Friday, March 13, 2026

Saurabh Shukla was “disheartened” when he was offered to play the judge in Jolly LLB: “I said, ‘Give me any character except the judge’”; actor also says why Jolly LLB 3’s TV premiere holds high significance

Over the years, Saurabh Shukla has become one of the top performers in Hindi cinema. One of his most beloved roles is the judge Sunderlal Tripathi in the Jolly LLB series. He last played this character in Jolly LLB 3, which came out last year and was a big hit at the box office. The movie is now set to have its TV premiere on Star Gold on Sunday, March 22.

Shukla shared his thoughts on the importance of TV premieres in the OTT era, how he almost turned down the role of Tripathi in the first film of the series, and more in an exclusive interview with source 


You've acted in many different kinds of films.
 How would you rate the Jolly LLB franchise?

It's very important to me.
 The National Award I won was for a film from this franchise, Jolly LLB 2. I think this series is the best in my filmography. All three films were very successful, and my character was well-received. So, it's a major milestone in my career.

Jolly LLB 3 is premiering on Star Gold.
 How important are TV premieres for films today, according to you?

It's very important.
 Let me explain. This film was a big hit in theaters. But not everyone can go to the theater. In many parts of the country, there aren't enough theaters. So, a lot of people can't watch it in theaters. Then it was released on OTT. OTT has reached many people, but it's a personal way of watching. People mostly watch on their own.

But in our country, watching TV with the family is still common.
 So, this TV premiere helps reach people who want to watch movies together. I'm happy that Jolly LLB 3 is coming on Star Gold.

What was your first reaction when Subhash Kapoor offered you the role of judge Sunderlal Tripathi in the first Jolly LLB film?


When he first offered me the role, I hadn't read the script.
 He's a good friend of mine. I visited him without knowing he was offering me a role. Before he started talking, he said he was making a film about law and wanted me to play a judge. I was upset and told him, "Bhai Subhash, give me any role except the judge." Because, up to that point, judges in films just used a hammer and gave a judgment and mentioned the penal code.

But Subhash said, "Pandit ji, please listen to the character."
 So I listened. After reading the script, I shook hands with Subhash and told him, "No matter what, I will play this character, and you shouldn't go to any other actor." That's how I got the role.

There are many little details in Sunderlal Tripathi's behavior.
 How much of that is your own input?

Cinema is a team effort.
 Without teamwork, there's no fun in it. The script has to have a strong base. There were a lot of details in the script. Based on that, the actor adds their own ideas and brings their own touches. It's hard to tell which details came from whom. The script was very detailed, and I added whatever I could from my side.

The first film had Arshad Warsi as the lawyer, the second had Akshay Kumar.
 The third film had both. How was your experience working with both of them?

The rapport was great.
 I always liked Arshad as an actor. Akshay sir is one of my favorite actors, and he's done some amazing films. But I didn't know them personally before. When I worked with them, I got to know them better, and now we're friends. It's been fun working with them.

You've acted in many different types of films throughout your career.
 What are your criteria for choosing a project?

Sometimes the project chooses me, not always the other way around.
 My criteria aren't too strict. I just look for something that touches my heart. If I enjoy what I hear, I feel like I can add something to the script. That's my job. But if I don't feel like there's anything to add, then I can't do it.

What are your upcoming projects that you're excited about?
 Shah Rukh Khan's King is one of them.

Yes, I'm in King.
 The film is currently in production. Right now, two of my films have released: Subedaar and Jab Khuli Kitaab. These days, I'm focused on the love and happiness from Jab Khuli Kitaab. Then there's Jolly LLB 3 coming on Star Gold. For me, March has been a very exciting month.

After getting so much positive feedback for Jab Khuli Kitaab, would you consider directing again?


Definitely, if people are ready to support me (laughs).

Where did India watch Dhurandhar? Every 2nd rupee came from Mumbai and Delhi-U.P, while 3 territories powered 61% of its India nett collections

When a film earns Rs. 894.96 crore in India, the natural question is: where did most people watch it?
 For Dhurandhar, the answer is clear. Mumbai was the top, followed by Delhi-U.P and East Punjab, which helped make the film a huge hit.


