Showing posts with label Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Show all posts
Bollywood in 2024 saw a mix of scares, sequels and surprises
8:53 AM
Bollywood’s 2024 saw a mix of scares, sequels and surprises, with horror hits and small-budget triumphs outshining big-budget disappointments
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 31, 2024)
If 2023 marked Bollywood’s comeback year with a blockbuster revival, 2024 has been a “semi-hit” year, unanimously state trade experts. “The year started with a whimper,” rues trade analyst Taran Adarsh, adding, “Fighter (first release of this year starring Hritik Roshan-Deepika Padukone) didn’t meet expectations, especially with (filmmaker) Siddharth Anand riding high after Pathaan. It ended similarly with Baby John, which crashed on day two. Between these films, it’s been a case of kabhi kabhi khushi, kabhi bahut saara gham. Last year, we had four Rs. 500-crore grossers — Pathaan, Jawan, Gadar 2 and Animal. This year, big-budget films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan tanked, and even Singham Again fell short of expectations.”
‘SCARY’ NEW SUCCESS
Surprisingly, horror turned out to be Bollywood’s lucky charm this year. Films like Munjya, Shaitaan, Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 broke genre barriers. Trade expert Atul Mohan observes, “Horror has been a hit-or-miss genre for our industry. These films changed that narrative.”
RE-RELEASES RULE
Old films found new love in 2024. The Avinash Tiwary-Triptii Dimri-starrer Laila Majnu (2018) became a sensation during its re-release. Similarly, Rockstar (2011), starring Ranbir Kapoor, saw renewed love. Movies such as Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein (2001) and Veer-Zaara (2004) also pulled crowds to theatres. This trend shows no signs of slowing, with Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) gearing up for a return.
SMALL TO MID-BUDGET FILMS
A major conversation this year revolved around escalating production costs and actor fees. Consequently, films made on controlled budgets stood out. Munjya, made on Rs. 30 crore, tripled its investment. Its director, Aditya Sarpotdar, says, “Even we didn’t anticipate these numbers, because it starred newcomers, was local in its flavour, had a CGI character.”
Yami Gautam’s Article 370 and Prasanth Varma’s HanuMan were other winners, with HanuMan delivering an impressive 241% ROI on a Rs. 25-crore budget.
Another triumph of controlled budgets was Laapataa Ladies. Sarpotdar credits its success to producer support: “Aamir Khan backing the movie further elevated its success. Even small profits matter when you consider the economics.”
FRANCHISE FACTOR
Franchise films continued to wield power this year, with Pushpa 2 – The Rule raking in massive numbers, especially from its Hindi-dubbed version. Other sequels like Stree 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (BB3) also performed exceptionally well.
Anees Bazmee, director of BB3, says, “Sequels enjoy goodwill, but you must deliver a good film. If one part fails, it’s not just the film that suffers; the entire franchise collapses.”
BIG HITS BUDGET BOX OFFICE
STREE 2
Budget: Rs. 60 crore
Box Office: Rs. 579 crore
PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE
Budget: Rs. 450 crore
Box Office: Rs. 700 crore
MUNJYA
Budget: Rs. 30 crore
Box Office: Rs. 107 crore
SHAITAAN
Budget: Rs. 60 crore
Box Office: Rs. 148 crore
BHOOL BHULAIYAA 3
Budget: Rs. 150 crore
Box Office: Rs. 245 crore
KALKI 2898AD
Budget: Rs. 600 crore
Box Office: Rs. 285 crore
ARTICLE 370
Budget: Rs. 20 crore
Rs. 77 crore
BIG MISSES
BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN
Budget: Rs. 350 crore
Box Office: Rs. 59 crore
FIGHTER
Budget: Rs. 250 crore
Box Office: Rs. 200 crore
BABY JOHN
Budget: Rs. 160 crore
Box Office: Rs. 19 crore
MAIDAAN
Budget: Rs. 250 crore
Box Office: Rs. 51 crore
JIGRA
Budget: Rs. 80 crore
Box Office: Rs. 31 crore
Bollywood's 2024 woes: Hindi films lose the plot as soaring star salaries, flops hit industry hard
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Gross box-office collections of Hindi movies down 25% in 2024; experts call for a ‘concerted effort’ to make financially viable films
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; December 18, 2024)
Bollywood's 2024 story unfolded behind the scenes-soaring star salaries, flopping big-budget films, spiraling production costs, and a fixation on cost recovery over creativity and strong scripts have hit producers hard, leaving the industry searching for its plot. The fallout? Few fresh big-budget films went into production, making 2024 a lacklustre year for the Hindi film industry compared to 2023.
According to Sacnilk, a box-office research data firm, the total gross box-office collection in 2024 to date is Rs. 10,754 crore. This is an 18.2% fall when compared to the total gross box-office collection of Rs. 13,161 crore in 2023. Understandably, the fall is steeper when one takes into account the gross box-office collection of Hindi films. The gross box-office collection of Hindi films fell by 25% to Rs. 4,534.2 crore in 2024 when compared to 2023.
Ram Mirchandani, founder of Rampage Motion Pictures, said, "Common sense must prevail. The focus must be on costs now. Stars, directors, and other artists must come together and take a realistic view of their remuneration. There must be a concerted effort at making a film financially viable."
One of the key lessons of 2024 has been the budgeting of films. A common observation that a large number of producers share is that films that do not warrant high budgeting get over-budgeting because of the indulgence of stars and other stakeholders.
Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder of Karmic Films and a veteran film distributor, said, "A key lesson of 2024 is budgeting of films. Producers must keep the budgets of films under control. If a producer intends to engage in self-indulgent storytelling, then the film's talent must derive its remuneration from the film's profits."
Due to over-budgeting and poorly written scripts, in 2024, a few big-budget films such as Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan failed at the box office.
Another key lesson that 2024 has taught the industry is collaboration in funding and creativity. A veteran producer who wished to be unnamed said, "Today, a production house cannot fund, create, or mount a film on its own. There is a great deal of uncertainty in the industry about what will work and what will not work at the box office."
He added, "I think the approach must be to mitigate risks. Mid-sized and small-sized production houses must collaborate with big production houses either for creativity or funding."
