The go-to option for mass entertainment

The first Indian film ‘Raja Harishchandra’ was released in 1913, directed and produced by Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema. Over a 100 years later, cinema has grown leaps and bounds and changed the dynamics of the Indian entertainment scene. Over 1,000 films manage to see the light of the day every year in a business that hits the Rs 15,000 crore mark annually.

People not only embrace movies but also relate to them and make them a part of their subconscious. So much so that well-written characters become an integral part of their lives. This connection has transformed a money-spinning industry’s entertainers into demigods.

In movies from the 1950s to 1970s, filmmakers were focused on presenting stories that are close to real-life thus making them more relatable. In the 1980s, the Indian film industry started leaning towards hero worship, where protagonists shouldered larger-than-life responsibilities. These masala entertainers received rousing reception from audiences, producers, financiers, filmmakers and even performers (who would later go on to become heroes).

Actors started becoming icons and turned into brand ambassadors soon. This is where the rift started and movie industries started to move away from each other based on languages. It must be noted that back in the day, Madras was the nerve centre of the south Indian movie industry. There was a time when actors from across the country were flying down to Kodambakkam’s Vijay Vauhini studios to shoot their films. When film studios emerged in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kochi, and Bengaluru, signs of a split in star power became visible across the Indian film industry.

The stardom paved way to fan clubs many of which have now gone virtual. While in the 90s, fan clubs would be divided over the number of days their matinee idol’s film ran in theatres, today it has come down to box-office numbers.

From the streets to the luxury hotels, the film industry’s presence is all pervasive. A poster of a film star on the backside of an autorickshaw mirrors the banner installed in star hotels as an advertisement for an upcoming blockbuster.

“I'm a Thalaivar (Rajinikanth) fan, and seeing him on the big screen is something I cherish. Following his words and films have made me the person that I am today. Seeing him as an autorickshaw driver in the film ‘Baasha’ motivated me to take up driving,” an autorickshaw driver said.

When the pandemic began in 2020 in India, the film industry had a major setback. Many films were shelved, postponed, and dropped due to the shutdown of theatres. And then emerged the OTT phenomenon and the film industry had no option but to comply. Many films awaiting theatrical releases shifted their base to OTT over the past 2 years.

Thanks to lockdown relaxations, theatres are getting packed again. There are releases lined up for Pongal - from Ajith, Suriya and more. There’s a new Matrix and Spiderman movie running to packed houses. As we learn to live with COVID, we rediscover the joy of returning to theatres, sharing a laugh and shedding a tear with strangers. Isn’t that what movies are all about?