The most surprising thing is how much the top three regions — Mumbai, Delhi-U.P and East Punjab — contributed.
 These three areas alone made Rs. 538.42 crore, which is 60.77% of the total India earnings. In other words, more than three-fifths of the film's income came from these three regions alone.

Mumbai was the biggest contributor, bringing in Rs. 260.02 crore, which is 29.35% of the film's total earnings.
 This shows how popular the film was in Mumbai, which is one of the most important film markets in the country. Whether it was big cities, popular areas or repeat viewers, Dhurandhar was well received there.

Delhi-U.P came next, contributing Rs. 182.90 crore, which is 20.64% of the total.
 If you add Mumbai and Delhi-U.P, the total reaches Rs. 442.92 crore, which is almost half of the total India earnings. That means nearly every second rupee earned by Dhurandhar in India came from just these two territories. That's a big chunk of the business and shows where the film had the most support.

East Punjab added Rs. 95.50 crore, which is 10.78% of the total.
 This shows that the film was also very popular in the North, beyond just Mumbai and Delhi-U.P. The contribution from East Punjab is especially important because it shows the film was successful in another major circuit known for making big box office hits.

Beyond the top three, the film had good numbers in other key areas too.
 Nizam-AP added Rs. 54.98 crore, Mysore brought in Rs. 52.99 crore, Rajasthan added Rs. 50.20 crore, followed by CP at Rs. 44.89 crore, West Bengal at Rs. 40.62 crore, and CI at Rs. 37.65 crore. These numbers show that Dhurandhar wasn’t just dependent on a few places but had good support across several major markets.

If we look at the combined contribution of Mumbai, Delhi-U.P, East Punjab, Rajasthan, CP, CI and Bihar & Jharkhand, the total is Rs. 701.72 crore, which is about 79.20% of the film’s earnings.
 This is the most important point from the territory breakdown. The film's mass appeal, scale, and big production values worked best in areas where event films usually perform well.

Bihar & Jharkhand added Rs. 30.56 crore, while Assam and Orissa contributed Rs. 12.21 crore and Rs. 13.25 crore respectively.
 Tamil Nadu & Kerala had Rs. 10.28 crore. Though these areas contributed a smaller share, they still added to the overall performance of the film.

So, when asked, "Where did India watch Dhurandhar?"
, the answer is clear: the film was most watched in the core Hindi film markets. Mumbai was the leader, Delhi-U.P gave strong support, and East Punjab helped make it a massive hit. That is where the real box office success of the film was found.

Ramyaa Movie

Ramyaa Cast & Crew

Ramyaa Movie

Banner

Anandvan Creations

Sulbha Kala Kruti

Release Date

13 March 2026

Genre

Crime

Thriller

Language

Hindi

Director

Santosh Parab

Star Cast

Janmejaya Singh ... Ramyaa

Samaira Rao ... Vaishali

Sayaji Shinde ... Anna Shetty

Ashok Samarth ... Jaggu Dada

Divyannk Patidar ... Bhola

Parthaa Akerkar ... Munna

Ganesh Yadav ... Inc. Nagesh

Anant Bhaan ... Milind

Pravin Manjrekar ...

Sheetal Pathak ...

Vishnou Dubey ...

Annapurna Vitthal ...

