All theatres, gyms, temple and all other public places in Tamil Nadu will remain closed from April 26 as per the new set of guidelines issued by the state government on Saturday to tackle the second wave of Covid-19. The new guidelines were announced after the state reported one lakh active cases of Covid-19 on Friday.
This will be a second hit to the cinema halls, after the nationwide lockdown in March 2020.
“Neither the Centre nor the state government is supporting the cinema industry,” Tiruppur Subramaniam, president of the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners’ Association told Silverscreen India.
“The government has the right to declare a lockdown but they are not giving any subsidies to our industry. They are not giving exemptions on either electricity bills or land tax. They want that we pay our employees full salaries. How can we do that? We have never opposed the government but whenever they declared a lockdown, they understood the businessmen’s sufferings and made some exemptions,” Subramaniam said.
Subramaniam mentioned that the employees will be paid 50% of their salaries during this period.
Over the past few weeks, several states issued lockdown-like guidelines with night curfews and weekend lockdowns. While Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu shut down all public places, Delhi chose to keep theatres functioning at 30% capacity.
“It’s been over 13 months and we have run the cinemas for only two or three months and that too within restrictions and a cap on capacity. Moreover, the government is not bearing the interest amount that is levied by the banks,” Subramaniam said.
Although theatres were allowed to reopen from mid-October 2020, restricting the seating capacity to 50% and additional charges for frequent sanitisation prevented several theatres from resuming business. It compelled many theatres to shut down permanently.
“Since then, only a few big films released after January. While these films paid some good amount to the owners, they did not garner a great collection. Master was the last film to give us good collection,” Subramaniam said.
Vijay’s Masterwas the first big-banner film to release in January, reportedly with a 100% capacity despite the Centre’s warning against it and the state issuing guidelines. Despite the release of big commercial films like Karthi’s Sulthan, Dhanush’s Karnan and Godzilla vs Kong, the situation remained grim. Silverscreen India had reported earlier that the Tamil version of the Christopher Nolan film kept the cinemas afloat but could not bridge the gap caused by the restricted capacity.
“Now there are no releases. We will only be able to understand the situation once the halls reopen. There have been three releases so far and we have made some collections from those releases only,” Subramaniam said.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s writers Malcolm Spellman and Dala Musson will collaborate to develop the fourth instalment of the Captain America franchise, after the success of their web series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Spellman is the head writer, and Musson is a staff writer of Disney+ and Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
— The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (@falconandwinter) April 23, 2021
The six-episode web series, which released on March 19, stars Anthony Mackie as Falcon (Sam Wilson) and Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes).
Chris Evans played the titular role of the superhero (Steve Rogers) in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). He retired by passing his shield to Falcon in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame.
In the Disney+Hotstar web series, Falcon teams up with Winter Soldier in a worldwide adventure that tests their abilities and patience. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s last episode which released on Friday revealed the scope for making a feature film.
— The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (@falconandwinter) April 23, 2021
The report stated that the feature film would focus on Falcon.
“No director is attached, and Evans’ involvement/return remains unconfirmed. Marvel was tight-lipped as usual,” the report stated.
Spellman’s team had all-Black writers for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series. Unlike other superhero films or shows, this series was received well by the audience and appreciated for highlighting Black experiences.
The report stated that the series has tackled issues from discriminatory lending practices to America building itself on the backs of Black people.
The film went on floors in Thodupuzha on Thursday. The yet-to-be-titled film is produced by UGM Entertainment. The film’s star cast includes Aditi Ravi and Swasika Vijay in pivotal roles.
Photo Source: Abhilash Pillai
Speaking to Silverscreen India, the film’s screenwriter Abhilash Pillai said that the story is based on a true event that happened in Kerala a few years ago. “Though it is a thriller, the story will revolve around a family and its emotions. I believe this film will connect with the audience beyond Kerala,” he said. He said that Suraj and Indrajith’s scenes were being shot and Suraj will have three different looks in this film.
Pillai said that the film was being shot in a controlled setting in Thodupuzha with limited crew members due to the second wave of Covid-19.
“All of the cast and crew underwent RT-PCR test and tested negative.Everyone’s body temperatures are being checked every day. A few big sequences in the film need to be shot in exterior locations, but it will be planned later based on the Covid-19 situation. The movie will also be shot in Kattappana,” he said.
Asked about his collaboration with Padmakumar, Pillai said, “I got an opportunity to meet Padmakumar during the shooting of Mamangam. I narrated this story and he was impressed with it. From there on I developed the screenplay and dialogues.”
Music composer Ranjin Raj will collaborate with Padmakumar for the second time in this film. The film’s technical crew consists of Ratheesh Ram as the cinematographer, Shameer as the editor, and Mafia Sasi as the stunt coordinator.
According to the makers, the film’s first look and the title will be released in May.
Filmmaker Sanoj Mishra on Friday denied that his upcoming Hindi film Shashank was based on the life of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, in response to the actor’s father’s plea at the Delhi High Court on seeking ban on the film, ANIreported.
According to Mishra, the story of Shashank portrays the struggle of an “outsider” in the Hindi film industry through the lens of four young boys. He cited the example of his own struggle as an “outsider” in Hindi film industry and said that Rajput was not the only person who struggled in Mumbai. He pointed out that several films have been made based on the lives of artists, which have been well-received by the audience.
Based on his plea, a single-judge bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued a notice on Tuesday to restrain the defendants from using or advertising or making references, in any manner, to Rajput’s name, caricature, lifestyle, likeness in their upcoming ventures.
The petition was filed based upon reports about films titled Nyay: The Justice, Suicide, Murder: A Star Was Lost, and Shashank.
Rajput’s father alleged breach of right to privacy and “passing off” in context to the recent news articles stating that films depicting the actor’s personal life, name, images, caricature, lifestyle, likeness in form of biopic or story as it was a direct infringement of his “personality rights”. The petition argued that “any such publication, production, or depiction of the private life of the late actor is a blatant and wilful breach of the fundamental right to privacy which includes right to publicity”. The plea stated that the same cannot be commenced without his prior approval as he was Rajput’s legal heir.
Mishra announced the film in July 2020, soon after Rajput’s demise. He had said that the shooting would begin in December 2020 and release in March 2021.
