DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has smashed the record for Hindi films across India by a huge margin of 30% but it has turned out to be no competition for PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in CP Berar as the latter is around 27-28% better. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has done extraordinarily well in the circuit but the collections of PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE were something else due to the appreciation of PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01 in the centers of CP Berar.

There are other circuits where DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is second best to PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE like Rajasthan, CI, Bihar and Odisha and also sub circuit Gujarat but the gaps are nothing like CP Berar. Even an Odisha, where the gap was most likely to be the highest, is only 15% less but it can be due to a Telugu version of PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in play in the circuit. Both CP Berar and Odisha have a history of out performing for South films. Even that 80's phase where they were not South films but Hindi films made by South producers/directors tended to do better in these circuits.

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE may not be the top grossing film in the circuits mentioned above but to be close to a PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in the likes of Rajasthan, CI, Bihar and Gujarat is actually a huge achievement in itself as the former is not a mass film like the latter and that can be seen by the collections in the smaller centres of these circuits. It is the bigger centres of these circuits be it a Jaipur, Patna or Indore which have taken it close to the PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE collections. The biggest film in the circuit ever is SHOLAY (1975) like in most circuits while second place you would give to HUM AAPKE HAI KOUN (1994). This century, it would be GADAR (2001) followed by PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE.

The all time top ten grossers in CP Berar are as follows.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 56,07,00,000

3. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 34,84,00,000

4. Chhaava - 34,40,00,000

5. Dhurandhar - 33,79,00,000

6. Gadar 2 - 32,32,00,000

7. Stree 2 - 30,70,00,000

8. KGF - Chapter 2 - 28,03,50,000

9. Animal - 23,86,50,000

10. Jawan -22,14,00,000

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DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has emerged the highest grossing film ever in West Bengal which did not look like happening on release. It was pretty much certain on day one that it would be the top film in North India, South India and probably Mumbai as well though Central and Eastern side would be tougher. It has not got to the top in any circuit in the Central circuits of Rajasthan, CP Berar and CI but has managed to be number one in West Bengal and Assam in the East.

The record in West Bengal was a big one as JAWAN had a big total which was 9 crore nett higher than anything else and West Bengal had been one of the weaker circuits for DHURANDHAR. Compared to JAWAN, it has underperformed in West Bengal but that is more to do with the Shah Rukh Khan factor who is by far the biggest star in the circuit. It can be seen below that it is JAWAN and PATHAAN that have out performed in this circuit. So, despite the star factor not being what it used to be, it still pays a part but its area by area an is not across the board.

There is also WAR but had advantage of Puja week and its possible that Hrithik Roshan is next most popular star here after Shah Rukh Khan. DHURANDHAR also has that Punjabi base which historically has never worked that well in West Bengal but the series overcame that too as well due to the content. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is practically at the end of its run and will finish at around 44.25 crore nett as its hardly playing in the circuit now.

The top ten grossers in West Bengal are as follows.

2. Jawan - 43,68,50,000

3. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 35,32,00,000

4. Pathaan - 34,95,00,000

5. Dhurandhar - 32,56,00,000

6. Stree 2 - 28,18,00,000

7. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 27,47,00,000

8. KGF - Chapter 2 - 24,77,50,000

9. War - 22,89,50,000

10. Animal - 19,69,00,000

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has emerged the second highest grossing Hindi film ever after PATHAAN as it collects $47 million plus and this includes Nepal as the general figures from the overseas distributors will not include this. The collections without Nepal are $46.375 million till date. The film has finished a little short of PATHAAN but with a Gulf release, it would have been way ahead. In terms of INR, it is the highest ever due to the ever weakening Rupee. It has a gross of 438 crore compared to the 396 crore of PATHAAN.

It would have become the first film to cross $50 million and maybe even $60 million. Its hard to judge how much Gulf would have done. JAWAN is best with $17.70 million and if we take that figure, it would be $65 million for DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE but its an unknown how much it would have done in Gulf. You can probably say $10 million was certain and $20 million was potential as the Muslim crowd may have been compensated by the South Indian crowd like its happened in UK but this is an unknown and will remain that way.

JAWAN would be in second place if we count the collections from the regional versions but that's going away from the Hindi film and in that way there are many films which got a Far East release which are ahead with Dangal on top at $233.80 million. The Far East countries may well be showing a Hindi subtitled or dubbed version but generally its not the same as the original Hindi film. In this way DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is the eighth highest grossing film overseas. 

The business of DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE easily puts that $50 million target up for grabs for the original film and there are a couple of big films later on this year which can target that figure.

The top ten grossers Overseas for original Hindi films are as follows.

1. Pathaan -$48,500,000

3. Jawan - $46,800,000

4. Dhrandhar - $32,00,0000

5. Dangal -$30,700,000

6. Padmaavat - $29,140,000

7. Bajrangi Bhaijaan - $28,640,000

8. Dhoom 3 - $28,330,000

9. Animal - $27,210,000

10. Dilwale - $26,580,000

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE smashed all records in Canada as it has collected almost $10.8 million till date which is a record by a distance and the first $10 million Indian film in the country. The film beat the record of DHURANDHAR by over $3 million and ANIMAL, by $3.7 million which are second and third best.

