Tag Archives: Secret Superstar

Streaming Video News: March 23, 2018

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I updated my list of Bollywood movies on Netflix with an exciting new addition to the catalog. Secret Superstar — one of my favorite films of last year — is now available for streaming! It does a wonderful job of thoughtfully addressing a heavy subject while balancing it with hope and laughter. This is a good one to share with folks who aren’t regular Bollywood watchers.

Yesterday, I updated my Amazon Prime streaming list with the Tamil films Megha and Oru Kanniyum Moonu Kalivaanikalum, as well as the Hindi-dubbed movies Ek Aur Hero the Dashing, Meri Pukar, and Nepali the Warrior. For everything else new on Amazon Prime and Netflix — Bollywood or not — check Instant Watcher.

Best Bollywood Movies of 2017

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Looking back at all of the 2017 releases that I reviewed, there were more movies that I liked than those I didn’t. Here are my ten favorites from a sizable group of contenders.

I love a well-made action movie, and 2017 had two that stood out. Commando 2 took full advantage of Vidyut Jammwal’s impressive physical skills in a solid followup to 2013’s terrific Commando: A One Man Army. The slick action comedy A Gentleman had cool stunts, abundant laughs, and the perfect leading duo for such a film: Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Malhotra made another appearance in the Top Ten with his murder mystery remake Ittefaq, featuring a great performance by Akshaye Khanna as a detective. The other thriller on the list, Trapped, found Rajkummar Rao carrying the weight of an entire movie by himself as his character sought to escape a locked apartment.

Secret Superstar was a touching family drama with surprising emotional depth, especially since its marketing focused heavily on Aamir Khan’s wacky (and very funny) cameo performance. Though Hindi Medium was more deliberately comedic, it likewise packed an unexpected punch, effectively illustrating the negative effects of income inequality on quality public education.

Three wonderful romantic comedies made my Top Ten list. Ayushmann Khurrana lamented the one who (he thinks) got away in the delightful Meri Pyaari Bindu, and he starred in the clever update of Cyrano de Bergerac — Bareilly Ki Barfi — opposite Rajkummar Rao (again) and Kriti Sanon, in her best performance to date. Anushka Sharma showcased her skills as both a producer and an actress in the beautiful tearjerker Phillauri.

While I normally restrict my yearly Top Ten list to just Bollywood movies, I have to make an exception for the multi-lingual film that raised the bar for all Indian cinema on the international stage. My favorite movie of 2017 was Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. Everything about Baahubali 2 was epic: battles, choreography, story, sets, costumes, performances. It’s the kind of movie that reminded me why I enjoy movies in the first place. Writer-director S.S. Rajamouli deserves all the accolades he received for making a truly magnificent film.

Check my Netflix and Amazon Prime pages to see which of these movies are available for streaming in the United States.

Kathy’s Best Bollywood Movies of 2017

  1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion — Buy/rent at Amazon or iTunes
  2. Phillauri — Buy at Amazon
  3. Bareilly Ki Barfi — Buy at Amazon
  4. Hindi Medium — Buy at Amazon
  5. Secret Superstar
  6. A Gentleman — Buy at Amazon
  7. Meri Pyaari Bindu — Buy/rent at Amazon or iTunes
  8. Trapped
  9. Ittefaq — Buy/rent at iTunes
  10. Commando 2 — Buy at Amazon

Previous Best Movies Lists

Bollywood Box Office: December 29-31, 2017

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Tiger Zinda Hai closed out 2017 with another big weekend in North American theaters. Bollywood Hungama posted slightly lower figures for Tiger Zinda Hai during the December 29-31 weekend — $844,993 from 280 theaters ($3,018 average) — than those reported by Yash Raj Films to Gitesh Pandya and Box Office Mojo: $921,090 from 284 theaters ($3,243 average). Either way, Tiger Zinda Hai collected more money in its second weekend of release than 77% of the Hindi films released in North America in 2017 earned over the course of their entire theatrical runs! Yash Raj Films also reports New Years Day earnings of $306,315. The action sequel’s total presently stands at $4,878,546.

Other Hindi movies still showing in North American theaters:

Sources: Box Office Mojo, Gitesh Pandya, and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Bollywood Box Office: December 22-24, 2017

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Tiger Zinda Hai debuted with the third best opening weekend of the year for a Hindi film in North America, trailing behind only Baahubali 2 and Raees. From December 22-24, 2017, Tiger Zinda Hai earned $1,658,514 from 328 theaters* ($5,056 average; adjusted average of $5,528 from 300 theaters). 143 Cinema reports that the Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif action sequel earned an additional $1,231,481 from Christmas Day and Boxing Day, pushing its total past $3 million in the US and Canada (based on 143 Cinema’s slightly higher reported weekend earnings for the film). It’s certainly already surpassed the lifetime total of 2012’s Ek Tha Tiger ($2,347,774). Within days, Tiger Zinda Hai will have passed Raees‘s total earnings of $3,631,911, claiming second place for the year overall and moving into first place for films released only in Hindi (as opposed to the multi-lingual Baahubali 2).

Other Hindi movies still showing in North American theaters:

  • Fukrey Returns: Week 3; $10,106 from nine theaters; $1,123 average; $381,522 total
  • Secret Superstar: Week 10; $404 from one theater; $2,155,001 total

*Bollywood Hungama frequently counts Canadian theaters twice when they report figures for a film’s first few weeks of release. When possible, I verify theater counts at Box Office Mojo, but I use Bollywood Hungama as my primary source because they provide a comprehensive and consistent — if flawed — data set.

