WILL RAID 2 MANAGE TO CROSS THE RS. 100 CRORE MARK?

Last week wasn’t great as expected, in terms of box office. Ground Zero will not reach Rs. 10 crores while Phule will barely cross the Rs. 1 crore mark. However, Kesari Chapter 2 continued to be rock steady while Jaat also did well. And now all eyes are on the big release of the coming week, Raid 2.

As the name suggests, it is a sequel to Raid. This time, the protagonist, played by Ajay Devgn, will face Riteish Deshmukh. Vaani Kapoor is the female lead and she replaces Ileana DCruz. The trailer has been well-received and there’s a perception that here’s a film which will be something to watch out for. The song ‘Nasha’ featuring Tamannaah Bhatia has grabbed eyeballs and further added to the buzz.

The earlier part opened at Rs. 9.45 crores and ended up collecting Rs. 98.02 crores in its lifetime. Raid 2 releases on a Thursday to take advantage of the holidays in Maharashtra and Gujarat and a partial holiday in the rest of the country due to International Labour Day. The advance is decent and it can have an opening of Rs. 10 crores. If all goes well, it can even cross the Rs. 15 crore mark, but this will depend on the jump the film takes from noon onwards. The collections will dip as Friday is a normal working day. But the footfalls will see another jump on Saturday and Sunday. At this rate, the film will cross the Rs. 50 crore mark in its four-day weekend. Once that happens, entering the Rs. 100 crore mark shouldn’t be a problem, considering the limited competition from Hindi films until June 6.

The other release of the week is The Bhootnii. It is a horror comedy starring Sanjay Dutt, Mouni Roy, Sunny Singh and Palak Tiwari. The trailer hasn’t been appreciated and even the songs haven’t worked. The film has got a limited release, as a result. It’ll have some advantage tomorrow due to the holiday and genre.

However, a film that might spring a surprise is Thunderbolts. It belongs to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and this franchise hasn’t had a great run off late. But this film has generated a lot of excitement. The advances are decent and it can have an opening of Rs. 5-6 crores or even more. The target should be to cross the first-day earnings of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It earned Rs. 6.68 crores and like Thunderbolts, it was also critically acclaimed. That film managed to cross the Rs. 50 crores mark and that should also be the target of Thunderbolts.

Rumour mills suggest that Raid 2 producer Kumar Mangat Pathak is set to base his film on defaced businessman Piyush Jain, after the former apparently said that the film would take inspiration from scenes that unfolded in real-life when Jain’s properties were raided. Pathak tells mid-day that while the film is based on “a real-life person”, it is inspired by multiple stories of raids.

“The script is almost prepared. It is about an arrogant politician who gets his due, and his subsequent fall from grace. He is a common man who rises to power to become one of the wealthiest politicians of India. Then his properties are raided. The sequel will take the adventures of senior income tax officer Amay Patnaik [played by Ajay Devgn] further. In Raid 2, he will reduce the politician to the stature of the common man,” informs a source, adding that filming will begin by the end of next year after Devgn has wrapped up his other film commitments.

While the story of Raid 2 was conceptualised a while ago, Pathak says he plans to up the ante as far as showcasing the wealth of the corrupt is concerned. “We have shown how money and gold are stored in the walls in the first film. We will show something different this time. We plan to incorporate only a portion of what was reported in the media about the current raids [at Jain’s properties].”

The Director General of GST Intelligence, Ahmedabad, unearthed a tax evasion racket involving Uttar Pradesh-based businessman Jain. At his properties, '194.45 crore cash, 23 kg of gold and unaccounted raw materials worth '6 crore was procured. Jain is a Kanpur-based perfume businessman.

Bhushan Kumar, with the actor and Kumar Mangat, looking to spin the crime drama, inspired by the longest running income tax raid in the ’80s, into a multi-film franchise
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 23, 2020)

After collaborating on the period drama, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, Ajay Devgn and Bhushan Kumar’s next is the Abhishek Dudhaiya-directed Bhuj: The Pride of India, which is set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. But even before it releases, the duo is planning multiple collaborations, which include a sequel to their 2018 hit film, Raid. The Raj Kumar Gupta-directed crime drama featured Ajay as a no-nonsense IRS officer, Amay Patnaik and was based on a real-life case, the longest-running Income Tax raid in the ’80s. The film earned rave reviews for its narrative, hard-hitting dialogue and performances, with Ajay leading the way and Saurabh Shukla memorable as the wily politician, Tauji.

Now, Mirror has learnt that a Raid sequel is underway and like Part One, will be inspired by a true story. A source close revealed that the makers have already zeroed in on another interesting case.

“The franchise seeks to bring into the public eye heroes who work closely with intelligence agencies to track white-collar crimes. To this day, nobody knows the identity of the officer on whom Ajay’s Amay was modeled. Raid 2 will also be a tribute to men who don’t wear the uniform,” the source added.

When approached, Bhushan, who had produced the original film with Kumar Mangat, confirmed the news, saying, “It will be a huge multi-film franchise and Ajay ji and I, along with Kumar Mangat ji, are looking to take Raid forward. The script of Part 2 is being developed. Since the original was a much-loved film, the sequel is a huge responsibility. After the super success of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, there’s a lot of pressure on this collaboration to live up to the expectation. We have always aimed at creating high concept films,” he assures.

Post the lockdown, Ajay Devgn is expected to start shooting for Indra Kumar’s Thank God, also featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh, followed by the official remake of Tamil hit, Kaithi, and Neeraj Pandey’s period drama, Chanakya. He is also committed to Golmaal 5 and Singham 3 with director-friend Rohit Shetty, and the films are expected to take off sometime next year. Raid 2 will also kick off only next year, but is expected to wrap up in one marathon schedule.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 19, 2019)

It has been over a year since she appeared on any public platform. Except for being papped outside her gym occasionally, Ileana D’Cruz has maintained a low profile. While rumours of her break-up (with Australian photographer Andrew Kneebone) has been hitting the headlines over the past couple of months, the actress says that she deliberately stayed away from the spotlight, as she needed to work on herself. Now, however, she is back where she is the happiest — in front of the camera. Ahead of her next release, director Anees Bazmi’s Pagalpanti, Ileana speaks to BT about moving on from her relationship of many years, bringing life back on track and making wise career choices. Excerpts...

