India's cinema industry is bucking the trend seen elsewhere in Asia, with theatrical revenues surpassing pre-pandemic levels despite the growth of streaming and a slower Hollywood release pipeline, according to PVR Inox executive director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli. In an interview with Deadline, Bijli credited a resurgence of strong Hindi-language hits, alongside steady regional cinema output, for keeping audiences coming back and attracting fresh investment into local film production.

India's box office reached a record $1.48 billion in 2025, boosted by hits such as Dhurandhar and the Kantara prequel, while PVR Inox, the country's largest cinema chain, posted record annual revenue of $700 million and profit of $40 million for the year to March 2026. However, Bijli acknowledged that admissions have not fully recovered, standing at 832 million in 2025 versus 1.03 billion in 2019, with revenue growth driven largely by higher ticket prices from premium formats such as Imax, 4DX and Screen X, which the company sees as a lasting shift in audience behaviour.