‘Dhurandhar’ Headlines Record $2.18 Billion 2025 for Indian Film as Overall Media and Entertainment Sector Reaches $29.6 Billion
Why it matters: India's media boom, driven by digital and regional content, signals a powerful cultural and economic shift.
- India's media and entertainment sector reached $29.63 billion in 2025, growing 9% year-on-year, according to the FICCI-EY report.
- Filmed entertainment posted its best-ever year, hitting $2.18 billion, with "Dhurandhar" breaking records and 37 films crossing the $10.7 million mark.
- Digital media became the largest segment, crossing $10.66 billion, with India's streaming market reaching $2.9 billion and regional languages now accounting for 56% of consumption.
- Total advertising revenues grew 13.5% to $15.98 billion, with digital advertising surging 26% to $10.09 billion, driven by performance-led formats and SME spending.
- Connected TV advertising rose significantly to $1.06 billion, as subscriptions grew 35%, delivering affluent audiences to marketers.
- Kevin Vaz, chair of the FICCI Media and Entertainment Committee, highlighted the digital milestone as an "encouraging signal" of strong growth momentum, particularly noting Connected TV's impact.
India's media and entertainment sector hit a record $29.6 billion in 2025, fueled by a historic $2.18 billion year for film, led by "Dhurandhar," and a significant surge in digital media and advertising. This growth, outpacing India's GDP, highlights a major shift towards regional content and digital platforms, with new media projected to dominate revenues by 2028.