After Raid (2018), you vanished from the scene, only to reappear as the finale showstopper at BTFW 2019, which took place last month. What was that phase of absence like?
It felt great to walk the ramp. I am always nervous before a walk; I wonder how the models do it. But something about that night was so right. And, when you are feeling great overall, it just shows. Lately, I have been having trouble accepting the way I look. Over the last year or so, I was on medication; there were even days when I had 12 pills in one go. I went off the radar after Raid because I had to undergo tests every few weeks. The tablets made me put on weight, which I worked hard to knock off. The paparazzi photographs can be unflattering; there were times when I wanted to hit the gym, but would get papped outside and the pictures were quite bad. Now, of course, I have lost a lot of weight because I am off medication, am looking after myself a lot more and am feeling nice. But, in my head, I am still that fat girl (laughs!).

You gave your nod to Pagalpanti during that tough and dark phase. Did being around familiar faces and working on a light and breezy film like this help?
Yes, it helped a lot. Pagalpanti is a crazy film. John (Abraham) plays a guy with bad luck and my character gets into trouble because she is in love with him. It was an amazing bunch of actors to hang out with. I made friends with Arshad (Warsi), who has a great vibe. It was also a lot of fun working with John.

Talking about movies, in the last few years, the focus of cinema has shifted from stardom to acting prowess. As an actress who has straddled both kinds of cinema — massy entertainers and content-driven ones — are you happy with the way things function now?
At the end of the day, if the audience doesn’t enjoy your experiments with cinema, it’s not going to help. The good part is that the audience is open to the variety in content, now. Gritty films like Badla can co-exist with massy ones and they’re all doing well. Even off-beat subjects are doing decent business. So, it’s a plus if you can act. I’ve worked in about 30 films in 13-14 years, which I feel is a good number. Initially, I was like Akshay Kumar, doing four films a year. Then, I felt that maybe, I need to slow down. Today, I don’t feel like I have missed out on anything. Sometimes, things have not worked out for some unusual reasons, but I have no regrets. I’m sure something better is around the corner.

At the moment, apart from Pagalpanti, there’s only The Big Bull in your kitty. Do you feel that being so selective is a good idea, especially when there’s a burst of new ideas, new faces and filmmakers with fresh concepts?
I was always conscious about what I chose and I still am. After Barfi! (2012), I received many offers to play a Bengali girl, but why would I do it again? With me, it’s always about instinct, even if something sounds great on paper. I am fine with being more selective about what I do. Yes, there are a lot of newcomers, but I don’t feel the need to rush. At the end of the day, a film is for posterity. You have to be sure about it because it can’t be erased. So, instead of rushing in and choosing 20 films, I’d rather do fewer films and stay relevant. Besides, why bombard the audience with too much of you? A little mystery is always good.

Clearly, in your 15-year-career, you’ve not followed industry norms. Did that make things tough?
I’m a wild child, a rebel who has never stuck to norms. I’ve made my own rules and lived by them, but of course, it comes at a price. Once, during the initial days of my career, I asked a choreographer why people thought I am snooty and difficult — is it because I don’t agree with everyone all the time or because I speak my mind? She told me, ‘Just be yourself and everyone will get used to it’. That has stayed with me. It’s easy to get caught up with things and lose yourself. Losing sanity is a far bigger price than losing a career. Though I am myself, I don’t think I am hated for it. I do everything keeping in mind that at the end of the day, I need to sleep with my conscience clear.

On the personal front, speculations about your break-up with Andrew Kneebone surfaced when you unfollowed each other on social media, followed by a couple of cryptic messages on your Instagram account...
I have always kept my personal life away from the spotlight, as it’s not fair to the other person. Now, I can just say that I loved the experiences I had. Every bit of every year that we spent together has made me grow as a person. Today, I am in a better space, working on myself, which I didn’t give as much importance previously, and that was my own fault. It’s about time I took care of myself. There’s no point kicking up dirt when it’s not needed.

While you have every right to remain silent about your personal life, it can also give rise to more rumours and speculations...
Well, people talk, irrespective of what you do. At the end of the day, I am not answerable to anyone beyond my family. Life goes on. Today, I am talked about, it will be someone or something else tomorrow. All I can say is, some of my posts were lines from some poems, and I shared them because they were actually conveying what I was feeling. You will lose family along the way and the very thought terrifies me, but it’s inevitable. The only person who will be with you in all of this is you. Every time I went in for therapy, I was told that I have to make the effort to heal myself. That’s stuck with me. When you are with someone else, you’re busy looking after them and managing your career, and in the process, your well-being takes a backseat. You know what? It’s not so bad to be a little selfish sometimes.

Are you trying to say that your relationship took up a lot of your space?
Relationships do take a lot of your time, and you make them a priority, but it should not be a burden. Trying too hard to make it work is not a great sign. Also, you should not forget yourself in a relationship. It’s not anyone else’s fault, but yours if that happens. It’s not others’ responsibility to make you happy, but, unfortunately, that happens in many relationships.

What went wrong with your relationship? Did distance and the fact that you have different professions cause the rift?
Not all all. I could probably be with an actor and it would seem monotonous talking about the same things at work and at home. It’s great for a couple to follow different professions. Also, people say that long-distance relationships are hard to maintain, but distance never really matters. You can be miles apart and still be together, while sometimes, under the same roof, you could be miles apart. It’s not the best time to talk about what really went wrong. Right now, I just cherish what I had with Andrew and I look back with great memories and a smile. I’m at peace with myself.

While talking about her relationship with Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora had told BT that second chances are difficult to come by, and when that happens, you should grab it with both your hands. Would you give another relationship a chance in your life?
I’m not looking to be in a relationship right now. It doesn’t matter if you look like chalk and cheese to others, what’s important is how you two feel together. There’s a reason Malaika and I get along so well. We think alike. Malla and Arjun were in a public space where they were okay to speak about their relationship, while respecting each other’s privacy. I like that about them.

Are you still friends with Andrew?
(Long pause) I can’t really answer this right now.

LUKA CHUPPI has garnered a huge television audience on its premiere as it clocked 1.25 crore impressions. This is the third best of the year after TOTAL DHAMAAL and 2.0 (Hindi) and is better than SIMMBA which recorded 1.11 crore impressions.

