Bring back Bollywood – As films are re-released, here’s what should also return to the Hindi film industry

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Like memorable music and great love songs. Amidst the pressure to make songs go viral on social media or serve as a marketing tool to drive audiences into theatres, music has suffered a tremendous loss in our films. Earlier, there was more diversity in the kind of films being made, and this organically led to variety in the kind of music that was composed. As a 90’s kid who grew up listening to Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Kavita Subramaniam, Sonu Nigam, Kumar Sanu, Shaan and KK at their absolute best, it is depressing to see how homogeneous music in Hindi cinema has become. The main focus is on releasing a ‘bhasad’ creating song that can help with the promotion of the film. All the other songs sound like afterthoughts, composed to merely have an album on paper. Then there is the current obsession with remixing an old Bollywood song, which only highlights the lack of originality further.

There was a time high concept films and mass entertainers could both be released in theatres and find an audience. We had more choices and options, and it seemed like audiences were more evolved and open to different kinds of films. But today we seem to be operating from a place of fear and doubt, and both are not conducive to creating art. Given the current political climate, a hypersensitive audience with a proclivity to taking offence and filmmakers staying away from any subjects that can be sensitive or controversial, only a certain brand of cinema is released in theatres these days. It broke my heart when Shahid Kapoor told SCREEN that it’s unlikely that a political thriller like Haider, which was set against a backdrop of the insurgency and conflict in Kashmir will be made today. It makes you wonder if films like Maachis, Gulaal, Andhadhundh, Newton, Masaan, Shanghai, Article 15, PK, Kahaani, Tumhari Sulu, or Lootera would be released in theatres if they were made today.

A poster of Kangana Ranaut’s Queen.

Perhaps if we bring back a diversity of genres and ideas, we could give female actors some main character energy again. I miss seeing women play protagonists or even just well-written roles on the big screen. I miss watching films made by female filmmakers like Gauri Shinde and Zoya Akhtar. There was a time when women weren’t merely wives to alpha males or more integral to the film’s publicity than the plot. Actors like Sridevi, Rani Mukerji, Kajol, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tabu, Vidya Balan, and even Kangana Ranaut played women from different walks of life and carried entire films on their capable shoulders. But post the pandemic, films with women protagonists are increasingly being relegated to digital platforms. It’s been ages since we had a film like Queen, English Vinglish, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Chameli, Maqbool, Jab We Met or even a Mardaani release on the big screen.

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Amidst all the machismo we are subject to these days, I also miss watching a great love story or a romantic drama on screen. Bollywood has given us passionate love stories over the years; aspirational, inspirational and emotional tales of men and women battling all odds or even losing their lives for love. Earlier male stars seemed to have felt more secure sharing screen time with an equally talented female actor. Additionally, there wasn’t any anxiety about religious sentiments being offended by romance. I would kill to watch a Baazigar, Saajan, Dil To Pagal Hain, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Jodhaa Akbar, Guzaarish or even a Bajirao Mastani on the big screen again. Love stories have catapulted actors to stardom, influenced pop culture and impacted the way we view romance and marriage. Simultaneously, love stories have evolved over the years to reflect the changing power dynamic between men and women. For me, love was always Shah Rukh Khan. But now, he too is wielding weapons instead of wooing a woman with his irresistible charm.

Shah Rukh Khan in a still from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas.

While re-releasing films may mean much-delayed profits for some filmmakers or just some nostalgia for us as audiences, the larger insight here is perhaps that audiences are open to watching different kinds of movies. There are just so many films with slow-motion walking, thundering background scores, or propaganda masquerading as cinema that they can watch. Each film doesn’t have to make hundreds of crores. But if we classify films that don’t have a male star who hogs screen time and utters punchlines as OTT releases, how will audiences ever know if they like watching a particular genre or style of cinema on the big screen? So let’s enjoy our occasional flashbacks to old films, but please let’s bring back the elements that made our cinema entertaining and impactful.