Hindi
I&B ministry orders Dhurandhar makers to mute ‘Baloch’; revised cut in cinemas
NATIONAL: Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller Dhurandhar is heading back to cinemas in a revised cut, even as it continues a record-breaking box-office run.
According to trade communication sent to exhibitors on December 31, distributors have asked theatres nationwide to replace the film’s digital cinema package and screen an updated version from January 1, 2026. The changes follow directives from India’s ministry of information and broadcasting, which required the muting of two words and the alteration of a dialogue. One of the excised references, trade sources said, was the word “Baloch”.
The move comes amid fierce public debate around the film’s political subtext, with critics branding it propaganda even as audiences have turned it into a phenomenon. Released on December 5, Dhurandhar has surged past the box-office tallies of Pathaan, Jawan and Chhaava, crossing Rs 1,100 crore globally and Rs 739 crore in India within four weeks.
Led by Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy embedded inside a terror network in Pakistan’s Lyari Town, the film has drawn particular acclaim for Akshaye Khanna’s turn as Rehman Dakait. It also stars Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun, among others. Despite its domestic success, the film remains banned across Gulf markets.
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.
