BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 29 - Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor's romantic comedy Param Sundari has opened on the expected lines at the domestic box office, as suggested by the pre-sales response and trade projection. It would have been very good had the film managed to hit double digits, but the opening is still good for the cast. According to the early estimates, the Maddock Films' production scored 7-7.50 crores net, which is among the biggest openings for Sidharth. The numbers might go a little higher depending on the response in the smaller centres, but it is more or less likely to come in the estimated range. The opening of Param Sundari is a little better than Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Mein, which had a similar genre and almost a similar release size. TBMAUJ went on to become a success story, and here, Param Sundari can achieve the same, as the initial reception seems to be good. Param Sundari managed to generate decent buzz through the trailer and songs, which worked with the young audience. Even though the pre-sales were not that strong, it was expected to get a good response in the walk-ins due to its family-friendly content, which has happened. All eyes are now on the growth over Saturday and Sunday, as the movie eyes 30 crores net opening weekend, which will be a good result. The good thing is that there is no big new release this weekend, while holdovers are also exhausting, which should help Param Sundari over the weekend. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 29 - Director Anurag Basu's Metro... In Dino had a decent outing at the box office, amid the low buzz and anticipation. Released in July first week, the big ensemble urban romantic drama has wrapped up its theatrical journey and moved to digital after 8 weeks of theatrical run. Featuring a star-studded cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sensharma, Anupam Kher, and Neena Gupta, Metro In Dino was reportedly made on a budget of around 50 crores, and grossed approximately 70 crores worldwide, including around 64 crores in India. After completing its box office journey, the spiritual sequel to Basu's acclaimed 2007 anthology film Life in a... Metro has started streaming on Netflix on August 29. As per unofficial reports, the film was sold to Netflix for 40 crores, as a result of the box office outcome. The film is expected to score good viewership on Netflix as it received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its ensemble performances, thematic depth, and Pritam's music. The movie, however, has its limitations due to its urban theme, which doesn't resonate with the masses. Metro... In Dino may not have shattered box office records, but it emerged as a critically appreciated and commercially decent venture. With its 70 crore worldwide gross and now a Netflix release, the film is expected to find new viewers beyond cinemas, much like Basu's earlier works that grew stronger with time. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Chennai, August 29 - Superstar Rajinikanth led his gangster action drama Coolie crawl past the 500 crores mark at the worldwide box office, making it only the 4th Tamil film ever to achieve the milestone. The movie had to battle its way to reach the coveted box office mark, despite the record start. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie joins Rajinikanth's own blockbusters - 2 Point 0 and Jailer, along with Thalapathy Vijay's Leo - to emerge as the 4th Tamil title to make its way into the 500 crores club globally. 2 Point 0 remains the biggest grosser with around 700 crores, as Coolie set to finish at 4, behind Jailer (605 crores), and Leo (606 crores). While Coolie brings in the lures for Tamil cinema, it also expands the South Indian cinema's 500 crores club grossers list to 11. This has been dominated by the Telugu film industry with 6 titles in the list, while Kannada has one in the form of Yash-fronted KGF: Chapter 2. SS Rajamouli's groundbreaking blockbuster, Baahubali 2 (2017), remains the biggest South Indian grosser at the worldwide box office with close to 1800 crores gross. It was also the first South Indian blockbuster to become the 1000 crores gross, while its predecessor, Baahubali - The Beginning, was the first to breach the milestone of 500 crores gross in 2015. Overall, Coolie is the 27th Indian film of all time to reach the landmark of 500 crores gross worldwide. The list is dominated by Bollywood with 16 titles, including Aamir Khan's sports drama Dangal, which is the highest-grossing Indian film ever with over 2000 crores collection. Here Are The 500 Crore South Indian Grosser At The Worldwide Box Office (Est.)RankFilm TitleOriginal LanguageTotal WW GBOC1.Baahubali 2 The Conclusion (2017)Telugu₹ 1788.00 Cr2.Pushpa: The Rule - Part 2 (2024)Telugu₹ 1742.00 Cr3.RRR (2022)Telugu₹ 1230.00 Cr4.KGF Chapter 2 (2022)Kannada₹ 1215.00 Cr.5.Kalki 2898 AD (2024)Telugu₹ 1042.25 Cr6.2.0 (2018)Tamil₹ 691.00 Cr7.Baahubali (2015)Telugu₹ 650.00 Cr8.Salaar: Cease Fire - Part 1 (2023)Telugu₹ 617.75 Cr9.Leo (2023)Tamil₹ 605.90 Cr10.Jailer (2023)Tamil₹ 604.50 Cr11.Coolie (2025)Tamil₹ 500.25 Cr**Note: Data as of August 29, 2025 Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Chennai, August 29 - It has been on a roller-coaster ride for superstar Rajinikanth's gangster action drama Coolie at the worldwide box office, even as it is crossing the magical milestone of 500 crores gross collection globally at the end of today (16th day). Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie set the cash registers on fire upon its release, scoring the biggest opening ever for a Tamil film, followed by the record opening weekend. It had all the cards in its hands, but the momentum quickly slipped away once the weekend was over. What started as an earth-shattering domination has now turned into a slow crawl. Even the 500 crores mark looked far away when the film ended its opening week, but thanks to little growth over the second weekend, and steady trend at the low level since then, Coolie will cross the mark, and become only the 4th Tamil title ever to do so Ideally, Coolie should have achieved the milestone in the opening week itself or at the beginning of the second weekend at max, but it wasn't to be, as it has battled its way to reach the figure. While the initial buzz and Rajinikanth's unmatched star power carried it to early glory, sustaining numbers have proven to be challenging amid poor reviews and mixed word-of-mouth. Even with the slowdown, crossing 500 crores would cement Coolie as another major win for Rajinikanth, keeping him firmly in the race with fellow Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay in the post-pandemic box office charts. The veteran superstar now has three films in the 500 crores club (including 2.0 and Jailer), making him the only Tamil hero to have this honour. Thalapathy Vijay has one film in the club with Leo. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Los Angeles, August 29 - After the dismal performance of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, the power star Pawan Kalyan is ready to bounce back with a bang. The Telugu superstar has begun showcasing his raw stardom with one of his most highly anticipated films in recent times, They Call Him OG, in advance bookings at the North American box office. Directed by Sujeeth, the gangster action thriller is still nearly 4 weeks away from hitting the big screens, but the pre-sales are already breathing fire as far as the North America premiere is concerned. The pre-sales of OG began on August 27 in NA, and in no time, it has crossed $500K already for the premiere, which is on September 24. During the first hour of pre-sales opening, OG saw record-breaking response, with four shows at Cinemark Dallas selling out in minutes. Seeing the response, 35 premiere shows have already been scheduled at one of the top-grossing Cinemark theatres in Dallas, by distributor Prathyangira Cinemas. The pre-sales exploded as more locations opened the booking, and as per Venky Box Office, it has crossed $500K from nearly 1125 shows over 300 locations and sold over 17,000 tickets. OG is the fastest Telugu title to achieve $500K pre-sales in North America. Prathyangira Cinemas has kept ticket prices as high as $25-$30, as fans fuel a potential blockbuster. Going by the initial trend, OG will be eyeing one of the biggest premiere days in North America for a Telugu film. Trade anticipates that the film might cross $2 million premiere gross, which will be the highest for a Pawan Kalyan-starrer. OG stars Pawan Kalyan in the title role of Ojas Gambheera alongside Emraan Hashmi as Omi Bhau (in his Telugu film debut), and Priyanka Mohan as the female lead. The film revolves around a ruthless don named Ojas Gambheera "OG" who returns to Mumbai following his ten-year disappearance, to reclaim his empire and exact vengeance on the current tyrant, Omi Bhau. It is scheduled to hit the big screen on September 25 in multiple languages. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK TEAM

Chennai, August 29 - Tamil actor and filmmaker Pradeep Ranganathan is emerging as the favourite youngster among the fans as he has impressed one and all, especially the Gen Z, with the kind of films he has done in his short career he has had so far. He made his debut as a director with Comali (2019), in which he also played a cameo, as the movie became a blockbuster. His directorial debut, quickly followed by his acting debut as a lead hero with Love Today (2022), which he also directed. It became a phenomenal success and made him one of the most relatable storytellers for today's audience. Pradeep's knack for mixing humour with heartfelt emotions struck a chord with both youngsters and families, and now, the filmmaker-turned-actor is all set to return with his next project, Dude. Touted as a youth-driven entertainer, Dude is said to be an emotional action drama centred on themes of love, betrayal, and vengeance. With its catchy title and Pradeep himself fronting the project, Dude is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Tamil films of 2025. If Love Today was about love and technology colliding, Dude might just be the ultimate Gen Z anthem for cinema lovers. Directed by Keerthiswaran and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Dude stars Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles, alongside R. Sarathkumar, Hridhu Haroon and Rohini. The film is scheduled to release on October 21, coinciding with Diwali. