Remember when all you could talk about how cool John Abraham was in Dhoom? Or perhaps the billion times Major Ram Prasad came to save Lucky’s day in Mai Hoon Na? Not to mention the tears we have dripped in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham!
Where did all of that go?
In fact when you really think about it, this year, there were barely any movies that made way into our discussions after their first week of being released.
Even a widely anticipated, controversy-wrapped Forrest Gump adaptation delivered by Aamir Khan this year failed to bag the numbers we are really used to.
But what’s the reason for this really? Why is India suddenly stepping away from Bollywood and resorting to Hollywood movies and TV shows?
The reasons could be hundreds, but we will talk about only two –
Content correction
The Bollywood industry right now is suffering from a major traditional crisis. With more focus on hit songs and catchy tunes over a great storyline has been a problem Bollywood has been facing for decades now.
Movies often ‘miss the mark’ with their humour or other kinds of narratives. Song remakes and old movie remakes generally push these movies towards unnecessary nostalgia that people never asked for.
One thing that’s obvious right now is that most people watch movies more because of the story and less for the cast involved.
The lead cast for most movies seemingly are more comfortable with their existing producers than new ones. This is why we usually see films being produced by the same directors for every major lead we see in a movie. And that’s exactly why the movies and their storyline right now seem so stale.
Diversity
Movies and TV shows right now in Hollywood aim to push a diverse narrative. With the popularity of sci-fi movies and TV shows, documentaries and thriller shows, Hollywood practically dominates Bollywood right now.
You see, where Hollywood makes movie franchises like The Avengers that are action-packed, comedic movies with a fascinating storyline, Bollywood pushes out movies like Zero with a leading cast and an absurd story.
The Indian audience does want action movies. But it also wants more than that. It wants movies that aren’t just action, it wants TV shows that talk about real problems around us, and isn’t just aimed at throwing the millennial terms around.
That’s why Bollywood right now needs a serious transition if it wants to start pulling in the numbers it once did.
