SCOOP: Shah Rukh Khan & Suhana Khan’s King is inspired by Leon: The Professional

Shah Rukh Khan means man in business as the last year showcased the kind of global power he commands. SRK delivered blockbusters in the form of Pathaan and Jawan in 2023, followed by Dunki, which didn't live up to the expectations but ended up with respectable numbers in the long run. Ever since, there has been mega speculation on what's next for Shah Rukh Khan after a great run in 2023.

Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that Shah Rukh Khan's next on the big screen is the Sujoy Ghosh-directed King which stars the King Khan with daughter Suhana Khan.  "King is a raw action thriller to be directed by Sujoy Ghosh with Siddharth Anand and Red Chillies Entertainment. The film is based on the Hollywood Classic, Leon: The Professional," a source told Bollywood Hungama.

According to the source, Leon is one of the all-time favorite films of Shah Rukh Khan and he is kicked about bringing a film inspired by this cult classic to the big screen. "Shah Rukh Khan will be seen training his daughter to fight all odds in the film. It's more of an easter egg too, as the King will share a very interesting dynamic with Suhana in the film. Contrary to the speculations, it's a full fledged role for SRK in King."

King will go on floors by May 2024 and release on the big screen in 2025. It's already the most awaited film of 2025 as it features King Khan as King.

Fighter teaser: Tricolour shot, top-class visuals, badass tagline will ensure that Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer opens with a BANG on Republic Day 2024!

Hrithik Roshan rocked the show last month with his special appearance in the Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif-Emraan Hashmi starrer Tiger 3. And now, this month, too, he's a talking point thanks to his upcoming release, Fighter. The posters of Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor are out and all eyes are now on the teaser. Bollywood Hungama was the first one to break the news that the much-awaited promo will be out on December 8. A day before the teaser release, Bollywood Hungama got a sneak peek of the teaser, that too in 3D. And one can say with confidence that Fighter, directed by master director Siddharth Anand, has the potential to be the first blockbuster of 2024!

Fighter's teaser, as per the censor certificate, is 1 minute and 16 seconds long. It introduces the world of the film and that it is Indian cinema's first aerial action franchise. Hrithik Roshan as Patty looks dashing and is sure to be greeted with whistles when this promo is shown in cinemas. But watch out for him with the tricolour. It's a money shot that is guaranteed to get seetis and taalis in hordes.

Deepika Padukone, too, seems aptly cast as Minni and she also has her share of action scenes. A quick glimpse is seen of her sizzling avatar and it gives an indication that after her hot appearance in Pathaan, she’s once again all set to soar the temperatures in the chilling month of January. Finally, Anil Kapoor’s casting as Rocky also gives a lot of weightage.

What comes across as a surprise in the teasers are the supers/texts. Two of them stand out – ‘Trying to catch us? You must be joking!’ and ‘Republic Day will never be the same again’ – take the impact to another level. These badass texts give a novel touch and also probably are in sync with the attitude of the characters in the film.

The article cannot be complete without the mention of Siddharth Anand. He has always come up with stylish teasers, be it Bang Bang (2014), War (2019) or Pathaan (2023). Fighter’s teaser is no exception. It is stylishly and neatly cut and proves yet again why Siddharth deserves to be one of the most celebrated filmmakers of Indian cinema. Moreover, the VFX matches global standards. It looks as visually appealing as a big-scale Hollywood film and yet has the mass appeal that the single audience craves. Fighter is also a special film for him as it is also his first outing as a producer, along with Mamta Anand, under Marflix Pictures in association with Viacom18 Studios.

Fighter’s teaser will be out on Friday, December 8, at 11:00 am. Interestingly, it is Hrithik Roshan’s first 3D film. It’ll also be released in 2D and IMAX on January 25, 2024 worldwide, that is, exactly a year after Siddharth Anand’s record-breaking film, Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham.

Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from yesterday: Wednesday, 31st January 2024

Welcome, добредојде (dobredojde), mirë se vjen, fáilte 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (31st January 2024) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: Griselda Blanco "Griselda Blanco Restrepo (February 15, 1943 – September 3, 2012), known as the Black Widow or Cocaine Godmother, was a Colombian drug lord who was prominent in the cocaine-based drug trade and underworld of Miami, US, during the 1970s through the early 2000s, and who has also been claimed by some to..."

Image by Metro Dade Police Department

2️⃣: XXXTentacion "Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion gained a cult following among his young fanbase during his..."

Image by State of Florida

3️⃣: 2023 AFC Asian Cup "The 2023 AFC Asian Cup is the ongoing 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It involves 24 national teams after expansion in 2019, with Qatar the defending champions.On 17 October 2022, the AFC..."

4️⃣: Chita Rivera "Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson (January 23, 1933 – January 30, 2024), known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and a Drama League Award. She was the first..."

Image licensed under CC BY 4.0? by PhilipRomanoPhoto

5️⃣: Fighter (2024 film) "Fighter is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Siddharth Anand, based on a story he wrote with Ramon Chibb. Produced under Viacom18 Studios and Marflix Pictures, the film stars Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, and serves as the first installment in a planned aerial..."

Hrithik Roshan Begins Shooting For Siddharth Anand's Fighter. See Pic

Hrithik Roshan Begins Shooting For Siddharth Anand’s Fighter. See Pic

Marflix Pictures shared this image. (courtesy: marflix_pictures) New Delhi: We have good news for all Hrithik Roshan fans. The superstar has begun shooting for his much-awaited action film Fighter. In a photo shared on Instagram Stories, Hrithik is standing in front of a jet with director Siddharth Anand. Along with the image, Hrithik said, “Right. Let’s go. #Fighter,” along with a flight emoji.…

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Hrithik Roshan and Siddharth Anand kickstart Fighter shoot: ‘And it begins…’

Hrithik Roshan and Siddharth Anand kickstart Fighter shoot: ‘And it begins…’

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan has kickstarted the shoot of the film Fighter, also starring Deepika Padukone in the lead role. Marflix Productions, which is bankrolling Fighter, shared a picture of Hrithik and director Siddharth Anand on its Instagram handle. The caption of the photo read, “And it begins….#FIGHTER.” In the picture, Hrithik and Siddharth are seen posing in front of a plane and…

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Fighter actor Nishant Kkhanduja recalls a prank played by Anil Kapoor on him; says, “It was a funny but anxious incident”

Nishant Kkhanduja also shared about his experience of working with the extensive star cast of the patriotic drama.

Actor Nishant Kkhanduja is currently riding high post the success of Hritik Roshan, Deepika Padukone starrer Fighter. Having shared screen space with some of the biggest stars from Bollywood, Nishant recalled the experience of working with them and along with that he also recalled an incident where he ended up losing his diamond ring. However, it seems it was a small prank played by Anil Kapoor.

Sharing this interesting incident from sets he recalled losing his diamond ring, Nishant Kkhanduja said, “It’s a funny but anxious incident. I used to wear my solitaire diamond ring to the set every day and before the shot used to keep that in my pocket. One fine day, the pocket was torn, little did I know this, my ring fell from it. When I was trying to find it, I got very anxious on not finding it anywhere. I legit asked everyone on the set if anyone has seen it. To which, Anil sir had found it and played a prank on me. He kept this a secret until the day ended. I was panicking, and when I was leaving the sets, his manager handed me the ring, since Anil sir was in his shot.”

Speaking of his experience working on this film alongside such a wonderful cast, he added, “Working on Fighter was an emotional rollercoaster, filled with moments of awe, camaraderie, and profound growth. Stepping onto set for the first time alongside the legendary Hrithik sir, under the direction of my idol Siddharth Anand, was a surreal experience. It wasn't just the star power that made Fighter special; it was the bonds formed with my co-stars, particularly Akshay Oberoi and Karan Singh Grover, who quickly became like family to me.”

Fighter Box Office Estimate Day 6: Siddharth Anand directorial slumps further; Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer likely to close Tuesday with approx. Rs. 6 cr.

