We have talked a great deal about the insane response to the re-release of Laila Majnu on the big screens. The film in merely 4 days surpassed its original run and it is indeed a very appreciable thing.
But we need to acknowledge something. In these 8 long months, how many Hindi films have performed well at the box office?
Count on your fingers, please. Fighter, Shaitaan, Crew, Munjya and Stree 2.
We told you to count on your fingers because there are only 5 films in these 8 long months that left a mark. This is pathetic. This is very very bad.
Amidst all this, films like Tumbbad and Laila Majnu are the rays of hope. The question arises, what’s wrong with the Hindi film industry this year? Why aren’t films working?
The answer lies in the way the Hindi film industry works. “Culture”.
Many things have an expiry date. Even the star culture. People have had enough of star-driven films that are poor in content. That’s why the brutal response to the films of Akshay Kumar is nowhere near stopping.
People need stories and the story needs good writers. We do realise that we don’t have superstar writers like Salim-Javed anymore in the industry, but there are enough writers in our huge country who can actually create a great story.
If the story and direction moves people then nothing can stop them from coming from the theatres. Another major reason is the lack of affordable single screens in North India. However, this problem is even more difficult to solve.
To sum up, North Indian theatres are struggling and they need to be acknowledged by the way industry works. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be surprised if Bollywood reached its expiry date. Afterall, it can’t just survive on the re-release of films like Tummbad and Laila Majnu.