MUMBAI: Producers are turning to biopics on celebrated film personalities, drawn by their emotional depth, lower marketing costs, safer returns and audiences' growing fondness for real, inspiring stories from the world of cinema, writers and trade insiders told ET.
Over the next two years, Bollywood producers are set to release a wave of biopics on film legends such as Dadasaheb Phalke, Meena Kumari, Kishore Kumar, Parveen Babi, Madhubala and Ilaiyaraaja, as the industry increasingly turns the camera inward amid a broader boom in biographical films across politics, history, science, sports and mythology.
"These biopics have an advantage. Largely, audiences are inquisitive about the personal lives of their favourite film artists," said Girish Johar, producer and film business expert. "But for those who are not admirers or fans of these artists, the merit of these biopics will be tested only on how their stories are told," he added.
A key concern among directors and writers about biopics on film artists is the authenticity of their portrayal, a nuance that many past films failed to capture.
"I am keen on watching a biopic about the actress Meena Kumari given her body of work, personality and the enigma around her. But a key question remains: Will the film on Meena Kumari deal with the critical aspects of her life or just one prominent aspect of her life?," said veteran writer-director Nilaskhi Sengupta. "Ultimately, it is the authentic portrayal of such artists which will decide how well they will be received," she added.
In recent years, creative works based on the film industry and artists have received high critical acclaim. In India, the web series Jubilee, which showed the 1940s era of the Hindi film industry received favourable response from the audience.
Lastly, costs also play a role in this trend. "Indian audiences have an immediate connection with biopics on film artists. For producers, who are under-confident in backing original stories due to polarised responses to films, a biopic on a film artist reduces at least the marketing and promotion costs," said Ameya Naik, founder of Fantasy Films, an event management company.
Over the next two years, Bollywood producers are set to release a wave of biopics on film legends such as Dadasaheb Phalke, Meena Kumari, Kishore Kumar, Parveen Babi, Madhubala and Ilaiyaraaja, as the industry increasingly turns the camera inward amid a broader boom in biographical films across politics, history, science, sports and mythology.
"These biopics have an advantage. Largely, audiences are inquisitive about the personal lives of their favourite film artists," said Girish Johar, producer and film business expert. "But for those who are not admirers or fans of these artists, the merit of these biopics will be tested only on how their stories are told," he added.
A key concern among directors and writers about biopics on film artists is the authenticity of their portrayal, a nuance that many past films failed to capture.
"I am keen on watching a biopic about the actress Meena Kumari given her body of work, personality and the enigma around her. But a key question remains: Will the film on Meena Kumari deal with the critical aspects of her life or just one prominent aspect of her life?," said veteran writer-director Nilaskhi Sengupta. "Ultimately, it is the authentic portrayal of such artists which will decide how well they will be received," she added.
In recent years, creative works based on the film industry and artists have received high critical acclaim. In India, the web series Jubilee, which showed the 1940s era of the Hindi film industry received favourable response from the audience.
Lastly, costs also play a role in this trend. "Indian audiences have an immediate connection with biopics on film artists. For producers, who are under-confident in backing original stories due to polarised responses to films, a biopic on a film artist reduces at least the marketing and promotion costs," said Ameya Naik, founder of Fantasy Films, an event management company.
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