Karan Johar announces Dharma Productions’ Malayalam debut with Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Odiyan

 Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions are joining forces to make a big movie called Odiyan: The Age of Illusion.It is a grand story based on the old tales and traditions of 19th-century Kerala.The movie is being made by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Supriya Menon, and it is directed by Rahul Sadasivan, who has made movies like Bhoothakaalam, Bramayugam, and DiéS Irae.The main actors in the film are Manju Warrier and Prithviraj Sukumaran.This is the first Malayalam movie that Dharma Productions has ever made, which is a big deal for a studio that has been around for a long time.

The movie is about a scary creature from Kerala’s legends that causes trouble for a strong and powerful family.

This leads to a big fight between what is real and what is not, and it is filled with myths, danger, and deep feelings.Rahul Sadasivan, who has made many unique and special films by exploring Kerala’s stories and atmosphere, is taking on one of his biggest projects so far.

Karan Johar, who is one of the producers, said, “I have always admired Malayalam cinema a lot.

I have always wanted to be part of it.The way the filmmakers trust their audiences and tell amazing stories is something I really respect.When this story came to us, with Rahul’s ideas and Prithviraj as the lead, it felt like the perfect time.Odiyan: The Age of Illusion is the kind of film that needs a big stage, and I am happy we can give it that.”

Apoorva Mehta, the CEO of Dharma Productions, said, “Malayalam cinema shows everything we value in storytelling—big ideas, bravery in making films, and deep connections with the culture.

For Dharma, entering Malayalam cinema is a natural and exciting step.The industry has talented people, a great audience, and strong storytelling.Working with Prithviraj Productions and Rahul Sadasivan on Odiyan: The Age of Illusion is a proud moment for us, and it shows where we are going.”

Prithviraj Sukumaran, who is both an actor and producer, said, “Odiyan is not just a story, it is part of Kerala’s identity.

This legend has been around for generations and remains important in our culture.Making this story into a movie that honors its roots and culture is something I have always wanted to do.Working with Dharma Productions gives us a shared vision, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.”

Supriya Menon, from Prithviraj Productions, said, “As a company that has always tried to improve Malayalam cinema and focus on storytelling, we are excited to welcome Dharma Productions into this world.

We hope to continue our work with Odiyan to bring high-quality movies to Malayalam audiences and offer them a great viewing experience.”

Rahul Sadasivan, the film director, said, “Folklore has always been powerful because it lives in the space between memories, beliefs, and imagination.

With Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, I wanted to bring back one of Kerala’s most famous stories and tell it through a style that feels magical, mysterious, and emotional.After the support and love from audiences for my previous films, this is a chance to tell a bigger story while staying true to the themes I care about.I’m excited to work with Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions to bring this vision to life.”

Odiyan: The Age of Illusion will be coming to cinemas soon.

Cocktail 2 advance booking: 13,000 tickets sold already; Shahid Kapoor-Kriti Sanon-Rashmika Mandanna starrer eyes 30k mark

 The advance bookings for Cocktail 2 are off to a good start.This highly anticipated romantic movie, featuring Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna, is gaining momentum at theaters nationwide and is likely to see a big rise in the next two days.

PVRInox has contributed about 11,700 tickets, while Cinepolis has sold nearly 1,300 tickets.

Interestingly, the film has reached the same advance booking level as Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, which had sold about 13,000 tickets on its first day.

With two full days left before the release, Cocktail 2 is well on track to beat that number.

Now, the focus is on a new target.

If the current trend continues for the next 48 hours, the film could reach the 30,000-ticket mark across the country, surpassing the final advance bookings of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.

The next two days are very important because urban theatergoers usually book tickets for romantic movies ahead of time.

Good buzz about the trailer, music, and the new trio of Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna might help sell more tickets by Thursday evening.

Although the movie still has some way to go to join the list of big box office openings, the current pace suggests it will have a solid start.

