The face of Bollywood has witnessed a lot of changes over the years. There was a time when family dramas used to be a source of entertainment. We slowly shifted to action, adult comedy, and dark-themed concepts. A few of them might have been borrowed from Hollywood, but they eventually turned out to be successful.
The concept of remakes also started getting recognition during the 80s. But there was another phase – the Covid-19 pandemic – which changed the choices of the public. While the audiences easily accepted any film around five years ago, the same does not happen today.
We have seen the failure of big-budget projects this year, proving that people are looking for something else. Popular casting director Mukesh Chhabra has also addressed the condition of today’s films as he recently appeared on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast.
Chhabra said in the interview that nowadays filmmakers prioritize knowledge instead of entertainment. He added that Bollywood will get back to its feet once again if it starts blending both elements. He even gave an example of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, saying that it was a film that had a message despite that the director added a commercial flavor.
It feels bad that the Hindi film industry is currently in a phase where producers are suffering worth millions. The box office collections are leaving filmmakers shocked with no alternative route to recover the money they have invested.
One major thing that has been missing in today’s films is a writer who can bring something unique. There was a time when Neeraj Vora penned dialogues for comedy films and they became iconic at one point. Unfortunately, we are falling short of such people.
Another change that is needed right now is a decrease in the fees taken by any actor. The profits should be simply demanded only after a film’s release and this is the best way to break even at the box office without investing more.
