Master’s thoughts on Stree 2’s success and star power!
When discussing the phenomenal success of Stree 2, the media and film industry are quick to credit the stars involved, missing the bigger picture. This isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time, that a film without major stars unexpectedly becomes an all-time great. We haven’t seen an original film achieve such success in decades. It’s a clear case of the film’s success being due to the film itself, rather than the star power.
That’s not to say the actors in Stree 2 didn’t do a great job or lack a fan following, but in this instance, their presence isn’t what drives the narrative.
There are other films that follow this pattern. Take Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., for example. Released in 2003, it was a solid hit, particularly loved in Mumbai, where it did well despite being a solo Sanjay Dutt starrer that was outside his typical action-hero image. However, it was on television where the film truly took off, becoming beloved across India. When its sequel, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, released in 2006, it wasn’t just another Sanjay Dutt movie. From day one, it behaved like a major star vehicle and went on to do record business, even surpassing Krrish, which had released just a few months earlier. For a brief period, it was the highest-grossing Bollywood film, until Dhoom 2 came along. This example shows that while audiences loved Sanjay Dutt as Munna Bhai, the actor didn’t gain much from the film’s success in terms of solo offers or hits outside of the Munna Bhai franchise. This illustrates the difference between a movie’s sequel succeeding and a movie working purely because of star power.
Similarly, Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), with a cast that was virtually unknown to Hindi audiences, did the unthinkable by earning 120 crores. This was an extraordinary figure for a dubbed film. None of the actors gained significant value from this success—except for the filmmaker. The film’s popularity grew on television, and when its sequel released, it blew away all competition, earning over 500 crores in 2017, a time when Bollywood films struggled to reach 400 crores. Again, this shows a movie succeeding on its own merits, with its sequel doing even better. The audience loved the film itself, not necessarily the stars. Over time, success did boost Prabhas’s stardom, but no one else in the cast experienced a similar rise, not even Rana Daggubati, who had already worked in Hindi films. He returned to his career much as it was before.
In contrast, blockbusters like Pathaan, Jawan, or Animal are star-driven projects, with the movies focusing on the stars’ characters, presenting them in a way that excites their fans. These films rely heavily on the star to drive the narrative and be accepted by the audience. You could make Stree 2 or Baahubali 2 a huge hit without necessarily liking Prabhas or Rajkummar Rao. However, you can’t enjoy Pathaan, Jawan, or Animal without appreciating the stars. It just wouldn’t work.
An interesting case is Gadar 2, another sequel that became an all-time great and a massive blockbuster, especially in India’s interiors. The film had the potential to do wonders even if it was only decent, but it wasn’t the movie itself that shone—it was Sunny Deol’s portrayal of Tara Singh that truly pulled it off. Thanks to this unique factor, Sunny Deol is now getting more projects, unlike Sanjay Dutt after Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Sunny will get more roles, but they will likely be confined to similar images and collaborations, such as with Rajkumar Santoshi in Lahore 1947, Border 2, or playing Hanuman in Ramayan.
The true potential of the Hindi film industry will be realized when a non-star-cast, non-sequel film becomes the highest-grossing movie. While the success of sequels is excellent, it’s not the same as when Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. setting records in 2003, Baahubali: The Beginning grossing 400 crores in 2015, or Stree achieving 400 crores in 2018. These would be true successes without any trace of star power or sequel-related boosts. Until that happens, Bollywood will continue to thrive on the box office returns of franchise and star-driven movies.
This entry was posted on September 2, 2024 at 1:56 PM and is filed under Commentary, the good with tags Baahubali, Gadar 2, Jawan, Munnabhai MBBS, Pathaan, Stree 2. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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