As Aamir, Salman & Shah Rukh Turn 60 in 2025, Is Bollywood Ready for a New Generation of Superstars?

Is Bollywood Ready for a New Generation of Superstars?: Spanning years for the Hindi film industry, churn hasn't been something fresh - it's almost like the backdrop has been changing. Over the past decade or so, landmark commercial blockbusters have become gradually harder to find, and today, the Eid release that Salman Khan strikes on is gory and bloody for most people.

The Eid-released film marking the start of every year has become a hot favorite among fans and leads to one of the biggest hits of the year. Out of 18 films, 15 years-ago's tally has crossed into Cent crore. Nowadays, the box office collection aspired to by every star ranges above ₹300 crores owing to an increase in production cost. And to some extent, though not as much to date, Sikandar, his Eid release in 2022, lived up to the name by managing to surpass ₹100 crores in the course of those nine days (India collection).

Also Read: China Vows to ‘Fight to the End’ Against Trump’s Tariffs as Europe Plans Counterattack

Not so much this year, while Aamir Khan is still on a release hiatus after Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) flopped, he is apparently trying to make way for launching a new venture this year with Sitaare Zameen Par. As for Shah Rukh Khan, after a long period of being inactivity for around four years, 2023 saw him back again with Pathaan followed by Jawan and has no release in 2025.

It cannot be denied that the trifecta of the three Khans has been a massive force in shaping Bollywood in the past decades in lifting its fortunes. However, with things changing in the recent times, star power appears insufficient to carry a movie through to triumph at the box office.

There are several contributory factors such as the change in taste among audiences brought about by the growth of OTT platforms, the growth of regional cinema, etc. Within the space of a year or so, audiences have been exposed to high-quality international and regional content and more have been made aware of it through social media and turned into critical audiences. Stories are demanding a different experience and try to break the stereotypes of Bollywood commercial formulas.

And even at this point in time, biggest stars have not been enough to ensure a blockbuster, which raises the question-will the Hindi film industry need new star faces and fresh talent at this juncture to keep it thriving and flourishing?

Girish Johar, producer and film business analyst, agrees with this saying, “Definitely we need more stars – there is no two ways about it. Apart from the three Khans, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, the next generation has to produce a lot of stars. Presently, we have Ranbir Kapoor, who is leading the pack, followed by Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal is also bringing in the numbers. But we need more youngsters to get the stardom value back to theatres."

"The good part is that post the pandemic the language lines have blurred and the audience is open to watching more storytelling. For me, a story or content can also be a star – Munjya and Laapataa Ladies are examples of this. Since there is a shortfall of stars now in Bollywood, we are seeing a lot of south films doing well in the Hindi belt. So, I am definitely hoping that the Hindi film industry creates more stars.”

Content is king

Johar states that there have been smaller films in various genres that have made hits among the audiences, for instance, "Munjya", "Laapataa Ladies", "12th Fail", "Stree 2", or "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3". But experts from the film industry say it is important to note that the content particularly is how well it is articulated in the storytelling aspects.

“The question is do we need star power or content power and good makers? I believe that the stars including the three Khans and others are already there so what we need now is content power and good makers to save Bollywood. The team behind the screen – the writers, editors and directors - is more important than the team on screen; if the team behind the screen is strong, stars can give that added attraction but without a strong team behind the screen, star value becomes of limited value,” explains Pankaj Jaysinh of UFO Moviez, Yes, content was king in all those petite films which now are blockbusters.

Also Read: From Overspeeding to Shoplifting: Minor Offences Leading to Deportation of Indian Students in the US

Bring in the new crop

Earlier in the decades, studios like Yash Raj Films (YRF) and RK Films were homegrown in the Hindi film industry, focusing on content-oriented films that would introduce new talent to the film world.

“YRF and RK Films put their heart into the story and the concept. Some of their movies may have worked commercially and some may have not. But they were very well appreciated and both these production houses were known to introduce new stars,” adds Jaysinh. Today, Dharma Productions, thanks to Karan Johar, is known to introduce new faces, i.e. star kids, to Bollywood but unfortunately, the nepotism debate overshadows the talent he has brought to B-Town.

Today, Dharma Productions, courtesy of Karan Johar, is said to introduce new faces-the star kids-to Bollywood but sadly, the lack of talent in the B-town overshadowed by the nepotism debate.

While Fridays can make or break a star, Bollywood has seen a sudden influx of new faces into competition with that peer pressure of pan-Indian films, south stars and new viewing habits. Big names and legacies are no longer the yardstick under which a film must measure its success. It is fresh content and raw, authentic talent bringing the audience to theater walls.

It is true that the glitz and glamor of Bollywood have not been at par lately, but the shine of success in this area, so far, shows that if strong writing accompanies fresh content creation along with investments in talented diverse newcomers, then definitely, the industry could once again thrive in new spheres.

Also Read: Sensex, Nifty Rebound After Black Monday Crash | Indian Stock Market Recovers on Global Cues, Investor Buying