Tamil Cinema in 2008-An Overview :
2008 was a mixed year for Tamil Cinema. On one hand you had movies with relatively lesser known actors and directors getting noticed and on the other hand while some of the bigger stars managed to come up with good movies, the other bigger stars brought out movies which fizzled at the box office. Given below is my personal take on the Tamil movies released in 2008-
Best Movies
1. Subramaniapuram- Directed & produced by Sasikumar, the movie starred Jai & Swati, both relatively unknown stars along with Sasikumar himself. The story had a background of Madurai in the 1980’s & dealt with a group of youngsters caught in a web of violence and deceit. The movie went on to be accepted both by the critics and the masses. Music by James Vasanth was a big asset to the movie.2. Anjathey- This was the 2nd movie directed by Mysskin after his Chitiram Pesudhadi.Starring Narain, Prasanna,Ajmal & Vijayalakshmi, people were surprised to see such a taut action thriller in a completely natural style well showcased by Mysskin. Camerawork by the DOP, Mahesh Muthuswamy as well as music by Mysskin himself also helped the movie.3. Dasavatharam- There has been a lot of debate among the critics and masses regarding the creative merits of the movie. Directed by K.S.Ravikumar & with story and screenplay by Kamal Haasan, there is no doubt that it was a true showcase of the talent of the genius called Kamal Haasan.Co starring Asin, Kamal went on to portray a landmark 10 roles in the movie. Music was by Himesh Reshamiyya.The movie did extremely well at the box office.4. Vaaranam Aayiram- This Gautam Vasudev Menon flick was sincere at heart and had Surya in the two roles of a father and son. Though the pace was a bit leisurely, the brilliant visuals by the DOP, Rathnavel and the music by Harris Jayaraj ensured that the movie captured our attention.5. Saroja- Inspired by ‘Judgement Day’, Venkat Prabhu’s 2nd directorial effort after Chennai 28 was a truly different movie for the tamil audiences. It was a well made thriller set in a race against time framework.
Decent Movies
1. Poo- Brave attempt by Sasi using the heroine as a protagonist. Parvathy’s performance was the highlight of the movie.2. Poi Solla Porom- UTV’s remake of their successful hindi movie- Khosla Ka Ghosla, this one directed by Vijay was a faithful remake.
Major Disappointments
1. Kuselan ( Rajnikanth)2. Kuruvi ( Vijay)3. Bheema ( Vikram)
4. Satyam ( Vishal)5. Aegan ( Ajith- fizzled out after a good opening)
Song of the Year-
Kangal Irundal from Subramaniapuram- a lilting melody by James Vasanth and sung byBelly Raj and Deepa Mariam.
Album of the Year-
Vaaranam Aayiram by Harris Jayaraj – undoubtedly.
Overall a very unpredicatable year for tamil cinema, lets see what’s in store for 2009.
Malayalam Cinema in 2008-An Overview :
2008 was a very average year for Malayalam cinema. The truly artistic movies seemed to be far and few.Hindi, tamil and dubbed telugu releases continued to flood the market in Kerala. Given below is my personal take on the Malayalam movies released in 2008-
Best Movies
Malabar Wedding- It was a small movie with Indrajeet and Gopika in the lead. Based upon a tradition called- ’sorakalyanam’ prevalent among some parts of the Malabar region of Kerala, the debutant director duo,Rajesh- Faisal was able to portray the tale in a very realistic way.Music by Rahulraj was also adequate.Thirakadha- Directed by Renjith and allegedly based upon the romance between Kamal Haasan and Srividya, Thirakadha was a poignant tale of a young director (played well by Prithviraj) trying to make a movie based on the romance between the current superstar and a yesteryear actress. Priyamani was brilliant as the actress. Overall a well appreciated effort.Gulmohar- Directed by Jayaraj,this movie marked the acting debut of director Renjith.As Induchoodan, a former naxalite who looks back at the earlier days of the naxalite movement and then sets forth on an unfinished mission, Renjith was clearly brilliant. Unfortunately the movie was not well received at the box office.Twenty: 20- Yes I am being a bit indulgent here in my choice. But having all the big stars like Mammooty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi,Dileep, Jayaram etc in a single movie and doing justice to them is not a joke. For this reason alone director Joshy and producer Dileep deserve all the applause. ( check out my write up http://passionforcinema.com/twenty-20-%e2%80%93-indias-biggest-movie-ever/#more-9128 for more details)Calcutta News- While this movie is not on the same level as director Blessy’s Kaazcha or Thanmadra, the movie was still reasonably realistic and had some good performances from Dileep and Gopika. It was another take on the flesh trade in Kolkata’s Sonagachi and reminded you of Kamal Haasan’s Mahanadi.Veruthe Oru Bharya- Jayaram made a strong comeback with this surprise hit. He played a typical nagging husband who believes that his wife ( Gopika) should just be happy enough to do whatever he says. One fine day Gopika rebels and leaves home. Though the movie did not have a landmark story, Akku Akbar the director was able to ensure that the movie brought the family audiences back to the theatre.
I am yet to watch some critically acclaimed movies like M.G.Sasi’s Adalayangal ( based on a work of Nandanar ),Akashagopuram (directed by K.P.Kumaran and starring Mohanalal based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder) and Thalappavu- (starring Lal & Prithviraj and directed by Madhupal). On the box office front, Mamooty and Mohanalal both had a good year. Apart from Twenty: 20, Mammooty had Rowdram, Annan Thambi and Maya Bazaar doing well while Parunthu was a flop. Mohanlal had Innathe Chintavishayam, Madambi and Kurukshetra doing well while his College Kumaran was a flop. Mohanalal also showed his commitment to smaller and artistic films remains intact as he did films like Mizhikal Saakshi and Pakal Nakshatrangal.The fact remains that the rot in Malayalam Cinema continues to remain and I am sincerely hoping that we see more quality cinema emerging in 2009.
Originally published on PFC.Check it here- http://passionforcinema.com/tamil-and-malayalam-cinema-in-2008-an-overview/ .
