Showing posts with label Coolie No 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coolie No 1. Show all posts
Govinda did not get enough credit; deserves to be called a superstar-David Dhawan
4:10 PM
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 5, 2023)
Ever since his last release Coolie No 1, which came out in 2020, David Dhawan has been on a break. The filmmaker is waiting to come up with something genuinely interesting. “I’ve worked on six-seven ideas and will see which one to take forward first. But everybody is asking for something fresh and I need to be sure of what I am offering them,” says Dhawan.
Making entertaining films, and with the right actors, is not easy, points out the ace director. “Dharmendra used to offer that entertainment, followed by Govinda. Later Salman (Khan) also started doing it in his films. But trust me, it’s not an easy job,” says the director, adding that this was exactly why Govinda was his favourite.
“Uske saath kaam karne ke baad mujhe aagey kisi aur ke saath kaam karne mein takleef hoti thi. He is such a brilliant actor. Performance jo woh deta tha, wo baat mujhe doosri jagah mil hi nahin paati thi. Even while working with Varun (Dhawan, actor and the director’s son), I used to address him as Govinda. Usi ka naam nikalta hai. Govinda is a bad habit — uski aadat lag jaati hai. He is a total star,” shares the filmmaker.
Known for directing over 40 films in his career, Dhawan — who collaborated with the actor in films such as Raja Babu (1994), Hero No 1 (1997) Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Partner (2008) — is disappointed that the actor never received the position in the industry that he deserved.
“He did not get enough credit for the kind of work he did. People love and remember him even today, but jo credit use milna chahiye, wo nahin mila. He deserves to be called a superstar,” Dhawan says.
With a remake of another of his films, the 1998 action comedy Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, in the works, the filmmaker says he will never remake Raja Babu, one of Dhawan and Govinda’s most-loved collaborations. “Maybe Varun can get into the shoes of Govinda and play that role, but I don’t want to do it with him. I feel scared to touch it because it’s one of my best films. Woh Hindustan ki mitti ki film hai,” he wraps up.
It 100% hurt when we came to know that Coolie No. 1 will not have a theatrical release-Varun Dhawan
8:27 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; August 1, 2022)
Massy is his thing. From the beginning of his career, Varun Dhawan has worn the ‘Massy Hero’ badge with pride, and for him, it has worked wonders. The pandemic has changed him, not his choices or passion for cinema, but his state of mind. He’s still raring to go, but not in the rat race. He desires to do more of the kind of cinema he strongly believes in, crowd-entertainers, but he says that even in that zone, “You need to figure out newer ways of entertaining the audience.”
And even as the audience is still grooving to the hook step from the Nach Punjaban song from his recent release, Varun takes time out to talk to us about industry perceptions, his obsession and other truths. Read on, he will have you hooked…
Watching your film on the big screen after a two-year lull and after all the uncertainty that the film industry went through, did you heave a sigh of relief?
I am grateful that this could happen as we shot for JugJugg Jeeyo through the pandemic. Neetu ma’am (Neetu Kapoor) and Raj Mehta (director) got COVID, and by the time we released the film, I guess most of the cast members had got COVID. It was extremely challenging, especially shooting for a family film during that time, as all characters were at close quarters, and we also shot songs. We didn’t want to compromise on the scale, so there were breaks in the shoot, but we were determined to make the film that we wanted to.
Street Dancer 3D was released in 2020, just before the pandemic struck, then Coolie No. 1, which was supposed to release soon after (in May 2020), was pushed ahead and eventually, it was released on an OTT platform in December 2020. At that point, how did it feel to see such a massy film meant for the big screen take the digital route?
When you are giving an interview, you know it will be in a public forum, so you always think…should I say this? Sometimes when you speak your heart out, you are judged for what you have said. So, we can rarely speak the truth.
But, if I am being honest, I will say that at the onset, it 100% hurt when we came to know that Coolie No. 1 will not have a theatrical release. But at the end of the day, everyone who was associated with the film made their money back during the pandemic. The change in the release plan did not cause them any economical loss. I know that Sara (Ali Khan), dad (David Dhawan, who directed the film) and I, were really dying to have a theatrical release. It was tough for me surely, but more so for dad; he is 70 now and has made so many successful films, so he wanted to see how this film would do in the theatres and how people would react to it in the single screens. That is the absolute truth.
Currently, there is a lot of talk about changes in the audience’s viewing patterns, their varying appetite for cinema, et al. The film industry, too, is grappling to understand what is working and what has potential at the box office. It’s like there is this sudden cycle of unlearning and learning, so in the midst of this, were there jitters about putting out a film in the comedy-drama space, which is a tricky zone?
Definitely! We are seeing so many films that are not working. In the first six months, since the theatres reopened in 2022, we saw only The Kashmir Files, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 do well. And there was a big gap between the first two and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. It was nerve-racking to think about what was happening. All we knew was that we had made a good film and we just went with that belief.
You have a fairly good understanding of the workings of the industry and the business aspect of it. What is your understanding of the way things are unfolding?
What I understand is that nobody knows anything. I am saying this very humbly as someone who has done just a few years of work as an actor in the industry — that the veterans, producers, directors or fortune tellers — no one knows what is going to happen and there is no formula right now to understand what will work. Yes, there is some factual data that tells us we will see more massier films and more universal films with universal emotions. Such films stand a chance of collecting a much bigger number at the box office, but it still has to be a great film. The only thing I can say is that we have to now make really good cinema, as mediocre cinema will not work.
Interestingly, in a previous interview with us in 2020, while talking about how we can raise the bar in our film industry in various departments – (technical, action, writing, acting), you had stressed on how while we can focus on all this, we should not leave behind or change what makes us, as that’s our soul (referring to song, dance and drama in our cinema). Cut to 2022, most of the films that have worked are high on these elements.
I believe that we can’t let go of our Indian culture, emotions and roots in our films. Primarily, we are making films for our audience. I am glad that the younger generation of filmmakers, like Raj Mehta, understand how to weave in music and other such elements so well in our films. Kunal Kohli (filmmaker and my cousin) once told me that I should work with more directors who have grey hair because they understand our Indian roots better. Honestly, I often try to tell the younger filmmakers, and there are so many today, and convince them about this.
In fact, you have always said, ‘My pulse is massy’. Do you still feel that way? Years ago, you had said that you are a pan-India actor, and now that’s the buzzword in film industries across the country.
I think now everyone wants to do pan-India films. I believe if we create good, fun, non-preachy content, it could work. My current release has given me a lot of confidence. Now, I just want to do crowd-entertainers and massy films. I feel that working with good directors like Shoojit Sarkar, Nitesh Tiwari and Sriram Raghavan has helped me grow. Sometimes, you get to do a large-scale entertainer like Bhediya, where you also get to perform.
In the last 10 years, you have covered good ground with the variety of films you have done, so now, which zone do you want to explore more of, or which new zone do you wish to explore?
I have always wanted to do something like Amar Kaushik’s Bhediya, it’s something that hasn’t been done in recent times. Also, working with Dinesh Vijan (who is producing it) after Badlapur was great. I told him, ‘Tu hamesha mere paas itni tedhi films kyun leke aata hai?’ He said, ‘Usme hi mazaa hai, I want to put you in an uncomfortable zone.’
