Bollywood stares at mid-budget movie blues after blockbuster blow
Bollywood stares at mid-budget movie blues after blockbuster blow
The Hindi cinema industry is encountering a significant shortage of mid-budget films set for 2025 release owing to escalating actor fees, high marketing costs, and a preference for streaming platforms.
Notedly nearly 50% of mid-budget films announced are feared to have been shelved reflects these challenges. This has been happening in the past two years.
Mid-budget films are the backbone of the industry’s annual output as fewer than ten big-budget films are released in a typical year.
As per experts, several factors have stacked the odds against mid-budget films.
These include limited opportunities to recover investments through digital rights, skyrocketing promotion and marketing costs, a sharp rise in actor fees, unfavourable economics for multiplex audiences, budget recalibrations, and the growing preference for streaming platforms as a more viable outlet for such films.
According to experts and Girish Johar, producer and film business analyst, there have been no major announcements of
mid-budget films for 2025.”
Nearly 50% of mid-budget films announced in the past year have been shelved, leading to a reduced pipeline of releases for 2025.
Trade analysts pointed out that several prominent mid-budget projects, such as The Intern (remake), Khalnayak 2, Ram Lakhan, Je Le Zara and Chakda Xpress, have either been delayed or shelved altogether.
Adding that producers are recalibrating budgets for mid-budget films due to inflation and rising actor fees,” said a producer who wanted to remain anonymous. This has significantly slowed down production.
Mid-budget films are typically defined as those made within the range of ₹15-₹50 crore. However, trade analysts note that actor fees for such films have nearly tripled post-pandemic, driven by the success of a few mid-budget hits. This shift has disrupted the traditional business model for these films.
As per Veteran filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah, known for hits like Aankhen and Singh Is Kinng there’s a huge appetite for mid-budget films, but it’s crucial to keep the budget “right.”
Adding that investing more in stars than in the film itself is a flawed business model. Shah cited the success of Munjya (2024) and Stree 2 as evidence that audiences today prioritise content over star power. Scripts for mid-budget films are also being reworked to appeal to a broader audience, further delaying production.
Another producer cites that audiences are unforgiving toward mid-budget films that lack unique or well-told stories.
He went on to add that films blending genres like comedy, horror and suspense are more likely to attract theatre-goers-a trend even streaming platforms are prioritising.
It is estimated that over 200 mid-budget films are currently awaiting release either in theatres or on streaming platforms. Bur, producers face a major hurdle: streamers are either offering prices below production costs or reconsidering their decisions based on box-office performance.
News Edit KV Raman
