Best single weekend for theatres post covid; box office collections top ₹390 cr

The Producers Guild of India and Multiplex Association of India said the past weekend of 11-13 August was the busiest single weekend post re-opening following the covid-19 pandemic. The weekend saw a new all-time theatrical gross box office record with collections over ₹390 crore, drawing more than 2.10 crore moviegoers to theatres across the country, which is also the highest combined admissions record in the last 10-year history, the two bodies said.

The weekend saw the release of four tentpole films across languages—period drama Gadar 2 and Akshay Kumar and Pankaj Tripathi-starrer OMG 2, both in Hindi besides Rajinikanth’s Jailer (Tamil) and Chiranjeevi’s Bhola Shankar (Telugu).

“Mainstream storytelling executed in the right way has resulted in the box office records being shattered. A massive achievement like this is a result of an incredible filmmaking team, with cast and crew coming together to create a truly special movie-going experience. The turnout at theatres has infused a new energy in our industry, audiences are responding in numbers we have not seen for a very long time, even the early morning shows are getting sold out. This weekend has been a wonderful experience for people who love mainstream Indian films,” Shibasish Sarkar, president Producers Guild of India said in a statement.

Kamal Gianchandani, president MAI said the weekend proves once again that India loves going to the movies to see well-made films. “This weekend is also an undeniable demonstration of cinemas being the ultimate place to be part of a shared experience. Cinemas across the country would like to thank and congratulate our filmmakers and studios for pushing the boundaries to deliver unforgettable storytelling. This weekend shows that movies and cinemas are back in a big, big way. We look forward to this momentum continuing in the rest of 2023,” Gianchandani said in a statement.