Box Office: Deadliest Friday ahead, average occupancy is just 2.5%

This could well be a first. Though in the past too there have been instances when films haven’t been released in theatres for a long period of time, once when there was a film strike around a decade and a half back, and then later when IPL (Indian Premiere League) started showing its might due to which films started shying away from arriving in theatres during that time period, the only instance when there was practically a complete blackout was during the pandemic.

However, in a first, even though just IPL is competition (which is not as big as it used to be), theatres will be having a completely barren look tomorrow. There is not a single film – read again, not a single film – releasing tomorrow. The industry rails have come to a screeching halt since the Eid releases and while there was a film or two that arrived every Friday even post that, currently there is just no film planned for arrival in theatres. The reason stated is that elections are keeping filmmakers away though honestly, this could actually have been a better time to arrive because after people cast their votes, they could have easily come to theatres, which anyways have their best occupancy post afternoon.

None of the holdover releases are doing any great shakes either with not even Rs. 1 crore coming for any of the films (individually) on a daily basis. Collections are reeling in just lakhs and collective numbers of Bollywood films are less than 2 crores on a daily basis against a capacity of Rs. 70-80 crores. That’s an average occupancy of 2.5% per screen, per show. From tomorrow, it’s only going to get worst.

Let that sink in!