BS@50: Entertainment transformation - from silver screen to smartphones

So what has changed in entertainment in India in the last 50 years? Well, 50 years ago, the biggest grossers of Hindi cinema usually sold around 100-150 million tickets: films like Sholay, Mughal-e-Azam and Kismet are believed to have sold over 120 million tickets each. In later years, films like Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Mard sold 70 million, 50 million and 48 million tickets, respectively. Present-day top grosser Dangal, however, sold only around 37.8 million tickets, and if we consider Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, it grossed around 50 million tickets at the box office. So, footfalls for films, that is movie fans visiting cinema theatres, have decreased gradually but dramatically over the years.

Opening scenarios have changed, too. Amitabh Bachchan is estimated to have given 30 bumper openings and 20 record openings in his heyday. In contrast, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan have given Bollywood six record openings each, which makes it a total of 18 record openings among the three top Khans! This doesn’t in any way mean that they are not on a par with Bachchan in terms of stardom or box office pull, but it does suggest that due to increase in other entertainment mediums, the craze for films amongst audiences has shown a visible decline over the decades.

To get a proper perspective on Hindi cinema, if we look back, the 1910-1930 era was all about silent and sober beginnings — mythology and historical tales. Raja Harishchandra (1913), a silent film, epitomised the era. Then came the ‘talkies’ in the 1930s with films like Achhut Kanya (1936), sparking conversations way beyond the silver screen. The 1950s were about family values, romance, and larger-than-life musicals — Mughal-e-Azam (1960) being the tent pole of the era. It was the golden age of glitz — Waheeda Rehman to Helen captivating audiences through grace and beauty. The 1970s-1990s were all about action and social realities. Angry young man characters, like Bachchan in Zanjeer (1973), resonated with a changing India. Equally successful were Don and Deewaar. But Sholay, Bobby, Anand and Gol Maal were all winners of those decades in different genres. 

The ’90s saw Bollywood enter the age of bling. Modern masala — a new-gen romance and themes that were refreshing — Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) catapulted Shah Rukh to superstardom, while Aamir Khan mesmerised with Lagaan (2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and 3 Idiots (2009). Salman Khan then brought in new action with Dabangg (2010), Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and the like. Bollywood had by the 2010s become more varied in its themes and narrations. There is today increased focus on realistic, character-driven narratives. There has been a growing emphasis on stories that delve deeper into the complexities of human relationships and social issues, moving away from the traditional song-and-dance formula. One also sees growing experimentation with genre blending — Bollywood filmmakers have of late been combining elements from different genres, such as thriller, drama and comedy, to create more unique and engaging cinematic experiences.

The last 20 years have seen a new form of entertainment in India — sports. The Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket, the Indian Super League in football, the Pro Kabaddi League, and various other leagues have not only provided a platform for athletes but have also created a massive fan base, turning sports into a form of both entertainment and celebration. India’s estimated sports audience is a staggering 678 million today — and cricket (612 million), football (305 million) and kabaddi (280 million) provide round-the-year engagement, entertainment and euphoria to enthusiasts.

Television came to India on September 15, 1959. By 1975, television stations had come up in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Chennai, Srinagar, Amritsar and Lucknow. Doordarshan started to telecast national programmes in 1982. In the same year, colour TVs were introduced in the Indian market. The first colour programmes were the live telecast of the Independence Day parade on August 15, 1982, followed by the Asian Games held in Delhi. The ’80s were the era of soaps like Hum Log (1984), Khandaan (1985) and Buniyaad (1986-87), and mythological dramas Ramayan (1987-88) and Mahabharat (1988-89), which glued millions to Doordarshan. Other popular programmes included Hindi film songs-based shows like Chitrahaar and Rangoli followed by crime thrillers like Karamchand (starring Pankaj Kapur) and Byomkesh Bakshi.

Then came Zee. And television changed. And India changed.

Tara — the first ever Indian soap on the contemporary urban woman — fire-spitting and explosive; the explorative Banegi Apni Baat; and the scandalous Hasratein. Television was in rapid flux. Zee also created music-based programmes like Antakshari, Philips Top 10 and Sa Re Ga Ma; launched India’s first cookery show, Khana Khazana, with chef Sanjeev Kapoor; created the Zee Horror Show – a new genre for India; ideated and aired Aap Ki Adalat, India’s Most Wanted and Commander; introduced game shows Tol Mol Ke Bol and Bournvita Quiz Contest — all new ideas in entertainment for an evolving, rapidly changing India.

Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) debuted in 2000 on Star TV and rewrote all the rules of Indian television. The show’s engaging format, combined with Amitabh Bachchan’s charismatic hosting, made it a household favourite across the country. Beyond entertainment, the show also inspired and motivated viewers to pursue knowledge and education, as well as showcased stories of resilience and determination.

While the messaging on screen was changing, the medium too was changing gears. From the grainy reception of content through cable to satellite to CAS to HITS to DTH to IPTV to OTT and Smart TV, the consumer’s journey has been packed with newer experiences, better technology and more choice.

But the most interesting dimension of change in the past 50 years has really been the shrinking size of the entertainment screen. The larger-than-life 70 mm screen made way for the 21-inch TV. With the arrival of the internet, the screen further shrank to a 14-inch laptop. Now most entertainment is being experienced on a 6-inch mobile screen. The emergence of 5G, the convergence of Web3 and the enchantment of AI — there’s lots more coming our way for sure. 

Sandeep Goyal is Chairman of Rediffusion