If we take the last two years then the premeire rating is the eighth best leaving films like PAD MAN, SANJU, RAID and URI behind. There were films lat year which got huge premieres but did not quite follow through like DHADAK and STREE and it remains to see how this one goes. BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION dominates the television scenario with the next best being TIGER ZINDA HAI, GOLMAAL AGAIN, JUDWAA 2 and BAAGHI 2 in that order.

The  television premieres of above 50 lakhs in 2019 are as follows.
1. Total Dhamaal - 1,67,93,000 (Star)
2. 2.0 (Hindi) - 1,65,13,00,000 (Zee)
3. Luka Chuppi  - 1,25,00,000 (Star) 
4. Simmba - 1,11,02,00,000 (Zee)
5. Race 3 - 70,85,000 (Zee)
6. Uri - 61,37,000 (Zee)

Raj Kumar Gupta on what makes the Black Tiger fascinating, his journey with India’s Osama and why he is against taking creative liberties with translating real-life stories for the big screen
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 10, 2019)

Raj Kumar Gupta is at his office, waiting. And the first thing he says is, “I hope you have some interesting questions that I would enjoy answering.” And that sets the ball rolling. Excerpts:

For over a decade since Aamir in 2008 to the soon-to-release India’s Most Wanted, all your films have been thrillers. What’s with the fascination with this genre?
It’s something that comes naturally to me and is not genre-specific. Yes, Aamir, No One Killed Jessica, Ghanchakkar, Raid and now, India’s Most Wanted are high on thrills, and drama and humour too. Every film has different moments and I approach them in a way that all the elements come together in a thrilling manner.

When did you decide on making a film based on this lesser-known mission of the Intelligence Bureau which led to the capture of India’s most wanted terrorist?
I started researching the subject in 2013 and thought this story deserved to be told to a wider audience. I took another year to finish the script and then, I got busy with Raid. But right after that, around four years after being involved with the subject, everything fell into place. What kept me going was how unbelievable the story is, the information is not readily available, but I wouldn’t let it go. Imagine five unlikely people on a mission to capture India’s most-wanted terrorist without a single gun? If this doesn’t sound cinematic, I don’t know what would!

Arjun hasn’t played such a character, what made you opt for him?
I think it’s great to have unlikely actors playing roles of unlikely officers on a mission. Arjun and I have been talking about doing something together for a while, and after seeing the trailer of Raid, he called to congratulate. We got talking and he asked, “What are you doing next.” I told him I was working on something and was sending it across. “Just read the script and tell me what you think of it,” I told him.

Then?
The conversation took place at 1 pm, and at 5 pm, he called asking me to let him be a part of the film. What he brought on the table was a passion for the script and a love for the subject.

Tell me honestly, after working with Ajay Devgn in Raid, didn’t you think of casting him?
That’s a difficult question because we had a great time shooting Raid and the film did really well at the box-office. But I knew that as an actor, Ajay had different commitments and as the director, I wanted to start this film immediately after Raid. So, we never even entered into a discussion. Hopefully, we will do something together soon.

Next up, a spy thriller, Black Tiger…
Yes, my partner and I have acquired the official rights to Ravindra Kaushik’s life from his family. He is famously known as the Black Tiger and I have been wanting to make this film for a while now. The family trusted me enough with the rights and I am currently scripting the film.

Will it be a period film set in the ’70s or are you planning to adapt it to modern times?
It would be ridiculous to make a film on someone’s life and change the time frame. That would be an insult to the person who has done so much for the country. I want to be as authentic as possible in my portrayal of that subject, as I have tried to be in all other films.

How did you come across Ravindra Kaushik’s story?
My wife (No One Killed Jessica actress Myra Karn) played a role in getting me to this script. It took three years to research and will take another year to finalise the script.

Buzz is, you have spoken to Hrithik Roshan to play the titular role.
I am not one of those directors who would approach an actor without a script. Having said that, I would love to work with Hrithik in the future, but I can take the casting call only after I have a script in place.

Any plans of working with your wife as an actor in your film?
She has worked with me on India’s Most Wanted as a producer and helped me in other aspects of filmmaking. As far as I know, she is more interested in being behind the camera than in front of it.

Stating that Bollywood is now open to experimental films, Arjun Kapoor keen to boost his box-office run with India's Most Wanted
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; May 3, 2019)

It's a busy time for Arjun Kapoor, who has three films lined up this year. That he is constantly experimenting is evident in his choice of projects, which include the action thriller India's Most Wanted, a black comedy in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, and a historical in Panipat. "2018 wasn't my year, so I am hoping that 2019 is the year for me," says Kapoor, acknowledging his less-than-favourable run at the box office last year with admirable honesty.

He is set to kick off his innings this year with the Raj Kumar Gupta-directed thriller. Proud to front a film that is far removed from the mainstream fare, Kapoor says Bollywood is now welcoming of experimental cinema. "Now, one can't think in terms of a hero or villain. It's the best time to experiment because directors and scriptwriters are coming up with brilliant ideas. It's about taking the right chances and in the process, even if you fail, you learn from it. I am here today because the audience wants to pay to watch my films."

An admirer of Gupta's gritty movies, Kapoor considers himself fortunate to work with him early on in his career. "When I called to congratulate him on Raid [2018], he told me that he wanted to share a story. I read the story on Valentine's Day last year and agreed to be part of it. I totally went with his conviction."

Quiz him on his long-delayed film with Dibakar Banerjee, and he says, "Sonchiriya and Luka Chuppi [blocked the date] that we were supposed to come on. So, that date was cluttered. Since India's Most Wanted was already slated to release on May 24, we didn't want to shift it to accommodate this one. Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar will release immediately after India's Most Wanted; Yash Raj Studios [producer] will announce the date soon."

Anshul Chaturvedi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 28, 2019)

Yes, people do ride on sentiments and encash them, but no, my project wasn’t timed to coincide with a nationalistic upsurge or the electoral season, I just want to tell a story of the unknown, passionate people, who do difficult things to protect us,” says Raj Kumar Gupta. Excerpts from a chat about his upcoming film India’s Most Wanted:

Is the current surplus of movies about the defence forces, old battles and secret agents happening because filmmakers are looking to ride the nationalistic wave for Box-Office success?
It might be that somebody has been wanting to make a film on the same subject for some time and it comes together now, and it might be just about the country. In terms of filmmaking, as you know, any film takes one-two years in making. So, it is not that one is wanting to catch a certain sentiment. It is that you are wanting to make a film and the situation around you changes so much that when your film comes, it looks like you wanted to catch that sentiment, but it’s not that.

