Sonu Sood found himself in legal trouble after the President of the Bengaluru city district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) lodged a police complaint against the singer, saying that his statements had deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community during his Bengaluru concert. Now, Nigam has taken to his social media to address the controversy and shared that he loves Kannadigas, but those 4–5 boys were threatening him during the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonu Nigam (@sonunigamofficial) Sonu Nigam addresses Bangalore concert controversy In a video captioned "Just love," Sonu Nigam addressed the controversy and said, "While I was singing my first song, there was a bunch of four to five students who were not demanding but actually threateningly asking me to sing in Kannada. There were many people in the audience who tried to stop them and asked them not to cause disturbance." Further, while continuing, he reminded them of what happened in Pahalgam and said, "Un paanchon ko yeh yaad dilana aur batana bahut zaroori tha ki Pahalgam mein jab pant utaari gayi thi, tab bhaasha nahi poochi gayi thi." Adding how he believes it is important to stop those trying to threaten him, Sonu stated, "It’s important to not allow them to threaten you as an audience. Saari duniya pyaar se aapke liye aayi hai… I had a one-hour set of Kannada songs. Jo log uksaate hain unhe usi samay rokna bahut zaroori hai. Pyaar ki bhoomi mein nafrat ke beej agar koi bo raha hai toh usse rokna padega, kyunki baad mein woh fasal humein hi kaatni hai.” FIR against Sonu Nigam As per ANI, the FIR filed against Sonu read: “Sonu Nigam's statements have caused severe distress to the Kannadiga community. By equating a simple cultural request to sing a Kannada song with a terrorist act, Shri Nigam has portrayed Kannadigas as intolerant or violent, which is contrary to their peace-loving and harmonious nature.” Sonu Nigam, who is widely acclaimed for his Hindi songs, has also sung in several different languages including Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, English, Assamese, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Nepali, Tulu, Maithili, and Manipuri.
03 May,2025 07:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHas OTT become the boon every content creator ever wanted? Well, Saif Ali Khan believes so. As per the Jewel Thief star, streaming platforms have given actors the opportunity to explore content in a very different way, and for him, the coming of OTT is actually a “gift for an artist.” Today, at a session for the WAVES Global Summit 2025, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos and celebrated actor Saif Ali Khan came together for a conversation on Streaming the New India: Culture, Connectivity & Creative Capital. Saif Ali Khan on streaming platforms The discussion explored how storytelling is fuelling India’s rise as a global creative force. During the discussion, Saif Ali Khan expressed how streaming has transformed the creative landscape, saying, “Thanks to streaming, we can explore characters in a very different way. There is a kind of intimacy on the platform—because there is a detail you can get into when it is long-format storytelling. The kind of longevity that streaming offers is a gift for an artist—it is a creative playground with no school bell.” When asked what his message is for Indian creators who try to take their content to a global audience, Ted said, “If you try to engineer something to be global, you end up making it for no one. The stories that travel the farthest—the ones that truly resonate beyond borders—are always the most locally authentic. Nothing will work outside of India if it isn’t loved within India first.” Saif Ali Khan’s work front Saif Ali Khan is currently seen in his recently released heist film Jewel Thief. During the film’s promotions, the actor confirmed that he has signed a new project with acclaimed filmmaker Priyadarshan, where he will be portraying the role of a blind man. Known for remaking several Malayalam films in Hindi, Priyadarshan’s next project is also speculated to be a remake of Oppam. About WAVES Summit WAVES will integrate films, OTT, gaming, comics, digital media, AI, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and emerging tech, and seeks to present itself as a comprehensive showcase of India’s media and entertainment prowess. The summit, being held at the Jio World Convention Centre, aims to unlock a USD 50 billion market by 2029, expanding India’s footprint in the global entertainment economy.
