Showing posts with label Dhadak 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dhadak 2. Show all posts
Dhurandhar 2 pre-sales soar: Can Bollywood’s sequel curse be broken?
9:51 AM
The film to release in India on 5,000-5,500 screens, could earn up to Rs. 80 cr on opening day
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; March 9, 2026)
Mumbai: After a string of underwhelming Bollywood sequels — War 2, Dhadak 2, Mastiii 4, Jolly LLB 3 and De De Pyaar De 2 — the industry is watching whether Dhurandhar 2 can buck the trend. Exhibitors and distributors are citing strong early demand that suggests the film could break the jinx at a time when Bollywood is grappling with box office volatility and old formulas that are no longer working.
According to film trade analysts, the film will release in India on 5,000–5,500 screens and is likely to record Rs 75-80 crore in collections on opening day, March 19.
Audience appetite has been whetted by the blockbuster success of espionage actioner Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt and others. Released in 2025, Dhurandhar is one of the biggest films ever, having grossed Rs. 1005.8 crore in India alone and close to Rs. 300 crore in the overseas markets, according to box office data research firm Sacnilk.
In overseas markets, the sequel has generated advance or pre-release ticket sales worth $800,000.
“This is not an ordinary sequel. Audiences have already bought tickets worth more than Rs 5 crore for preview shows (March 18) alone,” said Shaaminder Malik, a film distributor and trade analyst. “They don’t want to know spoilers before their theatre experience. Tickets are being sold in a premium price range of Rs 300 to Rs 2,500 for a four-hour film. This shows the audience’s eagerness.”
Experts said Dhurandhar 2 is a proper tentpole release expected to drive significant box-office momentum.
“It is already reflected in its ticket sales,” said Gautam Dutta, CEO, revenue and operations, PVR Inox. “It will be the biggest release in terms of screens in India. In fact, a comforting factor is that the film has at least two weeks with no major release, which means the scope for record collections is high.”
Optimism about Dhurandhar 2’s performance increased recently with the release of Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups being delayed--it was to have debuted on the same day.
“The postponement of Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups has effectively cleared the competitive landscape for Dhurandhar 2,” said Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director, Karmic Films. “When two highly awaited big films don’t clash, exhibitors typically allocate 40–50% more premium screens and show slots to the releasing film, which can materially strengthen its opening-day collection. In theatrical economics, clashes create headlines, but clear release windows create box office records.”
Dhurandhar 2 will be dubbed in all four southern languages, unlike the original, which was released only in Hindi.
“The sequel is dubbed in multiple southern languages, which broadens its reach in the southern territories, thereby significantly boosting its India collections by at least 25–30%,” said producer Rajesh R Nair. Screen density, especially single-screen halls, and overall screen share (over 50%) in the southern markets is higher than in the rest of India.
Conservative estimates by trade analysts suggest the film could record an opening weekend collection of Rs 250-300 crore.
“In the absence of competition, I think the film’s collections could easily be boosted by at least 25%,” said Girish Johar, film producer and industry expert. “Given the high audience interest, I foresee an opening weekend collection of Rs 300 crore for the film.”
No one gives so much izzat to writers, directors as much as Dharma Productions-Somen Mishra
2:55 PM
Karan Johar; (right) Somen Mishra has been the bridge between the hustle of Aaram Nagar and the Dharma bubble. Pic/Instagram@somenmishra
Karan Johar might not be happy with Homebound’s box-office performance, but the rumours of Dharma making a loss are fabricated, says Somen Mishra, the man responsible for bringing in such critically acclaimed films under the studio’s banner
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; October 19, 2025)
The year end is usually reserved for reflection. But for filmmaker Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, casually described as the be and end all of Bollywood, this is the time for redemption.
At least, it seems so, with the acclaim and applause for two of its theatrical releases in the last two month— director Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound and filmmaker Shazia Iqbal’s feature debut, Dhadak 2. The architect of Dharma’s redemption arc, however, is not Johar. It’s the man, who is often dubbed as Johar’s right hand, who continues to embody the Aaram Nagar hustle even as he inhabits a designated corner of the swanky Dharma office, is the bridge between independent filmmakers and the Dharma bubble, and an outsider, ironically.
But Somen Mishra hasn’t only helped the company that he has been working with for over seven years now claim some glory, he has also resurrected his own image— of the man who caused the apparent downfall of Dharma. Out of the nine theatrical titles of the production house that Mishra has backed so far, there’s only been one superhit— Good Newwz— a hit in Johar’s directorial venture Rocky Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023) and a moderate success with Kesari Chapter 2 (2025). Even Dhadak 2, despite critical acclaim, ended its box office run at a dismal Rs 25 crore (approximately).
Notwithstanding its selection as India’s entry for Oscars 2026, Homebound is also only crawling at the box office. In fact, days after the film’s release, Johar was heard saying on a podcast that he would rethink about producing a film like Homebound because it might not always be profitable. Unsurprisingly, the filmmaker received backlash for his statement, and later had to clarify that he was “exceptionally proud of Homebound.”
“Dharma never loses money on any film because of the kind of budgets we make the films on, the kind of value we get, satellite, OTT, music. So, it rarely happens that we lose money. Most of the number and trade conversations that I have read online (about Dharma’s films) are all false. I've read the numbers of Dhadak 2 and Homebound. They’re completely wrong. They are one of the most tight budgets and very safe films for us,” Mishra tells us.
Negativity, of course, sells online. More so, if it’s around Dharma Productions. But its isn’t without a reason, with Johar’s reputation as an unrelenting godfather of star kids, which isn’t helped by the failure of films like Naadaniyaan, Sarzameen (both starring Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan), Ae Watan Mere Watan with Sara Ali Khan, Jahnvi Kapoor-led Mr And Mrs Mahi and her latest, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. The first three, all OTT releases, also had Mishra as a producer..
“Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, on Netflix, was a success for us. Aap Jaisa Koi, which was much appreciated, starred two outsiders (R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh) and directed by an outsider, Vivek Soni. But Nadaaniyan is talked about more. Negativity in news tracks more. If I troll someone, that will track more than if I praise someone. Otherwise, with so much praise for Homebound, it should have translated much more in the numbers. But it doesn't happen. The flip side is, when something lands, the praise is also humongous, because with Dharma, you will get attention, either way. Initially, it was difficult to understand. But now I understand. I also make all the directors and writers understand that when they’re signing a Dharma film, there will be a lot of attention on them. They should be prepared for that,” he says.
In that context, the praise surrounding Homebound and Dhadak 2 naturally makes Mishra feel vindicated, and the cherry on the top is that both the directors are not only outsiders but also those that the producer always believed in. But Mishra insists it's not his credit to take.
"I can’t take the whole credit for it. I take some credit for it. It's the directors, writers and their teams, who have made it happen. When I joined Dharma, Karan's point was, 'We do one thing great but we should also do all kinds of things because cinema keeps changing everywhere.’ So, people can abuse us but I know cinema is a long process. Both Dhadak 2 and Homebound we started developing in 2021. On Homebound, three and a half years went into writing. Out of which, around 10 months went into acquiring rights from the New York Times, for which Basharat Peer had written the article on which our film is based. Another challenge was cracking the cast. But everyone on this film took a cut. They knew what we were trying to do. I said this won't be feasible if we don't make it in a certain budget. Janhvi worked for free and even for her staff, she incurred the expense. All the writers took a cut. Dhadak 2 and Homebound are the two of the most tight-budget Dharma films in a long time. I have read some of the budget numbers online which are more than double (of the actual budget). But anybody who sees the film, anybody who knows production will tell you what the numbers are," he smiles.
With Mishra, the otherwise inaccessible umbrella of Johar's company opened to outsider voices like never before -- from Ghaywan, Iqbal, Soni, Vasan Bala, Ishita Moitra, -- the list is long.
But the bridge between the two sensibilities hasn't always been smooth. With him at the helm of things, he is expected to not only protect the voice of the director and writer, who surrender their trust in him, but also the commercial interests of the company that has hired him. It's surely a delicate balance. For instance, when Dharma decided to remake Pariyerum Perumal (2018) into Dhadak 2, it became a love story. It’s the 'Dharmafication of an anti-caste film', said several of its critics online. Mishra disagrees that he is ever asked to mould a film into the palatable, tried-and-tested template of Dharma.
"When we pitched Dhadak 2, it was pitched in a mainstream space because I feel it's much more difficult to do caste in a mainstream space. If we have to make a film for festivals, then why would we take the whole route of a love story? We aren't forcing the same love story in Homebound because that is a friendship story. But we saw a love story in Dhadak 2. In the original, the female character wasn't strong. But what's the purpose of making the female character strong, if the bonding between the two characters is not strong. So, for us, it was always a love story. Call it by any name. We wanted to go mainstream and the way to go about it was to have a love story. I don't see it as Dharmafication. Otherwise, we would have put a love story in Jigra. I don’t get told by Karan that these elements should be in the film, but we have to be honest to what the story is. There are no songs in Homebound. In fact, we have a film coming up where the filmmaker told us, 'Should we put a song?' and I said, 'Please don't. Otherwise people will say Dharma made you do this'."
Fighting the perception battle for Dharma, online, also seems to be a part of Mishra's job, even though he maintains, "I have gone quiet now." Why wouldn't it be, after all he is the most accessible face of the company, someone the internet has been familiar with for longer than he rose the ranks in the industry, from the time he used to run a popular cinema blog. Fight Club featured everything-- from news to opinions -- about cinema from Mishra and others, many of whom are now part of the industry. He soon emerged as the "daring, opinionated as well as arrogant" cinema guy, who spared nothing and no one.
Naturally, people expect him to display the same attitude towards whatever is perceived wrong about his company. But defending Dharma is a full time job, he knows.
"Sometimes I carry this baggage. Like, the other day, somebody said, 'You are not supporting Neeraj Ghaywan. You made the film only to get the festival credit.' I said, 'Okay. You are not the first one to say that. We have worked hard for four years. And how much support did the filmmaker get? You ask him.' But I know you can't fight what people are saying. Do your job because whatever you say will be misconstrued as something else. Someone said, 'You didn't promote Homebound properly. If it were left to me, I would have taken the cast to the village that the story is based in.' Had we done that, we would have been told, 'You are exploiting someone's death. You are greedy.' Only your work can speak, and Dhadak 2 is the best example. Since the day we announced it, my closest friends would tell me, 'Didn't you get any other film to remake?' When they saw the film, they were very moved by it. They said they were proven wrong about it."
Mishra insists his boss gives him a free hand, and this implicit faith is built on the initial successes that the former brought to the company, even if Johar never asked for "blockbusters" from the producer. “That’s the pressure I put on myself. My first few projects, Good Newwz, Lust Stories, Gunjan Saxena and Shershaah worked. So, the moment you initially come and deliver success, the company and the bosses will trust you. You think, 'Okay my job is done, the money thing is done. What else can I do, either get good directors or different voices'."
But faith can also create fear of failure and questions like, 'What will happen to my position in the company if the failure is too big?’ Like a Jigra. Fronted by Dharma's current biggest in-house star, Alia Bhatt, the Vasan Bala-directed action drama tanked at the box office.
“With success, it helps you to do more things. With failure, which I have learnt from Karan, you move on to the next. Get your learning and move on because you can't do anything about it. I know if it had landed well, it would have opened the door for Vasan, for more filmmakers and more things on a certain budget and scale. I still like the film very much. Vasan's craft is one of the best in terms of the staging and performances. And Alia has put her soul into that film. But even after that, there was so much conversation and dissection that happened. There is no point in doing so much.”