But these ‘uncomfortable zones’, that you stepped into with films like October and Badlapur, won you critical acclaim and brought out many facets of you as an actor. Right?
Yes. But I still feel more comfortable doing massy entertainers. Every time I walk into a set to play a character which is very different from what I have played before, it gives me jitters. It scares me, which is good as it often brings out the best. Even if you are doing a massy entertainer, you need to figure out newer ways of entertaining the audience. I can’t still be doing what I did in Main Tera Hero.
Do you feel that when you started out, there was far more pressure than what the new breed is facing? Today, the newer actors have many more avenues, opportunities and chances to prove themselves. Would you agree?
Well, what has changed is that the things one would do to create a perception earlier, now everyone is doing it. During the pandemic, I got tired of putting myself in that rat race. I thought till when are we going to keep doing this? I know ultimately, I am here to be an actor. So, I decided that I am going to remove myself from this, and that’s what I did. It’s just about doing things in my own style and not trying to run this race because everyone is just doing the same thing. Today, we are all trying to create a perception that we are successful, that we are No. 1, or we are this or that. We have all got sucked into this rut. Every producer knows how much money his film has made, and yet, he has to put it out for everyone to know when it’s a success. Even I am sucked into this, and I can’t help it. Unfortunately, cinema has become more about perception rather than judging how good or bad a film is. So, my obsession right now is to be a part of good films and work with good directors.
No more remakes for me right now! I will star in the remake of Atrangi Re-Sara Ali Khan
10:21 PM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 6, 2022)
Actor Sara Ali Khan was enjoying the positive feedback she received for her performance in filmmaker Aanand L Rai’s Atrangi Re (2021)before returning to work on filmmaker Laxman Utekar’s next project alongside actor Vicky Kaushal.
Rai’s film gave her an equally meaty role — if not more — as her co-star, Dhanush. In contrast, in two of her previous films, Simmba (2018) and Coolie No 1 (2020), it was all about the hero. Ask her what made her say yes to those films, knowing her role wasn’t big enough, and she says, “For me, the role and screen time both matter. Of course, having done Aanand ji’s film, I am greedy. I want more meaty parts. But I want to do all kinds of films, too. Today, if Rohit Shetty (director of Simmba) comes to me with another commercial film where he needs me to do another Aankh Maare, I will do it!”
But the one thing she says she wants to stay away from is remakes. She had starred in Coolie No 1, which was a remake of the 1995 movie starring Govinda and Karisma Kapoor. “No more remakes for me right now! I will star in the remake of Atrangi,” Khan laughs.
Talking about how she believes in versatility and how that makes her take up different kinds of films, the 26-year-old says, “The favourite thing about my job is that ek din main (actor) Ranveer Singh ke saath high energy gaane karungi, aur doosre din (actor) Dhanush ke saath [intense] scene karungi, Varun (Dhawan, actor) ke saath comedy! That’s why I do what I do so that I can do everything.”
However, she confesses that as an actor, she has definitely become “greedier for meaty parts”, especially since her last release. “After seeing the nuances with which Aanand ji directed me wherein he told me: ‘Your character has zubaan pe gaali aur aankhon mein nami chahiye’... such things are exciting,” says Khan. However, she quickly adds that she doesn’t mind song-dance routines either.
You cannot attach your self worth to how your films fare-Sara Ali Khan
8:03 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 18, 2021)
Sara Ali Khan, like her famous parents (Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan), is nonchalantly honest. Exuding wisdom beyond her years, she lets us in on a secret. She may seem all confident and vivacious, but deep down, that’s her concealing her nerves better. The actress owns failure with as much integrity as success. In a candid chat with Bombay Times, Sara opened up on her life and beyond — right from relationships and highs and lows in her career, to her incredible weight loss journey and her forthcoming film Atrangi Re. Excerpts:
Your film Atrangi Re is a love triangle. You play a girl who cannot make up her mind between two men. Did that indecisiveness, not just limited to romantic relationships, resonate with you at any level?
There’s a line in the trailer that has caught a lot of attention. ‘Agar ek baar, ek ladki ko dono (ladke) mil jayenge toh kya aafat aa jayegi!’ I was so excited to say this line because I thought it was path-breaking in a way. Why does it have to be this or that in life? Aanand ji (director Aanand L Rai) told me, it’s not a path-breaking line, and you won’t say it like that. Say it in the same way as any other line because only then will people relate to it. He didn’t want me to make it sound like I was giving a speech or a sermon. He explained how it was a genuine, innocent and simple thought.
When you truly believe in something, you don’t jatao it. If I want to have salad and pizza, why can’t I have both? Other than the indecisiveness, what I found most exciting about my character Rinku is her demeanour. She says these assertive, confident and strong things, but it’s all coming from a pure and innocent space. She seems unabashed, but she isn’t callous. If I were to compare, Rinku is not quite like me except for one thing, and this one similarity outweighs the differences. Like her, I may seem bubbly and display clarity of thought, but that’s on the exterior. In reality, I am extremely sensitive as a person. I just know how to conceal that side of me better with confidence. I grew up with a single mother (actress Amrita Singh) who understood early in life that if you have a soft shell, you will be crumpled easily. I idolize my mother and hope to be like her every day, so the strength to conceal the vulnerability comes from there.
As your film hints, do you believe one person can fall in love with two people at the same time?
Love is a very personal and subjective phenomenon. I do believe in one thing. To have any kind of love in your life, you need to love yourself first. It took me a while to realise that. The rest is different for different people.
Your weight-loss journey has often been spoken about. What’s impressive is that you were confident then and you are confident now. It wasn’t based on the weighing scale, was it?
Confidence for me is never about what I look like. That’s not real. You are who you are on the inside. That’s your identity. Baahar ka toh theek hai. Aap paanch pizza khaogay thoday motay lagogay, paanch ghanta bhagoge, patle lagogay. What you are on the inside is what matters the most. Also, it doesn’t matter to me what people say. You allow a troll to win when their comments affect you. You look in the mirror and say, mujhe farak nahi padta toh nahi padta. It’s unrealistic to believe that you can change how the world thinks. It would be great if we all woke up to being body positive, but that may not happen. The need for validation from other people is inevitable in our jobs, but you need to compartmentalize it. I mean no disrespect to anyone, but what they think of how I look does not matter to me. However, what you think of my acting does matter to me. That’s my job. I do films for the people and media. If they don’t like my work, then it’s a problem, and I need to work on it. That I will take seriously. But how I walk, look or what I wear is nobody’s business. That’s my life. I am proud of the fact that I have been able to segregate Sara, the actor, from Sara, the person.
Does this wisdom come from your parents, who are known for being independent in their thinking?
Absolutely! They both have taught me to have a sense of balance. After Kedarnath and Simmba, I could have thought I’d arrived and after Love Aaj Kal, I could have locked myself in a room. I didn’t do either of those things. You cannot attach your self-worth to how your films fare. My job matters a lot to me, but if you stop mattering to yourself, job kaise kar paogay? My mom stopped working as a leading lady the year before I was born. She bagged the Filmfare Award for Aaina (1993) and called it quits. My father gave 17 flops, and then became somebody who won numerous awards later on, including the National Award for Hum Tum. He went on to do films like Omkara. I learnt from them that if your heart is in the right place and you try hard and mean well, you are sorted.
