Hindi
Dubbed film Baahubali 2 survives IPL fever
Finally the film the moviegoer as well as the exhibition trade have been waiting for: Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, hits the screens. There will be debates about its merits. Its comparison with the first part, Baahubali: The Beginning, is inevitable. However, one subject, on which there will be no debates, is the film’s box office prospects.
Baahubali: The Beginning created a solid ground work for this film, created a brand equity and made the audience wait for the Conclusion. Those involved made the most of it as they planned an open week release for the film at over 4,000 screens, a rare phenomenon for a dubbed South origin film.
What Baahubali2 is expected to do at the box office is beyond what any Hindi film has done so far and may, hopefully, inspire Hindi filmmakers. Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have been the best draws so far when it comes to Hindi films. But, even their hit films fall short by a length of what this South dubbed film is expected to achieve. The film also stands to gain on its first Monday, it being a holiday in Maharashtra and some other states.
The 45-day long Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament, during which release of major films is avoided, seems to have had no effect on the collections of this film.
The film opened to full or near full houses and maintained figures of over Rs 40 crore on all days of its opening weekend to come up with collections figure of Rs 128 crore for three days.
*Noor, a film based on the Pakistani author/journalist SabaImtiaz’s book ‘Karachi You Are Killing Me!’ proves a damp squib. Totally out of sync with audience taste, the film fails badly. It manages to collect Rs 6.6 crore in its opening week.
*Maatr, RavinaTandon’s film about gang rape and revenge finds few takers. The film just about crosses one crore mark to collect Rs 1.1 crore in its first week.
*Begum Jaan collects Rs 2.75 crore in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 17.85 crore.
Hindi
MIFF 2026 to return to Mumbai; film entries open till April 12
19th edition to host WAVES Doc Bazaar, spotlighting global documentary talent
MUMBAI: The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival 2026 is set to take place from June 15 to 21 at the NFDC Complex, with film submissions currently open and the deadline fast approaching on April 12.
Organised by the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the biennial festival remains one of South Asia’s most prominent platforms for documentary, short fiction and animation films.
Filmmakers, producers and content creators from across the globe have been invited to submit entries via the Film Freeway platform for the Competition Section. Offline submissions will not be accepted, reinforcing a fully digital entry process.
MIFF 2026 continues to sweeten the deal with a robust awards pool of Rs 55 lakh. The coveted Golden Conch for Best Documentary carries a top prize of Rs 10 lakh, alongside multiple awards across categories, making it one of the most lucrative non-feature film festivals in the region.
A key highlight this year will be the second edition of the WAVES Doc Bazaar, scheduled from June 16 to 18 alongside the festival. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the Doc Bazaar will feature a co-production market, viewing rooms and a work-in-progress lab, bringing together global buyers, sellers and creators under one roof.
Since its inception in 1990, MIFF has built a reputation as a serious showcase for non-feature cinema, drawing participation from filmmakers worldwide. The previous edition saw over 350 films from more than 30 countries, underlining its growing international footprint.
With submissions closing soon and preparations underway, MIFF 2026 is shaping up to be a vibrant meeting point for storytelling, collaboration and cinematic craft, offering filmmakers both a stage and a springboard.