Also, it depends on what story you are telling. If you are telling a story of a soldier, and the basic premise is that he has become a soldier to defend the country, somewhere down the line, that moment will come when he will say that I joined because I wanted to do something for the country. Policemen or intelligence agency people do not do the job for money, they do it because there is a certain passion; they want to work for the country. If you are telling their story, there will be that situation, one scene will come and that will be very organic. One has to make a distinction when you see that — and don’t judge it as if one is just trying to ride a wave. When me or any other filmmaker is making that film, it is a story he has thought three-four years back and it is pure coincidence that it has come at this time. But if you ask me koi behti Ganga mein haath dhota hai ya nahi? Dhote hain. It’s not only in our industry. There is herd mentality everywhere. But just generalising it is not right.

Movies about intelligence officers tend to have an undercurrent that they are unsung heroes. But isn’t that the core point of that nature of work — to be anonymous?
For me, their life is a story. Just because their nature of job is such, it doesn’t mean I will not tell their story. In Hollywood also, people have been fascinated by this, because it is an integral part of our lives. When I was making Raid, I was making a film on these real people who did things which were very difficult to do. That might be their job, but as a filmmaker, I find that interesting, I see it as a story that needs to be told. So yes, they are unsung, they are not coming out and saying anything, they have maintained dignity, but that should not stop me from telling their story as I find that story fascinating. Similarly, I thought that this story is something the country should know. ‘Unsung heroes’ is a phrase that one might say has been overused, but it should not stop me from telling that story.

There are so many superhero films being made, where the heroes save the world from evil. My film is also similar, just that my heroes are real heroes, based in the real world, dealing with real situations and saving real lives.

Is there a paradox between calling somebody India’s Most Wanted and having a degree of suspense for the audience about who he is? If he is most wanted, shouldn’t he be a universally recognisable name?
Don’t you think sometimes it’s fascinating to know who was India’s most wanted and we were not aware of it? Sometimes I also discover — Oh my God! Kya baat kar rahe ho! I was shocked when I learnt that he was described this way in intelligence circles. Why do we call Dawood India’s most wanted when this guy, who has killed so many people, was the biggest target? He was number one on the list. At times you discover these things and that becomes fascinating.

What’s also fascinating about these stories that one might not have heard is that they also show how these people (in the intelligence agencies) work, what they go through, what are their limitations. You see their lives. You might not know what they do to protect you and for me that’s fascinating. I might just stop and say thank you.

After your film’s teaser released, there were conflicting opinions on one element — the background voice quoting the Gita to justify killings.
What you see in film is not something cooked up. It is inspired by true events. It is a story about how one of India’s most wanted terrorists was captured without firing a single bullet. As far as the quote is concerned, when I was researching it was as intriguing to me as it is for the viewers — people who do these things, how they twist words and how they quote things to justify their acts. When somebody was interrogated, he quoted this (the Gita). And, in the film, there is a befitting reply the protagonist gives. Right now, what everyone is seeing, is one side of the film. One has to see the film to see the reply. We all know how people are brainwashed, how words are twisted and this is something which has come from the real life event. I can’t tell you more than this at this point.

When you talk of terror, it is as much about the ideology of the terrorist today, as it is about the actual acts of violence, isn’t it?
I think it is very complex. It is not something which has an easy answer. We all respect all religions and I don’t think any religion teaches violence. There are words which are twisted, quoted by these people to justify their acts.

So the man quoting the Gita has a certain philosophy. In multiple movies, the protagonist against the state — in some movie a terrorist in Kashmir, in another a Naxalite in central India — is a challenge for the filmmaker. How much do you humanise the character who picks up a gun against the state? Are you owning him as a misguided, brainwashed citizen who can be reformed, or are you saying that this is a man who should be shot?
Of course, every side has a human story. Going back to my first film, Aamir, it has that same debate where a person from the same community is on a different side of the debate. One is wanting to do something and this man is saying this is happening to us and he should believe him, but he says I don’t believe in you, I have lived my life, I don’t see your point of view. That is a humanistic debate. In these kind of situations whenever someone is trying to prove a point, he might give his reasons, which might be true and might not be, it depends on the desperation level of someone who is trying to impose something on the other person. But it’s on me whether I have that mind to make my own opinion and then act on it. So in that sense, there was an answer in Aamir, and that’s how I approach my subject. When one is doing that job, there is a justification which one wants to give, but then there is this counter point which comes in. And it says that nothing can justify that kind of violence. No one preaches that. That debate has to happen at a human level. It has to be person to person.

There is that fine line — either you glorify a terrorist and it becomes a propaganda for that side, or you degrade him so much that looks like a caricature, an unrealistic portrayal. How do you draw that line — portraying the person as a human being and yet not being sympathetic towards him?
I think it’s a debate while you are writing, filming, pitching your character. At best, it’s your instinct hoping you don’t fall on either side and you have a balanced point of view. But, as I said, there is no justification to killing people, so in that sense, one has to come back to the argument.

Your teaser got caught up in the election fever as well. BJP supporters quoted it and asked why the Congress didn’t act against this terror from 2007 to 2013. Congress supporters asked why the current government hasn’t taken the case forward yet. A teaser about a nameless, faceless terrorist led to political debate. Did you see this coming?
I have been researching this subject since 2013. At that point, I was not aware who would be in power today. There was something that I found interesting and I started researching on it to make a film. We all know how hyper-sensitive we are and we all know how anything and everything can be politicised and right now in this environment, with the ongoing elections, anything can have any meaning, but from my point of view it is not something I want to get into. It is a film, a story I wanted to tell for the last four years. It took me some time to research, write this story to make sure that I get it right. We didn’t plan to release it now (in election season).

How has the man who made No One Killed Jessica not made a film on Nirbhaya yet?
No One Killed Jessica was a story born out of tragedy. I spent 20-25 days with Sabrina. I used to sit with her for two-three hours every day. It was not easy and you get overwhelmed and when you are doing something like this, you keep two things in mind — the sensitivity of the subject, of people, as well as getting overwhelmed by the subject itself. Then execution slips. After I finished my research, I was not sure whether I will be able to do it. I took over a month’s break from the entire research, so that I have some perspective when I would write it. Even after I started writing it, I was not sure if I would be able to do justice to it. But as you start writing it, things start coming together and you start balancing it, then only you realise there is some form you are able to give to that story.