Atrangi Re will be out on the same day as Kabir Khan’s '83. Both films are much awaited. Is it unnerving to go head-to-head with another promising film?
I do have butterflies in my stomach, but for other reasons. I haven’t had a release in a year. My last release was Coolie No 1. Honestly, it’s been two years since I have done a film that I can say I am really proud of. I started shooting for Atrangi Re two weeks after Love Aaj Kal was released, and that film was my first failure. With much love and compassion, Aanand ji told me that, ‘You cannot play on the back foot now. You are a confident girl, and I need that confidence to reflect in the performance. I want people to see that.’ He made me believe in myself at a time when I didn’t.
We live in a world where success is celebrated and failure is brushed under the carpet when it’s the latter that teaches you more, doesn’t it?
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Love Aaj Kal’s failure taught me more than Kedarnath’s success. When Kedarnath released, I had no expectations. I didn’t know what would happen. I loved my job, but bhook nahi thi aur itna khaana mil gaya. In Love Aaj Kal, I wasn’t appreciated at all and rightfully so. But now I have that hunger.
What do you think went wrong with Love Aaj Kal? Your performance evoked a fair amount of criticism. In hindsight, do you wish you had approached the role differently?
I had a blast working with Imtiaz Ali sir on that film and films are ultimately a director’s medium. We make movies for the audience and media. If you guys didn’t like the movie, then it didn’t work. I should have been a bit more understated in my performance, but that wasn’t the brief given to me. It could have been different, but you learn. If a character didn’t connect with you, I have to accept the fact that maybe my pitch was unreal. Maybe I wasn’t emotionally convinced as an actor to pull that off. I am cognisant of my failure. I hope to learn from my mistakes and get better in the future. As far as criticism is concerned, it’s important to understand what didn’t work, but you cannot take it to heart and lose confidence.
I call Akshay Kumar Thalaivar of the North, as he has so much energy, spontaneity, and spark-Sara Ali Khan
8:12 AM
Sara Ali Khan gets candid about falling in love with her work again, the trend of direct-to-OTT releases and more
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 7, 2021)
It’s been a year since actor Sara Ali Khan, 26, returned to doing interviews, and she’s dressed as if she’s at home, at ease. And that’s exactly how the conversation goes — easy, free-flowing, with no reluctance on any subject, whether it’s about a previous film that didn’t do well or her upcoming film, Atrangi Re.
“My films are only released in December,” she jokes (her last film, Coolie No 1 was released in the same month in 2020). Excerpts:
You are back in the rustic, street smart girl zone after Kedarnath (2018), your debut. Was it deliberate, after urban-set films like Love Aaj Kal, and Coolie No 1 (both; 2020)?
I believe in the stories that I think deserve to be told. This (Atrangi Re) just so happened to come to me after seeing a commercial film. Also, the thing is, with the kind of films I have been privileged to do, I haven’t chosen them, they have chosen me. Rohit Shetty, Imtiaz Ali, Aanand L Rai (filmmakers)... How can you choose these people? They choose you. This film came to me at a time when I most needed it. The only good thing in my life in 2020 was Atrangi Re. Love Aaj Kal didn’t get love. Ten days after it flopped, I was on the floors with Aanand ji, doing this movie. On a personal level, Rinku (her character in the movie) and Aanand ji made me fall in love with myself and my work.
You shot this film amid many restrictions due to Coronavirus. How different was it?
It was simply beautiful to realise and remember what it was like to be on a set where everyone was doing their job because they wanted to, not because they had to. After the lockdown was lifted, the song Chaka Chak was the first thing I shot for.
Like with your last release, Atrangi Re is heading directly to an OTT platform. Did you have any apprehensions?
My initial reaction was to feel bad because I do films for the big screen and I believe in that experience. Then I also realised, for lack of a better word, what the aukaat of an actor is. It’s not my decision. I love Aanand ji. He made me love myself when I didn’t love myself. So I am not one to question his thought process. Jo bhi kiya hoga, bahut soch samajh ke kiya hoga. Ultimately, for me, it matters that you watch the film. If I reach more eyes, I win. As long as you can watch the film and have a smile, I am happy.
What was it like to work with Akshay Kumar and Dhanush?
It was insane! I call Akshay sir Thalaivar of the North, because he has so much energy, spontaneity, and spark. Dhanush sir is both an inspiration and an institution in the world of acting. He knows the camera like I know water. There was not a single day on set where, apart from being fun and creatively rewarding, there wasn’t constant learning. If it was a seven-to-seven shift, and I had to pack up after lunch, I wouldn’t go back. I would sit and watch all the takes of Dhanush sir on the monitor.
Coolie No 1 is a big hit on satellite
8:38 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
COOLIE NO 1 has emerged a big HIT on the satellite circuit as it sustains very well since release. It has seen the best results for Zee post the lockdown till date. RADHE had its premiere on Zee cinema just this week so results are not known yet. It premiered on Zee TV on Independence Day but the comparable ratings come on the cinema channel.
COOLIE NO 1 started with a 1 crore impressions premiere while the second screening was a solid 55 lakh. Since then it has averaged around 30 lakh impressions for its next five screenings. This makes its results post premiere on the lines of TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR and WAR (counting post pandemic releases). The only two films to perform better are LAXMII and BAAGHI 3.
The main competition for COOLIE NO 1 on Zee mainly comes from South films as the other Hindi releases like GUNJAN SAXENA, KHAALI PEELI and SAINA are far far behind finding a limited audience.
The best South film is VIJAY THE MASTER which is a dubbed version of the Tamil film MASTER. This opened at 70 lakh impressions and is averaging around 25 lakh post premiere. These are pretty good results but no comparison to another dubbed Tamil film DARBAR which debuted at 1.25 crore impressions and has seen repeats at over 50 lakhs. DARBAR has just edged out SAAHO as the top film released on satellite post the pandemic from the South. But at the box office DARBAR and VIJAY THE MASTER were nothing compared to SAAHO in Hindi circuits.
Bellbottom producer Deepshikha Deshmukh joins hands with Dr Binish Desai aka India's recycle man
8:01 AM
The producer has adopted an eco-sensitive method to get rid of waste on the sets of her films sustainably
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 3, 2021)
With the pandemic, not just protocols for santisation and rules for social distancing came into place, but the extensive use of single-use plastics, masks and PPEs as well. That, in turn, drove up plastic pollution in the country significantly.
Keeping that in mind, producer Deepshikha Deshmukh adopted a sustainable way to enable an optimal use of plastic on the sets of her production and hence, has joined hands with Dr Binish Desai, who is popularly known as India’s ‘Recycle Man’. He has been helping the company recycle its production waste and thus, minimise the carbon footprint.
Deshmukh championed greener sets devoid of single-use plastics as much as possible during the making of their films, Coolie No 1 (2020) and their upcoming release, Bellbottom. Talking about it, she shares, “We wanted to take sustainability on our film sets to a different level and it is now wonderful to have Dr Binish onboard. He is an inspiring social entrepreneur working on industrial waste recycling and management and he will guide us about the various ways we can recycle and upcycle all of our production waste. Be it the construction material that is used to build structures on sets, plastic used, PPE kits, masks or even the sediments of tea and coffee left behind in cups, we will make sure that we make eco-sensitivity a part of our projects.”
