‘Boss’ earns 39 crores in five days

‘Boss’ which is an all in all action masala movie starring Akshay Kumar did decent business and managed to gather Rs. 39 crores in first five days of its business.

‘Boss’ had a strategic release. The movie was released on Wednesday which was a National holiday on account of Bakra-Eid. The film collected Rs. 12.6 crores on its first day. But in the subsequent days the business dripped. It collected Rs. 7.84 crores on Thursday, Rs. 5.93 crores on Friday and it collected only Rs. 7.45 crores on Sunday. Its weekend business was Rs. 26.62 crores.

According to trade analyst Amod Mehra, cricket matches distracted the crowd expected to visit the theaters. He said, “With high-octane matches going on between India and Australia, the figures were affected for sure. Having said that, a film that has to click will do somehow. When you open a film on a Wednesday, you are looking for additional boost. Rs 40 crore is a decent figure though.”

Exhibitor Rajesh Thandani said, “Over the weekend, 'Shahid' made around Rs 2 crore. For a small-budget film, it’s not a terrible number although Friday proved to be dismal. With the kind of positive reviews it has garnered, it might do well over the coming week, thanks to word of mouth.” He was sounding optimistic about the business of ‘Boss’.

‘Boss’ also received cold response from the reviewers. According to a reviewer, the movie was  “fast-paced, zany, full-on masala fare. There is a tempting swagger to Akshay’s performance matched by the narration’s tidal tempo. Irresistible energy and endearing gusto underline the show’s voracious appetite for a comic kill.”

Though reviewers enjoyed Akshay’s energy and comic timing, they felt that he could not singlehandedly save the movie which was lying low on a weak plot.

‘Boss’ is an action masala movie directed by Anthony D’Souza. The movie was released on 16th October. The film is co produced byCape of Good Films & Ashwin Varde Productions. The lead casts of the movie are Akshay Kumar, Mithun Charaborty, Ronit Roy, Shiv Pandit, Aditi Hydari and Danny Denzongpa.

‘Boss’ seemed like a mixture of action flicks of Akshay Kumar. There were too many mindless action sequences and the comedy didn’t hit the right notes. Aditi performed averagely. Even the songs did not strike instantly. It was an average movie.

Movie Review: Boss is unpretentious in its effort to draw you in with humor, action and some trademark filmy drama

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa, Ronit Bose Roy, Shiv Pandit, Aditi Rao Hydari, Parikshit Sahni, Govind Namdev
Director: Anthony D'souza
Rating: ***1/2
 

What's it aboutA throwback to the 90's era with a modern day twist, Boss rides the wave of super successful films that have been tailor made to draw in the masses and regale them with puremaar dhaad and unadulterated entertainment. A genre that doesn't work for the young ones like Shahid Kapoor (Phata Poster Nikhla Hero) and Ranbir Kapoor (Besharam) but seems to work every time with the 40-plus gang of  Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. 

Boss, a contract killer with a heart, whose life is as colorful as the linen jackets and shirts he sports. After being abandoned in his childhood by his ideological  father (Mithun Chakraborty) who is a believer in using non-violence to make justice prevail, he is adopted by Bigg Boss (Danny Denzongpa) who takes him under his wings. The twist in the tale comes when he reunites with his bother (Shiv Pandit) who is caught in a murky nexus between a rogue cop (Ronit Bose Roy) and a politician (Govind Namdev). The second half is where the action begins with Akshay Kumar in his element showing his peers that he is still the asli khiladi!

What's hotBoss is unpretentious in its effort to draw you in with humor, action and some trade mark filmy drama. But it stands out in its treatment in comparison with the crowd of wannabe pleasers seeking to use the same formula. The production values are high, attention has been made to every single frame ensuring the star of the film looks like a million bucks. Technically, too, there are moments of brilliance, be it the stylish hip-hop influenced title track, or the songs that are beautifully shot, or the action scenes that look like real street fights and not a showdown of vehicles being blown up; all of these elements come together in a cohesive way.

