Saturday, September 28, 2013

Chennai Express Likely To Clock 90 Per Cent On Day One





Just as expected, Shah Rukh Khan and Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express has taken a fabulous start on day one. Eid has always been an auspicious day for filmmakers and Chennai Express took a 70-per cent start during the morning shows today. This went up to 90 per cent after noon, with many multiplexes running back-to-back house full shows. The film is expected to turn in bumper business over the weekend as tickets are already sold out in many territories.
Abhishek Rai, Fame Cinemas
Chennai Express will create history as most of the morning shows were house full and the youth really loves the film. Word-of-mouth is also growing, especially Deepika Padukone’s comic timing. The music of the film, comic timing and action make this a total masala entertainer. This Eid, SRK will make a clean sweep at the ticket windows.
Amar Laykar, PVR Cinemas
Chennai Express will undoubtedly ring in gigantic numbers. All the shows have been house full since morning. Advance booking for tomorrow’s shows is more than 75 per cent, the highest-ever for any film. This movie will mark a new record.
Satish Kondvilkar, INOX
Chennai Express drew an extraordinary response for its paid previews yesterday and since this morning, shows have been house full. Advance booking at our properties for Saturday and Sunday is 60 per cent. Even though ticket prices are high for this film, SRK’s fans are game to watch their superstar. The film is the first collaboration between SRK and Rohit Shetty and with Shetty’s track record and SRK’s loyalists, the movie is bound to break box-office records.
Manish Seth, SRS
Chennai Express opened at 50-per cent occupancy but from the second show, the film has been running house full in most of our properties. Being a national holiday, it is doing extremely well. We have 14 multiplexes with 42 screens and we are running 222 shows every day. So expect a blockbuster number over the weekend.
Jitendra Chauhan, Satyam
Although the morning shows started on a slow note, the numbers spiked from the afternoon shows, hitting 98 per cent. The film will run house full at the weekend too. We have 8 cinemas with 32 screens and are screening 113 shows.
Sunil Gholat, Movie Time
Chennai Express is for the masses and the film is turning in great business. Occupancy is rising with every show. Our second shows were almost house full. This film is a mass entertainer.
Hira Chaudhary, DT
Chennai Express is doing really great business. The dialogue and songs of the film have caught the fancy of the youth. Audiences are hungry for entertaining cinema and Rohit Shetty delivers. We are running 102 shows every day and most of today’s shows saw 90-per cent occupancy.
Praveen Kumar, M2K
The film is doing very well and youth and family audiences both love it. These are the two most important segments of the audience for a film to work and Chennai Express has them both hooked. The film has picked up after the afternoon shows and is turning in great numbers. It will also do steady business over the weekend.
Ashish Gogia, Suncity
The film is doing extremely well in our multiplexes. We ran six back-to-back house full shows in Suncity. Today being a holiday, the film is doing rocking business. Tomorrow, there might be a little drop in business but Sunday will bring in mind-blowing numbers.
Jay Panchal, Raj Hans
Chennai Express is doing extremely well at Raj Hans. In the morning, we ran three house full shows at all our screens. There has been a slight drop since afternoon but that’s because of heavy rains. Still, occupancy is close to 90 per cent. Advance booking for tomorrow and Sunday’s shows is very good.
Tejas , City Pulse
Chennai Express took a grand opening. After all, Rohit Shetty and Shah Rukh Khan have teamed up along with Deepika Padukone. The film has been shot very well and there is a positive buzz around it. Most shows since this morning have seen 95-per cent occupancy.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Chennai Express is Rohit Shetty's hit and I am happy for him: Ajay Devgn




I have known Ajay Devgn for decades now. He is always honest. He is known to speak his mind, whether the dictaphone is off or on.
Though he  has a don’t-mess-with-me demeanour, that’s more for on-screen or people he wants to keep away.
Otherwise he is one of the most chilled-out guys I know. He answers every query calmly, but I sense a certain reservation while discussing his close friend Rohit Shetty and Shah Rukh Khan. I can almost sense him measuring the words before saying them. Read on as he talks about his latest film, politics in India (and in the film industry), family matters and friends who matter.

Is Satyagraha based on Anna Hazare as alleged?
No. It is not based on any real-life person. Satyagraha excited me as a film because it’s a commercial film and not a docu-drama. It’s Gangaajal and Apaharan kind of cinema. Just because the film is called Satyagraha does not mean it is about Anna Hazare. The film is about different characters from various fields of life and how their life changes when they come together.

