Akshay Kumar Laxmi Bomb to release on OTT and theaters - Will Suriya's SP follow ?

 

Laxmi Bomb the Akshay Kumar- Kiara -Lawrence directed film is likely to have a simultaneous release in theaters and OTT. Nishabadam the Anushka film is to release in theaters as  Telangana exhibitors have told producers that they are willing to release films like V of Naani and even Nishabadam, both an OTT release. They are also willing to go for a simultaneous release of other films. Now the question is whether Tamil Nadu and other Southern States follow suit? This move would benefit theaters as it will bring back crowds in areas where OTT penetration is less. If Soorarai Pootru of Suriya will have a simultaneous release, it could be the biggest boost to theaters. “We are not sure if the Telugu producers will release their films immediately after the theaters open. We are fine to release the movies which already released on the OTT. We may even try to bring the audience to theaters with small films and old movies,” the Telangana exhibitors body said

Nishabdham’ couldn’t entertain the OTT audiences , as there was unanimous poor talk on the movie right from its first show on Amazon Prime. Not only the critics, but even audiences also expressed the same about the movie. Nevertheless, the producer of the movie, Vivek Kuchibatla was  planning to release the movie in January 2021 at limited theatres in India and also in a few countries like in the US, Japan , Australia, New Zealand and a few other countries. The producer thinks the failure of  ‘Nishabdham’ is because it is a  movie with appeal  to global audiences because of the presence of American actors and technicians. But, critics and audiences in India didn’t see the presence of American actors as an added advantage for the movie. The producers say, there weren’t many expectations on the movie prior to the OTT release. The trade thinks that the makers were lucky enough to choose the direct OTT release instead of waiting for a theatrical release. It would have been a washout,

Reliance , producers of Sooryavanshi, the Akshay film, has announced that it would not come for Diwali. This gives Laxmi Bomb the much needed time in the theaters and OTT to recover the money. It had already planned a simultaneous overseas release.  Hollywood studios are merging and Universal India operations will shut down and Warner Bros will be taking it over, In turn Universal will distribute Warner’s film in Australia and New Zealand. After Disney acquired Fox,, this is the second acquisition.

Update : Santhanam's Biskoth ,Mahesh Babu's Sarileru Neekevvaru dubbed film and Adult sex comedy for Deepavali release in TamilNadu theater - Qube fees withdrawn

 

 R Kannan directed Santhanam starrer Biskoth , Mahesh Babu- Kajal- Vijayshanthi Sarileru Neekevvaru duubed Tamil version will release on Deepavali in Tamil Nadu theaters. Distributors RockFort Entertainment Muruganandan has confirmed that sequel to Irutu Araiyil Murattu Kuthu titled Irandam Kuthu will hit on Diwali. In English it means second poke will be releasing on November 14 as first film post Lockdown in theaters. . Meanwhile Producers lobby led by Bharathiraaja has stuck to the demand that VPF be abolished to which  Qube has agreed for a nil fee tiil December end. Producers are planning to release the biggies in mid January for Pongal. Before that they wanted the issue settled. Even the groups contesting the recognised Tamil Film Producers Council elections are canvassing on the poll plank that VPF will be abolished, if elected. 

  First part of the adult sex comedy- horror movie ,made at a shoestring and shooting combined with another film in Thailand,  was a bumper hit. Theaters were mighty pleased. The hero Gautham Karthik, son of veteran actor Karthik, received flak. The producer who belongs to Suriya camp too faced brickbats. The two heroines- Yashika Aanand continued with her skin show mostly on Instagram as there was a lockdown and Vaibhav Sandilya has not been heard after this hit.

Now the director Santosh decided that it does not matter who plays the lead. He took up the job of playing the lead. He got two Mumbai girls -Karishma and Akiriti and headed for Philippines. The first part title translated in English means `Wild ( or rough) poke in a dark room’. Now it is `Second poke ( also jab)’. The poster tells it all. It is an adult sex comedy loaded with double meaning dialogues and a voyeuristic camera stuff and in the first part a horror angle too was thrown in. Now that those from Class X onwards have been given permission to visit campus to clear doubts, most of them will be seen in the theaters. Yet another plus for Chennai theaters is that the Marina beach has been locked out and now theaters will be the haven for young lovers.

Kerala exhibitors want ET waived along with fixed current charges and building taxes. Producers want actors to cut salaries by at least 25%. A few small budget films that did not match the OTT criteria are waiting to release. The magnum opus Marakkar of Mohanlal will take a shot at box office by Christmas. 

In Andhra, the scenario is no different and they have no new Telugu films of any big name and hope that the Hindi - English films will keep them going till normalcy comes about. In Karnataka, the situation is better as some Kannada films that were released just before lockdown had a good response and it will be re-released. Here again it is the Hindi- English films that keep the theaters in Karnataka going.

According to Mumbai sources, there is `Sooryavanshi’ of Akshay Kumar- Devgn which is a cop story series from Rohit Shetty. Other is the film on India winning the Cricket World Cup titled `83 ‘with Ranveer Shorey. as the lead. Akshay's OTT film `Lakshmi Bomb’ releases on November 9th. It means that Sooryavanshi will get only two weeks run and with only 50% occupancy. As IPL is on should 83, a Cricket sports film get released and will it get audience is yet another worry.

The first Hollywood film ready to release is Tenet. This according to trade will be a dud in theaters that are not multiplexes and will score big on IMAX screens. The story line is confusing and only point that it will keep audience glued is the visuals and technical wizardry. Next in line is Death of Nile due on October 23. It is a second in Branagh’s Hercule Poirot series, preceded by Murder on the Orient Express. But in November ,Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond in No Time to Die is coming.

It looks like that the theaters reopening has only opened a new set of issues.

