Imagine Iron Man breaking into a Bollywood dance or Harry Potter pausing for a Telugu power-packed fight sequence. Okay, that might be a stretch – but the idea of Hollywood embracing Indian cinema isn’t far-fetched. In fact, it’s a no-brainer. I’m here to tell you why big studios like Warner Bros., Disney, and Paramount should invest in Indian cinema.
Over the summer, I spoke to a creative executive at Warner Bros who has been pushing internally for more collaboration with Indian filmmakers, citing the incredible star power and the uniquely vibrant style of Bollywood/Tollywood: “a whole different art form,” as she put it. So, why should Hollywood studios jump on the Indian cinema bandwagon? Let’s break it down.
Indian movies aren’t just for India: they have a global following, including legions of fans right here in North America. There are millions of South Asian diaspora in the U.S. and Canada who cheer on the latest Bollywood/Tollywood releases in theaters, often turning opening weekends into huge celebrations. In fact, superstar Shah Rukh Khan (aka “King of Bollywood”) has an insane global fan following: possibly bigger than any Hollywood actor’s. Given India’s 1.4 billion population, SRK “arguably commands a larger fan following than any other working actor in the world,” and he estimates half of his fans are outside India. That means when Shah Rukh’s action flick Pathaan hit U.S. theaters in 2023, not only did Indian-Americans show up, a lot of non-Indian folks came along for the ride too.
Don’t believe me? Look at RRR – the Telugu action epic that became a word-of-mouth sensation in the U.S. last year. It wasn’t just Indian expats filling seats. At one Brooklyn screening, most of the 20–30-something audience was outside the Indian diaspora, and there was “an overall wave of joy throughout” the theater. One Alamo Drafthouse programmer noted RRR elicited “at least 10 rounds of spontaneous applause from a packed screening in San Francisco” – saying it’s great on any screen, but next-level in a full theater with a rabid audience. In other words, mainstream Americans were dancing, hooting and loving this movie in Telugu with English subtitles. If that’s not crossover appeal, what is?
This fan enthusiasm translates to real box office $$$. Historically, the South Asian diaspora has been the biggest overseas market for Indian films, contributing to strong runs in the UK, Canada, and the U.S. Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was famously in an overseas top 10 back in the ’90s, and today the diaspora effect is only bigger. The North American box office for Indian films keeps breaking records. Earlier this year, Pathaan (a Bollywood spy thriller) grossed $17.5 million in North America, edging out RRR’s ~$15 million to become the 2nd-highest Indian grosser ever in the region (only Baahubali 2 has done more, about $20 million) Think about that: an Indian film with minimal marketing in the West out-earned many Hollywood releases in U.S. theaters. The audience is here, hungry for more. Big studios would be wise to feed this appetite.
Global Content Is the Future
We live in a Netflix-and-chill world, where a show from South Korea or a movie from India can become the next big thing worldwide. Hollywood studios pride themselves on global reach, but to truly reach global audiences you sometimes need local stories with universal appeal. As Netflix’s CCO (and my personal idol) Bela Bajaria puts it, “people enjoy watching stories from different parts of the world.” Success today means recognizing that a great story doesn’t need to be in English or set in New York or Los Angeles.
Streaming platforms figured this out early. Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ Hotstar: they’ve been investing big in Indian content for years. Netflix’s philosophy, as Bajaria explains, is not to just dub American shows for India, but to empower local creators to tell original stories for a global audience.That’s how we got Indian hits like Sacred Games, Indian Matchmaking, and Delhi Crime reaching international viewers. It’s also how something like RRR ended up trending in 60+ countries on Netflix. The film found a pathway to the American cultural zeitgeist because Netflix beamed that spectacular insanity into everyone’s living room. In fact, Netflix has invested so much in Indian productions that from 2021–2024 their India projects created $2 billion+ in economic impact and 20,000 jobs, with 150+ original Indian titles made in that period. Everything is data driven now right? Well look at that data Paramount!
And it’s paying off: global audiences are responding. We all saw the Korean drama wave (Squid Game), the Spanish takeover with Money Heist, etc. Indian content is just as primed for global success. The proof? Naatu Naatu, the outrageously catchy song-and-dance number from RRR, won India its first-ever Oscar for Best Original Song – and had even people who’d never watched an Indian movie tapping their feet. Netflix’s Bajaria named India (along with Africa) as one of the markets she’s most excited about expanding into, precisely because she sees the potential of these stories worldwide. Streamers are ahead of the game here – they know that an Indian spy thriller or a Telugu fantasy epic can hook subscribers from Texas to Tokyo.
Major studios, however, have been slower to adapt. Sure, Disney owns a chunk of the Indian streaming market (Hotstar) and has distributed some Indian films, but recently Disney pulled back on producing Hindi films locally to focus on its Hollywood slate – a move many called unfortunate and shortsighted. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. and Sony dabbled in Bollywood co-productions over a decade ago (remember Warner’s ill-fated Bollywood action comedy Chandni Chowk to China?). Those early attempts didn’t crack the code, but times have changed. The upside is just too big now to ignore. Hollywood studios need to take a page from the Netflix playbook and get back in the game before all the best cross-cultural content is snagged by streaming platforms.
