Copy quick, release quicker

These days if you make a film, you better release it fast. That's the lesson director Navneet Baj Saini (Mickey) and his producer Irfan Kamal have realised. The duo had almost finished their venture Teesri Manzil (later, ironically, changed to Bank of Blues) starring Irrfan Khan, Deepal Shaw, Ranvir Sheorey and Lucky Ali. But the film was stuck 'cos Irrfan Khan had become a star and refused to allocate dates for dubbing-- an issue over which the producer was threatening to drag the actor to the industry associations. Irffan was pissed that he had not been told that the film was a copy of a South Korean film...

Now the producer and director are all the more upset. It seems Woodstock Villa directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by Sanjay Gupta which releases this week has a similar storyline!(never knew Korean films could be so inspiring!) If Sikhander Kher's launch pad works at the theatres, then its bad news for Messrs Mickey, Khan & Khan. If it doesn't.... oh well, then we can all check out the Korean film!

Struggler's Shot: "How do I sell my spec script?"

Karthik P asks:

Hi David, since you have your ear to the studio floor, need some insider gyan :-) Am a wordsmith with an ad agency. Have written a spec script. How do I sell it? Or if that sounds too greedy how do I see that it gets made into a film? Which studios are spec friendly? Or should I try waiting outside vanity vans trying to catch a star's attention? Mucho gracias.


Karthik, your spec script stands as much a chance being made into a film as wannabe director's dvd showreels that are stacked up in advertising agencies! Jokes aside, everybody in Bollywood wants a good script. Trouble is no one knows for sure what is a good script. I don't know any studio which even knows how to cope with a query letter.

YRF usually asks writers to drop scripts at the gates. Considering the films they are making I am sure they haven't read any of the scripts dropped! UTV claims to be sitting on a huge backlog-- which in plain speak means if a well known director or actor comes in with the script they will love it. Subhash Ghai's Mukta made a one crore offer for a script but then how much would you really pay for the script of Black And White? Studio 18, PNC, Percept, Eros, Big Motion Pictures... when was the last time you saw a film actually produced by them and not bought for distribution?

Of course if you know a studio hotshot you stand a better chance for the creative team to go thru your script. As for their usual reactions, it deserves another long blog post.

The best shot for your script? Identify a director who makes a film similar to the genre of your spec script. Don't go with a love story to RGV or a thriller to Rakesh Roshan. Try out the newer bunch of directors like Sriram Raghavan, Dibakar Banerjee, Anurag Basu, Balki., Madhur Bhandarkar.. you may get lucky.

You are blessed if you know a star actor.

PS: Many a times even if you have a bound copy you will have to narrate your script. This is often because most actors and directors cannot read. And some of the smarter ones don't want to-- they are in a "safe zone" if they have just heard you out than actually receiving a hard copy!All the best.

Producer with balls

Jhamu Sughand who passed away today was a producer with balls. Unlike most producers he was not a "proposal" film-maker-- one who would look at the box office returns of the cast or the director and then greenlight a project. Most of the films Jhamu financed, he did so on the basis of the passion of the director and his gut feeling for the story.

When Ram Gopal Varma was struggling to make his entry into Bollywood it was Jhamu who stepped in and financed Rangeela. Being a shy man Jhamu valued working relationships. That is why he often bailed out RGV, even though he was never officially credited for it. During Rangeela, Jhamu also got to know Aamir Khan. Which is why even though RGV and Aamir fell apart, Jhamu chipped in when Aamir told him about the film Earth which Deepa Mehta was making. And yes, Lagaan would not have happened if Jhamu had not put in his money and trust in Aamir. How many current day corporates would fund a period film in which characters mostly spoke in Awadhi and where a motley group of villagers beat an English team in cricket? Not to forget directed by a man who had given three flops

Jhamu operated like a true blood venture capitalist. The profit sharing model he worked out with an intense broooding filmmaker in 1998 is a fine example of what studios and corporates have to follow today. Jhamu gave the film maker a measly fee of Rs 15 lakhs and assured him that if the film made a profit he would share a sizeable portion of it. The movie recovered its cost in the theatres but earned crores in proft because of its re-run on television. The film? Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali became a crorepati thanks to Jhamu's profit sharing model.

