India – the land of millions of dreams, a billion hopes, and a movie industry that produces more films in a year than any other country. In fact, India has the distinction of being the largest movie producer in the world. Yet, ironically, our cinematic achievements seem to be directly proportional to the depths of despair we experience as viewers. With an endless parade of blockbusters, yet somehow, zero sense of sophistication, storytelling, or quality.
Now, I know, I know – I’ll probably sound like the ultimate buzzkill for not watching the newest blockbusters like Jawan, Pathaan, or Pushpa. But, I did try, okay? I really tried. I sat through Jawan, convinced I might witness a breakthrough in Indian cinema. Instead, I was slapped in the face with mind-numbing absurdity and an overdose of hero worship that is so excessive it could make even the biggest Bollywood fan cringe. And let’s not even talk about the ‘entertainment’ offerings that are somehow considered prime cinema—Kabir Singh, Veere Di Wedding, Animal—and others, which are essentially giant advertisements for how to objectify women, sometimes men, and glorify toxic masculinity.
But hey, who needs nuance or creativity when you can just splash some over-the-top action, meaningless songs, and an unhealthy dose of gender stereotypes on the big screen, right?
The State of Indian Cinema: Where Is the Story? Where Is the Soul?
Here’s the thing: Indian movies have become the epitome of everything that’s wrong with mainstream entertainment. We are the largest movie producers on the planet, yet the quality of most of these films feels like a slap in the face to those who actually understand the craft of storytelling. Bollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood, and all the other ‘woods’ can churn out films like assembly-line workers, but does the content actually add anything meaningful to the viewer’s life? Absolutely not. Instead of pushing boundaries or creating fresh narratives, the Indian movie industry seems stuck in a toxic loop of objectification and misplaced hero worship.
Let’s start with something basic — storytelling. What’s the plot of most Indian films these days? Hero fights villain. Hero wins. Hero is overly emotional. Hero sings five songs while looking emotionally distressed. Villain’s evil ways are made to look cartoonish. Heroine is there for eye candy or to occasionally look concerned. That’s the formula. Simple, isn’t it? And guess what? It sells. And the audience buys it.
Want a deeper analysis? Sure! The plot arcs are as basic as they come: a love story that doesn’t add anything new to the table, followed by songs that have zero contribution to the narrative except to break the monotony of, wait for it… excessive power displays from the hero. We’re not talking about good music, either. Most of these songs are either totally unnecessary or so badly placed that you wonder if the director had a mandatory quota of songs to fill.
Songs In Bollywood that Serve No Purpose
Speaking of songs, can we take a moment to talk about how movies that run for about 2.5 hours, will somehow manage to squeeze in five random, meaningless songs? Because why not? Who needs a coherent story when you can interrupt the narrative with a party anthem that has no relation to the plot? We’re not watching The Godfather, after all; we’re too busy shaking our heads to the latest romantic number while the hero and heroine prance around in picturesque locations—locations that, let’s be honest, are there to distract you from the lack of actual substance in the movie.
Songs aren’t inherently bad, of course. But when used as filler between meaningless fight scenes or cringy dialogues, they become an absolute distraction. Can you imagine sitting through a movie with your entire family, watching five songs that have absolutely nothing to do with the storyline? It’s as if the creators are more interested in the next “chart-topping” track than in creating a story that actually resonates with the audience.
Toxic Masculinity and Objectification of Women: The Indian Cinema Legacy
And let’s not forget how Indian films are essentially an extended commercial for toxic masculinity. Enter the alpha male – the guy who can take on a dozen henchmen, never gets hurt, and who can stare at the villain like he’s trying to ignite an entire city just by sheer force of will. The hero is untouchable, unrelatable, and more god-like than human. How does this benefit society? Well, it doesn’t.
The real tragedy, however, is the way women are treated in these films. I mean, it’s 2025, but somehow, the portrayal of women in most of these films hasn’t evolved past the 1980s. In fact, it’s like we’ve regressed. Women are still reduced to mere props to glorify the hero. And if you’re lucky enough to be the female lead, you might get a song where you spin in slow motion or perhaps a tearful scene where the hero saves you from some unspeakable fate.
