Multiplex chains expect Dec to be one of the best-performing months in 2025

2025 expected to see the highest box office collection

With films across genres and languages hitting screens in December -- from Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar to the patriotic Ikkis featuring the late Dharmendra, to Hollywood’s Avatar: Fire and Ash -- cinema exhibitors expect the month’s box-office tally to clock between ₹1,500 crore and ₹2,000 crore, setting it up as one of 2025’s standout performing months.

 

The industry is anticipating 2025 to deliver around ₹13,500 crore in overall box-office collections, which would cement it as India’s strongest box-office year after 2023. Multiplex chains, which struggled with footfall last year before Pushpa 2: The Rule reignited demand, have already expanded show counts to stay ahead of rising demand. PVR INOX expects the momentum to hold firm through the month.

 

Driving that momentum is the spy action thriller Dhurandhar, which crossed the ₹100 crore mark over its opening weekend. The Jio Studios and B62 Studios production has collected ₹218 crore domestically in seven days, according to film trade analyst Girish Wankhede.

 

The December mopup could touch roughly ₹1,500 crore, said Devang Sampat, managing director of Cinepolis India. He noted that the month’s diversity of releases is enabling theatres to sustain steady occupancies rather than hinge their fortunes on a single blockbuster weekend. Miraj Entertainment Managing Director Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, however, pegs December’s total closer to ₹2,000 crore. So far, October remains the year’s highest-grossing month, with ₹1,669 crore at the India box office, powered by Kantara: A Legend-Chapter 1, according to Ormax Media.

 

“We have an excellent content line-up this month across action, romance, drama, and the upcoming patriotic film Ikkis, which gives us the confidence to cater to a wide spectrum of audience preferences,” said Gautam Dutta, chief executive officer–revenue and operations, PVR INOX. “Avatar: Fire and Ash releases on December 19, and Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri arrives on December 25, along with several major regional releases.”

 

“Instead of betting on a single segment, our strategy is to optimise show programming across all strong-performing titles. To maximise footfall, we have increased show counts wherever demand is high. Many cinemas are running early-morning screenings and stretching into late-night shows to accommodate audiences,” said Dutta.

 

Cinepolis India had sold 1 million tickets for Dhurandhar by Thursday, while PVR INOX reported steady occupancies of over 50 per cent throughout the week, buoyed by repeat viewing.

 

Wankhede added that the film’s first three days brought in about ₹103 crore in India, and its weekday collections on Wednesday and Thursday outpaced Tuesday, a day typically supported by special ticket offers.

 

“Dhurandhar has become a phenomenon. Its worldwide collection stands at ₹313.75 crore. Every character from the film is catching on with audiences through social media -- with Akshaye Khanna’s dance and performance going viral -- songs, and background score,” he said. “Despite its more-than-three-hour runtime, the entertainment quotient and engagement level surpass what many other films offer. At this rate, it could become one of the biggest releases of the year, with the potential to cross Chhaava’s mark.”

 

Off the back of this performance, industry watchers expect this year to surpass 2024’s overall haul and top 2023’s record ₹12,226 crore. Cumulative collections for January–October are up 24 per cent year-on-year at ₹11,077 crore, Ormax Media said, and the firm forecasts the year to close near ₹13,500 crore.

 

This year, Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend–Chapter 1 drew 6,00,000 repeat viewers, according to BookMyShow. Re-releases lured 5.8 million cinemagoers back to theatres, while Bengaluru logged the highest number of screenings between midnight and 6 am for the second consecutive year.

 

“Audiences in 2025 have clearly shown a preference for films that combine strong direction, compelling storytelling, emotional depth and true theatrical scale,” said Satwik Lele, chief operating officer, Mukta A2 Cinemas. “Viewers are choosing movies that offer a complete big-screen experience rather than just star value. While this has brought audiences back in a big way, we believe the industry still has room to climb higher as storytelling and cinematic innovation continue to evolve.”

 

Industry executives said that with filmmakers experimenting across genres, regional cinema delivering more consistently, and producers honouring theatrical windows, there is ample scope to expand the overall box-office pie.

 

A blockbuster in the making

 

₹13,500 crore BO collection estimated for 2025

 

24% jump in Y-o-Y collection at ₹11,077 crore in Jan-Oct

 

₹12,226 crore mopup in 2023, the record annual collection yet

 

₹218 crore earned by Dhurandhar in first 7 days; ₹313.75 crore worldwide

 

6,00,000 repeat viewers drawn by Kantara: A Legend–Chapter 1

 

5.8 million viewers for re-releases