Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War shoot extended to May 2026; Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt & Vicky Kaushal starrer budget shoots up, now eyeing Aug/Sept 2026 release

 Sanjay Leela Bhansali is preparing to make one of the biggest casting moves in recent times with his upcoming film, Love And War. This movie will feature Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal together for the first time. The filming began in November 2024 and was originally planned to finish in December 2025. But the project has faced several delays over the years.

Recently, it was announced that the shoot for Love And War has been extended until May 2026.

 The budget for the film has also increased because of the extra time needed for filming. Now, the release date is expected to be in August or September 2026.

Earlier, there were plans to release the film in June 2026, but that has been pushed back.

 A source shared with Bollywood Hungama that Ranbir, Alia, and Vicky have all blocked their schedules until May 2026. Their previous commitments have been affected due to the longer shooting schedule.

Some members of the Ramayana team are disappointed with the delay, as they were hoping for at least six months between Love And War and Ramayana.

 The extended shooting has also led to a higher budget for Love And War.

There are rumors that the release date for Love And War will be announced in January, along with the first look of all the actors.

9 months, multiple locations, Kashmir backdrop – Kartik Aaryan & Kabir Khan film to go on floors in Feb 2026; 2027 release on cards

After Chandu Champion, Kartik Aaryan and Kabir Khan are planning to come back together for their second project. Reliable sources say that their next movie is a sports and adventure film set in Kashmir. "Kartik and Kabir are working on a film that could change things in this genre. It's a unique sports adventure with a big budget. Kartik will be training hard for the role and is ready to start filming in February 2026."

The film will be shot at real places around the world and is expected to come out in 2027. "

Kabir is planning to shoot the movie from February to October 2026 in different locations, and Kartik will change his physical appearance for the role. He is getting ready to start this new commercial film right after finishing Nagzilla for Dharma Productions," a source told 

Kartik is currently reading several scripts and is also planning to work on Bhool Bhulaiyaa 4 in the second half of 2026.

 He was in talks with Luv Ranjan for another film. "After Nagzilla and Kabir Khan's next project, Kartik wants to begin shooting Bhool Bhulaiyaa 4 with Anees Bazmee. He is also expected to wrap up the remaining parts of Anurag Basu's film in 2026."

The Kartik Aaryan - Kabir Khan film will be produced by Applause Entertainment.

Dharma Productions FY25: Revenue at Rs. 555 crores, Profit at Rs. 28 crores as Karan Johar studio repairs margins

 For the fiscal year 2024-25, Dharma Productions had a year where they improved their profits instead of focusing on big-ticket revenue. The company made Rs. 555.27 crores in revenue and earned a net profit of Rs. 27.86 crores, which gives a net margin of about 5.02%. This is a big improvement compared to the nearly break-even performance in the previous fiscal year, 2023-24. The success came from smart choices like the movies *Kill* and *Mr. & Mrs. Mahi*, as well as reusing popular titles like *Yodha* for more revenue. It shows the studio is moving towards making mid-budget, high-concept films that can work across different platforms, rather than relying on just one big blockbuster.

The difference between this year and the previous one is clear.

 In 2023-24, the company earned Rs. 520.20 crores in revenue but only about Rs. 60 lakhs in net profit—just 0.11% of revenue. That year was dominated by the film *Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani*, a big-budget movie that did well at the box office and on streaming platforms. But after factoring in high production costs, marketing, and big star involvement, the profit was nearly flat. This year, with slightly more revenue and much lower costs, the studio is showing better profitability even if it's not as big as before.

Looking back over the past 12 years from 2013-14 to 2024-25, Dharma Productions’ financial performance follows a pattern seen in many Hindi cinema studios that rely on hit movies.

 On average, they made about Rs. 386 crores each year and earned around Rs. 15 crores in profit, with margins changing a lot depending on the films they released.

So, the numbers for 2024-25 don’t look like a major change in strategy.

 Over the last 12 years, Dharma went from early years of ups and downs and one loss year, to a more stable phase in the mid-2010s, then a period of growth before the pandemic, followed by a costly phase focused on big, expensive movies. The latest figures suggest the studio is trying to find a middle ground where high revenue doesn’t come with dangerously thin profits. If Dharma can combine the high revenue from big movies like *Brahmāstra* and *Rocky Aur Rani* with the more disciplined financial management seen in years like 2017-18, 2021-22, and 2024-25, their financial performance could be just as strong as their on-screen success in the coming decade.

