Sanjay Dutt starrer Aakhri Sawal has already created a stir with its announcement. The makers released the teaser of the upcoming film on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in March 2026, creating buzz. While curiosity continues to build around the film, the makers have now decided to preponed the release of the Sanjay Dutt-starrer, which was initially planned to release on May 15. Aakhri Sawal release date preponed Amid the significant buzz and chatter surrounding Aakhri Sawal, the makers have decided to bring the historical-political drama to theatres a bit earlier than announced. The film, which was scheduled to hit the screens on May 15, will now release in cinemas on May 8, 2026. About Aakhri Sawal Apart from Sanjay Dutt, the film also stars Amit Sadh, Namashi Chakraborty, Sameera Reddy, Tridha Choudhury and Neetu Chandra. The film is directed by the National Award-winning filmmaker Abhijeet Mohan Warang, who made his directorial debut with the Marathi-language drama Picasso in 2021. The filmmaker won a Special Mention at the 67th National Film Awards. Since then, he has consistently delivered remarkable films in both Marathi and Hindi. Some of his works include Deja Vu, Prem Pratha Dhumshan, Piccolo, and the short film Virtual Reality. Aakhri Sawal is set to bring to the audience a true story of the 100-year journey of one of India's oldest unified organisations, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sang (RSS), founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. The audience will get to witness a pivotal meeting that altered the future of Bharat, transcending conventional historical narratives and going beyond what textbooks reveal. It sheds light on the core philosophy of selfless service to the nation and promises to introduce audiences to truths that have remained unseen and unheard. The youth of India have many questions and a deep sense of intrigue about an organisation that seems closed to most, as it does not believe in propagating itself or holding press conferences. The film is presented by Nikhil Nanda and Dhanraj Nathwani, produced by Nikhil Nanda and Sanjay Dutt, and co-produced by Puneet Nanda, Dr. Deepak Singh, Gaurav Dubey, and Ujjwal Anand. (With inputs from IANS)
06 April,2026 08:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentProducer Ektaa Kapoor recently revealed that Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar once returned her the money after one of their collaborations tanked at the box office. The producer, along with the actor, was seen attending the trailer launch of their upcoming horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla. During the event, Ekta spoke with the media about the superstar's generosity and ethics. Akshay Kumar returned his cheque to Ekta Kapoor after THIS film failed Ekta Kapoor shared, "Not many people know this about him but once, he returned the cheque saying that, 'You have lost money because of this film'. I was in shock. Nobody does this. I have been in the industry for 31 years, and I haven't seen anyone doing that. He just casually handed over the cheque to me, saying, 'Take it'." Ekta added that she didn’t want the money back. Instead, she convinced him to do another film with her. “I said nahi ek film karlo mere liye. Main bohot kamaaungi agar aap ek film karoge mere liye. That film finally happened. (I told him, ‘No, do a film for me. I will earn a lot if you do a film for me.’ That film finally happened)," she revealed. For the unversed, the film she was talking about was Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! The film was released in 2013 and was directed by Milan Luthria and produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor. It was a sequel to the 2010 film Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, starring Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan, and Sonakshi Sinha, with Sonali Bendre in a special appearance. The film turned out to be a massive box-office failure, reportedly earning just Rs 91.7 crore against a budget of ₹85 crore. About Bhooth Bangla The trailer of Bhooth Bangla was unveiled on Monday. The film marks the reunion of Akshay Kumar, Priyadarshan, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav. The film also stars Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Asrani and Mithila Palkar. Earlier, the film was set to release on April 10. However, the makers of the film decided to postpone its release date. Ekta Kapoor took to her Instagram to share a creative informing her followers of the change in the release date. The decision was taken owing to the exceptional performance of the Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar: The Revenge. The film will now hit the cinemas on April 16, 2026.
