Showing posts with label Khiladi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khiladi. Show all posts
Lyricist Dev Kohli Kohli of ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen’ fame passes away
8:12 AM
Avijit Ghosh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 27, 2023)
Lyricist Dev Kohli, who started his career with the sensitively-penned contemplative track, ‘Geet gaata hoon main, gungunata hoon main’ (film: ‘Lal Patthar’, 1971) but had to wait for nearly two decades before earning bigger fame and recognition with ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ (1989) and ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun!’ (1994), passed away at his Andheri residence on Saturday. He was 81.
“He was in Kokilaben Hospital for almost three months and brought back home ten days ago. He passed away at 4 am,” his spokesperson Pritam Sharma told TOI.
Composers Uttam Singh, Anu Malik and Anand Raaj Anand performed his last rites in Oshiwara. Uttam Singh said, “He was a saintly man — my dear friend of 50 years. I tended to him and took him to hospital over eight years when he underwent multiple surgeries. Our winning partnership in ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ and ‘Hum Aapke..’ created such evergreen hits.” Singh, Kohli and a third friend Shailesh Sawant met regularly over Sunday meals.
Singh said, “I will miss his friendship. Kohli Sahab had no vices. He did not smoke or drink or attend parties. Over the last 8-10 years, he had stopped working. If anyone urged him to write, he would say he will only do so if Uttam Singh composes the tune!”
The 1990s were the high noon of Kohli’s career. He wrote the floorscorcher, ‘Yeh kaali kaali aankhen’ (music: Anu Malik, singer: Kumar Sanu, film: ‘Baazigar’, 1993) that Shah Rukh Khan and Kaajol jived to with verve and zing. The chartbusting track from the Abbas-Mustan film became a nightclub favourite earning Kohli a Filmfare award nomination for best lyricist. Kohli also received nominations for the title tracks of ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ and ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’.
In all three cases, the award went to other nominees. Born in Rawalpindi (Pakistan) and growing up in Dehradun, Kohli had earlier penned two winners in another Abbas-Mustan suspense-thriller, ‘Khiladi’ (1992), an early Akshay Kumar hit. The songs, composed by Jatin-Lalit were, ‘Wada Raha Sanam’ and ‘Kya Khabar Thi Jaana’.
But the blockbuster success of ‘MPK’ and ‘HAHK’, both Rajshri Productions, propelled Kohli’s career to high gear. ‘Didi Tera Devar Deewana’ from HAHK (music: Raam Laxman, singers: Lata-SPB) was mandatory at every ladies sangeet. He would often collaborate with Anu Malik, in his prime then, churning out popular and populist lines such as ‘Oonchi Hai Building Lift Teri Bandh Hai’ (film: ‘Judwaa’, 1997) or ‘Akela Chal Raha Hoon Ek Gaadi Chahiye’ (film: ‘Mr And Mrs Khiladi’, 1997) that a David Dhawan film demanded. In several Dhawan ventures during this period, Kohli had a song or two. ‘Lift Teri Bandh Hai’ was also reprised in ‘Judwaa 2’ (2017).
Kohli had waited for serious success for a long time although ‘Geet Gaata Hoon’ (singer: Kishore Kumar, music: Shankar-Jaikishan), had happened when he was in his early 20s. It was the only song he wrote in director Sushil Majumdar’s ‘Lal Patthar’, a complex requiem to last-gasp feudalism in early 20th century colonial Bengal. Raaj Kumar and Hema Malini played the lead roles, though, the number was lip synced on screen by a young moustachioed Vinod Mehra.
The lyricist told this reporter in 2012, “The song’s success changed my life. I was immediately interviewed by magazines and on radio. From then on I started getting small films.” Those films include ‘Khoon Khoon’ (1973), which had the evocative bhajan, ‘Maati Ke Jalte Deepak’, ‘Kabhie Ajnabi They’ (1985) which had the melancholic 'Dil Ke Is Dehleez Tak' and several others such as ‘Ek Baar Kaho’. All these films flopped. It was only with ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ that he vaulted to a bigger league.
