Director Vinil Mathews has spoken about the growing challenges faced by mid budget romantic films in Bollywood. His comments come ahead of the re release of his 2014 romantic drama Hasee Toh Phasee.
The film starred Siddharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra in the lead roles. Over the years, Hasee Toh Phasee has become one of the most loved romantic comedies among audiences.
However, the film did not receive major recognition when it was first released in 2014. Its popularity grew gradually through television and digital platforms.
In an interview with Variety India, Vinil Mathews discussed the current situation in the industry. He said Bollywood is increasingly focused on large scale films and spectacle driven storytelling.
According to the director, this shift has made it difficult for intimate love stories to get approval. Mid budget romantic dramas are now struggling to find support from producers and studios.
Vinil Mathews revealed that he has been planning another romantic drama for some time. The script was written along with filmmaker Harshvardhan Kulkarni.
Despite multiple discussions, the project has not yet received approval from producers. The director admitted that getting such films approved has become extremely difficult.
He explained that decision makers now focus heavily on financial returns. Many producers want projects that promise clear commercial success.
Vinil Mathews also pointed out that actors often face a similar dilemma. When choosing between multiple projects, they usually prefer films that appear safer at the box office.
Because of these concerns, mid budget romantic dramas often appear risky. This makes it harder for filmmakers to move such projects forward.
Due to this situation, the director said he is now developing several films in different genres. These projects may have better chances of receiving approval.
Vinil Mathews believes the problem extends across the entire industry ecosystem. Agents, producers, actors and even some filmmakers often prioritise large scale commercial films.
As a result, the kind of slice of life romantic stories that once defined Bollywood are becoming rare.
Many social media users are now debating whether feel good romantic films are slowly disappearing from the industry.