06 April,2026 07:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe team of Bhooth Bangla assembled in Mumbai for the grand trailer launch of the film on Monday, April 6, 2026. During the event, the cast and makers were seen interacting with the media and fans. While responding to a query at the event, filmmaker Priyadarshan reacted to the alleged use of a line from the Bengali song Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor in his upcoming film Bhooth Bangla. Priyadarshan addresses allegations of plagiarism For the unversed, the song Ram Ji Bhala Karein from Bhooth Bangla includes the hook line of the song Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor, which was featured in the National Award-winning Bengali film Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, helmed by Satyajit Ray. Priyadarshan, during the trailer launch, told the media, "Huge respect I have to him (Satyajit Ray), he is one of the masters from whom I learnt cinema. Second, the word you are saying is Bhoot. Now, if I ask you, in how many songs the word 'Deewana' used in Indian cinema? That means that only the first person, who used the word 'deewana' has the right to use it. It's only a word. We can't use, if somebody uses two lines, everybody can use, but the tune has nothing to do with the song" (sic) "The lyricist has written those lines, and that is why we were so confident there is nothing wrong in it, and there's a context to it because the film is 'Bhooth Bangla' and you should also understand there is a previous film called 'Bhoot Bangla' as well. Naturally, that title is repeated now. So these things get repeated, there is nothing. I respect Satyajit Ray like the God of Indian cinema", the filmmaker added. About Bhooth Bangla Bhooth Bangla is a horror comedy film that brings back the duo of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar. The film also stars Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Asrani and Mithila Palkar among others. Produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, a division of Balaji Telefilms Ltd, in association with Cape of Good Films, Bhooth Bangla is helmed by Priyadarshan and produced by Akshay Kumar, Shobha Kapoor, and Ektaa R Kapoor. The film is set to release in cinemas on April 16, 2026 after being postponed from its previous release date.
06 April,2026 07:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe much-awaited trailer of Bhooth Bangla was released at a grand event on Monday, April 6 in Mumbai. The event witnessed the presence of Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Rajpal Yadav, and Paresh Rawal. Given the expectations from the Bhooth Bangla trailer were quite high, the audience has expressed mixed feelings for the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan. Netizens react to Bhooth Bangla trailer One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "All jokes repeated. What Akshay sir kya he ye?" While another expressed their frustration saying, "Abbe kuch to original bnao vhi same bhul bhulaiya ki script, same dialogues phle ki movies ke" Comparing the trailer to Bhool Bhulaiya, one user said, "Tell me how is it different from Bhool Bhulaiya? Same story baar baar late ho sharm nahi aati". Meanwhile, another added, "You can't create everytime the og bhool bhulaiyaa. Either we have grown or cinematic arts have evolved so much ....that it's seems to mimic the chaos" Other commented things like, "Akshay Sir, it seems you either remake South Indian films or simply repackage and sell your own old movies. Do something new form a change; the audience is fed up now. It is no longer the era of the 2000s, when a director like Priyadarshan could remake his own South Indian films, "Akshay you’ve earned quite some money and fame not only for yourself but also for your future generations, why not for a change actually try to make a genuine movie. Even a good comedy like Hera Pheri will make people happy and make them throng theatres." Nevertheless, some Akshay and Priyadarshan fans expressed hope, saying, "Priyadarshan apni movie meme material is movie me daal diye Lekin fir bhi chahunga ye movie bahut jabardast ho" Another wrote, "Trailer is a hit and miss. Hope the movie delivers. Please be good." Bhooth Bangla trailer While the trailer does reveal an engaging storyline balancing the humour with horror, it tries too hard to appeal to the masses. Beyond the surface, one can clearly see the threads of old classics, some from Akshay Kumar's own repository. For starters, the haveli shown in the Bhooth Bangla trailer appears to be the same as the one used in Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Old dialogues that have become legendary memes have been replugged in included in the trailer to extract laughs. However, the most prominent inclusion is the song 'Ram Ji Bhala Karein', featuring the hook line of the song 'Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor' from the National Award-winning Bengali film Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, helmed by Satyajit Ray. In fact, the dynamics between the character of Akshay Kumar and Rajpal Yadav is a strong pull back to their dynamics in 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa'. The film also stars Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, Asrani and Mithila Palkar. Earlier, the makers of the film decided to move its release date. Co-producer Ektaa Kapoor took to her Instagram, and shared a creative notifying her followers of the change in the release date of the film. The makers decided to push the release of the film owing to the exceptional performance of the Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar. The Revenge. (With inputs from IANS)
