AEW Dynamite Results February 24, 2021: Live Coverage, Winners Highlights, Commentary

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Suriya is back on the big screen with Vishwanath and Sons, and while the domestic response has been steady, the international markets are showing an even stronger trend. Directed by Venky Atluri, the film arrived with significant expectations, and the opening day numbers from abroad suggest that the actor's global pull is reaching a new peak. The film has officially set a record as the biggest overseas and North American opener for Suriya to date. According to data tracked by Venky Box Office, the North American performance is particularly noteworthy. The combined total from premieres and the first Friday stands at approximately $676K from 301 locations. A striking detail in this breakdown is the dominance of the Telugu version in this region. The Telugu version collected around $436K, which is nearly double the $240K earned by the Tamil version. This suggests that the movie is successfully tapping into the Telugu-speaking diaspora, likely bolstered by director Venky Atluri's previous track record in that industry. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) On a global scale, the total overseas opening day gross has reached approximately $1.45M. This is a solid start that provides a strong cushion to the film's total worldwide collections. When looking at the business side of things, the overseas theatrical rights are reportedly aiming for a break-even target of $4.25M. By securing $1.45M on the very first day, the film has already achieved a 33 percent recovery of its international investment. The trend indicates a healthy interest in the film's rooted family drama theme across international circuits. With a strong recovery rate on day one and a clear lead in the North American market, the movie is well-positioned for the weekend. The balanced contribution from both the Tamil and Telugu versions overseas highlights a broad appeal that could help the film reach its break-even goals relatively quickly if the current momentum continues through Saturday and Sunday.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Vishal has taken a big leap in his career with Magudam, stepping behind the camera for the very first time as a director. This film is not just a personal milestone for the actor but also a significant landmark for the legendary banner Super Good Films, as it marks their 99th production venture. Vishal, who also penned the screenplay, took on the challenge of playing dual roles—portraying Linga, a powerful gangster, and his estranged, simple son, Kirubakaran. With a cast featuring Dushara Vijayan and Anjali, and music by the prolific GV Prakash Kumar, the film arrived with a fair amount of curiosity regarding Vishal’s directorial vision. However, the box office numbers for the opening day suggest a very slow start for this directorial debut. Magudam managed to collect a total India gross of approximately ₹0.68 Cr. In terms of net collections, the film raked in about ₹0.60 Cr across 1,748 shows. For a film involving a star of Vishal’s stature and a storied production house, these initial figures reflect a struggle to draw in the masses on day one. A major factor behind this lukewarm response seems to be the critical reception, which has been mostly negative to mixed. Many reviewers have pointed out that the 185-minute runtime feels painfully long and that the screenplay relies heavily on an outdated 1980s commercial formula involving estranged families and generic gangster tropes. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The occupancy levels remained low throughout the day, averaging around 15 percent for both the Tamil and Telugu versions. In the Tamil market, the film saw 1,190 shows, while the Telugu version was screened across 558 shows. Looking at the regional breakdown for the Tamil version, Chennai led the way with 213 shows and an occupancy of 19 percent. Bengaluru and Coimbatore followed with 144 and 58 shows respectively, but occupancy in these regions stayed between 10 to 15 percent. Time-wise, the film saw its best performance during the night shows at 21 percent, whereas the afternoon shows dipped to a low of approximately 9 percent. The performance in national multiplex chains was also quite subdued. Across PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, the film sold approximately 4,900 tickets in total. PVR was the biggest contributor among these chains, selling roughly 3,450 tickets for a gross of approximately ₹4.70L. INOX added around 1,200 tickets with a gross of about ₹1.45L, while Cinepolis saw a minimal turnout of roughly 250 tickets, contributing about ₹40K. The overall gross from these national chains stood at approximately ₹6.50L, which is a very modest figure for a high-profile Tamil release. