MUMBAI: India’s cinemas have found their groove and the numbers are singing. The first half of 2025 has grossed Rs 5,723 crore at the domestic box office, marking a 14 per cent jump over the same period last year, according to the newly released India Box Office Report by Ormax Media. That puts it just Rs 12 crore short of the 2022 January–June record, signalling a cinema resurgence powered not by a few blockbusters, but a wide net of Rs 100 crore-plus earners.
A total of 17 films crossed the Rs 100 crore threshold in the January–June window up from just 10 in the first half of 2024. Topping the charts by a wide margin was Chhaava, clocking in at a whopping Rs 693 crore, followed by the Telugu release Sankranthiki Vasthunam. Notably, only one film breached the ₹250 crore mark in this period, suggesting a shift from reliance on tentpole spectacles to consistent mid-sized performers.
June wrapped up on a strong note, with monthly grosses topping ₹900 crore, thanks to titles like Sitaare Zameen Par and Housefull 5, both touching the ₹200 crore mark. Tamil-Telugu title Kuberaa and Hollywood’s F1: The Movie also revved up the box office engines.
Hindi cinema continues to rule with 40 per cent of the total gross, mirroring its 2024 share. Telugu and Tamil films followed with 20 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively. In a welcome plot twist, Hollywood returned to double digits, breaching the 10 per cent mark for the first time since 2022.
If the current pattern holds, 2025 is poised to close at Rs 13,500 crore, making it potentially the biggest box office year in Indian history. This hinges, of course, on the performance of the star-studded second half, which includes biggies like Kantara: Chapter 1, Avatar: Fire and Ash, War 2, Coolie, Akhanda 2, Thama, and OG.
What’s especially noteworthy is the spread of success, this year is less about outlier mega-hits and more about a healthy, steady churn of solid performers. This could signal a structural rebound for Indian exhibition circuits, driven by a slate-first strategy instead of pinning hopes on a few blockbusters.
Whether you’re team multiplex or mass single-screen, 2025’s box office is scripting a hit—and there’s plenty more showtime left.
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