Showing posts with label The Diplomat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Diplomat. Show all posts
Sadia Khateeb says she is safe in Saudi Arabia: "My duas are for the world"
10:28 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 8, 2026)
Actor Sadia Khateeb is among the celebrities currently in the Middle East amid ongoing global tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict. She was in Saudi Arabia with her family when air travel in parts of the region was disrupted.
Sharing an update, she tells us, “I am here and completely safe with my family. Amid what’s happening around the world, prayers are all that I can do. My duas are for the world. May everyone be safe.”
Despite the tensions, the 28-year-old is focused on marking a spiritual milestone: her first Umrah (pilgrimage to the Ka’aba in Makkah). “This year, Eid will be in Medina with my family, and I can’t wait to experience that with them, we are happy and safely placed at the moment,” she says.
For now, Sadia says she is fully immersed in the holy month of Ramzan with her family. “This comes after two physically demanding years... During promotions of The Diplomat (2025), I had to occasionally break my (Ramzan) fasts during interviews. This year, I’m sharing iftar with my mother,” she ends.
When films miss the Gulf market, how much does it impact?
8:17 AM
From Border 2 to Dhurandhar and The Diplomat, films remain unreleased across key Gulf markets — a pattern trade can’t ignore. We speak to experts to understand how it impacts business
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 30, 2026)
Border 2, starring Sunny Deol, may be flying high at the Indian box office, but the war drama will not release across key Gulf markets including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While no official reason has been issued, industry insiders point to the film’s India-Pakistan war backdrop and strong military narrative as the likely factor behind the decision, a pattern seen with several recent titles in the region.
Why the Gulf matters
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region remains a crucial overseas market for Hindi cinema, often contributing 3-5% of a big film’s global business. Trade figures suggest a well-performing Hindi film can earn between Rs. 30 crore and Rs. 50 crore from the region.
Film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi explains: “For a film like Border 2, expectations are massive, so the loss is felt. At the same time, exhibitors in the Gulf also lose out by not being able to screen big titles. For Indian films, 3-5% of business going away is still a large number.”
Border 2 isn’t the first high-profile Hindi film to face resistance in the Gulf. Last year, Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar did not release in the region despite a strong global run. Earlier, The Diplomat, starring John Abraham, and Fighter, led by Hrithik Roshan, faced similar roadblocks, though Fighter was later cleared for release in the UAE.
Trade reactions
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh believes the impact varies by film: “A Shah Rukh Khan film would mean something very different in the Gulf compared to others. In Dhurandhar’s case, which has already done well without a Gulf release, the loss could be Rs. 20-40 crore. For Border 2, it’s early to judge, but business in other territories could compensate.”
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, president of the Indian Film and TV Directors’ Association, has called for diplomatic clarity. “We are told India shares strong relations with the UAE. If a film talks about fighting terrorism, why should it be blocked?” he asks.
Gulf widens as UAE refuses to entertain 'sensitive' Hindi films
10:40 AM
Emirates offer strong box-office potential, but films banned over geopolitical reasons in the region seen hurting distributors, producers
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 26, 2026)
Mumbai: A growing number of Hindi films are missing out on theatrical release in the UAE, and with it a key source of good box-office revenues, overseas distributors and domestic producers told ET. After Sky Force, The Diplomat and Dhurandhar last year, Border 2 is the latest Bollywood film that has been banned in the Gulf nation where 35-38% of the population is of Indian origin.
"The UAE is a big market in terms of box-office potential," said Pranab Kapadia, founder of Moviegoers Entertainment, a major overseas distributor of Bollywood films. "Malls are a big part of the culture in the region. Due to the hot climate, people prefer to visit malls, which in turn boosts footfalls in film theatres. A big film which is well-received can easily earn 25-40% of its overseas revenues from the UAE region."
For a non-event or non-spectacle film, the UAE market contributes 15-16% of the total revenues in the overseas markets, experts said.
A fundamental reason behind the banning of certain Hindi films in the Gulf region is the divisive geopolitical elements contained in them, producers said.