The market has grown by leaps and bound post the pandemic and is the fastest growing market for Hindi films in Overseas. There was a time 8-10 years back when $2 million was a big mark in Canada and here you have a film crossing $10 million. The share of Canada from the US/Canada market is 31% for DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE. This is roughly the average today though if the film has less of a gentry audience, then Canada can go up as USA has a bigger market for gentry films.

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has not beaten the BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION record in USA alone as that was $19.9 million and DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE will be $17.5 million. But BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION was only $275k in Canada while DHURANDHAR's sequel will be $7.9 million (USD) giving it $25.4 million total as compared to $20.175 million of BAAHUBALI 2.

Below are the all time top grossers in Canada. All figures are in CAD $.

2. Dhurandhar - $7,700,000

3. Animal - $7,103,000

4. Pathaan - $6,054,000

5. Jawan - $5,278,000

6. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - $4,218,000

7. Stree 2 - $4,213,000

8. Jatt & Juliet 3 - $3,860,000

9. Kalki 2898 AD - $3,623,000

10. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani - $3,281,000

DHURANDHAR has smashed records in Mysore by crazy margins as the film stands at around 69 crore nett which is 20 crore nett more than JAWAN, the previous record holder. JAWAN itself set a record by a considerable margin. Not only that, the film will be beating all the the local Kannada films released in 2025 apart from two of them and here its Mysore for us and Karnataka for them which includes all of the state while for us, some of the state goes into Mumbai circuit.

The circuit has shown immense growth post pandemic and this is reflected by the fact that a film like FIGHTER gets 20 crore nett in the circuit and stands just outside the top ten which is more than films like SANJU and SULTAN from before the pandemic. Actors like Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan are stronger in this circuit and this could be another reason why FIGHTER did well here also but no doubt the circuit has grown.

If we count all films including the South ones, then this Mysore collection will be just outside the top ten but if we add the numbers of North Karnataka, which is in Mumbai circuit, then the film will be among the top ten grossing films in the state. Now with the second part this figure could go even higher and if the does three times DANGAL, its pretty much unthinkable as that film was considered insane in the circuit pre pandemic and now here is a film which may do three times the business.

The top ten grossers in Mysore are as follows.

2. Jawan - 48,24,00,000 

3. Animal - 36,69,00,000

4. Pathaan - 35,77,00,000

5. Stree 2 - 33,08,00,000

6. Chhaava - 31,00,00,000

7. Dangal - 27,81,00,000

8. Uri - 25,00,00,000

9. Padmaavat - 23,87,00,000

10. PK - 23,85,50,000

‘What the hell have you made?’ That is a question Vir Das admittedly heard frequently at a recent screening of Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos. “That is good feedback. Everybody seemed to be laughing,” said the actor and International Emmy-winning comedian, who has turned director with the spy comedy.

The idea of Happy Patel lurked in Das’s mind for almost 15 years. It needed the right time and the right producer. The actor got lucky on the second count. “After writing the script, I called Aamir [Khan] sir and said, ‘I’ve got this mad movie. You might be the only person who will produce it.’ He called me in. Keep in mind, I hadn’t spoken to him since Delhi Belly [2011].”

The superstar liked the script, but he needed Das and co-director Kavi Shastri to follow a process. First came a series of narrations. “There are five-six narrations with Aamir sir, during which he asks questions like ‘What is the story? What are the characters? What do they want?’ Once you’ve done that, he gives you a bit of money and makes you shoot five scenes of the movie. When we showed those scenes — graded, colour corrected, edited — to him, he greenlit the film,” recalled Das. 

Khan’s involvement as a producer didn’t end there. He held around 30 test screenings. “After the second cut, he held screenings for people of different age groups and demographics. He told them, ‘Tell us what’s wrong with the movie. No praise allowed.’ [Based on that], we did our third and fourth cut.” 

Even though the process was extensive, it was rewarding for Das. The actor and director shared, “The win is learning how to make a film from Aamir Khan. I wish every bhatkoing artiste finds the creative lighthouse that is Aamir.”

The idea of ‘Happy Patel’ struck Das, a fan of spy comedies like ‘Johnny English’, in 2009. But he had to wait as the Indian audience hadn’t woken up to spy films then.

“Culture has to be mainstream for comedy to counter it. So, I had to wait for ‘Tiger’, ‘Pathaan’ [2023], and ‘Dhurandhar’ [2025] to happen. Amogh Ranadive [co-writer] and I wrote the script in the month ‘Pathaan’ released,” said Das.

“I am obsessed with how I portray India on screen,” says John Abraham. The actor recently played the role of a diplomat (The Diplomat, 2025) and a police officer (Tehran, 2025). Earlier, he has portrayed an IAS officer in Parmanu and a police officer in films like Force and Batla House. On the other hand, he has also been part of comedy films like Housefull 2 and played the quintessential antihero in Pathaan. In a recent chat, the actor-producer speaks to us about how he occupies two different worlds depending upon whether he is wearing a producer’s hat or an actor’s hat.

