Showing posts with label Jailer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jailer. Show all posts
Mere saath dhokha ho gaya, says Raqueeb Alam on Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke controversy
8:43 AM
Debarati S Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; March 19, 2026)
The recently released track Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke, featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, has triggered widespread backlash online over its lyrics, with much of the criticism directed at lyricist Raqueeb Alam. The track, part of the upcoming pan-India film KD - The Devil, was originally written in Kannada by the film’s director, Prem. Alam’s role, he says, was limited to translating the lyrics into Hindi.
‘I was told to just translate the Kannada song word for word’
As criticism over the song continues to escalate, Alam spoke to Bombay Times, alleging he was wrongly credited with the song’s lyrics. Opening up about the sequence of events, Alam claimed he had refused to write the track when he was approached by Prem.
He says, “Koi bhi lyricist aisa nahi likhega. Mujhe jab Prem ne likhne bola toh maine mana kar diya. I told him yeh theek nahi hai. Then I was told to just translate the Kannada song (composed by Arjun Janya) word for word – like ‘This is my book’ to ‘Yeh meri kitab hai’. So, I translated it and gave it to him. Prem told me, ‘Main dekhta hoon, main manage karoonga isko’. He then adjusted it with the meter and recorded it.”
‘I had told the director not to credit me as a lyricist for this song’
Alam further alleged that he had explicitly asked not to be credited for the song. He says, “When I gave him the translation, I had told him not to credit me as a lyricist for this song. After that, maine ek baar bhi woh Hindi translated song nahi suna. Kisne gaya, kahan record kiya, kuch bhi pata nahi tha mujhe. Only after the song was released did I find out that he had given my name in the credits, and I called him immediately. Maine uspe bahut chillaya, and I told him to remove my name and put his own or pull the song down completely.”
According to Alam, the director later agreed to take the song down. “Prem said that he would remove the song, and that eventually he did it, but by then the damage was done,” he said.
'Main aise song ke saath kaise associate ho sakta hoon?'
Calling the episode a "betrayal", Alam said, "Mere saath dhoka hua hai. This wasn't right. Mere bhi bacche hain, family hai. Main aise song ke saath kaise associate ho sakta hoon? Kal mere bachche mujhse puchenge ke aapne apne zindagi mein iss tarah ke gaane likhein? Toh mein kya jawab doonga?”
The lyricist, who has previously translated songs like Srivalli for Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 and its sequel, as well as for films like Master, Jailer, Leo, and Varisu, among others, also underlined that he has consistently spoken out against vulgar content in music.
He said, “I have been someone who has spoken against vulgar songs in the past. Main khud bahut aware rehta hoon ki mujh se aise alfazon ka chayan nahi ho jisse hamare samaj pe, bacchon pe bura asar pade.”
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"Once you sign a contract for a film, you are bound to fulfil its requirements. I refused to be part of this track once I read the Kannada lyrics, but I was asked to translate them into Hindi, and I had to fulfil my role as per the contract. I had told the director (Prem) not to credit me as a lyricist for this song"
-- Raqueeb Alam
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Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 18, 2026)
The track Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke, featuring Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt, from the upcoming film KD: The Devil, has been drawing social media outrage for its vulgar lyrics ever since its release on Sunday.
When we reached out to its lyricist Raqueeb Alam, he outrightly denied it as his own creation: “Yeh lyrics maine nahin likhe hain, they were written by the film’s director, Prem, in Kannada. When I was asked to write all this, I refused, saying such songs will be censored. They told me to only literally translate and give it to them. Words like ‘choosega’, ‘chaatega’ are all there in the original version. Mujhe kya zaroorat hai aise gaane likhne ki? I am feeling humiliated.”
The official song version had been taken down by the makers from YouTube at the time of this article going to press. To this, Raqueeb adds, “They called me on Monday and requested that I write a fresh version with clean lyrics. They were planning to release the new version along with an apology note.”
People from within the industry have expressed shock. Singer Armaan Malik tweeted, “Sad to see commercial songwriting hit a new low.” Filmmaker Onir wrote, “...Strange country we are becoming... opposing Valentines Day celebration, interfaith marriage/ celebration, while ok with this rubbish.” Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut commented, “Bollywood has crossed all limits with vulgarity, tactics and attention-seeking.”
Indian films big on style, find bigger global connect
10:04 AM
Overseas mop-up rises 30% between 2022 & 2024; ‘universal’ content, availability on streaming platforms enhance appeal
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; March 31, 2025)
Mumbai: Indian films are showing higher growth in collections abroad than at home, with overseas box-office mop-up surging nearly 30% to $323 million ('2,760.6 crore) between 2022 and 2024, even as domestic growth crawled at 7.2%, according to the FICCI-EY Media and Entertainment 2025 report.
Between 2022 and 2024, domestic box-office revenue for Indian films increased a modest 7.2% to Rs. 11,800 crore, it said.
"Recently, Indian films have been telling stories which have universal emotions and global appeal. These films score well on the parameter of visual presentation of stories. Consequently, Indian films have been crossing language and geographical barriers," said Adi Tiwary, creative director and partner, Stuart Entertainment, an Australia-based boutique distributor and producer specialising in global content licensing, production and strategic partnerships.
Indian films such as 'Pushpa 2 – The Rule' (2024), 'Kalki 2898 AD' (2024), 'Pathaan' (2023), 'Jawan' (2023), 'Animal' (2023), 'Leo' (2023), 'Jailer' (2023), 'KGF - Chapter 2' (2022) and 'RRR' (2022) collected Rs. 200-500 crore each in overseas markets.
Experts said these films connected with people around the world because they use some of the same styles and techniques seen in popular Hollywood movies, and they discuss ideas and feelings that people of different ages can relate to.
For instance, 'Kalki 2898 AD' is fast-paced and uses several languages. Its style is similar to Marvel superhero movies and action films like 'Mad Max: Fury Road'. On the other hand, 'RRR' appealed to many international viewers by telling a story that felt deeply Indian and rooted in its culture.
The mix of global style and Indian storytelling has played a big role in the success of these movies overseas. It's also helped attract more non-Indian audiences to Indian films, according to industry executives and experts.
Rajat Agrawal, COO, Ultra Media & Entertainment Group, said, "Indian films have been gaining popularity even among non-Indians in overseas markets. Given the universal themes of love, family and friendship in Indian films, they have resonated with non-Indian audiences."
Producer and film business expert Girish Johar concurred, saying, "Apart from stories, Indian films are finding patronage even among non-Indian audiences because of the improved scale and quality of filmmaking."
Another factor aiding the acceptance of Indian films in overseas markets is their easy availability on global streaming platforms.
