First Look Of Jodhaa Akbar
Preview
Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal Emperor, Akbar and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.
Politically, success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar, After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godhavari River.
Through a shrewed blend of tolerence, generosity and force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs, the most belligerent Hindus. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa, a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey - the journey of true love.
The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of Jodhaa - a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice. Jodhaa Akbar is their untold love story.
Comment by mgshah on 18 May 2007:
this looks pretty bad…they should have at least used a real sword and shield, rather doing it on some computer program.
Comment by Qalandar on 18 May 2007:
Yes this was posted on NG 1.0 too, but this is a much bigger and better image. Thanks aashim! REALLY looking forward to this film, but I must confess like mgshah I find this poster somewhat underwhelming…
Comment by rajen on 18 May 2007:
Sorry Q but I have instructed all theatres in NY to bar your entry when a Hrithik film is being shown.May be you can catch it on DVD.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
Expecting something truly colossal here. Have good vibes for Hrithik with this one.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
With Jodhaa Akbar promo to be screened at Cannes, most websites have picked up the first poster … One of the most symbolic posters for a Bollywood films in the recent past … The sword and the rose resting on a golden gaurd with a green background captures the essence of the war and love epic quite significantly … the computer generated graphics adds on to the symbolic representation as well … only disappointment is Akbar’s look is not yet revealed.
Jodhaa Akbar is one movie worth looking forward to … Bollywood has never got this genre of moviemaking right till date … most of the historicals churned out has been lame attempts … and the best bet to change this doomed trend is Jodhaa Akbar.
Ashutosh is following up his ground-breaking works in Lagaan and Swades with this one … he has worked on this script for ages … this guy is one of the most talented directors who could extract the best performance till date from SRK … After a 3 yr hiatus he is back!
Hrithik will be following up his swashbuckling double whammy blockbuster success of 2006 … post KMG this guy has improved n matured in leaps n bounds … his acting in KMG, Lakshya, Krrish n D:2 has been flawless in their respective characters … plus the guy has the guts to follow up a fully commercial popcorn-flick with a sincere effort towards method acting … he is showing prominent signs in moulding himself in the Aamir way … n seems to be progressing very fast … plus considering his BO draw … this movie has the potential to open really well … how it will fare from there on will depend how good the movie is n how good hrithik acts … hrithik at his best only means a Blockbuster!
On top of that Ash is there to add aesthetic beauty to Jodhaa … hrithik-ash duo had set the screens ablaze … a repeat wont be surprising! Plus ash is the most veteran of historicals … fresh from the Last Legion.
And if all this is not enough … even the worst cynic cant ignore the presence of AR Rahman … who will be following up his works in RDB n Guru with this one … a overwhelming soundtrack and background score is surely on the cards.
Let the saga Begin!
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
Achilles - pretty sure this one will open to a thunderous response in first few days. Beyond that hard to tell.
Aish/Hrithik chemistry was there to see in D2 and this will add a little spice to this one for sure. The media will love this one for sure. Rahman’s music will only add to this further.
I’m sure Gowariker will extract the kind of performance Hrithik is capable of. And Hrithik’s releasing this one perfectly - a follow up to two huge grossers, this is Aamir like intelligence
Comment by Aashim on 18 May 2007:
Have a strong feeling that this movie is truly going to be a pathbreaking one…..especially from the perspective of how well a historical can be presented and in turn received by the audiences….if this movie works bigtime, it surely will be regarded as a huge milestone in Hindi cinema !!
I am especially excited abt the fact that Rahman is doing the score…wld be very interested in seeing what kind of score he comes up with in this one, considering the movie is set in the Mughal Period…..hopefully he is gonna ROCK, as he always does !!
Apparently, a 3 min promo of the movie was shown at Cannes today….wonder if we will get to see it on the net somehow before the actual promotion of the film gets kicked off…which most likely is not going to happen before August.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Jayshah: ya i do agree with you … 2006 has proved that both the indian mass n the elite are ready to accept Hrithik in as big a way as SRK (thats a huge achievement indeed)! … also the global market has opened up with D:2 grossing at par with a srk starrer like Don @ overseas! yes D:2 was a multistarrer … but the overseas gross wudnt have been so huge (though not comparable to KANK but still huge in bollywood terms) unless the audience had accepted hrithik … D:2 had nothing else to offer apart from hrithik.
So m expecting fireworks when JA releases … as the only hrithik starrer to come this yr, the intensity of public interest will be humongous!
As for the Aamir flavour - Its evident. Hrithik always expresses deep rooted admiration for Aamir … n looks like he is intent on following his footsteps! that will do him a lot of good! n Bollywood will do a lot of good with another aamir-in-the-making!
I m eagerly waiting for the soundtrack … surely Rahman will be back with a mesmerising one!
Ignoring the BO expectations, m confident Ashutosh will turn up with one masterpiece Bollywood will be proud of!
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘If this movie works bigtime, it surely will be regarded as a huge milestone in Indian cinema !!’
Yep this kind of movie could do that for sure. The biggest of risks if they pay off can really make something special. If Gowariker can find a medium between Lagaan and Swades to play in this will be a cinematic moment possibly !
Comment by Pranay on 18 May 2007:
Have seen the first look before..
talking about the film, Im expecting something grand and a modern classic.. Considering that most directors falter after showing great promise, Ashutosh after making a masterpiece Lagaan, came up with a brilliant Swades as well, which was at least comparable with Lagaan
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Aashim: Even i m hoping that the 3 min promo will leak out soon
cant wait for Aug … maybe the music ll release by sep … that mite throw some light on the movie …
Another interesting revelation will be hrithik’s look as Akbar … Hrithik has a elegant n majestic appearance for sure … n his main advantage is his awesome body-language … considering all that we can expect real good war action scenes!
As for the romantic scenes … hrithik n ash shares too much of chemistry for those to go wrong … And a well made movie on love and war can be undoubtedly spell-bounding.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
I have no qualms about it. If Hrithik pulls this off in a big way he is #1 for me. In fact being Aamir’s biggest fan, what Hrithik did last year was quite remarkable and he is probably #1 possibly already. It’s quite close between all 3 star power is IMO maybe overpowering Aamir’s brand strength across most genres.
Aish is a big factor in this too. Gowariker’s got to love how D2 came off because it only gives this one even more oomph. And Aish in this kind of deal wouldn’t fail at all.
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
Oh I change my views on this one.
Despite the subject, this one is going to have abig opening and a big first week, after that lets see !
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
I notice at the top we have ‘From the writer-directer of the academy award nominated Lagaan and the critically acclaimed Swades’. A bit of self promotion I see !
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Quote - “I have no qualms about it. If Hrithik pulls this off in a big way he is #1 for me.”
