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Aamir Khan has said that the OTT release of his film Sitaare Zameen Par was part of the original strategy, though he did not want it to follow immediately after its theatrical run. Speaking to PTI, the actor said he was clear from the beginning about releasing the film on a digital platform but preferred a gap after its cinema release. The film is now set to stream on SonyLIV from April 3, allowing those who missed it in theatres to watch it at home. Aamir also said the platform will release a documentary titled Sitaaron Ke Sitaare, which focuses on the real-life parents of the neurodivergent actors featured in the film. He described the documentary as a special project that shifts the spotlight to the parents, calling them the “real superstars” for their role in raising and supporting the 10 young actors. The actor made the comments while attending the red carpet of the inaugural International Film Festival Delhi in the capital. Earlier, Aamir Khan Productions had announced that the film, which had initially skipped an OTT window, would soon be released on streaming. Besides Aamir, the film also stars Genelia Deshmukh and introduces 10 neurodivergent debutants. It is being described as a spiritual sequel to Taare Zameen Par. The film grossed around Rs 265 crore worldwide, emerging as one of the highest-grossing films of last year. #From NDTV

Ranveer Singh’s latest film ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ continued its strong run at the box office, collecting over Rs 575 crore in India within six days of release. The film earned Rs 56.55 crore on Tuesday, taking its total domestic collection to Rs 575.67 crore (net), according to trade tracker Sacnilk. The gross collection in India stood at around Rs 687.43 crore. Internationally, the film has already crossed Rs 231.57 crore, pushing its worldwide gross collection close to Rs 919 crore. The Hindi version contributed the largest share on Tuesday with Rs 52 crore, while the Telugu version added Rs 3.10 crore, continuing strong regional support. The film opened with Rs 102.55 crore on March 19, followed by Rs 80.72 crore on March 20 and Rs 113 crore on March 21. On March 22, it earned Rs 114.85 crore across 21,633 shows in India. Collections dipped to Rs 65 crore on the first Monday after release. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the film is also performing well overseas despite restrictions in Gulf countries. It has been released on about 3,000 screens abroad  one of the widest overseas releases for a Hindi film. Earlier, paid previews on March 18 earned Rs 43 crore from 12,735 shows despite some cancellations. Director Aditya Dhar apologised for technical issues affecting certain regional shows, saying the team was working to ensure smooth screenings. Source: NDTV

The Karnataka State Commission for Women has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take strict action over alleged obscene and derogatory lyrics used in films, particularly in a song from the movie ‘KD: The Devil’. In a letter to the CBFC’s regional director, the Commission expressed concern about the song ‘Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke’, saying it portrays women in a disrespectful manner. The move came after receiving multiple public complaints. The Commission said such lyrics violate film certification rules and could negatively affect women’s safety and social well-being. It stressed that any content that demeans or presents women in an obscene way should not be approved for public release. It urged the CBFC to carefully review such scenes and lyrics and ensure they are removed or modified before granting certification. It also called for action against those responsible for including such content. In a separate letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the Commission raised similar concerns and asked for steps to regulate the use of offensive language in films. It warned that such content could encourage harassment, especially among young people. Meanwhile, actor Kangana Ranaut criticised the song, calling it a “new low” and urging stricter control over vulgar content in Bollywood. The issue has also reached legal authorities, as a lawyer filed a complaint seeking action against the song, alleging it contains highly vulgar and sexually suggestive content that may harm public decency. Source: NDTV

The 98th Academy Awards on Sunday delivered one of the most exciting Oscars ceremonies in years, with a mix of thrilling winners, historic milestones, and heartfelt tributes that kept audiences captivated. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as the big winner, taking six Oscars including best picture, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners won four, marking a rare box-office and awards success for both films. Netflix’s Frankenstein and KPop Demon Hunters also earned multiple wins, proving that popular streaming films could compete with traditional cinema. The ceremony saw historic firsts, including Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for cinematography for Sinners, and Jessie Buckley becoming the first Irish woman to win best actress. Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler made history as among the few Black recipients in leading acting and screenwriting categories. Host Conan O’Brien set a lively tone, blending humor and political edge, while the In Memoriam segment stood out with emotional tributes, including Barbra Streisand’s homage to Robert Redford. Unlike recent years, the 2026 Oscars avoided major mishaps, running smoothly with no envelope mix-ups or on-stage controversies, and even included a rare tie in the best short film category. The ceremony reflected both cinematic achievement and commercial appeal, signaling a rejuvenation of the Oscars experience for audiences worldwide.   With inputs from BBC

