Hindi
A flavour of north-east India at three-day festival of films, music and art
NEW DELHI: A festival of films and cultural heritage of the north-eastern states of India, ‘Fragrances from the North-East’, is to open in the capital from 22 August.
To be held between 22 and 24 August, the festival is being held at the Sirifort Auditorium by the Directorate of film festivals of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B).
The opening film of the festival will be Khawnglung Run (The Raid of Khawnlung) in the Mizo language. The 122 minute-long movie has been directed by Mapuia Chawngthu. The closing film will be RI: Homeland of Uncertainty in Khashi directed by Pradip Kurbah.
Other films being screened are: Yarwng in Kokborok by Joseph Pulinthanath; Phijigee Mani in Manipuri by O Gautam Singh; Sonam in Monpa by Ahsan Muzid and Ajeyo in Assamese by the renowned Jahnu Barua.
In addition, some other films will be screened about the north east states, each followed by a quiz about the region. These are Going the Distance in Nagmese/Digibeta by Tiainla Jamir; Bamboo Shoots by Steven Ao produced by the Satyajit Ray Film Institute in Kolkata; Kathaain Gorkhali/Bluray by Prashant Rasaily; and the closing film Ri.
It will open with a live programme by Papon along with his band The East India Company and close with Nise Meruno and Nagaland Singing ambassadors.
Moreover, it will also include an exhibition of paintings, exhibition-cum-sale of handicrafts and artifacts from the north east organised by the Culture Ministry and special north east food stalls representing cuisines from all eight states of north-east.
The film festival has been curated by veteran journalist and filmmaker Utpal Borpujari.
Hindi
Dhurandhar 2 hit by YouTube leak amid record box office run
Cam-rip surfaces online but blockbuster streak continues at record pace
MUMBAI: It has been a dramatic week for Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Even as the espionage thriller smashes box office records, a piracy scare briefly threatened to steal its thunder after a full-length version surfaced on YouTube.
The leak emerged on March 30 via a channel titled “A2z movie”, which uploaded what appeared to be a cam-recorded print of the film. Clocking in at nearly three hours and 49 minutes, the footage was reportedly blurry but complete enough to spark spoilers and fan outrage online.
Soon after, users on X began flagging the issue, explicitly naming the “A2z movie” channel in their posts while tagging the film’s makers and urging swift legal action. Fans of director Aditya Dhar and lead star Ranveer Singh were particularly vocal, helping the issue gain rapid traction.
Within hours, the video was taken down, likely through a mix of platform detection systems and intervention by producers Jio Studios and B62 Studios.
Despite the leak, the film’s theatrical run remains virtually unshaken. As of March 31, the sequel has raked in an estimated Rs 872.17 crore net in India, with worldwide collections soaring to Rs 1,392.23 crore. Its Hindi opening day alone brought in Rs 102.55 crore, setting a new benchmark.
In a notable milestone, the film has matched Pushpa 2 as the fastest Indian release to cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark globally, achieving the feat in just seven days.
Interestingly, the version leaked online is believed to be an earlier cut. Midway through its theatrical run, the makers issued revised prints after eagle-eyed viewers spotted a fleeting editing error involving a cameraman’s reflection. The corrected version now plays across cinemas, adding an unusual twist to the film’s release journey.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the high-stakes sequel stars Ranveer Singh alongside Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun. The film has drawn praise for its scale and action sequences, though some critics have pointed to its intense violence and layered political themes.
For now, piracy may have made noise, but it has not slowed the juggernaut. If anything, the episode underlines the film’s cultural grip, proving that even a leak cannot derail a box office storm already in full force.
