Five movies Spielberg connects with

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial: A search for the father in myself, as well as a catharsis film for me after my parents’ divorce. Saving Private Ryan: A homage to my dad. 3 Idiots: I’ve seen it three times, loved the … Read More

Saw Kai Po Che yesterday..

Saw ‘Kai Po Che’ this morning. A very impressive film. Up there among the best male bonding Indian films ever: Dil Chataq Hai, 3 Idiots, Rang De Basanti, Rock On, Zindagi Na MIlega Dobara… and in some ways marks a … Read More

Kamal Haasan’s ‘Vishwaroopam’ earns Rs 100 crores in four days

This was perhaps expected. Within four days of its release, Kamal Haasan’s controversial film ‘Vishwaroopam’ has grossed Rs 120 crore at Box Office and is still running to packed houses in Tamil Nadu. Kamal Haasan’s film faced flack from certain … Read More

Well done ABCD

I was gung ho about this film after the first promo itself. It’s good to see the film’s success. Released in 750 prints it has earned 5.5 cr on Day 1 as against 6.25 of Special 26 released with 1750 … Read More

I feel vindicated: Kamal Hassan

Kamal Haasan’s ‘Vishwaroopam’ finally opened on Thursday in nearly 600 theatres across Tamil Nadu to full houses, as expected. The actor-filmmaker says the espionage thriller opened without any incident and he feels vindicated. “There was not a murmur of unrest … Read More

Matru, Bijlee and Mandola…a bundle of delight

Went to catch Les Miserables PVR –Forum Mall at 10 am, since that’s the only slot I had free in a long long time. The ticket girl said sorry , no show, as you are the only one in line to buy a ticket for the film. Maybe because it was the Gold Class costing 700 bucks. Any way , since I could not go back home and show my face to my wife, after having rushed from home without breakfast, I tried to check what else was running. There was Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola and I walked in. And was I surprised, delightfully!

This was easily the most accomplished Vishal Bhradwaj film by miles for me. A high-concept film that he managed to pull off with aplomb. Right from the first frame with Pankj Kapoor and Imran Khan looking perfect as Master and Servant, in the mould of Don Quixote-Sancho Panza, Pozzo and Lucky ( from Waiting for Godot) …, the eternal , mythical duo…caught in a see-saw struggle for power, and a complex web of relationship a based on deceit, trust, mutual need, and conflict as well as confluence of interest.

One is not likely to see a character as richly textured , as complexly rounded and as delightfully eccentric as Mr Mandola. Pankaj Kapoor was born to play this. Looking more like a Kurosawa hero from a Japanese tragic-comedy rather than a Bollywood character, Kapor gives it his all, and there is plenty that he has to give, from his impeccable alcoholic slur to his power-drunk swagger to his tenderness soaked with vulnerability when he interacts with his daughter Bijlee. Imran Khan is perfect as the JNU leftist activist Hukum Singh masquerading as Matru, the driver –cum-drinks-inhibitor of Mandola. Anushka is her usual bubbly self. And I wish shew as 3.5kgs heavier. But she too gets her fifteen minutes of limelight in the final drunken bride act. Mummy, Apki bahu nikammi, she says to her would-be sasu, Shabna Azmi, who incidentally is top class as the Lady Macbethian scheming politician. Some of her lines, especially with her son ( Kuchh bhi ho sakta hai are blood-curdling.

The film is littered with many verbal acrobatics and priceless witticism. The writing is insightful and sophisticated. But is the comic invention and the outlandish gags that make you tip your hat to Bhradwaj and Abhishek Chaubey , the co-writer. I especially liked the episode where Madola takes Matru for a ‘ night walk’ on his helicopter and when the fan catches fire , Mandola trying to light his cheroot from the fire on the fan blades, before jumping out with the parachute.

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My predictions for Filmfare Best actor, Best Music, best Director..