The film One Battle After Another dominated the 98th Academy Awards, winning six Oscars including the coveted best picture award at the ceremony in Los Angeles. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the dark comedy action thriller also secured awards for best director and best casting, marking a major triumph for the filmmaker after multiple previous nominations. The film features a star-studded cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. It received 13 nominations this year. In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan won best actor for his role in the film Sinners, while Jessie Buckley took home the best actress award for her performance in Hamnet. Buckley’s win made her the first Irish actress to claim the Oscar for best actress. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.” Meanwhile, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for best cinematography for her work on Sinners. In another historic moment, the films The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva shared the award for best live-action short film, marking only the sixth tie in the category in the nearly century-long history of the Academy Awards. The ceremony was hosted by US comedian Conan O'Brien and took place in Los Angeles.   With inputs from BBC

Actor Madhu Malhotra, known for her supporting roles in Hindi films during the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 72. Although she never emerged as a leading star, Malhotra became familiar to audiences through appearances in several popular Bollywood productions. One of her most memorable performances was in Hero, directed by Subhash Ghai. In the 1983 hit action romance, she portrayed a gypsy woman featured in the well-known song Lambi Judai, sung by Reshma. The film is also remembered for launching the careers of Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri. Malhotra also appeared in the 1982 action-comedy Satte Pe Satta, directed by Raj N. Sippy and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. In the ensemble film, she was paired opposite actor Paintal. She made her film debut in the horror movie Andhera by the Ramsay Brothers. Her entry into mainstream Hindi cinema came with The Great Gambler (1979), directed by Shakti Samanta, where she played the sister of the character portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan. A regular collaborator of Subhash Ghai, Malhotra also appeared in the 1980 hit Karz alongside Rishi Kapoor, Simi Garewal and Tina Munim. Before gaining recognition through “Lambi Judai,” she played the love interest of Prem Chopra in the romantic drama Aas Paas, which starred Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Despite appearing in numerous films, her career largely remained limited to secondary and supporting roles. She later portrayed the sister of Anil Kapoor in the 1992 adaptation of Heer Ranjha, which featured Sridevi in the title role. In 1993, she played Mrs Malik in King Uncle, directed by Rakesh Roshan and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Jackie Shroff and Nagma. She also appeared in Ghulam, directed by Vikram Bhatt and headlined by Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji. Her final screen appearance came in the 2000 film Woh Bewafa Thi, directed by Mohan Bhakri, which featured Sudesh Berry among its cast.  source:The Indian Express 

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has praised Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar since its release and expressed high expectations for its sequel, Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh. Varma suggested that if the sequel earns between ₹1,500–2,000 crore at the box office, it could significantly challenge the business of South Indian films. In an interview with Variety India, Varma said audiences are deeply invested in the characters and story from the first film. “They shot both parts simultaneously, so it’s essentially one film split into two,” he noted, adding that he expects Dhurandhar 2 to outperform its predecessor. Varma also highlighted the strong promotional efforts for the film in South India. He further credited the original Dhurandhar with redefining action choreography in Bollywood. “You can’t have people flying in the air and kicking mid-air anymore; the action has to be realistic. If Dhurandhar 2 makes ₹1,500–2,000 crore, all South films could be affected since they’re designed in the old-school way,” Varma said. The trailer for Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge was released last Saturday, with Varma praising it on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “STRATOSPHERIC LEVEL” and commending Aditya Dhar’s direction. Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is among the most anticipated Hindi films in recent years. Directed by Aditya Dhar, it sees Ranveer Singh return as Hamza, also known as Jaskirat, an Indian spy operating in Pakistan. The film also stars R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Danish Pandor, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun. The first part, released in December last year, was a mega hit, earning ₹1,300 crore worldwide. Initially, the sequel was expected to clash at the box office with Yash’s Toxic, but the release of Toxic was postponed from March 19 to June 4. Dhurandhar 2 will now face competition from Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh, a remake of Vijay’s Theri, both films set to release on March 19 with paid previews on March 18. #From Hindustan Times

Director Aditya Dhar says he is not worried about a possible ban on his upcoming film ‘Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge’ in Pakistan. The action film, starring Ranveer Singh, is scheduled to hit theatres on March 19, with paid preview shows beginning on the evening of March 18. Dhar, who has directed only two films so far, has already gained wide recognition in India. He began his career as an assistant director under filmmaker ‘Priyadarshan ‘and also worked as a lyricist before establishing himself as a director and producer. He currently runs B62 Studios with his brother Lokesh Dhar. His first film, ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ (2019), was based on India’s military response to the 2016 Uri attack carried out by Pakistan-based militants. The film, starring Vicky Kaushal, became a major box-office success and won four National Film Awards, including Best Director for Dhar and Best Actor for Kaushal. It also earned awards for Best Audiography and Best Music Director, with composer Shashwat Sachdev returning for the ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise. Responding to questions about a potential ban in Pakistan, Dhar said it does not concern him. According to the filmmaker, if Pakistani audiences watch the film, they will understand that it does not target the people of Pakistan but speaks only against terrorism. “If viewers trust us and watch the film once, they will realise it says nothing against the Pakistani public. It only speaks against terrorism,” he said. Despite restrictions, the first ‘Dhurandhar’ gained significant attention in Pakistan. Pirated DVDs reportedly sold for about Rs16, while the film saw more than two million illegal downloads in the country within 12 days of its release. When the film later arrived on Netflix in January, it reportedly became the platform’s top title in Pakistan. Source: NDTV

