PATI PATNI AUR WOH DO collected 27 crore nett in its first week which is a low collection. The film had a dull start and then it became an uphill struggle after that. Its not gone downhill after the start or anything but there is just no momentum in the run of the film. Thursday is down a little more than 50% from the first day and if collections can hold close to Thursday on Friday, the film would be looking at a 60% drop in week two.

The drops and all ore okay but the problem is low numbers and it makes the 50 crore nett figure difficult to reach and even then 50 crore nett is just respectable not a success. Films with lesser costs like THE KERALA STORY 2: GOES BEYOND and MARDAANI 3 are doing in the 45-50 crore nett range. Those were sequels and so is this.

The figures for PATI PATNI AUR WOH DO are as follows.

Friday - 3,65,00,000 apprx

Saturday - 5,25,00,000 apprx

Sunday - 7,50,00,000 apprx 

Monday - 2,85,00,000 apprx

Tuesday - 3,25,00,000 apprx

Wednesday - 2,50,00,000 apprx

Thursday - 1,75,00,000 apprx

AAKHRI SAWAL collected 2.50 crore nett and is a poor fare which will finish at around 3 crore nett lifetime business.

The collections for AAKHRI SAWAL are as follows.

Friday - 30,00,000 apprx

Saturday - 55,00,000 apprx

Sunday - 90,00,000 apprx

Monday - 20,00,000 apprx

Tuesday - 25,00,000 apprx

Wednesday - 20,00,000 apprx

Thursday - 15,00,000 apprx

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has crossed the 1000 crore nett mark and is easily the biggest Hindi grosser ever but in certain markets it sill remains less than PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE despite the all India figure being far higher. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has failed to get the highest total in Rajasthan, CP Berar, CI, Bihar and Odisha all ending below PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE. Its a similar story in the state of Gujarat but that comes into Mumbai circuit and overall the collections of DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE are higher in the circuit by more than 10%.

A circuit where DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE did not look like being the biggest was West Bengal but with a prolonged run it has edged past the numbers of JAWAN which was the highest grossing film in this circuit. It was Assam and West Bengal which stopped PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE getting the highest totals in all circuits. For DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE, its the mass circuits which has stopped the film showing complete domination all over. In many of these mass circuits, the figures are higher than PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in the bigger centers and major multiplexes but its the smaller centers and smaller cinemas be it independent plexes or single screens where it is less.

The last film to have the highest figure in all circuits was BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION and before that it was HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN and SHOLAY. Even GADAR - EK PREM KATHA did not manage as it could not beat HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN in Maharashtra and parts of the Eastern circuit. It means only 3 films  in the last 50 years have seen numbers which have been the highest across all circuits.

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has beaten the previous all India total by almost 30% but still some circuits remain less which shows how tough it is and how tastes differ in different circuits. In a circuit like CP Berar, the gap is pretty huge as PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE did 57 crore nett and DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE will do 45 crore nett. In Rajasthan, the gap is lesser with PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE on 47.50 crore and DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE on 46 crore nett.

--------------------------------

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is coming to an end of its run and will be finish with 4 crore footfalls apprx. The collections will end with 1005 crore nett and the ATP (Average Ticket Price) will be over INR 300 which has never been seen before. A few years ago BLOCKBUSTERS like PATHAAN, JAWAN and ANIMAL saw an ATP of around 220 and in just three years here is a film with a 35% higher Average Ticket Price.

PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE, released in 2024, had an ATP of 230 and although the multiplexes had comfortably far higher pricing than the likes of ANIMAL and JAWAN, it also had a lot appeal in mass centers which bought the overall ATP down as it should be 10-15% higher than the 2023 films but was only 5% higher. There is a difference of only 10 lakh footfalls between PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE and DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE. However, the box office collection is around 280 crore nett more. PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE had 3.90 crore footfalls.

This is the highest footfall for an original Hindi film since GADAR in 2001 which is a pretty long time to wait for a 4 crore footfall film. The way it was going in the initial few days it looked like even 4.5-5 crore was possible but the mass appeal was not quite there at that insane level. This is not to say the film did not have mass appeal but not to the level of 5 crore footfalls.

This 4 crore footfall mark did look like it would was an impossible task the way business was going post pandemic and more than that the way pricing was going but never say never. It can easily be said that 5 crore is a dream at present and you never know what happens with the right content. The pricing going up and up means footfalls do become tougher though it makes it easier for initial records when the urgency is there.

