Agent Vinod Review..

Agent Vinod (U/A, Thriller) Dir: Sriram Raghavan Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Prem Chopra Rating: *** Stars (Out of 5) A still from the movie What's it about: There's a cool dude RAW agent Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) who is on a mission to diffuse a bomb that will kill millions. His job zips him across some exotic as well as dreary places on the world map with an assortment of characters thrown along the way. These include arms dealers, pimps, drug barons, business magnates and intelligence officers. There's a particularly pesky Moroccon don David Kazan (Prem Chopra) high on the Agent's list to tackle as well as his aide, a doctor-cum-spy Ruby (Kareena Kapoor) who is actually Erum, a Pakistani, with an agenda of her own. When Vinod is not chasing clues or pulling the trigger, he is happily spewing Smart Alec one-liners at an unsuspecting Ruby. Till he succeeds in his mission, she has to play the game with him. What's hot: The film starts on a promising note in a desert in Afghanistan. Agent Vinod's escape to freedom is captured extremely well as well as several sequences throughout the film especially the filming of Agent and Ruby's escape from the hotel after they realise they have just lost a vital clue. Also look out for the Agent's memory inducing scene when he rattles off names of Bollywood characters to save his skin. It's fun. Saif puts in an earnest effort in his role though at times Kareena does seems a tad disinterested no wonder she has proclaimed she would rather shun action flicks. What's not: Though there is an earnest attempt to make a thriller considering that the director (Sriram Raghavan) is known for this genre of films - Ek Hasina Thi and Johnny Gaddar --- this time the makers have tried to make a masala thriller stirring in too many ingredients making it difficult to digest. Its long running time (over two and a half hours) proves tedious for the viewer. Instead of incorporating item numbers, there should have been more focus only on the agent's mission. Also, the plot criss-crosses from Afghanistan to Morocco to Russia and even Somalia, but just everyone either knows Hindi or understands it. If only the locals in the various destinations of Agent Vinod spoke in the local languages (with subtitles) would have lend more credence to the plot. The Agent's every move is explained leaving little suspense for the viewer, as by then you know the end. What's that? Ruby aka Erum is a spy, out to avenge what's wrong but she won't kill! One of the characters a flight pursuer called Freddy Khambatta is caricatured to be gay (inspired by Freddy Mercury perhaps!) while the rest too are stereotyped to fit the baddie mould. Look out for the small screen's Mr Kapoor (Ram Kapoor) as Abu, a Bud Spencer avatar gone wicked! Also, the Agent may be a cool dude, who can stare death in his face, but his last wish is either to drink some bubbly or whisper sweet nothings over the phone to the lady he is attracted to! What to do: During the screening for the media, Saif stepped into the auditorium during the interval to say that if you have sat through the first-half, you will surely sit through the second half as there was lots more! Hope the audience does too. But that apart there are those moments to make Agent Vinod a ONE TIME WATCH..

Shah Rukh Khan 'slaps' Shirish Kunder at Sanjay Dutt's bash

Shah Rukh Khan

Prachi Kadam and Sayantan Dalal
Actor Sanjay Dutt’s bash on Sunday night to celebrate his recently released film Agneepath’s success at the BO, apparently turned out to be a battle ground of sorts. The bash thrown at a popular suburban night club was well attended, including the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn. But the celebratory mood soon turned ugly following an apparent altercation between SRK and filmmaker Shirish Kunder, say onlookers.Khan was later also joined by Dutt.

