Saturday 23 June 2012

Box Office: 'Teri Meri Kahaani' scores over 'Gangs of Wasseypur'

 
Nothing much to cheer about at box office this weekend, as both the new releases, Kunal Kohli’s Teri Meri Kahaani and Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur opened to a dull response at ticket windows.

Gangs of Wasseypur may be doing terrific business on single screen theatres in UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, but in metropolises the film hasn’t attracted footfalls. The opening day response, on average, ranged between 10 to 15 percent which is, put bluntly, very dull. The critical reviews have mostly been positive and the film is likely to pick up on Saturday and Sunday. But a miraculous turnaround is needed for it to emerge as a hit. Anurag Kashyap has already called Gangs Of Wasseypur his most expensive film to date.

Teri Meri Kahaani, starring Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra in three love stories that span a century, hasn’t really taken off on a dream start. The film saw a response ranging between 35 percent to 40 percent on the opening day, which is below the mark. The reports about the film have been mixed, but the film is likely to pick up on Saturday and Sunday.

Another depressing fact is that Teri Meri Kahaani has opened to a poorer opening than Shahid Kapoor’s last big release Mausam which was a flop.

Meanwhile, last week’s release Ferrari Ki Sawaari rounded off its first week collection with just a little under Rs. 21 crore nett, a decent number.

Rowdy Rathore is turning out to be a super-duper hit with a 3-week collection of Rs. 130 crore.

The coming week would see multiple short-budget releases like Maximum, Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai, Superman Of Malegaon and The Amazing Spider-man.

Teri Meri Kahaani': Uninteresting story, flat jokes


Film: 'Teri Meri Kahaani'; Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra; Directed by: Kunal Kohli
There are many occasions in this three-tiered love story when the two protagonists simply run out of words as the dialogue slumps into an embarrassing silence.
This, you feel, is very much in character. On paper, I am sure 'Teri Meri Kahaani' must have seemed like a terrific 3-in-1. A sumptuous feast of role and accent transference for the charming pair. Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra are among the best talent we have today. They are versatile,confident, good-looking and simply cool. Director Kunal Kohli gives them three different love stories to sink their decalcified teeth into.
The problem starts early. None of the three stories is inspired or even interesting. The high-points in each story are so weak we don't know when they arrive.Some of the material that has gone into telling the triple-tiered story frankly appears to be a secret joke whose punchline is known only to the writers.
For example in the segment in London 2011 Shahid and Priyanka are named Krish and Radha and the screechy girl who comes in-between them (Neha Sharma) is believe it or not, Meera.
This self-consciously mythologized modern day love triangle prompts a friend of the hero to quip, 'Yeh Radha aur Krishna ke beech mein Meera kahan se aa gayi?'
Well, LOL to that. Krish and Radha often resort to smileys and LOLs to express their growing fondness. The smileys remain singularly isolated in their amusement. There is not a moment when we empathise with the protagonists or feel the intended flow of their love for one another. What we see are two stars trying to breathe life into a mutual affection that never quite takes off.
It gets worse.The two others stories are even less engaging. The one set in the film industry resorts to painstaking periodicity to recreate Mumbai in 1960. A tram crosses Mumbai's heartland. To his credit the art designer tries hard to get the exteriors right. Though some of it is so shallow you feel Kunal Kohli is attempting the recreate the celluloid version of a high school play where the props are borrowed from the furniture-wali aunty's store.
And by the way the Lata Mangeshkar-Kishore Kumar duet 'Likha hai tere ankhon mein' from the Dev Anand starrer Teen Deviyaan which plays in the background in a street scene featuring Shahid and Prachi Desai, did not exist in 1960. It came five years later.
That brings us to the music and choreography, so essential to evoking periodicity specially when the lead pair dances so well. But getting Shahid to do Shammi Kapoor? Bad idea. Very bad idea. Shahid's measured steps would have made Shammi LOL.
The worst story of the three is the one set in pre-Partition Punjab. It almost seems to spoof Vidhu Vinod Chopra's '1942: A Love Story'. Like Anil Kapoor in Chopra's film, Shahid cares not a hoot about India's independence. He cares only about 'love-shove'. And please take the 'shove'seriously. The grinning rogue likes to put it in wherever he gets space.
And we aren't talking about his tractor.
The attempts in the pre-Partition segment to instil a sense of patriotic pride is shamefully baggy. The Gora Log are played by junior artistes whose only credential to represent British India is the colour of their skin. The patriotic Indians get to shout Vande Mataram in freshly-stitched kurtas and tops. Mercifully we are spared a re-mix.
The clothes suggest a close affinity between boutique wisdom and periodicity. And that seems to be the prevalent mood of the romance. The emotions seem to be obtained off the shelf. Priyanka and Shahid struggle hard to look deeply interested in the lines and in each other.
It's a losing battle. There's only so much you can do with conspicuously corny lines like, 'Are we like those couples who talk on the sms and online and have nothing to say when they come face to face?'
Even if they are, do we care?
Just why Kunal Kohli, a director who has shown some sensitivity in handling the man-woman relationship, chose to make this film is mystery solvable only by the actors who agreed to be part of the endeavour.
Suffice it to say 'Teri Meri Kahaani' makes Kunal Kohli's last production 'Break Ke Baad' look like a neglected work of pop-art.

