Ranveer Singh to Battle Zombies in Pralay: Mega-Budget Project to Kick Off Next Month Before Planned Diwali Break

BY SACNILK

Ranveer Singh is currently riding high on the massive success of his recent hits, and it looks like his next venture is going to be even more ambitious. According to an exclusive report by Variety India, the actor is all set to begin filming for his next project, titled Pralay, starting as early as next month. This film is generating a lot of curiosity as it marks Ranveer's first foray into the zombie thriller genre. However, the production schedule has been carefully planned because the actor is also preparing for a significant milestone in his personal life. The report suggests that Ranveer will shoot for Pralay until Diwali, after which he plans to take a well-deserved paternity break. Ranveer and Deepika Padukone, who are already parents to their daughter Dua, announced their second pregnancy earlier this year. With Deepika currently in her third trimester, Ranveer is ensuring he is present for his family during this special time. Consequently, the first schedule of the film will conclude by Diwali, and the production will resume for the second schedule only in 2027. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Pralay is being mounted on a grand scale with an estimated budget of ₹300 Crore, making it one of the most expensive standalone films in Bollywood. The project is being directed by Jai Mehta, known for his work on the acclaimed series Scam 1992. The film is a collaboration between Hansal Mehta's True Story Films LLP and Ranveer's own production house, Ma Kasam Films. Interestingly, Hansal Mehta recently cleared the air regarding the script, clarifying that Pralay is a completely original story written by Jai Mehta and Vishal Kapoor, debunking rumors that it was an adaptation of the novel Blindness. The plot of the film is set in a decaying, post-apocalyptic, and dystopian version of Mumbai following a viral pandemic outbreak. The story revolves around a married couple fighting for survival in this harsh new world. Joining Ranveer in this survival thriller is South Indian actress Kalyani Priyadarshan, who is officially locked to make her much-anticipated Bollywood debut as the female lead. There is also a lot of buzz about a secondary female lead whose character is expected to be deeply tied to the emotional backstory of Ranveer's character. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) While Ranveer is busy with Pralay, Deepika Padukone has an equally packed slate. She recently finished a schedule for the film King, where she reunites with her Jawan co-star Shah Rukh Khan. Additionally, she is part of the ambitious sci-fi action film Raaka, which is being directed by Atlee and stars Allu Arjun. Despite their busy professional lives, the couple has managed to keep their family journey private, sharing only a few glimpses of their life with daughter Dua. Expectations are incredibly high for Pralay, especially coming after Ranveer's box office juggernauts like Dhurandhar and its sequel. By picking a fresh genre like a zombie apocalypse thriller and backing it with such a high budget, the makers are clearly aiming for a global impact. For fans, the wait for 2027 to see the full vision of the film might be long, but the initial glimpses starting next month are sure to keep the excitement alive.

