New Delhi, Feb. 9 -- At a time when Bollywood has seen a drought of new releases and those that hit the screens failed to make an impact at the box office, some small-scale southern films dubbed in Hindi have struck a chord with the audiences, helped by strong narratives.

The delayed Hindi release of Malayalam action thriller Marco saw it mint over Rs.11 crore last month, without promotions or popular faces, similar to how titles like HanuMan, Maharaja, Kantara and Karthikeya 2 had found success earlier. Trade experts say the films arrived at the right time, finding space in theatres and showcasing and growing with word-of-mouth to eventually gain high mindshare and screen count.

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