Rajput died by suicide on June 14, 2020, in Mumbai, sparking several controversies, and a trial by media speculating the cause of his death, alleged mental health issues and nepotism in the Hindi film industry. Rajput’s death initiated a massive ongoing drug probe, which is being investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Posting the first poster of the film on Instagram, Mishra wrote: “Exposing film mafias is also patriotism, there should be a boycott of traitors, traitors of society, filmmakers and stars, so that no one is killed again and no one is forced to commit suicide. Shooting will start from December 26. The film will be released in March 2021 which is based on the true events of Bollywood.”
Since the announcement of Shashank, the film has been courting controversies. According to one of Mishra’s Instgram post where he shared a snippet of a newspaper, Rajput’s sister Shweta Singh Kirti had called for a boycott of the film.
“Understanding my responsibility as a filmmaker, I have worked on topical topics. Hurt by the incident of late Sushant Singh Rajput, I made up my mind to make a film from Patna when I went to meet his family. I tried to introduce the newcomers to the film industry and the atmosphere here, which I have seen and understood in the last 25 years. But in the last few days, the poster release of the film has created a misunderstanding among the people. I have to think that I should work on such topics or make money by making sexy movies like everyone else,” Mishra wrote on Instagram.
The court has sought response from all the filmmakers of the mentioned films and has scheduled the hearing for May 25.
When Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom released on Netflix in December 2020, it generated a lot of buzz. After all, it was Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman’s last film after he died following a silent battle with cancer in August 2020. The film was soon nominated in the Best Actor, Best Actress, Production Design, Makeup, and Costume Design categories at the 93rd Academy Awards. Boseman even won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor posthumously.
Directed by George C Wolfe, the film is an adaptation of popular African-American playwright August Wilson’s 1982 play of the same name. Written as part of his 10-play series titled Pittsburgh Cycle, this play chronicles the tumultuous journey of legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and her band during a recording session in Chicago in the 1920s.
The film is largely faithful to the play with a few changes to bring out the play’s themes of Black exploitation, racism and interpersonal conflicts better. With captivating and convincing performances by the ensemble cast, the movie manages to make its point: the existing white power structures stripping them off their power in the guise of helping them.
The context
The story takes place over an afternoon at a recording studio in Chicago when the band, having arrived earlier than Ma (Viola Davis), begins to discuss racism, music, God, and their life experiences.
Credits: David Lee/Netflix
Boseman plays Levee, a hot-headed and ambitious trumpet player who dreams of having his own band someday. He gives his original compositions to Ma’s apathetic white producer Mel Sturdyvant (Johnny Coyn), in the hope of recording his own creations. Leeve, along with Cutler (Colman Domingo), Toledo (Gylnn Turman) and Slow Drag (Michael Potts) form Ma Rainey’s band. Faithful to Ma, the rest of the band tries their best to discourage Levee from rubbing her the wrong way.
Ma and the rest of the band, especially Toledo, do not get along with Levee, whom they find arrogant and wayward. Director Wolfe shows how they frequently lock horns with Levee over his flippant attitude and inability to take his role in the band seriously. Ma is also wary of his interest in her girlfriend Dussie Mae.
While the band has their own conflicts, the way Ma’s manager, Irvin (Jeremy Shamos) uses and tries to exploit her for her music forms a parallel plot.
Despite seemingly giving into Ma’s demands in terms of music, pay, and order of things, Irvin and Sturdyvant’s indifference and contempt for her cannot be overlooked. Ma’s strong and standoffish attitude towards them highlights how she deals with the poor treatment of Black artists.
The deviations
The first scene of the film shows Ma Rainey performing at a crowded tent. The scene then quickly shifts to her performing in Chicago, where Levee steps into the spotlight and improvises the song. A visibly annoyed Ma instructs for the spotlight to be focused on her alone. While this scene does not feature in the original play, it helps establish Ma’s discontentment and insecurity with Levee’s dynamic stage presence. In Wilson’s rendition, the first scene opens with Ma’s band directly arriving at the studio to record her songs.
Credits: David Lee/Netflix
Wolfe incorporates some changes to the source material. Some of the dialogues from the play have been cut while being adapted to the screen. For instance, when Levee narrates the incident of his mother being raped by white men when he was a child, Slow Drag sings If I had my way…I would tear this old building down. However, in the film, Levee’s narration of the horrific incident is followed by silence, while Toledo sombrely plays a few keys on the piano.
This change coincides with the creator’s conscious choice to omit the playwright’s characterisation of Slow Drag. A lot of his dialogues and his friendly relationship with Cutler does not feature in the movie. Perhaps, this deviation assists in giving Toledo more screen time in order to establish his brewing confrontation with Levee that culminates in the film’s tragic ending.
The film fleshes out Levee’s volatile state of mind. Throughout the film, he is obsessed with a locked door in the green room. As he gets increasingly frustrated with the band and his current situation, he eventually takes it out on the door. What starts off as curiosity results in him breaking down the door down to see what lies behind it. While this scene is absent in the play, this scene highlights his frustrations and helplessness.
The flirtatious relationship between Dussie Mae (Taylour Paige) and Levee is explored more in the film. In the play, their flirtation does not go beyond kissing while in the movie, they have a sexual encounter.
Speaking about this particular change, the film’s writer Ruben Santiago-Hudson told Fast Company, “I didn’t want Dussie Mae to be some silly little girl that’s following around Ma. I wanted Dussie Mae to be smart and cunning. She doesn’t have a tremendous amount of lines. I empowered her by making her take over in that scene.”
The ending
The story ends with Ma firing Levee and Sturdyvant refusing to record his songs. The music producer, instead, offers to purchase Levee’s songs. Levee suffers a mental breakdown. Devastated and frustrated, he returns to the green room and stabs Toledo after the latter steps on his brand-new expensive leather shoes. The other band members are horrified and rush to find the manager.
The scene signifies the death of Levee’s ambitions and his trampled-upon hopes.
While the play ends here, the film has an added an additional scene where they show Sturdyvant recording Levee’s original compositions with an all-white band. This scene enhances the story’s running theme: the exploitation of Black people’s creativity and talent.
Ma’s cold attitude towards her white manager and music producer then becomes increasingly justified. In an earlier scene, she tells Cutler that Irvin only needs her for her music and does not treat her like an equal. It is apparent that Ma is careful to ensure that she is not exploited by her white producer.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a significant film. The slight tweaks enable the creators to effortlessly adapt the play for the big screen, at a time when several American award shows have been accused of snubbing Black artists. Some of the underlying themes of the film become relevant in contemporary American society.
