Hindi
Welcome grosses $4.5 million internationally
MUMBAI: The Aneez Bazmee-directed comic caper Welcome has grossed more than $4.5 million (Rs 180 million) at the international box-office in just two weeks and is going strong in its third week as well. Welcome was promoted, marketed and distributed overseas by the international arm of Indian Films-Studio 18.
The movie has recorded pathbreaking collections internationally, emerging as the no. 1 film of Christmas 2007. With no comparable tent-pole release in the weeks to come, Welcome is poised to create even bigger milestones in film history.
Of the total international two-week gross, $3.5 million has been mopped up from the three key markets alone – the US, UK/Ireland & the UAE, and the remaining from other European and Asia-Pacific markets.
In the US, Welcome crossed $1 million on 63 prints at the end of its second week, much the same as the Gulf, where collections touched $1 million on 29 prints at the end of the second week and have held strong over the weekdays as well. Welcome is reported to have beaten some of the biggest Hindi blockbusters in the UAE, including Namaste London, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, making it the highest grossing film ever for Akshay Kumar in this territory.
In the UK/Ireland, Welcome grossed $1.5 million on 51 prints at the end of its second week, making it the highest fortnight gross for an Akshay Kumar title in this market. It was alongisde Hollywood biggies at no. 8 in the coveted “UK Top 10” in its opening weekend and bagged the second highest opening in 2007 after Om Shanti Om. The box-office of Welcome in two weeks in the UK/Ireland has overtaken that of films like Guru, Chak De! India, Ta Ra Rum Pum, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
