Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who visited the Sabarimala stampede site at Pulumedu in Kerala's Idukki District on Wednesday alleged lapses on the part of State Government and criticized them for not taking any action into the incident, where 102 Sabarimala pilgrims lost their lives in a stampede on Friday night.
Swaraj, who visited the stampede site, said that the issue would be raised in the Parliament.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swaraj also asked the stakeholders to come out with a concrete plan to avoid such mishaps.
At least 102 people were killed and 60 injured in a stampede while returning from the Sabarimala shrine when a jeep crashed into the pilgrims at Pulumedu in Kerala's Idukki district.
Most of the victims who perished were from Tamil Nadu, Andhdra Pradesh and Karnataka. They were returning home through the forest route after the Makarajyoti darshan, considered a celestial phenomenon, at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa.
Showing posts with label Slumdog Millionaire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slumdog Millionaire. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sunday, June 14, 2009
8 dead in market bomb blast in Pakistan
14 Jun 2009
DERA ISMAIL KHAN (Pakistan): At least eight people were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday when a bomb exploded in a market in a northwest
Pakistan town troubled by Taliban attacks, police and hospital officials said.
The blast hit Dera Ismail Khan, about 300 kilometres (186 miles) south of the provincial capital Peshawar and near a district where Pakistani troops are locked in an offensive with Taliban fighters.
"Eight people have been killed and 20 injured in the blast," Syed Mohsin Shah, the top administrator of Dera Ismail Khan city, said.
"The bomb was planted in a cycle-rickshaw and it was rush hour in the bazaar at the time of blast," he added.
Ghulam Jailani, a police official in Dera Ismail Khan, said the blast was detonated by remote-control, while officials said dozens were wounded.
"We have received eight dead bodies and 27 injured, five of them are very serious," said Mohammad Ashiq Saleem, a senior doctor in the main government hospital in the town.
Pakistan has been hit by a string of deadly bomb blasts in recent weeks, many of them claimed by the Taliban, who say they are exacting revenge for a punishing military offensive against them across swathes of the northwest.
Security forces launched their campaign in three northwest districts around the Swat valley on April 26 after Taliban fighters advanced towards Islamabad.
Operations recently expanded to Bannu district -- just north of Dera Ismail Khan -- while fighter jets have also bombed militant targets in the nearby semi-autonomous tribal area of South Waziristan.
"In my opinion the blast is a follow-up to the Swat and Waziristan operations," said Mohammad Iqbal Khan, chief of the district police.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN (Pakistan): At least eight people were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday when a bomb exploded in a market in a northwest
Pakistan town troubled by Taliban attacks, police and hospital officials said.
The blast hit Dera Ismail Khan, about 300 kilometres (186 miles) south of the provincial capital Peshawar and near a district where Pakistani troops are locked in an offensive with Taliban fighters.
"Eight people have been killed and 20 injured in the blast," Syed Mohsin Shah, the top administrator of Dera Ismail Khan city, said.
"The bomb was planted in a cycle-rickshaw and it was rush hour in the bazaar at the time of blast," he added.
Ghulam Jailani, a police official in Dera Ismail Khan, said the blast was detonated by remote-control, while officials said dozens were wounded.
"We have received eight dead bodies and 27 injured, five of them are very serious," said Mohammad Ashiq Saleem, a senior doctor in the main government hospital in the town.
Pakistan has been hit by a string of deadly bomb blasts in recent weeks, many of them claimed by the Taliban, who say they are exacting revenge for a punishing military offensive against them across swathes of the northwest.
Security forces launched their campaign in three northwest districts around the Swat valley on April 26 after Taliban fighters advanced towards Islamabad.
Operations recently expanded to Bannu district -- just north of Dera Ismail Khan -- while fighter jets have also bombed militant targets in the nearby semi-autonomous tribal area of South Waziristan.
"In my opinion the blast is a follow-up to the Swat and Waziristan operations," said Mohammad Iqbal Khan, chief of the district police.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Advani will be next prime minister: BJP
14 May 2009, PTI
NEW DELHI: Disregarding exit poll findings, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asserted Thursday that its leader L.K. Advani will be the country's next prime minister.
"After the 16th, Advani will become the prime minister of India," BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media, referring to Saturday when votes polled in the Lok Sabha election will be counted.
He insisted that the BJP would emerge as the single largest party in the 545-seat Lok Sabha and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) "will be the largest pre-poll alliance".
He discounted Wednesday's exit polls that put the Congress marginally ahead of the BJP in the five-phase
NEW DELHI: Disregarding exit poll findings, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asserted Thursday that its leader L.K. Advani will be the country's next prime minister.
"After the 16th, Advani will become the prime minister of India," BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media, referring to Saturday when votes polled in the Lok Sabha election will be counted.
He insisted that the BJP would emerge as the single largest party in the 545-seat Lok Sabha and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) "will be the largest pre-poll alliance".
He discounted Wednesday's exit polls that put the Congress marginally ahead of the BJP in the five-phase
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Zardari is sincere but it should be backed by actions: Pranab
28 Feb 2009, PTI
NEW DELHI: As India continues to push Pakistan to eliminate terrorism, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee has said he believes President Asif Ali Zardari is sincere about ending the menace but underlined that his desire should be backed by actions by Islamabad.
"I would like to say that I believe in his sincerity because he himself is a victim of the terror attack. His wife, one of the tall leaders of the subcontinent fell victim to the senseless brutal terror attack," Mukherjee said.
"I believe he (Zardari) has desire to fight against terrorism," he told in an interview to the news channel, while describing the Pakistan President as a "nice man" and a "gentleman".
At the same time, he added "my belief is not adequate. It must be backed by action taken by the government and authorities of Pakistan".
Mukherjee, who described Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also as gentlemen, made it clear that "it is not a question of individual personalities."
Underlining that the incumbent government of Pakistan has the "responsibility" to act, he said "When we talk, we talk of the incumbent government."
NEW DELHI: As India continues to push Pakistan to eliminate terrorism, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee has said he believes President Asif Ali Zardari is sincere about ending the menace but underlined that his desire should be backed by actions by Islamabad.
"I would like to say that I believe in his sincerity because he himself is a victim of the terror attack. His wife, one of the tall leaders of the subcontinent fell victim to the senseless brutal terror attack," Mukherjee said.
"I believe he (Zardari) has desire to fight against terrorism," he told in an interview to the news channel, while describing the Pakistan President as a "nice man" and a "gentleman".
At the same time, he added "my belief is not adequate. It must be backed by action taken by the government and authorities of Pakistan".
Mukherjee, who described Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also as gentlemen, made it clear that "it is not a question of individual personalities."
