Showing posts with label Ormax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ormax. Show all posts
Viewers chose theatres more to watch Hindi films in 2025
9:24 AM
Box office collections grew 18% to Rs. 5,504 cr for Hindi films and 13.2% for all-India mkt
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 21, 2026)
Mumbai: Hindi cinema saw a significant growth in footfalls in movie halls in 2025, topping those for other language films, according to Box Office 2025 report by Ormax Media, a media and entertainment research firm.
The report said that in 2025, Hindi film ticket sales grew by 11.3% from 2024 to 256 million. The growth bucked the general downtrend, as the all-India figure for footfalls across all language films declined by 5.7% to 832 million.
“Today, only content works in theatres. Gone are the days footfalls would come to theatres merely on the strength of stardom of a star,” said Bhuvnesh Mendiratta, managing director at Miraj Cinemas. “The successes of Hindi films across diverse genres from historical (Chhaava), romance (Saiyaara), animation (Mahavatar Narsimha) and Spy (Dhurandhar) in 2025 prove this trend.”
This optimism is evident in the performance of Hindi films when compared to the all-India box office collection.
Last year, the box office (gross) of Hindi films grew by 18% from 2024 to Rs 5,504 crore. In the same period, the all-India box office (gross) grew by 13.2% to Rs 13,395 crore.
Although this growth in footfalls weakens the argument that people are averse to going to theatres, producers had a nuanced argument. Community experience in theatres may not be passe but the frequency of going to theatres for films has declined.
“Footfalls in theatres for Hindi films have shown visible improvement in 2025 compared to 2024. This growth has come despite a continued rise in average ticket price (ATP),” said Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director of Karmic Films. “It indicates that audiences are selectively returning to theatres for Hindi films which provide them genuine theatrical experiences.”
After the pandemic, the recovery in the industry’s business has been led more by increase in the average ticket price than footfall growth. The ATP of Hindi films grew by 6% to Rs 215 in 2025 from Rs 203 in 2024. In comparison, the all-India ATP grew by 20.1% to Rs 161 in 2025 from Rs 134 in 2024. A large part of the growth in all-India ATP was contributed by the ATP of southern films, which grew by 21.8% to Rs 123 in 2025 from Rs 101 in 2024.
Producers shared that theatres and entertainment avenues outside theatres will not be a threat to each other’s existence.
“I think there will be a lot of movies which audiences will watch in theatres. And there will be a lot of movies because of short windows, audiences will watch in their home theatres,” said Naveen Chandra, founder, 91 Film Studios, a studio that produces and distributes regional films. “Both forms of entertainment experience will co-exist.”
Lastly, producers also shared that audiences are the biggest promoters and campaigners of a well-made film.
“Today, audiences have become the biggest promoters and campaigners of a well-made film through strong word-of-mouth communications. No amount of out-of-the-box film marketing helps a bad film,” said producer Ameya Naik. “This is reflected in the successes of Hindi films such as Saiyaara and Mahavatar Narsimha in 2025.”
Southern films' pan-India dreams come to naught
8:43 AM
Hindi-dubbed titles’ share of overall box office collection plunged to 7.1% in 2025 from 31.2% in 2024 on formulaic content
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 20, 2026)
Is the notion of a southern India film that can draw moviegoers across the country now losing its sheen? Yes, if one goes by the growing frequency of failures of such productions aimed at pan-India audiences.
According to a study by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media, the share of box office collections of southern films dubbed in Hindi-as a percentage of total box office collections of Hindi films-plummeted close to 7.1% in 2025 from 31.2% in 2024.
"There is a glaring lack of universal ideas in stories of southern films aimed at pan-India audiences," said Hindi scriptwriter Jaidev Hemmady. "These films follow a formulaic approach. It is only when a film is rooted in its culture, there emerges universal elements which cut across geographies. Recent southern films such as The RajaSaab, Coolie, and Thug Life among others reflect these concerns."
He said "recent pan-India southern films lacked conviction and honesty in their storytelling."
In 2025, films such as Game Changer, Coolie, Thug Life, Vrusshabha, Vidaamuyarchi, Retro, L2: Empuraan, and HIT: The Third Case, which targeted theatregoers across India, performed poorly at the box office. Even the recent pan-India offering, The Raja Saab, failed at the box office. This follows films such as Pushpa 2: The Rule, Hanu-Man, and Kalki 2898 AD boosting the share of dubbed southern films in 2024.
"In recent years, the idea of a pan-India southern film has been reduced to mere pan-India casting," explained producer Ameya Naik. "By merely casting leading artists across geographies does not make a film pan-India. Such films may get funding. But focusing more on casting artists across regions than on rooted stories is a recipe for failure."
Film trade analysts believe that audiences have been prompt in investing their time and money in well-crafted movies thanks to their reliance more on word-of-mouth recommendations of close friends and family.
"Today, audiences plan the number of visits to theatres given the high cost," said Girish Johar, film producer and industry expert. "In 2025, a good number of Hindi and Hollywood films attracted high audience interest thanks to superior storytelling in these films. One must note that southern films which did not work beyond their home states also underperformed in their home states, indicating that they failed because of bad scripts."