Tell us about your role in the film.
I play a rich businessman who has created a futuristic technology. He doesn’t have a father and considers a man (Amitabh Bachchan) his father figure. But their ideologies don’t match. My character in the film is like Buddha who at a point has believed in some things and he is ready to give up everything he has for what he sees as the actual fight.

Did you identify with the character?
To a point... but it is very difficult to give up everything that you have for an ideal. In real life, I don’t know whether I will be able to give up everything I have... In the film, my character does that – he gives up everything from his wealth, power and social prestige and uses all that in the right way to join the mass movement.

What is the message in Satyagraha?
I’m not even looking at a message here. If in between the lines people find a message and take something back home with them, it is good enough but the film is not about that. Every story has a backdrop Satyagraha’s backdrop is a political one. Otherwise it’s the story of a father and a son, and a girl who is the conscience of the film.

You are returning with a Prakash Jha film. The last time you did a film with him, it had not been a happy experience.
That’s not true. Raajneeti shaped up in a certain way... Sometimes it happens that a film flows in a different way but there were no issues. Prakashji and I both understood that and havemoved on. I have seen Satyagraha while dubbing for it and I have loved it.

It is my fifth film with Prakash Jha and I have always enjoyed working with him. I love doing his films because his characters are very different and real. His films are different and they help you grow.
Every character you play is so different from  the previous one. Because you have to identify with every character, it order to make it look real on screen, you actually get into the mindset of the character and that helps you. Else, most films are just for entertainment and you can the role the way you want. You don’t change, you don’t grow and you don’t learn...

Coming to your last release Himmatwala...it went really wrong didn’t it?
I don’t know what went wrong… In fact I was prepared that this was going to be the result of the film because when we started shooting through Himmatwala I felt we were going wrong because we were showing the 1980s as 80s. It should have been shot in today’s times – more contemporary.

Did you tell Sajid Khan that?
I did try telling Sajid that but I eventually had to follow his conviction as he’s the director. But I have no regrets about doing Himmatwala. You are in a position where out of 10 films one may not work so it doesn’t really make a difference, but that does not mean that you can make the same mistakes again.

What’s next?
Now I am shooting with Prabhudheva. He’s fabulous! In fact I got more than I expected when I signed on. Then there’s Singham 2 by the end of the year. The script is practically locked. I know there will be expectations as to how we can better the first one but this second script is more hard-hitting and powerful than the first one. It’s the same character Bajirao Singham in a new place solving a new problem.

Your friend and protege Rohit Shetty has just delivered his biggest hit with another actor. Your thoughts on that?
How does it matter that he’s given a hit with another actor? It’s Rohit’s hit and I am very excited and happy for him. We have been talking on Singham 2. People assumed that I was upset when Rohit signed for CE with Shah Rukh. I don’t know where that story came from because when the film was offered to Rohit, the first thing he did, was to call me up and say he was offered the film. I told him he must do it.

Recently Shah Rukh said he’s planning on the sequel to Chennai Express…
That’s perfectly fine.

But Singham 2 will be Rohit’s next?
Yes. That’s how we have planned it.

What is your comfort zone with Rohit?
(with a hint of irritation) We have been working together for the last 20 years so obviously there is a great comfort zone between us, Rohit knows how to present me very well. He’s very hard-working and we understand each other very well.

What is the status of the case you filed for Son Of Sardar?
It’s still in court. I am determined to fight it through. For me the issue was not as much about money but always about right and wrong because I was always confident about my product and in with limited screens also I did extra ordinary business. So I wasn’t worried about the commercial side at all but about fighting right and wrong and I still am.

Apparently, you have spent a lot of money on the case. What is compelling you to fight it through?
At that point of time I knew it wasn’t going to help my film because it was too late in court but I anticipated this problem would keep on growing and affect many people in the the film industry so I decided carry on and fight it out though ultimately many people will benefit.
As you know, that it has happened again recently. At the time I went to court, nobody believed or agreed with what I was doing because there was no unity so now if something is happening to somebody else it’s good… Let them suffer…

Are you referring to Ekta Kapoor’s OUTIMD and her recent clash over screens with Chennai Express? 
I answered you in the earlier question. I said there is no unity in the film industry. They should have realized that what I am doing is for the while film industry and not just myself.

