Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has become the most watched film at the Kerala box office this century, surpassing even Narasimham and Pulimurugan in footfalls, the biggest turnout for any film at the Kerala box office since the year 2000.
The film has already been confirmed as the highest grossing Malayalam film of all time, overtaking Lokah’s worldwide total, and it did so in just 24 days by Breaking Lokah’s (300 Cr+) . In Kerala specifically, the film’s gross now stands in the 148 Cr range, putting it on track to become the first ever 150 Cr grosser in the state’s history, a mark no film has touched before.
Adding real weight to the footfall claim, the film has seen more than 90 lakh admissions in Kerala alone, a genuinely historic number for the state. For context, this kind of turnout is usually reserved for the biggest action tentpoles with mass appeal, not a romantic drama, which is exactly what makes this crowd number such a landmark achievement for the film and for Girish AD as a director.
Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is already an established industry hit both in Kerala and worldwide for Mollywood, with its Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions continuing their own theatrical runs alongside the Malayalam original. What makes this remarkable is that the film had already sealed its industry hit status weeks ago, and it is still piling on fresh records on top of that, most recently outrunning action tentpoles like Narasimham and Pulimurugan in raw footfalls, a first for a rom-com in Malayalam cinema this century.
After years of waiting, Hyderabad is finally set to get its own IMAX screen. AMB Classic Victory at RTC X Roads is reportedly opening in December 2026, and the honour of the opening film goes to Dune: Part Three.
A 12 Year Gap About To Close
Hyderabad has been without a true IMAX screen since the original Prasad’s IMAX format was discontinued in 2014, despite the city being one of the country’s biggest film markets. Asian Cinemas has been working on bringing the format back, and this December launch would finally end that long wait for the city’s movie lovers.
Why Dune Part Three Is The Perfect Opener
The timing could not be better. Dune: Part Three, directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya and Florence Pugh, releases worldwide on December 18, 2026, and includes sequences shot specifically for IMAX. A trilogy closer built around scale, spectacle and genuine IMAX footage is exactly the kind of film a new premium screen needs to announce itself properly.
The Film Fans Really Want To See Here
While Dune Part Three gets the opening slot, there is another film already on everyone’s mind for this screen. SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi is generating massive curiosity among movie lovers, and the idea of experiencing Rajamouli’s world on a giant IMAX screen in his own city is exactly the kind of moment Hyderabad audiences have been waiting years for.
Hyderabad’s premium cinema landscape is moving fast. An actual IMAX screen returning to the city adds a global format into that mix, giving audiences a genuine reason to choose the big screen over streaming for the biggest films still to come.
Asian Cinemas is set to partner with Megastar Chiranjeevi for a huge premium cinema property in Hyderabad’s Financial District, and the ambition behind it is not just another luxury multiplex, it is a genuine shot at the world’s largest cinema screen.
The current record holder is Traumpalast Leonberg in Germany, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest operating cinema screen at 127 feet wide by 69 feet tall, a massive 8,770 square feet, paired with 574 recliners and IMAX’s dual laser projection system. For height, the record belongs to Royal Cinemas 14 IMAX in Pooler, Georgia, USA, at 101 feet wide by 76.2 feet tall, spanning 7,696 square feet with 363 recliners. Any Hyderabad property aiming for a world record would need to genuinely challenge these numbers, not just come close to them.
This is not Asian Cinemas’ first star collaboration. The chain already runs AMB Cinemas with Mahesh Babu, AAA Cinemas with Allu Arjun, and has an upcoming property with Venkatesh at RTC Cross Roads. Reports earlier this year had already pointed to a Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan multiplex being planned in Gachibowli, and this Financial District development appears to be that plan scaling up into something far bigger than originally expected.
Hyderabad’s premium cinema race has been heating up fast. Allu Cinemas in Kokapet recently launched India’s largest Dolby Cinema screen at 75 feet wide, and Asian Cinemas itself has been working on bringing IMAX back to the city after a 12 year gap. A Chiranjeevi backed property aiming for a literal world record would instantly put Hyderabad on the global map for cinema infrastructure, not just the Indian one.
