The Hindi film industry, as known, is going through a churn and over the last few years the big commercial blockbusters are becoming few and far between. Every year, Salman Khan’s Eid release is highly-anticipated by fans and turns out to be one of the biggest hits of the year. In 15 years, he has got 18 films in the ₹100 crore club but with higher production costs now, it’s the ₹300 crore plus box office collection every star aims for. And unfortunately, this year his Eid release Sikandar didn’t live up to expectations just managing to cross ₹100 crore in nine days (India collection). Meanwhile, Aamir Khan hasn’t had a release since Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) failed at the box office but is looking to redeem himself this year with Sitaare Zameen Par. Shah Rukh Khan, on the other hand, came back with a bang after a four-year hiatus in 2023 with Pathaan and Jawan and has no release in 2025.
While it is undeniable that the trifecta of the three Khans has been a massive force in shaping Bollywood and driving its growth over the last few decades, recent trends show that their star power alone is no longer sufficient to drive box office success. Numerous factors, like the rise of OTT platforms and the boom of regional cinema, over the last few years have changed audience tastes. OTT platforms have provided access to audiences to diverse, high-quality global content and regional cinema while social media has made viewers vocal and sharper critics. Tight storytelling, fresh genres, and realistic performances are in demand and the formulaic Bollywood commercial tropes no longer seem to work. And in this scenario, even the biggest stars have not been enough to ensure a blockbuster. This begs the question – does the Hindi film industry need new stars and fresh talent at this juncture to keep it thriving and flourishing?
Girish Johar, producer and film business analyst, agrees with this saying, “Definitely we need more stars – there is no two ways about it. Apart from the three Khans, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, the next generation has to produce a lot of stars. Presently, we have Ranbir Kapoor, who is leading the pack, followed by Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal is also bringing in the numbers. But we need more youngsters to get the stardom value back to theatres. The good part is that post the pandemic the language lines have blurred and the audience is open to watching more storytelling. For me, a story or content can also be a star – Munjya and Laapataa Ladies are examples of this. Since there is a shortfall of stars now in Bollywood, we are seeing a lot of south films doing well in the Hindi belt. So, I am definitely hoping that the Hindi film industry creates more stars.”
Content is king
As Johar points out, there has been a spate of smaller films in different genres that have clicked with the audience like Munjya, Laapataa Ladies, 12th Fail, Stree 2 or Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. And content, especially good storytelling is key, emphasize film industry experts. “The question is do we need star power or content power and good makers? I believe that the stars including the three Khans and others are already there so what we need now is content power and good makers to save Bollywood. The team behind the screen – the writers, editors and directors – is more important than the team on screen; if the team behind the screen is strong, stars can give that added attraction but without a strong team behind the screen, star value becomes of limited value,” explains Pankaj Jaysinh of UFO Moviez, who concurs that in the small films that became blockbusters recently, it was content that was king.
Bring in the new crop
In the earlier decades, homegrown studios in the Hindi film industry like Yash Raj Films (YRF) and RK Films were known to focus on content-driven films and introducing new actors to the film world. “YRF and RK Films put their heart into the story and the concept. Some of their movies may have worked commercially and some may have not. But they were very well appreciated and both these production houses were known to introduce new stars,” adds Jaysinh. Today, Dharma Productions, thanks to Karan Johar, is known to introduce new faces, i.e. star kids, to Bollywood but unfortunately, the nepotism debate overshadows the talent he has brought to B-Town.
In a world where every Friday can make or break a star, Bollywood needs new faces to compete in a world that is now inhabited by pan-Indian films, south stars and changing viewer habits. Big names and legacy are no longer benchmarks for a film’s success. It’s fresh content and raw, authentic talent that is bringing in the crowds to theatres. The glam and glitz of Bollywood may have lost its sheen in recent years but the sparks of success that it has shown proves that a new content strategy with strong writing and investing in new diverse talent will see it thrive once again.
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