Hindi
Tubelight distributors may incur losses
Salman Khan and Eid, an unbeatable combination that usually guaranteed Rs 200 to 300 crore (Rs 2k million — Rs 3k million) business. And, Eid release date is blocked the day a major star film is launched. There are other few dates in a year that assure a grand opening to a big film paving the way for high business prospects. But, Eid release has a distinct advantage coming as it does after a month of fasting during the pious month of Ramzan during which the Muslims abstain from any form of entertainment and mainly watching films.
This year, the first half has been unpredictably bad when it comes to quality of films and resultant box office performance. No major hits, no big star releases to save the situation. One exception was Hindi Medium which, in recovery to budget respect, can be called a blockbuster.
Salman Khan has had such a huge following at the box office during his second innings which started with his film Wanted, an entertainer from his was a taken. In his last two films, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Rustom, he played an underdog, a simpleton. But, one who rises when challenged.
Playing simpleton was fine, this time, with Tubelight, he stretched it a bit too far deciding to play an imbecile; he tried to replace an eight year old of the original film, Little Boy, on which Tubelight is based! As it turned out, the Salman fans and moviegoers felt cheated and Tubelight is turning out to be the most abused Salman film ever.
The film has been sold at a huge price for all India theatrical rights. The main distributor, NH Studioz, have divided their risk by selling off major circuits retaining only parts of Bombay Circuit. All these distributors stand to incur losses eventually.
The money paying moviegoer has his/her own perception and was not wrong when Tubelight opened to half the patronage compared to earlier Salman+ festival releases.
The opening day collections hovered around Rs 20 crore accounting for the opening weekend of Rs 63.8 crore. The negative reports that the film has generated over first three days, the film is not expected to benefit much from Eid holiday at the box office.
*Bank Chor, which took an opening weekend of Rs 4.34 crore, ended its first week with a total of Rs 7.1 crore.
*Phullu and G Kutta SE have had a disastrous week at the box office.
*Raabta, a convoluted insipid love story added Rs 2.05 crore in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 22.55 crore.
*Hindi Medium is a super hit vis a vis its making cost. The film continues to pull audience even in its fifth week and adds Rs 3.6 crore to take its five week tally to Rs 63.3 crore.
*Bahubali has collected Rs 1.5 crore in its eighth week taking its eight week total to Rs 500.7 crore.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