So it is very difficult when you are dealing with tragedy. Also, you want to have a perspective on that subject, you don’t want to just do it for the sake of doing it, thinking okay, this is the case, it is such a gruesome tragedy and now I want to bring in my emotions in telling this story.

So did you go back and disengage and de-emotionalise your reflex?
Not in terms of emotions. It’s something that the entire country has been affected by. I need to understand that, not the tragedy of it, we all know the tragedy of it. It is a sensitive subject and you have to have some perspective on that subject. You have to know the entire thing, you do not want to sensationalise it. As a filmmaker you are always scared. I am always scared as I don’t want to sensationalise things. I want to have a perspective on things and then tell those stories. So probably, five-six years down the line, I might think that I have a perspective on telling that story. Then only I would want to attempt it.

Is there any emotional cost to it for a filmmaker?
It has an emotional cost because you have to recreate those emotions. As a filmmaker it is not that you go and say that chalo ye karo, let’s shoot this. When you are shooting something like this, or even in No One Killed Jessica, or any other film, it’s never that you come and start shooting it. There is an emotional journey that you have to go through. When you are living a tragedy, it’s not just about that. You are thinking about a person who has gone through that. It kind of kills you. You become numb because you have to relive that and you have this added responsibility of doing justice to the subject or that situation, which is not easy. So emotionally it is very, very difficult.

Ajay Devgn on his daughter's style quotient and her Bollywood career, patching up with Karan Johar, and the future of Rohit Shetty's Marvel universe
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 24, 2019)

Ajay Devgn is a man of few words. While he is succinct and to-the-point off-screen, on it, he sets the screen afire be it comedy, dramedy or action. He has a chock-a-block schedule till next year with the period drama Tanaji, romantic-comedy De De Pyar De, Luv Ranjan's next also starring Ranbir Kapoor, Chanakya and a sports biopic directed by Badhai Ho director Amit Sharma.

While it is exciting to see you in comedies like Total Dhamaal, why don't you take up films like a Badhai Ho or Andhadhun?
I am already doing those. My last movie was Raid (2018) - shot in one house with a budget smaller than Drishyam (2015). I am open to doing much more, but the script has to be solid. My choice of movies depends on the script, not the budget it is mounted on. People think, small budget films have better returns at the box office and the market for big budget entertainers is low, but then films like Golmaal Returns and Simmba come and sweep those theories away.

You've tried your hand at every genre there is, but with the kind of content in the market today, what do you prefer?
As an actor, I can never pick any one genre. For those who think differently, I don't think they are complete actors. When a director approaches you with a script you don't accept or refuse it on the basis of the genre. Nor do we think which role is easy or challenging. Why would a serious movie be different from a comedy? A role can be as complicated as you make it. If I am doing a simple role, I try to incorporate nuances into it to make it layered.

With Rohit Shetty trying to create a Golmaal, Singham and Simmba universe, we hear in the next installation Ranveer Singh and you will have equal roles.
Nothing has been decided as yet. Not just Ranveer and me, even Akshay Kumar can be in the next installation, but that is way in the future as we are creating a cop world. As for Singham 3, the script hasn't been locked yet, so, I am a bit unclear which [Singham 3 or Golmaal 5] will come first.

Moving to the young starlet in your family - Nysa. She has become a fashionista with a huge fan following on Instagram. 
I don't know much about her fan following, but why do you say that she's a fashionista? She is definitely well-attired because today's generation is like this. I think Nysa is classy in her dressing sense and has good taste. Nysa does her own thing and none of us, including Kajol, interfere.

Will you allow Nysa a have career in the film industry, if she opts for it?
I won't be able to stop her, but right now, she doesn't want to become an actor. Of course, tomorrow cannot be predicted. Nysa is just 15 years old and is busy with her tenth grade in Singapore. It's too early for her to be thinking about a career. We sent her to Singapore as it is one of the best schools and it's better for her there [without the constant media glare]. They [paparazzi] are everywhere and it is not fair, they don't even leave children alone.

But some star children are comfortable in the limelight today.
When I ask Nysa not to go somewhere because of the media, how do I respond when she tells me, 'papa all my friends are going there. Am I not supposed to go anywhere?' How can that be their life? We chose to be actors and are accepting of the media glare, but our children didn't sign up for it.

Burying the hatchet
The big tussle between Devgn and Karan Johar in 2016 over the clash of Shivaay and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is public knowledge. However, late last year, we hear the duo buried the hatchet. Some claim that Kajol brought the two together. But Devgn denies it and says, "Kajol wasn't a part of it [the patch up]. I am happy that Karan and I spoke and decided to sort out the issue like mature persons. We bumped into each other and decided to let bygones be bygones. I think it was good we did. One has to move on and we are all part of the same industry. A lot has been spoken about me attending the party at his home a few weeks ago, but it was Karan's party for the success of Simmba and he invited me, so, why shouldn't I go?"

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; December 13, 2018)

The Chinese market has become a huge profit-maker for the Bollywood industry. In the recent past, films like PK, Toilet - Ek Prem Katha and Hichki, which have been screened there, have worked wonders at their box office. After Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, now another superstar is all set to make inroads across the border. Ajay Devgn’s last release, Raid, will hit the Chinese screens next year.

The Raj Kumar Gupta directorial, which released in March, has already fared well at the Indian box office. Bhushan Kumar, head honcho of T-Series, says, “Raid has been one of the most loved films of this year. People have appreciated its content, which has resulted in good numbers at the BO. We had been in talks with the Chinese government to release it there. They had also expressed interest in showcasing our movie in their theatres.” However, the producer also adds that strict guidelines have to be followed since ‘only a certain number of foreign films are allowed to release in China’.

Last month, Ajay even won the Best Foreign Actor Award for Raid at the Chinese Film Festival. So there’s curiosity among the audience to watch the thriller drama. Bhushan reveals, “We plan to release it in the first half of 2019 in China. The exact date is yet to be confirmed by our partners.”

