1. Pakistan Is Welcoming ‘Kaabil’ With Open Arms: Rakesh Roshan
The Bollywood ban in Pakistan has been lifted with the release of Rakesh Roshan-Sanjay Gupta’s Kaabil from this weekend. “Yes, Kaabil is releasing in Pakistan this week. It is the only Bollywood release this week breaking the ban. It’s historical!” says a jubilant Gupta.
The producer, one of the few in Bollywood to have survived the all-sweeping effect of corporatization in the Indian entertainment industry, admits that he has gone through hell because of Kaabil being pitched against the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees at the box-office.
If it wasn’t for Raees our film would’ve made far larger profits. We were given only 40 percent theatres and screens, while they got 60 percent. But there is no point in crying over spilt milk. My belief in God is above all considerations. We got less number of screens than promised to us. But the Almighty opened other doors to do justice to us and to compensate for our losses. We now have our fingers crossed to touch 100 crores.Rakesh Roshan, Producer
Read more on The Quint
2. Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Raees’ Becomes 2017’s First 100 Cr Film
Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees finally broke into the Rs 100 crore club on Tuesday. The story of a Gujarati don with a heart of gold, has reportedly collected Rs 109 crore in India by Tuesday. With this, Raees becomes Bollywood’s first film to enter the 100 crore club in the new year and the club already has 6 SRK films in it.
Shah Rukh Khan Films in 100 Crore Club
- Chennai Express
- Happy New Year
- Dilwale
- Jab Tak Hai Jaan
- Ra. One
- Don 2
So far Raees has earned $ 9.2 million from overseas and its worldwide gross is at Rs 215 crore.
3. SC to Hear Plea by Fox Star Studios on ‘Jolly LLB 2’ on Friday
The Supreme Court will hear the plea by Fox Star Studios on Friday, challenging the Bombay High Court order that a three-member committee would hold review of the film Jolly LLB 2 before its release.
The bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, agreed to hear the plea by the producer of the film, which has contended that there could not be any scrutiny of the movie after film censor board has given it a U/A certificate.
The Bombay High Court had ordered the review of the film after it was told that the film shows the legal profession ‘in a poor light’.
The film, which is a sequel to 2013 film Jolly LLB, is scheduled to release on 10 February 2017.
4. The Problem Is in Glamorising Stalking in Bollywood: Abhay Deol
Known for his choice of unconventional roles of Bollywood, Abhay Deol wins hearts whenever he speaks.
In an interview with Video Volunteers, Deol spoke about the various issues that plague Bollywood, such as the glamorisation of stalking, the gender wage gap and chauvinism in the industry. He also sheds light on the Bengaluru mass molestation that took place on New Year’s Eve.
The problem is in glamorising stalking. The problem is not necessarily with the filmmaker but with the system that we have to work out of.Abhay Deol, Actor
Read more on The Quint
5. I Hated Having to Declare My Nationalism: Karan Johar
Karan Johar has poked the “N” issue again. In his latest column in NDTV, the director-producer has written about the video that he had to record last year declaring his nationalism to facilitate the release of his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Karan candidly admits that it felt like being in a hostage video.
I’ve been criticised for going on the record and people have called my statement a hostage video. Yes, I’ve read all that. Yes, it made me cringe. Yes, I looked like I had a gun to my head, and yes, you couldn’t see it, but it felt like it was there.Karan Johar, Filmmaker
Read more on The Quint
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)