Last Updated:
Anurag Basu shared that imposing similar levies on Hollywood imports could increase business for Indian films.
Anurag Basu is currently working with Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela.
US President Donald Trump recently announced the imposition of a 100 per cent tariff on all movies made outside the USA and sent into the country for release. The United States is a significant market for Bollywood films, with a reported box office contribution of 35 to 40 per cent. As such, all eyes are on Bollywood and its biggest names to see how they will distribute their films if this rule is implemented.
Director Anurag Basu told Zoom, “Trump’s tariff on Indian movies could be a blessing in disguise. If we respond with similar tariffs on Hollywood films in India, it could drive more audiences toward domestic cinema.”
He explained, “Higher ticket prices for foreign blockbusters would push viewers to choose Indian films, potentially more than offsetting any revenue loss in the US. Think of it as box-office karma with better exchange rates.”
While it is unclear how this new tariff will be levied, it could affect ticket costs and discourage Bollywood films from being released in the US. Previously, director Priyanka Ghose told News18 exclusively, “We will have to wait and see whether this tariff will discourage moviegoers and cinemas in the USA. Barring some very big films, hopefully, this will not have a severe impact on overall box office numbers.”
The US has always been a lucrative market for Bollywood’s distributors, given the diaspora population across the nation. News18 previously reported that ticket prices and distribution costs “could double if the new rules are fully enforced”. According to Priyanka, producers and distributors need to assess “how important the US market is for them”.
In an exclusive conversation with News18, filmmaker Bejoy Nambiar shared his perspective on how the new tariff could impact Indian cinema. “America is a market for our films, but I don’t think we make films primarily keeping in mind the American market. It’s another market alongside the other international sectors… our films are mainly keeping in mind the Indian audiences and the India market and of course the OTT market. Those are the biggest revenue sources for our films,” he said.
“Yes, these tariffs will adversely affect us, but seeing the frequency with which, every day, the American government comes up with different tariffs for all different industries, I think films are another collateral that has happened. We’ll have to see how the market responds going ahead,” he noted.
OTT Shift Inevitable?
Nambiar added that while Indian films will indeed see a dent in box office revenue from the US, the larger creative ecosystem remains focused on domestic audiences and growing OTT platforms.
If Trump’s new tariff comes into effect, Bollywood would have to change its course to afford a profitable US release. As such, a more aggressive push towards OTT is likely to be seen. It remains unclear whether Trump will levy tariffs only on theatrical releases or on streaming platform releases as well.
The Guardian, in a report published in May, said that it was not specified whether the tariffs would be based on production costs or box office revenue. It also said that it remained unclear whether productions split between the US and other countries would be exempt.
With this new announcement, the futures of highly anticipated films like Alia Bhatt’s Alpha and Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana have come under the spotlight.
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-…Read More
Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-… Read More
October 01, 2025, 07:41 IST
