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Celebrated filmmaker K Viswanath dies at 92, celebs pay tribute

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Celebrated filmmaker and Dadasaheb Phalke awardee Kasinadhuni Viswanath passed away at a private hospital in Hyderabad on late Thursday night. He was 92. Vishwanath, a five-time national awardee, was unwell for some time and died due to age-related issues, family sources said.

The veteran filmmaker passed away around midnight on Thursday.

Popularly known as ‘Kalatapasvi’, Viswanath was born in February 1930 in Andhra Pradesh and started his career in filmmaking as a sound engineer under director Adurthi Subba Rao. Later, he went on to work as an assistant director for Telugu film Pathala Bhairavi in 1951.

Viswanath went on to direct award-winning films like Sankarabharanam, Sagara Sangamam, Swati Mutyam, Saptapadi, Kaamchor, Sanjog and Jaag Utha Insaan during his illustrious career.

Viswanath, who made 50 movies since 1965, is a household name in the Telugu film industry and also renowned for his work in Tamil cinema and the Bollywood industry. The veteran artiste also had a successful stint as an actor in movies such as Swarabhishekam, “Pandurangadu”, “Narasimha Naidu”, “Lakshmi Narasimha” and “Seemasimham”, “Kuruthipunal”, “Kakkai Siraginilae” and “Bagavathi”, among others.

Viswanath’s directorial debut Aatma Gowravam, starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao, won the Nandi Award for the best feature film and followed more hits like Chelleli Kapuram, O Seeta Katha, Jeevana Jyoti and Sarada.

Viswanath was felicitated with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest recognition in Indian cinema, in 2017, as its 48th recipient. Over a four-decade long career, the illustrious director was conferred with the Padma Shri in 1992 and has also collected five 20 Nandi Awards (given by the Andhra Pradesh government) and 10 Filmfare trophies including the Lifetime Achievement award.

Several big-wigs of the Indian film industry paid tributes to the legendary filmmaker.

RRR director SS Rajamouli in his tribute posted on Twitter said that Viswanath’s signature on Telugu cinema and art in general will shine brightly forever.

Jr NTR in his condolence pointed out the late director’s contributions to Telugu cinema, saying that Viswanath holds a high place among those who spread the fame of Telugu cinema across the continents. “He gave many incredible films like Shankarabharan and Sagara Sangam. The loss without him is never-ending. My deepest condolences to his family and may his soul rest in peace.”

Calling Viswanath his Guru, Veteran Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor shared a picture of himself with the late director and thanked the filmmaker for teaching him the ropes during the actor’s early years. He wrote: “K. Vishwanath Ji you taught me so much, being on set with you during Eeshwar was like being in a temple… RIP My Guru.”

In an emotional note, Tamil superstar Manmooty wrote: “Deeply saddened by the demise of Sri K Viswanath Garu. Had the privilege of being directed by him in Swathikiranam. My thoughts and prayers with his loved ones.”

AR Rahman wrote, “Anjali tradition, warmth, heart, music, dance, love …..your movies filled my childhood with humaneness and wonder! #ripkviswanathji.”

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also expressed his condolences over the death of Viswanath.

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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