Oppenheimer and Barbie have not just taken the world box office by storm but have also done exceptionally well in India.
Oppenheimer, especially, has done mind-blowing business in India with a weekend of approximately Rs. 48–50 crores, higher than the lifetime collections of Bollywood biggies like Selfiee and Shehzada. Barbie is also going to emerge as a hit film, as it has done much better business in India than expected.
By the end of July, Hollywood will have more hits in India than Bollywood this year, which is shocking. Oppenheimer, Barbie, Mission Impossible 7, Fast X, and John Wick 4 are bona fide hits in India. Whereas Bollywood has only three hits: Pathaan (an all-time Blockbuster), The Kerala Story (a blockbuster), and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (a super hit).
Usually, it is Bollywood that dominates Hollywood in terms of the number of hits. But this year, Hollywood has trounced Bollywood in terms of hits.
Bollywood, on the other hand, is still relying on PR tactics to create the perception that films like Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, Satyaprem Ki Katha, and Bholaa are HIT films. Media management is also going on for an OTT release like Bawaal to project it as an OTT blockbuster.
This week’s release, Rocky Rani Ki Prem Kahanii, is looking promising but not in the league of Karan Johar’s past films. The film will rely on word-of-mouth to become a hit. But PR articles have already been published about how the film has recovered its budget with digital, satellite, and music rights, and the theatrical business is just a bonus.
A film can be declared a hit or flop only on the basis of its theatrical business and nothing else. Period!