But does it mean Dharma won’t give another chance to Vasan? we ask him. “No. I can’t say but there have been conversations (with Vasan) about what to do and what not to do (in future). I feel some of the people who have made flop films, have gone on to make great films also. The learning is what and why it didn’t connect with people. But I don't have any fear about what happens to me in the face of a failure because people here are smart enough to know why a project failed. Also, people can see the honesty and integrity in the work. Films might not connect for various reasons. And 90-95 percent of the time, either good or bad, we know it before that. We might say whatever we say, but Karan, me, us, we know," Mishra tells us.
So, did they know that Jigra wouldn't work? “Jigra had a certain cinematic thing which people have to buy into. Those who buy the second half will buy the film. Those who can't buy the second half will not buy the film, which we all of course felt bad about. But Alia had done Raazi, why would she do another thriller? People said, this or that should have happened in the film. For me, the highlight was that 40-minute action sequence. A lot of people might not like that or might get thrown off by that. But for me, that was the highlight. Those were the concerns that if people like it, then it will land. If people don't get into that, it won't land.”
Hits and flops aside, Mishra is here for a larger cause, he emphasizes. Which is to open doors for people, like how they were opened for him— a man with no connection to the movies and also the city. "I remember Nikhil Mehrotra, whom we got to write Gunjan Saxena, jokingly told me, ‘Yahan per toh darwaze hi itne bade hain.’ So, I said, ‘Don’t worry, I am here. Talk to me.’ My idea is to make people feel safe. We aren’t mafia, we are good people. We are good to writers and directors. No one gives so much izzat to them as much we do.”
And money? “That too, ask anyone. A writer told me, ‘I got a call from Dharma asking me to send them my invoice. It has never happened before with me.”
And what about him? Is he still angry and arrogant? Mishra laughs out loud. "I was never arrogant. Online what you write, people read it in a different tone. Like someone asked a question and I replied, 'This is such a dumb question,' so this person said, 'You are calling me dumb.' But I don't think I was ever arrogant. Also, because of the blog, there was a persona that people believed. But online, you create a character. When people meet me, they say, 'You are much nicer than what you are online.'"
Franchise flicks lose their shine as big bucks bounce back small
10:23 AM
High budget film series and sequels are struggling to generate buzz and recover costs
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; October 3, 2025)
Mumbai: Franchise films and sequels, once billed as sure-shot insurance against fickle audiences and shrinking theatre turnouts, are increasingly backfiring in India, with many high-budget releases struggling to generate buzz and failing to recover their massive investments.
In the first nine months of 2025, at least 10 big-ticket franchise films and sequels hit theatres, but most stumbled at the box office.
Among the biggest disappointments were Jolly LLB 3, Baaghi 4, War 2, Dhadak 2, Son Of Sardaar 2 and Housefull 5. War 2, a part of Yash Raj Films' ambitious Spy Universe, managed collections of just Rs 236.55 crore in India against a production budget estimated between Rs 300-400 crore, according to box office tracker Sacnilk.
Industry experts say the problem is that Bollywood builds its franchises as forced extensions rather than carefully thought-out universes.
"Hindi franchise films are not planned organically like Cinematic Universe films in the West. These films are made as an 'afterthought'," said scriptwriter Sudeep Nigam, known for the mini-series The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth. Nigam gave an example of the recent horror films. "I don't understand the connection between Shaitaan (2024) and Maa (2025). Shaitaan is a film about black magic. And Maa is a demon in a forest. Can these films belong to a universe because they share a theme?" he explained.
In the West, franchise films are planned well in advance and connected through consistent characters and narratives.
For instance, Marvel Studios planned for two years before it released its first Marvel Cinematic Universe film Iron Man in 2008. To date, the studio has released 33 films with careful planning in terms of budgets ($130-300 million range) and timeline (in six phases).
Lack of connection in stories between the original and the sequel has also added to the failure, especially of recent sequels and franchise extensions.
"Sequels must have plots which take stories of original films ahead. But this is not observed in recent sequels. These films are made just to cash in on the brand value built by original films. It is just weak writing," said Girish Johar, producer and film business expert.
In this context, scriptwriter Nigam cited an example of the Jolly LLB film series.
"The first two Jolly LLB films worked. Then, the idea of bringing together both heroes in a film sounded viable to its makers. But did the makers have a proper plot to justify their presence and create a proper franchise film?" Nigam explained.
After the pandemic, the box office outcome of films across geographies has become more unpredictable than in the pre-pandemic period, as films are either accepted wholeheartedly or shunned completely.
The days are gone when a film would do average business and break even. In this context, large production houses have been focusing on franchise films or sequels as they have an established audience base.
"As regards franchise films, there is too much reliance on the 'stardom' of stars rather than creating 'characters' which utilize their stardom, talent and add emotional depth to these films. Today, the story is a film's star, which makers are not fully recognizing yet," said Varun Kapoor, producer and founder of Brooken Reels Production, a film production company.
Trade analysts pointed out the poor performance of War 2 to its makers' excessive focus on the stardom of the film's stars. They noted that in the past six months at least fifty new franchise films and sequels have been announced in the industry. A few of these are Border 2, No Entry 2 and Awarapan 2.
Saurabh Sachdeva feels proud to see Triptii Dimri's growth: "Her vulnerability makes her look beautiful"
8:30 AM
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; August 10, 2025)
When Saurabh Sachdeva first heard director Shazia Iqbal narrate Dhadak 2, he had tears in his eyes. That reaction was enough to convince her he was invested — and ready to play Shankar — the quietly menacing casteist killer in the Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri-starrer.
Produced by Dharma Productions, Zee Studios, and Cloud 9 Pictures, the film is an official adaptation of Mari Selvaraj’s 2018 anti-caste Tamil drama, Periyerum Perumal. While Sachdeva had the source material to draw inspiration, he brought his interpretation as well.
