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Tag: Shah Rukh Khan

  • Celebrities & brands in 2015: The changing dynamics

    Celebrities & brands in 2015: The changing dynamics

    MUMBAI: Celebrities and brands go hand in hand and so do celebrities and controversies! No sooner has a celeb publicly said something even remotely scandalous, blasphemous, startling or offensive knowingly or unknowingly than a controversy has erupted… one which doesn’t take too much time to snowball into a “grave national issue” to be discussed on prime time across news channels! 

     

    And 2015 was one such year that saw many a celebs facing the wrath of the common man for putting their foot in their mouth on more occasions than one. Be it Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, they’ve all had their moment in the spotlight and for all the wrong reasons. When a controversy breaks, after the celebrity, the next thing that gets affected is either their unreleased movie or the brands that they endorse.

     

    Last year was a significant year when it comes to celebrity endorsements. While there weren’t any path breaking innovations, a few memorable campaigns like Tanishq Divyam’s Diwali campaign featuring Deepika Padukone and her family, Shah Rukh Khan’s Yepme campaign and Ranbir Kapoor in Saavn’s TVC commercial kept up the excitement quotient. There’s no denying the fact that an ad’s reach becomes tenfold when a celebrity gets onboard. From automobiles, life insurances to washing powders and vests — there’s not a single category left that hasn’t yielded to star power. But it was not all merry in endorsement land as several cases of endorsements gone wrong popped up in 2015.

     

    Brand endorsements that went wrong:

     

    Interestingly, while it is hard to name any celebrity brand campaign that stood out in 2015, one can easily name the ones that made it to the headlines for all the wrong reasons. We saw Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being hurdled with racial discrimination allegations for her Kalyan Jewellers ad.

     

    That aside, one of the biggest example would be Nestle’s Maggi, which came under the radar over permissible amount of lead in it. Several celebrities who had promoted the brand in the past, especially Madhuri Dixit and Amitabh Bachchan had to face the wrath of netizens for endorsing a brand that may have been harmful.

     

    So what do we take home from these instances of endorsements gone wrong (if they are)?

     

    “Not to ride on media wave and add to mass hysteria,” says KWAN Entertainment and Marketing Solutions CEO and MD Anirban Das Blah. “A lot of all the so called controversial brand endorsements we saw in 2015 were more of a media cook up than a real issue. Moreover, almost all of them had nothing to do with the celebrities, who endorsed the product.”

     

    Acknowledging the moral responsibility of a celebrity in carefully choosing the brands they endorse, Blah simply asks, “If a certain product is considered harmful for consumption, aren’t the dealers and shopkeepers who sold it for so many years equally or more responsible?”

     

    According to Blah’s observation, celebrities do their research with whatever information is available to the public. Unless one is expecting them to conduct their own lab test, one can’t really point a finger at them for supporting a brand they know to be true. “I also feel that the media needs to be more responsible in how it reports these issues instead of riding on the power of social media trends and ignoring the facts,” he adds.

     

    However, it is not always the celebrities who are at the far end of the stick. We saw the flip side of the relationship when, spurned by Aamir Khan’s public statement, several netizens took to social media to boycott his biggest endorsed brand of 2015 – Snapdeal. The Rs 30 crore deal, which took Aamir Khan to the fifth spot in the Forbes list of celebrities as per brand value, came under trial when several threatened to boycott the online shopping portal if the brand didn’t ‘snap’ its relationship with the star.

     

    Madison Mates CEO Darshana Bhalla, who handled the deal between Snapdeal and Khan, shares her take away from the entire incident. “In a situation like that of Snapdeal and Aamir Khan, the brand has got to hand hold. If they are distinctly sure of the communication, which came with having Aamir Khan on board, then even if there are ups and downs either from the brand’s side or the celebrity’s side, they have got to stay on. Because it is after a lot of analysis that the two parties have embarked on their journey together.”

     

    While Snapdeal issued an official statement saying that it was neither connected nor played a role in comments made by Aamir Khan in his personal capacity, at the end of the day, their association survived the storm.

     

    Changing ball game:

     

    What’s changing the game is undoubtedly the emergence of digital as an advertisement platform. A clear shift from the traditional to the digital medium has been seen and more so in 2015. More and more brands are moving from plastering vanilla deals through electronic and print media to YouTube and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for their trend value.

     

    What does that imply for celebrity endorsements? Multi-platform entertainment management company, Exceed CEO Uday Singh says that it offers a sea change in the way endorsements are looked at.

     

    “Earlier we used see celebrities at several on-ground activation events. Getting a big star onboard generally would guarantee several hundred footfall for the events. But times have changed now. Now instead of on-ground activation, online activations are being preferred. If a brand can get an Amitabh Bachchan onboard, who has one of the highest number of followers on social media, a single message from him can reach millions of people. The beauty further lies in the fact that the result is instantaneous and measurable,” Singh explains, adding that he finds the current changes in the advertisement sphere quite exciting.