Monday, December 29, 2008
Movie Re-distribution- An area of potential
As a sales and marketing professional and as a film lover, film distribution has always been an interesting topic for me. It was a few months ago when I was doing a project on film distribution for an entertainment firm, that I realized the potential of the subject.At the very outset I wish to specify what I mean by movie- redistribution. Here I am referring to the entire gamut of activities that a production/distribution firm involves in with respect to a specific movie after the initial theatrical run of the movie is over.For example once the initial theatrical run of RNBDJ is over, whatever YRF does to keep the movie alive among the movie viewers is what I’m referring to here.
Does the end of the initial theatrical end mean the end for a movie?
Of course not, we all know that there’s satellite T.V viewing, video on demand, DVD release etc. But first of all has theatre been utilized enough? Lets take the example of OLLO, all of us know it was unlucky to get released on 28th November, when Mumbai was still simmering under the fires burning after the assault & attack by the gunmen. Though whoever saw the movie has gone on to praise the movie, the truth is not many got to see it because the movie ( though still playing in some places) didn’t have a great run in most places because the people simply weren’t there to watch movies when OLLO released.
Now I would have expected UTV to negotiate with all the multiplexes and re-release them aided by a fresh round of publicity (T.V, print, FM radio). I am sure that this would have enabled a lot more people to watch it. I think there is still time for UTV to do it.A very interesting example of such a situation is a tamil movie called “Chitiram Pesudhadi” which was released in early 2007. Made by a debutant director Mysskin, the movie starred Narain & Bhavana who were not all that popular yet in tamil cinema. The movie was more or less declared a flop & was taken off from most centres in a week’s time.But that was when Aascar Films- V.Ravichandran saw the movie. He is known to understand the pulse of a moviegoer very well.
Immediately on realizing the potential of the movie, he –bought the rights of the movie from the original producer & re-released the movie. This time he promoted the movie aggressively on the basis of one song- “vaala meenukkum” which ensured that the song and the movie went on to be a big hit. Going back to OLLO, there’s something very interesting that UTV has done. Within 3 weeks of its theatrical release, they have premiered the movie (starting 19th Dec) on Tata Sky, thus enabling a lot many more people to watch the movie.
DVD releases- of late movie makers have realized that it makes sense to have the official DVD release of the movie in as quick a time as possible. So today ideally for a movie which hasn’t done too well at the box office it makes sense to release the DVD immediately after the theatrical run is over and for those which have clicked at the box office, the DVD release shouldn’t ideally be delayed beyond 3 months from the date of release. While this is being adhered to by most of the people concerned, what is concerning is the fact that a lot of D.V.D ( and V.C.D) rights holders like Shemaroo, Eros etc have been pricing most of the new releases on the higher side. When the standards have been raised by Moser Baer & T.Series with “junta class” pricing & thus posing a challenge to the video pirates, is it justified for Eros to release the DVD of a niche movie like No Smoking at Rs.299 (now being sold at Rs.149.50)? Movies like No Smoking and Hulla (awaiting DVD release) are movies which didn’t get much notice at the box office & hence an attractive pricing would only help in reaching out to more audiences.
Making use of digital sound & digital projection
Today with DTS & Dolby Digital sound systems in a lot of good theatres and multiplexes in the country (even in some of the smaller towns) movie watching experience has been heightened to a great effect. With Qube & UFO, digital projection has also been made possible and nowadays new movies are getting released in more and more centres thanks to digital projection. Yes we all know about how Mughal-E-Azam’s re-release in colour was a successful outing at the b.o. But why don’t we actually see more and more classics or movies with potential getting re-released with DTS/Dolby Digital Sound & in digital projection? Opting for digital projection would enable reaching out to many places, saving money & also providing better quality output. I would especially be thrilled to see a Sholay, a Guide, a Jewel Thief etc being released this way. DDLJ celebrates 15 years of its release in end 2010, why can’t they have a re-release (15th anniversary celebration) in DTS and/or Dolby Digital & also with digital projection.Remember when DDLJ was released initially it was released in Dolby SR and not Dolby Digital or DTS.
With DTH, the internet, DVD and re-release in theatres, re-distribution of movies is becoming a very important activity for the movie makers and the distributors. For a change it’s not just the opening friday alone to be looked forward to for a movie. Let’s wait and watch what the future holds for us in terms of movie re-distribution.
Originally published on PFC - check it out - http://passionforcinema.com/movie-re-distribution-an-area-of-potential/
Does the end of the initial theatrical end mean the end for a movie?
Of course not, we all know that there’s satellite T.V viewing, video on demand, DVD release etc. But first of all has theatre been utilized enough? Lets take the example of OLLO, all of us know it was unlucky to get released on 28th November, when Mumbai was still simmering under the fires burning after the assault & attack by the gunmen. Though whoever saw the movie has gone on to praise the movie, the truth is not many got to see it because the movie ( though still playing in some places) didn’t have a great run in most places because the people simply weren’t there to watch movies when OLLO released.
Now I would have expected UTV to negotiate with all the multiplexes and re-release them aided by a fresh round of publicity (T.V, print, FM radio). I am sure that this would have enabled a lot more people to watch it. I think there is still time for UTV to do it.A very interesting example of such a situation is a tamil movie called “Chitiram Pesudhadi” which was released in early 2007. Made by a debutant director Mysskin, the movie starred Narain & Bhavana who were not all that popular yet in tamil cinema. The movie was more or less declared a flop & was taken off from most centres in a week’s time.But that was when Aascar Films- V.Ravichandran saw the movie. He is known to understand the pulse of a moviegoer very well.
Immediately on realizing the potential of the movie, he –bought the rights of the movie from the original producer & re-released the movie. This time he promoted the movie aggressively on the basis of one song- “vaala meenukkum” which ensured that the song and the movie went on to be a big hit. Going back to OLLO, there’s something very interesting that UTV has done. Within 3 weeks of its theatrical release, they have premiered the movie (starting 19th Dec) on Tata Sky, thus enabling a lot many more people to watch the movie.
DVD releases- of late movie makers have realized that it makes sense to have the official DVD release of the movie in as quick a time as possible. So today ideally for a movie which hasn’t done too well at the box office it makes sense to release the DVD immediately after the theatrical run is over and for those which have clicked at the box office, the DVD release shouldn’t ideally be delayed beyond 3 months from the date of release. While this is being adhered to by most of the people concerned, what is concerning is the fact that a lot of D.V.D ( and V.C.D) rights holders like Shemaroo, Eros etc have been pricing most of the new releases on the higher side. When the standards have been raised by Moser Baer & T.Series with “junta class” pricing & thus posing a challenge to the video pirates, is it justified for Eros to release the DVD of a niche movie like No Smoking at Rs.299 (now being sold at Rs.149.50)? Movies like No Smoking and Hulla (awaiting DVD release) are movies which didn’t get much notice at the box office & hence an attractive pricing would only help in reaching out to more audiences.
