Film Industry

Stifling movie theatres with two big Hollywood franchise films and a barrage of experimental, semi-experimental Hindi films most of them directed by debutants, the movie business promises to get very hot this week. What with the sultry Priyanka Chopra in Baywatch competing with Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman.

The foreign press has already declared Baywatch a dud. But the film's Indian distributors are undeterred. They plan a series of paid previews on Thursday evening while Wonder Woman chooses a straightforward Friday release.

“We are very confident about our product. Gal Gadot and Wonder Woman are international phenonema. They don't need that extra push,” says a source from production house.

But no extra push will help the torrent of Hindi releases this Friday. There are seven Hindi releases toplined by Prawaal Raman's Oculus remake Dobaara, debutant director Sunaina Bhatnagar's Dear Maya starring Manisha Koirala, Ruchi Narain's cheeky revisionist animation version of mythology in Hanuman Da' Damdaar, which features Salman Khan's voice as older Hanuman.

If you like horror, there is Sunil Sanjan's Flat 211 and Vijit Sharma's US-based psycho-thriller Mirror Game: Ab Khel Shuru. And vying for some affection in this melee of releases is a kids' film called Bachche Kachche Sachche directed by debutant Ravi Sadasiv. Then there's Konkona Sensharma's debut directorial A Death In The Gunj.

Reacting to the storm of films this week trade analyst Atul Mohan says, “Is this the last Friday of 2017? Why this mass suicide? But you can't blame the producers also. The phenomenal success of Baahubali 2 has reshuffled many release dates. For how long can they hold back their investments? Crowded week will only lead to less visibility and poor showcasing at the box-office. Only good content with good word-of-mouth may sail through, but for that one has to come to the cinema halls first. With exorbitant ticket prices and lack of face value even that looks bleak. We can only wish them good luck.”

Harshvardhan Kapoor on how he landed Bhavesh Joshi, why he's doing unconventional roles and who he considers competition

Harshvardhan Kapoor's just one film old and his debut film might not have set cash registers ablaze, but when it comes to making interesting choices, the actor is a step ahead. He has just wrapped up the shooting of his second film - Bhavesh Joshi, Vikramaditya Motwane's upcoming vigilante drama, due for release sometime later this year. Here, he talks about his sophomore effort, the reasons behind his unconventional choices...

Nervous about your second release?
 Extremely nervous. Honestly, I've given a lot to Bhavesh and I really hope my work reaches people. It's an important film - one made with a lot of heart while fighting obstacles every day. They say that most hit debuts are flukes, so actors have to think harder about their second release. You signed your second even before the first one released...

I first auditioned for Bhavesh Joshi as a 22-year-old even before I signed Mirzya. Vikram (Motwane) turned me down at the time because he felt I was too young and too inexperienced for the kind of film Bhavesh was. I was in love with the script and every time it didn't work out with another actor, I would reach out to Vikram again and again. Eventually, after we had shot Mirzya, Vikram went over to Rakeysh Mehra sir's office who showed him the rushes unedited. After that, Vikram called my agent and said that he wants to reopen the Bhavesh discussion. It was one of the happiest days of my life. From there, after a few months of talking and readings, we decided to make the film. What can you tell us about your various looks in the film? I can't tell you much about the looks but there are quite a few different ones in this film. I've changed my body language and physical appearance within the film for the different phases. That's all I can share for now.

What drew you towards the film? Do you like vigilante films in general? Which is your favourite vigilante film? 
Bhavesh Joshi has an amazing script. I think it's Vikram's best script so far with a great connect. There's a lot of action as well. And yes, I liked the idea of a vigilante on the streets of Mumbai. My favourite vigilante film would be V For Vendetta. You missed the 60th birthday party of your mom because you had work in Mumbai. You flew back from London a day before. Could you have stayed back, given people flew in for the party? The last schedule of Bhavesh was coming up and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I needed to come back and re-read my scenes and get back in shape. Those were scenes you can only shoot once and they last forever. I wanted to put my 100 per cent into it.

Do you follow Ranbir Kapoor's pattern? 
He too was averse to commercial films in the beginning. He ultimately gave in and did commercial films that got him the numbers...

I don't follow anyone's patterns. I'm more interested in creating my own path. I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow evening, let alone follow someone else's career choices.

Baywatch might have received quite the beating from film critics and audiences alike, but that hasn't stopped the production team from mapping out a whole new story for a sequel already. The entire cast is expected to return, though there's not word yet on whether director Seth Gordon will be involved again.

According to one producer, they've already brought back the screenwriters from the first movie and are quite sure they'll be able to get the cast back on board too, who include Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Kelly Rohrbach and Priyanka Chopra.

