After suffering immeasurable losses over the past two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic, cinema halls, post running in fits and starts, have been finally permitted by the government of India to operate at a 100% capacity in Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Needless to say, it has brought a wave of joy and relief to people from across the film fraternity.

Producer Amar Butala believes that the upcoming line-up of films such as Bachchhan Paandey and Runway 34 will bring in a large number of cinegoers to theatres. “It’s a welcome sign for both producers as well as the exhibition sector. With two long weekends, Holi and Eid, coming up, there are likely to be more footfalls in cinemas,” he explains.

Happy that theatres are running at a full capacity, Karnataka exhibitor B H Basha anticipates that the release of pan-India films such as RRR, Radhe Shyam and Etharkkum Thunindhavan will help improve the financial state of the exhibition sector: “The South states contribute immensely towards the film business. But my fear is that people have stopped wearing masks, thinking that the pandemic is over. I hope the 100% occupancy at theatres continues.”

Rajender Singh Jyala, CPO, Inox Leisure Limited, says, “We always thought that we can recover losses, but this is the fastest recovery we’re witnessing.”

Producer Anand Pandit adds, “We’ve already had a few blockbusters since theatres opened up and every exhibitor, distributor and producer is hoping that the pandemic doesn’t throw another spanner in the works to impair the progress that has been made.”

From film releases to shoot plans — the surge in Coronavirus cases has forced Bollywood to press the pause button on multiple things, again. The entertainment industry is now staring at mounting financial losses, running in hundreds of crores. “Every quarter, at least Rs. 1,000 crore is being lost in terms of box-office revenue. Typically, in a year, more than Rs. 4,000 crore comes from the box office. We are losing money every month,” says trade expert Joginder Tuteja.

“In terms of box-office numbers, we are looking at over Rs. 1,500 crore losses in the first quarter itself. Due to the crisis, the festive weekends of the first month of the year are lost,” says producer and trade expert Girish Johar.

Actor Shahid Kapoor’s Jersey was the first film to get delayed due to the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in December, 2021. Since then, films like RRR, Radhe Shyam and Prithviraj have been pushed. Outdoor schedules of films such as Merry Christmas, Pathan, Tiger 3, Liger and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, have also been affected.

Shibasish Sarkar, producer and former CEO, Reliance Entertainment, says, “Back in 2019, we used to look at business worth hundreds of crores, but those numbers have lost relevance now. The numbers have nosedived in the last two years. So, we try to look at it from a period basis, and the first quarter has gone. We have to hope that things start rolling from April.”

The restrictions in Mumbai and across most parts of India are hurting the production as well as distribution of the film business. “Most films which were currently shooting have had to cancel and postpone their schedules, resulting in cost escalation. It’s going to be a herculean task for these films to deliver in the given timelines,” rues producer Amar Butala, who is backing the film, Mission Majnu.

Director Anees Bazmee shares, “We have seen huge losses till now aur agar aise chalega, toh aur (losses) honge. It’s been happening continuously, bahut zyada bada setback hai.”

Jehil Thakkar, leader at media and entertainment, Deloitte India, mentions, “There’s a big loss in terms of working capital cash flows. Also, the major outdoor schedules are cancelled, and they are the high cost ones. The loss would be hundreds of crores. But nobody has an exact figure.”

It’s finally showtime in Maharashtra after seven months of theatre shutdown. On Saturday evening, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that cinemas across the state would reopen from October 22. The decision came in the wake of an exhaustive meeting that was headed by Thackeray. The meeting was attended by filmmaker Rohit Shetty, PVR Pictures CEO Kamal Gianchandani, Inox Leisure Ltd CEO Alok Tandon, Carnival Cinemas CEO Kunal Sawhney, and Dr Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios, among others.

With the news, a wave of cheer erupted among the exhibitors who have been bleeding dry since the first shutdown in March 2020. Soon, Shetty announced that his Akshay Kumar-led Sooryavanshi — that has been waiting in the wings since early 2020 — would finally hit the marquee this Diwali. That was cue enough for Bollywood to bring out its big guns. Ranveer Singh’s sports drama 83 booked the Christmas window while Shahid Kapoor promised to arrive a week later with Jersey.

Producer Aditya Chopra lined up four releases — while Bunty Aur Babli 2 will be a November 19 offering, Kumar’s Prithviraj locked January 21, followed by Jayeshbhai Jordaar on February 25 and Ranbir Kapoor’s Shamshera on March 18, 2022. Ahan Shetty’s debut vehicle Tadap will be big-screen bound on December 3, and Kumar’s Bachchan Pandey on March 4, 2022. Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha will now be a Valentine’s Day 2022 fare.

