Showing posts with label Master. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Master. Show all posts
Dev Anand’s son, Suneil, passes away in London
9:15 AM
Avijit Ghosh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; July 29, 2026)
Actor Suneil Anand, fondly launched into the Hindi film world by his father Dev Anand in ‘Anand Aur Anand’ (1984), passed away following a heart attack in London. He was 70.
“We are comforted by the outpouring of love, prayers, and support, for which we are truly grateful. We kindly request privacy as we navigate this difficult time together,” his niece, Gina Narang, said in a statement on Tuesday. Incidentally, Dev Anand also died in the same city in 2011.
“Suneil didn’t seem ambitious. But he was extremely sincere towards his work. He was also very respectful towards senior actors,” recalled Raj Babbar, who worked with him in the film.
“My sincere condolences to his mother,” he added. Suneil's mother, Kalpana Kartik, a film star in the 1950s, is 94.
The 1980s saw a bunch of star sons being launched in style such as Kumar Gaurav, Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dutt. Suneil also made a carefully-crafted debut with much fanfare. He had learnt kung-fu in Hong Kong and displayed a felicity with dance moves as well as action scenes in ‘Anand Aur Anand’.
The film’s bouncy tracks, composed by R D Burman, proved to be popular. “Mr Ratan Tata who headed CBS Records at the time took keen interest in its (music) launch,” Suneil told this reporter in an email interview in 2020. But the film didn’t work.
Suneil also played the lead in the smartly lensed ‘Car Thief’ (1986), opposite Vijeta Pandit. He also starred in ‘Main Tere Liye’ (1988), directed by uncle Vijay Anand. A martial arts aficionado, he directed, ‘Master’ (2001), where the fights were choreographed by Hong Kong masters. None of these films succeeded at the box-office. Suneil had been working on a movie, Vagator Mixer for some years.
In his autobiography, ‘Romancing With Life’, Dev Anand provides a vivid account of how he was over the moon on hearing the news of his son’s birth. He was shooting for ‘Paying Guest’ for director Subodh Mukerji and enacting a drunken scene when the news arrived from a nursing home in Zurich. “I was in such high spirits that I gave a brilliant shot, probably my best in the film,” writes the star of superhits films such as CID, Johny Mera Naam and many more.
Shortly, Dev Anand and his wife Kalpana were invited to the Karlovy Vary film festival in (then) Czechoslovakia. The actor writes that an 86-year-old delegate and Suneil, then just two weeks old, were photographed together by the local press. The front page of a local newspaper carried the photo with the caption, “The oldest and the youngest delegates.”
In one of the chapters in the autobiography, Dev emotionally talks about flying out to Washington to meet Suneil who was studying there in a university. The Evergreen star writes how they embraced with moist eyes, how Suneil showed him around the campus, offered him a guided car tour of the US capital and helped him buy sunglasses. “These were great fatherly moments for me after the brutally harsh working schedule I had thrown myself into all these years, that kept me away from my family,” he says.
With Suneil's passing another chapter from the famed film family comes to a close.
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.”
Our films have often romanticized stalking and that is problematic-Malavika Mohanan
8:15 AM
The actress opens up about a recent experience with a fan that had her thinking about the way consent is portrayed in films
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; September 13, 2022)
Actress Malavika Mohanan had a tough time trying to ward off the attention of an incessant admirer recently. The experience was awkward and unpleasant for her. She said, “I have never really experienced something like this before. It’s something we have grown up seeing in movies, albeit in a more romantic way, but this was far from that. This was pure stalking. I met this person first in Chennai, when I had gone for my movie Master (2021). It was the first time I met him, and assuming he’s a fan, I thought he was really sweet. Then we moved to Baku (Azerbaijan). We were uploading stories on Instagram, and I had not shared my hotel location. He reached out to one of my team members, saying he wanted to meet me. At that point, I didn’t think he was the same person I had met in Chennai. He showed up, but I had left the hotel. Then, he came to Chennai after that again.”
She added, “He knew that Tiramisu is my favourite dessert. I had moved houses, so he sent it to my earlier address and that had his name too. It was a bit unnerving because he was geographically everywhere. Of course, there are people who keep meeting you at shoots, but this person was tracking me at different places, and that is not nice. Thoughtful gestures are sweet, but showing up everywhere is weird. It doesn’t feel safe.”
Though the Beyond The Clouds actress hasn’t taken any legal action yet, she has informed her core team, which always travels with her, and has asked them to be vigilant.
Addressing a bigger issue, she reflected, “Stalking has often been romanticized in films for years. This was my first experience with it. I have seen films where if a guy likes a girl, he stalks her and that is problematic. It’s not romantic. Consent hasn’t been given enough importance. It also comes down to feeling unsafe. If a person is doing this, you don’t know what he might do next! It’s worse when you are alone. This is not admiration, it’s just creepy behavior.”
It's South remakes galore in Bollywood
8:27 AM
Be it great action or just stories well told, southern films are inspiring retellings
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 3, 2021)
Remaking hit South Indian films seems to be a sure shot at success for Bollywood filmmakers. While this has been true for a while, the upcoming slate of remakes of several Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam films is proof that Hindi filmmakers are not hesitant to find inspiration from their brethren in the south.
Recently, Salman Khan bought the Hindi remake rights of Thalapathy Vijay’s Tamil film, Master. Reportedly, he will also star in it. While Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan are all set to star in the Hindi remake of the Tamil film Vikram Vedha.
Ranveer Singh and director S Shankar are teaming up for the Hindi remake of the 2005 Tamil blockbuster, Anniyan. Aditya Roy Kapur will step into the shoes of Arun Vijay for the Hindi remake of the Tamil film Thadam. Janhvi Kapoor will be seen in the Hindi remake of the Malayalam thriller, Helen. Ajay Devgn has confirmed he will do the Hindi remake of the Tamil film, Kaithi. And Akshay Kumar will star with Rakul Preet Singh in the Hindi remake of Tamil thriller Ratsasan.
So, what attracts Bollywood to remakes, despite knowing many in the audience would have seen the original? “Makers and actors are drawn to South Indian hits because stories that have already struck a chord with the audience are a safe bet,” shares producer Anand Pandit. However, he adds this trend is not new, as South Indian films were remade in Hindi from the ’50s. “A film like Azaad (1955) that established the late Dilip Kumar saab as a comic legend, was a remake of Tamil film Malaikkallan. In fact, Dilip saab starred in many remakes of South Indian films such as Ram Aur Shyam (1967) and Aadmi (1968). In the ’80s too, Jeetendra ji starred in many hit South Indian remakes,” Pandit observes.
In fact, many feel these films offer something fresh. “Some Malayalam films are world class,” says actor Aakanksha Singh, who has starred in Tamil, Telugu and Kannda films.
