2017 can be called the year Hindi Cinema was redefined from being a star-driven, 'masala' industry to more thoughtful cinema, whether it was depicting the life of the Indian middle class with films like Bareilly Ki Barfi and/or breaking barriers with movies like Lipstick Under My Burkha. Small towns took a front seat, and while masala potboilers of the year continued to enter Rs 100 Crore club, these small budget films successfully proved successful at the box-office.
The year gone by has made the industry realise there's a growing curve in audiences that seek stories from within the system and their lives. While they enjoyed enjoy Varun Dhawan's buffoonery in London, Rajkummar Rao's role in the dark humoured Netwon, set in the Naxal-overrun areas of Chhatisgarh earned far more appreciation. Alankrita Srivastava brought the stories of daring women from Bhopal to life, while Ashwini Iyer found humour in the streets of Uttar Pradesh.
All these stories give one clear indication: the time has come to celebrate cinema that matters. Gone are the days where industry awards were defined by either commercial or content-driven films, in two separate categories of 'popular' and 'critic's choice'. Now content is more popular and the line between audience and critics has faded. The News18 Reel Movie Awards is one such step towards this direction. The jury made sure to recognise content which not only impressed critics from all over the country, but also became popular with the audience, resulting in a successful box-office run.
Meaningful cinema and experimental cinema is not just confined to smaller, new or young producers anymore. Big production houses and actors are also trying to tap into this new change. Varun Dhawan has joined hands with Shoojit Sircar for an unlikely film October and will later go into the heart of a small town like Chanderi in YRF's Sui Dhaga. Rani Mukerji is making her comeback with the rather unusual Hichki, also produced by YRF, while Dharma is launching two new stars in a small town caste-based love story Dhadak.
The winds of change have started to blow and it is time for commercial and content-driven cinema to co-exist.
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