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) On a state-wise level, Tamil Nadu naturally contributed the most with a gross of approximately ₹0.38 Cr. The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions followed with a gross of about ₹0.20 Cr. Other states like Karnataka and Kerala saw minimal collections of approximately ₹0.07 Cr and ₹0.02 Cr respectively. While the film has been criticized for its amateurish dialogues and weak villains, the one area that has received universal praise is GV Prakash Kumar's music. His background score is being credited for providing some much-needed energy to an otherwise flat screenplay.Ultimately, Magudam faces a tough road ahead.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 15 - Marvel Studios has finally pulled the curtain back on its highly anticipated X-Men reboot, revealing the principal cast at D23. After months of speculation and casting rumours, Kevin Feige introduced the new generation of mutants, officially setting the stage for the X-Men's full integration into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is being directed by Jake Schreier, who previously helmed Thunderbolts, and is scheduled to hit theatres on May 5, 2028. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The biggest names in the newly announced cast include Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm and Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier. Sink's casting had effectively been confirmed with her appearance as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while Connor had been linked to the project before the official D23 announcement. However, the biggest surprise of the night was Adam Driver, who will not play Magneto as previously speculated. Marvel confirmed that Driver is joining the film as Nathaniel Milbury, the human identity of Mister Sinister, one of the most dangerous villains associated with the X-Men comics. His casting gives the reboot a major star-powered antagonist and could potentially establish Mister Sinister as an important villain in the MCU's upcoming mutant storyline. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The new X-Men movie will mark Marvel Studios' first standalone theatrical X-Men film following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The franchise is expected to become increasingly important to the MCU as Marvel moves beyond Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Several legacy X-Men stars, including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, are also returning in Avengers: Doomsday, creating the possibility of the old and new mutant eras crossing paths before Marvel's new team takes centre stage. With Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Emma Frost and Professor X now officially cast, Marvel has given fans their first clear picture of the next generation of mutants. The 2028 release is expected to be one of the studio's biggest post-Secret Wars projects, with the new X-Men potentially becoming the backbone of the MCU's next major saga.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Lokesh Kanagaraj has made a significant transition from behind the camera to the leading role in DC, and the box office response confirms that his debut as an actor is drawing major attention. Directed by Arun Matheswaran, known for his distinct and gritty filmmaking style, the movie arrived with massive expectations. The collaboration between a high-profile director like Arun and Lokesh Kanagaraj has clearly piqued the curiosity of the audience, resulting in steady numbers across the first week and into the second Friday. The film has officially reached a worldwide gross collection of approximately ₹70.23 Cr within its first eight days of release. This total is comprised of a solid domestic gross of roughly ₹51.48 Cr and an overseas contribution of about ₹18.75 Cr. In terms of net collections in India, the movie has secured approximately ₹44.76 Cr so far. This performance is a testament to the film's strong reach, as it has maintained its momentum across a total of 32,318 shows globally since its debut. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) This performance has officially pushed DC into the list of the highest Week 1 openers in Kollywood for the year 2026. Securing the fourth spot, the film has proven its commercial strength against some of the biggest releases of the year. Here is the current list of the top 5 highest Week 1 net collections: Jana Nayagan: ₹131.25 Cr Karuppu: ₹96.10 Cr Parasakthi: ₹41.25 Cr DC (Tamil): ₹28.60 Cr LIK: Love Insurance Kompany: ₹26.78 Cr Looking at the specific data for the second Friday, the film collected a net of approximately ₹2.86 Cr across 2,062 shows. This represents a 31.1 percent drop from the previous day's net collection of ₹4.15 Cr, which is a logical trend as the film enters its second week. The overall occupancy for the day stood at 32.1 percent. While the domestic gross for Day 8 was ₹3.30 Cr, the overseas market contributed roughly ₹0.75 Cr, pushing the worldwide total further toward the ₹75 Cr mark. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) On BookMyShow alone, the movie has sold over 1.33 million tickets to date. This includes approximately 55K from pre-sales, a massive 1.17 million tickets throughout the first week, and another 110.41K tickets on the second Friday. Furthermore, national multiplex chains have reported over 1,25,000 ticket sales during the first eight days of the run. These figures indicate a healthy demand in urban centers, where the curiosity around Lokesh Kanagaraj's performance is particularly high. Breaking down the performance by language, the Tamil version remains the primary driver, contributing a net of approximately ₹30.65 Cr. The Telugu version has also performed well with about ₹11.75 Cr, while the Hindi version has added roughly ₹2.36 Cr to the total net collection. The average occupancy for the first week was around 28.5 percent, showing that the movie has found a consistent audience across various markets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The state-wise gross distribution highlights how the film is performing in different regions. Here is the detailed breakdown of the gross collections so far: Tamil Nadu: ₹15.57 Cr APTG: ₹13.65 Cr Kerala: ₹12.68 Cr Karnataka: ₹6.39 Cr Rest of India: ₹3.18 Cr DC (Tamil) - Day-wise Gross CollectionDayGross Collection (Approx)Day 1₹ 5.04 CrDay 2₹ 8.07 CrDay 3₹ 11.00 CrDay 4₹ 6.90 CrDay 5₹ 6.37 CrDay 6₹ 6.04 CrDay 7₹ 4.76 CrWeek 1 Total₹ 48.18 CrDay 8₹ 3.30 CrGrand Total₹ 51.48 Cr

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Batwara 1947 has been a project of immense interest primarily due to the long-standing reunion of its lead cast in a period setting. The film aims to capture the emotional gravity of the partition through a gritty action-drama lens, and while the initial buzz was steady, the real test began with its theatrical release. Unlike typical mass entertainers, this film relies heavily on the emotional connect of its theme and the veteran star power driving it. After a modest start on Friday, the film is now looking to capitalize on the Independence Day holiday weekend. On its second day, the film is showing a remarkable surge in its booking pace on BookMyShow. Between 8 am and 3 pm today, the movie has already sold approximately 86,220 tickets. This is a notable leap compared to yesterday, where it had sold only 30,200 tickets in the same timeframe, representing a nearly 185 percent increase in booking speed. The momentum picked up significantly after 10 am, with the peak hour between 11 am and 12 pm recording over 17,000 ticket sales. This trend suggests that the holiday audience is turning up in much larger numbers than the opening day crowd, which is a positive sign for the films longevity. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The performance in national multiplex chains has also seen a significant leap. On its first day, the film sold over 28,000 tickets across major chains throughout the entire day, but today it has already surpassed that mark by a wide margin before even reaching the evening shows. Currently, approximately 54,000 tickets have been sold across PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, bringing in a gross of about ₹2 Cr. PVR is leading the contribution with roughly 27,700 tickets and a gross of about ₹1.05 Cr. INOX follows with approximately 18,000 tickets worth ₹0.62 Cr, and Cinepolis has added around 8,600 tickets with a gross of ₹0.31 Cr. The overall morning occupancy for Day 2 stands at 13.92 percent, which is nearly double the 7.54 percent recorded during the same period yesterday. As of 3 pm today, the movie is running across 4,507 shows and has collected a live net of approximately ₹4.91 Cr today. The cumulative net collection so far stands at roughly ₹10.66 Cr. Given the current trend where both multiplexes and single screens are showing a strong holiday spike, the collections are set for a significant jump. While the first day saw a net of around ₹5.75 Cr, the second day is trending toward a much stronger finish. Based on the tripled booking speed and improved morning occupancy, the film is expected to collect a net of approximately ₹12.50 Cr to ₹13.50 Cr today. This would push the two-day total to roughly ₹18 Cr to ₹19 Cr net, setting it up for a respectable opening weekend.