A positive development that sums up 2024 is the fading influence of stars in attracting audiences to theatres and the unexpected successes of films that were not headlined by big and marquee star names in the industry. In fact, 2024 has been a year that is defined by the success of mid-budget films such as Munjya, Shaitaan and Stree 2. These films are a quintessential example of stories told well that found huge acceptance among audiences across states.
Girish Wankhede, a movie trade analyst, said, "The exceptional success of Pushpa 2 - The Rule in just the dubbed Hindi version alone (collected over Rs. 500 crore) shows that a large audience, which is important to theatres and stays in tier-II and tier-III cities, cannot be ignored or overlooked."
He added that makers have to focus on scripts that have more mass appeal, as mass audiences are more regular theatregoers and more unforgiving than audiences with refined tastes.
Vashu Bhagnani files FIR against Ali Abbas Zafar
8:19 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (December 11, 2024)
In a significant escalation of the controversy surrounding the film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, producer Vashu Bhagnani has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against the film’s director Ali Abbas Zafar, co-producer Himanshu Mehra, and finance head Ekesh Randive. The allegations, registered on December 8, 2024, at the Bandra Police Station, include financial fraud, forgery, and criminal misconduct.
The FIR, initiated following a December 2 court order, lists multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code, including Section 120B (criminal conspiracy), Section 406 (criminal breach of trust), Section 420 (cheating), Section 464 (making a false document), Section 468 (forgery for cheating), Section 471 (using a forged document), Section 500 (defamation), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).
Bhagnani has accused Zafar and his associates of conspiring to inflate the film’s budget from the originally approved Rs. 125 crore (excluding actor fees) to Rs. 154 crore without proper justification. Specific allegations include forging invoices, overspending on luxury accommodations, equipment rentals, and hiring external vendors without necessary approvals. The FIR also claims that Bhagnani’s signatures were forged to misappropriate funds.
According to the FIR, the irregularities began after Bhagnani signed a four-film contract with actor Akshay Kumar in February 2021, with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as one of the projects. Later that year, Zafar was brought on board to direct and write the script, Mehra was assigned as co-producer, and Randive was appointed to oversee financial management.
Manushi Chhillar on Bade Miyan Chote Miyan failure: "It took away pressure of doing a big film"
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Eagerly waiting for her next film Maalik, Manushi Chhillar says the box office failure of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has taught her to focus on being an actor
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; November 24, 2024)
It’s been a busy year for former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, who entered Bollywood with Samrat Prithviraj (2022). Even though the year has not been entirely successful, with two theatrical releases—Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Operation Valentine with Telugu star Varun Tej—being some of the biggest films of her career, Chhillar has taken it in her stride. How did she cope with the non-performance of the Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff-starrer at the box office?
“When a film like that didn’t do well, it took away the pressure of doing a big film and delivering a hit. I realized you could have every ingredient in your soup, but it still might not be what the people want, and I have no control over it. I also realized what I needed to put more effort into. Instead of thinking about theatre, OTT, or box office numbers, I [need to put] my efforts into being an actor. Films will come and go. I want to take up roles where I can also explore [myself] as an actor. Working on your craft and skill set makes you secure as an actor. I learnt action for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, and that’s a skill set that will come handy for another actioner,” explained Chhillar.
Interestingly, Chhillar’s next action film is the Rajkummar Rao-starrer Maalik, directed by Pulkit. While it’s still unclear if the model-turned-actor will be throwing punches in this, she is thrilled about sharing screen space with the Stree 2 actor.
“I remember watching him in Bareilly Ki Barfi [2017]. The scene of him walking to a paan shop to the background [score] of Badass babua has been ingrained in my head since then,” reminisces the actor, adding that leaving an impression even in a five-minute role is something she admires.
“Rajkummar is someone who is purely focused on the scripts he chooses, and his choices are very good,” says Chhillar, who got the opportunity to perform at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Being a fan of Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, dancing was always on her wish list after being trained in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Kathak.
Pooja Entertainment sues Netflix for cheating and non-payment of dues of Rs. 47.37 crore
8:54 AM
Pooja Entertainment’s legal battle with Netflix over Rs. 47.37 crore intensifies as the streaming giant allegedly fails to cooperate with the investigation
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 27, 2024)
Pooja Entertainment, led by producers Vashu and Jackky Bhagnani, has been navigating a difficult phase following a series of box- office disappointments. The latest, however, is the complex web of financial controversies involving the production house in an ugly legal tussle with streaming giant, Netflix. Bhagnani has sued Netflix for cheating and non-payment of dues to the tune of nearly Rs. 47.37 crore.
Even as Netflix issued a denial and claimed that it is Pooja Entertainment that owes them money, the case, now under investigation by the Economic Offences Wing, seems to be stacked in the favour of Bhagnanis, owing apparently to non-cooperation from Netflix India.
Speaking exclusively to HT City, the investigating officer on the case, Senior Inspector Ravindra Avhad, says, “This amount of Rs. 47.37 crore is what Netflix owes to the complainant, Vashu Bhagnani. But Netflix is not cooperating. We sent them two summonses, but they are not appearing. They haven’t replied to the letter sent to them by us. Bhagnanis came to us in April, we recorded their statements and collected the required documents. Netflix asked for some time, but aaye hi nahin. Lower level ke staff ko bhej dete hain statement ke liye, but it is Monika Shergill (Content Head, Netflix India) who should appear.”
When asked about Netflix’s counterclaim on Bhagnanis as per their media statement (see bottom right box), he adds, “I am not aware about what statement Netflix has issued, but aisa kuchh nahin hai.”
When we contacted Netflix, they responded with the same media statement given out earlier (see bottom right box). Meanwhile, Vashu Bhagnani, says, “We registered the case against Netflix in April. We have full faith in the EOW to resolve the matter.”
The Context
Vashu Bhagnani, in his complaint filed in April 2024, claimed that Netflix ‘conspired against the rights’ of his three films: Hero No 1 (yet to be fully shot), Mission Raniganj and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. He filed a complaint against Los Gatos Production Services India, through which Netflix reports its content investments in India, Zoo Digital India and against executives of both companies. Netflix, in its response, issued a spokesperson statement on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a source privy to the developments in the case tells us on condition of anonymity, “Bhagnanis have been in the industry for over 40 years, and right now they feel the entire industry is not supporting them through their rough patch. While they have suffered heavy losses, their last film’s director (Ali Abbas Zafar; Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan) has taken over Rs. 14 crore of their money, for which they have lodged a police complaint. They are willing to repay everyone’s pending dues, at least they should get their dues first in order to do it.”
