The 2021 horror comedy Bhoot Police brought together Arjun Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Yami Gautam, and recent industry chatter has centred on a possible sequel. Reports suggest that filmmaker Priyadarshan may return to the director’s chair, albeit with a new cast.

However, the filmmaker tells us, “Nothing is locked. There are only some discussions happening right now. Even the script is not finalized. I have not decided whether I should do it or not, and I am still waiting to see the script.”

Priyadarshan also dismisses reports of him charging Rs. 21 crore for the project. “If the film happens, I will let you know,” he clarifies.

The first film revolved around a fake exorcism business, with Saif and Arjun playing two brothers who con people for money. While Arjun’s involvement is still under discussion, producer Ramesh Taurani confirms that “Saif will not be part of the next instalment”. He adds, “The rest of the casting is still being discussed.”

Post Dhurandhar’s success, buzz is at an all-time high around actor Akshaye Khanna’s upcoming slate of films. His portrayal of Rehman Dakait and his iconic dance steps won him massive popularity, fuelling constant speculation about what he will choose next. And the latest one suggests his return to the popular Race franchise.

The fourth instalment in the action-thriller franchise is currently in the works. And it was speculated that Akshaye and Saif Ali Khan, the original leads of Race, would return. However, it’s not true. Producer Ramesh Taurani clarifies, “No, we have not approached Akshaye. There was no scope at all.”

Asked if there is a thought to somehow rework the plot to get him back, he maintains, “There is no thought about getting him. His character gets into an accident in the first movie, his track ended there, and it will remain at that.”

When we mention if that means Sidharth Malhotra and Saif Ali Khan are confirmed to star, he refutes that as well, “No cast has been finalized till now. The work on the script is on.”

Race 2 (2013) had roped in John Abraham as the antagonist, while Race 3 (2018) had removed Saif and brought in Salman Khan in the lead role.

Everyone loves an underdog finally getting their moment in the spotlight and right now, it’s actors Akshaye Khanna (50) and Bobby Deol (56) stealing it. Gen Z can’t get enough of Akshaye, while Bobby has been crowned “Lord Bobby” online, with fans going all out for their favourites.

Akshaye’s recent performance in Dhurandhar has earned universal praise, especially after his dance to the film’s catchy Arabic number went viral. Earlier this year, Chhaava had also won him widespread admiration, proving his charm just keeps growing.

Similarly, Bobby, who had been away from the mainstream for a few years, is back in a big way. Animal (2023) reignited his career, with his entry song Jamal Kudu becoming an instant rage. And this year, The Ba***ds Of Bollywood further cemented his renewed fan base.

Trade analysts see this as a positive for the industry. Komal Nahta notes, “It’s all about getting that right role. Bobby had a small role in Animal but it created a tremendous impact. On social media, Gen Z has dubbed him as Lord Bobby for long.”

He adds that the social media love for both stars isn’t fleeting. “We need more good actors. Akshaye should keep signing more films and not retreat after Chhaava and now Dhurandhar,” Nahta says.

Ramesh Taurani, co-producer of Race 3 — Bobby’s comeback film in 2018 after a career slump — is thrilled with the actor’s return to the limelight. He says, “Bobby was a star even before his debut film… I can’t describe the craze people had for him even before he launched. He’s not only good-looking but now a solid actor too.”

Director Priyadarshan, who has worked with Akshaye in multiple films, admits he wasn’t aware of the resurgence of Jeetu from Videocon, Akshaye’s now-cult character from the 2003 film Hungama.

He says, “It’s not just about Gen Z, people have always loved him. Earlier, PR and the media made an actor, but today, audiences form their own opinions. The fact that people are talking about him now shows he was always a genuinely favourite artiste.”

Laxman Utekar, who directed Akshaye in Chhaava, says, “The kind of performer he is, his physique… when we did his look test, it was magical. He deserves even more success.”

Meanwhile, director Farah Khan shared on social media that she often sends Akshaye all the viral reels of his funny scenes in Tees Maar Khan (2010).

