Gourav Mohanty

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 10 - Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt's much-awaited international action thriller 7 Dogs is finally set to release in India. Salman Khan has announced that the film will hit Indian theatres on August 21, 2026, allowing Indian audiences to watch the high-octane action spectacle on the big screen. The announcement was made by Salman through his Instagram Story, where he shared a new promo and wrote, "The countdown to the biggest mission begins!" Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the duo behind Bad Boys for Life and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, 7 Dogs is an Arabic action thriller mounted on an international scale. The film stars Egyptian actors Karim Abdel Aziz and Ahmed Ezz in the lead, alongside Hollywood stars Monica Bellucci and Giancarlo Esposito. Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt feature in special appearances, with their presence becoming one of the biggest talking points around the film. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The story follows Interpol agent Khalid Al-Azzazi, who is forced to join hands with Ghali Abu Dawood, a member of the notorious 7 Dogs crime syndicate, to take down a powerful drug-trafficking network. The film combines an international cast with large-scale action and was produced on a reported $40 million budget. It has already had its theatrical run across the Middle East, where it was released in May. The India release is particularly significant for fans of Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, as 7 Dogs marks another reunion for the two stars following their previous collaborations. While their roles have been kept relatively under wraps, the trailer has already showcased the duo in a stylish action avatar. With 7 Dogs now arriving in Indian theatres on August 21, the film will give audiences a chance to see the Bollywood superstars in a different, international action setting. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) LATEST : The internationally acclaimed Egyptian film #7Dogs featuring our legend #SalmanKhan and star #SanjayDutt—will be released in Indian cinemas on August 21st.💥❤️ pic.twitter.com/xOIr8WAciY— Salman Khan Egypt FC (@SalmanEgyptFC) August 8, 2026

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently on a trajectory that is redefining what success looks like in the modern era of cinema. In just 12 days of release, the film has already reached a global cume of 1.67 billion dollars. This is a significant milestone because it has officially surpassed the original 1.52 billion dollar run of The Avengers. By doing so, it has secured its place as the fourth biggest comic book movie ever made. The momentum is showing no signs of stopping, with analysts expecting it to overtake Inside Out 2 early this week to join the all-time top 10 highest-grossing films. The pace at which this film is moving is particularly noteworthy. It is on track to cross the 2 billion dollar mark by next weekend. If it maintains this speed, it will become the fastest post-COVID release to hit that target and the second-fastest in history, trailing only behind the massive run of Endgame. Once it clears that hurdle, it will be looking to challenge the lifetime totals of Infinity War and The Force Awakens, which sit at 2.05 billion and 2.07 billion dollars respectively. For a film with a net production cost of 225 million dollars, the return on investment is already historic. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The international box office is the primary engine behind these numbers. The film has officially hit a 1.01 billion dollar international cume across 66 different markets. During its second weekend overseas, it brought in roughly 236 million dollars. What stands out here is the sustainability; the film saw a drop of about 59.4 percent from its opening weekend. This hold is notably better than previous blockbusters like No Way Home, which dropped over 64 percent, or Endgame, which saw a 67 percent decline in the same period. This suggests that the movie is benefiting from incredibly strong word-of-mouth worldwide. China has been a crucial market in this global conquest. The film has now officially entered the list of the top five highest-grossing Hollywood films in the Chinese box office for the post-pandemic era. With a cume of approximately 186.6 million dollars in just 12 days, it has moved past the 178 million dollar lifetime run of Avatar: Fire and Ash. It is currently gaining ground on Godzilla vs. Kong, which stands at 188.7 million. The Chinese market continues to show strong interest, with over 97,000 screenings recorded this past Sunday alone and steady pre-sales already coming in for the new week. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to data shared by Venky Box Office, the North American performance is just as dominant. On Saturday, the film grossed 57 million dollars, taking its domestic total to a massive 610 million dollars. This performance has helped the overall summer box office in the US hit the 4 billion dollar mark, proving that the demand for high-quality theatrical experiences is stronger than ever. With major milestones ahead and several markets still showing high occupancy, the film is currently eyeing a final global run that could land anywhere between 2.5 billion and 2.7 billion dollars.