Story-First, or Story-Forgotten, in Indian Filmmaking
- Sajeev Varghese
- Dec 22
- 12 min read
The Intelligence of the Indian Audience Is Not the Problem
Indian cinema doesn’t need more money.
It doesn’t need more stars.
And it certainly doesn’t need bigger sets.
What it desperately needs is more respect—
For the story.
For the craft.
And most of all, for the audience.
Because the intelligence of the viewer is not the problem.
The failure to rise to it—is.
For decades, too many Indian films have been created on the assumption that the Indian audience must be spoon-fed. That emotional nuance must be flattened. That visual spectacle can mask narrative hollowness. That borrowed plots, lazy remakes, and one-dimensional characters will do—because we’re told “that’s what sells.”
But every time a film like Ghajini succeeds—an adaptation that trusts the viewer to follow nonlinear timelines and fragmented memories—And every time a film like Laal Singh Chaddha fails—despite its source material being one of the most beloved films in cinematic history—It becomes painfully clear:
Audiences crave meaning, not mimicry.
This analysis is not about nostalgia or finger-pointing. It’s about a new standard.
One that demands the Indian film industry finally grow into its own potential.
We’ll explore how the storytelling craft has been abandoned in favor of formula, how the intelligence of the Indian viewer has been insulted, and most importantly, how we can begin to rebuild cinema that respects, resonates, and rises.
Because the next leap in Indian filmmaking won't come from a camera upgrade or a box office boost.
It will come from the courage to ask a single question before the first frame is shot:
Does this story deserve to be told?
Let’s begin.
🔥 What Hollywood’s Most Disruptive Studio Teaches Us About Crafting Stories That Matter
A24 isn’t just a studio — it’s a storytelling philosophy. They don’t chase formulas. They chase emotional truth, psychological depth, and narrative integrity. Their movies don’t pander to the lowest common denominator — they engage the highest human denominator. And that’s exactly the storytelling breakthrough Indian cinema urgently needs. Read our earlier blog post, "A24: The Blueprint for Indian Cinema’s Next Chapter."
🧠 What A24 Gets Right — And Indian Cinema Often Misses
1️⃣ Patient, Intentional Pacing
A24 films build tension slowly — a gradual layering of stakes, atmosphere, and character unease, rather than just spectacle after spectacle. This anticipatory anxiety isn’t a cheap thrill — it’s an emotional investment.
Bollywood tendency: Fast cuts, loud sequences, early high-octane moments → the audience is exhausted before they’re engaged.
Lesson: Don’t start at 11. Let audiences settle in. Let the stakes rise. Let meaning accrue.
2️⃣ Characters Built From Trauma, Not Templates
In A24 films, protagonists aren’t cardboard archetypes — they’re people forged in unresolved wounds. Their flaws aren’t superficial; they shape everything they do.
Bollywood tendency: Characters often exist to perform, not become.
Lesson: Dig into psychological depth. Give your characters internal gravity that draws audiences in emotionally.
3️⃣ Genre Isn’t a Cage — It’s a Tool
A24 films bend genres — philosophical sci‑fi, horror, absurdist comedy, family drama — in service of theme, not trend.
Bollywood tendency: Genres are often used as packaging, not meaningful context.
Lesson: Blend genres only when it enhances the emotional truth, not to impress with gimmicks.
4️⃣ Purposeful Visuals That Serve the Story
Every frame in an A24 movie is a statement, not decoration. Colour, composition, and mise‑en‑scene all reflect the theme and psychology.
Bollywood tendency: Visuals often default to prettiness rather than narrative resonance.
Lesson: Let visuals be storytelling — not just spectacle.
🎯 Why This Matters for Indian Filmmaking
India has the stories — rich history, complex culture, and diverse voices. But too often the craft ends at surface entertainment rather than shared emotional truth. A24 teaches that storytelling isn’t about pleasing — it’s about feeling.
Build narratives that start with character psychology.
Let emotional stakes rise logically — not artificially.
Use genre as a lens, not a cloak.
Craft every choice — narrative, visual, or emotional — to serve meaning.
This is not esoteric flair — this is how films become unforgettable, not forgettable.
📽 The Bottom Line
A24’s success isn’t about shock value or trend‑hopping — it’s about discipline, emotional insight, and structural clarity.
Indian cinema doesn’t just need bigger movies; it needs better stories.
Because the audience isn’t clamoring for spectacle — they’re clamoring for resonance.
When Indian storytellers begin asking the A24 questions — “Does this character matter? Does the narrative earn its emotion? Does the form reflect the theme?” — that’s when cinema stops being noise and becomes art.
🎬 And that’s when Indian cinema truly goes global.
🎭 The Great Underestimation: How Indian Cinema Betrayed Its Audience
The biggest lie the Indian film industry told itself — and keeps repeating — is this:
“The average Indian viewer can’t handle complexity.”