Producer Anand Pandit, whose Chehre recently had a big-screen outing despite the shutdown in the Maharashtra circuit, is excited about the “blockbuster Diwali”. He notes that filmmakers have wisely spaced out the releases so as to not eat into each other’s business. “I am glad that the government, in its wisdom, decided to reopen theatres. The industry needs this revival. I don’t see too many clashes since the industry understands that the return of audiences might be slow, and it would be best to avoid a situation where the [footfall] gets divided.”

Pandit will soon lock the release date of Thank God, starring Ajay Devgn, Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh.

On the ground level, theatre owners are awaiting the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) from the CM’s office. But they are relieved that the government finally took action on their multiple appeals to reopen cinemas. In their last letter, the Multiplex Association of India (MAoI) had reportedly stated that the exhibition sector lost almost Rs 4,800 crore since March 2020.

Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 multiplex and Maratha Mandir, says, “Theatres may start with 50 per cent occupancy, with only fully vaccinated people allowed. Few theatres are also considering appealing for [the removal of] GST.”

He adds that ticket prices can be determined once the safety protocols have been announced. “It’s not the right time to increase the ticket rates, because people should be willing to come to theatres in the first place.”

News of the deferral of the second season of The Family Man came as a surprise to both fans and cast members alike, who had been eagerly awaiting the February release of the Manoj Bajpayee-fronted crime drama. While speculative, it was suggested that the delay could be traced to host platform Amazon Prime Video’s decision to be vigilant of the content it was putting out in the aftermath of the controversy surrounding its previous release, Tandav. However, Sharib Hashmi, who plays the role of Bajpayee’s colleague JK Talpade, says the second edition doesn’t have any content that can invite trouble.

“I’m not worried at all. There’s nothing objectionable in the series. [The delay] had led to anxiety. I was heartbroken when I found out that the show had been pushed. But I was sure that whenever the show aired, people would love it. As a consumer, I can’t wait any longer,” says the actor, adding that the web platform has given wings to artistes like him. “You are not bound by the constraints of time, like you are in cinema. You can explore every character suitably, and everyone gets a chance to shine. Yet, films will always remain my first love.”

In his kitty is the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer, Mission Majnu. “It has been produced by my friends, Amar Butala and Garima. Debutant director Shantanu Bagchi is brilliant and someone to watch out for. Sidharth and I had a lot of fun between shots.”

Raj and DK directed and produced The Family Man features Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class man secretly working as an intelligence officer for  a fictitious branch of the National Investigation Agency. A married man with two kids, Srikant is seen pursuing an investigation of a potential terrorist attack, while simultaneously living up to the demands of his unsettled family life.

After completing the Goa schedule of Raj-DK (Raj Nidimoru-Krishna DK)’s yet-untitled web series in April, Shahid Kapoor returned to Mumbai. The next schedule of the thriller, which was to kick off earlier this month, will now be shot in the city once the restrictions are lifted. With the dates being reworked, it has had a domino effect on the actor’s slate of projects. He intends to kick off the OTT film, Operation Cactus, as soon as it’s a wrap on his maiden web series that also features South superstar Vijay Sethupathi.

“The lockdown has played havoc with the dates of actors. Meanwhile, producer Amar Butala’s team is on standby. The pre-production of Operation Cactus is on in full swing, and it will go on floors as soon as the leading man is available,” says a source.

The action thriller offers a retelling of the 1988 military operation of the same name that was launched by the Indian government in the Maldives to prevent a coup by 200 Sri Lankan militants against then-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Kapoor will step into the shoes of Brigadier Farukh Bulsara in the movie, which will be helmed by Aditya Nimbalkar. He has previously assisted Vishal Bhardwaj in Kaminey (2009), Haider (2014) and Rangoon (2017).

mid-day reached out to Kapoor’s team, who didn’t respond till press time.

Scouting in the South for fresh talent is a tried and tested formula—one that has often yielded a positive response. Joining the bandwagon of South imports is Rashmika Mandanna, who while gearing up for her debut Bollywood film Mission Majnu, has already begun shooting for her second project opposite Amitabh Bachchan. “We chanced upon Rashmika’s work,” says director Shantanu Baagchi, who was seeking a female lead in the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer. “I was impressed by her nuanced performance in Dear Comrade [2019]. It is a crucial role in the film. [We needed an actor who would understand] the sensitive interpretation of the character. She has the right mixture of innocence and beauty [that fits the role]. There’s a good possibility that Indian audiences will discover another movie star from the South,” he says.

In his first video interaction with Mandanna, producer Amar Butala realised that he had found his leading lady. “It was remarkable to see her react to the script narration. She picked up every nuance of the character despite being on a video call,” says Butala, adding that he was banking on her “experience and confidence”. “She also has the sincere energy of a newcomer.”

