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Category: Movies

  • India possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world: PM Modi

    India possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world: PM Modi

    Mumbai: India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has expressed happiness on the country’s participation as ‘Country of Honour’ at the Cannes Film festival this year. In a message, the prime minister noted that India’s participation comes at the momentous meeting of celebration of 75 years of India’s independence, 75th anniversary of Cannes Film Festival and 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and France.

    Positioning India as the largest film producing country in the world, PM Modi said that multifariousness of the country’s film sector is remarkable and rich heritage and cultural diversity are its strengths. “India has a lot of stories to be told and the country truly possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world,” the prime minister added.

    Reiterating India’s commitment to improve ease of doing business in the film sector, PM Modi said that from facilitating international film co-production to ensuring single window clearance mechanism for permissions for filming across the country, India offers seamless possibilities to filmmakers of the world.

    The prime minister further expressed happiness that a Satyajit Ray film has been restored for screening in the Cannes Classic Section as India celebrates the birth centenary of the maestro.

    Among one of the many firsts, startups from India will showcase their strengths to the cine-world. The prime minister expressed confidence that India pavilion will display facets of Indian cinema and promote international partnerships and learnings.

    India is the official Country of Honour at the upcoming Marche’ du Film, that is organised alongside the 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival in France which kicked off on Tuesday. Actress Deepika Padukone is one of the jury members at the Cannes Film Festival. The Country of Honour status ensures India’s presence as Focus Country at the opening night of Marche du Film being organised at the Majestic Beach with spotlight on India, its cinema, its culture and heritage.

    India is also a Country of Honour at the Cannes Next, under which five new startups would be given an opportunity to pitch to the audio-visual industry. Ten professionals will participate on the Animation Day networking. As a major highlight of India’s participation at this edition of Cannes Film Festival, the world premiere of the film “Rocketry” – produced by R Madhavan – is scheduled to be showcased at the Palais des Festivals of the market screening on 19 May.

    The Indian delegation is led by union minister Anurag Thakur and consists of film celebrities from across the country.

  • Bollywood Stars Get On a 50cc Moped

    Bollywood Stars Get On a 50cc Moped

    Did you know that scooters and mopeds are the most affordable form of transportation for most families in India? For the majority of Indian families, normal cars are just too expensive, which leads many of them to ride only mopeds when they need to go somewhere.

    In an effort to portray some realism and connect with the everyday person, many Bollywood stars have got a 50cc moped and ditched their expensive cars. So, which members of Bollywood’s star-studded cast have taken to riding cheaper vehicles? Keep reading now to find out more.

    • Amitabh Bachchan

    First up, we have Amitabh Bachchan.  Even though he’s very famous Bollywood star, he was spotted riding a moped in normal street clothes, something an everyday man might wear.
    It was later learned that he was portraying a man of meager means looking for a job in an upcoming film. However, it seems that Amitabh has taken a liking to riding 50cc mopeds and continues to do so even in his time off from filming.

    • Shah Rukh Khan

    Another one of Bollywood’s most famous stars, Shah was also recently seen riding his own 50cc moped. In his most recent film, he was shown riding a 50cc moped down the street. He portrayed an average man, with his wife riding along behind him.

    Shah also rode a moped in another film he starred in, titled Chak De! India. The film was very popular, allowing its audience to feel more connected with Shah as a main character while watching him do some of the things that many of them do daily.

    • Dhanush

    Yet another Bollywood star has been shown riding a 50cc moped on the film sets of Raanjhanaa. He was riding a gray Bajaj Chetak, attempting to keep out of a rainstorm that had blown into the set.

    For the same film, Dhanush is shown riding a bright yellow moped with costar Sonam Kapoor, smiling wide for the audience. There were a lot of scenes in this particular film of the Bollywood star riding a moped.

    • Anushka Sharma

    And finally, Anushka is another star that has been seen riding a 50cc moped recently. Anushka initially had a terrible time learning to ride a moped, ending up on the news for how bad she was while filming Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl.

    However, since then, Anushka has taken a liking to riding on two wheels. She has her own moped and has starred in other films where she was shown riding 50cc mopeds in various scenes.

    It’s clear to see that the 50cc moped isn’t just for the average person but can also be enjoyed by even the wealthiest people across India and the world. Truly, these little scooters are great vehicles for those who are on a tight budget. Their reliability also makes them great for anyone with greater means, too. They are very safe and always remember you need moped insurance always to be legal on the road.

