After Animal, Pushpa 2 and Dhurandhar, Border 2 joins the ELITE 3+ hour club; runtime expected to be around 3 hours 20 minutes

There was a time, not too long ago, when people thought that films should not be too long, because it might turn some people away. But in 2023, that idea was broken by the movie *Animal*. It was 3 hours and 23 minutes long. *Pushpa 2* (2025) was also very long, at 3 hours and 20 minutes. Then *Dhurandhar*, the biggest hit of 2025 in Hindi cinema, went even further with a runtime of 3 hours and 34 minutes. All three of these movies were major blockbusters. Now, *Border 2* is joining this group of long films.

A source told , "Border 2 is around 200 minutes long, which is about 3 hours and 20 minutes.

 The exact runtime might change a little after the final edits are done. It will be confirmed a few days before the film gets the censor certificate."

The source added, "The filmmakers felt it was important for the film to be this long because they wanted viewers to fully understand the war depicted in the movie.

 Also, there are four main actors — Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty — and their stories deserve to be told properly. That’s why the movie is so long. At the same time, the makers have made sure the film includes enough dramatic, emotional and patriotic moments to keep the audience engaged and make them cheer or clap."

*Border 2* is set to release on January 23, taking advantage of the Republic Day holiday on January 26 and the four-day weekend.

 The first part of the series, *Border* (1997), was directed by J P Dutta, while the sequel is directed by Anurag Singh, known for *Kesari* (2019). This time, J P Dutta is producing the film along with Nidhi Dutta, Bhushan Kumar, and Krishan Kumar from T-Series.

January is a month with many long films.

 *Border 2* is not the only one — this week’s *The Raja Saab* is 3 hours and 9 minutes, and *Jana Nayagan* is expected to be around 3 hours and 3 minutes long.

Varun Dhawan DENIES signing Luka Chuppi 2 with Sharvari: “There is no sequel of any other film I’m doing

Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan has addressed rumors that he is working on a sequel to the 2019 romantic comedy Luka Chuppi.

 He clearly said that there is no such project currently being worked on and that he has not signed any film beyond his confirmed releases.

On Tuesday, during an online session with fans on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Varun was asked about his upcoming projects after he shared the news about his upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.

 He replied, “Not signed any film. There is no sequel of any other film I’m doing. Will decide.”

This response directly contradicted ongoing media reports that suggested he would be starring opposite Sharvari in Luka Chuppi 2, a supposed follow-up to the 2019 film starring Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon.

The clarification comes after media outlets had previously reported that Luka Chuppi 2 was expected to begin pre-production in early 2026, with Varun and Sharvari as the lead pair.

 Those reports also mentioned delays of six to eight months and pointed to scheduling issues with director Laxman Utekar as a reason for the slow progress.

Varun’s statement makes it clear that he has not committed to any sequel or similar project at this time.

 As of now, his confirmed upcoming project is the high-profile war drama Border 2, set for a theatrical release on January 23, 2026. In the film, he plays the role of Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya. The movie also features Diljit Dosanjh, Sunny Deol, Ahan Shetty, Sonam Bajwa, and Mona Singh, among others.

Toxic makers plan to unveil teaser of Yash starrer on his 40th birthday: Report

Fans have been really excited to see Yash back on the big screen since the huge success of KGF Chapter 2. Now, the wait is almost over as he's set to return with his new movie, Toxic – A Fairytale for Grown Ups, after almost four years. This has made everyone even more excited, especially since the film is expected to release its first trailer on a very special day – Yash's 40th birthday, which is on January 8.

According to India Today, the makers of Toxic have chosen this date for the trailer launch.

 A source from the film shared, "Yash's 40th birthday is a big moment for his fans, and the team felt there's no better day to introduce Toxic to the world." This decision is seen as a smart way to build more excitement for the film while giving fans a special birthday gift from their favorite actor.

People already think that Toxic will show Yash in a completely new way.

 Another insider said, "The trailer is raw, stylish, and different from anything audiences have seen him do before." The whole idea of the film is to present Yash in a darker, more complex role.

