Film Production
Hindi Diwali blockbusters propel November box office to Rs 914 crore
MUMBAI: Diwali brought more than just lights and festivities this year—it ignited the Indian box office with a dazzling display of cinematic magic.
According to Ormax Media’s The India Box Office Report: November 2024 the month turned into a blockbuster bonanza, with the box office cash registers ringing up a jaw-dropping Rs 914 crore in gross collections. In a nation where movies are worshipped and stars are idolised, two powerhouse releases—”Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” and “Singham Again”—emerged as the true torchbearers of unity and entertainment, raking in Rs 664 crore and capturing a whopping 73 per cent of the month’s collections.
Despite a year marked by a 4 per cent dip compared to 2023, the silver screen proved its resilience, delivering joy, drama, and record-breaking numbers like never before. The numbers don’t just speak—they roar!
The Hindi film industry delivered a commanding performance in November. “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” emerged as the highest-grossing film of the month, amassing Rs 15 crore more than “Singham Again”. Both films now rank among the year’s top Hindi theatrical releases, trailing only “Stree 2” in total collections.
While “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” capitalised on nostalgia and engaging storytelling, “Singham Again” thrived on its action-packed narrative and star power. Together, they bolstered Hindi cinema’s contribution to the cumulative box office for January to November 2024, which stands at Rs 9,862 crore.
In contrast, non-Hindi films struggled to make a significant impact. The Tamil film “Kanguva”, despite a promising start, faltered due to poor audience reception, barely crossing the Rs 50 crore mark. Hollywood, regional Indian films, and dubbed releases collectively failed to breach the Rs 100 crore benchmark for November.
Hindi’s market share climbed to 38 per cent in 2024 from 34 per cent earlier this year, signaling a recovery. However, it remains below the 44 per cent dominance recorded in 2023, highlighting room for growth. With “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” & “Singham Again” being the latest additions, “Kalki 2898 AD” saw 45 per cent of its box office collection coming from its hindi version, further underscoring the language’s significant contribution to the year’s cinematic landscape.
The cumulative gross box office collections for 2024 have already surpassed the Rs 10,000 crore threshold, thanks to the enduring appeal of major releases like “Pushpa 2: The Rule”. Industry insiders are optimistic about December’s high-profile films, including “Baby John” (Hindi) and “Mufasa: The Lion King” (Hollywood). With the right audience response, 2024 could challenge the record Rs 12,226 crore gross achieved in 2023.
The industry’s resilience amidst a 4 per cent decline is commendable, yet the reliance on a handful of blockbusters underscores vulnerabilities in market diversification. For regional and non-Hindi films, capturing broader audience segments will be crucial.
As December’s releases roll in, the Indian box office’s final figures for 2024 remain a subject of keen anticipation. The industry’s ability to adapt and innovate will determine whether it can reclaim the highs of previous years or chart new territory in its post-pandemic resurgence.
Key takeaways:
1. “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” leads November 2024 with record-breaking collections.
2. Hindi films dominate, contributing 73 per cent of monthly revenue.
3. Regional and Hollywood films underperform, highlighting disparities.
4. The annual box office’s success hinges on December’s releases.
(The main picture for this story was generated usingfreepic ai image generator.. No copyright infringement is intended)
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