If this comes together at the scale being discussed, Hyderabad would move from competing for India’s biggest screen to competing for the world’s biggest screen outright, a genuinely different league. For a city that has already shown strong appetite for premium theatre experiences, this could become one of the most talked about entertainment destinations in the country once it opens.
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh have welcomed their second child, a baby girl, born on September 19, 2026. The couple shared the news on Instagram with a picture of the newborn’s tiny footprint, captioned Welcome Baby Girl, and signed off as Dua, Deepika and Ranveer.
The baby girl is the couple’s second child, arriving almost exactly two years after their first daughter, Dua, was born on September 8, 2024. The post credits Dua alongside her parents in welcoming her new sibling, a sweet touch that has resonated strongly with fans.
Deepika and Ranveer had announced their second pregnancy in April 2026, sharing a post that featured Dua holding a positive pregnancy test. As recently as September 8, the couple posted new pregnancy photographs to mark Dua’s second birthday, giving fans a glimpse of Deepika’s baby bump just days before the birth.
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh got married in November 2018 in Lake Como, Italy. On the work front, Deepika is set to appear in Siddharth Anand’s King alongside Shah Rukh Khan, and is also part of Atlee’s upcoming film with Allu Arjun. Ranveer Singh is currently riding high on the success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge.
Bigg Boss Telugu 10 has confirmed its second week elimination, and Krishnudu is out of the house. The shoot for this week’s episode has already been completed, and it turns out to be a single elimination week, not a double elimination as many had expected.
Who Was Nominated This Week
Rohit, Mukesh, Trigun, Ram Prasad, Debjani, Shalini, Jhansi, Krishnudu, Sudheer, Srishti and Varshini were all placed in the nominations list for the second week
Who Was In The Danger Zone
Out of the full nominations list, four contestants were flagged as being in the actual danger zone based on unofficial polls, Krishnudu, Sudheer, Srishti and Varshini, all seen getting the least votes among the nominated contestants.
The Prediction That Came True
Going in, there was a high chance that either Krishnudu or Sudheer would be eliminated this week, with a smaller possibility of it being Varshini or Srishti instead. That prediction has now played out exactly as expected, with Krishnudu becoming the one to exit the house.
One Elimination, Not Two
Despite talk of a possible double elimination this week, the makers have gone with a single elimination, meaning Sudheer, Srishti and Varshini all get to continue in the house for now, though all three remain contestants to watch closely heading into the next round of nominations.
The trailer for Gladiators, the documentary tracing Ajith Kumar’s real life motorsport journey, has been unveiled, and it is unlike anything a mainstream Tamil star has attempted before. The question now is whether the promise on screen can translate into something audiences will actually pay to watch in a theatre.
Shalini’s One Line Does More Than The Rest Of The Trailer Combined
The trailer leans into genuine emotional weight rather than manufactured drama. Shalini Ajith Kumar appears on screen for the first time in nearly two decades, and her line about Ajith not returning to racing just to win a trophy, but for those few seconds of the nothing is impossible moment, is the strongest beat in the entire trailer. It reframes the documentary from a vanity passion project into something more personal. The racing footage itself, endurance events, the Red Ant Racing gear, the team working together on the track, carries real authenticity since this is Ajith’s actual team and actual career, not a dramatised recreation. Ajith closing the trailer with I love this sport, followed by him raising the Indian flag, gives the piece a patriotic, earned high point rather than a forced one.
The trailer’s weakness is that a large part of it leans on fairly generic sports documentary language. Text cards like Defying The Impossible and Drive Beyond Limits are the kind of phrasing seen in countless racing and sports documentaries globally, and they do not do much to set Gladiators apart from that crowded field. For a documentary built around a genuinely unique story, a global film star competing in international endurance racing, the trailer spends more time on inspirational text than on specifics, like what obstacles the team actually faced, or moments of real failure before the wins. That restraint may be intentional, saving the harder moments for the actual film, but on trailer terms alone, it plays safer than it needed to.
