From mega-budget mythological spectacles to gritty OTT action dramas and strong box office performers, the entertainment industry is currently packed with major talking points. While Nitesh Tiwari opened up about feeling intimidated while directing the ambitious Ramayana, audiences are also discussing the uncensored version of Dhurandhar that has arrived on streaming platforms with a darker and more intense tone. At the same time, films like Bhooth Bangla and Raja Shivaji continue to perform strongly at the box office, proving that both theatrical releases and OTT content are keeping viewers fully engaged.
1. Why Nitesh Tiwari Felt ‘Intimidated’ Directing Ranbir’s Ramayana
Ramayana Part 1 is easily one of 2026’s most awaited films and also one of its biggest gambles. Made on a jaw-dropping ₹4,000 crore budget for both parts, the film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Sunny Deol, and Ravie Dubey.
On director Nitesh Tiwari’s birthday, producer Namit Malhotra shared a candid chat between Tiwari and Ranbir. Tiwari admitted his first reaction was pure intimidation. “Intimidating, challenging, inspiring — all at the same time. Telling a great story like the Ramayana comes with a lot of moral responsibility,” he told Ranbir.
He added, “It was both daunting and inspiring. I can confidently say it has been an incredible experience. I don’t believe I could have made a better choice.”
Namit Malhotra also penned a heartfelt birthday note for Tiwari: “Working with you so closely has been one of the best experiences of my life… Your understanding of the subject to your ease of telling the story and bringing it to life is incredibly fascinating.”
Speaking to Prakhar Gupta, Namit revealed the scale: “When we set out to make this six or seven years ago, people thought I was a lunatic because no Indian film comes close to this scale. Put simply, the budget will be around $500 million for both parts combined, which is over Rs 4,000 crore.”
Ramayana Part 1 hits theatres Diwali 2026.
2. Dhurandhar: Raw And Undekha — What’s Actually Different?
Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar got a new life on May 22 with Dhurandhar: Raw And Undekha dropping simultaneously on Netflix and JioHotstar. The film first hit theatres on December 5, 2025 at 3 hours 34 minutes, then came to OTT on Jan 30 at 3 hours 25 minutes.
So what’s new in Raw And Undekha? Surprisingly, no new scenes. Runtime is same as the OTT cut. The difference is in the feel.
First, the violence hits harder. The Kandahar hijack with R Madhavan looks more brutal — not because of new shots, but sharper colour grading. Blood looks deeper, wounds more defined.
Second, the dialogues are unfiltered. This is where the “raw” really kicks in. Cuss words that were muted in theatres are now intact. Lines like Sanjay Dutt’s SP Choudhary Aslam saying “Abey Be, kahan bhaglega M4 se?”_ or Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait snarling “Mujhe sikhayega Md?” make characters feel more volatile and real.
Arjun Rampal’s Major Iqbal speech after 26/11 becomes far more chilling without bleeps. Even Ranveer’s Hamza in the climax — “Gadi rok Md. Tum logo ki M….Ruk Bd ruk” — shows a complete breakdown that the theatrical cut softened.
But don’t expect extended gore or new plot points. Raw And Undekha is more about dialogue realism than added brutality. It’s the same film, just louder, harsher, and more honest.
3. Krishnavataram Part 1 – The Heart Struggles Despite Decent Hold
Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart (Hridayam), starring Siddharth Gupta, Sanskruti Jayana, Sushmitha Bhat, and Nivaashiyni Krishnan, closed week 2 at ₹9.75 crore nett. Thursday added ₹90 lakh.
The drop from week 1 was nominal, which is promising for a film with newer faces. But for its production cost, ₹9.75 crore in 14 days isn’t enough. The film needs stronger momentum to break even.
4. Chand Mera Dil Eyes ₹4–6 Cr Opening
Lakshya and Ananya Panday’s Chand Mera Dil is tracking an India opening of around ₹4–6 crore nett. With no major releases until June 5, the Dharma Productions romantic drama gets a clean two-week window. If word of mouth clicks, it has a fair shot at recovering costs.
5. Bhooth Bangla Nears Finish Line At ₹165 Cr
Week 5 and still kicking! Akshay Kumar’s horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla added ₹6.15 crore in its fifth week. The film is now expected to wrap its lifetime run near the ₹165 crore mark a clean hit.
6. Raja Shivaji Still Has Fire In Week 4
Riteish Deshmukh’s Raja Shivaji isn’t done yet. The entertainer still has strong momentum and is expected to see solid gains in its fourth weekend. Trade predicts a lifetime total of ₹110–115 crore.