The ensemble is an interesting blend of senior actors Mithun and Parikshit Sahani who bring a sense of dignity to the characters with a mix of a fresh pairing of Shiv and Aditi. Background score is remarkable especially in the torture scenes with Ronit. Dialogues are razor sharp and written keeping the genre in mind. Despite the peripheral entities, one man who makes Bosswork is its lead actor - Akshay Kumar. Reminding us of why he's been such a star performer at the ticket window over the last two decades and more, Akshay looks like he was meant to play the part. Be it his introductory scene which sets the tone of the film, or the final hand to hand combat fight with Ronit, he stays true to form.

Shiv Pandit offers superb support and exudes the right amount of confidence. Ronit Roy as the menacing police officer is extraordinary and catches your attention from the very first frame. Both the Party all night and Har kisiko nahi milta tracks provide the right melody to the eclectic soundtrack.

What's notAkshay fans will have to be patient as he makes his entry a little late in the first half of the film. Even though the wait is worth it, there is a sense of uneasiness as we wait for Boss to make his grand entry. The flashback scenes with the child actors narrating the backstory seem a bit jarring and could have been better edited. Mithun and Parikshit Sahani's repartee is weak and some times unnecessary. Also the scene leading up to the big climax with Akshay and Mithun exchanging some emotional moments could have been written in an more unconventional way.

What to doA complete paisa vasool experience at the movies, Boss is an overdue treat for Akshay Kumar fans who have been waiting for him to return to his forte. A true mainstream entertainer in every sense, this Boss does pack a solid punch!

Anupama Chopra's review: Boss is a cartoon designed to deify Akshay Kumar!!

Film: Boss
Director: Anthony D'Souza
Actors: ASkshay Kumar, Ronit Roy and Mithun Chakraborty
Rating: **1/2

The good news is that Boss is more palatable than that title and the promos let on.

Director 

Anthony D’Souza’s remake of Malayalam blockbuster Pokkiri Raja has a purposefully illogical but interesting story — well, somewhat interesting until the interval. It’s also got some bone-crunching action sequences choreographed by ‘ANL’ Arasu, and a terrific villain portrayed by Ronit Roy in full-blown sadist mode. His signature line is: "Maut ko toh yuhi log badnam karte hain; takleef zindagi deti hai".

Boss is essentially a cartoon designed to deify Akshay Kumar, so the storyline surrenders to set-piece comedy and action sequences.

The bad news is that Boss is essentially a cartoon designed to deifyAkshay Kumar, so eventually the storyline must surrender to set-piece comedy and action sequences and absolutely forgettable songs that celebrate the mighty Boss. 

Khiladi Akshay Kumar: Boss of the masses

Akshay Kumar’s new film Boss saw historic opening at single screens all over India. It is probably his biggest first-day collections till date in single screens. On its first day, people were seen dancing in theatres across places like Nagpur, Pune, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The unprecedented opening at single screens is a clear indication yet again of Akshay’s popularity and connect with the masses.

The night before the film hit the theatres, Akshay had a special show for his fans who had come from all across India. On Tuesday night Akshay organised a screening at Cinemax Versova for his fans. There was ‘fan’-demoniam at the venue. As the rapid fire entertainment unfolded they laughed, cried, danced, cheered lustfully and whistled when Akshay’s agile action sequences came on. Some of them even ran to the screen and kissed it. The evening further ratified Akshay’s hero-of-the-masses status off screen as well as on-screen.

The last time a film had opened so huge in single screens and received such mass adulation was Salman Khan’s Wanted.

The Boss director Anthony d’Souza seems to be in a daze. “I would’ve gone into oblivion after the failure of my debut film Blue. It’s only Akshay Kumar’s faith in me that kept me alive as a filmmaker,” says Anthony tearfully.

Trade Speak:

Taran Adarsh:

Boss has fared exceptionally well at single screens. It proves that a good sensible masala film will always find an audience. As for Akshay, this is among his better performances. His presence and performance have been loved by all.

Amod Mehra:

As expected Boss has taken a commendable start in the single screens, as it falls in the action-comedy genre. When it comes to action combined with comedy Akshay alone is the true Boss!

