BY ANISH JANGIR

Mumbai, February 19 - Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar has a packed slate of upcoming films, with several franchise entries and highly anticipated projects. His latest release, Sky Force, has been performing well at the box office, grossing ₹148.25 crore worldwide in 24 days—an unusual success for the actor in recent years. Here's a look at his upcoming movies:## Kesari Chapter 2## Produced by Dharma Productions, Cape of Good Films, and Leo Media Collective, Kesari Chapter 2 is set against the backdrop of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. The film is being given a franchise treatment, though it is not directly connected to Kesari (2019). According to a report by Peepingmoon.com, the biopic of C. Shankaran Nair—previously rumored to be titled Shankara—has now been renamed Kesari 2 to leverage the established brand and thematic similarities. The film, like its predecessor, revolves around bravery, patriotism, and nationalism. Dharma Productions has scheduled it for a worldwide theatrical release on April 18, 2025.## Jolly LLB 3## Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi reunite for Jolly LLB 3, the third installment in the successful courtroom comedy-drama franchise. One of the most anticipated Bollywood films, it pits Akshay and Arshad against each other in a legal battle, with Saurabh Shukla reprising his role as the judge and Huma Qureshi returning as well. Initially scheduled for an April 10 release, the film has now been postponed to August 2025.## Housefull 5## The Housefull franchise returns with its biggest installment yet. Housefull 5 is expected to be one of Bollywood’s grandest comedy films, featuring an ensemble cast. Akshay Kumar leads the star-studded lineup, which includes Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Fardeen Khan, Nana Patekar, Chunky Pandey, Jackie Shroff, Dino Morea, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, Sonam Bajwa, Chitrangada Singh, and Soundarya Sharma. The release date has not been confirmed, but the film is expected to hit cinemas later this year.## Bhooth Bangla## Akshay Kumar reunites with director Priyadarshan for Bhooth Bangla, a horror-comedy produced by Cape of Good Films and Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures. The duo has previously collaborated on hits like Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhaag, Garam Masala, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, De Dana Dan, and Khatta Meetha. The film also features veteran comedic actors Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, and Asrani, though official confirmation of their roles is awaited. The movie is slated for release on April 2, 2026.## Welcome To The Jungle (aka Welcome 3)## Akshay Kumar headlines the Welcome franchise's third installment, Welcome To The Jungle. Directed by Ahmed Khan and produced by Firoz Nadiadwala in association with Jio Studios, the film boasts one of the biggest star casts in Indian cinema. Along with Akshay Kumar, the ensemble includes Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Johnny Lever, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Daler Mehndi, Mika Singh, Rahul Dev, Mukesh Tiwari, Sharib Hashmi, Inaamulhaq, Zakir Hussain, Yashpal Sharma, and Vrihi Kodvara. A promotional video introducing the massive cast has already generated excitement among fans. The official release date is yet to be announced.## Hera Pheri 3## One of the most eagerly awaited films, Hera Pheri 3, marks the return of director Priyadarshan to the franchise. He helmed the original Hera Pheri (2000), and fans are thrilled to see him back for the threequel. Producer Firoz Nadiadwala has resolved legal issues to reclaim the rights to the franchise, paving the way for its continuation. Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal are set to reprise their iconic roles. While the official filming schedule is yet to be announced, Akshay confirmed in a recent media interaction that the movie is expected to begin production by the end of this year.## Cameo Appearances## Apart from his leading roles, Akshay Kumar will make cameo appearances in two films:## 1. Kannappa## 2. Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle Saat## With a diverse lineup of comedy, horror, drama, and historical films, Akshay Kumar is set to entertain audiences with an exciting slate of releases in the coming years.##

BY SACNILK TEAM

