of box office The performance of most Bollywood movies in 2022 is rocky. Last year was a tough year for most filmmakers and actors, so many of them talked about what they learned from what audiences were trying to convey and how they could bring them back to the theater.
seen in 2022 Aria ButtGangbhai Kathiawadi directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansari Cartic AryanDirected by Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 Anees Bazmee, Ranbir KapoorAayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, Raj Mehta’s Varun Dhawan’s Jug Jugg Jeeyo, Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj and Ram Setu, Hrithik Roshan’s Vikram Vedha, and Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 2. Despite their star worth, only a few managed to emerge as hits, along with others who were outright rejected by audiences. To understand what it takes to improve, indianexpress.com spoke to some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
“Audiences have divided movies into good and bad”: Vicki Kaushal
Actor Vicki Kaushal, who didn’t get a theatrical release this year, was seen attending most Bollywood movie screenings, including his wife Katrina Kaif’s phone boot. When asked how he is preparing for next year with multiple releases, he said: It puts me in a very happy space. If you follow your instincts as an actor and make a good movie, people either resonate with them or they don’t. People have broken all the formulas and are telling you to give us good movies and entertainers where there are no formulas. It’s very obvious, they just say please entertain us. ”
Here’s what he says about what these learnings will change: So now when you make a movie, that’s all you have to keep in mind.Giannahicharega or Yestorinahicharega‘. Abu Sab Chalega and Sab Nahi Bee Chalega, Aga Acha Hai To Sab Chalega, Aga Acha Nahi Amhai To Kuch Nahi Chalega. Use any expression. doesn’t work. So now when I’m discussing a new film, all I’m thinking about is if it will connect with an audience. Drishyam 2 is a big one. It appeared out of nowhere and could not be stopped. It’s not a scale like RRR or a comedic formula like Bhool Bhulaiya(2). It’s a good engaging story with a great movie that worked wonderfully. to mother iegawithout knowing the actor.
‘Audiences and the film industry are still recovering from the pandemic’: Shashank Khaitan
Shashank Kaitan, the filmmaker behind hits like ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Durhaniya’ and ‘Badrinath ki Durhaniya’, said 2022 will be a transitional year and people will be devastated by the pandemic and Covid-19. Still grappling with the losses suffered during the lockdowns that have been triggered, we consider it too harsh. in Bollywood. “Honestly, we are all trying to figure it out, but I think we have a very different view of it.The two years of Covid-19 have been very difficult for everyone, especially the middle class. You have to recognize that it’s been tough on people, financially.Perhaps in 2019, people said they were going to see all three movies in theaters this month, but today, in a month. I think we all need to be patient, we need to give it a little time, it’s silly to think you’ll recover in 3 weeks or months. I think it’s going to be at least another six months before things settle in. We still have one big movie coming up and making numbers, or we’ll have one off-the-charts movie coming.”
Khaitan also cited an example from Drishyam 2. “Look how Drisham 2 happened. We all knew it was a beloved franchise, but this kind of box office hit was unexpected. I think we all need to trust ourselves and not (blindly) follow anything, we believe our content is not enough. It’s the same industry that made PK, Munna Bhai MBBS, Raazi and other great movies, it’s not that we haven’t done it in the past and that we can’t do it anymore. We need to give people time to recover financially,” adds Kaitan.
“The strength of the star failed to draw the audience to the theater”: Komal Nata
Trade expert Komal Nahta believes star power doesn’t sell on its own and every star needs to reinvent, rethink and deliver great content. he said: People want good content more than they want top stars. Great low-star content is much more likely to work than average high-star content. People consume content from all over the world and recognize the value of good content. ”
“We will get through this”: Anand Pandit
Film producers have had their toughest years with few films returning their investment. Producer Anand Pandit, who has backed films like Thank God and Doctor G, said: I have always been an optimist, and even in the worst of the pandemic, when people were making dire predictions about the future of cinema, we are a resolutely resilient industry, so this time recovered from months of lockdowns, production delays and huge losses. Not only have we survived, we are headed toward a pre-pandemic deluge of new releases and blockbusters. and that we must continue to evolve with it. We keep up with changing audience preferences and learn from our mistakes. From here there is only uphill. Evolution is the ultimate truth of life. ”
What are the trends to watch in 2023?
Pandit said: The entertainment landscape has changed a lot in the last few years, and it’s impossible to make movies in a bubble without noticing these changes. Today, audiences love movies in cinemas and will only spend their hard-earned money when OTT streamers offer an extraordinary experience that is not accessible at home. ”
“Whether we’re telling an intimate story or creating a large-scale entertainer, we need to invest honesty and authenticity into our work, and try to deceive the people making the film.” When a filmmaker loses track of the people who are going to see their film, that’s when they lose really big time at the box office. And every story must be told to the best of my ability and with complete conviction,” he adds.
There is a moment to drop the mic when Komal Nahta utters the final words. According to him, 2023 will be the year Bollywood rises if the power of stars is used to tell good stories through good movies, even if superstars fail to do well this year.
“The industry has definitely learned its lessons, so better times will come back. We’re starting to work hard and those movies will probably start releasing in mid-2023 and we’ll see the results. I can imagine what it would be like if business diversified and it would come to pass So we have learned our lesson Bollywood is not over and stars are not over Stars will not shine for the time being Maybe, but they’ll bounce back, because when those top stars deliver good content, the sky is the limit, and that’s bound to happen.
