like the 56-year old Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is losing his Midas touch going by total collections of Rs 17 crore for his latest movie Sarfira. The film, a remake of Tamil movie Soraru Puttru, was based on the life of Captain Gopinath of Air Deccan fame. In fact, its budget was much less than Akshay Kumar’s film. Post Covid-19 pandemic the first Hindi film to be released was Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi directed by Rohit Shetty with Ranveer Singh, Ajay Devgn in the star cast. It did well at the box office opening with Rs 25 crore. But after that Bachchan Pandey spelt disaster at the box office and opened with just Rs 13crore. From then on films like Samrat Prithviraj, Raksha Bandhan failed miserably. He bounced back with Ram Setu and OMG 2 which did decent business at the box office. OMG 2 which was a hit had Pankaj Tripathi in the main lead but the actor was appreciated for his role as Shiva. As a producer he had to battle with CBFC for release of the film as it had given it A certification.There were Selfie, Mission Raniganj which opened at Rs 2.80cr which was better than Sarfira. Mission Raniganj earned Rs 33 crore while Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’s failure almost shut Vashu Bhagnani’s office. Sources say Akshay has not signed any new films and has reduced his price by 50%. But, the actor has quite a few films in production. Khel Khel Mein is with Taapsee Pannu and Vani Kapoor and directed by Mudassar Aziz who does not have a great track record. The only hope for Akshay is Housefull 5. Maybe his South sojourn could salvage his career.
Tamil film fans are on a high …just salivating in anticipation of a star cine line-up. Keenly awaited is Lyca Productions’ thriller Vidaamuyarchi with Ajit and Trisha swinging to Anirudh’s merry music under Magizh Thirumeni’s direction. The news about Trisha taking on the director for some obscure issue and other roadblocks put the fear about Vidaamuyarchi becoming Vitta Muyarchi or effort abandoned. But all is well and Diwali is to be lit up by this film. Thangalan, the much talked about Kolar Gold Mines is a film that may take veteran Vikram to new heights in acting. This film, directed by PA Ranjit with music by GV Prakashkumar will be released on August 15. The very first song Minikki Minikki is already a hit for its rural beat, rustic voice and lyrics. Thangalan to be released worldwide in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi is predicted to be a creative and cash hit on the lines of KGF and RRR. Dhanush and his 50th film Rayan with a promising story and solid acting line up — Selvaraghavan, SJ Surya, Kalidas and Aparna Balamurali. AR Rahman has tuned the lyrics written by Dhanush with SUN Pictures gearing up for July 26 show time. Suriya’s Ganguva in 3D tech, directed by Siruthai Siva with Disha Patani, Bobby Deol and others is an epic historical film that has been long delayed. No wonder Suriya announced its Fire Song to be out on his 49th birthday on July 23 to keep interest alive in Ganguva. There are several small budget modest films too. Who can predict which of these films will grab audience attention?
The name of the game is marketing. The cinema business is all about hard-selling. The Indian II, a Kamal Haasan-starrer, is reportedly raking good collections at the Box Office despite a mixed review. That’s good news, no doubt, for the tinsel world. Is there a way to discover the exact collection? That could give a clue or two to the real appetite for a good movie. Well, the way forward is to go digital completely. Why not ticket sales be done only through online? For one, that could avoid the serpentine queue in front of the theatres to buy tickets. For another, it could provide visibility to stakeholders across the canvass on the revenue flow. That will go a long way in helping to devise a proper policy prescription to the cinema industry. An influential part of the cinema business is still not fully on-boarded into the formal system. Oftentimes, one is not sure if there is meaningful correlation between attendance at theatres and box office collections. Are we seeing the old style of accounting in the tinsel world? If the Railways could successfully run an online catering service to train travellers, why can’t a similar system be encouraged for sale of snacks and beverages at cinema theatres? The cinema industry has traversed quite long from a totally unorganised existence in the past. If the tinsel world is integrated into the formal system in every way, it will do a world of good to the industry, in general, and the national economy, in particular, if. That is easier said than done,however.
Even in an almost cameo role of Kamal Haasan in Kalki 2898 AD, it raked in the money and the laurels. But his full length sequel epic Indian 2 has turned into an embarrassment for all concerned – director S Shankar, Lyca Productions, Red Giant and cast. Hit in the solar plexus by a super long film that begs to be ignored. Especially brilliant director Shankar who has had many hits in his quiver and a reputation for big scale entertainment. In the high jinx, big money world of cinema many hits are quickly memory erased with one super flop. That’s exactly what has happened to wizard Shankar. But the long gestation period of Indian 2 brought an opportunity for him to sign up Ram Charan (fresh from the laurels of RRR and its near Oscar status) for directing Game Changer. Even as Telugu distributors, financiers and producers are shell shocked by the Indian 2 debacle, they have to scan the sky, hopefully for that rainbow. And appropriately enough it could be Game Changer with the suave Ram Charan. The political thriller written by Kartik Subburaj, features Kiara Advani, SJ Surya, Anjali and others. Ram Charan shared a collage of a helicopter that said, “The Game is about to Change … .Game Changer is all wrapped up. See you at the cinemas.” Cinema is mega money …it needs back to back game changers to survive.
It was the wedding of the century. And as usual the entire Bollywood made sure they marked their attendance at the Ambani wedding. All were there with their families and they really let their hair down. There are a few observations that one saw at the wedding. For starters, the paparazzi, who are often not treated well by the top stars, were pleasantly surprised by the respect accorded to them by Bollywood folks. It looked as though the Ambanis had told them to cooperate with the paparazzi. Shah Rukh Khan who was again seen with his green umbrella covering his face to avoid being papped the next day after the wedding had posed not once but twice at the wedding with the proper salaam to the members of the media. Amitabh Bachchan was spotted waiting for his turn to pose in front of the media while cricketer MS Dhoni posed. Someone like Madhuri Dixit danced to Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai number. In fact, Salman who is very fond of Anant Ambani made sure even Shah Rukh Khan danced instead of standing and watching others dance. A photograph of Salman Khan and Arjun Kapoor together has gone viral as generally Sallu bhai prefers to stay away from Arjun. All said and done, almost all the top actors and actresses from the film industry participated in Ambani’s wedding whole-heartedly. In fact, all of them had blocked dates for the three Ambani events that took place in the last few months.
Sequels seem to be the current flavour of Tamil films. Even as Indian 2 is chugging along to mixed reactions, Ishari Ganesh and his production House Vel’s, announced the sequel to their 2020 fantasy mythology/ comedy ( new genres are creatively spun ) Mookkuthi Amman. Lady Superstar Nayanthara plays the Goddess. How did a fantasy theme steeped in Divine overtones inspire a sequel? The ways of films and the preferences of audiences are as elusive as The Scarlet Pimpernel. The first film Mookkuthi Amman could not get a cinema release due to Covid-19 pandemic. But the makers were not daunted …they managed a direct OTT release on Disney Hotstar, almost convinced it was due to the divine blessings of Goddess Amman. A beautiful Nayanthara got iconic welcome as the Nose Pin Goddess. RJ Balaji, the main character is also the director of the film. Mookkuthi Amman watches over the good people with her timely interventions and is lionised as the family “go to” deity. When story boards are as dry as a desert, film makers seek sequels — at least the essentials for the film are charted. Only a new story twist is needed. Nayanathara is an appropriate Mookkuthi Amman.
July 12 was a red flagged day for the much-anticipated and delayed release of Ulaga Nayakan Kamal Hassan’s magnum opus, Indian 2, sequel to that 1996 super hit that rocked global viewers for sheer scale, script and cinematic spectacle. Besotted Kollywood fans had almost given up on seeing Indian 2. Tamil film’s ace director S Shankar announced the sequel on January 15, 2019. A five years delay can be financially crippling in the film industry. What went wrong? Everything. At every step the film hit roadblocks. This string of unexpected hurdles could make for a standalone script for “The Making Of Indian 2”. A series of mishaps, infighting between the production house and the director, legal hurdles and an accident on the set — crane fell on the crew killing three workers. Kamal had to take care of the legal summons as he was in no way connected with the mishap. A prompt Rs 1 crore compensation to the deceased workers’s families pacified the crew. Then came Covid-19 pandemic. Indian 2 lost three of their best talents — top comedian Vivek, Manobala and Nedumudi Venu. Through all this Kamal worked in other films and also launched his own political party MNM. His Vikram, a super hit, turned the tide and Kamal’s confidence levels rose. Shankar, a mega scale director is not known to cut the cloth according to the coat. In 1996 Indian 1 made on Rs 9 crore budget earned Rs 30 crore, his Rajini starrer 2.0 made in 2018 with Rs 600 crore earned Rs 800 crore. Indian 2 made at a cost Rs 600 crore is expected to cross the Rs1000-crore mark.