It has all come true. Just like last year.

take Filmfare Best Actor Trophy as taken

“Last year I had predicted all the Best Actor’s trophies for Ranbir, and the best music for AR Rahman. I still cannot be certain … Read More

Salman Khan’s DABANGG 2 huffs and puffs at BO;

Rs.200 crore net theatrical collection is the breakeven point for the sub-distributors and exhibitors who have paid nearly Rs.100 crores as minimum guarantee (MG) for the domestic rights of Salman starrer DABANGG 2. They have every reason to worry now. … Read More

The Last Superstar

hese final years of Rajinikanth’s career are historic in their import, for never again will we see the likes of him. Rajesh Khanna is usually called the first superstar. Never before, we hear, was an actor known to cause such … Read More

If Opening Power is equal to Star Power..

..then Salman is leagues ahead. Hritik, Shahrukh, Akshay and AAmir are almost equal after that.

( First 3 day opening) Dabnagg 2 : 63.6 ETT: 60.27 Agneepath: 49. Rowdy Rathore: 48 JBHJ; 48 Talalash: 48

http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/why-salman-khan-is-the-crowned-box-office-opening-tiger/

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Surprise Packages of 2012

http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/89459.html

The year saw several films which turned out to be successful in an interesting way.

Many of these films were either low budgeted or had low expectations, but they really blew away audience’s mind with their catchy, crisp and … Read More

Box Office Summary of 2012

Bollywood 2012: Small budgets fight it out among 100cr club -A +AFont PTI Posted: Dec 20, 2012 at 1138 hrs IST PrintEmailSubscribePost Comments

While the 100 crore club became a fad in Bollywood this year with star-driven films raking in … Read More

The Ultimate Record For Dabanng 2

Dabangg 2 may smash all initial records but the ultimate record for the film is the second week record of Three idiots which collected around 55 crore nett in week two as initial records fall every six months..

There are hardly any films which can be even thought about in terms of this record because most films aim at that urban youth and all you can get is good one week run with this audience.

Looking at advance, Dabangg 2 is that film where the families will come in hordes on Sunday all across India especially the cities and towns outside the big metros and if this audience spreads the word then this ultimate second week record of Three Idiots which is almost 20 crore higher than anything else becomes a target for Dabangg 2.

Obviously if reports of the day one audience is not up to the mark then all equations go out of the window as that big Sunday will not materialise.

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Dabangg 2 Final Pre-release Predictions

Well, in my original post with predictions, I did not mention the positives because I thought most of them were well-known.

But let me put them on record any way.

1. Unprecedented popularity of Salman at the moment. Add to that, Salman is actually performing with confidence, and putting up a damn good entertaining act
2. The goodwill of the Dabangg franchise
3. I mentioned the absence of Abhinav Kashayp in the direction and writing department. But I must mention Dilip Shukla is a good writer too with the caveat that the appeal of his writing is mote for the single screen audience.
4. The songs are as good as those of Dabangg 1
5. I have mentioned the ineffectivityy of Kareena asan item dancer. But fortunately, after watching the latest song promos I notice that instead of trying to appear sexy, she is working at fun and frolic. And that Kareena can pull off. So the song is coming off quite nicely.
6. Prakash Raj is an interesting and engaging villain.
7. The holiday period and no competition.

On the other hand after watching the latest dialogue promos, I have this to add to the list of negatives.

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Satyamev Jayate bags ‘Indian of The Year’ Award by CNN IBN

India’s most influential TV show Satyamev Jayate on Wednesday bagged the prestigious CNN-IBN Indian of The Year – Special Achievement Award 2012 for its path breaking initiative.

This accolade for Satyamev Jayate follows soon after recognition by the Government of India earlier this year. The National Commission had rewarded the show for Scheduled Castes for its efforts to create awareness against social discrimination in October.

Satyamev Jayate won the CNN-IBN ‘Indian of The Year’ award under Special Achievement category along with Olympian Mary Kom and missile scientist Dr. K.C. Thomas.

Star India CEO Uday Shankar and the Satyamev Jayate team were honoured for their remarkable contribution in highlighting several social ills that continue to plague modern India and to help create awareness against such evils through the pioneering TV program.