Box Office: The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s talk business – because at the end of the day, studios care about the bottom line. And here’s the tea: Indian cinema means big money. Bollywood and Tollywood films have massive domestic audiences and increasingly significant international earnings. In pre-pandemic years, India’s film industry sold more tickets worldwide than Hollywood – India is one of the few places where local films routinely keep Hollywood’s market share down to ~15%.That tells you how huge the home market is for Indian content. But globally too, Indian films are making waves:
Blockbusters galore: India produces hundreds of films a year (far more than the U.S. does), and many turn into box office juggernauts. For example, Aamir Khan’s Dangal (2016) – a Hindi sports drama about wrestling – grossed around $330 million worldwide, including an astonishing $197 million in China alone. Yes, you read that right: a Bollywood film about a family of female wrestlers became the 16th highest-grossing film in China’s history, outperforming many Marvel movies there. Indian films like Dangal and Secret Superstar proved that if you give them a chance, they can punch way above their weight internationally
Recent crossover hits: We’ve already mentioned RRR (2022) a few times, but its numbers deserve a shout-out. This Telugu-language epic grossed about $150 million worldwide– remarkable for a film with minimal Western marketing. It became the second-highest-grossing Indian film ever in the US (about $15 M) as of mid-2022, until Pathaan came along. And Pathaan (2023), starring Shah Rukh Khan, proved the post-pandemic potential: over ₹877 crore worldwide (roughly $130+ million), including that record North America haul. These are grosses that rival mid-budget Hollywood hits. When Pathaan makes more in North America than, say, a typical Oscar-bait drama from Hollywood, you know something’s up. There’s real revenue to be had.
Consistent overseas growth: Indian films have steadily increased their overseas contributions. In 2000, the overseas box office for Bollywood was about $100 M annually; now single films can hit that. By 2017-2018, Indian titles were even sneaking into the top 5 worldwide box office for the year – for instance, Dangal was among the top global grossers of 2017. And outside of the U.S., Indian movies have long been popular in regions like the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Basically, Indian cinema travels, and studios can ride that wave.
In short, investing in Bollywood/Tollywood isn’t a vanity project or charity – it’s smart business. These films can mint money, both from diaspora audiences and increasingly from curious mainstream viewers everywhere. A Hollywood-Bollywood collaboration (or co-production) can tap into two gigantic markets at once. Think global release, double the hype, double the cash.
Star Power and Unique Style
One big reason Indian films resonate is their star power – and I mean supernova-level star power. The top Indian actors are not just film stars; they’re almost demigods to their fans. Remember how I mentioned Shah Rukh Khan’s global following? The Los Angeles Times noted that SRK’s popularity is so immense, it “can’t be justified by box office data” – it’s a cultural force beyond tickets. His co-stars Aamir Khan and Salman Khan are similarly huge, especially across Asia. I recently went to work in South India for a month and actors like Prabhas, Rajinikanth, Yash and others command insane devotion. Rajinikanth’s fans literally pour milk on his posters in India as a sign of worship.This kind of fan fervor could energize global marketing like never before. Imagine a Marvel movie release with that kind of built-in hype because an Indian superstar is in it or because it’s an official Indo-Hollywood co-production. It’s marketing gold.
By investing in Indian cinema, big studios can harness this unique storytelling style. They could collaborate with Indian creatives to produce movies that blend Hollywood production values with Bollywood/Tollywood flair – resulting in content that stands out in the global market. We’re already seeing inklings of this: just this year Warner Bros. announced a partnership to develop Indian adaptations of iconic Warner films for global release. The idea is to “reimagine iconic Warner Bros. movies… infusing them with India’s rich cultural tapestry” while keeping their universal appeal. Warner’s India head said it plainly: India is one of the world’s most vibrant, sophisticated film markets and this lets them combine Warner’s storytelling heritage with top Indian talent. Translation: they see the creative and commercial value of mixing Bollywood spice into Hollywood recipes. (Bollywood remake of The Hangover or Harry Potter, anyone? It’s happening and I’ve got my popcorn ready.)
Also, let’s not forget the star collaborations we could get. Imagine a film with, say, Chris Evans and Hrithik Roshan teaming up as co-leads, or Deepika Padukone and Scarlett Johansson in a cross-cultural spy thriller. These pairings would draw crowds from both sides of the world. In The Bastards of Bollywood (a new satirical series now streaming on Netflix), Aryan Khan even managed to pull cameo appearances by all three Khans – Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir – as themselves, something fans thought they’d only ever dream of. The show itself is a mad, self-referential Bollywood spoof (written/directed by Shah Rukh’s son!) that’s unapologetic, unfiltered, and brimming with digs at the film industry. It’s been a hit with young audiences, and it underscores how Indian creators are willing to poke fun and be edgy with their own tropes. Hollywood studios should take note: partnering with such creators could yield content that’s fresh, bold, and appealing to young demographics globally. It’s the kind of different perspective that could liven up studio slates.
The world’s getting smaller and entertainment tastes are getting broader. A movie made in Mumbai or Hyderabad can trend on Twitter in Los Angeles the next day. Fans in Toronto might binge a Telugu series on Netflix, while teens in Delhi are watching the latest Marvel flick so why not create content that blends these worlds? The studio system needs to evolve with the audience.
In a way, investing in Bollywood/Tollywood is also about future-proofing Hollywood. The global box office is increasingly driven by local-language hits (look at China’s domestic films or Japan’s anime movies dominating their markets). By partnering with Indian content, studios ensure they have a stake in one of the world’s largest film economies instead of competing against it. Plus, it’s just fun! As a movie fan, I’d love to see the creative fusion that could come out of, say, Disney collaborating with a top Indian director like Sanjay Leela Bhansali or Paramount co-producing a gritty crime thriller with Anurag Kashyap. These combos could result in films that wow critics and crack $500M worldwide because they appeal to multiple cultures at once. C’mon Hollywood: the ball is in your court.
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