After the runaway success of Dhurandhar, what could the opening day’s collection figure for Dhurandhar: The Revenge be?

– It could be Rs. 65 crore. It could be Rs. 70 crore or Rs. 75 crore! This, in spite of TOXIC: A FAIRY TALE FOR GROWN-UPS releasing the same day in Hindi too!! 

Why hasn’t O’Romeo taken a good start today?

– Yes, I agree, the opening today (Fenruary 13) should’ve been much better. I’m as clueless as you about why it hasn’t opened better.

Why is no big film scheduled for release on 13th March? There are not too many releases on 6th March and 27th February either. Any specific reason?

– The only reason why no big film will hit the screens on 13th March could be because DHURANDHAR: THE REVENGE and TOXIC: A FAIRY TALE FOR GROWN-UPS would be releasing after six days — on 19th March — and hence almost all the shows in every single-screen cinema and every multiplex would be allotted to the two Eid releases.

There are murmurs in trade circles that the release of Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups may be postponed. Is it true?

– Not at all true. TOXIC: A FAIRY TALE FOR GROWN-UPS will release on 19th March alongside DHURANDHAR: THE REVENGE. 

How will multiplexes apportion screens and shows between Dhurandhar: The Revenge and Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups (Hindi dubbed) on March 19? And what about single-screen cinemas?

– It’s going to be a very tough fight between the two films. DHURANDHAR: THE REVENGE will be coveted because the first part — DHURANDHAR — has turned out to be the biggest blockbuster ever and hence every exhibitor would want to screen the sequel in the maximum number of shows. However, TOXIC (Hindi dubbed) is being distributed by Anil Thadani all over India and hence multiplexes and single-screen cinemas can’t afford to displease him as he always has an impressive line-up of films.

Which will be Rasha Thadani’s second film?

– Rasha’s second film to hit the screens will be LAIKEY LAIKAA. The actress has lent her voice to a song in the film. And her rendition as well as the music for the song is very good.

What is the ideal time to stop milking a franchise? Should there be a limit on the number of films which a producer can make in a franchise?

– Who will set the limit and who can force a producer to make or not make a film? It’s a free trade! One should not milk a franchise if the script for the next film in the franchise is not good enough. This principle applies as much to franchise films as it does to non-franchise films.

Will O’Romeo take a decent opening on 13th February?

– It should definitely take an impressive start because of several reasons: the trailer is being loved by the public; the violent love story, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, will release in the Valentine’s Day weekend; Shahid Kapoor seems so much at ease in the role, going by the trailer; Tripti Dimri is popular among the youth.   

Why are the producers of Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups not postponing the release instead of clashing with the mighty Dhurandhar 2?

– They are not thinking in terms of a postponement because their main attention is on the original Kannada version, not the Hindi dubbed version. The original version is bound to take an absolutely flying start in Karnataka. 

Why were the shows of Border 2 cancelled at many cinemas today? Couldn’t this have been avoided?

– Of course, this could’ve been avoided. But in the film industry, things do not always move as planned. The producers tried their best and that is how only the first shows were cancelled wherever the content was not fully downloaded at the scheduled time. In the case of BORDER 2, the reason for the cancellation of shows was that the content took longer than expected to be finalised for downloading by cinemas.

There are rumours that Toxic: A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups (dubbed) will be postponed as Dhurandhar 2 is slated for release on 19th March. Is it true?

– The rumour is baseless. TOXIC: A FAIRY TALE FOR GROWN-UPS will come on the same day as DHURANDHAR 2. It’s a different thing that exhibitors will give far more weightage to DHURANDHAR 2 during the tug-of-war for show allocation.   

Any inside reports of Mardaani 3?

– With both the earlier MARDAANI films — MARDAANI and MARDAANI 2 — having clicked at the box-office, there is all reason to assume that the third film will also score. 

What did you think of the trailer of Aamir Khan’s forthcoming film, Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos?

– Very different and entertaining. Before the trailer, the curtain-raiser to the film was simply kick-ass. It got the audience prepared for something different. And the trailer thereafter kept that ‘different’ angle intact. But sadly, the film was nothing close to what the trailer and curtain-raiser suggested.

If I were to ask you what the one main reason for the failure of The Rajasaab (dubbed) is, what would your answer be? What was its budget?

– Its weak script! The producers spent a huge amount of money on visual effects and computer graphics but neither that nor the presence of popular star Prabhas could camouflage the absence of a solid script. The film’s non-success once again underlines the fact that script is a film’s backbone. If the very backbone is not strong, even the biggest hero cannot make the film stand erect (at the box-office) for too long. The budget of THE RAJASAAB was more than Rs. 400 crore!  

Any predictions for this year’s box-office?

– Let’s hope that year 2026 turns out to be bigger and better for the film trade in every which way! 

How much loss will the producers of Jana Nayagan (Tamil) make because of the film’s release being postponed due to censor problems?

– Effectively, the producers will stand to gain because the public will now be keener to watch the film. They would want to know why the film was stuck at the CBFC, and for that, they will rush to the cinemas whenever it hits the screens. Loss of interest on money due to the release delay will, of course, be the monetary loss.

What did you think of Yash Raj Films’ public compliment paid to Aditya Dhar on the grand success of Dhurandhar?

