Indian cinema has just had its biggest quarter ever, and the numbers from the country’s largest multiplex chain tell the story plainly. PVR INOX on October 28 reported a 149 percent jump in net profit for the September quarter, as audiences returned to theatres in numbers the industry had not seen before in a single three-month period.
The Gurugram-based company made a consolidated net profit of Rs 263 crore in the second quarter of FY27, up from Rs 106 crore in the same quarter last year. Revenue from operations rose 16.9 percent to Rs 2,105 crore, from Rs 1,800 crore a year earlier. For the industry as a whole, gross box office collections reached Rs 4,443 crore, up 23 percent year on year, based on Ormax Media and company estimates cited by PVR INOX. It was the first time quarterly collections crossed Rs 4,000 crore, and growth has now topped 20 percent for two quarters in a row.
What the headline numbers say
The profit surge was not built on one film or one weekend. Footfalls, ticket prices and food and beverage spending all moved in the same direction, which is rarer than it sounds in the cinema business.
- Net profit: Rs 263 crore, up nearly 149 percent from Rs 106 crore in Q2 FY26.
- Revenue: Rs 2,105 crore, up 16.9 percent from Rs 1,800 crore a year earlier.
- EBITDA: Rs 770 crore, up 25.2 percent, with the margin widening to 36.6 percent from 34.2 percent.
- Footfalls: 46.3 million visitors, up 4 percent, with occupancy improving to 30.4 percent from 28.7 percent.
- Average ticket price: Rs 298, up 14 percent, while average food and beverage spend per head also rose 14 percent to Rs 153.
- Industry box office: Rs 4,443 crore for the quarter, up 23 percent from Rs 3,604 crore last year.
Ticketing and food and beverage revenues each grew 18 percent.
Hollywood did much of the heavy lifting
The surprise driver of the quarter was English-language cinema. Collections from English films jumped 87 percent to Rs 1,024 crore, crossing Rs 1,000 crore in a single quarter for the first time.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day led the way with Rs 608 crore in India, making it the highest-grossing English-language film ever in the country. Around 36 percent of that total came from dubbed versions, a reminder that Hollywood hits now travel well beyond the big metros. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey added Rs 233 crore, helped by strong demand for IMAX and other premium formats.
PVR INOX credited a mix of franchise and non-franchise films, premium formats and rising demand for dubbed English content.
Hindi and regional films held their own
Hindi cinema, including dubbed films, grew 12 percent in the quarter. Hanuman Ansh collected Rs 351 crore, while Mirzapur: The Movie, adapted from the hit streaming series, took Rs 267 crore. Awarapan 2 and Dhamaal 4 also found audiences, showing that the quarter was not carried by a single genre or star.
Regional cinema grew 12 percent too, led by Toxic in Kannada at Rs 296 crore and Jana Nayagan in Tamil at Rs 199 crore.
What comes next for cinemagoers
Occupancy of 30.4 percent, up from 28.7 percent, means fewer empty seats on weekdays and fuller houses when a big film opens. The rise in ticket price and food spend also points to premium formats doing well.
The next test arrives quickly. The Diwali season brings Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part One to theatres on November 5, with advance bookings already running strong, and the industry will be watching whether the momentum of the September quarter carries into the December quarter.
For now, the record stands on its own. After years of talk about streaming ending the theatrical habit, the audience verdict this quarter was simpler: give them something worth the big screen, and they will come.
FAQs
How much profit did PVR INOX report in Q2 FY27?
PVR INOX reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 263 crore, up nearly 149 percent from Rs 106 crore in the same quarter last year.
How large was the Indian box office in the September quarter?
Gross box office collections reached a record Rs 4,443 crore, up 23 percent from Rs 3,604 crore a year earlier. It was the first quarter above Rs 4,000 crore.
Which film drove English-language collections?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day collected Rs 608 crore in India, the highest total ever for an English-language film in the country, with dubbed versions accounting for about 36 percent.
How many people visited PVR INOX cinemas in the quarter?
Footfalls rose 4 percent to 46.3 million, occupancy improved to 30.4 percent, the average ticket price was Rs 298 and average food and beverage spend per head was Rs 153.
When was the PVR INOX result announced?
The results for the quarter and half year ended September 30, 2026 were announced on October 28, 2026.
Box office and company figures are based on PVR INOX results and Ormax Media estimates as reported on October 28-29, 2026, and may be revised as final data comes in.