BOX OFFICE : Boss collects 14 crore on its opening day

Boss has got it right at the B.O. B-town entertainer Akshay Kumar's most anticipated 'Boss' has made its audience go frenzy and the movie has registered a whooping around 15 crore breaking Akshay Kumar's Rowdy Rathore first day collections at many places centers.

According to reports the movie seems to be favoring the audience who love masala and is said to be making big noise at the single screens.

Centers like like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, C.P and C.I, West Bengal and Mysore are giving maximum patronage to the Akshay Kumar starrer produced by Viacom 18 and helmed by Anthony D'souza.

The movie opened to 75%-80% openings across all nationwide territories.. multiplxes where slow to start but it later picked up by positive word of mouth.. India's great chase against Australia yesterday also halted some legs otherwise the figures could have beign more..

The release on the auspicious occasion of Eid is looking set for a happy times at B.O. Ajit Andhare (COO, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures)is elevated about the positive response the film has received and shares "This film is for the masses, while we have a whole lot of urban slick heroes, there is always room for the desi hero. In a way this film is revisiting the roots, by making cinema that our industry is so known for"

From the megastar Akshay Kumar, to Mithun, Danny Denzongpa, comedian Johnny Lever to the budding chemistry between Shiv Pandit and Aditi Rao Hydari along with the fun-action-comedy storyline, the movie has the perfect commercial package!

Well looking at the statistics coming in from all centres, BOSS is poised to be the next BIG box office bonanza in this festive season. With Eid & Diwali around the corner it is surely the perfect family entertainer film and has been receiving growing number of positive reviews from everywhere. Lets see what the theatre owners and distributors say..

Theatre owners and distributors Brijesh Tandon, H K Tandon and Company, Delhi-UP says, "BOSS opened to 95 per cent occupancy in Delhi-UP and is running house full in most centers, since the morning shows. Being a Haryanvi film and a masala entertainer, audiences love the movie in our region. There is massive advance booking for the evening shows. Expect another blockbuster from Akshay Kumar.

Jaspal Dhingra, Nanaskar Enterprise, East Punjab says, "BOSS opened with 90 per cent in East Punjab. This is not just a masala entertainer; the story line is also very strong and so is the music. Even the multiplex audience is whistling and clapping. This film will do brilliant business today.

Gaurav Gaur, O'Real Imaginations, Rajasthan says, "The movie took a great opening with 70-per cent occupancy. This is huge for the morning show. The film has been allotted more than 100 screens in Rajasthan and there is advance booking for evening and night shows. So, expect a packed week and weekend too.

Screen Exclusive: I have avoided cable action in 'Boss', says Akshay Kumar

In Boss, there is no cable action because youngsters are getting bored of it. They feel that the actors are not doing much — the cables are in all the jumps etc. In this film I have avoided cables.

I just sit with my 10-year-old son and he gives me so much input. I get introduced to new music, new cinema, short films on YouTube courtesy Aarav.

The going has been good for Akshay Kumar despite a mixed verdict on his films — a successful Special 26 and then Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara which fell short of expectations. On the other hand, 72 Miles Ek Pravas, a Marathi film under his banner Grazing Goat picked up critical acclaim, but in characteristic khiladi style, he's back on his feet doing what he's best at — putting out a slew of movies in theatres. Kumar will soon be seen collaborating with producer -director Karan Johar for film under Dharma banner besides Gabbar with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and It's Entertainment, a venture he has signed with Ramesh Taurani. A film with Neeraj Pandey could also be on cards though the actor has not made a final decision on it.

Busy shooting for Tamil director A.R Murugadoss's Holiday, a Hindi remake of Thupaaki, under his home banner named Cape of Good Films. Actor Akshay Kumar, during breaks in the shooting, answers a few questions about his upcoming film Boss and asks a few of his own:

From the trailer that one has seen, Boss looks and feels rather different from your earlier films this year, so what can one expect?

Why don't I ask you — you have seen the promo, what do you think of it?

Let me hazard a guess, an action-drama?

Akshay Kumar's upcoming film Boss enters Guinness Book of World Records for largest poster

Akshay Kumar starrerBoss has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest poster after beating Michael Jackson's This Is It.