Two minutes to spare; micro dramas keep audience glued to the screens
10:22 AM
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; December 3, 2025)
Mumbai: The viewership base of micro-drama content has surged in less than a year of its existence in India, underscoring growing reception among an increasingly mobile-first audience.
Such content involves a web series of more than 50 episodes with the length of each episode restricted to less than two minutes, especially catering to housewives, commuters, and Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences.
According to a study by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media, the viewership base of micro-drama content has reached 73.2 million in less than a year. Interestingly, the study estimates that in the past four months, given the huge acceptance of micro-drama style of content across markets and age groups, its viewership base has surged 37% and is most likely to have reached 100 million.
One of the key factors for the massive acceptance of micro-drama content is its structure.
"Micro-drama content is not just a format shift but a grammar shift," said Azim Lalani, cofounder and chief business officer, Bullet, a micro-drama content app. "What we are really witnessing is a reset in how stories are structured, produced, and monetized for a mobile-first India."
He said that "the next wave of value in video will not come from adding more minutes. It will come from compressing more emotion, insight and commerce into every minute. In this context, micro-drama content has found huge acceptance."
Founders of micro-drama apps estimated the current market size of this segment in India at $400-500 million (Rs. 3,597 crore-Rs. 4,496 crore. They expect this to grow exponentially, touching $10 billion in the next five years.
Currently, there are at least 15 micro-drama apps in India including Kuku TV, Pocket FM, Flick TV, ReelSaga, and Dashverse.
Besides structure, the presence of stories with local flavour has added to the appeal of micro-drama content.
"Today, micro-drama content has percolated to tier-2 and tier-3 audiences and beyond largely because it contains local flavour," said Saameer Mody, founder, Pocket Films, a short film and micro drama platform. "These audiences were not finding content catering to their sensibilities in the existing content ecosystem. Hence, micro-drama content has found such a huge acceptance."
The revenue model for micro-drama content is also helpful for content creators. "The business model of micro-drama apps is quite favourable given its affordability and cheap availability of mobile internet," said Vicky Bahri, producer and founder & CEO of KLIP, a micro-drama app.
"There is an advertisement-driven model. Also, audiences can pay through UPI payment system, which has increased the reach of micro-drama content across geographies."
OTT craze grows, but film lovers can't stay away from theatres
9:47 AM
Streaming platforms’ impact on footfalls in theatres hasn’t been severe, finds a report
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; November 21, 2025)
Mumbai: Despite the growing perception of theatres losing viewers to streaming platforms, studies and recent box-office collections of several Hollywood, as well as non-English, mid-sized, and a few big-budget Hindi films showed audience interest in watching films in theatres has far from ebbed and instead remains intact.
In its latest study, titled Venn It Happens: SVOD & Theatrical audience intersection, media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media said the audience base watching content only on streaming platforms and who do not visit theatres is at 81 million. In comparison, those watching films solely in theatres and not having any access to a streaming platform service is 76 million, indicating limited impact of the increasing consumption of content on streaming platforms on theatre footfalls.
“The data in our report highlights that the impact of streaming platforms on theatrical footfalls is far less severe than commonly believed, significantly weakening the 'OTT killed theatrical' narrative,” said Sanket Kulkarni, head, business development (theatrical) at Ormax Media. “The data suggests that both ecosystems have sizeable exclusive audiences, and that the extent of cannibalisztion is far smaller than popularly assumed.”
During the pandemic, when theatres were shut, audiences latched onto streaming platforms to satiate their hunger for entertainment. Over the years, streamers have been successful in gaining a relatively loyal subscriber base, evident in their subscriber growth, financials, and market share.
According to Ormax Media, the total subscriber base of India’s streaming platform industry, currently at 601 million, is expanding at 10% annually. This amounts to 41.1% of India’s population, indicating the growing acceptance of streamers as a preferred mode of entertainment.
“I don't think streamers have killed cinema in any way,” said Rajesh R Nair, the producer of Hindi films such as Kaminey and Adipurush. “Cinema is killing cinema by not giving out the right content to audiences. This is more pertinent in the case of Hindi films. Audiences are quite happy with films in non-Hindi languages,” he said.
“The simplest example is the noteworthy performance of the Gujarati film Laalo - Krishna Sada Sahaayate, which collected more than Rs. 50 crore at the box office. This performance shows that audiences are open to coming to theatres provided the makers give them a proper entertainment deal,” he added.
The all-India box office collection during January-October 2025 is at Rs11,077 crore. This marks a 24% rise from a year earlier, reflecting sustained audience interest to visit theatres.
Recently, Ajay Bijli, managing director of PVR Inox, India’s largest multiplex operator, told ET that theatrical and streaming entertainment will co-exist without one canonicalizing the other.
“It is a business of interdependence today. Films which do well in theatres when released on streamers also find audiences. This saves promotion and advertising costs of streamers required to create awareness around films,” said Girish Johar, producer and film business expert. “Also, streamers are viewing theatres as an additional source of revenues by releasing their originals in theatres. Besides, cinema is a community experience which can never compensate for the individual experience of streamers. Both will co-exist and benefit from each other’s strengths.”