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; December 10, 2018)

After a decade of filmmaking, writer-director Raj Kumar Gupta, who is known for making edgy and provocative thrillers inspired by true-life events — Raid (2018) and No One Killed Jessica (2011) — will venture into production with his upcoming film. An espionage thriller titled India’s Most Wanted (IMW), it will star Arjun Kapoor. In a chat with BT, Raj spoke about his foray into production and shared his excitement about the eventful year that lies ahead…

2018 has been a good year for you. Not only did Raid (right) turn out to be a success, but you also managed to finish the shoot of your next — IMW. That’s two back-to-back films.
I finished the shoot of Raid in December 2017 and then finished IMW in November 2018. So, I have been lucky that everything worked out. After Ghanchakkar (2013), it took me almost four years to make Raid. When you are making a film, so many things can go wrong, but I am glad that didn’t happen this time around. Also, I could finish two films within a year, because I was working on IMW’s script for three years. During the post production of Raid, Arjun Kapoor called up and I gave him the script of IMW, and he totally loved it. I am thankful to the audience for appreciating my films over the years. I am ending 2018 on a happy note. It’s been fulfilling.

On the personal front, you got married this year to actress Myra Karn (who starred in No One Killed Jessica [pictured left]) ...
It has been a great year for me, personally and professionally. Thanks to back-to-back shoots, we weren’t able to spend time together, so now is the time for that. I came out of Raid, got married and right away started the shoot of IMW, so we deserved this break. We are off to Europe for a month.

Most of your films are based on real-life incidents and are an ode to unsung heroes. Are you more drawn to stories like that?
A story can be real or fictional, it has to inspire me. It’s not that I only dig reallife incidents or certain genres. It has to affect me enough for me to tell the story and compelling enough to evoke a reaction. Mostly, I write my own films so I look at it that way.

Writer, director and now producer, how difficult is it to don multiple hats?
It makes you more responsible. Writing and directing are two different processes. When I am a writer, I don’t consciously think about how a story will translate on the screen. Once I am done with writing, as a director, I hope to take the execution to a whole new level. When you do both, you understand the subject better. I am co-producing IMW with Fox Star Studios. This is my first feature film as a producer. It was great. I have a very efficient production team. They handle everything, while I just concentrate on writing and direction.

It took you three years to make IMW. That’s a long time...
Yes, it’s the longest that I’ve worked on a film. It is very close to my heart. One of the prime reasons was its story, which deals with the capturing of India’s Most Wanted terrorist, without firing a single bullet. This is the crux of the story, but other than that, there are various other facets to it that also inspired me.

What are you working on next?
I am writing two scripts at the moment. One will be a social drama and the other a biopic, which I am super-excited about. I have acquired the rights to make a film on the greatest RAW agent — the late Ravindra Kaushik (right), who was known as the Black Tiger. This is one film I have wanted to make for a long time. I have been working on its script for the past eight months. The casting will happen once I finish writing the script.

Your films are high on content and also entertaining. How do you strike that balance?
Human emotions are the same and we connect on the same level. So, if a story touches me, chances of it affecting others are also high. I always try and look at a story from a third person’s point of view to ensure that it has a universal appeal. I try to maintain integrity as a creative person. You have to be true to the characters and stories you write.

You started off in 2008 with Aamir. It’s been a decade of filmmaking for you. What has been the journey like?
Unless someone reminds me that, it doesn’t feel like 10 years. Filmmaking is not an easy process. You live so many lives with each film, so you don’t really get the time to mull over the years that have passed by. You get so consumed. The biggest lesson that I have learnt over the years is persistence. You have to keep going against all odds — budgeting, time constraint, etc. You have to be constantly positive and you cannot lose heart.

YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA PHIR SE has emerged a HIT on television after its disaster theatrical performance. The film fetched a huge 27 crore for its satellite rights which actually enabled to make it a profitable film for the makers with the losses being on the books of Star who had the satellite rights. But the film has scored on television and it should do well enough in time to cover the huge price.

SANJU also had its television premiere a couple of weeks back and has done decent. The price here was almost double of YAMLA PAGLA DEEWANA PHIR SE. The premiere of SANJU was a little short of 80 lakhs impressions and the second screening was a little above 40 lakhs. The other films from Rajkumar Hirani like PK and 3 IDIOTS were very good on television and it remains to be seen how SANJU fares in the long run.

If we take into account screenings after the premiere then GOLMAAL AGAIN, TIGER ZINDA HAI and BAAGHI 2 are top three in that order and then there is a gap to the next best which is DHADAK followed by RAID.

The top ten films on television in 2018 are as follows. The number is the impressions which is basically the number of television sets which viewed the film.
1. Dhadak - 1,83,16,000
2. Golmaal Again - 1,63,52,000
3. Baaghi 2 - 1,61,45,000
4. Tiger Zinda Hai - 1,37,04,000
5. Pad Man - 86,42,000
6. Sanju - 77,95,000
7. Raid - 74,71,000
8. Yamla Pagle Deewana Phir Se - 69,76,000
9. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety - 64,97,000
10. Hichki - 63,60,000
11. Secret Superstar - 60,41,000
12. Fukrey Returns - 53,05,000
13. Gold - 50,66,000
14. Padmaavat - 48,55,000
15. Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana - 42,51,000

BOMBAY TIMES (November 12, 2018)

The hard-hitting and edgy Raid, featuring Ajay Devgn, Ileana D’Cruz and Saurabh Shukla in lead roles, has found a global audience. The movie was nominated at the 27th Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival in China and Ajay Devgn ended up winning the Best Foreign Actor award, given out by the audience. One of the most influential film festivals in China, it is organised every year by China Film Association (CFA). It is associated with the India China Film Society (ICFS) founded by Kishor Jawade, which works towards showcasing and exchanging art, culture, music and films between India and China.

Pleased with the honour, Bhushan Kumar, Chairman, T-Series, says, “We have always believed in backing content-driven cinema, and films with stories that are engaging and relatable. Raid has been a very special film for us. It’s a film we believed in from day one. The Best Foreign Actor award for Ajay at the film festival is another feather in his cap and an affirmation of his strong acting talent.” Kumar Mangat Pathak, Chairman, Panorama Studios, adds, “We are proud to be associated with a film like Raid, which has made its mark on the global stage. As a producer, it gives us immense confidence and encouragement to make films like these.”

Raid is based on a real-life Income Tax raid that happened in Uttar Pradesh during the 80s. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, it is produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar along with Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak. The film, which released on March 16 this year, received positive word-of-mouth and had a successful box-office outing as well. 

