Why don't historical/mythological movies work?

First Previous

Page

Next Last

Frequent Posters

Angel-likeDevil

@Angel-likeDevil

Trailblazer

+ 3

Posted: 13 years ago

#11

More than anything...I personally feel that people these days like soppy romantic stupid movies...movies that give you brainless entertainment.

Although I dont really like certain mythological stories(especially Ramayana)..but, I enjoy watching them! But like someone said... it's more suitable for TV show.There's a show on Life OK on Mahadev Shiv, I love it to pieces although I find the story too unrealistic and well, mythologies are mythologies. The convos between Sati and Shiv are.. ❤️ 😳 ..I love them - they remind me of my peaceful sane father and my crazy insane emotional mother! 😛 Anyways, I think the producer of that show has done an AMAZING job, the cast, the dialogue deliveries, the set, everything looks like it's from the past(barring some graphics) .

But I feel...tthey can make a story that focuses on relationship between Sati and Shiv 😳 ..if they will, it's gotta be a HIT 😛 ..Anyways, I'm quite unsure if the producers will EVER make any mythological movies ever again..since past 2 decades, I havent seen even one mythological movie in either Bollywood or Tollywood... correct me if I'm wrong.

Coming to historical ones..I loved Ashoka and Jodha Akbar. A LOT. If not mythologies, they should atleast make movies on history more. Because history was reality, and children need to learn history(especially if your an ICSE student in India). Like they can make a really nice movie on Indian National Movement and show the insides of the whole struggle for Independence and all... rather than spotlighting only our famous freedom fighters which they've done in previous movies. They could make movies that shows the roots of emergence of caste system in India and how it came along all these centuries. One can make thousands of movies relating to thousands of things from the past!

There's a lack of good movies these days. Yes, movies are entertaining, but they should also give out SOME little message which will change you as a person or influence your mentality after walking out of the theatre. That rarely ever happens in bollywood. The producers cannot send atleast a sensible message through the movies they make these days. Most of movies are about a guy and a lady, they fall in love, have some comedy/fight scenes, 4-5 songs in between, love scenes, some rona-dhona. That is - ALL the movies are about, these days. And, will the producers take the pains of making a historical or mythological movie?(such movies require great amounts of research and extreme hardwork) I dont think so... they're too lethargic for that.

Quote

poppy2009

@poppy2009

Rocker

Posted: 13 years ago

#12

Mythos don't work well in Bollywood...Jodhaa Akbar is the only exception!

Historical / Mythological films need a stupdendus budget to work well...and then there is the problem of regionalism / religion! Most Indian Mythologies have to do with Hindu Epics...which don't find an audience in people from other religion! Not because they have any problem watching Hindu epics, but simply because its difficult to understand them in a 2-3 hours film, without knowing something about its background.

And then there is the whole image thing! Most of our stars have a set-image and its very difficult for the audience to accept them as a certain God or mythological figure! We can very well imagine how comical someone like SRK will look playing Lord Rama or Krishna! Or Priyanaka / Katrina trying to do a Goddess Parvati or Sita😕😆

TV serials don't suffer from this problem, because television actors normally don't have a definite image and even if they have, it can be easily moulded in comparison to our bolly stars!

In comparsion to hollywood, where months of research goes into making a historical film, bollywood appears very immature when it comes to background work in such films!

Like for example, SRK's Ashoka which was a complete distortion of the life of King Ashoka!😕

Or for that matter, Salman Khan's Veer which showed pre-independence India without a shred of authenticity!

The audience in India does buy a lot of nonsense in the name of films, but is still not stupid enough to silently digest any kind of crap that bolly dishes in the name of historical and mythological films!

Now, I cannot imagine what Karan Johar is going to do with the Immortals of Melhua...

PS: 1942 Earth is not exactly a historical film...but it does deal with pre-independent India and does such a wonderful job of portraying the times! Another film I can recollect is Pinjar...starring Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpai...once again, a very accurate and well-researched film on pre-independent India!

Edited by poppy2009 - 13 years ago

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

775014

Suspended

Posted: 13 years ago

#13

Very Good Topic Shashi.

Times have changed a lot. Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) was ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER Movie, perhaps the only Mythological ATBB of Indian Cinema if we compare it to west.

Some years ago HANUMAN - Kids Animation Film was a HUGE HIT. Jodha Akbar is also a HIT but not that huge.

Mahabharat & Ramayan were huge HITS on TV. I am sure if same cast and team would have made a MOVIE during those time, it would have been big hit.

