2024 has been a year of surprises and setbacks for Bollywood and Indian cinema. Despite the monumental success of Stree 2 and Pushpa 2: The Rule, trade analysts label 2024 as a year of ‘disappointments’. The towering benchmarks set by Jawan, Pathaan, Gadar 2, and Animal in 2023 seemingly cast a shadow too large to escape.
Blockbuster Hits and Big-Ticket Misses
Grossing over Rs 800 crore globally, Stree 2 defied expectations to become Bollywood’s top earner. Following closely, Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule smashed records, crossing Rs 1700 crore in its fourth week, cementing itself as India’s highest-grossing film to date. Yet, other highly-anticipated releases like Maidaan, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Vedaa, and Khel Khel Mein flopped, failing to ignite the box office.
Trade Experts Weigh In
Trade expert Girish Johar remarks, “2024 has been disappointing. Compared to 2023, we’re lagging by 15-18% in the Hindi market.” Analyst Atul Mohan echoes this sentiment, attributing the decline to the high standards set by last year’s blockbusters. “2023 saw four consecutive Rs 500-crore hits, contributing 60% of the year’s overall box office revenue. In contrast, 2024 saw only one Hindi film cross that threshold.”
Even reliable crowd-pullers like Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar couldn’t turn the tide. Johar notes, “Pushpa 2 thrived, but Fighter, Singham Again, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan underperformed. Smaller films like Shaitaan surprised, but more were needed to stabilize the box office.”
Advance Bookings vs. Final Numbers
Mohan highlights a stark disparity: “Several films boasted impressive advance bookings but ended with disappointing lifetime collections. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again breached Rs 300 crore, but others like Fighter stalled at Rs 190 crore. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Sarfira, and Maidaan fell short, barely scraping Rs 150 crore.”
Mid-Budget Surprises
Despite the sluggish big-budget scene, mid-budget films sparked hope. Munjya grossed Rs 110 crore, Crew reached Rs 91 crore, while Shaitaan dominated with Rs 150 crore. Films like Mr. & Mrs. Mahi and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya recouped costs but saw limited profits.
Nostalgia Factor
2024 leaned heavily on re-releases like Rockstar, Laila Majnu, and Jab We Met, reviving old classics for new audiences. Laila Majnu exceeded its original run’s collections, while Rockstar generated massive excitement. However, Johar cautions, “Re-releases helped, but the trend faded when overdone. Karan Arjun and the Kareena Kapoor Film Festival saw minimal traction.”
Hollywood in India: A Lukewarm Year
Hollywood struggled to replicate the success of Barbie and Oppenheimer. Deadpool & Wolverine emerged as the sole standout, while Joker: Folie à Deux and Mufasa: The Lion King underperformed.
The ‘Khan Effect’: A Void at the Box Office
The absence of Shah Rukh, Salman, and Aamir Khan left a significant gap. Chennai-based expert Ramesh Bala remarks, “Only Stree 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 resonated in the south. Khan films typically thrive across India, but their absence left Hindi cinema struggling.”
Mohan agrees, “Without the Khans, we relied on Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. The results were underwhelming.”
South Indian Dominance
South Indian cinema, led by Pushpa 2, ruled 2024. Tamil Nadu saw successes like GOAT and Amaran, though not on par with Jailer or Leo. Smaller hits like Lubber Pandhu and Maharaja kept the industry afloat. In Telugu, Kalki: 2898 AD and Hanu-Man performed well, but overall hit counts declined.
Malayalam cinema shone with Aavesham and Premalu, crossing Rs 100 crore globally. Bala commends Malayalam films for consistently producing high-quality content on modest budgets.
Box Office Flops
Indian 2 and Kanguva were among the year’s biggest disappointments. Despite their star power and grand expectations, they failed to leave a mark. Bala concludes, “Indian 2 should have succeeded with Kamal Haasan and Shankar involved, but it missed the mark. Kanguva had hype but fizzled out.”
This news report is curated with insights from multiple reliable news sources.