Old Hits, New Business: How Nostalgia Is Filling Cinemas Again—And PVR Inox Is Cashing In

A familiar title on the marquee, a packed auditorium, and audiences reliving their favourite moments—re-releases are bringing back the magic of cinema in unexpected ways.

As Bollywood classics and Hollywood blockbusters return to the big screen, nostalgia is proving to be more than just a sentiment; it is now a business strategy.

PVR Inox Ltd. has embraced this trend, tapping into audience demand for old favourites with curated festivals, special screenings, and limited-time re-releases. Recent successes like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Sanam Teri Kasam, and Interstellar have drawn strong footfalls, reinforcing the idea that cinematic experiences extend beyond just new releases.

“In FY25, re-releases alone contributed over 3% of our total revenue, and we anticipate this share to grow to 5-6% in FY26, or possibly higher, as audience interest in nostalgia-driven and experiential content continues to rise,” PVR Inox’s Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli told NDTV Profit in an emailed interaction, adding that the upcoming Aamir Khan Film Festival is expected to build on this momentum.

“Some of the re-releases have made up for big movies that did not perform well,” PVR had said in its third quarter earnings call in February.

Beyond films, PVR is expanding its alternate content offerings, including live screenings of major sporting events, concerts, and stand-up comedy. Events like the ICC Champions Trophy screenings, Candlelight Concerts, and Japan Film Festivals have seen high occupancy, highlighting a shift in how audiences engage with cinemas today.

Nostalgia-driven screenings are not just a trend but a growing revenue stream.

“With strong response trends, we are confident that alternate content will play an even bigger role in our revenue strategy,” Bijli said. That shows, even in a year where Bollywood’s content pipeline was subdued, older films helped sustain audience interest, sometimes outperforming new releases.

The approach is data-driven. A dedicated team at PVR Inox identifies potential re-releases based on audience polling and consumer insights, curating a mix of Bollywood classics and Hollywood favourites, he said.

Recent examples include Silsila, Jab We Met, and Interstellar, with the latter being one of the most successful Hollywood re-releases in recent years. “Re-releases contributed close to 4% of our total footfalls, and this trend is here to stay,” the company had said in its earnings call.

The nostalgia factor is not limited to metro audiences. In tier 2 and 3 cities, PVR Inox is tailoring its alternative content strategy to local preferences, screening regional films, devotional cinema, and educational content alongside major re-releases.

Live cricket screenings, in particular, have seen strong traction, reinforcing the idea that cinemas can serve as entertainment hubs beyond films. “We aim to make cinemas a hub for entertainment and social experiences,” PVR Inox said.

Affordable ticketing, strategic partnerships, and targeted marketing will further strengthen this expansion, it added.

Brokerages are taking note. IDBI Capital’s research showed that re-releases accounted for 4% of total footfalls in the financial year ending March 2025 for PVR Inox, while Motilal Oswal highlighted that alternative content, including sports and concerts, contributed 4.8% of total footfalls in October-December period. Of this, 90% came from re-releases, while the remaining 10% was driven by live events.

PVR Inox’s management remains confident in this strategy. “Each medium feeds off the other. We have also started to screen a lot of concerts and cricket matches,” the company said in its earnings call. With a strong lineup of re-releases, sporting events, and concert screenings, PVR Inox sees nostalgia as a long-term play rather than a short-term trend. As audiences continue to seek familiar experiences in a premium cinema setting, old hits are set to drive new business for India’s largest multiplex chain.