A simple internet search reveals that the highest grossing Hindi films of all-time, as of January 2024, are Jawan, Gadar 2, Pathaan, Baahubali 2, and Animal. Some of the other commercially successful films to have released in the last couple of years from outside of Bollywood include Pushpa, KGF: Chapter 2, Vikram and Kantara. These are seemingly straightforward mainstream affairs with big stars and even bigger budgets. But if one looks closely, an unsettling pattern emerges. A pattern of uncontrolled rage, resentment, aggression, and an appetite for barbarity.
Now let’s not make any mistake about it, action films have historically done well in India. What’s different now, is the inherent desire of these protagonists to resort to extensive bloodshed in order to entice a wider audience.