RE: September 2007 - News - 2

RGV's Aag: 2 much of Sholay, too little fire

When Ram Gopal Varma told us that he had seen Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay more than 27 times, we knew that he wasn’t lying. After one much difficult viewing on Friday night, there are many like this writer who wish that the maverick director hadn’t seen the film so many times. If familiarity could ever breed contempt, it certainly did as RGV went over-the-top completely, trying to pay tribute is his own way to modern Indian cinema’s greatest offering.

Instead what he has managed to do has been to completely strike terror in the hearts of millions who have grown up watching Sholay , remembering it frame-by-frame and displaying cinematic prowess and knowledge at all gatherings by being able to mouth all the dialogues.

Jerky camera movements in the name of experimental handiwork, too many jump cuts, too many weird angles that make you crane your neck left, right and centre to catch the action and a cast that leaves you high and dry. There is nothing original here but the original Sholay . Yet the original has been brutally massacred, mutilated and damaged beyond recognition.

The opening track may have Yeh dosti... but there certainly is no dosti , no male bonding, no camaraderie between dark and brooding Ajay Devgan and newcomer Prashant Raj. The names have been changed, the location has been altered and new age real problems like real estate have been added to justify Gabbar, sorry Babban’s gangsta act.

But seriously, it doesn’t help. Neither does it add to Ramu’s cause of deliverance? Sarkar may have been his tribute to Francis Ford Coppola, but this definitely ain’t anything of the sort. It is a complete carnage where the once-upon-a-time-decent director has dumbed down the cult film, and along with it, its numerous fans.

An old and senile Babban is on the loose, needs no real provocation to do what he does, which is saw off fingers and kill folks. Having been reduced to a caricature, Babban is not evil incarnate. He is a joke, a sham of a villain and definitely does not invoke anything but pity. Bachchan, deep crow’s feet under his eyes, moody and hit by male menopause, does little to salvage the situation.

Basanti, oops Ghungroo, who was the heart and soul of the original, is wanting. She is left wanting in clothes, in attitude, in style and in charm. The rustic humour, the innocence, the impulsiveness – it’s all gone, and has been replaced by cosmetic lovemaking pouts, come-on-hither stares and bimbo like behaviour.

If Nisha Kothari is forgettable, well so is woman of substance, Sushmita Sen, who looks like an apparition and for some strange reason, is shorn of all sensibilities. A pathan suit-clad Mohanlal as modern-day Thakur is a joke, and the only small mercy that RGV allowed him was letting him speak Hindi in his Mallu accent.

Ramu’s mistake has been to take us for granted. Although he felt the need to fall in line with changing times, he couldn’t imagine that simply transporting Ramgarh to Kaliganj could have added Sholay to his ... Aag . Simply, because he has attempted trespassing on one area that is considered sacrosanct in this country. Taking liberties with Sholay is simply not done, and more so, because even after 30 years of its release, this movie has the capacity to draw audiences to the theatres and leave an indelible mark on young and old not-so-impressionable minds.

Ramu may not be able to undo all the damage that his eccentric and mindless garbage in the name of artistic licence has made folks like me go through. But he most certainly can check himself from repeating the mistake of wanting to transport another classic by getting all his favs and doing his Samaritan act of giving-chance-to-newcomers in modern setting and beat the living daylights out of us.

A humble request for RGV: Pick up the DVDs of Seinfeld or Friends , de-stress your overworked mind till it becomes Nishabd , and believe me, Darling , it will help infuse a lot of .... Aag .

Till then, spare us...

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Enter...how/2334275.cms

Ramu's flop show

Things look bleak for Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag . The film will lose at least Rs 16 crore out of the total of Rs 22 crore that have gone into the buying of the film.

Trade pundits say, “The all-India distribution rights of the film were bought by Bharatbhai Shah for approximately Rs 16 crore, he will lose nothing less than Rs 5 crore in the deal. Luckily for him, he has sold a few territories to other distributors and recovered close to Rs 7.5 crore.”

Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag opened to about a 35 per cent opening, which dropped to about 20 per cent by the end of the third show on the first day of its release. It is learnt that the only place the film has done some decent business is Uttar Pradesh.