“I would discuss [the character’s] lifestyle and [equation] with his wife and daughter with the team. While his actions are violent and brutal, I thought I didn’t need to make the character aggressive. He should be more timid and busy with life otherwise. He won’t be in-your-face with his violence, like threatening or scaring someone. Shazia and I were aligned on the fact that he would be passive, until he acts. Then, he would be very aggressive,” he says.
Sachdeva is elated with the response to the movie, calling it an important film to have come out of Bollywood that he would have celebrated it even if he wasn’t part of it. “Even if I wasn’t in the film, I would have been happy. I’m getting calls from directors and producers because they are genuinely impressed,” he shares.
He points out that caste-based discrimination is far from limited to small towns. “I was discussing with my family about big buildings having service lifts. [It shows] that we still have [caste-based discrimination] in big societies. It is not just happening in small towns. But we are so oblivious and don’t want to see these things.”
The actor is equally proud of his student Dimri, whom he met before her debut in Laila Majnu (2017). “I love how people are liking her work. She is going to show more of her beautiful colours in her upcoming projects. I remember how introverted she was when I met her. She used to work with a wall [around her]. But she was very vulnerable and receptive. I have seen her growth, which is magical. I believe it’s her vulnerability that makes her look even more beautiful,” he says, adding that it warms his heart that Dimri hasn’t let success go to her head.
Rohith Vemula's story was present from the second draft, says Dhadak 2 director Shazia Iqbal
8:04 AM
Acknowledging that Dalit student Rohith Vemula’s demise influenced ‘Dhadak 2’, director Shazia Iqbal on how she steered clear of offering a sanitised take on caste discrimination
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; August 9, 2025)
Shazia Iqbal’s Dhadak 2 may not have minted money at the box office, but it has done what few films before it did. The Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri-starrer is being praised for being that rare mainstream Bollywood movie that has unflinchingly examined caste discrimination. It has also, through one of the film’s important characters Shekhar, put the spotlight on late Rohith Vemula, whose death by suicide in 2016, showed the harsh reality of India’s caste discrimination.
Vemula, a Dalit student at the University of Hyderabad, was one of the five Dalit students protesting against their suspension — a result of allegations that they attacked a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad — from the fellowship and the university’s housing facility. Reportedly upset over the disciplinary action taken against them, he died by suicide in January 2016.
Iqbal, who co-wrote Dhadak 2 with Rahul Badwelkar, acknowledges that the film borrowed from the incident. “Rohith’s story was present from the second draft itself. Both Rahul and I had been moved by what happened to Rohith. So, we were not distant from that incident. He has influenced our film. When we put the character [of Shekhar] in the film, we knew the kind of impact it would have. It was the most important story for us in the film,” she shares.
Another influence, of course, was the source material. Dhadak 2 is an official adaptation of filmmaker Mari Selvaraj’s Tamil drama Pariyerum Perumal (2018), which took on casteism. When Dharma Productions approached Iqbal over three years ago for the adaptation, she remembers being struck by a single thought.
“As a person coming from another marginalized community, I loved how strong Mari’s voice was. But the most important thing I thought was, ‘Would I have myself in the film?’ When I saw that scope, I was interested in making it,” she recalls.
The director added two more elements to her Hindi adaptation. She wanted to lend the female character more agency, and shift the setting to a city. “The setting is rural in the original film. Our close friends told us that casteism doesn’t happen in cities anymore. So, we took this core theme and reimagined the film [in a city].”
Considering Bollywood has largely shied away from unapologetically addressing casteism on screen, the director knew she would have to fight audience skepticism. She would also have to battle the perception that Karan Johar’s production house values aesthetics over truth.
When we mention that Dhadak 2 feels visually sanitised in comparison to Pariyerum Perumal, especially in the scenes involving the locality of Chaturvedi’s character Neelesh, Iqbal defends her decision, saying, “I am a follower of Dogme 95, where you go and shoot places as they are. I’m glad you gave the example of Neelesh’s basti because we shot in Bheem Nagar [in Bhopal], among the community. As a person from Mumbai who has mostly seen slums as one of the dirtiest places because they are not provided with enough municipal support to be clean, my understanding of slums was [biased]. But Bhim Nagar in Bhopal is as clean as it is shown. Except for adding two flags of Jai Bhim, we didn’t touch the lane. When the promo came out, a friend of a production hand said that the basti looked sanitized. It wouldn’t have been right if we had made it look dirty on screen because that would have been us forcing our gaze of how a basti is supposed to look.”
With ‘Dhadak 2’, Bollywood has got a new, confident voice in Shazia Iqbal. She made her debut with the feminist short film, ‘Bebaak’ (2019). She also directed a segment in the Prime Video anthology, ‘Love Storiyaan’ (2024).
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 894
4:08 PM
MAHAVATAR NARSIMHA REFUSES TO STOP; SAIYAARA CROSSES THE RS. 300 CRORE MARK
The box office is on fire right now, even though last week’s releases failed to attract the audience in hordes. This is thanks to Saiyaara, which continues to find an audience. Meanwhile, Mahavatar Narsimha has come out of the syllabus and is the second surprise blockbuster of the year.
After starting at Rs. 1.45 crores, Mahavatar Narsimha went on to collect Rs. 32.30 crores in its first week. In its second week, it has collected more; this was expected, but what surprised the trade and industry is that it went on to earn Rs. 11.75 crores on its second Saturday and a huge Rs. 17.25 crores on its third Sunday! The film has remained steady over the weekdays. On Tuesday, collections went up due to the Tuesday offer.
Mahavatar Narsimha’s two-week collections will be around Rs. 86-87 crores. It’ll cross the Rs. 100 crore mark on Sunday. The showcasing will be impacted due to the releases of War 2 and Coolie on August 14. Yet, it’ll continue to collect as it's clear that the demand is still there.