Sharing his views, Desai says, “This is the first time I am consulting a film production house. Deepshikha Deshmukh’s vision and commitment to change took me by complete surprise. Waste is generated by irresponsible human consumption and it is our job to sustainably get rid of it. I am very happy to be working with them and I think, together we can initiate a positive shift and start a sustainability movement in the industry.”
Coolie No 1 isn’t the kind of film that I can let Twitterati judge-Sara Ali Khan
8:12 AM
Having wrapped up Atrangi Re, Sara Ali Khan discusses submitting to filmmaker Rai’s vision to deliver what she considers one of her most exciting performances
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 18, 2021)
Being the heroine of an Aanand L Rai movie is a personal milestone for Sara Ali Khan. The actor, who admires the filmmaker’s knack for etching out flawed but strong-headed women characters, holds 'Atrangi Re' close to her heart. “After 'Kedarnath' [2018], which was my first film, 'Atrangi Re' has been the most exciting project for me in terms of performance,” begins Khan, who wrapped up the Akshay Kumar and Dhanush-starrer before the second wave of the pandemic hit the country.
While there was a lot of chatter about the glaring age difference between Kumar and Khan when the film was announced, she says Rai has woven a sensitive love story, true to his signature style. “Aanand ji is the most compassionate and loving human being I have ever come across. On his sets, it is his emotions, purity and vulnerability that drive him. He tries to extract that from his performers as well. I’m not a trained actor, so I go by my conviction and the director’s vision. It’s important for me to be guided because I can go off-track. It’s important for a director to tell me, ‘Sara, yeh zyada ho gaya, thoda kam karo.’ He has done that beautifully for me,” states Khan, who has recently been roped in as the face of Zee5’s Dekhtey Reh Jaogey campaign.
Her last release, 'Coolie No 1' (2020) with Varun Dhawan, was slammed by the audience as well as critics. The four-film-old actor took the criticism with a pinch of salt.
“Every time I told Varun that somebody [panned it] on Twitter, he would say, ‘We don’t have a box office to decide for us. The only thing we know is that it was the most-viewed film for a long time.’ A movie like 'Coolie No 1' needs a multiplex opening; it isn’t the kind of film that I can let Twitterati judge. My [idea] of success or failure is how much I can submit to my director’s vision. If the audience hasn’t taken to the genre, I take the blame, but I have done my work with complete honesty.”
Coolie No 1 scores very well on satellite
8:21 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
COOLIE NO 1 has scored very well on satellite as it clocked up 1 crore plus impressions on its premiere. If it holds in subsequent screenings, it will emerge a HIT film on satellite. The film also scored on OTT as it recorded the best numbers outside LAXMII for OTT premieres. The satellite numbers have followed a similar pattern showing its a similar audience as far as home viewing goes.
Like LAXMII, this film also saw huge negativity on social media and the media in general when it was released but even after all this, the audience still turned up to its first screening on satellite. The satellite results of LAXMII and COOLIE NO 1 again reiterates the importance of the box office as that is the actual results and not what is said.
The satellite numbers of COOLIE NO 1 are around 60% better than the last release of Varun Dhawan STREET DANCER which had a fair performance on satellite. COOLIE NO 1 also become one of the 25 odd films in the last five years to top the 1 crore impressions mark on its premiere.
The top premieres on television since the pandemic started in March 2020 are as follows. The numbers are impressions which are the number of television sets viewing the film.
1. Laxmii - 2,51,44,000
2. War - 2,12,25,000
3. Tanhaji: The unsung Warrior - 1,38,40,000
4. Baaghi 3 - 1,29,06,000
5. Coolie No 1 - 1,00,91,000
WAR was a 2019 release and the other four films - TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR, BAAGHI 3, LAXMII and COOLIE NO 1 - are the only four successes in over one year when the pandemic hit. Another film that can be noted as a minor success is KHUDA HAAFIZ while DIL BECHARA did well on OTT but tanked horribly on satellite.
I kept telling Sara Ali Khan that she’s so fabulous in Coolie No 1 songs-Ananya Panday
8:28 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 6, 2021)
At the age of 22, Ananya Panday has already had three releases and is shooting for two more apart from having more projects lined up. But the actor says that she isn’t looking to be part of any rat race.
“I believe in healthy competition. It can be really fun and motivating,” she says, adding, “Having said that, I really get happy when other people my age do something good. I was really excited to watch Coolie No 1 (2020), and kept telling Sara (Ali Khan, actor) she’s so fabulous in all the songs. We jam to each other’s music. I feel happy when I see everyone do well. It also motivates me and helps me set the benchmark higher,” she says.
Liger, opposite Vijay Deverakonda, and Shakun Batra’s untitled next are on Panday’s 2021 calendar. Getting carried away with the fame would be pretty easy, but Panday has people around her to keep her focused.
“My family and friends keep me grounded. I still have the same friends I had when I was four years old. I was in the same school with the same batch mates for twelve years. Nothing in my personal life has changed at all. Once I am done shooting, I am at home, a normal girl who fights with her sister, and her parents don’t allow her to do things (laughs). Both my parents (actor Chunky Panday and Bhavana Pandey) are extremely humble,” says the actor.
Panday has seen the Hindi film industry change a lot from her father’s time. She adds, “Definitely people are different here, it’s like a different zone now, compared to when my dad was a part of it. I feel there’s still a sense of unity and brotherhood in the industry. It has also been kind and welcoming towards me. I feel they are very supportive. All the films I worked in and am working in, everyone I met on those sets are like family to me. I am in touch with most people.”
Khuda Haafiz is decent on satellite; Gunjan Saxena mediocre; Sholay is INSANE
8:37 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
KHUDA HAAFIZ which was released on Disney+ Hotstar in August and was one
of the very few OTT successes of the year along with LAXMII, COOLIE NO 1 and DIL BECHARA. It has reiterated with success on satellite as it racked up almost 55 lakh
impressions. It's success is not at the level of COMMANDO 3 which also
featured the same actor Vidyut Jammwal but 10 lakh views on OTT on
release and 55 lakh impressions on satellite release are decent results
especially in this horrible year.
GUNJAN SAXENA - THE KARGIL GIRL which also released in August on Netflix
in had mediocre results on satellite as it recorded 31.5 lakh
impressions on release. This is 42% less than KHUDA HAAFIZ. Although
its actually better than DIL BECHARA, but that's not saying much as DIL BECHARA was not much of a film and its OTT success was mainly as the
release was post the death of its lead actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The
numbers of GUNJAN SAXENA - THE KARGIL GIRL on satellite means its
pretty much lights out for the film in the long run.
The biggest BLOCKBUSTER ever in Indian cinema SHOLAY (1975) again showed
the force it is still today as it racked up almost 45 lakh impressions.
This is 45 years after release and the audience still cant get enough
of the epic. Its the greatest example of critics mouth saying one thing
and the paying public doing exactly the opposite. The pocket never lies
but words coming out of mouths of critics are usually lack of knowledge
on films or lies and there is no bigger proof of that than SHOLAY.
Zee joins the digital race with Radhe
8:34 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
Zee Studios has made a 250 crore investment on RADHE including PA and basically
it has joined the digital race as the interesting part of the deal is
the digital and PVOD rights pegged at 130 crore. This is a first for Zee because Disney+ Hotstar has had films pegged at 100 crore plus while Amazon
Prime has actually payed 100 crore plus for some films. We say pegged as
this when one studio has all the rights and then values are pegged for
the sister concerns for various rights. Here with Zee, there is
distribution, digital, satellite and music.