Asource present at the venue says, “Shah Rukh walked in late at the party. Shirish, who was standing near the bar, saw SRK and started making nasty comments. He also followed the star wherever he went, including the washroom. And this is when SRK got irritated and pinned him on a sofa, first trying to talk to him. But when Shirish continued to retort back, SRK slapped him.”Amidst all this, there was also a touch of comic, said a source, when biz honcho Baba Dewan stepped in to stop the fight, thinking that a girl was being targetted. “Baba Dewan felt that SRK was fighting with a girl as Shirish was sporting long hair. He stepped in to tell SRK to stop fighting with a girl. He realised his mistake when SRK turned to look at him. In the meanwhile, Sanju arrived on the scene and separated the warring duo,” said the source. Another set of onlookers say that Sanju, after separating the duo, apparently slapped Shirish as he had apparently been sending inappropriate messages to his wife Maanyata.
Shirish refused to take calls from (Bollywood Times,Hindustan Times,Times of India,Dainik Jagran) but his wife, filmmaker Farah Khan texted a pointed message, “Shah Rukh has always told me that physical abuse is the worst way to sort out a problem, that it means the person who’s hitting has either a personal or professional crisis going on. It saddens me to see him doing the same...”
Ever since Farah broke off ties with Shah Rukh, who earlier produced her films, Shirish has never let an opportunity for snide comments on the actor pass, including hisRa.One, say insiders.

Latest encounter with Ajay Devgn!

You do middle-of-the-road films like Raajneeti and Aakrosh and masala films like Golmaal 3, Singham and Rascals. Is that the way to stay on top?
I want to switch genres. An actor’s job is to be a complete actor and be able to do every genre. I like doing that and I think it helps me because when you have about two-three releases in a year that are different from one another it helps break the monotony with the audience. The viewers don’t get fed up of watching the same of you. If there’s Singham that’s serious then there’s Rascals that is funny.


But you’ve stayed away from a romantic film for a while now...
I haven’t heard a good script in the longest time.


Bajirao in Singham, Gopal in Golmaal, Sultan in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaii, Omi in Omkara and Neel in Main Aisa Hi Hoon. You’ve played a variety of roles. Which one has been the closest to your real self?
None. When you play a character, you think about being that character. You stop being the person you are in real life and then you become the character. Obviously, there must be bits and pieces of me in every character I play but the person they are is not me. That’s how an actor operates.


So who is the real Ajay Devgn?
I am a laidback person who is very comfortable in his own space. I like to chill out and take things easy.


What makes Ajay Devgn say aata majhi satakli (now I’ve lost my head) in real life?
When people play games and talk rubbish and lie, I can’t handle it. This was a phase in my life for the first 12 to 15 years when aata maajhi satakli was common. But now I cut off. I think it’s really not important to react all the time. Instead, I let my acting do all the talking.


You’re an avid car and bike enthusiast. Do you squirm when Rohit Shetty blows up a dozen cars in a single shot?
I used to be a big car fan but now I’m more practical. With the kind of roads we have in the city, it’s ridiculous to have great cars. So all I look for in a car now is a very comfortable back seat. And some people who are passionate about cars love to blow them up as well. So that’s really not a problem.

How have you changed after marriage?
Marriage has made me more responsible. I understand people better. I react to people in a better way. I guess you grow up after marriage.


What has Kajol added to your life?
She’s added stability to my life. She’s made me more grounded and has helped me understand the world around me.


What was your last anniversary gift to Kajol?
Don’t even get into that. I’m very bad with gifts.


Do you remember your anniversary dates?
Yes. Thankfully, I do.

 
What are the chances of Kajol and you doing a romantic film together?
Right now the chances are very slim. Kajol is busy with Yug (their son), he is her top priority. Also, making a film is harder than what most people believe. You have to like the script, the project should excite you so much that you’d want to invest time, effort and money into it. We both want to do our best when we appear together and that takes lots of planning.


Filmmakers are lining up to sign you. That would mean cutting down on quality time spent with the family.
You can plan ahead and make sure that you don’t compromise with family time. When you have outdoor schedules, you can sometimes call your family and spend the free time with them sightseeing. But I try to manage myself better. I don’t shoot on Sundays and I prefer to wind up my shoots by six in the evening to make time for home and family.


With pop culture going gung ho about DK Bose and Murder 2, do you feel concerned about the impression entertainment can have on your kids?
Swear words in films are not new. We’ve had gaalis in so many films in the past. There’s nothing wrong in that as long as it comes with an ‘A’ certificate. Forget the film industry, look at what you get to see on the news or entertainment TV channels. You try your best to keep your children away but eventually you cannot. Right now, Nysa is too young, but I’m sure as she grows up, it’ll be hard to keep her away. You just learn to adjust to that fact. Before they misunderstand the facts it’s your responsibility as parents to talk to them and make understand.


