Connect with us

Entertainment

Bollywood’s Epic “Adipurush” Tanks in India

Adipurush, a much-hyped, costly Indian film, has tanked at the box office due to a backlash from audiences and critics. Meryl Sebastian of the BBC investigated what went wrong with the film.

Adipurush had all the makings of a blockbuster: a star with a big fan base, a story based on a beloved Hindu epic, a massive budget, and even endorsements from some governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

It was the latest in a long line of films that claimed to be inspired by Hindu religious ideas or nationalism, or both. The formula worked for some, but it backfired on Adipurush because the people it was supposed to satisfy and entertain turned against it.

Adipurush’s creators claim that the film was inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayana.

The Ramayana tells of the Hindu hero Ram’s victory against the demon ruler Ravana after the latter kidnaps his wife, Sita.

The film, which was made in both Hindi and Telugu, should have helped Bollywood recover from a disappointing quarter at the box office. However, its fortunes quickly deteriorated.

The film garnered nearly unanimously unfavourable reviews upon its initial release. Opposition leaders slammed the film, while two cities in nearby Nepal banned any Bollywood productions unless a “objectionable” passage was removed.

Adipurush

The ultimate blow to Adipurush came in the shape of an audience outcry that surprised even the creators.

Protests were held in many parts of India, and some Hindu organisations requested that the film be banned. Om Raut, the director of Adipurush, and writer Manoj Muntashir have received death threats and are currently under police protection.

According to critics, Adipurush is one of a slew of new films aimed at Hindu audiences. Some of them have also been accused of inciting religious strife. The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story, both of which were heavily lambasted for misrepresenting facts and instilling Islamophobia, were box office smashes.

Some have also criticised the film’s portrayal of Ravana, who is a follower of the Hindu god Shiva, a great musician, and a powerful monarch.

“Ravana [in Adipurush] is modelled on Bollywood’s now popular image of the Mughal villain,” writes writer and critic Sowmya Rajendran, with kohl-rimmed eyes and black clothes.

The film was expected to live up to the expectations set by blockbusters like as SS Rajamouli’s RRR and Baahubali, as well as Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan, which stood out for their fascinating storylines, expertly written dialogue, gorgeous set pieces, and decent visual effects.

Adipurush, on the other hand, appears to be a school play with amateur acting and meme-friendly CGI, according to critics.

They’ve mocked it for having a “video game” atmosphere, “clunky graphics,” a lack of imagination, references to Western fantasies like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, and two-dimensional storyline.

Adipurush

Audiences were outraged by its discourse, with many claiming that the use of colloquial language was demeaning to the deities it portrayed.

They also critiqued the picture of Ram, whom followers describe to as “Maryada Purushottam” or “the ideal man,” as an angry god.

The film’s box office dropped following its initial weekend, surprising even industry analysts.

The film’s Hindi version alone was expected to gross at least 2 billion rupees in its first week of release, despite being made on a budget of about 5 billion rupees ($61 million, £47.8 million). According to expert Komal Nahta, this will now end at around 1.3 billion rupees.

“The film has seen a 75-80% drop in collections for its Hindi version alone since Monday,” Mr Nahta told the BBC. “And it keeps falling faster with each passing day.” Earnings for its Telugu translation fell by a comparable amount.

The outrage appears to be fueled by Hindu organisations and clerics who have called for the video to be banned.

The chief priest of the Ram shrine in Ayodhya, considered to be Ram’s birthplace, said the talks made his “blood boil.” The Hindu Mahasabha, a right-wing organisation, filed a police complaint against the film’s “wrong” costumes, illustrations, and wording. According to the All Indian Cine Workers Association, the film offended Hindus.

While the Ramayana has several incarnations throughout Southeast Asia, Valmiki’s Sanskrit poetry is the most influential in India. Adipurush begins with a lengthy disclaimer that this is the original from which it is adapted.

