Top 5 Weekend Winners (July 10-12): Dhamaal 4 and Lenin Rule As Evil Dead Burn Expens Horror's Footprints

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, July 13 - The Indian box office enjoyed another strong weekend as films from Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Hollywood attracted audiences across the country. Ajay Devgn's Dhamaal 4 emerged as the undisputed winner of the July 10–12 weekend, posting a solid opening and comfortably finishing ahead of the competition. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The Indra Kumar-directed Dhamaal 4 topped the weekend chart with an estimated 78 crore gross at the Indian box office, driven by excellent occupancy and significant growth over Saturday and Sunday. The comedy entertainer has reaffirmed the box office strength of franchise films and family entertainers. Akhil Akkineni's Telugu action drama Lenin brings the actor back in the success form after back-to-back box office duds, and secured the second spot in the weekend chart, delivering a solid opening in the Telugu market and establishing itself as one of the biggest regional launches of the month. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Hollywood's Evil Dead Burn claimed the third position, extending its impressive theatrical run after recording the biggest opening for a horror film in India this year. Tamil release Idhayam Murali followed in fourth place, registering a respectable opening despite facing competition from multiple high-profile releases across languages. Meanwhile, Tamil movie Gatta Kusthi 2 scored a super second weekend, grossing around 9.50 crores despite new releases. It remained the number 1 Tamil movie of the weekend. The combined total of the top 5 movies of the July 10-12 weekend was around 142 crores gross at the Indian box office, which is about 42% more than the last weekend. In fact, this was the biggest weekend since June 5-7 (160 crores) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Top 5 Box Office Weekend Grossers (July 10-12) S. No. Movie Weekend India GBOC Total India GBOC 1 Dhamaal 4 ₹ 78.00 Cr ₹ 78.00 Cr 2 Lenin ₹ 29.25 Cr ₹ 29.25 Cr 3 Evil Dead Burn ₹ 15.00 Cr ₹ 15.00 Cr 4 Idhayam Murali ₹ 9.85 Cr ₹ 9.85 Cr 5 Gatta Kusthi 2 ₹ 9.50 Cr ₹ 34.85 Cr Note: Gross collection*

BY SACNILK

There is a lot of conversation happening in the trade circles regarding Salman Khan's ambitious project, Maatrubhumi. Originally announced as Battle of Galwan, the film has been one of the most talked-about movies in the superstar's upcoming lineup. However, according to a recent report by Bollywood Hungama, there is a strong possibility that the film's release might be pushed to 2027. While the makers were initially aiming for a release this year, certain technical and diplomatic hurdles seem to be slowing down the progress. The core reason behind this potential delay involves the subject matter of the film. Maatrubhumi is based on the 2020 border conflict between India and China. Given that diplomatic relations between the two countries have seen recent improvements, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reportedly has some reservations regarding the specific mention of China and certain aspects of the content. In India, any film depicting the armed forces requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the MoD, and it appears the team is currently working through these discussions to ensure the film is presented appropriately. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) A trade source mentioned that even if these issues are resolved quickly, finding a suitable release window in the current year is becoming a challenge. Most major holiday slots are already occupied by other big-budget films. Interestingly, the source highlighted Salman Khan's unique ethics when it comes to box office clashes. Unlike many others in the industry, Salman is known to be very fair and avoids clashing with other films unnecessarily. If he ever decides to take up a date already claimed by another producer, he makes it a point to inform them personally beforehand. This professional courtesy is one reason why the makers are being extra cautious with the scheduling. Industry insiders believe that if a 2026 release is still pursued, the Dussehra period around October 20 could be a viable option. It offers an extended five-day weekend, and with other major films like Ramayana potentially moving to late October, there could be a clear window. Currently, Rajkummar Rao's Raftaar and the Emraan Hashmi-Genelia Deshmukh starrer Gunmaaster G9 are eyeing the mid-October slot, but no official confirmation has locked them in yet. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) If the clearance issues persist, Maatrubhumi will officially move to 2027. This shift would actually result in a massive year for Salman Khan fans, as the superstar is already working on an untitled actioner directed by Vamshi Paidipally. That film, which features Nayanthara as the female lead, is also targeted for a 2027 release. Having two Salman Khan films in a single calendar year is a rare event and would certainly create a massive buzz at the box office. For now, Maatrubhumi remains a highly anticipated project because it brings Salman Khan into a gritty, real-life inspired military drama. Directed by Karan Butani and produced under the Salman Khan Films (SKF) banner, the movie is expected to showcase the actor in a very different light compared to his usual commercial entertainers. While the wait might get a little longer, the scale and the sensitivity of the subject suggest that the makers are taking the right steps to ensure the film reaches the audience in its best possible form.

