Posts tagged Strike

Raj-Simran’s love uninterrupted

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Despite single screens in the city going on strike, Yash Chopra makes sure DDLJ completes the 1000th week record

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 26, 2011)

The news of the single screens’ ongoing strike enforced from Friday, March 25, nearly ended Yash Chopra’s dream of screening his mega blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge for 1000 weeks.

The film thus far has had an uninterrupted screening for 16 and half years in Maratha Mandir. A source tells us, “So far Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has been running for 800 plus weeks. Yashji wants to complete at least 1000 weeks.”

With the strike, Chopra feared the worst and so he contacted Cinemax (Andheri). The multiplex cinema put the YRF head honcho at ease by releasing the film yesterday in theatres.

An official from Cinemax confirmed, “Yes, we are running DDLJ from today and it is slotted for the 3 pm show.” President of Cinemax, Sanjay Dalia told us, “We have a long lasting relationship with Mr Yash Chopra.

DDLJ is a historic film. We grabbed the opportunity to screen it.”

Chopra was so frantic to maintain the screening that he was absolutely oblivious to the efforts that Maratha Mandir’s Managing Director Manoj Desai was making to ensure that the film’s uninterrupted run continues without a hitch.

Desai told Mumbai Mirror, “I did whatever I could to ensure that the film’s continuity does not end. This film is a part of me.

It is still doing so well. I am now screening it in my other theatre, More >

Single screens in Maharashtra to go on strike

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Taran Adarsh, March 18, 2011 – 07:33 IST

Here’s the latest development. All single screen theatres in the state of Maharashtra will shut down for one week – from 25 to 31 March – to demand a reduction in entertainment tax levied by the state government. Just recently, the government of Rajasthan had done away with the tax and even other states have been charging lesser tax when compared to the tax charged in Maharashtra. Hence this protest.

However, the closure is for a period of one week only [till 31 March], since a number of new films are slated for release from 1 April onwards.

BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM

Producers’ stand based on ignorance-Javed Akhtar

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

The veteran lyricist has been banned by producers for his outspoken thoughts on artiste royalties but he insisits that the industry is ignorant of the real rules

Satyen K Bordoloi | MM Online Bureau (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 03, 2011) File photo of Javed Akhtar

Besides the scarcity of hits in 2010, Bollywood this year was ‘hit’ by infighting. A group of music composers and lyricists, with Javed Akhtarsought rights over their work and demanded royalty. This led to a decision within the industry to ban Javed Akhtar. As the year comes to an end, not only has the issue failed to resolve itself, it threatens to divide the industry further.

being the most vocal amongst them,

An attempt was made to divert the topic at a press conference organised by various film bodies. Jointly addressed by Mukesh Bhatt, Ramesh Sippy, T.P Agarwal, Dinesh Chaturvedi and Ashok Pandit, the issue was shifted to the UPA government’s take on the film industry.

Mukesh Bhatt said, “The industry has been facing various issues like copyright issues, heavy taxation among other things, which has brought the industry to a paralytic stage. However, yesterday (28th December) we had a very important meeting with senior leaders of the Congress and the UPA Government, including Congress General Secretary – Ahmed Patel, I&B minister Ambika Soni and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, we got a very positive response.” A pan-India strike that was planned from the 6th of January against the More >

Producers to go on strike on Jan 6

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

The government is amending its copyright laws to protect singers and lyricists. Bollywood is responding to this with a strike on Jan 6

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 23, 2010)

It’s a shrill climax to an old story, starring the poor writer with rubber chappals and the producer in his Mercedes. Now the writer wants his due for that chartbuster that earned the producer his Mercedes in the first place.

Earlier this month, the Parliamentary Standing Committee, headed by Oscar Fernandes, presented its Copyright Amendment Report.

Buzz is that the Bill will be passed early next year. But producers are very upset with this new Copyright Act, because it will give composers and lyricists a share over income earned on their work.

Sameer Javed Akhtar Rakesh Roshan Pahlaj Nihalani

Producers are loath to any such provisions. Producers have called for a strike on 6 January 2011. “No film unit will shoot anything, come what may,” says a source.

Confirming this, senior producer Pahlaj Nihalani said, “Yes, there will be a strike on 6 January. Producers khatam ho chuke hain. We are giving the composers sufficient money. Out of 100 films only the music of around 10 sells. Why should every music-related person in every film become a shareholder?”

Nihalani said that lyricist Javed Akhtar has been chiefly responsible in getting the Bill passed against the producers. “I fail to understand why the government is siding with Akhtar. This More >

SRK’s the man, say producers

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Bollywood Badshah being wooed by Producers’ Association

Prithwish Ganguly | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; August 31, 2010)

Shah Rukh Khan is set to become the first actor who is being considered to be in the core committee of the film industry’s Producers’ Association. BT learned from reliable sources, that the producers will be suggesting that SRK be made part of a heavyweight, decision-making body that will look at keeping them unified and address issues that filmmakers across India face. The Bollywood Badshah’s inclusion will be brought up when the producers meet soon to conduct their annual general meeting (AGM). “Shah Rukh’s contribution in the last two decades is being kept in mind. He has been a successful actor and a producer. He is seen as a marketing whiz and the producers want him to give his inputs on taking the industry to the next level,” says a top producer.

“He will be consulted for strategies on how to keep the producers united. The last time they put up a brave front against the multiplex owners over profit sharing and screen timings, some of them broke off the alliance and released their films thereby damaging the unity. The producers do not want a repeat of that and want someone like SRK who could guide them in moments of crisis,” the highly placed informer says. We have heard from sources that Aamir Khan was also being considered to be part of the body alongside SRK. However, since he is quite peeved with the competition More >

Movie Review: BADMAASH COMPANY by FENIL SETA

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Just few days back the motormen of Mumbai local trains had gone on a strike paralyzing the entire city. As the mayhem and madness was going on, my mind drifted to the classic strikes that have occurred before in the world and I was reminded of the funny shoe factory incident. Located in Japan, the disgruntled workers of the factory didn’t stop work. They went on doing their job but instead of manufacturing pairs of shoes, they produced shoes of just the left foot! The episode came to my mind once again while watching Badmaash Company which shows the four pals earning fast bucks using a trick similar to the aforementioned incident. What impresses about Badmaash Company is that the wirter-director Parmeet Sethi is a man with brains and has used it well! More details later!

The story of the movie: The story begins in Bombay, 1994. Karan (Shahid Kapoor), Bulbul (Anushka Sharma), Zing (Meiyang Chang) and Chandu (Vir Das), four youngsters who has just graduated conclude that they don’t want to do a job and slog like others. Instead, they start a business venture wherein they committed all wrong acts the right way! By doing a proper and systematic homework, they managed to succeed each time. The result: they soon turn millionaires! However, with riches came all its accompanying problems. How they tide over the crisis is what the rest of the film is all about.

Badmaash Company doesn’t begin impressively. The introduction of characters was funny but not anything More >

Bollywood hits back this IPL

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Joginder Tuteja, March 24, 2010 – 12:54 IST

The challenge Bollywood is all set to hit back. And how! A couple of years back when Season One of Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket competition kick started, not many were prepared for its might. In fact the only film which succeeded in a major way despite the onslaught of the cricket matches was Emraan Hashmi starrer Jannat. Yes, the film was well made but its success was also primarily due to the fact that this film from the house of Bhatts dealt with match fixing and betting, something which was quite contemporary at its best.

However, Bollywood pretty much realised that with matches beginning from 4 PM in the evening and wrapping up around 11 PM in the night, it was futile to bring any new releases in theatres while the tournament was on. This is the reason why in 2009 there were no biggies announced in the duration was IPL was scheduled. It was a different matter that this time period also saw the stand off between producers and multiplexes which led to a total draught of movies in theatres. However, it was quite clear that even without the strike, no filmmaker with crores riding on his project would have dared to bring it up in theatres.

