Q. Which film is the biggest hit of Anil Kapoor's career
till date?
A. Its a toss up between Tezaab, Ram Lakhan and Beta.
Welcome can be also be included but Anil Kapoor is not really main lead in that
film.
Q. Is the business of films so low lately due to the IPL
competition?
A. Not really its more to due with films being released. A
film will good content will be not be affected tha much by IPL, maybe around
5%. Three Idiots did 200 cr plus nett business if IPL was going on at that time
it still would have done at least 190 crore.
Q. Was Himmatwala the biggest hit for Jeetendra?
A. No, Dharam Veer was, for solo lead it was Aasha. The
south remakes like Himmatwala did phenomenally well in Mumbai but were average
grossers in the North.
Q. Why is it that Hindi films are doing so bad overseas this
year?
A. Apart from My Name Is Khan there has not been a film
which has the type of content which does well abroad and My Name Is Khan
released this year was the biggest grosser ever overseas. The market is there
it just needs the right film.
Q. What was the main reason that Dabangg got such a mammoth
opening?
A. Salmam Khan in right role, great promos, hit music, huge
hype. The film had many plusses
Q. I can't understand the difference of Gadar
and Three idiots in there nett and gross figures. Gadar is 72% plus nett and
Three Idiots 33% plus nett, can you explain please?
A. There is a huge difference in tax rates in 2001 and 2009.
In 2001 Punjab had an entertainment tax rate of 125%, Delhi was 60%, Bihar was
110%, today its 0%, 20% and 50% respectively. Its the same all over with much
lower rates today. Today the gross of a film will be 30-35% plus nett depending
on where the money is coming from while in 2001 it was 65-75% plus nett
depending on where the money was coming from.
Q. Would it not be good for films like Three
Idiots and Dabangg to be dubbed in Tamil and Telugu for extra returns like
Endhiran was done in Hindi?
A. Not really. Three Idiots in Hindi gave an 11.50 crore
share in the South and then fetched 15 crore for its Tamil rights. There is no
way it would have made this much money if was released in Tamil and if it was
to release in Tamil then the rights would go for much less. The Robot share for
Hindi is going to be 10 crore and then you have the print and publicity costs
while when selling rights there are no such costs. It is always more profitable
to sell the rights for a big Hindi blockbuster instead of releasing a dubbed
version.
Q. Why is Ajay Devgn not in your top 10, will he be there
after Golmaal 3 ?
A. Its all points system so even Golmaal 3 may not put him
in top ten as the amount of points that Golmaal 3 gets is less than the amount
of points that Aakrosh loses. Ajay Devgn has only two point earning films in
Raajneeti and Golmaal 3 but many losing ones like Aakrosh, Atithi Tum Kab
Jaoge, London Dreams etc.
Q. Why did Guzaarish take such a bad opening even with
presence of Hrithik Roshan?
A. Mainly because promos showed it lacked entertainment and
its not a genre you try after movie like Kites.
Q. Is Endhiran - Robot an All Time Blockbuster
and the biggest profit maker in Indian cinema ever
A. Its theatrical business is All Time Blockbuster in Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Blockbuster in Andhra Pradesh. In rest of the
country the theatrical is Average. Profits wise its an average fare as it was
sold at huge prices to cover its mega budget. The return on investment will be
about 10-15%. In Karnataka it has done business double of any film till date
but due to huge price it will just about break even. All India basis its highest
nett grosser of Indian cinema but all Indian gross will be much lower than 3
idiots.
Q. Guzaarish and the performance of Hrithik Roshan in it has
been lauded by everyone be it media, film forums and even big stars but then
why does the film have such bad collections.
A. Thats because the views on the net and even big stars are
more like the elite/class audience mainly English speaking which is different
from the common audience.
Q. Which film is the biggest hit of 2010 in music sales?
A. Its a one horse race. Dabanng
is way out ahead, nothing else is close.Last year it was closer with Love Aaj
Kal and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.
Q. Can Toonpur Ka Superhero do well as it is an
animation film for Christmas?
A. Animation films do not have a market in India and on top
the film it is coming with a hurricane like Tees Maar Khan. It will biggest
surprise of the year if Toonpur Ka Superhero does well at the box office.
Q. Which films are the biggest grossers overseas this year?
A. My Name Is Khan, Dabangg, Kites, Golmaal 3 and Housefull.
Tees Maar Khan will be somewhere in the list.
Q. Is the music of Tees Maar Khan on par with Dabanng?
A. The music of Tees Maar Khan is second for 2010 but a long
way behind Dabangg. The film will have to be a huge hit then the music may
catch Dabangg.
Q. Why is it that films that always take these record
opening like Tees Maar Khan are always hit even when they drop from Monday?
A. Its not always been the case films like Trimurti (1995),
Koyla (1997), Mission Kashmir (2000) and Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999) all had
record openings but none managed to become hits. Over last few years business
has become about the first three days, if you get the big three days then you
are on your way but no opening weekend and then its a struggle.
Q. Which films are the biggest worldwiide grossers in 2010?
A. Dabangg, My Name
Is Khan and Golmaal 3.
