Fewer viewers, bigger fortunes: Bollywood's new blockbuster economy

With the action blockbuster Dhurandhar officially crossing the ₹870 crore mark, it has become the first original Hindi-language film to breach the ₹800 crore threshold.

- Lata Jha

The milestone signals a seismic industry shift: Bollywood hits now generate far higher revenues than in the pre-covid era.

Period drama Chhaava, horror comedy Stree 2 and Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan helped establish the ₹600-crore club over the past three years. Earlier benchmarks were set by Pathaan, Gadar 2 and Animal,—the first Hindi films to cross the ₹500-crore mark.

In fact, nine of the top 10 highest-grossing Bollywood titles of all time were released in the post-pandemic period.

While inflated ticket prices played a role, trade experts say polarization has become far starker than before. Audiences may be coming to cinemas for fewer films, but when they find larger-than-life content compelling, they turn up in huge numbers—and repeatedly.