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OTT and theatrical releases this week: new films and series to watch from December 19 to 26

From crime thrillers and disaster dramas to romantic films and comedy shows, here’s everything releasing on OTT platforms and in theatres this week.

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friday ott release

As the holiday season kicks in, a packed slate of fresh OTT and theatrical releases is set to entertain audiences this week. From crime thrillers and disaster dramas to comedy shows and romantic films, viewers have multiple options across platforms and cinemas. Here is a detailed look at what’s releasing between December 19 and December 26, based strictly on available information.

Major OTT releases this week

Several high-profile web series and films are making their digital debut across platforms, spanning genres like thriller, drama, comedy and fantasy.

Mrs Deshpande (December 19)
An Indian adaptation of the French thriller La Mante, this series stars Madhuri Dixit as a convicted serial killer imprisoned for years. The story takes a turn when a copycat killer surfaces, forcing the police to seek her assistance to crack the case.

Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders (December 19)
This standalone sequel revisits Inspector Jatil Yadav, who finds himself probing a complex murder. As the investigation progresses, layers of greed, betrayal and dark family secrets come to light.

Four More Shots Please Season 4 (December 19)
The final season focuses on the four central characters confronting personal truths and growth. The narrative tracks their emotional journeys as they reassess choices, relationships and identities.

A Time For Bravery (December 19)
The film follows a nervous psychoanalyst sentenced to community service after a traffic accident. Assigned to counsel a depressed police officer, the unlikely duo soon gets caught in a dangerous criminal conspiracy linked to national security.

The Great Flood (December 19)
Set against what appears to be Earth’s final day, this disaster drama depicts a massive global flood. The story centres on survivors trapped inside a sinking high-rise building as water levels rise rapidly.

The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 4 (December 20)
Returning after a short break, the new season brings back familiar faces with fresh sketches, aiming to appeal to viewers across age groups.

Sicily Express (December 22)
This series follows two Sicilian nurses working in Milan who discover a magical dumpster portal allowing instant travel between Milan and Sicily. Their plan to run a secret commuter service leads to unexpected misadventures.

Ghost Adventures: House Calls – Season 2 (December 24)
The paranormal series documents investigators visiting real homes where families report unexplained experiences, aiming to identify and understand unusual activity.

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking – Season 2 (December 25)
Set on actual movie locations, this season challenges bakers to create desserts inspired by iconic moments from the Harry Potter films, with hosts and guest appearances from the franchise.

Hustlers, Gamblers, Crooks – Season 2 (December 26)
The series presents real-life stories of risk, cons and high-stakes decisions, narrated by the people who lived through them.

Films releasing in theatres

Two notable films are hitting cinema screens on Christmas Day, offering contrasting genres.

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri (December 25)
Marketed as a Christmas romance, the film stars Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday. It follows two individuals who discover love during personal journeys of self-discovery, while navigating family expectations and modern relationships.

Anaconda (December 25)
The film tracks two friends dealing with midlife crises who travel to the Amazon rainforest to remake their favourite childhood movie. Their plans spiral into a survival ordeal when they encounter a giant anaconda.

Entertainment

Border 2 box office collection day 12 crosses Rs 286 crore, eyes Rs 300 crore milestone

Border 2 box office collection reaches Rs 286.75 crore after 12 days, putting the Sunny Deol-led film close to the Rs 300 crore milestone.

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Sunny Deol in Border 2

Sunny Deol’s Border 2 continues its impressive run at the domestic box office, edging closer to the Rs 300 crore mark by the end of its second week. The war drama, which hit theatres on January 23, has shown consistent collections since its release.

On its second Tuesday, the film earned an estimated Rs 5.75 crore, taking its total earnings to Rs 286.75 crore after 12 days.

Border 2 box office performance so far

The film matched its Monday earnings on February 3, adding Rs 5.75 crore to its tally. With this, Border 2 has managed to hold firm on weekdays, a sign of sustained audience interest.

The film delivered a robust opening week, collecting Rs 224.25 crore, supported by the extended Republic Day holiday period.

Second weekend boosts collections

The second weekend provided another lift to the film’s box office numbers. Friday saw collections of Rs 10.75 crore, followed by Rs 17.75 crore on Saturday. Sunday emerged as the strongest day of the weekend, contributing Rs 22.5 crore to the total.

Monday, which coincided with Republic Day, turned out to be the film’s highest single-day performer so far, with earnings touching Rs 59 crore.

With its current pace, Border 2 has already surpassed the opening weekend figures of Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar.

