Category: World Cinema

HM Rajnath Singh praises Akshay Kumar for supporting Indian soldiers


Home Minister Rajnath Singh has lauded Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar’s support for the Indian Army. Singh on Wednesday took to Twitter to share a video of Akshay. The actor was seen appealing to his fans and well-wishers to help martyrs’ families in the video. “Akshay Kumarji your support to Bharat Ke Veer is commendable,” Singh said in the video-caption.
In the over three-minutes long video Akshay said, “Friends yesterday we celebrated 70 years of our independence with great pride and honour. I want to ask you one thing — did you celebrate the Independence Day along with people who fill you with pride and provide your security? Those who put their lives on the line to gift us this independence every year…” 

The Rustom actor added, “Everyday in news we hear at some place or the other our soldiers have given up their lives just to protect us.”
Akshay also requested his fans and followers to contribute for the soldiers of the Indian Army. “Now it’s our turn to do something for them. This year our Home Ministry has launched a website through which you can directly donate money to the families of the martyrs — bharatkeveer.gov.in,” he said.
The National Award-winner said that the website has already collected more than Rs 10 crore. “Today, on August 16, the website has photographs and details of 114 soldiers. Yesterday… Rajnathji asked us to appeal that we all help the families of these martyrs. I request you all that in the next six months we have to help the families of these 114 soldiers and remove their photos from the website,” he said. 
Akshay concluded by saying: “They are there that’s why we are here. Nothing is more important than respecting these bravehearts. So let’s do this together and make them proud of us. Jai Hind.” (IANS)

‘Sanskari Censor’ Does It Again, Sex Scene Axed 

By Filmi Fanatic

Is the CBFC the new villian for the directors and their films? 

Well it seems so and that is why they are called the ‘Censor Board’ where they are censoring everything left right and centre and more so after Mr Phalaj Nihalani has taken over. The directors are getting cautious day by day of the scenes in their movies if they want it to pass smoothly through the board.
The latest example of it being the Ajay Devgn starrer Baadshao where director Milan Luthria has decided to trim the 10 minute long love making scene before sending out the film to CBFC for certification, Milan decided to self censor the film as he doesn’t want to get in trouble with the board. 
Although the scene has “aesthetically shot”,he apparently cut some portions of the scene which included kissing and bareback and now has sent it to the ‘Sanskaari CBFC’ to get a U/A certificate which was not possibe if the scenes  were kept. But in all this where are we heading to? The primitive films were a kiss was shown by  two flowers touching each other…
Hope this action by the director impresses the board and the film releases without hiccups.

Special Article: Mid Year Report On Bollywood 


By Filmi Fanatic

It’s that time of the year, yes, its July 2017, which means the time has come to review the Bollywood movies released in the past 6 months from January till July. This year has been a mixed bag of sorts, the films that were thought won’t do well, kept the box office registers ringing and the films which were to hit the bulls eye with its blockbuster performance sank without a trace. So, here’s looking back at the months gone by with our special ‘Filmi Files’ report card:
a) BAAHUBALI 2


The first half of 2017 definitely belonged to the sequel Baahubali 2 which was made in Tamil, Telugu and later dubbed in Hindi. The magnum opus turned into a blockbuster thanks to the brilliant special effects and the action sequences. Infact the sequel fared better than the original and the Hindi version crossed the 500-crore mark too.

b) RAEES


People loved Shahrukh ‘bhai’ in Raees, his first release of 2017 where he played a bootlegger and it went on to become a hit. Now the audience is eager to see him in his ‘Punju’ singer avatar in Imtiaz Ali’s “Jab Harry met Sejal’. Would SRK’s magic work again?

c) KAABIL

When the films of two big stars release at the same time, either one of them becomes a hit or both flop, but not in the case of Hrithik starrer ‘Kaabil’ which clashed its release date with Raees but despite that did great business at the box office becoming another hit of 2017. The intense story of a blind man who avenges his girlfriend’s rape and death hit the right chords with the audience.

d) BADRINATH KI DULHANIA


Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt again proved that star kids can perform. The sequel Badrinath ki Dulhania showed their magic and chemistry and proved to be one of the top films. The audience loved the peppy numbers especially the recreated ‘Tamma Tamma Loge’ and the box office danced with the 200-crore mark.

e) JOLLY LLB 2

One can never go wrong with an Akshay Kumar starrer and Jolly LLB was just one of them. Portraying a lawyer, his performance was given thumbs up both by the audience as well as the critics. Now this is one man who is on a roll, give him any character and he plays it to the T.

While there have been films which kept the audiences hooked to their seats, some of the films that were thought to be blockbusters in making, could not adhere to the audiences’ expectations.

a) RANGOON

Vishal Bhardwaj’s highly ambitious period drama set in the pre-Independence era could not gather the interest despite boasting of stars like Shahid, Saif and Kangana. Despite the visuals, the film could not please the audience and was one of the disappointments of 2017

b) BEGUM JAAN


Touted as the Vidya Balan movie, this film had a very unusual story line and with its promos had garnered a lot of curiosity, but unfortunately despite the humungous star cast, it didn’t do well and slowly it has even started to fade from the memory of the audience.

