There were several films this year that touched our hearts and entertained the movie buff in us. But business-wise, these films faltered badly. This Filmy Fenil special feature presents a list of 8 films which we feel should have done better at the box office:

Chalk N Duster
This was a sweet, simple film that beautifully tells the problems that plagues our education system. Yes, it had some filmy, unconvincing moments but the essence of the film was lovely and easy to decipher. Moreover, it had a solo release on January 15, 2016. Ghayal Once Again was to release on the same day but got pushed. Yet, Chalk N Duster failed to cash in on it.

Ghayal Once Again
At times, the films don’t fail, it’s the budget that does. This applies well to Ghayal Once Again that had a huge cost to recover (reportedly, Rs 50 crore). Again, this was not a fitting sequel to the iconic Ghayal but it had some really enjoyable moments. The single screen viewers went into frenzy in certain sequences.

Aligarh
Manoj Bajpayee gave one of his greatest performances of his career in Aligarh, based on the life of a controversial homosexual professor in Aligarh Muslim University. The slow-moving film sadly dealt with a not-so-exciting subject which is the reason why its collections were disastrous

Fan
Fan was full of loopholes. However, the action scenes were a treat. In fact, Fan was one of the best action films to have come out of Bollywood. To see a Shah Rukh Khan entertainer not even crossing 100 crore was a huge disappointment

Nil Battey Sannata
This was one of the surprises of the year. The film did pick up after a very, very bad first day but it was just not enough. It was even tax exempted in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi but again, it was not a typical entertainer and hence, viewers gave it a miss.

Phobia
Phobia was a well-made thriller and even had a dash of horror, which added to the impact in certain scenes. Radhika Apte does a brilliant job. How it made less than 4 crores at the box office, despite great reports, is baffling

Waiting
Waiting obviously didn’t seem like a film that would be a hit at the box office. It seemed like a nice, genuine effort but it exceeds expectations. It turned out to be quite a touching film. While the response from audiences was very positive, it didn’t translate into healthy box office numbers.

A Flying Jatt
This film goes wrong at a lot of places. But for the average Indian who craves entertainment and escapism from films, A Flying Jatt was a film to watch out for. Moreover, it was a superhero film and hence, the kids too should have come out in large numbers. Sadly, that didn’t happen especially when viewers have seen better superhero films, in terms of execution, content and effects, from Hollywood. Interestingly, the film does extremely well on television which shows that audiences gave the film a thumbs up, but only when it was out of theatres, sadly.

Second installments didn’t work well at all this year at the BO
DNA (December 24, 2016)

Kahaani 2, the last of the sequels in 2016, has released. The film has done fairly well, but it’s nowhere close to the figures expected right from the very first day. Although, the fate of the Sujoy Ghosh film starring Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal flick is slightly better than the other sequels released this year.

Hit Housefull
“2016 has been so horrible for sequels that even a decent outcome of Kahaani 2 is fair enough,” says a trade expert, “Just look at the manner in which sequels like Rock On 2, Tum Bin 2, Raaz Reboot, Force 2, Ghayal Once Again and Great Grand Masti folded this year. They couldn’t even do half the business of what the last installment had done. There is only one clear hit (Housefull 3) among sequels with the majority turning out to be flops and disasters, it is high time that the entire business model behind sequels is re-looked at.”

Sequels needed?
The impact has been felt most when it comes to expensive sequels. “It is one thing if a film doesn’t live up to expectations and doesn’t perform, totally another when a film doesn’t even open well, despite the sequel/franchise tag attached to it. When you are not even doing better than your predecessor even on the opening day, it is quite apparent that it was a fallacy to even bring a sequel on floors. Clearly, audiences are not interested,” the trade expert adds.

Not interested
In certain cases, the theatrical promo itself sealed the fate for the film. “Tum Bin 2 is a clear example of the audience just not being interested. Also, Tere Bin Laden - Dead or Alive. Audiences didn’t even bother to check these films out,” points out a trade analyst. The biggest difference in the opening day collections of a sequel with its predecessor was evidenced in case of Great Grand Masti and Raaz Reboot. Grand Masti opened at Rs 12.5 crore while Great Grand Masti did just Rs 2.5 crore. That’s a difference of Rs 10 crore. No other sequel in history has underperformed to such an extent. Raaz Reboot, too, had a similar fate.

The maximum growth evidenced by a sequel was in Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Housefull 3 (Rs 15.2 crore) which brought in Rs 1.5 crore more than the last in the series.

Sequels lined up for 2017
Hopefully, 2017 will be better for sequels. The year begins with Jolly LLB 2 and the Akshay Kumar-starrer is expected to open much better than Arshad Warsi’s Jolly LLB (Rs 3 crore). For the sequel trend to continue, Commando 2 and Sarkar 3, which release immediately after, need to do well. Then there is the prequel to Baby, Naam Shabana. “The ‘baap’ of them all is going to be Baahubali 2 — The Conclusion, though, which should bring back the respect and credibility that a quality sequel should ideally boast of,” says a prominent filmmaker, “Then, of course, there are big-ticket sequels like Golmaal Again and Judwaa 2. These will be big for sure but then need to be blockbusters in order to warrant further sequels. As for a film which should give good enough ‘takkar’ to Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion for the crown of best sequel of 2017, it is going to be Robot 2.0.” Thankfully, there is much to look forward to before 2017 comes to a close, what with Salman Khan’s Tiger Zinda Hai coming after Ek Tha Tiger.

