It was a year of considerable cheer for Bollywood as 2023 turned out to be the very first year the Hindi
film industry breached INR 11000 Cr in box office collections. As per an entertainment website, the
total worldwide collection stands at INR 12682.11 Cr in December 2023. It was a year in which
Bollywood delivered a slew of hits from Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, Pathaan, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke to
the more recent Jawan, 12th Fail, Sam Bahadur, and Animal. These and many more films of diverse
genres have been shattering records and winning labels of ‘Hit’ and ‘All-time Blockbuster’.
After a dull phase of nearly two years owing in no small measure to the pandemic, it does seem that
Bollywood has got back its mojo in 2023. Multiplexes and stand-alone halls have witnessed increased
footfall through the year with screenings of Hindi films, Pathaan, Gadar 2, Jawan, and Animal among
others, having pulled audiences in massive numbers to theatres across the country.
Most senior leaders in the entertainment business stated that Q2 (July-September) was exceptional
because of two super hit films (Pathaan and Gadar 2) that grossed more than INR 500 Cr individually.
There may have been the tailwind of Oppenheimer, Barbie, and other Hollywood biggies around that
time but in no way can the charm of Bollywood films be dismissed.
Bollywood Blockbuster Year: THE FIGURES ARE STAGGERING
The figures speak for themselves. The gross collections of all movies in India increased over four times to
INR 10,541.42 Cr in 2023 (as of December 13) vis-a-vis INR 2,568.5 Cr in 2022, as per the film trade portal,
Sacnilk.
The momentum is expected to continue well into the New Year. According to market research firm Elara Capital, December’s performance is crucial for Q3FY24 as industry experts anticipate cinema hall occupancy to rise to 27-28 percent in the largely holiday and festive month. A superlative film with great performance can boost it further.
THE YEAR OF REVIVAL:2023
The Shah Rukh Khan starred Pathaan made INR 543 crore at the domestic box office, with the worldwide
collection crossing INR 1,000 crore. A clutch of successful films helped the film fraternity bounce back
from the nightmares of Covid-19. Films like Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem
Kahani, Jawaan, Gadar 2, 12th Fail, Sam Bahadur, and Animal helped producers make a phenomenal
recovery and shatter old records. 2023 was the highest-grossing year ever in terms of box office collections for the Indian film industry, but for Bollywood in particular, this has been a year of redemption.
Bengali