As 2025 draws to a close, the Indian film exhibition sector is pinning its hopes on a final wave of blockbuster releases to end the year with a significant upswing. The spotlight is firmly on the Hollywood mega-franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is poised for a massive opening across the country this week.
High Expectations for Avatar's Return
The latest chapter in James Cameron's epic saga is projected to rake in between ₹20 crore and ₹30 crore on its opening day in India. This anticipation stems from the formidable legacy of its predecessor. The previous film, Avatar: The Way of Water, released in 2022, remains the highest-grossing Hollywood film ever in India, having collected a staggering ₹378.22 crore. The new installment, dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, builds on this established fan base and brand recall.
Devang Sampat, Managing Director of Cinépolis India, highlighted the strong foundation, noting that advance bookings indicate robust demand. He projects an even higher opening day range of ₹35-40 crore and an opening weekend haul of ₹120-130 crore. "The expectations are grounded in franchise recall, the appeal of premium formats, and the fact that this is one of the few Hollywood releases that consistently draws family audiences in India," Sampat stated.
A Mixed Year Finds Late Cheer
The arrival of Avatar: Fire and Ash promises to brighten what has been a mixed year for Hollywood in India and for overall box office performance. While only a handful of big Bollywood hits like Chhaava and Saiyaara emerged earlier, the latter part of the year saw unexpected successes. Ranveer Singh's action film Dhurandhar has crossed ₹450 crore domestically, and the romantic drama Tere Ishk Mein has earned over ₹110 crore.
This period, along with the success of mid-budget films like Bhool Chuk Maaf and Sitaare Zameen Par, is creating a consistent streak of strong performance. Exhibitors anticipate around five to six weeks of impressive footfalls, making December a crucial month. Bhuvanesh Mendiratta of Miraj Entertainment Ltd. confirmed that December is shaping up to be the highest-grossing month of 2025.
Premium Experience and Year-End Projections
A key driver for Avatar's performance is the audience's preference for premium formats. Sampat reported that IMAX and 4DX shows opened for advance booking on December 5th and are already nearing 100% occupancy. Leading markets include metros and tier-one cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai, where the demand for an immersive, big-screen experience is highest.
Gautam Dutta, CEO of Revenue and Operations at PVR Inox Ltd., emphasized that Hollywood's success in India relies on event films. "Films of this nature have the ability to re-energize footfalls, particularly in premium formats, and help Hollywood close the year on a strong and positive note," he said.
Despite other Hollywood successes in 2025 like Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (₹110.21 crore) and Jurassic World: Rebirth (₹100.43 crore), the segment has faced challenges, including superhero fatigue. However, the combined force of Dhurandhar, Avatar, and the upcoming Christmas release Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri from Dharma Productions, is set to deliver a powerful finale.
Overall, trade experts estimate that 2025 will conclude with total box office collections of ₹13,000-13,500 crore across all languages, marking a 10-14% increase from the previous year. While collections have surpassed pre-pandemic levels largely due to higher ticket prices, footfalls remain about 8% lower than in 2019. The year-ending slate aims to bridge this gap and send 2025 off on a triumphant note.