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 10 - The highly anticipated third season of Asur is finally moving into production. The crime thriller has been one of the most successful Indian web series, and now the third season is set to go on the floor in September 2026, with Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti returning to reprise their respective characters, Dhananjay Rajpoot and Nikhil Nair. According to the latest report by Pinkvilla, the upcoming season will also see Shweta Basu Prasad joining the cast. While details about her character are currently being kept under wraps, her addition brings another prominent name to the psychological thriller. The script for Asur Season 3 has reportedly been locked, while the makers are continuing to finalise the remaining cast. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Interestingly, Gaurav Shukla, who created and wrote the first two seasons, will reportedly take over as the director for the third instalment. This will mark Shukla's directorial debut. He will also serve as a producer on the series. Oni Sen directed the first two seasons. Asur's first season was released in 2020, followed by Season 2 in 2023 after the massive success. It has developed a strong following for its dark narrative combining crime, mythology and psychological elements. With Warsi and Sobti returning, Season 3 is expected to continue the story while introducing new characters and conflicts. The series will stream on JioHotstar, with the release date expected to be announced at a later stage.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming magnum opus, Love and War, has been a major talking point in the industry since it was first announced. Featuring the powerhouse trio of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, the film is easily one of the most anticipated releases of 2027. As we get closer to the production stages, the commercial interest in the project has come under the spotlight. According to an exclusive report by Variety India, a high-stakes bidding war is currently underway between three major distribution giants: Dharma Productions, Zee Studios, and Pen Marudhar. The negotiations highlight just how valuable this property is in the current market. Sources suggest that the bidders are currently offering between 175 Crore and 180 Crore for the theatrical distribution rights. However, the makers are reportedly holding out for a much higher figure, demanding upwards of 300 Crore. This gap in valuation is common for a project of this scale, especially given Bhansali's track record for delivering visually stunning and commercially successful epics. Securing a distribution partner this early would significantly reduce the recovery pressure on the production as it heads toward its 2027 release. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) What makes Love and War a relatively safe bet for distributors is its incredible recovery through non-theatrical avenues. The film has already reportedly recovered over 200 Crore before a single frame has been released to the public. Netflix has secured the post-theatrical streaming rights for a staggering 130 Crore, while music and satellite rights have brought in another 70 to 80 Crore. This financial cushion allows the makers to negotiate from a position of strength. The film is being produced on a grand scale, and the multi-language release in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil ensures a pan-Indian footprint. The casting remains the film's biggest asset, bringing together three of the finest actors of this generation. For Ranbir Kapoor, this marks a long-awaited reunion with Bhansali nearly two decades after his debut in Saawariya. Alia Bhatt, fresh off the global success of Gangubai Kathiawadi, continues her creative partnership with the director. While this is Vicky Kaushal's first time working under Bhansali's direction, his previous collaborations with Ranbir in Sanju and Alia in Raazi have already shown the great chemistry this trio shares on screen. The film is described as an epic romantic war drama, a genre that Bhansali is uniquely equipped to handle. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The road to the theaters has seen its fair share of scheduling shifts. Initially planned for a Christmas 2025 release, the timeline was first moved to March 2026 and has now been officially locked for January 21, 2027. These delays are largely attributed to the meticulous pre-production and the busy individual schedules of the lead stars. However, fans might not have to wait much longer for the first official glimpse. Reports from industry sources suggest that a major asset from the movie is slated to be released on August 15. This Independence Day reveal is expected to set the tone for the marketing campaign and provide a first look at the world Bhansali is creating.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

