Here is what we hope goes Laapataa from Bollywood in 2025

NTR-led actioner Devara.

1. Script first, star second: Many aspiring Bollywood blockbusters released this year that were tripping over themselves in testosterone in an attempt to woo audiences. Whether it was Bade Miyan Chote Miyan which tried to substitute acting skills with weapons, not one but Jr NTRs showing Olympic level swimming skills in Devara, a whole slew of Bollywood A listers playing who is the most macho of us all in Singham Again, Chandu’s earnest effort at being a champion, or Hrithik Roshan’s abs working their every contour in Fighter, Bollywood really dialled up the ‘mard ko dard nahin hota’ vibe this year. But then a Stree came along and proved that even the spirit of woman had greater chances of drawing audiences than male stars trying to replace a script. Perhaps in 2025 ladies will be less ‘Laapata’ from the cast and crews of films, ensuring great storytelling minus mindless muscle flexing.

A poster of Kalki 2898 AD.

2. Let the Baahubali hangover go: It’s been far too long since Baahubali part 2 or even RRR came, and since then we have been subject to so many films that seem like an ex who just refuses to move on. We had the sci-fi meets Mahabharata melodrama in Kalki 2898 AD that ironically starred Prabhas in yet another mythology inspired role. This year also saw the release of pan Indian films like Devara (which starred Rajamouli collaborator Jr NTR) and Kanguva starring Suriya, where men from exotic sounding locations and time periods tried to win hearts by single-handedly killing hundreds or valiantly sailing on CGI oceans. Sadly, it seems like the audiences have really had their fill of men trying to be myths. Can we do a Kattapa on such films in 2025?

Jr NTR’s Devara marks the Telugu debut of Janhvi Kapoor.

3. Pointless pan-Indian collabs: Actors across the nation working alongside each other in films is a great idea on paper. But sadly a pan-Indian star cast seems to be getting into stereotypes of its own. Saif Ali Khan plays a mean villain, but what was the point of him being a part of Devara? Couldn’t a great Telugu speaking actor have played the part? Bobby Deol as a villain is a concept that has producers shook, and it’s no surprise then that he was roped in to play a pan-Indian baddie in Kanguva. Whether it’s Janhvi Kapoor playing a woman in need of an exorcism in Devara, or Deepika Padukone simply hanging around looking scared in Kalki 2898 AD; casting well known faces from Bollywood because it’s trendy is not helping the actor’s career or the filmmakers who seem to be prioritising marketing the film over making a great film.

 

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A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09)

4. Promotions on steroids: Who can forget Vicky Kaushal dancing across every screen, big and small and every offline stage around the country this year? Frenzied is a mild word to use while describing the marketing and promotions of films , with every possible avenue being used by the actors and producers to virtually beg people to watch the movie. The novelty of going to a theatre and watching a movie was the opportunity to spend a few hours in the company of inaccessible men and women who made us smile and shed a tear. But if we see the star in flesh and blood and/or on my phone every single day, would that tempt us to spend hundreds if not thousands to go watch him/her again? In 2025 maybe filmmakers will stop overselling films and stars, so jaded audiences go watch them instead at a movie theatre.

Laapataa Ladies was helmed by Kiran Rao

5. Lack of funding/screens for non-mainstream films: This year formulaic films failed to create any fire or wildfire at the box office, while small/medium budget films with a lot of heart and more importantly good scripts, received critical and even commercial appreciation. Payal Kapadia’s film All We Imagine as Light has earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture and Best Director, while Kiran Rao’s film Laapataa Ladies has become India’s official selection to the Oscars. Imtiaz Ali’s Amar Singh Chamkila, Brahmayugam directed by Rahul Sadasivan starring Malayalam cinema’s stalwart Mammootty, Shuchi Talati’s Girls Will Be Girls and PS ​​Vinothraj’s Kottukkaali are just some examples of films that found success while being out of the box. Sadly many Indian filmmakers, whether fiction or nonfiction, still rely on foreign grants to make their films. Here’s hoping that in 2025, we finally stop categorising films based on their assumed profitability and just allow audiences to experience the diversity of our country’s creative voices.

Kartik Aaryan-starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.

6. The Franchise frenzy: From the hugely successful Stree 2 to the successful Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again, Bollywood has jumped onto the sequel and franchise wagon and promises to keep riding it till it derails sometime in the future. As per reports, nearly every major Bollywood male star has one more sequel or franchise film in their kitty, with some planning to resurrect the same role or storyline for the third or fourth time. Though they may be trending currently, sequels that add no dimensions to existing characters, or offer no new perspective, are merely films that are denying an original story idea an opportunity to reach audiences.

Our greatest strength is that our country has so many different linguistic and cultural experiences that can be translated into cinema. Instead of creating ten similar looking films that we imagine will be profitable at the box office, let us remove the financial and distribution related obstacles between films from across the country reaching audiences. Every film will not be Pushpa, but in the new year, maybe flower and fire can find a space to co-exist.