pussy ki dumm 10 saal tak, baans maen rahi fir vi seedhi na ho paii!!
nikali tou tedhi ki tedhi!!tch tch..no hope!!pitty!!

First a correction:
Looks like India is not ready for films like Shabd, critics, makers, actors, or audience.

Additional comment:
On second thought, may be not even in Overseas. Reason: Althogh they like the story line, Western audiences expect something different from this kind of story and Indian main stream actors/ actresses don't shoot that way.

What would help? Perhaps if you two love birds would start a seperate thread and dedicate it solely to your undying love/hate , kiss and makeup and go at it again saga?

Thats a good idea Mr Bond!!

Lets get to the topic:



'Shabd', 'Black': dull at the box-office!

By Our Correspondent ©2005 Bollyvista.com






Zayed Khan and Aishwarya Rai in 'Shabd'
The opening response to 'Shabd' and 'Black' has not quite been up to the mark. 'Shabd' hasn't found any words of praise from the audience (largely), while 'Black' has been much appreciated for its theme and artistic sensibilities.

What remains to be seen is whether 'Black' can pick up through reviews and word of mouth.


[/quote]

Will Bhansali admit to his failure?

By Vickey Lalwani ©2005 Bollyvista.com






Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Not so long ago, Sanjay Leela Bhansali told a section of the media, "What's life without risks? When I made 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', everybody in India said you can never have a husband say that I am uniting my wife with her lover. The male audience would reject it and it is a male audience and hero-oriented industry. They said everybody had seen 'Devdas' 11 times so what is the point in you telling the same story for the 12th time at Rs 500 million. These are risks you have to take."

Now, with his latest release 'Black' (Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji) having failed to set the cash registers ringing, it would be interesting to see if Bhansali admits to his failure.

Despite all the heroics of audiences loving Black and Shabd a total disaster, today's Box Office Reports are different.

The following is an excerpt from http://www.boxofficeindia.com/ and Indiafm opening day collections paint a similar picture:

BOX OFFICE UPDATE-5th February 16.00 IST

Black opens to around 50% in the metroes but smaller centres are around 25-30%. This is a disaster for the 20 crore film.The media seems to believe that the public has loved the film so box office will follow.But it seems the media is at it again,the ground reality is the film has not been liked at all so therefore there will be no pick up in collections. Infact the collections dropped again this morning.The film may be poor but the performances are being liked a lot but performances can't help at the box office it has to be the content of the film.The trade has labelled it a box office disaster and the biggest loser in Amitabh's career due to the high costs but time should be given before giving verdicts as miracles do happen(Remember HAHK).

Shabd is even worse than Black with 40% in the metroes and 15-20% in smaller centres.The film is just not being understood by the public and when this happens you have no chance at all and a big flop on the cards.
-----------------------

Actually, Indiafm shows Shabd doing much better than Black??. But, they say that collections figures to be verified.
http://www.indiafm.com/boxoffice/collec ... ~in~Mumbai

BLACK - Opening Day
Theatre 1st show 2nd show 3rd show 4th show 5th show Total Capacity %
Liberty (Mumbai) 26,542 16,962 27,568 58,154 - 1,29,226 2,32,616 55.53%
Gaiety (Bandra) 17,551 25,326 21,639 28,990 - 93,506 1,15,960 80.63%
Jaya (Borivli) 5,660 7,228 7,635 11,535 - 32,058 1,07,376 29.85%
24 Karat [5 sh.] (Mumbai) 9,088 8,475 9,096 30,728 26,529 83,916 2,46,825 33.99%


SHABD - Opening Day
Theatre 1st show 2nd show 3rd show 4th show 5th show Total Capacity %
Maratha Mandir (Mumbai) - 25,790 24,908 32,778 - 83,476 99,474 83.91%
Geeta (Worli) 6,986 Cancelled 8,933 11,568 - 27,487 68,049 40.39%
Pinky (Andheri) 8,581 12,172 9,016 10,701 - 40,470 1,01,308 39.94%
24 Karat [5 sh.] (Jogeshwari) 12,080 11,453 10,481 7,324 15,060 56,398 2,46,825 22.84%
Eros (Mumbai) - 43,307.6 43,307.6 43,307.6 - 12,99,22.8 12,99,22.8 100%
Inox (Mumbai) 33,718.46 22,698.6 33,718.46 33,718.46 - 12,38,53.98 - -
Galaxy (Bandra) 23,902 23,902 23,902 23,902 - 95,608 95,608 100%
Meghraj (Vashi) 12,662 15,265 15,265 15,265 - 58,457 - -

Figures for Eros, Inox, Galaxy and Meghraj provided by PNC and to be confirmed.