(With inputs from Bella Jaisinghani)
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HINDUSTAN TIMES (August 27, 2023)
Veteran lyricist and poet Dev Kohli, who gained popularity for his work in Salman Khan and Bhagyashree’s Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), died in Mumbai on Saturday. The news was confirmed by Kohli’s spokesperson, who shared that the veteran had been admitted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital for the last few months and passed away in his sleep. Kohli was 81.
He had written over 100 songs for several Hindi films, including Baazigar (1993), Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Musafir (2004), etc. While he was active primarily in the ’90s, the lyricist also worked on several recent films, such as Shootout At Lokhandwala (2007) and Judwaa 2 (2017). In a career that spanned from 1969 to 2013, he collaborated with different generations of composers, from Shankar-Jaikishan to Vishal-Shekhar.
Several celebs took to X to share heartfelt tributes to the artiste. Actor Renuka Shahane shared, “Kaisey bhool paaungi mein baba woh bachpan ki kahaniyaan.”
Singer-music director Shekhar Ravjiani wrote, “Had the honour and privilege of working with #devkohli sahab on Musafir and Taxi 9211 … What a wonderful human being and an extraordinary lyricist .. Thank you for the beautiful songs.”
Except Pushpa, RRR and KGF - Chapter 2, rest of the South films see a disaster fate in Hindi
8:33 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
There was this South bandwagon going on through the pandemic developed by the media mainly to put Hindi cinema down as within the digital world, that was the need of the hour to get views or likes. Now post the pandemic, there has been a record number of dubbed releases from the South and most of them have met their disaster fate.
The bigger thing than the final fate is that there are just no takers of South films from the first day as shows get cancelled. These films open to such limited audiences that even if there is some likeability in a region where South films are more appealing, it will still not get much collections due to the no show on the first day.
There will be the branded films like KGF - CHAPTER 2 and RRR which either have value from a previous film or the director has some value due to his previous film which you know have great chances to score. Then there will be a PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01 type of a film which comes along and surprises but even that will always be a rarity. Also PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01 had a budget and scale which also gives it a chance. But the sort of releases which we have been seeing are basically tack fests and met their deserved fate.
Some of the bigger Telugu releases which are probably the best bets did not even bother with a dubbed version as they knew the likely results. The box office collections of South films released in Hindi in 2022 are as follows and the fate outside KGF - CHAPTER 2 and RRR is a total disaster. Anything can be written to paint a certain picture but numbers never lie.
Khiladi - 1.4 crore
Valimai - 2.1 crore
ET - 6 lakhs
Radhe Shyam - 17.41 crore
James - 50k
RRR - 275 crore
KGF - Chapter 2 - 427 crore
Raw (Beast) - 2.3 crore
Major - 9.6 crore (2 weeks)
Vikram: Hitlist - 6 crore (2 weeks) (Note - This film has not done well but has held at those low levels. The film started with a 25 lakh first day and may well end up with around 10 crore nett lifetime driven by Mumbai circuit as third week should be better than second due to lack of releases)
777 Charlie - 1.65 crore (1 week)
There are going to be many more South dubbed releases this year or are being planned to be released and the disasters will continue to pile up.
Gangubali Kathiawadi is set to beat its Southern counterparts, Valimai and Bheemla Nayak
3:32 PM
Box Office India Trade Network
The Hindi film industry has seen huge negativity towards it through the pandemic through digital media and social media and it was being said that South films is what the audience to wants to see and not films from the Hindi film industry as South films are better. At the end of the day it does not cost to open your mouth so crap will come out.
The stars had negativity towards them but the ground realities were always different. The stars remained stars and hugely popular with the audience and South dubbed films barring an exception here or there were always going to bite the dust and that is what has happened. Akshay Kumar and Alia Bhatt probably had negativity towards of them through the pandemic for some reason or another as it was the fashion but with cinemas open its business as usual and both delivered HITS.
On the other side no doubt Pushpa (Hindi) gave 83 a huge beating but there will be exceptions to the general rule and here if '83 was not a poor product, then PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01 (Hindi) would been left well behind. This week saw big films in the South release but at the end of the day GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI will leave them behind despite their huge openings in their respective markets as the Alia Bhatt starrer has turned out to be a better for its audience than the South films for their audience.
If we look at the all India figures on Monday, then GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI is doing double of Tamil film VALIMAI. Though BHEEMLA NAYAK is similar, that will not last and from here on its all about GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI.
