Friday, 18 October 2024

The Dangerous Game of Box Office Collections

 


There is a growing obsession in Indian cinema that needs to be called out. Fans have become obsessed on the box office collection of a film. It is not just about watching a movie anymore. It is about how much money the film makes when compared to the co-stars. This is where the problem begins, the industry and fans are now measuring the success of a movie by how many crores it collects. But what does this number mean for the people watching the movie? Absolutely nothing. 


There was a time when movies were celebrated because they ran successfully in theaters for 50 days or 100 days. That was how people measured the impact of a film. A movie was considered great because it stayed in the hearts and minds of the audience long enough to keep running in theaters. But now this has evolved into something else. Today we hear about 100 crore films or 1000 crore films. People celebrate these milestones as if they mean something to them. 


The collection game is only benefiting one group, "The producers". It is important to realize that box office numbers are being used to manipulate audiences into thinking a film is great, and people need to stop falling for this. These numbers have no impact on the story or the performances. Yet the rivalry between fans has intensified because of this, every time one movie crosses another at the box office there is a celebration. People are turning into blind followers of the number game. It does not matter whether the film is good or not, As long as it collects a certain amount it becomes a blockbuster. 


From a cinephile's  perspective this is frustrating. A film is not just a product that can be judged by the money it makes. A great movie is one that connects with the audience. It makes them feel something, It speaks to them. Unfortunately this has been lost in the noise of the box office battle. The conversation is no longer about how the film made you think or how the performances moved you. It is only about how much it made. 


This needs to stop. Films are meant to be experienced. They are not meant to be part of a financial competition. We need to get back to what truly matters. The art of filmmaking, the story, the craft and the performances. When you walk out of a theater the first thought should not be whether the movie will break box office records. It should be about how the film made you feel. 


It is time to ask yourselves. Are you really celebrating the movies or are you celebrating the money?. How does a film’s box office collection impact your life, and why are you celebrating something that only benefits the producers?

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