"The criterion of the UAE authorities is clear. They don't want to disturb the peace and harmony of the multi-cultural or cosmopolitan fabric of the region," said Anjum Rizvi, a veteran film producer. "So, even if they have an inkling that a certain film may create chaos in the region, they don't release it." Veteran producers said makers of films are mostly aware of this.
"Producers are well-aware of what to expect from the censor/classification boards of each of the major international territories. They factor in the risk and adjust box-office potential upfront when making and releasing such films," said Shariq Patel, former CEO at Zee Studios.
It's a significant risk. Hollywood and Indian films each form 40-50% of the UAE box office collection, followed by Arabic films, experts noted. "The Gulf countries have emerged as a structurally critical overseas market for Indian cinema, not a peripheral one. For large-scale Indian films, the Gulf has become one of the most decisive overseas markets," said Suniel Wadhwa, cofounder and director at Karmic Films.
A recent big budget film that lost out on the box office potential of the UAE is Dhurandhar. The film collected Rs. 997 crore (gross) in India and Rs. 294 crore (gross) from overseas markets until Friday, according to box-office research data firm Sacnilk.
"Dhurandhar collected $28 million from overseas markets without the Gulf markets. The absence of the UAE region translates into a revenue loss of $5-8 million, or Rs. 45-72 crore at current exchange rates," Wadhwa said.
"Beyond the revenue loss, an unreleased film in the UAE region is also susceptible to unregulated consumption (due to likely high demand from Indians in the Gulf), which can affect its performance in other territories," he added.
As John Abraham the star, action is inseparable. But as an artiste, I also crave depth-John Abraham
8:30 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; October 26, 2025)
“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.
‘AS A PRODUCER, I CAN’T PRODUCE A HOUSEFULL KIND OF A FILM. BUT AS AN ACTOR, I DID A HOUSEFULL 2’
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.”
‘I MADE A CHOICE THAT I WON’T DANCE AT MARRIAGE FUNCTIONS’
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.”
‘I research a lot for my films’
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.”
If I’m not given an opportunity, how would I prove myself?-Sadia Khateeb
8:33 AM
Calling acting an uncertain profession, Sadia Khateeb hopes to get continuous work, as she has a lot to deliver
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 3, 2025)
While her debut happened with the 2020 release Shikara, it was this year’s John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat that brought Sadia Khateeb to the limelight. However, she hasn’t yet processed the impact of the film. “I haven’t got the time to sink it yet. I just know that I’ve been very busy lately. I’m continuously shooting and that’s the best thing,” the actor says.
While she does feel happy about the love she has got, especially after the film viewership increased post its OTT release, Sadia admits that she can’t relax just yet.
“I’ve just started out and I’m only three films old. I just feel that I have a lot more in me to deliver, and you are only as talented as the opportunities coming your way. If I’m not given an opportunity, how would I prove myself? I just wish I get to do more,” she says.
The 27-year-old adds that being an outsider, the appreciation comes with a sense of fear too: “When people say something good, it gives me a sense of happiness. But that comes with nervousness, as I worry for the next opportunity where I’d get to deliver to meet the expectations. My only hope is to show the audience that I’m better than what they’ve seen in the past three films. I cannot sit back and relax.”
Sharing how “uncertain and destiny-driven” a profession acting is, she says, “I still don’t know if I will have work tomorrow. It took more than a year for The Diplomat to come out, even with such big names backing it. So, all my calculations failed, because in our industry, nobody knows what works.”
I find newcomers more suitable, till they get corrupt-John Abraham
9:12 AM
Actor-producer John Abraham talks about why he prefers working with fresh faces till they become ‘corrupt’
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 28, 2025)
In recent times, filmmakers such as Hansal Mehta and Anurag Kashyap have been vocal about how Bollywood needs to invest in new faces and be willing to take more risks. Well, it’s something actor John Abraham has been doing since he first donned the producer’s hat for Vicky Donor. While he launched actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Yami Gautam Dhar in Bollywood with the 2012 film, his more recent releases — Vedaa (2024) and The Diplomat — have seen him work with relatively new actors like Sharvari and Sadia Khateeb, respectively.
