New Delhi, May 14 -- Big-ticket Hollywood franchises have long drawn audiences across metros and tier-two and tier-three cities, aided by Hindi, Tamil and Telugu dubs. But after a prolonged post-pandemic lull, smaller, niche titles - often with limited or no dubbed versions - are also regaining theatrical traction.

Recent successes underline the shift. Michael, a biopic on singer Michael Jackson, has earned over Rs.50 crore in India at last count. Earlier, sports drama F1: The Movie crossed the Rs.100 crore mark. The performance of such dramas and content-driven titles suggests audiences are receptive to less grand, more experimental subjects.

Trade experts say there is a viewer base - largely urban-centric - that turns up for such cine...