Otherwise, the film is a complete disaster in Ramu’s own territory of Hyderabad. In Mumbai too, which is Ramu’s stronghold, it has been learnt that Bharat Shah, who has distributed the film will lose about Rs 4 crore.

” In a film theatre, with a capacity of 450 people, only about 25 to 30 people were present. Out of that, ten walked out after the interval,” said an exhibitor.

Aag missed two shows on the first day of its release in Nizam. “The prints of the film could not reach the theatres on time which resulted in cancellation of the first two shows,” said an insider.

Ponty Chadha, the distributor of the film in UP and Delhi has apparently bought the rights of the film at about Rs 3 crore, the only recovery he will have is from UP where the film is doing a decent business. But he will lose at least Rs 2 crore,” says Amod Mehra, trade analyst.

Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag is losing in almost every territory, Says Sanjay Ghai of Mukta films, “Every distributor will lose at least 50 per cent in this film, looking at the way the collections are going, the film is likely to be pulled out from theatres too.”

The film has apparently been sold for about Rs 70 lakh in the Central Provinces. “The distributor will lose nothing less than Rs 30 lakh looking at the way things stand today. Besides unlike the original Sholay , which picked up business in the third week, this version of the film will not be able to stay adrift even till next week,” said a distributor.

“The film has been sold in Assam and Orissa at a price of Rs 8 lakh but recovery of money won’t be possible in those territories too,” adds the distributor.

In Bihar, the film was sold at about Rs 60 lakh. It will incur a loss of Rs 35 lakh in that territory. Even in Bengal the distributors stands to lose Rs 30 lakh.

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Enter...how/2335430.cms

"Neither Mr Bachchan nor I have heard of Cobra" - RGV - September 4

A story this morning informs Amitabh Bachchan and director Ram Gopal Varma that they're collaborating on a film called –hold your breath—Cobra.

Before we all begin to hiss hysterically, here's the catch. Neither of the two parties supposedly involved in the project have ever heard of any film called Cobra. Nor are they planning to work on any film by that title.

Ramu who has taken the debacle of Aag on his chin is amused. "I don’t have any film called Cobra with Mr Bachchan and Abhishek in mind. I hate snakes, except when Sridevi plays one in Nagin. Both the Bachchans have completed their work fully on Sarkar 2. I haven't even registered the title Cobra, so I don't see where the confusion comes from."

The Bachchan’s next collaborative effort will be Time Machine. "Some time next year. That requires a lot of planning. After AagI need to watch my steps," Ramu jokes.
Mr. Bachchan also denies any knowledge of any project called Cobra. "I guess the papers sometimes know things about my projects that neither me nor my director are aware of."

Quelle: http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/09/04/10050/index.html

Amitabh Bachchan denies being upset with Ram Gopal Varma - September 4

Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan has denied being upset with Ram Gopal Varma who directed him in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag .

On leaving the premiere of the Sholay remake midway, Bachchan clarified that he went back to be with his ailing mother.

Reacting to a report in a section of the press, Bachchan said: "Kya Karen (What can I do)? People will talk. I can't live my life in accordance with wagging tongues.

"Yes, I did leave the 'Aag' premiere early. But not because I didn't like the film. My mother's health has taken a turn for the worse. And I'm trying to spend as much time with her as possible," Bachchan told a news agency over the phone.

"Since I had already seen 'Aag' I left the premiere early. Even now as I talk to you I am at the hospital with my mother."

The entire family is spending as much time as possible with Teji Bachchan. The Big B is dividing his time between shooting at Yashraj Films and rushing to the hospital.

Quelle: http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070904-0.html

REAL LIFE OF REEL-LIFE HERO BY SANTOSHI

Tete-a-Tete

A director who always pours his heart on celluloid can be none other than Raj Kumar Santoshi. This time, he has retuned with a real-life story of a reel-life hero, Ajay Devgan, under Abdol Samee Siddiqui's production. Santoshi has named the movie 'Halla Bol'. He tells us why he made this movie at this period of time. He has been known though for swimming against the tide in Bollywood by making different genres of movies at different times. Santoshi spoke to media on what will potentially make 'Halla Bol' another unforgettable film from his stable. He justifies the choice of Ajay Devgan as hero and Vidya Balan as heroine. He has also involved his star friends through their guest appearances. Santoshi is looking forward to the viewers' response to 'Halla Bol' before contemplating the theme of his next movie.

