Ramesh Nakirekanti

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 12 - Kannada superstar Yash's Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups is gaining strong momentum in the Hindi market following the release of its much-awaited trailer. The Geetu Mohandas directorial has received an overwhelmingly positive response for its stylish presentation, action-packed raw visuals and Yash's larger-than-life screen presence. With the film now heading for a worldwide theatrical release on August 26, early trade expectations are that Toxic could make a solid start in Hindi. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) According to the latest trade report, Toxic is currently expected to open in the 20 crore net range in Hindi. While that would already be a healthy start for a dubbed South Indian film, there is optimism within trade that the Yash starrer has the potential to go considerably higher if the trailer buzz converts into strong bookings and audience turnout. The biggest advantage for Toxic is the lack of major competition from direct Hindi releases, while holdovers will also have almost faded by the time of its release on August 26. This gives the film a relatively open field in the Hindi belt, allowing it to command a strong number of screens and premium show timings. Yash also continues to enjoy considerable goodwill in the North Indian market after the blockbuster success of the KGF franchise, giving Toxic a ready-made audience base. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) More importantly, the film appears to have the ingredients required for a big-screen event. The gangster backdrop, action, scale, star cast and highly stylised world showcased in a gritty and bold tone in the trailer are all aligned with the kind of mass entertainment that can work strongly in the Hindi-speaking markets. The trailer has also helped position Toxic as a theatrical spectacle rather than simply another dubbed South Indian release. The 20 crore net opening should therefore be viewed as a starting point rather than a ceiling. If the positive trailer response sustains through the promotional campaign, Toxic could potentially surprise on the upside. With no major Hindi film directly competing for its audience on August 26, Yash has a clear opportunity to turn the film into one of the biggest Hindi openings for a South Indian star.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

The Tamil film DC is delivering a very unconventional box office run as it wraps up its first five days in theaters. Usually, mid-week collections struggle to match opening day excitement, but this project is defying the odds. The movie recorded a gross collection of 6.20 crore rupees in India on its first Tuesday, which is notably higher than its opening day performance. This is particularly impressive considering the film features acclaimed director Lokesh Kanagaraj in his debut as a lead actor rather than an established superstar. The fact that daily earnings are consistently staying above the initial Friday numbers is a clear sign that strong word of mouth is driving audiences to the theaters, turning a non-traditional star vehicle into a stable and growing box office success. The total India gross collection for DC has now reached 37.21 crore rupees after five days. These earnings have been generated across 4,713 shows held across the country. On the global front, the film has officially crossed the 50 crore milestone, with its worldwide gross collection standing at 51.71 crore rupees. This includes a total overseas gross of 14.50 crore rupees, with Tuesday alone contributing 1.25 crore rupees from international markets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) A notable milestone was reached on the ticketing platform BookMyShow, where DC has become the 25th Tamil film since August 2023 to sell over one million tickets. The film saw 152,320 tickets booked on Monday and followed it up with 142,790 tickets on Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total to 1,001,730. This strong performance on ticketing apps highlights the robust demand for the film among urban audiences. In the national chains including PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, the film saw respectable turnout. PVR led the chains with approximately 12,000 tickets sold and a gross of 22 lakh rupees at an occupancy of 18.19 percent. INOX saw roughly 5,500 tickets being booked, contributing 8 lakh rupees to the gross at 14.68 percent occupancy. Cinepolis added another 2,500 tickets with a gross of 5 lakh rupees at 10.06 percent occupancy. In total, these major