Hindi
UFO Moviez gets jiggy with 3D
MUMBAI: India‘s exhibition sector is about to get a strong shot of 3D. Leading satellite-based digital cinema network UFO Moviez with nearly 2,000 digital cinema screens has drawn up a plan to 3D enable a large part of these in a phased manner.
As a first step, 500 screens are to upgraded to 3D by end this year to be followed by another 500 by end next year. UFO Moviez says it is going to be doing all this at its own cost.
Says UFO Moviez CEO Rajesh Mishra, “We will primarily focus on the Hindi belt and then move on to the south. Of the 1,000, we will choose 500 single-screens and multiplexes that want to upgrade their screens to the 3D format this year.
UFO Moviez will invest heavily to provide state-of-the-art digital cinema systems with satellite-based delivery of 3D content to theatres across the country.”
The company had showcased its 3D capability through the exhibition of the IPL 2010 quarter final, semi-final and final matches live in 3D across 70 cinemas.
UFO‘s move to convert 1000 theatres for 3D exhibition, it believes, will act as a catalyst for Indian filmmakers to take up 3D-based content projects.
UFO Moviez said in a statement that with the current 70 3D-ready screens across the country, it is unviable for Indian filmmakers to venture into 3D content development. As a result, “the Indian film industry is totally dependent on Hollywood-based 3D content and the Indian audiences are deprived of enjoying Indian 3D content.”
UFO Moviez joint MD Kapil Agarwal stated, “This is a win-win situation for exhibitors and studios in the country that will be able to generate immediate additional revenues from higher attendance and 3D ticket premiums on the one hand, while Indian audiences can enjoy locally-created 3D content on the other. This will provide a bridge for the digital transition to 3D within the Indian film fraternity.”
Agarwal further added that 3D would be the next game changer for the Indian film industry and UFO was committed to bringing in this next wave of change with an innovative business model.
“This initiative is an important step in our strategy to leverage the future growth potential of 3D technology. UFO‘s thought leadership and innovation seeks to deliver great services that will provide wider access to audiences to compelling content, whenever and wherever,” Agarwal said.
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.
