Indian Cinema

Dharmendra's brief political stint and why the Bollywood legend walked away

Dharmendra, who passed away at 89 on Monday, had a short political stint; low attendance marked his term, and he later said politics was never meant for him

Actor Dharmendra, the 'He-Man' of Indian cinema, passes away at 89

The actor was being treated at his home after being discharged from Breach Candy Hospital, where he was admitted for several days due to age-related issues

Veteran actor Dharmendra discharged from hospital, to be treated at home

The development comes a day after his daughter Esha Deol clarified that the actor is 'stable and recovering'

Dharmendra is stable and recovering: Daughter Esha Deol junks death rumours

Dharmendra, 89, has been in and out of the Breach Candy hospital for several days due to age-related issues

Indian cinema shines brighter at box office Down Under with record run

Indian films are set to cross A$39 million at the Australian box office in 2025, outperforming local cinema and becoming the third-largest after the US and UK

Netflix, YRF team up to stream classics including 'DDLJ', Veer-Zaara'

Streamer Netflix on Saturday announced a collaboration with Yash Raj Films (YRF) to bring a selection of the studio's popular titles to audiences around the world. Under the partnership, a curated line-up of YRF films will roll out in phases to mark special occasions, festivals and cinematic milestones, allowing fans in over 190 countries to enjoy the studio's celebrated works. To mark superstar Shah Rukh Khan's 60th birthday, nine of his most memorable films -- including "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Mohabbatein", "Dil To Pagal Hai", "Veer-Zaara" and "Chak De! India" -- will begin streaming from Saturday. Similarly, three Salman Khan blockbusters -- "Ek Tha Tiger", "Sultan" and "Tiger Zinda Hai" -- will be available from December 27, coinciding with his 60th birthday. From November 14, audiences can revisit YRF classics such as "Chandni", "Kabhi Kabhie", "Vijay", "Lamhe" and "Silsila". A collection of actor Ranveer Singh's popular titles -- "Band Baaja Baaraat", "Ladies vs Ric

Big countries, little people: Indian diaspora as seen in Bollywood films

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic Bollywood film 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', the Indian diaspora that it had wooed is in troubled waters

'Homebound' brings Basti's story to Oscars, villagers await screening

Neeraj Ghaywan's "Homebound" has brought Mohammad Sayyub and Amrit Kumar's heartbreaking story to the global stage but the people of the village in Uttar Pradesh's Basti district are still waiting for a screening of the film. The movie, which had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May and has been chosen as India's official selection for the 2026 Academy Awards, is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer's The New York Times article Taking Amrit Home (A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway). It was released in theatres last month. The article narrated the true story of Amrit Kumar, a migrant worker from Devari village in Basti's Bankati block, who collapsed from heat stroke on a highway while returning home from Surat during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his friend Mohammad Saiyub refused to leave his side. While the film has received critical-acclaim in international festivals, residents of Devari say they are yet to see the movie. The nearest cinema hall is ab

India's cumulative BO collection up 18% in Jan-Sep, says Ormax Media

September 2025 grosses over ₹1,000 crore at Indian box office, led by They Call Him OG; January-September cumulative hits ₹9,409 crore, up 18% Y-o-Y.

UNAIDS releases short film 'Ghotul' to mark International Day of Girl Child

Marking the 'International Day of the Girl Child', UNAIDS has released Ghotul, a short film inspired by indigenous Gond traditions that reimagines conversations around gender, sexuality, and equality among adolescents. Directed by Shashanka Bob' Chaturvedi, the 12-minute film draws from the Gond Muria tradition of 'ghotuls' -- communal learning spaces where elders guide adolescents through open discussions about love, intimacy, and responsibility. Far from being taboo, these practices embody egalitarian values that promote dignity, awareness, and mutual respect. By knowing the facts and educating young people about their sexual health, we can help them feel safe and stay safe, said UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima. It is written by author and gender practitioner Shruti Johri, conceptualised by advertising executive Swati Bhattacharya, and shot by award-winning cinematographer Tassaduq Hussain, known for "Omkara" and "Kaminey". The film features Indira Tiwari of "Serious Me

Films with vulgarity get clearance, real stories are blocked: Javed Akhtar

Veteran screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar has expressed his disappointment that movies reflecting the reality of society face hurdles from regulatory bodies in India, while those rife with vulgarity seem to slip through the cracks. Speaking at an event on Friday, Akhtar said it is a bad audience that makes a bad film successful. "In this country, the fact is that vulgarity will still be passed by (the film regulatory bodies), they do not know that these are wrong values, a male chauvinistic view that is humiliating women and is insensitive. What will not be passed is something that shows the mirror to society," he said at the inaugural session of Anantrang mental health cultural festival. Akhtar said films merely try to depict reality. "A film is a window into society through which you peek, then close the window, but closing the window will not fix what is happening, he cited. Talking about the impact of hyper-masculinity portrayed in films on mental health, Akhtar said that the

Sequel fatigue hits Bollywood: Familiar stories, fading audiences

The disasters of 2025 offer a big lesson for sequel producers

Frames per Second: Bollywood's stars, disposable bodies and price of fame

Aryan Khan's directorial debut, 'The Ba***ds of Bollywood', is a celebration of the Hindi film industry's clannish rituals

How Yusuf stitched cinematic dreams into frames that defined generations

From cotton cloth to silver, plastic, and LED screens, one family has illuminated the stories that define a century of Indian cinema

How about Sholay 2? Half a century on, Sholay still dominates pop culture

Bollywood has an obsession with remakes of cult films and blockbusters

Aamir Khan changes the game with YouTube release, bypassing theatre trap

The release of his movie on YouTube bypasses the vicious circle of low screen density and poor monetisation that Indian films are stuck in

Adding silver back to screen: Bold moves aim to revive movie business

More screens, more films, and longer windows will convert to more people watching, assuming they know a film is releasing

Indian film industry has mixed response to Trump's 100% film import tariff

Industry leaders say Trump's proposed film tariff may hurt US box office earnings for Indian films, especially affecting smaller producers and Telugu cinema

Colonialism suppressed pluralism, traditions need to get voice: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said pluralism has been in the past suppressed by colonialism and big power dominance, and it was essential to give voice to traditions, heritage and ideas amid attempts to democratise the world order. Addressing the Global Media Dialogue along with Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here, he also made a strong pitch for smoother mobility for talent to contribute to stronger creativity. Amid increasing influence of artificial intelligence, the External Affairs Minister cautioned that irresponsible use of emerging technologies will be an increasing preoccupation and reducing bias, democratising content, and prioritising its ethics were all part of the emerging discourse. "The truth is that the world is essentially, intrinsically and essentially diverse, and that pluralism has been suppressed in the past by both colonialism and big power dominance," Jaishanka

India needs to invest in more theatres, says Aamir Khan during WAVES summit

Superstar Aamir Khan on Friday said India is a film loving country but the majority of its people lack access to cinemas. On day two of the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here, the 60-year-old actor participated in a session titled "Studios of the Future: Putting India on World Studio Map". Aamir said there is a serious need for investment in infrastructure to boost the industry's growth. "My belief is that we need to have a lot more theatres in India and theatres of different kinds. There are districts and vast areas in the country which don't have a single theatre. "I feel that whatever issues we have faced over the decades is just about having more screens. And according to me, that is what we should be investing in. India has huge potential but that can only be realised when you have more screens across the country. If you don't, then people won't watch the films," the actor said. The superstar highlighted that India is way behind the United States a