As a financier sometimes Jhamu's investment were bang on-- Kamal Hasan's Chaachi 420. Sometimes the film didn't yield box office returns but instead introduced fine talent-- Rakyesh Mehra (Aks) and Meghna Gulzar (Filhaal).

Sadly, it was Jhamu's unofficial finance lending to the film industry that backfired on him. Facing a crunch, he started projects, including a clutch of Bengali films, but was not able to complete them-- Sriram Raghavan's Johnny Gadaar and Abbas Tyrewala's Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

But there is a saying in Bollywood which has been proved often true. Jhamu jiske upar haath rakha, uski to life ban gayi!

Sanjay Dutt's blues

Shree Astavinayak's Blue was being touted as one of the costliest films to go on floor. Going by the problems it is facing it might actually be, thanks to US consul officials. A little bird from Breach Candy, where the Consul office is, tells me that Sanjay Dutt's application for visa has been rejected. Sanjay was to go to Bahamas for the shoot and then later visit the States to introduce wife Manyata to daughter Trishala. Last month the Supreme Court had given him permission to travel abroad.

Blue being directed by debutant Tony has a huge cast of Sanjay, Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif, Zayed Khan, and Suneil Shetty and is budgeted at approx 70 crores. The film is an action thriller with a large portion of it to be shot in Bahamas. Over the past three months, all the main cast have already been trained in deep sea diving. Sanjay had also hired the services of Lawrence, a physical trainer from Los Angeles, for developing an 8 pack (abs muscles, not cigarettes). If the producers can't shoot in Bahamas they may have to shift the action to Thailand. But with IIFA being held there, rooms are tough to find till June 2nd week. And yes, juggling Akshay Kumar's dates is making the producers go blue and red.

One concept, three films!

Despite the blatant DVD rip offs in Bollywood sometimes you have to accept that not every film is a copy and that different people can think of the same idea.

For example, the concept of a moneylender (or a recovery agent) who has change of heart.

A friend tells me that in Kerala two films are releasing on July 18 with the same concept featuring the two warring stars Mohanlal and Mamooty. In Madambi, Mohanlal plays a kind hearted money lender in a village who knows how to get his interest and principal amount back using the right pressure technique. In Parinthu, Mamooty is a ruthless moneylender for whom money is ultimate thing in life. He uses all dirty and crude tricks to get his interest and principal back from his creditors.

In the same month Bollywood is lining up EMI for release. Its storyline? Sanjay Dutt plays a ruthless recovery agent for a loan company who has a change of heart when he sees how the middle class is struggling to realise their dreams.

Imagine the mudslinging if two films featuring any of the Khans or the Bachchans with the same concept were releasing on the same day!

Strugglers Shot: "I am worried about Saif"

Hi folks, apologies for disappearing last week. Thank you for your wonderful response to the Strugglers Shot feature. Let me start it with a query from Viv.

"I have enjoyed reading your blog. Thanks again. You are very neutral compared to some of the so-called journalists or insiders. Some of them are so biased and vindictive.

I am a huge fan of Saif Ali Khan. I am very concerned about him and his career right now. Personally I think Tashan and Kareena Kapoor are two huge mistakes in his life. Just wondering if you have any insider information about him ? Now that he is out of Voices from the Sky, is he going to be working on another movie after Imtiaz Ali's movie ? Also if there is a way to get in touch with him. I have a forum on Saif and all the true Saif fans are very worried.

