Latest news with #Mahabharat
Hindustan Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sitaare Zameen Par box office collection 8: Aamir Khan film yet to cross ₹100 cr after a week, leaves Kesari 2 behind
Sitaare Zameen Par box office collection 8: Aamir Khan took an unconventional approach to the release of his film Sitaare Zameen Par, and it seems to have paid off. Aamir's film opened exclusively in theatres, with no OTT release plan attached. So far, the film has been doing well at the box office. In its one week in theatres, the film is now close to crossing the ₹100 crore mark. (Also read: Will Mahabharat be Aamir Khan's last film? Actor breaks silence on buzz around retirement) Sitaare Zameen Par box office collection day 8: Aamir Khan's spiritual sequel has remained steady.(PTI) Sitaare Zameen Par box office update The latest report on Sacnilk states that Sitaare Zameen Par minted ₹ 94.95 crore in its first week of release. On Friday, the film collected ₹ 6.05 crore, as per early estimates. Aamir Khan-starrer had a decent one week run, collecting ₹88.9 crore. The film is expected to cross the ₹100 crore mark by the end of its second weekend at the box office in India. The film has now surpassed the lifetime India collection of Akshay Kumar's Kesari 2, which stood at ₹ 92.53 crore. About the film Sitaare Zameen Par introduces 10 actors--Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar. It is a remake of the Spanish film Campeones. The film sees Aamir play a basketball coach training a team of players with special needs. It also stars Genelia D'Souza. During an interview with HT, director RS Prasanna had opened up about working with Aamir and shared how he is someone who is extremely humble and it never seems that he is this huge superstar. "The most surprising thing about Aamir sir is that he is a legend who behaves like a newcomer, and you have newcomers who behave like legends. For me, it was just like how I connected with Ayush (Ayushmann Khurrana) and Bhumi (Pednekar). I was a first-time director (in Shubh Mangal Savdhaan), and they made me feel comfortable. The same is with Aamir sir," he said.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Last decade one of exponential economic growth for country: VP Dhankar
Dehradun, Describing the last decade as one of phenomenal development for the country, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said among the large economies, India is the fastest growing and set to become the third largest economy in the world in 2-3 years. Last decade one of exponential economic growth for country: VP Dhankar "India's economic rise has been exponential, our infrastructural growth has been phenomenal. Among the large economies we are the fastest growing. The last decade for Bharat has been a decade of development, a decade of growth, a decade of finding a new place in the world order," he said. India will emerge as the third largest economy in the world in two-three years, he said addressing the students of Sherwood College, Nainital on the occasion of the institution's 156th foundation day on Friday. "Viksit Bharat " or developed India is not a dream for the country anymore but its destination, Dhankar said. He reminded the students that they had a significant role to play in the nation's journey courtesy the world class education at Sherwood whose distinguished alumni were an inspiration for all. Naming a few such as Major Somnath Sharma who was the first recipient of the Paramveer Chakra, the architect of the 1971 India-Pakistan war Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and cinema legend Amitabh Bachchan, Dhankar said, "Their legacy is your responsibility. You have to set new benchmarks of excellence." He said they were privileged to be receiving this kind of education in a country of 1.4 billion with a large section of the country's population not having access to such quality of education. Asking them to utilise this advantage for nation building, he reminded them of Swami Vivekananda's famous line and said,"Arise and awake and stop not till the goal is achieved." Dhankhar also said India is capturing the attention of the world not only because of its fast growing economy or scientific development but also its enviable demographic dividend. "The median age of India is 28 years. That means we are ten years younger than China and the US. 65 per cent of India's population is below 35 years. The world is changing too fast for us. We are not to be overtaken by this change but we have to create the change that we want," he added. He referred to the country's ancientness, its 5,000 year old civilisation and its vast wealth of scriptures. "No other country stands close to us when it comes to the vast wealth of knowledge contained in our scriptures like the Geeta, the Mahabharat or the Upanishads," Dhankar said, seated on a chair. Opening his address the vice president humorously remarked that he was in the habit of sitting in his chair as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha since August, 2022. "Chairman rises only when there is disturbance or disruption. With this kind of decorum and discipline I can remain seated," he said as the audience burst into laughter. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Mukesh Kumar Singh: We aimed for something extraordinary with Kannappa
The director's transition from television to film feels natural to him. 'Whether it's TV or cinema, for me it's storytelling,' he explains, 'Many of my TV shows had budgets bigger than 80% of the films being made. Mahabharat was a 200-crore project. But cinema is like a novel, something you preserve. You read it, keep it on your shelf. Television is a newspaper read and forgotten.' What makes this film distinct, he believes, is its emotional thread. 'Yes, there is a lot of action,' he says, 'but from the first scene to the last, there's an undercurrent of devotion, identity, and transformation. This is not just a film about a miracle. It's about how a man with nothing becomes the greatest devotee.' Singh is conscious of the legacy he is stepping into. 'There have been films on Kannappa before,' he acknowledges, 'but I have seen them all, and we knew we had to create something new, something that would speak to this generation.'