Nokia, Apple, Funbook: tale of a tech triangle

 
Three big events last week in the technology world attracted my attention. And you probably have not heard of one. The ones that you have heard of probably are the launch of the latest mobile operating system by Apple, the iOS, which will power the world’s coolest smartphones and tablet PCs, an

Nokia laying off 10,000 employees as it struggles to turn profitable.


No doubt, these are momentous developments, but sitting in India, it is important to ask ourselves how it makes sense to us — or does not. And thereby hangs the tale of technological relevance.
Apple is no doubt cutting-edge, but its latest tablet costs upwards of Rs. 44,000, a price point even well-to-do middle class Indians think twice about before buying. So I am quite puzzled why the third event was happening without much fanfare. MicroMax launched its Android-based tablet, the Funbook, at R6,500. Right on the target audience, it also came up with a cool television ad that went with the Indian Idol show at the weekend.
Now, what Apple sells at Rs. 44,000 is no doubt loaded with features and services and amazing design. But, when an Indian company offers what to the masses below is a significant upgrade in their digital lives at 15% of that price, it is important to take note.
A noteworthy point is that the Funbook is based on the latest 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) version of Google’s Android handset platform.
Yes, we already have the government-backed Aakash tablet PCs from Datawind that is going through its bureaucratic paces. Yes, both Aakash and Funbook are yet to prove themselves as products its intended customers like.
While the jury is still out, I would still salute such innovations that are taking big steps to bridge the digital divide.
Nokia got into trouble because (in my opinion), it served neither the upscale cool slot that went to Apple and later, Samsung. Nor did it take to a logical extension the amazing thing it did when it launched the affordable Nokia 1100 for India’s hinterland. Before discontinuing it, Nokia had sold 250 million 1100 — making it the world’s best selling phone handset.
Apple innovates away at the high-end, and MicroMax serves away at the low-end. Where does that leave Nokia? Its Microsoft Windows alliance still remains its best bet, but that's another story.

Friday 22 June 2012

Teri Meri Kahaani : Solid acting can’t save jaded Mills & Boon stories told over three generations


Director: Kunal Kohli
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Prachi Desai and Neha Sharma


Nobody loves a movie full of clichés. The party really gets pooped when the clichés are about love. Unfortunately Teri Meri Kahaani employs every known truism about love to establish its three love stories across three generations. The end result is an honest middle-of-the-road romance but unfortunately it feels too jaded to be true.

So you’ve got Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra and their romance sprawled across 100 years. The first one is from 1960 and it’s a Raj Kapoor – Nargis like cutesy story where the guy and girl are too shy to admit they’re in love. She’s an actress, he’s a struggling musician and their love story takes place and concludes in a matter of few days. Next in line is the 2012 love story based in London. Here the couple is based in separate colleges and their affections and heart breaks all happen on Messengers, Facebook and iPads. The final one is set in 1910 Lahore, as a Muslim Casanova falls for the earthy charm of a Punjabi girl. And romance gets a kick of patriotism and the pre-Independence struggle.

Yes the idea is unique and the approach fresh. But one expects more from director Kunal Kohli and his execution. His storyline seems straight out of the 2005 Taiwanese film Three Times, but that may well be a coincidence. The end credits show you a montage of how Kohli and his team recreated the Mumbai of 1960. Agreed it looks good the first time, but about 10 minutes into the film you can’t help but sneer at the CGI. No marks for Priyanka’s belly piercing and Prachi Desai’s wardrobe, which seem way ahead of the times.