 

Yeh Hai Right Choice - Shekhar Kapur to head FTII

 

I know by now many write-ups would have gone to Editors about the reasons why the saffron brigade appointed Shekar Kapur as FTII President (it still remains to many of us as Pune Film Institute). As a guy who is cynical about such appointments  and always think that many such guys in right places have turned up to be damp squib, the announcement made by Kapur as Chairman of National Film Awards Jury made me give hope. He impressed me. It is something  he said that even the guys from the South who have been on these juries have not dared to.  Quoting a press report - While announcing the National Film Awards , Kapur said he was moved by the regional cinema, particularly Malayalam, and films such as Bhayanakam, Take Off, and Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum. “Unfortunately, mainstream media and Bollywood enjoy a highly incestuous relationship. So the brilliance of the new regional cinema remains hidden from audiences. It’s time for that to change,” he tweeted.

At the awards, the Bandit Queen Director also praised Village Rockstars, the best feature film winner, saying he did not know films from Assam also went to Cannes Film Festival. He has acted with Kamal Haasan in Viswaroopam. I had met him at the Chennai Airport and got introduced to him by our Screen Editor Taraji. I was awestruck to see the man who regaled me with Mr India and had me rushing to see Bandit Queen at the Film Festival (as the talk was that it was an uncensored version).

Now I am sure by now  Shekar Kapur has been saffronised by the anti- Kangana lobby for this FTII posting. In TamilNadu, Periyar Statues get doused in saffron paint and likewise the mainstream media and the Bollywood press would have draped Shekar Kapur in saffron and made him to be another Yogi Adityanath.

Why so?  Plenty. He put out a tweet on suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput - “I knew the pain you were going through. I knew the story of the people that let you down so bad that you would weep on my shoulder. I wish I was around the last 6 months. I wish you had reached out to me. What happened to you was their Karma. Not yours. #SushantSinghRajput,” He told Rahman that the fault in not getting big Bollywood films was because he got the Oscars. He praised Kangana for her acting talent. He pointed out to director R Balki ,who felt that Alia Bhatt and Ranvir Kapoor were the best actors, that “Best actors today are coming from theatre. There’s new found respect for them. And confidence. I’ve worked with Naseer, Shabana,Satish Kaushik, Seema Biswas and entire cast of Bandit Queen, Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Heath Ledger Daniel Craig Eddy Redmayne. All are from theatre,”. Kapur was to direct Paani with Sushant and produced by Aditya Chopra and the project fell through as Chopra told the NCB that it was creative differences.

The difference was about Sushant playing the lead. About the casting decision of a Director he  tweeted. "Elizabeth was my first Hollywood film. I had noticed an unknown girl called Cate Blanchett who I wanted to play Elizabeth. My agent said Studio wanted a star and if I kept insisting on an unknown actor, they will replace me. I said i had to go with my heart. The rest is history,"  Blanchett got global fame for portraying Elizabeth I in the  Hollywood drama, for which she won the BAFTA Award as Best Actress and earned her first Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category.

Now the opinion unbecoming of a Bollywood Director - Shekhar declared on Twitter, “Theatres are not going to open for atleast a year. So all hype around first weeks business of 100+ crores is dead. So the theatrical Star System is dead.” He added, “Stars will have to go to existing OTT platform or stream films themselves through their own apps. Technology is quite simple.” As the controversy was raging he had deposed before the NCB , He wrote on Twitter, “Dear Sushant, there was so much more you had to offer. Perhaps the world was not up to your beliefs.. you should not have gone like this ...but then you were an old wise soul in a restless young body. Often the heavens cannot handle that ..”

 Shobaa De in The Week wrote as the Sushant Singh suicide saga was unfolding – “Regardless of how this saga pans out, it is great to know that the 74-year-old Kapur continues to be combative—as he can well afford to be. With a net worth estimated at $25 million, he is in an enviable position to say and do as he please. He is also one of the few people in Bollywood to take a stand when required, as he famously did when a “trilogy” of his superhit directorial venture, Mr India, was grandly announced without informing him. He asked an important and very valid question: “Where is the director’s ownership on material he has created?” This did not go down well with the community, with people like Javed Akhtar questioning his stand”. 

We will have wait and see how he survives the spears that would be send hurling towards him . Till then- Mugambo Khush hua.

SPB Charan peeved with Thala Ajith

 

Chennai, September 29:  Looks like SPB Charan is quite peeved with the fact that Thala Ajith did not convey his condolence or attend the funeral of his father. The issue gained traction on the social media after Thalapathi Vijay fans went berserk as their idol turned up at the farm house on the city outskirts to pay his last respects. This was used as an example of how sensitive their idol is to happening around him. A photo and a video went viral which showed Vijay picking up a slipper of a fan lying on the ground and handing it over to him. There was a melee as Vijay was leaving the funeral venue.

SPB Charan at the press meet to clear the air on the story doing the social media rounds that it was not the SPB fans in Andhra or Tamil Nadu and those abroad that paid for the final pending dues at the hospital but it was Vice President Venkiah Naidu who settled it. The details are given in another report filed in this blog. read ;https://southfilmy.blogspot.com/2020/09/after-state-honours-venkiah-naidu.html

Did Thala Ajith phone SPB Charan ?

At the press conference, SPB Charan was asked several questions about Ajith’s silence. Charan had this to say – “Let Ajith mourn from his house. So what?  There is no need for him to come and give his last respects? He is a friend of mine and so also of my Dad. Let him pay his condolences from anywhere. Is it a big issue? Why should Ajith phone me and convey his wishes? Please do not spread rumors. What if he felt sad while at home and phoned me? To me and my family, SPB is no more. It is a great loss for us. We need some time to be alone,”. At the end of the press meet, a visibly drained Charan said that his outbursts were not meant against anyone but generally an expression of grief.