A sudden increase in last-minute bookings and positive reviews from early viewers could help boost its opening day revenue.

Main Vaapas Aaunga Box Office Collections

Main Vaapas Aaunga Box Office

INDIA BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Schedule Amount

Opening Day 1.28 cr.

End of Opening Weekend 5.63 cr.

Lifetime Collection 8.38 cr.

DAY WISE BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Day Date Amount %±

Day 1 12-Jun-2026 (Fri) ₹1.28 cr. N/A

Day 2 13-Jun-2026 (Sat) ₹1.85 cr. +44.53%

Day 3 14-Jun-2026 (Sun) ₹2.50 cr. +35.14%

Day 4 15-Jun-2026 (Mon) ₹1.15 cr. -54.00%

Day 5 16-Jun-2026 (Tue) ₹1.60 cr. +39.13%

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Day Amount %±

Weekend 1 5.63 cr. N/A

OVERSEAS BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Schedule Amount (in mil. USD)

Total Overseas Gross 0.652

WORLDWIDE GROSS BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Schedule Amount

India box office Nett cr. 8.38 cr.

India box office Gross cr. 9.98 cr.

Overseas Gross cr. 6.2 cr.

Worldwide collections Gross cr. 16.18 cr.

AUSTRALIA BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Date Rank Weekend Amount (in A$) Screens Total Gross (in A$)

12-Jun-2026 15 78,237 64 78,237

GERMANY BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Date Rank Weekend Amount (in EUR) Screens Total Gross (in EUR)

12-Jun-2026 45 7,018 1 7,018

NEW ZEALAND BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Date Rank Weekend Amount (in NZD) Screens Total Gross (in NZD)

12-Jun-2026 19 11,014 22 11,014

UNITED KINGDOM BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Date Rank Weekend Amount (in Pound) Screens Total Gross (in Pound)

12-Jun-2026 14 45,887 86 45,887

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BOX OFFICE COLLECTION

Date Rank Weekend Amount (in USD) Screens Total Gross (in USD)

12-Jun-2026 N.A. 292,396 N.A. 292,396

Haunted 3D: Echoes Of The Past Box Office: Does well on Monday, marching towards Rs. 20 crores lifetime

 Haunted 3D: Echoes Of The Past is doing really well.The movie made good money over the weekend, earning around Rs.9.63 crores, with each day bringing in more than the last.After that, everyone was looking forward to how well Monday would go.In fact, it didn't need to be great, just steady.

Monday brought in about Rs.1.72 crores, which was actually stable.Ticket prices are usually lower on Mondays, but with more screens and showtimes, especially at big multiplexes, the number of people going to see the movie went up.

Because of this, the total earnings for four days now stand at Rs.11.35 crores.That's enough to make sure the film does well in its first week.In fact, that amount alone should cover all the costs and even bring in some profit.Whatever comes in during the second week will just be extra.The way things are going, the movie has the potential to make up to Rs.20 crores in total.This will surely lead to the third installment in Vikram Bhatt's Haunted series.

Everyone wants another Lagaan, but nobody wants to take Lagaan-sized risks

Twenty-five years after *Lagaan* first captured people's hearts, one question still lingers in Bollywood: Why hasn't there been another *Lagaan*?

Every few months, someone in the film industry laments the lack of fresh, original movies.

People often look back on the days when Hindi cinema dared to be different.Yet, even with all the praise and nostalgia, Bollywood hasn't really tried to create something like *Lagaan* again.And the reason might be because everyone wants another *Lagaan*, but not many are willing to take the big risks that *Lagaan* needed.

When *Lagaan* was released in 2001, it didn't look like a sure hit.

On paper, it seemed like an impossible sell.It was nearly four hours long, a period drama, focused on cricket, set in colonial India, with unknown international actors, a village-based cast instead of big stars, and songs that fit into a sports story.It was a film that broke every usual rule of the box office.