Box Office tide turns as small films make big waves
10:04 AM
Industry earnings grow 14% in H1 2025, with less reliance on high-budget films and more contribution from mid-budget movies
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; July 21, 2025)
Mumbai: India's film industry earned Rs. 5,723 crore in domestic box office collections in the first half of 2025, a 14% rise from a year earlier, according to Ormax Media. This year's performance also showed a shift in industry dynamics, with reduced dependency on high-budget blockbusters, and stronger contribution from a wider pool of mid-sized films across languages.
Executives said this trend is a welcome development in a sector that has long grappled with volatility linked to a few major releases. Seventeen films crossed the Rs. 100-crore mark between January and June, up from ten in the same period of 2024, according to Ormax's latest 'India Box Office Report'. The increase, however, was not driven by a handful of mega-hits, but by a consistent stream of mid- to high-performing titles.
Among the top earners, 'Chhaava' led with Rs. 693 crore, followed by Telugu-language film 'Sankranthiki Vasthunam'. Only one film crossed the Rs. 250-crore mark so far, underscoring the broader spread of box office revenues.
"Jan-Jun 2025 has laid a strong foundation for the year's box office performance. Compared to 2024, there is a reduced reliance on big-ticket blockbusters, with a greater number of films crossing the Rs. 100 crore mark. This indicates a more robust long-tail contribution," said Sanket Kulkarni, head of business development (theatrical) at Ormax Media. "The share of the top 10 films in the overall Jan-Jun box office has declined from 44% in 2024 to 39% in 2025, a sign of broader participation across titles."
"The language-wise distribution of Rs. 100 crore-plus films is also healthier in 2025. For instance, while 2024 had no Tamil film in this category, 2025 has seen three Tamil films cross the mark, increasing Tamil cinema's contribution from 12% in 2024 to 17% in the Jan-Jun 2025 period," he said.
"Additionally, Hollywood has seen significant growth, with its Jan-Jun box office collections nearly doubling compared to the same period in 2024." Industry executives also pointed to the encouraging performance of smaller-budget and mid-scale films, which are increasingly holding their own in theatres.
Not enough bang for the binge, Indian streamers flip the script
9:11 AM
Ad-supported long-format web series make a comeback, reversing the ad-free premium content trend, as growth slows and viewer habits change
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; June 26, 2025)
India's streaming industry is witnessing a return to ad-supported long-format web series - typically spanning 20 to 50 episodes - as subscriber additions stagnate and margins on premium ad-free content fall.
The share of such long-format shows in total web series content on OTT are expected to rise to 70% in the next one year, up from about 50% now, as streaming platforms increasingly embrace traditional television consumption and monetization patterns, industry experts said.
The shift away from big-ticket original shows, which had surged to 50% of streaming content, is being driven by a binge fatigue among Indians partly due to time constraints.
"Traditionally, the Indian television audience is more attuned to daily soap or episodic format of storytelling," said Sudeep Nigam, a scriptwriter known for mini-series The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth. "Binge-watching is essentially a western concept."
While binge-watching spiked during the Covid-19 lockdown, Nigam said the trend was temporary. "Post the pandemic, due to hectic lifestyle, an average Indian viewer can spare little time for viewing. In this context, ad-supported long-format web series has high relevance in India, as premium content demands intense engagement from a viewer," he said.
The share of premium originals on OTT platforms could drop to around 30% over the next one year, according to industry estimates.
"India is still not a subscription economy," said Manish Sinha, founder and CEO of RunnTV, the country's first independent free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform. "It is expensive to retain subscribers. Subscribers buy subscriptions for specific content and then do not renew subscriptions."
Latest numbers confirm that the paid subscription base is not expanding. According to media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media, subscribers who had access to paid content in India fell by 1.6% to 150.6 million in 2024 from 153 million in 2023.
Industry analysts said streamers have realized that focusing only on premium content does not materially improve profitability, which has become one of their key focus areas post the pandemic.
The reluctance of top Hindi film actors to take up roles in streaming content is also posing a challenge to creating premium content, experts said. These actors fear that appearance in streaming content may deplete their 'star' value. Also, there is unchecked piracy which impacts the returns on investments on premium OTT content, experts said.
Meanwhile, the base of ad-supported content subscribers grew more than 20% between 2023 and 2024, industry analysts said. This has warranted the demand for mass content. The recent Netflix-Balaji Telefilms creative partnership must be seen in this light, experts said.
One of the key advantages of producing ad-supported long-format web series for streamers is its cost-effectiveness.
"Today, streamers want new subscribers. This necessitates telling new stories in familiar ways. Ad-supported long-format web series have been familiar with the Indian audience. It is cost-effective for streamers," said Samar Khan, CEO of Juggernaut Productions, a platform agnostic content creation hub.
It is estimated that the cost of shooting an episode of an original for a streamer is between Rs. 1 crore and Rs. 3 crore. In comparison with this, the cost of shooting an episode of an ad-supported large-format web series is between Rs. 20 lakh and Rs. 30 lakh.
Box office grows 27% in 2025, but Bollywood remains worried
8:41 AM
Producers, distributors say industry woes persist despite a 27% y-o-y box office growth in early ’25
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; June 20, 2025)
Film producers and distributors are not enthused with the 27% year-on-year growth in all-India box office collection in the first five months of 2025, saying the growth does not capture the "existential" challenges that have engulfed the industry.