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Radio Mirchi Top 20

1. Jee Le zara : Talaash

02. Ishq wala love : Student of the Year

03. Dagabaaz Re : Dabangg 2

04. The Disco Song : Student of the Year

05. Hookah Bar : khiladi 786

06. Vele : Student of the Year

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My Predictions for Dabangg 2

In the range of 130 cr. Give or take 10%.

Why it has no shot at reaching anywhere near 200 cr:

1. To do tat you have to be a big success in multiplexes. I see no chance of that happening.

2. All the four films of Salman, contrary to what many in the forum falsely believe, were different from one another: Dabang, Ready, Bodyguard, ETT. The genres, the look and feel and even the heroines were different.

3. Dabnagg 2 is a pale shadow of Dabangg 1, with every song a situational and melodic replica of a corresponding song in Dabangg 1.

4. The pairing with Sonakshi Sinha adds to the staleness. She is the heroine multiplex audiences are least excite about today..especially if she presents herself in the same old desi avatar.

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Saw Talaash last night

Saw Talaash last night. ( Spoilers galore ahead. Don’t read on if you haven’t seen the film)

And I am afraid this ghost business spoilt it for me totally.

The God business spoilt Jab Tak Hai Jaan , but then there was nothing much right in the film to spoil and I had mentally switched myself off from the film after first ten minutes or so. The God business spoilt Life of Pi for me too, but then the God line comes only in the beginning and end of the film and thankfully, the main narrative tract of the film is not contaminated by the corny and glib validation in the belief of God. So the tale of the boy , the tiger and the sea could be enjoyed as a great cinematic achievement.

Talaash is different.

It had so much going for it. Right from the first frame with the hobo, the stray dog who foretold the chronicle of a death, the crazed car diving headlong into the sea.. and the striking opening scene segueing into the night lights of Mumbai streets, the film looks seductively dark.

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And then you go and spoil it by saying something stupid like ” You must believe in God”

I had problem s with both the films I saw recently, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Life of Pi, and God seem sto be the culprit in both the cases. Of course with the former it was problem hi problem with no mitigating pleasures. But thanks to a few rankling elements, Life of Pi wasn’t a completely satisfying experience either.

Right away let me state that Life Of Pi is an awesome technical as well as storytelling achievement. The use of 3-D to create mesmerizing visuals and the use of computer graphics animation to create Richard Parker , the royal Bengal tiger is an unparalleled achievement in contemporary cinema. The droll characters of Pi’s family, the charming ambience of Puducherry, the sheer narrative bombast of a zoo being transported across the seas and the sinewy story telling involving a boy and tiger adrift mid-sea is a far too a sumptuous offering not to satisfy any film lover’s appetite

And then you go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like ” You must believe in God because…”
And because?

Because it’s the better story.

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Son of Sardar outgrosses JTHJ all India once again

As per Koimoi: Tuesday – JTHJ : 4.5cr, SoS : 4.75 Cr

The impressive thing about this from SoS point of view is that it is doing it on 500 less screens.

Koimoi also says, “It was expected that the movie will cross the 100 Crore mark in its 1st weekend itself. However, now it seems that it might not reach there even by the end of its 1st extended weekend.

The film was supposed to take advantage of the improved situation in Mumbai circuits, but that too didn’t work out to a considerable extent.”

http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/jab-tak-hai-jaan-2nd-tuesday-box-office-collections/

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Katrina – the most to lose from the fiasco of JabTak Hai Jaan

Of course a bad film affects all those concerned with the film. So everyone from Aditya to Shahrukh to Anoushka and Rahman will lose some sheen after the film settles down without impressing anyone and cheesing off so many more. The person who stands to lose most from the fiasco of JTHJ is Katrina, because it is her performance that has drawn the most flak.

Before this film, she was gaining some respect and acceptance as someone who was at last learning her acting chops. Films like Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Rajneeti and Zindagi Na MIlegi Dobara were proof that she could pull off character driven roles and make female lead oriented films work. This one has revealed her to be what she was always thought off as – eye candy and a exciting dancer. What this will ensure is that she wont get too many plum roles.

