Starring superstar Ajay Devgn in the role of a real-life Income Tax officer, who conducted the biggest and longest raid India has ever witnessed, the latest Bollywood flick Raid is off to a great start at the box office. On its opening day, the Raj Kumar Gupta directorial racked up an impressive collection of over 100 million.
By netting 100 million on its debut day, Raid has now become the third biggest opener of 2018, dislodging Luv Ranjan's romcom, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, which had collected 60.42 million on its first day at the cash counter. The Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone starrer Padmaavat and Akshay Kumar's Padman are sitting at the first and second spots respectively.
Despite receiving a mixed response from critics, Raid has put up a great show on day one. It is expected to perform even better over the weekend as the majority of the audience has liked the movie. Once the proper word of mouth sets in, there should not be any stopping for the film.
"After an ordinary start in morning shows, Raid jumped post noon onwards. Evening and night shows saw super growth. A double-digit start for a non-masala, realistic film is heartening. Strong word of mouth should boost numbers on Saturday and Sunday," a tweet from noted film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh read.
As per early estimates, the film might close out its first weekend with a collection of 3500 million. It will be interesting to see how many days the movie takes to enter the elite club of 1 billion.
Helmed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Abhishek Pathak and Kumar Mangat Pathak.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.