Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 22: As Bollywood grapples with a string of underwhelming box office performances and a shift in audience preference toward OTT platforms, veteran film producer Anand Pandit has opened up on the industry’s ongoing challenges. In an interview Pandit cited a decline in originality, misplaced priorities, and the overuse of item numbers as key reasons behind Hindi cinema’s recent struggles.
Recalling the golden era of storytelling led by legendary screenwriting duo Salim-Javed, Pandit said, “There was a time when films were sold just on the strength of their writers. Today, even major films don’t highlight who wrote the script. Earlier, we made films; now, we’re just completing projects.”
According to Pandit, the creative focus has shifted from compelling storytelling to profit-maximization models that center around OTT streaming, satellite, music, and overseas rights. “Filmmakers are more concerned with securing these deals rather than understanding whether audiences will buy a ticket and show up at theatres,” he noted.
The producer pointed out how the 1980s and 1990s prioritized box office success as the only business model. “Back then, the only revenue came from ticket sales. Today’s OTT-driven mentality has changed the entire approach to filmmaking,” he said.
Another pressing issue, according to Pandit, is the lack of originality. “We’ve become an inspired industry—drawing from South Indian films, Korean cinema, and other languages. That originality we once prided ourselves on is missing today,” he lamented.
Emphasizing the importance of strong writing, Pandit urged producers to invest more in writers, similar to the practice in regional cinema. He also touched on the increasing disconnect between filmmakers’ conviction and their projects, with overpowering stars often influencing the creative direction.
“Sometimes, the script changes not for the project, but to suit an actor’s image. This derails the whole film,” he explained.
Pandit also criticized the forceful inclusion of item numbers, calling them detrimental when not organic to the story. “While item songs can help with marketing and increase music rights value, forcing them in for the sake of promotion can make a film lose its essence and become boring,” he added.
Anand Pandit is known for producing films like Total Dhamaal, Thank God, and Kabzaa.