Bumper first-day openings fade as word of mouth trumps star power

Bumper openings are starting to fade, as audiences—overwhelmed by content—place greater trust in word of mouth than in star power or pre-release hype.

While it was not unusual to see 18-20 Hindi films gross over ₹10 crore on their opening day before the pandemic, the number has declined to only 13 in 2025 so far.

The silver lining, according to experts, is that the shift in moviegoers’ preferences allows mid-budget films—often headlined by niche or unfamiliar faces—to grow over time and post respectable numbers, as stars no longer guarantee massive first-day openings.

Seeing the shift, studios are also not splurging on pre-release marketing.

“Openings have definitely softened. Audiences have become far more selective. A big star name alone doesn’t guarantee a strong Friday anymore; people wait to see if the film’s content feels fresh and worth the theatrical spend. Premium pricing also makes viewers treat cinema as a planned outing rather than an impulse buy,” said Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director of multiplex chain Miraj Entertainment Ltd.

Marketing windows are shorter, too, and if the buzz doesn’t break through, openings remain muted, he added.

A clear pattern

From Ajay Devgn’s Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha earning ₹1.70 crore on its first day to Akshay Kumar’s Sarfira managing a tad better first-day opening of ₹2.50 crore, several stars have seen unimpressive openings post the pandemic.

Such low opening days essentially mean that there is no urgency to watch the film in theatres, explained independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan. “There is no FOMO (fear of missing out), and that proves that makers haven’t done enough homework around what audiences are looking for and aren’t exciting them enough.”

The fact that sleeper hits such as Saiyaara have found unexpected success while star vehicles such as Sikandar and War 2 tanked in 2025 shows the industry is still confused, he said.

The pattern, however, varies across languages, according to experts.

In Hindi, the mid-segment is volatile—only a few tentpoles are opening big. In regional cinema, particularly in Malayalam, Kannada, and Gujarati, smaller films are still achieving excellent runs through strong word-of-mouth, even without big stars.

For Hollywood, only top franchises are opening strongly in the country; mid-sized titles have largely shifted to over-the-top content platforms.

“The ₹10-crore opening will become rarer and more ‘earned’. Theatrical success is clearly moving towards sustained word-of-mouth instead of front-loaded Fridays,” Mendiratta added.

Wide base, narrow peak

However, he believes the shift is not due to a weak box office—overall collections are actually higher this year—but because success is now spread across more films with steady lifetime runs rather than big first-day spikes. The base has widened, even as the peaks have narrowed.

Devang Sampat, managing director, Cinépolis India, agreed that audience decision-making is evolving. Viewers are taking more time to assess a film before committing to opening day, and early reviews, word-of-mouth and online or digital conversations are shaping outcomes more than the pre-release hype.

“We have seen several examples of this trend this year. Mahavatar Narsimha began at around ₹2 crore but crossed more than ₹200 crore. Saiyaara opened at around ₹21 crore and finished at approximately ₹320 crore, and at the same time, Raid 2 opened at ₹18.2 crore and went on to collect over ₹175 crore,” Sampat said, adding that this pattern is visible across Hindi and regional titles.

Audiences are willing to wait for stronger word-of-mouth, particularly for films that may not follow traditional marketing cycles. Regional cinema has benefited from this shift, as audiences are exploring new storytelling and discovering titles that feel more rooted and authentic, he added.