Same here jayshah … if hrithik does pull this off then brand hrithik will be as grand n elegant as Aamir’s … Aamir stands for “Quality” in Entertainment … if hrithik can ensure sumthing in those lines it will be sumthing huge indeed! It will be much bigger than matching srk’s BO consistency!
Hrithik’s acting has been spot on in KMG, Lakshya, Krrish n D:2 … the roles have been varied … n he has pulled off all of them with aplomb … he will still need to diversify his range further to get near to Aamir … but success of JA will take him more closer to that goal.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
jayshah: LOL … maybe they should have just mentioned sumthing in the lines of “From the makers of Lagaan & Swades …”
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
Achilles I think what Aamir has built just takes time. Its hard to say if Hrithik can reach that level but to be honest he doesn’t even have to. A Krrish/D2 type deal every two years always keeps him near the top - if movies like this start to work for him then its hard to see anyone else but him being #1 for sometime (though a chota Bachchan will have a big say IMO) !
I mean Hrithik is still somewhat creating hysteria even today. D2 opening was hysteria at its best. The opening was just humungous, it trumped the Krrish/KANK openings by 7Cr + ! And I remember the promotion stratgy of D2 was practically one great initial promo and they only showed the Crazy promo like 1-2 weeks before release of movie. But the initial promo was enough for sure. D2 like K3G was just a must see movie under all circumstances. Even Fanaa had a bit of this too because of the unique pairing. But deals like this will hardly fail because the appetite is strong just to see a cast like K3G, Fanaa or D2 to be put together.
Comment by Jesse on 18 May 2007:
I’m expecting big things from this one. On paper, the role of Akbar is the best role Hrithik has recieved thus far. I believe that there is a lot of untapped talent in Hrithik as an actor, and Astoush is going to bring that out in JA. Ash is always good in a historical setting, so I expect her to be in top form here. And the soundtrack from Rahman is the my most awaited soundtrack for the year. It will be interesting to see what type of sound he comes up with. I hope that they add atleast a few background score pieces onto the soundtrack.
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
Sorry , though Amir is a much much better actor than Hrithik , Hrithik is a much bigger BO star than him today.
And I end it with that controversial note here !!!!
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
With due apologies to Amir fan .
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
Jesse ‘I believe that there is a lot of untapped talent in Hrithik as an actor,’
Yep thats what I suspect. I liked KMG alot (I loved Priety in this one too). I don’t find him natural in stuff like MPKDY, Yaadein or MDK which is weird because thats where I thought he’d be strong.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘Sorry , though Amir is a much much better actor than Hrithik , Hrithik is a much bigger BO star than him today.’
The latter depends on which type of films. The former doesn’t (unless Aamir is a super hero scenario, which even I don’t want to see)
Comment by Aashim on 18 May 2007:
Re: “Another interesting revelation will be hrithik’s look as Akbar … Hrithik has a elegant n majestic appearance for sure … n his main advantage is his awesome body-language … considering all that we can expect real good war action scenes!”
Agree Achilles, Hrithik does have a Royal/Majestic look about him which shall certainly lend authenticity to the character he is portraying
I hope though that in depicting the battle sequences in the movie, Ashutosh goes the Hollywood way…a la Braveheart/Gladiator/ Troy etc. In Hollywood movies, battle sequences have an epic grandeur look about them…which makes viewing such movies a glorious and beautiful experience indeed.
Breattaking, wonderfully choreographed, epic battle scenes, never before seen in indian cinema, will only add to the movie’s novelty value.
Also, Romance, Epic/Action (spectacular scenes), Mystery, History and of course Drama, if interwoven and presented well can certainly prove to be a lethal combination….really hope that ashutosh gets it right !!
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
“From the writer-directer of the academy award nominated Lagaan and the critically acclaimed Swades”
That is how they promote movies in west. I was talking to Satyam yesterday regarding similar topic, How many ticket paying audiences know that JBJ’s director is same as BnB and Saathiya. We kind of disagreed. IMO very few audience know about background people of movie.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
i.e. Hrithik in a D2 deal is no much for anyone. But put him in a RDB deal or TZP deal vs Aamir and then we have the difference. And I’m sure Aamir in a D2 type film opposite another star would work too.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Tango: Aamir’s acting is sumthing thats unmatched in Bollywood! I wasnt saying hrithik is comparable to Aamir’s stds … but he seems to follow his steps … his over-selective approach to movies proves that fact … and as jayshah said, whether he can achieve aamir-like status cannot be ascertained now … its sumthing only time can tell. aamir wasnt always what he is today … i hv followed aamir’s career since the beginning … he took his time and made the most of it … hrithik is much younger with much less experience … as for Aamir’s BO potential … what other proof does anyone need except the statistics for RDB n Fanaa’s figures?
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘IMO very few audience know about background people of movie.’
rks agree with you on this one. Some directors like K-Jo/YashChopra/Aditya speak for themselves and others like KunalKohli/Ali/Gadhvi don’t have the same name. I’m sure the average fan won’t know - we aren’t average fans IMO !
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
Achilles:”Hrithik’s acting has been spot on in KMG, Lakshya, Krrish n D:2″
KMG and Lakshya had some acting scope. IMO There was nothing to do in Krrish and D2.
Tango:”Hrithik is a much bigger BO star than him today.
And I end it with that controversial note here !!!!”
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Totally agree there with you Tango. Hrithik is cearly a bigger star than Aamir. Not much of a comparison. It’s impossible (yes.. totally impossible) for Aamir to deliver hits as huge as Kriish, D2.. or even KMG.
As for this poster. I think it’s got CLASS written all over it… And I love the fact that Gowariker hasn’t gone overboard with it.. kept very simple and yet able to express a whole lot.
And yes… Hrithik can very well pull this off. I didn’t really like him in his past few movies, which includes the over-rated KMG, but he did show enough talent in his first 2 years with absolutely amazing performances in Fiza and Mission Kashmir.
Comment by Qalandar on 18 May 2007:
Re: “Bollywood has never got this genre of moviemaking right till date … most of the historicals churned out has been lame attempts”
I think one can dislike Mangal Pandey, or love it as I do, but I don’t think there was anything “lame” about it! It was a serious film, not a trivial or garbage sort of deal…
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘I think one can dislike Mangal Pandey, or love it as I do’
Love it - I get scared to mention the movie on here though
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Archilles.. Aamir is a huge star today.. and thanks to the twin success of RDB/Fanaa he has entered the big league.. but throughout his career he was never really much of a pull. Yes he did have a lot of succesful films and tehnical hits et al and in various genres and yes he did ALWAYS deliver on the acting front.. but as far as pure BO Draws are concered.. he was behind Govinda, Sunny and Salman in the 90’s and up until Lagaan. Even After Lagaan… Sunny was ahead of him until he just went down that steep steep fall.
