ShowBiz

Ayodhya, Oct 2 (IANS) "Adipurush", one of the most anticipated Indian films of 2023, whose first teaser was released here on Sunday, unites the talents of Prabhas (of the "Baahubali" franchise) and Om Raut, who directed the Ajay Devgn-starrer "Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior", the biggest Indian box office hit of 2020, reports 'Variety'.

"Adipurush" is Raut's take on the 'Ramayana' by Valmiki. The film is set 7,000 years ago and in the film, Prabhas's character is not called Lord Ram, he is Raghav, which is another name for Ram.

Sita, played by Kriti Sanon, is called Janaki (as in King Janaka's daughter), while Saif Ali Khan's Ravana is Lankesh (lord of Lanka), which are also derivatives of their 'Ramayana' names, notes 'Variety'.

Adipurush literally means 'first man', but here the interpretation is that of 'best man'.

Post "Tanhaji", Raut could have called any Indian A-lister for his next film but he chose Prabhas. "I always had Prabhas in my mind when I was writing Raghav's character -- it became so compelling for me," Raut said in a conversation with 'Variety'. "If it was not him, I would have not made the film."

Raut made it to Hyderabad from Mumbai in the middle of India's first Covid-19 lockdown to discuss the film with Prabhas in person. The actor describes the meeting as a "super exciting day".

"After three days, I got a little stressed because I thought it's the most precious film for the country -- can I do it?" Prabhas told 'Variety'. "Om said not to worry and so it was a beautiful thing that happened. I think it's the most prestigious film in my life."

Prabhas says he signed on because of Raut's intriguing screenplay and how it integrates the history and culture of India. "The way he designed the film was amazing, huge. And I think he made it very well," Prabhas said.

--IANS
srb/

By Vinod Mirani
There seems to be a proliferation of analysts and research agencies that have taken to writing volumes on why Hindi films are not working! They write articles and throw figures at random. Now, where do these figures come from?


Take any film, 'Brahmastra', for example. Social media is full of self-styled trade experts. If one claims Rs 150 crore, the other pegs the collections at Rs 200 crore! Depends on which side of the film producer they are on, for or against.

People love to post their own film reviews on social media. If one has given a positive review, he will go on defending the film. This a rather strange kind of loyalty; not to the filmmaker, just to his or her own views. How can that be wrong?

This has become complex. One knows if a film is accepted or rejected after the first show and the weekend collection figures say it all. I can't understand what is about the people behind a film. Why don't they want to accept the verdict of the moviegoers? You made the film for him, remember?

Yes, every producer tried to find a positive. In the good old days, too, a producer would claim that though he was not doing so well here (Bombay), the Bihar collections were very good! Or not so good in Bombay city, but doing
well in Maharashtra (which is part of the Bombay Circuit). Eventually, a producer came to terms with the verdict of the moviegoers on the Monday after the release of his film.

Today, just about every media outlet, including the financial publications, have taken to analysing the fall of the Hindi film industry. If they had done the same while the industry was thriving, they would have understood the
issue better. Every media outlet catches up soon. If one publication has done a piece, why can't we? That seems to be the thought driving them. Finally, their research and analysis just end up being fillers.

The decline started when finance became available with no questions asked. Small makers don't even now. It was kind of no-risk finance. That too in crores. When the new century dawned, one heard of a film being made for Rs 8-9 crore. The multiplexes were also expanding their footprint across India. Albeit at the cost of the single screens, which were vanishing one by one.

Back then, I used to think about the films that were being made in less than a crore in the days gone by. Even the very ambitious ones cost a crore or two! A producer had to mortgage it all, including the negatives of the film he was shooting. There was no easy money. (The collections were in the same ratio, lakhs, and when Amitabh Bachchan's 'Hum' went on to collect Rs 1.03 crore in its first week in the Bombay Circuit, it was a first for the Hindi film industry.)

Earlier, too, there were filmmakers who overstated their budget. That helped the maker in two ways. That made a distributor think that since the budget is high, the making will be grand. It helped the producer to extract a higher price from his distributor. Only when a film flopped, the producer would reveal the real figures! It then would turn out that it was not all that high a budget.

A high-budget film raises high expectations and many films have suffered because they could not fulfil those expectations. Now, it turns out that 'Brahmastra', which was being touted as a Rs 400+ crore film before the release, is not really so.

