Why Bollywood Struggles to Produce War and Strategic Films Like Hollywood

It is a common misconception that all Hollywood films are meticulously researched, but it's important to note that the vast majority of films, especially those with smaller budgets or less mainstream appeal, may not meet the same rigorous standards. Hollywood indeed releases a wide array of war and strategic films, but this is not to say that the industry takes all their projects with complete seriousness. The success of films like Hercules, a colossal box office draw, does not necessarily reflect the quality and authenticity of their historical representations.

Contrary to what one might expect, the reason Bollywood rarely matches Hollywood's output in terms of war and strategic films is multifaceted. Let's delve into why historical accuracy and grand war narratives are far less prevalent in Bollywood. First, we must understand the need for intense historical support in the making of war films. Despite the abundance of Greek historians in the world, the availability and expertise of Indian historians are limited. This scarcity of expertise coupled with the high fees demanded by them significantly hike up production costs. Studios often end up relying on fragmented and less reliable online information, sacrificing the level of authenticity that history demands.

The Market and Resource Gap

Another major obstacle lies in the differences between the market and resources of Hollywood and Bollywood. As one of the world’s largest media and entertainment industries, Hollywood has a robust financial system to support the process of scriptwriting, development, and adaptation of complex historical or strategic narratives. Hollywood studios often commission writers, even before they have a script, to develop and refine a script that meets their high standards of authenticity and narrative quality. If the script is not satisfactory, it can be discarded, and the process starts all over again. This rigorous and resource-intensive approach allows Hollywood to produce a higher level of quality in their war films.

In sharp contrast, Bollywood, although fiercely competitive, is often constrained by limited resources. The producers and filmmakers in Bollywood do not have the luxury of waiting for the perfect script to develop or the finances to pay for lengthy pre-production. The market for Bollywood films is significantly smaller compared to Hollywood, making quick returns a priority. Over 50% of Bollywood films do not even see the light of day in the southern region of India, further emphasizing the need for quick production and release to maximize profit margins.

Writer Shortage and Content Gap

The paucity of writers skilled in creating war and strategic narratives is another significant hurdle. While prominent writers like Devdutt Patnaik and Amish Tripathi have made significant contributions to research-based storytelling in India, their numbers are far from sufficient to fill the gap demanded by war and strategic films. These writers indeed bring a depth of research and authenticity, but they are few in comparison to the vast number of historical and military narratives required by Hollywood's war film market. In contrast, Hollywood often adapts books, graphic novels, and other forms of intellectual property that have already established a large fan base and narrative framework, which are relatively easier to adapt into prestige war films. Hollywood's content creation and adaptation process often require less original research compared to developing a completely new storyline from scratch.

Conclusion and The Future of Bollywood

While Bollywood may not be at par with Hollywood in terms of producing grand war films, it is not entirely devoid of historical representations. Bollywood has made significant strides in adapting global narratives to Indian sensibilities, showing that there is room for growth and learning from the global filmmaking landscape. As the industry evolves, the emergence of more dedicated and well-compensated writers, the development of deeper historical research, and access to greater resources could potentially bridge the gap between Bollywood and Hollywood in terms of historical accuracy and narrative depth.

In conclusion, the reasons why Bollywood struggles to produce films on par with Hollywood's war and strategic narratives are rooted in historical research, market demand, and resource availability. While this situation is likely to persist in the short term, it is not insurmountable. The future of Bollywood may yet see more historical and strategic films that match the international standard of accuracy and narrative richness.