Hindi
Raavan runs into KFCC restrictions
MUMBAI: Karnataka is proving a tough nut to crack for filmmakers and distribution companies thanks to the state‘s policy of allowing restricted releases of non-Kannada films. After Kites, it is now the turn of the Mani Ratnam directed Hindi-Tamil films Raavan and Raavanan to run into rough weather with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC).
The film stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishekh Bachchan in the Hindi version and Vikram in the Tamil one. The KFCC has permitted Reliance Big Pictures to release the film in both its versions in only 24 screens in the old Mysore distribution area of Karantaka.
Reliance Big Pictures had contended that since the project was in two languages and with a different star cast it should not be considered as a single film but rather as two movies. And hence it should be permitted to release the films in 24 screens each.
“Raavan is a hugely mounted film and we would like the KFCC to liberalise its policy of restricting the release in a fixed number of theatres in Karnataka,” a letter from Big Pictures to KFCC had said. But the KFCC had turned down its contention and ordered it to keep it down to 12 for each language.
The distributors will be releasing the film in another 21 screens all over Karnataka, bringing it up to a total 45 screens for the state.
KFCC member and filmmaker Madhusudhan Reddy says that the chamber‘s decision was justified. “So what if the characters differ, the producer and director are the same,” he said. “A similar thing happened with me earlier when I was in a similar situation wanting to release the Kannada, Telugu and Tamil versions of my film Kuchelan where the leading men of all the three versions were different.” At least both the versions of Raavan are getting an opening here. Besides the Kannada version of my film, none of the other versions were allowed to release.”
Both the versions will have a simultaneous release on 18 June.
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.
