The traditional Bollywood formula of male-led dramas with weak storylines is no longer resonating with audiences. Big-budget films featuring major stars like Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor have failed at the box office.
Some might look at Allu Arjun as a fledgling star compared to Bollywood legends to question what has gone wrong with the Hindi film industry. But the fact to be acknowledged is that his influence and popularity, especially in South India are immense and undeniably on par with many of the successful stars of his age group. He holds altogether a different perspective about filmmaking, a craft his family-owned production house has mastered over the years. He gained nationwide fame with his film “Pushpa: The Rise” in 20211. He enjoyed enormous fan following of his own beyond the frontiers of Telugu heartland. This is the backdrop in which Allu Arjun shared his thoughts observing that Bollywood has forgotten how to present heroes on screen. It has sparked a nationwide debate. Bollywood, as a matter of fact, is currently facing one of its most challenging phases. With only a few exceptions, most films released in recent years have failed at the box office. The traditional Bollywood formula of male-led dramas with weak storylines is no longer resonating with audiences. Big-budget films featuring major stars like Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor have failed at the box office. Competition from Regional Cinema especially the South Indian films like “RRR,” “Pushpa: The Rise,” and “KGF: Chapter 2” have seen massive success, overshadowing Bollywood releases.
The rise of streaming platforms has changed viewing habits, with many people preferring to watch content at home rather than going to theatres. Social media campaigns calling for boycotts of certain Bollywood films have also impacted their performance. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the industry, and Bollywood has struggled to recover compared to other regional film industries. These challenges have forced Bollywood to reconsider its approach to filmmaking and storytelling. Allu’s observations need to be taken in right spirit to bring together the high and mighty of the Hindi film industry to help it bounce back from this crisis.
COMMENTS