Underlining that the incumbent government of Pakistan has the "responsibility" to act, he said "When we talk, we talk of the incumbent government."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Carnival greets AR Rahman at Chennai
26 Feb 2009, Times Now
CHENNAI: Music maestro A R Rahman, the first Indian to win two Oscars, returned to his home city — Chennai to a rousing welcome by his fans and friends in the wee hours of Thursday (February 26).
The 43-year-old musician, who won the Oscars for Best Original Music and Best Song for his compositions in "Slumdog Millionaire" at the 81st Academy Awards, arrived in Chennai from Dubai by an Emirates Airways flight at around 2.30 am.
A large number of people, who waited at the airport for the 'Mozart of Madras', cheered him up as he emerged out of the international terminal to the beats of drum specialist Sivamani and his troupe.
Kerala's "Kottu Melam" (percussion instrument) artists gave a performance on behalf of the Indian Airlines.
On behalf of the state government, Tamil Nadu information minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi received Rahman with a bouquet at the airport terminal.
A visibly happy Rahman waved at the crowd acknowledging their support before leaving for his home.
After reaching his home town, the music genius spoke exclusively to times Now and expressed joy and said that there were more things to come, this is just the beginning for him
CHENNAI: Music maestro A R Rahman, the first Indian to win two Oscars, returned to his home city — Chennai to a rousing welcome by his fans and friends in the wee hours of Thursday (February 26).
The 43-year-old musician, who won the Oscars for Best Original Music and Best Song for his compositions in "Slumdog Millionaire" at the 81st Academy Awards, arrived in Chennai from Dubai by an Emirates Airways flight at around 2.30 am.
A large number of people, who waited at the airport for the 'Mozart of Madras', cheered him up as he emerged out of the international terminal to the beats of drum specialist Sivamani and his troupe.
Kerala's "Kottu Melam" (percussion instrument) artists gave a performance on behalf of the Indian Airlines.
On behalf of the state government, Tamil Nadu information minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi received Rahman with a bouquet at the airport terminal.
A visibly happy Rahman waved at the crowd acknowledging their support before leaving for his home.
After reaching his home town, the music genius spoke exclusively to times Now and expressed joy and said that there were more things to come, this is just the beginning for him
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
'Global Meltdown reduced tourist arrival'
24 February 2009
New Delhi: The global meltdown, coupled with the Mumbai terror attacks, considerably impacted the foreign tourist arrivals in India and their number rose only 5.56 percent last year against the expected growth of 14.56 percent, the Rajya Sabha was informed Tuesday.
"The global meltdown has affected those countries that are our primary source of tourist arrivals. There have been cancellations but I would like to point out that a growth rate of 5.56 percent is way above the global average of two percent," Tourism Minister Ambika Soni said during question hour.
"The Mumbai attacks also contributed to the dip in arrivals," she added.
"Till August-September, we had very high growth rates. Then came the global meltdown and the Mumbai attacks," she said, adding that in spite of the dip in arrivals, foreign exchange earnings last year rose 14.4 percent.
"This is because we receive a number of high-end travellers and those who spend a lot of money," Soni explained.
The minister vehemently denied suggestions that efforts to encourage foreign tourist arrivals were being made at the cost of domestic tourism.
"Any steps to encourage foreign tourist arrivals is not at the cost of domestic tourism," she said, adding that 560 million Indians travelled within the country last year.
"When I became a minister, the prime minister had clearly said that domestic tourism was a priority. Thus, we have been able to increase the number of domestic tourists from 320 million to 560 million (last year)."
Detailing the steps her ministry had taken to promote domestic tourism, Soni said Rs.378 crore (Rs.3.78 billion) had been sanctioned for 16 mega projects in the country, while another six were in the pipeline.
"Under this scheme, Rs.25 crore (Rs.250 million) is given for destination development and Rs.50 crore for circuit development," Soni said, adding that the projects were coming up in places like Amritsar, Ajmer, Pushkar, Goa and Tirupathi.
This apart, the government had identified 139 spots for promoting rural tourism and was providing Rs.50 lakh (Rs.5 million) at each place for infrastructure development and Rs.20 lakh for capacity building.
Soni also sought to allay apprehensions that the regional media were being ignored for advertisements for the tourism ministry's "Incredible India" campaign.
"A special committee decides where the advertisements are to be placed. I want to make it very clear that from Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala, from east to west, no language is left untouched. At the same time, we cannot give advertisements to each and every newspaper," Soni pointed out.
New Delhi: The global meltdown, coupled with the Mumbai terror attacks, considerably impacted the foreign tourist arrivals in India and their number rose only 5.56 percent last year against the expected growth of 14.56 percent, the Rajya Sabha was informed Tuesday.
"The global meltdown has affected those countries that are our primary source of tourist arrivals. There have been cancellations but I would like to point out that a growth rate of 5.56 percent is way above the global average of two percent," Tourism Minister Ambika Soni said during question hour.
"The Mumbai attacks also contributed to the dip in arrivals," she added.
"Till August-September, we had very high growth rates. Then came the global meltdown and the Mumbai attacks," she said, adding that in spite of the dip in arrivals, foreign exchange earnings last year rose 14.4 percent.
"This is because we receive a number of high-end travellers and those who spend a lot of money," Soni explained.
The minister vehemently denied suggestions that efforts to encourage foreign tourist arrivals were being made at the cost of domestic tourism.
"Any steps to encourage foreign tourist arrivals is not at the cost of domestic tourism," she said, adding that 560 million Indians travelled within the country last year.
"When I became a minister, the prime minister had clearly said that domestic tourism was a priority. Thus, we have been able to increase the number of domestic tourists from 320 million to 560 million (last year)."
Detailing the steps her ministry had taken to promote domestic tourism, Soni said Rs.378 crore (Rs.3.78 billion) had been sanctioned for 16 mega projects in the country, while another six were in the pipeline.
"Under this scheme, Rs.25 crore (Rs.250 million) is given for destination development and Rs.50 crore for circuit development," Soni said, adding that the projects were coming up in places like Amritsar, Ajmer, Pushkar, Goa and Tirupathi.
This apart, the government had identified 139 spots for promoting rural tourism and was providing Rs.50 lakh (Rs.5 million) at each place for infrastructure development and Rs.20 lakh for capacity building.
Soni also sought to allay apprehensions that the regional media were being ignored for advertisements for the tourism ministry's "Incredible India" campaign.
"A special committee decides where the advertisements are to be placed. I want to make it very clear that from Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala, from east to west, no language is left untouched. At the same time, we cannot give advertisements to each and every newspaper," Soni pointed out.
Monday, February 23, 2009
India Celebrates a Hollywood Victory
NEW DELHI — Its depictions of filth and brutality fueled angry blogging and stray street protests. It drew unusually intense scrutiny, for everything from how much its child actors were paid to what the composer A. R. Rahman would wear to the Oscars. But on Monday, as India woke up to news of the spectacular wins by “Slumdog Millionaire” at the Academy Awards, this movie-mad country went “Jai Ho.”