The song that Akshaye dances to in Dhurandar is Fa9la by Flipperachi, a Bahraini rap track currently ruling social media. The track has gone so viral that even BJP shared a reel on Tuesday highlighting PM Modi’s journey from childhood, set to this very song! The lines translate to: “Brother, dance hard, I’m ready for a good time...”

Varun Dhawan barely has time to breathe. After wrapping up an elaborate 45-day schedule for Border 2, he is now preparing for the next schedule in Uttarakhand. He will then head to shoot for his father David Dhawan’s entertainer. This yet-untitled project marks the father-son duo’s fourth collaboration after Main Tera Hero (2014), Judwaa 2 (2017), and Coolie No. 1 (2020). Backed by Ramesh Taurani’s Tips Entertainment, the film also marks Kannada actor Sreeleela’s Bollywood debut, featuring alongside Mrunal Thakur and Maniesh Paul.

After wrapping up the Mumbai and Goa schedule, a 45-day schedule has been planned across London and other parts of the UK during May and June. A source reveals that the veteran filmmaker and his team have locked several iconic locations for the shoot, ensuring a mix of grand cityscapes and scenic countryside backdrops.

The source shares, “Varun and the team will be shooting extensively in London, covering popular spots including Piccadilly Circus among other places. There is an elaborate dance number planned which will be one of the highlights of the film.”

The UK schedule will also include a week-long shoot in the countryside, where the team will film key romantic portions and a chase sequence.

“David Dhawan is keen on bringing a fresh, international aesthetic to the film while maintaining his signature humour and energy,” the source adds.

Varun, who has been juggling multiple projects, will fly to London by mid-May after completing his commitments for Border 2 and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.

Yesteryear actress Rehana Sultan, who underwent cardiac surgery recently, has been facing a severe financial crisis for several years. People from the film fraternity have come together to provide her financial assistance to help her tide through these tough times.

Talking about her condition, producer and president of the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association, Ashoke Pandit, told BT, “Rehana stays with her brother in Mumbai and the latter called to inform me that she is quite unwell and has a cardiac issue, which needed to be taken care of. They have no source of income to take care of the expenses. So, I got her admitted to a hospital in Juhu.”

Post her hospitalization, Ashoke reached out to other people from the industry, who came forward and extended financial support for Sultan’s treatment. He shared, “The treatment was quite expensive. I spoke to Rohit Shetty, Rajan Shahi, Ramesh Taurani, Vipul Shah, Javed Akhtar and a few others, and overnight, these people transferred money to ensure the surgery was done.”

Ashoke added, “Rehana is stable now after her cardiac surgery and is very emotional about all the help she has received. I must say that this is what our industry stands for. Actors like Rehana, who portrayed the modern young woman on screen in the 70s, has inspired many filmmakers. It’s a matter of shame if we don’t take care of such people, who are an integral part of the history of our industry.”

Rehana Sultan made her debut in the acclaimed film Dastak (1970) and won the National Film Award for Best Actress. She portrayed a bold sex worker in Chetna (1970), which was rare for an actress of her times. Some of her notable films include Haar Jeet (1972), Prem Parbat (1973) and the political satire Kissa Kursi Ka (1977).

One practical approach to reducing costs is to adjust actors’ remuneration based on the average earnings of their last three box-office films. This method could address the financial imbalance that big-budget films underperforming causes.

Producers bechare dabb jaate hain actors ke costs ke chakkar mein. Filmmakers happily give what’s necessary but unjustified demands, jaise multiple vanity vans, nahin hone chahiye. For instance, one hair and makeup artist instead of a team of five or six, could cut costs significantly. If they still need all of these extra people, then they should cover the costs themselves.

The cost of securing and maintaining permissions for shooting a Hindi film or series in India is exorbitant. Governments in Hindi-speaking states should consider reducing these costs, similar to how subsidies are provided for Telugu and Tamil films.

Pre-production is crucial for managing budgets effectively. Spending more time planning with actors before shooting can streamline the process, This, in turn, will allow for efficient execution of complex scenes, reducing shooting days, particularly beneficial in expensive locations such as, say London (where he shot Ulajh). Additionally, being decisive during pre-production — such as finalising clothing choices and other details — can prevent budget wastage.