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri Day 3 Box Office Estimate: Stays flat on Saturday with Rs. 4.5 cr; all eyes on Sunday now

"Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri" hasn't managed to get the usual boost on the third day of its weekend run. After making Rs. 4.5 crores on Friday, the movie is expected to remain in the same range of Rs. 4.25 to 4.75 crores on Saturday, with no real increase as early trends suggest.

This is concerning because Saturday is usually when movies that do well in urban areas and big theaters start to climb after a busy Friday.

 Instead, "Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri" has stayed flat, showing that it hasn't been able to turn early interest into more people going to see it or generating much word-of-mouth. This is especially true because "Dhurandhar" is still getting a lot of attention and showing, and "Avatar – Fire And Ash" is still attracting premium audiences.

So, the movie's total after three days is expected to be around Rs. 16.75 crores (Rs. 7.75 crores on Day 1, Rs. 4.5 crores on Day 2, and Rs. 4.5 crores on Day 3).

Now, the main hope is for Sunday.

 If the movie shows a meaningful increase on Sunday, it could still stabilize and have a better run during the Christmas and New Year period. But if Sunday doesn't bring a big jump, then Monday will be the key day that determines how the movie does overall. As it stands, the movie might not reach the Rs. 40 crore mark unless there's a late surge.

Akshay Kumar-Vidya Balan-Anees Bazmee film to go on floors on January 19 in Mumbai; Dil Raju clarifies on Sankranthiki Vasthunam remake reports

2026 will start with big excitement for Akshay Kumar as he prepares to begin shooting for Anees Bazmee's next movie.

 It has come to light that the film will start filming in the second half of January.

According to an Instagram post by Vickey Lalwani, the shooting will begin in Mumbai on January 19.

 About two weeks ago, Anees Bazmee told Mid-Day that he is planning to work with Akshay Kumar again after their film Thank You (2011). He also said, “There is a lot of respect and friendship between us. When I told him about this film, he was very excited.”

A few days after this interview, it was reported that Vidya Balan will be the female lead opposite Akshay Kumar.

 Vickey Lalwani shared in his post that he spoke to producer Dil Raju, who confirmed that Akshay and Vidya are officially part of the film.

It has been reported that the project is a remake of Sankranthiki Vasthunam (2025).

 Dil Raju told Vickey Lalwani that the Akshay-Anees film isn’t a direct remake but is inspired by the Venkatesh-starrer.

This film will mark Akshay and Vidya’s first on-screen pairing in six years since their successful collaboration in Mission Mangal (2019).

Earlier, source reported that Anees Bazmee's next movie will feature two strong female characters, with Vidya playing one of them.

 While details about the second female role and the storyline are still not revealed, insiders suggest it will focus on humor, emotion, and strong character development, elements that both Bazmee and Akshay are known for.

This film will be produced by Dil Raju’s banner, Sri Venkateswara Creations.

 Producer Sirish of this production house told Gulte at the recently ended 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) that they plan to make a film with superstar Salman Khan, directed by Vamshi Paidipally, who has directed popular films such as Munna (2007), Brindavanam (2010), Yevadu (2014), Oopiri (2016), Maharshi (2019), and Varisu (2023).

Lastly, Sirish also confirmed that their esteemed production house will produce a film starring superstar Pawan Kalyan.

Dhurandhar Makes History: 22 straight days of double-digit box office collections

Dhurandhar has added another impressive chapter to its amazing theatrical journey by making double-digit box office collections for 22 straight days. In a time when even big movies often lose their steam after the first week, Dhurandhar stands out as one of the most consistent performers in Hindi cinema history.

With this streak, Dhurandhar has beaten Pushpa 2: The Rule, which had 21 days of double-digit collections.

 It has also outdone other big hits like Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and Chhaava, which each had 17 such days. Even newer big movies like Stree 2, Gadar 2, and Jawan, which had between 13 and 14 days, are behind. Older popular films like Dangal, Pathaan, and Animal only managed 12 days, showing just how special Dhurandhar’s performance really is.

What makes this achievement special is not just the number, but the consistency.

 Keeping double-digit collections into the third week shows that the movie is not just popular because of hype, but keeps drawing people through good word of mouth and repeat viewers. This kind of steady success is usually seen in movies that become cultural hits or are really loved by many people.