These challenges have, consequently, created an acute sense of "nervousness" among all key stakeholders in the film industry, they said.
The all-India box office collection rose to Rs. 4,812 crore between January and May this year from Rs. 3,791 crore in the year-ago period, according to the May box office report by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media.
"Are we looking at numbers or real growth? Last year was an election year. So, it seems there is growth in collection. There is a huge difference between film business in multiplexes and the B-class and C-class centres," said Yusuf Shaikh, CEO and founder, Janta Cinema, an exhibitor that showcases films at affordable prices.
Shaikh said there are two critical challenges in the Hindi film industry. "We have lost 20-25% of the elite audience in theatres in the past few years. Even cheap ticket prices have not brought this audience to theatres," he said.
Another major concern, said Shaikh, is the glaring absence of well-made mass entertainers. "It is an irony. Elite audiences are absent in theatres. The masses who come to theatres do not have credible mass entertainers to watch," he said.
Most industry veterans believe that, incrementally, a sense of apathy is growing among audiences about watching Hindi films in theatres.
"Today, the audience for whom watching films in theatres was a ritual is missing. This has impacted the average opening and collection of Hindi films," said a film distributor, who requested anonymity. "Consequently, today, the mass audience is watching regional or non-Hindi films in theatres."
According to Ormax Media, the contribution of non-Hindi films-including English and other language films-to the all-India box office collection in the first five months of 2025 was a huge 63%, indicating an increasing acceptance of non-Hindi content by audiences in the Hindi belt. In the same period last year, the contribution of non-Hindi content to the all-India collection was 67%. This is because the share of collection of Hindi films to all-India collection grew to 37% in January-May 2025 from 33% in January-May 2024.
Chhaava and Raid 2 were two noteworthy hits that contributed to this growth.
"One or two hits do not promise change in the business situation. The Hindi film industry is disproportionately dependent on big-budget films. Today, the industry needs more successful mid-budget films," said Prashen Kyawal, a creative, post-producer and media-tech consultant.
Producer Rajesh R Nair concurs. "Instead of a big-budget film, we need a few mid-budget films, which have fresh stories and talent. The Hindi film industry must reinvent. Time has come to back fresh stories and new talent," he said.
Hollywood films slide off India charts as new stories grip viewers
10:02 AM
Box-office collections in the country down to lowest in a decade as audience tastes shift to Korean and regional dramas
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; April 19, 2025)
Mumbai: The box-office share of Hollywood films in India fell to just 8% in 2024-its lowest in a decade-down from a peak of 15% in 2019 and 11% in 2014, a report by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media said. This signals a potential downturn for Hollywood studios in what was widely seen as a key growth market steered by a notable shift in viewing preferences amid increasing competition from other industries and rise of streaming platforms, industry experts said.
Traditional Hollywood narratives no longer generate the same level of enthusiasm among an evolving Indian viewer base that now enjoys Korean dramas, regional Indian cinema, and select international films more than ever before, they said.
"In the past ten years, the taste of the Indian audience has changed. Their appetite for Hollywood blockbusters and conventional narratives has come down," said Sharad Mittal, founder of Kathputlee Arts & Films, a Mumbai-based film production house.
"This is the audience which is exposed to Korean dramas and other international stuff. They are looking for specific family outing experiences in theatres, which Hollywood films are not providing."
Another big reason for the dip in collections is because recent superhero films have failed to live up to expectations, experts said. Superhero films have had a huge fan following among Indian audiences. According to Ormax Media, superhero films accounted for 50% of Hollywood's box-office earnings in India at their peak in 2018. That share has now dropped to 27% in 2024.
Industry experts blame it largely on creatively disappointing storytelling as well as a growing sense of superhero fatigue. Audiences around the world are feeling worn out by the sheer volume of cape-and-mask content coming out of Hollywood, they said.
"Recently, Hollywood has been unable to create films which work on a global level," said producer and film business expert Girish Johar. "A case in point is superhero films, which have a huge following in India. These films have failed to strike a chord with Indian audiences in recent years."
Experts said the decline is partly due to studios overloading films with messaging and tinkering too much with well-established intellectual properties. This, they argue, has alienated loyal fans and made it harder to attract new audiences to these once-reliable franchises.
"Creative changes in already established IPs of studios are disappointing the loyal fan base of these IPs," said Ameya Naik, producer and founder of Fantasy Films, an event management company.
"Studios are focusing too much on messaging, which is hampering storytelling and not serving well their existing IPs. This has impacted the overall footfalls for Hollywood films. They must create new IPs if they are keen on sharing a worldview which they are passionate about."
Recently, Disney's Snow White (2025), which has a global appeal and was made on a budget of $240-$270 million, flopped. This was because of creative changes in the IP, which did not go down well with its audiences, trade analysts said. According to Box Office Mojo, Snow White-released in the US on March 21-has collected over $183 million, much below its production cost. In India, too, the film did not get an enthusiastic response, collecting Rs. 4.54 crore in its first week.
In comparison, superhero film Avengers: Endgame (2019), which marked the end of the first phase of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), collected Rs. 438 crore in India. Hollywood's global box-office revenue fell 11.5% to an estimated $30 billion in 2024 from 33.9 billion in 2023, according to Gower Street Analytics, as studios are struggling to revive cinema-going habits even as films are releasing faster on streaming platforms.
Bollywood's shift to streaming giants raises concerns over content diversity, market control
8:46 AM
As OTT space turns into a concentrated buyers’ market, Hindi film producers find less room for negotiation, creativity
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; March 3, 2025)
Bollywood's shift from a competitive content market to one controlled by a few major streaming platforms has raised major concerns among producers and industry players, mirroring the era when satellite rights dominated revenue streams, shaping content choices as filmmakers tailored films for family audiences.
The repeated failure of small- and big-ticket films has skewed the market in favour of a few deep-pocketed streamers such as Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotstar (see chart).
Three years ago, the industry was in a sellers' market, where producers and filmmakers had plenty of options to secure funding. With at least 10 mainstream streamers and a strong presence of production houses and studios actively creating and acquiring content, there was healthy competition, giving content creators more bargaining power.
In its latest research, media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media said the combined share of acquiring theatrical releases across languages of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video has jumped to a whopping 76% in 2024 from 60% in 2022, indicating a creation of a duopolistic market.
After the pandemic, the film industry saw a major shift as a handful of deep-pocketed streamers managed to survive the repeated flops of big-budget films, while many others struggled. Some streamers pulled back on content creation and acquisition, while production houses and studios took a cautious approach, pausing new projects. With fewer players left standing, the market became more concentrated, giving the surviving streamers even greater control.
Producer Rajesh R Nair, known for films such as 'Kaminey' and 'Adipurush', said, "The industry has transformed into a buyers' market. A few streamers are negotiating hard and calling the shots. Producers are making films for streamers rather than theatres."
He added that today a conversation about a film starts with knowing whether a streamer is attached to the film.
With just a few streamers in control, content buying and production have slowed, limiting the variety of films being made. As a result, producers are making fewer films, reducing the number of new releases on both streaming platforms and in theatres. This downturn has hit exhibitors hard, forcing them to re-release older films just to cover their high fixed costs.
According to Ormax Media, the number of Hindi films released directly on streaming platforms dropped sharply from 53 in 2021 to just 18 in 2024.
"Big production houses provide streamers some good content. But streamers also buy not-so-great content from them. Streamers must train their acquisition teams in developing a strong sense of aesthetics and creativity. This will help them create and acquire content which will appeal to a large base of audiences," said Shrirang Nargund, a veteran and independent consultant on streaming business.
He added, there was enough strong content from mid-and-small-sized production houses and streamers should be bolder in their choice of content.
One upside of a concentrated buyers' market is that streamers have become more disciplined with costs. Nargund noted that content budgets have been slashed by 40%, with a direct impact on actor remuneration. "Today, streamers are more cautious with spending. A film only moves forward if an actor agrees to take a share of the profits instead of an upfront fee. Producers often have to negotiate with actors who are hesitant to lower their steep fees, which also include the costs of their entourage," explained producer and film business expert Girish Johar.
Veteran producers said that the best way to address these challenges is to return to the traditional model-making films for theatres first and then generating additional revenue through rights sales.
Block bookings are on the rise as many films end as horror shows
4:11 PM
The practice creates a false sense of success, but many films with weak content fail to sustain momentum
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; February 13, 2025)
Block booking of movie tickets by producers and stars has resurfaced as a major concern in the film trade, with its impact on opening collections of recent Hindi and pan-India films drawing scrutiny.
Industry insiders highlight two key issues in this growing trend: the scale of block bookings and their link to a film’s quality.
The practice pushes up first-weekend numbers, creating an illusion of success.
Among recent films, the multilingual Game Changer saw a higher share of block bookings than organic audience ticket purchases. According to data from box office tracking firm Sacnilk, out of Rs 2.5 crore in advance bookings, Rs 1.5 crore came from block bookings. However, the film failed to sustain momentum and grossed approximately Rs 155 crore on a budget of Rs 400-450 crore.
Veteran trade analyst Komal Nahta noted, “In the past, block booking was like salt in a well-cooked dish—never too much or too little, just adequate. However, for a recent film, the producers block-booked tickets worth Rs 40 crore (net collections) out of Rs 80 crore the film collected in a week's time. This shows how excessive block booking has become.”
Analysts say that when block bookings outpace organic audience demand, films often struggle at the box office. A higher reliance on block bookings, trade experts note, also signals weaker content and poor long-term performance.
"Audiences cannot be hoodwinked. If a viewer books a ticket and finds 90% of the auditorium empty, the film is doomed through word-of-mouth," Nahta added.
Block booking occurs in several ways. Producers buy tickets in bulk for their affiliates. Corporations—especially brands associated with film stars—purchase tickets as part of endorsement deals, with ticket values often counted as part of a star’s remuneration. Additionally, producers barter tickets in exchange for services.
A producer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Producers typically set aside 2-10% of a film’s budget for block booking after gauging the response to its trailer. They consider this a marketing expense.”
Trade analysts argue that block booking is often used when producers lack confidence in their films’ ability to attract audiences. By artificially inflating opening weekend figures, they aim to negotiate better deals with streaming platforms.
