Hindi
Rajkumar Hirani receives Maestro award from Whistling Woods
MUMBAI: The Whistling Woods International (WWI) instituted Maestro Award 2009 was awarded to director Rajkumar Hirani for delivering three exceptional films with strong social messages that have resonated with audiences worldwide.
The awards were initiated to felicitate professionals who‘ve had an impactful career in the artistic or technical fields in the industry, subsequently raising the bar for young filmmakers.
It is interesting to note that Hirani conducted the first Master Class of 2010 at Whistling Woods International (WWI), Asia‘s largest Film, Television, Animation and Media Arts institute.
Hirani visited WWI to talk about his filmmaking experiences and learning the blockbuster of 2009, 3 idiots and the importance of pursuing education in what you love doing.
Talking to the WWI students about the important elements when making a film Hirani averred, “The most important thing is ‘scripting‘. If you have a good script, execution is simple. More time you spend on the script, you face fewer problems while making the movie. If you are spending a year fine-tuning the script, it is a good investment.
Pre-production and casting are also extremely critical. I advise students to plan in as much details as possible. Do all groundwork before commencing the shoot.” He also added, “Large film budgets are not necessarily a good thing. Lack of resources promotes innovation”.
Hirani had earlier directed films like Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai. He got his big break as film editor with Mission Kashmir.
Hindi
Dhurandhar the revenge storms past Rs 1,000 crore in a week, rewrites box office records
Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller sets fastest run to Rs 1,000 crore with record-breaking weekday hold
MUMBAI: The box office has a new juggernaut—and it is moving at breakneck speed. Dhurandhar the revenge has smashed past the Rs 1,000 crore mark worldwide in just a week, clocking a staggering Rs 1,088 crore and resetting the rules of the blockbuster game.
Backed by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, and directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy action sequel opened to the biggest weekend ever for an Indian film globally—and then refused to slow down. Unlike typical tentpole releases that taper off after Sunday, this one powered through the weekdays with rare muscle, posting Rs 64 crore on Monday, Rs 58 crore on Tuesday, Rs 49 crore on Wednesday and Rs 53 crore on Thursday.
The numbers stack up to a formidable first-week haul. India collections stand at Rs 690 crore nett and Rs 814 crore gross, while overseas markets have chipped in Rs 274 crore, taking the worldwide total to Rs 1,088 crore in just eight days.
The film’s opening weekend alone delivered Rs 466 crore, laying the foundation for what is now being billed as the fastest climb to the Rs 1,000 crore club in Indian cinema. Every single day of its first week has set fresh benchmarks, from the highest opening weekend to the strongest weekday hold—metrics that typically separate hits from phenomena.
A sequel to the earlier hit Dhurandhar, the film has not just built on its predecessor’s momentum but obliterated previous records, emerging as the biggest global blockbuster run by an Indian film to date.
At this pace, the film is not merely riding a wave—it is creating one.