John says that he occupies two cinematic worlds depending upon which hat he is wearing. As a producer, he wants to make a difference with the kind of films he produces, and as an actor he loves action and comedy films.

“As a producer, I can’t produce a Housefull (2010) kind of a film. But as an actor, I did a Housefull 2 (2012). As a producer, there are a lot of films that I cannot do. I’m not equipped to do them. But as an actor, I fit in. Like Pathaan (2023) – it is too big a film for me to even fathom producing at this point of time. That’s for the calibre of an Aditya Chopra, who can conceive and make a film like that. As an actor, I want to do films like Pathaan because I enjoy the space. I enjoy doing films like Dostana (2008) and Desi Boyz (2011). Maybe at some point I’ll transition to producing these big-budget films, but at this point – no! So, as an actor, it’s a different mindset and as a producer, it’s a different mindset.”

John adds that even when he’s making commercial films, there’s intention behind it. “Commercial films toh karni hi hai. As John Abraham the star, action is inseparable. But I also crave depth.”

Speaking at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, John says that he keeps rejecting offers worth crores for endorsing pan masala brands or to dance at weddings. “The decision of whether you want to do certain things in your career that actually do not speak for who you really are – that’s a moral choice and a subconscious choice. Pan masala, for example. They give us a lot of money. But would I endorse pan masala? I wouldn’t. Again, I’m not pointing a finger at people who do. I’m talking about what is right and wrong for me. I would not do it because I think it is possibly dangerous for someone’s health. I made a choice that I won’t dance at marriage functions. Now, is it right or wrong? It’s not wrong. Actors do it. Nothing wrong with it. The Beyoncés of the world are coming to dance at our weddings here. It’s a personal choice. But would I do it? No,” he says, adding, “There are certain moral choices I make in my life as a person that probably go against the grain of my job.”

John says that he is fully aware of his image as an action star. He says, “You can’t fake sincerity. You must live the role. With The Diplomat, the compliment I cherished the most was people saying, ‘Only your facial muscles acted.’” To essay the role of diplomat J P Singh in the film, John met him multiple times, observed him and exchanged notes.

He says, “Diplomats are incredibly sharp. Our diplomats like Mr S Jaishankar, J P Singh – they command such respect. I met many real officers and was awestruck by their calmness and dedication.”

Talking about Tehran he says, “I research a lot, I know what I’m presenting. We were very careful with Tehran. We showed all sides with fairness. My grandfather came from Iran in 1939. My mother still speaks Farsi. I had to learn it for the film. So there’s an emotional connection. It’s in my blood.”

SAIYAARA is coming to the end of its run and surprisingly BIHAR has emerged the best circuit for the film as it does business of over 16 crore nett which is more than ANIMAL. The film is the seventh highest grossing film ever in the circuit with only two non action films in the list being STREE 2 and SAIYAARA.

Bihar is a circuit still dominated by single screens and that is why generally action films score here big time. Also, historically action films have fared best though musicals can also score in the circuit and this was seen in the 90's with a lot of films with the music of Nadeem Sharvan out performing here even though other circuits may not have done well. PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE is on top by a distance with 30 crore nett plus business while GADAR 2 and STREE 2 are the only other films to cross 20 crore nett. SHOLAY (1975) and KRANTI (1981) are probably the biggest films of all time in the circuit.

The performance of SAIYAARA will have a lot to do with the music as well but when a film like this becomes a huge blockbuster, you could not even dream that Bihar would be the best performing circuit. The circuit has done around 5% of the all India business but the potential is much more as it used to be a 10% circuit when all was equal. The major downfall started as tickets pricing moved higher in the late 90's and higher pricing was not viable in most of the centres in Bihar. Still, this is better than the 2-3% that the circuit went to in the 2005-2010 period though there is much more potential as most of the centres do not have multiplexes.

The top ten films in Bihar is as follows.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 32,60,50,000

2. Gadar 2 - 23,23,00,000

3. Stree 2 -  22,37,00,000

4. Jawan - 18,56,00,000

5. KGF - Chapter 2 - 18,35,00,000

6. Pathaan - 18,09,50,000

8. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 15,00,50,000

9. Animal - 14,94,50,000

10. Tiger Zinda Hai - 12,27,25,000

(From left) Actors Suhail Nayyar, Kritika Kamra, Anup Soni, Sunny Hinduja, and Pratik Gandhi at the special chat moderated by mid-day’s Priyanka Sharma, at St Xavier’s College in Mumbai. Pics/Kirti Surve Parade

To celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day on Friday, mid-day and Netflix India brought a slice of the country’s past to St Xavier’s College in Mumbai. The auditorium was packed with eager students, their eyes glued to the stage, where the cast of Saare Jahan Se Accha — a spy thriller inspired by real-life events of the 1970s — sat down for a chat with mid-day.

