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Why Isn’t Bollywood Producing Many Franchise Films Like Hollywood?

January 07, 2025Film1904
Why Isn’t Bollywood Producing Many Franchise Films Like Hollywood? Bol

Why Isn’t Bollywood Producing Many Franchise Films Like Hollywood?

Bollywood, the celebrated film industry originating from India, has long been renowned for its rich cinematic creations. However, one frequently observed difference is the paucity of franchise films, in stark contrast to the prolific output in Hollywood. Despite this, Bollywood has produced franchises, showcasing a level of creativity and ambition that is often overlooked.

A Historical Look at Franchise Films in Bollywood

The Wah Kaun Thi trilogy (1964-1967), for instance, directed by Raj Khosla, serves as a poignant reminder of ages past, where Indian cinema dared to innovate and offer narratives akin to Western franchises. Notably, The Mystery Girl trilogy, a Spy franchise inspired by Indian conditions, premiered in the Black and White Era. Other franchises such as the Gudachari trilogy (1966-1989) in Telugu and Hindi remakes like Farz, Keemat, and Raksha highlight the industry's early attempts at creating multi-film series.

Modern Redeemer

Fast forward to the digital age, works like Goodachari (2018-2020) have reached new heights, offering spy-thrillers that engage global audiences. Similarly, the War Trilogy by J. P. Dutta (1997-2018) and films like Border, LOC: Kargil, and Paltan seal the narrative prowess that Bollywood can achieve.

Current Scenario: The Lack of Franchise Films

While these examples demonstrate the potential for franchise films, why are there fewer such series in Bollywood compared to Hollywood? Several factors contribute to this disparity:

Cross-Media Success

Hollywood excels in cross-media success, creating a vast audience pipeline. Marvel Comics, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter are prime examples where the groundwork for these franchises was laid decades before the movies, ensuring consistent engagement and ready audiences. In contrast, Bollywood franchises often start with cinema alone, lacking the pre-existing fanbase and multimedia exposure that fuels long-term success.

Audience Reach and Budget Constraints

Bollywood films cater to a broad national audience, but the industry struggles with ambitious budgeting needs to outshine previous editions. Franchise films typically require a significant investment to combat audience fatigue, a challenge exacerbated by the complex economic landscape within India. Lower budgets can limit the scope to outdo previous films, impacting the overall franchise appeal.

Storytelling and Quality

With notable exception, the quality of storytelling in Bollywood can hinder sustained franchises. Complex story worlds for successful films can sometimes flag under the strain of numerous sequels. While creative stories like Fire, Earth, and Water (by Deepa Mehta) have demonstrated rich narratives, the consistent development necessary for a franchise often tests the storytelling prowess of Indian filmmakers.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespearean adaptations, such as Maqbool (2003), Omkara (2006), and Haider (2014), have shown the industry’s talent for complex narratives, but challenging the narrative quality for sustained franchises remains an ongoing challenge.

In conclusion, while Bollywood has produced notable franchises of the past and present, the industry faces several hurdles in creating a parallel abundance of film franchises, unlike Hollywood. However, the increasing trend of global engagement highlights a promising future for Bollywood to overcome these challenges and produce more enduring franchise films.