Excerpts of the interview:

Since your films pick up their inspiration from reality, what prompted you to film 'Halla Bol'?

'Halla Bol' is about the youth and how they should not tolerate injustice but raise their voice and attack. 'Halla Bol' meaning attack, is about how one must not take injustice lying down. This is very important. I am not advocating violence in my film but talking about raising our voice against injustice and protesting. I have been toying with this idea since the last four or five years.

Why did you choose this particular subject?

There is an urgent need for the people who are aware and well-informed, well-read and know what is happening around, to openly speak out their mind and raise an issue and give a platform to it. Only then, things will change.

Why did you opt for Ajay?

Ajay Devgan plays an actor in the film that moves from being a reel-life hero to a man whose reality gets lost in the mire of his roles and how he grows to become a hero in the real sense. Ajay is very versatile. He has the ability to portray this part realistically. The character required no stylized performance. I wanted to depict the star in a candid manner. I expected Ajay to do justice to the character and that is exactly what he has done.

How did you get such a performances from your actor?

Ajay Devgan is a very good actor. Unfortunately, his talent has not been tapped enough by mainstream films. It is quite thrilling to see his histrionics slowly open up in layers (film by film). He is a star performer on Indian celluloid.

Why did you choose Vidya?

Her role is very important. Vidya's character goes through the trauma that every star wife goes through. Her character moves from being the girl next door who loves a struggling actor to becoming the love of his life to adjusting herself to the life of a star wife and coping with the trauma. Vidya has truly brought out the essence of the character and has beautifully complimented Ajay's character with her performance.

Then, why a large number of star appearances?

Yes, they are friends and they have just played themselves…They include Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Ruby Bhatia, Pahlaj Nihalani, Neeraj Vora, Tusshar Kapoor, Ranjit Kapoor, Mukesh Tiwari, Kareena Kapoor and Lekh Tandon.

Isn't it an uphill task to complete the movie in 75 days (two schedules only) and that too with the stars and over 65 locations?

That speaks for the efficiency of the production team. We planned well, so shot well.

Your comment on Pankaj Kapoor's character?

Pankaj Kapoor had grown a beard for three months to look genuine for his character in the film. I had earlier worked with Pankaj when I was working with Govind Nihalani. I have immense respect for him as an actor. I had him in my mind for this role in the film and he has performed so well. He plays a reformed dacoit who is into street theatre and does issue-based plays. It is in his troupe that Ajay Devgan starts his career as an actor.

Sukhwinder Singh sings Gurbani for the first time for 'Halla Bol'. Tell us something about this sequence .

Sukhwinder's Gurbani was very important. Pankaj Kapoor plays a sardar and there was a very important sequence to be shot in a gurudwara. I asked Sukhwinder to sing it and he sang the song with a lot of feeling. He is also a Punjabi and he sang it very beautifully. Since you swim against tide in Bollywood what would you give next?

I have never been the type to follow trends. For example, I made 'Ghayal' when mostly musicals were being churned out. Even 'Andaaz Apna Apna' did not follow any trend. I had made 'Damini' which showed that justice delayed is justice denied. I have always followed my heart, instinct and conscience and made movies. At this point of time, I am awaiting the response to 'Halla Bol' which I have made with great love and affection.

Quelle: http://smashits.com/news/bollywood/inter...r-santoshi.html

Fireworks again?

Amitabh Bachchan and Ram Gopal Varma seem hellbent on putting the …Aag debacle behind them. Is that why they've announced their next film together immediately? (This time it's called Cobra!)

While everyone is talking about Amitabh Bachchan being mighty upset with Ram Gopal Varma about the poor showing of Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, both of them seem to be in a hurry to stop this talk. We've heard that to achieve this, they have announced a film almost immediately. This time the film is titled Cobra. Incidentally, even Abhishek Bachchan will be part of the film.

