Showing posts with label Drishyam 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drishyam 2. Show all posts
Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 3 teaser release postponed due to this reason
9:05 AM
Sources say the Oct 2 release of Ajay Devgn’s ‘Drishyam 3’ teaser has been postponed as the adaptation terms forbid the makers from making any announcement without the approval of the Malayalam original’s team
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 8, 2025)
October 2 is a date that holds significance for fans of Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam franchise. In keeping with the date’s relevance to the crime drama, the actor and the makers wanted to unveil Drishyam 3’s announcement teaser on October 2. However, it looks like they faced an unlikely hurdle from the original’s makers, writer and director Jeethu Joseph, and producer Antony Perumbavoor.
It turns out that a one-minute-25-second teaser was cut for the announcement, but the unveiling was postponed. A source says that while producer Kumar Mangat Pathak cited the background music not being ready as the reason for the teaser’s delay, there is more to the story.
“There is an understanding between the makers of the Malayalam franchise, Jeethu and Antony, and the Hindi remake’s producer Kumar Mangat. Apparently, one of the adaptation clauses states that the Hindi team cannot make any announcement about their film’s content without the permission of the original’s makers,” says the source.
Work on the Malayalam Drishyam 3 has begun with Mohanlal kicking off the shoot on September 22 (Georgekutty in action, Sept 23). In contrast, Devgn will begin the crime drama, which will be helmed by Abhishek Pathak, in December.
“After Mohanlal announced the shoot, the Hindi counterpart’s makers announced that their film would release on October 2, 2026. This sudden date announcement did not go down well with Antony and Jeethu. Following this episode, the clause came into effect,” adds the source.
Even before Devgn’s adaptation has gone on floors, there appears to be friction between the stakeholders of the two versions. What’s the cause? We’re told it’s rooted in the Hindi remake.
The source reveals, “The original plan was that all the three versions — Malayalam, Hindi, and Telugu starring Mohanlal, Ajay, and Venkatesh respectively — would be released on October 2, 2026, simultaneously. They were to be directed by Jeethu. But Kumar Mangat wanted his son Abhishek to helm the Hindi outing as Drishyam 2 [2022], directed by him, was a blockbuster. That led to a difference of opinion. Now, Antony and Jeethu are keen to release the Malayalam offering before the Hindi counterpart.”
mid-day reached out to Kumar Mangat, Joseph, and Perumbavoor, who didn’t respond till press time.
Mohanlal's Drishyam 3 to be made in Hindi and Malayalam
8:24 AM
Sources say Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 to be made in Malayalam and Hindi, which can be disadvantageous to Ajay Devgn’s Bollywood adaptation of the crime thriller
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 16, 2025)
A howdunnit’s biggest trick is its mystery reveal. But the success of the Drishyam franchise defied that notion. Even as each of the Hindi adaptations, led by Ajay Devgn, came almost two years after the release of Mohanlal’s Drishyam (2013) and Drishyam 2 (2021), leaving enough time for the audience to know the plot, it found wide success at the box office. But things may not be the same with the third instalment.
mid-day has exclusively learnt that Mohanlal and director Jeethu Joseph are keen to make Drishyam 3 a bilingual offering to be released in Malayalam and Hindi. With the original’s makers targeting the Hindi audience, among other sections, it may pose a problem for Devgn’s adaptation.
From what we’ve heard, Joseph and Mohanlal are working towards taking Drishyam 3 on floors by May-end.
A source says, “Buoyed by the past two editions’ success, Jeethu, Mohanlal and producer Antony Perumbavoor are keen to make the third outing a pan-India offering. This can become an issue for Ajay’s movie, as his Drishyam 3’s script is still being worked upon. One of the reasons why Ajay’s Drishyam has been successful so far is because the Malayalam original didn’t tap into the Hindi-speaking audience. But if Mohanlal’s movie releases much earlier than Ajay’s, that too in Hindi, it can be disadvantageous to the latter since they both always share story and plot points.”
Meanwhile, the unit is setting the stage for the crime thriller’s shoot, which will see Mohanlal reprise his role of Georgekutty, who has successfully evaded the police despite committing a murder. Thodupuzha in Kerala, where the first movie was also shot, will be the filming location. A set was constructed in Kudayathoor for Drishyam 2, which may also be used.
Another source adds, “Ajay’s Drishyam 3 can roll only by October as he will wrap up Dhamaal 4 and Ranger before beginning the Abhishek Pathak-directed remake. Kumar Mangat Pathak, who has produced the Hindi adaptations so far, is in talks with the makers of the original to see whether both versions can have a simultaneous release.”
Joseph, Mohanlal and Perumbavoor remained unavailable for comment.
Not everyone can make a Crew. It was a combination of story, casting, and marketing-Tabu
8:45 AM
As Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha marks her tenth film with Ajay, Tabu says secret to their enduring chemistry is that they’ve played everything from lovers to rivals
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 9, 2024)
First, a hit in Crew, then bagging the role of Sister Francesca in Dune: Prophecy, and now Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha—clearly Tabu is having one hell of a year.
When we tell her that, the actor laughs, saying, “I don’t set out with the ambition of proving a point with any film. I go into a project thinking, ‘How will I be interesting?’ I want to enjoy what I’m doing. I want either a cutting-edge film that gives me something different experientially, or sometimes I want to do regular, predictable [stories]. Crew came to me when I was doing Drishyam 2 [2022] and Bholaa [2023]. So, I wanted a break from that zone.”
Crew, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon alongside her, has proven that a film doesn’t need a hero for it to run to packed houses. Its success has given hope to filmmakers to develop more women-led stories.
“Not everyone can make a Crew. It was a combination of story, casting, and marketing. But if a few people are encouraged to make films with women [leading them] because of Crew’s success, it is heartening. It speaks volumes about the conviction of the makers, Rhea Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor. Rhea always believed it would be a Rs 100-crore film. I look at success differently. But she wanted to make a statement and was able to.”
Now, Tabu is reuniting with one of her oldest friends, Ajay Devgn, in Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The romantic drama marks their tenth film together. What’s the secret to their enduring chemistry?
“When we say yes to a film, the story means something to us. You can’t define good chemistry. We don’t feed off each other’s energies. But we don’t repeat our dynamics. In some films, we’re pitted against each other; in others, we’re romantically paired. There is freshness to the casting. In this film, what works is that audiences have seen us together for so many years. To them, it’s believable that these two people haven’t met in a long time. People tend to believe that Ajay and I are two people in love, who couldn’t meet and are meeting after eons.”
The drama is her first collaboration with director Neeraj Pandey. She says that he has a knack for moulding his actors beautifully. “He will mould you in every take, with the brief he gives you. By the third take, he will want you to reimagine your approach. He’ll say, ‘Let’s try it with a smile.’”
Top 10 grossers in Gulf post pandemic: Shah Rukh Khan dominates
9:53 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
Gulf saw a huge year in 2023 as the Shah Rukh Khan starrers dominated with two films going over $10 million. As the overseas market came back to life from the mid 90's, it has been about three markets (USA/Canada, United Kingdom and Gulf). Initially the domination was from the United Kingdom and then towards the end of the 2000's, it became the the USA/Canada market.