06 April,2026 06:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs the buzz around Ramayana continues to heighten, director Nitesh Tiwari has revealed that the film will go beyond depicting Ravana as purely a villain. Instead, Yash’s portrayal of Ravana will also include his better qualities, such as his Shiva devotion, appreciation of music and benevolence as a king. Yash’s Ravana, according to Nitesh Tiwari, will showcase how anger and negativity can overpower the good qualities of someone’s being, eventually leading to their downfall. Nitesh Tiwari on Ravana's character in Ramayana Nitesh Tiwari was recently seen attending Ramayana’s teaser launch in LA, where he reportedly told Collider, “See, Ravana had so many aspects to his life. He was a great warrior, he was an accomplished musician, a scholar, a benevolent king… a great Shiva devotee. There was so much to him than just being a black character." The filmmaker added, "It’s very important for us to showcase all these bits and aspects of Ravana because there’s a very important lesson which is hiding in them. You can have all these great qualities, but if you are governed by vengeance and if you are driven by ego, then you know what the end result is going to be. There’s a great lesson out there." At the same event, Ranbir Kapoor also mentioned Yash’s character of Ravana and said, “Yash, of course, he has the stardom that he has. To play Ravana, you need somebody who has that aura and screen presence. His interpretation of Ravana is very different from what we have seen over the years. I think that’s something which the audiences will really enjoy watching on the big screen." Yash about playing Ravana Notably, Yash also serves as one of the producers of the movie. In April 2025, the KGF star had opened up about co-producing Ramayana. He told Variety, “It has been my long-term aspiration to make films that will showcase Indian cinema on a global level. In pursuit of that, I was in LA to ally with one of the best VFX studios, and to my amazement, the driving force behind it was a fellow Indian." The actor further added, “Namit (Malhotra, producer) and I had various ideation sessions, and coincidentally, our synergy on the vision for Indian cinema aligned perfectly. We brainstormed various projects, and during these discussions, the subject of ‘Ramayana’ came up. Namit had a part of it in the works." Ramayana: Part 1 stars an ensemble cast including Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The first part of Ramayana is set to release in theatres globally on Diwali 2026, followed by the second part scheduled for Diwali 2027.
06 April,2026 05:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentProducer Ektaa Kapoor has opened up about the decision to delay the release of her upcoming film Bhooth Bangla, clarifying that the move was a strategic one rather than a setback. The film, starring Akshay Kumar, was pushed to avoid clashing with the strong box office run of Dhurandhar 2.\ On postponing Bhooth Bangla Addressing the speculation around the delay, Ektaa explained that the decision was made keeping the audience and the film’s performance in mind. She said, “If Dhurandhar 2 is doing well, we are not going to come in the way,” highlighting a practical approach to release planning. The producer emphasized that the team did not want to divide the audience’s attention, especially when another big film was already performing strongly in theatres. Instead, they chose to give Bhooth Bangla a better window to maximize its reach. According to her, it was about ensuring that both films get their due space rather than competing unnecessarily. Industry trends often see films shifting release dates to avoid box office clashes, and Bhooth Bangla is no exception. Reports indicate that the film’s release was postponed to steer clear of direct competition with Dhurandhar 2, which has been drawing significant crowds. Ektaa’s candid statement reflects a broader understanding of how the box office ecosystem works. Rather than risking a clash, the makers opted for a calculated delay that could benefit the film in the long run. Her comment, “We are not going to come in the way,” underscores the collaborative and strategic thinking that often shapes release decisions in the industry. All about the film Directed by Priyadarshan, Bhooth Bangla is a horror-comedy that has already generated considerable buzz among audiences. The film marks another collaboration between the filmmaker and Akshay Kumar, a duo known for delivering successful entertainers. While delays can sometimes worry fans, Ektaa reassured that the shift is ultimately aimed at delivering the film under the best possible circumstances. The move also reflects confidence in the film’s content, with the makers choosing patience over pressure. With anticipation continuing to build, Bhooth Bangla is now expected to arrive in theatres at a time when it can enjoy a clearer run. For now, Ektaa Kapoor’s words offer insight into the reasoning behind the delay one rooted in strategy, timing, and respect for the audience’s viewing choices.
06 April,2026 05:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDhurandhar: The Revenge has been ruling the box office as well as social media trends for multiple reasons, even almost three weeks after its release. One of the topics that got everyone chatting was the abusive words used in the film. While a lot of them were muted by the Central Board of Film Certification ahead of its release, the audience was surprised to hear many of them as they were in the film's print. However, if recent reports are to be believed, a new print has been sent to theatres where more such abusive words and phrases have been muted. More abuses muted from Dhurandhar 2 According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, the makers have sent a new print, in which they have muted a few abusive words. A source reportedly told the portal, “In the earlier version, some abuses were muted, but many of them were left untouched. In the new print, more cuss words have been censored. The dialogue where Sanjay Dutt says ‘L***d c******a kya’ in the Operation Lyari sequence has been muted, though the gesture made by the actor while mouthing the dialogue remains." The source further added, "The abuse, ‘B******a’, said by Rakesh Bedi while getting his pedicure done, and by a character in the Aari Aari song sequence, was also silenced. A few more abuses have been similarly muted in other parts of the film. Words like ‘B****a’ and ‘G***u’ were kept untouched.” For the uninitiated, this marks a third print of Dhurandhar 2 after a new print was sent to theatres a few days ago, rectifying a mistake in one of the scenes, in which a cameraman's reflection was seen in the mirror. Dhurandhar 2 earlier cuts Dhurandhar: The Revenge had earlier cleared the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) process ahead of its March 19 release and has received an A certificate. The makers were reportedly asked to make as many as 21 modifications to the final cut. The changes include violence disclaimers and reduction of scenes featuring 'abusive words', 'hitting the head with a hammer', 'beheading and kicking', 'hitting the head with cement blocks' and 'smashing the eye'. Despite the debate around its abusive language, the film’s performance at the box office has been record-breaking. Headlined by Ranveer Singh and helmed by Aditya Dhar, the film has crossed the Rs 1, 000 crore mark in India within just 18 days. It has already emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film with a net collection of Rs 1,013.77 crore.