The South Indian digital space is seeing a significant development as acclaimed filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj has reportedly signed a major deal with Netflix. This project is expected to be the most expensive South Indian original production for the streaming giant to date. While the director has worked with Netflix previously on projects like Jagame Thandhiram and the anthology Navarasa this upcoming venture is being planned on a much larger scale for a 2027 release. The casting for this original has already become a talking point among fans. The project will feature Atharvaa in a lead role. Joining him is Kannada superstar Upendra who is reportedly playing a pivotal character possibly as the primary antagonist. This marks another significant move for Upendra in the pan-Indian space following his presence in other high profile films. Adding more weight to the ensemble is the legendary Prabhu Deva who is expected to play a character closely linked to the lead bringing a unique dynamic to the screen. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) This news comes at a time when Karthik Subbaraj is maintaining strong momentum with his production house Stone Bench Films. Projects like Dorothy starring Keerthy Suresh have been gaining international attention at film festivals including a world premiere at Toronto. The transition from producing grounded independent films to directing a high budget digital original for Netflix shows the versatility of the director and his ability to handle diverse scales of production. His signature filmmaking style which often blends grit with stylized visuals is expected to be a major highlight of this new project. Industry reports suggest that Netflix is positioning this project as a flagship South Indian original for 2027. By bringing together prominent talent from the Tamil and Kannada film industries the platform aims to capture a wide audience across various regions. This project also marks a reunion for the director and Prabhu Deva who previously collaborated on the silent thriller Mercury. As production planning follows high standards this collaboration is expected to set new benchmarks for digital content in the Indian market.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Arun Matheswaran's latest directorial effort, DC (Tamil), has successfully wrapped up its opening weekend with a performance that highlights the director's growing influence in the gritty action genre. Known for his raw storytelling style in films like Captain Miller and Rocky, the filmmaker has once again delivered a stylized experience that has sparked significant conversation. However, a major part of the film’s success is being attributed to Anirudh Ravichander. Critics and fans have noted that the heavy, atmospheric background score is a character in itself, with some audiences even suggesting that the music alone is a strong enough reason to witness the film on the big screen. The film began its box office journey on Friday, which was Day 1, by grossing 5.04 Cr in India. It opened across 3,504 shows with a relatively modest overall occupancy, but the numbers in core Tamil regions were impressive right from the start. Chennai saw an opening occupancy of over 66 percent, while Coimbatore started even stronger at nearly 70 percent. By the end of its first day, including an overseas contribution of 2.25 Cr, the worldwide gross stood at roughly 7.29 Cr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Saturday, or Day 2, witnessed a healthy surge in interest as the gross collections in India jumped to 8.07 Cr. This represents a solid growth of 59.1 percent in net terms, proving that the film's dark tone and Anirudh's score were resonating with the weekend crowd. Occupancy figures saw a noticeable spike, especially in Chennai where it reached over 76 percent and Coimbatore where it hit a massive 87 percent. Overseas markets also contributed another 3 Cr, taking the worldwide gross to 18.36 Cr by the end of the second day. The momentum reached its peak on Day 3, the first Sunday. The film saw its highest single-day collection yet, grossing 11 Cr in India across an expanded count of 4,639 shows. This increase in show count, particularly in Bengaluru and Chennai, helped the overall occupancy settle at about 40 percent. In Chennai, Sunday occupancy climbed to 81.5 percent, while Trivandrum saw a strong 77 percent turnout. By the end of its first three days, the worldwide gross collection for DC (Tamil) reached 31.86 Cr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) DC (Tamil) - India Gross Collection (Opening Weekend)DayIndia Gross CollectionDay 1 (1st Friday)₹ 5.04 CrDay 2 (1st Saturday)₹ 8.07 CrDay 11 (1st Sunday)₹ 11.00 CrTotal India Gross₹ 24.11 Cr State-wise Gross Collection Report (Opening Weekend): Tamil Nadu: ₹ 7.67 Cr AP/TG: ₹ 6.50 Cr Kerala: ₹ 4.45 Cr Karnataka: ₹ 3.59 Cr Rest of India: ₹ 1.90 Cr The digital engagement for the film has been quite strong, with BookMyShow reporting over 706,000 total tickets sold so far, out of which over 233,000 were booked in the last 24 hours alone. In national chains like PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, the film sold over 45,000 tickets during the opening weekend. Interestingly, the highest number of tickets sold at these chains occurred on the release day, Friday, indicating a high level of anticipation from the multiplex audience. On Sunday alone, national chains recorded approximately 10,000 ticket sales, contributing around 16 lakh to the daily gross. With the weekend now behind it, the film's steady performance in major cities remains its biggest strength. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to Venky Box Office in the North American market, the film is finding its footing with the diaspora audience. On Saturday, DC collected 139,000 dollars, which helped push its total regional gross to 260,000 dollars. A notable highlight from this total is the 61,000 dollars contributed by the Telugu version, showing interest across linguistic lines even in overseas territories. As for Sunday, the latest hourly reports as of 7pm PST indicate a collection of 86,000 dollars across 177 locations. These figures point toward a respectable opening run in the international circuit as the first weekend comes to a close.