Ameya Naik, producer and founder of Fantasy Films, said, "Global streamers have played a key role in familiarizing Indian content to overseas audiences. Better subtitles and superior dubbing of Indian films on these global streamers have removed language barriers and provided overseas audiences anytime access to Indian films."
In addition to global streamers, growing online distribution, social media discussions, targeted marketing and prestigious awards at international film festivals have piqued overseas audiences' interest in Indian films. In addition, following the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian films rose to prominence as a result of the lull in Hollywood productions caused by the writers' strike.
In the overseas markets, the success of Indian films relies more on the Indian diaspora settled abroad. But there is demand for Indian films from audiences in non-traditional markets such as the Gulf (the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar), North America (the US and Canada), the UK and Europe (Germany, France and the Netherlands) and Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia). Despite such a wide overseas market, industry experts believe revenue from the Chinese markets will make a material difference to Indian films' collection given its size.
A testimony to this is the success of the Tamil film 'Maharaja' in China. Of its total worldwide collection of over Rs. 200 crore, it collected Rs. 91.6 crore from China alone, showing the potential of that market.
For the longest time, people said that I couldn’t sing-Shilpa Rao
8:18 AM
Debarati S Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; August 31, 2024)
Shilpa Rao first sang for the Hindi film music industry over 17 years ago and since then, has had hits like Khuda Jaane, Kalank, Subhanallah, Bulleya, Ghungroo, Tere Hawaale, Chaleya and Besharam Rang among others to her credit.
In a conversation with us, this Grammy-nominated singer talks about creating a space for herself in the music industry despite her voice being termed unconventional at the beginning of her career. Excerpts:
Initially, your voice was termed unconventional. Did you face challenges to get a break in the music industry because of that?
Throughout my childhood, people said I couldn’t sing, and I believed them. Back then, I was learning to sing because I liked music. I never thought I’d be a musician. I wasn’t very goal-oriented, in that sense. Even now, I am learning music because it brings me happiness. Also, today, I don’t think much about what people say. I just believe in working hard. People can say whatever they want, but we must filter out the comments that are not relevant. If someone like Rashid Khan sahab would say something to me, I would listen and see value in it, but not from everyone. It's important to use your own mind, pick things that you're passionate about, work hard on that and listen to people who are wiser than you. Like, if Pritam tells me something, I will think hard.
How did you manage to find your voice even after facing criticism at a young age?
I think it helped me when people said I couldn’t sing (laughs). On a serious note, my parents instilled in me the idea of having my own voice and opinions, which shielded me from being too affected by others’ opinions. My dad always believed in learning music because it enriches your life, and I still hold onto that outlook. My voice was nurtured by my parents, who were big fans of artistes like Begum Akhtar, Prabha Atre ji, and Parween Sultana ji. I was fortunate to have seen some of them perform live as a child. Listening to Farida Khanum was also common in our house. My parents instilled in me the idea of having my own voice and opinions, which shielded me from being too affected by others' opinions on my singing abilities. My dad always believed in learning music because it enriches your life, and I still hold onto that outlook. Attaching happiness, love and good energy to my songs translates to the audience, and that’s important to me.
You’ve sung numerous popular Bollywood songs in the past few years. What’s your process when it comes to singing?
For me, it’s about approaching each studio session as if it were my first. Every recording is a fresh opportunity to connect with music, like a child in a chocolate factory exploring new flavours. For instance, when I was first told about Kaavaalaa (Jailer, 2023), I wondered why Anirudh (composer Anirudh Ravichander) chose me for it, as it was unlike anything I had sung before. However, trusting the composer and director’s vision is crucial. With Besharam Rang (Pathaan, 2022), Siddharth Anand was confident about me singing it. That meant a lot to me. People have told me how much they have loved the song. Sometimes, it’s not just about singing for a movie, it’s also about the emotional attachment people form with the song. So, having faith in what you do is essential.
During recording sessions, is your input as a singer considered?
Yes, always. Artistes who have been in the industry for a long time, whether it’s Pritam, Vishal-Shekhar or Mithoon, are always open to inputs from singers. They’re willing to listen to ideas and suggestions because they understand that it can only enhance the work. I enjoy collaborating with new people as witnessing their spontaneity and energy in the studio is amazing. There’s a unique dynamic that emerges when you bounce off ideas and energy, and often, something magical happens when they listen to your input.
You'd said earlier ‘Kalank’ took three months to complete. Which other song has been challenging for you?
Every song requires dedication and hard work. But if I had to pick, Mudhi Mudhi Ittefaq Se (Paa, 2009) was particularly challenging. I worked with Ilaiyaraaja Sir for that song, and he is known for his discipline and perfection. Impressing him wasn’t easy. Gustakh Dil (English Vinglish, 2012) was also tough because it conveyed complex emotions. Bulleya (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, 2016), too, posed its own challenges, depicting a unique relationship dynamic.
And are there any songs that you breezed through?
I’d say "Manmarziyan" was definitely one of those songs. It felt tailor-made for me, and Amitabh (Bhattacharya) and I wrapped it up in just 30 minutes. It's quite rare for things to come together so seamlessly like that. Initially, it wasn't even called Manmarziyan, but as soon as I sang the first line, Amitabh immediately named it. Another quick recording was Chaleya. We finished the recording in just 20 minutes because we were both (composer Anirudh Ravichander) present, making decisions swiftly and bouncing off each other's energies. It really does make a difference when you have multiple perspectives in the room, including the composer, lyricist, and sometimes the director. When you're alone, it's challenging to navigate all those possibilities.
In an industry where most songs are male dominated, Tere Hawaale from Laal Singh Chaddha was one of those rare ones where male and female voices were given equal weightage. How did this song come about? How involved were you all?
Tere Hawaale is an ideal duet. The film is not just about one character; it's about the parallel lives of Laal Singh and Rupa, intersecting and drifting apart. The song reflects this journey, where they finally acknowledge their need to be together. It took a lot of time to perfect. We started working on it before COVID in 2019 and experimented with different ways of singing the two lines, and then the final recordings were done. Aamir Khan sir felt that the last part should be from Rupa’s (Kareena Kapoor Khan’s character in the film) perspective to conclude the song properly. It was truly a collaborative effort.
India's box-office collections reach an all-time high of Rs 12,226 crore in 2023
8:21 AM
Hindi film industry bounces back with Rs. 5,380-cr mop-up last year: Ormax
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 22, 2024)
Box office collection in India reached an all-time high of Rs 12,226 crore in 2023, exceeding the previous record of Rs 10,948 crore in 2019, and growing at a healthy 15% over 2022, according to the Ormax Box Office Report 2023.