Saiyaara got mildly affected by the Mahavatar Narsimha wave. Without Mahavatar Narsimha, the romantic saga had chances of crossing the Rs. 400 crore mark. That will not happen now. By the end of its third week, it would have collected around Rs. 309 crores. With War 2 and Coolie coming up, even Rs. 350 crores won’t be possible. But that’s not a problem as the film has done more than what it was intended to. Also, its Overseas performance has been remarkable, where it has collected nearly Rs. 135 crores and can go upto the Rs. 175 crores mark.
Speaking of last week's releases, Son Of Sardaar 2 opened at Rs. 7.25 crores, as per the expectations. The collections did not grow as the word of mouth wasn't encouraging. It'll have a first week of around Rs. 33 crores, which ideally should have been its two-day earnings.
Dhadak 2 opened below expectations, at Rs. 3.50 crores. Despite positive word of mouth, there was limited interest in watching the film. This is the reason why it had a minor jump and collected Rs. 3.75 crores on Saturday and Rs. 4 crores on Sunday. Ideally, well-received films of this zone should have collected at least Rs. 4.50 crores on Saturday. Dhadak 2 will end its run with just Rs. 20 crores in its lifetime.
The box office is on fire right now, even though last week’s releases failed to attract the audience in hordes. This is thanks to Saiyaara, which continues to find an audience. Meanwhile, Mahavatar Narsimha has come out of the syllabus and is the second surprise blockbuster of the year.
After starting at Rs. 1.45 crores, Mahavatar Narsimha went on to collect Rs. 32.30 crores in its first week. In its second week, it has collected more; this was expected, but what surprised the trade and industry is that it went on to earn Rs. 11.75 crores on its second Saturday and a huge Rs. 17.25 crores on its third Sunday! The film has remained steady over the weekdays. On Tuesday, collections went up due to the Tuesday offer.
Mahavatar Narsimha’s two-week collections will be around Rs. 86-87 crores. It’ll cross the Rs. 100 crore mark on Sunday. The showcasing will be impacted due to the releases of War 2 and Coolie on August 14. Yet, it’ll continue to collect as it's clear that the demand is still there.
Saiyaara got mildly affected by the Mahavatar Narsimha wave. Without Mahavatar Narsimha, the romantic saga had chances of crossing the Rs. 400 crore mark. That will not happen now. By the end of its third week, it would have collected around Rs. 309 crores. With War 2 and Coolie coming up, even Rs. 350 crores won’t be possible. But that’s not a problem as the film has done more than what it was intended to. Also, its Overseas performance has been remarkable, where it has collected nearly Rs. 135 crores and can go upto the Rs. 175 crores mark.
Speaking of last week's releases, Son Of Sardaar 2 opened at Rs. 7.25 crores, as per the expectations. The collections did not grow as the word of mouth wasn't encouraging. It'll have a first week of around Rs. 33 crores, which ideally should have been its two-day earnings.
Dhadak 2 opened below expectations, at Rs. 3.50 crores. Despite positive word of mouth, there was limited interest in watching the film. This is the reason why it had a minor jump and collected Rs. 3.75 crores on Saturday and Rs. 4 crores on Sunday. Ideally, well-received films of this zone should have collected at least Rs. 4.50 crores on Saturday. Dhadak 2 will end its run with just Rs. 20 crores in its lifetime.
As a singer, the most powerful thing is to be part of someone’s healing-Jubin Nautiyal
8:52 AM
Jubin Nautiyal, the voice behind hits ‘Barbaad’ and ‘Bas Ek Dhadak’, attributes his success to the songs’ ability to soothe people’s soul
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; August 4, 2025)
The past month was nothing short of a gift for Jubin Nautiyal, with two of his songs, Barbaad from Saiyaara and Bas Ek Dhadak from Dhadak 2, emerging hits. Naturally, the singer and musician is elated. But after a successful 11-year-long career, there is more he wants to add to his discography. “I find myself imagining what it’d be like to sing a jazz piece in an old-world setting,” he smiles. In a chat with mid-day, Nautiyal walks down memory lane to talk about the songs that made him a star, and the hunger that drives him.
Excerpts from the interview:
What was your discussion with composers Javed-Mohsin or director Shazia Iqbal before you went behind the mic for Bas Ek Dhadak?
The tune Javed-Mohsin shared with me was moving. I remember sitting in the studio, closing my eyes as the first notes played, and thinking, ‘This isn’t just melody; it’s a feeling’. Shazia Iqbal gave me a beautiful brief. She said, “Don’t sing it. Feel it like a broken heart.” Singing for Karan Johar’s [banner] added its own magic. They treat music with grandeur.
The title track of Dhadak (2018) was much appreciated. Naturally, there would be comparisons. Did that put any pressure on you?
The original Dhadak track was iconic. It’s still hummed across the country. I remember listening to the original when it released and thinking, ‘What a pure expression of love!’ So, I was aware of the expectations. But during the recording of Bas Ek Dhadak, I kept telling myself, ‘This is a new story.’ I reminded myself to honour this moment, this emotion.
Your voice has come to be known for love ballads. When you look back, is there a song that you feel personally proud of?
Humnava Mere, and Raataan Lambiyan [Shershaah, 2021] have touched people, but Tujhe Kitna Chahein Aur Hum [Kabir Singh, 2019] is a special song. When we performed it live at IIT Roorkee, 40,000 people were singing along. Even now, fans tell me how these songs helped them navigate heartbreak. As a singer, the most powerful thing is to be part of someone’s healing.
You’ve had another chartbuster last month with Barbaad from Saiyaara. How was your experience of working with Karan Johar and Mohit Suri?
