Connect with us
Monday,02-June-2025
Breaking News

Entertainment

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

Published

on

Bell-Bottom-Chehre-business

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

Mohit Suri calls ‘Saiyaara’ an ode to his favourite love stories

Published

on

Mumbai, May 31: Director Mohit Suri, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming film ‘Saiyaara’, has called it an homage to the love stories that he has grown up loving.

Mohit is known for his musical hits like ‘Zeher’, ‘Kalyug’, ‘Woh Lamhe’, the cult-classic ‘Awarapan’ and the blockbuster ‘Aashiqui 2’.

While all the aforementioned films were made under the banner of Vishesh Films, with ‘Saiyaara’, Mohit has moved into the territory of Yash Raj Films.

‘Saiyaara’ brings together YRF and Mohit, both known for creating timeless romances for an intense love story, and introduces Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda (of ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ fame) as the next YRF heroine.

Talking about the film, Mohit said, “I feel you can tell so many beautiful stories and take people along so many journeys and celebrate so many emotions but romantic genre is always special. ‘Saiyaara’ is my homage to the love stories I love and the sweeping romances that I have come across through my life. I have been fortunate to have met so many people who have been kind enough to share their incredible love stories with me”.

He further mentioned, “I’m delighted to see this unanimous response to the teaser of ‘Saiyaara’. I’m thrilled for Ahaan and Aneet. They deserve all the love because they have really put in everything for people to connect so deeply with the teaser of ‘Saiyaara’. I share this moment with my incredible team and everyone at YRF. I hope people keep engaging and connecting with ‘Saiyaara’ as we peel every layer of emotion, every season of love through our marketing campaign”.

Produced by YRF, ‘Saiyaara’ is set to release in cinemas on July 18, 2025.

Continue Reading

Hollywood

Jackie Chan quips he’ll be ‘100-years-old’ making ‘Rush Hour 4’

Published

on

Los Angeles, May 29: Legendary action star Jackie Chan, who is reprising his role for “Karate Kid: Legends”, has finally opened up about the the long-gestating “Rush Hour 4”, for which he assured he’s still interested in reuniting with co-star Chris Tucker, more than 25 years after the original.

He told Media: “I don’t know. Ask the director, ask the studio, ask the writer. Hurry up! Otherwise, Chris Tucker and me (will be) 100 years old. We’ll be old men doing Rush Hour.”

In 2017, Chan said he and Tucker had finally agreed on a script for Rush Hour 4, reports deadline.com.

The pair previously starred together in director Brett Ratner’s Rush Hour in 1998, Rush Hour 2 in 2001 and Rush Hour 3 in 2007, which earned a combined $850 million worldwide.

Additionally, Chan said: “I want to do” a followup to Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights, which will be titled Shanghai Dawn.

“The script is still going on,” he said.

Back in 2016, Chan and Owen Wilson were developing another Shanghai Noon sequel for MGM with Jared Hess attached to direct, from a story by Miles Millar and Alfred Gough and a script by Theodore Riley and Aaron Buchsbaum.

“Rush Hour” focusses on two cops from different cultures, who cannot stand each other, team up to save the kidnapped 11-year-old daughter of a diplomat. With time running out, they must nab the criminals and save the girl.

Talking about ‘Karate Kid: Legends,’ Jackie Chan has returned to the Karate Kid franchise after a 15-year hiatus, reprising his iconic role as Mr. Han in the new installment.

Unlike previous chapters set in China, this sequel takes place in the vibrant streets of New York City, where Mr. Han’s path crosses once again with Daniel LaRusso, portrayed once more by Ralph Macchio.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Salman Khan’s security once again breached, woman enters actor’s building

Published

on

Mumbai, May 22: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s security cover has been breached once again. In a recent incident, a woman, Isha Chhabra, 32, entered the lift area of the superstar’s residence.

However, before she could make her way to the actor’s core residential area, she was intercepted by the security vehicle at Khan’s Galaxy apartment in the Bandra area of Mumbai on Thursday.

Security guards at the Galaxy Apartment nabbed the woman and handed her to the Bandra police, based on the complaint of the security guard, the Bandra police have registered a case against the woman and are investigating the case further.

This comes in the wake of heightened security around the actor owing to threats by the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The actor has been on the radar of Bishnoi, who wants to avenge the alleged hunting of the black buck by the superstar in the 1990s.

Last year, two men on a bike fired multiple shots outside the actor’s residence Galaxy Apartments in the Bandra area of Mumbai. The investigation later revealed that the shooting was aimed at intimidating the actor and was carried out on the instructions of Lawrence Bishnoi. The Bishnoi community considers blackbucks to be sacred, and the actor’s alleged involvement has enraged the gangster, who has revenge on his mind.

Bishnoi, who gained national attention after the murder of Punjabi star Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022, has openly given threats to Salman for his alleged involvement in the black buck hunting case during the shoot of ‘Hum Saath – Saath Hain’.

This year on Eid, the superstar also greeted his fans from behind the bullet-proof installed in his balcony. The actor also spoke with the media earlier this year, and agreed that on some days moving with security does become a problem for him.

The actor also said that he is not afraid of the threats, and has left it to God to look after him and safety.

Continue Reading

Trending