Hindi
Raajneeti is fourth largest release this year
MUMBAI: In a rather shaky box-office year, it is the political thriller Raajneeti that has made its way to the fourth largest release as it scoops up Rs 620 million in the opening weekend.
The Prakash Jha-directed movie trails behind Shah Rukh Khan‘s My Name Is Khan that netted Rs 850 million, Kites (Rs 650 million) and Housefull (Rs 640 million).
Produced jointly by UTV Motion Pictures and Walkwater Media, Raajneeti took home Rs 510 million from India where it released in 1900 screens.
The film made a total business of $315,048 in the UK, $916,446 in the US and $500,000 in the Gulf.
Raajneeti opened in 2200 screens globally compared to Rakesh Roshan‘s Kites that opened in 2500 screens.
Avers trade analyst Taran Adarsh, “The film did good business in multiplexes as well as single-screens in both smaller towns and big cities. Resultantly, the film garnered over 90 per cent collections. The audience feedback has been very good and the first week collection is bound to be excellent.”
Raajneeti has, thus, in its first weekend managed to clear of the Rs 550 million that was riding on it. “Having pre-sold the satellite TV and music rights at an additional revenue of Rs 220 million, the film will undoubtedly do surplus business,” says a trade analyst.
With the release of Mani Ratnam‘s Raavan only on 18 June, Raajneeti has two clear weeks to run free without real competition as small-time films Ek Second Jo Zindagi Ko Badal De and The Camp hit the screens this Friday.
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.