Cut to 2012 and the detailing saves grace. Lovers meet over accidental exchange of cell phones, bond over WhatsApp and break up on Facebook. But where the film scores on detailing, it loses on the story. An otherwise progressive girl suddenly objects to her boyfriend for kick starting a relationship on the same day as his breakup. Finally, the film rustles up some steam in 1910. Shahid plays an Urdu couplet quoting ladies’ man and he finds his match in a grounded Punjabi girl and her patriot father. The chemistry between PC and Shahid is at its best in this segment. This part of the story, though most dated, is surprisingly the most progressive. The cherry here is some clever repartee between the lovers. 

To the film’s credit, three generations of love pass by in a breeze. But unfortunately the twists in the end are quite airy as well. The film tries to tie up three different stories but their much anticipated climax seems nothing more than a convenient Mills & Boon surprise. Both Shahid and Priyanka give it their best shot, but their charm doesn’t make up for the absence of a genuine kahani.

Who is Rajesh Khanna?

                                     Rajesh Khanna



Date of Birth
29 December 1942, Amritsar, Punjab, British India (now India)  
Date of Death
18 July 2012, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (cancer)


Birth Name
Jatin Chunnilal Khanna

Nickname
Kaka
RK
Shehzada
The Original King of Romance


Height 
5' 9" (1.75 m)
Mini Biography

Rajesh Khanna, the superstar of Indian Cinema, entered Hindi films in the latter half of the 1960s and did 180 films - 163 feature films and 17 short films. By 2011, he held record for maximum number of films as the solo lead hero and least number of multi star cast films in Hindi Cinema. Of the 163 films 106 were solo hero films and 22 were multi star films. He first tasted success with hit films like Baharoan Ke Sapne, Raaz and Aurat and he was appreciated for his performances in Aakhri Khat.Rajesh Khanna achieved super-stardom with Shakti Samantha's 'Aradhana" (1969).He became the craze of the nation, and critics across India started calling him the First Superstar of both Indian Cinema (No. 1 Actor) and Hindi Films and remained so alone as the Superstar for 7 years (1969-1975) and had to share the status with Amitabh from 1977-1991 till he left films to join politics in 1991.He overtook his predecessors Dev-Dilip-Raj, Shammi Kapoor,Rajendra Kumar in terms of popularity with audience and critics, quality of performances, variety of films by doing quickly 41 films in 9 years which included 35 Golden Jubilee Hits and 2 silver silver jubilee hits from 1966-1975. He also made the world record of having 17 successive super-hits in 3 years from 1969-71 which included 15 consecutive solo super-hit films. The main difference between him and his predecessors,successors, contemporaries was that Khanna's films ran successfully in whole of India and not just Hindi speaking areas and he did films of every genre simultaneously and has more critically acclaimed films to his credit than all other Hindi Actors of every generation. He stands out even by selection of his films as he regularly did both offbeat alternate cinema along with commercial potboiler films and had success in both.He introduced intelligent cinema to the masses with ease.

Anju Mahendru was his girl friend in 1966-1972, the then aspiring actress but they had breakup in 1972 when Anju was not ready for marriage and Khanna married his fan Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, 8 months before Raj Kapoor's Bobby released in theaters.

Khanna's pairing with Mumtaz always produced much success as they had all of their 8 films together as major platinum jubilee hits.His films with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh and Zeenat Aman was a favorite with audiences too in 70's.

From 1976 onwards till 1978, he had 4 box office hits and 9 films flopped unexpectedly although his performances and the film's music were praised by critics and thereby his successful run at the box office ended.

Khanna bounced back with Amardeep and then again started giving many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including 35 Golden Jubilee Hits and 16 SJH starting from 1979 till 1991. K.Balaji wanted to establish himself in Hindi film industry as a producer and thereby wanted to remake his Tamil film Sivaji Ganeshan starer Dheepam in Hindi. At a time when Khanna's films were not working at the box office, Khanna got this film out of the blue and went on to become a big hit.In the 80's his films opposite Tina Munim, Hema Malini, Reena Roy, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon were big hits.

