Hindi
Mary Kom earns Rs 27.3 crore at BO
MUMBAI: Mary Kom opened with a weak response despite being a solo release for the week with much hype. Media critics did not quite favour the film as was expected and panned it liberally. The film has been granted tax exemption in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh so far and collected Rs 27.3 crore in the opening week. The film improved on Saturday and Sunday but has not been able to sustain as well on Monday as most of Western India will be busy with the last day of Ganesh Utsav while in Delhi schools, terminal exams start today.
Raja Natwarlal is poor at the end of its first week managing to collect barely Rs 21 crore. Emraan Hashmi pays the price for keeping on doing same kind of roles film after film not to mention this time the content as well as treatment were mediocre and taking your audience for granted never works. Music was poor too to add to the woes.
Trip To Bhangarh, Last Benchers and Identity Card have proved to be disasters.
Mardaani held on well in its second week to collect Rs 8.19 crore taking its two week tally to Rs 31. 16 crore. With its limited budget and YRF advantage of distribution network, the film will make it to earning status.
Singham Returns collects Rs 4.6 crore in its third week to take its three week tally to Rs 136.4 yet still short of target.
Entertainment has collected Rs 30 lakh in its fourth week to take its four week tally to Rs 63.4 crore.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