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, July 9 - The first six months of 2026 have painted an interesting picture for the Indian film industry. While a handful of blockbuster releases dominated the box office and broke multiple records, some high-profile films struggled to justify their massive budgets. Overall, the period from January 1 to June 30 witnessed a healthy theatrical market led by Hindi cinema, while Malayalam films continued to punch above their weight with remarkable overseas performances. The biggest story of the year was undoubtedly the phenomenal success of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, which emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of the year by a massive margin. The Ranveer Singh-led action spectacle crossed 1800 crore worldwide, making it one of the biggest Indian successes in history. It was followed by Border 2, while Telugu cinema contributed one major success in the form of Mana ShankaraVaraprasad Garu. Tamil cinema's biggest performer was Karuppu, which comfortably crossed the 300 crore mark worldwide. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Top 5 Movies Overall – All-India (First Half of 2026) Rank Movie Language India Gross Worldwide Gross Footfalls (India) 1 Dhurandhar 2 Hindi ₹ 1375.00 Cr ₹ 1813.00 Cr 4.50+ Cr 2 Border 2 Hindi ₹ 393.00 Cr ₹ 450.00 Cr 1.58 Cr 3 Peddi Telugu ₹ 288.00 Cr ₹ 340+ Cr N/A 4 MSVPG Telugu ₹ 258.50 Cr ₹ 301.50 Cr 1.27 Cr 5 Karuppu Tamil ₹ 229.00 Cr ₹ 310.00 Cr N/A Hindi cinema enjoyed the strongest headline performance thanks to Dhurandhar 2 and Border 2, but the overall success was largely concentrated among a few event films. Telugu cinema delivered mixed results, with the only major success being Mana Shankara. The box office collections alone did not always translate into commercial success, as some expensive productions failed to recover their investments despite respectable worldwide numbers. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Malayalam cinema once again proved why it continues to be one of India's most consistent film industries. Films like Vaazha 2 and Drishyam 3 not only performed exceptionally well in Kerala but also generated huge revenues overseas. The industry continued to benefit from its strong presence in international markets, especially across the Gulf region, allowing several medium-budget films to achieve impressive worldwide totals. Tamil cinema also experienced a mixed first half. While Karuppu emerged as a blockbuster and became one of the biggest Tamil hits of the year, mid-budget films such as Thaai Kizhavi and Blast also delivered solid numbers, indicating that audiences were willing to support well-made commercial entertainers beyond star-driven spectacles. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Top 5 Hollywood Movies Rank Movie India Gross Worldwide Gross 1 Obsession ₹ 100.15 Cr ₹ 3850+ Cr 2 Project Hail Mary ₹ 89.50 Cr ₹ 6436+ Cr 3 Michael ₹ 83.65 Cr ₹ 9050+ Cr 4 The Devil Wears Prada 2 ₹ 35.90 Cr ₹ 6400+ Cr 5 Lee Cronin's The Mummy ₹ 30.00 Cr ₹ 30.00 Cr Hollywood releases maintained a steady presence in India, with films such as Obsession, Project Hail Mary, and Michael attracting strong urban audiences. However, their worldwide collections were naturally driven by international markets rather than India, making domestic box office comparisons with Indian films less meaningful. Kannada cinema endured a relatively quiet first half compared to other industries. No Sandalwood release managed to create a nationwide impact, and the industry's highest-grossing films remained significantly behind their counterparts from Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi cinema. The second half of the year will be crucial for Kannada cinema to regain momentum. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Surprise Indian Successes S. No. Movie Industry India Gross Worldwide Gross 1 Thaai Kizhavi Kollywood ₹ 71.65 Cr ₹ 82.00 Cr 2 Vaazha 2 Mollywood ₹ 149.50 Cr ₹ 235.25 Cr 3 Aadu 3 Mollywood ₹ 59.10 Cr ₹ 120.10 Cr 4 Blast Kollywood ₹ 61.00 Cr ₹ 75.40 Cr One of the most encouraging trends of the first half was the continued success of content-driven cinema. Films like Thaai Kizhavi, Blast, and Aadu 3 exceeded trade expectations despite not carrying the scale or hype of pan-India spectacles. Their performances reinforced the fact that audiences continue to reward strong storytelling and positive word of mouth. At the same time, a few expensive productions struggled to meet expectations. Despite collecting well worldwide, some big-budget releases were unable to secure profitable theatrical runs due to their enormous production costs. This once again highlighted that worldwide collections alone are no longer sufficient to determine a film's commercial success. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Hyped but Failed/Underwhelmed Movies S. No. Movie Industry India Gross Worldwide Gross 1 The Raja Saab Tollywood ₹ 174.15 Cr ₹ 208.40 Cr 2 Peddi Tollywood ₹ 288.00 Cr ₹ 340+ Cr 3 Patriot Mollywood ₹ 36.75 Cr ₹ 80.00 Cr Overall, the first half of 2026 can be described as top-heavy but healthy. Films across industries have grossed around 6500 crores at the Indian box office in the first 6 months, which is better than the first halves of the previous post-pandemic years. Bollywood produced the year's biggest blockbuster, Telugu cinema delivered mixed results, Malayalam cinema continued its remarkable consistency, and Tamil cinema found success through both star vehicles and mid-budget entertainers. As the industry heads into the second half of the year with several highly anticipated releases on the horizon, the box office appears well-positioned to build on an encouraging start to 2026.