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Emraan Hashmi is back in a world that many of his fans consider his home ground. Awarapan 2 has arrived in cinemas nearly two decades after the original film, and the response has been nothing short of phenomenal. While the 2007 prequel did not set the box office on fire during its initial release, it eventually grew into a massive cult classic due to its soulful music and intense performance by Emraan. In a staggering turn of events, the sequel has already surpassed the entire lifetime collection of the original prequel on its very first day, signaling a massive comeback for the character of Shivam. The momentum on Day 2, which coincides with the Independence Day holiday, is showing an even steeper growth trajectory. Looking at the hourly booking trends on BookMyShow, the movie is performing significantly better than it did on its opening Friday. Between 6 am and 2 pm, the film has already sold approximately 1.80 lakh tickets, which is a huge jump from the 1.00 lakh tickets sold during the same window yesterday. The speed of bookings was particularly impressive during the late morning hours. Between 11 am and 12 pm, the film hit the 1 lakh ticket milestone for the day, and in the following hour, it recorded over 40,000 ticket sales, making it the 16th Bollywood film since August 2023 to achieve this feat in a single hour. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) In the national multiplex chains, the momentum is exceptionally strong with approximately 1.57 lakh tickets sold in advance for the second day. PVR leads the tally with roughly 73,000 tickets sold, contributing a gross of approximately ₹3.0 Cr. INOX has added about 55,000 tickets worth roughly ₹2.0 Cr, while Cinepolis has recorded nearly 30,000 ticket sales with a gross of approximately ₹1.1 Cr. Altogether, these major national chains have already contributed about ₹6.1 Cr in gross collections for the day. This widespread demand across urban centers is a clear indicator that the sequel has managed to tap into both the nostalgia of the older audience and the interest of newer viewers. As of now, the movie is running across nearly 4,900 shows nationwide. The live tracking for Day 2 shows a net collection of approximately ₹7.23 Cr so far. When combined with the strong opening day performance, the total India net collection currently stands at roughly ₹29.23 Cr, while the total India gross has crossed the ₹34.93 Cr mark. Given that evening and night shows typically see the highest occupancy on a public holiday, these numbers are expected to surge significantly in the coming hours. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Predicting the final tally for Day 2 requires looking at the current acceleration rate. Since the film is trending nearly 80 percent higher than yesterday in terms of hourly ticket sales, it is very likely that the Day 2 net collection will land in the range of ₹28 Cr to ₹30 Cr. This would take the two-day total net collection to nearly ₹50 Cr, setting the stage for a blockbuster weekend. The themes of redemption and sacrifice, combined with the crime-action genre that Emraan Hashmi excels in, seem to be the perfect recipe for this box office success. With its massive Day 2 momentum, the big question now is where Awarapan 2 will land on the 2026 leaderboard. Based on its opening day collection of approximately ₹22 Cr net, the film originally secured the 9th spot among the highest openers of the year. However, the Independence Day surge has changed the math entirely. Given that the film is trending toward a Saturday net of roughly ₹29 Cr, the two-day total is already touching the ₹50 Cr mark. If the Sunday performance follows the usual growth pattern for a blockbuster sequel, the film is looking at a three-day weekend total of approximately ₹75 Cr to ₹80 Cr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Looking at the current Top 5 first weekend collections for Bollywood in 2026, the entry barrier is relatively high but within reach. Dhurandhar 2 leads the pack with a massive ₹290.94 Cr, followed by Border 2 at ₹121.00 Cr. The current third spot is held by Dhamaal 4 with ₹65.00 Cr, while Welcome To The Jungle and Bhooth Bangla round out the top five with ₹60.00 Cr and ₹54.25 Cr respectively. Based on these projections, Awarapan 2 is not just entering the Top 5; it is on track to potentially clinch the third position on the Bollywood leaderboard, comfortably overtaking both the established comedy franchises and recent horror-comedy releases.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Kartik Aaryan is preparing for a highly productive period over the next two years, with several major projects moving into active production. According to a confirmed update from Lets Cinema, the actor’s ambitious project, Captain India, is officially set to begin filming in September 2026. This film has generated considerable interest because it marks the return of acclaimed director Shimit Amin. Amin, who is widely respected for his work on Chak De! India and Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, is returning to feature film direction after a seventeen-year hiatus. His involvement suggests a grounded and meticulous approach to a story rooted in real-life events. The film is being positioned as an intense action-drama based on heroic humanitarian rescue missions. In a significant departure from his usual romantic-comedy roles, Kartik will portray an Air Force Pilot who leads these high-stakes operations. Interestingly, the core idea for the film was originally pitched by Kartik himself to the director and producers, showing a deep personal investment in the story. The project is being produced by Harman Baweja under Baweja Studios, along with T-Series and Midnight Chai Films. To ensure the scale of the rescue mission is captured accurately, the production team has planned a schedule across various locations in India and Morocco, with a theatrical release date locked for August 13, 2027, just in time for the Independence Day holiday weekend. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) While Captain India is a major highlight, it is only one part of Kartik's crowded calendar spanning 2026 and 2027. His upcoming creature comedy, Naagzilla (Naag Lok Ka Pehla Kaand), produced by Dharma Productions, has seen a shift in its timeline. Originally slated for an August 2026 release, the film is now scheduled to arrive in cinemas on February 12, 2027, strategically placed just ahead of the Valentine's Day weekend. In this fantasy project, the actor takes on the unconventional role of a shape-shifting snake creature. Meanwhile, work is progressing quickly on Anurag Basu's musical romance, reportedly titled Tu Meri Zindagi Hai. His co-star Sreeleela recently resumed filming her crucial portions in Mumbai, and reports indicate that Kartik has already completed a significant part of his shooting schedule for this movie. Looking further ahead, the actor seems to be heading toward a significant box-office onslaught in 2027. If current timelines hold, he could have three to four theatrical releases in that year alone. This packed schedule includes the February launch of Naagzilla followed by Captain India in August, alongside his musical collaboration with Anurag Basu. For Captain India specifically, the journey to the filming stage has seen its share of changes since its initial announcement in 2021 with director Hansal Mehta. However, with the script now locked and Shimit Amin taking the helm, the project is finally prepared to move from pre-production to active filming next month.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Suriya is back on the big screen with Vishwanath and Sons, and the opening day figures confirm that his star power is firmly intact. Directed by Venky Atluri, who is fresh off the success of Lucky Bhaskar, the film has been one of the most anticipated releases of the season. It is clear that Suriya is successfully continuing the winning momentum he regained with Karuppu, marking a definitive end to what had been a relatively quiet decade for the actor. According to early feedback, the movie benefits immensely from its well-rounded cast, with veteran actress Radhika and the rising star Mamitha Baiju receiving special mention for their impactful roles in this emotional family drama. Vishwanath and Sons has made a solid start. The film has raked in a worldwide gross of approximately ₹31.51 Cr. This total is composed of a domestic gross of around ₹17.51 Cr and a very strong overseas contribution of approximately ₹14.00 Cr. Looking at these figures, it is clear that the movie is benefiting from a balanced demand both at home and in international markets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) When we look at the historical rankings, Vishwanath and Sons has secured a spot among the all-time top openers in Kollywood. With a Tamil net collection of approximately ₹9.15 Cr on its first Friday, the film currently holds the 34th position on the list of highest Friday openers in the history of Tamil cinema. It sits comfortably in the company of major hits like Varisu and Kaappaan, proving that Suriya’s pull at the box office remains highly competitive against the industry’s biggest releases. What is even more interesting is how this film compares to Suriya's previous outing, Karuppu. On its opening day, Karuppu had managed a slightly higher domestic gross of ₹17.93 Cr, but Vishwanath and Sons has managed to overtake it on a global scale. While Karuppu finished its first day with a total worldwide gross of ₹28.93 Cr, the latest release has pushed that boundary significantly to ₹31.51 Cr. The real difference-maker here is the overseas market, where the current film collected roughly ₹14.00 Cr compared to the ₹11.00 Cr earned by Karuppu. This shift highlights a growing international audience that is now playing a much larger role in defining the star's commercial success. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The ticket sales on BookMyShow provide even more context to this opening. On its first Friday, the film sold about 454K tickets. When you add the pre-sales of approximately 305K, the total ticket count on the platform stands at a massive 759K. This performance has earned the film a spot in the top ten list of highest first-day ticket sales for Kollywood movies on BookMyShow, currently sitting at the ninth position. It is trailing just behind big-ticket films like Vettaiyan and Amaran, which shows that the audience was eager to catch this one on day one. In the national multiplex chains, the film maintained a steady pace despite the heavy competition in the North. According to the data, the movie sold approximately 83,000 tickets across major chains like PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis. This translated to a gross of roughly ₹1.80 Cr from these venues alone. PVR was the standout performer among the chains, recording an occupancy rate of nearly 47 percent, which indicates a strong preference for premium screens in urban centers. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Beyond the online bookings, the actual tracked footfalls provide a clearer picture of the movies ground-level demand. The Tamil version recorded approximately 454,514 tracked footfalls, with about 320,319 of those being actual seats filled excluding blocked ones. Similarly, the Telugu version saw approximately 337,467 tracked footfalls, with a solid 233,478 when adjusted for blocked seats. These figures confirm that the movie is drawing significant crowds to the theaters in both its primary languages. Breaking it down by region, the film shows a healthy split between its Tamil and Telugu versions. The Tamil version brought in a net of approximately ₹9.15 Cr, while the Telugu version contributed around ₹6.00 Cr. State-wise, Tamil Nadu led the charts with a gross of approximately ₹7.25 Cr, followed by the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region with a gross of around ₹6.75 Cr. Karnataka and Kerala also added significantly to the tally, with gross collections of approximately ₹1.80 Cr and ₹1.50 Cr respectively. The occupancy trends were particularly encouraging in the evening and night shows. For instance, night shows in Chennai saw an occupancy of 84 percent, while Hyderabad maintained a strong overall occupancy of 64 percent. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The overseas performance is another highlight of the day one report. According to data tracked by Venky Box Office, the film had a fantastic start in North America. The premieres alone brought in around $305K, making it the second-highest premiere for a Suriya starrer after Kanguva. By 7pm PST on Friday, the Day 1 gross had climbed to approximately $322K from 256 locations. Interestingly, the Telugu version is doing a lot of the heavy lifting in this region, contributing about $194K to the total so far.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 15 - The Independence Day weekend witnessed a major Bollywood box office clash between Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947, and the former has emerged as the clear winner on opening day. The sequel to the 2007 cult favourite has delivered a career-best start for Emraan Hashmi, while Sunny Deol's Partition drama has struggled to convert the patriotic weekend into a strong theatrical opening. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Awarapan 2 opened at around 22 crore net (updated) in India on Friday, marking the biggest opening of Emraan Hashmi's career. The film registered an overall theatre occupancy of around 45.73%, with the night shows witnessing particularly strong momentum. Its worldwide gross stood at approximately 29 crore on Day 1, giving the film a strong platform heading into the Independence Day holiday. In comparison, Batwara 1947 collected only around 5.75 crore net in India on its opening day. The Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta-starrer was expected to benefit from the Independence Day period and its patriotic theme. Still, it could not generate sufficient momentum at the box office. The film's opening is roughly one-fourth of Awarapan 2's Day 1 collection, highlighting the massive gap between the two releases. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The result is particularly significant because Batwara 1947 had the advantage of Sunny Deol's strong patriotic image and a release timed perfectly around Independence Day. However, Awarapan 2 benefited enormously from nostalgia surrounding the original film, Emraan Hashmi's comeback appeal and strong pre-release buzz. The sequel had already established a substantial lead in advance booking before release, and that advantage translated directly into opening-day numbers. The box office battle is far from over, though. August 15 is a major national holiday, and Batwara 1947 has an opportunity to improve its collections through walk-ins and positive word of mouth. Awarapan 2, meanwhile, enters the holiday with a huge lead and is now strongly positioned to dominate the Independence Day weekend. For Emraan Hashmi, this is a major career revival, while Sunny Deol's film faces the challenge of recovering from a surprisingly low start.