Today, Gulf holds the highest total ever for the first time as no film from USA/Canada or United Kingdom has done as much as JAWAN has in Gulf. It is the highest ever total from an overseas circuit for a Hindi film. There is the the opening up of the Saudi market post the pandemic which helps the numbers but the issue has been that UAE is not what it used to be pre pandemic barring a few exceptions.
The top three films are all Shah Rukh Khan starrers and only he can do these numbers of JAWAN and PATHAAN while for others, $10 million would still be a huge target and maybe it can be down on a Eid release. It is basically Gulf and United Kingdom which sets Shah Rukh Khan apart from the others in Overseas as $15 million in Gulf and £4 million in United Kingdom is what only he can do when the film is right.
DUNKI sitting in third place pretty much sums up the star power in Gulf. You could also lock a $5 million total in Pakistan for the likes of JAWAN and PATHAAN but that is different story altogether and not likely to happen in the near future.
The top grossers post pandemic in Gulf are as follows. These numbers are for Hindi films only and likes of JAWAN and ANIMAL have it a little coming in regional also though its minimal.
1. Jawan - $17,700,000
2. Pathaan - $14,200,000
3. Dunki - $6,320,000
4. Animal - $5,200,000
5. Tiger 3 - $4,800,000
6. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani - $4,230,000
7. Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan - $2,600,000
8. KGF - Chapter 2 - $2,1,70,000
9. Brahmastra - $2,100,000
10. Drishyam 2 - $1,930,000
Preaching to kids is useless but telling stories works-Shriya Saran
2:26 PM
After acting in south and Bollywood films for nearly two decades, Shriya Saran decided to step away from the limelight when she conceived. The Haridwar-born star and her Russian husband Andrei Koscheev moved to Barcelona so she could enjoy her pregnancy, “get fat and not care what people wrote about her.’ Saran announced the ‘good news’ nine months after their daughter Radha’s birth, and by then she was back to her svelte self. The actor spoke to Neha Bhayana about how she lost the pregnancy weight and dealt with postpartum blues
Neha Bhayana (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 25, 2024)
Radha turned three last month. Are you facing threenage tantrums? What’s your trick for getting her to listen to you?
We are seeing tantrums these days. I find that telling stories really works. If you preach or tell children ‘no, don’t do this’, they will not understand, but stories work. I just make up random tales about animals. For example, I talk about an elephant and bananas and about how the doctor came. It may make no sense, but they get distracted and go into that world. I notice if you ask the child, “Will you be happy if that happened to you?”, it does not help, but if you say, “What if the elephant did it differently, wouldn’t it be nicer?” then it kind of works.
You have a busy schedule with films and endorsements. How do you ensure you are making enough time for Radha?
I try to come home as early as I can so I can spend time with her. I tell stories, take her for long walks. When we are not working, we take her to a farm on weekends to keep her connected to nature.
Acting or parenting — what’s more challenging?
That’s a tough question because I think one prepares you for the other role. I’m a better person when I am with Radha. My experience with her makes me a better actor. I think life prepares you to be a better actor. And when you do good work, your soul is satisfied, you’re happy inside and that prepares you to be a better mom. I feel we all need passions and we all need something that we love doing. So, whatever it is that makes your soul happy, you need to do that.
What, according to you, is the toughest part of parenting?
I think the toughest part of parenting is trying to match up to our own parents. I feel like that generation of parents were like Mother Teresa; they were way too giving. We are a little more self-centred. Our parents did so much for us, but they didn’t tell us what problems they had. They never spoke about time balance issues or health problems; they just went on and on with their job. They made sure they came home early and spent time with us. My dad taught me cycling, and my mom took me to dance classes. When I was very young (17), we moved to Delhi so I could learn dance from Sovana Narayan. They didn’t speak about these sacrifices. Also, as parents today, we’re very aware. This inability to disconnect is tough too. I feel a little bit of ignorance is bliss.
I’ll give you a simple example. When I was a kid, I couldn’t understand the difference between E and A so I was very scared to learn a new language. But still, I went on to do films in four different languages. The languages which were not mine, I learnt or understood before the films or at least memorized the lines. When I saw ‘Taare Zameen Par’, I realized that there is a situation when you don’t know left and right, you can’t differentiate between certain letters or that it is called dyslexia. I had no idea I had it. But at that time, there weren’t so many counsellors and not so many people were aware so you didn’t really know. But now that you know, sometimes, I think it’s good to not know.
What’s the best part about parenting?
The joy your baby gives you, the hugs and love you get when you come home. It is unmatched.
You will soon be seen in Karan Johar’s web series ‘Showtime’. Acting is a demanding profession. Is it difficult to juggle work commitments and your parenting duties?
When I am away, Andrei takes over or my mom. I have a great support system with my mom, my mom-in-law and my dad and I am very grateful to them. As an actress, you need a lot of help. A lot of heroes now acknowledge and are very grateful to their wives for managing the show when they are not there.
Yours is a cross-cultural marriage. What are the similarities and differences in your parenting style? Do you have clashes?
His upbringing is very similar to mine. His mother was a history teacher and his dad was an engineer. My dad too was an engineer and my mother, a teacher. It helps to have that similarity. Our value systems are the same. Of course, we do have clashes and differences but we find a middle path. Like he does not understand the practice of mundan (head shaving) and why we do it. But otherwise, he has really taken to our culture. He has turned vegetarian. We go to the temple together. He understands the different cultures in India. We have named our daughter Radha which means something in both languages. ‘Radha’ means ‘happy’ in old Russian. We want Radha to be part of both cultures. Radha goes for a Russian class and she loves sports just like her dad. I am going to introduce her to dance very soon. She speaks brilliant Hindi; better than most people I know. She speaks English and Russian too. And, she was born in Spain, so we want her to know Spanish as well. We want her to be fluent in at least four languages.
A lot of moms are now speaking up about postpartum depression. Did you find the first year difficult?
It was a difficult time. There was a lockdown and there was no help. We were in Barcelona. My mom came for two months but after that, for the next five months, we were completely on our own. There were times when you get up and you are feeling very low. It happens. There’s a huge change because your body was preparing to create this human and nurture that human. You are carrying the baby and suddenly it’s not there with you. So, your hormonal balance is very different. All that happened but I didn’t have time to even think. Breastfeeding is very, very important, but people don’t tell you that it is very difficult. It hurts; it is painful. And I was diagnosed with Covid-19 when Radha was seven months old. I had to stay away from her for two weeks. That was very difficult for me. I couldn’t stop crying.
You must have had to wean her off breastfeeding suddenly?
Yeah…that happened to a lot of women who had Covid. Suddenly, you had to stop breastfeeding. It's super painful. That year was hard. I had time maybe to cry for like five minutes and then I had to get up and cook to make sure there’s food for us and for our child. It’s not easy. If I was cooking, Andrei was making milk. If Andrei was cooking, I had to give her a bath. One does have emotional issues and all of that. But I think the best way to get over it is to listen to a lot of music. Recognize that your body is going through a lot and let it be. Let it go.
