So I watched or rather tried to watch this weeks movie releases. I had 2 options one was House full 5 and the other was a few weeks old but new to OTT bhul chuk maaf. Now I personally never found any housefull movie funny not even the first one. Except that one dialogue by Ritesh Deshmukh regarding “Biwi” and “Behen” in the first one I have mostly cringed. Pardon me if my sense of humour is not keeping up with the times but I grew up watching comedies of Priya Darshan and Akshay kumar. Raju hirani, and too some extent I find Rohit shetty older films also funny with Chennai Express being my favorite from his Filmography. So I would think of myself as someone who under stands what “Brain rot comedy” is in Hindi Cinema context. I don’t really understand why we have moved on to accept absolutely mediocre films with sub par production/acting/writing/production-design/music/dance in the name of “oH bUt iTs tImE pASS dON’t tHinK tOO mUch” . If i pay money for something I am liable for getting what is expected in return. Let me draw a parallel. If you go to a restaurant to have creamy shahi paneer and the waiter serves you the Now known to everyone “Analogue” Paneer. Which we all know is not real paneer and also bad for your health but it tastes almost like an original paneer. Would you accept my argument “But bro itne paise mai aisa hi paneer milega restaurant ko bhi toh paisa banane hai”. Won’t you feel cheated that in the name of paneer garbage was fed to you? ( a seemingly paneer looking garbage but still gargbage)
Same I think is the case with today’s hindi films especially in the last few years more specifically post covid. It feels as if they are lost. We do get a gem once in a while but a good hindi movie which entertains you even for time pass is now an exception rather than a norm.
Why does it sound as if I am pissed well because I am. So pissed that I am trying very hard with each word as I type to not use any abuse ( I abuse a lot IRL but I normally try to keep a calm composure while writing) but its getting harder and harder to keep it at bay since I was trying to watch bhul chuk maaf for 2 reasons.
- I cannot could not bring myself to buy a ticket for HOUSEFULL 5A/B whatever. My wife is a huge housefull fan but even she was not interested in watching the movie after seeing the trailer
- Bhul chuk maaf was available in prime video we were like great we will have a good time plus the expectation is was a bit higher for me since I didn’t have any from housefull
AND OH MY GOD my blood just boiled with each passing frame. I know sounds like an over reaction but its good that we stopped watching after 21 minutes. My wife went to sleep and I switched to Netflix to put on Oppenheimer something which I couldn’t get a chance to watch earlier and was looking for an opportunity to catch up. And within 5 min my blood stopped boiling and I was feeling pleasant again.
Now I know it is NOT AT ALL fair to compare Oppenheimer with any of these movies . And I am not going to . I am not stupid. But while was watching it I realized something really important. Christoper Nolan cares about his movies.
In Bollywood atleast for now it feels nobody cares anymore.
Why am I generalizing the whole hindi film industry because its pretty clear that the care factor has gone for a toss at least at the top layer (the yrfs , dharmas, maddocks etc). You pick up randomly any 5 movies from these production houses in the last 5 years and you compare them against any random 5 moves from pre covid era say 2011-2018. And keep a base metric of IMBD ratings and reviews you would see that they have fallen. I have done a very adhoc analysis but If needed I will do a full fledge one to draw some statistically significant conclusions but the high level conclusion is this
“Movies have become expensive over the last 5 years but the quality has declined or has been in decline” for the quantification of quality a simple sentiment analysis of the reviews would be easiest way to do it. Now I know its very “scientific” it feels more like a feeler but this can be a good basis for where to look for directionally to get more data , better methods to prove this. But I think its a waste of time . I don’t need to ask a Michelin star chef wether the omelette I am having has too much salt I can eat it and tell it. Similarly we have over complicated movie going experience as well. The film is bad if people who are watching it don’t like it , if it doesn’t do a good box office, if ( and this is new) no OTT wants it. Its just that simple.
People just think “Oh the film viewing is very subjective look Anupama chopra found befikre nice.” well true it can happen but it “rarely happens” that is the whole point of exceptions. Exceptions show case that there is a general pattern and for that general pattern there are a few Anomalies. So when I feel that hindi cinema is going through a low time I am not just saying after watching ONLY 21 minutes of the latest comedy movie.
In my specific case I have watched, stree2, singham again, bhool bhulaiya 3, dunki, jawan, pathaan, dhrishyam2, shaitaan , viky vida , fighter, sky force and many many more
out of this I have only loved dhrishyam2 and some what liked fighter in contrast if i compare them with other movies that i have watched recently like , MI7 , MI8, die hard 3, maharaja ,the menu, Nosferatu, bhramayugam, CRAZZY, american made, KGF Chapter 2 , kantara, Leo, godfather (telegu), the movie that i loved the most was MI7 , American made, maharaja , kantara , KGF Chapter 2 and then i liked Leo, die hard 3, MI8 , and I hated the menu and godfather.
So clearly for me the hindi cinema has gone down just by this simple comparison. And I am sure a lot us feel the same way.
At the end of they day what I am trying to say is 2 things
I want my money’s worth , If you are comedy movie make me fucking laugh, if you are making an action movie keep me at the edge of the movie. I should be able to pick your films (yes you hindi film directors) over others and yes you have very very tough competition especially in today’s world.
Do not justify mediocrity do not produce mediocre products and don’t give me this bullshit “FiLm MakInG iS hARD” bitch every job is hard my job is also hard for you ( yes you, you fanatic fans , hindi film apologists), I shouldn’t need Data or logic to conclude that shit is bad for you hence you shouldn’t eat it. Sometimes its implied.
I just hope that as film fan I continue to find hindi cinema as a viable movie going experience