BY SACNILK

Ranveer Singh is currently riding high on the massive success of his recent hits, and it looks like his next venture is going to be even more ambitious. According to an exclusive report by Variety India, the actor is all set to begin filming for his next project, titled Pralay, starting as early as next month. This film is generating a lot of curiosity as it marks Ranveer's first foray into the zombie thriller genre. However, the production schedule has been carefully planned because the actor is also preparing for a significant milestone in his personal life. The report suggests that Ranveer will shoot for Pralay until Diwali, after which he plans to take a well-deserved paternity break. Ranveer and Deepika Padukone, who are already parents to their daughter Dua, announced their second pregnancy earlier this year. With Deepika currently in her third trimester, Ranveer is ensuring he is present for his family during this special time. Consequently, the first schedule of the film will conclude by Diwali, and the production will resume for the second schedule only in 2027. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Pralay is being mounted on a grand scale with an estimated budget of ₹300 Crore, making it one of the most expensive standalone films in Bollywood. The project is being directed by Jai Mehta, known for his work on the acclaimed series Scam 1992. The film is a collaboration between Hansal Mehta's True Story Films LLP and Ranveer's own production house, Ma Kasam Films. Interestingly, Hansal Mehta recently cleared the air regarding the script, clarifying that Pralay is a completely original story written by Jai Mehta and Vishal Kapoor, debunking rumors that it was an adaptation of the novel Blindness. The plot of the film is set in a decaying, post-apocalyptic, and dystopian version of Mumbai following a viral pandemic outbreak. The story revolves around a married couple fighting for survival in this harsh new world. Joining Ranveer in this survival thriller is South Indian actress Kalyani Priyadarshan, who is officially locked to make her much-anticipated Bollywood debut as the female lead. There is also a lot of buzz about a secondary female lead whose character is expected to be deeply tied to the emotional backstory of Ranveer's character. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) While Ranveer is busy with Pralay, Deepika Padukone has an equally packed slate. She recently finished a schedule for the film King, where she reunites with her Jawan co-star Shah Rukh Khan. Additionally, she is part of the ambitious sci-fi action film Raaka, which is being directed by Atlee and stars Allu Arjun. Despite their busy professional lives, the couple has managed to keep their family journey private, sharing only a few glimpses of their life with daughter Dua. Expectations are incredibly high for Pralay, especially coming after Ranveer's box office juggernauts like Dhurandhar and its sequel. By picking a fresh genre like a zombie apocalypse thriller and backing it with such a high budget, the makers are clearly aiming for a global impact. For fans, the wait for 2027 to see the full vision of the film might be long, but the initial glimpses starting next month are sure to keep the excitement alive.

BY SACNILK

The latest entry in the YRF Spy Universe, Alpha, has concluded its second weekend with numbers that suggest an uphill battle for the big-budget project. Featuring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in lead roles, the action-thriller has struggled to generate the kind of footfalls expected from a film of this scale. Although the movie officially crossed the 50 Crore net mark on its second Saturday, the collection remains significantly low when compared to the reported production cost of 100 to 130 Crore. With the trend remaining stagnant even on Sunday, the film is clearly underperforming and faces a difficult road ahead. Looking at the India net collections, the second weekend started with a dip on Friday, which is expected for most releases. Day 8 brought in ₹1.65 Crore, representing a 34 percent drop from the previous day's earnings. However, the film bounced back on Saturday with a 36.4 percent growth, collecting ₹2.25 Crore and pushing the total net past the 50 Crore mark. Interestingly, Sunday collections held completely flat at ₹2.25 Crore despite running on slightly fewer shows. This brings the total India net collection to ₹53.60 Crore and the India gross to ₹63.91 Crore after ten days of its theatrical run. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Alpha - India Box Office Breakdown (2nd Weekend)DayGross CollectionNet CollectionShowsOccupancyDay 8 (2nd Friday)₹1.96 Cr₹1.65 Cr4,83112.9%Day 9 (2nd Saturday)₹2.70 Cr₹2.25 Cr2,88322.2%Day 10 (2nd Sunday)₹2.70 Cr₹2.25 Cr2,73327.9%Total 10 Days₹63.91 Cr₹53.60 Cr-- The ticket sales data on BookMyShow shows a modest increase during the weekend period. The film sold approximately 22,700 tickets on its second Friday, which rose to about 34,800 tickets on Saturday. Sunday saw a slight dip from the Saturday peak, with roughly 30,600 tickets booked. Overall, the film has managed to sell about 9.24 Lakh tickets on the platform so far. In the national multiplex chains including PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, the cumulative sales for the second weekend reached over 25,000 tickets. Sunday was the strongest day for these chains, accounting for about 12,000 of those tickets across approximately 1,400 shows. This resulted in a Sunday gross of roughly ₹42 Lakh from these specific circuits. Within the national chains on Sunday, PVR contributed the most with about 6,100 tickets sold and a gross of ₹24 Lakh, while INOX and Cinepolis followed with approximately 4,000 and 1,900 tickets respectively. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Analyzing the occupancy for the second Sunday reveals a logical trend across the day. The morning shows for the Hindi 2D version started slow at 8.00 percent, but the numbers improved significantly as the day progressed. Afternoon shows recorded 32.23 percent occupancy, which peaked in the evening at 36.85 percent before concluding the night at 27.54 percent. The overall India occupancy for the tenth day stood at 27.85 percent. This follows a steady growth from Friday's 12.89 percent and Saturday's 22.18 percent overall occupancy. Regionally, the film saw its best engagement in markets like Pune and Ahmedabad on Sunday. Pune recorded an impressive 28.0 percent overall occupancy across 100 shows, with afternoon screenings hitting 41.0 percent. Ahmedabad followed with 24.5 percent occupancy over 154 shows. Other key regions like Bengaluru and Mumbai held steady at 24.0 percent and 22.0 percent occupancy respectively. The National Capital Region (NCR) ran the highest number of shows at 356, maintaining an overall occupancy of 21.8 percent. Surat also contributed with 16.3 percent occupancy across 106 shows. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The international market is also contributing to the film's steady climb. In North America, the film is finding an audience among the diaspora. According to data from Venky Box Office, Alpha earned 22,000 dollars (approximately ₹18 Lakh) on Friday and 24,000 dollars (approximately ₹20 Lakh) on Saturday. This brings its cumulative North American total to 880,000 dollars (approximately ₹7.30 Crore). Overall, the film collected approximately ₹2.95 Crore from overseas markets during the second weekend alone. The total overseas gross now stands at ₹25.50 Crore, pushing the worldwide gross collection to ₹89.41 Crore at the end of ten days. With just about ₹10 Crore more to go, the film is well on its way to hitting the ₹100 Crore worldwide gross mark by the end of its second week.

