Box office blues are forcing brands to rethink their Bollywood bets

Uncertainty at the box office has left advertisers jittery. The recent failure of high-profile star movies has made brands rethink the viability of big-ticket Hindi film endorsements.

- Lata Jha

As several southern films dubbed in Hindi gain popularity, south Indian stars are emerging as pan-India icons. Influencers, too, are enjoying a surge—delivering loyal followings and sharper targeting at better value.

For mass-market brands, sports stars, especially cricketers, remain a reliable bet thanks to their dual visibility in IPL and Team India. Yet, despite rising caution, the emotional draw of movie stars continues to hold sway, especially in high-recall mass campaigns.

"Brands are definitely treading more carefully around big-ticket Bollywood endorsements lately. When a superstar's film underperforms, brands worry about the halo effect—not just reach but relevance," said Neelesh Pednekar, co-founder and head of digital media at Social Pill, a marketing agency.