Has Bollywood run out of ideas? Has OTT rung the death knell for cinema releases? Why is every third film of the 90s being re-released? These are just some of the questions that keep popping up in conversations about the current state that the Hindi film industry finds itself in.
The crux of the issue seems to be profitability, and the reasons for its decline are several. OTT is certainly an obvious factor, but there a plethora of others too. Actor fees seems to be a major concern, many a time being disproportionate to the box office results. And this also include the cost of the ever increasing entourage of the actor, comprising the make up person, stylist, manager, PR person, bodyguards and what not, all of which many a time have to be beared by the production company. Karan Johar himself stated how certain actors demand 35 crore, but their film doesn’t even have collections of 3.5 crore. Anurag Kashyap recently said that he wanted to quit Bollywood because of the toxicity and lack of originality. Ajay Devgn during the trailer event of Raid 2 admitted that Bollywood is trying to figure out what needs to be done. There also seems to be a lack of innovation, with films becoming too predictable, and then ofcourse there’s the competition that they’ve faced from the South. And the numbers aren’t lying, Bollywood saw a 13% decline in box office revenue in 2024, falling from Rs 5,380 crore in 2023 to Rs 4,679 crore. And even from this, a sizeable portion came from Hindi-dubbed South Indian films, once again highlighting a lack of original Hindi content.
So, out of all these reasons, if we talk about the lack of originality, can we say that Bollywood is running out of ideas? We put the question to some industry veterans, and this is what they told us.
Archana Puran Singh |
Archana Puran Singh, Actor
Not just our industry, Hollywood is also facing a similar crisis of content not doing well. Corporate control and profit-driven production has shooed away innovative storytellers, and led to makers relying on remakes, sequels, and formulaic storytelling, possibly making for a repetitive and unoriginal experience for young audiences whose viewing habits have shifted vastly owing to varied modern entertainment options like YouTube and OTT.
It is the infamous and eternal battle between art and commerce with both industries struggling to strike a balance between commercial viability and creative freedom to produce content that resonates with viewers.
Sanjay Khan |
Sanjay Khan, Veteran Actor
Yes, there is a pause in Bollywood, but it doesn’t mean the industry has run out of ideas. This cyclical trend affects all film industries; Hollywood, for example, experiences hits followed by weaker films without losing talent or creativity. Currently, India faces a lull due to repetitive themes and a lack of imaginative content reflecting socio-economic realities globally. However, Bollywood remains rich in talent and creativity. With fresh perspectives and innovation, it is poised to overcome this phase and return stronger, continuing its legacy as a leading global film industry.
Anand Pandit |
Anand Pandit, Producer
I won't say the industry has run out of ideas and inspiration but there is definitely a need for re-evaluation and course correction. If the focus is only on ROI, and how to maximize the gains from OTT streaming rights, satellite rights, music rights, overseas rights etc, there is little space left for inspiration and originality. If every third film is a Korean, Spanish or South-Indian remake, the audience, which is already exposed to international and regional content, will also get disillusioned. If we look back at the biggest hits of Hindi cinema, what stands out is that they were made with conviction. That self-belief is missing in many projects today. Post COVID-19, audiences have grown very selective, and only very strong content can drive them to theatres now. This isn’t a crisis—it’s an opportunity to dig deep, find our creative voice and return to authentic storytelling. The audience is speaking clearly—and if we listen, evolve, and take bold, creative risks, Hindi cinema will not only survive, it will thrive.
