Denzil Dias Decodes Unconventional Release Strategy for Obsession at FICCI Frames

During the Cinema at Crossroads - The Rules of the Big Screen session on Day 1 of FICCI Frames in Mumbai, Denzil Dias—VP and Managing Director of India Theatrical at Warner Bros. Discovery—spoke about the release strategy for the Hollywood sleeper blockbuster Obsession in India. He was joined at the panel by Ayushmann Khurrana and Sriram Raghavan.

Denzil Dias explained that the team decided not to release the film simultaneously with the US. Instead, they held it back by two weeks, releasing it during the IPL matches because there were no other major films in cinemas at the time. They started with limited prints and screens, and chose not to sell the film upfront due to the filmmaker and actors being largely unknown to Indian audiences.

Rather than using conventional promotional assets, they waited for international buzz to build and travel organically to India. Opening with around 300 screens in Week 1, the focus shifted to amplifying audience response and word of mouth. According to Dias, the film eventually earned around 12 times its opening weekend box office as audiences continued to discover it.

Outlining the broader theatrical strategy, Dias emphasized identifying the target audience, meeting them where they are, and providing relatable communication. He noted that once demand is created, distribution through Warner Bros. and Universal ensures supply on the right screens, showtimes, and markets.

Dias concluded that theatrical success relies on finding the right audience, ensuring they know about the film, and making it available at the right screens and timings, alongside marketing and audience nurturing.