HOW THEY FARED

Day One collections of sequels and their predecessors, and then the lifetime and verdict of the sequels

Better than last in the series

Housefull 2 [13.7 crore] and Housefull 3 [15.2 crore] - Difference: +1.5 crore [Lifetime collections: 109 crore. Verdict: Hit]

Kahaani [3 crore] and Kahaani 2 [4.25 crore] - Difference: +1.25 crore [Lifetime collections: Awaited. Verdict: Awaited]

Force [5 crore] and Force 2 [6.05 crore] - Difference: +1.05 crore [Lifetime collections: 40 crore. Verdict: Below average]

Kya Super Kool Hain Hum [7.12 crore] and Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 [8.15 crore] - Difference: +1.03 crore [Lifetime collections: 31 crore. Verdict: Flop]

Tum Bin [0.20 crore] and Tum Bin 2 [0.60 crore] - Difference: +0.40 crore [Lifetime collections: 3.5 crore. Verdict: Flop]

Rock On [1.75 crore] and Rock On 2 [2.02 crore] - Difference: +0.27 crore [Lifetime collections: 11.5 crore. Verdict: Disaster]

Worse than the last in the series

Grand Masti [12.5 crore] and Great Grand Masti [2.5 crore] - Difference: -10 crore [Lifetime collections: 14 crore. Verdict: Disaster]

Raaz 3 [10.25 crore] and Raaz Reboot [6.3 crore] - Difference: -3.95 crore [Lifetime collections: 30 crore. Verdict: Flop]

1920 Evil Returns [4 crore] and 1920 London [2.5 crore] - Difference: -1.5 crore [Lifetime collections: 15 crore. Verdict: Below average]

Tere Bin Laden [0.75 crore] and Tere Bin Laden - Dead or Alive [0.75 crore] - Difference: 0 crore [Lifetime collections: 3.35 crore. Verdict: Disaster]

BAAGHI has emerged the biggest success on television of the films released this year so far which have had a television premiere. There are a couple of big films like SULTAN and HOUSEFULL 3 which have been released but are yet to have a television premiere. There are also some releases below which were 2015 releases but had television premieres this year but barring PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO, BAAGHI is still ahead of them all. It has better ratings than DILWALE, BAJIRAO MASTANI, FAN and AIRLIFT. BAAGHI fetched 21 crore approx for its television rights and will be a comfortable earner which can't be said for many of the other releases.

SANAM RE which could not get an audience at the theatres managed a strong television rating thanks to the huge popularity of its title song which was a super hit across the country. SANAM RE and GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN are the only two films of 2016 which got more television impressions than cinema footfalls. Below are the television ratings of films shown on television this year. The rating are impressions (BARC) which is basically the number of television sets that viewed the films on their respective premieres.
1. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo - 2,51,19,000
2. Baaghi - 69,88,000
3. Dilwale - 67,61,000
4. Sanam Re - 56,66,000
5. Bajirao Mastani - 54,76,000
6. Ghayal Once Again - 38,61,000
7. Fan - 34,18,000
8. Neerja - 19,73,000
9. Airlift - 19,01,000
10. Kapoor & Sons - 12,65,000

The shocker is AIRLIFT which is a disaster on television despite the presence of Akshay Kumar who has a line of blockbusters on television. AIRLIFT fetched around 26 crore and most of that will be lost. NEERJA was another highly rated film by writers in media who went practically mad on the film and was said to be one of the most appreciated films of recent times but figures tell a different story. After just 66 lakh footfalls and that huge hype post release, it hardly got a audience after that.

Its shows box office hits can come with correct budgets and aimed at that limited audience at high end multiplexes who are prepared to pay high ticket rates. But true appreciation from viewers is a different story altogether. BAAGHI is supposed to have not found appreciation and to a certain degree there is truth in that but what can't be true is that NEERJA has huge appreciation and BAAGHI has little appreciation. Below is a comparisons of the two films in cinema and television and the gaps tell the story. This is just not the initial story but also what has happened six months down the line.

Neerja
Cinema Footfalls - 66,23,000
TV Impressions - 19,73,000
TOTAL - 85,96,000

Baaghi
Cinema Footfalls - 95,16,000
TV Impressions - 69,88,000
TOTAL - 1,65,04,000

A couple of years back it was trying to be fed that QUEEN was more appreciated than KICK. This is all pretty funny looking at it from the outside and these writers/critic types can probably say anything because its probably their own opinion and done without data but should it not be about truth rather than opinion? Eventually there has to be a correlation between appreciation and viewership especially when its happening AND when the word on the product is out there is the public domain.

Another point to note is that DILWALE in the final count has come out ahead of BAJIRAO MASTANI in overseas, television, music and digital and only down in India theatrical as the film was weak. But even there the gap would have been hardly anything if that intolerance row against Shah Rukh Khan did not affect the film in Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP, Gujarat, Bihar and Maharashtra.

PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO is the highest rated film on television since satellite television started while BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN is second and remains to be seen if SULTAN gives Salman Khan a clean sweep with the top three on television. Earlier Doordarshan screenings will have higher numbers but there were no figures recorded at the time.

But bigger than all is that a couple of days prior to BAAGHI premiere on television, one of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema SHOLAY featuring Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Badhuri and Amjad Khan picked up 47,21,000 impressions which is just insane for a film 41 years old. After possibly hundreds and hundreds of screenings the historic blockbuster still ranked above a new big budget cast film like FAN and many other new releases.

MUMBAI MIRROR (June 18, 2016)

Sunny Deol whose Ghayal Once Again, the sequel to his acclaimed 1990 film, hit the marquee in February, is reportedly keen to helm a third film in the series. The sequel which featured Deol in the lead role also marked his directorial comeback after Dillagi (1999).

"I want to continue with this franchise if someone comes up with a good story. I won't direct it this time but will produce the film because it's quite difficult to direct and act at the same time," the actor revealed, adding, "There's always a director to guide you when you're acting but as a director you have to work on your own."

Meanwhile, Sunny has two projects in the pipeline, Bhaiyyaji Superhitt, and the remake of Marathi film Poshter Boyz, with brother Bobby Deol. He is also working on the Bollywood debut of his son Karan. "That's my priority right now," he said.

Straight-talking Sunny Deol dares heroes to work with him
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; March 5, 2016)


Are you averse to doing films with a rival or a new actor?
No. I will do a film with anybody. I am ready to act with any hero. But I can give you in writing, no hero will do a film with me.

Why do you feel that?
I don’t know. I am saying that I have no problem with anybody. Let’s see if they hear me out, if they want to, I dare them, come let’s work together.

You seem to share an easy camaraderie with Salman Khan. How about a film with him?
Why not? But it’s very difficult to have a subject that can bring us together.

Are you allergic to the idea of a two-hero project because of what happened in Darr?
No. I have done so many films with so many actors. That time due to respect I gave in, but ek galti ho gayi toh thodi na baar baar aadmi karega. Par yeh nahi ki main kaam karne se rook jaunga, lekin mein galti nahi hone doonga. I can also put my foot down, there I didn’t, and I let it go, so that was my mistake. I would love to work with any actor, it would be great fun.

A lot has changed since you began acting.
Initially, when we made films, I think we didn’t do anything to promote them. We just finished a film, the fans were aware of it, trailer chalta tha, theatre mein log wait karte the, ki film kab aane wali hai and they would go because those were cine-goers.

Any changes that you don’t like?
The whole nature of filmmaking has changed. Earlier, it was passionate producers wanting to make films. Now it is multinationals or studios who want to make the year-ending look good and they work according to that. They have spreadsheets and people sitting over their heads to deliver. Some teams have been picked up from somewhere, they are not passionate filmmakers, they do not know the ABCD of filmmaking, but they are given the power to make decisions. I mean, imagine we spend Rs 15 crores on print and publicity. It’s ridiculous and if you don’t do it, there is so much pressure.

Like the south industry has a cap on promotion spends.
South has existed because of unity, so we’ve got to have unity to make it work. And that is never going to happen.

Maybe the young generation will change things.
(Smiles) The young generation, instead of being actors, want to be cosmetic actors. Koi six-pack bana raha hai, koi karate seekh raha hai, koi dance seekh raha hai, koi kya seekh raha hai, they feel that’s how you become a star. And unfortunately, they are all doing it with shortcuts by taking steroids and supplements, because there’s so much pressure on them.

You were the one who started the trend of body building.
I didn’t start the body building trend. I was never into body building or anything. I was basically an athlete, I was a sports guy and I portrayed characters which were basically of the youth of that era. If you see the characters I played like Arjun and all, I never had any biceps or triceps or any of those kind of things. I was lean. You don’t have to be muscled to play a character like that. Acting is more than that. If I looked big, it is because that’s a kind of a bone structure we Deols have, otherwise that’s how it was. I mean even now if I am doing films, I’m not trying to bulk up or do all those things because I am portraying a character. If I was portraying a body builder, I will do it.

When will we see Bobby return on the screen?
I’m sure after this (Sunny’s film), he will get confident now and move around. He is such a good looker, and a good actor. I don’t know why he has gone into his shell… We are trying to push him out. Because what happens is that when you move away from something for a long time, an internal fear starts building and that’s what I am trying to break out of him. Ek do films karega, theek ho jayega.”

Sunny Deol on the response to Ghayal Once Again, the perception to the characters he portrays and the way ahead
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; February 12, 2016)


The initial response to Ghayal Once Again has been encouraging. Are you happy or did you expect better?
Well, obviously one aims for the sky. I mean it’s nice because I have got good reviews. At times, I really do not know what a critic’s viewpoint is. I think like the audience. Because when I watch a film — I am not talking about my film — say a Hollywood film, I like to get involved in it. I am not trying to see whether the shot was right, whether the story-telling was on the pitch. As long as I am involved in it, it’s a good film for me and if I am not involved in it, then obviously all these flaws get noticed. Sometimes, one feels like no matter what you make, the audiences don’t understand it and they want to see movies like the show Bigg Boss. I don’t understand that.

