Bollywood’s Rollercoaster Ride: Is the Industry Just in a Bad Phase?

Bollywood faces tough times, but Cinema Lovers Day offers hope with affordable tickets and new releases. Will it reignite the magic?

Since 2022, Indian multiplexes and single-screen theatres have been celebrating Cinema Lovers Day, also known as National Cinema Day, to draw moviegoers back to the theaters. This initiative began in September 2022, with tickets priced at an unbeatable Rs. 75, sparking a massive turnout. The subsequent editions, including the one in September 2023 and February 2024, continued to attract large audiences. Now, theatres are gearing up for another Cinema Lovers Day on Friday, May 31, providing another chance to revitalize the box office.

The upcoming big release is “Mr & Mrs Mahi,” starring Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor. Directed by Sharan Sharma, known for his debut film “Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl” (2020), and produced by Karan Johar‘s Dharma Productions and Zee Studios, this film has already generated significant buzz. A multiplex official noted, “The film already has a buzz, and the Rs. 99 ticket offer will further boost its performance. It’s a great way to kickstart the movie-watching season again.”

“Mr & Mrs Mahi” is not the only film hoping to benefit from the Cinema Lovers Day initiative. Other releases on May 31 include “Savi,” featuring Divya Khossla, Anil Kapoor, and Harshvardhan Rane, the children’s movie “Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan,” and the Hollywood slasher film “The Strangers: Chapter 1.” These films are also expected to draw large crowds, thanks to the reduced ticket prices.

Directed by Sharan Sharma, “Mr & Mrs Mahi” is one of the rare Bollywood films to receive a ‘U’ certificate with zero cuts, making it a family-friendly option. This clean certification, coupled with the Cinema Lovers Day ticket discounts, is expected to draw a diverse audience.

Interestingly, multiplexes had planned to celebrate Cinema Lovers Day last month on April 19. The makers of “Do Aur Do Pyaar,” featuring Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana DCruz, and Sendhil Ramamurthy, had even promoted the offer on social media. However, the initiative was canceled a day before due to the ongoing elections.

Bollywood has been experiencing a challenging phase, with significant releases slowing down post-Eid due to the election season. The final election phase is set for Saturday, June 1, after which the industry anticipates a flood of new releases. The current period of reduced major releases has been tough, but the upcoming slate of films and Cinema Lovers Day discounts offer a glimmer of hope for the industry’s resurgence.