Karan Johar Decodes the Current Box Office Landscape in India
In a recent interview, filmmaker Karan Johar provided a detailed analysis of the evolving tastes of Indian cinema audiences, highlighting the rise of hyper-masculine films, the enduring appeal of intense romance, and the untapped potential of the horror genre.
The Rise of Alpha Energy and Machismo in Films
Johar pointed out that movies such as 'Dhurandhar' and 'Animal' have not only achieved significant box office success but have also sparked widespread discussions on social media, largely due to their depictions of violence and machismo. He explained that these films cater to a specific segment of the audience that has been underserved by mainstream Hindi cinema.
"There's a mass multiplex audience, a tier-two multiplex audience, and a tier-two single-screen audience that reacts to a certain kind of cinema," Johar stated in his conversation with Sarthak Ahuja. "So suddenly, when an 'Animal' comes, or when a 'Dhurandhar' comes, it caters to that audience which has been starved of a certain energy. They react to machismo, violence, heroic dialogues, and alpha energy."
He clarified that while films like 'Kabir Singh', 'Animal', and 'Dhurandhar' are not identical, they share a common thread of "front-footed machismo" and "front-footed alpha energy." According to Johar, this energy resonates strongly with certain viewers, regardless of ongoing debates about its appropriateness.
The Enduring Pull of Intense Love Stories
Johar was quick to emphasize that hyper-masculine storytelling is not the only emotional draw for audiences. He noted that intense romance continues to captivate viewers, particularly in non-metro areas.
"Not every love story, like say a rom-com will work, but intense love stories really work. An 'Aashiqui' will work. A 'Saiyaara' will work. Intensity in love works," he explained. Johar referred to the "nas-kata" audience—people who are deeply passionate about love—as a key demographic for such films. "That emotional extremity is something people love. That tier-two audience wants to watch that kind of film."
Horror: The Untapped Genre in Indian Cinema
Looking to the future, Johar identified horror as a genre that Indian cinema has yet to master successfully. He expressed his belief that this could be a major breakthrough for the industry.
"If you ask me which is the one big genre that India has not succeeded in, it's actually pure horror. We haven't got our 'The Nun', we haven't got our 'The Conjuring'. We haven't cracked that genre yet," Johar remarked. He stressed the need for genuinely scary films that rely on atmospheric horror rather than just jump scares.
Summing up the current box-office climate, Johar observed, "What's not working are the family dramas, the rom-coms, the emotional dramas, they're just not working. So today, if I had to discuss all this and put it in one bracket, the one thing no one is really talking about is pure horror. That's what I'm betting on next."
Audience Paradox: Women's Viewing Habits
During the discussion, Johar also addressed a paradox in audience behavior, particularly among women. He noted that while many films promote women's empowerment, hyper-masculine and potentially misogynistic movies continue to perform well at the box office.
"I think a lot of movies have addressed women's empowerment and the inequality between genders. Having said that, there is this alpha, misogynistic kind of film that is working. Is that counterproductive to those films?" he questioned.
Johar shared insights from audience data that challenge common assumptions. "What really throws me off is the data. There are so many evolved, liberal women who speak out against these misogynistic, alpha-male films. But there are many more women who are watching these films, and loving them," he revealed. According to his research, a significant majority of women may not be offended by films that could be considered controversial, indicating a complex relationship between on-screen content and viewer reception.