Aajkal Our choices are divided into various things. Mobile, TV, Internet, We are having so many sources to get entertain. Earlier there was only 2 mediums, TV & Cinema.

Whatever is the reason, i hope We could also cheer out History/Mythological Genre films like we do other genre.

Quote

J tiger Barbie

@wat_up

Achiever

+ 7

Action Alliance

Posted: 13 years ago

#14

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Barring a few, most do not do well... why is that?, we have a rich history, and our mythology would beat any Lord or The Pants or Harry Potty.. yet, Indians don't give a damn about it... contrast this with our neigbours across the eastern border, Chinese historical films do great business, they take pride in their history/myths/folklore, we on the other hand seem to make fun of them.

True Look at Salmans veer, even SRK's Ashoka, Aamir mangal Pandey. And hrithiks Jodha Akbar though got awards these movies did not click with the masses. I think probably not youth orientated, which now a days who go snd spend money.

Edited by wat_up - 13 years ago

Quote

775014

Suspended

Posted: 13 years ago

#15

Want to Add this-

Choota Bheem and The Curse Daymaan has done well at the box office. The film with a very limited release collected 1.35 crore nett over its first three days and just over 2 crore nett in its first week.

Chota Bheem is a animation character so popular in kids, they made a film on it, released it on small scale, result is clear, KIDS loved it.

This way we should cheer more n more films on this genre like movies in west become so huge hits.

Quote

415868

Hibernated

Posted: 13 years ago

#16

In India, there are a lot of issues in making Mythological films. Religion is a HUGE thing here, so there is always the risk of offending some or other group. You might have to water down certain facts/events so as to not 'hurt' the sentiments.
And if you try to present your historical and mythological stories in a different manner, like how the author of Meluha did, there is a chance of people crying 'DISTORTION OF FACTS', specially when it gets made into a film given the huge market and publicity associated with the films.

Also, there is a issue of boredom - many find the mythos/historicals boring. So filmmakers have to make an extra effort to present them well. And given today's times no one is interested in that...when you can get easy with recycling the same shit, why bother putting effort? I don't know how people do not get bored of same storyline in contemporary films but get bored of mythos? Maybe, the utterly over the top and unconvincing potrayal of characters in mythologicals turn people off? Also the really bad production values, SFX etc.

And then, this take of films made on pre- or during Independence era as some sort of 'serious, art ' films with no entertainment. You've got to convince people that entertainment can go beyond fights and item songs.When one hears of a film made on Independence they show no interest thinking it's a serious film, hence boring. Now that we've started pulling Kahaanis, there is hope now.

Filmmakers should put enough research and show creativity enough to present known stories in an engaging manner and audience should be broadminded enough to let the makers take some creative liberties and not get offended at every freaking thing.

Quote

HaHaHeHe-Hupp

@HaHaHeHe-Hupp

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 13 years ago

#17

These don't work in movies but as shows on TV they do. Many of histrocial and mytho are the best examples of that. Earlier CGM was much popular and recently CPSJ is doing wonders.

Quote

J tiger Barbie

@wat_up

Achiever

+ 7

Action Alliance

Posted: 13 years ago

#18

I agree that historical dramas onntv are huge. I rem relatives in India saying they close shop to see religious dramas like Ramayan

Quote

415868

Hibernated

Posted: 13 years ago

#19

Originally posted by: wat_up
I agree that historical dramas onntv are huge. I rem relatives in India saying they close shop to see religious dramas like Ramayan

Not just that, people used to do Aarti to TV screens when Ramayan was on.😆 Shri Krishna, Mahabharat were also equally popular. You've got to give it to Ramanad Sagar (who made these shows) for really doing all he could to give an apt and interesting portrayal. The sunday mornings were so much fun with those shows... families used to sit together and watch these shows.😆

Edited by drummedup - 13 years ago

Quote

J tiger Barbie

@wat_up

Achiever

+ 7

Action Alliance

Posted: 13 years ago

#20

Originally posted by: drummedup

Not just that, people used to do Aarti to TV screens when Ramayan was on.😆 Shri Krishna, Mahabharat were also equally popular. You've got to give it to Ramanad Sagar (who made these shows) for really doing all he could to give an apt and interesting portrayal. The sunday mornings were so much fun with those shows... families used to sit together and watch these shows.😃

Ya heard that. When I visited India as a kid I rem everyone stopping were doing and gather together to see the religious dramas.