Action films were once the crown jewel of the movie-watching experience in the 80s and 90s. Larger-than-life heroes like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha used to fill theatres like they were cricket stadiums. People used to hoot, whistle, clap, slap and guffaw as the action unfolded on the screen. Equally important were the villains like Amrish Puri, Amjad Khan, Prem Chopra and many more. But in 2022, these memories seem like distant pockets of nostalgia. While films like 'Sholay', 'Kalicharan', 'Agneepath' and 'Khuda Gawah' continue to entertain to date, the world of action films has changed dramatically.
One of the biggest punches to the gut of the action genre has been the recent lackluster performance of movies like 'Heropanti 2', 'Rashtra Kavach: Om', 'Dhaakad' and others. Movie buffs have started asking pointed questions - Why are our action films failing? Why are action films from the South doing way better? Has the genre run out of steam? Or have Indian action movie fans entrusted their faith in Marvel and Tom Cruise movies? This week’s BigStory will answer all these questions and more. It’s a high-octane story, where contrasting opinions will ricochet around like stray bullets. Without much ado, let's dive into the thick of the action.
