Showing posts with label Do Aur Do Pyaar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Do Aur Do Pyaar. Show all posts
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.
I can’t remember the last romantic film I truly cared for-Shirsha Guha Thakurta
8:11 AM
Debutant director Shirsha blames spate of unmemorable Hindi rom-coms for the genre’s decline in recent times, as she offers the sparkling Do Aur Do Pyaar
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 24, 2024)
In an industry obsessed with box-office numbers, do we talk enough about the truly good films? Do Aur Do Pyaar opened to great reviews last week, but made only R2.5 crores in its first four days. What is going through the mind of debutant director Shirsha Guha Thakurta, whose work is winning love and yet failing to make big numbers?
“Critics have been incredibly kind. I must admit I am thrilled. While box-office collections matter to me, there’s nothing much I can do about it. I wanted to tell this story to the best of my abilities. I’m hoping because of the positive word of mouth, more people will discover the film,” she says optimistically.
Starring Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D’Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, Do Aur Do Pyaar is the kind of romantic comedy we don’t see often—that of a married couple rediscovering their love for each other. In fact, of late, Hindi cinema hasn’t seen too many rom-coms. Was she worried about attempting the genre when everyone’s saying romance is dead in the movies?
“I don’t think any genre is dead in the movies. If we tell good stories with conviction and have characters we care about, any genre will work. After Shaitaan did well, suddenly everyone wants to make horror films. Romance has been a staple in Hindi films, but I can’t remember the last romantic film I truly cared for. They come better packaged with hit songs, but not a single character or line has stayed with me.”
Thakurta, who previously directed wonderful ads for a dating app, thrives in the genre. But she admits that the Yash Chopra era of Hindi film romance is forgotten.
“One of our key hooks for the film was: What would happen to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’s Raj and Simran 20 years later? Has life squeezed all the bits of love and domesticated them?”
The director adds, “In our modern lives that include social media and instant gratification, we are struggling to hold on to the Yash Chopra’s version of epic love. That’s what our film is partly about—that maybe love today is about being friends and being comfortable with each other.”
(Crisp) Movie Review: DO AUR DO PYAAR by FENIL SETA
2:23 PM
Do Aur Do Pyaar’s biggest strength is its relatability. It depicts the complexities of relationships in a very realistic manner. Though it is adapted from a Hollywood film, The Lovers, director Shirsha Guha Thakurta has Indianized it beautifully. The characters are well-etched and the first half has some very funny scenes. The intermission point is crazy. The madness continues in the second half. However, the crucial pre-climax is very stretched. Some important developments in the story are skipped. The makers try to do a Kapoor & Sons by infusing humour in serious scenes; it doesn't work all the time. The sound is also an issue; a few dialogues are not properly audible. Vidya Balan, however, is out of the world. After a long time, she is in such a form and proves yet again why she is one of the finest actresses of Indian cinema. Pratik Gandhi has never looked so handsome before in a Hindi film and gives a first-rate performance. His chemistry with Vidya Balan is electrifying. Ileana DCruz, too, looks ravishing and proves that she can be a rocking performer if given a chance. The dashing Sendhil Ramamurthy lends able support. His screen time, however, is limited. Thalaivasal Vijay (Kavya’s father) delivers a memorable performance. The soundtrack is not impactful but 'Jazbaati Hai Dil', with its catchy theme, stands out. All in all, Do Aur Do Pyaar is a nice romcom from Bollywood after a long time and is worth watching.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Hero no longer the guy with great physique and bouncy hair-Pratik Gandhi
8:34 AM
Counting himself lucky to work when the romantic hero mould has been broken, Pratik discusses graduating to mainstream lead roles with Do Aur Do Pyaar
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 19, 2024)
When we sit down for an interview with Pratik Gandhi for Do Aur Do Pyaar, it’s hard to not open our chat with the crackling Madgaon Express. The comedy is running in theatres weeks after its release, despite competition from recent offerings.
“It’s all Kunal [Kemmu],” says Gandhi, crediting the director for giving Bollywood a smartly written comedy. “I’ve always wanted to do good comedy. Physical humour is tricky, but you have to do it with people who understand it. Kunal knows all sub-genres of comedy, and he is brilliant at them.”
