Javed Akhtar speaks on “Unknown” South stars delivering Rs 700 crores hits, Aamir Khan blames OTT model: “What happened to our people?”

March 11, 2025 - 1:34 PM IST

Bollywood is facing one of its worst crises, struggling to retain audiences despite a few box office successes. Legendary screenwriter Javed Akhtar recently pointed out that South Indian films, featuring relatively unknown stars, are thriving in the North Indian market while Hindi films fail to connect with viewers. During a conversation with Aamir Khan at the launch of Aamir Khan: Cinema Ka Jadugar, Akhtar questioned why Bollywood has lost its grip on audiences. In response, Khan dismissed the North vs South debate and instead blamed the industry's flawed business model for its struggles.

Javed Akhtar speaks on “Unknown” South stars delivering Rs 700 crores hits, Aamir Khan blames OTT model: “What happened to our people?”

Javed Akhtar on Bollywood’s Disconnect with Audiences

Speaking on the Hindi film industry’s current state, Akhtar explained that Bollywood’s inability to engage viewers is a major reason for its decline. He pointed out how South Indian films, despite featuring lesser-known actors in North India, are delivering massive box office returns. “Dubbed South Indian films, featuring stars who are unknown to audiences here in North India, are releasing and doing Rs 600-700 crore business. Even the few of our films that end up working also stem from South movies. What happened to our people?” Akhtar questioned, highlighting the industry’s fading influence.

The screenwriter suggested that Bollywood’s approach to filmmaking has alienated its core audience. While movies like Stree 2 and Chhaava have performed well, he stressed that these are rare exceptions rather than signs of a stable industry.

Aamir Khan on Bollywood’s Self-Destructive Business Model

In response to Akhtar’s remarks, Aamir Khan argued that the issue was not about South vs North cinema but rather Bollywood’s failure to build a sustainable business model. He illustrated how the industry has undermined itself by making theatrical releases less essential for audiences. “Ours is the only industry that goes around requesting people, ‘Please come and consume our product (film). If you don’t, we’ll come and drop it off at your doorstep in eight weeks (through OTT platforms). This is our business model,” Khan explained.

He further elaborated that audiences no longer feel compelled to visit cinemas when they know a film will soon be available on streaming platforms. “Earlier, I used to watch movies because I had no option. Now, I go to theatres for the fancy of it. Since we can watch movies anywhere, there’s no absolute need to go to theatres. So we’ve killed our own business model,” he added.

Speaking of the event, it was held to launch Aamir Khan: Cinema Ka Jadugar, a film festival to celebrate the actor’s contribution, ahead of his 60th birthday. A bunch of films from his filmography will be re-released in theaters.

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