A clear script and directorial vision can help control costs. Jab ek script well-defined hoti hai and it is locked before shooting begins, it reduces the need for last-minute changes and rewrites. This can help reduce production expenses.

In the week leading up to the release of Ishq Vishk Rebound, Jibraan Khan barely slept at night. “I would be up at 5 am. It’s the best feeling ever because I have waited an eternity for this,” says the actor, who is joined by Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan and Naila Grrewal in the YA rom-com. His excitement to see himself on the big screen is understandable, although it’s not his first time. A successful child actor, he played Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s on-screen son in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G, 2001).

“There was always something nudging me towards movies. My father is an actor, Firoz Khan [Arjun from B R Chopra’s Mahabharat]. From a young age, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I worked with the best in K3G and learnt so much.”

Being a child actor can also be a disadvantage, Khan believes, as the industry believes you’re over-exposed by the time you hit your twenties.

“In the generation before mine, [when child actors grew up], nobody gave them the opportunity they desired. I cut off from the industry at the right time. I was absent through my teens and early 20s. I didn’t have to hear, ‘Yeh child actors hai, their faces don’t change.’ Those theories are out of the window. Now, it is about how talented you are.”

He admits that landing his maiden film wasn’t easy. “I have been thrown out of movies, replaced, and rejected. I just kept my head down and moved. I’m grateful [my launch] happened now and I had a support system in Ramesh Taurani. He treated us like superstars. He took interest in newcomers and pushed us.”

Ishq Vishk (2003) gave us not only a fun college rom-com, but also a star in Shahid Kapoor. Almost 21 years on, its reboot Ishq Vishk Rebound is gearing up for release. For producer Ramesh Taurani, the Nipun Dharmadhikari-directed college caper is a means to bring romance back on the big screen. “Action, drama and [films on] the army have taken over. A young love story with good music has gone missing,” he says. Two decades is a long time between an original and its reboot. What took him so long to create the second instalment?

“It’s a ground rule at my studio—no reboots until the script convinces everyone. This film looks at this generation’s challenges in romance, the fragility of love, quick break-ups, and their behavioural patterns in the time of social media.”

Young love isn’t the only constant in Ishq Vishk Rebound. Like with the original, Taurani hopes to make stars out of leads Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan, Jibraan Khan and Naila Grrewal.

“We wanted newcomers. Rohit Saraf has tasted fame, but this will launch him as a mainstream hero. We had five rounds of auditions and chose them. Pashmina was one of the 15 girls we shortlisted, we had no idea who she was. When we started doing her contracts, we found out she is a Roshan. I had worked extensively with her father Rajesh Roshan, but he never called, asking me to consider her. Neither did Hrithik [Roshan, Pashmina’s cousin], who has a rapport with me. Merit matters more than anything in this industry, whether you’re an outsider or a nepo kid. If you see from the ’80s to now, there are some actors who haven’t [succeeded] despite their lineage. With the original Ishq Vishk, we launched Shahid, Amrita Rao and Shenaz [Treasury]. Shahid is a superstar today! Shenaz was also flooded with offers after the film. We are keen to do more movies with these kids too.”

The producer’s team is currently working on a sequel to Bobby Deol and Preity Zinta’s Soldier (1998). “We’re trying to lock its script. Writing is a key element of our movie-making style. I’ve never gone to an actor without a script. Never have I gone to an actor with a DVD, suggesting a rip-off job.”

Four months into 2024, the Hindi film industry has been on a bumpy ride. Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, was expected to ring in the year with eye-popping box-office numbers, but slowly inched towards the Rs. 200 crore mark. On the other hand, films like Crakk, Yodha, All India Rank and Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay left us wanting. In comparison, 2023 was a blockbuster one with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan setting the tone for the rest of the year.

The year “hasn’t begun well” agrees trade analyst Taran Adarsh, adding, “We didn’t have a Pathaan kind of film, a Rs. 500 crore grosser, or even a film that touched Rs. 50 crore on day one. Fighter was a well-made film, but it didn’t live up to the expectations.”

Films that took the industry by surprise with their performances were genre benders like actors Ajay Devgn’s Shaitaan, Yami Gautam Dhar’s Article 370 and Shahid Kapoor’s Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Their box-office collections show that they did exceedingly well.

Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinepolis India, remarks, “2024’s first quarter has been average, with no major hits; films like Shaitaan worked. I feel 2023’s first quarter was much better and a hit like Pathaan is still awaited. There are good titles coming up in 2024, which are a mix of Bollywood biggies and those from the south.”

Aditya Datt, director of the actioner Crakk, is proud of his film. But with “disappointing” footfalls in cinema halls, he is ready to move on. “Response to the film’s new age idea and action was amazing,” he says, as he’s feeling “optimistic” for its OTT debut. “The magic we crafted will more eyes watching and appreciating it.”

Another film which was praised by critics, had a big star cast, but still underperformed at the box office was Merry Christmas, featuring actors Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi. Producer Ramesh Taurani who bankrolled the film, elaborates, “We were expecting more in collections. Nevertheless, it’s okay, things happen. We did get a lot of praise and critical acclaim.”

HIGHEST GROSSERS of ’24 till NOW (All India collections according to trade estimates)

Fighter- Rs. 199 crore

Shaitaan- Rs. 137 crore

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya- Rs. 81 crore

Article 370- Rs. 72 crore

Crew- Rs. 41 crore (still running in theatres)

The Maldives has been a favourite shooting location for Bollywood filmmakers, with movies such as Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (2005), Agent Vinod (2012), Ek Villain (2014) and Ram Setu (2022), shot in the island country. However, given the deteriorating relations between India and the Maldives lately after three ministers made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his visit to the Lakshadweep, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has appealed to the producers to boycott shoots in the Maldives.

Their statement read: “In solidarity with the nation, the members of the FWICE have decided to boycott Maldives for their shooting locations. Instead, we appeal to its members to choose similar locations in India for their shooting purpose and contribute towards developing the tourism in India.”

FWICE chief advisor, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, says, “It was important for Bollywood to extend support to show the Maldives that we can’t be taken for granted.”

There are a lot of locations for us to shoot our films. Nothing matters more than our country’s pride.

A couple of songs were scheduled to be shot in the Maldives. FWICE’s notice would dent the whole travel economy and film shoots.

Changing any location at the last minute costs us. It also delays schedules as you have to start the process all over again. As a filmmaker, I think it’s unfair to the director, but then, this can happen for many other reasons too, including natural disasters, airline issues, etc. I don’t think filmmakers or the film fraternity should boycott any country or location unless the government officially asks us to do so.

We can find alternatives. We are no longer in the cinematic era where foreign locations were necessary for romantic songs. From a monetary point-of-view, I don’t see any negative impact of FWICE’s decision.

We have many islands in India that are like the Maldives. Maldives waise bhi bahut expensive country hai. We support PM Modi and the country with this decision. Maldives ne apna bahut nuksaan karaya hai in statements se.

What’s the common thread running through Pathaan, Jawan, Tiger 3, Gadar 2 and Animal? Apart from being money-minting machines reviving Bollywood from its slumber this year, the films also became vehicles of resurgence of the ‘angry strongman’.

According to trade expert and producer Girish Johar, this reliance on hypermasculinity — and the films’ subsequent successes — are testaments to the audience’s shifting preferences: “Action, blood and larger-than-life — these are the things that people want to watch on the big screen. From alpha males to aggressive male leads, the year proved that audiences are enjoying hypermasculine [content]. ”

Labelling 2023 as the year of “resurgence of the alpha male”, trade expert Atul Mohan concurs and says, “There was a phase when people were leaning towards the boy-next-door image. That has changed now. 2023 showed that the audience still likes to watch such (hypermasculine) content. Cinema was and will always be larger than life.”

For producer Ramesh Taurani, the year has only reaffirmed the popularity of such characters and tropes. “Alpha males have always existed in Bollywood, and it was proved once again this year. India has always been a hero worship place,” Taurani says.

One thing is for certain — whether it was Shah Rukh Khan in Pathaan, out there to foil a terrorist threat, or Sunny Deol in Gadar 2, taking on the enemy to protect his family, these heroes and films woke Bollywood up from its pandemic-induced nap. But, this revival may be coming at a cost, cautions image guru Dilip Cherian.

