From Sholay to Tezaab- Re-releases of old classics planned to bail out multiplexes in loss?

Theater owners need money to run their establishments. With multiplexes also offering multiple other facilities as well as screens, when a few movies fail to work they come into deep trouble. The year 2024 has been bad for Bollywood with big-budget movies like Maidaan, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Bad Newz, Khel Khel Mein, and Vedaa doing very bad business. Although small-budget flicks such as Stree 2 and Southern extravaganza Kalki 2898 AD offered much respite to the multiplex owners they need back-to-back hits like Jawan, Gadar 2, KGF 2, and Animal to sustain in this highly competitive market.

'STREE 2' SHATTERS 'BAAHUBALI 2' *WEEKEND 3* RECORD... 500 NOT OUT - WILL IT BE 600 PAAR?... #Stree2 is now going head-to-head with #Jawan as it crosses the ₹ 500 cr milestone...

⭐️ #Jawan: crossed on Day 18
⭐️ #Stree2: crossed on Day 18 + Wed previews#Stree2 has officially… pic.twitter.com/dbTzYUhgIS

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) September 2, 2024

And that is why many old classics or movies with good potential that earlier failed to do business but can bring audiences to the theaters now are being re-released. Triptii Dimri and Avinash Tiwary’s Laila Majnu re-released some time ago and did a decent business, much more than it did after its first release. And all this was because of the newfound stardom of the Animal actress.

Multiplexes are responsible for their downfall?

To some extent, this is the truth because the tickets of multiplexes are too high. On the other hand, even the snacks and beverages offered there are mighty costly. That is one reason why middle-class and upper-middle-class audiences which form the core group of people watching Bollywood movies refrain from going to multiplexes.

Nice memories shooting this poster for #Taal with @AnilKapoor and #Aishwarya #AkshayeKhanna

Vintage @SubhashGhai1 and @arrahman
Taal is perhaps in everyone’s list of top ten movie soundtracks

Graphic design: Rahul/Himanshu Nanda pic.twitter.com/hmI4i0BBd5

— atul kasbekar (@atulkasbekar) June 20, 2023

But the biggest reason is that Bollywood movies have failed to offer quality content to the audience. That is why multiplexes have turned to old classics like Sholay, Tejaab, Pardes, Taal, and Veer Zara which are now re-releasing one by one. R. Madhavan and Dia Mirza’s Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein was re-released a couple of days ago and received a fabulous response and advance booking was much better than it got during its first release.

Here is #HindiPoster of #Pardes film completed 23 years of its release today. #परदेस a @SubhashGhai1 film. #23YearsOfPardes pic.twitter.com/0VHdZkB2Gq

— Indian Movie Poster (@IMP_poster) August 8, 2020

Most of these movies will be re-released during the first and second week of September when Ganesh Festival celebrations and holidays are declared in many parts of India. Apart from this, two biggies of Salman Khan with Rajshri Films- Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun were re-released some time ago and are running in packed houses even now.

MAINE PYAR KIYA released 30 years ago on 29 Dec 1989

Sooraj Barjatya’s directorial debut, One of the highest grossing films of all time & best selling musical score by Ram-Laxman.

Salman Khan turns 54 today! pic.twitter.com/o3UbAS6IO3

— Film History Pics (@FilmHistoryPic) December 27, 2019

So while the new Bollywood has failed to deliver, it’s the old classics that continue to offer much respite to the multiplex owners from their financial troubles.