Why Bollywood Needs To Experiment With Anthologies Like Lust Stories And NOW Is A Good Time For It

Of late the spirit of experimenting with new genres and styles in Bollywood has surely become something to be proud about as a Bollywood fan. While some experiments have worked, some has fallen flat on face, but that does not mean that we should give up.

Out of all emerging trends in Bollywood, one trend that is not talked about much or not tried enough is that of anthologies. But given the current consumption pattern of the audience, anthology might be the next big thing that Bollywood will have to crack.

Firstly, presently in Bollywood, most good directors have carved a niche for themselves and it is pretty easy o spot the director by seeing the movie given the strong sense of individuality that these artists have inculcated. In case of an anthology, all these different directors coming together with their different flavors to come up with one tasty cocktail is surely a bright idea.

Yes, the track record of anthologies in Bollywood has not been very great. From Bombay Talkies to Dus Kahaaniyan, none have done a successful at the box-office. But it is not the format that is at fault here. The problem lies in the understanding of the format.

An anthology does not mean bringing together multiple directors and have them make small films and then merge them as one, that would have been a compilation. But an anthology necessarily means that different stories coming together by different people on a common theme brings out the plurality of theme and is perhaps one of the best ways to ensure a 360 degree coverage of the subject. Such a theme can only enrich the medium of cinema and we surely want Bollywood to be enriched.

Anthologies, by the sheer nature of its complexity, tends to deal with issues that are not probably tackled by mainstream cinema. While we have to agree that making a parallel content film has become easier than what it used to be, but it still requires a lot of effort. In such a scenario, instead of one, multiple makers and directors pulling in their resources make sure that parallel content continues to get new impetus of life.

Coming to the present scenario, the new anthology Lust Stories on Netflix, which has stories directed by the gems of Bollywood like Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar, who collaborated after Bombay Talkies, has been much talked about.

Given the new digital platform has become one of the most viable sources of content and entertainment now, it is perhaps the best time to experiment with a format like anthologies. The digital audience, who are exposed to cutting-edge global entertainment, is perhaps just the right audience for a format like an anthology and the success of Lust Stories is a testament to this.

We had the talent, we managed the resources, but the only thing holding back filmmakers from experimenting with a format as rich and vibrant as anthologies was perhaps the audience. Now with the digital audience, that gap has been bridged and it is one opportune moment that Bollywood needs cease and make the most out of, all the while adding its unique flavor to this one unique format of filmmaking or rather storytelling.