MARATHI CINEMA GOES BIG!

It's all about money, honey. Many Marathi film producers seem to have realised that big budgets lead to better results on the big screen

THEIRidea of a big budget may not match up to their counterparts from Bollywood. But many Marathi film producers are spending big money to make films nowadays. Thirty-and-forty-lakh budgets are facts from the past. The expense figures are crossing the one crore mark with ease.Mahesh Manjrekar’s Phakta Ladh Mhana, Avadhoot Gupte’s Morya, Bharat Gaikwad’s Dhava Dhav and Neelima Lonari’s Guldasta are examples of how the industry is spending more on their movies. Singer-music director-filmmaker Avadhoot Gupte who is currently working on a lavish budget of 1.5 crores for his film Morya, says, “When the budget is high, you feel free and work harder to get the best that’s available in the market. For this film, we have opted for the best in editing technology and sound.We are also investing money in making good music.”

BIG BUDGET WONDERS: Phakta Ladh Mhana

When the budget of a film increases, the effect on the final outcome is evident. Veteran director-producer-actor Mahesh Manjrekar, who is spending a whopping 3 crore for his upcoming film, says, “I believe in spending what the movie deserves. For the socio-political film Phakta Ladh Mhana, I invested on hi-end digital cameras, the ones that are used to make a Hollywood flick. I bought three of them to get a perfect action sequence. I really do not believe in cutting costs, when the movie is worthy of it.” Director Bharat Gaikwad who spent about 1 crore on Dhava Dhav, agrees that when your film is supported by a big budget,the overall quality gets better. “The use of latest technology and no compromise on any front does help the movie become better and bigger,”he says.

Industry sources tells us that while filmmaking cost a maximum of 50 lakhs earlier, these days the average money spent is anywhere between 1 and 1.5 crore. Producer Neelima Lonari feels that it’s time that Marathi films broke the shackles of budget constraints, and worked with full creative freedom. “You have to spend a minimum of one crore if you want quality output.I spent about 1.25 crores on Guldasta, and the outcome was evident. Hi-end cameras, best locations, expert makeup artists and costume designers are minimum requirements for making a good film.” Sanjay Jadhav, who spent a whooping 2.5 crore for his film Ringa Ringa, insists that the change owes itself to the emergence of young directors. “The younger filmmakers are changing the look of Marathi cinema. And because the audience response is positive, more filmmakers are investing big moolah. De Dhaka, Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy, Checkmate and Ringa Ringa are fine examples of how budget has redefined Marathi cinema.”

BIG BUDGET WONDERS: Dhava Dhav, Guldasta

When a good script is paired with a big budget, cinema gets a new feel. Many say that Sade Made Teen triggered off this change.Sachit Patil,the director of the film, says, “Presentation is very important. Everything from the production value to the number of days we get in hand, helps create better cinema. I spent about 1.5 crores because I feel that, to create grandeur, you need a grand budget.” Another factor which increases the budget is a big star cast. But Sachin Kundalkar, director of Gandha who roped in Sonali Kulkarni and Milind Soman for the film, feels that there is more to a big budget than just a big star cast. He explains, “I spent a crore on Gandha. But that was to get good infrastructural facilities, perfect planning and a decent pace. If your script is strong,stars love to work with you.”

The highest amount to have been spent on a Marathi film,till date,is Harishchandrachi Factory, India’s official entry to the Oscars. The makers spent almost six crores on the movie, and the critical acclaim compensated for the budget. Director Paresh Mokashi admits, “I should be called the culprit for redefining the budget stats of Marathi cinema. It was a deliberate decision. It was a period film. So we spent on recreating that era on sets, costumes and makeup. I have no regrets.”

Grand sets,better quality,bigger budget.Indeed it’s the dawn of a new age for Marathi cinema.

JUST MESSING AROUND

A messy home is all you have when your friends consider your home as their property. PT talks to people about their ‘dirty’ experiences.



FUN NO MORE:

Fun with friends can turn into a messy affair

when they take your home for granted

IT’S your day off, and you plan a get-together with friends at home. You prepare yourself to chill out with a few select ones. But then you see friends and friends of friends inviting themselves to your ‘private’ party to chill out with you. Till this point, you accept everything. But after the party ends, you realize that your house is in a mess. Hear Paras Bhanushali, marketing executive, “I wanted to throw a party for my closest pals and relax. Along with them, even their girlfriends came home. We partied hard and had a really good time. But after the party, I realized that my house was in a mess. Empty cans and chips packets were thrown on the floor. Sometimes, your friends do tend to think of your home as their property. But I do not mind that, as we had a blast.”