-----------------------------

BTW, #1 Film is Page 3 which, in its 2nd week, collected double of its 1st week collections.

Cinemaclock.com site has only Albion and Woodside listing for BLACK screening, but today's TV adverts also mentioned one Big Screen Big Sound theatre (AMC Winston Churchill??) and 'Ontario PlaceCinesphere (35mm on I-max screen)' where BLACK is showing in Toronto.

Black is also showing in Ottawa Mayfair next week for two shows (Sat-Sun @ 2:30PM) announced so far.

I doubt other than Leena Yadav anyone else would have understood this movie...it would have sounded fantastic on paper this concept, but the translation on screen leaves everything to desire !!! Its a tiring experience watching the movie and Zayed Khan is such an amateur, all your school experiences on stage seem Oscar worthy !!!! Its just a fantastic waste of resources IMHO.

No matter what the Box Office reports are so far, Black is destined to pick up as the time goes and praises and standing ovations keep pouring in. At this rate it may even surpass HAHK that kept on picking up week after week after week-----.

Read on some excerpts:
http://www.samachar.com/film/fullstory.html

`Black` creates an unparalleled impact.

Sify Movies

The eager wait to the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s fourth film is over. Black which opened on Friday has created an emotional impact beyond anything ever experienced in Indian cinema.

Audiences all over the country have given the film a standing ovation! At the IMAX multiplex theatre in Hyderabad on Sunday afternoon the entire congregation stood up and clapped at the end of the film!

“And this is true in many many parts of the country,” says the film’s overwhelmed leading lady Rani Mukherjee. “All of us expected the film to make a very deep emotional impact. But this is beyond anything we expected. Never in my life have I heard of any film getting a standing ovation, not just once but repeatedly in every corner of the country.

Amitabh Bachchan cannot get over the praise for Black. “People are simply stunned. Never in my life have I seen such an overpowering response to any film, let alone anything I’ve done. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has devastated me. Nothing I do can compare with this. Absolutely nothing. I’ve to work with him again.”

There are efforts to downplay the film’s triumphant climb to glory. According to trade whispers Black is not doing well in the overseas market. Again this is an assumption made on the basis of the traditional NRI market where the Karan Johar-Yash Chopra films are pitched.
(Isn't YRF distributing it theatrically)
My audience is anyone who connects with my protagonist’s struggle to come out of the darkness into the light. I can’t see any negativity affecting my film’s fate in any way. I’ve made three other films. But none has got such an overhwhelmingly positive reaction. In no other film of mine has the audience at the end, stood up spontaneously and clapped collectively in the most random corners of the country. I couldn’t have hoped for a better response,” says Sanjay Leela Bhansali joyously.

Black depicts the story of Helen Keller. Plays/ films/ TV-series have been made, and books written on her life.

Let's see how Indian version compares with its counterparts' achievements:

http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/encyc ... orker.html

The Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker is a play by William Gibson based upon Helen Keller's autobiography, The Story of my Life. It tells the story of the relationship between the deaf, mute and blind Keller and Annie Sullivan, the teacher who brought the almost-feral girl into the world of education.
The play ran on Broadway for almost 2 years (October 19, 1959 to July 1, 1961) and starred Patty Duke as Helen Keller.

The play was made into a film in 1962, and starred Patty Duke (as Helen), Anne Bancroft (as Annie Sullivan), Victor Jory, Inga Swenson, Andrew Prine, and Kathleen Comegys. The movie was adapted by Gibson, and directed by Arthur Penn.

The film won Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Anne Bancroft) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Patty Duke, age 16). The film was also nominated for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

The Miracle Worker was produced for television in 1972. It starred Patty Duke (this time as Annie Sullivan), Diana Muldaur, Charles Siebert and Melissa Gilbert (as Helen). It was directed by Paul Aaron.