     

    When asked if the standard for hiring a star to communicate a message for a brand would eventually depend on their social media traction, Singh says, “The parameters aren’t that singular. There are more than one or two factors, which marketers and brand managers consider when signing a deal with a celebrity. The person has to stand for something and has to be relatable to the brand’s target group.”

     

    Seconding Singh, Bhalla adds, “Between 2014 and 2015, the industry saw a slight paradigm shift in how advertising is treated. We noticed a unique focus on multiple platforms viz-a-viz electronic and print ads that we were so used to. Digital and mobile phones have made advertising more personal and targeted. The rapid growth of e-commerce has also led to an increased traction on digital platforms. Stress is given on content and brands are opting for a more narrative approach to their brand communication that emotionally connects consumers with the products. This opens a huge opportunity for celebrity endorsements. Celebrities have an advantage when it comes to forming those bonds and connecting with consumers emotionally,” she says.

     

    Celebrity or not, the 30 second TVC formula is a dying breed, says Blah. The advertising world is fast moving to digital and soon mobile will outdo television in terms of reach. Bhalla says, “The growing need to have a personal connect with consumers will lead brands to take the celebrity approach as well.”

     

    Noticing the shift in the way a brand endorsement is approached, Blah adds, “Gone are the days when actors were required to fit into a type cast to be able to join the brand wagon. Where action heroes would address certain brands, while actresses would represent glamorous products. Today, endorsements are not strategic calls but a tactical necessity on the part of the marketers to retain their USP, and celebrities are nothing more than the models who act in the TVCs, albeit with a larger reach that the marketer needs.”

     

    The number game:

     

    What exactly is a successful celebrity campaign? Is it by its content, how many calls the brand’s sales teams get after the campaign, or by how long people retain an ad in their memory.

     

    “While talking about a good campaign done with a celebrity, we are often caught analysing the creative input and the content, which is a subjective matter, if you ask me. Creatively appealing or not, ultimately what matters is how much a particular campaign and a star’s presence has helped the brand achieve its communication target. In short, how many sales call they receive,” Bhalla puts across straightforwardly.

     

    With relevance as the key, the profit and loss effect of an ambassador over a brand is the ultimate judge of that celebrity’s brand value. Going by that formula, Bhalla acknowledges that Snapdeal has worked really well for Aamir Khan, not to mention it was one of the highest grossing endorsement deals of the year worth approximately Rs 30 crore.

     

    Perhaps it has to do with the actor preferring to sign at least a year or two long contracts, instead of per day deals like most celebrities. “Ranbir Kapoor and Aamir Khan are two celebrities, who prefer to sign long term campaigns and only come onboard with a brand with brand communication in mind. This also puts them on the top of the list of highest paid celebrities for endorsements,” Bhalla says.

     

    An executive from a celebrity brand management company shares on condition of anonymity that if one were to break up these two actors’ endorsement fees on a per day basis, Aamir Khan can charge up to Rs 3 – 4 crore per day for an endorsement, while Ranbir Kapoor can ask for Rs 2.5 – 3 crore.

     

    “The high rates don’t necessarily effect a celebrity’s net earnings from endorsements. While Aamir and Ranbir charge a ton for a single endorsement, they are not onboard with too many brands,” says Blah.

     

    On the other hand, actors like Shah Rukh Khan, who recently reclaimed his top rank in the Forbes list of Indian celebrities in terms brand value in 2015, may be working with over 25 brands at a time. Sources share that SRK commands anything between Rs 2 – 3 crore as his per day endorsement fee.

     

    While Blah asserts that SRK seldom strikes a long term deal with a brand, Singh begs to differ. “There is a certain charm about Shah Rukh Khan for which brands can’t leave him. His long term association with Videocon shows that the actor must be doing something right for them to be carrying on with him. Even brands like Tag Heuer, which have recently signed Ranbir Kapoor for one of their promotions, are still continuing with their contract with Shah Rukh Khan. He is undoubtedly the king in the endorsement world in India,” stresses Singh.

     

    Going by the figures shared by a source, who works closely with the stars, SRK, Aamir and Ranbir are closely followed by Salman Khan with a per day endorsement fee of Rs 2 – 2.5 crore. On the other hand, cricketers Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, actors Deepika Padukone and Akshay Kumar all charge in the range of Rs 1.2 crore approximately, followed by Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor at Rs 1 crore. Endorsement fees of actors like Shahid Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra fall in the Rs 75 lakhs per day range.

     

    While the Khans continue to lead the number game, even though the year wasn’t the best for the Dabangg hit-maker, industry experts unanimously agree that Akhtar emerged as the new face of endorsement for several brands in 2015.