The movie’s victory was embraced as India’s own.
“What a day it has been for India!” gushed a television news anchor midmorning. The story dominated television news throughout the day. News of a hepatitis B outbreak in western Gujarat State and a southern politician’s threatened hunger strike seemed minor by comparison.
“We rocked the world,” an Indian percussionist named Sivamani declared.
Never mind that “Slumdog” tells a story of stunted, shafted slum children, precisely the kind of story promoters of the New India have sought to obscure with tales of prosperity. India seized on its Oscar wins as a sign of its arrival on the world stage.
Indian television showed Indian dancers in spangly skirts onstage at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles and Mr. Rahman, eyes closed, singing his winning song, “Jai Ho” — its title an exuberant Hindi phrase that literally translates as “Let there be victory.” Mr. Rahman thanked God and his mother. Resul Pookutty, who shared the prize for sound mixing, dedicated it to his country. In his small town in south India, neighbors and kin were shown passing a big plate of sweets and crying tears of joy.
“India has made a clean sweep here,” Anil Kapoor, the Indian actor who played the game-show host in “Slumdog,” declared in an interview with NDTV, a private television station.
On Monday even the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh, congratulated the “Slumdog” team, along with the makers of another winning film, “Smile Pinki,” a short documentary about a village girl with a cleft palate. “The winners have done India proud,” Mr. Singh’s office said in a statement.
The last time an Indian won an Oscar was for the costume design of the 1982 biographical film “Gandhi,” directed by Richard Attenborough. Many Indians were peeved at the time that a known Indian actor had not been cast to play the father of their nation. Ben Kingsley, who played Gandhi, is of partly Indian descent. (In 1992 the Indian director Satyajit Ray was awarded the Oscar for lifetime achievement.)
“Slumdog,” of course, is not an Indian film. It was backed by two American studios. The director, Danny Boyle, is British, as are its screenwriter, who adapted the script from a book by an Indian diplomat, and its producer.
But “Slumdog” has an almost entirely Indian cast, along with a British actor of Indian descent, Dev Patel, who plays the teenage lead, Jamal. It was shot on the streets of Mumbai, unlike most Indian films. And about a third of the dialogue is in Hindi.
It has several key Indian crew members, including the co-director, Loveleen Tandan, and of course Mr. Rahman, whose compositions weave sounds from all over the world with a deeply Indian sensibility.
Most important, “Slumdog” picks up on key motifs of the classic Bollywood fairy tale: the plucky underdog hero, sibling rivalry, ghetto gangsters and a beautiful damsel needing a rescue.
Small bursts of outrage greeted the film when it opened in India recently, including a protest several weeks ago in front of Mr. Kapoor’s house, where children held up placards that read “Don’t call me dog.” In the current issue of India Today, a weekly magazine, a filmmaker named Priyadarshan called it “absolute and intentional exploitation of India.”
But the newspaper columnist Vir Sanghvi, writing in his blog on Monday, said he was “thrilled” by the film’s victory and the sight of so many Indians onstage at the Academy Awards. “Even when ‘Gandhi’ won the Oscar for best picture all those years ago, we never felt that it was India’s victory,” he wrote. “I don’t know if this is a breakthrough for India, or whether we will be able to follow it up. But some things seem clear. Anil Kapoor is now the world’s most famous Bollywood actor — and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Nobody will be able to talk about world music without including Rahman as its leading star.”
A more sobering response came on Monday from Dilbur Parakh, who heads a charity-run school where two of the film’s youngest stars, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, and Rubina Ali Qureshi, 9, are enrolled. The children still live in a sprawling shantytown whose name, Garib Nagar, literally means the enclave of the poor. The filmmakers pay their school fees.
To Ms. Parakh, the story of “Slumdog” echoed the stories of hundreds of Indian children she had met. “This is the way it really is,” she said. “We can’t ignore it. We have to face it. I mean Indians as a whole.”
That a Briton made the film did not much matter to her. “It really is an Indian story,” said Ms. Parakh, who is also the chairwoman of Aseema, the nonprofit organization in Mumbai that runs the school.
Munni Qureishi, 28, Rubina’s mother, said the people of Garib Nagar had stayed up much of the night in anticipation, then greeted the victory on Monday morning with firecrackers and boisterous handmade drums. Mrs. Qureishi, who has worked as a housemaid since childhood, said she looked forward to welcoming her daughter home with flowers and her favorite food: Chinese-style noodles.
“She has crossed the ocean,” Mrs. Qureishi said. “With God’s blessing she will return.”
Slumdog Millionaire, Bollywood billionaires?
February 24, 2009
Eight Oscars open this Rs 11,000-crore industry to larger global audiences.
Bollywood’s big boys expect the success of Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscars at the Academy Awards ceremony today, to give film production houses a big opportunity to carve a niche market for films with Indian actors, stories, music and style that appeal to a larger audience in the US, instead of just the Indian diaspora.
Films with Indian actors, story and director, like Namesake, Monsoon Wedding and Bend it Like Beckham, were cross-over movies that won critical acclaim but did not make a dent with larger US audiences. That has changed overnight with Slumdog’s Oscar sweep. “Slumdog is a Bollywood movie told in typical Bollywood style, with Indian actors and shot in India, which has appealed to an audience that goes beyond the Indian diaspora,” said Rajesh Sawhney, president of Reliance Entertainment, which recently announced a multi-million dollar collaboration deal with maverick director Steven Spielberg. “Until now, Bollywood movies only addressed Indians in the US. We hope this is not a one-off and there are more films that follow this experimentation,” he added.
His company, for instance, is producing Kites, which has a Mexican heroine, Barbara Mori, and Indian star Hrithik Roshan and is shot in Los Angeles with an international audience in mind.
Sawhney said the Chinese have already made a dent in the US mass market with films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, which won an Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film in 2000 and also became a box office success in the US in its own right.
Other producers said the success of the movie will not change Bollywood. But it will make producers in Hollywood realise that a new opportunity has emerged. “Bollywood movies are meant for Indian audiences. Slumdog was made for western audiences. But its success shows that there is an opportunity for Hollywood to take up Indian themes, cast and technicians and make a movie that is of world standard and which works,” said film producer Bobby Bedi.
Many entertainment companies expect that the big movie studios like Sony (which made Saawariya), Fox Entertainment and Warner Brothers (which made Chandni Chowk to China) that have been cautious in investing in Bollywood films might just change their mind after Slumdog.
“India and China are the two emerging markets with a large audience base and their markets are stagnating. China has rules that don’t allow Hollywood studios easy entry. So this might be an opportunity for the studios to put in more money in India,” said Sawhney.
There are, of course, immediate beneficiaries from the movie’s success — the technicians, and musicians like A R Rahman from India who have now entered the global centrestage. “The Oscar for the original music score puts India on the music map of the world. Earlier, the West identified Indian music with Ravi Shankar. It’s a good thing the award has gone to music that is popular. It will give recognition to musicians here,” said Ehsaan Noorani (of the music director trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy).
