Showing posts with label Fast & Furious 7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fast & Furious 7. Show all posts
I wasn’t bogged down by the barriers in Hollywood or here-Ali Fazal
7:52 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; November 23, 2020)
Besides making a mark in Bollywood, Ali Fazal is one of those actors from Indian shores who have made headway in Hollywood with prominent roles in films like Victoria & Abdul (2017) and Death On The Nile (yet-to-release). The actor recently spoke to Bombay Times about diversity and inclusion in Hollywood, and also reflected on the challenges he faced in establishing himself as an actor in India and the West.
“When I was starting out, I was unaware of the industry norms. I was studying economics and doing theatre. I always knew there’s more to life, so I wasn’t bogged down by the barriers that came with growth, the trials and tribulations of being an actor. I was interested in everything. And it was the same with Hollywood. Indians have mostly played Middle Eastern roles in the West, but even in that, I tried to break stereotypes. So what if the character was a Sultan (his Hollywood appearance in Fast & Furious 7), he wasn’t dressed in those princely robes. It’s the 21st century, so you bring in your own understanding of it,” Ali said.
Talking about how he viewed the roadblocks he faced, the actor shared, “The challenges have been building blocks, perhaps a tad more democratic in the West, but they have always existed. I have known colleagues, especially in the West, who have faced a lot of stereotypes, too. It’s always good to retain your identity and culture and merge it with wherever you are. As long as you are confident of your culture, it’s just a part you are playing. As actors, we are supposed to be moulded.”
Fast & Furious 7 assistant director Emily Shah plays a pivotal part in Abhay Deol-starrer Jungle Cry
8:08 AM
Abhay Deol’s leading lady, Emily Shah, has assisted on big budget franchises such as Fast & Furious 7 and Jersey Boys and is the daughter of a producer of Hindi and Hollywood films
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 4, 2019)
Emily Shah makes her Bollywood debut as Abhay Deol’s leading lady in Sagar Ballary’s Jungle Cry, a biopic on the life of rugby coach Rudraksha Jena of Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) who led the team of rural Odisha boys to a big win in London. Interestingly, the US-based actress has, in the past, assisted on the sets of Hollywood blockbusters like Fast & Furious 7 and Jersey Boys.“I grew up doing theatre and am also a dancer, having learnt ballet, tap, jazz, modern and Bollywood moves. I enjoy making the audience laugh, cry and sit on the edge of their seats. I did Fortune Defies Death, a film about defying death which was screened at several film festivals and bagged awards,” Emily informs.
Her mother is American, with Welsh and Scottish blood, while her father is an Indian film producer who’s done both Hindi and Hollywood films which was how she went on to assist on the big-budget franchise. “My Baa (grandmother) taught me Gujarati even before I learnt English and would take me with her to the mandir. That’s how I came to practise Hinduism,” she says.
Speaking about her Hindi film which was shot in Wales, Emily shares that being the team’s physiotherapist, she was doctor and mentor both on and off the field. “I trained with a physio and by the end of my prep, I learnt all about rugby and medicine,” she smiles, saying she wanted her first film to convey a strong message.
The actress is all praise for Abhay. “He’s a veteran actor, knowledgeable about the Indian film industry and also how cinema in the West works. We clicked instantly. We didn’t rehearse but I’m sure we will create magic on screen,” she promises.
Dimple Kapadia had never auditioned until now-Purvi Lavingia Vats on actress bagging Christopher Nolan's Tenet
7:57 AM
As Dimple Kapadia bags role in Christopher Nolan's Tenet, talent manager recounts how she impressed Hollywood's visionary
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 24, 2019)
The Modi tsunami may have taken over the nation yesterday, but it won't be wrong to say that Dimple Kapadia came a close second in capturing the imagination of Indian cinephiles. And with good reason. The actor, 61 - who has unfortunately been seen all too rarely on the big screen - found herself in the enviable position of having landed a role in Christopher Nolan's next, Tenet. The film will see her rub shoulders with Robert Pattinson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Michael Caine, among others.Kapadia's talent manager Purvi Lavingia Vats tells mid-day that the role is the result of several discussions over the past one-and-a-half months. "With someone like Nolan, who is secretive about his scripts, the brief provides little information on the role. For the audition, they don't give you a scene from the script. They [Nolan and team] had already seen her footage and had loved her work. When they saw her audition tape, Nolan and the casting director came around, and the rest is history," beams Vats.
Even though Kapadia - whose career spans over four decades and numerous awards, including a National Award - has been a stranger to auditions, Vats says the actor understood the demands of the situation. "Dimple has never auditioned before. So I had to sit her down and make her understand that the idea of casting people, basis their taped auditions, is to understand if they fit the part. But they are respectful when someone is reluctant and are willing to watch tapes of their previous work."
Vats was previously also the brain behind Ali Fazal's casting in Furious 7 (2015). Quiz her about Indian actors breaking through in mainstream Hollywood, and she insists that it's a long road ahead. "Only when an Indian actor headlines a mainstream film in the West and plays it to the fullest, will it be a great scenario."
I locked myself up in my hotel room in London with 12 history books-Ali Fazal on his prep for Victoria & Abdul
8:42 AM
As told to Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2018)
The 2017 British biographical comedy-drama Victoria & Abdul (above), which was nominated for two Oscars, came to me unannounced. I was told about it by an agent in Mumbai and went through multiple auditions in London studios and readings with director Stephen Frears. After I landed the part, a month-and-a-half before the shoot, I locked myself up in my hotel room in London with 12 history books spanning the last 200 years.
Abdul Karim, the young prison clerk from Agra who sails to England for Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887 to present her with a gold coin and strikes an unlikely friendship with the Queen had got lost in time. In the 18th century there weren’t too many photographs taken and no video footage, so we had to build him up from the few that existed, mathematically map out Abdul’s life through his clothes and suchlike. The books only helped me 10 per cent in fleshing out the character, but thanks to the film, I brushed up on my history.
Abdul had lived in London for 15 years and served as the Queen’s munshi. An Urdu scholar who knew the Quran well, he was also her Urdu and spiritual teacher. During their time together they had fallen in love, even though he was 30 and she 80. But from the way the screenplay was written, it seemed like the story had unfolded over five days and the only way to track the timeline was to be attentive to the costumes which changed with the years.
I’d lied saying I’d read the book on which the film was based, only doing so after the shoot. The screenplay wanted to create a fantasy in the midst of chaos and I didn’t want to burst that. But I did brush up on my Urdu and even taught it to Judi Dench. She in turn taught me table manners, in particular how to eat lobster. Both of us come from a theatre background and we’d chat for hours. The friendship that blossomed was real.
For my other Hollywood film, Fast and Furious 7, I learnt to drive sports cars because in the initial script I had a race with Vin Diesel. I practised on an Audi R8 and Bugatti but by the time we reached the second schedule, we lost Paul Walker and the script turned into a tribute to him. So the race didn’t happen but another scene was added as compensation. The film was the Dabangg of Hollywood and I was playing royalty but royalty today wears Versace and not a crown. I knew a few princes from Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, observed how they spoke and thought and even acquired a Middle-Eastern accent.
Back in Bollywood,
the Fukrey (left) franchise has become a crowd-puller but I admit, the first
time I heard it, I didn’t think much of the role I played. Zafar, the
struggling musician, seemed too easy and I thought if he were mute, I
would be more impactful. The filmmakers eventually convinced me to come
on board and I developed a great chemistry with the other boys (Pulkit
Samrat, Varun Sharma and Manjeet Singh). I also got to play some
amateurish guitar which I’d learnt during 3 Idiots (right). I hadn’t got much
time to prep then so I used a few common chords while singing “Give Me
Some Sunshine” live, full out. But the guitar became a part of me.
More recently, for Mirzapur, a story of two brothers, I put on 12 kg of muscle and shaved my head to play this medieval character in a series which is a mix of Narcos and Godfather. It has hi-octane action sequences which required training. But since I come from a family for whom hunting was a game once, though I don’t promote it, I know my guns.
Avengers: Infinity War becomes seventh historic Hollywood blockbuster in India
8:33 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR has become the seventh historic blockbuster from Hollywood in India as listed below. It could even become the biggest of them all in terms of adjusted gross but that will depend where the film finishes. At the moment THE JUNGLE BOOK is the biggest closely followed by TITANIC in terms of adjusted figures.
It all really started for Hollywood in 1994 with JURASSIC PARK which grossed around 7.50 crore nett which equates to 125 crore nett in value today. JURASSIC PARK and TITANIC are the only big hits in the single screen era as at that time it was difficult for Hollywood films to fill up 1000 seaters even if dubbed. The multiplexes changed the game and in the last three years the huge grossers from Hollywood have become more frequent.
The seven historic blockbusters from Hollywood in India is as follows.
