India's box office collections rise 10% to record ₹6,398 crore in H1 2026: Ormax Media

India's theatrical exhibition business has delivered its strongest first-half performance since the pandemic, with domestic box office collections touching ₹6,398 crore during January-June 2026, according to Ormax Media's The India Box Office Report: Jan-June 2026. The cumulative collection is 10% higher than the corresponding period last year, making it the highest-grossing first half in the post-pandemic era and surpassing 2025 by nearly ₹650 crore.

The report indicates that the industry's recovery is now being driven not just by higher ticket revenues but also by audiences returning to cinemas. Footfalls increased 5% year-on-year to 37.8 crore (378 million) from 36.2 crore (362 million) in the first half of 2025, reversing three years of declining or stagnant admissions. The growth was led primarily by Hindi and Marathi films, although overall attendance remains below the 40-crore mark achieved in the first half of 2022.

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The report suggests the momentum could continue through the rest of the year. Over the past three years, the January-June period has contributed around 42% of annual domestic box office collections. If that trend holds, India's box office could exceed ₹15,000 crore in 2026, eclipsing the current annual record of ₹13,395 crore set in 2025.

The outlook is supported by a packed release calendar featuring big-budget titles such as Ramayana: Part 1, King, Toxic, Fauzi, Jailer 2, Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and The Odyssey. According to Ormax Media, annual cinema admissions could also touch 100 crore, surpassing the current post-pandemic record of 94.3 crore footfalls recorded in 2023.

The first half's performance, however, also underscores the widening gap between blockbuster films and the rest of the market. Dhurandhar: The Revenge emerged as the highest-grossing film of the year so far, accounting for nearly 20% of India's total box office collections during the period.

While six films crossed the ₹200-crore mark between January and June, compared with four during the same period last year, the number of films crossing ₹100 crore declined from 17 to 13. As a result, the top 15 films contributed 58% of the total domestic box office, up from 49% a year ago, highlighting an increasing concentration of revenues among a handful of marquee releases.

June itself remained a strong month for exhibitors, generating ₹1,038 crore in domestic collections, including projected earnings from films still running in theatres. Telugu film Peddi emerged as the month's biggest release, while four of the first six months of 2026 each crossed the ₹1,000-crore mark.

The report also points to shifting language dynamics. Hindi cinema expanded its share of the domestic box office from 39% in the first half of 2025 to 44% in 2026, while Tamil cinema's share fell from 17% to 12%. Marathi cinema recorded its highest post-pandemic share at 4%, reflecting stronger regional performance alongside Hindi's resurgence.