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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Big-budget clash with south films to test Bollywood mettle
Bollywood's theatrical revival faces a crucial test in the latter half of 2025 as big-budget Hindi films clash with highly anticipated southern releases. With films like 'War 2' and 'Coolie' vying for audience attention, the box office battle could significantly impact revenue, potentially costing each film ₹20-40 crore in North India alone. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: A clash for box office share between big-budget Hindi and southern films in the next few months will put the theatrical revival of Bollywood to the test, say producers and trade big southern films-Coolie (Tamil), Kantara: Chapter 1 (Kannada) and The Raja Saab (Telugu)-are scheduled for release in the second half of 2025. Their release dates clash directly with Bollywood movies War 2, Ikkis, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and each of these films having an estimated budget of ₹150-400 crore, the stakes are second half of 2025 began on a promising note for Bollywood with the unexpected success of the mid-budget Saiyaara, which has raked in ₹175 crore in box-office collections since its July 18 release. But the market dynamics will be different for the upcoming releases. This is the first time since the pandemic when the release dates of big southern films are clashing with Hindi films of similar scale."Post-pandemic, the lines between regional and Hindi films have blurred," said producer and film business expert Girish Johar. "Today, audiences want the best content. So, if there is a formidable southern film aimed at a pan-India audience ... it does impact the box office potential of the competing Hindi film."Bollywood producers often avoid clashes with southern films, as loyal audiences of southern films shun Hindi movies to watch their favourite stars on screen. A blockbuster pan-India film form the south could reduce the box office potential of a competing Hindi film by 10-20%, according to trade experts."When tentpole films clash, the impact at the box office is far deeper than just opening-day collections," said Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director of Karmic Films. "Screens are shared. Show timings are compromised. In north India alone, a high-stakes clash can mean a ₹20-40 crore loss in revenues for each film."Revenue from digital, satellite and overseas rights will also take a hit, say distributors. They suggest a solo release of a big-budget Hindi or southern film as a practical solution."A well-timed solo release can improve legs at the box office, optimise holdover weeks and elevate a film from a ₹300 crore hit to a ₹500 crore blockbuster," said Wadhwa of Karmic Films."Clashes are always bad for business," said Rajesh R Nair, the producer of Hindi films such as Kaminey and Adipurush. Southern films are tracking well, especially Kantara: Chapter 1, one of the most awaited sequels, he said. He also expects strong competition to the upcoming Bollywood movies from Rajinikanth's Coolie and the Prabhas-starrer horror-comedy: The Raja trade analysts believe that the timing of these releases may work in their favour, as these will be released on public holidays when footfalls are usually high in theatres."Also, the genres of these competing films are different. These films will be accommodated," said Girish Wankhede, a movie trade analyst. But in the long run, he said "only the content of these films will work".While the success of Saiyaara was encouraging, theatres also recorded noteworthy contributions from Hollywood films such as Superman, Jurassic World: Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Apart from Indian films, Hollywood movies such as Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash are also scheduled for release in the second half of to media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media, the second half of 2025 is likely to contribute 52% to the all-India box office revenue of ₹13,500 crore estimated for 2025.
