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Posts tagged UTV Motion Pictures
Emraan Hashmi-Kunal Deshmukh-UTV team up for an edgy thriller
11 week ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
BOMBAY TIMES (May 14, 2013)
After their earlier successful associations (Jannat, 2008 and Jannat 2, 2012), Emraan Hashmi and Kunal Deshmukh have joined hands for an untitled edge-ofthe-seat thriller, being produced by UTV Motion Pictures. The makers are yet to finalise a leading lady for the film that will go on floors in July.
Says Emraan, “Kunal and I are experimenting with something new. After Ghanchakkar, this is my second film with the production house. Together we hope to make an entertainer.”
Kunal says, “I’m always excited to work with Emraan and this time the association is special because this production house is known for its slate of successful films.”
Says Siddharth Roy Kapur, Managing Director — Studios, Disney UTV, “Whenever Emraan and Kunal have come together in the past, they have taken the box office by storm. So it is a coup for us to be associating with this duo. The film will keep the audience guessing till the end.”
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Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 14, 2013)
After Jannat, Tum Mile and Jannat 2, director Kunal Deshmukh is teaming up with Emraan Hashmi one more time for his next project – a thriller. Not only is this their fourth collaboration, it is the first time they are joining hands on a film that is not from the Bhatt stable.
A source told Mirror: “Kunal is in talks with UTV and their discussions are in the final stage, almost. Emraan, who is currently on vacation with his family, has immense faith in Kunal’s vision and doesn’t More >
Ajay offers support to Ekta and her Eid release OUATIM 2?
11 week ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Ajay Devgn offers support to the producer for her Eid release which is clashing with Chennai Express
Upala KBR (DNA; May 11, 2013)
Last Diwali Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan clashed at the box-office. This year, Akshay Kumar and SRK are coming together on Eid day with their films Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again and Chennai Express. Battle lines are drawn and everyone is expected to take sides, or stay neutral, because there is just too much at stake.
The industry may claim that they are one big happy family but it’s war when two big banner films with big stars release on the same day, as it was proven last year when Jab Tak Hain Jaan clashed with Son Of Sardaar. Ajay is still smarting from the experience as he felt that he was cheated of a decent release because of Yash Raj Films monopoly (see box). He filed a case against YRF for Unfair Trade Practices that he is still fighting.
When Ajay saw that the same thing was happening to Ekta, he called her and offered her his unconditional support. He said he would fight on her behalf and promote the film. Whatever she needed in terms of support, he would be there for her. A source reveals, “When Ajay heard that Ekta too was being subjected to the same tactics as Ajay with her film OUATIM 2 by UTV, he called up Ekta in front of the UTV executives and asked her if she needed any help. Reportedly, UTV told all single screen theatre owners that if they want to screen Himmatwala, they would have to dedicate four shows in a day to More >
Himmatwala fails to make a mark at the BO over the weekend
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in box office
Sajid Khan’s ambitious take on the 80s fails to live up to its expectations, the blame-game begins
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 1, 2013)
The year’s most hyped film so far, Himmatwala, directed by Sajid Khan, has come a cropper. In fact, the film started sinking as soon as it hit the theatres on Friday.
“The film garnered somewhat decent earnings in the first half of Friday, but the slump thereafter was stark, the film slipped by at least 20 per cent,” a source from the trade told Mirror. Officials from Fun Cinemas and Cinemax confirmed this and a Cinemax official added: “There has been a considerable drop in the box office collections on Saturday. Normally, Saturdays collections are better than Friday.”
According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the film is not doing well overseas either. “Himmatwala falls in several circuits on Day 2. At several centres, the decline is substantial… Himmatwala is on a declining spree not just in India, but also in key markets overseas,” he tweeted on Sunday.
Trade analyst Kumar Mohan said: “Sajid expected the film to do a business of around Rs 200 crore. However, his remake of the ’80s film hasn’t gone down well with the audience of 2013.” He added the film has done somewhat better in single-screen theatres.
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According to a leading distributor, the producers are to blame for the film’s fate. “ÜTV Motion Pictures should not have compelled more single screens to take up the film. More >
Ghanchakkar VFX in quandary as deal with Tata Elexsi falls through?
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 30, 2013)
It was meant to be her first release after marriage to Siddharth Roy Kapur, who also happens to be the CEO of the film’s producers – UTV Motion Pictures.
However, Vidya Balan-starrer Ghanchakkar, which is two-and-a-half months away from release, is in a quandary as VFX work on the film is yet to start. Tata Elxsi, the animation and special effects division of the Tata Group entrusted with the job, has had a fallout with UTV over a deal signed between them in August last year. Apparently, Tata Elxsi is now demanding double the amount that was finalised in the contract. When contacted, COO of Tata Elxsi, S Nagarajan, excused himself, adding that a certain Kunaal Saigal from his office would get in touch with us.
Saigal first asked us to send the query via email, and when we did, he replied saying: “It’s a general policy. We do not comment in the media on client-company matters.”
Meanwhile, a source close to the film revealed that while the deal was sealed for around Rs 11 lakh, Tata Elxsi is now demanding Rs 20 lakh, arguing the footage is two minutes longer than what was on the contract. The source however maintained the footage is longer only by 30 seconds and the VFX for that kind of additional length can even be done complimentary.
“UTV felt this is rather unfair. If they pay up an extra Rs 9-10 lakh, it would unnecessarily inflate the budget of the film. That’s why the talks fell through and there was no amicable More >
Chennai Express vs OUATIM 2: UTV races ahead of Balaji?
