Hindi
Poor films help ‘Neerja’ fly at box office with Rs 34.2 crore
MUMBAI: This has proved to be a disastrous week. A numerous non-descript films released, which found some sort of play time at multiplexes but did not manage to find an audience.
The much hyped Aligarh from Hansal Mehta comes a cropper. A real life incident of an Aligarh Muslim University professor caught in a sting with his pants down with another male, offered nothing new to the viewers to attract them to the cinema halls. Film experience is certainly not about showing skeletons in the cupboard of a man. The film had very poor response on day one, day two as well as day three to show collections of Rs 1.2 crore for its opening weekend.
The other noticeable release of the week, Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive, emerged as a poor attempt at 1960s American humour. The film lacked on all counts including, mainly, on gags. Direction was poor. What is it with Laden character spewing native Punjabi twang and English dialogue having English sub-titles? The film has managed to collect Rs 1.95 crore for its first weekend.
Other releases like Bollywood Diaries, Love Shagun, Rhythm, Jab Tum Kaho and Dhara 302, passed as unnoticed as they came.
Loveshudha, a second attempt to launch Girish Taurani, fails miserably. The film opens with no audience, no show and somehow manages to end its first week with a figure of Rs 2.2 crore.
Weak oppositions helped much appreciated Neerja hold well as it ended its first week with a total of Rs 34.2 crore. The film’s good run continued as the new releases also happened to be poor and Neerja enjoyed a healthy second weekend.
Sanam Re adds Rs 1.5 crore in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 28.1 crore.
Fitoor adds Rs 75 lakh in its second week thus taking its two week tally to Rs 17.9 crore.
Ghayal Once Again collects Rs 75 lakh in its third week taking its three week total to Rs 35.7 crore.
Airlift adds Rs 1.1 crore in its fifth week to take its five week total to Rs 125.7 crore.
Hindi
Rajesh Ramaswamy exits The Script Room to focus on filmmaking journey
Ad filmmaker steps away from own venture to pursue direction and storytelling
MUMBAI: In a move that has caught the attention of the advertising and creative community, Rajesh Ramaswamy has announced his exit from The Script Room, the company he co-founded, marking the end of a seven-year stint at the helm.
The decision, which came into effect earlier this month, signals a shift in focus for Ramaswamy, who is now looking to immerse himself fully in filmmaking and direction as an independent creative.
Known for blending sharp advertising insight with storytelling craft, Ramaswamy has been instrumental in shaping The Script Room into a creative hub that delivered campaigns, branded content, and original storytelling formats. Over the years, the company collaborated with agencies, directors, and a wide network of writers, while also experimenting with formats such as short films and web series.
Sharing his thoughts on the transition, Ramaswamy indicated that the move is driven by a desire to focus and explore stories he has been developing over time. While he acknowledged the unconventional nature of stepping away from one’s own venture, he also framed it as a necessary leap toward clarity and creative pursuit.
Importantly, The Script Room will continue its operations with its current team and leadership, with Ramaswamy expressing confidence in the group that helped build the company’s identity. The studio, he noted, remains well-positioned to evolve further with fresh talent and ideas.
His exit also reflects a wider industry trend, where experienced advertising professionals are increasingly transitioning into independent filmmaking, tapping into the growing opportunities across digital and long-form content platforms.
As Ramaswamy steps into this new phase, the move underscores a familiar creative instinct, sometimes, the boldest ideas begin with a clean break.