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We registered the case against Netflix in April. We have full faith in the EOW to resolve the matter.
- Vashu Bhagnani, producer
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“These claims are completely unfounded — indeed it’s Pooja Entertainment that owes Netflix money. We have a strong track record of partnership with the Indian creative community and are working with the authorities to resolve this dispute,” Netflix spokesperson said.
Netflix faces Bollywood drama over Rs 47 crore dispute
8:14 AM
Mumbai Police’s EOW begins probe against Netflix-linked entity Los Gatos and 12 others
Rashmi Rajput (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; September 25, 2024)
Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has commenced a preliminary enquiry (PE) based on a complaint filed by Bollywood producer Vashu Bhagnani against a company linked to Netflix and 12 others, alleging cheating and conspiracy over rights for three films, people in the know told ET.
The EOW has summoned executives of Los Gatos Production Services India, the entity through which Netflix reports its content investments in India, they said. Netflix rejected the allegations as "unfounded".
According to Bhagnani, he has yet to receive Rs. 47.37 crore towards subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) rights he had granted on these films: Hero No 1, Mission Raniganj and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. He has named Los Gatos Production Services, Zoo Digital India that provides subtitling, dubbing and media localization services and 10 executives of the two companies as accused.
He also alleged that his company, Pooja Entertainment, was coerced into revisiting the commercial terms of the deal and induced to deliver one of the movies to Zoo Digital India that had allegedly leaked the film in public even before its theatrical release, causing him a "financial and reputation loss".
"These claims are completely unfounded. Indeed, it's Pooja Entertainment that owes Netflix money," a Netflix spokesperson told ET. "We have a strong track record of partnership with the Indian creative community and are working with the authorities to resolve this dispute."
A senior police official said they registered the PE after verifying the complaint and that an investigation is underway. "During the course of the enquiry, officials linked to the firm were summoned and they have joined the investigation," he said, adding: "Once the enquiry is completed, based on its findings a call will be taken whether or not to convert the PE into a first information report."
According to the complaint, Bhagnani's Pooja Entertainment in May 2021 entered into a content licence agreement with Los Gatos Production Services on the SVOD rights of the three films. While Pooja Entertainment was to foot Rs. 645 crore towards the production and publicity of the films, the accused firm was to pay it Rs. 281 crore under the multiple films licence agreements, he claimed.
Vashu Bhagnani owes over Rs. 65 lakh to crew members-FWICE
3:18 PM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (June 30, 2024)
President of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), Birendra Nath Tiwari, stated on Friday that veteran film producer Vashu Bhagnani’s production house has outstanding dues amounting to more than Rs. 65 lakh. Of the total amount, Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment owes Rs. 33.13 lakh to director Tinu Desai for the 2023 Akshay Kumar-starrer Mission Raniganj, while Rs. 31.78 lakh is owed to over 250 set workers who contributed to Mission Raniganj, Ganapath (2023), and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
“A written complaint was filed by the director of Mission Raniganj regarding non-payment of his dues last year in March. We’ve been following up with Pooja Entertainment, but still they haven’t made the payment. They’ve said they will clear the dues by July end,” Tiwari told PTI, adding that IFTDA wrote several letters to the production house, but they kept delaying the payment.
“In February, they sought time to pay, citing Jackky Bhagnani’s (actor-producer) wedding. After FWICE wrote them a letter in March, they again sought time to make the payment after the release of their film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan; that did not happen,” he added.
We reached out to Bhagnani, but he was unavailable for comment till the time of going to press.
If we owe anyone money, come and talk to us; nobody is running away-Vashu Bhagnani
8:19 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; June 25, 2024)
Since the last few days, Pooja Entertainment, the production house run by Vashu Bhagnani and son Jackky Bhagnani, which has produced films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Bellbottom, Mission Raniganj and Ganapath among others, has been in the news over non-payment of dues. It was reported that Vashu sold off his seven-floor office space in Juhu, to pay off his Rs 250 crore debt.The same reports also stated that Vashu has laid off 80 per cent of his staff.
Talking to us from London, Vashu Bhagnani said, “The building (office space) that people are talking about hasn’t been sold to anyone, it belongs to me even now. We are only redeveloping it into a tower that will house luxury homes. This was planned 1.5 years ago. I was waiting for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan to release after which we wanted to start the redevelopment.”
While the office space is being redeveloped, his team now works out of their old office which he says has been “lucky” for him. Denying reports that also claim he has laid off 80 per cent of his staff, Vashu says, “We’ve had the same team working with us since 10 years, we haven’t asked anyone to leave.”
Many reports stated that the debacle of the Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff starrer, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was a final blow for his production house, which has seen a string of flops at the box office like Bell Bottom, Mission Raniganj and Ganapath in recent times. “We are in the film business, and hits and flops are a part of the business. I am already on to my next project. I am working on an animation series, which is going to be pitched on a mega scale,” he says.
Ask him if his production house owes money to anyone as being reported and he says, “I have been in the business for the past 30 years. If there are people who claim that we owe them money, they should come forward and talk to us. Do they have proper contracts with Pooja Entertainment? Have they filed a case regarding this? There are so many ways to sort this rather than ranting on social media. If there is an issue, we will resolve it. Nobody is running away. Please come to my office, talk to us, give us your documents and give us 60 days to figure things out. I am not going to buckle under any pressure or blackmail. We also work with production companies in the UK. If they owe someone money, then people should reach out to them directly.”
He adds, “I am also into other businesses, but what I’m most passionate about is making movies and I will continue doing that.”
Alaya F reacts to polarizing response to her role in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
11:16 PM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 30, 2024)
Alaya F is ecstatic about the positive reaction to her latest film, Srikanth, starring Rajkummar Rao, which has inched its way to being labelled a hit. “The response is really special. I don’t think I’ve experienced this sort of reaction to anything before, and it feels incredible to be part of a story that so many people were excited to watch,” she gushes.
However, just before this success came a film that was a first for her in many ways: Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, her first big-budget masala potboiler, as well as the first to receive polarizing reviews. At the box office, the multi-starrer movie underperformed, and viewers had mixed feelings about her role in the film, finding her to be either charming or annoying. Reflecting on the experience, Alaya chooses to look on the bright side: “I got a lot out of the movie. It was a unique experience to see that sort of response.”
