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cover of episode Can zombies and witches save Bollywood from its troubles?

Can zombies and witches save Bollywood from its troubles?

2025/1/3
logo of podcast What in the World

What in the World

AI Deep Dive AI Insights AI Chapters Transcript
People
A
Aina Mehta
H
Hannah Gelbart
M
Maura Morrison
Y
Yasser Usman
Topics
Maura Morrison: 宝莱坞电影以史诗般的爱情故事、充满活力的舞蹈和巨星而闻名,但近年来面临着挑战。然而,2024年恐怖片和恐怖喜剧的兴起为宝莱坞带来了新的希望,僵尸、女巫和鬼魂等元素为电影增添了新的看点,并取得了票房成功。 虽然宝莱坞以前也有恐怖片,但现在这种类型以更适合家庭的方式重新出现,并取得了巨大的成功。这表明宝莱坞正在尝试新的类型,以吸引更广泛的观众群体。 Yasser Usman: 印度影院观看电影是一种独特的社区体验,观众会一起欢呼、吹口哨、鼓掌甚至跳舞。今年几部恐怖片在票房上领先,这与以往的爱情、动作片等类型不同。恐怖片取得成功的原因在于,它们改变了以往恐怖片的制作和内容,从过去低劣的制作和内容,转变为现在的家庭友好型,融合了恐怖和喜剧元素,适合全家观看。虽然恐怖片的成功是宝莱坞的积极信号,但其面临的挑战依然严峻,需要改进内容质量,才能真正拯救宝莱坞的困境。 Aina Mehta: 今年的恐怖片在票房上取得了巨大成功,观众对《Bhool Bhulaya 2》、《Bhool Bhulaya 3》、《Stree》等电影的偏好发生了重大转变,即使是新人主演的恐怖喜剧也能获得成功。恐怖喜剧电影通过融合惊悚和喜剧元素,营造出更轻松的氛围,既能带来刺激,又能带来笑声。2024年上映的《Shaitan》等恐怖片取得了巨大成功,即使是小成本恐怖喜剧也获得了成功。 Hannah Gelbart: 讨论了宝莱坞电影的现状,以及恐怖片在票房上的成功。探讨了恐怖片成功的原因,以及恐怖片能否拯救宝莱坞的困境。采访了宝莱坞电影评论家和博主,从不同角度分析了宝莱坞电影行业面临的挑战和机遇。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

What is the new trend in Bollywood films in 2024?

The new trend in Bollywood in 2024 is the rise of horror and horror-comedy films, featuring zombies, witches, and spirits. This genre has seen significant box office success, with films like 'Shaitaan' earning over $25 million worldwide.

Why are horror films becoming popular in Bollywood?

Horror films in Bollywood are becoming popular because they have shifted to a family-friendly approach, blending scares with comedy. This makes them suitable for family viewing, where audiences can enjoy both thrills and laughs. Films like 'Bhool Bhulaiya 2' and 'Stree' have successfully balanced these elements, attracting a wider audience.

What challenges is Bollywood facing post-COVID?

Bollywood is facing significant challenges post-COVID, including the closure of over 1,000 single-screen theaters and a decline in theater attendance. The industry is struggling to produce content strong enough to draw audiences back to cinemas, especially with the availability of films on OTT platforms shortly after release.

How has the horror genre evolved in Bollywood?

The horror genre in Bollywood has evolved from being considered low-quality, B and C-grade films with poor makeup and special effects to becoming family-friendly entertainment. Modern horror films now mix scares with humor, making them suitable for family audiences and creating a unique viewing experience.

What role do newcomers play in Bollywood's horror genre?

Newcomers are playing a significant role in Bollywood's horror genre, with fresh faces like Abhay Verma and Sharvari Vaag leading successful horror-comedy films. This trend shows that the genre is not reliant solely on established stars, allowing new talent to thrive and attract audiences.

Can horror films alone save Bollywood?

While horror films have been a saving grace for Bollywood in 2024, they alone cannot save the industry. The broader challenge lies in producing high-quality content across all genres to draw audiences back to theaters, especially with the competition from OTT platforms and the closure of many single-screen theaters.

Chapters
Bollywood, known for its romantic musicals, is experiencing a horror boom. Recent horror and horror-comedy films like Shaitaan and Munjia have been massive box office successes, even outperforming some older films upon re-release. This success is attributed to a family-friendly approach, mixing scares with humor.
  • Bollywood horror films are achieving significant box office success.
  • The success is driven by family-friendly horror-comedies.
  • Re-releases of older horror films are also performing well.

Shownotes Transcript

Bollywood films are known for their epic love stories, energetic dance numbers and huge stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra. However, the industry - like Hollywood - has faced a slump since the Covid pandemic.

But 2024 marked a new trend; the box office success of horror. Shaitaan, for example, earned over $25m worldwide. We speak to film critic and journalist Yasser Usman and Bollywood influencer Aaina Mehta to hear whether they think witches, zombies and evil spirits could pull more people back to the cinema.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Mora Morrison and Benita Barden Editor: Julia Ross-Roy