Take Kabir Singh, for example. The movie was nothing more than a glorification of abusive relationships, disguised as a ‘romantic saga.’ The movie’s hero, Kabir, is a textbook case of emotional toxicity, and the film treats his behavior as a “passionate love story.” Meanwhile, the woman (Preeti) is objectified, manipulated, and left powerless. Yet, somehow, audiences ate it up. The sheer audacity of presenting such a problematic dynamic as ‘romantic‘ without any repercussions is deeply disturbing.
Veere Di Wedding and Animal aren’t much better. Women are presented as wild, carefree spirits whose lives revolve around materialism, shallow relationships, and being the ‘sidekick’ to a male character’s evolution. The male characters, meanwhile, are given the chance to be the complex, multi-dimensional ones—because, of course, they deserve more screen time and development.
This is the state of Indian cinema today: a glorification of toxic masculinity and the objectification of women under the banner of ‘entertainment.’ It’s frustrating because there’s so much potential in India—so many diverse stories, rich cultures, and deep narratives that are being completely ignored for cheap thrills and even cheaper ticket sales.
The Youth: Misguided by Content Creators and Cinema Buffs Alike
Now, let’s talk about the real tragedy here—the youth of India. These films, alongside the absurd content put out by influencers like Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia, Urfi Javed, and Anjali Arora, are shaping the minds of millions. This is the content that the youth of today consume, believing it to be ‘cool,’ ‘funny,’ or even ’empowering.’
Samay Raina’s comedy show India Got Latent (I mean, the name alone should be a red flag, right?) is another prime example. It thrives on inappropriate jokes, crass humor, and promoting a culture where debasement is seen as comedic genius. With influencers like Ranveer Allahbadia (who openly discusses how to be a “manly man” and gives ridiculous, tone-deaf advice on relationships), what exactly are young people learning? How to objectify women? How to glorify mediocrity? How to turn narcissism into the latest trend? The tragic thing is that these people have become role models for millions of impressionable minds.
India’s ‘Vishwa Guru’ Status: A Dream That’s Fast Turning into a Nightmare
India’s ambition to become a vishwa guru—a global leader—might remain a pipe dream as long as we continue to encourage and consume this mindless content. If this is what we’re feeding our youth, how exactly do we expect them to become leaders, innovators, or educated citizens?
India may produce the highest number of movies, but the movies we produce are cheap, shallow representations of toxic culture and warped values. While other countries are creating cinematic masterpieces based on thought-provoking stories, futuristic concepts, or scientific exploration, India is stuck churning out regressive plots wrapped in glorified fantasies.
How can we move forward as a nation when the building blocks—the youth—are continuously misguided by empty content that does nothing but glorify misogyny, ignorance, and narcissism? Instead of celebrating movies that challenge thought and push boundaries, we’re stuck celebrating films that celebrate the same old tropes—loud, dumbed-down narratives that seem to serve only one purpose: profit.
At the End: A Call for Better Content, Better Role Models
India doesn’t just need better movies; it needs a complete overhaul of its approach to media. We need films that teach us about empathy, innovation, and critical thinking. We need movies that are intelligent, nuanced, and don’t rely on outdated formulas or harmful stereotypes. And for heaven’s sake, let’s stop glorifying misogyny, abuse, and mindless hero worship.
If we want to be a true global leader, we need to stop celebrating the trash on our screens and start elevating the content that truly adds value to society. This isn’t just about being ‘cool’ or ‘funny.’ It’s about creating a future where our youth are empowered to be more than just passive consumers of mind-numbing garbage.
Until that happens, we’ll continue to produce movies that offer nothing but hollow displays of power and shallow objectification. And no amount of #VishwaGuru hashtags will change that.
So, I’ll ask you: Is this really the legacy we want to leave behind?