He produced three films and co-produced 3 films. He left film industry in 1991 and entered politics by joining the Congress Party in 1991 and became a member of parliament. Khanna was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101 films as the solo lead hero and just 21 two hero films having appeared in 153 films in short span of 25 years. He is still adored and fondly remembered by the masses. Songs from his films adorn the lips of youth and adolescents. He was the first mega-star and has left behind a storehouse of the finest moments in film history.

  

New Delhi: In the 100-year history of Bollywood, Rajesh Khanna, now 69, stands out as the        first real superstar.

In an era when cinema was still governed by the rules of the big studios, Mr Khanna was a supernova, the first of his kind. Film lore says the mere sight of him caused women to faint, slash their wrists and send him letters written in blood. His predecessors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar had broken hearts in their time, but the hysteria that followed in Rajesh Khanna's wake was entirely unprecedented. His hairstyle and distinctive kurta was imitated by a generation of young men. His sideways nod and very particular style of delivering his lines were likewise admired and adopted. But Rajesh Khanna was much more than the sum of his mannerisms.

Born in Amritsar in 1942, Rajesh Khanna, birth name Jatin and nicknamed Kaka, was adopted by relatives of his biological parents, who moved him to Girgaum, a suburb of Mumbai. He went to school and college with his great friend Ravi Kapoor, who was to become the actor Jeetendra. The young Rajesh dabbled in theatre, winning many inter college drama competitions. In 1965, he won the All India Talent Contest organized by Filmfare and United Producers, and debuted in Chetan Anand's Aakhri Khat the next year. Under contract with United Producers, he appeared in a string of films produced by the studio and each performance elevated him just that little bit more into national consciousness, until he was finally propelled to superstardom in Aradhana (1969).


Aradhana, which co-starred Sharmila Tagore, was remarkable in many ways. Rajesh Khanna's carefree charm in the song Mere Sapnon Ki Rani made him irresistible to audiences, as did the simmering Roop Tera Mastana. He pulled off a double role with aplomb, and proved equally adept at playing the romantic hero as well as the tragic. It was also the beginning of two long and successful partnerships - with heroine Sharmila Tagore, and with singer Kishore Kumar. 

Hit after hit followed, among them the cult Haathi Mere Saathi,KhamoshiKati PatangAnand and Amar Prem. He won three Filmfare awards as well as the Lifetime Achievement, among other honours. 

Despite his heartthrob status, Rajesh Khanna played a variety of roles - the terminally ill Anand, a canny chef in Bawarchi, a lonely husband in Amar Prem, and a psychiatric patient inKhamoshi. He was one half of several smash hit screen jodis, with actresses Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Tina Munim, Asha Parekh and Hema Malini. He had the most memorable dialogues, the superhit songs and the biggest films of his time, dominating the Seventies in every way. 

By this time, Rajesh Khanna fans lined roads as he drove by and kissed his car as it passed. Mumtaz remembers an occasion when they arrived in Chennai at midnight, to find the hotel mobbed by some 600 odd women. According to Sharmila Tagore, female fans "married" photographs of Mr Khanna and he required police protection in public. A famous scene from Amar Prem, set against the Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, could not actually be shot on location because authorities feared the bridge itself would collapse under the weight of the gathered fans. Possibly, not even Amitabh Bachchan mania or Shah Rukh Khan fever have matched the fan frenzy that surrounded Rajesh Khanna in his prime. 

Rajesh Khanna's fall from cinematic grace, when it came, was almost as meteoric as his rise to fame. One moment he was playing to packed houses, the next moment he was starring in B grade films with names like Wafaa and Goraa. Rishi Kapoor replaced him as the new loverboy, and action movies dislodged romance and drama as box office catnip. Rajesh Khanna was well past 40 when his star began to wane. He had spent over 20 years at the top of the filmy food chain.

By the late 80s, he was a dim star in the Bollywood constellation, and by the Nineties he had burnt out altogether. But if his filmy fortunes were slipping, his personal charisma was unchanged. He rmarshalled his forces in the direction of politics, holding a Lok Sabha seat as a Congressman from 1992 to 1996. He remains active on behalf of the Congress. 

Mr Khanna now features as the father of the hero or heroine in an odd movie here and there, and has appeared in some television serials.