Following Anusuya Sengupta’s acclaimed win as Best Actress in the ‘A Certain Regard’ category for her film ‘Shameless’ at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, questions have arisen concerning the notable absence of Indian Bengali cinema at prominent international film festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. Acclaimed Director Goutam Ghose, a recipient of numerous awards at prestigious global film festivals, highlighted a disparity in enthusiasm towards festivals among Bengali master filmmakers of yester years. While luminaries such as Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen actively engaged with these platforms, celebrated figures like Tarun Majumder and Tapan Sinha were less inclined, despite their films receiving recognition. Ghosh noted fluctuating preferences among festival organizers favouring films from different countries at different times, including periods where Iranian, Korean, and occasionally Indian cinema gained prominence. Film researcher and professor Sanjay Mukhopadhyay observed that films like Debaki Kumar Bose’s ‘Sita’ might have won accolades in Venice due to their westernised portrayal of Indian women. He acknowledged a decline in Bengali cinema’s international visibility post the era of Ray, Sen, and Ritwik Ghatak. Director Atanu Ghosh, whose works have been honoured at international festivals, acknowledged the current scarcity of Bengali films on the global stage. Interestingly, according to director Sekhar Das even Russian films are not being able to make their mark even with these famous directors like Tarkovsky or Sokurov. The same is true for Bengali movies.
Whoever watched Kalki 2898AD is all praise for Amitabh Bachchan …for his role as Ashwathama. And interestingly, the box office numbers prove that Big B is a big draw. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted that Kalki2898AD is the third Telugu film, dubbed in Hindi, after Baahubali2 and RRR to cross the Rs 200-crore mark in 10 days. Big B who has worked in over 248 films — 12 waiting to be released – hasn’t really got this kind of response to his films in recent times. In the last few years he acted in a number of multi-starrers like Unnchai, Goodbye, Runway 24 and Jhund but none of them impressed the audience save for Brahmastra. Bachchan, at 81, seems to be a big draw as he is constantly reinventing himself. At the peak of his career in the 70s, 80s, he with his angry young man image was a phenomenon; a one-man industry whose name drew the audience to theatres. Then on the advice of an investment banker he set up ABCL which drove him to bankruptcy. He got a lifeline from the late Subrata Roy of Sahara Group and a break in small screen to host Kaun Banega Crorepati? On TV Salman Khan may be getting bigger money than Bachchan but the kind of respect Big B commands after hosting KBC is unbelievable and it continues for two decades now. According to an election affidavit, he and his wife Jaya Bachchan’s combined net worth is Rs 1,578 crore. Industry observer Girish Wankhede says, “Mr Bachchan rewrote the history with his performance and the enormous box office numbers consolidate his eternal domination. He has been the king of box office in the past and with Kalki 2898AD, he is again back with the bang.” Big B has proved that age is just a number.
Tamil cinema’s popular star Dhanush unloaded a plethora of angst at the music launch of his 50th film, Raayan. But why? He has travelled from Kolly to Bolly to Hollywood in the span of 24 years, no mean feat for a guy who came from nowhere (literally), body shamed for his looks…thin, dark and passable visage, a far cry from matinee idol. But this hugely talented star had immense confidence in his ability and quickly made his place in the clawing competitive space of Tamil cinema. His acting talent was evident. Talking about his rise, popularity, star saleability and versatility Dhanush recalled those days …when he lingered in Poes Garden hoping to catch a glimpse of his hero..,his future father-in-law Rajinikanth. He idolised Superstar Rajini, craved and coveted his lavish house, its location; so too J Jayalalithaa’s iconic home and address. “I am going to get a home here in Poes Garden”, he vowed. And he did. He built his imposing home (Rs 100 plus crore) very near to the Superstar. While his professional life zoomed up as one of the most sought after cinematic talents …actor, director, script writer, singer, his personal life plunged into chaos. He separated from his wife Aishwarya and two sons. Dhanush reminisced about all this even when he should have proudly launched his 50th film, talked about maestro AR Rahman, ensemble cast. When Dhanush opened up about his regret for building this opulent home in Poes Garden, the overwhelming sense of emotional pain spilt out as angst.
Trisha Krishnan and Thalapathy Vijay were the best-selling Tamil cinema on-screen pair in the mid-2000s. Their first film, Ghilli, Rs 50 crore hit, still draws repeat audiences for bubbly entertainment and a fast moving story. Four back to back films including Kuruvi naturally lead to cotton candy talk of the two getting serious. The pairing stopped. Only when Lokesh Kanakaraj announced Leo, Trisha came back to the Vijay pairing after a gap of 15 years. Lokesh, Vijay and Trisha alchemy is expected to sizzle at the boxoffice. Parallel to cinema happenings, Vijay is super busy and super present in the news for the launch of his party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam. Social media is full of news about his “powerful and planned “thrust into politics, with all kinds of imaginary status about his marital life, parental non proximity, even his son rising as a challenge. What about his love life? Ah, this is where it becomes hot and humid. The infamous Suchitra leaks hit Vijay and Trisha with hot Saravana Bhavan rasam like spice. For those who are not in the know, Suchitra, a former singer and now suffering from delusional disorders puts out the most atrocious claims on the life, liaisons and love of filmi denizens. A birthday wish picture on Vijay’s 50th on Trisha’s Insta set the cats screeching. Suchitra wrote: “Trisha is a parasite. She is preying on Vijay’s loneliness in the absence of Sangeeta, pushing her way closer to fulfil her own political ambitions through Vijay. I am warning Vijay”.
Bollywood’s successful producer Vashu Bhagnani is cash-strapped and has put one of his properties on the block. Reportedly, he has not paid Rs 65 lakhs to his crew who worked in three of his films. Besides has also not paid the stars like Akshay Kumar who has agreed to wait. Incidentally, most of his films in recent times starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff have bombed at the box office. In the case of Akshay, all his four films with Vashu have done badly. Industry insiders say a film bombs because of poor script or high cost of stars or lavish production cost. It is an open secret that some of the popular stars take about 40% of the cost of production of the film. Vashu Bhagnani who entered Bollywood in 1995 has given a series of superhits, so it’s surprising he landed in a financial mess. He invested about Rs 1,000 crore in Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan Mission Raniganj, Ganpath and Cutputli. But earnings have been very poor. Also, signing big stars does not guarantee box office success. In the past Raj Kapoor landed in financial trouble after Mera Naam Joker flopped; Prakash Mehra after Bal Brahmachari and Zindagi Ek Jua and Manmohan Desai after Anmol and Toofan. But, these producers failed not because of the high cost of stars but because the audience did not like their stories. In the case of Bhagnani’s high cost of stars is also one of the reasons. There is surround sound that actors should cut their price. Will they?
In his career spanning over 40 years, the 67-year old Anil ‘Jhakas’ Kapoor has smartly kept out of controversy. But, in recent times found himself dragged into two controversies. He is being trolled for agreeing to host Bigg Boss OTT, a reality show which has become synonymous with Salman Khan. Bhai’s fans are mightily upset that Anil has replaced Sallu Bhai in one of the most controversial reality shows. Anil is not perturbed by criticisms and trolls. Meanwhile, he seems to be in the news for other reasons — fallout with his elder brother Boney Kapoor. Sources say that producer Boney has decided to cast his son Arjun Kapoor in the sequel No Entry Mein Entry without informing Anil and this has upset him. But when some reporters quizzed Anil, he quickly responded “Ghar Ki Baat Ghar mein hi rehne do”. Anil, one of the non-controversial actors in Bollywood, has acted in over 100 films and his career graph, like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, has been steady. The actor is constantly reinventing himself to keep in sync with changing times. He is identified for some of the interesting roles he essayed in Hindi films like Mr India, Mashaal, Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Nayak, Welcome, English movie Slumdog Millionaire and English TV serial 24. As regards to his producer brother, he has worked with him in over nine films and has acted opposite Sridevi, his sister in law in eight films.