A production insider explained, "We wanted to reinvent Yash on screen.

 Toxic shows him in a darker, more complex space. The trailer will give a strong sense of the film's mood and character, without giving away too much." Right now, the focus is on creating a mood and feeling of intensity, not on the story.

Another source added, "The trailer is just the beginning.

 It sets the tone for what will be a bold, strong film. Fans should expect intensity, attitude, and a completely new world." This shows that Toxic is aiming to be more than just a regular action-drama, and it's meant to be a stylish and immersive experience.

Since December 2025, the makers have kept the hype high by releasing posters of the film's female leads, including Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Nayanthara, and Tara Sutaria, all in powerful looks.

 Earlier, a video showing Yash in a striking gangster style had already made fans go crazy online.

Toxic – A Fairytale for Grown Ups is directed by Geetu Mohandas.

 It was shot in both Kannada and English and will be released in six languages. The movie is set for release on March 19, 2026, which is also Ugadi, and will have IMAX versions. With the trailer dropping on Yash's birthday, the excitement for Toxic has officially started.

Dharma Productions Box Office Report Card 2025: Rs. 210.88 cr. India nett, $8.25M overseas and Rs. 322.89 cr. worldwide – Kesari Chapter 2 saves the year

For Dharma Productions, 2025 was a year where the box office didn't do very well, and the reviews were all over the place. The studio released five movies during the year, and together they made Rs. 210.88 crore in India. Most of this money came from Kesari Chapter 2, which made Rs. 93.28 crore and was considered a Semi-Hit. This movie showed good effort and did reasonably well, making it the only one that had a positive impact on the studio's performance.

Kesari Chapter 2 was the main reason the year wasn't too bad.

 The next best movie was Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, which earned Rs. 65.22 crore and got an Average review. While it helped add some numbers to the total, it didn't change the overall picture much. The bigger problem for Dharma came from the other three movies. Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri made Rs. 27.95 crore, Dhadak 2 made Rs. 21.43 crore, and Homebound only made Rs. 3 crore. All three were considered Flops, which made the overall performance weak. When most of the movies don't do well, even a Semi-Hit at the top can't make the whole year look good.

Overseas, Dharma's total was $8.25 million.

 Kesari Chapter 2 was the top earner with $3.9 million, followed by Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari with $2.45 million. The other movies added smaller amounts: $1.1 million for Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, and $0.4 million each for Dhadak 2 and Homebound. This overseas performance matched the domestic one, where only a few movies made a real difference.

Worldwide, Dharma made Rs. 322.89 crore.

 Kesari Chapter 2 contributed Rs. 144.35 crore, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari added Rs. 99.39 crore, and the rest made Rs. 43.15 crore, Rs. 29 crore, and Rs. 7 crore respectively. These numbers show that Dharma was active but not really successful.

The main takeaway is that 2025 wasn't a year where Dharma had a big hit.

 Instead, it was a year of inconsistency. Kesari Chapter 2 helped keep things from looking too bad, and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari helped a little, but the number of flops made the year challenging. The studio now needs a better plan, maybe fewer movies with stronger marketing or bigger, more impactful films to improve their performance in the future.

India Box Office  

Kesari Chapter 2 - 93.28 cr.

 (Semi-Hit)  

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari - Rs. 65.22 cr.

 (Average)  

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri - Rs. 27.95 cr.

 (Flop)  

Dhadak 2 - Rs. 21.43 cr.

 (Flop)  

Homebound - Rs. 3 cr.

 (Flop)  

Overseas Box Office  

Kesari Chapter 2 - 3.9 mil.

 USD  

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari - 2.45 mil.

 USD  

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri - 1.1 mil.

 USD  

Dhadak 2 - 0.4 mil.

 USD  

Homebound - 0.4 mil.

 USD  

Worldwide Box Office  

Kesari Chapter 2 - 144.35 cr.

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari - Rs. 99.39 cr.

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri - Rs. 43.15 cr.

Dhadak 2 - Rs. 29 cr.

Homebound - Rs. 7 cr.