03 May,2025 05:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWith the trend of sequels being received well by the audience, Ajay Devgn's Raid 2 has joined the list and is already becoming one of the most loved films. It has been just two days since the movie released in theatres, and the box office numbers of the Riteish Deshmukh and Ajay Devgn starrer are already speaking volumes. After a thunderous opening on Day 1 with a Rs 19.25 crore collection, it minted about Rs 11.50 crore on Day 2. According to a Sacnilk report, the movie has managed to earn a total of over Rs 31 crore in just two days of its release. While it was expected that the movie's collection would witness a dip on Day 2 considering it was a working day, the evening shows made up for the deficit. With strong word of mouth, the movie saw an increase in overall Hindi occupancy, reaching 19.23% on Day 2, and ticket sales are expected to rise further over the weekend. Raid 2 is the 3rd-highest opener of 2025 After Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, which minted Rs 31 crore, and Salman Khan’s Eid release Sikandar, which raked in Rs 26 crore, Ajay Devgn gave a boost to the box office with his second installment. The superstar once again cemented his status as the undisputed sequel king, with footfalls expected to surge over the weekend for this edge-of-the-seat crime thriller. Director Raj Kumar Gupta on Ajay vs Riteish On working with Ajay and Riteish, Raj Kumar was all praise for them. He told ANI, "They both are fabulous actors. They both liked the script and immediately agreed to work on the film. Truly loved working with them as they both delivered a dhamakedar performance. The audience will love their face-off." About Raid 2 Helmed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid 2 is anticipated to be the most engrossing entertainer of the year. The film also stars Vaani Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor, Supriya Pathak, and Amit Sial. It is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak, and Krishan Kumar. The film is presented by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series and is a Panorama Studios production. Raid 2 released theatrically on 1st May 2025.
03 May,2025 04:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPresident of the Bengaluru city district unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) - a pro-Kannada organisation lodged a police complaint against singer Sonu Nigam, saying that his statements have deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community, incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka, and are likely to provoke violence. This complaint was lodged against the renowned singer Sonu Nigam for allegedly making objectionable and emotionally provocative statements during a musical event held on April 25- 26 at East Point College of Engineering and Technology, Virgonagar, Bengaluru, which falls under your police station's jurisdiction. Dharmaraj A, President of the Bengaluru City District Unit of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, submitted the complaint. "This complaint is lodged against the renowned singer Shri Sonu Nigam for making objectionable and emotionally provocative statements during a musical event held on April 25, 26, at East Point College of Engineering and Technology, Virgonagar, Bengaluru, which falls under your police station's jurisdiction. His statements have deeply hurt the sentiments of the Kannadiga community, incited hatred among various linguistic communities in Karnataka, and are likely to provoke violence. A video of Shri Sonu Nigam's statement has gone viral, causing widespread outrage among millions of Kannadigas across the state," reads the complaint. "On April 25, 26, during a musical event at East Point College, it is reported that a student requested Sonu Nigam to sing a Kannada song. In response, Nigam made an objectionable statement, saying, "Kannada, Kannada, Kannada, this is exactly why the incident happened in Pahalgam." He referenced the terrorist attack that occurred in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, where 26 tourists were killed. By linking a simple request to sing a Kannada song to a terrorist act, Nigam insulted the Kannadiga community and equated their cultural pride and linguistic identity with violence and intolerance," the complaint further said. These statements were recorded in a video that has gone viral on social media and has been reported by various news channels, leading to widespread anger among Kannadigas and raising concerns about potential attacks on Kannadigas in different parts of the country. "Shri Sonu Nigam's statements are objectionable, divisive, and harmful to communal harmony. They violate the following sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023." The complaint further reads, "Sonu Nigam's statements have caused severe distress to the Kannadiga community. By equating a simple cultural request to sing a Kannada song with a terrorist act, Shri Nigam has portrayed Kannadigas as intolerant or violent, which is contrary to their peace-loving and harmonious nature. His statement risks sparking linguistic unrest in Karnataka, a state known for its diversity. Coming from a public figure like Shri Sonu Nigam, who has a vast following, such statements create a negative perception of Kannadigas and foster division among communities, endangering communal harmony." "In this regard, I request that a complaint be registered against Shri Sonu Nigam under BNS Sections 352(1), 351(2), and 353 for promoting enmity, criminal defamation, and