Hindi
British actors union honours Dev Anand
MUMBAI: The late Dev Anand, the creator of a wide array of 35 films, has been conferred with an unprecedented honour by the British Actors Union, Equity.
In a gesture of sympathy and international solidarity, the British trade union for actors and entertainers has expressed the union`s sadness at the passing away of a non-union member: Dev Anand.
The statement was presented in the form of a letter of condolence signed by the President of Equity Christine Payne, its General Secretary Malcolm Sinclair, and the Chairman of the Minority Ethnic Members Committee Shiv Pande, a spokesperson of the Navketan Trust has bared.
“This letter is of tremendous significance as it demonstrates the international standing of the late Bollywood movie icon and pays tribute to Dev Anand`s lifelong contributions to the Indian film industry. This is the first time that an actor with no formal associations with Equity has been honoured in this way,” the spokesman said.
Dev Anand breathed his last at a London hotel on December 3 at the ripe age of 88. He was involved in landmark films like Guide, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Johnny Mera Naam and Jewel Thief.
Hindi
UFO Cine Media Network unveils ‘India’s biggest cinema moment ever’
Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic tipped to deliver rare pan-India scale for brands
MUMBAI: UFO Cine Media Network is pitching an upcoming dual-film release weekend as what it calls the largest advertising opportunity cinema has offered in India, banking on an estimated 100 million cumulative footfalls nationwide.
The initiative, branded “India’s Biggest Cinema Moment Ever”, is anchored around the simultaneous release of Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge and Toxic, two high-profile action films expected to dominate screens across regions and languages. Trade projections, supported by cinema measurement tool Procat, suggest the combined lifetime theatrical run could deliver one of the widest audience concentrations seen in recent years.
Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge, an India–Pakistan spy thriller, is set to release in five languages, broadening its appeal across northern and southern markets. The franchise has already built a sizable multilingual following through theatrical runs and streaming platforms. Toxic, fronted by pan-India star Yash, is expected to draw heavy footfalls across southern circuits and beyond, buoyed by the actor’s proven box-office pull.
UFO, which operates an in-cinema advertising network spanning more than 4,100 theatres, is positioning the release window as a rare moment of synchronised national attention. Its footprint covers multiplexes and single screens across over 1,500 towns and cities, allowing advertisers to deploy campaigns at scale during a single weekend.
Executives at the company argue that cinema’s value lies not just in reach but in attention. Unlike digital or television, audiences are captive, emotionally engaged and free from distraction, they say, translating into stronger recall and measurable returns for brands. With advertisers increasingly focused on performance-led media planning, UFO is framing the dual release as comparable in scale to India’s largest broadcast and sporting properties.
Industry observers note that as theatrical exhibition expands deeper into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, such tentpole weekends are becoming anchor moments for annual media strategies. If Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge and Toxic deliver as expected, the weekend could set new benchmarks not only for box office numbers, but also for cinema’s evolving role as a high-attention advertising medium.