But this isn’t just a lie. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that has hollowed out Indian cinema from the inside.
Instead of challenging the audience with layered narratives, humane characters, or moral ambiguity, much of the industry chose the path of least resistance: formulaic plots, shallow conflict, and high-decibel spectacle. In doing so, it didn’t just simplify the story — it simplified the audience.
And that is the real tragedy.
🎬 When Storytelling Became Laziness
Across every sliver of the Indian filmmaking value chain — from scriptwriting to set design, acting to editing — a dangerous culture has taken root:“Don’t think. Just package.”
Writers are told not to “go too deep” or “too real.” Instead, they write to the trailer, not the truth.
Producers prioritize visibility over vision, backing scripts that are easier to market than to believe.
Directors are often reduced to handlers of star personas rather than shapers of story worlds.
Actors fall into performance patterns — predictable, performative, perform-it-all — rather than becoming the character.
Studios use AI, not to elevate artistry, but to reverse-engineer trends and maximize ROI with zero story integrity.
The result? A commodified cinema that caters to the lowest common denominator while alienating the rising majority.
🧠 The Myth of the “Dumb” Indian Audience
Here’s the truth: The Indian audience has evolved. Dramatically.
They stream international prestige dramas at night and are left insulted by the Sunday matinee.
They cry watching “The Father,” “CODA,” “Past Lives,” or “Everything Everywhere…” — then sit numb through yet another “mass entertainer” that mistakes shouting for sincerity.
They crave emotional clarity, moral complexity, and authentic performances — not synthetic glamor or recycled story tropes.
This isn’t a niche segment. This is India rising — intellectually, emotionally, artistically.
To underestimate them now is not only ignorant — it is suicidal.
🔥 The A24 Wake-Up Call for Indian Cinema
As we explored in the analysis of A24 storytelling:
“Don’t start at 11. Let audiences feel the rise.”
“Don’t use genre as a trap. Let it serve the theme.”
“Don’t decorate the frame. Let it reflect psychology.”
“Don’t simplify emotion. Let it be unresolved.”
These aren’t luxuries. These are requirements for relevance in a world of global cinema.
Indian filmmakers must now unlearn decades of dilution and relearn the courage of belief — in story, in craft, and most importantly, in audience intelligence.
Because the bar is no longer local. It is universal.
💡 The Rewrite Imperative
Indian cinema stands at a critical inflection point:
Will it keep dumbing down — or rise up to the intelligence of its people?
Will it keep chasing noise — or start cultivating resonance?
Will it keep repeating itself — or finally reimagine its storytelling roots?
The audiences are ready. The platforms are global. The tools are powerful.
What’s missing is a storytelling mindset — a Story-First ecosystem where:
✅ Craft trumps convenience
✅ Characters reflect contradictions
✅ Form follows feeling
✅ Ambiguity is respected
✅ The audience is never condescended to
🎥 Case Study: Ghajini — Nolan’s Storytelling, Indian Heart
I. The Source: Memento (2000) – A Masterclass in Story Structure
Christopher Nolan’s Memento broke narrative conventions with:
A reverse chronology, alternating between black-and-white and color scenes.
A fragmented protagonist, Leonard, who suffers from short-term memory loss.
A storytelling device where structure = psychology—we experience the narrative the way Leonard experiences life: out of order, disoriented, but driven by emotional obsession.
This was advanced, nonlinear storytelling — built on audience trust. Nolan didn’t dumb it down. He elevated the viewer.
II. The Indian Adaptation: Ghajini (2005 Tamil, 2008 Hindi)
Director A.R. Murugadoss made a bold bet: to adapt Memento for an Indian audience not by simply replicating its reverse structure, but by:
Localizing the emotional core — the revenge of a man who’s lost his love.
Preserving the episodic memory loss device (15-minute reset).
Structuring the film linearly while embedding flashbacks, journal entries, tattoos, and Polaroids to mirror disorientation.
Merging mass appeal tropes (romance, villain, action) with psychological fragmentation.
This was a rare fusion of Nolan-esque storytelling craft with Indian cinematic ingredients. And it worked.
🎯 Why It Proves Indian Audiences Are Ready for Smart Storytelling
Blockbuster success: The 2005 Tamil version was a massive hit. The 2008 Hindi remake starring Aamir Khan became the first Indian film to cross ₹100 crore in domestic box office — a new milestone for Indian cinema.
Audience reception: Far from being confused, viewers embraced the layered narrative. The tattoos, the countdown, the shifting timelines — they became part of the thrill, not a barrier.
Cultural impact: Ghajini sparked conversations around memory, identity, and storytelling in a way few Indian films had done before. It inspired memes, rewatches, fan theories — signs of a film that respected its viewers.
