Riding high on success of 'Chhaava', Indian cinema registers record numbers in 1st quarter of 2025

Kochi: Following the pandemic-induced slump, Indian cinema is showing strong signs of recovery, with significant box office performances in the first two months of 2025. According to the latest data, the total gross collection of Indian cinema worldwide for January and February stands at ₹2,264 crore, marking a 39% increase compared to the same period last year.

As per the Ormax Box Office report, which evaluates the profits and losses of films in various Indian languages, February alone witnessed a gross collection of ₹1,245 crore – the highest post-COVID. Contributing heavily to this success was the Hindi film Chhaava, which alone earned ₹657 crore at the box office.

In 2024, Bollywood accounted for 40% of the total market share, but thanks to the massive success of Chhaava, this figure has risen to 45% in the first two months of 2025. Malayalam cinema's market share, however, remains at 7%. Among films released in February, Tamil cinema’s Dragon ranked second with a gross collection of ₹122 crore, while Vidaamuyarchi secured third place with ₹96 crore.

In the Malayalam film industry, Officer on Duty starring Kunchacko Boban, which had a budget of ₹13 crore, has so far earned ₹11 crore in theatre share, with a gross collection of ₹39 crore, according to the Ormax report. This has placed the film sixth in the top ten chart. Re-released classics like Sanam Teri Kasam and Interstellar also performed well, earning ₹40 crore and ₹28 crore, respectively.

In the Telugu film industry, Sankranthiki Vasthunam starring Venkatesh is currently in second place with ₹222 crore, followed by Shankar directorial Game Changer starring Ram Charan, which has grossed ₹153 crore. Interestingly, four of the top ten films are from the Telugu industry.

These figures reflect a promising recovery for Indian cinema, with various language industries contributing to the resurgence in box office collections.