Tamil film’s well known director, 37-year old Arun Kumar (aka) Atlee has moved into the big league. His star trek which began in 2013 with Raja Rani got a leg up thanks to Thala Vijay. He directed Vijay in three superhits Theri, Mercel and Bigil. Like many super hits, Atlee guided his hits with more razzmatazz and gloss, a page taken from his mentor Shankar. Kollywood producers quickly realised that Atlee was building his own brand with way over budget films. Kalaipuli Thanu, a name to reckon in the Tamil Film Producers Guild cracked the whip…Tamil movies did not seek Atlee and when he tried to move to Telugu…he drew a blank. It seems Telugu and Hindi film producers are hard nuts to crack where finance is concerned. He has been lucky though. When Bollywood was down in the trenches and needed a hit badly to pull it out of the tailspin, Atlee delivered Jawan for SRK. Made on a Rs 370-crore budget, it raked in Rs 1200 crore. But Atlee was criticised for the way Jawan’s extravagance gnawed at the profits. Atlee has just made it known that his salary would now be Rs 100 crore plus profit sharing. Atlee announced his next movie with Allu Arjun. But call it destiny. The Andhra Pradesh government has changed and the new Czar Chandra Babu Naidu is unlikely to forget that Allu Arjun had campaigned for his rival Jagan Mohan Reddy. The latest buzz is that the prestigious project has been shelved. Allu is waiting for the release of Pushpa 2.
Thirty-seven year old popular Bollywood star Sonakshi Sinha is being trolled for getting married to her Muslim boyfriend. Reportedly, her family also does not seem very happy about her marriage to Zaheer Iqbal, an actor who was launched by Salman Khan but did not make it big in the tinsel world. Incidentally, Sonakshi was also launched by Salman Khan in Dabangg. Actually, her family’s reaction is surprising because the news she was dating Iqbal has been mentioned in the media off and on.. Be that as it may. But nothing will stop Sonakshi from marrying the man who she has been dating for seven years now. Media reports claim that her father Shatrughan Sinha and brothers were taken by surprise about the wedding date and they have blessed her through the media. But Sonakshi is not the first or the last actress to rebel against their parents. In the past too stars have rebelled or eloped and got married. The Maine Pyaar Kiya girl Bhagyashree married Himalaya Dasani as her parents did not approve of him. Bhagyashree comes from a royal family and the family felt the status did not match. Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta had a quiet marriage as their families did not approve of the relationship. Gurmeet Chaudhary and Debina only had friends who attended their wedding and kept it under wraps for many years. And not many know that Jennifer Kendall left her family to be with Shashi Kapoor and later had a traditional Hindu wedding.
Forty-six year old Vijay Sethupathi, who predominantly works in Tamil cinema, is an actor who never fails his fans. This director’s delight, bankable hero has none of that “chikna charm” of a stereotype film hero — brawn, Greek God profile, towering personality and a deejay’s baritone. But he comes alive on screen as a wholesome, dependable artist who carries off the entire film with his performance. Those who have seen his debut movie Thenmerku Paruvakaatru in 2010 remember his goatherd character to this day. Sethupathi has crossed many milestones and is confident that his 50th movie, Maharaja will get acclaimed just like his earlier hits Vikram Vedha, Sundarapandian, Pizza, 96 to name a few. His calm and controlled nature rarely kicks up cinematic storms…though recently he refused to co-star with Krithi Shetty for DSP. Reason: “In an earlier movie Krithi acted as my daughter. I made her feel really secure…even told her to think I am your real father. So I am not going to act with her as my female lead,” he said. In the film 96, which was a hit, he was paired with Trisha and critics did talk about a winsome youthful Trisha teaming up with an overweight Sethupathi as a classmate. His Vikram Vedha with Madhavan and Naanum Rowdy Dhaan with the lady superstar Nayanthara zoomed up the charts. Sethupathi has none of that ham handed heaviness in his portrayals. Fifty films old Vijay Sethupathi is as genuine as American Apple pie or South Indian Filter Coffee …no glamour but guarantee.
Celebrated author-writer-filmmaker Amish Tripathi, Bollywood star Nawazuddin Siddiqui and actor-producer-author Vani Tripathi Tikoo are meeting in London to participate at the Manoj Ladwa-led Indian Global Forum’s Pathways To A Limitless Future to be held between 24-28 June. The 3rd Culture & Creativity Forum at IGF London will draw leading voices from film & TV, fashion, literature, sports, economy and more. What new pathways for growth can creative innovation unlock? How can culture help organizations diversify their reach? How can we revitalize the global creative economy are some of the topics the brightest minds converging in London will debate, discuss and deliberate. It is learnt that Amish Tripathi while in London will use this opportunity to announce his creative tie-up with Lord Jeffrey Archer, a successful novelist who has written scores of best-sellers like Kane And Abel, Only Time Will Tell, The Prodigal Daughter to name a few. Kane and Abel remains one of the best-selling books in the world, with an estimated 34 million copies sold worldwide. All his novels put together have sold more than 320 million copies worldwide. Tripathi’s best kept secret project with Lord Archer will be unveiled on June 24.
The just released Malayalam comedy movie Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil’ has raked in Rs 50 crore in one week and Rs 85 crore in just 18 days. Of this, it raked Rs 43 crore in Kerala alone. A big percentage of Kerala’s population of nearly 3.46 crore work in the Middle East. For them a movie with Mammootty, Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran is the best treat. The Kerala film industry has done very well albeit with dramatic transformation from “art film, realism and simplistic presentation” Malayalam movies have emerged as entertainment winners. Simultaneously, stars too have hit the sweet spot of success. Prithiviraj Sukumaran, almost super star, producer, script writer and even singer is at the peak of success. In Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil’ as a comic lead which is a totally divergent role from his recent cult classic Aadujeevitham that garnered Rs 160 crore. Prithvi fans are on a high, but the star himself is careful not to make ripples in the star ecosystem where Mammootty and Mohanlal reign supreme. Prithviraj fell in love with the famed BBC journalist Supriya Menon Aren Mumbai and married her. The couple run a very profitable partnership. Not that he has no challenges in his starscape…Fahad Fasil, Joju George and others are fast catching up. The recent mega hit Manjummel Boys, Falimy (a quirky spell), Padmini and Bro Daddy succeeded though the prevailing crime and police films that dominated for quite some time. OTT has brought realism to the home viewer. Malayalam cinema is the new flavour of entertainment.
Tamil film’s ace director S Shankar and Ulaga Nayakan Kamal Haasan are all set to unveil Indian 2 with a big bang music launch event. Indian of 1996 which is still etched in cinephiles memory as a blockbuster was long awaiting a sequel. Kamal instinctively felt box office history could be created, yet again. Though his busy political and cinematic persona clashed and caused some stress to all concerned in his innermost circles, the Indian 2 is ready for a July release. Lyca Productions and Red Giant Movies are expected to hype marketing and media profile, to screen this extravaganza. One factor the audience is sure of is that even if the storyline does not punch at optimum weight, Kamal is sure to grab admiration with his acting as an old man. When Shankar is at the head of the table, one can anticipate extraordinary action and performances from his band of actors….an ensemble cast with Siddharth, Kajal Aggarwal, SJ Surya, Rakul Preet Singh and Bobby Simha. The music director Anirudh and two singles Para and Neelothpal have not disappointed their fans. The music launch at Nehru Stadium, a venue that portends hits, and besotted fans are not about to miss the event. When Kamal, Shankar and Anirudh hit the stage, the sound of music hits the high notes. And the Box office jingles.
