For most people, a new year is synonymous with fresh beginnings, renewed hope, and aspirations that the coming year will bring better fortune than the one that just ended. The film industry is no different. Filmmakers, actors, and audiences alike, hope for a spectacular start to the year. However, history reveals that January has rarely been a fortunate month for Bollywood. Over the last two decades, the first release of the year has often been a disappointment at the box office. This phenomenon can be termed as the “January curse.”
Talking about the January curse, Trade Expert Taran Adarsh says , ” I still have not been able to understand the reason behind it and I wrote about it a long time ago and back then, every first release would bomb at the box office. So much so I recall that after I wrote about it, many producers stopped releasing their films around this year. But now the calendar is chockablock, we only have 52 Fridays, and so many films are releasing, so clashes are bound to happen. Many producers feel if our product is good then it will run, irrespective of the dates. “
“But there is no scientific reason behind why movies have bombed in the first week of Janauray or why people are not interested . Maybe because they are getting back to work after a long new year holiday or maybe they have spent a lot of money over the month end, and want to save money for later releases. So there could be many theories but in the end it is the product. Like if Pushpa 2 was released in the first week of January , it would have done the same business “
The Origins of the January Curse
The January curse refers to the consistent underperformance of the first Bollywood film released in a calendar year. In the past 20 years, only a handful of films have managed to defy this trend and emerge as major box office successes. The exceptions to this jinx are the Abhishek Bachchan starrer Guru (2007), directed by Mani Ratnam, Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), starring Vicky Kaushal and directed by Aditya Dhar, and Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020). These three films not only broke the January curse, but also set new benchmarks for early-year releases. However, the overwhelming majority of January’s first releases have failed to make an impact, leaving the industry wary of kicking off the year with high-profile projects.
A Year-by-Year Analysis of the January Curse
Early Disappointments
The pattern of underwhelming January releases dates back to the mid-2000s. In 2006, Emraan Hashmi’s Jawani Diwani released on January 6 and failed to resonate with audiences. Two years later, Ajay Devgn’s Halla Bol hit screens on January 11, 2008, but despite Devgn’s star power, the film could not overcome the curse.
In 2009, Horn Ok Pleassss, starring Nana Patekar, released on January 9 and went unnoticed at the box office. In 2010, audiences were treated to two January 8 releases: Priyanka Chopra and Uday Chopra’s Pyaar Impossible and Fardeen Khan and Sushmita Sen’s Dulha Mil Gaya. Both films were critical and commercial failures.
Notable Flops
In 2011, Rani Mukerji and Vidya Balan’s No One Killed Jessica released on January 7. While the film received critical acclaim, it achieved only moderate success at the box office. In 2012, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor’s Players which was the Hinid remake of The Italian Job released on January 6, failed to meet expectations.
The subsequent years offered little improvement. In 2013, Table No. 21, featuring Rajeev Khandelwal and Paresh Rawal, released on January 4 and managed an average box office performance. Meanwhile, 2014 saw the release of two films on January 3: Mr. Joe B Carvalho, starring Arshad Warsi, and the 3D re-release of the classic Sholay. Both films struggled to find an audience.
A Glimmer of Hope
The mid-2010s brought some optimism with releases like Tevar (2015), Wazir (2016), and OK Jaanu (2017). However, none of these films managed to break the January curse. Vineet Kumar Singh’s Mukkabaaz and Saif Ali Khan’s Kaalakaandi released on January 12, 2018, but failed to make a significant impact, with the former getting a lot of critical acclaim. The January box office slump seemed unshakable.
Breaking the Jinx
It wasn’t until 2019 that Bollywood finally saw a January release break the curse in spectacular fashion. Vicky Kaushal’s Uri: The Surgical Strike released on January 11 and became a massive hit, earning over ₹244 crore at the box office. The film’s patriotic theme and powerful performances struck a chord with audiences, making it one of the rare January successes.
The following year in 2020, Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior repeated this feat. Released on January 10, 2020, the film became a blockbuster, earning over ₹279 crore. However, Tanhaji shared its release date with Deepika Padukone’s Chhapaak, which underperformed, demonstrating that the January curse was still alive for some films.
Recent Years
In 2022, Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi released on January 1 but failed to make an impression. The trend continued in 2023 with Arjun Kapoor’s Kuttey releasing on January 13 to lukewarm reception. Most recently, in 2024, Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi’s Merry Christmas released on January 12 but failed to bring in the numbers, reinforcing the superstition surrounding January releases.
The Stakes for 2025
As the industry steps into 2025, the first releases of the year—Sonu Sood’s Fateh and Ram Charan’s Game Changer—carry the weight of expectations. Both films have the potential to break the January jinx, but only time will tell if they can emulate the success of Guru, Uri, and Tanhaji. If these films succeed, it could signal a turning point for January releases and encourage filmmakers to invest more confidently in early-year projects.
Why January Is a Challenging Month
The reluctance of filmmakers to release big-budget films in January stems from several factors:
Post-Holiday Slump: After the holiday season in December, audiences are often less inclined to visit theaters in early January.
Perceived Risk: The historical underperformance of January releases deters filmmakers from taking risks with high-stakes projects.
Despite its challenges, January holds immense potential for Bollywood. Films that manage to captivate audiences during this period often enjoy an extended run, as there is less competition at the box office. Moreover, a successful January release can set the tone for the rest of the year, creating momentum for the industry.