Stars are known to be protective fathers and don’t enjoy having photos of their kids splashed in the press…
You don’t want photos of your kids printed all over the press. They’re growing up and you don’t want them to develop this unreal image of themselves. I don’t want my kids to believe that they’re getting famous. You have to be careful and not take them to places where there may be a lot of media attention. Quiet dinners and outings work fine.


Why is there close to no gossip about you on Indian movie portals and magazines.That’s great. Either I have no gossip or I’m too smart to let out any such information.


Rate yourself on a scale of one to 10 when it comes to political correctness.
Five.


Are you passionate about tattoos?
I just have one right now. I’d like to have one more but I wouldn’t call it a passion. They always say that when you get one (tattoo), you always want another. So it’s the same with me.


How does action star Ajay Devgn get in touch with his feminine side?
I don’t know. I wouldn’t have the faintest idea about how to get in touch with my feminine side.


What happens if a man hits on you?
I try to keep my distance and I try to convey to the person I’m not comfortable with it. But that rarely happens. Most times people are just scared of the way I’d react.

Ajay Devgn is back in Golmaal 4

Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty

Due to differences in opinion with his friend and filmmaker Rohit Shetty, the actor had earlier refused to work with him on the successful franchise
Ajay Devgn's reported refusal to work with his friend and filmmaker Rohit Shetty in the fourth Golmaal film might have made the fans really sad. However, this is now a thing of the past. According to a source close to the project, Devgn is now very much a part of Golmaal 4 that Shetty will start working on after he completes Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer Chennai Express.

According to industry insiders, the actor and the filmmaker had a difference of opinion over the way Singham was shot. "However, now all is well between Devgn and Rohit. They are as thick as before. The shoot of Bol Bachchan, a project they are working together, is going smoothly," revealed our source.

With Ajay Devgn returning to the project, the Golmaal 4 cast remains more or less intact. Lead actress Kareena Kapoor, who also happens to be a Rohit Shetty favourite will also be a part of the project, revealed the source.

"The rest of the cast is yet to be finalised," added the source.

It would be interesting to see whether Devgn chooses to co-produce

Will Shahrukh Khan Stop Salman Khan Box Office Monopoly? Aamir Khan & Ajay Devgn has also marched ahead of SRK.

With only Don 2 to be released which is around the corner and which is also one of the most awaited movie of the year without doubt, an question arises to the mind of moviegoers. Will Shahrukh Khan can stop the monopoly of Salman Khan at the Box Office. Important to note that even Aamir Khan & Ajay Devgn has taken huge lead in terms of Box Office Report.

*Analysis below are just Indian Theatrical revenue. Other avenues such as Satellite, Music are not considered. Those numbers will add to benefit of makers only, not to the distributors and exhibitors. 

For last two years continuously Salman Khan has ruled Indian Box Office and its really hats off to him for such consistency. No doubt Aamir Khan 3 Idiots still is the biggest grosser ever all India, but if we check consistency Salman Khan has surged ahead leaps and bound of all his contemporaries in last 2 years. Salman's last 4 movies has grossed a nett figure of around 452 crore (Veer - 38, Dabangg - 145, Ready -121 & Bodyguard - 148) from an investment of 200 crores giving Bollywood the 2nd highest return of investment (ROI) and also highest gross figures. Distributor share (DS) of these 4 films are above 230 crores with ROI of 115%.

Aamir Khan's only 2 movies released during this time that is 3 Idiots and Dhobi Ghat which grossed a nett total of 217 crores with an investment of 65 crores giving Bollywood highest ROI. DS of these films are around 107 crores with ROI of 164%.

1. Ajay Devgn had 3 releases during this time Golmaal3, Singham & Rascals which grossed a nett total of 240 crores from an investment of 125 crores. DS of these films are around 123 crores with ROI of 98.4%.

So, where 'King' Shahrukh Khan stands in between. SRK's during this time 2 movies were released in My Name is Khan and Ra.One which nett gross was around 195 crores from an investment of 210 crores. DS of these films are around 95 crores with ROI of 45% only. So, with Don 2 lets see how much SRK can salvage pride, as Salman Khan, Aamirkhan&AjayDevgn are undisputed TOP 3 at the moment.

