New Delhi, June 29 -- A quiet shift is underway in an industry long obsessed with opening weekend numbers as the barometer of commercial success.

Even as theatres grow increasingly impatient with slow starts-often pulling films down within days if footfalls don't match expectations-a spate of recent releases has defied the narrative, reinforcing that powerful storytelling and audience endorsement can still reverse early setbacks.

From weak openings to impressive box-office runs, films across languages are demonstrating that word-of-mouth remains a potent currency that can sustain and even accelerate momentum well beyond the first weekend.

Imtiaz Ali's 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is the latest flick to prove that, despite a modest opening, mov...