Mallikarjun N

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Rajkumar Santoshi's latest directorial project, Batwara 1947, has been in theaters since its release on August 14, 2026. The film focuses on the Partition of India but centers its narrative on themes of humanity and communal harmony rather than just the conflict itself. According to an exclusive report by Bollywood Hungama, Santoshi is now organizing a special screening of the film in Mumbai. This event is specifically designed for spiritual and faith leaders from various communities to discuss the message of love and unity depicted in the movie. The gathering is expected to include a wide range of representatives from different faiths. Among the prominent names attending are Maharishi Bhrigu Pithadhishwar Mahamandleshwar Shri Guruji Goswami Sushil Giri Ji Maharaj and Yoga Manishi Acharya Shri Vivek Muni Ji Maharaj. Other religious figures include Father Norbert Herman SVD, representing the Catholic Archbishop of Delhi, and Paramjeet Singh Chandhok Ji. The screening will also see the presence of Islamic scholars like Allama Bunai Hasani, Maulana Naushad Ahmad Siddiqui, and Mufti Ziyayee Hazrat, alongside Buddhist monk Ven. Bhante Purn. Bringing such a diverse group together suggests that the filmmakers want to position Batwara 1947 as a bridge for interfaith dialogue. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) One of the significant talking points surrounding the film is the professional reunion of Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol. This collaboration comes nearly thirty years after their last project, which has naturally created interest among long-time fans of their previous work. The movie features a notable ensemble cast including Shabana Azmi, Preity G Zinta, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, and Abhimanyu Singh. By involving spiritual leaders, the production is attempting to validate the film’s portrayal of a sensitive historical period through the lens of those who lead diverse religious communities. On the technical side, the film carries a high level of pedigree. It is produced by Aamir Khan Productions, with music composed by A. R. Rahman and lyrics written by Javed Akhtar. This combination of talent highlights the scale on which the film has been mounted. The decision to hold this multi-faith screening indicates a move to ensure the film's message of harmony is received correctly across different social segments. For a historical drama based on the Partition, this approach serves as a logical step to address the complexities of the subject matter while fostering a sense of collective resilience.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Awarapan 2 has completed its sixth day at the box office with a steady performance. On Wednesday, the film earned 6.75 crore rupees net, which is a 30.8 percent drop from the 9.75 crore rupees it collected on Tuesday. It is worth noting that Tuesday numbers were boosted by discounted ticket offers, which usually leads to a natural dip on the following Wednesday. Despite this midweek decline, the film has successfully passed the 100 crore mark in India net earnings, reaching a total of 107.50 crore rupees so far. The total India gross has reached 128.29 crore rupees, showing a solid domestic footprint. The international market is also providing a reliable stream of revenue, adding 1.50 crore rupees on Wednesday to bring the overseas gross to 25.30 crore rupees. This pushes the overall worldwide gross to 153.59 crore rupees within six days of release. For a sequel of this scale, hitting the 150 crore worldwide mark this early suggests a consistent level of interest from both local and international audiences. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The occupancy levels for the Hindi 2D version provide a clearer understanding of how the audience is distributed throughout the day. On Wednesday, the overall occupancy was 16.72 percent. There was a noticeable progression in attendance as the day moved forward; morning shows started at 9.54 percent, followed by 16.62 percent in the afternoon and 16.92 percent in the evening. The night shows saw the highest engagement at 21.77 percent, which is a typical trend for urban centers where office-goers prefer late screenings. Geographically, the National Capital Region (NCR) continues to be the primary driver for the film, hosting 1,158 shows with an occupancy of 17 percent. Mumbai follows as another significant hub with 862 shows and 16.3 percent occupancy. Other regions like Bengaluru and Ahmedabad also showed decent interest, with 302 shows at 16 percent and 605 shows at 11.5 percent occupancy respectively. While Pune maintained 14 percent occupancy across 410 shows, Surat saw a lower turnout at 6.8 percent across 361 shows. This regional data suggests that the film pull is strongest in major metropolitan clusters. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) One of the more significant milestones for the film is its performance on digital platforms. Awarapan 2 has officially surpassed 2 million ticket sales on BookMyShow. On Wednesday specifically, the platform recorded 94,440 ticket bookings, contributing to a total of roughly 20.40 lakh tickets sold since the release. In the national multiplex chains, the film maintained a fair pace for a Wednesday. Total tickets sold across PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis for the day reached approximately 9,500, generating a gross of about 25 lakh rupees. PVR led these bookings with roughly 5,300 tickets, followed by INOX with 3,500 and Cinepolis with around 600 tickets. Trade analysts are currently projecting a first-week total in the range of 117 crore rupees. If the film achieves this, it will be considered a very strong performance for its opening week. However, the real test will be the second weekend and the subsequent midweek run. A significant factor to watch is the release of Toxic on Wednesday, August 26. The arrival of such a high-profile competitor will likely impact the screen count and daily collections of Awarapan 2. Therefore, the next few days will be crucial in determining the lifetime business potential of the film before it faces major market competition.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Yash is returning to the big screen with his upcoming project, Toxic, and the early metrics indicate a strong level of audience anticipation. According to recent tracking, the film has officially crossed 1 million interests on the BookMyShow platform. This is a significant milestone as it makes Toxic the 14th Indian film to reach this mark. For Yash personally, this is his second film to achieve this level of engagement, following the massive success of KGF Chapter 2. Take a look at the other titles that have crossed this threshold. Vikram – 2.3M Valimai – 2.2M KGF 2 – 2.1M Pushpa 2: The Rule – 2M Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire – 1.9M RRR – 1.7M Baahubali 2: The Conclusion – 1.5M Leo – 1.4M Kalki 2898 AD – 1.2M Adipurush – 1.1M War 2 – 1.1M Jana Nayagan – 1.1M Toxic – 1M+ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The international market is also showing early signs of momentum. Data provided by Venky Box Office regarding USA premiere advance sales reveals that the film has grossed 146,251 dollars with six days still remaining before the first screenings. This collection comes from 6,787 tickets sold across 256 locations and 700 shows. When we look at the state-wise breakdown in the US, Texas is currently the leading market with 52,688 dollars in sales, followed by California at 23,791 dollars. These two states alone account for a significant portion of the early revenue. The language-wise distribution of these sales provides a clear look at the current audience demographics in the US. The Telugu version is leading with 83,580 dollars, which aligns with the fact that Telugu-speaking populations in hubs like Texas and California are traditionally the most active consumers of Indian cinema abroad. The Kannada version follows with 62,487 dollars, indicating that the Kannada diaspora is showing strong support for their home-industry star. In contrast, the Hindi version is currently at a much lower starting point of 184 dollars from just 12 tickets. This gap suggests that while Yash has a massive mass pocket following across India, the early international momentum is being driven primarily by South Indian regional bases. When compared to the pre-release trajectory of KGF 2, the current pace for Toxic appears noticeably slower. However, since full-fledged advance bookings have not yet opened across all major chains and territories, it is a wait-and-watch situation to see if the numbers pick up once the general audience starts booking closer to the premiere date. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Beyond the financial figures, the nature of the film’s content has become a major talking point due to recent censorship ratings. Toxic has received an 18 rating from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which is the highest possible restrictive rating. The BBFC gave the film a 5/5 score for violence, sex, and injury detail, specifically flagging the production for depictions of threats, drugs, sexual violence, and self-harm. This makes it a notably more intense release than previous films like Dhurandhar, which also featured significant action sequences. This international rating aligns with the domestic certification, as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India has granted the film an 'A' certificate. The decision to maintain such high-intensity content suggests that the director, Geetu Mohandas, is leaning into a gritty, adult-oriented narrative style. This approach contrasts with the more traditional hero-centric spectacles and positions Toxic as a film intended for a mature audience.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Recent booking figures show how Teja Sajja's latest film, Mirai, is performing in the Japanese market. According to recent tracking of Day-1 advance bookings, the movie has secured the seventh position among the top ten Indian films in that market. This placement is notable because it has moved ahead of established commercial hits like Baahubali 2, Dhurandhar 2, and Tiger Zinda Hai in terms of early ticket sales. For a film led by a relatively young actor, sitting just behind major productions like RRR, Muthu, Pushpa 2: The Rule, Devara, and Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire indicates a clear interest in this particular genre from Japanese audiences. The financial data shows a balanced performance between domestic and international markets. Mirai has accumulated a total worldwide collection of 144.21 crore rupees. Looking at the internal numbers, the India gross stands at 111.41 crore rupees, which translates to a net collection of 94.86 crore rupees. The overseas market has contributed 32.80 crore rupees, making up about 22.74 percent of the total business. With these collection figures, the film is a superhit. This suggests that the momentum Teja Sajja built with his previous work in HanuMan has helped establish a reliable floor for his subsequent releases. