And the Oscar doesn't go to...

And the Oscar doesn't go to...

So even the Oscars couldn't defy "Gravity" its anti-gravity moment. The mexican director would have lived out his space in  trance as his film bagged seven oscars out of ten. Predictable? Not so much. Or maybe. Because over the years, the awards have a degree of giving out max to those films which generate the maximum adulation from the global audience. This could be because the Hollywood Studios and their gargantuan think-tanks are hitting  a dry run when it comes to big markets like China, HongKong, India, and the MiddleEast where cultural dissimilarities are making their films come a cropper. "Gravity" collected Rs.62 crores in Indian theatres despite the hoopla. "Dookudu" and "Gabbar Singh" generated a higher RoI than that film.

On that count, you can see why films like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Gravity" sweep the awards even if with  diluted standards and dumbing down of English for the global audience. It is like a Miss World contest or Miss Universe contest - Hollywood which represents the apogee of American Culture wants  and crowns film-makers who strike gold with more eyeballs rather than film-makers who are altruistic (Oliver Stone), brazenly American (Martin Sorcerese), uncompromising (Steven Spielberg) or self-obsessed and controversial (Woody Allen).

 If the trend continues, 20 years down the lane, I think there will be more foreign language films competing for the Oscars or film-makers with the American sensibilities but a global pulse like Eduardo. That leaves the Indians with a terrific opportunity - don't make films for the Oscars, try to beat them in sensibilities and cultural opulence and larger-than-life sliceness. One day, with SFX a "Bahubali" or a "Hanuman" or a "Mahabharat" will gross as much as a Spidey or a Batman. Americans have killed more film industries since the 1920s by their clinical imperialism of the culture of Americana which has a distinct closeness with most Western cultures except the Koreans, the Chinese and the Indians. Watching the Oscars this time became more boring than a Pogo channel where the anchor hustles with a masked face. No wonder, the Oscars are now looked down by those who covet the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes, the Cannes or now the Sundance where unconventional yardsticks of measuring success are bringing out such exciting films like "Boyhood" and "Wajdah" (2012). 

On the contrary, Oscars are still stuck on  criteria that the critics and the audiences don't seem to agree often but are determined by quixotic whims and messages from the masters who call the shots at the industry. Any idea why Sandra Bullock didn't get the best actress award? Any thoughts why Leonardo Dicaprio continues to be at the non-receiving end of the awards? Despite a uni-dimensional way of judging the films, the Oscars get the maximum mileage but still lesser than what the Superbowl or FIFA World Cup command. 

Today, close to seven billion people are watching films and a fraction of them are wanting to make films in as many unique way as their sensibilities and paradigms motivate them to. The Oscars can go to anybody who is trained to give a well-rehearsed elevator speech. But lets not think that their success is a benchmark - don't be misled by the UNESCO heritage-type statements going out when the Oscar goes to a film that talks about slavery in Africa, a war waged in Afghanistan or Iraq or a legend in South Africa. There are more ways to watch a film, make a film and even review a film. Remember tonite that Oscars may be more anti-diluvian in ways you haven't  yet realised.

The Chiranjeevi Phenomenon

I wrote this piece on the occasion of Chiranjeevi's 57th birthday on August 9, 2012 which was published on http://www.frontpageindia.com/views/chiranjeevi-hero-love/36403

Chiranjeevi, the Hero we all love


When Chiranjeevi burst open his innings in Tollywood with “Praanam Khareedu” on Septemeber 22, 1978 (One month after his birthday), not many would have given him a half-chance. Tollywood was already in the grip of multiple matinee idols across multiple generations from NTR and ANR to Krishna, Shobhan Babu and Krishnam Raju besides star directors from Dasari Narayana Rao and K Vishwanath to Bapu and K Raghavendra Rao. Around the time his first movie was released, Chiranjeevi’s only claim to filmdom was as an actor struggling to find a foothold. Chiranjeevi had nothing to offer to what’s already not on fare – he is not hugely charismatic like NTR and SVR, nor had a lineage of filmy family. He could get hold of one such bargepole in the fomr of Allu Ramalingaiah when he married the latter’s daughter in 1980.


But Chiranjeevi had that killer instinct and the deep desire to create a unique position for himself – he tried various family fares playing the rogue liar in “Kothalarayudu”, the shrew-taming dummy husband in “Mogudu Kaavali” and the self-righteous do-gooder middle-class householder in “Intlo Raamayya Veedhilo Krishnayya”.