Ranking	Name	Films	Investment	Total Nett Gross	DS	ROI
1	Salman Khan	4 (Veer, Dabangg, Ready & Bodyguard)	200 cr	452 cr	230 cr	115%
2	Aamir Khan	2 (3 Idiots, Dhobi Ghat)	65 cr	217 cr	107 cr	165%
3	Ajay Devgn	3 (Golmaal3, Singham & Rascals)	125 cr	240 cr	123 cr	98%
NA	Shahrukh Khan	2 (My Name is Khan & Ra.One)	210 cr	195 cr	95 cr	45%
DS - Combined Distributor Share all Films.
ROI - Return of Investment from India Theatrical Figures Only.
SRK's DS is around 45% only and Don 2 is expected to do well, which will enhance the ROI.
NA - Not Applicable as Don 2 will be released soon and if DS & ROI figures is taken of now

Why is Singham Not an All Time Blockbuster ?

Recently, Ra.One Was Announced as 2nd Biggest Grossers of All Time. But Your Site says its 3rd. Please Publish Correct Data.
Shailendra Chauhan – India
I Have Told this Many Times. Ra.one is 2nd Best Grosser in terms of Gross Collections Only. When it Comes to Net Collections Ra.One is 3rd. We Publish Only Net Collections, unless specified.
Why is Singham Not an All Time Blockbuster ?
Lokesh – Rajashtan, India
Yes, Its True Singham Collected 5 Times its Budget of 20 crores. But, to be called an All time Blockbuster The Film Should Create a New Record or Stablize in the Top 2-3 Net Grossers of All TIme.

Can Ek Tha Tiger Break the Record of MNIK in Overseas as its a YRF Film ?

What Will be the Box Office Collections of Players ?
Jivan – Kathamandu – NEP

PLayers May Take a Good Opening. But, the Maximum it can collect can’t be more that 50-60 crores.How Much DON 2 Should Collect to be Called All time Blockbuster ?
Ajay – Bangalore, IN
Don 2 Has a Budget of 80-90 crores Approximately. It Should and Must Go Beyond 150-160 crores in India Alone to be called an ATBB.
When is Krissh 3 Releasing ? Why isn’t the Title Krishh 2 or Krishh Returns ?
Sumit – Baramati, IN
Krishh 3 is expected to release in 2nd Quarter of 2013. And Its the Third Film in Series, hence its called Krishh 3. Rest, its Director/Producer’s Choice.
Can Ek Tha Tiger Break the Record of MNIK in Overseas as its a YRF Film ?
Yasin – Bharuch, IN
YRF Will Make a Limited Effect But Breaking My Name is Khan’s Record by Ek Tha Tiger Seems Little Difficult. But ETT Can Surely Put Up Good Collections in Overseas of Around 70-80 crores.

Which Films Have Made Maximum Profit in 2011 ?

Which Films Have Made Maximum Profit in Terms on Money in 2011 From Box Office ?
Sumit – Baramati, IN

Here are the Top Profit Makers of 2011:1. Ready – 83 cr
2. Bodyguard – 82 cr
3. Singham – 78 cr
4. The Dirty Picture – 55 cr
5. Yamla Pagla Deewana – 37 cr
What About Shooting & Release Date of Partner 2 ?
Pushpak – Rourkela, IN
Partner 2 Has Not Been Finalized yet. Even, the Script is not ready. If it is finalized, Only Salman Khan is Confirmed. We May or May Not See Govinda.
Which are the Top Most Earning Cities in India ?
Pradeep Panda – Sambalpur, IN
The Top Earning Cities in India Are Mumbai, Delhi, Ludhiana, Jalhandhar, Chandigarh, Kolkatta, Mysore & Jaipur.

Why Only India Collections Are Considered To Judge a Movie ?

