Tag Archives: Skokie

Opening October 2: Bang Bang and Haider

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Instead of the industry standard Friday or Wednesday release date, two new Hindi movies open in the Chicago area on Thursday, October 2, 2014. The Hrithik Roshan-Katrina Kaif action flick Bang Bang — an official remake of Knight and Day — releases in more North American theaters than any other Bollywood movie to date.

Bang Bang — which has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 34 min. — opens in the following theaters on Thursday, October 2:

On Friday, October 3, Bang Bang opens in the following additional theaters:

Another movie opening with slightly less fanfare this weekend is Haider, director Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This is one of my most anticipated movies of 2014.

Haider opens on Thursday at the River East 21, Showplace Niles 12, South Barrington 30, and Woodridge 18. As with Bang Bang, Haider opens on Friday at the Regal Gardens 1-6 and Cantera 17. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 41 min.

Khoobsurat and Daawat-e-Ishq both carry over for a third week at the South Barrington 30 and Cantera 17, with the Gardens 1-6 also holding over Khoobsurat.

The Telugu movie Govindudu Andarivadele carries over at the Rosemont 18, Seven Bridges, and Cinemark Tinseltown USA in North Aurora.

In Theaters: September 26, 2014

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With two heavy hitters — Bang Bang and Haider — coming to theaters next weekend, no new Hindi films are opening in the Chicago area on Friday, September 26, 2014. The most widely available of the older releases is Khoobsurat, which gets a second week at the Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville.

Daawat-e-Ishq and Finding Fanny carry over at MovieMax, South Barrington 30, and Cantera 17.

The wildly popular Telugu movie Aagadu carries over for a second week at Muvico Rosemont 18 in Rosemont, Century Stratford Square in Bloomingdale, and Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge.

Other Indian movies showing at MovieMax this weekend include include Madras (Tamil), Loukyam (Telugu), Power (Telugu), Sapthamashree Thaskaraha (Malayalam), and Aranmanai (Tamil). The Telugu movie Govindudu Andarivadele opens at MovieMax on Tuesday, September 30.

Opening September 19: Daawat-e-Ishq and Khoobsurat

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Two Bollywood romantic comedies open in the Chicago area on September 19, 2014. First up is Daawat-e-Ishq (“Feast of Love“) starring Aditya Roy Kapur and my girl Parineeti Chopra.

Daawat-e-Ishq opens on Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 1 hr. 59 min.

Also releasing this weekend is Khoobsurat (“Beautiful“), starring Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Afzal Khan.

Khoobsurat opens on Friday at MovieMax, South Barrington 30, and Cantera 17. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 10 min.

After a strong opening last weekend, Finding Fanny carries over for a second week at all four of the theaters carrying Daawat-e-Ishq, plus the Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie.

Mary Kom gets a third week at the South Barrington 30 and Cantera 17.

The Telugu movie Aagadu gets a head start on the competition, opening Thursday night at the Muvico Rosemont 18 in Rosemont, Century Stratford Square in Bloomingdale, and Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend include Power (Telugu) at Muvico and MovieMax, which also carries Sapthamashree Thaskaraha (Malayalam), Aranmanai (Tamil), and Sigaram Thodu (Tamil).

Opening September 5: Mary Kom

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The Bollywood sports biopic Mary Kom releases in Chicago area theaters on September 5, 2014. Priyanka Chopra plays the Indian boxing champ and bronze medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Mary Kom opens on Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 4 min.

Raja Natwarlal and Singham Returns carry over at the Cantera 17, MovieMax, and South Barrington 30. Both MovieMax and South Barrington 30 are also holding over Mardaani.

Other Indian movies playing in the Chicago area this weekend include Rabhasa (Telugu) at the Muvico Rosemont 18 in Rosemont and MovieMax, which also carries Powar (Kannada), Boochamma Boochodu (Telugu), Kiraak (Telugu), Peruchazhi (Malayalam), and Run Raja Run (Telugu).

Opening August 22: Mardaani

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The Rani Mukerji crime thriller Mardaani (“Masculine“) hits Chicago area theaters on August 22, 2014.

Mardaani opens on Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. It has a listed runtime of 1 hr. 54 min.

After a super opening weekend, Singham Returns carries over at all four of the above theaters plus the AMC Showplace Niles 16 in Niles, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville.