Alaya, who has starred in films such as Freddy (2022) and Jawaani Jaaneman (2020), continues, “My character was pretty polarizing. That was quite different for me, as my characters (so far in other movies) are normally not. [But] people really enjoyed seeing me in a commercial space, which is great for an actor because I want to continue to do all types of cinema.”
And what about the film’s collections? Did that affect her? Alaya replies, “The film still made money, just not as much as it should have. But a lot of people saw it, compared to many of the other films I’ve done.”
Lok Sabha polls weigh heavily on box office as collections remain below Rs 500 cr for first time since Feb 2023
8:39 AM
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; May 20, 2024)
The general election has weighed heavily on the box office in April, amid delay in releases and underperformance of Bollywood films, experts said, adding that the scenario will remain unchanged or worsen in May. According to Ormax Media, gross domestic box office (BO) collections for April stood at Rs 457 crore - below the Rs 500-crore mark for the first time since February 2023.
A year ago, in April, the gross box office mop-up was at Rs. 618 crore, led by the performance of Tamil film Ponniyin Selvan II.
This year, despite Eid, Ugadi and Tamil New Year holidays falling in April, only one film managed to cross Rs 100 crore at the box office, according to the report. Malayalam action-comedy Aavesham was the top grosser, garnering Rs 101 crore.
Two more Malayalam films, Manjummel Boys and Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life, earned more than Rs 100 crore at the box office so far this year. However, the second-highest grosser in April, Hindi action thriller Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, only managed Rs 73 crore, followed by sports drama Maidaan, at Rs 61 crore.
Miraj Entertainment managing director Amit Sharma said, "Elections have kept film releases away post-Eid."
"Due to this, April has been one of the worst months so far," said Sharma of Miraj. He also pointed to subpar performances of the two Hindi releases in April and indicated that a dearth of big openings may lead to further deterioration at the box office in May.
PVR Inox executive director Sanjeev Bijli expects a surge in moviegoers after the election. "What will change is the robust pipeline. People (will be) back at cinemas because of the supply... the appetite to go out and watch movies has always been there," he said during the company's fourth quarter earnings call recently.
Cumulative box office collections for January-April are Rs 3,071 crore, on a par with the same period last year.
The top grossers of 2024 till now are Fighter (Rs 243 crore), Hanuman (Rs 240 crore), Shaitaan (Rs 179 crore), Manjummel Boys (Rs 170 crore) and Guntur Kaaram (Rs 142 crore).
Hindi films had the highest share of gross domestic collections (36%), followed by Telugu (21%), Malayalam (19%), Tamil (9%) and English (8%).
Is Bollywood in panic mode after the failure of big-budget films?
8:39 AM
Astronomical star fees, lack of promotion or wrong timing of release – industry experts discuss what’s led to the recent box office disasters
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; May 8, 2024)
The dismal performance of the two big Eid releases has left the industry stunned once again. Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff-led Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (BMCM) and Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan were released on Eid. Maidaan’s budget was approximately Rs. 250 crore, while BMCM was mounted at Rs. 350 crore. So far, Maidaan’s collections stand at Rs. 48.85 crore and BMCM Rs. 64 crore (India nett).
Reportedly, G7, a popular theatre chain in Mumbai, was temporarily shut down for renovation due to poor footfalls. Even the medium-budget movies that were released post-Eid, Do Aur Do Pyaar and Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2, didn’t leave an impact at the box office.
In the first quarter of 2024, the total collection of all Hindi movies released was approximately Rs. 700 crore, with only the Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone-led Fighter (Rs. 212 crore India nett) being the tentpole film that was released between January and March.
Distributor Anil Thadani says, “Everything was correct with BMCM, but we are yet to figure out what went wrong. We don’t know what will work. We are living in an unknown territory.”
According to industry experts, while the film business is largely unpredictable, there are certain measures that can be taken to help the current crisis.
Pump up promotions in the right direction
The industry is witnessing another trend of minimal promotions with the hope of maximum impact. It worked for Shah Rukh Khan during Pathaan and Jawan as the films went on to become huge successes. However, when other films adopted that policy, it didn’t quite work out.
“Publicity is very important for movies. Otherwise, your films won’t run. These days stars don’t do any promotions, they only stick to social media. Back in the days, people would do so many newspaper interviews,” says Manoj Desai, Executive director of G7 (Gaiety-Galaxy) and Maratha Mandir. For Crew, its promotional songs drew the audience’s interest, which other films could not achieve.
Trade analyst Komal Nahta adds, “Actors don’t do interviews, they don’t make appearances, they don’t go to the malls, and they have even stopped promoting their films on television. Many people watch television, and if they don’t see ads, the audience is not even aware that a film is releasing.”
Film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi shares, “More than lack of promotional activities, it’s the direction of the promotional activities that matters. We should not just make the audience aware, but also have them excited and compel them to buy tickets. For that, the vanilla template for marketing and PR that’s being followed needs to be reworked.”
Pick the right release window
“The critics and audiences praised Maidaan for its superior content. Despite its quality production and storyline, Maidaan encountered significant challenges in its marketing efforts. There was minimal ground-level marketing, and the film’s release was postponed multiple times, which is what probably diminished audience’s interest and anticipation. These marketing missteps contributed significantly to its disappointing box office returns,” says Amit Sharma, MD, Miraj Entertainment.
Taran adds, “Maidaan shouldn’t have been an Eid release. People want to watch a masala movie on such occasions and not something serious.”
‘Failure of BMCM and Maidaan has affected the trade badly’
Film trade analyst Komal Nahta explains, “The underperformance of both these films has been a shocker. The budgets were so high that their failure meant a major setback for the industry. Exhibitors are in panic mode.”
Renegotiate stars’ fees
According to a media report, Akshay Kumar charged Rs. 80 crores, while Tiger Shroff commanded a fee of Rs. 40-45 crores for Ali Abbas Zafar’s directorial BMCM. Komal Nahta says, “If the budget is going to be Rs. 350 crores, out of which Rs. 150 or 200 crores are paid to the actors, it is nonsense. People are eventually going to see the content. Yes, stars do add value, but if the content is not up to the mark and the films are costly, they will only take the movie down.”
Akshaye Rathi suggests a better pay model. He explains, “Given the uncertainty that the box office has thrown at all of us, irrespective of who the star is, what the size and scale and production values are, I think purely for the sake of sustainability and survival, stars need to work on a revenue sharing model.”