🧠 The Lesson: Storytelling Craft Is Not a Western Privilege
What Ghajini proved is that:
Complex storytelling, when rooted in clear emotional stakes, is universally accessible.
Indian audiences can:
Follow nonlinear plots.
Embrace fragmented protagonists.
Engage with unreliable narration.
Appreciate form that follows emotion.
All they need is clarity of intent, emotional anchoring, and honest craft.
🔥 Why Indian Filmmakers Must Pay Attention
The success of Ghajini begs the question: Why did the industry stop trusting its audience after that?
Instead of pushing the envelope further, Bollywood regressed into safer waters — spectacle over story, formula over risk.
But Ghajini remains a glowing reminder that:
Story-first cinema doesn’t require dumbing down.
Genre fusion works when character psychology leads.
Indian audiences crave more than masala — they crave meaning.
🎬 Final Takeaway
Ghajini is not just a remake. It’s a rebuttal to the myth that Indian audiences can’t handle complexity.
It proves that when you bring craft to character, intellect to emotion, and structure to soul, Indian cinema can rise to global storytelling standards — and still win at the box office.
This is the bar. We’ve hit it before.
It’s time to raise it again.
🎭 Laal Singh Chaddha — A Case Study in Lost Opportunity
I. The Source: Forrest Gump (1994)
Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump is not just a collection of historical events through the eyes of a “simple” man. It is:
A masterclass in tone management—balancing whimsy, satire, and heartbreak.
A portrait of American identity told through one unforgettable character’s unlikely journey.
Layered storytelling—where every sequence advances Forrest’s emotional arc and ties back to a profound universal theme: “Life is like a box of chocolates.”
It’s cinematic Americana with storytelling depth—funny, poignant, and subversively smart.
II. The Adaptation: Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)
The attempt to "Indianize" Forrest Gump through Laal Singh Chaddha fell flat because it failed to earn its emotions, missed the cultural mark, and misunderstood the essence of the original.
What Went Wrong:
Mechanical Transplant, Not Organic Translation:
The script treated events like a checklist—1971 war, 1984 riots, Kargil, Pokhran, etc.—without weaving them into Laal’s emotional journey. These were events as backdrops, not events as meaning.
Cultural Disconnect:
The original Forrest was deeply rooted in American Southern identity, allowing satire and sincerity to coexist. Laal’s version was culturally confused—unsure whether to be sentimental, political, or whimsical. The result? An emotional tone that felt inauthentic and hollow.
Shallow Emotional Arc:
Forrest’s simple nature gave way to universal wisdom—his worldview illuminated ours. Laal, by contrast, spoke in flattened platitudes. Instead of emotional layering, the film served surface-level nostalgia.
Performance Over Substance:
Aamir Khan’s portrayal, instead of melting into the character, drew unnecessary attention to the performance itself. It became a distraction from the story, turning pathos into parody.
Missing Storytelling Craft:
Where Memento was adapted into Ghajini with respect for storytelling logic, Laal Singh Chaddha seemed to reverse-engineer emotion from sentimentality—not from character truth or narrative tension.
🧠 Why This Comparison Matters
Element | Ghajini (2005/08) | Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) |
Source Film | Memento (Nonlinear, intellectual) | Forrest Gump (Linear, emotional) |
Adaptation Approach | Rebuilt with Indian emotional stakes | Carbon-copy transplant with minor tweaks |
Cultural Grounding | Strong Indian psychological resonance | Confused tone, lacking cultural glue |
Emotional Core | Revenge + Love = Clear motivation | Passive protagonist, unclear arc |
Respect for Audience | High—trusted viewer intelligence | Low—over-explained, over-acted |
🔥 The Final Irony
The irony is this: Laal Singh Chaddha had a much more accessible story to adapt than Memento. But it failed because it underestimated the audience’s need for authenticity, not just familiarity.
The Indian audience didn’t reject the idea of the film—they rejected its lack of storytelling integrity.
🎬 What Story-First Filmmakers Must Learn — And How to Practice It
1. Emotional resonance doesn’t come from mimicking structure—it comes from lived character truth.
How to apply this:
Start with Character, Not Plot: Before outlining events, go deep into the emotional DNA of your protagonist. Who are they when no one is watching? What pain do they carry? What do they yearn for that they can’t name?
Use Inner Conflict as Compass: Let internal contradictions drive external action. Laal Singh may have copied Forrest’s outer journey, but he lacked inner conflict. Ghajini’s protagonist, by contrast, was defined by pain, memory, and revenge—a clear inner wound that bled through the story.
Craft “Moments of Truth”: Prioritize 3–5 scenes where the character must choose—not between good and evil, but between comfort and growth. This is where the audience feels who the character truly is.
🎯 Story-First Principle: Structure should emerge from character, not be imposed upon it.