Making use of digital sound & digital projection
Today with DTS & Dolby Digital sound systems in a lot of good theatres and multiplexes in the country (even in some of the smaller towns) movie watching experience has been heightened to a great effect. With Qube & UFO, digital projection has also been made possible and nowadays new movies are getting released in more and more centres thanks to digital projection. Yes we all know about how Mughal-E-Azam’s re-release in colour was a successful outing at the b.o. But why don’t we actually see more and more classics or movies with potential getting re-released with DTS/Dolby Digital Sound & in digital projection? Opting for digital projection would enable reaching out to many places, saving money & also providing better quality output. I would especially be thrilled to see a Sholay, a Guide, a Jewel Thief etc being released this way. DDLJ celebrates 15 years of its release in end 2010, why can’t they have a re-release (15th anniversary celebration) in DTS and/or Dolby Digital & also with digital projection.Remember when DDLJ was released initially it was released in Dolby SR and not Dolby Digital or DTS.
With DTH, the internet, DVD and re-release in theatres, re-distribution of movies is becoming a very important activity for the movie makers and the distributors. For a change it’s not just the opening friday alone to be looked forward to for a movie. Let’s wait and watch what the future holds for us in terms of movie re-distribution.
Originally published on PFC - check it out - http://passionforcinema.com/movie-re-distribution-an-area-of-potential/
Telugu Cinema in 2008-An Overview
2008 was an interesting year for Telugu Cinema. While some of the hardcore star movies did well and some flopped, a lot of the well made smaller films went on to do be critically acclaimed and also do well at the box office. Given below is my personal take on the Telugu movies released in 2008-
Best Movies
Gamyam- Directed by a debutant, Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi (Krish) the movie evoked a strong response from one and all. A road movie (inspired by Motorcycle Diaries) it had a strong script & excellent performances from Sharwanand, Allari Naresh & Kamalinee Mukherjee.
Ready- This was a perfect family entertainer from Srinu Vaitla and had the right proportion of all the commercial ingredients. The chemistry between Ram and Genelia was just right, Brahmanandam’s comedy rocked and the music by Devi Sri Prasad was an added bonus
Ashta Chemma- Directed by Mohankrishna Indraganti and produced by Ram Mohan, the movie was a tribute to Oscar Wilde (Inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest). While Mohankrishna deserves praise for adapting the story well and bringing in a fresh wave to telugu movies, Ram Mohan deserves praise for backing the movie very well and promoting it in the right manner.Performances by Swati, late Bhargavi. Nani & Srinivas were truly remarkable.
Vinayakudu- Sai Kiran Adivi’s tale of a love story between a fat man and a good looking woman has clicked with both the masses and the critics. Krishnudu and Sonia were earnest in their roles. A great example of how a good product backed by right promotion can do wonders for a movie.
Kotha Bangaru Lokam- Dil Raju continued his successful run with KBL.Srikanth Addala wove a poignant romantic tale of two teenagers which captured the hearts of everyone. Varun Sandesh and Shweta Prasad played their parts very well. Music by Mickey.J.Meyer was certainly a big contributor to the movie’s success.
Avakkai Biriyani- Produced by Shekhar and Chandrasekhar Kammula and directed by Anish Kuruvilla, the movie was a simple tale of romance between a muslim youth and a hindu girl in a small town close to Hyderabad.Performances from Kamal Kamaraju and Bindu Madhavai were commendable.Both the DOP-Shamdat and the music composer – Manikanth Kadri deserve mention for their contribution to the movie
Talking about the big star movies, Pawan Kalayan finally tasted solid success with Jalsa, Balakrishna bounced back after ages with his Pandurangadu and Venkatesh continued his good streak with Chintakayala Ravi. For Nagarjun (Krishna Arjun ) it wasn’t a great year, but he has King ( releasing on 25th Dec) to look forward to. NTR’s Kantri was just about average at the box office. Among the dubbed movies, Kamal Hassan’s Dasavatharam was the sole success and Surya S/O Krishan also managed to get noticed.
Let’s wait and watch out for 2009.
Best Movies
Gamyam- Directed by a debutant, Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi (Krish) the movie evoked a strong response from one and all. A road movie (inspired by Motorcycle Diaries) it had a strong script & excellent performances from Sharwanand, Allari Naresh & Kamalinee Mukherjee.
Ready- This was a perfect family entertainer from Srinu Vaitla and had the right proportion of all the commercial ingredients. The chemistry between Ram and Genelia was just right, Brahmanandam’s comedy rocked and the music by Devi Sri Prasad was an added bonus
Ashta Chemma- Directed by Mohankrishna Indraganti and produced by Ram Mohan, the movie was a tribute to Oscar Wilde (Inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest). While Mohankrishna deserves praise for adapting the story well and bringing in a fresh wave to telugu movies, Ram Mohan deserves praise for backing the movie very well and promoting it in the right manner.Performances by Swati, late Bhargavi. Nani & Srinivas were truly remarkable.
Vinayakudu- Sai Kiran Adivi’s tale of a love story between a fat man and a good looking woman has clicked with both the masses and the critics. Krishnudu and Sonia were earnest in their roles. A great example of how a good product backed by right promotion can do wonders for a movie.
Kotha Bangaru Lokam- Dil Raju continued his successful run with KBL.Srikanth Addala wove a poignant romantic tale of two teenagers which captured the hearts of everyone. Varun Sandesh and Shweta Prasad played their parts very well. Music by Mickey.J.Meyer was certainly a big contributor to the movie’s success.