Even RDB and Fanaa are not liek the biggest grossers of last year. A 50 cr grosser a couple of years ago meant autmoatically in teh top league.. but not in 2006 where a Dutt comedy makes close to 70 cr.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
I loved Mangal Pandey… Totally loved it. It was ma fav film of that year and Aamir delivered one of his best performances in the film.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Let me clarify further: What i meant was Hrithik would be on his way to mould himself the Aamir-way … provided that he can pull off JA … n m assuming he will successfully do that in his own way.
Hrithik is a storehouse of talent n potential … n as Jesse said there is still lot of untapped potential in him … Ashutosh is one director who can tap those.
As for hrithik’s acting in Krrish n D:2 i dont think anyone who had seen the movies are under an impression that he acted badly … he was good within the scope of his characters (its a different take that the characters suited him perfectly) … Krrish n D:2 wasnt path-breaking acting in anyway … but entertaining and flawless in its own way … so i do reserve some credit for that … but opinions do differ.
The hrithik we saw in Yaadein, MDK, MPKDH in 2001-2003 has matured a lot. There is a marked difference ( i wud say improvement to be precise) in everything starting from dialogue delivery to body language. The 2 yr hiatus between Lakshya and Krrish has done him a lot of good.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘Dutt comedy makes close to 70 cr’
LRM is a modern day classic ! Its not just a comedy.
Comment by Aashim on 18 May 2007:
Both Aamir and Hrithik have their own strengths….i wldn’t say either is better than the other…both are unique in their own way…..i don’t think anyone can outdo what Hrithik did in KMG and Fiza…..and similarly i don’t think anyone can outdo what Aamir did in lagaan, magal pandey etc
It is interesting though that there is mutual admiration between them…..when Prannoy Roy had asked Aamir as to who was his favourite actor on the ‘India Questions Aamir’ programme on NDTV ….he had said Hrithik….and he has been saying it consistently in his interviews, whenever asked of course, ever since KMG released….
Hrithik too has been quite vocal abt his admiration for Aamir
Being a fan of both, wld love to see them both in a movie together…hope it happens sometime soon !!
Comment by Qalandar on 18 May 2007:
Yeah Street, MP was my fav film of the year too..and my alltime fav aamir performance
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
Aamir’s a big fan of Hrithik.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Ok.. let’s just say Classic.. Still.. if soeone told me a couple of years ago that “Son, a Dutt film will release that will gross 70 cr and.. yes the closest thing to a star in the film other than him will be Arshad Warsi” I would have smacked that guy on teh head.
The market has expanded a whole lot.. specially last 18-19 months. That’s why a 50cr gross for a Yashraj film with Aamir and Kajol in it is not exactly all that huge.
Why else would one consider 2006 a bad year for SrK.. It’s not like his movie made 20 cr .. Don made about 50 cr.. (2 cr less than RDB) and yet we consider it somewhat underwhelming to say the least. Man.. an Abhishek solo just grossed lijke 40+ cr just a couple of months ago.
Comment by kmkm13 on 18 May 2007:
RE: ….and my all time aamir performance …Comme Vous y allez!!!!!!!!!!!Qalandar Now i have to see this one by hook or by crook…
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Aashim.. on the acting front .. there is just no comparison. One cann’t really say “each have their own strengths” . Aamir is clearly a better actor. Hrithik may be physically more suited to play a superhero… but that doesn’t mean he will guanatee a better Kriish. I, for one, beleive Aamir can do a much much better KMG.. and I’m pretty sure with him in D2 the film would be atleast 50% less annoying.. not to mention the fact that his ghost-directing would make the film atleast 50% less stupid as well.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Qalandar.. you know.. that’s a tooughie. After watching MP the first time, I thought Aamir had never been better.. but then watching Lagaan a few days ago.. I changed my take on that. I thought he was just flawless in Lagaan. BUt then.. if I watch MP again.. I might change my opinion again. lol. Let’s just say, for me, it’s a close call between Lagaan and MP.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘The market has expanded a whole lot.. specially last 18-19 months. That’s why a 50cr gross for a Yashraj film with Aamir and Kajol in it is not exactly all that huge.
Why else would one consider 2006 a bad year for SrK.. It’s not like his movie made 20 cr .. Don made about 50 cr.. (2 cr less than RDB) and yet we consider it somewhat underwhelming to say the least. Man.. an Abhishek solo just grossed lijke 40+ cr just a couple of months ago.’
Hmmm….we’ve been here before. Don’t agree with a word here cos your playing with numbers. Fanaa made 53Cr minus Gujurat according to BOI. We are talking 60Cr minimum here. MP at time of release was biggest opener…RDB was 2nd or 3rd biggest….Fanaa smashed the opening record minus Gujarat. Fanaa too released before Krrish, KANK and D2 (market growth is alot).
A YashRaj film with Aamir/Kajol was up until that time YashRaj’s biggest HIT and gross post DDLJ.
Again its the ability to get big openings when the cards are stacked in your favor. But Aamir seldom deals in this terrain. Not one release with Bachchans, hrithik, Aish etc. Only one starrer opposite Rani and Priety. He doesn’t go out for big openers but when he does (fanaa) it opens big. This is all anyone need’s to know about starpower. Once like this enough.
He’s got all the starpower - he just doesn’t use it the way SRK/Hrithik have till now.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘it’s a close call between Lagaan and MP’
Yea I probably prefer MP as a pure performance, but Lagaan is too special of a movie so Aamir’s performance IMO is masked by the greatness of the movie. I prefer Rangeela though to both - his scenes selling tickets are still memorable today.
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
‘Why else would one consider 2006 a bad year for SrK.. It’s not like his movie made 20 cr .. Don made about 50 cr.. (2 cr less than RDB) and yet we consider it somewhat underwhelming to say the least. Man.. an Abhishek solo just grossed lijke 40+ cr just a couple of months ago.’
We consider is underwhelming ? All I heard were defenses for totals for KANK and Don, no SRK fan said they were underwhelming. The twist here is to try and turn what is clearly a disappointing return on an opening of 27Cr into some kind of achievement to get it to 46Cr. And at that hardly any credit is given to the rest of the cast or Dharman yet we mention ‘That’s why a 50cr gross for a Yashraj film with Aamir and Kajol’
A bit of consistency is fair. I’ve always said Fanaa is much as Kajol’s opening as Aamir’s. but same should go for all big openers. Only opening that trumps Fanaa’s IMO is Krrish. All Hrithik and all the way. Quite a stupendous opening for a truly solo film (though Sequel thing does help it but bigger achievement in opening terms then anything so far IMO)
Comment by Aashim on 18 May 2007:
Re: “on the acting front .. there is just no comparison. One cann’t really say “each have their own strengths” . Aamir is clearly a better actor.”