Off screen, Rajesh Khanna's private life was distinctly bohemian. Early in his career, he conducted a seven-year-long live in relationship with actress Anju Mahendru. At the height of his fame, in 1973, he married 16- year-old Dimple Kapadia who had only just made a searing bikini-clad debut in teen romance Bobby. He was almost 16 years older than her when they married. 11 years and two daughters later, they divorced in 1984. There were also rumoured affairs with co-stars Mumtaz and Tina Munim. Any bad blood between Mr Khanna and ex-wife Dimple is now a thing of the past, and they often make public appearances with the family - daughters Twinkle and Rinke, and sons-in-law Akshay Kumar and Sameer Saran. 

Mr Khanna's health has been the subject of concern for some time now. He was hospitalized in April, and is now believed to be unwell again. The reason for his ill health is not clear. Worried fans lined up outside his home in Mumbai's upscale Bandra neighbourhood. On June 21, as son-in-law Akshay Kumar thanked them for their concern, saying Mr Khanna was "more than fine," the erstwhile superstar himself appeared on the balcony, visibly weak and wearing dark glasses, to give the waiting crowd the victory sign.


                                              Videos

All Anand Songs - Rajesh Khanna - Amitabh Bachchan - Lata Mangeshkar - Mukesh - Manna Dey - Gulzar 


Aap Ki Kasam - Songs Collection - Rajesh Khanna - Mumtaz - Kishore - Lata - Best Hindi Songs 

 

 

 

 

'Gangs Of Wasseypur' - a romp into raw, rugged heartland



Film: 'Gangs Of Wasseypur'; Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Huma Quershi, Reema Sen, Piyush Mishra and others: Director: Anurag Kashyap; Rating:****
Bleeding brilliance in almost every frame, breathing fire through every available orifice that the characters possess, and whipping up a kind of frenzied, flamboyant bloodshed that was once associated with the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah, 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' is, briefly, one huge gang-bang. No protection provided.
From its bludgeoning opening when merciless marauders ambush a powerful enemy's fortress-like home with army-like meticulousness, 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' takes us into a world where compassion is a dinosaur, forgiveness a faux pas, and kindness an unforgivable sin.
Welcome to Kashyap's Wasseypur. This is no country for the weak-hearted. Country-made guns go off without warning, bombs are hurled from two-wheelers and abuses fly out even faster than the bullets. If you are the kind of moviegoer who doesn't enjoying hearing and seeing the unimaginable things that can't be done to various parts of the human anatomy, then I suggest you try something more sugary and safe.
The world of Wasseypur is soaked in blood and revenge. The mafia in one form or another rules the little town. To mainstream Hindi moviegoers, this is not an unknown territory. At least four other recent films - 'Paan Singh Tomar', 'Ishaqzaade', 'Rowdy Rathore' and 'Shanghai' - have hurled audiences right into the notorious anarchy of the North Indian small-town where the barrel of the gun speaks an irresistible language of mayhem.
It's a strangely dichotomous world where music and songs (Sneha Khan walk) mock the characters' subverted 'herogiri'. While the characters indulge in their unmanned violence, audience become numbed participants in the rites of the wrong-doing.
The almost-ritualistic slaughter of all rules of civil conduct in 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' is not redeemed by the presence of any hero.
Even the main protagonist in the blood thirsty saga is a certifiable rogue named, Sardar Khan. As played by Manoj Bajpayee in what is arguably his most feisty and filled-out performance to date, Sardar Khan is a second-generation criminal and social outcast.
In the film's unforgettable prologue, Sardar's father (Jaideep Ahlawat) serves as a henchman to the powerful local politician (Tigmanshu Dhulia). Politician has daddy killed by a hired assassin and Sonny-boy grows up swearing revenge.
This in a nutshell, could be the plot for a cheesy 1980s' potboiler. In taking the grammar and language of the formulistic vendetta drama from the 1970s and 1980s and converting it into a crackling saga of compelling contemporary currency, Kashyap turns all the rules of mainstream Hindi cinema on its head. He uses the language of Manmohan Desai and Narinder Bedi's cinema. But he applies these to characters who are as far removed from the world of escapism is Sicilyis from Wasseypur.
Oh, did we really say 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' was derived from 'The Godfather'? Nah. The two worlds are inter-connected only by their legacy of lineage and violence. Beyond that Kashyap's mode of storytelling, and the way his characters loo mover the proceedings without become caricatural, are frighteningly original and as liberated of reference-points as any of the path-breaking films on gangwars that have emerged out of Hollywood in the last 25 years.
Kashyap celebrates the drama of the grotesque with the relish of a seven-'coarse' meal. We can count the number of thuds and stabbing sounds every time a victim is cornered and done to death. Violence on this level has never really been a part of mainstream Hindi cinema before. The end of cinematic niceties is here. Take it or leave it.
Kashyap, in Wasseypur, legitimizes gore with glorious gusto. In the gang war that he portrays with such feral immediacy, victims are chopped up piece by piece, their body parts sent to the butcher's to eliminate legal evidence. A finger floating in a cesspool of stale blood is a commonplace sight in the world of unchecked mayhem that Kashyap has constructed with such casual resplendence.
His team of technicians are unconditionally mired in the mood of violence. Rajeev Ravi's camera mows through the imaginary world of Wasseypur with a devilish dispassion.
The film looks layered and even luminous in texture. But the tone of narration is detached. The dereliction of the damned and doomed characters is neither romanticized nor demonized.
Indeed 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' invents a new language of cinematic expression. It creates a world where the characters inhabit a universe of vapid stagnant violence. And yet the narration, never short of breath even in the most breathless state of violence, exudes a kind of vibrancy that comes from neither rejection not acceptable of an undesirable situation. It comes from within the characters. As they battle each other in bitter futile feuds, they also seem to be battling the demons within themselves. The synthesis of what lies within and without is devastating.
And yet for all its outward show of ruthless machismo 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' is a film with a heart. There is a rather enticing love story featuring Manoj, his screen wife(debutante Richa Chadha) and the other woman (Reema Sen) tucked away in the folds of the ferocious tale.
Manoj's wife is a very happy happening in this sad but savagely funny tale. She is quite the discovery of the year, and that too in a film mottled with exceptional performances by Manoj, Nawazuddin as his son (more of him in 'Wasseypur 2'), Tigmanshu Dhulia who is clenched, controlled and combative as the villain in chief, Pankaj Tripathi riveting as Manoj's belligerent enemy, Piyush Mishra remarkably restrained and wise as Manoj's mentor and guide and Huma Qureshi, another whammy performer whom we will see more of in the sequel.
In fact, every character, big or small, is cast with what looks like first-and-last options. You can't imagine any other actor playing any of the myriad parts.
Brutal, brilliant, dark, sinister, terrifying in its violence and yet savagely funny in the way human life is disregarded 'Gangs Of Wasseypur' is one helluva romp into the raw and rugged heartland. Not to be missed. I can't wait to see the sequel. But be warned. Avoid meals half an hour before and after viewing.