The 46-year-old superstar's fan club made the largest poster in the world in just four months after putting logistics into place.

"It's a matter of honour. I thank everyone who made this possible," Akshay said in a statement.

The poster is 58.87 metres wide and 54.94 metres high and was unveiled at Little Gransden Airfield, UK, on October 3, 2013. Macro Arts (UK) did the manufacturing of the poster, which had also made Jackson's poster.

The official certification for the same was done in the UK itself and the 'Boss' poster also finds a mention on the official Guinness website.

The comedy caper, directed by Anthony D'Souza, also stars Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa, Aditi Rao Hydari and Parikshit Sahni in pivotal roles.

"Boss" is slated to hit theatres on October 16.

Anything to promote! Khiladi Akshay Kumar to jump from Mumbai's tallest building for 'Boss'

Akshay Kumar is all set to be Khatron Ka Khiladi!

The actor, who is known for doing his own action sequences, will be jumping from the tallest building of Mumbai.

You must be curious to know for which upcoming film is he doing this stunt. Well, Khiladi Kumar is not doing the stunt for any movie sequence but for the promotion of his film Boss.

Yes you read it right, Akki will jump from the tallest building of Mumbai just to promote his film.

As per the buzz, the producers of his film have been trying to convince him to not perform the stunt. But Mr. Rowdy Rathore has already decided to go ahead.

Don't you think Akshay is going a bit too far for promotions?

why Akshay Kumar Almost Cried In Front Of Twinkle Khanna?

Akshay Kumar recently shot in Delhi and Bangkok for his upcoming movie Boss . He has very fond memories of these places and they are very close to his heart. While Akshay was brought up in Delhi, he learned martial arts and was a chef in Bangkok. During a recent interview with a leading daily, Khiladi Kumar reminisced about his early days and also talked about his next film, Boss. When asked about shooting in Delhi and Bangkok, Akshay said, "I was really emotional when I was shooting in Chandni Chowk as my childhood home was very nearby. But due to the crowd I could not go to see it during the day, so I drove past it during the night and thought of all the fun I had there in my childhood days. I studied martial arts in Bangkok and still the remember the time when I used to street fight for some extra money. When I saw the small room where I used to reside, it brought back a lot of memories for me and I had to fight back the tears as I did not want to cry in front of my wife, Twinkle and son, Aarav. One day I was frying noodles and the other I was remembering lines for my first movie.

Is Akshay Kumar losing his brand power to Shahrukh Khan?

The SRK-Akki cold war is not just confined to Bollywood boundaries and box office but even beyond…

As Shahrukh Khan’s Chennai Express reportedly became one the highest grossers of Bollywood so far, the superstar has once again regained his lost glory at the box office, domestic and overseas! On the other hand, SRK’s arch-rival Akshay Kumar’s Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara’s dismal performance at the ticket counters has once again challenged the Khiladi’s supremacy at the box office and his fans or so it seems!

If our feathered friend is to be believed, a popular biscuit brand had initially thought of approaching Akshay Kumar to endorse their brand. But post the super success of Rohit Shetty’s romcom and OUATIMD’s debacle, the brand manufacturers have knocked Baadshah’s door. Well, that’s not it. Apparently, we are told that the brand is even willing to pay King Khan 50 percent more than his market value.

They don’t call him King and Baadshah just like that!

comedy Nights With Kapil Back In Action; Akshay Kumar First Guest!!!

Kapil Sharma's show Comedy Nights With Kapil will shoot it's first episode post the fire accident in Lonavala and the first guest in this very special episode will be Akshya Kumar, who will be promoting his upcoming film Boss. Comedy Nights With Kapil had a major set back last week when the entire sets of the show caught on fire due to short circuit and got destroyed. The close estimate of the loss was said to be around 20 to 22 crores. But the support from across the industry, including Shahrukh Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Rohit Shetty and many others. Akshay Kumar will be promoting his upcoming film Boss on the show and it is also said that Ronit Roy will also be accompanying him in this episode. The last time Akshay was on Comedy Nights with Kapil, he was promoting his film Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara and he was seen having a gala time on the sets interacting with the cast. The Comedy Nights with Kapil is said to be shot on the sets of Bigg Boss 7 for the time being until their new set, which apparently is going to have a lot many new elements, is all set to shoot. All in all, Kapil Sharma's show, Comedy Nights With Kapil will resume it's normal schedule from this week onwards to guarantee us a fun weekend. Kapil Sharma's latest tweet on 3rd October at around 10:26 said, "Today shooting wid Akshay Kumar n kangana ranaut on big boss set in lonavla..I knw u all r missing comedy nights..see u on Sunday at 10 pm."