According to reliable sources, "Amitabh Bachchan was always very sceptical about Aag and throughout the making of the film he was unsure of his role in the film. Amitabh's worst fear came true when the film was rejected outright by the critics as well as the audience. But both have decided to put the controversy behind and move on. Both Ramu and Bachchan have decided to go ahead and announce another film together. And quickly. The film has been titled Cobra and will also star Abhishek Bachchan who apparently loved Ramu's version of Sholay."

Adds our source, "Although Big B has given dates to Ramu in January, don't be surprised it the two announce the film immediately and start shooting by next month. By announcing Cobra, they are planning to refute the rumours that Bachchan is unhappy with Aag. Cobra will also have one of the leading Khans playing a vital role. The name is yet to be finalised."

Incidentally, seven days of shooting for Sarkar Raj is also pending and of these seven days, Amitabh Bachchan needs to shoot at least for two days more. But Big B has not yet given dates for this. While Ramu messaged us denying the fact, Amitabh Bachchan remained unavailable for comment.

Quelle: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper....4551390b30d95ef

Ram Gopal Varma's `Aag' Pays Homage to a Bollywood Classic - September 4

Director Ram Gopal Varma claims to have seen the 1975 Indian film classic ``Sholay (Embers)'' so many times that he's lost count. As preparation for a remake, that must have been time well spent.

Probably the first Bollywood film to feature the director's name in the title, ``Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag'' or Ram Gopal Varma's Fire, is an unauthorized tribute to the iconic film. The story is much the same -- a retired policeman hires two outlaws to rid himself and his neighborhood of a gang boss, a malevolent criminal overlord.

Varma indulges in his favorite tactic of casting against type. One of Sholay's heroes, Amitabh Bachchan, is the villain, while Mohanlal, a film star from the southern state of Kerala, plays the retired policeman. The setting is changed from the northern Indian badlands to the seamier side of Mumbai.

Musical and dialogue cues are used to remind the audience where all this is coming from and where it's going to end.

Those references are the only thing of any interest in this movie, which is an ordeal to watch. The script, the weakest element, appears to have been dictated by the demands of a director without a clear sense of what he wants. The resulting narrative has no flow and becomes incoherent because of inexplicable switches in tone.

Fondly remembered characters from the original have been turned into hideous caricature. Rajpal Yadav, who reprises Jagdeep's Soorma Bhopali comic turn, is dire, affecting a falsetto that's meant somehow to be humorous.

Prize Winner

Bachchan snarls and hisses like a character from Harry Potter, complete with flicking tongue. But the prize for sheer, awful grating presence has to go to Nisha Kothari, whom Varma keeps repeating in his films, presumably in the hope that she may one day learn to act.

Varma's problem is that Sholay is impossible to remake. The original isn't a classic because of the story -- a revenge saga that's been sourced to The Magnificent Seven, The Seven Samurai, Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, even a Hindi film. The sizzling dance track ``Mehbooba,'' which would be called an item number nowadays, was also an inspired lift. Not only that, Sholay was condemned as a flop at its release, picking up only because of word of mouth.

Sholay is a classic, and rightfully revered as such, because writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar started with archetypes, as they always did, and worked them into pieces of perfect art. Director Ramesh Sippy, this was just his third film, wove together the exceptional set pieces with some great music and stunning performances, especially from the late Amjad Khan, then making his debut.

The film is a gold standard. In all of Bollywood, there hasn't been a better buddy movie, there's never been a better villain, there's never been better dialogue, and so on.

This contemporary tribute from an otherwise gifted, intelligent film maker is a sad, risible effort and an embarrassment to all concerned.

``Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag,'' produced by Adlabs Films Ltd., was released in India on Aug. 31.)

Quelle: http://www.bollywoodworld.com/news/bwnew...rom=&ucat=1&;

'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag' under fire in Nepal

Socialists in Nepal have slammed Ram Gopal Varma's 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag' for portraying obscene scenes in the film. The unofficial remake of 'Sholay' was released this week in four cinemas in Kathmandu and has come under fire for the sizzling Mehbooba number done by Urmila Matondkar.