The production house now states that Rs 400 crore is the budget for all the three versions planned! So, why this campaign of misinformation, which led to cinemas appealing to viewers to bear with it and be ready to pay higher admission rates? This was pure cheating. Social media catches up fast with false propaganda.

Fooling. Is this what they call Marketing nowadays? Hundreds of films have been made every year in Hindi, but never had one heard the term Marketing. What exactly is it?

High admission rates, along with the higher price of snacks and concealed water dispensers, so that you end up buying bottled water, has estranged viewers. The Cinema Day on September 24, when the tickets were priced at the flat rate of Rs 75, has proved that admission rates need to be more rational. The day drew full to near full houses.

Why do big banners want to make just big-budget films with top stars? Don't they have confidence in their own ability to make a new star or a film with a lesser-known star run? Yes, a couple of banners do make films with lesser stars, but those are to keep the company and employees engaged and the budgets of such films are easily recovered from the non-box office revenues.

So, why do these big banners want to make films that belie their budget claims? These claims do not add to a filmmaker's reputation in any way.

It is a known fact that no filmmaker makes films with his own money (at least most did not have any when they started) and a few who invested their own money were left in no position to walk back home. They paid the price for their lure of the glamour that is associated with the films.

This new craze to make a historical or a period film has not worked so far. Don't live under the hangover of a 'Bahubali', an 'RRR' or a 'KGF'. Instead, stick to your forte. Do what you are good at and stick to an entertainer who is acceptable for all.

Big banners don't risk casting new actors except the ones who come from a film family. Dharmendra, Jeetendra and many others were not star kin. Nor was Rajesh Khanna, on whom top producers such as Shakti Samanta, Nasir Hussain, G.P. Sippy, and other staked their money. Those who came from the FTII were not from film families, either.

That way, just the crores you pay to a big star will be enough to make two films. After all, the films of big stars
have proved that their drawing power has diminished.

--IANS
vinod/srb

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Filmmaker, comedian and actor Sajid Khan, whose was last heard in connection with the #MeToo controversy that rocked the entertainment world some years ago, has now entered the Salman Khan-hosted reality show 'Bigg Boss 16'.

Sajid is known for his movies 'Housefull' and 'Housefull 2', and also for his roles in 'Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate', 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'.

After coming on to the stage, Sajid told Salman Khan that he has been sitting at home for four years and he now wants to develop a bond with the audience once again through this show.

He revealed that he is open to do all tasks and try to be humble and polite inside the house. Sajid said his sister, famous choreographer and director Farah Khan, had adviced him to show his real side on the show.

Shehnaaz Gill, meanwhile, sent a video message for him saying that he should have a lot of fun and not fight. Sajid said Shehnaaz is like a younger sister to him.

'Bigg Boss 16' airs on Colors.

--IANS
ila/srb

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Host Salman Khan introduced 'Imlie' actress Sumbul Touqeer as the youngest contestant on 'Bigg Boss 16'. She impressed him with her simplicity and her ability to mimic people.

Sumbul told Salman that she is scared of his 'Weekend Ka Vaar' avatar and mimicked the way he takes the contestants to task. Salman praised her and said no one could mimic him so well.

Sumbul recited a poem and her father joined her on the stage. She said that after signing for the show, she was quite nervous and her father had motivated her to participate in it. She recalled her father saying: "You can never lose."

Now, she added, she is ready to start a fire inside the house.

Salman appreciated Sumbul for her upbringing. Post her entry, many fans took to Twitter and called her a "complete package". A few even predicted that she will be the "finalist".

The other contestants on "Bigg Boss 16" included Tina Datta, Sreejita De, Gautam Vig, Manya Singh, Soundarya Sharma and Gor Nagori.

'Bigg Boss 16' airs on Colors.

--IANS
ila/srb

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) TV actor Shalin Bhanot, who is well-known for his negative role in 'Naagin', was the third contestant to join the 'Bigg Boss 16' house. He amazed the host with his dance moves and also shared with him his wish to host the reality show.

He also said he doesn't know how to cook, to which Salman replied that Bigg Boss will now make sure he learns to cook inside the house.

The host then asked Shalin if he knew how to clean the house. Shalin replied with a 'No'. Salman responded by saying Shalin would have to do all this inside the house.

Shalin added that many people interpret him differently, but he is the completely opposite of the negative character he plays in 'Naagin'.

Shalin has also acted in 'Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar', 'Kulvaddhu', and done a cameo on the show 'Kaajjal'. And he has participated in the dance reality show 'Nach Baliye 4'.

