Latest news with #JaiSantoshiMaa
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jai Santoshi Maa—rivaled Sholay, beat Deewaar
/ May 30, 2025, 11:17PM IST 50 years ago, a film with no superstars went on to become a blockbuster. Such was the impact of this film that it rivalled Sholay in terms of its box office success and even beat the Amitabh-Shashi Kapoor starrer- Deewaar. And at the heart of it was a lesser-known goddess, who drew in the crowds to cinema halls. Theatres felt like temples and the audience like devotees. That was the power of Jai Santoshi Maa that was made on a frugal budget but left a lasting impression.
India.com
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This film earned Rs 56 on first day of release, then became a superhit, earned 2000% profit, gave tough competition to Sholay, ran for 350 days, movie is…
A movie is only considered a hit when it earns more than the making, and the profit margin on the film surpasses the amount spent on production and marketing. But have you heard that a film earned 2000 per cent profit? Unusual, right?! But what if we tell you that it actually happened and not in 2021, 2022 or 2023 but in 1975. Yes, that's correct! The film we are discussing was a low-budget movie, but it created a buzz at the box office. Will you believe if we say that the movie only earned Rs 56 on day 1 of its release! If all these cues have left your mind boggled, and you're unable to guess the name of the film, then let us tell you the movie is none other than Jai Santoshi Maa. Helmed by Vijay Sharma, Jai Santoshi Maa featured Kanan Kaushal, Ashish Kumar, Rajnibala, Bharat Bhushan, and Bela Bose in key roles. This is one of the rare movies in Indian cinema which had no antagonist and no violent scenes. On day 1 of Jai Santoshi Maa's release, it earned only Rs. 56 in Mumbai. At that time, trade analysts declared it a flop film, but the public's love and word-of-mouth publicity made this film a superhit overnight. This film not only ran in theatres for 50 weeks but also became the highest-grossing film of that year, giving a tough challenge to Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra's Sholay. According to IMDb, it was at number two in the highest-grossing films of 1975. Jai Santoshi Maa was made on a budget of Rs 25 lakh and turned out to be a massive hit, managing to earn Rs 5 crore. When adjusted for inflation, this amount would be nearly Rs 1000 crore. With a 2000% profit, Jai Santoshi Maa remains the most profitable Indian film. The story of Jai Santoshi Maa was based on the faith and miracles of the devotees of Maa Santoshi, which went well with the audience. Hence, the movie became a huge hit.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When theatres became temples, and a movie became a marvel
Anita Guha played the film's title role In the summer of 1975, filmgoers in Arrah, a small town in central Bihar, would often witness an unlikely spectacle outside their local Sapna cinema. A crowd of eager, chaperoned women — many of them elderly — would arrive in buses, tongas, indeed any vehicle, including the occasional bullock cart, from nearby villages and kasbahs. Most would appear to be first timers at a cinema. Inside the auditorium, many would take off their slippers by the aisle — a few were barefoot anyway — and watch the drama unfold on screen with awe and reverence. It was as if they were attending a satsang, or, a religious congregation. ' Jai Santoshi Maa ' wasn't just a devotional movie for them; it was to be a life-influencer. What happened in Arrah was repeated for months in hundreds of tiny towns and puny mofussils across large swathes of India. The film, directed by debutant Vijay Sharma , was released on May 30, four weeks before the draconian Emergency was imposed. Sholay hit the screens on Independence Day. But nothing could stop the march of the frugally budgeted movie where the audience 'showered coins, petals and rice at the screen in appreciation'. There's more. In its 1975 annual report, the Trade Guide rated both 'Sholay' and ' Jai Santoshi Maa' as blockbusters, ahead of 'Deewar' . The movie celebrated jubilee, both gold and silver, in multiple cities. In Arrah, 'Sholay' was shown for eight weeks. 'Jai Santoshi Maa' ran for 16 weeks, a record for the town. Film Information magazine noted that an extra early morning show was screened at '9am' in Malad, Bombay, to accommodate 'the ladies'. Simply put, 'Jai Santoshi Maa' was a phenomenon. Even after five years, the film would draw houseful crowds on re-runs. It wasn't just the cash returns. Since the silent era, devotional movies enjoyed a constant output in Bombay's cinema bazaar till the 1960s. The convent-educated urban Indian may have scoffed at them, but the genre enjoyed a faithful following among the non-elite. No surprise, the opening credits were written in Hindi, not English, which was the norm. But in the 1970s, the devotional genre took a backseat. Output declined. Barring the modestly successful, 'Sampoorna Ramayan' (1973), films flopped. 'Jai Santoshi Maa', produced by Satram Rohra, breathed life into the waning genre. The movie's super success prompted the launch of 30 films starting with 'Jai', wrote Raju Bharatan in a summary of 1975's Hindi films in The Illustrated Weekly of India. However, few were completed, as subsequent records show. