Showing posts with label War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label War. Show all posts
Dhurandhar The Revenge top grosser in West Bengal; 2nd highest hit in CP Berar after Pushpa 2 - The Rule
9:20 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has smashed the record for Hindi films across India by a huge margin of 30% but it has turned out to be no competition for PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in CP Berar as the latter is around 27-28% better. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has done extraordinarily well in the circuit but the collections of PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE were something else due to the appreciation of PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01 in the centers of CP Berar.
There are other circuits where DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is second best to PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE like Rajasthan, CI, Bihar and Odisha and also sub circuit Gujarat but the gaps are nothing like CP Berar. Even an Odisha, where the gap was most likely to be the highest, is only 15% less but it can be due to a Telugu version of PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in play in the circuit. Both CP Berar and Odisha have a history of out performing for South films. Even that 80's phase where they were not South films but Hindi films made by South producers/directors tended to do better in these circuits.
DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE may not be the top grossing film in the circuits mentioned above but to be close to a PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in the likes of Rajasthan, CI, Bihar and Gujarat is actually a huge achievement in itself as the former is not a mass film like the latter and that can be seen by the collections in the smaller centres of these circuits. It is the bigger centres of these circuits be it a Jaipur, Patna or Indore which have taken it close to the PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE collections. The biggest film in the circuit ever is SHOLAY (1975) like in most circuits while second place you would give to HUM AAPKE HAI KOUN (1994). This century, it would be GADAR (2001) followed by PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE.
The all time top ten grossers in CP Berar are as follows.
1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 56,07,00,000
2. Dhurandhar The Revenge - 44,09,00,000
3. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 34,84,00,000
4. Chhaava - 34,40,00,000
5. Dhurandhar - 33,79,00,000
6. Gadar 2 - 32,32,00,000
7. Stree 2 - 30,70,00,000
8. KGF - Chapter 2 - 28,03,50,000
9. Animal - 23,86,50,000
10. Jawan -22,14,00,000
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DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has emerged the highest grossing film ever in West Bengal which did not look like happening on release. It was pretty much certain on day one that it would be the top film in North India, South India and probably Mumbai as well though Central and Eastern side would be tougher. It has not got to the top in any circuit in the Central circuits of Rajasthan, CP Berar and CI but has managed to be number one in West Bengal and Assam in the East.
The record in West Bengal was a big one as JAWAN had a big total which was 9 crore nett higher than anything else and West Bengal had been one of the weaker circuits for DHURANDHAR. Compared to JAWAN, it has underperformed in West Bengal but that is more to do with the Shah Rukh Khan factor who is by far the biggest star in the circuit. It can be seen below that it is JAWAN and PATHAAN that have out performed in this circuit. So, despite the star factor not being what it used to be, it still pays a part but its area by area an is not across the board.
There is also WAR but had advantage of Puja week and its possible that Hrithik Roshan is next most popular star here after Shah Rukh Khan. DHURANDHAR also has that Punjabi base which historically has never worked that well in West Bengal but the series overcame that too as well due to the content. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is practically at the end of its run and will finish at around 44.25 crore nett as its hardly playing in the circuit now.
The top ten grossers in West Bengal are as follows.
1. Dhurandhar The Revenge - 44,25,00,000 apprx (Ten Weeks)
2. Jawan - 43,68,50,000
3. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 35,32,00,000
4. Pathaan - 34,95,00,000
5. Dhurandhar - 32,56,00,000
6. Stree 2 - 28,18,00,000
7. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 27,47,00,000
8. KGF - Chapter 2 - 24,77,50,000
9. War - 22,89,50,000
10. Animal - 19,69,00,000
Siddharth Anand said that I was his lucky mascot and wanted me in Fighter-Ashutosh Rana
7:58 AM
Choosing not to read the book that inspired the series, Ashutosh discusses how he built his retired journalist character in Murder In Mahim
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; May 21, 2024)
Sitting in a comfortable room of a five-star, Ashutosh Rana, dressed in black kurta, jeans and a stole, looks ready to tackle any question coming his way. Having been in the industry for over two decades, there is no role the actor cannot do. Yet, you would find Rana doing odd roles that don’t exactly do justice to his talent. Murder In Mahim then comes as a fitting addition to his resume. In the JioCinema series, based on Jerry Pinto’s book of the same name, also starring Vijay Raaz, Rana displays his inner strength as an artiste as he portrays an ex-journalist in pursuit of a serial killer. Edited excerpts from the interview.
How do you choose a role from the plethora of offers that come your way?
I don’t look at the length of the role; I look at the character’s importance in the subject. If the character wasn’t there, would the story move forward? I had two releases, Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond and Murder In Mahim, where I play two distinct characters. In Ranneeti, I play a suave and overpowering ISI Chief. In Murder In Mahim, my character Peter Fernandes [modelled on the author] is subdued, but he has tremendous [inner] strength. In one, you get to see power, in the other, strength. I have never played such a low-key character. When I play Peter, I notice the character’s body language, the walk, the way he talks and looks. If a character forces me to break my mould and not carry my traits forward, it’s a win-win.
Apart from the script, how much of the character’s creation is your own doing?
Pick any character and you can never know all its traits. We can write a character’s main traits, you have to explore the rest as an actor. Before knowing a character, you have to know yourself well first; you have to know how you’d react to a situation and then change the reaction to suit your character. This is an on-going process and I take it quite spiritually.
Tell us more about Peter Fernandes.
He was a journalist, but took early retirement because he was fed up with where journalism was heading. However, when his son, who attended a gay parade, is a person of interest in the killings of the LGBTQiA+ people, he goes back into investigative mode. He has to fight against powerful people to prove his son’s innocence.
Did you read the book or meet the author?
Whenever a story is [adapted], I try not to watch [or read] the original unless I am done with my act. Else it will impact my performance, it will limit my imagination. After finishing the show, I read the book, and interestingly, the series is shot exactly how the book describes the story. I had not met the author but my mother-in-law is his good friend. Through her I learnt that Jerry is happy that I played the character.
You say that you look at your character’s importance when choosing projects. But so often, talented actors are wasted in films, like you were in Fighter.
It’s a pain an actor has to go through. Sometimes, you have to do it out of respect and affection for someone. I have done films with Siddharth [Anand] like War (2019) and Pathaan (2023). He didn’t ask me, he simply said that I was his lucky mascot and wanted me in his film. He said that I have two key scenes, and I have to portray everything in those scenes, instead of adding four extra scenes to establish the father-daughter relationship between [Deepika Padukone’s] character and me. Sometimes, it hurts, because while we may imagine a story in a certain way, it doesn’t pan out accordingly. The only problem is when other filmmakers feel that since I have done a special appearance in Siddharth’s film, I’ll do it for everyone. It’s a risk, but you have to find a way around it. The other problem of saying no is that you have to wait a long time to find your next role.
