Since the beginning of Hindi Cinema, audiences have perceived actors as larger-than-life figures, and the stardom of Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and the three Khans is proof of it. Whether it was the Tragedy King or Angry Young Man, fans have admired powerful characters who bravely fight against the wrong. But, I believe these characters are more diluted in modern-day Bollywood films.
There are more realistic and relatable characters which present a new side of cinema that has impressed the fans. I understand that they represent the evolution of cinema. However, there is a growing void among Bollywood fans as they miss the larger-than-life heroes who once defined the industry.
Whether it’s Amitabh Bachchan’s magnetic presence in the 1970s or Sunny Deol, Ajay Devgn, and Sanjay Dutt’s dominance in the 1990s, fans always recall watching those big-screen heroes in awe. Unlike the Western film Industry, on-screen heroes weren’t just relatable in the past; they were untouchable icons, and fans can’t find that in today’s time, which speaks volumes about their distance from many significant Hindi films.
From Aamir Khan’s Lal Singh Chaddha to Salman Khan’s Tubelight or SRK’s Zero, this was an important reason why big-budget films the Khan’s failed at the box office. Yet, the same stars were loved when Aamir did Ghajini, Salman did Danbangg, Bodyguard or Wanted, and Shah Rukh Khan mesmerized us as Pathaan.
Today, this absence has left audiences searching for such characters elsewhere, and many are turning to Tamil and Telugu films like Pushpa: The Rise and Baahubali have delivered exactly what Bollywood no longer seems to offer. Their box office collection in North Indian, where they didn’t have a market in the past, has encouraged more filmmakers down south to follow this route.
The collection numbers of these films testify to the fact that they are not just South Indian hits; they’re pan-Indian sensations. The success of these movies is a clear reflection of the audience’s demand for larger-than-life heroes.
Several Bollywood stars have echoed the sentiment. Recently, Vivek Oberoi described what many fans have been feeling in an interview with MensXP. He said, “Tell me, who is the next Sunny Deol? There isn’t. Who is the next Ajay Devgn? There isn’t. Who is the next Sanjay Dutt? There isn’t a person who can just walk in and own the room.”
His words are voiced with the audience’s growing frustration with dominant males in films. Fans don’t just want actors—they want personalities who command respect and are automatically admired. Ajay Devgn also touched upon this issue in an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia and noted that overexposure to social media is a reason for the same.
Amid the stress of life, cinema has always been about escapism. So, I believe that the audiences channel their inner need for power and the win of good over evil in these characters, and they yearn for that aura and enigma once again. They satisfy their personal need for inspiration when they watch these extraordinary characters fight the most dreadful villains with powerful dialogues. But this is something that Bollywood rarely delivers today.
It’s not like filmmakers are ignorant about this aspect because films like Kabir Singh and Animal tried to depict dominant male characters. However, when these characters were meant to be complex, their toxic behavior became a major point of debate. It resulted in major backlash, and filmmakers are now more cautious. They know audiences don’t admire stories that normalize harmful actions despite good numbers.
Another reason for the decrease in larger than life characters is because new age filmmakers and independent filmmakers are catering more to a certain section of urban audience. They share their views on social media and become a significant source of validation. On the other hand, masses who have been loving dominant characters will showcase their validation later when they flock to theaters to watch Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 or Salman Khan’s Tiger series leaving an initial uncertainty.
I agree that Bollywood’s shift towards realism and more boy-next-door roles has its significance, but taking away those Larger-than-life heroes who once enticed the audience to the theatre has created a void. Audiences are yearning to witness a thrilling chase and unforgettable victory which is something Bollywood needs to consider.