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Montecristi: Un segundo ingreso para ecuatorianos: prueba Amazon CFD (Inicia hoy). Empezar ahora Registrarse Undo The film's socio-religious impact has been far more lasting. Australian art historian Michael Brand, who produced a detailed paper on Santoshi Mata booklets in 1982, writes that 'it is fairly certain that Santoshi Mata, the Goddess of Contentment, emerged during the 1950s or early 1960s'. It would be equally correct that the movie's popularity ensured that the little-known goddess, Lord Ganesh's daughter, was more worshipped than ever before. An impressive Shri Santoshi Mata Mandir, with a white marble floor, is located in West Delhi's Hari Nagar area . Patron-organiser Amit Saxena says that in the early 1970s, the temple functioned from a small hut. 'The large mandir that you see today was built in 1981,' he says. In 1981, noted anthropologist Veena Das wrote how Santoshi Ma temples proliferated after the movie's success. Not only were new temples dedicated to Santoshi Ma, but abandoned temples to goddesses like Shitala were also reconsecrated in her name. This, she wrote, happened 'not only in metropolitan cities but also in pilgrim cities like Varanasi'. Saxena has an explanation: 'After watching the film, many bhakts wanted to visit a Santoshi Mata mandir to express their devotion, to do fasting rituals or just sit there to pay obeisance. That's why so many mandirs came up at that time.' He further says, 'The Goddess of Contentment, Santoshi Mata, tells us not to hanker after worldly possessions. I feel that in today's materialistic world, this also attracts people.' According to Google Maps, Delhi has at least 30 Santoshi Mata temples now. In his article, art historian Brand writes that the goddess 'is mainly, though certainly not exclusively, worshipped by women of the lower middle-income group'. Temple volunteers now say the devotees now belong to every stratum. Outside the Hari Nagar temple, one notices men in swank sedans stop their vehicle, fold their hands and bow their heads before driving away. 'Over the years, the temple has been visited by various dignitaries: Dr Manmohan Singh during his finance minister days, Sheila Dixit, Sushma Swaraj, Kiran Bedi and Gen V K Singh,' Saxena says. About 200 devotees visit the temple every day. On Friday, when many of them fast, the number shoots up to roughly 2,000. 'The film's bhajan, 'Karti hoon tumhara vrat main, sweekar karo ma' (singer: Usha Mangeshkar ), is like an anthem for the worshippers. It is played every Friday,' says Saxena. During Navratras, the mandir is open 24x7, attracting about 10,000 devotees each day. Songs were the highlights of the 1975 movie. Written by Kavi Pradeep, who later received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, and composed by C Arjun, who delivered the most popular tunes of his career, the tracks became chartbusters. The film's records were often played on street squares in times when music was largely enjoyed collectively, not individually. 'Main to aarti utaroon re (singer: Usha Mangeshkar)' finished third in Binaca Geetmala in 1976. This was a rare film where the youngest of the Mangeshkar sisters got to sing three solos, the climactic 'Madad karo heyy' being the third. 'Yahan waha jahan tahan', sung separately by both Mahendra Kapoor and Pradeep, also made it to the popular radio show's charts. 'The songs were even heard in Australia on All India Radio's overseas service,' writes Brand. 'Jai Santoshi Maa' is plotted around the trials and tribulations of a young couple. Satyawati (Kanan Kaushal) and her husband (Ashish Kumar) are both devotees of the goddess. Satyawati faces a multitude of sorrows, which she overcomes with the blessings of her protector and benefactor. In the movie, she is asked by 'Devrishi' Narad — played by Mahipal, the famous actor of mythologicals — to undertake vrat (a ritual that includes fasting) on Fridays. She does so on 16 consecutive Fridays ( solah shukrawar ) and makes the humble offering of gud-chana (jaggery and black gram) to Santoshi Mata. Philip Lutgendorf, professor emeritus of Hindi and Modern Indian Studies, University of Iowa, says that the Friday 'vrat' ritual was already becoming popular by word of mouth, but the film dramatically featured and encouraged it. 'Making a simple, inexpensive 'vrat' the centerpiece of religious practice in the film was a remarkable move on the filmmaker's part,' says Lutgendorf, who has written extensively on the film. Ajay Kishan, who has a puja items stall near the West Delhi temple, sells at least 50 packs of gud-chana , priced at Rs 10, every Friday. 'About 10 temporary stalls come up that day,' he says. Years after the release of 'Jai Santoshi Maa', worshippers of the Goddess of Contentment continue to grow. And that includes on the web. The film has been viewed 24 million times on YouTube. DID YOU KNOW? Mahipal, Manher Desai and Trilok Kapoor were major stars in devotionals in the 1950s and 1960s Bharat Bhushan , who won a Filmfare award for his role in 'Chaitanya Mahaprabhu', also acted in several socio-religious movies. All four performed as character actors in 'Jai Santoshi Maa'.