The totals so far are with Monday numbers in brackets are as follows.
Gangubai Kathiawadi - 45.50 crore (8 cr)
Bheemla Nayak - 86 crore (8.25 cr)
Valimai - 77 crore (4 cr) (5 Days)
There is still this Pan India thing which is a bit of joke within the industry as even the likes of URI does almost 50 crore nett in South without being DUBBED but that does not make it a pan India film. A DANGAL does even more and there will be others with more but they are still not pan India films. The only films that have potential to be pan India on a regular basis are Hollywood films as they can reach mass in the south and Hindi circuits.
At the moment if a South film releases in Hindi circuits its called a pan India film when its actual reach is not even as much as BADHAAI DO as far as most of India is concerned. A BADHAAI DO will clock up similar business in the South as VALIMAI or KHILADI does in its Hindi dubbed version. It is being said that BHEEMLA NAYAK is releasing this week but the question is will it actually release and how many exhibitors who have theatres which collect will release it. The multiplexes will hardly give shows to BHEEMLA NAYAK even in smaller centres.
The collections of VALIMAI in Hindi were pretty embarrassing over the weekend and on Monday there was no audience. The South has basically believed in the negativity for the Hindi film industry and tried to get a foot in. They will understand soon enough the market is there only for select films and most of their films may be mass for films for their respective markets but they are not mass films for the Hindi audience.
This dubbed films releasing will die out soon enough as to release regularly in Hindi you have to cater to the audience and when you do this you have to concentrate on this. This can lose you some of the potential in the home markets which are in reality is the first priority or should be first priority as core audience comes first because it is made you what you are.
A sort of example is this that the Tamil film industry has around 22 or 23 All TIME BLOCKBUSTER films from the first CHANDRALEKHA (1948) till the last ENTHIRAN in 2010. Around 15 or 16 of these belong to Rajinikath but when he was concentrating on Hindi films for around 4-5 years in the early 80's there was no historic blockbuster in sight for him. Then after wrapping up the Hindi films in the mid 80's, the megahits in Tamil flowed again. At the end of the day, the importance of core markets is of huge magnitude and eventually it all comes back to that and the faster you realise the better it is.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 712
3:33 PM
THE DRY SEASON ENDS IN BOLLYWOOD TOMORROW
The dry season in Bollywood is about to end tomorrow. New films would once again start releasing after a lull of more than a month. Though one doesn't expect these films to work big time, the exhibitors and industry are happy that at least a start has been made.
The biggest film to release is Badhaai Do. It stars Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar and is directed by Harshvardhan Kulkarni of Hunterrr fame. The film tells an interesting story of a gay and a lesbian tying the knot to silence their respective families who have been pressurizing them for marriage. Though the premise looks promising, the buzz is very limited. Moreover, such topics rarely get acceptance from mainstream audiences. A recent example is Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui. That film had a bigger actor like Ayushmann Khurrana and seemed far more entertaining than Badhaai Do. Yet, it opened at just Rs. 3.25 crore. Badhaai Do, hence, might have a lesser opening, anywhere between Rs. 1-2 crore. If the word of mouth is positive, it can hopefully grow well over the weekend.
The other release of the week is Khiladi, a Telugu film which has been dubbed in Hindi, starring Ravi Teja. The film is getting a wide release as the makers are hoping it can repeat the success of Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01. However, the awareness is just not there. Interestingly, Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 opened at just Rs. 3.30 crore and then grew dramatically. But even this film had some sort of hype. Khiladi, meanwhile, is an unknown film for many. Its opening might be in the Rs. 1-2 crore range as well. In mass centres, it might open better than Badhaai Do.
Finally, there are 3 Hollywood films which will be released tomorrow – Death On The Nile, Moonfall and Marry Me. Death On The Nile seems the most exciting as it’s a murder mystery and the second part after the successful film, Murder On The Orient Express. The film stars Gal Gadot and that has enhanced the excitement. Moreover, it also stars Indian actor Ali Fazal in a crucial role. It can work and sustain in cinemas for several weeks if the reports are encouraging.
On the other hand, on digital, Gehraiyaan is up for release on Amazon Prime at 10:00 pm tonight. It stars Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ananya Panday. It is directed by Shakun Batra and its bold and hot trailer has made it a trending topic. The film looks like an international product, technically and visually, and can emerge as one of the most successful Hindi films online if made well.
