Nostalgia, with a side of profit: Bollywood rewinds to the classics

The re-releases have also become a conduit for families to watch films together again - one can often see grown children taking their parents to screenings of old Hindi classics

When Sanam Teri Kasam released in February 2016, it sank without a trace. The reviews were mixed, and the box office collection was lacklustre. And since there were no big faces attached, it simply vanished, like many mediocre films of its kind do.

Yet, when the film was re-released in February 2025, it reportedly became the highest-grossing Bollywood re-release of all time. Today, it enjoys a cult following, rivalling the likes of Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and Agneepath (1990).  

What changed? Was it the memories of the Covid-induced lockdown, which had people craving to go