Hindi
DD should reserve weekly slot for documentaries: Jahnu Barua
PANAJI: Noted filmmaker Jahnu Barua has demanded that pubcaster Doordarshan should reserve a weekly slot for short films so that these filmmakers get an outlet.
A lot of ground needs to be covered to propagate documentary film viewing in India, Barua said, adding that a movement needs to be built to create understanding of the short film format.
Barua feels that with the advent of technical ease, there is a spurt in short filmmaking but there is lack of awareness and outlets.
Barua, who is the president of Indian Documentary Producers Association, disclosed that IDPA was emphasizing the concept of documentary as education to generate interest among youth. In this connection many educational institutions are being contacted and are being provided technical support for promoting documentary film viewing. A Guwahati College will hold documentary film festival from 17th to 19th December, he said.
In a reply to a question on market for documentary, Barua said a lot of activities are taking place in avenues like Film Bazaar of IFFI, but he lamented the lack of interest by Indian buyers.
Association Vice-President Ramesh Tekwani underlined the growing market for content in emerging platforms like mobile phones. However, he was emphatic that without a viable plan for financial returns, the movement will not reach the desired level. He expressed concern that Indian television channels have not developed a viable system of commissioning documentaries. Due to its fragmented nature, it is increasingly difficult to measure the economic contribution of documentaries in the content market, he added.
IDPA Goa coordinator Gurudas Kamat said there is rise in Goa’s participation in the short film centre of IFFI and the Association is undertaking a special drive to increase the membership of Goan filmmakers. He also said technical seminars on various aspects of filmmaking are also being organized in the educational institutes in the state.
Hindi
Dhurandhar the revenge storms past Rs 1,000 crore in a week, rewrites box office records
Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller sets fastest run to Rs 1,000 crore with record-breaking weekday hold
MUMBAI: The box office has a new juggernaut—and it is moving at breakneck speed. Dhurandhar the revenge has smashed past the Rs 1,000 crore mark worldwide in just a week, clocking a staggering Rs 1,088 crore and resetting the rules of the blockbuster game.
Backed by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, and directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy action sequel opened to the biggest weekend ever for an Indian film globally—and then refused to slow down. Unlike typical tentpole releases that taper off after Sunday, this one powered through the weekdays with rare muscle, posting Rs 64 crore on Monday, Rs 58 crore on Tuesday, Rs 49 crore on Wednesday and Rs 53 crore on Thursday.
The numbers stack up to a formidable first-week haul. India collections stand at Rs 690 crore nett and Rs 814 crore gross, while overseas markets have chipped in Rs 274 crore, taking the worldwide total to Rs 1,088 crore in just eight days.
The film’s opening weekend alone delivered Rs 466 crore, laying the foundation for what is now being billed as the fastest climb to the Rs 1,000 crore club in Indian cinema. Every single day of its first week has set fresh benchmarks, from the highest opening weekend to the strongest weekday hold—metrics that typically separate hits from phenomena.
A sequel to the earlier hit Dhurandhar, the film has not just built on its predecessor’s momentum but obliterated previous records, emerging as the biggest global blockbuster run by an Indian film to date.
At this pace, the film is not merely riding a wave—it is creating one.