Cinemas bet big on Alia Bhatt and Sanjay Leela Bhansali
8:04 AM
After the lull brought on by the third wave, exhibitors hope to bounce back in action with Alia’s Gangubai Kathiawadi; optimistic that back-to-back massy entertainers will lure audience to theatres
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; February 9, 2022)
The exhibition sector, which was slowly getting back on its feet in late 2021, was dealt another blow by the third wave of the pandemic. Amid a surge in cases in late December, cinemas in Delhi were shut while night curfews were imposed in Mumbai, leaving the theatrical business bleeding again. But now, with the case count declining significantly, trade analysts believe the big movies lined up for February will be a shot in the arm for the sector.
While Badhaai Do opens on February 11, cinema owners have their eyes peeled for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi that hits screens a fortnight later. Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 multiplex and Maratha Mandir, says, “When Pushpa [2021] had released, all our night shows were house-full [at 50 per cent occupancy]. But when the night curfew was imposed, we suffered terribly. Now that the night curfew has been lifted, fresh films are the need of the hour. The plot of Badhaai Do may not appeal to [a wide audience], but Gangubai Kathiawadi will hopefully spin some magic. For us, it’s the most-awaited film.”
Distributor Akshaye Rathi is confident that Badhaai Do will strike a chord with the urban audiences, luring them back to the theatres. “It’s the sequel of a successful film. It is an interesting premise that caters to an evolved audience,” he reasons.
However, Rathi notes that the box-office performance of the Alia Bhatt-starrer will be the litmus test. “Gangubai Kathiawadi has the biggest female star on screen. With Bhansali’s craft and vision, and Ajay Devgn’s presence, the film will pull more than just respectable numbers. Couple that with Ajith’s Valimai, and it will be a weekend to watch out for.”
He points out that there is an air of optimism in the exhibition sector. Filmmakers, on their part, are putting their money where their mouth is by lining up massy entertainers back-to-back. “There is a massy flick in Khiladi [Telugu]. After that, Gangubai and Valimai will hit the screens. With Bachchan Pandey, Radhe Shyam and RRR, we will end the financial year on a significant high. This is an important season at the box-office.”
In the first week, Khiladi didn't even get many theatres-Ratan Jain
7:49 AM
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 16, 2015)
In 1990, after two Gujarati films, Sajan Tara Sambharna and Moti Verana
Chokma, the Burmawalla brothers from Surat, Abbas and Mustan, directed
their first Hindi film, Agneekaal, featuring Raj Babbar, Jeetendra and
Madhavi. Its music was with the record company Venus and its owner,
Ratan Jain, who wanted to diversify into film production and asked the
director duo if they had a script. They outlined the story idea of a
kidnapping prank that goes wrong and Ratan greenlit the project. Since the makers were new, no established actors wanted to work in the film so the trio opted for relatively new faces. "I saw a centrefold advertisement of Chura Lenge Aankhon Se Kaajal to be directed by Goldie saab (Vijay Anand) in a trade weekly. Akshay Kumar caught my eye. I got his number from the composer, Bappi Lahiri, and offered him Khiladi even though his previous films hadn't clicked. Little did we realise then that Akshay would come to be known as Khiladi Kumar and we were spinning a franchise for him," reminisces Jain 25 years later.
He was paired with Ayesha Jhulka and a new girl, Avni, cast opposite Deepak Tijori. Two days into the shoot, Avni was replaced by Sabeeha. "I like the film but wasn't sure if the audience would watch a film which didn't have any big stars despite the hit tracks. We had no buyers and released it ourselves. In the first week, it didn't even get many theatres," says Jain.
But it picked up in the second week, added more screens, went on to become a surprise hit and broke the public perception that horrors and thrillers are a C-grade genre. It was followed by big-budget murder mysteries like Gupt and Jain's own Baazigar.
Twenty-three years after its release, Khiladi is as much remembered for Khiladi Kumar as it is for its 'surprise' villain, Ananth Mahadevan. "We wanted an actor with a squeaky clean image whom no one would suspect him," reasons Jain.