I was blown away by the world of the Indian Air Force-Hrithik Roshan
8:25 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; January 29, 2024)
Hrithik Roshan has been hugely appreciated for his performance as Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania in Fighter. The aerial action film, which sees him sharing screen space with Deepika Padukone, is his third collaboration with director Siddharth Anand. In a conversation with us, Hrithik talks about getting a glimpse into the world of the Indian Air Force and pushing his limits as an actor. Excerpts:
Fighter is Indian cinema’s biggest aerial action movie to date. As an actor, how much effort went into playing Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania, aka Patty, in terms of physical training and fitness?
There was an equal amount of mental, emotional and physical prep that went into bringing Patty to life. Firstly, Patty is a character I share no real-life similarities with in terms of personality. The emotional and mental prep was harder than anything I did physically to achieve the frame and fitness level of a fighter pilot. My physique had to mirror the body of the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI jet – so I had to be lean, sharp and agile. As for the mannerisms and body language, I spent a lot of time observing and interacting with a real-life Fighter Pilot named Allan at the Tezpur Airbase.
Additionally, I practised the Fighter lifestyle while shooting at Assam’s Air Base and Dundigal Air Force Academy in Hyderabad. I lived, trained and exercised there and exchanged notes with the cadets, who were all a huge help. Getting the voice of Patty right was important too, he talks at a certain decibel in a very cocky manner. He is younger and less evolved than the other recent characters I have played. He is more spontaneous and quicker to react as opposed to respond. The voice isn’t heroic like Krrish or mysterious like Kabir (from War), I took inspiration from the banter between cadets. I had to keep it real. No extra bass. Just say it like I do.
The film is shot in interesting locations like the Air Force Station at Tezpur Assam and the Dundigal Indian Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, which has been an important shooting location for the film. Tell us about your shooting experiences and challenges.
Shooting at real locations always enhances the scenes and adds to the overall performance for me as an actor. Each location – be it the Airbase in Assam or Air Force Academy in Hyderabad lent its distinctive flavour to the scenes and progression of the film and its story. The majority of the fighter jet scenes from the first half of the film were shot at Assam’s Tezpur Airbase. Shooting on the runway, tarmac and hangar with the Sukhois next to us will always be an unforgettable experience for me. I was like a wide-eyed child completely blown away by the world of the Indian Air Force.
During these schedules, we had to adhere to all the operational guidelines and codes of conduct. Security protocols had to be followed at these real locations. Electronic devices, including smartphones, were not allowed, so the entire crew switched to an analog way of life. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am truly honoured to have collaborated with the Indian Air Force and had the opportunity to be a part of an ambitious film like Fighter.
This is your third film with Siddharth Anand. Your tuning with him by now must be quite perfect.
I’ve known Sid for over 10 years now, and our bond goes beyond films and film sets. I would say that Sid and I balance each other out in many ways, while sharing a similar drive to venture into the unknown or path less travelled. The equation that we share is of real-life fighters. We are not shy about putting up a fight with each other to try and test out new ideas. What largely helps our collaboration is the mutual respect we share. It’s a bond beyond egos and all about testing limits. When we talk, it’s almost like playing verbal table tennis and hitting one another with whacky ideas.
Though the audience has loved you as an action and romantic hero, you have never feared experimenting with a range of roles in your career. Will you continue to follow that process and path in the future?
It isn’t a conscious process or a strategy, I simply follow my instincts when it comes to selecting characters and films. The role or subject has to be something that excites me as an actor first, and then, as an audience. As an actor, I am fearless, and my choices are only motivated by creativity.
You are someone who loves watching all the movies on the big screen. There was a point in the last three years when people were questioning the survival of theatrical films. With the recent success of theatrical experiential films, are you excited about how people are loving and lapping up big-screen films?
Yes, I am someone who enjoys consuming content, be it on the big screen, TV or streaming online. So, I understand and respect all forms of consuming content. While OTT gives you a very personal experience of watching films, series or documentaries, cinema halls give you a community-watching experience. In India, community events are occasions that call for celebration, and I’m extremely happy to see the audience get entertained by a film over a shared experience of collective viewing. While family entertainers, rom-coms and films that deliver a unique theatrical experience have a certain mass appeal, I’m particularly happy to see content-driven films, too, being celebrated in cinemas. Films like 12th Fail and Sam Bahadur are having long legs in theatres, solely due to their content and strong performances by Vikrant Massey and Vicky Kaushal.
Adipurush is the tenth biggest opener of all time
10:11 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
ADIPURUSH had the tenth highest opening ever as it recorded collections of 36 crore nett plus. It is third biggest opening ever featuring a male lead from South India though both the other two films in the top ten were driven by the branding of those films where the first part proved huge successful.
ADIPURUSH is the first film with a South lead to open at these levels without franchise value though the Ramayana factor is an added advantage. But numbers say that Prabhas is the biggest star from South in the Hindi belts at the moment although the scale and genre of the film is huge importance to generate interest. This is because if the film looks regular even with a budget like RADHE SHYAM, then it falls flat on the first day. There are many of these major South heroes coming with films next year without franchise value and it remains to be seen what happens. PUSHPA 2 – THE RULE will be a sensation but that is more like a BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION and KGF - CHAPTER 2 with huge branding due to the first film.
Despite the box office going through a lean phase, there are still 3 releases post the pandemic which are among the top ten openers of all time including the top two. This is because a film which looks spectacular and is cinematic has higher potential as this is what the audience is turning up for in numbers. Basically the bigger films have potential to do more than before the pandemic while the box office of smaller medium films is down.
The top ten openings of all time are as follows with screen count in brackets.
1. Pathaan - 55,72,00,000 (5000)
2. KGF - Chapter 2 - 52,39,00,000 (4500)
3. War - 50,61,00,000 (3850)
4. Thugs Of Hindostan - 48,27,00,000 (4700)
5. Bharat - 41,62,00,000 (4650)
6. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 40,73,00,000 (3950)
7. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo - 39,32,00,000 (4200)
8. Sultan - 36,59,00,000 (4350)
9. Happy New Year - 36,31,00,000 (3850)
10. Adipurush - 36,25,00,000 (3900)
On International Dance Day, Vaani Kapoor recounts how she shook a leg to Ghungroo despite lack of formal training
8:26 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 29, 2023)
It’s not easy to keep pace with the twinkle-toed Hrithik Roshan. Or for that matter, with the energetic Ranveer Singh. But Vaani Kapoor matched them step for step in Ghungroo (War, 2019), and Nashe Si Chadh Gayi (Befikre, 2016) respectively. On the occasion of International Dance Day today, Kapoor says that dance forms an integral part of her 10-year journey as a Hindi film heroine.