Avakkai Biriyani- Produced by Shekhar and Chandrasekhar Kammula and directed by Anish Kuruvilla, the movie was a simple tale of romance between a muslim youth and a hindu girl in a small town close to Hyderabad.Performances from Kamal Kamaraju and Bindu Madhavai were commendable.Both the DOP-Shamdat and the music composer – Manikanth Kadri deserve mention for their contribution to the movie
Talking about the big star movies, Pawan Kalayan finally tasted solid success with Jalsa, Balakrishna bounced back after ages with his Pandurangadu and Venkatesh continued his good streak with Chintakayala Ravi. For Nagarjun (Krishna Arjun ) it wasn’t a great year, but he has King ( releasing on 25th Dec) to look forward to. NTR’s Kantri was just about average at the box office. Among the dubbed movies, Kamal Hassan’s Dasavatharam was the sole success and Surya S/O Krishan also managed to get noticed.
Let’s wait and watch out for 2009.
First RNBDJ and now Ghajini
Well this write- up is not a review of RNBDJ or Ghajini for that matter though I’ll be talking about both the movies. Yes I’ve seen both the movies and feel that there is something that binds these two movies together. Well these two movies as such are like chalk & cheese, there’s nothing common between them. What binds them together then is the hero in both the cases- SRK & Aamir respectively. If you are wondering whether I’ve gone crazy, hang on, let me explain. Critics and masses alike have been talking both positive and negative about RNBDJ.
For some the movie is a sweet romance very naturally shown with SRK as Surinder Sahni, carrying the film on his shoulders. For others the movie is just another SRK flick and they are just plain bored. First of all whatever be the final take on the movie, the fact remains that the movie is a big success. True it’s not the best from Aditya Chopra, YRF or even SRK, but SRK as Suri was able to bring in the crowd. Lot of people including me felt what’s wrong with Aditya. Why does this have to be his comeback venture. For all those people who thought so let me tell you Aditya has very smartly executed his plan to perfection.
How else do you explain the complete scripting of the movie to be over in a mere 12 days and the entire filming over in a mere 47 days. There are basically only 3 actors in significant roles, SRK,Anushka & Vinay Pathak. There’s no foreign locale or anything outlandish. So basically the movie is a very low cost venture and will turn out to be much more profitable than some of the other big hits of the year. But in spite of all this is surprising is not people either liking or not liking the movie, it’s a section of people continuing to crib that it’s a routine SRK movie and that he continues to disappoint with the same kind of roles. Look at the recent SRK movies excluding Bhootnath where he had a special appearance- OSO, CDI, Don, KANK,Paheli- I fail to see what’s similar in any of these movies or his roles.
All people have to say is why he doesn’t do a Swades or a CDI. Well every movie just cannot be a CDI or a Swades. Movies like KANK, Pahelo or Don may not be great but it had SRK trying something different in each of these movies. When will people start accepting SRK the way he his & allow him some space. No I am not a blind fan of his & do not say RNBDJ is a great movie. But I feel that he’s trying and not just so much caught up in the routine as people think. I know that Billu Barber and My Name is Khan will go on to re-iterate what I say, looking forward to them.
And now you have Ghajini- a typical masala flick. Is it an outstanding movie? Is it pathbreaking? Does it move you a lot? The answer to all these questions is a big NO. The movie from the very beginning (remember the promos very clearly had Aamir in the now overhyped “Ghajini” hair cut & tattoos on his body) screamed that it was a regular masala movie. But our friends have a problem with the movie again. And why is that?Well because Aamir is Aamir- he does a Lagaan, a RDB, a TZP, why on earth does he have to do a Ghajini?
My question to all these people- haven’t you heard/seen of Fanaa, Mela or a Mann? Cut back to his early days, do you know that along with a QSQT, Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke or a Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin, he did atrocious movies like Daulat Ki Jung, Aatank Hi Aatank, Love Love Love, Tum Mere Ho, etc? Yes in course of time, Aamir has gone on to become a very improved actor, started doing fewer projects, most of them being genuinely different.
But wouldn’t the artist in Aamir also from time to time want to do something more run of the mill and routine to keep him going and entertained. For all those who only see the masala movie in Ghajini- haven’t you realized how Aamir has slogged on his physical appearance for such a “trivial masala movie”? Look at it this way- Ghajini probably was just a relaxation or a diversion for Aamir before he begins work on his next venture- which might be on more familiar ground for all that we know.
It’s a sincere plea from my side to fans, detractors and to everyone at large- watch a RNBDJ or a Ghajini and comment on whether you liked it or not. But please look at the film objectively and not with any pre conceived bias for or against a SRK or an Aamir.These two have been entertaining us for years and would continue to do so, let’s stop being their advisors atleast now.
P.S- This was originally published in PFC.Check it out here-
http://passionforcinema.com/first-rnbdj-and-now-ghajini/ .
For some the movie is a sweet romance very naturally shown with SRK as Surinder Sahni, carrying the film on his shoulders. For others the movie is just another SRK flick and they are just plain bored. First of all whatever be the final take on the movie, the fact remains that the movie is a big success. True it’s not the best from Aditya Chopra, YRF or even SRK, but SRK as Suri was able to bring in the crowd. Lot of people including me felt what’s wrong with Aditya. Why does this have to be his comeback venture. For all those people who thought so let me tell you Aditya has very smartly executed his plan to perfection.
How else do you explain the complete scripting of the movie to be over in a mere 12 days and the entire filming over in a mere 47 days. There are basically only 3 actors in significant roles, SRK,Anushka & Vinay Pathak. There’s no foreign locale or anything outlandish. So basically the movie is a very low cost venture and will turn out to be much more profitable than some of the other big hits of the year. But in spite of all this is surprising is not people either liking or not liking the movie, it’s a section of people continuing to crib that it’s a routine SRK movie and that he continues to disappoint with the same kind of roles. Look at the recent SRK movies excluding Bhootnath where he had a special appearance- OSO, CDI, Don, KANK,Paheli- I fail to see what’s similar in any of these movies or his roles.
All people have to say is why he doesn’t do a Swades or a CDI. Well every movie just cannot be a CDI or a Swades. Movies like KANK, Pahelo or Don may not be great but it had SRK trying something different in each of these movies. When will people start accepting SRK the way he his & allow him some space. No I am not a blind fan of his & do not say RNBDJ is a great movie. But I feel that he’s trying and not just so much caught up in the routine as people think. I know that Billu Barber and My Name is Khan will go on to re-iterate what I say, looking forward to them.
