Hindi
Cricket movie brings in the moolah
MUMBAI: There have been a few biopics made earlier on sport personalities, most with tepid reception with, may be, a couple of them making an impact and sustain at the box office. However, cricket has no barrier between audiences as it enjoys universal following.
To add to the delight of the lovers of cricket, M S Dhoni: The Untold Story tells about the struggles of an aspiring cricketer from a small town middleclass India, M S Dhoni, who went to lead the Indian cricket team on the path of glory. The combination proved just the recipe to draw the viewers. Cricket and Dhoni lovers alike took to the film instantly overlooking all its flaws.
M S Dhoni: The Untold Story opened to an excellent response all over befitting a regular commercial star cast film. The film collected about Rs 20 crore on day one, sustained very well on Saturday with a negligible drop but held on very well on Sunday. Being a solo release after a deluge of mediocre and poor films also helped its cause. The film collected Rs 61.6crore for its opening weekend.
However, the film has shown a noticeable drop today (Monday), especially at single screens. The film was exempt from entertainment tax in UP (200 screens over two months) which may utilized next Friday onwards. Tax exemption is also expected from Delhi government soon.
While the collections match the appreciation the film has earned, the film faces a massive challenge for the status of a commercial success is its huge price tag.
*Banjo, a film about a gully bred Banjo player, suffered due to its outright regional Marathi flavor; the musical instrument as well as the flavor, both lacking all India identity.
However, what this purported musical lacked the most was what it needed the most, music. The film lacked grossly in popular songs. The film met with rejection on the very onset. Having met with a poor response and collecting a mere Rs 4.45 crore for its opening weekend, the film continued with its poor run through the week to collect Rs 7.6 crore for its first week.
*Parched will have to remain contended with the festival circuit as the film has not been able to make an impact at the box office. The film managed just Rs 1.2 crore for its first week.
*Days OfTafree: In Class, Out Of Class, a remake of the Gujarati film, Chhello Divas, goes overboard with its theme of college campus fun, as it depicts the fun few would identify with. The film collected Rs 1.75 crore in its first week.
*DilSala Sanki and Chapekar Brothers fail miserably at the box office.
*Pink makes the most of poor oppositions in its second week and sustains with excellent collections of Rs 22.4 crore to take its two week total to Rs 57.9 crore.
*Raaz: Reboot collets 1.35 crore in its second week taking its two week tally to Rs 24.05 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
