Massy, highly whipped with drama and action, larger than life role, casting superstar, ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ starring Allu Arjun is dominating the box office with already made around Rs 1500 crore globally within just 15 days of its release. Well, this is not the first time we get to encounter a massy film to make big bucks at the box office in recent history.
Evolution of Cinema in Bollywood
Bollywood has a rich history of cinema that has evolved with the time and trends of the audience. Where there was a time when films focused on impactful storytelling, which used to cater audience displaying the realities and making effective films. This era is often regarded as Bollywood’s golden age, characterized by the emergence of iconic filmmakers like Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, and Bimal Roy. Films during this period often dealt with social issues and featured strong narratives. Notable films include ‘Pyaasa’ (1957) and ‘Mother India’ (1957).
The 1970s introduced the “masala” film genre, blending action, romance, comedy, and drama. This style was popularized by filmmakers like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra. Amitabh Bachchan emerged as a superstar during this time, starring in films like ‘Sholay’ (1975) and ‘Deewar’ (1975), which defined the “angry young man” era.
The post-independence era saw a shift towards romantic musicals and family dramas. Films like ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ and ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ led to a new wave of romance. Rom-com films including actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan thrived at the box office.
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The early 2000s took a shift towards comedy films. This era saw the rise of light-hearted entertainers that gave audiences with much-needed laughter amidst serious themes in society. Films like ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’, ‘No Entry’, and ‘Partner’, ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Phir Hera Pheri‘, ‘Welcome’, ‘Golmaal’ had a mix of comedy and romance.
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With time action films began to gain prominence appealing to a younger audience seeking adrenaline-fueled entertainment. Throughout the 2010s, Bollywood witnessed a notable increase in official remakes of international and South Indian films. Films like ‘Wanted’, ‘Ghajini’, ‘Don’ are some of the most notable names. Films such as ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’and ‘Badlapur’ are also more character-driven films.
The impact of COVID-19 on audience preferences
With the film industry flourishing, a shift came with the coming of the COVID pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered audience behaviour regarding film consumption. With theatres closed for extended periods, many turned to streaming platforms for entertainment. As theatres reopened, audiences were eager for immersive experiences that only big-screen action films could provide.
The role of OTT platforms
The rise of OTT platforms has also influenced how audiences consume content. While these platforms provide access to diverse genres and independent films, they have also created a competitive environment where traditional cinema must adapt to survive.
Impact of OTT
While action films are currently thriving, other genres have struggled to maintain their footing. Romantic dramas and comedies have seen a decline in popularity as audiences gravitate towards more intense stories. Interestingly, low-budget romance and drama films can still be produced with relative ease compared to action-packed blockbusters. Independent filmmakers gained on this trend by creating content-rich films and web series.
Comedy films have also faced challenges in recent years. The rise of stand-up comedy and short clips on social media has shifted audience expectations. Many viewers now prefer quick laughs from social media rather than investing time in traditional comedy films that may not deliver the same punch.
Pan-India films
The concept of pan-India films has gained traction recently. Films like ‘RRR’, ‘KGF 2’, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, ‘Devara: Part 1’, ‘Salaar: Part 1’, ‘Fighter’ gained significance. Shah Rukh Khan is said to have revived Bollywood with three huge films in the same year that are, ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’ and ‘Dunki’.
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These pan-India films often feature larger-than-life characters and gravity-defying stunts that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The success of these films shows a growing preference among audiences for high-octane entertainment.
Bollywood’s Varun Dhawan in a chat with TOI shared how he wants to do crowd entertainers. He said, “I think now everyone wants to do pan-India films. I believe if we create good, fun, non-preachy content, it could work. My current release has given me a lot of confidence. Now, I just want to do crowd-entertainers and massy films. I feel that working with good directors like Shoojit Sarkar, Nitesh Tiwari and Sriram Raghavan has helped me grow. Sometimes, you get to do a large-scale entertainer like ‘Bhediya’, where you also get to perform.”
In recent years, Malayalam cinema has seen a revival, focusing on storytelling that resonates with audiences without relying on the typical mass appeal often found in commercial films.
While speaking to TOI, journalist Latha Srinivasan, said, “Malayalam cinema has been ‘discovered’ by the Indian audience outside Kerala thanks to the COVID pandemic and OTT platforms. The Malayalam film industry has always been making strong, content-driven films, but it’s only in the last few years that the pan-Indian audience has discovered this. During the pandemic, the Malayalam film industry released many new films on OTT, like ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’, ‘Minnal Murali’, ‘Malik’, ‘Drishyam 2’, and ‘Forensic’. All these films turned out to be highly viewed on OTT platforms, and now this demand has spilled over into theaters.”
Conclusion: A formula for success?
While massy, action-packed films currently dominate box office charts and attract large audiences, one cannot deny the fact that recent comedy films like ‘Stree 2’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiya 2 & 3’, ‘Munjya’ turned out to be highly profitable.
Genres like romance and drama can still find success through innovative storytelling and relatable content. However, for now, it seems that action films are indeed a significant formula for achieving massive box office success in today’s cinematic era. However, comedy films might be back to make profits in the coming time.
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