The recently released Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer Fighter directed by Siddharth Anand hit screens last week on January 25. After a modest opening the business of the film witnessed exponential growth on its second day, January 26, which incidentally was the national holiday of Republic Day. However, following this massive rise in collections, the business of Fighter dropped on its third day, with its first Sunday collections managing to somewhat salvage the situation. Sadly though, despite the positive reviews and heavy-duty PR machinery backing the film, on Day 5, its first Monday, Fighter failed to pass the litmus test with just Rs. 7 cr. coming in.

Now, on its sixth day running, the business of the film has not seen much change. Based on early predictions, the Siddharth Anand directorial that promises edge-of-the-seat action with stunning visuals has severely failed to entice the audience. With shows in major metro cities recording less than average footfall, while mass-dominated sectors outright rejecting the film, Fighter seems to be in dire straits. Given the current scenario, predictions state that Fighter has seen yet another slump in business on Day 6, its first Tuesday with just Rs. 6 cr. estimated to come in.

This sudden nosedive spiral has sent shockwaves through the industry with the makers of the film stunned into silence. Now, all eyes are watching whether the film that was initially expected to cross the Rs. 200 cr. mark with ease, will make it to the Rs. 170 cr. mark. Unfortunately, trade predictions paint a rather bleak visual depicting Fighter struggling to achieve this target after running out of box office fuel.

Fighter Box Office Estimate Day 5: Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer registers a STEEP 70% drop; collects approx. Rs. 7 cr. on Monday

The much talked about and keenly anticipated Siddharth Anand directorial Fighter starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone hit screens last week. After a modest opening the business of the film witnessed immense growth over its opening weekend. In fact, with positive reviews and good word of mouth the business of Fighter has been steadily growing. However, now on its fifth day running, or rather its first Monday, the business of Fighter has failed to maintain its momentum at the box office.

Rightly dubbed as ‘Khooni Monday’, the actual litmus test for any film, in this case, Fighter has resulted in a staggering 70% drop in business from its opening day. When compared to its first-day collections of Rs. 24 cr, Fighter has registered approximately just Rs. 7 cr. in collections on Day 5. If that was not enough when compared to its collections on its first Friday, which incidentally was Republic Day, the business of Fighter has dropped from Rs. 41.20 cr. to Rs. 7 cr, registering a massive 82% drop. This staggering drop highlights the fact that despite the buzz around the film and the promotions, the collections of Fighter have not really taken off on Monday.

If one were to analyse the opening weekend collections of Fighter, 33% of the film’s overall business came in on Republic Day, while on other days the collections remained plateaued with hardly any steep growth. All in all, on Monday, the mass circuits viz. Rajasthan & Gujarat failed to fire failing to take off. Thanks to this staggering drop the prospects of Fighter which has collected Rs. 123.60 cr. till date is unlikely to enter the highly coveted Rs. 200 cr club. However, despite writing on the wall, certain predictions state that Fighter could crawl its way past the Rs. 200 cr. mark.

Some of the recent movies with more than 70% drop on Monday when compared to its first Friday include Adipurush (78.61%), Tejas (74.17%), Kuttey (70%), Bachchhan Paandey (74.57%) and Shamshera (72.68%).

Siddharth Anand’s Fighter gets standing ovation from IAF officers in New Delhi 

Over 100 decorated Indian Air Force officers attended the special screening of Fighter in New Delhi.

In a grand gesture of honour and recognition, the makers of Fighter organised a special premiere for the Indian Air Force in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Over 100 decorated Indian Air Force officers from across India who made their presence felt with patriotism in the air.

Siddharth Anand’s Fighter gets standing ovation from IAF officers in New Delhi

The special premiere for the Indian Air Force marshals was a star-studded affair attended by Director Siddharth Anand and Fighter Producer Mamta Anand along with the star cast Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor. The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, looked elated at the patriotic fervour of the befitting cinematic tribute to the Indian Air Force in Fighter.

