International
Spielberg’s Super 8 grosses $37 mn in US, tops box office
MUMBAI: Paramount‘s efforts to whip up a hype on the eve of the film‘s release seems to have paid off. After an aggressive eleventh hour marketing blitz by the production house, Steven Spielberg‘s Super 8 went on to gross $37 million at the domestic box office.
Overseas, the film grossed $6.7 million worldwide of which the biggest territory Australia helped the film gross $2.7 million.
Set in 1979, Super 8 tells the story of a group of kids who are filming a home movie when there‘s a violent train crash. When unexplained events start to threaten their town, they begin to suspect something inhuman escaped from the train.
Super 8, directed by J Abrams, had been the focus of intense speculation because of soft tracking and a marketing campaign that left the film‘s plot shrouded in mystery.
Ultimately, the film performed on par with sleeper-hit District 9 that opened to $37.3 million at the domestic box office in August 2009. Comparing the $12.2 million gross on Friday, the film grossed $14 million on Saturday.
“I think we accomplished what we set out to do. It was never positioned as a big blockbuster, but as a smaller movie,” Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore has been quoted to have said. “We used the sneaks to infuse the marketplace with great word-of-mouth, and it certainly looks like it paid off,” he added.
According to Paramount, Super 8 didn‘t need a big opening, since its production cost was $50 million, far less than other summer studio films. The movie played in 3,379 theatres, including 239 Imax locations. Grosses from Imax recorded $4.4 million, a strong start and representing 12 per cent of total earnings.
Super 8 held a comfortable lead over 20th Century Fox‘s X-Men: First Class, which grossed $25 million in its second weekend for a total of $98.9 million.
Overseas, First Class grossed $42.2 million with a worldwide total of $222.5 million.
Two films jumped the $200 million mark over the weekend at the domestic box office-Warner Bros.‘ The Hangover Part II and Disney‘s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Hangover II grossed an estimated $18.5 million for a domestic total of $216.6 million while the film‘s international total stood at $432.1 million.
On the other hand, On Stranger Tides grossed $10.4 million domestically to jointly tota $208.8 million. Overseas, the 3D film grossed $41.1 milion, bringing the film‘s international total to a massive $678 million and worldwide tally to $886.8 million.
DreamWorks Animation and Paramount‘s Kung Fu Panda 2 grossed $16.6 million in a total of $126.9 million. Overseas, the 3D toon grossed $56.5 million to jump the $200 million mark and end the weekend with a total of $205 million that brought the worldwide total to $331.9 million.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