“For years, there was this attempt to normalize and promote equality and respect for women. This resurgence of hypermasculinity in cinema sets us back. We are creating new stereotypes and formulae, as these offerings have become superhits. This could also encourage certain behaviours in young boys. What I find the most dangerous is that girls might think such behaviour is okay. It is manufactured misogyny. Can it be controlled? It depends on the audiences,” he says.

Indian market: Rs. 543 cr

Global market: Rs. 1,050 cr

Indian market: Rs. 640.8 cr

Global market: Rs. 1,152 cr

Indian market: Rs. 284 cr

Global market: Rs. 466 cr

Indian market: Rs. 525 cr

Global market: Rs. 687 cr

Indian market: Rs. 540 cr

Global market: Rs. 836 cr

Yes, 2023 has turned out to be a great year for Hindi films, with multiple hits coming in. But a crucial aspect related to films also underwent a sea change — we saw biggies turning to the south states for mega events, some deciding not to promote their film at all (we are looking at you, Shah Rukh, for Pathaan), and some (again, SRK) heavily promoting the film abroad. But the most significant evolution observed was the industry’s pivot towards engaging with the lucrative Southern markets. 

Considering the tough competition regional language films give to Hindi films, it was only a natural step for us to explore the South markets. Makers of Shah Rukh’s Jawan realized that for a film to be called pan-Indian, it definitely needs to be accepted in those states. And hence, they organized a live show at Sai Ram Engineering College in Chennai, with the entire cast in attendance.

Varun Gupta, the founder of Max Marketing and the brain behind the promotions of almost all big films in the northern belt, including Animal and Adipurush, explains, “Actors like SRK and Ranbir (Kapoor) need no introduction, but they need to grow an audience base in the South. The idea with Animal was that the Hindi-speaking audience loves Ranbir; they would love to watch him in a never-before-seen avatar. But audiences in different languages might not have seen all their films.”

A monumental shift was witnessed with the film Animal introducing an unprecedented pre-teaser marketing strategy previously unseen in Hindi cinema. The film gained support from renowned personalities like (filmmaker) S S Rajamouli and (actor) Mahesh Babu, indicating a collective industry effort towards extending its influence beyond conventional boundaries.

But Gupta feels not every film needs to practice this: “For me, as a marketing person, my job is limited till the opening weekend; I need to market the film in a way that people come in the first three days; after that, the content has to work. I am very proud that despite Adipurush not doing well ultimately, it still opened at around Rs. 37 crore.”

G Srinivas Rao, Managing Director of Shreyas Media (which is responsible for almost all promotions done in the Southern states), echoes Gupta’s sentiments, emphasizing the immense untapped potential of the Southern markets for Hindi filmmakers. He highlights the impact of localized promotions, citing instances like Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), which ventured into Vizag, Andhra Pradesh with large-scale events, targeting diverse audience segments.

Producer Ramesh Taurani, whose film Merry Christmas is set for release, also has plans for an event in Chennai. “We have made two films: one in Hindi, and the same in Tamil. In the both versions, only (actors) Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi are the same; the rest of the cast is from the respective film industries. We have a big event planned for the first week of January,” he tells us.

Govinda and David Dhawan are still considered one of the most successful actor-director jodis. In the 90s, the two worked together on at least 18 films, a record of sorts, and many of those, like Hero No.1, Coolie No.1, Partner and Deewana Mastana, among others, turned out to be massive hits. Years later, their messy fall-out made headlines, they both moved on to work with different people, but their differences remained unresolved for long.

However, now all that seems to be a thing of the past. The two have buried the hatchet and were seen interacting with each other at Ramesh Taurani’s recent Diwali bash.

Govinda even shared a picture with David on his social media handle, which had many fans requesting a comeback for this jodi. Along with the photo, he wrote, “80s Aur 90s mein meri doh biwiyaan thi. Ek Sunita aur ek David (sic).”

For the unversed, in an old interview, Govinda claimed that he heard the director talking to someone on the phone and saying that he didn’t wish to collaborate with his favourite hero anymore. That among other things was apparently the cause of a rift between this hit jodi.

