India’s local box office closed the first six months of 2026 at INR6,398 crore ($664.7 million), the highest-grossing first half of any year since the pandemic, according to a new report from Ormax Media.
The figure, which does not include global collections, surpasses the same period in 2025 by nearly INR650 crore ($67.5 million).
“Dhurandhar: The Revenge” was the standout performer of the period, contributing approximately 20% of the total India box office for the first half of the year – a concentration that points to a widening gap between tentpole releases and the rest of the market. Six films crossed the INR200 crore ($20.8 million) mark in H1 2026, up from four during the equivalent stretch last year, yet the number of films reaching the INR100 crore ($10.4 million) threshold dropped from 17 to 13. The top 15 films collectively claimed 58% of box office receipts, compared with 49% in H1 2025.
The period also reversed a troubling footfall trend. Admissions rose 5% year-on-year, climbing from 362 million in H1 2025 to 378 million in H1 2026 – ending three consecutive years of decline and stagnation. The report attributes the recovery primarily to the performance of Hindi and Marathi-language releases. Footfalls nonetheless remain below the 400 million mark set in H1 2022, when “K.G.F: Chapter 2” and “RRR” both opened in the first half of that year.
