Now Reading: Indian cinema footfall up 5% but recovery patchy
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Indian cinema footfall up 5% but recovery patchy
According to Livemint, Indian cinema footfall rose 5% to 378 million in the first half of 2026, driven mainly by Hindi and Marathi films. However, this remains below the 400 million recorded…
The Story in Brief
According to Livemint, Indian cinema footfall rose 5% to 378 million in the first half of 2026, driven mainly by Hindi and Marathi films. However, this remains below the 400 million recorded in the same period of 2022. The recovery was slate-led: the film Dhurandhar: The Revenge alone accounted for nearly 20% of the box office.
Hindi cinema's share increased from 39% to 44%, while Tamil cinema declined from 17% to 12%. Tier-II and III cities showed stronger growth, with experts stressing the need for affordable pricing and consistent releases to sustain the momentum.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that cinema is back ignores how much this recovery relies on a single blockbuster like Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which alone drove nearly a fifth of the box office. Footfall is still below 2022, and Tamil cinema's sharp decline shows the recovery is not industry-wide. The real test is whether the second half of 2026, with a strong slate, can deliver broad-based, sustained growth or whether the industry remains dependent on a few event films.
Source: livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