Besides, many of these films are in the action genre, which is a big draw for Bollywood. Shailesh Kapoor, Ormax Media, points out that all southern remakes Salman Khan starred in, be it Ready (2011) or Wanted (2009), were in the action or action-comedy genre. “There’s a lot of audience interest in the kind of action that southern films have, which is very distinct and superior,” he explains.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels the appetite for such films was built because of the dubbed versions of southern language movies on satellite TV over the years. “I don’t think Bollywood lacks originality and that’s why it’s heading south for inspiration. I think if good content is made in any other language, it’s absolutely fine to adapt it to suit the Hindi-speaking audience,” he says.
South remakes
1. Jersey
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur, Pankaj Kapur
Director: Gowtham Tinnanuri
2. Anniyan
Starring: Ranveer Singh
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Dr Jayantilal Gada (Pen Studios)
3. Vikram Vedha
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan
Producer: Neeraj Pandey (Friday Filmworks), Reliance Entertainment, YNot Studios
4. Tadap
Remake of: RX100
Starring: Ahan Shetty, Tara Sutaria
Director: Milan Luthria
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala
5. Good Luck Jerry
Remake of: Kolamavu Kokila
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor
Director: Siddharth Sengupta
Producer: Aanand L Rai
6. Jelen
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor
Director: Mathukutty Xavier
7. Shehzada
Remake of: Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo
Starring: Kartik Aaryan
Director: Rohit Dhawan
Producer: Ekta Kapoor
8. U-Turn
Starring: Alaya F
Director: Arif Khan
Producer: Ekta Kapoor
9. Comali
Starring: Arjun Kapoor
Producer: Boney Kapoor
10. Soorarai Pootru
Director: Sudha Kongara
Producer: Vikram Malhotra (Abundantia Entertainment), and Suriya, Jyotika, Rajsekar Pandian (2D Entertainment)
11. Kaithi
Starring: Ajay Devgn
Director: Jagan Shakti
Producer: Reliance Entertainment
12. Naandhi
Starring: Ajay Devgn
Producer: Ajay Devgn, Dil Raju
13. Hit
Starring: Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhortra
14. Dear Comrade
Producer: Karan Johar
15. Thadam
Starring: Sidharth Malhotra
Director: Vardhan Ketkar
16. Mumbaikar
Remake of: Maanagaram
Starring: Vikrant Massey, Vijay Sethupathi, Tanya Maniktala
Director: Santosh Sivan
"There can be a pause, but not a full stop": Experts are confident audiences will be back to cinemas
8:26 AM
We ask experts about the future of theatres, if the audience remains afraid and hesitant
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 23, 2021)
This year started on a good note for theatres with many films beelining for releases. While some managed to enjoy a theatrical run, the second wave of Coronavirus again put an unfortunate pause for others. According to the recent Ormax Cinematix Sentiment Track, Indian audience’s sentiment towards returning to cinemas in the near future continues to get more conservative. So what does it mean for cinemas?
While noting that the hesitation among people to visit any place of public gathering with strangers, and not just theatres, is a genuine concern, Siddharth Anand Kumar, vice president - Films and Events at Saregama India Ltd, adds, “If you go through the study, you’d notice that people who have visited theatres since the 2020 lockdown has risen sharply since December. This clearly shows that whenever there’s a semblance of normality, people won’t hesitate to catch their favourite actors and stories on the big screen.”
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi feels that this is a reaction to the death and losses amid the pandemic. “That puts a layer of fear on your mind,” he says.
Old Habits Die Hard
Many industry experts believe that cinema watching is part of our culture, and won’t die easily. “Yes, there’s fear but we will get over this and come back stronger. The 70mm screen effect is different,” says Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 and Maratha Mandir.
Rathi adds, “With cases dipping, cinemas will regain momentum. With people sitting at home, there’s a lot of frustration, and a demand for change of scene. Habits formed over 30- 40 years can’t be changed now. There can be a pause, but not a full stop.”
A big Ticket release is the way forward
Kumar, too, is hopeful, especially once a sizeable chunk of population is vaccinated. “Big screen entertainment is here to stay, especially with mass entertainers like Sooryavanshi and ’83 choosing to wait and release in theatres when situation is conducive,” he adds.
Even Rathi says, “We saw earlier this year that when a film like Master came in theatres in the south region, it did unprecedented numbers. One big ticket movie will be compelling enough to get people back to cinemas.”
Global trend is reassuring
Hollywood film A Quiet Place Part II, which released on May 28, has generated approximately $222.6 million revenue to date. And many in India feel it is a stamp on the fact that the big screen magic can never go away. “In many countries where the disease is under control and vaccination, the audience has returned to outdoor habits,” shares Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO of Reliance Entertainment.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh concludes that the charm of the big screen will be revived in the coming months: “Look at Australia and US box office. It’s being revived everywhere.”
Salman Khan all set to announce two new projects next month
8:26 AM
Salman to announce two new big-ticket projects next month, including remake of Tamil hit Master; will shoulder six movies up to 2022-end
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 11, 2021)
In 2020, things were slow on the professional front for Salman Khan for obvious reasons. But now that he is back in the saddle with Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, the superstar is in no mood to take it easy. Come next month, he will announce two new projects that — along with Maneesh Sharma’s Tiger 3, Farhad Samji’s Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kick 2 and Sooraj Barjatya’s next — will make up his slate for 2021-22. Following weeks of rumours, the actor’s fans will be happy to know that one of the projects indeed is the Hindi remake of Thalapathy Vijay’s Master, which released earlier this year. The adaptation of the Tamil hit will be produced by Endemol Shine India and Murad Khetani, in association with Seven Screen Studios that co-produced and distributed the original actioner.
“The Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed venture was shown to Salman earlier this year before the junta curfew was imposed. It revolves around alcoholic professor JD, portrayed by Vijay, who takes up a teaching job at a juvenile home. Salman was excited about the movie and agreed to do it in principle. But things did not progress swiftly due to the lockdown. Now, the producers will meet him again to discuss the minor tweaks in the script, the possible dates for the shoot and the director,” reveals a trade source.
Khan is also in talks for another action thriller with a leading studio. With this, the superstar will shoulder six big-budget movies over the next 18 months. He is currently enjoying family time at his Panvel farmhouse, before work takes centre-stage. The source adds, “By the month-end, the Khandaan will head to Goa for a vacation. If all goes well, after returning from the holiday, he will announce his new releases. Meanwhile, the producers of the Master remake are scouting for an A-list star who can reprise Vijay Sethupathi’s role and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Salman.”
Bollywood put on a pedestal over other industries-Malavika Mohanan
8:18 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 28, 2021)
Actor Malavika Mohanan is finally set to be seen in a Hindi masala potboiler, Yudhra opposite actor Sidhant Chaturvedi. After Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds in 2017, she preferred to do two Tamil and one Malayalam film, instead of taking up just about any Bollywood film that came her way.
She tells us why, “In the last two years, I have got so many Hindi projects, even some big ones with A-listers. But they were characters I didn’t really see myself doing. For me, I have always picked my films intuitively. I see my contemporaries picking films just to keep the ball rolling. Their idea is to sign as many films, even if they are half decent, to keep having constant announcements. While that sounds good for other people, it’s never been something that I want to do.”
