Hindi
Inauspicious period for films
MUMBAI: The tradition was that no films released during ‘shraaddh’ as it was considered inauspicious. The exhibitors, in such an event, had to feed the cinema halls with either repeat run of old hits or dubbed films from southern India. The tradition has been shelved in the new scheme of things.
The week saw numerous new film releases, most of them could not even manage a decent exploitation as in playtime. A few shows at odd times which, too, failed to draw footfalls in most cases.
*Of the new releases, Banjo, a musical about a street-side banjo player who has been noticed by an American talent scout, offered best hopes, if any, to the exhibitors to feed this dull period. However, the film did not have much to offer merit-wise to do well even in the best of periods. A routine story of an underdog, this musical lacked what was needed the most: hit music.
The film opened with a poor response with opening day collections barely managing to cross a crore-mark. Saturday remained as bad while Sunday improved only marginally. The film collected Rs 4.45 crore for its first weekend.
*Days of Tafree: In Class Out Of Class, a Hindi remake of the Gujarati hit, Chhello Divas, failed to repeat its success. This youth-oriented college campus fun film did not quite appeal to its target audience. In fact, there were no takers from day one as the collections showed. The film barely managed to collect Rs 50 lakh for its opening weekend.
*Parched, a critically acclaimed film, remains just that as the collections remained in the vicinity of Rs 50 lakh for its opening weekend.
*Dil Sala Sanki, Wah Taj, Chapekar Brothers flopped badly.
*Pink, which did well during its opening weekend, especially on Saturday and Sunday, started dropping on Monday to settle within the range such films have set: lifetime Rs 40-crore range. The film collected Rs 35.5 crore for its first week.
However, with all the new releases proving to be duds at the box office, the film’s collections stand to get a fillip in its second weekend.
*Raaz: Reboot could add little during the remaining four days after a poor opening weekend. The franchise was stretched a bit too far without caring for substance. The film ended its first week with a mere Rs 22.7 crore.
*Baar Baar Dekho added Rs 1.5 crore in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 27.6 crore.
*Freaky Ali collected Rs 1.25 crore in its second week taking its two week total to Rs 11.95 crore.
Hindi
Kridhan Infra enters film production with AI-led feature film
Infra firm debuts AI-powered film marking RSS centenary
MUMBAI: Kridhan Infra Limited is swapping hard hats for headsets. The infrastructure company has announced its entry into film production and media technology through its subsidiary, Kridhan Mediatech Private Limited, with the nationwide theatrical release of Shatak: Sangh Ke 100 Varsh, an AI-led feature film.
With Shatak, the company is not just stepping into cinema but staking a claim in what it describes as one of the world’s early full-length AI-driven feature films. Artificial Intelligence has been embedded across the creative and production process, from script visualisation and environment creation to modelling and production design.
The film commemorates 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, tracing defining moments, personalities and historical phases that shaped its journey. By combining archival storytelling with algorithm-powered creativity, the project attempts to blend heritage with high technology.
For Kridhan Mediatech, this is only the opening scene. The subsidiary’s broader ambition spans AI, CGI, virtual production systems and scalable content models for both theatres and digital platforms. The move signals a strategic diversification for Kridhan Infra, traditionally rooted in engineering and construction.
The timing aligns with India’s growing push to become a global AI powerhouse. At the 2026 AI Impact Summit, prime minister Narendra Modi urged innovators to design in India and deliver to the world. Kridhan Mediatech’s initiative positions itself squarely within that narrative, aiming to export technology-enabled storytelling beyond domestic audiences.
India’s media and entertainment industry, valued at over Rs 2.5 lakh crore, alongside a rapidly expanding AI economy projected to cross Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the coming years, offers fertile ground at the intersection of cinema and code.
“With Shatak, we proudly present one of the world’s first AI-led full-length feature films while marking our strategic entry into film production and media technology through our subsidiary,” the company said in a statement. “Our vision is to combine India’s rich narrative heritage with forward-looking innovation. This is just the beginning of building globally competitive, technology-enabled cinematic experiences.”
From infrastructure to imagination, Kridhan’s latest venture suggests that in today’s India, even storytelling can be engineered.