It was remade for television in 2000, starring Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Alison Elliott, David Strathairn, Lucas Black and Kate Greenhouse. It was adapted by Monte Merrick and directed by Nadia Tass.

and SHABD is twisted indianized, crap of crap version of Secret Window, I guess???

Had a chance to catch Shabd with my WIFE (yeah ) at a theatre in India. Was watching a Hindi movie in India after 7 years and guess what... the movie is CRAP raised to the power of infinity !!! I wonder who (in their right frame of mind) actually thought of making such a movie !... I was also abt to catch up on Kisna..but a close relative warned us of that film..and pfft!...saved some bucks .....

Have no clue abt Black....but I guess it is worth watching on a pirated DVD only !.....

Yaar Bada CHUPA RUSTAM nikla mere bhaii!! Pehle, filmibuff, ne shadi ke ladoo khaey chori, chori chupke aur ab aap ne hawa bhi nahin lagaii!!

Khere, Bohat bohat shubh badhaii ho!

I dont think Shabd was a good movie for new couple lol

Congrats to the newly wed couple.

Shabd was not good for a newly wed copuple, nor is Black that's a masterpiece otherwise. (I'll most likely be watching Black on the I-max screen this Friday). Black definitely deserves an excellent DVD, T-2 standard.

For the newly wed couple, Dhoom, Dhoom, Dhoom, Dhoom, Bride and Prejudice, Veer Zaara, Main Hoon Naa, Main Hoon Naa, Main Hoon Naa will be more fun. Enjoy.

Lets get back to the topic!

so, BOTH flops!! ha ha!

Black: Rave reviews, poor collections


Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black opened to great reviews, and a chunk of the audience loved the film. But the movie has had a dismal start at the box-office. In the metros, the film has had only 50 percent collections.
The other release of the week -- the Sanjay Dutt-Aishwarya Rai starrer Shabd, fared even worse than Black. Looks like Ash's bad patch at the BO is far from over.

Note: Films are ranked according to their release dates.








Black

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Ayesha Kapur.
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Excellent performances, heart-warming story.

Too dramatic, too loud, tries too hard to tug at emotions.

Number of weeks: New.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Shabd

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Aishwarya Rai, Zayed Khan.
Director: Leena Yadav.
Sanjay Dutt, great visuals.

Abstract story, hard to identify with.

Number of weeks: New.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav

Cast: Suniel Shetty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Masumeh Makhija, Kim Sharma, Anupama Varma, Johnny Lever.
Director: Mahesh Manjrekar.
Good music.

Terrible comedy, poor plot.

Number of weeks: 1.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Blackmail

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Suniel Shetty, Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza.
Director: Anil Devgan.
Fast-paced action.

Predictable, plot has huge loopholes.

Number of weeks: 1.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Kisna

Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Isha Sharvani, Antonia Bernath.
Director: Subhash Ghai.
Antonio Bernath, refreshing story, great casting.

Tends to drag at the end.

Number of weeks: 2.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Page 3

Cast: Konkona Sensharma, Atul Kulkarni, Boman Irani, Tara Sharma, Sandhya Mridul.
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar.
Novel story, strong script and good execution.

Tacky sets, average photography and loud characters.

Number of weeks: 2.
BO Verdict: Hit.
The review







Elaan

Cast: Arjun Rampal, John Abraham, Amisha Patel, Rahul Khanna, Lara Dutta, Mithun Chakraborty.
Director: Vikram Bhatt.
John Abraham.

Shoddy script. Corny dialogues. Mediocre music.

Number of weeks: 3.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Insan

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Tusshar Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Esha Deol, Rahul Dev.
Director: K Subaash.
Decent performances.

Huge Bollywood clichés.

Number of weeks: 3.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Rog

Cast: Irrfan, Ilene Hamann.
Director: Himanshu Brahmbhatt.
Impressive Irrfan; sizzling Ilene.

Story drags post-interval, abrupt end.

Number of weeks: 4.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review







Vaada

Cast: Arjun Rampal, Amisha Patel, Zayed Khan.
Director: Satish Kaushik.
Unpredictable thrills.

Too many twists and loopholes.

Number of weeks: 4.
BO Verdict: Flop.
The review




Design: Uday Kuckian


http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2005/feb/08box.htm