Talking to Bombay Times about reconnecting with David Dhawan after really long, Govinda said, “I am glad people still feel that we should work together. Yeh unka pyaar hai. Our patch-up had already happened. This was our second meeting. It was a Diwali bash where we ate good food and had a great time. We don’t believe in raking up the past. Why mull over it? That’s not necessary. Let bygones be bygones. Filmy talk wasn’t a priority, but when that happened, we only spoke about the happy memories and those were plenty.”

The actor added, “I stepped out for an industry party after 19-20 years because it was an industry party and not a group party. Ramesh Taurani is a good person. Over the years, Bollywood parties have become these group parties, and if you don’t belong to a certain group (camp), you aren’t invited. If you are not seen at these parties, it is assumed that you aren’t social, which is wrong. I am not anti-social at all, and I don’t believe in groups. Back then, people used to say Govinda, Shakti Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor and David Dhawan are a group. I didn’t agree with that either. We are all artistes who worked together.”

In 2008, actor Aamir Khan’s Ghajini kick-started the Rs. 100-crore club. The very next year, his film, 3 Idiots, surpassed this to create the Rs. 200-crore club. Subsequently, every big film was judged on this benchmark.

However, 2023 has seen the formation of a new club with Pathaan, Gadar 2 and now Jawan crossing Rs. 500 crore in box-office collections. With the bar set high, experts debate if the upcoming films Animal, Tiger 3, Dunki and Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire need to reach this magical number to be considered a hit. What if these films fall short?

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “In case of small films with minimal budgets, Rs. 100-crore is big. But for big-budget films, making Rs. 100 crore is a cakewalk; they get there in the first weekend itself. The Rs. 100-crore benchmark was applicable 10 years ago. It has now shifted to Rs. 500 crore.”

It’s common for fans to pit films against each other based on their collections. But a film not making it to a certain club isn’t mandatory. For example, a film made on a budget of Rs. 10 crore and earning Rs. 50 crore can still be considered a hit.

Producer Ramesh Taurani says, “A film’s success depends on its cost and who stars in it. The pressure is on if it’s a big star cast. Dream Girl 2 and Fukrey 3 were hits even if they didn’t make Rs. 500 crore. What matters is the return on investment.”

Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis Cinemas, agrees and adds, “I think Pathaan, Gadar 2 and Jawan were exceptions. India has great potential, but I don’t think Rs. 500-crore club is the new Rs. 100-crore club. So many films don’t touch that mark, yet are hits in their own right. Either films are performing really well or not performing at all. I don’t think the upcoming films have any pressure to achieve these numbers.”

Animal producer Murad Khetani believes that it is the fans who consider these clubs as a benchmark. “The reality is that the budget decides [if a film is a hit or not],” he ends.

The Indian film industry is basking in a triumphant resurgence, as the weekend of August 11–13 witnessed an unprecedented accomplishment. With the simultaneous release of four films — Hindi offerings Gadar 2 and OMG 2, Tamil spectacle Jailer and Telugu sensation Bhola Shankar — the box office attained an extraordinary collection of Rs. 390 crore, the highest recorded weekend collection in the past century.

This spectacle also united more than 2.10 crore moviegoers, solidifying itself as the most attended weekend in the last decade.

The Producers Guild of India and Multiplex Association of India also issued a statement and announced this weekend as the busiest single weekend post-re-opening. Talking to us exclusively, Producers Guild of India president, Shibasish Sarkar, says, “It’s a good sign that people are willing to come back to cinema.”

Among all other records, this weekend also shattered the notion that only major studio releases or films featuring the Khans can create box-office magic. Sunny Deol was returning to the big screen after a while, and Akshay Kumar had a string of films that didn’t hit the box office in the recent past.

Trade expert Atul Mohan notes that “all these are mass entertainers, and their record-breaking numbers prove what Indian audiences want”.

Director Anees Bazmee says, “For a long time, the industry focussed on making films for niche audience. But ek achchi film woh hai jo har tarah ki audience ko pasand aaye.” Producer Ramesh Taurani adds that makers “shouldn’t look at clashes as threats”.