The show — starring Pratik Gandhi, Sunny Hinduja, Kritika Kamra, Anup Soni, and Suhail Nayyar — dropped online only a day before Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s ambitious spy offering War 2 opened in cinemas.

Pointing out that the series and the YRF spy films hail from dramatically different worlds, we posed a hypothetical scenario to Gandhi: What would Vishnu Shankar, his intelligence officer character in the show, chat about with Roshan’s Kabir Dhaliwal, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, and Salman Khan’s Tiger if they crossed paths?

“I don’t think I’ll recruit them ever. I’ll ask them to join the entertainment industry,” he quipped, eliciting uproarious laughter from the audience.

Gandhi had his reason for the choice. When we mentioned that the treatment of spies and their lives in Saare Jahan Se Accha is gritty and real, a marked difference from that in films, the actor elaborated, “War 2 and all those films talk about wars. The heroes are fighting the wars, whereas real-life spies’ job is to avoid wars.”

The actor pointed out another difference — the agents on the big screen look too dashing for their own good. “These agents are not supposed to look like heroes, because then they will [draw] attention. They should be able to blend in. If they can do any kind of stunts, I guess the world will know that this guy is up to something,” he said.

Given the occasion, we asked the actors what freedom means to them. Kamra said, “Freedom is the ability to dissent. You are truly free with someone, or as a citizen, if you can speak your mind fearlessly.”

Soni added, “If we can hug each other, say what we want, eat whatever we want, that’s freedom.”

Music is at the centre of director Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, which follows the love story of an upcoming singer and a songwriter. When creating the soundtrack, the composers and the director were certain that they wanted Shilpa Rao to voice Barbaad. Now, with the song of the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda-starrer having recently released, the singer says she has been flooded with messages.   

“Music, for me, has always been about connecting with people’s emotions. Singing the female version of Barbaad allowed me to explore a different emotional perspective. I’ve been receiving so many messages from people saying they’re moved by the song, feeling heartbreak through it, even when they haven’t gone through one themselves,” says Rao. 

For the singer, working on Barbaad felt “like home” as she previously worked with the banner, YRF, on the chartbuster Besharam rang from Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan (2023).

“Mohit pushes me to go deeper. He knows how to bring out that raw, aching side of my voice. With YRF, there is an unspoken standard. After Besharam Rang, I knew I had to up my game. Barbaad is more stripped down, and that makes it powerful.”

akash.bhatnagar@​partner.hindustantimes.com

John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat this month made its way to OTT and has been earning rave reviews. While the web medium has become the go-to platform for everyone, including many stars, John, who also produced The Diplomat, has no plans to foray into OTT any time soon.

“To do OTT, you need a big office setup. You need a lot of people working towards something where you don’t even own the IP. You make a commission from the series and that goes into your overheads. So, I don’t see any sense in breaking a sweat on doing these series,” says the producer.

Does that mean the 52-year-old would never back an OTT project, even if it’s a substantial one? “I’d love to do that [as a creator]. But that would happen because I want to tell that story, not because I want to make a business model out of it.”

But how about foraying into the space as an actor? “At this point, I don’t want to come on OTT for a series or film. In my head, I believe I was made for the big screen. I have a lot of respect for OTT though, because most of the content, at least internationally, and some Indian projects too, are outstanding,” he responds.

Meanwhile, there’s buzz about a film on his character Jim from Pathaan (2023) being planned in the spy universe.

Mention this to John, and he says, “I’d love to work with (producer) Aditya Chopra again, because if there is one person who has positioned me perfectly as a hero or anti-hero, it’s him. First Dhoom (2004), then Kabul Express (2006), then New York (2009) and then Pathaan. So yes, I’d love to do a film in the spy universe.”

Even though a ceasefire is in place between India and Pakistan, the after-effects of the military conflicts can be felt across the board, including in Bollywood. The buzz in the industry is that several high-profile projects are being reviewed or undergoing significant rewrites to remove any references to Pakistan from their scripts.

Among the first to be impacted is Kajol and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s political thriller Sarzameen. The team is now reworking key sequences. “The film never explicitly made a reference to Pakistan, but it’s set in Kashmir, and certain scenes were interpreted as politically sensitive in the current climate. They were to release the film on May 30, but now, they are redubbing some parts,” said a source close to the production.

Another movie that must determine how to navigate the situation is Sunny Deol’s Lahore 1947. Sources shared that Rajkumar Santoshi’s directorial venture, centred on a Muslim family relocating to Lahore after Partition, is being internally reviewed.

An insider said, “The film is in sharp contrast with the sentiment of the nation and is being re-looked at. The team needs to decide how to make it work without compromising the story or being insensitive, given the current situation.”

Pathaan (2023) and Tiger 3 (2023), the last two offerings from Yash Raj Films’ spy universe, had prominent characters hailing from Pakistan. For their future films, we have heard that many writers will take a cue from Pathaan, where John Abraham’s antagonist Jim creates his own terrorist network with no links to any country. “The approach is to shift focus to shadowy terror networks and rogue agencies without geographical identifiers,” said a source.

