Aamir Khan and Javed Akhtar, two of Bollywood’s most influential figures, recently shared their insights on the challenges facing the Hindi film industry. Speaking at the launch of Aamir Khan: Cinema Ka Jadugar—a special film festival celebrating his 60th birthday—Aamir pointed out the contrast between Bollywood and South cinema, while Javed Akhtar warned about the industry's deteriorating business model.
Aamir: ‘Bollywood Makes Multiplex Films, South Focuses on Mass Appeal’
Aamir Khan believes Bollywood has shifted towards catering to multiplex audiences, while the South continues to make mass-friendly films rooted in strong emotions like anger, love, and revenge.
“South films are what we used to call single-screen films—very mass, very rooted. Maybe Bollywood is focusing more on multiplex films.”
He also admitted that the industry's approach to film distribution and OTT releases is damaging box office earnings.
“Earlier, we watched movies in theaters because there was no option. Now, people think, Why watch it in theaters when it will be on OTT in 8 weeks? We’ve killed our own business model.”
Javed Akhtar: ‘We Need a Bigger Gap Between Theatre & OTT Releases’
Echoing Aamir’s concerns, Javed Akhtar emphasized that films should have at least a 3-4 month gap before arriving on streaming platforms.
“Even a hit film releases on OTT in just 4 weeks. That’s a mistake.”
He warned that if Bollywood doesn’t course-correct, the industry could face a financial collapse:
“Agar hum jaldi samajh jaye toh achha hai, nahi toh humari cycle hi bik jaegi.” (If we realize this soon, it’s good. Otherwise, we’ll have to sell even our bicycles.)
Ticket Prices Are Not the Issue?
When asked about high ticket and food prices in multiplexes, Javed dismissed it as an excuse:
“People pay a lot in a 5-star hotel for services. If you don’t want to, watch the film in a single-screen theatre. Who’s stopping you?”
Aamir agreed, pointing out that audiences don’t complain about expensive popcorn when watching South blockbusters like Pushpa.
Can Bollywood Bounce Back?
Despite these concerns, both Aamir and Javed remain hopeful about Bollywood’s revival. They believe quality storytelling and better theatrical strategies can bring audiences back to cinemas.
Do you agree with Aamir and Javed? Should Bollywood delay OTT releases? Let us know in the comments!
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