Hans India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
'Kannappa' moved Mohan Babu deeply
Dynamic Star Vishnu Manchu's dream project 'Kannappa,' directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by M. Mohan Babu under AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory, is set for release on the 27th of this month. In the meantime, director Mukesh Kumar Singh revealed several interesting insights about the film. Q: It is said that Mohan Babu binge-watched your 'Mahabharat' series and recommended you to Vishnu Manchu for 'Kannappa.' How did it all begin? Yes, that's true. It all started when director Eshwar Reddy called me about the 'Mahabharat' series. I clarified it wasn't solely my work—two other directors were involved, and I gave him their contact details. Later, Anup Singh Thakur, who played Dhritarashtra in 'Mahabharat' and acted with Vishnu in 'Achari America Yatra,' informed me that Vishnu Manchu wanted to talk. Vishnu called soon after and invited me to Hyderabad. We spoke for 3–4 hours about the story. Around a month later, Mohan Babu garu, who had returned by then, invited me to his house. We spent an hour discussing 'Mahabharat,' and he immediately called Vishnu and said, 'This is the man who will direct 'Kannappa.'' Q: Since you worked on 'Mahabharat,' how familiar were you with 'Kannappa'? I wasn't familiar initially. Vishnu narrated the story and wanted it on a grand scale. I then conducted my own research—visiting Tirupati and Sri Kalahasti over ten times, engaging with temple priests, reading articles, and watching videos. I shared my insights with Vishnu to understand how he would bring 'Kannappa's' soul to life. Q: What differences did you experience moving from TV to cinema? I've also produced three English-language films, so cinema wasn't new to me. In fact, many TV projects I directed were grander than some films. TV is fast-paced, often with little prep time. In contrast, cinema allows for deeper planning. I officially joined 'Kannappa' in January, and we began filming on October 4—my birthday. Q: The film features multiple pan-India stars. How did you manage that ensemble? That was exciting. Surprisingly, managing TV actors is harder. Film stars like Mohan Babu, Vishnu, Prabhas, and others are disciplined and passionate. Initially, there were challenges, but once we aligned creatively, it went smoothly. Mohan Babu garu is intensely focused and energetic on screen. Q: Was the film shot only in Telugu? The Kailasam portion was filmed in Telugu. Scenes with Lord Shiva and Parvati were shot in both Telugu and Hindi, with the entire film dubbed into multiple languages. Q: Did you watch earlier 'Kannappa' films? Yes, I watched all of them. They're inspiring. At times, I was anxious about living up to their legacy. But the last hour of our film will leave audiences stunned by Vishnu's performance. Q: Tell us about the art department's work. Art director Chinna did in-depth research. We brought in technicians from Mumbai and Los Angeles. My team visited museums to study ancient weapons. We initially planned 20 days of shooting in New Zealand but ended up doing most of it there due to the perfect locations. About 80% of the film was shot on real locations. Akshay Kumar and Prabhas' scenes were shot in India. Budget was never a limitation—Vishnu ensured we had everything needed. Q: What is the scope of Prabhas's role? Every character in 'Kannappa' holds weight. Whether it's Mohan Babu, Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal, or Prabhas, they all contribute meaningfully to the story. Prabhas fans will be pleased—his role is significant and impactful. After watching the film, Mohan Babu garu hugged me. That was my highest compliment. Even external viewers have given extremely positive feedback. Q: The censor board suggested 13 cuts. What's your take? Those edits were needed to secure a U or U/A certificate. The film has intense action, and we wanted it accessible for broader audiences, so we made the changes. Q: How much of the story is fictionalized? The source material from Periya Puranam, Bhagavata Purana, and Sri Kalahasti Shapatham is just a page and a half. We built upon that foundation to create a 2+ hour cinematic narrative. While we took creative liberties, the soul of the story remains intact. Q: Who helped you with the dialogues? I worked with Telugu-speaking assistant directors and translated most of it myself. Vishnu, Mohan Babu, and a few writers helped refine the dialogues. Q: What was the response from Sri Kalahasti priests after watching the film? We screened it for them, and their reaction was priceless. They asked, 'When is Part 2?' and said not a single word needed changing. That was the greatest validation. Q: How did you ensure the story resonated with today's audiences? We clarified early on—this isn't a mythological film; it's historical. Some believe Kannappa was tribal, others say he was Arjuna's reincarnation. At the core, he donated his eyes in devotion. That message needed to reach today's generation. Q: Are you working on a 'Mahabharat' film next? Yes, I'm planning a cinematic adaptation. 'Mahabharat' is an open subject—anyone can tell it in their own way. I greatly admire S.S. Rajamouli's work; after Satyajit Ray, he's done the most to elevate Indian cinema globally. Though I've done it on TV, film offers a much broader canvas. Q: Your view on using graphics in films today? VFX must be used wisely. Overuse can dilute authenticity. The goal is to blend graphics with reality—to enhance, not replace it. Q: A final word on Mohan Babu's role? Mohan Babu garu's role in 'Kannappa' is unlike anything in previous versions. His performance will surprise audiences. He's also playing the antagonist in Nani's upcoming film. His versatility and intensity are truly exceptional.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Science
- Business Standard
India's new-age, beyond-visual-range missile with an ancient name
The Astra, like other advanced long-range missiles, uses inertial guidance with updates on its target from the shooter aircraft mid-flight, to strike. premium Satarupa Bhattacharjya Listen to This Article Astra, which in Sanskrit means 'weapon' – referred to in major multifront combats in Indian mythology, including the epic Mahabharat — is a cutting-edge air-to-air missile that has been designed by the Indian government's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Astra operates beyond visual range (BVR) and can hit highly manoeuvrable supersonic targets, according to the DRDO. The missile has the capability to lock on target before being launched during close-range aerial engagements. The missile's current range is more than 100 kilometres. Missiles with the ability to engage targets at distances way greater than the fighter pilot's field of