The trend of box-office clashes isn’t new in Bollywood. But a clash among filmmakers over a movie’s release date seems to be the norm. Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is producing the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer Yodha that releases on December 15, recently said that studios and producers should “stand united in these tough theatrical times”.

The cryptic post hinted at Johar taking a dig at the makers of the Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi-starrer Merry Christmas, which is also slated for a December 15 release. 

Amused by Johar’s post, filmmaker Onir tweeted, “Big Bollywood releases get so upset when there is another big budget release the same day and they talk about how we should all care for each other in the industry, but don’t think for a second when they deprive a small budget indie film of a tiny number of good shows to survive (sic).”

Merry Christmas co-producer Ramesh Taurani says, “Mujhe nahin lagta mere liye bola hoga Karan ne.”

As far as clashes are concerned, there are enough screens in India these days. Also, both our films are completely different in terms of the genres, so both will do well.

We live in a democratic country and no one has a monopoly on a date. I feel both the films (Yodha and Merry Christmas) are quite different from each other. I hope the issue gets sorted out.

Gadar 2 aur OMG 2 (both will release on August 11) bahut alag hain. Main apni film ka second part paise ke liye nahin bana raha hoon. Back in 2001, Gadar and Lagaan also released on the same day (June 15).

I am an independent filmmaker, so I am not into all that (his film The Vaccine War releases alongside Salaar on September 28). Had a Jawan released with it, you could call that a clash.

The announcement of actor Ranveer Singh reportedly replacing actor Shah Rukh Khan in the Don franchise was supposed to coincide with Singh’s birthday (July 6). But, the teaser launch of actor Prabhas’ Salaar led Don 3 makers to push their plans. There has been no news of a new date yet. While box-office clashes are common, teaser and announcement clashes seem to have become the newest concern for makers.

“When two teasers are released simultaneously, the audience’s attention gets distributed,” says director Anees Bazmee. Producer Ramesh Taurani says while marketing a film, his team “tries to figure out what else is coming out the same day to avoid the clash” as this also helps them “avoid any comparisons”.

Director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, who postponed the release of Fukrey 3 to avoid a clash with another big-banner film, says social media plays a huge role here: “Social media is too crowded, as there are a lot of fan-made teasers. Hence, we avoid releasing a teaser in such a situation.”

Calling the teaser clash “sheer foolishness”, trade analyst Komal Nahta says, “It’s just a one-minute video. If two of them come out on the same day, heavens won’t fall.”

They once gave major fillips to many Bollywood stars’ careers, including Salman Khan (Wanted, 2009), Ajay Devgn (Singham, 2011) and Akshay Kumar (Rowdy Rathore, 2012). But lately, remakes of southern Indian-language films have been failing miserably. From Vikram Vedha, Jersey and Cuttputlli last year to Shehzada and Selfiee this year, the remakes have failed to stir up the audience’s excitement. This begs the question: is a fatigue setting in?

Trade expert Taran Adarsh advises against generalization. “If, in a span of 1.5 years, three remakes failed to perform, we also have examples like Drishyam 2 (2022) that clicked with the audience. It all boils down to how the remake is made. Selfiee and Shehzada were bad remakes. I have seen the originals — Driving Licence (2019) and Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) — and felt that both these remakes were shoddy,” explains Adarsh.

Trade expert Komal Nahta and producer Ashwin Varde opine that the originals being freely accessible on OTT takes away the excitement of watching a remake. “When people have excessively consumed the original already, why would they be interested in watching another version of it, that too, just a year later?” notes Warde. “Vikram Vedha did not work because everyone had seen the dubbed version on YouTube,” says Nahta.

According to trade expert Atul Mohan, viewers are averse to paying to watch the same story twice in theatres. “Going to theatres is an expensive affair, and after the pandemic, people want to spend money on films that would give them something new,” he points out.

The result will be positive, Varde assures, “When producers start to reinvent their choices, even in terms of choosing the right film to remake. The fatigue is in the minds of the producers. We have to add something unique to bring freshness. Frame-by-frame remakes are not going to work now.”