Is your husband Andrei equally involved in Radha’s care?
To be honest, a woman’s job is a woman’s job. As much as we say it’s equal, all of that doesn't happen. Andrei surely does much more than a lot of other men I know. He actually dedicated the entire year after Radha’s birth to her care. We were like a team and took care of her all by ourselves. We were very grateful for that time (in Barcelona) because it really got us connected to Radha. Now, we try to spend as much time with her as we can. We also constantly have these arguments and conversations because I feel Andrei should spend more time with Radha. He does try but it is hard. His work is very demanding too.
Between the two of you, who’s strict and who’s soft?
I think Andrei sometimes becomes a super softie. And then I fight with him and I get really pissed with him. But of late, we have agreed to be a team. So whatever one says, the other parent says the same. Unless one of us is saying something that is really out of the context or makes no sense at all. And that happens. Sometimes, I say things that really make no sense at all (laughs). So, we do check each other when required.
Is Radha mama’s baby or papa’s pet?
She is more attached to me. Andrei travels from Andheri to Thane for work so he is away for 16 hours a day. And when I am shooting, I’m not there at all. But she understands. She's very smart. When I am away, she goes to Andrei. When he is away, she goes to my mom or dad. When they are not around either, she goes to the nanny.
Are you a disciplinarian? What are your rules for screens, sugar and sleep?
We do have a set schedule for meals and Radha sleeps by 9 pm. I try to avoid sugar and as of now, she does not watch cartoons. I want to not let her watch TV for a long time. It is a struggle. When you are in the car, an hour seems difficult to pass and the next hour seems even more difficult. But after that, kids figure out what to do. They start counting the cars outside. They start tracking the traffic signal. It is a challenge but one manages.
Did you follow any exercise or diet regimen during pregnancy to avoid too much weight gain?
My doctor didn’t allow me to check my weight. He didn’t want me to get conscious and worried because being an actress you anyway tend to be very weight conscious. But I continued yoga and kathak (she is an accomplished dancer) through the pregnancy.
What did you crave the most during your pregnancy?
I ate a lot of good food. Initially, I was very homesick. My mom somehow managed to send garam masala to Barcelona despite the lockdown. And I got obsessed with south Indian food. I wanted to eat dosa every day. I learned how to make dosa for myself. It was a lovely time in my life. But by the time I delivered, I had put on 20 kilos.
And yet you seem to be slimmer than ever now…
It was not easy. The shoot for ‘Drishyam 2’ was starting and then I was doing another film, ‘Kabzaa’, so I had to lose weight fast. I dropped 15 kgs in seven months. After that, the last five kilos were the hardest. Dance and yoga really helped me.
You played a mom in Drishyam 1 when you were not even married and by the time you did ‘Drishyam 2’, you had had your baby. Did your real-life experience as a mom influence the way you portrayed a mom on screen?
Every experience helps. I think as an actor, what you see and observe around you also helps. It’s a mixture of both.
You have been involved in a lot of philanthropic work. How can parents encourage their kids to be empathetic and what values do you hope to imbibe?
It’s a process. It’s not easy. You keep doing it. You keep telling them and they learn. I want Radha to be someone who is friendly, happy, giving, forgiving, loving and kind. And most of all, someone who's hard working.
Drishyam 2, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, OMG 2's success proves mass action entertainers are not the only way-Ajit Andhare
8:50 AM
Ajit Andhare, Viacom18 Studio’s COO, talks about forging strong partnerships and their core beliefs
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; August 30, 2023)
Delivering three back-to-back successes at the BO – ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’, ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ and ‘OMG 2’ – is no mean feat at a time when theatres are still in the process of winning back audiences. Ajit Andhare, the brain behind the studio, talks about how their success lies in taking creative risks, forging great partnerships, and showcasing diverse storytelling.
Excerpts:
‘Redefining cinema has been our core belief’
Discussing the wave of success, Ajit says, “Our recent successes came at a time when uncertainty was looming large over theatres for about a year-and-a-half. The weekend of August 11 to 13 was a watershed moment for Indian cinema as we registered record footfalls. So, it’s a celebratory moment not just for us, but for everyone.”
Stating that the studio’s strength lies in its ability to explore diverse genres, he adds, “Despite the popular notion, the success of ‘JugJugg Jeeyo’, ‘Drishyam 2’, ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ and ‘OMG 2’ have proven that mass action entertainers are not the only way. As a studio, our core belief has been to redefine cinema, and hence, the biggest win for us is to be able to tell diverse stories.”
‘Viacom18’s USP is in building franchises’
The studio also takes pride in nurturing franchises. Ajit explains, “We are one of the pioneers in the space of home-grown franchises with ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’ (2011), ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ (2012), ‘OMG Oh My God’ (2012) and ‘Drishyam’ (2015). Viacom18 has demonstrated an ability to build franchises, which is a vital aspect of our studio. While we consider the originality and freshness of the story in turning a film into a franchise, the core of our approach lies in creative risk-taking.”
However, ‘OMG 2’ was far from the studio’s comfort zone, but he mustered the courage to take the leap. He shares, “At first, I wondered whether I should embark on this path, given the prevailing environment in the country, where people have become overly sensitive towards certain topics. The second instalment demanded a provocation that measured up to the first film in every way. It had to be a conversation that none of us were comfortable with, as only then would I get a reaction of ‘Oh My God!’ I decided to walk this journey despite the perils, and the response to the film makes the journey worth it.”
‘Cinema is an unforgiving medium’
Explaining why he does not resort to trends that are widely discussed in the industry, he says, “Filmmakers often resort to trends as excuses when films don’t work. During ‘Drishyam 2’, everyone said that people were not going to theatres because samosas and popcorn were expensive, but the film went on to do great numbers. All it had was the backing of a strong story. I believe that to make a great film, one needs to go back to the basics.”
The filmmaker adds, “Cinema is an unforgiving medium, so you need to be sure your projects draw the audience each time. It’s like a game of cricket where you could be a Virat Kohli, but even he has to start with a zero every time. If a film is not good, no matter what the price of popcorn is, it will not do well. On the other hand, a film that does not tick the conventional boxes will be able to bring the audience to the theatre if it connects with them. The success of our last four films is proof of that.”
‘We believe in forging strong partnerships’
Besides focusing on a diverse content slate, the studio also believes in forging strong partnerships. “We believe in forging strong partnerships, as it allows us to showcase diverse storytelling by working with creators with different sensibilities. I strongly believe that we can’t limit ourselves to one genre or style of storytelling,” says Andhare.
I won’t say sirf OTT par hi alag cheezein ho rahi hain-Aparshakti Khurana
8:33 AM
Aparshakti Khurana says like the web space, a lot of offbeat subjects are being showcased in Bollywood too these days
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 18, 2023)
Aparshakti Khurana enjoyed playing a key character in filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane’s OTT release Jubilee, something he hasn’t done a lot in Bollywood. Has OTT been a better platform for him in terms of getting meatier characters? “As an actor, I am not limited to one type of role. Main sab kuch karta hoon. I am not the one who will say, ‘Mujhe OTT hi karna hai’. I take everything with a pinch of salt. Jo aata hai, kar leta hoon,” he says.