Latest Photo: Akshay Kumar Arrives On A Jet Ski For A Press Meet In Dubai..

After the promising trailer of the upcoming movie Boss, it looks like Akshay Kumar has fetched himself a whole new bunch of fans. As the movie's date is nearing, we see that Akshay is on a promotion spree. As the actor was promoting Boss in Dubai, he arrived for the press meet on a jet-ski as the media awaited on a yacht on Wednesday, October 2. Akshay, who is synonymous to thrills, surprised everyone when he made his entry to the yacht coming on a jet-ski. It looks like Akshay is enjoying giving grand entrances for Boss. Apart from this promotional, Akshay will also be seen giving a grand entrance in the movie as well.






Accompanying the actor for the promotion were his co-star Aditi Rao Hydari , and popular rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh, who has sung and composed the track ‘Party all night' for the film. We hear that Akshay is also likely to launch the song ‘Har kisi ko nahi milta from the film in Dubai. The song brings to us Sonakshi Sinha along with the superstar. This song is a reprised version of the original which is from the 1986 film Janbaaz. The movie which is directed by Anthony D'souza is set to hit the theatres on October 16. So the team roughly has two more weeks for the pre-release promotional activities. This is one of the much talked movies especially after they released the fun-filled trailer. It brought to us both action and comedy at the same time. So this has given us high expectations for the movie. Do come back to our site for more updates on Boss. Click here for the trailer of Boss

For Aarav, I am his Superman : Akshay Kumar

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar says that for his son Aarav he is like superman. About his bonding with son Aarav, Akshay said, "We share a very good bond. He likes all my films. A son likes all his father's films, for him his father is a Superman. He likes action films."

Akshay feels the era of films riding on popularity of big stars is gone and at present films with solid content are ruling the box office.

"It is not that if a name of a big star is attached to a movie it will automatically become hit. Only good films do well. If the script, the content is good then film works. Films of even big actors don't work at box office sometimes.

"Gone are the days when films of superstars did well or ruled the box office all the time," Akshay said in an interview here. The 46-year-old also said he does not believe in categorisation of actors.

"It's all about script and whoever is part of the film and does a good job (acts well). At the end of the day it's the script that matters... No artist is small today. I don't consider anyone small," he said.

Akshay would be seen next in Anthony D'souza's 'Boss', which is the remake of Malayalam movie 'Pokkiri Raja'.

"When I saw the movie I loved it. The film has entertainment, comedy and 12 sequences of hardcore action. It is the story of two brothers and father, which is the prime reason for me to do the story. I shared great rapport with my father and that's why I made films like 'Waqt', 'Ek Rishta', 'Janwaar'. This is my fourth film in this space," the actor said.

Akshay said 'Boss' has some toughest action sequences and stunts.

"The film is deliberately made into hand-to-hand combat because I feel cable fights are going out of fashion. We have seen enough of this thing when a hero gives one punch hundreds of people fall around.

"In this film, we wanted to have raw action so we decided to have close contact fight. We have a six-minute action scene in the climax between me and the villains and without any henchmen," the actor said.

For 'Boss', Akshay has teamed up for the second time with Anthony D'Souza, director of 'Blue', who he says has a lot of potential if given right script.

"I don't think technically there are many directors who can do something like him. He is outstanding in this space. If given the right script, Anthony can come up with flying colours," he said.

Akshay said he still lamented over 'Blue' not doing well at box office despite being technically superior.