Lalit Behl, the actor and director, died of Covid-19 related complications in New Delhi on Friday.
He was 71.
“He passed away in the afternoon. He had a history of heart ailments and had Covid, so it got complicated. He had an infection in his lungs which got severe and that, with the previous medical history he had, complicated his health further,” his son Kanu Behl told PTI, according to a report in Firstpost.
The veteran actor, who was known for films like Titli and Mukti Bhawan, was diagnosed with Covid-19 last week and was getting treated at the Apollo Hospital, where he died.
Starting his career as a theatre actor, Behl initially directed and appeared in several telefilms and television serials, including Afsaane, Tapish, and Dhoop Chhaon. He also directed and produced telefilms on Doordarshan, like Aatish, Sunehri Jild. He had formed a theatre group named Kapurthala in Punjab. He studied theatre and worked at New Delhi’s National School of Drama.
He made his big-screen debut in his son Kanu Behl’s directorial debut Titli in 2014. He was also seen in Amazon Prime Video’s web series Made in Heaven and the film Judgementall Hai Kya.
Several celebrities took to social media to mourn the loss of Behl.
Actor Adil Hussain, who played Behl’s son in Mukti Bhawan, took to Twitter to condole the actor’s demise. He wrote that he felt the loss of a father once again.
Extremely saddened by the demise of one of my dearest and most respected Co-actors, Lalit Behl jee. Who, so brilliantly played the father in @MuktiBhawan! I feel the loss of my father again! Dear Kanu I am so very sorry for your loss! pic.twitter.com/wfbj22yQgd
Actor Ranvir Shorey wrote, “He was warm and affectionate and wise. Learnt so much from him.”
Shattered to read this. So many memories. He was warm and affectionate and wise. Learnt so much from him. Heartfelt condolences to the family, @KanuBehl. Hug. 🙏🏽❤️ https://t.co/uLRkWuna2h
Lipstick Under My Burkha director Alankrita Shrivastava wrote, “Loved him in Titli and Mukti Bhawan. Had the honour of directing him in Made In Heaven. Such precious memories!”
So saddened to hear of the death of #LalitBehl. He was such a fine actor and a really wonderful human being. Loved him in Titli and Mukti Bhawan. Had the honour of directing him in Made In Heaven. Such precious memories! Sir you will be sorely missed. https://t.co/HOWRUDt6C5
Lalit Behl Alvida!
You were part of some beautiful DoorDarshan memories of growing-up yrs, like an unforgettable serial #Afsaane (acted-directed) & written by NavnindraBehl
Story of a postman, whose son explore human stories when he sets off to deliver the undelivered letters pic.twitter.com/1wC3x7xkVz
Actor Dhanush and filmmaker Mari Selvaraj will be reuniting for another Tamil film after their recently-released film Karnan, the actor announced on social media on Friday.
While there is no information yet on other cast members, Dhanush said that film was in the pre-production stage. He said that the film will go on floors in 2022.
Elated to announce that after the blockbuster success of Karnan, Mari Selvaraj and myself are joining hands once again. Pre production going on,
Shoot will commence next year.
Selvaraj, who made his directorial debut in the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal (2018) that touched upon caste conflicts and honour killing.
According to a report byThe Times of India, Dhanush and Selvaraj had discussed collaborating on another film after Karnan. The filmmaker had narrated the script to Dhanush over the phone since the actor is currently shooting in the US. The new film will not be a sequel to Karnan. The report added that since Selvaraj and Dhanush have other film commitments at present, the shooting for their new film will start only after they wrap up their pending projects.
Meanwhile, Dhanush currently has a slew of upcoming projects. His action thriller Jagame Thandhiram, under the directorial of Karthik Subbaraj, will release exclusively on Netflix. The actor is also part of the upcoming Hindi romantic drama Atrangi Re, co-starring Akshay Kumar, and Sara Ali Khan, and wrapped up his shooting in March. He is also part of the cast of The Russo Brother’s upcoming Netflix Hollywood filmThe Gray Man, along with Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling, and Ana de Armas. Dhanush will also star in the sequel of the 2010 action-adventure film, Aayirathil Oruvan, which will be directed by his brother and filmmaker Selvaraghavan.
On the other hand, Selvaraj will be directingDhruv Vikram. According to Cinema Express, the film is expected to be a sports-based biopic, where Dhruv will be playing a kabaddi player. The untitled film is backed by Pa Ranjith’s Neelam Productions.
Most of the cinema halls, multiplexes and single-screen theatres in West Bengal will be shutting down from Friday, due to the lack of “big-budget” films and the second wave of Covid-19.
“Hard times are awaiting us. We, theatre owners, will have to bear the brunt more this time, in the absence of any kind of help from the government. It is an independent decision of the exhibitors,” said Partha Sarathi Daw, vice president of the Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA).
He mentioned that two of his theatres will be closing from April 26.
Speaking with Silverscreen India, some owners of single-screens and multiplexes expressed their disappointment with producers, West Bengal government, and the film industry’s lack of initiative to release big films that could have revived the low audience turnout.
Theatre owners have decided to remain closed for Salman Khan‘s Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, as they do not want to run the risk of reopening just for one film. Khan’s films are known to run housefull, especially in single-screens in Kolkata, for days after it releases.
Photo Source: Bioscope Movies Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bioscopemovies/)
Lack of big-budget films
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, theatres across India were forced to shut since March 2020. After the Centre allowed theatres to reopen with 50% seating occupancy across the country in October 2020, 10 new Bengali film releases lined up for theatrical release in time for Durga Puja festivities, making theatre owners optimistic about reviving their business. However, some theatre owners and distributors stated that the number of movie goers were abysmally low.
Arijit Dutta, owner of Priya Cinema and Bioscope chain of cinemas, said that keeping theatres open from October 2020 has been an expensive affair.
“Forget about covering costs, we could not even cover the 20% additional cost which we had to bear, such as electricity, man power, security, etc,” he said.
He said he would reopen his theatres a few weeks before a significant number of Hindi films are due to release, and not for “small type” of films that his theatres had been screening so far.
“We are not taking the risk of opening theatres just for one film [Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai] and that too when we have to share it with an OTT platform [ZeePlex],” he said.
Even after the government allowed full seating occupancy in January, theatre owners claimed that there was hardly any audience because there was dearth of good content.
Disappointed with producers’ lack of support towards exhibitors, Dutta said: “We did everything from our side, as exhibitors. Producers have to give some tent pole films to encourage the public to come back to theatres. Cinema-going is a matter of habit that has been eaten into.”