  • MIIFF to be held in January, launches logo

    MIIFF to be held in January, launches logo

    Mumbai: The first Mumbaindia International Film Festival (MIIFF) will be held in January 2023. There will be six sections from world cinema to Marathi cinema.

    The founders of Mumbaindia International Film Festival (MIIFF), Sharon Prabhakar, Sudhir Attavar, Trivikram Belthangady, Sandip Soparrkar and Chaitali Chatterjee launched the spectacular logo of this unique film festival. In a grand event held at the Cinepolis in Mumbai, its founders revealed many interesting things about the film festival. Veteran actor Om Puri’s wife Nandita Puri and actress Shazahn Padamsee were also present at the event.

    Sharon Prabhakar said, “People might say that there are many film festivals, so what is the need to do this, but I do not think about it. You should try your best to fulfill your dream. I go against the routine work, and this is one such festival which will be different, unique and exciting. We women are multi-taskers.”

    Sudhir Attavar said, “We have kept 6 sections in this film festival. The first category is of world cinema, the second category is of the LGBTQIA community and another category is of women filmmakers. There is a category for a film institute. The fifth category will be for ad films and the sixth category will be for Marathi cinema. There will also be a section for dance and music based films. The first MIIFF will be held in Mumbai in January 2023. Registration for it will start from July 2022.

    The founder of the film festival Sudhir Attavar said, “The festival is not being done to earn money. There will be neither politics nor commercial angle in this meaningful festival.”

    Dancer-choreographer Sandip Soparkar said, “I express my sincere gratitude for making me a part of this festival. When I came to Mumbai 22 years ago, the next day I went to visit the temple of Mumba Devi and I told her that this city has been named after you, when will such a day come when I will be able to associate with your name. And today after 22 years I am very happy to be associated with Mumba India International Film Festival. We will promote culture through cinema.”

    Trivikram Belthangady said, “When Sudhir ji and Sharon asked me to join this festival, I immediately agreed, because it is filled with creative energy. Through this festival, the audience will get to see meaningful cinema. Doors will also be opened for new filmmakers. I am very excited about this journey.”

    Chaitali Chatterjee also expressed her heartfelt thanks.

    Ompuri’s wife Nandita Puri said, “My heartfelt congratulations to the entire team for organizing this festival. Sharon is my great friend, I am also her fan, she is my favorite and an amazing woman. I have seen issues behind film festivals, we will keep Mumba India International Film Festival away from politics or lobbying.”

    Shazahn Padamsee, who has acted in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films, said, “Everyone has worked hard for this festival. My mom Sharon has given her heart and soul to this festival.”

    Krishna Bhardwaj, Ratna Pratap and Vidyadhar Shetty also extended their best wishes here. Vidyadhar Shetty of Success Films organized the event.

    Sharon Prabhakar added, “People are passionate about filmmaking and some have even sold their houses to make a good film. This festival is for such passionate makers. We will try to do something better, new and different through this.”

  • Prakash Jha talks about filmmaking and his OTT debut at Goafest 2022

    Prakash Jha talks about filmmaking and his OTT debut at Goafest 2022

    MUMBAI: During the Goafest 2022, Indian film producer, director and screenwriter, Prakash Jha talked about foraying into films and OTT from documentaries. He shared his thoughts on his journey and experiences in the entertainment industry.

    In a conversation with film critic Mayank Shekhar during the session titled “From Films to OTT” hosted by MX Player, Jha emphasised that filmmaking is a complete package for him. From sound recording and screenwriting to placing the lights, he takes a keen interest in everything that comes with filmmaking.

    His renowned works include Mrityudand, Gangajal, Apharan, Rajneeti, Chakravyuh, Aarakshan, Satyagrah, Aashram. Jha made his web series debut on OTT with the medium’s most-watched series, Aashram. The series’ 3rd season is slated to launch soon on MX Player.

    Jha also spoke of how he realized very early on in his career that acting is the most important part, and he should be able to communicate with the actors in their language.

    So, he started attending acting workshops by the best teachers in the world. He took workshops across Vienna, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Los Angeles and New York. He said, “I would quietly go and enrol myself as a student. And that’s how I understood an actor’s language. I have performed Shakespeare and other plays in classes, which gave me a lot of confidence.”

    But he exposed Indian actors saying, “I was disgusted with actors working here in India. They don’t know what acting is about. Till date, no actor has asked me questions about shoot days, shoot timings, locations, action sequences and more. And that’s the difference between Hollywood actors and Bollywood ones. The actors there attend workshops and keep on practising and improving their art.”

