You gotta admit her signature does tickle the imagination! Bold and Daring!

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JB you sure it's only tickling your imagination and not other parts?

Tamil version of Yuva `Aayitha Ezhuthu` creates records

Collected over Rs 15 Lakh (Rs 1,500,000) from one theatre in 30 shows (one week).

http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory. ... &headline=`Aayitha~Ezhuthu`~creates~records~

Mani Ratnam’s Aayitha Ezhuthu may not be palatable to the common man but is creating a new box office record!
At Satyam theatre in Chennai, the highest collecting movie house in South India, Aayitha Ezhuthu has netted an amazing Rs 15,00,300 in 30 shows (including Sat and Sun morning shows). This is a new theatre record for the 1260 seater which reported almost 100 percent collections.

Aayitha Ezhuthu is doing extraordinary business in Coimbatore, Kerala and Bangalore while in the rest of Tamilnadu in B centres like Tanjavur, Tirunelveli and Salem it is sliding. In Kerala, Aayitha Ezhuthu and Yuva combined has netted Rs 31 Lakhs from 13 prints in the first week.

`Aayitha Ezhuthu`

Showing in Ottawa Mayfair Theatre, one show, Sat May 29, 2:00 PM.

I'm sure it will be a DTS presentation with big bangs.

Disclaimer:
Got this info over the phone with communication prob. Hopefully I got the film name right.

I'll try to confirm it if I get a chance.

BUSINESS TALK

By Taran Adarsh


A WAKE UP CALL FOR ACTORS

It's time the actors woke up and smelt coffee...

A reputed producer was narrating an incident to me the other day and I felt that it is imperative to put this on record and caution other actors against such callous behaviour.

Reportedly, this highly respected producer approached a leading actor [with half-a-dozen flops in the recent past to his credit] with a film offer a few days ago. Before even listening to the story, the actor shamelessly told the producer, "I am charging 1.5; I will let you know what the signing [confirmation] amount is. If it suits you, I am ready to hear the script and work out the remaining formalities."

The producer was in for a rude shock. "I was ready to pay him an 'x' amount, provided I am assured that I can recover the investment and make some money in the process. But where are the buyers? Also, he should've at least heard the script before quoting his exorbitant fee," he sounded upset.

While on one hand the production sector is going through a boom, with more and more films being announced as days go by, the scenario is exactly the opposite in the distributors' arena. In fact, the number of distributors in each and every territory has dwindled at an alarming rate, which explains why a number of producers have been forced to release their films themselves.

Strangely, our actors aren't aware of the ground realities and even if they are, they prefer to look the other way. So, what is the alternative? The actors ought to realize that the prices they quote are unrealistic and that the producers of a majority of recent flops are in debts [to the tune of crores], partly because the producer wasn't able to recover his investment at the time of release.

The attitude of several actors is disgusting, if you ask my opinion. The actors have every right to ask for a rightful remuneration, but they ought to remember that such high-handedness just won't work anymore. Let's not bite the hand that feeds us. The actors ought to get real!

WHERE DID 'YUVA' FALTER?

Mani Ratnam has missed the bus yet again!

YUVA was touted as one of those biggies that would bail the industry out of its current crisis. Unfortunately, the film has not lived up to the gargantuan expectations. The film trade is in a state of shock, what with the distributors and exhibitors having invested all their faith and fortune in this mega venture that was expected to be a money-spinner.

But what saddens me is that the film just didn't fetch a decent opening at several places. With Mani Ratnam in the director's seat and an attractive star cast as one of its USPs, the film should've taken a flying start at the box-office, setting new records in its opening weekend.

The general feeling within the industry is that films targeted at the youth work wonders at the turnstiles. In this case, not only does the film star six top-of-the-line youngsters, even the title [YUVA] is youth-oriented. So why did the audiences accord a cold welcome to this flick?

Could it be because the promos were not too hot? Or, perhaps, Rahman's music didn't really catch on? Whatever the reasons, the not-too-happening opening response to the film indicates that big names do not necessarily guarantee big openings.