Sources: 143 Cinema, Box Office Mojo, and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Bollywood Box Office: December 15-17, 2017

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With minimal competition from other Hindi films, Fukrey Returns held up really well in its second weekend in North America. From December 15-17, 2017, Fukrey Returns earned $82,903 from 44 theaters ($1,884 average). That’s a weekend-to-weekend carry over of 47% (anything higher than 45% is in the top quartile for the year). Fukrey Returns‘ total so far stands at $325,724.

Other Hindi movies still showing in United States:

  • Tumhari Sulu: Week 5; $4,571 from seven theaters; $653 average; $512,480 total
  • Firangi: Week 3; $1,638 from five theaters; $328 average; $180,992 total
  • Secret Superstar: Week 9; $654 from two theaters; $327 average; $2,153,816 total
  • Qarib Qarib Singlle: Week 6; $484 from one theater; $236,331 total
  • Golmaal Again: Week 9; $244 from one theater; $2,360,089 total

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

 

Bollywood Box Office: December 8-10, 2017

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Fukrey Returns earned more it is first three days in North America than the original Fukrey earned during the course of its four-week run in 2013. From December 8-10, 2017, Fukrey Returns took in $174,626 from 66 theaters ($2,646 average; adjusted average of $3,118 from 56 theaters*). Fukrey released on June 14, 2013, earning $74,110 from 57 North American theaters ($1,300 average) in its opening weekend, ultimately closing out its run with a total of $125,279.

Firangi fell off dramatically in its second weekend, its business plummeting by 87%. It earned just $14,186 from 36 theaters ($394 average), bringing its total to $176,485.

Other Hindi movies still in North American theaters:

  • Tumhari Sulu: Week 4; $18,528 from 19 theaters; $975 average; $502,091 total
  • Secret Superstar: Week 8; $1,356 from three theaters; $452 average; $2,152,632 total
  • Qarib Qarib Singlle: Week 5; $528 from two theaters; $264 average; $235,748 total
  • Golmaal Again: Week 8; $346 from two theaters; $173 average; $2,359,495 total

*Bollywood Hungama frequently counts Canadian theaters twice when they report figures for a film’s first few weeks of release. When possible, I verify theater counts at Box Office Mojo, but I use Bollywood Hungama as my primary source because they provide a comprehensive and consistent — if flawed — data set.

Sources: Box Office Mojo and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Opening December 8: Fukrey Returns

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The comedy sequel Fukrey Returns hits Chicago area theaters on December 8, 2017. I didn’t like Fukrey, but Richa Chadda and Ali Fazal are cool, so you never know.

Fukrey Returns opens Friday at MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 11 min.

All three of the above theaters carry over Firangi and Tumhari Sulu. The AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodrige gives an eighth week to Secret Superstar.

Other Indian and Pakistani movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: December 1-3, 2017

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Firangi got off to a slow start in North America, despite being the first new Hindi film to open here in two weeks. From December 1-3, 2017, the Kapil Sharma comedy earned $112,238 from 82 theaters ($1,369 average; adjusted average of $1,675 from 67 theaters*). That’s a steep decline from Sharma’s only other international Bollywood release: 2015’s Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon, which opened with $203,645 from 69 North American theaters ($2,951 average). Firangi fared better in Canada — with per-theater averages of $2,445 versus $1,453 in the States — but that’s likely due to the small number of Indian films showing in Canadian theaters at the moment (five, to be exact).

Tumhari Sulu earned $33,049 from 20 theaters ($1,652 average) in its third weekend of release, bringing its North American total to $465,555. Golmaal Again closed out its seventh weekend in the US and Canada with $1,726 from four theaters ($432 average). Its total stands at $2,358,581.

Other Bollywood movies showing in US theaters:

  • Secret Superstar: Week 7; $3,388 from eight theaters; $424 average; $2,149,130 total
  • Qarib Qarib Singlle: Week 4: $607 from two theaters; $308 average; $234,761 total

*Bollywood Hungama frequently counts Canadian theaters twice when they report figures for a film’s first few weeks of release. When possible, I verify theater counts at Box Office Mojo, but I use Bollywood Hungama as my primary source because they provide a comprehensive and consistent — if flawed — data set.

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Opening December 1: Firangi

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Kapil Sharma jumps into the spot vacated by Padmavati, releasing his period comedy Firangi (“Foreigner“) in Chicago area theaters on December 1, 2017.

Firangi opens on Friday at MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 1 hr. 38 min.

All three of the above theaters hold over Tumhari Sulu for a third week. Secret Superstar carries over at the AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodrige and MovieMax, which also holds on to Golmaal Again.

Other Indian and Pakistani movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: November 24-26, 2017

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With no new Bollywood films for competition, Tumhari Sulu held up great in its second weekend in North American theaters. From November 24-26, 2017, the Vidya Balan film earned $96,544 from 46 theaters ($2,099 average). Its 55% holdover from Weekend 1 to Weekend 2 is fifth best for the year. Most Americans had Thursday off for Thanksgiving — with many off work on Wednesday as well — helping to boost Tumhari Sulu‘s take to $396,900 after ten days of release. Not bad for a film that opened in fewer than sixty theaters.

The other notable performance of the weekend came from Golmaal Again, now in its sixth weekend of release. It earned $6,912 from five theaters, but its per-theater average of $1,382 doesn’t tell the whole story. Golmaal Again earned $3,820 from one theater in Canada — more than the $3,092 combined it earned from four US theaters, which averaged earnings of $773 per theater. The comedy’s total stands at $2,354,534.

Other Hindi movies still in North American theaters:

  • Ittefaq: Week 4; $15,901 from eleven theaters; $1,446 average; $719,564 total
  • Secret Superstar: Week 6; $6,963 from nine theaters; $774 average; $2,143,554 total
  • Qarib Qarib Singlle: Week 3; $5,205 from five theaters; $1,041 average; $231,628 total

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama