Hollywood's niche films thrive in India with urban audience embracing original versions
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Big-ticket Hollywood franchises have long drawn audiences across metros and tier-two and tier-three cities, aided by Hindi, Tamil and Telugu dubs. But after a prolonged post-pandemic lull, smaller, niche titles — often with limited or no dubbed versions — are also regaining theatrical traction.Recent successes underline the shift.
Michael, a biopic on singer Michael Jackson, has earned over ₹50 crore in India at last count. Earlier, sports drama F1: The Movie crossed the ₹100 crore mark.
The performance of such dramas and content-driven titles suggests audiences are receptive to less grand, more experimental subjects.Trade experts say there is a viewer base — largely urban-centric — that turns up for such cinema, making for a viable value proposition despite limited localization. Premium formats such as IMAX have further amplified appeal, repositioning these films from OTT-friendly titles to big-screen experiences.Science fiction film Project Hail Mary recently made over ₹70 crore in India, while earlier, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer had clocked over ₹100 crore in 2023.“Non-dubbed Hollywood has settled into a clear pattern in India.
It plays as a premium, urban-led segment that delivers steady box office without trying to compete with the mass market,” said Ashish Misra, head of commercialization, Cinépolis India.While Michael has emerged as the biggest musical biopic ever in the country, F1: The Movie was one of the major contributors to the June 2025 box office in a month dominated by Hindi and Telugu releases. It crossed ₹100 crore without leaning on a Hindi version, with a higher than usual share coming from large formats like IMAX and 4DX, Misra said, which is the clearest
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