DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has smashed the record for Hindi films across India by a huge margin of 30% but it has turned out to be no competition for PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in CP Berar as the latter is around 27-28% better. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has done extraordinarily well in the circuit but the collections of PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE were something else due to the appreciation of PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01 in the centers of CP Berar.

There are other circuits where DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is second best to PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE like Rajasthan, CI, Bihar and Odisha and also sub circuit Gujarat but the gaps are nothing like CP Berar. Even an Odisha, where the gap was most likely to be the highest, is only 15% less but it can be due to a Telugu version of PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in play in the circuit. Both CP Berar and Odisha have a history of out performing for South films. Even that 80's phase where they were not South films but Hindi films made by South producers/directors tended to do better in these circuits.

DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE may not be the top grossing film in the circuits mentioned above but to be close to a PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in the likes of Rajasthan, CI, Bihar and Gujarat is actually a huge achievement in itself as the former is not a mass film like the latter and that can be seen by the collections in the smaller centres of these circuits. It is the bigger centres of these circuits be it a Jaipur, Patna or Indore which have taken it close to the PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE collections. The biggest film in the circuit ever is SHOLAY (1975) like in most circuits while second place you would give to HUM AAPKE HAI KOUN (1994). This century, it would be GADAR (2001) followed by PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE.

The all time top ten grossers in CP Berar are as follows.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 56,07,00,000

3. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 34,84,00,000

4. Chhaava - 34,40,00,000

5. Dhurandhar - 33,79,00,000

6. Gadar 2 - 32,32,00,000

7. Stree 2 - 30,70,00,000

8. KGF - Chapter 2 - 28,03,50,000

9. Animal - 23,86,50,000

10. Jawan -22,14,00,000

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DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE has emerged the highest grossing film ever in West Bengal which did not look like happening on release. It was pretty much certain on day one that it would be the top film in North India, South India and probably Mumbai as well though Central and Eastern side would be tougher. It has not got to the top in any circuit in the Central circuits of Rajasthan, CP Berar and CI but has managed to be number one in West Bengal and Assam in the East.

The record in West Bengal was a big one as JAWAN had a big total which was 9 crore nett higher than anything else and West Bengal had been one of the weaker circuits for DHURANDHAR. Compared to JAWAN, it has underperformed in West Bengal but that is more to do with the Shah Rukh Khan factor who is by far the biggest star in the circuit. It can be seen below that it is JAWAN and PATHAAN that have out performed in this circuit. So, despite the star factor not being what it used to be, it still pays a part but its area by area an is not across the board.

There is also WAR but had advantage of Puja week and its possible that Hrithik Roshan is next most popular star here after Shah Rukh Khan. DHURANDHAR also has that Punjabi base which historically has never worked that well in West Bengal but the series overcame that too as well due to the content. DHURANDHAR THE REVENGE is practically at the end of its run and will finish at around 44.25 crore nett as its hardly playing in the circuit now.

The top ten grossers in West Bengal are as follows.

2. Jawan - 43,68,50,000

3. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 35,32,00,000

4. Pathaan - 34,95,00,000

5. Dhurandhar - 32,56,00,000

6. Stree 2 - 28,18,00,000

7. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 27,47,00,000

8. KGF - Chapter 2 - 24,77,50,000

9. War - 22,89,50,000

10. Animal - 19,69,00,000

KANTARA: A LEGEND – CHAPTER 1 had the sixth highest collection ever in the second week for a dubbed or bilingual film from the South. The list basically incorporates most of the biggest films from down the South because if a South film is collecting well in week two in Hindi, its almost certain the film is a grosser. Hindi is basically the ultimate frontier and the toughest hurdle for the South films.

The film is dominated by sequels and that is why films like RRR and KALKI 2898 AD deserve a special mention as they have done without the craze of a previous films. However, RRR was an exception; it had the advantage since it came from the makers of BAAHUBALI. It was a rare instance in Hindi cinema that the maker carried the film as its normally all about the stars as far as the bigger numbers go.

The list is dominated by Prabhas films who has four films in the list and even a film like SAAHO manages to get into the top ten. This guy is probably the only star till date who has made that breakout into Hindi cinema. The other one who was close was Rajinikanth and it remains to be seen what happens with the hero of PUSHPA, Allu Arjun.

This breakout of Prabhas makes a regional actor the biggest star in the country which is shocking and this was not even thinkable earlier and a its a lot down that the stars of Hindi cinema either doing bad films and others seeing lack of support in core Hindi circuits. It remains to be seen how long this remains as Prabhas will have a lot of Telugu content to satisfy his local crowd and this will not always penetrate into Hindi. If the film is too Telugu, it could even struggle for initials. Obviously, SPIRIT is there and when the biggest star and biggest director (arguable but as far as Hindi content goes, Sandeep Reddy Vanga stands alone at present) get together, then fireworks will be expected.