“We have an amazing story already,” producer Beau Flynn revealed to Variety on the red carpet at the New York screening of the film. ‘We're bringing back (Damian) Shannon and (Mark) Swift who wrote on the first one and I know Dwayne would be in, I know Zac and all the girls would be in.” In fact, Kelly and Alexandra confirmed that they would definitely be up for round two. “I couldn't have asked for a better cast on my first film,” said Kelly. “These guys are awesome. They're hilarious, they're loving, they're generous. We really were a family and I think that comes though on the screen, as well.” Alexandra added, “I would love to. I think it's very cool to be part of a franchise, and I think it helps get other work. It's fun. You get to travel the world and work with these amazing people, and you get to make people laugh, so I'm completely down for it.” This new tale could see the lifeguard team head to Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro. “We just have this really cool idea to put them on this whole new world,” Beau continued. “We would take it overseas and maybe Rio as part of the story, we'll have to see.”

Pierce Brosnan has hailed Sir Roger Moore his “hero''. In an essay penned for Variety magazine, he wrote, “Only on reflection do I see how much of an influence Roger Moore had on me as a young Irish immigrant lad from the banks of the River Boyne. I guess the combination of Bond and the Saint ignited a flame for fame in my heart of innocent wonder. I wanted to be up there. Roger as the Saint made me believe in his world. And before I knew it, the man who was the Saint transformed into James Bond, an even greater hero to me as a boy.'' He added, “Having by now fully immersed myself in the magic of movies, and with my appetite for more informed and character-driven work in films, I guess I slowly dreamt of being an actor as I watched their work, which never really seemed like work to me. Of course, I was only 12 years old. Only now after 40 years as an actor do I know the hard road it takes to be one. It's only now, after all these years, that I know he was a hero.”

Olivia Newton-John's showbiz pals have taken to social media to reach out to the star after she revealed her breast cancer has returned. The 68-year-old actress-and-singer postponed her planned performances next month in the US and Canada after learning the life-threatening disease had spread to her back on Tuesday. Drag Queen RuPaul, 68, wrote on Twitter, “Let's all send Olivia healing love energy @olivianj (sic).” Pop star Sara Bareilles hailed the Grease star “the bravest'' for opening up about her battle with cancer for the second time. The 37-year-old singer wrote on the micro-blogging site, “My heart and prayers are with you @olivianj. You are the bravest and the strongest!! (sic)'' And Dolly Parton's sister Stella, wrote, “Will be praying you make a speedy recover. Sending lots of love. You are stronger than you know. (sic.)'' A source has told PEOPLE magazine that the Physical hitmaker's family have high hopes that she should be back on the road in August. They said, “She plans to be touring in August. They're all very positive.'' She has vowed to fight the disease with the help of her own Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre based in Melbourne, Australia. The actress will be helped by natural therapists, though she will have to undergo a “short'' course of radiation therapy.

On her treatment plan, she said, “I decided on my direction of therapies after consultation with my doctors and natural therapists and the medical team at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia.'' Olivia has promised she will reschedule her shows. A statement posted on the star's Facebook page read, “Olivia Newton-John is reluctantly postponing her June US and Canadian concert tour dates. The back pain that initially caused her to postpone the first half of her concert tour, has turned out to be breast cancer that has metastasized to the sacrum. In addition to natural wellness therapies, Olivia will complete a short course of photon radiation therapy and is confident she will be back later in the year, better than ever, to celebrate her shows.''

According to some reports, Lebanon is seeking to ban the upcoming Warner Bros. superhero movie Wonder Woman from the country on the grounds that its lead actress, Gal Gadot, is Israeli. The state of Lebanon is at war with Israel, and has a law that boycotts all Israeli products and prevents its citizens from having any kind of contact with Israelis and from travelling there.

Arab News reports that a local source says the ministry of economy in Lebanon is seeking to “take the necessary measures” to prevent the DC Universe film from being screened there.

Digital billboards and posters for the film have been spotted in the capital city of Beirut. Furthermore, a representative of a Lebanese cinema chain has stated that the Wonder Woman premiere is going ahead as originally planned on Wednesday. A security official speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the ban would require a recommendation from a six-person committee of the ministry of economy, but that the process for this had not begun yet.

In fact, Gadot has appeared in reprisals of the Fast and Furious, none of them were banned in Lebanon.

But this could change as a group called Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon has spearheaded the effort to get Wonder Woman banned, saying that Gadot, who has served as an enlisted soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces as a combat trainer, expressed support for Israel as it conducted a campaign against Hezbollah three years ago.

Warner Bros. has so far not commented on the reports.

Ariana Grande is to be joined by some of the very biggest names in pop music as she performs at a tribute concert held in honour of the Manchester bombing victims this coming weekend, including Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Coldplay. The pop megastars will share the bill at the One Love Manchester tribute show that will take place at the 50,000-capacity Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground on Sunday (June 4), which is being held to commemorate and raise funds for the victims of the terrorist bombing that took place at Grande's concert at the city's MEN Arena less than two weeks before.

Other performers will include Pharrell Williams, Usher, former One Direction star Niall Horan and Manchester's own Take That. The BBC is to broadcast the event, which begins at 7.15pm, on television and radio.

All proceeds are to go to the We Love Manchester emergency fund, set up by Manchester City Council and the British Red Cross.