In the mood for nostalgia

Swaroop Kodur looks at the trend of re-releases and reckons old films are ruling because few new good films are around

While the parade of re-releases has come as a much-needed shot in the arm for the Hindi film industry, it has also revealed an apparent dearth of ‘quality content’ at the movies.

‘Nostalgia’ has become the operative word for Hindi cinema as various cult films from over the past couple of decades come to grace cinema halls across the country. From gushing romances like Laila Majnu and Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Main’to pining love stories like ‘Rockstar’, to a raw, rooted two-part epic gangster drama like Gangs of Wasseypur, a range of re-releases have beckoned to audiences and lent a hand to the industry that is trying to regain some of its lost form.

In the same vein, yesteryear hits like Taal, Pardes, Veer-Zaara, etc., are set to release in theatres in this month, along with the much-lauded 2018 horror-drama Tumbbad. Each of these titles have achieved a bit of cult success over the years and is readily available on the OTT. But the allure of the big screen, combined with the unquenched sense of community that a movie hall offers, has apparently worked its magic, bringing in a much-needed sense of respite among key trade players like distributors and exhibitors. 

“The genuine audience response to re-releases has been nothing short of electrifying,” says Gautam Dutta, CEO, revenue and operations, PVR INOX Ltd. Year 2024 kicked off amidst a lot of expectation and promise but things didn’t necessarily go as per plan. Apart from Stree 2, Munjya and a few other sputters like Article 370 and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljhaa Jiya, the overall box office yield thus far isn’t encouraging. Old films have come in handy for multiplexes which now eye re-releases as a viable trend (as it were) to bank on, especially at a time when a sprawling industry such as Bollywood faces a lull.

But could re-releases be looked at as a long-term solution? Or are they just stop-gap? On the one hand, their contribution in revitalising a film fraternity cannot be ignored but there’s no doubt that a bigger problem lies underneath, which needs to be addressed at the earliest. Could this trend be also telling us, in whispers, that there is a shortage of quality content in Hindi mainstream cinema at the moment?

Tall tussle

Well-known film journalist Rahul Desai points out something interesting in this regard, highlighting that 2023 benefitted particularly from a deluge of big releases led by the biggest superstars. “Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan or Ranbir Kapoor — none of them have releases this year,” he says to suggest that the onus at times like these falls on the other tiers of the mainstream industry to keep the business afloat. But with a general inadequacy in ‘content-driven’ films, audiences’ association with the big screen is slowly waning to allow OTT to become their go-to option.

“You see there are mainly two or three kinds of films being made right now. It’s either a franchise vehicle, a sequel or a remake and the re-release trend is conceivably an extension of this approach. Even though the opportunity to rewatch films of a particular era feels great, the reasons behind (the re-release strategy) are worrying. The best of our storytellers are either making long-form content or films for OTTs”.

It wouldn’t be unfair to claim that audiences who yearn for nuance and depth in cinema, which is also commercial and accessible in its own ways, are currently left wanting at the movies. “There is a dearth of things to talk about Hindi cinema right now. Laila Majnu, Rockstar and the likes prove why we are going back to watch them again — you don’t see directors taking risks and making these kinds of love stories anymore,” Desai adds.

Need vs desire

The re-release model, though, has unfolded in interesting yet vibrant ways. While it may have inadvertently revealed a crack in the wall, it has also offered a new lease of life to certain films (and filmmakers) to finally claim their glory. Trade analyst Narendra Gupta specifies how actor Tripti Dimri’s overnight fame after the release of Animal (2023) worked pleasantly in the favour of Laila Majnu, which collected over Rs 6 crore during its second theatrical run. “Films such as Laila Majnu’, ‘Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, and Rockstar have performed exceptionally well, even achieving 100per cent occupancy in theatres,” confirms Dutta.

Similarly, re-releases have helped south Indian industries in the recent past to tackle the backlog issue caused by the pandemic. The delays caused in the production and the subsequent release of big-ticket films compelled Telugu distributors and exhibitors in 2022 to treat fans to remastered versions of blockbusters like Pokiri, Jalsa and Varsham, in turn, to keep the machine running.

Films released on special occasions such as birthdays and release anniversaries, too, have seen the masses react with great gusto. The 4k restoration of Fazil’s Manichithrazhathu (1993), Mega Star Chiranjeevi’s 2002 Indra and Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 all-time classic Sholay, with its solitary screening at Mumbai’s iconic Regal Cinema, were among the other treats for film buffs in August. Fans of the disgraced actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is currently in custody on charges of murder, flocked to theatres to catch the re-release shows of his 2003 blockbuster ‘Kariya’ to exemplify the power and perils of popularity. 

Opportunity nevertheless

“There’s definitely an opportunity here but one should understand that it’s not all about fan celebrations,” opines film curator Harish Mallya, adding that a well-etched strategy for re-releases will be of great aid to industries facing tricky times. He says, while a careful selection of films catering to a wider section of moviegoers and also boasting an artistic value becomes the priority, the pursuit will also require multiplexes to participate wholeheartedly.

“Exhibitors have to be really choosy while re-releasing films. For instance, the Ganesha movies starring Anant Nag are sure to excite Kannada audiences because they can be watched with friends and family. Shankar Nag’s works like Accident (1984) or Minchina Ota (1980) could be screened for a short period just like retrospectives. But for all this to succeed, multiplexes have to get on board with the programming because single screens can’t help old films reach everyone,” Mallya adds.

Mainstream cinema, a slightly inexplicable concept in itself, is at a crossroads now and a change in the ethos seems warranted more than ever. In Hindi cinema’s case, the ongoing phase could be seen as a prompt to go back to the drawing board and reassess. Well, audiences seem well and truly ready for this change!