Evidently, film producers and studios have lately started tracking the popularity of IPL matches so that they don't burn their hands by choosing wrong release dates. In a recent interview, Tollywood actor Sree Vishnu attributed the failure of his buddy comedy, Om Bheem Bhush, to IPL matches. He added that the release of Single this year has been planned keeping the IPL schedule in mind. Recently, producer-director Trinadha Rao Nakkina commented that IPL matches are one of the major reasons why a substantial number of night shows have been cancelled in single screens lately.
IPL matches, especially high-profile ones, attract significant viewership. For instance, IPL 2024 recorded over 40 crore TV viewers for the first 18 matches and 59 crore video views on JioCinema, with substantial watch time (12,380 crore minutes on TV alone). This suggests that during the IPL season (typically March to May), audiences may prioritize watching matches over visiting cinemas, particularly for evening or weekend games that align with peak movie-going hours.
Ormax Media’s insights indicate that a significant portion of the Indian entertainment audience engages with both cinema and sports content. For instance, 73% of streaming audiences are regular theatre-goers, and many consume sports content like IPL on platforms such as Disney+ Hotstar or JioCinema. This overlap suggests that IPL’s high engagement could reduce cinema footfalls, especially for films without strong pull factors.