Today, many filmmakers would probably struggle to get such a project approved.

Ironically, Bollywood has more resources than ever before.

Budgets are bigger, technology is better, visual effects are top-notch, and marketing is more powerful than ever.Yet, truly original mainstream ideas are still rare.Instead, studios often stick to what's safe—old stories, remakes, and franchises that already have a built-in audience.

From a business point of view, that makes sense.

Films are getting more expensive, theaters are harder to sell out, and every decision is under the microscope.Risk management is just as important as storytelling now.

But cinema has always rewarded those who believe in their vision.

*Lagaan* wasn’t remembered because it was a period film or because it was about cricket.

It became unforgettable because it made people care about each character, each match, and every victory.Even people who didn’t know much about cricket found themselves cheering by the end because the emotions were universal.

OPINION: Everyone wants another *Lagaan*, but nobody wants to take *Lagaan*-sized risks

That’s probably the main lesson Bollywood sometimes misses.

Originality isn’t enough.People love stories that make them feel something.

Interestingly, some of the biggest hits in the industry came from films that seemed strange at first.

Many of the greatest films were once doubtful risks that changed how the industry saw things.

Risk doesn’t always mean spending billions.

Sometimes it just means supporting an idea that hasn’t been proven yet.

There’s also a belief that audiences only want big spectacle these days.

But history shows otherwise.Viewers keep supporting films that tell honest stories, have compelling plots, and strong characters.Scale helps, but it can’t replace soul.Veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh said that filmmakers must keep trying to make films that are truly Indian.“Of course, not every film can be *Lagaan*, which can reach Oscar level,” he said.“That kind of success is very rare.But one must keep aspiring.The key to success and breaking into the international market is to make films that reflect our culture, not copy foreign ones.*Lagaan* was very Indian.It was Indian in every way.It didn’t try to copy any international or American film.”

He also explained that box office pressure often stops filmmakers from trying new ideas.

“The box office is playing a huge role these days, and we’ve forgotten how to make these kinds of films.Box office was always big but now it's multiplied by 10 or even 100.That's a big challenge for filmmakers.At some point, everything is focused on the money coming from different areas.It's important to balance art and commerce.Make the kind of films you want to make but also think about the box office and art.By art, I don’t mean arthouse cinema.I mean films that tell a new or different story within commercial limits,” he concluded.

That might be why *Lagaan* is still celebrated after 25 years.

It didn’t follow trends.It created them.

Bollywood often wonders where its next great classic will come from.

The answer might not be in making another *Lagaan*, but in rediscovering the bravery that made *Lagaan* possible in the first place.

Because great films rarely come from playing it safe.

Love & War cast gears up for grand song shoot with 200 dancers at Royal Palms

 After a short production break, filming for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious period drama Love & War is scheduled to begin on June 18. Lead actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal will reunite for one of the movie's most significant scenes in the near future.

Speculation about the project's filming timetable and release intentions has put it in the public eye in recent months. But Bhansali subsequently confirmed that the movie is still mostly on schedule, with almost 90% of the main photography now finished.

The next stage of filming will concentrate on a complex song sequence that is mounted on a large scale, according to a report from Mid-Day. Along with the main actors, the routine is anticipated to include close to 200 dancers. "It is being designed as a spectacle," a production insider told the newspaper. Originally scheduled to begin on June 8, it will now begin on June 18 at Royal Palms.

According to reports, the song would be filmed on a specially constructed set over a number of days. The choreography, costumes, and production design for the sequence have been finalized for weeks before the cameras start rolling.

"The choreography, costumes, and production design have been under preparation for weeks," the source added. Even by Bhansali's standards, the scale is massive. The shoot was postponed by two weeks because each frame was painstakingly storyboarded.

