Hindi
UTV’s ‘Athidhi’ first week gross: Rs 125 mn across Andhra
MUMBAI: UTV Motion Pictures‘ Telugu co-production with Krishna Productions, Athidhi has opened to record box-office collections across Andhra Pradesh.
The film, which released on 18 October across 352 screens in the state, stars young Telugu super star Mahesh Babu and managed to garner Rs 125 million in its first week.
With this, Athidhi beats the collections of Pokhiri (also starring Mahesh Babu). It has been Telugu film industry‘s top grosser to date and managed to reach this amount in a period of three weeks.
Athidhi has released on 500 screens worldwide and will release in Mumbai, Pune and parts of Maharastra on 2 November.
“The South Indian film market‘s potential for making the most of sheer star power is something unique. It‘s a one of its kind in India,” says UTV Motion Pictures EVP Distribution Suneil Wadhwa. “The encouraging response from Athidhi provides us with a great opportunity to strengthen our hold in the South.”
Athidhi (guest), an action-drama, revolves round a tough guy with a soft heart, played by the reigning super-star Mahesh Babu, battling out all things unjust and evil with a crusader‘s zeal.
The stylish action sequences form a major highlight of the film. Directed by Surendar Reddy, with music by Mani Sharma, the film also stars Bollywood actress Amrita Rao (Main Hoon Na, Vivaah).
UTVMP also entered into tie-ups with brands like such as Thums-Up, Kingfisher, Big FM for the release of the film.
Thums-Up launched branded Athidhi pet bottles and ran a contest during the release of the film.
The winner of the contest wins an opportunity to be an Athidhi (guest) at Mahesh Babu‘s house. Additionally the film promos were played at the India-Australia ODI played at Rajiv Gandhi Uppal stadium at Hyderabad.
Hindi
Kridhan Infra enters film production with AI-led feature film
Infra firm debuts AI-powered film marking RSS centenary
MUMBAI: Kridhan Infra Limited is swapping hard hats for headsets. The infrastructure company has announced its entry into film production and media technology through its subsidiary, Kridhan Mediatech Private Limited, with the nationwide theatrical release of Shatak: Sangh Ke 100 Varsh, an AI-led feature film.
With Shatak, the company is not just stepping into cinema but staking a claim in what it describes as one of the world’s early full-length AI-driven feature films. Artificial Intelligence has been embedded across the creative and production process, from script visualisation and environment creation to modelling and production design.
The film commemorates 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, tracing defining moments, personalities and historical phases that shaped its journey. By combining archival storytelling with algorithm-powered creativity, the project attempts to blend heritage with high technology.
For Kridhan Mediatech, this is only the opening scene. The subsidiary’s broader ambition spans AI, CGI, virtual production systems and scalable content models for both theatres and digital platforms. The move signals a strategic diversification for Kridhan Infra, traditionally rooted in engineering and construction.
The timing aligns with India’s growing push to become a global AI powerhouse. At the 2026 AI Impact Summit, prime minister Narendra Modi urged innovators to design in India and deliver to the world. Kridhan Mediatech’s initiative positions itself squarely within that narrative, aiming to export technology-enabled storytelling beyond domestic audiences.
India’s media and entertainment industry, valued at over Rs 2.5 lakh crore, alongside a rapidly expanding AI economy projected to cross Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the coming years, offers fertile ground at the intersection of cinema and code.
“With Shatak, we proudly present one of the world’s first AI-led full-length feature films while marking our strategic entry into film production and media technology through our subsidiary,” the company said in a statement. “Our vision is to combine India’s rich narrative heritage with forward-looking innovation. This is just the beginning of building globally competitive, technology-enabled cinematic experiences.”
From infrastructure to imagination, Kridhan’s latest venture suggests that in today’s India, even storytelling can be engineered.