There may have been no 4 crore footfall film from the Hindi film industry between 2001 and 2026 but there were plenty before 2001 and it maybe around 25-30 films which got over 4 crore. But then, times were different and although there was a lesser population, the craze for films and stars was far higher.

Actor Radhikka Madan says she still “begs for auditions” despite earning praise for her performances, admitting that every project feels like a “do or die” situation. The actor, recently appreciated for her work in Subedaar by filmmaker Hansal Mehta, will next be seen in Lust Stories 3 in a segment directed by Shakun Batra alongside Ali Fazal.

“I have been a huge fan of Shakun’s work and when I got to know about the film, I begged for an audition for Lust Stories 3 and by God’s grace, I got it,” says Radhikka, who made her acting debut with TV show Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi before transitioning to films with Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha in 2018.

Despite building a credible body of work, the actor says she cannot afford complacency. “I can’t afford to give an average performance. There are a lot of people in line for every role. Every work is a do or die situation for me. If I need to survive, I need to kill it,” she says.

Radhikka adds that she has no hesitation in chasing opportunities. “Even now, if there is a project people are not thinking of me for, I beg for an audition and I’m very comfortable with it. I don’t have that ego. I have a problem when I don’t even get the opportunity to audition and am crossed off because of my last name,” she says.

Radhikka also credits “actors like Kangana Ranaut, Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt and Tabu ma’am” for paving the way for stronger female-led roles in Bollywood.

Last July, producer Himalay Dassani had shared his plan of making The Lion Of Galwan, a movie on Vir Chakra awardee Sepoy Gurtej Singh who lost his life in the 2020 India-China military clash in Galwan Valley (Gung-ho about Galwan, July 22). But almost a year on, things have taken a turn. As India and China witness a tactical thaw in their relations, the producer told mid-day that the film — which was to be led by actor and his son Abhimanyu Dassani — has been indefinitely postponed.

This isn’t the first on-screen offering to be impacted by the easing of the two countries’ hostilities. Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi: May War Rest In Peace, originally titled Battle Of Galwan, has reportedly been reshot.

Speaking to mid-day from Tashkent, Himalay said that if he chooses to go ahead with The Lion of Galwan, he will have to follow a certain process. “The India-China relationship is much better today. So, we’ll have to revisit the story idea. After we complete the script, we will have to submit it to the Ministry of Defence of India, before we begin shooting. Also, we have received a directive from them that there cannot be China-bashing. So, we need to revisit that angle.”

Is he open to reworking the narrative? To the producer, it’s a futile exercise. “If we are not going to get a clearance from the Defence Ministry, there will be no point in telling the story of the Galwan battle as we can’t show the correct angle. If the fight and the reasons behind [the clash] are non-existent, what is the use of making a movie on it? So, we have kept it on the backburner.”

-----------------------------------

Abhimanyu Dassani, who was to portray Sepoy Gurtej Singh in ‘The Lion Of Galwan’, has instead turned his attention to a film that will roll later this year. Himalay Dassani further revealed, “We are also looking at an intense love story for him.”

Given how Satrangi: Badle Ka Khel explored themes of caste and power, actor Kumud Mishra was certain that he wanted to be part of the series. But he made a request to director Jai Basantu Singh before stepping into the role of the antagonist. “I said I won’t use a lot of abusive words, unless it is important,” recalled Mishra.

The actor’s decision stemmed from an observation he made over the past few years. He shared, “Whenever we go into Hindi heartland, abusive words become a tool to make a series dramatic. The director strongly agreed [with me]. Of course, abuses are used in society on an everyday basis. I am not judging that; even I use abusive words. But in art, it should be deployed where its impact is felt. If it’s in every other dialogue, then it’s being used for effect.” 

Led by Anshumaan Pushkar, Satrangi tells the story of a Launda dancer’s son, who is forced by circumstances to join the world of Launda naach. Through his journey, the revenge drama examines how the community is often discriminated against. 

What appealed to Mishra was how the story showed the reality when Indian showbiz is becoming increasingly escapist.

“We are living in an escapist time. We bury our heads in the sand and think everything is fine. Even the stories being made are escapist. At such a time, the show is an attempt to raise a hard-hitting subject.”

Set against the backdrop of India’s Partition, Main Vaapas Aaunga is not a political statement, according to filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. Instead, it looks at the emotional weight that the historic chapter left on the people it divided. At its heart, it’s a sweeping romance, particularly for the younger audience.

“People often say this generation doesn’t have patience. But I feel this generation desires love more desperately than any other. There’s this feeling that meaningful, lasting love existed in the old times, but cannot anymore,” shared Ali. 