Due to the key actors' commitments to other projects, the upcoming schedule comes after a brief hiatus. As filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari advances the next installment of the legendary epic, Ranbir Kapoor has turned his focus to Ramayana: Part Two. Vicky Kaushal, who will play Lord Parashuram in Mahavatar, has been filming and getting ready for the film.

The stars' hectic schedules were reportedly causing scheduling issues for the rest of Love & War, especially the climax, earlier this year. The most recent timetable seems to signal the start of the movie's last phase.

After filming is finished, attention will turn to post-production, which is anticipated to take a lot of time considering the size and aesthetic demands of the movie. The prior release dates of Christmas 2025, Eid 2026, and August 2026 have apparently been abandoned by the creators. The choice was made to give post-production and visual effects enough time.

Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: Part One, which is anticipated to hit theaters in late 2026, is another element affecting the release plan. The company behind Love & War is now thought to be aiming for a theatrical release in January 2027, potentially around the Republic Day holiday, in order to prevent a conflict between two huge Ranbir Kapoor films.

Kala Hiran controversy deepens: Sonu Mishra talks about exiting the film based on Salman Khan blackbuck case; says ‘I didn’t want to be a part of such a film’

The debate over the movie *Kala Hiran: Battle of Legacy* is getting hotter.The film, made by Amit Jani, is said to be based on public information from the ongoing blackbuck case involving Salman Khan.It has been getting a lot of attention since the first poster was released.The poster made waves because actor Sonu Mishra looked very similar to Salman Khan, which raised a lot of questions.

Some have said they were confused by the producer.The latest person to share his side was Sonu Mishra, who told the media during a press conference that he had left the film.He explained that he was first approached for the movie but was never given a proper contract.Because of this, he felt unsure about the film’s portrayal of Salman Khan and decided to step back.

The controversy is spreading: Sonu Mishra talks about leaving the film because of the blackbuck case; he says, “I didn’t want to be in a film like this.”  

Photos: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and others attending late Dharmendra’s last rites  

Photos: Salman Khan at Kalina airport  

Photos: Salman Khan at Kalina airport  

Salman Khan, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sonakshi Sinha, Zaheer & others at Vikram Phadnis Fashion Show  

Photos: Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Sushmita Sen, Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh and others at Vikram Phadnis' 35 Years anniversary celebration in JW Marriott, Juhu  

Photos: Salman Khan, Ridhima Pandit, Iulia Vantur, Gauahar Khan and others at Arbaaz Khan's wife Sshura Khan's baby shower ceremony in Bandra  

Battle Of Galwan  

Photos: Salman Khan, Sohail Khan and others at the inauguration of World Padel League Season 3  

Amid the legal dispute started by Salman Khan and his team, many people involved in the film have spoken about the negative story being told.

Some even claimed they were tricked by the producer.Sonu Mishra was the latest to speak out.He told the press that he was first invited for the film but never signed a proper contract.Because of this, he had doubts about how the film was showing Salman Khan and decided to leave the project.

When asked about his decision, Sonu Mishra said, “I was really excited because I was supposed to play Salman Khan.

I even started filming.But if the story is negative, as an actor, I don’t want to be part of something like this.They have their point of view, but you are showing Salman Khan in a bad way and creating a one-sided story.”  

He also said that before leaving, he asked for the script and the contract.

“I left because I hadn’t signed the agreement.We shot for two days, and I asked for the agreement and the script because they were making a one-sided story against a superstar.They realized I wasn’t going to fall for their plan.I asked for the agreement to know what it said.After a long time, they showed me the details and I realized I was supposed to speak against the star in the media.All of this went against my ethics,” he added.

This comes at a time when Salman Khan and his legal team have asked the Delhi High Court to block the film and its promotions.

They claim the movie hurts Salman Khan’s personality rights and is based on a case that is still in court.The court has taken note of the case and sent a notice to the film’s makers.The next hearing is scheduled for June 19.

With legal issues rising and key people leaving the project, the future of *Kala Hiran: Battle of Legacy* is unclear.