Almost all of them met with unexpected success at the most embryonic stage of his film career – one of them running for more than a year in some theatres. Fans – mostly toddlers, teenagers and housewives growing up in the anarchic years of the 1980s were hungry for a star who will project their aspirations, rebellions, frustrations and dreams on celluloid – they wanted a hero who is as rebellious as Krishnam Raju, a hero as dashing and daring as Krishna , a hero who is lovable like Shobanbabu and someone much more than all of them combined.

Chiranjeevi started feeding what the generation demanded from him very quickly acting in many movies, rotating directors and dialogue-writers and acting with the best in the industry – K Balachandar, Dasari, Raghavendra Rao, Bapu and Vishwanath. Fans loved the intensity of his eyes, the depth of his acting, and his dancing prowess quickly became the toast of a whole new generation who were fed on insipid dancing steps of veterans acting with half-opened shirts and bell-bottom trousers.

Chiranjeevi delivered the blockbuster “Khaidi” which positioned him as the new dashing hero and quickly followed more movies from Raghavendra Rao, Kodi Rama Krishna and Kodandarami Reddy – a director who relied on action dramas with light-hearted romances and the incredible storylines of ace novelist Yandamoori Veerendranath.

Chiranjeevi quickly became the darling of the masses as he belted out jubilee after jubilee hit with “Abhilaasha”, “Challenge”, “Raakshasudu” and “Marana Mridangam”. Like Amitabh Bacchan in Bollywood, movie scripts were written for him and artistes and heroines, technicians and writers all vied with one another in working with the first megastar of Tollywood.

Amongst the many trends he started, Chiranjeevi is famous for bringing in elegant dancing and stylish way of acting in tune with the rising tempo of music. He started the import of villain talent from Bollywood, and gave many technicians - choreographers (Raghava Lawrence), music directors (Mani Sharma, Raj-Koti), character actors (Amrish Puri, Prakash Raj, Kannada Prabhakar, Sarath Kumar) their major breaks.



Now with 149 films to his credit, Chiranjeevi’s career spans the most momentous period of Tollywood that marked the new decade after color productions, multi-starrers with excellent story scripts, the invasion of heroine as a star attraction, introduction of true item songs, choreography as a focal attraction of films, elevation of directors and dialogue-writers to cult status, intelligent use of fans and satellite and social media to enhance a star’s longevity, craze for audio release functions, and the undying craze for first-day-first-show tickets, heroes taking a cut in the distribution of movies as part of the remuneration, the list goes on…


Every five years or so, despite the unavoidable flops, Chiranjeevi systematically used the collective and imported talent in Tollywood to push new boundaries for himself, his family and for the industry. Today, Tollywood enjoys the best monetary status because of a huge star power and in-house talent of technicians from cinematographers and directors to music composers and story-writers, the credit goes to heroes like Chiranjeevi who pushed new boundaries for business of Tollywood.

When “Indra” was released amidst truly the first major audio event for Tollywood in the last decade, there was unprecedented frenzy – it sold close to a million cassettes on day one – there aren’t that many CDs sold even today.

Chiranjeevi, despite all the massive fan following is probably the second actor in Tollywood, after NTR, who has used the medium of Cinema to feed the adulation of the masses and gain symbiotic relationship to accelerate his family’s fortunes in Tollywood.

Because of his direct allegiance with fans, he has created many platforms to interact with them on a continuous basis. He is cognizant of the spinoffs that accrued to him over the years, and the payoffs that continue to others who turned up into films from his family – Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, Ramcharan Tej.

Chiranjeevi and his brother-in-law Allu Aravind created fan clubs, organized them into strategic business units, fed their frenzy at all eventful functions, created websites that offer biographical wikipedias of the Chiranjeevi phenomenon, offered a bankable platform called “Blood Banks” which galvanized more of them into purposive actions which though met with unexpected controversies, and finally harmonized all the fans into one mega family of fans of Chiru the actor.

Even though he was lured into politics a good five years ago before he burst open on the scene with Praja Rajyam Party, Chiranjeevi is the second star-turned politican in the history of Tollywood to create some eyeball impact on the politics. Though his party fizzled out at the hustings in 2009, unable to create any impact with the themes of “social justice” and “inclusive growth”, the PR party managed to grab 17 per cent voting share of the population.

Even though he failed as a politician, Chiranjeevi continues to make attempts to avoid being sidelined by contemporary politics or where his heart lies – in Tollywood. He is now at the heart of Kapu politics in the Congress and continues to spar with the other Kapu politician Botsa in creating a position of power for himself and his community.

