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War 2 worldwide box office collection has finally crossed ₹300 crore on the back of a strong opening, but the film can’t seem to find momentum anymore.

War 2 worldwide box office collection: Even as it slowed down at the box office, Ayan Mukerji’s War 2 has managed to cross ₹300 crore worldwide. The spy thriller, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, saw another midweek dip before the end of its first week, raising concerns that its lifetime run may be shorter than what the makers would have hoped.

War 2 worldwide box office update

As per Sacnilk, War 2 earned ₹5.50 crore net in India on Wednesday, the seventh day of its release. The film’s domestic collection now stands at ₹199 crore net ( ₹238 crore gross). Wednesday’s collection of ₹5.50 crore was the lowest for the film, which had earned as high as ₹57.85 crore in a single day just five days before this. But now, with successive drops on weekdays, War 2 looks dead in the water.

Overseas, too, the film’s collections have plummeted. As per estimates, War 2 has earned a little under $8 million in the international market ( ₹69 crore). This takes its worldwide haul to a respectable ₹307 crore after seven days. War now needs to see a solid jump over its second weekend to have any chance of revival. Given that the film’s landing cost is close to ₹400 crore, it needs that in order to be profitable. War 2 has suffered at the box office due to its clash with Rajinikanth’s Coolie, which also released on the same day, and lukewarm reviews that led to bad word of mouth.

All about War 2

War 2 is part of the YRF Spy Universe, which includes Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan and Salman Khan’s Tiger series. Apart from Hrithik and NTR, the film also stars Kiara Advani in the lead. The film’s post-credits scene features Bobby Deol setting up the Spy Universe’s next release, Alpha. That film will star Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in the lead, and will release this December.

News / Entertainment / Bollywood / War 2 worldwide box office collection day 7: Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR film finally crosses ₹300 crore, but sees 40% drop

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King Charles has welcomed Princess Beatrice’s stepson at the royal family’s gathering.

According to a report by The Mail, the King extended an invitation to his niece’s stepson, Christopher Woolf ‘Wolfie’ Mapelli Mozzi, as the royal family got together for their annual summer retreat at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Insiders told the outlet that Wolfie, 9, joined Beatrice and his father Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, at the King’s private Aberdeenshire estate.

“He will enjoy a wonderful holiday of outdoor activities such as wild swimming and cycling,” a family friend shared about Wolfie.

It is worth mentioning that it is a significant moment for Wolfie as he is being introduced to public and family royal life.

Earlier this year, Wolfie attended Lionesses’ victory parade on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace alongside his father and stepmother, the Princess of York.

It is worth mentioning that Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are also at Balmoral. Meanwhile, their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are expected to join them with their families in the coming days.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi tied the knot in 2020. Edoardo shares Wolfie with Dara Huang and two daughters, Sienna and Athena with the Princess of York.

Christina Haack and her former husband, Tarek El Moussa, are celebrating their son Brayden’s milestone day.

Christina, Tarek and his wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, took to their individual Instagram account on Wednesday and marked Brayden’s 10th birthday.

In the celebratory posts, they posted sweet notes for the fourth grader on his big day

“To my oldest son Brayden….words can’t express how much I love you! I never thought I’d have a son similar to me in so many ways,” Tarek wrote.

“We are also wired the same! It is very clear that we are father and son,” the proud dad noted with a heart emoji. “I’m so excited for the upcoming adventures as our years go on and you get bigger, older, and stronger. Until that happens, you are still daddy‘s little boy.”

“I love you so much so from me and the rest of the world happy birthday!!! The HGTV star concluded.

Christina also posted a heartfelt tribute to her “sweet, feisty, kind, smart, sensitive and spiritual” son.

“My biggest supporter- he has his mama’s back,” the reality star wrote. “He gives the biggest hugs and when he likes you, you know it… I love our bond, our dates, our laughs & our love for each other. Proud mama.”

Moreover, the birthday boy’s stepmom, Heather, also wrote a sweet tribute on her social media, calling him “the best big brother” to her and Tarek’s son Tristan. 

Dom Dolla headlines the 10th anniversary edition of Beyond The Valley, one of Australia’s biggest multi-day music festivals.

The superstar Australian DJ and producer is joined on the NYE lineup by pop culture phenom Addison Rae; hip-hop veteran Kid Cudi, who returns to the land Down Under for the first time in over a decade; plus US hardcore punk act Turnstile, and many others.