Which is why this 27-year-old decided to wait it out, and Yudhra happened. Having done films such as Petta opposite Rajinikanth and Master with Vijay, Mohanan feels that people still tend to overlook other industries.
“Bollywood is an amazing industry. I have grown up watching Hindi films, but unfortunately, I do see people putting Bollywood on a pedestal,” she says.
The actor adds, “For me, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, all are on the same level. Obviously, Bollywood has a national reach. Master was a film which the whole of south India watched. Vijay sir has so many fans comprising almost half the country, but if it was a Bollywood film, the whole country would have watched it. For me, Tamil cinema is at par with Bollywood. Therefore, I personally find the difference annoying.”
Overseas markets gradually come to life
8:25 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
There seems to be some light for Hindi films in the Overseas market now.
The markets in the Far East have been doing well but they hardly matter
for our films. There have been cinemas open in North America for some
months now with limited business but finally cinemas in New York are set
to open on the 5th March.
These theatres have been shut for around one year and have finally got permission
to open with 25% occupancy from 5th March onwards. The hope is that
cinemas in Los Angeles will follow suit. New York and LA are the hubs for cinema
business in USA and are very crucial not just for Hollywood cinema but
even for Hindi cinema these as two places form a huge bulk of the
business.
United Kingdom will also cinemas to open from 17th May and it could be
with 100% occupancy allowed but if that is not the case, then 100% will be allowed from 21st June. The opening of cinemas in UK will
not be in time for Eid which along with Xmas is the best period for
Hindi films in United Kingdom but it will allow the Eid releases to get a
theatrical release in UK.
The other two main markets (Gulf and Australia) for Hindi films have had
cinemas open for some time. Australia seems to being doing very well
going by the business of some Hollywood releases while the markets open
in Gulf are generally lackluster though MASTER (Tamil) scored very well
in UAE and Saudi Arabia. If SOORYAVANSHI keeps its early April release
date and cinemas open in LA, then it could see a healthy release in North
America and it will only be missing UK and some smaller circuits.
Movies will start small and go big with 100 per cent occupancy
9:03 AM
As 100 per cent occupancy returns, race begins in industry to put together a balanced calendar
Mohar Basu, Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; February 1, 2021)
On Sunday, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar announced that cinemas will be allowed to operate at 100 per cent occupancy from February 1, thus spreading cheer among the film industry and exhibition sector. Trade analysts believe the latest decision will give producers the much-needed confidence to bring out the big guns.
“Getting audiences back in theatre depends on how quickly we put out compelling films. Master [Tamil film] grossed approximately Rs 200 crore from its theatrical run. It proved that people are waiting to return to movie halls,” begins trade analyst Akshaye Rathi. He cautions that only small offerings are lined up for the coming weeks — Monster Hunter on February 5, Tom and Jerry, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production Tuesdays & Fridays on February 19. “Now with 100 per cent occupancy, a fresh slew of announcements must follow,” adds Rathi.
Only hours into the announcement, a change in release calendar began. Viineet Kumar Singh’s Aadhaar, which was poised for a February 5 release, stands postponed. The spokesperson of Jio Studios says, “To convert this opportunity into higher footfall, we need big films like Roohi Afzana and Mimi. Smaller films like Aadhaar can follow later.”
The recent development begs the all-important question: Will Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh’s '83 finally hit the marquee, almost 11 months after their originally intended release? “We have been planning to bring one of our movies in the last week of March or the first week of April. We are studying the cost of having held the films for a year and other commercials, and will soon announce the release dates,” promises Shibasish Sarkar, chief executive officer, Reliance Entertainment group.
The new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in theatres includes mandatory use of masks, availability of touch-free hand sanitisers at entry and exit points, thermal screening of audience and staff, staggered shows, downloading the Aarogya Setu app and increased digital booking of tickets. Sarkar adds, “Around the globe, cinemas have opened from June. People will follow safety protocols. I don’t foresee theatres having an [adverse] impact on the control measures of the virus.”
Cinema reboot: 100% seating allowed in cinemas; big-ticket films gear up for a theatrical run
9:01 AM
The I&B Ministry has permitted cinemas to work to full capacity. Will this help bring more films and the audience back to theatres? BT reports...
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 1, 2021)
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi, who has been on several panels that were in conversation with government bodies regarding the functioning of cinemas, says, “If you look at the footfall before this phase, it rarely came close to the 50 per cent cap that was mandated to us. The fact that we will now be allowed to seat halls to their capacities will make a huge difference. It will convince the producers of big-ticket ventures to release films in theatres. Honestly, a cinema hall will only do well when a film playing inside will do well. This new mandate of 100 per cent seating should open the flood gates for the big films to come back to the theatres. Looking at the way things have been going, I am quite sure every state will be happy to welcome 100-per cent seating in cinemas. It’s fairly safe, which the government bodies are also convinced about. Groups, couples and families, who had to sit apart while watching a film in the theatre up until now, can sit together. This is a good time for the medium-budget entertainers to release and have a longer run at the box office. It will also keep the business prepared for the time when the bigger films like Sooryavanshi, '83, Jayeshbhai Jordar, Shamshera, Prithviraj, Bunty Aur Babli 2, Radhe and Satyameva Jayate 2 arrive.”
Even though cinemas have been operating since the last quarter of 2020, most chains in the country had opened fewer screens for the lack of content and low footfalls so far.
Most filmmakers who were excited to bring their films to theatres were waiting for the situation to get as close to normal as possible. A trade insider says, “The film Master’s run proved that the audience is willing to come back to theatres for something worthwhile. But if you notice the way the Hindi film producers have been announcing their release dates, every big film is a few months away. There are smaller films opening in February, March and April with gaps between them. No big producer wants to be the first to test waters, although if anyone releases in this window, they will have a long and probably a competition-free run at the box office. The first clash in the new normal is around Eid with Radhe -Your Most Wanted Bhai and Satyameva Jayate 2, followed by a few others. This is just the beginning. There is so much pent-up content between Hindi, Hollywood and regional languages that we will have these overlaps on every big weekend window. But that is subject to the results of vaccination drive, the box office result of the currently slotted films and how the international market functions.”
While there is no news on the dates for Sooryavanshi, '83, Jayeshbhai Jordar, Bunty Aur Babli 2 as yet, trade pundits have been talking about the release windows that films like Bellbottom (April 2021), Maidaan (October 2021), Radhe (Eid 2021), Satyameva Jayate 2 (Eid 2021), Jersey (Diwali 2021), RRR (October 2021), Haathi Mere Saathi (March 2021), Tuesdays And Fridays (February 2021), KGF 2 (July 2021) and Sharmaji Namkeen (September 2021) have reportedly opted for.
Producer Shibasish Sarkar from Reliance Entertainment, backing films like Sooryavanshi and '83, believes this to be positive news. “The entire country virtually has opened up, so why not cinemas? We are working out our costs and commercials, and if everything works well, definitely we will release the films in theatres.”
