Playback singer Kumar Sanu enthralled the audience of Jaipur with patriotic and film songs at the cultural event: Azaadi Ke Swar: held at the Shree Ram Rang Manch in Kota on Independence Day. He sang songs like ‘Ye desh hai veer jawano ka ...’, ‘Sandese aate hai ...’ and his own songs like ‘Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam ...’, ‘Jab koi baat bigad jaaye ...’, ‘Nazar ke saamne, jigar ke paas ...’ People of all age groups enjoyed the songs. The musical programme was spread over three hours. Om Birla, Parliamentary Secretary and Kota MLA welcomed the noted singer and the distinguished guests attending the colourful function.
Earlier, enroute to Kota, Kumar Sanu disclosed in Jaipur, “Old films songs are as popular as ever. Remix albums are in plenty to revive them; to be listened to as well as to be seen.” He is at present busy with making films, rather than singing songs for films. He added that his Utthan is a clean film to be seen with entire family and cine-goers will be enjoying his two films every year.
Kumar Sanu added, “Earlier, Mahesh Bhatt’s films like Sadak, Aashiqui were musically strong, but now such films are hardly made. Everyone is thinking of making money. The current trend is to have an ‘item’ song in the film.”
The singer is optimistic that old times will be revived and Indian film music will be restored once again. Talking about himself, he said that he is the only person, whose ‘Kumar Sanu Day’ is celebrated in America on March 31 every year. Till date, he has sung 13,500 songs in 11 languages which is a record. He also has the record of singing 1100 songs in a single year, he added.
Mudrarakshasam on celluloid
• A special show of the first North Indian Sanskrit film Mudrarakshasam was held on September 10 at a city multiplex. The film was earlier premiered at the prestigious Rajmandir in February this year. Produced by Acharya Umesh Shastri and directed by Shyam Soni, the film stars Nathu Singh Gujjar (ex-minister and present MLA), Hemant Sharma, Pooja Sharma (Miss Jaipur), Seema Sharma, Sharad Ponkshe and Sunil Khanna, a Jaipur-based bank employee. The other credits are music by Bhagwandas Porwal, lyrics by Acharya Umesh Shastri and Girja Prasad Giri, cinematography by Hasmukh Rajput, dialogue by Tara Shankar Pandey, choreography by Mayank and Ashok, and translation by Dr Hari Ram Acharya. l
Regional Section compiled by Namita Nivas
Illegal business of stolen film prints rampant in Rajasthan
• It is well-known that film prints dispatched from film laboratories of Chennai and Bangalore are stolen even before they reach their destination and are sold at lower rates at small centers. Every year at least 25 to 30 cases of stolen film prints are detected. Each print costs about Rs 60,000 which is disposed of for Rs 25000 to Rs 30000 or for even less to a cinemahalls.
RK Shara, former Vigilance Chairman of the Central Circuit Cine Association (CCCA), “Organised groups are working to end this and their agents are active at Jaipur and other cities of Rajasthan. These groups are most active at places like Kota and Hanumangarh districts. During last two years, cases of shows by stolen film prints were detected at Tonk, Tijara, Sirohi, Sumerpur, Sangaria and Hanumangarh. Film distributors are the worst sufferers from cinema shows by illegal and stolen film prints.”
Narendra Singh Baid, the present Vigilance Chairman, CCCA, said, “We, at our level, are making all efforts to detect such cases, to check the illegal business of stolen film prints. But we have limited resources.”
Kishichand Jainiani, President, the CCCA, said, “This tendency of cinema shows from stolen film prints is fatal for the film industry. Even people from film trade itself are involved in this racket, which comes in the way of completely uprooting the illegal activity.”
Raj Bansal, noted film distributor, said, “Many cases of films distributed by us and were victims of ilegal activity, are pending in court and we have engaged the services of staff and advocate for controlling the illegal business of stolen film prints.”
It may be added that as per the law, the accused indulging in illegal activity of stolen film prints is liable to be punished with imprisonment from six months to three years and imposition of fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakhs.
Activity centres exempted from ET
• Under a notification recently issued by the Government of Rajasthan, the state government has decided to grant exemption form payment of entertainment under the Rajasthan Entertainment and Advertisement Tax Act to cinemas and other facilities providing centres to be started by Messrs Bioscope Cinemas for a period of five years.
With exception of Jaipur city, the company will open at least 30 centres with an investment of 200 crores and providing employment to 1200 persons. The activity centres will comprise two screens cinemas, food court, mini super market, internet cafe, and games facilities for children. The company will open centres at Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh Pali, Sikar, Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar. The Government has bound the Messrs E-City Entertainments and Holdings Company liable for payment of all government dues from its associate company: E-City Bioscope Entertainment company.