As Bollywood movies fizzle, microdramas lift Deepavali

On Deepavali in 2007, Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om and Saawariya, featuring debutants Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, were vying for millions of Indian to watch their movie in cinema halls.

- Prasannata Patwa & Soumya Gupta

While Saawariya failed, cinema halls were packed with people who couldn't get enough of Om Shanti Om. The Farah Khan-directorial went on to be a blockbuster earning ₹149.87 crore worldwide, according to Box Office India, and catapulting newcomer Deepika Padukone into Bollywood stardom.

Deepavali continues to be a big holiday weekend for filmmakers, movie studios, and exhibitors in the Hindi heartland. But audiences appeared disinterested in going to a theatre to watch a Hindi movie this festive holiday season.

This is partially due to the option of watching movies on streaming platforms later and partially due to movies not seeming interesting enough, according to half a dozen people Mint spoke with.

Larger video-streaming platforms are trying new forms of storytelling focused on festivities, faith