1. Jurassic Park (1994)
2. Titanic (1998)
3. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
4. 2012 (2009)
5. Fast & Furious 7 (2015)
6. The Jungle Book (2016)
7. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Ali Fazal to reprise his role in Fast & Furious 9?
8:18 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; January 20, 2018)
Ali Fazal made his Hollywood debut three years ago with Furious 7 (the seventh instalment of the Fast & Furious franchise), in which he played Safar, a garage owner who helps hustle the Furious gang to their mission. He had a small role, and barely three scenes in the film, but it was talked about. However, the actor was not part of the eighth film in the series.
Now, we hear Ali will reprise his role in the next instalment of the hit action franchise that is set to roll by the middle of this year. The actor’s last Hollywood release, Victoria & Abdul (2017), saw him sharing screen space with Dame Judi Dench. Since the release of the film, he has been getting a lot of opportunities in the West. He has also signed a biopic in Hollywood. Says a source, “Ali was seen in a small yet impactful role in Furious 7, which the audiences liked. After the lead role in Victoria & Abdul, his character is being revived in Fast & Furious 9. Though he will play the same character that he essayed in the seventh instalment, this time he’ll have more screen time.”
Salman Khan's Tiger Zinda Hai is being shot where Vin Diesel shot for Fast & Furious 7?
3:17 PM
DNA (May 4, 2017)
The third schedule of Tiger Zinda Hai, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif is expected to roll in Abu Dhabi on a huge set.
One of the shooting locations is set at the Arkan cement factory in Al Ain. Says a source, “Around 150 local members of crew will be joining hands with the production team for the shoot. This location is notable as it also featured in portions of Fast and Furious 7.” However, the context and look of this set have been strictly kept under wraps.
The source added, “For these portions of the schedule, the action and stunt crew from the Dark Knight films, led by Tom Struthers as action director and his action choreographer Buster Reeves, will set up for a big, impressive action sequence. Tom along with TZH director Ali Abbas Zafar and their teams have looked at forms of action and Salman Khan is completely on board to train and prepare for these scenes. They intend to raise the bar close to international standards.”
Tiger Zinda Hai has already filmed extensively in Austria.
Will Raees-Kaabil Go The Fast & Furious 7 Way?
2:03 PM
Fast & Furious 7 is one of the highly successful Hollywood releases in India. Released in 2015, what many people don’t remember that it released on a Thursday and not a Friday. Now this is not an unusual phenomenon. A lot of films get released on a Thursday, even Wednesday but that’s because it’s a holiday on that day. This ensures that the film has a huge opening and can earn as much as possible on the holiday day.
But Fast & Furious 7 released on Thursday April 2 when there was no Holiday. Friday April 3 was a Good Friday holiday though. Many films have have released on non-Holiday Thursday but shows would commence only after 6 pm – it’s popularly called paid previews. But Fast & Furious 7 didn’t have paid previews – it had a full release with shows commencing from morning itself. A lot of people then had wondered the logic behind this move. The Hollywood film clashed with the Hindi detective flick Detective Byomkesh Bakshy. But it had a conventional release on a Friday.
The move paid off however. Despite releasing on a working day and a Thursday, Fast & Furious 7 broke all opening day records for a Hollywood film. It earned nearly Rs 12 crore which was huge!
Now Kaabil & Raees are set to do something similar. As we all know by now, both films are set to clash on Republic Day weekend. But Kaabil makers thought of earning a little more and hence announced that their shows will commence from January 25th evening onwards and the film will then had a full release from January 26 morning. Not wanting to be left behind, Raees makers said that their shows will have shows in the morning of January 25. Gradually, it emerged that Raees will not just have shows in the morning, it will have shows later in the day too. Kaabil makers too decided to jump into the bandwagon and made it clear that even their film, like Raees, will have a full release on January 25.
A section of industry and trade however was slumped by this development. After all, the idea to release the film on a holiday is to ensure that the film gets a record opening and rake in as much money before the word of mouth gets spread. On a Wednesday, this might be difficult to achieve though collections will see an upswing from 4-5 pm onwards. And if the response to any film is bad, it can spell doom for the film as the film won’t manage to really make a mark on the lucrative Holiday day (January 26).
But if both films are good and makers are confident, then they need not worry, as proven by Fast & Furious 7. Yes, the film will not have opening-day record collections (which was anyways ruled out thanks to the clash). But even if both films can manage to earn in the 15-20 crore range on January 25th, it will be a huge feat and it will get a chance to do better before collections come in, in hordes, from January 26.
Here’s hoping both films manage to make a mark and impress audiences and succeed on a non-Holiday Wednesday, just like Fast & Furious 7!
Bollywood directors want release of foreign films to be limited, to save local film industry
9:12 AM
Amit Karn (MID-DAY; June 26, 2016)
Truth is stranger than fiction. Bollywood films are facing tough competition from Hollywood films on their own soil. Several filmmakers, like Mukesh Bhatt, have sounded off an alarm to save Hindi films from dwindling box office collections. It is well known that Hollywood filmmakers and studios work in a monopolistic way. They have realised the importance of the Indian market and sometimes, even release their films here first.
Big bite
The collections of Hollywood films have multiplied in India in the last five years. Initially, they would only play at 400 screens across the country, now it is over 1,500 screens. For instance, Jurassic World (2015) released in over 65 countries worldwide. In the US, it released in only 440 theatres, while overseas, it was running in over 800 theatres. In India alone, it was released in 2,300 screens across the country. No big Bollywood films released a week earlier or a week after after its release. Mohit Suri’s Hamari Adhuri Kahani, starring Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi, took the risk, but paid the price at the box office. In another instance, in 2015, Fast & Furious 7 got double the screens that Detective Byomkesh Bakshy got. While Fast and Furious 7 got 2,800 screens, Byomkesh got 1, 240.
Says Vikram Bhatt, “They have aced the genres of animation, sci-fi and action, due to which the multiplexes favour them. This is not a wrong move as they are raking in the moolah. But the biggest impact is on small budget films. During the festive season, it is difficult to procure release dates as the Khans and Kapoors dominate. During the summer months, they release animation films to target the vacation crowd. The IPL takes care of the rest as filmmakers do not want to release their films during the cricket season. So where do the small filmmakers go?”
Good run
Saurabh Saxena, COO, Carnival Cinemas says, “Our earnings from Bollywood and Hollywood are the same. But what is happening is that Hollywood films are now running successfully even in the second week. For instance, The Jungle Book did phenomenal business in the second and third week. It was a similar situation during Captain America and The X Men.”
Target audience
According to film distributors, Hollywood is making a planned effort to target India. They are releasing their films here before the US. The Jungle Book released worldwide on April 15, but in India it hit theatres on April 8. Commenting about the scenario, Amitabh Bachchan says, “I had started ABCL in 1995 and at that time I had said that we need to look after our production houses. The Americans are coming. In 1990, when I was in New York, I met a Hollywood studio head. This man, in a mere 30 minutes, told me the history of the Hindi film industry. I was shocked. He told me to look after our house as the Yankees are coming.”
Irrfan, who has seen the best of Hollywood and Bollywood, says, “Earlier, we didn’t had to worry about such a situation. If we do not make films that are inspired by our roots, we will not be able to take them on.” Adds Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India, “It is the survival of the fittest. In the marketplace, only what is really good, sells. For example, Neerja and Kapoor And Sons were our films and ran successfully in theatres for several weeks. The audience has the right to choose what is best for them. If we enforce protective policies, we are stealing the rights of the audience to choose what they want to watch.”
Chinese model
Filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt counters Vijay Singh’s logic. The veteran says, “In China, only 35 foreign films can release in a year. This is a government directive. This is the case even though there are 50,000 screens. We have only 8,000 screens. Healthy competition will happen when there is a fight among equal talents. Their films have a budget of 500 to 1,200 crores, but our films have a meagre budget of barely 50-60 crore. How can we match their quality? Unfortunately, the government is not taking action on this.”
Cine historian Jai Prakash Chouksey says, “In Bollywood, there is no unity among filmmakers. Big stars get their dates and number of screens. The small budget filmmakers are fighting among themselves to get an audience. The late Indira Gandhi had introduced a bill to limit Hollywood releases. She had the foresight and vision even in the 1970s. But since then, no other government bothered to do anything.”
Hollywood: The new threat to Bollywood?
8:07 AM
Big Box-office collections of Hollywood films is forcing B-Town producers to rethink their release dates
Upala KBR (DNA; May 4, 2016)
What changed
Today with evolving audience tastes, good penetration in the Indian market, large-scale distribution and dubbing in regional languages for a wider audience, Hollywood movies is taking Bollywood head-on with their huge B-O figures. And now, B-Town producers are postponing their release dates to avoid clashes with them. Case in point: Baahubali: The Conclusion, releasing April 14, 2017. However, since Fast & Furious 8 has announced the same date, trade sources feel the Baahubali sequel might move its date.
