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Trade Experts unite on Coolie vs War 2 clash: Coolie may have nibbled, but War 2 ate itself

When War 2 released, it entered cinemas alongside Coolie, the southern behemoth fronted by Rajinikanth and Nagarjuna, with the added curiosity factor of an Aamir Khan cameo. On paper, this seemed like a clash of titans across regions. But did Coolie actually dent War 2’s box office numbers - or were the latter’s problems more internal? The trade’s verdict is fairly consistent: competition may have nibbled away at the margins, but the real culprit was the content. Taran Adarsh admitted that Coolie had some effect, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad and certain southern circuits, “Marginally. In Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad and few other sectors also. I am definitely not denying that. But looking at the content, the solo release would have only marginally helped. What after that? It doesn’t work that way as you need to have content. This is what a lot of exhibitors have told me post release when they saw the film - that they really need to work on the script; there has to be some change....

Kajol praises Kubbra Sait’s positive spirit; says, “She handles criticism with wonderfully positive attitude”

The year 2025 has been a busy one for Kubbra Sait. After a pivotal role in Shahid Kapoor’s Deva and a lively performance in Ajay Devgn’s Son of Sardaar 2, the actress is now set to appear alongside Kajol in the much-awaited The Trial: Season 2, the trailer of which was released today. The trailer for the season 2 of Trial was being launched at the grand event that was graced by Kajol, Kubbra Sait, Jisshu Sengupta, and the entire team. At the trailer launch, Kajol highly praised Kubbra Sait, saying, “As somebody who have worked with Kubbra in both the seasons, and also i have seen her off-screen too, she is among those who handles criticism, wit and any sort of negativity, with such a wonderfully positive attitude that she turns it into something else.” At the event, Kubbra Sait impressed with her charm and grounded presence, reflecting the ease she carries both on and off-screen. Recognized for her versatility, she is set to bring a new dimension to Sana’s character, and the trailer ...

EXCLUSIVE: Meet Sidhant Gandhi, the man who designed Ranbir Kapoor’s luxury brand: “Ranbir is a very calm and peaceful person, that’s what he wanted in the brand”

Ranbir Kapoor is known as not only one of the biggest stars but also one of the most talented artistes in the country. The actor expanded his horizon earlier this year by launching his own lifestyle brand called ARKS. Now, here’s the man who associated with Ranbir to design his brand, including its logo. Well-known designer Sidhant Gandhi did the honours and he got talking to Bollywood Hungama exclusively about his experience with Ranbir and his career. While describing his experience with Ranbir as “amazing”, Sidhant, who is professionally known as TooSid, said, “As soon as that project came, first the fanboy moment struck. It was like a big star is giving you full control to take his brand creatively anywhere. Ranbir was very decisive about what he wanted and what he didn’t. A lot of times we over-engineer one design and we try and put everything in one design. The brief for me was to make something that’s non-disruptive because he himself is a very calm and peaceful person; that’s ...

EXCLUSIVE: Meet Sidharth Gandhi, the man who designed Ranbir Kapoor’s luxury brand: “Ranbir is a very calm and peaceful person, that’s what he wanted in the brand”

Ranbir Kapoor is known as not only one of the biggest stars but also one of the most talented artistes in the country. The actor expanded his horizon earlier this year by launching his own lifestyle brand called ARKS. Now, here’s the man who associated with Ranbir to design his brand, including its logo. Well-known designer Sidharth Gandhi did the honours and he got talking to Bollywood Hungama exclusively about his experience with Ranbir and his career. While describing his experience with Ranbir as “amazing”, Sidharth, who is professionally known as TooSid, said, “As soon as that project came, first the fanboy moment struck. It was like a big star is giving you full control to take his brand creatively anywhere. Ranbir was very decisive about what he wanted and what he didn’t. A lot of times we over-engineer one design and we try and put everything in one design. The brief for me was to make something that’s non-disruptive because he himself is a very calm and peaceful person; that’...

Saiee Manjrekar opens up on her career approach; says, “Choosing the right project is far more important”

Actress Saiee Manjrekar, who started her acting career at 16, is now 23 and approaching her work with focus and patience. She aims to take on projects that align with her artistic sensibilities rather than pursuing a high number of films solely for visibility. Talking about her mindset towards work, Saiee said, “I started working very young, and in these years, I’ve learned that choosing the right project is far more important than doing too many at once. I’m in no rush to fill my calendar just for the sake of being busy. At this stage in my life, I want to work on things I truly want to be a part of stories that excite me, roles that challenge me, and experiences that help me grow as an artist. For me, a project should give me the freedom to explore my craft and bring something unique to the table. I believe that when you work from a place of passion, the results always speak for themselves. I’m happy to wait for the right opportunities rather than make hasty decisions that don’t ali...

27 Years of Dil Se EXCLUSIVE: Mita Vasisht reveals that Shah Rukh Khan saved her life: “I was about to fall in deep gorge, but he grabbed me…he’s an ANGEL in disguise”; also reveals she injured him during a SENSUOUS fight scene: “He told me, “I have broken every bone in my body; this is nothing!”

In May 2024, Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke with Mita Vashisht about her film The Shameless' selection at the Cannes Film Festival. In the same interview, she also spoke about her experience of working on Dil Se (1998), which incidentally completed 27 years on August 21. Dil Se starred Shah Rukh Khan, who was also seen in her 1991 mini–TV series, Ahmaq. Incidentally, both are born on November 2. On this, Mita Vashisht said, “Yes, we share our birthday, and we also shared a lot of good times off set and also on screen. He’s also a wonderful human being and very caring for his co-actors. At that time of Ahmaq, he was already being talked about; during Dil Se, he had become a big star. In this film, there was a fight sequence between Shah Rukh and me, which was chopped off. He tracks me down while rehearsing for the attack on Republic Day parade, as he wants to track down Manisha Koirala’s character. I give him a slip, but he manages to ca...

Two cult hits, two crashing sequels: The STRANGE, shared fate of War 2 and Joker: Folie à Deux

The biggest Hindi film of 2025, War 2, has turned out to be a big debacle. The film opened below expectations on Thursday, August 14. The growth on Friday, August 15, did provide some hope. But the drop in the collections over the weekend was alarming. The film then crashed big time on Monday, which made it clear that it had been rejected across the board after the initial hype. This kind of underperformance wasn't expected for multiple reasons. It was part of a cinematic universe that has had a 100% success track record. The star cast was enticing. Moreover, the first part, War (2019), was a blockbuster and has a separate fan base. Coincidentally, War was released alongside the Hollywood film Joker. The similarity between the sequels of these two films is uncanny. Just like War, Joker was also a rage. It got critical acclaim and also commercial success. It prompted its makers to announce the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux. The excitement for War 2 was immense as it brought Hrithik...