     

    “He has carved a niche market for himself as an urban man in a scenario where every other actor is either too young or has too much mass appeal. Brands looking for a man of credibility to communicate for their premium products, have only so many options to choose from. This was a market initially led by Saif Ali Khan, and now Farhan Akhtar is doing amazing well for similar products like Asian Paints and Chivas,” says Blah.

     

    Another new kid on the block to watch out for, says Singh, is Varun Dhawan. “The boy has chosen his films very carefully. While he has done roles that strike a chord with a masses, he has also appealed to the niche market. Starting with 2015, one can look forward to seeing him in several brand campaigns in the upcoming year as well.”

     

    When it comes to newcomers and new faces, 2015 has been a busy year for the likes of Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Shraddha Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandes says Blah, adding that these ladies will continue to command television screen time, visibility through OOH campaigns as well as digital footprints in 2016 as well.

     

    Over all, experts foresee an exciting year ahead for celebrity endorsements albeit with their share of controversies.

     

    As long as India remains a country that is driven by visual communication for quick and effective reach, celebrity endorsements will continue to dominate the advertising space, be it electronic, print or digital.

  • Box Office: ‘Bajirao Mastani’ tots Rs 132 crore; ‘Dilwale’ collects Rs 127 crore

    Box Office: ‘Bajirao Mastani’ tots Rs 132 crore; ‘Dilwale’ collects Rs 127 crore

    MUMBAI: There has not been a single new release in last two weeks and the only two films in contention are Dilwale and Bajirao Mastani, which released simultaneously on 18 December, 2015. Both films have been generating box office revenue to an extent, subtle, but not enough to justify the high investments they entailed. Both the films enjoyed an open three week run sans new releases and the Christmas holiday’s week as a bonus.

     

    The media created race between Dilwale and Bajirao Mastani did not mean much as it was not about getting the better of other film as much as it was about reaching the target. That of recouping the investments.

     

    Dilwale paid the price for Shah Rukh Khan’s loose talk and the loss of single screen slots and while the film opened reasonably well, it could not maintain the pace thereafter. It continued to sustain with decent collections but no windfall happened despite the Christmas week. The film, which opened with Rs 22 crore opening day, started tapering down and sank into below ten digit figures as the week progresses.

     

    The film collected Rs 30.4 crore for its second week and took its two week total to Rs 126.7 crore.

     

    Bajirao Mastani, a very high priced product, made more impact on the social media than at the cinema halls. The film’s best performance, as expected, came from Western India and the elite multiplexes elsewhere. While, Delhi UP figures are usually 50 per cent of Bombay Circuit, in UP had rejected the film. It also had to do with the casting as well as the film having a regional flavour. 

     

    The film opened on a weak note and though it maintained the collections at around Rs 8 – 10 crore through the week, which, it seems, won’t be enough for the ultimate target.

     

    After its first week tally of Rs 81.8 crore, the film had a stable run at the box office and collected Rs 50.3 crore in its second week taking its two week tally to Rs 132.1 crore. Still, far away from the target.

  • Mukesh Ambani flags off ambitious digital initiative – Reliance Jio

    Mukesh Ambani flags off ambitious digital initiative – Reliance Jio

    MUMBAI: On the eve of the 83rd birth anniversary of the family patriarch Dhirubhai Ambani, Reliance Infocom Limited (RIL) launched Jio, Mukesh Ambani’s most ambitious digital initiative designed to deliver hi-speed connectivity and 4G broadband services in every nook and corner of India, to its one lakh-plus employees and their families.

    The star-studded event, which featured Shah Rukh Khan and Academy-winning music director A R Rahman, saw many a firsts. The event saw the third-generation of Ambanis – twins Isha and Akash – taking centre-stage and welcoming the audience. It was also the first Employee-only, Partner-Consumer initiative ever to have happened in the history of corporate India, with over a lakh employees spread across a 1,072 centres across India, and one in Dallas, US, connected to the launch event at RCP on Jio’s own hi-speed network. Through two-way video conferencing, RIL chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani interacted with employees, who were watching the event from distant places.

    The participants, all of whom where RIL and Jio’s employees hailed from varied cultural backgrounds located in diverse geographies. The motto: One India. One RIL. One Jio. One for all and all for one – resounded at the venue.

    RIL launch event was reflective of a miniature India, where people from all walks of life and from various backgrounds engaged simultaneously. With this employee launch, Jio became the common strand that runs through every single employee, entwining them together.

    Speaking on the occasion,  Ambani said, “Friends, today on the eve of the 83rd birthday of Dhirubhai, it is my proud privilege to invite all our Reliance families and friends to be the first to experience Jio’s services. While you enjoy Jio Digital Life, I am also counting on you, as part of my family, to be part of co-creating the best experience for all our customers. I am sure that when you experience the next generation service of Reliance Jio – you will spread the word.” 

