Never grow old: From 'Kal Ho Na Ho' to 'Tumbbad', re-runs drive footfalls for multiplexes (2024)

Old content re-released in cinemas are driving traffic for India's top multiplex chains this year up to 3-5 percent in a never-seen-before phenomenon

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Har ghadi badal rahi hai dhoop zindagi(The sunshine is changing with the change in life moment by moment)...

It must have been like revisiting the song when many theatre owners were taken by surprise to see howKal Ho Na Hooutgrew expected footfalls and outgrossedsome of the latest Bollywood flicks even 21 years after it enthralled the Box Office.

Old content re-released in cinemas are driving traffic for India's top multiplex chains this year up to 3-5 percent in a never-seen-before phenomenon.WhenKal Ho Na Horeturned to theatres after its first release in 2003, it brought back King of Romance Shah Rukh Khan's old charm on the big screen. In 10 days, the film grossedRs 3.15 crore, emerging as an undisputed stunner for the industry.The re-released film left many industry executives puzzled when it clocked better occupancy than latest Hollywood ventureGladiator 2.

"While marquee new films likeGladiator 2lead in overall revenue due to scale, specific re-releases have outperformed in occupancy and admissions. For instance,Tumbbadsurpassed many anticipated new films, includingMaidaanandBade Miyan Chote Miyan, in admissions.Kal Ho Naa Homatched the performance ofGladiator 2by admissions," Devang Sampat, managing directorof Cinepolis India, toldMoneycontrol.

Even Gautam Dutta, thePVR Inoxchief executive for revenue and operations, noted thatKal Ho Naa Hopulled off better occupancy rates compared toGladiator 2, despite being screened in fewer shows.

On the same trail, re-runs ofTumbbad, Rockstar, Laila Majnutoo filled up theatres at a time when many new releases failed to enthuse moviegoers. The year 2024 was also marred with limited releases and changes in release schedule of many big films likePushpa 2andSingham Again.

Driving footfalls

"Re-releases have accounted for around 5 percent of the total footfalls at PVRInoxin 2024, reflecting a noticeable contribution to our overall audience engagement. This represents an increaseover thelast year, highlighting the growing popularity and effectiveness of re-releases in attracting audiences," Dutta said.

During its September-quarter earnings call, too, the multiplex chain had said that re-release was a good strategy that they adopted. In Q2BoxOffice, old films roughly contributed 6 percent of total admissions and 3.5 percent of collections. Almost 13 percent of admissions in September came from older releases.

"It has been the biggest year of re-releases.Theyhave contributed 4-5 percent to our total admissions, the highest so far," said Amit Sharma, the managing directorof Miraj Cinemas.

As of October 31, re-releases accounted for 3.2 percent of total admissions and 2.2 percent of Box Office revenue in 2024 for Cinepolis India. "This reflects a notable increase from last year and underscores the growing demand for classic titles. Additionally, re-releases have enjoyed higher occupancy rates of approximately 30 percent, compared to the overall average of 27 percent," Sampat said.

Old yet outperformer

Some of the most successful re-releases this year include Ranbir Kapoor'sRockstarandLaila Majnu, released across 40 cities and 75 locations, attracting significant viewership. Classics such asBaazigar, Veer-Zaara, andHum Aapke Hain Kounfurther contributed to the steady footfall of over 1.1 million, Sampat added.

Tumbbadrecordeda gross box office collection (GBOC) of Rs 37.8 crore, whileRockstargarneredRs 10.5 crore.Laila Majnuregistered a GBOC of Rs 9.5 crore. Down South, the re-release ofGhilliraked in around Rs 33 crore worldwide.

"The success of re-releases in 2024 has been a much-needed boost for the cinema industry, as it has appealed to two very different groups of viewers- Gen Z (people born in mid-to-late 1990s and early 2010s), who are watching these classic films for the first time, and long-time fans who are returning to relive the nostalgia they bring. Films such asTumbbadandLaila Majnuhave even exceeded their original Box Office collections, showing the undaunted love for these films," Dutta said.

In their initial run, whileTumbbadhad collected around Rs 15 crore,Laila Majnuhad earned around Rs 3 crore.

Cushion forcinemas

"The success of re-releases has provided a substantial cushion for the cinema industry during the lean periods. By leveraging nostalgia and offering affordable ticket prices, these films have kept audiences engaged and theaters operational, contributing to a stable revenue mix amid the challenges of fluctuating new content supply," Sampat said.

Film trade analyst Komal Nahta agrees. "Because new content has not been working, re-releases have come as a relief more than as a revenue generator to the exhibitors because they had no playing programmes."

He mentioned that re-releases have contributed 1-2 percent to the total box office of 2024. "Two-three films have done well withTumbbadrecording three times the collections it did in the first run and the same goes forLaila Majnu. However, re-releases like Karan ArjunandVeer Zara did not do well."

Not a sustainable solution

The reincarnation drama - Karan Arjun,starring Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, which was re-released on November 22, collected around Rs 1 crore in its first weekend but the charm fizzled out in the next few days.

Released on the same day asKaran Arjun, Allu Arjun'sPushpacame to theatres days before its sequel Pushpa 2will hit the screens on December 5. While there is excitement and buzz for the sequel, the re-release of the first film in the franchise failed to catch the attention of the audience, raising only Rs 70 lakh in thefirst weekend.

"Going forward, this trend of re-release will not continue because we will have limited options in terms of programming re-releases," Sharma alerted.

Carrying on withre-runs

Multiplex chains like PVRInox and Cinepolis, however, plan to continue with their re-release strategy.

"Additional re-releases are scheduled for the upcoming week, beginning withBiwi No. 1, which is set to premiere on November 29," Dutta said.

Sampat too said that they will go ahead with the re-releases. The upcoming titles will be announced in collaboration with stakeholders, including distributors and studios, while closely monitoring audience demand, he said.

"Re-releases were an opportunity to bring classics back to the big screen with the intention of bringing back the communal joy of watching movies in theatres that people had missed during the time of the pandemic. Over time, however, they’ve evolved into a more strategic and intentional approach of bringing back some stellar hits that resonate at a deeper cultural level with our audience," Dutta added.