Mumbai, February 19 - In December last year, producer turned director Sandeep Singh announced his ambitious historical action drama The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with the first look poster. Kannada star Rishab Shetty was locked in to play the greatest Maratha warrior. ## On the 395th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on February 19, the makers have unveiled a new poster showing the great warrior's power, devotion and valour. The movie will have music by Pritam and lyrics by Prasoon Joshi. It will have many award-winning crew members involved. ## Other than Pritam and Prasoon Joshi, the upcoming film will have Ravi Varman as cinematographer, Resul Pookutty as sound designer, Craig Macrae as stunt choreographer, Nitin Zihani Chaudhary as set designer, Philomin Raj as editor, Ashley Rebello and Ajay Kumar as costumes and aesthetics designer, Ronex Xavier as makeup and prosthetics, and Ganesh Hegde as choreographer.## The film's shoot is expected to commence in a few months as it has been announced to be released globally on January 21, 2027, in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali languages. The film marks Rishab Shetty's Bollywood debut and some of the best talents are expected to feature in it. ## RISHAB SHETTY IN & AS 'CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ': BRAND NEW POSTER UNVEILS... On the birth anniversary of #ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj, #SandeepSingh and #RishabShetty unveil the #NewPoster of #ThePrideOfBharat: #ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj.The film stars #RishabShetty as… pic.twitter.com/5FnR8Tz0Dk— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 19, 2025 ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, February 18 - After the remarkable hold on Monday, Vicky Kaushal-fronted historical action drama Chhaava remained unshakable on Tuesday as well with the collection seeing a slight jump due to the holiday in Maharashtra tomorrow. ## According to early estimates, Chhaava has scored 24-25 crores net collection on its 5th day or first Tuesday, pushing the total collection to around 165 crores. It has turned into a phenomenon, especially in Maharashtra state due to its regional feel. ## Tomorrow is the Shiv Janaynti holiday in Maharashtra which means the collection will go higher and may cross the 30 crore mark again and will have an outside chance of breaking into the 200 crore net club by tomorrow itself. If not tomorrow, then the movie will be sure to enter this club by Thursday. ## Chhaava will continue to have an advantage throughout this month. There is the Mahashivratri holiday on February 26 and with no big new releases, it will remain the number one choice during the weekends, likely with big numbers. At this point, the movie is certain to enter the 300 crore club and may go on to touch 400 crore and beyond as well. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, February 18 - Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 has outgrossed Disney's mega-hit Inside Out 2 to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time at the worldwide box office, taking just 21 days to achieve this feat. ## Opened during Chinese New Year on January 29, the sequel to the 2019 mega-hit has grossed $1.70+ billion at the worldwide box office, including $1.69+ billion from China alone. Inside Out 2 minted $1.698 billion in its lifetime run in 2024. ## Ne Zha 2 has become a never-before-seen phenomenon which is breaking record after record. As reported earlier, it is the highest-grossing Chinese movie and the first ever to top $1 billion in a single market. It did this unthinkable on its 12th day. ## Made on a budget of $80 million, the fantasy epic isn't gonna stop anytime soon as local media projecting it to cross the $2 billion collection in China. It was released outside China recently and managed to score a few records for a Chinese title. ## Overall, Ne Zha 2, which tells the tale of a rebellious young deity who uses his powers to battle formidable foes after his village is destroyed, is now the 8th highest-grossing film of all time and is expected to finish above Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.92 billion). It might also top Avengers: Infinity War ($2.04 billion) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2.06 billion) to finish as the 5th biggest grosser. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Hyderabad, February 18 - Telugu superstar Jr. NTR and KGF director Prashanth Neel are teaming up for the first time for an action drama film, tentatively titled Dragon. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers, it is among the biggest Indian films in the making and there is finally an update regarding the shoot. ## According to the latest Telugu media reports, the shoot of Dragon will commence on February 20 and Jr. NTR will join the shoot in a few days. The actor is currently shooting for his debut Bollywood movie, the hugely-anticipated War 2, co-starring Hrithik Roshan and directed by Ayan Mukerji.## Neel's movie with the RRR star was announced a long time back but due to the other commitments of both, it took more than expected time but now, it is set to take off. It is said that the rising star, Rukmini Vasanth will play the female lead and be paired opposite NTR. ## The other cast and crew details are expected to be revealed after the commencement of the shoot. There is no release date set yet but it is believed that it might be released early next year. It is a big Pan India release, slated to hit screens in multiple languages. ## Meanwhile, Jr. NTR will next be seen in Yash Raj Films' War 2 which is gearing up for release on August 14, 2025, in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil. The actor is also in talks with Tamil director Nelson Dilipkumar for an action drama, likely to be next acter Dragon. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Los Angeles, February 18 - Disney has been trying to make the next film in the fantasy supernatural swashbuckler series, Pirates of the Caribbean for a long time but there hasn't been a concrete development on the same yet. ## One of the main reasons for the film getting delayed is Disney's highly publicized fallout following Johnny Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. The studio parted ways with Depp before the actor won the legal battle and proved himself innocent.## In one of the interviews last year, producer Jerry Bruckheimer said that the next film of the franchise could go in two different directions as there were two alternative scripts - one that could bring Depp back into the frame and another that would move in a different direction. ## It hasn't been that easy as Depp, after that infamous fallout, went on to say that he would never return to Disney no matter what. Well, it has been a long time since he said that and things might have eased between them, as per the latest rumours. ## According to the report by The DisInsider, Depp might be headlining the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean which the studio is planning to start rolling soon at one Hollywood sound stage. The website further stated that there is no timeline for when production will officially begin but heard that it would feature Depp in his returning role.## Meanwhile, a few year back, it was reported that Margot Robbie would star in a female-led reboot, which is not intended to be a spinoff, but a new story, with new characters set in the Pirates universe. It is still in the plans at Disney and might be made at some point in time. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, February 18 - The sequel to the iconic blockbuster Border is among the biggest Indian films of 2026. Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 went on floors last year and the shoot is currently happening in the rugged cantonment of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. ## Varun Dhawan, who is playing one of the main leads started filming recently and now, the OG, Sunny Deol joined the filming on Tuesday. The actor is reprising his role from the original movie, released in 1997. He will be shooting crucial scenes with Varun Dhawan in this latest schedule. ## Produced by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series with JP Films, Border 2 also stars Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty in prominent roles. It is said that Diljit is playing the role of Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, an officer in the Indian Air Force, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. ## The highly-anticipated blockbuster will open worldwide cinemas during Republic Day weekend on January 23, 2026. ## Action, legacy, and patriotism! #SunnyDeol on the sets of #Border2 in the rugged cantonment of Jhansi, alongside #VarunDhawan, Producer #BhushanKumar, #NidhiDutta, co-producer #ShivChanana, #BinoyGandhi, & director #AnuragSingh 🎥January 23, 2026—gear up for a saga of valor and… pic.twitter.com/YWmeFbIAzx— T-Series (@TSeries) February 18, 2025 ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, February 17 - After the excellent first weekend, Vicky Kaushal-fronted historical action drama Chhaava has a remarkable hold on its first Monday. The movie is showing a drop of just around 20% from Friday, Valentine's Day and around 50% drop from Sunday. ## According to the early estimates, the epic blockbuster has scored in the range of 23-25 crores net collection on its 4th day, Monday. Maharashtra, where Chhaava created history by scoring the biggest single-day collection ever on Sunday, remains the force on the next day as well with more than 50% collection coming from there. ## While the movie is, as expected, doing exceedingly well in Maharashtra, it has picked up well in North India over the weekend and has a superb hold on Monday as well. With so many people sharing clips on social media, it is working wonders on the emotional front and moving the cinemagoing audience. ## Chhaava will continue to score big for, at least, two more days due to the holidays in Maharashtra. Even after the holiday period, it is expected to remain rock-solid during weekdays and of course, weekdays as there is no competition for the next few weeks. ## The total collection of the movie is around 140+ crores net in 4 days and the full first week can be over 200 crores net. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Chennai, February 17 - Tamil star Sivakarthikeyan's maiden collaboration with director A.R. Murugadoss has been titled Madharasi. The much-awaited movie is produced by N. V. Prasad under the banner of Sri Lakshmi Movies. ## The title with the first look glimpse of the film was announced on February 17, on the occasion of the actor's birthday. The teaser is intense and action-packed, promising another solid film for Sivakarthikeyan. The background score by Anirudh Ravichander once again leaves a mark. ## SK plays the titular role while Rukmini Vasanth is confirmed to play the female lead. The actress seemingly plays the role of a singer in the movie which also stars Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Shabeer Kallarakkal, and Vikranth in prominent roles. ## Madharasi is a Pan India film which will also be released in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages later in 2025. It has been titled as Dil Madharasi in Hindi.## ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, February 17 - The box office juggernaut of Maddock Films' Chhaava kept a 9-year-old cult classic romantic drama Sanam Teri Kasam in check after scoring a fantastic first-week collection upon its re-release.## The heartbreaking romantic tale, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane, saw a dip in its pace in the second weekend but still did decent enough to remain on track to become the biggest re-release grosser at the Indian box office by beating Tumbbad.## Directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, Sanam Teri Kasam scored approximately 3.60 crores net collection in the second weekend, including around 1.35 crores net on Sunday to push its total repeat run to over 30 crores net. It scored approximately 26.40 crores in the first week.## Sanam Teri Kasam now needs only 2 crores more to outgross Tumbbad (32 crores net) to emerge as the number 1 re-release title in India. The film, however, is facing strong competition with Chhaava which is dominating the box office at the moment and will remain a strong face for a few weeks. ## The wait for Sanam Teri Kasam to become the top repeat grosser has definitely been prolonged due to Chhaava but it is ultimately expected to achieve its goal in the days to come. Anyway, it has emerged as a huge success in the second run and also crossed 50 crores gross mark globally (including the original collection).## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, February 17 - Bollywood has its first blockbuster of 2025 in the form of historical action drama Chhaava, starring supremely talented Vicky Kaushal in the title role along with Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna. Laxman Utekar directed the movie, which was produced by Maddock Films. ## Opened to the record-breaking collection for its genre, Chhaava showed exceptional growth over the weekend to storm past the 100 crores net mark. It went overdrive on Sunday to earn around 50 crores net as the total weekend collection of Chhaava is approximately 116 crores. ## It has become only the second and the also the highest Bollywood grosser of 2025 after Sky Force which is also produced by Maddock Films. Chhaava is Vicky Kaushal's third film, after URI: The Surgical Strike (244 crores net) and Raazi (123.75 crores net) to enter the 100 crores net club and is among the fastest ever to do so. ## Actress Rashmika Mandanna, who scored her third consecutive blockbuster after Animal and Pushpa 2, has scored her 6th 100 crores net grosser while director Laxman Utekar opened his account in this prestigious box office club. Overall, Chhaava is the 127th film to cross 100 crores net collection in Hindi. ## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Los Angeles, February 17 - Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World had an impressive 3-day opening weekend domestically despite the mixed reviews and word of mouth. Overseas, the superhero movie came lower than expected.## The movie, starring Anthony Mackie in the titular role, matched or slightly battered the trade projection in North America, grossing $88.5 million over its Friday to Sunday weekend with 5.7 million Americans stepping out to watch the film, according to Deadline. ## The Brave New World is estimated to gross $100+ million over its 4-day President's holiday weekend (Friday - Monday). This makes it the fourth biggest Presidents Day weekend ever after Black Panther ($242M), Deadpool ($152M) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($120M). ## Overseas, the movie scored $92.4 million from 52 overseas markets through Sunday for a worldwide cume total of $180.9 million. It was projected to gross $110 million but it underperformed in China where a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon called Ne Zha 2 is going bonkers. China was still the biggest overseas market for Captain America 4 with $10.5 million. ## In India, the film also underperformed with an estimated $1.65 million. Captain America: Brave New World was the second highest-grossing movie worldwide this past weekend, behind Chinese mega-blockbuster Ne Zha 2 which grossed over $270 million in the domestic market alone for a running worldwide total of $1.63 billion.## Stay tuned...