"I think his first film 'Blue' was technically far more superior then any other films. As no one could ever think about treasure hunt, sharks, underwater fights. But unfortunate part is the film did not do well. Even though the film did not do well I still trusted him and went ahead to work with him in 'Boss'," he added.

Why Akshay Kumar Does Not Romance Any Heroine In Boss

“Flops are never the end. In fact they are like a new beginning,” says Bollywood’s Khiladi Akshay Kumar.

Having put the underwhelming response to Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara behind him, Akshay is all geared up for his forthcoming action flick Boss. Indiatimes.com met up with Akshay Kumar for a quick media Q&A at a five-star hotel in Mumbai, to find out what fans can expect from Akshay's new film.

The promos suggest that there is a lot more hand-to-hand combat in the action, unlike the aerial-kicks and gravity-defying stunts that we are used to seeing in other remakes.

Elaborating on the action (Akshay reveals that the film has 12 major action sequences), Kumar says, "You are right, there is a lot more hand-to-hand fighting in this film. These days I feel cable fights are going out of fashion. We have seen enough of this 'one punch and people flying 150 feet, taking six rotations in the air' type of stunts".

"In Boss I wanted raw and manly action. Like the climax of this film has a six-minute-long fight that is just man-to man, between the hero and the villain. No sideys or henchmen."

Akshay says that Ronit Roy who plays the villain, has worked very hard on his body for the film, and does not look like the Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi face that people have been used to seeing.

The film also stars Shaitan fame Shiv Pandit, who Akshay says reminds him a lot of his younger days. As far as his seniors go, Akshay says Mithun Chakraborthy always plays his father on screen with a lot of heart; while Danny has been someone Akshay considers an inspiration, as he looks as youthful as ever and works on his own terms with a lot of discipline.

However the one surprising element in Boss is that Akshay Kumar has no leading lady in the film.

When asked why he chose to cast himself minus any heroine, Akshay argues, "In the original Malaylam film Pokkiri Raja, Mammooty's character does not have a heroine. So there was no need to purposely tamper with the script".

Post Boss, Akshay Kumar will be seen in Ghajini fame AR Murugadoss' Holiday. A Hindi remake of Vijay’s Thuppakki, the movie also stars Sonakshi Sinha.

Akshay clarifies that the film was never tilted Pistol. "Just because the literal translation of the Tamil word Thuppakki is pistol, people assumed that it is the title of the Hindi version".

Priyanka Chopra India's most dangerous celebrity online

Actress Priyanka Chopra has topped the list of the most dangerous celebrities in the Indian cyberspace this year followed by Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, according to a study.

Priyanka knocked off Sunny Leone, who topped the list last year but dropped to the ninth position this time, in the study by security software maker McAfee.

Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar were in the top five in the study which highlights how cybercriminals use celebrities to take advantage of fans seeking more information about their idols.

"In India where celebrities enjoy demigod status, cybercriminals often use their names to lure people to sites which host malicious software designed to compromise personal details and disrupt devices," McAfee India Centre VP Engineering (Consumer and Mobile Business Group) Venkatasubrahmanyam Krishnapur said.

This year, searching for a celebrity's name, with search terms like "wall paper", "videos" and "nude pictures" resulted in the highest instances of malware-laden sites. Chopra, showed 79 infected search results, while Shah Rukh was at the second spot with 75 malicious sites, Salman ranked third, with 68 infected sites.

The top-10 list was rounded off by Saif Ali Khan, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Leone and Hrithik Roshan.

Akshay Kumar Decides To Breathe Fury At OUATIMD Critics

Our homegrown Khiladi #1 is clearly sharing Once Upon a time in Mumbai Dobarara producer Ekta Kapoor's bad mood these days. After the movie lost out to Chennai Express at the box office, it seems the critics took care of whatever else was left, calling it 'not even a one-time watch'.

A fuming Akshay Kumar lashed out at the critics saying that the only opinion that matters is that of the audience watching the movie, and that the critics need to be writing about that rather than their own. He further added that 'the audience is never wrong'.

The rant continued with Akshay adding that most critics don't know the basics of filmmaking which makes them unfit to understand what today's smart audience appreciates. He added that he only respects those critics who write keeping the viewers in mind.

