Showing posts with label Goodbye. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goodbye. Show all posts
(Crisp) Movie Review: GOODBYE by FENIL SETA
2:23 PM
Goodbye’s biggest strength is that it’s very relatable. A lot of scenes, particularly in the first half, will leave viewers teary-eyed. The humour is also smartly infused into the narrative, despite it being a film about death. Sunil Grover’s track is funny yet touching. Unfortunately, in the second half, the film goes haywire. Several developments don’t make sense or are added just for the heck of it. The makers, it seems, try to do a Baghban by showing how the children are insensitive. But in Baghban, the kids were truly evil and that's why, it worked. Here, the kids are presented as bad for no reason. A track related to a sibling is a major disappointment. Speaking of performances, Amitabh Bachchan is dependable and plays his part with panache. Rashmika Mandanna is decent. Sunil Grover is damn good in a cameo. The same goes for Neena Gupta. Ashish Vidyarthi is lovely. Elli AvrRam, Pavail Gulati, Sahil Mehta and others are fine. All in all, Goodbye, despite being touching, is an average fare due to certain silly developments in the narrative.
My rating - ** ½ out of 5!
My rating - ** ½ out of 5!
Advance booking discounts to special Friday offers: Movie tickets are set to get cheaper, but not every day
8:18 AM
While theatres won’t be dropping ticket rates to a uniform price of ₹75-100, they are open to rolling out more promotional offers on a per-movie basis
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; October 7, 2022)
On September 23, cinemas celebrated India’s first-ever National Cinema Day in multiple states, with many theatres lowering their ticket prices to Rs. 75. With houseful boards back at several cinemas and people even watching movies back-to-back through the day, it was evident that lower prices can bring the audience back to theatres. As a result, cinemas are now discussing the need to reassess the current ticket pricing model. Several also offered movie tickets for a special festive price of Rs. 100 last Monday till Thursday, and many are planning to experiment with an affordable price model in the long run to sustain this momentum.
However, based on their learnings over the past two weeks, stakeholders say that while there will be “no uniform lower ticket price”, they are planning to offer discounts and promotional prices on a per-movie basis. Here’s more:
‘FLAT CHEAPER PRICES EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO HIGHER FOOTFALL’
According to Rajender Singh Jyala, Chief Programming Officer, INOX Leisure Ltd, “Even though we are still in the experimental phase, we have observed that last week’s footfall was higher than normal pricing days, but it wasn’t the same as National Cinema Day. The reason is that National Cinema Day was just one day, and so people didn’t want to miss it. When the promotional offer was spread out over five days, they must have thought, ‘if not today, then we can watch the film some other day’.”
Kunal Sawhney, COO, Moviemax also said during a recent discussion in Mumbai that keeping uniform lower prices is definitely not the way ahead, based on their observations from south India, where film ticket prices fall in the Rs. 100-200 slab on all days. He said, “A film’s ticket price can be fixed depending on the experience that film is providing. The right product has to be given at the right price.”
Regular, popular, blockbuster and mega blockbuster – prices are often decided on the basis of which category a movie falls in. Recently, for example, while Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: I’s ticket prices fell in the regular category, Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan-starrer Vikram Vedha’s ticket prices were revised from the blockbuster to regular category.
ADVANCE BOOKING DISCOUNTS TO SPECIAL FRIDAY OFFERS: EXPECT MORE PROMOTIONAL PRICES
For releases like the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Goodbye, some cinemas lowered ticket prices on Friday, while for Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 2, moviegoers got a 50% discount on advance bookings for a day. Jyala says, “In discussion with the makers, cinemas will keep offering lower rates on specific days for films or will roll out promotional offers.”
Kamal Gianchandani, President, Multiplex Association of India (MAI), told us, “There is a lot of experimentation being done by various cinema operators at this point. Disney, Dharma, and other studios, who have films playing in theatres, have been very supportive in this regard. We are constantly listening to our customers and other stakeholders in the business. We have always taken ticket pricing and other similar decisions keeping the interest of consumers and all stakeholders in mind. We will continue to do so in the future.”
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 746
11:13 PM
WILL GOODBYE BRING CHEER FOR AMITABH BACHCHAN IN HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY WEEK?
Many small and mid-sized films will try their luck at the box office in the next two weeks before the festival of Diwali. Tomorrow will see the release of 4-5 films and the biggest among them is Goodbye.