True, you can never gauge what the audience wants as their taste keeps changing.
No, the audience as such has changed. But now the audience who go to the theatres go because of the perception around the film. Films of many actors who are stars, get great openings, not because they are doing some good work. It is because of the fan following they have created because of the ‘good boy, bad boy’ image they have created, which somehow seems to be working wonders for them. Nobody talks about whether they liked the film or not, they only talk about collections. So it was a big battle for me to make this film the way I wanted to. But it has been a great beginning for me right now. I believe that I am launching myself all over again.

The sequel came 26 years later. Why wait so long?
I wanted to, I really wanted to, but it just didn’t happen. I always had it in my mind that when I made the sequel, it should have the earnesty and honesty. I was not just trying to make a film for the sake of it. So maybe now, after this sequel, I might make a Ghayal 3 also. There are billions of reasons because of which it has not been possible to make it sooner. One of the biggest reasons was that I have mostly always worked with new directors and filmmakers and unfortunately, now, new filmmakers cannot survive the battle of the PR, publicity, and perception. So I am stuck with a couple of producers. I am hoping now that I have started to direct more films myself, take it further around because all I have to do is, be consistent. So when I do a couple of films, people will realise that I am doing a certain kind of cinema. When they see it once or twice, then this will go on the digital format, and onto satellite, so obviously the people who have not been coming to the cinema, will get to know…

Do you only want to do action films?
No, not really. It’s not that I just want to do action films. I basically like to do films which are very emotive. There is some character to it, somewhat a feel to it, like I am, like my Mohalla Assi….

It has been stuck.
I think it will release now. They are working on it right now, so hopefully, in March. This film needs a release and it’s from a great novel and we have made a good film. When I started shooting this film, I didn’t know if I would be able to portray the character to the expected level, but I always love challenges, so I jumped into it.

This time around, Ajay Mehra and Sunny Deol both were quite subdued. Was this a conscious decision?
No, it was not a conscious decision. I just thought the way the character was written, he has lost everything in life and he wants to kill himself. He doesn’t want to exist because there is no purpose. So then there is Omji’s character, the doctor give him a reason and then he starts working. So I couldn’t have seen the character any other way. That’s what I have always tried to do.

Also, your punchlines and one-liners that are so popular were missing in this film. You treated the character with more casualness.
If you have seen my good films, I have shouted in them, it’s not because shouting is required or it’s purposely being done. It is the output of the character. When the audience connects with the character, you have got it right. It’s very difficult to make everybody fall in love with a character as everybody sees it from a different point of view. In all the films I have done over the years, they were character-driven, stories and characters that they related to. But now all they remember is if I am shouting in some scene. That’s all they talk about. They will not talk about the vulnerability of the characters.

That bothers you?
The dialogue has to be spoken in that intensity. The outburst happens... it’s not that I am trying to do it deliberately. I get involved in the scene…. Obviously, there have been certain films where I also started playing up to it, those were bad. Those were really very bad.

So we will see you more in front of the camera or behind it now?
Yes, definitely. I want to do more direction in future. I really want to as an actor, too I will be seen more. I am already working on it. I definitely want to do Ghayal 3 now. I have 100 per cent decided that you’ll will see me this year, in at least two more films.

Your contemporary Anil Kapoor was part of Dil Dhadakne Do. Do you see yourself in a role like that?
I wouldn’t do characters where I didn’t have much to do. I wouldn’t enjoy it. I don’t want to be part of a film where I am just thrown in. I like to be very definite about whatever I do. That’s why I did Damini. I just did that character because he did his bit and then went away. He is not taking away from the hero, he just does his thing and leaves. I prefer doing such roles and I have to enjoy it on the floor, not that ke chalo karlo iske saath, aisa karlo... woh mujhe karna baada mushkil hota hai.

When you conceived this sequel, there was a lot of talk that you would approach Rajkumar Santoshi to helm it once again. What happened to that?
Well Raj and I had spoken initially and he was not so keen on doing a sequel. Then after that obviously we were not working and then we hardly had any discussions about it. So I started looking at other directors but it was not coming up to that standard. So I decided to do it myself.

In Ghayal Once Again, you’ve done away with songs (except one). Was that a difficult decision to make, considering music contributes to a certain fixed revenue for a film?
No, it was not a difficult decision at all. I always like to have a flow of the script. If the song is going to disturb that flow, I would rather not have it, unless and until the genre of the film is like that. I really didn’t want to add songs because I couldn’t see Ajay Mehra singing. If a character had no reason to, why would he sing? So, he can’t have songs. There is no situation for a song, the way the screenplay was going, I had to be true to that. I have never compromised and I am not going to do that now.

This is also the first time you worked with a completely foreign crew for the action. How did that happen?
I have worked with foreign crews. Betaab onwards, we have had lot of foreign crews in our actions. I have worked a lot with them, initially. After that bulana band kar diya because the action directors here didn’t seem to like it. But for this film, I realised that action has gone way beyond what we do and we needed to match those standards. Earlier also, I used to be very involved, in the action part of my films, but when I was directing it, I couldn’t so I needed someone else to do it. I have seen Bourn Ultimatum series and I had liked that guy’s work. I was fortunate that he was ready to do it

You are an introvert. This is the first time you stepped into the public domain for film promotions. Was it difficult, considering this is not something you really enjoy?
Starting was difficult, but then I got into it with the mindset that I am going to love it and enjoy it and it was easy. I was not going to be scared about facing the media. I had decided let them ask me anything and I would answer. Everyone says, ‘Be very diplomatic’, but I started off by saying what I was feeling. That’s what I have been doing and somehow that has been connecting with people a lot.

