With QAYAMAT generating an excellent advance booking, its maker, Harry Baweja, is thrilled to bits. “The slick and stylised action promos of the film did the trick. Plus, the music was also a sell-out. The combination of music and promotion has translated into a heartening opening,” says Baweja.
However, Baweja admits that he did not get the price he desired since the market conditions were bad when he clinched deals with various distributors. “I've not made money on release, but I hope to once it works at the box-office,” he divulges.
Meanwhile, Baweja has called off the premiere show of the film in Delhi since “Ajay Devgan underwent a minor surgery on his feet and has been advised to take it easy. It was no point holding the premiere show without him,” he says.
'HAWA', 'SAAYA' GO UNNOTICED
On the other hand, distributors and exhibitors, who were all out to acquire the rights of horror films in the intervening phase, are now reconsidering their decisions after the cold response to HAWA and SAAYA.
But all said and done, BHOOT continues to cast its spell at the box-office, even in its sixth week. At some cinema halls of Mumbai specially, the film continues to attract audiences despite a strong flow of new releases.
'TAJ MAHAL' IN JULY/AUGUST
Among the line-up of July/August releases, a period film, TAJ MAHAL-A MONUMENT OF LOVE, is also expected to hit the theatres. Directed by Robin Khosla, the film has been made in English, Hindi, Spanish, German and Arabic and has been shot extensively in Kashmir.
The biggest achievement for Khosla was when Rajkumar Barjatya [Rajshri] saw the film way back and offered to distribute the Hindi version in India. Khosla was also thrilled when the International Rotary Club members, who were also shown a preview, gave it a standing ovation. “All I can say is that the film will leave an indelible mark on anyone who watches it,” he says.