And now you have Ghajini- a typical masala flick. Is it an outstanding movie? Is it pathbreaking? Does it move you a lot? The answer to all these questions is a big NO. The movie from the very beginning (remember the promos very clearly had Aamir in the now overhyped “Ghajini” hair cut & tattoos on his body) screamed that it was a regular masala movie. But our friends have a problem with the movie again. And why is that?Well because Aamir is Aamir- he does a Lagaan, a RDB, a TZP, why on earth does he have to do a Ghajini?
My question to all these people- haven’t you heard/seen of Fanaa, Mela or a Mann? Cut back to his early days, do you know that along with a QSQT, Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke or a Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin, he did atrocious movies like Daulat Ki Jung, Aatank Hi Aatank, Love Love Love, Tum Mere Ho, etc? Yes in course of time, Aamir has gone on to become a very improved actor, started doing fewer projects, most of them being genuinely different.
But wouldn’t the artist in Aamir also from time to time want to do something more run of the mill and routine to keep him going and entertained. For all those who only see the masala movie in Ghajini- haven’t you realized how Aamir has slogged on his physical appearance for such a “trivial masala movie”? Look at it this way- Ghajini probably was just a relaxation or a diversion for Aamir before he begins work on his next venture- which might be on more familiar ground for all that we know.
It’s a sincere plea from my side to fans, detractors and to everyone at large- watch a RNBDJ or a Ghajini and comment on whether you liked it or not. But please look at the film objectively and not with any pre conceived bias for or against a SRK or an Aamir.These two have been entertaining us for years and would continue to do so, let’s stop being their advisors atleast now.
P.S- This was originally published in PFC.Check it out here-
http://passionforcinema.com/first-rnbdj-and-now-ghajini/ .
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Bommalattam- Glimpses of the Master Director- Bharathiraja
After a hiatus of 4 years the master director Bharathiraja (BR from here on) is back with a movie in the thriller genre- Bommalattam. For a very long time BR has been among the popular & critically acclaimed directors in Tamil Cinema. In fact BR’s movies have even been quite noticed by people outside the tamil movie audience also. With his very first movie- “16 Vayathinile” BR gained a lot of attention. The movie was an eye-opener of sorts. It was a story set in a rustic background but had a brilliant script & was technically
well made. Music by Ilayaraja was a big plus & the acting by Kamal Haasan, Sri Devi 7 Rajnikanth is still spoken about with reverence.
From 16 Vayathinile, he went on to direct many more good movies like Sigappu Rojakkal, Alaigal Oivathillai, Man Vasanai, Vedham Pudithu, Mudhal Mariyadhai etc
(just taking a handful of names here). But in the recent times the movies he’s made like Pasumpon, TajMahal, Kangalal Kaidhu Sei etc did not gather much acclaim & many felt probably his time is up. In such a scenario BR is back with Bommalattam.Actually the movie is a bilingual- in tamil & hindi and has been dubbed in telugu too.
While the tamil & telugu versions ( Ranaa) have released this week ( 12th Dec), the hindi version is awaiting release. The movie is all about an eccentric film director, Ranaa played brilliantly by Nana Patekar. Nana is working on his pet project called Cinema & the movie starts with Nana firing the original heroine of his movie as she’s unprofessional. He then makes a replacement & completes the movie. On the day of the
Press conference to introduce the cast of the film, Nana & the heroine of his movie
( Ragini) , the car in which Nana & are traveling meets with an accident and Ragini dies.
Enters Arjun, the CBI officer who is investigating the case. He links two murders which took place during the shooting of the movie with Ragini’s death & thinks Nana is behind all these. Arjun has a personal axe to grind against Nana as his girlfriend Kajal Aggarwal, a poet is a die hard fan of Nana & works with Nana against his wish.
What is the mystery behind the murders & the accident & is Nana guilty is what the movie is then all about. Most of the movie uses flashback mode to communicate the story.While initially the story looks a bit confusing with the editing looking haphazard and the camera ( B.Kannan) moving rather clumsily, you slowly get adjusted to the pace of the movie.The 1st half is average fare and you are kept waiting for the master’s touch. But the way the story culminates with an interesting climax (very different) makes you realize the master’s skill is intact but not visible throughout the movie.
Performances wise Nana is the fulcrum of the movie and has done a splendid job.Ragini is quite good for her part, Arjun in a smaller role does decently while Kajal is o.k.Ranjitha as the nagging wife of Nana is efficient.Vatsal Seth, Manivannan & Vivek are also seen in the movie. The movie at times makes it look autobiographical with Nana literally coming across as BR himself with his mannerisms.You also get an inside view of how shootings happen, true to life situations in the film industry etc.
The music by Himesh Reshamiyya was a major disappointment.After Dasavatharam I expected a lot more from Himesh. Overall a good attempt, go watch it for Nana & the climax. Is it BR at his vintage best? Definitely not. But is it good- certainly yes.
P.S- The latest I hear on BR is that he is doing the main lead along with K.Balachandar (K.B) in a movie to be produced by Shankar’s “S” Pictures.
well made. Music by Ilayaraja was a big plus & the acting by Kamal Haasan, Sri Devi 7 Rajnikanth is still spoken about with reverence.
From 16 Vayathinile, he went on to direct many more good movies like Sigappu Rojakkal, Alaigal Oivathillai, Man Vasanai, Vedham Pudithu, Mudhal Mariyadhai etc
(just taking a handful of names here). But in the recent times the movies he’s made like Pasumpon, TajMahal, Kangalal Kaidhu Sei etc did not gather much acclaim & many felt probably his time is up. In such a scenario BR is back with Bommalattam.Actually the movie is a bilingual- in tamil & hindi and has been dubbed in telugu too.
While the tamil & telugu versions ( Ranaa) have released this week ( 12th Dec), the hindi version is awaiting release. The movie is all about an eccentric film director, Ranaa played brilliantly by Nana Patekar. Nana is working on his pet project called Cinema & the movie starts with Nana firing the original heroine of his movie as she’s unprofessional. He then makes a replacement & completes the movie. On the day of the
Press conference to introduce the cast of the film, Nana & the heroine of his movie
( Ragini) , the car in which Nana & are traveling meets with an accident and Ragini dies.
