Is content *actually* King in Bollywood?

People say that content is King, but I don't think that's the case in Bollywood. In fact, content is pretty much the last thing that's talked about in Bollywood. I liked Ludo's content, but even the marketing campaigns around it were all about the pairings, hyping the music, and other paraphernalia.

The priority in Bollywood has always been the casting and the stars, not the content. It hasn't changed now, not really. I can cite the examples of many good films which flopped and many atrocious films that worked due to the star power.

The star system is rigid and invincible and hierarchically bound, and there's a lack of emphasis on content. Andadhun was the best movie of 2018, but how much did it really gross in comparison to Sa nju, we all know. Sanju was pretty much an exercise in whitewashing, but it pretty much worked due to Hirani who is a star-director and Ranbir Kapoor. Not great content, I'm sure everyone would agree.

So is the star system still the main thing that operates and eclipses everything else? Let's not confuse star with mega-stardom of Khans, but just the system where the casting is more important than the content.

Discuss.

I think Anupama Chopra was the one who started this conversation about content being the king with the success of Rajkummar Rao and Ayushmann Khurrana's offbeat films. It was a flicker of hope which promptly died without a fuss. Nobody took it seriously. Bollywood has always and will always run on star system. Talent being the last thing considered to be a star at that.

Originally posted by: capricornrcks

I think Anupama Chopra was the one who started this conversation about content being the king with the success of Rajkummar Rao and Ayushmann Khurrana's offbeat films. It was a flicker of hope which promptly died without a fuss. Nobody took it seriously. Bollywood has always and will always run on star system. Talent being the last thing considered to be a star at that.

Exactly

Bollywood's entire framework is set up for star system

It's what makes it so volatile and unpredictable. The whole concept of stardom is so contingent on intangible factors.

I think Coolie No 1 is your answer to this question. I think it will always be hard for outsiders to make mediocre movies and insiders to make good ones!!!

Nothing is king in Bollywood. The whole system is wrong, the way we talk about movies, the way we talk about stars, the way we measure success, none of it makes any sense.

No King is cash

Originally posted by: Maroonporsche

No King is cash

cash will make good content, but good content doesn't need cash.

Content can take or at least the numbers a notch higher. Question is what does content mean for whom? what is it based on? One may like one movie while the others doesn’t.

Audiences want to be entertained. The content can be mindless and have no sense but if it’s still entertaining you won’t care and still watch it.

Content or no content, but picturein sirf 3 chizon se chalti hai- Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment! Courtesy: Vidya Balan from The Dirty Picture.

If the film is entertaining it is bound to work. Atleast it will be a hit if not a blockbuster. I guess Bollywood is dead due to corona. I really miss theatres and blockbuster films. Khans have lost their mojo. No other capable person is there to take over the throne. That hype is yet not reached. No one means no one!

Yes. Ayushman Khurana delivering back to back hits and SRK delivering back to back flops is the best proof of that.

SRK's movies flopped due to bad scripts and Ayushman Khurana's movies became hits because of good content.