Page 3 (2005), the hard-hitting film which has stood the test of time, completed 20 years on January 21. Today, the film is celebrated but back in January 2005, it was released without much noise. On top of it, it clashed with Subhash Ghai’s Kisna, which was a much bigger film. Many felt that Page 3 would get crushed. It had an opening of just Rs. 18 lakhs while Kisna opened at Rs. 1.49 crores. However, the table soon turned. Kisna ended its lifetime at Rs. 8.22 crores. Page 3, meanwhile, ended up collecting more – Rs. 8.86 crores. Its budget was far less and hence it was a sleeper hit of 2005. Moreover, with a weekend of just Rs. 72 lakhs, it did 12.30 times if we compare the weekend and lifetime earnings.
20 Years of Page 3 EXCLUSIVE: Despite clashing with Kisna, Konkona Sen Sharma-starrer was a RARE film to collect 12.30 times the opening weekend; Madhur Bhandarkar explains why Shobhaa De and few socialites were RATTLED with the film: “They said, ‘Madhur cast a lot of socialites and he bajaoed them only”
In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Madhur Bhandarkar was asked why Page 3 clashed with Kisna and why it didn’t release a week after when there was limited competition. Madhur Bhandarkar replied, “My producers, Percept Picture Company and Sahara One Motion Pictures, took the decision. They reasoned, ‘Kisna is a film for the masses while Page 3 is a film for the multiplexes’. I was very apprehensive though.”
He said, “The day the film was released, I told one of my assistants to go to Fame Adlabs for the matinee show. I wanted to know how people would react as it was a completely new concept. As soon as he reached there, the assistant called to inform me that Page 3’s show was 40% full while Kisna’s show was almost sold out. After the show got over, he called and said ‘Sab log silent ho ke nikle. They are not giving any reaction. It seems like they have come to a funeral!’ That scared me. He further said that when he asked some moviegoers how the film was, they refused to say anything.”
Page 3 ended on a sombre note and moreover, Madhur Bhandarkar didn’t even add music in the end credits. On this, Madhur said, “Yes. Many people had reservations about it. I was told to add the song ‘Kuwa Maa Doob Jaungi’ or to add a violin sound. I didn’t change my decision. But after learning about the feedback, I was unable to understand whether people liked the film or not!”
Thankfully, the situation changed for the better. The National Award-winning filmmaker revealed, “But by 3 pm, I started getting calls from Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata informing that the film is well-made and that viewers are shocked with the content. In Fame Adlabs, the 3 pm show had more viewers than the 12 pm show and the 6 pm show had more footfalls than the 3 pm show. The night show was almost full in every cinema in the Mumbai circuit. Ashok Ahuja, the distributor who used to work in Percept, called and told me, ‘Aapne toh jalwa kar diya’! He revealed that PVR in Delhi, Hyderabad etc are also going full. Inox Nariman Point, Mumbai also had house full shows.”
He continued, “Soon, I started getting reactions in the form of SMSes. Many journalists appreciated it. Many didn’t have my number but they got hold of it and wrote to me. Konkona Sen Sharma excitedly shared that she was getting a fabulous response. By Monday, people would call and tell me, ‘Your film is running house full. We didn’t get tickets. 4 tickets arrange kar ke de na’!”
The industry was also impressed by Page 3. Madhur Bhandarkar stated, “2-3 days later, Aparna Sen ji called. Shabana Azmi ji was also with her. Javed Akhtar ji and Farhan had already seen the film at trial. Shabana ji saw the film in a theatre and she and Aparna ji called to praise me. To get compliments from two veterans was quite something. A month later, I was at IIFA where Karan Johar, Yash Chopra ji and Pamela Chopra ji spoke to me about the film. Yash ji said, ‘Puttar, tune bahut acchi film banayi hai’. I even took Vijay Mallya and Parvez Damania to Inox Nariman Point in a packed show in the third week. Vijay Mallya enjoyed the film thoroughly.”
He added, “I was overwhelmed with the love I got from industry and audiences alike. There were also detractors who despised the film, especially a section of the socialites. They remarked, ‘It’s better to go to a Page 3 party than watching this film’. One socialite got rattled.”
Was it Shobhaa De? Madhur Bhandarkar replied, “Yes, and many others as well. They said, ‘Madhur Bhandarkar cast a lot of socialites in the film and he bajaoed them only. He painted everyone with the same brush’ (laughs).”
In Page 3, the character of Vijaya Agarwal, played by Dolly Thakore, was said to be inspired by Shobhaa De. In a scene, Vijaya was told that her books were all about sex and that further added to the comparisons.
These critics, however, couldn’t stop the film from becoming a success. It shows increased with each passing week. Page 3 shockingly wasn’t released in Gaiety-Galaxy but it got a release in the iconic single-screen complex after a few weeks. Its main theatre was Sterling, which was then a single-screen cinema hall in Mumbai. Page 3 completed 50 days there and on that occasion, the cast and crew assembled in the South Mumbai theatre to celebrate the feat.
Madhur Bhandarkar smiled as this writer talked about it and he also said, “We also had a success party. We invited Shyam Benegal ji to the bash. He was in love with the film and called it a game-changer. He also saw the film in Sterling.”
For a film to start at Rs. 18 lakhs and to collect Rs. 8 crore plus was a huge achievement. A smiling Madhur Bhandarkar remarked, “Bhai saab, woh Rs. 8 crores aaj ki taarekh mein Rs. 100 crores hai!”
When asked about the impact of Page 3, Madhur Bhandarkar exulted, “A lot of people told me, ‘Humne toh party mein jaana bandh kar diya, humne toh funeral mein jaana bandh kar diya’! It means a lot to see the love that the film got especially what the perception of the film was while I was making it. The title was such that no one understood. It’s not like I titled the film Society Ki Sachhai! People used to wonder, ‘Kya bana raha hai yeh’. They have mocked me so much. If I was going somewhere, they would call me, ‘Aye Page 3’ or ask, ‘Kya ho raha hai teri Page 3 ka?’! Many assumed it was a murder mystery or that Page 3 meant a code word. Many industry people asked me, ‘Tujhe aur koi title nahin mila kya? Abhi bhi time hai. Title change kar de’. I was adamant and didn’t budge and I am so glad about it (smiles).”
Also Read: Madhur Bhandarkar praises Allu Arjun; says, “Allu Arjun is a superstar”
More Pages: Kisna Box Office Collection
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