    Iterating his confidence in the youth of India, he further added, “India and Indians cannot afford to be left behind in this new world. India is ranked around 150 in the Internet and mobile broadband penetration out of 230 countries; Jio is conceived to change this. 1.3 billion Indians cannot be left behind as the world enters a new era. We have the youngest population in the world. Give them the tools. Give them the skills. Give them the environment. They will surprise us. It is this opportunity to transform the lives of our 1.3 billion Indians that motivated Reliance to enter this space. And Jio is the result. Jio will help advance and realise the potential of every Indian and India. I have no doubt that with the launch of Jio, India’s rank will go up from around 150 to among the top 10 in the next few years for internet and mobile broadband penetration.”

    The event also saw the Old Reliance, the traditional projects and production powerhouse (B2B), joining hands with the New Reliance, the consumer-facing business of retail and digital services (B2C), to celebrate the employee launch of Jio, elevating them all on to a common digital platform where they will be living the same Digital Life. 

    The event was unique in another aspect. Digital townhalls of large corporates and multinationals usually involve only the top bosses. This is the first time a company has involved every single one of its employees, from the lowest rung right to the top, and their families in the town hall event. The corporate world has never witnessed anything like this before.

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the commercial launch of Reliance Jio is slated for March – April 2016.

  • Reliance Jio appoints Shah Rukh Khan as brand ambassador

    Reliance Jio appoints Shah Rukh Khan as brand ambassador

    MUMBAI: Shah Rukh Khan will soon be seen as the face of Mukesh Ambani’s telecom services brand Reliance Jio, which is slated for a soft launch next week.

     

    Khan, who earlier endorsed rival telecom brand Airtel, will be present at Reliance Jio’s soft launch on 27 December, which is also the eve of Dhirubhai Ambani’s birth anniversary.

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Reliance Jio will be handing out two lakhs cards to hand-picked ‘privileged’ people as a part of the soft launch. The commercial roll-out of the telecom service is expected by March 2016.

     

    On 27 December, Khan will be unveiling the Reliance Jio brand along with the company’s employees. AR Rahman will also be a part of the launch.

  • Box Office: ‘Dilwale’ pips ‘Bajirao Mastani’ to collect Rs 63.6 crore in opening weekend

    Box Office: ‘Dilwale’ pips ‘Bajirao Mastani’ to collect Rs 63.6 crore in opening weekend

    MUMBAI: The much hyped Shah Rukh Khan – Kajol starrer Dilwale suffered heavily due to protests leading to cancellation of screenings at various cinemas in many cities following ‘intolerance’ comments from Khan and resultant anger among people.

     

    Nonetheless, Dilwale has managed to pip the other multi-starrer release Bajirao Mastani starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra to collect Rs 63.6 crore at the box office in its opening weekend.

     

    Dilwale’s collections were satisfactory on its opening day though they could have been much better. On day two, there was no improvement. The agitation and appeals to people to keep away from the film through social media, Whatsapp, SMSs etc could be a reason why some cautious people may have thought it prudent to keep away from cinema halls screening the film. The movie’s collections are showing a drop today (Monday).

     

    On the other hand, Bajirao Mastani met with mixed response to extremes; while some even called it a masterpiece, others found it outright bad. The movie collected Rs 43.2 crore in its first three days. While the casting of the film affected its opening day footfalls, the reactions after the release of the film only added to these feeling. The film had a weak opening on day one and showed a marginal improvement on Saturday and a marked rise on Sunday but has dropped today (Monday). The film was not able to cash in on agitations against the other release of the week, Dilwale which faced cancelled shows at many places.

     

    The Silent Heroes, a film about training of deaf and dumb students to venture into mountaineering, failed to register.

     

    Hate Story 3 continued its stronghold on the box office. The film has collected Rs 9.45 crore in its second week taking its two week total to Rs 44.85 crore.

     

    Angry Indian Goddesses collects Rs 75 lakh in the second week to take its two week total to Rs 2.25 crore.

  • ‘Dilwale:’ A fair entertainer

    ‘Dilwale:’ A fair entertainer

    Rohit Shetty and Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment join hands again to come up with Dilwale and make what Shetty makes best, an entertainer! 

    Shetty sticks to his proven track of comedy, action, blown-up cars flying high and some romance. To their credit, the makers have used many checks and balances; in script as well as casting. For instance, Khan doing traditional romance would not be readily palatable so his love story is about a past romance rekindled. And, who better than Kajol, his love in the legendary, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge? This has definitely generated interest in people and was also handy to plot the film’s promotion.

    The other balancing move is to also cast a young romantic pair, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, to cater to the youth, which contribute to a great extent in making such a film successful.

