The changing face of Indian cinema

Bollywood, long the dominant force in Indian cinema, is on the back foot, as changed viewing habits brought about by the pandemic and the rise of streaming means the conveyor belt of hits is drying up.

Why it matters

India’s cinema-going culture may be altered forever as Hindi-speaking audiences have become exposed to new types of film that go beyond the usual Bollywood tropes. Not only are tastes changing, but with a monthly streaming subscription comparable to the price of a cinema ticket, the incentive to leave home to see a movie is significantly reduced. 

With audience numbers falling, advertisers are likely to consider reallocating media budgets away from cinema and into digital platforms. And the way Bollywood films are marketed will also likely change.

Takeaways

• Around three-quarters of Hindi film releases last year flopped at the box office. As a result, many small single-screen cinemas in lower-tier towns are closing.
• Regional language films – Telugu films from the south of India, for example – are taking a bigger share of box office receipts.
• A couple of recent releases have drawn Bollywood into the political arena, with BJP politicians talking up a low-budget film that many would regard as Islamophobic.

Key quote

“Blinkered by their privilege, Hindi filmmakers failed to notice that their traditional audience had gradually begun evolving” – Anna MM Vetticad, a film journalist and author, speaking to the Guardian.

Sourced from Mint, Guardian, Economist