‘Avengers...’ sells 1 mn advance tickets in India

Agencies
April 23, 2019

Marvel fans are finding themselves in a virtual queue to grab tickets for the highly anticipated superhero film "Avengers: Endgame". BookMyShow has witnessed a record advance ticket sale with one million tickets sold in just over a day.

BookMyShow witnessed a peak of 18 tickets per second, even before the film releases in cinemas on April 26 in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Ashish Saksena, Chief Operating Officer - Cinemas, BookMyShow, said in a statement issued on Monday evening: "We expect 'Avengers: Endgame' to break more records as cinemas continue to open the advance bookings."

"Avengers: Endgame" is the 22nd film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the latest after "Captain Marvel", which released last month.

The film stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Brie Larson, amongst others.

"'Avengers: Endgame' is not just a movie, it's an epic culmination of a decade-long journey which the fans have taken with us across 22 films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The phenomenal interest shown by audiences across the country, is testament of how this is one of the most anticipated movies for the fans and we can't wait for them to watch it," said Bikram Duggal, Head - Studio Entertainment, Disney India.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted on Monday: "'Avengers: Endgame' advance booking is unheard of, unimaginable and unprecedented. Much better than several Hindi biggies that opened in 2018 and 2019."

The interest has been more in metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

Rahul Kadbet, Vice President Programming, Carnival Cinemas, told IANS: "Around 2.25 lakh tickets have been sold which is about 74 per cent of the capacity for weekend. We have 1000+ shows per day for the movie in over 100 cities. Maximum tickets were sold in Delhi/NCR and Mumbai."

The rush for tickets for the film, which will show supervillain Thanos engaging in an epic battle with superheroes like Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, was anticipated.

Rajender Singh Jyala, Chief Programming Officer, INOX Leisure Ltd. said: "As anticipated, across the country, the shows of 'Avengers: Endgame' are almost sold out in a very short time. The first day advance sales have been unprecedented."

The craze for the film has also made some fly to different cities.

Imphal-based engineer Sanjay Nongmaithem told IANS: "I have been following the series since its beginning in 2008 with 'Iron Man' so, I want to see how it culminates. My eight-year-old daughter, Gracy, is also a fan of the Avengers. In Manipur, our theatres don't screen Bollywood or Hollywood films so we are left with no choice but to fly to Guwahati, which is nearby."

One Twitter also posted a request on Twitter to the film's directors -- the Russo Brothers. "I am from India and a huge Marvel fan. In Silchar, Assam, there are two movie halls but none are screening 'Avengers...'. Help us."

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Agencies
July 3,2020

Mumbai, Jul 3: Renowned Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan died early on Friday morning due to cardiac arrest. She was 71.

The three-time National Award winner, who had choreographed some of the most memorable songs in Hindi cinema, was not keeping well for some time.

She was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital in Bandra last Saturday after she complained of breathing issues. The mandatory COVID-19 test done at the hospital showed a negative result.

“She passed away due to cardiac arrest at around 2.30 a.m. at the hospital,” Khan’s nephew Manish Jagwani said.

In a career spanning over four decades, Khan is credited with choreographing more than 2,000 songs, including Dola Re Dola from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, Ek Do Teen from Madhuri Dixit-starrer Tezaab and Ye Ishq Haaye from Jab We Met in 2007.

She last choreographed for Tabaah Hogaye, featuring Madhuri from filmmaker Karan Johar’s production Kalank in 2019.

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Agencies
August 3,2020

Mumbai, Aug 3: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he has immense gratitude for the doctors who provided him with medical care for Covid-19 and feels overwhelmed to be free of the virus finally.

Amitabh, on Sunday, tested negative for the novel coronavirus and was discharged from hospital.

The 77-year-old actor was admitted to Nanavati hospital along with son Abhishek after testing positive for Covid-19 on July 11. Abhishek, 44, is still positive and will remain under medical care.

"It has been heartening to be back from the Hospital after the ‘mukti’ from the coronavirus but a sour taste in the mouth when Abhishek has to still be in the medical care," Amitabh wrote in his blog.

The actor said doctors are tirelessly working towards battling the virus "each hour" through consultation, sharing of information and experience with their fraternity from other parts of the world which gives "the hope of repair."

"Assuring us each minute that ‘all shall be well’ , when in fact they themselves struggle to find that confirmed patent that can be used, delivered, executed to save lives and conditions from the virus.

"When I had addressed them as 'angels in white' I had never imagined that I would be supine in their midst to savour their angelic presence, as they give us hope, inspiration and the strength to fight. They are quite quite remarkable. My gratitude shall never fail for them... feeling bad for Abhishek .. prayers he comes home soon," he added.

On Sunday, Abhishek thanked well-wishers for their continued support and said he would remain under medical care.

"I, unfortunately, due to some comorbidities remain Covid-19 positive and remain in hospital. Again, thank you all for your continued wishes and prayers for my family. Very humbled and indebted. I'll beat this and come back healthier! Promise," he wrote.

Abhishek's wife, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 46, and eight-year-old daughter Aaradhya were discharged from the hospital on Monday after testing negative for Covid-19.

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Agencies
January 9,2020

Mumbai, Jan 9: A day after Deepika Padukone visited the JNU campus to express solidarity with students who had been attacked, her film "Chhapaak" made another splash on Wednesday over the name of its antagonist.

While Deepika was the focus of many a discussion on social media and beyond for showing up at a public meeting in the university, the film, based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, was also making news for quite another reason.

In what could well be a storm in a 'Twitter cup', "Nadeem Khan" and "Rajesh" began trending on the microblogging site after a magazine article claimed the name of the antagonist had been changed. By 4 pm, 'Nadeem Khan' clocked close to 60,000 tweets and 'Rajesh' close behind with 50,000.

In 2005, Laxmi was disfigured for life when a man called Nadeem Khan and three others allegedly hurled acid at her in Delhi's upscale Khan Market.

In the film based on her life, the narrative remains the same but the names have been changed. So, Laxmi is 'Malti' Agarwal and Nadeem becomes 'Babboo' aka 'Bashir Khan'.

On Wednesday, Swarajya magazine wrote an article headlined, "The Ways Of Bollywood: In Deepika Padukone-Starer Chhapaak, Acid Attacker Naeem Khan Becomes ‘Rajesh'." "As part of a backlash against Padukone's JNU 'meet and greet', social media users researched the names of the characters involved in the movie Chhapaak and conspicuously found the name of main perpetrator Naeem Khan absent," the article alleged.

But in the Meghna Gulzar directed film, there is no mention of any Nadeem or Naeem Khan. Moreover, Rajesh is the name of Malti's boyfriend.

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo jumped into the controversy, saying it was another example of "absolute hypocrisy".

"...When you say all characters are fictitious and don't have any resemblance with living beings and all of that, this is absolute hypocrisy. When you change the name which also changes the religion, it has been done very deliberately," Supriyo told a TV channel when asked to comment on the controversy.

South Delhi BJP MP Ramesh Biduri also called for a boycott of the movie.

With Deepika grabbing attention by going to JNU, many appreciated her 'silent solidarity' but others criticised her for "supporting the Leftists" and said it was a promotional stunt ahead of the release.

"#BoycottChhapaak" was trending on Twitter as was "#ISupportDeepika".

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