One has also heard about the serious financial strain that the film put on you personally. Since you were playing a triple role (actor, producer and director), how did you handle it?
Tell me, in which business, is there no financial strain? It’s everywhere. Any business you take on and that’s part of your profession, whatever field you are in. It is just that one paper brought it out in a bad taste. I don’t know why they do such things. Khud ka accounts dekhenge, unko pata chalega unke bank mein hazaron crores ke karze padhe hue hain. Anyway...

Ghayal Once Again is a powerful action entertainer and a treat for Sunny Deol fans. Definitely, it’s not as great as Ghayal but at least it’s better than the recent Sunny Deol disasters. The beginning scenes shockingly are very bad. But 30 minutes later, the film goes on a high dramatically. The mall sequence is damn exciting and nail-biting. Same goes for the local train action scene – it is faadu! What also helped is that I saw the film at Mumbai’s iconic single screen theatre, Gaiety-Galaxy. The crowd went berserk as Ajay Mehra chased, got chased and taught a nice lesson to the baddies. Sadly, the climax is a bit disappointing and riddled with 90s clichés like the goondas beating up unarmed Ajay when they had guns and could have finished him in a jiffy. But the film has paisa vasool scenes in abundance and hence fans of Sunny Deol and masala film lovers should not be disappointed. Ghayal Once Again is sure to have a dream run in single screens!

My rating - *** out of 5!

This week will see the release of GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN which is a sequel of 1990 film GHAYAL  which was a box office phenomena in the ninties. The film was was not the biggest grosser of the nineties as films like HUM AAPKE HAI KOUN, DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE, RAJA HINDUSTANI and BORDER recorded much higher numbers as the box office went to another level in the second half of the nineties.

GHAYAL set records in repeat runs. No film from the nineties was even close to it in repeat runs and only SHOLAY has higher business in repeat runs in the history of Hindi cinema. GHAYAL was released on 22nd June 1990 and was a huge hit but after six months its billings in all circuits barring CP Berar, Nizam/Andhra and Mysore were 25-30% behind DIL which was a blockbuster released on the same day as Ghayal.

GHAYAL's story did not finish in 1990 and went on and on. The film had its first repeat run in Mumbai on 27th September 1991 and the response was earth shattering as despite being one year old the film was competing with new blockbuster films. Below are the first two week figures in Mumbai of GHAYAL in this repeat run compared with the first two weeks of 1992 blockbuster BETA on release.

Week One
Ghayal (Repeat Run) - 11,37,706 from 11 cinemas (99.07%)
Beta - 15,91,205 from 18 cinemas (98.24%)

Week Two
Ghayal (Repeat Run) - 13,52,924 from 16 cinemas (83.14%)
Beta - 13,41,736 from 16 cinemas (97.47%)

This repeat run eventually went to 80 lakhs nett which was a record for any one single repeat run in any circuit. The 80 lakhs nett figure in Mumbai at the time was a figure that only a dozen odd films in 1991 would do in its lifetime run but this film did in repeat run when first run alone had hit 2 crore nett.

GHAYAL continued to have more repeat runs as the Sunny Deol action image consolidated through the nineties and eventually went to 3.25 crore nett plus in Mumbai which was an extraordinary total. Basically in terms of inflation adjusted figures Ghayal was probably a 275-300 crore nett grosser.

If GHAYAL sequel had come in the 90's or even early 2000's it would have smashed all opening records due to the huge appreciation of the earlier film. But GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN is coming more than 25 years later and the audience that made GHAYAL such a huge blockbuster is not the theatre going audience today which probably means the film depending on its content rather than the brand value of the earlier film.

WILL GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN PACK A PUNCH?

The wait is about to get over for Sunny Deol fans. Ghayal Once Again is all set to release tomorrow after loads of delays and amidst speculations. It is the sequel of the very successful and iconic film Ghayal. The makers came out with three theatrical trailers (which is rare) and the excitement enhanced with each trailer. The film looks like a great action entertainer that should be lapped up by Sunny’s fans. The film has been shot in Mumbai on the streets and the action is by Dan Bradley, who has worked in films like Mission: Impossible, The Bourne Supremacy etc. And the action does look smashing but at the same time, realistic.

However, the film is going to have a tough time. The excitement is hardly there. The costs of the film are reportedly quite high and it might be an uphill task to make the recovery. The four new kids have failed to excite the audiences. Same goes for the songs. The opening will be average mostly in mass centres and theatres. The response has to be very positive to make an impact. Or else it will add to the many flops of Sunny Deol in recent times.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN AND WHY? DO LET US KNOW!