Comments an insider, “Yes there was this waiting period but then it only led to double trouble. First and foremost there was no software made available to theatres which means that Bollywood wheels stopped moving for a couple of months, hence bringing the More >

Movie Review: ROAD TO SANGAM by TARAN ADARSH

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Taran Adarsh, January 29, 2010 – 11:46 IST

One look at the promos of ROAD TO SANGAM and you realize that this isn’t one of those films you watch every week. ROAD TO SANGAM, in fact, pricks your conscience and mirrors a reality.

Wars have been fought and are still being fought in the name of religion. ROAD TO SANGAM tries to seek answers to the burning issue and in the process, also talks of partition and the Muslims in present-day India.

Made with honest intentions, this one’s targeted at connoisseurs of cinema.

BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM

ROAD TO SANGAM tells the story of a God-fearing, devout Muslim mechanic named Hashmat Ullah [Paresh Rawal], who has been entrusted the job of repairing an old Ford engine, not knowing its historic significance. He is caught in a complex situation after a powerful bomb explosion rocks his town, leading to the arrest of innocent Muslim youths of his locality. A strike to work is called by the prominent leaders [played by Om Puri and Pawan Malhotra] of his community to protest against the unjust treatment meted out to those arrested youths by the police.

Will he support the protest and abandon the repair of the engine or go against the wishes of his community?

A simple, thought-provoking story, ROAD TO SANGAM has some brilliant moments and also some sequences that you carry home. But what could’ve been told in a concise format seems stretched after a point. Also, besides moving at a snail’s pace, there’s also sermonising at times, More >

Bollywood folks pick the worst film of 2009

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Joginder Tuteja, December 31, 2009 – 16:43 IST

Yesterday, we went across the B-town and found that 3 Idiots was the unanimous choice when it came to the best that 2009 had to offer. The closest contender was Paa while Avatar led from the front when it came to Hollywood flicks. However, it was quite a divided opinion when it came to the worst of 2009. Quite a few names popped up, some big (Delhi 6, Chandni Chowk To China), some small (Dil Bole Hadippa), some relatively unknown (Videsh – Heaven on Earth, Victory) and a few completely irrelevant (Deshdrohi). There was also an emotional angle involved with a filmmaker or two criticizing their own effort (Sikandar). Read on:

Ramesh Taurani – Victory, which came at the beginning of the year, stays on to be the worst film of 2009 for me.

Shirish Kunder – (Smiles) Yes, there is one movie which is really the worst for me. Still, I can’t name it since it’s been made by people known to me!

Kalki – Worst of the year was Billu (Barber) because it was just a series of music videos and nothing else.

Sajid Khan – Worst movie of the year was Delhi 6. Really, I had a lot of expectations from the film but it turned out to be such a disappointing fare.

Hasnain Hyderabadwaala – The worst film of 2009 is Dil Bole Hadippa. Really, what were the makers thinking? Audiences were taken for granted that the protagonist out there won’t be able to differentiate between a girl and a boy despite a different physicality and voice.

Jagmohan Mundhra – More >

Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 81

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

ANY LESSONS LEARNT FROM 2009 MISTAKES? Overall 2009 was a disappointing period for Bollywood. As what Ak_India mentioned in his DP that only 8% of films succeeded in this year which is very shocking. Many films got a nice opening and were well received by audiences as well as critics. Still, the films were hailed as Flop or Average due to their high costs. And that was one of the biggest reasons behind the debacle of many films. Films like Billu, Delhi-6, Kambakkht Ishq, Kaminey, Wake Up Sid, All The Best, London Dreams, De Dana Dan etc could had been super hits were they not produced and sold for such high prices. The problem of sky-high costs was accelerated by the wrong release time. Due to the producer-multiplex feud, no movies were released in the lucrative April and May period. As a result, as soon as strike ended, films after films started pouring every Friday. Obviously, common man cannot be expected to watch all films that release and thus, many films failed or did low business. For instance, All The Best could had been successful if it had not released with Blue. Aladin would have fared better had it not clashed with London Dreams. Jail would have got lots of audience if it had not released with the super hit Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

Unfortunately, there is no concrete solution for the 2nd problem. Due to the strike, there is still a huge backlog that needs to be cleared and hence, in 2010 too, one might find multiple releases on lots of More >

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