The top ten second weeks for dubbed/bilingual films are as follows.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 1,78,31,00,000

2. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 1,42,52,00,000

3. KGF - Chapter 2 - 79,57,00,000

4. RRR - 75,34,00,000

5. Kalki 2898 AD - 70,71,00,000

7. 2.0 - 36,81,00,000

8. Baahubali: The Beginning - 25,26,00,000

9. Saaho - 24,04,00,000 

10. Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 - 20,02,00,000

SAIYAARA is coming to the end of its run and surprisingly BIHAR has emerged the best circuit for the film as it does business of over 16 crore nett which is more than ANIMAL. The film is the seventh highest grossing film ever in the circuit with only two non action films in the list being STREE 2 and SAIYAARA.

Bihar is a circuit still dominated by single screens and that is why generally action films score here big time. Also, historically action films have fared best though musicals can also score in the circuit and this was seen in the 90's with a lot of films with the music of Nadeem Sharvan out performing here even though other circuits may not have done well. PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE is on top by a distance with 30 crore nett plus business while GADAR 2 and STREE 2 are the only other films to cross 20 crore nett. SHOLAY (1975) and KRANTI (1981) are probably the biggest films of all time in the circuit.

The performance of SAIYAARA will have a lot to do with the music as well but when a film like this becomes a huge blockbuster, you could not even dream that Bihar would be the best performing circuit. The circuit has done around 5% of the all India business but the potential is much more as it used to be a 10% circuit when all was equal. The major downfall started as tickets pricing moved higher in the late 90's and higher pricing was not viable in most of the centres in Bihar. Still, this is better than the 2-3% that the circuit went to in the 2005-2010 period though there is much more potential as most of the centres do not have multiplexes.

The top ten films in Bihar is as follows.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 32,60,50,000

2. Gadar 2 - 23,23,00,000

3. Stree 2 -  22,37,00,000

4. Jawan - 18,56,00,000

5. KGF - Chapter 2 - 18,35,00,000

6. Pathaan - 18,09,50,000

8. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 15,00,50,000

9. Animal - 14,94,50,000

10. Tiger Zinda Hai - 12,27,25,000

Raveena Tandon is making a return to Tamil cinema after 24 years (her last Kollywood outing was Kamal Haasan’s Aalavandhan in 2001) with Lawyer, starring Vijay Antony. In a chat with us, the actress shares that she is excited to work in Tamil again after all these years and delving into how she picks her films, says, “Obviously, the role should be good. And you have to have faith in your director. So, it's a combination of everything.” Excerpts:

The actress reveals that she has always loved filming in the South and adds, “I was wondering why I get less work in the South. Whether it's Tamil, Telugu or Kannada cinema, just being down south is an enjoyable treat. I love the kind of work done here, and I want to work here more often. I'm also a fan of South Indian food. Even in the ’90s, I used to go back to Mumbai after filming here and tell people that it’s so refreshing in the South because everyone's so focused. The films made here are deeply rooted in the culture, traditions, and rituals of the place they are set in. Therefore, people can identify with films on a mass level.”

Now that she is back on a Tamil film set, Raveena informs us that she is “refreshing and polishing my Tamil again”. She elaborates, “Once I go back to Mumbai, I forget the language because no one talks in Tamil there. So now, I'm catching up with Tamil words again. Everyone here gets surprised when I speak the language and ask me, ‘Oh, you remember Tamil?’ I say, 'Yeah, it's all coming back to me.’ Tamil is a beautiful language. The actual ethos of India comes from all our indigenous languages.”

Raveena tells us that she currently doesn't have any aspirations and is rather going with the flow. “It's great to work with young blood because they've got fresh and innovative ideas. Working with them keeps you updated, and you also get to enjoy different working styles. I keep hearing of such superb new directors, music composers, and talent coming up from the South, and that is always very tempting. I want to work with many directors from the South. I also want to do a film with my Hyderabad gang again,” states the actress.

Raveena has a rather interesting take on essaying grey characters. “I enjoy playing grey characters. You might watch a character and think that they are grey, but in their mind, they are only doing what they think is right for them. For example, in KGF - Chapter 2 (2022), my character (Ramika Sen) was not grey. She was doing what was right for her country. It's our perception that makes us think who's a grey character and who's not,” she shares.

Elaborating on her experience working on Lawyer, Raveena reveals, “Although I have played a lawyer in Patna Shukla (2024), my character in Lawyer will be completely different. When I heard the film's plot from director Joshua (Sethuraman), I loved it. We are now shooting at such a pace that I feel two films can be made here in the time they shoot one in Mumbai or anywhere else in the world. And I'm thoroughly enjoying it because I hate wasting time. Wastage of time is wastage of the producer's money. I like it when the whole team is out there and working hard with josh.”

Quiz her about KGF - Chapter 3 — the third film in the action franchise, starring Yash — and she says, “I think the makers wanted to give the franchise a break because they didn't want the third film to come out very soon. They wanted to give it a little time so that people's curiosity would increase. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that a third film happens.”

PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE in Hindi will finish its run with roughly 4 crore footfalls which has only been seen twice this century with GADAR 2 and BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION and these two went over 5 crore. No other film has crossed the 4 crore mark with DANGAL being the best at 3.7 crore while before GADAR, it was RAJA HINDUSTANI in 1996 to hit 4 crore.

There are many films to hit 4, 5 and even 6 crore in the older days when cinema had less competition from other entertainment and also was the only option to watch films though population was also only half of what it is now which more than compensates. Basically the films held wide appeal in those days. PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE joins an elite group of around 15-20 films in history to get 4 crore footfalls.

This is a huge target that PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE has set as post pandemic, 4 crore seemed like an impossible target due to the dwindling audience coming to the theatres. There are four South films dubbed into Hindi in the list and are probably more to come in the next few years especially if sequels of liked films are released. A realistic target for most of the big Hindi films will be 3 crore as GADAR 2 also looks a one off as that sort of single screen business can be written off for most films.

The box office number of GADAR 2 could have been higher with better multiplex pricing and footfalls could have been a little higher as well if it was not released in a crowded period. But as mentioned before, this is probably a one off and its 3 crore which is the biggest original Hindi films but that is also more than good enough as its around 600 crore nett business this year for the film released as a blockbuster film.

The top ten footfalls post pandemic are as follows. The original Hindi films are in bold.

1. Pushpa 2 - The Rule - 4 crore

7. KGF - Chapter 2 - 2.55 crore

8. RRR - 1.70 crore

10. Kalki 2898 AD - 1.50 crore

Mumbai: South Indian films generated as much as a quarter of their revenue by selling streaming and satellite rights of their dubbed versions in 2024, compared with less than 10% seven years ago, according to distributors and industry analysts.

Streaming giant Netflix paid Rs. 175 crore for the Hindi dubbed version of the recently released multilingual blockbuster Kalki 2898 AD, trade analysts said. The film's dubbed rights in southern languages were sold to Amazon Prime for Rs. 200 crore, they said. India's largest blockbuster film, Pushpa 2 – The Rule, recently sold the streaming rights of all languages for Rs. 275 crore, according to box office research firm Sacnilk.

"Among the various languages a pan-India southern hit is dubbed, it is the Hindi dubbed version which fetches the highest revenue to a producer given its reach," said Ramesh Bala, an entertainment sector analyst based in Chennai. A southern film can sell streaming and satellite rights separately for each dubbed language. For instance, the satellite and digital rights of a film originally made in Telugu and dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam can be sold separately to television channels and streaming platforms.

G Dhananjeyan, cofounder of Tamil Nadu-based production house Creative Entertainers & Distributors, said the 2017 movie, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, opened the eyes of southern producers to an additional source of revenue: theatre release of a dubbed version in Hindi.

Over the past seven years, southern films such as KGF - Chapter 2 (2022), Kantara (2022), RRR (2022) and Kalki 2898 AD (2024), which have succeeded on a pan-India level, have consciously followed this strategy. The dubbed Hindi version of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion recorded lifetime box-office collections of Rs. 510.90 crore. The satellite rights of the Hindi dubbed version were sold to Sony TV Network for Rs. 51 crore, while its digital rights were sold to Netflix for Rs. 25.5 crore.

A large part of the success of these southern films can be traced back to the early acceptance of dubbed southern films on television.

Ameya Naik, a producer and founder of event management company Fantasy Films, said: "Pan-India channels such as Zee TV laid the foundation for a pan-India southern hit. The channel bought dubbed southern films as there was a potential audience for them. Then, the emergence of YouTube channels such as Goldmines Telefilms fuelled the interest of North Indian audiences in dubbed southern films."

This increasing acceptance in the North also led to a new trend: southern films featuring Bollywood stars. Examples include Ajay Devgn (RRR), Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon (KGF - Chapter 2) and Amitabh Bachchan (Kalki 2898 AD).

STREE 2 has emerged the second biggest grosser ever in CI and the third film to cross the 20 crore nett mark after BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION and GADAR 2. The circuit is a mass barometer and figures never lie. With the three films on top and the gap to the rest, it pretty much shows which films have had biggest mass penetration in the last ten years or so.

The word mass is used a lot today with all these South films being called MASS films but you do not become a mass just because the hero is beating 50 goons or what down south they call elevation scenes with the entry of the hero. Films like THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME and DEVARA are called MASS films due to the elements but they hardly get reach outside their own states. A mass film is always about REACH and in India if you cant reach the heavy populated areas, you are NOT a mass film as you not reaching the masses.

STREE 2 may not have the elements of what is seen as a mass film but the fact is the film is a bigger mass film than even the likes of ANIMAL, JAWAN and PATHAAN as it has easily smashed the numbers of these films in the heavy populated states which indicates better satellite than these films in the long run also. BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION remains the biggest film in CI but GADAR 2 would have comfortably beaten it if it had better ticket pricing and that is not taking the clash into as consideration as OMG 2 would not be a much of a factor here. 

