Hollywood scores quiet wins in India amid Dhurandhar 2 wave; Michael set to shine

Despite the overwhelming success of Dhurandhar 2, Hollywood films have quietly scored multiple hits in India, showcasing a strong audience for original and diverse stories.

Hollywood films are having a strong run in Indian theatres, even as Dhurandhar 2 created a storm at the box office. The big-ticket Hindi release impacted several films across industries, with some makers even postponing their projects to avoid the clash. However, amid the dominance of Dhurandhar 2, Hollywood titles have quietly delivered multiple hits.

While Dhurandhar 2 began to slow down and Akshay Kumar’s Bhooth Bangla picked up momentum, Hollywood films continued to draw steady audiences. In fact, a fourth consecutive Hollywood hit now appears to be on the cards.

Indian audiences warm up to Hollywood again

Hollywood films have long enjoyed popularity in India, particularly major franchises like Mission: Impossible, Marvel and DC superhero films, and Avatar. Animated films have also traditionally performed well. However, post-lockdown trends suggest a shift, with Indian audiences increasingly embracing non-franchise, original Hollywood stories.

A key factor behind this trend is release strategy. Instead of competing directly with Indian films for screens, Hollywood studios are focusing on urban centres and theatres where such films traditionally perform well. Even with limited screens, these films are managing to attract significant footfall.

Four Hollywood successes after Dhurandhar 2

The sci-fi film Project Hail Mary was initially slated for a March 19 release in India but was postponed by a week to avoid clashing with Dhurandhar 2. Despite limited show counts—never exceeding 1,700 shows during its run—the film has collected around Rs 70 crore net in 33 days, emerging as a blockbuster.

Amid the strong run of Dhurandhar 2, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie released on April 3. Now in its fourth week, the film has seen a steady drop in shows but has still managed to collect around Rs 9 crore in 25 days, marking a successful run given its limited release.

Most recently, the Michael Jackson biopic Michael has made a strong impact. Released only in English without dubbed versions, the film opened with around 3,000 shows and collected nearly Rs 20 crore in four days. It is expected to cross Rs30 crore within its first week, putting it on track to become a blockbuster in India.

Changing audience preferences

Among these releases, Project Hail Mary and Michael are original, non-franchise films, while The Mummy revisits a popular 1990s franchise with a modern reinterpretation. Only The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a sequel. The success of these films highlights the evolving tastes of Indian audiences, who are increasingly open to diverse storytelling.

The performance of these four Hollywood films, despite competition from major Indian releases like Dhurandhar; The Revenge and Bhooth Bangla, underlines one thing clearly: Indian audiences are willing to embrace compelling stories—regardless of whether they come from Bollywood, the South, or Hollywood.

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