Showing posts with label Liger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liger. Show all posts
The word marriage would agitate and irritate me earlier, but now I am comfortable with it-Vijay Deverakonda
8:32 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (August 11, 2023)
Vijay Deverakonda spoke about his idea of marriage at the trailer launch of his upcoming film Kushi, co-staring Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The actor said while he was uncomfortable with the idea of marriage earlier, today he is quite comfortable with it.
He said, "I need to get married some time soon. It is around the corner. I am not scared, and comfortable with the idea now. Before, marriage was a word that no one was allowed to say around me. It would immediately agitate and irritate me. But now, I am having conversations about it."
He added, "I am open now seeing my friends getting married and I am enjoying it. That's the chapter in life that everyone should experience. I hope to enjoy a married life."
So, is he already looking for a partner? "I am finding partners for a while. I am not ready for marriage... may be in a couple of years."
The film faced a hurdle when Samantha was detected with Myositis during the shoot. Recollecting the whole phase, Vijay shared, "There was no other option. I don't even think we did something great or benevolent. We were okay to wait and not in a hurry. We knew how much she contributes to the film. Even if it was 6 or 8 months we would wait. We had finished shooting the first half. I was like what if she needs a break and shoot it 10 years later. We thank Samantha for working so hard."
The actor also opened up about his Bollywood debut Liger's underwhelming performance. He said, "When a film doesn't perform, it does hurt. But I have had many flops before Liger, it is not the first. I have many hits before. I will continue to have flops and hits, my ambition is to keep doing films. It hurts when a film fails, I am not scared. I am not scared of falling... it hurts but doens't stop me from running. The drive and the ambition is to run faster."
Trade experts discuss the ‘pan-India film’ obsession
8:25 AM
Ultimately, the success of a pan-India film lies in its content and ability to resonate with audiences, say experts
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 11, 2023)
In 2015, a cinematic storm named Baahubali swept India, forever changing the landscape of Indian cinema. The film’s success showcased the immense potential held by movies from the Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam industries, collectively known as the South belt. This awakening gave birth to the ‘pan-India film’ obsession, as the industry recognized the vast opportunities that lay within these multi-lingual projects.
However, amid the excitement, questions arise about what truly constitutes a ‘pan-India’ film and whether the term has been exhausted.
DUBBED FILM DEBATE
Atul Mohan, trade expert, clarifies that “a pan-India film is one released in multiple languages simultaneously, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi”. He also emphasizes that labelling a film as pan-India should be reserved for projects that “genuinely resonate with audiences upon their release, rather than pre-emptively declaring them as such”.
He adds, “Makers just think now ‘bada budget, ek North, ek South ka actor aur action film, isko pan-India bol ke bechte hain’. But aise nahin hota, content bhi toh ho!”
LOW SUCCESS RATES
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh notes that the “allure of the larger audience and potential higher returns drives many producers to take the risk” and feels that “the term has indeed been overused”. He cites the undeniable successes of films like Baahubali, Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 (2021) and RRR (2022), which “genuinely qualify as pan-India due to their wide-reaching appeal”. But, he acknowledges numerous instances of films failing to make an impact also exist, such as Liger, Vikrant Rona (both 2022), Kabzaa and Adipurush.
CONVERGENCE OF ALL INDUSTRIES INTO ONE
In recent times, several Hindi film actors have appeared in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films. The inclusion of Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt in RRR is seen by some as a strategy to cater to the northern audience. Similarly, Nagarjuna starred in Brahmastra and Prabhas portrayed Lord Ram in Adipurush.
Raveena Tandon, who acted in KGF - Chapter 2, says, “All our industries are converging into one big force. When I was done with KGF 2 and shooting for another film in Rajasthan, people came up to me and said ‘KGF KGF’, I was surprised people in that state enjoyed a Kannada film.”
Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who stars in KD - The Devil, notes, “People enjoy the sensibilities of south films and coming together of a Hindi cast with that of films from Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.”
Vijay Deverakonda quizzed over Liger funding
8:18 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (December 1, 2022)
Hyderabad: Tollywood star Vijay Deverakonda appeared before Enforcement Directorate in Hyderabad on Wednesday in connection with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) investigation. ED is investigating sourcing of funds for the recent multilingual movie, ‘Liger’ which included a cameo by boxing legend Mike Tyson.
Most of the shooting for the film was done in Las Vegas. ED sources said that Devarakonda was questioned about his role in payments that were made in the US and money received from the producers. The central agency is also questioning financiers of the film about source of funds.
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Uma Sudhir (NDTV; December 1, 2022)
Hyderabad: Actor Vijay Deverakonda was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for 12 hours today over the source of investment for his film, Liger, people familiar with the matter said.
"By getting popularity, there will be few troubles and side effects. It is an experience, it's life. I did my duty when I was called, I came and answered the questions. They did not call me again," said Mr Deverakonda after the questioning which started at 8.30 am ended.
Liger was the Telugu actor's Hindi debut. It was made reportedly with a budget of some ₹ 100 crore. The film, which also stars American boxing legend, Mike Tyson, did not do well and the consensus among critics gave it a flop status.
