Vikramaditya Motwane explains why South industries are outpacing Bollywood: 'Confusing as to who we are really making films for'
Vikramaditya Motwane shared his view on why Bollywood has been struggling in recent times, as big-budget films are failing at the box office, while comparing filmmaking in the South industry.
Vikramaditya Motwane
Last Updated: 11.42 AM, Dec 02, 2025
It's not unknown that Bollywood films have been suffering for quite a long time now. Most-awaited theatrical releases have witnessed miserable box office numbers, except for a few such as Chhaava and Saiyaara. Right from Salman Khan's Sikandar, Akshay Kumar's Housefull 5 to Hrithik Roshan's War 2, all Hindi films failed at the box office. Pointing out where the Bollywood filmmaking is doing wrong, director Vikramaditya Motwane has opened up about the challenges facing the Hindi film industry today, highlighting the lack of clarity in its creative direction. He also compared Bollywood to the rapidly developing South Indian industry.
Vikramaditya Motwane on Hindi vs South industry
At the Producers Roundtable interview by The Hollywood Reporter India, filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane was joined by Dulquer Salmaan, Rana Daggubati, and Archana Kalpathi. During the conversation, the filmmaker was asked about where Hindi films are getting it wrong. To this, he said that the Bollywood industry has a lot of confusion in filmmaking and targeting audiences as opposed to the South industry.
He said, "I think from the Hindi film industry's perspective, there is little bit more confusion as opposed to the clarity I feel that the industries from the South individually and collectively, I think there's lot of clarity and direction that is very specific as to the kind of films that are being made that the audiences that they are talking to. I think its a little bit more confusing in the Northern part as to who we are really making films for, who we are talking to."
Black Warrant director further added that the films that are succeeding are surprising them by succeeding, while the films that they are expecting to succeed are not, which is, of course, a part of the movie-making, but as per him, at the rate at which that is happening is little bit more concerning and mentioned that it was just at the Bollywood level.
"There's still a whole bunch of Indie stuff or independent stuff which struggles to release, get distributed, screens, and struggles to get greenlit as well. There's also the streaming component, which we know how that's also been a struggle for some, so I am not pessimistic, I am just I wish I could be more optimistic about the fact that okay, the outlook in the immediate near future is good," he added.
Vikramaditya Motwane on what can be done to improve Bollywood filmmaking
Explaining what the Bollywood industry should do to improve, the filmmaker mentioned that if they switch into a pure genre or a genre that kind of broadens from where they are in terms of the one-size-fits-all Bollywood, it will be a much better outlook.
"That is exactly what all the industries in the South are doing. The audiences are reaching out to and there is a lot of genre work that they are doing, which is drawing in an audience in a nice way. That is exactly in a certain sort of way we should go," he concluded.
Vikramaditya Motwane's work front
Motwane's recent projects include the Netflix series Black Warrant (2025), which he co-created and directed, and CTRL (2024), which he produced and directed.
His earlier directorial efforts include the films Jubilee (2023), AK VS AK (2020), and Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018).
FAQs
Q: What is Vikramaditya Motwane's latest project?
A: Vikramaditya Motwane's latest projects are Jubilee (Prime Video - subscribers of OTTplay Premium will also be able to watch the film with a top-up) and Black Warrant (Netflix)
Q: Where can I watch Black Warrant?
A: Black Warrant is streaming on Netflix. It stars Zahan Kapoor in the lead role.