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Tag: Tere Bin Laden

  • Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    MUMBAI: Prakash Jha trying to cash in on his 2003 film Gangaajal comes a cropper. The film relates in no way to the earlier film, nor does it refer to any jal in its tedious 148 minute narration. Using the face and popularity of Priyanka Chopra as a front, surprisingly, producer-director Prakash Jhahas launched himself as an actor at a rather late stage of his life. So much so that Priyanka is relegated to play second fiddle to Jha’s character. Jha also does not care too much for known faces of the supporting cast, mainly the villains, in his outdated local bahubalistory of Bihar. 

    Expectantly, the film opened to a poor response and unfavourable word of mouth kept its collections restricted on Saturday and Sunday with little improvement. Despite facing no major film in opposition, Gangaajalended its opening weekend collecting a mere Rs15.5 crore.

    Zubaan, another release of the week, just passed unnoticed.

    Aligarhfellprey to its negative theme which amounts to torture at the multiplex admission rates. Acceptance of a film by the audience depends solely on the identification the audience finds with the story. In the case of Aligarh, there is none. The film collected just Rs 2.1 crore for its first week.

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive is still born. A total let down compared to its first version, the film managed just Rs2.85 crore in its first week.

    Bollywood Diarieswas poor at just about Rs40 lakh in its first week. 

    Neerja held its ground in its second week. Entertainment Tax exemption in various states along with total positive word of mouth has helped. It is rare for such a heroine oriented biopic to collect about 67 per cent of its opening week figures. The film has added a handsome Rs 20.85 crore in its second week thus taking its two week total to Rs 55.05 crore. This recovery from just the film’s domestic theatrical market is remarkable considering its all-inclusive cost of Rs 21 crore. 

    Sanam Re collected Rs 20 lakh in its third week to take its three week total to Rs28.3 crore.

    Airlift added Rs35 lakh in its fourth week to take its total to Rs 126.05 crore.

  • Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    MUMBAI: Prakash Jha trying to cash in on his 2003 film Gangaajal comes a cropper. The film relates in no way to the earlier film, nor does it refer to any jal in its tedious 148 minute narration. Using the face and popularity of Priyanka Chopra as a front, surprisingly, producer-director Prakash Jhahas launched himself as an actor at a rather late stage of his life. So much so that Priyanka is relegated to play second fiddle to Jha’s character. Jha also does not care too much for known faces of the supporting cast, mainly the villains, in his outdated local bahubalistory of Bihar. 

    Expectantly, the film opened to a poor response and unfavourable word of mouth kept its collections restricted on Saturday and Sunday with little improvement. Despite facing no major film in opposition, Gangaajalended its opening weekend collecting a mere Rs15.5 crore.

    Zubaan, another release of the week, just passed unnoticed.

    Aligarhfellprey to its negative theme which amounts to torture at the multiplex admission rates. Acceptance of a film by the audience depends solely on the identification the audience finds with the story. In the case of Aligarh, there is none. The film collected just Rs 2.1 crore for its first week.

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive is still born. A total let down compared to its first version, the film managed just Rs2.85 crore in its first week.

    Bollywood Diarieswas poor at just about Rs40 lakh in its first week. 

    Neerja held its ground in its second week. Entertainment Tax exemption in various states along with total positive word of mouth has helped. It is rare for such a heroine oriented biopic to collect about 67 per cent of its opening week figures. The film has added a handsome Rs 20.85 crore in its second week thus taking its two week total to Rs 55.05 crore. This recovery from just the film’s domestic theatrical market is remarkable considering its all-inclusive cost of Rs 21 crore. 

    Sanam Re collected Rs 20 lakh in its third week to take its three week total to Rs28.3 crore.

    Airlift added Rs35 lakh in its fourth week to take its total to Rs 126.05 crore.

  • ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    There are a few makers who make films out of newspaper headlines and TV reports of real life events (usually negative or tragic ones); all that matters is that they have to be controversial. For a film, what matters the most is that a paying moviegoer has to identify with what is unwinding on screen. But, what some makers don’t follow that rule because they seek medal and awards more than rewards. Yet, when they make such a film, why do they insert a disclaimer at the start of the movie that the film is a work of fiction? 

    Aligarh is the story of a professor from Aligarh Muslim University with different sexual leanings. Since the makers claim it to be totally their own work of fiction, I would like to say the story ‘coincides’ with the case of Professor Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, whose real name the film does not shy from using, disclaimer notwithstanding! 
    As the legend goes, Siras, played by Manoj Bajpai, was a linguist, head of the department of modern Indian languages at Aligarh Muslim University, who specialised in Marathi. He was a poet too. A man in his 60s with a failed marriage, his leanings were towards homosexuality. 