PARMANU has emerged a HIT on television after a pretty good run at the box office. The film got the fifth rating of films premiered in 2018 after GOLMAAL AGAIN, BAAGHI 2, TIGER ZINDA HAI and PAD MAN. The film edged past RAID which is a bigger film on its premiere though RAID has done pretty well in repeats and it remains to be seen if PARMANU can beat it.

PARMANU is easily the biggest solo John Abraham film on television as others have hardly got a good rating. SATYAMEVA JAYATE released this month is a far bigger HIT at the box office than PARMANU and so it could beat the numbers on television as well. GOLMAAL AGAIN, BAAGHI 2 and TIGER ZINDA HAI are the blockbusters on television this year with huge repeat numbers.

The top ten films on television in 2018 are as follows. The number is the impressions which is basically the number of television sets which viewed the film.
1. Golmaal Again - 1,63,52,000
2. Baaghi 2 - 1,61,45,000
3. Tiger Zinda Hai - 1,37,04,000
4. Pad Man - 86,42,000
5. Parmanu - The Story Of Pokhran - 79,10,000
 6. Raid - 74,71,000
7. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety - 64,97,000
8. Hichki - 63,60,000
9. Secret Superstar - 60,41,000
10. Fukrey Returns - 53,05,000

SANJU IS A BLOCKBUSTER; FIRST HALF OF 2018 ENDS ON A ROCKING NOTE!

Over the last few years, the mood of the Bollywood Talk posted in June-end or beginning of July is usually quite somber. After all, the first 6 months have more or less have been dull over the years. Last year, the first half ended on a disastrous note after the biggie Tubelight, starring Salman Khan, crashed in a few days and led to massive losses for its distributors. With such instances happening repeatedly in the first six months, the mood wasn’t that upbeat when 2018 commenced.

However, 2018’s first half has gone beyond expectations! Each month has been full of surprises and super hit films. Bollywood got it’s first blockbuster in January itself when Padmaavat released despite a slew of controversies. It didn’t release in almost 4 major states and yet, became a blockbuster, earning more than Rs 280 crore, a figure unheard for a January release before! February saw the surprise success of the comic caper Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. A film having a not-so-popular cast raked in almost Rs 100 crore and it led to cheer in the industry. March saw three back-to-back successes: Raid, Hichki and the monstrous blockbuster Baaghi 2. In April, the offbeat flick October, starring Varun Dhawan, could have easily flopped considering its niche appeal. But even this film did decent business! April ended with a high with the super-success of Avengers: Infinity War. The fun continued in May when 102 Not Out got the cash registers ringing. The excitement was there for Raazi but nobody imagined in their wildest dreams that it would do almost Rs 120 crore! This is a first for a women-centric film! Parmanu released all of a sudden sans any promotions and yet managed to cross the Rs 60 crore mark! The first day of June saw the release of Veere Di Wedding. Not many were sure if this flick would work considering its all-female cast and adult theme! But it worked and how! Race 3 got thumbs down and many expected it to go the Tubelight way. It fell after a point but not as badly as one expected and it’s lifetime is expected to be in the Rs 160 crore. And that’s not bad for a film that had negative buzz and terrible word of mouth.

And finally, Sanju released on June 29 and it proved to be an icing on the cake. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, it is the biopic of Sanjay Dutt and starring Ranbir Kapoor. The excitement for the film was significant. But who could have told that Sanju would be able to cross the coveted Rs 200 crore mark in just one week?! And this is terrific considering the somewhat dark theme and that Ranbir hasn’t had given a huge hit in a while. Some trade analysts even feel that it can cross the Rs 374.53 crore mark of Dangal and thus emerge as the biggest grosser ever of Bollywood! Even if that doesn’t happen, Rs 250 crore is at least on for Sanju and that’s tremendous!

Now all eyes are set on the second half which should be equally exciting. Films like Dhadak, Gold, Batti Gul Meter Chalu, Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se, Sui Dhaaga, Namaste England, Thugs Of Hindostan, Student Of The Year 2, Kedarnath, Total Dhamaal, Zero and Simmba should work big time and rake in a lot of moolah and impress audiences. The feeling is unimaginable and this is truly deserving and much needed, especially after a spate of dry years!

Meena Iyer (DNA; June 21, 2018)

Rajkumar Gupta, who has helmed Raid (2018) and No One Killed Jessica (NOKJ) (2011), finally decided to marry his discovery, Myra Karn, in Ranchi yesterday. The romance, however, seems to be seven years old.

There were hush-hush rumours about them when he launched the North Indian girl, with high cheekbones and mirthful laughter, as Jessica in the Rani Mukerji-Vidya Balan real-life drama, NOKJ. Soon after the film’s success, Raj tried to make another movie for her called Rapchik Romance (2012). However, he couldn’t pull it off and it remained a pipe dream for the last six years. During this time, Myra travelled the world while Raj, who was partly-ostracised after his Emraan Hashmi-Vidya Balan-starrer Ghanchakkar (2013) got dismal reviews, went into hibernation.

But he always had potential enough to make a comeback and it was Ajay Devgn who brought him out of cold storage with Raid. The film was a resounding hit and the bespectacled filmmaker couldn’t get enough of the accolades that followed. A studio giant grabbed him for a terror thriller, starring Arjun Kapoor and soon a couple of stray announcements followed. However, what people do not know is that all of Raj’s creative pursuits have a major contribution from Myra, who has been busy researching stories and angles for her filmmaker-husband.

Of course, as is the classic case in Bollywood, Raj, who seems shy, never committed to the girl. So, they were two separate entities all these years. She lived in Khar while he stayed in Santacruz and they both brainstormed with each other at his rented office in Juhu, pouring over innumerable scripts.

Sometimes, they invited common acquaintances (like me) for lunch. And they felt free to discuss their film scripts in off-the-record-mode with Myra sounding more passionate than Raj on many an occasion. And though she looked extraordinarily comfortable in the surroundings, neither of them openly addressed their personal feelings for each other. “We are good friends,” is all that they said till yesterday.

But for all these years, you could see that they were trying hard to hide an equation. When Raj thanked her specially for Raid in the credits and I asked him the reason for the same, he replied, “She helped me a lot to meet IT officers and gave me creative inputs on the script.” Raj also specified, “Myra didn’t want it at all, but I thought it would be wrong since I am thanking everyone else who helped.”

