Hindi
Fox Star Studios’ Epic gets 5th biggest animation film opening in India
NEW DELHI: ‘EPIC‘ has garnered the fifth biggest animation opening for India for Fox Star, who earlier saw a tremendous run of their prehistoric fun family film ‘The Croods‘.
Released in India a week ahead of its international release, Epic has opened to Rs 3.6 crore gross box office in India (Rs 2.52 crore net) despite a crowded box office with simultaneous releases of high profile Hollywood releases such Amitabh Bachchan‘s ‘The Great Gatsby‘ and Mira Nair‘s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist‘ whose figures are far behind those of Epic.
This is the 5th biggest animation opening in India after Ice Age 4, Kung Fu Panda 2, Madagascar 3 and The Croods. Boosted by critical and popular acclaim, the stunning 3D comedy-fantasy adventure has triggered a phenomenal word of mouth for its family content and visual banquet.
Fox Star Studios CEO Vijay Singh said: "We are delighted with the fantastic weekend opening for Epic following the superb success of ‘The Croods’. With imaginative storytelling and an emotional appeal, it is the perfect feel-good holiday film for the entire family."
Epic stars the voices of Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Pitbull with Steven Tyler and Beyoncé Knowles.
Hindi
Jio Studios, Sanjay Dutt team up to revive Khal Nayak
Rights acquired for new version, format under wraps as remake plans take shape.
MUMBAI: The villain is back and this time, he’s rewriting his own script. Jio Studios has partnered with Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Aspect Entertainment to revive the 1993 cult classic Khal Nayak, marking a fresh chapter for one of Bollywood’s most iconic anti-hero stories. The original film, directed by Subhash Ghai under Mukta Arts, was a commercial and cultural milestone, with Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Ballu becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable performances.
Dutt, along with Aksha Kamboj, has now acquired the rights from the original creators, bringing on board Jio Studios and its President Jyoti Deshpande to steer the project creatively.
While the exact format whether remake, sequel, prequel, or a completely new narrative remains undisclosed, the collaboration aims to reinterpret the story for contemporary audiences while retaining the essence that made the original a defining film of the 1990s.
The move taps into a broader industry trend of reviving legacy intellectual property, particularly characters with strong recall value. “Khal Nayak” was notable for pushing mainstream Hindi cinema into morally grey territory at a time when heroes were largely one-dimensional, making Ballu’s character a standout.
The project also marks the film production debut of Aspect Entertainment, signalling a push towards more technology-led storytelling frameworks. Meanwhile, Jio Studios continues to expand its slate, having built a library of over 200 films and series, with more than 60 titles collectively winning 500-plus awards.
For Dutt, the revival is as much personal as it is strategic, a return to a role that reshaped his career. For the industry, it is another sign that nostalgia, when paired with scale, remains a powerful box-office proposition.
Because in Bollywood, some villains never fade, they just wait for the perfect comeback.
