Behind that fading Hindi movie magic

There is a recent trend taking over our film screens. Hindi film classics such as Deewar, Don, Sholay amongst many others are being re-released in film theatres. This presents a wonderful opportunity for many to watch these Hindi films on the big screen. For several others, it could be a trip down memory lane. Perhaps these films remind them of their youth amongst other associated memories and help bring back an audience to the theatres that doesn’t find much to watch these days on the big screen. This might also aid the theatres, which haven’t recovered fully after Covid. Organising retrospectives of old films, filmmakers, and actors is a welcome idea, and that a new generation of viewers are able to engage with this cinema is even better. That too at a commercial film theatre. Let audiences watch Amitabh Bachchan or Dev Anand films alongside a Ranbir Kapoor or a Prabhas. If it leads to comparative analysis, why not? This might be good education in mainstream film history too. Has mainstream Hindi cinema progressed or regressed?
Now here is something that calls for some introspection. We have been reading a lot of speculation in the media that contemporary Hindi films aren’t doing particularly well at the box office. Trade reports don’t seem to suggest otherwise. There are occasional hits in between followed by periods of long lull. Several actors, directors have gone on record to speak about the current health of the Hindi film industry that is worrisome. An occasional success like Stree 2 is hardly any solace. For one Stree 2, you have a series of flops. Can one film make up for so many others? Personally speaking, I enjoyed the inaugural iteration of the film which cast horror in an interesting light, taking it beyond the usual traps of good versus evil. The film presents a commentary on gender relations in Indian society, especially small-town India. The second edition banks on the glory of the previous edition. The storyline is weak in comparison and the fear is more supernatural than social or psychological. The producers have announced a third part as expected and I most earnestly hope it doesn’t descend into another formulaic jamboree franchise which takes its success for granted. The other recent Hindi film that was declared a super hit, Munjya, was also a comedy horror.
But why is the Hindi film industry struggling? The same set of people who have delivered hits in the past are still actively working. What has gone wrong then? A lot of analysts, including this writer, feel it has perhaps got something to do with the story of the film. But should that be a problem at all in a country like India? We have a wealth of literature, folklore, and oral traditions. We live surrounded by stories. What explains the struggle then? Is it the dearth of good writers for cinema or the film industry’s long neglect of the film-writer? Or could it be Hindi film industry’s obsession with formula-driven cinema that kills aspiring or budding talent? When nationalism works, hordes of films seem to follow the trend. Will it be comedy horror now? I don’t know if OTT is a better space. They too seem to have created a template for the films they will back. In such a scenario, how can any independent-minded storyteller or storytelling survive or flourish? What do you do if your story doesn’t follow the patterns set by the power structures that govern filmmaking in Mumbai?
Suddenly, there seems to be a lot of discussion about Hindi film-writers and film-writing owing to an OTT series on Salim-Javed. Hagiographic in approach, the series illustrates their success and mentions, amongst other trivia, that the duo used to charge more money than the leading male star of the film. Monetary compensation is a big cause of concern for many film-writers even today. Fair credits for their work are another battle all together. Unless the storyteller is rehabilitated in mainstream Hindi cinema, very little can change. Star systems dissipate over time. The box office has thrown surprises repeatedly. When formulaic cinema has failed, it is always the novelty of the story that has shown the path for resurgence. Perhaps that time is upon us again? Listen to the storytellers. Look for the stories.
Kunal Ray teaches literature and film at FLAME University, Pune.The views expressed are personal