The Indian film industry, which churns out on 1600 films every year, is facing severest of crises as streaming services and non-Hindi language rivals are stealing its sparkle.
Cinemas have fallen quiet, even in Mumbai, with box-office receipts plunging since Covid curbs were lifted.
Of the many Bollywood films released in the past year, just one-fifth met or surpassed revenue targets. In comparison, several Telugu-language aka Tollywood movies soared high.
With streaming monthly subscriptions lower or comparable to the cost of one ticket — Rs100-200 ($1.20-$2.50) at single-screen cinemas and higher at multiplexes — price-sensitive audiences were avoiding theatres.