So, there you go. Now Raj has decided to give his ladylove a lifelong commitment. Here’s wishing this couple a happy married life!

There were three major television premieres in the last weeks of May with HICHKI, PAD MAN and RAID and all have emerged HITS. HICHKI and RAID sustained at the box office while PAD MAN could do not much after the first week but on television it had the upper hand due to the huge mass popularity of Akshay Kumar. Hence, limited film on menstrual periods has managed to score so well on television. RAID should have scored over PAD MAN as it did better at the box office and its subject was much more audience friendly especially for the television audience which is larger than theatrical.

PAD MAN has crossed its theatrical footfalls with its first television showing. HICHKI has almost doubled theatrical footfalls and has also beaten SECRET SUPERSTAR which was a similar genre film and that too when SECRET SUPERSTAR had Aamir Khan to boost it. SUPER SINGH got the highest rating ever for a Punjabi film dubbed into Hindi.

The top films on television in 2018 are as follows. The numbers are impressions which are the number of television sets viewing the film.
1. Golmaal Again - 1,63,52,000
2. Tiger Zinda Hai - 1,37,04,000
3. Pad Man - 86,42,000
4. Raid - 74,71,000
5. Hichki - 63,60,000
6. King Kong - 60,43,000 (dubbed)
7. Secret Superstar - 60,41,000
8. Fukrey Returns - 53,05,000
9. Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana - 42,47,000
10. Super Singh - 40,01,000 (Dubbed)

Hiren Kotwani (DNA; March 29, 2018)

The first quarter of 2018 is about to end on a favourable note. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s *Padmaavat will (most likely) touch the Rs 300 crore-mark (in Hindi only), thus making a hefty contribution to the cumulative earnings during this period. Meanwhile, Luv Ranjan’s *Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (SKTKS) has added significant numbers (Rs 98.26 crore and still playing) to the total tally so far. Not to forget, Akshay Kumar’s Pad Man (Rs  78.18 crore) and Ajay Devgn’s *Raid (Rs 79.61 crore and running in second week), too, ensured a steady flow of collections at the ticket counters.

In trade analyst Taran Adarsh’s opinion, the first three months have been better than that of 2017. He says, “Padmaavat did phenomenal business, while Pad Man and Raid did well, too. SKTKS has registered fabulous figures as well. Hate Story IV was a let down compared to the previous ones in the franchise, Aiyaary was a failure and Pari was average. Hichki opened to decent collections and Baaghi 2 is anticipated to rake in big numbers.”

Film producer-distributor N R Pachisia concedes that SLB’s opulent period drama, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, has made a big difference to this quarter. “Padmaavat is a money spinner for the exhibition sector. Despite not releasing in four states (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh), the film has done fantastic business. And as far as return on investment is concerned, the new-age movie SKTKS has done fabulously.”

Interestingly, another movie that played a key part in the Jan-March 2018 figures is Tiger Zinda Hai (TZH). The Salman Khan-starrer, which released on December 22, continued to draw audiences to theatres even as releases like Saif Ali Khan’s Kaalakaandi failed to woo them.

Though Padmaavat was mired in controversies, its content saw the costume drama rake in huge numbers. Taran asserts, “At most, a controversy can help only for a day. After that, it’s the content that draws audiences to theatres. SLB is a master filmmaker and Padmaavat has got repeat audience, which is necessary for a big film to succeed.” He adds, “And, mind you, it didn’t release in four states in India. So, the producers lost about Rs 100 crore because of that.”

For distributors and exhibitors of the states where the film did not release, the first quarter hasn’t been too good. As Jaipur-based distributor Sunil Bansal says, “Though Padmaavat was the best in terms of content and box-office collections from the national perspective, it’s unfortunate that it didn’t release in four states, including Rajasthan. The high point was the carry-over business of TZH, which released last December. As for Pad Man and Raid, they are okay, at best. While Hichki has opened to decent numbers, we have great hopes from Baaghi 2. The buzz is good. And after last year’s TZH, the audience will get to see a mass-action film.”

In the same vein, a distributor, who is closely aligned to a big film studio, said that the first quarter has been reasonably okay. He observes, “While Padmaavat is a universal success and SKTKS had a dream run, Pad Man did decent business, and Raid is faring reasonably well. This may be decent for distribution, but it’s a warning sign for the exhibition sector as movies are doing well only in the metros and the next 25 towns below them. The television ratings of movies on satellite television are the biggest eye-openers for what kind of subjects work universally. Golmaal Again and Judwaa 2 continue to dominate the ratings. SKTKS was an eye-opener because no one expected it to rake in such figures. Now, Baaghi 2 is expected to register big opening numbers.”

THE ARCHITECTS OF Q1

Ali Abbas Zafar
As the holiday phase at the end of 2017 spilled over to the initial days of 2018, Ali Abbas Zafar’s Tiger Zinda Hai continued to make merry at the box office. The film kick-started the year by collecting Rs 17.50 crore on January 1 and maintained its momentum, leaving behind Sultan (2016), the director’s previous collaboration with Salman by a considerable margin.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Irrespective of the controversy surrounding Padmaavat, one couldn’t deny the fact that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film was a class apart. The filmmaker extracted brilliant performances from Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor. The historical ensured huge footfalls in cinemas and contributed to the Q1’s BO in a huge way.

Luv Ranjan
Best known as the maker of the Pyaar Ka Punchnama series, in his latest directorial, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Luv Ranjan pitted a guy’s best friend against his girlfriend. The idea resonated with the youth and yielded high returns on investment at the box office. The romcom also saw Kartik Aaryan consolidate his position with new-age romances.

TOP NUMBERS

Padmaavat: Rs 283.69 Cr

Pad Man: Rs 78.18 Cr

SKTKS: Rs 98.26 Cr

Raid: Rs 79.61 Cr

OTHER NOTABLE RELEASES

1921: Rs 15.21 Cr

Kaalakaandi: Rs 4.78 Cr

Mukkabaaz: Rs 10.63 Cr

Aiyaary: Rs 17.47 Cr

Pari: Rs 27.38 Cr

Hate Story IV: Rs 16.78 Cr

Hichki: Rs 19.75 Cr

2017 OVERFLOW

Tiger Zinda Hai
Till December 31, 2017: Rs 254.50 Cr
Added in 2018: Rs 84.50 Cr
Final figure: Rs 339 Cr