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, July 13 - Comedy has firmly re-established itself as one of the most dependable genres at the Indian box office in 2026, particularly in Bollywood. After a string of successful theatrical outings, Bhooth Bangla, Welcome To The Jungle, and now Dhamaal 4 have delivered a hat-trick of successes, proving that audiences continue to embrace wholesome entertainers on the big screen. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The remarkable run also highlights the strong demand for family-friendly films that offer laughter and carefree, light-hearted entertainment. The winning streak began with Akshay Kumar's Bhooth Bangla in April, which emerged as a solid theatrical success, grossing over 270 crores worldwide and setting the tone for the genre's resurgence in the summer to come. Welcome To The Jungle carried the momentum forward in June, while Dhamaal 4 has now laid the foundation for another successful box office run with an excellent opening weekend. Together, the three films have reaffirmed that comedy remains a major crowd-puller when backed by entertaining content. The success of Welcome To The Jungle and Dhamaal 4 is particularly significant because the two films arrived just two weeks apart. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Conventional industry wisdom has often suggested that two big-budget comedies releasing in proximity would end up affecting each other's business. However, their performances have effectively debunked that belief. Instead of competing for the same audience, both films have found acceptance, demonstrating that moviegoers are willing to support multiple entertainers if each offers a satisfying theatrical experience. The trend sends a strong message to filmmakers and exhibitors alike - release dates alone do not determine a film's fate—content does. When a comedy connects with audiences through its humour, emotions, and family appeal, theatrical success follows regardless of nearby competition. The consecutive success of Bhooth Bangla, Welcome To The Jungle, and Dhamaal 4 has once again established that laughter remains one of the safest bets at the box office, provided the entertainment quotient is high enough to bring audiences into cinemas.

BY SACNILK

Plans are reportedly in motion to bring Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana to Chinese theaters, signaling a significant attempt to re-enter the world's second-largest movie market. According to a recent report by Mid-day, director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra are making significant moves to release and promote Ramayana: Part 1 in China. This is a huge development because the Chinese market has been largely closed off to Bollywood films since 2020. The choice of Nitesh Tiwari to lead this charge makes perfect sense. He is the man behind Dangal, which remains the most successful Indian film in China to date. That movie proved that Indian stories, when told with deep emotion and family values, have a massive fan base in the neighboring country. Now, with a story as culturally significant as the Ramayana, the makers are looking to tap into that potential once again on an even larger scale. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The promotional strategy seems to be quite elaborate. Sources suggest that the team is planning a four-day promotional tour featuring the lead trio: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, and Sai Pallavi. The tentative plan includes a press event and a special screening at the Pingyao International Film Festival on September 24. Following this, they are looking to capitalize on China’s Golden Week, which starts on October 1, with a multi-city promotional run. This period is a major holiday season in China, making it the perfect time to grab the attention of the local audience. For context, Indian cinema had a golden run in China during the last decade. Films like Dangal and Secret Superstar became massive blockbusters there, often earning more in China than they did in India. Other films like Hindi Medium and even Thugs of Hindostan managed to find a place in Chinese theaters. However, geopolitical situations and the pandemic caused a long break. Ramayana is now being positioned as the film that could bridge that gap and bring Bollywood back to the global stage in a big way. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The scale of this project is unlike anything we have seen before. With a masive budget, the makers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the VFX and production quality match international standards. Having Namit Malhotra's DNEG on board—a firm that has won multiple Oscars—already gives the film a global edge. By targeting the Chinese market, the producers are clearly aiming for a worldwide gross that could shatter many existing records. While the plans are still awaiting final approvals, the intent is clear. Ramayana is not just being treated as a domestic release, but as a global event film. If Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, and Sai Pallavi do head to China this September, it will mark the beginning of a new chapter for Indian cinema's international outreach. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how this ancient epic is presented to a modern, global audience.