Taking GADAR 2 comfortably crossing 25 crore nett with better pricing means that PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE can actually target the 30 crore nett mark in this circuit if the film is as good as the trailer. This figures is almost double of ANIMAL and more than double of PATHAAN and JAWAN. The numbers can get higher and higher in this circuit when films have real reach.

The top ten grossers in CI of all time are as follows.

1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 24,51,00,000

3. Gadar 2 - 22,62,00,000

4. Animal - 17,98,50,000

5. KGF - Chapter 2 - 16,08,50,000

6. Jawan - 14,84,50,000

7. Pathaan - 14,19,50,000

8. Dangal - 14,18,00,000

9. Tiger Zinda Hai - 12,83,50,000

10. PK - 12,59,00,000

Just three days before its release, actor Ajay Devgn’s Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha was pushed to a later date. As rumours go, the makers decided to move it due to the release of Kalki 2898 AD. This isn’t the first time that such a decision was taken and experts weigh in on the repercussions.

Marketing a film can make or break a film and Varun Gupta, head of Max Marketing, who also handled Kalki 2898 AD, which had a date change, says, “I remember with Jersey (2022), the makers realized they will clash with KGF - Chapter 2 (2022), which had a lot of advance booking. I think the same happened with Auron Mein... They didn’t think Kalki 2898 AD would have such a craze in the North. For Adipurush (2023), there was overestimation and no films were released two weeks hence.”

Further, Gupta adds, “With Pushpa 2 - The Rule, two songs are out, but they are lyrical, and the teaser doesn’t tell the story, either. The problem occurs when the makers’ don’t have new assets to create a buzz during the new date.”

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh is all praise for Auron Mein... makers for opting out of the clash and says, “Postponing a film impacts the finance as interest mounts. It would’ve been immature to be stuck on, ‘Hum toh issi date pe aayenge’, knowing Kalki 2898 AD was a storm.”

When a big-budget film is postponed, it messes with the entire year’s release calendar. Amit Sharma, Managing Director of Miraj Cinemas, tells us, “Pushpa 2 - The Rule was slated for August 15, but the date change turned the entire calendar upside down. Release of small and mid-budget films are majorly affected as they look for the right time to come out to grab more eyeballs.”

There are several factors that play a part in creating buzz around a film — media interviews, social media collaborations and on-ground promotions, where actors visit colleges, shopping malls, restaurants, etc, around the country — that are slated in advance. Danny Singh handles film promotions in North India and calls this a “big issue”.

“If a film gets pushed by 15 days to two months, it’s tough to reorganize interviews. It’s not producers, but people like me who are affected when events are cancelled. They don’t spend on actors’ trips to different cities; Hotels, colleges, malls, etc, pump in money in return for the actors’ visit.”

In the past, Singh has faced legal entanglements when actors have postponed or cancelled an event. He rues, “Colleges and event sponsors have sued us for the same. Stars also cancel at the last minute and the production house simply says, ‘Artist ka mood nahi hai’.”

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In India, as a programmer, there are atleast 40 movie titles that we handle a week. It made sense to push Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, with Kalki 2898AD already doing well. It is a logistical issue.

- Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinepolis India

BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONLCUSION still remains the top grossing film in Mumbai circuit and that too by a distance. In fact the top two films in the circuits are from South with KGF - CHAPTER 2 holding second spot. GADAR 2 would have been ahead of KGF - CHAPTER 2 if it had a solo release and pricing of the other blockbusters of 2023 but even with that it would not have reached the BAAHUBALI numbers.

If we take original Hindi content then its TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR leading in Maharashtra and GADAR 2 in Gujarat. Despite these huge grossers in 2023, the circuit generally was an underperformer but things look better now. There are chances that 200 crore nett can be hit in the circuit and the best shot at that will be PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE if the film has the merits of PUSHPA: THE RISE - PART 01.

Actually the films that can set huge numbers in this circuit in 2024 are both scheduled for a clash in August. Both PUSHPA 2 - THE RULE and SINGHAM AGAIN are at the moment set for an August 15th release date and both teams are adamant at the moment. So much work is left on both films that its a race against time and normally time wins in these scenarios. Both these films, if they work, will outperform in Mumbai and at the end of 2024, both will be among the top three.

The release date is outstanding with Independence Day on Thursday, Rakhsha Bandhan on Monday and then Janmashtami on second Monday. Gowever unlikely it looks at the moment, it would be great for the box office if one of the films could come as otherwise the period will not get the huge numbers it should.

The top ten grossers in Mumbai circuit at present are as follows. The only other film outside the list below to cross 100 crore nett is SANJU.