To dispel the idea, the director has woven a timeless love story starring Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina. The June 12 release is centred on a man remembering, on his deathbed, the love of his life whom he had to leave behind in Pakistan during the Partition. 

Revisiting Partition on screen in today’s political climate inevitably comes with its own sensitivities. Asked whether art can help heal the trauma carried by those who lived through the episode, Ali reflected, “No, it’s not meant to make you forget the horrors or somebody’s personal grief. A film can never be and should not be so powerful that it obliterates that grief. However, it can present somebody else’s story, a [different] point of view.”

Ali’s love story has struck a chord with his friend and filmmaker Shoojit Sircar. Recalling Sircar’s response, Ali shared, “He said, ‘Yeh film mujhe banaani thi. I could never take my father back to Dhaka.’ In a way, it’s so many people’s stories. It’s not as though their feelings will go away after watching this film. But [they] will at least get the joy that it’s being addressed. More people will know this story, which stayed only in my closet.”

Manasi Scott and a still from her show

Known for her high-energy stage performances and powerful vocals, Manasi Scott is stepping back into acting with the web show Mujhe Tu Chahiye, a project she describes as creatively fulfilling. For Manasi, the biggest reason for saying yes to the project was director Shankar Srikumar, with whom she shares a long professional association.

“What drew me instantly was Shankar. He had written many of my earlier series and reality hosting projects, so there was already strong trust between us. He once told me he remembered my kindness and had decided he would cast me as an actor when he became a director. That really stayed with me,” she shares.

The project also reunited her with actor Iqbal Khan. She says, “Iqbal was the icing on the cake. He is talented and meticulous with his craft, but what stands out even more is the way he treats people around him.”

While audiences know Manasi primarily as a singer and live performer, she says returning to acting came with its own challenges. “Getting back into acting is not as easy as riding a bicycle. It took me some time to find my rhythm again, and both Shankar and Iqbal made that process easier. But once I settled in, I enjoyed every moment of it.”

Manasi also reveals that performance has been a part of her life since childhood. “I did theatre for years in Pune, and growing up as an Army brat meant constantly participating in school plays across different cities. I even directed my first musical when I was in the fourth standard,” she says.

Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises is open to unlocking value in its music label business, Zee Music Company (ZMC), including through a potential demerger into a separate company and induction of a strategic partner, CEO Punit Goenka said during the company's Q4 earnings call on May 19.

"We certainly want to invest in the music business because that's the only way to keep broadening and going ahead. The question of unlocking value is always something that we keep considering all the time," Goenka said.

The comments signal Zee's willingness to evaluate options for its music business at a time when the company is increasingly betting on high-growth adjacencies such as over-the-top (OTT), music, studios and live events amid slowing growth in its core broadcasting business.

The company entered the music business through ZMC in 2014 and has built it from the ground up in a hypercompetitive market dominated by legacy Indian labels such as T-Series, Saregama and Tips Music, alongside India operations of global players including Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music. Goenka suggested Zee remains focused on scaling the business organically and sees room for growth before pursuing any major structural move.

"Compared to my competitors, we are still a very small player and we will keep investing and going ahead on that basis. But if opportunities come, why not? We will always evaluate and look at those," he noted.

A potential demerger or strategic investment could help Zee unlock value from a fast-growing asset at a time when its traditional television business is witnessing slower growth. "Profitability in the music business remains healthy and we continue to diversify our catalogue across additional language markets," said deputy CEO Mukund Galgali.

ZMC currently has 176 million subscribers on YouTube and 217 billion video views on the platform, backed by a catalogue of more than 20,000 songs. According to industry estimates, Zee generates upwards of Rs. 400 crore annually from its music business.

Listed music labels such as Saregama and Tips Music currently command market capitalizations in the range of Rs. 7,500 crore to Rs. 8,500 crore. Global labels such as Universal, Sony and Warner also see India as a key market due to its large digital user base and deep talent pool.

India is the world's 14th-largest market for recorded music, though it ranks second after the US in terms of total on-demand streaming, including audio and video. According to FICCI-EY, the Indian music industry generated Rs. 5,900 crore in revenue in 2025, driven by subscription and digital advertising growth, and is expected to rise to Rs. 7,500 crore by 2028 at a CAGR of 9%.

The industry has benefited significantly from growing smartphone penetration, cheaper internet access and rising consumption across audio and video streaming platforms, while gradually pivoting from an advertising-led free model to subscriptions.