chains accounted for approximately 20,000 tickets and a gross of 35 lakh rupees for the day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Diving into the regional performance of the Tamil 2D version, the overall occupancy for the day was 39.35 percent. The interest peaked significantly as the day progressed, starting at 23.92 percent in the morning and rising to 36.92 percent in the afternoon. The evening shows stayed steady at 34.77 percent, while the night shows saw a massive jump to 53.15 percent. Looking at language-wise breakdown, the Tamil version led with 2,242 shows at 35 percent occupancy, while the Telugu version had 1,239 shows at 26 percent. The Hindi version accounted for 1,232 shows with 13 percent occupancy. Kerala has emerged as the top-performing state for the film today, contributing 1.85 crore rupees to the gross. In Kochi, the film recorded an impressive 61.5 percent occupancy across 129 shows, with night shows touching 89 percent. Tamil Nadu followed with a gross of 1.75 crore rupees, with Chennai hosting 300 shows at 39.5 percent occupancy. The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions also saw strong numbers with a gross of 1.60 crore rupees. Karnataka brought in 0.65 crore rupees, where Bengaluru had 262 shows with 24 percent occupancy. The rest of India contributed 0.35 crore rupees to the daily total. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Kerala has managed to outpace the home territory of Tamil Nadu in daily earnings, a phenomenon rarely seen for a Tamil production. This shift highlights the incredible influence that both Lokesh Kanagaraj and Anirudh Ravichander hold over the Kerala audience. The state has historically been a massive market for Lokesh, with his previous ventures like Vikram and Leo shattering records there. Because this film lacks a conventional A-list mass hero to anchor the home market, the brand of the director has become the primary catalyst for ticket sales. This directorial hype ensured that while Tamil Nadu registered a gross of 1.75 crore rupees on a working Tuesday, Kerala loyalty pushed the numbers higher to 1.85 crore rupees. In the overseas market, data shared by Venky Box Office indicates a steady run in North America. The film grossed 51,000 dollars on Monday, bringing its total in the region to 421,000 dollars. Notably, the Telugu version has contributed 110,000 dollars to this total. These steady international figures are helping the film sustain its momentum and reach new global milestones within its first week of release.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is showing remarkable staying power at the Indian box office as it completes its thirteenth day in theaters. While a second Tuesday typically brings a standard mid-week dip, this film has managed to buck the trend entirely. The movie earned 10.02 crore rupees in gross collections today, which marks a healthy 11.8 percent jump from yesterday's performance. This steady growth is a clear indicator that audience interest in these web-slinger adventures remains exceptionally high. The total net collection in India now stands at 431.55 crore rupees, with the gross collection reaching 515.95 crore rupees. These domestic earnings have been generated across a total of 203,249 shows held throughout India so far, underscoring the massive footprint the film has established. On a broader scale, the film has achieved a staggering worldwide gross of 16,600 crore rupees. This massive total is driven by the 515.95 crore rupees grossed in India and an additional 10,000 crore rupees from overseas markets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) A significant reason for the Tuesday surge was the discounted ticket pricing across national chains. This strategy clearly paid off as tickets sold like hot cakes. If we look at the data from the national chains, which includes PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, the ticket sales nearly doubled compared to Monday. On Monday, sales were around 54,000 tickets, but on Tuesday, the chains sold approximately 135,000 tickets. Specifically, PVR led the way with 75,000 tickets sold and a gross of 1.75 crore rupees at 12 percent occupancy. INOX followed with 42,000 tickets and 92 lakh rupees gross at 9.87 percent occupancy, while Cinepolis contributed 18,000 tickets and 43 lakh rupees gross at 7.18 percent occupancy. Combined, these three major chains brought in 3.10 crore rupees in gross revenue today. On the ticketing platform BookMyShow, the momentum remains steady. The film recorded 136,010 tickets on its second Monday and followed up with 135,660 tickets on its second Tuesday. The cumulative ticket sales on the platform have now reached a total of 8,483,070. These high volumes suggest that the film is effectively reaching both urban and semi-urban audiences across the country. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Diving into regional performance, the English 3D version saw an overall occupancy of 20.17 percent. The interest built up throughout the day, starting at 9.56 percent in the morning and peaking at 30.56 percent during the night shows. In terms of show counts, Mumbai led with 573 shows and 18.3 percent occupancy. The National Capital Region followed closely with 559 shows and a higher occupancy of 23 percent. Bengaluru showed the strongest demand among major metros with 25 percent occupancy across 441 shows. Other regions like Pune had 20.3 percent occupancy for 239 shows, while Kolkata sat at 16.3 percent for 147 shows and Hyderabad at 9.5 percent for 193 shows. The Hindi 3D version performed similarly well with an overall occupancy of 20.63 percent. It also followed an upward evening trend, moving from a 9.83 percent morning start to 28.08 percent at night. In the Hindi circuits, the National Capital Region was the top performer with 461 shows at 26 percent occupancy. Mumbai hosted 352 shows with 21.8 percent occupancy, while Pune showed high density with 25.3 percent occupancy on 135 shows. Kolkata stayed steady at 22.8 percent occupancy for 140 shows. Ahmedabad and Surat saw 16 percent and 8.5 percent occupancy respectively. Tracked gross footfalls for the day further support these numbers, with 164,276 for the English 3D version and 188,226 for the Hindi 3D version. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) On the global front, the film is smashing records at an unprecedented pace. According to data from Venky Box Office, the North America Monday gross was 17 million dollars, taking the domestic total there to 671 million dollars. By the end of Tuesday, the domestic total is expected to surpass 688 million dollars. This means Spider-Man: Brand New Day will officially overtake the total final gross of Avengers: Infinity War at the domestic box office tonight. It is currently ranked as the number eight blockbuster of all time after only 12 days of release. Furthermore, it is on track to break the 700 million dollar mark tomorrow, setting a new record by reaching that milestone in just 13 days.

BY JITU JANGIR

Zilla Fatu, the son of the late WWE Hall of Famer Umaga, made his long-teased WWE debut on Tuesday night's episode of NXT, crashing the main event and taking out both Grayson Waller and Cruz Montana in a chaotic, unannounced arrival. The August 11 episode of NXT closed with Waller and Montana battling to determine the next No. 1 contender for Tony D'Angelo's NXT Championship, with the Premium Live Event NXT Heatwave (August 30, Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg, Texas) fast approaching. Montana appeared to have the match won after connecting with his "Spin the Block" clothesline — but before he could make the cover, Fatu barreled into the ring Fatu flattened both Waller and Montana with back-to-back Samoan Splashes, turning what looked like a clean finish into a no-contest and leaving the No. 1 contender's spot undecided. He then turned his attention to the commentary table, where NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo was seated, and delivered a simple, ominous message: the new champion had arrived. The attack came just days after Fatu dropped the House of Glory Crown Jewel Championship to Amazing Red over the weekend — a sign, in hindsight, that he was being freed up for a WWE arrival. Who Is Zilla Fatu? Fatu, 26, is the son of Umaga, the fearsome two-time Intercontinental Champion who passed away in December 2009 at age 36. That makes him part of the extended Anoa'i wrestling dynasty — the same bloodline that produced Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, and current Bloodline member Jacob Fatu, to whom Zilla is a first cousin. Before signing with WWE, Zilla built his name on the independent scene: He made his professional wrestling debut in 2023 while competing extensively for House of Glory (HOG), where he held the Crown Jewel Championship until dropping it just before his WWE arrival. Also Wrestled for Booker T's Reality of Wrestling (ROW), capturing the ROW World Heavyweight Championship twice. In a December 2025 four-way title match at ROW, he was ambushed by a hooded attacker who was later unmasked as NXT's Ricky Saints — a real-life angle Fatu has referenced as unfinished business heading into WWE.

