Understanding The Box Office Failure Of Hindi Bollywood Movies : Kashmir Files ,Pushpa vs Shamshera , Lal Singh Chaddha ,Brahmastra , Prithvi Raj Chauhan , Rocketry
Rajiv Upadhyay
Covid sounded death knell for Malls and Cinema .
Bollywood and Multiplex owners were dumbfounded but counted on normalcy to return after Covid . Normalcy came and Pushpa and Kasmir Files earned 300 crores thus giving some hope to cine industry again . But except Kasmir Files and Bhool bhuliya 2 every big budget Bollywood movie failed at box office. Prithvi Raj Chauhan failure was a shock because it had all old Bollywood formulas , bankable Akshay , Miss World Chibber , great historical hero but nothing could save the movie. This was followed by Shamshera , Dobara. Then came Amir Khan’s much awaited Lal Singh Chaddha. It being a target of massive boycott calls sank expectedly . Last hope was Brahmastra , a reportedly 400 crore movie . But movie is unfocussed and badly made and is certainly not doing well although Box office earning figures are being manipulated by false corporate bookings. Movie will not recover its touted cost of 400 crores .There is a panic in Bollywood as all its 40 movies released after COVID failed except two . Even share price of Inox and PVR have fallen badly as Cineplexes future is being doubted.
Apart from Covid , Monika Bedi plight ,Arrest of Shilpa’s husband in pornography Sushant Rajput murder , open advocacy of homosexuality, drugs by heroes or heroines , drinking , anti marriage ultra feminism also contributed to the anti Bollywood sentiments in north .But the ultimate hatred was reserved for Amir Khan , once a darling of nation , because of great insult to Shiv in film ‘PK ‘ and his ‘ Leaving the country threat ‘.
On the other hand the ‘ boycott Bollywood’ campaign is getting stronger day day . Bollywood had definitely become totally ‘anti hindu ‘ due to its total dependence on black money Dawood and criminal mafia for finances . Gulshan’s death started it ,Rakesh Roshan’s attack reinforced it and the Bollywood values collapsed like a house of card . Bhajans and raag based music went out first then came sadhus as villians and ultimately it lead to OMG and PK type gross anti hindu films . It took long to mature but the anger against Bollywood is common now in north . Anti hindu films will not be allowed but crass religiosity will also repel . Very good films will succeed even now.
I saw Pushpa , Kashmir Files , Prithvi Raj ,Shamshera , Rocketry , Lal Singh Chaddha and Brahmastra before writing this article because I wanted to be sure rather than just quote contradictory opinions floating around .
First check was why north Indian audience has changed . One main thing was today 8% of all TV sets sold in country are above 55 inch and 22% are 42- 55 inch .In addition sound bars and projectors have also become very common . With OTT platforms like Amazon Prime , Netflix , Zee , Hotstar , VOOT ,Sony being available north Indian audience got used to fulfilling their entertainment needs with a nominal expenditure of say Rs1000-1500/ pm . Due to middle class focus permitted by their low budget ,OTT gave very good movies/ serials like Family Man , Big Bull , Bob Biswas etc . The expenditure of Rs2000/ on a family outing to cinema hall with meals needed a much higher quality entertainment in return , distinctly superior to OTT. But poor old formula based films cannot give that quality of content.
Another factor that lead to fall of Bollywood was poor quality of music . Earlier excellent music was the soul of Bollywood . Raj Kapoor , Yash Chopra superhits had superb music as one of the core factor . Songs did all the promotion. All the movies post Covid including very big budget movies had poor music . Azaan type high notes music is not lasting or gratifying . Lyrics are even worse.
American cinema overcame the TV &VCR wave by improving movies so much that small screen could not give viewing experience . Dolby or now Atmos sound also made theaters unique. Brahmasta tried the hollywood sci effects but its content and script was so weak that it was bound to fail. Hero worship is over due to misdeeds of stars .Earlier public was going to movie just to see beautiful heroine or Amitabh Bachchan but that era is gone . Now you need good content , music , editing direction to make audience return to cinema . The high star fees , territory system all will have to change .
It is better if OTT movie making shifts to say NOIDA as Mumbai being a port and builder based city, criminal dominance shall continue in Bollywood .
The success of Telgu movies and continued loyalty of southern population to cine idols need not worry us . OTT does not make so many regional movies . Also southern people always worshipped stars like MGR , NTR, Raj Kumar much more . Pushpa , RRR, KGF were focused and better films than horrible Shamshera , Mera Naam Joker of Amir Khan ie Lal Singh Chaddha and utterly unfocussed Brahmastra . Bollywood has talent but it has to rise again from ashes and need new Salim Zaved type as script writer , new Shankar Jai Kishan and Sahir in music , Amitabh in acting , K.Asif in commitment and Hollywood in technology .
Can Bollywood do it ? time alone will tell but otherwise old Bollywood will die !
