Archive For The “Business” Category
Bollywood filmmaker Onir Dhar faced an issue as he was gearing up to give a speech at the upcoming Bhopal Literature Festival. Readers would be aware that Onir has never shied away from speaking about his sexuality and is also a popular LGBTQ activist. It seems that a certain faction threatened to protest and cause ruckus at the event owing to his presence, which forced organizers to cancel his speech, in order to maintain peace at the literature fest.
Confirming the same, Onir Dhar took to Twitter to share the news and expressed his disappointment about being unable to interact with the audience of Bhopal Lit Fest. He said, “Shocked and Sad that an event I was really looking forward to speaking at had to drop me. Apparently there was a group threatening protest and violence and the police told the organisers that they cannot guarantee my safety. So they cancelled the event. Let me process this...”
Shocked and Sad that an event I was really looking forward to speaking at had to drop me . Apparently there was a group threatening protest and violence and the police told the organisers that they cannot guarantee my safety. So they cancelled the event. Let me process this... pic.twitter.com/AMSeG9CAa1
— iamOnir (@IamOnir) January 12, 2023
Meanwhile, in a statement given by journalist Abhilash Khandekar, who is a part of the Bhopal Lit Fest organizing committee, to PTI, he clarified that certain ‘government sources’ did not want Onir to give a speech at the fest. He was quoted saying, “It is obvious that any author should be sad in such a situation, but we were told by government sources that they do not want this kind of author in Bharat Bhawan due to security reasons as it may ruin the event," Furthermore, he continued adding that he didn’t want police and violence to be a part of the literature fest, and decided to avoid the speech. “When we were told that a question of his safety and security can arise in Bhopal, we requested Dhar about cancelling the speech. Someone suggested that police can be called, but we believe police should not be there in a literature festival."
The shoot of the much-awaited and anticipated film The Vaccine War by Vivek Agnihotri has begun and the audience is not able to hold the excitement to know more about the project. Now in the latest addition to the project, filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri took to social media and made an announcement about signing Kantara fame Sapthami Gowda in the film.
Taking to social media, he wrote “Welcome Sapthami. Your role in #TheVaccineWar will touch many hearts”. This post came as a reply to the post Gowda had uploaded. She wrote “I’m glad and excited to be a part of this project ! Thank you @vivekagnihotri sir for this opportunity.”
Sapthami Gowda came to fame post the huge success of Kantara amongst audiences across the globe. Her role as Leela, who played as the lover of Rishabh Shetty's Shiva was highly appreciated amongst the audience. The Vaccine War is based on Indian scientists and on the people who have sacrificed their day and night for over two years to develop the most effective vaccine in the world. The film is the story of Indian scientists who survived the pressure coming from global manufacturers and worked at odd hours to save the dying lives of their countrymen.
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri along with the producer Pallavi Joshi is expected to release this film on August 15, 2023, in eleven languages.
Also Read: The Vaccine War makers cast real Sikh volunteers who helped fellow Indians during COVID-19 pandemic
Since the release of the first track ‘Besharam Rang’ from the Shah Rukh Khan – Deepika Padukone starrer Pathaan, there have been multiple protests and calls for boycott against the film. While social media is flooded with haters and supporters fighting it out, it remains a question whether the film’s business will be affected by the protests. In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, veteran film exhibitor and theatre owner Manoj Desai opened up about these protests. But what caught our attention was the veteran exhibitor speaking about the trend of colouring actors and films with religious subtext.
Calling out the same, Desai opined that films and religion should be kept separate. “This is totally wrong. If you were to bring religion in between Dilip Kumar’s Mughal-E-Azam would not have run for 17 years. Actors are actors; do not see their religion - that is a humble request. It is all just entertainment”, said Desai.
Over the past few months, a new and unsettling trend of ‘Boycott Bollywood’ has emerged on social media, with various users calling for a boycott on either films, actors or songs. But will this so called ‘Boycott Culture’ adversely affect a film’s overall business is a question that remains unanswered. In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, veteran film exhibitor and theatre owner Manoj Desai opened up on this unsettling trend. Interestingly, Desai claims that this is just a political game, and that in reality there can never be a boycott on Bollywood.