Also on the bill is Spacey Jane, I Hate Models, KETTAMA, Chris Stussy, Ben Böhmer, The Temper Trap, Luude, JoJo (Australian exclusive), 070 Shake, DJ HEARTSTRING, VTSS, SWIM, Pegassi, Channel Tres, Balu Brigada, Fcukers, Jane Remover, and Miss Kaninna.

“Ten years ago, what BTV is now, we’d never have thought possible,” comments Nicholas Greco, co-founder and managing partner of Untitled Group, producers of the fest. “It’s become a rite of passage for so many, and we’re proud to create a space where people can discover new artists, share unforgettable moments, and ring in the new year with friends.”

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are going strong as the pair is about to hit their two-year anniversary next month.

As per a recent report by Us Weekly, the couple “found a lot of common ground they were not expecting, and it made their relationship stronger.”

During the last couple of months, the pair has taken major moves in their relationship including Travis posting snaps with Taylor on his official Instagram account and her recent record-breaking appearance at the NFL star’s podcast, New Heights, which he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce.

Travis and Taylor have three common things that made their bond more strong. “They have found their counterpart in terms of ambition, work ethic and values,” the source told the outlet.

A second insider noted, “Athletes have a different mindset; they are more disciplined, and it’s very similar to Taylor’s mindset. There are a lot of parallels, and they have really connected on that level with eating and working out.

And their recent summer holidays together also made the popstar and the quarterback more closer than ever as per the tattler.

“Taylor and Travis have settled into a real rhythm as a couple, and the more time they spend together, the more they realize how aligned they are,” the source said while a third insider added, “During this downtime, they really noticed all the little things they have in common. They feel like they’ve found their person.”

“The break came at the right (moment),” says the third insider. “Taylor needed to spend more time with Travis (so they could really) get to know each other.”

Another common thing between Taylor and Travis is that they both are “very empathetic people”. “Meeting someone like that is a dream come true for them.”

“She leaves Travis love notes and buys sentimental gifts, and he does the same thing,” and it’s something the Lover hitmaker “never experienced in a partner before Travis.”

Moreover, “They want to be married and have kids in the future,” said the source. “They’re both genuinely ready for that chapter.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received a brutal remark from a fellow Royal on their wedding day.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who tied knot at St George’s Chapel back in 2018, were given a scathing comment from Prince Philip.

Grant Harold, who served King Charles at his Highgrove estate revealed what actually happened during the wedding day.

“Once all the formalities were over,” Harold wrote in his new book, “we watched as the happy couple, and then the other members of the Royal family, filed out of the chapel.

“When Prince Philip came out, he turned to the Queen and said, Thank f*** that’s over”.

Harold earlier questioned Prince Harry’s grievances towards King Charles through memoir ‘Spare.’’

He wrote: “Because I saw them. I saw them having dinners together, I saw them having drinks together, I saw them going to parties together, The King used to do things to make them laugh and giggle.”

Not long into Mistress Dispeller, a quietly jaw-dropping new documentary from director Elizabeth Lo, the film’s eponymous character lays out her thesis for ridding marriages of troublesome extra lovers. “When someone becomes a mistress,” she says, “it’s because they feel they don’t deserve complete love. She’s the one who needs our help the most.”

Wang Zhenxi, a mistress dispeller based in north-central China’s Henan province, is one of a growing number of self-styled professionals who earn a living by intervening in people’s marriages – to “dispel” them of intruders. “I was looking for a love story set in China,” says Lo, speaking from Hong Kong. “I thought it would be really interesting to [explore] the peripheral gaze of a mistress.”

Lo’s first feature, the award-winning Stray, followed abandoned dogs on the streets of Istanbul. It was praised for its gentle, non-judgmental perspective on human (and canine) relationships. Mistress Dispeller is similarly restrained, allowing the film’s central protagonists – Mr and Mrs Li, his mistress Fei Fei, and her dispeller – to be seen as fully rounded, sympathetic people.

At its core, the film is, to western audiences, culturally confounding. A woman discovers that her husband is having an affair. Rather than confronting him, she hires another woman to befriend her husband. Teacher Wang, as this mistress dispeller is known, uses powers of persuasion and deception to manipulate the husband and his lover, in an effort to end their relationship. If all goes to plan, it’s happily ever after for the married couple – and for the mistress who, in Teacher Wang’s view, is set free.