BY JITU JANGIR

Vince McMahon’s future in the wrestling business remains a subject of speculation after the former WWE chairman and his insurers agreed to pay $42.5 million as part of a proposed settlement connected to the shareholder lawsuit over WWE’s 2023 merger with UFC. The proposed payment comes on top of the $105 million previously agreed to by WWE, bringing the total proposed settlement in the shareholder case to $147.5 million. With the shareholder lawsuit settled and the Janel Grant case moving into private arbitration, speculation has grown over whether McMahon could eventually attempt to return to the public spotlight or have some role with WWE again. Eric Bischoff, however, isn't convinced that a major comeback is in McMahon's future. Speaking on 83 Weeks, Bischoff was asked about the possibility of McMahon becoming more visible again following the resolution of some of his ongoing legal issues. While he acknowledged that McMahon could potentially make smaller appearances, Bischoff does not expect to see him return as a major figure in WWE. “I don’t know, you know, we always say that. Everybody’s kind of like assuming Vince wants to get back in the spotlight. I don’t. I’m not sold on that,” Bischoff said. “I highly, highly doubt that we’re going to see a high-profile business with man. I think, you know, we’ll see him. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes some smaller appearances in WWE Hall of Fame type appearances, but I don’t—he’s not going to be on regular programming. I don’t see a storyline with him. I don’t see him being kind of a face of the company in any way, shape, or form.” Bischoff believes the controversy surrounding McMahon makes a high-profile WWE comeback difficult, regardless of how his legal matters ultimately conclude. “The baggage that he has with him, regardless of how these things settle out, is just outweighs the benefit,” Bischoff said. The former WCW executive also addressed the possibility of McMahon eventually receiving a seat on the TKO board, an idea that was raised during the discussion. Bischoff was skeptical of that possibility as well, questioning what McMahon could bring to the board while pointing to the potential reputational risk. “What added value does Vince McMahon bring to the board? He doesn’t,” Bischoff said. “He brings baggage.” Bischoff then gave his bluntest assessment of the situation, comparing the reputational issues surrounding McMahon to other high-profile figures who have faced serious scandals. “I mean, he’s not Harvey Weinstein. He’s not quite there. He’s not Bill Cosby. But he’s in the same neighborhood. It’s the same zip code and that’s bad,” Bischoff said. He stressed that he was not attempting to make a personal judgment about McMahon, but instead was discussing the issue from a corporate perspective. “I don’t like talking about it much because there’s a lot of inferred judgment and I don’t want to do that,” Bischoff explained. “I don’t judge people’s actions like this, but I will say that the judgment that Vince demonstrated he lacked by having whatever the relationship was, consensual or otherwise. Having it on corporate property and corporate time using corporate funds and resources to one extent or the other, involving another executive in the company.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has revealed that he is exploring the possibility of pursuing music more seriously, with the WWE legend and Hollywood superstar specifically expressing an interest in traditional country music. Johnson discussed the possibility during a new interview with Rolling Stone's Brian Hiatt, following the debut of the music video for his song “Your Dad.” Rather than announcing a full-time transition into music, Johnson explained that he is currently exploring where his passion for music could take him. “I’m exploring that now, and I appreciate you asking that,” Johnson said. “As you roll along in life, I’ve been real fortunate to be part of some really cool projects, and love it. But music has always been such an anchor for me, and very specifically in genres that I love, like country music, traditional country music, and we’re exploring that now.” The comments are significant because Johnson has already shown that music is more than a one-off experiment for him. His career has included musical performances during his WWE run, his work as Maui in Moana, and collaborations outside of his acting career. The 54-year-old explained that his priorities have evolved as he has progressed through his career. After years of working on major Hollywood productions and other high-profile projects, Johnson said he wants the things he pursues to genuinely excite him. “I’ve reached this point in my life and in my career where, honestly, Brian, when I wake up in the morning, I swing my legs out of bed, and whatever the thing is that I’m doing, I wanna feel like I’m just running towards it,” Johnson explained. He also described the difference between working on projects designed for a large commercial audience and creating something simply because it has personal