This was the first time that box office collection surpassed Rs 12,000 crore, indicating a recovery in the Indian film industry, which had been battling a post-pandemic slump in business. Box office collections in 2022 were Rs 10,637 crore, just short of breaking the previous record set in 2019.
"One of the key drivers for the success of box office in 2023 is the industry’s ability to deliver event films that are a ‘theatre-worthy experience'—a must for the film to emerge as a theatrical success," said Ormax Media Head of Business Development (Theatrical) Sanket Kulkarni.
According to the report, cinema footfalls rose 6% in 2023 to 943 million, though it lagged the pre-pandemic high of 1.03 billion in 2019.
Kulkarni said footfalls have remained below pre-pandemic levels as audiences have turned selective in their theatrical choices because of post-pandemic inertia and the rise of video streaming platforms.
The average ticket price (ATP) increased by 9% over 2022, from Rs 119 to Rs 130, owing to a growth in box office contribution from Hindi cinema, which has a higher ATP compared to South-language films.
After a lacklustre performance in the post-pandemic phase, Hindi films had a record year in 2023, with gross box office collection of Rs 5,380 crore, crossing the Rs 5,000 crore mark for the first time.
According to the report, Hindi cinema's box office share hit a pre-pandemic high of 44%, from 33% in 2022. Tamil and Telugu cinemas maintained their 2022 share with a box office collection of Rs 2,265 crore and Rs 1,961 crore, respectively in 2023.
Meanwhile, the share of Hollywood movies fell by 3 percentage points in 2022 due to the absence of a Rs 200-crore grossing film, with overall collection at Rs 1,139 crore.
Kannada cinema shed its box office share by 5% points to finish the year at Rs 312 crore due to the absence of big-ticket films.
Box office collections are getting increasingly skewed in favour of big-ticket films, with the top 10 films contributing 40% of the total box office receipts of Rs 12,226 crore.
Kulkarni said audiences are more likely to watch a film in a theatre if there is a compelling reason to do so. He added that franchise films are gaining traction and engagement across languages, accounting for 45% of theatrical box office collection, up from 17% in 2019.
Over 1,000 films were released in 2023; however, only five films crossed the gross box office of Rs 500 crore.
Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan was the highest-grossing film of 2023, making Rs 734 crore, followed by Ranbir Kapoor's Animal (Rs 645 crore), Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan (Rs 636 crore), Sunny Deol's Gadar 2 (Rs 619 crore), and Prabhas' Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (Rs 512 crore).
Interestingly, the top four films of 2023 are all original Hindi-language films. In comparison, South Indian films dominated the top ten list in 2022, with KGF - Chapter 2, RRR and Kantara collecting Rs 970 crore, Rs 869 crore, and Rs 362 crore, respectively.
Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, Rajnikanth's Jailer, and Vijay's Leo were the three South Indian films that grossed more than Rs 400 crore at the Indian box office in 2023.
Ormax noted it sourced the box office data from credible industry sources, including producers, distributors, exhibitors, and trade analysts.
Indian collects 12,400 cr from films in cinemas in 2023; is the third biggest market in the world
10:49 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
India saw the third highest box office collection worldwide in 2023 with around $1.5 billion (12,400 cr) behind only US/Canada and China. The business was almost 20% up from 2022 but there was much higher growth in Hindi cinema due to some huge blockbusters.
Last year had seen the overall business driven by films from the South but this year it was Hindi cinema which will form around 43% of the all India business when it was only 30% (this is taking out the dubbed films from South) in 2022. It is still well short of the 60-65% business Hindi cinema had before the advent of video but those days will never come back. Also, 40% plus is a huge market share in terms of business today though it will be hard to maintain.
The share was around 45% before the pandemic in 2019 also. So, we can say the status was back to normal in 2023 but as mentioned above, the issue is maintaining this and if Hindi cinema can be around 40% of the all India market share, it will mean it is a healthy state as far as the box office goes.
The top fifteen collecting nations across the world in 2023 were as follows.
1. US/Canada - $9.07 billion (75,300 cr)
2. China - $7.71 billion (64,000 cr)
3. India - $1.50 billion (12,400 cr)
4. Japan - $1.48 billion (12,275 cr)
5. UK/Ireland - $1.36 billion (11,290 cr)
6. France - $1.35 billion (11,200 cr)
7. Germany - $1.01 billion (8400 cr)
8. South Korea - $0.97 (8050 cr)
9. Mexico - $0.94 billion (7800 cr)
10. Australia - $0.67 billion (5550 cr)
11. Italy - $0.55 billion (4550 cr)
12. Spain - $0.54 billion (4475 cr)
13. Brazil - 0.47 billion (3900 Cr)
14. Netherlands - $0.36 billion (3000 cr)
15. Russia - $0.33 billion (2750 cr)
The top ten films in India (all formats and versions) were as below and these films gave 38% of the all India collections as they gave a combined total of 4750 crore apprx with JAWAN leading the way the with a GBOC of 733 crore on all versions and formats..
1. Jawan
2. Animal
3. Pathaan
4. Gadar 2
5. Salaar
6. Jailer
7. Leo
8. Tiger 3
9. Dunki
10. Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2
As I grew older, I realized I can’t restrict and limit myself, says Tamannaah Bhatia on breaking her no-kissing rule in 2023
8:03 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; December 29, 2023)
Tamannaah Bhatia feels that 2023 has been a year that saw her pushing her boundaries as an actor. From her viral song Kaavaalaa in Jailer to making bold career choices with her digital projects like Lust Stories 2 and Jee Karda and doing South action films like Bhola Shankar and Bandra – 2023 has been a mixed bag for her. In a chat with us, she looks back and reflects on how the year panned out.
‘I wanted certain things, and I just went for them this year’
Tamannaah says, “2023 was probably the most conscious year of my career in terms of decision-making. My song from Jailer, a full-on commercial dance number, was in contrast to any of the characters I played in Jee Karda, Aakhri Sach or Lust Stories 2. Each project was set in a different world. So, as an artiste this has been the most rewarding year of my career so far. I wanted certain things, and I just went for them.”
‘People’s perception matters a lot’
Tamannaah shares that she manifested this shift in 2022 and it all began with her film Babli Bouncer. She says, “That film was my first step towards the entire shift I was trying to make. It made me understand that people are watching you, and they have a very different perception of you – that is what matters the most.”
‘It took me a while to come to this place’
While many appreciated Tamannaah’s choices, she also faced some trolling online for the intimate scenes in the anthology Lust Stories 2 and web show Jee Karda. “I think it is very natural that when people have always seen you a certain way on-screen,” she says, adding, “The moment they see you in something they don’t identify you with, there is a certain amount of shock, which leads to such reactions. But, essentially, you are trying to play a part in a way that justifies the role. It took me a while to come to this place. For many years, I wasn’t comfortable with certain things, but then I decided to push my boundaries as an actor. Projects like Jee Karda, Lust Stories 2, Aakhri Sach and the song Kaavaalaa helped me do that.”