    Khan is the adopted son of don, Vinod Khanna. He is at loggerheads with another don, Kabir Bedi. Both operate out of Bulgaria. They play cat and mouse games, outwitting and stealing each other’s consignments. Khan is the star of Khanna gang and manages to steal a huge consignment of gold belonging to Bedi. The enmity only deepens. 

    On one of his outings with members of his gang following him in various cars, Khan’s car knocks down Kajol. He is charmed and gradually falls in love with her. The song and dance routine follows and soon both are ready to tie the knot. Before that, it is Kajol’s birthday and she wants him to be present. However, he has to ferry the gold he stole from Bedi across the border to Romania. She is upset till he promises to be back in time for her birthday celebrations. But, that is not to be as Khan is attacked while on his mission and injured badly. 

    He recovers. In fact, there are recoveries of all kinds, emotional as well. Khanna readily accepts Khan’s wish to marry Kajol and eventually, so does Bedi. Khanna and Khan are invited over to Bedi’s place. While Khanna is willing to forget the enmity, Bedi has other ideas. He wants to stop the wedding as well as settle the scores by killing his guests. A shoot out follows. While Khan is busy shooting the rookies, Khanna and Bedi shoot each other a la Duel At OK Corral, both shooting at each other from few feet apart. Both die. 

    Kajol steps in as the shootings are over only to see Bedi killed and thinks Khan did it. She shoots at him but Khan is a survivor. 

    Kajol has now left town with her kid sister to tend to her. Khan wants to clear her misunderstanding but she is untraceable. Khan and his two loyals decide to exit the business of don-giri and live a normal life. His men start a restaurant while Khan decides to take up remodeling of cars. The kid brother, who grows up to Dhawan, is brought back from the hostel where he was housed to keep him away from the life of violence.

    It is Dhawan’s time to fall in love. A new migrant in his town from Bengaluru, Sanon, is stalled because her Scooty would not move. She has to rush to the local authorities to seek a license for a restaurant. Dhawan happens to pass by and is ready to help. After that, he stalks her, fills her with lies about his tyrant brother and his pitiable life. Self-pity stories usually work with girls. It works on her too. The couple is in love and it is time to talk to their respective parents/ guardians.

    Khan is invited to Sanon’s house to meet her sister, her guardian. When Khan goes to meet her, there is a shock awaiting him; the sister is none other than Kajol who rejects the proposal for her sister. And, as has been her habit, warns Khan: “Next time I see you, I will kill you.” She always carries a firearm. The film plays like a family drama for a while till the misconceptions of Kajol are cleared and, while Dhawan – Sanon romance gets the green signal to bloom, that of Khan – Kajol is rekindled. 

    It is a usual Shetty script. The events may jump from one to another and from present to past but, on the whole, they keep you entertained. It follows the logic or lack of it of classic Manmohan Desai and David Dhawan films. Shetty is among very few directors who believes in entertainment. His casting is creditable. While the goons and lackeys in his films are also recognised faces, even for small roles he has cast Khanna and Bedi. And, for lighter moments, there are Boman Irani, Johnny Lever, Sanjay Mishra and the likes who all fit the bill aptly. 

    What also works is the music with some popular numbers: the Gherua song is a much played number already, Janam janam and Tujhse pyar… are soothing while Manma emotion jaage… has total youth appeal. In short, the music works for the film.

    Choreography has appeal. Photography captures the pleasant locations well. Editing is rarely satisfying ever and the same applies here.

    As for acting, the Khan – Kajol pairing may not be all that it used to be, but both try their best. Acting wise, both do well. Dhawan is fine in both silly scenes as well as emotional ones, Sanon makes her presence felt. 

    Dilwale is sure to get better opening day as well as the weekend footfalls as its opposition is a different genre film, which is not universally popular in India.

    The film caters to both, the Khan and Kajol fans as well as new, youth following of Dhawan. The fatwa against Khan andDilwale by various groups may affect the film for a day or so, so would the extreme cold wave in the country, especially in the North. However, the film will also enjoy a three week open run including the Christmas and the New Year week until when there is no new release in sight. And by that time the fatwas would have passed their expiry dates.

    Producer: Gauri Khan
    Director: Rohit Shetty
    Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Varun Sharma, Vinod Khana, Kabir Bedi, Johnny Lever, Boman Irani, Mukesh Tiwari, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra

    ‘Bajirao Mastani:’ Insipid grandeur

    For decades, ambitious filmmakers have announced or expressed their desire a film on Bajirao Mastani. Finally, Sanjay Leela Bhansali decides to go ahead with the legend — or was it a folktale? — of the great love story of the brave warrior from Pune, Bajirao Peshwa and Mastani, the valiant daughter of the Rajput ruler of Bundelkhand and his Muslim wife.

