While Hollywood’s India business remained stagnant in 2017 with a total of Rs 801 crore, 2018 has turned out to be a strong year for the segment
If 2018 was a big year for Hollywood, 2019 will be massive, film experts suggest. One reason for this is the 22nd film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) -- Avengers Endgame. Its prequel Avengers: Infinity War had broken records both on its home turf and in markets abroad.
India was one such market. The film became the highest grossing Hollywood film in the country with collections to the tune of Rs 280 crore from all versions and dethroned previous record holder, The Jungle Book.
Superheroes ruled the roost and horror kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Franchises proved to be a winning formula in 2018 and studios like Marvel and Fox had a successful year. While Hollywood’s India business remained stagnant in 2017 with a total collection of Rs 801 crore, 2018 turned out to be a strong year for the segment.
If larger than life Bollywood films failed to get cinephiles to the theatres, its Hollywood counterpart gave people a reason to come to cinema halls. In addition, the buzz for Hollywood films both internationally and in India drove movie-goers to theatres. Hence, trade experts suggest that the Hollywood segment saw a growth in 2018 both, in terms of business and footfalls.
Hollywood footfalls in India however remained stagnant at 75 million in 2018, marginally down from 78 million in 2016, according to 2018 EY report. But the segment had seen healthy growth for three consecutive years since 2013.
According to industry players, the consumption pattern has changed in India which is why Hollywood is gaining traction in the country. It is reaching to a larger demographic because of digitization.
Talking to Moneycontrol, film trade analyst Joginder Tuteja said: “In India, Hollywood had a better year (2018) and the main contribution was from Avengers (Infinity War). The film did about Rs 225 crore and that was huge. Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible (Fallout) did Rs 70 crore (in India). Even Aquaman did well around Rs 50 crore. Then, films like Black Panther and The Nun did well too. In that aspect there were around 8-10 films that performed well and managed to go past the Rs 40-50 crore mark.”
“Avengers was by far the biggest film India has seen from Hollywood,” Tuteja said.
Localisation of content has been a big contributor in Hollywood’s growth in India. From dubbing to subtitling, studios are experimenting with every strategy to connect with the people from tier 2 and tier 3 centres.
For Infinity War, nearly 50 percent of the screen count was devoted to the dubbed versions including Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
In 2015, when Avengers: Age of Ultron had hit theatres, its dubbed contribution was 45 percent, Ant-man’s local versions got 27 percent business and Star Wars: A Force Awakens dubbed versions earned 15 percent of the overall revenue.
The local language versions of Captain America: Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy managed to get 33 percent and 27 percent, respectively, of the overall revenues.
However, according to Tuteja, there is another aspect to Hollywood’s rise in India.
“Localisation helps, dubbing and subtitling help but the biggest thing that has happened is that in the last two years India has been exposed to so much digital medium because of which Hollywood is coming much closer than what it was earlier and this is what is really helping out,” Tuteja said.
Although it is believed that multiplexes are for Hollywood and Bollywood films, and single screens for regional cinema, the scenario is changing. Availability of single screen theatres is more in tier 2 and 3 centres as compared to multiplexes. When Hollywood studios make their films more appealing to the audience belonging to these markets, they automatically increase admissions in single screens.
“It is changing,” Tuteja concurs, but adds that “there is also a common trend in each of these films (movies released in 2018). They are basically action films or superhero films so they are basically VFX-laden films so people can relate to it and they can get entertained and don’t have to be language experts.”
Hollywood films have started finding their groove in India and have also increased their share in India’s overall box office collection from a mere 5-7 percent.
“Last year, it was around 20 percent with a business of around Rs 650 crore,” Tuteja added.
Hollywood will repeat its success formula in 2019 with more franchises, more superhero flicks more action dramas and more spinoffs. This will include Avengers: Endgame, Bumblebee and Men in Black 4, among others.