Enters Arjun, the CBI officer who is investigating the case. He links two murders which took place during the shooting of the movie with Ragini’s death & thinks Nana is behind all these. Arjun has a personal axe to grind against Nana as his girlfriend Kajal Aggarwal, a poet is a die hard fan of Nana & works with Nana against his wish.
What is the mystery behind the murders & the accident & is Nana guilty is what the movie is then all about. Most of the movie uses flashback mode to communicate the story.While initially the story looks a bit confusing with the editing looking haphazard and the camera ( B.Kannan) moving rather clumsily, you slowly get adjusted to the pace of the movie.The 1st half is average fare and you are kept waiting for the master’s touch. But the way the story culminates with an interesting climax (very different) makes you realize the master’s skill is intact but not visible throughout the movie.
Performances wise Nana is the fulcrum of the movie and has done a splendid job.Ragini is quite good for her part, Arjun in a smaller role does decently while Kajal is o.k.Ranjitha as the nagging wife of Nana is efficient.Vatsal Seth, Manivannan & Vivek are also seen in the movie. The movie at times makes it look autobiographical with Nana literally coming across as BR himself with his mannerisms.You also get an inside view of how shootings happen, true to life situations in the film industry etc.
The music by Himesh Reshamiyya was a major disappointment.After Dasavatharam I expected a lot more from Himesh. Overall a good attempt, go watch it for Nana & the climax. Is it BR at his vintage best? Definitely not. But is it good- certainly yes.
P.S- The latest I hear on BR is that he is doing the main lead along with K.Balachandar (K.B) in a movie to be produced by Shankar’s “S” Pictures.
Vinayakudu- A Quick review
The tastefully done posters and hoardings were screaming for your attention for quite sometime. Both online & on the ground presence was quite considerable. People knew
what to expect from this. And now that it is out- how does one feel about it?
Confused- please don’t be, I’m referring to a feel good telugu movie called
“Vinayakudu” – a love story between a fat guy & a good looking girl.
The plot is very simple enough, Karthik ( Krishnudu in a very natural role), a fat guy, comes to Hyderabad in search of a job & stays with his sister.With the help of his friend, he gets a job with in an ad agency. There he comes across Kalpana (remember Shravs of Happy Days?) & its love at first sight for him (the chaudvin ka chand song is used to good effect in the back ground). Kalpana is quite aggressive and also a bit arrogant whereas Karthik is a simpleton. When her parents go abroad for a short while, Kalpana moves in with a friend, Sandy (Poonam Kaur) who lives in the same building as Karthik and his sister.
Kalpana starts seeing Rajeev a person recommended by her dad, but one fine day things go sour & she decides to break the relationship.In the meanwhile after initially getting irriated with Karthik she slowly starts getting friendly with Karthik.They even start working together on projects.Though Karthik is head over heels in love, he doesn’t know how to say it and the movie ends positively in a slightly unconventional manner. Woven between this plot is also the love story of Altaf & Sandy.
Overall a very cute little love story- the movie is without the statutory comedy seen in telugu movies. Sure some sequences look a bit far fetched & Ankita’s character looks forcefully fit. You are even made to feel at times whether such a character like Karthik can exist in today’s world. But the positives over rule the negatives here. The movie sends some positive signals that alls not over for people who are over weight.
Music by Sam Prasan suits the mood of the movie.Sai Kiran Adivi the director has done a very neat job with this movie. The producer Prem Kumar Patra (also acts as the head of the ad agency) has very smartly tied up with Big Cinemas & thus ensured that the movie makes money and has enough money for the publicity. In film advertising with Subway, Reliance infocom etc is also woven into the narrative.
All in all a movie to make you relax ,feel good and come out of the theatre with a smile on your face. Take a bow Mr.Sai Kiran Adivi & the team- the movie is genuine in its attempt to entertain. Telugu cinema continues to impress with movies like these & Avakai Biriyani in recent times.
what to expect from this. And now that it is out- how does one feel about it?
Confused- please don’t be, I’m referring to a feel good telugu movie called
“Vinayakudu” – a love story between a fat guy & a good looking girl.
The plot is very simple enough, Karthik ( Krishnudu in a very natural role), a fat guy, comes to Hyderabad in search of a job & stays with his sister.With the help of his friend, he gets a job with in an ad agency. There he comes across Kalpana (remember Shravs of Happy Days?) & its love at first sight for him (the chaudvin ka chand song is used to good effect in the back ground). Kalpana is quite aggressive and also a bit arrogant whereas Karthik is a simpleton. When her parents go abroad for a short while, Kalpana moves in with a friend, Sandy (Poonam Kaur) who lives in the same building as Karthik and his sister.
Kalpana starts seeing Rajeev a person recommended by her dad, but one fine day things go sour & she decides to break the relationship.In the meanwhile after initially getting irriated with Karthik she slowly starts getting friendly with Karthik.They even start working together on projects.Though Karthik is head over heels in love, he doesn’t know how to say it and the movie ends positively in a slightly unconventional manner. Woven between this plot is also the love story of Altaf & Sandy.
Overall a very cute little love story- the movie is without the statutory comedy seen in telugu movies. Sure some sequences look a bit far fetched & Ankita’s character looks forcefully fit. You are even made to feel at times whether such a character like Karthik can exist in today’s world. But the positives over rule the negatives here. The movie sends some positive signals that alls not over for people who are over weight.
Music by Sam Prasan suits the mood of the movie.Sai Kiran Adivi the director has done a very neat job with this movie. The producer Prem Kumar Patra (also acts as the head of the ad agency) has very smartly tied up with Big Cinemas & thus ensured that the movie makes money and has enough money for the publicity. In film advertising with Subway, Reliance infocom etc is also woven into the narrative.
All in all a movie to make you relax ,feel good and come out of the theatre with a smile on your face. Take a bow Mr.Sai Kiran Adivi & the team- the movie is genuine in its attempt to entertain. Telugu cinema continues to impress with movies like these & Avakai Biriyani in recent times.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Twenty- 20 – India’s biggest ever movie so far???
Well how does one call a movie big? Well it can be due to the budget of the movie or it can depend on the number & names of the stars associated apart from the director etc.
For all those who’ve seen & admired SRK’s act of getting a lot of the bollywood celebs in a song for “ Om Shanti Om” , then let me tell you that Malayalam Cinema has pushed the envelope even further. Some time in 2007 it was decided by AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) that they needed to generate funds for their activities.
