Bodyguard's First Week Box Office Collections

'I had no expectations from Bodyguard' ::Hazel Keech aka Maya

'I had no expectations from Bodyguard'

Bodyguard's blockbuster success has been largely attributed to its hero Salman Khan and to an extent, its leading lady Kareena Kapoor.

But it's very hard to ignore Hazel Keech, who plays Kareena's best friend in the film, and never leaves her side through most of the film.

Yes, the beautiful London-based newcomer -- she's born to an English father and an Indian mother -- has a chunky role in the film, and she does full justice to it.

She opened up to Sonil Dedhia about her life, and of course, Salman Khan.

Your performance in Bodyguard received a fantastic response. Are you in seventh heaven?

Absolutely! (Producer) Atul Agnihotri was expecting to break some box office records but it has exceeded everyone's expectations. It feels nice when people recognise you and talk about your work.

Personally, I didn't have any expectations as I was just enjoying the experience and excited to be a part of a movie.

What did your parents think of the film?

My mother was very happy because I have been struggling for a long time.

'I had no contacts in the industry, and no money'

How has your life changed?

It's funny how some people have come back into my life -- they're trying to be my acquaintance but they have already shown their true colours (smiles). Some people, who haven't spoken to me in a long time, have suddenly started calling me up and appreciating my work.

Otherwise, I feel more confident now.

Are the offers pouring in?

I have had a lot of meetings and talks are on. Things look bright but I won't say anything now.
Did you always want to work in films?

Yes, I started acting since I was three. I learnt dancing and singing too. I would participate in stage shows during my school days. When I came to Mumbai in 2005 for a holiday, I received work offers. So I decided to stay back and pursue a modelling and acting career.

But wasn't it difficult to survive in this industry?

Yes, it was. I had no contacts in the industry, and no money. It's been a constant struggle. I was about to go back to London when I got Bodyguard.

I've learnt a lot though. People are not what they seem. Some of them are sweet and kind to you but that's not their real face. There are a lot of double-faced people in the industry. I have some ugly memories but I'd rather take them as lessons and move forward.

'Marriage is not on my mind now'

Coming back to Bodyguard, my friends think you're the main villain in the film, not Aditya Pancholi. Has anyone told you this?

Yes, a few people did tell me (laughs).

It was funny because it's such an unexpected twist in the film. Playing this character was a big challenge because I had to face it morally. I would keep going to the director and question him.

I would say my character is based on sibling rivalry. When an older sibling gets the first of everything, the younger one feels neglected, like my character.

Would you do something like this in real life?

No. Not if it was my best friend or sister.

Even if the man concerned was like Salman Khan?

(Thinks) Yes, I don't think I can do something like that.

But as of now, marriage is not on my mind.

'I fainted on the first day of the shoot'

Was Bodyguard your first movie offer?

No. I had been offered small and unappealing roles, which I was not interested in. The industry is very delicate. If you don't get noticed in your first film, it becomes difficult to get more work unless you are from the industry, or have some influence. 

On the other hand, if your film does well, then you have to prove your worth.

First day, first shot. How was it?

The first shot was the college scene where Kareena and I enter college and Salman follows us. I was nervous. Frankly, it was a rough shoot for me, as I was very unwell.

I was down with food poisoning and almost fainted on the sets. The doctor had to be called. I can never forget the first day. 

'Salman smells good'

How was the experience of working with Salman?

He is incredible. He is like an angel and mentor to me. He has always helped me. He knew it was my first film, and supported me throughout. He never made me feel awkward.  He is very sensitive. If you are in trouble, he will be there to help you out.

Do you ever have a crush on him?

Who doesn't have a crush on Salman? (smiles)

How true were the rumours that Salman found a new girl in his life?

Well, he did find me (pauses) in the film (winks).

So, it's true that you are the new girl in Salman's life?

No comments.

There are girls who would do anything to be in Salman's arms. You got that chance in the film. How would you describe that moment?

I can't tell you how it feels to be in the arms of one of India's most handsome hunks!