– It was well-meaning, of course. But it was too late in the day. Almost five weeks to pay a compliment publicly for a film which has been writing history from the first day itself is a bit too much of a delay. 

Will Dhurandhar be in the cinemas till Dhurandhar 2 releases on 19th March?

– DHURANDHAR will very likely be running in cinemas till mid-March. 

How justified is Akshaye Khanna in walking out of Drishyam 3?

– One has not heard of Akshaye Khanna’s reason for walking out of DRISHYAM 3 and, therefore, one presumes that he doesn’t have a solid one. To walk out of a film for no solid reason — that too, just days before it is to mount the sets — reeks of unprofessionalism.

Did the fact that Ikkis is the last film of Dharmendra help boost its opening on 1st January?

– Dharmendra is a character actor in IKKIS, not the hero. Character actors don’t ensure opening to a film. Besides, IKKIS stars a newcomer as a hero and hence the question of a handsome initial was ruled out. Still, it took a fair start because of the partial holiday on 1st January for New Year.

Where is Dhurandhar headed in terms of box-office collections? Does it deserve the success it is getting?

– It will easily become the biggest blockbuster of Hindi screen ever! It could do an all-India net total of over Rs. 750 crore!! Deserve?!?! What kind of a question is that? If people are thronging to the cinemas to watch the film even in its third and fourth weeks, the question becomes redundant. It is after ages that one has seen a film with such tremendous repeat value. A lot of people have seen the film twice and even thrice! 

What kind of an initial do you expect Dhurandhar 2 to take in March next year?

– Earth-shattering! In all likelihood, it will be the biggest opening the trade has ever seen! The best thing about DHURANDHAR 2 is that it will release after just three-and-a-half months of the first part’s release. In other words, the excitement will not abate when the second part releases because the first part will be in cinemas for several weeks more.

How is it that Avatar: Fire And Ash did well in the first week despite unencouraging reports?

– Whose reports were unencouraging? Only many among the media and the trade were speaking badly about the film. And that is because the first half was slow and a bit boring. But those who were sceptical about the film forgot to appreciate the fact that the second half was rivetting. And that’s the reason their judgement proved incorrect.

Why did Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri not take a good start on December 25?

– Obviously, because of the opposition of the hurricane called DHURANDHAR. Besides, this blockbuster of a film coupled with Hollywood’s AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH ensured that TMMTMTTM did not get the best showcasing in multiplexes and single-screen cinemas.

Why has this week’s Avatar: Fire And Ash not had a saturated release?

– It is because of DHURANDHAR which did phenomenally well in its second week (December 12 to 18). Looking at the extraordinary collections of DHURANDHAR, its distributors did not permit multiplexes to reduce their shows beyond a certain point. The multiplexes, elated by the collections, happily obliged. The distributors of DHURANDHAR also did not allow single-screen cinemas to share shows with AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Rather than discontinue DHURANDHAR, the single-screen cinemas decided to forgo AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. After all, DHURANDHAR is the first film in cinematic history to collect more in its second week than its first week, after an earth-shattering first week!

Why has the release of Ikkis been shifted once again — from 25th December to 1st January, 2026? Generally speaking, don’t multiple postponements adversely affect the film in question?

– IKKIS has been postponed by a week so as to not clash with the star-cast TU MERI MAIN TERA MAIN TERA TU MERI. Multiple postponements adversely affect a film if it is a big star-cast film. Since IKKIS stars an almost new hero (Agastya Nanda), the second postponement will not adversely affect it. Rather, lack of opposition in its week of release will benefit it.

How would you describe year 2025 from the box-office point of view?

– Since DHURANDHAR is such a massive blockbuster, the box-office earnings in year 2025 will be noteworthy. This one film has tilted the scales positively.

How much business will Dhurandhar do in India?

 – It is too early to predict its business. The film seems to have gained so much momentum that it is poised to become a huge blockbuster. One should not be surprised if the second week’s collections are the same as the first week’s — or maybe, even more! This may be unprecedented for a film which netted outstanding collections in the first week itself. One has seen films starting slow and then going on to do better business in the second week, but for a film, which performed like a blockbuster in the first week, to continue in its second week in the same way is unbelievable!

Was the business of Tere Ishk Mein in its second week affected due to the opening of Dhurandhar?

 – Yes, the second week’s performance of TERE ISHK MEIN was adversely affected because of the strong opposition of DHURANDHAR. A little-known fact is that the shows of TERE ISHK MEIN were reduced from Saturday/Sunday in the multiplexes because DHURANDHAR was doing outstanding business in its first week. Even the producers and distributors of TERE ISHK MEIN may not be aware that the shows of their film were reduced to maximise returns on DHURANDHAR. And this, in spite of TERE ISHK MEIN doing quite well in the second week. The multiplexes realised that the revenues from DHURANDHAR would be four or five times those of TERE ISHK MEIN per day. Frankly, that’s the way multiplexes operate. When a storm like DHURANDHAR comes, no multiplex wants to adhere to principles. Make hay while the sun shines seems to be the underlying philosophy of the multiplexes.     

Does Dhurandhar have to fear Hollywood’s Avatar: Fire And Ash next week?

– This time, it could be Hollywood’s blockbuster franchise film, AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, which has to fear a Bollywood film even though it (the Bollywood film) would be in its third week.