Tigmanshu Dhulia BLAMES high ticket prices for killing Bollywood’s box office: “Greed is the reason behind it”

Acclaimed filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia has sparked a conversation about the Hindi film industry’s ongoing box office woes, pinning the blame squarely on exorbitant ticket prices. In a candid interview with ANI, the Paan Singh Tomar director argued that Bollywood’s failure to draw crowds stems from a pricing model that alienates audiences, contrasting it with the South Indian film industry’s more affordable approach. The Cost of Watching Bollywood: A Barrier to Success Dhulia didn’t mince words when addressing Bollywood’s current slump.

“Greed is the reason behind it, of course,” he stated, critiquing the multiplex culture that prioritizes revenue from parking, popcorn, and snacks over affordable movie tickets. What sets the South Indian film industry apart? According to Dhulia, it’s not just the price cap—it’s the absence of corporate overreach. “South is still good because corporates haven’t entered there.



They have made a place in OTT, not much in feature films. There are only old producers there, vahan dosti yaari mein hi kaam hota hai (they work within friends,” he explained. He further added, “The average capacity of South theatres is 75% but 25% in Hindi, because there is a cap on ticket rates there.

You can keep whatever price here. The ticket prices are so high, who will go to watch any film? Traffic is increasing in every city, so people think to skip.” Re-Releases Prove the Point: Cheap Tickets Fill Seats Dhulia’s argument finds real-world validation in the success of Bollywood re-releases.

Films like Sanam Teri Kasam , Tumbbad , and Rockstar —originally underperformers—have seen packed houses in 2025 thanks to slashed ticket prices. “When it’s Cinema Day and ticket prices are slashed to Rs 100, every theatre is full. Films that worked was only because of cheaper ticket prices, including Tumbbad, Sanam Teri Kasam, and Rockstar.

These were flops when originally released,” he stated. Multiplexes Under Fire: A Real Estate Game? The filmmaker didn’t hold back in his critique of multiplexes, accusing them of treating films as an afterthought. “They are showing it on giant TV screens—this is not how film screens are supposed to be,” he lamented.

For Dhulia, the focus has shifted from cinematic experience to real estate profits, with ticket prices inflated to offset investments in plush infrastructure. Single-screen theaters, he suggested, offer a purer, more affordable alternative—an experience Bollywood may need to revisit to recapture its audience. Also Read: Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor criticizes Bollywood’s current state, calls for investment in high-concept films: “It’s 2025 and the films that get green-lit are films that belong in the 1980s” BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES Catch us for latest Bollywood News , New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection , New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi , Entertainment News , Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.

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