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The direction and cinematography are handled by Karthik Gattamneni, who is known for his work on films like Eagle. His involvement typically means a focus on high-contrast visuals and a specific technical style. The story is rooted in historical and mythological elements, centering on Emperor Ashoka the Great and the legend of nine sacred scriptures hidden after the battle of Kalinga. The narrative follows a young orphan, played by Teja Sajja, who discovers he is part of a lineage tasked with protecting these books from a dark force. This blend of history with the superhero genre provides the context for why the film is being marketed as a large-scale visual project. The conflict in the film is driven by the interaction between Teja Sajja's character, the Super Yodha, and the antagonist played by Manchu Manoj. Manoj takes on the role of the Black Sword, a character seeking the immortality promised by the ancient scriptures. This traditional hero-versus-villain dynamic, set against a backdrop of ancient secrets and modern action, seems to be a significant factor in its international appeal. By focusing on a self-contained mythological world, the film manages to bypass some of the cultural barriers that often limit regional films in foreign markets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Comparing these numbers to previous records shows a logical trend. While it is not yet reaching the total volume of RRR, ranking seventh in advance bookings in Japan is an objective metric of growth for this tier of Indian cinema. The fact that it has two more days of advance booking left suggests the ranking could stabilize or even improve slightly before the full release.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 20 - The screen-sharing battle between Batwara 1947 and Awarapan 2 has entered a fresh round, with the distributor of the Sunny Deol starrer reportedly pushing for theatrical showcasing at single-screen cinemas. The latest development comes at a crucial juncture, with exhibitors already facing pressure to accommodate the strong demand for Awarapan 2 while another major release, Yash's Toxic, is arriving in theatres on August 26. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the distributor of Batwara 1947 has asked single-screen theatres to allot at least one show per day to the Sunny Deol film from August 21. The request has reportedly put exhibitors in a difficult position, as several single screens are keen on giving maximum shows to Awarapan 2, which has been generating stronger audience demand. The situation becomes even more complicated because the distributor of Awarapan 2 is reportedly seeking all shows at single screens through August 27. However, with Toxic scheduled to release on Wednesday, August 26, exhibitors will have to make room for Yash's much-awaited action thriller as well. This effectively turns the show allocation battle into a three-way tussle during a crucial week for the theatrical business. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The distributors and exhibitors are now reportedly engaged in discussions to arrive at a workable solution. While Batwara 1947 is seeking at least a basic presence at single screens, Awarapan 2 is looking to capitalise on its current momentum, and Toxic will demand substantial showcasing once it arrives. The final show allocation across single screens is expected to become clearer soon, with the coming days likely to determine which film gets the maximum advantage in these crucial territories.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 20 - Ajay Devgn is taking a more hands-on approach to his upcoming action entertainer Ranger, reportedly stepping behind the camera to oversee the film's climax. The development comes as the makers look to mount a bigger and more impactful finale, with Devgn personally taking charge of portions of the reshoot alongside the action team. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to a report by Mid-Day, the original climax, directed by Jagan Shakti, is being reworked to enhance the scale and intensity of the action. Devgn has reportedly taken the director's chair for the sequence, collaborating with action director Kevin Kumar, known for his work on Jailer. The climax is being filmed at Golden Tobacco Studio in Vile Parle, where a large jungle set has been created for the sequence. The much-anticipated finale reportedly centres on a high-octane confrontation between Devgn's forest officer and Sanjay Dutt's poacher gang. The sequence is expected to feature car chases, gun battles and hand-to-hand combat, giving Ranger a major action spectacle towards the end. The decision to reshoot the climax reportedly stems from the makers' desire to deliver a more ambitious and emotionally satisfying finale. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Ranger is directed by Jagan Shakti and features Ajay Devgn in the role of a forest officer fighting to protect wildlife and tigers. Sanjay Dutt plays the antagonist, while Tamannaah Bhatia is also part of the cast. Following the climax schedule, Tamannaah is expected to join Devgn for a special dance number, which will be another major sequence in the film. With Ajay Devgn now personally involved in shaping the climax, expectations around Ranger have increased. The Devgn-Dutt face-off, coupled with the film's wildlife backdrop and large-scale action, could turn the finale into one of the film's biggest selling points when the movie arrives in theatres. The film is currently scheduled for a December 2026 release.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