--IANS
ila/srb

New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) The entertainingly controversial reality show hosted by Salman Khan is back with its 16th season.

As the host introduces the new season and asks viewers to "expect the most unexpected", he assures them that this season is going to be different and it won't be easy to guess what's going to happen next.

Salman then went on to introduce Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia of 'Chhoti Sardarni' fame as the first contestant.

A lawyer when she's not on screen, Nimrit engaged in banter with the host and accused him of "breaking hearts" by "not being shirtless" on the show. She also said that apart from being shirtless in movies, he should host Weekend Ka Waar in the same condition.

She also recalled a childhood incident and revealed how she met Salman in Ladakh when she was in Class VII and took a picture with him, which made her popular in school. She always called him her "lucky charm".

'Bigg Boss 16' airs on Colors.

--IANS
ila/srb

Mumbai, Oct 1 (IANS) Salman Khan's body double Sagar Pandey passed away and the Bollywood superstar paid an emotional tribute to him.

Pandey was a body double to the actor in films such as 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' among 50 other movies. According to media reports, he passed away on Friday after suferring a cardiac arrest.

Salman shared a throwback picture from the sets of the 2015 film 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' directed by Kabir Khan. In the image, he is seen posing with Pandey with "RIP" written.

Alongside the picture, Salman wrote a thank you note for Pandey for being with him.

He wrote: "Dil se shukar adda kar raha hoon for being there with me. May your soul rest in peace brother Sagar. Thank u #RIP #SagarPandey."

On the acting front, Salman will be seen in the third installment of 'Tiger'. He will also be seen in 'Kisi Ka Bhaia Kisi Ki Jaan.'

--IANS
dc/shb/

Chennai, Oct 1 (IANS) Director Gina Prince-Bythewood's 'The Woman King' is to release in India on October 14 this year, its makers have announced.

Inspired by real women warriors - an all-female fighting force called the Agojie, the historical epic movie follows their story as they fought battle after battle in order to protect the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s.

Touted as this season's Academy award contender, 'The Woman King' is also only one of two movies this year to have received the A+ CinemaScore - one of the most prestigious and credible scores to be conferred upon movies based on audience surveys.

More significantly, it is helmed by women on all fronts.

From the Academy, Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy award winning actor Viola Davis to International Emmy award winning Thuso Mbedu, to Lashana Lynch, who has made history as the first Black woman to be cast as 007, to Sheila Atim in the cast to Gina Prince-Bythewood, who has directed the film, the film has only women helming the affairs.

Written by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello, the film has been produced by Cathy Schulman and has cinematography by Polly Morgan.

The Viola Davis-starrer is now all set to make its way to theatres in India on October 14. The movie will release across India in English and Tamil.

--IANS
mani/kvd

Mumbai, Oct 1 (IANS) Bollywood star couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh put all rumours about their separation to rest by sharing flirty exchanges on social media.

Ranveer shared a picture of him on Instagram, where he is seen dressed in a bubble gum pink suit. He completed the look by keeping his hair untied.

He captioned it with a pink heart emoji.

Putting a full stop to speculations about their split, Deepika dropped a flirty message on the comment section.

She wrote: "Edible."

To which, Ranveer replied with a smirk and a kiss emoji.

This is not the first time Deepika and Ranveer have engaged on PDA on social media. The power-couple keep sharing pictures and loved-up comments on their social media for each other.

Ranveer and Deepika tied the knot in December 2018 after falling in love with each other on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela.. Ram-Leela', which released in 2013.

--IANS
dc/kvd

Mumbai, Oct 1 (IANS) Bollywood star Ajay Devgn is all set to hit the goal once again with his performance in 'Maidaan', which will be released on February 17, next year.

Ajay's 'Maidaan' is the true story of the unknown hero, Syed Abdul Rahim, who brought glory to India. It is based on the golden era of Indian football.

Directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma of the 'Badhai Ho' fame, 'Maidaan' also features Priyamani, Gajraj Rao and the well-known Bengali actor Rudranil Ghosh.

Produced by Zee Studios, Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, and Arunava Joy Sengupta, screenplay and dialogues are written by Saiwyn Quadras and Ritesh Shah respectively.

Currently, Ajay awaits the release of his film 'Thank God', which also stars Sidharth Malhotra, Rakul Preet Singh and Nora Fatehi. The film is directed by Indra Kumar.

--IANS
dc/kvd