According to him, it requires the “the joint effort” of the entire film industry to make people return to the cinemas. “While exhibitors manage and keep all the protocols in place, the producers refuse to release films in theatres,” he said.
Navin Chokhani, owner of Navina Cinemas, a popular single-screen in south Kolkata, said although the Central government allowed full seating capacity, the “content that was necessary to attract the crowd was missing, coupled with very few releases”.
According to Chokhani, producers were unwilling to take the risk of releasing big-budget Hindi films “especially because Maharashtra has its own Covid restrictions in place”. Maharashtra is one of the most significant markets for Hindi films.
“Producers felt that if they release films under these restrictions, then they will incur a loss. So maybe they were waiting for the situation to normalise. Unfortunately, the situations have deteriorated further,” he said.
He mentioned that since October 2020, “no big Hindi film has released”. “We were completely dependent on Bengali and Hollywood films.”
EIMPA’s Daw also mentioned that their decision was taken due to lack of new releases in the coming months.
Photo Source: Navina Cinemas Facebook
Response from the West Bengal government
While Dutta said that the West Bengal government has failed to offer help either monetarily or in the form of relief measures, Chokhani felt differently.
“If we are facing losses, we need to utilise our profit instead of approaching the government for help every time. The government has other problems to tackle and they should prioritise that,” Chokhani said.
The second wave of Covid-19 that has been sweeping across the country has been setting new records daily. West Bengal recorded 11,948 new cases on Thursday, taking the total number of active cases to 68,798 and 7,00,904 confirmed cases, with 10,766 deaths according to the state government data.
Director Vetri Maaran‘s next Tamil film, starring actor-comedian Soori and Vijay Sethupathi, has been titled Viduthalai, the film’s makers announced on social media on Thursday while releasing the film’s first look poster.
Produced by Elred Kumar under RS Infotainment, the poster mentions Soori as the “protagonist” and Sethupathi as the “mentor”. The film is based on the short story, Thunaivan, written by veteran writer Jeyamohan.
The film’s music will be composed by Ilaiyaraaja and will mark the the filmmaker’s first collaboration with the veteran music composer. The renowned musician began composing music in his new recording studio at Kodambakkam in Chennai from February.
Viduthalai will also feature Bhavani Sre, who was seen in Sudha Kongara’s segment in Netflix’s Tamil anthology Paava Kadhaigal.
According to a press release, Viduthalai was shot in Satyamangalam forest in Erode, Tamil Nadu, which lacked electricity and telecommunication facilities. The film’s poster mentions that the shooting is in progress.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Manikandan, a co-producer at RS Infotainment said, “We started to shoot around December-end and took a break for Pongal [in January]. We will resume the next schedule in the forest areas in May, after the election results are announced.”
Manikandan said that the film will be shot entirely at the Satyamangalam forest.
“About 50% of the shooting is completed and we plan to release the film in October. It will be a theatrical release,” he said.
Manikandan said that all the main cast members will be joining in the next schedule of shooting.
“Vijay Sethupathi will be a main character in the film, he is not playing an extended cameo. His character is ‘Vathiyar’, which we have mentioned in the poster. Other regular character artists from Vetri Maaran’s films will be there. Filmmaker Gautham Menon will also play role and he will be joining in the second schedule,” he said, clarifying that Menon does not have a cameo appearance.
The film’s technical crew includes Velraj as the cinematographer. He has earlier worked with Vetri Maaran in Asuran (2019) and Vada Chennai(2018). While R Ramar is the editor, Peter Hein will coordinating stunts, and Jacki is the art director.
The makers have planned a pan-Indian release for the film. Besides Tamil, the film will be dubbed and released in Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.
Shravan Rathod, the veteran music composer of the Nadeem-Shravan duo, died in Mumbai on Thursday due to Covid-19 related complications. He was 66.
After testing positive for Covid-19, Rathod was admitted to Mumbai’s SL Raheja Hospital on Monday in a reportedly critical condition and was put on a ventilator.
According to the The Indian Express, Rathod, his wife and two sons tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. While his wife and elder son are undergoing treatment at the Seven Hills Hospital, Andheri East, Mumbai, his younger son is in home isolation.
Nadeem Saifi, the other half of the music composer duo, told Bombay Times, “My Shanu is no more. We have seen an entire life together. We saw our highs, we saw our lows. We’ve grown up with each other in many ways. We never lost touch and no physical distance could ever separate the two of us. I am in deep pain as I say this but my friend and my companion, my partner of so many years is no more. It has left such a vacuum. I spoke to his son who was inconsolable. We had been in touch on a regular basis for the last several days when Shravan complained of ill-health and had to be moved to a hospital.”
Nadeem-Shravan were known for their hit Hindi film compositions in the 90s. Best known for their work in Aashiqui, Saajan, Pardes, Raja Hindustani, Dilwale, Barsaat, Jeet, Raaz, the duo frequently collaborated with singer Kumar Sanu and came out with popular songs like Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and more.
However, the duo split in the mid-2000s, and later reunited to compose music for David Dhawan’s Do Knot Disturb in 2009.
Many celebrities took to Twitter to mourn Rathod’s death.
Actor Akshay Kumar wrote on Twitter: “Nadeem-Shravan created magic for many films in 90s and later, including Dhadkan that has remained legendary in my career.”
Actor-producer Ajay Devgn wrote: “Shravan (and Nadeem) walked 30 years alongside me in my career with the evergreen album for Phool Aur Kaante.”
Producer Boney Kapoor, who had worked with Rathod in films like Judaai and Sirf Tum, shared his condolences and wrote he shared some beautiful memories with the late composer.
Deeply pained to hear of the demise of music Director Shravan. Have wonderful memories of working with him for the music of Judaai & Sirf Tum My heartfelt condolences to the family. RIP 🙏🙏🙏
Singer Shreya Ghoshal also expressed her shock over the news.
Shocked to hear the news of Shravan ji (of Nadeem Shravan) passing away. A genuine humble human being and one of the biggest composers of our music industry. Another huge loss in this pandemic. God give strength to the bereaved family. Rest in peace.
My heart felt condolences to Shravan ji ‘ s family his partner and the whole music fraternity . We have lost a very talented composer and a wonderful person .