Well then let’s just say…it is a case of different strokes for different folks!!
That is, let’s agree to disagree on this one. i personally think both Aamir and Hrithik are phenomenal in their acting talents…..each briliant in his own way !!
By the way, did anyone see last week’s KWK….when karan asked Rishi kapoor who did he think was the best actor out of - SRK, Aamir and Hrithik
Rishi Kapoor said, “Hrithik…he is a genius….he is a great actor…..he raises the standard/bar of acting with his every film”
here’s the video clip:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vcvi63
Point being everyone has their own opinion….there are many who wld endorse rishi kapoor’s views while there wld also be many who wld not….by the way not just rishi kapoor, many others like Shobha de, Vijay mallya etc said the same on KWK
Comment by jayshah on 18 May 2007:
Aashim I’m with you. I think Aamir’s much better but I can see how some have differeing opinions. These debates can be marginal or at least close. I’d have an issue if someone said Bobby was better than Aamir or Hrithik. There is a line on these things IMO but a fan of Hrithik is a welcome one because we don;t have many on here !
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
“He’s got all the starpower - he just doesn’t use it the way SRK/Hrithik have till now.”
lol.. If he don’t use it.. and don’t display ..and we haven’t seen yet..why should we beleive it in it? Seein is beleiving.. so if I have’nt seen him deliver the biggest hit of teh year.. or deliver teh biggest opening of the year.. what should lead me to beleive that he’s the biggest star out there?
Also, it doesn’t help that the producers don’t aproach him for the biggest of films. Which means they don’t really believ in that “hidden” star power either.
Fanaa didn’t open any bigger than Don.. didn’t gross all that much more Don.. and if one had Gujarat to cry about, the other did have huge competition and media backlash to fight against.. and still one is considered a huge step forward for one star.. but not all that huge a success for the other.
And lemme add to it.. Fanaa was YRF film and yes.. Kajol is a bigger draw than anyone and everyone on the Don cast. And Fanaa had the more successful music.
To be honest, SrK in Fanaa would have easily grossed as much, if not more. But I don’t see Aamir pulling Don. No chance.. Anyways.. SrK is a different territory.. Aamir just doesn’t match upto Hrithik as a BO muscle.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Oh.. that’s all fine Aashim. I’m sure there are ample fans of John Abraham out there who think he’s better than Amitabh Bachchan. I totally respect your opinion there.
Comment by Aashim on 18 May 2007:
Thanks jayshah !!
But u know, i have not come across many ppl who do not respect or acknowledge Aamir’s acting prowess. People may or may not be his fans but no one denies that he is a fantastic actor…and that is quite an achievement. Hrithik is just 7 years old in the industry….eventually, i wld like him to build and leave an aamir kind of legacy behind him…and i say this after considering all the previous generations of actors as well….and i believe that he will indeed be able to do so
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
JS: If Bobby gives 50cr grossers, everyone would talk in same breath as Hrithik, Aamir, Sanjay….
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
“If Bobby gives 50cr grossers, everyone would talk in same breath as Hrithik, Aamir, Sanjay….”
Can you really talk of Hrithik and Sanjay in the same breath (as far as BO is concerned)?
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Comparing Hrithik with Aamir hardly makes any sense to me … One is a veteran … Been arnd for a long time in the industry … Has proved himself now and then in numerous films … Whereas the other is just 13 films old … n that’s isn’t a high number by any std.
Hrithik has showed his class in films like Fiza, Mission Kashmir, Koi Mil Gaya & Lakshya. Going by just acting skills he scores highly in these 4 films even if we leave out the major blockbusters … that itself is no less an achievement.
As for Aamir in D:2, m sure he wud have played the part well … but I cant possibly comprehend how he cud have created the hysteria that followed Aryan … also the mantle of superhero is not his cup of tea … mainly becoz of his physicality … nonetheless, Aamir fans wud perceive the roles differently if Aamir were to play those … but that doesn’t make Hrithik’s portrayal any less charming or less effective since its different from the way Aamir wud have played it (n which is no less fascinating to a hrithik fan)! But such comparisons are pretty baseless as both Aamir n Hrithik share a lot of mutual respect for each other …
In the end I wud prefer Hrithik going the Aamir way in the long run.
Comment by Aashim on 18 May 2007:
Absolutely agree with u there Achilles !!! Way to Go !!
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
SP:”Can you really talk of Hrithik and Sanjay in the same breath ”
Why not, just wait for Munna-3. It is going to touch (or outgross) Krissh, D2. Indian BO is slowly and slowly behaving like west BO.
My previous comment was my opinion which I have observed. Acting capabilities have some “direct proportion” relation with boxoffice.
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
When we talk about 50-60-70cr, these are relative comparisons. In absolute terms D2 or Krissh might not outgross KMG, Raja hindistani, DDLJ if they were released during old period(5-6 years back) and same number of people see(# of people who saw d2, krissh) the movie. Ticket prices have multipled by atleast a factor of 2.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
ok.. RKS.. I guess then all of them producers out there stupid if they’re paying Hrithik in excess of 10 cr per film.. when they get an equally big star in Sanjay dutt for a small fraction of that price.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
“In the end I wud prefer Hrithik going the Aamir way in the long run.”
Archilles.. Hrithik’s gonna have a much more successful career than Aamir, as far as stardom is concerned. Heck he’s already a bigger star today than Aamir (who is at the peak of his career).
On the acting front, ofourse we have different takes. I haven’t really liked any of Hrithik’s performance past few years.
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
SP:”ok.. RKS.. I guess then all of them producers out there stupid ”
I will wait for JA release to answer your question. I do agree that Hrithik has more star power than Sanjay.But in absolute terms Dutt is going to have two movies above 50cr after Munna-3 (if he does not go to prison for long time).
Comment by Sid on 18 May 2007:
WOW great discussion guys! for a change its not going down hill
My openion, the poster is just a teaser, and i thinnk its done well for that.
HR is a big big BO draw No doubt, but I find his acting really limitted. Found KMG’s performance good. But then when I saw lakshay after that, I was like he acts similar to be retarded to show that he is confused. And then in Krish he acts similer to be retarded to show that he is innocent! man if that flawless performance then mmmmm.
“his acting in KMG, Lakshya, Krrish n D:2 has been flawless in their respective characters”
As you can see. totally disagree there but again that strictly my openion.
Comment by Sid on 18 May 2007:
I think Dutt is too much of a senior to be compared to HR. I mean, with HR, lets not forget KMG, Krish and Dhoom 2 were really such similar gernes.
Also with Dutt is more of its difficult to hate that guy. I would call him the most loved guy around annd that is irrespective of BO results coz he had really had somme bad ones and yet is where he is.
HR has a looooong way to go till he reached there.
