Veteran film critic blames poor storytelling, over-reliance on stars, and lack of sincerity for Bollywood’s declining box office run
Mumbai, April 1: “Ek beimani aa gayi hai (There’s dishonesty now),” said renowned film critic Meena Iyer, voicing what many moviegoers have been thinking—Bollywood is losing its grip on quality cinema, and the audiences are voting with their feet.
With high-profile flops like Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency,’ Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Deva,’ Abhishek Kapoor’s ‘Azaad,’ and Salman Khan’s Eid release ‘Sikandar’, questions are being raised about why even star-studded films are struggling to pull crowds to theatres.
In a candid interaction, Meena Iyer dissected the crisis plaguing Bollywood.
“We have stopped thinking about our scripts. There’s a dishonesty now — be it the audience, the media, or distributors, everyone feels let down,” she said. “Filmmakers must understand they can’t fool people anymore. If they don’t deliver quality and sensible cinema, they will lose relevance.”
Iyer emphasized that placing blind faith in a film’s star power without solid storytelling is a recipe for failure.
“You can’t just cast a superstar and hope the film becomes a hit. That’s not how it works anymore. Script is king — and right now, it’s being sidelined.”
Calling for a return to basics, she urged filmmakers to invest in strong writing, tight editing, and skilled music direction.
“Engage the finest talent. Stop giving us brain-dead cinema every week. It’s not helping you, me, or the viewer,” Iyer stated.
So far, 2025 has seen just one major blockbuster — Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Chhaava’ — while most releases have either underperformed or failed to meet audience expectations.
However, the year is far from over. Anticipated releases like ‘Kesari 2,’ ‘Jaat,’ ‘Kannappa,’ ‘Toxic,’ ‘Housefull 5,’ and Aamir Khan’s ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ are still in the pipeline. The coming months will be a litmus test for whether Bollywood can rise from its creative slump and reconnect with its audience through meaningful, entertaining, and well-crafted stories.