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The BJP government’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry, mandated to rectify pejorative and false narratives of Hinduism peddled through (mostly Hindi) commercial cinema by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014, has almost finalized its CEO for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to censor films before release. IRS (customs) officer Kundan Yadav’s appointment file is pending approval of the Election Commission of India. More recently, Yadav was seen poking fun at Sanatana dharma, the Sunder Kand and Maha Mrityunjay Mantra while also taking potshots at Brahmanism and the Manu Smriti texts while using self-composed poetry on a public platform in Jaipur. “Even while drafted for election duty, this JNU product openly denounced the BJP giving speeches regarding his single-minded efforts against the national party. Is it merely enough that he possesses a doctorate (PhD) to be appointed the CBFC CEO? What happened to the 360-degree-SWOT analysis, assessment of his knowledge on the craft of film-making?” asks a senior BJP leader in anguish. Yadav’s stay at JNU was subsidized by his seniors in his first year, when he failed to secure hostel accommodation. Thereafter, this brilliant student, despite needing two terms to complete his HSC board examinations, became a topper of his class, even securing a teaching tenure in the USA on scholarship. One of his JNU professors did pull him up once for not having collected funds allocated to him through yet another scholarship he had been bestowed with for inordinately long. Some guys have all the luck!
Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan makes his debut with Maharaja that will be released on OTT. Guess what, Junaid already has completed shooting for his second film even before his debut film releases. Clearly, those are the perks of being a star kid. Both the films that Junaid has worked in have been produced by outside banners — Yash Raj Films and Phantom Studio have a good equation with Aamir Khan. Junaid hasn’t really been trolled for being Aamir Khan’s son. Probably because he is well behaved on the sets and with Paps. Reportedly, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s niece Sharmin Segal got trolled for bagging the central part in Heeramandi series. Tongues were wagging that she landed the role because of being Bhansali’s niece. But, the truth is she did go for an audition and screen test. In politics, business or films nepotism is the uncomfortable truth — it happens openly or subtly. Yes, it makes easy entry possible but post that he/she has to prove their mettle. Suhana Khan is all set to make her debut with her father Shah Rukh Khan to be directed by Sujoy Ghosh. Sanjay Kapoor’s daughter, Shanaya Kapoor is a big social media influencer even though she signed her first film. Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Khan who has two films seems to be throwing his weight if one goes by what Paps have to say. In the case of Rajesh Roshan, niece Pashmina Roshan, a good dancer, makes her debut in Ishk Vishk Rebound. Producer Ramesh Taurani has clarified that he chose Pashmina purely on merit with three other fresh faces. He says Rajesh Roshan, the music composer with whom his relationship goes back in time, did not call to push his niece’s case. Sounds good.
The year 1997, an exotic pairing of Kajol, the creole beauty and Prabhudeva, India’s undisputed King of contemporary dance took the audience to a new level of entertainment. The film, Minsara Kanavu ( Electric Dreams) directed by Rajiv Menon, with music by AR Rahman danced away with four national awards — Best Music Director, Best Singers both male and female and Best Dance Director. Arvind Swami added histrionic weight to the narrative. The film not only entertained but inspired a comic slogan to the Tamilians (talented word crafters) who suffered frequent power cuts. They came up with the taunt “Minsarame Kanavu ( for us electricity is itself a dream ).This exotic pair are now coming together after 27 years for a Telugu film, directed by CharanRaj Upplipatt, with able support by Naseeruddin Shah and Samyukta Menon. The production house has announced that the first phase of this thriller filming is complete and the teaser is to be out soon. The song Vennilave Vennilave Vinnai thandi varuvaya is still remembered. Will Kajol and Prabhudeva electrify the audience yet again?
At 81, Ilayaraja remains the emperor of melodies. But of late he has painted his incomparable talent and self into a controversial corner. Recently SUN Pictures released the trailer of their upcoming Rajnikanth potboiler, Coolie with Anirudh composing music. Ilayaraja was angry to hear his composition from Thanga Magan, in a digital garb used in the trailer. He promptly sent a legal notice. This side of a gentle genius irritated film folks, with filmdom abounding in instances of copyright infringement. In the midst of this controversy this Rajya Sabha MP had the time and talent to announce the completion of a full scale symphony he composed in just 35 days. His talent and stature is so high, and some detractors are saying, does it behove his standing to send legal notice? Music borrowing, plagiarism or theft, call what you may, is a global phenomenon; Arabian belly dance tunes, African drum beats , tribal taals, from the great Indian music composers, Saint Thyagaraja, Annamiah etc are freely lifted. Often turning melodious music into cacophony. Ilayaraja, known fondly as Isaignanai (sage of music) has compiled over 7000 film songs, scored music for over 1000 films and performed in 20,000 concerts. He is a music composer, conductor, orchestrator, multi- instrument player, lyricist and singer who has no equal. Recently, the famous music duo sisters Ranjani and Gayatri performed on stage with Ilayaraja sitting in the front row. They drew repeated applause for the Thyagaraja composition in Raga Charumati, Mari Mari Ninne which Ilayaraja immortalised as his base for the hit song Paatu ariyen, padippariyen, pallikoodam thaan ariyen in the film Sindhu Bhairavi. Ilayaraja, your kind of genius is rare and immortal. Think of plagiarism as the best adulation.
Salman Khan has got Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal heroine for his next film Sikandar. Yes, Rashmika Mandanna is going to play his love interest in the film that goes on the floor next month. It came as a surprise for a lot of people in the trade as the names of other heroines were floating around before Animal heroine was signed for the role. Historically, Salman Khan has been choosy of signing up a heroine unless he is in a comfort zone with them. Katrina Kaif holds the record having worked with Salman in eight films. Well, earlier he and Madhuri Dixit worked in six films; it was because they were contemporaries…that’s all. But, stars like Jacqueline Fernandez got on like a house on fire. She has worked with Salman in about three films and reportedly during lockdown spent a long time at his farmhouse. Waluscha De Sousa who was also a kind of favourite of the actor; she worked in two films — Time to Dance and Antim: The Truth. With Sonakshi Sinha also twice. Interestingly, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai whose romance is well known worked with each other only in one film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Likewise Twinkle Khanna, Urmila Matondkar and Sonali Bendre. Salman Khan has worked with Katrina Kaif even if he didn’t like her brief involvement with Ranbir Kapoor. There has been a chemistry issue between him and Ranbir since then. But, looks like Alia Bhatt may just play a role to bring Kapoor and Khan together. If one recalls, Ranbir Kapoor had mentioned in the Kapil Sharma show that Salman Khan had chipped in during his sister Riddhima Kapoor’s wedding by taking care of the bar.
Just when we thought that the Aamir Khan episode saved The Great Indian Kapil Show comes the news that the team has wrapped up Season One of the show after six episodes. An avid show watcher was very critical and said, “I am not surprised. It was bound to wrap up…how can anyone eat a dhokla that has been served like pizza?” The show ever since it went to Netflix did not seem to have the same draw, stickiness and buzz like it was on Sony TV during weekends. The general feedback is that there is no novelty or freshness; even Sunil Grover who returned to show after a gap of seven years failed to regale the audience. His earlier avatar as Guthi was better than current one as Dafli. Even Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda who have emotional bonding with the audiences and guests seemed to have lost their zing. Also, missing from the show are Chandan Prabhakar, Sunil Lahiri and Sumona Chakraborty. Essentially, the show failed to deliver the punch for which it was famous for. Is it because OTT caters to a different audience while TV channels are watched by the entire family? Kapil Sharma started his comedy show in 2016 and it was getting very good traction. But soon he had a fall out with his team mates like Sunil Grover. Post that he shifted the show to Sony TV and got Salman Khan to bank roll it. Now, the quick wrap of Season One has raised eyebrows but Netflix has quickly reacted saying that Season Two with seven episodes will feature celebrities like Ed Sheeran, Anil Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha and Sania Mirza. Only Ed Sheeran is a new catch, the rest of the guests are usual suspects. Season Two will effectively spell out which way Kapil Sharma and his show is going.
