Bollywood's Changing Tides: Can High-Budget Films Regain Their Magic?

Bollywood's recent struggle with successful high-budget films is attributed to metro-centric stories and social media's influence on stars, says film critic Taran Adarsh. Highlighting flops and hits, Adarsh discusses the changing landscape and implications for future film success.

Bollywood has been known for producing a plethora of high-budget films that often break box office records. Yet in the past four to five years, the Hindi film industry has been grappling with a noticeable decline in successful films. Renowned film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh attributes this downturn to factors including metro-centric narratives and the increasing reliance of actors on social media.

Recent box office flops such as 'Maidaan', 'Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha', and 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan', featuring big names like Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt, reflect this trend. Speaking to ANI, Adarsh asserted that films are suffering due to their focus on urban settings, lacking mass entertainment appeal.

Adarsh cites examples like 'Pushpa' and 'Stree', which succeeded by resonating with the broader audience, unlike many metro-focused productions. He argues for more locally engaging films, noting that the influence of social media and entourages around actors has altered traditional film selection processes. Meanwhile, Salman Khan's 'Sikandar', recently released, continues to navigate these industry tides.

(With inputs from agencies.)