Responding to the editor’s appeal to reflect on Bharat’s 80-year post-Independence journey, I find myself returning to a subject close to my heart – Indian cinema.
What stands out today is not merely its technological evolution, but a deeper shift in its narrative confidence: the move from formula-driven escapism to storytelling that engages with contested histories, identities and political realities.
For much of the post-Independence era, mainstream cinema largely functioned as escapist entertainment, built around familiar templates of romance, action and melodrama.
Even when it touched social themes, it tended to avoid subjects that were politically sensitive or historically contentious, reflecting a broader cultural caution in public discourse.
However, this was not a uniform absence of engagement. Parallel cinema and certain mainstream filmmakers did attempt to explore difficult social realities, albeit with limited reach.
Casting away cautious storytelling
In recent years, Indian cinema has increasingly ventured into subjects that were once considered difficult to portray within mainstream commercial frameworks.
Films such as The Kashmir Files, Article 370, The Kerala Story, The Sabarmati Report, Sam Bahadur and Chhaava have brought sharply debated historical and socio-political issues into the centre of public attention, generating both strong support and equally strong criticism.
Whatever one’s position on their interpretation of events, these films mark a clear departure from earlier industry hesitations. They indicate a willingness among filmmakers to engage with narratives that sit at the intersection of history, memory and political identity.
The rise of pan-Indian cinema
This shift has been amplified by the emergence of pan-Indian cinema. Films are no longer confined to regional or linguistic boundaries in the way they once were.
Productions such as Baahubali, RRR, KGF, Pushpa and others have demonstrated that scale, spectacle and storytelling can transcend language barriers and find audiences across the country.
OTT platforms have further accelerated this transformation. Streaming services have dismantled traditional distribution hierarchies, allowing films from different regions to reach national and global audiences simultaneously.
A Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu or Kannada film today can achieve nationwide visibility within days of release, something that was unthinkable in earlier decades.
At the same time, this expansion has also introduced greater diversity of opinion. Wider reach does not automatically translate into consensus. Instead, it often amplifies differing interpretations of the same work.
A striking example of the anticipation surrounding this new phase is the growing buzz around S.S. Rajamouli’s upcoming film Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu.
The very fact that such an epic-adventure film is being discussed nationwide at the conceptual stage reflects how deeply audience engagement has transformed.
Global recognition and changing ambition
Alongside domestic expansion, Indian cinema has also begun to find a stronger foothold internationally. Films are increasingly being showcased at global festivals, entering foreign markets, and attracting attention for both their technical ambition and narrative diversity.
This global visibility has, in turn, influenced the ambitions of filmmakers. There is a growing awareness that Indian stories are no longer being made only for a domestic audience, but for a global audience that is curious about Bharat’s social, political and cultural complexity.
A more confident cinematic space
Recent large-scale productions, including the Dhurandhar film, reflect this broader shift towards high-stakes narratives involving national security, geopolitics and historical interpretation.
Such films tend to generate multiple readings – some view them as bold expansions of genre storytelling, while others question their framing or emphasis. Films are now debated in real time across theatres, television studios and social media platforms.
The audience is no longer a passive recipient but an active participant in shaping a film’s reception and meaning, often before critical consensus has had time to settle.
Cinema as a mirror of a changing nation
Ultimately, Indian cinema continues to reflect the society it emerges from. The shift from formula-driven storytelling to more politically and historically engaged narratives mirrors a broader transformation in public discourse itself.
A more assertive, more connected and more opinionated audience has created space for filmmakers to take greater risks. At the same time, it has also ensured that those risks are immediately debated, challenged and reinterpreted from multiple perspectives.
As Bharat moves further into its post-Independence journey, its cinema appears to be undergoing a parallel evolution – from a medium of escape to a medium of engagement, from carefully curated narratives to openly contested ones.
In that sense, the transformation of Indian cinema is not separate from the transformation of Bharat itself.