The 22-day streak also shows the film's ability to stay strong even with new movies coming out and changing weekday patterns, which often affect box office numbers.

 While many movies drop a lot on weekdays after the first two weeks, Dhurandhar has avoided that, keeping people coming in on both weekdays and weekends.

This milestone helps Dhurandhar become one of the top-performing movies in recent times.

 By going past some of the biggest blockbusters of the last decade in terms of consistency, the film shows that ongoing support from audiences can be just as strong as a big opening. As its run continues, Dhurandhar is not just making money—it’s changing what long-term box office success means in today’s cinema world.

Bollywood movies with consecutive days of double-digit collections  

Dhurandhar - 22 Days  

Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 21 Days  

Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion - 17 Days  

Chhaava - 17 Days  

Stree 2 - 14 Days  

Gadar 2 - 13 Days  

Jawan - 13 Days  

Dangal - 12 Days  

Pathaan - 12 Days  

Animal - 12 Days

Kumar Mangat Pathak BLASTS Akshaye Khanna – “He insisted on a wig, signed an agreement, took advance and left Drishyam 3 just 10 days before the shoot; he has STOPPED taking my calls; success has gone into his head after Dhurandhar…I have sent him a legal notice

In recent days, there have been reports that Akshaye Khanna is not part of Drishyam 3.

Source covered this story on December 26, which made a lot of noise online. Now, Drishyam 3's producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has spoken exclusively to Bollywood Hungama to explain the situation. He accused Akshaye of being unprofessional and said he plans to take legal action against the actor. He also confirmed that Jaideep Ahlawat has taken over Akshaye's role in the film.

  

Kumar Mangat Pathak started by saying, "We had signed an agreement with Akshaye Khanna.

 His fees were finalized after several discussions from his side. He wanted to wear a wig. But (director) Abhishek Pathak convinced him that it wouldn’t work, as it could cause continuity issues in Drishyam 3, which is a sequel. He agreed to that initially, but the people around him said he would look smarter with a wig. So he asked again. Abhishek was ready to talk about this, but then Akshaye said he didn’t want to be part of the film at all."  

Kumar Mangat Pathak added, "There was a time when Akshaye was nothing.

 That’s when I made Section 375 (2019) with him. Even then, many people told us not to work with him because of his unprofessional attitude. His energy on set is really negative. Section 375 got him some recognition. Later, I signed him in Drishyam 2 (2022). He has only started getting major offers after Drishyam 2. Before that, he stayed at home for about three to four years."  

He said, "Also, it’s important to note that the Drishyam franchise is backed by Ajay Devgn.

 Chhaava is a Vicky Kaushal film along with Akshaye. The same goes for Dhurandhar — it's Ranveer Singh’s film. If Akshaye does a solo film, it won’t even collect Rs. 50 crores in India. Forget about lifetime success, if he thinks he is a superstar, then he should try making a film with a superstar budget. Some actors do ensemble films and after those become hits, they start thinking they are the star. That’s exactly what has happened to Akshaye. He thinks he is a superstar now. Success has gone to his head. He told us, ‘Dhurandhar is working because of me.’ He needs to understand that many factors helped Dhurandhar be successful."  

Kumar Mangat Pathak then said, "When he heard the script in his Alibaug farmhouse, he liked it so much that he told us, ‘This is a Rs. 500 crore film.

 I haven’t heard such a script in my life.’ He even hugged Abhishek and the writer. Then we had negotiations, and we agreed on the fees. We even signed the agreement. He even got an advance while we paid the designer for his clothes. But then, 10 days before his shoot, he said he doesn’t want to be part of the film anymore."  

Kumar Mangat Pathak stated, "Drishyam is a very big brand.

 It doesn’t matter if he is in the film or not. Now, Jaideep Ahlawat has taken over his role. By the grace of God, we have got a better actor than Akshaye and most importantly, a better person. I had produced one of the first films of Jaideep's career, Aakrosh (2010)."  

The producer then said, "I have suffered losses because of his behavior.

 I am going to take legal action. I have already sent him a legal notice; he hasn’t replied to it yet."  

Finally, Kumar Mangat Pathak expressed surprise over Akshaye’s demand for a wig.

 He said, "I was shocked. Drishyam 3 begins where Drishyam 2 ended. How can his character suddenly get hair? Is there any technology in the world that can grow hair within minutes?"