Ananth points out that the film also starred the established khalnayaks of the time, Prem Chopra and Shakti Kapoor, but they were the red herrings. "It was a brave decision on the part of Abbas-Mustan to cast me as the bad man. I just wish they would have risked giving me a few more scenes but I guess they didn't want to spoil the suspense," he says.
At the film's premiere Prem Chopra asked him, "Kyun hamare pet me laath maar rahe ho?", while Shakti advised him to take advantage of this turning point in his career, surge ahead and market himself well. "I wish I had taken his advise seriously then maybe I could have done the roles that later went to Anupam Kher and Gulshan Grover. But no regrets. Abbas-Mustan kept their promise to me and cast me as Shah Rukh's dad in Baazigar and a comic role in Baadshah which helped me prove my versatility as an actor."
He helped Abbas-Mustan write the film's climax, during which he terrorises Ayesha Jhulka. It was shot in Juhu's Ruia Park over six nights. "I got a pat on the back from Abbas-Mustan for insisting on shooting all my scenes myself though in the early shots my face is not revealed. You only see my hand, my back and my feet," recalls Ananth who even stepped out of the window, went down the sloping roof, then went up again. "It was only in the scene where she throws me out of the window that I turned to a double," he says.
Quiz him on his hero and he remembers Akshay as a shy, reticent actor who showed no signs of the flamboyant, dynamic star he would blossom into. "But if it was an action scene, it was as if he was plugged on to a hi-voltage cell, he turned super agile and energetic and left us dazzled," Ananth smiles. "He was a natural Khiladi."
Jain, who made Main Khiladi Tu Anari with him two years later, admits that since they didn't have a script worthy of Akshay who's a superstar, a while ago he had toyed with the idea of making a Khiladi with a new boy but the idea didn't go down well even with his own team. "May be someone else will launch a new Khiladi, after Akshay and I have retired but for now he's Khiladi Kumar," he signs off.
I have always gone by my gut for my major decisions in my life-Arbaaz Khan
8:06 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 13, 2014)
Arbaaz Khan, 47, has always
taken all major decisions of his life based on his own gut without
consulting anyone, be it the decision to debut as a villain at 29, get
married to Malaika at 30 or turn director for Dabangg 2 at 43. Only time
will tell whether his latest decision to release his production Dolly Ki
Doli with the Akshay Kumar-starrer Baby was good or bad, but for now,
Arbaaz seems happy and confident. Over a quick coffee, we
grill the good-looking producer on his latest decision. He doesn't duck
any of our questions Excerpts:
So far, smaller films have chosen to avoid coming on dates when big star films are coming. Yet, you have chosen to come with Akshay Kumar's Baby.
Date of release of a film is just as important as the quality of the film. So everyone looks for an ideal release date. As far as I am concerned, I am still learning on what is a good time and what is not, but there are 4 holidays in a year when there is a certain spike in the collections. These dates can absorb 2-3 films. Realistically, there are only 52 weeks and thus, given the number of films we make, the chances of having a solo release might become more and more difficult. Dolly Ki Doli is a fun, young film, substantially different from Neeraj Pandey's Baby. It has enough commercial value for the single screens, and the aesthetics and freshness for the multiplex audience. Also, given that December and January are great months for weddings, the film should do better in this period. Post the first weekend, Monday determines the final boxoffice numbers for a film, based on how the film holds on Monday. Given that Republic Day (January 26) this time is coming on a Monday, the film gets an automatic boost, improving the chances of it doing well. Had my film been the same genre as Baby, it would have led to a divide, but given that we are looking at only approximately 1,200 screens and Baby, about 2,500 screens, there is space for both to come healthily. If films of two big stars come together or if two similar films are coming together, they will eat into each other's box office, as there is only that much box office to capture, but Dolly Ki Doli and Baby are very different films. We have also seen in many cases that a solo release also does not guarantee a box office. Only time will tell whether coming with Baby was a good decision or not, but weighing the pros and cons, we felt we should come.
Baby seems to be another outstanding film of Neeraj Pandey. Why do you feel that the audience should choose to see Dolly Ki Doli?
You should see both the films if both are good films.
Given the expensive ticket prices today, which one film would you recommend?
I can't shove biryani down your throat if you like chola bhatura. Baby and Dolly Ki Doli are very different films and you should see what you would like to. Dolly Ki Doli is very fresh and entertaining.