Facts in figures
2015 saw three Hollywood films cross the Rs 100 crore mark, despite blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. It was also the year where Fast & Furious 7 took the Indian box-office by storm and grossed Rs 172 crore (lifetime). Sushant Singh Rajput’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshi released the same day and got washed out (Rs 27.05 crore (lifetime business). Jurassic World (grossed Rs 152 crore in India) released on June 12 with Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Rs 41.23 crore worldwide) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (Rs 111 crore).
Growing competition
The first quarter of the year has passed and already seen the releases of Batman vs Superman (March 25), Kung Fu Panda 3 (April 1) and The Jungle Book. Film trade expert Girish Johar says, “Today there’s been a paradigm shift in the minds of Bollywood producers because of the box-office success of Hollywood films which are big brands or franchises like The Jungle Book (in its fourth week, the total collections now stand at Rs 158.92 crore), the Fast & The Furious series and the Batman trilogy. Bollywood producers are now thinking twice before releasing their films on the same day. All these films had a fabulous opening and much better than expected. In the last five years, the contribution of Hollywood films to the box-office has almost doubled —from 5-7 per cent it has increased to 10 per cent. So now, Bollywood producers are considering which big Hollywood films are coming before finalising their release dates. This year, we will see the release of films like Captain America, X-Men, Independence Day, Tom Hanks-Irrfan-starrer Inferno and the animation flick Angry Birds while 2017 will see the release of XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage, the next Pirates Of The Caribbean and Priyanka Chopra’s Baywatch, so yes the competition is growing. Earlier, it was about the three Khans, now producers have to contend with Hollywood films as well.”
Apprehensions
Trade analyst Amul Mohan adds that the worst sufferer from the Hollywood brigade was the John Abraham-starrer Rocky Handsome (lifetime business of Rs 25 crore) which released with Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice (four days BO collection was Rs 28.25 cr) on March 24 this year. “Yes, today Bollywood producers are re-thinking their release dates, especially if they are clashing with a franchise or a big movie. They are apprehensive about releasing at the same time as Hollywood films are eating majorly into their business. Hollywood films have a set market, a loyal audience and are time-based. Big franchises like the Fast & Furious series, Batman vs Superman are always going to trouble Indian producers. Earlier, Hollywood studios would get to release their films much later in India whereas now they get to release it just a week prior to their release in USA. The lifetime collections of The Jungle Book in India should cross over Rs 175 crore which is huge. It has definitely eaten into the collection of Fan which released a week later (April 15).”
The big crush
Mohan adds that the Hollywood BO boom in India has increased the confidence of Hollywood studios like Disney who released The Jungle Book recently and will release Captain America: Civil War this week. “One of India’s young stars has dubbed it in Hindi making it easier for them to push their product in Indian markets. It’s easy money to put for promotions of Hollywood films and give a good fight to Bollywood releases. This is a new trend in the last couple of years as Hollywood studios are so confident of their product that they are using the same marketing panache as Indian films. But what is scary in this scenario is the fate of small-budget films like One Night Stand, Traffic, and 1920 London which will release with Captain America. Small budget films can’t release with bigger Bollywood films and will end up getting crushed with big Hollywood releases. “
Producer Ramesh Taurani however, has a different perspective. He says, “The problem is that there are only 52 weeks in a year and a handful of holidays. And South and Bollywood films combined add up to a 150 films releases. As producers we don’t have any option to change our release dates. Also, not all Hollywood films do well in India except maybe a few big films, action dramas, superhero films and big franchises. I will not sacrifice a good date and will take on a Hollywood film. No Bollywood producer will sacrifice a holiday to avoid a clash with a Hollywood film. I don’t think Baahubali 2 should change their date. They will will score over Fast & Furious 8 in the South as they have a loyal market. The first part was a huge success so first preference will be given to Baahubali 2. Though some amount of loss will happen, both films will do business.”
BIG IN 2016
May 6: Captain America: Civil War
May 13: Angry Birds
May 20: X Men: Apocalypse
June 24: Independence Day: Resurgence
July 1: The Legend Of Tarzan
July 15: Ice Age: Collision Course, Ghostbusters
August 5: Suicide Squad
October 14: Inferno
December 16: Rogue One: Star Wars
Upala KBR (DNA; May 4, 2016)
Business has been booming for Hollywood films in India
over the last few years. As late as last year, Hollywood biggies were
still in direct competition with big B-Town releases, but had to usually
bow out. If you remember, Bond film Spectre (it debuted to Rs 23
crore in its opening weekend) was delayed here for two weeks, so it
didn’t clash with Salman Khan-starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
What changed
Today with evolving audience tastes, good penetration in the Indian market, large-scale distribution and dubbing in regional languages for a wider audience, Hollywood movies is taking Bollywood head-on with their huge B-O figures. And now, B-Town producers are postponing their release dates to avoid clashes with them. Case in point: Baahubali: The Conclusion, releasing April 14, 2017. However, since Fast & Furious 8 has announced the same date, trade sources feel the Baahubali sequel might move its date.
Facts in figures
2015 saw three Hollywood films cross the Rs 100 crore mark, despite blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. It was also the year where Fast & Furious 7 took the Indian box-office by storm and grossed Rs 172 crore (lifetime). Sushant Singh Rajput’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshi released the same day and got washed out (Rs 27.05 crore (lifetime business). Jurassic World (grossed Rs 152 crore in India) released on June 12 with Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Rs 41.23 crore worldwide) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (Rs 111 crore).
Growing competition
The first quarter of the year has passed and already seen the releases of Batman vs Superman (March 25), Kung Fu Panda 3 (April 1) and The Jungle Book. Film trade expert Girish Johar says, “Today there’s been a paradigm shift in the minds of Bollywood producers because of the box-office success of Hollywood films which are big brands or franchises like The Jungle Book (in its fourth week, the total collections now stand at Rs 158.92 crore), the Fast & The Furious series and the Batman trilogy. Bollywood producers are now thinking twice before releasing their films on the same day. All these films had a fabulous opening and much better than expected. In the last five years, the contribution of Hollywood films to the box-office has almost doubled —from 5-7 per cent it has increased to 10 per cent. So now, Bollywood producers are considering which big Hollywood films are coming before finalising their release dates. This year, we will see the release of films like Captain America, X-Men, Independence Day, Tom Hanks-Irrfan-starrer Inferno and the animation flick Angry Birds while 2017 will see the release of XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage, the next Pirates Of The Caribbean and Priyanka Chopra’s Baywatch, so yes the competition is growing. Earlier, it was about the three Khans, now producers have to contend with Hollywood films as well.”
ApprehensionsTrade analyst Amul Mohan adds that the worst sufferer from the Hollywood brigade was the John Abraham-starrer Rocky Handsome (lifetime business of Rs 25 crore) which released with Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice (four days BO collection was Rs 28.25 cr) on March 24 this year. “Yes, today Bollywood producers are re-thinking their release dates, especially if they are clashing with a franchise or a big movie. They are apprehensive about releasing at the same time as Hollywood films are eating majorly into their business. Hollywood films have a set market, a loyal audience and are time-based. Big franchises like the Fast & Furious series, Batman vs Superman are always going to trouble Indian producers. Earlier, Hollywood studios would get to release their films much later in India whereas now they get to release it just a week prior to their release in USA. The lifetime collections of The Jungle Book in India should cross over Rs 175 crore which is huge. It has definitely eaten into the collection of Fan which released a week later (April 15).”
The big crush
Mohan adds that the Hollywood BO boom in India has increased the confidence of Hollywood studios like Disney who released The Jungle Book recently and will release Captain America: Civil War this week. “One of India’s young stars has dubbed it in Hindi making it easier for them to push their product in Indian markets. It’s easy money to put for promotions of Hollywood films and give a good fight to Bollywood releases. This is a new trend in the last couple of years as Hollywood studios are so confident of their product that they are using the same marketing panache as Indian films. But what is scary in this scenario is the fate of small-budget films like One Night Stand, Traffic, and 1920 London which will release with Captain America. Small budget films can’t release with bigger Bollywood films and will end up getting crushed with big Hollywood releases. “
Producer Ramesh Taurani however, has a different perspective. He says, “The problem is that there are only 52 weeks in a year and a handful of holidays. And South and Bollywood films combined add up to a 150 films releases. As producers we don’t have any option to change our release dates. Also, not all Hollywood films do well in India except maybe a few big films, action dramas, superhero films and big franchises. I will not sacrifice a good date and will take on a Hollywood film. No Bollywood producer will sacrifice a holiday to avoid a clash with a Hollywood film. I don’t think Baahubali 2 should change their date. They will will score over Fast & Furious 8 in the South as they have a loyal market. The first part was a huge success so first preference will be given to Baahubali 2. Though some amount of loss will happen, both films will do business.”
