Hindi
No big win at the BO
MUMBAI: The law of averages catches up with Emraan Hashmi as he delivers another mediocre film. Kissing scenes cannot salvage a bad film. Despite being a stolen idea from a 1973 Hollywood classic, The Sting, the film lacked in scripting and content.
Paresh Rawal made it a bit tolerable but not enough to salvage it commercially. Raja Natwarlal had a below average opening on Friday and dropped by about 20 per cent on Saturday which indicates total rejection. Its release with the onset of Ganesh festival was a bad idea. The film has ended its opening weekend with Rs 14.4 crore.
Other films released, Identity Card, Last Benchers and Trip To Bhangarh met with ‘No audience no show’ status at most centres.
Mardaani, the first ‘A’ only certified film from the Yash Raj banner, fails to generate audience enthusiasm. The film fared average at the box office, but seeing that it is an economically produced film and coming from Yash Raj, which has controlled releasing overheads, it should make the recovery stage. The film collected Rs 22.97 crore for its first week. It added another Rs 5.24 crore for its second weekend taking its ten day total to Rs 28.21 crore.
Singham Returns manages to collect Rs 21.8 crore in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 131.8 crore. Entertainment has collected Rs 1.55 crore in its third week to take its three week tally to Rs 63.1 crore.
Kick has added Rs 25 lakh in its fourth week to take its four week tally to Rs 226.35 crore.
Hindi
Edstead unveils ambitious H1 2026 content slate
New originals feature Adarsh Gourav in Northeast docu-series, Aditi Kotak in Next Class, and Adil Hussain in Stories of India.
MUMBAI: Edstead just dropped a content menu so rich it could make even the pickiest viewer say “encore” because when storytelling meets substance, the binge becomes inevitable. The fast-rising Mumbai-based studio, founded by Shekhar Bhattacharjee, today revealed its H1 2026 slate, a bold expansion of premium non-fiction that blends cultural depth, innovation, and legacy into cinematic factual narratives. The lineup cements Edstead’s niche at the crossroads of authenticity and global appeal, delivering research-driven stories that stay rooted in the Indian experience while aiming for wider resonance.
Headlining the fresh originals:
- An untitled docu-series starring Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav, who journeys through Northeast India to spotlight living cultural traditions, indigenous voices, music, oral histories, and everyday resilience. Presented by Air India Express, with Dentsu Sports and Entertainment as integration partner.
- Next Class, an eight-episode impact series fronted by entrepreneur and former Miss India Aditi Kotak, decoding career pathways, emerging fields, and real-world outcomes through leading institutions and forward-thinking disciplines.
- Stories of India with Adil Hussain, India’s first weekly OTT series dedicated to social impact, profiling organisations driving meaningful change and connecting purpose with tangible results.
- Toast to Tomorrow, exploring how leading alcohol brands craft immersive, culture-led experiences that celebrate regional identities and redefine legacy.
- No Cap Abroad – UAE Edition, following Indian students through their first week at UAE colleges—navigating homesickness, culture shock, and independence in a heartfelt coming-of-age tale.
Edstead is also returning with expanded seasons of breakout hits, The Future School (progressive Indian education), Molecules of Hope (healthcare innovation), and Great Indian Residential Schools.
Edstead founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee said, “At Edstead, we are focused on building narratives that carry depth, context, and long-term relevance. Every project begins with research and a clear purpose… Our ambition is to create globally competitive factual content from India that remains culturally grounded while shaping conversations, inspiring trust, and contributing to the growing culture economy.”
From education and healthcare to enterprise and cultural revival, the slate reflects Edstead’s full-stack approach developing original IPs and guiding them through a robust distribution network spanning digital, OTT, and broadcast. In a content world chasing quick trends, Edstead is quietly betting on stories built to last, ones that don’t just entertain, but linger long after the credits roll.
