Stars greenlight projects as viewers return to theatres

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Bollywood films drawing audiences back to the cinemas. While announcements are still pending, Salman has reportedly agreed to sign Sooraj Barjatya’s next family drama, and an action movie by director Vishnu Vardhan. Aamir Khan has reserved Christmas 2024 for a project yet to be named, while Akshay Kumar notified a sequel to the Welcome film franchise, eight years after the last project.

Producers and studio executives highlighted a renewed sense of momentum in the industry. While remaining cautious, actors and filmmakers are eager to kickstart new projects, following signs of a revival. However, there are concerns over the issue of star fees, with producers exercising caution following months of disruptions.

“With superstars, there is a certain amount of responsibility and financial burden riding on them, so they have to be circumspect about what to sign. Over the last year or two, they have been looking out for the right projects and some kind of momentum is now built on the bumper box office run we’ve seen in August and September," Shariq Patel, chief business officer, Zee Studios, said. These successes may not be solely attributed to individual choices, as anything agreed upon today will come to fruition at least 18 months down the road.

However, the overall positive sentiment in the market is certainly helping, Patel added. Film industry experts said that the past year saw the business crumble under the weight of several projects that were greenlit before the pandemic but didn’t find takers at the box office. Additionally, there was debate over whether the habit of going to cinemas was disrupted.