Manoj Desai, who operates G7 single screen chain and Maratha Mandir in Mumbai, says, “It’s a good sign that at least the producers are talking about bringing big films back to theatres, and hopefully, now they will bring some really good films to theatres. At my end, I had only been running two shows every day in the theatres. No one comes for the evening shows. If we have good films and now with more people allowed inside theatres, hopefully, even the evening shows will return.”
Devang Sampat of Cinepolis, while being thankful to the government for removing the cap on footfalls, believes that it will take four to six weeks for any big film to arrive in theatres, “Producers of over 30 films are ready to bring their content to theatres which is great news for us but for any big film to open, producers will need at least a month of canvassing. So, although we are allowed to let in more audience right away, we can only expect them to come in when we have something really big in cinemas to draw them in,” he says.
Trade expert Komal Nahta believes there is a reason why fewer producers have stepped in so far and announced dates. He cautions, “Everyone is eyeing a great weekend window. The industry is happy to see the response to a film like Master which scored well despite the 50 per cent cap on footfall. But, no filmmaker wants to jump in without due preparation for release. Till the modalities are all worked out in keeping with the new normal for the business, big filmmakers will go easy on release-date announcements.”
Master is 7th biggest Tamil film in Tamil Nadu after 2 weeks
8:41 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
MASTER saw a big drop in its second week in circuits outside Tamil Nadu
but the home circuit has held up pretty well in the second week. The
film has grossed around 97 crore nett in its first two weeks in Tamil
Nadu and will cross the 100 crore nett mark soon enough. This has not
been done by many films in Tamil Nadu so far.
Basically even with the Coronavirus scenario, if this film was allowed 100%
occupancy in Tamil Nadu, then it would have become the highest Tamil
grossing film in Tamil Nadu and maybe even beat the numbers of BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION. Still many theatres allowed 100% occupancy despite the
rules and that's why the film has managed to get these phenomenal figures
in Tamil Nadu despite the present scenario.
The NETT collections do not give the correct picture in Tamil Nadu as it
was tax free for almost a decade and then GST came in. The GROSS
numbers of MASTER in Tamil Nadu are 113 crore in two weeks which puts it
in seventh place. The final numbers look like going to 120 crore plus
and to the range of SARKAR and MERSAL which are among the biggest
grossers of actor Vijay. It could even get to 125 crore which would mean
his second highest grosser.
The top grosser in Tamil Nadu remains BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION with 155
crore GROSS and the top Tamil films are BIGIL, VISWASAM and 2.0 with VISWASAM being the biggest BLOCKBUSTER in the state since ENDHIRAN in
2010.
Below are the top ten grossing Tamil films in Tamil Nadu:
1. Bigil - 1,40,14,00,000 (2019)
2. Viswasam - 1,31,87,00,000 (2019)
3. 2.0 - 1,28,85,00,000 (2018)
4. Sarkar - 1,23,72,00,000 (2018)
5. Mersal - 1,23,19,00,000 (2017)
6. Petta - 1,15,91,00,000 (2019)
7. Master - 1,13,00,00,000 apprx (2021) (2 weeks)
8. Endhiran - 1,01,59,00,000 (2010)
9. Darbar - 93,26,00,000 (2020)
10. I - 79,28,00,000 (2015)
2. Viswasam - 1,31,87,00,000 (2019)
3. 2.0 - 1,28,85,00,000 (2018)
4. Sarkar - 1,23,72,00,000 (2018)
5. Mersal - 1,23,19,00,000 (2017)
6. Petta - 1,15,91,00,000 (2019)
7. Master - 1,13,00,00,000 apprx (2021) (2 weeks)
8. Endhiran - 1,01,59,00,000 (2010)
9. Darbar - 93,26,00,000 (2020)
10. I - 79,28,00,000 (2015)
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 658
10:08 PM
TAMIL FILM MASTER IS A SUPER-DUPER HIT!
This writer and many in the trade have been constantly stressing that releasing a big, exciting film is not risky in times of Coronavirus, since viewers are bound to come to see it in theatres in hordes. After all, if they can crowd in restaurants, cafes, pubs, malls and public places, why would they not visit cinema halls? Yet, many were of the opinion that viewers won’t come to theatres for a long time to come.
However, these doomsayers got proved wrong and how! The Tamil film, Master, starring Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi and Malavika Mohanan released on Pongal, on January 13 and it is having a record box office run. The excitement for the film was first noticed nationwide when it’s massy and entertaining teaser was uploaded on Diwali. The makers didn’t announce a release date but it became obvious that they are planning to release it soon. And as expected, in the last quarter of December, it was revealed that Master would arrive in cinemas within a few weeks. The excitement hence went many notches higher.
Yet, no one was prepared for the madness seen on January 10, when the bookings were opened. Trade, industry and even fans were left surprised as the shows of Master began to get sold out as soon as it’s booking was opened on ticketing websites. This happened not just in Southern states but also in a place like Mumbai, where Tamil film fans are limited. This writer got a ticket for the early morning 6 am show with great difficulty. He wouldn’t have, had he booked even 5 minutes late!
And then came the day when the film released. Down South, almost every show was sold out. Surprisingly, even in North markets, the film managed to put up great numbers. The first day figure stood at a huge Rs. 35 crore! Even pre-pandemic, very few films were able to reach this figure on the first day or any other day of the week. But Master managed the impossible and it proved the power of star-studded, mass entertainers!
The collections dropped from the next day which was expected when first day collections are insanely high. Also, the reports were a bit mixed. Yet, the film managed to collect Rs. 125.50 crore in the first week. The final week 2 collections are awaited but it’s expected to be around Rs. 35-36 crore. Master has, hence, earned a huge Rs. 161 crore approx in India. Even Overseas, it has put up a good show in places like UAE, USA etc. At one point, it was the biggest grosser in the whole world! In UAE, it beat the opening numbers of Hollywood films like Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 despite releasing in fewer cinemas.
In the Telugu market, meanwhile, Ravi Teja-starrer Krack has put up very impressive numbers too. And the success of both these films prove yet again that give audiences a big screen spectacle and come what may, they’ll come running to the theatres, just like old times! Here’s hoping Bollywood finally wakes up from it’s slumber and announces it’s line up of biggies soon!
Top five first week grossers in Tamil: Master takes up 5th position despite 50% occupancy
8:55 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
MASTER has seen the fifth highest first week collection of all time and
this has come with the 50% occupancy rule while all the others had
releases in a normal situation. Obviously there will be some theatres
which did not adhere to this as demand was there but still capacity
would have been far shorter than a normal situation.
The film could probably have had the second highest number for a Tamil
film and beaten the 2016 Rajinikanth starrer KABALI if things were normal.
2.0 had an excellent turnout in Hindi circuits so that film will remain
the biggest opener for the Tamil industry on all formats for sometime
to come.
