Bollywood films wait in the wings as box office uncertainty, crowded calendars play havoc

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Even as recent blockbusters such as Dhurandhar and Border 2 have delivered strong box office returns, Bollywood studios and filmmakers remain wary of theatrical volatility, prompting many to delay release date announcements and adopt more cautious launch strategies. Despite the success of big-ticket films, the broader theatrical market continues to see uneven audience turnout, with only a handful of titles drawing significant footfalls.

As a result, some studios are trying to avoid box office clashes, while others are stepping up investments in post-production and visual effects to attract increasingly selective cinema audiences. While it is common for big-budget films to lock release dates months, or even a year, in advance, several projects featuring popular stars have held back from confirming theatrical timelines. These include Alia Bhatt’s Alpha and Baap, starring Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol, among others, despite being in development for a long time.

Meanwhile, smaller-budget independent films such as Anurag Kashyap’s Kennedy have struggled to secure theatrical showcasing. Yash Raj Films’ Alpha, initially scheduled for December 2025, pushed its release to April 2026 citing additional VFX requirements. The studio later indicated it would avoid clashing with Salman Khan-starrer Battle of Galwan in April and will decide on a fresh release date later.

“Studios are very cautious about quality today, and we are all trying to ensure that everything from pre to post-production, be it VFX, editing nuances, sound, or requisite patchwork, is perfect. Externally, the business environment too has changed significantly. The release calendar is crowded, and films today are not judged only by