Chandan aspires to act in Gowarikar’s next

He is just one film old but has left a mark on the minds of one and all. “Producers are approaching me with lead-roles opposite all high-profile female actors,” blushes Chandan Roy Sanayal of Kaminey fame. However, he further adds, “I have not yet signed a single film.”

Despite garnering loads of applauds for the character Mikhail in Kaminey, Chandan like a struggler is approaching all the top-notch filmmakers on his own. He explains, “My aim is to touch the sky. In fact, sky is a limit and to achieve that I don’t mind to go an extra-mile. I feel I’m still a struggler but yes, Mikhail has boosted a lot of confidence in me to put my thoughts across to the film makers which were not really possible before.”

Among the various renowned film makers out there, Chandan says he is dying to be a part of Ashutosh Gowarikar’s next venture after What’s your Rashee, which is based on a Bengali novel. “I have pulled my socks up and will try my level best to convince Ashutosh to sign me for the film,” exclaims Chandan,

Someone may have rightly said “Where there is a will there is a way’. But this bunch of talent is proving it. All we can say is- way to go dude!!!

Kaminey Rules Box-Office!

Grosses more than 63 crores globally in just 10 days!

After storming the box office in the very first weekend of its release, UTV Motion Pictures Kaminey has now grossed Rs 63 crores within the first 10 days of its release worldwide.

Mesmerizing audiences across the nation with its foot tapping music, ace direction and the flawless portrayal of characters by the talented cast, the film grossed over Rs 50 crores across 1200 screens at the Indian box office. Despite its Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai release being rescheduled, Kaminey continues to rake in the moolah with its stupendous success both in India and internationally.

This masterpiece from the UTV stables continues to rule the Box office with its 10 days collection recording USD 10,72,624 in the US, USD 3,49,251 across the UK and USD 6,42,233 in UAE. The box figures recorded in Pakistan were USD 1,47,000 and USD 1,83,183 in Australia

Spelling the Dhan te nan quotient all through, Kaminey received the second highest opening in India, US and UAE, the biggest Hindi film opening of the year in Pakistan and one of the highest openings of the year in Australia.

Jagannath Priests Scream out Kaminey!

Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminey has angered quite a number of priests at the Jagannath temple. They burned posters of the film after they found it containing a derogatory reference to the Orissa deity. A case was filed with the local police against the film alleging sacrilege.

The part that offended them was that in the film there was the well-known Hindi phrase, Apna haath Jagannath written on a toilet door alongside a scantily clad woman. They found that it vandalizes the pure image of their God. Kalinga Sena, a cultural outfit in Puri, had lodged the police complaint. According to Puri inspector, Sudhakar Sahoo, the case was registered for hurting Hindu religious sentiments.

‘Kaminey’ takes Indian cinema beyond Tarantino, says Shekhar Kapur

Internationally acclaimed Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur is quite impressed with Vishal Bharadwaj’s “Kaminey” and says the film “catapults Indian cinema in modernity beyond (Quentin) Tarantino”.

“The greatest thing about Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Kaminey’ is that you cannot work out why it is working. You cannot work out why you are laughing amidst the ugliness of violence in perhaps India’s first real dark comedy. And why in the final moments of the film with the brilliant background song by Vishal himself, you finally get the point of the film,” Kapur posted on his blog www.shekharkapur.com.

“With violence all around you, you sense innocence caught in the crossfire of unnecessary violence. And finally you come away with a great sense of the pointlessness of it all. It’s terrific… Vishal better think hard about how to surpass this one,” he added.

A thoughtful director himself, Kapur further praised the technical aspects of the film that has Shahid Kapoor in a double role.

“The cinematography (by Tassaduq Hussain) is great as are some of the performances, the script and the editing. It is ultimately a director’s brilliant vision of the world that is playing through,” he said.

The 63-year-old, however, didn’t seem to be too impressed with Bharadwaj’s idea of making the lead characters lisp and stammer in the film.

“Did Vishal have to use the idea of stuttering and stammering with the main character though? It was a little over done and the only thing that harked to a more traditional form of comedy in Indian films. The film could have done with a little less of that,” he wrote.

“Kaminey” is Bharadwaj’s first commercial hit. It earned about Rs.330 million in its first weekend at the box office.

Shahid promises “Kaminey”is a movie for all age group

Shahid assures who is playing double role in Vishal Bharadwaj movie`Kaminey` has been given an `A` certificate it is not a film that will make viewers uncomfortable. The young actor also says that the film provides intelligent fare to the audience.

Shahid says”Normally filmmakers ask viewers to leave their brain at home when they come to see their movies, but here I am advising them to bring their minds along. It is not a run of the mill movie, it actually stands out,” .