‘When we play a character, we don’t judge it’
Tamannaah also broke her no-kissing policy on screen that she had followed in her 18-year-long career. Has the evolving content in the digital space pushed her to do that? She answers, “I started off very young as an actor at 15, so I did certain things to ensure my parents were comfortable. Also, I catered to a certain kind of audience and wanted to stand by their sentiments. As I grew older, I realized I am an artiste and can’t restrict and limit myself. I couldn’t confine myself and expect something new to come my way.”
‘Movies are a common ground between Vijay and me’
2023 also brought a lot of focus on Tamannaah’s personal life. The actress opened up about her relationship with Vijay Varma. She tells us that the two bond over movies. “Movies are a common ground between us. We enjoy watching movies in theatres and exploring content on OTT. But I must say, I watch a lot more movies than him.”
It's raining men: Why alpha males are in cine spotlight
2:44 PM
Macho action movies dominated the box office this year while female-led films have been releasing only on OTT
Shruti Sonal (THE TIMES OF INDIA; December 10, 2023)
Men in thick, flowing beards. Shotguns that seemingly come with infinite shells. Fights on top of helipads, trucks, bridges. A background score that drowns out everything else. And, a box office register that doesn’t stop ringing for angry young bros.
This roughly sums up the year’s blockbusters. Of course, nothing matches the misogyny of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s A-rated ‘Animal’. It has the male character cracking jokes around menstruation, gratuitous violence and even the hero asking a woman to lick his shoes to prove her love for him.
“Like revenge tourism, 2023 was the year for revenge movie-watching in India,” says Girish Johar, Mumbai-based producer and film business expert. “Action has always been a safe bet. However, after the pandemic, filmmakers and producers know they need big-scale, larger-than-life films to pull audiences out of their homes. Other types of films, they prefer to watch on OTT,” he adds.
The statistics bear this out. The top seven grossers in 2023 all belonged to the action genre, including ‘Jawan’, ‘Pathaan’, ‘Gadar 2’, ‘Jailer’, ‘Leo’, ‘Animal’ and ‘Tiger 3’. ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, which took the eighth spot, stood out as one of the only rom-coms that emerged a hit. There were several female-led films such as Kareena Kapoor Khan-starrer ‘Jaane Jaan’, Tabu-led ‘Khufiya’ etc but they did not hit the theatres and were directly released on OTT platforms.
ADRENALINE RUSH
Through the years, Hindi cinema’s male protagonists have shown several shades. The 1950s showed a tempered masculinity, gentled by the trauma of independence and partition, hopeful about the future. Think of Guru Dutt’s romantic artist — philosophical and doubting. Raj Kapoor’s tramp is bewildered by industrial modernity, Dev Anand is a louche charmer. None of them is particularly muscular, some even have an androgynous quality. In these early movies, there was a resistance to social norms, a questioning and conflict around tradition, even as many films implicitly reaffirmed gender conventions.
Of course, the straitjackets of virtue and good-girlism confined women. They were usually props and symbols, whether as deified mothers and bhabhis, vamps and ‘items’, or even ‘heroines’: love interests with no independent character arcs or complexity. But the men had range.
The ’70s moved from Rajesh Khanna singing about lost love, to Amitabh Bachchan’s smouldering rage at unfulfilled promises to the working classes. In the ’80s, this subaltern male anger turned into a darker thing, with lawlessness and vigilantism as central themes. It was pretty much standard to show stalking and harassment as a prelude to love. The movies lingered over rape, showing it as a titillating spectacle, and as a method to teach other men a lesson, as a loot of izzat.
The post-liberalization era saw themes of love and rebellion emerge, with romantic heroes grabbing the spotlight. However, a 2002 study of Hindi movies from the late ’90s said moderate sexual violence against female characters was “depicted as fun, enjoyable, and a normal expression of romantic love”. Now, a new hype masculine ideal has gathered strength.
While the depiction of violence in films isn’t new, the present surge marks a ‘shift’ in the use of it, says Geetanjali Chadha, professor of gender and cinema at Ashoka University. “During the ‘angry young man’ era, the violence had a purpose. It was more about the difference between the rich and the poor, and made the audience root for the underdog. Today, it’s closely tied to nationalism, strength, and glamour. The women too are no longer passive, often playing a key role in accepting it,” she says.
Economics plays a role too, points out Shrayana Bhattacharya, economist and author of ‘Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh’, which analyzed the moviegoing experience in India through the lens of gender and class. “Because men hold 82% of the country’s income, movies that depict strong men may do better at the box office than those that depict more vulnerable men or stronger female parts,” she explains.
SHRINKING SPACE
However, while the action genre means good business, it has also raised questions about the shrinking space for women moviegoers and women’s stories. Paridhi, a 22-year old from Delhi, says the rise of such ‘alpha male’ characters, shrinks her options. “The problem is not with violence, but the glorification of it. I also went to watch ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’ in the theatres, but with ‘Animal’, the clips really made me uncomfortable. Looking at its collections, other male actors will definitely gravitate towards this genre too.”
However, Nikhil Taneja, co-founder of youth-centred media organization Yuvaa, and host of the podcast ‘Be A Man, Yaar’, says he isn’t convinced that hypermasculinity is the only thing that works. “There’s a space for alternative conversations, even in action films. In ‘Pathaan’, for instance, Shah Rukh Khan has a female boss, and is saved by a female spy. In ‘Jawan’, he has an army full of young women,” he points out.
However, he adds that it’s important to understand why many young males today are tilting towards ‘alpha male’ content, espoused not only by films like ‘Animal’ and ‘Kabir Singh’, but also podcasters such as Andrew Tate. “I have interacted with over 15,000 students across campuses in the last four years for research work. While women dealing with various forms of patriarchy are often able to find sisterhood and community, men have told me they lack positive communities to talk about loneliness, which leads to bitterness, anger, and violence,” he says.
In a scenario like this, they often turn to characters they can relate to, or those who vindicate their emotions, he says, adding that therefore, filmmakers should have a certain degree of accountability of what they’re putting out there.
“Toxic characters should be represented on screen, but they have to be self-aware and have context. For instance, in films like ‘Darr’ and ‘Anjaam’, everyone knew SRK was the bad guy and he met his fate in the end. However, in some films being made today, if the directors put a cool background track as the character commits violence, they make it a character worth aspiring for. Men look at it and think it’s cool.”