Movie trade analyst Girish Wankhede remarked, “Allocating a film’s budget to boost its first three-day collection is a recent phenomenon, but it’s not an honest approach. The aim is clear—producers inflate box office numbers to secure higher prices for digital and satellite rights.”
A recent box office forecast by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media found that corporate bookings do not translate into sustained footfalls. Initial spikes in collections fail to hold if the film does not meet audience expectations.
Ameya Naik, producer and founder of Fantasy Films, said, “If a film’s trailer is well received, audience footfalls will grow organically. Block booking reflects a lack of confidence in one’s own creation. And audiences are smart enough to recognize this tactic."
Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar dominate India’s 2024 streaming charts
7:59 AM
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 24, 2025)
Prime Video and Netflix topped India’s 15 most-viewed Hindi streaming shows in 2024, while Disney+ Hotstar led in Tamil and Telugu, according to Ormax Media’s ‘Streaming Originals in India - The 2024 Story’ report.
The report emphasized the dominance of platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar, which collectively have an estimated 70 million subscribers. It highlighted the growing role of regional content and franchise-driven formats in shaping India’s streaming landscape.
Netflix and Prime Video each had five entries in the top 15 Hindi streaming shows. Mirzapur Season 3 was the most-watched Hindi series with 30.8 million viewers, followed by Prime Video's Panchayat Season 3 (28.2 million) and Netflix’s Heeramandi (21.5 million). The viewership estimates were based on primary data, according to Ormax.
In the non-fiction OTT category, JioCinema's Bigg Boss OTT Season 3 led with 17.8 million viewers. Netflix’s The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 1 ranked second with 15.7 million viewers, while SonyLIV's Shark Tank India Season 3 secured 12.5 million viewers.
The report also highlights a wide variety of unscripted genres, spanning TV extensions, documentaries, game shows, and reality formats driven by influencers.
Netflix also dominated Hindi direct-to-digital films claiming 11 of the top 15 spots, with Do Patti leading at 15.1 million viewers, followed by Sector 36 (13.9 million) and Sikandar Ka Muqaddar (13.5 million).
“Audiences today seek more choices—across stories, devices—and we’re here to meet that demand,” said Monika Shergill, Netflix India’s vice president, content. “The sheer convenience of streaming with improved accessibility and broadband and CTV market growth is leading to a revolution in how we consume our entertainment. Exceptional storytelling enhanced by quality subtitles and dubbing in several languages is enabling more stories to travel and be consumed by more audiences in India and around the globe."
She further noted, “At Netflix, originals like Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Amar Singh Chamkila, The Great Indian Kapil Show, and blockbuster movie slates in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu have demonstrated how entertainment and experience can together become the key drivers of streaming growth.”
Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals, Prime Video India, stated that Indian audiences are open to good stories regardless of language, format, or genre. He highlighted Prime Video's success in engaging audiences across languages with titles like Mirzapur Season 3, Panchayat Season 3, Inspector Rishi, and global hits like The Boys and The Rings of Power.
"We are in a unique time, a renaissance in Indian entertainment, where all kinds of stories are being told and all genres are being explored on streaming. We will continue to collaborate with the finest creators and storytellers from India and around the world to offer our customers some of the most dynamic, fresh, out-of-the-box stories," he said.
Last year, Netflix and Prime Video unveiled ambitious content slates. Netflix’s 2024 slate included 14 shows and eight films, while Prime Video India announced plans to release 70 series and films over the next two years.
In regional content, Disney+ Hotstar's Save The Tigers Season 2 (5 million viewers) and Prime Video's Inspector Rishi (4.9 million viewers) were the top Telugu and Tamil shows, respectively. Disney+ Hotstar dominated the top 10 lists in both languages, with four Telugu and seven Tamil entries.
Netflix’s Squid Game Season 2 became the most-watched international show of 2024 with 19.6 million viewers, securing its place as India’s all-time leader. Among international films, Prime Video’s Road House led with 6 million viewers.
While the report excluded YouTube Originals, it acknowledged the success of India’s Got Latent on Samay Raina’s YouTube channel, which could have ranked in the top three.
According to Ormax, the report evaluated the top original shows and films released in 2024 in Hindi, International, Telugu, and Tamil across parameters such as viewership, marketing buzz, and content strength. It focused exclusively on original content, excluding theatrical films, catch-up TV, sports, and other non-original streaming content.
Dubbed Hindi films on a roll, clock 5x surge in box office collections
7:55 AM
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 20, 2025)
Films dubbed in Hindi saw a nearly fivefold jump in collection to Rs 1,464 crore in 2024 from Rs 295 crore, according to the 2024 Box Office Report of media and entertainment research and consulting firm Ormax Media.
On the other hand, films made in Hindi language saw a 37% dip in collection to Rs 3215 crore from Rs 5085 crore in the previous year.
The share of dubbed Hindi films in the total collection of films in Hindi language surged to 31.2% in 2024 from about 6% in 2023, according to the report.
“The increasing contribution of dubbed films to the Hindi box office can be attributed to successful storytelling in south Indian films, particularly Telugu cinema. This aligns more closely with the evolving preferences of Hindi theatrical audiences and their perception of ‘theatrical worthiness’ of films,” said Sanket Kulkarni, head of business development (theatrical), at Ormax Media.