Taran Adarsh, adds, "The fees of actors and paraphernalia around them should be curtailed. Actors should do revenue sharing in today’s times. Tab maalum hoga how much pull the actor has, aur doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani hoga."
Cinema halls cancel shows as movies flop
8:24 AM
Some multiplexes seen temporarily shutting screens as some big-budget films fail to click
Rajesh Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; May 7, 2024)
ET Intelligence Group : Lack of curiosity-inducing line-up of films and poor performance of already-released big-budget movies such as ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ and ‘Maidaan’ have compelled multiplexes and single-screen theatres to cut down on the number of shows or shut some screens temporarily.
According to various estimates of trade analysts, two to three screens in a multiplex containing five screens, or a single-screen theatre containing 5 to 6 auditoriums have been temporarily shut due to poor business and large expenses associated with running them.
“Shows are being cancelled. I think theatres which contain five to six auditoriums are running only two to three auditoriums,” said Manoj Desai, producer and executive director of Mumbai-based G7 multiplex and the iconic Maratha Mandir movie hall.
“It is not just about the general elections, the heat wave or competition from streaming platforms. Filmmakers are making bad films. And viewers are not interested in them.”
He added: “Earlier, when Hindi films did not work, there was a supply of South Indian films dubbed in Hindi which provided some business to theatres. But this time we do not even have southern films dubbed in Hindi.”
According to trade analysts, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has been made on a budget of Rs. 350 crore. It has collected Rs. 48.50 crore in the past three weeks. Maidaan, which had a budget of Rs. 250 crore, has collected Rs. 40 crore in the same period.
“Single-screen theatres and multiplexes are grappling with very little collections. There are theatres which have meagre footfalls of 170-250 people,” said independent film distributor and trade analyst Shaaminder Malik.
“Single-screen theatres in Agra, Bareilly, Kanpur and Lucknow have reduced their ticket prices to Rs. 30-Rs. 70. Even then, there is no improvement in footfalls.”
Apart from reducing ticket prices and providing fixed-ticket coupons for a certain number of films, to lure audiences to multiplexes, exhibitors are also running advertisement-free shows (this saves at least 30 minutes for the audience) at premium properties.
Malik said: “Today, word-of-mouth communication among viewers and potential viewers of films is more effective than ever. One cannot dump bad films and expect people to come to theatres, especially at a time when they have more interesting avenues to entertain themselves. The success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a proof that audience wants to come to theatres and watch good films.”
Mumbai circuit gets back on track; Fighter collects better than Dunki
8:41 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
The Mumbai circuit has seen poor returns post the pandemic but has seen a good upturn this year driven by the major centres in Maharashtra. The Thane belt was doing well since cinema returned in 2021 but this year has seen Mumbai city and Pune also start recording some good numbers.
The Mumbai and Delhi/UP circuit had got pretty similar in the 21-23 period for films in a certain zone. It is likely that if CREW and TERI BAATON MEIN AISA ULJHA JIYA came in 2022, they would not have got these numbers in Mumbai circuit and numbers will be closer to the Delhi/UP numbers.
The 60 crore nett plus number of the biggest grosser FIGHTER is not great but despite being an action film, it has beaten DUNKI which has a genre is better for Mumbai circuit and that too directed by Rajkumar Hirani whose films score heavy in Mumbai circuit due to humour element.
Films like MADGAON EXPRESS and SWATANTRYA VEER SAVARKAR are actually HIT films in Mumbai circuit though they met with a horrible fate outside the circuit. ARTICLE 370 was the standout in Mumbai this year though other circuits again were not as good. This would also have been tough a year or two back.
This circuit getting better numbers is the only good news in the crisis facing the film industry and its coming with the Gujarat side not really doing well. No film has done well in Gujarat this year and when both Maharashtra and Gujarat fire, it makes a huge difference.
The top ten films of 2024 in Mumbai circuit are as follows
1. Fighter - 62,04,00,000
2. Shaitaan - 46,64,00,000 (8 weeks)
3. Article 370 - 32,40,00,000 (10 weeks)
4. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya - 27,28,50,000
5. Crew - 25,15,00,000 (5 Weeks)
6. Madgaon Express - 18,60,00,000 (6 weeks)
7. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan - 17,65,00,000 (3 weeks)
8. Swatantrya Veer Savarkar - 16,80,00,000 (6 weeks)
9. Maidaan - 15,75,00,000 (3 weeks)
10. Laapataa Ladies - 6,15,00,000 (9 weeks)
Ganapath, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan debacle effect: Tiger Shroff's Rambo shelved?
11:00 PM
After discouraging response to Ganapath and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, sources say Shroff’s Rambo has been shelved
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; April 26, 2024)
In 2020, when filmmaker Siddharth Anand announced Rambo with Tiger Shroff, the film seemed right up the action star’s alley. Almost four years on, he was set to begin work on the movie after the release of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. However, things seem to have changed now. With Shroff’s last few releases, including Heropanti 2 (2022) and Ganapath (2023), receiving lukewarm response at the box office, it is heard that Rambo’s makers have decided to shelve the project.
A source reveals, “Producer Siddharth and director Rohit Dhawan wanted to mount Rambo on a big budget. While Heropanti 2 and Ganapath failed to set the cash registers ringing, they decided to see the audience’s response to Bade Miyan Chote Miyan before taking a call on Rambo’s feasibility. Since the big-ticket action entertainer had an underwhelming run, Siddharth felt it would be best to park his ambitious film for now.”
Since action has been Shroff’s forte in his decade-long career, the last few movies’ lacklustre run has surprised him. Sources say that the actor might slash his fees going forward.
The source adds, “He is said to have charged somewhere upwards of Rs 30 crore for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. The right thing for him would be to reduce his fees.”
Meanwhile, the actor has Singham Again and a Karan Johar production in the pipeline.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 827
7:34 PM
HORRIBLE TIMES FOR THE INDUSTRY CONTINUE
The month of April 2024 has turned out to be one of the worst ever for Bollywood. Of course, business came to a standstill during Covid times. But right now, the Covid effect is zero. Yet, there’s a lack of exciting films up for release.