meaning. “And the most gratifying things we do are when it’s for us, because we have enough pressure to deliver for so many other entities,” Johnson said. That distinction is particularly important when it comes to “Your Dad.” While Johnson understands the commercial expectations attached to major movies and entertainment projects, he said the song was created without those same pressures. “The things we do, we must do them for ourselves, and then we must feel it in here, behind our ribcage,” Johnson said. “But they’re also always connected to some sort of commerce.” Johnson then explained why “Your Dad” is different from the films and other major projects associated with his career. “You make films, especially the big four-quadrant movies, you want them to do well,” he said. “But this song, for me, is just a song to my daughters.” For Johnson, the song is therefore not about proving himself as a recording artist or chasing commercial success. He specifically emphasized that he doesn't want the song to be judged by the usual measurements attached to entertainment. “Where there’s no pressure of an expectation to deliver something that, ‘Well, how are the sales, and how’s the box office? How’s the streams?’ It’s just from me to them,” he said. Music has already appeared at several points throughout Johnson's career. During his WWE days, he performed “It Doesn't Matter” with Wyclef Jean, while he later appeared on Tech N9ne's “Face Off.” His performance as Maui in Moana also introduced his singing to a much wider mainstream audience. The actor is also continuing his connection with Moana, with the live-action adaptation keeping him in the role of Maui. But his latest comments suggest that his musical ambitions could extend beyond the character that first brought his singing to a massive audience.

BY JITU JANGIR

Roman Reigns has once again become the subject of debate among wrestling fans, this time after Conrad Thompson described the former Undisputed WWE Champion as “probably the most overrated main event in WWE history.” Booker T, however, strongly disagrees with that assessment. During a recent episode of the Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T addressed Thompson’s comments and made it clear that he believes Reigns deserves far more credit for what he has accomplished at the top of WWE. “I mean, it’s like, you know, a mountain compared to a molehill. That’s how big of a, you know, a stretch this comment is as far as Roman Reigns,” Booker T said. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer then delivered his strongest endorsement of Reigns, explaining why he considers the former Tribal Chief the best wrestler in the world at this stage of his career. “Roman Reigns, I’ve said it once. I’ve said it a thousand times. Right now, at this stage of the game, Roman Reigns is the best damn wrestler in the world,” Booker T stated. Booker T argued that Reigns’ record in major matches speaks for itself. According to him, Reigns has repeatedly produced strong performances against different opponents, while also helping elevate the talent around him. “I know if a guy can make it in this business. If he get in my ring, I know if he’s going to have a chance at making it,” Booker explained. “And when I watch a guy like Roman, who’s had nothing but flawless matches with every guy that has stepped in the ring with him on the biggest stages there have been.” Booker also pointed toward Reigns’ ability to bring out the best in his opponents, insisting that the evidence can be found by simply going back and watching his matches. “Go pull them up. That’s all you got to do. The proof is in the pudding. All you got to do is the video. The video don’t lie,” Booker said. He went even further, claiming that Reigns has consistently helped his opponents deliver some of their best performances. “Every guy that has been in the ring with Roman Reigns, they’ve had their best match. Every one of them. Every guy that get in the ring with Roman, that’s the best match they’re going to have the year. All right. And that’s just fact,” Booker added. Brad Gilmore, Booker’s co-host, also pushed back against Thompson’s assessment. He pointed to Reigns’ WrestleMania matches against CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, as well as his recent clash with Seth Rollins, as examples of the level Reigns has consistently reached. Booker T then questioned who could realistically replace Reigns as WWE’s leading attraction. “I would love to know who would he put in Roman Reigns’ spot. That’s what I would want. Who do you put in Roman Reigns’ spot that’s going to go out there and carry that?” Booker asked. The WWE Hall of Famer also highlighted the enormous responsibility that comes with being positioned as a company’s top star. In his view, Reigns has demonstrated that WWE can trust him to perform when the pressure is highest. “The company do not put you in that spot unless they trust you to be able to do that,” Booker explained. “What I mean by being able to trust you is trust you to make every big event, trust you to be able to, you know, strap it