The momentous event saw the IAF officers react with overwhelming enthusiasm; they not only loved the film but deemed it the “best film ever,” offering a standing ovation. This heartfelt endorsement was also prevalent when the Indian Air Force Band played their rendition of Vande Mataram. Taking to Instagram, Marflix Pictures handle shared, “Tune that echoes in the skies ????????. We’re honoured to have the Indian Air Force Band uniting hearts by playing their powerful rendition of #VandeMataram #SpiritOfFighter”

Directed by Siddharth Anand, the aerial action drama has garnered attention for its portrayal of the bravery and dedication of IAF officers who safeguard the nation’s skies with unwavering courage. To pay tribute to these valiant individuals, the makers organised this special screening in Chanakyapuri, Delhi, where the dedicated IAF officers had the opportunity to witness the cinematic salute to their efforts. The film is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the makers and the Indian Air Force who have extended their support to make the inspiring tale of Fighter come to life.

Presented by Viacom18 Studios in association with Marflix Pictures, Fighter seamlessly blends heart-thumping action with patriotic fervour. The special screening for the IAF officers in Delhi highlights the filmmakers’ commitment to honouring the real-life heroes who inspire the narrative.

Fighter Box Office Prediction: After lacklustre advance Siddharth Anand directorial starring Hrithik Roshan – Deepika Padukone to open around Rs. 25 cr

An action biggie, when helmed by a credible director known for his craft of narrating such big budget takes, and with a superstar lead cast and grand production values, is always expected to open well at the box office. We saw that first last year same time with Pathaan when Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham came together for Siddharth Aanand directed Pathaan, and then later with Gadar 2, Jawan and Animal as well.

While each of these biggies opened in Rs. 40-75 crores range, the stakes went higher for films that are arriving in 2024 as well. After all, audiences had made 2023 as the biggest year ever for Bollywood films and with Fighter seeing Siddharth Anand return again on Republic Day eve and Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor being the key cast members, the expectations had soared further. That’s the reason why a big number is certainly on the cards.

However, Thursday release for a film is always tricky and in case of Fighter too, it seems like the momentum will truly start picking up from Friday when it’s the Republic Day holiday. The advance booking did open a few days back but the advance ticket sales - which should ideally have gone past the Rs. 3 crores mark at least and potentially got into that Rs. 3.5-4 crores range by the time the first show started, isn’t really there. This could also be due to Ram Mandir event which has been trending day in & night out for last few days which has possibly impacted the hype around Fighter. That said, the film has an advantage of an open period ahead and with Rs. 25 crores still guaranteed to come in with potential to go a couple of crores higher, Fighter should manage very good footfalls from Friday if supported by positive word of mouth.

Ranveer Singh is ‘gobsmacked’ after watching Deepika Padukone – Hrithik Roshan starrer Fighter trailer: “Absolute Fire”

Siddharth Anand's much-anticipated film, Fighter, has unleashed a storm of anticipation with its electrifying trailer. Packed with high-octane action, the chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone sizzles on screen, complemented by a powerful background score. The release of the film will coincide with the grand celebration of the 75th Republic Day. Celebrities and fans are lauding the trailer, eagerly counting down the days until the release of the aerial action spectacle on January 25, 2024.

Among them is Ranveer Singh who can’t simply wait for the theatrical release. Commenting on Deepika Padukone’s Instagram post on Monday, he wrote, “ABSOLUTE FIRE!!!! What a trailer!!!! Stunning!!!! I’m gobsmacked!!!!! All the best Team Fighter!!!!”

With a riveting script and an ensemble cast led by Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor, Fighter follows the Air Dragons, an elite unit of the Indian Air Force, on a high-stakes mission to defend the skies and nation. The trailer artfully captures the essence of camaraderie, courage, and sacrifice among these heroes, creating a compelling narrative that resonates across generations. The story seems to be inspired by the tragic 2019 Pulwama attack, which unfolded on February 14. The trailer talks about the “deadliest terror attack on Indian forces. The attack claimed the lives of 40 army officers.”

Fighter will be available in theatres in 3D and 3D IMAX formats, and is scheduled to hit theatres on the eve of India’s 75th Republic Day, January 25, 2024.