The worldwide theatrical rights are pegged at 60 crore which means that
Zee is still expecting theatrical business to be down on the expected
release date which is May. This date will be kept if India remains as it
is now with the pandemic but if there is another wave then it will be
another story. Zee could be right about the business aspect as it will
probably take longer than five months for the families to return.
The film will be a theatrical release as it stands today but its not
known how the PVOD play will work. The hope is that there is a gap
between theatrical and PVOD and not simultaneous. Warner Brothers did
the simultaneous release with WONDER WOMAN 1984 and the results are
there to be seen and its pretty much certain that piracy hit the
theatrical results. Also Salman Khan has a hardcore fan base and its
certain to assume this fan base will not be happy with a simultaneous
PVOD release.
Also BLACK WIDOW and SATYAMEVA JAYATE 2 are scheduled to release around
the same time at the moment and they could opt for Eid also. Though RADHE is a far bigger film for India than these two, a simultaneous PVOD
release can level the playing field a bit. This is not because people
will be subscribing for the film at home but because the film will be
everywhere due to a clean HD pirated print.
The price for RADHE on digital and this time payed by Zee which were not
known till now to pay big money for digital rights shows the power of
mass cinema. Irrespective of what is being said about them there have
been two films (LAXMII and COOLIE NO 1) which have given subscription
levels a push and now Zee which is behind the likes of Disney+ Hotstar and
Amazon in terms of subscribers have played their hand with RADHE. There
is no doubt that RADHE will give a push but you need deep pockets to
keep this going as these films do not come cheap. In terms of financial
recovery for Zee for digital can only come if it is given to another
platform like Amazon or others as they will pay a certain amount.
Its good for the film industry though as the digital platforms need to
show subscriber growth in their fiscals and its the LAXMII's, COOLIE NO 1's
and RADHE's which aid in that which means heavy prices for the bigger
films. Also its not as if the subscriber growth will cover the price of a
film but when everything else fails to add any numbers, then the content
which does becomes huge and that end of financial year subscription
growth in the books is the bottom line to OTT at present.
I am glad that my voice was retained in Coolie No 1-Chandana Dixit
7:54 AM
For the remixed version of the Coolie No 1 song, the makers roped in original singer Chandana Dixit, who last lent her voice to a Bollywood track 17 years ago
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; December 28, 2020)
Agitation against the rehashing of '90s ditties may not have stopped label owners from capitalising on the trend, but the effort hasn't been entirely futile. If Tanishk Bagchi's version of Husn Hai Suhana is testimony, attention is, at the very least, being paid to acknowledge artistes who were associated with the original track. For the remixed version of the Coolie No 1 song, the makers roped in original singer Chandana Dixit, who last lent her voice to a Bollywood track 17 years ago.
"The makers did not want to alter the original vocals. While the male vocals [of Abhijeet Bhattacharya] could be salvaged, a portion of the section that I had rendered was [hampered]. So, I had to record the mukhda again," says Dixit, evidently delighted that her work was retain-ed in the new version, featuring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan.
Retaining the original vocals, she says, is a gesture that artistes of her like appreciate. "[A song like this one is] precious for a singer. When our voice is retained, it is nice, because we have a bond with the song; we have seen it being created from scratch. Unfortunately, this did not happen when Sheher Ki Ladki was recreated (for Khandaani Shafakhana). That was also my song, but the rights were owned by a label, and it was hence their property. The owner naturally wanted his daughter to sing it. It was unfortunate, and I felt sad, but such is life."
In 2002, Dixit, who has worked with composers like Anand-Milind and Anu Malik, and rendered songs like Chumma Chumma and Tujhe Khaas Fursat, moved to the US after getting married. This rehashed version is the first Bollywood track rendered by her ever since. In the states, Dixit has been conducting music classes. "I have been training students for 18 years. I was interested in classical singing, and followed my passion."
Coolie No 1 sets record on OTT
8:26 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
COOLIE NO 1 has set new records for Amazon Prime in India with
its opening on the platform. It is the first big premiere for Prime as
they have had big films before like BHARAT and WAR but these have come
post a theatrical release while COOLIE NO 1 is the first big premiere.
The highest for the Amazon platform was a web series called MIRZAPUR 2 which released in 2020 but COOLIE NO 1 has surpassed this by a distance. This is expected as COOLIE NO 1 is fetching a 100 crore plus price for just its 130 odd minutes of content while the web series could be 300 or even 400 minutes of content for a fraction of the price.
The highest for the Amazon platform was a web series called MIRZAPUR 2 which released in 2020 but COOLIE NO 1 has surpassed this by a distance. This is expected as COOLIE NO 1 is fetching a 100 crore plus price for just its 130 odd minutes of content while the web series could be 300 or even 400 minutes of content for a fraction of the price.
This itself shows the huge difference in value of the two for the platform. So on one side you are smashing records but on the other side the competition is not much as far as the platform is concerned. If we look at it in box office terms then on one side is a film with 100 crore nett potential and the other is an also ran type.
The best comparison for COOLIE NO 1 would be against LAXMII but here its two different platforms with Disney+ Hotstar having a bigger base due to the IPL cricket. It is possible that COOLIE NO 1 may come out with a similar type of number to LAXMII as a holiday release can compensate somewhat for the lower base of the platform. It also depends on whether Amazon Prime had the same growth as Disney+ Hotstar in terms of subscription in the lockdown. LAXMII was released post the IPL and that would have pushed Disney+ Hotstar subscription to the highest level for the year.
The year has been a disaster but its ended on a slightly better note with COOLIE NO 1 scoring big on OTT and WONDER WOMAN 1984 putting up decent numbers in theatres. The numbers of Telugu film SOLO BRATHUKE SO BETTER are awaited and they are also expected to be positive.
Movie Review: COOLIE NO 1 by FENIL SETA
7:47 AM
One of the greatest entertainers of Bollywood, David Dhawan, is back. 3 years back, he struck gold with Varun Dhawan-starrer Judwaa 2, the remake of his much loved 1997 film. Now the father-son duo has reunited for Coolie No 1. As we all know, the original 1995 film of the same name was a runaway success and is still fondly remembered for its comic moments and songs. It was also a significant film for David as it was the start of the No 1 franchise which gave him great popularity later on. The remake version, releasing on Amazon Prime, also looks quite fresh and massy from the trailer. And though it doesn’t meet all the expectations, it manages to be a fun watch!