The bigger question is not whether Gladiators will be well made, everything about the technical packaging, AL Vijay directing, GV Prakash Kumar’s score, suggests it will be. The real risk is whether a theatrical sports documentary can draw audiences beyond Ajith’s core fanbase. Indian theatrical audiences have historically not shown up in large numbers for documentary format releases, regardless of how big the subject is, because a ticket buyer is usually looking for a scripted narrative experience, not real footage and interviews, however well cut. With reports that an extended version is also planned for OTT later, there is a fair question of whether casual viewers wait for that version instead of buying a theatre ticket now, which could soften the theatrical run before it even begins.
If Gladiators does connect, the reward is significant. It would be one of the first times a mainstream Indian star’s real athletic pursuit gets a proper theatrical documentary treatment, and a strong response could open the door for more of this kind of content in Indian cinema. It also deepens the Ajith brand at a moment when Daredevil is already building anticipation, giving fans a fuller picture of the man behind both journeys, acting and racing, in the same window.
Nani’sThe Paradise is heading for a September 24 release amid massive buzz, and early The Paradise opening day predictions suggest Nani could be looking at the biggest opening of his career. The makers are reportedly planning paid premieres and have also sought ticket price hikes in both Telugu states. If the necessary approvals come through, the combination of premium ticket rates, special shows and enormous pre-release hype could give the film a major boost.
Overseas is already showing strong momentum, with advance sales reportedly crossing the ₹6 crore mark several days before release. The pre-release business has crossed the ₹100 crore mark, setting the stage for a potentially record-breaking debut.
The Paradise Opening Day: ₹60 Crore On Cards?
Trade estimates are projecting a massive opening for The Paradise. Here’s the territory-wise breakdown:
Territory
Projected Collection
Overseas (with premieres)
₹21 crore+
Nizam
₹18 crore+
Andhra
₹12 crore+
Ceeded
₹3.5 crore
Telugu States Total
₹34 crore
Rest of India
₹6 crore
All-India Total
₹40 crore
Worldwide Day 1
₹60 crore
Nizam alone is projected to lead with ₹18 crore-plus, while the Telugu states theatrical business is showing exceptional pre-release strength. If these projections hold, The Paradise could potentially open to around ₹60 crore worldwide on Day 1, marking a new milestone for Nani.
Nani Eyeing A New Benchmark
If that projection materialises, The Paradise could rewrite Nani’s biggest opening benchmark for a Tier 2 star. His previous best, HIT: The Third Case, opened to around ₹43 crore worldwide on Day 1. A ₹60 crore start would represent a significant jump over that figure and establish a new opening-day record.
With Nani recently joining the elite ₹100 crore theatrical club, The Paradise opening day performance will be crucial in cementing his position among Telugu cinema’s top-tier commercial stars. However, the final number will depend on ticket-hike approvals, premiere permissions, occupancy and the audience response once the film releases.
The makers of #Cult have announced the film’s worldwide release date, confirming it will hit screens on#October 30. The film is being billed as India’s First Slasher, a genre never attempted in Indian cinema before at this scale
Vishwak Sen’s Third Directorial, And His Biggest Gamble Yet
#Cult is written and directed by Vishwak Sen, who is also headlining the film as the lead. This marks his third directorial venture after Falaknuma Das and Das Ka Dhamki, and it comes at a crucial point in his career. The film is being seen as a major comeback attempt following the trolling and commercial failure of his last outing, Laila.
The Team Behind The Film
The film has dialogues by Tharun Bhascker and music composed by Ravi Basrur, known for his intense background scores in films like KGF. Backed by Tarak Cinemas and Vanmaye Creations, and produced by Sandeep Kakarala, #Cult promises scale and originality with a technical team that includes cinematographer Aravind Viswanathan and editor Ravi Teja Girijala.
A Genre Nobody Has Tried Before
The teaser leans heavily into new territory for Indian cinema, built around a slasher horror premise, a genre defined by a masked or hidden killer stalking victims one by one, something mainstream Telugu or Indian films have rarely, if ever, attempted with this level of intent. The visuals show a chaotic party turning into a scene of panic and chase, setting up exactly the kind of tension the genre is known for.