Writer

Sunil Rajan

Santosh Parab

Background Music

Biplaab Dutta

Choreographers

Sushma Suman

Publicity PRO

Picture-N-Kraft

Music Director

Biplaab Dutta

Lyricist

Raghhav Verma

Editor

Amit K. Kaushik

Cinematographer

Navin V Mishra

Screenplay

Abhinav Anand Nirala

Dialogue

Santosh Parab

Abhinav Anand Nirala

Aarti Saha

Shooting Location(City & Country)

India

Action Director

Kinder W Singh

Art Director

Himanshu Singh

Executive Producer

Abhinav Anand Nirala


Censor Details:

Censor Dates

2026/03/09

Censor Certificate No

DIL/7/34/2026-MUM

Runtime

1h 50min

Certification

U/A

Kissa Court Kachahari Ka Movie

Kissa Court Kachahari Ka Cast & Crew

Kissa Court Kachahari Ka Movie

Banner

Lovely Films Production

Release Date

13 March 2026

Genre

Crime

Drama

Director

Rajnish Jaiswal

Producer

Arun Kumar

Star Cast

Rajesh Sharma ... Satyendra Mishra

Brijendra Kala ... Advocate Bansal

Sanjeev Jaiswal ... Deepak

Lokesh Tilakdhari ... Minister Bharat Chaudhary

Susheel Chandarbhan ... Kanun Kumar (Judge)

Krishna Singh Bisht ... Bhupi Chaudhary

Anju Jadhav ... Poooja

Avanya Kumari ... Avanya

Neelu Kohli ... Chanda Mishra

Writer

Rajnish Jaiswal

Background Music

Sukumar Dutta

Music Director

Pravesh Mallick

Lyricist

Pravesh Mallick

Editor

Santosh Mandal

Cinematographer

Dharmendra Biswas

Screenplay

Rajnish Jaiswal

Casting Director

Vijay Saini

Executive Producer

Sateesh Kumar

Playback Singers

Pravesh Mallick

Publicity Design

Prince Creation

Shooting Location(City & Country)

India

Sound

Kailash Singh


Censor Details:

Censor Dates

2026/02/25

Censor Certificate No

DIL/6/24/2025-MUM

Runtime

2h 0min

Certification

U/A

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Jio Studios seeks an UNHEARD-of 6-week single-screen commitment for Dhurandhar: The Revenge, followed by Raja Shivaji for 2 weeks; Bhooth Bangla faces major screen threat

The long-awaited film, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, is set to launch next week, with excitement reaching new heights. So far, only the paid previews have been unveiled, which will take place on March 18 starting from 5:00 pm. The response has been historic, as anticipated. Initially, exhibitors were concerned about the film clashing with Toxic, which could have led to a battle for screen slots. However, last Wednesday, the Yash-starring film was rescheduled to June 4, allowing exhibitors to breathe a sigh of relief. Their relief, though, was short-lived after they were informed by the producers and distributors, Jio Studios, of their demands.

Jio Studios has made an unprecedented request for a six-week single-screen commitment for Dhurandhar: The Revenge, followed by a two-week commitment for Raja Shivaji.
 This has posed a major threat to Bhooth Bangla, which is set for release on April 10. A trade source informed Bollywood Hungama, "In an unprecedented move, Jio has asked for all shows in the single-screen theatres, that too for six weeks. While asking for all shows is common, distributors usually make such demands for two or a maximum of three weeks. Hence, the demand for six weeks has never been heard before."

The source continued, "The Jio team is clear that theatres must allocate all shows to Dhurandhar for six weeks, with no show sharing allowed.
 This implies that Bhooth Bangla, releasing on April 10, might not get a slot if Jio Studios has its way." The source also stated, "Moreover, they have also requested all shows for two weeks for Jio's upcoming saga, Raja Shivaji, which premieres on May 1. Intriguingly, Raja Shivaji arrives exactly six weeks after Dhurandhar: The Revenge. In essence, Jio wants to secure all single screen theatres for both of its films for a span of eight weeks."

An anonymous exhibitor shared, "We are more than happy to screen Dhurandhar: The Revenge, as we know it will create history.
 However, Bhooth Bangla is set to release three weeks after Dhurandhar, and it looks like a fun entertainer. Moreover, Akshay Kumar, Priyadarshan, Ekta Kapoor, and Pen Marudhar are involved with the film. We don't want to upset them and would love to allocate a show or two to the horror comedy. But we won't be allowed to do so."