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 10 - The Independence Day weekend is set to witness an exciting clash at the Hindi box office as Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 takes on Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947 on August 14, 2026. While both films belong to different genres and are targeting different audiences, the early trade buzz suggests that Awarapan 2 has gained a clear advantage ahead of the release. Though the situation could change once bookings begin and marketing campaigns reach their peak, the sequel is currently leading the race. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to early trade projections, Awarapan 2 is expected to open in the 15 crore net range at the Indian box office. The sequel has generated strong excitement thanks to the cult status of the 2007 original, which found a massive fan following after its theatrical release. Its teaser, music, and nostalgia factor have resonated well with audiences, making it the favourite to secure the biggest opening of Emraan Hashmi's career. On the other hand, Batwara 1947 is currently tracking for an opening day collection in the 5-7 crore net range. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and backed by Aamir Khan, the period drama stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Karan Deol, and Shabana Azmi. While the film has the advantage of releasing during the Independence Day holiday and could benefit from positive word of mouth, its pre-release buzz is presently behind that of Awarapan 2, resulting in a comparatively modest opening-day projection. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) It is important to note that these are early trade estimates, and the box office scenario can change significantly closer to release depending on trailer response, promotional campaigns, advance bookings, and audience sentiment. However, based on the current momentum, Emraan Hashmi's romantic action sequel is clearly winning the opening-day battle, with Batwara 1947 likely relying on strong reviews and positive audience reception to bridge the gap over the extended weekend.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

The anticipation for Rocking Star Yash's next project after the global phenomenon of K.G.F Chapter 2 has finally culminated in a record-breaking digital storm. Since the announcement of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups, the buzz has been unprecedented, primarily because this marks Yash’s return to the screen after a significant hiatus. The trailer release has now confirmed that his star power remains a massive draw, as the numbers generated within the first day are among the highest ever recorded for an Indian film trailer. The digital response was electric right from the first hour of the release. In just sixty minutes, the Hindi version crossed 1.2 million views, while the Kannada version recorded over 774,000 views, signaling an immediate surge in interest. The Telugu version crossed 378,000, Tamil reached 268,000, and Malayalam stood at around 90,000 views within that initial hour. This momentum grew rapidly into a staggering 29 million combined views across all languages by the 9-hour mark. Hindi led the charge during this period with 14 million views, followed by Kannada with 5 million, Telugu with 4.5 million, Tamil with 4 million, and Malayalam with 1.9 million views. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) This intense pacing eventually culminated in a historic 24-hour record where the multilingual trailer collectively crossed 50 million views and secured 1 million likes across all platforms. This achievement makes Toxic the second trailer for Yash to hit such an explosive benchmark, following his previous record-setter, K.G.F: Chapter 2. The fact that the film has managed these numbers across Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam versions highlights the true pan-India appeal the actor currently commands. When we analyze these numbers in the context of recent big-ticket releases, the performance of the Toxic trailer is exceptionally strong. For comparison, while films like Salaar recorded 83 million views and 1.6 million likes, and Leo saw 47 million views with 1.9 million likes in their first 24 hours, Toxic has managed to hold a high engagement rate with its 50 million views and 1 million likes. Crossing the 1 million likes mark within a single day is a clear indicator of the positive word-of-mouth and the visual impact the trailer has had on viewers. The collaboration between Yash and director Geetu Mohandas was initially seen as an experimental choice by many industry insiders, but the reception proves that the audience is eager for this unique combination of high-octane action and a gritty fairy tale narrative. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The buzz surrounding the film is not just limited to the trailer views. Reports from verified sources suggest that Toxic is being mounted on a massive scale, with KVN Productions and Monster Mind Philms ensuring a global-standard experience. The film is reportedly set against the backdrop of a drug cartel in Goa, and the trailer hints at a very stylish, high-stakes thriller. This shift in genre from the period-drama setting of K.G.F to a more contemporary world seems to have piqued the interest of the global audience.