Every year, Bollywood releases movies that create a lot of buzz, promotion and are expected to garner record numbers. Fans celebrate movies and memes flood social media with skyrocketing box office figures. But just a year later, many of these films are barely talked about. Movies like ‘Pathan’, ‘Jawaan’, ‘Singham Again’ and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ clearly show this new trend.The hype is bigger than the storyMost recent blockbusters rely heavily on star power and vigorous action. ‘Pathan’ brought Shahrukh Khan back in style and crossed the Rs 1,000 crore mark. But the story felt familiar and simple. Once the excitement faded, people had no reason to watch it again. Big stunts cannot hide weak emotions for long. ‘Pathan’ may be a pleasure to watch once in heavily crowded theatres, but will it stay in our minds forever? No.
Collective films seem like a one-time viewing
‘Jawaan’ created a lot of buzz with Shahrukh Khan’s dual role and powerful scenes. The film made huge money at the box office within a few days of its release. But its dramatic turns and heavy style seemed too much for repeated viewings, and most of those scenes were imitations of Atlee’s Tamil films, offering nothing new to the audience. We all think it’s a fun watch, but not memorable enough to be remembered.
Sequel without new ideas
‘Singham Again’ and ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ did well because people already knew the characters. But both films were criticized for their long runtimes, predictable scenes, and weak writing. The audience on OTT called him boring. The old formulas no longer excite modern audiences. In the case of ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, the original idea provided by Mollywood’s ‘Manichitrathazhu’ was stretched too far, losing its essence.
Habits of OTT platforms have changed
Today movies reach streaming platforms very fast. What once seemed like a theater event has now become another option on screen. With countless options, audiences move quickly. Movies don’t have time to slowly grow into people’s hearts like old classic movies. Director Dhvani Gautam, who has helmed many films like ‘Hoon Taari Heer’, ‘Dario’, ‘Shubh Saanj’, ‘Vanki Chukki Love Story’, has opened up on the subject and exclusively candid with us, “Today’s blockbuster films don’t fail at the box office, they fail the memory test. Built on hype, they shine and quickly disappear. Modern blockbusters are geared towards the first weekend, Not for posterity and that is why they fade away first. Star power still guarantees a strong opening, but without emotional depth or originality, today’s blockbusters fail to make waves.”