It stars Amitabh Bachchan in the lead and marks the debut of Rashmika Mandanna in Bollywood. Neena Gupta, Sunil Grover, Pavail Gulati, Elli AvrRam and Ashish Vidyarthi also star in this film which is directed by Vikas Bahl. It is about a dysfunctional family that comes together after the death of a family member.
The trailer has caught attention and seems like a funny and moving film. Though Rashmika Mandanna has extensively promoted it, the awareness is limited. The makers have decided to sell the tickets on release day for just Rs. 150. Moreover, it's Amitabh Bachchan's 80th birthday on October 11. Hence, Goodbye will be at an advantage since viewers will be insisted on watching Big B's film on his big day. The word of mouth needs to be positive for the film to have that advantage. The opening should be around Rs 1-1.25 crores.
The other major release of the week is GodFather. It's a Telugu film dubbed in Hindi starring Chiranjeevi and Nayanthara. Salman Khan has a cameo and it has given the Hindi version an edge. It was released yesterday on October 5 on the Dussehra holiday. In Hindi, it opened at Rs. 2 crores and the word of mouth is mixed. Its target should be to cross the collections of Rocketry: The Nambi Effect and Karthikeya 2 which collected Rs. 22 crores and Rs. 24 crores respectively. Of course, it looks dicey right now but anything can happen with dubbed films.
Then, Karan Razdan's Hindutva will release tomorrow. There's no star cast and hence, there’s no awareness despite such a controversial title. And lastly, Chakki will hit cinemas tomorrow as well. It stars Rahul Bhat and is presented by Umesh Shukla of OMG Oh My God fame. Sadly, since awareness is zero, it'll sink without a trace.
And that’s not all. Maja Ma was released today on Amazon Prime Video. It stars Madhuri Dixit in the lead along with Gajraj Rao, Ritwik Bhowmik and Barkha Singh. The film’s bold theme has caught attention. Though the response is mixed, it’ll find an audience due to the theme and Madhuri’s presence.
Many small and mid-sized films will try their luck at the box office in the next two weeks before the festival of Diwali. Tomorrow will see the release of 4-5 films and the biggest among them is Goodbye.
It stars Amitabh Bachchan in the lead and marks the debut of Rashmika Mandanna in Bollywood. Neena Gupta, Sunil Grover, Pavail Gulati, Elli AvrRam and Ashish Vidyarthi also star in this film which is directed by Vikas Bahl. It is about a dysfunctional family that comes together after the death of a family member.
The trailer has caught attention and seems like a funny and moving film. Though Rashmika Mandanna has extensively promoted it, the awareness is limited. The makers have decided to sell the tickets on release day for just Rs. 150. Moreover, it's Amitabh Bachchan's 80th birthday on October 11. Hence, Goodbye will be at an advantage since viewers will be insisted on watching Big B's film on his big day. The word of mouth needs to be positive for the film to have that advantage. The opening should be around Rs 1-1.25 crores.
The other major release of the week is GodFather. It's a Telugu film dubbed in Hindi starring Chiranjeevi and Nayanthara. Salman Khan has a cameo and it has given the Hindi version an edge. It was released yesterday on October 5 on the Dussehra holiday. In Hindi, it opened at Rs. 2 crores and the word of mouth is mixed. Its target should be to cross the collections of Rocketry: The Nambi Effect and Karthikeya 2 which collected Rs. 22 crores and Rs. 24 crores respectively. Of course, it looks dicey right now but anything can happen with dubbed films.
Then, Karan Razdan's Hindutva will release tomorrow. There's no star cast and hence, there’s no awareness despite such a controversial title. And lastly, Chakki will hit cinemas tomorrow as well. It stars Rahul Bhat and is presented by Umesh Shukla of OMG Oh My God fame. Sadly, since awareness is zero, it'll sink without a trace.
And that’s not all. Maja Ma was released today on Amazon Prime Video. It stars Madhuri Dixit in the lead along with Gajraj Rao, Ritwik Bhowmik and Barkha Singh. The film’s bold theme has caught attention. Though the response is mixed, it’ll find an audience due to the theme and Madhuri’s presence.