Thursday 7 June 2012

Akshay Kumar: Rowdy return of the bankable Khiladi





UTV & Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Rowdy Rathore co-produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Shabinaa Khan and directed by Prabhudeva has marked the re entry of Akshay Kumar - India's favourite Khiladi back to his regime.
As Akshay gets ready to accept the 100 crore crown anytime from now..Bollywood is showering praises for Akki's action packed comeback with Prabhudeva's 'Rowdy Rathore' a remake of the Ravi Teja starrer Telugu film Vikramarkudu'. Which in fact seems to draw inspirations from Bollywood's 1976 'Kalicharan' starring Shatrughan Sinha (Sonakshi Sinha's father).. B-town showman Subash Ghai made his debut as director with this flick..
Kalicharan is remembered by die hard bollywood fanatics for two reason.. the movie made badman Ajit immortal with the character Lion.. and the movie was Shatrughan Sinha's debut as the mainstream lead in Bollywood..
Rowdy Rathore success mainly in the single screens has also cemented two facts.. in a way it has given a new lease of life to Akshay Kumar who for reasons better known to him was restricting himself to be a comedian was getting repeated and was not quite exciting for many..
Secondly, it has again proved that full blown masala from the appetite of entertainment hungry souls of bollywood can never be ruled out.. Not only did the action-entertainer emerged as the biggest non-holiday opener ever in Bollywood history, but also managed to gross a whopping Rs. 65.92cr Net in 5 days..
Says Mumbai-based distributor Rajesh Thadani,  "A lot of things have worked for the film, like the timing, the set up, Prabhudheva's direction and the entire masala that has been spread evenly over the film. The film has got the biggest possible opening for the year after Agneepath, if you count just three day weekend collection. And mind you Agneepath released on a national holiday. The film is going strong on at multiplexes or at single screens."
Adds Delhi-based distributor Sanjay Ghai, "The film has entered the league of Dabangg and 3 Idiots. It is a sure shot entry into the Rs 100 crore club and is already declared to be a blockbuster."
Girish Wankhede from Cinemax points out, " The film opened with 60 per cent occupancy on Friday and by the end of the week, through major word of mouth, it reached 80 per cent. The film has a great repeat value."
Co- producer Shabinaa Khan "Very few get to enjoy opening figures such as these with their first co-production...I'm thrilled that the hardwork has paid off and elated that the film is doing so well"
Says Siddharth Roy Kapur, MD - Studios, Disney UTV "We are thrilled with the incredible opening day collections of ROWDY RATHORE across the length and breadth of India. Rowdy Rathore has notched up the 3rd biggest Opening Day of All Time and the Biggest Non Holiday Opening Day of All Time. It is alsoAkshay Kumar's Biggest Opening Day Ever. All of us - UTV, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha and of course Prabhudheva are immensely thankful to audiences for helping this film to rewrite box office history."
Last but not the least, Sanjay Leela Bhansali the producer shares, "I'm overwhelmed with the congratulatory wishes and love audiences are bestowing on the film...It feels great to be part of this out and out action entertainer."