According to information given by sources `Kaminey` is releasing Friday with 1,100 prints despite an `A` certificate.Shahid adds”It is given `A` certificate but it is a movie for all age group… it`s not a film that would make you uncomfortable while watching. `Kaminey` will be my widest released movie so far. Till date my biggest hit `Jab we met` was released in 927 prints but `Kaminey` is releasing with 1,100 prints,”

Shahid with promising note says new things in the movie and present here to promote movie”`Kaminey` is certainly an important film for me as I have tried many new things in it. For the first time I am playing a double role and I am trying something different from a love story. In fact, this is also the first commercial film of Vishal Bharadwaj,” .

Shahid co-star is priyanka choptra in the movie”I have seen the movie and also shown it to my family members. The movie has really come out well and we are getting good reactions,”.

Explains his role briefly says “I am playing the role of Charlie and Guddu – two brothers – in the movie. They are entirely different characters and do not even match with my real life, therefore it was a challenging task for me to play the role to perfection.”

One of the characters he plays stammers and to prepare for the role Shahid met many ENT doctors, speech therapists and people with stammering problems.He said”As the protagonist in the movie has some speech disorder, I met many experts as we did not want to make a caricature out of the characters. We have portrayed them very seriously and sensibly,” .

Shahid comments about tittle are “When Vishal told me the title then I actually stood up in surprise. Even Priyanka and other star-cast were equally surprised. But when Vishal explained to us the plot, we realised that it is the most appropriate title as he wanted to communicate something that was really different.”

Shahid, who has six-pack abs in the film, says he is more concerned about building physical strength.

“I`m purely vegetarian and crazy about my fitness. My main aim is to increase my physical strength and not the body size. I do an amalgamation of cardio-vascular exercises, free hand and weight training for four-five days in a week,” he said.

Despite NEW YORK, disasters continue to dominate

Ok, so NEW YORK has been a huge success while coming weeks promise jumbo size entertainment as well, what with KAMBAKKTH ISHQ, SHORTKUT - THE CON IS ON, SANKAT CITY, JASHNN, LUCK, LOVE AAJ KAL, AGYAAT and KAMINEY arriving in quick succession. However, it would still be too early to forget some of the recent disasters that Bollywood has faced during the fortnight gone by.

First and foremost let’s talk about RUNWAY, the film which released alongside NEW YORK. The film has been kicked and buried deep down with not many being even aware about this Amarjeet Shukla and Tulip Joshi starrer. Despite some melodious music, the film would be most remember for it’s shoddy direction and downmarket treatment.

Films that released a week earlier have been ‘red’ as well for their investors. PAYING GUESTS, for all the claims by it’s makers to be a success, has bitten the dust and is hardly in the reckoning in it’s second week. The film is a flop, what with just 6 crores coming from it’s first week in spite of a big release of 500 cinemas. A comedy, it has just not excited the audiences and should soon be finding a release on home video. The only person who has come out unscathed is Shreyas Talpade who has done well once again in a comic outing after GOLMAAL RETURNS. However, it would be a surprise if PAYING GUESTS would ever ‘return’ despite producer Subhash Ghai and director Paritossh Painter being gung-ho about coming up with a sequel.

The other three films that released alongside PAYING GUESTS have been all disasters, as indicated by less than 10 lakhs that they all have earned between them. Yes, you read it right - sum total of collections of LET’S DANCE, HUM PHIRR MILEINGE and RAFTAAR hasn’t even crossed 10 lakhs. While Gayatri Patel’s debut flick LET’S DANCE, which was centred on dance, was the best reviewed of the lot, it’s 4 lakhs total in week one immediately qualifies it as a box office disaster. As for Sarvar Ahuja, the young man continues to make poor selection of movies that hardly justifies the talent that he possesses. His HUM PHIRR MILEINGE has managed just 2 lakhs across the country. Similar are the collections for a small time film called RAFTAAR which released without any promotion and disappeared over it’s opening weekend itself.

If one talks about the bigger films then KAL KISSNE DEKHA, which cost quite a fortune for it’s makers, has completely drowned with a fall of more than 80%. With just 1 crore more coming in the second week, the film has almost closed shop at 6.5 crores. As for Mithun starrer ZOR LAGAA KE HAIYAA, lesser said the better. The film’s 20 lakhs total is lesser than what Mithun Chakravorty’s Ootywood movies have made in the past.

With such pile up of movies expected to be a thing of the past, one sincerely hopes that the era of disasters is over and better months are there ahead for the Hindi film industry.