But let me say, he smells good. (laughs)

'I want to avoid wearing skimpy clothes'

You had to work closely with Kareena. Did you have any apprehensions?

Not at all. The fact that I was a part of a film produced by Excel Entertainment was a high for me. I waited for a long time to get the right film and didn't want to miss this opportunity.

You started your film career with a Tamil film (Billa), instead of a Hindi one. Was it a conscious decision?

Director Vishnuvardhan had seen some of my commercials. He asked me for an audition and briefed me about the role. I was doing an item number in the film, and to my surprise, the choreographer was the same teacher who taught me in London.

Are you open to do item songs in Bollywood?

Possibly, if it meets my conditions.

And what are those conditions?

I want to avoid wearing skimpy clothes.

Isn't that the need of the hour in Bollywood?

My mother and grandmother still watch films, so I wouldn't want to let them down.

'I played Harry's friend in three of the Harry Potter films'

You have acted in the Harry Potter series as well.

Yes. I did the second (Chamber of Secrets), third (Prisoner of Azkaban) and fourth (Goblet of Fire) installments when I was in school. I played Harry's friend, and was in Gryffindor.

I really liked Daniel Radcliffe. He is a so genuine. He didn't think of himself as a superstar. He would interact with everyone, from the spot boy to the director.

It was simply magical on the sets. It's surreal to be a part of such a big extravaganza. I cut short my Hollywood dream to come here, and got a lot of offers.

But people prefer to work in Hollywood. What was the deciding factor to choose Bollywood over Hollywood?

I wanted a touch of both. I am very traditional. The deciding factor was the offer I got as soon as I landed in Mumbai, for a music video. I did not expect that to happen.

Kareena Kapoor's high on success

The Salman Khan-Kareena Kapoor film Bodyguard has broken the record of the Salman-Sonakshi Sinha movie Dabangg in just five days after its release.

Kareena is in seventh heaven. Back in the saddle as the No 1 Bollywood diva, she says, I have three films on the list of the six highest grossing films in Hindi cinema. Bodyguard, 3-Idiots and Golmaal-3. I'm ecstatic.''

Kareena says Bodyguard has crossed 82 cr in just five days making it a mammoth hit and her biggest one. Trade sources say Bodyguard will not succeed in breaking the 3 Idiots overall record. But of course at this stageeverything we speak on the subject is a conjecture.

As for Salman Khan, he is the No 1 Khan and the No 1 hero because he has Bodyguard, Dabangg and Ready on the list of the highest grossers. Aamir has 3 Idiots and Ghajini, while Ajay Devgn has Golmaal-3.

'Bodyguard' sprints to Rs 100 cr mark in B'wood, beats Dabangg

Original Sher (Salman), Shera (bodyguard) and fake Sher !!

Bodyguard: Salman-Katrina's new poster Rs 110+ crores

Bodyguard: SUPERHIT:: set to gross over Rs 100 CRORE!!

SALMAN SUPERHITS

Bodyguard (2011): Rs 85 crore (estimated) in first five days; Rs 18.5 crore: Biggest ever collection on Day One of release. Khan's idea of method acting: spending time with real-life bodyguard Shera, which he does anyway.

Ready (2011): Rs 130 crore; Said to be Hum Aapke Hain Koun! on steroids!.

Dabangg (2010): Rs 188 crore; Salman does a Hulk, when his biceps become too big for his shirt. As if he needs an excuse.

Wanted (2009): Rs 81 crore; 'Jo maine ek baar commitment kar di, toh main khud ki bhi nahin sunta'.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun! (1994): Rs 123 crore; Prem becomes his trademark.

Imrans Promise For Bodyguard

'Salman Khan refuses to believe Bodyguard's success'

Salman Khan is recovering after an eight-hour surgery in Pittsburgh and refuses to believe that his " Bodyguard" has broken box-office records, says his brother-in-law and co-producer Atul Agnihotri.

Salman, who underwent surgery for a nerve problem that was causing exruciating pain in his head, jaws and cheeks, believes his family is just trying to cheer him up by telling him that "Bodyguard" is rocking the box office.