The 35-year-old goes on to share that like OTT, even films are exploring offbeat subjects these days. “Variety toh har jagah hi hai. It’s just that on OTT, the stories are explored in depth. A lot of different kinds of films are being made in Bollywood too, Bhediya, Drishyam 2 and An Action Hero (all 2022), for instance. They all have an audience too. So, I won’t say sirf OTT par hi alag cheezein ho rahi hain,” says the Dangal (2016) and Stree (2018) actor.
Shedding light on the advantage of working on web shows, he says that characters get more time to become believable. “Writers can do more justice to the world and characters. Films mein aap nahin dikha paate ho ki hero ke baap ke dimaag mein kya chal raha hai. Sometimes, you can’t even do that with the protagonist in a two-hour film,” says Khurana, who will next be seen in the film Berlin.
A list of 12 Indian films that crossed the 300 crore mark worldwide post pandemic
8:23 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
The pandemic has been over for more than one and a half years and we have seen just five Hindi films cross the 300 crore mark worldwide. Two of these are THE KASHMIR FILES and THE KERALA STORY which have have not done the business due to the films being cinema but other reasons.
The have been seven films reaching the 300 crore mark from the South which is actually a benchmark for most of the films for South barring the likes of RRR and KGF - CHAPTER 2 which have a wider market due to the scale and branding be it director for the former or the franchise for the latter. For Hindi cinema the benchmark should actually be 500 crore now which only PATHAAN has crossed and by leaps and bounds.
Tamil cinema has got a big boost in overseas business due to heavy migration from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu over the past few years. The numbers of big films from the Tamil film industry in the overseas market are really pushing this industry in terms of worldwide numbers. Tamil cinema had a 300 crore miss by a small margin with VARISU which hit 208 crore (GBOC) in India and 85 crore Overseas for a worldwide total of 293 crore. Hindi cinema also had a very near miss with SOORYAVANSHI which got 299 crore as India contributed 237 crore (GBOC) and Overseas was 62 crore.
The total of 12 films have crossed the 300 crore worldwide mark across India post the pandemic. The difference is that many Hindi films crossed 300 crore before the pandemic and only five have managed post the pandemic. While in South seven have reached post pandemic when before the pandemic there was only ENTHIRAN, KABALI, BAAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING, BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION and 2.0.
The films to have crossed 300 crore post pandemic worldwide from different industries is below.
Hindi Cinema
The Kashmir Files
Brahmastra
Drishyam 2
Pathaan
The Kerala Story (Expected)
Telugu Cinema
Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01
RRR
Tamil Cinema
Vikram
Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1
Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2
Kannada Cinema
KGF - Chapter 2
Kantara
Yeh main saalon se sun raha hun ki audiences might stop going to theatres-Madhur Bhandarkar
8:50 AM
Soumitra Das (BOMBAY TIMES; April 25, 2023)
From working as a video cassette delivery boy in Mumbai to becoming a well-known filmmaker in the country, Madhur Bhandarkar’s journey has been an eventful one. The National Award-winning filmmaker, known for films like Traffic Signal, Chandni Bar, Corporate, Page 3 and Fashion, talks about how theatrical releases and OTT can coexist.
‘I DON’T BELIEVE THAT AUDIENCES WILL STOP GOING TO THEATRES’
Bhandarkar, whose recent projects like India Lockdown and Babli Bouncer were OTT releases, says that while it is more challenging now to draw audiences to theatres, he doesn’t believe that they will stop craving for the big screen experience.
He shares, “Yeh main saalon se sun raha hun ki audiences might stop going to theatres. Lekin woh magic jo hai — the joy of watching a film on the big screen with our family or friends while having popcorn, that is unmatched. I am a very positive person; I believe that theatrical releases and OTT content can happily co-exist – theatres toh rahenge.”
Madhur adds, “However, during the Coronavirus pandemic, our audiences were exposed to good regional cinema, excellent foreign films and series on OTT. Now, they think twice about whether a film is worth watching in theatres. Also, when a film releases in theatres now, bahut log yeh sochte hain ki ek mahine ke baad toh OTT pe aa he jayegi film, toh tab dekh lenge. So, it is a big challenge and it’s not like filmmakers are facing this issue only in India, it’s happening across the globe. But this is a temporary phase and I don’t believe that audiences will stop going to theatres.”
‘HINDI FILM INDUSTRY USS TARAH NAHI CHAL RAHI HAI, JIS TARAH CHALNI CHAHIYE’
Bhandarkar admits that the going has been tough for Bollywood in the last couple of years. He says, “If we talk about the last two years, yeh sach hai ki Hindi film industry uss tarah nahi chal rahi hai, jis tarah chalni chahiye. Not too many films have worked at the box office but at the same time, films like Pathaan, Drishyam 2, Gangubai Kathiawadi and The Kashmir Files have been successful.”
When asked about films from south making it big across the country and even globally, he tells us, “Films like KGF - Chapter 2, RRR, Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 and Kantara did so well because there was a lot of focus on good writing. I am an independent filmmaker and a very small part of the Hindi film industry. However, I feel that we need to give more importance to writers and invest in them. Original writing pe dhyan dena chahiye.”
Talking about the ongoing trend of Bollywood focusing a lot on remakes of south as well as Hollywood films, Bhandarkar says, “I have made 15 films so far and I have always focused on original content. I love researching for my films. However, a lot of producers want to play safe and so, they opt for remakes. When they approach actors with a remake, toh actor ko lagta hai ki film already English/regional language mein hit hai, toh 70% safe hai.”
People have spoken about the success of my films, why should I do so much mehenat-Tabu
8:06 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; April 4, 2023)
In the past few years, Tabu has been unstoppable. Yes, the actress has been seen in a range of films across genres, but more importantly, she’s been a part of some of the most successful films recently. She doesn’t go to town talking about it, but her work speaks for itself. Tabu, who plays a tough IPS officer Diana Joseph in Bholaa which hit the theatres last week, shares screen space with her friend and co-star of many films, Ajay Devgn. In a chat with Bombay Times, she talks about the comfort of being directed by him, playing several cop characters differently and why she does not feel the need to flaunt her successful run at the box office. Read on...
In his interview with us, Ajay Devgn said that the key to remaking a film is picking the story idea and adapting it. The role played by you was essayed by a male actor in the 2019 Tamil film Kaithi (of which this is a remake). How much of a difference do you think that has made to the film?
It’s the biggest difference as there’s a gender shift. Since it is a female character, the nuances are different. The equation between Bholaa and my character is exactly the way it was in the original, but of course, some things are different because she is a female cop. One of the most challenging things about my part was that my arm is in a sling throughout the movie, so it restricted my movements. So, the scenes that required me to run, fall and get on a truck were difficult, because with one hand, you are not as agile. We had an excellent 1000-member crew, and some of them have worked with Ajay for decades. So, I knew mujhe yeh log sambhal lenge. I didn’t have to be extra vigilant. I have worked with that action team for so many years. During Prem, I had worked with Ajay’s father (action director Veeru Devgan).