Comment by Sid on 18 May 2007:
True rks let JA release then things will be more clear. (for me not as compared with Dutt, but wilth Aamir)
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
Sid:IMO, if HR takes JA (assuming it is a decent movie) to 40-50cr, then that Superhero genre tag can be safely removed. It would be an achievement for Ashu also.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Sid.. I am totally with you on the observation you made about Hrithik’s similar expressions in different situations. Whether he’s displaying innocence, heartfelt happiness, confusion or even chaos he has a very similar expression on his face, atleast in his past few movies. And it doesn’t help that he doesn’t have much of a comic timing either.
As for comparisons on the stardom front, I don;t care how much older and more expreienced Dutt is, he’s a smaller BO pull compared to Hrithik at this very moment. If I am a producer and I wanna make a film.. and I can get either Dutt or Hrithik for my film, 10 out of 10 times I’d go for the latter. No two eays about it. I’ll change my entire film and all tha characterizations et al… but I’ll go for Hrithik.
Comment by satyam on 18 May 2007:
On Hrithik’s box office and acting abilities some quick points:
1)Viewers of Bollywood often find it hard to differentiate between competent but superficial actors and authentic, even if not necessarily excellent, actors. The former group includes most of the actors who appear on American and British TV or for that matter many actors who appear in the movies. These actors are often very effective in their parts, but in any case they are always competent. Hrithik Roshan belongs to this group. He’s the perfect example of the superficial actor who can suggest no ‘depth’, can never suggest ‘character’. He is always a type. This is why he fails in movies that minimally need characters and excels in ones that require types. Every top star is Bollywood currently, a lit that includes Aamir, SRK, Akshay, Saif, Abhishek, devgan, Dutt is more of an ‘actor’ than Hrithik is. Hrithik is all surface and earnestness.
2)Also unfortunately Bollywood audiences tend to confuse longevity with acting. Just because Sunny Deol hung around for 20 years does not make him any kind of actor. Much as Dev Anand was a non-actor as was Jeetendra.
3)Related to this is the seniority point. Actors perfect their craft over time, they get better at the little things, but they have to be ‘actors’ to begin with! Neither seniority nor longevity made actors out of Stallone and Scwarzenegger! But they were very effective at what they did. Hrithik is this kind of actor.
4)Now as for the box office if JA is a proper hit Hrithik would certainly have a claim to the top spot. He already has a credible one. BUT it is the sort of claim that Stallone and Scwarzenegger had where they basically kept doing genre films that grossed more than everyone else’s films. hrithik within a Bollywood context is certainly better than those actors but he doesn’t have a non-genre hit.
Plus while no one seems likely to cross the Krrish gross in a solo let’s not forget that there would not have been that much to choose between Fanaa and Krrish with Gujarat on board. What’s the more impressive achievement?! Again could Hrithik come close to Aamir’s achievement in RDB? No one considers Tobey McGwire Hollywood’s biggest because he does Spiderman! Since genre is now a part of Bollywood much like sequels we have to account for these things as well. It’s too facile to say that Hrithik got two of the biggest hits given that both were two of the biggest production houses and one was a multistarrer. Dutt got 75 crores in a LRM. He could profit quite a bit if he stuck to certain genres!
Absolute grosses do not mean much if one doesn’t account for these other factors. This is not to deny Hrithik’s enormous stardom and universal appeal (I have commented on this endlessly).
5)Finally I find the Aamir/Hrithik comparison appalling! ‘Nuff said.
6)and yes this poster is rather poor!
(On a side note I find it interesting that Achilles and Aashim here make the most hyperbolic claims about Hrithik without a tenth of the reasons I provide for Abhishek and yet no one quite questions this. Meanwhile I do provide reasons but I’m the fanatic! I don’t have a problem with anyone praising their favorite star but then no one has a right to accuse me of being biased unless these very people can provide better reasons for their preferences)
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
Satyam: Agree with 1-4.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
lol.. It’s no surprising to see the one who claims that Abhishek is the most interesting actor since Amitabh has such a take on Hrithik. Hrithik has no depth? can never suggest character? As far as I know, Hrithik’s performance in Fiza is better than anything Ahishek has ever done throughout his career.. and yes that includes his over-rated act in Yuva.
And I love the way you use the Spidey analogy with Dhoom2, Kriish and RDB. Spiderman could have still grossed the same amount with me or you in the lead role.. just as RDB could have still become a hit with another actor in that supporting role that Aamir played… but the only way you can get a 75 cr gross off Dhoom2 is if you have a star as big or bigger in that role.
The fact is that Hrithik had more load on his shoulders while carrying D2 and Kriish.. but I am not even sure if one can really claim that Aamir was the main character in RDB.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
And on the constant push to make Amir look like something he never was … works in favour of Amitabh in the greater scheme of things. Just a little info for those who want to know why the Bachchan fanatics over-rate him so much.
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
RKS “Satyam: Agree with 1-4.”
How surprising!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. just joking man.. don’t kill me for that .. please…
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
SP:”How surprising! ”
If you have time, please read my comments.
on-srk-hrithik-aamir-abhishek
sachin-should-decide-when-to-retire-lee
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Wow!! What a load of bullsh!t there in the topic post.. (1st link).
I’ll answer that whole essay in one line.
If Ranvir Kapoor goes on to deliver a series of blockbusters with his first few films, he would have toppled Shahrukh Khan (not Aamir, not Hrithik.. and certainly not Abhishek) from the top spot.
Comment by satyam on 18 May 2007:
Street: I have never been under the delusion that an ‘argument’ convinces you!
Comment by satyam on 18 May 2007:
The other move that is also discernable in recent years is that top Bollywood stars are also considered top ‘actors’. This was previously not the case, nor is this true in the West. People become top stars for all sorts of reasons. Often not because they’re good actors. Because what one sees and relates to on screen is a persona, an ‘effect’ and it is completely erroneous to think that such a persona or ‘effect’ is simply the result of good acting.
There is a fundamental difference between De Niro’s art and that of a Harrison Ford. Both cannot be put on the same ‘acting’ spectrum. This explains nothing!
There is also a linguistic issue here. The profession of ‘actor’ (simply defining someone who acts on screen or on stage or what have you) is very different from the idea of ‘actor’ (here defining someone who can truly ‘perform’ well).
Much as both John Grisham and Salman Rushdie ‘write’ but only one is a true ‘writer’.
The other way I would distinguish the two is to suggest that any actor ‘presents’ something, a true actor ‘represents’. The second is of the order of the ‘universal’, the first is simply ’stimulation’. Most actors partake of both paradigms but huge stars are often just engaged in ‘presentation’ without being able to truly ‘represent’ anything. True actors always ‘represent’ while also pretending to ‘present’ in many instances. the classic and greatest example of this ‘tension’ as well as ‘overlap’ is Amitabh Bachchan.