    Prakash Jha also stated that he keeps practising too as he enjoys the process and feels it’s much needed to keep the craft intact and will soon be seen in a lead role as an actor.

  • Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness creating magic at box office

    Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness creating magic at box office

    Mumbai: The summer movie season soared to a magical start thanks to “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.” The superhero action extravaganza grossed an estimated $185 million in ticket sales in its first weekend in US and Canadian theaters, the Walt Disney Co. said on Sunday.

    Not only did it more than double the opening of the first “Doctor Strange”, which opened to $85 million in 2016, but it’s also the biggest opener of the year, ahead of “The Batman’s” $134 million; the second biggest of the pandemic, behind “Spider-Man: Far From Home’s” $260.1 million; and the sixth biggest of all time globally.

    International markets are holding fast and setting new records. Friday added five more hubs to take the total to 49. India debuted the Sam Raimi-directed pic at $4.3 million for No. 1 and the fourth-highest Hollywood launch day of all time. Spain’s No. 1 start of $2.5 million is the best opening day of the pandemic and Turkey’s $700K set a benchmark for the top opening Friday in history. In total, “Doctor Strange and Multiverse of Madness” have already made a commanding $450 million.

    Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to “Doctor Strange” (2016) and the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Sam Raimi, written by Michael Waldron, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. In the film, Strange protects America Chavez (Gomez), a teenager capable of travelling the multiverse, from the villainous, Wanda Maximoff (Olsen).

    “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on 2 May, and was released in the United States on 6 May, as part of phase four of the MCU. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Raimi’s direction, the visual effects, musical score, and performances of the cast (particularly Cumberbatch, Olsen, and Gomez), although the pacing received some criticism. The film currently sits at 75 percent of fresh critics’ reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

    Spider-Man is at least partially to thank for the massive debut of “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness”: Benedict Cumberbatch’s powerful sorcerer appeared prominently in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, which has become the third biggest movie of all time since opening in December. Additionally, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff is seen as a plus in regards to attracting a potentially younger female demo than usual for an MCU title.

    Fanbase favourite, Sam Raimi stepped up to direct “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”, which reportedly cost around $200 million to make — though that number doesn’t account for the many more millions spent on marketing and promotion.

    The film also has a gigantic footprint. It’s playing in 4,534 theaters in the US and Canada alone, which according to Disney is the seventh widest opening ever. Premium format screens, including IMAX and 3D, accounted for 36 percent of the overall box office.

    “This is a total win for the industry for whom the last two summers almost didn’t exist in terms of box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “Marvel has been kicking off summers for over a decade. This is a return to normalcy.”

    The success of “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” only helps build momentum for the big summer movies on the way, like “Top Gun: Maverick” on 27 May. “We’ve got a real summer movie season on our hands, something we couldn’t have imagined two years ago,” Dergarabedian said. “It’s been a long time coming.”

    There was little left for other movies playing in theaters. Part of that is due to the fact that many multiplexes chose to pack their theaters with wall-to-wall “Doctor Strange” screenings. 

    Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “The Bad Guys” fell to second place in its third weekend with an estimated $9.8 million, while “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”, from Paramount, landed in third with $6.2 million.

    “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” took fourth with $3.9 million, bringing its domestic total to $86 million. And in fifth place was another multiverse-themed film, “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” It had a slight dip in its seventh weekend but is still speeding along with an additional $3.3 million from 1,542 screens in its seventh weekend in theaters. The A24 film has grossed $41.6 million in total.

  • Cannes 2022: India to be official ‘country of honour’ at Cannes Marche’ Du Film

    Cannes 2022: India to be official ‘country of honour’ at Cannes Marche’ Du Film

    Mumbai: India will be the official country of honour at the upcoming Marche’ Du Film organised alongside the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France, announced union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Wednesday.

     “It is the first time the Marché du Film has an official country of honour, and this special focus will continue annually with different nations in the spotlight at future editions,”  Thakur said.

    Notably, France and India are also marking 75 years of their diplomatic ties. Prime minister Narendra Modi recently visited Paris to meet with president Emmanuel Macron.

    As a country of honour, India’s cinema, culture and heritage will come under the spotlight during the opening night of Marche Du Films being organised by the Majestic Beach. There will be special performances by Indian choir bands along with folk music and fireworks. The cuisine served will be Indian as well as French.

    The I&B minister also announced five new startups would be given an opportunity to pitch to the audio-visual industry at Cannes Next, a business development platform. Ten professionals will participate in the animation day networking.