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Christopher Nolan's latest epic, The Odyssey, is currently on a record-breaking rampage across the global box office. After just 25 days in theaters, the film has reached a massive 1.10 billion dollar global cume, officially becoming the highest-grossing film of Nolan's career. By surpassing the lifetime runs of legendary titles like The Dark Knight, Joker, and The Dark Knight Rises, it has now secured its position as the number two biggest release of 2026 and the second-highest-grossing R-rated film ever made. The international performance has been nothing short of spectacular. During its fourth weekend overseas, the film grossed a staggering 79.2 million dollars. What is truly impressive is the hold; despite the heavy competition, it saw just a slim 8 percent drop from the previous weekend. This brings its total international cume to 643.6 million dollars across 81 markets. Much of this recent momentum is attributed to a massive debut in Korea, with major markets like China and Japan yet to fully join the run in August and September. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Speaking of China, the early numbers from limited previews are spectacular. On Sunday alone, the film added 3.5 million dollars from just 1,999 screenings, bringing its four-day preview total to 7.6 million dollars. This marks the biggest preview performance for a Hollywood film with under 2,000 screenings. The word-of-mouth in the region is incredible, with ticket buyers on Maoyan giving it a 9.7 score, which is the equivalent of an A+ CinemaScore. Pre-sales for the official August 14 opening are already at 2.8 million dollars with days still to go. One of the biggest headlines for The Odyssey is its absolute dominance in the IMAX format. It has officially become the highest-grossing IMAX film of all time globally, reaching a 289 million dollar cume. In doing so, it has overtaken the legendary IMAX runs of both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. Of this total, 147.1 million dollars comes from the US market, while 141.5 million dollars has been generated overseas. It is expected to become the first movie in history to cross the 300 million dollar mark in IMAX alone by next week. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Global Box Office Top 5 (2026 Releases)RankMovie TitleGlobal Gross1Spider-Man: Brand New Day$ 1.67 Billion2The Odyssey$ 1.10 Billion3Toy Story 5$ 1.09 Billion4MICHAEL$ 1.02 Billion5The Super Mario Galaxy Movie$ 1.01 Billion With a production budget of 250 million dollars, the film is already proving to be a major financial success. Based on current trends and upcoming openings in major Asian markets, the epic is eyeing a final global run between 1.4 billion and 1.5 billion dollars. As we continue through what is becoming the biggest year in IMAX history, the performance of The Odyssey stands as a testament to the enduring power of premium large-format cinema and the massive audience pull of this cinematic event.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently rewriting the box office rulebook as it swings through its second weekend. Ever since the first glimpses of the film were released, the hype has been sky-high, and verified reports from major trade analysts suggested this would be a historic run. Following the positive reception from the first week, the film entered its second Friday with significant momentum, proving that the web-slinger still holds an unmatched grip over the global audience. Looking at the second Friday, which marked Day 9 for the film, the gross collections in India reached 18 Cr. This performance reflects a steady 5.3 percent growth compared to the previous day, which is completely fine as the collections do stabilize during the weekdays. While the morning shows began with a relatively quiet occupancy of about 9 percent, the interest peaked significantly during the night shows, climbing to nearly 40 percent. This late-night momentum was a clear indicator of the weekend surge to come. The film maintained a strong presence across 13,544 shows on this day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The real shift happened on Day 10, the second Saturday. We saw a phenomenal jump in interest, with gross collections reaching 37.10 Cr. This is where the weekend effect truly kicked in, as family audiences and fans flocked to the theaters. The overall occupancy for the day reached over 51 percent, more than doubling the Friday figures. Interestingly, the evening shows were the busiest, hitting a 59 percent occupancy rate across 13,482 shows. The momentum did not stop there. On Day 11, which was the second Sunday, the film collected 41.53 Cr gross. Although the growth percentage was a more modest 11.9 percent compared to the massive leap seen on Saturday, the total volume remained significantly higher. This was a historic day for the production as the film officially crossed the 400 Crore net mark in India, bringing the total India gross to 496.86 Cr. The occupancy remained solid at around 50 percent, with afternoon and evening shows being the most crowded, both hovering above 62 percent . (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Spider-Man: Brand New Day - India Gross Collection (2nd Weekend)DayIndia Gross CollectionDay 9 (2nd Friday)₹ 17.96 CrDay 10 (2nd Saturday)₹ 37.10 CrDay 11 (2nd Sunday)₹ 41.53 CrTotal 2nd Weekend₹ 96.59 Cr The film's success is spread across multiple languages, showing its universal appeal in India. The English version leads the way with a massive gross of 273.60 Cr, followed closely by the Hindi version which has contributed 178.38 Cr. In the Southern markets, the film has performed exceptionally well with the Tamil version grossing 25.75 Cr and the Telugu version adding 18.19 Cr. The Malayalam and Kannada versions have contributed 0.56 Cr and 0.38 Cr