The next film starring Shah Rukh Khan and Suhana Khan will begin production in November and will be shot in India and overseas over the course of six months.

Following the unprecedented success of Pathaan and Jawan, Shah Rukh Khan is ready to star in another historic blockbuster with Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki. There have been numerous rumors about his next project following Dunki, and we at Bollywood Hungama can reveal that it will be directed by Sujoy Ghosh and co-star his daughter Suhana Khan.

According to people close to the project, the film will be a large-scale action thriller that will begin production in November 2024. "Shah Rukh Khan plans to finish work on this untitled Sujoy Ghosh directorial by March 2023, and then move on to India's biggest action film, Tiger vs Pathaan, with his friend, Salman Khan." The Sujoy Ghosh-directed film begins filming in November, with schedules in India and abroad covering six months. "It's another ambitious action film from Red Chillies Entertainment, and it marks Suhana Khan's big-screen debut," a source told Bollywood Hungama. SRK and Siddharth Anand are producing the Sujoy Ghosh flick. "The plan is to use Siddharth's expertise in the action genre." This is a stylish film, and who better than Sid to artistically handle the action blocks at screenplay level and also oversee the stunt design," the source added.

The SRK-Suhana Khan film will be released in theaters by the end of 2024 and will take audiences on an action-packed adventure.

Fighter: Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Bekaar Dil’ song released in theatrical version

Bollywood Hungama previously revealed that the makers had re-approached the CBFC after they decided to delete the song, previously titled 'Ishq Thoda Thoda Dono Jagah'.

Siddharth Anand's Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, is currently running in theatres. The film, released on January 25, has witnessed its songs trending nationwide. While the film is enjoying an amazing run in the theatres, the makers treated the audience with a romantic song 'Bekaar Dil' that was unveiled after the film's release. Now, the makers are releasing the film with the 'Bekaar Dil' song attached.

The makers of Fighter are all set to release the film with the 'Bekaar Dil' song attached. The song has been released and received tremendous love from the audience. Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone's sizzling chemistry truly impressed the masses. Now, the audience can enjoy this romantic track on the big screen with the release of the film with the song attached to it.

Bollywood Hungama previously revealed that the makers had re-approached the CBFC after they decided to delete the song, previously titled 'Ishq Thoda Thoda Dono Jagah'. The track's duration is 2 minutes and 38 seconds. The CBFC approved the deletion on January 22. Earlier, Fighter was 166.35 minutes or 2 hours 46 minutes and 35 seconds long. After the deletion of the song, the runtime of Fighter was 163.55 minutes, that is, 2 hours 43 minutes and 55 seconds.

Directed by Siddharth Anand and presented by Viacom18 Studios in association with Marflix Pictures, Fighter also stars Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Mahesh Shetty.

Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from yesterday: Tuesday, 30th January 2024

Welcome, üdvözöljük, bienvenue, benvingut 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (30th January 2024) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: Griselda Blanco "Griselda Blanco Restrepo (February 15, 1943 – September 3, 2012), known as the Black Widow or Cocaine Godmother, was a Colombian drug lord who was prominent in the cocaine-based drug trade and underworld of Miami, US, during the 1970s through the early 2000s, and who has also been claimed by some to..."

Image by Metro Dade Police Department

2️⃣: XXXTentacion "Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion gained a cult following among his young fanbase during his..."

Image by State of Florida

3️⃣: 2023 AFC Asian Cup "The 2023 AFC Asian Cup is the ongoing 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It involves 24 national teams after expansion in 2019, with Qatar the defending champions.On 17 October 2022, the AFC..."

4️⃣: Fighter (2024 film) "Fighter is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Siddharth Anand, based on a story he wrote with Ramon Chibb. Produced under Viacom18 Studios and Marflix Pictures, the film stars Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, and serves as the first installment in a planned aerial..."

5️⃣: Africa Cup of Nations "The Africa Cup of Nations (French: Coupe d'Afrique des Nations), sometimes referred to as the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, or simply AFCON or CAN, is the main international men's association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of..."