When mid-day reached out to YRF amid rumours that their upcoming films, War 2 and Alpha, are being reviewed in light of recent events, the spokesperson said, “There is no truth to any of these claims floating. Alpha, War 2, and Pathaan 2 have no Pakistan connection. War 2 and Alpha have already been shot and there are no changes being made because there are no changes to be made. Tiger is an Indian spy, Zoya is married to an Indian spy. So, there is no question of the [Tiger] franchise being in any uncertainty.”

Not all movies with a war backdrop are under the scanner, though. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War — starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal — remains untouched. A trade analyst explains, “Bhansali has positioned his story in a timeless, almost mythical space. The film is set between 1960 and 1965, with the wars serving only as the backdrop. The love story takes centre-stage.”

A day after Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane was removed from Sanam Teri Kasam’s (2016) cover on music apps, Mahira Khan has met the same fate with Raees (2017). The cover of the film’s album on Spotify now features only Shah Rukh Khan. Meanwhile, the music of Fawad Khan’s Abir Gulaal has been pulled down from Spotify and Apple Music.

PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in Hindi will finish its run with roughly 4 crore footfalls which has only been seen twice this century with GADAR 2 and BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION and these two went over 5 crore. No other film has crossed the 4 crore mark with DANGAL being the best at 3.7 crore while before GADAR, it was RAJA HINDUSTANI in 1996 to hit 4 crore.

There are many films to hit 4, 5 and even 6 crore in the older days when cinema had less competition from other entertainment and also was the only option to watch films though population was also only half of what it is now which more than compensates. Basically the films held wide appeal in those days. PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE joins an elite group of around 15-20 films in history to get 4 crore footfalls.

This is a huge target that PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE has set as post pandemic, 4 crore seemed like an impossible target due to the dwindling audience coming to the theatres. There are four South films dubbed into Hindi in the list and are probably more to come in the next few years especially if sequels of liked films are released. A realistic target for most of the big Hindi films will be 3 crore as GADAR 2 also looks a one off as that sort of single screen business can be written off for most films.

The box office number of GADAR 2 could have been higher with better multiplex pricing and footfalls could have been a little higher as well if it was not released in a crowded period. But as mentioned before, this is probably a one off and its 3 crore which is the biggest original Hindi films but that is also more than good enough as its around 600 crore nett business this year for the film released as a blockbuster film.

The top ten footfalls post pandemic are as follows. The original Hindi films are in bold.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 4 crore

7. KGF - Chapter 2 - 2.55 crore

8. RRR - 1.70 crore

10. Kalki 2898 AD - 1.50 crore

The future of entertainment lies in the hands of audiences, who will decide how and where they want to consume content. Imagine a scenario where a QR code allows viewers to choose whether to watch a film in a theatre, on the phone, or on TV. This flexibility will define new-age entertainment.

However, content must reach a wider audience, especially in a country with India's massive population. For example, while Stree 2 was a blockbuster, it was watched by only 45 million people. This highlights the huge scope for broader content distribution.

In the coming years, technology-particularly AI and innovative distribution models-will empower filmmakers and create platforms for new content. The key, however, is to craft stories that resonate with a large, diverse audience. We need to focus on creating content that is about India, for India, and of India.

I don't believe there's a "takeover" by southern cinema. Since the pandemic, the Hindi film industry has seen remarkable successes, with films such as Animal, Gadar 2, Pathaan, Jawan, and Stree 2 achieving box office collections of Rs. 500-600 crore in India. This clearly shows that the Hindi film industry is performing as well as its southern counterpart. What truly matters is giving audiences something fresh and unique-exactly what these films have delivered. Instead of viewing southern and Hindi films as separate entities, we should embrace them as part of one Indian film industry. My hope is that films from across the country resonate with audiences nationwide.

Both southern and Hindi industries produce hits, but there are also films from both that fail to connect with audiences. As someone who stays in touch with creators from both industries, I am optimistic that next two years will bring unique stories from across India.

Streaming platforms are not a threat to cinema-they will coexist with theatres. While streaming services are still expanding their reach, they complement rather than compete with the theatrical experience.

STREE 2 has emerged the second biggest grosser ever in CI and the third film to cross the 20 crore nett mark after BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION and GADAR 2. The circuit is a mass barometer and figures never lie. With the three films on top and the gap to the rest, it pretty much shows which films have had biggest mass penetration in the last ten years or so.

The word mass is used a lot today with all these South films being called MASS films but you do not become a mass just because the hero is beating 50 goons or what down south they call elevation scenes with the entry of the hero. Films like THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME and DEVARA are called MASS films due to the elements but they hardly get reach outside their own states. A mass film is always about REACH and in India if you cant reach the heavy populated areas, you are NOT a mass film as you not reaching the masses.

STREE 2 may not have the elements of what is seen as a mass film but the fact is the film is a bigger mass film than even the likes of ANIMAL, JAWAN and PATHAAN as it has easily smashed the numbers of these films in the heavy populated states which indicates better satellite than these films in the long run also. BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION remains the biggest film in CI but GADAR 2 would have comfortably beaten it if it had better ticket pricing and that is not taking the clash into as consideration as OMG 2 would not be a much of a factor here. 

