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Lights, camera, little action: ‘Bell Bottom’, ‘Chehre’ yet to pull crowds

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Two back-to-back big releases — Akshay Kumar’s ‘Bell Bottom’ and the Amitabh Bachchan star vehicle, ‘Chehre’, both well-received by critics — may have buoyed the spirits of film exhibitors, but their box-office collections have been far from encouraging.

‘Bell Bottom’, which was released on August 19, according to trade analysts, has grossed Rs 18.55 crore till date. Compare this with the Rs 64.99 crore collected in its opening weekend by ‘Good Newzz’ (with Diljit Dosanjh), Akshay’s last film before the first nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. And that was far less than the extended opening weekend earnings — Rs 97.56 crore — of the other big 2019 film, ‘Mission Mangal’.

A number of factors have contributed to this significant drop in earnings: cinema theatres are still under lockdown in Mumbai and Pune, depriving Bollywood of 25 per cent of its revenues; the requirement in a number of malls for patrons to produce double vaccination certificates before being allowed in, which is affecting attendance in theatres located in malls; and, significantly, the closure of 1,500 single screens across India because of the pandemic-induced economic stress.

On ‘Chehre’, which opened on Friday, the analysts were not very bullish about box-office figures. Karan Taurani of Elara Capital predicted that it would make a “lifetime collection” of Rs 5-6 crore because of its “niche” storyline that only a “discerning audience” would appreciate.

Taurani also pointed out that collections have been low because of “very low occupancy in morning shows and night shows not being allowed”. He also blamed the low occupancies forced by social distancing norms being in force. Also, over the last eight days, barring this past Sunday, which did see a spike in Delhi as a result of Raksha Bandhan festivities, attendance in theatres was at an all-time low across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Exhibitors, however, are cautiously optimistic about their business coming back to life, even if partially, because of ‘Bell Bottom’ and ‘Chehre’.

Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Limited, said in a conversation with IANS: “Post the reopening of cinemas after the second wave, ‘Bell Bottom’ was the first big Bollywood movie to have hit the big screen. And it has done reasonably well within the restrictions in capacity, show limitations and weekend closures.”

He also emphasised the lockdown still in place for cinema theatres in “major markets such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.”

The sentiment was share by Rajender Singh Jyala, Chief Programming Officer, INOX Leisure.

Speaking to IANS, he said: “We have always said that the industry needed a couple of mass entertainers to kick off the recovery process, and we are glad that these have arrive and are doing phenomenally well, despite the restrictions.”

“We positively hope that the momentum built by the fantastic response to ‘Bell Bottom’ in the week gone by, and the hype around ‘Chehre’, would mark the onset of our revival journey.”

For Dutta, more than the initial numbers, it is the momentum that matters. He said to IANS: “We are encouraged by the release of the long-awaited ‘Chehre’ today. Hope this will encourage producers from the Bollywood fraternity to announce their big films for theatrical release and get movie-goers back to cinemas.”

Bollywood

Ajay Devgn’s ‘Dhamaal 4’ gets a release date, movie to hit theatres on July 10, 2026

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Mumbai, June 10: The makers of ‘Dhamaal 4’ have officially announced the theatrical release date of the much-awaited comedy entertainer.

Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn on Wednesday, shared a brand-new poster from the film, revealing that the latest installment of the popular ‘Dhamaal’ franchise will arrive in cinemas on July 10, 2026.

Earlier on Tuesday Ajay had shared another poster that featured Ajay Devgn himself and veteran actor Sanjay Mishra hanging precariously from a rocky cliff as they appear to be on a treasure hunt.

Sharing the poster on, Ajay wrote, “Inn dono ka hai ek hi goal, to get their hands on gold.”

Directed by Indra Kumar, Dhamaal 4 will bring back the franchise’s signature blend of slapstick humour, treasure hunts and larger-than-life comic situations.

The film stars Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, Jaaved Jaaferi and Sanjay Mishra in key roles.

The ensemble cast also includes Esha Gupta, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Anjali Anand, Upendra Limaye, Vijay Patkar and Ravi Kishan.

For the uninitiated, Dhamaal franchise began with the 2007 hit Dhamaal, followed by Double Dhamaal in 2011 and Total Dhamaal in 2019.

