Komal Nahta
It has been proved again that the public is very smart. In spite of leaving no stone unturned as far as the publicity went, the opening response to Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla’s maiden production venture, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, wasn’t really exciting. The opening of a Shah Rukh-starrer is considered good if its first day collections are 95 to 100 per cent. But despite the grand promotion of the film, the first-day audiences were simply not seen.
The reasons for such a lukewarm initial response would be interesting to assess. For one, the public in India is quite averse to frivolous comedies and that is what the publicity indicated it would be and what the film is. Secondly, although the title song did get popular, the album as a whole was quite a letdown. So it is not as if Shah Rukh Khan alone can ensure a bumper initial; rather, it is the project as a whole which counts these days. The music is one very important factor which decides how the film will open across the country. Perhaps, that’s the reason the Aamir Khan-starrer Mela took a dull opening in much the same way as Shah Rukh's Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani did.
The importance of music can also be assessed from the terrific opening of Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai which stars two rank newcomers. The hit music did the trick. Of course, the wonderful publicity too helped a great deal, but the publicity worked because the songs were a craze.
Remember the distributor who paid Rs1 crore for the Gujarat distribution rights of Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani? Well, the guy stands to lose quite heavily, what with the opening being quite cold.
All eyes on Pukar, Badal
With PBDHH having dampened spirits in the industry, all eyes are now on two films -- Boney Kapoor and Rajkumar Santoshi’s Pukar and Raj Kanwar’s Badal. The former may have taken a long time to make (after all, the director is Rajkumar Santoshi), but one can bet it won’t look stale. Remember Ghatak? Despite having taken years to complete, Santoshi’s deft handling of the subject had the film make it to the hit category. As for Raj Kanwar, the man’s track-record is so good, you’d like to believe that his latest too will work as did his earlier films like Deewana, Laadla, Jeet, Jaan, Judaai, Daag - The Fire. Besides, the music of Badal is growing in popularity day by day. The masses, one hears, will love the Jugni jugni song on screen.
Madhuri’s marriage may do the trick
Anil Kapoor has never really been an ‘opening’ star, in the sense that his films rarely, if ever, open to bumper houses on the opening day. More often than not, his films pick up if they are good. There’s a feeling this time, though, that Pukar may have a decent opening and, I think, if that happens, a lot of credit would be due to Madhuri Dixit’s marriage.
Yes, Madhuri’s wedding to Dr Sriram Nene has generated so much excitement that it just might translate into a good opening for her first release post-marriage. As it is, the Press meets of Pukar in Indore last week had the members of the fourth estate reeling question after question to Mrs Nene about how she felt after marriage, whether or not she’d continue to act in films etc etc.
Hrithik-Kareena in Ghai’s film
Subhash Ghai has finalised the lead pair for his new film. Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor will play the young lovers in the new tale of romance titled Yaadein. The realisation that it is the film which works in totality, rather than the stars, seems to have dawned on the maker who used to introduce newcomers in almost every second film of his till not too long ago. The paradox of the casting is that Kareena had walked out of Hrithik’s launch film, Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai, and there was a cold war between the two thereafter, with Kareena not willing to work with Rakesh Roshan’s son.
Kuch kuch superstition hai
So Karan Johar is off to London again to give the final finishing touches to the script of his new film. He plans to start shooting later this year so that the film can be released during the Diwali of 2001. Karan had written Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in London and he is a bit superstitious about writing his next too there.
Real hero
The attempt on the life of Rakesh Roshan on January 21 by alleged extortionists has shaken the film industry terribly. Of course, the one who displayed the maximum courage was Rakesh Roshan himself. The producer-director was keeping tabs on how his film was doing even as family and friends were concerned about his own well-being. From the ICU of Nanavati Hospital, Rakesh telephoned a trade paper barely 15 hours after the incident that shook the entire nation. That’s passion, Roshan style!
Dr Nene watches Gajagamini
Oce again, we return to the Nenes. Guess what? Sriram Nene has seen just one film of his wife. And that’s the one which the world hasn’t seen yet -- Gajagamini. He has not seen any of her earlier films. In fact, the only Hindi film he had seen before he got married to Madhuri Dixit was Amar Akbar Anthony. That is why the only celebrity Sriram recognised at their wedding reception was Bachchan and nobody else. This bit of information was revealed by Madhuri herself. Now that the dil ka doctor’s dil has started beating for Madhuri, he will obviously see more of her on the screen too!
Action sells
Mela may have missed the bus in cities across the nation, but it is doing good business in 'B' and 'C' class centres. The smaller centres like action films and although this one stars Aamir Khan, a romantic hero, it is doing well for its action and in places where action sells. Another film which is going great guns in the interiors is Jaanwar. The film’s songs and action have brought in brilliant returns from the small centres. Believe it or not, but Jaanwar is the biggest hit of 1999 in Bengal!
A look at the week
| Rating |
Film |
Production House |
Verdict |
Position Last Week |
| 1 |
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani |
Dreamz Unlimited |
Loser |
New |
| 2 |
Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai |
Filmkraft |
Above average (hit in Bombay and South) |
1 |
| 3 |
Jaanwar |
Shree Krishna Intl |
Average (Above average in Hindi belt) |
3 |
| 4 |
Mela |
Venus |
Loser (above average in Hindi belt) |
2 |
| 5 |
Hum Saath-Saath Hain |
Rajshri |
Hit |
4 |
| 6 |
Vaastav |
Adishakti |
Above average (Hit in Maharashtra) |
5 |
| 7 |
Taal |
Mukta Arts |
Above average
(will enter silver jubilee week) |
7 |
| 8 |
Khoobsurat |
Jhamu Sugandh |
Flop |
6 |
| 9 |
Bulandi |
Maa Sherawali Productions |
Flop |
8 |
| 10 |
Lake Placid |
20th Century Fox |
Flop |
9 |
Komal Nahta edits the popular trade magazine, Film Information.
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