SPB praised Ajith for his reclusive behavior

At a reality show in Star Vijay, SPB as judge said “"One quality that I like about Ajith is that he never gives interview for magazines or TV, He does not post comments on social media and create unnecessary controversy”. SPB who introduced Ajith in a Telugu film produced by him also spoke about the actor and his son Charan being friends “ Charan  and Ajith were class mates. They did their matriculation in Andhra. In his initial days, Ajith used to wear Charan's shirts and shoes for ad shoots over sentimental reasons," he revealed.

For and against Ajith’s behavior

Sports Commentator, quiz show host and participant in TV debates, Sumanth C Raman had without mentioning names tweeted -  "When those who benefited a lot more from #SPB songs than @actorvijay chose to stay away this was a heartwarming gesture by Vijay. Respect indeed. ??". The tweet saw director Venkat Prabhu (who had directed Ajith and close friend of SPB Charan) offering his pranam. Ajith fans had raised their voice against this tweet. To this Raman tweeted – “There is no disrespect meant to anyone. It is their choice to go or not especially with Covid around. I am just pointing out a fact. But why are only fans of one particular star getting agitated and abusive?? So many didn't go."

Ajith has no social media handles and only lately he announced that his manager Suresh Chandra is his official spokesperson. Nayanthara , like Ajith keeps away from film promotions and the media. However she has a SM handle and all her outings with her BF Vignesh Shivn gets covered in full detail with photos (posted by the couple or the paparazzi). She too posted a condolence message. Kamal Haasan made it to the hospital on the evening before the death of SPB. All others issued condolences. Bharathiraaja ,the veteran director on the funeral day and previous night was present with singer Mano.Chennai, September 29:  Looks like SPB Charan is quite peeved with the fact that Thala Ajith did not convey his condolence or attend the funeral of his father. The issue gained traction on the social media after Thalapathi Vijay fans went berserk as their idol turned up at the farm house on the city outskirts to pay his last respects. This was used as an example of how sensitive their idol is to happening around him. A photo and a video went viral which showed Vijay picking up a slipper of a fan lying on the ground and handing it over to him. There was a melee as Vijay was leaving the funeral venue.

Did Thala Ajith phone SPB Charan ?

At the press conference, SPB Charan was asked several questions about Ajith’s silence. Charan had this to say – “Let Ajith mourn from his house. So what?  There is no need for him to come and give his last respects? He is a friend of mine and so also of my Dad. Let him pay his condolences from anywhere. Is it a big issue? Why should Ajith phone me and convey his wishes? Please do not spread rumors. What if he felt sad while at home and phoned me? To me and my family, SPB is no more. It is a great loss for us. We need some time to be alone,”. At the end of the press meet, a visibly drained Charan said that his outbursts were not meant against anyone but generally an expression of grief.

SPB praised Ajith for his reclusive behavior

At a reality show in Star Vijay, SPB as judge said “"One quality that I like about Ajith is that he never gives interview for magazines or TV, He does not post comments on social media and create unnecessary controversy”. SPB who introduced Ajith in a Telugu film produced by him also spoke about the actor and his son Charan being friends “ Charan  and Ajith were class mates. They did their matriculation in Andhra. In his initial days, Ajith used to wear Charan's shirts and shoes for ad shoots over sentimental reasons," he revealed.

Chennai, September 29:  Looks like SPB Charan is quite peeved with the fact that Thala Ajith did not convey his condolence or attend the funeral of his father. The issue gained traction on the social media after Thalapathi Vijay fans went berserk as their idol turned up at the farm house on the city outskirts to pay his last respects. This was used as an example of how sensitive their idol is to happening around him. A photo and a video went viral which showed Vijay picking up a slipper of a fan lying on the ground and handing it over to him. There was a melee as Vijay was leaving the funeral venue.

SPB Charan at the press meet to clear the air on the story doing the social media rounds that it was not the SPB fans in Andhra or Tamil Nadu and those abroad that paid for the final pending dues at the hospital but it was Vice President Venkiah Naidu who settled it. The details are given in another report filed in this blog.

Did Thala Ajith phone SPB Charan ?

At the press conference, SPB Charan was asked several questions about Ajith’s silence. Charan had this to say – “Let Ajith mourn from his house. So what?  There is no need for him to come and give his last respects? He is a friend of mine and so also of my Dad. Let him pay his condolences from anywhere. Is it a big issue? Why should Ajith phone me and convey his wishes? Please do not spread rumors. What if he felt sad while at home and phoned me? To me and my family, SPB is no more. It is a great loss for us. We need some time to be alone,”. At the end of the press meet, a visibly drained Charan said that his outbursts were not meant against anyone but generally an expression of grief.

SPB praised Ajith for his reclusive behavior

At a reality show in Star Vijay, SPB as judge said “"One quality that I like about Ajith is that he never gives interview for magazines or TV, He does not post comments on social media and create unnecessary controversy”. SPB who introduced Ajith in a Telugu film produced by him also spoke about the actor and his son Charan being friends “ Charan  and Ajith were class mates. They did their matriculation in Andhra. In his initial days, Ajith used to wear Charan's shirts and shoes for ad shoots over sentimental reasons," he revealed.

For and against Ajith’s behavior

Sports Commentator, quiz show host and participant in TV debates, Sumanth C Raman had without mentioning names tweeted -  "When those who benefited a lot more from #SPB songs than @actorvijay chose to stay away this was a heartwarming gesture by Vijay. Respect indeed. ??". The tweet saw director Venkat Prabhu (who had directed Ajith and close friend of SPB Charan) offering his pranam. Ajith fans had raised their voice against this tweet. To this Raman tweeted – “There is no disrespect meant to anyone. It is their choice to go or not especially with Covid around. I am just pointing out a fact. But why are only fans of one particular star getting agitated and abusive?? So many didn't go."

