Over 3-hour runtime, increased spend per head, two-fold profit — How Dhurandhar changed cinema economics

Why F&B was the real winner

Here’s the key: ticket revenue is shared with producers. But food and beverages are largely retained by theatres. Industry estimates suggest F&B contributes 25–35% of multiplex revenues — and carries much higher margins than tickets. During Dhurandhar’s run, PVR INOX’s Spend Per Head (SPH) jumped sharply. It eventually reached Rs 146 for the quarter (up from Rs 140 last year), but during peak shows it touched Rs 190–Rs 200.

CEO Gautam Dutta told MoneyControl that the film’s four-hour runtime played a role: audiences were “famished” during intermission, driving snack sales. Within 20 days, SPH trends reversed and surged.

“We did one of our maximum food sales during Dhurandhar. We didn’t understand at first why our SPH had shot up. After four or five shows, we realised – people were famished. We were trending slightly lower than last year on SPH until Dhurandhar came. Then within 20 days, everything changed.”

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According to NewsByte, the success was not limited to PVR INOX. Other multiplex chains also reported a significant rise in food and beverage sales during the film’s run. Miraj Cinemas recorded Rs 13 crore in F&B revenue, while Roongta Cinemas clocked approximately Rs 65 lakh across its four properties in December alone.

Roongta Cinemas CEO Sanjay Barjatya noted, “Unlike previous hits that drew crowds but didn’t translate into strong snack sales, Dhurandhar maintained a healthy footfall-to-F&B conversion ratio right from the outset.”

Opening weekends of mass entertainers can raise concession revenue by 25–40% compared to average weekends — and Dhurandhar delivered exactly that.

Houseful shows further led to pre-movie dining, post-movie group dinners, mall food court rush and increased impulse purchases. Tier-2 and tier-3 cities saw repeat viewing, sustaining weekday traffic for cafes, QSR chains, and even street vendors near single screens.

Popcorn became the silent hero

Popcorn sits at the heart of cinema economics. It is inexpensive to produce, easy to store, and sold at high margins. By December 31, Dhurandhar had earned Rs 844 crore domestically, with PVR INOX alone contributing Rs 328 crore. As footfalls stayed high, popcorn counters thrived.

India’s popcorn market was valued at $366.6 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.57%, reaching nearly $662.7 million by 2030. Cinema-driven consumption remains a major contributor.

Exhibitors have higher hopes from 2026

Dhurandhar shows how a blockbuster activates the entire weekend economy — from producers and exhibitors to snack counters and mall restaurants. With big-ticket films like Dhurandhar 2, King, Ramayana Part 1, and Drishyam 3 lined up, theatres are betting on another year where popcorn may matter just as much as the plot.