Hindi
3 Idiots records Rs 3.15 billion in 19 days
MUMBAI: 3 Idiots has stormed the box office, surpassing Aamir Khan‘s own previous mega hit Ghajini that had grossed Rs 2.6 billion.
The film has grossed Rs 3.15 billion worldwide in just 19 days, according to Reliance Big Pictures, the film‘s distributor.
In India, most multiplexes have added 14 to 21 new shows due to a huge rush for 3 Idiots.
Says Cinemax vice president marketing Devang Sampat, “3 Idiots has been doing wonderfully well. Till date there has not been a single show that hasn‘t sported a ‘house full‘ board much before the scheduled show. The film is set to break all records by being the highest grosser in at least 10 years.”
The second week occupancy of 3 idiots fell by a meagre 28 per cent, indicating its sustainable power in the fickle world of movies.
Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, “3 Idiots is unstoppable. That‘s the truth. No distributor, no trade expert can predict the business of this film.”
More than 60 million people have watched the film in theatres since its release on 25 December.
Says a media analyst, “After a long time, an Indian film has had such a large repeat audience.”
Produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots has also set a new benchmark for the Indian film industry in the global box office. It is the highest-grossing Indian film ever to release in the US, Middle East, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Kenya and Fiji.
Says Reliance Big Entertainment chairman Amit Khanna said, “3 Idiots has opened new vistas for the Indian film industry. The huge response across continents reinforces our belief that a well-made, well-exploited film can still create magic in the darkened auditorium. We are proud to be associated with Vinod, Aamir, Raju and the talented team of 3 Idiots.”
Hindi
Jio Studios, Sanjay Dutt team up to revive Khal Nayak
Rights acquired for new version, format under wraps as remake plans take shape.
MUMBAI: The villain is back and this time, he’s rewriting his own script. Jio Studios has partnered with Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Aspect Entertainment to revive the 1993 cult classic Khal Nayak, marking a fresh chapter for one of Bollywood’s most iconic anti-hero stories. The original film, directed by Subhash Ghai under Mukta Arts, was a commercial and cultural milestone, with Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Ballu becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable performances.
Dutt, along with Aksha Kamboj, has now acquired the rights from the original creators, bringing on board Jio Studios and its President Jyoti Deshpande to steer the project creatively.
While the exact format whether remake, sequel, prequel, or a completely new narrative remains undisclosed, the collaboration aims to reinterpret the story for contemporary audiences while retaining the essence that made the original a defining film of the 1990s.
The move taps into a broader industry trend of reviving legacy intellectual property, particularly characters with strong recall value. “Khal Nayak” was notable for pushing mainstream Hindi cinema into morally grey territory at a time when heroes were largely one-dimensional, making Ballu’s character a standout.
The project also marks the film production debut of Aspect Entertainment, signalling a push towards more technology-led storytelling frameworks. Meanwhile, Jio Studios continues to expand its slate, having built a library of over 200 films and series, with more than 60 titles collectively winning 500-plus awards.
For Dutt, the revival is as much personal as it is strategic, a return to a role that reshaped his career. For the industry, it is another sign that nostalgia, when paired with scale, remains a powerful box-office proposition.
Because in Bollywood, some villains never fade, they just wait for the perfect comeback.
