Festive season opening act fails to shake off Bollywood script’s gloom

The opening act of the crucial festive season hasn't stirred Indian movie theatres out of their slump, threatening to end the year with a thud.

- Lata Jha

Their only big-budget hope is Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar, besides a few dark horses.

At last count, Dharma Productions’ Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari had made only around 338 crore, and even the Kannada fantasy thriller Kantara has received traction only in specific markets, including the Hindi belt and Karnataka, Thamma, scheduled for a Diwali release, has generated mixed buzz so far.

Key holidays such as Diwali and Christmas will be celebrated in the coming weeks, but the absence of big star vehicles is pretty evident, says Rahul Puri, managing director of Mukta Arts and Mukta A2 Cinemas.

The festive quarter—the October to December period—usually brings in about 30% of the annual box office income.

Yet, exhibitors’ income could end only 5-10% higher this year than in 2024, according to trade experts and film producers, but is likely to miss the benchmark set in 2023.