Category: Movies

MUMBAI: After several years of co-productions and joint investments, the two most prominent global film industries – Hollywood and Bollywood signed a historic declaration between the city of Los Angeles and the Indian film industry at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. The two parties also supported the creation of the Los Angeles-India Film Council to increase Indian film production in Los Angeles.

As part of the declaration, the city of Los Angeles and the Indian film industry, represented by the Film and Television Producers Guild of India and the Film Federation of India, agree to develop and strengthen motion picture production, distribution, technology, content protection and commercial cooperation between the two filmmaking communities.

Speaking at the event, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, “This declaration reinforces our city‘s commitment to attracting international production. During the year, we have already seen Hindi movies such as My Name is Khan and Kites filmed in Los Angeles and we enthusiastically welcome further Indian production in Los Angeles.”

Mayor Villaraigosa was joined by California Film Commissioner Amy Lemisch, Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey, Motion Picture Association Asia Pacific President Mike Ellis and Motion Picture Association India Managing Director Rajiv Dalal along with Bobby Bedi, L. Suresh and representatives from Reliance Big Entertainment and UTV Motion Pictures who represented the Hindi film industry.

Commented Motion Pictures Association India managing director, Rajiv Dalal, “More than 2.4 million people in America and 1.8 million people in India work in the motion picture and television industry. We look forward to continued commercial cooperation with the U.S. film industry on joint investment and co-productions, which will only increase economic development and job growth in both nations.”

This is the second major step towards economic development and cooperation between Hollywood and the Indian film industry this year.

In March, the two industries came together in Mumbai to launch the Alliance Against Copyright Theft (AACT), a Bollywood-Hollywood content protection coalition in India.

MUMBAI: The collection figures during pre-Diwali period between Navratri festival and Diwali are always very dull. Watching cinema is least of people’s priorities during this time. No wonder then that all the films released during this period have fallen like nine pins.

The only film that got a head start was Salman Khan’s Dabangg which established its merits before the Navratri festival began.

Dabangg had a glorious opening weekend and completed the first week run with Rs 807.97 million gross followed by Rs 371.22 million in second week, Rs 164.19 million in third and Rs 35.84 million in its fourth week.

The film totalled Rs 1.38 billion gross, amounting to a net take home of about Rs 760 million which would stand at second highest after 3 Idiots.

The total recovery of Dabangg for the producers should easily touch Rs 1 billion with music rights accounting for Rs 60 million, domestic video for about Rs 20 million, overseas fetching Rs 37.5 million and satellite rights billed at Rs 130 million.

The film did not have many takers for overseas and domestic rights and they were sold cheap. However, the prices for satellite rights and music were revised upwards after the film’s tremendous response.

MUMBAI: Veteran Al Pacino is shortly coming to India to shoot Love MeForever that he himself is writing and producing. For location-scouting, Pacino intends visiting Nainital and Mussorie.

The film will have Pacino play a reclusive writer who slips away from his world of chaos and becomes nature-friendly that serves as an inspiration for his next book.

The film will also have Meryl Streep playing the role of an activist who never fears to standup for people’s rights. It is heard that her role has been modeled around the life of Mother Teresa.

Several Hollywood stars like John Travolta, Oliver Stone, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Britney Spears have earlier come to India either for a visit or for filming purposes.
 

MUMBAI: The Diwali week is a sought after slot for major film releases. This Diwali had two major films lined up for release, both in the comedy genre.

While Golmaal 3 enjoyed a sort of brand equity edge since the earlier two versions have fared well, Action Replayy just failed to ignite the imaginations either in the trade circles or, when released, of the movie buffs.

Diwali day is usually dull for cinema halls and the collections pick up only a day after. Accordingly, the all India Friday collections of Action Replayy were a meagre Rs 17 million, Golmaal 3 registered a decent Rs 60 million.

On Saturday, both films leapfrogged with Action Replayy collecting Rs 78 million and Golmaal 3 raking in Rs 177.3 million. On Sunday, Action Replayy managed Rs 50 million, facing rejection, while Golmaal 3 managed to collect Rs 165 million.

Golmaal 3 has, thus, collected Rs 402.3 million for the opening weekend while Action Replayy got Rs 145 million.

Golmaal 3 is the first film to cross the Rs 400 million mark after Dabangg which had collected Rs 470 million in its opening weekend.
 

MUMBAI: Producer Ekta Kapoor‘s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai was just completing its 100-day run when news came in that Kapoor and her director Milan Luthria have already started working on its sequel.

“The response to Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai has been overwhelming and with Love Sex Aur Dhokha earlier this year, we‘ve clearly shown our versatility and mettle as creative producers. I‘m sure a sequel to Once Upon… isn‘t far. We are thankful for the support received both from the audience and trade alike,‘ said Kapoor in a press statement. 

Directed by Milan Luthria, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai was released on 30 July. This film had Ajay Devgn killed and it was said that if ever there was a sequel Emraan Hashmi would be the main protagonist, but a few changes in the script has prompted his exit from the sequel.

“Working on Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai has been a wonderful experience. It was a great collaboration of my creative experience and strong production and marketing expertise of Balaji Motion Pictures that helped transform my vision into the end-product we saw on screen,” commented Luthria.

On the female front, Kapoor has made up her mind to have another actress in the sequel.
 

MUMBAI: India‘s first day creature-based horror film Kaalo was screened recently at the 6th Annual South African Halloween Horror Festival that was held from 28 October to 5 November at Cape Town.

Produced by the husband and wife team of Yash and Mamta Patnaik under the banner of Beyond Dreams Entertainment, the film has been directed by Wilson Louis based on his own screenplay. 

Shot exclusively in the deserts of Rajasthan, the film revolves around a deadly witch creature attacking a bus full of tourists in the deserts of Rajasthan for the killing of a young girl played by Shwini Khare. Avers Louis, ” The witch hunts for small girls whom it later sacrifices for its own purpose.”

The film is due for a 17 December release.