respectively, bringing the total India gross to a staggering 496.86 Cr and total net collections to 415.45 Cr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) When we look at the performance within national chains like PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, the numbers are impressive. For the second weekend, over 4 lakh tickets were sold across these chains. On Sunday alone, these major chains recorded a total of 1.4 lakh tickets sold for the film across 6,700 shows, contributing to a gross of approximately 6.3 Cr. PVR led the charts with a 3.7 Cr gross, followed by INOX with 1.8 Cr and Cinepolis with 0.8 Cr. The digital footprint of the film is equally impressive. On BookMyShow, the film saw massive engagement with 366,000 tickets booked on Friday, over 513,000 on Saturday, and 356,000 on Sunday. This brings the total ticket sales on the platform to a staggering 8.2 million so far. It is not just an Indian phenomenon either; According to Venky BoxOffice in North America, the film earned 57 million dollars on Saturday, taking its total in that region to 610 million dollars. Globally, the film has now amassed a massive ₹15,900 Cr gross collection, to become a certified blockbuster of 2026.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 9 - The Indian audience has long embraced Hollywood films, but in recent years there has been a significant surge in their box-office dominance. Ever since the release of Avengers: Infinity War in 2018, Hollywood blockbusters have not only challenged but often outperformed major Indian films, and now, Hollywood is set to open its account in the 500-crore club at the domestic box office with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The turning point, however, came much earlier with Jurassic World (2015), which became the first Hollywood title to cross the 100 crore net mark in India — a milestone few expected a non-Indian film to achieve at the time. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, only seven Hollywood films had managed to breach the 100 crore net barrier in India. However, the post-pandemic era has rewritten the rulebook. With cinema habits evolving and audiences increasingly drawn to global content, sixteen more Hollywood films have joined the 100 crore club in India after theatres reopened. In total, 23 Hollywood films have now achieved this memorable feat of 100 crore net - a testament to their growing influence over the cinema-loving Indian audience. Highest-Grossing Hollywood Films in India S. No. Movie Year Total India GBOC 1 Spider-Man: Brand New Day* 2026 ₹ 500 Cr 2 Avatar: The Way of Water 2022 ₹ 477.50 Cr 3 Avengers: Endgame 2019 ₹ 445.00 Cr 4 Avengers: Infinity War 2018 ₹ 272+ Cr 5 Spider-Man: No Way Home 2021 ₹ 271.00 Cr 6 The Jungle Book 2016 ₹ 240.00 Cr 7 Avatar: Fire & Ash 2025 ₹ 235.50+ Cr 8 The Lion King 2019 ₹ 190.00 Cr 9 Mufasa: The Lion King 2024 ₹ 172.00 Cr 10 Deadpool & Wolverine 2024 ₹ 169.25 Cr Note: Data as of August 9, 2026 (* running). Stay tuned...

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Director Anurag Kashyap recently shared his thoughts on Karthik Subbaraj’s upcoming film Dorothy, describing it as the director's boldest work to date. His review, which mentioned that the narrative is both surprising and pleasantly shocking, has generated significant curiosity among audiences who are now eager to see the unpredictable turns Subbaraj has crafted for this project. Beyond the local interest, the film has secured international recognition by being selected for a world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. It will be showcased in the prestigious Centrepiece section, following in the footsteps of notable Tamil films like Azhagarsamyin Kuthirai and Kannathil Muthamittal that have previously screened at TIFF. Categorized as a psychological drama set in rural India during the early 1990s, the story explores themes of social prejudice and violence, providing a grounded yet intense backdrop for the narrative. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) While specific plot details remain under wraps in typical Karthik Subbaraj fashion, the recently released teaser has offered a glimpse into the film's atmosphere. The footage sets an eerie and suspenseful tone, focusing on three distinct individuals whose lives seem fated to collide. The narrative appears to center around a mysterious figure, and the period setting of the 1990s adds a distinct visual and cultural layer to the tension shown in the teaser. The project features a strong lineup of talent, with National Award winner Keerthy Suresh taking on the titular role. This performance-driven character is expected to be one of her most complex roles yet, and she is supported by prominent young actors Sananth and Rishikanth. Another major highlight of the film is its music, composed by the legendary Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. This project marks a massive milestone in his career as his 1,540th film as a music composer, bringing a unique weight to the overall background score and soundtrack. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The technical team behind Dorothy includes veteran cinematographer S. Thirunavukkarasu, known for his work on films like Petta, and editor Ganesh Siva. The film is a collaborative production involving major studios like Jio Studios, Guneet Monga's Sikhya Entertainment, and Karthik Subbaraj's own Dhammam Films. This partnership between high-profile studios and independent creators suggests a balance between polished production values and a distinct artistic vision.