Now that the election Punch and Judy show is over in Tamil Nadu, south India’s biggest director Mani Ratnam is seriously back to shooting Thug Life. For those who may not recall why Mani Ratnam wants to get back to Thug Life, Raj Kamal Movies, Red Giant Movies and Madras Talkies announced their joint venture creation with a marquee star lineup. Kamal Haasan heads the cast, Trisha, Dulquer Salmaan, Jeyam Ravi, Aishwarya Lekshmi to name a few. The elections came as a speed breaker, with Kamal campaigning for the DMK. The shooting was also paused as Dulquer and Jeyam Ravi opted out as they could not accommodate the delayed call sheets. After much debate, Simbu was signed up for Dulquer’s role and Aravind Swamy in place of Jeyam Ravi. It is interesting to note that all these stars have worked with Mani Ratnam, a comfort level both share. Simbu had given the hit Cheka Sivanda Vaanam. Recently a schedule with Kamal, Simbu, Abirami and Nasser was shot in Delhi. Simbu coming on board was marked by glimpse video teasers, especially the one which shows a huge dust drift kicked up presumably by a car driven by him titled “A New Thug in Town “. Mani Ratnam and his iconic treatment of every storyline he films is pure cinematic genius. His muse could be a Thug, Saint or the Devil himself. The audience is waiting impatiently to watch his thuggery.
Candidly speaking, it’s a hard to follow act for the children of cinematic Icons…especially if you are the progeny of global icon, superstar Rajinikanth. His daughters Aishwarya and Soundarya have been under the constant filmi microscope of public view. The sisters have lived through rocky lives –both personal and professional. Both have tried their hand at cinema production and direction. With a few films produced and directed by her, much was expected of Aishwarya’s recent film Lal Salaam with a bespoke cameo by Rajinikanth himself. Lal Salaam did not do well at the box office. Other sister Soundarya is still smarting with the huge financial loss of her films Kochadayan and Goa. For 10 years she stayed away from the filmi world. Then Amazon Prime’s web series, Gangs Kuruthi Punal came her way as producer, an opportunity she must have coveted. But midway through the shoot in Puducherry, things started going south, and it overshot the budget. Her director Nova came in for criticism and things turned sour with him being blamed for not having better control. With Sathyaraj and Nasser heading the series, the production could have succeeded but when the money flow was stopped, Soundarya was cornered once again. Then came the announcement by Amazon Prime that a course correction would be in order. Can Soundaraya salvage the series?
Popular Tamil film hero Suriya’s career zoomed with Soorarai Pottru in 2022 and its ace director Sudha Kongara Prasad walked away with the Filmfare Award for best film, her second after Irudi Suttru in 2020. Soorarai Pottru traversed that thin line where a biography straddles a documentary and a gripping drama of a self-driven entrepreneur, Captain Gopinath who took wings with Deccan Airways.The film’s huge success in both cinemas and OTT was as much due to the inspired direction of Sudha Kongara as to Suriya’s compelling performance. The duo’s next film Puranaanooru naturally raised high expectations. Suddenly rumours flew thick and fast about differences between Sudha and Suriya, who was also producing this film under his home production 2 D films. First, there were speculations about Suriya’s dates’ availability; the film had to be shot extensively in colleges in south India during the vacation but because of election fever it was difficult to get a suitable venue. Set in the sixties Puranaanooru needed huge outlay — around Rs 60 crore to replicate that period. To scotch the rumours, a joint statement was issued by them which stated that the film is postponed. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Sudha has moved on to her next film with Dhruv Vikram in the lead. Who knows Suriya’s loss could be Dhruv’s gain!
Thirty-eight year old Bollywood star Jacqueline Fernandez has gone below the radar ever since her link to the conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar hit national headlines. She religiously avoids media, ducks from paparazzi and avoids socialising too. The conman link has cost her dearly — personally and professionally. Though she is fighting Sukesh in the court but because of his obsession with her, she prefers to keep quiet and work hard. What has damaged her reputation and put her on the backfoot is the intimate pictures released by Sukesh. Not surprisingly, the film industry and friends have not openly supported her in terms of sympathy or contracts but there are well wishers like Sonu Sood who signed her for Fateh which is ready for release. She does not have many projects but has two big films, Welcome to the Jungle with Firoz Nadiadwala and Housefull 5 which is yet to go on floors. Jacqueline does manage to get court permission to go abroad for shoots. Akshay Kumar, Sajid Nadiadwala and Salman Khan are her friends who still support her but not in the public. From a rank outsider, Jacqueline’s rise in Bollywood was meteoric. The Sri Lankan model-turned actor, who entered Bollywood in 2006, has acted in over 25 films already. In 15 years she has starred opposite top heroes. Her northbound career graph was halted when news of her involvement with conman Sukesh who was arrested for extortion and money laundering came out in open. She claims Sukesh lured her with Bollywood offers even as he showered her with costly gifts, even a high end car.
Historically, the Hindi film industry has been dominated by north Indian heroes and south Indian heroines. Now, a new trend is emerging. In the last three-four years it seems to be the hegemony of south films. Witness this, in the first four months of 2024, the traditional north Indian heroes Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn seem to have come a cropper going by the box office collections. Reportedly, total collection is less than Rs 800 crore. To make matters worse, Khans are conspicuous by their absence. Salman Khan’s ritual — Eid release was missing this season. Given this scenario, one is seeing the south stars coming to the rescue of Bollywood big time. For instance, Allu Arjun’s film Pushpa 2 is learnt to have got a commitment of Rs 1,000 crore before its release on August 15. It is expected to break all kinds of records. Then there is multi-starrer Kalki showing Amitabh Bachchan in a teaser promo. This movie which is a perfect example of cross-pollination of stars is speculated to garner Rs 100 crore on Day One of its release. Trade Analyst Girish Wankhede says, “The line up of South Indian films is a mix of class and mass. It has its focus on larger than life entertainment which works for celluloid. They are not spoilt for OTT choices and are more inclined to make mass entertainment.” The momentum in this year was started with Hanuman which scored big on the box office followed by Manjummel Boys and The Goat Life winning great critical acclaim. The upcoming slate looks super impressive with Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2 and Rajnikanths’s Vettaiyan. Besides, Devara, the movies in the pipelines are: Kanguva, Thangalaan and Mr Bachchan.
Sixty-one year old yesteryear’s superstar Govinda is back in the news, well not for signing a big budget film but for re-entering politics by joining Shiv Sena led by the Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. Govinda has made it clear that he will not be contesting any elections. It may be recalled that he won the 2004 Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket. Then, what’s his compulsion to re-enter politics? Does he feel that if he is part of a political party, then movies will come his way? Not really. A seasoned insider says that Govinda has been trying to make a comeback to films since 2015 but strangely, this exceptionally talented and accomplished star has not been able to win the faith of the producers to bet on him, once again. His past seems to have caught up with him; not reporting to the set on time has got the goat of producers, directors and co-stars. Says another source, lack of work for Govinda is not because the industry has lost faith in him but he has developed a trust deficit with them. His superstitious nature has made filmmakers uncomfortable. Both David Dhawan and Salman Khan did give Govinda a second chance. But, Govinda has this feeling that the world is against him. Recently, he overreacted to a comment by Vashu Bhagnani on his late coming on the sets of his films. Govinda who has acted in more than 165 Hindi and language films can become the favourite of producers and directors once again only if he reinvents himself.
Tamil Nadu is probably the most star and film crazy state. Here, films and politics mesh and meld. Even on polling day, watching these superheroes and the media feeding frenzy they generated was evident at the polling booths. TN is probably one of the best organised states in terms of election logistics and arrangements, meticulously planned and executed for hassle-free voting. But such well-oiled execution often gets overshadowed, even unacknowledged, by the entry of stars, with the media in droves praising the star for casting his vote. Stella Maris College and Eldams Road polling stations garnered much attention as the two superstars descended to cast their votes. Action, camera and buzz levels rose, though it must be said that these two took their turns in the line to get their fingers inked and ballot papers verified. Apart from Kamal and Rajini, Karthik, Vijay, Ajit, Vijay Sethupathi, Vikram, Suriya Trisha and a host of stars made a splash today by turning up early in the day. Surprisingly, most of them were dressed in white? Except Kamal who came in a white and teal green T or Vijay Sethupathi. The penny dropped when a media smart said, “They wanted to avoid speculations about party affiliations. So white was the best option”. The terrible heat and overwhelming humidity could well have been the reason for cool white. Does it matter what the stars wore..it was not a fashion ramp …just your neighbourhood polling booth.
