BY SUNIT JANGIR

Kochi, May 8 - Superstar Mohanlal's drama thriller Thudarum is super strong in its second week and is marching towards the 200 crores club at the worldwide box office. In this process, it has become the third-highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. ## Directed by Tharun Moorthy, Thudarum has crossed Tovino Thomas' 2023 survival thriller 2018 Movie (180 crores) as I type this on its 14th day to become the third biggest grosser, behind only Manjummel Boys (241 crores) and Empuraan (266.50+ crores). ## Thudarum had scored approximately 120 crores gross in its first week, while the second week is heading towards around 65 crores with less than 50% drop, which is excellent. It will be entering the 200 crores club the third weekend and will become only the third Malayalam movie ever to do so. ## Produced by Rejaputhra Visual Media, Thudarum has also topped 100 crores gross collection at the domestic box office today, making it the third Malayalam movie after Pulimurugan (100 crores), 2018 (110.50 crores) and Empuraan (123+ crores) to do so. ## The movie is expected to become the biggest Mollywood grosser domestically during the third week and will also look to top 100 crores gross in the home state, Kerala. It will become the first movie ever to achieve the rare milestone of 100 crores gross in this particular state. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Mumbai, May 8 - Maddock Films has called off the theatrical release of its comedy drama film Bhool Chuk Maaf in the light of recent events and heightened security drills across the nation. The movie was scheduled to hit the big screen on May 9. ## Bhool Chuk Maaf, starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi in the leading roles, will now be released directly on Amazon Prime Video on May 16, a week after its proposed theatrical release. The film is directed by Karan Sharma and produced by Maddock Films in association with Amazon MGM Studios.## The studio took to social media platforms to share the update and confirmed the direct-to-digital release of the movie on Prime Video. "While we were eagerly looking forward to celebrating this film with you in theatres, the spirit of the nation comes first", Maddock said.## The spirit of the nation comes first! 🇮🇳 Watch Bhool Chuk Maaf directly on @PrimeVideoIN, May 16 #BhoolChukMaafOnPrime pic.twitter.com/xfSjoFpVhy— Maddockfilms (@MaddockFilms) May 8, 2025 ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, May 7 - One of the most anticipated films of the year, superstar Akshay Kumar-fronted comedy entertainer Housefull 5 is all set to hit the big screen on June 6. The makers recently launched the first song, Laal Pari, which set the internet on fire, and now, the next promotional content is ready to be released. ## According to the reports, the makers will release a song from Housefull 5 in the next few days, followed by the all-important trailer on May 27. Earlier, the teaser was launched, which increased the hype, and the trailer is expected to take it to the next level. ## The report also states that the first cut of Housefull 5 has been locked, and the approximate length of the film is 2 hours and 40 minutes. This makes it the longest film of the franchise. The runtime seems to be apt, given the massive star cast it involves, along with a scale bigger than any other previous films of the franchise.## The film, directed by Tarun Mansukhani, features a huge ensemble cast which also includes Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Fardeen Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Nana Patekar, Jackie Shroff, Dino Morea, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, Chitrangada Singh, Sonam Bajwa, Soundarya Sharma, Chunky Pandey, and Johnny Lever in key roles.## Housefull 5 is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under the banner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. It is the costliest film of the Housefull franchise with an estimated budget of around 350 crores. It will hit the big screen on June 6. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Mumbai, May 7 — Bollywood filmmakers are shifting to the full franchise mode and lining up more sequels or threequels, which are becoming guaranteed box office winners. Amid several sequels already in the works, the latest reports suggest there are nearly half a dozen more films that are getting a franchise treatment. ## According to the latest report by Pinkvilla, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi 2, Queen 2, and Kahani 3 are already in development, and now, the sequels to Luka Chuppi, Garam Masala, and Brahasmtra have also entered the writing stage. It is to be noted that the demand for all these sequels has been going on for some time now.## Among the aforementioned sequels, Brahmastra Part 2 - Dev was one of the first to be confirmed, and the report says that director Ayan Mukerji has started working on it, though he is currently directing War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR, and is on the verge of wrapping it up. ## It is said that Mukerji has got on board a fresh set of writers for Brahmastra 2. Rajat Arora (Once Upon A Time in Mumbai & Kick) is working on the dialogues of Brahmastra 2, with another team working towards polishing the screenplay. ## The filming of this epic fantasy action-adventure sequel is expected to start in the second half of 2026 after Ayan wraps up his current commitments. It is said that apart from War 2, which releases on August 14 this year, the filmmaker will also direct Dhoom 4, which will reportedly feature Ranbir Kapoor, who also headlines the Brahmastra franchise. ## The casting of Brahmastra 2 is expected to begin after the script compilation, as it is not yet clear who will play the part of Dev and Amrita. Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan are the only confirmed actors for the movie yet. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Los Angeles, May 6 - Marvel Studios' summer tentpole Thunderbolts* is off to a solid start at the domestic and worldwide box office with $74.3 million and $160.4 million opening weekend, respectively. This is among the best starts for a new Marvel superhero movie, the studio is wasting no time in taking further steps to strengthen its legs. ## In an interesting move, the studio has changed the title of the film from Thunderbolts to The New Avengers. The announcement of the new title was made through a video, posted by the studio on social media, and the same was promoted through a giant billboard in Los Angeles. ## In North America, ticketing websites like Fandango have also changed the title of the film on their platforms. It has been a mystery to Marvel and movie fans why Marvel had used an asterisk (*) in Thunderbolts, and the answer was finally revealed after the studio revealed the original title as The New Avengers (those who have already watched the movie would know the reason).## Thunderbolts* aka The New Avengers opened to flying reviews from critics and a solid A Cinemascore from audiences. It is among the best-reviewed Marvel movies in recent times, and the trade analysts believe this will help the film to have a long, healthy run at the box office, especially in the domestic market. ## Directed by Jake Schreier, the film stars Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost and Lewis Pullman as Sentry in titular roles.## Presenting Marvel Studios' #̶T̶h̶u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶b̶o̶l̶t̶s̶* #TheNewAvengers.Now playing only in theaters. Get tickets: https://t.co/bFq0RNeRhc pic.twitter.com/ACemttyCx3— Marvel Studios* (@MarvelStudios) May 5, 2025 ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Mumbai, May 6 - After a gap of nearly 3 years, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is returning to the big screen with the comedy drama Sitaare Zameen Par, which is the sequel to his 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. The makers announced yesterday that SZP would hit the big screen on June 20. ## With a little over a month to go before the release, the makers are gearing up to launch the next assets of the film to further increase the hype. According to the latest reports, Aamir Khan will launch the trailer of Sitaare Zameen Par on May 8, Thursday. ## The official announcement of the trailer is expected to be made in a day or two, though the details about the film’s narrative and promotional campaign have been kept tightly under wraps.## Earlier yesterday, Aamir Khan announced the release date of the film with the official first look poster. The theme of the film is similar to Taare Zameen Par, but it has a new story with fresh characters and context. It is based on the Spanish film Champions (2018).## Sitaare Zameen Par was originally scheduled to be released on Christmas 2024, but was postponed due to various reasons. It tells the story of an arrogant and self-centred basketball coach and specially-abled students. The film is produced by Aamir Khan Productions.## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, May 5 - After the very good opening weekend at the domestic box office with around 71 crores net collection, Ajay Devgn-led crime drama thriller Raid 2 has passed the first real test with flying colours after the very good hold on its first Monday. ## The Rajkumar Gupta's directorial movie is showing a drop of around 60% today from the Thursday opening day, which had a partial holiday, and around a 35% drop from Friday, as early estimates suggest the first Monday collection to be in the range of 7.50-8 crores net. ## The total collection of Raid 2 is around 79 crores net in 5 days, as the first 8-day week could hit the 100 crores mark, which is fantastic. The hold on the first Monday has confirmed the film's hit status and also its longevity, especially with not much competition at the moment. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Mumbai, May 5 - One of the most anticipated films of the year, superstar Aamir Khan's comedy drama Sitaare Zameen Par has officially been confirmed to hit the big screens on June 20 this year. The makers announced the release date with the first look poster on Monday. ## Directed by R. S. Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par is a sequel to Khan's 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, and it is based on the Spanish film Champions (2018). The film stars Aamir in the lead role, who returns to the big screen after almost 3 years since Laal Singh Chaddha. ## Sitaare Zameen Par was originally scheduled to be released on Christmas 2024, but was postponed due to various reasons. It tells the story of an arrogant and self-centred basketball coach and specially-abled students. The film is produced by Aamir Khan Productions. ## A film celebrating love, laughter and happiness.#SitaareZameenPar #SabkaApnaApnaNormal, 20th June Only In Theatres.