Hindi
MS Sathyu’s Ijjodu releases today in Bangalore
BANGALORE: After a beak of 12 years, Mysore Srinivas Sathyu (M S Sathyu) returns to cinema with his Kannada film on the Devadasi theme ‘Ijjodu’, which has has released today.
Reliance Big Pictures (RBP) the producer and distributor of the film, has planned a small release in just five to six theaters in Bangalore initially. RBP expects the film’s popularity to spread by word-of-mouth. Depending upon the fate of the film in Bangalore, the film will be released in other cities in Karnataka.
Ijjodu has been screened at four domestic film festivals and has already received immense critical acclaim.
Reliance BIG Pictures CEO Sanjeev Lamba said, “Ijjodu not only marks the return of a director par excellence but also explores a social practice which has officially been banned from our society. Reliance Big Pictures is proud to be associated with such meaningful cinema.”
The film, scripted by Sathyu himself, has noted South Indian actress Meera Jasmine playing the female lead “Chenni”. Meera was the recipient of the National Award in 2004. The film also stars popular Kannada actor Aniruddha Jatkar as the male protagonist. The film’s music has been composed by Manikanth Kadri and cinematography is by GS Bhaskar.
The sound rights for the film have been purchased by Sony BMG.
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.