“Increasing viewership of films on streaming platforms and box-office successes of several dubbed films have encouraged exploration of diverse cinemas beyond Hindi. These factors have greatly increased audience comfort of watching dubbed content in theatres.”
Among the dubbed southern films released in 2024, Pushpa 2 – The Rule contributed Rs 889 crore and Kalki 2898 AD contributed Rs 348 crore to the Hindi film collection.
Producer Rajesh R Nair, known for films such as Kaminey and Adipurush, said, “Today, southern films are targeting the northern Hindi market. After Allu Arjun released Pushpa 2 – The Rule’s trailer in Patna, Bihar, Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi released a song of their upcoming film Thandel in Varanasi. This strategy is working because the audience in the northern market knows them.”
He added, “Crossover southern films are giving much better content than Hindi films in the past two to three years. Recently, makers of Pushpa 2: The Rule added 20 minutes to their film and released it in theatres. This addition has increased a day’s collection by two times in the past two days. This shows how audiences are clued into dubbed Hindi films.”
Trade analysts estimate that the collection of the dubbed Hindi Pushpa 2 – The Rule jumped to Rs 45-50 lakh from Rs 15 lakh between Friday and Saturday. Even a mid-budget Malayalam film Marco, which was hardly promoted before its release, has attracted audiences and collected Rs 13 crore in its Hindi dubbed version.
Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director, Karmic Films, said, “South Indian cinema continues to transcend boundaries, captivating audiences across India. Blockbusters like Pushpa 2: The Rule, Kalki 2898 AD, Maharaja and Jailer have redefined pan-India success with their gripping stories, breathtaking visuals and unmatched appeal in Hindi-dubbed versions, proving that great cinema speaks a universal language.”
He further said, “As 2025 unfolds, south Indian cinema promises another wave of box-office triumphs. With highly anticipated releases like Coolie, L2: Empuraan, Kantara: Chapter 2 and Thug Life, the stage is set for these films to captivate audiences, redefine storytelling and continue the legacy of pan-India success in Hindi-dubbed versions.”
Producer Rajesh R Nair concurred, saying, “I think the contribution of dubbed Hindi films to the total Hindi collection will grow much higher than their contribution in 2024. But more than dubbed Hindi films, in 2025, we will also see southern actors in pivotal roles in Hindi films. A lot of conversations are happening on these lines in the industry. So, the crossover is becoming larger.”
One of the biggest Hindi releases of 2025, War 2, has Telugu actor NT Rama Rao Jr. Besides, Kannada actor Rishab Shetty will play Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the upcoming biopic The Pride of Bharat: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Pushpa blooms again, but takings for 2024 wilt a bit
8:05 AM
BO collections down 3% on waning crowds, dependence on higher ticket price, big grossers
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; January 12, 2025)
Mumbai: Indian cinema’s box office receipts totalled Rs. 11,833 crore in 2024, marking the second-highest collection after hitting a record in the previous year, according to Ormax Media's annual box office report.
Box office receipts declined 3.21% from Rs. 12,226 crore in 2023, while footfall fell a steeper 6% year-on-year to 883 million, well below the pre-pandemic peak footfall of over 1 billion recorded in 2019, indicating increased dependence on average ticket price (ATP), which went up 3% to reach a historic high of Rs. 134.
Kannada and Telugu films saw ATP hikes owing to government cess and premium pricing, while Hollywood and Hindi films recorded the highest ATP of Rs. 245 and Rs. 203, respectively.
Sanket Kulkarni, head of business development (theatrical) at Ormax, saw the trend of relying on higher ticket prices rather than increased footfall to drive box office revenue continuing, signalling that cinema-going is increasingly becoming an event-driven activity, rather than a habit, especially in the case of Hindi films.
“Release schedule optimization, better supply of films, understanding the changing taste of the audiences and strategic utilization of franchises would be key for maximizing box office collections in 2025,” he said.
Hindi cinema faced a tough year, with collections falling 13% year-on-year to Rs. 4,679 crore, reducing its share by four percentage points to 40%. Despite hits such as Pushpa 2: The Rule (Hindi) and Stree 2, only six original Hindi films crossed receipts of Rs. 100 crore each, compared to 16 in 2023.
Shift in Audience Preferences
Notably, 31% of Hindi cinema’s revenue came from dubbed south Indian films, and collection from original Hindi films fell 37% on-year. Footfall declined 16% to 230 million, significantly below the pre-pandemic levels of more than 300 million. Experts said that despite declining footfall, Indian cinema showed resilience in 2024, with revenue driven largely by a few blockbusters. They highlighted significant growth in regional cinema, suggesting a shift in audience preferences, even as they cautioned that sustaining engagement would remain a key challenge.
“Though there has been a decline in terms of footfall, 2024 has been a year of tentpole movies and amongst them, Pushpa 2 turned out to be the biggest, holding the pole position of the highest grosser in Indian cinema, beating Bahubali 2's record by collecting Rs 1,200-plus crore,” said Nitin Menon, managing partner of NV Capital.