Ajith has no social media handles and only lately he announced that his manager Suresh Chandra is his official spokesperson. Nayanthara , like Ajith keeps away from film promotions and the media. However she has a SM handle and all her outings with her BF Vignesh Shivn gets covered in full detail with photos (posted by the couple or the paparazzi). She too posted a condolence message. Kamal Haasan made it to the hospital on the evening before the death of SPB. All others issued condolences. Bharathiraaja ,the veteran director on the funeral day and previous night was present with singer Mano.

Thala Ajith - Vijay Devarakonda public warnings and Managers

 

As Bollywood is rocked by activities of Star Managers, Kollywood saw for the first time a top notch Star Ajith in a legal notice stating the name of his manager as  the only official link to him. In Tollywood, youth icon Vijay Devarakonda like a corporate entity had to issue a statement that only his official social media handles is taken as confirmation of his projects. In the South, previously it was the family members that took care of the talks with producers - directors. It later shifted to a manager after the advent of Mumbai based heroines into the South. They had no idea of the industry or the language. A Hindi speaking guy with film background based in Chennai would serve as the manager. Later as these Mumbai gals started getting offers from Telugu films, they appointed a manager in Hyderabad too.  Still the heroes l had no such categories. They had only a guy to collect the cheque and take care of schedules with production houses. This was because the heroes were all Tamil speaking guys. All they had  was a PRO.

Taking a cue from casting agencies that linked models with advertising agencies, the start of a casting manager started.  These guys acted as a link between the models and the filmdom. They tied up with Mumbai agencies to arrange for a dekho and audition of aspirants for directors coming to the metro.  Kamal  Haasan had a manager DNS who did what was told by his boss. Rajinikanth had no such person fixed . Nor did he have any steady PRO . Sathyaraj and Karthik had managers. Prabhu’s brother took care of his dates. Kushboo had a manager but the final call was hers. The scene changed when non Tamil speaking Abbas made it big in Tamil. He put a manager and the rest is history, Vikram had  Giri as his manager. Ajith at that stage did all the dealings himself and Suresh Chandra did the legwork. Prashanth’s Star Dad Thiagarajan did all the talking.  

Things changed when the dividing line between PRO and Manager became thin. Some like Nayanthara, Suriya, Dhanush had a combo of a manager and a PRO to handle their affairs. Now there is a lot of ambiguity regarding with whom to initiate talks about a project that involves a Star.  Many novices turn to Film Directory filled with outdated numbers of managers.

In Bollywood, this problem is solved to a great extent as there is a system called Casting managers. The plus is that they get  you appointments. On the downside, these guys can be also be playing favourites and mostly their ranking is linked to the banners- directors and Stars that they are close to. For a newcomer or an over the hill actor, these managers are GOD. Down South, no banner- director has entrusted anybody to do this job. Even the job of a PRO in Tamil is linked to the hero. The banner usually   gives the PRO job to the guy who works for the hero. In the South, for the first time a professionally run Talent management agency called KWAN was setup in Hyderabad. It was owned by Rana Daggubatti of the Rama Naidu clan. It has reportedly Trisha, Nayanthara and many others in the South and from Mumbai as clients. Salman Khan’s lawyer has refuted the news that his client has a majority stake in KWAN. An employee, Jaya of KWAN, phone conversations with actorsabout drug deals is with NCB.

In the case of Ajith, the rounds doing is that an ex-producer was going around saying that he was given an offer to do a film as a gesture to bail him out. The Film Financiers – Theater – distributor – Digital providers have formed a Federation by which no such deal can come through. Yet another story is that a fixer  is going around claiming that he was the go between the actor and the  director to arrange a story sitting and is the new link to the Star. Ajith has now set the record straight – If it is from Suresh Chandra then everything about me is OFFICIAL.  

Next in the rankings is Thalapathy Vijay. He had a magazine publisher- small time producer P T Selvakumar as his manager. He was working from the days when Vijay’s father SAC used to direct him. After almost a decade, Selvakumar was made a producer of a film titled Puli in which Vijay acted and had Sreedevi in a pivotal role. Whether PTS gained financial stability with this movie is doubtful, a new guy Jagadish became his manager. This guy was very active and also worked for Keerthy Suresh. He is the executive producer of Vijay’s upcoming film – Master. Now Jagadish is working for actor Jeyam Ravi. Though the buzz is that he had a fallout with Vijay, those in the know say that Editor Mohan who is family friend of SAC and Vijay would not appoint someone who has bad blood with Vijay for his son Ravi.

News had come out that Vijay Devarakonda signed a Tamil film.  The actor's team had to ask the producers to deny the news, as it became sensational. Actually, producers from Dusky Entertainments approached Vijay Devarakonda and the actor turned down their offer. Producers clarified that they did not sign the actor and expressed interest to work with him in future. They have lodged a complaint on those people who spread false news. “Any project Vijay Deverakonda is associated with shall be formally announced by him and his producers. Official confirmation can also be verified on VDs official SM handles. While we take action against these perpetrators, We request all to be alert and double check any information in their personal best interests." posted Team Vijay Devarakonda.

 

 

Tenet the first Hollywood film post lockdown gets ready to talk Tamil- Telugu- Hindi

 

Warner Bros India office is getting to release the posters of Tenet in Tamil, Telegu and Hindi with a change in release date. The first phase of theater opening is expected from October 1 and Tenet will be the first to hit the screens. The Hindi trailor is already out. The Indian connect to this sci-fi thriller is that it has Dimple Kapadia in the cast.