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 28, 2016)

Salman Khan will take off to Ahmedabad on Friday to cheer his brother Sohail Khan's celebrity cricket team. Joining him will be Sunny Deol who will unveil a new teaser of Ghayal Once Again. Sunny's younger brother Bobby quietly turned 49 yesterday. He is one of the ace bowler of Mumbai Heroes and a big birthday bash is being planned for him with a cake, irrespective of who wins or loses.

"The entire team, including captain Riteish Deshmukh and players, Suniel Shetty, Aftab Shivdasani, Shabbir Ahluwalia, along with Salman and Sunny are being hosted by Apoorva Lakhia whose mom is preparing a lavish lunch for the entire team. They will all fly back together on Sunday," a team member revealed.

Now, that's what we call team spirit!

GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN POSTPONED…ONE FRIDAY GOES WASTE!

It was last Tuesday (January 5) that the makers of Ghayal Once Again decided to postpone the release of their film from January 15 to February 5. The exact reason is not known but it led to a very peculiar situation. In an industry where filmmakers fight for Fridays and end up clashing their films with each other, there’s no major release scheduled for tomorrow. Only one film hits screens from tomorrow – Chalk N Duster, starring Juhi Chawla, Shabana Azmi and Divya Dutta.

What’s also interesting to note that the next 2 Fridays will see major clashes. While Airlift will clash with Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 on January 22, Mastizaade and Saala Khadoos will release together on January 29. Out of these 4 films, at least one of them could have shifted their date to January 15. If the makers of Ghayal Once Again had postponed their film even a day or two earlier, this could have been possible. Moreover, Wazir has failed too. So the film releasing today would have got sufficient screens.

Our industry really has to catch up when it comes to planning. Until that happens, clashes will keep on happening, films will keep getting postponed. In short our industry will keep getting Ghayal Once Again

Subhash K Jha (DNA; January 9, 2016)


In recent times, Sunny has faced severe problems getting leading ladies to work with him. In his last film as a leading man in Singh Saab The Great Sunny’s co-star was the relatively unknown Urvashi Rautela. I Love NY which was released after languishing in the cans for four years, was disowned by its leading lady Kangana Ranaut. Sunny’s other unreleased film Mohalla Assi which has been shelved stars television actress Sakshi Tanwar opposite him. “All the heroines who have abandoned Sunny will be back,” says Sunny’s kin.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 6, 2016)

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; December 22, 2015)

Sunny Deol’s dhai kilo ka haath can take anything in its stride, but not catfights and sharpened claws. We hear the actor-director was recently caught between the two new female faces — Aanchal Munjal and Diana Khan — who feature in his upcoming film, Ghayal Once Again.

If the grapevine is to be believed, the two youngsters do not see eye-to-eye. To make matters worse, on occasions when their mothers accompany them, the uneasiness between the two girls soars as each of them apparently wants their daughter to be one up as far as styling, make-up and hairstyle are concerned.

Tension between them came to the fore recently when they were promoting their film on the TV show, Comedy Class, at a studio in Andheri east. Says a source, “Things got nasty between the two girls when they were preparing for the shoot. It was clear that they were locked in a game of one-upmanship since they were sharing a vanity van. But, matters got worse when Aanchal and her mother took the van keys with them.” Adds the source, “Before things could get uglier, Sunny stepped in and pacified the girls and their mothers. He told Aanchal and her mother that they are not allowed to take control of the vanity van. Things then calmed down.” After the incident, when the last leg of the shoot for the TV show was to be done, Aanchal went missing from the scene.

Sunny and the two actresses were unavailable for comment. But a source close to Aanchal explains, “Usually, Aanchal does not like sharing vans as she may not be comfortable with the other person and there could be hygiene issues. At one point, Diana and her mother took all their stuff from the van, so she and her mom assumed that they had shifted out. That was when Aanchal’s mother locked the van since her belongings were inside.”

A unit source adds Diana’s mother then started shouting and said her daughter wanted to use the washroom in the van: “When Aanchal tried to explain why it was locked, she got hysterical and yelled at her. So, Aanchal’s mother also joined in the argument. We were silent witnesses. Sunny intervened and brought the squabble to an end, but he is upset over their catfights.”

Aanchal was earlier seen in films like We Are Family (2010) and Aarakshan (2011) and in a couple of television shows.

On his 80th birthday, Dharmendra talks about the Ghayal sequel, how his grandsons won't be friends with him and how his fans have ensured that he's still flying high
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 9, 2015)


Dharmendra, who turned 80 on Tuesday, started the day quietly with a small pooja. He was in no mood to celebrate since his brother had passed away just a few weeks ago. But the fans who'd come from all parts of the country and gathered outside his office in large numbers, soon put Darling D in an ebullient mood.

"I call them my parr... my wings... since it is because of them that I am still flying high. I don't like to stand outside and do any kind of drama so I invited those who wanted to wish me inside," he told Mirror later in the afternoon.

A guest who was present informed that the birthday boy had smilingly posed for several photographs and scribbled hundreds of autographs. Also, three buffets had been laid out for friends, fans and the office staff. "No one who dropped by was allowed to leave without having lunch. Dharamji also cut two cakes," added the source.

