Bollywood filmmakers who dub and release films across languages to attract a wider audience may have bitten off more than they can chew. The first-day shows of recent hit Dhurandhar: The Revenge were cancelled in several places, more so in the south, where the prints of dubbed versions weren’t ready on time.
Experts said logistical issues can often derail big release plans of films in multiple languages. Each language version needs separate certification, which can be a challenge given the overworked and understaffed certification board.
With dubbing and subtitling now closely regulated, producers need to lock versions early, build buffers for certification and ensure consistency across languages. Accounting for such complications, the Hindi version of Mammootty-starrer Patriot wasn’t released alongside its Malayalam version earlier this month.
In the coming months, Allu Arjun’s Raaka, SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, Yash-starrer Toxic and mythological epic Ramayana will aim for multiple language versions.
“With dubbing, quality and sync are critical—if it feels off, audiences reject it immediately. With subtitling now more closely regulated, accuracy and timely approvals are equally important,” said Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, managing director of Miraj Entertainment Ltd.
Overall, multi-language releases demand precise planning and strong backend coordination to avoid last-minute issues that can create a domino effect, he added.
Experts emphasized that any gap – whether in certification, content delivery or version quality – has a direct and immediate impact on the day of release. If shows get delayed or cancelled, especially for certain language versions, it results in lost footfall at the most crucial time.
The opening weekend accounts for a large share of a film’s lifetime box office collections – in many cases, up to 50%. Even a small disruption can translate into a meaningful revenue loss. Audiences today plan their viewing in advance, and if they don’t get the show or language they want, they may not return immediately.
Pan-India cinema
Film producer Anand Pandit said releasing a movie in several languages is now the norm because it is the era of truly pan-Indian cinema.
“This is the first time we have had to calibrate the logistics of translating, subtitling and dubbing multiple versions before a film's release and so the initial teething troubles are normal. This is a very long and painstaking process and even a minor mistake can create massive delay and stress given the tight timelines that post-production teams work with,” Pandit added.
What producers need to keep in mind now is to not leave everything to the last minute.
“We must stagger this process because releasing a film in various languages on the same day requires perfect precision to ensure that the quality remains high across regions,” Pandit said.
Filmmakers said delays can be catastrophic and have a snowball effect on the film's financial recovery. The initial shows must run smoothly because once the excitement of the audience fades, nothing can bring it back.
“The key is early planning. Dubbing is not just translation, it is cultural adaptation, and poor localization can dilute the storytelling. Producers need to build parallel workflows, not sequential ones, to avoid last-minute delays,” said Abishek S Vyas, founder and CEO of AVS, a Dubai- and Mumbai-based arts and entertainment company.
Marketing momentum
Vyas agreed that even small gaps can have a disproportionate impact. A delay in one language version can disrupt show allocations, marketing momentum, and audience sentiment.
“In today’s environment, where opening weekend performance is critical, any inconsistency across versions can directly affect box office outcomes,” he added.
As the trend of multilingual, pan-India films gains momentum, producers are beginning to realize that coordination is the biggest challenge. Aligning multiple stakeholders including distributors, exhibitors, certification bodies and marketing teams across regions is top priority. Any last-minute technical or compliance issue can cascade quickly. That is why strong centralized planning and buffer timelines are essential.
“Opening day momentum matters enormously for a film’s word-of-mouth cycle. The audience today expects to walk into a theatre at 9 AM on release day regardless of which language they are watching,” said Ashish Misra, head of commercialisation, Cinepolis India. “The industry has scaled up its ambition on multi-language releases significantly over the past two to three years, and the entire ecosystem, from production to exhibition, needs to ensure that the delivery timelines keep pace with that ambition.”