“Our Indian film industry is unique because an actor is required to not only perform scenes brilliantly, but also nail the intricate song-and-dance sequences. I’m fortunate to be a part of this vibrant industry that celebrates songs and dances. To have blockbuster songs like Ghungroo, Nashe Si Chadh Gayi or Ude Dil Befikre to my credit is gratifying,” says the actor, who will soon be seen in the web series, Mandala Murders.
Kapoor says that she had not received formal training in any dance form until she forayed into films with Shuddh Desi Romance (2013). So, ahead of the shoot of dance numbers, she would spend hours in the rehearsal room, learning and perfecting every move.
“I feel dance is a great way of expressing yourself. It liberates me as a human being and an artiste. At the time of shooting for all these songs, I had to put in a lot of effort. For many hours, I would keep doing the same step, over and over again, to avoid any retakes [later].”
Hrithik Roshan's Fighter stunts to be choreographed by mastermind SeYeong Oh
8:29 AM
Fighter maker Anand ropes in his War stunt director SeYeong Oh to design film’s set-pieces; 10-day action schedule lined up for month-end
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 5, 2023)
He may have started his director’s innings with rom-coms, but over the past decade, Siddharth Anand has definitively moved towards the action genre. Within weeks of Pathaan’s release, the filmmaker resumed the shooting of Fighter with Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone.
Now, we hear that the director has lined up a month-end schedule that will focus entirely on the film’s action. For the leg, Anand will reunite with his War (2019) action director SeYeong Oh, who previously worked on Snowpiercer (2013) and Avengers: The Age Of Ultron (2015).
The stunt director had designed several hand-to-hand combat sequences between Roshan and Tiger Shroff, which went on to become among the highlights in War. Anand wants Oh to up the ante for the aerial action thriller.
“For the 10-day schedule, the south Korean stunt coordinator has imagined a big-scale battle sequence, complete with weapons. The production design team has already begun building a massive set at the SRPF ground in Goregaon, Mumbai. The set-piece will include Hrithik and Deepika, and will have Oh’s signature hand-to-hand combat scenes,” says a source.
We are told the lead actors are currently prepping for the leg. Before that, however, the unit will conduct a short stint from April 7 in Mumbai. “Some dramatic talkie portions will be canned at a suburban studio. A set representing the interior of an air force base has been built for the purpose,” says the source.
The action schedule, which is likely to be wrapped up in the first week of May, will be followed by a three-week spell during which several emotional scenes will be filmed.
John Abraham bags a YRF spin off for his Pathaan character, Jim?
8:37 AM
Putting up one of his finest performances as the antagonist in Pathaan, John Abraham bags a YRF spin off for his character, Jim
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 15, 2023)
Few would have presumed that in a film that was expected to establish Shah Rukh Khan’s dominance over Bollywood would they witness one of John Abraham’s finest performances. As soon as Pathaan hit the big screens, fans of the actor lauded him for his portrayal of the antagonist, Jim, who put up a comparable front against Khan’s character.
It was, after all, only a matter of time before the makers gave their consent. A trade source says, “Jim is a much-loved character. Given that a mere glimpse of his character’s back story in Pathaan evoked such a positive response, the makers now want to show his heroics and the events that led him to become a fallen agent who lost hope in humanity, and turned into an evil mercenary.”
While the source says work on the project hasn’t commenced, it is suggested that the film will go on floors next year. “The plan is to integrate him into the YRF spy universe and establish deeper connections between his character and those of the other super-spies. The makers hope that each film will have a gamut of superstars flexing their presence to provide a larger-than-life theatrical experience.”
In a previous interview, Pathaan director Siddharth Anand had told mid-day that he was “confident that Jim will come back”, and he found it gratifying that “John received so much love”.
Jim’s story will overlap with the character of Kabir, played by Hrithik Roshan, in War. In Khan’s movie, it was established that both Kabir and Jim were trained in the same spy agency. Evidently then, the makers have already begun to leave seamless indications of how these characters will interact in subsequent offerings.
Pathaan concludes with a scene that sees Jim falling into a valley, suggesting that he has been killed. Considering the developments, and having grown up with an appetite for Ekta Kapoor’s serials, we know that may not be true. When contacted, the YRF spokesperson remained unavailable for comment.
I am confident that Jim from Pathaan is coming back-Siddharth Anand
8:38 AM
Sharing the way ahead for the spy universe, director Siddharth Anand keen to revive John and Tiger’s characters from Pathaan and War
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 9, 2023)
He has the Hindi film industry’s biggest hit to his name, but Siddharth Anand believes in looking ahead. Within 10 days of Pathaan’s release, the director dived head-long into the shoot of Fighter with Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone.
“At the time, I was shooting in Kashmir. Last week, we completed Fighter’s third schedule in Hyderabad. Right now, I am like a robot, without any emotion. That is good because it helps me work harder. I work with blinders on,” begins the filmmaker as he focuses on the aerial action thriller.
With Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, Anand added another building block to the YRF spy universe that comprises the Tiger franchise, led by Salman Khan, and Roshan’s War (2019). Much has been said about how these spies will cross paths in the upcoming movies. But is it the end of the road for the other memorable characters — be it Tiger Shroff’s Khalid in War, or John Abraham’s Jim from the January 25 release, both of whom were shown dead in the respective films? Does Anand, who helmed War, see the possibility of Khalid returning in the sequel?
“I’d love to bring him back. Khalid’s character is beautiful, as was the way Tiger played it. There is so much we can do — whether it’s a prequel with Khalid, or [explore the possibility of] him still being alive. It’s too early to talk about it.”
The director is more assured of Jim’s future. Ever since Pathaan’s release, fans have been keen that Abraham’s character — a former undercover agent who went rogue after a personal tragedy — get his own spin-off film.
Anand shares, “I am confident that Jim is coming back. It’s so gratifying that John has got so much love from the audience because he took a risk by playing a villain. He had the foresight to know that it could work. I didn’t convince him, Adi [Aditya Chopra] did. John wouldn’t have done this kind of a role for anybody except Adi.”
Reports suggest that a tent-pole actioner, which will see a face-off between Shah Rukh’s Pathaan and Salman’s Tiger, is being planned. When probed, Anand says, “I’d love to be given the opportunity [to direct it], but right now, I am consumed with Fighter.”
