Content is the new A-lister

If film reviews and audience reactions are anything to go by, a successful filmmaker’s tag is not enough to rake in the moolah for new releases. Take Befikre for instance. Despite Aditya Chopra — who once made Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, the pinnacle of romance in the ’90s — helming the new-age romance, and Ranveer Singh as its leading actor, the movie has received mostly negative reviews.

Last month, it was Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which was in the line of fire for faulty content, as the social media went to town with memes and negative comments, asking fellow moviegoers to refrain from watching the film. As the audience exposure to films from across the world increases, it would seem that they are no longer satisfied with catching their favourite stars on the silver screen. Content is king, they say, and it’s never been this important. Perhaps this is why films like Pink, Neerja, and M.S. Dhoni — the Untold Story did well despite not having a line-up of A-listers.

Producer Pritish Nandy, says that an A-List star-cast needs to be backed by a good story — an element essential to make it work. “If you have an A-list star cast, there is a tendency to be lazy and not give enough importance or effort behind the film itself. An ensemble cast can support a film through the first two, perhaps three days,” he explains. Trade analyst Omar Qureshi adds that this complacency is probably a result of working with formula-driven stories. “The audience is absolutely bored of clichéd plots. Filmmakers don’t want to step out of their comfortable safe zone or experiment.”

Filmmaker Rensil D’Silva states that Indian audiences are waking up to the importance of subject matter, making it more difficult for filmmakers. “I have seen bad films do well at the box-office and good, content based films tanking in the past. But recently, content driven small-budget films have been doing extremely well,” he says, and cites some instances. “Take for instance Kahaani and Pink, their story lines were so good that they worked. Dum Laga Ke Haisha is a classic example of a story, which was so simple and beautifully told, that it did wonders. It is the merit of the story that is the way forward for Bollywood now,” he asserts.

Sujoy Ghosh, whose Kahaani (2012) had been welcomed by audiences and critics alike for its tight content, is aware of the increased pressures on a filmmaker due to the increased exposure to world-class films. “I am acutely aware that I will have to compete against regional cinema, as well as Hollywood films and TV shows. When you’re competing on a global scale, it is indeed difficult to tell what the magic formula is,” he confesses.

Shah Rukh Khan starred in big-budget films like Dilwale and Fan, which didn’t set cash registers ringing at the box office. If trailers for his next release Raees are something to go by, the actor seems to have challenged himself with a story-oriented film. Pritish is delighted that Bollywood bigwigs themselves are beginning to look beyond masala movies. He says, “I think stars themselves are waking up to the fact that people want more than just popular Bollywood masala. I think Aamir Khan has recently been doing decent films, and Dangal is something I am looking forward to. Shah Rukh Khan has also been taking a few risks. Raees looks promising.”

While veteran screenwriter Anjum Rajabali largely agrees with the fact that it is content that ultimately sees a film through, he is also quick to assert that a filmmaker’s past record does make a difference. “The reputation of the filmmaker does count. If the filmmaker has given four hits, for example, and his last film hasn’t done well, the Indian audience is not that fickle-minded and will continue to be hopeful and go to the screens in hope of good story,” he elucidates.

Audiences  are far more critical and discerning these days. Far more vocal, too. Social media opinions impact a movie far more than advertising hype. While star power counts for a lot, viewers  prefer a strong connect. A weak  script or concept cannot salvage a star driven film. Sairat in Marathi is the  best example of content winning over all else.    
—Shobha De, Columnist

“If you have an A-list star cast, there is a tendency to be lazy and not give enough importance or effort behind the film itself”     — Pritish Nandy