Ask what pulls him towards fresh faces and John says, “A lot of newcomers come with no baggage and it’s easier to work with them. Also, for me, the director’s word is final. I don’t start a film with the preconceived notion of taking an industry kid or an outsider. Anyone who fits the bill, works for me.”
Having said that, John admits that as a producer, it’s a problem when his talent comes with huge entourages: “If you come with 14 people, it is troublesome for me. I have a football team, and I know how much money that has cost me, so I don’t want another football team in my life.”
The 52-year-old adds, “I don’t have a big team. So, when I am producing a film, I expect my colleagues to operate like me. I find newcomers more suitable, till they get corrupt. After a film or two, they find success and move on to another level. So, I start looking for newcomers again.”
There was absolutely no confidence from the partners involved in The Diplomat-John Abraham
10:01 AM
Actor-producer John Abraham on the film’s box-office performance despite the lack of promotions and buzz
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 8, 2025)
John Abraham’s latest film The Diplomat may have released last month with barely a whisper, but it is quietly building momentum. Despite minimal pre-release buzz, the film has seen a steady rise in audience interest, with more shows being added across theatres.
“No one knew when The Diplomat released. There was absolutely no confidence from the partners involved in the film. I want to thank my critics and my audience for keeping it alive. The audience always finds the good films,” says the actor who also produced the film.
He takes pride in the fact that it didn’t depend on “nationalistic jingoism”, calling it a conscious decision. “We walked a thin line... Ritesh (Shah, screenwriter) wrote a banger of a script, but I also give credit to my director Shivam (Nair)... Shivam and I discussed very categorically that this cannot be a jingoism film,” the 52-year-old shares, adding, “Apne aap ko ooncha dikhane ke liye kisi aur ko neecha dikhane ki zarurat nahin hai. We’ve seen too many of them in the recent past.”
Leaning away from formulaic success, this is John’s second outing playing a secondary character to a female lead after Vedaa (2024). “It comes out of security,” he says, elaborating, “You have to be secure as an actor, and you need to know what your intention is. Do you want to keep playing a glorified lead, or do you want to tell a good story? You have to be a carrier of a good story, which is something that we must reinvent in our industry.”
On the ban in Middle East
The film has been banned in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. Shocked at this outcome, the actor opines, “People are very myopic in their vision. We have in no way demeaned anybody. We didn’t cheat anybody or sell our souls for the film. This is not an anti-Pakistan film. If anything, we’ve showed that the judiciary in Pakistan is honest.”
Q1 Report Card: Cold star for Bollywood this year
8:10 AM
With only one film scoring major success at the box office, Bollywood’s performance in the first quarter of this year is far from impressive
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 2, 2025)
Bollywood’s box office ‘report card’ for the first quarter of 2025 projects a rather bleak picture. Only one film has done extraordinary business in the first three months of this year — Chhaava, featuring Vicky Kaushal in the lead role. Two other films have just about managed to draw audiences to the theatres — Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force and The Diplomat, starring John Abraham.
Compare this to the corresponding period last year, and there were multiple hits such as Shaitaan, Article 370, and Crew. The industry is understandably unhappy.
Talking about Sikandar, the big-ticket Eid release, trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “One didn’t expect this performance from a Salman Khan film. It started off okay due to the Eid holiday, but the foundation is weak for the numbers to sustain in the weekdays. Also, the BOGO and free ticket offers for the film are very unfortunate. It shows the phase the industry is going through.”
The silver lining
Amit Sharma, managing director of Miraj Cinemas, however, is optimistic: “After five years of struggle, we now have a release every week. It’s a spread-out calendar unlike last year, when multiple films released on the same day.”
There’s room for improvement in the second quarter, feels Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis Cinemas. “Q2 looks very good, especially the combination of Hollywood and Bollywood films will give a huge boost this summer,” he says.
---------------------------------------------------
“I won’t say that there should be a Chhaava every week, it’s not possible. We needed more hits; we can’t survive on one hit or one plus film to carry us till the next quarter.”
- Taran Adarsh
“It’s important for films like The Diplomat (to earn) because we have only about 10-15 tentpole releases in a year. The exhibition sector needs smaller films to do well to stay afloat.”