outraging linguistic sentiments, and that appropriate legal action be taken. I urge you to thoroughly investigate this incident, collect video evidence from the event, and record statements from witnesses present at East Point College on April 30, 2025, to ensure justice for the Kannadiga community and prevent such divisive statements in the future. "I am ready to fully cooperate during the investigation and provide additional information if required. I kindly request that you take immediate action on this serious offense to safeguard the harmony and unity of our society. Yours faithfully, Dharmaraj A., District President, Bengaluru District, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Bengaluru." Kannadigas and Kannada cinema artists are outraged against the singer on social media. Pro-Kannada organizations have demanded that Sonu Nigam apologize. The insistence on banning them has also been heard. Sonu Nigam has shown a lot of love for Kannada, so some of the fans also said that he must be given one more chance to apologize instead of banning. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 May,2025 08:12 AM IST | Bengaluru (Karnataka) | ANINirmal Kapoor, the mother of Anil Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, and Sanjay Kapoor passed away on April 2 at the age of 90. As the unfortunate news broke on the internet, several members of the film fraternity reached Nirmal's residence in Mumbai to offer their condolences to the Kapoor family. Filmmaker Karan Johar, veteran actor Anupam Kher, Rani Mukherjee, Jackie Shroff, Tabu, Raveena Tandon, Rasha Thadani, Ananya Pandey, Suhana Khan were spotted at Anil Kapoor's mother's home to pay their respect. Additionally, directors Rajkumar Santoshi and Anees Bazmee also visited the residence to offer their condolences. Also, celebrated writer Javed Akhtar, along with Rumi Jaffery and yesteryear actress Padmini Kolhapure were seen coming out of Nirmal's residence. Janhvi Kapoor, her rumored beau Shikhar Pahariya, Shanaya Kapoor, and Anshula Kapoor were also seen at the premises, along with other members of the Kapoor clan. If the reports are to be believed, Nirmal's last rites will take place tomorrow May 3 at the Pawan Hans Crematorium, Mumbai. However, no official confirmation from the family members has been received yet. According to Dr Santosh Shetty, CEO and Executive Director of the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Nirmal passed away peacefully at the hospital around 5.25 pm on Friday. Nirmal was reportedly in and out of the hospitals in the recent past because of age-related issues. She is survived by her three sons- Boney, Anil, and Sanjay, and daughter Reena Marwah, who is married to the founder of AAFT in NOIDA, Sandeep Marwah. Nirmal was married to well-known film producer Surinder Kapoor. She is also the grandmother of Arjun Kapoor, Anshula Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Harshvardhan Kapoor, Shanaya Kapoor, and Mohit Marwah. Nirmal celebrated her 90th birthday in September 2024, and Anil, Boney, and Sanjay penned heartfelt birthday wishes for their mother. They also shared some unseen family photographs with her on Instagram. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 May,2025 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | IANSBollywood actors Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, and film producer Boney Kapoor's mother, Nirmal Kapoor, passed away at 90. According to reports, she breathed her last at 5:45 PM on Friday at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. She had been facing difficulties on the health front for the past couple of months. She is survived by her three sons, a daughter, and their families. Nirmal was the grandmother of actors Arjun Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Mohit Marwah, Harshvardhan Kapoor, and Shanaya Kapoor. Sandeep Marwah is her son-in-law. Kapoor family at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital In the videos shared by the paparazzi, Boney and Shanaya were spotted at the hospital along with Rhea Kapoor's husband and filmmaker Karan Boolani. Janhvi was also spotted with her boyfriend, Shikhar Pahariya. Nirmal Kapoor's funeral will take place on Saturday, May 3, at 11:30 AM at Vile Parle Crematorium, Pawan Hans, S.V. Road, Mumbai, as per the details shared by the Kapoor family. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Family issues statement Kapoor family issues statement after the demise of Nirmala Kapoor. Boney Kapoor took to his social media to share the news of his mother's passing, attaching the family's heartfelt message. The filmmaker shared a picture that included a photograph of young Nirmala along with a statement that reads, "Passed away peacefully on the 2nd of May, 2025, surrounded by her beloved family. She lived a full and joyful life, leaving behind four devoted children, loving daughters-in-law, a caring son-in-law, eleven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a lifetime of treasured memories." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Boney.kapoor (@boney.kapoor) The note further concluded, "Her generous spirit and boundless love touched all who knew her. She will remain in our hearts—forever cherished, forever missed. Boney, Anil, Reena, Sanjay, Sunita, Sandeep, Maheep, Mohit, Akshay, Sonam, Arjun, Rhea, Harshvardhan, Anshula, Janhvi, Shanaya, Khushi, Jahaan, Antara, Anand, Aashita, Karan, Thea, Vayu, Ayra, Yuvaan." Sharing the statement, Boney captioned it, “Maa (pensive face emoji).” Soon after his post, several social media users left condolences.