Did you call her to offer her support and advised her not to back off from the whole thing?
How could I support her? I spoke to her about it but there was no way I could support her. I was in court. She could have gone to court and we would have both tried to solve each other’s problems but she had her own take on things.
I can’t advise anybody on their business or films. Tomorrow if things go wrong they might turn around and blame me. Why would anybody listen to me if their money is involved? But yes, if I was in her place either I would have fought it all the way or backed  out completely by gracefully shifting by four weeks. I didn’t back out. Take a stand both ways.
Shifting by a week was neither here nor there so where OUATIMD was concerned this was a half-cooked battle. That’s where the problem was.

Coming back to Satyagraha, in a multi-starrer isn’t there always a chance that you won’t get noticed as much as you should.
I don’t agree. That’s not necessary for every multi-starrer. I have done multi-starrers earlier also like Khaki where people have appreciated my work. Here also when I read the script I kept in mind what my character is and how it would shape up.

You have also done maximum films with Amitabh Bachchan. Comment.
Every time I work with him, I learn something new. And most amazing thing to see is that after working for so many decades he is still so dedicated! He is perfect at his job, everyone knows that. He’s a great actor and legend but the kind of hard work he puts in today I think our generation just doesn’t. Not even me.
I really admire him and the amazing energy he has. He knows his lines, he is prepared, it’s easy for him to give the shot but he’s always ready to give 100 rehearsals. He’s always ready to give one more take even when we say let’s go for this one. As a person, he does not let his aura overpower you.
He makes everybody very comfortable on the sets. He’s as normal as a normal person would be and that makes the whole atmosphere comfortable for everyone around.

Have you played a prank on him as you usually do on your co-stars?
Not while shooting Satyagraha but I have played pranks on him in our earlier films and he has always taken it extremely sportingly. Mr Bachchan has a great sense of humor. 

In today’s violent times Satyagarha is still valid?
I think that’s the only way out because otherwise it won’t be a livable society  if everybody resorts to violence. But I also believe that some amount of  aggression and anger is necessary. I believe in a balance of both. 

Have you ever thought about joining politics?
No I would be very bad at it. I don’t have any of qualities that are required. It’s a completely different ball game. I do not want to disillusion people into not joining politics because only by getting into it will they be able to change the scenario. You have to get inside to clean it up. .

You never campaign also for political parties as some stars do…
Yes, but that’s because I think actors should not be campaigning. Actors should not influence the public about who to vote for. It is for the public to decide who’s right for them because we don’t know in that area who is doing what. People should take the decision themselves. Celebrities do have the power of influencing people that’s what I have been told when they talk about us smoking and drinking on screen. So it applies here too, I feel.  

You are known to be close to Narendra Modi.
In the sense that I am doing business in Gujarat, the solar project and I really believe the way he’s changed Gujarat, whatever my interaction has been with him and the people there.
They are all praises for him and every section and caste. Whatever happened earlier nobody talks about it now because they have all seen that progress which the country requires so if somebody blames him also, they have forgiven him because eventually you need a happy and growing society which is what they are right now. That is what I admire about that man.

But you are not politically affiliated towards any party?
No. I am not. I don’t choose to be.

Do you vote?
I have started doing that now. I never used to so earlier and that was wrong. I have started voting because I have realized that you need to do it. Everybody needs to do that bit well. The biggest problem is there is no unity in the government.
People don’t realize that we don’t have one strong party in power. It’s always a coalition government which has limited powers. We require is a single, strong government, whoever it is.     

With every top actor embracing TV, do you see yourself or Kajol doing that?
I have been offered a couple of shows, which I am not very sure of, so I have asked them to work on it and send me a synopsis and details of how it would look like and then I can take a call. I am open to doing TV. As far as serials are concerned I have not thought of it. There’s nothing wrong with that. As I said the idea has to excite me.

What films of yours does Nysa and Yug like watching?
Yug loves all films of mine. He’s too small to understand but Nysa loves comedies and fun films. Nysa is my harshest critic at home. She always tells me where I have gone wrong and how. I have not asked her what’s her favorite film of mine but she watches all my films. She will watch Satyagraha now.

Have you thought about what you want your children to be when they grow up?
No. They are too small and they have their own minds so they will in their time tell me what they want to be when they grow up. Right now the only thing I am doing is to push them to educate themselves as much as possible.

When will you start your next direction?
For that I need almost two years to free myself from my acting commitments. At the moment I am completely packed with acting. After Prabhu’s and Rohit’s film there are two more productions of mine which I will be acting in.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Will Dhoom:3, Krrish 3, Mental break Chennai Express’ box office records?