India.com
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actress, who had only 3 hits in 19 years, got rejected for.., director felt she was too..., her name is...
Meet actress, who had only 3 hits in 19 years, got rejected for.., director felt she was too..., her name is... Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha is a prominent name in Hindi film industry. Before garnering fame, she used to work full-time in television industry. She started her career with the serial Kittie Party in 2002. Apart from Hindi, she also starred in many TV shows in Telugu language. However, she got real limelight after appearing in films. In 2006, she started her career in Hindi film industry with the film Jai Santoshi Maa . After doing couple of movies, she got her breakthrough with Love Sex Aur Dhokha in 2010. In the same year, she gave another superhit with Kartik Aaryan, Pyaar Ka Punchnama. In 2015, she again collaborated with him for the sequel of Pyaar Ka Punchnama . It turned out to be a success, earning Rs 88 crore at the box office. After that, her films weren't gaining commercial and critical successes, until in 2018 Luv Ranjan's rom-com Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety happened, where she worked with her Lucky Charm Kartik Aaryan again, along with Sunny Singh. She gained immense popularity for playing a grey-shade character in the film. Nushrratt once spoke about loosing out a role in 2008 Oscar-winner film Slumdog Millionaire. In a chat with Bollywood Bubble, she revealed that she was called 'too pretty' for the role. However, she was left totally confused when the makers broke this news to her. Nushrratt recalled, 'When I was told this on the phone, I wasn't understanding what it meant. But I said, 'Okay,' because they're people working at a different level and their thought is very different. Maine kaha theek hai hoga bhai kuch, kuch toh socha hoga aapne (There must be something there, they must have thought of something). No problem, sure. But ya, it was a little difficult to hear ki yeh kya hota hai, yeh kya hai (what kind of a reason is that).' Meanwhile, on the professional front, Nushrratt was last seen in Chhorii 2 with Soha Ali Khan.
India.com
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Muslim actress who keeps Santoshi Maa fasts, visits Vaishno Devi and Kedarnath for Puja, her name is..., not Sara Ali Khan
Meet Muslim actress who keeps Santoshi Maa fasts, visits Vaishno Devi and Kedarnath for Puja, her name is..., not Sara Ali Khan Nushrratt Bharuccha's lastest film Chhorii 2 was recently released on Prime Video earlier this month. During the promotions, the actress talked about her religion, expressing her deep faith in God. In Shubhankar Mishra's podcast, Nushrratt shared every aspect of her life, including her early struggling days in Mumbai. To earn money on her own, Nushrratt used to do whatever work she got. She gave many auditions for advertisements and during this time she got her debut film Jai Santoshi Maa . Nushrratt also believes in numerology and changed her name in 2020. Coming from a Muslim family, no one told her about numerology and the actress herself don't know how she got deeply involved. The Sonu ki Titu ki Sweety actress revealed that most of her childhood is spent visiting temples, Churches and Gurdwaras. She further said, 'I had also kept a fast of Maa Santoshi Mata. I kept a fast on 16 Fridays. I have kept 9 Novenas.' Asking the reason behind going on a spiritual trip like Kedarnath, Nushrratt shared, 'I was very much convinced to go to both Kedarnath and Badrinath. I just wanted to go and bow my head there and feel the energy there. I wanted to take blessings from there. I have also visited Vaishno Devi and not just bowed down to Mata, but I climbed the whole way. I did a full 13 km trek. Had darshan and then walked back the next day. So I have done that too.' The Pyaar Ka Punchnama star further spoke out about facing constant backlash over her appearance and beliefs, talking about her choices majorly towards faith and clothes. She added, 'Whether it's about my clothes or where I go, I've faced comments. When I post my picture, people ask, 'What kind of Muslim is she? Look at her clothes'. How do I handle it? Just like any other criticism. It doesn't change me. It won't stop me from going to a temple or praying namaz. I'll keep doing both. Because that's my faith. When you're clear in your thoughts, spirit, and mind, no one in the world can shake you'. Meanwhile, Nushrratt has been a part of movies such as Kal Kissne Dekha, Taj Mahal, Love Sex Aur Dhokha. Pyaar Ka Punchnama, Akash Vani and more.