Everybody thinks ki film school se nikalte hi producers and directors ki line hogi to sign you-Pavail Gulati
8:19 AM
Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; August 1, 2022)
Delhi boy Pavail Gulati credits the city in a big way for helping him find his calling as an actor. Pavail says it’s his summer workshops at the National School Of Drama (NSD) and his family’s love for cinema and theatre – along with his experiences at film school, behind the camera (as assistant casting director for My Name Is Khan), and on stage – that helped pave the way for roles in films like Thappad and web series like Made In Heaven. During a chat, he traced his journey in showbiz so far and spoke about learning from, and acting with, veterans like Naseeruddin Shah and Amitabh Bachchan. Excerpts:
‘I GREW UP WATCHING A LOT OF PLAYS’
Though he lives and works in Mumbai now, Pavail says Delhi played a huge role in him choosing a career in acting.
“My father, Kanwar Deepak Gulati, is a theatre practitioner, so I grew up watching a lot of plays. I did summer workshops at NSD and learnt dance with Shiamak Davar, so everything that led me to becoming an actor, started from Delhi,” he shares.
‘I STARTED OUT AS AN ASSISTANT CASTING DIRECTOR IN MY NAME IS KHAN’
Not many know that Pavail started as an assistant casting director. “I was training to become an actor and after film school, when that period comes when you have to struggle and go for auditions, I knew that it is not going to be easy. Everybody thinks ki film school se nikalte hi producers and directors ki line hogi to sign you, but I knew that’s not going to happen because my parents told me ki aisa nahi hota. So, I thought it’s better that I start giving auditions on one side, and also learn from the other side how casting really happens.”
He adds, “I was Shanoo Sharma’s first assistant. I started with the film My Name Is Khan. I was working on a big budget film, but that was my first learning ground. It was my first experience of working on a film and how casting takes place and that made me learn about how actors perform in an audition, what are the dos and dont’s of it, etc. That gave me a head start, and helped a lot in terms of getting to know the craft. I was then assisting on ads to make money and editing short films. I also assisted Mukesh Chhabra and did theatre with Naseer sir on the side. Thode bohot paise aa jaate thay and that was the whole grind until Thappad happened,” explains the actor.
‘FILM SCHOOL WAS LIKE DISNEYLAND FOR ME’
Talking about his experience in film school, he says, “Film school or no film school, it actually depends on the student. At the end of it, if I am in films, I am learning for the rest of my life. Every film teaches me something. So, you can go to the best film school in the world and yet learn nothing. Naseer sir used to tell us that acting can be learnt, it cannot be taught. Film schools give you the basic confidence. You watch a lot of stuff, you pick it up critically, and it builds your foundation really fast. I think it gives you a little edge over the others. I was a good student because I have grown up watching films. My parents still watch movies in theatres every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so going to a film school was like Disneyland for me. It was a beautiful experience,” he says.
‘MR BACHCHAN MAKES YOU A BETTER ACTOR’
Pavail, who has recently finished shooting for Goodbye, a movie where he shares screen space with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Neena Gupta, among others, tells us, “Mr Bachchan and I had worked in a show called Yudh (2014). I remember, at that time, I was young and really nervous to meet him. But this time, I had such a beautiful experience working with him. He is the kindest actor ever and I love doing scenes with him because he makes you a better actor. He rehearses so much and while doing a scene, you are in awe of him and he likes to compete with you. That’s what I love about him, he is a hungry actor that when you are doing a scene with him, he is a scene stealer. That competition sort of makes you work better, and harder.”
To grab eyeballs even before my Bollywood work has come out feels really motivating-Rashmika Mandanna
8:20 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 25, 2022)
She is yet to make her Bollywood debut, but actor Rashmika Mandanna is already a popular name among Hindi film lovers, thanks to her hit South outings such as Bheeshma (2020), Sulthan and Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 (both 2021) that earned praise across the country. She will soon be seen in big Hindi projects such as Goodbye with actor Amitabh Bachchan, Animal starring Ranbir Kapoor and Mission Majnu with actor Sidharth Malhotra.
Does she feel any pressure ahead of her Bollywood debut, given the solid fan base? “To grab eyeballs even before my [Bollywood] work has come out feels really motivating. I don’t want to look at it as pressure. I will have my way into their (Hindi film lovers’) hearts with my work,” she says.