    Historical films in India have had poor track record mainly because our history chapters are basically full of losers. Whatever battles the regional rulers fought were usually on the Indian land and never with invaders at borders.

    Some media or PR machines are busy making comparisons between Bajirao Mastani and Mughal-e-Azam. That is sacrilege. A Mughal-e-Azam happens, you cannot set out to make it. Also, Mughal-e-Azam was a fictional love story: Anarkali never existed, she was created, a myth. With Bajirao Mastani, sadly, Bhansali attempts to make a fiction out of a real-life warrior, Bajirao’s account. He takes too many liberties using the disclaimer in the title scroll! 

    The elder Peshwa has passed away, Shahu Chhatrapati of Satara, Mahesh Majrekar, has called his court to decide on the next Peshwa, who will answer to the Shahu Chhatrapati and lead his army. Aditya Pancholi, the Shahu court Prime Minister, is the claimant but Bajirao, played by Ranveer Singh, the son of the late Peshwa, finds more takers in the court. He has to pass a bravery test as well as a general knowledge test. Obviously, he does. Ranveer is the new Peshwa who operates from Pune, annihilating all of Shahu and Maratha’s enemies, mainly Mughal knights. 

    Bajirao is said to have many battles but the film being a love story of Bajirao and Mastani, it deals mainly with one, the attack on Bundlekhand by Mughals. 

    One fine day, a female warrior barges into Bajirao’s abode despite being told that he is too busy to meet her. She fights Bajirao’s guards and is about to subdue them when Bajirao, who has been coolly watching the scene, decides to intervene and neutralises the invading warrior. Floored by Bajirao’s assault, her helmet falls off and that warrior turns out to be, Deepika Padukone aka Mastani, the daughter of the Bundelkhand ruler. She has come to seek help from Bajirao to save her kingdom, which has been surrounded by a Mughal leader. 

    Impressed with her fighting prowess, Bajirao agrees to go along. He takes the invaders of Bundelkhand by surprises and defeats them; Padukone is as much a part of the battle as him. She also saves Bajirao’s life during the attacks. Love has happened! And, it is mutual and it does not matter that Bajirao has a wife, Priyanka Chopra, at home with whom he has been siring children on a regular basis.

    But, Bajirao has gifted his dagger to Padukone, which in Bundelkhand means marital bond! So, she already considers herself married to Bajirao though the same ritual may not be valid in Pune. After convincing her royal parents, she embarks on a trip to her sasural in Pune. 

    Once in Pune, the battles of Bajrao are kept aside for his twin romances: with his wife, Chopra, and his paramour, Padukone. Add to that the palace intrigues, involving Bajirao’s mother, Tanvi Azmi. No way would she accept a girl born out of a Muslim mother as her son’s woman. First, she tries to convert her into a court dancer and later to kill her.

    Bajirao was a rare Brahmin warrior and, in his palace, the writ of the Brahmin priests runs large. Also, Bajirao may be the man of the house, but his mother, Tanvi, rules the palace! Chopra only learns much later of her husband’s indulgence. Initially distanced from Padukone, she is willing to do a song and dance with her when the director connives such a situation! (After all, the similar situation worked in Devdas, so why not try again?)

    Time comes when Bajirao has been dethroned form his Peshwa-ship by Tanvi because of his affair with Padukone. But, soon, there is a threat from the Nizam from Hyderabad to the Shahus and Bajirao is convinced also to take back his job. Things get a bit funny after this. 

    Bajirao plans to invade the Nizam before he does. The Nizam is ready with his 20,000 strong army to invade Shahus, which counts its army in 10,000. Milind Soman, Singh’s advisor, warns him about the inequality about numbers. But, Singh plays a dialogue from some gangster enmity movie: We know we have half their army, Nizam does not! And one thought NIzams were not fools and like all rulers, they too had their spies, known as guptchars, in that era. 

    Next, Singh walks into the Nizam’s camp and gives him a hull (a Marathi slang meaning a false threat), that Shahu’s army of 40,000 is placed right behind Nizam’s army to finish his reign. The Nizam is scared enough to agree to all terms of Bajirao. Those are to not invade Shahus while Bajirao is away invading the Mughal throne in Delhi!  This is really stretching the cinematic liberty. 

    After that side show with Nizam, Singh is back to facing the family hassles as the film gets more banal. 

    Bhansali seems to have bitten more than he can chew with Bajirao Mastani. For one thing, this was always a regional subject and Bhansali has gone ahead and made it more so by using Marathi tunes, Marathi language and many actors identified mainly with Marathi stage or cinema. (A similar trick worked in Ramleela, with him using some Gujarati words and music, but you can’t push your luck forever.)