Industry experts reckon that Rahman’s price (he is the most expensive and charges around Rs 5 crore) would go up at least 50 per cent, if not more, after he has bagged the Oscar for the best original score.
Freida Pinto, the girl-next-door in Slumdog, has become an instant Hollywood celebrity and is commanding big bucks already. Her endorsement fees have shot up from a mere Rs 20 lakh before the movies to Rs 1.3 crore.
“Freida has received a very big Hollywood offer that is likely to be announced soon and will dramatically increase her endorsement fees,” said Anirban Das Blah, chief executive of Globosports, a celebrity management firm handling her endorsement contracts.
Eight Oscars open this Rs 11,000-crore industry to larger global audiences.
Bollywood’s big boys expect the success of Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscars at the Academy Awards ceremony today, to give film production houses a big opportunity to carve a niche market for films with Indian actors, stories, music and style that appeal to a larger audience in the US, instead of just the Indian diaspora.
Films with Indian actors, story and director, like Namesake, Monsoon Wedding and Bend it Like Beckham, were cross-over movies that won critical acclaim but did not make a dent with larger US audiences. That has changed overnight with Slumdog’s Oscar sweep. “Slumdog is a Bollywood movie told in typical Bollywood style, with Indian actors and shot in India, which has appealed to an audience that goes beyond the Indian diaspora,” said Rajesh Sawhney, president of Reliance Entertainment, which recently announced a multi-million dollar collaboration deal with maverick director Steven Spielberg. “Until now, Bollywood movies only addressed Indians in the US. We hope this is not a one-off and there are more films that follow this experimentation,” he added.
His company, for instance, is producing Kites, which has a Mexican heroine, Barbara Mori, and Indian star Hrithik Roshan and is shot in Los Angeles with an international audience in mind.
Sawhney said the Chinese have already made a dent in the US mass market with films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, which won an Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film in 2000 and also became a box office success in the US in its own right.
Other producers said the success of the movie will not change Bollywood. But it will make producers in Hollywood realise that a new opportunity has emerged. “Bollywood movies are meant for Indian audiences. Slumdog was made for western audiences. But its success shows that there is an opportunity for Hollywood to take up Indian themes, cast and technicians and make a movie that is of world standard and which works,” said film producer Bobby Bedi.
Many entertainment companies expect that the big movie studios like Sony (which made Saawariya), Fox Entertainment and Warner Brothers (which made Chandni Chowk to China) that have been cautious in investing in Bollywood films might just change their mind after Slumdog.
“India and China are the two emerging markets with a large audience base and their markets are stagnating. China has rules that don’t allow Hollywood studios easy entry. So this might be an opportunity for the studios to put in more money in India,” said Sawhney.
There are, of course, immediate beneficiaries from the movie’s success — the technicians, and musicians like A R Rahman from India who have now entered the global centrestage. “The Oscar for the original music score puts India on the music map of the world. Earlier, the West identified Indian music with Ravi Shankar. It’s a good thing the award has gone to music that is popular. It will give recognition to musicians here,” said Ehsaan Noorani (of the music director trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy).
Industry experts reckon that Rahman’s price (he is the most expensive and charges around Rs 5 crore) would go up at least 50 per cent, if not more, after he has bagged the Oscar for the best original score.
Freida Pinto, the girl-next-door in Slumdog, has become an instant Hollywood celebrity and is commanding big bucks already. Her endorsement fees have shot up from a mere Rs 20 lakh before the movies to Rs 1.3 crore.
“Freida has received a very big Hollywood offer that is likely to be announced soon and will dramatically increase her endorsement fees,” said Anirban Das Blah, chief executive of Globosports, a celebrity management firm handling her endorsement contracts.
Multiplexes in talks for Slumdog's re-release
NEW DELHI: Now that Slumdog Millionaire has swept the Oscars, its rights holders and multiplexes back home are looking to pick up some of the gold dust left in its trail.
While multiplex players are in talks with Fox Star Studios for the movie’s re-release, rights holders are eyeing higher revenues through non-theatrical revenue streams.
Slumdog Millionaire and its Hindi version Slumdog Crorepati, which was released on January 23, earned an estimated Rs 22 crore in two weeks till February 2. In the first three days alone, the movie garnered Rs 13.5 crore, as per data available with Fox Star India. The movie, released a month late in India, lost theatrical revenues to pirated versions.
With no other movie lined up for release in the next two weeks, the players believe a re-release makes commercial sense. Fox Star Studios head-marketing Vivek Krishnani said the company had set up a team that was in talks with multiplex players.
Reliance Big Cinemas COO Tushar Dhingra said the multiplex chain was in talks with the Fox team for a re-release, with the Oscars generating renewed interest among movie-goers. He added, however, that the company was also evaluating whether there was potential for a repeat audience, considering the film is accessible on DTH and will soon be available on DVDs.
PVR Cinemas will be running the movie next week for a day as part of the Oscar movie festival. Said PVR Cinemas COO Gautam Dutta, “We are screening all the movies nominated at the Oscars and one evening will be dedicated to screening Slumdog Millionaire.”
Meanwhile, Fox Star Studios and the companies that have bought the home video and broadcasting rights are looking at making the best of the post-Oscars opportunity. The studio had sold the home video rights to Shemaroo and the satellite rights to Sony Entertainment Television. The studio had also struck a three-day deal with DTH player Tata Sky to screen the movie through video on demand, which is now expected to go to other DTH companies.
According to a senior executive with a media company, both Sony and Shemaroo may pay Fox a minimum guarantee for the rights of the movie. This apart, the two will also have to share revenue earned through the rights with Fox.
While multiplex players are in talks with Fox Star Studios for the movie’s re-release, rights holders are eyeing higher revenues through non-theatrical revenue streams.
Slumdog Millionaire and its Hindi version Slumdog Crorepati, which was released on January 23, earned an estimated Rs 22 crore in two weeks till February 2. In the first three days alone, the movie garnered Rs 13.5 crore, as per data available with Fox Star India. The movie, released a month late in India, lost theatrical revenues to pirated versions.
With no other movie lined up for release in the next two weeks, the players believe a re-release makes commercial sense. Fox Star Studios head-marketing Vivek Krishnani said the company had set up a team that was in talks with multiplex players.
Reliance Big Cinemas COO Tushar Dhingra said the multiplex chain was in talks with the Fox team for a re-release, with the Oscars generating renewed interest among movie-goers. He added, however, that the company was also evaluating whether there was potential for a repeat audience, considering the film is accessible on DTH and will soon be available on DVDs.
PVR Cinemas will be running the movie next week for a day as part of the Oscar movie festival. Said PVR Cinemas COO Gautam Dutta, “We are screening all the movies nominated at the Oscars and one evening will be dedicated to screening Slumdog Millionaire.”