Working with Mohit Suri sir is like stepping into the mind of a poet. During Barbaad, he narrated the scene — he told me what the character was feeling, the silence between the lines, and that helped me tap into the emotion more deeply. With Karan Johar, sir, the experience is about scale. When you know your song will be treated with such cinematic beauty, it elevates your own delivery.
At this stage of your career, do you feel excited by the work coming your way, or think you deserve more diverse opportunities?
I’m grateful for everything that’s come my way. There are days I find myself imagining what it’d be like to sing a jazz piece in an old-world setting, or to blend folk with electronic sounds. When I visited Uttarakhand a few months ago, I heard a local shepherd sing. I thought, ‘Why haven’t I explored this sound yet?’ So, I started exploring local sounds from Uttarakhand and collaborating with them.
What’s next on your plate?
I’ve been thinking about making an acoustic album — something intimate, stripped down. I also want to tap into Indian folk, learn from local artistes, and blend that authenticity into contemporary sound.
(Crisp) Movie Review: DHADAK 2 by FENIL SETA
7:38 AM
Dhadak 2 is a remake of the 2018 Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal but is not a scene-by-scene adaptation. In fact, several plot points are different and hence, even if one has seen the original, one will be in for a surprise. The intermission point is shocking and sets the base for an impactful second half. The pre-climax is great while the finale is powerful. Sadly, the film is not without its share of minuses. The first half is just okay and even in some parts of the second half, the film stagnates. The love unfolds between the protagonists very quickly. The character of Shekhar (Priyanka Tiwari) is not given proper due. Lastly, the music is not upto the mark. Siddhant Chaturvedi plays a difficult role with ease. Triptii Dimri delivers yet another superb performance. Though she has limited screen time compared to Siddhant, she makes up for it with her stunning act in the pre-climax and climax. Saurabh Sachdeva (Shankar) is a scene-stealer. Vipin Sharma (Neelesh's father) has the most unique character in the film and as expected, he's dependable. Priyanka Tiwari is decent. Saad Bilgrami (Ronnie), Zakir Hussain (Principal Haider Ansari), Harish Khanna (Vidhi's father Arvind), Aditya Thakare (Vasu), Abhay Joshi (Vidhi's uncle Prakash), Anubha Fatehpuria (Neelesh's mother) and Manjari Pupala (Richa) leave a mark. All in all, Dhadak 2 makes an important comment on the caste system and is a decent one-time watch.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 893
10:51 AM
WILL SON OF SARDAAR 2, DHADAK 2 CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM AT THE BOX OFFICE?
The month of July was maybe the best one for the industry in a long time. Every week, at least one film managed to be a success at the box office, across languages. On July 4, Metro…In Dino started on a slow note but then picked up and held steadily. Jurassic World: Rebirth was a hit from day 1 and will cross the Rs. 100 crore mark. A week later, Superman also managed to do well. On July 18, Saiyaara opened with a bang and is now all set to be a Rs. 350 crore grosser, shocking one and all. Not much was expected from Mahavatar Narsimha, but it showed a historic trend. After opening at just Rs. 1.45 crores, it collected Rs. 3.50 crores on Saturday and a huge Rs. 6.85 crores. On Tuesday, thanks to the discounted ticket offer, it earned Rs. 5.50 crores. At this rate, it’ll have first week collections of around Rs. 28-29 crores and can hit the Rs. 50 crore mark or even more in its lifetime.
Meanwhile, two significant films will be out tomorrow, August 1. Son Of Sardaar 2 was all set to be out on July 25, but was postponed on July 19 due to the unstoppable Saiyaara wave. The decision was a good one, as Son Of Sardaar 2 would have faced problems in getting screens.
The comic caper stars Ajay Devgn, Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Neeru Bajwa, Deepak Dobriyal, Kubbra Sait, Chunky Panday, Sharat Saxena, Vindu Dara Singh, Roshni Walia, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar and the late Mukul Dev. From the trailers, it looks like a fun entertainer with the song 'Pehla Tu Duja Tu' becoming a rage, especially its unusual dance step.
However, the buzz for the film is limited. It’ll open at around Rs. 7-8 crores and might have an outside chance of crossing the Rs. 10 crore mark. A good word of mouth will help in better collections on Saturday and Sunday.
Dhadak 2, meanwhile, is backed by Karan Johar and is a remake of the 2018 acclaimed Tamil film, Pariyerum Perumal. It stars Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri and was in the news as it faced issues over its censor process. The Central Board of Film Certification finally passed the film in May but with several cuts. The trailer is decent but for a film like this, songs need to be chartbusters, which hasn’t happened here.
Dhadak 2 should open around Rs. 4-5 crores. Both films have a discount offer and that would help in a push in the footfalls.
The month of July was maybe the best one for the industry in a long time. Every week, at least one film managed to be a success at the box office, across languages. On July 4, Metro…In Dino started on a slow note but then picked up and held steadily. Jurassic World: Rebirth was a hit from day 1 and will cross the Rs. 100 crore mark. A week later, Superman also managed to do well. On July 18, Saiyaara opened with a bang and is now all set to be a Rs. 350 crore grosser, shocking one and all. Not much was expected from Mahavatar Narsimha, but it showed a historic trend. After opening at just Rs. 1.45 crores, it collected Rs. 3.50 crores on Saturday and a huge Rs. 6.85 crores. On Tuesday, thanks to the discounted ticket offer, it earned Rs. 5.50 crores. At this rate, it’ll have first week collections of around Rs. 28-29 crores and can hit the Rs. 50 crore mark or even more in its lifetime.
Meanwhile, two significant films will be out tomorrow, August 1. Son Of Sardaar 2 was all set to be out on July 25, but was postponed on July 19 due to the unstoppable Saiyaara wave. The decision was a good one, as Son Of Sardaar 2 would have faced problems in getting screens.