Producer Ramesh Taurani, too, cautions against copy-pasting indiscriminately. “Har film ko uski audience ke hisaab se banana padhta hai. You cannot copy paste everything and expect the film to work,” says Taurani.

Ever since lights on the big screen turned back on after the pandemic lull, there have been back-to-back releases to ease up the clogged release calendar. Some, however, are making their way to the theatres without much buzz. This doesn’t imply that theatres have become dumping grounds, but heralds the trend of the token release — films being released on a small scale in select theatres in order to help streaming platforms gauge the right price for deals.

“Streaming platforms are very clear that they want films to go to the box office and see how they perform there. Based on that, they will find the right price to acquire it,” shares exhibitor Akshaye Rathi.

Since for many films, deals with OTT platforms and satellite channels are done in advance, the latter have made it necessary for many projects to release in theatres first. “That is why filmmakers are opting to release films at limited screens — as a token release. They know it is crowding the box office, but OTT giants are not willing to take any or every project for their platform,” notes trade expert Komal Nahta.

Explaining the idea behind building the buzz prior to the pandemic, marketer Varun Gupta says, “A lot of films were sanctioned by OTT players even before they went on floors, for a minimum commitment that they will pay to the producers or the studio, once the film releases in theatres.” But things changed after the pandemic.

A film’s producers would get the decided amount only if it released in theatres. “Hence, these films are being released more as a formality, in very, very select screens, because the producers know that nothing is going to come out of it in terms of box office. And that is the reason they didn’t put the money in marketing and promotions,” Gupta adds.

Another factor forcing makers to skip pre-release buzz, are the rising costs of marketing. Producer Ramesh Taurani says, “Promoting a film has become very expensive, which is why many films are skipping it and just hoping the audience will come in with word of mouth.”

Producer Anand Pandit agrees, saying, “Earlier if we used to put in Rs. 1 crore, we would be sorted because the mediums were also limited. Now, the options are unlimited — print, online, digital, TV, tours etc. Now, unless you put Rs. 6-7 crore in the marketing, you will not get noticed, which a lot of films can’t afford.”

A mere teaser for the high-budget upcoming film Adipurush managed to enrage the audience, which chastised the filmmakers for using heavy and unappealing VFX and special effects. A few months back, the Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt starrer Brahmastra, also made on a high budget of approximately Rs. 410 crores, faced criticism for only relying on VFX and not on a strong storyline. On the contrary, when the low-budget Telugu-language superhero movie HanuMan’s teaser gained attention for its impressive visual effects, it triggered a debate among movie buffs about whether makers really need to go overboard with VFX and their budgets?

We spoke to industry experts and stakeholders to find out if spending more on VFX guaranteed success at the box office.

Producer Ramesh Taurani asserts that one can never plan the budget in advance for large-scale movies: “It’s not necessary that a film’s budget will always stay the same. Filmmaking is a creative process, and sometimes a lot more or a lot less is invested than what the makers had initially planned. There are so many ifs and buts involved. Every big film, from Titanic (1997) to others, was never completed within the budget that was assigned at the beginning. And creative satisfaction is more important than anything else.” 

Whereas, VFX artiste and creative director at Futureworks, Abhishek De, points out that quite often, the budget shown by the filmmakers and their team isn’t real. “Producers and distributors play a game where they show up different figures to hype up the film. It’s all about marketing. So even the smaller films that are not big in scale manage to create a buzz because of the figures. While it can work in their favour sometimes, it can also backfire.”

Animator and VFX company owner Rajiv Chilaka believes that first and foremost, filmmakers need a clear vision when it comes to spending money on VFX.

“The price of VFX will inevitably increase if the director keeps changing the script because he’s unsure of what he wants. With Adipurush, I feel they rushed a bit, and being heavy on VFX, they didn’t give proper time to the film’s pre-production, which needed to be very strong. When [filmmaker] S S Rajamouli makes a film, he shoots certain sequences for 200 days, hence its high budget. However, when people try to achieve similar results by spending the same amount of money but don’t devote enough time to it (fulfilling pre- and post-production requirements), things don’t go well,” Chilaka explains.

He adds that for the Indian market, the production budget should not exceed ₹150 crore, which can only be reduced with proper planning.