Your first two films Dabangg as a producer and Dabangg 2 as a producer-director were both with Salman Khan. Why did you choose to make a smaller film this time?
I did not have a film that I could have taken to Salman or any other big star. Amongst the few scripts that I heard, Dolly Ki Doli got me excited despite it being a smaller film without a big star, but also that it is a woman-centric film. But I believe in mainstream cinema and even though Dolly Ki Doli may not be a Dabangg, it has a main stream approach. It may have taken much more effort to bring it to the silver screen, but I am pretty happy and confident about it.
Do you take a second opinion from anyone in your family before you take your decisions?
No. I have always gone by my gut for my major decisions in my life. Abbas Mustan had initially offered me Akshay's role in Khiladi as my debut film, but since I was pre-committed to another film which did not finally happen, I could not do Khiladi. A few years later, I met Abbas-Mustan in the middle of the road while driving my car and they literally stopped me and said, 'Ek picture hai. Tum second half mein aata hai. Tumhara negative role hai. An edge-of-the-seat thriller, karoge?' And I immediately said, 'Karoonga.' That was the only narration I got from them for my role in Daraar. By that time, I was frustrated and was looking for work. Now I was debuting in a negative role, but it was my decision. Had I gone back home and asked daddy and Salman, I may have got confused. Like Sohail did once. He woke up in the middle of the night and said, 'Daddy , this is the girl I am marrying.' And daddy (Salim Khan) said, 'Okay beta.' So sometimes, you have to take the decision and say, 'This is my girlfriend, this is my wife, this is the movie I have signed, this is the director.' If you engage with too many people for your decision, it only confuses your head, especially when it is people whom you love. For the very, very important decisions in my life, I don't allow people to take that for me.
Which were the most important decisions of your life that you took yourself?
Apart from the decision of my debut film, the decision of my marriage to Malaika and the decision to turn director in Dabangg 2. I had met Malaika on an ad shoot. We started dating and had a courtship of about 5 years before we got married. She was anxious and so, unfortunately, she didn't allow me to pop the question to her. She asked me when we will get married and I immediately told her, 'You decide the date and place and I will be there.' I was 30 and she was 23 then.
Even when it came to the decision to direct Dabangg 2, I had been involved in the first Dabangg in every aspect of the film. So when Abhinav decided to opt out of Dabangg 2, after considering so many big directors as options to direct it, I realised that I knew the film as well as anyone else could and took the decision to direct it.
Is Dabangg 3 a part of your future plan?
There are commitments Salman needs to honour to other films that he has signed for. So while there is no hurry, Dabangg 3 will definitely happen. It is a brand and a character both Salman and I respect and we will make it once we know what we want to do with the character.
How was your experience working with Sonam Kapoor?
She was excited about doing the film and has given it her all. She is hassle-free, down to earth and does not have any star tantrums. For instance, there is no protocol to her. You can speak to her directly, without necessarily going through her managers. Some stars want that, but she does not give that impression. On a tightly-budgeted film like Dolly Ki Doli that does not have the luxury of extending shooting days due to costs, it was imperative for Sonam to come on time as the entire shoot was dependent on her. There were days when she needed to shoot long hours and she did that without any stress. She would always come on time and there was not even one occasion when the unit had to wait for her. Women take time to get ready and on top of that, she was dressed as a dulhan, that needed more time. So, if she would come late and take time to dress up with limited shooting hours, we would have a lot of pressure, but nothing of that kind happened. There were times when she had a viewpoint on the film, but unlike some other stars, she would put it across very beautifully and say, 'I don't feel comfortable about it. What do you think?' And not like 'I won't do it.'
How important is the success of this film for you?
It's extremely important. Much as people like to think that now you prove yourself without Salman, the fact is that a lot of people have failed despite having big stars. It's not that I have not contributed to Dabangg and Dabangg 2, but people are watching to see, 'Ab dekhte hain that Arbaaz kya karta hai.' Many people have had opportunities to work with big stars, but not all have made Dabanggs. It's easier to do it with a star and this might be tougher, but the success of this film determines my life as a producer in the future. The success will allow me to make films without big stars or directors.
What would be Salman's point of view?
