Hindi
Box Office: ‘Katti Batti’ takes poor opening with Rs 15.5 crore
MUMBAI: It all started with Hollywood film, Love Story (1970) based on a bestseller novel of same name by Erich Segal about a couple madly in love only to realise one of them is terminally ill. The Rajshris followed it up with its Indian version in the musical hit, Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978) while Hrishikesh Mukerjee used the theme again, albeit, with no similarities with the two in Anand (1981), which went on to become an all-time classic. Since then, quite a few attempts have been made to use a terminal illness and, except Kal Ho Na Ho in (2003), none seem to have worked.
Katti Batti takes this theme and brutalises it badly. And, pays for it at both, the media as well as the box office. Besides poor merits, the film cuts corners heavily on supporting star cast. Having taken a poor opening, the film could not better its Friday collections on Saturday or on Sunday. All the film had to show for its opening weekend is Rs 15.5 crore.
Meeruthiya Gangsters fails to find an audience.
Hero, an attempt to recreate the magic of the 1983 musical hit of the same name, proves disastrous. After a low opening weekend, the film closes its first week with Rs 29.2 crore not being able to sustain during the week days.
Welcome Back did reasonable business in its first week but started losing steam thereafter despite poor new releases to affect its business. The film managed to add about 25 per cent of its first week total collecting Rs 17.5 crore in second week to take its two week total to Rs 90.6 crore.
Phantom emerges a loser at the box office managing to add just about Rs 60 lakh in its third week to take its three week tally to Rs 50.5 crore.
Manjhi: The Mountain Man collects Rs 18 lakh in its fourth week to take its four week total to Rs 12.88 crore.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
