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February 15, 2000
5 QUESTIONS |
Badal opens well in northKomal Nahta
Which clearly highlights the fact that action films are hot up north, but not as popular in south, east and west India. Talking of Badal in particular, the public seems well-aware of its action-laden content. As a result, both ladies and the elite were conspicuous by their absence. A Lucknow exhibitor, in whose cinema the film has opened, remarked, "Once the stall (which seat the lesser-priced ticket holders) were full, many people returned home instead of opting for the more expensive tickets. Which means that the first-day audiences were the hardcore masses only." The film is expected to score only in Punjab, U P and Rajasthan. In the rest of India, Badal -- which sold at a prohibitively high price of over Rs 20 million per circuit -- may not even manage to break even. Such high prices cannot be recovered on the strength of mass audience alone. Currently speaking... There were no queues for Badal outside the advance booking windows in New Delhi. Which lack of interest completely panicked the film's Delhi-U P distributor into calling Badal's producer, Salim, and letting loose a string of profanities. Apparently, Salim had praised the film sky-high and convinced the distributor to hike its price from Rs 17.5 million to Rs 22.5 million. The gullible distributor agreed. And was shocked when advance booking opened to a dismal response. Luckily, the film drew house-full crowds in current booking. As for Salim, he probably didn't know whether to brood over the poor advance booking or sulk over the volley of foul words hurled at him! Newcomers set new record
Kaho Naa... has crossed this landmark in the face of stiff opposition from star-studded biggies like Mela, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Pukar, etc. And it's happening everywhere -- not just in Bombay. The crowds are repeating the film in a big way. Little wonder then, Hrithik Roshan is the hottest star on the horizon. Besides Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir and Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza, he has already signed Subhash Ghai’s Yaadein, Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Vimal Kumar’s next. And there are several unconfirmed ventures on the horizon. Famine in Filmland After Hey! Ram and Khauff, there will be no big releases for a whole month. After which hiatus, Gordhan Tanwani’s Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge will hit the screens. It does not require much imagination to guess the kind of welcome this Salman-Karisma starrer will be accorded. Little wonder then, the film is attracting the best of terms from both exhibitors and sub-distributors. The Gujarat sub-distributor paid Rs 11.1 million for the rights. Recently, a sub-distributor paid Rs 10 million for Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. It’s a different matter that he stands to lose at least 50 per cent of that amount! The merry tune of money Included in the recently concluded music deals are Yash Chopra’s Mohabbatein, Subhash Ghai’s Yaadein and Rajiv Rai’s latest. Trade reports insist each film's music rights have sold for an unheard of Rs 60 million or so. And, as enthusiasts look forward to some great music in the coming months, the concerned film-makers have been dancing a joyous jig. To the merry tune of money, of course! Hrithik-Ghai are in business Rakesh Roshan is taking it easy. After his by-pass surgery, he has decided to relax for at least a year or so. And Hrithik's dates that were blocked for Filmkraft's next venture will now go to Subhash Ghai for Yaadein. Ghai, on his part, plans to complete his film in less than a year. Lata missing!!!
A look at the week
Komal Nahta edits the popular trade magazine, Film Information. Do tell us what you think of this column
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Badal unleashed the rains in north India last Friday. Despite the unseasonal downpour, the Bobby Deol-Rani Mukherjee starrer enjoyed a very good opening in Delhi, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. But the initial wasn’t too exciting in other areas like Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, etc.
It has been a long time since a film has collected over 99 per cent of the capacity over four weeks in Bombay. The last film to do so was Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The feat is now being repeated by Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai.
They thought it would be Pukar's USP -- a song not just rendered by Lata Mangeshkar but picturised on her as well! Well, certain enterprising cinema managements -- including that of Apsara in Baroda, Gujarat -- have unilaterally been editing the song from the film. It seems the song is signal for an unnerving exodus by an audience to whom it has not appealed much!