2. Audiences crave meaning, not mimicry.
How to apply this:
Use Events to Reveal Belief Systems: A Kargil War scene means nothing unless it tests your character’s worldview. Don’t just replicate headlines—connect them to the character’s evolving moral framework.
Theme is Your North Star: Define your story’s core question (e.g., Can love survive memory loss? in Ghajini) and let every beat reflect, challenge, or deepen that theme.
Stop Over-Explaining, Start Inviting: Let audiences discover meaning instead of spoon-feeding them with exposition-heavy dialogue or forced narration.
🎯 Story-First Principle: Meaning arises when your character’s journey reflects the audience’s emotional truth—even in disguise.
3. Great storytelling is not about what happens—it’s about why it matters.
How to apply this:
Don’t Just Show, Contextualize: A scene of a child being bullied isn't just trauma—it’s the birthplace of silence, shame, or rebellion. Add the emotional lens.
Ask “What’s at Stake?” Constantly: Not just what’s happening—but what it means to the character if it goes wrong. The deeper the stakes (emotional, spiritual, relational), the more audiences invest.
Every Sequence Should Shift the Soul: If a scene doesn’t cause a meaningful internal shift, it’s filler. Even a montage must transform perception.
🎯 Story-First Principle: Plot is a delivery mechanism. The payload is emotional transformation.
4. Ghajini proved we’re capable of honoring complex source material. Laal Singh Chaddha proved that without story-first craft, even the greatest source material will collapse.
How to apply this:
Trust the Audience's Intelligence: Ghajini respected the viewer’s ability to track nonlinear memory jumps, because it grounded every flash in a need—to recover love, reclaim justice, and rebuild identity.
Root Complexity in Simplicity: Ghajini never got lost in style—it used complexity in structure, but simplicity in motivation. That’s what made it emotionally accessible.
Adaptation ≠ Translation: Forrest Gump is deeply American. Its Indian version needed a radical reinterpretation of cultural trauma, belief systems, and voice. Filmmakers must be brave enough to deconstruct and reimagine, not just repaint the same strokes.
🎯 Story-First Principle: Adaptation succeeds when the soul is preserved, not when the skin is repainted.
🛠️ Summary Table: Story-First Practice vs Lazy Imitation
Principle | Lazy Approach | Story-First Approach |
Character | Stereotypes or mimicry | Internal wounds, moral dilemmas |
Structure | Imposed from outside | Emerges from emotional stakes |
Theme | Ill-defined or forced | Explored through choices and consequences |
Audience | Talked down to | Invited to feel, reflect, and discover |
Adaptation | Direct copy | Cultural reinterpretation with thematic soul |
Emotional Engagement | Sentimentality | Earned catharsis |
🧠 The Rewrite Challenge
Don’t ask what story you want to tell. Ask what emotion you want to unleash.
The Indian Film Industry has no shortage of ideas, actors, or scale. What it lacks is the storytelling humility to serve truth over trend, emotion over gimmick, and craft over convenience.
It’s time to stop underestimating the audience.
Because the ones who dare to tell the right story, told right, will define the next golden age of Indian cinema.
🎬 Conclusion: The Rewrite Indian Cinema Deserves
The story of Indian cinema is at a crossroads.
On one hand, Ghajini showed us what’s possible when we trust the audience, respect the emotional weight of a premise, and honor the storytelling craft behind the source material. It translated complexity into clarity, not by dumbing it down—but by rooting it in something deeply human: grief, memory, love, and vengeance.
On the other hand, Laal Singh Chaddha exposed what happens when form is copied, but the soul is not. In trying to recreate the surface of Forrest Gump without earning its emotional depth, it reminded us that sentiment is not a substitute for subtext, and nostalgia is not a replacement for narrative truth.
And that’s the deeper tragedy of much of Indian cinema today: a chronic underestimation of its audience. A belief that flashy montages, inherited star power, and borrowed plots can mask the absence of lived emotional truth. A creative laziness that commodifies cinema into content, where every story becomes a product, not a process of revelation.
But audiences are evolving. They want more.
Not just what happens—but why it matters.
Not just who's cast—but who we care about.
Not just which remake—but which truth.
And this is the call for filmmakers, writers, producers, and actors alike:
🎯 Be brave enough to tell the truth that’s yours, not the formula you think will sell.
🎯 Honor complexity, not chaos.
🎯 Treat the audience not as consumers, but as co-travelers in a journey of emotional meaning.
Because in the end, stories that dare to feel first, speak second, and mean something will always be remembered.
And that—right there—is the story-first future Indian cinema can still choose to write.
👉 Are you ready to see your film through the lens of Story-First Intelligence?
🟢 Learn more. Get leveled-up. Join the Rewrite.
📍 Explore The Story-First Workbook
And it starts with you.
The Rewrite Generation begins with you. 🎬🔥