Meanwhile, Fox Star Studios and the companies that have bought the home video and broadcasting rights are looking at making the best of the post-Oscars opportunity. The studio had sold the home video rights to Shemaroo and the satellite rights to Sony Entertainment Television. The studio had also struck a three-day deal with DTH player Tata Sky to screen the movie through video on demand, which is now expected to go to other DTH companies.
According to a senior executive with a media company, both Sony and Shemaroo may pay Fox a minimum guarantee for the rights of the movie. This apart, the two will also have to share revenue earned through the rights with Fox.
Slumdog makes franchisees Crorepati
February 24, 2009
It's not just about the Oscars, Golden Globe and millions of dollars that Slumdog Millionaire has grossed globally, many Indian companies too are raking in big money from this Hollywood movie.
Fox Star Studio India, the distributor of Slumdog Millionaire in the country, has managed to gross around Rs 40 crore from the markets, surpassing collections of some of the biggest Bollywood hits of last year such as Rock On.
From theatrical collections alone, Slumdog Millionaire and its Hindi version Slumdog Crorepati have managed to get over Rs 30 crore. "It's a commercial hit for us, considering that it was not a typical Bollywood film. It has made Rs 30 crore at the box office, two-thirds of which have come from its Hindi avtaar," says Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India.
From the sale of its TV rights (cable and satellite) to Sony Entertainment channel for three years, Fox Star has reportedly made another Rs 5 crore, a huge amount considering that Slumdog has already been watched by a large number of viewers either on DVDs, pirated CDs or in theatres, according to industry sources.
Currently, Fox Star is working on thee-four Bollywood projects and is also in talks with producers for acquisition of script-driven films like Slumdog.
TataSky, the second largest direct-to-home (DTH) services provider that made available Slumdog Millionaire on a pay-per-view basis, is said to have made over Rs 32 lakh within three days after paying a minimum guarantee fee of Rs 5 lakh to Fox. TataSky consumers paid Rs 25 for accessing the movie on the DTH platform.
"We got orders for Slumdog Millionaire from about 1.5 lakh TataSky customers. This is by far the best response received for a movie, considering it was available only for 3 days," says a senior TataSky executive.
Industry sources say that even Star Movies, the host broadcasters for the 81st Academy Awards, got high viewership from India even though the live telecast started at 6:30 am on Monday.
Star Network's Executive Vice-President (Sales) Kevin Vaz expects about 40 per cent increase in the advertising revenue from the Oscar coverage compared to the previous years. "Compared with last year, we have registered a 30-40 per cent increase in advertising revenues from the Oscars this year," said Vaz, attributing the increase in the channel revenue to the rave reviews generated by the film in media.
The special Oscars coverage, according to Vaz, has recorded a total of eleven sponsors, including LG, Religare, Hyundai, Hewlett Packard, Coke, Hindustan Unilever's Axe Deodourant and Dove, ICICI Bank and Cisco among others. According to the TAM data for 2006-08, the Oscar coverage on Star Movies did not generate more than 0.06 per cent ratings on an average.
It's not just about the Oscars, Golden Globe and millions of dollars that Slumdog Millionaire has grossed globally, many Indian companies too are raking in big money from this Hollywood movie.
Fox Star Studio India, the distributor of Slumdog Millionaire in the country, has managed to gross around Rs 40 crore from the markets, surpassing collections of some of the biggest Bollywood hits of last year such as Rock On.
From theatrical collections alone, Slumdog Millionaire and its Hindi version Slumdog Crorepati have managed to get over Rs 30 crore. "It's a commercial hit for us, considering that it was not a typical Bollywood film. It has made Rs 30 crore at the box office, two-thirds of which have come from its Hindi avtaar," says Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India.
From the sale of its TV rights (cable and satellite) to Sony Entertainment channel for three years, Fox Star has reportedly made another Rs 5 crore, a huge amount considering that Slumdog has already been watched by a large number of viewers either on DVDs, pirated CDs or in theatres, according to industry sources.
Currently, Fox Star is working on thee-four Bollywood projects and is also in talks with producers for acquisition of script-driven films like Slumdog.
TataSky, the second largest direct-to-home (DTH) services provider that made available Slumdog Millionaire on a pay-per-view basis, is said to have made over Rs 32 lakh within three days after paying a minimum guarantee fee of Rs 5 lakh to Fox. TataSky consumers paid Rs 25 for accessing the movie on the DTH platform.
"We got orders for Slumdog Millionaire from about 1.5 lakh TataSky customers. This is by far the best response received for a movie, considering it was available only for 3 days," says a senior TataSky executive.
Industry sources say that even Star Movies, the host broadcasters for the 81st Academy Awards, got high viewership from India even though the live telecast started at 6:30 am on Monday.
Star Network's Executive Vice-President (Sales) Kevin Vaz expects about 40 per cent increase in the advertising revenue from the Oscar coverage compared to the previous years. "Compared with last year, we have registered a 30-40 per cent increase in advertising revenues from the Oscars this year," said Vaz, attributing the increase in the channel revenue to the rave reviews generated by the film in media.
The special Oscars coverage, according to Vaz, has recorded a total of eleven sponsors, including LG, Religare, Hyundai, Hewlett Packard, Coke, Hindustan Unilever's Axe Deodourant and Dove, ICICI Bank and Cisco among others. According to the TAM data for 2006-08, the Oscar coverage on Star Movies did not generate more than 0.06 per cent ratings on an average.
Slumdog win seen as big boost to Brand India
‘Great endorsement for Indian talent’.
Mumbai, Feb. 23 Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscars in Los Angeles on Sunday evening, has redefined the image of India on the international film map. Or has it really?
After all, other films dwelling on the India theme and its belly of mass poverty, be it Salaam Bombay or City of Joy, did not capture the fancy of the world as Slumdog Millionaire did.
Mr Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra, has a view on this. “A great film holds a mirror to its times. Slumdog Millionaire won not only because it was a good film, or because it was about Mumbai and India, but because it reflected the zeitgeist: the overwhelming desire for optimism and hope,” he says.
Mr Mahindra, a Film major of Harvard College, is passionate about cinema. His observations on Slumdog Millionaire, sociologists say, make sense in the context of the global slowdown that has literally ripped people of not only their jobs but also self-confidence. To that extent, the film epitomises the ‘great American dream’.
What Slumdog has definitely done is catapult its composer, A.R. Rahman, who won two Oscars, to the centre-stage of global cinema. It is very likely that he will be sought after in the coming days for his expertise in the bigger Hollywood landscape.
“Rahman joins a list of global Indians who are recognised, admired and, sometimes, even revered. This list includes the likes of Ratan Tata, Lakshmi Mittal, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwariya Rai, Sachin Tendulkar and Vishwanathan Anand,” says Mr R.L. Ravichandran, Chief Executive Officer of the cult brand Royal Enfield Motorcycles. He believes that the sky is now the limit for Rahman.