As a Tollywood biggie, his family continues to corner the best technicians and talent to turn out hit after hit and strive to be in heightened public currency from Pawan Kalyan’s “Gabbar Singh” to Ramcharan’s “Raccha” to Allu Arjun’s “Julayi”.

Chiranjeevi’s brother-in-law Allu Aravind who produced over 15 films (his best-ever producer) has created a triumvirate monopoly in Tollywood with control over distribution of movies along with producers Dil Raju and D Suresh Babu. As an investor, Chiranjeevi has been careful with his star remuneration and hasn’t over-invested in movies like other stars or created studios that lose money. He has invested in prime real estate and prime time television channels like MAA TV. As on date, MAA TV is rising to the top as a close contender to Gemini TV.

Now, he ponders over the next move whether to remain in politics or plunge back into movies to star in his 150th film now that the stars are aligned for his younger family members to take over Tollywood. As a towering hero in Tollywood, Chiranjeevi has been a phenomenon that’s hard to beat . But as a politician, he has been marginalized. What can beat him in happiness at this crucial birthday milestone is another movie after his own heart. Happy birthday, Chiranjeevi!
By Sridhar Sattiraju

Link: http://www.frontpageindia.com/views/chiranjeevi-hero-love/36403
http://www.frontpageindia.com/views/chiranjeevi-hero-love/36403

Tollywood's "Gabbar Singh" is one of top five grossers!

According to `Business Standard’, as on June 1, `Gabbar Singh’ (Telugu remake of Dabangg) grossed Rs.128 crores in box office collections taking it closer to Dabangg’s Rs.173 crores. This makes the remake catapult into the all-time five grossers. That’s the power of mass-masala fares and box-office magic which eludes realistic cinema. I have always had a liking for this kind of escapist cinema despite my occasional tantrums. And it doesn’t matter whether we like the movie or not, the audience poll says it all. That seals it. So, it was with `Dookudu’ or `Raccha’ or movies like `Kick’.


I am ever curious about the commercial cinema fans who flock to such fare and how it translates economically. When I watch a movie, I keep my thinking hat aside, my `Satyajit Ray’ mind at home and enjoy the flow looking at the commercial sensibilities. Yes, there are occasions we love art cinema and good classy films like `Ala Modalaindi’ but cinema is a mass medium, not an art exhibition for connoisseurs.

Unlike any other art, cinema is the only medium that doesn’t require the patron to be literate. You don’t have to be a cinema-literate as in book-literate or an art-literate or a gold-literate to buy or consume cinema. You just need a funny bone and a pulse to enjoy. Those who criticise a movie is good or bad should do keeping in mind the mass-reach of this medium – every day, 3.2 crore Indians watch cinema, pay Rs.28 per ticket on an average, and forget their foibles and problems in the three hours of watching a movie. The only time they take a break is during the Intermission time – which was first introduced in the world in the 1920s and then after the movie ends. As long as the content is non-offensive, non-sectarian and non-preachy and off-beat, a movie should get most likes.

Why am I making a mountain of this molehill of a datapoint on `Gabbar Singh’? Because I am irked by Outlook magazine’s collector’s edition of 100 years of Indian Cinema. But for making a fleeting reference to Telugu movies, there is no special mention of Tollywood or its enterprising breed. For them, Telugus are also part of `Madrasis’. If Bollywood regained its lustre over the last few years at the BO, thank the Tollywood and the Kollywood filmmakers for lending their scripts and even talent for making blockbusters out of superhits in South Indian vernaculars. Salman Khan to Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar to John Abraham, everybody is borrowing brilliance from Tollywood or Kollywood (Tamil film industry). To under-recognise their contribution in commercial cinema is to do gross injustice to Tollywood’s contribution.

Earlier, I wrote a post on why Tollywood is better than Bollywood – I will expand on that a bit later. Right now, Telugu fans should rejoice that a regional movie has tasted resounding success crossing $22 Million at the Box Office. A guy like Salman Khan paid advance of Rs.50 lakhs for incorporating the famous `Anthakshari’ comedy sequence of `Gabbar Singh’ into `Dabangg-2. The power of ideas. The power of Tollywood. More power to you.