Mint
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Indian films hold ground overseas despite geopolitical tensions
Despite global geopolitical tensions, overseas business of Indian films remains steady for now. Trade experts say while concerns loom, key markets like the UAE could be impacted by West Asia conflicts. However, recent releases such as Kesari Chapter 2, Housefull 5, and Sitaare Zameen Par have not taken a hit. 'While such geopolitical tensions affect the mindset of viewers, and create concerns from a security point of view, where people may not like to venture out of home, there isn't a big dent as of now," film producer, trade and exhibition expert Girish Johar said. According to Johar, the US, the UK and West Asia are the three most important overseas markets for Indian film business, followed by Australia and New Zealand. Aamir Khan-starrer Sitaare Zameen Par, which released late June, collected $3.10 million ( ₹26.83 crore) in its opening weekend overseas, while ensemble comedy Housefull 5 clocked $4.05 million ( ₹34.69 crore). Despite global headwinds and the growing popularity of alternative entertainment formats, experts said film business—both in India and abroad—hinges on the buzz around the titles. That said, the whole habit of going to theatres has declined globally since the pandemic, driven by high ticket prices and a lack of compelling content. Over the past few months, with the exception of period drama Chhaava, and later Housefull 5 and Sitaare Zameen Par, not much high-profile Hindi language content has created a stir in cinemas. 'When there is good content on offer, it works," said Bhumika Tiwari, head of content acquisition and film distribution (worldwide) at Dharma Productions. 'While there isn't much to worry about at this point, even in conservative MENA (Middle East and North Africa) territories, one concern is that second and third generation Indians in diaspora markets watch English language content more. So it isn't clear if there is great affinity for Indian cinema there," Tiwari added. Some uncertainty also stems from policy changes. In early May, US President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on movies produced outside the country, citing a "very fast death" of the American film industry due to incentives that other countries were offering to lure filmmakers. Though the exact impact of the policy remains unclear, such a move could raise acquisition costs for Indian distributors and lead to higher ticket prices there. The US is a significant market for Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. 'The hope is that government policies would not hamper business and all decisions will be taken in the interest of free trade," film distributor and exhibitor Akshaye Rathi said. The nature of the diaspora is similar to that of domestic audiences. "If the film does well in India, it also tends to do well overseas," he said, adding that the general lull overseas lately has been because of absence of good content.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hollywood films breathe fresh life into Indian box office
Mumbai: Hollywood has delivered a box office boost in India after a two-month lull, with Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Final Destination: Bloodlines, and Lilo & Stitch collectively grossing Rs 124.79 crore in less than two weeks. In comparison, barring outliers like Chhaava – which had an extended run after releasing on February 14 to collect Rs 716.6 crore – and Raid 2 (Rs 163.2 crore), most Hindi films have flopped or underperformed at the box office in the past two months, data from box office research firm Sacnilk showed. 'In the peak summer box office period, barring Raid 2, no other Hindi film has performed well,' producer and film business expert Girish Johar said. 'It was a surprise that the recently released English films have done exceedingly well. I think both Final Destination and Mission Impossible franchises can cumulatively gross over Rs 160 crore in the coming week. The Hollywood films are likely to make a steady contribution to the Indian box office in the coming months,' he added. So far, Lilo & Stitch, the Disney animation released on Friday, has collected Rs 4.17 crore in India, while Final Destination and Mission Impossible, released a week earlier, have collected Rs 45.2 crore and Rs 75.42 crore, respectively. Live Events Experts attribute the success of these films to a few key factors. Mission Impossible benefited from a loyal franchise fan base, Tom Cruise's massive following—bolstered by his trademark stunt work—and the appeal of it being the final chapter in the series. In the case of Final Destination, a gripping script and the decision to break away from the franchise's usual formula helped the film stand out, they said. 'Final Destination: Bloodlines comes 14 years after the last instalment in the franchise, so audience interest was naturally high. It's also arguably the best in the series, thanks to its strong script and impressive special effects,' said Girish Wankhede, a film trade analyst. 'Since most films from both franchises are already available on streaming platforms, they've built a solid fan base in India—which helped boost their box office collections,' he added. According to recent reports, Final Destination is doing better in terms of return on investment, having grossed $180 million in the US on a modest $50 million budget. Mission Impossible has so far earned $204 million against an estimated budget of $230–270 million. Its upcoming May 30 release in China is expected to give it a significant boost in global box office numbers. In the coming months, a strong line-up of popular Hollywood franchise films is expected to make a steady contribution to India's box office performance. 'Going ahead, the Hollywood line-up in India is poised to sustain the current box office momentum,' said Suniel Wadhwa, cofounder and director of Karmic Films . 'Titles like Karate Kid: Legends, How to Train Your Dragon (live-action), Jurassic World: Rebirth, and Superman offer a compelling mix of nostalgia, animation, and superhero storytelling. These franchises enjoy a strong fan base among Indian audiences.' In 2024, Hollywood films contributed Rs 941 crore to the Indian box office—an 8% share of the total Rs 11,833 crore—according to a report by media and entertainment research firm Ormax Media .