Saddened to know that Shravanji of Nadeem Shravan has passed away. Feeling numb. When will this nightmare get over. My deepest condolences to his family. 🙏🏻
Shravan bhai is no more🙏 My respects and condolences to his family.
Nadeem-Shravan have given us some of the biggest hits in the 90s.
Covid has taken so many lives. Don’t know when will this end…Really saddened by this news.
Extremely saddened by the tragic news of legendary Music Composer Shravan ji’s (of Nadeem/Shravan fame) demise… He was not just an incredible composer but also possessed an ever loving soul & a beautiful heart.
May he rest in peace…🙏 pic.twitter.com/rEBI8zkfOb
Chathur Mukham, the Malayalam film starring Manju Warrier, has been withdrawn from theatres owing to surging Covid-19 cases in Kerala, Warrier announced on social media on Thursday.
Chathur Mukham is the second Malayalam film to be withdrawn from theatres after Kho Kho, the sports drama starring Rajisha Vijayan which was pulled down from theatres on Tuesday.
Thanking the audience, Warrier said in a social media post that the family audiences’ reception for the film was beyond their expectations. She said that the film had been running to packed theatres but there was a need to strengthen vigilance against Covid-19 in the state.
“Chathur Mukham will be brought back to you when the spread of the disease is under control and public places are safe. Follow the protocols set by the government and stay safe,” she said.
Chathur Mukham’s technical crew consists of Manoj as the editor, Abinandhan Ramanujam as cinematographer, and Dawn Vincent as music composer. The film is produced by Jiss Toms and Justin Thomas under Jiss Toms Movies and Manju Warrier Productions.
The maker’s decision to withdraw the film comes on the day Kerala reported 26,995 positive cases of Covid-19, taking the total number of active cases to 1,56,226. The Kerala government on Monday ordered theatres and malls to shut down by 7:30 pm and imposed night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am from Tuesday for the next two weeks, to curb the spread of the virus.
Hollywood actors Riz Ahmed and Viola Davis are the new additions to the list of Oscar presenters, the Academy announced on Friday. Both Ahmed and Davis have been nominated in the acting categories for their films Sound of Metal and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, respectively.
“We’re thrilled Viola and Riz have joined our cast. Even though they are nominees, we really felt they needed to be a part of our Oscar ensemble,” said show producers Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh, in a statement.
Ahmed and Davis complete the presenters lineup that includes Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Parasite director Bong Joon Ho, Don Cheadle, Bryan Cranston, Laura Dern, Harrison Ford, Regina King, Marlee Matlin, Rita Moreno, actors Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Renée Zellweger and Zendaya.
The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday at the Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, and international locations via satellite. Oscars: Into the Spotlight will air live on ABC. The Oscars will be televised live on ABC in more than 200 territories worldwide.
While the Academy has not released a statement regarding the event, according to a Variety exclusive report, the event will be limited to 170 people, who will not be wearing masks on camera. However, they will be required to be masked during commercial breaks, or off-camera. Upon arrival to Union Station, nominees will receive a personalised itinerary that will specify when they will be rotated in and out, the report stated.
A staff of the Academy told Variety that masks were not required for people on-camera since it was being treated as a television/film production.
However, a temperature check will be mandatory and the attendees will be required to take three Covid-19 tests ahead of the event. Select media houses will be present, including ABC News, KABC and E!, along with international outlets from Japan, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Brazil, Spain, Mexico and Australia. Only three photographers will be present during the red carpet event and reporters will have to maintain a distance of seven-feet while interacting with the attendees.
Although the event will be in-person, winners will be virtually interviewed by publications.
Director Shankar and Lyca Productions, the producers of Indian 2, the upcoming sequel to the hit 1996 Tamil action thriller Indian, were told by the Madras High Court on Thursday to amicably resolve their issues, reported PTI .
The case was heard by a bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy.
Earlier this month, Lyca Productions moved the Madras High Court seeking an interim injunction on Shankar from directing any other film before completing Indian 2. The court had refused to grant the injunction and said that an order can be passed only after hearing the director’s side. The move came at a time when Shankar is set to direct a Telugu film starring Ram Charan in the lead, that was announced in February.
Lyca Productions accused Shankar of not completing Indian 2, despite spending Rs 180 crore from the Rs 236 crore budget. Mentioning that 80% of the film had been finished, the production company demanded that Shankar complete shooting the rest of the film. It said that it had paid Shankar Rs 14 crore out of his agreed remuneration of Rs 40 crore. Lyca Productions said that it was willing to pay the remaining Rs 26 crore to the court.
The court has asked for a notice to be sent to Shankar and expected a response.
On Thursday, Shankar’s counsel said that the filmmaker will be working on the Telugu film from May 2022. He said that Shankar will work on Indian 2 and that the film will be completed in five months, starting from June.
The counsel said after the death of actor-comedian Vivekh, who was part of the cast, his portions had to be reshot.
Following this, the court observed that “any order from the court would not solve the issue fully” and asked the production house and Shankar to discuss and sort out the issues amicably.
The next date of hearing has been scheduled for April 28.
Indian 2 will feature actor-politician Kamal Haasan reprising his role as Senapathy. Other cast members include Nedumudi Venu, Kajal Aggarwal, Siddharth,Rakul Preet Singh, Bobby Simha,Priya Bhavani Shankar, and Samuthirakani. Indian 2’s music will be composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The film was announced in September 2017 during the final episode of the first season of the reality television show Bigg Boss Tamil, which was being hosted by Haasan.
Meanwhile, Shankar was recently caught in another trouble after he announced the Hindi remake of his 2005 psychological thriller film Anniyan, starring Ranveer Singh. Producer V Ravichandran of Ascar Films, who had produced the original film, claimed that the remake was “totally illegal” as he had bought the full rights of the story and hadn’t sold it to anyone yet. Stating that Ravichandran’s allegations were false, Shankar said that the script belonged to him, which entitled him to utilise it.
As a selection of 25 unreleased Stephen King films will be streamed at the Stephen King Rules Dollar Baby Festival between April 23-25, the question about the horror author’s undying legacy crops up once again. Recently, Netflix picked up the rights to adapt the acclaimed author’s novel Talisman and Apple Tv+’s upcoming show Lisey’s Story starring Julianne Moore is based on his 2006 novel of the same name.
For decades, King’s works have been highly celebrated and adapted to the big screens in Oscar-winning performances like Kathy Bates in Misery. From Kubrick’s The Shining to the recent two-part adaptation of IT, featuring Hollywood’s most infamous clown Pennywise, Stephen King’s domination of the horror genre has been widely appreciated.