Yuva a loser?

Syed Firdaus Ashraf | June 02, 2004 18:19 IST


Trade magazines and box-office reports for Mani Ratnam's film Yuva have been far from encouraging.

The film, which released on May 28, and stars Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji, Esha Deol and Kareena Kapoor, has been declared a flop by the movie trade.

Ratnam asserts that the film is doing well in the A and B centres and in the overseas market. At a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday evening, he urged people not to write off the film.

Don't Miss: The Rediff Yuva Special

rediff.com spoke to trade experts and Ramesh Sippy, Mumbai distributor of Yuva. This is what they have to say:

Komal Nahta, editor, Film Information, a trade magazine:

Yuva is doing well in multiplexes. But it has not done well in single screen theatres.

Compared to other parts of the country, it has fared better in Mumbai. The Mumbai distributor will recover the cost of the film, but his sub-territory distributors in places like Surat and Gujarat will lose money.

In places like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, even the south [India], distributors are likely to lose around Rs 50 lakh (Rs 5 million) to Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million). Overseas, too, the film has done average business.

Yes, I am sure Mani Ratnam has made money from the film. He sold the film at a high price to distributors because of the Yuva star cast.

If you ask me what the fate of the film is, I would say it is a loser.

Amod Mehra, trade analyst:

Yuva was sold [to distributors] at a high price. The film has not come up to expectations. Overall, people seem to be confused about the story of the film.

It is unlikely that distributors all over India will recover their money from this film.

The only circuit it has done well in is the Mumbai and Pune circuit. A point to note is that Mumbai distributor [Ramesh Sippy] sold the sub-territory of Gujarat, Thane, Karnataka at fancy prices to local distributors. Now it is unlikely that those sub-distributors will recover the money.

Now, with Hum Tum doing fantastic business, it is unlikely that Yuva's collections will jump. History says when a film becomes a hit, other films running alongside or even subsequently are affected.

Ramesh Sippy, Mumbai territory distributor, Yuva:

Most trade analysts don't know the ABC of the box office.

In the first week [after the film released], I recorded a profit in the Mumbai territory. In two weeks, I have recovered Rs 3.5 crore [Rs 35 million] from the Mumbai territory.

But let me tell you I know only about the Mumbai territory. I don't know the fate of the film in other territories in India.


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Yuva -- Reader review

The Rediff Interview/Mani Ratnam

Give Yuva a chance. Don't kill it!

June 02, 2004


It must be a rare occasion when a filmmaker holds a press conference post the release of his film, to say that said film is not a flop.

Tuesday evening saw one such event, hosted by Mani Ratnam, arguably one of India's finest directors. For added emphasis, he was joined by stars of his latest film, Yuva: Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji.

The agenda was simple. The refrain being: Yuva is doing well. It is not a flop. They do not agree with trade magazines and box-office reports that have declared Yuva a flop.

Yuva released May 21. While most critics seem to have panned the film, Ratnam loyalists and fans and metro centre audiences seem to have loved the film.

Bachchan, who played the rogue Lallan Singh in Yuva, declared, "The Mumbai distributor of the film [Ramesh Sippy -- not the Sholay filmmaker, but actor Jeetendra's brother-in-law, and head of BRA Enterprises], told me he made Rs 3 crore [Rs 30 million] from Yuva. There must be some reason why he said that. So I don't agree with the statement that film is not doing well."

Devgan added: "I am here to say I have checked the collections and they are very good in Mumbai. The fact is, the film has done well in A class centres."

Ratnam had only one mantra: "Don't pre-judge the film," he tells Senior Assistant Editor Syed Firdaus Ashraf:

Is this press meet a damage control exercise?

(laughs) No, I don't think the damage is so severe. But now that we are here, we cannot leave without saying anything about the film. We are saying give the film a chance. The facts are there, figures are there, look at them.

What are the figures you have of the Yuva collections?