The socialists in Kathmandu want the vulgar dance number to be chopped off or the film be given 'A' certificate to keep viewers under 18 away. 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag' may be the first film to come under fire for obscenity in Nepal.

Quelle: http://www.bollyvista.com/article/a/32/8038

RGV Ki Aag pulled off some theatres

It's not just a dud for Ram Gopal Varma but one of the biggest flops of recent times. Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag is now being pulled off theaters.

"I will go down in the history of cinema anyhow. If the film clicks with the audiences then I will be the man who remade Sholay and if it doesn't then I will be the man who will ruin Sholay," said Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma.

Hearing this, one can say, that Ramu was prepared to give a flop with his latest film.

In Sholay, Gabbar had asked Kaalia: "Kitne aadmi the". After a string of flops Ramu could well ask: "Kitne flops the."

But the filmmaker has broken one record. He made the most disastrous film of the year and one of the biggest flops in recent history.

"This film is the biggest flop. Films like Razia Sultan and Umrao Jaan have been flops over the years, but this beats them all. It didn't even have a decent starting," said Trade analyst Amod Mehra.

Now, since Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag is making no money, it is being taken off the screens.

"I don't know what to say about the film. It's just been disastrous. We can't go beyond this week because the auditoriums are literally vacant," said Rakesh Sharma, GM, Cinemax, Sion.

In the coming days two more Ramu films hit the screen, his horror flick Darling and the sequel to Sarkar.

Hopefully the man who gave Hindi cinema films like Satya, Company and Sarkar will get it right at the box office this time.

Quelle: http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?s...NTEN20070025064

I was nuts to attempt Sholay

‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag se bhaag,’ is the latest SMS doing the rounds. For those who’ve seen the film, kind words of encouragement or praise are hard to find. Many think his tribute to Sholay is nothing short of an insult to the classic film. Surprisingly, after all those spirited interviews where Ramu said he was making a film that had ‘something for everyone’, the intense audience backlash has forced him to do a rethink. Here, he tells us what went wrong with his Aag.

Do you feel you went wrong somewhere with Aag?
I did go wrong. The one person I must have made supremely happy is Ramesh Sippy! I’m very happy to make him happy, because he made my life. I watched Sholay again last night. It’s fantastic. I must’ve been nuts to attempt it. All my impressions of Sholay over the years went into making Aag. Now, I ask myself, ‘If someone else had made Aag, how would I as a Sholay fan react?’ I’d probably hate it as much as most people. The original is too deeply embedded in the public’s psyche.

Were you prepared for this sort of backlash?
I can’t say it was entirely unexpected. When you attempt to remake the most revered film in Indian film history, you’re going into the realm of sacrilege. Everyone, from friends to well wishers to people who didn’t care a damn either way, warned me I was headed for trouble. I expected extreme criticism, but I didn’t expect such a low box office opening. I don’t know if it was because of the title or because of the film’s look. People felt the film looked like it was made in the 1970s, but I wanted to make a 1970s film! One way of looking at it is homage to the decade. The other way is to see it as outdated. It’s a question of perception.

Aag is your career’s most vilified films.
I’d think so. The baggage of expectations was too much. Brickbats were rained because people saw this attempt as an upstart trying to tamper with a classic. The backlash isn’t personal. Sometimes, criticism against a film rises in a wave, all in one voice. I don’t think people sat down and conspired to trash Aag.

What do you think is the reason for the backlash?
They hate my guts for having the audacity to remake Sholay, but I’m used to being hated for what I do. Only this time, the volume of protests
is higher.

What do you mean?
I am constantly ridiculed for everything I do. Everyone has a mind and a tongue and the right to use it. I think humans get pleasure from attacking others. No one has time to get personal.

What about an SMS that said you should learn filmmaking from former assistants like Madhur Bhandarkar and Shimit Amin?
All of us have an opinion on everything under the sun. If someone feels I should learn filmmaking, they’re right in their own way. When Kisna failed, critics said Subhash Ghai should enroll in his own film institute. Ridiculing people is a form of entertainment. At least I’m entertaining people more with their comments on Aag than I did with the film! Critics should thank me for that and give me a 5-star rating for providing post-release entertainment.