Liger producer Charmme Kaur was also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate on November 17 over alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, or FEMA, which looks at cross-border transactions.
Mr Deverakonda debuted with the 2011 Telugu film 'Nuvvila' and shot to fame with the 2017 blockbuster 'Arjun Reddy'.
Puri Jagannadh gets threats over settlement of losses after Liger failure, seeks protection
8:34 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (October 28, 2022)
Filmmaker Puri Jagannadh has sought police protection after he allegedly received threats from film distributors, who are planning to protest in front of his house in Hyderabad if he doesn’t settle losses incurred from his last release, Liger.
In his police complaint, Jagannadh, who currently resides in Mumbai, mentioned that the distributors cannot threaten or blackmail him in any manner and that they should have filed a civil case if they felt he or his firm owes them any amount.
Jagannadh, whose last outing featuring actors Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday failed to elicit much response at box office, also stated in his police complaint that as per an agreement, he had paid all dues to distributor Warangal Sreenu. He claimed Sreenu defaulted payments to the sub-distributors, who are now being coerced by him to believe that the filmmaker owes them money.
He further mentioned that he fears Sreenu will instigate violence, enter his house in Hyderabad and harass his family members, which include his 85-year-old mother-in-law, his wife and daughter.
Liger, which also stars Ramya Krishnan and Ronit Roy, was promoted aggressively as a pan-India film, especially after director Karan Johar came on board to back the Hindi version. However, the film opened to largely middling response from the audiences, with some calling the film a “wasted opportunity” for Deverakonda, who had spent three years on the project.
Aamir Khan, Vijay Deverakonda forgoing their fee for Laal Singh Chaddha, Liger is a rare gesture-Raj Bansal
9:08 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; September 24, 2022)
Following the dismal performance of Laal Singh Chaddha at the box office, it is being reported that Aamir Khan will not be charging any fee for the film. This could reportedly save the studio Rs. 100 crores as the film’s budget was approximately Rs. 80 crores but it earned only approximately Rs. 60 crores.
Liger starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday also didn’t perform as expected and it was reported that Vijay is likely to return Rs. 6 crores from his fee to the producers. It was also reported that Liger’s producer Puri Jagannadh is likely to compensate the distributors.
Trade experts say that as this is a matter between the actors and the studios, hence it may never be revealed which portion of the losses were absorbed or not, but they say that even for A-listers, it is an extremely rare gesture to compensate producers or distributors.
A source shares, “In the last ten years, Aamir Khan has not charged a single rupee as his fee, which also includes his latest, Laal Singh Chaddha. So even if there is a loss, it only falls on Aamir’s shoulders without affecting any of the other partners. However, all production cost borne by both studio and production house of LSC will break-even via all non theatrical earnings itself. Also, we can only discuss the profit and loss of the project at a later stage.”
SHOULD ACTORS PARTIALLY REFUNDING FEES BE A NORM?
With recent flops, it is being discussed that the assumption that A-listers will attract an audience does not seem to hold any longer. And so A-listers should perhaps stop charging enormous fees. Raj Bansal, an industry expert, says, “Who knows what is actually refunded or not as it is between the actor and studio. But this decision is spot-on and is a gesture of goodwill. We can’t dismiss that the film suffered huge losses, and it makes sense to bear the losses together. However, it is extremely rare in the film industry that any actor or producer would return money or their fee because of poor performance of a film. My question is that when Dangal or other hit films of Aamir Khan made hundreds of crores, everyone from the producer, exhibitor to distributor benefited from the film’s success; then nobody said that they are going to pay extra money to Aamir, as the film worked because of him. Then why make Aamir pay for losses now? Aamir is one of the finest actors, and as a distributor, I’m definitely going to back up his next, too, without any hesitation. ”
Girish Johar, producer and business analyst, says, “It is about understanding the value of this chain of producers-distributors-exhibitors. It has sometimes worked out in a manner that the producer would absorb one portion of the loss while the distributor would absorb the other portion. This is done so that this ecosystem doesn’t collapse in the face of financial losses.”
Girish points out that there have been a few more instances when stars refunded 40-50% amount to compensate for the losses. Reportedly, Shah Rukh Khan, who was also the producer of Dilwale, refunded 50% money to distributors. Salman Khan also refunded some portion for Tubelight. Moreover, Akshay Kumar was quoted as saying that he was surprised to find out that Rajinikanth (who was also producer of the film Baba) returned distributors’ money after the film didn’t do well at the box office in 2002.
Bansal notes that these instances of returning money to the distributor are so few that one can count them on their fingers. He said, “In my entire career, I have received money only twice from producers. I had received a cheque and a note twice mentioning that the producer was sorry for my losses (Lamhe and Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge). It is important to point out that nobody asked them to return their money.”
Trade experts say that not taking a fee or refunding distributors is rare. However, it could help other stakeholders.