A poet-philosopher, Dharmendra pointed out that this was an occasion to give back some of the "love" he can feel from miles away and which, for him, has always outscored fame. "Shaurat chali jaati hai, chaahat nahin. It's taken me out of the ratrace and brought me much happiness, which you see, reflected on my face today. I don't let it go to my head, it keeps my feet strong and rooted to the ground. If anything scares me it's being hurt and hurting someone," he says emotionally.

He goes on to point out that while others chase after crores, he didn't know where to hide the Rs 10,000 he'd received for his first film, shoving it under his pillow till he could deposit it in the bank the next morning and spending a sleepless night. "All I had asked God for was a Fiat car; he has given me so much. There are times when I dig out old photographs of mine before I became an actor and tell that Dharmendra, 'Yaar dekh, tu wakai actor ban gaya hai.' I want him to come to me since I need a friend, but he's happy in his native village, Sahnewal, and not interested in this banavati duniya," he sighs.

You bring up his sons, Sunny and Bobby and he cheers up instantly. He's happy Sunny's got back to direction with Ghayal Once Again but admits that there are times when he's worried too. "25 years have passed since we made Ghayal. The audience has changed and now there's a Balwant Rai in every 10 people we meet," he says, adding that they've woven an interesting story around four teenagers who inadvertently get into trouble and rely on Sunny as Ajay Mehra to bail them out.

He particularly likes the film's punchline, "Agar hum sachh ke saath hain to jeetne tak hum haar nahin manenge", pointing out that it sends out an inspiring message to youngsters who are fighting for the truth. "There's plenty of emotional drama and Dan Bradley has done a superb job with the action scenes," he compliments, pointing out that he was happy being an actor and only turned producer to launch his sons. "I'm happy Sunny is working so hard to keep the home banner flying high."

His grandsons, Rajvir and Karan, are also being groomed for stardom. Dharmendra describes them as good kids, very down-to-earth, who love him a lot. "But like Sunny and Bobby they too are very shy and won't be friends with me," he grouses, adding with a laugh that when he complains to Sunny, he tells him that his own sons aren't his friends either.

His four daughters bring him a lot of joy too. All of them call to wish him on his big day and he points out that from daughters who are forever "do meethe bol is enough".

So, when can we expect to see Garam Dharam back on screen? He acknowledges with a chuckle that he loves the camera. "It's like a beloved who will never go away. We are looking out for a good script, one that suits all three (Sunny, Bobby and him) of us," he reveals. "I followed my childhood idol Dilip saab (Dilip Kumar) to Mumbai to become an actor, now I think I will follow Clint Eastwood who said he wants to act even when he's 105."

The senior actor shares this and more
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; December 3, 2015)


What prompted you to associate with wrestling and Punjab in particular?
Wrestling is my childhood game. It’s a form of exercise that has been passed on to us since centuries. And, it has to be kept alive. Kushti, kabbadi are outdoor games (now they have become indoor, too) which require a lot of effort and strength and they make you sweat. I remember we used to play a lot of kushti and bath outside. Being healthy is important. If you have good health, you have everything, if not, nothing. So, when I got to know that a pro-wrestling league is being organised I was very happy. I was approached by this gentleman from Haryana. He asked me if I would like to be the brand ambassador for Punjab. I asked why Punjab and he said when my name gets associated with that State, people get enthused, ek josh aa jaata hai. I thought why not, but the fact is I consider myself Indian, who belongs to every part of the country.

Cricket, football, kabbadi and now wrestling. Hasn’t this become more of a business venture?
Yes, today everything is measured in terms of money. It is a mix of business and sports. Cricket has made a lot of money in India, lately even kabbadi. But it’s going in the right direction. Children are getting introduced and encouraged to make exercise a habit and at the same time play different sports. In fact, I would love it if a gilli danda league starts. gilli danda, which is a desi game is similar to cricket. We have 11 players, one person throws the ball, another has the stick, there are fielders and he can be caught out. Points are also given. In villages ,children still play it. It was one of my favourite games. In cities this game is not played anymore. Instead of playing, people have started going to gyms. Even the intake of food is measured. Itna hi khao, ye mat khao… We used to play a lot, eat a lot (smiles).

You are considered as the original He-man. What is your take on actors working out on their physique?
Today, the show business demands it. In our times we didn’t need to have five packs or six packs. Nor did we have to show our body. I had done a shirtless scene in Phool Aur Patthar and forgotten about it. Somebody found out that I was the first to go bare-chested on screen. But at that time I remember it evoked a ‘haw’ kind of response. Then there was Dharam Veer where I again I was bare-chested and also wore shorts. People started calling me He-man and garam Dharam after that. When Salman was doing Veer, he came to me and said ‘Paaji I want to have thighs like yours.’ I told him yeh mere maa-baap aur kudrat ke den hai and I have taken care of it. As I said, I used to play a lot, which was an exercise. I remember when I would be asked to dance, I would feel, why should guys dance. Later, I realised dancing is also sort of an exercise. It makes you sweat and burns your calories. I used to sweat just trying to hold the rhythm (laughs), still I danced a bit.

After your combined outing with Sunny and Bobby in Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, is there any other film in the offing?
Yes, we are working on the script. Our first film together Apne was a big hit. At that time people said the film is very emotional and it made them cry. So, I decided that in the next film we should make them laugh. Comedy is a beloved dish and I have done various comic roles. So, we did Yamla Pagla Deewana, which also did well. However, the second installment was a flop. Now, we are being very cautious. Story is the backbone of a film, so that has to be good. Once you get that right, people appreciate everything from acting to screenplay and if you don’t everything goes for a toss.