The comic caper stars Ajay Devgn, Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Neeru Bajwa, Deepak Dobriyal, Kubbra Sait, Chunky Panday, Sharat Saxena, Vindu Dara Singh, Roshni Walia, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar and the late Mukul Dev. From the trailers, it looks like a fun entertainer with the song 'Pehla Tu Duja Tu' becoming a rage, especially its unusual dance step.
However, the buzz for the film is limited. It’ll open at around Rs. 7-8 crores and might have an outside chance of crossing the Rs. 10 crore mark. A good word of mouth will help in better collections on Saturday and Sunday.
Dhadak 2, meanwhile, is backed by Karan Johar and is a remake of the 2018 acclaimed Tamil film, Pariyerum Perumal. It stars Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri and was in the news as it faced issues over its censor process. The Central Board of Film Certification finally passed the film in May but with several cuts. The trailer is decent but for a film like this, songs need to be chartbusters, which hasn’t happened here.
Dhadak 2 should open around Rs. 4-5 crores. Both films have a discount offer and that would help in a push in the footfalls.
It took me six months to convince Pa Ranjith for Dhadak 2-Meenu Arora
9:25 AM
Pa Ranjith, Meenu Arora and Karan Johar
‘Dhadak 2’ producer Meenu Arora reveals Pa Ranjith, who backed the Tamil film ‘Pariyerum Perumal’, was initially skeptical about giving its adaptation rights as he feared that the story’s essence would be lost
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 31, 2025)
As far as starting points go, Dhadak 2 has got it right. Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri’s love story is built on the firm foundation of the Tamil original, Pariyerum Perumal (2018), which explored the rampant casteism in society. Meenu Arora, who has co-produced director Shazia Iqbal’s Hindi adaptation, reveals that convincing producer Pa Ranjith to part with the remake rights wasn’t easy. “He was skeptical about giving it to a Bollywood film because he didn’t want the story to lose its essence and soul. It took me six months to convince him,” she begins.
Arora remembers initiating the conversation with Ranjith in 2022, and months later, he finally gave his nod. What brought about the change of heart?
“After a few conversations, he saw how deeply I believed in the story and why I felt it needed to be told in a different cultural context. He knew we weren’t trying to replicate Pariyerum Perumal, but reinterpret its emotional core in a different world. Once that was clear, he was open to letting me take it forward. What struck me most was the film’s depth and emotional power. At its heart, it’s a deeply human story of love and longing,” says Arora.
Karan Johar was her first choice for a producer as she set out to bring the story to the Hindi film audience. Taking the project to the filmmaker was an emotional decision, she shares.
“I wanted it to be a larger-than-life and mainstream movie. I knew they’d handle the subject with sensitivity, yet make it a beautiful love story. I first shared the film with Somen [Mishra, head of creative development, Dharma Productions]. I was anxious when Karan was going to watch the film. But I knew that if he watched it, the love story would resonate with him — which it did. From that moment, Karan championed the film.”
In May, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cleared Dhadak 2 with a U/A 16+ certificate, after 16 changes, which included modifying scenes depicting caste-based discrimination. It was reportedly one of the reasons why the movie’s release was pushed.
Ask Arora about the changes, and she says, “Enough has already been said about this at the trailer launch. You have to understand why they wanted certain cuts. The CBFC was understanding of the story the director wanted to tell, and its feedback came from a place of protecting sensitivities.”
As outsiders, if you go wrong twice with your films, you are gone-Triptii Dimri
9:39 AM
Dhadak 2 star Triptii Dimri on saying yes only to the movies that inspire complete faith in her
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 26, 2025)
Animal (2023) might have catapulted Triptii Dimri to mainstream popularity, but it is in films like Dhadak 2 that she feels at ease. Through the story of two lovers, portrayed by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Dimri, Shazia Iqbal’s directorial venture takes a hard look at casteism prevalent in the country. In a way, it is along the lines of Dimri’s early movies Bulbbul (2020) and Qala (2022) — each a piece of art that also has a social message. Does she find it hard to strike a balance between these and mainstream films, especially since she hails from a non-industry background?
“You have to not think about it too much because then you will take away from the story,” she starts. “There is always a reason behind saying yes to a project. Most of the time the reason is not that the film will have a good box-office run, or that it will get a lot of eyeballs. It is because the character excites you. As outsiders, you don’t get opportunities again and again. Today we have this film, tomorrow we’ll have another, but after that, you have to work hard for the next because if you go wrong twice with your films, you are gone. That is the reality. So, you have to have full faith in the story and your characters, and keep the peripheral noise out of the window.”
What made her say yes to Dhadak 2 was her character and the film’s messaging. Working with Iqbal turned out to be the cherry on the top. “For me, she is Vidhi [her character]. She is not afraid to speak her truth. There is so much to learn from her because she makes you feel empowered,” says Dimri.
The actor believes that knowing Iqbal has changed her perspective. “I have been an introvert. I have seen and faced things, and not raised my voice against them. For 30 years of my life, I have kept quiet about so many things. I never had the guts to tell people that it’s wrong. I told Shazia that I want to be like Vidhi; that by the end of this film, I should have the courage to speak my truth without being scared of anyone or the outcome. Now, I do stand up for the right things. This film made me open up a lot more,” she shares.
Up next
In her kitty, Triptii Dimri has highly anticipated films, including Vishal Bhardwaj’s next with Shahid Kapoor, and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit opposite Prabhas. Working with Bhardwaj has been “life-changing”. She says, “There are movies that push you to grow. This has been one such experience that helped me re-mould myself.”
It took 6 months for Dhadak 2 character to leave me. In those 6 months, I didn’t take up any work-Siddhant Chaturvedi
10:21 AM
Playing a Dalit man in Dhadak 2, Siddhant Chaturvedi draws parallels with his life in the absence of a lived experience and about how he approached the role with empathy
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 21, 2025)
Stepping into the world of Dhadak 2, which examines casteism in the country through the story of two lovers, can be an emotionally demanding experience. Siddhant Chaturvedi, who plays a Dalit man in Shazia Iqbal’s directorial venture, says that shedding the character was an all-consuming process as well. “It took at least six months for the character to completely leave me. In those six months, I didn’t take up any work. I was just travelling,” says the actor.