Entertainment and Kick also carry over at MovieMax and South Barrington.

Other Indian movies showing at MovieMax this weekend include Kabadam (Tamil), Anjaan (Tamil), Sikander (Telugu), Lovers (Telugu), Run Raja Run (Telugu), and Jigarthanda (Tamil).

Opening August 15: Singham Returns

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Ajay Devgn’s Singham Returns opens in the Chicago area on August 15, 2014. The followup to 2011’s Singham features Kareena Kapoor Khan as the female lead, replacing the original film’s heroine, Kajal Agarwal.

Singham Returns opens on Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 22 min.

Entertainment and Kick carry over at MovieMax, South Barrington 30, and Cantera 17.

Other Indian movies showing at MovieMax this weekend include Buno Haansh (Bengali), Anjaan (Tamil), Sikander (Telugu), Lovers (Telugu), Run Raja Run (Telugu), and Jigarthanda (Tamil).

Opening August 8: Entertainment

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Akshay Kumar’s latest comedy, Entertainment (formerly titled It’s Entertainment), opens in the Chicago area on August 8, 2014. The trailer makes my head hurt.

Entertainment opens on Friday at the AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 19 min.

Kick carries over for a third weekend at all of the above theaters, plus the Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie.

Though not a Hindi movie, the culinary drama The Hundred-Foot Journey features Bollywood veterans Om Puri and Juhi Chawla. It releases nationwide on Friday.

Other Indian movies showing at MovieMax this weekend include Geethanjali (Telugu), Galipatam (Telugu), Run Raja Run (Telugu), Jigarthanda (Tamil), Vikramadithyan (Malayalam), Sarabham (Tamil), Drushyam (Telugu), and Velaiyilla Pattathari (Tamil).

In Theaters: August 1, 2014

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With studios unwilling to go up against the juggernaut Kick, there are no new Hindi movies opening in the Chicago area on Friday, August 1, 2014. After a terrific opening weekend, Kick carries over for a second week at seven local theaters: AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge.

The only other Bollywood movie showing in the area this weekend is Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania at the South Barrington 30.

Other Indian movies playing at MovieMax this weekend include Run Raja Run (Telugu), Jigarthanda (Tamil), Vikramadithyan (Malayalam), Maaya (Telugu), Sarabham (Tamil), Adavi Kaachina Vennela (Telugu), Drushyam (Telugu), Alludu Sreenu (Telugu), Velaiyilla Pattathari (Tamil), and Bangalore Days (Malayalam).

Opening July 25: Kick

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Salman Khan’s latest action film, Kick, opens in the Chicago area on July 25, 2014. A cast that includes accomplished actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Randeep Hooda and a screenplay by novelist Chetan Bhagat lend Kick an air of sophistication.

Kick opens on Friday in six local theaters: AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 30 min.

The cute romcom Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania gets a third week at the South Barrington 30, Cantera 17, and MovieMax Cinemas in Niles.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend include Drushyam (Telugu w/no subtitles) at the Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge and MovieMax, which is also carrying Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah (Telugu), Alludu Sreenu (Telugu), Sathuranga Vettai (Tamil), Velaiyilla Pattathari (Tamil), and Bangalore Days (Malayalam).

In Theaters: May 2, 2014

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Theatrical trailers are unreliable indicators of which Hindi films will actually open in the U.S. For example, the trailer for Paan Singh Tomar ran in local theaters a year after the film’s release. Still, I was sure that the coming-of-age drama Purani Jeans would open in the Chicago area. Its trailer ran here for a month, and there was little competition from other Hindi films releasing the same weekend.

Nope. Purani Jeans isn’t opening in Chicago area, and neither is any other new Hindi film. Chicago area Bollywood fans have two options in theaters the weekend beginning Friday, May 2, 2014, and, no, Kaanchi isn’t one of them.

2 States carries over for a third week in six local theaters: AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville.

The Lunchbox gets yet another week at Landmark’s Renaissance Place Cinema in Highland Park.

A few Telugu movies are playing in the Chicago area this weekend, too. Both the Muvico Rosemont 18 in Rosemont and Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge are carrying Kotha Janta and Anaamika, a remake of one of my favorite films, Kahaani. The Seven Bridges also carries over Race Gurram for another week.