Hindi
Paathshala lacks good script, Phoonk 2 good direction
MUMBAI: Two films from two diagonally opposite genres release on the same day and walk the diagonally opposite course to the box-office.
While Eros‘ Paathshaala is an emotional drama that sets out to tackle social issues, Ram Gopal Varma‘s Phoonk 2 is a supernatural film.
A timely movie, Paathshaala comes at a time when commercialisation has taken over the educational system and immoral and unethical practices are rampant, affecting young minds.
The film opened to a mixed response, with some multiplexes registering 40 per cent footfalls, while at some occupancy was lower than expected.
But for the screenplay that goes out of touch towards the end, the film could have stood a chance for a tax-free tag.
The second release, Phoonk 2, fails to muster the right opening. A sequel always comes with a bigger baggage and people hope a lot out of it, since its original was successful.
But the RGV venture lacks the chills, thrills and screams that were the mainstay of the first version.
Though the film is well-written, director Milind Gadagkar fails to handle the film properly. Phoonk 2 is a good idea but goes down the drain and fails to be remembered.
Though we have six films – Muskura Ke Dekh Zara, Crime Partner, Apartment, Do Dilo Ke Khel Mein, Mumbai 118 and Kuch Kariye – lined up for this Friday, no business is likely because of the last four IPL matches being shown in multiplexes in 3D from 22 April.
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.
