Andaz Apna Apna returns to theatres as re-releases prove big business for bollywood

Nearly three decades after its release, Andaz Apna Apna is getting a fresh shot at winning audiences, this time through nostalgia and a growing appetite for re-releases. The cult classic, starring Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, is back in theatres from April 25, to charm a new generation while delighting long-time fans.

When it first released in 1994, Andaz Apna Apna struggled commercially despite its now-iconic characters and endlessly quotable dialogues like "Teja Main Hoon, Mark Idhar Hai". Over the years, however, the film's popularity grew through television reruns, memes and internet culture, eventually cementing its status as a beloved comedy classic.

The re-release of Andaz Apna Apna is part of a broader trend gaining momentum in India’s film industry. Driven by nostalgia, word-of-mouth and social media buzz, re-releases have become a viable business strategy for studios and multiplex chains.

The success of re-releases isn't just sentimental, it's financial too. Data shows that while only about 12–13% of re-released films become hits, when they do, they can outperform their original runs. Films like Thuppakki and Sanam Teri Kasam earned significantly more on re-release than they did initially. Theaters benefit from lower acquisition costs, studios revive 'dead assets,' and audiences get to experience classics in a cinema setting.

The trend began gaining serious traction post-pandemic. As Storyboard18 reported earlier, it kicked off with Amitabh Bachchan’s retrospective screenings during National Cinema Day in 2021, when ticket prices were slashed to Rs 75. Since then, over 100 titles, from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara to The Jungle Book, have been brought back to theatres.

Read More: 'Bombay to Goa' to 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani': Why Bollywood classics are back on big screens

Even with lower ticket prices, averaging Rs 112–150, the re-release model has proven sustainable. Re-releases now contribute around 6% of the revenue for multiplex giants like PVR-INOX, with expectations of 15–20% annual growth in this segment.

As Bollywood faces a creative lull, re-releases like Andaz Apna Apna offer a win-win solution, theatres keep their screens full, studios profit from existing content, and audiences get a chance to relive or discover cinematic gems.