The author has written over 55 books but not all his adaptations have gone on to become big-budget movies warranting countless pop culture references like his classic films Cujo and Carrie. Some of them, despite being good films, have not received dizzying recognition. So, Silverscreen India brings you a list of seven lesser-known Stephen King adaptations for viewers to enjoy.
Dolores Claiborne
Credits: Rotten Tomatoes
This 1995 psychological horror film is the second Stephen King adaptation that features actor Kathy Bates. In the movie, the titular character is accused of murdering her old wealthy employer forcing her estranged daughter Selena to come back home. Soon after Selena’s arrival, the reason for their estrangement is unravelled causing old family secrets to spill out.
Despite Dolores Claiborne not being a typical Stephen King horror tale, the movie delves into horrors that are not only realistic but perhaps even more terrifying than dancing clowns and creepy pet cemeteries. Touching upon domestic abuse, trauma, and repression, Dolores Claiborne is a compelling movie with a great cast.
IT Miniseries (1990)
Credits: Warner Bros. Television
At a time when horror movies were seldom made into direct-to-TV movies, broadcasting network ABC adapted King’s IT into a two-part series. The series focuses on a group of children who realise that a clown called Pennywise is terrorising their town, Derry. When kids and adults go missing, they realise that Pennywise is not a clown but a demonic being that feeds off people’s fears.
The 1990 adaptation is delightful and horrifying in equal parts. Curry’s performance carries the film through and makes it an unmissable adaptation. His take on Pennywise the Dancing Clown even served as an inspiration for Bill Skarsgard’s rendition of the character in the 2017 film.
With new adaptations of classic King novels like Misery, Green Mile coming to the forefront in the late 90s, IT remains an underrated horror classic.
Stand by Me (1986)
Credit: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
Stand by Me is adapted from King’s novella The Body. Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell, the film is about four teenagers, who in the hopes of garnering fame, venture into the woods to find the body of a schoolboy who was hit by a train. Despite having a well-known cast and a refreshing storyline, Stand by Me remains relatively unknown to the mainstream audience.
In a rare shift from the horror genre, this Stephen King adaptation is a coming-of-age story that uses the boys’ quest to become famous to tell a story of self-discovery and maturity. With ace direction and poignant storytelling, Stand by Me is a compelling, funny, and equally emotional story about angst and friendship.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
The late 2010s saw King’s works once again being adapted to the big screen. Andres Muschietti directed the successful IT and IT 2, Netflix produced Gerald’s Game and even Pet Semetary got a remake. Around this time, ace horror film director Mike Flanagan directed Doctor Sleep. A sequel to The Shining, the story follows an adult Danny Torrance, an alcoholic who is traumatised by the events that took place in his childhood. He still possesses his shining abilities (telepathic communication) that he mostly keeps locked away. However, he is forced to fight his demons and embrace his powers to save a young girl Abra from a murderous cult that survives on consuming people’s shining abilities.
It is no secret that Stephen King disapproved of Kubrick’s The Shining. The 2019 sequel not only got Kings’ approval but also received good reviews from critics. Despite being a relatively unknown film, Doctor Sleep has all the elements that make it a successful horror sequel. Terror is the all-encompassing theme of the film; Danny’s trauma, the gruesome murder of young children and well-placed jump scares make this one of King’s better adaptations.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Considered one of the greatest movies of all time, TheShawshank Redemption stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in lead roles. Set in Shawshank maximum security prison, new inmate Andy Dufresne who is serving two life imprisonments meets Red, a smuggler who deals prison contraband.
While the movie is well-known, the fact that it is based on Stephen King’s short story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is often forgotten. In a career filled with writing horror and thriller tales, King wrote this story of redemption and friendship in his 1982 collection of novellas Different Seasons.
Andy is accused of killing his wife and her lover but he continues to claim that he is innocent. Depicting the lives and various brutalities (rape, abuse, and betrayal) that take place inside the prison, this film is about hope. Despite the harrowing life that Andy is forced to live, he still has hope that he will make it out there one day.
This 1983 science fiction thriller film features Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith, a former high school teacher who wakes up from a coma and discovers that he is clairvoyant. The Dead Zone is based on King’s 1979 novel of the same name.
The lead is initially terrified and unsure of his powers but he resolves to utilise them to help those in need as his visions can alter the future. The supernatural thriller quickly ventures into the vigilante genre as Smith eventually takes on a power-hungry politician after seeing his true intentions. An unsettling film interspersed with heartbreaking moments, The Dead Zone is a well-executed and classic Stephen King adaptation.
Creepshow (1982)
Credits: Warner Bros.
Creepshow is an anthology film series that saw King come on board as a screenwriter for the first time. It is a mixture of stories that were written exclusively for the film and a couple of short stories that King had previously published. The series has five films with an unconnected prologue and epilogue.
Itis not a typical horror film filled with jump scares. Rather, the film is a tribute to old horror comics that featured grisly and creepy characters as seen in E.C. Comics. Creepshow is an unnerving and satirical take on the comic book genre whose storylines echo R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series which also debuted in the early 80s.
The movie might be left out of contemporary horror movie lists, but it is filled with gory scenes and bizarre horror tropes like alien plants, a cruel germaphobe who ends up with roaches coming out of his body, and a mysterious crate containing an ape-like monster that can make viewers squirm in disgust and horror at the same time.
Movie : Devathai
Song: Oru Naal
Singer: S Janaki
Directed : Nasser
Produced : Nasser
Starring : Nasser,Keerthi Reddy, Vineeth, Thalaivasal Vijay,Janagaraj, K. B. Mohan
Music – Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography – Sreedharan
Editing : Suresh Urs
Release date : 27 June 1997
Language : Tamil
Country : India
Three Indian films will have their world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival at New York, USA. While Geeta Malik’s India Sweets and Spices, and Pan Nalin’s The Last Film Show will contest in the Spotlight Narrative category, Roshan Sethi’s 7 Days will compete in the Viewpoints category.
The 20th edition of the film festival will be held from June 9 to June 20.
The films are part of the 66 selections announced as the lineup. Out of this, 54 are slated for their world premieres. Over 50 additional films, which failed to release in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be screened this year.