It is interesting to see that the top two films are still Rajinikanth starrers. The man who became a superstar for the Tamil film industry in
1980 still has the biggest openers forty years later which is simply
phenomenal. The other three films are Vijay starrers who has become a
superstar over the last few years. But if we take actual value then Rajinikanth will dominate the top ten films with maybe a Kamal Hassan film, INDIAN (1996), among them.
The fact that Rajinikanth is still competing at the top after 40 years of insane superstardom in Tamil Nadu shows true legend status. Rajinikanth has probably been the biggest superstar ever from the South with blind following in Tamil Nadu and solid stardom elsewhere (even in Mumbai and CP and parts of East India he was saleable name in the mid 80's). The next best is probably Chiranjeevi with blind following in Andhra Pradesh and pretty solid in some other areas.
The fact that Rajinikanth is still competing at the top after 40 years of insane superstardom in Tamil Nadu shows true legend status. Rajinikanth has probably been the biggest superstar ever from the South with blind following in Tamil Nadu and solid stardom elsewhere (even in Mumbai and CP and parts of East India he was saleable name in the mid 80's). The next best is probably Chiranjeevi with blind following in Andhra Pradesh and pretty solid in some other areas.
The younger superstars are huge getting numbers be it Tamil Nadu and
Andhra Pradesh but its about how long you sustain and can you push the
numbers in other states in the South.
The top five opening week grossers
for the Tamil film industry are as follows. These numbers are GROSS as
they give better picture due to tax changes in the last few years.
1. 2.0 (2018) - 362 crore
2. Kabali (2016) - 157 crore
3. Bigil (2019) - 148 crore
4. Sarkar (2018) - 144 crore
5. Master (2021) - 135 crore apprx
2. Kabali (2016) - 157 crore
3. Bigil (2019) - 148 crore
4. Sarkar (2018) - 144 crore
5. Master (2021) - 135 crore apprx
Why Malavika Mohanan bats for 100% occupancy in cinemas
8:40 AM
The actor, whose first release of the year met with success, says she would like theatres to be opened with full capacity
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 22, 2021)
Actor Malavika Mohanan is on a professional high. Her latest release, Master, alongside Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi, is doing well, considering how it’s the first major release of 2021.
Mohanan shares that she is finally at a stage in her career where she can say she is really happy. “Especially how things are moving right now. For instance, something like Beyond The Clouds (2017) gives you critical acclaim, a certain kind of respect. That is from a very niche audience. A film like Master puts you in public spotlight. The combination of these two facts has been getting me so much work. It’s lovely to be getting so many good offers I can choose from,” says the 27-year-old.
Having started her career with a filmmaker like Majid Majidi in Beyond The Clouds, Mohanan has since worked with the best of makers and actors, such as Rajinikanth in Petta (2019).
Tamil Nadu government allowing theatres to run at 100% capacity grabbed headlines some time back. But, this order was soon revoked by the Centre, considering the Coronavirus pandemic is still very much there. The actor reveals that she was glad with the initial decision of the state. “We are around people all the time, it’s not like theatres would put you in closer proximity than you would be in an aeroplane or restaurant. It just comes down to taking all the right precautions, like wearing a mask at all times. This is unfortunately what the new normal is,” says Mohanan.
Stressing the fact that such steps are required to revive the theatre industry, she continues, “Theatres have been shut down for 10 months; we don’t want theatre culture to die. It’s a huge industry which contributes and feeds so many people. Obviously theatres need to take the right precautions, like sanitise frequently.”
Sooryavanshi should release on Holi and kickstart the season of biggies
8:46 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
The audience is back in the South with MASTER and KRACK and obviously
the calls will be there now for major Hindi films to come back. The
dynamics of the Hindi film industry are slightly different but
SOORYAVANSHI on Holi can be a start as long as the Coronavirus pandemic does not see
another wave.
The Hindi film industry still needs a little time as it would be catastrophe if a film releases in the next month or so but the public does not come in numbers. The big film in the South is being led by Vijay who is a bonafide superstar in Tamil Nadu. Now we have bigger superstars in Hindi cinema as our cinema has a reach across most of the country but our superstars do not have the level of superstardom that Vijay has in Tamil Nadu in any area.
The Hindi film industry still needs a little time as it would be catastrophe if a film releases in the next month or so but the public does not come in numbers. The big film in the South is being led by Vijay who is a bonafide superstar in Tamil Nadu. Now we have bigger superstars in Hindi cinema as our cinema has a reach across most of the country but our superstars do not have the level of superstardom that Vijay has in Tamil Nadu in any area.
Salman Khan has strongest following in Rajasthan and CI but its not at the level of Vijay in Tamil Nadu. Shah Rukh Khan is best in Kolkatta but again not at the level of Vijay in Tamil Nadu. Also these areas where there is a certain amount of blind following for a certain star are nowhere near as big as Tamil Nadu in terms of collections.
This is not just the case today but earlier also as Amitabh Bachchan is probably the biggest superstar that India has seen but the level of stardom in his strongest area of Mumbai city was not at the level of a Rajnikant in Tamil Nadu.
In our industry, the dynamics are different with different regions and tastes differ where the superstar plays a part but other factors also come in. If a superstar had the pull Vijay has in Tamil Nadu across the Hindi markets from North to East to Maharashtra, you could release that film next week and it will be at allowed capacity houses across the board even in a pandemic. But this has never happened and probably never will as its much easier to hold that sort of stardom in one state but not across 10 or 12 states.
The films released in South including MASTER are being driven by the youth mass audience and with family audiences in much lower numbers compared to 2019. This is the case in multiplexes in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai which have seen good turnouts and our collections are heavily multiplex lopsided and a big film needs that neutral family audience to get big numbers. At the moment there is a reluctance for this audience to come out and the 50% cap does not help as it shows something is not quite right.
So despite MASTER, bringing back the audience in the South there will still be fear in the Hindi film industry as major studios will be aware of the dynamics but a start has to be made somewhere and Holi looks best bet. This gives a little time for things to improve and on top its a mass holiday and this audience will be more eager to return back to the theatres. Also there could be a change in the capacity rule by then which would be a huge help and Rajasthan and Jharkhand will be allowed to open cinemas. Obviously it has to be a mass film and SOORYAVANSHI is the one which is ready and waiting.
The Friday release could give jitters but then the film can release on Sunday 28th March which is a holiday and then next day is the Holi holiday with the week having mini holidays in many states which will no doubt aid collections. Also there are around 10-12 major films which have a chance of releasing in the rest of the year ('83, SATYAMEVA JAYATE 2, RADHE, SHAMSHERA, BELLBOTTOM, PRITHVIRAJ, ATRANGI RE, JERSEY, JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR, LAAL SINGH CHADDHA and BACHCHAN PANDEY) and these films can take care of business from May onward.
These film releases with a gap between them will keep the flow and cinemas occupied for most of the year. Then there is KGF 2 which is the white horse and is sure to do huge numbers in Mumbai circuit and if its huge satellite craze plays out in other circuits then its going to be a huge bonus for the Hindi markets. After all, it is the top 10 films amount for around 65-70% of the yearly business.