The exhibitor added, "This clause is the reason why many single-screen theatres are yet to open bookings for Dhurandhar: The Revenge's paid preview.
 Some single screens have already opened, though the issue remains unresolved. They requested Jio to allow them to start bookings and assured them that they will resolve the issue later."

An exhibitor from Rajasthan remarked, "If opportunism is the nature of the game, would it be fair if other studios treated the makers of Dhurandhar in the same manner when one of its smaller films comes out a few weeks after a major release?
 We need to co-exist and allow all well-made films to thrive."

Meanwhile, film exhibitor and distributor Akshaye Rathi commented, "Commercial negotiations between distributors and exhibitors are a weekly affair.
 Obviously, when a weekly film like Dhurandhar comes along, the stakes are much higher for everyone in the value chain. Historically, as we have always seen, negotiations take place on commercial terms, showcasing, ticket prices, etc. Eventually, they need to realize that exhibitors, like the studio, are playing on the same side and striving to bring audiences into theatres in large numbers to maximize revenue. So we need to work as a team, rather than against each other; I am sure we'll eventually find a way for it. Let's hope that Jio Studios and all the distributor entities involved and all the exhibitors across the country help in achieving record-breaking collections, ensure the highest ever opening in the history of Hindi cinema, and hopefully, who knows, the highest ever grosser in the history of Hindi cinema, beating Dhurandhar's first part."

Makers of Bhooth Bangla host exclusive fan screening of Akshay Kumar’s film teaser ahead of launch

The buzz for the upcoming horror-comedy film Bhooth Bangla, featuring Akshay Kumar, is getting stronger by the day. To get closer to the fans, the movie team has come up with a special way to involve them in the movie's promotion. Before the official teaser is released tomorrow, the team held a special screening where fans could watch the teaser first.

This event was hosted by the Bhooth Bangla team and included a small group of dedicated fans.
 These fans got to see the teaser ahead of its official release online. The purpose of this was to create excitement early on and also to thank fans who have been looking forward to seeing Akshay Kumar in this new, spooky yet funny kind of role.

People close to the project say the event was full of energy.
 Fans were really excited to see the first look of the movie's vibe, visuals, and Akshay Kumar's character. The teaser is said to mix spooky elements with Akshay Kumar's usual sense of humor, making it a film that should be both scary and funny.

The screening also helped the makers understand how fans felt about the teaser before it goes online tomorrow.
 As more people are engaging with films through social media, these kinds of events help build real excitement naturally online.

Bhooth Bangla is a big deal because it brings together Akshay Kumar and veteran director Priyadarshan, who have worked together before and made some of Bollywood’s best comedy movies.
 Their return to teaming up for a horror-comedy has already made a lot of people curious.

With the official teaser set to come out tomorrow, the early screening has helped create more buzz for the film.
 Everyone is now waiting to see the full teaser online and how it's received across the country.

Dhurandhar goes ballistic: Rs. 20 crore in paid previews with 7 days still to go

Dhurandhar isn't just a wealthy person; it's a big hit at the movies. Tickets are selling quickly all over the country, and by Wednesday, 6 PM, the film had already made Rs. 20 crore from preview shows, and the numbers are growing every hour.

The movie, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, is expected to get advance bookings of around Rs. 30 crore, and it could make business around Rs. 35 to 40 crore from preview shows alone, which would be a big deal.
 The only thing that might stop this is the number of seats available, as the film is showing in limited screens after 5 PM, and many shows are already fully booked in advance. On March 18, there won't be many people buying tickets at the door because 80% of the business is already booked online.

The film is already very popular in many places, with people asking for more showtimes.
 For big cinema chains, the film has already sold about 2.2 lakh tickets for preview shows and is expected to reach around 4 lakh tickets. This could have been even higher, but limited seating is making it hard to reach those numbers.

The movie is long, which limits how many times it can be shown, but we're on the edge of making history with numbers that may not be matched for a long time.
 If the paid preview makes more than Rs. 30 crore and the first day makes more than Rs. 70 crore, the Hindi opening day net collection could reach Rs. 100 crore.