Ever wondered why films release on Fridays in India? No, it’s not just about the weekend

Have you ever wondered why a majority of your favourite films release on Friday? Is it because of the weekends, or is there more to it? Well, there are many interesting theories behind it, and they actually make a perfect sense. Read on and see if they surprised you as well?

Most of us are pretty much aware that the concept of releasing Bollywood films on Friday comes from Hollywood with ‘Gone With The Wind’ being released on 15th December, 1939. (Image: Twitter)

However, the trend of releasing movies on a Friday didn’t start until the late 1950s. Mughal-E-Azam was among the first movies to be released on Friday i.e. 5 August, 1960. The film starred Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, and Madhubala in the lead roles. So, this means that we ended up adopting the British/ American legacy after all, in the late 1960s.(Image: Twitter)

Friday is considered as the day of goddess Lakshmi in India. So, producers believed that releasing the film on Friday will bring in prosperity and wealth. Hence, most producers organise muhurat shots of a movie as Friday is considered auspicious in India by most religions. (Image: Twitter)

The screening fee that producers need to pay to multiplex owners is the least on Fridays as compared to other days of the week. Also, Friday used to be a pay-day for people earning weekly wages, and thus it was the best time to get out and watch a new flick.

Lastly, as there were no color televisions before the early 50s, movies continued to be strategically released on Fridays to make up for half-days on Fridays owing to the informal norms in the small scale industries in Mumbai. So, go on and pass on this new information to your friends and family!