From a big-screen return of Peaky Blinders to a bold reinterpretation of The Bride!, March brings a diverse lineup of films across cinemas and streaming platforms. These include major franchise spin-offs, sci-fi adventures, documentaries and psychological thrillers. Here are 10 notable films to watch this month. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal ManFans of the hit series Peaky Blinders will see its story continue on the big screen. The film follows gangster leader Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, during World War II as he returns to Birmingham amid German bombing raids. Written by series creator Stephen Knight, the film also features Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth and Barry Keoghan. HoppersThe 30th animated feature from Pixar introduces a quirky story about a girl named Mabel whose mind is transferred into a robotic beaver, allowing her to communicate with animals. Voiced by Piper Curda, Mabel soon discovers animals are fed up with human treatment of nature. The Good BoyThis dark comedy thriller stars Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough as a couple who kidnap a rebellious teenager, played by Anson Boon, in an attempt to “reform” him. Directed by Jan Komasa, the film blends psychological tension with unsettling humour. The Bride!Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, this imaginative film draws inspiration from The Bride of Frankenstein. Starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, the story follows a murdered woman revived in 1930s Chicago who goes on the run with a monster companion. SaipanThis sports drama revisits the famous dispute between Ireland captain Roy Keane and national team manager Mick McCarthy before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Actors Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan portray the pair. Reminders of HimBased on a novel by bestselling author Colleen Hoover, the film stars Maika Monroe as a woman seeking redemption and trying to reconnect with her daughter after serving time in prison. Marc by SofiaIn this documentary, filmmaker Sofia Coppola explores the creative life of fashion designer Marc Jacobs, offering an intimate look at his inspirations and career. Ready or Not 2: Here I ComeThe sequel to the horror-comedy Ready or Not sees Samara Weaving return as Grace, who again finds herself battling wealthy families involved in dark rituals. Project Hail MaryAdapted from the novel by Andy Weir, this sci-fi adventure stars Ryan Gosling as a scientist sent on a solo space mission to investigate mysterious microbes dimming sunlight reaching Earth. AlphaFrench filmmaker Julia Ducournau delivers a dark drama about a teenage girl living in a world threatened by a deadly virus. The film stars Mélissa Boros, Golshifteh Farahani and Tahar Rahim. Together, these films highlight the range of storytelling arriving in cinemas and on streaming platforms this month, from franchise expansions and literary adaptations to original and experimental cinema.   With inputs from BBC

Filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi has spoken about the labels she has faced in her career after her film Boong made history by becoming the first Indian movie to win at the British Academy Film Awards in 2026. Written and directed by Devi, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before going on to gain recognition at several international festivals. Ahead of the film’s theatrical release, the filmmakers held a press conference where Devi reflected on how she has often been categorised during her career, including being described as a “woman director” or a “Northeastern filmmaker.” She said she has frequently been placed in multiple boxes because of her background and gender, but she never viewed herself in those terms. Devi said her upbringing in Manipur influenced her understanding of gender roles. She noted that women in the region are particularly strong, joking that men there sometimes have it tougher. The director also said the most difficult part of making Boong was not the circumstances of filming but confronting her own creativity. Having previously worked on the sets of large productions such as Dunki, Talaash, Rang De Basanti and PK, she found the scale of Boong comparatively small. Despite its modest production scale, the film has connected strongly with audiences, particularly children. Devi recalled that young viewers at children’s film festivals in Europe enthusiastically asked for a sequel. However, she said she currently has no plans to make a second part. According to the director, many elements of the film are drawn from her own experiences. She said several scenes were inspired by events she had personally lived through, including crossing a border in a way similar to the film’s protagonist. Devi also explained that the screenplay developed naturally and was written in a style similar to a personal diary. She added that the story reflects both discrimination she has witnessed and the strength of Manipur’s gender-diverse community, which she said has played an important role in empowering society. The filmmaker also believes that films from northeastern India are gaining greater global visibility due to changing times, pointing to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of social media in helping such stories reach wider audiences. The film features child actor Gugun Kipgen, who was nine years old when the film was shot. At the press conference, he said he was disappointed that he could not attend the BAFTA ceremony but described the award as a remarkable achievement. Kipgen also shared that he grew up watching the animated movie Zootopia, and it felt surreal to see Boong nominated alongside its sequel. Devi revealed that the young actor almost left the project during filming because the cast had to train in Thang Ta for certain scenes, which proved physically demanding. Boong tells the story of a young boy growing up in Manipur who embarks on a cross-border journey to search for his missing father. Through the child’s perspective, the film explores themes of identity, displacement, discrimination and resilience while portraying everyday life in the region with warmth and humour. #With inputs from NDTV