"He is not totally convinced. He is thinking that we are saying this to cheer him up. This is because he is totally cut off from his regular sources. If he had been in Mumbai, he would have had more interaction, seen more TV and read editorials. There he is totally depending on what we are saying," Atul, who co-produced the film with Reliance, told IANS in an interview. "Bodyguard", which released on Eid Wednesday, has surpassed the opening day box-office collection of "Dabangg" (Rs.14.5 crore) and " 3 Idiots" (Rs.13 crore) by garnering Rs.22 crore in the domestic market.

Salman, 45, is expected to be home in 10 days. He is currently under observation, said Atul. ?First, they did some test on him and then he was subjected to the first medical procedure. The surgery went for eight hours. Now he is under three-day observation. I think tomorrow night (Saturday) or day after (Sunday) morning they will review and go for the next step. He will be there for a week or 10 days more," he said.

Atul is riding high on the unprecedented success of the Salman-Kareena Kapoor starrer action-drama, which has received overwhelming response from the audiences despite bad reviews. "We were expecting a good opening but the number has gone beyond our prediction. For us, before the release (of 'Bodyguard'), 'Dabangg' was the benchmark. That we have surpassed, which is a great thing," he said.

The film is scoring high even in south despite being a Hindi remake of Malayalam film of the same name. It was also made in Tamil. "Even in Cochin where people have seen both its Tamil and Malayalam version, the film is doing extremely well. Till yesterday (Thursday) we had two theatres, today (Friday) we have opened up third screen so that?s an indicator of the reaction of the audience in south," said the 41-year-old actor-director-producer.

Atul is expecting the box office collection to touch Rs.85 crore by this weekend. "As 31st was a holiday, we did a business of around Rs 21.57 crore, then yesterday (Thursday) we have touched about Rs.19 crore again. In that sense we have already done around Rs.41 crore and above, across India. Today is a Friday. In three days (including weekends) there is a possibility that we would cross Rs.80 to Rs.85 crore in India," said Atul.

Bodyguard smashes all records

Everyone was forecasting " Bodyguard" to open to big box-office collections, but no one anticipated the massive response the movie ended up generating. The film, which opened on Eid on Wednesday, ran to packed houses in the country, with trade analysts predicting the collections to be in the range of `18-20 crore.

During the last couple of years, it was Salman's other big ticket release, "Dabangg" (`14.35 crore), and Aamir Khan's "3 Idiots" (`12.5 crore), which had shown the biggest openings.

Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, "Salman is something else now. I think the movie has earned almost `20 crore on day one and over the weekend, it will cross `85-90 crore." Komal Nahta is more conservative in his estimates and pegs the weekend collection at `65-70 crore. However, Nahta says the film has broken all international records too. Says Nahta, "In Dubai, the movie opened on Tuesday because that's when Eid was celebrated. While "Dabangg" had opened with 7 lakh dirhams (`87 lakh), "Bodyguard" made 11 lakh dirhams (`1.36 crore). In London, the movie opened with a collection of 60,000 pounds (`44.4 lakh) on Tuesday, which too is unheard of. It has broken all previous records for any Bollywood film."

While analysts hail Salman and the film as a box office miracle, multiplex and single screen officials tell us that various strategies have come together to help the film. Says Tinku Singh, group president, SRS group, "In NCR, we ran 53 shows in Faridabad, and 22 and 30 shows in Gurgaon and Indirapuram. The total collection on day one was `24 lakh. It is houseful across the country. After the "Aarakshan" fiasco, everyone's rejoicing with this movie. And the thing to remember here is that the movie opened on a Wednesday, so it will have five days, plus two more weekends at least, to make a lot more money."

Also, "Boduguard" opened to weekend pricing across most multiplexes, giving them much more revenue. However, PVR Cinemas chose to go ahead with weekday pricing for Wednesday, and reported 95% occupancy in the morning shows, and 100% occupancy towards the evening. Out of 550 shows in PVR halls, approximately 325 were played in Delhi and Punjab. Says Deepa Menon, vice president, corporate communications for PVR Cinemas, "The movie saw an excellent opening in Delhi-NCR, ending the day with nearly 95% occupancy, which is quite phenomenal. This definitely is one of the biggest openings on day one that we've seen."

