India, March 10 -- Bollywood is increasingly turning to its past to draw audiences back to theatres. Multiplexes have witnessed a steady rise in films returning to the big screen, from cult favourites to relatively recent titles finding a second theatrical life.

In the past year alone, nearly 25 Hindi films have been re-released: Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), and more recently Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018) and Hasee Toh Phasee (2014). While some have generated impressive footfalls and surprising box office numbers, others have struggled.

The mixed results suggest that re-releases are far from a guaranteed success formula. Films that were major hits during their original run have not always found the same enthusiasm...