For Brahmastra we are expecting massive bookings despite September 9 being Anant Chaturdashi-Manoj Desai
8:14 AM
Rubbishing rumours that Gaiety-Galaxy has shut down after back-to-back duds, owner says he is counting on Ranbir-Alia’s Brahmastra to end dry spell
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 5, 2022)
Those staying in the Bandra-Andheri stretch will tell you how Friday movie nights mean a quick drive to Gaiety-Galaxy, Bandra’s popular single-screen theatre. For actors and filmmakers too, G7 Cinemas has long become the yardstick of their movies’ mass appeal. Naturally then, recent rumours of the movie hall shutting down sent shockwaves across the industry and among cinephiles. Reports stated that following the poor performance of Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, Akshay Kumar’s Raksha Bandhan, Liger and Dobaaraa, Manoj Desai — executive director of G7 Cinemas — decided to temporarily bring down the curtain on Gaiety.
However, when mid-day contacted Desai, he rubbished the rumours. “The theatre is fully functional,” he asserted, although admitting that the past two-and-a-half years have been hard on the Bandra hotspot.
Single-screen theatres across the country have been struggling to stay afloat since the pandemic-induced lockdowns. While exhibitors hoped that things would improve this year, Bollywood has not seen a hit besides Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2.
Desai laments, “Nothing after Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has worked. The running cost of the theatre is so humongous that if a show is selling less than 15 tickets, it’s not worth it. Now, all our hopes are pinned on Brahmastra. We will run the film across all screens of Gaiety-Galaxy. The film will be allotted three shows at Maratha Mandir as well.”
While exhibitors are counting on Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt’s ambitious superhero project to turn the tide, single-screen theatre owners are at a disadvantage. In an unusual move, distributors enabled multiplexes across the country to open Brahmastra’s advance bookings on Friday, since they bring higher revenue.
The benefit hasn’t been extended to single screens, which will open their booking windows only today. As per early trends, the three multiplex chains — PVR Cinemas, INOX and Cinepolis — have sold around 50,000 tickets, of which over 30,000 are for the opening day.
Desai is perturbed by the discrimination. “The multiplexes get an upper hand. Such politics has to end. I don’t see a problem if single screens and multiplexes start advance bookings together. That said, we have 2,000 seats [across the two theatres], and are expecting massive bookings despite September 9 being Anant Chaturdashi.”
(Crisp) Movie Review: LIGER (Hindi) by FENIL SETA
11:52 AM
Liger (Hindi) starts with stylishly presented opening credits. A few action scenes and a comedy scene are entertaining and one hopes that it’ll be a timepass fare. Sadly, the film keeps getting bizarre and silly as it progresses. The intermission point will leave viewers shocked. They might hope that at least the second half would have something to root for but post interval, the film falls even more. Two factors that save the film to a small extent are the action scenes and Vijay Deverakonda’s casting. The actor puts in a lot of hard work and suits the part. Ananya Panday is quite over the top and moreover, she essays a very irritating character. Ramya Krishnan is shouting for no reason from start to finish. Mike Tyson is strictly okay. Ronit Roy is the only actor, besides Vijay Deverakonda, who acts with utmost conviction. Vishu Reddy, Ali, Makarand Deshpande, Getup Srinu and Chunky Panday are strictly okay. As for the songs, ‘Aafat’ and ‘Waat Laga Denge’ leave a mark but overall, the music score is not memorable. All in all, Liger is a silly fare and would leave viewers shocked and disappointed.
My rating - ** out of 5!
My rating - ** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 740
9:48 AM
WILL LIGER BRING SOME RESPITE AT THE BOX OFFICE?
The much-awaited Independence Day week releases – Laal Singh Chaddha and Raksha Bandhan – failed miserably at the box office. Last week’s Dobaaraa, too, didn't make any mark. Hence, all eyes now are on Liger, a Telugu and Hindi bi-lingual film.
Liger stars Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday in leading roles. Ramya Krishnan, who played Shivagami Devi in Baahubali, also features in the film, in an important role while boxing legend Mike Tyson has a cameo. The film is directed by Puri Jagannadh, whose films Pokiri and Temper were remade in Hindi as Wanted and Simmba respectively. Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has come on board as a co-producer.
Liger’s trailer didn’t give any hint about the storyline. However, the way it has been cut caught attention. Moreover, Vijay Deverakonda has a fan following, especially among females. Though he is relatively a new face in the Hindi market, the excitement to see him on the big screen can go in his favour. Also, the makers have gone all out with promotions and it has helped the film get visibility.
However, the buzz is limited. As is the trend nowadays, viewers are adopting a wait-and-watch strategy. The songs also haven’t worked big time. Lastly, the film is such that it might not appeal to multiplex audiences.
Liger’s Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam versions have got a full-day release from Thursday, August 25. The Hindi version, however, would release only after 8:00 pm on Thursday. Through these night shows, Liger in Hindi is expected to fetch in the range of Rs. 50 lakhs – Rs. 1 crore. On Friday, the film hopefully should collect Rs. 5-6 crores, though as per the advance booking trend, it won’t be surprising if it opens at around Rs. 3 crores. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, however, Liger’s Telugu version has had a bumper start. If word of mouth is positive, Liger’s Hindi version can grow in the weekend and dominate cinemas till the release of Brahmastra on September 9.
