One of the interesting things about the Asian countries as they got rich was that they followed a pattern.
0.65-0.75 HDI – Building public infrastructure (metros/bullet trains etc), systems.
0.75-0.85 HDI – Companies becoming global players. Japanese companies in the 80s. Korean in the late 90s-early 2000s. Chinese from the mid 2010s onward.
0.85 HDI+ – Pop culture becomes mainstream. Soft power. Anime/video games in the 90s for Japan. Hallyu in the 2000s for Korea. Chinese video games and C-dramas are also picking up pace now internationally (Will be a deluge by the early 2030s).
India is currently in the first phase (alongside Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines etc).
China is in the second (alongside Malaysia, Thailand).
Japan, South Korea in the third (alongside Taiwan, Hong Kong etc).
Judging by current timelines India enters phase 2 around 2030 and phase 3 around 2050.
But it doesn’t have to be exact and some green shoots can happen before.
Rajamouli’s RRR was very well received globally (Japan as well as the west) and audiences loved the over the top earnest action in a time of crossover saturated mainstream Hollywood movies. It even won an Oscar.
His next project is the one of the most expensive Indian films ever and is getting a lot of traction from international media as well as movie tech companies(Dolby, IMAX).
Here is the official IMAX channel launching the trailer.
Interview with Collider.
The movie seems to have a very interesting premise with a Indiana Jones style globe trotting adventure with time travel shenanigans. I assume judging from the trailer the adventure will take them through the Ramayana as well.
Can be a game changer for Indian cinema and what takes India to the next level. India is already the third biggest box office in the world (behind USA+Canada and China) and the only one who will be capable beside these two to make big budget VFX-heavy epics.
A lot of VFX work is already done in India so this will hold India in good stead in the future (DNEG which does VFX for lots of Hollywood movies like Dune etc is an Indian owned company and is handling the Ramayana movie as well which is another movie getting a big international push).
Bollywood is world class cinema; best in the world.
There are some really good elements – I love the mismash of multiple genres, the music etc.
Just need to get rid of the cheesiness and get better technically (VFX, choreography etc).
Both will happen with time (and is already happening).
I thought Dhurandhar was perfect Bollywood masala filmmaking.
Even RRR was great (if with slightly more cheese).
I see Indian genre cinema have a moment in a decade or so.
Chinese have become technically very good but censorship leads to creative limitations.
we are going to see Dhurundhar when it’s out
Trailer drop tomorrow.
i) india will face tough head winds to increase its hdi etc.
ii) an u s assistant secretary has told raisina dialogues in delhi that u s will not make the mistake of supporting india like thay did to china 20 years ago.
iii) so, what this means is denial of technology, denial of access ( h1b etc), keeping pak front on the boil, forcing india to go against china in all situations however infeasible.
we are in interesting times.
iv) india will have to do deep reforms and shy away from populist schemes.
thus spake landau. thank you sir !!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lDr0QdR-up0