Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Mumbai attacks put Bollywood on hold
AFP - 41 minutes ago
MUMBAI (AFP) - - The ripple effects of the militant attacks on Mumbai are being felt by the city's Bollywood film industry, with premieres and new releases postponed until fear subsides.
Glitzy parties and even celebrity weddings have also been put off, as India's entertainment capital reels from the assaults that claimed 188 lives and left 313 others injured.
Red carpet premieres -- usually held here on Fridays -- and other screenings have been cancelled as filmgoers stay away from cinemas and other public places.
"I have never seen this low turnout of audiences in theatres," said Vishal Anand, marketing vice-president of the Fun Cinemas chain.
"The fear has taken over people's minds. On Friday, only 30 people turned out in one of our theatres in Mumbai. Business has been hit very badly."
The attacks also hit movies that had just been released.
Box office takings of two big films that made their debut as the tragedy unfolded were badly affected, leading industry analyst Taran Adarsh wrote on his website bollywoodhungama.com.
Some screenings of "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!" and "Sorry Bhai!" (Sorry Brother) were cancelled by cinemas, he reported.
"The fear factor coupled with the fact that the terrorist attacks hadn't stopped (by) Friday night kept audiences away from any kind of outing, including movies," Adarsh said.
After the "dismal start" for "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!" and "Sorry Bhai!" distributors planning to release films this Friday were "getting jitters," he said.
Bollywood can hardly afford empty cinemas, already feeling the impact of falling revenues as the global economic crisis catches up with India.
Negative sentiment and fear of contagion have already affected the 2.1-billion-dollar film industry, and producers and distributors fear that the fallout from last week's attacks could compound the slowdown.
The scheduled Friday release of "Khalbali" -- a much-anticipated comedy showcasing more than a dozen Bollywood actors that already has a hit soundtrack -- has been cancelled.
Two others have been postponed -- "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi," starring superstar Shah Rukh Khan, to December 12, and "Ghajini" starring Aamir Khan to December 25.
Bollywood executives were hoping both films would give the beleaguered industry a boost.
Meanwhile, actress Ayesha Takia, who was due to marry this month, put off her nuptials to mid-2009.
And actor Tusshar Kapoor cancelled what was going to be an extravagant bash to celebrate the success of his last film, "Golmaal Returns."
"I cannot celebrate when so many lives have been lost. I used to be a regular at Taj and Oberoi," he said, referring to the two luxury hotels where guests were held hostage and murdered by the militants.
"I am too depressed and saddened by this tragedy that has hit our beloved Mumbai city," said Kapoor.
The man dubbed the "king of kings" of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan, also voiced outrage at the attacks, writing on his blog that he was now sleeping with a gun under his pillow.
"As the terror attack unfolded in front of me I did something for the first time. I pulled out my licensed .32 revolver, loaded it and put it under my pillow. I had a very disturbed sleep," he said.
Not all attempts by Bollywood luminaries to attach their names to the attacks have been welcomed, however, with one Mumbai newspaper criticising approaches to the media by PR agents offering comments from their clients.
The Mumbai Mirror in its Sunday edition called actors who had contacted them offering comment as "vultures."
"Even as we are coming to grips with the horror of the recent terrorist attacks... for a handful of celebrities it was time to make hay," it added.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
Mumbai attacks put Bollywood on holdAFP - 41 minutes ago
Suspected Pakistani militant nabbed in PhilippinesAP - 43 minutes ago
RPT-GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks, oil rebound, but caution prevaiReuters - 44 minutes ago
Thai airports reopening after PM ousted by courtAP - 54 minutes ago
5 Filipino troops killed in communist attackAP - 1 hour 36 minutes ago
Enlarge Photo
Mumbai attacks put Bollywood on hold
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
Wall Street plunges as recession becomes reality
Sweden to come to rescue of struggling carmakers Saab and Volvo
Love handles increase death risk: study
World stocks tumble as economic fears deepen
Saudi king says 75 dollar oil price 'fair'
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular