Sanjay Dutt’s Date Problem & Bal Thackeray Helps Prakash Jha: Bollywood Flashback

Bollywood in 2002 (July 12 – 18)

Bumper Opening For Devdas: Mega Bollywood P. Ltd.’s Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was the major release of the week. The film, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhya’s legendary love tale, was adapted by Prakash Kapadia and Sanjay Leela Bhansali himself. Hype created over the film before its release helped it take a bumper opening.

The other release of the week was Work Station’s Shararat, starring Abhishek Bachchan and Hrishitaa Bhatt. Directed by Gurudev Bhalla, the film opened poorly. The previous week’s release, Humraaz, fared well in Bombay. It collected Rs. 90 lakh (82.04%) from 17 cinemas in the 1st week. Both, Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa and Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein, fell flat in Bombay in the 2nd week of their run. While the collections of Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa stood at Rs. 13 lakh (34.29%) from 9 Bombay cinemas, Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein collected Rs. 5 lakh (29.06%) from 6 cinemas. Awara Paagal Deewana brought in Rs. 28 lakh (53.49%) in its 3^rd week in Bombay from 10 cinemas.

Bonds For Films: Completion guarantee bonds for films was introduced in India for the first time by SBI Impresario Pvt. Ltd., Bombay, in association with New India Assurance Co. Ltd.

Bollywood in 1997 (July 11 – 17)

Govinda’s Poor Show: Sri Nirmaladevi Combines’ Do Aankhen Barah Hath (UA), a film directed by Kirti Kumar and starring Govinda and new-finds Madhuvanti and Roopali, was released this week with a below average opening. The other release of the week was Prakash Jha Productions’ Mrityudand (A). Appreciated for the good performances of its key players, including Shabana Azmi, Madhuri Dixit and Ayub Khan, the film took a fair opening in Bombay.

The previous week’s release, Gupt, did very good business all over. In Bombay, it registered a collection of Rs. 47 lakh (98.16%) from 12 cinemas in the first week. While Itihaas, in its 3^rd week, could collect Rs. 2 lakh (39.37%) in Bombay, Border, in its 4^th week, remained rock-steady, collecting Rs. 42 lakh (91.49%) from 12 cinemas. Virasat, in its 6th week, also showed a good box-office performance in Bombay, collecting Rs. 15 lakh (71.03%) from 6 cinemas.

Bal Thackeray Helps Prakash Jha: Prakash Jha got tax exemption for his Mrityudand in Maharashtra in a matter of half an hour, thanks to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. Thackeray called Jha at 4 p.m. to tell him that he would have the tax-free order in his hands in a couple of hours and the government faxed the order to him at 4.30 p.m.

Bollywood in 1992 (July 10 – 16)

Goonda Raj Rules: N.N. Sippy Productions’ Aaj Ka Goonda Raj (UA) was released with an excellent opening. A complete masala film, it starred Chiranjeevi, Meenakshi Seshadri and Raj Babbar. The other release of the week was Surendera Mohan Productions’ Honeymoon, a comedy, starring Rishi Kapoor and Ashwini Bhave. It had an average opening.

Mirza Brothers Films’ Mashooq was the third release of the week. The film, which had new-find Ayub Khan, Ayesha Julka and Kiran Kumar in key roles, opened well. Bharati Creations’ Parda Hai Parda, which had Chunkey Panday and Meena in the leads, was the last release of the week. It took a fair opening. The previous week’s release, Jaagruti, made a good show at the box-office in Bombay by collecting Rs. 13 lakh (77.89%) from 15 cinemas. But the 1st week’s collection of Ganga Bani Shola was below par in Bombay. It registered Rs. 1.5 lakh (55.17%) from 3 cinemas. The first week’s collection of Pyar Deewana Hota Hai was Rs. 38,000 (38.82%) in Bombay from 3 cinemas. The 2nd week’s collection of Deewana stood at Rs. 9 lakh (92.50%) in Bombay from 11 cinemas. Prem Deewane, in its 4th week in Bombay, collected Rs. 3 lakh (75.59%) from 3 cinemas.

Who Decides Actors’ Dates?: The now-defunct Film Makers Combine (FMC) had made a rule that the dates of the stars would be allocated by it in order of merit, much to the chagrin of the stars. Sanjay Dutt, who was at the receiving end when FMC dictated terms to him, shot back, saying: “I’ve never been dictated to by my father. Why should I be dictated by the FMC? They wanted my dates diary. I told them to keep off. I’m not Madhuri Dixit to give them my diary and empower them to decide and allot my dates.”