Post-pandemic, the film business has suffered significantly, with many viewers now preferring to watch movies on OTT platforms rather than in theatres.
Over the last few years, only a select few films have managed to draw audiences to the big screen, largely because viewers know the films will be available on OTT soon after release.
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This shift has also led to many assumptions about what kinds of films can still work in cinemas.
Many claimed that “small” films wouldn’t survive at the box office, and that only grand, pan-India spectacles could pull in crowds. But 12th Fail proved them wrong.
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While big-budget films like Pushpa 2 have certainly attracted mass audiences, the success of films like Stree 2 and Raid 2 shows that it’s the storytelling that matters, not the budget.
More recently, Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par might not be a blockbuster yet, but it has managed to draw urban audiences back to theatres.
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The section of the audience that typically prefers watching content at home on OTT platforms actually showed up to watch this film on the big screen. While the numbers aren’t massive, it’s definitely a promising start.
Next up, romance is headed for a litmus test. Very few romantic films have succeeded at the box office in recent years.
In the coming weeks, two such films will be put to the test. While Metro… In Dino may be getting more buzz, it’s Yash Raj Films’ Saiyaara that trade watchers are seeing as the real test of audience sentiment.
Trade analysts have been discussing how Saiyaara’s biggest strength is its music. The film feels contemporary and features two fresh faces, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda.
Saiyaara is set to release two weeks after Metro… In Dino, and the pairing, along with its already popular soundtrack, seems to be resonating with listeners.
Whether it’s YRF’s brand power or genuine anticipation, audiences are hopeful that Saiyaara might finally give theatres a much-needed hit in the romance genre.