Produced by Ajay Devgn, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Ashok Thakeria, Indra Kumar, Anand Pandit and Kumar Mangat Pathak, Dhamaal 4 is presented by T-Series in association with Devgn Films, Maruti International and Panorama Studios.

Earlier, Riteish Deshmukh had also unveiled a quirky new character poster from the upcoming comedy entertainer. The poster showed Riteish hanging precariously from a cliff edge in the middle of a dense jungle while a frightened Anjali Anand is seen struggling to hold on to him. Adding to the chaos, a monkey is seen swinging nearby and a snake is wrapped around his leg.

Sharing the poster, Riteish wrote, “Get ready to join the most unplanned and unstoppable treasure hunt ever”.

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Actor Salim Kumar under expert medical supervision in Kochi hospital

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Actor Salim Kumar under expert medical supervision in Kochi hospital Kochi, June 6 Popular Malayalam actor and National Award winner Salim Kumar has been admitted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi following health related concerns. The 56-year-old actor, who had been undergoing treatment for various health issues over the past few days, has been placed on ventilator support after doctors assessed his condition to be serious. A team of specialist doctors of the hospital is closely monitoring Salim Kumar’s health and continuing treatment. However, hospital authorities and family members have not released detailed information about his present medical condition.

Salim Kumar has been facing liver-related health issues for the past few years. The actor had earlier spoken about being diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and clarified that the condition was not related to alcohol consumption but was a hereditary health issue. He had revealed that his brother, who did not even consume tea, had also suffered from a similar condition.

Salim Kumar had also spoken about the emotional challenges he faced while dealing with his illness, including periods of isolation and personal struggles related to the deadly disease. Known for his exceptional comic timing and natural style of acting, Salim Kumar has been one of the most popular and versatile performers in Malayalam cinema. Starting his career with comedy roles, he later established himself as a serious actor through powerful character portrayals.

His performance in films across different genres earned him critical acclaim, and he went on to win the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’. He has also been recognised with several state and film awards for his contribution to Malayalam cinema. The news of his hospitalisation has led to an outpouring of support from colleagues, fans and well-wishers, who have expressed hope for his recovery. Known for his liking for the Congress party, the hugely popular actor has time and again come out in support of the party, especially during the election times.

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Bollywood

Don 3 Row: FWICE Withdraws Non-Cooperation Directive Against Ranveer Singh Following Legal Notice, Says ‘No One Has Won Or Lost’

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Actor Ranveer Singh received major relief in the ongoing Don 3 controversy, with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) officially withdrawing its non-cooperation directive against him. The decision was announced on Wednesday (June 3) after discussions involving several key industry bodies, including the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), the Producers Guild of India (PGI) and the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA).

The move comes days after FWICE issued the directive over Ranveer’s reported exit from Farhan Akhtar’s much-awaited film Don 3. The matter later escalated when the actor sent a legal notice to the organisation.

Speaking to reporters, FWICE president BN Tiwari confirmed that the directive had been revoked with immediate effect.

“We are taking back our non cooperative directive from immediate effect after a request by IMPAA, the producers’ guild and CINTAA. We have been told that we should all sit together with the producers’ body and take an appropriate decision where neither the producers and directors nor the actor face any issues,” FWICE president BN Tiwari told reporters in Mumbai, according to PTI.

Tiwari also clarified that the organisation does not view the development as a victory or defeat for either side. “No one has won or lost in this matter. Our legal department will respond to his legal notice,” he added.

The controversy began on May 25 when FWICE announced a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer following a complaint filed by Farhan and his producing partner Ritesh Sidhwani with the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA).

The matter was subsequently referred to FWICE for intervention.

According to reports, Don 3 has been in development for nearly three years and is yet to go on floors. The producers have reportedly claimed that more than Rs 45 crore has already been invested in the film’s pre-production process.

Amid the growing dispute, Ranveer Singh chose not to comment publicly on the issue. However, his spokesperson issued a statement emphasizing the actor’s respect for everyone associated with the project and the film industry.

“Throughout the recent developments surrounding ‘Don 3’, he has consciously chosen to maintain silence, believing that professional discussions and personal equations are best handled with dignity, maturity and mutual respect,” the statement said.

The spokesperson also stated that Singh continues to hold “deep respect and goodwill” for all those connected to the film and the industry.

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