The actress to gain the most out of the scenario is Deepika…not in small measure due to her performance in Cocktail – a film which has benefited all – Saif, Imtiaz, Diana, Pritam , and of course Deepika, because her performance was the highlight and surprised everyone with its quantum jump in quality.

She now has Kochadiyan with Rajni / Ravikumar, Chennai Express with Shahrukh/ Rohit Shetty, Race 2 with Saif / Abbas-Mustan, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani with Ranbir / Ayan Mukherjee and Ram Leela with Ranveer / Sanjay Bhansali. DShe has it pretty much covered in terms of genres, co-stars and directors.
As I have mentioned bad film does not translate into bad box office right awy but affects the subsequent films of all involved. And it si the same with good films.

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Namrata Joshi reviews of ‘ Jab tak Hai Jan’ and ‘ Son of Sardar’

Yash Chopra’s swansong Jab Tak Hai Jaan will go down in Bollywood history as only the second time SRK gets to kiss his heroine after Maya Memsaab, which was released almost two decades ago. The star, who has come whisper close since, but never quite gone the whole hog with his heroines, gets smooched by Katrina Kaif. And nary a spark flies. It’s abrupt, hurried and awkward. More a lip-brush than a liplock. That, incidentally, is just one of the many problems with this “epic” love story.

SRK, who has consistently been supported by a rather fine give ’n take routine with his heroines, whether it is Madhuri, Juhi, Kajol, Rani, Kareena, or even Anushka, has no communication with the cold, bland, expressionless wonder that is Katrina. Nothing moves on her face. All she offers in the name of acting are moist eyes, fluttering eyelashes and plumped lips.

Although frenzied to begin with, it’s the other woman, Anushka, who sounds more convincing when she tells SRK that she has fallen “totally, madly, deeply” in love with him. In between lies the biggest problem of all: a love story that is set in the 2000s but is way too old-fashioned for comfort and just riddled with absurd twists brought on by ridiculous compulsions and sacrifices of its central characters. With a little help from God and retrograde amnesia. Unfulfilled love, a la Love In The Time Of Cholera, is all well and good, but the reasons for separation are more laughable than heart-rending. It’s needlessly stretched with a few bright moments but is largely inert.

SRK looks good with the stubble, particularly against the backdrop of the rugged Ladakh landscape and he can still say “pyaar ho gaya hai, uska kya karoon” like no one else, but that easy charm of yore is getting more and more rehearsed. Full of references to many of Yash Chopra’s own films—be it Dil To Paagal Hai or Veer Zaara, JTHJ struggles hard to find its own
two feet to stand on.

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SoS Overtakes JTHJ daily collection

I hated JTHJ. And I haven’t seen SoS. But i didn’t think this was possible.

As per Koimoi, JTHJ on Monday is 5.25 cr and SoS is 5.51 cr.!!

http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/jab-tak-hai-jaan-1st-monday-box-office-collections/

http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/son-of-sardaar-1st-monday-box-office-collections/

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The enduring appeal of Slumdog Millionaire music

http://www.apple.com/euro/itunes/charts/top10worldalbums.html

Even now, this very week:

- Spain: No 1 – New Zealand : No 1 – Sweden: No 2 – Austria : No 2 – Luxembourg : No 2 – Australia : No 2 – Denmark: No 3 – … Read More

To me this is what a film and a performance being liked really means…

Your husband is reticent to the point of being self-evasive. You are an incorrigible extrovert. How does it work so well between the two of you?

That old Physics law of attraction of opposites! Besides, I need to have a listener, and Murthy is the perfect listener. I realised early on that he is a man of few words, and that I should make my peace with it. Marriage works well if you don’t have grand expectations from each other. I talk, he listens, and it works. Murthy may be economical with words, but he’s a very giving person.

But you like going out for movies, and he’s certainly not one for that…

I take my sister with me. But recently, and it took some doing (the fact that the hall was very close to home helped), I made him watch English Vinglish with me. He liked it. I think it was a brilliant movie, and many middle-class women in India will be able to relate to the subject. Sridevi was a delight to watch.

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