Karan Johar: Big stars, small openings hurt Bollywood

Karan Johar, a prominent Indian filmmaker, recently spoke about the struggles Bollywood is facing. He suggests a two-pronged attack on the crisis.

Firstly, Karan points to a disconnect between actors’ fees and box office performance. He mentioned some actors charging a staggering Rs 35 crore (approximately $4.2 million) while their films only manage Rs 3.5 crore ($420,000) on opening day. This makes it difficult for productions to be profitable.

Secondly, Karan Johar emphasizes the changing tastes of the audience. He believes viewers are demanding more relatable content, “rooted Indian cinema” as he phrased it. This stands in contrast to the sometimes lavish, formulaic films Bollywood has produced in the past.

His comments sparked discussions about how Bollywood can adapt. Can they find a balance between high production values and audience preferences? Will actors take pay cuts? Only time will tell if Bollywood can overcome this challenging period.