Comment by Pranay on 18 May 2007:
some really interesting discussion guys..
I like this poster, it seems simple yet a classic feel attached to it.
Hritik will no doubt prove his versatility as a Box office star if JA becomes a big hit.. as of now, after doing blockbusters with dad’s banner as well as a YRF one, he’s called a so called No. 1 star by the same people who criticise SRK of sticking with the Johars n Chopras ..
I find Aamir more appealing than Hritik. But honestly the comparision is not quite fair.
Btw a great post there, satyam
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
satyam.. I wonder what your point is with regards to that post. I am pretty sure that everyone in here knows the difference between a top star and a top actor. Ofcourse there are stars, there are actors, there are stars who are actors as well.. and then there’re the useless bunch - star-actors’ sons and daughters.
Pranay.. This is NG. Over here, even Abhishek is, in some ways, a bigger star than Hrithik. I swear to God.. “m not making that up. There’s enough people in here who actually beleive that.
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
SP:”in some ways”
Celebrity status!
Comment by satyam on 18 May 2007:
Thanks Pranay… and for the record I consider Aamir, Hrithik, SRK (not necessarily in that order to be the big 3). My post on all of this is in the all stars.
Comment by Qalandar on 18 May 2007:
To be honest, I have never come across anyone on NG who has said that Abhishek is a bigger star than Hritik. Certainly there are people who feel Abhishek is a superior actor to Hritik, and I am one of them.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
Satyam: Your stance on hrithik somehow doesnt surprise me
but sounds quite stretched out. Hrithik with no “depth” and a “superficial” actor will not have many takers … Hrithik’s acting in Fiza did not appear “superficial” to many to say the least … there are a section of people who associates n typecasts actors only based on their successful movies … an actor can still succeed without the movie making a mark at the box-office. N “depth” is sometimes interpreted based on personal preferences … just brooding over the camera with expressionless eyes is often labeled n acclaimed as “serious acting” … but even in that forte only a few actors like Ajay Devgan n Kay Kay takes intensity to a different level … hrithik is yet to take on such “serious” roles … but he hasn’t fared as badly as you depict in “unserious” roles (lets put it that way). “Earnestness” can also gain points as a virtue rather than a vice when the onscreen characterization is an “Earnest” one.
On classifying Hrithik with Stallone n Scwarzenegger … It sounds ridiculously funny … that’s why I said someone’s bent on stretching things. The difference between this parallel is as diverse as Bollywood is from Hollywood. No further comments on that.
Tobey can be replaced in Spiderman 4 … n the movie can still gross huge … if u replace hrithik in Krrish, do I need to say the outcome? Or maybe another impending superhero movie will prove my point (even though alag failed to convince some)
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
Members I have very clearly said above that Amir is a much much better actor than Hrithik. Let us not debate that.
But what SP says is also true that Hrithik has given huge hits and at at the BO is is a MUCH BIGGER star( not actor ) that Amir.
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
To Amir’s credit ( and a big one) he pulled a movie like RDB to a big success. We all loved and appreciated it but it is indeed a big achievement to pull such a movie to big commercial success as well.
But I endorse that view that Fanaa had underperformed by me . Gujarat or no Gujarat.
It was Yash Raj , and it was Kajol’s comeback( a true blue superstarni after Sridevi , Madhuri) and off course Amir. The music is popular even today.
So it should have done about 10 crores more.
Those are my views. Maybe Amir fans dont want to see him doing such run of the mill commercial status.
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
Achilles you are on dot.
I think Hrithik was superb in Fiza, and also in KMG.
Comment by rks on 18 May 2007:
Tango:”So it should have done about 10 crores more.”
That 10Cr could be attributed to people who did not come after hearing that it is not Aamir Khan movie (a different movie).
Comment by Street Pharmacist on 18 May 2007:
Qalandar, your best friend on the forum, up until Kriish released tried to convince us that Abhishek had become a bigger star than Hrithik (with BnB, Sarkar, BM etc).. and even claimed that Dhoom2 wouldn’t have been made with Hrithik as the villain if Abhishek was a smaller star… and if Hrithik actually got the bigger role the film would fall flat on its face.
Ofcourse all that somewhat changed to “If I am a betting man… bla blah blah” after the debacle of UJ and the embarrassment of D2.
Comment by Achilles on 18 May 2007:
In a recent KWK interview with 4 leading n upcoming directors, it was interesting to see both the directors who directed Aamir in 2006 releases holds hrithik’s acting skills in very high esteem … thats after hrithik had originally declined both Fanaa n RDB (Siddhart’s role)… but Omprakash Mehra still went on to say that if Aamir hadnt agreed to DJ then his next choice was obviously Hrithik … that makes me wonder how can a “Superficial” actor like hrithik impress the upcoming director who made RDB what it is today!
On a lighter note , now i shud expect posts from certain quarters that these comments were made just due to the presence of Rakesh Roshan in the show!
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
LOL- “Qalandar, your best friend on the forum, up until Kriish released tried to convince us that Abhishek had become a bigger star than Hrithik (with BnB, Sarkar, BM etc).. and even claimed that Dhoom2 wouldn’t have been made with Hrithik as the villain if Abhishek was a smaller star… and if Hrithik actually got the bigger role the film would fall flat on its face.
Ofcourse all that somewhat changed to “If I am a betting man… bla blah blah” after the debacle of UJ and the embarrassment of D2.”
Tum bhi unique piece ho bhai with a never say die attitude!
Comment by Tango on 18 May 2007:
rks- That 10Cr could be attributed to people who did not come after hearing that it is not Aamir Khan movie (a different movie).
rks- Ab tum bhi mere upar sarcasm ka baand chalaoge
Just joking mate ! Fans are kind of strange people. One cannot say about them.
After one of Salman’s best movie Kyon Ki , I could here them say ( after the first show at the car park)
Marna tha to maar deta saala director par aisi zaleel maut kyon di Sullu ko ?
Comment by rks on 19 May 2007:
Tango: Arre nahin. There were lot of people who were disappointed after seeing Fanna. To me it was just an OK movie.
Comment by Tango on 19 May 2007:
If you ask me it was a good change to see Amir doing out and out commercial stuff after a while.
Too much of too good gets monotonous after a while.
Comment by Aashim on 19 May 2007:
“it was interesting to see both the directors who directed Aamir in 2006 releases holds hrithik’s acting skills in very high esteem … Mehra went on to say that if Aamir hadnt agreed to DJ then his next choice was obviously Hrithik … that makes me wonder how can a “Superficial” actor like hrithik impress the upcoming director who made RDB what it is today!”
