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Genres Indian Cinema Has Missed Out On


If you're a movie buff and have watched Indian cinema for quite a few years now, you would have noticed a pattern. This pattern shows a repetition of films, with a few changes here and there. These films have similar plots, similar climaxes, and most of the time they are directed by the same directors. A very simple example of this is Karan Johar and his films released under the Dharma Productions banner. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai has blinding similarities with SOTY 1&2 and also Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Most Indian cinema is either Romance, Biographies, and Drama. We do have a few Gangs of Wasseypur-types and nightmarish attempts at Horror, but that's about it. The lack of variety in cinema has made Bollywood predictable. We know that Salman Khan will save the day in the end, we know if its a Rohit Shetty film car-flying will be witnessed. However, when you watch movies like Arrival, Platform, Tumbbad, and most films by Nolan, you'll witness mixed feelings. When Tumbbad ends, you' feeling eerie, similarly, in Arrival the entire films was jumbled, and yet the pieces fit most perfectly in the end. The aim is not to compare the two cinema giants in any way, the Bollywood and Hollywood debate is much too heated and ever going. However, the fact that Indian filmmakers refrain from experimenting is known to all.
Here, in this piece, I'll be talking about 3 genres Indian Cinema is missing out on. Again, this is my personal point of view and there may be others as well. These 3 are the ones I personally like.

Fantasy

I'm gonna come out and say this beforehand. I'm a huge fantasy-stan. I grew up watching Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia and spent the latter years reading more from this genre. It's no surprise that fantasy-or lack thereof- in Indian Cinema would grab my interest. On the hunt to find fantasy movies in India, I stumbled upon a few and regretted my decision. The fact that movies like Rudhraksh, Aabra ka Daabra and Joker made it to the list proves my point. The one exception is Tumbbad, a Fantasy/Horror marvel of India, that came and went away unnoticed. 
There are many reasons why Indian filmmakers have stepped away from experimenting with this genre; laziness and, lack of inspiration being a few. But now seems a good time to start experimenting with fantasy as a genre in India. The influence of OTT platforms is growing and different types and styles of content are coming to the forefront. The audience is getting more accustomed to better content, giving filmmakers and directors a good chance to experiment with different ideas that earlier seemed too far-fetched. 

Noir

Before we discuss the need to experiment with noir, let's make it clear that noir is not a genre per se. It is a style of writing and a dark one at that. The literal meaning of noir is 'Black Film'. The rise of noir was seen in post-war America and after a few years in the form of 'neo-noir'. In India, we have witnessed very few noir films and to be honest, most are rip-offs from Hollywood and other cinema backgrounds. Despite being copies, the attempt to bring the feel of noir is spot on. Films like Manorama Six Feet Under, No Smoking, and Bhavesh Joshi are great attempts at noir. 
The lack of noir is not Ajust in Indian cinema. In cinema all over the world, noir has become history, mostly surviving through the likes of people who follow this genre. You'd think the corrupt nature of the world, the broken society, and distaste amongst people would inspire filmmakers and directors to experiment with this genre, but we've seen no such output as of now. Perry Mason, the new HBO series, tries the bring about some elements of noir, but we're just at the first episode. 

Sci-Fi

Films like Ra.One, Aa Dekhe Zara, Krrish stand no chance when compared with the sci-fi giants of the west like Star Wars, Back to the Future, Interstellar, and E.T. 
Koi Mil Gaya is the nearest Indian cinema has come to sci-fi, and that too is a rip off of E.T. It's not that attempts haven't been made to make sci-fi mainstream in India. Several filmmakers have tried their hands in this genre and have failed miserably. Joker, Love Story 2050, and A Flying Jatt are some of the mistakes that took place over the years. But the fact that there are no recent films in this genre proves that Indian filmmakers have given up. They have forgotten the fact that there are many sci-fi movies by Hollywood that were monumental disasters, Land of the Lost, Dune, and Supernova to name a few. 

Genres Indian Cinema Has Missed Out On: Final Words

It seems high time now that Indian cinema breaks through the monotony and experiments with the numerous genres, themes, and styles available in the world of cinema. The world does not end after a disaster or few, neither should filmmakers after a film of a specific genre fails. 

About the Author:

Sharon is a full-time writer and part-time coffee-tester and dog-petter. She is often found reading fiction and obsessing over dogs. Sharon currently works as the content head at Binge Mad:  A TV, Movies, and Books blog. 

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