BIG IN 2016
May 6: Captain America: Civil War
May 13: Angry Birds
May 20: X Men: Apocalypse
June 24: Independence Day: Resurgence
July 1: The Legend Of Tarzan
July 15: Ice Age: Collision Course, Ghostbusters
August 5: Suicide Squad
October 14: Inferno
December 16: Rogue One: Star Wars
Superstars and girl power ruled 2015 in Bollywood
8:34 AM
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; December 27, 2015)
The year 2015 has been a
remark able one for Bollywood for varied reasons. At the start itself,
films like Dum Laga Ke Haisha (a romcom), Baby (an espionage drama) and
NH10 (a thriller) were noticed. Anushka Sharma, who turned producer with
it, gave a commendable performance in the movie. Fifty-eight films
released in the first quarter and netted a business of around Rs 391
crore.
However, optimism reigned in the second quarter (Q2)
(April-June) when only 49 films
released and the monies saw a jump when the net collections for Q2 went
up to Rs 576 crore. As a popular trade magazine said, “Fortunes changed
with Akshay Kumar's Gabbar is Back on May 1 and Varun Dhawan's ABCD 2 on
June 19. Following closely were four actresses who rewrote the box
office rules. Yes, Deepika Padukone's Piku and Kangana Ranaut's Tanu
Weds Manu Returns along with Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma's Dil
Dhadakne Do got people to sit up and notice that the girls were as good
at the game as were their male counterparts.“
The third quarter or Q3 (July-September) saw 51 releases and
netted a staggering Rs 885 crore, according to trade sources. The man
spearheading the collections was none other than the darling of the
masses, Salman Khan, who kept his Ramzan Eid date with Bajrangi
Bhaijaan. This Kabir Khan directorial crossed the Rs 300-crore mark
despite having the stiffest competition from SS Rajamouli's Baahubali:
The Beginning, the first dubbed film to cross the Rs 100-crore mark in
Hindi. Welcome Back was a super hit at the box office.
Drishyam, a riveting drama between a cop and a common man, was a sleeper hit. Meghna Gulzar's
Talvar, which dealt with the Aarushi Talwar murder case, won accolades
and set the cash registers ringing as it proved that good cinema
rightfully deserves its due at the ticket windows.Typically the last quarter (October-December), which is considered the most important in the trade because it sees the Diwali and Christmas releases, has also kept the Bollywood flag flying high. Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, a rib-tickling comedy, was a hit, especially with the youngsters. Salman Khan-Sooraj Barjatya's Prem Ratan Dhan Payo has reached approximately Rs 188 crore, while the Christmas releases - Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani and Rohit Shetty's Dilwale are both sitting pretty in the Rs 100-crore club already only in the domestic market. What's more, they are still counting big numbers. While Bajirao Mastani has received a terrific word of mouth, Dilwale is leaning big on Shah Rukh Khan and Varun Dhawan's charisma. This entertainer has kids and families cheering for it. Where the final tally of the two December 18 releases ends is anyone's guess at this point.
Aamir Khan had no release this year
but he still had reason to cheer. His PK (2014) was the highest domestic
earner, sitting pretty at around Rs 324.30 crore. It also went on to
break records in the Chinese market as it became the highest grossing
Hindi film till date. HOLLYWOOD GAVE BOLLYWOOD A RUN FOR ITS MONEY THIS YEAR
If daddy can do it, Big Daddy can do it better. Yes, Hollywood, which at one time contributed to a mere 13 per cent of the cinema ticket sales in India each year, showed the desi market that it knows the art of multiplication better than us.
Deepika Padukone may have bagged her next with Vin Diesel but she seriously made a blunder by dropping out of his April 2015 release, Furious 7 (F7). The film crossed the Rs 100-crore mark in India leaving many Bollywood films behind. Three weeks after F7 came another Hollywood biggie - Avengers: Age of Ultron. This one netted around Rs 72-odd crore in our domestic market.
Now Bollywood knows that distant Hollywood is not to be taken lightly. So, they have started to clear the decks when the likes of a James Bond 007 (Spectre) or the latest instalment of a huge franchise like Star Wars comes.
The force has awakened.
Jurrasic World is the 2nd highest Hollywood grosser of all time in India
4:56 PM
Box Office India Trade Network
JURASSIC WORLD has become the second highest grosser ever from Hollywood in India. The film has done business of around 77.50 crore nett in twenty four days which puts it ahead of AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.
The year has not been good for Hindi films but its a different story for Hollywood releases in India as the top three grossing Hollywood films are all 2015 releases. FAST & FURIOUS 7 has grossed 95 crore nett, JURASSIC WORLD will go close to 85 crore nett and AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON grossed 75 crore nett.
All three films have beaten the long standing record of 2012 which released in 2009 and was the highest grossing Hollywood release till this year.
Hollywood is turning out to be Bollywood's biggest competitor
8:02 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; June 17, 2015)
The Indian audience has clearly demonstrated with the success of films like Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Piku, Dil Dhadakne Do and Badlapur that good content sells. Hollywood has always given films with great content, but we in India, assumed that while they were great films, they would find it difficult to ever beat Bollywood films. For the first time, the Hindi film industry is beginning to realise that they don't just compete with each other, the biggest competitor they need to fight is Hollywood. We bring you our own observations based on the slow but sure shot shift that we are currently witnessing from Bollywood towards Hollywood.
a) Hollywood has shown the the ability to beat a Big Bollywood film.
The recent successes of Fast & Furious 7, Avengers: Age Of Ultron and now Jurassic World has shown how Hollywood is not just delivering big numbers at the Box Office, but they have in some cases, even beaten big Bollywood releases released in the same week.
Fast & Furious 7 beats Detective Byomkesh Bakshy:
Fast & Furious 7 did Rs 110 crores in India and is not just the first Hollywood film to have done over Rs 100 crores, but it beat Detective Byomkesh Bakshy hands down.
Jurassic World beats Hamari
Adhuri Kahani:Jurassic World has done a weekend of Rs 35 crores at the Box Office, beating the big Bollywood film Hamari Adhuri Kahani last weekend. This was unimaginable some time back, but it proves that good content sells.
b) Hollywood increases its pie by dubbing films in other languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali) that are doing almost as much business as its English version
So far Hollywood had restricted its releases in English language and that limited their reach. Now with top Hollywood films being dubbed in other languages, Hollywood is growing the pie for itself and that will all happen at the cost of Bollywood and other regional cinema. Almost 50% of the Fast & Furious 7 Box Office numbers have come from other languages. And while currently only sci-fi and high action Hollywood movies are being dubbed in other languages, in the long run as audiences evolve and Hollywood movies are dubbed in other genres such as horror, comedy and romance, the reach of Hollywood will further expand.
c) Big Hollywood films have started getting even solo releases in India
Mission Impossible Rogue Nation will be releasing solo on August 7 and what is interesting is how no Bollywood producers want to risk coming with the anticipated blockbuster. With growing competition and a scramble for best dates to release films, Bollywood producers were as it is fighting for the limited number of big holidays and solo release dates. In addition, they now have to also consider release dates of some of these big Hollywood films which are big potential threats. A Bollywood producer will now not only have to look for dates when our three Big Khans' (Aamir, Salman and Shah Rukh) films are not releasing, but also watch out for the big Tom Cruise and Daniel Craig films.
I won't do a film now that I am not convinced about even if it's with the biggest director-Ajay Devgn
8:18 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; June 9, 2015)
Ajay Devgn, 46, may have
given many blockbusters that were pure entertainers,
but he is always remembered for his performance-based roles in films
like Zakhm, The Legend Of Bhagat Singh, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,
Gangaajal and many such. He is not just a macho man who can do great
action, but he is also a thinking man. He believes that the audience has
changed today, but that does not mean that they are looking for
pseudo cinema, the change is simply that they are rejecting a film if it
does not entertain. A good entertainer will always work. Despite having
hits in 23 out of his 25-year-long film career, he has now decided that
he will not do a film even with the biggest directors if he is not
convinced.Just prior to leaving for Bulgaria for his pre-prep for his
next directorial film Shivaay, he spoke to Bombay Times about the
current change in the taste of the audiences, the films he will now do
and his view on his wife Kajol being a part of Shah Rukh Khan's
Dilwale. Excerpts:
Your last film Action Jackson did not work at all. Is that going to change the kind of films you will take up in the future?
I had already changed before Action Jackson, that took a lot of time to release. I knew that the change had happened, so my decision had been made earlier. People are thinking that cinema has changed in a major way, but it hasn't. You need to present good cinema that has a good story, emotions and drama. You basically need to work on it. But what people are doing now is that they are taking drastic steps and making pseudo films, as they feel that the market has changed. So they make niche films in the name of cinema that do business of Rs 10-20 crores. If they are made in Rs 4-5 crores, it's okay, but I can't do a kind of film that is made in Rs 4-5 crores. To do a 4 crore film, we have our entire life left when I can do films just for creative satisfaction.
