Theatres brace for tepid start to the year as initial Bollywood line-up disappoints

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Theatre owners feel they are in for a lukewarm start to the year with the initial Bollywood line-up bereft of any mainstream commercial entertainers or big star films. The pipeline is led by Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency, period drama Azaad, and Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva in January that will give way to war epic Chhaava and Karan Johar’s Dhadak 2 in February.

With several parts of north India already struggling with the cold, cinemas fear a lull with no immediate respite. Also read: Bollywood stars discover niche film roles to prove versatility don’t always bring box office success To be sure, this could add to existing box office woes. Despite an all-time hit like Pushpa 2: The Rule, trade experts estimate Hindi film revenue in 2024 to be at least 30-40% lower than in 2023, and the overall Indian movie box office, across languages, likely flat or 10-15% lower than the previous year.

While the Hindi version of Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule has crossed the ₹800 crore mark, Chauhan said there is nothing new or exciting on offer. While Pushpa 2, an early December release, would be exhausting its run soon, another action film from the south, Game Changer starring Ram Charan is slated for the Pongal weekend along with action thriller Fateh featuring Sonu Sood and Jacqueline Fernandez. However, neither has generated any buzz.