I have to give Salman Khan a script that matches his level-Puri Jagannadh
8:17 AM
Following his successful run in Telugu cinema, Liger director Puri on shifting base to Mumbai as he returns to Bollywood after a decade
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 25, 2022)
A quick look at Puri Jagannadh’s filmography tells you that he swears by masala films. For the director, mainstream cinema is the ticket to keep the industry functioning. “There is more money and employment generated, and it offers three hours of escapism. Everyone wins,” he reasons. Yet, his next, Liger, is releasing at a time when only a handful of films have performed well at the box office.
The Vijay Deverakonda, Ramya and Ananya Panday-starrer bears Jagannadh’s signature stamp, complete with action and dialoguebaazi.
Does he worry about his movie’s fate, given the current scenario? “After the pandemic, the audience has become picky. If they don’t like your trailer, they won’t come to see your film. It’s scary. People say, ‘You make masala films. Tell us what is going wrong.’ But frankly, I don’t know. This is a cost-intensive movie. We needed to [rope in] foreign stuntmen and fighters, be it fight master Kecha from Thailand, or Andy Long from Germany. The scale is magnanimous. I am confident of the film we have made. It is a rooted story about a mother and son; they are the classic underdogs. Liger is among the biggest movies of my career.”
While his Telugu offerings have inspired remakes in Hindi — from Wanted (2009) to Simmba (2018) — the filmmaker’s last Hindi project, Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap (2011), didn’t charm the audience. Over a decade on, Jagannadh is ready to make the transition to pan-India cinema. “I have wanted to do Hindi films for the past 10 years. I’ve worked with all the big heroes in south. I wanted to broaden my horizons, work with new [set of] actors. But I had to honour my prior commitments down south. Now, I have signed a few more films [in Hindi]. I finally shifted to Mumbai and set up an office here three years ago. I am still adjusting to the new city.”
Many speculated that he would collaborate with Salman Khan, given the success of Wanted, which was a remake of Jagannadh’s Pokiri (2006). Did they meet recently? “I love Salman. After Wanted, we met. Salman bhai and I started chatting one morning and went on till the next morning. He told me to come to him with a good script. I have to give him a script that matches his level.”
It took us two years to sign Mike Tyson for Liger-Charmme Kaur
8:26 AM
Liger maker breaks down how the team pursued Mike Tyson through the pandemic and finally shot with the boxing legend in his Las Vegas home’s backyard
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 22, 2022)
Liger was originally envisioned as a south film — to be made in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada — with Vijay Deverakonda in the lead. But when the final draft of the script landed on the table, the leading man, director Puri Jagannadh and producer Charmme Kaur instinctively knew that it had the potential to be bigger. Deverakonda got in touch with Karan Johar, who soon came on board, and the film quickly graduated to a pan-India project. Of course, the biggest scale-up happened when boxing legend Mike Tyson agreed to be a part of the actioner, also starring Ananya Panday.
Casting the boxing heavyweight was a long process, says Kaur. “It took us two years to sign him on,” she smiles.
She began the discussion with his legal and managing teams in 2019. “We sealed the deal after months of numerous Zoom calls. And then, COVID-19 happened. India was in the red zone. Tyson’s teams told me it’s a deal-breaker. They didn’t want to travel all the way to India, and we couldn’t have travelled [to the US] either. It was heartbreaking [that things fell apart].”
But Deverakonda, Jagannadh and Kaur were not quite ready to throw in the towel. When the situation improved after the first wave, Kaur resumed the conversation with Tyson’s teams in late 2020. “I again got hold of everyone. I made calls at 5 am IST. This went on for a year, after which Mike Tyson said, ‘Fine. Come to my backyard and shoot.’ We created [a small] team and went to shoot in Las Vegas for a month.”
Shooting with the legend was the easiest part of the process. The producer describes him as “a kid on the set.” “He is at peace with his life. His wife Kiki Tyson is amazing, and was always on the set with us. He is a family guy. After every shot, he’d ask Puri sir if the shot was okay. Whenever Puri sir said it was amazing, he would jump around in childlike glee, saying, ‘I am an actor!’ He loves Indian food. One day, he told me, ‘I want to eat chicken tikka masala with garlic naan and gobhi.’ So that was our staple order every day.”
I don’t wish to rectify my post-Arjun Reddy image, says Vijay Deverakonda
8:26 AM
Stating that people’s opinions will keep changing based on his work, Vijay says he is eager to connect with a wider audience with his pan-India film Liger
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 19, 2022)
Vijay Deverakonda has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the Telugu industry ever since Arjun Reddy (2017) became a rage. Now, as he is set to foray into Hindi cinema with Liger, the responsibility of being a pan-India hero isn’t lost on him. “I wanted to be ready for a stage like this. You are telling the story to an entire country. Love from people that cuts across barriers of language, age and gender has to be reciprocated with care. I needed to feel settled as an artiste to take that leap of faith,” starts Deverakonda, who is joined by Ananya Panday in the actioner.