Entered Dileep, one of the leading Malayalam actors who suggested that they make a movie with the best of the talent available. Dileep agreed to produce the movie for AMMA & Joshy was roped in as the director. Joshy has been always popular for his racy entertainers like New Delhi, No.20 Madras Mail, Nair Saab, Runway, Lion etc.In terms of acting, almost all the actors being members of AMMA, everyone pledged their services for free.
The condition laid was Dileep was to pay AMMA a sum of Rs.1 crore as the fund raiser & whatever the movie would make (if it did make) over 1 crore as profit, it would go to Dileep.Now for those who are wondering whats the big deal about Rs.1 crore, let me tell you that in Malayalam cinema even the big budgeted movies hardly exceed Rs.5 crore as an overall budget.Hence keeping this in mind this was a good sum of money indeed.Dileep knew he was taking a risk- a calculated risk.
The scripting was entrusted to the dependable duo- Uday Krishna-Sibi K Thomas. And thus the project underwent filming in Dec, 2007.The casting included almost all the well known names of the Malayalam film industry- Mammooty,Mohanlal,Suresh Gopi, Dileep,Jayaram,Mukesh, Prithviraj,Kunjacko Boban, Indrajit,Jayasurya,Bhavana,Gopika, Nayanthara etc & thus began the saga.Of course Joshy knew he had a major task, that of ensuring that the movie has a proper shape and does justice to all the people on board.
Just like any other mega project, this one too faced its own share of hurdles, most of which are mentioned below:-
At the very beginning veteran actor Thilakan, claimed that AMMA was ostracizing him & that was why he was not a part of the movie. This did not hamper the movie at all.
Meera Jasmine started throwing a lot of tantrums & was not adhering to the schedules & finally producer Dileep couldn’t take it any more & replaced her promptly with Bhavana as the heroine opposite him.
Dileep & AMMA wanted to release the movie in a record 120 centres but then
they faced objection from the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation ( KFEF) who
were not in favour of allowing such wide releases. Eventually KFEF also gave in
to the industry sentiment.
When the first publicity stills were released it created a furore in Kerala. Mohanlal fans felt that their hero was sidelined as Mammooty featured in the centre of the poster which had Mamooty flanked by Mohanlal & Suresh Gopi on either side & Jayaram & Dileep on the extreme corners.Lal’s fans even threatened to boycott the film & finally to pacify the fans, there were special posters brought out before the movie released with Lal featured prominently.
The final problem faced was on the day of the release.Exhibitors in places like
Ernakulam & Trivandrum hiked up the rates for the movie.There were protests of boycott, but the very next day the rates were back to normal as per the court order.
The movie was released on 5th November,2008 to a thunderous response.And surprisingly has been accepted by all the film enthusiasts in Kerala. Both Mammooty & Mohanlal fans are happy.Joshy has seen to it that their biggest fear that one superstar would gain more prominence over the other, has not materialised. The film is not only a showcase of the continuing power of both Mammooty & Mohanlal at the box office; it also shows that Suresh Gopi can also hold his own provided the script supports him.
At this point of writing this, the 1st week collections are out. The estimates show that from 120 screens, it has grossed a mind blowing Rs 7.54 crore in the first week.Its a record in Kerala across all lanuages.The distributors share of Rs 3.65 crore is the highest ever for a film in its first week.So a question now for the hindi,tamil & telugu film industries- the 3 big film industries in India- any lessons to be taken from Twenty: 20???
Disclaimer- I am only a lover of cinema & have no connection with Twenty:20 whatsover!!!
( originally published in Passion for Cinema- refer link below)
http://passionforcinema.com/twenty-20-%e2%80%93-indias-biggest-movie-ever/#more-9128
For all those who’ve seen & admired SRK’s act of getting a lot of the bollywood celebs in a song for “ Om Shanti Om” , then let me tell you that Malayalam Cinema has pushed the envelope even further. Some time in 2007 it was decided by AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) that they needed to generate funds for their activities.
Entered Dileep, one of the leading Malayalam actors who suggested that they make a movie with the best of the talent available. Dileep agreed to produce the movie for AMMA & Joshy was roped in as the director. Joshy has been always popular for his racy entertainers like New Delhi, No.20 Madras Mail, Nair Saab, Runway, Lion etc.In terms of acting, almost all the actors being members of AMMA, everyone pledged their services for free.
The condition laid was Dileep was to pay AMMA a sum of Rs.1 crore as the fund raiser & whatever the movie would make (if it did make) over 1 crore as profit, it would go to Dileep.Now for those who are wondering whats the big deal about Rs.1 crore, let me tell you that in Malayalam cinema even the big budgeted movies hardly exceed Rs.5 crore as an overall budget.Hence keeping this in mind this was a good sum of money indeed.Dileep knew he was taking a risk- a calculated risk.
The scripting was entrusted to the dependable duo- Uday Krishna-Sibi K Thomas. And thus the project underwent filming in Dec, 2007.The casting included almost all the well known names of the Malayalam film industry- Mammooty,Mohanlal,Suresh Gopi, Dileep,Jayaram,Mukesh, Prithviraj,Kunjacko Boban, Indrajit,Jayasurya,Bhavana,Gopika, Nayanthara etc & thus began the saga.Of course Joshy knew he had a major task, that of ensuring that the movie has a proper shape and does justice to all the people on board.
Just like any other mega project, this one too faced its own share of hurdles, most of which are mentioned below:-
At the very beginning veteran actor Thilakan, claimed that AMMA was ostracizing him & that was why he was not a part of the movie. This did not hamper the movie at all.
Meera Jasmine started throwing a lot of tantrums & was not adhering to the schedules & finally producer Dileep couldn’t take it any more & replaced her promptly with Bhavana as the heroine opposite him.
Dileep & AMMA wanted to release the movie in a record 120 centres but then
they faced objection from the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation ( KFEF) who
were not in favour of allowing such wide releases. Eventually KFEF also gave in
to the industry sentiment.
When the first publicity stills were released it created a furore in Kerala. Mohanlal fans felt that their hero was sidelined as Mammooty featured in the centre of the poster which had Mamooty flanked by Mohanlal & Suresh Gopi on either side & Jayaram & Dileep on the extreme corners.Lal’s fans even threatened to boycott the film & finally to pacify the fans, there were special posters brought out before the movie released with Lal featured prominently.