An unexpected technical error on Amazon Prime Video has caused a significant stir in the film industry just days before a major theatrical release. The streaming platform accidentally uploaded the full-length version of Mutiny, the latest action thriller starring Jason Statham, well ahead of its scheduled cinema debut this Friday. While the film was quickly removed once the team realized the mistake, the brief window of availability allowed the leak to gain massive traction across social media platforms. The image circulating from the leak shows Jason Statham in what appears to be the bridge of a ship, looking characteristically rugged in a heavy denim jacket. The visual suggests a gritty, nautical setting, which aligns with the film's premise involving a high-stakes conspiracy at sea. Initial audience reactions have been a mix of surprise and frustration, with the original report on the incident garnering over 150,000 views and thousands of engagements within a few hours. For many fans, the leak provided a premature glimpse into the cinematography and tone of the project, though industry analysts are concerned about how this might impact the opening weekend ticket sales. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Mutiny is directed by Jean-François Richet, a filmmaker known for his ability to handle tense, grounded action narratives. Richet recently directed the 2023 film Plane, which was a commercial success, grossing approximately 52 million dollars worldwide against a modest budget. While this is the first time Richet and Statham have collaborated, their individual track records in the action genre created high expectations for this release. The script, co-written by Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis, follows Statham's character, Cole Reed, who is framed for the murder of his billionaire boss and must uncover a global conspiracy while on the run. Jason Statham remains one of the few actors who can consistently draw audiences for mid-budget action films. His previous solo outing, The Beekeeper, was a significant box office hit, earning over 152 million dollars globally. Because Mutiny was expected to follow a similar trajectory, the accidental upload by Prime Video is seen as a major security breach for Lionsgate and Statham's own production house, Punch Palace Productions. The team behind the film has been working to scrub unauthorized copies from the internet, but the reach of the initial leak makes total containment difficult. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The timing of this error is particularly problematic given the competitive nature of the current box office window. With the theatrical release set for August 21, 2026, the film was intended to leverage a strong opening weekend to build momentum. Now, the focus has shifted toward damage control. Historically, leaks of this nature can lead to a dip in theatrical attendance, as a portion of the audience may opt for pirated versions instead of the cinema experience. However, the film's high-octane visual style, as seen in the cabin-set image, is often best experienced on a large screen, which may help mitigate some of the losses. As of now, neither Amazon Prime Video nor the production team has issued a formal statement explaining how the movie was queued for early release. For a production that relies heavily on its suspense and action sequences, the premature exposure of the plot is a setback. Whether the film can overcome this hurdle will depend on the loyalty of Statham's fanbase and the effectiveness of the marketing push in these final forty-eight hours before the official premiere.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Suriya has always been recognized for his ability to balance intense, performance-driven roles with large-scale commercial appeal. With his latest release, Vishwanath and Sons, he seems to have struck a chord with a wide audience base. The film, which arrived with significant expectations in 2026, has maintained a consistent performance through its initial weekdays. The project stands as a significant moment in the actor's career, not just for its domestic reception but for how it is positioning him in the global market. Vishwanath and Sons has officially reached the 2 million dollar mark in North America within six days of its release. This achievement represents a career first for Suriya and marks the first Tamil production to hit this milestone in 2026. With this entry, he joins a select group of Kollywood actors who have achieved the 2 million dollar feat, including Rajinikanth with films like Jailer, Coolie, 2.0, Kabali, and Vettaiyan, as well as Thalapathy Vijay with Leo and The Greatest of All Time. Other members of this list include Kamal Haasan for Vikram and Sivakarthikeyan for Amaran. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Interestingly, the Telugu-speaking audience in the US has played a massive role in this achievement. Of the total collection in North America, the Telugu version accounts for 1.25 million dollars, while the Tamil version has contributed 766,000 dollars. This trend of the Telugu market outperforming the home turf is also visible in the domestic numbers. In the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the film had a breakeven target of 22 crore rupees. It managed to collect a share over 22 crore rupees in just five days, achieving over 100 percent recovery and officially entering the profit zone. When looking at the overall financial health of the film, the worldwide gross collection has reached 135.49 crore rupees. In India, the total gross stands at 89.49 crore rupees so far. On its first Wednesday, the film earned a gross of approximately 5.89 crore rupees across the country. This Day 6 performance reflects a stable hold, with the collection seeing a manageable drop of about 19.7 percent compared to the previous day. Overseas markets contributed an additional 1 crore gross on Wednesday, bringing the total international gross to 46 crore rupees. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The occupancy rates for Day 6 also highlight the strong reception in the Telugu regions. While the overall Tamil occupancy stood at around 20 percent, the Telugu version recorded a higher overall occupancy of nearly 28 percent. In terms of regional show counts, Chennai remains the primary market with 477 shows and an occupancy of 30.5 percent. Hyderabad followed closely with 407 shows at 25.5 percent occupancy. However, Vizag showed the highest enthusiasm with 31.3 percent occupancy across 118 shows, further proving the film's strong pull in the Telugu belt. On the digital booking front, the film is performing well among the top tier of Tamil releases. On its first Wednesday, Vishwanath and Sons sold 100,000 tickets on BookMyShow, ranking ninth on the all-time list for first Wednesday ticket sales, sitting just behind films like Jana Nayagan and Coolie. Total ticket sales on the platform have now reached over 1.94 million. In national multiplex chains, the film maintained a steady pace on Wednesday, selling roughly 14,700 tickets and generating a gross of over 23 lakh rupees. PVR led these bookings with approximately 9,300 tickets, followed by INOX with 4,400 and Cinepolis with around 900 tickets.

BY SACNILK TEAM

Here is the Malayalam movie Khalifa box office collection which is a Action Crime Thriller film. This film is directed by Vysakh and produced by . ## Khalifa stars , Prithviraj Sukumaran, Mohanlal, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Indrans, Sanju Sivaram in key roles. ## Khalifa Review ## Khalifa Review: What Public Has To Say About This Movie ## Khalifa Box Office Collection Day Wise | All Language DayIndia Net Collection Day 1 [1st Thursday] ₹ - Cr * may earn Total ₹ - Cr ## India Net Collection ₹ - Cr ## Worldwide Collection ₹ - Cr ## Overseas Collection ₹ - Cr ## India Gross Collection ₹ - Cr ## Khalifa Budget: ₹ 1 Cr * Approx ## Khalifa Verdict: Coming Soon ## Khalifa Screen count ## India: - * expected ## Overseas: - * expected ## Worldwide total: - ## Release Date: 20th August 2026 ## For more and the latest news about Mollywood Box Office Collection, Stay tuned to us.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 20 - Could Tony Stark make a surprise return in Avengers: Doomsday? The question has gained fresh momentum after David Harbour, who plays Red Guardian in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appeared to make a cryptic reference to the iconic Iron Man character. While Marvel has officially confirmed Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU, he is set to play Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers film. Harbour's latest remark, however, has fans wondering whether Marvel could be hiding a major Stark-related twist. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Tony Stark was killed off in Avengers: Endgame after sacrificing himself to defeat Thanos, bringing one of the MCU's most important character arcs to an emotional conclusion. A direct return of the same Tony Stark would therefore be a massive development. However, Avengers: Doomsday is expected to embrace the multiverse in a major way, potentially allowing alternate versions of established characters to appear without undoing the events of Endgame. The speculation intensified after Harbour revealed a line from Doomsday, "You are Tony Stark", during a recent conversation with Variety. The comment immediately caught the attention of Marvel fans, with many interpreting it as a possible hint toward an alternate Tony Stark, a multiversal variant or even a connection between Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom and his former MCU identity. At the same time, the remark alone does not confirm that Tony Stark will actually appear in the film. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Robert Downey Jr.'s casting as Doctor Doom remains one of the biggest surprises in the next Avengers saga. Marvel has been extremely secretive about the film's storyline, and the studio could potentially be keeping additional major cameos under wraps. If an alternate-universe Tony Stark does appear, it would allow Marvel to bring back Downey Jr. in a familiar form while still preserving the significance of the original character's sacrifice. For now, Tony Stark's return remains unconfirmed, while Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Doctor Doom is official. Still, David Harbour's mysterious statement has added another layer to one of the biggest theories surrounding Avengers: Doomsday. If Marvel is indeed preparing an Iron Man surprise, fans may have to wait until the film's release to discover whether Tony Stark really returns—or whether Harbour's comment points toward something completely different. Doomsday is releasing on December 18 this year.