Taking GADAR 2 comfortably crossing 25 crore nett with better pricing means that PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE can actually target the 30 crore nett mark in this circuit if the film is as good as the trailer. This figures is almost double of ANIMAL and more than double of PATHAAN and JAWAN. The numbers can get higher and higher in this circuit when films have real reach.

The top ten grossers in CI of all time are as follows.

1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 24,51,00,000

3. Gadar 2 - 22,62,00,000

4. Animal - 17,98,50,000

5. KGF - Chapter 2 - 16,08,50,000

6. Jawan - 14,84,50,000

7. Pathaan - 14,19,50,000

8. Dangal - 14,18,00,000

9. Tiger Zinda Hai - 12,83,50,000

10. PK - 12,59,00,000

Shilpa Rao first sang for the Hindi film music industry over 17 years ago and since then, has had hits like Khuda Jaane, Kalank, Subhanallah, Bulleya, Ghungroo, Tere Hawaale, Chaleya and Besharam Rang among others to her credit.

In a conversation with us, this Grammy-nominated singer talks about creating a space for herself in the music industry despite her voice being termed unconventional at the beginning of her career. Excerpts:

Throughout my childhood, people said I couldn’t sing, and I believed them. Back then, I was learning to sing because I liked music. I never thought I’d be a musician. I wasn’t very goal-oriented, in that sense. Even now, I am learning music because it brings me happiness. Also, today, I don’t think much about what people say. I just believe in working hard. People can say whatever they want, but we must filter out the comments that are not relevant. If someone like Rashid Khan sahab would say something to me, I would listen and see value in it, but not from everyone. It's important to use your own mind, pick things that you're passionate about, work hard on that and listen to people who are wiser than you. Like, if Pritam tells me something, I will think hard.

I think it helped me when people said I couldn’t sing (laughs). On a serious note, my parents instilled in me the idea of having my own voice and opinions, which shielded me from being too affected by others’ opinions. My dad always believed in learning music because it enriches your life, and I still hold onto that outlook. My voice was nurtured by my parents, who were big fans of artistes like Begum Akhtar, Prabha Atre ji, and Parween Sultana ji. I was fortunate to have seen some of them perform live as a child. Listening to Farida Khanum was also common in our house. My parents instilled in me the idea of having my own voice and opinions, which shielded me from being too affected by others' opinions on my singing abilities. My dad always believed in learning music because it enriches your life, and I still hold onto that outlook. Attaching happiness, love and good energy to my songs translates to the audience, and that’s important to me.

For me, it’s about approaching each studio session as if it were my first. Every recording is a fresh opportunity to connect with music, like a child in a chocolate factory exploring new flavours. For instance, when I was first told about Kaavaalaa (Jailer, 2023), I wondered why Anirudh (composer Anirudh Ravichander) chose me for it, as it was unlike anything I had sung before. However, trusting the composer and director’s vision is crucial. With Besharam Rang (Pathaan, 2022), Siddharth Anand was confident about me singing it. That meant a lot to me. People have told me how much they have loved the song. Sometimes, it’s not just about singing for a movie, it’s also about the emotional attachment people form with the song. So, having faith in what you do is essential.

Yes, always. Artistes who have been in the industry for a long time, whether it’s Pritam, Vishal-Shekhar or Mithoon, are always open to inputs from singers. They’re willing to listen to ideas and suggestions because they understand that it can only enhance the work. I enjoy collaborating with new people as witnessing their spontaneity and energy in the studio is amazing. There’s a unique dynamic that emerges when you bounce off ideas and energy, and often, something magical happens when they listen to your input.

Every song requires dedication and hard work. But if I had to pick, Mudhi Mudhi Ittefaq Se (Paa, 2009) was particularly challenging. I worked with Ilaiyaraaja Sir for that song, and he is known for his discipline and perfection. Impressing him wasn’t easy. Gustakh Dil (English Vinglish, 2012) was also tough because it conveyed complex emotions. Bulleya (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, 2016), too, posed its own challenges, depicting a unique relationship dynamic.

I’d say "Manmarziyan" was definitely one of those songs. It felt tailor-made for me, and Amitabh (Bhattacharya) and I wrapped it up in just 30 minutes. It's quite rare for things to come together so seamlessly like that. Initially, it wasn't even called Manmarziyan, but as soon as I sang the first line, Amitabh immediately named it. Another quick recording was Chaleya. We finished the recording in just 20 minutes because we were both (composer Anirudh Ravichander) present, making decisions swiftly and bouncing off each other's energies. It really does make a difference when you have multiple perspectives in the room, including the composer, lyricist, and sometimes the director. When you're alone, it's challenging to navigate all those possibilities.