Meet Mansoor Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan’s stunt double, who resembles Sushant Singh Rajput
8:35 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 25, 2023)
Pictures of stuntman Mansoor Ali Khan have taken the internet by storm. The reason? His striking resemblance with late actor late Sushant Singh Rajput. “Once or twice earlier, too, my picture has gone viral. But, never at this level!” Khan, who is actor Hrithik Roshan’s stunt double, tells us.
Ask if anyone has mentioned his resemblance to Rajput earlier, and Khan says, “Sushant aur main 2009 mein same martial arts teacher se training lete the. We would meet often in class. He wasn’t doing television at that time. People would tell me even then, ‘Tum dono ek jaise dikhte ho, ek hi jaisi height, physique aur personality’.”
Born in Delhi, Khan moved to Mumbai in search of better career prospects. His first film, he says, was Salman Khan-starrer Wanted (2009). “I was a stuntman in it. Then, I did Ek Tha Tiger (2012). My first film with Hrithik sir as a [stunt] double was Agneepath (2012). I went on to do Kaabil (2017), War (2019) and recently, Vikram Vedha (2022).”
He goes on to add, “I have been a stunt double for other actors too, but when I met Hrithik, mujhe unhone feel hi nahin karaya ki woh itne bade superstar hain. Hello bola aur gale mile, and we shot [for the scene]. Then, he told me, ‘Hum saath mein aur kaam karenge’. He didn’t say this just because I look the way I do... He is a kind person. He is caring and appreciates me.”
When Sajjad Delafrooz had to let go of War due to visa issues
8:29 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 7, 2023)
For an artiste, losing a dream project can be upsetting. Case in point: Iranian actor Sajjad Delafrooz, who admits that missing out on filmmaker Siddharth Anand’s War (2019) left him “heartbroken”.
Talking about missing out on the Pathaan director’s Hrithik Roshan-starrer, the Special Ops actor says, “Since I was new to India back then, my documentation and visa processing took time. Things were delayed by almost two-three days and since they were shooting abroad, they had locked the location. I lost the job due to a delay of two days. But I don’t blame anyone as everyone was doing their job. I didn’t know how to deal with it back then. I just told myself that I have to give my 100% to everything, whether it is audition or acting on set.”
While War was a box-office success, missing out on the film pricked the 39-year-old further because it was the first project that was offered to him after his debut outing, Tiger Zinda Hai (2017).
“It was not a good feeling. But, you get used to it after a point. However, back then, I was quite shocked. I thought, ‘only 48 hours [and I missed it]’. I couldn’t catch that train and I lost my job. But, it was a learning process for me,” Delafrooz ends.
For Pathaan prep, we managed to a get lot of time with Shah Rukh Khan; rare for an actor to do this-Shridhar Raghavan
8:37 AM
In his own words, Shridhar Raghavan is movie-watcher first, writer later. His love for the spy genre and his lessons as crime journalist, reflect in the plot and success of Pathaan
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; February 6, 2023)
Shridhar Raghavan is excited to meet us. The writer of Pathaan, last week’s release that has broken all box office records, pre and post-pandemic, started his writing career as a humour columnist with mid-day in the 1990s. He even named the iconic protagonist in crime television show CID after a senior journalist he worked with at mid-day. These days, he is enjoying the love that the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer is amassing. “I am glad the audiences connected with the film,” he says excitedly.
More than a connection, which may be hard to feel as the movie is about Indian and Pakistani spies trying to stop a major catastrophe and save the country, we think the film has resonated because it did what every film should: entertain. Raghavan’s script is tight, fast-paced, and represents the best of Bollywood potboilers. His characters—whether the charismatic Pathaan played smoothly by Khan; the sardonic, articulate villain called Jim, essayed by John Abraham or the sexy female sidekick, a role that perhaps only Deepika Padukone could have done justice to—are well etched out and get the job done.
“First, I am a reader,” Raghavan clarifies. He needn’t have. We have spent the first 25 minutes of the interview discussing books. Japanese author Keigo Higashino, famous for The Devotion of Suspect X, comes up in our chat. We get it; he is enamoured by the genre, whether spy, mystery or pure crime. “I reported on crime as a journalist. It taught me a thing or two about being on time with deadlines,” he says.
Like his filmmaker brother Sriram Raghavan (Johnny Gaddaar), Shridhar too grew up on a steady diet of movies, both English and Hindi. “I lived in Pune, practically between two cinema halls—Apollo and Alankar. One screened English films, old and new, and the other, Hindi. You name it, I saw it. All of Sergio Leone’s works, Alfred Hitchcock, Manmohan Desai, Vijay Anand...”
In the 80s, he moved to London with his father, and since racism was rife, he spent more time at home, in front of the television. “It showed reruns of movies and shows. It became my comfort zone.”
We bring up Ian Fleming, the British writer we believe created the trope of the female handler (head of the Secret Intelligence Service, M) and the suave male spy (James Bond), which is also a theme in Pathaan. We discuss the relationship between Dimple Kapadia and SRK, and Shridhar brings up Peter O’ Donnell’s Modesty Blaise. “They must have existed at the same time. She was the female Bond, you could say.”
This conversation is now all over the place. We are talking books, movies, graphic novels, not just the script he is being interviewed for. And we start to get the beautiful mess that’s inside his mind. As Haruki Murakami calls it, “a cabinet”, it seems filled with fragments of all a writer knows, which he rummages through to make his new creation. If we have any qualms about the movie—the fact that the background score seems “inspired” by the theme music of The Mandalorian composed by Ludwig Goransson, or elements of production design like the lab within a snow-capped mountain, which is reminiscent of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, we don’t care anymore. We are being entertained, just as we were in front of the big screen.
Now that we know where Shridhar comes from, we ask him about the research involved. “I never rely on the Internet. For this movie, which is more like an entertaining graphic novel, I knew enough already. If you want to know more, you pick up the phone and call someone, like a journalist or a service person, and say, ‘Give me some insight’.”
The bigger challenge was to make this movie fit into the Yash Raj top boss Aditya Chopra’s vision of his production company’s spy verse, which includes War (2019) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017). “When I came on board, during War, Siddharth [Anand] had a story, the key characters, and the conflict, all in place. I added my take, and it went well. During the time, they were talking about Pathaan. They had been wanting to do a movie with Mr Khan for long. We were thinking if post-COVID, it will be a biological war film. But it was never going to be utterly serious. We went with what Hitchcock would call the MacGuffin, the mechanical element that usually crops up in any story. ‘In crook stories, it is almost always the necklace and in spy stories it is most always the papers’. The process was amazing. We were drafting the story board, and adding structure and managed to get a lot of time with Mr Khan. It’s very rare for an actor to do this. Siddharth [Anand, director] wanted a spectacle, so we incorporated that. The action film watcher wants pace and momentum. I entered the team as a movie watcher too. The plot is just one part of it; the characters and moments remain with you for long—a line of dialogue, which Abbas [Tyrewala, co-writer] is great at. It was not black versus white. We had to make it equal. The stronger the villain, the greater the hero.”