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Kochi, August 28 - The Malayalam film industry has its moment, once again, as two of its most-anticipated films - Hridayapoorvam and Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra - open big at the box office during the Onam holiday period, despite clashing against each other on the same day and date. The Mollywood industry normally doesn't indulge in the box office clashes, but to get the advantage of the Onam holidays, superstar Mohanlal's family comedy drama Hridayapoorvam was pitched against Kalyani Priyadarshan's superhero film Lokah, and the gamble seems to have worked as both films open with positive reception and solid openings at the box office. The opening day battle is won by the Mohanlal-starrer, which has scored 3.80 crores gross collection in India and 8.35 crores worldwide. However, the movie got tough competition from Lokah, which looks like going to be a major box office winner. Despite clashing with the Malayalam titan, the first instalment in the filmmaker Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Cinematic Universe has taken a very good start of around 3.15 crores gross in India and over 6.50 crores worldwide. The critics' reviews and audience reception for Lokah are super positive, and seeing the opening day box office trajectory, it is going to rule the opening extended Onam weekend domestically, especially in Kerala. If early signs are anything to go by, the Kalyani Priyadarshan-fronted superhero saga could emerge as a big blockbuster in the long run. Trade experts note that while Hridayapoorvam has secured a bigger opening day tally, the sustainability of Lokah Chapter 1 could shift the momentum as the weekend progresses, as the superhero genre can explode if audience reception is on the positive side. Chandra has the potential to grow stronger in the coming days, much like earlier cult successes in regional cinema. Stay tuned...

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Tamil cinema fans, brace yourselves—several highly anticipated releases are headed your way, and we’re curious: which one are you most excited for? ##Idli Kadai, Dhanush’s fourth directorial outing, hits theaters on October 1, boasting a vibrant rural backdrop, music by G. V. Prakash, and a stellar cast including Nithya Menen, Arun Vijay, Shalini Pandey, Sathyaraj, plus a cameo by R. Parthiban. ##Meanwhile, Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara and starring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela, is a gripping political period drama set during the Anti‑Hindi agitations of 1965. With music by G. V. Prakash Kumar and scenes shot across Chennai, Pollachi, Madurai, and Sri Lanka, it is slated for a grand Pongal 2026 release. Interestingly, the film takes inspiration from the iconic 1952 Parasakthi, honoring its legacy while telling a new, powerful story for today’s generation. ##Then there’s STR 49, starring Silambarasan TR and directed by Parking fame Ramkumar Balakrishnan, which aims to be a dark, stylish commercial entertainer set in a college backdrop. The cast includes Santhanam (reuniting with STR after a decade), Kayadu Lohar as the female lead, and Ravi Kishan in a supporting role. With cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa, art direction by Subentar PL, and music by Sai Abhyankkar, the film explores a mysterious dual life—hinted at in its first look, where STR is shown holding both an engineering book and a bloodied butcher’s knife. Despite early production delays and rumors of creative friction, the film is now back on track, with the director recently confirming that script work is progressing toward a full-scale revival. ##Karuppu, directed by RJ Balaji and led by Suriya and Trisha, is a compelling courtroom drama exploring caste and social justice—initially planned for Diwali, but now expected to release around Pongal 2026. ##Indian 3, the much-awaited sequel directed by S. Shankar and starring Kamal Haasan, SJ Suryah, Kajal Aggarwal, and Siddharth, continues its massive production journey and is expected to follow soon after Indian 2. ##Finally, Jananayagan, featuring Thalapathy Vijay, is still under tight wraps with no official details on its cast, crew, or plot revealed yet. ##So tell us—which upcoming Tamil film has you counting down the days?