The fact that there would be no regional films that will compete with Tenet in India and that the film attracted maximum audience in IMAX theatres abroad due to the grand visuals, the exhibitors are hoping that cinema addicts would turn up in large numbers. Exhibitors feel that the young are longing to come out for a community viewing and the multiplexes will benefit. The Reading Cinema of US has started screening Tenet in 70 MM screen as they feel it will bring in the addicts of big screen. Reading Cinema’s director of projection said "We're one of the very few theaters in the United States that actually is showing it in 70mm film," Sittig proudly boasted. "That is Christopher Nolan's favorite process. He makes his movies using film. He edits them using film and we have one of the few 70mm prints in the country."  A 70 MM print is 16,000 feet or roughly three miles of film.

The absence of regional films competition in India is a big relief . In South Korea, Tenet did dismally as it faced competition from two Korean films that were released simultaneously. However, the reemergence of Covid, the Government imposed further restrictions to limiting only 100 per screen. The film was pulled out. As Bolan’s earlier films received good response in China, a separate trailor in Mandarin with intro by Bolan was put out.

Warner Bros says that it is unreasonable to expect pre-pandemic kind of box office results. The next film The New Mutants  released  on August 28, 2020. The film released in more than 500 theatres at 2, 331 different locations. The film initially opened with a gross collection of $450k while followed by $467k on Tuesday and it dropped by $394k approx on Wednesday. The film, which is a spin-off of X-Men, gathered $8.75 million in the US in the first week. As per the reports, The New Mutants has done a total business of $12.45 million by September 7 in the US. After adding $9.04 million from international markets, the worldwide total of the film is $21.49 million so far.

Rotten Tomatoes puts critics consensus as - A visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock, Tenet serves up all the cerebral spectacle audiences expect from a Christopher Nolan production. Audience have given a 76% score. NY Post writes - The months-long shroud of secrecy around the film’s plot was not for fear of spoilers, but rather because Warner Bros. couldn’t find a smart enough marketer to summarize this science blither-blather. Trying to understand the story can make you feel like you’re sitting on a stool in a dunce cap.

Our desi Times of India gives 4 stars and concludes The secret to enjoy Tenet lies in what the scientist explaining inversion tells ` The Protagonist’, don’t try to understand, just feel it. This review by Andrew Todd — a writer, filmmaker, and theatre practitioner — has been written after a press screening in New Zealand.) and published in FirstPost says Tenet represents a dangerous gambit in the age of COVID-19: a blockbuster so must-see the studio hopes audiences will risk infection and death just to catch a glimpse of its brilliance. But in the end, Tenet is just a movie, as it was always going to be.’

 

 

Suriya's pro Dalit stance to promote Soorarai Pottru or his political stance ?

 

The posturing of actor Suriya as a pro-Dalit in a film based on a Brahmin entrepreneur, the statement on NEET issued by him smacks of an anti Brahmanical views -  is this  a move to signal his  political posture in coming times or is it as BJP thinks a ploy to give a boost to an upcoming film ?. One will have to wait and watch.

Two things that took place seem to have a pattern. The song Mannurunda Mela that was released some time ago and from upcoming film Soorarai Pottru in which Suriya plays the central character based loosely on Air Deccan founder Capt. G R Gopinath has been ordered by the Court to be removed from the film and take action on the creators as it was found to be instigating enmity between caste groups. The song though in circulation for some time was  not  a chart buster and no castes went  to war. Nor did any of the vocal Hinduvata  groups raise a storm over it at the time of release.

Lyricist K Ekadesi lines in Tamil translated asks - “Is the blood of a lower caste person a filth in gutter ?

Show me if the upper caste person has got horns!”.   A close look at the song promo of  the film shows Suriya marrying Aparna Balamurali with photos of Dr. Ambedkar and Periyar in the backdrop. In my search of info on Captain Gorur Ramaswamy Gopinath,I did not find any such happenings and also that his children too were married as per Brahmin rituals.

As the film was completed much before the NEET issue and suicides, these pro Dalit images and undercurrents were already in the film. Now the suicide issue crops up. The basic feel among everybody is that the kids whose parents who do not have the money to pay for donation to get a MBBS seat feel pressured  to get into the rank list and  the fear of the consequences if they failed  led them to take the extreme step. Till NEET is done away the parental pressure has to be stopped  till admission to medicine be on marks in the school be restored is the only way out.

Suriya has however brought in Dhrona, Ekalavya and Chanakya into his statement. This is a language that is used by the anti- caste or pro-Dalit groups and a far deviation from the statement he issued as head of Agaaram Foundation . This body helps underprivileged children’s education and Suriya had then talked only about the economic status that puts these kids at a disadvantage.

The TN State Assembly has now brought in a 7.5% quota for students of Government schools in the State quota held under NEET.  Suriya has welcomed this move.

 

The fact that Suriya being a Gounder, considered an upper land owning class has taken up for Dalit’s is definitely a bold move. His generalized statement like the High Court  barring personal hearings but allowing personal appearance for students to write exams,  the comments made in TV debates  which mocked at badly written suicide notes were uncalled for.

In Kabali too there were pro Dalit images and lines that supported them. It was understood as the director Pa Ranjith is a professed anti-caste activist and the central character is one from the lower rungs who rose to be a Don. In a film about a character who is a Brahmin and the actor who has so far not broached the topic and doing so at a time when his film is readying for an OTT release, makes it suspect. How many of the underprivileged have access to Smart TV and preloaded OTT apps in a State where suicides take place due to non availability of smart phones to study online lessons?

Thalapathy Vijay Master promo begins- A Game Show to Select the WORLD’S BIGGEST FAN OF THALAPATHY VIJAY

Seven Screen Studio, Lalit Kumar, Producer of mega budget films like ‘Master’, ‘Cobra’, ‘Thuklak Darbar’ and Cinema Central YouTube Channel today announced the launch of a big Online Game Show to select the WORLD’S BIGGEST FAN OF THALAPATHY VIJAY, commencing from September 19, 2020 through Live Stream at 6 p.m. The game show is on Thalapathy Vijay’s films, his likes, views and speeches. The game show is primarily targeted at millions of Vijay’s fans, who love him and make social media trending out of every news on Vijay.

