Sukumar’s highly anticipated film Pushpa 2: The Rule, featuring Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil, remains a force at the box office, even nine days post-release. The action-packed sequel has struck a chord with audiences, achieving remarkable earnings on its second Friday.

According to reports, Pushpa 2: The Rule garnered 32.63 crore on its second Friday in India, bringing its domestic collection to Rs 758.93 crore net within nine days. During its first week, the movie earned a staggering Rs 725.8 crore, with Rs 10.65 crore coming from its premiere and Rs 164.25 crore collected on the opening day.

Despite a slight drop to Rs 93.8 crore on its first Friday, the film rebounded over the weekend, raking in Rs 119.25 crore on Saturday and Rs 141.05 crore on Sunday. Throughout the week, the collection remained steady, adding Rs 64.45 crore on Monday, Rs 51.55 crore on Tuesday, Rs 43.35 crore on Wednesday, and Rs 37.45 crore on Thursday.

Incident at Hyderabad theatre premiere

The excitement surrounding Pushpa 2: The Rule took a tragic turn during its premiere at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, where Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and the team joined fans to celebrate the release. Overwhelming crowds led to a stampede-like situation, resulting in the death of one fan and critical injuries to another.

Following the incident, police arrested Allu Arjun, alleging negligence for failing to inform authorities about the gathering. However, a leaked document suggested the theatre management had alerted the police beforehand, requesting adequate security measures.

The Telangana High Court granted interim bail to Arjun for four weeks after the Nampally Court had initially ordered a 14-day judicial remand. The incident has sparked outrage across the industry, with several celebrities, including Varun Dhawan, Nani, Rashmika Mandanna, and Vivek Oberoi, voicing their support for the actor.

Steady success despite challenges

While the controversy has added a somber note to the film’s journey, Pushpa 2: The Rule continues to perform exceptionally well, solidifying its place as one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Fans are expected to continue flocking to theatres, keeping the film’s momentum alive in the coming weeks.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at the premises of Raj Kundra, a businessman and husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the alleged distribution of pornographic and adult films.

According to reports indicate that around 15 locations in Mumbai and some cities in Uttar Pradesh, including Kundra’s home and office, are being investigated.

Kundra is reportedly being questioned by the probe agency at one of the search locations. This money laundering case, which began in May 2022, stems from at least two FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Mumbai police against Kundra and others. He, along with others, was arrested in connection with the case but was subsequently granted bail.

This marks the second money laundering case against Kundra. Earlier this year, the ED seized assets worth Rs 98 crore belonging to Kundra and Shetty in a cryptocurrency investigation. However, the couple received relief from the Bombay High Court regarding this asset attachment.

In 2021, Kundra had told a local court in Mumbai that there was not even an iota of evidence with the prosecution (Mumbai Police) that would connect the app ‘Hotshots’, used in the alleged porn films racket, with an offence under the law.

But, the ED found that the ‘Hotshots’ app was being used by accused persons for uploading and streaming obscene content.

The businessman had refused his involvement in the creation of alleged porn content and he had claimed that he was falsely implicated and was not even named in the FIR and was dragged by the respondent (police) in the case.

Kundra claimed in the plea that he is being made a “scapegoat” for reasons best known to investigators.

The police had filed FIRs on the basis of complaints received from two women, while another woman had submitted a complaint at the Lonavla police station, around 120 km from Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the film ‘The Sabarmati Report’, based on 2002 Godhra train incident, saying the truth is coming to out.

He expressed his thoughts on social media platform X, saying, “Well said. It is good that this truth is emerging, especially in a manner accessible to the general public. A deceptive narrative can only last for so long. Ultimately, the facts will prevail!”

The Prime Minister’s remarks came in response to an X user who had shared a video of the film’s trailer, which was released on Friday.

‘The Sabarmati Report’ focuses on the tragic incident involving the burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra station in Gujarat on February 27, 2002, resulting in the deaths of 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya. This event ignited widespread riots in Gujarat that year.

Directed by Dheeraj Sarna, the film is produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, Amul V Mohan, and Anshul Mohan, and features actors Vikrant Massey, Raashii Khanna, and Ridhi Dogra.

In response to PM Modi’s commendation, producer Ekta Kapoor expressed her gratitude, highlighting that his praise provided a significant morale boost for the film’s team. Resharing the Prime Minister’s post, she wrote in Hindi on X: “Respected Prime Minister, thank you very much for your encouraging words about #TheSabarmatiReport. They have invigorated our spirits. Your recognition of #TheSabarmatiReport confirms that we are on the right path. Thank you for your love and support.”

This is not the first instance of PM Modi praising a film. In 2022, he lauded Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Kashmir Files’. He stated, “History must be conveyed in the correct context. Books, poetry, literature, and films all play a crucial role in this. You’ve likely heard the discussions surrounding ‘The Kashmir Files’; it has certainly ruffled the feathers of those who champion freedom of expression.” The film depicts the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley and features Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumar, among others.