Independence Day weekend promises huge box office boost for Indian cinema
The success of recent films like Saiyaara ( ₹ 300 crore) and Mahavatar Narsimha ( ₹ 130 crore) has lifted industry sentiment. War 2 adds to YRF's hit spy universe, home to blockbusters such as Pathaan ( ₹ 543.05 crore) and War ( ₹ 318.01 crore). Meanwhile, Coolie, starring Rajinikanth and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, is riding massive excitement across Tamil Nadu and southern markets.
'War 2 naturally has a strong pull in Hindi-speaking markets, but Jr. NTR's presence is also driving substantial chatter in the South, especially across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana," said Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer - cinemas, BookMyShow.
"Meanwhile, Coolie pairs the mass appeal of Rajinikanth with director Lokesh Kanagaraj's stylish, action-heavy storytelling. The film has seen immediate excitement across Tamil Nadu as also South India broadly and is also beginning to generate curiosity beyond its home market, thanks to Rajinikanth's enduring pan-India fan base and in part to reports of Aamir Khan's involvement,' he added.
While both titles are expected to cater to different primary markets, some overlap is anticipated in metro cities, where language barriers are increasingly blurring and audiences are more open to cross-regional cinema, Saksena added.
As far as advance bookings go, War 2 has seen notable interest from audiences in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune and other tier-one cities in the north and west, driven by the franchise's popularity and the cast's pan-India appeal. Coolie, on the other hand, is gaining strong momentum across Chennai, Coimbatore and other key hubs in Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Kerala, where Rajinikanth's fanbase continues to dominate.
That said, some movie trade experts are quick to point out the buzz for both films remains below par and given that both are action-driven multi-starrers, they could eat into each other's business.
'The hype isn't extraordinary at the moment but the good thing is content has gone through a correction and producers are finally learning what can drive masses to theatres. Films are beginning to achieve basic numbers now and no longer tanking like they were immediately after Covid,' independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan said.
According to Chauhan, if the Independence Day releases manage to get strong word-of-mouth, they have the potential to "fire at the box office."
The past few weeks have seen steady footfalls with films like Su From So, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Superman, Thalaivan Thalaivii, and Sitare Zameen Par. With August offering a string of festivals, this Independence Day frame could rival Diwali in scale.
'In North India, the box office turned around in June with Sitare Zameen Par, followed by strong numbers in July. August is expected to raise the bar further with these Independence Day releases," said Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director, Miraj Entertainment Ltd that operates multiplex theatres.
"In the South, the performance has varied by state—Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been strong, Malayalam cinema has done well, but Telugu cinema has been quieter in recent months. The I-Day weekend should give the South a significant boost, particularly in the Telugu and Tamil markets,' he added.
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