Hindi
Two PNC films get international recognition
MUMBAI: Two PNC films, Ek Tho Chance and Saluun, have won top honours at the 43rd Worldfest Houston, one of the oldest international film and video festivals in the world.
While Saluun won the silver REMI award, Ek Tho Chance won the special jury award (the topmost awards at the festival) in the foreign features category.
Exclaims PNC chairman Pritish Nandy, “Such international recognition is important because Indian cinema must be taken seriously internationally, not just by the Diaspora but by mainstream international audiences and winning awards at top international festivals like Worldfest Houston is a step in that direction. PNC movies have travelled to over a 100 international film festivals and is recognized as one of the few movie brands that can crossover internationally.”
Says WorldFest Houston Program Director Kathleen Haney, “We were overwhelmed to see the response to both films at the festival more so since these 2 PNC films were selected to represent India out of a total of 3 this year. The distinguished jury members decided that Saluun should be awarded the silver REMI award for its honest effort at showing the spirit of rural India and its intelligent humour and Ek Tho Chance, the special jury award for its high-value content and cinematic excellence.”
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.