Jasmeet K Reen,, writer of the critically acclaimed ‘Darlings’, feels that artistic freedom is paramount, and the audience can be the only judge. Her Alia Bhatt-starrer depicted a woman breaking free of a marriage filled with physical and psychological abuse. Some scenes were graphic, and the writer grappled with how to depict them.
“Every filmmaker has their own ideology which, whether they like it or not, reflects in their films. If I’m making ‘Darlings’, what I feel, what my ethics are, what I feel about sexism, what I feel about gender, what I feel about violence, it will show in the film. It also means that everybody has a distinct voice and I cannot control how other people should tell their stories,” she says.
PVR Inox logs over Rs. 200 crore profit in Q2
8:28 AM
Revenue nearly doubles; highest BO collections come on back of Hindi film hits
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; October 20, 2023)
Mumbai: Multiplex operator PVR Inox on Thursday delivered its best quarterly results ever, with a net profit of Rs. 207 crores for the three months ended September 30, compared with a net loss of Rs. 78 crore a year earlier. Revenue nearly doubled to Rs. 2,020 crores from Rs. 1,082 crores, boosted by several blockbuster movies. The results are on a pro-forma basis, as the merger between PVR and Inox became effective on February 6 this year.
The company, which operates more than 1,700 screens, recorded earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of Rs. 447 crore, compared with Rs. 16 crore a year earlier. Ebitda margin expanded to 22% from 1.5%.
PVR Inox recorded its highest ever gross box-office collections of Rs. 1,336 crore in the past quarter, with 48.4 million admissions, driven primarily by Hindi blockbuster films like Shah Rukh Khan starrer Jawan and Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2. Mid-scale movies like Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, OMG 2, and Dream Girl 2 also lifted the Hindi box-office numbers to Rs. 727 crore during the quarter.
Gross Hollywood box-office collection for the company was Rs. 293 crore, on the back of robust performances by Oppenheimer, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part One and Barbie, among others.
Rajinikanth's Jailer set the regional box office collection at Rs. 316 crore. “It's the best quarter of all time for PVR Inox. We were reasonably confident that business would come back. The debate over whether people want to watch movies in theatres is over. Films across the board have been done across multiple languages,” PVR Inox chief financial officer Nitin Sood said.
Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan: Comeback kings rocking Indian cinema
8:39 AM
The resounding success of actors, all well past their 50s, has reinforced that age is just a number when it comes to captivating audiences as well as the box office
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 17, 2023)
In a year dominated by mass entertainment, seasoned entertainers are proving that age is no barrier to box office success. Kicking off the trend was Shah Rukh Khan, 57, who returned to the silver screen after a five-year hiatus with Pathaan. However, he wasn’t alone in this remarkable revival.
Over a single weekend, not one, but three stars demonstrated their enduring power. Sunny Deol, at 65, wielded a hammer in Gadar 2 and passionately chanted Hindustan Zindabad, fuelling the box-office triumph. At 55, Akshay Kumar, who faced a string of no-shows, won over the audience with OMG2, co-starring Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam Dhar. And then there’s Rajinikanth, at 72, who left no doubt about who still commands the hearts of audiences, with Jailer.
Anil Sharma, who directed the Deol-starrer says, “People are saying the movie worked only because of the handpump scene, nostalgia and so on. But that would have worked only on day one. The older an actor is, the more seated they are in the public’s hearts.”
Amit Rai, director of OMG 2, says, “Audience is maai-baap, vwoh content soongh lete hain. Star power se bhi bahut bada hai content. Viewers have given their verdict that they only want good cinema.”
Anees Bazmee, filmmaker
There are very good actors in the new generation; it will take them time to build this kind of fan base. The exposure younger actors have is less, it will increase slowly.
Taran Adarsh, trade analyst
These are the stars that have made a place for themselves over the years. And age is just a number, because people just want entertainment and these stars have given that bharpoor.
Gadar 2, OMG 2, Jailer's record box office collection over the weekend bring theatres alive
8:21 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; August 17, 2023)
Rajinikanth – led Jailer, Sunny Deol – starrer Gadar 2, Akshay Kumar – starrer OMG 2 and Chiranjeevi’s Bhola Shankar – the four big releases of the weekend propelled the Indian box office to reach record breaking numbers this weekend.
On Monday, the Producers Guild of India (PGI) and Multiplex Association of India announced that the August 11-13 weekend frame was the busiest single weekend after the re-opening of theatres post the pandemic. Furthermore, just in three days, the ticket sales of the four movies combined was Rs. 390 crores plus, a ‘new all-time theatrical gross box office record for Indian cinema in its 100+ year’s history’. The statement mentioned, Indian theatres witnessed over 2.1 crore admissions, the biggest number of the past decade.
Busting myths.
“It's absolutely historical,” Akshaye Rathi, film exhibitor. He adds, “What’s more important is the cumulative figure of the movies daily. That actually shows the consumption appetite of our country, if we serve them the right content. All those notions about people don't have money for theatres or the future of theatres being bleak, are busted. It is proven that the movies that were released earlier were substandard and were not worthy of people's time and money.”
Movie industry tracker Ramesh Bala says, "The entire country's theatres have come alive, because of Gadar 2 and Jailer. The content has spread from North to South. Both the movies have their territories and they are dominating in their belts respectively."
Ecstatic makers
OMG 2’s producer Ashwin Varde admits “it is a great feeling to be a part” of the feat. “We have seen audiences storming the cinemas in a big way,” he says. Gadar 2’s producer, Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios admits they are all “ecstatic”. “The biggest glimmer of joy is how smaller tiers; single screens and the crowd are thronging for these movies. It shows the potential of box office is much larger than what we anticipate, if we provide content that resonates with the majority of people.”
Industry is rejoicing
It won’t be an understatement that the industry is rejoicing. Shibashish Sarkar, President, PGI, shares the exuberance of the industry: “Celebration or excitement in the industry is coming from the situation that after almost 3 years of underwhelming exhibition business, this is something that can be seen as an indicator of a turn around. 2019 was one of the highest earning years for Indian cinema and even globally. However, the next two years were a struggle owing to the pandemic. Since the last one and a half years, we have been seeing sporadic success. The industry cannot run or perform with 5-8 successes over a year. This brings a significant boast to the moral of different segment of overall media.”
Clashes not cannibalizing the business
Gadar 2 and OMG 2’s box office clash was widely reported, a few even claiming that it would eat each other’s business. “Clashes are an overrated concept. History is witness that when two good films have come together, both have worked. Dil-Ghayal, Lagaan-Gadar and there are so many others. Films work because of the content; not because they’re clashing with each other,” says Ashwin.
