Global Showbiz Briefs: Anurag Kashyap Takes On India’s Anti-Smoking Disclaimer; ‘Krrish 3′ Tops Local Boxoffice; More
Anurag Kashyap Battling India’s Anti-Smoking Disclaimer Over ‘Ugly’
Last month, Woody Allen pulled his Blue Jasmine from release in India, rather than allow government-mandated anti-smoking warnings to be inserted onscreen during two scenes when characters light up. Now, local director Anurag Kashyap is reportedly refusing to have the disclaimer stamped on his film Ugly. The movie, which debuted in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes, is set for release on January 3 in its home territory. India’s censors cracked down on smoking last year, and the Bollywood Hungama blog says Kashyap and the censor are in talks over the issue. Kashyap is one of a new breed of directors who steps out of the norm of Bollywood using the influences of Scorsese, Tarantino and Leone. He also produced Cannes darling The Lunchbox, which was controversially not chosen to be India’s Oscar entry this year. Coincidentally, in 2007, Kashyap directed a film titled No Smoking.
‘Krrish 3′ Tops India Box Office, Eyes Top Spot For 2013
Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan’s latest outing, Krrish 3, is the third in a superhero franchise that’s skyrocketed to the top of the local box office charts. With 166.52 crore ($26.5M) at the end of its first week, the film has become the 3rd-highest grosser for the year and could be on track to overtake the No. 1 and No. 2 movies if things keep up apace. Krrish 3, which opened over the Diwali holiday, already has broken a first-week record set by 2013′s No. 1 movie, Chennai Express, the Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer that opened over the Eid al Fitr holiday in August. Chennai took $24.8M in its first week. Krrish 3 bested the No. 2 film of the year, Yeh Jawaani Hai Dewaani, in opening day, weekend and week’s takings. That film’s final tally was $29.8M which Krrish now looks set to overtake. It will need a little extra muscle to displace Chennai which has a total cume of $35.8M. In the UK, Krrish 3 beat Yeh Jawaani’s opening weekend gross of £405,784 with £408,627. It lagged Chennai Express which had opened there with an impressive £934,118 in August. In the U.S. Krrish 3 brought in $1.1M in its opening weekend last week, according to Bollywood Hungama figures. Roshan next stars in Fox Star’s Bang Bang.
Rachel Griffith To Play Ex-Aussie PM Julia Gillard In TV Movie
Rachel Griffiths is attached to play former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in a TV movie about her tug-of-war with politician Kevin Rudd that resulted in the demise of the local Labor Government. Oz production company WTFN said it has acquired the film and TV rights to Kerry-Anne Walsh’s book The Stalking of Julia Gillard, which tells the story of the media’s obsession with the fall and resurrection of Rudd at Gillard’s expense. Veteran political drama producer Richard Keddie is producing. The working title is Stalking Julia. According to local press reports, there is no broadcaster as yet.
Erick Zonca Helming Telepic ‘The White Soldier’ For Canal Plus
It’s not only in the U.S. that feature helmers are turning to television. Erick Zonca, who won multiple awards for 1998’s The Dreamlife Of Angels and most recently directed 2008’s Julia, started filming Le Soldat Blanc (The White Soldier) for Canal Plus today in Cambodia. The 100-minute film follows the destinies of three volunteers at the beginnings of the war in Indochina who ultimately sign up. One turns out to be a fierce and unscrupulous warrior, and another defects to join the enemy. According to Le Film Français, the film stars The Borgias’ Abraham Belaga and newcomer Pierre Lottin. It will air on Canal in 2014.
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