Yup…Not only Rakesh Mehra and Kunal Kohli, IMO most of the industry considers him to be one of the finest actors we have today…..whether it is Karan Johar, Rishi Kapoor (video posted above), Ramesh Sippy, Gawarikar, Aamir khan, Salman Khan & his brothers, Ghai, Ghadvi, Suniel Shetty and many many others have all said this several times in their interviews….and this is in response to questions like ‘who they consider are the finest actors in the industry’, or ‘who are their favourite actors’ and NOT in response to questions like…’what do they think abt Hrithik Roshan’….which some wld say, wld compel ppl to say nice things etc
In fact, i have seen a compilation of these comments on some HR forum…don’t exactly remember where…can dig it out though.
Also, respectable critics like Mayank Shekhar, Khalid Mohammed, Rajiv Masand, SK Jha IMO wax eloquent abt his acting prowess and the depth he brings to the characters he portrays
Those who think Hrithik is not a fantastic actor and sneer at his performances in KMG/D2/Krrish are in minority….reputed Critics certainly don’t think so. Here are some comments from them:
Rajiv Masand on CNN IBN - “He is one of the finest actors working in Bollywood today. He’s played some very interesting characters on screen – a mentally challenged boy, a terrorist, even a Superhero. You may or may not have enjoyed all of his movies but it’s difficult to find fault in his performances.”
S K Jha on KMG - “Is Hrithik Roshan the best star-actor Indian cinema has ever produced? ….the question gains a seductive currency as we watch Hrithik open-mouthed, playing —if ‘playing’ is the right word for what he does as the mentally challenged Rohit.
We’ve seen other actors in Hindi films play an “abnormal” character . Frankly, they seem a laugh compared with Hrithik as he transforms himself into a man with a boy’s mind. As the young unbelievably engaging actor creates a new definition of screen heroism …Hrithik combines the character’s vulnerability and poewer lessness with a tremendous sense of dignity and fun. Watching him go through his painful evolution from fragile determintaion to heartwrenching adulthood is an enriching experience for the audience. This is a performance that possesses the power and potency to change our perceptions of life , on how ‘the weak’ in our society need to be held in compassion, not contempt”.
Khalid Mohammed on KMG - “Without a doubt, Hrithik Roshan’s outstanding, belting out the best performance of his career so far. The intelligent, natural-born actor has caught perfectly the endearing cordiality, the slightly declamatory speech, the angular body movements and an innocent charm that cover the ENTIRE ALPHABET of ACTING. Bravo, here’s the No 1 performance of the year that’s hard to beat.”
BBC on KMG - “Hrithik silences his detractors with his touching portrayal of a man with a child’s heart and mind. No other commercial film actor has deigned to take on such a challenge and Hrithik more than pulls it off, shedding the image of an Adonis and altering himself physically, contorting his face, voice, gait and demeanor to fit the role. ..he puts in a sterling performance that speaks VOLUMES about his ACTING ABILITY.”
SK Jha on Hrithik in Krrish - “It’s not enough to say that Hrithik is one of the best actors of the country. Extraordinary is the word……It’s not enough to get technicians from abroad to do the action. Other Hindi films have tried it before. But none with the super-sonic élan of Hrithik Roshan. Proving once again to be the master of the cinematic frame Hrithik glides across the frames in strides that replicate the measured might of a panther. Make no mistake, KRRISH belongs to Hrithik Roshan. He again displays his skills at dancing, fighting, emoting and just being comfortable with the camera without once letting the sweat of the toil trickle into the frames. Here’s an actor who stubbornly re-defines the concept of screen heroism with every performance. In KRRISH Hrithik is required to make the transition from a simpleton in the village with super-powers to a masked crusader in Bangkok. He brings to the film’s fantasy element a kind of innocence underlined by a subtle swagger that furnishes the duality of the masked character the musk of masculinity and vulnerability. ……our KRRISH has something extra-special those films didn’t- Hrithik Roshan.”
Rajiv Masand on HR in Krrish on CNN IBN - “Hrithik makes a terrific superhero. In fact, you’re only willing to suspend your disbelief and make this journey because it’s a fantastic actor like Hrithik Roshan who’s holding your hand and taking you through what is really a fractured story. For me that film was watchable for one reason and one reason only: Hrithik Roshan. In Krrish, once again the actor is the only saving grace. Despite the ludicruous plot, Hrithik immerses himself completely in his role and it’s only his sincerity that diverts your attention from the film’s many flaws”
Khaild Mohammed on HR in Krrish “Hrithik Roshan shoulders the responsibility of the Leviathan enterprise (krrish) ably on his shoulders. He depicts the entire gamut of emotions, from the guileless to the avengeful, with amazing intelligence. Thanks to his A-grade performance and the accent on clean entertainment, Krrishmas is here.
Masand on CNN IBN on HR in D2 - “Hrithik is one of those rare actors who’s not only abundantly talented, but he’s also blessed with a presence that’s electrifying. With the grace of a dove he throws himself into the film’s many challenging….. he is, quite simply, the heart, the soul and the spirit of Dhoom 2.”
Jha on HR in D2 - “The film belongs to Hrithik. What an actor, what a dancer, what a screen presence! In a vital love sequence with Aishwarya, Hrithik displays controlled inner and outer movements as the international thief who shows the desperate anxiety of a lover. Hrithik implements the series of heists in a spirit of twinkle-eyed mischief. When the crime-caper turns into an intense love story, you marvel at the actor’s ability of taking the plot from one level of engaging diversion to another without losing the rhythm pattern that governs the narration.” -
Khalid Mohammed on HR in D2 - “He dignifies the most brain-scrambling scenes with his overpowering conviction. Deadly is the word for his performance.”
Mayank Shekhar in MM on D2 - “The crucial difference that the recruiters have made with this unabashed star-vehicle is Hrithik, the Super=Hero like protagonist, or antagonaist, as it were. In a haphazardly defined role of a oneman international heist operator who appears with no background information, the actor lends depth, pizzaz, unflappable energy and charm to a character where none exists; we are not even sure if the motiveless burglar is a villain in the first place. Yet he works, and I suspect, so does the film, when he’s around.”
The kind of ‘Tributes’ Hrithik had recd for his performance in KMG from the Industry, Critics, Media and People alike is Unparalleled….the appreciation and the thumping applause he had recd for that perfromance was absolutely Mindblowing.
Comment by Aashim on 19 May 2007:
Many wld say that critics are biased, they don’t know their jobs, they are incompetent to judge performances….well in that case the same can be said abt the ‘Naysayers’ here…
Many wld also say that the ppl from the industry wax eloquent abt him coz he is a big star…but the fact is comments like….’finest actor, most complete actor, a genius, the most verstaile and accomplished actor, an actor who raises the standards of performnace with every film etc ‘ ….do not get made for ppl like Sunny deol, Salman Khan and several others who too have given big blockbusters
The fact is Millions of ppl, Majority of the industry and Critics feel that he is an actor par excellence……doesn’t matter if some feel otherwise, LOL
Comment by Achilles on 19 May 2007:
Aashim: thats a nice compilation … thanks for posting … well, i myself can dig out a lot more similar stuff.