With Do Aur Do Pyaar, Gandhi is moving on to a different kind of comedy, rom-com. Shirsha Guha Thakurta’s directorial venture sees the actor and Vidya Balan play a couple whose marriage has long lost its spark. Gandhi says it is among the six releases he has lined up, and with each project, his attempt is to show his versatility.
“Scam 1992 [The Harshad Mehta Story, 2020] changed everything for me. In the last two-and-a-half years, I have shot non-stop. With the audience’s love, I am getting more confident about my work and my choices. Do Aur Do Pyaar is poles apart [from my last film]. My character is goofy, vulnerable, and avoids confrontations. In the first narration, I was surprised by the story—the characters are cheating [on their spouse] and then, they cheat on their lovers [with their spouse].”
Rom-coms are all about good chemistry. The script, he says, elevated his chemistry with Balan and Ileana D’Cruz. “We have no method to crack chemistry. We stayed true to the script and let the magic happen. We did a lot of reading, did the next day’s scenes before going home. That said, I don’t have a process. Art is not mathematics. I have to feel the emotions.”
For Hindi film fans, Shah Rukh Khan was the poster boy for romance. Even as he moved to age-appropriate roles, there remained a set image of a romantic hero—someone who is swoon-worthy enough to sweep women off their feet. That mould has broken in the past few years.
He shares, “The definition of a romantic hero has changed. He is not the guy with great physique and [bouncy] hair. A hero is anybody who can make you fall in love with the character and his emotions. I’m fortunate to be at the right place at the right time. People are now ready to see actors creating characters.”
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.
I am so bored with the content around me. There is too much action-Vidya Balan
8:06 AM
Tired of dark thrillers and action films dominating the scene, Vidya says she was craving a sharply written rom-com when Do Aur Do Pyaar came her way
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 16, 2024)
Sometimes, you just want to sink into your seat with a popcorn tub, and watch a feel-good movie. Vidya Balan says Do Aur Do Pyaar is that movie. At a time when the industry is churning out action fare on the big screen and dark thrillers on OTT, rom-coms have been few and far between. “This is a genre I’ve missed,” starts the actor, who, with Pratik Gandhi, leads director Shirsha Guha Thakurta’s rom-com.
“I was wondering why people aren’t making such films anymore. I am so bored with the content around me. There is too much action. When the film came to me, I loved the idea. I watched the original, The Lovers [2017]. Shirsha gave our film a new direction and Supratim Sengupta wrote the script, playing it differently [from the original]. This film makes me laugh and fills my heart. I wanted to go on a long drive, listening to music with Siddharth [Roy Kapur, husband]. Enough of pointless maar dhaad and diabolical people! I want to be in movies where I am enjoying, and so are my audiences.”
Do Aur Do Pyaar sees Balan and Gandhi play a long-married couple, who are happy in their extra-marital relationships until they find themselves falling for each other again. Balan’s Kavya as a woman with agency struck a chord with her.
“Kavya and her partner have an equal marriage. I related to the fact that she is stubborn and angry; she is not apologetic about her affair. Her predicament was funny, but I played it with a hint of curiosity. She is scared, confused and stuck.”
Often, female characters in Hindi cinema are one-toned. Rebellious parts are becoming predictable, too. Balan, who has built a 19-year career on fascinating characters, from The Dirty Picture (2011) to Kahaani (2012) and Sherni (2022), says we need to delve deeper into a woman’s complexities.
“In films, there is either the bitch or the bechari, but I’ve never done films [with such black-and-white parts]. Women-led cinema is in a nascent stage here. Ishqiya [2010] was an aberration for its times. It has been 14 years, but the grammar is still being formed. It will get formed, broken, and reformed. It’s time to reimagine the women we are writing. I think more films are expanding the idea of a badass woman now. Even with women-led cinema, it’s important we take ourselves less seriously. Crew was fun and not necessarily nuanced, but we had a good time. That’s enough at times.”
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