The story of the movie: Pandit Jai Kishen (Jaaved Jaaferi) is a matchmaker who goes to meet the very rich Jeffery Rozario (Paresh Rawal) at his house in Goa with a suitable match for his daughter Sarah (Sara Ali Khan). Rozario however humiliates Jai Kishan and the prospective groom’s family as they belong to the middle-class. Rozario tells Jai Kishen that he wants a billionaire as his son-in-law and then kicks Jai Kishen out of his house. Jai Kishen returns back to his city, Mumbai. At the Mumbai Central railway station, he meets Raju Coolie (Varun Dhawan), a brave porter with the heart of gold. Raju happens to see Sarah’s picture and falls for her instantly. This is when Jai Kishen hits upon an idea to teach Rozario a lesson. He tells Raju that if he wants to marry Sarah, he would have to pretend to be an heir of the Maharaja of Singapore and thus assume the identity of Kunwar Pratap Singh. Raju agrees. Raju’s friend Deepak (Sahil Vaid), a mechanic, also joins in the plan and pretends to be Kunwar Pratap’s driver. Meanwhile, Jai Kishen masquerades as Jackson, Kunwar Pratap’s PA. The trio reach Goa and stay in Rozario’s hotel. Kunwar Pratap claims to be building a grand port in Goa. He also meets Sarah and both fall for each other. Deepak, meanwhile, gets attracted to Sarah’s sister Anju (Shikha Talsania). Rozario is thrilled that such a wealthy person wants to marry his daughter. Kunwar Pratap meanwhile lies to Rozario that the latter won’t be able to meet his father as he’s dead against this marriage. As a result, Rozario agrees for Kunwar Pratap and Sarah’s marriage without meeting his father. After the marriage, Sarah pressurizes Kunwar Pratap to take him to her ‘sasural’, which she believes is a palatial bungalow in Juhu. Kunwar Pratap aka Raju doesn’t know what to do now.
Coolie No 1 has a terrific beginning. The remake attempts to show Raju’s beginnings and it’s done brilliantly through animation. The tribute to Amitabh Bachchan and Manmohan Desai cinema here is well woven. Varun’s entry is clapworthy as expected. The actual fun begins once ‘Kunwar Pratap’, ‘Jackson’ and Deepak go to Goa to fool the Rozario’s. The film gives no reason to complaint here. The intermission point is hilarious. Post-interval, the film begins to lose grip at many places. A few scenes here and there do raise interest but soon enough, the film drops again. The climax revives interest. The ending is a bit abrupt.
Coolie No 1 is the remake of the 1995 film which in turns was a remake of the Tamil comedy Chinna Mappilai [1993]. Amma Creations's story (original story writer; real name is T Siva; as per Wikipedia, T Siva wrote the story with P Kalaimani but he was uncredited) is hilarious and can make for a laugh-a-minute riot. Rumi Jaffery's screenplay (who also wrote the original screenplay) works, but only in places. A big problem that the writers face here is that the story gets a bit dated. They try their best to make it relevant but succeed only to an extent. Farhad Samji's dialogues (original dialogues were written by Kader Khan) are hilarious in several places. In a few scenes, especially in the ones featuring Johny Lever, it fails miserably.
David Dhawan's direction is neat and he tries his best to make the goings-on uncomplicated and simple. He gets the first part right, despite the fact that the original version also had ditto the same version. In the post-interval sequence, however, he allows the film to go haywire. He should have made the goings-on interesting and funnier but doesn’t fully succeed. Also, in some scenes, he uses jokes and gags from popular, old comic films. The scene where Raju tries to hide from Rozaria when he’s in Sarah’s room is a copy of a similar scene in Haseena Maan Jayegi. The scene of the bell boy (Rajat Rawail) seems to be lifted from Dinesh Hingoo’s track in No Entry.
Speaking of performances, Varun Dhawan is in top form. His comic timing does fall flat at a few places but he puts in his best. And most importantly, he proves yet again that he can handle such a commercial film convincingly. Not many actors today can boast of this feat. Sara Ali Khan looks gorgeous and does much better than her last fiasco, Love Aaj Kal. Paresh Rawal is superb in his role and adds to the fun and humour. Jaaved Jaaferi is dependable as always. Rajpal Yadav (Mama) is strictly okay. Also, he had played a similar part in Judwaa 2. Sahil Vaid is quite nice and suits the part. Shikha Talsania is fair in her supporting part. Vikas Verma does well in the role of a commercial villain. Anil Dhawan (Mahendra Pratap Singh) gets limited scope. Same goes for Manoj Joshi (manager) and Bharti Achrekar (Dadi). Johny Lever (Police Inspector Jagjit Godbole) is bad and his lines are the worst in the film. Rajat Rawail is disappointing. Shashi Kiran (Coolie Chacha), Hemant Pandey (Tambi) and Farhad Samji (Plumber) are okay in the cameo appearances.
Music is one of the strengths of the film. The title track, played in the opening credits, is lovely and well written. 'Mirchi Lagi Toh' comes next and watching it in cinemas would have been a riot. 'Husn Hai Suhana' comes next and revives interest at a time when the film goes on an all-time low. 'Mummy Kassam' and 'Teri Bhabhi' are fine. Salim-Sulaiman's background score is dramatic. Ganesh Acharya's choreography is massy.
Ravi K Chandran's cinematographer is appropriate. Rajat Poddar's production design is quite theatrical. ‘ANL’ Arasu's action is over the top but works well in a family entertainer like this one. Manish Malhotra’s costumes for Sara Ali Khan are very appealing and trendsetting. Shiraz Siddique’s for Varun Dhawan are stylish. Redefine's VFX is horrible. Two crucial scenes of characters about to hit by a moving train have very poor effects. Ritesh Soni's editing is a bit jerky and sudden at places.
On the whole, Coolie No 1 is a timepass, masala film which holds appeal for the masses, family audiences and also for the under-20 crowd which might have not seen the original version. Releasing it on Amazon Prime is a bad idea as it was meant for the big screen. Nevertheless, it’ll surely get it’s due on television.
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 653
10:15 AM
2 SMALL & BIG FILMS TO ARRIVE IN CINEMAS & OTT THIS CHRISTMAS
The beneficial Christmas weekend is here. Unlike Diwali, when a small film Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari released in cinemas, this time, things are little better. After all, Wonder Woman 1984, one of the most awaited films of the year, will be releasing. Audiences would have the choice of watching this flick and also three more. My analysis:
1. WONDER WOMAN 1984: It is the sequel of the 2017 flick Wonder Woman and stars Gal Gadot yet again in the lead role. The director, Patty Jenkins, too returns to helm the sequel. The first film was set during World War I while part 2 is based in the year 1984 at the height of the Cold War. The trailer promises loads of entertainment and big-scale action. Gal looks stunning and her casting has added a lot to the film’s brand value. She also has quite a following in India.
The first part released with minimal hype and only in English. It was released amidst 7-8 Hindi releases and a major English film (Baywatch). Yet it had emerged as the top film of all and had a lifetime of Rs. 19-20 crore. The opening day collections were Rs. 2.50 crore. Wonder Woman 1984 releases today (Wednesday December 23) with paid previews from 5:00 PM onwards. From tomorrow, it’ll have a full-day release to take advantage of Christmas Eve, when people do come out in huge numbers. It is getting a wide release, of more than 1000 screens, making it the biggest release of the season. The film is in 3D but the makers have decided to release only in 2D, fearing that some theatres might end up giving used glasses to patrons.
Sadly, it faces many challenges. Firstly, the perception is that audiences might not come in huge numbers. Secondly, the film is releasing simultaneously in cinemas and on HBO Max platform in many markets of North America and Europe. Once it’s out digitally, it’s pirated HD print would make its way on the internet. Trade fears that a chunk of moviegoers would prefer to watch the film at home illegally instead of spending money to see it in cinemas. And lastly, a major roadblock has been put in Maharashtra after the state government imposed a curfew from 11 pm to 6 am. As a result, all shows post 8:00 pm had to be cancelled. The exhibitors have been quite hurt and angry with this decision as this film had recorded very good bookings for late evening and night shows from December 23. Not to forget, the two prime markets of the film are in Maharashtra, Mumbai and Pune.