The game show is conceived and executed by CEAD Film Consultancy Team headed by Dr.G. Dhananjayan for Seven Screen Studio-Lalit Kumar and Cinema Central YouTube channel. The idea of the game show is to engage, entertain and connect with millions of fans of Vijay through this program and select the World’s Biggest Fan of Vijay, who knows everything about Thalapathy Vijay.

The game show will be streamed live every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) at 6 p.m from 19^th September for 10 weeks (total 20 episodes) followed by quarter final, semi-final and final round to select the winners.

This Game show will be streamed live in the popular YouTube Channels Valai Pechu and Cinema Central, in addition to Twitter IDs of Dhananjayang and CinemaCentralYT (Periscope) at the same time (6 p.m) for everyone to participate from wherever they are. The game show is for millions of fans of Vijay across the world and not restricted to only Tamil Nadu and everyone can participate in the game show.

Each episode will have 10 questions from the anchor and the participants need to answer them at the end of the program by messaging to a WhatsApp Chatbot Number displayed, at the end of each episode. The participants are given 5 minutes to answer the 10 questions at the end of the program and after that no entry shall be accepted by the system.

There will be winners in each Episode, followed by quarter, semi and final rounds. The following are the Prize details, worth total of Rs.10 Lakhs.

There is no entry fee or condition attached to participate in this Game Show. Anyone, who love Thalapathy Vijay can participate in the Game show and the winners will be chosen based on their entry. One person can send only one entry. Multiple entries by the same person shall not be considered and all will be rejected. All that you need to do is watch the Live Streamed episode of the Game Show and answer the 10 questions at the end of the episode by sending your entry to the WhatsApp Chatbot Number displayed. 

Winners of Each of the 20 Episodes:

Top 3 Winners – 1 Gram gold coin + 5 tickets each for the film ‘Master’

Next 7 winners – 5 Tickets each for the film ‘Master’

Final Round Winners:

First Prize – Bajaj Pulsar 150 Bike + World’s Biggest Fan of Thalapathy Vijay trophy

Second Prize – 8 Gram Gold Coin + 5 Tickets for the film ‘Master’

Third Prize – 4 Gram Gold Coin + 5 Tickets each for the film ‘Master’

An introductory program on the game show will be on Live stream on 16^th September (Wednesday) at 6 pm in both the YouTube channels (Valai Pechu and Cinema Central) and Twitter Handles, for the benefit of everyone to understand more details about the game show.

Theaters to open in October - New conditions revealed

 

From October, the theaters will be given permission to open and curtains to go up. The Central Government after a series of meetings with the stakeholders – multiplex chains and the big production studios of Hollywood  that operate in India and with a few Bollywood- biggies has drawn a blueprint.

In the first round of unlocking of theaters across India, the multiplexes alone will be allowed to open. They will screen only Hollywood films and Bollywood films. They will have to sell  tickets for  only 50 % capacity .. All standard operating procedures for COVID prevention will be followed. Food and drinking water will be sourced through reputed eateries that have a tie-up with food delivery aggregators.  Ticket rates cannot be increased to cover the loss due to less seat capacity.

Reason for Hollywood and Bollywood films given permission is that the first category is not a big puller at box office and hence crowds coming in huge numbers are not going to take place. Second category is the Hindi films. There is no Star film awaiting release and only small independent production houses are having films to release.

This phase will have a shift in November. All single screen ones whose owners that have deep pockets in the rural and semi urban areas will open. These too would follow 50% capacity and COVID SOP procedures. This would bring in regional films in large numbers to the screens. The December unlocking is to do away with cap on seating capacity and follow only SOP procedures. This however has a rider. If any rise of outbreak of Covid takes place and origin is a movie theater, the seating cap will be back or shift to total lockdown of movie halls. State Governments will take a call on bringing back lockdown of theaters.

The Dusshera season and puja holidays will be the first chance for movie halls to put things in order. In November, if nothing happens that point fingers to movie halls, then Deepavali will see the regional biggies back on screens.  By Christmas – New Year, it should be business as usual. Movie lovers should now hope that it is not subjected to any fresh `Act of God” .

Will Bharathiraaja and his Boys bring relief to producers ?

 

The OTT effect has hit Tamil Nadu Theaters in a new way. They are now hit by an old issue that remained unsolved. The newly formed Producers body headed by Bharathiraaja has taken up  the issue of paying Visual Print Fee (VPF) by producers to service providers Qube and UFO MovieZ to screen films in theaters. They have asked for a share in the booking fee collected by online portals for tickets and from the advertisements that come with the digital prints. Coming on the heels of the news that Centre will allow theaters to open from October 1^st, Tamil Nadu theaters are in for a long fight. As OTT  emerged as an alternative, theaters are in a tight corner.

Service providers say that the fees charged is lowest in the World. The producers in Tamil Nadu say that the service providers have recovered their investments on eqipments over a span of ten years and continuing VPF makes no sense. Hollywood Studios movies that are not made in India do not pay any VPF and those that it produces in India are only paying this fee. The service providers have not drawn any agreement with theaters about spending on upgrading equipments in India. In Hollywood the studios paid for upgrading and so the equipment cost was paid up in 5 years. Hollywood also paid a small percentage for new systems in place.

Digital service providers say that it has to pay 30% import duty for equipments. It means more time to recover investment. As for South India,, it had reduced 18-20% fees after last strike. The cost of mastering, including last minute jobs, the cost of delivery and the cost of key management are all charged separately   elsewhere globally but not in India and this charges alone if borne by the producer would equal the VPF is the argument. After the South Filmdom strike, Qube agreed to reduce by 50% the fees for a 6 mth time and reverted back to 18-20% drop. Digital providers also agreed to follow the E Cinema pattern of charging per show.

