For decades, the Indian film industry has centered its success on the star power of lead actors, relying on their names to draw audiences to the box office. However, recent years have witnessed a notable shift in this age-old paradigm. While movies like Pathan, Animal, and Kalki 2898 AD featuring A-list celebs managed to bring in the moolah, the industry faces challenges, especially post-pandemic, as high-budget extravaganzas struggle to fill theatre seats. Amid this backdrop, a new wave of cinema is surfacing—movies thriving without major stars or exorbitant budgets, known as sleeper hits.
Films like The Kerala Story, 12th Fail, Article 370, Laapata Ladies, Hanu-Man, Manjummel Boys, Premalu, Aavesham, and Munjya, made on modest budgets ranging from ₹5 crore to ₹75 crore, have stormed the box office. These successes have prompted trade analysts and insiders to reconsider the influence of stars and the evolving dynamics of what defines a blockbuster in today’s cinema landscape.
Also Read: Stree, Munjya, Kakuda, Bhediya, Hanu-Man: Decoding why folklore-inspired films are on the rise
“It is the promise of content and the disappointment of big-ticket films that have brought audiences to these movies in theaters,” says director Aditya Sarpotdar. “We’ve taken our audience for granted and delivered subpar scripts for far too long,” he continues, highlighting the industry’s tendency to repackage generic content, now met with audience weariness and declining box office returns. “Instead, audiences are eager for smaller films, hoping for something fresh and distinctive.”
Trade analyst Ramesh Bala echoes this sentiment, and notes that today’s audiences are driven solely by content. “Once, people went to theaters for entertainment or out of habit. Now, it’s entirely content-driven. Unique content is what motivates people to watch films in theatres.”
Also Read: Not worried about Stree 2 clashing with two other films, director Amar Kaushik hints at the possibility of Stree 3
Actor Sharvari, reflecting on the success of her film Munjya, reinforces the power of storytelling. “If a film genuinely entertains the audience, they will flock to see it,” she asserts. “Our film resonated by touching deep cultural roots while telling a universally appealing story.”
Nitanshi Goel, star of Laapataa Ladies, views sleeper hits as indicative of a significant shift in Indian cinema. “Audiences crave meaningful, authentic stories that go beyond masala entertainment,” she says adding, “They want characters, emotions, and experiences that mirror their own lives.”
Also Read: Stree 2, Pushpa 2, Indian 2, Singham Again, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3: Why sequels remain the forever flavour of the season
According to Sanket Kulkarni, Head- Business Development (Theatrical), Ormax Media, recent trends illustrate the robust performance of films like Munjya, Srikanth, and Hanu-Man, which experienced less than a 30% decline in box office earnings from week one to week two. This contrasts sharply with the typical over 50% drop seen in most releases. In the Malayalam industry, Premalu even saw a 10% growth from week one to week two. “All these films, buoyed by strong word-of-mouth, demonstrated a solid trend at the box office,” he shares.
Also Read: Kennedy, Sanaa, Stolen: Why India’s festival favorites struggle for a release in the domestic market?
“This shift is clearly signaling the fact that when you have films that are decent in content, not flawed in storytelling and are well presented, there’s an audience for it,” says Sarpotdar. “It’s a wake-up call for big stars, directors, and producers to prioritise content, reassess star fees, and deliver on the promise of a cinematic experience,” he ends.
