After releases starring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan kicking off the year, a lull seems to have set in at the box office. No big-ticket projects are slated to release this May — a month billed as a fecund period for the film business — and trade experts interpret it in various ways.

“With films (such as Jawan, Adipurush, Maidaan and Satyaprem Ki Katha) that have been announced in June, I don’t understand why they have missed May. It’s when summer vacation starts, and theatres would have been packed,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh.

Some feel no-release May is a ripple effect of the IPL, the viewership of the live broadcast of the first 29 matches of which has surpassed 40 crore — a 24% growth in TVR from 2022. “Pathaan got the box-office numbers, but there’s again been a drop in business,” notes trade expert Atul Mohan.

“During the IPL, evening and weekend shows get affected, which is also the time for box-office business. They have tried to avoid this clash this time, as the broadcast is available to watch free of cost,” he adds.

However, producer-trade analyst Girish Johar disagrees: “It shows lack of planning for releases. Films get affected only when there is a critical match. This move is like playing out a maiden over at a crucial stage in a T20 game.”

It could also be down to a “post-pandemic reset”, says film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi. He explains: “Usually, May is a busy month with the summer vacation knocking, and we should have more Hindi releases coming in. While that is not happening, there is a string of Hollywood films (such as Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3) and those from the southern industries. We hope that very soon, we have a consistent supply of Hindi films during every big-ticket period.”

Madhur Bhandarkar ascribes the downtime to a lull in production, insisting that it is not a matter for concern yet. “There has to be a strategic reason. IPL must have played a role, then the heat wave across the country. Production has gone down, and it reflects in releases,” says the filmmaker.