Mr Philip George, Chief Manager-Sales (South India & Asia Pacific), Saregama, says: “Rahman has provided the right platform for Indian cinema to be taken more seriously. This is a major, major boost to the music, not of any particular language or State, but to Indian music as a whole. Rahman will become the icon of the Indian music industry.”
Big for technicians
“This win and publicity definitely adds more charm and variety in brand India. More than Indian films having a global audience, the Oscars will open doors to Indian technicians such as Resul Pookutty, and to Rahman’s music,” said Mr Madhukar Kamath, Managing Director and CEO of Mudra Communications.
“This is a great endorsement for all technicians in our country. It just proves that Indian sound engineers, musicians and cameramen are world class. This will encourage Indian filmmakers to have international aspirations,” adds Mr Madhu Mantena, producer of the recent Hindi blockbuster Ghajini.
Would Slumdog have clicked had it been released in happier times? Would it then have been dismissed as yet another Indian film? Incidentally, Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi also won eight Oscars and, like Slumdog, was an Indian theme made by a British filmmaker.
“Slumdog is not actually an Indian film. It is made with foreign currency. Though it will put India in the limelight, it will detract tourists from visiting poverty-stricken areas.
The movie does little to market the image of India. It is just a heart-warming film with high entertainment value,” reiterates Mr Alyque Padamsee, Chairman of the London Institute of Personality.
Ms Lynn d’Souza, chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Lintas Media group, concurs with this view. “At the end of the day, this is a British production. But with Rahman and Resul Pookutty winning the award, the international market will look at India for its technical strengths.”
However, Mr Sam Balsara, Chairman and Managing Director of Madison, is clearly more upbeat. “This is good news. After being known for our trade and commerce, we will be now recognised for our creativity. This will definitely generate more interest in Indian cinema, which would mean a direct advantage to talent here,” he says.
Mumbai, Feb. 23 Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscars in Los Angeles on Sunday evening, has redefined the image of India on the international film map. Or has it really?
After all, other films dwelling on the India theme and its belly of mass poverty, be it Salaam Bombay or City of Joy, did not capture the fancy of the world as Slumdog Millionaire did.
Mr Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra, has a view on this. “A great film holds a mirror to its times. Slumdog Millionaire won not only because it was a good film, or because it was about Mumbai and India, but because it reflected the zeitgeist: the overwhelming desire for optimism and hope,” he says.
Mr Mahindra, a Film major of Harvard College, is passionate about cinema. His observations on Slumdog Millionaire, sociologists say, make sense in the context of the global slowdown that has literally ripped people of not only their jobs but also self-confidence. To that extent, the film epitomises the ‘great American dream’.
What Slumdog has definitely done is catapult its composer, A.R. Rahman, who won two Oscars, to the centre-stage of global cinema. It is very likely that he will be sought after in the coming days for his expertise in the bigger Hollywood landscape.
“Rahman joins a list of global Indians who are recognised, admired and, sometimes, even revered. This list includes the likes of Ratan Tata, Lakshmi Mittal, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwariya Rai, Sachin Tendulkar and Vishwanathan Anand,” says Mr R.L. Ravichandran, Chief Executive Officer of the cult brand Royal Enfield Motorcycles. He believes that the sky is now the limit for Rahman.
Mr Philip George, Chief Manager-Sales (South India & Asia Pacific), Saregama, says: “Rahman has provided the right platform for Indian cinema to be taken more seriously. This is a major, major boost to the music, not of any particular language or State, but to Indian music as a whole. Rahman will become the icon of the Indian music industry.”
Big for technicians
“This win and publicity definitely adds more charm and variety in brand India. More than Indian films having a global audience, the Oscars will open doors to Indian technicians such as Resul Pookutty, and to Rahman’s music,” said Mr Madhukar Kamath, Managing Director and CEO of Mudra Communications.
“This is a great endorsement for all technicians in our country. It just proves that Indian sound engineers, musicians and cameramen are world class. This will encourage Indian filmmakers to have international aspirations,” adds Mr Madhu Mantena, producer of the recent Hindi blockbuster Ghajini.
Would Slumdog have clicked had it been released in happier times? Would it then have been dismissed as yet another Indian film? Incidentally, Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi also won eight Oscars and, like Slumdog, was an Indian theme made by a British filmmaker.
“Slumdog is not actually an Indian film. It is made with foreign currency. Though it will put India in the limelight, it will detract tourists from visiting poverty-stricken areas.
The movie does little to market the image of India. It is just a heart-warming film with high entertainment value,” reiterates Mr Alyque Padamsee, Chairman of the London Institute of Personality.
Ms Lynn d’Souza, chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Lintas Media group, concurs with this view. “At the end of the day, this is a British production. But with Rahman and Resul Pookutty winning the award, the international market will look at India for its technical strengths.”
However, Mr Sam Balsara, Chairman and Managing Director of Madison, is clearly more upbeat. “This is good news. After being known for our trade and commerce, we will be now recognised for our creativity. This will definitely generate more interest in Indian cinema, which would mean a direct advantage to talent here,” he says.
Real slumdogs clamours for a piece of the actionRhys Blakely in Mumbai
The TimesFebruary 24, 2009
With its mounds of burning refuse and throngs of filthy, giggling, half-naked children, rubbish-munching goats and stray dogs, Garib Nagar hardly boasted the glamour quotient of the average Oscars party. But yesterday hundreds of residents of this Mumbai slum crowded around its few television sets to follow the Academy Awards with bated breath.
The town is where the British director Danny Boyle discovered Azharuddin Mohammed, 10, and Rubina Ali Quereshi, 9, the actors who play the youngest incarnations of the lead characters of Slumdog Millionaire. Among their neighbours, each of the film’s eight Oscars was met with whoops of joy and Bollywood-style dancing more raucous than anything witnessed among the glitterati assembled at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, 9,000 miles away.
“We are so proud,” a smiling Rafiq Asghar Ali Quereshi, Rubina’s father, told The Times as he stood astride the oozing open sewer that runs past the tiny family home. “My family and our neighbours watched every moment of the ceremony, from 3.30am. Our daughter has made all of India proud.”
Rubina, who was flown to Los Angeles for the ceremony, had been awed by the spectacle of Hollywood in full party mode, but loved the frock she was given by “Danny Uncle” to attend the show, Mr Quereshi said. She and Azharuddin will return to their slum in a couple of days, after a visit to Disney World.
Inside their tiny, pink-painted shack, the Quereshis fed each other sticky sweets to toast Slumdog’s success.