It worked. At last count, the film had collected Rs 729 crores globally (in 10 days). What’s next for the spy verse? “We have got a few characters—which the audience knows, and are unique. One way to go will be to create more adventures with them, and there may be organic crossovers as well. We will also create new characters. Some of them who you saw the last of, may emerge again. The idea is to play around.”
Top ten first weeks of all time - Pathaan sets a new benchmark by a huge margin
8:35 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
PATHAAN crossed the 300 crore nett mark in week one as it collected 315 crore nett and just smashed records of all films released. The main one is KGF - CHAPTER 2 which is a recent release while others are generally old releases.
The final circuit numbers are yet to come but it looks like PATHAAN has beaten KGF - CHAPTER 2 (Hindi) in most of the circuits and that is more important than the all India number as KGF had a limited release down South due to its original format and dubbed into other languages being the main format of the film there.
PATHAANhas averaged 45 crore nett a day over its first week. This was pretty much unthinkable before release even with the advances. The numbers are there going by the market and the potential is even higher but its not about the market as eventually a film has to achieve the numbers and it becomes about the content and PATHAAN obviously had that.
Hopefully, PATHAAN is the turning point for the Hindi film industry as more action commercial mass films will be made which are original and with more of a North Indian presentation rather than South Indian.
The top ten first weeks of all time are as follows.
1. Pathaan - 3,15,00,00,000
2. KGF - Chapter 2 - 2,50,51,00,000
3. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 2,46,47,00,000
4. Sultan - 2,08,99,00,000
5. Tiger Zinda Hai - 2,06,04,00,000
6. War - 2,03,39,00,000
7. Sanju - 2,00,16,00,000
8. Dangal - 1,92,38,00,000
9. Bajrangi Bhaijaan - 1,83,52,00,000
10. PK - 1,81,26,00,000
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 762
10:30 PM
WILL PATHAAN’S FIRST DAY COLLECTIONS CROSS THE RS. 50 CRORE MARK?
The excitement is at its peak as Pathaan will release tomorrow, that is, January 25. It's a foregone conclusion now that it's all set to take a terrific opening.
Pathaan stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. Directed by Siddharth Anand, it is produced by Aditya Chopra's Yash Raj Films (YRF) and is a part of the YRF Spy Universe. This means that it belongs to the same world as Tiger (Salman Khan) from Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai and Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) from War. It's come to light that Salman reprises his role as Tiger and will have a special appearance. This factor has made the film one of the most awaited ones for a long time. Also, it's Shah Rukh Khan's first film in more than 4 years.
The promotions of Pathaan began with the teaser which was dropped on Shah Rukh Khan's birthday, on November 2, 2022. In December, the first song of the film, 'Besharam Rang', was released. Amusingly, a section of politicians and trolls raised objections that too over Deepika Padukone's orange swimsuit. They claimed that it insults Hindu sentiments! As expected, people didn't buy the illogical argument. But since all news channels gave a lot of footage to this controversy, it helped the film in getting free publicity.
As for 'Besharam Rang', it became a chartbuster. The other song, 'Jhoome Jo Pathaan' started slow but gradually, also became very big.
After these songs were out, the trailer was launched on January 12. It made it clear that the film is made on a grand scale and is replete with action, grandeur, style and patriotism.
The advance booking of Pathaan opened on January 18 and ever since the ticket sales have gone up with each passing day. What's interesting is that it's releasing on a non-holiday. Yet, several shows are already full. With January 26 being a National Holiday owing to Republic Day, the evening and night shows have great bookings too.
As for the opening day number, Pathaan is sure to collect more than Rs. 40 crores on the first day. It now remains to be seen how far it can go on the basis of spot bookings and last-minute advance bookings.
Baahubali 2's Hindi version has the record of being the biggest non-holiday opener at Rs. 40.73 crores. Pathaan is sure to cross the figure and also the day 1 of Bharat, which was Rs. 41.62 crores.
The next opening day record is of Thugs Of Hindostan which collected Rs. 48.27 crores and War, which earned Rs. 50.61 crores. Pathaan has a strong chance of crossing these figures.
The Hindi version of KGF - Chapter 2, meanwhile, had collected Rs. 52.50 crores on day 1 while Avengers: Endgame had collected Rs. 53.50 crores. Avengers: Endgame also holds the record of collecting the highest-ever collection in a single day - Rs. 53.75 crores - on its third day of release. Readers will be shocked to know that Pathaan can even go past these almost impossible-to-achieve numbers on its first day. If not on the first day, it can cross these figures on the day 2 holiday. Of course, this will depend on the content and reports.
If the word of mouth for Pathaan is positive, it can earn Rs. 200 crores by Sunday, that is, in five days. Even if reports are not strong, audiences are sure to throng to cinemas to watch the film as the excitement is too much. Moreover, there has been no major film release since Cirkus last month. As a result, even in a worst-case scenario, Pathaan can have lifetime collections of more than Rs. 150 crores!
The other release of the week is Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh. It is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and presents a fictional narrative and a dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse.
Due to the non-commercial subject, there’s very little excitement. But since it’s a politically controversial subject, a small section of the audience is curious to see it. It releases on Thursday, January 26, and is expected to collect in the range of Rs. 10 lakhs and Rs. 50 lakhs. If word of mouth is positive, it might have a long run and can also have decent box office results.
The excitement is at its peak as Pathaan will release tomorrow, that is, January 25. It's a foregone conclusion now that it's all set to take a terrific opening.
Pathaan stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. Directed by Siddharth Anand, it is produced by Aditya Chopra's Yash Raj Films (YRF) and is a part of the YRF Spy Universe. This means that it belongs to the same world as Tiger (Salman Khan) from Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai and Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) from War. It's come to light that Salman reprises his role as Tiger and will have a special appearance. This factor has made the film one of the most awaited ones for a long time. Also, it's Shah Rukh Khan's first film in more than 4 years.
The promotions of Pathaan began with the teaser which was dropped on Shah Rukh Khan's birthday, on November 2, 2022. In December, the first song of the film, 'Besharam Rang', was released. Amusingly, a section of politicians and trolls raised objections that too over Deepika Padukone's orange swimsuit. They claimed that it insults Hindu sentiments! As expected, people didn't buy the illogical argument. But since all news channels gave a lot of footage to this controversy, it helped the film in getting free publicity.
