Media consulting firm Ormax Media has released its latest research report, The Ormax Bollywood Audience Report (TOBAR) 2026. The report is based on primary research among 2,000 regular Hindi theatregoers in India, representing the 28.5 million market of regular Hindi cinema audiences (15+ urban). TOBAR 2026 offers a comprehensive mapping of audience insight, spanning needs, triggers and barriers, content preferences, and key marketing touchpoints in the Hindi theatrical market.
The report, which is accessible by subscription, is divided into eight sections, namely Audience Segments, Business Snapshot, Category Drivers & Barriers, Viewing Behaviour, Genres, Appeal Drivers, Marketing Sources, and Media Habits.
The Audience Segments section identifies five different types of Hindi cinema audiences, based on their viewing behaviour and content taste: Frequent Film Fanatics (F3), The Gen-Z Gang (GEN-Z), The Masala Men (TMM), Spectacle & Story Seekers (SSS), and Rarely at the Theatres (RARE).
Some highlights from the report are:
- 57% Hindi box office comes from audiences below the age of 30. This proportion increases to a high 70% for first-day box office, making 15-30 years a critical audience segment from a marketing perspective.
- Film marketing sources are dominated by digital, with YouTube, Instagram and online ticketing apps being the top 3 sources, followed by in-theatre advertising. Among ticketing apps, BookMyShow has the highest recall, followed by District.
- Social media is impacting film viewing experiences more than ever before, with 40% audiences sharing film-related memes on social media after watching a film in theatre.
- Overpriced F&B at movie theatres is the biggest barrier that prevents higher incidence of movie-going, even more than high ticket prices.
Speaking about TOBAR 2026, Sanket Kulkarni, Head: Business Development (Theatrical) at Ormax Media, said: “The post-pandemic phase has been one of uncertainty for the Hindi film industry, alongside visible shifts in audience profiles, content choices and viewing behaviour.
“TOBAR 2026 offers rich, layered data on how Hindi film audiences have evolved over the last five years, shaped not just by the theatrical experience, but also by the growing influence of digital media consumption. For studios and content creators planning and marketing Hindi theatrical content in a 2026-28 context, the report serves as an audience guide, with sharp insights into audience preferences and expectations,” Kulkarni said.