  

        


Shahrukh Khan’s romcom directed by Rohit Shetty and co-starring Deepika Padukone smashed box office records and set cash registers clanging. His arch-rivals Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan are now geared up to break the Baadshah’s supremacy with their own releases. What are the five essential components that will make sure that these big budget films create hungama at the BO?

The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn. It just doesn’t get bigger than this. After Chennai Express, Krrish 3, Dhoom:3 and Mental are lining up for release. Which one will get the bigger share of the money pie and the tag of ‘record-holder’? Considering the plethora of big banner, big budget, big starcast films set to release in the coming months, film buffs certainly can’t ask for more fun that will rock the turnstiles!
With such an impressive line-up of Hindi films – Krrish 3, Dhoom:3 and Besharam are set to release during Diwali and Christmas and Mental projected for Republic Day (January 26) 2014 – this year might just become as the most lucrative ever. But 2013 could well be the year with maximum Rs 100 crore grossers, with Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express (CE) topping the charts (Rs 216.86 crores according to trade analyst Taran Adarsh), followed by Ranbir Kapoor’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Abbas Mustan’s Race 2 and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The King Khan has once again proved his worth at the box office with CE‘s humongous success, breaking the record set by Aamir’s 3 Idiots. And the Perfectionist actor is all set to reclaim the title with Dhoom:3, which he is confident will overtake CE by a mile.
And how can King Khan’s re-new-found friend Salman be far behind? For the last few years Sallu’s films have been doing record business and setting higher monetary standards for his competitors. “I know his (SRK) film broke all my records. I’m looking forward to break all the new records, be it Aamir’s Dhoom:3 or Ranbir’s next film (Besharam),” he said. Considering Sallu’s repertoire for the next year – Mental, Kick and Prabhu Deva’s next – the superstar could break his own records than that of others!
As Taran Adarsh said, “The silver screen is all set to adorn a golden glow. Previous records will be shattered and new records will be set.” We spoke to exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi to check which of these films – Krrish 3, Dhoom:3, Mental and Besharam – is most likely to beat Chennai Express at the BO…
Buzz, publicity and marketing:
While Krrish 3 & Dhoom:3 have generated tremendous buzz purely on the merit of their first teasers and are sure to open to phenomenal numbers, it’s still too early to say anything about Kick, since no promotional material / promo is out yet. However, it is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated films of 2014 and it will be spilling out of people’s ears when it is about to release. As for Besharam, the coming together of the star of Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani and the director of Dabangg Abhinav Kashyap in itself is a big deal and is bound to get a huge chunk of moviegoers excited. Sadly though, the promotions (at least so far) have lacked the teeth and edge that a film with stakes as big ought to have. After the benchmark that SRK has set with the promotions of Chennai Express, these big budget films need to at least match it, if not surpass it to stand out.
Satellite rights:
The satellite rights of each one of these films will sell for great numbers because of the stars these films feature. Besides, all these films belong to satellite friendly genres, so there’s no reason why they won’t rake in big money for their TV rights.
Actors’ popularity (Salman, Aamir, Shahrukh and Ranbir Kapoor) – domestic and overseas:
While Salman Khan is the king of the masses, SRK’s popularity is beyond any other actor’s in the overseas markets. Salman’s core audience floods the single screen cinemas across India, like Rajinikanth’s fans do down South when his films release, while SRK stands at positions 1 to 5 in the overseas markets and then the others come by. Ranbir Kapoor has struck a good balance between the two with Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani and enjoys a good following in the domestic and overseas markets – the prince of both, just a notch below the respective kings!
Aamir Khan is a hugely popular star, but the business of his films depends on the appeal of his films more than his core fan following. So while with a 3 Idiots he broke through the Rs 200 crores mark, a Talaash or a Dhobi Ghat didn’t come anywhere close. Dhoom:3 should showcase his star power in a huge way…
Number of screens:
It’s still too early to judge the number of screens that these films will release in, but with the benchmark that Chennai Express has set, each one should aspire to go beyond it to ensure the huge openings that it deserves.
Ticket price:
I don’t believe that hiking ticket prices is the best solution to multiplying business. What needs to be seen is the fact that 3 Idiots had among the highest footfalls for films in recent times, but was watched by only about 2 percent of India’s population! The idea should be to find ways to increase the count of people who come to watch films at the cinemas, rather than charge the ones who come, a higher amount.

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