A 1987 TV production, which writer and author Dilip Mandal claims became the ultimate version of Valmiki’s epic, is one of the most popular interpretations of the epic.

“The rigidity imposed by the 1987 version limited the cultural richness that localised interpretations can bring, leaving little room for diverse perspectives and nuances and inhibiting the potential for the story to resonate with different communities,” he wrote in The Print, referring to Adipurush as “just another chapter in the history of Valmiki’s Ramayana re-invention.”

Adipurush

People in India have grown up watching renditions of the epic as plays presented in schools and festivals, enhanced with regional music and expressions.

In explanation of his creative decisions in Adipurush, writer Manoj Muntashir stated that he wrote the film in the storytelling tradition he grew up hearing in his Uttar Pradesh village.

Ms Rajendran claims that Adipurush’s failure to accord with popular concepts of the epic is not its undoing.

She labels it a “lazy film that doesn’t bother to delve into the richness of the epic” or grasp the impact it has on people because of its “terrible dialogues and shoddy world-building.”

However, film critic Rahul Desai believes that the reasons for the film’s rejection are as concerning and problematic as the film itself.

“There is no defending the film,” he told the BBC, “which appears to scale up the aggressive language of modern Hindu nationalism.” “However, the fact is that most people here are offended because they can’t stand the tampering with tradition.”

“We’ve gotten to the point where Hindu mythology (like the Ramayana and Mahabharata) can’t be touched,” he says. “Unlike historicals, where facts are regularly altered to suit hate-spreading political narratives, people see it as an attack on their truth.”

This is why, he claims, even a hint of newness in the film gets criticised.

“It is undeniable that a sizable proportion of the Indian audience today believes in Hindutva narratives. “However, they also go to the theatre to be entertained and to get their money’s worth,” Ms Rajendran explains. “They aren’t going to waste it on a lazy, insincere film.”

Related Topics:

Entertainment

Reports of a Split Contract Point to Taylor Swift and Her Fiancé Travis Kelce’s Matching.

Taylor Swift

(VOR News) – One of the ways that Taylor Swift showed her support for her boyfriend was by going to a football game that Travis Kelce was playing in while wearing a magnificent plaid suit that matched the outfit that he was wearing.

When this was done, it was done with the aim of making it happen, despite the fact that there were rumors going around about a split contract between the two of them.

The guy, who was 34 years old at the time, made a stunning entrance at Arrowhead Stadium while wearing a magnificent gray and black Taylor Swift checkered suit that was designed by Vivienne Westwood, who was also the designer of the costume.

She donned Taylor Swift clothing to show her support for Travis and the Chiefs.

Furthermore, they had arrived at the stadium earlier that day wearing Taylor Swift’s plaid shirt and jeans that were extremely similar to Kelce’s, which served as the basis for their synchronized costumes. This foundation was the foundation for their coordinated costumes. When Kelce arrived at the stadium, he was still wearing the same shirt and jeans that he had worn earlier.

Furthermore, Taylor greeted the occasion with a good attitude by matching her dress with a magnificent purse in the shape of a heart that she held on her wrist. This was yet another way that she showed her appreciation for the event. This item was a component of her ensemble.

It was stated by the Daily Mail that she made her return with this appearance, despite the fact that she had been absent from the two Chiefs games that came before it owing to her obligations to the Eras Tour. The fact that she had not been present for either of those games did not prevent her from accomplishing this.

“Now you all can shut the heck up about that bulls**t ‘breakup contract,'” a fan wrote on X in connection to this matter to express their opinion on the matter. “Now you can stop talking about anything.” “Now y’all can stop the hell up about that…”

It was a different fan who was the one who broke the news at this time period.

The statement reads, “BREAKING: Travis Kelce has reached a long-term extension with Taylor Swift.”

Following an extensive amount of deliberation and debate, the two parties have reached consensus on a deal that will be in place for the subsequent three years.