    Having been appointed head of a department, he had managed to create some jealous enemies and, one day, when he takes his newly cultivated same sex friend, a cycle rickshaw puller, home for obvious reasons, his detractors conduct a sting on him. A couple of lathi wielding video journalists barge into his bedroom and film him in the act. 
    Next day, the video footage as well as pictures are out in the media and Siras is suspended from the university. 

    The rest of the film is about his battle to prove that his different sexual leanings did not make him an abnormal man nor take away his knowledge or expertise from him. His case is covered and advocated by a Delhi based cub journalist, Rajkumar Yadav, who is convinced that Siras is framed. As it happens, an NGO comes on the scene and fights Siras’ battle in court. The homosexuality law is in a limbo for a time as the Supreme Court declares its reservations on this law under Section 377, making Siras a non-criminal but is reversed soon thereafter to turn him to a criminal again! 

    The film is like a few other such films where a journalist follows his/her instincts on a particular case. Rather rare in India. 

    What is good about Aligarh is the excellent performance from Bajpai, aptly supported by Yadav. 

    Aligarh will earn rave reviews; it is not designed to earn at the box office. 

    Direction: Hansal Mehta
    Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Rajkumar Yadav

    ‘Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive:’ Distant second


    Tere Bin Laden, the 2010 satire was woven around 26/11 attacks on American targets including the World Trade Centre twin towers and the US of A’s war on terror that followed with prime objective being on finding Osama Bin Laden. Because of the moderate success of that film, that a sequel would follow was a forgone conclusion. The production of the sequel followed two to three years later but, surprisingly, there seemed to be no party interested to take it to the market till now.

    A small time journalist in Pakistan, Ali Zafar, desperate to migrate to the US to make a career there, spots a Bin Laden look alike, Pradhuman Singh, and thinks he has found his passport, visa and whatever it takes to travel to the US. Ali dresses up Singh to look ditto like Laden and shoots his video to announce to the world that he had been able to track down the most sought after terrorist by the US.

    In the sequel, Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive, Manish Paul, son of a North India halwai, has dreams of making movies and comes to Mumbai to pursue his dream. He sells the idea to the Shetty Sisters to back his film. The sisters agree but, just when the film was to take off, the real Laden is killed by the US marines.

    Paul’s dream is shattered. If Laden is dead, there is no sequel. But, there is an opening for him when it is reported that people are demanding proof from the US President of Laden’s death since his dead body was never on display. Paul decides to use this doubt in people’s mind as an opportunity to make his sequel. The news is all over the media. 

    Across the seven seas, there is pressure on the US President to end the controversy once and for all. He delegates the work to CIA chief, Sikander Kher, who has a sidekick in Mia Uyeda to sort this out. The idea is to find a Laden look alike, shoot him on camera and produce the pictures. And, that is when they come across media coverage of Singh, Paul and the sequel. That sets CIA after Singh.
    Somewhere in terrorist stronghold closer to India, an arms dealer, Piyush Mishra, who makes money out of supplying arms to terrorists, learns of Laden look alike too and he wants to cash in on this to promote his business. 

    Now, Paul’s priority is the make his sequel and thus his debut as a filmmaker. CIA wants Laden killing to be shot on camera and, Mishra wants Laden alive so that his business would continue.
    The greed to encash a successful film with a sequel is fair. But, trying to repeat a fluke is not kosher. The script does not exist, looks like the makers have gone along and shot scenes as they came to mind. Direction is tacky and what the film does finally is to make you realise that the original was a total fluke. Technically, the film is purely functional.

    Let loose in front of camera, Paul and Singh do well. Piyush is more convincing than the rest. 

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive is stillborn. 

    Producers: Pooja Shetty Deora, Aarti Shetty
    Direcion: Abhishek Sharma
    Cast: Manish Paul, Pradhuman Singh, Sikander Kher, Piyush Mishra, Sugandha Garg, Mia Udeya

  • ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    ‘Aligarh:’ Odd one out

    There are a few makers who make films out of newspaper headlines and TV reports of real life events (usually negative or tragic ones); all that matters is that they have to be controversial. For a film, what matters the most is that a paying moviegoer has to identify with what is unwinding on screen. But, what some makers don’t follow that rule because they seek medal and awards more than rewards. Yet, when they make such a film, why do they insert a disclaimer at the start of the movie that the film is a work of fiction? 

