Mumbai, March 10, 2025: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has weighed in on the declining performance of Hindi films, attributing it to filmmakers catering to a niche audience while losing touch with broader, mass-oriented storytelling.
Speaking at a press conference for Aamir Khan: Cinema Ka Jadugar—a special PVR-INOX film festival celebrating his cinematic journey—Aamir remarked that South Indian cinema thrives because it stays rooted in powerful emotions, something Bollywood has moved away from.
“Bollywood Has Moved Away from Mass Appeal”
During the session, moderated by veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, Aamir was asked why South films are excelling in theatres while Hindi films struggle.
“Hindi writers and directors have been trying to appeal to a more refined audience, but in the process, they’ve forgotten their roots. Strong emotions like love, revenge, and anger resonate universally. But Bollywood has shifted toward subtler themes, like doubt, which aren’t as gripping for a wide audience,” Aamir explained.
He pointed out that South Indian cinema continues to create massive, high-impact films, while Bollywood has veered toward multiplex-oriented storytelling, catering to a smaller, urban audience.
Aamir also highlighted how the rise of multiplexes changed Bollywood’s approach.
“When multiplexes emerged, the industry started believing that the audience had changed. This led to a shift toward ‘multiplex films’, a more refined genre that distanced itself from traditional single-screen, mass entertainers. Meanwhile, South films continued making high-energy, mass-driven films, which we once called single-screen films—broad, hard-hitting, and deeply engaging.”
Aamir and Javed Akhtar are set to collaborate on the actor’s upcoming production, Lahore 1947, starring Sunny Deol.
With his insights on Bollywood’s trajectory, Aamir Khan has once again sparked a crucial discussion on the evolution of Hindi cinema and the need to reconnect with audiences at the grassroots level.
