Dhurandhar powers PVR INOX to best post-pandemic footfalls; film contributes 30% of Q3 box office

Sleeper hit Dhurandhar has emerged as a major growth driver for PVR INOX, helping India’s largest multiplex chain clock its highest quarterly footfalls and best nine-month performance since the pandemic, even as several big-ticket releases failed to meet expectations earlier in the festive season.

The film accounted for nearly 28–29% of PVR INOX’s total box office collections in the December quarter, according to Chief Financial Officer Gaurav Sharma, underscoring how a single breakout title can materially lift theatrical performance.

“Dhurandhar came on December 5 and still did only 24 days of business in the quarter, but it ended up contributing close to 30% of our box office,” Sharma said in an interview with CNBC-TV18.

Content-led recovery gains momentum

Managing Director Ajay Bijli said the strong performance highlights a structural shift underway in the Indian exhibition industry, where content quality, rather than star power alone, is driving footfalls.

“The Indian movie market today is like the IPL—you don’t know which player will win the match,” Bijli said. “Some films you expect to do well don’t click, but others suddenly exceed all expectations and compensate for that.”

The December quarter began on a weak note, with Diwali releases underperforming and several anticipated titles failing to draw audiences. However, the late-quarter surge driven by Dhurandhar helped the company end the period on a strong footing.

“We’ve had the highest footfalls in the last quarter, and even the first nine months have been the best post-pandemic,” Bijli said.

New stars, strong turnout

Importantly, Bijli noted that the recovery is not being driven by one film alone. Several movies featuring relatively new actors, and without blockbuster credentials at release, also delivered solid theatrical numbers.

“That only goes to show that if content connects with consumers, there is no end to how well a movie can perform,” he said.

The trend points to a broad-based revival in cinema-going, at a time when concerns around OTT platforms and shortened theatrical windows had raised questions over the long-term sustainability of the exhibition business.

OTT release did not dent theatrical run

Addressing concerns around Dhurandhar’s relatively quick debut on Netflix, Bijli said the eight-week theatrical-to-OTT window has now become an industry norm and does not cannibalise cinema revenues.

“It was tapering off by the seventh week, which is actually a lot for an Indian film that released across so many screens,” he said. “The OTT window allows all stakeholders to coexist.”

Also Read | Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar beats Dangal, 3 Idiots and K3G with 4 crore ticket sales

Q4 set to remain strong

Looking ahead, PVR INOX expects momentum to continue into the March quarter, with Dhurandhar 2 slated for release on March 19 and other big-ticket films such as Toxic also hitting screens.

“Earlier, February was considered a weak period. That trend is clearly changing, with large films now releasing even in Q4,” Bijli said.

The company expects the evolving release calendar, coupled with improving content depth, to support footfalls and revenues in the coming quarters.

Watch accompanying video for entire conversation.