    Aligarh is the story of a professor from Aligarh Muslim University with different sexual leanings. Since the makers claim it to be totally their own work of fiction, I would like to say the story ‘coincides’ with the case of Professor Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, whose real name the film does not shy from using, disclaimer notwithstanding! 
    As the legend goes, Siras, played by Manoj Bajpai, was a linguist, head of the department of modern Indian languages at Aligarh Muslim University, who specialised in Marathi. He was a poet too. A man in his 60s with a failed marriage, his leanings were towards homosexuality. 

    Having been appointed head of a department, he had managed to create some jealous enemies and, one day, when he takes his newly cultivated same sex friend, a cycle rickshaw puller, home for obvious reasons, his detractors conduct a sting on him. A couple of lathi wielding video journalists barge into his bedroom and film him in the act. 
    Next day, the video footage as well as pictures are out in the media and Siras is suspended from the university. 

    The rest of the film is about his battle to prove that his different sexual leanings did not make him an abnormal man nor take away his knowledge or expertise from him. His case is covered and advocated by a Delhi based cub journalist, Rajkumar Yadav, who is convinced that Siras is framed. As it happens, an NGO comes on the scene and fights Siras’ battle in court. The homosexuality law is in a limbo for a time as the Supreme Court declares its reservations on this law under Section 377, making Siras a non-criminal but is reversed soon thereafter to turn him to a criminal again! 

    The film is like a few other such films where a journalist follows his/her instincts on a particular case. Rather rare in India. 

    What is good about Aligarh is the excellent performance from Bajpai, aptly supported by Yadav. 

    Aligarh will earn rave reviews; it is not designed to earn at the box office. 

    Direction: Hansal Mehta
    Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Rajkumar Yadav

    ‘Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive:’ Distant second


    Tere Bin Laden, the 2010 satire was woven around 26/11 attacks on American targets including the World Trade Centre twin towers and the US of A’s war on terror that followed with prime objective being on finding Osama Bin Laden. Because of the moderate success of that film, that a sequel would follow was a forgone conclusion. The production of the sequel followed two to three years later but, surprisingly, there seemed to be no party interested to take it to the market till now.

    A small time journalist in Pakistan, Ali Zafar, desperate to migrate to the US to make a career there, spots a Bin Laden look alike, Pradhuman Singh, and thinks he has found his passport, visa and whatever it takes to travel to the US. Ali dresses up Singh to look ditto like Laden and shoots his video to announce to the world that he had been able to track down the most sought after terrorist by the US.

    In the sequel, Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive, Manish Paul, son of a North India halwai, has dreams of making movies and comes to Mumbai to pursue his dream. He sells the idea to the Shetty Sisters to back his film. The sisters agree but, just when the film was to take off, the real Laden is killed by the US marines.

    Paul’s dream is shattered. If Laden is dead, there is no sequel. But, there is an opening for him when it is reported that people are demanding proof from the US President of Laden’s death since his dead body was never on display. Paul decides to use this doubt in people’s mind as an opportunity to make his sequel. The news is all over the media. 

    Across the seven seas, there is pressure on the US President to end the controversy once and for all. He delegates the work to CIA chief, Sikander Kher, who has a sidekick in Mia Uyeda to sort this out. The idea is to find a Laden look alike, shoot him on camera and produce the pictures. And, that is when they come across media coverage of Singh, Paul and the sequel. That sets CIA after Singh.
    Somewhere in terrorist stronghold closer to India, an arms dealer, Piyush Mishra, who makes money out of supplying arms to terrorists, learns of Laden look alike too and he wants to cash in on this to promote his business. 

    Now, Paul’s priority is the make his sequel and thus his debut as a filmmaker. CIA wants Laden killing to be shot on camera and, Mishra wants Laden alive so that his business would continue.
    The greed to encash a successful film with a sequel is fair. But, trying to repeat a fluke is not kosher. The script does not exist, looks like the makers have gone along and shot scenes as they came to mind. Direction is tacky and what the film does finally is to make you realise that the original was a total fluke. Technically, the film is purely functional.

    Let loose in front of camera, Paul and Singh do well. Piyush is more convincing than the rest. 

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive is stillborn. 