BY JITU JANGIR

Jacob Fatu has opened up about the advice Randy Orton gave him shortly before his WWE debut, recalling how surreal it was to see one of his childhood wrestling heroes backstage on the biggest day of his career. During his appearance on What’s Your Story with Steph McMahon, Fatu discussed his first experiences inside WWE and the support he received from several established stars. Fatu recalled being backstage shortly before his debut when he saw Orton standing in Gorilla position. “So right before my debut, we're walking out. It's the biggest day of my life. And Randy's right there in gorilla,” Fatu said. Despite being on the verge of making his own WWE debut, Fatu admitted that he was still a fan when he saw Orton. “I don't really know Randy like that,” Fatu recalled. “But I'm like, dude, he's hella big. This is Randy Orton, man.” Fatu explained that he has always been a fan of professional wrestling and believes that genuine passion for the business is important. “I'm a fan at the end of the day,” Fatu said. “And if you not a fan of what you love to do, this ain't your job. You're doing the wrong thing.” Fatu then revealed the advice Orton gave him as he prepared to begin his WWE career. According to Fatu, Orton wanted to help him adjust to life inside WWE and gave him some straightforward advice about handling his finances. “Randy told me this, like, hey, man, because I love your Uncle Umaga so much, in order for me to help y'all to tap back in, I'm gonna tell you right now, save your money and pay your taxes.” The advice came at an important point in Fatu's life. After a difficult journey to WWE, he was finally getting the opportunity he had dreamed about, and he was entering a locker room filled with experienced performers. Fatu has previously spoken about the support he received after joining WWE, particularly from members of his family and established stars. He said the experience had been filled with “love and respect” since he arrived.

BY JITU JANGIR

Shinsuke Nakamura has officially put the new WWE Tag Team Champions on notice, while also teasing the arrival of a mystery partner. Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga captured the WWE Tag Team Championship on the August 14 episode of SmackDown, defeating Damian Priest and R-Truth and The War Raiders in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match. The victory marked a major moment for the MFTs, but they did not have much time to celebrate. Following the show, WWE released an exclusive video featuring Nakamura addressing the new champions. The Japanese star congratulated Tama and Talla on their victory but immediately warned them that their championship reign could be coming to an end. Nakamura also revealed that he will not be coming after the MFTs alone. He told the champions that his partner is on the way and suggested that the mystery star possesses qualities he believes Tama and Talla only pretend to have. “MFTs, congratulations. You are now the champions. Are you savoring the feeling, knowing it'll be gone soon?” Nakamura then turned his attention toward his mystery partner, describing the person as experienced, vicious and deadly. He also made it clear that the individual will bring an unpredictable element to the rivalry. “My partner is what you all pretend to be. Experienced, vicious, deadly.” Nakamura's final warning was perhaps the most intriguing part of the message. He described his upcoming partner as “chaos” and a “ticking time bomb,” before telling the champions to prepare themselves. “He is chaos. He's a ticking time bomb. Take cover.” Nakamura did not reveal the identity of his partner, leaving fans to speculate about who could be joining him in the fight against the new champions. His description has already led to speculation about Hiromu Takahashi, who is famously known as “The Ticking Time Bomb.” However, WWE has not officially confirmed that Takahashi is the person Nakamura was referring to.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 14 - The Independence Day weekend box office battle between Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947 is turning into a one-sided affair with the former taking a big lead over Deol's period drama in the morning shows on its opening day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The Emraan Hashmi-led actioner has opened up a significant lead in advance bookings. The sequel clocked over 11 crore in advance sales, while Batwara 1947 has managed approximately 4+ crore. This gave Awarapan 2 a lead of more than 7 crore and already put it well ahead of the Sunny Deol starrer even before the first shows begin. The strong response to Awarapan 2 can be attributed to the cult following of the 2007 original, with Emraan Hashmi's return to the franchise generating considerable nostalgia. The film is also positioned as a dark romantic actioner, giving it a different appeal from Batwara 1947, a period drama centred on the Partition era. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Considering the initial response, Awarapan 2 is expected to score almost 3x that of Batwara 1947 and with the positive word of mouth coming from the initial shows sets up the stage for the massive opening weekend for Rajkumar Santoshi's directorial, which could be well over 75 crores net. For Batwara 1947, the slower advance sales are certainly a concern, particularly given Sunny Deol's post-Gadar 2 box office standing. However, the Rajkumar Santoshi-directed film has a strong Independence Day setting, and if the word of mouth is positive, it has the potential to do well at the box office. But as things stand, Awarapan 2 has taken a commanding lead in the opening-day battle and is expected to be the clear winner in the long run.