You have worked with Ajay in so many films and both of you have been friends for years. So, by now, do you perfectly understand how to work with him and around him, without much being explained?
Yes, I understand exactly what he wants. I understand his moods, personality and rhythm well. I know him as a person — his likes, dislikes, how he functions and what he wants to convey even though he doesn’t use too many words to explain. It is easy to work with him. I know when to leave him alone, when he is tense or relaxed. Isiliye shayad mujhe aisa lag nahi raha hai ki maine kisi director ke saath kaam kiya hai, also because he’s acting in the film, it was fun. As actors, we have worked extensively. In recent times (films like De De Pyaar De, Golmaal Again and the Drishyam franchise), we were paired in each film in an interesting manner, and our journey since 2015 has been very strong. It has its own solid space. I think these films have accommodated us well together.
After Drishyam and Kuttey, we are seeing you play a cop once again in Bholaa. What attracts you to play these strong characters of a woman in uniform?
Filmmakers came to me with these roles with the thought that I would be good at playing them, and I have loved the parts. Also, I liked the roles apart from the fact that they were of a cop. She’s a woman and being a cop is just a part of her work. There are many other things that dictate her behaviour, and those things made her who she is on screen. These were some interesting aspects to play. These three films were so different from one another that you automatically have varied roles on your plate. Pammi of Kuttey is very different from Meera Deshmukh of Drishyam, and so is Diana Joseph of Bholaa from the other two.
Last year, you struck gold at the box office as Drishyam 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 proved to be massive hits. While most actors would flaunt this achievement, you enjoy the success in your own way (quietly, we assume) and move on to the next.
Everybody said it (that the films were successful and made money), then why should I talk about it? Mere nahi bolne se thodi na woh fact chhup gaya? Dekho, jab duniya koi cheez bolti hain na, toh aapko chup baith jaana chahiye. Everybody else was doing the job for me, so why should I do so much mehenat (laughs!). Mujhe kuch toh apne seniority ka faida hona chahiye na, ki mujhe ab zaroorat nahi hai bolne ki. Mujhe pehle kabhi bhi zaroorat mehsoos nahi hoti thi, but abhi doosron ko bolne do yaar, maine apna kaam kar diya. See, ultimately, people should do what they enjoy doing and what really exudes through their personality. I have always been like this. It’s not like main suddenly aise ban gayi hoon.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 771
10:17 AM
WILL BHOLAA BE AJAY DEVGN’S NEXT BIG HIT AFTER DRISHYAM 2?
Ajay Devgn’s first major release of 2022 was Runway 34. It was also directed by him and despite having a promising storyline, it failed to work at the box office. However, 2022 ended on a rocking note for him as Drishyam 2 emerged as a huge blockbuster, collecting Rs. 233.52 crores. It did more than Brahmastra and that’s an achievement for a film that is not a typical big-scale film.
And now, Ajay Devgn is all set to present Bholaa to the audience. Like Runway 34, it is also directed by him and stars him and Tabu in the leading roles. Deepak Dobiryal, Sanjay Mishra, Gajraj Rao and Vineet Kumar feature in the film in supporting roles while Amala Paul has a cameo appearance. It is the remake of the Tamil hit Kaithi.
Bholaa’s campaigning began way back in November, with the unveiling of a sneak peek teaser. Another teaser was released in January followed by the trailer launch in March. The teaser got a very good response and heightened the buzz for the film. But the trailer failed to get the desired response. Moreover, the film looks like a mass entertainer, fit for single screens. The multiplex audience hasn't warmed up to the film yet. On top of it, it’s releasing in the holy month of Ramzan, when a section of the audience stays away. All these factors can prove detrimental.
Drishyam 2 opened at Rs. 14.92 crores. Bholaa is a bigger film but its opening will be around Rs. 10-11 crores. It releases tomorrow, on Thursday, to take advantage of the Ram Navami holiday. It’ll have a four-day weekend and if reports are positive, it can have a weekend of Rs. 40-50 crores. It also has negligible competition for the next 3 weeks. However, if reports are and also if it takes opening in single digits, it’ll struggle to even cross the Rs. 50 crores mark.
The other release of the week is Dasara, a Telugu film which is being dubbed in Hindi. It stars Nani and the Telugu original version will have a huge opening. But the Hindi version will face a tough time. Two weeks back, the South dubbed film Kabzaa had released on a huge scale but opened at just Rs. 50 lakhs. Dasara might open in a similar range or even lesser.
Lastly, on Disney+ Hotstar, viewers will get a chance to see Gaslight, from Friday, March 31. It stars Sara Ali Khan, Vikrant Massey and Chitrangda Singh and is directed by Pavan Kirpalani. The trailer is strictly okay. But due to the star cast, it’ll get viewership.
Ajay Devgn’s first major release of 2022 was Runway 34. It was also directed by him and despite having a promising storyline, it failed to work at the box office. However, 2022 ended on a rocking note for him as Drishyam 2 emerged as a huge blockbuster, collecting Rs. 233.52 crores. It did more than Brahmastra and that’s an achievement for a film that is not a typical big-scale film.
And now, Ajay Devgn is all set to present Bholaa to the audience. Like Runway 34, it is also directed by him and stars him and Tabu in the leading roles. Deepak Dobiryal, Sanjay Mishra, Gajraj Rao and Vineet Kumar feature in the film in supporting roles while Amala Paul has a cameo appearance. It is the remake of the Tamil hit Kaithi.
Bholaa’s campaigning began way back in November, with the unveiling of a sneak peek teaser. Another teaser was released in January followed by the trailer launch in March. The teaser got a very good response and heightened the buzz for the film. But the trailer failed to get the desired response. Moreover, the film looks like a mass entertainer, fit for single screens. The multiplex audience hasn't warmed up to the film yet. On top of it, it’s releasing in the holy month of Ramzan, when a section of the audience stays away. All these factors can prove detrimental.
Drishyam 2 opened at Rs. 14.92 crores. Bholaa is a bigger film but its opening will be around Rs. 10-11 crores. It releases tomorrow, on Thursday, to take advantage of the Ram Navami holiday. It’ll have a four-day weekend and if reports are positive, it can have a weekend of Rs. 40-50 crores. It also has negligible competition for the next 3 weeks. However, if reports are and also if it takes opening in single digits, it’ll struggle to even cross the Rs. 50 crores mark.
The other release of the week is Dasara, a Telugu film which is being dubbed in Hindi. It stars Nani and the Telugu original version will have a huge opening. But the Hindi version will face a tough time. Two weeks back, the South dubbed film Kabzaa had released on a huge scale but opened at just Rs. 50 lakhs. Dasara might open in a similar range or even lesser.
Lastly, on Disney+ Hotstar, viewers will get a chance to see Gaslight, from Friday, March 31. It stars Sara Ali Khan, Vikrant Massey and Chitrangda Singh and is directed by Pavan Kirpalani. The trailer is strictly okay. But due to the star cast, it’ll get viewership.
After Shehzada and Selfiee's debacle, experts debate on whether a fatigue is setting in due to remakes?