Calling 2022 a big year for her, Mandanna says, “I am really excited. Each passing year is bigger for me than the previous one, but 2022 is a different ball game altogether, with so many amazing things (films) coming up.”
Since the year is significant, the goals for the 26-year-old are also quite big. “My one [major] goal, at the moment, is to keep entertaining my fans and give back as much love as they shower on me. I also wish to accomplish the fitness goals that I have set for myself,” she ends.
After being in the industry for 40 years, I am finally working with Amitabh Bachchan-Neena Gupta
8:26 AM
The actress is thrilled about sharing screen space with the actor for the first time in her career
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; June 27, 2021)
Neena Gupta, who spent around two months at her home in Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand, is now back in Mumbai and has started shooting for her film Goodbye. The film’s shoot was halted after a lockdown was imposed due to the surge in Coronavirus cases. This is a special project for Neena, who completes four decades in the industry next year, as she gets to share screen space with Amitabh Bachchan for the first time. “Everybody is surprised that this is my first film with him, but that’s the truth! Chalo, at least now I get to work with him,” says Neena, who was in talks for a film starring Bachchan many years ago. “Yes, there was one project that we were in discussion for, but in the end, it didn’t materialise... I don’t know why.”
In Goodbye, directed by Vikas Bahl, Neena plays the actor’s wife. Though this is their first professional collaboration, she has been good friends with his family. “Jaya ji (Jaya Bachchan) invites me for their Diwali party every year. And Mr Bachchan, you know, is such a good host.” Back in 2018, he had appreciated Neena’s work in Badhaai Ho! The actress fondly remembers that she was pleasantly surprised to receive a bouquet of flowers with a handwritten note praising her performance in the film.
Though she shares a good rapport with the Piku actor, when it comes to performing with him, Neena gets nervous. She says, “Initially, I used to be very nervous on the set. Honestly, I was a little in awe of him. However, as time went by, we chatted a lot on the set, and I became normal.”
The actress points out that as they get back to work post the second wave of COVID, crew members are extremely cautious and follow the protocols more stringently. Now that she is in Mumbai, does she miss spending time in the mountains? “I was there for around two months with my husband. Even my daughter Masaba visited us for a few days. But I have had enough of rest, now I want to be busy with work,” she signs off.
Anurag Kashyap postponed the scene’s shoot only because I had prepped for it-Pavail Gulati
8:17 AM
Reuniting with Anurag Kashyap on Dobaaraa seven years after the TV show Yudh, Thappad star Pavail Gulati says working with the director has honed his craft
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 20, 2021)
What’s the most telling sign that Pavail Gulati has climbed the ladder of success? According to the actor, it’s the fact that he has moved straight to narrations, from endless hours of auditions. His line-up of films could well be another barometer — after his breakout performance in Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad (2020), he has shot for Anurag Kashyap’s Dobaaraa. “Thappad gave me the ground to showcase my talent. I never wanted to be an overnight sensation. Jo bohot jaldi upar jaate hain, woh bohot jaldi neeche aate hain,” he begins.
The actor had worked with Kashyap on the ambitious television show, Yudh, in 2014. Seven years on, as he reunited with the filmmaker, Gulati is happy to note that the filmmaker’s set remains one of the most creatively stimulating places. “He is an instinctive director, so the prep happens entirely on set. The script was constantly being worked upon through the pandemic. I was prepping intensely for a particular sequence, and he postponed the scene’s shoot only because I had prepped for it. His set is a beautiful chaos where people might not know what they are doing, but they have the utmost conviction in him.”
He believes working with Kashyap has helped him hone his craft. “He will bring out your raw self in every shot, and you gain confidence on his set.” That the thriller has him sharing screen space with Thappad co-star Taapsee Pannu is another incentive.
If he describes Kashyap as “a film school”, his next, Goodbye has him rubbing shoulders with Amitabh Bachchan, an institution unto himself. “I chew his brains to get trivia on his past films, and he is kind enough to indulge me. The real learning happens behind the camera,” says Gulati.
