Bollywood Hungama

EXCLUSIVE: PVR INOX Pictures' Nayana Bijli opens up on SURPRISE success of niche Hollywood films, BTS concert screenings; reveals, Ramayana has helped the visibility of I Play Rocky; confirms release in 120 screens

Over the years, PVR INOX Pictures, the motion picture arm of PVR INOX Limited, has distributed several interesting films, not just from Indian cinema but also from Hollywood and other international markets. Under the leadership of Nayana Bijli, Lead Distribution, Licensing & Content Acquisition, PVR INOX Pictures, the company has expanded its focus beyond conventional film distribution to include diverse cultural content, special film festivals and live events. After releasing acclaimed films like Marty Supreme, The Drama, The Invite, and others, Nayana Bijli is now gearing up to release I Play Rocky, which sheds light on how the 1976 cult classic Rocky was made. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Nayana Bijli spoke about an eventful 2026, the growing appetite for diverse content, plans to go beyond films and why she has high hopes for I Play Rocky. How has 2026 been for PVR INOX Pictures? PVR INOX Pictures has released about 87 films, which is definitely a growth from last year. The Invite, The Drama, Marty Supreme and The Housemaid are some of the films that have been instrumental for us this year. When we think of niche Hollywood titles, we don't expect them to have such a profound impact at the Indian box office. But surprisingly, and in a positive way, they have done very well for us. We have also seen great hits from the anime genre. Shin Chan: The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers In India and Doraemon: Castle Of The Undersea Devil pulled in audiences. Doraemon was huge for us and beat all our expectations. It performed on par with Bollywood films! 2026 has shown that there's a huge appetite for authentic storytelling, no matter which genre, region or language the films come from. That is translating into box office collections. That's why we are keeping our ears to the ground when it comes to acquisition and distribution. It was fascinating to see The Invite attracting audiences for several weeks. Also, PVR INOX Pictures distributed the biggest Malayalam film of all time, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, in Karnataka and North India. Earlier, Id barely find a non-Malayalam-speaking viewer watching a Malayalam film in a cinema outside Kerala. That's no longer the case. Do you also see a change in consumer behaviour? Absolutely. When it comes to regional cinema, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is one of our top 10 performing films in this financial year. We also had certain Bengali titles like Saptadingar Guptodhon, which made it to our top 10. I think it goes to show that there's a demand for good, authentic stories. As for The Invite, it had a slow start. But the word of mouth was so strong that audiences started demanding more shows. As a result, the film ended up having a longer run than usual. When it comes to Hollywood films, Indian audiences are now very clued in to what's happening internationally. The excitement builds up even before the films arrive here. The Invite was released globally a few weeks before its India release. The word of mouth was so strong that audiences here were already eager to watch it. PVR INOX hosted live screenings of the BTS World Tour: Arirang concerts in India. What was the response like? We premiered three different BTS tour events one in April, one in June and the third in October. Each time, it was a two-day event. These events get a slightly limited release compared to Hollywood films as they depend on permissions, availability, technical setup and other factors. But the response was tremendous. Audiences, especially Gen Z, came out in full force. That encouraged us to bring all three events to cinemas. Now, we have a Katy Perry concert screening lined up as well. These have been great learnings for us. Musicians have such strong fan followings. Even if fans are not watching them perform in person, seeing their favourite artists on the big screen is an experience in itself. Do you think there's a possibility of screening a Diljit Dosanjh concert or a concert by another popular Indian artist in cinemas in the near future? We keep trying. There are no specific details that I can share right now. However, it's something I am working on. Apart from distribution, I also work on live events and bringing alternate content to cinemas. We are always tracking concerts, musicians, artists, comedy shows, poetry performances and anything else that has an audience. The goal is ultimately to make cinemas an entertainment destination, no matter what form of entertainment it may be. After all, there's an audience in India for every type of content. PVR INOX Pictures is releasing I Play Rocky this Friday, November 13. What can Indian audiences expect from the film? I Play Rocky is releasing on 120 screens across India. It has a universal theme that everyone can relate to. Of course, there's the whole legacy of the Rocky series. Incidentally, this year marks 50 years since the release of the first Rocky film. People who watched it when it came out will be curious to see I Play Rocky because of the nostalgia and legacy associated with it. The film is about Sylvester Stallone fighting to get Rocky made. It's about his determination. He was struggling at the time, but he had this belief and confidence that the film had to be made. Hence, the theme is very powerful and will resonate with people. Our campaign for I Play Rocky began a month ago. It is one of the longest campaigns we have done for a film because we found the story so powerful. We had seen the film and knew that it would have a big impact. Our campaign theme was 'Every legend was once told 'No'. We took this line and partnered with several fitness centres and gyms. We even organised six to seven marathons across India, which saw around 3,000 participants. We amplified the slogan throughout the campaign because the film has such a powerful hook. The campaign received a great response on social media. Hence, I have high hopes for the film's performance. The fact that it carries the legacy of Rocky and has such a relatable theme will really help. I Play Rocky releases just a week after Ramayana. Was it a challenge to release the film at this time? We generally have a lot of films releasing in November and December. But I believe there's an audience for every type of film. In fact, I think Ramayana has helped us. A lot of people have gone to cinemas to watch Ramayana, where we have put up posters of I Play Rocky. So, I feel Ramayana has really helped the visibility of our film. That's a good thing. When people go to watch one film, they discover another promising film. I Play Rocky may have a different audience or even an overlapping audience, but it'll have its own audience. So, I am not too worried about it. If the story is good, people will come, no matter when you release it. Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Godzilla Minus Zero to FINALLY release in India on November 20; PVR INOX Pictures Nayana Bijli confirms IMAX release