1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 1,82,56,00,000

2. KGF - Chapter 2 - 1,45,45,00,000

3. Gadar 2 - 1,43,98,00,000

4. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior - 1,43,85,00,000

5. Jawan - 1,40,05,50,000

6. Animal - 1,36,84,00,000

7. Pathaan - 1,35,82,00,000

8. Dangal - 1,04,26,00,000

9. PK - 1,04,21,50,000

10. Tiger Zinda Hai - 1,03,40,50,000

Gulf saw a huge year in 2023 as the Shah Rukh Khan starrers dominated with two films going over $10 million. As the overseas market came back to life from the mid 90's, it has been about three markets (USA/Canada, United Kingdom and Gulf). Initially the domination was from the United Kingdom and then towards the end of the 2000's, it became the the USA/Canada market.

Today, Gulf holds the highest total ever for the first time as no film from USA/Canada or United Kingdom has done as much as JAWAN has in Gulf. It is the highest ever total from an overseas circuit for a Hindi film. There is the the opening up of the Saudi market post the pandemic which helps the numbers but the issue has been that UAE is not what it used to be pre pandemic barring a few exceptions.

The top three films are all Shah Rukh Khan starrers and only he can do these numbers of JAWAN and PATHAAN while for others, $10 million would still be a huge target and maybe it can be down on a Eid release. It is basically Gulf and United Kingdom which sets Shah Rukh Khan apart from the others in Overseas as $15 million in Gulf and £4 million in United Kingdom is what only he can do when the film is right.

DUNKI sitting in third place pretty much sums up the star power in Gulf. You could also lock a $5 million total in Pakistan for the likes of JAWAN and PATHAAN but that is different story altogether and not likely to happen in the near future.

The top grossers post pandemic in Gulf are as follows. These numbers are for Hindi films only and likes of JAWAN and ANIMAL have it a little coming in regional also though its minimal.

1. Jawan - $17,700,000

2. Pathaan - $14,200,000

3. Dunki - $6,320,000

4. Animal - $5,200,000

5. Tiger 3 - $4,800,000

6. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani - $4,230,000

7. Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan - $2,600,000

8. KGF - Chapter 2 - $2,1,70,000

9. Brahmastra - $2,100,000

10. Drishyam 2 - $1,930,000

Box office collection in India reached an all-time high of Rs 12,226 crore in 2023, exceeding the previous record of Rs 10,948 crore in 2019, and growing at a healthy 15% over 2022, according to the Ormax Box Office Report 2023.

This was the first time that box office collection surpassed Rs 12,000 crore, indicating a recovery in the Indian film industry, which had been battling a post-pandemic slump in business. Box office collections in 2022 were Rs 10,637 crore, just short of breaking the previous record set in 2019.

"One of the key drivers for the success of box office in 2023 is the industry’s ability to deliver event films that are a ‘theatre-worthy experience'—a must for the film to emerge as a theatrical success," said Ormax Media Head of Business Development (Theatrical) Sanket Kulkarni.

According to the report, cinema footfalls rose 6% in 2023 to 943 million, though it lagged the pre-pandemic high of 1.03 billion in 2019.

Kulkarni said footfalls have remained below pre-pandemic levels as audiences have turned selective in their theatrical choices because of post-pandemic inertia and the rise of video streaming platforms.

The average ticket price (ATP) increased by 9% over 2022, from Rs 119 to Rs 130, owing to a growth in box office contribution from Hindi cinema, which has a higher ATP compared to South-language films.

After a lacklustre performance in the post-pandemic phase, Hindi films had a record year in 2023, with gross box office collection of Rs 5,380 crore, crossing the Rs 5,000 crore mark for the first time.

According to the report, Hindi cinema's box office share hit a pre-pandemic high of 44%, from 33% in 2022. Tamil and Telugu cinemas maintained their 2022 share with a box office collection of Rs 2,265 crore and Rs 1,961 crore, respectively in 2023.

Meanwhile, the share of Hollywood movies fell by 3 percentage points in 2022 due to the absence of a Rs 200-crore grossing film, with overall collection at Rs 1,139 crore.

Kannada cinema shed its box office share by 5% points to finish the year at Rs 312 crore due to the absence of big-ticket films.

Box office collections are getting increasingly skewed in favour of big-ticket films, with the top 10 films contributing 40% of the total box office receipts of Rs 12,226 crore.

Kulkarni said audiences are more likely to watch a film in a theatre if there is a compelling reason to do so. He added that franchise films are gaining traction and engagement across languages, accounting for 45% of theatrical box office collection, up from 17% in 2019.

Over 1,000 films were released in 2023; however, only five films crossed the gross box office of Rs 500 crore.

Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan was the highest-grossing film of 2023, making Rs 734 crore, followed by Ranbir Kapoor's Animal (Rs 645 crore), Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan (Rs 636 crore), Sunny Deol's Gadar 2 (Rs 619 crore), and Prabhas' Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (Rs 512 crore).

Interestingly, the top four films of 2023 are all original Hindi-language films. In comparison, South Indian films dominated the top ten list in 2022, with KGF - Chapter 2, RRR and Kantara collecting Rs 970 crore, Rs 869 crore, and Rs 362 crore, respectively.

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, Rajnikanth's Jailer, and Vijay's Leo were the three South Indian films that grossed more than Rs 400 crore at the Indian box office in 2023.

