The curtains are almost down on 2022 but the show seems to will itself on. The year was much-awaited as Bollywood was rooting for its big releases after two years of the country being in lockdown mode with the pandemic. But Hindi cinema had the most challenging time impressing audiences.
Many major releases including Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Jersey, and others pushed their launch dates to escape the lockdown impact. But they ended as a lost cause. While Bollywood failed to break records, South Indian films ruled the box office.
Several regional films saw the audience lapping it up, including diehard Hindi viewers. The year saw new grounds as SS Rajamouli’s pan-India film RRR roared at the box office. Following this came Prasanth Neel’s KGF Chapter 2, Kamal Haasan’s Vikram, and other blockbuster films when Bollywood failed to read the audiences’ pulse despite starring A-listers like Ranveer Singh in Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Shahid Kapoor in Jersey, Vijay Devarakonda in Liger, Aamir Khan in Laal Singh Chaddha, Ranbir Kapoor in Shamshera, and Hrithik Roshan along with Saif Ali Khan in Vikram Vedha and how could one not mention the recent bomb, Rohit Shetty’s film Cirkus starring Ranveer Singh.
As we evaluate the passing year, let’s take a look at regional films that did better than Hindi films.
RRR
The SS Rajamouli film starring Ram Charan, NT Rama Rao Jr, Shriya Saran, and Samuthirakani in the lead roles hit the theatres on March 24. It also featured Bollywood’s Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn who played a key role in the promotions making it a blockbuster hit. Alia Bhatt was seen promoting RRR along with SS Rajamouli, Ram Charan, and NTR Jr in all major cities including Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai.
Credit goes to the marketing team who made use of its Hindi cast Bhatt and Devgn and made sure the film reaches a wider audience.
For those unversed, RRR is the most expensive Indian film to date made on a budget of a whopping Rs 550 crore. Reports say RRR made Rs 240 crore worldwide on its first day in theatres breaking the record for the highest opening day collection by an Indian film. The film not only became the highest-grossing film in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana but also became the third Indian film and the first Telugu film to be nominated at the Golden Globes in the Best Non-English Language Film category and for the Best Original Song.
Speaking to Screendaily, SS Rajamouli said “I’m trying to find out why Westerners like the film so much. From what I’ve read on social media, it’s a mix of unapologetic superheroism and the unexpected movement from action to romance, comedy, dance and action. But this is how we tell stories in India. There’s something for everyone.”
The film’s success was not only because of its star cast or the director. From the well-written script to catchy music, Rajamouli didn’t go wrong with any element accountable for making a film a hit. And Naatu Naatu song being shortlisted in the Best Original Song Category at the 95th Academy Awards is its testimony.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmGIXuQrL1_/
KGF: Chapter 2
After RRR, this Kannada film directed and written by Prashanth Neel took over the theatres. Featuring Yash, Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, Srinidhi Shetty, and Prakash Raj in prominent roles, KGF: Chapter 2 went on floors on April 14 in five languages including Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam.
The period action thriller shattered records and became the second highest-grossing film in India, the highest-grossing Indian film in 2022, and the third highest-grossing Indian film worldwide. Reports say KGF: Chapter 2 was produced on a budget of Rs 100 crore which is the most expensive Kannada film in history. The film collected Rs 1,200-1,250 crore globally.
On the failure of Bollywood, KGF 2 star Yash, while speaking to Film Companion, said he doesn’t want Kannada people to put any other industry down as even the Kannada industry faces the same problem.
“I don’t want the people of Karnataka to put any other industry down, because we have faced the same problem when everyone treated us the same way. We have worked hard to get that respect. After that, we cannot start disrespecting anyone. We should respect everybody. Respect Bollywood. Forget this north and south,” Yash said.
Vikram
The Kamal Haasan-Vijay Sethupathi film was released theatrically on June 3 after a long delay due to Covid restrictions. Directed and written by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film was shot on a budget of Rs 120-150 crore and earned Rs 420-Rs 500 crore after its release and became the second highest-grossing Tamil film and fifth highest-grossing Indian film of 2022, and the fourth highest-grossing Tamil film of all time.
Vikram was released in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi and received rave reviews for its cinematography, writing, cast, and action sequences. The film’s trailer was released in May and crossed over 1.2 crore views within 24 hours of its release, reports said.