up when you’re really not, you know, 100%.” Booker ultimately described Reigns as the complete package, pointing to his wrestling ability, storytelling, presence and star power. “If I had to draw up what the prototypical superstar will look like, it’d be Roman Reigns,” Booker T said. He later doubled down on his assessment, stating that Reigns’ years at the top and the pressure he has handled inside and outside the ring have been extraordinary. “This dude Roman Reigns is truly the real deal,” Booker said. “What he’s done over his time at the top, at that top level, with the pressure that he’s had inside and out of the ring, has been extraordinary. It really has been.” Booker T’s comments come as the debate surrounding Roman Reigns’ place among WWE’s all-time greats continues. While Conrad Thompson remains firm in his criticism, Booker clearly believes Reigns has already done enough to prove himself as one of the defining stars of his generation.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

The Independence Day box office is heating up, and we now have a much clearer picture of how the high-stakes clash between Emraan Hashmis Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deols Batwara 1947 is unfolding. As of 8:00 PM tonight, August 11, the advance booking numbers suggest that the 19-year rematch between these two veteran stars is leaning heavily in favor of the Awarapan sequel. While Sunny Deols Apne beat the original Awarapan back in 2007, the cult following of Shivam Pandit seems to be driving a massive wave of momentum for Hashmi this time around. If we look at the national cinema chains—PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis—Awarapan 2 is currently leading the race by a significant margin. By the 8:00 PM update, the film had already sold around 20,300 tickets, resulting in a total gross of roughly 86 lakh across more than 1,140 shows. PVR has been the primary driver, accounting for roughly 10,000 tickets and nearly 46 lakh in gross. INOX followed with about 6,500 tickets and 26 lakh, while Cinepolis added around 3,800 tickets for a gross of 14 lakh. In contrast, Batwara 1947 has struggled to find similar early traction, selling about 4,900 tickets for a total gross of nearly 20 lakh. Within these major chains, PVR contributed 3,000 tickets and 13 lakh, INOX added 1,600 tickets and 6 lakh, and Cinepolis rounded off the figures with approximately 400 tickets and 1 lakh. Despite having a similar show count of 1,120 in these chains, Deols period drama is seeing much lower occupancy levels. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The All-India advance booking figures for Day 1 tell a similar story. Awarapan 2 has grossed over 70 lakh from 21,160 tickets across nearly 2,700 tracked shows, maintaining an average ticket price of 265 rupees. If we include blocked seats, the potential gross already jumps to 1.9 crore. Batwara 1947, meanwhile, has grossed about 24 lakh from nearly 7,000 tickets across more than 2,500 shows. Even with blocked seats factored in at 88.57 lakh, it remains significantly behind its competitor. These numbers highlight the strategic advantage of Awarapan 2s U/A certification and its 2-hour 20-minute runtime, which makes it a more accessible choice for families compared to the serious, A-rated Partition drama of Batwara 1947. The digital buzz on BookMyShow continues to reflect this growing disparity, with Awarapan 2 now crossing 298,000 interest likes compared to roughly 131,000 for Batwara 1947. Looking at the actual ticket sales on the platform, Awarapan 2 had already recorded 7,020 tickets sold yesterday, August 10. The momentum has picked up further today, August 11, with thousands of tickets being booked every hour. Even with Spider-Man still occupying premium evening slots and limiting screen availability, the sequel is managing to maintain a very steady pace as it approaches its release date. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The off-screen distribution battle is equally fierce. While distributors of Batwara 1947 have been pushing for a monopoly on single screens, the ground-level data is forcing exhibitors to rethink. Given the current trajectory, we can begin to make some early opening day predictions. If this momentum continues to build toward Friday, Awarapan 2 is looking at a potential double-digit opening, likely in the range of 14 to 17 crore. Batwara 1947, despite its prestigious pedigree and the Aamir Khan production tag, currently appears headed for a single-digit start, possibly between 8 and 10 crore, unless there is a massive surge in walk-in audiences over the holiday weekend. Ultimately, the battle of August 14 is coming down to a choice between nostalgia and prestige. While Batwara 1947 is a heavy-hitting drama from director Rajkumar Santoshi, audiences seem more inclined toward the emotional, thriller-driven world of Emraan Hashmi. With three days still left before the first show, all eyes will be on whether Sunny Deol can bridge this gap or if Awarapan 2 will secure its status as the primary choice for the Independence Day weekend.