Akshay Kumar may be one of the few actors in Bollywood who completes his films in record time. Ironically, his record of flops seems to be beating that. The ‘Khiladi’ Kumar’s latest film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has opened to lukewarm response at the box office despite the fact it was released on Eid. The Day 1 collection was Rs 16.07 crore. Movie critic Taran Adarsh commented on X: “With a dream cast + lavish making + holiday factor + aggressive promotions + terrific track record of its director, #BMCM should’ve opened anywhere between Rs 25 cr and Rs 30 cr [even higher] on Day 1.” Trade pundits feel that Akshay Kumar’s poor numbers at the Box Office both pre- and post-Covid has in a way dented his bankable star image. It is likely that filmmaker makers will definitely think twice before signing him. The films that have not worked for Akshay Kumar are Selfie, Mission Raniganj, Samrat Prithviraj, Ram Setu, Cutputli and Bachchan Pandey. Trade Analyst Girish Wankhede says, “This sixth flop in a row is a sorry state for Akshay kumar, who has been the favourite of producers. His over exposure or the choice of films, or his experimentation with various genre could be some of the reasons for his films not finding takers. He was always a bankable star, but with several flops, his filmography seems to be losing its sheen.” The trade will be closely watching how his films like Skyforce, Housefull 5, Welcome To The Jungle and JollyLLB 3 fare.
This happens, frequently in Bolly, Kolly or any wood, when top stars suddenly face a drought. Salman Khan has lived through it for nearly three years. Popular Tamil film hero Suriya Sivakumar seems to be going through a similar predicament. He has had no new outings after the super success of Soorarai Pottru (Sudha Kongara directed biopic on Captain GR of Air Deccan fame). Then was followed by Jai Bhim in 2022, also critically acclaimed but politically a sensitive theme that brought unease to Suriya. His highly publicised Kanguva is under post production. Meanwhile Suriya had another setback. The much expected second Sudha Kongara creation, Puranaanuru has been shelved. So when Suriya and Karthik Subburaj jointly announced a new venture under Suriya’s home production 2D, it raised the excitement levels of his fans. Suriya and Subburaj have agreed to work for free and will share profit once the film does well at the box office. Subburaj is said to have written the story for Vijay originally, but many say it was scripted keeping Suriya as the hero in that suave and strong role that he excels in …will it be another Kaakha Kaakha or the Shaolin, Ezhaam Arivu? Suriya and his wife Jyotika have endured much gossip lately, when they shifted out of Chennai to Mumbai. In-laws issue? No, insists Jyotika, it’s just for kids’ schooling and her professional needs. Jyotika has resurrected her career in a big way. Can Suriya do likewise?
Once again Bollywood’s two big stars Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar are going to clash at the box office. And the film trade is not at all surprised as it is not the first time their films are releasing on the same day – it is the fourth time. When it comes to business they are strong rivals even though both have worked together in three films together. They worked in Suhaag, Insaan and Khakee. Insiders say it was after Khakee Ajay blamed Akshay Kumar for chopping his role. Post Ajay’s comment, Akshay Kumar in one of the award functions took a jibe at Ajay indirectly by saying that he is being called the “editor” of the film. Ajay almost got his film Golmaal 4 to be released the same day as Robot and Aamir Khan’s Secret Superstar; but Robot got postponed at the last minute due to VFX. Once again, both Ajay and Akshay were making a film on the same subject — Battle of Saragarhi. Ajay announced the film first but Akshay got Karan Johar to break the news about the movie. Salman Khan was co-producing the film with Karan but Ajay, it is learnt, convinced him to opt out of the project. If Akshay Kumar got Vipul Shah to screen Action Replay to coincide with Golmaal 3 release then Ajay got his Toonpur Ka Superman to coincide with Akshay Kumar’s Tees Maar Khan. Not many know that Ajay Devgn wanted the movie rights of Jaswant Gill on whose life the film Raniganj was made with Akshay Kumar as the lead. Now one needs to see what happens with Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan and Maidaan both releasing on Eid.
Twenty-two years after her debut in 2002 in Tamil movie Maunam Pesiyade, Trisha Krishnan has proved that her staying power is awesome. A fine blend of looks, talent and guts, Trisha, Mani Rathnam’s muse in the much-talked about Ponniyin Selvan has moved into the number one slot so far held by Nayanthara. Her character Kundavai was as much talked about as Aishwarya Rai’s Ponni in the magnum opus, skyrocketing her popularity. Today, Trisha has over 12 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi. She stars with Salman Khan in the The Bull. The list of her to be released movies would turn any top heroine envious. Thug Life, VidaMuyarchi, GOAT, Saduranga Vettai all with top actors like Vijay, Ajit, Kamal and now Salman. Naturally, it has pitchforked her remuneration to 12 crore per film. Nayanthara and Samantha were getting around Rs 8-10 crore. Once seen as Rana Dagubatti’s significant other, she broke up with him, and walked into two much talked about engagements; then she walked out of it at the last minute from both, raising her hellion reputation to more highs. She has led her personal life very much the way she desired, not afraid of reputation smears. Media has chronicled her midnight beach escapades with chosen friends, in spirited states. But when it comes to work, she adheres punctiliously to form and meets her director’s expectations, a trait that the volatile world of films really values. Without doubt Trisha is riding high.
The Carnatic music world is caught in a huge controversy. The decision of The Music Academy of Madras to confer the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi title on vocalist TM Krishna has not gone well with veteran artistes and music patrons. And social media has gone on overdrive. The latest to jump into it is Karnataka Classical Music Confederation Trust (KCMCT), which has sent out a strong missive to The Music Academy. Krishna, the rebel Carnatic musician has always been courting controversy for his stand. KCMCT in a communication to The Music Academy said “The recent decision to confer recognition upon an individual whose actions have caused considerable anguish among our fraternity of musicians is a matter of profound consternation. We are compelled to express our dismay at the choice to honour an individual whose conduct and pronouncements have engendered substantial discord and disunity among Karnataka musicians.” Krishna, after winning the Magsaysay award, has positioned himself as a social reformer. The Academy became his instant target. Accusing it of caste bias and discriminatory practices, Krishna boycotted its festival for several seasons. Aghast at its choice for Sangita Kalanidhi title, RaGa sisters (Ranjani-Gayatri) have chosen to pull out of the December festival of the Academy. Since then, the opposition to Krishna is escalating by the day with political parties such as DMK and BJP pitching in with their views. By honouring a rebel, the Academy has now managed to create an army of rebels. The tune set by the Academy headed by N Murali, owner of The Hindu group of publications, appears to have gone woefully awry. A lot of jarring notes are emanating from the Carnatic music world.
So the popular standup comedian Kapil Sharma has moved from TV to OTT. His comedy show with a new title The Great Indian Kapil Show is on Netflix. Will the gamble of moving to a new platform work for Kapil Sharma and his team? His entire gang is part of the new show save for his friends Chandan and Bharti Singh. But a big surprise was the return of Sunil Grover. Both friends had fallen apart. Sources say that Kapil Sharma has got a bigger budget but the script, going by the first episode featuring Ranbir Kapoor and his mother Neetu Kapoor, lacked the usual Kapil’s punch. Kapil, it is learnt, is wooing top stars like Aamir Khan to appear on his show. It will be the first time Aamir will be on a reality show. But trade experts say that Aamir may not have much impact as he is not known for one-liners or witty comments. It is a known fact that when his show was on Sony TV, he had a free hand but Netflix may have its own sets of rules and regulations as they are catering to a wider global audience. This may be one of the reasons that the first episode lacked the usual Kapil Sharma punch. Interestingly, the comedy space attracts high TRP and Kapil moving out, saw Sony TV launch a new show Madness Macheyenge: India Ko Hasayenge hosted by star Huma Qureshi. Now on air for over a month it seems like a dry laughter show; it lacks timing, punch and humour. The first week TRP was too low. Will this laughter show become a bitter medicine for the channel?