Salman will be happy that I have been able to deliver a movie minus him. Salman has been an elder brother, an inspirational factor and a guiding force in our life and he wishes well. Whether he is there or not, his support is always there. He feels that he has done so well for himself and wishes well for his siblings. He saw the first look and called me to say how he loved it. Dolly Ki Doli's success will also give me a sense of confidence and respect in my ability to make a movie on my own. It will allow my production to grow and allow me to tell stories that I want to tell, without being dependent on very big stars. And I am pretty confident that it will happen.
Which of the factors made you choose Malaika to do an item song in your film - that she is your wife or your lucky charm or just the best dancer?
A bit of all, the least her being my wife, except for the fact that it just makes it easier for me to get her to do this. But the most important reason was that she is the best person for the item song.
Do you feel possessive when your wife is so glamorous?
Not really. You ask anyone in college, how would you like your wife or girlfriend to be? No one wants the ugliest girl in the world who no one wants to look at. Out of 100 people, all 100 will say that I want the most beautiful woman in the world. Somebody that everybody desires, somebody who loves me and is with me. And I have this woman. After that, if you get possessive, then it's not on. You wanted the most desirable and beautiful woman, you wanted everyone to say how lucky you are and I wish I had a woman like that and when you do, then why would you worry yourself sick about it.
So far, smaller films have chosen to avoid coming on dates when big star films are coming. Yet, you have chosen to come with Akshay Kumar's Baby.
Date of release of a film is just as important as the quality of the film. So everyone looks for an ideal release date. As far as I am concerned, I am still learning on what is a good time and what is not, but there are 4 holidays in a year when there is a certain spike in the collections. These dates can absorb 2-3 films. Realistically, there are only 52 weeks and thus, given the number of films we make, the chances of having a solo release might become more and more difficult. Dolly Ki Doli is a fun, young film, substantially different from Neeraj Pandey's Baby. It has enough commercial value for the single screens, and the aesthetics and freshness for the multiplex audience. Also, given that December and January are great months for weddings, the film should do better in this period. Post the first weekend, Monday determines the final boxoffice numbers for a film, based on how the film holds on Monday. Given that Republic Day (January 26) this time is coming on a Monday, the film gets an automatic boost, improving the chances of it doing well. Had my film been the same genre as Baby, it would have led to a divide, but given that we are looking at only approximately 1,200 screens and Baby, about 2,500 screens, there is space for both to come healthily. If films of two big stars come together or if two similar films are coming together, they will eat into each other's box office, as there is only that much box office to capture, but Dolly Ki Doli and Baby are very different films. We have also seen in many cases that a solo release also does not guarantee a box office. Only time will tell whether coming with Baby was a good decision or not, but weighing the pros and cons, we felt we should come.
Baby seems to be another outstanding film of Neeraj Pandey. Why do you feel that the audience should choose to see Dolly Ki Doli?
You should see both the films if both are good films.
Given the expensive ticket prices today, which one film would you recommend?
I can't shove biryani down your throat if you like chola bhatura. Baby and Dolly Ki Doli are very different films and you should see what you would like to. Dolly Ki Doli is very fresh and entertaining.
Your first two films Dabangg as a producer and Dabangg 2 as a producer-director were both with Salman Khan. Why did you choose to make a smaller film this time?
I did not have a film that I could have taken to Salman or any other big star. Amongst the few scripts that I heard, Dolly Ki Doli got me excited despite it being a smaller film without a big star, but also that it is a woman-centric film. But I believe in mainstream cinema and even though Dolly Ki Doli may not be a Dabangg, it has a main stream approach. It may have taken much more effort to bring it to the silver screen, but I am pretty happy and confident about it.
Do you take a second opinion from anyone in your family before you take your decisions?
No. I have always gone by my gut for my major decisions in my life. Abbas Mustan had initially offered me Akshay's role in Khiladi as my debut film, but since I was pre-committed to another film which did not finally happen, I could not do Khiladi. A few years later, I met Abbas-Mustan in the middle of the road while driving my car and they literally stopped me and said, 'Ek picture hai. Tum second half mein aata hai. Tumhara negative role hai. An edge-of-the-seat thriller, karoge?' And I immediately said, 'Karoonga.' That was the only narration I got from them for my role in Daraar. By that time, I was frustrated and was looking for work. Now I was debuting in a negative role, but it was my decision. Had I gone back home and asked daddy and Salman, I may have got confused. Like Sohail did once. He woke up in the middle of the night and said, 'Daddy , this is the girl I am marrying.' And daddy (Salim Khan) said, 'Okay beta.' So sometimes, you have to take the decision and say, 'This is my girlfriend, this is my wife, this is the movie I have signed, this is the director.' If you engage with too many people for your decision, it only confuses your head, especially when it is people whom you love. For the very, very important decisions in my life, I don't allow people to take that for me.
