#Bollywood : Have you learnt anything yet? Just Glitz n Glamour won't work #SmallIsBeautiful #ContentIsKing #Don'tForgetYourScript

All that glitters is not gold. The glaring failure of some recent big-budget multi-starrers of #Bollywood must have driven home the point to its superstars, glitzy film banners, and much-hyped and tom-tommed directors, I hope. 

And also underlined one undeniable fact: #ContentIsKing. You cannot get away with good looking stars, multi-crore budgets, and shiny production values if your film's script is missing or wobbly. A solid story and powerful screenplay will bring the audience to the halls. Period.

Glitz and glamour works only up to a certain point - your initial audience will come, but bad word-of-mouth and poor reviews will kill your film eventually. The recently released Thugs of Hindosthan is ample proof of that. If you need more evidence, there's Race 3, Jab Harry Met Sally, Tubelight, Housefull 3, Welcome 2, Befikre, Aye Dil Hai Mushkil, need I go on?

 
Image source: SheThePeople

Image source: Wikipedia

On the other hand, small #Bollywood films like #Andhadhun, Badhai Ho, #Stree, #Raazi, #Hichki, #Mulk, Tumhari Sulu, Mom, with just one big name and strong supporting actors in the cast, earned way more than their modest budgets. Why? Simply because of rocking scripts, assured acting and strong direction.

And a Karan Johar or an Aditya Chopra does better as a producer than a director, when they back small impactful films like Raazi, Kapoor and Sons, and Hichki with their clout. Aamir Khan backs the excellent Dangal and Secret Superstar, which were based on solid scripts and heartfelt direction, coupled with an emotional connect, and both the films touch gold at not only the domestic box office, but overseas too. 

Shahrukh turns in an excellent supporting performance in Alia's Dear Zindagi, while Aamir plays the paunchy, driven father in the wrestling drama Dangal. They are not the film's leads, please note. These performances are credible, the stories plausible, they win accolades. Even Salman Khan has to rely on a solid, believable story in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and Tiger Zinda Hai, to cross 200 crores at the BO. 

So it's not rocket science that the modern audience wants their ticket's and time's worth when they go to a cinema hall. Packaging trash under glitter, with big names thrown in, doesn't work any more. I am not sure about #2.0 but if it doesn't have a strong story, it will probably not endure beyond the initial draw.

Audience wants #BollywoodFilms to deliver content that is plausible and resonates with them. Real issues, real drama, real people. If it has to be make-believe, then make the fantasy an alternate reality backed with a strong story, for the audience, like in Baahubali 1 and 2.


I wonder why it took so much time for Bollywood to wake up to this truth.