Now playing: How India is finally becoming one unified cinema market

Sukumar's Pushpa 2: The Rule, a blockbuster that hit over Rs 1,400 crore at the domestic BO, is a Telugu film, also released in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada

In 2024, Indians bought 883 million movie tickets, 6 per cent fewer than in the previous year. They spent over Rs 11,800 crore on those tickets (about 3 per cent less than in 2023), according to data shared by Ormax Media with Business Standard. Why then is there constant chatter about gloom and doom in the movie business?

 

“Perception,” says Ajay Bijli, managing director at PVR Inox, the largest cinema chain in India. Amit Sharma, managing director (entertainment) at Miraj Group, which operates 250 screens, agrees. “Bollywood (Hindi films) drives perception for Indian cinema. Since it underperformed in 2024, the