Nalin’s Gujarati film The Last Film Show is the opening film in the Spotlight Section. It is about a nine-year-old boy in a remote village in India, who begins a life-long love affair with cinema when he bribes his way into a rundown movie palace to spend an entire summer watching films from the projection booth. The film stars actors Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, and Rahul Koli.
Malik’s India Sweets and Spices features Adil Hussain, Manisha Koirala, Sophia Ali, Deepti Gupta, and Rish Shah. The film is a “fresh and fun take on the classic coming of age story, a college freshman confronts her parents’ values in order to understand her own evolving identity”.
Hussain took to social media to announce his film’s premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Sethi’s independent feature film 7 Days comes as relevant in the current times with the story revolving around the pandemic. According to the film’s synopsis: “As if their pre-arranged date, organised by their traditional Indian parents, wasn’t uncomfortable enough, Ravi and Rita are forced to shelter in place together as Covid-19’s reach intensifies. Hopefully for their sake, opposites do indeed attract.”
The film stars Karan Soni, Geraldine Viswanathan, Mark Duplass, Zenobia Shroff, Aparna Nancherla, Gita Reddy, and Jeffrey Self. It is written by Soni.
The films, chosen from 3,000 submissions, are spread across nine categories. Presented by AT&T, more than 60% of the films being screened this year are directed by women, BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of colour), and LGBTQ+ filmmakers.
“After a year of closed cinemas, cancelled gatherings, and virtual everything, it is with joy and hope that we finally invite New Yorkers out of their homes and back to the movies. Immersed in the city itself, Tribeca 2021 will bring once-in-a-lifetime big-screen experiences to filmmakers and audiences alike as we reconnect, re-imagine, and reopen through the shared experience of film,” said Cara Cusumano, festival director and vice president of programming for the Tribeca Festival.
Dakota Johnson, the Hollywood actor best known for the Fifty Shades film series, will feature in Netflix’s Persuasion, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s last novel by the same name, the streaming giant announced on Wednesday.
The film will be helmed by debutant director Carrie Cracknell. Cracknell has previously been nominated for the Tony Awards, and has helmed Broadway’s Sea Wall/ A Life on Broadway starring Jake Gyllenhall and Tom Sturridge.
According to Netflix, the film will take “a modern, witty approach”. It revolves around Anne Elliot, an nonconforming woman with modern sensibilities, who lives with her snobbish family on the brink of bankruptcy. When Frederick Wentworth, the dashing one she once sent away, returns into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances.
While Johnson will play the protagonist, the rest of the cast is yet to be announced.
Persuasion will be adapted to screen by Ron Bass and Alice Victoria, while “remaining true” to the original story.
It will be produced by Andrew Lazar and Christina Weiss Lurie. As a partner project with MRC, it will be executive produced by Elizabeth Cantillon via her untitled MRC Film Romance label, Michael Constable, and David Fliegel.
The film’s production is expected to begin from May.
Almost all of Austen’s novels have been adapted to popular screen versions. Pride and Prejudice was first adapted into a British television series in 1995 and later into a film, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden that released in 2005. Sense and Sensibility was adapted into a film by Ang Lee in 1995, starring Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant. It won the Oscar for the best adapted screenplay in 1996.
Emma, featuring Anya Taylor-Joy, is the most recent adaptation of Austen’s work.
The trailer of the family entertainer was released on Wednesday.
Revolving around a grandmother’s last wish, a “dedicated” grandson, a “heartwarming” journey while celebrating the bonds within a large Punjabi family, the story of Sardar Ka Grandson explores their unique relationship and is a tribute to multi-generational family bonds, Netflix said in a statement.
Sardar Ka Grandson showcases the journey of a US-returned grandson (Kapoor) who will go to any length to fulfil the last wish of Sardar (Gupta), the family matriarch.
Directed by debutant director Kaashvie Nair, the film also features Soni Razdan, Kanwaljit Singh, Kumud Mishra and Divya Seth in pivotal roles.
“Sardar Ka Grandson is personal because it is a delectable mix of my grandparents and my attachment to my childhood home. It celebrates the unconditional love between grandparents and grandchildren. I feel like I am one of the luckiest debut directors to have an eclectic mix of actors, a strong crew and unconditional support from the producers Nikkhil, Madhu, Monisha, John and Bhushan Kumar,” Nair said in the statement.
Describing the film as a “joyous ride”, Gupta said: “This is the first time that I’m playing a character like this. A lot of effort was put into honing the way Sardar talked, looked, and reacted to situations. Sardar Ka Grandson is a joyous ride filled with mixed emotions which will make the audience smile, and also leave a tear or two in their eyes.”
Kapoor called the film an “emotional film with a strong message”.
Produced under the banners of T-Series, Enmay Entertainment and JA Entertainment, Sardar Ka Grandson has been written by Anuja Chauhan and Nair, with dialogues by Amitosh Nagpal.
The action-thriller is written and directed by Tharun Sudhir. The film marks his second directorial after Chowka (2017). Produced by Umapathy Srinivasa Gowda under the banner of Umapathy Films, Roberrt released in theatres on March 11.
According to the streaming platform, the film “centres on the life of Raghava (played by Darshan) who lives with his son Arjun in Lucknow and works as a cook at a South Indian catering service. Raghava is an obedient, god-fearing and peace-loving person while his son is the complete opposite of his father – vengeful and obstinate. Their polar opposite personalities become the centre of all the action in the film, taking the narrative forward. The father-son duo is living peacefully until Arjun’s vindictiveness gets him in trouble with a powerful gangster. Raghava is then forced to take on his original avatar to protect his son.”
The film also stars Jagapathi Babu, Ravi Kishan, Vinod Prabhakar and debutant Asha Bhat in key roles. The film’s technical crew consist of Arjun Janya and V Harikrishna as music composers, Sudhakar S Raj as the cinematographer and KM Prakash as the editor.
Speaking about the film, Darshan said that viewers would see three avatars of his character – a gangster, a faithful friend, and a good father.
According to a report by The Indian Express, despite the prevailing Covid-19 situation, Roberrt managed to draw big crowds to theatres. The film’s popularity was boosted by the Karnataka government’s permission of 100% seating capacity at theatres. The report stated that the film earned more than Rs 40 crore within three days of its release.
Roberrt’s digital premiere will follow Yuvarathna, the Kannada action drama film starring Puneeth Rajkumar, which released on Amazon Prime Video on April 9.
The film will have a multi-format release & a wide theatrical release internationally on 13th May 2021. It will release in over 40 countries including Middle East, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, Europe among others.