    Producers: Pooja Shetty Deora, Aarti Shetty
    Direcion: Abhishek Sharma
    Cast: Manish Paul, Pradhuman Singh, Sikander Kher, Piyush Mishra, Sugandha Garg, Mia Udeya

  • Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brother’s creative arm Katalyst Creates is back with Tere Bin Laden – Dead or Alive, a sequel of the movie Tere Bin Laden.

    Katalyst Creates was behind the visual effects and visual packaging of the sequel as well.

    Director of the film Abhishek Sharma said, “Katalyst Creates under the creative leadership of Parth has become a one stop shop for world class VFX and out of the box promo production. He and his team have successfully generated intrigue and buzz around Tere bin Laden’s sequel besides creating amazing TV promos as well. Apart from the promotional material Katalyst Creates has done incredible VFX work on my film. The CG choppers and various terrains created by the team have garnered great response from the industry experts. Often such high quality work comes with unviable budgets but Katalyst Creates is unlike most others. I must say Katalyst Creates is a dream studio for any Indian filmmaker aiming to work at an international level.”

    “We have had a long association with Walkwater Media and Abhishek Sharma since Tere Bin Laden. With this current project, we have taken our relationship to the next level. I have been associated with this project right from the beginning and have left no stone unturned to bring out the best since. At Katalyst Creates we believe in creating industry benchmarks in the space of creative services and superseding the client requirements,” added Katalyst Creates creative and business head Parthsarthi Iyer.

    Walkwater Media’s Pooja Shetty said, “Katalyst creates has proven to be a very quality conscious and budget conscious film makers dream studio under the creative supervision of a very passionate technician Parthsarthi Iyer. Not only did we complete the job well within the budget than the industry norm but had constant support from Parth, which is invaluable.”

    Sri Adhikari Brothers Group CEO Manav Dhanda added, “VFX industry is fast evolving and we are proud that in an industry where the bar is forever being raised within a very short span of time, Katalyst Creates has successfully executed multiple marquee projects, which have created a base for us to take things to the next level. We also thank Pooja Shetty for reinstating trust in our team, after all only long term partnerships result in greater success.”

  • Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

    MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brother’s creative arm Katalyst Creates is back with Tere Bin Laden – Dead or Alive, a sequel of the movie Tere Bin Laden.

    Katalyst Creates was behind the visual effects and visual packaging of the sequel as well.

    Director of the film Abhishek Sharma said, “Katalyst Creates under the creative leadership of Parth has become a one stop shop for world class VFX and out of the box promo production. He and his team have successfully generated intrigue and buzz around Tere bin Laden’s sequel besides creating amazing TV promos as well. Apart from the promotional material Katalyst Creates has done incredible VFX work on my film. The CG choppers and various terrains created by the team have garnered great response from the industry experts. Often such high quality work comes with unviable budgets but Katalyst Creates is unlike most others. I must say Katalyst Creates is a dream studio for any Indian filmmaker aiming to work at an international level.”

    “We have had a long association with Walkwater Media and Abhishek Sharma since Tere Bin Laden. With this current project, we have taken our relationship to the next level. I have been associated with this project right from the beginning and have left no stone unturned to bring out the best since. At Katalyst Creates we believe in creating industry benchmarks in the space of creative services and superseding the client requirements,” added Katalyst Creates creative and business head Parthsarthi Iyer.

    Walkwater Media’s Pooja Shetty said, “Katalyst creates has proven to be a very quality conscious and budget conscious film makers dream studio under the creative supervision of a very passionate technician Parthsarthi Iyer. Not only did we complete the job well within the budget than the industry norm but had constant support from Parth, which is invaluable.”

    Sri Adhikari Brothers Group CEO Manav Dhanda added, “VFX industry is fast evolving and we are proud that in an industry where the bar is forever being raised within a very short span of time, Katalyst Creates has successfully executed multiple marquee projects, which have created a base for us to take things to the next level. We also thank Pooja Shetty for reinstating trust in our team, after all only long term partnerships result in greater success.”

  • Sequel to Tere Bin Laden in offing

    Sequel to Tere Bin Laden in offing

    MUMBAI: Going by the popularity of their 2010 film Tere Bin Laden, Pooja Shetty Deora and Aarti Shetty have launched a sequel titled Tere Bin Laden 3 under their banner Walkwater Media.

    The film‘s title was a little confusing because there was only one part made, then why Tere Bin Laden 3?
    “The second part of the film could not be made because of the assassination of Osama last year. So, we decided to make a third part which will take the story forward post Osama‘s death,” said director Abhishek Sharma.