    The Cannes Film Festival will also feature the premiere of the movie “Rocketry” produced by R Madhavan. The film will be showcased at the Palais des Festivals on 19 May.

    India has pitched five films under the ‘Goes to Cannes Section’ including “Baghjan” by Jaicheng Zxai Dohutia (Assamese, Moran), “Bailadila” by Shailendra Sahu (Hindi, Chhatisgarhi), “Ek Jagah Apni” by Ektara Collective (Hindi), “Follower” by Harshad Nalawade (Marathi, Kannada, Hindi), “Shivamma” by Jai Shankar (Kannada).

    A cinema hall called the ‘Olympia Screen’ has been dedicated to India on 22 May for the screening of unreleased movies under which five films have been selected.

    The festival will also screen Satyajit Ray classic “Pratidwandi’ in celebration of the centenary of the Bengali director at the Cannes Classic section Cinéma de la plage.

    A dedicated India forum i.e., a one-hour conference is being organised at the main stage, comprising leaders in the entertainment sector to discuss ‘India as the content hub of the world’. The forum will be streamed online.

    The minister also noted that the India Pavilion at the festival will have the sole focus on branding India as the ‘content hub of the world.’ The pavilion will be inaugurated on 18 May and will showcase Indian cinema across linguistic, cultural and regional diversities of the country and will serve as a networking platform for delegates from across the global community, aiming to establish international partnerships in film shooting, distribution, production, script development, technology, promoting film sales and syndication.

  • Cinema can play a major role in nation branding initiatives: Anurag Thakur

    Cinema can play a major role in nation branding initiatives: Anurag Thakur

    Mumbai: The union minister of information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said that the globalisation of Indian cinema aided by a large diaspora has played a role in promoting India’s public diplomacy.

    He said, “We need to promote a public-private partnership to brand India using the power of our film fraternity and the power of India to create the content and become the content sub-continent of the world.”

    The minister addressed a valedictory session during a two-day seminar in Mumbai organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and FLAME University, Pune. “Cinema, as a soft power, can play a major role in nation branding initiatives,” said Thakur in the video message. “Indian film industry and the government today recognise the potential of culture at the highest level. Depiction of one’s culture is a very strong component of any country’s soft power.”

    The minister noted that the capacity of a nation to make themselves attractive in a global marketplace for ideas has become an important aspect of contemporary international relations. He observed that rapid liberalization, deregulation, privatization of the media and culture industry have transformed the film industry in India over the past few decades, and at the same time the expansion of global digital media industries and distribution technologies have ensured that Indian entertainment channels and films are increasingly visible in the global media space.

    “Today, Hindi films are released simultaneously across the globe and its stars are recognised faces in international advertising and entertainment space,” he said. “Even the far-flung African countries are fascinated by our movies and music. We know about countries like Nigeria where the Nollywood market takes a lot of inspiration from Indian Cinema; Bollywood has also expanded in uncharted countries like Latin America; our cinema is making inroads into countries like South Korea, Japan, China,” he added.

    The minister also highlighted the role being played by Indian language cinema and stated, “It is not just the Hindi movies, but also the films in Indian languages that are getting a vast audience nationally and internationally.”

    ICCR president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, while addressing the gathering, advocated for institutional arrangements for subtitling Indian films in several foreign languages, particularly in the languages of countries where India’s cultural influence is strong such as Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan etc. He announced that ICCR will organise a national seminar on foreign language training in India and soft power.

    He said, we can pitch our language cinema to the NRIs (non-resident Indians), who are nostalgic about the culture that they left behind. A category such as ‘soft power promotion friendly films’ could be introduced in film awards. “Those films that show a comprehensive and correct understanding of India could be awarded under the category”, he added.

  • Inox Leisure reports Rs 706 crore revenues in FY22

    Inox Leisure reports Rs 706 crore revenues in FY22

    Mumbai: Inox Leisure Ltd has announced the results for the financial year (FY) 2021-2022 as well as the fourth quarter (Q4) ended on 31 March. The company’s total revenues for the year stood at Rs 706 crore and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBIDTA) at Rs 87 crore. The company reported profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 164 crore.

    Inox reported advertising revenues of Rs 34 crore “indicating a revival in the preference for cinema advertising,” said the statement.

    The company added another 32 new screens during the financial year and plans to add another 16 properties with 77 screens in FY2. Inox operates 161 multiplexes with 681 screens across 72 cities.