Ormax noted it sourced the box office data from credible industry sources, including producers, distributors, exhibitors, and trade analysts.

Canada-headquartered IMAX Corporation achieved its highest box-office earnings in India in 2023, generating $23.1 million from both Hollywood and Indian films amid increase in admissions and ticket pricing, said a senior executive.

Globally, IMAX achieved its second-highest earnings in a year in 2023, with $1.06 billion in box-office collections.

“2023 was our best year at the Indian box office, with collections up 68% compared to 2019,” Giovanni Dolci, global chief sales officer, IMAX Corporation, told ET.

He said the 2023 box-office collections should be compared with the 2019 numbers since 2020, 2021 and 2022 were abnormal years for the exhibition industry owing to the Covid-19 pandemic-related disruptions.

IMAX’s box-office collections for Indian titles amounted to $6.46 million out of a total of $23.1 million, he said, adding that the company helped Indian films collect $15.74 million in global box-office receipts.

In 2023, Oppenheimer, Avatar: The Way Of Water, Jawan, Pathaan and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part One were the top five grossing films for IMAX in India, with collections of $6.1 million, $1.8 million, $1.6 million, $1.5 million and $1.2 million respectively.

Oppenheimer and Avatar: The Way Of Water became the highest-grossing films in India so far for IMAX. Among the Indian films, KGF - Chapter 2 continues to be the top grosser, with collections of $1.7 million, followed by Jawan ($1.6 million) and Pathaan ($1.5 million) respectively.

IMAX sees huge potential in India, the company's eighth-largest growth market in terms of box-office receipts. “We intend to continue on this growth path, and we see 2024 as another key year to enable this growth,” said Dolci.

In 2023, IMAX expanded its network by launching six screens and is awaiting licence approvals to install an additional nine screens. “We increased our network by over 42% in just one year and that shows the appetite that the company has for India,” he said.

IMAX has set a target of launching 100 screens in India by 2025, up from 27 at present, and plans to expand IMAX screens in emerging cities, provided the locations are suitable.

Dolci said IMAX is not just strengthening alliances with major cinema chains such as PVR Inox and Cinepolis but is also in discussions with other exhibitors interested in investing in IMAX technology.

The company also plans to increase content throughput by collaborating with local producers, filmmakers and distributors to release more Indian titles on the IMAX platform, he said.

“We released eight Indian films across languages last year; our objective is to release more than eight in 2024,” Dolci said.

The company's slate includes 30 international and Indian films in 2024. IMAX has two Indian films scheduled for release in January, including the Hrithik Roshan film Fighter, which will be released on January 25, and the Tamil action-adventure Captain Miller, which was released on January 12.

Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran, noted for his roles spanning over 100 movies across languages, shares his perspective on the phenomenon of pan-Indian films. “You don’t set out to make a ‘pan-Indian film’ — you can only choose a subject you are excited about, make a film that justifies what’s on paper, and lose control once it releases,” says Sukumaran, who also has experience distributing Kannada hits like KGF - Chapter 2 and Kantara (both 2022) in Kerala.

Pointing towards directors such as S S Rajamouli and Prashanth Neel, architects of grand-scale projects such as RRR (2022)and upcoming Salaar (starring Sukumaran and Prabhas, which will be available in five languages), the actor adds, “They have set a dangerous precedent because people at corporate are thinking, ‘How do we make this film pan-Indian — you cannot! It was not just because Baahubali or KGF had a plethora of actors from various languages that they struck a chord, as we also have Kantara [that did well].”

Here, he acknowledges the foresight of an individual in the Hindi film industry who predicted this ‘pan-India’ craze long before it materialized: “I got a call from (filmmaker) Karan Johar in 2011, and he pitched this film called Bombay Talkies to me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do it at that point because of commitments. I said, ‘It’s your film; you could have cast anyone from Hindi films!’ He replied, ‘At some point, Prithviraj, it will have to start happening.’ I credit him with saying that way back in 2011.”

In 2015, a cinematic storm named Baahubali swept India, forever changing the landscape of Indian cinema. The film’s success showcased the immense potential held by movies from the Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam industries, collectively known as the South belt. This awakening gave birth to the ‘pan-India film’ obsession, as the industry recognized the vast opportunities that lay within these multi-lingual projects.

However, amid the excitement, questions arise about what truly constitutes a ‘pan-India’ film and whether the term has been exhausted.

Atul Mohan, trade expert, clarifies that “a pan-India film is one released in multiple languages simultaneously, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi”. He also emphasizes that labelling a film as pan-India should be reserved for projects that “genuinely resonate with audiences upon their release, rather than pre-emptively declaring them as such”.

He adds, “Makers just think now ‘bada budget, ek North, ek South ka actor aur action film, isko pan-India bol ke bechte hain’. But aise nahin hota, content bhi toh ho!”