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, July 8 - The first half of 2026 has delivered a few blockbuster successes across the Indian film industry, with Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil cinema all contributing major hits at the global box office. While a handful of films crossed significant milestones worldwide, one title stood far above the rest in the form of Dhurandhar: The Revenge The Ranveer Singh-fronted spy actioner emerged as the undisputed box office champion, becoming the biggest Indian blockbuster of the year so far and one of the biggest of all-time with a phenomenal worldwide gross of over 1800 crore. The film continued to dominate the box office week after week and shattered several records for an Indian film. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Sunny Deol's Border 2 lit up the box office earlier this year, justifying the hype around the film with its superb trending. The war drama secured the second position on the list with an impressive 450 crore worldwide gross, reaffirming the enduring popularity of the border franchise and patriotic action dramas. Tamil superstar Suriya found his lost box office mojo with the Tamil blockbuster Karuppu emerging as one of the biggest Indian blockbusters of the year so far. The action drama continued its remarkable theatrical run for weeks to finish with 310 crore globally, becoming the actor's highest-grossing film by more than 2x margin. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Megastar Chiranjeevi also muscled his star power with the Telugu family entertainer Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, and proved that he can still challange biggest of the stars of Telugu cinema with his unmatched aura and fan following even at the age of 70. The Anil Ravipudi directorial collected over 300 crores worldwide and is among the top 5 highest-grossing Indian films of the year so far. Meanwhile, the Indian box office also delivered rich results, thanks to blockbuster runs of the top 5 movies and beyond. With over 6500+ crores gross so far, it is turning out to be one of the biggest years for Indian cinema. With several big-ticket releases still scheduled for the second half of 2026, the race for the year's highest-grossing Indian film is far from over. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Top 5 Highest-Grossing Indian Films of the First Half of 2026 S. No. Movie Industry Worldwide Gross 1 Dhurandhar: The Revenge Bollywood (Hindi) ₹ 1813.00 Cr 2 Border 2 Bollywood (Hindi) ₹ 450.00 Cr 3 Peddi Tollywood (Telugu) ₹ 340+ Cr 4 Karuppu Kollywood (Tamil) ₹ 310.00 Cr 5 Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu Tollywood (Telugu) ₹ 301.50 Cr

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, July 6 - Filmmaker Aditya Dhar penned an emotional birthday note for Ranveer Singh as the actor turned 41, showering him with praise for his work in Dhurandhar films. Sharing his thoughts on social media, Dhar called Ranveer an "extraordinary actor" and described working with him as one of the most memorable experiences of his career. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) In his heartfelt message, Dhar revealed that Dhurandhar would always remain special to him, not only because of the story they told but because he witnessed something incredibly rare while directing Ranveer. He specifically mentioned several intense sequences from the film, including the 26/11 sequence, the Pathankot massacre, and the final tea shop scene, praising the actor’s consistency and emotional depth in every take. "Every emotion landed exactly where it needed to. Every silence had meaning. Every glance had intent, "Dhar wrote, adding that Ranveer’s performance felt "touched by divine grace." The director went on to call the actor's work in Dhurandhar "one of the finest performances Indian cinema has ever seen," describing it as "a force of nature" that completely disappeared into the soul of the character. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Beyond the professional admiration, Dhar also reflected on the personal bond they developed during the making of the film. "Somewhere along the way, you stopped being just my actor. You became my brother," he wrote, thanking Ranveer for trusting him with "your heart, your craft and your madness." The Dhurandhar duology has been a monstrous blockbuster at the box office. The first Dhurandhar, released in December last year, grossed over 1300 crores worldwide, while the sequel, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, went on to gross over 1800 crores after its release in March this year. Interestingly, reports say that Aditya Dhar and Ranveer Singh are planning another film together next year. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Happy Birthday, Ranveer Singh. ❤️Some films stay with you forever. Dhurandhar will always be one of those films for me. Not just because of the story we told but because I got to witness something very few directors ever get to witness.I’ve always known you’re an extraordinary… pic.twitter.com/Nuj5RTielg— Aditya Dhar (@AdityaDharFilms) July 6, 2026