But when someone goes to the extent of comparing Hrithik with Stallone n Scwarzenegger then there have to be personal reasons to deliberately pull down Hrithik … wonder if the D:2 embarrassment for the fans of his costar is the reason for that???
Comment by Achilles on 19 May 2007:
Interestingly, even though both Krrish and D:2 as movies did not particularly garner good reviews … but i hardly came across any review which spoke of hrithik’s acting skills in derogatory terms … on the other hand every critic poured accolades on him. If anyone has any doubts on that then i ll post all those as well.
Comment by Aashim on 19 May 2007:
Some feedback on the Jodhaa Akbar promo unveiled at Cannes from indiantelevision.com and indiafm
“UTV’s Ronnie Screwvala made a successful pitch at the Hotel Majestic’s Salon Diane today for his two upcoming films: Jodha Akbar and Goal as part of the Cannes Film Festival. Screwvala also played out a screener of Jodha Akbar which received a huge round of applause. And at least three distributors of Indian films in south Africa, Germany, and Poland said that they expected the film to do well. South African Indian cinema distributor Avalon Group managing director AB Moosa said that the timing of the release seems interesting. “It is scheduled around Ramzan and a little after Diwali,” he explained. “That will pull in audiences.” Gowariker revealed that her husband would have liked to be at Cannes but the production house wanted to finish the film before the monsoon hits - Indiantelevision.com
“The Cannes trailer of UTV’s forthcoming historical, Jodha Akbar was much appreciated. “Splendid visuals,” remarked a trade-type. The lead actors weren’t present to promote the film though.” - Indiafm
Links:
http://www.indiafm.com/features/2007/05/19/2661/
http://www.indiantelevision.com/cannes_special/y2k7/cannes_headline17.php
Comment by jayshah on 19 May 2007:
On Hrithik personally wouldn’t use films like Krrish or D2 to gauge his acting ability. They don’t throw up scenarios or situations like a film like Fiza.
And there is a distinct difference between Hollywood and Bollywood on this. Award ceremonies in Bollywood have given Hrithik best ‘actor’ award for films like D2 or Krrish.
In Hollywood, I don’t recall Tobey Maguire even being nominated once. Nor do films like Pirates, Spidey etc win any awards. Industry folk operate differently and infact Bollywood prefers to reward stars then actors IMO. Not saying Hrithik is a bad actor, only that the media is far more friendly to an actor of his ilk in singing praises then it would be in Hollywood.
Think about the biggest stars in Hollywood, the likes of Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise etc. They don’t get the kind of ‘critical’ praise the equivalent get in Bollywood.
Comment by satyam on 19 May 2007:
I think the whole Bollywood ‘critical’ system is quite bankrupt when it comes to evaluating actors and there is pretty much parity with many top stars (the way these reviews are written). What then makes the difference is the box office. The more successful a star is the more his position as an actor is cemented.
I know everyone considers Hrithik a good actor. I don’t and he wouldn’t be considered one in the West.
It is not that he IS Tobey McGwire. Obviously he occupies a very different symbolic space. At the same time given that there are now genre films in India one must take into account these factors.
Yes no one could replace Hrithik in Krrish but no one would have to. One could be Dutt in LRM grossing more than Krrish! One could be Aamir in Fanaa grossing in the same range (with Gujarat), to my mind this is still the year’s single most impressive box office achievement. A Yashraj film with poor previews, just one hit song, no gimmicks to the story, no pther stars even in cameos, an overall negative part for Aamir, a film that hardly ends happily! Much as RDB is the other very impressive achievement of the year.
If JBJ grossed 65 crores I would still consider the Guru 50 crore gross to be a more impressive one. Because huge big banner films come with built in advantages.
As for JA I expect it to be an aesthetic triumph. The rest remains to be seen. So far Gwariker has been on top on his game in Lagaan, a film where Aamir was heavily involved in every sense. The next one Swades, a film that I personally have a weakness for, is infinitely poorer in terms of its narrative and entire cinematic language.
Comment by Aashim on 19 May 2007:
Jayshah: Even if one were to discount blockbuster films like Krrish (even though he portrayed 3 different characters in this movie which is not an easy task by any stretch of imagination)and D2…. Hrithik has proved his acting prowess beyond any doubt in movies like Fiza, KMG, Lakshya…no two ways abt it
In any case Hrithik has done only one superhero movie and cannot be put in the category of say a Toby Macguire.
As far as media being favourable towards big stars…well the way they have been singing praises of hrithik’s acting abilities…they haven’t done so for many big stars who too have given big blockbusters - case in point salman, sunny etc…that says a lot
and IMO a non actor can give one big hit by fluke but not several blockbusters in a series…commercial cinema too needs very good actors to pull off the characters which ppl consider as run of the mill.
Comment by Aashim on 19 May 2007:
As far as what ppl think about Hrithik’s prospects in Hollywood, here’s something from someone who has worked in Hollywood and knows abt the dynamics there more than most of us here
Hrithik is an international star: Shekhar Kapur
Celebrated film-maker Shekhar Kapur was in Mumbai, recently. TWF correspondent Vickey Lalwani caught up with him for a free-wheeling chat.
Any film you saw recently?
I saw ‘Dhoom 2′ and was swayed by the technical finesse that Hindi films have come up with. They are almost on par with international standards. The only thing I find lacking in them is, the lack of good and original subjects.
And mark my words, India has an INTERNATIONAL STAR in Hrithik Roshan.
Hrithik’s performances have made even a maker like Shekhar Kapur sit up and say “if there was any INDIAN ACTOR who could take on any CHALLENGE from Hollywood, it was this man Hrithik.
If any actor from india can make a mark in Hollywood, it is hrithik.”
It’s an opinion that is shared by filmmakers, critics and the common man alike.
Another one from Shekhar Kapur in TOI
“Hrithik Roshan, challenged international stardom with Dhoom 2 this year. He will go on to become India’s first 20-million-dollar actor”
Comment by Tango on 19 May 2007:
Thanks Ashim
“Some feedback on the Jodhaa Akbar promo unveiled at Cannes from indiantelevision.com and indiafm”
Comment by Achilles on 19 May 2007:
Well, the same media n industry people have been lavishly praising when KNPH released … when Fiza released … when Mission Kashmir released … when K3G released … when Lakshya released … n subsequently Krrish n D:2 released … so the point is, they have been consistently praising both his star status n his acting skills.
Jayshah: its sumthing different to say hrithik still has lot of untapped potential yet to be tapped … that sounds perfectly logical to me … not everyone has to be a hrithik fan