There needs to be no introduction to the impact Japanese animes have had in world Cinema and entertainment business in general. From the times of Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke, Studio Ghibli’s renaissance to the pop culture phenomenon that Makoto Shinkai’s animes like Perfect Blue and Akira were. The influence was so high that even multiple leading hollywood directors took direct inspirations from them (Avatar, Black Swan, Inception etc) in making blockbusters.
Besides anime movies, there is a huge following for anime series like Dragon Ball Super, Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, Spy x Family etc in India as well. And the fan-following spans beyond the movie-buff circles. One surprising and solid proof of this fact is the box-office rampage that Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is creating all around India right now.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 released in around 200 cities of the country on 30th June, 2022. Trade circuits and movie-exhibitors are stunned at the outstanding response the film has garnered all over India even in non-metro regions. Mind you, this is after the anime’s theatrical release in Japan in 2021. PVR Pictures is officially releasing the film in India, along with Hong Kong content distributor and licensor Medialink, who has also bought other anime and non-anime East Asian films in South Asia. Here are some of the statistics to prove the ruckus a Japanese anime film is creating in India.
The film has collected over 1.5 crores on day 1. And this is without any promotional activity or any exclusive fan event catering the country. The thunderous reception Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is having in India in its original version is no small feat and has to be studied.
One very important take away from the reception Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is having is that from now on, more and more Japanese anime films will be released all over India. Anime will no longer be restricted to metros and few day showcases. It is high time trade pundits, exhibitors and distributors stop underestimating the pop culture impact Anime fandoms in India carry.
Makoto Shinkai creation ‘Suzume no Tojimari’, One piece film red, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero etc are upcoming highly anticipated action adventure animes of 2022. Apparently Sony Pictures India will release Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero in August and let us keep our fingers crossed for other animes also to follow its way into Indian big screens owing to Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s success.
If anything, it’s exciting times for Indian anime fans and this could mark the official inception of Anime revolution in Indian movie-theatres. If there’s one lesson ‘housefull’ boards for Jujutsu Kaisen 0 has taught us, it is that one should never underestimate Indian Weebs.