Film trade analyst slams declining writing standards, urges passionate filmmaking while warning piracy could devastate theatrical business
Mumbai, April 1: In a candid take on Bollywood’s recent spate of box office failures, veteran film trade analyst Komal Nahta has squarely blamed the “kamchori” (laziness) of today’s scriptwriters. He believes the real reason behind the industry’s creative downfall lies not in OTT platforms, but in half-baked writing and lack of rewriting.
Nahta said,
“The biggest problem is laziness. People finalise the first draft thinking it’s good enough. But good storytelling doesn’t work that way. Scripts must go through multiple revisions and honest self-critique.”
To emphasize his point, Nahta praised filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi, citing how their team has scrapped even 80% completed scripts when they felt it didn’t meet their standards.
“That’s what passionate filmmaking looks like,” he said. “You must be honest with your work, not just rely on star power.”
With big-budget flops like ‘Emergency’, ‘Deva’, ‘Azaad’, and Salman Khan’s ‘Sikandar’, the critic stressed that mere casting of superstars is no longer a winning formula without compelling narratives.
“Audiences today are smarter. You can’t fool them with poor storytelling.”
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Adding to the chaos, Nahta revealed that ‘Sikandar’—Salman Khan’s much-hyped Eid release—was leaked online around its release date, which could significantly impact its box office run.
“I found out late at night about the leak but waited to confirm. This morning, several trade contacts verified that the full film was circulating online,” Nahta said. “Producer Sajid Nadiadwala’s team has been working hard to remove pirated links, but by then, the damage was done.”
He warned of the financial implications, especially when a movie leaks on or before the day of release:
“If people can watch a full Salman Khan movie for free on their phones, why would they spend on tickets?”
Nahta’s brutally honest commentary comes at a time when the film industry is under pressure to bounce back with meaningful cinema. So far, Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Chhaava’ remains the only major blockbuster of 2025.
With upcoming releases like ‘Kesari 2’, ‘Kannappa’, ‘Housefull 5’, and ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, the months ahead may determine whether Bollywood has truly taken the message to heart—or continues its spiral into mediocrity.