- Akkshay Rathie
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MAJOR RELEASES SO FAR
Chhaava: Rs. 545 crore
Sky Force: Rs. 131.44 crore
The Diplomat: Rs. 30 crore (still running in theatres)
Deva: Rs. 32 crore
Badass Ravi Kumar: Rs. 9.66 crore
Sikandar: Rs. 55 crore (still running in theatres)
(All figures according to Box Office India and trade estimates)
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 874
8:54 AM
ALL EYES ON SNOW WHITE; WILL THE DIPLOMAT GO THE LAAPATAA LADIES WAY?
Last week’s big release The Diplomat has brought cheers in the trade and industry. The film was hardly promoted and there weren’t many expectations from it. It was predicted that it would open at Rs. 3 crores at best. However, it managed to open at Rs. 4 crores. The Holi effect played a role; yet, it was a pleasant surprise.
The film didn’t see huge jumps on Saturday and Sunday when it collected Rs. 4.50 crores and Rs. 4.65 crores respectively. But this was expected as collections saw a boost on Friday. It dropped to Rs. 1.50 crores, which is more than 50% compared to Friday. It raised alarm bells but at the same time, since Friday collections were higher than normal, the drop is not that big. In fact, it collected the same amount – Rs. 1.50 crores – on Tuesday, which is a good sign.
The Diplomat will collect Rs. 19 crores in the first week. It has an open run this week. Next weekend, it’ll have a clean window on Friday, March 28 and Saturday, March 29. Salman Khan’s big Eid release, Sikandar, will arrive on March 30 and then, it’ll lose a chunk of its shows. Hence, it has time until March 29 to collect as much as possible. A lifetime of Rs. 35 crores can be expected. But certain well-accepted films tend to keep collecting and hence, if this film manages to have a lifetime of Rs. 40 crores, then nothing like it.
Parallels can be drawn with last year’s Laapataa Ladies. After having low but decent collections in the first weekend, the collections dropped to Rs. 50 lakhs on Monday. Many predicted that it’ll end up collecting less than Rs. 10 crores. But the film continued to collect, at low levels, and had a lifetime of Rs. 20 crores. What helped the film was a clean window which The Diplomat doesn’t have. Yet, like Laapataa Ladies, it has word of mouth on its side. Even after Sikandar’s release, it has one more weekend where it can score with limited shows. The showcasing can also go up if there’s demand.
Meanwhile, tomorrow will see the release of two Hindi films, Tumko Meri Kasam and Pintu Ki Pappi. Both films have limited buzz and will go unnoticed. The big release of the week is Snow White. It has faced a lot of controversy due to its casting. But at the same time, the presence of Gal Gadot of Wonder Woman fame and the backlash has also kept the film in the news. Moreover, it looks like a family entertainer.
If all goes well, Snow White can go the Beauty And The Beast way. That film had collected Rs. 1.40 crores on its first day. That type of earnings might not be possible but if it can collect around the Rs. 1 crore mark, it’ll be a decent result for the film. Such films collect majorly on the weekends as families flock to see the film while weekdays are low. As a result, after a decent first weekend total, it’ll have a chance to put up another good total next weekend. However, all this depends on word of mouth.
Last week’s big release The Diplomat has brought cheers in the trade and industry. The film was hardly promoted and there weren’t many expectations from it. It was predicted that it would open at Rs. 3 crores at best. However, it managed to open at Rs. 4 crores. The Holi effect played a role; yet, it was a pleasant surprise.
The film didn’t see huge jumps on Saturday and Sunday when it collected Rs. 4.50 crores and Rs. 4.65 crores respectively. But this was expected as collections saw a boost on Friday. It dropped to Rs. 1.50 crores, which is more than 50% compared to Friday. It raised alarm bells but at the same time, since Friday collections were higher than normal, the drop is not that big. In fact, it collected the same amount – Rs. 1.50 crores – on Tuesday, which is a good sign.