Teacher Wang’s profession, if it can be called that, has only become a phenomenon in China in the last 10 years. As the country grapples with falling marriage rates, rising divorce rates and an increasing number of young people refusing to wed altogether, an entire “love industry” aimed at promoting and protecting the institution of marriage has emerged. There are dating camps, government-sponsored marriage initiatives and even dating apps aimed at parents wanting to set their unattached children up with partners. “Divorce is easy,” says Teacher Wang’s assistant on a live stream. “It’s easy to just leave. It’s harder to take responsibility and provide your family with a good life.”

But while the struggle to find love is a universal one, hiring someone to pretend to be an old friend – so that they can persuade your husband to end his affair on your behalf – is not. Some viewers might wonder why the wife doesn’t just suggest couples therapy. Lo explains that, according to Teacher Wang, therapy is still very stigmatised in China. “To enter as a stranger and a professional into a private setting and ask someone to divulge their family struggles would be unthinkable.” Teacher Wang “would be ejected immediately”.

The dispeller dynamic, while grounded in the strong cultural desire to save face, may seem very deceptive to western audiences. But Lo believes that, despite the profound conflict, there is a “kindness in doing that to each other”. She explains: “On one hand, you can say it’s very repressive, and you’re not fully dealing with the problem at its root. But from another angle, it’s also an incredibly graceful way of resolving a conflict in which nobody has to lose face. You never call it what it is head-on.”

The indirect approach to family conflict is reminiscent of The Farewell, the 2019 semi-autobiographical feature directed by Lulu Wang, a Chinese-American film-maker. The Farewell tells the story of a family who, upon learning that the grandmother has terminal cancer, decide to keep the information from her, instead hastily organising a wedding so that the relatives can gather to say goodbye to the oblivious matriarch. While the film was hailed as a bittersweet, eye-opening exploration of cultural differences in the west, some Chinese viewers found it unremarkable – why wouldn’t you lie to your grandma about her terminal cancer diagnosis?

For Lo, making Mistress Dispeller was about exploring a culture different from, although closely related to, her own. Growing up in Hong Kong, which was a British colony until it was handed over to China in 1997, she devoured western romances such as Notting Hill and Bend It Like Beckham. But the storylines shaped an “idealised version of love” for the young Lo. “That version is counter to what I understood and observed love to be in my cultural context in Hong Kong, where love is bound up with duty, sacrifice. I really wanted to use this film as a way to get to know mainland China, because I’m from Hong Kong – and to represent the type of love, and vision of family, that feels distinct to Hollywood films.”

But Hong Kong and China also have unique traditions, some of which help to explain how a job like Teacher Wang’s could exist on the mainland. China’s Cultural Revolution – a decade of upheaval and chaos between 1966 and 1976 in which many familial and social bonds were destroyed – shattered traditional hierarchies. So, says Lo, while certain beliefs and customs still run deep, China is in many ways less orthodox than Hong Kong. “A lot of dating coaches and matchmakers we talked to in mainland China said dating today in China is like the wild west, because there are no rules. People are making them up as they go.”

At times, Teacher Wang’s approach certainly seems ruthless. The aim is to make the mistress feel “abandoned on a cold bench”. The situation is “just like a war. You either win or lose everything.” But the overarching feeling that emerges through the documentary’s many layers is compassion. The husband truly feels torn between his two loves. The wife shows respect for the mistress, and vice versa. Teacher Wang ultimately treats everyone with kindness.

That empathy helps to answer the other burning question that the viewer has after watching Mistress Dispeller: how on earth did the cameras get in? Much of the drama unfolds in the intimacy of the married couple’s dining room, with the viewer brought so close to the scene that it feels like being a guest at a painfully awkward dinner party. In one scene, the wife, stage-managed by Teacher Wang, storms out of the room in faux anger at her husband’s cooking – a ploy to get him alone with Teacher Wang.

Lo’s approach to ethical film-making required a complex set of arrangements, whereby some of the characters were initially told they were agreeing to be in a documentary about “modern love and dating in China”. Only after Teacher Wang’s work was done, and the truth was revealed, were the film crew able to reveal their true role in the process, and ask once again for consent.

Lo says the fact that they agreed is “testament to how Wang was able to build such trust”. In particular, the wife agreed because Teacher Wang persuaded her that by sharing her story – and her approach to dealing with the common but rarely discussed problem of infidelity – she could help other women.