Look at the presentation of Hollywood, there is no stupidity yet they give you a big cinema experience. A Fast & Furious 7 did the numbers it did, even in B and C class cities, despite it not even having stars there that you recognize, as it gives you a larger-than-life experience. Otherwise, why do you go to a theatre, when there is so much coming on television? If I have a choice between a must-see, fabulously written film and a good entertaining film, I would first go to the theatre to see the good entertaining film. So yes, the audiences have changed and grown, but you can't now go completely on the other side and say here now, this is our intellectual masturbation. The audience still wants a big film experience with a good script and the right sensibilities. But entertainment is very important. Without that, a film cannot do big business. Imagine, for instance, Singham took such a big opening and yet, there is a theatre in a B Class centre in Rajasthan where Singham got a Rs 3 lakh opening whereas Fast & Furious 7 got a Rs 5 lakhs opening. It means that people are hungry for these big films so far as you make them well and not cheat them. In Hollywood, which films do you wait for? Iron Man and Avengers, right? Do you wait for small films or talk about them? When they come and people say it's nice then you see it. So, the challenge is how you can package it in a new way and how you present it and that has been proven in Tanu Weds Manu Returns. It's an entertainer in today's time that has struck the right balance. And it's very good for the industry. People had started assuming that audiences have stopped coming to the theatres. But have you given a good product to them? A good film has always worked. It's not about the big entertainers, it's about the good entertainers. Good entertainers can never fail.
Drishyam is a remake of a Malayalam blockbuster by the same name. However, given that in the recent past, South remakes have not worked, what made you make Drishyam?
There was this phase earlier in the 90s, where we were doing 12-18 films at a time and most of the films used to work. Sometimes, we didn't even know when our films were releasing as there were so many of them. There was no promotion, no media, nothing. We would just be told achchi opening lagi hai, chal gayee picture. At that time, action films were working very well. For instance, Phool Aur Kaante was an action film, but with a good story line, with good music and father-son emotional drama. Then people stopped working hard, you got the star, put four songs, some story and assumed anything would work and they became stunt films. There is a difference between action films and stunt films and the audience started rejecting it. Then came a phase where people were inspired by South films and made films like Wanted or Singham or the first Dabangg, and then because they worked, again they said, chalo, let's start buying any South film and remake it. Again, the audience has rejected that. But South also makes very nice yet commercial films. Drishyam is not a no-brainer. I did Drishyam as after a long time I heard a great script. Hats off to the original writer for having written it the way he has. It's the first time I heard a script and immediately said, 'Okay done.' For years, people meet me and question me as to why I don't do films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or The Legend Of Bhagat Singh or Zakhm or Gangaajal as they liked me the best in these films. It took me 30 seconds to decide whether I should do a Zakhm or not, as in 30 seconds, Bhatt sahab narrated me the idea and I could see the emotion on his face and I said, 'Done. I am doing it.' I have not heard anything like that. That's what I found in Drishyam after a long time, the script, the sensibilities, the intelligence and keeping all that in mind, it is completely an edge-of-the-seat commercial thriller. And I am therefore not ashamed that I am doing a remake of a brilliant original film. It's a performance-based film and you will not sit back even for a second.
How was your experience working with Tabu again after so many years in Drishyam?
I knew her even before she came into the industry as we had common friends, but yes, I am working with her after a long time. She is a very straightforward person. She is what she is and she will tell you what she feels about you also and that is very nice about her.
So going forward, would you be only doing performance-based films?
I am going to do not exactly niche films but something which has a good story, the drama and the right sensibility. Sometimes we come into emotions and do a film without a story but all that has stopped now and I won't do that any more. I won't do a film now that I am not convinced about even if it's with the biggest director in the country.
You shot a large part of Drishyam in Hyderabad's Ramoji Film City. How different is that versus shooting in a film city in Mumbai?
Mumbai has home so you don't feel like going to work. And the traffic kills you. In a place like Hyderabad, you obviously miss your home but your concentration level is high, there is no traffic and it is so comfortable as you stay close by and just go down and shoot.
You were all set to shoot Shivaay in Canada last winter. What made you change your plans suddenly?
I cancelled shooting in Canada as I was not satisfied with the practicalities of the location. Some places had access only by choppers. I took a call and didn't want to compromise. My whole team found it to be a bold and sensible decision. I know what I am doing and as long as my producers Eros International know what I am doing. Luckily, I got all my locations in Bulgaria which I was not getting in Canada at all. The pre-prep is fully on and I plan to shoot this winter.
Does it affect you if your film does not do well?
Most of the time, I know which film is not going to do well. So, it affects me while shooting and I know it's not going to work and then I want to get over with it as soon as possible. And then it affects you while promoting a product.
How do you promote a film that you know is not good enough?
If you see my interviews, you will be able to make out when I trust a film and when I don't. I can't harm the film, so when I am not convinced, I will say, 'Ya we are keeping our fingers crossed and everyone has worked very hard.' But when I am really confident I will say, 'I am confident and I believe in this film.'
Rohit Shetty is close to you and has been able to do the impossible of bringing one of the most loved onscreen pairs of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol together in Dilwale. Do you have a point of view on this?
I am very happy as she is doing a big film. She liked the script very much and she is not someone who will do a film for the heck of it. My equation with anybody has nothing to do with Kajol's equation with anybody as I really believe that before she met me they were all friends. I am not going to come into her life and change that part of it. I am a very secure person. I cannot force my opinion on anyone else and my attitude is you leave me alone and I leave you alone. Also, I know that she will never do something that will mentally or in any other way hurt me. If I don't like some of her friends, I abuse them in front of her. But she can go out with them and that does not affect me at all.
Do you like Shah Rukh-Kajol as an onscreen couple just like the audience does or do you feel possessive of her as a husband?
I don't believe in pairing at all. I believe that characters have or don't have chemistry.
Your last film Action Jackson did not work at all. Is that going to change the kind of films you will take up in the future?
I had already changed before Action Jackson, that took a lot of time to release. I knew that the change had happened, so my decision had been made earlier. People are thinking that cinema has changed in a major way, but it hasn't. You need to present good cinema that has a good story, emotions and drama. You basically need to work on it. But what people are doing now is that they are taking drastic steps and making pseudo films, as they feel that the market has changed. So they make niche films in the name of cinema that do business of Rs 10-20 crores. If they are made in Rs 4-5 crores, it's okay, but I can't do a kind of film that is made in Rs 4-5 crores. To do a 4 crore film, we have our entire life left when I can do films just for creative satisfaction.
Look at the presentation of Hollywood, there is no stupidity yet they give you a big cinema experience. A Fast & Furious 7 did the numbers it did, even in B and C class cities, despite it not even having stars there that you recognize, as it gives you a larger-than-life experience. Otherwise, why do you go to a theatre, when there is so much coming on television? If I have a choice between a must-see, fabulously written film and a good entertaining film, I would first go to the theatre to see the good entertaining film. So yes, the audiences have changed and grown, but you can't now go completely on the other side and say here now, this is our intellectual masturbation. The audience still wants a big film experience with a good script and the right sensibilities. But entertainment is very important. Without that, a film cannot do big business. Imagine, for instance, Singham took such a big opening and yet, there is a theatre in a B Class centre in Rajasthan where Singham got a Rs 3 lakh opening whereas Fast & Furious 7 got a Rs 5 lakhs opening. It means that people are hungry for these big films so far as you make them well and not cheat them. In Hollywood, which films do you wait for? Iron Man and Avengers, right? Do you wait for small films or talk about them? When they come and people say it's nice then you see it. So, the challenge is how you can package it in a new way and how you present it and that has been proven in Tanu Weds Manu Returns. It's an entertainer in today's time that has struck the right balance. And it's very good for the industry. People had started assuming that audiences have stopped coming to the theatres. But have you given a good product to them? A good film has always worked. It's not about the big entertainers, it's about the good entertainers. Good entertainers can never fail.
Drishyam is a remake of a Malayalam blockbuster by the same name. However, given that in the recent past, South remakes have not worked, what made you make Drishyam?
There was this phase earlier in the 90s, where we were doing 12-18 films at a time and most of the films used to work. Sometimes, we didn't even know when our films were releasing as there were so many of them. There was no promotion, no media, nothing. We would just be told achchi opening lagi hai, chal gayee picture. At that time, action films were working very well. For instance, Phool Aur Kaante was an action film, but with a good story line, with good music and father-son emotional drama. Then people stopped working hard, you got the star, put four songs, some story and assumed anything would work and they became stunt films. There is a difference between action films and stunt films and the audience started rejecting it. Then came a phase where people were inspired by South films and made films like Wanted or Singham or the first Dabangg, and then because they worked, again they said, chalo, let's start buying any South film and remake it. Again, the audience has rejected that. But South also makes very nice yet commercial films. Drishyam is not a no-brainer. I did Drishyam as after a long time I heard a great script. Hats off to the original writer for having written it the way he has. It's the first time I heard a script and immediately said, 'Okay done.' For years, people meet me and question me as to why I don't do films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or The Legend Of Bhagat Singh or Zakhm or Gangaajal as they liked me the best in these films. It took me 30 seconds to decide whether I should do a Zakhm or not, as in 30 seconds, Bhatt sahab narrated me the idea and I could see the emotion on his face and I said, 'Done. I am doing it.' I have not heard anything like that. That's what I found in Drishyam after a long time, the script, the sensibilities, the intelligence and keeping all that in mind, it is completely an edge-of-the-seat commercial thriller. And I am therefore not ashamed that I am doing a remake of a brilliant original film. It's a performance-based film and you will not sit back even for a second.