8:26 AM
Experts weigh in on whether the lack of luck for Hindi remakes of southern Indian-language films is indeed about fatigue
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 12, 2023)
They once gave major fillips to many Bollywood stars’ careers, including Salman Khan (Wanted, 2009), Ajay Devgn (Singham, 2011) and Akshay Kumar (Rowdy Rathore, 2012). But lately, remakes of southern Indian-language films have been failing miserably. From Vikram Vedha, Jersey and Cuttputlli last year to Shehzada and Selfiee this year, the remakes have failed to stir up the audience’s excitement. This begs the question: is a fatigue setting in?
Trade expert Taran Adarsh advises against generalization. “If, in a span of 1.5 years, three remakes failed to perform, we also have examples like Drishyam 2 (2022) that clicked with the audience. It all boils down to how the remake is made. Selfiee and Shehzada were bad remakes. I have seen the originals — Driving Licence (2019) and Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) — and felt that both these remakes were shoddy,” explains Adarsh.
Trade expert Komal Nahta and producer Ashwin Varde opine that the originals being freely accessible on OTT takes away the excitement of watching a remake. “When people have excessively consumed the original already, why would they be interested in watching another version of it, that too, just a year later?” notes Warde. “Vikram Vedha did not work because everyone had seen the dubbed version on YouTube,” says Nahta.
According to trade expert Atul Mohan, viewers are averse to paying to watch the same story twice in theatres. “Going to theatres is an expensive affair, and after the pandemic, people want to spend money on films that would give them something new,” he points out.
The result will be positive, Varde assures, “When producers start to reinvent their choices, even in terms of choosing the right film to remake. The fatigue is in the minds of the producers. We have to add something unique to bring freshness. Frame-by-frame remakes are not going to work now.”
Producer Ramesh Taurani, too, cautions against copy-pasting indiscriminately. “Har film ko uski audience ke hisaab se banana padhta hai. You cannot copy paste everything and expect the film to work,” says Taurani.
Drishyam 2 director Abhishek Pathak marries Shivaleeka Oberoi in Goa
10:59 PM
BOMBAY TIMES (February 11, 2023)
Drishyam 2 director Abhishek Pathak and actress Shivaleeka Oberoi got married in Goa on February 9. The traditional wedding ceremony had a modern touch to it. Sharing some pictures of their big day on social media, the couple wrote, “‘You don’t find love, it finds you. It’s got a lot to do with destiny, fate and what’s written in the stars.’ Last evening, 9th Feb 2023, surrounded by our loved ones, we got married in a place where our relationship bloomed. This will forever be the most magical moment of our life! With our hearts full of love and so many memories, we can’t wait to build even more special ones and begin this new journey together (sic).”
The wedding was an intimate affair, attended by their close friends, family members and colleagues from the industry.
Ajay Devgn and nephew Aaman Devgan, Kartik Aaryan, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sunny Singh and filmmaker Luv Ranjan were among the guests present there. The pre-wedding festivities were held on February 8, while the pheras took place on February 9 and was followed by an after-party.
To promote or not to promote is the question for Bollywood after Pathaan’s box-office success
8:38 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 10, 2023)
With a Rs. 250-crore budget, three big stars, and foot-tapping music, everyone expected the makers of Pathaan to go all out marketing it. But barring some old-school repartee on #AskSRK, the film’s lead Shah Rukh Khan’s Twitter, the film remarkably opted for no promotions.
The action-thriller’s mammoth numbers (Rs. 850 crores worldwide), however, haven’t deterred makers of upcoming biggies Selfiee and Shehzada from taking the all-out route with promotions. While actor Kartik Aaryan is on a multi-city tour for the latter, Selfiee makers have been holding trailer and song launches with much fanfare.
This has inevitably plunged makers and experts in the debate — promotions or no promotions? Varun Gupta, the man behind the marketing for Selfiee, Drishyam 2, and Ram Charan and Jr NTR’s next, says it is “stupid” to blindly follow Pathaan’s example. “An actor just asked me a few days back that if Pathaan is not doing anything, why should we? I just feel helpless trying to explain that it is not a film that you can measure with any other lens. It’s the return of brand SRK on the big screen after four years, nobody else can match that. Marketing tactics will keep evolving, but they will never go out of fashion,” says Gupta.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, however, feels that no promotions is the way forward, because eventually, it’s content that does the talking. “Drishyam 2 didn’t do any city tours, no mall visits. Promotions and tours only add to the cost of the film. Devote time to social media and do your promotions there. Avoid lavish expenses and controversial comments before release,” he opines.
Uunchai, Ram Setu and Good Luck Jerry (all 2022) co-producer Mahaveer Jain weighs in: “If the trailer of a film hits the ball out of the park, it’s the biggest resource for any film. The same applies to songs. Now, if the makers feel that multi-city tours and promotions are required to reach the audience and create awareness, they must go ahead with it.”
And who says promotions can only be done before release? Makers of Pathaan recently also slashed ticket prices by 25%, which, Jain feels, “will help add a whole new section of an audience for the film”. Gupta agrees, calling it an excellent promotional tactic on their part.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 764
11:26 PM
PATHAAN WON'T CROSS BAAHUBALI'S COLLECTIONS BUT THE PURPOSE IS SERVED
Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, was released on January 25 and as discussed in our last week's edition, it took an earth-shattering opening. It became the first film to collect as much as Rs. 68 crores in a single day. Even after the five-day extended weekend, it continued to do well.
A lot of experts expected Pathaan to drop in the second weekend. However, it didn't and collected Rs. 22.25 crores and Rs. 27.50 crores on its second Saturday and Sunday respectively. This is a huge feat for a film that has already collected a lot.
On Saturday, February 4, it crossed Dangal's collections and emerged as the biggest Hindi film of all time. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, February 8, it crossed KGF - Chapter 2's lifetime earnings.
In two weeks, Pathaan is expected to collect Rs. 438 crores. The next target is to beat Baahubali 2's collections of Rs. 510 crores. This means that Pathaan will have to earn Rs. 72 crores from the third week to achieve this target. This seems a bit impossible as it earned around Rs. 90 crores in the second week against Rs. 347.75 crores in Week 1. Hence, as one can see, the collections will fall further in the forthcoming weeks. Also till now, it had no competition but next Friday, it'll compete with big films like Shehzada and Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. At the most, Pathaan can earn Rs. 60 crores more and barely cross the Rs. 500 crore mark. Going past Baahubali 2's collections seems out of the question.
But post-pandemic, one can never be sure. When films work, they work like crazy as seen by the performance of films like Kantara, Drishyam 2 etc. For instance, no one expected Drishyam 2 to collect Rs. 232 crores when it had completed two weeks. After collecting Rs. 159 crores in 15 days, it earned around Rs. 72 crores from Week 3 onwards and that was also unexpected. Hence, a clearer idea of the lifetime earnings of Pathaan will emerge after how it fares in its third weekend.
Nevertheless, the purpose is served. Pathaan's mega-blockbuster success brought respite to the industry and made it clear that Bollywood has bounced back with a bang.
Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, was released on January 25 and as discussed in our last week's edition, it took an earth-shattering opening. It became the first film to collect as much as Rs. 68 crores in a single day. Even after the five-day extended weekend, it continued to do well.
A lot of experts expected Pathaan to drop in the second weekend. However, it didn't and collected Rs. 22.25 crores and Rs. 27.50 crores on its second Saturday and Sunday respectively. This is a huge feat for a film that has already collected a lot.
On Saturday, February 4, it crossed Dangal's collections and emerged as the biggest Hindi film of all time. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, February 8, it crossed KGF - Chapter 2's lifetime earnings.
In two weeks, Pathaan is expected to collect Rs. 438 crores. The next target is to beat Baahubali 2's collections of Rs. 510 crores. This means that Pathaan will have to earn Rs. 72 crores from the third week to achieve this target. This seems a bit impossible as it earned around Rs. 90 crores in the second week against Rs. 347.75 crores in Week 1. Hence, as one can see, the collections will fall further in the forthcoming weeks. Also till now, it had no competition but next Friday, it'll compete with big films like Shehzada and Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. At the most, Pathaan can earn Rs. 60 crores more and barely cross the Rs. 500 crore mark. Going past Baahubali 2's collections seems out of the question.
But post-pandemic, one can never be sure. When films work, they work like crazy as seen by the performance of films like Kantara, Drishyam 2 etc. For instance, no one expected Drishyam 2 to collect Rs. 232 crores when it had completed two weeks. After collecting Rs. 159 crores in 15 days, it earned around Rs. 72 crores from Week 3 onwards and that was also unexpected. Hence, a clearer idea of the lifetime earnings of Pathaan will emerge after how it fares in its third weekend.
Nevertheless, the purpose is served. Pathaan's mega-blockbuster success brought respite to the industry and made it clear that Bollywood has bounced back with a bang.
Box office ka sochke toh I don’t think koi bhi actor kaam kar sakta hai-Tabu
8:44 AM
The actor says what matters to her is that she got to be a part of some ‘fantastic creative exchanges’
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 4, 2023)
Tabu has fielded questions of all kinds in her career so far, ranging from those on money to her personal life. But, the one question that the actor finds toughest to answer is — what is the thought process behind selecting the films she does?
“I don’t put a lot of thought into it!” she tells us. “It’s been such a long journey... Usko backtrack karke decide karna is almost impossible. You can’t think, ‘Maine aisa kaunsa ingredient daala ki aisa hua’. There are so many factors, so many permutations and combinations. I really can’t encapsulate in a few sentences,” adds the 52-year-old, last seen in Kuttey.
Tabu, who has the Ajay Devgn-starrer Bholaa lined up next, says she just feels “lucky” to have been offered diverse characters and scripts. “I worked with directors and had fantastic creative exchanges. That’s important,” she adds.
Many actors have often said that their focus is just on doing good work and not so much on box-office numbers. As someone who starred in two of the biggest hits of 2022, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Drishyam 2, how does Tabu look at things?
“Box office ka sochke toh I don’t think koi bhi actor kaam kar sakta hai,” she says, adding, “Of course, everybody would love the film to do well, no doubt. But, yeh sochke nahin koi kaam karta hai ki main hit picture mein kaam kar raha hoon. Matlab, I can’t. Of course, if it becomes a big hit, amazing! But, the idea is to always do things that excite you.”
Drishyam 2, Pathaan: Who said the era of superstars is over?
8:33 AM
Industry experts are of the opinion that superstars of the ’90s can never be written off
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 29, 2023)
“Lekin hamari jagah lega kaun? Humein hi karna padega bhai, bachhon pe nahin chhod sakte!” This banter between actors Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in the post-credits scene of the record-breaking movie Pathaan has made fans go gaga. But, what may seem like an innocent conversation between two seasoned spies, Pathaan and Tiger, may actually be hinting at the larger picture — the future of Bollywood and the era of superstardom.
The answer, in some ways, lies in what Pathaan has done. Apart from breaking records and setting some, the major reason cited everywhere is that people thronged theatres to witness their King of Romance, Shah Rukh, turn into an action hero. Compare this to the chatter about how his career was deemed to be over up until now.
STARS ENHANCE CONTENT
Ever since a few films starring these biggies didn’t work, people started saying their time is over. Content became the hot word, especially with OTT coming in.
However, Abhishek Pathak, who co-produced and directed Ajay Devgn’s hit, Drishyam 2 (2022) says, “Content and superstars together can fly so high. Obviously, content will only take you so far. Eventually, the star makes everything work. No one could have imagined Pathaan or Drishyam 2 without them (Shah Rukh and Ajay). Stars will never go away.”
SO, IS THE STAR POWER DEBATE INVALID NOW?
“Superstars of the 90s can never be written off. Unfortunately, people are quick to write their obituaries after a film flops. They are a part of every star’s life. Ditto for SRK. Look how he bounced back. I can say that his name alone can sell tickets,” says trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
Aamir Khan’s last film, Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), may not have worked, but his previous hits such as Dangal (2016) and 3 Idiots (2009) are proof of his fan base. According to filmmaker R Balki, SRK’s example is an exception. “A star like SRK is very rare. When he goes away for four years, people want to see him. I don’t know the broad classification of superstars, this is the case of one person here,” he says.
CAN NEW GEN REPLICATE THIS SUCCESS?
Adarsh says there are very few who have it in them, such as actor Ranbir Kapoor, but it will take them time. Whereas, trade expert Atul Mohan points out how some actors start calling themselves “superstars” after one or two hits.
WHO IS A SUPERSTAR?
The definition of a superstar isn’t just limited to box-office numbers; it has to do with impact they create on the audience. Manoj Desai, executive director, G7 multiplex and Maratha Mandir cinema, says, “Public ke dil mein jagah honi chahiye. Jo aam aadmi pe beet rahi hai, agar usse woh star connect kar paaye, toh log kehte hain, ‘Arre yeh toh meri kahaani hai’.”
R Balki, who has worked with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan, among others, says, “It is a person whom you are willing to pay money to watch; it is that simple!”
Cinema Lover’s Day: Movie buffs rewatch recent favourite films
8:45 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; January 22, 2023)
Moviegoers were in for a treat when theatres celebrated Cinema Lover’s Day on January 20 and offered tickets at Rs. 99. In Mumbai, many shows performed better than on regular days this month, while a couple of shows were housefull. However, as per cine experts, the day didn’t get as good a response as National Cinema Day, when 6 am shows were added to meet the demand.
PEOPLE DON’T MIND A MOVIE OUTING WHEN IT JUST COSTS Rs. 100
While attendance at movie theatres didn’t peak, most moviegoers were in theatres to rewatch some recent films. Rakesh Mehta, a businessman, says, “I took four of my family members for Drishyam 2 because the tickets were affordable. We really wanted to watch this film, but on a regular day, ticket prices are very high.”
Priya Salian, a college student, saw Avatar: The Way Of Water with her friends on Cinema Lovers Day. She says, “We had seen the movie and wanted to watch it again. When I got to know that the ticket prices would be Rs 99 on Friday, we jumped at the opportunity. However, I think that not many people knew about the discount on ticket prices, it should have been publicized more.”