Obviously most of these films are a year late and the biggest of them SOORYAVANSHI had a trailer release last year and now has to start again which is not easy. It basically means no real event film but those will come next year with PATHAN, TIGER franchise and FIGHTER, maybe another one or two. The long in making and hugely budgeted BRAHMASTRA may also have to wait till next year although has outside chance of coming this year depending on when the film can get finished.
It is SOORYAVANSHI which will have to make the start and Holi would be the best bet at the moment and that is assuming there is not another Coronavirus wave. But its going to be a studio call and remains to be seen what happens.
Movie Review: MASTER (Tamil) by FENIL SETA
12:25 PM
A lot of people and even industry insiders had predicted that it’ll take a couple of years or at least till the end of 2021 for cinema business to revive and go back to old levels. They even cited the non-performances of small-budget and not-so-exciting films to prove their point. But the advance booking of the Tamil film Master silenced them all. Starring Thalapathy Vijay, the film releases today and the craze is such that most of its shows have got full even in non-Tamil markets! In Chennai, the tickets sales have been historic! The only fear was that – what if the film turns out to be a poor fare and what if the film drops after the initial euphoria? Thankfully, that won’t happen. Master is a rocking film from start to finish and is all set to be the FIRST BLOCKBUSTER OF THE PANDEMIC ERA!
The story of the movie: JD (Thalapathy Vijay) is a professor at a college in Chennai and is extremely popular with the students. The management hates him because he’s sloshed most of the time and also due to his unconventional ways of teaching and also because they believe he takes decisions that might go against the spirit of their institution. One such instance is when the staff decides to not hold college elections. But JD is the only one who vetoes this decision. The principal agrees to hold the election on the condition that if it leads to violence, JD will resign. JD agrees and signs on a piece of paper. The elections are held with a lot of excitement but also in a non-violent manner. However, when one of the candidates, Bhargav (Shanthanu Bhagyaraj) loses to a female student, Savitha, all hell breaks loose. As per his promise, JD resigns. He’s assigned a new task – of becoming the new master of a reformatory institution for juvenile delinquents. JD decides to relax and not bring any change at this centre. He just wants to finish his three-month assignment here and leave. However, he realizes that a lot of things are wrong at this remand home. The children are compelled to consume drugs and alcohol all day at the instruction of a man named Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi). The kids are also asked to confess to a crime committed by Bhavani’s adult men since the authorities can’t really give strict punishment to minors.
Master is a complete mass film from the very start. The film begins showing how Bhavani became so dangerous. The journey of the teenaged Bhavani is very exciting but the entry of adult Bhavani is terrific. The film gets better as JD enters the narrative. The action scene during his entry is sure to create frenzy among the audiences. The excitement continues even in the later scenes. The best of the first half is reserved for the 15 minutes just before the interval. As for the intermission point, it is as massy as it gets! The second half starts with a bang but in the middle, it drops. It’s not like the film drags. The goings-on are still interesting but you wish things were as massier as they were in the first half. Thankfully, in the last 30-35 minutes, the film picks up yet again with the finale being just out of the world.
Speaking of performances, Master belongs to both the Vijay’s! Thalapathy Vijay, as expected, rocks the show. He gives a complete ‘paisa-vasool’ performance and adds the mass element of the script. His comic timing too is spot-on. Vijay Sethupathi is flawless and just apt for the part. What’s interesting is that his character has a complete arc and a lot has been invested in shaping it well. Also, he looks ferocious and hence, it’s convincing. Malavika Mohanan (Chaurlata) lends able support. One wishes she had at least some contribution in the finale. Andrea Jeremiah is nothing special. Arjun Das (Das Anna) is too good and dominates some important scenes of the second half. Nassar is fair in the cameo. Shanthanu Bhagyaraj is decent. His characterization was weak and one wishes a little more time was spent on him. The actors playing Savitha, Sabari and Manikandan (the kids who write the letter to JD), Undiyal and the principal are fine.
Anirudh's music is of the chartbuster variety. 'Vaathi Raid' is like the theme of the film and is quite massy. Next comes 'Vaathi Coming'. 'Kutti Story' is light-hearted but fun. 'Beat of Master (Instrumental)' is played at a great point. 'Pona Pogattum' is relegated to the background. 'Polakatum Para Para' is memorable especially due to Vijay Sethupathi’s dance. Anirudh’s background score is one of the highpoints. The impact in several scenes is enhanced due to the background music. Dinesh and Sathish's choreography is highly entertaining.
Sathyan Sooryan's cinematography has the commercial feel. Sathees Kumar's art direction is appealing and gritty in the remand home scenes. Stunt Silva's action gets a bit gory but it’s as per the requirement. Pallavi Singh and V Sai's costumes are glamorous and also straight out of life. No characters are needlessly wearing flashy clothes and yet look appealing. Unifi Media's VFX is fine. Philomin Raj's editing is razor sharp.
Lokesh Kangaraj's story is simple and ordinary. But Lokesh Kangaraj's screenplay is superb and ensures one doesn’t feel like watching a plot beaten to death several times. Also, the college and remand home element adds to it’s novelty. Lokesh Kangaraj, Rathna Kumar and Pon Parthiban's dialogues are sharp and sure to induce claps and hoots.
Lokesh Kangaraj's direction is supreme. It’s great to see how he uses several strategies, long abandoned by some in Bollywood, successfully. The film is primarily about juvenile delinquents. But Lokesh invests the first hour by establishing and focusing on the college setting. In today’s times of so-called ‘realism cinema’ and supposedly ‘shorter-the-film-the-better’ era, most filmmakers would have avoided the college track or reduced it drastically. Lokesh Kangaraj doesn’t do so. He takes his own sweet time. The entry track of Thalapathy Vijay in fact goes on for almost 15-20 minutes! But he makes sure he doesn’t bore the audience or make them restless. Yet, one doesn’t mind its 178 minutes of run time. Secondly, the film also makes a nice social comment on underage crime and it’s very well woven with the principal narrative. One just wishes the second half didn’t drop and was as interesting. Nevertheless, Lokesh rocks the show!
Some of the best scenes:
1. The growing up scenes of Bhavani
2. Bhavani’s entry
3. JD’s action scene in the bus and metro
4. JD brought to college
5. The college election scene
6. JD reaches juvenile home
7. 15-20 minutes before interval
8. JD gets a makeover and gets strict
9. JD unknowingly holds Bhavani hostage (hilarious)
10. The kabaddi sequence
11. The last 20-25 minutes
On the whole, Master is a complete mass entertainer and the need of the hour. The performances of Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi, the exciting music score, action, social message and the overall commercial vibe makes it a paisa vasool fare. The film has taken a historic opening in the pandemic and has created frenzy, shocking all those naysayers who predicted that ‘the era of going to cinema halls is over’! If you are craving for a complete masala film and are dying to whistle and clap in cinemas, then do yourself a favour: pick up a show that has English subtitles and go for Master. Or watch the Hindi version. But don’t miss it for anything!
