Theatres face slow start to 2025 with few major releases

Despite an all-time hit like Pushpa 2, trade experts said Hindi film revenue in 2024 will be 30-40% lower

- Lata Jha

Theatre owners anticipate a lukewarm start to the year, with the initial slate from Bollywood bereft of any mainstream commercial entertainers and big star films. The pipeline is led by Kangana Ranaut's Emergency, period drama Azaad, and Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva in January that will give way to war epic Chhaava and Karan Johar's Dhadak 2 in February.

With several parts of north India already struggling with the cold, cinemas fear a lull with no immediate respite. To be sure, this could add to box office woes. Despite an all-time blockbuster like Pushpa 2: The Rule, trade experts estimate Hindi film revenue in 2024 to be at least 30-40% lower than 2023, and the overall Indian movie box office, across languages, likely flat or 10-15% lower than the previous year.

While the Hindi version of Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule has crossed the ₹800 crore mark, Chauhan said there's nothing new or exciting on offer.