@geneliad @r_s_prasanna @aparna1502 @AroushDatta #GopiKrishnanVarma #VedantSharmaa #NamanMisra #RishiShahani #RishabhJain #AshishPendse #SamvitDesai… pic.twitter.com/y9ohQkBSSQ— Aamir Khan Productions (@AKPPL_Official) May 5, 2025 ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, May 5 - Ajay Devgn-fronted crime drama thriller Raid 2 has a very good opening weekend at the worldwide box office with close to 100 crores gross collection. The movie performed better than expected to score the second biggest opening weekend of the year for Bollywood. ## Directed by Rajkumar Gupta, Raid 2 took a very good opening domestically to score approximately 23 crores gross (19.25 crores net) upon its Thursday release before showing strong hold over the weekend. It grossed approximately 85 crores (71.50 crores net) in India in the 4-day weekend, which is the second biggest weekend of the year after Chhaava.## At the overseas box office, Raid 2 performed low to score 13.50 crores gross, for the worldwide opening weekend of around 98.50 crores. It will be entering the 100 crores club worldwide today, and will become the 6th Bollywood film of the year to do so. ## Meanwhile, Raid 2 is on course to become the 4th Bollywood title of 2025 to score 100 crores net collection after Sikandar, Sky Force, and Chhaava. The movie is likely to achieve this feat during the second weekend as the second fastest of 2025 to do so. ## The last few weeks have been good for the Hindi film industry, which saw decent successes in the form of mid-range films like Jaat and Kesari: Chapter 2, while Raid 2 is on course to emerge a hit at the box office. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Los Angeles, May 5 - Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts has finished the first weekend at the worldwide box office with $162+ million, slightly under industry projection. The movie, however, is expected to have solid legs with positive word of mouth and critics' reviews by its side. ## The Jake Schreier's directorial blockbuster ignited the domestic (North America) box office with a $76 million 3-day opening weekend, higher than the industry projection. Marvel movies tend to open with much higher collections, but this is a very good start for a new superhero movie, which features lesser-known Marvel heroes. ## The domestic opening of Thunderbolts* is in line with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($75 million) and Eternals ($71 million), which also introduced newer Marvel protagonists. As per Variety, the film will have a strong run due to WOM and reviews, which are among the highest for a Marvel tentpole. ## The overseas box office, Thunderbolts, came below the industry's projection with $86 million during the 5-day weekend in 53 markets. This is lower than Enternals ($90 million) but better than Shang-Chi ($56 million). The film struck $162 million worldwide opening weekend, which is on par with Eternals. ## China was the biggest international market for the film with $10.4 million, followed by the UK ($7.7 million) and Mexico ($7.3 million). In India, Thunderbolts had a low first 4-day weekend with under $2 million, which is among the lowest for a Marvel title. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Kochi, May 4 - Superstar Mohanlal is back to his beast box office form after a second consecutive blockbuster in less than a month. While Empuraan has completed its run with over 265 crores worldwide, as the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever, the latest blockbuster Thudarum is rewriting history for the industry.## Directed by Tharun Moorthy, Thudarum has crossed 150 crores gross collection at the worldwide box office at the time of writing this piece, in less than 10 days. This makes it the second fastest Malayalam film of all time to reach this box office milestone. ## In 9 days so far, the film has grossed approximately 73 crores domestically, including approximately 58.60 crores in the home state, Kerala. In each of the day so far (including 10th day), Thudarum has grossed 5+ crores in Kerala, making it the first film ever to so. Previously, Empuraan had 7 consecutive 5+ crore days in the state. ## Apart from Kerala, the drama thriller is the first Mollywood title to score 5+ crore gross collection domestically for 10 consecutive days, and also the first to gross 10+ crores worldwide for continuously these many days. ## At the end of 10th day, Thudaram will become the 4th highest-grossing Malayalam film globally, after 2018 (180 crores), Manjummel Boys (241 crores) and Empuraan (266 crores). The movie is certain to become the third biggest grosser and has a very good chance to reach 2nd spot or might become the number 1 film, which needs to be seen.## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, May 3 - Ajay Devgn-fronted Raid 2 has a very good first Saturday at the domestic box office after scoring a fantastic growth over Friday collection. The movie has shown a jump of around 40%, which is superb. ## According to the early estimates, the crime thriller is looking to score in the range of 17-18 crores net collection on its third day, pushing the total to around 49 crores. The extended opening weekend is heading for 68-70 crores, which is very good. ## Maharashtra continues to dominate the overall collection, while other regions constantly show improvement. The movie has found acceptance among its target audience, which can be seen in its day-wise collection. ## It all boils down to collection on Monday, which will determine how far the film may go, but as said, the acceptance is there, so it is most likely to have a good hold, especially since there is not much competition. ## Stay tuned...