Kareena Kapoor Criticises Bollywood’s Copycat Culture: “Why Follow the Herd?”
As the industry continues to fall prey to the same formula of successful movies and Bollywood is not really making fresh, innovative movies anymore, it is not right for the actress Kareena Kapoor to criticize that.
Kareena’s words come as we are seeing the changing preferences of Indian audiences and the need for the Hindi film industry to experiment with different subjects rather than repeating the same formulas.
Kareena questions Bollywood’s copycat culture
Kareena adds that Bollywood often starts moving in the same direction after a movie has become a big hit. She cited the success of Animal and said it has inspired many filmmakers to try something similar with violence.
The actress thinks that simply copying elements of a successful movie can’t deliver another hit either. Film producers need creative stories to tell so that audiences can get something different.
Her criticism is a longstanding debate in the Hindi film industry about formula-driven filmmaking. Successful genres and themes can easily influence future projects; too much imitation can make films feel predictable and reduce the variety available to filmgoers.
Writers need an ever greater role
Kareena has also touched on screenwriters being central to the filmmaking process. It is her belief that a strong story is the heart of good movies and that good writers seldom get the respect they deserve.
Bollywood needs to create an environment in which writers are encouraged to come up with unique ideas and stories, she said. Directors and producers also need to encourage experimentation instead of sticking with formulas that haven’t worked before.
A more intense focus on writing could help Hindi cinema make films in genres of interest.
Why does Kareena love Malayalam cinema?
Kareena also discussed the Malayalam film industry as an example of a cinema culture in which storytelling and writing are very much a part of the culture. Malayalam movies have lately come to the fore outside Kerala for having distinctive stories, strong characters and low budgets.
Premalu and Manjummel Boys have proved that movies do not necessarily require large production budgets or established Bollywood-style formulas to connect with audiences.
Such films’ success has also reinforced the idea that viewers are willing to take chances on new stories when filmmakers provide engaging content.
Producer Prithviraj Sukumaran also stressed the need to promote and respect creative writers from the Malayalam film industry in a way they have been for so long. Writing and experimentation have helped us make movies that can reach beyond our own linguistic market and reach out to other audiences.
Audiences have changed
The next key component of Kareena’s argument is how the audience changes. The modern moviegoer has access to movies from different languages and countries through theatres and streaming services. We now see a wide variety of storytelling styles in movies, and therefore more and more viewers are presented with different storytelling styles.
This makes it harder for filmmakers to make use of old formulas. Audiences quickly recognize repetitive stories and may choose to wait for a film’s OTT release instead of watching it in theatres.
Kareena thinks the audience will support theatrical cinema if they’re getting better stories and fresh experiences.
Meghna Gulzar supports the argument
Meghna Gulzar, too, has said she agrees with the larger sentiment. The discussion upends the old belief that people will see a film just because it has a young or popular actor in it.
Star power of a movie certainly sells it, but great writing and excellent storytelling are just as important when it comes to whether a movie can have a lasting impact.
The film industry is thus going to have to go beyond casting and marketing and invest in the creative foundation of its films.
Bollywood’s need for new storytelling
Kareena’s comments have helped to create a lot of conversation about the future of Hindi cinema. The success of individual films can create trends, but an industry cannot rely indefinitely on repeating the same formula.
The greater freedom of writers, support for new directors, and encouraging producers to take calculated risks could help Bollywood develop a more diverse film landscape.
Kareena's take is that audiences are trusting the industry by being here. Today’s viewers are able to recognize quality and will support films that provide something new.
If Bollywood is looking to attract audiences back to cinemas in the face of crowded OTT platforms and regional cinema, originality will become one of its greatest strengths. Kareena Kapoor’s candid comments are a reminder that good cinema starts with a good story, and audiences are prepared to reward filmmakers who dare to tell one.
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