Hindi
No value for money
While the demonetisation affected film collections to an extent, the dropping temperatures are also affecting box office, especially in the North India, not to speak of poor quality of films made with no concern for content.
*Befikre did raise some expectations within the exhibitor community as well as the audience. Coming as it does after a prolonged dull period and a lineup of poor films, the combination of Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra’s direction after eight year gap and Ranveer Singh’s growing popularity meant value for money, scarce as it may be nowadays.
The film did not quite meet up with the expectations as it met with mixed reactions the first Friday first show onwards. The film lacked a clear concept as the whole length of the titles were attributed to couples kissing, not sparing even the toddlers from the act. The rest turned out to be a misplaced idea of the life of today’s youth; being in Paris can’t be an excuse for going berserk with youth in a relationship.
However, what helps the film is its controlled budget and the release period enjoying both, a solo release status as well as an additional holiday today (Eid E Milad). The film had fair number of footfalls on Friday early shows but showed a declining trend thereafter as the first day figure barley managed to cross double figure of Rs 10 crore. Saturday added over a crore compared to Friday figures while the Sunday sustained well as the film closed its opening weekend with Rs 34.35 crore..
*Kahaani 2, a poor attempt to use the title and the face of Vidya Balan from the successful franchise, Kahaani, backfires as the sequel turns the very character of Vidya topsy-turvy. The rest of the content also lacks coherence.
With an opening weekend of Rs 15.8 crore, the film adds only a little more in the remaining four days to end its first week with a total of Rs 23.8 crore. The film stands to lose at the box office.
*Dear Zindagi will be a losing proposal for its India theatrical distributor. The combined following of the rising star Alia Bhatt and the veteran star Shah Rukh Khan fails to work as the theme of the film as well as the pretentious approach don’t go down well with the audience.
The film adds Rs 14.1 crore in its second week to take its two week total to about Rs 58.3 crore.
Hindi
SC slams Neeraj Pandey over Ghooskhor Pandat title, orders rebrand
SC says film cannot release under current title, seeks new name by February 19.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has delivered a stern reality check to acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, directing a mandatory name change for his upcoming Netflix project, Ghooskhor Pandat. On Thursday, a bench comprising justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan made it clear that creative freedom does not grant a licence to denigrate specific communities.
The title, which translates to Bribe-taking Brahmin, sparked a firestorm of protest from groups arguing the name was a slur against the Brahmin caste. The court’s intervention has now pushed the production into a legal corner, requiring a complete rebranding before the film can be released.
The highlights of the hearing were the sharp observations made by the bench regarding modern filmmaking and social responsibility. Justice Nagarathna pointedly questioned the necessity of using provocative titles that could incite social friction.
“Being woke is one thing. But creating this kind of unrest when there is already unrest in the country… If you use your freedom to denigrate any section of society, we cannot permit it,” the justice remarked during the proceedings.
The court emphasized that the Constitutional principle of fraternity is just as important as the right to free speech. The bench suggested that filmmakers must be mindful of reasonable restrictions, especially when a title appears to target the dignity of a particular group.
Interestingly, this was not the filmmakers’ first encounter with the legal system over this project. Earlier in February, Netflix and Neeraj Pandey had already informed the Delhi High Court that they had made a conscious decision to change the title following the initial public outcry.
Despite this earlier admission, the Supreme Court felt it necessary to formalise the matter. The judges were firm that the film would not see a digital release under its original branding, expressing concern that equating a caste identity with corruption was a step too far for a diverse society.
“Why should any section of society be denigrated? We are not here to allow people to be insulted in the name of entertainment,” the bench noted, while issuing formal notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Representing the makers, counsel for Pandey and Netflix clarified that the word “Pandat” was intended as a colloquial nickname for the lead character, a gritty police officer played by Manoj Bajpayee, rather than a commentary on the priesthood or the Brahmin community.
Regardless of the intent, the court has demanded a formal commitment. Neeraj Pandey has been directed to file an affidavit by 19 February 2026, proposing a new title and confirming that the film’s content does not defame any community.
With the original trailers and social media teasers already scrubbed from the internet, the film is currently in a state of creative redesign. The industry is watching closely, as this ruling sets a significant precedent for how streaming platforms handle sensitive cultural labels in India.
