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Lights, camera, little action: ‘Bell Bottom’, ‘Chehre’ yet to pull crowds

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Two back-to-back big releases — Akshay Kumar’s ‘Bell Bottom’ and the Amitabh Bachchan star vehicle, ‘Chehre’, both well-received by critics — may have buoyed the spirits of film exhibitors, but their box-office collections have been far from encouraging.

‘Bell Bottom’, which was released on August 19, according to trade analysts, has grossed Rs 18.55 crore till date. Compare this with the Rs 64.99 crore collected in its opening weekend by ‘Good Newzz’ (with Diljit Dosanjh), Akshay’s last film before the first nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. And that was far less than the extended opening weekend earnings — Rs 97.56 crore — of the other big 2019 film, ‘Mission Mangal’.

A number of factors have contributed to this significant drop in earnings: cinema theatres are still under lockdown in Mumbai and Pune, depriving Bollywood of 25 per cent of its revenues; the requirement in a number of malls for patrons to produce double vaccination certificates before being allowed in, which is affecting attendance in theatres located in malls; and, significantly, the closure of 1,500 single screens across India because of the pandemic-induced economic stress.

On ‘Chehre’, which opened on Friday, the analysts were not very bullish about box-office figures. Karan Taurani of Elara Capital predicted that it would make a “lifetime collection” of Rs 5-6 crore because of its “niche” storyline that only a “discerning audience” would appreciate.

Taurani also pointed out that collections have been low because of “very low occupancy in morning shows and night shows not being allowed”. He also blamed the low occupancies forced by social distancing norms being in force. Also, over the last eight days, barring this past Sunday, which did see a spike in Delhi as a result of Raksha Bandhan festivities, attendance in theatres was at an all-time low across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Exhibitors, however, are cautiously optimistic about their business coming back to life, even if partially, because of ‘Bell Bottom’ and ‘Chehre’.

Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Limited, said in a conversation with IANS: “Post the reopening of cinemas after the second wave, ‘Bell Bottom’ was the first big Bollywood movie to have hit the big screen. And it has done reasonably well within the restrictions in capacity, show limitations and weekend closures.”

He also emphasised the lockdown still in place for cinema theatres in “major markets such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.”

The sentiment was share by Rajender Singh Jyala, Chief Programming Officer, INOX Leisure.

Speaking to IANS, he said: “We have always said that the industry needed a couple of mass entertainers to kick off the recovery process, and we are glad that these have arrive and are doing phenomenally well, despite the restrictions.”

“We positively hope that the momentum built by the fantastic response to ‘Bell Bottom’ in the week gone by, and the hype around ‘Chehre’, would mark the onset of our revival journey.”

For Dutta, more than the initial numbers, it is the momentum that matters. He said to IANS: “We are encouraged by the release of the long-awaited ‘Chehre’ today. Hope this will encourage producers from the Bollywood fraternity to announce their big films for theatrical release and get movie-goers back to cinemas.”

Bollywood

Rohit Shetty says ‘Golmaal 5’ will bring ‘laughter and joy’ on January 8, 2027

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Mumbai, Sep 19: Filmmaker Rohit Shetty on Saturday announced that the fifth installment of his “Golmaal” franchise is set to light up the silver screen with “laughter and joy” on January 8, next year.

Rohit took to Instagram, where he shared the vibrant poster of the film. The poster had Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Kemmu on the iconic stretched-out motorcycle.

“LAUGHTER, FUN, JOY, HAPPINESS AND FAMILY… BAS, NOTHING ELSE 8TH JAN 2027 #RohitShettyProductions @authum_ent @tseries.official @divydangi @druhidangi @sarkarshibasish,” the caption read.

The filming for ‘Golmaal 5’ commenced in March this year with an ensemble cast including Ajay, Akshay Kumar, Arshad, Shreyas, Kunal, and Sharman. The movie went on the floor on filmmaker Rohit’s 52nd birthday.

Expressing his excitement, the director had then mentioned that 20 years ago, the first Golmaal was released, a film that changed his life.

He further mentioned: “The credit goes to you, my audience. Over the past 20 years, we have entertained you, and yes, sometimes disappointed you, but we have always been honest in our work.”

“So now, once again, my fabulous team and I are set on a journey to entertain you as we start filming G5. You have always loved and supported me. All we need is your blessings. See you at the movies.”

The first installment of the Golmaal film series, which hit the screens in 2006, stars Ajay Devgn, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad and Sharman along with Rimi Sen and Paresh Rawal.

