Editor's Choice

20 Years On, ‘The Departed’ Remains Scorsese’s Only Personal Oscar Win

Published

1 month ago

September 26, 2026

Johal

20 Years On, ‘The Departed’ Remains Scorsese’s Only Personal Oscar Win

Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk

Martin Scorsese’s "The Departed" premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York on September 26, 2006, and turns 20 this year. The anniversary lands on the same date the film first opened, and it’s the awards run that followed months later which still defines how the film is remembered.

"The Departed" claimed four Academy Awards at the 79th ceremony held on February 25, 2007, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay. This marked Scorsese’s first directorial Oscar after receiving five previous nominations that went unrewarded. He had been nominated for "Raging Bull," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Goodfellas," "Gangs of New York," and "The Aviator" before "The Departed" finally earned him the statue.

When accepting the award, Scorsese humorously remarked that he had won because "this is the first movie I’ve done with a plot.", according to remarks he’s made about the film. The line has followed the film’s legacy ever since, showing up in retrospectives whenever the anniversary comes around.

The film’s road to that stage started years earlier. In January 2003, Warner Bros. Pictures and producers Brad Grey and Brad Pitt acquired the rights to remake the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs from Media Asia Entertainment Group, paying $1.75 million. Screenwriter William Monahan built the Frank Costello character around Whitey Bulger at Jack Nicholson’s request, aiming for something outside the usual gangster-film mold. Shooting began in April 2005 on a $90 million budget, with much of the interior work filmed in New York rather than Boston for tax and logistical reasons, before the film’s premiere roughly a year and a half later.

Two months before the Oscars, the film picked up a Best Director win for Scorsese at the 64th Golden Globe Awards on January 15, 2007, out of six nominations total. Critically, the reception had already been strong: a 91% positive score across 285 Rotten Tomatoes reviews, an 85 out of 100 on Metacritic, and a four-star review from Roger Ebert, who credited Scorsese with distinguishing the remake thematically from its source material.

The film earned $291.5 million globally, with $132.4 million coming from the U.S. and Canadian markets., and opened at $26.9 million domestically — good enough to make it the fourth Scorsese film to debut at number one at the box office.

Studio CarryOnHarry’s take: what stands out isn’t just that Scorsese finally won, but how long the wait had been by then — five nominations across three decades before the Academy recognized a director whose body of work had already been reshaping American film since the 1970s.

Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.

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Editor's Choice

Ramayana Eyes Hong Kong Screens as Worldwide Numbers Keep Climbing

Published

5 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Johal

Ramayana Eyes Hong Kong Screens as Worldwide Numbers Keep Climbing

Studio CarryOnHarry Entertainment Desk | 8 November 2026

Ranbir Kapoor’s Epic Myth Crosses Borders

Nitesh Tiwari’s mythological blockbuster Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is spreading its wings further east, with an official Hong Kong release confirmed for 12 November 2026. The film will screen in its original Hindi language, with Chinese and English subtitles catering to local audiences — a bold multilingual move that underlines the production’s serious international ambitions.

The announcement arrives on the heels of a stunning worldwide opening weekend, with the Ranbir Kapoor-led epic reportedly crossing ₹384 crore globally within just three days of release. Tracking closely to Bollywood’s top stories this week, the film has already emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi openings in recent memory.

Star-Studded Cast Driving Global Appeal

The film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram alongside Yash in a reportedly pivotal role, with Sai Pallavi rounding out the leading cast. Director Nitesh Tiwari, best known for Dangal, has translated one of Hinduism’s most beloved epics into a sweeping cinematic spectacle that has clearly resonated well beyond the Indian subcontinent.

Ticket bookings for the Hong Kong screenings are already underway, signalling strong anticipation from the city’s South Asian diaspora as well as local cinephiles drawn in by the scale of the production.

Worldwide Numbers Tell Their Own Story

A Box Office Juggernaut in the Making

By Day 3, global receipts had already surged past ₹384 crore — a figure that puts Ramayana firmly in the conversation for India’s biggest international openers ever. Industry insiders are now eyeing the ₹500 crore worldwide milestone as a realistic near-term target.

Day 2 India collection alone crossed ₹100 crore
Worldwide box office near $40 million (approx.) by end of Day 3
Hong Kong release date confirmed: 12 November 2026
Screening format: Hindi audio with Chinese and English subtitles

International Expansion Strategy

Hong Kong joins a growing list of international markets where the film has opened, reflecting a strategic push to position Bollywood epics as genuinely global theatrical events. For broader entertainment industry coverage on how Indian studios are reshaping their overseas distribution playbooks, the momentum around Ramayana provides a compelling case study.

What This Means for Bollywood’s Global Moment

The Hong Kong release, while one market among many, carries symbolic weight. It signals that Bollywood’s mythological storytelling — when backed by scale, star power, and savvy distribution — can command attention in culturally diverse markets well outside the traditional diaspora belt.

With bookings open and buzz building, all eyes now turn to whether Ramayana: Rise of a Legend can sustain its remarkable momentum through the second weekend and beyond.

– Entertainment Desk, Studio Carry On Harry

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Editor's Choice

How a Post-Credit Cameo Became Bollywood’s Boldest Franchise Bet

Published

10 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Johal

How a Post-Credit Cameo Became Bollywood’s Boldest Franchise Bet

Studio CarryOnHarry Entertainment Desk | 8 November 2026

A Post-Credit Moment That Stopped the Internet

When the credits began rolling on Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, audiences were not quite done. A post-credit scene revealed a sight few had anticipated — veteran Bollywood powerhouse Sunny Deol stepping into the sacred role of Lord Hanuman. The reveal sent shockwaves across cinema halls and social media alike, instantly becoming one of the most talked-about moments of the year.

Deol, born Ajay Singh Deol and long celebrated for his commanding screen presence, expressed heartfelt admiration for the film. He stated that Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is not merely on par with Hollywood productions — in his view, it surpasses them entirely.

The Film That Redefined Bollywood’s Epic Ambitions

The film brings together a remarkable ensemble, with Ranbir Kapoor portraying Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi embodying Sita, and Yash delivering a formidable performance as the demon king Ravana. The narrative weaves through Ravana’s layered backstory while charting the fateful abduction of Sita, drawing audiences deep into one of mythology’s most enduring tales.

The cast also reportedly includes Arun Govil as Dasharatha and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, adding further gravitas to an already stellar lineup. For fans tracking Bollywood’s top stories, this production represents a landmark moment in the industry’s global ambitions.

Box Office Signal: A Strong Opening Weekend

Industry projections pointed to a projected 3-day gross of approximately $7.3 million from international markets alone — a figure that underlines just how much appetite exists for Indian mythological epics on a global scale. The premiere on 5 November set the tone for what could become one of the highest-grossing Indian franchises of the decade.

A Sequel Already on the Horizon

The story does not end here. A sequel is already confirmed, with a release window of 2028 pencilled in. Producers are urging audiences to show up and support the first chapter, as its commercial performance will shape the scale and ambition of what follows.

Broader entertainment industry coverage has noted that the film’s production values, visual effects, and mythological authenticity are drawing comparisons to the very best of international fantasy cinema.

What Sunny Deol’s Words Really Mean

A veteran star with decades of credibility lending his voice — and his presence — to the project
The post-credit cameo signals a carefully planned cinematic universe around the Ramayana IP
Deol’s praise carries weight precisely because he has seen Bollywood evolve across four decades

Whether or not every viewer agrees that Ramayana: Rise of a Legend eclipses Hollywood, one thing is certain — Bollywood has rarely swung this big, or this boldly.

– Entertainment Desk, Studio Carry On Harry

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