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Why are Bollywood films failing at the Box Office? Read analysis
The films flopping left right, and center is a result of content that’s just not exciting enough for the audience. Read detailed analysis
The social media is flooded with statements like Bollywood is over, Bollywood has lost its MoJo, South has taken over North among many more. The statements are a result of constant box office failure of Hindi films in the last 8 months with Sooryavanshi and Gangubai being an exception. While the audience and media have all the right to question the Hindi Film Industry, these allegations are far from being true.
The films flopping left right, and centre is a result of content that’s just not exciting enough for the audience. Films like Bell Bottom, Bunty Aur Babli 2, Antim, Satyameva Jayate 2, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Tadap, 83, Badhaai Do, Bachchhan Paandey, Attack, Jersey, Runway 34 and Heropanti 2, had little going in their favour. While some had good trailers, but extremely bad music resulting in lack of interest among the audience, some were a goner from the word go. None of the films peaked intrigue among the audience to warrant a big screen experience.
Yes, in the pre-pandemic times, the numbers would have been higher than what they are today, but the result would have still been the same. An Antim would have done Rs 60 crore, a Bell Bottom and Bachchhan Paandey might have ended around Rs 85 to 95 crore Jersey could have done Rs 35 to Rs 40 crore, whereas Runway 34 with a lifetime business in the range of Rs 55 to Rs 65 crore. These numbers are higher than the present collections, but the verdict for most films remains the same i.e., FLOP. Rather than blaming the pandemic and change in audience taste, the industry needs to introspect and create content that genuinely excites the audience to visit the big screen.
Yes, in the pre-pandemic times, the numbers would have been higher than what they are today, but the result would have still been the same...Rather than blaming the pandemic and change in audience taste, the industry needs to introspect and create content that genuinely excites the audience to visit the big screen.
Himesh Mankad
While the audience did give some not so exciting films a chance in the pre-pandemic times, they have gone harsh and make up their minds right after seeing the first theatrical trailer. The reduction of the OTT premiere window is another factor that’s keeping the audience away from cinema halls for films which don’t exactly warrant a watch on the big screen. Why? They can experience it at their comfort within four weeks. There was a multiplex revolution from 2003, which gave birth to single genre cinema, but with the growth of OTT platforms, the single genre cinema will now be consumed on the digital world with multi-genre format from 70s 80s and 90s returning with all its glory for the big screen consumption.
There was an audience base for this single genre cinema, as there was no other medium where the audience could experience the single genre world, but with the spike in OTT, the 15-year honeymoon period of this single genre films seems to be over. There will always be some exception every year, when the single genre films are extraordinary, but a large segment of the audience for this genre has now shifted to OTT. Right now, the single genre format is made in abundance with multi-genre releasing once in a blue moon. Both the world need to co-exist, but it's just that one got to strike the right balance of genres. But course correction needs to happen in the opposite direction. The multi genre could be anything – be it Action Comedy Emotion, Action Romance Emotion, Romance Comedy Emotion, Comedy Drama Family, Horror Comedy Thrill, Action Thrill Emotion, Comedy Emotion Drama, Period Drama Romance or all of the above. Even the aspect of music adds an element to the film give it the multi-genre vibe and musical is a genre in itself. But it’s all the multi genre concepts that will warrant a collective cinematic experience and spike that required excitement.
There was a multiplex revolution from 2003, which gave birth to single genre cinema, but with the growth of OTT platforms, the single genre cinema will now be consumed on the digital world with multi-genre format from 70s 80s and 90s returning with all its glory for the big screen consumption.
Himesh Mankad
The Hindi film industry has been an expert at these multi-genre cinemas, which has gone lost with single genre in the greed to get those critical appreciation and please the PVR Juhu and Versova Audience. But it’s the same audience who has now been exposed to global content due to the OTT explosion and deserting this cinema completely. Globally, the makers are expert at making a single genre film – like a dark thriller, an intense romantic film, a humane journey of underdog, a docu-drama around an event – but the challenge lies in the mixture of multiple genres.
The trend is not just restricted to India. A look at global blockbusters and it’s all multi-genre cinema that’s doing wonders at the box office – be it the marvel cinematic universe which merges comedy with superpowers and thrills, or the espionage films which are a blend of action, thrill, and some comedy. In a nutshell, a single emotion can be experienced at home in comfort, whereas multiple emotions are always for the big screen where you smile, cry, react and root for the characters. And mind you, even the multi-genre cinema needs to be good to sustain and survive at the box office. A decent multi-genre film will always outscore even a well-made critically acclaimed single genre cinema.
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