Shoots of films and television shows stalled in Maharashtra
8:24 AM
TV production houses look at Umbergaon, Hyderabad and Goa as possible options to shift base for shoots
With inputs from Akash Wadhwa (BOMBAY TIMES; April 15, 2021)
Apart from films, TV shows are also in a tizzy after the announcement. Many TV producers had already started doing the groundwork in the last couple of weeks after cases were on a rise in Mumbai. The places that have emerged as preferred destinations to shoot are Umbergaon, Goa and Hyderabad. Rajesh Ram Singh, producer of Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin and Chhoti Saradarni, says, “Hyderabad has Ramoji Film City and the probability of shoots being stalled is less.” He has also shortlisted Goa for the shoot. “We have seen a bungalow there for indoor shoots. Now we have to take a final call in a day or two. Our teams are geared up to shoot at a new location,” he shares.
Producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s studio in Umbergaon is also a possible temporary option for some producers, who have done a recce of the location recently. Siddharth shares, “I am already shooting my show, RadhaKrishn, here, and this is a complete green zone with all the facilities. The place is only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Mumbai.”
Meanwhile, some producers do not want to shift locations and feel that’s not a solution given the uncertainty of the pandemic. Producer Nitin Vaidya, who has shows like Punyashlok Ahilya Bai and Rudrakaal, says he will go as per the government’s order and stop shooting. “We will air the bank of episodes we have and then the re-runs will be aired. We can’t be changing locations because the Coronavirus scare is everywhere,” he says.
Working with Amitabh Bachchan is the best birthday gift-Rashmika Mandanna
8:25 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 5, 2021)
It is going to be a rather special birthday for actor Rashmika Mandanna and even though it will be a working day, she isn’t complaining. The excited actor reveals she will be shooting with Amitabh Bachchan on her special day.
“This year, it is going to be a working birthday for me. And I’ve got my gift already — the opportunity of working with Mr Bachchan and that too on my birthday. This is my best birthday gift ever. So yes, even though this year it’s going to be about work, I know I’m going to enjoy it thoroughly,” says the actor, who turns 25 today.
Mandanna, who has predominantly worked in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films, will be making her Hindi film debut with Mission Majnu alongside Sidharth Malhotra and has already signed her second film Goodbye, which also stars Bachchan.
Talking about how she generally likes to spend her birthdays, the actor says she’s not big on celebrations. “Turning a year older is something to celebrate for sure. But I haven’t been much of a birthday person. It’s only in recent years that people around me, and friends, have made it really special for me,” says Mandanna, adding, “But this year I’ve all the more reasons to celebrate. I’m sure they are going to be celebrating it on set.”
Best known for Telugu films Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade (2019), the actor says she has already got her birthday wish and she also hopes that her films continue to impress the audiences. “I’m living my dream. I’m grateful that my wish has actually come true. What more do I ask for. But, I also wish that I can make audiences happy with my films and performances, and get better and better every single day,” she muses.
Mandanna is also one of the busiest actors today with multiple films lined up for release. “I live in the present. I take each day as it comes. We’ve to work hard now so that we get the result later,” she ends.
There will be a lot to learn while working with Amitabh Bachchan-Rashmika Mandanna
8:24 AM
South actor Rashmika Mandanna looks forward to learning from Bachchan as she collaborates with him on Goodbye
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 5, 2021)
For Rashmika Mandanna who turns a year older today, Ekta Kapoor’s Goodbye is the best birthday gift she could have asked for — after all, the film will see her share screen space with Amitabh Bachchan. While she began shooting for the Vikas Bahl-directed venture late last week, she has yet to meet the megastar. “We did readings [before the shoot], but I haven’t met him in person. I will meet him today or tomorrow. It’s going to be crazy,” she laughs, turning into a fangirl.
Mandanna, who forayed into Kannada cinema with the 2016 hit, Kirik Party, quickly made her presence felt in Telugu and Tamil film industries. Dabbling in Bollywood was inevitable, given her rising popularity. Having landed plum roles in Mission Majnu opposite Sidharth Malhotra and Goodbye, she counts herself lucky to have bagged a Bachchan film so early on in her career. “I always want to learn new things. There will be a lot to learn while working with Big B. I have watched his films and can see why people love him so much. He is a versatile actor who has [done justice] to his characters. I will [request him] to tell me if he thinks anything in my performance is [amiss].”
Asked if the language is posing a barrier, the actor reveals that she is training with a dialect coach to brush up on her Hindi. “I have always made sure that I learn the language before entering a particular industry. I have learnt Tamil, Telugu and now Hindi. Since I am staying here and conversing in Hindi, I have got comfortable with the language.”
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