Border 2 review

In a review, film critic Saibal Chatterjee noted that Border 2 succeeds in highlighting the courage of soldiers while also touching upon their emotional vulnerabilities. The film explores themes of separation, loss, fear, and hope, presenting moments of heroism amid personal struggles.

About the film

Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 features an ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty. Set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the film is positioned as a spiritual successor to the 1997 classic Border.

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Why Dhurandhar on Netflix runs shorter than its original theatrical cut

Dhurandhar’s Netflix release sparked confusion over its shorter runtime. The difference is linked to muted dialogue and an updated theatrical cut.

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Dhurandhar

Dhurandhar has finally made its much-awaited debut on Netflix, just days after the Ranveer Singh-starrer completed a blockbuster theatrical run across India. While the film crossed Rs 1,000 crore domestically and went past Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, its OTT release has triggered confusion and criticism over its shorter runtime.

Several viewers took to social media early Friday, claiming that a “censored” version of Dhurandhar was streaming on Netflix. The runtime displayed on the platform is 3 hours and 25 minutes, nearly nine minutes shorter than the film’s originally reported duration of 3 hours and 34 minutes.

What caused the runtime difference

The confusion stems from changes made after the film’s initial theatrical release. According to the revised censor certificate, Dhurandhar now has an approved runtime of 3 hours 28 minutes and 56 seconds. This updated version replaced the earlier cut in cinemas starting January 1.

The revision followed directions to mute two specific words and one dialogue referring to the Baloch community. These changes were implemented without removing scenes, resulting in a marginally shorter runtime.

What viewers noticed on Netflix

Audiences streaming the film on Netflix observed muted portions during a scene involving Sanjay Dutt’s character, SP Chaudhary Aslam. In the original version, the dialogue included a direct reference to a former Baloch police partner. In the revised cut now available on Netflix, those references are muted, while English subtitles offer a generalised translation without naming the community.

Some viewers also pointed out that the film appears to play slightly faster on the platform, contributing to the perception that content had been trimmed.

Is Netflix streaming a censored cut

Industry insiders have clarified that Netflix is carrying the final theatrical version approved by the authorities. As an OTT distributor, the platform uploads films exactly as provided by the producers. The version streaming online is the same revised cut that has been screening in theatres since January.

Importantly, the film’s intense and graphic depiction of violence remains unchanged in the OTT version.

In short, Dhurandhar on Netflix is not a specially edited or censored cut for streaming. It is the updated theatrical version, adjusted for muted dialogue and presented with a slightly faster frame rate.

Following its OTT release, audiences can now look ahead to the sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, scheduled for release on March 19, 2026.

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Border 2 box office collection day 1 crosses Rs 30 crore

Border 2 opens to Rs 30 crore on day one, becoming the biggest opener for Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh.

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Sunny Deol in Border 2

Border 2 has made an impressive start at the Indian box office, collecting Rs 30 crore on its opening day. The war drama, headlined by Sunny Deol along with Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh, opened to largely positive audience and critical response.

According to industry tracking data, the film recorded an overall occupancy of 32.1 per cent on day one. Night shows contributed the highest footfall, indicating strong word-of-mouth towards the end of the day.

Strong show count and urban traction

Border 2 was screened in nearly 6,000 shows across the country on its opening day. Major centres reported heavy traction, with over 1,000 shows in Mumbai and more than 1,500 shows across the Delhi-NCR region. Trade sources noted that urban circuits played a key role in pushing the film past the Rs 30 crore mark.

The opening performance places Border 2 ahead of Dhurandhar, which collected Rs 28 crore on its first day despite having a similar nationwide show count. Dhurandhar later saw consistent growth over its opening weekend, a trend that Border 2 is also expected to follow.

Career-best opening for key cast members

Border 2 has emerged as the biggest opening-day film in the careers of Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty and Diljit Dosanjh. For Varun Dhawan, the film marks his first box office success since Bhediya in 2023. Ahan Shetty, who made his debut with Tadap in 2021, has registered his first theatrical hit with the war drama.

For Sunny Deol, however, Border 2 does not surpass the opening records of Gadar 2, which remains his highest-grossing film with a worldwide collection of Rs 686 crore.

Dhurandhar sees slowdown after Border 2 release

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar’s box office run has slowed following the release of Border 2. The film reportedly earned under Rs 1 crore for the first time in nearly 50 days, reflecting the impact of the new release.

Directed by Anurag Singh and produced by JP Dutta and Nidhi Dutta, Border 2 also features Sonam Bajwa and Mona Singh in prominent roles.

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