    Bhansali also takes many liberties and goes ahead with discrepancies and the war scenes are just not appealing. Dialogue is good at places but at other times, it tries to be too deep, which means it is not for the mass. While Bhansali crams the film with songs, none have appeal. His idea of music seems to be gathering crowds without faces for song picturization. Filling the screen is not enough. Photography is okay but shooting to camouflage sets passing for locations forces the makers shoot in low light and that is depressing. Editing is missing. Only plus for the film are the colourful sets and, at times, visuals. 

    Performance wise, two names that stand out are Padukone and Azmi. Padukone is good generally but excels in some scenes. Azmi plays, probably, her first negative role, and is great. Chopra hardly fits the sad second fiddle to not only Singh but also in casting. As for Singh, he is cast in a role too huge for his standing as well as acting abilities. Rest of the cast has no scope as such.

    Bajirao Mastani has had a weak opening, may not appeal to the youth and is rather too costly to be a safe bet at the box office only on the strength of grandeur.

    Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
    Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
    Cast: RanveerSingh, Pryanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Tanvi Azmi, Milind Soman, Mahesh Manjrekar, Aditya Pancholi

  • Zoom launches friendly celeb chat show ‘Yaar Mera Superstar’

    Zoom launches friendly celeb chat show ‘Yaar Mera Superstar’

    MUMBAI: Times Network’s entertainment channel Zoom is planning to launch a new celebrity chat show with a friendly approach.

     

    The show titled Yaar Mera Superstar will be hosted by Garima Kumar and will air every Tuesday at 7:30 pm.

     

    The channel has roped in Britannia as the presenting sponsor for the show and is in talks with other brands for the powered by category.

     

    In the first week of the show, Zoom will broadcast two episodes  with the two most anticipated movies of the year namely Dilwale and Bajirao Mastani.

     

    The Dilwale episode on 15 December will feature Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, whereas the episode featuring the starcast of Bajirao Mastani namely Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh will air on 16 December.

     

    The channel has already shot two episodes for the chat show. 

     

    Talking about the initiative, Zoom VP and product head Sunder Venkatraman said, “We will make sure that we do justice to both the blockbuster movies – Dilwale and Bajirao Mastani in our episodes. This is a well planned strategy from all aspects, be it on the content side or the marketing side. It will grab the viewers’ attention. At Zoom, we want to create the best content and deliver it to both the ends i.e. to the celebrity and the audience. We don’t want to follow a top down approach. We believe that Yaar Mera Superstar will further strengthen our portfolio of highly entertaining and informative shows, which also include Funtanaatan and Planet Bollywood among others.”

     

    Yaar Mera Superstar will not follow the stereotype format and will not carry a serious tone. The half an hour show will feature celebrities doing never-seen-before things.

     

    Zoom has strategically slotted the show in the 7.30 pm time band as it has a major chunk of its audience available at that time. The show will have frequent repeats across timelines, probably two to three times in a day. Venkatraman adds, “Bollywood is universal and the audience will consume it at any time they want to.”

     

    The anchor as well as Zoom head of the content Garima Kumar will be seen interacting with celebrities in a friendly and casual manner by adding dollops of humour. Kumar will also be seen playing games with the guests. The show will bring stars out of their comfort zone, pouring their hearts out to the audience.

     

    “We are not here to judge the celebrities about anything that they confess about on our show. There will be an added element of surprise in every episode,” says Venkatraman.

     

    Zoom will be using various vehicles of the Times Network to promote the show across digital, linear and outdoor platforms. On social media, the hashtag #DilwaleOnZoom has been trending. “We will use the might of the entire Times Network to promote the show across our channels like Times Now, ET Now and Movies Now. We have devised a 360 degree marketing plan targeting the major group of people who are hungry for Bollywood news,” he informs.

     

    Speaking on the channel’s availability across platforms, Venkatraman says, “Zoom is largely focusing on becoming a Bollywood destination in India. The channel’s mantra, Turn On, will make sure that we provide the information that the audience is craving for. Our aim is also to be available across all the possible platforms in India. If there is a demand from the audience, we might also launch our own application. If the audience wants fashion related content or if they want lifestyle related content, we will make sure that to serve the need of the audience.”

  • After ‘Breaking Bad’, 5 TV shows that can turn into Bollywood movies

    After ‘Breaking Bad’, 5 TV shows that can turn into Bollywood movies

    MUMBAI: After news broke that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is keen to acquire the rights for the popular American crime drama series Breaking Bad and wants to make it into a Hindi movie, there’s been a somewhat mixed reaction from the audience at large.

     

    While some are looking forward to the Bollywood spin, some others are reluctant towards the quality of the new conversion.

     

    We at Indiantelevision.com decided to sift out five widely loved English television series that successfully penetrated in the Indian market, which have the potential to be made into Bollywood movies.