03 May,2025 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIs it happening? Is it not? For over a year, Saif Ali Khan has been in talks with filmmaker Priyadarshan to adapt the Malayalam movie, Oppam (2016), for the Hindi audience. Now, the actor’s plan has finally materialised. Last week, the makers issued a public notice in a film trade magazine, announcing that they have acquired the adaptation rights of the Mohanlal-starrer that was helmed by Priyadarshan. With this, the actor-director duo has set the stage for their remake, which, mid-day has learnt, will go on floors by the year-end. Priyadarshan So, what exactly is the Malayalam action thriller all about? Produced by Antony Perumbavoor, it tells the story of Mohanlal’s Jayaraman, who is visually challenged, but has a heightened sense of smell, hearing, and touch. When a retired judge is murdered by a man he had wrongly put behind bars, Jayaraman takes it upon himself to protect the judge’s daughter. An insider shares that Khan was in talks with Priyadarshan and Oppam’s producers since 2023. “In the months that followed, Saif began shooting for Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins, and Priyadarshan got busy with his movies. Now, the actor has not only acquired the rights, but also chalked out the shoot dates. The director has started working on the script. The shoot will begin by 2025-end after Saif completes director Rahul Dholakia’s next, and Priyadarshan wraps up Bhooth Bangla with Akshay Kumar and Tabu,” reveals the insider. (From left) Meenakshi and Mohanlal in Oppam Joining Khan in the remake as the antagonist would be Bobby Deol, who is enjoying a successful second innings in Bollywood. Interestingly, Samuthirakani, who portrayed the villain in the original, is also expected to play a pivotal role. But before the cast faces the camera, Khan will dive into intense prep. A key part of the prep would be picking up Kalaripayattu. The source adds, “Saif will take a two-month break after Rahul’s movie, during which he will undergo workshops on playing a blind character. After that, he will head out to Kerala to train in Kalaripayattu, as his character is shown as a skilled martial artist. Saif and Bobby will also sport distinct looks in the movie.”
03 May,2025 07:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRRaid 2U/A: Drama, thrillerDir: Raj Kumar GuptaCast: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani KapoorRating: 3/5 Not that Raid 2 has a sutradhaar (narrator) — but a cute, portly prison inmate, Tau, played by Saurabh Shukla, appears at regular intervals, to drop truth bombs. One such is to a flunky cop in jail, who sucks up to him: “Lamba kheloge. Chaatne ki kala hai [tumme], chaato, Girdhari!” Making the point about how a sure-shot way to tell a middling underling is they make up for their mediocrity,by lauding their supposed superior, always. Likewise, he suggests, politicians never get caught for their crimes. Unless, it’s an inside job. Who is this Tau, otherwise unrelated to the rest of the film? For that, you will have to vividly remember Raj Kumar Gupta’s Raid (2018), the prequel to this picture. Which was essentially about an income tax (IT) raid, set in 1981, Lucknow, netting a top UP don. That was Saurabh Shukla (Rameshwar Singh/Rajaji/Tau). Raid was based on a true story, detailing what perhaps still remains the longest IT raid conducted on a private individual. By the looks of it (and I could be wrong here), Raid 2 isn’t adapted from an actual episode.Or at least not one such, anyway; maybe a bunch of them. What remains in common, of course, is Ajay Devgn as the IT sleuth, in hot pursuit of black money, hidden by a prominent/popular heartland politician. It’s been eight years since. The prime minister is evidently VP Singh (it was Indira Gandhi in the first part). The lead character, it seems, has got himself a new wife (Vaani Kapoor switched over from Ileana D’Cruz)! But his reason of existence remains the same. This gent is Amay Patnaik that in itself is such a non-filmy name — with Devgn, in shirt, trousers, Relaxo-type floaters, hardly ever allowing his heroic swag to overwhelm this government-servant character—that, as an audience, you subconsciously stay with his sincerity, all through. And he never lets you down onscreen. What’s kinda unclear to me is the size of his opponent. In the sense that the film starts off in Rajasthan, 1989, with the action shifting to a town called Bhoj, where the honest sarkari hero is on his 74th transfer. If I’m not mistaken, Bhoj is a small-town in Karnataka. This one is perhaps fictional — lorded over by one man, who runs/owns practically the entire town, including its people. Riteish Deshmukh smartly plays this excessively sober politician (as most politicians actually are) — so powerful, that