New Delhi, Nov. 20 -- Festivals may once have guaranteed a box-office windfall for films, but this year is proving that releases around major holidays no longer work like magic. Big holiday weekends such as those that came with Eid, Diwali and Independence Day were known for bolstering box office by 30-40% in the past, but India's film industry's festive fortunes have fallen significantly, particularly post covid.

With none of the major festivals delivering hits this year, and in many cases post the pandemic in general, trade experts say the absence of big star vehicles is hurting, as is the trend of multiple titles competing for attention and eating into each other's business. Theatre owners have also been accused of inflating ticket ra...