In Hollywood, Cinedigm and DCIP VPF contracts are between studios that have a line of releases and AMC, Regal and Cinemark, the three largest exhibitors in the US. In India, there is no contract with the multiplex chains and there is not many studios that has a steady supply of movies. It is mostly one time producers and no deal can be arrived at. Only Scrabble Entertainment and Qube Cinema signed VPF contracts with the Hollywood Studios.

Theaters say that it is a matter between the Qube -UFO MovieZ  and producers .and they have no role to play. It means that the producers will have to sort it out with them. Now what remains is that the sharing of advt revenue and online ticket booking charges. If Qube / UFO refuses to scrap VPF  charges or reduce it, producers will have to move to PXD from the Prasad Group, KSS, TSR ProVA, One Source Media, Aerox and K Cinemas which are some of the other digital cinema integrators currently operating in India. However, only Scrabble Entertainment and Qube Cinema signed VPF contracts with the Hollywood Studios.

The new producers body is to ask Qube and UFO to sign a deal with them and treat them as they treat a Hollywood studio. Their members will keep a steady supply of movies. The VPF should be scrapped. If not the theaters should pick the bill. Multiplexes might not agree to join and if it means a further lockdown. The last strike was withdrawn after some exhibitors filed a complaint against the striking producers with the Competition Commission of India (CCI). After a preliminary examination, the CCI decided that the complaint indeed had merits and called for a full examination of the matter. This is an ongoing matter. Though the move is expected to bring relief to producers, small theaters might have to close down or sell out to multiplexes. The VPF has been a poll plank for groups contesting the Film Producer Council polls but nothing has come out of it. The new body is only joining of active producers and they will not issue any directive. Even if issues, CCI can at best say it does not hold good and it is for Tamil Film Producers Council, the officially body that has to take a call. The official body is at present filled with majority of those who are in sleep mode.

CCI has a complaint by Ronnie Screwala against multiplex chains that he says are colluding with Qube and UFO in VPF issue. He has Disney/Fox Star, Viacom 18, Jio Studios, T-Series, Zee Studios and , distributor Anil Thadani, producer Siddharth Roy Kapur (President of the Producers Guild Of India) and producer Mukesh Bhatt  joining his existing complaint with CCI. Ronnie has also found support from the Producers Guild of India & Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association.

Copy Cat Atlee gets SRK nod

 

Copy Cat Atlee tops SRK list of four films that he has selected after rejecting 20 scripts. This time, like all previous times, Atlee claims it is not a copy but an original with SRK playing a RAW agent. After the washout of Zero, Shah Rukh Khan took a break. Now the word is that Karan Johar’s Dharma  production and Red Chilies’ is to produce the film and almost all the pre-production work on the subject is over. During the promotion of Atlee’s last film Bigil, his fellow director Harish Shankar let the cat out of the bag confirming his next with SRK. In reply, Atlee smiled which confirmed that he was indeed collaborating with SRK.

The director himself posted pixs of himself and his wife with SRK. Atlee said that he always takes his wife along when he narrates a story to an actor. The news that SRK has put the signature on four projects which are Aditya Chopra produced Pathan, Siddharth Anand's action film and Rajkumar Hirani's social comedy film , one with Raj and DK  apart from Atlee’s.

Right from his first film Raja Rani onwards, Atlee has been facing the copycat charge. The film was a revisit of Mani Rathinam’s Mouna Ragam. Atlee asked about Mounam Ragam, he replied “ A film with same theme ? Got to see it”. It is either a rehash of an earlier hit or `inspired’ by a Hollywood film. This has been the case with all his four films- Raja Rani in 2013, Theri (2016), Mersal (2017) and Bigil (2019), all featuring superstar Vijay.  It came to a stage that Vijay had to tell the director to hone in on other actors and not just bank on him.

From Mersal onwards, Atlee became a producer’s nightmare.  T Siva who is a leading producer had stated “I have heard that Mersal has suffered a loss of Rs 60 crore. All the issues are over. The actor got his money. The director who received Rs 3 crore in the last film has now got Rs 13 crore. Generally, if a director gets Rs 3 crore, he should get Rs 5 crore in the next film. How did he get Rs 13 crore? There should be some reason for the expenses spent on a film.” Bigil, directed by Atlee was Thalapathy Vijay's only release in 2019. ... Now, eight months after the movie's release, some online portals claimed that Bigil was actually a flop at the box-office, and AGS entertainment incurred a loss of more than 20 crores for making this film. AGS Productions Archana Kalpathi, claimed that Bigil's budget was exceeded due to the use of graphic scenes in football match scenes. These reports also added that the producer said release of the film was delayed due to budget constraints, and it had also caused several issues within the team.

To douse fire and appease Vijay fans, Archana denied having said anything like that. As T Siva says “A producer cannot go and talk about these issues to a star. Especially, with a mass actor like Vijay. If I do so, then misunderstandings and the call-sheet problems might arise.” Hope Karan Johar does not get embroiled in a skirmish with Atlee and be accused of anti- Tamil.

TV and OTT it is a Onam with Josh and for rest a melancholic one

 

Onam for Malayalam film viewers is sans theaters this time. You have films releasing on TV straightaway and on OTT. The days when you visited a theater as part of Onam festivities is going to be a thing of the past ? The Central Govt has still put theaters on the restricted list till September end. The news that many films of actors like Fahad Fazil and Tovino are coming straight to TV and OTT and many more to follow looks like that this might be the norm for some time.

Even Tamil films like that of Jyotika and Keerthy Suresh are coming to TV first. A Onam fest meant for people in the capital to take a look at the lit up Govt buildings and a visit to theater. Slowly this `lights’ as said by public became very much a low key and then it was lights off. Remaining was the `float’ and that too has gone for a toss. In short ,ia Onam that is more on the TV screen than in homes or roads.

