Spider-Man was always big in India. Ever since Tobey Maguire first hit the big screen two decades ago, India has had a love affair with the friendly neighborhood superhero. But since Covid, there has been a remarkable change in the performance of Spider-Man films in the country. The latest Tom Holland-starrer, Brand New Day, is a good example. In its opening weekend, the Marvel-Sony joint production was surpassing Shah Rukh and Salman Khan’s biggest films in the country. It is on its way to net over ₹Rs 500 crore in the country is usually reserved for blockbuster films like Pathan, RRR, Animal and the rest.
As the film moves forward on its record-breaking journey, HT spoke to Shoni Panjikaran, General Manager and Head, Sony Pictures Releasing International, India, about the success of Brand New Day and what it means for the film industry at large. Part:
HT: We all knew Brand New Day would do well, but even in my most optimistic estimate, I didn’t think it would do this. Were you surprised too, or were you excited about it?
Shoni Registration: I would say we were very excited. We knew we were about to achieve something huge. Spider-Man is a big brand in India. No Way Home (the previous release) was a huge success, and we knew it was perfect. But having said that, I’m with you. We never thought it would be this big. This shows the love of all Indian fans for Spider-Man and especially this film because India is the only market or the only big market where it has become the biggest Hollywood blockbuster of all time, and that too in just 11 days.
HT: Were you surprised by the reactions? For example, what I saw in some theaters in Hyderabad in the south were full title cards and confetti, which they usually reserve for their big stars like Prabhas, Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu or Rajinikanth. That was happening for Tom Holland.
Shoni Registration: Yeah, to be honest, we were very surprised, and when some of this stuff was coming to us, we were like, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’ It is reserved for the biggest local stars. No Hindi star will get such a response in Andhra Pradesh-Telangana. I keep telling people that right now, Tom Holland is the biggest pan-Indian star. Spider-Man was always pan-Indian as a character, but Tom has taken it to the next level. That’s huge, and every fan is really grateful for what he’s done for Spider-Man and the brand.
HT: Tom was here (in India) just 15 days before we did your film (promoting The Odyssey), but he didn’t have time to get back for you guys. Was there ever any pressure or effort on your part to get some Tom Holland time in India for Spider-Man?
Shoni Registration: He was there only for 24 hours. If you look at his schedule in the last 2-3 months, it was really very hectic as he was promoting two films at a time. It was quite difficult, and in that time, it was fantastic to manage what he did. I don’t think anyone else could have pulled it off. We were very happy that he was in India and I’m sure you saw how the fans reacted. Although he came to promote a different film, his presence definitely helped.
HT: When a Hollywood film makes $50 million in India, I see it as a win for India as much as I see it as a win for Spider-Man, because a lot of studios will take notice. Is it setting a benchmark for the entire industry or market?
Shoni Registration: I would not like to take full credit for this. There has been a big change in Hollywood films in India. In recent times, they have been posting some good figures at the box office. It probably started with our own film last year, Demon Slayer. It was an anime film that grossed approximately $9 million. Then this year, the project Hail Mary grossed $10 million, and Obsession – a Universal film – also grossed $10 million. This is a big change for Hollywood and obviously people around the world are paying attention.
HT: Do you think it is not too far for a Hollywood film to do $100 million business in India, which only China and Europe have done in the past?
Shoni Registration: It will definitely happen soon. But I think $60 million is a big number in itself. We are the fourth largest international market in the world. For all the films I mentioned we consistently see India in the top 5 or 10 markets around the world. So obviously, we are on the radar in terms of trade. We’re too big, but the good news is that it’s getting so big now that we’ll be able to do a lot more.
HT: What I loved was that Spider-Man Brand New Day wasn’t competing with Hollywood at the box office. It was competing with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan’s films as the biggest Indian films in terms of performance in its opening weekend. This is unheard of for a Hollywood film in India.
Shoni Registration: I would say that there has been a big change after Covid. We always said that it is a global market and people have access to everything. But right now, I think it’s really gone global, mainly thanks to the OTT and social media revolution. What has happened is that, generally now, if the film that comes is good, it does not matter which market it comes from or whether it is Hindi, Tamil, Telugu or English. Our youth are well connected to the world. This is great for visitors and exhibitors, but also for our local producers. They also know that they are not just competing against each other; They are competing against the world. This is a wonderful place. Everyone will push each other and we’ll have some great material come out.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues its earnings in India this week too ₹₹471 crore nett ($59 million gross) in the country.