“[Such stories] leave an impact on you. It pushed me to an extent where I always desired to be, as an actor. That’s why I wanted to stay with it. At the same time, when I was dubbing for it recently, it all came back and I tried to finish dubbing as soon as possible because it haunts me.”
Chaturvedi, who stars opposite Triptii Dimri in the love story, was aware of the emotional weight of playing a Dalit character, especially as someone who does not share that lived experience. His approach involved understanding the world and drawing parallels with his life, he says.
“I won’t say there is a process to it, or try to be pseudo about it. I could say that I locked myself in the room for four days, but no, this character wouldn’t come like that. You have to understand the world first. I was not a cricketer in Inside Edge; I was not a rapper [in Gully Boy, 2019]. If it’s not a lived experience, I draw parallels. I try to go as close as possible to that in my own life, take out certain emotions, and try to match them. When I read a script, I don’t want to see the character from a lens of sympathy because then you’re adopting a third-person view. This is not a life I’ve lived, and I’ll never be able to achieve that fully. What I do is I never fall in love with my characters,” he reflects.
Every actor aspires to be bankable at the box office, but Chaturvedi’s metric is different. “People like us, who come from outside the industry, are grateful to be getting work. We’re always searching for stories that move us. Since we have lived a life before Bollywood happened to us, we’re drawn to stories that reflect that life. Both Triptii and I have made it here on our own, and that journey grounds you. There is always a little voice that tells us, ‘This feels right, this does not’. In the end, we follow our morals and instincts.”
When Khesari Lal Yadav and Pawan Singh's Bhojpuri songs are played at home, my thumkas come out-Siddhant Chaturvedi
8:37 AM
Shourya Jha (BOMBAY TIMES; October 20, 2024)
From playing a rapper Gully Boy, to charming the audiences as Zain in Gehraiyaan and recently turning on his action avatar in Yudhra, Siddhant Chaturvedi has dabbled in a variety of genres in a short span since his debut. In the city for an event a while ago, the actor spoke to us about doing action sequences, trying different roles and more. Excerpts from a chat:
'Want to surprise the audience with whatever I do’
Siddhant says he’s on the lookout for a variety of roles. He has stuck to that thought and will continue to, through his upcoming films. “I just keep trying to do different things,” says the actor, adding, “There’s a risk of failure as well because people might not like or accept you in a certain role. But sometimes you have to fail when you're trying to go into unknown territory. I'm young, I want to understand failure. I don't want to reach a height and then fail because that would be too big of a fall. I am fine taking a step in a new direction, failing, getting up and trying again.”
Siddhant believes that trying different things also helps him evolve as an actor. “I want to surprise the audience with whatever I do. Acting is like being a magician. The audience should not know what you're going to pull out of the hat. That’s the feeling I want to give the audience,” he shares.
'I’d get restless while shooting action scenes’
Siddhant recently did a lot of action in Yudhra and got to work with international stunt director Nick Powell, who has projects like Gladiator, The Bourne Identity, RRR and Kalki to his credit.
Speaking about getting into the action mode, Siddhant says, “If you're doing long sequences without cuts, it's highly important to understand each moment, along with the breathing pattern. When you start doing action, you are pumped but Nick asked me to slow down and do it all at a 20% speed. I would get restless but then he told me how he trained other actors, including Tom Cruise, like that.”
Recalling the climax shoot Siddhant adds, “When we finally shot the scene, I could see all that Nick had told me coming together automatically. It felt like a magical process. I think I'll follow this every time I do an action scene.”
On wanting to do roles that reflect his upbringing…
Originally from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, Siddhant has fond memories of being raised in a small town. However, He is yet to get a chance to portray such a character on screen. “I have an urban image because of the films I've done. Barring Dhadak 2, I never got a role which was rooted in a smaller town. My roles have been very aspirational. I want to be aspirational, but I also feel sad about not getting to play roles that reflect my background. When Khesari Lal Yadav and Pawan Singh's Bhojpuri songs are played at home, my thumkas come out. No one has seen me like that and I’m waiting for something like this to come my way.”
Dhadak 2 release postponed to 2025; some scenes and songs still to be filmed
9:04 AM
Sources say Dhadak 2’s November release pushed to early 2025 as some songs and portions of Siddhant-Triptii starrer yet to be filmed
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; October 4, 2024)
In May, producer Karan Johar announced that Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, would arrive in theatres on November 22. But now, it looks like the romantic drama won’t be able to keep its date with the audiences. mid-day has learnt that its release has been postponed. While a few factors have contributed to the delay, the primary reason is that some portions are left to be shot.
An insider says, “A few songs and some patch work have yet to be filmed. The makers are now looking at the first quarter of 2025 for release.”
Dhadak 2 is the official remake of the Tamil hit, Pariyerum Perumal (2018), which told the story of two lovers against the backdrop of casteism. Shazia Iqbal, who is helming the Hindi adaptation, is said to be tackling the subject head on.
“Dhadak had been criticized for replacing the caste angle—which formed the crux of its original, Sairat [2016]—with class difference. This time around, Karan as well as Shazia are going all out in exploring the issue. There has been a shuffle in the post-production team, which has added to the postponement,” adds the source.
Another source reveals that the debacle of Chaturvedi’s recent offering Yudhra has also led to the deferral. “The makers were looking at Yudhra’s box-office fate because it was Siddhant’s first solo theatrical release. After its underwhelming run, the team felt it wise to have a considerable gap between the two movies.”
mid-day reached out to Dharma Productions, which didn’t respond till press time.
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