Deepali Rao, a homemaker, agrees. She says, “I happened to be at a mall and got to know that the ticket prices were lowered for a day. It was tough to make a sudden plan. These things should be advertised better.”
‘SUCH DAYS ENTICE AUDIENCES BUT WE NEED GOOD MOVIES TOO’
Cine experts say that cinemas are trying to keep footfalls up by organising these special days. Girish Johar, producer and business analyst, says, “The major learning from National Cinema Day was that if ticket prices are comparatively low, then moviegoers will come to theatres. But there should be a movie good enough to watch, and that’s the reason this day was nothing like the last National Cinema Day.”
He adds, “But it definitely increases engagement. These activities help a lot, entice audiences and keep people in the habit of watching films at theatres.” Exhibitors also share that more such days will be celebrated from time to time in the future.
‘WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO OFFER THIS IN COMING WEEKS WITH BIG RELEASES’
Even as the average cost of a movie ticket dipped last year, as compared to 2019, it went slightly up with major releases and reached its peak toward the end of 2022. Till 2019, a drop in ticket price was nearly unthinkable, but now cinemas are trying this model to attract footfall and sustain the business. Exhibitors say that Cinema Lover’s Day took inspiration from National Cinema Day and the overwhelming response to it.
An exhibitor says, “It was basically a strategy to attract more moviegoers on slow days. For the next few weeks, we have big releases lined up and offering this treat to moviegoers would not have been possible. Besides, due to few releases this month, we have witnessed a dull period at cinemas.”
Classifications 2022: Six blockbusters, one super-hit and three hits
9:12 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
The year 2022 was bad year for original Hindi content but it was helped out by dubbed South films which mean business was only 30% down on 2019. Hollywood releases saw good numbers for the big films with regular content pretty much like the Hindi films and putting in lower numbers than regular content in 2019. AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER broke the record of AVENGERS: ENDGAME but it was down to the South circuits smashing records by distances while the business in many areas was good and not outstanding.
There were three films that crossed the 200 crore nett mark - THE KASHMIR FILES, DRISHYAM 2 and BRAHMASTRA. THE KASHMIR FILES number was not not organic with sponsored shows by political parties, corporates and individuals. But here even if 100 crore nett was organic, it is still an insane number for the film.
DRISHYAM 2 was the film of the year as far as original Hindi content is concerned and the face of it the film can be called an OTT film but the film was based around human relationships of a family and had brand value. The earlier DRISHYAM had worked on satellite and Maharashtra. DRISHYAM 2 went mad in Mahasrashtra recording numbers second to only KGF - CHAPTER 2 post pandemic and than includes all Hollywood releases as well.
KGF - CHAPTER 2 was the film of the year if we look at all the films. The film set the box office on fire from day one and there was no stopping the film as it racked up initial records at almost every centre in the Hindi circuits. This film, like BAAHUBALI, had seen insane results on satellite which meant huge reach of the film. RRR (South) BHOOL BHULAIYAA 2 which came in the first half of the year were also BLOCKBUSTER films.
KANTARA (South) also deserves a mention as it did huge business in Maharashtra as the regionality and story had takers there but if the film somehow managed respectable numbers in a Bengal or Punjab it was due to how the rural milieu was presented so well in the film which Hindi cinema is unable to do today. These areas would hardly care about the story or the myths of the film.
There are flop theatrical films put in the list before but as its one disaster after another one the flop tag is probably not as bad as it was before. The classifications of 2022 is as follows.
All Time Blockbuster
KGF - Chapter 2 (South)
Super Blockbuster
Avatar: The Way Of Water (Hollywood)
The Kashmir Files
Blockbuster
RRR (South)
Drishyam 2
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
Super Hit
Kantara (South)
Hit
Brahmastra
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (Hollywood)
Gangubai Kathiawadi
Semi Hit
Thor: Love And Thunder (Hollywood)
Jurassic World: Dominion (Hollywood)
Average
JugJugg Jeeyo
Black Panther
Black Adam (Hollywood)
Karthikeya 2 (South)
Below Average
The Batman (Hollywood)
Top Gun: Maverick (Hollywood)
Ek Villain Returns
Uunchai
Rocketry - The Nambi Effect
Flop
Vikram Vedha
Ram Setu
Bhediya
Badhaai Ho
Major (South)
Vikram (South)
A list of top twenty five original Hind film grossers of 2022
8:54 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
THE KASHMIR FILES remained the biggest grosser of the year as far as outright Hindi films go though if the film did not get sponsored screenings, the business would have been less than the likes of DRISHYAM 2, BRAHMASTRA and BHOOL BHULAIYAA 2. It is impossible to tell what is the actual organic collection of the film but the facts say it is the highest grosser of the year. However, if all things were equal it would had been DRISHYAM 2 as the top outright Hindi film of the year.
The total collections of the top 25 films amounted to 1859 crore and there will probably be another 5 crore nett to come from the films still running. So lets say a total of 1865 crore nett from the top 25 films. The same in 2019 was 3500 crore with the top ten films alone easily covering the 1865 crore of 2022. This 47% down from 2019; its a huge drop and the figures show the dire situation. Its a horrible scene outside the top five grossers.
Basically business has gone back ten years as in 2012 the top twenty five films picked up around 1950 crore while in 2011 it was 1500 crore. The overall picture is not too bad as there was KGF - CHAPTER 2 (Hindi) and RRR (Hindi) but this will not happen every year. If same time next year, we are up 50% it would be a good result and anything more will be a bonus. Obviously you want to see the major 25 films put up 3000 or 3500 crore like in 2019 but it may take longer to get there.
The top twenty five grossers of 2022 are as follows.
1. The Kashmir Files - 2,46,91,00,000
2. Drishyam 2 - 2,32,00,00,000 (52 days; Still Running)
3. Brahmastra - 2,30,23,00,000
4. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 - 1,81,65,00,000
5. Gangubai Kathiawadi - 1,26,32,00,000
6. Vikram Vedha - 79,53,00,000
7. JugJugg Jeeyo - 78,53,00,000
8. Ram Setu - 72,72,00,000
9. Samrat Prithviraj - 68,06,00,000
10. Bhediya - 60,25,00,000 (45 Days; Still Running)
11. Laal Singh Chaddha - 59,58,50,000
12. Bachchhan Paandey - 49,00,00,000
13. Raksha Bandhan - 45,23,00,000
14. Shamshera - 41,05,00,000
15. Ek Villain Returns - 39,74,25,000
16. Cirkus - 35,75,00,000 (18 days; Still Running)
17. Runway 34 - 33,51,50,000
18. Thank God - 32,98,50,000
19. Uunchai - 28,65,00,000 (59 Days; Still Running)
20. Heropanti 2 - 24,91,00,000
21. Doctor G - 24,33,50,000
22. Jersey - 20,46,50,000
23. Badhaai Ho - 18,97,00,000
24. Jayeshbhai Jordaar - 16,59,25,000
25. Jhund - 14,30,50,000
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