Beyond the weekend: theatres rejoice as films crack the weekday test

In recent times, theatres across India have been experiencing a notable shift in audience behaviour, with significant weekday collections contributing to the success of films. Contrary to the traditional reliance on weekend collections, both big-budget and mid-budget films have shown remarkable performance during the weekdays.

Theatres and trade experts attribute this trend to the evolving preferences of audiences, who are now more selective in choosing films to watch. Films that receive positive word-of-mouth tend to sustain their footfalls, rather than depending solely on a strong opening weekend. Cinemas are also adapting to this change by offering weekday-specific pricing, food and beverage combos, and loyalty offers, creating a more compelling reason for audiences to choose a cinema outing during the week.

Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, executive director of PVR INOX Ltd, notes that audiences are now deciding on films based on genuine enjoyment and word-of-mouth, rather than just opening-day hype. Theatre owners are closely monitoring weekday demand and using this data to optimize screen allocation and show timings, ensuring that films with a strong weekday presence are given priority.

The trend is not limited to mainstream cinema but has also impacted regional films. Tamil films like Gatta Kusthi: 2nd Round and Idhayam Murali, Punjabi film Carry On Jatta 4, and Malayalam film I, Nobody have all demonstrated strong weekday performance. Similarly, Telugu film Lenin and Hindi film Main Vaapas Aaunga have shown encouraging weekday legs, proving that even smaller and regional films can enjoy longer theatrical runs with the right word-of-mouth.

The industry is also adapting its marketing strategies to capitalize on this shift. Production houses are sustaining their social media campaigns beyond the opening day, leveraging audience reactions to maintain momentum throughout the film's theatrical run. Pricing strategies, such as Blockbuster Tuesday ticket offers, have been introduced to make weekday viewing more affordable and attractive to the middle-class family and working professional audience.

Filmmakers are increasingly focusing on genre-specific films catering to niche audiences, rather than trying to please everyone. These films may start slowly but gain traction as the right audience discovers them. According to Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer - cinemas at BookMyShow, this trend indicates greater staying power among certain films, albeit not uniformly across all genres.

In conclusion, theatres in India are experiencing a positive shift in weekday footfalls, driven by strong word-of-mouth and changing audience preferences. Both big-budget and mid-budget films, as well as regional cinema, are benefiting from this trend, signaling a potential long-term change in the way films are marketed, priced, and presented in cinemas.