“The bigger the budget, the smaller the story.”
Over the years, I’ve noticed a change in the creative stories circulated in Bollywood. I have fond memories of 2000s films with creative plots and storytelling that have stuck with me. However, I no longer look forward to watching most Bollywood movies now. Most of the big-budget blockbuster films feel like soulless, plot-holed action flicks whose success relies on big-name actors. In the past 10 years, I can count less than a handful of commercial films that had some sort of creative resonance for me and my generation in general.
Big Star = Big Movie?
The success of a film has increasingly started to depend on big-name actors rather than the story itself. Casting a famous face often guarantees attention, ticket sales, and brand deals, regardless of how weak or repetitive the plot might be. The result is a cycle where producers invest in star power over substance, and audiences are sold a performance instead of a meaningful story.
This trend has turned many films into celebrity showcases rather than artistic expressions. Scripts are often shaped around the actor’s image instead of letting the story lead the way. It is no longer about what the film says, but about who is saying it. Alongside this, the rise in nepotism has made the industry even more closed off to new creative voices. Star kids are given instant access to opportunities that independent or lesser-known actors may never get, regardless of talent or potential.
In the long run, this obsession with stardom and connections dulls creativity and limits fresh talent from breaking through. Smaller films with strong storytelling get overshadowed, while big-budget projects dominate screens and conversations, often leaving little emotional impact once the glamour fades.
Formulas & Profit
Most films these days follow the same tired structure — a romance scene, followed by a song, then an action sequence, a betrayal, and then repeat and rewind. Even the songs are often just remixes of old classics, lacking originality or emotion. Filmmakers seem to have made the assumption that since these “formulas” worked once, they’ll keep working — so they keep churning them out for maximum profit.
But this over-reliance on a set formula has led to bland storytelling, recycled jokes, and character arcs that feel predictable and shallow. The result? Films that might look flashy on the surface but feel completely hollow underneath.
Censorship & Algorithms
The Indian cinema censorship board has always been a strict one. I remember when I first started noticing the differences between movies I watched in theaters and their uncensored versions on streaming platforms. This isn’t entirely the filmmakers’ fault — heavy censorship often pushes directors and producers to stick to a certain mold. It discourages risk-taking and encourages them to play it safe, just to appease the laws and stay within the limits. On top of that, algorithms — especially on streaming platforms — tend to favor specific types of content, which further narrows the scope for experimentation.
But what is filmmaking if not a tool to express your views and break the mold? Especially today, when the youth have such strong voices and a hunger for stories that challenge norms, why are so many directors still choosing to play it safe? Isn’t it the job of a creative to create — to question, to provoke, to reflect the times and push boundaries? Playing it safe might get the numbers, but it rarely leaves a lasting impact.
The Audience
At the end of the day, the reason these movies keep getting made is simple — the numbers. We are the audience, and the audience is the numbers. So, in some way, the fault also lies with us. Studios and producers continue to follow the same formula because it still pulls in enough viewers to justify doing so.
That said, in-person cinema viewership has seen a noticeable decline in recent years. Speaking from my own experience, a lot of friends and family members will look at the plot of a new film — and unfortunately, also the star cast — and say, “Ah, watching something like that in a cinema isn't worth it. I’ll just wait for it to come out on OTT.” And honestly, who can blame them? If the stories feel recycled and hollow, the motivation to spend time and money going to a theater just isn’t there.
But if we want things to change, we as an audience also have to shift our mindset. We need to stop rewarding mediocrity just because it comes in a shiny, star-studded package. We need to support smaller artists, indie filmmakers, and storytellers who are trying to do something different — even if their work doesn’t come with a massive marketing campaign. Real change in cinema can’t happen without an audience willing to back it.
What's the Solution?
There is no black-and-white solution to the issue of over-commercialized films. In my opinion, as an audience, we play a larger role than we realize. We need to make our distaste for hollow, repetitive, and profit-driven films clear by simply refusing to support them. Every ticket we buy and every stream we click tells the industry what we value. If we continue to reward movies that rely on spectacle over storytelling, Bollywood will keep producing them. In the end, the industry reflects its audience, and if we demand better stories, better stories will be made.