Maybe the volume of work goes against you.
I don’t agree with that. I don’t do anything apart from make films, so I can’t take a break just because people want me to make lesser films. In any case, I don’t think people care if I make two films or 20 a year, as long as they like what they see. But who knows what will click? When I made Satya,


Continued from page B01

it was meant to be a no-show film with newcomers. Then I made Daud with Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar, which was supposed to be a sure-shot winner. It bombed. I put the same kind of effort in every film. If I knew a film wouldn’t work, I be a madman to make it!

But people feel Aag was careless work.
That’s again a viewpoint. My intention was to re-do the original without tampering with the spirit of Sholay. Take Mohanlal, for example. I gave him a beard because my logic was, ‘How can a man without fingers shave?’ But then people said Mohanlal looked like a bear with the beard! Now what do I do? As for Mr Bachchan as Babban Singh, I wanted him to be low profile but people found him inert and unenergetic. Let me clear this. Every actor has done exactly what he or she was told to. If Mr Bachchan’s performance was found inconsistent, it’s because I tried to pay homage to all the villains I know of through his character. From Mad Max to Gabbar Singh to Anthony Hopkins in The Silence Of The Lambs to Jack Nicholson in Batman, I was too busy enjoying Mr Bachchan’s performance on the set. I lost track of the character’s consistency in the film.

So you take full responsibility?
Yes. I take blame for every actor, cameraman, dialogue writer, and technician in Aag. They did what I asked them to. I kept insisting Aag was a formula film. I never said I was making a classic, but I guess no one was listening. Right from the word go, Aag was jinxed — the court cases, the title change, etc. Once I got caught in the process of separating legal matters from the film, I was jacked. See, I’m a genre filmmaker. Sholay is not a genre. I was trying to artificially capture what didn’t come naturally to me. I got confused. Obviously, it didn’t work.

Quelle: http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/september/163518.htm

RGV ki Aag a mistake not remake, say Netizens

Würde zwar eher zu Reviews passen, aber da will ich nichts mehr posten, da steht schon genug.

emakes of old films have been all the craze for some time now. Curious viewers have flocked films like Devdas, Don and Umrao Jaan, the originals firmly in mind with the intent to compare. They accepted the opulence of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas , debated the merits of Shah Rukh Khan’s turn at Don , were not very keen on a thanda Aishwarya’s attempt to hot up the screen a la Rekha as Umrao Jaan . But Sholay is quite another thing. The original desi Tex-Mex has emotional moorings across generations.

Ram Gopal Verma raised hackles when he announced he was attempting a remake. In its first week of release, RGV ki Aag has Sholay faithfuls crying “sacrilege”. So much that TimesofIndia.com readers inspired a debate on whether remakes of Bollywood classics should be banned to preserve the sanctity of the original.

On the TOI.com debate 79 per cent of the hundreds of respondents say yes, ban remakes. Masterpieces, they say, don’t leave space for improvement. Sayantani from Kolkata writes in: "Let old classics be old classics. Raj Kapoor-Nargis pair or Amitabh Bachchan-Hema Malini pair cannot be duplicated and should not be even tried. The old magic can never be recreated and directors only make themselves less respectable by trying so. Does our country really lack good stories? Many Bengali literatures are yet to be explored."

Sam Ahmad from Toronto has similar views. “Yes, Bollywood remakes should be banned. Don't let these experimental filmmakers ruin the history of Indian cinema.”

Anupriya Agrawal from Panama emphatically states that “remakes are like mocking the original. Cinema is the most creative platform and only creativity in its true sense can add to the charm of it. Remaking something and the so-called trend of making remakes is nothing but the display of the fact that saturation has arrived in our cinema. I believe that just beauty with no brains and self proclaimed kings in Bollywood alone cannot make a film successful, no wonder the new versions of Umrao Jaan and Don were atrocious as expected but Ram Gopal Varma is known for his innovative and unpredictable scripts, why does he out of all people wants to join the rat race?”