 

c) TUBELIGHT
Salman Khan + Eid release = Sure Shot Blockbuster hit, but this year this Eid release did not match the expectations for a diehard Sallu Fan. Well, it can’t be touted as a flop, this movie has got mixed reviews, some liked the sober and childlike Salman while some thought it was the re run of his Bajrangi Avatar. Time for a makeover and having the action Salman back? Food for thought?

6 months of 2017 has had more of mediocre films like Raabta, Half Girlfriend, Noor and Philluri which created the much hype but unfortunately ran for a week or so before being replaced by another movie.

The audience is now waiting anxiously for the latter half releases which show some promising stuff in the form of SRK starrer ‘Jab Harry met Sejal’, Lipstick under my Burkha, Toilet -Ek prem katha and Mubarakan. Varied topics, varied movies, how they do at the box office. only time would tell. Till then sit back, enjoy and wait for our Yearly report of 2017

Jacqueline Fernandez Goes Topless For Cosmopolitan’

 

jacqueline-fernandez-TOPLESS

The chirpy happy, girl-next-door Jacqueline Fernandez has shown her wild side in the form of a topless photoshoot for the fashion magazine ‘Cosmopolitan’ for its latest issue. The actress who is shooting for her upcoming movie ‘Judwaa 2’ with Varun Dhawan and Tapsee Pannu gave her fans a special treat in form of the pictures on her twitter handle which have since gone viral and raising temperatures.

The actress who has always been known for her coy and friendly image has gone for a bold image makeover with this sultry photoshoot which has made everyone asking for more. In the photoshoot, the actress looks stunning by flaunting her long mane which looks amazing in every frame making it difficult to take our eyes off. Although the magazine and Jacqueline have only shared just a glimpse of the photoshoot, still its making everyone impatient for the next set of pictures and trust us, it would be worth the wait!

Second Trailer For ‘ Lipstick Under My Burkha’ Goes Viral

Before its release on 21st July, Lipstick under my Burkha released its 2nd trailer last week which is already creating waves. The second trailer has already crossed five million views. People are getting curious and intrigued to see the ‘most controversial film’ of the year which deals into the secret lives of four women who are being told to supress their sexuality, an ageing widow who comes on terms with her own sexuality at a later stage of life, a homemaker with kids who longs for employment, a small-town girl who is forced into a wedlock which she does not approve and a young girl college who aspires to be a pop sensation.

Starring seasoned actors like Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkana Sen Sharma and newcomers like Aahna Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, the film already hit a massive roadblock a few months ago when the CBFC refused to certify the film due to its bold subject, ‘lady oriented content, abusive language and audio pornography. But now that it has got the clearance, everyone is waiting with bated breath for this movie which is under the Prakash Jha banner and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava and which has strong feminist connotations.

Watch the trailer

‘Bahubali 2’ Shatters Many Records On Its Opening Day!

New Delhi: SS Rajamouli’s magnificent visual delight ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ opened in theatres on April 28, 2017, and the fans can’t keep calm. The huge canvas of the film has been one of the major talking points among viewers besides the quintessential question of ‘Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali? (Kattapa Ne Baahubali Ko Kyu Maara).

With trade analysts predicting it’s first day collections eyeing a Rs 100 crore historic collection, the lead hero Prabhas has certainly arrived and how! The epic saga of love, drama and war has clicked with the fans creating a rage across the nation.
The social media platforms are buzzing with the rousing response this film is witnessing pan India. “The advance booking is crazy; there are corporate bookings of 100-200 seats. There is a repeat value for this film. The opening day collections should be at Rs 70 crore in all the languages. It’s all set to create history with the film earning Rs 230-240 crore over the weekend,” a Mumbai- based exhibitor Akshay Rathi told PTI.
“I came at 5 AM. I got a ticket for the second show (night show). I wanted a ticket for a matinee or first show. But I am happy that I got a ticket,” Anusha, a college student, in Hyderabad, said.
Fans of Prabhas, who plays the lead role of Baahubali, put up huge cutouts of the popular star to celebrate the release of the film. Outside cinemas, fans poured milk on the cutouts, copying religious rituals reserved for gods. In fact, filmmaker SS Rajamouli, actress Anushka Shetty and music director MM Keeravani visited a theatre screening of the movie in Hyderabad to gauge the response of the audience, according to PTI.
In Delhi, major cinema chains like PVR and Inox have allocated 80 percent of its total capacity to ‘Baahubali 2’. “PVR has allocated close to 80 per cent of its total capacity to ‘Baahubali 2’ in India as well as in Delhi. The film has taken a phenomenal start, the occupancy is expected to be 85 percent for day one for entire PVR chain,” Kamal Gianchandani, CEO PVR Pictures, told PTI.
The Telangana government has allowed five shows of the film to be screened following a request from the producers. In Karnataka, fans reportedly paid up to Rs 1,600 per ticket to watch the film. As much as 75 per cent of screens available in the state is showing the film.
In Bengaluru alone, 72 of the 94 single screen theatres were screening it, trade experts said. In Mysuru, as many as 40 screens out of 45 are showing ‘Baahubali 2’.
The Kannada film fraternity is pushing for the implementation of a budgetary proposal to peg the ticket prices at Rs 200 in single screen theatres and multiplexes.
In Kerala, producer-distributor Prem Menon of Global United Media, predicted the film will shatter all the existing box office records in the state. “It has released in 310 screens (142 in Malayalam and the rest in Tamil) and we are still counting. Theatres across the state had scheduled close to 60 early morning shows today. We are expecting the film to gross Rs 5 crore in Kerala, which will be a record,” he told PTI.
In Mumbai, the ticket prices started as low as Rs 200 and went up to Rs 1,500.
Trade analyst Komal Nahta says the Hindi version itself is all set to create new benchmarks.
“The opening day looks like 40 crore plus for Hindi version and the weekend will be more than 100 crore. The film is destined to make history and it is going to break every single record – opening day, weekend, first week and so on,” he said.
Nahta says going by the positive word-of-mouth across the board, the film will challenge existing record holders from Bollywood such as ‘Sultan’, ‘PK’ and ‘Dangal’.
Prabhas starrer will surely break the record of Bollywood stalwarts Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.
‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ has an impressive star cast of Prabhas in the lead with Rana Daggubati, Tammaanah Bhatia, Ramya Krishnan, Sathyaraj and Nassar playing pivotal parts.