The story of the movie: JD (Thalapathy Vijay) is a professor at a college in Chennai and is extremely popular with the students. The management hates him because he’s sloshed most of the time and also due to his unconventional ways of teaching and also because they believe he takes decisions that might go against the spirit of their institution. One such instance is when the staff decides to not hold college elections. But JD is the only one who vetoes this decision. The principal agrees to hold the election on the condition that if it leads to violence, JD will resign. JD agrees and signs on a piece of paper. The elections are held with a lot of excitement but also in a non-violent manner. However, when one of the candidates, Bhargav (Shanthanu Bhagyaraj) loses to a female student, Savitha, all hell breaks loose. As per his promise, JD resigns. He’s assigned a new task – of becoming the new master of a reformatory institution for juvenile delinquents. JD decides to relax and not bring any change at this centre. He just wants to finish his three-month assignment here and leave. However, he realizes that a lot of things are wrong at this remand home. The children are compelled to consume drugs and alcohol all day at the instruction of a man named Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi). The kids are also asked to confess to a crime committed by Bhavani’s adult men since the authorities can’t really give strict punishment to minors.
Master is a complete mass film from the very start. The film begins showing how Bhavani became so dangerous. The journey of the teenaged Bhavani is very exciting but the entry of adult Bhavani is terrific. The film gets better as JD enters the narrative. The action scene during his entry is sure to create frenzy among the audiences. The excitement continues even in the later scenes. The best of the first half is reserved for the 15 minutes just before the interval. As for the intermission point, it is as massy as it gets! The second half starts with a bang but in the middle, it drops. It’s not like the film drags. The goings-on are still interesting but you wish things were as massier as they were in the first half. Thankfully, in the last 30-35 minutes, the film picks up yet again with the finale being just out of the world.
Speaking of performances, Master belongs to both the Vijay’s! Thalapathy Vijay, as expected, rocks the show. He gives a complete ‘paisa-vasool’ performance and adds the mass element of the script. His comic timing too is spot-on. Vijay Sethupathi is flawless and just apt for the part. What’s interesting is that his character has a complete arc and a lot has been invested in shaping it well. Also, he looks ferocious and hence, it’s convincing. Malavika Mohanan (Chaurlata) lends able support. One wishes she had at least some contribution in the finale. Andrea Jeremiah is nothing special. Arjun Das (Das Anna) is too good and dominates some important scenes of the second half. Nassar is fair in the cameo. Shanthanu Bhagyaraj is decent. His characterization was weak and one wishes a little more time was spent on him. The actors playing Savitha, Sabari and Manikandan (the kids who write the letter to JD), Undiyal and the principal are fine.
Anirudh's music is of the chartbuster variety. 'Vaathi Raid' is like the theme of the film and is quite massy. Next comes 'Vaathi Coming'. 'Kutti Story' is light-hearted but fun. 'Beat of Master (Instrumental)' is played at a great point. 'Pona Pogattum' is relegated to the background. 'Polakatum Para Para' is memorable especially due to Vijay Sethupathi’s dance. Anirudh’s background score is one of the highpoints. The impact in several scenes is enhanced due to the background music. Dinesh and Sathish's choreography is highly entertaining.
Sathyan Sooryan's cinematography has the commercial feel. Sathees Kumar's art direction is appealing and gritty in the remand home scenes. Stunt Silva's action gets a bit gory but it’s as per the requirement. Pallavi Singh and V Sai's costumes are glamorous and also straight out of life. No characters are needlessly wearing flashy clothes and yet look appealing. Unifi Media's VFX is fine. Philomin Raj's editing is razor sharp.
Lokesh Kangaraj's story is simple and ordinary. But Lokesh Kangaraj's screenplay is superb and ensures one doesn’t feel like watching a plot beaten to death several times. Also, the college and remand home element adds to it’s novelty. Lokesh Kangaraj, Rathna Kumar and Pon Parthiban's dialogues are sharp and sure to induce claps and hoots.
Lokesh Kangaraj's direction is supreme. It’s great to see how he uses several strategies, long abandoned by some in Bollywood, successfully. The film is primarily about juvenile delinquents. But Lokesh invests the first hour by establishing and focusing on the college setting. In today’s times of so-called ‘realism cinema’ and supposedly ‘shorter-the-film-the-better’ era, most filmmakers would have avoided the college track or reduced it drastically. Lokesh Kangaraj doesn’t do so. He takes his own sweet time. The entry track of Thalapathy Vijay in fact goes on for almost 15-20 minutes! But he makes sure he doesn’t bore the audience or make them restless. Yet, one doesn’t mind its 178 minutes of run time. Secondly, the film also makes a nice social comment on underage crime and it’s very well woven with the principal narrative. One just wishes the second half didn’t drop and was as interesting. Nevertheless, Lokesh rocks the show!
Some of the best scenes:
1. The growing up scenes of Bhavani
2. Bhavani’s entry
3. JD’s action scene in the bus and metro
4. JD brought to college
5. The college election scene
6. JD reaches juvenile home
7. 15-20 minutes before interval
8. JD gets a makeover and gets strict
9. JD unknowingly holds Bhavani hostage (hilarious)
10. The kabaddi sequence
11. The last 20-25 minutes
On the whole, Master is a complete mass entertainer and the need of the hour. The performances of Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi, the exciting music score, action, social message and the overall commercial vibe makes it a paisa vasool fare. The film has taken a historic opening in the pandemic and has created frenzy, shocking all those naysayers who predicted that ‘the era of going to cinema halls is over’! If you are craving for a complete masala film and are dying to whistle and clap in cinemas, then do yourself a favour: pick up a show that has English subtitles and go for Master. Or watch the Hindi version. But don’t miss it for anything!
My rating - **** ½ out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 656
10:35 AM
MASTER’S ADVANCE BOOKING IS UNBELIEVABLE; KRACK GETS BIGGEST OPENING IN PANDEMIC!
Tomorrow, the biggest film in the last 10 months, Master (Tamil), is all set to release in cinemas. Starring Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi and Malavika Mohanan, this action entertainer was supposed to release last year on April 9. But due to the lockdown, it got pushed. Somewhere around November, it became clear that the makers are eyeing a theatrical release. During Diwali, it’s exciting teaser was unveiled and it led to frenzy. Then, in December, news reports poured in that the film will release on January 13, that is, during the festival of Pongal.
Vijay is a superstar down South and his fan base on the internet is next level. In fact, no other actor down South or even pan-India has such an insane fan following. Hence, when it became official that Master is indeed releasing in cinemas, it generated a wave of excitement not just among his admirers but also among the trade and industry. No one asked if people would indeed come to theatres despite that pandemic is still going on. Everyone knew that Master is one of the most keenly awaited films and that audiences are bound to turn up.