The distributors [of Yuva] are here. I have not come here with figures and facts. I have come here as a filmmaker. I don't carry figures with me. If I carry figures, I won't be able to carry scripts (laughs).

I can say this film has done very well abroad. It is doing much better than other films in smaller towns.

You say the theatre collections of Yuva are good. Trade guides and box-office reports say Yuva is flop. These are contradictory facts. Are you questioning the trade industry process?

That is not for me to say. I have not looked at box-office figures in trade magazines. I don't follow them regularly. That is not my cup of tea. If they say the film is not doing well, we will give it some time. Wait and see for a week or so.

What is the research you have done to say the film has done well in A or B centres and the NRI market?

It is evident by the second week after the film's release how it has fared in the bigger and smaller areas.

Have you called the trade journals to explain this?

I think the distributors will do that. This meeting is about a group of artistes and technicians who are meeting to say that we are happy with the film. We stand by the film. We are happy with the reaction of the audience.

Do you think there is a lobby working against Yuva?

I don't think so. I make one film in three, four years. Why or how would that matter to any lobby?

Would you cut the songs in Yuva -- filmmakers seem to do that after a film is labelled a flop.

No. If I had to cut the songs, I would have done so earlier.

Would you consider suing the trade magazines because this seems to have hurt your image and caused some financial loss to the film?

No, that cannot damage my image and money. A film is between you and the audience. The distributors are the ony people in between us. It is a straight equation.

But you say word-of-mouth about Yuva has been good?

That is what I am saying. People's reactions and word-of-mouth have been good. That is finally what matters for the film.

Yuva will sell. If you say the film is not doing well, that will counter the word-of-mouth. Give the film a chance.

What do you think has gone against the film when word-of mouth is good? What in your opinion has worked for the film? What hasn't?

Why do you assume anything has gone wrong? Nothing has gone against the film. Word-of-mouth is good. The film is good, so everything is okay.

It is also too early to analyse the film. If you ask a filmmaker to analyse his own film, it would take three or four years to do that, honestly. Because when you make a film, you have to be convinced about it. You are married to that film for a year.

I am very happy with the film. I am happy with the response I have got so far from the theatres.

I am glad that we can make bold films, different films within the commercial market and still do well.

How do you feel when people criticise your film?

You want to hit them first. (laughs).

After the anger has gone away, you try and find out whether there is a valid point in what they are saying. You know the ins and outs of your film. When I see a film, I have an opinion. Everybody has an opinion.

If you wanted to make a film the way you want, you go ahead and make it. I am here because I feel I can make a commercial film from my perspective.

Do you think the Hindi film industry needs a system whereby box-office figures come from one common source, not many?

I am not here to talk about trade guides and magazines.

All I have to say is, we will find out soon how the film has fared. Look at the film as a whole. I am not saying that because I am happy with what I have done. Look at the major areas and see how the film has done.

I am saying, don't pre-judge, don't anticipate that it will fall here and it will catch up in some other area. Facts are facts. Don't conclude in a hurry and hurt the film. This is an attempt to do something different that we believe in. Help it grow rather than kill it.

Do you think the Yuva trade status of 'flop' will change to 'average' or 'semi-hit'?

I hope it does not become a semi-hit (laughs). Why not a hit?

Reports say the Tamil version, Aayitha Ezhuthu, is not doing well either.

What can I say? If you have passed the verdict, why ask?

For myself, I am very happy with the results of both versions. The overseas results, everything has worked for the film.

When Dil Se.. did not do well at the box office, you accepted the verdict quietly. Why this hue and cry about Yuva?

I will accept the verdict of Yuva too. If it doesn't do well, there is nothing you can do. The only thing I am saying is, don't pre-judge the film.

Ahem!. A little late, but were you expecting a reply?

A quote from the same site. South Indian films are notorious for not giving out proper collection figures

http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=13489822

Aayitha Ezhuthu - Flop

Only running houseful at Chennai’s Satyam Cineplex where it has netted Rs 15,00,300 in its first week. From rest of Tamilnadu the collection figures are embarrassing for the producers.