A busy 2021 awaits Sidharth Malhotra, who has four projects lined up in Shershaah, the Thadam remake, the DJ Duvvada Jagannadham (2017) remake and Thank God. While he has wrapped up the shoot of the biopic on late Captain Vikram Batra, the actor was scheduled to begin filming the Thadam remake early next year. However, there might be a change in plans as one hears that Malhotra — who has been reading scripts through the lockdown — has given his nod to a spy thriller. The actioner, produced by Amar Butala and to be helmed by ad filmmaker Shantanu Bagchi, is likely to mark his first film shoot post the pandemic.

"Sidharth loved the script and came on board immediately. Conceptualised as a slick thriller that is high on action, the movie will see him play a spy. The actor is expected to begin the prep by December-end before the director calls for action in January. The Hindi adaptation of Thadam, which is to be directed by Vardhan Ketkar, has been pushed for now," reveals a source.

mid-day reached out to Malhotra's team, which did not respond till press time.

Ever since he took his shirt off in Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Salman Khan has sent movie buffs into a tizzy by flaunting his physique. So call it coincidence or quirk of fate that the actor will now produce the rags-to-riches story of Somen Banerjee, a Bengali immigrant, entrepreneur and founder of Chippendales (the popular nightspot best known for its male striptease performances and dancers who created a storm in the US in the 70s and 80s).

Confirming the news, Salman said, “A Bengali man, who moved from India to America in the late 60s, struggled and created one of America's most iconic brands. We are going to tell the story of Somen Banerjee, a man driven by fierce ambition, on celluloid.“

The biopic, which starts in Kolkata, moves into the glitzy Los Angeles and Europe. Coming from a humble background - his father was a printer - Somen's aspiration for a better life took him to America. Also known as Steve Banerjee, he lived a dual life; one driven by ambition and the other for the love of his family.

Amar Butala of Salman's production house adds, “The story of Somen Banerjee has all the shades of a gangster film - raw greed, power and violence.We're currently working on the script and the plan is two-fold - to produce a feature film and to develop it as a mini-series as well.“

Even before the first trailer was launched, Hero has been generating curiosity among the public and trade alike. Produced by Salman Khan and Subhash Ghai, this intense love story marks the debut of star kids - Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty - under the direction of Nikhil Advani. The buzz surrounding the debutants and the movie has only been increasing with every passing day. Here's looking at what makes Hero hot on the watch list of cinegoers...


POWERFUL ACTION
Action has always been one of the highlights of Salman's films. And the thrills in Nikhil's last film D-Day too were appreciated. No wonder the two had several meetings to plan out the action sequences for Hero. They decided to rope in three specialists - two national and one international - for the film. From hand-to-hand combats to bike sequences in snow, as well as another thrilling stunt in water and the climax sequence in a gym, each is carefully orchestrated and are integral to the narrative. Nikhil says, “The action had to be hyperreal and on a bigger scale, so people would feel the pain that the characters are going through.“ He feels the bike sequence in the snow, including the one which has Sooraj and Athiya leaping across a broken bridge on a bike, was the most challenging' because of the extreme conditions' they shot it in.


SOULFUL MUSIC
Just like the memorable soundtrack of the original Hero (1983), Nikhil says they 'didn't want to go wrong with the music'. If Yadaan Teriyaan and O Khuda have become popular among listeners, Main Hoon Hero Tera rendered by Salman, has registered over 13 million hits on a popular video-sharing site. “The idea was to give a new sound and not remind the audience that this is a remake,“ says the director. Attributing the success of the film's soundtrack to Salman's keen ear for music for intense love stories, Nikhil adds, “Be it Tere Naam or Maine Pyar Kiya, the soundtrack is in the everlasting love space. We decided not to go with one particular composer.“ About Salman's soulful number, Nikhil says, “Salman had heard Main Hoon Hero Tera earlier and would often sing it, so it was best that he record it. Full credit to him for the way he has sung it; it is such a huge hit.“


SIZZLING CHEMISTRY
The songs and promos give a good idea of the crackling chemistry Sooraj and Athiya share in the movie. The emotions they portray on the screen has got the audience rooting for the new 'IT couple'. Nikhil attributes the chemistry to the marathon workshops the debutants underwent before shooting commenced. “A lot of preparation was done during the workshop sessions,“ says the director, adding, “I don't think chemistry between two actors can be manufactured. No one except the actors themselves can generate it. Sooraj and Athiya spent six months doing workshops before we commenced shooting.“ Athiya has been quoted saying that because she and Sooraj are very good friends, it reflects in their onscreen chemistry. She has also said that they look good together as a pair.