Due to these reasons, it’s difficult to say if Wonder Woman 1984 would be able to collect more than day 1 collections of part 1, which were Rs. 2.50 crore. However, it releases in Hindi and South languages as well. Also, the international reviews have been encouraging. The paid previews collections can be around Rs. 30-40 lakhs while Thursday can be around Rs. 90 lakhs-1 crore. It is from Friday December 25 that the film would collect tremendously. Wonder Woman’s first weekend was around Rs. 8 crore and maybe, the collections of the sequel might not be able to reach that mark. The target for this film would be to go beyond Tenet’s lifetime collections, which are around Rs. 11 crore. With the year-end being a time when work is slow and people want to enjoy, the weekday collections can be encouraging. In fact, Tenet’s lifetime record can be broken by Wonder Woman 1984 in the first week itself.
2. SHAKEELA: It stars Richa Chadha as Southern star of the 80s and 90s, Shakeela. Directed by Indrajit Lankesh, it also stars Pankaj Tripathi. It seems to be in The Dirty Picture zone. But hype and awareness are almost zero. And moreover, it’s a theatrical release, from December 25. A film with some excitement like Indoo Ki Jawani opened at Rs. 20 lakhs. This flick might open at less than Rs. 10 lakhs sadly.
3. COOLIE NO 1: It is the remake of the much-loved 1995 film of the same name. Just like the original, it’s also directed by David Dhawan. Starring Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jaaved Jaaferi and Johny Lever, it looks like a big-screen entertainer. Sadly, the film is releasing on Amazon Prime, on December 25. The fear is that just like Laxmii, this film too would get ridiculed. After all, it’s the elite audiences who subscribe to these channels and they despise such masala films. A real idea of the film’s verdict would be out when this film would be aired on television.
4. AK VS AK: It is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and stars Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap. Interestingly, both play themselves, but exaggerated versions of it. The film shows that Anurag Kashyap kidnaps Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam and compels Anil to find her, while filming the whole experience in real time. The trailer is crazy and it’s sure to get viewership, especially among the elite who would love to watch such experimental content. It releases on December 24 on Netflix, which is the day Anil Kapoor celebrates his birthday.
The beneficial Christmas weekend is here. Unlike Diwali, when a small film Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari released in cinemas, this time, things are little better. After all, Wonder Woman 1984, one of the most awaited films of the year, will be releasing. Audiences would have the choice of watching this flick and also three more. My analysis:
1. WONDER WOMAN 1984: It is the sequel of the 2017 flick Wonder Woman and stars Gal Gadot yet again in the lead role. The director, Patty Jenkins, too returns to helm the sequel. The first film was set during World War I while part 2 is based in the year 1984 at the height of the Cold War. The trailer promises loads of entertainment and big-scale action. Gal looks stunning and her casting has added a lot to the film’s brand value. She also has quite a following in India.
The first part released with minimal hype and only in English. It was released amidst 7-8 Hindi releases and a major English film (Baywatch). Yet it had emerged as the top film of all and had a lifetime of Rs. 19-20 crore. The opening day collections were Rs. 2.50 crore. Wonder Woman 1984 releases today (Wednesday December 23) with paid previews from 5:00 PM onwards. From tomorrow, it’ll have a full-day release to take advantage of Christmas Eve, when people do come out in huge numbers. It is getting a wide release, of more than 1000 screens, making it the biggest release of the season. The film is in 3D but the makers have decided to release only in 2D, fearing that some theatres might end up giving used glasses to patrons.
Sadly, it faces many challenges. Firstly, the perception is that audiences might not come in huge numbers. Secondly, the film is releasing simultaneously in cinemas and on HBO Max platform in many markets of North America and Europe. Once it’s out digitally, it’s pirated HD print would make its way on the internet. Trade fears that a chunk of moviegoers would prefer to watch the film at home illegally instead of spending money to see it in cinemas. And lastly, a major roadblock has been put in Maharashtra after the state government imposed a curfew from 11 pm to 6 am. As a result, all shows post 8:00 pm had to be cancelled. The exhibitors have been quite hurt and angry with this decision as this film had recorded very good bookings for late evening and night shows from December 23. Not to forget, the two prime markets of the film are in Maharashtra, Mumbai and Pune.
Due to these reasons, it’s difficult to say if Wonder Woman 1984 would be able to collect more than day 1 collections of part 1, which were Rs. 2.50 crore. However, it releases in Hindi and South languages as well. Also, the international reviews have been encouraging. The paid previews collections can be around Rs. 30-40 lakhs while Thursday can be around Rs. 90 lakhs-1 crore. It is from Friday December 25 that the film would collect tremendously. Wonder Woman’s first weekend was around Rs. 8 crore and maybe, the collections of the sequel might not be able to reach that mark. The target for this film would be to go beyond Tenet’s lifetime collections, which are around Rs. 11 crore. With the year-end being a time when work is slow and people want to enjoy, the weekday collections can be encouraging. In fact, Tenet’s lifetime record can be broken by Wonder Woman 1984 in the first week itself.
2. SHAKEELA: It stars Richa Chadha as Southern star of the 80s and 90s, Shakeela. Directed by Indrajit Lankesh, it also stars Pankaj Tripathi. It seems to be in The Dirty Picture zone. But hype and awareness are almost zero. And moreover, it’s a theatrical release, from December 25. A film with some excitement like Indoo Ki Jawani opened at Rs. 20 lakhs. This flick might open at less than Rs. 10 lakhs sadly.
3. COOLIE NO 1: It is the remake of the much-loved 1995 film of the same name. Just like the original, it’s also directed by David Dhawan. Starring Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jaaved Jaaferi and Johny Lever, it looks like a big-screen entertainer. Sadly, the film is releasing on Amazon Prime, on December 25. The fear is that just like Laxmii, this film too would get ridiculed. After all, it’s the elite audiences who subscribe to these channels and they despise such masala films. A real idea of the film’s verdict would be out when this film would be aired on television.
4. AK VS AK: It is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and stars Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap. Interestingly, both play themselves, but exaggerated versions of it. The film shows that Anurag Kashyap kidnaps Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam and compels Anil to find her, while filming the whole experience in real time. The trailer is crazy and it’s sure to get viewership, especially among the elite who would love to watch such experimental content. It releases on December 24 on Netflix, which is the day Anil Kapoor celebrates his birthday.
Coolie No 1 bought for Rs. 115 crore by Amazon Prime
8:20 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
COOLIE NO 1 is looking a decent entertainer which was sure to open
well if it had a theatrical release on Christmas Day in a normal
scenario but sadly its going to be a digital release due to theatrical
business at a standstill due to the pandemic.
The film has faced negativity in the digital world but that has become
par for the course since cinemas have been shut as negativity towards
bigger films and bigger actors has to be shown to get views in the the
digital world. This happened with LAXMII a month or so back but still
the film found a huge audience on release. Its become a case of say
something else but do something else. There has been a lack of
films this year and that probably helped LAXMII get an audience and even
some of the people who shout wont watch or boycott do end up watching
as there is nothing really out there.