The final problem faced was on the day of the release.Exhibitors in places like
Ernakulam & Trivandrum hiked up the rates for the movie.There were protests of boycott, but the very next day the rates were back to normal as per the court order.
The movie was released on 5th November,2008 to a thunderous response.And surprisingly has been accepted by all the film enthusiasts in Kerala. Both Mammooty & Mohanlal fans are happy.Joshy has seen to it that their biggest fear that one superstar would gain more prominence over the other, has not materialised. The film is not only a showcase of the continuing power of both Mammooty & Mohanlal at the box office; it also shows that Suresh Gopi can also hold his own provided the script supports him.
At this point of writing this, the 1st week collections are out. The estimates show that from 120 screens, it has grossed a mind blowing Rs 7.54 crore in the first week.Its a record in Kerala across all lanuages.The distributors share of Rs 3.65 crore is the highest ever for a film in its first week.So a question now for the hindi,tamil & telugu film industries- the 3 big film industries in India- any lessons to be taken from Twenty: 20???
Disclaimer- I am only a lover of cinema & have no connection with Twenty:20 whatsover!!!
( originally published in Passion for Cinema- refer link below)
http://passionforcinema.com/twenty-20-%e2%80%93-indias-biggest-movie-ever/#more-9128
I miss you so much, it hurts!!!
Yes the title of this write-up is inspired by the recent SRK-Saif-Kareena ad for Airtel, but I am not going to be writing anything about the ad here. Often at times either while watching some movie or generally thinking aloud I suddenly realize as to how I miss someone/something so badly. I’m sure at times most of you also must have experienced similar thoughts. So let me share with you some of the things that I really miss a lot about Indian Cinema (mostly Bollywood)
At the very outset let me tell you the list is not exhaustive & I would try to keep updating this list as often possible. For the moment here is a list of what I seem to be missing so far-
The joy of watching movies like the old days. No other distractions- look forward to your weekend movie on Doordarshan & the visits to theatres (of course single screen) with family or otherwise.
I miss the “superstar” movies of Big B. Yes no doubt he is still acting and doing
good movies too. But I still yearn to see the star in him once in a while.The last
glimpse of that was probably in Khakee & Ek Ajnabee
There used to be a time when I used to relish the bollywood countdowns ( songs) which started with Amin Sayani’s Binaca ( later Cibaca) Sangeet Mala on Vividhbharati and then got captured with visuals on Philips Top 10 ( Zee TV) & Superhit Muqabla ( D.D.Metro) . But today it has become overkill and so do miss the earlier days.
The comedian in bollywood is almost a dying role. Right from the past be it an I.S.Johar,Mehmood,Johny Walker, Rajendranath, Asrani, Deven Verma etc to the
Laxmikant Berde & Johny Lever days, there used to be a special place for comedians in hindi cinema.A place that is kind of getting extinct. You either have people like Shakti Kapoor ,Paresh Rawal, Kadar Khan etc who also don the role at times ( and do a good job of it) or the lead actor himself takes on the mantle.
The “ vamp” has vanished.What earlier a Helen, Aruna Irani, Bindu etc used to do
Gracefully, its now been done by the heroines themselves plus a whole host of
“item girls”. Definitely not the same thing!!!
Cheap ticket rates- earlier it used to be hardly an expensive indulgence. But now
Both in multiplexes and (in some) single screens, the ticket rates these days have
Sky rocketed. No, this is not a function of inflation alone.
Evergreen music- does it still get made? All of us know that the music of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s were magical & we keep listening to it actively even now. For that matter I still dig out my cd of soundtracks like an Aashiqui or a QSQT once in a while. But what about the music of these days? Yes there are hits getting generated even today, but will we keep listening them at least a decade from now?
Of course I also miss all those in the industry who made a mark on us & are no more. I will not take names here, as the list is completely exhaustive. Give it a thought my friends, I am sure you might also be missing some of these points right?
I guess its time to say “those were the best days of my life”.
At the very outset let me tell you the list is not exhaustive & I would try to keep updating this list as often possible. For the moment here is a list of what I seem to be missing so far-
The joy of watching movies like the old days. No other distractions- look forward to your weekend movie on Doordarshan & the visits to theatres (of course single screen) with family or otherwise.
I miss the “superstar” movies of Big B. Yes no doubt he is still acting and doing
good movies too. But I still yearn to see the star in him once in a while.The last
glimpse of that was probably in Khakee & Ek Ajnabee
There used to be a time when I used to relish the bollywood countdowns ( songs) which started with Amin Sayani’s Binaca ( later Cibaca) Sangeet Mala on Vividhbharati and then got captured with visuals on Philips Top 10 ( Zee TV) & Superhit Muqabla ( D.D.Metro) . But today it has become overkill and so do miss the earlier days.
The comedian in bollywood is almost a dying role. Right from the past be it an I.S.Johar,Mehmood,Johny Walker, Rajendranath, Asrani, Deven Verma etc to the
Laxmikant Berde & Johny Lever days, there used to be a special place for comedians in hindi cinema.A place that is kind of getting extinct. You either have people like Shakti Kapoor ,Paresh Rawal, Kadar Khan etc who also don the role at times ( and do a good job of it) or the lead actor himself takes on the mantle.
The “ vamp” has vanished.What earlier a Helen, Aruna Irani, Bindu etc used to do
Gracefully, its now been done by the heroines themselves plus a whole host of
“item girls”. Definitely not the same thing!!!
Cheap ticket rates- earlier it used to be hardly an expensive indulgence. But now
Both in multiplexes and (in some) single screens, the ticket rates these days have
Sky rocketed. No, this is not a function of inflation alone.
Evergreen music- does it still get made? All of us know that the music of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s were magical & we keep listening to it actively even now. For that matter I still dig out my cd of soundtracks like an Aashiqui or a QSQT once in a while. But what about the music of these days? Yes there are hits getting generated even today, but will we keep listening them at least a decade from now?
Of course I also miss all those in the industry who made a mark on us & are no more. I will not take names here, as the list is completely exhaustive. Give it a thought my friends, I am sure you might also be missing some of these points right?
I guess its time to say “those were the best days of my life”.
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