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10 Key trends in the movie biz by Siddharth Roy Kapur
The Hindi film industry is at an interesting crossroads – one that will define the next phase of growth for the business – both creatively and commercially.
For anyone involved in the movie business in India today, it is an exciting and a challenging time. Exciting because there are so many moving parts that the sheer adrenalin of navigating through them and achieving commercial and creative success can give you a headrush. Challenging because the choices we make today as an industry could determine the trajectory for a whole future generation of studios, filmmakers, actors,
technicians and audiences.
The 10 key trends are:
1. Growth of Exhibition platforms and digitalisation of cinemas: The advent of the multiplex culture and the digitalisation of cinemas has completely changed the dynamics for audiences, exhibitors, distributors and producers.
Films will become much more accessible to the audiences in remote towns via satellite technology, thereby
reducing costs and making it more feasible and cost effective to further increase the penetration of cinema into the hinterland of the country.
2. Marketing and Promotions: Skilfully executed marketing and PR initiatives are increasingly contributing to the good opening weekend of a movie. It plays an aggressive role in driving a film through the “media noise corridor” right from pre-production all the way to release and beyond.
Creating the right noise from the very initial stages of the film to post production stages has become an imperative function coupled with innovation and ongoing market research for every film.
3. New Revenue streams: The advent of new emerging platforms and technologies will pave the way for newer revenue streams for the film industry apart from the box office and other traditional sources of revenue. Innovations like 3G and 4G will change the dynamics of the movie watching experience, creating new access points for consumers across the world.
4. Short and Entertaining: Audiences of today especially the 15-24-year-olds, which form the most significant part of the Indian population and are popularly known as the impatient generation, have a preference for more snacky and short form content.
New age directors who can feel the pulse of these audiences are very capable of delivering content that will soon bring in the trend of watching short format entertaining content on non theatrical platforms.
5. De-risking – Today a studio does not have solely the opening weekend box office collections dictating the commercial fate of the film. Pre-sales deals which include satellite rights, music rights, home video rights and new media rights sometimes help recover 40- 45 per cent of the production cost of the film. Moreover, an established studio with a strong slate of 12- 15 movies a year, today has the advantage of being able to derisk an entire slate of productions well in advance of their theatrical release.
6. Going Regional – The increasing preference amongst audiences for local flavours rather than standardisation in content will see regional cinema growing in the coming years, and demanding a share in
the larger pie of the Indian film industry.
7. Co-productions: The entry of Hollywood studios into the local production sector have increased manifold. Considering that some countries have reached a saturation point, while others have stringent protectionist policies in favour of local cinema, India is an emerging media and entertainment hot spot for international players.
8. Existing paucity of trained talent: The industry today does not see many trained specialists, the reasons being lack of structured film schools and frankly inadequate credit and compensation to talent other than those seen on screen. If this is addressed, it will have a lasting impact on the quality and commerce of our cinema.
9. Changes in legislation – Various amendments to existing laws have been proposed, which will have a direct impact on the functioning of the industry. In this process, it is imperative for the legislators to keep in mind all sides of an issue, rather than be swayed by specific interest groups. The entire commercial dynamics of the industry could be decided simply based on a few of these amendments, and hence the required due diligence must be put in before pronouncing judgement.
10. No distinction beween art and commercial cinema – And finally, a new breed of filmmakers who no longer believe in making a distinction between “art” and “commercial” cinema. They are open to telling new stories and experimenting with new genres in an entertaining manner… the key to making it interesting for audiences to try new fare! It is very encouraging to see so many studios today supporting and encouraging new talent, and I am sure this heralds a very exciting time in our cinema. A time in which all sorts of cinema can co-exist and achieve commercial and creative success.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