Akshaye, on the other hand, believes clashes could be important for business. “Every single week can accommodate two films coming together. The only thing one needs to ensure is that the two films cater to different demographics. Gadar 2 was for single screen while OMG 2 is for more evolved audience. They complemented each other and in no way cannibalized each other's business,” Akshaye elaborates.
Revival of single screens
“That myth that single screen doesn't contribute to business, is also busted. We are seeing unprecedented revenues coming out of the single screens," claims Akshaye. Acknowledging the same, Ramesh shares an estimated division of collection between single screens and multiplexes: "South is predominantly single screens. So, I can say for Jailer it is 65% revenue from single screens and 35% from multiplex. Gadar 2 is 40% multiplex and 60% single screen, for OMG 2 - 45% single screens and 55% multiplex."
What’s next?
Shariq believes makers “have become very radical” and the “unprecedented footfalls” should be a reminder for makers.
“This has been an eye opener for me. We need to create more cinema that's entertaining and celebrating and not cerebral. Cinema has become very elitist. It was made by the elite for the elite. There wasn’t any cinema that attracts people from smaller towns. We looked down on that kind of cinema. But that is a celebration cinema. We need movies that connect with our Bharat,” claims Shariq.
“There is a certain level of confidence that the makers have got. The audience is ready for tentpole films. What is important is to see if the audience is ready to come back for medium-sized films. We need to have cautious exuberance and excitement,” Shibashish ends.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 791
10:40 AM
GADAR 2 IS A BLOCKBUSTER; OMG 2 IS A SURPRISE SUPER-HIT; WILL GHOOMER GET AFFECTED?
A lot was said post-pandemic that the business in cinemas would get affected and that the pre-pandemic phase will never be back again. All the cynics had to eat their words this week. Not just Gadar 2 and OMG 2 but even the old films did exceptional business over the weekend.
Gadar 2 took a smashing opening, as expected. In our last week’s edition, we had predicted that it has an outside chance of collecting Rs. 40 crores on day 1. The Sunny Deol-starrer opened at Rs. 39 crores. Usually, when films open beyond expectations, they tend to drop on Saturday. In the case of Gadar 2, it jumped to Rs. 41.50 crores. Sunday was extraordinary at Rs. 52 crores.
Monday, August 14, was like a part-holiday of sorts as Tuesday, August 15 was a National Holiday. Hence, collections were expected to be huge after 5:00 pm. But the occupancy was encouraging even for the morning and noon shows. It ended up collecting Rs. 38.50 crores, which was just Rs. 50 lakhs less than Friday! And on Independence Day, the film went on an overdrive, collecting Rs. 55.50 crores. The film faced capacity issues as almost every show in the country was sold out. It had to share shows with OMG 2 and holdover movies. Or else, it could have collected Rs. 70 crores in a day. The demand was so huge that some exhibitors were forced to run shows 24 hours a day. This happened for the first time in many theatres in small towns.
And that’s not all. Wednesday was a Holiday only in Mumbai and a select few centres. Yet, it held strongly, collecting Rs. 35 crores. As a result, its first-week collections are expected to be around Rs. 280-285 crores. If it jumps yet again in the second weekend, it has chance of breaking Pathaan’s record of Rs. 512.76 crores.
OMG 2, meanwhile, faced several challenges. It got an ‘A’ certificate and came in front of the monstrous blockbuster, Gadar 2. It also seemed a bit of an urban film. The expectation was that it’ll open at Rs. 7-8 crores. However, the film’s first-day earnings were Rs. 9.25 crores. The collections jumped to Rs. 13.25 crores and Rs. 16 crores on Saturday and Sunday respectively. On Monday, it collected Rs. 11 crores, which was more than Friday's earnings. And on Independence Day, the film earned as much as Rs. 16.75 crores. On Wednesday, the collections were around Rs. 7 crores. Its first week collections will be around Rs. 78 crores. If all goes well, it’ll enter the Rs. 100 crore club by the second weekend or by Monday.
And that’s not all. Jailer’s Hindi version was released in very limited prints. The film’s response was mixed. Yet, it managed to hold very well. There was no space to screen additional shows and some theatres had to play post-midnight and early morning shows of the Rajinikanth starrer as well. It’s also a rare South dubbed film to work in Hindi in 2023, after Kantara. The Tamil version has done more than Rs. 200 crores of business (gross) and brings back Rajinikanth to the top league.
On the other hand, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani continued to get audiences. It collected Rs. 9.50 crores in its third weekend. Its lifetime earnings will be in the range of Rs. 140-150 crores. Also, audiences continued to come for holdover films like Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part One, Oppenheimer, Barbie and Meg 2: The Trench. After a long time, almost all films were running house full in theatres. Many patrons had to return disappointed when they failed to get a ticket for any film on Sunday.
This week will see the release of Ghoomer, starring Abhishek Bachchan and Saiyami Kher. Directed by R Balki, it looks like a nice, inspirational sports film. But the buzz is limited and it has gotten fewer screens than expected since Gadar 2, OMG 2 and other films are doing exceptional business. It can open around Rs. 1 crore and has an outside chance of earning Rs. 2 crores as well. If word of mouth is positive, it can see a huge jump on Saturday.
A lot was said post-pandemic that the business in cinemas would get affected and that the pre-pandemic phase will never be back again. All the cynics had to eat their words this week. Not just Gadar 2 and OMG 2 but even the old films did exceptional business over the weekend.
Gadar 2 took a smashing opening, as expected. In our last week’s edition, we had predicted that it has an outside chance of collecting Rs. 40 crores on day 1. The Sunny Deol-starrer opened at Rs. 39 crores. Usually, when films open beyond expectations, they tend to drop on Saturday. In the case of Gadar 2, it jumped to Rs. 41.50 crores. Sunday was extraordinary at Rs. 52 crores.
Monday, August 14, was like a part-holiday of sorts as Tuesday, August 15 was a National Holiday. Hence, collections were expected to be huge after 5:00 pm. But the occupancy was encouraging even for the morning and noon shows. It ended up collecting Rs. 38.50 crores, which was just Rs. 50 lakhs less than Friday! And on Independence Day, the film went on an overdrive, collecting Rs. 55.50 crores. The film faced capacity issues as almost every show in the country was sold out. It had to share shows with OMG 2 and holdover movies. Or else, it could have collected Rs. 70 crores in a day. The demand was so huge that some exhibitors were forced to run shows 24 hours a day. This happened for the first time in many theatres in small towns.
And that’s not all. Wednesday was a Holiday only in Mumbai and a select few centres. Yet, it held strongly, collecting Rs. 35 crores. As a result, its first-week collections are expected to be around Rs. 280-285 crores. If it jumps yet again in the second weekend, it has chance of breaking Pathaan’s record of Rs. 512.76 crores.