“This ‘Boycott culture’ is a political game. I do not believe in such politics. I earnestly request the audience - if everything is fine, go to a theatre and watch a film on 70mm, the big screen. According to me, Bollywood films will come back with flying colours and for that, five to six films like Pathaan should come and run in theatres non-stop. Today’s culture is such that films do not last till their 25th week since they go onto OTT platforms. I think they should run for 10 to 15 weeks in theatres, only then will Bollywood make a comeback. I screened an Odiya film here and that went houseful. Kantara is a film which I never thought will work. I never dreamed that it would go houseful for so long. Even this Friday, Kantara is playing”, says Desai as he continues to insist about the ‘boycott culture’ being a game.
Later, sharing his views on how Bollywood can make a comeback and why there can never be a boycott on Bollywood the exhibitor continued, “There can never be a boycott on Bollywood. How many South films will you get? Like recently, I spoke to Boney Kapoor and asked him to dub his South film in Hindi. He refused saying he would rather keep the film as it is. And that was a well-received film. In Chembur, there was a 3 am and a 6 am show and both of them was houseful. Bollywood has been running for years - since the era of silent films till date and there have been such memorable films. All of this has to come back… and where is the music? Where is the music from films of the past?”
Every major actor and actress today has dedicated fan clubs. But SRK Universe stands out. The manner in which its members passionately celebrate Shah Rukh Khan and his movies are seen to be believed and even quite heartening. With SRK returning on the big screen after more than four years with Pathaan, the excitement among the fans is palpable. And they have some very grand plans to celebrate Pathaan’s release with fanfare.
Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to Yash Paryani, the co-founder of SRK Universe about these plans. Currently, in Bengaluru, Yash started by stating how the listings of fan screenings managed to get mentioned on the popular ticketing app, Book My Show. He said, “This is the first Hindi movie ever to be listed for fan screenings on Book My Show. Even before the actual advance will commence, our shows will be full.”
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Yash Paryani continued, “Right now, our shows will take place in 200+ cities. At least 500 shows have been planned. As we speak, more cities and shows are being added. In Mumbai and Delhi, we’ll have over 6 first day first show fan screenings each. Kolkata has 4 screenings. Our shows will start before the usual show timings. In short, we hope to have our show at 7:00 or 8:00 am. So before 9:00 or 10:00 am, we’ll hopefully be crossing collections worth Rs. 1 crore+ just from our shows!”
The demand for these fan shows of Pathaan has been incredible. Yash revealed, “A lot of shows are already sold out. In Mumbai, we plan to have 3 more shows given the push we have and the demand generated. In Delhi, there were 5 shows and just 2 days back, one more show was added.”
What’s lovely is that Shah Rukh Khan is aware of these efforts of SRK Universe and even interacts with them. Yash Paryani revealed, “SRK was in Delhi where he met our team. Our Delhi-NCR admin, Siddharth Gupta, was quite unwell and he couldn’t meet him as it was quite late at night when the members had gone to see him. But since he works so hard, I wanted him to meet Shah Rukh sir. And we managed to do that and got him to meet SRK at the airport. Siddharth told him about the screenings and that many shows are already sold out. SRK was very happy on hearing that. He also asked him about the feedback on Pathaan’s trailer.”
SRK Universe members are not just going to arrange for Pathaan’s shows. They are also going to celebrate the release in a grand manner. Yash Paryani opened up, “During Zero (2018), the character of Bauaa was just 4 feet long. So we made a cut-out of Bauua that was 60 feet long. It was installed at IMAX Wadala in Mumbai. This time, in theatres across the country, we are going to put up 100 feet plus cut-outs of Shah Rukh Khan. We are still figuring out which theatres will have these cut-outs but the idea is clear - We want to celebrate Pathaan’s release like a festival and the way the fans do for their idols down South. We want to bring the same style to Bollywood with this film.”
Aged 26, Yash Paryani also has a day job and juggles both works effectively. He said, “I head marketing at a gaming company. It is difficult, to be honest. It’s a lot of work managing to get shows, do payments, manage socials etc. Somehow I am managing to do both. I usually work on all this after office hours. It’s crazy and it takes a toll as well. We have a team of 5-6 people, who are quite helpful and hard-working. But during the release or his birthday, I need at least 100 hands as there are too many inquiries and calls.”
Yash Paryani also added that it’s the fans who have made contributions to these celebrations. Talking further, he said, “There’ll be T-Shirts and other merchandise as well. Also, since Pathaan is first Indian film to be shot in IMAX format and releasing in IMAX, we are planning to do shows in IMAX theatres pan-India as it’ll make for an ultimate big-screen experience.”