Even in single-screen theatres, the film has done record-breaking business in Delhi-NCR. While Vishal in Rajouri Garden reported a total of `4.5 lakh in four shows, all four shows were houseful in Delite, said Sunil Parashar, media coordinator for Dellite. Sheila Cinema in Paharganj too, saw four full shows, totalling a collection of over `3 lakh. Says Parashar, "During "Ready", ticket prices had been increased by 20% even in single-screen halls. But for "Bodyguard", even at normal single-screen prices, the movie has broken all records. Most single screens are houseful till Sunday."

Why Bodyguard is a big hit already

Salman Khan is emerging as the Rajnikanth of Bollywood, says media professional and industry observer Abhijit Mhamunkar, as the two-days collection of Salman Khan's Bodyguard raked in around Rs 38.7 crore.

Despite being a flawed film, Mhamunkar says it is doing well because "Salman's film is like Rajnikanth's film, people go to watch Salman Khan so there are no complaints from hardcore fans. Besides, people did not hate the film nor are they saying it is a flop film."

He explains further: "Salman Khan's movies are critic-proof. People don't wait for reviews and then go and watch his films, they are waiting for the release of the film. With each multiplex having around 27, 19 and 21 shows, every screen is showing Bodyguard. It is a well planned strategy; everyone who goes to the cinema is getting a ticket so they are watching it."

The first two days of the film's release were holidays. The first was for Eid. Since Muslims abstain from watching films during the month of Ramzan, they are eager to watch a film, not just a Salman film but any film, after that. If it is a Salman Khan film on Eid, then it's like the cherry on the icing.

"The fall will begin today, Friday. In fact, it has already begun from today -- morning to afternoon there has been about 30 to 40 per cent fall. That is not a huge fall but it is considerable compared to the last two days," says Mhamunkar.

The estimate of Rs 100 crore in earnings in the first weekend now seems difficult, but on the other hand, the next two days being a weekend, sales could be good.

Irrespective of the financial performance of the film, its star will remain untarnished. "Even the harshest critic of Bodyguard has not pointed to a flaw in Salman Khan's performance. You will find no review where Salman Khan is criticised. Even (movie critic) Rajeev Masand has tweeted that he is an endearing character in the film," Mhamunkar points out.


He compares it to the Amitabh Bachchan phenomenon, when in his heyday the Big B could do no wrong.

Salman is suffering from trigeminal neuralgia and is in the US for treatment, but the sympathy wave is not the reason for the good box office takings, Mhamunkar says.

He believes people are drawn to the character Salman plays in this film. In his recent films, "Salman played the over-smart, stylish, larger than life character. Here he plays a simple, endearing, down to earth and real character."

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Singham have been the biggest hits of the year so far, but Mhamunkar's guess is that Bodyguard will surpass them. "Singham earned Rs 100 crore, but it was in the theatres for long, so it took a long time to earn that kind of money. But Bodyguard's growth is rapid so therefore it will surpass Singham."

The only other film that could compete with Bodyguard is Shah Rukh Khan's Ra.One because, says Mhamunkar, SRK is a good strategist and will bombard cinemas with many more prints, and also because "though Salman Khan has a huge fan following in India , it is not as huge as Shah Rukh Khan's, who also has a fan following among NRIs. His last film My Name is Khan did not do that well in India, but was a huge hit overseas."

Kareena steals Salman's bodyguard

Kareena Kapoor dazzles during Bodyguard promotion

Kareena ki katil muskan

Kareena ki meethi meethi batein

Kareena Kapoor promotes 'Bodyguard'

Different Faces and languages of Bodyguard

Bodyguard, in Hindi (Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor)

Ganga, in Telugu (Venkatesh, Trisha)

Kaavalan, in Tamil (Vijay, Asin)

Bodyguard in Malayalam (Dileep, Nayantara)