Hindi
Weak films fall by Dangal-side
The exhibition sector felt some relief with a blockbuster in Dangal after a long gap to help them sustain the cinemas, the vacuum faces them again as the two new movies, OK Jaanu and Haraamkhor, failed to bring in even the initial audience or, for that matter, even the compulsive first day or first weekend viewers.
With the forthcoming week offering no solace in the form of a major release, the cinemas face another dull week of ‘No audience, No show’ till two major films, Kaabil and Raees, fight it out for the playtime at the multiplexes on the eve of the Republic Day. Both release on 25 January.
*OK Jaanu, a remake of the Tamil film, O KadhalKanmani, in Hindi failed to arouse the curiosity depriving it of an initial draw. The film suffered due to its length sans face value, its South flavour and lack of a decent musical score, a mandatory ingredient in any romantic movie.
The film managed an average opening day figures of a little over Rs 3 crore. Friday, 13 January, and Saturday, 14 January, collections remained below par, too, as the film vied for attention on both days when the nation celebrated various festivals in different parts of India.
As these two days managed to pull in just about Rs 7.5 crore. The film managed to collect Rs 11.9 crore for its first weekend, which is on a low side.
*Haraamkhor is another film to go down as ‘No audience No show’ category film.
*Dangal continues to create havoc as well as new records. The film’s three week total reached Rs 359.87 crore, the highest domestic box office collections so far.
The film added another Rs 10.24 crore for its fourth weekend to take its 24-day total to Rs 370.11 crore.
Hindi
UFO Cine Media Network unveils ‘India’s biggest cinema moment ever’
Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic tipped to deliver rare pan-India scale for brands
MUMBAI: UFO Cine Media Network is pitching an upcoming dual-film release weekend as what it calls the largest advertising opportunity cinema has offered in India, banking on an estimated 100 million cumulative footfalls nationwide.
The initiative, branded “India’s Biggest Cinema Moment Ever”, is anchored around the simultaneous release of Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge and Toxic, two high-profile action films expected to dominate screens across regions and languages. Trade projections, supported by cinema measurement tool Procat, suggest the combined lifetime theatrical run could deliver one of the widest audience concentrations seen in recent years.
Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge, an India–Pakistan spy thriller, is set to release in five languages, broadening its appeal across northern and southern markets. The franchise has already built a sizable multilingual following through theatrical runs and streaming platforms. Toxic, fronted by pan-India star Yash, is expected to draw heavy footfalls across southern circuits and beyond, buoyed by the actor’s proven box-office pull.
UFO, which operates an in-cinema advertising network spanning more than 4,100 theatres, is positioning the release window as a rare moment of synchronised national attention. Its footprint covers multiplexes and single screens across over 1,500 towns and cities, allowing advertisers to deploy campaigns at scale during a single weekend.
Executives at the company argue that cinema’s value lies not just in reach but in attention. Unlike digital or television, audiences are captive, emotionally engaged and free from distraction, they say, translating into stronger recall and measurable returns for brands. With advertisers increasingly focused on performance-led media planning, UFO is framing the dual release as comparable in scale to India’s largest broadcast and sporting properties.
Industry observers note that as theatrical exhibition expands deeper into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, such tentpole weekends are becoming anchor moments for annual media strategies. If Dhurandhar 2 – The Revenge and Toxic deliver as expected, the weekend could set new benchmarks not only for box office numbers, but also for cinema’s evolving role as a high-attention advertising medium.