    Understandably, the film will take off post the dreaded terrorist‘s death but what would be the content?
    “I cannot reveal the story of the sequel now. All I can say is that Tere Bin Laden 3 will be one of the most original sequels and will be a super madcap comedy. Right now we are on the pre-production and are still in the casting process.

    Some actors from the old film have been retained and some new characters have also been introduced in this film. “Both Pradhuman Singh and Ali Zafar will be part of the film. Ali has a special appearance in the film but I can assure you that his fans will not be disappointed,” Sharma added.

  • Golden Kela awards to be preceded by comedy festival

    Golden Kela awards to be preceded by comedy festival

    NEW DELHI: The fourth annual Golden Kela Awards to be held to honour the worst in Bollywood will be preceded this year by a two-day festival of comedy and fun.

    Iconic comedy films like ‘Jaane bhi do yaaro‘, ‘Andaz Apna Apna‘ and ‘Tere Bin Laden‘ will be screened on 31 March and 1 April and the event will include a Standup Comedy show by Papa CJ and Sanjay Rajoura.

    There will be a play on Ghalib by Pierrot’s Troupe which has been running to full houses for several years.

    There will also be a ‘Haasya Kavi Sammelan’ (a comic poetry festival) featuring the renowned Surendra Sharma..

    There will also be a competition on Standup Comedy as part of the Indian Comedy Festival. On 1 April, the three finalists will meet and compete for the top prize of Rs 1,00,000 along with the chance to be featured on Comedy Central, according to Jatin Varma, Organiser, Indian Comedy Festival and head of Twenty Onwards Media.

    There will also be a competition of India’s funniest videos, and these could win a Grand Cash Prize of Rs 1999.

    Last year the ceremony was hosted by Cyrus Broacha, and this year the ceremony will also feature the winner of the Short Video Contest, and will feature a very special guest – B-Movie Filmmaker Extraordinaire Kanti Shah!

    Kanti Shah is a director and producer of B grade Hindi movies. Best known for the cult film ‘Gunda’ in 1998 (Starring Mithun Da!) and such classics as Loha, Duplicate Sholay, Shaadi Basanti ki Honeymoon Gabbar ka, and Sheela Ki Jawani. Kanti Shah is perhaps the only Director worthy of the title ‘So Bad It’s Good’.

    The Golden Kela Awards ceremony will take place on 1 April at Ficci Auditorium. The Golden Kela Awards, the Indian version of Razzies – “Golden Raspberry Awards” which are very popular awards in the West for awarding the worst in the film making industry – will be awarding the worst of Bollywood in the year 2011. Voting is already on at www.goldenkela.com and closes on 31st March’ 2012.

    The Comedy Fest will also have several stalls by some of the most fun merchandisers, t-shirt companies, publishers, toy makers etc. Also, there will be Open Mic – Musical acts, amateur standup comedy, juggling and puppets.

  • London Paris New York to premiere in Karachi

    London Paris New York to premiere in Karachi

    MUMBAI: Ali Zafar, who shot to fame in the 2010 film Tere Bin Laden, is excited because his upcoming film London Paris New York is going to be premiered in Karachi on 8 March.

    Two years ago, Zafar’s debut film Tere Bin Laden (2010) that the Pakistani singer-actor was co-distributing in Pakistan was banned three days before its release in the country for fear that Islamist extremists could use it as a pretext for terror attacks.

    The ban followed even after the producers were willing to drop the word Laden from the title and release it as Tere Bin in the country. But despite all efforts, the film couldn’t be officially released there.

    Zafar is confident that it won’t happen this time around. “There’s a huge buzz, people are looking forward to it. In fact, we’ve planned a big, red carpet premiere in Karachi on 8 March if we can get the requisite permission.”

    Ali has been promoting the film extensively on Pakistan’s biggest TV network, Geo TV, which will be releasing the film in the country.

    London Paris New York is a coming of age love story mirroring 3 states of love and brings back wit into Bollywood‘s romantic comedies.

    The film is the story about Lalitha, a middle class south Indian girl from Chembur (an eastern suburb in Mumbai) who is on her way to New York to study politics with full scholarship, and Nikhil, a Punjabi, rich kid from Bandra (a posh western suburb of Mumbai )who is going to study Film Making in London on 100 per cent dad‘s money. They decide to hangout together one evening in London and find that they are completely drawn to each other even as their future lies on separate continents. The film follows their personal journey and their love story.

    London Paris New York releases across India on 2 March.