Suniel Shetty on Bollywood's Box Office struggles: 'If the price of popcorn is higher...'

It's no secret that many Bollywood films are struggling to draw audiences to theatres and make money at the box office; factors like overpriced tickets and refreshments at the multiplexes, the dominance of OTT platforms, etc have contributed to this issue.

Suniel Shetty asks if Bollywood allowed international films to ‘take away business'

Recently during an interview, Suniel Shetty has expressed concerns about the recent decline of Bollywood films at the box office, questioning whether international movies are now dominating the Indian market.

Suniel shared his insights on the reasons behind the failure of many major Hindi films. He noted that English films are performing well, while Indian films are struggling to achieve even ₹15 lakh in revenue. He asked, "English films are running... Humari filmein aaj ₹15 lakh ka business nahin kar rahi hain. So, where did we go wrong? Have we allowed the international brands to come and steal the thunder from us? Have we allowed them to take away our business?"

The actor also pointed out some logistical issues which are hampering the movie-going experience for Indian viewers. Suniel also pointed to multiple issues affecting the industry, from expensive popcorn to the falling number of theatres across the country.

"Look, we will have to reduce the prices. If the price of popcorn is higher than the ticket price, then it becomes very, very difficult. You know, the number of theatres has to increase. The number of theatres has to multiply by 5x," he said.

Reflecting on the past, Suniel recalled how earlier producers were very invested in every aspect of a film's release. "In our time, when a producer used to make a film, his life used to be tied to that film because he had to pay for it himself or take a loan to make it. For him, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were make-or-break days."

Suniel who has starred in films like Border, Mohra, and Dilwale also criticised the corporate culture that now dominates the film industry. "And on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, if you call a corporate house, they'll say, 'I'm out for the weekend.' Our business is a weekend business," Suniel added