People across the world feel that Bollywood has lost the creativity which it had in the 70s. Harsha from Bangalore says that: "Even remakes of Hollywood films in Bollywood should be banned. There are times when I feel that at least spare the music or give the credit for the original composer. Please bring creativity in Bollywood. We should at least learn something from Tamil, Malayalam and also to certain extent Kannada film industries."

KSP from Africa, is in sync with Harsha’s comments: “Indian filmmakers need to use their brains. In the last few years most of the movies are remakes of Hollywood. It shows how Indian filmmakers are conning the audience. Grow up and create new ideas.”

Utrika of Bangalore finds it “futile to just go for a remake. The directors should instead try and exploit resources which are currently available. There is a lot of dearth of originality in the Hindi movies. Only a handful of directors have tried to do something different. So the time has come for Indian cinema to think original."

Many readers say filmmakers who remake Hollywood movies in Bollywood usually get away with it because they please the masses who might not have seen the original. But in Indian cinema the challenge is more and it is difficult to win the hearts of audience to relive the magic of the oldies.

Mumbai-based V M Thomas feels that just as life can be lived only once, a story too can be told only once. Any attempt to tamper with the original will only make it a not so appealing and a fruitless toil.

Sheikh Sulaiman, Mangalore, says : “ Sholay was a masterpiece. No one can recreate it at any cost. Gabbar Singh's laughter is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.

Ramesh Lingashetti from Mumbai writes in: “Making remakes is like copying in exams and getting good marks. Bollywood directors like to take it easy and score (read earn) without taking the pains to think.

Suresh Krishnan from Muscat points out that as making movies is all about bringing out the creative best in a person, the remakes’ trend clearly shows that creativity and indigenous ideas have more or less become history in Bollywood. We have plenty of creative minds in our country. A "Best Storyteller" contest on the lines of Indian Idol , Sa Re Ga Ma etc might prove to be good idea, he suggests.

“Why couldn’t Ram Gopal Varma make a Sholay 2 - a continuation of the original,” asks A Singh from India . “Veeru's (Dharmendra's) son and Amitabh’s (Jai's) son have both grown up now. Sunny Deol and Abhishek Bachchan could have been the new face of Sholay part II. The saga could have very well continued into the next generation” he says.

Balagopal K from US insists that remakes are indeed a waste of time, money and talent. Leave those classics to the era they belong, he urges all.

Another respondent Manoj from Malaysia writes in: “All the remakes have been flops; be it Don or Sholay. The originals were a class apart and their remakes are utter nonsense. The have terribly failed to create that magic.”

Of the 21 per cent respondents that demur, most do agree that the new Sholay is a disaster. But they argue that historically, stories, myths and legends have survived because they have been retold or remade. Others are against the curbing of freedom of creative expression. And then there are some who point out that Gen Next, which may otherwise have never viewed the classic does so now if only to make comparisons and learn what the noise is about.

Ram, Trivandrum, says: “ This is a free country and people have the right to do or say what they want as long as it’s legal. Remaking old movies has nothing illegal about it. It’s upto the viewers to accept it or reject it”.

Ashwin, Bangalore offers a pragmatic view and says: “ What happened to all the comments when Devdas was remade? This hue and cry is only after Sholay is remade. Is it because this movie didn't click?

Shavzz, New York, has similar sentiments and says : “ I do not believe that remaking should be banned. It gives the audience the chance to see the oldies in a new perspective, moreover the new generation is not going to pick those legends and watch them. Just to answer the failure of Sholay, Don was a big hit! Of course, standards of direction and acting make a difference!”

SPR, London, says: My obvious question is that if the film was a grand hit, would the conclusions drawn here remain the same?

Shan, Singapore writes in to say: “Personally I think that the remakes should not be banned because they give the present day youngsters an exposure to the classy cinema of yesteryears. And for that matter if it was not for the remakes they would have never gone ahead to see them.

Another respondent, Ajit Rai from USA , suggests that instead of banning the remakes, we should let the box office decide their fate. It will be a fair deal that way.

Vinod, also from USA, insists that as long as the copyrights are respected, there should be no ban on the production of remakes of any film. That is the artistic freedom that a society has to grant to its citizens. Every producer or director has a different point of view and it is their right to depict them in the way they feel, he adds.