How was your experience working with Tabu again after so many years in Drishyam?
I knew her even before she came into the industry as we had common friends, but yes, I am working with her after a long time. She is a very straightforward person. She is what she is and she will tell you what she feels about you also and that is very nice about her.
So going forward, would you be only doing performance-based films?
I am going to do not exactly niche films but something which has a good story, the drama and the right sensibility. Sometimes we come into emotions and do a film without a story but all that has stopped now and I won't do that any more. I won't do a film now that I am not convinced about even if it's with the biggest director in the country.
You shot a large part of Drishyam in Hyderabad's Ramoji Film City. How different is that versus shooting in a film city in Mumbai?
Mumbai has home so you don't feel like going to work. And the traffic kills you. In a place like Hyderabad, you obviously miss your home but your concentration level is high, there is no traffic and it is so comfortable as you stay close by and just go down and shoot.
You were all set to shoot Shivaay in Canada last winter. What made you change your plans suddenly?
I cancelled shooting in Canada as I was not satisfied with the practicalities of the location. Some places had access only by choppers. I took a call and didn't want to compromise. My whole team found it to be a bold and sensible decision. I know what I am doing and as long as my producers Eros International know what I am doing. Luckily, I got all my locations in Bulgaria which I was not getting in Canada at all. The pre-prep is fully on and I plan to shoot this winter.
Does it affect you if your film does not do well?
Most of the time, I know which film is not going to do well. So, it affects me while shooting and I know it's not going to work and then I want to get over with it as soon as possible. And then it affects you while promoting a product.
How do you promote a film that you know is not good enough?
If you see my interviews, you will be able to make out when I trust a film and when I don't. I can't harm the film, so when I am not convinced, I will say, 'Ya we are keeping our fingers crossed and everyone has worked very hard.' But when I am really confident I will say, 'I am confident and I believe in this film.'
Rohit Shetty is close to you and has been able to do the impossible of bringing one of the most loved onscreen pairs of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol together in Dilwale. Do you have a point of view on this?
I am very happy as she is doing a big film. She liked the script very much and she is not someone who will do a film for the heck of it. My equation with anybody has nothing to do with Kajol's equation with anybody as I really believe that before she met me they were all friends. I am not going to come into her life and change that part of it. I am a very secure person. I cannot force my opinion on anyone else and my attitude is you leave me alone and I leave you alone. Also, I know that she will never do something that will mentally or in any other way hurt me. If I don't like some of her friends, I abuse them in front of her. But she can go out with them and that does not affect me at all.
Do you like Shah Rukh-Kajol as an onscreen couple just like the audience does or do you feel possessive of her as a husband?
I don't believe in pairing at all. I believe that characters have or don't have chemistry.
Paul Walker asked me to keep it real-Ali Fazal
7:40 AM
Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; April 22, 2015)
Apart from pushing the
envelope with every role he takes up, Ali Fazal also
experiments with his looks. Be it his bearded avatar in 3 Idiots or the
clean-shaven look in Fukrey, the actor, more often than not, opts for a
different look in his movies. He is currently sporting a new look for
his new project. Riding high on the success wave of the seventh
installment of the international franchise Fast And Furious, the actor
talks about his Bollywood journey that has just begun. How was it working with Paul Walker and Vin Diesel?
It was fun. They didn't know about my accent in the film. So, my shot required six-seven retakes as Vin and Paul wouldn't stop laughing. Also, it was Paul's birthday on the first day of the shoot. I had a long conversation with him about films and action. He asked me to keep it real. He was a fine actor and martial arts expert. Vin and I chatted about Bollywood and potential locations in India for the next part of the franchise if there is one. I personally feel that it's a great franchise and the legacy should continue.
Like Vin, you shot a tribute video for Paul here.
It's interesting. Being the face of India in a franchise like that was quite nice and unexpected. Also, the response to the movie has been amazing and people have liked me. Suddenly, I am feeling a sense of responsibility.
Has the industry's perception of you changed post your Hollywood debut?
It's still too early to say as the film released just over two weeks ago. The industry's opinion of me changed after Khamoshiyan. I am getting approached for unconventional projects. Producers think they can bank on me.
How important is it for you to experiment with your look for every movie. Where does that come from?
It's the result of a lot of inputs from my end. I don't think I go by looks alone. Working on a particular look doesn't make you a serious actor. I am not into method acting. I interpret my character in a certain way and decide on it. I am very impulsive when it comes to experimenting with my looks and love playing with ideas by involving people from all walks of life.
You did some intimate scenes in Khamoshiyan. How much is too much for you?
When you see an Indian man's b**t, that's too much. That will make you feel awkward. Women are still beautiful. There were a lot of suggestive scenes and I don't want to do them for no reason. But a lot of it fit the movie well and I thought that it was shot beautifully.
So, you won't flaunt your butt?
That's for Dostana. That's one franchise I will stay away from.
What are you looking forward to now?
My next is Love Affair, a movie set in the '50s and is based on a true story. I play a dual-shade character. With every project, I have to grow. I am also looking forward to doing some action films. That should be fun.
Fast & Furious 7 downloads: India tops piracy charts
8:28 AM
Sumeet Keswani (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 19, 2015)
Fast & Furious 7, replete with its
tear-jerking tribute to the late star Paul Walker, broke all
box-office records when it was released in India last week. But while
many queued up to buy tickets to see O' Connor take 'one last ride' with
Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and the gang, many more took to the
internet to download the action-packed flick.
The film was downloaded 2.59 million times worldwide on torrent networks in five days, according to a report by piracy-tracking firm Excipio in Variety. But the surprise was in the details: India stood first with 5,78,000 downloads while Pakistan came second with 3,21,000, followed by China with 2,89,000 peer-to-peer torrent downloads.
While these numbers were still rolling in, pirates found a bounty with four episodes of the latest season of popular TV show 'Game of Thrones', leaked a day before it was to premiere on HBO. Over two days, the episodes became the most downloaded files globally, TorrentFreak reported. India was third in this race, behind only the UK and the US.
Indians are usually made to wait for their favourite western shows and movies. For instance, until last year, India had to wait for a week before it could watch the latest episodes of GoT. But even though this has changed, the piracy habit hasn't.
“For Season 5, fans can watch the latest episodes at the same time as the US premiere, ad-free, and in high definition. We believe the move to a simulcast airing of 'Game of Thrones' in 170 countries is going to curb piracy,“ says Monica Tata, managing director, HBO India. But many Indians weren't even aware of the simulcast on HBO Defined or chose not to fork out the premium cost for the channel (Rs 90 on an HD set-top box of Tata Sky).
“Ensuring timely and cost-effective availability of content is an important measure in controlling piracy, along with monitoring and taking down pirate links,“ says Roger Harvey, director, Australia and New Zealand, Irdeto - an antipiracy solutions company.
His argument is backed by a 2014 Irdeto survey conducted among 1,600 adults in Australia, India, Indonesia and Singapore. The results revealed that 34% Indians were tempted to watch pirated content due to lack of availability, and 29% due to pricing concerns.
It comes as no surprise that Indians were sixth in the world when it came to downloading Oscar-nominated movies, most of which were released here months after their US dates. “There's often a delay in the release of much-awaited films. If a free online copy is available right now, why would I wait for months?“ asks Rahul M, a 27-year-old computer engineer in a Gurgaon firm.
The GoT download frenzy wasn't a new trend though. Irdeto recently released global figures for the series which showed a 45% increase in piracy worldwide over 2014. More importantly, India registered a whopping 155% rise in the same period. “For me, it is about convenience. I downloaded all four seasons at the same time and watched them in my free time,“ says Ankita Sen, a 20-year-old college student in Kolkata.
The film was downloaded 2.59 million times worldwide on torrent networks in five days, according to a report by piracy-tracking firm Excipio in Variety. But the surprise was in the details: India stood first with 5,78,000 downloads while Pakistan came second with 3,21,000, followed by China with 2,89,000 peer-to-peer torrent downloads.
While these numbers were still rolling in, pirates found a bounty with four episodes of the latest season of popular TV show 'Game of Thrones', leaked a day before it was to premiere on HBO. Over two days, the episodes became the most downloaded files globally, TorrentFreak reported. India was third in this race, behind only the UK and the US.