Sita Ramam
Sita Ramam is a poetic and poignant love story that will give you a sense of the 60s-70s romance caught on film in Indian cinema. Starring Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur, the film became a critical and commercial success and earned more than Rs 91.4 crore at the box office.
Directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, the film faced a ban in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. However, the simple-hopeless romantic film, but not cliche, earned praise.
This Telugu-period romance was also compared with the classic Hindi romantic film Veer-Zara starring Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukherjee.
Kantara
Kantara was the cherry on the cake for Kannada cinema that couldn’t suppress a triumphant smile with the success of KGF: Chapter 2. Rishab Shetty’s direction and writing became the talk of the town when Kantara hit theatres on September 30, unveiling the Bhoota Kola tradition.
The film emerged as a huge commercial success and became the second-highest-grossing Kannada film of all time and the second-highest-grossing Kannada film of 2022. After the success of its Kannada version, the makers announced its dubbed Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam versions as well. The domestic net collections of all the versions crossed Rs 200 crore in 30 days, reports said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl6sSG2hp55/
Kantara also found itself in a plagiarism controversy as Thaikkudam Bridge, a popular music band from Kerala, accused the makers of lifting their tune. Given the social media age, Thaikkudam Bridge slammed Kantara on Instagram levelling serious plagiarism charges for a blatant infringement of copyright laws as the song Varaha Roopam in Kantara had been allegedly copied from their song, Navarasam.
Nonetheless, Rishab Shetty’s directorial impacted a wider audience and the Karnataka State Government announced a monthly allowance for Bhoota Kola performers over 60 years of age.
Ponniyin Selvan: I
Mani Ratnam’s epic historical action drama, Ponniyin Selvan: I starred Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Trisha, Karthi, Jayaram, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prabhu, Vikram Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, Prakash Raj, R Parthiban, Rahman, and Lal in lead roles.
The multi-starrer film was made on a budget of Rs 500 crore. Although it received mixed reactions from both critics and the audience, it became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2022, the fourth-highest-grossing Tamil film of all time, and the 15th-highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
Mani Ratnam also confirmed Ponniyin Selvan: II which will be released theatrically after 6-9 months of PS1.
As is very visible, not even one Bollywood film did the numbers like regional films in 2022. The year, however, proved to be a success for Alia Bhatt as her film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Gangubai Kathiawadi which released in March was the lone Bollywood hit, she continued with her other successes in RRR, Brahmastra, and Darlings on Netflix.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZi5gShglZ-/
Other films that made some noise at the box office were Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files, Bhool Bhulaiya 2, and the most recent Drishyam 2.
Now, the concern is whether Bollywood will make a comeback next year or go further down. 2023 has a lot on its plate for Bollywood with big releases like Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s Pathaan, Prabhas’s Adipurush, Siddharth Malhotra’s Mission Majnu, Salman Khan’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, Luv Ranjan’s Tu Jhooti Main Makkar, Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki, Ajay Devgn’s Bholaa, Kartik Aaryan’s Shehzada, Salman Khan’s Tiger 3, Varun Dhawan’s Bawaal, and others.
Farhan Akhtar’s latest release 120 Bahadur hit theatres on November 21 but registered a dull opening on its first day, earning Rs 2.35 crore. In comparison, De De Pyaar De 2, which is now in its second week, continues to show stronger hold at the box office.
Slow start for 120 Bahadur on day one
The action-drama opened to modest numbers on Friday, collecting Rs2.35 crore on its first day. Despite pre-release buzz around Farhan Akhtar’s performance, the film has begun its run on the lower side.
De De Pyaar De 2 maintains its advantage
Meanwhile, De De Pyaar De 2 continues its steady run. On its eighth day, the film maintained an edge over 120 Bahadur in overall earnings, according to media. The strong hold of the Ajay Devgn-led sequel appears to have impacted the new release’s opening day business.
Family Man 3 ending triggers online backlash despite strong reviews
The Family Man 3 has impressed viewers with its performances and storytelling, but its abrupt ending has sparked online criticism, leaving fans demanding closure.