With Vishwak Sen putting himself fully behind the camera and in front of it for this one, #Cult carries real weight for his career direction going forward. A successful genre-first attempt could reposition him as a filmmaker willing to take risks mainstream Telugu cinema usually avoids, while another misfire would add further pressure after a string of recent setbacks.
Director Srikanth Odela has opened up about the making of The Paradise, revealing just how uncompromising his approach was in bringing this film to life.
Srikanth Odela says he never wanted to rush The Paradise by putting together a trailer or content simply for the sake of releasing it. He wanted to follow his vision without compromising on anything that did not feel right to him.
— No reshoots — 6 Tracks — 4 Action Blocks — Only Single Part — Mohan Babu The Main Antagonist — 4 Major Action Blocks — 171 Days Of Shoot — Emotion >>> Action pic.twitter.com/0NEwQbo1fc
The director clarifies that The Paradise is not just a high octane action film. While the film features four major action blocks, he believes the intense emotion behind those sequences is what audiences will carry with them after leaving the theatres. This tracks closely with what the trailer has already shown, a raw, blood soaked world built around a marginalised tribal community and the rise of a leader challenging deep rooted oppression.
Srikanth Odela also reveals that Nani’s double braid look initially faced strong opposition from the team. However, Nani was the only one who completely trusted the director’s vision and supported the look. The braids are not merely a visual element but are integrated into the character, Dhagad, and even become part of the action choreography.
One Film, No Sequel, No Reshoots
The director confirms that The Paradise is a single part film, with no two part structure or sequel plan. He also reveals that there were no reshoots, as he preferred shooting a scene repeatedly, even 100 times if necessary, until he was completely satisfied with the result.
A Musical Bond He May Not Find Again
On the music, Srikanth Odela speaks highly of his collaboration with Anirudh Ravichander, saying their creative and mental sync was so strong that he may find it difficult to work with anyone else after this experience. The film features six tracks from Anirudh, including the already released songs Aaya Sher, YeshaNagula
Mohan Babu As The Villain Fans Are Waiting For
Mohan Babu plays the main antagonist, Shikanja Maalik, and Srikanth Odela promises a powerful face off between him and Nani, aiming to deliver a major theatrical moment. The film also features Raghav Juyal as another antagonist, Vikram Malik, alongside Kayadu Lohar as the female lead and Sampoornesh Babu in a pivotal role.
171 Days Behind The Rawness
The scale of the film is reflected in its 171 day shoot, with hundreds of people involved across several sequences. Odela says that creating an authentic revolutionary atmosphere and maintaining gritty realism required that level of effort, without taking shortcuts.
The world of The Paradise draws from real incidents in Adilabad and the lives of people in a Secunderabad railway basti. Srikanth Odela combined these elements to create a raw, grounded and intense backdrop for the story.
Overall, Odela describes The Paradise as a film built on rawness, realism, action and, above all, emotion, with every major creative decision driven by his uncompromised vision. This marks his second collaboration with Nani after the blockbuster Dasara, and expectations are riding high on this reunion delivering an even bigger moment for both of them.
Ayesha Khan looks absolutely regal in this stunning traditional avatar, effortlessly blending old-world elegance with contemporary glamour. Draped in a rich beige-gold saree featuring intricate red and gold embroidery, she creates a striking visual with the deep red blouse and ornate borders. The elaborate floral detailing adds a luxurious touch to the entire ensemble.
Her styling is equally captivating. Ayesha wears a statement nath, traditional earrings and stacks of red bangles, while her beautifully braided updo and delicate bindi complete the classic desi look. The warm golden lighting beautifully highlights her glowing complexion and sharp features, giving the pictures an almost ethereal quality.
The close-up frames capture her expressive eyes and graceful beauty, while the relaxed pose against a banana leaf adds an authentic traditional charm. Ayesha Khan looks every bit like a modern-day Indian princess, carrying this elaborate ethnic look with elegance, confidence and plenty of glamour.
![Ayesha Khan’s Royal Dream [HD Pics]](https://tracktollywood.com/wp-content/smush-webp/2026/09/Untitled-Design-36-768x432.jpg.webp "Ayesha Khan’s Royal Dream [HD Pics]")
