If you have been to the movies over the past several months, you may have noticed a new trend on the marquee, where some of the most popular movie theatres have begun offering up old movies in addition to newly released movies together. The Bollywood movie industry is creating a nostalgia machine through their recent re-releases, including everything from cult movies from 10 years ago to more recent films that were popular in the mid-2010s.
The recent movie Tere Naam, which stars superstar Salman Khan, is an example of how Bollywood utilizes nostalgia to rekindle interest in films that were released over two decades ago. By putting this film back in theatres, they allowed fans to relive the heartbreak of Radhe, the character from the film, with the hope of reminding fans why it was such an emotionally monumental film for all Bollywood fans of the early 2000s.
Another example of this trend is Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, which was released in 2018 and had a significant impact on Kartik Aaryan’s career. By having his film return to theatres, they allowed himself a second chance to experience the film’s themes of friendship vs. love through the eyes of his audience once again.
Cinemas have also brought back films such as Sanam Teri Kasam, which actually made more money during its re-release than when it originally came out. Another example of successful re-release is Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, which previously underperformed at the box office and achieved cult status many years later. These two are examples of how theatre owners are operating with the new norm of re-releases of films that have experienced success either in their initial run or at least during their time after they were previously released.
As the number of new films being released continues to decline while the number of older titles being released is steadily increasing, re-releases are a safe option for theatre owners. Because there is little to no cost associated with marketing a re-released film, no need to rent an entire venue to watch the film (most likely shown on DVD), and nostalgia doing at least half of the promotion for a film, creating revenue by bringing back an existing successful title is a smart move because the risk to them is very low.
The most significant downside for theatre owners with this trend is the challenging question of why people are showing more interest in seeing or revisiting films from the past than they are in watching new films.
An emotional attachment to these films is part of the explanation. Films made in the early 2000s and the early 2010s had memorable songs, iconic dialogues, and characters that continue to resonate with people long after they saw the film for the first time, and sharing those experiences with an audience may be seen as a shared cultural experience rather than just watching another movie.
Though the growing number of re-releases could suggest that the film industry is experiencing an internal crisis, it could also become a problem if this becomes the primary form of attraction for audiences. As cinemas, film studios, and filmmakers all grow through continued exploration of new ideas, new talent, and new stories that reflect today’s culture and society, if we see theatres becoming more reliant on the past than looking toward the future, the excitement for audiences in going to the theatre will eventually fizzle out due to repeated experiences.
Re-releases are not all bad when done in moderation, e.g., celebrating anniversaries or cult classics, because they can provide audiences with a reason to remember why they fell in love with motion pictures originally.
Ultimately, Bollywood should seek to create a healthy balance between the past and the future. While there are certainly comfort levels extended through the inspiration of past material, the only way for Bollywood to succeed in the next twenty years is through producing films that will still be popular enough for moviegoers to revisit in another 20 years.
