'Audiences are loyal to good content.'
Small and mid-budget regional films drew the attention of moviegoers in 2025, offering stronger content and more authentic storytelling. This shift came as the Hindi film industry saw a 25 per cent drop in releases during the year.
The Gujarati film industry crossed the Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) mark for the first time in October 2025.
Leading the charge was Laalo: Krishna Sada Sahaayate, which placed among the top five films of the month with a Rs 92 crore (Rs 920 million) box office haul.
In the Malayalam industry, the female superhero film Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra shattered records, earning Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) globally in six weeks and becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam-language film worldwide.
In Marathi, the adventure-drama thriller Dashavatar led collections with Rs 28.47 crore (Rs 284.7 million), according to Sacnilk.
Girish Wankhede, a film trade analyst, said the year saw 20 to 25 per cent fewer Hindi releases compared to 2024.
Meanwhile, exhibitors such as PVR Inox, Cinepolis India, Miraj Entertainment, and Mukta A2 Cinemas said 2025 brought a clear shift in audience preferences.
Many small and mid-budget regional films, made for Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore (Rs 100 million to Rs 150 million), outperformed expectations at the BO, industry executives observed.
In October, Kantara: A Legend - Chapter 1 overtook the historical action film Chhaava to become India's highest-grossing film of the year with Rs 735 crore (Rs 7.35 billion), according to a recent Ormax Media report. This pushed up Kannada cinema's share of the national BO.
"2025 has truly been a landmark year for Indian cinema, marking the long-awaited rise and commercial success of regional films," said Gautam Dutta, chief executive officer, revenue and operations, PVR Inox.
"Marathi, Gujarati, and Malayalam films have led this shift beautifully. Laalo: Krishna Sada Sahaayate, a sleeper hit with around 40 per cent occupancy, was a pleasant surprise, driven by sharp marketing and strong traction beyond Gujarat. Dashavatar struck gold for Marathi cinema, while Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra reaffirmed the mainstream pull of Malayalam cinema."
In Marathi, after Dashavatar, the psychological thriller Jarann, the comedy Gulkand and Ata Thambaycha Naay! led in footfall.
In Gujarati, Laalo: Krishna Sada Sahaayate, followed by the action-comedy Chaniya Toli and the family comedy Umbarro, drew repeat audiences for Miraj Entertainment.
Gujarati cinema logged 10 million footfall this year (as of October 5), according to Ormax Media.
It not only crossed every record in Gujarati film history but also overtook both Punjabi and Marathi cinema in total BO revenue and footfall in 2025, making it the strongest non-Hindi, non-South Indian language BO performer in the country.
Meanwhile, Malayalam cinema continued to dominate in scale and reach. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, L2: Empuraan, and Thudarum together crossed Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion) at the global BO.
"There have been 18 to 20 per cent fewer tentpole and mid-budget Hindi releases this year. Naturally, that opened up screens and mindshare for regional titles," said Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director, Miraj Entertainment.
"But that's not the only reason behind their success. Regional filmmakers are offering strong scripts, relatable characters, and inventive marketing. Audiences have evolved -- they're no longer loyal only to language; they're loyal to good content."
"The real credit goes to the strength and freshness of regional storytelling. Punjabi and Bengali films are also doing better this year."
Devang Sampat, managing director of Cinépolis India, said regional films continue to deliver steady volumes and offer stability at a time when the Hindi slate has moved through uneven phases.
"Regional cinema has always enjoyed strong loyalty, but this year the momentum has been broader and more frequent. Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, and Gujarati films have all delivered strong performances across our circuit," Sampat said.
"The shift this year is the consistency with which mid-budget regional films are performing and the way audiences are responding to stories rooted in diverse cultures and lived experiences," Sampat added.
On the other hand, Satwik Lele, chief operating officer, Mukta A2 Cinemas, said the momentum in regional cinema has enabled the company to strengthen its partnerships with regional producers and distributors. Mukta A2 Cinemas is now collaborating on better release windows and more city-specific marketing.
"We're working much more closely with Gujarati, Marathi, and Malayalam producers to plan release windows, marketing tieups, and cross-promotions well in advance," Mendiratta added. "Earlier, regional titles were often slotted around Hindi releases; today, they're part of our primary planning calendar."
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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