Diwali is arguably the biggest day of the year for India, and the country’s biggest festival for sure. For decades, that has meant that the biggest film stars of the country bring out their biggest films on this day as well. For years, Shah Rukh Khan monopolised the date in the north, while Rajinikanth – and later Vijay – did the same down south. But since the pandemic, theatres have missed their biggest sutli bombs on Diwali – the big-name stars. This year marks the first time no tier 1 star has a release on Diwali in any language, and it is just the culmination of a trend that started some time back.
The focus on Diwali as a festive release date is a phenomenon in the two biggest film industries of the country – Hindi and Tamil. But these industries account for nearly half of the total revenue of Indian cinema, which makes the date significant. This year, there is only one Hindi release on Diwali – Thamma, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The Maddock horror is the second horror comedy to get a Diwali release after last year’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. But that film shared the weekend with the superstar-laden Singham Returns (Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone et al). Thamma flies solo in 2025.
Where are the superstars?
In Tamil cinema, three films are releasing – Dude, Bison, and Diesel. All of them star either newcomers or stars that are still finding their footing in the industry. Trade analyst Sridhar Pillai explains, “The biggest change is that there are no superstar-led releases on Diwali this year. That means no film from Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay, or Ajith Kumar. Diwali always used to have at least one of the big superstars come out with a release. This year, we have none of them in theatres, or not even Suriya or Dhanush, who are also big names. The three Tamil films releasing on Diwali all star faces who are virtually unknown outside Tamil Nadu.”
{{/usCountry}}In Tamil cinema, three films are releasing – Dude, Bison, and Diesel. All of them star either newcomers or stars that are still finding their footing in the industry. Trade analyst Sridhar Pillai explains, “The biggest change is that there are no superstar-led releases on Diwali this year. That means no film from Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay, or Ajith Kumar. Diwali always used to have at least one of the big superstars come out with a release. This year, we have none of them in theatres, or not even Suriya or Dhanush, who are also big names. The three Tamil films releasing on Diwali all star faces who are virtually unknown outside Tamil Nadu.”
{{/usCountry}}Trade insiders see this change as the culmination of a gradual shift that began over a decade ago. “There are no family dramas anymore. The trend changed a decade back when even Shah Rukh moved from Mohabbatein and Veer Zaara to Ra.One and Raees for Diwali. After the pandemic, the trend is for bigger mass releases for festivals. And superstars do fewer films now, so they generally have releases at other times in the year, not Diwali,” shares an exhibitor.
Diwali has no identity among film releases
Many feel that the trend of structured festive releases is going away gradually. For years, festivals like Diwali were meant for family dramas, while Independence Day and Republic Day saw actioners or war dramas. Eid was always a Salman Khan special day, while Christmas meant Aamir would enthral with another experimental subject. A few weeks later, on Pongal, the top Telugu and Tamil stars would come out with their family-oriented mass films. That diversified calendar has gone for a toss. The word-of-mouth build-up that films got and needed for sustenance is no longer a requirement. Big films today aim for a bumper opening weekend. A holiday ensures a longer weekend, which means a big film now aims for just any day. So a horror comedy like Thamma and an action potboiler like Singham Returns release on Diwali, regardless of the festival’s ‘identity’ over the years.
Years ago, when Salman Khan arrived on Diwali with a release, he had to make it more parivaar-friendly in the form of Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo. But now, he can release a spy thriller like Tiger 3.
Sridhar Pillai agrees, “The concept of festive releases is passe now. All festivals are the same – just a holiday. Hence, the demarcation has gone. It is like Hollywood now, where big films aim for long weekends to maximise opening.”
Superstars or not, audiences don’t care
But is the audience complaining? Not really. Some with rose-tinted glasses do miss the ‘good ol’ days’ when an SRK film was a family outing around Diwali, but most cinegoers say they just care about a ‘good film’ being in theatres on the holiday. Arun Prakash, a Delhi resident who says he hasn’t missed a Diwali release since 2005, says, “It’s not about the genre, but having a good time with family and friends. Family dramas did that, but so do horror comedies. You may not watch an erotic thriller on Diwali, but these are ok. It doesn’t matter who stars.”
The superstars may have been absent on Diwali, but the writing on the wall says they may be missing the festival more than the festival misses them.
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