the state government runs on his borrowed MLAs; while, if I saw right, he’s also a member of parliament! In the real world, this would be a mismatched David vs Goliath kinda story. What follows, however, is a Tom & Jerry chase, with both protagonist and antagonist inevitably turning a corner — turning the film, in turn, into a proper thriller. Raid 2 is an action-packed film. Yet, not one knuckle gets broken, with neither lead-bloke swinging in the air, in multiple directions! It’sthe form of sorted theatrical writing that we seem to be progressively moving away from — heading instead towards stunts for stunts’ sake. You needn’t pour blood to hold people’s attention, right? And director Gupta (No One Killed Jessica, Aamir) gets this right. So far as the genre is concerned, it’s certainly a comeback of sorts for him since India’s Most Wanted (2019). Which, in a similarly realisticspace, felt relatively underwhelming. What was the impact of the OG Raid? One tends to over-judge movies by their consumer reviews, and more so, box-office numbers. I recently met a young Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, who actually joined the service, because he was so influenced by this pic’s prequel! Would you imagine? I’ve got to learn a lot more about how honest IRS officers operate from him. And my sense is, as bureaucrats like Amay in this movie show — they do have the freedom to act (against the immeasurably corrupt). In some cases, there may not be much freedom after the act! Going back to ‘truth bomb’ Tau’s line in this film, when the lead character has been suspended from service for going after a big cat, “For a khuddar/self-respecting man, worse than going to jail is living off your parents-in-law!” Amay does. Why have I incessantly compared this sequel to the original that was so much more an indoorsy, talkie drama, though? Because the filmmakers expect you to — repeating so many of the tropes/characters, as tributes, that some may feel like they’re like watching a rehash, or the second season of the same show. They aren’t mistaken in their view. It could also be a compliment. But this stuff is suitably different in its sameness. It belongs more to post-pandemic cinemas of 2025. As in, written as two distinct halves — separated by an item song, and an interval. Wherein the second instalment is more about unleashing a separate lot of characters for comedy, thriller, mystery… Bloating up the script a bit much after half-time, hence — to make it all the more accessible to wider audiences. Yes, it’s a stretch. But all of it serving the purpose of popular entertainment. So, no sweat. No sweat at all!
03 May,2025 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Mayank ShekharThe winning spirit Prabhas and Deepika Padukone Deepika Padukone is all set to make a comeback after her maternity break and seems like she is going to be all packed till the end of 2026. Along with King with Shah Rukh Khan. Now she will apparently also star in Telugu star Prabhas’s Spirit, which is being directed by filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The two stars had earlier collaborated for Kalki 2898 AD (2024). According to reports, Deepika seems to be keen on Spirit for its well-written and nuanced female lead role. However, reports suggest that she had initially turned down the offer due to her pregnancy, but agreed after the shooting timeline was revised in a way that she could get back on sets after completing her maternity break. The film will reportedly go into production in October, with a release planned for the first half of 2027. She is also prepping for the second instalment of Kalki. Running to the bank Shraddha Kapoor After the success of Stree 2 (2024), Shraddha Kapoor seems to be flooded with offers. For her next, she has apparently signed a standalone woman-led film with producer Ektaa Kapoor. We have learnt that the project will be helmed by Rahi Anil Barve and will go on floors in the second half of 2025. According to reports, Shraddha is commanding a fee of R17 crore for the film. A boost for content makers Ashwini Vaishnaw At the summit, the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) was launched to place India on the global Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) map. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “The institute has already commenced operations.” The IICT is being set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with global tech players like NVIDIA, Google, and Apple on board. The institute will have cutting-edge facilities, including gaming and animation labs, and virtual production set-up. A 10-acre dedicated campus at Film City is planned for phase two. Vaishnaw added, “It is poised to create vast opportunities for young creators, technologists, and entrepreneurs.”