It all began with the twin debacles of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan on Eid. A lot was expected from these movies. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is a masala action film but it never generated excitement. Yet, there were hopes that the Akshay Kumar-Tiger Shroff starrer would at least collect Rs. 100 or Rs. 150 crores. Unfortunately, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan didn’t open well and crashed soon after. At present, it is struggling to reach the Rs. 60 crore mark.
Maidaan, meanwhile, is steady at low levels. But it opened at Rs. 4 crores and has appealed only to the elite audience. It might eventually collect around Rs. 40 crores. And that’s too low for a film with terrific word of mouth and super-high costs.
Last week’s releases also didn’t work. Do Aur Do Pyaar, starring Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana Dcruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, seemed like a great romcom. But the excitement was limited. It opened at just Rs. 50 lakhs and had a weekend of just Rs. 2 crores. It dropped sharply from Monday and its lifetime collections will be around Rs. 5-6 crores.
As for Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2, the collections are embarrassing to say the least. There was zero buzz for the film and its trailer ruined all chances. The reports of the film were negative, with many viewers leaving the film midway. It opened at just Rs. 15 lakhs and managed to collect Rs. 50 lakhs in three days. It now remains to be seen if it can collect Rs. 1 crore in its lifetime.
Tomorrow, Ruslaan will be released, starring Aayush Sharma. The film looks cool but the actor is not very popular. Hence, a healthy opening is ruled out. The hope is that it turns out to be a kickass action film so that the audience will flock to the cinemas from Saturday.
The month of April 2024 has turned out to be one of the worst ever for Bollywood. Of course, business came to a standstill during Covid times. But right now, the Covid effect is zero. Yet, there’s a lack of exciting films up for release.
It all began with the twin debacles of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan on Eid. A lot was expected from these movies. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is a masala action film but it never generated excitement. Yet, there were hopes that the Akshay Kumar-Tiger Shroff starrer would at least collect Rs. 100 or Rs. 150 crores. Unfortunately, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan didn’t open well and crashed soon after. At present, it is struggling to reach the Rs. 60 crore mark.
Maidaan, meanwhile, is steady at low levels. But it opened at Rs. 4 crores and has appealed only to the elite audience. It might eventually collect around Rs. 40 crores. And that’s too low for a film with terrific word of mouth and super-high costs.
Last week’s releases also didn’t work. Do Aur Do Pyaar, starring Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana Dcruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, seemed like a great romcom. But the excitement was limited. It opened at just Rs. 50 lakhs and had a weekend of just Rs. 2 crores. It dropped sharply from Monday and its lifetime collections will be around Rs. 5-6 crores.
As for Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2, the collections are embarrassing to say the least. There was zero buzz for the film and its trailer ruined all chances. The reports of the film were negative, with many viewers leaving the film midway. It opened at just Rs. 15 lakhs and managed to collect Rs. 50 lakhs in three days. It now remains to be seen if it can collect Rs. 1 crore in its lifetime.
Tomorrow, Ruslaan will be released, starring Aayush Sharma. The film looks cool but the actor is not very popular. Hence, a healthy opening is ruled out. The hope is that it turns out to be a kickass action film so that the audience will flock to the cinemas from Saturday.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 826
9:47 AM
EID RELEASES BOMB BADLY
A lot was expected from the two big Eid releases – Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan – even though the trailers had not done the trick. Yet, no one expected the collections to be outright disastrous. What saddened the industry was that despite great word of mouth, Maidaan didn’t take off.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was the bigger film and also had commercial elements to pull in the audience. But it opened at Rs. 15 crores, which was way low for such an expensive film. On Friday, April 19, the film dropped 50% to Rs. 7.50 crores and that sealed the fate of the film. There was a slight jump on Saturday (Rs. 8.25 crores) and Sunday (Rs. 8.75 crores). On Monday, it crashed as it collected Rs. 2.15 crores. The first week's collections will be around Rs. 47-48 crores. At this rate, it’ll struggle to even cross the Rs. 60 or 65 crores mark.
Maidaan, on the other hand, opened with paid previews on Wednesday, April 10, and earned Rs. 2 crores. One expected the collections to at least treble on the Eid holiday. However, it collected just Rs. 4 crores. With word of mouth on its side, Friday collections should have been the same or more than Thursday. But on Friday, it accumulated just Rs. 3 crores. On Saturday, the film jumped to Rs. 5.85 crores and Rs. 6.25 crores on Sunday. This gave hope that Monday collections will be as much as Friday. But on Monday, it dropped to Rs. 1.50 crores. Tuesday saw a small jump as it collected Rs. 1.60 crores. The first week's collections will be around Rs. 27-28 crores. If it keeps collecting at low levels, it’ll manage to cross the Rs. 40 crores mark.
Both films are quite expensive and have a cost of more than Rs. 225 crores. Hence, one can imagine the kind of losses that the makers will face. On top of that, there are hardly any exciting releases until June. As a result, the exhibition sector is in a sad state.
This probably explains why multiplexes decided to celebrate Cinema Lovers Day once again on Friday, April 19 when tickets will be sold for just Rs. 99. Even then, the advance booking of new and holdover releases is very poor.
Tomorrow, Do Aur Do Pyaar and Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 will be released. The latter, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, looks quite niche and will require a great word of mouth to pull in the audience. Do Aur Do Pyaar stars Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana DCruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy and seems like a decent romcom. The buzz is very limited and if reports are positive, it stands a chance in the urban multiplexes.
A lot was expected from the two big Eid releases – Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan – even though the trailers had not done the trick. Yet, no one expected the collections to be outright disastrous. What saddened the industry was that despite great word of mouth, Maidaan didn’t take off.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan was the bigger film and also had commercial elements to pull in the audience. But it opened at Rs. 15 crores, which was way low for such an expensive film. On Friday, April 19, the film dropped 50% to Rs. 7.50 crores and that sealed the fate of the film. There was a slight jump on Saturday (Rs. 8.25 crores) and Sunday (Rs. 8.75 crores). On Monday, it crashed as it collected Rs. 2.15 crores. The first week's collections will be around Rs. 47-48 crores. At this rate, it’ll struggle to even cross the Rs. 60 or 65 crores mark.