OMG 2, meanwhile, faced several challenges. It got an ‘A’ certificate and came in front of the monstrous blockbuster, Gadar 2. It also seemed a bit of an urban film. The expectation was that it’ll open at Rs. 7-8 crores. However, the film’s first-day earnings were Rs. 9.25 crores. The collections jumped to Rs. 13.25 crores and Rs. 16 crores on Saturday and Sunday respectively. On Monday, it collected Rs. 11 crores, which was more than Friday's earnings. And on Independence Day, the film earned as much as Rs. 16.75 crores. On Wednesday, the collections were around Rs. 7 crores. Its first week collections will be around Rs. 78 crores. If all goes well, it’ll enter the Rs. 100 crore club by the second weekend or by Monday.
And that’s not all. Jailer’s Hindi version was released in very limited prints. The film’s response was mixed. Yet, it managed to hold very well. There was no space to screen additional shows and some theatres had to play post-midnight and early morning shows of the Rajinikanth starrer as well. It’s also a rare South dubbed film to work in Hindi in 2023, after Kantara. The Tamil version has done more than Rs. 200 crores of business (gross) and brings back Rajinikanth to the top league.
On the other hand, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani continued to get audiences. It collected Rs. 9.50 crores in its third weekend. Its lifetime earnings will be in the range of Rs. 140-150 crores. Also, audiences continued to come for holdover films like Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part One, Oppenheimer, Barbie and Meg 2: The Trench. After a long time, almost all films were running house full in theatres. Many patrons had to return disappointed when they failed to get a ticket for any film on Sunday.
This week will see the release of Ghoomer, starring Abhishek Bachchan and Saiyami Kher. Directed by R Balki, it looks like a nice, inspirational sports film. But the buzz is limited and it has gotten fewer screens than expected since Gadar 2, OMG 2 and other films are doing exceptional business. It can open around Rs. 1 crore and has an outside chance of earning Rs. 2 crores as well. If word of mouth is positive, it can see a huge jump on Saturday.
Box office attains Rs. 390 crores, the highest recorded weekend collection in last 100 years
8:32 AM
This weekend registered the highest recorded collection in the history of Indian cinema in the last 100 years - Rs. 390 crores!
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 15, 2023)
The Indian film industry is basking in a triumphant resurgence, as the weekend of August 11–13 witnessed an unprecedented accomplishment. With the simultaneous release of four films — Hindi offerings Gadar 2 and OMG 2, Tamil spectacle Jailer and Telugu sensation Bhola Shankar — the box office attained an extraordinary collection of Rs. 390 crore, the highest recorded weekend collection in the past century.
This spectacle also united more than 2.10 crore moviegoers, solidifying itself as the most attended weekend in the last decade.
The Producers Guild of India and Multiplex Association of India also issued a statement and announced this weekend as the busiest single weekend post-re-opening. Talking to us exclusively, Producers Guild of India president, Shibasish Sarkar, says, “It’s a good sign that people are willing to come back to cinema.”
Among all other records, this weekend also shattered the notion that only major studio releases or films featuring the Khans can create box-office magic. Sunny Deol was returning to the big screen after a while, and Akshay Kumar had a string of films that didn’t hit the box office in the recent past.
Trade expert Atul Mohan notes that “all these are mass entertainers, and their record-breaking numbers prove what Indian audiences want”.
Director Anees Bazmee says, “For a long time, the industry focussed on making films for niche audience. But ek achchi film woh hai jo har tarah ki audience ko pasand aaye.” Producer Ramesh Taurani adds that makers “shouldn’t look at clashes as threats”.
Movie Review: JAILER by FENIL SETA
11:41 AM
Rajinikanth is back, this time with Jailer. The film has become a talking point thanks to its exciting trailer, ensemble star cast, the viral song ‘Kaavaalaa’ and of course Rajinikanth’s starry presence. Thankfully, the film turns out to be a decent entertainer though it could have been better.
The story of the movie: Muthuvel Pandian aka Tiger (Rajinikanth) was a jailer once and is now retired. He resides with his family, comprising son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi), who’s an honest cop like Tiger, wife Vijaya (Ramya Krishnan), daughter-in-law Shwetha (Mirnaa Menon) and cute grandkid Rithvik. All is going well until Arjun starts investigating the case of stolen antique pieces from temples. The one behind these crimes is the evil Varma (Vinayakan). One day, Arjun disappears. He’s believed to be killed as in the past, cops who went behind Varma had to lose their lives. Tiger is devastated. He decides to shed his image of a docile gentleman and get back to his ‘jailer’ avatar to teach the baddies a lesson.
Jailer starts on a fine note. The entry of Rajinikanth is not as exciting in the initial reels as he pretends to be a non-violent, peaceful gentleman. The fun begins once he decides to avenge the death of his son. There’s also a comic track involving Yogi Babu and Rajinikanth that works well. Though mass moments are there, they are few and far between. Yet, one doesn’t mind as the way Tiger goes to insane lengths to save his family is quite entertaining. The intermission point is terrific. After the intermission, there are two clapworthy scenes which will create a frenzy in cinemas. One expects the film to go higher from hereon. Sadly, it goes downhill. A track inserted at this point doesn’t work. The film picks up only in the climax. The twist in the tale also saves the day. The final scene is underwhelming. The film could have ended on a massy note.
Speaking of performances, Rajinikanth obviously is outstanding. Only he could have played this role so flawlessly. Vinayakan is apt as the dangerous villain. The actor playing the young Rithvik is too adorable. Sadly, he’s completely forgotten after a point. Ramya Krishnan and Mirnaa Menon don’t have much to do. Vasanth Ravi is decent. Yogi Babu, as always, is very funny. Sunil (Blast Mohan) does well but his track is very weak. Tamannaah Bhatia (Kamna) is sizzling hot in a special appearance. Naga Babu (Bala), Kishore and the actors playing Paneer, Dhanraj, Inspector Kanaga Lakshmi, Seenu and Dr Dhandapani are decent. Lastly, Shiva Rajkumar (Narasimha) and Mohanlal (Mathew) add to the star value. Jackie Shroff is also quite good in a cameo.
Anirudh's music is in sync with the film's massy zone. 'Hukum' exhilarates impact to another level. 'Jailer Theme' and 'Muthuvel Pandian Theme' come next followed by 'Jujubee'. 'Kaavaalaa' is also catchy but in the film, it comes at a not-so-great juncture. Anirudh's background score is terrific.