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh notes that the “allure of the larger audience and potential higher returns drives many producers to take the risk” and feels that “the term has indeed been overused”. He cites the undeniable successes of films like Baahubali, Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 (2021) and RRR (2022), which “genuinely qualify as pan-India due to their wide-reaching appeal”. But, he acknowledges numerous instances of films failing to make an impact also exist, such as Liger, Vikrant Rona (both 2022), Kabzaa and Adipurush.

In recent times, several Hindi film actors have appeared in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films. The inclusion of Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt in RRR is seen by some as a strategy to cater to the northern audience. Similarly, Nagarjuna starred in Brahmastra and Prabhas portrayed Lord Ram in Adipurush. 

Raveena Tandon, who acted in KGF - Chapter 2, says, “All our industries are converging into one big force. When I was done with KGF 2 and shooting for another film in Rajasthan, people came up to me and said ‘KGF KGF’, I was surprised people in that state enjoyed a Kannada film.”

Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who stars in KD - The Devil, notes, “People enjoy the sensibilities of south films and coming together of a Hindi cast with that of films from Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.”

ADIPURUSH had the tenth highest opening ever as it recorded collections of 36 crore nett plus. It is third biggest opening ever featuring a male lead from South India though both the other two films in the top ten were driven by the branding of those films where the first part proved huge successful.

ADIPURUSH is the first film with a South lead to open at these levels without franchise value though the Ramayana factor is an added advantage. But numbers say that Prabhas is the biggest star from South in the Hindi belts at the moment although the scale and genre of the film is huge importance to generate interest. This is because if the film looks regular even with a budget like RADHE SHYAM, then it falls flat on the first day. There are many of these major South heroes coming with films next year without franchise value and it remains to be seen what happens. PUSHPA 2 – THE RULE will be a sensation but that is more like a BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION and KGF - CHAPTER 2 with huge branding due to the first film.

Despite the box office going through a lean phase, there are still 3 releases post the pandemic which are among the top ten openers of all time including the top two. This is because a film which looks spectacular and is cinematic has higher potential as this is what the audience is turning up for in numbers. Basically the bigger films have potential to do more than before the pandemic while the box office of smaller medium films is down.

The top ten openings of all time are as follows with screen count in brackets.

1. Pathaan - 55,72,00,000 (5000)

2. KGF - Chapter 2 - 52,39,00,000 (4500)

3. War - 50,61,00,000 (3850)

4. Thugs Of Hindostan - 48,27,00,000 (4700)

5. Bharat - 41,62,00,000 (4650)

6. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion - 40,73,00,000 (3950)

7. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo - 39,32,00,000 (4200)

8. Sultan - 36,59,00,000 (4350)

9. Happy New Year - 36,31,00,000 (3850)

The pandemic has been over for more than one and a half years and we have seen just five Hindi films cross the 300 crore mark worldwide. Two of these are THE KASHMIR FILES and THE KERALA STORY which have have not done the business due to the films being cinema but other reasons.

The have been seven films reaching the 300 crore mark from the South which is actually a benchmark for most of the films for South barring the likes of RRR and KGF - CHAPTER 2 which have a wider market due to the scale and branding be it director for the former or the franchise for the latter. For Hindi cinema the benchmark should actually be 500 crore now which only PATHAAN has crossed and by leaps and bounds.

Tamil cinema has got a big boost in overseas business due to heavy migration from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu over the past few years. The numbers of big films from the Tamil film industry in the overseas market are really pushing this industry in terms of worldwide numbers. Tamil cinema had a 300 crore miss by a small margin with VARISU which hit 208 crore (GBOC) in India and 85 crore Overseas for a worldwide total of 293 crore. Hindi cinema also had a very near miss with SOORYAVANSHI which got 299 crore as India contributed 237 crore (GBOC) and Overseas was 62 crore.

The total of 12 films have crossed the 300 crore worldwide mark across India post the pandemic. The difference is that many Hindi films crossed 300 crore before the pandemic and only five have managed post the pandemic. While in South seven have reached post pandemic when before the pandemic there was only ENTHIRAN, KABALI, BAAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING, BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION and 2.0.

The films to have crossed 300 crore post pandemic worldwide from different industries is below.

The Kashmir Files

Brahmastra

Drishyam 2

Pathaan

The Kerala Story (Expected)

Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01

RRR

Vikram

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2

KGF - Chapter 2

Kantara

From working as a video cassette delivery boy in Mumbai to becoming a well-known filmmaker in the country, Madhur Bhandarkar’s journey has been an eventful one. The National Award-winning filmmaker, known for films like Traffic Signal, Chandni Bar, Corporate, Page 3 and Fashion, talks about how theatrical releases and OTT can coexist.

Bhandarkar, whose recent projects like India Lockdown and Babli Bouncer were OTT releases, says that while it is more challenging now to draw audiences to theatres, he doesn’t believe that they will stop craving for the big screen experience.

He shares, “Yeh main saalon se sun raha hun ki audiences might stop going to theatres. Lekin woh magic jo hai — the joy of watching a film on the big screen with our family or friends while having popcorn, that is unmatched. I am a very positive person; I believe that theatrical releases and OTT content can happily co-exist – theatres toh rahenge.”

