India’s cinema box office rises 20% as premium formats and tier-2 demand lift multiplexes

India’s January-June box office reached ₹6,665 crore, up 20% year on year. PVR INOX says premium formats now contribute nearly a fifth of its circuit, while Cinepolis India plans to add 40 screens annually amid stronger advance bookings and demand beyond metros.

— Source publishedMon, 27 Jul, 2026, 06:27 IST·First seen Mon, 27 Jul, 2026, 06:39 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

India’s cinema market posted strong first-half box-office growth, supported by Hindi, regional and Hollywood releases. PVR INOX, Cinepolis India and BookMyShow

Key facts

  • India box-office collections rose 20% to ₹6,665 crore in January-June from ₹5,570 crore a year earlier
  • Full-year movie ticket sales are expected to exceed ₹15,000 crore
  • Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey crossed ₹100 crore gross in its first week
  • Six films crossed ₹200 crore in January-June, versus four a year earlier
  • Cinepolis India plans to add 40 screens annually
  • Premium formats account for nearly 20% of PVR INOX's circuit

Why this matters

Cinepolis India’s plan to add 40 screens annually signals a more competitive expansion cycle, making tier-2 assets, premium-format partnerships and local operating scale strategically valuable.