As for 'Besharam Rang', it became a chartbuster. The other song, 'Jhoome Jo Pathaan' started slow but gradually, also became very big.
After these songs were out, the trailer was launched on January 12. It made it clear that the film is made on a grand scale and is replete with action, grandeur, style and patriotism.
The advance booking of Pathaan opened on January 18 and ever since the ticket sales have gone up with each passing day. What's interesting is that it's releasing on a non-holiday. Yet, several shows are already full. With January 26 being a National Holiday owing to Republic Day, the evening and night shows have great bookings too.
As for the opening day number, Pathaan is sure to collect more than Rs. 40 crores on the first day. It now remains to be seen how far it can go on the basis of spot bookings and last-minute advance bookings.
Baahubali 2's Hindi version has the record of being the biggest non-holiday opener at Rs. 40.73 crores. Pathaan is sure to cross the figure and also the day 1 of Bharat, which was Rs. 41.62 crores.
The next opening day record is of Thugs Of Hindostan which collected Rs. 48.27 crores and War, which earned Rs. 50.61 crores. Pathaan has a strong chance of crossing these figures.
The Hindi version of KGF - Chapter 2, meanwhile, had collected Rs. 52.50 crores on day 1 while Avengers: Endgame had collected Rs. 53.50 crores. Avengers: Endgame also holds the record of collecting the highest-ever collection in a single day - Rs. 53.75 crores - on its third day of release. Readers will be shocked to know that Pathaan can even go past these almost impossible-to-achieve numbers on its first day. If not on the first day, it can cross these figures on the day 2 holiday. Of course, this will depend on the content and reports.
If the word of mouth for Pathaan is positive, it can earn Rs. 200 crores by Sunday, that is, in five days. Even if reports are not strong, audiences are sure to throng to cinemas to watch the film as the excitement is too much. Moreover, there has been no major film release since Cirkus last month. As a result, even in a worst-case scenario, Pathaan can have lifetime collections of more than Rs. 150 crores!
The other release of the week is Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh. It is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and presents a fictional narrative and a dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse.
Due to the non-commercial subject, there’s very little excitement. But since it’s a politically controversial subject, a small section of the audience is curious to see it. It releases on Thursday, January 26, and is expected to collect in the range of Rs. 10 lakhs and Rs. 50 lakhs. If word of mouth is positive, it might have a long run and can also have decent box office results.
Birthdays came with a slight sense of discomfort-Hrithik Roshan
8:39 AM
On his birthday today, Hrithik Roshan waxes philosophical on learnings, his goals for 2023, and the north-south debate
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 10, 2023)
Peace, happiness and contentment — Hrithik Roshan has place only for these in his life right now. His resolution for 2023 is “to be more social”. And age is definitely just a number for the actor, who is busy with Fighter, his next. Turning 49 today, he is more vocal than ever about the man behind the star the world recognises. Excerpts from a chat:
Any special plans for today? Do birthdays still excite you?
I used to see it as a fun day but then somewhere along the way it started becoming a chore, a duty, must celebrate, must party... Birthdays came with a slight sense of discomfort. But today, I see it as an opportunity to spend time doing things that would fulfil me. I may still do the exact same things, but now it’s out of my own desire and sense of fulfilment rather than a self-imposed mandate.
People say 49 years old, but it’s 49 years wiser, isn’t it? What’s been the biggest life learning?
That peace is not high up there at the top of the pyramid that we hope to reach someday after all the work is done... Or at the end of the day’s work. It is, in fact, the base and foundation of every thing and every action in every moment. We need to start at peace. The very state of being at the beginning should be peace.
A north vs south debate has been raging on, especially since 2022. As a pan India star, what’s your take on this?
I have always seen myself be a part of the Indian film industry, which is a part of the larger global community striving to entertain. I’d take no part in any debate that says otherwise.
A celeb of your stature has the power to influence millions. You recently got vocal about how physically transforming for War (2019) took a toll on you even mentally. How can younger people out there come out stronger from such a situation?
It wasn’t the transformation — that part is hard work, which I enjoy — it was the heady approach to the movie right till the release. I wasn’t ready for War, where the characters Kabir and Khalid were supposed to go head-to-head in an all-out action movie. Doing films like Kaabil (2017) and Super 30 (2019) had made me lazy. I literally broke parts of me trying to achieve the vision of Kabir in my head. And when the applause and success came, it failed to fill me up. People thought I was that guy on screen — while the human I am, the sacrifices, the broken pieces went completely unseen. That’s when I knew I was on the cusp of something important for my self-growth. I went into a shell for months nursing my physical and mental self back to health. And swore I would do it right the next time around. The problem is, my vision is greater than I can ever be. I’m constantly playing catch up with it. It’s time to reconcile.
YRF Spy Universe logo to make its first on-screen appearance in the trailer of Pathaan
4:17 PM
Aditya Chopra gives wings to his ambitious spy universe — currently entailing Shah Rukh, Hrithik, Salman’s films — with a new logo that unveils with Pathaan trailer
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 7, 2023)
With Hollywood production house Marvel having established the advantage in bringing together the worlds of its assorted characters for the making of a larger thematic universe, Bollywood has readied itself to exploit the idea. After Rohit Shetty leveraged the success of Singham to create a cop universe — featuring Ranveer Singh as Simmba, and Akshay Kumar as Sooryavanshi — Yash Raj Films has weaved together the worlds of its three top spies for the making of a spy universe.
YRF, however, appears to have gone a step further to establish its spy universe, which, so far, includes Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, Hrithik Roshan’s War, and Salman Khan’s Tiger. A special logo introducing this universe will make its first on-screen appearance in the trailer of Pathaan that launches next week.
A source says, “This logo will subsequently keep appearing in the forthcoming editions of all the films within the universe. There couldn’t be a better occasion than the trailer launch on January 10 to share this logo. Aditya has been at the helm of this development as he considers this universe his ambitious project. He wants to make it the biggest franchise in the history of Indian cinema.”
The unveiling date of January 10, we hear, was also favoured because it marks a decade since the first film of this universe, Ek Tha Tiger, released. “The film’s success paved the way for Adi to dream big and plan the concept.”
While Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, and Tiger Shroff, among others, are also part of this universe owing to their roles in the films, the makers plan to introduce new names in the future. Like it does in the Avengers franchise, each film coming out of the production’s stable will involve some form of a “cross-over” of the artistes from all the films, the source says.
When contacted, the spokesperson of YRF confirmed the development.
