Blockbuster movies step up mall footfall

"Demand was weak in the first nine months of the (calendar) year. But, starting Diwali, releases like Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Singham Again, Mufasa: The Lion King, and now Pushpa 2, we've got the footfalls back," Dantara said.

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centers across several cities with tenants including H&M, Zara and Sephora. Footfalls doubled after falling in the half year ended September, he said. "This has obviously helped consumption. Cinema has done reasonably well among other categories in the mall."

Multiplexes boost footfall at shopping centres, particularly on weekends, spurring consumption of everything from fast food and apparel to high-value jewellery. Higher inflation and slowdown in government spending during the general election, however, cooled consumption. That partly reflected in India's GDP growing at its slowest pace in seven quarters in the quarter through September at 5.4%.

The festival season, however, was expected to aid a revival as retailers usually offer discounts and attractive schemes to lure shoppers back.