Indians are usually made to wait for their favourite western shows and movies. For instance, until last year, India had to wait for a week before it could watch the latest episodes of GoT. But even though this has changed, the piracy habit hasn't.
“For Season 5, fans can watch the latest episodes at the same time as the US premiere, ad-free, and in high definition. We believe the move to a simulcast airing of 'Game of Thrones' in 170 countries is going to curb piracy,“ says Monica Tata, managing director, HBO India. But many Indians weren't even aware of the simulcast on HBO Defined or chose not to fork out the premium cost for the channel (Rs 90 on an HD set-top box of Tata Sky).
“Ensuring timely and cost-effective availability of content is an important measure in controlling piracy, along with monitoring and taking down pirate links,“ says Roger Harvey, director, Australia and New Zealand, Irdeto - an antipiracy solutions company.
His argument is backed by a 2014 Irdeto survey conducted among 1,600 adults in Australia, India, Indonesia and Singapore. The results revealed that 34% Indians were tempted to watch pirated content due to lack of availability, and 29% due to pricing concerns.
It comes as no surprise that Indians were sixth in the world when it came to downloading Oscar-nominated movies, most of which were released here months after their US dates. “There's often a delay in the release of much-awaited films. If a free online copy is available right now, why would I wait for months?“ asks Rahul M, a 27-year-old computer engineer in a Gurgaon firm.
The GoT download frenzy wasn't a new trend though. Irdeto recently released global figures for the series which showed a 45% increase in piracy worldwide over 2014. More importantly, India registered a whopping 155% rise in the same period. “For me, it is about convenience. I downloaded all four seasons at the same time and watched them in my free time,“ says Ankita Sen, a 20-year-old college student in Kolkata.
Sholay gets off to a disappointing start in Pakistan
10:29 AM
The classic that opened across the border after 40 years, has left local distributors and exhibitors sighing over a "slow" Friday opening
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 18, 2015)
After 40 years, Ramesh Sippy's 1975 cult classic, Sholay, opened in
Pakistan on Friday, April 17, in 2D and 3D. And the opening has been
disappointingly "slow".
Ali Chaudhry, Director Operations, Cinestar, the biggest theatre in Punjab, released the film in just three screens in Lahore and Multan but in primetime 8 pm and 10 pm shows. "If on Friday, a holiday, it is not doing well, we don't hold out much hopes of box-office collections picking up on Saturday and Sunday," he sighed.
Amjad Rasheed, Chairman, IMGC Global Entertainment, a leading distributor of foreign films in Pakistan, agreed that the response to Sholay has been "very poor with an average ocupancy of only 15 per cent" despite the only competition coming from the Emraan Hashmi's Bollywood starrer, Mr X which has got off to an "okay" start. "But it is the Hollywood blockbuster, Fast & Furious 7, which is leading even in the third week," he added.
Chaudhry reiterated his views that they have been getting "insane footfalls" in their theatres because of Fast & Furious 7. "The audience is coming in droves but they are just not coming in for Sholay," he admitted.
The revenge drama which opened in India on Independence Day, 1975, featured Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra as Rampur's unlikely heroes, Jai and Veeru, Hema Malini as tangewali Basanti, Sanjeev Kumar as the handless thakur and Jaya Bhadhuri as his widowed daughter-in-law Radha and finally, Amjad Khan as the iconic bad man, Gabbar Singh. Four decades later, Sholay premiered at Karachi's Atrium Cinemas on Thursday and according to a local newspaper, The Express Tribune, just when Gabbar orders Basanti to dance, the screen went black and, seconds after, the audio died out too. The 'technical difficulties' persisted and the movie stopped abruptly twice, 15 minutes away from the climax.
The hiccups continued even though the release had stirred up a lot of excitement among the film fraternity. Pakistani actress, Humaima Malick, who was last seen in the Emraan Hashmi starrer, Raja Natwarlal, told Mirror, "Samba, kitnay aadmi they... that dialogue is unforgettable. Sholay made history! I have seen the film some 20 odd times. Releasing classics in Pakistan is a good step to make our generation aware of old talent. Knowing the interest of our audience, I'm sure they will enjoy real cinema."
Chaudhry doesn't agree. He insists that the concept of rereleasing old classics which many have already seeen is not a good idea. "Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas which released on March 13 also did not pick up. Teen din mein yeh sab film utar jaati hai. Sholay was a blockbuster in its time, we'll give it a week but I'm not optimistic," he admitted. Nadeem Mandviwalla brought the film to Pakistan through his company Mandviwalla Entertainment. It was a limited release with the film playing in just 34 cinemas across the country. Mandviwalla however hasn't lost hope.
Speaking to Mirror from the US, he asserted, "Classics like Sholay need special handling in their release as they are available on many mediums and have been seen many times.We believe that the film has a nostalgic value and it will do its due business in the longer run rather than its first weekend."
Sholay celebrated 60 golden jubilees and over 100 silver jubilees across India. The curry western made boxoffice history with a five-year run at Mumbai's Minerva cinema, a theatrical record only broken in 2001 by the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Interestingly, this is the next classic that could make its way across the border.
"I've heard that too," acknowledged Chaudhry. "But I don't know when DDLJ will open. Classics only release during a dry period and from May we will have lots of big Bollywood, Hollywood and locals films coming to the theatres."
Ali Chaudhry, Director Operations, Cinestar, the biggest theatre in Punjab, released the film in just three screens in Lahore and Multan but in primetime 8 pm and 10 pm shows. "If on Friday, a holiday, it is not doing well, we don't hold out much hopes of box-office collections picking up on Saturday and Sunday," he sighed.
Amjad Rasheed, Chairman, IMGC Global Entertainment, a leading distributor of foreign films in Pakistan, agreed that the response to Sholay has been "very poor with an average ocupancy of only 15 per cent" despite the only competition coming from the Emraan Hashmi's Bollywood starrer, Mr X which has got off to an "okay" start. "But it is the Hollywood blockbuster, Fast & Furious 7, which is leading even in the third week," he added.
Chaudhry reiterated his views that they have been getting "insane footfalls" in their theatres because of Fast & Furious 7. "The audience is coming in droves but they are just not coming in for Sholay," he admitted.
The revenge drama which opened in India on Independence Day, 1975, featured Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra as Rampur's unlikely heroes, Jai and Veeru, Hema Malini as tangewali Basanti, Sanjeev Kumar as the handless thakur and Jaya Bhadhuri as his widowed daughter-in-law Radha and finally, Amjad Khan as the iconic bad man, Gabbar Singh. Four decades later, Sholay premiered at Karachi's Atrium Cinemas on Thursday and according to a local newspaper, The Express Tribune, just when Gabbar orders Basanti to dance, the screen went black and, seconds after, the audio died out too. The 'technical difficulties' persisted and the movie stopped abruptly twice, 15 minutes away from the climax.
The hiccups continued even though the release had stirred up a lot of excitement among the film fraternity. Pakistani actress, Humaima Malick, who was last seen in the Emraan Hashmi starrer, Raja Natwarlal, told Mirror, "Samba, kitnay aadmi they... that dialogue is unforgettable. Sholay made history! I have seen the film some 20 odd times. Releasing classics in Pakistan is a good step to make our generation aware of old talent. Knowing the interest of our audience, I'm sure they will enjoy real cinema."
Chaudhry doesn't agree. He insists that the concept of rereleasing old classics which many have already seeen is not a good idea. "Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas which released on March 13 also did not pick up. Teen din mein yeh sab film utar jaati hai. Sholay was a blockbuster in its time, we'll give it a week but I'm not optimistic," he admitted. Nadeem Mandviwalla brought the film to Pakistan through his company Mandviwalla Entertainment. It was a limited release with the film playing in just 34 cinemas across the country. Mandviwalla however hasn't lost hope.
Speaking to Mirror from the US, he asserted, "Classics like Sholay need special handling in their release as they are available on many mediums and have been seen many times.We believe that the film has a nostalgic value and it will do its due business in the longer run rather than its first weekend."
Sholay celebrated 60 golden jubilees and over 100 silver jubilees across India. The curry western made boxoffice history with a five-year run at Mumbai's Minerva cinema, a theatrical record only broken in 2001 by the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Interestingly, this is the next classic that could make its way across the border.
"I've heard that too," acknowledged Chaudhry. "But I don't know when DDLJ will open. Classics only release during a dry period and from May we will have lots of big Bollywood, Hollywood and locals films coming to the theatres."
Bollywood stars and their barely memorable Hollywood outings
9:28 AM
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; April 4, 2015)
Why do Bollywood stars devalue themselves and make a beeline for now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t roles in Hollywood projects?
When the seventh instalment of the 'Fast and Furious' franchise was announced in 2013, there were rumours about Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor having been approached for the action-thriller. The buzz eventually petered out as the fresh-faced Ali Fazal landed a role in the film.
