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RIP Raju Srivastava: From Raju Hazir ho to Bigg Boss 3, Here’s everything about Gajodhar Bhaiya’s 30 years of stint on Indian Television

The King of Comedy ruled the comedy realm for over three decades. Fondly known as Gajodhar Bhaiya, Raju Srivastava had redefined stand up comedy in India.

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Raju Srivastava

India’s most noted comedians, Raju Srivastava died at the age of 58 on Wednesday. After staying on life support for more than a month, the King of Comedy took his last at AIIMS Delhi hospital. The stand up comedian is survived by his wife, Sikha and children Ayushmaan Srivastava and Antra Srivastava.

Raju Srivastava was admitted to AIIMS, Delhi after he suffered a heart attack while working out at his gym on August 10. He underwent an angioplasty and was put on a ventilator due to his critical health. The news of his passing away was confirmed by his family, the reports said.

The King of Comedy ruled the comedy realm for over three decades. Fondly known as Gajodhar Bhaiya, Raju Srivastava had not only redefined stand up comedy but had also set a benchmark that could not be crossed by any other comedian from India.

From smashing performances at reality shows to acting in films alongside Bollywood A-listers, the deceased comedian had surely garnered a colossal fan following over the years. And today we bring to you a highlight of his stint in the Indian Entertainment Industry.

Great Indian Laughter Challenge

Born in a middle-class family in December 1963, in Kanpur, Raju Srivastava started his career with in the entertainment industry in the late 1980s. However, he rose to fame after he appeared on ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’ which was a comedy show aired on Sony Entertainment Channel in 2005.

Read Also: Comedian Raju Srivastava passes away at 58

Comedy Circus

After The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Srivastav’s stint in Comedy Circus had widened his fan base. The late comedian had left people in splits with his pitch-perfect comic timing.

Shaktiman

He later appeared in Rajesh Khanna’s Shaktiman and took everyone by surprise. Even the audience responded positively to Raju Srivastava’s guest appearance in the show, and Raju Srivastava was even praised for his work.

Bigg Boss Season 3

Did you know that Raju Srivastav had also participated in Bigg Boss Season 3. After staying in the house for over two months, Gajodhar Bhaiya was voted out. But during his stay inside the Bigg Boss house, Srivastava didn’t fail to give a daily dose of laughter.

Comedy Nights With Kapil

in 2019, Gajodhar Bhaiya appeared on Kapil Sharma’s Colors show Comedy Nights With Kapil. Srivastava gave a special stand-up act in 2019 and he also returned in 2020 to make everyone laugh once again.

Raju Haazir Ho

In his comedy show, Raju Srivastav presented several humorous sketches and jokes to entertain the audience. He was accompanied by actress Roshni Chopra.

Bollywood Appearances

Did you know that Raju Srivastava starred in numerous Bollywood movies, like Bombay to Goa (2007), Bhavnao Ko Samjho (2007), and Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya (2010).

India’s Laughter Champion

Raju Srivastav was last seen on the TV screen in the ongoing comedy show India’s Laughter Champion. He appeared as a guest on the reality show, which is being hosted by Shekhar Suman and Archana Puran Singh.

Raju Srivastava: From PM Narendra Modi to Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, prominent leaders pay condolences

RIP Raju Srivastava: Did you know the comedian waited for 12 years to get married to his lady love Shikha?

Entertainment

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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Dhurandhar box office collection crosses Rs 1,000 crore worldwide in 21 days

Dhurandhar has crossed Rs 1,000 crore worldwide within 21 days, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 so far.

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Dhurandhar

Dhurandhar continues its strong theatrical run, achieving a major milestone at the global box office. The Ranveer Singh-led film has crossed the Rs 1,000 crore mark worldwide within 21 days of its release, reinforcing its position as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 so far.

Released on December 5, the film has shown sustained momentum both in India and overseas, outperforming other major releases of the year and entering the elite Rs 1,000 crore club.

Strong worldwide and domestic performance

According to figures shared by the makers, Dhurandhar has earned Rs 1006.7 crore globally in just three weeks. With this, it has gone past earlier big releases of the year, including Kantara Chapter 1 and Chhaava, to set a new benchmark in worldwide collections.

In the domestic market, the film has posted equally impressive numbers. Over its first 21 days, Dhurandhar collected more than Rs 650 crore in India. The film earned Rs 28.60 crore on Day 21, which coincided with Christmas, further boosting its overall tally.

A closer look at the India collections shows a strong week-wise performance. The film opened with Rs 218 crore in its first week, followed by Rs 261.50 crore in the second week. Between Days 15 and 20, it added Rs 160.70 crore. With the Day 21 earnings included, the total net domestic collection stands at Rs 668.80 crore, placing it among the biggest box office successes of the year and pushing it closer to the Rs 700 crore mark in India.

Entry into top domestic earners list

With its current numbers, Dhurandhar has also secured a spot among the top ten highest-grossing Indian films based on domestic net collections. The film has overtaken Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal to claim the ninth position on the list, underlining its exceptional run in theatres.

Cast, direction and sequel announcement

Headlined by Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar features an ensemble cast that includes Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi. The film is directed by Aditya Dhar, whose storytelling and the performances of the cast have been key factors behind its box office success.

The makers have already confirmed a sequel, which was hinted at in the post-credit scene. The follow-up film is scheduled to release on March 19, 2026, and will hit theatres in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

With its record-breaking global earnings and continued strong performance in India, Dhurandhar is set to close 2025 as one of the most successful Indian films in recent years.

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