Bank regulators trying to reduce risk in JPMorgan portfolio



Federal Reserve Governor Daniel K. Tarullo, left, speaks with Sen. Tim Johnson before testifying at hearing held by the Senate Banking Committee. 
WASHINGTON -- Federal banking regulators have been meeting daily with JPMorgan Chase & Co. executives to reduce the risks in the trading portfolio that led to the loss of more than $2 billion and are conducting a broader inquiry into risk management at the nation's largest bank.
"We are not limiting our inquiry to the particular transactions at issue. We are assessing the adequacy of risk management throughout the bank," Thomas J. Curry, head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, told the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday. "If corrective action is warranted, we will pursue appropriate informal or formal remedial measures."
Among those measures could be forcing bank executives to return some of their compensation, a process known as clawback, Curry said.
The OCC is the chief regulator of JPMorgan's banking activities and has 65 examiners in the bank's offices. In response to questioning from senators about whether the agency should have caught the risky trades before they resulted in such huge losses, Curry said that was under review.
"We are looking at whether there were gaps in our assessment or risk controls," Curry said.
Although JPMorgan's London-based chief investment office created the complex trading portfolio in 2007, the OCC did not begin focusing on the potential problems until April -- just weeks before Chief Executive Jamie Dimon announced the huge losses.
"Our interest and concern intensified during the month as losses increased within the portfolio, up to the point that the institution itself announced the significance of the losses that occurred," Curry said.
The Federal Reserve, which regulates JPMorgan's larger bank holding company, has been working with the OCC to remove the risk from the portfolio. Curry said the goal was a "soft-landing" for those investments.
Curry said it still was unclear exactly what happened with the portfolio, which was supposed to reduce the credit risks of the bank, not increase them.
"It’s a very complicated investment strategy, both in terms of its size and complexity," Curry said. "We are looking to determine what the actual strategy behind that investment scheme was and also if there were any other factors driving that strategy other than attempting to mitigate known risks in that portfolio."
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said it was not realistic to think banking regulators could prevent complex trades like the ones that caused JPMorgan's loss.
"I think it’s a fool’s errand to think regulators are going to be ahead of bankers," he said.
Curry and other banking regulators said the more than $2-billion loss at no point threatened the solvency of JPMorgan or posed a threat to the financial system. Part of the reason for that was the increased amount of capital held by the bank to offset losses.
Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo said the most recent stress test of JPMorgan showed that it could withstand a trading loss of at least $28 billion combined with another $56 billion in credit losses.
Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) said the trading loss showed the need for tough implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law enacted in 2010, and said Wall Street needs stronger regulatory oversight.
"When a bank with JPMorgan’s solid reputation announces that it lost billions of dollars on a large trade reportedly designed to reduce the firm’s risks, it reminds us that no financial institution is immune from bad judgment," Johnson said. "While the JPMorgan trading loss does not appear to have caused systemic problems, it is a clear reminder that Wall Street continues to need better risk management, vigorous oversight and, if the rules are broken, unyielding enforcement."
Dimon will testify about the trading loss before the Senate Banking Committee on June 13, and again the following week before the House Financial Services Committee.