Which were the most important decisions of your life that you took yourself?
Apart from the decision of my debut film, the decision of my marriage to Malaika and the decision to turn director in Dabangg 2. I had met Malaika on an ad shoot. We started dating and had a courtship of about 5 years before we got married. She was anxious and so, unfortunately, she didn't allow me to pop the question to her. She asked me when we will get married and I immediately told her, 'You decide the date and place and I will be there.' I was 30 and she was 23 then.
Even when it came to the decision to direct Dabangg 2, I had been involved in the first Dabangg in every aspect of the film. So when Abhinav decided to opt out of Dabangg 2, after considering so many big directors as options to direct it, I realised that I knew the film as well as anyone else could and took the decision to direct it.
Is Dabangg 3 a part of your future plan?
There are commitments Salman needs to honour to other films that he has signed for. So while there is no hurry, Dabangg 3 will definitely happen. It is a brand and a character both Salman and I respect and we will make it once we know what we want to do with the character.
How was your experience working with Sonam Kapoor?
She was excited about doing the film and has given it her all. She is hassle-free, down to earth and does not have any star tantrums. For instance, there is no protocol to her. You can speak to her directly, without necessarily going through her managers. Some stars want that, but she does not give that impression. On a tightly-budgeted film like Dolly Ki Doli that does not have the luxury of extending shooting days due to costs, it was imperative for Sonam to come on time as the entire shoot was dependent on her. There were days when she needed to shoot long hours and she did that without any stress. She would always come on time and there was not even one occasion when the unit had to wait for her. Women take time to get ready and on top of that, she was dressed as a dulhan, that needed more time. So, if she would come late and take time to dress up with limited shooting hours, we would have a lot of pressure, but nothing of that kind happened. There were times when she had a viewpoint on the film, but unlike some other stars, she would put it across very beautifully and say, 'I don't feel comfortable about it. What do you think?' And not like 'I won't do it.'
How important is the success of this film for you?
It's extremely important. Much as people like to think that now you prove yourself without Salman, the fact is that a lot of people have failed despite having big stars. It's not that I have not contributed to Dabangg and Dabangg 2, but people are watching to see, 'Ab dekhte hain that Arbaaz kya karta hai.' Many people have had opportunities to work with big stars, but not all have made Dabanggs. It's easier to do it with a star and this might be tougher, but the success of this film determines my life as a producer in the future. The success will allow me to make films without big stars or directors.
What would be Salman's point of view?
Salman will be happy that I have been able to deliver a movie minus him. Salman has been an elder brother, an inspirational factor and a guiding force in our life and he wishes well. Whether he is there or not, his support is always there. He feels that he has done so well for himself and wishes well for his siblings. He saw the first look and called me to say how he loved it. Dolly Ki Doli's success will also give me a sense of confidence and respect in my ability to make a movie on my own. It will allow my production to grow and allow me to tell stories that I want to tell, without being dependent on very big stars. And I am pretty confident that it will happen.
Which of the factors made you choose Malaika to do an item song in your film - that she is your wife or your lucky charm or just the best dancer?
A bit of all, the least her being my wife, except for the fact that it just makes it easier for me to get her to do this. But the most important reason was that she is the best person for the item song.
Do you feel possessive when your wife is so glamorous?
Not really. You ask anyone in college, how would you like your wife or girlfriend to be? No one wants the ugliest girl in the world who no one wants to look at. Out of 100 people, all 100 will say that I want the most beautiful woman in the world. Somebody that everybody desires, somebody who loves me and is with me. And I have this woman. After that, if you get possessive, then it's not on. You wanted the most desirable and beautiful woman, you wanted everyone to say how lucky you are and I wish I had a woman like that and when you do, then why would you worry yourself sick about it.
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