BY SACNILK

The Dhurandhar franchise is preparing to take its unprecedented success to a new global audience. After a historic run that has rewritten box office records in India and major international markets, Jio Studios has announced that the blockbuster will officially release in Japan on July 10, 2026. Directed by Aditya Dhar, this high-octane spy thriller has become a defining moment for Hindi cinema, and the move to Japan reflects the growing global footprint of Indian action spectacles. To mark this new chapter, lead star Ranveer Singh shared a special video message specifically for Japanese audiences, inviting them to experience the scale and intensity of the film on the big screen. In the film, Ranveer plays the role of Hamza Ali Mazari, an undercover agent involved in a high-stakes geopolitical narrative. This personalized outreach is a strategic effort to tap into the Japanese market, which has recently shown immense enthusiasm for Indian blockbusters with large-scale production values. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) When we analyze the financial journey of this franchise, the numbers are quite staggering. The combined worldwide gross of the first installment and its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, has now officially crossed the 3,100 Cr mark. The sequel, in particular, made history by becoming the first purely Hindi-language film to cross the 1,000 Cr net milestone in India. Currently, the individual worldwide gross for the second part alone stands over 1,813 Cr. This level of domestic and international dominance is rare and highlights the immense pull of the brand Aditya Dhar has built. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The success of the franchise can be attributed to its grounded yet massive storytelling and an ensemble cast that brings together some of the biggest names in the industry. Alongside Ranveer Singh, the film features Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal. This mix of seasoned veterans and a top-tier lead has allowed the film to appeal to a wide demographic, ensuring long-term stability at the box office. The production quality from Jio Studios has also been cited as a major reason for its seamless transition into international territories. Japan has become a key territory for Indian cinema, and a strong performance there could push the total lifetime earnings to even higher levels. With the franchise already sitting at a combined 3,100 Cr worldwide, its global journey is far from over, and it continues to set a very high benchmark for future Indian releases.

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, June 30 - Indian cinema is preparing for two massive upcoming spectacles as fresh updates about Ranveer Singh's Pralay and Jr. NTR's epic God of War (tentative title) have created strong buzz among fans. Both projects belong to completely different genres, yet they reflect the growing ambition of Indian filmmakers to build large-scale cinematic experiences designed for pan-India audiences. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to the Pinkvilla report, Ranveer Singh's 300 crore budgeted Pralay is officially moving forward with filming set to begin in September 2026. Directed by Jai Mehta and produced by Singh's Maa Kasam Films with Hansal Mehta, the film is being described as a post-apocalyptic zombie survival thriller set in a devastated version of Mumbai. Despite ongoing discussions surrounding delays, reports claim that Pralay remains unaffected and production plans are firmly on schedule. The major chunk of the filming will be set in Australia, with the film being mounted under the supervision of technicians who have previously worked on several international projects. The pre-production is already underway in full swing in Australia, with Ranveer consistently providing his input. The makers are reportedly investing heavily in advanced visual effects and dystopian world-building to create a unique cinematic universe. The movie revolves around a married couple fighting for survival in a dystopian Mumbai, with Kalyani Priyadarshan set to play the female lead. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Meanwhile, Jr. NTR and director Trivikram Srinivas have officially reunited for the much-awaited project widely referred to as God of War. After months of speculation and delayed announcements, the mythological action epic is finally entering its official launch phase. Reports suggest that the story could be inspired by Lord Karthikeya, also known as Muruga, with the film aiming to blend mythology, divine warfare, and modern cinematic storytelling on a grand scale. Excitement surrounding the project increased earlier when Jr. NTR was seen carrying the book Muruga – The Lord of War, The God of Wisdom, which many fans connected to the film's theme. Following the global success of RRR, expectations are now extremely high for this collaboration, especially with Trivikram Srinivas known for combining emotional depth with commercial storytelling.