More than a decade ago, Marvel introduced the concept of assembling superheroes from around the world to fight aliens and protect Earth in The Avengers (2012). Indian filmmakers later picked up the same idea and put its roots in India - far away from the multiverse of madness but very near our doorsteps. These desi cinematic universes introduced us to righteous cops fighting against injustice, scary spirits debunking patriarchy and patriotic spies performing gravity-defying stunts. MCU losing its steam Marvel films have been dominant at the box office globally since their inception, reaching their peak with The Avengers series. They have even given Indian films a run for their money in the domestic market. However, in the past two years, particularly in the post-pandemic era, MCU's dominance has waned. Avengers: Endgame, which marked the death of Iron Man, served as a culmination of MCU for many fans. Subsequent releases like Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hinted at a resurgence, but none could replicate the phenomenon of Endgame. This decline can be attributed to a variety of factors, including an influx of mediocre content, convoluted storylines, and a proliferation of web series like WandaVision, Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, What If and Moon Knight. This complexity made it challenging for MCU fans to keep up with the narrative. For instance, to even understand what is going on in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness (2021) one has to watch the nine-episode series, WandaVision (2019). Rise of homegrown cinematic universes With Marvel losing its steam a vacuum was created for an engaging cinematic universe, which was quickly filled by Indian filmmakers. Among these are Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe, Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe, Dinesh Vijan’s Horror-Comedy Universe, and Lokesh Cinematic Universe. Speaking about the rise of cinematic universes in India and how the trend is successfully catching on in the country, trade analyst Taran Adarsh said, "Homegrown cinematic universes are more relatable. They have relatable characters and storylines, so people are naturally more interested in them. They talk about subjects which are closer to home." When questioned about the sustainability of this trend, Taran said, "This trend is here to stay because people remember these characters and they want to see them again on the big screen. Also, these universes are bringing big Bollywood stars together on the big screen. Tiger 3 doesn't just star Salman Khan, it also will have appearances by Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, which adds to the excitement. It isn't that there will be no takers for the MCU, but the audience is definitely more excited for our own cinematic universes." Advance booking figures for Tiger 3 confirm this sentiment. The Salman Khan-starrer will hit the theatres on November 12, and even before its release, prediction say it is looking at a Rs 100 crore opening. Much like Tiger 3, most films within these indigenous cinematic universes have excelled in generating anticipation and achieving success at the box office. Let's take a look at their box office performances over the years: Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe The inception of YRF's Spy Universe began, if retroactively, with Ek Tha Tiger (2012), starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. The film shattered numerous box-office records, grossing Rs 263 crore in India and Rs 57 crore overseas, ultimately becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2012. This triumph was followed by Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), which outshone its predecessor, raking in an impressive Rs 433.77 crore in India and Rs 124.23 crore overseas. War, featuring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, continued the winning streak, amassing Rs 471 crore worldwide. Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan embarked on a record-breaking spree, securing accolades for the highest opening day, highest single day, highest opening weekend, and highest opening week for a Hindi film in India. The film played a pivotal role in revitalising the Hindi film industry post-pandemic, and it took another SRK blockbuster, Jawan, to surpass Pathaan and claim the title of the biggest Hindi-language movie in India. Pathaan amassed Rs 1055 crore worldwide. Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe The inception of Rohit Shetty's Cop Universe commenced with Singham in 2011, a remake of the 2010 Tamil film of the same name, and it grossed Rs 151.27 crore worldwide. The success of Singham paved the way for Singham Returns (2014), which maintained the franchise's momentum by earning Rs 216.56 crore. With two blockbusters starring Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty turned to Ranveer Singh to portray the notoriously corrupt police officer in Simmba (2018), who undergoes a transformation. Ajay Devgn reprised his role as Singham in a notable cameo in the film. Although Simmba, with its anti-hero narrative, received mixed reviews, it resonated with audiences, amassing Rs 390 crore worldwide. Subsequently, Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi (2021), which was also the actor's last major hit, was a significant release following the Covid-19 pandemic. The film also left MCU's Eternal, which released on the same date, behind as it earned Rs 196 crore in India (Rs 293 crore worldwide), compared to Eternal's lifetime collection of Rs 37.12 crore in India. With the upcoming film Singham Again, Rohit Shetty is poised to expand his cop universe further. The director has enlisted Deepika Padukone as cop Shakti Shetty, Tiger Shroff as ACP Satya and Kareena Kapoor and Avni Kamat. Singham Again will also feature Ajay, Ranveer, and Akshay, bringing Singham, Simmba and Sooryavanshi together on the big screen once again. Dinesh Vijan’s horror-comedy Universe Among all the Indian cinematic universes, Dinesh Vijan's universe has garnered the most critical acclaim for delivering message with masala. His 2018 film Stree, directed by Amar Kaushik, breathed new life into the horror-comedy genre, offering a blend of humour and horror while dismantling patriarchal norms. Featuring an ensemble cast including Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, and Shraddha Kapoor, Stree received widespread praise from both critics and audiences. Stree achieved substantial success, raking in Rs 182 crore worldwide and sowing the seeds for two sequels: Roohi (2021), starring Janhvi Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, and Bhediya (2022), featuring Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. While Roohi failed to make a mark at the box office and received criticism, Bhediya revived the franchise and was deemed a hit. Roohi earned only Rs 28 crore worldwide, whereas Bhediya managed to amass Rs 96.41 crore globally. The makers are now gearing up for Stree 2, slated for release in 2024. Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) Lokesh Kanagaraj established a shared universe featuring characters in films such as Kaithi (2019), Vikram (2022), and the recent blockbuster Leo (2023). This cinematic universe unfolds a complex conflict between law enforcement officers and vigilantes in South India as they battle dangerous drug cartels led by formidable crime lords. Kaithi, the inaugural film of the LCU, starred Karthi in the lead role and amassed Rs 106.80 crore worldwide. Vikram, featuring Kamal Haasan, amassed Rs 414.43 crore at the global box office. However, the most recent addition to the LCU, Leo, featuring Vijay, has set new box office records and minted Rs 332 crore within just 20 days of its release. The success of Indian cinematic universes should be seen as a positive sign for the Indian film industry, as it not only challenges the global dominance of Hollywood but also provides a platform for storytelling that is more attuned to local tastes and sensibilities. While the MCU remains a benchmark, desi cinematic universes have definitely carved a niche for themselves and are here to stay.