But, why this late in the day Akshay? Could it have anything to do with the fact that Ekta Kapoor is none too happy with Akshay either, for allegedly not being present during the movies promotional activities? Or for that matter not taking a cue from King Khan himself, who continued to promote the movie days after it was released.

One thing's for sure, Akshay's reaction came right around the time it was reported that Chennai Express is close to touching the Rs.200-crore mark in profits while presently resting at a whopping Rs.197 crore. Clearly a case of too many bitter lemons for Lemony Snickets.

Name road after Rajesh Khanna: Dimple Kapadia

Bollywood actress Dimple Kapadia Saturday called for naming a Rajesh Khanna Road, in memory of her late husband, who is considered Bollywood's original superstar.

Dimple, the estranged wife of Rajesh Khanna, made the request to union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla, who was present at the unveiling of a statue of the legendary actor here.

"He (Rajesh Khanna) was a Congress man. My request is that a road or a 'marg' be named after him. Also, if Carter Road could be named Rajesh Khanna road," Dimple said at a press conference here.

Rajesh Khanna had witnessed the biggest highs and lows of his life while he stayed at his Carter Road bungalow Aashirwad. He had also breathed his last at his iconic residence July 18, 2012 due to prolonged illness.



(L) Teary eyed Twinkle Khanna and Dimple kapadia unveil the statue. Photo by Bhaskar Paul

Shukla said he will take up the matter of naming a road after the actor, who gave five decades of life to entertaining movie buffs.

"His work and contribution was immense. I will take this wish up with the urban development ministry and see if a road can be named. He was a great parliamentarian and a very popular person.

"The concept of the superstar was started by him. Regarding Carter Road, I will have to talk to the Chief Minister if it has not been named after (music director) Naushad Ali-ji," he said.

Carter Road was reportedly renamed after Naushad Ali in 2008.


Photo by Bhaskar Paul

Rajesh Khanna's statue unveiled in family's presence

A statue of Bollywood's original superstar Rajesh Khanna was unveiled here Saturday in the presence of his family members - estranged wife Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, and other industry members.

Dimple and Twinkle had moist eyes as they stood next to the reverred actor's statue, which will be placed at the Walk of the Stars at the Bandra Bandstand Promenade here.

The statue is made of brass and signifies an iconic pose from Rajesh Khanna's "Anand". It features him holding a bunch of balloons. It will be installed along with statues of icons like Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor.

Praising the statue, Akshay said: "It is a nice statue. It means freedom and happiness...the balloons signify that one should always be free in life."


(L) Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Dimple Kapadia and Zeenat Aman. Photo by Bhaskar Paul

Dimple thanked everyone for "gracing" the event in honour of "Kakaji", as Rajesh Khanna was lovingly called.

"I feel honoured to have known him and for being the mother of his two children," Dimple said while addressing a press conference here.

"Kakaji was an enigma. He lived and died on his own terms. His contribition to cinema was unparalleled. He was a superstar. His courage, bravery and fearlessness even in the time of death can't be forgotten. He was Anand and he lived like Anand. Life with him was like a rollercoaster," she added.

Akshay read out a note penned by his son Aarav for the event.

"My son has written something and I want to read it out. He was very close to him (his grandfather)," he said.

The note read: "I remember 10 days before my nana passed away, he was in bed. He had forgotten everyone, but remembered me. I don't know what happened to him and I still don't know. I know that he was great and still stays next to me."

Akshay said the unveiling of the statue was not just an important event for the family, but for everyone who knew the superstar, who breathed his last on July 18, 2012 following prolonged illness. He was 69.

"It is not only a great moment for the family but for everyone. It is a big thing that the statue will be placed with lot of actors like Shammi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor," he said.


Dimple Kapadia. Photo by Bhaskar Paul

Twinkle said it was a "sentimental" moment, and that her father "is there in my heart".

At the event, an audio-visual based on Rajesh Khanna's work in films over five decades of his association was shown too.

Other guests present at the unveiling included Asha Parekh, Mithun Chakraborty, Rakesh Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Jeetendra, Anju Mahendru, Zoya Akhtar, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Poonam Sinha, Hema Malini and Zeenat Aman.

