Hindi
Dangal ends 2016’s poor run
Year 2016 may have had a poor run in terms of box office, in general, but Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal bucked the trend and managed to spread the Christmas cheer. Dangal set records from show one, day one. Whatever little exposure the multiplexes gave to earlier releases like Befikre, found no footfalls and the screens were later passed on to Dangal.
Aamir Khan is the pioneer of the Rs. 300 crore Club in Hindi films and the trade expects him to continue the trend with Dangal — his third entry into the Club.
*Dangal is set to become a winner and a blockbuster that the indiantelevision.compredicted the film to be. It would be a rare product where a film works sans romance and melody, while also connecting with the viewer via a sportsperson’s biopic. Coming as it did after a disastrous lineup of 2016, the film promised little. Salman Khan-starrer Sultan, with a similar theme of wrestling, was released earlier in the year. However, Dangal surprised the trade with an unbelievable advance booking through bookmyshow.com (the site claims record-breaking business) and the film neared the all-time top grossers as it neared Rs. 30 crore for the opening day.
Surprise was because of the fact that the film had Aamir Khan in an unconventional role with a few newcomers along with a not-yet- established director.
Dangal opened with a Rs. 29.7 crore Friday; Saturday was expected by the trade at Rs. 32 crore, which the film bettered by a couple of crore of rupees and, finally, grossing over Rs. 10 core more than the opening day on Sunday. Dangal went on to register a record breaking opening weekend of Rs. 106.9 crore.
With no new releases to challenge the film till 13 January, 2017, it is expected Dangal will put up a sterling show in the holiday season.
*Wajah Tum Ho’s release was staggered because of demonetization of high currency notes early November, but failed to click at the box office. It barely managed put together Rs. 10.1 crore for its first week. The film has found it tough to find audience since the release of Dangal leading to ‘no audience no show status’.
*Shor Se Shuruaat, a seven short film omnibus, fairs poorly.
*Befikre holds well in its second week to collect Rs. 9.75 crore to take its two week total to Rs. 58.5 crore. However, a show or two spared for the film in its third week opposite Dangal has not worked for the film as the audience is missing and the screens finally got diverted to Dangal.
*Kahaani 2 has collected Rs. 2.1 crore in its third week taking its three week total to Rs. 30.5 crore.
*Dear Zindagi has added Rs. 1.4 crore in its fourth week taking its four week total to Rs. 63.8 crore.
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.