Yet, no one was prepared for what awaited them when the advance booking of Master was thrown open on Sunday, January 10. The shows started getting full in no time. In many centres in the South, online booking was not available. Pictures and videos emerged on the internet which showed fans crowding like crazy so that they can watch the film at the earliest. Many theatre management got astonished with the craze and had to resort to online booking. They were also scared since fans were violating social distancing norms. Meanwhile, on ticket booking websites like BookMyShow, it was a common sight to see shows getting sold out within minutes of it’s booking being commenced. Surprisingly, it happened in non-Tamil markets of the South as well like Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Even in Mumbai, theatres situated in areas with sizeable Tamil populations had shows as early as 6:00 am getting sold out like hot cakes!
Due to the Coronavirus scare, all cinemas in India are running at 50% occupancy. However, the makers of Master knew that their film will benefit if 100% occupancy is allowed in their home state, Tamil Nadu. Hence, Vijay met the Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and requested him if the 50% occupancy rule can be done away with. The chief minister agreed and though it made fans and exhibitors happy, it also led to criticism. Many felt that 100% occupancy can increase the Coronavirus cases. The Central Government then reminded Tamil Nadu government that the state doesn’t have the powers to change the 50% occupancy rule. The state government then cancelled the new rule.
Yet, Master is all set for a tremendous opening. Despite the cap, the numbers can be very encouraging. Yes, the opening will not be record-breaking. But at least, it’ll be the biggest in this era of new normal. And if reports are positive, the collections won’t drastically fall as it happens in normal situations. Moreover, it has a 5-day weekend. Hence, by Sunday January 17, the collections are sure to be humongous.
Master will also be released in Telugu version and it’s advance is also strong. The Hindi version is called Vijay The Master and it’ll be out on Thursday January 14. The advance is poor as of now as Vijay is not that big for the Hindi audiences. But trade experts predict that the film will eventually open very well especially in mass centres.
2 weeks back, we had informed readers that the Telugu film Solo Brathuke So Better, which released on Christmas, put up very good numbers. It had collected Rs. 10.25 crores in the first 4 days. Meanwhile, last weekend, Ravi Teja-Shruti Haasan’s Telugu movie Krack released. It got a proper release only on Sunday and couldn’t release on Friday or Saturday due to a court case. The opening day was huge, at around Rs. 9.50 crore! The excitement for Master, meanwhile, is obviously way more than that of Krack. Hence, it won’t be wrong to assume that it’ll have a Rs. 10 crore plus opening, with an outside chance of Rs. 15 crore opening as well!
Master sees a huge demand for tickets
8:42 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
The Tamil film MASTER due to release on 13th January has seen a huge
demand for tickets across Tamil Nadu. The way plans are filling up, you
would assume there is no pandemic and it seems that every ticket
available will be sold by the time the film releases as demand outstrips
supply due to 50% capacity restrictions. In reality this may not be the
case as its near impossible to sell every ticket but its going to be
pretty close which is phenomenal.
The advance is also super strong in Bengaluru and Hyderabad with the
original Tamil version being super-strong in both cities and even the
Telugu version getting a very strong advance in Hyderabad. The Tamil
version has also seen a good response in some properties in Mumbai and
Delhi. These are properties around educational institutes which probably
have many students from Tamil Nadu. Still its the best advance these
properties will have seen post the reopenng of cinemas.
The Hindi version of the film named VIJAY THE MASTER will see a release
on the 14th January and here the advance is lacklustre which is
expected. Still the film has a big release and there should be enough crowd on day one to ensure it is also the best opening in the Hindi
belts post Coronavirus.
The box office is going to back for sure in a huge way in Tamil Nadu on
the 13th and Andhra Pradesh has seen solid responses with a couple of
films. While VIJAY THE MASTER should push the Hindi markets to higher
levels it will still be a waiting game for one of the audience friendly
biggies like SOORYAVANSHI or RADHE. The response to MASTER shows
that cinema is cinema and irreplaceable where success can be felt (lets
say initial success here) while all the OTT premieres come and go like a
theatrical flop even if they find an audience.
I will take my family to the theatre to watch Master-Lokesh Kanagaraj
8:29 AM
As Master is slated to open amid 50 per cent occupancy order, director on how cinemas can be a safe environment if everyone follows protocol
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; January 11, 2021)
It's not uncommon for South star Vijay's films to generate pre-release buzz. However, Master, ahead of its release on January 13, found itself in the eye of the storm when the Tamil Nadu government allowed 100 per cent occupancy for theatres last week, following the star's meeting with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. Soon after, the Centre instructed the Tamil Nadu chief secretary to fall in line with its Coronavirus guidelines, leading the state government to revoke its order on January 8.
The controversy notwithstanding, director Lokesh Kanagaraj is only too happy that the film will have a theatrical release during Pongal. "The objective behind making this film was to release it in cinemas. A movie like this can only be celebrated on the big screen. We never thought of taking the OTT route, and were sure of waiting it out," he says.
The effort to secure 100 per cent occupancy had invited the wrath of different sections of society, who were aghast that a movie's commercial prospect was being given higher priority over public safety. Quiz him on this, and he instead emphasises the need to make cinemas safe by following necessary precautions. "If people come drunk to cinemas, the theatre authorities bar them from entering the premises. Likewise, if they see anyone not wearing a mask, they must adopt the same policy now. They have to be more vigilant. We have to take care of ourselves and follow all safety precautions. I will take my family to the theatre, and adhere to the safety norms. The pandemic has not ended completely, so we have to be [socially] conscious."
If 100% occupancy rule is revoked, first-day collections of Master will be halved, feels trade
8:33 AM
As Centre revokes Tamil Nadu government's order of 100 per cent theatre occupancy, trade rues move will make B-Town producers hold off films again
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 8, 2021)
The Tamil Nadu government faced severe backlash over the past few days for increasing theatre occupancy to 100 per cent ahead of the release of Vijay's Master. On Wednesday, the Centre directed the state government to revoke its order, and fall in line with the 50 per cent occupancy protocol. While this earned a nod of approval from frontline workers who had argued that the previous order put public health at risk, trade circles are wary that the move will have producers playing on the back foot again.
"The first-day collections of Master will be halved. The only positive takeaway is that the loss made in each show can be covered by increasing the number of shows," explains trade analyst Akshaye Rathi. He reasons that while tentpole movies like '83 and Sooryavanshi can be held off, Bollywood producers should part with their mid-budget films, thus offering them fresh releases. "Red [Telugu film] is being released, as is the big-budget Bhojpuri film, Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Mnn Bhaye. Hindi film producers can follow suit. Movies like Toofaan, Bunty Aur Babli 2 and Jayeshbhai Jordaar can be released. Mumbai Saga has been apparently sold to Amazon Prime Video, when it could have been a theatrical offering."
Satadeep Saha, distributor of Master in West Bengal, adds, "The cases are at a low. Theatre occupancy can be raised to 75 per cent."
Looking at the positive side, Ramesh Bala predicts that box-office clashes will reduce here on as they will be a no-win situation for producers and exhibitors. "In Tamil Nadu, there's talk of forgoing local body entertainment tax to support theatres. Everyone needs to come together to stop films from pursuing an OTT release."
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