It was reportedly based on Harsh Shivsharan’s Marathi play Ghar Ghar, which also inspired Vora’s Gujarati play Aflatoon, in turn one of the inspirations for the film. The film was followed by 4 sequels such as Golmaal Returns, which released in 2008, 2010’s Golmaal 3 and Golmaal Again, which hit the silver screen in 2017.

All the films starred Ajay, Arshad, Tusshar, Sanjay Mishra, Vrajesh Hirjee and Mukesh Tiwari, with Shreyas Talpade appearing in three, Kunal Khemu and Johnny Lever in two. Akshay is joining the fifth installment.

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Bigg Boss 20: Aamrapali Dubey gets offended as Luv calls her ‘Tuntun’, says she felt body-shamed

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Mumbai, September 19: Bhojpuri actress Aamrapali Dubey appeared upset after friend and fellow contestant Luv Gill affectionately referred to her as “Tuntun” in the latest episode of Bigg Boss 20.

Although Luv appeared to use the term in an endearing manner, Aamrapali said she felt hurt and perceived the remark as body shaming.

Aamrapali expressed her displeasure to Luv and said she did not expect such a comment from someone she considered close. However, instead of accepting that Aamrapali had been hurt, Luv appeared irked by the reaction and told her not to tease her or consider her close. The exchange left Aamrapali visibly upset.

She explained that she would have appreciated it if Luv had simply acknowledged that the remark had hurt her and assured her that she would not use the word “Tuntun” for her again.

Later, Luv was seen telling Asif and other housemates that Aamrapali had taken offence to the remark, despite her saying that she had not intended to hurt her.

Aamrapali overheard the conversation and confronted Luv about it. She reiterated that she considered the “Tuntun” remark body shaming and said she had not expected it from Luv.

Aamrapali told Luv that she wanted her to understand the impact the remark had on her. She said she had expected Luv to acknowledge that it had hurt her rather than defend the intention behind the comment.

During the conversation, Luv said she did not know what “Tuntun” referred to when used for a person. Aamrapali responded that the reference was obvious and that everyone knows whom the name “Tuntun” is associated with.

For the uninitiated, “Tuntun” was the popular screen name of veteran Indian actress and playback singer Uma Devi Khatri. Known for her comic and character roles in Hindi cinema, she became popularly recognised by the name Tuntun and was also famous for her healthy body type.

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Karan Johar and Varun Dhawan to host IIFA Awards 2027 in Abu Dhabi

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Mumbai, Sep 18: The upcoming edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) is set to be hosted by 2 sets of hosts. IIFA Digital Awards 2027 will be hosted by Pankaj Tripathi and Ali Fazal, the IIFA Awards 2027 will be hosted by Karan Johar and Varun Dhawan.

The IIFA Awards 2027 will also see powerhouse performances by Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Janhvi Kapoor.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is set to take centre stage at IIFA 2027, adding his unparalleled star power to the celebrations.

Talking about his return to the IIFA stage, he said, “IIFA and I go back a long, long way. I have been part of this journey since its early years, and every time IIFA calls, there is a special feeling because it is not just an awards show, it is a celebration of our films, our people and the audiences who have given us so much love. I have performed at IIFA across the years, but coming back to Abu Dhabi always feels different. I have a deep connection with this city, and some very special memories here”.

He further mentioned, “Yas Island has become a beautiful home for IIFA, and the energy that the audiences bring is something you can feel the moment you step onto that stage. After everything we have created together over the years, I am looking forward to coming back, performing, having some fun and celebrating Indian cinema with everyone. IIFA 2027 is going to be another big one, and I am happy to be a part of it”.

The awards will be held at the Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on January 22 and January 23, and promise star power, music and entertainment, bringing together leading talent and Indian cinema enthusiasts from across the world.

Actor Pankaj Tripathi, who is making his IIFA Digital Awards hosting debut, said in a statement, “For an actor, there are certain moments that come with a little extra nervousness and a lot of excitement and hosting the IIFA Digital Awards for the first time is definitely one of them. I have spent much of my journey standing in front of the camera and telling stories through characters, so stepping onto the IIFA stage in a completely different role is both exciting and humbling. In fact, this will be my first experience of hosting an awards show, which makes the moment even more special for me”.

“The digital world has transformed the way stories are created, discovered and loved, and IIFA recognising this new generation of storytelling feels very meaningful. To be part of that celebration alongside so many talented artists and creators is an honour. IIFA has always taken Indian cinema to audiences across the world, and I am looking forward to bringing that same spirit, warmth and, hopefully, a little bit of humour to the IIFA Digital Awards stage. I cannot wait to experience the magic of IIFA from the other side of the stage and I hope I can do justice to it”, he added.

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