“Though the overall box office collection is similar to 2023’s, the worry is footfall, which is below pre-pandemic levels. High ticket prices, shorter OTT (over-the-top) windows and a lack of good content continue to be large factors in the dipping occupancy levels.”
Karan Taurani, senior vice-president at Elara Capital, said regional film markets continued to thrive, while the Hindi film industry faced challenges. “I wouldn’t be surprised if box office collection drops by 20% in 2025, especially if Hollywood films underperform. The decline in footfall has become a persistent issue and rising average ticket prices are insufficient to offset the losses,” he said.
Regional Touch
Malayalam cinema had its best year yet, with box office revenue surging 104% from the previous year to Rs 1,165 crore, doubling its share to 10%. Footfall increased 88% to 12.6 crore, driven by hits such as Manjummel Boys and Aavesham, which performed well even outside Kerala. Telugu cinema set a record with Rs 2,348 crore in box office revenue, up 4% from the year ago, though footfall dropped 12% to 213 million. This marked the third consecutive year that Telugu cinema exceeded Rs 2,000 crore, led by Pushpa 2 and Kalki 2898 AD.
Kalki 2898 AD brings Indian box office back to life; expected to collect Rs. 900 crore worldwide
8:17 AM
Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; July 2, 2024)
The Telugu epic sci-fi film Kalki 2898 AD has buoyed the Indian film box office market by garnering over Rs 350 crore in domestic and over Rs 500 crore in global box office collections including India.
According to film trade website Sacnilk, the film grossed Rs 369 crore domestically and Rs 146 crore from overseas markets in the first four days since its release on June 27.
The film, which draws inspiration from Hindu mythology and features Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani, is the first major blockbuster hit of 2024 in an otherwise underwhelming first half due to a lack of big releases.
As per Ormax Media, the cumulative domestic box office collection stood at Rs 3,791 crore between January and May, with Fighter and Hanu-Man being the only films to gross over Rs 200 crore at the box office.
Experts believe that Kalki has done well across segments and markets due to its star power, strong content, and high-quality production value.
"Kalki is doing well not just in metros but also in non-metros. The film has a healthy mix of star power and content. The production quality and the VFX are also very good," said film trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
While concurring with Adarsh, Elara Capital SVP Karan Taurani said the film could collect box office collections of up to Rs 700 crore domestically and up to Rs 900 crore worldwide.
Cinepolis India MD Devang Sampat said the footfalls of cinema, though 15% below the pre-pandemic level, will remain at the same level in 2024 and 2023.
"The footfalls in the first half have remained at the same level as in 2023. In the second half, films like Kalki, Pushpa 2, and Singham Again are expected to drive footfalls," he noted.
According to Ormax, the total cinema footfalls stood at 943 million in 2023, compared to 1.03 billion in 2019.
Miraj Entertainment MD Amit Sharma said Kalki is the second biggest Telugu film opening ever after Baahubali 2. "Kalki is undoubtedly a pan-India film, considering its diverse cast from the Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil film industries. The movie has done fantastic business overall."
Experts note that the second half of the year will see a rebound of the box office after a lull in the first half due to the Indian Premier League (IPL), the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and the general elections.
"The content line-up looks promising across both Indian and Hollywood films. We have strong franchise-based films like Pushpa 2 - The Rule and Singham Again. There are other mid-budget movies that could do well," Taurani added.
Adarsh said it's difficult to predict the box office numbers for the second half due to the volatile nature of the film and exhibition industries.
"With upcoming releases like Sarfira, Indian 2, Bad Newz, and Deadpool & Wolverine in July, the box office numbers should remain strong, similar to the performance we saw last year in August," said Miraj Entertainment’s Sharma.
I want to create unforgettable characters-Alia Bhatt
8:44 AM
Topping list of fastest growing stars, Alia credits her offbeat movie choices for audiences’ love; Taapsee comes second
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 12, 2018)
From selecting movies that steer clear of the run- of- the- mill to making their voice heard on social media, Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma and Taapsee Pannu are writing their own rules in an industry that is believed to be a tough place, more so for women. Not surprising then that the trio emerged the ‘fastest growing female stars’ in an annual research conducted by Ormax, a company acknowledged as pioneers of film research in India. The study saw a star’s ascent being determined on the basis of three parameters — their films released last year, their upcoming slate of projects and their growth on social media.Thrilled about topping the list, Bhatt says that her passion for films is what prompts her to explore complex characters on screen. “My characters are what I will leave behind in life. My goal is to make memorable movies and create unforgettable characters,” she says.
Point out how her popularity on the Internet too plays a role in her bagging the top spot and she says that when it comes to her social media accounts, she is “ just a regular girl having fun”. “I am more active on Instagram and it is filled with pictures of my cat. I give them [her followers] a glimpse of my life. But I also try to make sure that if I am saying things, it should serve some purpose. I want to have a distinct voice of my own.”
Pannu ranks second on the list courtesy a commercial success in Judwaa 2 last year. Her ‘call a spade a spade’ attitude too resonates with her fans. Stating that such acceptance from the audience gives a boost to an outsider like her, she says, “[It’s encouraging] for someone like me who did not know anyone in the film industry, had no multi-film deals with studios or any godfather to fall back on. Wherever I am today is because of my audience and that’s what pushes me to do better.”
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