Overview
- Trade assessments put Hindi cinema’s 2025 success rate near 10%, with roughly 10 ‘plus’ performers out of more than 100 theatrical releases.
- Dhurandhar leads the year with a global haul above Rs 1,000 crore and tops the Hindi domestic chart, with Chhaava at about Rs 808 crore and Saiyaara near Rs 570 crore, while Kannada title Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 grossed roughly Rs 852 crore worldwide.
- Distributors, filmmakers and analysts urge renewed investment in writing and music, asserting that content quality drives runs as word-of-mouth overtakes star pull after opening day.
- Industry figures say steep star fees can swallow up to half a film’s budget, squeezing writing, casting and songs, while corporate bulk bookings and influencer-heavy pushes are criticized as masking true demand.
- Affordability concerns persist as multiplex pricing bites and screen counts lag far behind China, with Rs 99 Tuesday surges cited as evidence that lower prices draw audiences.