The election fever seems to have divided Tollywood over movie release dates. The next 60 days will see intense polling activities across West Bengal but some of the Tollywood producers-directors are not worried about it; they feel it will not affect the footfalls. The much-awaited Bengali film Mirza by Ankush Hazra of one of the top mainstream actors will stick to its pre-declared Eid release date of April 10. Ankush pointed out that the film gets 10 days before the first phase of the election which starts on April 19. He further added that the response to the film will be known in the first week itself hence polling will not affect the release. Echoing similar views, director duo Shiboprasad Mukherjee-Nandita Roy’s new venture Amar Boss which will see the comeback of veteran actress Raakhee Gulzar in Bengali after almost 20 years. Shibu is targeting the month of May for the release. The confident director mentioned that his previous releases such as Ramdhanu was released during 2014 polls and Kantha in 2019 elections and both were superhits hence he sees no reason to fear. National-award winning director Srijit Mukherji’s much awaited movie Padatik, a tribute to masterclass director Mrinal Sen on his birth centenary is slated to release on May 14. Producer Firdousul Hasan is unwilling to back down with the release date since maximum moviegoers are not workers from political parties. But some are not taking chances. Like Superstar Jeet, his movie Boomerang’s release has been pushed from May to June 7 release. Similarly, actor director Arna Mukhopadhyay’s movie Athoi has shifted the release from April to June.
The news of Big B admitted to a city hospital went viral on WhatsApp and a news website of a TV channel and a news aggregator carried the story. In fact, Amitabh Bachchan called his health scare news, a fake. Nobody knows who started this rumour mongering but needless to say, it did worry people who are betting on Big B. If a star gets married or is hospitalised it does derail all the schedules leading to cost overruns. Mercifully everybody can relax. Eighty-one year old Bachchan is a complete workaholic and going by the IMDB report there are 14 films in the pipeline — some of them Aankhen 2 and Hasmukh Pighal Gaya are on hold. Meanwhile, he is busy shooting with south actors like Prabhas, Rajnikanth. With Deepika Padukone he is doing The Intern. It may be recalled that Amitabh Bachchan’s sign off note after the last season of KBC was looked at his exit from the show but then Sony Television quickly issued a statement that Bachchan is definitely going to be there in the next season—so to his millions fans and well-wishers Amitabh Bachchan is not going anywhere at least for now. You will see Big B on the small screen and on the big screen.
In this election year not one but several films with political themes will hit the screens. Yami Gautam starrer Article 370, a real life story on abrogation of Article 370 seems to have created enough ripples to keep the cash register ringing. Now, ready to be released is Randeep Hooda’s Swatantra Veer Savarkar which could well be driving the BJP’s agenda and work-in-progress is The Sabarmati Report. Do these patriotic themes help filmmakers and politicians? Actually, patriotic films have been made off and on – Manoj ‘Bharat’ Kumar was a pioneer. But in recent times Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir File created controversy that saw him making big money –Rs 350 crore. So did The Kerala Story which did well at box office. With audiences craving for more such movies, filmmakers are going full blast. Most of these films generate controversies which helps these films to create curiosity and the much-needed publicity. In March 2024, one will see almost 3-4 films based on the political subject released. Accident Or Controversy? Godhra, which was to release on 15th March has been postponed by a week or two. Swatantra Veer Savarkar is releasing on 22nd March and is already in news owing to its innovative marketing strategies. Bastar: The Naxal Story, another political drama, is releasing soon. Most of them will be released before elections are over. According to Girish Wankhede, Film Trade Expert, “Anything pertaining to the film’s issue can feed the much-needed controversy for these films which in turn will help them to generate eyeballs and eventually footfalls.” For the filmmakers it is a pure business decision; they may be or may not be aligned with the ruling party.
Ever since its release, Manjummel Boys, the mind bending Malayalam movie has been acclaimed as a super hit film, raking in Rs 165 crore worldwide. Manjummel Boys (directed by Chidamabaram) has caught people’s craze like a roller coaster ride. The compelling twists and nail biting suspense builds up into a masterpiece narrative…fate has a way of twisting the most ordinary tourist shenanigans into tragic ends. Even as reviewers are going gaga over Manjummel Boys, one voice , that of Tamil author Jeyamohan has set the cat among cooing pigeons by slamming such deification of tourist culture in the most derogatory way that has further spiralled into Mallu Tamilian antagonism. In his book Yanai Doctor (Elephant Doctor), he has captured the “condemnable tourist culture of Malayalis (whom he terms in unpardonable terms as Porikkis, a pejorative no person has the right to use, least of all an author). Jeyamohan hits at the acceptance of Malayalam movies which routinely show men drinking, vomiting, getting into brawls and generally making a menace as a tourist. What angers him…the tourists after drinking, throw empty bottles on the roadsides, elephants treading on these broken glass pieces get hurt in their feet, infected…and many more such environmentally cruel acts. His conclusion, “It is movies like Manjummel Boys that deify rowdy behaviour, making it acceptable in society”. The argument can be turned over and over like dosa chains…good cinema art is appreciated wherever it comes from, deep concern for the environment must start with parenting.
When a popular film star is hospitalised, the fans go crazy and rumours take wings especially when the family and medical staff are tight-lipped. Fifty-two year old Ajith kumar, Thala for his fans was hospitalised on the March 7 ostensibly for a full health check-up at Apollo Hospital, Chennai. And this news of his hospitalisation spread like wildfire. Ever since his return from Azerbaijan after the shoot of the much hyped VidaaMuyarchi (where art director Milan Fernandez died of a heart attack) Ajith had stoically put up with constant migraines, neck pain and loss of energy…but such health setbacks were part of this car and bike race enthusiast who had been through a few accidents as a racer. Also his serious stunts for his action filled films already put him at risk, but Ajith insisted on dangerous action shots for authenticity. Apollo Hospital doctors advised for a full check-up including MRI. Sure enough the MRI proved providential; it was found that the ear brain nerve was blocked by ganglion cyst or non-cancerous lump. Immediately, surgery was done and the lump removed. Ajith was discharged on March 9 with a stern warning to take complete rest, avoid risky body contact action shots and even flying. Ajith’s son Aadvith had just celebrated his birthday and the pictures were still trending as a happy family.
There was a time in the eighties when South Indian stars like Kamal Haasan, Rajnikanth tried their luck in Bollywood – they bought a house in Mumbai and learnt Hindi too. But, sadly they could not survive because of Bollywood politics; they were bullied and finally went back to Chennai. Maybe the producers were not willing to take risks because of their south Indian accent, skin tone and average height. But not anymore. Today, South stars like Ram Charan, NTR Jr, Allu Arjun are bigger than the Khans; their fan base is bigger than all the three khans put together. Most stars from the south are money making machines. Reacting to the way Shah Rukh Khan said “Idli Ram Charan” at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant pre-wedding celebration at Jamnagar, a Bollywood insider said, “Ram Charan does not dance to anybody’s tune and nobody dares address him the way Shah Rukh Khan did…” Ram’s associate Zeba found it insulting and expressed her displeasure by walking out. On the contrary, Ram Charan did not react negatively, he was cool. But the fans of Ram Charan have been trolling King Khan. Today, the tables have turned, south actors are not desperate to shift lock, stock and barrel to Mumbai. They are signing up films on their terms which is breaking records in the Hindi belt. Surely, SRK who is always politically right and measured in his talks must have said it in a lighter vein but this seems to have not gone well with South Indian audiences.