Tere Hawaale is an ideal duet. The film is not just about one character; it's about the parallel lives of Laal Singh and Rupa, intersecting and drifting apart. The song reflects this journey, where they finally acknowledge their need to be together. It took a lot of time to perfect. We started working on it before COVID in 2019 and experimented with different ways of singing the two lines, and then the final recordings were done. Aamir Khan sir felt that the last part should be from Rupa’s (Kareena Kapoor Khan’s character in the film) perspective to conclude the song properly. It was truly a collaborative effort.

Several generations of Russians grew up watching subtitled Indian films and were floored by Raj Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Hema Malini and Shah Rukh Khan years ago. Now, after a gap of about three decades, industry players and authorities are working to reignite the old cultural affiliation through Indian films by increasing film shoots and screenings of Indian films in Russia.

Film production and distribution companies and government officials in Russia are looking to attract Indian filmmakers and films now that Hollywood films are absent in Russia following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Sarfaraz Alam Safu, who runs Kartina Entertainment, a line production company for Indian films in Russia and CIS countries, said Indian filmmakers are showing increasing interest and parts of some recent films including Sardar Udham, Pathaan, Tiger 3 and JugJugg Jeeyo were shot there.

“I am also working on a film, which is a biopic of Rakesh Sharma (the first Indian in space) to be shot here, which will be produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur,” Safu said. “Companies such as Dharma Productions, Excel Entertainment, Emmay Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Productions, and many more are in touch with us for several projects,” he added.

Local authorities are hoping to attract more Indian filmmakers this year through discounted production costs.

“We are now like the front office or supermarket of any services for filmmakers, as we are trying to cut their production expenses as much as possible by offering a low price to shoot here,” said Evgeny Kozlov, first deputy head of the office of the mayor and the government of Moscow. Upcoming Tamil action film ‘The Greatest Of All Time’ last month became the first foreign film to be shot as part of the ‘Moscow-City of Cinema’ programme that provides subsidies to filmmakers.

“I hope we will see several Bollywood projects from India being shot this year in Moscow,” Kozlov said. “We have started working deeply with Bollywood firms to invite Bollywood filmmakers to the Moscow cinema cluster. My colleagues from the Moscow Department of Culture who are responsible for attracting filmmakers are also trying to establish connections with Bollywood filmmakers.” Kozlov is also the chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.

Meanwhile, more Indian films are being screened across Russia as Hollywood blockbusters, which have been mostly ruling Russian cinemas post the collapse of Soviet Union in the early 1990s, are no longer released in Russia.

Besides Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Indian films are being screened in over 40 locations in the country including Arkhangelsk, Belgorod, Kazan, Penza, Saratov, Tula, Ulyanovsk, and Cheboksary.

Mirzoyan Karen Rudolfovich, a general producer of Indian films in Russia, said he is hoping Indian films will capture about 20% of the Russian films market in the next four to five years, up from less than 5% now. “Hollywood made a lot of investments in popularizing their actors in Russia. That’s missing for Indian films,” said Rudolfovich, who has been working on Indian projects for the past eight years.

“We work with production houses such as Red Chillies and Dharma Productions, and our company purchases the rights of Indian films to screen them in Russia,” he said.

Abhishek Anand, a Russian language translator and interpreter who also acted in a recent Indian film shot in Russia, said the older generation of Russians have a totally different emotion for Indians as they were very fond of actors such as Raj Kapoor. “But films such as Pathaan, Pushpa, Bahubali and RRR have also done well here,” he said. “Pathaan was shot here and there is a Russian dialogue in the film that resonated very well with the audience here,” Anand added.

Sitting in a comfortable room of a five-star, Ashutosh Rana, dressed in black kurta, jeans and a stole, looks ready to tackle any question coming his way. Having been in the industry for over two decades, there is no role the actor cannot do. Yet, you would find Rana doing odd roles that don’t exactly do justice to his talent. Murder In Mahim then comes as a fitting addition to his resume. In the JioCinema series, based on Jerry Pinto’s book of the same name, also starring Vijay Raaz, Rana displays his inner strength as an artiste as he portrays an ex-journalist in pursuit of a serial killer. Edited excerpts from the interview.

I don’t look at the length of the role; I look at the character’s importance in the subject. If the character wasn’t there, would the story move forward? I had two releases, Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond and Murder In Mahim, where I play two distinct characters. In Ranneeti, I play a suave and overpowering ISI Chief. In Murder In Mahim, my character Peter Fernandes [modelled on the author] is subdued, but he has tremendous [inner] strength. In one, you get to see power, in the other, strength. I have never played such a low-key character. When I play Peter, I notice the character’s body language, the walk, the way he talks and looks. If a character forces me to break my mould and not carry my traits forward, it’s a win-win.

Pick any character and you can never know all its traits. We can write a character’s main traits, you have to explore the rest as an actor. Before knowing a character, you have to know yourself well first; you have to know how you’d react to a situation and then change the reaction to suit your character. This is an on-going process and I take it quite spiritually.

He was a journalist, but took early retirement because he was fed up with where journalism was heading. However, when his son, who attended a gay parade, is a person of interest in the killings of the LGBTQiA+ people, he goes back into investigative mode. He has to fight against powerful people to prove his son’s innocence.

