Bollywood turns cold on new directors: Fewer debut filmmakers in theatres
Hindi film producers have grown increasingly risk-averse over the past three-and-a-half years, betting on familiar names and proven formulae while pulling back on support for
debut filmmakers
, amid a wave of
box-office flops
even by seasoned directors.
The number of debut filmmakers breaking into
Hindi cinema
fell to 32 in 2024 from 39 in 2022, according to the data shared by veteran trade analysts. So far in 2025, only 15 first-time Hindi filmmakers have had theatrical releases.
This decline has come despite an increase in the total number of Hindi film releases to 221 in 2024 from 194 in 2022. The share of debut directors dropped to 14.5% from 20.1% during this period.
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"Today, producers want to minimise the margin of error," said Ameya Naik, producer and founder of the event management company Fantasy Films. "Gone are the days when a filmmaker could afford to make his or her 'best' film after a few films. Today, a filmmaker's debut film must be his or her 'best' film, as audiences have become more unforgiving than ever," he said.
Post-pandemic, producers across geographies have been facing the fundamental challenge of increasing unpredictability in box-office outcomes, with the success ratio of films falling to about 3.2% in 2024. Gross box office collection declined to ₹11,833 crore in 2024 from ₹12,226 crore in 2023, according to Ormax Media, a media and entertainment research firm.
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Amid this unpredictability and rising talent costs, Hindi film producers have become averse to backing new stories and directors, industry insiders said.
Producers are more interested in exploiting intellectual properties (IPs) of already successful films even as conglomerates, private equity players and asset management companies have acquired high or controlling stakes in entertainment companies across the world.
"They are driven more by numbers than creativity. So, they invest in successful IPs by making sequels or remaking them, as they believe familiarity with IPs brings audiences to theatres," said a producer requesting anonymity.
This strategy seems to be working. The top three Hindi grossers of 2024 were all franchises and sequels: Stree 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, and Singham Again.
In this context, a Bain & Company Global M&A 2025 report noted that owning quality IPs has been a key factor behind recent mergers and acquisitions in the global media and entertainment industry.
In this scenario, producers say it is easier for debut filmmakers in Hindi to find opportunities on streaming platforms than making theatrical debut.
"I think for debut filmmakers, the challenges involved in making a theatrical film are higher than those involved in making films for streaming platforms," said Naveen Chandra, founder and CEO of 91 Film Studios, a studio for regional films.
This is in stark contrast to what is transpiring in regional cinema where several debut directors are making noteworthy content-driven films.
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