Our Bureau
Mumbai
The Indian box office recorded robust growth in the first six months of 2025, earning ₹5,723 crore, a 14% increase over the same period last year, according to a newly released Ormax Media report. This spike positions the industry just ₹12 crore shy of its all-time January-June record set in 2022, highlighting the sector’s strong rebound after a period of pandemic-related challenges.
‘Chhaava’, a historical action-drama starring Vicky Kaushal, led the pack as the highest-grossing film, amassing ₹693 crore and single-handedly driving much of the year’s growth. Telugu-language film ‘Sankranthiki Vasthunam’, featuring Daggubati Venkatesh, followed as another strong nationwide performer.
In total, 17 films crossed the ₹100 crore mark, a significant jump from the 10 titles that achieved this milestone in the first half of 2024. The report noted that while only one film surpassed the ₹250 crore threshold, momentum has largely come from a steady stream of successful mid- to high-range performers rather than massive blockbusters.
June alone contributed over ₹900 crore, fuelled by Hindi films ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ and ‘Housefull 5’, both posting impressive figures nearing ₹200 crore each. Tamil-Telugu bilingual ‘Kuberaa’ and Hollywood’s ‘F1: The Movie’ were also among the top earners for the month.
Hindi cinema continued to dominate with a 40% market share, trailed by Telugu at 20% and Tamil at 15%. Hollywood also bounced back, reclaiming over a 10% share for the first time since 2022, reflecting increased demand for international titles in Indian theatres.
Looking ahead, the industry is on track for a historic year, with projections suggesting a year-end total of ₹13,500 crore, which would set a new record for Indian theatrical revenue—provided several anticipated releases perform as expected in the second half of 2025.
