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3 min readNew DelhiJul 20, 2026 06:01 PM IST
India earns Rs 6398 at box office in six months. (Photo: IMDb)
The Indian box office has had its strongest first half since the pandemic, grossing Rs 6,398 crore between January and June 2026, with Dhurandhar: The Revenge playing an important role in this. The figure surpasses the first-half collections of 2025 (Rs 5,749 crore) by nearly Rs 650 crore, indicating sustained momentum across languages and a healthier theatrical market. June alone contributed Rs 1,038 crore, making it the fourth month out of the first six to cross the Rs 1,000-crore mark. The consistency suggests a steadier release calendar compared to previous years. Ram Charan’s Peddi emerged as June’s highest-grossing film with an India gross of Rs 288 crore.
Dhurandhar 2 began the windfall
The first half of 2026 saw 13 Indian films cross the Rs 100-crore mark, while six films entered the Rs 200-crore club, reflecting a broader spread of successful releases. The list includes Dhurandhar, Peddi, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, Border 2, Karuppu, and Bhooth Bangla.
Leading the charts is Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which alone contributed nearly 20% of the total Indian box office in the first half of the year. The film earned Rs 1,813 crore worldwide, cementing its position as the biggest blockbuster of 2026 so far.
Highest grossing Indian films 2026. (Graphics created using AI)
Collectively, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Peddi, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, Bhooth Bangla, and Welcome To The Jungle generated nearly Rs 3,000 crore worldwide, highlighting the strong performance of event films across industries.
Hindi leads, Telugu follows
Hindi cinema accounted for 44% of the total box office revenue during the first half of 2026, with Dhurandhar: The Revenge alone contributing nearly 20% of the overall market. Telugu cinema followed with a 20% share, while Tamil contributed 12%, Malayalam 9%, international films 8%, Marathi 4%, and other regional industries together made up the remaining 3%.
Hollywood releases also made a notable contribution. Obsession collected Rs 100 crore in India, while Project Hail Mary earned Rs 88 crore, taking the combined haul of the two films to Rs 188 crore.
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Footfalls rise for the first time in years
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the first half of 2026 is the increase in theatrical admissions. According to Ormax Media, cinema footfalls rose to 37.8 crore between January and June, compared to 36.2 crore during the same period in 2025—a growth of nearly 5%. The increase has largely been driven by strong performances from Hindi and Marathi films.
The post-pandemic record for first-half admissions, however, remains 2022, when blockbusters like KGF: Chapter 2 and RRR powered theatres to exceptional occupancy. The all-time annual footfall record in the post-pandemic era continues to be 2023, when Indian cinemas recorded 94.3 crore admissions.
Can 2026 become a record-breaking year?
With major releases still lined up—including Ramayana: Part 1, King, Toxic, Fauzi, Jailer 2, Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and The Odyssey—trade experts believe 2026 has a realistic chance of becoming the first post-pandemic year to cross the 100-crore footfall mark, while also setting a new annual box office record if the momentum continues into the second half.
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