Which Movies Were Shot in Nepal ?
Rabin – Pokhara, NEP

The Most Famous Bollywood Movies Based in Nepal are Anil Kapoor’s Gharwali Baharwali & Dev Anand’s Hare Rama Hare Krishna
Why only India’s Net Collections taken into account while Declaring a movie hit, blockbuster or ATBB ?
Shailendra Chauhan – IN
Because We Rank Films Differently in India & Overseas. A Film Hit in India may be a flop Overseas. Indian Movies Do not Have Equal Opprtunities in Overseas. If we Use Both Collections to Judge A Film then Almost Every other Small Budget film will be a flop worldwide. Moreover, Collections in Home Territory are best way to determine the performance of the film.
What can we expect from srk & yash chopra’s next? If it is well accepted like veer zaara, how much can it collect?
Sayantan – Kolkatta, IN
If it is of the Quality of Veer Zaara and is Accepted by All. The Movie May Easily Collect 120-150 crores.
Is SRK the No. 1 Khan from Last 3 Years ?
Ashish – Pune, IN
If You Really Consider the last 3 Years, then the answer is not. In Some Period of Time, he Was Really Ruling the Box Office, but not the recent years.
Has Ladies vs Ricky Bahl Been Declared a Hit ?
Sumit – Kolkatta, IN
Yes, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl been Declared a Hit as it has Comfortably recovered its budget of 25 crores.

SRK-Ajay rivalry over!

Shah Rukh Khan

For years, the industry was abuzz with rumours that Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn couldn’t see eye to eye. Though Ajay’s wife Kajol is one of SRK’s closest friends, the one superstar himself always maintained a distance from the other superstar though the two had always denied any problems between them.

But now it seems the cold war is actually over and the two stars might end up becoming friends! And the person responsible for the thaw is none other than Ajay’s best friend, director Rohit Shetty.

Apparently, Rohit, who gave Ajay’s career a new lease of life with hits like the ‘Golmaal’ franchise and ‘Singham’, decided to offer the lead role of his new project to SRK. Ajay couldn’t commit to the role as he was busy shooting for other movies such as ‘Son of Sardar’ and Sajid Khan’s untitled project. So, when Rohit asked Ajay if he could work with SRK instead, the latter instantly said yes.

It’s said that when SRK was informed about Ajay’s generosity, he was taken aback. But being equally gracious, he asked the director if the rights of the remake of the 1982 classic ‘Angoor’ that he held with Rohit could be given to Ajay.

At a time when even friendly stars fight for pricey roles, it’s great to see this gesture from SRK and Ajay. We approve!

Slow start, good ending

MUMBAI: A low-budget film inspired by the life and death of a racy 1980s B-movie actress was the surprise Bollywood hit of 2011, in a year that started slowly but finished well.

A packed, back-to-back schedule of World Cup one-day cricket and the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament ensured that cinema audiences were down in the first half of the year.
Business picked up later in the year, with Salman Khan’s action comedy “Ready” the first of a string of hits that included Sanjay Dutt’s slapstick “Double Dhamaal” and Aamir Khan’s screwball comedy “Delhi Belly”.
The mystery “Ragini MMS”, action crime drama “Murder 2” and the Hrithik Roshan-Katrina Kaif road movie “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” (You Only Live Once) all did well also.
But none captured the public imagination more than “The Dirty Picture”, which is loosely based on south Indian sex symbol Silk Smitha and has packed cinemas since its release earlier this month.
Sex and Shah Rukh Khan were once famously said to be the only things that sell in Bollywood.
This year, a number of successful films have provided the sex but “King Khan” failed to deliver, despite the hype surrounding his Diwali release “Ra.One”.
The $20 million science-fiction superhero film won rave reviews for its stunning special effects but many reviewers were disappointed at its weak script.
The film broke even, thanks to a relentless marketing drive that broke new ground in Indian film promotion but it was not the blockbuster many had been expecting.
The last 12 months were also a disappointment for action hero Akshay Kumar, who brought out three poorly-received films —the cricket-themed “Patiala House”, “Thank You” and “Desi Boyz” —during the year.
Rising star Ranbir Kapoor, though, continued to show his great promise by delivering the hit “Rockstar”. Ajay Devgn also had a successful year alongside Salman Khan in “Ready” ,Dil to Bachcha hai jee and as a no-nonsense cop in “Singham”.
Leading actress Priyanka Chopra broke new ground, becoming the first Bollywood star to sign a global pop album deal. She will be managed by the man behind Lady Gaga.
Even though offbeat films with lesser-known stars and strong scripts proved popular with audiences, some analysts detected a noticeable return to an earlier, more star-driven format.
“This year, wholesome, entertaining films have worked very well and that has been the trend,” said critic Vinod Mirani.
“The success formula of 80s cinema is back and now working very well. All entertaining films of that era that had worked are back in new format this year and they have clicked big time.”
As 2011 draws to a close, Shah Rukh Khan is hoping for better success with the release of “Don 2” —the follow-up to “Don”, which came out in 2006 and which itself was a remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan hit.
Roshan is also revisiting the Big B’s back catalogue with a remake of his 1990 hit “Agneepath” (Path of Fire).
Next year will see Aamir Khan release “Dhoom 3” —the third part of the successful franchise —as well as “Talaash” (Search).
Bachchan, who is a new grandfather after the birth of his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai’s first child in November, is due to appear in his first Hollywood movie: a Baz Luhrmann adaptation of “The Great Gatsby”.