Maidaan, on the other hand, opened with paid previews on Wednesday, April 10, and earned Rs. 2 crores. One expected the collections to at least treble on the Eid holiday. However, it collected just Rs. 4 crores. With word of mouth on its side, Friday collections should have been the same or more than Thursday. But on Friday, it accumulated just Rs. 3 crores. On Saturday, the film jumped to Rs. 5.85 crores and Rs. 6.25 crores on Sunday. This gave hope that Monday collections will be as much as Friday. But on Monday, it dropped to Rs. 1.50 crores. Tuesday saw a small jump as it collected Rs. 1.60 crores. The first week's collections will be around Rs. 27-28 crores. If it keeps collecting at low levels, it’ll manage to cross the Rs. 40 crores mark.
Both films are quite expensive and have a cost of more than Rs. 225 crores. Hence, one can imagine the kind of losses that the makers will face. On top of that, there are hardly any exciting releases until June. As a result, the exhibition sector is in a sad state.
This probably explains why multiplexes decided to celebrate Cinema Lovers Day once again on Friday, April 19 when tickets will be sold for just Rs. 99. Even then, the advance booking of new and holdover releases is very poor.
Tomorrow, Do Aur Do Pyaar and Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 will be released. The latter, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, looks quite niche and will require a great word of mouth to pull in the audience. Do Aur Do Pyaar stars Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana DCruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy and seems like a decent romcom. The buzz is very limited and if reports are positive, it stands a chance in the urban multiplexes.
Super Soldier is not happening right now. I’m in talks with Katrina Kaif for an action film-Ali Abbas Zafar
11:13 PM
Clarifying that Super Soldier is not happening now, director Ali says Kaif and he have zeroed in on another script that will see actor in a fierce avatar
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 13, 2024)
Through his movies, Ali Abbas Zafar has given us memorable action heroes—be it a wrestler finding lost glory in Sultan (2016) or an unstoppable NCB officer in Bloody Daddy (2023). That makes us wonder what happened of the action heroine we were promised. In 2019, the director had announced a superhero film with Katrina Kaif. With Bade Miyan Chote Miyan having hit the marquee, will his next be Super Soldier with Kaif?
“Super Soldier is not happening right now. I’m in talks with Katrina for an action film. I think she is an actor who aces action. There is a script we both like, and it will get made soon,” says the director.
The genre often requires a big canvas and a lavish budget. Zafar points out that the film’s math has to work out in an industry that is skeptical of going all out for women-led movies. Fortunately, the box-office success of Crew has dispelled some notions about all-women film’s prospects.
“Right now, the stakes for every action film are high. I know I will make that film. But I can’t deny it is harder to make a female-led action movie. That said, a success like Crew makes it easier. The film doing big numbers is an encouraging sign for the makers. Every movie’s mounting is directly proportional to the box-office numbers it is expected to generate. I don’t agree with it entirely, but it is a business ultimately.”
In the past few years, action has become Zafar’s beat, making one forget that he had forayed into movies with the rom-com, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011). Why did he never explore the genre again?
“I would love to make a rom-com, but I’m yet to get a script that will take me back to the genre. It seems I don’t have a story like that within me anymore. Today romance is dying, or adapting in this social media era. One needs to feel romance to write it, and a lot of romantic films have worked because the writing was good. Mere Brother Ki Dulhan was made when we were naïve; it was an honest film about kids who were confused about matters of the heart.”
(Crisp) Movie Review: BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN by FENIL SETA
2:29 PM
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan starts on an engrossing note. The entry scenes of the villain and heroes are long but they are massy and set the mood. From here on, the film goes downhill. The biggest issue is the plot. Though it has novel elements, it is not utilized well. The flashback in the second half is totally unconvincing and moreover, a few developments in the film don’t make sense at all. Director Ali Abbas Zafar tries his best but since his writing is poor, his execution doesn’t do much to salvage the film. Speaking of performances, Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff are great in action scenes but their performances are just okay. Manushi Chhillar looks nice and gives an able performance. Prithviraj Sukumaran is the best performer in the film. Alaya F is quite over the top and her dialogues are embarrassing. Sonakshi Sinha is lovely in a supporting role while Ronit Roy is dependable. All in all, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is a disappointing film.
My rating - ** out of 5!
My rating - ** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 825
10:05 AM
WILL MAIDAAN AND BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN SCORE AT THE BOX OFFICE?
The first big clash of 2024 will take place tomorrow. Maidaan will arrive in cinemas today evening while Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will be released tomorrow. A lot is riding on these movies but surprisingly, the buzz is not skyhigh.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan stars Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff in leading roles with Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist. Alaya F and Manushi Chhillar are the leading ladies and the film also has a special appearance by Sonakshi Sinha. It is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment. The film is mounted on a huge scale and has some exciting action scenes. Prithviraj’s face, interestingly, hasn’t been shown in the trailers, and he’s shown wearing a mask. Both Akshay and Tiger are action stars and their pairing seems interesting. Moreover, the film seems like a clean entertainer aimed not just at the masses but also at families.
However, the songs haven’t worked. The trailer did make a mark but has got a mixed response. Some have found it exciting while others haven’t.
The film was all set to release today, that is, April 10. Many felt it was a bad decision since the big Eid holiday is on Thursday, April 11. Yet, the makers decided to go for a Wednesday release. The ticket sales, as expected, were not encouraging at all. This prompted them to change the release plans on Sunday, April 7. They decided to go for paid previews, that is, commence shows from 6:00 pm onwards on Wednesday.
Even then, the advance booking for Wednesday wasn’t up to the mark. Hence, the Wednesday release was cancelled and now, the film will have a release on Thursday, April 11. The sad part is that though it’s arriving on a holiday, the advance has not yet picked up. Many multiplexes, especially of national chains, have opened bookings for 3-4 shows only and even these are practically empty.
Yet, there’s hope that Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will get spot bookings. If all goes well, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan should open at around Rs. 15 crores on April 10. With good word of mouth, it should jump to Rs. 25 crores on Friday or Saturday. The film is quite costly and hence, it really needs to entertain the audience to recover its investment.
Maidaan, meanwhile, is a period sports flick directed by Amit R Sharma of Badhaai Ho fame and produced by Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta and Zee Studios. It stars Ajay Devgn, Priyamani and Gajraj Rao and is based on the golden era of Indian football, between 1952 and 1962. Ajay plays Syed Abdul Rahim, an accomplished Indian coach in this film.