`Outlook’ should realise that watching a movie is not the same as going to Cannes film festival and get plaudits from pundits who make movies for themselves. Satyajit Ray films are a class apart always, no doubt, but let’s not forget that throughout his career, Ray didn’t get funding from anybody but the State Government. Cinema sense and sensibilities are two very different things. And movies like `Gabbar Singh’ have proved yet again what Box Office power can be unleashed by making sensible movies for the masses.

Here’s a toast to all those entertaining filmmakers of Tollywood – let your outlook not change even if mainstream media is not looking your way.

MAA TV vs. Gemini TV vs. ETV vs. Zee Telugu

Earlier, films used to clash only at the Box Office, on Fridays. But now, most clashes aren't  happening there. TV Channels is where the action is. Yesterday, amidst much fanfare, MAA TV has set the timing for telecast of "Dookudu", Tollywood's biggest blockbuster at 6pm Sunday. Lot of billboard advertising, radio ads and countless promos have gone into driving traffic for the film premiere which was purchased for well over Rs.5 crs. All set for 6 pm slot. But Gemini TV, AP's No.1 channel is not an easy competitor - atleast, they never let go an opportunity to nibble into rival channels' market share. They telecast another blockbuster "Kaanchana", a ghost-thriller movie of Raghava Lawrence at 3.30pm which is actually sleeping time for most Sunday TV watchers. But the climax is red-hot and must-watch for any film buff, it was stretching beyond 6pm - which made the edgy MAA TV delay the "Dookudu" telecast beyond half-hour. Last half-hour saw enormous channel-surfing as viewers were glued to the "Kaanchana" climax. Meanwhile, MAATV showed the curtain-raiser of "Dookudu" to fill in the half-hour during which "Kaanchana" ended.

The drama didn't end there. At 6.30pm, Gemini TV showed another hit of 2011, "Mr.Perfect" starring Prabhas and Kajal. That coincided exactly with "Dookudu" and the ad slots were carefully chosen not to clash with each other channel. But the movie on Gemini ended atleast 45 minutes before "Dookudu" finally got completed on MAA TV - with actors' clippings, samantha's comments and finally a re-run of the most hilarious episodes of the film stretching the run time from 6pm-10.30 pm. Only, "Ben Hur" and "Meraa Naam Joker" would have beaten that record running time. I am always intrigued by the rival strategies and counter-strategies of TV Channels in AP - they try to outdo each other. But I think, maturity-wise, MAA TV and ETV are better-off than the competitive Gemini TV. Gemini just can't give up fighting - whether its a Zee Telugu premiere or a MAA TV Blockbuster. Why do I say that? The total Ad revenue size of AP TV channels is Rs.700 crs. The prime slots take bulk of the revenue. It is therefore wise and economical for channels to vie for viewers' attention more carefully instead of making the advertisers lose money on programmes which don't get undivided atttention. The pecking order for entertainment channels in AP is as follows: No.1 Gemini TV, No.2 MAA TV, No.3 ETV and No.4 Zee Telugu. So, the race is between the top 3 really with channel share (sum of all channels in the group brand like MAA or Gemini) going upto 10-15 per cent.

Thats why the stakes are high for the top 3 but what I find intriguing is Gemini never gives in easily to the No.2 or No.3. And so, all throughout the day, yesterday, in order to tackle "Dookudu", it built steady traffic through blockbuster after blockbuster. Started with "Kick", then "Kaanchana" and then finally showdown with "Dookudu" - "Mr Perfect". Even though MAA TV now has the movie rights for the top five all-time Industry hits in Tollywood - 1. Dookudu 2. Magadheera 3. Arundhati 4.Pokiri and 5. Simha, there's a tendency to over-pay and raise the bidding stakes for producers of superhits. This is a game where the channels lose out which ETV doesn't get into. Gemini TV does get into the bidding game but doesn't over-pay. It picks one out of every four movies bid for satellite rights but ensures it stays in the competition but doesn't end up over-paying. "Gabbar Singh" the next industry all-time grosser is currently going for Rs.9 crores. We have to see who picked it.

ETV also tried its best to nibble into the viewership yesterday by airing a special program on SPB "Nenu Naa Swara Kartalu". The program took away some eyeballs from "Dookudu" in the middle. Advantage ETV and Gemini TV have over MAA and Zee is the vintage viewership and loyal base. Through old classics bought for a song and long-running musical shows and serials, they have ensured higher profitability and longer loyalties. Can you believe a movie like "Shankarabharanam" rights were bought by Gemini for Rs.1 lac only? Interesting strategies from different channels.

