Hindi
Box office sees ho-hum collections this week
MUMBAI: Almost all movies failed to get the cash registers ringing at the box office this week.
Renowned artistes like Om Puri, Annu Kapoor, Seema Biswas and Satish Kaushik and the co-writer of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Ranjit Kapoor, couldn’t help salvage Jai Ho! Democracy. People in India don’t need to be reminded about the shortcomings of the polity.
The other release of the week, Kaagaz Ke Fools, fared even worse. No footfalls worth noting.
There was also another release, better than the other two, but with no face value. Hence it failed to bring in the audience.
Much was expected from Nanak Shah Fakir but the film has not worked. The film barely managed to put together a figure of Rs 90 lakh for its first week.
Mr X, a forced 3-D, falls flat and adds one more disaster to the names of Vikram Bhatt and Emraan Hashmi. The film, which managed a weekend of Rs 12.45 crore, barely manages to add another Rs 6.1 crore over the next four days to end its first week with Rs 18.55 crore.
Margarita With A Straw, released at limited screens, fared okay at multiplexes in metros to end its first week with a collection figure of Rs 3.15 crore.
Ek Paheli Leela collected Rs 2.15 crore in its second week to take its two-week tally to Rs 20.85 crore.
Dharam Sankat Mein collected Rs 1.15 crore in its second week. With this, the film’s two week total stands at Rs 8.75 crore.
Detective Byomkesh Bakshyi takes its three week total to Rs 26.68 after three weeks.
Hindi
Edstead unveils ambitious H1 2026 content slate
New originals feature Adarsh Gourav in Northeast docu-series, Aditi Kotak in Next Class, and Adil Hussain in Stories of India.
MUMBAI: Edstead just dropped a content menu so rich it could make even the pickiest viewer say “encore” because when storytelling meets substance, the binge becomes inevitable. The fast-rising Mumbai-based studio, founded by Shekhar Bhattacharjee, today revealed its H1 2026 slate, a bold expansion of premium non-fiction that blends cultural depth, innovation, and legacy into cinematic factual narratives. The lineup cements Edstead’s niche at the crossroads of authenticity and global appeal, delivering research-driven stories that stay rooted in the Indian experience while aiming for wider resonance.
Headlining the fresh originals:
- An untitled docu-series starring Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav, who journeys through Northeast India to spotlight living cultural traditions, indigenous voices, music, oral histories, and everyday resilience. Presented by Air India Express, with Dentsu Sports and Entertainment as integration partner.
- Next Class, an eight-episode impact series fronted by entrepreneur and former Miss India Aditi Kotak, decoding career pathways, emerging fields, and real-world outcomes through leading institutions and forward-thinking disciplines.
- Stories of India with Adil Hussain, India’s first weekly OTT series dedicated to social impact, profiling organisations driving meaningful change and connecting purpose with tangible results.
- Toast to Tomorrow, exploring how leading alcohol brands craft immersive, culture-led experiences that celebrate regional identities and redefine legacy.
- No Cap Abroad – UAE Edition, following Indian students through their first week at UAE colleges—navigating homesickness, culture shock, and independence in a heartfelt coming-of-age tale.
Edstead is also returning with expanded seasons of breakout hits, The Future School (progressive Indian education), Molecules of Hope (healthcare innovation), and Great Indian Residential Schools.
Edstead founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee said, “At Edstead, we are focused on building narratives that carry depth, context, and long-term relevance. Every project begins with research and a clear purpose… Our ambition is to create globally competitive factual content from India that remains culturally grounded while shaping conversations, inspiring trust, and contributing to the growing culture economy.”
From education and healthcare to enterprise and cultural revival, the slate reflects Edstead’s full-stack approach developing original IPs and guiding them through a robust distribution network spanning digital, OTT, and broadcast. In a content world chasing quick trends, Edstead is quietly betting on stories built to last, ones that don’t just entertain, but linger long after the credits roll.