The actor, who had then been riding high on the success of 'Fukrey' (2013), seemed quite excited about his Hollywood debut. But as 'Furious 7' hit the theatres on Thursday, we saw him in a miniscule role — in just a couple of scenes before and after interval — although he shares screen space with the lead cast. He essays the character of Safar, a garage owner.
This brings us to this question: should Bollywood actors be more concerned about the length and weight of a role rather than the sheer excitement of being part of a Hollywood project? Ali says, “The experience and the process was far greater than the stuff you will see in the film. At first, I was a little bummed out because my race sequence with Vin Diesel got cancelled. But the project became a beautiful tribute to Paul Walker, so I am happy I could be part of it. Ever since the film released, I am surprised at the response I have been getting from all my fans here and new fans in Los Angeles. I didn’t expect it to strike a chord and stand out the way it has.”
In the past, several B-Town folk have spoken about their Hollywood outings with great pride and enthusiasm, but things have not always turned out as expected. But many of them believe that being part of a Hollywood film will propel them onto the global stage.
Love interrupted
Bipasha Basu ventured into Hollywood films with 'The Lovers' (formerly called 'Singularity'), directed by Roland Joffe, which released last month, three years after it was ready for theatres. The movie was panned by American critics. It released in the US on VOD and iTunes and in select theatres. The Bong bombshell simply retweeted what the makers had said about the film’s release. This was a far cry from the fanfare that was created about her Hollywood debut while the shoot was on. Bips was even romantically linked with co-star Josh Hartnett four years ago. Set in the backdrop of the first Anglo-Maratha war, the actress played a warrior in the period drama. From her horse riding lessons to her daredevil stunts, there was a continuous buzz about the film. Even as Bips’ rendezvous with cinegoers was delayed, news kept pouring in that it would “soon” see the light of the day. The buzz gradually died down and no wonder, the film had a quiet release.
Greek tragedy
In 2013, Neetu Chandra had lots to say about being roped in for a Hollywood film, 'Island of the Blue Dolphins'. The film was to be directed by Joe Johnston (of 'Jumanji' and 'Captain America' fame.) The actress was said to have auditioned for the movie through Skype. It was later discovered that there was no such film as some fraudsters had conducted fake auditions online. Later, Neetu did a Greek film 'Block 12' and there was buzz was that she was mistaken for a Spanish actress while shooting for it. 'Block 12', however, could make its presence only on the festival circuit.
A tad too short
Anil Kapoor, who had a significant role in Danny Boyle’s 'Slumdog Millionaire' (2008), went on to be a part of the international TV series, '24', and 'Mission: Impossible —Ghost Protocol' (2011) in which he had a blink-and-miss role.
While Mallika Sherawat starred alongside Jackie Chan in the 2005 film, 'The Myth', in a miniscule role, but her plans to go big with Hollywood fizzled out as she landed forgettable roles in films like 'Hiss' (2010) and 'Politics of Love' (2011).
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was seen in the period drama The Great Gatsby. Although his screen time lasted less than 5 minutes, the character was talked about at many important junctures in the film.
In 2006, while participating in a stage musical Bombay Crush in South Africa, telly actor Gaurav Chopra landed a role in 'Blood Diamond' which starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. As the film was to be shot in South Africa and Mozambique, a local agent had put him on to the makers, who cast him as an Indian journalist called Sanjay. While shooting for the film, Chopra had then stated how cool and chilled Leonardo was and he thought that Gaurav was from Brazil. Jennifer, on the other hand, asked him about astrology and numerology. Gaurav was seen in just one scene.
Exception
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have done several international films and she thankfully had a meaty and important part to essay in The Last Legion (above) and The Pink Panther 2 (below). While the former bombed, the latter did moderate business at the box office
Coming soon
R Madhavan grew a beard and gained the pounds for 'Night Of The Living Dead: Origins', produced by Simon West of 'Con Air' and 'Lara Croft: Tomb Raider' fame. It is a remake of 1968 zombie film, 'Night Of The Living Dead'. He has reportedly said Hollywood makers feel that Indian actors grab more eyeballs which is why they are roped in. Nargis Fakhri let go of a Bollywood offer for her Hollywood debut in Paul Feig’s 'Spy'. These two films are yet to be released.
Vin Diesel is like the Salman Khan of Hollywood-Ali Fazal
9:19 AM
Actor Ali Fazal speaks to fan Prakhar Gaur about Hollywood glitz and his one true love - Bollywood
Baishali Chatterjee (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 5, 2015)
The striking young man, who strides into the Andheri restaurant we're waiting at, is a far cry from the suicidal student in 3 Idiots, or the struggling musician in Fukrey. The one who walks in today looks like he's walked straight out of a Fast & Furious film. Then again, he has.
"I was trekking in the mountains with friends when my agent called and asked me to tape a couple of scenes that she had emailed. I didn't have a suit or gel to slick back my hair. May be that's what worked," says a giddy Ali Fazal.
Our fan-turned-interviewer for the day, 25-year-old Prakhar Gaur, is as excited as Ali. "He came from Lucknow to play a part with Aamir Khan, and now he's made his debut in Hollywood," says Prakhar, who is also a Lucknow boy.
They immediately get down to business - the talk of food. "For me, North Indian food means my nani's home-cooked meals," says the actor. Of course, you're not cast for a Hollywood action thriller if you're stuffing yourself with yakhni pulao. "I understand my body now, so I eat six meals a days and workout every morning. When I was doing Always Kabhi Kabhi, the director asked me to lose weight since I was playing a role of a school student. I ran all over Mumbai. It was my version of Milkha Singh, and ended up losing 13 kilos," says Ali with a laugh, adding, "I'm smarter now."
Prakhar furiously steers the conversation back to Ali's impending Hollywood release. "What was it like?" Vin Diesel is like the Salman of Hollywood, says Ali, matter-offactly. "We were treated like royalty during the shoot, even more so after Paul Walker passed on."
That couldn't have been easy, losing an integral member of the cast, offers Prakhar. "It was so emotional; even I, who barely knew him, teared up when we all met for the first time since Paul's death."
After a delay and some meticulous planning however, the production team completed the film without one of their lead actors. "It was like being in the Matrix," says a clearly mesmerised Ali. "They used Paul's brothers, Cody, who was his stunt double, and Caleb, a paramedic to record Paul's every twitch and facial expression, with the help of CGI. It was put together with Paul's previously shot footage and seamlessly stitched."
You can still see the stars in his eyes when Ali speaks of his experience in this film. But while he's excited to be a part of a big-budget Hollywood flick, he's not leaving Bollywood just yet. "My heart is in Bollywood. I want to do the typical masala films, and, eventually, start direction," says Ali. "My career has seen a natural progression - there have been some successes and a few disasters. I haven't had to struggle, but yes, rejection is hard."
Did he ever want to quit? "Just once," he admits. "Sometimes, I get cynical when I see how ugly the industry can be. Prakhar, a DJ who goes by the name Proxy, says he understands and appreciates Bollywood. "It doesn't matter what genre of music you play all night, but start playing Bollywood and the crowd is on the dance floor," he says. Ali couldn't agree more.
But while Bollywood may be Ali's first love, the regular link ups and negative reports aren't easy to deal with. "Eventually, you learn to ignore them. But being in this industry does affect relationships." "Who's the lucky girl," quips Prakhar. Ali smiles nostalgically: "I was seeing someone who wasn't a part of the industry. But seeing me intimate with women onscreen bothered her. I can understand. Now, I'm single."
A self-professed romantic, Ali tells us about the most romantic thing he has ever done. He called a chef friend to cook an elaborate six-course meal at his girlfriend's home, he recalls. "When she entered, she thought we had been robbed, but once she saw the surprise, she couldn't stop crying!"
Romance in true Bollywood style? Perhaps. But, Ali has proved that he's anything but your run-of-the-mill actor. From a guitar strumming student to a suave, evil businessman, it's been quite a journey. We can only hope that Bollywood doesn't affect his amiable persona like it did his relationship, Prakhar whispers as we say goodbye.
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy opens on half the number of screens of Furious 7?
8:14 AM
Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; April 3, 2015)
'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' starring Sushant Singh Rajput hits the theatres today, but will apparently fall way behind Hollywood action-thriller 'Furious 7' in terms of screens.
Says a source, "Yash Raj Films (YRF) has acquired a little over 1,000 screens, including some prime ones for the Sushant Singh Rajput film. On the other hand, 'Furious 7' is available both in 3D and IMAX versions. It is a hugely successful franchise with a big fan following across the world and has opened on around 2,200-2,500 screens across India."
On the race for screens, the film's director Dibakar Banerjee says: "It's best to get in touch with the YRF distribution team for the most accurate figures."
A YRF spokesperson says, "We are looking at releasing (the film) in approximately 1,200 screens all (over) India."
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