03 May,2025 07:06 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamAfter reports of Shah Rukh Khan and Kiara Advani making their MET Gala debut surfaced in the media, it seems like global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas might also make a magnificent return to the prestigious fashion event on May 5. The former Miss World will sashay in style at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York after giving it a miss last year. Priyanka Chopra to mark her glorious return to the MET A source informed Mid-day, Priyanka will attend the MET Gala 2025 with Olivier Rousteing of Balmain. She is expected to don a powerful couture look, styled with an exquisite piece from Bvlgari’s newest high jewellery collection. A perfect blend of cinematic royalty and fashion authority. According to People magazine, this year, the event will celebrate the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' inspired by Monica L. Miller's book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The exhibit will feature a range of garments, paintings, photographs, and more, exploring the indelible style of Black men in the context of dandyism. Priyanka to be honoured at 4th annual Gold House Gala Priyanka will be felicitated alongside Jon M. Chu, Megan Thee Stallion, and Ang Lee. This year, the Gold Gala will take place on May 10 at the Music Centre in Downtown Los Angeles. Over 600 guests are expected to convene. Priyanka will receive the inaugural Global Vanguard Honor for her unprecedented 25-year career bridging Asian Pacific and Western cultures through acclaimed work across Hindi cinema and Hollywood, as well as her continual elevation of underrepresented voices. Priyanka Chopra’s work front Priyanka is finally gearing up for her comeback to the Indian screens. She will star in SS Rajamouli’s untitled next with Mahesh Babu. ‘SSMB29’ will mark the former Miss World’s return to Indian cinema after six years. She was last seen in the 2019 film The Sky Is Pink. On the Hollywood end, Priyanka is busy filming the next season of her series 'Citadel' also has other exciting projects lined up, including 'Heads of State' alongside Idris Elba and John Cena, as well as a role as a 19th-century Caribbean pirate in 'The Bluff'.
02 May,2025 05:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent“Why is Bollywood failing at the box office?” is a question that echoes in every corner of the Hindi film industry today. Barring a few hits— one can count on their fingertips— Bollywood continues to struggle to get on its feet after suffering the Covid-19-caused blow five years ago. Inadvertently, it has become a talking point at the ongoing WAVES Summit, where superstars and producers Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan have shared solutions to the problem. Aamir Khan bats for more theatres A day after Shah Rukh called for an increase in the number of cinema halls in India, Aamir broke down how it’s unfortunate that for a hugely populated country like India, there were at most 10,000 screens available to watch movies. “In the US, which is one-third of our population, they have 40,000 screens, and China has 90,000 screens! In the 10,000 that we have, half are in the South and the other in the rest of the country. So for a Hindi film, there are only 5000 screens available,” he said. Aamir said it’s shocking that for a cinema-loving country, several districts have no theatres. “Our biggest hits over the years have had a footfall of merely three and a half crore people, which is just two percent of our population. So, where is the remaining 98 percent watching our films? We need to have a lot more theatres in India. There are so many districts that don't have a single theatre to watch films. So, I am from a place which has no cinema halls. I might read about a film online, but I will never get to watch it. This is one of our biggest issues, which we have been facing over the decades. India's huge potential can be realised if we have that many screens," he said. Need a longer window between theatrical and OTT releases Not just that, Aamir feels the industry needs to look at another business model, which he calls “faulty”. The actor spoke about the need for a longer window between theatrical and OTT release of a film. Aamir said the current window of eight weeks makes no sense to him as it only encourages the audience to wait for two months after a film’s release to catch it on an OTT platform, which he/she has already subscribed to for a year. “Earlier, films would come to theatres, and a year after that on satellite. Then it became eight months, and later six months. So, I had a choice. I can either watch films in theatres or wait six months and watch on satellite. Now, what’s happening is, let’s take this bottle in my hand, and imagine you are told, ‘Please buy this bottle right now or I will drop the bottle at your home after eight weeks.’ This is a business model we are currently following. If I have to be honest to my audience while marketing my film, I have to tell them, ‘Guys, my film is releasing, but all those people who have bought subscriptions to a particular OTT platform have already bought my film. They don’t need to come to the theatres. Those who are not on any OTT platform, please come and watch my film.’ This is the communication I will have to have with my audience, and it’s very awkward. So, this window between theatrical and OTT release is too small. You are killing your own business. In a price-sensitive country like India, this is a big deal. We need to look into it,” he said. Aamir said it doesn’t matter whether a film is good or bad; it will be killed by the current business model. “When we (film artistes) meet, we have this discussion, 'Why are our films not doing well?' I say, ‘Hello! You are telling your audience to not come.’ The quality of the film is a separate topic. Whether your film is good or bad, this business model doesn’t make sense to me. If I make a very good film, this business model still doesn’t make sense to me. The current business model is faulty.”
02 May,2025 05:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