Don 2 Business Analysis. HIT, Blockbuster or Flop? Will it Recover Cost?

Don2 will soon be hitting down the road on 23rd Dec, 2011. It is one of the most eagerly awaited movie of the year. In fact we can say it is one of the 3 most awaited movie of the year (other two were - Bodyguard & Ra.One). So, what are your expectation from the movie? Will it hit bull's eye? Will SRK be back again regaining the TOP Spot? So, here we are again back doing the business analysis of Don2, a possible Blockbuster in the making.

It is a well known fact Shahrukh 'King' Khan badly needs a Clean HIT (Theatrical India HIT). My Name is Khan & Ra.One made profitable business overseas, but it was not a clean HIT all India. With Don2 domestic picture might change again. No doubt SRK still gives bumper openers at the domestic Box Office, recent example is Ra.One which taken historic opening at the Box Office. But, content is the king which finally helps the movie in long run.

Production Cost - Nobody from the makers of Don2 has clearly stated the budget of Don2. It is well known fact that it is an expensive venture. Few unconfirmed sources says budget of Don2 is around 90-95 crore. Also, makers have given a hint that it is not 100-120 crore movie. So, we can safely say that it is definitely below the 100 crore mark as far as budget is concern. So, if we take the Median value Don2 budget is somewhere in the region of 90-95 crore.

Amount Recovered Pre-Release - Satelite rights are sold to Zee for 30 crore. Also, another 5-7 crore will be recovered from music and other rights. So, a total amount of 35-37 crore is already recovered before the release of the movie.

How much need to be recovered from Theatrical Avenues - After deduction of Satelite, Music and other rights, around INR 55-60 crore is need to be recovered from India and Overseas theatrical avenues. 

As far as overseas is concerned recent SRK film Ra.one grossed INR 40+ crore despite mixed reviews. So, if we take same figure of Ra.One as overseas comparison tool Don2, it should get a minimum distributor share of INR 15-18 crore  from overseas. So, another INR 40-42 crore need to be recovered from Domestic market. Distributor share of INR 40-42 crore means around 80-85 crore nett business need to be done by Don 2 all India. This figure is more or less certain to be achieved by Don 2, as Ra.One grossed 120+ nett all India mark.

HIT, Blockbuster or Flop - As it is already mentioned Don 2 needs around 80-85 crore nett all India to recover its cost [*taking that Don2 atleast scores INR 35-40 crore gross (Distributor Share 15-18 crore) overseas], this figure will be benchmark.

Here is the Verdict (*Addatoday Analysis) -

Flop - Below 75 crore nett mark.

Average - 75-85 crore nett mark.

HIT - 85-90 crore nett mark or above. 

*Clean HIT -Recover all cost from India Theatrical Alone, which is around 110-120 crore nett mark.

Super HIT - 120-125 crore nett mark or above.

Blockbuster - 160-165 crore nett mark or above.

ATBB - 200 crore nett mark or above.

What is your opinion on Don2? How much you think will its score at the Box Office? Give your thought.