It’s really okay when your friends ‘mess’ it up. But what happens when you don’t even know the person who pretends to be your friend? Amrita Kabra, a student shares, “My friends come to stay with me as I live alone in the city. And it’s great to have friends over. But one day, a girl called me saying that she was my friend Meeta’s friend and she wanted to stay at my place. Although I was a little hesitant, I gave in to the request. In the five days she stayed at my place, she actually pissed me off. My bed was not mine as it was full of her books, clothes and her. My kitchen was in a mess and I reached college late as she took a lot of time to bathe.”

Something that even jewellery designer Meha Parekh faced during her college days. She recalls, “One day, my classmate came home as she wanted some help with her studies. By the time we were done with our book work, we were starving. So I decided to churn a quick dish. She said she knew how to cook so I took her help. That was one big mistake. She mixed up all the masalas, burnt my subzi and the worst of all, spoilt my kitchen walls. When I put together the things to make pulao she said she would do the rest. A few minutes later the cooker burst. Thank God, both of us were not in the kitchen at that time. Later, she confessed that she had never stepped in the kitchen until that day. My favourite vessels were ruined and my kitchen wall was decorated with colourful veggies. I was so angry that day. Though we are good friends now, I still keep telling her that she was the one who messed up my kitchen.”

We have all come across people who are brats and just wanna have fun. But for Vishaka Deshpande, student of software engineering, the fun quotient was raised beyond limit and everything was one big mess. She shares, “My classmates and I were enjoying a nice evening at my place. It was a bad day. The guys were so ill-mannered and while doing masti that they burnt the curtains and smashed the window glass. My face was red with anger. And by the time they realized that they had taken things for granted, it was too late.”

Fun with friends is good, but we all should know where to draw the line.

Wired Via Web

Many city DJs are posting their works online and getting opportunities to perform abroad.



GOING ONLINE:
DJs are bagging international projects
by posting their work online

IF you want to make it big, you must know the importance of online networking. With everyone making their presence felt online, how can city DJs be far behind? DJ Prashant has been posting his work on the web and benefitting from it. He says, “Posting your work increases your chance of getting noticed. People have easy access to your songs. Once they hear and like them, they spread the w o r d . ” Prashant has played in Dubai, thanks to his online profile. Besides, he has got students from Malaysia who heard him online and came down to Pune to learn his craft.

If you wish to spread your wings, conventional marketing methods may not be of much help. As a result, city DJs have understood the potential of going online quite well. DJ Manish who has been going places, literally, says, “I posted my work online on a few websites which give DJs a platform to connect with the right people. I was surprised when I got some amazing international projects at Dubai, Bali, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Jakarta, thanks to my online posts.” Just like Manish, even DJ Yusuf didn’t expect that he would get calls for performing in South Africa. “I posted my work on a popular social networking site, and it happened to click with the organisers of a gig in South Africa. Playing in another country is a great experience.” DJ Yusuf has also played in Jakarta, courtesy his online posts. If the web can make one reach out to a global audience, then why not go for it? Hear DJ Abhishek, who got a chance to play in Bangkok, “Going online makes a lot of difference. You get global recognition, and people from all over the world come to know about your work.”

DJ Vaggy feels that, if not anything else, people get to know you and listen to the kind of songs you create. He says, “Once your work is placed online, people can get a gist of what you are all about. They crosscheck with people you have worked with earlier. If you are good, then you get instant recognition and big projects.” This is what happened with Vaggy, who played in Bahrain and Bangkok after the organisers heard his music online. Because of increasing competition, not many get a chance to hear you live, something DJ Sonu agrees with. He adds, “When you post your work online, it gives you more exposure. I got a chance to play at Phuket, thanks to my online webpage.” 

If you want to make it big, just go online. There is a huge world out there, waiting to listen to you.

Love ya madly

When in love, people do crazy things to make their loved ones happy.



CRAZY IN LOVE:

Love makes us do out-of-the-world things

MADONNA crooned in Crazy for you and Beyonce sang Crazy in love, leaving us mesmerised. But can love make us crazy, literally? Sometimes impulsive and sometimes just plain impressive, all in love have done things for love that are neither logical nor practical. Hear actress Shazahn Padamsee, who, for Valentine’s Day, planned an elaborate romantic surprise for her sweetheart. She recalls, “It was during my college days when I planned a special surprise for my boyfriend. I decorated his room with rose petals, flowers, chocolates, a teddy and a big love card. It was really silly and the craziest thing that I have done so far.

When you are madly in love, being silly doesn’t matter. You go completely out of the way to convince your partner how much you love him/her . Something that actor-singer Meiyang Chang did. He says, “I organised a special romantic dinner for just the two of us on V-day. Coming from me, it was a big surprise. She didn’t expect it obviously. I thought it was quite crazy and cheesy. For her, it was a romantic gesture she will cherish forever.”Sometimes, this craziness makes the smitten ones do something insane. Singer-actress Raageshwari went international under the spell of love. “It was 15 years back when I had just started my career. My first boyfriend loved some high-end designer shoes, which were not available in India. He would talk about them incessantly. So, just to impress him, I flew all the way to Singapore to buy him those shoes. He was shocked when he came to know about it,” she shares, laughing.

