Re-Releases Dominate Box Office

Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane’s romantic drama Sanam Teri Kasam has overtaken the two new releases at the theatres. And it’s not the only film that has enjoyed a second innings in theatres in the recent past. Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor’s 2013 project Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, re-released in September 2024, was also well-received.

Sanam Teri Kasam’s lifetime collection on its original release was a little over `8 crore and it seems to be unstoppable the second time around. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned `4.25 crore on its opening day, three times more than its first- day collection in 2016. It saw a further jump on the week- end, bringing its collections to `15 crore. While Loveyapa has made just `4:45 crores, Badass Ravikumar’s figures stand at `6:15 crore. Movie analyst Girish Wankhede says there’s a stark contrast between the box office performances of fresh releases and re- releases. “We saw three major releases in the past week — two new films and one re-release. The fresh films, Badass Ravikumar and Loveyapa, struggled to find traction, while Sanam Teri Kasam managed to gross approximately `16 crore in just three days. This impressive figure underscores the strong emotional connection and nostalgia that older films can evoke, particularly when new content fails to meet audience expectations.”

He also notes that re-released older films have been gaining significant momentum, as the volume of new content struggles to keep pace with the number of available screens.

Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force, which opened earlier, made a little over `113 crore in its three-week run, while Shahid Kapoor’s Deva struggled to break even, making a bit more than `50 crore. Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency and Sonu Sood’s Fateh were both no-shows. These films were outshone by earlier hits like Padmavaat and Bareilly Ki Barfi which are finding their way back into theatres.

On the other hand, Sanam Teri Kasam’s trajectory is very similar to that of Triptii Dimri’s Laila Majnu, and Tumbbad which had underperformed on their release but got a new lease of life, drawing in audiences like never before.

“Thanks to satellite and social media, many of these films have achieved a fandom and cult-like status. As they resurface at the-tres, the emotional factor comes into play. Sanam Teri Kasam was a good film, a tragic romance, and had very good music, but didn’t vibe then. Nine years on, it seems to have found its audience, both old and new. Also, there is no good fresh content available on the screens,” says trade Analyst Sumit Kadel.

A film critic points out that in several cases, re-releases are also leveraging the current popularity of their stars. “Triptii Dimri’s popularity post Animal helped Laila Majnu. Kriti Sanon is a huge star now, and Bareilly Ki Barfi was a turning point in her career. Likewise, Harshvardhan’s and Mawra’s popularity increased over the past decade. It’s a smart move, especially when stars are struggling,” he says.

“The film industry is navigating the complexities of content creation and distribution. This interplay between new and old cinema will remain a significant aspect of the cinematic landscape. The success of re-releases serves as a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling and the deep connections that films can forge with audiences across generations,” feels Girish Wankhede. For exhibitors, it’s all about business, and the need to survive these grim times trumps all other considerations.