Kalyani Priyadarshan set for Bollywood debut opposite Ranveer Singh in Pralay? Here’s what we know

 Kalyani Priyadarshan might soon be entering Bollywood, according to recent news in the film industry. A report from 123 Telugu suggests that the actress is set to make her Hindi film debut by acting alongside Ranveer Singh in his upcoming movie, Pralay. This film is also expected to be Ranveer's first time as a co-producer under his production company, Maa Kasam Films.

For a while now, people have been talking about Alia Bhatt possibly coming back to work with Ranveer Singh for their third movie together after Gully Boy and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.

 However, the latest news says the film will instead feature Kalyani Priyadarshan as the main actress. Though there's no official confirmation yet, filmmaker Jai Mehta has reportedly chosen her for the role.

Pralay will be Jai Mehta's first time directing a full-length movie.

 He is the son of well-known director Hansal Mehta. Jai previously worked with his father on the popular series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story and now wants to direct his own film. If the reports are correct, the production of the movie is expected to begin in April, and filming might start between July and August.

Although the story of Pralay is not fully revealed yet, it's said to be set in a futuristic world and will involve a type of zombie apocalypse.

 The film is expected to show the fall of Mumbai and use AI-driven sets as a big part of its visuals. The overall mood will be dark, with a lot of decay, abandoned areas, and a sense of emptiness to set the tone and feel of the story.

Meanwhile, Kalyani had a strong year in 2025 with Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, which was well received across the country.

 In that movie, produced by Dulquer Salmaan, she played India's first female superhero, a role that earned her lots of praise and helped her gain more popularity nationwide.

Ranveer Singh is currently getting lots of praise for his work in Dhurandhar and is also preparing for the release of the second part of the film, which is set to come out on March 19 this year.

 If the reports about Pralay are true, the movie could be an exciting new step for both Ranveer and Kalyani, bringing together a new pair in a genre that's not often seen in mainstream Hindi cinema.

Dhurandhar pips Jawan to become No. 1 Bollywood grosser worldwide (excluding China)

Ranveer Singh and Aditya Dhar's film Dhurandhar has set a new record. According to the latest box office figures, the movie has surpassed Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan to become the highest-earning Bollywood film globally, except in China.

What makes this achievement even more special is how the record was broken.

 While Jawan did very well in international markets, Dhurandhar made up for it with a huge success in India, which has now moved it to the number one spot on the worldwide list (excluding China).

Here's how the top two films compare (excluding China):

Dhurandhar

India (Nett): Rs. 784.50 cr.

India (Gross): Rs. 926.21 cr.

Overseas (Gross): Rs. 237.84 cr.

Global Collections: Rs. 1164.05 cr.

Jawan

India (Nett): Rs. 643.87 cr.

India (Gross): Rs. 761.98 cr.

Overseas (Gross): Rs. 386.34 cr.

Global Collections: Rs. 1148.32 cr.

Universal Studios invests in Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment to scale up Indian productions: Report

Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's production company, Excel Entertainment, has started working with a big Hollywood studio called Universal Studios. This is a major step toward making Indian movies reach a global audience. According to a report from Mid-Day, Universal Studios has bought a small part of Excel, but the bigger part still belongs to Excel.

 This move is part of a growing trend where big international studios are showing interest in Indian cinema.

Sources close to the deal say that Universal's investment is meant to help Excel grow and bring more big and creative ideas to the screen.

 They also mention that Excel wants to make bigger movies in the future and has some exciting projects in the works.

Excel's movie plan for 2025 includes a variety of films such as 120 Bahadur, Ground Zero, Superboys of Malegaon, and the digital release Songs of Paradise.

 While these films have received good reviews, not all of them did well at the box office. This has led Excel to look for new ways to improve and expand, and this partnership is one of those steps.

This collaboration comes after other major studios investing in Indian film companies, such as when Adar Poonawalla took a 50% stake in Dharma Productions.

For Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, who have supported many successful films and shows like Dil Chahta Hai, Don, Inside Edge, and Mirzapur, this partnership shows they are looking to tell Indian stories on a global stage.

 It could also lead to more international co-productions and new types of movies that are popular both in India and around the world.