Not always can you be with your loved one, especially if you are a star and travelling most of the time. What do you do then? Singer Shaan faced a similar dilemma. Miles away from Mumbai, he was in Dehradun, busy doing shows and attending meetings, when he realised that he wanted to be with his lady love, Radhika. “I had a few days in hand before the next show. So I boarded the earliest available train from Dehradun, and via different means of transportations, reached Mumbai at 1 pm to be with her. It was a spontaneous decision and a crazy one too.” Overhearing his wife from the background, we probe him to divulge more. He laughs and says, “There was another instance when I blindfolded her. I had planned a small holiday for both of us. She thought I was taking her to an exotic location, and that we were heading to the airport. It was all dark when she opened her eyes, only to realise that we were in Matheran. The plan fell flat as I had not done any booking.”

Love makes us do things we would never do otherwise. Model Iris Maity, shares her first Valentine date experience, “I was 17-years-old and wanted to buy gifts for my date. I had no money, so I nicked some from my mum’s purse. I took all the chillar and 10 rupee notes, as I thought that wouldn’t make a lot of difference. I collected Rs 300, and gave a nice gift to him. Next day, my mum asked me why her purse felt light. Making a puppy face, I told her that I had no clue about it.” Ask former VJ Maria Goretti about the craziest thing that she has done on Valentine’s Day. She smiles and says, “I got married on this day. I haven’t done anything crazier to this.” Each love story has a mix of insanity, craziness, passion and emotion. But that’s what gets love going. So, what’s your crazy love story?





CRAZY IN LOVE

Your partner is fuming, and you need to cool him/her down. Acting crazy can make that happen very fast.

PICTURE this. You are fuming. While shouting, you happen to look at your partner, who is making funny faces. You get irritated in the beginning. But a few moments later, you end up smiling. The anger vanishes, and the mood lightens. That is when you realize that losing one’s cool is just not worth it. After all, why fight with the one who means the world to you? Businessman Sameer Sinha, who hates fights and bad moods, agrees, saying, “When my wife gets angry, I do all things possible to calm her down. I too get angry, but it does not stay for long. I try to make her smile by just being a good and helpful husband. I do everything she would love me to do — help her with the daily chores, and put my things in their proper places. She loves this good boy avatar of mine. And all is well after that.”

Anger, frustration and irritation lose when you sincerely want to bring laughter back. After all, why extend fights when you know there is no reasonable end to it? Kavita Sharma, an IT professional, agrees, “My husband and I fight for crazy reasons. We must have fought for the same reason 100 times before. There is no solution to it. So, when he gets angry, I pick up his favourite instrument and start playing it and sing a classic Bollywood number. It instantly lightens the whole mood and it is happy time again!”

When you have to cajole your partner, the one thing that works the best is ‘stupidity’. Yes, it seems weird, but stupidity can do things that sanity cannot. Ask freelance photographer Manavi Bhatia, and she’ll explain, “My husband makes weird faces whenever he is angry. So, what I do is, I show him a mirror and start emulating his expressions. That usually works, more so because it’s a very stupid gesture and less because it’s actually funny.” But Arpit Battacharya, a marketing professional, warns that stupidity can sometimes have the opposite effect. He says, “When my wife gets angry I joked and laughed, thinking it would make her smile too. But, unfortunately, she just got wilder. It's not always that you can fool around. Sometimes, you need to understand the reason behind the other person’s anger and act accordingly.”

All’s well that ends well. And how to end it well is something, you need to work on. If going crazy and laughing out loud is the solution, then go for it!

DRESSED UP IN IDEAS

Models walking on water, sets with multi-coloured flames; Pune fashion shows are getting increasingly experimental.

CREATIVITY MEETS RUNWAY:

City fashion shows are getting an interesting spin

with innovative themes

IF you thought fashion shows were only about the same old ramp and the same old models flaunting new trends and newer ensembles, then think again. A recent fashion show in the city was held on water, while another one had the theme of fire. Yes, fashion choreographers are taking creativity to a new level by coming up with themes that are in sync with the designer collection that is being presented. From the feel of the venue to the colour coordination and music, these choreographers are injecting creativity to the entire presentation of a fashion show.

Hear fashion choreographer Sandeep Dharma, the man behind the idea of having the ramp atop water, “It was a collection of swimsuits and casual wear. We wanted to create a long-lasting impact on our audience and give them a unique experience. So, we built the ramp on the pool and got the male models to hide underwater. When the models got out of water and walked on to the stage in their swimming trunks, it surprised everybody. It was a treat for all the ladies present.”

