Cinema has long been described as a blend of Navarasas. Earlier filmmakers tried to balance most of these emotions within a single story. Over time, storytelling evolved. Today, filmmakers no longer feel the need to include all nine. Instead, they focus on emotions that suit the core idea of the film and build narratives strongly around them.
One major shift is the reduced importance of romance in modern cinema. Earlier, romance played a central role in most films. Now, many stories push it to the background or remove it entirely. The biggest change is seen in action films, where violence has become the main attraction. The current industry belief is simple. The more intense and realistic the violence, the higher the hype and curiosity. Filmmakers are no longer afraid of censorship. Even an ‘A’ certificate is no longer seen as a drawback. In fact, it has become a film’s USP now if well executed.
In fact, the mindset has completely changed. Earlier, an ‘A’ certificate was feared for limiting audiences and collections. Today, it often creates more curiosity. Viewers associate it with bold, raw, and uncompromised content. Slowly, the ‘A’ certificate itself has turned into a brand.
Several recent blockbusters reflect this trend. Films like Animal, Salaar, HIT 3, and Marco released with ‘A’ certificates and achieved box office success. The recent Bollywood film Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar and based on real events, also carries an ‘A’ certificate. Its brutal violence, especially Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal’s ruthless character, shocked audiences. Some scenes are so intense that viewers look away. Yet the film crossed Rs. 500 crore worldwide and continues to perform strongly.
So far, three ‘A’ rated films had crossed the Rs. 500 crore global mark.
Salaar collected around Rs. 600 crores.
Animal earned over Rs. 900 crores.
Coolie reached Rs. 500 crores.
Now Dhurandhar has joined this list and is expected to touch Rs. 800 crores soon. The big question is whether it can become the first ‘A’ rated film to cross Rs. 1000 crore. The next two weeks will decide that milestone.
The trend is clear. Bold content, intense violence, and strong storytelling now drive modern cinema more than traditional formulas ever did.
