This year is unlike any other in Bollywood history in that there are no less than four epic films scheduled for theatrical release. Marnikarnika, Kangana Ranaut’s hotly anticipated biopic on the historical warrior queen, Lakshmibhai of Jhansi is releasing this weekend, Mughal era drama, Kalank, in April and Gowariker’s biopic on the founder of Afghanistan, Panipat and Mukherji’s Hindu space opera, Brahmastara in December.
Because of their sheer size and scale, the Hindi film industry typically churns out one, possibly two films in the “epic genre” vein a year. But the steady flow of epic film releases this year strongly suggest that it’s the new go-to trend for Bollywood film studios.
The poster for Panipat, one of four Bollywood epics releasing this year.
For the past several years, the trend was pseudo-inspirational, pseudo-patriotic sports biopics but after the disappointing box office runs of Akshay Kumar’s nauseating Gold this year and Diljit Dosanjh’s equally godawful Soorma, Bollywood execs are now looking for a new bandwagon to hop onto.
So what spurred this on?
The phenomenal success of Padmaavat and the Baahubali films for one. Despite Padmaavat inadvertently conjuring up the most violent reaction to a Bollywood film in history with the worst offense being a member of the controversial BJP, India’s right-wing party, placing a bounty on the film’s lead actress, Deepika Padukone’s head, the opulent period epic was still one of the biggest hits of 2018. Meanwhile, Baahubali – The Conclusion was the first Indian film to generate $1000 crores, equal to$150 million.
Then there’s Game of Thrones.
The American HBO sword, sorcery and sex show is arguably more popular in India than it is in its native country. Among Indian millennials, it’s practically an organized religion; speak ill of it and be prepared to face the consequences!
Considering the most of Indians hold conservative values, it would seem surprising for a show as progressive and libertine as Game of Thrones to appeal to them but the show’s essence as an epic full of adventure, romance and action is unabashedly Indian.
Game of Thrones is arguably more famous in India than it is in America!
When I asked Film Companion’s Rahul Desai for his two cents on the topic, he said:
“The Mahabharata is a big part of every Indian’s upbringing so the epic fantasy genre feels natural to us. I wouldn’t be surprised if that became the next big genre in Bollywood especially considering the popularity of Game of Thrones and the Baahubali series in India.”
Bollywood celebrates excess and so do epic stories thus the two generally enjoy a mutually symbiotic relationship.
Think of Bhansali’s beautiful, larger-than-life Devdas which hasn’t aged a day since its 2002 theatrical release and till date, is the only Bollywood film nominated for a BAFTA (British Academy Award). Or what about the 50’s classic, Mughal-E-Azam, a film widely considered one of the most important works to emerge from the Hindi film industry and one that holds a permanent place in most Indian uncle and aunties’ hearts.
Mughal-E-Azam, a Bollywood classic.
ABOVE ARTWORK BY RACHNA RAVI
