Foreseeing muted March quarter, Bollywood now pins hopes on summer
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. With the January to March quarter having remained mostly dull so far and unlikely to spring up any pleasant surprises going ahead, film exhibitors and trade experts are now pinning hopes on the summer to do the trick for the movie business.
The cumulative box office for the first three months of 2024 stood at ₹2,590 crore, and cinema owners are expecting similar, or 5-10% higher figures, this year, given that this is traditionally a time of school and college examinations and cold weather in most of the country. Also Read | Reel revolution: How micro-dramas are redefining entertainment This year, the only outlier in Hindi cinema has been the period drama Chhaava starring Vicky Kaushal, which was nearing the ₹500 crore mark at last count.
However, other releases such as Sky Force ( ₹131.20 crore), Deva ( ₹31.94 crore) and Emergency ( ₹16.52 crore) have performed below par, with a few regional language releases such as Sankranti Vasthunam and Thandel in Telugu, Rekhachitram in Malayalam and Umbarro in Gujarati, saving the day. “The quarter is progressing in line with our expectations.
The Sankranti or Pongal period saw strong audience reception for regional releases like Sankranti Vasthunam, Game Changer, and Daaku Maharaaj. Bollywood, however, began on a quieter note, with titles like Emergency, Azaad, Loveyapa, Fateh, Deva, and Sky Force underperforming," Devang Sampat, managing director of Cinepolis India, said.
Interestingly, re-releases outshone several new releases, with Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Sanam Teri Kasam delivering impressive results, he added. Also Read | Young southern actors outperform Bollywood peers in box office openings To be sure, despite surprises such as Chhaav
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