The Diplomat will collect Rs. 19 crores in the first week. It has an open run this week. Next weekend, it’ll have a clean window on Friday, March 28 and Saturday, March 29. Salman Khan’s big Eid release, Sikandar, will arrive on March 30 and then, it’ll lose a chunk of its shows. Hence, it has time until March 29 to collect as much as possible. A lifetime of Rs. 35 crores can be expected. But certain well-accepted films tend to keep collecting and hence, if this film manages to have a lifetime of Rs. 40 crores, then nothing like it.
Parallels can be drawn with last year’s Laapataa Ladies. After having low but decent collections in the first weekend, the collections dropped to Rs. 50 lakhs on Monday. Many predicted that it’ll end up collecting less than Rs. 10 crores. But the film continued to collect, at low levels, and had a lifetime of Rs. 20 crores. What helped the film was a clean window which The Diplomat doesn’t have. Yet, like Laapataa Ladies, it has word of mouth on its side. Even after Sikandar’s release, it has one more weekend where it can score with limited shows. The showcasing can also go up if there’s demand.
Meanwhile, tomorrow will see the release of two Hindi films, Tumko Meri Kasam and Pintu Ki Pappi. Both films have limited buzz and will go unnoticed. The big release of the week is Snow White. It has faced a lot of controversy due to its casting. But at the same time, the presence of Gal Gadot of Wonder Woman fame and the backlash has also kept the film in the news. Moreover, it looks like a family entertainer.
If all goes well, Snow White can go the Beauty And The Beast way. That film had collected Rs. 1.40 crores on its first day. That type of earnings might not be possible but if it can collect around the Rs. 1 crore mark, it’ll be a decent result for the film. Such films collect majorly on the weekends as families flock to see the film while weekdays are low. As a result, after a decent first weekend total, it’ll have a chance to put up another good total next weekend. However, all this depends on word of mouth.
(Crisp) Movie Review: THE DIPLOMAT by FENIL SETA
11:43 AM
The Diplomat is based on the real-life story of Uzma Ahmed. It was widely reported in the media but many might not remember it or might not know its full details. Hence, it's a story fit to be told on celluloid. The first half is slow as the makers take their time in establishing the characters and showing the flashback. A few aspects are not properly covered about Uzma and it dents the impact. Thankfully, the second half is very nail-biting. Viewers won't move even for a second and the finale is clapworthy. John Abraham doesn't do action but makes up for it with his performance and strong personality. Sadia Khateeb is an actor to watch out for and deserves to be seen more. Jagjeet Sandhu (Tahir) is aptly cast. Revathy (Sushma Swaraj) is fantastic and through her character, the film pays a fitting tribute to the late External Affairs Minister. Vidhatri Bandi (Seerat; Female staffer in Indian High Commission) and Kumud Mishra leave a huge mark. Sharib Hashmi is fine but his screen time is limited. All in all, The Diplomat is a terrific edge-of-the-seat entertainer.
My rating - **** out of 5!
My rating - **** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 873
11:57 PM
WILL THE DIPLOMAT EMERGE AS A SURPRISE SUCCESS?
Tomorrow will see the release of the John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat which is the first major release after Chhaava, that released exactly a month ago. Besides John, the film also stars Sadia Khateeb of Raksha Bandhan fame and is based on a true story. It is directed by Shivam Nair and was shot way back in 2022.
The film’s subject has caught attention but the excitement to see it is very minimal. The pre-release reports, thankfully, are very strong. It's arriving on the day of Holi which is a good day to release a film. Though many cinemas are shut until 4:00 pm, the business can still be huge as a major chunk of moviegoers come out to watch films in the evening. With Holi falling on a Friday this time, even the night shows will be strong as the next day is a holiday.
Looking at these factors, The Diplomat should open at around Rs. 2 crores. If all goes well, the collections will jump to Rs. 3 crores. If the public reports are positive, then it’ll have a big jump on Saturday and then it’ll all be about Monday being as good as Friday. Even a minimal drop from the first day will still be enough for the film to excel.