Had the OTT space not opened up, actors like me would have felt far more restless and anxious-Anupria Goenka
8:01 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2022)
She’s a prominent face in the digital space today, but Anupria Goenka didn’t grow up wanting to be an actor. Her love for theatre led her to movies and acting, which she feels is her identity today. So far, she has been seen in films like Padmaavat and War, as well as web shows like MX Player’s much-acclaimed Aashram. In a chat with BT, the actress talks about finding her comfort zone in the industry, how OTT platforms gave her career a boost and found a foothold in showbiz. Excerpts:
It’s been almost a decade since you made Mumbai your home and found a footing in showbiz. How do you look back at the journey?
I think Mumbai is home now and this city does give a lot to people. Yes, life isn’t easy here, but like most people say, and I too believe that Mumbai aapko apna leti hai. As long as you work hard, you will find a place and will be able to chase your ambitions here. Talking about my time in the industry, I left my cushy, corporate job and started working as an actor. I found my calling pretty late in life, but today, acting has become my identity.
Considering the fact that you didn’t have any contacts in the industry, how did you manage to bag projects with directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ali Abbas Zafar?
Thankfully, I entered the industry when casting directors were active and there was a set way of doing things. I didn’t have any contacts, so I did multiple auditions to get work. I am happy that we are in this phase; otherwise, 10 years ago, it was far more difficult to enter this industry. I got good work because of the casting directors we have today. It was because of them that I got films like Tiger Zinda Hai and Padmaavat. Director Pradeep Sarkar, who worked with me when I was new to the industry, showed faith in me. He liked me instantly and we went on to do so many ads together. There are good people in the industry, and they pushed me to work further. Then, of course, I got an opportunity to work with Sanjay sir (Sanjay Leela Bhansali), Ali Abbas Zafar and Siddharth Anand (director of War) and so on. I was never star-struck. I became a fan of all those great actors I got to work with only after I worked with them and saw their professional drive.
Outsiders always have to face their share of struggle in the industry and have many such stories. Did you face any harsh realities and how did you deal with those?
At the beginning of my career, I had a hard time distinguishing between good and not-so-good production houses and projects. I remember I almost took up a film thinking that it was a great opportunity as I was getting to play the lead role. But after seeing my friends’ reactions, I didn’t go ahead with it. I was too shy to visit production houses or call up casting directors for work. Today, I message directors saying, ‘Hey, I hear this project is being under discussion and I would love to test for it.’ Earlier, I was not comfortable doing that.
While earlier I was shy, over a period of time, I have realised that this is also a part of my job profile, and there’s no shame in asking for something you want or wish to do. If you ask me to narrate the other kind of hassles, where someone makes a pass at you or asks you to compromise, yes, I have faced that too. However, my early life experiences have made me strong, and that reflects in my personality. Probably, I could not get as much work as I could have if I had favoured a few people. Yes, favouritism exists, but talent is definitely appreciated in the industry.
Digital medium certainly gave your career a big boost. Can you imagine your career minus the OTT boom?
I am happy that I got an opportunity to play prominent roles in films like Tiger Zinda Hai, Padmaavat and War. At the same time, I also got to play some promising parts in web shows like Aashram, Asur: Welcome To Your Dark Side, Criminal Justice and The Final Call. The digital medium has played a big role in shaping my career. I got to play such diverse characters on these shows, which somehow went on to become the flagship shows of their respective platforms. This resulted in my OTT identity becoming so strong today. Had the OTT space not opened up, actors like me would have felt far more restless and anxious. With the digital medium, one can witness overnight success. We can show our talent and reach out to the masses with web shows. I stopped acting in ads because there’s so much work in the digital space. Otherwise, when I started off, for the first five years, ads were my bread and butter.
In your last interview with us a year ago, you said you are confident and ready to take up lead roles now. Are filmmakers receptive enough to cast you as the leading lady in their projects? Do you see the change?
This year, with my last release, I got to essay a lead role in Mere Desh Ki Dharti, where I got to play a village girl. That’s something I wanted to do for a long time. I have also shot for a film with Vinay Pathak, where I am in a lead role as a psycho killer. Then there’s Berlin, where I play the female lead. Apart from these, I am also excited about doing an action-oriented film, and a web series that will see me in a negative role. I am happy that I am doing a variety of roles this year. Yes, things are moving in the right direction, but whether it is really happening the way I wanted it to, well, not yet, to be honest! I hope filmmakers also start seeing me in that light.
Disha Patani and I are very different from each other but both of us look very good in a bikini-Krishna Shroff
8:01 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 11, 2021)
She hails from a film family, yet Krishna Shroff chose to pave a different path for herself, professionally. Unlike her father Jackie and brother Tiger, she is focusing on a career in fitness. In a candid chat Krishna speaks about why she didn’t give acting a shot, side effects of showbiz, her inspiration in fitness, equation with her brother and his rumoured girlfriend Disha Patani. Read on...
You hail from a film family, but you stayed away from films, didn’t you want to pursue a career in acting?
All four of us in the house have such different personalities. As individuals, we are very strong-minded in terms of what we want. We only follow our passion. Acting never attracted me. Even while growing up, when it came to watching content, I have only followed non-fiction. I like watching documentaries, as it expands your knowledge. When people around me expected me to get into films, I went ahead and co-produced a feature-length documentary. In terms of watching movies, I have only seen my dad and my brother’s films. As a kid, I would sneak into my grandmother’s room at night. We would sit up late watching one of my dad’s films every night. I think no one portrays emotions on screen like my father does. I have seen my brother’s film War multiple times. I must say Hrithik Roshan and Tiger really looked great together on screen.
You said people around you expected you to get into movies. Were your parents hoping that you become an actress?
My father, I know, would love it if I became an actress. He doesn’t admit it anymore because he knows the topic irritates me. I feel getting bound to a film is a huge responsibility. It takes up so much of your life. Yes, showbiz gives you so much, but it also takes away a lot more from you. I have seen that with my father and my brother. I feel, it takes away your freedom and you become answerable to a lot of people. Plus, you are bound to a project for months. It works for other people, like my father and my brother are absolutely killing it in the game, but to each their own.
Back in 2017, you worked as an assistant director on the sets of Tiger’s film, Munna Michael, and recently, you were seen in a music video, too.
Well, the music video was just a one-day shoot and the brief was to be myself on camera. Now, don’t even make me remember my days as an AD on Munna Michael! I swear, I will never take up anything like that again. It is good that you get to meet such interesting minds on a film set, but that job is no fun. The only saving grace about that job was that I got to be around Tiger. We created a lot of memories together and when we look back today, it makes us laugh.
How did the fitness bug bite you and inspire you to pursue a career in this field?