Despite the tension between the two women, the wife shows remarkable compassion to the mistress, something that builds as the documentary reaches its apex. While the relationships in the film may feel uniquely Chinese, Lo does make one final observation. Love, she says, “is the most relatable thing in the world”.

Pirates of the Caribbean, with Disney preparing to breathe new life into the franchise, Orlando Bloom is making it clear that he wants to reunite with his old crew.

The actor, who played Will Turner in four of the five films, recently told fans at Fan Expo Chicago that the best way forward for the series would be to bring the original cast back together, including Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. 

“Everything is in the writing, right? Everything is on the page, and I think there’s definitely, I’m sure there’s a way to create something,” Bloom said. 

“I would personally love to see everybody back. I think the way to win on that one is to get everybody back. If they can, and if everybody wanted to go back.”

Bloom and Knightley both appeared in the first three films, The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End, before returning alongside Depp for Dead Men Tell No Tales in 2017. 

The only installment they skipped was 2011’s On Stranger Tides. 

For Bloom, a potential return would only make sense if the story was strong enough. 

“My thing is, if the script was great and, ideally it was everybody, it’d be kind of like in for a penny, in for a pound, you know,” he added.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed last year that writer Jeff Nathanson is working on a reboot, while a separate spin-off project, written by Christina Hodson and once attached to Margot Robbie, is still in development. 

Bloom admitted the challenge is figuring out the right approach. 

“What they’re thinking…is how to do it,” he said. “Do you bring in a female leading character that replicates Jack in some way? I don’t know. The jury is out on how to do it again.”

Bruckheimer has also said he believes Depp could return as Captain Jack Sparrow if the script hits the right note. Knightley, however, has been vocal about stepping away from large franchises. 

Reflecting on her experience with Pirates, she shared last year, “The hours are insane. It’s years of your life, you have no control over where you’re filming, how long you’re filming, what you’re filming.”

For now, fans will have to wait and see whether Bloom’s wish for a full cast reunion can become reality, or whether Disney takes the franchise in an entirely new direction.

The third episode of South Park‘s 27th season, which aired on Comedy Central on Wednesday, took a break from its uniquely sharp satire of the MAGA movement, swapping this for a scathing look at the culture that has emerged out of the tech boom, complete with nonsense lingo and ketamine microdosing, the overly pandering appeal of ChatGPT, as well as the ongoing crisis for immigrants in America.

Episode of the series’ ratings-shattering 27th season sees Randy Marsh’s marijuana farm, Tegridy Farms, faces an existential crisis when ICE agents round up it’s Mexican migrant work force, leading the Marsh family patriarch to contemplate ending his business and leaving farm life behind, much to the delight of the rest of the family. That night, Randy turns to ChatGPT as a marriage therapist — but soon the artificial intelligence is helping him come up with ways to leverage his remaining staffer to reconceive his business model.

That only remaining Tegridy Farms staffer is the one-and-only Towelie, who, like Randy, has also developed a tendency toward leaning on ChatGPT and its relentlessly positive vibes. The episode has Randy and the beloved anthropomorphized towel team up to save the company. But first, the boss nd staffer start microdosing ketamine; while appearing in an ad spot full of nonsense descriptions of his farm’s harnessing of tech ideas, Randy soon falls out on ketamine, describing himself as “in a hole.”

The episode then shifts to its B-plotline involving President Trump, season’ 27s new addition to the South Park universe, and his trouble relationship with his partner, Satan — who we learn is also now using ChatGPT to solve his problems. Namely, how to fulfill his desire to break up with Trump.

Soon enough, the plotlines merge as Towelie heads to Washington to meet with the president — and this being South Park, the gags are up-to-date with the city militarized while operating under the National Guard. After the earnest, walking and talking piece of fabric shows up with to his audience with Trump empty-handed. Following a requisite brown-nosing of the president, he learns via an embedded hologram that emerged of Randy that he, in fact, is the gift that is being given to the president.

After Randy shuts down the farm and bad-mouths the missing-in-action Towelie, the episode is capped by a dark sitcom satire of Trump and Sartan’s relationship and home life. After Trump puts the moves on Satan, who as usual, wants to do normal relationship activities liek watch TV and talk to one another, it’s revealed that Towelie is MIA because he is now Satan’s hand towel and as the Dark Lord states, “there’s no escaping.”

South Park will be in hiatus next week and is set to return to Comedy Central on Sept. 3.