The film is a remake of the 1995 SUPERHIT film COOLIE NO 1 which was
much ridiculed at the time on release but the box office told a
completely different story. Now the media which ridiculed the first COOLIE NO 1 film calls its a classic to show the new COOLIE NO 1 in a
poor light. It is possible that COOLIE NO 1 (2020) is not as good as COOLIE NO 1 (1995) but its not as if one film is 10/10 and the other is
1/10. There is no doubt that COOLIE NO 1 (2020) will be ridiculed on
release as well and the sad part is there is no box office this time to
give the actual results.
The story of COOLIE NO 1 (2020) may be similar to COOLIE NO 1 (1995)
but looking at the trailer of COOLIE NO 1 (2020), it looks more like
JUDWAA 2 (2017) with the main difference being that JUDWAA 2 had a
better look as that film was shot in UK. JUDWAA 2 also had more HIT
songs but COOLIE NO 1 has also seen a HIT song with Husn Hai Suhana which
has been a rarity in this dreadfull year.
Judwaa 2 had opened to 16 crore nett in 2017 and COOLIE NO 1 may
have opened 10-15% less than that film on a normal day due to look of
the film being a bit weaker and Varun Dhawan coming off some non
performing films. But if we take 25th December as the release date then
the collections would have gone to the 20 crore nett plus mark due to the
national holiday.
COOLIE NO 1 has fetched a huge 115 crore for digital rights making it
premium content for Amazon and by far the biggest product for them this
year which obviously means numbers are expected and hopefully the huge
expectations are met. Generally the content that is premiered on digital
has very limited or sectional appeal but here its universal appeal and
that is reflected in the price.
My father Jagdeep taught us one shouldn't touch on religion when making jokes-Jaaved Jaaferi
8:01 AM
Bringing on the laughs in Coolie No 1, Jaaved Jaaferi on being influenced by late father Jagdeep's comic sensibilities
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; December 22, 2020)
While Varun Dhawan steps into Govinda's shoes for the remake of Coolie No 1, Jaaved Jaaferi plays his secretary in the comedy. Remembering how the late Sadashiv Amrapurkar had breathed life into the character in the 1995 original, Jaaferi says, "The character's motivation remains the same, but the way he speaks and behaves is different from what was done by Sadashiv bhai."
With the Amazon Prime Video offering, Jaaferi — known for his comic timing — has realised his long-standing wish of collaborating with David Dhawan. He enjoys the filmmaker's offerings as they align with the teachings of his comedian-father Jagdeep. "My father taught us that there are certain subjects where you can't cross the line. For instance, one shouldn't touch on religion when making jokes. So, I keep these things in mind. As an actor, I am not responsible for what is written [in the script], but I can refuse to do it if it doesn't match my sensibility. Coolie No 1 is a family entertainer that doesn't cross the line."
Amitabh Bachchan asked me every day if I was doing fine-Varun Dhawan
8:23 AM
Varun Dhawan, who has just recovered from Coronavirus, says Amitabh Bachchan was in touch throughout his illness
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 21, 2020)
He is known for his happy-go-lucky personality and ebullient nature. Probably that’s why even when Varun Dhawan contracted Coronavirus, he continued to promote his next, Coolie No. 1 digitally. But the actor has a word of caution for everyone. “We took every precaution possible, so I don’t know how I got it. That’s why I want to tell everyone to take this virus extremely seriously,” says Dhawan, who recovered and tested negative last week.
Interestingly, besides all the other innumerable good wishes and messages, the actor had a special well-wisher. “One person, who checked on me throughout when I was unwell is Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan). He diligently asked me every day if I was doing fine. And I was like, ‘I have to get okay now (smiles)’. He is spectacular and a great person,” says Dhawan.
“It’s a ‘massy’ film and meant to entertain everyone so, the entire family can watch it. An out-and-out David Dhawan [director and actor’s father] film, it’ll put a smile on people’s faces. It is one genre which has remained relevant through three decades and that’s what it promises — entertainment,” he says, adding that his father’s “commitment towards his audience is immense.”
“I feel since both the films (Main Tera Hero and Judwaa 2 that starred him were directed by David) did well, he has done another one with me. For him, his career is very important and it’s amazing working with a man who is so driven even at this age,” he says.
Is there any anxiety about the inevitable comparisons with the original film? “That’s a part-and-parcel [of attempting a remake]. If I wasn’t in the film, my instinct would also be like that. But it’s been 25 years since the original came out, so there are young people who haven’t seen it,” he adds.
During the lockdown, the actor says he “realised a lot of things” and “promised myself to do many things differently”. “But as soon as I went to work, I went back to my old ways. But then I got Covid-19 which stopped me in my tracks. Also, I’d not like to shoot without a vaccine if I have to be anywhere close to my family. I’m able to shoot (for JugJugg Jeeyo) only because I am away from them,” he shares.
At the same time, Dhawan realises that “work is also very important”. “All the young people who can work should do that as that’s the only way to move forward. Our Prime Minister has also said that we have to work but safely,” he says.
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Kareena Kapoor Khan has reportedly ‘confirmed’ that you’re engaged to girlfriend, Natasha Dalal. Also, talks are that a wedding was being planned in Thailand this year…
Honestly, no ceremony has happened. But obviously, when I’ve been with a person for so many years, that commitment is there. So, if one calls her anything of mine it’s correct because she is. I am in a committed relationship right now and that means I am with only her. There is rumours vis-à-vis marriage but there were no such plans and there can’t be because we also lost a family member due to Coronavirus. For the last 18-20 days, I was in a live-in relationship with myself as I was quarantined.
I feel safe when I work with my father-Varun Dhawan
8:21 AM
As he steps into Govinda's shoes for Coolie No 1, Varun Dhawan says director David Dhawan is the best bet for comedy
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; December 21, 2020)
Coolie No 1 feels like homecoming to Varun Dhawan. After trying his hand at middle-of-the-road cinema with October (2018) and Sui Dhaaga (2018) in the past few years, the actor returns to the familiar territory of comedy with the remake of the 1995 hit of the same name. This time, he is on firm footing with director-father David Dhawan helming the laugh riot.
"Dad is the king of comedy. He has tackled the genre for three decades, and has found success in each decade. When you are working with such an accomplished director who knows the genre and its details so well, you know [you're in good hands]. I feel safe when I work with my father," says the actor, eager for a hit. The father-son duo have an enviable track record so far, having delivered hits in Main Tera Hero (2014) and Judwaa 2 (2017).
The actor, however, concedes that the bar has been set high by Govinda, who led the 1995 original. As he steps into the shoes of one of the finest comic actors of Bollywood, Varun says, "Many people are inspired by him. It is unfortunate that the media gives Govinda credit only for comedy; he is unbelievable in emotional scenes as well. Now that Coolie No 1 is set to release, people are remembering how Govinda used to spin magic on screen. I never forgot that. I am one of his biggest admirers."
The Amazon Prime Video offering sees Varun Dhawan's porter character duping his ladylove, essayed by Sara Ali Khan, by pretending to be a billionaire. While he believes that a comedy is the perfect way to end the grim year, one can't deny that the film's premise is problematic. "Nowadays, one needs to be sensitive while making jokes. But if you see stand-up comics, they are still telling the jokes they want to. Eventually, it's a joke and is not supposed to be taken seriously. People need to learn to laugh at themselves. In this film, if people laugh at me, I am okay with it because at the end of the day, I am here to entertain them."
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