BY JITU JANGIR

Nikki Cross has opened up about the difficulty of saying goodbye to her Abby the Witch character following her WWE departure, admitting that the end of her Wyatt Sicks run came as an unexpected development. The Wyatt Sicks debuted in June 2024 as a supernatural faction created to continue the creative legacy of the late Bray Wyatt, who passed away in August 2023. The group was led by Bo Dallas, portraying Uncle Howdy, alongside Nikki Cross (Abby the Witch), Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and Erick Rowan. In a recent sit-down interview with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Nikki Cross explained that she became deeply attached to every character she portrayed during her wrestling career, but Abby held a particularly special place in her heart because of the meaning behind the character and its connection to Bray Wyatt. “It was unexpected. It was unexpected. And for every character I've played, whether it be Sanity, whether it be Nikki A.S.H., even Nikki Storm when I said goodbye to her in 2016 before I joined WWE and Abby the Witch, you always feel for me, I always feel attached to the characters. So, it's always difficult to say goodbye.” Cross also reflected on her decade-long WWE run and the relationships she formed during that period, while making it clear that she is looking forward rather than dwelling on the past. “With WWE, I was there for 10 years. I got to travel the world. I got to make amazing friends, make these incredible friendships with people like Sarah Schreiber or with people like Julia and I get to take them forever, you know. With WWE, I was there for 10 years. So, it's always hard to say goodbye to such a substantial, significant chapter in your life. And that being said, I'm so excited for my next chapter and I'm so excited for what's next for myself.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Nikki Cross has revealed how she developed the backstory for Abby the Witch, explaining that she wanted to honor Bray Wyatt's original vision while still putting her own creative stamp on the character. Cross said Abby was originally Bray Wyatt's creation, which meant she felt a responsibility to treat the character with particular care. “So, Abby the Witch, you know, she was Bray Wyatt's creation. She was Bray Wyatt's. You know that there was the character of Abby was already kind of an image in the WWE audience's mind. So for me I had to take, okay, this was Bray's brainchild. So, how do I take that? And how do I, you know, pay my respects to that? Pay homage to that, but also make it my own and do something that I wanted Bray to be proud of and I wanted his family to be proud of.” Cross revealed that she combined elements of the character with parts of her own history and the earlier Nikki Cross persona. “The backstory I came up with was, you know, that little girl in Glasgow, Scotland, that didn't always fit in and she was always wanting to fit in. And then I took a little bit of what I had explored with the Sanity Nikki Cross character and kind of tried to merge them.” For Cross, Abby was more than simply an on-screen persona. She said the mask itself eventually became something she felt emotionally attached to, describing it as almost a source of comfort. “I was so protective of Abby. And I would always carry the mask. The mask ended up becoming almost like a comfort to me, like a comfort. Like I would pretend almost like it was my Chihuahua who I was stroking, but it would be the Abby mask and I would always be holding or whether I was valeting the live events or at the television. And she became so much more than a prop to me. This was the girl that could get me through anything.” Cross added that she wanted to ensure the character respected Wyatt's legacy while also becoming something uniquely her own.