Vijay Kartik Kannan's cinematography enhances the cinematic appeal. Stun Siva's action is quite violent. Pallavi Singh and Muthul Hafeez's costumes are realistic yet stylish. Drk Kiran's production design is straight out of life. R Nirmal's editing could have been crisper.
Nelson's story is too good. Nelson's screenplay is very effective in most places. But it slips in the second half. Nelson's dialogues are clapworthy.
Nelson's direction is massy. The way he has presented Rajinikanth and ensured that the audience gets their money's worth is seen to be believed. But on the flipside, he should have reduced the run time of the second half, when the focus was more on the Blast Mohan track. Also, his decision to end the film in such a manner might dampen the spirits of the fans.
On the whole, Jailer works due to Rajinikanth’s starry presence, uplifting songs and background music and Nelson’s execution. The second half, however, is weak. A decent, one-time watch!
My rating - *** out of 5!
The story of the movie: Muthuvel Pandian aka Tiger (Rajinikanth) was a jailer once and is now retired. He resides with his family, comprising son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi), who’s an honest cop like Tiger, wife Vijaya (Ramya Krishnan), daughter-in-law Shwetha (Mirnaa Menon) and cute grandkid Rithvik. All is going well until Arjun starts investigating the case of stolen antique pieces from temples. The one behind these crimes is the evil Varma (Vinayakan). One day, Arjun disappears. He’s believed to be killed as in the past, cops who went behind Varma had to lose their lives. Tiger is devastated. He decides to shed his image of a docile gentleman and get back to his ‘jailer’ avatar to teach the baddies a lesson.
Jailer starts on a fine note. The entry of Rajinikanth is not as exciting in the initial reels as he pretends to be a non-violent, peaceful gentleman. The fun begins once he decides to avenge the death of his son. There’s also a comic track involving Yogi Babu and Rajinikanth that works well. Though mass moments are there, they are few and far between. Yet, one doesn’t mind as the way Tiger goes to insane lengths to save his family is quite entertaining. The intermission point is terrific. After the intermission, there are two clapworthy scenes which will create a frenzy in cinemas. One expects the film to go higher from hereon. Sadly, it goes downhill. A track inserted at this point doesn’t work. The film picks up only in the climax. The twist in the tale also saves the day. The final scene is underwhelming. The film could have ended on a massy note.
Speaking of performances, Rajinikanth obviously is outstanding. Only he could have played this role so flawlessly. Vinayakan is apt as the dangerous villain. The actor playing the young Rithvik is too adorable. Sadly, he’s completely forgotten after a point. Ramya Krishnan and Mirnaa Menon don’t have much to do. Vasanth Ravi is decent. Yogi Babu, as always, is very funny. Sunil (Blast Mohan) does well but his track is very weak. Tamannaah Bhatia (Kamna) is sizzling hot in a special appearance. Naga Babu (Bala), Kishore and the actors playing Paneer, Dhanraj, Inspector Kanaga Lakshmi, Seenu and Dr Dhandapani are decent. Lastly, Shiva Rajkumar (Narasimha) and Mohanlal (Mathew) add to the star value. Jackie Shroff is also quite good in a cameo.
Anirudh's music is in sync with the film's massy zone. 'Hukum' exhilarates impact to another level. 'Jailer Theme' and 'Muthuvel Pandian Theme' come next followed by 'Jujubee'. 'Kaavaalaa' is also catchy but in the film, it comes at a not-so-great juncture. Anirudh's background score is terrific.
Vijay Kartik Kannan's cinematography enhances the cinematic appeal. Stun Siva's action is quite violent. Pallavi Singh and Muthul Hafeez's costumes are realistic yet stylish. Drk Kiran's production design is straight out of life. R Nirmal's editing could have been crisper.
Nelson's story is too good. Nelson's screenplay is very effective in most places. But it slips in the second half. Nelson's dialogues are clapworthy.
Nelson's direction is massy. The way he has presented Rajinikanth and ensured that the audience gets their money's worth is seen to be believed. But on the flipside, he should have reduced the run time of the second half, when the focus was more on the Blast Mohan track. Also, his decision to end the film in such a manner might dampen the spirits of the fans.
On the whole, Jailer works due to Rajinikanth’s starry presence, uplifting songs and background music and Nelson’s execution. The second half, however, is weak. A decent, one-time watch!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Kaavaalaa has blown out of proportion. I never expected it to become this big-Shilpa Rao
8:35 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 24, 2023)
Kaavaalaa, the song featuring actors Rajinikanth and Tamannaah Bhatia, has taken social media by storm with countless reels and versions being made on it. Singer Shilpa Rao, who debuted in the Tamil music industry with the track, is overwhelmed. “It has blown out of proportion. I never expected it to become this big,” she exclaims.
The Anirudh Ravichander composition is a part of the film Jailer’s soundtrack. Rao says she wanted to be very sure of her Tamil music debut. “This is my first Tamil song and I wanted to do it right, so that it sounds convincing. It has gone beyond everyone’s expectations, not only in India, but also abroad. We have been ecstatic about the love it has received,” says the 39-year-old.
The singer credits the composer for helping her get the song right. “Anirudh helped me with every word and line. From getting the right pronunciation to being on point with the rhythm, he helped me with everything,” says Rao.
Having seen some viral videos on social media, the Besharam Rang (Pathaan) singer gushes, “It’s amazing how a piece of music can bring people together. It only shows that music knows no language or bar.”
I can’t say no to any film-Jackie Shroff
8:17 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 2, 2023)
Jackie Shroff has never turned down a film in his career, which now spans four decades. When we ask why, the actor says, “I feel bad.” He goes on to tell us that he may have turned down a few projects somewhere, sometimes only because there was an issue with the availability of dates.
“I [even] say yes to projects [pitched by] an assistant, a student or a camera person — that’s a problem I have. The only time I have said no is when I need to accommodate the dates for all the films that I have said yes to,” says Shroff, who turned 66 on February 1.
The actor is noted for being suave and stylish. How he reacts to all the compliments he receives, till today. He laughs, “I just take all these compliments very beautifully; I hug that person. I feel the eyes that are watching me are beautiful. You look at them, and you find your own reflection, bhidu.”
On the work front, he is set to reunite with actor Rajinikanth for his next film Jailer, 36 years after Uttar Dakshin (1987). Confirming the news, he tells us, “It is a cameo. I wasn’t able to say no to the project because I respect Rajini garu a lot. He is a friend and a superstar, and I like him a lot. In fact, my whole family, including my mum, likes him too much.”
While he continues to be busy with a number of projects, his recent venture, where he lent his voice as the narrator for the Hall Of Fame’s light and sound show in Leh on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day on January 30, remains special: “I am planning to go there in March or April and sit and watch it.”
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