     

    Read on…

     

    1. Doctor Who

     

    Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television, which successfully ran for a period of 26 seasons with nine series and approximately 825 episodes. This series shows the adventures of the Doctor, a Time Lord—a space and time-travelling humanoid alien exploring the universe. The series has become a cult television favourite and seeing its popularity amongst the audience globally would definitely earn a million bucks if converted into a Bollywood film.

     

    2. Quantico

     

    This Priyanka Chopra starrer is a much talked about series in the society with a crazy following. Quantico, recently launched, is an American television thriller series revolving around a group of young FBI recruits; each having a specific reason for joining. Flashbacks detail their previous lives, while the recruits battle their way through training at the academy in Quantico. With the buzz and the following the series has created, it will definitely touch new heights of fame if converted into a movie. And on the top, this series would not even face actress issues.

     

    3. Game of Thrones

     

    This series has to be in the list seeing the crazy following the show has achieved. Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series and has attracted record numbers of viewers on HBO and attained an exceptionally broad and active international fan base. Seeing the already high level of curiosity amongst the audience for the show, it will, without doubt, be a movie to die for.

     

    4. How I Met Your Mother

     

    Sure, it will be quite a stunt if Bollywood can pull off a mammoth of a series such as How I Met Your Mother into a film even by our standards of a long movie; but the result could be more relatable to the Indian audience than we think. If looked at in a nutshell How I Met Your Mother works on that perfect romantic comedy formula – a formula we have seen plenty of filmmakers use and reap in millions at the box office. It has friendship, comedy, romance, some drama and a multi star cast — a combination that directors like Rohit Shetty would kill for!

     

    5. Dexter

    Like Breaking Bad, the concept of anti-hero has off-late appealed to the Indian audience. A different side of it could be seen in films like Drishyam and Kickk where the hero takes on the ‘bad guy’ role, to cleanse the society off its evil doers. In short, a vigilante. Add a badass lead, some serial killers, unsolved murder mysteries, and blood and gore to the formula and you have a Bollywood equivalent of the popular thriller series Dexter. Though we can’t predict if India is ready to cheer for a serial killer yet, Bollywood’s attempt at Dexter is certainly something to look forward to.

  • ‘Two big film releases in one week is not a handicap:’ Deepika Padukone

    ‘Two big film releases in one week is not a handicap:’ Deepika Padukone

    NEW DELHI: Two big films are slated to release on 18 December and the actress starring in one of them – Deepika Padukone is not in the least bit fazed at the competition.

     

    Padukone’s film Bajirao Mastani along with co-stars Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra, is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, which will clash with the Rohit Shetty directed Dilwale starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon at the box office.

     

    “There’s nothing odd about the date of the film clashing with the release of Dilwale. In fact, it is nice that the audience will get to see two films of completely different genres together,” Padukone said.

     

    The actress went on to say that very few roles that she has played have inspired or affected her personally and her character in Bajirao Mastani is one of them. “The credit for this goes to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is responsible for giving me the role of Mastani,” she said.

     

    Padukone, who addressed a press meet along with Singh, said the songs in Bhansali’s films were films in themselves. “He puts so much of effort in a single song that one is amazed at his energy,” she added. “This has been the most exhausting film that I have ever done.”

     

    However, the actress skirted any questions about the controversy over a song in the film, which has hurt the Maharashtrian community.

     

    Bajirao Mastani is part historical – part fiction film about Peshwa Bajirao and his life.

     

    Praising the director, Singh said Bhansali “knows how to extract the best performances out of his artists.”

     

    “It took me 21 days to get into the character. I have actually worked so hard playing Bajirao. It has been a lifetime experience for me,” he added.

  • Cartoon Network & Pogo go filmy with Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Dilwale’

    Cartoon Network & Pogo go filmy with Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Dilwale’

    MUMBAI: December seems exciting for Turner International’s kids channels in India — Pogo and Cartoon Network —  as the network goes filmy with Shah Rukh Khan‘s upcoming film Dilwale, which is all set to release on 18 December.

     

    Khan along with his Dilwale team will be seen in three new TV specials created especially for kids. Kris Aur Shah Rukh Ki Dilwale Bollywood Class will premiere on 19 December at 12 noon, Oggy Ki Birthday Party – Dilwale Style on Cartoon Network will premiere on 25 December at 11 am and Bheem Aur Dilwale will premiere on 13 December at 12 pm on Pogo in a 90 minute special, wherein the entire cast of Dilwale visits Dholakpur.

     

    Both TV specials are complimented with contests that will give kids the opportunity to win prizes.

     

    While Kris Aur Shah Rukh Ki Dilwale Bollywood Class will see superstar Khan helping CN’s superhero Kris from the Roll No. 21 series realise his dreams of being a superstar, Oggy’s birthday party will know no bounds as his brother invites the entire cast and crew of Dilwale to celebrate his big day.

     

    Dilwale also stars Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon.