FILM TRENDS FOR 2013
[AKA NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING]
- An article I wrote for Financial Express year-ender -
On my first day at Yash Raj Films, Yashji told me, “Bete… kissi ko nahi pataa picture kyun
chalti ya nahi chalti. Just make a film that you are proud of and not
embarrassed by. Baaki, all the best!” Coming from Mr. Yash Chopra, I
thought that was just brilliant advice. Simple, honest and true!
He mirrored the words of Academy Award® winning screenwriter
William Goldman, [Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men besides
some phenomenal films], “Nobody knows
anything!”
So when I was asked to write about Film Trends for 2013, I thought
let me add a big disclaimer upfront. A good place to start when trying to
project the future is to study the past. As often certain trends tend to be cyclical,
they could be just bubbling under, or be fads that may grow into trends.
This year’s been great for Bollywood, business and otherwise. Films
of a variety of genres, scales have done well. A host of new actors and
technicians were launched. And never has the Indian movie-goer had so much
choice or been so open to sampling new content.
A large number of films were released. With a much better success
ratio than before. Of course, we had our share of turkeys which have their own
set of learnings, but let’s focus on what worked…
·
12+ films joined the 100 crore
club [Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Ek Tha Tiger, etc.]
·
8+ films crossed the 50 crore
mark [Ishaqzaade, Student of the Year, etc.]
·
5+ films did more than 25 crore
at the domestic box office alone [Vicky Donor, Ferrari ki Sawaari, English
Vinglish… ]
·
10+ were tentpole, ‘project’
films [Featuring A-list actors, banners… Agneepath, Rowdy Rathore… ]
·
10+ mid range films in terms of
stars, budgets [Jannat 2, Raaz 3, Kahaani, Cocktail… ]
·
6+ indie films [Gangs of
Wasseypur, Vicky Donor… ]
·
12/ 13+ sequels or remakes of old
Hindi or South Indian films [Rowdy Rathore, Agneepath, Housefull 2, Dabangg 2…
]
·
10+ featured newcomers [Ishaqzaade,
Student of the Year… ]
·
2/ 3+ female oriented films
[Kahaani, English Vinglish, Heroine… ]
·
10+ films were dramas [Agneepath,
Talaash… ]
·
8+ comedies [Housefull 2, OMG,
Bol Bachchan… ] – consistently performing
·
5+ action films [Rowdy Rathore,
Ek Tha Tiger… ]
·
5+ sex/ ‘adult’ oriented films/
horror [Kya Super Cool Hai Hum, 1920 Evil Returns, Raaz 3, Jism 2… ] which is a
genre that’s growing consistently
·
2/ 3 romances [Jab Tak Hai Jaan,
Ishaqzaade, Cocktail… ]
The west has not necessarily been a great indicator for our films,
unlike in fashion, to project trends, but this flashback and looking at
releases for 2013 gives you a decent indication for the coming year. Now let’s
dig deeper to see what else to expect besides remakes, project films, the usual
OTT comedies & item songs.
THREEQUELS, THE NEW SEQUELS
Franchises consolidating, from Murder 3 and Krrish 3 to the baap
of them all, Dhoom 3.
150 CRORE, THE NEW 100 CRORE CLUB
With more screens, higher ticket prices and more films hitting the
100 crore mark, the new benchmark for the biggies is going to be 150 crores.
ISKO HERO KISNE BANAAYA
The rise of the ‘unconventional’ ‘hero’. Not a Khan? Not a Kapoor?
Not a ‘classic’ looker? What? Look at a Nawazuddin leading Gangs and holding
his own even with Aamir in Talaash. We will see some more of what Ranveer Singh
did with Band Baaja Baaraat coming in. Watch out for a couple of YRF
productions including Maneesh Sharma’s next and you’ll know what I mean... Sushant Singh Rajput, Ayushmann Khurrana, Saqib Saleem - all showcase that and more.
GAANA KIDHAR GAYA
While Bollywood will always have lip-synched choreographed back up
dancers kinda songs [even if the running around trees may have vanished], we’re
going to see a lot more ‘real’ use of music. Lot more background score led
albums [Talaash, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara].
NEW GENRES, NEW VOICES
Bhangra will never go out of fashion, but there will be a lot more
experimentation – new genres, new sounds [Dubstep in Ishaqzaade, Blues in
Talaash] and fresh, new voices [Suman Sridhar, Honey Singh, Saba Azad, more].
TECHNOLOGY AIDING STORY TELLING
From more 3D as we’ve seen in Hollywood, to Visual Effects that help
scale up the movie experience. The advent of digital technology will also help
movies get produced more efficiently – Y-Films have been among the first to be
shot on the Red Cameras [used by the likes of the Pirates franchise]. Several
new YRF films are being shot on the Alexa. At the end of the year, we’ll see
India’s first IMAX® film, Dhoom 3.
FOREIGN HAND
With large Hollywood films having a simultaneous release in India
[James Bond, Avengers, Star Trek, Spiderman, MIB, etc.] the bar will be set
high, especially in action. So we’ll be tapping into international experts to
deliver world-class quality stunts/ action even in Bollywood. Just like Jab Tak
Hai Jaan had Richard Stutsman as the Explosives expert and Conrad Palmisano was
the action consultant on Ek Tha Tiger. Expect a whole new level across films
like Krrish 3, Dhoom 3 and more.
LOCAL FLAVORS
Bollywood will get more specific. Versus the generic Hindi film
with the Malhotras as the protagonists… expect some very specific settings, characters,
languages. Just like Bittu-Shruti in Band Baaja, giving you the Delhi flavor
& ‘break pakode ki kasam’. We saw that in Vicky Donor, in Gangs, with
Marathi in Aiyya to Bengali in Kahaani, Barfi. 2013 will see Haryanvi in Matru
Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, Gujarati in Kai Po Chhe to even ‘Chandy’speak – Punjabi/
Hindi that’s very specific to Chandigarh or ‘Tatti English’ in Mere Dad Ki
Maruti.
DISRUPTION/ PARTNERSHIPS
With more people clamoring for attention, marketing campaigns will
have to get more innovative and disruptive to have an impact. BIG ideas. Not
small change. E.g. Hum Tum comic strips in Times of India/ Ghajini haircuts of
ushers in cinemas/ Bunty aur Babli as newsreaders…
THE CD WILL DIE
While this has pretty much already happened… a large chunk will
even discontinue making Music CDs.
IMPORT EXPORT
Besides the southie remakes/ Hollywood rip-offs, Bollywood will
also start exporting content, e.g. Kahaani being remade down south [just like
Munnabhai earlier, Band Baaja Baaraat now] and more.
KUCH NAYAA DIKHAO
Not just new faces, but new directors, writers, technicians – with
big studios backing – which is fantastic. This will also lead to new
sensibilities, new concepts and new styles of story telling. Realistic
characters, dialogues, stories dramatically told. Watch out for Atul
Sabharwal’s Aurangzeb and Ashima Chibber’s Mere Dad Ki Maruti [starring Saqib
Saleem – who debuted with Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge and Rhea Chakraborty, an
ex-MTV VJ].
Finally, while all this crystal grazing was fun… if any of this
actually comes true next year, remember you heard it here first. But however,
if none of it does happen, you were warned at the start… “Nobody knows anything!”