It is happening…ancient Indian ethos and its myriad mythologies are mined for breathtaking cinema, to combine scale, complex story plots, heroism, venality and religious fervour into spectacular cinematic art. Most would agree that after Lord Rama, Karna is the most recalled warrior hero. Bollywood director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has zeroed in on this epic character, Karna and plans to create a pan India screen extravaganza at a cost of 500 crore. Popular Tamil hero Suriya has been signed for the same. Suriya is now striding the pan India scene with his about to release Kanguva, another period drama. Sudha Kongara of the Surarai Pottru fame is directing Suriya in Purananuru.. Suriya’s leading lady in Karna is late Sridevi’s daughter Janhavi Kapoor, a choice that is bound to add value to this Kapoor who is yet to snag that super hit status her mother repeated in many films. Karna is a character with a gold mine potential to explore his many facets …a first born whose mother Kunti does not acknowledge him, his five Pandava brothers who are unaware of Karna’s blood bond, and a warrior who stands by Duryodhan for all the wrong life decisions, and how Lord Krishna cajoles him to part with his life guarding Kavach appealing to Karna’s legendary largesse. Even the most cynical audience is bound to be moved by his charisma. A hero like Karna and a talent like Suriya’s ….waiting to happen. POWERED BY : IDFC FIRST BANK
Action hero Vidyut Jammwal who has completed 13 years in the film industry with 24 films to his credit has turned a producer with his latest film Crakk. The 43-year old model turned actor, a rank outsider, has a loyal band of followers due to his own dedication and martial art skills. He is a keen practitioner of Kalaripayattu, a form of martial arts popular in Kerala. Vidyut made his debut with John Abraham in Force in 2011. The turning point of his life was Vipul Shah casting him in the successful franchisee Commando. One of the fittest actors Vidyut built his loyalty like south actors. As a trade expert said, “His films are a safe bet as he has a loyal audience that watches his films both in cinemas and TV. His IB 71 was a well appreciated film. His film Crakk with co-star Arjun Rampal is on the lines of Mission Impossible. The day is not far away where we will see Vidyut taking the crown of the best action hero of Bollywood.” Girish Wankhede, Movie Trade Analyst says, “With movies like Commando he carved a niche for himself as an action star and created his own fan following. I personally believe that he has got a great potential as a star but to achieve Stardom he needs to work on his diction and hone his acting skills further.” The actor who hasn’t worked in any multi-starrers turned producer to focus on the action genre. Vidyut who has managed to keep himself out of controversy was engaged to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani but things didn’t work out. POWERED BY : ICICI LOMBARD
Indian arthouse filmmaker Anurag Kashyap criticised present-day Bengali cinema content citing that remakes of South Indian movies led to this downfall. In a one-on-one conversation with Kashyap during the inauguration of maiden French Film Festival in Kolkata and screening of his movie Kennedy, he was categorical in stating that Bengali content doesn’t attract him anymore. His last watched Bengali movie remains cerebral filmmaker Mrinal Sen’s Padatik. According to him, deterioration in Bollywood is not as evident as in Bengali cinema since it used to be class apart because of the maestros like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwick Ghatak. Kashyap mentioned that he could only recollect quality work from Bengali filmmaker Srijit Mukherji’s Autograph and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Antaheen which was essayed by actor Radhika Apte and Rahul Bose. Talking about the ongoing controversy of director Sandeep Vanga Reddy’s film Animal, Kashyap mentioned misogynistic themes, and glorification of toxic masculinity had always been there in Bollywood — but viewers were less aware. Commenting on being targeted by a section of film as well as the political sphere for his provocative works, Kashyap said that everyone in today’s world is provoking in some way or other including the media. Citing the example of Ray who was targeted as selling poverty like porn in his films, he added that it does not affect him anymore.
Janhvi Kapoor, daughter of Sridevi-Boney Kapoor, has in a short span of time matured as an actress. The new generation looks up to her for her choice of films, fashion sense and visibility quotient. She entered Bollywood in 2018 with Dhadak, a remake of a Marathi film Sairaat and then went on to be nominated for Filmfare Award for Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and Mili. The 27-year old actress has been working on big screen as well as on OTT. Of the dozen films she has acted in, many like Roohi have bombed at the box office but that has not deterred her from trying even harder. That confidence perhaps is seeing her being signed by various brands and even big producers. The latest rumour is that she may replace south star Sai Pallavi to play Sita in Nitish Tiwari’s Ramayana featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram. Her line-up is pretty impressive; she will be seen along with Rajkummar Rao in Dharma Production’s Mr and Mrs Mahi. Besides, she has signed three biggies in South out of which one is Devara with junior NT Rama Rao Jr which is releasing in April. Her energy, her willingness to challenge herself, keeping herself updated and being media friendly is standing her in good stead. She may be an insider but in the end it was her talent, hard work and adaptability that won her recognition in the Hindi film fraternity.
Two of Bollywoods beautiful and talented actors, Yami Gautam Dhar and Priyamani are unravelling the story of Article 370, which is set to hit screens on February 23. The talk about this film, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, is hard to ignore, even as comparisons with The Kashmir Files, Kerala Story and Emergency fly thick and fast. It is the timing of its release that has set expectations high and may be controversial. With the election machinery already rolling in full force, a powerful medium like cinema focusing on the abrogation of Article 370 is bound to land with a sonic thud. For honing its propaganda skills in multiple ways, the BJP is often complimented for its talent to use social media and its communication bag of tricks. But what the Dravidian cavalry taught about using cinema as the quickest, and most effective touchpoint with the electorate is a many layered case study. Tamil Nadu chief ministers M Karunanidhi and MGR used this powerful medium to totally transform an electorate under the spell of Sanskritised ideology. The Dravidian evolution is parallel to its cinematic evolution as an ideal propaganda machine. But it must be said that these two powerful leaders did not stir up religious clashes. Producer Aditya Dhar at the press meet when questioned about the timing of his film as it helps the BJP said, “To win the elections, we don’t need films like mine. The Ram Mandir took shape after a 100 years’ wait. It is now a fait accompli”.
In the last few years, several star marriages have turned sour. Many of them opted for a divorce/separation. A few got remarried – Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. And some like Karishma Kapoor, Pooja Bhatt and Sohail Khan prefer to remain single again. The latest separation announcement came from Esha Deol — Hema Malini-Dharmendra’s eldest daughter. She is the first person from Deol family to separate from her husband Bharat Takhtani after 12 years of marriage. Reason: she could not come to terms with various restrictions imposed by her hubby like wearing shorts at home. The first star marriage that turned rocky and hit national headlines was that of superstar Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia. The reason given was Kaka’s numerous affairs. But, most Bollywood marriages have not worked out primarily because of the ‘other’ girl/boy in their partner’s life. Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora separated after reports about her affair with Arjun Kapoor came out in the open. He recently married Raveena Tandon’s stylist Shura Khan. Some stars did not call off their marriages because of sheer societal pressure and kept it under wraps. A case in point is Sunny Deol inspite of his proximity with Dimple has managed to keep his married life intact. In some cases, it has been the substance abuse. Aamir Khan divorced twice is married for the third time. Model turned actor Arjun Rampal separated from super model Mehr Jessia after 21 years of marriage and is now living with Gabriellia Demetriades. Most marriages in Bollywood have turned sour largely because of “torrid affairs”.
After Dev Anand one can safely call the 67-year old Anil ‘Jhakas’ Kapoor, Bollywood’s Evergreen hero. He has constantly reinvented himself. The Woh Saat Din actor has come a long way. In a career spanning over 40 years, Anil who is recognised for playing all kinds of roles has acted in over 100 films. He is identified for some of the interesting roles he essayed in Hindi films like Mr India, Mashaal, Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Nayak, Welcome, English movie Slumdog Millionaire and English TV serial 24. And in recent times, he has managed to give two consecutive superhits – Animal and Fighter. So be it TV, OTT or big screen, his works have always been noteworthy. The Night Manager on OTT has always been the talk of the town and his portrayal of a shrewd, cunning businessman was well received. With Fighter he has reached an altogether different zone. According to Trade Analyst Girish Wankhede, his energy and intensity are palpable, we can see Anil Kapoor 2.0 or 3.0 because of his versatility and his understanding of each medium. The fitness freak has consciously kept out of controversy or linked up with his female co-stars. Like Big B, Anil too is very disciplined and professional. He never went out of circulation like many stars of his time and who are desperately trying to make a comeback. His career graph, like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, has been steady. Clearly, Anil is a smart actor who can easily write a book, ‘How To Stay Relevant’ all the time.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.