Hindi
Dhurandhar storms box office; sets new records
MUMBAI: Aditya Dhar’s espionage thriller has done what spies do best: infiltrated enemy territory and extracted maximum value. Dhurandhar, the Ranveer Singh-led action spectacular, has raked in Rs 552.70 crore worldwide in just ten days, making it the fastest Hindi film to breach the half-billion mark since records began keeping track.
The film notched up Rs 58.20 crore net on its second Sunday (15 December)—the biggest Sunday ever for a Hindi film—taking its total India net haul to Rs 364.60 crore. India gross stands at Rs 430.20 crore, with overseas markets chipping in Rs 122.50 crore. That’s a lot of popcorn.
Released on 5 December, the film opened with Rs 218 crore net in its first week, then refused to slow down. Second Friday brought Rs 34.70 crore, second Saturday Rs 53.70 crore, and then came Sunday’s monster haul. The makers boast that every day has been bigger than the previous from the first Monday onwards—a claim that suggests audiences are either spreading the word or buying multiple tickets.
Dhurandhar has now registered the biggest second Friday, second Saturday and second Sunday in Hindi cinema history. Packed houses, midnight screenings and round-the-clock shows continue unabated. “The Dhurandhar wave has now become a worldwide phenomenon,” crowed the makers, “driven by unprecedented word of mouth.”
The high-octane thriller, directed and written by Dhar, follows covert intelligence operations against a backdrop of real events: the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Parliament attack and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Singh leads a cast that includes Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan and others. Set largely in Lyari, a rough neighbourhood in Karachi known for gang wars and turf battles, the film has sparked polarising reactions from critics and audiences alike.
Produced by Aditya and Lokesh Dhar’s B62 Studios with Jio Studios, the film proves that in Indian cinema, nothing succeeds like excess. Whether Dhurandhar can sustain this blistering pace or will eventually run out of ammunition remains to be seen. For now, it’s conquered the box office with military precision.
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.