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Ravi Teja is returning to the box office with his latest project, Irumudi, and the early numbers suggest a strong start for the actor. The film has generated a steady buzz leading up to its release, particularly within the Telugu-speaking diaspora in international markets. As of the final tracking for the USA premiere, the film has secured 129,477 dollars in advance sales. This revenue comes from 251 locations and 561 shows, with a total of 9,085 tickets sold. With an overall occupancy rate of 18 percent for the premiere shows, the film is currently trending towards a potential 250,000 dollar premiere day. When looking at the regional breakdown in the United States, Texas remains a primary stronghold for the film, contributing 39,797 dollars. California follows at a distance with 6,080 dollars, while North Carolina has shown surprising strength with 10,399 dollars in bookings. In terms of exhibition, the AMC Stonebriar 24 is the highest-grossing theater so far, bringing in 8,717 dollars. The data indicates that the film is leaning heavily on established theater chains, with Cinemark and AMC together accounting for over 100,000 dollars of the total premiere gross. This level of interest suggests that Irumudi is on track for the biggest opening of Ravi Teja’s career. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The commercial stakes for the film are high, as the overseas rights are reportedly valued at 4 crore rupees. To reach a break-even point in international markets, the film needs to gross at least 1 million dollars overseas, with roughly 750,000 dollars of that coming from North America. While the premiere numbers are encouraging, the domestic performance will be the deciding factor for its long-term health. On the BookMyShow platform, Irumudi has seen a sharp uptick in interest, selling 67,810 tickets just a day before the official release. This performance has placed the film in the top ten list of highest pre-sales on the platform, joining several other high-profile releases. The current top ten list for BookMyShow pre-sales a day before release includes: 1. SKV: 172K 2. HIT3: 144K 3. Kingdom: 135K 4. HanuMan: 120K 5. Akhanda 2: 112K 6. MSG: 107K 7. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram: 80K 8. Mirai: 73K 9. Thandel: 71K 10. Irumudi: 68K (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Domestic momentum is further evidenced by the hourly booking rates in the Nizam region, where bookings have recently opened. Between 9 am and 10 am today, the film sold 6,450 tickets on BookMyShow, bringing the total since 6 am to 15,630 tickets. While these are career-best figures for the lead actor, the film faces a significant hurdle in reaching the elusive 100 crore gross mark. The primary challenge is the release calendar; the film Toxic is scheduled to arrive just five days after Irumudi. This narrow window limits the film's second-weekend run, which is typically where mid-to-large budget films consolidate their earnings. Because of this upcoming competition, Irumudi will need an exceptionally strong positive response from audiences to maintain its screen count. If the film fails to secure a massive first weekend, the arrival of Toxic could significantly eat into its market share, making the 100 crore target difficult to achieve. For now, the pre-sales data indicates that the opening will be successful, but the film's ultimate status as a record-breaker for Ravi Teja will depend on how well it survives the arrival of a competitor in its second week.

BY JITU JANGIR

Pat McAfee appears to have closed the door on another WWE run. After spending years as a commentator, wrestler, referee and manager, McAfee has now made it clear that fans should not expect to see him back on WWE television. The former NFL punter addressed his WWE future on Instagram Stories, after a fan asked whether he could return within the next year. McAfee pointed back to his WrestleMania 42 storyline involving Randy Orton and said there was only one scenario in which things could have been different. “If Randy had won, maybe, but I made a promise that I would never, ever. I would never be seen on WWE television ever again, and Cody Rhodes won. He is the one. Wow, what a donkey he turned out to be. Maybe I was wrong with what I was saying.” McAfee said. At WrestleMania 42, McAfee was involved in Orton’s story against Cody Rhodes. Rhodes defeated Orton to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship, meaning McAfee’s storyline ended with him following through on his promise. McAfee then made his position even clearer when discussing Rhodes, saying, “And Cody Rhodes won. He is the one. Wow, what a donkey he turned out to be. Maybe I was wrong with what I was saying.” Despite leaving the door open hypothetically if Orton had won, McAfee insisted that he has no plans to return. “But no, wrestling fans can sleep soundly understanding that I will never be back over there,” he stated. McAfee had already spoken about his WWE career shortly after WrestleMania 42, explaining that he felt he had completed everything he wanted to do in wrestling. He pointed to his time on the independent scene, his NXT developmental run, commentary work and his appearances as a wrestler, referee and manager.