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 28 - Very few would have imagined the journey Sidharth Malhotra was going to have when he made his Bollywood debut with filmmaker Karan Johar's coming-of-age romantic comedy Student of the Year in 2012. Over the last 13 years, the actor has left a mark with films across romance, action, thrillers, and war drama genres. As he now gears up for his 2025 release, Param Sundari, here's a look at the highlights of his cinematic journey so far. The Debut and Early Success Filmmaker Karan Johar, famous for launching star kids in Bollywood, launched Sidharth alongside Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan in Student of the Year (2012), a youthful drama that became a commercial success and positioned him as a promising newcomer. He followed it up with Hasee Toh Phasee (2014), a quirky rom-com where his chemistry with Parineeti Chopra was appreciated, and Ek Villain (2014), which marked his entry into the big league. Experimentation and Mixed Bag Phase After the big early success, Sidharth tested different genres over the next few years. In Brothers (2015), he attempted a high-intensity sports drama with superstar Akshay Kumar, as the film ended up as an average affair. Kapoor & Sons (2016), however, turned out to be a critical and commercial hit, showcasing him in an ensemble with a layered family drama. Films like Baar Baar Dekho (2016), A Gentleman (2017), Ittefaq (2017), and Aiyaary (2018) received mixed to negative responses, making this a challenging period for the actor. The Resurgence & Patriotic Turn Sidharth bounced back with Marjaavaan (2019), a massy romantic action film with seetimaar dialogues that connected with single-screen audiences. It was the biographical war drama, Shershaah (2021), that could have become the biggest box office success of the actor, but it was denied that chance due to its direct-to-digital release. It was still a game-changer for the actor as his portrayal of Captain Vikram Batra won widespread acclaim, bringing him critical respect, as he was hailed for delivering his career-best performance. Recent Works & Looking Ahead Post-Shershaah, Sidharth ventured into diverse territories. He shared screen with Ajay Devgn in the fantasy comedy-drama film Thank God (2022), which bombed at the box office, before he starred in a direct-to-digital release, Mission Majnu (2023), a patriotic spy thriller, and Yodha (2024), a high-octane action film. The actor's journey after the COVID-19 pandemic has hit a roadblock with no big success, barring Shershaah, which saved the day for him. The actor is now stepping into romantic comedy once again with Param Sundari (2025), co-starring Janhvi Kapoor. Billed as a breezy entertainer, the film is already generating buzz as a genre comeback for Sidharth after years of intense roles. The movie, from Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films, is gearing up to hit the big screens on August 29, as a potential success for the actor. Across 13 years, Sidharth Malhotra's cinematic journey has had highs and lows, but what stands out is his resilience and ability to reinvent himself. From the candy-floss romance of Student of the Year to the grit of Shershaah, and now towards the playful charm of Param Sundari, he continues to remain a relevant and evolving presence in Bollywood. Going forward, the actor continues to experiment, as his next is a folk thriller, Vvan: Force of the Forrest, which releases next year. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 28 - Sidharth Malhotra is gearing up for the release of his much-anticipated romantic comedy Param Sundari, which also has Janhvi Kapoor as the female lead. Directed by Tushar Jalota, the movie has come at a time when romantic films are making their comeback at the box office, and all eyes are on how Param Sundari handles the situation. Sidharth, who has been going through a tough phase in his career as far as the box office is concerned, is banking heavily on this light-hearted entertainer to reconnect with audiences who once loved him in films like Hasee Toh Phasee and Student of the Year. In the post-pandemic era, the big-ticket action entertainers have ruled the box office, while romantic comedies are slowly but surely gaining momentum. Param Sundari aims to revive the space with a fresh mix of romance, comedy, and vibrant music, hoping to appeal to young urban audiences as well as families. As has been the history, the romantic-comedy films (barring a few) heavily bank on word of mouth and Param Sundari falls in that category, even though it is seeing decent response in the pre-sales. Looking at the pre-sales trend and per trade projections, the film could open in the range of 7–9 crores on Day 1, depending on word of mouth. It will be released on over 2500 screens nationwide. The good thing is that the movie has managed to generate decent buzz through trailer and songs, which should boost spot bookings. If the film manages to deliver the right mix of humour and emotional depth, it could enjoy a strong run, especially with limited competition in the rom-com zone. For Sidharth Malhotra, Param Sundari is more than just another release — it's a crucial film that could decide his trajectory going forward. A clean hit would not only re-establish him as a bankable star but also bring the rom-com genre back into the conversation after years of being overshadowed by action blockbusters and big-scale dramas. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Kochi, August 28 - The Malayalam cinema is ready to strike again, and this time, in the most unfamiliar territory, superhero, with Kalyani Priyadarshan-fronted Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. Indian superhero space has always been a tricky one, unlike Hollywood, which churns out global blockbusters. Here, we have only seen a handful of attempts in the genre, and when it comes to Malayalam, the examples are minimal. Before Lokah, the Mollywood industry had a chance to shine at the box office with Tovino Thomas' Minnal Murali (2021) in the superhero genre, but the makers' reluctance and lack of patience amid the growing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic didn't let that chance become a reality. Director Basil Joseph's film stood tall as a genuine masterpiece — a film that blended local flavour with superhero spectacle. Yet, despite the critical acclaim and the public approval, Minnal Murali never had the chance to prove itself at the box office, owing to its direct-to-digital release on Netflix during the pandemic. Well, the Mollywood, widely regarded as the content factory, has another opportunity to strike gold at the box office with a superhero, and this is where Lokah Chapter 1 – Chandra steps in. Headlined by Kalyani Priyadarshan, the film is already drawing attention as one of the most ambitious superhero outings in Mollywood. The initial word of mouth of the film is highly positive, with early audiences praising its ambitious universe that blends entertainment with heroism beautifully. It is the first instalment in the planned Wayfarer Cinematic Universe, from filmmaker Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films. Lokah managed to score decent advances of around 1 crore for the opening day, and seeing the early reception, the superhero film is in for a blockbuster ride at the box office. The movie is already seeing a surge in advance sales for the evening and night shows, putting itslef on course to take a very good opening domestically. For Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lokah could be a career-defining moment. While she has impressed in various roles across Malayalam and Tamil cinema, stepping into the shoes of a superhero puts her in a rare league, especially as one of the few female leads spearheading a superhero saga in Indian cinema. Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 28 - It has been a tough theatrical journey for Yash Raj Films' highly anticipated War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan, Jr. NTR, and Kiara Advani. The spy action thriller was expected to rewrite box office history, but things didn't go as planned, and as a result, it has bombed with an underwhelming collection. Released ahead of the big Independence Day holiday, the Ayan Mukerji's directorial took an underwhelming opening in India and overseas, and despite the big growth on day 2, it couldn't fly due to poor reviews and mixed word of mouth. It is now heading towards finishing below 400 crores worldwide as the second-lowest film in the YRF's Spy Universe. Amid the gloomy box office run, War 2 (350 crores) will manage to beat Hrithik Roshan's Fighter (359 crores), directed by Siddharth Anand, in a day or two, and will finish as either the second or third biggest grosser of the Bollywood star. Meanwhile, in terms of the number of tickets sold, War 2 has already beaten Fighter. During its theatrical run, Fighter had sold 3.68 million tickets on the online ticketing platform Book My Show, and now, War 2 has crossed this figure in 13 days. In terms of overall tickets, Fighter had sold around 1.16 crores tickets, while War 2 has so far sold 1.12 crores and will cross Fighter's number in a day or two. However, these mini milestones don't have much importance as War 2 is way ahead of Fighter in terms of scale, budget and star power. In terms of the Hindi box office, the YRF's biggie will finish behind Fighter, which can be termed as shocking. The film's success could've done wonders for the Spy Universe, but now, it is heading towards the days of uncertainty, with future projects getting pushed indefinitely. Stay tuned...