Yash signed off by saying, “It’s not just limited to the first-day first shows. We’ll be celebrating #PathaanDay on January 25. On January 26, #RepublicDayWithPathaan. For the long weekend, #PathaanWeekend. For our first day first show screenings, we are expecting over 50,000 people.”
Pathaan releases in cinemas on January 25, 2023. Also starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, it is directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films.
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Also Read: Trailer of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan to be screened on the iconic Burj Khalifa!
Since the release of the first track ‘Besharam Rang’ from the Shah Rukh Khan – Deepika Padukone starrer Pathaan, there have been a number of protests against the film. In fact, certain factions have been calling for a boycott of the film itself rather vociferously. Making no bones about the entire ‘boycott Pathaan’ trend being some kind of propaganda veteran film distributor and owner of G7 in Bandra, Manoj Desai recently engaged in a freewheeling chat about the subject.
Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama the veteran distributor says, “It is quite possible that there is some kind of propaganda behind this. I have not said anything because of my relations with Shah Rukh Khan. Whenever there has been a Shah Rukh or Salman film, they are at Gaiety Galaxy. They (the actors) always come by. As for propaganda, I do not care about it.”
Not too long ago, we had reported that Bigg Boss contestants Ankit Gupta and Gautam Vig are all set to battle it out at a music competition in the forthcoming show Junooniyatt. Joining them on this show will be Neha Rana. The show will focus on the musical journey of three aspiring music artists with the art having a deeper meaning into their lives. Introducing their characters in the latest set of videos, Colors channel takes audiences into the lives of Jahaan, Elahi, and Jordan.
Producers Ravi Dubey and Sargun Mehta will be rejoining hands with Ankit Gupta, who recently got evicted from the Bigg Boss 16 show with Junooniyatt. The actor will be essaying the role of a singer and guitar player who believes ‘lyrics’ are his strength. He is on a mission to become famous, because he believes that it will help him wipe off all the allegations that were thrown towards his parents. Here’s the character video of Jahaan:
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Sweet, simple, with a soulful voice, this strong Punjabi girl believes music is the only key to connect with her mother. She believes her music will give her so much fame, that her mother will have no option but to return to her loving daughter. Here’s the character video of Elahi:
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Rebellious rapper, he believes no one has the kind of passion he has for his music. Despite the discouraging words of his father, this aspiring musician wants to prove to him and the world that music is not just a hobby, but a powerful art that has the ability to change his life. He believes it is his true destiny and goal. Here’s the character video of Jordan.
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Junooniyatt is the tale of Elahi, Jahaan and Jordan, who like their styles of music are different from each other and as they meet their pursuit of the art takes an eventful turn. Will music heal their wounds and wipe out their flaws? What happens when their dreams clash? Junooniyatt will air on Colors very soon.
The past year, 2022 proved to be a rather tumultuous year for Bollywood with big-ticket entertainers underperforming at the box office, and the industry has been rattled. On the other hand, South films saw an increase in business with the audience across the country taking a liking to them. Bollywood Hungama recently caught up with veteran film distributor and G7 multiplex owner Manoj Desai to understand the reason behind this unsettling trend.
Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama the veteran distributor explained, “If we want to run Bollywood like how it was before, like when the late Manmohan Desai or the late Yash Chopra used to run things, then we have to feature such successful films like they made. The content, the script, the dialogues, music, editing…everything has to come together to make a successful film.” In the same interview, Desai also opened up about the current scenario where theatres were damaged after certain factions called for a boycott. Continuing on the subject, he added, “There have been reports claiming that theatres have been damaged. It happened in Gujarat and some other state as well. I don’t want the same thing to happen here. So right from the start, we will take precautions. Yet from what I have been seeing, I believe this will not happen. The film (Pathaan) will work and it will do very good business. My executive has been updating me that there has been immense curiosity for the film and advance bookings. As for films in 2022, there were a lot of them that underperformed, while South films dubbed in Hindi worked wonders. Pushpa, KGF1, KGF 2, and RRR, went on to even win awards. So let’s see how the year goes, it should go well for Bollywood, and that’s why I say, Pathaan will work. If Bollywood films work, there will be a comeback.”
