Hindi
Marathi film Baaangdya to have world premiere at Cannes
MUMBAI: Marathi film Baangdya that centers around the plight of widows of farmers will have its world premiere at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival that goes underway from 12 to 23 May.
Baangdya, shot entirely in black and white, brings forth the colourless life of farmers’ widows in India.
Said director Kedar Jape, “It‘s a great feeling that my first film has been selected for the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. This is an acknowledgement to my cast and crew who worked hard to make this film possible.”
Baangdya revolves around a small village girl Chingi who loves to play with bangles. She finds out that her father had committed suicide and her mother is also on her way to do the same. The film tracks the girl‘s struggle to save her only parent and in the process reality about farmers is revealed.
‘Farmer suicide is a burning and socially relevant issue. These people suffer a lot and my film is an effort to create awareness about their plight not only at the domestic level but also at a global platform. This is a cause which is very close to my heart. I feel that through Cannes it will get represented all over the world,‘ Jape declares.
Talking about how tough it was to raise funds for the film Jape says, “I discussed my story idea with many people across the globe. Many of them responded positively by contributing small amounts. I am happy for those who supported me and showed their trust in me.”
Jape plans to take Baangdya that features Maithili Kadam, Madhugandha Kulkarni, Manoj Aacharya, and Hitendra Upasni to other film festivals as well.
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.
