Relationship between star culture and movie-viewing habits

The devotion of Bollywood fans is unparalleled. Fans often identify with stars on a personal level, celebrating their achievements and defending them fiercely. Fan clubs, social media fan pages, and even temples dedicated to stars are testament to this adoration.

Fan-Centric Cinema: Bollywood's star-centric approach often takes center stage in its movies. Fans eagerly anticipate the release of films starring their favorite actors, often flocking to theaters on opening day to catch a glimpse of their beloved stars. This fan-centric culture contributes to the excitement and buzz surrounding Bollywood releases, turning movie releases into grand events.

Box Office Impact: Bollywood stars can significantly influence a movie's box office performance. A film featuring a popular star often enjoys a strong opening, as fans rush to theaters to see their favorite actor in action. The star's charisma and fan following can make or break a film's commercial success, driving ticket sales and boosting box office revenues.

Pathan is a pathetic movie, Dhak Dhak looks so promising but the buzz around it is so low.

I can safely say Ghoomer was a better film than Pathan.

Stars not only drive initial box office success but also shape audience perceptions and discussions surrounding a film. The passionate devotion of Bollywood fans plays a crucial role in sustaining this star-centric culture and ensuring that the adoration for iconic actors remains an integral part of the Indian film industry.

Don't give lame excuses like ppl want to watch movies that will make them forget their woes. That's only partially true, the real reason is the star culture.

Sometimes, even the most masala-laden film can fizzle out faster than a firecracker in the rain.

Look at Thank you for Coming, which failed big time at the box office.

Discuss plz?

IN A NUTSHELL

Stars are not just actors; they're mood-makers, opinion-shapers, and trendsetters. When they wink, the world winks back.

Quality has taken a backseat.

The enduring star-centric culture in Bollywood does have a significant impact on cinematic evolution in India:

Continuation of Traditional Narratives: Bollywood's reliance on star power often leads to the continuation of traditional, formulaic narratives. Filmmakers tend to create stories that cater to the strengths and personas of the stars, resulting in a prevalence of certain genres and storylines. This can stifle innovation and experimentation in storytelling.

Typecasting: Stars often become typecast in particular roles or genres due to their fan following. This can limit their ability to explore diverse and challenging characters, potentially preventing them from pushing the boundaries of their acting skills.

Budget Allocation: A significant portion of a film's budget may be allocated to star salaries, leaving less room for investment in other aspects of filmmaking, such as script development, production values, and special effects. This can affect the overall quality and creativity of films.

Marketing and Hype: Bollywood stars are not just actors; they are brands. The extensive marketing campaigns and hype surrounding star-driven films can overshadow smaller, independent projects that may have innovative and unconventional narratives but lack star power. This can make it challenging for emerging filmmakers and fresh talent to gain recognition.

Fan Culture vs. Critical Reception: The intense devotion of fans can sometimes lead to a disparity between critical acclaim and commercial success. A film might perform exceptionally well at the box office due to its star, but it may not necessarily receive positive reviews from critics or contribute to the evolution of cinematic storytelling.

Limited Diversity: The focus on star-driven cinema can also limit the diversity of voices and stories in Bollywood. It can be challenging for non-mainstream narratives or unconventional filmmakers to find a place in the industry.

The answer I got last time was kkhh, tum nahi samjhoga..

I still don't understand how they be a die hard fan of stars...

Stardom is extremely extremely Overrated.

It's a films scale, budget, production value that attracts audiences. A star can move the needle a little bit but not as much the media has you believe.

Take any star and compare their big budget extravaganza to their small/medium budget film & the openings will be night & day.

SRK- Pathaan/Harry met Sejal

Ranveer- Padmaavat/Jayeshbhai Jordaar

Salman- Tiger 3(upcoming)/KKBKKJ

Ranbir- Brahmastra/TJMM

Hrithik- War/Kaabil

You can literally do this with any star. Big films=Big openings. Hollywood doesn't even bother casting Big stars in Big budget films. They know the Scale of the film is enough to bring people to the theatres. I mean Avengers opening will be bigger than all other Downey Jr's films combined. Nobody knew the south stars but everyone watched Bahubali 2. Which is why when people say Akshay is finished because of his small films, I always tell them to wait for Hera Pheri, Welcome, Housefull, BMCM. They'll be calling him the savior of Bollywood next year but nothing will have changed other than the scale of his films.

Stardom is relegated to Twitter & Reddit nowadays. It might add a couple of Crs to the opening but Big screen extravaganzas make big money. Even if you completely screw it up like a Brahmastra or Adipurush, it'll still get you a bumper opening at the very least.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

Quality has taken a backseat.