Directed by Prabhudeva
Produced by Salma Khan, Reel Life Pvt.Ltd
Director of photography: Avananka Bose
Screenplay: A.C Mugil & Vijay Maurya
Dialogues: Vijay Maurya
Music: Sajid Wajid, Devi Sri Prasad, Himesh Reshammiya
Editor: Ritesh Soni
Action director: Myeonghaeng hod & Anbariv
Production design: Durga Prasad Mahapatra
Costume design: Ashley Rebello & Alvira Khan Agnihotri
Sound designer: Parikshit Lalwani & Kunal Mehta
Re-Recording Mixer: Justin Jose, CAS
Background Score: Sanchit Balhara & Ankit Balhara
Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, the upcoming Hindi film starring Salman Khan, will release both in theatres as well as on a streaming platform on May 13 on the occasion of Eid, the makers announced on Wednesday. This will be the first Hindi film to opt for a hybrid release model.
Salman Khan Films announced on Twitter that the film will release in theatres and on Zee5’s pay-per view medium ZeePlex on the same day. The film can also be viewed on several direct-to-home services, like DishTV, D2H, Tata Sky, and Airtel Digital TV.
“The ongoing pandemic forced us to innovate, and we are proud to be the first to embark upon this new distribution strategy,” Shariq Patel, chief business officer at Zee Studios, said in a press release.
Cinemas around the country are either closed or are operating at 50% or lower seating capacity. In Maharastra, theatres have been closed due to the alarming spike in Covid-19 cases. The state, on Tuesday, reported 62,097 new cases, taking the tally to 39,60,359.
In January, Khan had said in a social media post that Radhe would release in theatres on Eid. The film was initially scheduled to release in May 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic.
Giving an update on the release on social media, Khan had said: “Sorry it has taken me a long time to revert to all the theatre owners. It’s a big decision to make during these times. I understand the financial problems that theatre owners/exhibitors are going through and I would like to help them by releasing Radhe in theatres.”
Directed by Prabhu Deva, Radhe will mark his third collaboration with Khan, after Wanted and Dabangg 3. The film also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff in key roles.
Telangana theatre owners and film exhibitors on Tuesday decided to shut down theatres and cinema halls in the state due to the “lack of content” as several Telugu films’ release has been postponed due to surging Covid-19 cases in the state.
Theatre owners, however, denied that the night curfew imposed by the state government, pushed them to take this decision. On Tuesday, the Telangana government passed an order announcing night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am until April 30 due to a “rising trend in Covid-19 cases”.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Anupam Reddy, owner of Hyderabad’s Sudha Theatres and an executive committee member of the Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce said, “It is not exactly because of the curfew, it is because of the lack of content since films are not releasing. About six small budget films will release on April 23 [Friday], out of which three have been postponed. So, there is no content for the theatres to run. That is the main reason and in addition, the Covid-19 conditions too. Keeping all this in mind, a few theatres have decided to close.”
He added that theatres have been functioning at full seating capacity.
After theatres reopened in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after the Covid-19 induced lockdown in November 2020, several big-budget films including Ravi Teja and Shruti Haasan-starrer Krack, Sai Dharam Tej-starrer Solo Brathuke So Better, Bellamkonda Sreenivas-starrer Alludu Adhurs, Ram Pothineni-starrerRed, were released theatrically. Films such as RRR and Pushpa have been slated to release in theatres later in the year.
“On April 9, Vakeel Saab released and some theatres are still screening it. These theatres will remain open. There are about two-three small budget films that are releasing on Friday. Theatres which have booked those films will be operational. Theatres that had booked the films which postponed their releases will be closed,” Reddy said.
#VirataParvam Release Postponed!
New Release Date will be announced soon.
Balgovind Raj Tadla, secretary of Greater Telangana Exhibitors Association, and partner at Sudharshan 35mm and Devi 70mm Theatres in Hyderabad told Silverscreen India, “After night curfew is implemented, we will only be missing the 9 pm show. But that is not the issue, the lack of content is.”
“We took the decision because it is not viable for us to run the theatres. Shutting down will save us some expenses. The audiences are also less in number. We are running in 100% occupancy with no night shows,” he said.
Tadla said that the theatres that are running Vakeel Saab will continue to run despite incurring losses.
“However, if there is any producer willing to release the film, we will continue to run theatres,” he said.
Vijay Kumar of BVK Multiplex in Hyderabad said that theatres have been performing poorly with barely 20-30 tickets being sold on a daily basis. “We cannot cover the maintenance charges, and further releases are also postponed, so we have taken this decision,” he said.
Gopal Reddy, owner of Ranga 70mm single screen theatre in Hyderabad, said that exhibitors and theatre owners plan to reopen theatres by May 13, only if the situation returns to normal.
According to Tadla, most of the theatres will stop functioning from April 23.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been witnessing a spike in positive cases. While Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, the state recorded 5,926 positive cases on the same day, according to the state government’s medical bulletin. Andhra Pradesh, recorded 8,987 positive cases on Tuesday.
Kho Kho, the Malayalam film starring Rajisha Vijayan which released on April 14, was withdrawn from theatres on Tuesday owing to surging Covid-19 cases in Kerala, the makers announced on social media.
The Malayalam sports drama film is written and directed by Rahul Riji Nair and produced by First Print Studios.
Thanking the audience for receiving the film well, Nair said in a social media post that the film was released when Covid-19 was under control in Kerala but with the arrival of the second wave, the situation has changed. He said that the film continued to run in theatres even after the cancellation of second shows but now the situation has worsened with the implementation of more restrictions.
“We recognise that this is a situation where social commitment should be upheld over business interest. That’s why we have stopped the promotion events of the film,” he said adding that the screening of Kho Kho had been stopped from Tuesday. He wrote that the film will be made available over TV and streaming platforms.
Kho Kho marks the second sports film of Rajisha after Finals (2019) directed by PR Arun. Kho Kho’s technical crew consist of Tobin Thomas as the cinematographer, Sidhartha Pradeep as the music director and Christy Sebastian as the editor.
The Kerala government on Monday ordered theatres and mall to shut down by 7:30 pm and imposed night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am from Tuesday for the next two weeks to curb the increasing number of cases.
Earlier, the makers of Krishna Talkies, the Kannada film starring Ajay Rao which released on April 16, announced that the film will be withdrawn from theatres from Thursday owing to a spike in Covid-19 cases in Karnataka.