Maidaan went on floors way back in August 2019 and faced a tough time in getting completed due to Covid-19 restrictions. A grand set of the football stadium was destroyed in the cyclone that hit Mumbai in June 2020. Getting foreign actors was also a problem due to limited international flights and quarantine rules. It is the last film of the pre-pandemic era to get a release in cinemas.
There’s a lot of buzz about Maidaan within the industry. Boney Kapoor has shown the film to several personalities months in advance and they can’t stop raving about it. However, the public hasn’t had any idea about this positivity around the film. The trailer got a fine response but it hasn’t excited the audience to throng the cinemas and buy the tickets ASAP. As a result, most of the moviegoers are going to adopt the wait-and-watch strategy.
Like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, its makers were also planning for a full-day release on April 10 and then finally settled for paid previews today. Tomorrow, when it’ll have a full-fledged release, the aim should be to open in double digits, at around Rs. 10 crores. But that won’t happen and it’ll open at Rs. 7-7.50 crores, it seems. The word of mouth mostly will be positive but the reports should encourage the audience to book their tickets. Once that happens, there won’t be stopping this film.
The first big clash of 2024 will take place tomorrow. Maidaan will arrive in cinemas today evening while Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will be released tomorrow. A lot is riding on these movies but surprisingly, the buzz is not skyhigh.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan stars Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff in leading roles with Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist. Alaya F and Manushi Chhillar are the leading ladies and the film also has a special appearance by Sonakshi Sinha. It is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Entertainment. The film is mounted on a huge scale and has some exciting action scenes. Prithviraj’s face, interestingly, hasn’t been shown in the trailers, and he’s shown wearing a mask. Both Akshay and Tiger are action stars and their pairing seems interesting. Moreover, the film seems like a clean entertainer aimed not just at the masses but also at families.
However, the songs haven’t worked. The trailer did make a mark but has got a mixed response. Some have found it exciting while others haven’t.
The film was all set to release today, that is, April 10. Many felt it was a bad decision since the big Eid holiday is on Thursday, April 11. Yet, the makers decided to go for a Wednesday release. The ticket sales, as expected, were not encouraging at all. This prompted them to change the release plans on Sunday, April 7. They decided to go for paid previews, that is, commence shows from 6:00 pm onwards on Wednesday.
Even then, the advance booking for Wednesday wasn’t up to the mark. Hence, the Wednesday release was cancelled and now, the film will have a release on Thursday, April 11. The sad part is that though it’s arriving on a holiday, the advance has not yet picked up. Many multiplexes, especially of national chains, have opened bookings for 3-4 shows only and even these are practically empty.
Yet, there’s hope that Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will get spot bookings. If all goes well, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan should open at around Rs. 15 crores on April 10. With good word of mouth, it should jump to Rs. 25 crores on Friday or Saturday. The film is quite costly and hence, it really needs to entertain the audience to recover its investment.
Maidaan, meanwhile, is a period sports flick directed by Amit R Sharma of Badhaai Ho fame and produced by Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta and Zee Studios. It stars Ajay Devgn, Priyamani and Gajraj Rao and is based on the golden era of Indian football, between 1952 and 1962. Ajay plays Syed Abdul Rahim, an accomplished Indian coach in this film.
Maidaan went on floors way back in August 2019 and faced a tough time in getting completed due to Covid-19 restrictions. A grand set of the football stadium was destroyed in the cyclone that hit Mumbai in June 2020. Getting foreign actors was also a problem due to limited international flights and quarantine rules. It is the last film of the pre-pandemic era to get a release in cinemas.
There’s a lot of buzz about Maidaan within the industry. Boney Kapoor has shown the film to several personalities months in advance and they can’t stop raving about it. However, the public hasn’t had any idea about this positivity around the film. The trailer got a fine response but it hasn’t excited the audience to throng the cinemas and buy the tickets ASAP. As a result, most of the moviegoers are going to adopt the wait-and-watch strategy.
Like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, its makers were also planning for a full-day release on April 10 and then finally settled for paid previews today. Tomorrow, when it’ll have a full-fledged release, the aim should be to open in double digits, at around Rs. 10 crores. But that won’t happen and it’ll open at Rs. 7-7.50 crores, it seems. The word of mouth mostly will be positive but the reports should encourage the audience to book their tickets. Once that happens, there won’t be stopping this film.
With Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, the expectations are different from that of a Salman Khan starrer-Ali Abbas Zafar
2:14 PM
Admitting that audience has been exposed to every kind of action movie, director Zafar says Bade Miyan Chote Miyan explores Akshay-Tiger’s humorous side within the genre
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 9, 2024)
When we get on a call with Ali Abbas Zafar, he has just wrapped up the post-production of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. But you don’t hear the day’s strain in his voice. Instead, the director is relaxed, confident of the Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff-starrer. It marks his third Eid offering after the blockbuster Sultan (2016), and Bharat (2019) that didn’t do wonders at the box office.
“With Bade Miyan…, the expectations are different from that of a Salman Khan-starrer. In the past year, every kind of action film has been made. But for me, action is secondary; the story is primary. I am confident this story is new compared to everything that has been seen,” says the director.
Kumar and Shroff have been quintessential action heroes, but Zafar states it doesn’t take away from the film’s novelty.
“Akshay sir has been doing action for 30 years, and Tiger since he was launched in 2014. But I’m using their potential in a way that the audience will feel it’s new. Tiger Zinda Hai [2017] was an action film, but I made it nothing like Ek Tha Tiger [2012]. The first film was about romance, the second was a rescue mission. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is about two heroes who don’t take life seriously; they have a wicked sense of humour. The film is designed like a comic book.”
The April 10 release also stars Manushi Chhillar, Alaya F, and Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist. It’s easy to see that the action entertainer hinges on Kumar and Shroff’s chemistry. But the director doesn’t view it as a two-hero offering.
“I was writing a three-hero film set in current times. What is happening around us technologically and what our armed forces are going through form the backdrop. It is a three-hero film—two good guys, and one anti-hero. Prithviraj plays a strong role. The heroes are saving the day, but it is the super-villain who is creating the chaos. As for Akshay sir and Tiger, they are disciplined and love martial arts. My action directors loved them more than I did. They had two stars who could pull off anything.”
With only a day to go for the actioner’s release, we ask Zafar about the Mr India reboot that ran into troubled waters with the original’s makers. “I wouldn’t say Mr India is not happening as of now. We have a good script. We’re working towards it. Let’s see where it goes.”
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