The first part ‘Baahubali’ had collected Rs 650 crore (gross) at the worldwide box office.

It Is The End For Regal Cinemas

By Monica Arora

The majestic colonnades and pillared glory of Lutyen’s Delhi oozes its charisma in Connaught Place, an open market place situated in the heart of central Delhi. Designed by British architects of the bygone Raj, every shop, structure, restaurant and cinema hall narrate a story, convey a tale or whisper an anecdote each time one happens to visit the area.

Amidst the upcoming brands, which are replacing the erstwhile traditional stores, stood the Regal Cinema, whose last show was open to the public on 30 March 2017. The iconic cinema hall, which was established way back in 1932, was flanked by the Shivaji Stadium and the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, both relatively recent constructions. And therein lay its magic!
The fact that a single screen theatre stood the test of time for decades and kept on lighting up a million dreams of cinegoerswithin its cosy, womb-like interiors is what rakes up all the nostalgia. 
Popularly known for showcasing most of Raj Kapoor’s movies, the original showman of Indian cinema, the shutting down of Regal is perhaps an ode to the end of an era…an era when movie stars were worshipped like gods and goddesses and public frenzy knew no bounds at the premiere of a new Bollywood release, which invariably saw the stars personally attending the first show at landmark theatres. 
Regal being one of those in the capital city of New Delhi thrived and prospered with each new release bringing more and more crowds to watch their favourite movies on the silver screen.
And, who can forget the thrill of watching a new Hindi film amidst the chawwani-throwing crowds and the whistling fans who would even end up performing a jig right at their seats if a superhit song played on the screen. Certainly, that experience can never be replicated or recreated with the closure of most single screen halls giving way to swankier multiplexes with latest digital technology and modern amenities.
With no online booking facilities available till even a few years back, zealous fans would line up right from Connaught Circus where Regal is situated upto the Outer Circle to ensure a First Day First Show ticket of a much-awaited movie. Hell! There were much fewer releases back then and Raj Kapoor comprising one-third of the holy Bollwood trinity of Dev Anand-DilipKumar-Raj Kapoor, was the Charlie Chaplin and messiah of the masses. Therefore, it was indeed a befitting tribute to the great showman that the swansong or the last two shows of Regal were two of his superhits: Mera Naam Joker and Sangam.
It is no secret that over the last decade or so, the cinema hall had started losing much of its former charm owing to lack of upgraded technology and poor maintenance and upkeep. But relatively lower ticket prices as compared to multiplexes kept the proverbial fire burning for its owners. Till it was time to finally call it a day. 
Following in the footsteps of its other neighbours in the vicinity, Odeon, Rivoli and Plaza, all of which have already been transformed into PVR Odeon, PVR Rivoliand PVR Plaza, the final tickets have been printed and sold for the last shows at Regal; the final coffees at the Espresso machine have already been sipped, the last of the popcorns have been savoured…until it reopens in its new multiplex avatar!
For those who have had a chance to witness the delight and excitement of the milling crowds in a single-screen theatre at some point in their lives, they can understand that such an atmosphere can never ever be created within the sanitized precincts of a freezing multiplex theatre with lesser seats, more screens and a perpetually Arctic temperature zone, no matter the weather outside. 

The black and white mosaic flooring, the huge, whirring fans lining the sides of the theatre walls and the old-fashioned Eveready torches which the ushers used to indicate the seat at Regal Cinema will just end up as memories of the good, old days. 
The huge posters adorning the lobby area and the stately marble staircase leading to the rear, upper stalls and balcony will all be a part of this brilliant legacy and tradition that is breathing its last with curtains for most single-screen theatres all around the country. 
But as time and tide stand still for no one, similarly, the old always gives way to the new…jeena isi ka naam hai!