Thanks for the insider info on Agent Vinod a while back. I hope it will still go ahead because I think Saif and Sriram will be brilliant. Please let me know if there is any update. There was a rumour that Sriram would be kicked out and the movie may be shelved." Viv

Thanks, Viv. Saif starts on Imtiaz Ali's film, which he is also producing, in the first week of June. His costar is Deepika Padukone. In the midst of it he comes back and promotes Kunal Kohli-YRF's Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic. In October he starts on Rensil D'Silva film for Dharma Productions alongwith Kareena and Viveik. That is expected to go on till Feb.

Sriram and Saif''s eagerly awaited Agent Vinod (produced by Saif) is very much on but will start only post March 2009. That is because Sriram hopes to start his film Dreamgirl starring Ashwariya Rai and John Abraham in Oct.

Saif is also waiting for the script of another home production, Homi Adjani's Thugi, to be ready. He also plans to shoot for and produce Anurag Kashyap's once derailed Alwyn Kallicharan. The buzz is that Saif wants to act only in films that he can produce, except of course its a film with YRF, or Vidhu Vinod Chopra, or Abbas Mastan or... you get the drift?

As for his contact nos and email ID sorry can't disclose those. But, yes, the office of Illumati Films (which he owns with partner Dinesh Vijen) is just around the corner of the popular Bandra bite with the same name :-)

Vijay Tendulkar: He said, he wrote

Vijay Tendulkar, who passed away, is the original angry young man. The man who wrote Aakrosh and Ardh Satya and one of the finest Indian playwrights had this to say in an interview with The Outlook.

“It's good that I don't have weapons and no one gives me any but yes, if I had a gun, I would still put it to Narendra Modi's head. He's a butcher. But everyone has conveniently forgotten that; he has become the poster boy and is considered the future president of his party. Same goes for Bal Thackeray. People give them respect, national importance, touch their feet. It makes my blood boil. Are we totally without a conscience?”

Can you name one current Bollywood screenplay writer of substance who can afford to make a statement like this?

When Dev Anand dined with Anil Ambani

These days when you hear of Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd's mammoth plans you can't but chuckle at Dev Anand's attitude. Some moons ago, the Anil Ambani company had its set its eye on Anand studios-- the once booming recording and dubbing owned by Dev Anand set in the prestigious Union Park area in Bandra. But they realised that the evergreen actor director was not biting. So one night Anil Ambani invited Dev Anand for dinner. Just before dinner as they were chatting, Ambani in his grand style gave a cheque to Devsaab. "Whats this?" the actor asked puzzled. "Its a blank cheque for your studio. Put a figure you wish for it," replied the tycoon.

Dev Anand pondered for a moment and quipped in his inimitable style " Anil, if you want to invest put money in the films I produce. Anand studio is not, and will never be, for sale!"

As Ambani looked on perplexed, Dev Anand swaggered out of Ambani's residence without eating dinner.

Every Jackie has his day!

Sometimes real life stories are more fascinating than reel ones. Take the case of Jaikishen Kakubhai Shroff, whom we know as Jackie. From being broke in a chawl in Teen Batti to being broke in a posh Bandra apartment, Jackie has seen it all. His 150-odd films have brought him both fame and ignominy, love and pity. The past few years have been really bad-- his home productions have lost money or have been struck, thanks to whimsical decisions taken by him and his wife Ayesha. It was whispered that Jackie was living on borrowed money.

All that is now going to change. Jackie is now richer by more than Rs 200 crores! His decade old investment in Sony Entertainment Television India (now called Multi Screen Media) has finally stuck gold. Jackie alongwith four other Indian investors have now sold their 32 per cent holdings to B K Modi's MCorp Global has for $320 million.

What will Jackie Shroff now do with the moolah? As they say in Bollywood, film ab bhi baaki hai, mere dost!

Chale chalo Disney

Satyajit Bhatkal, the man who made a documentary and wrote a book on the making of Lagaan, is all set to direct Walt Disney's first Indian live action film. Bhatkal is writing and directing his debut feature tentatively titled Zokkomon. While the cast is yet to be finalised, the film is expected to go to the floors in November this year.

