2025 Sees Record Low Theatre Footfall Despite Box Office Boom

• Despite a record Rs 13,395 crore box office in 2025, theatre footfall dropped to a decade low of 83.2 crore, down from a pre-pandemic peak of 103 crore.
• The decline in audience turnout is a worrying trend, with footfalls for Telugu and Malayalam films decreasing even as their box office collections rose.
• Average Ticket Price (ATP) saw a 20% increase, from Rs 134 to Rs 161, primarily driving the higher box office revenue, especially for Hindi and International films.
• Government approvals for higher ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for tentpole Telugu films significantly contributed to the ATP surge in South Indian languages.
• While Hindi cinema footfalls grew by 11% to 25.6 crore, driven by blockbusters like Dhurandhar, they remain below pre-pandemic levels; Gujarati films saw record high footfalls.

Why It Matters: Record box office in 2025 was driven by higher ticket prices, masking a concerning decade-low in theatre footfall.