Bajirao Mastani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming period drama, about a famous 18th-century warrior, may have been in the works for almost a decade, but its producers have a sound strategy to keep the film in the news until its December release.
A beleaguered history
Rumour has it that Bhansali, a fastidious filmmaker, struggled for years to find the right cast and the right time to make the film. However, after the box-office success of his 2013 hit Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, all the pieces finally seemed to fall into place.
The movie is based on the life of Bajirao Ballal (Balaji) Bhat, known to many as Bajirao I. He was the peshwa (prime minister) of India’s fourth Maratha king, Chhatrapati Shahu Raje Bhonsle. Bajirao was undefeated in more than 40 battles and married twice. He built a separate palace for his second wife, Mastani, in Pune city near Mumbai.
"We wanted to introduce Bajirao Mastani as an Indian film with a truly global appeal," says Prerna Singh, Eros International's chief marketing officer. She believes that a film directed by Bhansali has all the ingredients needed to be an international hit. "The look, feel and opulence that he gives to his cinema is very unique," she says.
The tagline – “Bajirao ne Mastani se mohabbat ki hai, aiyyashi nahin” (Bajirao has fallen in love with Mastani, not merely fooled around with her) – reveals that although the film is about one of the greatest unsung warriors in Indian history, it will focus on the love story of Bajirao and Mastani.
Online boost
Produced by Eros International and Bhansali Productions, the first glimpse of the film – which boasts an ensemble cast that includes Ranveer Singh as Bajirao, Priyanka Chopra as his first wife, Kashibai, and Deepika Padukone as Mastani – was presented as a teaser trailer in July.
In August, there was a celebration for Bajirao’s descendants in Mumbai, on the 315th anniversary of his birth.
A week later, a trailer was released for an eight-part animated web series, Blazing Bajirao, a prelude to the film that features its stars in animated form.
It introduces the characters, the sociopolitical backdrop of the time, and reveals the popularity of Bajirao through the historical events it portrays.
“We wanted to target the youth with this series,” Singh says.
Considering that the history of Bajirao is less well known outside of the state of Maharashtra, the web series should help to whet the appetites of young moviegoers and build interest in the film. It will debut this week, with one episode released each week on the ErosNow app (available on iOS and Android platforms) and at www.erosnow.com.
“The idea was to introduce history in a unique and interesting way and have a global reach,” says Singh.
The web series is attracting a lot of attention – although such tie-ins are increasingly common in Hollywood, it is the first promotion of its kind created for a Bollywood film.
Music launch
To emphasise the film's grandeur, the first song was revealed in style. Gajanana, which is an invocation to the Hindu deity Ganesha, was introduced to the world on September 15, when the celebrations for the Ganesha festival began in India.
In addition to the now obligatory online release, more than 5,000 students gathered at the Balewadi Stadium in the Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Sports Complex in Pune for what proved to be Bollywood’s biggest song launch.
The students held up blocks featuring images of Ganesha which, when combined, created the largest crowd-formed mosaic image of the elephant-headed deity.
Sukhwinder Singh (of Chhaiyya Chhaiyya fame) sang the song and Singh and Padukone played the dhol.
The event will be featured in Guinness World Records as the biggest launch ever for a song.
Timely tweets
The song launch nearlywent ahead without the film’s stars. Padukone and Singh’s chopper could not land in Pune because of heavy monsoon clouds. They were forced to return to Mumbai, but were able to charter a flight and reach the event in time.
On the way, they kept the audiences updated and amused with tweets about their progress.
Singh was delighted with the lively crowd and tweeted after the event: “What mad energy in Pune! Well worth the adventurous journey! Mission Bhalewadi is a success! Agent D, you deserve a medal! @deepikapadukone.
“There’s much more that will follow, which we can’t reveal yet,” Singh added.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 715bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,289,376
On sale: now
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
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