Later speaking about why South films have been doing so well, Desai revealed, “The thing is there is immense sincerity in making films there. A complete schedule is made on which day, which date, which month there will be a shoot and where the shoot will happen. All of these details are planned first and then executed, no matter what happens. Even if someone from the team - the sound person, editor, artist, or anyone falls ill, the shoot will continue. I remember, when I was shooting my film Khuda Gawah, Sridevi had a fever of a 102 but she did not miss a single date. That is because she knew if she missed a single date, Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan) would also have issues with his dates, and I remember, at that time, the Bofors Case was on. Basically everyone, whether they were ill or not, worked. In the South it is the same. For example, Chiranjeevi was once very ill, but he did not miss a single date. Nagarjuna was in Khuda Gawah and he did not miss a single date.”
Concluding the topic, Manoj Desai reiterated that he does not mean to malign anyone saying, “See I do not mean to talk negative of Bollywood actors. I have managed 51 years, thanks to them, but the punctuality that there was, needs to be brought back.”
Film exhibitor and owner of one of the most iconic theatres in Mumbai like Gaiety, and Galaxy, among others, Manoj Desai was recently in conversation with Bollywood Hungama. During the chat, the veteran exhibitor, who is known for speaking his mind, opened up about a host of subjects from talking about the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan and its box office prospect, to discussing whether the ‘Boycott’ trend will affect the film and its business. Starting off, Desai chose to address the current scenario surrounding Pathaan and the protests against the film.
The veteran exhibitor opened up about the same and even spoke about the advance bookings of Pathaan. “When the songs of Pathaan and the trailer of the film came out, there was a lot of commotion and chaos. A lot of people were saying a lot of things, and there was a lot of objection to it. Even I was a bit scared. There are seven theatres here. This place is something of a heritage. I was forced to think about things. But then later, I heard on TV that the CBFC has recommended some cuts, and has removed some objectionable material. That was a relief. I have a long-standing relationship with Shah Rukh Khan. He lives here in Bandra, and he has come to our theatre for each of his releases. So let’s see what happens next. There are some more terms and conditions being discussed. They are even talking about increasing the rate, but we do not believe in that. We have one of the lowest ticket rates in the whole of Maharashtra. I will speak to Vinay Choksi, who runs our theatres, and see where this leads.”
Continuing further, Manoj Desai even addressed the burning question, ‘Will Pathaan work at the box office?’ “It will work. It will definitely work. Hindus and Muslims will also watch the film. It does not depend on the trailer as much, instead, it depends on how the film will perform and continue in theatres.” In the same breath, Desai went on to talk about the boycott trend affecting the film’s business, “I have told all of my executives, we have to be very careful. There should be proper security checks done at the main gate. We do not need any damages done to our theatres, so we have to take certain precautions.”
For the past month, the Tunisha Sharma case has grabbed a lot of attention with co-actor and ex-boyfriend of the victim, Sheezan Khan facing number of allegations. Now in a recent of turn of events, the actor, who was in judicial custody owing to these accusations, has been denied bail in the abetment to suicide case. The defense lawyers, however, have refused to give up and have asserted that they will be moving the High Court against the order passed by the Vasai court.
As per reports, Additional Sessions Judge R D Deshpande refused to grant bail to the 28 year old actor claiming that the break-up was an ‘admitted position’. In a statement given by the counsels, the judge had told them that Tunisha got a panic attack after the breakup. Furthermore, the judge also maintained in his statement that the evidence points towards the fact that Sheezan Khan was the last person to have met Tunisha before her suicide. Considering these points, the judge had clarified to the counsels that he is rejecting the bail plea.
On the other hand, the defense lawyers have maintained in these reports that they will be including the last call made by Tunisha to her mother, speaking to her friend on Tinder 15 minutes before her demise in their argument in the High Court. In the same breath, they also added that ‘something new has come to light’. The lawyers alleged that they have been unable to find Tunisha’s laptop.
Meanwhile, Advocate Tarun Sharma who has been representing Tunisha’s family appreciated the police for conducting a thorough investigation. He also appraised the investigation agency to have produced relevant evidence and witness statements which helped them in rejecting the bail plea. In the same breath, Sharma also asserted that they will be opposing plea that has been filed to provide any relief to the accused Sheezan Khan.
For the unversed, Tunisha Sharma and Sheezan Khan were dating for few months, after which, the couple broke up due to unknown reasons. The couple was also essaying the character of onscreen lovers in the fantasy show Alibaba Dastaan-E-Kabul and soon after their separation, the actress committed suicide by hanging herself in her vanity van, on the sets of the show on December 24.