Fans of The Family Man 3 are celebrating the gripping new season, but a large section of viewers has taken to social media to criticise what they describe as an “abrupt” and “unsatisfying” ending. The latest season, which released on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, has drawn praise for its emotional depth and high-stakes storytelling, yet its final moments have left many feeling short-changed.
Viewers disappointed with the “sudden” conclusion
Soon after the release, frustrated fans began sharing their reactions online. One viewer wrote that the season “ends so abruptly it feels like the makers simply packed up and went home,” calling the lack of closure “exhausting”. Another comment read, “#TheFamilyMan3… ahh ending entra. Fully disappointed.”
Some tried to strike a balanced tone, acknowledging the well-crafted emotional arc and a comic cameo stretch that offered relief. However, the overall complaint remained the same — that the season cuts off just when the tension reaches its peak. “Why make us watch the entire season if the makers plan to keep the best part hanging for the next one?” a user questioned.
Still, many fans have labelled the show “engaging” and applauded the team for delivering another compelling chapter.
Season 3: Srikant caught between personal turmoil and a national crisis
The new season places Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) in one of the most complicated phases of his life. His relationship with Suchitra (Priyamani) appears strained, marked by distance and unspoken tension. Even as his home life falters, a series of coordinated blasts in the Northeast within 48 hours threatens a major peace initiative led by Prime Minister Basu (Seema Biswas).
Srikant and his senior officer Gautam Kulkarni (Dalip Tahil) travel to Nagaland to salvage Project Sahakar, relying on regional leader David Khuzou (Sunil Thapa) to bring warring sides to agreement. But the fragile situation collapses after a deadly ambush by drug kingpin Rukma (Jaideep Ahlawat), leaving David and Kulkarni dead. Srikant survives but soon becomes a suspect as investigators scrutinise how he was the only one aware of the convoy’s route.
Meanwhile in Mumbai, Suchitra faces her own crisis after the government bans 69 Chinese apps, including her platform ShrinkMe, sparking online targeting that impacts her family.
With an arrest warrant issued against him, Srikant chooses to escape with his family, setting off a tense chase as he tries to prove his innocence. Each twist raises new questions — who planned the ambush, and why is Srikant being framed?
Final reactions
While audiences largely appreciated the writing, performances and momentum, the widespread sentiment remains that the season’s final act lacked the closure fans expected. Many now hope the next instalment arrives sooner and concludes the arc that Season 3 left unresolved.
Satish Shah, beloved Sarabhai vs Sarabhai actor, passes away at 74 in Mumbai due to kidney failure
Veteran actor Satish Shah, celebrated for his iconic comic roles in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, passed away in Mumbai at the age of 74 due to kidney failure.
Veteran Bollywood actor Satish Shah, best known for his memorable comic roles in films and television, passed away on Saturday in Mumbai. He was 74.
Filmmaker Confirms The News
Confirming the tragic news, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit expressed grief over the actor’s demise, saying that Shah died around 2:30 pm following kidney failure. His condition reportedly worsened at home before being rushed to the hospital, where he could not be revived. His cremation is expected to take place later today.
“It’s a very big loss for the industry. I have worked with him on many projects,” said the filmmaker, recalling that he learned about Shah’s death shortly after attending adman Piyush Pandey’s last rites.
A Legacy Of Laughter
Born on June 25, 1951, in Bombay (now Mumbai), Satish Shah hailed from a Kutchi Gujarati family. His career began in 1978 with Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan, but it was his portrayal of Municipal Commissioner D’Mello in the 1983 satire Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro that brought him widespread recognition.
Over a remarkable film career spanning decades, Shah appeared in more than 250 movies, including Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), and Om Shanti Om (2007).
Television Stardom
Shah also left a lasting impact on Indian television. His 1984 sitcom Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi became iconic, where he played a new character in each of its 55 episodes. His role as Indravadhan Sarabhai in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2004), opposite Ratna Pathak Shah, remains one of the most loved comic portrayals in Indian TV history.
He also starred in Filmy Chakkar (1995) and later judged comedy-based reality shows such as Comedy Circus, continuing his association with humour and entertainment.
APN News is today the most watched and the most credible and respected news channel in India. APN has been at the forefront of every single news revolution. The channel is being recognized for its in-depth, analytical reportage and hard hitting discussions on burning issues; without any bias or vested interests.