ATHIYA -THE NEW STYLE ICON
According to Nikhil, Athiya is a natural actor ­ both in terms of looks and skill. And that aspect extends to her styling too. She knows what makes her look dainty and yet is comfortable in her skin. Recalling an instance where he read about how well she carried off a yellow gown despite it being a bright colour, he feels her acumen for style comes from her confidence. “Whether Athiya is wearing jeans and sneakers or anything else, she's always confident. That's the most important thing when it comes to being a style icon,“ says Nikhil.


SOORAJ -THE YOUNG SENSATION
Sooraj has fast become popular amongst the youth. If girls are going crazy about him at the intercity promotions, men admire and are inspired by his chiselled physique. The young actor has netizens rooting for him on social media too. Praising Sooraj, the director says, “His eyes exhibit the pain he went through in life. We've used those experiences in his portrayal of a tortured and tormented guy, who is proving to the world that he is immensely and intensely in love.“

PRODUCERS' NOTES: SALMAN KHAN
“The music of the original film was terrific. We, too, have managed good songs in our version of the film. However, as a producer, I should have released the music three or four months ago. In spite of good music, the film might not benefit as much because we've released the album late. Songs with established actors easily connect with the audience but when songs are picturised on newcomers, you have to give them time to grow. However, I love the music of Hero. The way I see it, the film might come, do its lifetime business and go. But the music will continue to live for many years to come.“

AMAR BUTALA, COO, SALMAN KHAN FILMS
“This is Salman Khan Films' second production after Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and yet, it is the more ambitious one of the two films. Subhash Ghai's Hero had a solid script, superhit music and launched two stars. After 32 years, our film has exactly the same strengths - two newcomers, who are extremely talented and share great onscreen chemistry, a solid music album, which has chartbusters and the kind of scale that debut films in the 80s and 90s had. Family audiences will love the film and the joint vision of director Nikhil Advani and producer Salman Khan will ensure the film entertains.“

SUBHASH GHAI
“I'm delighted that Salman has donned the producer's cap for this film and Nikhil has taken the responsibility of making a movie that was made more than three decades back.When people watch it, they'll know that these guys have done a much better job than we did. The reason is that the film is contemporary and has a lot more energy, with stronger emotions.“

DIRECTOR'S TAKE: NIKHIL ADVANI
“The USP of the film is that we're presenting the story in a new avatar.Besides a strong script, it also has great music and superb action. Growing up, I saw stars like Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol and Kumar Gaurav being launched on a grand scale. With Hero, we're launching Sooraj and Athiya on a scale that's grander, keeping present times in mind.“

Hero, produced by Salman Khan Films and Mukta Arts, and released worldwide by Eros International, opens in cinemas on September 11.

Salman Khan is extremely particular and passionate about Hero, produced by veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai and him, and directed by Nikhil Advani. Sources say that he was keenly involved in the overall detailing of this film that introduces star kids Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty. The Bollywood superstar reportedly had several meetings with Nikhil, especially when it came to the execution of the action sequences. He wanted a combination of international and desi action for Sooraj's launch. Both of them agreed that the required sequences couldn't be pulled off by a single action director. The duo hence identified three action directors, a mix of national (Mumbai and Chennai) and international directors. Consequently, Ravi Varma, Amin Arif and Dave Judge (Inception and The Dark Knight Rises) came on board for the film. Amar Butala, COO, Salman Khan Films, says, “The sheer scale of Hero will remind audiences of the grand launches that debutants in the 80s and 90s had, with great music, strong emotions and solid action. As producers, we engaged the best talent in action from India and Hollywood, who have designed some complicated action sequences in snow and water. There are hand-to-hand combats too, all of which make Hero one of the most awaited films this year.“ Salman also ensured that Sooraj did intense workshops at his Panvel farmhouse to prepare for the action scenes. And he chose this location so that he could personally monitor the youngster's progress.

The action scenes in the climax are huge and they are an integral part of the movie. There were no restrictions on the budget because Salman only wanted the best. The climax by Ravi Verma is shot with Sooraj on a specially-designed gym set with a lot of weights and dumbbells in the backdrop and the crucial scenes were shot in a boxing ring.

Some of the other action sequences that were done in Manali had both Sooraj and Athiya performing dangerous stunts. In one particular scene that is part of the trailer too, their speeding bike had to jump across a broken bridge. Even though Nikhil felt it was prudent to use stunt doubles, both newcomers insisted on doing the scene on their own. As the bike zipped across the bridge, the entire unit held their breath, but heaved a sigh of relief as the duo managed to give a superb take! Nikhil says, “Any stunt requires a great deal of practice and pre cision. In Hero, most of the action was shot in snow and on bikes and many things could go wrong. However, we had a super team of action directors that made sure we worked hard at getting the best possible shots. Of course, having Salman's 30 years of expertise helped a great deal in making the action look contemporary and dynamic.“

Hero, produced by Salman Khan Films and Mukta Arts, released worldwide by Eros International, opens in cinemas on September 11.