Pushpa 2: The Rule, the Allu Arjun-starrer, was the most-watched movie of 2024, drawing in 1.08 million solo viewers, according to the year-end report by entertainment platform BookMyShow. Indians remained passionate about going to the movies, with one cinephile setting a record of watching 221 movies this year, the company said.
BookMyShow offered 30,687 live events across 319 cities, an 18% increase this year. Tier-two cities including Kanpur, Shillong and Gandhinagar reported an almost eight-fold increase in live events, signalling the democratisation of entertainment access across the country.
The report is based on data from 1 January to 5 December 2024. Pushpa 2 was released on 5 December. The Telugu movie’s performance is based on data for the first weekend after its release and includes versions dubbed in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Bengali.
Pushpa 2 crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark in India as of Thursday, according to trade experts.
Other film hits of the year, according to BookMyShow, include period drama Kalki 2898 AD, horror comedies Stree 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Telugu superhero flick Hanu-Man, biographical action film Amaran and Ajay Devgn-starrer Singham Again. The Hollywood hit parade was led by Deadpool & Wolverine, Moana 2, and Inside Out 2.
During the week of Diwali, 1 November was blockbuster day on BookMyShow, shattering records with 2.3 million movie tickets sold in 24 hours.
Nostalgia took centre stage with re-releases like Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Rockstar (2011) and Laila Majnu (2018) still attracting viewers after their initial release. Many of these films filled the void left by the absence of new releases, but the move paid off, according to experts.
People in the National Capital Region, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru were the most enthusiastic about going to the cinema.
“The year was a mixed bag for cinema, with some periods witnessing major box office clashes while others saw weeks without any significant releases,” said Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer, cinemas, BookMyShow. “However, movies like Pushpa 2 and Animal have proven that a well-made film can succeed regardless of the season, breaking the notion that festive or holiday periods are essential for success. This shift in audience preferences highlights the importance of content quality over timing.”
Music tourism surged, becoming one of the defining trends of the year. Over 4,77,393 fans travelled outside their cities to attend live music events.
The biggest draw was Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour in India, which had fans from over 500 cities and 28 states booking tickets for the show in Ahmedabad, scheduled for 25 January 2025. The band also performs in Mumbai on 18 and 19 January.
Coldplay concert bookings were led by Mumbai, with 21%, followed by Ahmedabad (14%), Bengaluru (13%) and NCR (11%).
Over 8,87,166 fans attended events solo, reflecting a growing trend of independent participation.
BookMyShow Stream, the company’s pay-per-view service, recorded 107,023 hours of content consumed. With 446 new titles added to its library of 2,978 films, the platform’s standout titles were Dune: Part Two, Dhoomam and Aazam.
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