The move, he agrees, comes with benefits and risks. “Hindi is the most spoken language in the country. So when you make a Hindi film, you get access to a huge audience. Trying a pan-India film is a risk I wanted to take [at this stage].”
There was a barrage of Hindi film offers after Arjun Reddy’s success, but none caught his attention. Director Puri Jagannadh’s multi-lingual about an MMA fighter who rises from the streets struck a chord with the actor. “I connected with the underdog’s fight for survival. I have the same fire that fuelled me from my teenage years. Also, flawed characters [resonate] with me. He is cocky, but also vulnerable. He has a stammer. His insecurities, coupled with his brute strength, offered interesting aspects for me to explore.”
With flawed characters, treatment and messaging are key. A section of the audience had called out Arjun Reddy for glorifying toxic masculinity, while he defended the character’s motivations. Does he worry about his image after the film? “I don’t wish to rectify my post-Arjun Reddy image. I am okay with people liking or disliking me. I am just another actor, hoping to entertain my audience. Their opinions will change based on the work I pick up. People who like me now, might not like me a few years later [based on a role], and vice versa. Perceptions are transitory.”
(From left) The actor in Arjun Reddy and Liger
I hope the reverse will also happen, wherein our films will be viewed by the south audiences-Karan Johar
8:27 AM
Stating that he enjoys Tamil and Malayalam films, KJo hopes Hindi films find favour with south audience as he backs Vijay’s Liger
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; August 1, 2022)
Karan Johar was well-aware of the power of south cinema when he presented Baahubali 2 in 2017. Almost five years on, the south wave is dominating Indian cinema, with Pushpa: The Rise (2021), RRR and KGF: Chapter 2 having taken the box office by storm. The filmmaker says that he, like the rest of the OTT audience, is deeply impressed by the content coming from Tamil and Malayalam film industries.
“People’s viewing habits have changed, and we, as filmmakers, will have to take stock. I am watching a lot of content coming from the south. The storytelling in Tamil and Malayalam films is ahead of us by leaps and bounds. I have fallen more in love with Malayalam films, while the robustness of Telugu cinema is infectious. I realise now that the audience will be picky,” says Johar.
The filmmaker is ensuring that he gives the audience what they want. With his next production Liger, Johar is launching Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda of Arjun Reddy (2017) fame in Bollywood. The filmmaker believes that the actioner, helmed by Puri Jagannadh, is a crossover film in the truest sense.
“When we talked about crossover earlier, we meant crossing over from Hindi cinema to the West. But the true crossover is happening now between the north and south [talent]. We are watching films made in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. I hope the [reverse] will also happen, wherein our films will be viewed by the [south] audiences,” he says, before quipping, “We have Tollywood, Kollywood and Bollywood. None of those woods should exist; we should be one strong forest of content.”
Strong movie runs, non-Hindi genre to boost multiplexes
8:35 AM
Top lines of PVR, Inox Leisure projected to grow 18-20% in FY24; restoration of 8-week exhibition timeline bodes well
Rajesh Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; July 19, 2022)
ET Intelligence Group: Multiplexes are likely to record higher growth in revenue than broadcast (channels) companies following a strong line-up of movies and rising popularity of non-Hindi releases. In contrast, channel broadcasters are expected to face headwinds of dwindling advertising revenue amid high production costs. Analysts expect multiplex companies including PVR and Inox Leisure to record 18-20% top-line growth for FY24 compared with the FY23 estimated numbers.
The top-line growth is expected to pick up for multiplexes in the second half of FY23 given a large number of big-budget, star-studded, and spectacle films in Hindi, regional languages and English. Films such as Laal Singh Chaddha, Shamshera, Brahmastra (Part I), Liger, Adipurush, Avatar: The Way Of Water and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are expected to generate high footfalls in theatres.
Besides, multiplexes are expected to benefit from a longer run of movies at theatres before debuting on over-the-top (OTT) streaming services. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, movies were released on OTT after completing eight weeks of theatrical exhibition. During the pandemic, the time frame was shortened to four weeks amid falling footfalls at the movie halls and improving reach of streaming services.
Now that the ticket sales at theatres are improving as demonstrated by some of the recent hit movies, filmmakers, distributors and exhibitors have decided to restore the eight-week time frame starting August 1. This augurs well for multiplexes given a strong line-up of movies and the ensuing festive season. The move will provide more weeks of collections for multiplexes boosting their revenues in the coming quarters.
The rising popularity of regional content is another positive factor. According to a distributor who requested anonymity, audiences are more open to films in regional and English languages as they are available with subtitles or dubbed. “Multiplexes no longer have a very high dependence on Hindi films for collections. Most blockbusters in recent months have been either in regional or English language,” he added.