Providing that Travis continues to be advantageous for Taylor Swift’s company, the rules of the agreement indicate that Taylor Swift has the authority to renew the deal in the event that Travis continues to be useful. In the event that Travis is the one who is accountable for doing the dishes, there is a possibility that he may be awarded a bonus of some kind.

Swift and Kelce’s followers were able to let out a sigh of relief when it was discovered that a “contract” that had been reported to have been leaked and disclosed the exact date of Swift and Kelce’s separation was found to be nothing more than a fabrication.

This information was obtained from the source. It had been anticipated that the “contract” would have been made available.

In addition, it is worth noting that when the publication that stated that the couple had made the decision to end their relationship a month ago began to circulate on the internet, representatives for Travis were obligated to reject the charges.

SOURCE: GN

SEE ALSO:

‘Joker 2’ Tops the International Box Office with $81.1 Million.

Reviews of Silent Hill 2 Provide a Higher-Than-Expected Metacritical Score.

Maya Rudolph As Harris And Dana Carvey As Biden Open The 50th Season Of ‘Saturday Night Live’

Continue Reading

Entertainment

‘Joker 2’ Tops the International Box Office with $81.1 Million.

Joker

(VOR News) – It is projected that “Joker: Folie à Deux” made its debut this weekend with an estimated total of $81.1 million.

This would make it the most successful film at the box office around the world and the most profitable film overall from a financial standpoint. The picture, which is a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster smash “Joker,” only made $40 million in the United States of America, which is a pitiful amount of money.

The film is a sequel to the 2019 mega hit. In the year 2019, the trailer for the movie was made available. The cinematic adaptation of the peculiar comic book has generated an astonishing sum of $121.1 million in revenue all over the world. This is a result of the film’s success.

Considering that the production of “Joker: Folie à Deux” took place at an incredible cost of two hundred million dollars, Warner Bros., the corporation that provided the finance for the picture, is currently confronted with a dilemma as a result of this fact.

The second “Joker” cost $65 million, compared to $75 million for the original.

This is a substantial difference in terms of the budget. The movie has been given a terrible “D” CinemaScore since the majority of the reviews that have been published about the film have been unfavorable, and audiences appear to agree with the reviewers. As a result of this, the movie has been given a terrible “D” CinemaScore.

Lady Gaga, who is responsible for putting her own distinctive twist on Harley Quinn, a favorite character from the comics, is responsible for a significant portion of the additional expense.

Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix, who reprises his role as the unstable comedian Arthur Fleck, and Lady Gaga are all responsible for a significant portion of the increased budget. There is a large portion of the additional costs that are linked with the production of the picture that may be attributed to these payments.

There were a total of 25,788 theaters and 76 markets outside of the United States that showed the movie. In order to act as screening locations, these locations were selected.

The fact that “Joker: Folie à Deux” made $8 million in the United Kingdom, $6.9 million in Germany, $5.6 million in Italy, $5.5 million in Mexico, and $5 million in France is a fascinating piece of information to take into consideration. Furthermore, the film made $5 million in France.

Only a few examples of what has been accomplished are presented here, but they are representative of the many different results that have been obtained. One week after the film will be released in Japan on the same day, it will make its debut in China on October 16th. This will be one week after the film is released in Japan.

Japan will also release the Joker movie to the public on that same day.

After grossing $335 million in the United States, the first “Joker” film grossed $743 million in other nations across the world. This is despite the fact that the film was only released in the United States.

In addition to generating a large amount of revenue, the movie was a smash hit that was incredibly well received by audiences. The film “Deadpool & Wolverine” broke the record for the highest-grossing R-rated film when it grossed $1.32 billion worldwide.

This achievement was accomplished by the film. The film was successful in accomplishing this specific goal. During a particular period of time, the film was the one that achieved the distinction of being the highest-grossing R-rated film movie.

Before “Joker 2” caused a breach between audiences and critics, Phillips announced that he had ended his career as a director of films based on comic books. At the end of the day, “Joker 2” was not successful. By the time this took place, the film had not yet been responsible for causing the rift.

