It was not exactly a seismic shift, but somewhere during the 2010s, the biggest Hindi films went from being romantic dramas to big-scale actioners. It began with remakes of South hits like Singham, and then went pan-India with South filmmakers coming in. Even Shah Rukh Khan, the king of romance, resorted to doing actioners like Pathaan and Jawan for his comeback. Then, Saiyaara happened. The Mohit Suri film, starring newcomers, broke several box office records. Filmmaker Karan Johar has said that he hopes the film's success can lead Bollywood directors back to making love stories.
Karan Johar on Saiyaara's success
Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri, starred newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in the lead. It has become the highest-grossing love story in Indian cinema, grossing over ₹500 crore worldwide. The film's success has also invited praise from outside Hindi cinema.
Talking about its impact in conversation with Suchin Mehrotra on The Streaming Show podcast, Karan Johar said, "We don't have the directors to mount those kinds of films (big-budget event films). So, if we can't, then thank God for Saiyaara. This, we can do. When I met Mohit Suri, he told me that all the filmmakers from the south called him, and it was so gratifying to know, because we are the ones calling them. We are always picking up the phone, telling them how incredible their films are."
‘Let's go back to our storytelling’
Karan recalled how the tentpole films in Hindi cinema for Diwali or Eid in the 90s were always romantic dramas like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, but it changed to action films later. "We do one thing well, so let's do that. Let's go back to our storytelling. There are some things that we do and only we can do, which is that wholesome film. Maybe we shouldn't attempt trying to do what doesn't come naturally to us," he added.
{{/usCountry}}Karan recalled how the tentpole films in Hindi cinema for Diwali or Eid in the 90s were always romantic dramas like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, but it changed to action films later. "We do one thing well, so let's do that. Let's go back to our storytelling. There are some things that we do and only we can do, which is that wholesome film. Maybe we shouldn't attempt trying to do what doesn't come naturally to us," he added.
{{/usCountry}}Karan himself shot to fame directing romantic dramas and family entertainers like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. His most recent film, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, grossed over ₹300 crore upon its release in 2023. Trade pundits saw its success as a sign that romantic films could work at the box office after a pandemic-induced lull.
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