Ritu from Chandigarh points out that at the end of it all; it’s the viewers’ discretion to watch or not to watch a remake. When we accept the coming back of the 70’s fashion trends (cigarette pants, the jhola bags and short shirt kurtis ), why not give a chance to the remakes?

Abhijeet from Toronto writes in: “India is a democracy and hence the citizens cannot be denied freedom of expression. Suppressing artists like this is not justified.

Readers on either side of the debate do agree that RGV ki Aag should be a lesson for Bollywood producers and directors that making remakes is not an easy way to glory.

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Enter...how/2340904.cms

RGV watches Sholay again to see what went wrong - September 6

Ram Gopal Verma is not distancing himself from the furore he is getting with the abysmal remake of Sholay. Instead, the charismatic director is entertaining people with his views on what went wrong.

Ram Gopal Verma admitted in a recent interview that he went back and watched Sholay again, to identify what went wrong where with AAG. He says “I did go wrong. The one person I must have made supremely happy is Ramesh Sippy! I’m very happy to make him happy, because he made my life. I watched Sholay again last night. It’s fantastic. I must’ve been nuts to attempt it. All my impressions of Sholay over the years went into making Aag. Now, I ask myself, ‘If someone else had made Aag, how would I as a Sholay fan react?’ I’d probably hate it as much as most people. The original is too deeply embedded in the public’s psyche. I can’t say it was entirely unexpected. When you attempt to remake the most revered film in Indian film history, you’re going into the realm of sacrilege. Everyone, from friends to well wishers to people who didn’t care a damn either way, warned me I was headed for trouble. I expected extreme criticism, but I didn’t expect such a low box office opening. I don’t know if it was because of the title or because of the film’s look. People felt the film looked like it was made in the 1970s, but I wanted to make a 1970s film! One way of looking at it is homage to the decade. The other way is to see it as outdated. It’s a question of perception. The baggage of expectations was too much. Brickbats were rained because people saw this attempt as an upstart trying to tamper with a classic. The backlash isn’t personal. Sometimes, criticism against a film rises in a wave, all in one voice. I don’t think people sat down and conspired to trash Aag. I am constantly ridiculed for everything I do. Everyone has a mind and a tongue and the right to use it. I think humans get pleasure from attacking others. No one has time to get personal.”

If that isn’t an apology then what is?

Quelle: http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archive...went-wrong.html

Ajay’s Bad Time??

Ajay Devgan, the brooding actor who worked with Ram Gopal Varma in ‘ Aag’, is upset with Ramu for ditching him from his forthcoming sci- fi ‘ Time Machine’ and instead going for Abhishek Bachchan. Sources say that at the point of time when Shah Rukh had refused to work in Ramu’s film, he approached Ajay Devgan to work in the film and Ajay had even given his consent, but Ramu changed his mind later and cast Abhishek in that role.

As a source close to Ram Gopal Varma’s Factory says, ‘ At that point of time, Ramu was busy with his Sholay remake. But he had decided that he would cast Bachchan (Sr) and Devgan together again. Having done a couple of films with Ramu—Company and Bhoot, Devgan was game for working with Ramu again. However, Ramu changed his mind later and decided that he wanted Abhishek to do the film.’

Though Ajay Devgan was very upset with Ram Gopal Varma for this shabby treatment but he said nothing openly and even completed Ramu’s film ‘ Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’ without any complaint. But after that, there is a distinct cold vibe between the maverick filmmaker and one of the finest actors of the bollywood.

Presently, Ajay Devgan is busy in completing the shooting of his upcoming venture ‘ U, Me Aur Hum’. He is also making his directorial debut in Bollywood with this film.

On the other hand, the industry is abuzz with the talks that Ramu has been thinking of roping in Aishwarya Rai too in the ‘ Time Machine’ to make it a complete Bachchan family affair. He has already been shooting with Amitabh, Abhishek and Ash for his film ‘ Sarkar Raj.’

Hm….hm…….seems….. Ramu is truly obsessed with Bachchans, no??....er…..er……even after the debacle of ‘ Nishabd’ and ‘ Aag’??

Quelle: http://magnamags.com/magna_stardust/node/1567