Kantara, Chhaava, Saiyaara top movies of 2025; live entertainment soars: BookMyShow report

Indians made a conscious effort to step out of their homes for films and live entertainment experiences, according to BookMyShow’s year-end report #BookMyShowThrowback2025, which named Kannada hit Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1 and Hindi films Chhaava and Saiyaara among the year’s top movies.

The highest footfall at movie theatres was during the Dussehra weekend, with 6.8 million tickets sold, followed by the Independence Day weekend, according to the report based on data from 1 January to 30 November. Kantara became the biggest repeat-watch phenomenon with over 600,000 fans returning for a second watch.

Rajinikanth’s Coolie commanded the year’s strongest advance sales with 2.4 million tickets bought ahead of release. Single-screen cinemas continued to thrive, exemplified by Telugu film Hari Hara Veera Mallu-Part 1, with over 55% of its total sales coming from these theatres.

Nostalgia became an event in itself: re-releases drew 5.8 million moviegoers to the cinemas, with Hyderabad the undisputed re-release capital. Interstellar, Christopher Nolan’s 2014 film, became the year’s most dramatic comeback story – first selling out its February run before returning by public demand in March.

Bengaluru reaffirmed its status as India’s ultimate night-owl movie capital, leading the country in 12 AM-6 AM screenings for the second consecutive year, proving nightlife now includes the big screen experience.

“We are seeing a steady, broad-based demand curve shaped by content strength, early buzz and the overall cinema-going experience. Genres that deliver scale—action spectacles, rooted local stories and family entertainers—continue to drive sustained interest, while strong word of mouth often results in extended runs and repeat viewings,” Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer—cinemas, BookMyShow, had said in a recent interview to Mint.

Music tourism

Live entertainment thrived. There was a 17% growth in live entertainment consumption, with 34,086 events across the country this year, according to the report. Music tourism became a defining trend. About 562,000 fans travelled to another city for concerts, bringing an economic windfall to hotels, transport, restaurants and local businesses nationwide.

Footfalls at premium live experiences almost doubled, with fans opting for VIP pits, elevated decks, premium lounges and immersive hospitality zones, a signal of a maturing, experience-led market. Coldplay’s Music of The Spheres Tour in Ahmedabad in January demonstrated India’s arrival on the global touring map with an estimated ₹641 crore economic impact, spanning hospitality, retail transport and tourism, the report said.

Over 1.8 million fans attended events solo, a powerful testament to India’s growing confidence in independent experiences. Small towns emerged as viable spaces for live entertainment, with consumption growth led by Vishakhapatnam (409%), Vadodara (230%), Indore (214%), Shillong (213%), and Rajkot (159%), proving that entertainment today is truly pan-India, the report said.

The theatre circuit, hosting plays, enjoyed a resurgence as well, registering a 45% growth in consumption, buoyed by curious new audiences discovering the joy of live performances.