When runway director Chaitanya Gokhale was asked to do something ‘out of the box’, he literally did that. He says, “The show was an internal corporate fashion show. Most corporates demand for ‘different’ fashion shows, and loads of drama. So, when this corporate h o u s e asked me to think out of box, I did exactly that. I directed this sequence with actual boxes that had logos and images of teambuilding activities printed on them. Another interesting concept we did was that of futuristic fashion. The theme was a designer store that was nearing its closing hours. We got models to pose as man-nequins and walk the ramp wearing red, pink and blue hair wigs and masks to give a real mannequin feel. The psychedelic music too went really well with the theme.” To give the feel of a store, the backdrop of the ramp was that of a store shutter.

The idea behind all these fashion shows is clear: if you want to leave a lasting impression on your audience’s mind, you have to be innovative and connect well with them. Something that fashion choreographer, Shakun Sethi did. For a summer collection he designed a ‘fiery’ treat for fashion lovers. She describes, “We created a very colourful set with multicoloured flames. We made sure that the colour themes of the garments matched with that of the entire theme. Also, we used flame blasters to give it a real fire feel.”

Another interesting theme was that of a village in which rural scene was depicted using models on typical old bicycles and with some models walking with matkas on their head. Swati Singh, event coordinator, describes, “We gave it a complete rural look by adding elements like small bamboo huts with leaves around, women working on charkha and much more. The background score too was Meri banno hoshiyaar and Sasural genda phool, a typical village song.”

Fashion designers are keen on giving a spin to the look as well. Nivedita Saboo says, “For my recent collection, my theme was Morocco. We had shimmering filigree lamps, lanterns that lit the sidewalks along with rose petals, and carved architectural panels to create the right ambience for the show.” With thematic ramps, and elaborate stories designed to match the essence of fashion shows, one can easily say that style is meeting intelligence with panache!

Surprise, surprise



SPECIALLY FOR YOU:

Little surprises make any relationship special

GIVING surprises to your loved ones can spice up the romance and reignite the passion in a relationship. Ask HR professional, Smita Jaisingh, who planned a love-filled surprise for her husband, who was going through a busy time because of his travelling schedules. “That month, we hardly spent time together. Both of us were irritated and frustrated and the frequency of fights increased. I realised that the cause of our problem was lack of time. So, on our day off, instead of whining over the issues, I planned a ‘day out’ for the two of us. We went for a long drive on the old Pune-Mumbai highway, stopped by at our favourite joints and, in Lonavala, I surprised him with a romantic dinner.” A long chat and some love-filled moments really worked for Smita.Who doesn’t like surprises? But when it comes to guys surprising girls, the fairer sex usually ends up waiting endlessly. Finally, they directly ask their partner to plan a surprise for them. But Richa Jain, an IT professional, feels that whatever it is, a surprise is a surprise. “He is romantic. But when it comes to giving surprises, he is bad. I had told him many times, both directly and indirectly, about how much I loved getting surprises. But, I always ended up being disappointed. Then one day, after a hectic day at work, when I returned home, I saw that he had organised a little ‘party’ for the two of us. Not only had he prepared a lavish dinner but also tidied the entire home. I really felt special and loved.”

SPECIALLY FOR YOU:

Little surprises make any relationship special

Yes, surprises need not necessarily be planned for special occasions. Surprises add a ‘feel good’ factor to yo u r re l at i o n s h i p ; whether you are 18 or 80. And a sudden surprise, on an unexpected gesture can turn your dull day bright. A sudden something under your spouse's pillow, is enough to bring a smile on his/her face. When you are in a relationship for years, sometimes love seems to fizzle out. During such occasions, surprises help in reviving a relationship.

“You don’t have to plan a grand party or give a big gift. A small gesture is enough to make you feel that you mean the world to that person. I like reading poems. Suddenly I saw a handmade card with a small poem written on it by my wife. The poem was very bad, but the gesture touched me greatly and made my day,” smiles Siddharth Agarwal, a marketing professional. Mallika Agarwal, Siddharth’s wife and a dance teacher, adds, “I hate writing anything, let alone poems. But in the week preceding the day I wrote the poem for him, I had got a feeling that he was interested in his books rather than me. So I thought of surprising him. He gave me a tight hug and though, what followed it, were the words ‘you write really bad’, I loved his expressions. Things are much better between us now.”

A small gift wrapped nicely, a hand scribbled card, a special something that s/he had been eyeing since a long time or even a simple rose. Surprises come in different packages. All you have to do is splash a bit of romance and receive never-ending smiles, in return.