Hindi
Raj Kanwar passes away
MUMBAI: Eminent filmmaker Raj Kanwar, known to have directed films like Sadiyaan, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Andaaz, Ab Ke Baras, and Farz among many others, passed away on Friday morning in Singapore.
Kanwar, who was suffering from kidney ailment since last year, had gone there for a kidney transplant but breathed his last even before the operation happened. Incidentally, Kanwar‘s elder brother K Pappu also died of the same ailment five years ago and at the age of 53.
Kanwar (earlier assistant to Rajkumar Santoshi) debuted in Bollywood with a his directorial venture Deewana that launched Shah Rukh Khan. The film went on to smash all box-office records and then Kanwar went on to create some of the biggest hits in the form of Laadla, Jeet, Daag-The Fire, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega and Andaaz.
Omserved Shah Rukh Khan in a statement, ” My friend Raj Kanwarji passed away. The impermanence of life, makes one feel so helpless. May his soul rest in peace. Aisi Deewangi…miss u sir.”
Kanwar also successfully launched the career of several stars like Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Arya Babbar and Amrita Rao.
Kanwar‘s body will be flown to India today. Kanwar is survived by his wife Anita and sons Karan and Abhay Kanwar. The cremation will be held on Sunday.
Hindi
UFO Cine Media Network unveils ‘India’s biggest cinema moment ever’
Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic tipped to deliver rare pan-India scale for brands
MUMBAI: UFO Cine Media Network is pitching an upcoming dual-film release weekend as what it calls the largest advertising opportunity cinema has offered in India, banking on an estimated 100 million cumulative footfalls nationwide.
The initiative, branded “India’s Biggest Cinema Moment Ever”, is anchored around the simultaneous release of Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge and Toxic, two high-profile action films expected to dominate screens across regions and languages. Trade projections, supported by cinema measurement tool Procat, suggest the combined lifetime theatrical run could deliver one of the widest audience concentrations seen in recent years.
Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge, an India–Pakistan spy thriller, is set to release in five languages, broadening its appeal across northern and southern markets. The franchise has already built a sizable multilingual following through theatrical runs and streaming platforms. Toxic, fronted by pan-India star Yash, is expected to draw heavy footfalls across southern circuits and beyond, buoyed by the actor’s proven box-office pull.
UFO, which operates an in-cinema advertising network spanning more than 4,100 theatres, is positioning the release window as a rare moment of synchronised national attention. Its footprint covers multiplexes and single screens across over 1,500 towns and cities, allowing advertisers to deploy campaigns at scale during a single weekend.
Executives at the company argue that cinema’s value lies not just in reach but in attention. Unlike digital or television, audiences are captive, emotionally engaged and free from distraction, they say, translating into stronger recall and measurable returns for brands. With advertisers increasingly focused on performance-led media planning, UFO is framing the dual release as comparable in scale to India’s largest broadcast and sporting properties.
Industry observers note that as theatrical exhibition expands deeper into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, such tentpole weekends are becoming anchor moments for annual media strategies. If Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge and Toxic deliver as expected, the weekend could set new benchmarks not only for box office numbers, but also for cinema’s evolving role as a high-attention advertising medium.