Pawan Kalyan and the Cult of the Colossal in Tollywood

"Gabbar Singh" is on its way to becoming a blockbuster in Tollywood. Its the first superhit for Power Star Pawan Kalyan in eleven years since "Khushi" movie was released. Now, offers are going to pour in for Pawan Kalyan. Goes to prove that Tollywood's obsession with the cult of the colossal is very much on. No other film industry has so much patience in kowtowing to matinee idols who fail to fire in so many movies. Flop after flop after flop, and then one hit, life's back to normal for the Star. The threshold of patience is highest in Tollywood which is ruled by few top heroes. That kind of patience is non-existent for the ones who are not the chosen ones. Many examples, there - Uday Kiran, Tarun, Raja, etc. Of course, they may say, those who have the talent will be always given a chance. True, it holds well but chances and half-chances don't come to the unsupported heroes just like that. You should either have financial backing like Nitin Reddy who delivered a superhit after 14 flops - "Ishq" (Nitin's father is a film distributor Sudhakar Reddy) or you should be like Pawan Kalyan with a monstrous fan following. Either way, the market cap of the top heroes goes on unabated.

The patience with heroes is one thing. The lack of patience with other elements in a Telugu movie - that is something else. Its almost legendary. From heroines to stunt directors, from directors to music directors, patronage is showered mostly on those who give the heroes instant success and stardom - the rest fall by the wayside. I will discuss later in a separate post on the number of music directors who have almost ended up like flashes in the pan. Goes to show that despite making the second-highest number of films in India, Tollywood is still oligopolistic and highly concentrated industry - a few call the shots, and the chosen few get quintals of patience from producers and fans while the rest languish.

"Gabbar Singh" Movie Review (Telugu)

"Gabbar Singh" is the name of  India's most entertaining villain from the immortal movie "Sholay". It surprises me why nobody ever thought of the title "Gabbar Singh" considering the phenomenal following Amjad Khan has had for portraying that character. Pawan Kalyan has now starred in the movie "Gabbar Singh" which is a a remake of "Dabanng". Director Harish Shankar, a protege of RamGopal Varma, adapted the movie "Dabanng" and the script penned by Dileep Shukla, altered some crucial characters in the original film to suit Telugu nativities and packed a punchy and boisterous output. Its a thoroughly entertaining and hugely likeable story that will regale all audiences, especially Pawan Kalyan fans who are famished for a decade searching for that elusive hit. They've had a half-chance with "Jalsa" but now they can feast on the dollops of fun and frolic and the ruckus and laughter riot created by Pawan Kalyan almost single-handedly. I rate this movie a few notches above this year's "Businessman" because of wholesome fare and masala entertainment thats quite neat.


Of course, the story of a cop who acts like a goon must be unappealing for many in the society. But so be it - if you liked "Dabanng", you better like this one too. I even dare say, to all my Hindi friends, to try this movie - you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of monstrous fun, action and comedy created in "Gabbar Singh". I find it as good as the original and refreshingly cooler than "Dabanng." Its a coup for a remake. Credit must go to the whole team - Editor/Dialogue-writer (Director himself)/Cinematographer/Choreographer - for a clean output. DeviSri Prasad once again scores hummable and foot-tapping songs that will set crowds  foot-loose; his BGM score-ability is also becoming an additional strength, of late. (Which makes him a sought-after BGM specialist like Mani Sharma or AR Rahman). After a long time, I found songs where Pawan was at ease in dancing as much as his other family kin, new and old. Shruti Hassan may have got lucky in the movie with the role as she doesn't have the same cuteness and star-struck appeal of Sonakshi Sinha despite donning the same costumes. She gets to sing lines in only one of the many songs. Malaika Arora, who stars in the "Kevvu Keka" looked better and dignified aftera long time - otherwise she can grate on you.

Easily, Pawan Kalyan's performance is the best and the brightest in the movie - he shines in every frame, packs a punch in every fight and dialogue and shows a remarkable resilience in lifting his own fortunes with one fiery salvo in this film. The role gives him the luxury of showing all the shades of a villain, hero, comedian and a mature character actor who can occasionally step back for others to hog the limelight. The "Anthakshari" scene with criminals post-interval will get more eyeballs than the item song - it is well-crafted and seat-shifting laughter. For all those who have given up on watching Pawan Kalyan (including myself), its time for lot of "Khushi" and some gum for this film. Dialogues by Harish Shankar sound incredibly classy while awakening massive "fan" shouts. If remakes are made like this, you can buy any originals for any price. Well done, Gabbar Singh.