The annual Ormax Box Office Report details the language-wise and overall box office in the Indian market every year. The report states there were several shifts in trends across Indian cinema in 2024.
With a total gross box office collection of Rs. 11,833 crore, 2024 became the second-highest earning year in Indian box office history, following 2023’s record of Rs. 12,226 crore. However, Hindi cinema faced a downturn, with collections falling from ₹5,380 crore in 2023 to Rs. 4,679 crore in 2024. Its overall box office share also shrank by 4 percentage points, settling at 40%.
Interestingly, 31% of Hindi cinema’s earnings came from dubbed versions of South Indian films. When considering only original Hindi-language films, the decline in box office revenue was a significant 37%.
In 2024, cinemas recorded 88.3 crore footfalls, marking a 6% drop compared to 2023. Attendance figures were not only lower than the previous two years but also remained below pre-pandemic levels. The Average Ticket Price (ATP) experienced a modest 3% increase, rising from ₹130 in 2023 to ₹134 in 2024. This marks a shift towards more stable ticket pricing after the double-digit growth seen in the preceding two years.
Regional Movie Mania
The year’s biggest blockbuster was Pushpa 2: The Rule, which dominated with a gross box office collection of ₹1,403 crore. Its Hindi-dubbed version alone contributed Rs. 889 crore, setting a new record as the highest-grossing ‘Hindi’ film of all time.
Telugu cinema had a standout year in 2024, achieving its best-ever domestic collections by crossing Rs. 2,000 crore for the third year in a row. This impressive milestone was driven by higher Average Ticket Prices (ATP), even as footfalls declined by 12%. Pushpa 2: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD secured spots among the top three highest-grossing Telugu films of all time, though Pushpa 2 fell just short of the record set by RRR.
Tamil cinema also delivered a solid performance, surpassing Rs. 1,500 crore for the third consecutive year, despite a 7% decline compared to 2023. Footfalls continued to lag behind pre-pandemic levels, and only three Tamil films managed to cross the ₹100 crore mark in 2024. Nevertheless, the industry benefited from a shift in dynamics, as mid-range films played a larger role in its overall success, reducing its dependence on top-grossing blockbusters.
In addition to this, Gujarati cinema also saw a noteworthy rise. Gujarati cinema witnessed sharp growth in 2024, with box office collections soaring by 66% compared to 2023, surpassing the ₹80 crore milestone for the first time. This achievement was spearheaded by the blockbuster Jhamkudi, which grossed over Rs. 20 crore, becoming a standout success. Footfalls also saw an impressive 57% increase, solidifying 2024 as the best year in Gujarati cinema’s history.
In Malayalam cinema, Manjummel Boys achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first Malayalam film to surpass the Rs. 150 crore mark and earning the title of the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. 26 Malayalam films crossed the Rs. 10 crore mark in 2024—double the number from 2023. This achievement reflects the industry’s thriving growth beyond just blockbuster hits, highlighting a broader and more consistent rise across the board.
The Punjabi cinema, howevever, saw a decline. After a good 2023, Punjabi box office witnessed a drop of 14% in its box office last year. The lack of blockbuster films, combined with the underperformance of smaller titles, contributed to this decline.
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