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Exhibitors finally ink deal to acquire Himmatwala and Chennai Express as a twin offer, casting a shadow on Akshay’s Eid release
Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; March 26, 2013)
The turf war seems to be getting more interesting by the minute. As a blow to the makers of Akshay Kumar starrer Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again, sources say single screen owners have gone ahead and recorded a deal over the weekend to acquire the coming Friday’s release Ajay Devgn’s Himmatwala as a package deal with SRK’s Chennai Express.
This is in line to what several theatre owners had done last year that resulted in Devgn moving the courts against Khan’s Eid release Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Similarly, Ekta Kapoor’s film might suffer the same fate.
Says our source, “One can’t deny the recent success of both Ajay and Sajid Khan. The film is also a solo release and so exhibitors have rushed to sign the deal. With maximum single screen owners opting for the Devgn starrer, it is clear that they also have to now run Chennai Express. It means that the other Eid release Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai 2 and the Sunny Deol starrer Singh Saheb The Great will find it difficult to rope in single screen theatres.”
An industry insider says, “Producer Ekta Kapoor will now have to find some other strategy to counter this newly signed deal.”
Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, “All the major exhibitors have signed the deal over the weekend and now it will be suicidal if any film clashes with Chennai Express during Eid.”
Trade expert More >
Chennai Express vs OUATIM 2: Ekta Kapoor beats UTV at its own game?
02 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Balaji has bundled Once Upon a Time with 5 films to counter UTV’S strategy of clubbing Himmatwala with Chennai Express
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 22, 2013)
Ekta Kapoor has reacted strongly to UTV Motion Pictures’ reported deal with single screen theatres to club Himmatwala and Chennai Express in a bid to edge out Balaji Motion Pictures’ Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again. After crying foul for not playing it fair, she has followed the same path by bundling Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again with their other releases that includes Ek Thi Daayan, Lootera, Shootout at Wadala, Ragini MMS and Shadi Ke Side Effects.
A trade source told Mumbai Mirror: “The head honchos at Balaji called up their exhibitors and took a sense of the situation. They made it very clear to them that they have no intention to outdo any one and told them that everyone should get a fair chance. They also conveyed to them that such practice is unhealthy.”
Mirror had previously reported how UTV had sounded out single-screen theatre owners that if they want to buy Devgn’s Himmatwala, which is releasing on March 29, and is essentially a single-screen film, they will have to devote all four shows to Chennai Express as well. Though Gaurav Verma, Director India Distribution Disney UTV, had vehemently denied any such deal, trade sources had confirmed it.
With the number of single-screen theatres dwindling, production houses are vying to get a bigger share of the pie. Rajesh Thadani, exhibitor and More >
As SRK-Akshay fight the Eid battle, Ajay finds himself in unfamiliar territory
02 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; March 18, 2013)
The industry was divided in opinion during the big bad war at the box office on Diwali between Shah Rukh Khan’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Ajay Devgn’s Son Of Sardaar. And it’s going to be quite a déjà vu moment once again this Eid, when SRK’s Chennai Express clashes with Akshay Kumar’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again.
Incidentally, caught in the crossfire this time is Ajay Devgn. Last year Devgn had found himself allegedly being cornered by the Yash Raj Studios in a bid to secure the highest number of film screens. This time, the actor is part of producer Vashu Bhagnani and UTV’s next Himmatwala.
If rumours are to be believed, UTV Motion Pictures have asked exhibitors to block the same chain of theatres for SRK starrer Chennai Express as Devgn’s film. Naturally, the exhibitors find themselves in a soup yet again as while Chennai Express is a big-ticket SRK starrer, Akshay Kumar ( in Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Again) is also a big name to reckon with.
The clash of titans
This Eid will witness two Bollywood bigwigs — SRK and Akshay — pitted against each other at the box office.
While both are not known to be exactly best friends, there has not been any major fall- out between the two.
A source says, “Akshay was within inches of dethroning SRK from the number one position before Chandni Chowk To China happened. The period saw both the superstars trying to outdo each other. Akshay had a string of flops post that, only to strike back last More >
Amit Sadh gets one more film from UTV after Kai Po Che
02 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; March 8, 2013)
Close on the heels of his debut Bollywood film Kai Po Che hitting the marquee, looks like the happy times are here to stay for Amit Sadh.
Sources say the actor has bagged another film with UTV Motion Pictures. Confirming the buzz, Manish Hariprasad from the company states, “We are very happy to sign him, as we know that this is a talent that will go far.” The honchos have been discussing scripts with the actor and will be finalising the details soon.
Apparently, Amit’s boy-next-door looks helped him clinch the project. Our source says, “It will be a step forward in taking his boyish appeal to an even wider section of the society.” Interestingly there was also buzz about the actor being signed by David Dhawan for a project so-starring Varun Dhawan.
However, Amit denies any knowledge about the two projects.
UTV signs Abhishek Kapoor for another film
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 23, 2013)
It isn’t very often that a film lives up to the hype generated around it. Looks like Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel The 3 Mistakes of my Life is one such.
Impressed with the opening of the film that released yesterday and has generated a lot of buzz ever since it was announced, producers UTV Motion Pictures have decided to sign Abhishek Kapoor for another movie.
A source told Mirror: “A close door meeting took place at UTV’s offices. The producers are happy a director could pull off a film with no stars and garner so much appreciation. It was decided to sign Abhishek for another film..”
When contacted, Abhishek confirmed the story and said, “UTV and I are taking the next step, a major leap towards cementing our relationship.”
Siddharth Roy Kapur, Managing Director, Studios Disney UTV, sounded elated. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with him on another film,” he concluded .