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Filmmaker Karan Johar opened up about the return to form that theatrical Hindi films experienced in 2023, and dissected the new learnings that the industry is taking a stock of as it evolves. Karan said that the sort of films that would do very well in the 1990s don’t really have an audience in theatres any more, but highlighted outliers like 12th Fail, the drama film that defied the odds to emerge as a word-of-mouth success late last year.
In an interview with Forbes, Karan was asked about how he views the business, and he said, “Theatres are overflowing with love, and the cinematic experience is back. But the digital medium is equally strong, and the digital revolution remains. This isn’t the rule, but there are some genres and sub-genres that are more celluloid friendly.”
Citing the example of an exception to the norm, Karan continued, “12th Fail just passed the test with flying colours. To anybody’s mind, that might have seemed like a great digital film, but it turned out to be a solid commercial success. Well done to the team and to Vinod Chopra, who’s such a veteran.” He added, “The tent pole films, the big cinematic experiences are more for the cinemas. And genres like dramedies or family comedies, or suspense thrillers are more tough to sell theatrically. The films that defined our 90s and early 2000s, those films are not easy to sell today.” Recently, the creative head of Karan’s Dharma Productions, Somen Mishra, chose to criticise 12th Fail director Vidhu Vinod Chopra for not crediting his writers appropriately.
This is why, Karan said, there are a lot of crime thrillers and romantic comedies being made for streaming platforms. “There is a clear divide, but there will always be exceptions to that rule,” Karan said. Asked if the industry has become more data driven, Karan said, “We have research models, we also have organisations like Ormax that predict opening numbers. You can get an indication, but there’s always that magic that you can’t predict.”
Karan admitted that filmmakers tell him not to rob them of their instincts, but his response is to remind them that they aren’t in it alone, and have a responsibility to the person footing the bills. “It’s not your money in the game. We are a balance of commerce and art. If you make a film for yourself, with your passion and your desire to tell a story, do it, but please do it with your own money,” he said.
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