Veteran actress Hema Malini said: "It is nice that they are honouring actors for their contribution. He was my colleague and we had a good time working together. I worked with him in good films, he was a good friend."

Akshay's Independence Day Bonanza For His Fans

Recently it was reported that both the forthcoming biggies, Chennai Express and Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara, would come to audiences at a higher price, what with exhibitors deciding to hike ticket rates by more than 20% to cash in on the festive and holiday season.

However, makers of at least one film, Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara, have expressed concern about penalizing the audience.

"This is an unprecedented move, and a noble one at that," informs our source, while adding, "It is easy to make a noise about a higher box office gross by hiking ticket prices, which is what the strategy appears to be. Only the consumer suffers. However, the OUATIMDmakers are not keen to let down their loyal fans."

"In any case, movie watching has turned into an expensive affair, what with some premium multiplexes hiking the rates of refreshments by over 100% in the year gone by. Add to that exorbitant car parking charges, which means that for even a single entry over a weekend, watching a film costs anywhere between Rs. 600-800," adds another source. He adds, "Gone are the days when a family of four could shell out a princely sum of Rs. 1000 and watch a film. Today in an upmarket multiplex, it costs upwards of Rs. 2500."

Naturally, the team of OUATIMD feels that there should be no increased burden on the audience.

Says an industry source, "There are ways to reach a box office number and it should not be done by increasing ticket prices. If a film is accepted, it will achieve its target over a sustained run. It's not just about garnering everything in the opening weekend."

On being contacted, Akshay Kumar said, "On the occasion of our film arriving on Independence Day, I can't make my audience suffer. It is a holiday for them to come and enjoy the film we've made and then come back again. Hiking ticket rates would only discourage them. That's not how I want to reach out to my fan base. Ekta and I are on the same page; ticket rates for OUATIMD won't be increased."

Akshay Kumar the new Dara Singh?

After Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh and Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom, it could be Akshay Kumar as Dara Singh. Director Rohit Jugraj has approached Dara Singh’s son Vindoo with a project with Akshay Kumar playing the lead. Apparently Akshay is keen to portray Dara Singh, but needs time to work on his physique.

Says Vindoo, “Yes, Rohit Jugraj has approached me to make a film on my father’s life. Akshay is the one chosen to play my father in this project. However, he would need time to bulk up. Also, all these things (cricket betting scam) happened and I didn’t want to embarrass Akshay by connecting with him at that time.” Interestingly, there is another Dara Singh bio-pic in the pipeline, this one in Punjabi. Says Vindoo, “Yes, I’ve been approached by the producers of Jatt & Juliet with a Punjabi film where they want Sangram Singh to play my dad. Let’s see which one materialises first.”

Akshay, Sonakshi Reunite For Special Song In 'Boss'

Here’s the exclusive picture of the much talked-about Akshay Kumar-Sonakshi Sinha club number, Party All Night, from Boss. Those who have heard the song swear that it will be one of the year’s hottest club numbers. The song was shot for two days over the weekend. Half of the song is still to be shot.

It presently also features Yo Yo Honey Singh who flew down from Delhi to be a part of it. Along with him, Shiv Pandit and Aditi Rao Hydari also set the screen ablaze in this peppy chartbuster.

However, the highlights of the song are the Akshay-Sonakshi dance moves. Sonakshi has never done a club song before, or dressed in an LBD. While the actress will be seen in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Dobaara with Akshay, she has just a cameo in this film.

The sizzling chemistry between the two in the song has to be seen to be believed.

Both Akshay and Sonakshi were so excited about the song that they both shot for 12 hours at a stretch for it, something that they have never done before.

The song has been directed by Sumit Dutt of Dhinkachika and Character Dheela fame. Even he was blown by the energy of this couple. “Akshay and Sonakshi will shock the audience. This will be hard to beat,” he says.

News is that the second portion of the song will be shot in Thailand next month. Along with Sonakshi, Prabhudheva and a couple of other big names are expected to be a part of it. We just hope they are able to match up to Sonakshi’s sizzling act.