New films on TV...good or bad?

New movies are increasingly being beamed to homes not long after their release, thanks to Direct To Home (DTH) television or channels buying the screening rights early. While many members of the film fraternity support the trend, saying that films nowadays don't have a long shelf life, there are some who don't.

The latest to hit the small screen is Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor-starrer 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' -- it will be shown on Colors channel as their yearender whammy.

"The satellite premiere of 'Ajab...' is happening in December end, which is two months after its theatrical release. The theatrical business nowadays is for four weeks, however successful the film," Ramesh Taurani, producer of "Ajab...", told us.

Other films that have hit small screens soon after their release are 'Blue', 'Slumdog Millionnaire', 'Kaminey' and 'What's Your Raashee?'. This new trend has evoked mixed response from filmmakers.

Said Sajid Khan: "It's definitely healthier than downloading the film on the first day of release free of cost on the Internet."

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, known for introducing new trends in the filmmaking, said: "Change is inevitable. Bend like a bamboo and you'll survive. Resist like an unyielding oak and you'll perish."

Pritish Nandy too doesn't think airing an almost new film on TV is such a bad idea.

"If distributors are okay with it, no harm done. The market defines its own compulsions and if different segments are in sync with each other, I guess it is fine," Nandy said.

"The theatrical window is in any case shrinking by the Friday as more and more films are crowding theatres. Theatres should be happy to see movies move out to give room to new ones. That's the nature of the business today," he added.

David Dhawan echoed Nandy's view and said: "Tell me, which film lasts in theatres beyond two months?"

Producer-director Harry Baweja, reeling under the losses suffered by son Hurman's debut 'Love Story 2050', too welcomes this new concept.

'Ajab Prem is a slap on people's faces'

Syed Firdaus Ashraf in Mumbai
When you enter director Rajkumar Santoshi's office in Versova, north-west Mumbai, you don't see any posters of his latest hit, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

Posters of his early films -- Ghayal, Damini, Barsaat and Andaz Apna Apna -- are showcased next to a portrait of Che Guevara, the Argentine doctor who became an icon of revolutionaries everywhere.

Santoshi was written off after consecutive failures -- Family: Ties of Blood (2006) and Halla Bol (2008) -- but has bounced back with his Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif starrer.

The director spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf about the highs of lows of his career.

Did you expect such a good response for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani?

I knew people would like it, especially youngsters. When we edit and watch the trial, we come to know. But no one can predict the response. The film had a lot of innocence.

How has the attitude of the movie industry changed after this success?

The corporate people are calling me now!

Artistes have always respected my work. As far as the trade is concerned, it changes every Friday. I don't go to parties or meet stars other than the ones I am working with.

I am an introvert. I don't like to hang around with people without purpose because I don't drink. That's another problem. How many Cokes can I have in a party?

What kept you away from romantic comedies despite the success of Andaz Apna Apna?

I go by my own emotions and pick subjects that inspire me. When I made my first film Ghayal with Sunny Deol, it was a phenomenal success. But I did not make another action film after that. I made a heroine-oriented film, Damini. Then I made Andaz Apna Apna. If you see my career graph, it's always been like this.

I did Lajja, a woman-oriented film, and Khakee, a police thriller. I never repeat myself; I don't like doing that. I always want to explore new territories; that gives me a high.

Comedy, of course, comes naturally to me. But I don't want to cash on it. There was a lot of pressure on me to do a sequel to Andaz Apna Apna, but I didn't.


Image: A scene from Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani. Inset: Rajkumar Santoshi.

'Love is very 'ajab' rather than 'ghazab''

Katrina Kaif is quite the headturner these days. So it's hard to believe the actress when she says that boys never looked at her in her teenage years!

She's obviously not have any problems these days with Salman Khan romancing her off screen, and Ranbir Kapoor doing it on screen. Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, looks like an interesting love story.

Katrina tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf more about it:

Tell us about your love life in your teen years. Was it the same as is shown in Ajab Prem...?

I always had a crush on boys in senior classes but they never looked at me. I never had a boyfriend -- not that I didn't want one -- but they didn't notice me. So I didn't have heartbreaks or get starry-eyed (about someone).

I left studies when I was 17 years old, so my teenage love life was a complete disappointment.

When you're a teen, everything is a huge drama and everything is the end of the world! After doing that for a few years, you get bored of it. You cannot keep crying all your life. When you grown up, you start learning. I started learning at 19.

Nobody knows how to be happy in love, how to find a perfect partner and keep him/her. There is no right or wrong answer. Love is an uncontrollable emotion. Most of the time it is very 'ajab' rather than 'ghazab.' That's why I feel everyone has an Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.


Image: A still from Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

First Look: 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani'

Prem's (Ranbir Kapoor) fundas in life were very simple - Be happy...Make others happy...Keep the town happy.These supposedly simple fundas usually result in disastrous consequences for Prem, the members of his HappyClub, and the town!

It may have been a case of mistaken identity that led Prem to kidnap Jenny (Katrina Kaif). And it was sheer greed that made Prem try to pull a fast one over her father. As for sweet and simple Jenny, brought up by indifferent and uncaring foster parents, all she longed was to love and be loved in return.

And it was love and only love for Jenny that made Prem turn over a new leaf. From hardly working vagabond, he began working hard to make money. From a besotted Romeo, he becomes a mature and thoughtful Majnu who put Jenny's happiness above everything else. As for Jenny, she was so much in love with the idea of being in love that she was blinded by the reality that was staring in her face.

Source: MovieTalkies