The inspiration comes from my brother and my father. Also, the way my parents manage to look even at this age pushes me to focus on my health and body. Since childhood, I was inclined towards being a part of physical activities. At home, sometimes dad and I watch boxing matches on TV together. He is a big believer in yoga. While he follows that, I do more fast-paced activities. When it comes to nutrition, we all turn to dad because he is a stickler for healthy food. He swears by the organic produce. Organic farming is his passion, and he does that at the beautiful piece of land he has near Mumbai where he grows fruits and vegetables.
Off-screen, Tiger comes across as a reserved and shy person. Tell us about your equation with him.
People say that he is a lot like my mother, an introvert, while I am like my father... very bindass and chilled out. If he is comfortable in your company, then he is literally the biggest prankster in the room. At home, we talk a lot. He comes to me for advice on his social media posts, while I discuss my personal life with him. He is not a typical possessive older brother. He is very non-judgemental and understanding. We go to each other before going to anyone else for suggestions or opinions.
How well do you get along with his girlfriend Disha Patani?
At a time where people try to bring each other down, Disha and I always try to lift each other up. It is nice to have such an equation between two women. I feel women don’t like me very much for some reason. So, it is cool to have Disha by my side. I keep telling her that she is like the sister that I never had. Personality-wise, she is more like Tiger. The two of us are quite different from each other apart from the fact that both of us look very good in a bikini (laughs!).
You were open about your last relationship and shared pictures on social media, too. It’s been a year since you have been single. Are you happy in the space that you are in currently?
I am very comfortable right now and believe me, there’s something very empowering about being comfortable. I feel relationships are always tough to handle. You can have the most understanding person in your life, but when there is that level of love and care you get, you are bound to be tested, too. Also, I feel it is hard to find that person who’s 100 per cent supportive of everything you do and is understanding enough because no two people are ever the same.
We will hopefully start War sequel by next year-Siddharth Anand
8:14 AM
While he is setting the stage for Hrithik-Deepika’s Fighter that will roll in early 2022, director confirms initial discussions on War’s second edition have begun
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 2, 2021)
War (2019) is the kind of tentpole movie that Bollywood needs more of — larger-than-life, visually stunning and shouldered by two stars adept at action. It’s not surprising then that fans are eager to see a sequel to the Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff-starrer. As the blockbuster completes two years today, director Siddharth Anand confirms that a second instalment is in the pipeline. “We knew that if War works, we will make a sequel. [Aditya Chopra, producer] and I have shared some thoughts on how to take it forward. We will hopefully start it by next year. War 2 is a big responsibility, and we need normalcy [to be restored] before we can dive into it,” he says.
You can’t blame fans for speculating about the possible cast of the sequel. The director is unwilling to reveal whether Roshan and Shroff will reprise their roles of RAW agents. “We have not yet thought whether Hrithik and Tiger will come back, or whether we’ll rope in a different cast.”
But his admiration for the duo is evident as he says, “Hrithik has such a sharp mind that he will give you the correct perspective on the script, even if he doesn’t do the film. Tiger is tremendously focused.” Recent reports also suggested that South superstar Prabhas is in talks to play the villain. “I am curious [to know whether he is on board], but I don’t know whom to ask about it,” teases Anand.
Before he can develop the next chapter of War, Anand has two biggies on his plate — Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathan, and Fighter that is touted as India’s first aerial action franchise. That he has managed a casting coup with Fighter — it sees Roshan sharing screen space with Deepika Padukone for the first time — is not lost on him. “The script, Hrithik and I played a crucial role in Deepika saying yes to the project. It is a director’s dream to have these two actors in a film. She will be seen doing action too. The film is centred on the Indian Air Force, and we have tried to stay as authentic as possible.”
The director plans to roll the project in India early next year.
Ranveer Singh is chatty; Ranbir Kapoor is a prankster; I feel connected to Hrithik Roshan-Vaani Kapoor
8:11 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; September 15, 2021)
Vaani Kapoor, who has shared screen space with actors like Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar, will be seen with Ranbir Kapoor in Shamshera. She confesses that despite being an actor and being in the spotlight, she continues to be an introverted and shy person. “I am a very private person. I like my space. Even at work, I barely talk to anybody. I am such a quiet person that either I come across as arrogant or a snob,” she says.
Ask her about her equation with her co-stars, and she shares, “The thing is that I have worked with all these people... say like a Ranveer, who is already so chatty. He is someone who will get you talking. I have spent a lot of time with him during the making of Befikre. So, eventually, I opened up to him and we bonded a lot. He is a super friendly person.”
While she got along extremely well with Ranveer, Vaani says she feels connected with her War co-star, Hrithik, the most. “I feel connected to Hrithik Roshan as an actor and as a person,” she says, adding, “I feel I function like him. We are quite similar in the way we think. Just like him, I am super critical about my work too. He can have his uncertainties, and even I have those. Overall, our tempo and the wavelength match. He is so much fun when he opens up. He is super funny. He thinks I am funny too, and I feel happy knowing he enjoys my company.”
Speaking about Ranbir, she says, “I spent a lot of time with Ranbir in Ladakh during the shoot of our film and got to know him well. He is goofy, funny, smart and logical. He knows everything about everyone and is quite a prankster.”
Coolie No 1 is a big hit on satellite
8:38 AM
Box Office India Trade Network
COOLIE NO 1 has emerged a big HIT on the satellite circuit as it sustains very well since release. It has seen the best results for Zee post the lockdown till date. RADHE had its premiere on Zee cinema just this week so results are not known yet. It premiered on Zee TV on Independence Day but the comparable ratings come on the cinema channel.
COOLIE NO 1 started with a 1 crore impressions premiere while the second screening was a solid 55 lakh. Since then it has averaged around 30 lakh impressions for its next five screenings. This makes its results post premiere on the lines of TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR and WAR (counting post pandemic releases). The only two films to perform better are LAXMII and BAAGHI 3.
The main competition for COOLIE NO 1 on Zee mainly comes from South films as the other Hindi releases like GUNJAN SAXENA, KHAALI PEELI and SAINA are far far behind finding a limited audience.
The best South film is VIJAY THE MASTER which is a dubbed version of the Tamil film MASTER. This opened at 70 lakh impressions and is averaging around 25 lakh post premiere. These are pretty good results but no comparison to another dubbed Tamil film DARBAR which debuted at 1.25 crore impressions and has seen repeats at over 50 lakhs. DARBAR has just edged out SAAHO as the top film released on satellite post the pandemic from the South. But at the box office DARBAR and VIJAY THE MASTER were nothing compared to SAAHO in Hindi circuits.
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