06 April,2026 05:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCritically acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali's upcoming film Main Vaapas Aaunga is set to feature a song which will mark the collaboration of Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman and singer Diljit Dosanjh for a song penned by Irshad Kamil. According to the press note, the new track is titled Kya Kamaal Hai. The makers call this a "song of hope" amidst the noise, violence and displacement that surrounds us today. "It serves as a gentle reminder of the beautiful world we live in, one where love is abundant, happiness outweighs sorrow, and togetherness has the power to break every barrier," read the press note. To introduce the highly awaited collaboration, Imtiaz Ali, Irshad Kamil and Diljit Dosanjh posed for the paparazzi as a group, signifying their union for the film's track. Starring Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari and Naseeruddin Shah in the lead roles, the film Main Vaapas Aaunga captures the journey "that lingers in stolen glances, unfinished conversations and memories that refuse to fade away". The one-minute and thirteen-second teaser opens with the narration of Diljit Dosanjh, which introduces the heartbreaking love story of Naseer as he rests on a hospital bed. In the film, Vedang Raina portrays the young version of Naseer, while Sharvari dons the character of his lover. As per the teaser, the makers describe the movie as a story of "love and longing" due to the partition between India and Pakistan in 1947. The music of the film is composed by AR Rahman, while the lyrics have been penned by Irshad Kamil. The movie is jointly produced by Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal, Mohit Choudhary, and Shibhasish Sarkar under the banner of Window Seat Film and presented by Applause Entertainment. The movie is slated to hit theatres on June 12. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 April,2026 04:54 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIFilmmaker Aditya Dhar’s recently released, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, has been going strong at the box office. The Ranveer Singh-starrer has entered the 1000 crore club on its third Sunday, becoming the fastest Indian film to achieve the feat following Pushpa 2 (2024). As the film continues its dominant run, a section of viewers has tagged it as propaganda. Actor and politician Ravi Kishan recently broke his silence on the same. Ravi Kishan about Dhurandhar 2 Actor and Parliamentarian Ravi Kishan came in full support of Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, saying that calling it a propaganda film is unfortunate. He urged the audience to support the film since it has “revived the industry and brought out facts in cinematic brilliance”. Ravi Kishan said, “Calling it a propaganda film is very wrong! Actors from the South supported it openly; everyone should do that. A new trend has started of calling films propaganda – ek naya kabootar pakad liye hain log!” The actor, who was recently seen in Maamla Legal Hai season 2, even compared the franchise to the 1975 blockbuster Sholay. “The writer picks topics from real news and incidents, and the team cinematically presents them on the screen. One should be happy that people have started going to the theatre. Bahut haalat kharab thi industry ki, Bhojpuri industry has almost shut down! This has come as a blessing for the industry, and lakhs of people earn their livelihood through cinema,” he noted. Ravi further added, “It’s important that cinema presents on screen what has and is happening in society. In fact, we need to correct our history as well by way of research – those pages that were torn away from our history! That truth needs to be brought in front of people.” Ravi Kishan on being a part of Dhurandhar 2 When asked if he felt like starring in the film, he said, “I know someone somewhere must be writing a Dhurandhar for me. What’s in fate will come to me; this was not in my account. Similarly, I am not in my favourite Gangs of Wasseypur, so I don’t have any FOMO of that! But, I will surely like to work with Aditya (Dhar) or Mr (Sanjay Leela) Bhansali, like now I got to work with Karan Johar in Naagzilla. So, no regrets,” adding that had he been in the film, he would have loved to do any role, but Ranveer Singh’s Hazma is his pick! The actor stated that the film became successful because of “amazing BGM (background music), super editing, bang-on energy by actors and the director took great shots and spent a whopping Rs 260 crores.” On the work front, he will be seen in films like Mirzapur, Nagzilla, Bhai Behen, Peddi with Ram Charan and the TDS series next.
