Hindi
Real life-based, fiction & sequel to hit — hardly get average biz
“Sachin: A Billion Dreams” opened with fairly decent collections. It could be because of the fact that he is an icon and that the cricket fever is in the air with the IPL just having got over even as the Champions Trophy is slated to commence come 1 June.
The film has not been dramatised and that limits its appeal to those who are not cricket buffs. For example, the added spice of the two romance stories in Dhoni’s life added to the humane side of the protagonist’s character in M S Dhoni: The Untold Story. Here, though you are told that Sachin and Anjali’s romance lasted four years before they decided to tie the knot, there is no romance depicted on screen.
As the film proceeds, it is as much about the rise of the Indian cricket in the last 20 or so years, as it is about the ups and downs in Sachin’s cricketing career.
The film collected a little over seven crore on day one while the rise on Saturday was negligible. The film did its best on Sunday by collecting around nine crore to end its first weekend with Rs 23.4 crore.
* “Hindi Medium,” following much appreciation and a positive word of mouth, has gone on to become a hit even as it entered its second week. This small budget film kept improving its collections as the week progressed and even managed to collect better figures on its eighth day compared to first.
The film collected more in the rest of the week than it did in its opening weekend which is a rare feat nowadays. The film collected Rs 23.5 crore for the opening week and is reported to be holding well through its second weekend.
* “Half Girlfriend” failed to appeal to the youth which it was expected to draw. The rich girl poor boy old-fashioned angle of the story, indifferently treated, had little to hold the interest of the viewer. The film dropped during the week day to end its first week with a total of Rs 44. 8 crore. The price the film’s domestic rights have been acquired at, will lead to a shortfall in the recovery of over Rs 10 crore.
* “Meri Pyaari Bindu” emerged as an average film. Being a YRF film sans a price tag but enjoying YRF brand equity, it stands to earn little something for the company and all of that from the domestic theatrical exploitation. The film’s collection hovers around Rs 10 crore mark.
* “Sarkar” failed miserably. Failing to provide any variety or novelty from its earlier two versions nor any continuity or link to the previous stories, it takes the viewer for granted and pays for it. The film collected around Rs 50 lakh in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 6.7 crore.
* “Bahubali 2: The Conclusion” (Hindi-Dubbed) continues with its winning run, setting records in the process. The film collected Rs 29.4 crore in its fourth week to take its four week total to Rs 478.9 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
