Opinion | ‘Animal’ and the era of new Bollywood blockbusters

A controversial action drama from writer-director Sandeep Reddy Vanga. animalThe film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role, polarized the Hindi film-going audience. However, Vanga delivered the commercial results he would have hoped for, becoming the fourth highest-grossing film of 2023 and still doing well.

After a week in the theater, animalwas made on an estimated budget of Rs 100 crore and reportedly grossed around Rs 600 crore worldwide. These are extraordinary numbers, perhaps even higher than the expectations of die-hard Ranbir Kapoor fans. More importantly, this movie won’t be disappearing from theaters anytime soon. At this point, the film’s lifetime box office success is shrouded in mystery.

Some people have found animal The film’s creator’s unabashed indulgence in misogyny, toxic masculinity, and thoughtless violence makes it disturbing and disturbing. However, the number of people who criticize the movie’s content is greater than the number of moviegoers who are satisfied with it. Once seen as a reckless man with mental problems and daddy issues, Ranbir Kapoor once again proves why he is perhaps the most talented star actor of his generation. did. He’s at the top of his game, and that translates into a near-perfect performance that holds the movie together. animal The big screen experience is hard to digest, but it’s impossible to ignore. In short, this problematic film appealed to the average moviegoer despite its visible flaws.

15 years ago, AL Murugadoss’ action thriller Ghajini (2008), starring Aamir Khan, became the first Hindi film to cross the Rs 100 million mark at the Indian box office. A lot has changed since then. Film budgets have also increased. The performance fees of the leading stars have increased many times over. Ticket prices are skyrocketing. OTT platforms have redefined the preferences of urban viewers. Gone is the recent phase scarred by the industry’s commercial failures.

All five of the highest-grossing films since early 2023 have a common USP: action.Siddharth Anand action thriller pathan atlee action thriller jawan There is a second common factor: Shah Rukh Khan. SRK’s amazing comeback has become the biggest story of 2023 with his action star image.Anil Sharma’s historical drama Gadar 2 It has been revealed that Sunny Deol will be returning to play the role of Tara Singh, a character who became popular across the country after the phenomenal success of the film’s first part. Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001). Gadar 2‘s phenomenal success proved that Tara Singh’s charm remains intact. animalThe success of is another proof of Ranbir Kapoor’s ability to take on difficult challenges and achieve results. Not everyone liked this movie, which is not surprising, but the movie was a huge success.

Among these success stories are jawan and pathan It has grossed over Rs 100 crore worldwide. Gadar 2The film, which was the biggest surprise of the year, reportedly grossed around Rs 690 million worldwide. animal It has already exceeded 600 million rupees.Action thriller directed by Maneesh Sharma tiger 33rd work. tiger Although it was the fifth highest-grossing film in the series, it fell behind in the competition for profits. Still, it reportedly grossed over Rs 450 million worldwide. tiger 3 Although the film became a critical success for Salman Khan, the film did not help Salman Khan re-emerge as a competitor to SRK.

Is social media helping Bollywood deliver some great commercial results in 2023? Last year, trending hashtags like #BoycottBollywood hurt certain Hindi films, but this While the extent of the losses caused by the phenomenon cannot be determined, the near non-existence of such activity helped the beleaguered film industry in 2023. Of course, some other films failed to appeal to the average viewer. But the industry got what it needed. It’s about returning enthusiastic viewers who want to watch movies that promise entertainment.

Movie buffs are eagerly awaiting the release of four-time National Award winner Rajkumar Hirani’s comedy-drama Danki. The December 21 release will also feature SRK. Danki The film revolves around a group of friends who decide to take an illegal route to get to London. The recently released trailer reveals Hirani’s trademark qualities like humour, emotion and great music. Danki Collisions with Prashanth Neel’s Telugu action drama Salar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, a gorgeous action drama starring Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran about the clash between good and evil in a fictional world.Niels KGF The film set fire to the box office for Hindi films. However, taking on the much-awaited pairing of Hirani and SRK in the Hindi film market will be a different and tough challenge for Neil and Prabhas.

Countless movie fans flock to theaters during the last weekend of December. He has two meanings for this. On the one hand, it’s great entertainment for the ticket-buying public, and on the other hand, it’s solid business for the industry.

The author has been a journalist for 30 years, writing about literature and pop culture. His books include the best-selling biography of former Indian captain MS Dhoni, MSD: The Man, The Leader, and the Hall of Fame series of film star biographies. The views expressed in the article above are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect his News18 views.