On the other hand, the revenue of broadcast companies may fall or show lower growth because of the slowdown in advertising from FMCG, auto and new-age technology sectors, and high production and marketing expenses arising from inflation.
I choose not to take myself too seriously and that kind of helps me stay balanced-Ananya Panday
8:25 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 11, 2022)
As someone who admittedly doesn’t take herself too seriously, Ananya Panday is gradually coming into her own. After debuting in a light campus romance, she has consciously chosen to feature in parts that don’t bear a resemblance with her previous work. “There have been a few challenges, but I definitely feel I’ve come out of 2021 much stronger,” she says as she looks forward to a busy 2022.
In a chat with Bombay Times, she spoke about the lessons 2021 taught her and what’s in store for the next 12 months. Excerpts. . .
In a previous conversation with Bombay Times, you had mentioned how you really wished for 2022 to be a special year for you. How do you plan to make that happen?
2022 is already feeling special to me because of all the lessons and blessings I’m taking in from 2021. It has been a roller coaster year, but I’m feeling grateful and energised. There’s a lot of exciting stuff coming up on the work front with Gehraiyaan and Liger. Also, I’ll begin shooting for Kho Gaye Hum Kahan.
2021 was a tough year for the movie business where makers had to navigate through new territories. How would you say the year was for you at a personal and professional level?
On a personal level, in the last two years, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned patience, gratitude and the power of self-love and about spending time with myself. I think we all learned that we don’t need much to be happy and the importance of enjoying the smaller things in life. I won’t lie; there have been a few challenges, but I definitely feel I’ve come out of 2021 much stronger and more mature. I’m ready to go and shoot, and work. There’s also a larger sense of empathy I’ve noticed not just in myself but in everyone around as well.
Professionally, it has been a really different time for the industry as a whole. But I think we’ve gained a lot with the OTT boom. We have witnessed so many wonderful stories and performances and I think it adds a sense of courage in filmmakers and actors to go ahead and make the films and tell the stories that they’ve been afraid to do so far. I think it’s the best time to be an artiste right now.
You’ve got Gehraiyaan and Liger that marks your foray into multi-lingual cinema. What has been your experience of playing out your roles in these films, and also picking up a new language for Liger?
Both the films are so different which has probably been the most exciting part. Gehraiyaan is a complex relationship drama and playing my character in the film has almost been cathartic for me. The whole experience of that film has been magic, and I’ve met some of the best people on this film. It has been one of my favourite filming experiences. Liger is an out and out masala, action, comedy — basically like the kind of films that I’ve grown up watching, so it’s been a dream come true to be a part of it. I feel my character in Liger will be quite amusing and entertaining. Foraying into four new industries is scary, but also super exciting. I can’t wait to see how the audience reacts to both films and my characters in them. And language is such a small barrier and I think we’ve all seen that this year, after being exposed to so much regional and world cinema. So, it was actually something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time and I’m hoping it’s the beginning of a new journey. I think after you get over that initial feeling of being conscious when you’re doing over-the-top comedy, and just have fun instead of being scared of how it will end up looking, it all works out.
Siddhant Chaturvedi, Deepika Padukone and Shakun Batra are people who had a strong repertoire of work. You were the fresh blood in the group when you stepped into Gehraiyaan. Did it take you a while to settle in?
If I’ve learned anything, it’s that acting is a lot of reacting. So, on the contrary it’s always a blessing to have stronger performances opposite you to feed off on. The whole team was working in synergy, and we were like a family where no one made me feel like I was new in any way. The experience and all the people associated with the film have really helped me grow as a person and as an actor. There was a lot I had to borrow from myself for the part, it was extremely cathartic in that sense, but I think I had to get over that fear of letting go and just being and exposing a vulnerable side of myself. And Shakun is a dream director for me. I’m a huge fan of his previous work and I was hoping and praying for a chance to work with him. I was drawn to how real, grey and complex the characters were. It was all in the writing for me — everything felt so honest and natural. I felt there was a lot I could borrow of myself for the part.
You have this cool, fresh-off-the-block, bubbly kind of an appeal. Do you think that there is a whole aspect to your personality that is yet to be explored on screen?
I think it’s inherently my personality to be happy-go-lucky and goofy, but at the same time I’m also growing up and coming into my own. I choose not to take myself too seriously and that kind of helps me stay balanced. In terms of choices of films and characters, I always lean towards doing something new and learning something with each experience. I want to always be a student and grow with each character and film. There’s lots of work to do, I’ve just begun and acting is something I imagine I will do for the rest of my life, so I’m hoping I continue to evolve.
Your father (Chunky Panday) is someone who has been often undervalued for what he brings to the table. Did the learnings from his journey in the business influence your career choices?
I’ve learned a lot from my father. He’s someone who takes everything in his stride — the good and the bad. He’s not too affected by anything — success or failure. It is something that I hope to imbibe too, and it definitely gives me a lot more courage to come out and make mistakes with a smile on my face.