Amid the carnival atmosphere, some local people hoped that Slumdog’s success would lift the area’s fortunes. Abdul Sheikh, a neighbour of Azharuddin’s family, said: “We prayed to the Almighty that the movie would do well at the Oscars. Now we hope it will brighten the future of these children.”
But there are also fears that the child actors will suffer when their fame passes. Boyle has said that he almost did not cast slum children after asking himself whether it would distort their lives too much.
Mr Quereshi said that Boyle had promised to buy his family a better home. The money his daughter had earned from the film had seemed a large sum, “but having seen its success,” he said, “now I’m not sure.”
With its mounds of burning refuse and throngs of filthy, giggling, half-naked children, rubbish-munching goats and stray dogs, Garib Nagar hardly boasted the glamour quotient of the average Oscars party. But yesterday hundreds of residents of this Mumbai slum crowded around its few television sets to follow the Academy Awards with bated breath.
The town is where the British director Danny Boyle discovered Azharuddin Mohammed, 10, and Rubina Ali Quereshi, 9, the actors who play the youngest incarnations of the lead characters of Slumdog Millionaire. Among their neighbours, each of the film’s eight Oscars was met with whoops of joy and Bollywood-style dancing more raucous than anything witnessed among the glitterati assembled at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, 9,000 miles away.
“We are so proud,” a smiling Rafiq Asghar Ali Quereshi, Rubina’s father, told The Times as he stood astride the oozing open sewer that runs past the tiny family home. “My family and our neighbours watched every moment of the ceremony, from 3.30am. Our daughter has made all of India proud.”
Rubina, who was flown to Los Angeles for the ceremony, had been awed by the spectacle of Hollywood in full party mode, but loved the frock she was given by “Danny Uncle” to attend the show, Mr Quereshi said. She and Azharuddin will return to their slum in a couple of days, after a visit to Disney World.
Inside their tiny, pink-painted shack, the Quereshis fed each other sticky sweets to toast Slumdog’s success.
Amid the carnival atmosphere, some local people hoped that Slumdog’s success would lift the area’s fortunes. Abdul Sheikh, a neighbour of Azharuddin’s family, said: “We prayed to the Almighty that the movie would do well at the Oscars. Now we hope it will brighten the future of these children.”
But there are also fears that the child actors will suffer when their fame passes. Boyle has said that he almost did not cast slum children after asking himself whether it would distort their lives too much.
Mr Quereshi said that Boyle had promised to buy his family a better home. The money his daughter had earned from the film had seemed a large sum, “but having seen its success,” he said, “now I’m not sure.”
'Slumdog Millionaire' wins Oscars' triple crown
It stands to reason that, if Oscar voters believe a film is the best of the year, they think it's the best directed and written too. So we should not be surprised that "Slumdog Millionaire" won all three of those races at the Oscars. After all, "No Country for Old Men" did just that at last year's Oscars as did "The Departed" the year before. However, only half of the last 20 best picture Oscar winners have pulled off the same feat. Besides those two most recent champs, they were:
While the best pic prize has historically lined up with best director, five of the last 20 winners were not helmed by the best in the business according to Oscar.
"Crash" (2005): Paul Haggis may have won an Oscar for his script but DGA champ Ang Lee took the best director award for "Brokeback Mountain."
"Chicago" (2002): DGA winner Rob Marshall lost to Roman Polanski ("The Pianist").
"Gladiator" (2000): Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") watched double nominee Steven Soderbergh win for helming "Traffic."
"Shakespeare in Love" (1998): John Madden lost to DGA winner Steven Spielberg ("Saving Private Ryan").
"Driving Miss Daisy" (1989): Bruce Beresford wasn't even nominated and DGA champ Oliver Stone won for helming "Born on the Fourth of July."
Only 13 of the last 20 best pictures won Oscars for their screenplays, though four of the seven that lost their script race did manage to win best director:
"Million Dollar Baby" (2004) lost adapted screenplay to "Sideways."
"The English Patient" (1996) lost adapted screenplay to "Sling Blade"
"Braveheart" (1995) lost original screenplay to "The Usual Suspects"
"Unforgiven" (1992) lost original screenplay to "The Crying Game"
Even though "Titanic" swept the Oscars in 1997, James Cameron did not even rate a nod for his original screenplay with the Oscar going to "Good Will Hunting."
And in a special class of dubious distinction are two best pictures that lost both directing and screenplay races:
"Chicago" (2002) lost adapted screenplay to "The Pianist"
"Gladiator" (2000) lost original screenplay to "Almost Famous"
While the best pic prize has historically lined up with best director, five of the last 20 winners were not helmed by the best in the business according to Oscar.
"Crash" (2005): Paul Haggis may have won an Oscar for his script but DGA champ Ang Lee took the best director award for "Brokeback Mountain."
"Chicago" (2002): DGA winner Rob Marshall lost to Roman Polanski ("The Pianist").
"Gladiator" (2000): Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") watched double nominee Steven Soderbergh win for helming "Traffic."
"Shakespeare in Love" (1998): John Madden lost to DGA winner Steven Spielberg ("Saving Private Ryan").
"Driving Miss Daisy" (1989): Bruce Beresford wasn't even nominated and DGA champ Oliver Stone won for helming "Born on the Fourth of July."
Only 13 of the last 20 best pictures won Oscars for their screenplays, though four of the seven that lost their script race did manage to win best director:
"Million Dollar Baby" (2004) lost adapted screenplay to "Sideways."
"The English Patient" (1996) lost adapted screenplay to "Sling Blade"
"Braveheart" (1995) lost original screenplay to "The Usual Suspects"
"Unforgiven" (1992) lost original screenplay to "The Crying Game"
Even though "Titanic" swept the Oscars in 1997, James Cameron did not even rate a nod for his original screenplay with the Oscar going to "Good Will Hunting."
And in a special class of dubious distinction are two best pictures that lost both directing and screenplay races:
"Chicago" (2002) lost adapted screenplay to "The Pianist"
"Gladiator" (2000) lost original screenplay to "Almost Famous"
A R Rahman wins two, Slumdog gets 8 Oscars
23 Feb 2009,
LOS ANGELES: Slumdog Millionaire took the best-picture Academy Award and seven other Oscars, including director for Danny Boyle
A story of hope amid squalor in Mumbai, Slumdog Millionaire came in with 10 nominations, its eight wins including adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing and both music Oscars (score and song).
“Just to say to Mumbai, all of you who helped us make the film and all of those of you who didn’t thank you very much. You dwarf even this guy,'' Boyle said, holding up his directing Oscar.
The filmmakers accepted the best-picture trophy surrounded by both the adult professional actors who appeared among the cast of relative unknowns and some of the children the British director cast from the slums of Mumbai.
Boyle's hit film not only won the Oscars for best picture and best director at Sunday night's annual Academy Awards ceremony at Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, but also for six others including two for A R Rahman.