Disney will make its Indian debut with an animation film Roadside Romeo that it is co-producing with Yash Raj Films. But Bhatkal's Zokkomon will be its live action debut-- meaning the film will use real actors and a fair deal of special effects.

The soft spoken Bhatkal is a former lawyer and was cajoled by his pal Aamir Khan to jump into films. Post his Lagaan stint, he wrote and directed a television serial titled Bombay Lawyers that was telecast by NDTV 24x7. More than the serial what made news was that this was the first time a news channel was telecasting fiction. Or maybe Samir Nair, CEO of NDTV's Imagine, did not find it good enough to be part of the fiction channel test launch. Whatever the reason Bhatkal is not complaining.

Pritish Nandy: behind the headlines

Pritish Nandy is in the news for two reasons. Firstly his company PNC is in the midst of a Rs 250 crore deal with Sony Pictures for making three films. Secondly, Nandy apologised to Amitabh Bachchan(through his column in Bombay Times) for writing the superstar off when Bachchan was in the dumps in the 1990s. The Nandy-edited Illustrated Weekly of India's cover screamed 'Finished'. Bachchan in his recent ripose to Anurag Basu quipped that once a magazine proclaimed he was 'Finished' only to promptly shut shop itself.

A little bird at Jalsa tells me that the above two reasons of Nandy being in the news is not coincidence. Nandy wants to produce a film directed by his son Kushan that features AB. Big B is most likely to give his nod. And the film, halleluja, will be produced by Sony.

Nandy and Bachchan working together does not surprise me. What is more interesting is Nandy Senior and Junior working together. Kushan had earlier made 88 Antop Hill (a thriller) and Hum Dum (a film about a reality show). Both films were produced byKushan and his friend Kiran Shroff (niece of distributor Shringar Film's Shyam Shroff), not by PNC. Both of them flopped. Father and son were not exactly buddies.

But then age does mellow prickly egos and makes all of us forgiving, doesn't it?

What makes SRK King Khan?

In an interesting article in the Sunday Express, Sandipan Deb has tried to answer why Shah Rukh Khan is King of Bollywood. He points out four reasons.

Firstly, in every film of his, you can make out that Khan is doing his best to entertain you. He does enter the role; he uses it to appeal to the viewer directly.

Secondly, Khan comes across--and makes sure that he does--as an ordinary guy. For proof check him and Amitabh Bacchan out in KBC.

Thirdly, he does not take himself seriously (in private he must be, but he's built a persona otherwise).

And lastly, SRK is non threatening. If your sister brought him home, you would instantly make him your drinking buddy. This is a rare trait that the man has, and has nurtured carefully.

To all this SRK brings a unqiue awareness that he is brand--just like Aamir Khan does. Which is why he keeps stoking his image efficiently.

Interesting analysis, eh? Now for fun just put each of the four attributes to a Hritik, Abhishek, Amitabh, Aamir, Salman, Akshay or Saif. How do they score?

How to make news...and deny it.

The easiest way to make headlines in Bollywood today is to announce a topical film with a star... even if the star has not heard of you or given the approval for the project.

Bangladesh journalist Abdul Ghaffar Choudhary grabbed his 15 seconds of fame when he announced producing The Poet of Politics, a biopic on Bangaldesh founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Amitabh Bachchan would be playing the role of older Rahman, Abhishek would be playing the younger Rahman, Ashwariya Rai and Shabana Azmi would be playing interesting roles and the film would be directed by Shyam Benegal. Oh, yeah? Well, Bachchan has rubbished the rumours. And Choudhary has got his headlines.

Ditto with Prabhakar Shukla who says he is making a film on the life of murdered British tourist Scarlett Keeling with Katrina Kaif. You can be sure of Katrina asking, "Shukla who"? Meanwhile, Fiona McKeon, Scarlett's mom, thinks the film idea is a "mockery" .

But Shukla, who made Kahani Gudiya Ki, has successfully wormed his way into the British media .