Bollywood

Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia’s The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest opened in theatres on September 25 and got off to a strong start at the box office. According to India Today, the film earned around ₹8 crore net in India on its opening day, while its India gross collection stood at approximately ₹9.60 crore. The film saw relatively slower occupancy during the morning shows, but collections improved as the day progressed, particularly during the evening and night shows. The opening day collection also puts The Vvaan ahead of Sidharth Malhotra’s previous release Param Sundari, which reportedly opened with around ₹7.37 crore. The film also surpassed the opening-day figures of Marjaavaan, which collected approximately ₹7.03 crore. With this opening, The Vvaan has reportedly registered the fourth-highest opening day of Sidharth Malhotra’s career, behind films such as Ek Villain, Brothers and Thank God. However, trade estimates released on the first day varied slightly. Bollywood Hungama had estimated the film’s opening in the range of ₹6.50–7.50 crore and noted that the movie performed comparatively well in some mass-market centres, including Bihar. The film’s folklore-based storyline and Chhath-related elements were also seen as factors that could connect with audiences in certain regions. The film had also shown promising signs before its theatrical release. According to Koimoi, The Vvaan generated around ₹2.47 crore in gross advance bookings for Day 1, excluding blocked seats, marking Sidharth Malhotra’s strongest post-pandemic opening-day advance booking according to its tracking. With the weekend now underway, the film’s performance over Saturday and Sunday will be important in determining whether it can build on its opening-day momentum.

Veteran actor Mushtaq Khan, known for his memorable supporting and comic roles in films such as Welcome, Aashiqui, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, died in Mumbai on Thursday, September 24, at the age of 75. He passed away at Nanavati Hospital at around 7 pm after being admitted there about two weeks earlier. His son Mohsin Khan confirmed the death to PTI, saying the actor had initially complained of stomach pain and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer.Khan had a career spanning several decades and appeared in more than 500 films, according to PTI. He began his screen career with Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai? and later became a familiar face in Hindi cinema through films including Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Sadak, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Hera Pheri, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Jodi No. 1 and Welcome. He also worked extensively in television and continued to appear in films in recent years. One of Mushtaq Khan’s most recognised performances came in the 2007 comedy Welcome, where he played Ballu, a disabled hockey player. His comic timing and memorable dialogue made the character popular with audiences. He also appeared in later films including Gadar 2, Stree 2, Badhaai Do and Jaat, maintaining a presence in Hindi cinema across different generations. According to reports, Khan had previously been diagnosed with cancer several years ago and had recovered, but the disease later returned. India Today reported that he had been undergoing treatment at Nanavati Hospital for around 15 days after the cancer relapsed. Reports differ on the specific type of cancer, with some outlets describing it as liver cancer and others reporting lung cancer that had spread to the liver. For that reason, it is safer in a general news report to state that he died after battling cancer. Khan’s death has prompted tributes from members of the Hindi film industry. Director Anees Bazmee, who worked with him in Welcome, and actors including Sanjay Mishra and Anupam Kher remembered the veteran performer. Khan is survived by his family, and his funeral is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 25.