I was a bit scared to interact with Mike Tyson-Ananya Panday
8:25 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; December 25, 2021)
Iconic Hollywood actors making cameos in Indian films isn’t new. We have seen the likes of Will Smith and Sylvester Stallone making a special appearance in Bollywood movies. But what happens when the cameo happens to be of legendary boxer, Mike Tyson! The former world heavyweight boxing champion will be seen in a cameo in Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday-starrer Liger.
When asked about her interaction with the boxing legend, Ananya says, “He’s such a great guy. I am not going to lie, I was a bit scared to interact with him given his persona and boxing brilliance. It can get unnerving. We have grown up watching his bouts. Contrary to his overwhelming image, he was extremely chilled out and funny. He was like a big teddy bear.”
I’m grateful that I could do such wonderful films with Vijay Deverakonda-Rashmika Mandanna
8:09 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 7, 2021)
Awhile back, actor Rashmika Mandanna took to social media to talk about anxiety and fear of failure. “Our insecurities mostly come with, ‘I want to do something but I don’t know if I’ll be able to because I’m too scared’. We tend to overthink our fears and obstacles, but once we overcome them, it will appear very easy,” she tells us from Paris. So, has she ever felt these emotions? “I would be lying if I said that I don’t experience it at all. Over time, as you gain confidence and begin to trust the people around you and yourself, you overcome your fear of failure,” she explains.
On the work front, Mandanna is all set to make a debut in Bollywood. She has worked in the film industries down South for the past five years, but Bollywood happens to be a new experience for her.
Admitting that it requires actors to be visible even beyond the screen, she says, “The fraternity has only been showing love. I hope it continues. The pap culture — wanting to see and click me — is special. It’s always nerve-wracking when you’re entering a new set, but once you break the ice, it’s fun.”
It’s interesting that her friend and peer, actor Vijay Deverakonda, with whom she has worked in Geetha Govindam (2018) and Dear Comrade (2019), will be making his Hindi debut around the same time as her.
The 25-year-old says, “I’m grateful that I could do such wonderful films with Vijay. He’s an amazing co-star. I wish him all the best! There are some great things happening with Liger, and I hope the film works well. He has my best regards and support.”
I feel like a laid back Hyderabadi in the fast-paced world of Mumbai-Vijay Deverakonda
8:16 AM
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; September 9, 2021)
Over the last couple of years, Vijay Deverakonda has got first-hand experience of what it’s like to live and work in Mumbai. However, the actor, who’s making his Bollywood debut with Puri Jagannadh’s Liger, says he continues to work at his own speed in the fast-paced world of Bollywood. “We Hyderabadis are generally laid-back people. We’re very professional, of course, but we like to work at a certain pace. In Mumbai, it’s the opposite. Everything there happens much faster, people are always on the move and they’re at it all the time,” says Vijay, adding, “I consider myself as the relaxed Hyderabadi in the fast-paced world of Mumbai. I tell them that I’m a lazy, laid-back boy from Hyderabad and I like to do things at my own pace. I go to Mumbai do my work and like to come back to Hyderabad.”
One of the things that makes Vijay stand out from his peers is the unique relationship that he shares with his fans — he refers to them as ‘rowdies’ and often gives a personal touch while interacting with them. “I think it came (his equation with his fans) from how I started my journey as an actor. I just got out of college, I did a bit of theatre and I was just 25 when I did my first film. I was this boy who struggled for tickets in single screens. I’d bunk college and go watch movies.”
Vijay says, “My friends and I would be the first guys at the theatre, because college would start before cinemas opened. We’d be sitting there waiting for box-office counters to open and keep one eye open all the time, hoping nobody from our family will spot us there.” The Arjun Reddy star adds, “When you live that life for so long and then become an actor, you look at the audience in a different way. I always looked at audiences coming to watch me as kids my age. You know, college kids. So, I never felt like there was an actor-audience rapport. I felt like I just happened to be an actor and my friends are watching me.”
With his new-found pan-India presence, Vijay admits that things are different from what they were when he first started out. “For the longest time, I didn’t feel like an actor or a celebrity. But slowly as you get more attention and the spotlight falls on you a lot more than usual, you become guarded, because it’s all so overwhelming. But the rapport that I have with my audience remains the same,” he signs off.
Big Hindi film announcements: Is it risky or a relief?
8:23 AM
While uncertainty looms large, trade experts see better days ahead after filmmakers announce new projects
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 10, 2021)
With the growing list of film announcements — Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani being the latest entrant — one wonders the reason behind it. More so because many projects, including Fighter, Bellbottom, Liger and several others, are suffering from the pandemic-induced delays.
According to industry experts, there’s a potential risk, but it also instills confidence that the industry is ready to bounce back, pull the audience to the theatres. “When established filmmakers and actors, go ahead and announce films, it gives a clear indication that the market is on its way to revival,” says trade expert Joginder Tuteja, appreciating actor Akshay Kumar for not only announcing several films, but completing many.
While the trade and film industry is optimistic that once the theatres reopen, audiences will come in, Tuteja adds, “It also debunks the theory that post lockdown, the audience will only go to OTT.”
Along with KJo’s project, Kartik Aaryan’s yet to be titled love story, Rakul Preet Singh’s upcoming project, C Sankaran Nair biopic, Saroj Khan biopic and a film on athlete Pinki Pramanik have also been announced. Trade expert and producer Girish Johar says this is an indication that makers are just waiting for the word, action. “Since all plans are in place they’ll not waste time when things get better, and get to work,” he says.
Trade expert Taran Adarsh is also optimistic about new developments, as he puts it: “Ek khushi ki lehar aa gai hai.” “These are all big films and they are targeting cinema halls, which means not all is lost. In a gloomy scenario, announcements like these rejuvenate the industry.”
When it comes to risk, Tuteja says it’s divided and makers are being cautious. “Yash Raj Films, isn’t going ahead with ₹2000 crore movies with big stars. And Karan has just announced one project. So, they’re being realistic,” he concludes.
Liger is a masala, popcorn film; Shakun’s film is in a genre which hasn’t been explored in Bollywood yet-Ananya Panday
6:57 AM
Actor Ananya Panday says the Hindi film industry has transformed itself and feels that because of this evolution, it is a great time to be working in cinema
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 26, 2021)
There are some challenges that come with the new reality in this ongoing pandemic, but actor Ananya Panday feels that it’s spinning the cycle of cinematic evolution in a new direction.
“Working amid the new normal is challenging. But once all the safety precautions are taken care of and if everyone is following the protocols, then everyone is raring to go,” Panday admits.
In fact, she’s able to point out some good changes that came with the wave of new realities. “Cinema has evolved so much. Digital platforms have come up in such a big way, and people have a lot of new stories that they want to tell. It’s a great time to be in cinema,” muses the actor, who made her acting debut in 2019 with Student Of The Year 2.
The 22-year-old wants to make full use of the “changing world of cinema”, which she feels will be highlighted through her upcoming projects — Puri Jagannadh’s pan-India film Liger co-starring Vijay Deverakonda, and Shakun Batra’s film with Deepika Padukone and Siddhant Chaturvedi.
“Both the projects are challenging me because they’re very different roles from what I’ve done before, and also from each other. Shakun’s film is in a genre which hasn’t been explored in Bollywood yet. And I think people will be really interested to see that, as well as the whole dynamic between the four of us,” she says.
With Liger, Panday has a personal connection as it belongs to the genre of cinema she loves watching. “It’s the masala, popcorn film that I’ve loved watching. There are high expectations that I’ve set for myself from this one,” she confesses.
And she’s not afraid of failure, as well as taking risks when it comes to her career choices. As the daughter of actor Chunky Panday puts, “life is all about taking risks, and making it bounce”.
“It might sound very idealistic, but I’m working towards happiness. I want every experience to fulfil me in some way. I want to constantly challenge myself, and don’t want to get stagnated. I want to keep doing different things,” shares Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019) and Khaali Peeli (2020) actor.
On the first day of resumption of Liger's shoot, I wanted the shoot to go on-Vijay Deverakonda
8:03 AM
Raring to burst on Bollywood scene, Arjun Reddy star Vijay Deverakonda shares his joy on resuming filming of Liger after a 10-month break
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; March 9, 2021)
Vijay Deverakonda enjoys the rare privilege of having a wide fan base in Mumbai even before he has made his Bollywood debut. The South star has been working on Liger, the multilingual that marks his foray into Hindi cinema. While the Coronavirus pandemic had put the brakes on the shoot of the Karan Johar and Puri Jagannadh production last March, the team resumed work in Mumbai last month with renewed zeal.
“Before the pandemic, I was working such long hours that I used to look forward to pack-up so that I could go home and sleep. But [when we resumed work], I only wanted to be on set. On the first day [of resumption], I wanted the shoot to go on. We filmed some portions in Mumbai, followed by a song in Goa,” says Deverakonda, who is currently on a short break as the production team is erecting a set at Film City in Goregaon for the next schedule. The actor, an ambassador for Breezer Vivid Shuffle, adds, “We will also have a schedule abroad. The location is uncertain yet; we were considering Europe initially, but now Abu Dhabi is an option.”
The Jagannadh-directed venture, also starring Ananya Panday, sees the Arjun Reddy star as a boxer. Tell Deverakonda it’s impressive that he has maintained the ripped physique throughout the lockdown, and he quips that it has less to do with discipline and more with the prevailing uncertainty. “I worked out every single day through the lockdown. Initially, we felt the [stay-at-home] period will end in three months; then we assumed it would be six months. So, the uncertainty helped in [being shoot-ready]. Had I known the lockdown would last for a year, I would have stopped working out,” he laughs.
With the Bollywood debut vehicle comes the responsibility of brushing up on his Hindi. The actor is unfazed about the task at hand. “I did a film in Tamil [NOTA] despite not knowing the language. I have grown up in Hyderabad where everyone speaks [a smattering] of Hindi, so mouthing Hindi dialogues wasn’t too hard. My character offers me the chance to play around with the language.”
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