BY JITU JANGIR

In a recent sit-down interview with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Nikki Cross revealed that one of her most memorable on-screen personas — Nikki A.S.H., short for "Almost a Superhero" — wasn't handed to her by WWE's creative team. It was her own idea, and she took it straight to the top. Cross explained that the concept grew out of a period when she had little going on in WWE storylines. Her tag team with Alexa Bliss was winding down as Bliss became more involved with Bray Wyatt-related stories, leaving Cross searching for her next chapter. Drawing on her lifelong love of superheroes — she cited the 1990s X-Men cartoon, Rogue, and Storm as major influences — she noticed WWE hadn't had a female superhero-style character since Hurricane Helms and Mighty Molly. She saw an opening and decided to build a pitch around it. Cross didn't just show up with an idea — she put together a full presentation. She commissioned a Scottish artist to design mock-up artwork of the character, complete with a blue-and-gold X-Men-inspired color scheme, a cape, a mask, and a lightning bolt nodding to her independent-circuit persona, Nikki Storm. She even researched box office numbers from major superhero films like Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel to support her case that the concept could be commercially successful. With time running short before Raw, she waited outside Vince McMahon's office for several hours to deliver what she described as an elevator pitch — a quick case for why the character would work and make WWE money. Weeks passed with no word. Then, on Mother's Day, McMahon texted her his verdict, calling the idea "genius" and instructing the creative team to move forward with it. McMahon did put his own stamp on the character, though. He steered it away from Cross's more elaborate original vision — closer to Captain Marvel — toward something simpler and more relatable, in the mold of early Spider-Man. The result was "Nikki Almost a Superhero": a character who isn't a true superhero, but believes she is one anyway. The character resonated. Cross went on to win Money in the Bank as Nikki A.S.H. and cashed in the very next night to become Raw Women's Champion — a milestone she has called the product of years of preparation meeting the right timing. She also credited a specific piece of advice from Hurricane Helms, whom she calls "papa," for shaping the character's execution: no matter what happened in a match, the mask could never come off, since a superhero losing their mask on live television would undercut the entire gimmick. That guidance led to several redesigns of the mask before the team landed on one secure enough for in-ring competition. Cross recently left WWE after a decade with the company and has since returned to the independent scene under her original ring name, Nikki Storm, following her and her husband's acquisition of the UK promotion Progress Wrestling.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 11 - Shraddha Kapoor's much-awaited Eetha has locked a new theatrical release date, and the decision could prove to be a major box-office advantage. The Laxman Utekar directorial, produced by Dinesh Vijan, Laxman Utekar and Karishma Sharma, will now arrive in cinemas on December 4, 2026, after originally being scheduled for August 28. The makers officially announced the new date on Tuesday, bringing an end to weeks of speculation surrounding the film's theatrical release. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The December 4 weekend looks particularly interesting because the release landscape around the date is already undergoing significant changes. Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt's Ranger, which was previously expected to be one of the major releases in the first week of December, has reportedly been pushed to 2027. This has opened up the window considerably, although Prabhas' Fauzi and Akshay Kumar's untitled film with Anees Bazmee have been linked to the same period. However, the chatter in the trade is that the first week of December could eventually become much clearer for Eetha. With multiple films eyeing the same period and the date offering a strong theatrical window, further postponements cannot be ruled out. The December 4 slot could therefore turn into a relatively open corridor for Eetha, allowing the Shraddha Kapoor starrer to command a significant share of the audience and screens if the competing films move away. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Eetha also arrives with considerable curiosity after its teaser generated a strong response. The film is based on the life of legendary Maharashtrian Tamasha and Lavani performer Vithabai Narayangaonkar, with Shraddha portraying the central character. Randeep Hooda and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub also feature in pivotal roles, while Ajay-Atul are composing the music. For Shraddha, the December release comes after the phenomenal success of Stree 2, making Eetha her first major theatrical outing since that blockbuster. A clean first week, strong word of mouth and the absence of a major competing release could give the film the kind of extended run that a performance-driven subject needs. If the other December 4 contenders eventually shift their dates, Eetha could find itself with one of the most favourable release windows for a Hindi film in the final month of 2026.