Madhur adds, “However, during the Coronavirus pandemic, our audiences were exposed to good regional cinema, excellent foreign films and series on OTT. Now, they think twice about whether a film is worth watching in theatres. Also, when a film releases in theatres now, bahut log yeh sochte hain ki ek mahine ke baad toh OTT pe aa he jayegi film, toh tab dekh lenge. So, it is a big challenge and it’s not like filmmakers are facing this issue only in India, it’s happening across the globe. But this is a temporary phase and I don’t believe that audiences will stop going to theatres.”

Bhandarkar admits that the going has been tough for Bollywood in the last couple of years. He says, “If we talk about the last two years, yeh sach hai ki Hindi film industry uss tarah nahi chal rahi hai, jis tarah chalni chahiye. Not too many films have worked at the box office but at the same time, films like Pathaan, Drishyam 2, Gangubai Kathiawadi and The Kashmir Files have been successful.”

When asked about films from south making it big across the country and even globally, he tells us, “Films like KGF - Chapter 2, RRR, Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01 and Kantara did so well because there was a lot of focus on good writing. I am an independent filmmaker and a very small part of the Hindi film industry. However, I feel that we need to give more importance to writers and invest in them. Original writing pe dhyan dena chahiye.”

Talking about the ongoing trend of Bollywood focusing a lot on remakes of south as well as Hollywood films, Bhandarkar says, “I have made 15 films so far and I have always focused on original content. I love researching for my films. However, a lot of producers want to play safe and so, they opt for remakes. When they approach actors with a remake, toh actor ko lagta hai ki film already English/regional language mein hit hai, toh 70% safe hai.”

Sanjay Dutt’s Adheera wasn’t the only force of evil in KGF - Chapter 2 (2022). Raveena Tandon was equally menacing, if not more, as the shrewd politician Ramika Sen in the action drama. As the corrupt Prime Minister of India during the 1980s, Ramika’s violent methods of execution, and her determination to go to any lengths to hold her position of power made her an intimidating character.

Director Prashanth Neel had hinted at KGF’s third instalment in the film’s post-credits. Recently, executive producer Karthik Gowda and producer Vijay Kirgandur confirmed that KGF: Chapter 3 is in the works. So, will we see Tandon reprise her negative role?

“They have announced up to KGF - Chapter 5, but I am not sure I may be around till then,” the actor laughs, before adding, “I am looking forward to shooting for KGF - Chapter 3, though I don’t think it will begin this year.”

To Tandon, Ramika is one of the darkest and most nuanced roles she has played in a long time. Asked if her character will turn more ruthless in the next instalment, the actor disagrees, saying, “Prashanth is a man of surprises. So, one doesn’t know the twists and turns that Ramika’s character may take. She can become [positive] too. Prashanth is clear about what he wants, and knows exactly what to extract from an actor. Sometimes, during the shoot, I would feel I have gone a bit over-the-top, but he would always say, ‘No ma’am, just feel the scene and do it.’”

After the Kannada drama, Tandon is keen to explore more negative parts. She has a caveat — no grey characters, she wishes to play an all-black role. “I am waiting to play an out-and-out dark role. I don’t know why it hasn’t come to me yet. I think people don’t see me as evil,” she laughs. “I want to play a character that is wicked without any justification. It would push my boundaries as an actor.”

In 2012, the Hindi film industry woke up to the potential of Sanjay Dutt as an intimidating villain, thanks to his Kancha Cheena act in Karan Malhotra’s Agneepath. It looks like the filmmakers in the south are making a similar discovery, a decade on. After he made waves with his antagonist act in Kannada blockbuster KGF - Chapter 2 (2022), Dutt is being offered several villainous roles in south films.

While he will be seen taking on Thalapathy Vijay in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Tamil actioner Leo soon, the latest is that he is shooting for KD - The Devil. The Kannada film, starring Dhruva Sarja, will see Dutt portray a negative character again.

Directed by Prem, KD is said to be inspired by true events that took place during the 1970s in Bengaluru. Dutt, who built an action hero image in his four-decade run in Hindi movies and took on countless baddies single-handedly on screen, is now enjoying being on the other side of the table.

A source says, “After Yash and Sanjay created magic in KGF - Chapter 2, many south stars are eager to share screen space with the senior actor. He has received several offers, and is choosing roles carefully. He wants to take on projects in which he will be able to bring something new to the table.”

An actor’s longevity is defined by his ability to reinvent. To Dutt, his negative turns on screen are a step in that direction. He doesn’t view the grey roles as a risk; instead, he says it’s “the most fun” he has had in his career.

“With films like KGF, and RRR [2022], the language barriers have all disappeared now. I am so excited about the kind of parts written for me today. I am delighted to be reinventing myself every day at work. I am relishing [this phase],” says the actor, as he shoots for KD in Bengaluru.