“It was fun to play in this sort of sandbox for two movies, but I think we’ve said what we wanted to say in this world,” he said in an interview with Variety in the month of August. “It was a lot of fun.” “It was a lot of fun.” “It was a lot of fun.”

SOURCE: VN

SEE ALSO:

Reviews of Silent Hill 2 Provide a Higher-Than-Expected Metacritical Score.

Maya Rudolph As Harris And Dana Carvey As Biden Open The 50th Season Of ‘Saturday Night Live’

In “The Electric State,” Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt Battle Robots.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Reviews of Silent Hill 2 Provide a Higher-Than-Expected Metacritical Score.

Silent Hill 2

(VOR News) – The Bloober Team and Konami-produced remake of the horror game Silent Hill 2 is scheduled to launch the following week, but reviews have already started to surface, giving players a sneak peek at the updated version of the game before it is made available to the public.

It would be an understatement to say that Bloober Team was under a great deal of pressure to get the game right, especially considering that the survival-horror genre’s enthusiasts regard Silent Hill almost as highly as Resident Evil.

Considering the Metacritic score that the game has received thus far, Silent Hill 2 players shouldn’t have any worries when the game launches on November 8

. This is due to the score, which shows that the game has only ever earned favorable reviews up to this point. Fans of the Bloober Team and Silent Hill will be happy to hear this news.

Silent Hill 2 currently has an 87 Metacritic rating.

In 50 reviews, the PlayStation 5 version received a score of 87, meaning that it also received an 87 on that platform. This is based on the fact that the score was given to the PlayStation 5 version. The Silent Hill 2 personal computer version received an overall rating of 88 out of 5, placing it somewhat higher than the PlayStation 5 version.

There isn’t an Xbox version of Silent Hill 2 that can be regarded as existing because it wasn’t part of the Xbox Series X|S. There isn’t any information available at this time on whether or not it will ever be made accessible on that specific platform.

A considerable portion of Silent Hill fans had not in the slightest expected that Silent Hill 2 would achieve five flawless scores of one hundred before these reviews were published. It is extremely unlikely that they expected anything at all. Actually, the great majority of reviews are favorable.

They also call it a welcome return to form for the Silent Hill brand, complimenting the Bloober Team for their appreciation for the first Silent Hill 2. Furthermore, they believe it to be the ideal starting point for beginners who have never really experienced Silent Hill before.

Due of this, Silent Hill 2 has few Metacritic reviews, both positive and negative.

No bad reviews have been posted. Some people think that the remake may have retained some of the most annoying and constrictive elements of the original Silent Hill 2 by staying too close to the original. These individuals believe that there might have been some issues brought on by the remake.

Thankfully for those of us who are now playing Silent Hill 2, those reviews are the exception rather than the rule, with the vast majority of positive reviews making up the small amount of negative reviews.

It is true that some people became skeptical about the remake because the Bloober Team was in charge of it. Furthermore, in the perspective of both its own series and the genre at large, Silent Hill 2 has been held in the highest regard ever since it was first made accessible to the general public.

Games like Layers of Fear, The Medium, and the Blair Witch game were all made by the Bloober Team; nevertheless, no matter which game was reviewed, none of these titles received particularly high review scores. With the release of Silent Hill 2, it’s possible that the public’s perception of the Bloober Team may undergo a significant shift.

Additionally, we are now writing our own review of Silent Hill 2.

Although it has taken longer than expected because we acquired our review copy after the game was already in progress.

However, even though more reviews are being received, it is highly doubtful that these would significantly lower Silent Hill 2’s Metacritic score. despite the fact that more reviews are coming in. Players of Silent Hill 2 should have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming week as a result of this.

SOURCE: CB

SEE ALSO:

Maya Rudolph As Harris And Dana Carvey As Biden Open The 50th Season Of ‘Saturday Night Live’

In “The Electric State,” Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt Battle Robots.

 

Continue Reading

Trending