While in Hollywood music is often added when a film is in the editing phase, the planning for the songs in Bollywood projects can take as much work as the script itself.
The music is as integral to the success of the film as the stars, screenplay and even the director.
Soundtracks are a major part of a film's promotion, timed to come out in the weeks before release to give maximum exposure. A hit film will almost inevitably see soundtrack songs in the top 10.
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Music
The Indian music legend AR Rahman, who will perform in Dubai on December 9, produced the soundtrack to the film Rockstar - and it came out a month before the film's release last week. The composer is known for his ability to mix Indian classical music with orchestral arrangements and pop; he famously did the music for Slumdog Millionaire and also when Andrew Lloyd Webber put on the ill-fated musical Bollywood Dreams. Any release from the artist is met with huge anticipation, all the more so when it ties into a movie.
"It took around two years to develop," says the Rockstar director Imtiaz Ali. "It was still going on right up to the release of the film. Music is something I enjoy doing a lot. It's one of the benefits of a filmmaker, to be able to work on the songs, even more so this time because it was working with Rahman. I spent more time in his studio than in my home in the past two years, it is thrilling and soul-searching to be involved in the music."
Rajinder Dudrah, a senior lecturer in film and media studies at the University of Manchester, has written a new book called Bollywood Travels due out next year.
"In some cases the film's recorded soundtrack as an album of up to several songs and additional music can do far better commercially than some of the films at the box office," says Dudrah. "A good example of this is the 1990 film Aashiqui directed by Mahesh Bhatt, which was one of the highest-selling soundtracks of the 1990s. The film was considered weak by critics and audiences alike, but was made a hit due to its successful soundtrack." Quentin Tarantino is one of the rare examples of a Hollywood director known for the soundtracks that accompany his films.
"I've always thought my soundtracks do pretty good, because they're basically professional equivalents of a mix tape I'd make for you at home," he says.
In contrast to Bollywood soundtracks, however, Tarantino sticks to pre-recorded music for his films.
He argues that he's spent so long creating a film that he doesn't want someone else to come along and mess up his music.
Indeed, most of the successful soundtracks this year in American film, such as Drive, starring Ryan Gosling, have featured pre-recorded music that has not dented the album charts.
Of course, one of the major differences is that songs are nearly always incorporated into the scenes of Bollywood films, whereas this usually only happens in musicals in American cinema.
Often the music will act as a leitmotif running throughout the film that will indicate the emotional state of the character or to indicate a heightened sense of drama. The lyrics are also used to propel the plot forward, with the song and dance allowing for a break in proceedings.
The success of Bollywood soundtracks to promote films has also seen some artists resort to underhanded behaviour to promote their own wares.
The song Bhool Na Jaana Rehmat by Shrey Singhal was released on the internet with a claim it came from the soundtrack of the forthcoming Don 2 movie, a claim that was later shot down by the filmmakers. "There is a fake song claiming to be from Excel Entertainment's forthcoming Don 2 doing the rounds on the internet and with the popularity that the film and character has amongst the audiences, fans are downloading the song as they think it's from the film," said a statement issued by the film's publicist. "Please note that the song is not from the film and someone is just using it to publicise that particular song."
The 2006 movie Don - Chase Begins, was a remake of the 1978 movie Don, starring Amitabh Bachchan. Directed by Farhan Akhtar and starring Shah Rukh Khan, the film was one of the biggest hits in Bollywood history.
The sequel, which is to be released on December 23, is expected to prove a blockbuster at the box office and on the music charts.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
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