Following our partnership announcement with Immerso - we dive into more detail on the vast Indian film ecosystem - an industry with global appeal to billions of fans and cinephiles.
Their output rivals, and in some cases even surpasses Hollywood, with Indian cinema producing more than 1,500-2,000 films every year in more than 20 languages.
The industry is centered in Mumbai, but regional cinemas in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and other languages contribute massively to its reach. India’s film industry generates billions in revenue - with a market size exceeding $5 billion and a growing international footprint.
India has the world’s highest cinema attendance, with billions of tickets sold annually. Accessibility to Indian films has now been given a global boost from international streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Eros Now Disney+ and Hotstar.
The appeal of Indian cinema is not confined to the country, and for decades their releases have resonated with an international market. Up until the 1980s, the largest overseas market for Indian films was the Soviet Union.
In the 1970s-1980s, commercial success was also gained in China. Since the 1990s, the largest overseas market for Indian cinema has been the South Asian diaspora.
In the present day, South Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka retain large audiences for Indian cinema, while popularity has further expanded to the UAE and the Middle East, Africa (Nigeria), Indonesia, Europe (Germany, France and the UK) as well as to the Caribbean, Latin America and the USA.
Historically, the overseas box office for Indian films was primarily driven by the Indian diaspora. However, during recent years, films like “Dangal” and “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” achieved significant box office success internationally.
The unique storytelling and aesthetics of Indian cinema have also inspired Western filmmakers. “Moulin Rouge!” and “Slumdog Millionaire” have incorporated Indian-style narratives and musical elements - reflecting the cross-cultural exchange between Indian and Western cinema.
Filmmakers like M. Night Shyamalan have kept a connection between India and Hollywood. At the same time, Indian films have gained attention at prestigious international film festivals - Payal Kapadia's “All We Imagine as Light” won the Grand Prix at Cannes, marking the first time in 30 years that an Indian film received this honor, while “RRR” won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
A combination of grand storytelling with heightened drama, music and elaborate dance sequences, emotion, and spectacle - this is what sets India cinema apart, making it a key & rapidly growing player in the global entertainment landscape.
One of our key goals in 2025 is to increase growth. Where better to begin than with a partner whose reach extends across billions of potential users worldwide.
Stay tuned for more around our exciting Immerso collaboration.