I remember that theater owners had a tough time in controlling drunks in the night shows. The elite of the capital booked tickets in balconies and came with families. This trend vanished after drunks took over the balconies and toilets were jammed with vomit as liquor + payasam combo did not jell.

People from neighbouring districts came to the capital to see lights and movies. There was a system that new releases came first to A class center. This too crumbled along the way. Now this Onam, you sit at home and  see the premiere release on TV or on OTT platform and the drunks can empty the gut in the own toilet or on the roads.  Hear lalettan to Ponnamma Babu talk about Onam in Covid times.

There is no argument about who was king of Onam box office. Like shops reported bleak sales due to Covid scare, probably theaters too would have no takers in a big way. The Puli Attam guys have lost their yearly time to make big cash. Somebody has spread the word that flowers are carriers of the virus. To old timers like me who have enjoyed Onam with friends get together and the movie viewing and seeing women folk getting up to do the atthatha poo and along with children taking rides on swings tied on trees in the backyard, I used to say almost a decade back that Onam fervor is only on TV screens.

When Hotels offered Onam sadhya as home delivery and within the premises. Tables were booked earlier for such lunches and reported even waiting list , I knew that Onam and Maveli are kept alive by TV channels to make a killing. What happened to the bulky Onam pathipu ( special issues) that at one time had to be booked by paying upfront to the vendor ?No woman woke up at 3 AM to start cutting veggies for the feast. It was a must that everybody ate the Onam sadhya together and non veg was taboo. All that has changed. Atleast till recently Maveli could witness unruly crowds outside theaters and this time he has a very sober Kerala waiting. Only home cooked food and no drunks staggering out of bars to rush home for keeping the attendance. No traffic diversions due to people walking from East Fort to Kawdiar to see lights.

Happy Onam for TV channels and OTT platforms. A melancholic Onam for all those missing the Onam josh. We will have to see this time Kerala gives the expected news that previous Onam record sales at BEVCO outlets and the areas with figures that keep Gods Own Country ahead of all lovers of Bacchus 

Last Para has an update :From today included three days are dry days in Kerala. So only yesterday sales figures will be officially available. Bars  will make a killing but good news is that Central Govt has permitted bars to open from Sept 1.

Lockdown babies, weddings and pregnancy

 

Lockdown has seen its share of pregnancies, baby deliveries and marriage in South filmdpm. Lets start with marriages. There were many in the news but the biggest was that of actress Miya George getting engaged.. A well known actress in Malayalam and Tamil, Miya took everybody by surprise. June 27, 2020,  Bigg Boss Tamil Season 3 fame actressVanitha Vijayakumar and filmmaker, Peter Paul got married. The marriage has raked up a big controversy in the social media and it is still raging. Now to news of pregnancy- Director Selvaraghavan ( Puthupettai)  wife Gitanjali announced that she is 17 weeks pregnant. Mollywood’s cute couple Pearle Maaney and Srinish Aravind also made the announcement that they are expecting a baby on Instagram

Babies born during lockdown : Music composer- actor GV Prakash Kumar and his wife Saindhavi welcomed their baby daughter in April this year. Actor Nakkhul Jaidev and his wife Shruti announced the arrival of baby girl. Tamil Bigg Boss fame Daniel Annie Pope and his wife Danisha were blessed with a baby boyPopular Mollywood actor Tovino Thomas announced the birth of his second son on June 6. He married his girlfriend Lidiya in 2014. He also has a four-year-old daughter Izza Thomas.

In Bollywood we saw Anushka Sharma and her cricketer husband Virat Kohli announcing  that they are expecting their first child. Kareena Kapoor Khan had also  announced that they are expecting their second child.

Gambling on Mohanlal Marakkar and Vijay's Master to pull crowds

 

If theaters are given permission to open next month , except for multilingual Marrakkar starring Mohanlal and directed by Priydarshan and Vijay’s Master, there is no big ticket film in the South that can bring the crowds back to movie halls. The sale of Soorai Potturu to Amazon and Malayalam film Kilometeres and kilometers to OTT has affected the calculations of Kerala and Tamil Nadu distributors. In Kannada filmdom it is worse as there is Star film ready and will have re-release Drona of Shivarajakumar released at the start of Lockdown. Same is the situation in AP &T after Nani’s V went to Amazon.

Though there are 45 films in Malayalam that is ready for screening, only Marakkar has the potential to pull the crowds in Kerala. As the film is made on a pan- Indian concept, the dubbed version might appeal for its grandeur to other language audience.  During the lockdown, the most viewed language film online was Malayalam .It could be a trial run for theaters outside Kerala. Tamil rights are with Thanu.  After SP backing out, the exhibitors have no choice but to go with Master to get the crowds. Vijay films apart from Tamil Nadu has a strong draw in Kerala and neighboring States.

The risk  for the distributors of Marakkar and Master is high. These films will have be bought on a MG basis and it means the money is locked in. The whole gamble is on how the audience that is still battling Covid  will decide – to go see Mohanlal – Vijay wth the family ( in case kids are allowed by Government) or will it have to bank on fan clubs alone to pull it through.

In USA and other countries the patronage of movie halls that opened last Friday is poor; the major beneficiary of Indian theaters opening is the foreign studios that have a vast library of films that are awaiting release all over India.

As productions are to start, Arun Vijay, Vikram and Vijay Sethupathi films will resume. Rajinikanth and Ajith will not take part in shoot till the vaccine arrives. Sun Pictures is to shoot all portions that do not involved Rajinikanth. In Telugu, Vijay Devarakonda’s Fighter’ under Puri Jagannadh's direction which also features Bollywood actress Ananya Pandey as the female lead in the film will start immediately as only a few days of work remains. Kannada’s Yash and Shivarajakumar have already got ready to complete the pending films.