Whenever a story is [adapted], I try not to watch [or read] the original unless I am done with my act. Else it will impact my performance, it will limit my imagination. After finishing the show, I read the book, and interestingly, the series is shot exactly how the book describes the story. I had not met the author but my mother-in-law is his good friend. Through her I learnt that Jerry is happy that I played the character. 

It’s a pain an actor has to go through. Sometimes, you have to do it out of respect and affection for someone. I have done films with Siddharth [Anand] like War (2019) and Pathaan (2023). He didn’t ask me, he simply said that I was his lucky mascot and wanted me in his film. He said that I have two key scenes, and I have to portray everything in those scenes, instead of adding four extra scenes to establish the father-daughter relationship between [Deepika Padukone’s] character and me. Sometimes, it hurts, because while we may imagine a story in a certain way, it doesn’t pan out accordingly. The only problem is when other filmmakers feel that since I have done a special appearance in Siddharth’s film, I’ll do it for everyone. It’s a risk, but you have to find a way around it. The other problem of saying no is that you have to wait a long time to find your next role.

Four months into 2024, the Hindi film industry has been on a bumpy ride. Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, was expected to ring in the year with eye-popping box-office numbers, but slowly inched towards the Rs. 200 crore mark. On the other hand, films like Crakk, Yodha, All India Rank and Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay left us wanting. In comparison, 2023 was a blockbuster one with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan setting the tone for the rest of the year.

The year “hasn’t begun well” agrees trade analyst Taran Adarsh, adding, “We didn’t have a Pathaan kind of film, a Rs. 500 crore grosser, or even a film that touched Rs. 50 crore on day one. Fighter was a well-made film, but it didn’t live up to the expectations.”

Films that took the industry by surprise with their performances were genre benders like actors Ajay Devgn’s Shaitaan, Yami Gautam Dhar’s Article 370 and Shahid Kapoor’s Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Their box-office collections show that they did exceedingly well.

Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinepolis India, remarks, “2024’s first quarter has been average, with no major hits; films like Shaitaan worked. I feel 2023’s first quarter was much better and a hit like Pathaan is still awaited. There are good titles coming up in 2024, which are a mix of Bollywood biggies and those from the south.”

Aditya Datt, director of the actioner Crakk, is proud of his film. But with “disappointing” footfalls in cinema halls, he is ready to move on. “Response to the film’s new age idea and action was amazing,” he says, as he’s feeling “optimistic” for its OTT debut. “The magic we crafted will more eyes watching and appreciating it.”

Another film which was praised by critics, had a big star cast, but still underperformed at the box office was Merry Christmas, featuring actors Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi. Producer Ramesh Taurani who bankrolled the film, elaborates, “We were expecting more in collections. Nevertheless, it’s okay, things happen. We did get a lot of praise and critical acclaim.”

HIGHEST GROSSERS of ’24 till NOW (All India collections according to trade estimates)

Fighter- Rs. 199 crore

Shaitaan- Rs. 137 crore

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya- Rs. 81 crore

Article 370- Rs. 72 crore

Crew- Rs. 41 crore (still running in theatres)

BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION still remains the top grossing film in Mumbai circuit and that too by a distance. In fact the top two films in the circuits are from South with KGF - CHAPTER 2 holding second spot. GADAR 2 would have been ahead of KGF - CHAPTER 2 if it had a solo release and pricing of the other blockbusters of 2023 but even with that it would not have reached the BAAHUBALI numbers.

If we take original Hindi content then its TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR leading in Maharashtra and GADAR 2 in Gujarat. Despite these huge grossers in 2023, the circuit generally was an underperformer but things look better now. There are chances that 200 crore nett can be hit in the circuit and the best shot at that will be PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE if the film has the merits of PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01.

Actually the films that can set huge numbers in this circuit in 2024 are both scheduled for a clash in August. Both PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE and SINGHAM AGAIN are at the moment set for an August 15th release date and both teams are adamant at the moment. So much work is left on both films that its a race against time and normally time wins in these scenarios. Both these films, if they work, will outperform in Mumbai and at the end of 2024, both will be among the top three.

The release date is outstanding with Independence Day on Thursday, Rakhsha Bandhan on Monday and then Janmashtami on second Monday. Gowever unlikely it looks at the moment, it would be great for the box office if one of the films could come as otherwise the period will not get the huge numbers it should.

The top ten grossers in Mumbai circuit at present are as follows. The only other film outside the list below to cross 100 crore nett is SANJU.

1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 1,82,56,00,000

2. KGF - Chapter 2 - 1,45,45,00,000

3. Gadar 2 - 1,43,98,00,000

4. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior - 1,43,85,00,000

5. Jawan - 1,40,05,50,000

6. Animal - 1,36,84,00,000

7. Pathaan - 1,35,82,00,000

8. Dangal - 1,04,26,00,000

9. PK - 1,04,21,50,000

10. Tiger Zinda Hai - 1,03,40,50,000