Bollywood vs South Indian Cinema: Resul Pookutty on the Industry’s Struggles Post-Pandemic

Since the lifting of lockdowns in 2021, Bollywood has faced stiff competition from South Indian cinema. The trend became more evident in 2024 when even the biggest Hindi hit, Stree 2, which earned around ₹600 crore, couldn’t surpass the Hindi version collection of Pushpa 2, which made over ₹800 crore.

Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, who worked on Pushpa 2, attributes Bollywood’s struggles to unsustainable decisions made during the pandemic. In an interview with Zoom, Resul explained how the Hindi film industry “panicked” and turned to OTT platforms, unlike South Indian cinema, which remained patient and prioritized theatrical releases.

Pandemic Choices and Industry Impact

“When the pandemic happened, the South Indian industry didn’t panic. They waited and released their films in theatres,” Resul said. In contrast, Hindi cinema quickly sold films to streaming platforms, creating dependency on a few OTT services for movie production. Resul emphasized that this shift reduced Bollywood’s control over its own content.

He cited Pushpa: The Rise as an example of South Indian cinema’s resilience. Despite restrictions limiting theatre occupancy to 40%, the film collected ₹120 crore in the Hindi market. Even after its OTT release, the audience continued to flock to cinemas to watch it.

Audience Still Wants Theatres

Resul believes that audiences are not to blame for Bollywood’s challenges. Instead, he feels the Hindi film industry isn’t delivering films that resonate with viewers. “There is nothing wrong with the audience. They will come to theatres if given the right films,” he said.

South Cinema’s Patience Rewarded

South Indian industries maintained patience during the crisis and held on to theatrical releases, earning audience loyalty. Resul remarked that Bollywood’s willingness to sell films off quickly during uncertain times created a self-inflicted “roller coaster of crisis.”

As Hindi cinema reflects on its post-pandemic strategies, industry experts like Resul believe that a renewed focus on storytelling and theatrical experiences could help regain lost ground.