Entertainment Highlights (March 8): Chhaava Inches Closer To 500 Cr; Pritam Defends BLACKPINK's Jennie

The much talked about Tamil blockbuster film, Dragon, is all set to release in Hindi (Return of the Dragon) on March 14th. With record-breaking success across the South, the film has emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2025, having crossed well past the 100 crore mark already. Directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, known for his work on the hit film Oh My Kadavule, and starring Pradeep Ranganathan, the director-actor behind the sensational success Love Today, Return of the Dragon also stars Kayadu Lohar, Anupama Parmeswaran, Gautham Vasudev Menon and Myosin among others. The film is set to captivate Hindi audiences with its gripping storyline and stellar performances. Reviews across the board have praised the film calling it "Pitch Perfect", "a fun-filled, youthful entertainer" and "Fun and Fully Charged" in addition to other praise it has been generating.

Baahubali 2 made a collection of Rs. 6.35 Crore at the box office on Day 23. On the other hand, Gadar 2 has grossed the amount of Rs. 5.72 Crore. on Day 23. While Chhaava has already bet these two movie's box office collection of Day 23 by grossing Rs. 6.4 Crore.

Pay disparity in the entertainment industry has been a long-standing issue. Despite the immense talent and hard work of female artists, there remains a considerable wage gap between them and their male counterparts. On International Women's Day (March 8), veteran producer Anand Pandit says that such occasions serve as a reminder to address this inequality. "We have seen many female superstars and some of our actresses have also made their mark internationally. However, despite their achievements, they continue to face a pay gap compared to their male counterparts. Occasions like International Women's Day provide an opportunity for everyone to remember the need for fair compensation and greater opportunities for female talent, reinforcing the industry's commitment to gender equality," says Anand Pandit.

Rumours of Manushi Chhillar dating Sky Force actor Veer Pahariya have been doing rounds for quite a while now. Recently, talking to Bombay Times, the former Miss World was quoted saying, “There’s a certain interest people have as to what’s going on in your personal life. I have guy and girl friends and I feel if I hang out too much with my girlfriends, does it look like I’m not interested in boys or if I’m hanging out with any of my guy friends, are people gonna think we’re dating? But now I think I’ve reached a stage where I’m okay. This is my life. (sic)"

"Heeramandi" star Sonakshi Sinha is set to make her Telugu debut with the upcoming supernatural thriller "Jatadhara", headlined by Sudheer Babu. The film is directed by Venkat Kalyan, best known for "Cheddi Gang Tamasha" (2023). Production banner Zee Studios shared the news of Sinha boarding the cast on Saturday on the occasion of International Women's Day. It shared a post on its Instagram handle featuring film's poster with the actor. "This Women’s day a beacon of strength and power rises in #Jatadhara! Welcome aboard @aslisona," read the caption. Sinha's latest appearance was in "Kakuda" alongside Riteish Deshmukh. The film is streaming on ZEE5.

Bollywood stars have started arriving in style for the IIFA Awards 2025, which is taking place in Jaipur this year. Fans were left stunned as well when they saw the alleged ex-boyfriends and co-stars of Jab We Met, Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan, walking through the venue. They were seen greeting and interacting with each other as they posed for the cameras at IIFA 2025.

Sikandar has already begun to stir interest among moviegoers with its initial teaser, showcasing intense action sequences, compelling acting, and a lavish production scale. The director, A.R. Murugadoss, renowned for his knack for crafting unique film experiences, aims to deliver an action-packed entertainer rooted in an entirely original storyline. His commitment to presenting an unparalleled narrative is evident in his approach to filmmaking. A.R. Murugadoss shared his vision for Sikandar, stating, "This is a completely original story. Every scene, every frame of Sikandar has been designed and executed with authenticity, offering a fresh narrative and experience. It's not a remake or adaptation of any existing film." This dedication to originality is a driving force behind the film, ensuring that every moment on screen is both authentic and inventive.

Tumbbad over the years has transitioned from just being a cult classic to now also being a box office success. The never seen before love and support that Tumbbad received from the audience has been etched in the history of Indian cinema and now according to recent reports, this masterpiece has been sanctioned a 100 crore budget for its second installment.

There is a new update in the India's Got Latent controversy. Last month, Ashish Chanchlani and Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) were quizzed by the Guwahati Police in connection with the IGL controversy. According to reports, the Gauhati High Court granted anticipatory bail to YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani on Friday (March 7) in a case filed by the city police.

Katrina Kaif recently shelled out major bridesmaid goals with her latest Instagram post. The actress shared a set of fun-filled heartwarming pictures from her bestie Karishma Kohli's wedding and penned a heartfelt lengthy note in the caption.

A Mumbai court on Friday refused to take cognisance of "MeToo" allegations levelled against veteran actor Nana Patekar by his co-star Tanushree Dutta in 2018 after observing the complaint was filed "beyond the period of limitation" without explaining reason for delay. In her complaint filed in October that year, Dutta had accused Patekar and three others of harassing and misbehaving with her in 2008 while shooting a song on the sets of the film "Horn Ok Pleasss". The issue hit national headlines and had sparked the #MeToo movement on social media. The police, in 2019, filed its final report before a magistrate court stating that its probe did not find anything incriminating against any of the accused. The FIR was found to be false, the police further said in its report. In legal terms such a report is called a 'B-summary'.

Days after BLACKPINK Jennie's plagiarism controversy over her recent song 'Liek Jennie', music composer-singer Pritam has come in support of the K-pop artist. Pritam, who composed the Rani intro song, has stated minor musical resemblances are common and urged fans to celebrate artists rather than tear them down in a lengthy post on Instagram.

After the roaring success, the Telugu version of Vicky Kaushal's Chhaava hit cinemas on Friday (March 7). After the Telugu release, the film witnessed a much-needed hike in numbers ahead of 4th weekend, inching closer to the Rs 500 cr-mark. According to Sacnilk, the film minted around Rs 6.25 cr in Hindi and Rs 2.25 cr in the Telugu belt on Friday. The total 22 day-collection stands at Rs 492.05 cr (approx.).