While most agree it makes business sense to capitalise on the popularity of old hits, there’s some doubt on whether ‘flashback’ favourites are blocking the success of new movies
Bollywood has been on a nostalgia trip and shows no signs of stepping off its newfound path to success. From Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to Veer-Zaara, iconic films have returned to the marquee. Titles such as Ranbir Kapoor’s Rockstar and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, along with Deepika Padukone’s Cocktail, have found renewed popularity. So influential has this trend become that films like Sanam Teri Kasam and Laila Majnu, once deemed box-office failures, have experienced a reversal in fortune, drawing crowds and generating revenue during their second run.
As fan favourites and cult classics compete with new releases for audience attention, industry professionals have voiced concern. Actor Manoj Manchu, who made his comeback with Bhairavam, expressed apprehension about the resurgence
of older films. “Re-releases are taking over the weekends. These films already have a loyal fan following, so releasing them during weekdays would be more reasonable. It feels like we’re killing one film with another,” he said.
However, not everyone shares this view. Some argue that the evolving nature of the business defies rigid scheduling norms. There is no prescribed model dictating which films deserve a weekend release. Exhibitors and distributors are motivated by the need to serve diverse cinematic preferences and to enhance the overall theatrical experience for audiences.
Trade analyst Girish Wankhede offers a counterpoint: “Viewing a film’s re-release as detrimental to newly released films is not an accurate perspective. Instead, it is essential to recognise that every week presents a competitive environment in the film industry, where multiple titles vie for audience attention. The notion that one film can ‘kill’ another’s business overlooks the inherent dynamics of audience preference. Rather than viewing the re-release of a film alongside a new one as a threat, it is more constructive to embrace the competitive nature of the industry. The better films — those that connect with audiences on an emotional level and deliver a memorable cinematic experience —will always find their place and succeed in the box-office landscape.”
With the exception of a few upcoming titles such as Akshay Kumar’s Kesari 2 and Ajay Devgn’s Raid 2, 2025 looks like being a lacklustre year for the Hindi film industry. As the creative gap between Bollywood and its audience continues to widen, the re-release of older films is also being considered a sustainability measure by exhibitors.
Deepak Kumar Sharma, Managing Director of Cineport Cinemas in Delhi NCR, feels, “The theatrical re-release of cinema is one of the greatest cultural gifts we can offer. It allows us to share the stories that shaped our upbringing with the next generation, preserving and passing on our collective memories. Cinema has always played a powerful role in shaping our identity and values, and revisiting these classics reinforces that bond. From a business perspective, it also provides producers and distributors an opportunity to recapitalise on their past investments, especially in times when new content alone may not sustain theatre occupancy. Personally, I strongly believe in celebrating the evolution of cinema and making it accessible to new audiences – it’s a legacy worth reliving.”
Although some endorse the strategy, citing its cost-effectiveness due to minimal promotional expenditure and its potential to reconnect younger generations with cinematic heritage, critics remain sceptical. Film critic Joginder Tuteja, who is not in favour of the trend, said, “Not everything that’s been re-released, whether in Bollywood or the South, has worked. A few films did well, but most have barely managed to attract any audience.”
Actor Suniel Shetty was candid in his assessment of the industry’s creative stagnation. He attributes the issue to increasing corporatisation. “Individuals need to be given their due. Where are the scriptwriters like Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, the directors, and the singers? Today, you know about the film and the production house because everything is about evaluation and statistics. The company is taking the call on the script. There are no distributors anymore; everything is managed online. The system we had, where each territory had its distributor responsible for a film, has been dismantled. There is no feedback, creative or constructive, and numbers are manipulated to inflate a company’s share value. When math enters, creativity goes down the drain. Old films are coming back because the new ones lack the kind of storytelling we once had.”