    Inox Leisure reported that 23 million guests visited its cinema properties in FY22 and it recorded its highest ever average ticket price (ATP) of Rs 217 against Rs 170 in the previous financial year. The company also reported highest ever spends per head of Rs 91 up from Rs 77 in the previous FY.

    Inox reported revenues of Rs 325 crore in Q4 FY22 with EBIDTA at Rs 21 crore and PAT at Rs 12 crore. During the quarter exhibited blockbuster films such as “Valimai,” “Bheemla Nayak,” “Gangubai Kathiawadi,” “The Kashmir Files,” “Radhe Shyam,” and “RRR.” Its ATP for the quarter stood at Rs 218 and spends per head stood at Rs 86 whereas occupancy stood at 24 per cent. The company stated that 11 million guests visited Inox cinemas during the quarter. In March 2022, the company reported its highest ever box office and food and beverage (F&B) collection in a single month.

    During the quarter, the company launched a digital wallet called Inox InstaPay that enabled users to make ticket and F&B purchases in return for rewards. It also announced a merger with India’s leading cinema exhibition chain PVR.

  • Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty announce a biopic on Mumbai cop Rakesh Maria

    Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty announce a biopic on Mumbai cop Rakesh Maria

    Mumbai: Reliance Entertainment and Rohit Shetty collaborate to produce a biopic on one of Mumbai’s most revered top cops and former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Rakesh Maria. The biopic will be based on the experiences of his accomplished career and will be mentored by the ace filmmaker, Rohit Shetty himself.

    Talking about the announcement, Rohit Shetty producer & director said, “Rakesh Maria: The man who stared terror in the face for 36 years!! His incredible journey spans all the way from the 1993 blasts in Mumbai, the underworld menace, to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. Feel truly honoured to be bringing this real-life super cop’s brave & fearless journey to the screen!!”

    Rakesh Maria, an IPS officer, cleared his civil service examination from the 1981 batch. As Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in 1993, he cracked the Bombay serial blasts case, and later moved to DCP (Crime) and then joint commissioner of police (Crime) of the Mumbai Police.

    Maria solved the 2003 Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar twin blasts case. He was also given the responsibility of investigating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008 and interrogated Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive, and successfully investigated the case.

    Rakesh Maria commented, “It is exciting to relive the journey, especially when piloted by a brilliant director like Rohit Shetty. More than the nostalgia, it’s also a valuable opportunity to place before the people the extraordinary work of the Mumbai Police when facing tough challenges and working against all odds.”

  • PVR ties up with France-based ŌMA Cinema to introduce ‘cinema pods’ in India

    PVR ties up with France-based ŌMA Cinema to introduce ‘cinema pods’ in India

    Mumbai: Homegrown film exhibition company PVR Cinemas has entered into an exclusive tie-up with France-based Ōma Cinema to introduce the premium concept of ‘cinema pods’ in India. The announcement was made at CinemaCon 2022 in Las Vegas which is the largest gathering of film theater owners from around the world.

    Ōma Cinema was created by renowned French architect Pierre Chican, who has designed some of the most cutting-edge cinemas in France over the last 30 years. Inspired by the design of the great theatres and opera houses, Ōma Cinema’s unique tiered balconies, or “pods,” enable viewers to enjoy a unique, sociable, cinema experience whilst enjoying a perfect view of the screen.

    “We are excited to bring about the unique and proprietary concept of cinema pods to India with this exclusive tie-up with PVR,” commented Ōma Cinema founder and president Pierre Chican. “Our designs ensure that each pod within the auditoria is unique and designed to perfection. The world of films and fantasy now has another feather in its cap!”

    Recently, PVR launched India’s first rooftop drive-in theatre at Jio World Drive in Mumbai in association with Reliance Jio Drive-In as well as Maison PVR. A six-screen uber-luxury multiplex cinema offers three intrinsically designed concepts, an exclusive colour theme in each of the three premium audis, ‘Luxe’ screens, a viewing room for private screenings. PVR also expanded its luxury formats with the launch of the Director’s Cut in Haryana.

    “We have always been at the forefront of design architecture and innovative concepts, to ensure that our patrons get to experience the magic of movies and create happy memories every time they visit the cinemas,” said PVR Ltd chief growth and strategy officer Pramod Arora. “An option to have a private movie party with friends and family, OMA pods shall be your own space offering an unmatched bespoke experience of watching a film on a very large screen alongside specially crafted F&B options. Many corporates have been used to their own box at sporting events in stadia and now they shall have an option to have one in a cinema too.”