Meanwhile, tomorrow is also Aamir Khan’s 60th birthday and hence, a film festival will be held on this joyous occasion. As many as 20 films will be up for re-release like 3 Idiots, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Andaz Apna Apna, Dangal, Dhoom 3, Dil, Dil Chahta Hai, Fanaa, Ghajini, Ghulam, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Laal Singh Chaddha, Lagaan, PK, Raja Hindustani, Rang De Basanti, Sarfarosh, Taare Zameen Par and Talaash. Namastey London will also re-release tomorrow. There’s not much hope from these films but 3 Idiots, Dil Chahta Hai and Rang De Basanti should hopefully pull the audiences to cinemas.
Tomorrow will see the release of the John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat which is the first major release after Chhaava, that released exactly a month ago. Besides John, the film also stars Sadia Khateeb of Raksha Bandhan fame and is based on a true story. It is directed by Shivam Nair and was shot way back in 2022.
The film’s subject has caught attention but the excitement to see it is very minimal. The pre-release reports, thankfully, are very strong. It's arriving on the day of Holi which is a good day to release a film. Though many cinemas are shut until 4:00 pm, the business can still be huge as a major chunk of moviegoers come out to watch films in the evening. With Holi falling on a Friday this time, even the night shows will be strong as the next day is a holiday.
Looking at these factors, The Diplomat should open at around Rs. 2 crores. If all goes well, the collections will jump to Rs. 3 crores. If the public reports are positive, then it’ll have a big jump on Saturday and then it’ll all be about Monday being as good as Friday. Even a minimal drop from the first day will still be enough for the film to excel.
Meanwhile, tomorrow is also Aamir Khan’s 60th birthday and hence, a film festival will be held on this joyous occasion. As many as 20 films will be up for re-release like 3 Idiots, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Andaz Apna Apna, Dangal, Dhoom 3, Dil, Dil Chahta Hai, Fanaa, Ghajini, Ghulam, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Laal Singh Chaddha, Lagaan, PK, Raja Hindustani, Rang De Basanti, Sarfarosh, Taare Zameen Par and Talaash. Namastey London will also re-release tomorrow. There’s not much hope from these films but 3 Idiots, Dil Chahta Hai and Rang De Basanti should hopefully pull the audiences to cinemas.
CBFC asks makers of John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat to add this disclaimer
11:08 AM
John Abraham has stepped into the shoes of (right) senior diplomat JP Singh for the film
Sources say The Diplomat, inspired by Uzma Ahmed’s repatriation, was screened for the MEA; CBFC asked the makers to add disclaimer about supporting strong ties with neighbouring countries
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 11, 2025)
With The Diplomat, actor-producer John Abraham and director Shivam Nair are bringing a political thriller inspired by the 2017 episode of Uzma Ahmed’s repatriation. It has been learnt that ahead of its March 14 release, the makers screened the movie for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the first week of March. Following that, on March 6, the Abraham, Sadia Khateeb, and Revathy-starrer was cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a mandate—the makers were instructed to add a disclaimer stating that they support maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries.
In The Diplomat, Khateeb’s character is modelled on Ahmed, who, in May 2017, had escaped from her husband’s house in Pakistan, and knocked on the doors of the Indian Embassy in Islamabad for help, claiming that she was forced to marry him at gunpoint. Indian diplomat J P Singh, who had led her repatriation to India, is played by Abraham. Sources indicate that the MEA screening focused on ensuring that the film’s narrative did not adversely affect India’s diplomatic ties with Pakistan. The CBFC’s demand for the disclaimer was a step towards that.
A source says, “Considering the film is centred on international diplomacy, a visual and an audio disclaimer was added to emphasize that while the core matter may be inspired by a true incident, its portrayal of geopolitical tensions is dramatized and does not reflect the Indian government’s stance. The film is set in Pakistan. It was important to highlight this aspect since the two countries’ relations are a sensitive matter.”
The source adds that the CBFC has allowed many real names to be used, beginning with Khateeb’s character being named after Ahmed. “Sushma Swaraj [then Minister of External Affairs], J P Singh and Prashant Jadhav’s names have been used in portions after the makers submitted relevant documents. A scene of a young boy killing a woman has been reduced, and an expletive, muted,” states the source.
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