Rahman, the third Indian to win the coveted golden statuette, picked up the awards for his best original score as also the best original song "Jai ho" from the film with lyrics by Gulzar and Sukhwinder Singh as the lead singer.
"God is great!" Rahman exclaimed in Tamil as he picked up the awards, saying he was as excited and terrified before coming here as he was at his marriage.
Competing with "Jai ho" for the second Oscar was another song composed by Rahman, "O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire", with its lyrics too written by him with Maya Arulpragasam (MIA). He also sang the song with Maya, the British singer of Sri Lankan origin.
The film follows the travails and triumphs of Jamal, an orphan who artfully dodges a criminal gang that mutilates children to make them more pitiable beggars. Jamal witnesses his mother's violent death, endures police torture and struggles with betrayal by his brother, while single-mindedly hoping to reunite with the lost love of his childhood.
Fate rewards Jamal, whose story unfolds through flashbacks as he recalls how he came to know the answers that made him a champion on India's version of the TV game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''
Slumdog Millionaire went into the evening after a run of prizes from earlier film honors.
The film nearly got lost in the shuffle as Warner Bros. folded its art-house banner, Warner Independent, which had been slated to distribute “Slumdog Millionaire.'' It was rescued from the direct-to-video scrap heap when Fox Searchlight stepped in to release the film.
Oscar-winner 'Slumdog' a millionaire beneficiary
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Slumdog Millionaire" hauled in the most Oscars but it also received the biggest bounce at the box office of the best-picture nominees.
The rags-to-riches tale brought in an extra $54 million domestically since its nomination Jan. 22 — more than doubling its gross since its November premiere, to $98 million to date.
The lift for the winner of eight Oscars on Sunday, including best picture and director, was more than all of the four other best-picture nominees combined, according to tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," the next biggest beneficiary from the post-nomination period and the winner of three Oscars, added just $20.6 million to its $124.2 million total.
The sometime disconnect between critical acclaim and box-office success was given a humorous nod by host Hugh Jackman in his opening number.
"'The Reader,' I haven't seen 'The Reader.' I know I need to see 'The Reader,'" Jackman sang, referring the Holocaust-themed drama, for which Kate Winslet won the best actress award. "I ran out of time."
The worsening economy almost sank "Slumdog" as Time Warner Inc. announced it would shut down Warner Independent, which had bought its North American distribution rights. The movie was headed for a direct-to-DVD release when News Corp.'s Fox Searchlight stepped in to distribute it, eventually showing it in 1,600 theaters nationwide.
Flush with success, director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson said they hoped the big win would convince studios to continue to take chances on smaller films.
"Even the studios will note that we made this for 7 million pounds ($10 million), and it's going to cross $100 million in the U.S. Tuesday or Wednesday. That's good business for them," Colson said, clutching his statuette backstage.
He hoped the success would convince studios to fund independent-style films that "don't tick all the boxes" of criteria for marketing success.
"If the best of those can get made and our film helps that to happen, well I'm even prouder of these," he said.
Boyle nodded to best supporting actor winner Heath Ledger, and said small films are what give fledgling actors and directors their start.
"Heath started small as well. He started in small films. Everybody does," Boyle said. "You've got to protect them. It's difficult because the studios are under pressure, but the studios have to protect them as well."
Despite its troubled start, the uplifting story about a downtrodden boy and girl falling in love through tough times turned out to be exactly what audiences wanted to see.
"Actually it's a film that says there are more important things than money," said Simon Beaufoy, who took home an Oscar for best adapted screenplay, to reporters backstage. "That struck a chord."
Still, the win comes at a troubling time for major studios, which have announced restructuring plans as well as smaller film slates going forward to mitigate risk in a tough economy.
Several niche labels have recently shut down or been folded into their parents, including Warner Bros.' Warner Independent, Picturehouse and New Line Cinema brands, Paramount's Paramount Vantage, and Capitol Films' THINKFilm.
Among the other best-picture nominees, Universal Pictures' "Frost/Nixon" nearly doubled its post-nomination gross by $8.6 million to $17.4 million; The Weinstein Co.'s "The Reader," gained $15.3 million to $23.2 million; and "Milk," by Universal's Focus Features added $7.6 million to $28.2 million.
The rags-to-riches tale brought in an extra $54 million domestically since its nomination Jan. 22 — more than doubling its gross since its November premiere, to $98 million to date.
The lift for the winner of eight Oscars on Sunday, including best picture and director, was more than all of the four other best-picture nominees combined, according to tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC.
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," the next biggest beneficiary from the post-nomination period and the winner of three Oscars, added just $20.6 million to its $124.2 million total.
The sometime disconnect between critical acclaim and box-office success was given a humorous nod by host Hugh Jackman in his opening number.
"'The Reader,' I haven't seen 'The Reader.' I know I need to see 'The Reader,'" Jackman sang, referring the Holocaust-themed drama, for which Kate Winslet won the best actress award. "I ran out of time."
The worsening economy almost sank "Slumdog" as Time Warner Inc. announced it would shut down Warner Independent, which had bought its North American distribution rights. The movie was headed for a direct-to-DVD release when News Corp.'s Fox Searchlight stepped in to distribute it, eventually showing it in 1,600 theaters nationwide.
Flush with success, director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson said they hoped the big win would convince studios to continue to take chances on smaller films.
"Even the studios will note that we made this for 7 million pounds ($10 million), and it's going to cross $100 million in the U.S. Tuesday or Wednesday. That's good business for them," Colson said, clutching his statuette backstage.
He hoped the success would convince studios to fund independent-style films that "don't tick all the boxes" of criteria for marketing success.
"If the best of those can get made and our film helps that to happen, well I'm even prouder of these," he said.
Boyle nodded to best supporting actor winner Heath Ledger, and said small films are what give fledgling actors and directors their start.
"Heath started small as well. He started in small films. Everybody does," Boyle said. "You've got to protect them. It's difficult because the studios are under pressure, but the studios have to protect them as well."
Despite its troubled start, the uplifting story about a downtrodden boy and girl falling in love through tough times turned out to be exactly what audiences wanted to see.
"Actually it's a film that says there are more important things than money," said Simon Beaufoy, who took home an Oscar for best adapted screenplay, to reporters backstage. "That struck a chord."
Still, the win comes at a troubling time for major studios, which have announced restructuring plans as well as smaller film slates going forward to mitigate risk in a tough economy.
Several niche labels have recently shut down or been folded into their parents, including Warner Bros.' Warner Independent, Picturehouse and New Line Cinema brands, Paramount's Paramount Vantage, and Capitol Films' THINKFilm.
Among the other best-picture nominees, Universal Pictures' "Frost/Nixon" nearly doubled its post-nomination gross by $8.6 million to $17.4 million; The Weinstein Co.'s "The Reader," gained $15.3 million to $23.2 million; and "Milk," by Universal's Focus Features added $7.6 million to $28.2 million.
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