06 April,2026 04:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentJanhvi Kapoor made her Bollywood debut in 2018 with the film Dhadak. It was a tough year for the actress because months before the release of her film, she lost her mother Sridevi. The actress now revealed that she slipped into depression after the release of her film, feeling that people hated her. Janhvi Kapoor recalls slipping into depression Janhvi Kapoor revisited her early days in Bollywood and her debut movie during a conversation with Raj Shamani. She made her acting debut in Dharma Productions’ Dhadak, opposite Ishaan Khatter. The film was a Hindi remake of the Marathi movie Sairat. Recalling her first film, Janhvi said, "You know, every time anyone talks to me about my first film, Dhadak, they are like, ‘she was so good in it’ or that ‘we loved Dhadak’ and ‘you earned a lot of money’... But my memory of Dhadak was very different. I was depressed after Dhadak. I thought ho gaya and that pack-up ho gaya (I am done). People hate me.” “I got all of my validation in my life from my mom. She went away. So I was like, okay, I'm going to shift that to the audience. And I was expecting some across-the-board acceptance, which I didn't know does not exist. I was only concentrating on the negative. I didn't concentrate or even acknowledge the fact that it was a very… I think it was the most commercially successful film with newcomers up until Saiyaara. It didn't even click to me that it was a hit. I just knew that I sucked and people hated me… Because I only looked at the negative, and that became my reality.” Janhvi Kapoor on finding her photo on porn sites Janhvi Kapoor recalled seeing her first such image at the age of 15 during a conversation with Raj Shamani. She said, “I don’t know if it was a deepfake, but it was something like that. I saw a picture of me on a porn site.” The Mili actress shared that she was in her IT class when she came across the images. “We had IT class in school, and boys used to go on those sites for fun. My pictures were on there. And this was in school, so that was a weird experience,” she said. Further speaking about how she reacted, Janhvi said, “At some point, I was like, this is the cost you have to pay. There is no morality in a lot of these things on social media.” However, over time, she found it harder to rationalise, and such images now affect her deeply. “I am not at peace with it. There are visuals of me out there, even shared by official news pages, which are completely AI-generated. I have never worn those clothes or been photographed like that,” she added.
06 April,2026 03:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter meeting his fans, whom he calls his extended family, on Sunday, megastar Amitabh Bachchan shared that he had “eyes filled with tears” as he was overwhelmed by the love that he gets even after decades in the Hindi film industry. Amitabh took his blog, where he first shared a string of glimpses from his Sunday fan meet. The pictures featured toddlers and youngsters among a sea of fans gathered alongside his home in Mumbai. The cine icon wrote in Hindi, which was translated to: “Today, I met my well-wishers, and my eyes filled with tears. What have I done to still receive so much love and respect from them even after all these years?” “These little souls don’t know what they are doing here, but seeing the smiles on their faces filled my heart. As they grow up, and slowly the truths of the world and life unfold before them, who knows how much will have changed by then—and what they will have to face.” The icon talks about how it pains him to think about what kind of world people are leaving behind for the next generation. “It pains me to think about the kind of world we will leave behind for them. Will they be able to face it? May God’s grace always be upon them. ‘Whenever I was in sorrow, you showed compassion; I have always remained grateful, we both fulfilled our roles. But now the weight of this gratitude has become heavy; What should I do with your sympathy, what should I do? What should I do with your sympathy, what should I do?” The megastar also expressed grief about a close relative’s demise. “…And today, a close relative leaves us. Grief is all that can be acknowledged,” he concluded. On the acting front, he is currently working on the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD. Talking about Kalki 2898 AD, the 2024 epic mythological science fiction film by Nag Ashwin, he said: “Kalki 2 begun the work .. and shall ever cherish the love and affection of anticipated presence on the Sunday .. but hopefully shall be with all this coming Sunday .. My love.” Kalki 2898 AD Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani. Inspired by Hindu scriptures, the film serves as the first instalment in the planned Kalki Cinematic Universe. Set in a dystopian future in the year 2898 AD in the city of Kashi, the story follows a group on a mission to protect lab subject SUM-80's unborn child, believed to be Kalki, the final incarnation of Vishnu.
06 April,2026 03:12 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSADVERTISEMENT
