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BLACK vs. SWADES

hi
i could hav made a good presentable article on this but am in no mood to write: so here's it in bits and pieces gleaned from the web. make whatever u will of it:

SWADES/BLACK: story idea

first things first. by now it seems pretty evident that Swades is based on a Kannada novel/movie. Yet the director(?) makes no mention of this ever!
(http://thatskannada.indiainfo.com/category/response/letters2.html - search for 'swades' in the page)

bhansali however proudly proclaims that his movie IS based on hellen keller's life! (http://movies.dcealumni.com/archives/is-black-based-on-helen-keller-life/)

read these:

Hello all,

Swades is a remake of Kannada movie Chigurida Kanasu. This must be an eye-opener for those who criticize Kannada movies. Returning to roots is the idea of Shivaram Karanth, which he has depicted in his other novels like "Marali Mannige", "Bettada Jeeva".

It is surprising that how Ashutosh can produce a similar story by himself in first shot unless he is capable of more than jnaana peeta award - Nobel prize.

It is very ironical that some self-esteemless Kannadigas who feel Kannada movies are of inferior standard, will see such remake movies and feel enlightened.

Those who haven't seen good movies like Chigurida Kanasu have no right to comment on Kannada films.

Also, it is very interesting to note that "Lagaan" had traces of another Kannada film "Hagaluvesha" directed by Baraguru ramachandrappa which was made 2 years earlier than Lagaan.

Swades from Chigurida kanasu - ondu KaLLatanada kathe.

How an internationally acclaimed "academy award nominated" director lifts ideas/themes even sequences from a Jnanpeeth award winning legendary writer K Shivaram karanth's novel chigurida kanasu that was made into a Kannada movie 2 years back

Writing credits nalli "K Shivarama Karantha" ra hesarilla.. no acknowledgement, thanks whatso-ever to the original kannada movie crew...how on earth can ashutosh take story/screenplay credits when K Shivaramkaranth and nagabharana deserve it.. but no media cares a damn for it...

the whole idea of Returning to the roots..the key role of Kaveriamma.. (chigurida kanasu nalli exact similar role by hero's ajji).

3 songs and their situations aaha enidenidenu (Shivarajkumar/Udit narayan) exploring his country-side singing/dancing.. yun hi chala chal raahi (Shahrukh khan/udit narayan again) exploring the same country side singing and dancing. Bandhuve O bandhuve.. yaavudo ee seLetha.. (Dr. raj calls the hero to trace his roots)Yo jo des hai tera (AR Rahman calls the hero in swades to trace his native) hero singing/dancing "aa aa ee u uu ooo kaliyONa" with kids trying to bring them to school with the heroine who is a teacher in chigurida kanasu. ditto ditto ditto in swades.. swalpa change irli anta "yeh taara woh taara" antidaane..

And above all the whole idea of the hydroelectric project/turbines to bring electricity to the village.. situations straight lifted from chigurida kanasu.. ..

BIG english papers that go about criticizing every kannada movie.. when its the other way round enenu care maadolla..

- Chandrasekaran Kalyanaraman,
'Veda Nilaya', #57, ITI Layout, Vidyapeeta,
Banashankari III Stage, Bangalore-560085.
*
Sir,

The new hindi film SWADES is based on our kannada film "CHIGURIDA KANASU" , in the film they didn't mention thanks to our jnanapeetha writer K Shivarama Karantha... THIS IS not fare... we shoould protest against it.
Y the kannada film directors and producers are not opposing this i'm not understanding...

This has to be opposed in press meeting.. I hope after seeing this , they will do that if they are real kannadigas...

cheer

- Shekhar
(http://thatskannada.indiainfo.com/category/response/letters2.html)

**********************************

moving on from the aesthetics to hard core box office collections!

SWADES:
(from planetbollywood.com)

Seven weeks total (calculated):All India 17.00 cr - 17.10 cr
Eight weeks total (calculated): All India 17.25 cr - 17.35 cr

Verdict :- The 20 to 22 crore ´Swades´ With more than 9 crores from overseas plus the total from India , ´Swades´ is a hit in Mysore circuit , above average in Bombay , Nizam and overall a good average in India is crawling to a higher status in some other circuits too .

50 days total: 27 cr

BLACK:
(from planetbollywood.com)
Two weeks total (calculated) : All India 12.35cr - 12.55 cr


Verdict :- Though the verdict is obvious and clear in many circuits for the 20 to 21 crore ´Black´ , the fact is that the movie was undersold in many territories , based on its business prospects and once we get those prices confirmed , we will give our final verdict .
Sanjay Leela Bhansali´s Amitabh-Rani starrer ´Black´is rock steady in the metros and ´A´ centres , as a comparision of the first and second collections will show . In the smaller centres the collections are again steady though on the lower side . The movie is also faring well in US and UK .

15 days total: 12 cr (excluding overseas)

According to International Business Overview Standard,
Black domestic stood at Rs 15.83 crore
overseas collections were at Rs 3.08 crore

15 days total: 18 cr

BLACK's sure to bowl over SWADES collections and rightly so!

***********************

And finally, if i may say so, at the 2005 Oscar awards, BLACK is IN! - BIG time!

read these reviews too:
http://www.nrilinks.com/entertainment/movies/reviews/BW1173.asp