Bollywood and Gen Z

Elite Bollywood's claws are out when it comes to defending nepo products and stifling creativity.

The Bollywood industry has long been criticized for promoting nepotism, favoring star kids over talented outsiders, and discouraging creative and unconventional storytelling. The recent controversies surrounding the tragic death of Sushant Singh Rajput have brought these issues to the forefront, with many calling out the industry's toxic culture of gatekeeping and bullying.

Elite Bollywood insiders have been quick to defend their own, often at the expense of outsiders and independent voices. People like Karan Johar have been accused of using their power and influence to suppress new talent and protect their own interests. This has created a vicious cycle where fresh talent struggles to break through, while established insiders continue to dominate the industry.

Despite the challenges, there are many talented actors, writers, and filmmakers in Bollywood who are fighting to break through the barriers and bring fresh perspectives to the industry.

But the question is: what about the audiences?

Generation Z remains all talk and no action when it comes to Bollywood. Their choices are even more conventional than millennials. If there is a lack of diverse representation and storytelling within Bollywood, it's definitely the fault of the audience too, at some level.

I'm not saying we should expect something radical from this new generation. However, I have noticed a discrepancy between millennials and Gen Z, in their tastes. Gen Z seems to favor action-packed films, loud music, and senseless dialogues.

What happened to their 'wokeness' when it comes to films?

Why are they senseless dialogues ? Which film was this ?

Originally posted by: mintyblue

Brahmastra

Well I can’t speak to that film dialogues as I stumbled upon an English version and that’s what I watched 😂

But the answer is no. Audiences bear no responsibility. Nobody has right to tell them to watch or not watch a film.

There's is no point in criticizing the audience. I don't think Gen Z is even watching BW movies let alone going to the cinemas for them. Also after reeling from the pandemic, the situation is tough for everyone financially and emotionally. Everyone is still reeling from the effects of pandemic. No one wants to see the sob stories nor do they want to be shouted at moral lectures.

What has happened now is there's a clear demarcation between theatre movies and OTT movies. With ever increasing ticket prices, the availability of wide variety of good content around the globe at their fingertips and especially BW churning out crap and low effort movies every week is turning away more people day by day. Also don't think it's the Gen Z that prefers action packed masala movies but those are preferred by the millennials themselves. Today theatre value is an additional feature, that is crucial in making any movie hit on big screen and make people want to drive 10 km from their home and spend their hard earned money. RRR, KGF 2, Pathan, Pushpa even Drishyam 2 had that.

Nowadays Gen Z has turned to Korean movies and dramas and Marvel movies. It's just that BW doesn't have much to offer nowadays. No good looking charismatic actors that leave you spellbound with their acting, no unique fun stories, no tight screenplays, no original groovy numbers, sadly it has all become so stale and boring.

Honestly why are millennials so obsessed with calling themselves the best gen?

Each gen has something good and something bad... not mention half gen Z isn't even 20 yet... taking teenagers and youngsters immature choices in any field against experienced people isn't the best thing to do...

On topic- A gen which made KKHH, K3G hit and Swades flop better don't speak about others (citing the example of the same actor so that you do come in saying star power)

Originally posted by: Uday_Shetty

Honestly why are millennials so obsessed with calling themselves the best gen?

Each gen has something good and something bad... not mention half gen Z isn't even 20 yet... taking teenagers and youngsters immature choices in any field against experienced people isn't the best thing to do...

On topic- A gen which made KKHH, K3G hit and Swades flop better don't speak about others (citing the example of the same actor so that you do come in saying star power)

@last part, khatam, tata, goodbye, gaya😅

Housefull4 ko toh genz ne 100 crore kamava diye😅

Generation is NOT measured by only online activity and perception.

Or by western lens. Who told you Indian Gen Z is woke?

Or BW is making woke films at all?

Also, post pandemic people are frustrated and anxious and need escapism. That is why KGF, Pushpa, Kantara, RRR, Pathaan give them that release, escape and catharsis.

You may find it senseless. Others do not.

Online and urban audience is more into K dramas or Netflix and global content and not even into Bollywood anymore and they do not give an F if BW makes trad content or woke. They are done with BW and same old faces now.

Forget Gen Z, my uncles and aunts who are from 1970s and 80s generation are also fed of BW and hooked to Netflix, Prime, Hotstar etc. They got best of global content at fingertips. Why will they see crap of BW?

Your last line is true AF.

Look at Yash in KGF and his effortless charisma. No BW joker has that manly aura which is why these new gen stars fail badly in action films.

Did millennials not make action films like Ghajini, Wanted, Bodyguard, Ready, ETT, Dhoom 3, Sooryavanshi, Singham series, Drishyam, Dabangg huge hits?

Salman owes his comeback to action and masala.

Stop blaming only Gen Z. Action has always had loyal mass audience and made careers of biggest stars like Amitabh, Rajinikanth, Dharmendra, Chiranjeevi etc.

Films like KGF, Pushpa, Kantara, RRR, Bahubali are bound to succeed and so are Pathaan, Don series, Dhoom series, whether they make sense or not. It offers spectacle and adrenaline rush to ordinary viewer.

Thank you for your perspective on this topic. You make some valid points about the diversity of preferences among different generations and audiences in India. It's true that measuring a generation's attitudes and values solely based on their online activity and perception can be limiting, and that the concept of "woke" can be viewed through a Western lens.

Regarding the film industry, it's clear that there is a range of content being produced that appeals to different audiences. While some films may provide an escape and catharsis for post-pandemic audiences, others may offer thought-provoking or socially conscious themes. Bheed falls in the latter category, and hardly anyone went to see it.