What kind of a film will you be making now?
A true to life story. I want to play a pivotal role and do something good, which will touch people’s heart. At the same time, it should prick their conscience and help to bring them on the right path.

Sunny Deol has turned director with Ghayal Once Again. Didn’t you ever think of directing?
No, I was too busy as an actor — I didn’t need to do direct, nor did the thought cross my mind. In fact, I never wanted to be a producer either. I produced films only to launch my sons.

Have you seen the rushes of Ghayal Once Again?
Yes, and I must say it is good film. It touches you. It is about young kids who get trapped in the wrong path. Mehra (Sunny’s character) feels alone after his bhabhi and other family members died in the original film Ghayal. Now, he has come out after so many years and the society has become even worse. Things are going wrong, and he helps make them right. The way he has directed it... so smooth — jaise makkhan mein se chhuri jaa rahi ho.

December 8 is your birthday. Any special plans?
No, I lost my brother and I am very upset. In any case since my mother passed away, I don’t believe in celebrating it. When the person who gave birth to you is not there what is to celebrate? I don’t like to do it for publicity.

If a film were to be made on your life, who would you want to play your role?
I am a multi-faceted actor – I have done everything from action, romance, emotion to comedy. I think any actor can do my role.

Sunny Deol talks about the controversial Mohalla Assi, acting versus directing, and how the former is like mountain climbing
Ektaa Malik (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 29, 2015)

Actor Sunny Deol's office, at the fourth floor of his Juhu bungalow, exhibits all the symptoms of an important movie release. Hushed meetings are held behind glass panelled doors as a huge standee, promoting Deol's upcoming release Ghayal Once Again, stands at the balcony.

"I've seen most of Deol's movies at least eight times on TV, as they released when I was young. But I wish I had seen them on the big screen," says 24-year-old Anshuman Gupta. Having studied investment banking in the UK, he now wants to pursue acting as a profession. To him, this is a moment to remember forever.

We are ushered into the sitting room. Deol finally enters and it's almost as if his towering personality instantly fills the room. The actor warmly clasps Gupta's palm and urges him to take a seat. "Where are you from? Tell me about your family," says Deol. Gupta talks about his family, based in Bhopal, and that though he is an only child, he has grown up in a joint family. "Sir, I actually met you once before, when I was eight years old. My family had gone to Kanpur to meet our relatives and you had come to the city to promote Dillagi. Even back then, I was starstruck." Visibly amused by the anecdote, Deol responds, "Arree, Dillagi ko toh bahut zamaana ho gaya, tum bahut chote hoge."

In the late 80s and 90s, Deol became a household name for his iconic stunt scenes (where he could bash up 50 goons without breaking into a sweat) and his simmering performances in movies where, as the hero, he raged against the system. But off screen, Deol is less Govind (his National Award-winning role as the alcoholic lawyer haunted by the death of his wife in Damini) and more Dillagi's Ranvir, the gentle, sensitive elder brother and love-struck hotelier. In real life, Deol doesn't roar — in fact, he is so soft-spoken that one has to lean in to catch his words.

Did Deol get a bit image-conscious and choose such power-packed roles on purpose, asks Gupta. "Nahin yaar," says Deol. "People came to me with a story. I connected with the character and essayed it. It was a plus point that the films dealt with unemployment, rampant corruption and other evils of the society, which the masses could relate to. Those issues, by the way, haven't changed."

Gupta is keen to know how Deol prepares for a role. "Acting is like climbing a mountain — you have to do it yourself. And it's also very unpredictable, for you don't know what you will get next. And the key is, har character ki sachchai ko pehchanna. If you are not able to do that, you will not deliver," says Deol. He adds that the key is to take it slow and not play it safe by following trends blindly. "Nowadays everyone has a set pattern. They want to be popular first and being an actor is secondary. Why not be popular because of your work," he asks.

The conversation shifts to the controversial movie, Mohalla Assi. The release of the film, where Deol plays a Sanskrit teacher and priest, has been stayed by a Delhi court for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Set in Benaras's famous Assi ghat, the film's dialogues are peppered, quite liberally, with cuss words.

But Gupta has other concerns — he wants to know how comfortable Deol was with swearing on screen. "See, abuses or cuss words take on a different meaning when you actually mean them. But if used to depict the mannerisms and culture of a place, they are harmless," he points out.

Talking more about he bagged the role in Mohalla Assi, Deol says, "When Doctor sahab (Chandra Prakash Dwivedi) came to me about the film, I mulled over my decision. Later, I wondered why I was thinking so much — it's a beautiful film. I am very upset about the delay in its release. I hope when Ghayal Once Again releases, I can revive people's interest in Mohalla Assi and that it can be released." With Ghayal Once Again, Deol returns to direction after a nearly 17-year long break. Gupta asks him whether he prefers acting over directing. "I have always liked acting better. You are like a spoilt king, you can do anything you want. But I had a story to share and so, I made the film," he smiles.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 20, 2015)