Bollywood served the audience drama and action on a plate and reciprocating their love, movie-goers have left the cash registers ringing and box-office numbers soaring. With the film industry booming, industry experts are calling 2023 a golden year.

“Be it Pathaan, Jawan, Gadar 2, OMG 2 and Animal, it’s been a golden year for Bollywood,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh, who expects it to end on a high note with actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki and actor Prabhas’ Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire releasing this month.

“Even small gems like 12th Fail and Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway have done well. Revenue is expected to be around Rs. 12,000 crore, which is 15-20% more than the previous best,” says trade expert Girish Johar.

Trade expert Atul Mohan adds, “We crossed 2022’s earning (Rs. 1,900 crore) during Jawan’s release. 2019 was a high point for Bollywood, and we are past that mark.”

Experts are also happy that the narratives of ‘OTT being a threat to theatres’ and ‘people aren’t willing to pay for a ticket’ have been quashed. Mohan says, “Theatres are running at full capacity. All the false narratives have been wiped out. Sequels and original content, both are working, which is a positive sign.”

Johar adds, “It is a great sign for makers as they know the power of the box office and good content. They also know the audience is willing to spend on a movie ticket, no matter if the film is out on a non-holiday or was granted A certificate”.

OMG 2 maker Amit Rai says, “It been a historic year for Bollywood. The footfalls have been great, the audience has shown that good content will work. Jo acha hoga woh hi stand out karega.”